Vernon than any other heiress of broad lands in merry England. You have
saved her life, and so have made the first step and a long one. Be ever
brave, gentle, and honourable, and, I tell you, you need not despair; and
now, lad, we have already lost too much time in talking; let us to our
work."

That evening Walter recalled to Geoffrey his promise to tell him the causes
which had involved England in so long and bloody a war with France.

"It is a tangled skein," Geoffrey said, "and you must follow me carefully.
First, with a piece of chalk I will draw upon the wall the pedigree of the
royal line of France from Phillip downwards, and then you will see how it
is that our King Edward and Phillip of Valois came to be rival claimants to
the throne of France.

"Now, you see that our King Edward is nephew of Charles le Bel, the last
King of France, while Phillip of Valois is only nephew of Phillip le Bel,
the father of Charles. Edward is consequently in the direct line, and had
Isabella been a man instead of a woman his right to the throne would be
unquestionable. In France, however, there is a law called the 'Salic' law,
which excludes females from the throne; but it is maintained by many
learned in the law, that although a female is held to be incompetent to
reign because from her sex she cannot lead her armies to battle, yet she no
ways forfeits otherwise her rights, and that her son is therefore the heir
to the throne. If this contention, which is held by all English jurists,
and by many in France also, be well founded, Edward is the rightful King of
France. Phillip of Valois contends that the 'Salic law' not only bars a
female from ascending the throne, but also destroys all her rights, and
that the succession goes not to her sons but to the next heir male; in
which case, of course, Phillip is rightful king. It is not for me to say