was otherwise in all his attempts successful and is renown'd upon all accounts but in nothing so much as in his Piety to God to whom he gave all the Glory of his Victories The ground of this War was the former claim to the Crown and Kingdom of 〈◊〉 HENRY VI. COmmonly called Henry of Windsor proved a Religious Prince but weak and unfortunate he began his Reign when he was but 8 years old and was crowned King of France at Paris Anno 1431. to whom the Nobles Provost and chief Burgesses sware fealty but lost it five Years after to Charles VII and the loss of that drew on the loss of the whole but it was not without much strugling The beginning of his Reign which all Persons feared would have been the worst proved quite contrary and was the most prosperous which is to be attributed to the Wisdom Care and Resolution of those brave Men that his Father appointed to guard Him and his Dominions Things prospered in France whilst the Heroick Bedford lived who won many Towns and Forts and proved Victor in several Encounters and Battles especially that great Battle of Vernole where as a French Author confesseth Bedford Salisbury and Suffolk did mighty exploits and defeated the whole French Power about which time Bedford as Regent was obeyed in all places through Vimen Poictiers and Picardy and from Paris to Rheims Chalons and Troyes up to the River of Loyre but when this brave Prince died which was about the 14th Year of Henry's Reign and that the Duke of York was made Regent things went very much to wrack in France Guienne was the last Province of France that held out for the English where we lost that brave Captain John Lord Talbot the first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family and ancestor to the now illustrious Duke of Shrewsbury and called by the French Historians the Glory of the English Nation as we had done some years before at the Siege of Orleans the valiant Earl of Salisbury a Siege which first raised the fame of the French Amazon Joan the sheaperdess commonly called the Maid of Orleans whose wonderful Courage and Success prov'd very fatal to the English though she was afterward burnt at Roan for a Witch and which did not a little contribute to hasten our Expulsion out of that Kingdom all places at length being reduced except Calais and the Norman Isles of Guernsey Jersey c. and thus was the old Prophecy made good that Henry of Monmouth should win all and Henry of Windsor should lose all which was verified to some Purpose in this King for to the former losses was added that of the Crown of England he being deposed after he had Reigned 39 Years but lived eleven Years after and was Murdered by Crook-back Richard in the Tower of London He was a King pious in an intense degree which made Henry VII send to the Pope to have Henry VI. canoniz'd for a Saint but answer was given that he would canonize him for an Innocent but not for a Saint The Causes of this War in this Kings time was the revolt of the French from their obedience to their true King EDWARD IV. ELdest Son of Richard Duke of York and first of this line came to the Crown by right of descent from King Edward III. for Anne his Grandmother was Daughter of Roger Mortimer Son of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and of Phillip his Wife sole Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of Edward III. and Elder Brother of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster so that 't is plain in course of succession he had a precedent Right to the House of Lancaster he was fain to maintain his Right as he had got it by the Sword for to get it no less than six battles had been fought by his Father and himself and six more to secure it were sought in this Reign but when his affairs began to receive any settlement he revolves upon his old Right to the Kingdom of France wherefore upon the request of the Duke of Burgundy his Brother in Law who was already actually in War with the French King he enters into an alliance with him for to carry it on with united Forces and was the more easily induced hereunto because of the assistance France had lately given the Earl of Warwick Queen Margaret her Son Prince Edward and their accomplicâ—s against him King Edward makes very great preparations for this Expedition and having got all things in a readiness rendevouzes at Dover and so from thence sails in a Fleet consisting of 500 sail of all burdens whereof the Duke of Burgundy furnished many and lands at Calais with a greater force then ever at any one time came into France for he had with him 1500 Gen d' Arms being all Nobles and Gentlemen 15000 Archers on Horseback 8000 common Soldiers with 3000 Pioneers 3000 English being at the same time appointed to land in Bretaign for to make a diversion on that side But before King Edward imbarked he sent an Herald from Dover to the King of France with a letter of Defiance written in such Language that mine Author is perswaded could never be of an English Man's Penning So little esteem had the English Nation at that time for their learning in the World the contents of the Letter were That the King should yield unto him the Kingdom of France that so he might restore the Clergy and Nobility to their ancient Liberty and ease them of those great oppressions they laboured under c. which if he refused to do he concluded full of Menaces according to the usual form in that kind The French King read the Letter softly to himself and then withdrawing to another Room sent for the Herald to come before him and told him he was not ignorant of the confederacy between the King his Master and the Duke of Burgundy and how that the â—onstable of France held intelligence also with 〈◊〉 King of England the King having married 〈◊〉 Niece but adds he he will deceive the King â—ur Master as he has done me and as for Burâ—â—ndy 't is manifest he foully prevaricates for he already retired fâ—om before Nunz and at last includes with a present of 300 Crowns to the â—erald and a promise of a Thousand more if Peace were concluded and got him to engage 〈◊〉 further it with all his might King Edward 〈◊〉 no sooner landed at Calais but the Duke of Bâ—â—gundy retires from before Nunz and with a â—all retinue rides to the King at Calais leaving 〈◊〉 Army in the mean time to plunder the Counâ—â—y of Lorrâ—in and Barr from Calais they both â—arted and passing through Bolloign marched Perronne where the English were but coldly â—â—tertained by the Duke for he would suffer but very few of them to come within the Gates 〈◊〉 that they were obliged to take up their quarâ—â—â—s in the Fields there it was the Duke received Message from the Constable of France whereby 〈◊〉 excused
contrary to the Articles of Peace and 2 The contumelious Language used by King Phillip concerning his Person WILLIAM II. SUrnamed Rufus or the Red during his 12 Years and about 8 Months Reign had no Wars with France neither do we read of any just cause given to engage him thereto but he unjustly invaded Normandy then subject to his Brother Robert and disposest him of the County of Owe many Castles and some Monasteries but was in the mean time by divine Justice assaulted by his younger Brother Henry in his own Dominions and it had like to have cost him his Life for he was bore down in fight from his Horse by a valiant Knight who taking his Sword for to kill him was stop'd by the Kings crying out Hold thy hand Knave I am the King of England which words so struck the Knight with Reverence that he mounted him on another Horse and the King to recompence his Valour and Submission swore by St. Luke's Face he should be his Knight and be written in his White Book He was accidentally killed by Sir Walter Tyrell as he was Hunting in the New Forrest Anno 1100. buried at Winchester and died unlamented HENRY I. WHo for his learning was called Beauclerke was youngest Son to William the Conqueror he passing over into Normandy made War against the Earl of Anjou who kept Main against his will and this engaged Lewis the French King to take part with the latter whereupon ensued many sore Battles both in France and Normandy between them with various success at length taking Anjou's Daughter for Wife to his Son William Peace was concluded But it will not be amiss to give the Reader a tast of the high Spirit and Resolution of this King in a personal quarrel he had in France In his fathers life time he accompanying his eldest Brother Robert into that Kingdom while the latter associated himself with the then French King Henry according to the suitableness of their years took up with the company and divertisements of the Dauphine and being one Evening at Chess together the Dauphine happened to lose a considerable summ of Money to the Prince at that Game whereat the former grew so enraged that after some reproachful Language he struck the Prince who not brooking the high affront with the Chess-board knocks the Dauphine fairly down to the ground and being intent to pursue his Revenge his Brother Robert fortunately came in and minding him of the danger away they both fled and with great hast and difficulty recovered the next part of Normandy before their pursuers could reach them This King made his Exit as his Father before him in Normandy in the Year 1135. after he had reigned 35 Years and 4 Months The cause of this War we have before assigned to wit the King of France's taking part with Anjou against Henry STEVEN KIng of England was Son to Adella a Daughter of William the Conqueror and Nephew to the two last Kings he laid claim to the Kingdom of England in the year 1135 notwithstanding his Oath to Mawd the Empress and Daughter to Henry the First to the contrary wherefore without looking abroad into France for any Wars his whole Reign which was Eighteen Years and about ten Months was in a manner taken up in intestine Broils and Contests about his right to the English Crown wherein he was stiffly opposed by several Nobles and by the said Empress Mawd and her Son Henry afterwards Henry the 2d whom she bare to Geoffrey Plantagenet Earl of Anjou and Duke of Normandy from whence sprang the Noble Family of the Plantagenets that so long governed England he was once made Prisoner at Bristol and at last notwithstanding he had Children of his own was forced to adopt Henry for his Son and Heir and the Nobles sware fealty to him accordingly HENRY II. SOn of Mawd and Geoffrey Plantagenet as aforesaid at the Age of Three and Twenty Years and even in the life time of his Mother under whom he claimed began his Reign over England in the Year 1154. This Prince notwithstanding his Domestick Troubles and famous Atchievements against the Welch and his conquest of a great part of the Kingdom of Ireland so as he was the first of our English Kings that was stiled the Lord of that Country yet found opportunity to make War in France upon several occasions the Allyance he had made with the French Court by the Marriage of his Son Henry to King Lewis his Daughter Margaret proving rather an incitative to Contention and Discord then a bond of Peace and Amity The famous city of Tholouse was chiefly the seat of this War which was once and again bravely Assaulted by King Henry and as vigorously defended by Lewis In his first Expedition against this Place he was accompanied with Malcolm King of Scots a Welch King and with others of highest Rank and Dignity in England Normandy Aquitain Anjou and Gascoigny during his second expedition in France the Earls of Bulloign and Flanders with 600 sail of Ships attempted to make a Descent into England but their undertaking proved frustrate and abortive through the vigilance Courage and Prudence of Richard Lacy who then Governed England This King is famous or rather infamous in History for the many base Children he had being no less then 19 in Number for his fair Concubine Rosamond for whom he built that celebrated Labyrinth at Woodstock the recesses whereof could not be penetrated into but by insuperable jealousie the Queen as it was said by the help of a clew of Thread finding of her out at last and so used her that she lived not long after and no less to be mentioned for the troubles he met with from that proud Prelate Thomas a Becket to whose shire after his Murder much blind Devotion has been paid even by the greatest Potentates Tho his Son Henry who was crowned King in his life time and dyed before him gave him much disturbance yet when he found after his death that others and particularly his Son John conspired against him he was so strucken with grief that cursing his Son and the day of his own Birth he died July 6. 1189. Aged 61 having reigned 34 Years and almost seven Months The causes of the War were That King Lewis did incite the Prince his Son against the laws of Nature to oppose Henry his Father in the war time Lewis had promis'd upon the word of a King to meet him in order to a Treaty but he failed for his own Advantage whereupon Henry being sensible of the Fraud sought him out with his Army and made him give ground thereupon another interview being appointed betwixt Terwyn and Arras Histories relate that as the two Kings were busie in Conference there fell a clap of Thunder between them and meeting the next day the like accident happen'd which struck a Consternation in both Armies and inclined the Kings the more to an accommodation RICHARD I. WHo for his Valour was
had landed on the Coast of Normandy and burnt to the number of 21 Towns and Villages together with many Ships in the Haven of Trapart Staples and other places The French King by the means of Pope Leo with whom he was now accorded sues for a Peace which was at length concluded the Lady Mary the King's Sister for the tying of the knot being given to the French King in Marriage whom however she did not long enjoy Lewis XII dying 82 days after The remainder of this King's Reign was in a manner spent in Domestick Affairs which is not our Province to treat off till about the 35th Year when in conjunction with the Emperor he again makes war upon France the Emperor took the Field in Person and the English joining him under the command of Sir John Wallop laid siege to Landarsey the French King hasted with a great Army to succour the Town which was brought to great extremity upon whose approach the Emperor expecting to give Battle raised his Siege the Town being by this means relieved that was all the French cared for declining to hazard a Battle and so upon the approach of Winter both Camps broke up The Year following the King raised a mighty Army the Front led by the Duke of Norfolk the main Battle by the Duke of Suffolk where the King intended to be present himself also and the Rear by the Lord Russel attended with many other Nobles as the Earls of Surrey Oxford c. which about Whitsuntide landed at Calais and from thence leaving Bolloign to the right directed their march towards Muterell and were as they passed joined by the Emperors Forces under the Count of Buren but finding the foresaid place extraordinarily well fortified and provided for its defence the Duke of Suffolk with the King's Army wheels off towards Bolloign where he arrives July 19th and pitched his Camp to the East of the Town upon the Hill but thence removing into a Valley after many sharp skirmishes entred the lower Town deserted by the Inhabitants who under the covert of the Smoak got into the high Town undiscovered soon after the Tower called the Old Man was yielded up by sixteen Soldiers that kept it which notwithstanding discouraged not the Garrison who continued to make a vigorous Defence on the 26th of July the King arrives in Person orders a Mount to be raised upon the East-side planted with diverse pieces of Cannon and Mortars which incommoded the Town very much so that few Houses were left whole within it in this distress 200 French and Italians under the conduct of Joncurtio attempted to get into the Town in the Night and succeeded so well by the means of a Priest that spoke English that most of them were got over the Trenches before discovered and a matter of 120 got in the rest being either slain or taken at length a peice of the Castle being blown up the King stormed the place but did not carry it however the Cannon continuing playing and the Garrison having lost the best of their Commanders and men in this Action and fearing as well as concluding that such another assault must carry the Town thought it time to Capitulate before things came to the last extremity and so Articles were agreed upon and the Garrison marched our with Bag and Baggage to the number of 67 Horse 1563 Foot 87 wounded and 1927 Women and Children On the 25th of September the King with the Sword bore before him by the Marquess of Dorset enters Bolloign in Triumph the Trumpets all the while sounding on the Walls and two days after viewing of the Place caused St. Maries Church to be pull'd down and a mount to be made in the Room of it for the strengthning the Town and at his departure made Sir John Dudley Governor and on the first of October lands in England next year September 9th Sir John Dudley then Admiral lands with 6000 Men at Trey Port in Normandy burns the Town and Abby and 30 Ships in the Haven with the loss of 14 Men only The French attempted the recovery of Bulloign again and again but to little purpose so that at length a Peace was concluded wherein it was agreed the French King should pay King Henry 800000 Crowns within the term of Eight Years and then to have Bulloign restored to him but whilst the Oath for Confirmation hereof was taken by both Kings Monsieur Chatillon began to make a new Bastillion at the very mouth of the Haven of Bulloign calling it Chatillon's Garden the Lord Grey of Wilton then Governor of Bulloign advertised the King hereof by Sir Thomas Palmour requiring to know his pleasure therein the King advises with his Councel who all agree the Conditions of Peace ought by no means to be infringed and therefore to let the Bastilion stand whereupon the King ordered his Secretary to write to the Lord Grey to that purpose but then called to Sir Thomas privily and told him that notwithstanding the Contents of that Letter he should from him command the Lord Grey to rase the Fortification to the ground with all speed Sir Thomas replyed That a message by Word of Mouth contrary to a Letter would never be believed well saies the King tell him as I bid you and leave the doing of it to him Sir Thomas upon his arrival at Bulloign delivered the Governor the Letter and withall the Message who hereupon calls a Council what to do wherein they all agreed the Letter should be obey'd to which the Lord Grey himself said nothing but caused the Message to be written down verbatim from Sir Thomas Mouth and those of the Council to set their hands to it and when this was done the very next Night he issues out and rases the Fort to the ground and then sent Sir Thomas back to the King with Letters to acquaint him with what he had done who as soon as he saw him asked aloud What will he do it or no Sir Thomas delivering the Letter said Your Majesty shall know by these but the King half angry said Nay Tell me has he done it or no and being told it was done he turn'd about to his Lords and said what say you my Lords to this Chatillon's Garden is rased down to the ground whereunto one presently answered that he that had done it deserved to lose his Head to which the King immediately replies That he would rather lose a dozen such heads as his was then one such servant that had done it and therewith commanded presently the Lord Grey's Pardon to be drawn which he sent to him with Letters full of thanks and promises of Reward The cause why the King took this course was this lest if he had given order in writing for the rasing of the Fort it might have come to the knowledge of the French before it was done and so have been prevented This may be taken as an instance of King Henry's great Capacity and was the concluding act of his Life as to Forreign Affairs for he died not long after to wit in the Year 1547. the Fifty Sixth of his Life and of his Reign the Eight and Thirtieth The causes of
this War with France were partly reasons of State and partly the League which King Henry had made with the Emperor EDWARD VI. BOrn at Hampton Court succeeded his Father King Henry VIII at the Age of nine Years a most excellent Prince and the wonder of the the Age both for Learning and Piety but England did not long enjoy the fruit of the Blessings coutched in his Person his Reign being shortned by an immature Death as it had been in a great measure rendred uneasie through the Feuds of the Nobles during his Life this together with the Reformation carried on at home made the Enemy insult abroad insomuch that the French assumed the boldness in Conjunction with the Scots to attack us in our own Borders for in the second year of this King's Reign on St. Peter's Eve Monsieur Dassey the French General with 10000 French and Germans besides Scots laid siege to Haddington a Town in Scotland but then in the hands of the English the Town made a most vigorous defence and at length came 1300 Horse from Berwick with intent to relieve it but failed in the attempt for most of the Horse being surrounded by the Enemy were either slain or made Prisoners together with Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Thomas Palmer their Commanders but for all this great discouragement and misfortune the Garrison would not flinch but continued making frequent and successfull Sallies upon the Enemy till Aug. 20. when the Earl of Shrewsbury with 16000 Men 4000 whereof were Germans came to succour the Place the Enemy had no sooner intelligence thereof but they marched away with all speed but first highly applauded the bravery of the Garrison the Earl revictualled the place for that time and then returned tho it was thought afterwards convenient to demolish it which was accordingly performed the 20th of September following by the Earl of Rutland The Year following i.e. the 3d. of the Kings reign it came to an open rupture between England and France the French thinking to surprise Jersey and Guernsey came suddenly with many Gallies upon our Fleet there but were received with that Resolution and Bravery that they were forced to flee with great loss both of Men and Shipping News came to the King and Protector Aug. 28th that the French had taken Blackness Hamiltoun and Newhaven near Bulloign by the means of one Sturton as 't was said a natural Son of the Lord Sturton who betrayed this last place into the Hands of the Enemy and took service himself in the French Army hereupon the Captain of Bulloign Bark fearing the consequence after he had conveyed the Stores and Ordinance to the High Town blew up the Fort the French made all possible preparations to attack the Place and for the more vigorous carrying on of the Siege and encouragement of the Soldiers the French King comes before Bulloign in Person where were many famous exploits done both by the Assailants and Defendants but the brave Sir Nicholas Arnold who was Governor began and continued to make so prudent as well as brave resistance that the French were constrained at last to quit their Enterprize and hereupon were made some overtures of Peace which at last was concluded and wherein it was agreed that Bolloign should be delivered up to the French upon condition there should be a reservation of King Edward's Title to the Crown of France and due payment made unto him of 500000 Crowns This King being about Sixteen Years Old died at Greenwich July 6th having reigned Six Years and about Five Months The cause of this War was the King's Minority and Feuds at home whereof the French thought to take advantage MARY ELdest Daughter to King Henry VIII by Q. Katherine of Spain succeeded her Brother Edward Anno 1553. pursuant to their Father's Will though contrary to her Brothers who left the Lady Jane Grey his Successor and after some small opposition by the foresaid Lady's Party more especially the Duke of Northumberland her Husbands Father got peaceable possession of the Throne and was crowned at Westminster the last of April in great State and Magnificence the former part of her Reign which in all was but short was much taken up in restoring Popery and the papal Power in her Dominions which she effected in a great measure through the shedding of much innocent Blood which has left a bitter stain upon her Memory in the Records of time as well for her Cruelty as Superstition tho Authors generally represent her to be a Princes of her self Compassionate and good natur'd she was married to Phillip King of Spain on St. James day in the second year of her Reign and this marriage engaged her about the fifth year of her Reign in a War with France for King Phillip passing over to Calais and so to Flanders made great preparations against the French King and was assisted therein with a Thousand English Horse Four Thousand Foot and 2000 Pioneers whereof the Earl of Pembrock was General with this reinforcement King Phillip directs his March to St. Quintin and after a sharp Siege takes the place the English of whom the Lord Henry Dudley who first advanced the Standard upon the Wall was here slain doing him mighty service herein which the King generously rewarded with the spoils of the Town but this Action may be truly said to have been fatal to England in regard 't was the principal cause of the loss of Calais for while the greatest part of that Garrison was imployed in the foresaid Siege and before Calais was reinforced having then but 500 men in it the Duke of Guise with a Powerful Army advances towards it entrenches himself at Sand-gate sent one detatchment along the Downs towards Risebank and anotherb to Newnem-Bridge he soon possesses himself of oth for the few Soldiers that guarded them had fled secretly into the Town the next day they raised a Battery from the Hills of Rise-Bank against the Walls of Calais between the Water-gate and the Prison and continuing the same for three days made a small breach by which they could not well enter neither was it so designed for while the English were busie in the defence of this place the French making their way through the Ditch which was full of Water entred the Castle designing thence to pass into the Town but here the brave Sir Anthony Hagar withstood them and stopped their further progress though to the loss of his own life For there was not a man besides killed during the Siege till the Governour the Lord Wenthworth that same Evening which was the fifth of January considering succours far the Enemies nigh approach and the weakness of the Garrison thought fit to capitulate and so it was agreed the Town with the Ammunition and Artillery should be delivered to the French the
his Brother Walter Devereux a brave young Gentleman slain with a Musket Bullet before Roâ—n the last succors was to the number of 2000 and put under the command of that excellent Soldier Sir Rogâ—r Williams who was always forward for the greatest attempts and did here excellent service He beat the leaguers that blockt up the Passes about Diep upon such unequal terms that Henry IV. could not but take notice and highly extoll his valour in his letter to the Queen this Queen after a glorious Reign of 44 Years 5 Months and odd days at the Age of 70 Years Anno 1602. and lived longer then any of the Kings of England since the Conquest dyed at Richmond and lies buried at Westminster The causes of the War in this Queen's time were not direct but collateral in behalf of the King and Reformists of France JAMES I. THen the sixth King of Scotland of that name t was immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth proclaimed King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. as being descended from the united Roses of Lancaster and York King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth his Wife whose issue by the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret their eldest Daughter was next heir which Lady was married to James IV. King of Scotland by him had issue James V. whose only daughter Queen Mary was Mother to this our Monarch This King was of a timorous Nature and peaceable Disposition so that Beati Pacifici was his Motto and was so far from making any pretensions to the Crown of France or any part of its Dominions notwithstanding his great power and the flourishing state of the Nation that he suffered his Son-in-Law the Palsgrave and his own Daughter Elizabeth his Wife with their numerous issue not only to be beaten out of Bohemia but even from their just Patrimony the Palatinate and to live many years in great want and Penury to the Kings great dishonour who was nothing but a bluster of Words and ever and anon sending Embassadors till all was quite lost and unretriveable this King died at Theobalds March 27th in 1625. in the 59 year of his Age having reigned 22 years compleat CHARLES I. THe only surviving Son of King James for that noble Prince Henry died before his Father succeeded to the Imperial Crown of England the reformed in France in the beginning of this King's Reign lay under great oppressions from their King Lewis XIII and his prime minister of state Cardinal Richieu in so much that they were forced for their fafty to have recourse to Arms under the command of that ever famous Cap. the Duke of Roan by Land and Monsieur Sobiez his Brother who rid Admiral at Sea and by that means Rochel besieged by the French King's Arms was relieved upon all occasions hereupon thro' the contrivance of the Duke of Buckingham an English Fleet was sent to join that of the French under the Duke of Momerancy the Dutch then basely concurring with some Ships of their alsos with which united force Momerancy fights and utterly defeats the Fleet of the Rochellers under Monsieur Sobiez and then reduced the Isles of Rhee and Oleron under the French Power but Buckingham soon after changing his Sentiments the grounds whereof we 'll assign in the causes of this War there is a Declaration of War published against France and 〈◊〉 the Prosecution of the same with Vigor the Duke is commissioned Admiral and General of a Navy of an 100 Sail and 6 or 7000 land Soldiers with which he came before Rochel still besieged by the French where Sobiez came on Board of him and for several reasons it was agreed to land the Army on the Island of Oleâ—on and not on the Isle of Rhee But Sobiez going to perswade the Rochellers to join with the English the Duke before his return lands on the Isle of Rhee in spight of the opposition made by the French but instead of pursuing the blow not only neglects to take the Fort la Prie to secure his retreat and prevent the French from landing supplies but staies five days whereby Toiras the French Governour incouraged his Men and also got more Force and Provisions into the Cittadel of St. Martins the French were so allarmed at this invasion that the King offered the Duke of Roan and the Rochellers any terms to join against the English which both refusing caused both their Ruins The Enemies retreat upon the landing of the English was so hasty that they quitted a Well about 20 paces from the Counterscarp which supplied the Cittadeâ— with Water which not being possest by the English upon their first approach the French drew a work about it which ouâ— Men could not force and without which Well the besieged could not have subsisted however the Duke resolves to take the Fort by Famine buâ— instead of pressing it with a strait Siege he entertains a Treaty of surrender with Toiras and several complements past between them subscribed your Humble Servant Buckingham and you Humble Servant Toiras till the latter got relief 〈◊〉 Men Victuals and Ammunition and then brokâ— off the Treaty with the Duke soon after thâ— the French landed Forces on the Island by thâ— neglect of the English to oppose them and ordeâ— were given to draw the English out of the Trenches which the French possess whereupoâ— the English were forced to Retreat at last the Duâ—â— makes a vain storm upon the Castle but 〈◊〉 beaten off and two days after retreats the 〈◊〉 being now equal to him in Foot and superior Horse when the English were intangled in thâ— Retreat the Duke having neglected to take la Prie or build a Fort upon a narrow Lane or Causey to secure their Retreat the French charged the English Horse in the Rear and rout them who rout the foot in the narrow passages between the Salt-pits and Ditch but in this confusion and adversity the bravery of the English appear'd for a few having past the Bridge the French following the English rallied and faced about gallantly to charge the French who cowardly retreated over the Bridge and of this a Forraign Author speaking saith The English were magis audaces quam fortunati and withall taxeth them for want of secrecy in their Counsels and Conduct of so great an affair the Duke of Buckingham upon his retreat from the Isle of Rhee promised the Rochellers to send them speedy relief now close besieged by the French King and upon return sent away the Earl of Denbigh his Brother-in-law with a Fleet to that purpose who on the first of May 1628. arrives before Rochell where he found the French Fleet consisting of 20 Sail had blockt it up by Sea upon the Earls approach the French retire towards their Fortification and anchored within two cannon shot of our Fleet and so continued till the 8th of May. The Earl promised the Rochellers to sink the French Fleet when the Waters increased and the
but the Island grew quickly too hot for him Plymouth also was plundered and divers Houses burnt whereupon the Western men were permitted to set out Ships of War whereby they sufficiently revenged themselves of the French and at one time took 40 Sail. The French take footing again in the Isle of Wight with 1000 Men but they were repelled with the slaughter of many hundreds afterwards the Admiral of Britany with the Lord of Castile and 30 sail attempt Dartmouth where at a fierce assault du Castile was slain with his two Brothers The English during this Reign had occasion also to signalize themselves by Land in France upon two several occasions for a great Feud happening between the Duke of Burgundy whom the French King and his eldest Son favouredâ— and the Duke of Orleans whose Father had been put to death by the procurement of the former it came at last to open Wars between them but Burgundy finding his adversary had powerful assistance from the Kings of Navarre and Arragon the Dukes of Bituria Bretaign and others makes his application to King Henry for aid who aâ—â— first gave him good Counsel and afterwards seâ—â— him good force under the command of Thomas Earl of Arundel the famous Sir John Old-castâ—â— Lord Cobham and others with which reinforcement he prevailed powerfully against his Enemy insomuch that about a year after Orleans also becomes a Suiter to the same King Henry for assistance against Burgundy which the King also granted and dispatched away under the command of Thomas Duke of Clarence Edward Duke of York c. many valiant Men who landed in Normandy where Orleans was to meet them but did not at the time appointed however they prosecuted their design and took many strong places and at length Orleans and Clarence meâ— and having settled their Affairs the English departed to their Winter Quarters in Aquitain Henry like a wise Prince designed to make use oâ— these Dissentions in France and exprest as much to the Archbishop of Canterbury saying Behold now is the acceptable time let us go into France and win with small adâ— that which is our right but being then labouring under a great Sickness he was by his Lords with much difficulty perswaded to the contrary and thus ended his Wars in France he himself dying soon after this last expedition under Clarence to wit on the 20th of March Anno 1412. Aged 46. when he had Reigned 13 Years and about 6 Months and was buried at Canterbury by his first Wife the Lady Mary Daughter to Bohun Earl of Essex he had issue four Sons Henry that succeded him Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford and Humphry Duke of Glocester of whom it was said they could not be distinguished for their excellency save that Henry was the Eldest He had also 2 Daughters Blanch Dutchess of Bavaria and Phillipa Queen of Denmark The causes of this War was first self-preservation and that the French assisted the Scots against England and had also sent 12000 Men to Owen Glendower a Brittish Prince who was up in Arms against the King but a few daies after they landed at Milford Haven they ran again back to their Ships HENRY V. COmmonly called Henry of Monmouth the eldest Son of Henry IV. proved a great Prince was a mirror of Magnanimity and stands to this day one of the greatest Ornaments of our English Chronicles he no sooner mounted the Throne but he had his Eye presently upon France for recovering his Royal Right to that Crown in order whereunto he alter'd in his Arms the bearing of Semy Deluces and quarter'd the 3 full Flower Deluces as France her self did bear them thereupon he sent the Duke of Exeter in a magnificent Embassy attended with 500 Horse to Paris to demand the Crown and receiving no satisfactory answer but rather a jeer the Dauphine sending King Henry a sackful of Racket Court-balls to employ his time he replied that for every one of those Balls he had so many fiery Bullets to bandy at the proudest Towers of France as he should quickly find and so he presently got over and encounter'd the French Army at Agen-Court the French King himself being at the head of it which he utterly overthrew and took more Prisoners then he had common Soldiers the battel was fought upon a Sunday Morning about the time of high Mass for having sent notice to England before that extraordinary prayers should be made in all Churches about ten a Clock in the Morning he stood upon the defensive part all the while till then but then making a moving oration to his whole Army and among other strains telling them how all England was praying for them at that very hour he obtained a most glorious and compleat Victory Besides that great Act of Piety another of Policy was us'd for the King to prevent the fury of the French Cavalry appointed divers stakes studded with Iron at both ends of about 6 foot long to be pitch'd behind the Archers and ordered that Pioners should attend to remove them as they should be directed which invention conduc'd much to the good success of the Action The King himself charged the Duke of Alanzon who being beaten off his Horse was slain there was also a great slaughter of all kind of French Prisoners because the number was so great that nothing could give assurance of safety but by making them away At length after many wonderful Feats and Successes performed especially by himself and noble Brothers the Dukes of Clarence Bedford and Glocester he was upon Articles agreed between him and Charles VI. then King of France made Regent of that Kingdom and proclaimed both there and in England Heir Apparent to the French Crown and did thereupon take Katherine the said Kings Daughter to Wife but the Dauphin afterwards Charles VII who judged himself much aggrieved hereby made a strong Party in the Kingdom and with a great Army laid Siege to the Town of Cosney which King Henry was so concerned at that he resolved to go in person to the raising of it but he was so eager and over-hasty in his March that he could reach no further then Senlis trusting to his Brother the Duke of Bedford's care in the prosecuting of that design who relieved the Town and obliged the Dauphine to retreat and there his Fever so increased upon him that he made his last Will and appointed his Jewels to be sold for the payment of his Debts and ordained his Brother the Duke of Bedford to be Regent of France and Normandy and so died at Vincennes leaving no issue but a young Son whose Education he left to the Cardinal of Winchester and the Government of England during his Minority to Humphrey Duke of Glocester being the year of our Lord 1422. Aged 38 and having Reigned 9 Years and odd Months he had the mortification to have his Brother Clarence slain with many fine Soldiers at the Siege of Bauge in Anjou before he died but