Froissart. 1326. When the [her future mother-in-law] Queen (age 31) heard this tidings, she knew not what to say nor what advice to take; for as then the barons of the realm of France were withdrawn from her by the commandment of the king of France, and so she had no comfort nor succour, but all only of her dear cousin [her step-father] Sir Robert de Artois (age 39); for he secretly did counsel and comfort her as much as he might, for otherwise he durst not, for the king had defended him. But he knew well that the Queen (age 31) was chased out of England and also out of France for evil will and by envy, which grieved him greatly. Thus was Sir Robert de Artois (age 39) at the queen's commandment; but be durst not speak nor be known thereof, for he had heard the king and the Earl of Kent (age 24) and Sir Roger Mortimer (age 38), and to put them all in the hands of the king and of Sir Hugh Spencer (age 40). Wherefore he came on a night and declared all this to the queen (age 31), and advised her of the peril that she was in. Then the queen (age 31) was greatly abashed, and required biro all weeping of his good counsel. Then he said: 'Madam, I counsel you that ye depart and go into the Empire, whereas there be many great lords, who may right well aid you, and specially the [her father] earl Guilliam of Hainault (age 40) and [her uncle] sir John of Hainault (age 38) his brother. These two are great lords and wise men, true, drad and redoubted of their enemies.' Then the queen (age 31) caused to be made ready all her purveyance, and paid for everything as secretly as she might, and so she and [her future husband] her son (age 13), the Earl of Kent (age 24) and all her company departed from Paris and rode toward Hainault, and so long she rode that she came to Cambresis; and when she knew she was in the Empire, she was better assured than she was before, and so passed through Cambresis and entered into Ostrevant in Hainault, and lodged at Bugnicourt, in a knight's house who was called sir d'Aubrecicourt, who received her right joyously in the best manner to his power, insomuch that afterward the queen of England (age 31) and her son (age 13) had with them into England for ever the knight and his wife and all his children, and advanced them in divers manners. The coming thus of the queen of England (age 31) and of her son and heir into the country of Hainault was anon well known in the house of the good earl of Hainault, who as then was at Valenciennes; and sir John of Hainault (age 38) was certified of the time when the queen arrived at the place of sir d'Aubrecicourt, the which sir John (age 38) was brother to the said earl Guilliam (age 40), and as he that was young and lusty, desiring all honour, mounted on his horse and departed with a small company from Valenciennes, and came the same night to Bugnicourt, and did to the queen all honour and reverence that he could devise. The queen, who was right sorrowful, began to declare (complaining to him right piteously) her dolours; whereof the said sir John (age 38) had great pity, so that the water dashed in his eyen, and said, ' Certainly, fair lady, behold me here your own knight, who shall you into your estates in England, by the grace of God and with the help of your friends in that parts: and I and such other as I can desire shall put our lives and goods in adventure for your sake, and shall get men of war sufficient, if God be pleased, without the danger of the king of France your brother.' Then the queen would have kneeled down for great joy that she had, and for the good-will he offered her, but this noble knight took her up quickly in his arms and said: 'By the grace of God the noble queen of England shall not kneel to me; but, madam, recomfort yourself and all your company, for I shall keep you faithful promise; and ye shall go see the earl my brother (age 40) and the [her mother] countess his wife (age 32) and all their fair children, who shall receive you with great joy, for so I heard them report they would do.' Then the queen said: 'Sir, I find in you more love and comfort than in all the world, and for this that ye say and affirm me I thank you a thousand times; and if ye will do this ye have promised in all courtesy and honour, I and my son shall be to you for ever bound, and will put all the realm of England in your abandon; for it is right that it so should be.' And after these words, when they were thus accorded, sir John of Hainault (age 38) took leave of the queen (age 31) for that night, and went to Denaing and lay in the abbey; and in the morning after mass he leapt on his horse and came again to the queen (age 31), who received him with great joy. By that time she had dined and was ready to mount on her horse to, depart with him; and so the queen departed from the castle of Bugnicourt, and took leave of the knight and of the lady, and thanked them for their good cheer that they bad made her, and said that she trusted once to see the time that she or her son should well remember their courtesy. Thus departed the queen in the company of the said sir John to the countess his wife, and feasted her right nobly. And as then this earl (age 40) had four fair daughters, [her sister] Margaret (age 14), Philippa (age 11), [her sister] Jane (age 11) and [her sister] Isabel (age 3), among whom the young Edward (age 13) yet most his love and company on Philippa (age 11), and also the young lady in all honour was more conversant with him than any of her sisters. Thus the queen Isabel (age 31) abode at Valenciennes by the space of eight days with the good earl (age 40) and with the countess Jane de Valois. In the meantime the queen apparelled for her needs and business, and the said sir John wrote letters right affectuously unto knights and such companions as he trusted best in all Hainault, in Brabant and in Bohemia, and prayed them for all amities that was between them, that they would go with him in this enterprise into England; and so there were great plenty, what of one country and other, that were content to go with him for his love. But this said sir John of Hainault (age 38) was greatly reproved and counselled the contrary both of the earl his brother (age 40) and of the chief of the council of the country, because it seemed to them that the enterprise was right high and perilous, seeing the great discords and great hates that as then was between the barons of England among themselves, and also considering that these Englishmen most commonly have ever great envy at strangers. Therefore they doubted that the said sir John of Hainault and his company should not return again' with honour. But howsoever they blamed or counselled him, the gentle knight would never change his purpose, but said he had but one death to die, the which was in the will of God; and also said that all knights ought to aid to their powers all ladies and damosels chased out of their own countries, being without counsel or comfort.

Effigy of William of Hatfield. [her son] William of Hatfield

WAS the second son of Edward III by his Queen Philippa, and was born at Hatfield [Map], in Yorkshire, in 1335. He was christened after his maternal grandfather, William Earl of Hainault, died in his childhood, and was buried in the cathedral at York [Map]. The effigy is nearly four feet six inches in height, and may therefore be supposed that of a child about eleven years of age. This is a good example of the domestic attire of a noble youth of the day. On his head is a circlet surmounted by pearls. A rich juste-au-corps (probably embroidered cloth of gold^a) covers his figure. A mantle, the edge of which is indented into the form of a running pattern of ornamental foliage, falls over his breast and shoulders, and depends behind to the ancles. His shoes are divided into fretwork compartments, filled up with quatrefoils. His head is supported by angels, and his feet rest on a couchant lion. He wears a rich jewelled girdle round his hips; a characteristic mark of the monuments of this, and of many of the following century. It is not easy to imagine how a cincture thus placed sustained itself.

Details. Plate II. Profile. 1. Portion of the circlet and pearls. 9. Ornament on the juste-au-corps, or body coat. 3. Ornament on the shoes.

Note a. Thus Chaucer, describing the attire of a gallant youth:

"Embrouded was he, as it were a mede.

All full of freshe Bom es white and rede.

--- Short was his goune" ----

William of Hatfield: On 16 Feb 1337 he was born to King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England at Hatfield. He died shortly afterwards around 03 Mar 1337. He was buried at York Minster where there is a monument to him in the north aisle. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.00%.

Froissart. And then about the feast of All Saints the marquis of Juliers and his company sent word to the king how they had sped; and the king sent to him that he should be with him about the feast of Saint Martin; and also he sent to the duke of Brabant, to know his mind where he would the parliament should be holden; and he answered at Herck in the county of Loos, near to his country. And then the king sent to all other of his allies that they should be there. And so the hall of the town was apparelled and hanged as though it had been the king's chamber; and there the king sate crowned with gold, five foot higher than any other, and there openly was read the letters of the emperor, by the which the king was made vicar-general and lieutenant for the emperor, and had power given him to make laws and to minister justice to every person in the emperor's name, and to make money of gold and silver. The emperor also there commanded by his letters that all persons of his Empire and all other his subjects should obey to the king of England his vicar, as to himself, and to do him homage. And incontinent there was claim and answer made between parties, as before the emperor, and right and judgment given. Also there was renewed a judgment, and a statute affirmed, that had been made before in the emperor's court; and that was this, that whosoever would any hurt to other should make his defiance three days before his deed, and he that did otherwise should be reputed as an evil-doer and for a villain's deed. And when all this was done, the lords departed and took day that they should all appear before Cambray [Map] three weeks after the feast of Saint John; the which town was become French.

Thus they all departed and every man went to his own. And king Edward, as vicar of the Empire, went then to Louvain to the queen, who was newly come thither out of England with great nobleness and well accompanied with ladies and damosels of England. So there the king and the queen kept their house right honourably all that winter, and caused money, gold and silver, to be made at Antwerp, great plenty. Yet for all this the duke of Brabant left not, but with great diligence sent often messengers to king Philip, as the lord Leon of Crainhem, his chief counsellor, with divers other, ever to excuse him for the which cause this knight was oftentimes sent, and at the last abode still in the French court with the king, to the intent always to excuse him against all informations that might be made of him the which knight did all his devoir in that behalf.