Link LinkShortly afterwards, the king, the queen, the earl of Kent, his uncle, earl Henry of Lancaster, the earl of Mortimer, and all the barons who were of the council, sent a bishop1, two knights bannerets2, and two able clerks, to sir John de Hainault, to beg of him to be the means that the young king, their lord, should marry; and that the count of Hainault and Holland would send over one of his daughters, for he would love her more dearly on his account than any other lady. The lord of Beaumont feasted and paid many honours to the messengers and commissioners from the English king. Then he took them to Valenciennes, where his brother received them right honourably, and gave them such sumptuous entertainments as would be tiresome to relate. When they had told the cause of their mission, the count said that he gave many thanks to the king, queen, and the lords by whose counsel they were sent thither, to do him so much honour; and who on such an occasion had sent such able men that he most willingly complied with their request, if the pope and the holy church of Rome were agreeable to the demand.
This answer was fully satisfactory to them, and they immediately dispatched two of the knights and the clerks to the pope at Avignon, to entreat his dispensation and consent to his marriage; for without the pope's dispensation it could not be done, on account of their near relationship, being in the third degree connected, for their two mothers were cousins-german, being the issue of two brothers. As soon as they came to Avignon their business was done, for the pope and the college gave their consent most benignantly.
When these gentlemen were returned to Valenciennes from Avignon with all their bulls, this marriage was directly settled and consented to on each side, and immediate preparations were made for the dress and equipage of such a lady, who was to be the queen of England. She was them married by a procuration, which the king of England had sent thither, and went on board a ship at Wissan, and landed at Dover with all her suite. Her uncle, sir John de Hainault, conducted her to London, where she was crowned; and there were great crowds of nobility, and feastings, tournaments, and sumptuous entertainments every day, which lasted three weeks3.
After some days sir John took his leave, and set out with his company richly loaded with jewels, which had been presented to them from different quarters. but few of our countrymen remained with the young queen; among whom was a youth called Wantelet de Manny, to attend on and carve for her, who afterwards performed so many gallant deeds of arms, in such various different places, that they are not to be counted.
