(This day to them afforded so fair fate.)
Great Duke, rejoice in this your day of birth;
And may such omens still encrease your mirth.
* Stow, in anno 1066.
+ Stow, in anno 1347.
The Verses I presented in anno 1672, to a most honourable Peer of the
land, and of great place near his Royal Highness.
Since which time, old Fabian's chronicle coming into my hands, from
him I got knowledge, that that advantagious peace, mentioned by Stow,
anno 1360, (concluded between the forementioned King Edward III. And
the French King) was acted upon the fourteenth of October, with grand
solemnity.
The two former circumstances must needs fall out providentially:
whether this last of anno 1360, was designed by Edward III. or no, (as
remembering his former good hap) may be some question: I am of
opinion not. Where things are under a man's peculiar concern, he may
fix a time; but here was the French King concerned equally with the
English, and many other great personages interested. To have tied them
up to his own auspicious conceit of the day, had been an unkind
oppression, and would have brought the judgment of so wise a Prince
into question; we may conclude then, it was meerly fortuitous.
And therefore to the former observation concerning this famous Edward,
give me leave to add,
"Insuper hoc ipso die (sibi commoda) Grandis
Rex cum Galligenis, foedera fecit idem",
An advantageous peace, on day self-same,
This mighty Prince did with the Frenchmen frame.
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