▁Earl ▁of ▁Corn wall . ▁ ▁France ▁joins ▁the ▁fight : ▁ 1 3 3 6 ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁an ▁English ▁emb ass y ▁emp ower ed ▁by ▁the ▁Great ▁Council ▁of ▁June ▁ 1 3 3 6 ▁had ▁been ▁attempting ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁Philip ▁VI ▁and ▁David ▁II . ▁In ▁August , ▁Philip ▁VI ▁gave ▁the ▁English ▁amb ass adors ▁his ▁final ▁answer , ▁that ▁he ▁intended ▁to ▁in va de ▁England ▁and ▁Scotland ▁immediately ▁with ▁the ▁fleet ▁and ▁army ▁he ▁had ▁gathered . ▁The ▁amb ass adors ▁sent ▁ur gent ▁word ▁to ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁England , ▁but ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁mess enger ' s ▁arrival , ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August , ▁four ▁French ▁private ers ▁attacked ▁the ▁English ▁town ▁of ▁Or ford . ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁mess enger ▁arrived ▁and ▁was ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁call ▁Edward ▁back ▁to ▁England , ▁French ▁private ers ▁captured ▁several ▁royal ▁ships ▁and ▁loaded ▁merchant men ▁anch ored ▁at ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁W ight . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁September ▁before ▁Edward ▁III ▁received ▁that ▁word ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁England , ▁abandon ing ▁his ▁immediate ▁plans ▁to ▁attack ▁Douglas ▁of ▁L idd es dale ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁greater ▁threat . ▁To o ▁late ▁to ▁strike ▁at ▁the ▁French ▁ships , ▁Edward ▁III ▁ag gress ively ▁raised ▁funds ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Scotland , ▁beginning ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁wins ▁and ▁losses ▁of ▁cast les ▁before ▁sett ling ▁to ▁winter ▁at ▁the ▁for tr ess ▁in ▁C ly de .