ale-house quarrellers than men of war vsed to the field what should you stand in doubt of Their huge number is not able to stand against your skilfull order and practised knowledge in all warlike feats and martiall discipline A rude multitude is but a let rather than a furtherance to atchiue the victorie A small number of your worthie elders haue oftentimes vanquished great multitudes of enimies As the bishop was thus speaking to the English armie and before he grew to an end of his exhortation the Scots approched with their battels first certeine of their bands of horssemen were sent afore to take the higher ground which when the Englishmen perceiued they staied not till the enimies should begin the battell but straightwaies caused their trumpets to sound and so gaue the onset The Scots were as readie to encounter with them so that the battell began to be verie hot and euen at the first out flew the arrowes and then the footmen ioined who fought most fiercelie on both sides Herewith a wing of them of Lodian which were in the Scotish vauntgard brake in vpon the vauntgard of the English but yet closing togither againe they kept out the enimies and casting about with a wing compassed the Scotish horssemen round about and panching their horsses they slue a great number and constreined the residue to retire Which thing when their felowes in the other wing saw their hearts began to faint and by and by betooke them to their heeles The rumor of this flight being notified to the maine battell of the Scotish men where king Dauid himselfe was fighting with his enimies discomfited them also in such wise that they in like sort began to shrinke backe first by parts and after by heaps togither The king did what he could to staie them but the English pressed so vpon them that there was no recouerie Wherefore he himselfe was glad in the end to beare his men companie in séeking to saue himselfe by flight and make such shift as he could amongst the residue His sonne Henrie the earle of Huntington more regarding his honour than the danger of life neither mooued with the flight of his father nor the ouerthrow of the other came in amongst his men being readie line 10 to turne their backes and with bold countenance spake these or the like words vnto them as the shortnesse of the time would permit Whither go you good fellowes Here shall you find armour and force neither shall you whilest life remaineth in your capteine whom ye ought to follow depart without the victorie Therefore choose whether yee had rather trie the matter with the enimies by battell or to be put to a shamefull death at home after your returne thither The Scots mooued with these vehement words line 20 of their valiant capteine recoiled vpon their enimies and began to make hauocke of them but being no great number and beset with the English footmen before and the horssemen behind they were shortlie brought to distresse and for the more part either taken or slaine At length earle Henrie perceiuing how the matter went and that there was no hope left of recouerie fled also with those that could escape bitterlie cursing the frowardnesse of fortune and mishap of that line 30 daies chance The number of them that were killed at this battell was aboue ten thousand In which number there were not manie of the English but yet among other Walter Lacie the brother of Gilbert Lacie one of their cheefe capteines is remembred to be one This battell was fought in the moneth of August in the fourth of king Stephan who hearing of this victorie greatlie reioised and gaue infinite commendations to his subiects the Englishmen and the Normans but principallie praised line 40 archbishop Thurstan and the bishop of Durham for their faithfull and diligent seruice shewed in this behalfe On the other side he himselfe vsing the like good successe amongst the rebels at home ouercame them and chased them out of the land For in this meane time he had taken the castels of Hereford Glocester Webbeley Bristowe Dudley and Shrewesburie Likewise Robert earle of Glocester not being able to resist the king thus preuailing against his aduersaries line 50 on ech hand fled into France vnto his sister the empresse After this about Aduent the popes legat one Alberike bishop of Hostia held a synod at London within Paules church where by the kings consent Theobald abbat of Bechellouin was consecrated archbishop of Canturburie being the 37. archbishop which had ruled that see after Augustine the moonke The king hauing now accomplished his purpose line 60 taken the castell of Leides and brought the state of the realme to a meetlie good staie thought it expedient after the late ouerthrow giuen to the Scots to pursue the victorie and vtterlie to subdue them with all expedition He brought his armie therefore into Scotland first wasting and spoiling the countrie and afterward preparing to fight with such Scots as came foorth to defend their goods and houses K. Dauid perceiuing himselfe to be too weake made sute to the king for peace which with much difficultie he obteined at length by deliuering his sonne Henrie vnto king Stephan in pledge for the sure performance of couenants concluded vpon betwixt them Herevpon king Stephan hauing thus ended his businesse in Scotland returned into England and after directing his iornie towards Wales he came to Ludlow which towne being held by his aduersaries he wan yer long out of their hands After this he went to Oxenford where whilest he remained a great brute was spred abroad that the empresse was comming with hir brother the earle of Glocester which caused him to put the lesse trust in his people from thenceforth in so much that he began to repent himselfe although too late for that he had granted licence to so manie of his subiects to build castels within their owne grounds For he had them all in suspicion and amongst other he vehementlie suspected Roger bishop of Salisburie who had doone verie much for him and Alexander bishop of Lincolne nephue to the said bishop of Salisburie or as some thought more néere to him in kindred than his nephue I meane his sonne For the said Roger had builded diuerse castels as at Shierborne at the Uies and at Malmesburie The said Alexander likewise following his vncles example bestowed his monie that way verie fréelie hauing builded one castell at Newarke and an other at Sléeford The king therefore hauing committed both these bishops to prison and furthermore sent Nigell or Neill the bishop of Elie into exile which Nigell was nephue also to the foresaid bishop of Salisburie he threatened to keepe them without either meate or drinke if they would not cause these castels to be deliuered into his hands whereby he obteined them and moreouer found in the bishop of Salisburies cofers 40.
of S. Laurence Herevpon were hostages deliuered by the burgesses vnto the French king Now it was agréed that if they line 30 yéelded the towne at the daie appointed for want of succor king Henrie the son and Robert the French kings brother with the earls of Trois Blois Henrie and Theobald and William archbish of Sens vndertooke vpon their othes that the hostages should then be restored free without any hurt or damage King Henrie being certified from them within of the composition thus made was driuen to a verie hard shift for he doubted nothing lesse than that any such thing should haue chanced Yet considering with line 40 himselfe that the sauing of the towne stood in his speedie comming to the rescue he hasted thither without any staie and came to the place the daie before the third and last daie of the truce King Lewes perceiuing him to be come doubting least he should lose the preie which he looked for sent vnto the king and required that he might common with him on the next daie touching some means of agréement to be had betwixt him and his sons This did he of policie to féed him with hope of some end to be made in the line 50 troubles betwixt him and his sons till he had gotten possession of the towne Now as he forecast that matter euen so it came to passe for whilest a great péece of the next daie was spent in feined talke about an agréement K. Lewes appointed a great part of his host to close the towne about and to declare vnto them within that king Henrie was put to flight which talke they within Uernueil beléeuing yéelded the towne themselues to the French men Soone after king Lewes mistrusting line 60 least he should not be able to kéepe it set it on fire and so burnt it contrarie to the composition betwixt him and them agréed and concluded vpon He kept also the souldiers that had yeelded it into his hands togither with the hostages as prisoners and doubting to cope with his enimie went awaie in the night with as still noise as was possible Which euill dealing had not inuaded his hart but that euill meaning had possessed it before euen at the composition making but he neuer learned that Fidem qui perdit nihil potest vltra perdere King Henrie at length perceiuing the fraud sent certeine bands of his horssemen after to pursue the enimie but for that king Lewes was alreadie gotten into the inner parts of his owne countrie those which were sent turned vpon those that were left in the hindermost ward of whome they slue a great number both horssemen and footmen K. Henrie following his men came to Uernueil and staieng there that night tooke order for the repairing and new fortifieng of the towne On the morrow after he went to the castell of Danuille and wan it taking diuerse knights and yeomen within it this castell belonged to one Gilbert de Tileres And thus it came to passe touching the attempt of the French king for the winning of Uernueil as in some authors we find reported ¶ Other write otherwise of the mater as thus the French K. being summoned by K. Henrie the father either to depart from the siege of Uernueil or to looke for battell hearing also that in performance of the message K. Henrie approched with his power he sent a bishop an abbat vnto him to vnderstand if he meant to giue battell in deed The messengers met king Henrie as he was aduanced before his host vpon some occasion with a small companie about him vnto whom they declared that their maister the French king required to be assured whether he should haue battell or no. King Henrie armed as he was with fierce countenance and dreadfull voice made this short answere Get you hence and tell your king that I am here at hand The messengers returning to their maister declared what they had séene and heard Wherevpon without longer staie he raised his field and with a gallant and mightie armie departed home to his great dishonour not winning the towne at all as by the same author it should appeere About the same time the earle of Flanders one of the confederats besieged the towne of Albemarle and the earle therof within it which earle was thought to betraie the towne bicause it was so easilie woone and both he himselfe and those which king Henrie the father had sent thither to defend the towne were taken prisoners Diuerse other places which belonged to the same earle were also immediatlie deliuered into the enimies hands which increased the suspicion After this towne of Newcastell otherwise called Drincourt in those frontiers was besieged and finallie woone by surrender by the said earle of Flanders who reioised nothing at the gaine of that towne for his brother Matthew the earle of Bullongne who should haue béene his heire was shot into the knée with an arrow as he approched to the wals and died of the hurt within a few daies after The earle of Flanders was so pensife for his brothers death that he brake vp his iournie and returned blaming his euill hap and follie in that he had attempted war against his coosen germane king Henrie who neuer had harmed him but rather had doone him manie great and singular pleasures from time to time ¶ Good cause had the earle to giue ouer the prosequuting of violence against his souereigne being dawnted with so heauie a chance griped also with the grudge of conscience in so vnkindlie rewarding his welwiller at whose hands he confessed himselfe to haue receiued manie a benefit Wherein we are to note that ingratitude neuer hurieth anie so much as him or them in whom it is nestled And hereto alludeth the comedie-writer when he saith verie neatlie morem hunc homines habent quod sibi volunt Dum id impetrāt boni sunt sed id vbi iam pene◠se habēt Ex bonis pessimi fraudulentissimi sunt Moreouer Henrie the elder after the iournie of Uernueil ended came backe to Rouen and there vnderstanding that Hugh earle of Chester and Raft de Foulgiers men of singular prowesse who long before were reuolted to his sonne Henrie had taken the castell of Dole in Britaine and there making warre brought all the countrie into trouble he sent foorth streightwaies certeine of his capteines with the Brabanders to aid his people in those parts who on the twentith day of August being monday encountring with the enimies discomfited them in battell tooke seauenteene knights besides diuerse others both horssemen and footmen slue aboue fifteene hundred of the enimies being Britaines and pursuing the residue entred the towne which they wan and droue their aduersaries into the castell where line 10 they besieged them and with all spéed aduertised the king of that enterprise who immediatlie with all possible hast came thither applieng his whole diligence to win
incontinentlie without delaie to marshall and put in order his battels like a valiant capteine and politike leder and first he made his battels to set forward fiue and fiue in a ranke marching toward that way where his enimies as was to him reported intended to passe In the middle part of the armie he appointed the traffike and cariage perteining to the armie Then he inuironed with his gard with a frowning countenance and cruell visage mounted on a great white courser and followed with his footmen the wings of horssemen coasting and ranging on euerie side and keeping this arraie he with great pompe entered the towne of Leicester after the sunne set full of indignation malice which vttered it selfe from the inward hart by the mouth out of which flowed speaches of horrible heate tempered with cruell threatnings equall to his of whome it was thus said long ago Horrebant saeuis omnia verba minis The earle of Richmond raised his campe and departed from Lichfield to the towne of Tamworth thereto néere adioining and in the mid way passing there saluted him sir Walter Hungerford and sir Thomas Bourchier knights and diuerse other which yeelded and submitted themselues to his pleasure For they being aduertised that king Richard had them in suspicion and gelousie a little beyond stonie Stratford left and forsooke priuilie their capteine Robert Brakenberie and wandering by night and in maner by vnknowne paths and vncerteine waies searching at the last came to earle Henrie Diuerse other noble personages which inwardlie hated king Richard woorse than a tode or a serpent did likewise resort to him with all their power and strength wishing and working his destruction who otherwise would haue béene the instrument of their casting away There happened in this progression to the earle of Richmond a strange chance worthie to be noted For albeit he was a man of valiant courage that his armie increased and dailie more and more he waxed mightier and stronger yet he was not a litle afeard bicause he could in no wise be assured of his father in law Thomas lord Stanleie which for feare of the destruction of the lord Strange his sonne as you haue heard as yet inclined to neither partie For if he had gone to the earle and that notified to king Richard his sonne had béene shortlie executed Wherefore he accompanied with twentie light horssemen lingered in his iournie as a man musing imagining what was best to be doone And the more to aggrauate his pensiuenesse it was shewed him that king Richard was at hand with a strong power a great armie While he thus heauilie dragged behind his host the whole armie came before the towne of Tamwoorth and when he for the deepe darknesse could not perceiue the steps of them that passed on before and had wandered hither thither séeking after his companie and yet not once hearing anie noise or whispering of them he turned to a verie little village being about thrée miles from his armie taking great thought and much fearing least he should be espied and so trapped by king Richards scoutwatch There he taried all night not once aduenturing to aske or demand a question of any creature he being no more amazed with the ieopardie perill that was passed than with this present chance sore feared that it shuld be a prognostication or signe of some infortunate plage afterward to succeed As he was not merie being absent from his armie so likewise his armie much maruelled and no lesse mourned for his sudden absence The next morning earlie in the dawning of the line 10 day he returned and by the conduct of good fortune espied and came to his armie excusing himselfe not to haue gone out of the way by ignorance but that for a policie deuised for the nonce he went from his campe to receiue some glad message from certeine of his priuie fréends and secret alies This excuse made he priuilie departed againe from his host to the towne of Aderston where the lord Stanleie and sir William his brother with their bands were abiding There the erle came first to his father in law in a litle close line 20 where he saluted him and sir William his brother and after diuerse and fréendlie imbracings each reioised of the state of other and suddenlie were surprised with great ioy comfort and hope of fortunate successe in all their affaires and dooings Afterward they consulted togither how to giue battell to king Richard if he would abide whome they knew not to be farre off with an huge host In the euening of the same day sir Iohn Sauage sir Brian Sanford sir Simon Digbie and manie other line 30 leauing king Richard turned and came to the part of the earle of Richmond with an elect companie of men Which refusall of king Richards part by men of such experience did augment and increase both the good hope and the puissance of the earle of Richmond In the meane season king Richard which was appointed now to finish his last labor by the very diuine iustice prouidence of God which called him to condigne punishment for his mischiefous deserts marched to a place méet for two battels to incounter line 40 by a village called Bosworth not farre from Leicester and there he pitched his field on a hill called Anne Beame refreshed his souldiers and tooke his rest The same went that he had the same night a dreadfull and terrible dreame for it séemed to him being asleepe that he did see diuerse images like terrible diuels which pulled and haled him not suffering him to take anie quiet or rest The which strange vision not so suddenlie strake his heart with a sudden feare but it stuffed his head and troubled his mind line 50 with manie busie and dreadfull imaginations For incontinent after his heart being almost damped he prognosticated before the doubtfull chance of the battell to come not vsing the alacritie and mirth of mind and countenance as he was accustomed to doo before he came toward the battell And least that it might be suspected that he was abashed for feare of his enimies and for that cause looked so pitiouslie he recited and declared to his familiar fréends in the line 60 morning his wonderfull vision and fearefull dreame But I thinke this was no dreame but a punction and pricke of his sinfull conscience for the conscience is so much more charged and aggreeued as the offense is greater more heinous in degrée So that king Richard by this reckoning must needs haue a woonderfull troubled mind because the déeds that he had doone as they were heinous and vnnaturall so did they excite and stirre vp extraordinarie motions of trouble and vexations in his conscience Which sting of conscience although it strike not alwaie yet at the last daie of extreame life it is woont to shew and represent to vs our faults and offenses and the paines and punishments which hang ouer our
sore weakened and decaied by death and sicknesse and now in raising their campe had manie things to looke vnto as well for the conueieng of their ordinance trusse and baggage as their feeble and diseased persons so that if the Dolphin with his armie might haue made such spéed forward as to haue ouertaken them with his maine power before they had come to Bullongne it was to be feared least he might haue put them in danger of a plaine distresse But with such timelie foresight as was vsed the siege was raised and the armie retired first to Bullongne and after to Calis without losse although the French horssemen in great number followed and sundrie times made proud proffers to giue the charge vpon the hindermost companies but nothing was doone to make great account of except certeine skirmishes that were procured and alarums giuen as in such cases it fortuneth The Dolphin notwithstanding that the siege was thus raised from Muttrell yer he could come thither yet he kept forward his iourncie to prooue what he might doo to recouer Bullongne which towne the king of England as ye haue heard had left in the keeping of the lord Lisle high admerall The same towne being then weake God knoweth on all sides through batterie and minings which by the kings power had béen made to bring it into his subiection and the trenches not cast downe nor the ordinance mounted The Dolphin being come before the towne sent certeine bands of his best soldiors by night to giue a camisado to the base towne They that thus were sent entred the same the ninth of October about two of the clocke in the morning where they tooke the stand watches and slue beside a great number of sicke and weake persons as well soldiors as other before they could araie themselues or well get out of line 10 their beds But after the Frenchmen and Italians fell to rifling and breaking vp of coffers scattering here and there abrode and began to fall to their vittels which they found there in good plentie The Englishmen that were driuen vp to the gates of the high towne got weapons that were throwne downe vnto them foorth of the same assembling togither fiercelie entred in amongst the prease of their enimies And herewith there sallied foorth of the high towne sir Thomas Poinings with a band of two hundred line 20 soldiors the which togither with the other so bestirred themselues that they manfullie beat backe the enimies slue to the number of eight hundred of them and chased the residue out of the towne which fled ouer the sands vp to the hill where the Dolphin himselfe stood with a great troope of horssemen about him and durst not once come downe to the rescue of his people for feare of the great artillerie that with plentie of bullets saluted the enimies after that the breake of the daie had once discouered them in sight line 30 Amongst other that were slaine in this repulse of the Frenchmen le segneur de Foquessolles another of the marshall de Biez his sons in law and seneschall of Bullongne was one Thus the Dolphin perceiuing that it would nothing auaile him to make anie further attempt against Bullongne passed foorth toward Guisnes shortlie after through want of vittels and sicknesse which sore infested his campe brake vp his armie and returned into France so that the proud enterprises line 40 of the vainglorious and most insolent French turned to their owne great shame as C. O. trulie saith Sic Galli in magnum cesserunt dedecus ausa But shortlie after Christmas came downe an armie of fourtéene thousand vnder the conduction of monsieur de Biez the which the six and twentith of Ianuarie incamped on the west side of Bullongne beyond the hauen where they laie ten daies but on the sixt of Februarie the earle of Hertford the lord admerall as then lord lieutenant of the towne of Bullongne the lord Greie of Wilton sir Thomas line 50 Poinings others hauing assembled out of the garisons on that side the seas to the number of foure thousand footmen seuen hundred horsmen whereof an hundred or foure score were Albanoises issued foorth of Bullongne about foure of the clocke in the morning and comming to the place where the king had incamped during the time of the siege they staid there and put themselues in order of battell and about six of the clocke it being then a low water capteine Edward Breie with three hundred shot was line 60 appointed to passe ouer and to giue the enimies an alarum in their campe At which instant the trumpets sounded and the drums stroke vp in the English armie and herewiâ—h they being diuided into three battels and to ech one his gard of two hundred horssemen beside the od hundred that attended as a defense to the residue they shewed themselues to their enimies The Frenchmen perceiuing this packed awaie with all haste possible marching toward Hardilo in two battels Wherevpon the English capteins leauing their footmen behind them and taking onelie with them the horssemen followed with all spéed after their enimies and comming to the bridge commonlie called pont de Bricque which certeine English carpenters garded with a number of harquebutters and foure small field peeces had forced and repared the same that night and so the horssemen finding it sufficientlie repared passed ouer and comming to S. Estienne they found there fiue hundred Dutch horsmen commonlie called Swart rutters that were lodged there to kéepe that passage but being surprised on the sudden by the English horssemen and sharpelie assailed they were wholie distressed and the most part of them taken prisoners and therewith left with the followers of the armie were after slaine bicause they knew not where to bestow them But now the hill of saint Estienne being thus gained by the English horsmen they put themselues in order of battell againe appointing an hundred of their men at armes to follow and kéepe aloofe as a stale to relieue their fellowes in time of need when they saw them in anie danger The lords to incourage euerie one to doo his dutie rode vp and downe about the troops vsing manie comfortable words desired them that although they were but an handfull in comparison to the number of their enimies they would yet in regard of the honour of the realme of England make a proffer of an onset to the enimies that they might perceiue that there they were to giue them battell and to follow as they should sée them their capteins and gouernors to lead them the waie Herewith forward they make towards the enimie and ouertaking them three miles on the hitherside of Hardilo sands they valiantlie gaue the charge and thrusting in betwixt the two French battels ouerthrew their cariages tooke their ordinance and munitions slue and bare downe manie of them that preased foorth to defend the same Monsieur de Biez being in the fore
march stood sideling toward the enimie who neuerthelesse were not able in all parts to stand full square in arraie by reason that at the west end of them vpon their right hand and toward the enimie there was a square plot inclosed with turffe as their maner of fensing in those parts as well as in diuerse other is one corner whereof did let the square of the same arraie The battell in good order next them but so as in continuance of arraie the former part thereof stood vpon the hils side the taile vpon the plaine and the rere-ward wholie vpon the plaine So that the placing and countenance of the English armie in this wise they shewed themselues in maner to compasse in the Scots battels that they should no waie escape them but how little able they were to doo it with power and number you may easilie coniecture Those horssemen that were so repelled and in their comming backe vnorderlie brake their arraie from the residue ran so hastilie through the ranks of the English fore-ward as it stood that it did both disorder manie feared manie and was a great incouragement to the enimie The worthie earle of Warwike line 10 who had the guiding of this fore-ward right valiantlie had conducted the same to their standing and there did verie noblie incourage and comfort them with such chéerefull words offering to liue and die among them that doubtlesse his presence demeâ—ing himselfe in such manlike sort stood the whole companie in great stead Neither wanted there the chearefull diligence of those capteines with whome his honor was furnished in that fore-ward likewise to incourage their bands nor the worthie behauiour line 20 of other in the battell and rere-ward euerie one according to his calling shewing such proofe of his dutie as the most part certeinlie deserued to haue their names registred in the kalendar of fame where no rust of cankered obliuion might fret out the remembrance of their commendable demeanours and therefore if anie among them should haue shewed anie lacke of courage their dispraise had béene the more sith by others they saw such worthie example giuen and were to stand vpon this resolution to line 30 haue harts hardened against all hazzards in a iust cause whereof they hoped almightie God had vndertaken the managing and direction vnto whome they had committed the same as the poet truelie saith Iusta Deo commissa Anglorum causa tonanti Audaces animosfecit impauidósque pericli But sith there were so manie that did well therfore deseruing a longer processe to be made of their high valiancies shewed in that dangerous seruice line 40 than this volume may permit I will procéed to the battell The Scots were somewhat disordred with their comming out about the slaughter of the Englishmen the which they did so earnestlie follow that they tooke not one to mercie The dukes grace placing himselfe as yée haue heard on the hill of Fauxside braie and therewith perceiuing the great disorder of the stragling horssemen that had in the retire broken arraie hemmed them in from further straieng whome sir Rafe Uane and others of the capteins soone after with great dexteritie brought into line 50 good order and arraie againe and with all the rest of the strengths of the whole armie by the policie of the lords and diligence of euerie capteine and officer beside were so fitlie and aptlie applied in their feat that where this repulse giuen by the enimie to the horssemen was doubted of manie to turne to the whole losse of the field the same was wrought and aduanced according as it was deuised to the great certeintie of gaine and victorie For first at this line 60 slough where most of the horssemen had stood sir Peter Mewtas capteine of all the harquebutters a foot did verie valiantlie conduct place a good number of his men in maner hard at the faces of the enimies wherevnto sir Peter Gamboa a Spaniard capteine of two hundred harquebutters Spaniards and Italians on horssebacke did readilie bring his men also who with the hot continuance of their shot in both parts did so stoutlie staie the enimies that they could not well come further forward then the archers that marched in arraie on the right hand of the footmen and next to the enimies pricked them sharpelie with arrowes as they stood Therewith the master of the ordinance to their great annoiance did gall them with haile shot and other out of the great ordinance directlie from the hill top and certeine other gunners with their peeces a flanke from the rere-ward most of the artillerie and missiue engines then wholie thus at once with great puâ—ssance and vehemencie occupied about them herewith the full sight of the Englishmen all shadowed from them before by the horssemen and dust raised whome then they were ware in such order to be so néere vpon them and to this the perfect arraie of the horssemen againe comming couragiouslie to set on them afresh miserable men perceiuing themselues then all too late how much too much they had ouershot themselues began suddenlie to shrinke Their gouernour and other the principall capteins that had brought them to the bargaine tooke their horsses and fled amaine which other perceiuing did quicklie follow and with the formost of that crue their Irishmen and therewith turned all the whole rout cast downe their weapons ran out of their wards off with their iackes and with all that euer they might betooke them to the race that their gouernour began The Englishmen at the first had found them as what could scape so manie eies and sharpelie and quicklie with an vniuersall outcrie They flie they flie pursued after in chase so egerlie and with such fiercenesse that they ouertooke manie and spared indéed but few that when they were once turned it was a woonder to see how soone and in how sundrie sorts they were scattered The place they stood on like a wood of staues strewed on the ground as rushes in a chamber vnpassable they laie so thicke for either horsse or man Here at the first had they let fall all their pikes and after that euerie where scattered swords bucklers daggers iackes and all things else that was of anie weight or might be any let to their course which course among them thrée waies speciallie they made some along the sands by the Frith towards Lith some streight towards Edenburgh whereof part through the parke there in the walles whereof though they be round about of flint stone yet were there manie holes alreadie made and part of them by the high waie that leadeth along by the abbaie of Holierood house and the residue and most part of them towards Daketh which waie by means of the marish our horssemen were worst able to follow Sundrie shifts some shrewd some sorie made they in their running diuerse of them in their courses as they were ware they were pursued but of one would
le rault for the space of full two houres at length he came accompanied with his sonne the earle of Arraine the earles of Argile Glencarne Southerland Menteith and Rothus the lord Iames prior of saint Andrews the lord Ruâ—thuen alià s Riuen the lord Ogletrée the lord Boid the master of Maxwell the lard of Ormeston the master of Lindseie the bishop of Gallowaie the abbat of saint Colmes inch the abbat of Culros the lard of Pettirrow the lard of Cunningham head the lard of Grange and diuerse others They were two hundred horsse in traine Upon the dukes approch they all lighted on foot as well on the one part as the other and after courteous embracings and gentle salutations they entred into the house of one William Atkinson néere to Undreske church and sat there in councell the space of two houres then departed for that night The armie laie still in campe at salt Preston from mondaie till saturdaie Palmesundaie euen On wednesdaie the third of Aprill my lord Greie sir Iames Croft and my lord Scroope sir George Howard sir Henrie Persie and diuerse other capteins and gentlemen rode vnto Pinkeie a house of the abbat of Dunferns distant a mile and a halfe from the campe where the earle of Arraine and the lord Iames Steward with diuerse other noble men of Scotland méeting them did conduct them into the said house where they had long conference togither which ended they went to dinner and after dinner they returned with my lord lieutenant to salt Preston and viewed the English campe Thursdaie the fourth of Aprill fiue yoong gentlemen appointed to passe into England for pledges bound thither by sea through contrarie winds were forced to come on land at salt Pannes Their names were as follow The lord Claud Hamilton fourth sonne vnto the duke of Chateau le rault Robert Douglas halfe brother to the lord Iames Steward Archebald Campbell lord of Loughennell George Gream second sonne to the earle of Monteith Iames Coningham sonne to the earle of Glencarne they were brought vp to salt Preston and remained there that night Saturdaie the sixt of Aprill being Palmesundaie euen the campe raised from salt Preston and marched forwards Halfe a mile from Lesterike beneath a crag called Arthurs seat the duke of Chateau le rault the earle of Arraine the earle of Argile the lord Iames prior of saint Andrews and the rest of the noble men of Scotland accompanied with two hundred horssemen or thereabouts and fiue hundred footmen staied for the comming of the English armie Wherevpon the lord Greie sir Iames Croft the lord Scroope sir George Howard and sir Henrie Persie repaired to them and had conference there with the duke and other of the Scotish lords that were in his companie In the meane while the armie staied but yet at length the horssemen the vantgard and battell were commanded to march foorth who accordinglie passing forward alongst by the place where the duke Scotish lords stood held vpon their waie till they approched néere to Lesterike At their comming thither Trombull the queene regents trumpet came to my lord lieutenant and brought with him a safe conduct giuen vnder hir hand seale for the safe repaire of sir Iames Croft sir George Howard and six others to accompanie line 10 them Wherevpon they preparing themselues to go to hir after they had talked with my lord lieutenant and the duke Chateau le reault they departed towards Edenburgh where the said queene as then laie within the castell There went with them maister Summerset maister Pelham and foure other gentlemen Whilest they were in conference with the quéene although an abstinence of all hostilitie by appointment taken betwixt my lord Greie and the said quéene ought to haue ceassed the Frenchmen line 20 to the number of nine hundred or a thousand shot backed with fiue hundred corselets and pikes about fiftie horssemen were come foorth of Leith vnder the conduction of monsieur Doisell and the counte Martigues coronell of the French footmen My lord Greie vnderstanding thereof came vp to the hill appointed an officer at armes called Rouge Crosse to go vnto them with commandement from him that they should retire their forces forth of the field into the towne of Leith for if it were not for line 30 the promise which he had made to the quéene Dowager he would cause them to depart not much to their ease The herald dooing his message receiued answer that they were vpon their maister and mistresse ground and therefore meant not to remooue from it Rouge Crosse returning with this answer was sent againe from my lord lieutenant to command them eftsoons to go their way backe to Leith for if they did not he would suerlie send them awaie with line 40 a mischiefe But scarse had the herald doone this second message when the Frenchmen stepping foorth discharged a whole volee of their shot into the field against my lord Greie and his companie Herevpon the Englishmen and they fell in skirmish which continued for the space of foure houres and more so hot earnestlie mainteined on both parts that the like had not lightlie beene séene manie a day before Yet at length the Englishmen droue the French footmen ouer the hill wan the crag from line 50 them and put them from a chappell where they had stood a great while vsing it for a couert and safegard for them against the Englishmens shot Then the enimies that were in Leith shot off diuerse péeces of their great artillerie out of the towne against the Englishmen who on the other part brought foorth two field péeces and couered them with a troope of horssemen and hauing planted them to some aduantage discharged the same among the enimies who perceiuing that gaue place suddenlie line 60 the English demilances gaue a charge brake in amongst them and slue diuerse To conclude they were put from their ground and forced to retire backe into Leith being followed welnéere to the verie gates of that towne There were slaine in this skirmish of the French about a seuen score and amongst them twelue men of name beside some of them that remained prisoners Of the Englishmen there were also diuerse slaine and manie hurt But if the ground had bin knowen to the Englishmen and what aduantage was offered to them by that presumptuous comming of the enimies so far from their hold it was thought their whole power might easilie haue béene cut off and vtterlie distressed After that this skirmish was ended and the Frenchmen driuen into Leith the armie incamped at Lesterike The same daie the Scotish hostages were imbarked to passe into England Towards euening sir Iames Croft and sir George Howard returned from the quéene regent after they had spent a long time in talke with hir On sundaie the seuenth of Aprill a new trench was cast beside the crag and thereon two péeces of ordinance planted The same daie sir
church And although those peeces laie a quarter of a mile off the peeces of ordinance that laie in the same stâ—eple were dismounted by them and likewise those that laie in the stéeple of saint Nicholas church at the which diuerse peeces were leuied and within six or seuen tire the péeces that laie in that stéeple were also displaced and a gunner slaine that stood at one of them the péece and the gunner comming tumbling downe both togither In this church as was reported their store of vittels and munition was laid so that batterie was made against the same all that daie and a great peece of the church wall beaten downe and the stéeple defaced The bishop of Ualence after he had talked with the quéene Dowager returned to commune with the lords of the congregation Tuesdaie the thrée and twentith of Aprill being saint Georges daie the pioners Scotish and English were busilie applied in worke about the casting of trenches to make a fort and still the artillerie went off against the towne Wednesdaie the foure and twentith of Aprill about three of the clocke in the after noone there issued out of Leith seauentéene horssemen who offered the skirmish and vnder the place called little London where they were busie in fortifieng all that daie thrée or foure hundred of their shot were placed readie to breake out if occasion serued At length certeine of the English lances gaue a charge vpon their horssemen who therewith retiring drew the Englishmen within danger of their shot But although the Frenchmen that daie shewed themselues verie valiant in skirmishing euen in the face of the English artillerie yet being now egerlie pursued by those lances they were forced to retire without anie great hurt doone to the Englishmen although the skirmish continued néere hand two houres In this last charge yoong maister Browne was hurt Thursdaie the fiue and twentith of Aprill the pioners laboured sore for the most part of the daie in finishing the new fort named Montpelham to the gard whereof capteine Uaughan was appointed gouernor with twelue hundred soldiors This fort was raised on the south side of the towne the plot whereof was cast square with foure bulworks at euerie corner and twâ—â—â—e battering peeces planted in places conuenient within the same This thursdaie also about fiue of the clocke in the after noone there issued out of Leith on the east side seauentie or eightie horssemen and two hundred harquebusiers offering the skirmish towards whome certeine of the English light horssemen roundlie made and charging them droue them backe to their footmen who with their shot receiued the light horssemen so sharplie that they were forced to retire In which retire Iames Hamilton a Scotishman was taken prisoner for the rescue of whome the horssemen made forward againe but the enimies shot was so hot that they were not able to recouer him but yet they slue two of the French horssemen in sight During the time of this skirmish there was great shooting off with the great ordinance on both sides much hurt doone as well to the English as French This daie capteine Perith and capteine Haies hauing charge of a troope of light horssemen vnder sir Henrie Persie and the lord of Grange were taken prisoners before Dunbar and to the number of twentie or thirtie others were likewise taken or slaine the same time The same night also two thousand footmen with the pioners were sent to the other side of the towne beyond the canon milles where the pioners cast a trench for the safe lodging of the armie which remooued the next day being fridaie and the six and twentith of Aprill from Lesterike downe into the vallie by the said canon milles called the red Braies néere to the riuer side on the south part of the towne of Leith As the armie was thus remoouing from Lesterike towards the said place called the red Braies the Frenchmen within Leith shot off manie of their great péeces of artillerie but without dooing anie great hurt As the armie was incamping certeine of the enimies horssemen and line 10 footmen skirmished with the English lances and light horssemen a long time there were two Frenchmen slaine and their horsses also In the time of this skirmish two canons were conueied and planted in the new trench which discharged diuerse shots at the enimies Saturdaie the seauen and twentith of Aprill the great artillerie was planted aloft on the hill aboue the campe within lesse than a curriers shot of the towne walles and the pioners were set a worke to line 20 cast new trenches from the place where the same ordinance was lodged vnto Montpelham drawing so néere vnto Leith as the harquebus might reach them that watched and warded within the gréene bulworke There issued out of Leith vnder the west bulworke certeine of the Frenchmen the which were chased into the towne by the lard of Grange and others The French kept the same daie a trench which they had made without the towne continuallie shooting at the Englishmen in the campe but the same night the Englishmen wan that trench from them line 30 slue diuerse of them therein togither with their scout And this doone they gaue a great alarum to the towne both by land and water the shipbotes shooting off against the towne verie hotlie and they within the towne likewise at the Englishmen The same night was the great ordinance planted and maister Markham hurt On sundaie the eight and twentith of Aprill the said great ordinance went off and shot continuallie the more part of that daie The line 40 bishop of Ualence departed the same daie towards Berwike and this night sir George Howard that had béene sent backe to Berwike to signifie to the duke of Norffolke the state of the siege returned with sir Richard Lee being conducted with fiue hundred horssemen Mondaie the nine and twentith of Aprill the péeces of the great artillerie were occupied in shooting off verie hotlie and the French likewise shot off theirs and comming foorth of the towne skirmished line 50 with the Englishmen This night the pioners made new trenches toward the south bulworke Tuesdaie the last of Aprill was spent in shooting off the great artillerie into the towne About fiue of the clocke in the after noone a sudden fire was raised within the towne which hugelie increased and continued the most part of that night At the beginning when it first appeered the English ordinance was shot off to the place where the fire was which shot togither with helpe of the wind and being verie great at that present line 60 did maruellouslie augment the same fire yet neuerthelesse the French at that present time offered a skirmish and continued the same néere hand for the space of two houres manned their walles and made the best prouision they might for doubt of some assault It was indéed appointed that certeine bands
came to Douer there laie till fridaie at thrée of the line 10 clocke at after noone and then taking ship againe sailed foorth but finding the wind nothing prosperous for his course after he had lien all that night the daie following tossing tumbling on the seas he was constreined to come backe againe and arriued in the hauen of Douer about ten of the clocke on saturdaie at night and so remained there till tuesdaie next insuing at thrée of the clocke in the after noone and then went to shipboord againe in the said ship called the New barke and directing his course forwards line 20 on thursdaie morning about eight of the clocke his lordship landed at Newhauen where he was most ioyfullie receiued with a great peale of artillerie The next daie being fridaie the thirtith of October there came to Newhauen from Diepe fiftie light horssemen Scots brought by one of maister Killigrues seruants On saturdaie the last of October the earle of Warwiks commission was proclamed in Latine English and French by Blewmantell line 30 purseuant at armes which being ended his lordship went into the church and there sir Adrian Poinings knight marshall gaue him his oth and then my lord gaue the said sir Adrian his oth And after him were sworne Cutbert Uaughan controllor Iohn Fisher knight porter William Bromfield maister of the ordinance William Robinson water bailife and capteine Thomas Wood clearke of the councell On mondaie the second of Nouember the earle of Warwike with the knight marshall line 40 and the controllor rode out of Newhauen to Hauteuille and so towards Mondeuille accompanied with all the horssemen English and Scotish and a thousand footmen The Scotishmen Montgomeries band passed foorth and skirmished with them of Mondeuille and the Scots brought awaie with them a bootie of thrée hundred shéepe but in the morning they were returned backe againe by commandement of the earle of Warwike Maister controllors souldiors went as far as line 50 Harflue and there skirmished with them of that garrison but without anie hurt to either part My lord lieutenant riding all about the hils viewed the countrie and at night returned On wednesdaie the fourth of Nouember a barke of Newhauen belonging to Francis Clearke brought into the hauen of the same towne foure Britons laden with wines to the quantitie of two hundred tuns of good Gascoigne wines which they ment to haue brought to the enimies but being thus taken as a line 60 good prise it was discharged in Newhauen and stood the Englishmen and others of that towne in good stead On fridaie the sixt of Nouember about nine of the clocke in the morning a great alarum rose in the said towne of Newhauen for vpon the hils on the north side of the towne the Reingraue and the sonne of the viceadmerall of France shewed themselues accompanied with two thousand footmen and fiue hundred horssemen And herewith the Reingraue sent a trumpettor to the towne to aduertise the lord lieutenant that he was on the hils there at hand and that vnderstanding his lordship was come into the countrie and entred into Newhauen if it would please him to promise vpon his honor and by the faith of a gentleman that he might come and returne in safetie he would be glad to come sée him Wherevpon the lord lieutenant taking with him certeine capteins and gentlemen rode foorth of the towne and sent before him sir Adrian Poinings the marshall with Stephan Medcalfe hir maiesties trumpettor vnto the Reingraue who talking with him returned and met with the lord lieutenant who therewith passed forward and méeting with the Reingraue they imbraced each other and conferred togither as they had occasion And the Reingraue told the lord lieutenant among other talke that he was come to be his neighbor and so with such merie speech they communed togither and after taking their leaue either of other they returned vnto their homes The counte Montgomerie and monsieur Beauuois had some talke also with the Reingraue casting out bitter and sharpe words in reproofe of the duke of Guise and others that were of his faction The Reingraue comming backe to his armie the same afternoone forraied all the countrie and droue awaie the most part of all the cattell that they might meet with and comming to the church of Hauteuille where an hundred and fiftie of Montgomeries band laie they skirmished with them and in the end Montgomeries souldiors were forced to retire and abandon the place leauing it to the enimies and comming awaie withdrew the same night into Newhauen The Almans the same euening diuiding their armie into two parts the one halfe of them went and lodged at Mondeuille and the other halfe at Harflue The morrow after the Frenchmen that had abandoned the church of Hauteuille the night before went thither againe tooke and kept it against the enimies in like manner as they held it before The eleuenth of Nouember a proclamation was made in the name of the lord lieutenant by the officer at armes Blewmantell as well for good orders to be kept by the souldiors against the French inhabitants of the towne reforming of certeine gréeuances whereof the French had made complaint as also for their comming to church to heare common praier and preaching at due times for the auoiding of vnlawfull games whordome wicked othes and other blasphemies and likewise concerning diuerse other good orders to be obserued and disorders to be eschewed as was thought necessarie to giue warning of with condigne paines appointed for punishment of such as should transgresse in the same On thursdaie the twelfe of Nouember there went out of the towne of Newhauen towards Harflue thrée bands of Frenchmen conteining about six hundred footmen and suddenlie they were béeset by the Almans and Frenchmen of the garrison of Harflue so that the French protestants were driuen to take a village called Grauille where they mainteined the skirmish for the space of two houres till the lord lieutenant hearing of the perill in which they stood sent foorth with the controllor the number of a thousand footmen and all the English and Scotish horssemen and monsieur Beauuois with diuerse French horssemen who comming before Harflue fell in skirmish with the enimies to whose succor there issued foorth of Harflue a great number of the Almans both horssemen and footmen But the Englishmen behaued themselues so valiantlie that they beat them out of the field and droue them in the end to the verie gates of their towne with such lionlike courage as was woonderfull choosing rather to die in battell if hap had so cut their cards in an honest cause than in their sicke beds as moued by the poets reason not amisse for a souldior to remember and resolutelie to rest vpon to wit Absumpti longis animam cruciatibus edunt Languentes morbis in bello pulchra paratur Mors homo momento pugnans extinguitur
some another Hugh Bigot erle of Norfolke a valiant chieftein entred into Norwich Baldwin Reduers tooke Excester Robert Quisquere got certeine castels also into his hands King Stephan hearing what his enimies had doone though he was somewhat mooued with this alteration of things yet as one nothing afraid of the matter he said merilie to those that stood about him We are aliue yet God be thanked and that shall be knowne to our enimies yeâ— it be long Neither doubted he any thing but some secret practise of treason and therfore vsing all diligence he made the more hast to go against his enimies whose attempts though streightwaies for the more part he repressed yet could he not recouer the places without much adoo that they had gotten as Excester and others which when he had obteined he contented himselfe for a time and followed not the victorie any further in pursuing of his enimies Wherevpon they became more bold afterward than before in somuch that soone after they practised diuerse things against him whereof God willing some in places conuenient shall appeare howbeit they permitted him to remaine in quiet for a time But whilest he studied to line 10 take order in things at home perceiuing how no small number of his subiects did dailie shew themselues to beare him no hartie good will he began by little and little to take awaie those liberties from the people which in the beginning of his reigne he had granted vnto them and to denie those promises which he had made according to the saieng That which I haue giuen I would I had not giuen and that which remaineth I will kéepe still This sudden alteration and new kind of rough dealing purchased line 20 him great enuie amongst all men in the end About the same time great commotions were raised in Normandie by meanes of the lord Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to Maud the empresse setting the whole countrie in trouble but yer any newes thereof came into England king Stephan went against Baldwin Reduers who being latelie though not without great and long siege expelled out of Excester got him into the I le of Wight and there began to deuise a new conspiracie Howbeit the king comming suddenlie into the I le tooke it at the first assault line 30 and exiled Baldwin out of the realme Hauing thus with good successe finished this enterprise and being now aduertised of the businesse in Normandie he sailed thither with a great armie and being come within two daies iournie of his enimie the earle of Aniou he sent foorth his whole power of horssemen diuided into three parts which were not gone past a daies iournie forward but they encountred the earle finding him with no great force about him Wherevpon giuing the charge vpon him line 40 they put him to flight and slue manie of his people Which enterprise in this maner valiantlie atchiued euen according to the mind of king Stephan he ioined in freendship with Lewes the seuenth king of France and hauing latelie created his sonne Eustace duke of Normandie he presentlie appointed him to doo his homage vnto the said Lewes for the same Now whereas his elder brother Theobald earle of Blois at that time in Normandie found himselfe line 50 greeued that Stephan the yoonger brother had vsurped the lands that belonged to their vncle king Henrie rather than himselfe Stephan to stop this iust complaint of his brother and to allaie his mood agréed with him couenanting to paie him yearelie two thousand marks of such currant monie as was then in vse Furthermore wheras Geffrey the earle of Aniou demanded in right of his wife the empresse the whole kingdome of England to be at an end with him king Stephan was contented to satisfie line 60 him with a yearelie pension of fiue thousand marks which composition he willinglie receiued Thus when he had prouided for the suertie of Normandie he returned againe into England where he was no sooner arriued but aduertisement was giuen him of a warre newlie begâ—n with the Scots whose king vnder a colour of obseruing the oth to the empresse made dailie insurrections and inuasions into England to the great disturbance of king Stephan and the annoiance of his people Wherwith being somewhat mooued he went streightwaies toward the north parts and determined first to besiege Bedford by the waie which apperteined to the earledome of Huntington by gift made vnto Henrie the sonne of king Dauid and therevpon at that present kept with a garison of Scotish men This place did the king besiege by the space of 30. daies togither giuing thereto euerie daie an assault or alarme in somuch that coÌ„ming thither on Christmasse daie he spared not on the morow to assaile them and so at length wan the towne from them by méere force and strength King Dauid hearing those newes and being alreadie in armour in the field entred into Northumberland and licensed his men of warre to spoile and rob the countrie thereabout at their pleasure Herevpon followed such crueltie that their rage stretched vnto old and yoong vnto preest and clearke yea women with child escaped not their hands they hanged headed and slue all that came in their waie houses were burnt cattell driuen awaie and all put to fire and sword that serued to any vse for reléefe either of man or beast ¶ Here we see what a band of calamities doo accompanie and waite vpon warre wherein also we haue to consider what a traine of felicities doo attend vpon peace by an equall comparing of which twaine togither we may easilie perceiue in how heauenlie an estate those people be that liue vnder the scepter of tranquillitie and contrariwise what a hellish course of life they lead that haue sworne their seruice to the sword We may consider also the inordinat outrages of princes their frantike fiersenes who esteeme not the losse of their subiects liues the effusion of innocent bloud the population of countries the ruinating of ample regions c so their will may be satisfied there desire serued And therefore it was aptlie spoken by a late poet not beside this purpose Reges atque duces dira impelluntur in arma Imperiúmque sibi miserorum caede lucrantur O caeci ô miseri quid bellum pace putatis Dignius aut melius nempe hoc nil turpius nil Quod magis humana procul à ratione recedat Candida pax homines trux decet ira feras But to our storie King Stephan hearing of this pitifull spoile hasted forward with great iournies to the rescue of the countrie The Scots put in feare of spéedie comming to encounter them drew backe into Scotland but he pursued them and entring into their countrie burned and destroied the south parts of that realme in most miserable maner Whilest king Stephan was thus about to beat backe the forren enimies and reuenge himselfe on them
I looked to haue found aid I was destitute thereof to my great hinderance and vexation Consider furthermore I praie you how my lords and brethren the bishops are readie at the pleasure of the Noble men of the court to giue sentence against me so that all men being about to run vpon me I was almost oppressed and therfore am now come as it were to take breath in the audience of your clemencie which dooth not forsake your children in their extreme necessitie before whom I here stand readie to declare and testifie that I am not to be iudged there nor yet at all by them For what other thing should that be but to plucke awaie the right of the church What else then to submit spirituall things to temporall This example therefore once sproong vp might giue an occasion to manie enormities to follow The bishops doo say Those things that are Cesars ought to be restored to Cesar. But admit that in manie things the king is to be obeied is he therefore to be obeied in things wherein he is no king For those belong not to Cesar but to a tyrant Wherein if for line 10 my sake they would not yet ought the bishops for their owne sakes to haue resisted him For what should be the cause of such deadlie and vnnaturall hatred that to destroie me they should destroie themselues Therefore whilest for temporall things they neglect spirituall they faile in both Weigh then most holie father my fleeing awaie and my persecution and how for your sake I haue beene prouoked with iniuries vse your rigour constraine them to amendement through whose motion this hath chanced line 20 let them not be borne out by the king who is rather the obstinate minister than the finder out of this practise The pope hauing heard his words tooke deliberation in the matter with the aduice of his cardinals and therevpon answered the archbishop in effect as followeth That the lower power may not iudge the higher and chéefelie him whome he is bound to obeie all the lawes both of God and man doo witnesse and the ordinances of the ancient fathers doo manifestlie line 30 declare Herevpon we to whome it apperteineth to reforme disorders doo clearelie reuerse and make void the iudgement pronounced against you by the barons and bishops whereby as well against the order of law as against the customes of the church your goods were adiudged forfeit whereas the same goods were not yours but the churches of Canturburie ouer which you haue the onelie cure and charge But if those that haue violentlie entred vpon the possessions and goods of your church and haue thereby line 40 wronged either you or yours will not vpon admonition giuen to them make restitution with sufficient amends then may you if you shall thinke conuenient exercise ecclesiasticall iustice vpon them and we shall allow of that which you shall reasonablie doo in that behalfe Howbeit as touching the king himselfe we will not giue you any speciall commandement neither yet doo we take from you any right belonging to your bishoplike office which you receiued at your consecration But the king onlie we will spare line 50 and exempt from your excommunications and censures After these and manie by-matters were ouerpassed the archbishop resigned his pall vnto the pope but the pope gaue it him againe and appointed him to remaine at Pountney an abbeie of moonks Cisteaux in the diocesse of Auxerre till the variance were brought to some good end betwixt the king and him This was doone in the yeare of our Lord 1164. The king hauing knowledge by his ambassadors line 60 what answer the pope had made became gréeuouslie offended in his mind and therevpon confiscated all the goods that belonged to the archbishop and his complices and seized their reuenues into his hands appointing one Randall de Broc to haue the custodie of all that belonged to the see which Broc was nothing fréendlie to the archbishop being his knowne enimie of old but fauoured the moonkes and would not suffer that they should take wrong or displeasure at any hand year 1165 In the yeare 1165. queene Elianor was deliuered of a daughter which was named Ioane Also on the 26. day of Ianuarie there chanced a maruellous earthquake in Northfolke in the I le of Elie and in Suffolke so that men as they stood on the ground were ouerthrowne therewith and buildings so shaken that the belles in stéeples knolled the like had also chanced in the Aduent season then last before passed The Welshmen this yeare spoiled a great part of those countries that bordered vpon them wherewith the king being sore mooued leuied an armie with all spéed as well of Englishmen as strangers and without regard of difficulties and dangers did go against the rebels and finding them withdrawne into their starting holes I meane the woods aâ—d strait passages he compassed the same about in verie forceable maner The Welshmen perceiuing themselues now to be brought into such ieopardie as that they could not well deuise how to escape the same consulted what was best to be doone After consultation casting awaie their weapons they came foorth to the king asking mercie which somewhat hardlie they obteined Few of them were executed in comparison of the numbers that offended but yet the capteines and chéefe authors of this rebellion were so punished that it was thought they would neuer haue presumed so rashlie to offend him in like sort againe For as some writers affirme he did iustice on the sonnes of Rice or Rees also on the sonnes and daughters of other noble men that were his complices verie rigorouslie causing the eies of the yoong striplings to be pecked out of their heads and their noses to be cut off or slit and the eares of the yoong gentlewomen to be stuffed But yet I find in other authors that in this iournie king Henrie did not greatlie preuaile against his enimies but rather lost manie of his men of warre both horssemen and footmen for by his seuere proceeding against them he rather made them more eger to séeke reuenge than quieted them in any tumult They tooke the castell of Cardigan and in besieging of Briges the king was in no small danger of his life for one of the enimies shooting directlie at him had persed him through the bodie if Hubert de Saint Clere conestable of Colchester perceiuing the arrow comming had not thrust himselfe betwixt the king and the same arrow and so preseruing his maister receiued the stripe himselfe whereof he died presentlie after beséeching the king to be good lord to one onelie daughter which he had whome the king bestowed in mariage vpon William de Langualée togither with hir fathers inheritance which William begat of hir a sonne that bare both his name and surname ¶ A president of gratitude thankfulnes is here committed to memorie And surelie the king could doo no lesse than
to rebell and to incourage them the sooner to attempt the warre he began the first exploit himselfe taking the said lord Roger Clifford a right worthie and famous knight in his castell of Hawardine vpon Palme sundaie the said lord being in no doubt of any such matter Diuerse knights and other that were in the same castell at that time and made resistance were slaine After this the foresaid Dauid returned to his brother the prince and therewith assembling an armie they went both togither and besieged the castell of Rutland King Edward at the same time being in the parts about Salisburie where he kept his Easter at the Uies sent out commissioners to leauie an armie and commanded such men of warre as he had then in a readinesse to hast foorth to the rescue of the castell of Rutland And in the meane time the castell of Lamperdeuaux was taken by Rice ap Malgone and Griffith ap Meridoc Also diuerse other castels were taken by other of the Welsh nobilitie Moreouer about this time by the labour and suit of Iohn line 10 the archbishop of Canturburie Emericke de Montfort which had béene reteined in prison sith that he was first taken togither with his sister at the Isle of Sillie by the Bristowmen was now set at libertie and permitted to returne into France The said archbishop of Canturburie was sent into Wales to persuade Leolin and his brother with the other rebels vnto peace and quietnesse but returning into England without bringing anie thing to passe he denounced them accurssed line 20 year 1282 The king hasted foorth to come to the rescue of his people wherevpon Leolin and his brother Dauid retired with their people to Snowdon hilles and fortified the castell there with a strong garrison of men The king entring into Wales when he heard that his enimies were withdrawne into the mounteins passed foorth till he came neere vnto them where he pitched downe his field and the next day causing his horssemen to issue foorth of the campe filled all the plaines which compasse the foot of those hilles aswell line 30 on the east side as toward the south with the same horssemen and herewith placed his footmen more aloft on the side of the hilles in couert this doone he prouoked his enimie to come foorth to fight but when he saw this would not be then that he might stop them from all places of refuge he caused his ships to take the Isle of Anglesey bicause the Welshmen vsed to flie thither oftentimes for their safegard in the which enterprise the mariners of the cinque ports bare themselues right manfullie line 40 After this ioining certeine vessels togither he caused a bridge to be made in the riuer of Meneth into the which an other small riuer falleth that riseth at the roots of those hilles of Snowdone to keepe the enimies from lodging on the further side of that riuer This bridge conteining roome for thréescore armed men to passe afront was made ouer the riuer of Sient by the which men saile into the Isle which by the course of the sea ebbeth and floweth euerie twelue houres But so it came to passe that before the bridge line 50 was well boorded ouer whilest the king yet remained at Aberconwaie diuerse of the English nobilitie to the number of seauen banerets with three hundreth armed men rashlie passed ouer and as they surueied the foot of the mounteine the tide began to come in so swiftlie that where the Englishmen were aduanced a good prettie waie from the water side they could not now get backe againe to the bridge which as yet was not fullie made vp The Welshmen perceiuing this came downe beside line 60 the mounteine and assailed the Englishmen verie fiercelie and with their great multitude so oppressed them that for feare the Englishmen were driuen to take the water and so by reason they were loaden with armour manie of them were drowned and amongst other that famous knight sir Lucas de Thanie Robert Clifford sir William Lindsey and two gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnell as then bishop of Bath There perished in all as some saie thirtéene knights seuentéene yoong gentlemen and to the number of two hundred footmen Yet sir William Latimer as good hap would escaped and diuerse other This mischance happened on S. Leonards day In this meane time in an other part of the countrie the earle of Glocester with an armie made sore warre to the Welshmen and néere vnto the towne called Lantilaware fought a sore battell with them in the which manie of the Welshmen being slaine the earle lost also fiue knights vpon his partie as William Ualence the yoonger being one of that number who was the kings cousine The earle of Glocester then departing from thence Leolin the prince of Wales entered into the countrie of Cardigan and Stradwie destroieng the lands of Rice ap Meridoc which now held with the king against the said prince At length prince Leolin going towards the land of Buelth with a small companie left his maine armie behind him aloft vpon the top of the mounteine néere to the water called Waie and he had set a number of his people to kéepe the bridge of Orewin and so the Welshmen kept on the one side and the Englishmen on the other of whome were capteins the lord Iohn Gifford and the lord Edmund Mortimer the which perceiuing the Welshmen that were readie to defend the bridge and a great host of them vpon the top of the mounteine they consulted togither what they were best to doo At length by the couragious exhortation of one Helias Walewaine they drew on the one hand alongst the riuer where was a foord passable in déed though not without danger but yet the Englishmen by the conduct of the same Helias got ouer by the same foord so that it bare the name long after of Helias way And so the Welshmen that kept the bridge perceiuing the Englishmen to be got ouer vnto that side fled wherevpon the residue of the English armie passed ouer at the bridge whereof rose a great noise which Leolin lurking not farre off might well heare but yet at the first he could not be brought to thinke that by any possible means the Englishmen were got ouer to that side of the water But yet perceiuing it to be true he drue backe toward the heigth of the mounteine againe neuerthelesse being discouered by one Stephan de Franketon named by some writers Sward he was so narrowlie pursued of the same Stephan that he was ouertaken and slaine Stephan not knowing whome he had slaine returned to the host the which was now mounting vp the hill to ioine with the Welsh armie that stood still looking for the returne of their prince Leolin though in vaine yet they manfullie abode by their tackle discharging plentie of arowes and darts at the
Morgan hauing them of Southwals at his commandement expelled and droue the earle line 60 of Glocester out of his countrie of Glamorgan which earle had before time disherited the ancestors of the same Morgan The king therefore to represse the Welshmens attempts called backe his brother Edmund earle of Lancaster and the earle of Lincolne being readie to haue sailed ouer into Gascoine the which earles as they approched néere vnto the castell of Denbigh vpon saint Martins day the Welshmen with great force incountred them and giuing them battell droue them backe and discomfited their people Polydor iudgeth that this ouerthrow happened to the Englishmen the rather for that the armie was hired with such monie as had béene wrongfullie taken out of the abbeis and other holie places howbeit it is but his opinion onelie The king kept his Christmasse at Aberâ—onwey in Wales and hearing that the new archbishop of Canturburie doctor Robert Winchelsey being returned from Rome where of pope Celestine he had receiued his pall was comming towards him he sent one of his chapleines named Iohn Berwike with a power of souldiers to conduct him safelie vnto his presence And after the archbishop had doone his fealtie to the king accordinglie as of dutie and custome he was bound he was licenced to returne with great honour shewed vnto him at the kings hands Upon the day of the circumcision of our Lord was the citie of Baion rendred vnto the lord Iohn saint Iohn the which the day before had beene taken by the mariners by force of assault Manie of the citizens which were knowne to be cheefe enimies vnto the king of England were apprehended and sent into England The castell was then besieged and after eight daies taken The lord of Aspermont with diuerse others that held it were committed to prison There were also taken two gallies which the French king had caused to be made and appointed to be remaining there vpon defense of that citie Shortlie after the towne of saint Iohn de Sordes was deliuered vnto the Englishmen who wan manie other townes and fortresses some by surrender of their owne accord and some by force and violence The English armie greatlie increased within a while after the deceit of the Frenchmen once appeared for the Gascoins returned vnto the English obedience in such wise that foure thousand footmen and two hundred horsemen came to aid the English capteins In the meane time the king of England passing ouer the riuer of Conwey with part of his armie to go further into Wales towards Snowdon lost manie carts and other cariages which were taken by the Welshmen being loden with the prouisions of vittels so that he with his people indured great penurie and was constreined to drinke water mixt with honie and eat such course bread and salt flesh as he could get till the other part of the armie came vnto him There was a small quantitie of wine amongst them which they would haue reserued onelie for the king therfore refused to tast therof But least they should repine at his extraordinarie and seuerall fare and so by conceits of discontentment for not hauing the like he considered in a sympathie that Quae mala cum multis patimur leuiora videntur saieng that in time of necessitie all things ought to be common and all men to be contented with like diet For as touching him being the cause and procurer of their want he would not be preferred before any of them in his meats and drinks The Welshmen compassed him about in hope to distresse him for that the water was so risen that the residue of his armie could not get to him But shortlie after when the water fell they came ouer to his aid and therewith the aduersaries fled The earle of Warwike hearing that a great number of Welshmen was assembled togither and lodged in a vallie betwixt two woods he chose out a number of horssemen with certeine crossebowes and archers and comming vpon the Welshmen in the night compassed them round about the which pitching the ends of their speares in the ground and turning the points against their enimies stood at defense so to keepe off the horssemen But the earle hauing placed his battell so that euer betwixt two horssemen there stood a crosbow a great part of the Welshmen which stood at defense in maner aforesaid with their speares were ouerthrowne and broken with the shot of the quarels and then the earle charged the residue with a troope of horssmen and bare them downe with such slaughter as they had not susteined the like losse of people as was thought at anie one time before In the meane while king Edward to restreine the rebellious attempts of those Welshmen caused the woods of Wales to be cut downe wherein before time the Welshmen were accustomed to hide themselues in time of danger He also repared the castels and holds in that countrie and builded some new as the citie and castell of Bewmarise with other so that line 10 the Welshmen constreined through hunger and famine were inforced within a while to come to the kings peace Also at length about the feast of saint Laurence the Welshman Madoc that tooke himselfe for prince of Wales was taken prisoner and being brought to London was committed to perpetuall prison ¶ By some writers it should appeare that Madoc was not taken but rather after manie aduentures sundrie conflicts when the Welshmen were brought to an issue of great extremitie line 20 the said Madoc came in and submitted himselfe to the kings peace and was receiued vpon condition that he should pursue Morgan till he had taken him and brought him to the kings prison which was doone and so all things in those parts were set in rest and peace and manie hostages of the chéefest amongst the Welsh nobilitie were deliuered to the king who sent them to diuerse castels in England where they were safelie kept almost to the end of the warres that followed with Scotland line 30 About the same time Charles de Ualois brother to the French king being sent with an armie into Gascoine and comming vpon the sudden found the Englishmen wandering abroad in the countrie out of order by reason whereof taking them at that aduantage he caused them to leaue their booties behind them slue part of them and chased the residue the which fled to their ships or to such hauen townes as were in their possession The capteins of the Englishmen as Iohn de Britaine earle of Richmond and line 40 the lord Iohn saint Iohn after they had got togither their souldiers which had béene thus chased sent two bands vnto Pontesey to defend that towne against the enimies also other two bands vnto saint Seuere and they themselues went to Rion to fortifie that place Charles de Ualois aduertised hereof thought he would not giue them long respit to make
goods which might be remoued out of the countrie for feare of the enimies inuasion but when the Scots lingered time and entred not within the English borders for a season they brought their goods againe in hope that the Scots would not come foorth of their owne marches at that time But the Scots hauing aduertisement thereof about the feast of S. Luke entred the English borders and did much hurt within the countrie of Northumberland so that to auoid the danger all the religious men fled out of the monasteries situat betwixt Newcastell vpon Tine and Carleill The Scots spoiled harried and burnt vp the countrie till the feast of saint Martine and in the oactues of the same feast they drew togither and went towards Carleill which towne they summoned as you shall heare They sent a preest to them that kept it commanding them to yéeld but receiuing a froward answer they fell to and wasted all that countrie passing thorough the forrest of Inglewood Cumberland and Allerdale till they came vnto Derwent and Cokermouth not sparing either church nor chappell Their meaning was to haue gone into the bishoprike of Durham but what through sore weather of haile snow and frost what through vaine feare of wrong information giuen by their spials that the countrie was well prouided of men of warre for defense they brake off that iournie and yet there were not past a hundred men of armes and thrée thousand footmen in that countrie which were then also dispersed thorough irksomenesse of long staieng for the enimies The Scots therefore drew vnto Hexham and there lodged not without vexing the canons although they had granted letters of protection vnto the prior and couent of the same house to indure for one whole yeare and likewise letters of safe conduct to passe and repasse for one canon one squire and two seruants when soeuer they should send to them during that terme which letters were giuen foorth vnder the name of the said earle of Murrey and William Waleis From thence they went towards Newcastell and burnt the towne of Riton Finallie perceiuing they could not preuaile in attempting to win the towne of Newcastell they diuided their spoiles and returned home About the same time to wit a little before Christmasse the lord Robert Clifford with the power of the citie of Carleill entred Annandale committing all to the spoile of the footmen of whome there was a great number The men of armes on horsbacke being not past an hundred in all kept togither and finding their enimies assembled néere to Annankirke gaue a charge vpon them and chased them into a marish within the which they kept them till the footmen came in and assailing them slue 308 persons and tooke diuerse of them prisoners and returning againe to their market burnt ten villages and on Christmasse euen returned with their preie and booties vnto Carleill year 1298 In the beginning of Lent they made an other rode in the which they burnt the church of Annan Whilest these things were in hand prince Edward the kings eldest son and other which had the rule of the realme in the kings absence sought meanes to pacifie the earles Marshall and Hereford but they would not agrée but vpon such conditions as pleased themselues to prescribe which were that the king should confirme the ggeat charter and the charter of forrests with certeine new articles to be included in the same great charter and that from thenceforth the king should not charge his subiects so fréelie at his pleasure as before time he had doone without consent of the states of parlement and that he should pardon his displeasure and malice conceiued against them for denieng to go with him into Flanders Manie other articles they would that the king should grant confirme pardon and establish The which were all sent ouer into Flanders to the king that he might line 10 peruse them and declare whether he would agree or disagrée to the same He as one being driuen to the wall thought good to yeeld vnto the malice and iniquitie of the time to reconcile the offended minds of the péeres and barons of his realme and granted vnto all the said articles confirming the same with his charter vnder his great seale In consideration wherof the nobles of the realme and commons granted to the king the ninth penie of all their goods the archbishop of Canturburie with the cleargie of his prouince line 20 the tenth penie and the elect of Yorke and those of his prouince granted the fift penie towards the maintenance of the war against the Scots bicause they were next vnto the danger The king also by his speciall letters required the nobles of the realme that if they continued in their due obedience to him as they promised at his departure out of the realme to doo that then they should resort and appeare at his parlement to begin at Yorke the morrow after the feast of saint Hilarie without line 30 all excuse or delaie for otherwise he would accompt them as enimies to the commonwelth of the realme At which day appeared the earles of Warren and Glocester with the countesse of Glocester his wife daughter to the king the earles Marshall Hereford and Arundell Guie sonne to the earle of Warwike in his fathers roome and of barons the lord Henrie Percie the lord Iohn Wake and the lord Iohn Segraue with manie of the nobilitie the which being assembled togither would that it should to all men be line 40 notified in what manner the king had confirmed the great charter and the charter of forrests wherevpon the same being read with the articles therevnto added and put in the bishop of Carleill adorned in pontificalibus did pronounce all them accurssed that went about to violate and breake the same And bicause the Scotish lords appeared not being summoned to be there it was decreed that the armie should come togither at Newcastell vpon Tine in the octaues of the feast of saint Hilarie next insuing so line 50 that the generall musters might then and there be taken The king laie the most part of this winter at Gant in the which meane time there chanced sedition betwéene th' Englishmen the Gantners insomuch that the Welshmen had set fire on the towne if the king had not staied the matter But the Flemish writers saie the Englishmen set fire in foure parts of the towne indéed that they might the more fréelie haue robbed in other parts thereof whilest the line 60 townesmen had gone about to quench the fire But the townesmen bent on reuenge assembled togither in great numbers and falling on the Englishmen slue thirtie of their horssemen and of their footmen to the number of seuen hundred or thereabouts They had also slaine the king if a knight of Flanders had not made shift to saue him ¶ In déed as should appeare by the same writers the English footmen had doone
men to his peace that would come and submit themselues those excepted which had beene at the siege of Tikehill castell or at the taking of the citie of Glocester or at the inuasion made vpon his men at Bridgenorth At his comming to a little village called Caldwell he sent afore him certeine bands to Burton vpon on Trent where he ment to haue lodged but the earles of Lancaster and Hereford the lords Roger Damorie Hugh Audelie the yonger Iohn de Mowbraie Bartholomew de Badelismere Roger de Clifford Iohn Gifford de Bremâ—sfield Henrie Tieis and many other being gotten thither before kept the bridge and affailing the kings people which he had thus sent before some of them they slue and some they wounded so defending the bridge that none could passe and by reason that the waters and speciallie line 10 the riuer of Trent through abundance of raine that was latelie fallen were raised there was no meane to passe by the foords wherevpon the king was constreined to staie the space of thrée daies in which meane time the earles and their complices fortified the bridge at Burton with barriers and such like defenses after the maner of warre but the king at length vpon deliberate aduise taken how to passe the riuer ordeined that the earle of Surrie with certeine armed men should go ouer by a bridge that line 20 was thrée miles distant from Burton that he might come vpon the backes of the enimies as they were fighting with those that should assaile them afront The earles of Richmond and Penbroke were appointed to passe by a foord which they had got knowledge of with thrée hundred horssemen in complet armour and the king with his brother the earle of Kent should follow them with the residue of the armie sauing that Robert Aquarie or Waters with certeine bands of footmen was commanded to assaile line 30 the bridge which he did verie manfullie causing the archers crossebowes to annoie them that kept it so as he might draw the whole power of the enimies that waie till the king and the earles were passed by the foord But after that the earles of Lancaster and Hereford with their complices heard that the king was passed with his armie they came foorth with their people into the fields and put them in order of battell but perceiuing the great puissance which the king had there readie to encounter them line 40 without more adoo they fled setting fire on the towne and leauing all their vittels and other things behind them The kings people comming spéedilie forward and entring the towne quenched the fire and fell to the spoile of such things as the enimies for hast had left behind them The king kept nothing to himselfe but onelie a faire cup that belonged to the earle of Lancaster a péece esteemed to be of some great value On the same night being wednesdaie the king line 50 came to Tutburie and lodged in the castell sending foorth the next day with all spéed letters to the shiriffe of Derbishire and Notinghamshire aduertising him both of the successe he had against his enimies and withall pronouncing them and all their adherents rebels and traitors to him and his realme and that for such they should be reputed taken and vsed Wherefore he commanded in the same letters or writs vpon forfeiture of all that the said shiriffe might forfeit he should pursue the said rebels that is the earles of line 60 Lancaster and Hereford the lords Roger Damorie Hugh Andelie the yoonger Iohn de Mowbraie Bartholomew de Badelismere Roger de Clifford Iohn Gifford de Brimesfield Henrie Tieis and all and euerie other person or persons that were of their confederacie or in their companies causing hue and crie to be raised vpon them in what part soeuer they might be heard of and in all places where the said shiriffe should thinke it expedient and to inioine and streightlie command all and singular persons the said rebels and enimies to pursue take and arrest and them to deliuer vnto the said shiriffe and that such as were not able to pursue them yet with hand or horne they should leuie hue and crie against them in paine that being found negligent herein to be accompted for fauourers and adherents to the said rebels and traitors and that the said shiriffe should thervpon apprehend them and put them in prison The writ was dated at Tutburie the eleuenth of March and the like writs were directed and sent foorth to all other shiriffes through the realme and likewise to the bishop of Durham and to the iustice of Chester Beside this he directed also other writs to the said shiriffes and others that although he had béene constreined to passe in forceable wise through diuerse parts of his realme and the marches of Wales to suppresse the malicious rebellion of diuerse his subiects and that as yet he was constreined to continue his iournie in such forceable wise neuertheles his pleasure was that the peace should be mainteined and kept throughout his realme with the statutes lawes and customes inuiolated and therfore he commanded the said shiriffes that they should cause the same to be proclaimed in places where was thought most expedient as well within liberties as without inhibiting that any maner of person of what state or condition soeuer he was vpon paine that might fall thereon to attempt any thing to the breach of peace but that euerie man should séeke to mainteine and preserue the peace and tranquillitie of the people with the statutes lawes and good customes of the land to the vttermost of his power this alwaies obserued that the rebels wheresoeuer they might be found should be arrested and committed to safe custodie The daie of this writ was at Tutburie aforesaid on the twelfth of March. The lord Roger Damorie laie sicke in his bed at the same time in the priorie of Tutburie who after he had heard what iudgement the king had pronounced against him departed this life within two daies after But the earles of Lancaster and Hereford with other in their companie that fled from the discomfiture at Burton lost manie men and horsses in their flieng away by reason of such pursuit as was made after them Diuerse of them that had taken part with the lords against the king came now and submitted themselues vnto him amongst the which were sir Gilbert de Ellesfield and sir Robert Helland knights The king yet had the said Holland in some suspicion bicause he had promised to haue come to him before The earle of Lancaster had sent him at this time to raise his tenants in Lancashire and to bring them vnto him but he deceiued him and came not to him at all wherevpon the earles of Lancaster and Hereford with the other barons being come vnto Pomâ—ret fell to councell in the Friers there and finallie after much debating of the matter and considering how by the vntrue dealing
any certeine place whither to go in that vnknowne countrie but by chance they happened vpon a beaten waie white in sight by the which they were brought vnto a little village where they were refreshed with meat and drinke somewhat more plentiouslie than they had béene diuerse daies before Order was taken by commandement from the king after the armie was first set in battell arraie that no noise or clamor should be made in the host so that in marching foorth to this village euerie man kept himselfe quiet but at their comming into the village fiers were made to giue light on euerie side as there likewise were in the French host which was incamped not past two hundred and fiftie pases distant from the English The cheefe leaders of the French host were these the constable of France the marshall the admerall the lord Rambures maister of the crosbowes and other of the French nobilitie which came and pitched downe their standards and banners in the countie of saint Paule within the territorie of Agincourt hauing in their armie as some write to the number of thréescore thousand horssemen besides footmen wagoners and other They were lodged euen in the waie by the which the Englishmen must needs passe towards Calis and all that night after their comming thither made great cheare and were verie merie pleasant and full of game The Englishmen also for their parts were of good comfort and nothing abashed of the matter and yet they were both hungrie wearie sore trauelled and vexed with manie cold diseases Howbeit reconciling themselues with God by hoossell and shriff requiring assistance at his hands that is the onelie giuer of victorie they determined rather to die than to yéeld or flée The daie following was the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1415 being then fridaie and the feast of Crispine and Crispinian a day faire and fortunate to the English but most sorrowfull and vnluckie to the French In the morning the French capteins made thrée battels in the vaward were eight thousand healmes of knights and esquiers foure thousand archers and fifteene hundred crosbowes which were guided by the lord de la Breth constable of France hauing with him the dukes of Orleance and Burbon the earles of Ewe and Richmond the marshall Bouciquault and the maister of the crosbowes the lord Dampier admerall of France and other capteins The earle of Uandosme with sixtéene hundred men of armes were ordered for a wing to that battell line 10 And the other wing was guided by sir Guichard Dolphine sir Clugnet of Brabant and sir Lewes Bourdon with eight hundred men of armes of elect chosen persons And to breake the shot of the Englishmen were appointed sir Guilliam de Saueuses with Hector and Philip his brethren Ferrie de Maillie and Alen de Gaspanes with other eight hundred of armes In the middle ward were assigned as manie persons line 20 or more as were in the formost battell and the charge thereof was committed to the dukes of Bar and Alanson the earles of Neuers Uaudemont Blamont Salinges Grant Prée of Russie And in the rereward were all the other men of armes guided by the earles of Marle Dampmartine Fauconberg and the lord of Lourreie capteine of Arde who had with him the men of the frontiers of Bolonois Thus the Frenchmen being ordered vnder their standards and banners made a great shew for line 30 suerlie they were estéemed in number six times as manie or more than was the whole companie of the Englishmen with wagoners pages and all They rested themselues waiting for the bloudie blast of the terrible trumpet till the houre betwéene nine and ten of the clocke of the same daie during which season the constable made vnto the capteins and other men of warre a pithie oration exhorting and incouraging them to doo valiantlie with manie comfortable words and sensible reasons King Henrie also line 40 like a leader and not as one led like a souereigne and not an inferior perceiuing a plot of ground verie strong méet for his purpose which on the backe halfe was sensed with the village wherein he had lodged the night before and on both sides defended with hedges and bushes thought good there to imbattell his host and so ordered his men in the same place as he saw occasion and as stood for his most aduantage First he sent priuilie two hundred archers into a line 50 lowe medow which was néere to the vauntgard of his enimies but separated with a great ditch commanding them there to keepe themselues close till they had a token to them giuen to let driue at their aduersaries beside this he appointed a vaward of the which he made capteine Edward duke of Yorke 〈◊〉 of an haultie courage had desired that office and with him were the lords Beaumont Willoughbie and Fanhope and this battell was all of archers The middle ward was gouerned by the king himselfe line 60 with his brother the duke of Glocester and the earles of Marshall Oxenford and Suffolke in the which were all the strong bilmen The duke of Excester vncle to the king led the rereward which was miâ—ed both with bilmen and archers The horssemen like wings went on euerie side of the battell Thus the king hauing ordered his battels feared not the puissance of his enimies but yet to prouide that they should not with the multitude of horssemen breake the order of his archers in whome the force of his armie consisted ¶ For in those daies the yeomen had their lims at libertie sith their hosen were then fastened with one point and their iackes long and easie to shoot in so that they might draw bowes of great strength and shoot arrowes of a yard long beside the head he caused stakes bound with iron sharpe at both ends of the length of fiue or six foot to be pitched before the archers and of ech side the footmen like an hedge to the intent that if the barded horsses ran rashlie vpon them they might shortlie be gored and destroied Certeine persons also were appointed to remooue the stakes as by the mooueing of the archers occasion and time should require so that the footmen were hedged about with stakes and the horssemen stood like a bulwarke betwéene them and their enimies without the stakes This deuise of fortifieng an armie was at this time first inuented but since that time they haue deuised caltraps harrowes and other new engins against the force of horssemen so that if the enimies run hastilie vpon the same either are their horsses wounded with the stakes or their féet hurt with the other engins so as thereby the beasts are gored or else made vnable to mainteine their course King Henrie by reason of his small number of people to fill vp his battels placed his vauntgard so on the right hand of the maine battell which himselfe led that the distance betwixt them might scarse
Gough Martin Godfrie called the Scaler tooke by stealth the castell of saint Laurence de Mortiers At the same time when the capteine and the most part of his companie were gone foorth to heare masse in a church ouer against the same castell and kéeping themselues close till the capteine returned they tooke him as he was entered within the first gate so was this castell stuffed with Englishmen line 50 and capteine thereof was appointed sir William Oldhall The same season sir Iohn Fastolfe gouernour of the countries of Aniou and Maine assembled a great puissance of men warre and laid siege before the castell of saint Owen Distais beside the towne of Lauall and after he had laine there ten daies the castell was deliuered they within departing with their liues and armour onelie to them granted by the tenor of the composition which they tooke with line 60 the same sir Iohn Fastolfe After the winning of this castell the Englishmen remooued to the strong castell of Grauile and after twelue daies they within offered to yeeld the castell by a daie if they were not succoured by the Dolphin or his power the offer was taken and pledges deliuered Then sir Iohn Fastolfe returned in post to the regent aduertising him of this composition and agreement wherefore the said regent raised a great power to fight with the Frenchmen at the daie appointed and in his companie were the earles of Mortaigne and Warwike the lord Ros and Talbot sir Iohn Fastolfe sir Iohn Aubemond sir Iohn Ratcliffe and diuerse other to the number of twentie thousand men and so marched forwards in hope to meet and ioine battell with their aduersaries But the French power being not far off from the place durst not approch Wherefore the regent sent to sir Iohn Fastolfe incontinentlie to receiue the castell but they within contrarie to promise and appointment had newlie vitteled manned the place and so forsaking the pledges and their fellowes in armes refused to render the fortresse wherefore the pledges were brought before their sight and there before the castell openlie put to death After this the lord Talbot was made gouernour of Aniou and Maine and sir Iohn Fastolfe was assigned to an other place which lord Talbot being both of noble birth and of haultie courage after his comming into France obteined so manie glorious victories of his enimies that his onelie name was yet is dreadfull to the French nation and much renowmed amongst all other people This lustie and most valiant capteine entered into Maine where he slue men destroied castels burnt townes and in conclusion suddenlie tooke the towne of Lauall The lord Loehac and diuerse other withdrew into the castell in the which they were so streictlie besieged that in the end they agréed to paie the lord Talbot an hundred thousand crownes for licence to depart with all their bag and baggage Then was this castell deliuered to the keeping of Gilbert Halsall which after was slaine at the siege of Orleance in whose place Matthew Gough was made capteine there who being at the iournie of Senlis by treason of a miller that kept a mill adioining to the wall the Frenchmen entered into the towne and brought it againe into their subiection Now the duke of Bedford hearing that the towne of Montargis in the territorie of Orleance was but slenderlie kept and not thoroughlie furnished sent the erle of Suffolke with his brother sir Iohn Poole and sir Henrie Bisset hauing in their companie a six thousand men to assalt that towne but when they came thither and found the towne both well manned and stronglie fortified contrarie to their expectation they surceassed from giuing the assault and onelie laid their siege round about it The earle of Warwike was appointed to lie with a great number of men of warre at S. Marthelines de Archempe to incounter the Frenchmen if they would attempt to aid or vittell those within the towne The situation of this towne was such that by reason of waters and marishes the English armie must néeds seuer it selfe into thrée parts so that the one could not easilie helpe the other but either by boats or bridges This siege continued aboue two moneths so that in the meane time the Frenchmen had leasure to prouide for the succour thereof and so it came to passe that the constable of France Arthur of Britaine the lord Boisac one of the marshals Stephan la Hire Pothon de Saintreiles the lord Grauile and diuerse others to the number of three thousand horssemen were sent foorth by the Dolphin These priuilie in the night season came on that side where sir Iohn de la Poole and sir Henrie Bisset laie whome they found so out of order and without good watch that the Frenchmen entered into their lodgings slue manie in their beds and spared none for their resistance was but small Sir Iohn de la Poole with his horsse saued himselfe and sir Henrie Bisset escaped by a boat and eight other with him The residue fléeing in plumpes and striuing to passe by a bridge of timber the which was pestered with preasse of the multitude brake and so there were a great number drowned insomuch that there were slaine by the enimies swoord and drowned in the water fiftéene hundred men The earle of Warwike hearing of this misfortune departed from saint Mathelines with all spéed and comming before Montargis offered battell to the French capteins which answered that they had manned and vittelled the towne and intended to doo no more at that time The Englishmen héerevpon came softlie backe againe with all their ordinance to the duke of Bedford Yet had not the French so great cause to vaunt of their successe for at this verie time line 10 sir Nicholas Burdet appointed by the duke of Summerset to indamage his enimies in the coasts of Britaine sent horssemen into euerie part woorking all the displeasure to the people that might be deuised The countrie through which he passed was wasted the townes were burnt the houses spoiled and great number of prisoners taken the small villages were destroied and the walled towns ransomed and so without hurt or damage the said sir Nicholas Burdet returned into Normandie line 20 These newes being signified to the constable and other the French capteins asswaged their great mirth and triumphant ioy conceiued for the victorie of Montargis that loth they were to attempt anie further enterprises against the English nation But the duke of Alanson who as ye haue heard was latelie deliuered out of captiuitie reuiued againe the dulled spirits of the Dolphin and somewhat aduanced in hope of good spéed the fainting harts of his capteins so that some occasion offered they determined line 30 to atchiue a notable feat as they tooke it against the Englishmen which was the recouerie of the citie of Mans out of their hands for so it happened that diuers of the chéefe rulers in that citie and namelie diuerse spirituall
they shewed to buckle with the Englishmen Wherevpon without delaie line 60 king Iames putting his horsse from him all other as well nobles as meane men did the like that the danger being equall as well to the greatest as to the meanest and all hope of succour taken awaie which was to be looked for by flight they might be the more willing to shew their manhood sith their safegard onelie rested in the edges and points of their weapons Then was the whole armie diuided into fiue wards or regiments to this intent that the battell wherein the king himselfe stood with his standard might be inclosed as it were with two wings on either side one In the right wing the earles of Huntleie Crawford and Montrosse were placed as cheefe leaders thereof and in the left were the earles of Lenox and Argile with the lord Hume lord chamberleine of Scotland being men of great skill in warlike affaires as was reported Moreouer in euerie band almost generallie thoroughout there was a knight appointed for capteine and guider and amongst them certeine French capteins the which king Lewes had sent ouer into Scotland latelie before to traine the Scots in the practise of warres The ordinance was lodged in places most conuenient though by reason they marched downe the hill their shot did small damage to the Englishmen comming vpwards towards them and yet they bestowed it freshlie on either side one vpon an other Héerwith sir Edmund Howard with his wing was got vp on the hill side with whome the lord Hume and the two foresaid earles of Lenox and Argile incountered with such violence that this battell of Scots with speares on foot on that part beat downe and broke that wing of the Englishmen in such wise that sir Edmund Howard was in maner left alone and felled to the earth that had not bastard Heron come to his succours at that instant he had béene slaine there without all remedie On the other part the lord Dacres watching to aid where need appeered came in on the sides of the Scots gaue a charge on them with his horssemen wherby sir Edmund Howard being somewhat relieued escaped to the English vant-gard which was led as before is mentioned by his brother lord Howard who being now also got aloft on the hill preassed still forward to renew the battell to succour those whome he saw put to the worse so that thereby they tooke new courages laid about them againe Herewith the earles of Crawford Montrosse came with their battell of speares also on foot and incountring with the said lord Howard after sore fight on both sides continued with more malicious hatred than force of the parties both the said earles were slaine besides a great number of other the whole battell which they led being put to flight and chased out of the field maimed wounded and slaine And though they did what they could to the vttermost resistance in hope to haue bathed their blades in English blood yet the contrarie came to passe as in stories is left recorded to the honour of the English namelie Sustinet inflictos duris vmbonibus ictus Imbuit gladios manante cruâ—re Britannus On the left hand at the same instant sir Edward Stanlie hauing begun to incounter with the Scots on that side forced them to come downe into a more euen ground and brought to that point with such incessant shot of arrowes as his archers bestowed amongst them that to auoid the danger of that sore and sharpe storme the Scots were constreined to breake their arraie to fight not closed togither in order of battell but insunder one separated from another so that their standards began to shrinke here and there Which thing when sir Edward Stanleie perceiued foorthwith bringing about thrée bands which he had kept in store for such like purpose he inuaded the open sides of his enimies by a fresh onset and put them in such disorder that they were not able anie longer to abide the violence of the Englishmen mightilie preassing vpon them so that taking themselues to flight and running headlong downe the stiepe descent of the mounteine they escaped to the woods and there saued themselues But the earles of Argile and Lenox dooing what they could to staie their people from running awaie were slaine in the same place In the meane time the king who a little before had ioined with the earle of Surreie perceiuing that the wings of his battell were distressed and that his enimies began to inclose him on ech side he bashed nothing at the matter but with assured countenance exhorted those that were about him to sticke to him and to remember their worthie ancestors in committing nothing that might anie waies foorth sound to their reproch And herewith rushing against his enimies a new battell more egre than the first began to arise for that battell being well appointed and armed passed litle for the Englishmens arrowes in so much that persing the earles battell they entred well néere so farre within the same that they were at point to line 10 haue ouerthrowne his standards There were on either part a number of tall men of bodie chosen foorth of purpose by the capteins for the good opinion conceiued of their hardie valiancie the battell betwixt them séemed long time doubtfull and variable now one while fauourable to the one part and an other while to the other The king himselfe on foot euen in the foremost ranke fought right valiantlie incouraging his people as well by example as exhortation to doo their deuoirs Neither line 20 did the earle of Surrie for his part faile in the dutie of a right worthie generall But while the battell was thus foughten in most earnest maner about the standards with doubtfull chance of victorie the lord Howard and sir Edward Stanleie hauing vanquished the enimies in either wing returned to the middle-ward and finding them there thus occupied they set on in two parts seuerallie with great violence At the same time the lord Dacres came with his line 30 horssemen vpon the backs of the Scots so that they being thus assailed behind and before and on either side were constreined as inuironed about to fight in a round compasse King Iames as he beheld sir Adam Forman his standard-bearer beaten downe thought suerlie then there was no waie for him but death and that euen out of hand Wherefore to deliuer himselfe from such despitefull reproch as was like to follow he rushed foorth into the thickest prease of his enimies and there fighting in most desperat wise was beaten downe and slaine And a little beside line 40 him there died with like obstinate wilfulnesse or if ye list so to terme it manhood diuerse honorable prelats as the archbishop of saint Andrewes and two other bishops besides foure abbats also of lords and knights of honor a six and thirtie The lord Hume and
they came to deale with them And verelie their same deserueth to be had in memorie for euer not onelie for their woorthie atchiued exploits doone by force of hand to the beating line 40 backe and repelling of the enimies but also for their patient susteining of hunger thirst continuall watching nakednesse sickenesse and all other such calamities and miseries as want of things necessarie for the reléefe and maintenance of mans life is woont to bring to those that are inclosed in such wise by the enimie All which extremities they were well content to susteine so that it might turne to the benefit and renowme of their countrie in comparison whereof line 50 they esteemed all things else verie vile and contemptible were the same neuer so good as the poet saith Tantus amor patriae mortalia pectora tangit Natalisque soli prae quo bona caetera sordent The noble earle of Shrewesburie could not forbeare to shed teares to vnderstand and perceiue that such woorthie soldiours should suffer such great distresse whose valiant hearts could not be quailed with anie afflictions Thus with mournefull imbracings intermixed with pitifull regards they met The line 60 earle entering the towne furnished it with new bands of men good store of vittels munition and all other things conuenient and as then thought requiquisit Thus hauing refreshed the towne within two daies after he passed foorth towards the enimies appointing by the aduise of that noble chiefteine the lord Greie certeine bands of horssemen to kéepe themselues close togither in ambush and to send a few to the French campe to trie if they might traine the Frenchmen out of their strength And as they wished it partlie came to passe for diuerse of their horssemen issued foorth of their campe and proffered the skirmish The Englishmen suffered themselues to be chased vntill they had got their enimies within danger of their ambush and then whirling about gaue them the charge inforcing them to make their careir backe with more than an easie gallop so that hauing the Frenchmen thus in chase they slue and tooke diuerse and among the prisoners were two capteins Pierre Longue and one Lucinet The others that escaped returned with this losse to their campe In the meane time whilest these things were thus in dooing there came to the aid of the Frenchmen fouretéene or fiftéene thousand Scots accounting herewith the Irish Scots which came with the earle of Argile These Scots were scarse lodged when suddenlie the earle of Shrewesburie the lord Greie came with their armie diuided into three battels of footmen garded with two troops of horssemen presenting themselues before the faces of their enimies in the same place where their anant currors the daie before had shewed themselues to draw foorth the Frenchmen Here the armie thus ranged in arraie of battell staied aboue the space of an houre looking if the enimies durst haue come foorth to haue giuen battell but when they perceiued that by no meanes the Frenchmen meant to forsake their strength they returned backe to their campe The English nauie being entered now into the Forth was not idle for comming to Brent Iland they set fire on foure ships which they found there and after passing by Lieth saluted them within the towne with cannon shot and after intending to burne saint Minets were repelled from thense by the lord of Dune and after returned to attend on the armie The earle of Shrewesburie and my lord Greie hauing executed so much as their commission would beare and refreshed Hadington with all things néedfull departed homewards and comming to Dunglas began there to build a fortresse The English Almans as the armie passed by Dunbar burned the towne These Almans also and certeine bands of Englishmen as well horssemen as footmen were left at Dunglas vntill the Forth there begun was in some strength The earle of Shrewesburie with the rest of the armie came backe into England My lord Greie remaining on the borders lieutenant of the north parts after the earle of Shrewesburie was returned home assembled all the horssemen then lieng on the borders and being backed with the Almane footmen entered againe with the same horssemen into Scotland burning and wasting in the countries of Tiuidall and Liddesdall for the space of twentie miles both house corne haie and all other things that came within their reach and after returned without incounter The ninth of October being tuesdaie monsieur de Desse with his Frenchmen and Almans came in the morning long before daie to Hadington meaning to haue woone the towne by stealth And verelie the enterprise was gouerned in such secret maner that the Frenchmen had killed the English scouts and were entered the base court yer anie alarum was raised and hauing slaine the watch some of them ran to a place behind a church where the Englishmen had their vittels and munitions and some thrust vp to the towne gate inforsing with great violence to breake it open crieng with noise and shouts Uictorie victorie whereof in déed they accounted themselues then assured And questionles the Englishmen being thus wakened out of their sléeps on the sudden were in some great disorder so that manie of them came running foorth without either armour or apparell their shirts excepted others ran they wist not well whither nor where to take héed But yet as the Frenchmen were thronged togither at the gate to breake it open a Frenchman as their writers doo report that serued within the towne but as other saie Tiberio capteine of the Italians with his match light gaue fier to a double canon that laie readie bent against the gate so that the same shooting off made such a lane among the Frenchmen that they were glad to giue place and with such a fearefull crie that those which were behind not vnderstanding what losse their fellowes before had susteined brake their arraie and fled amaine The Englishmen herewith passed through a priuie line 10 posterne into the base court and comming vpon them with their halberds and blacke bils slue of them great plentie and droue the rest that escaped ouer the wall in such hast that happie was he that could tumble ouer first Monsieur de Desse yet gathering them togither againe gaue that morning thrée sharpe assaults to the towne but was repelled with great losse for they caried awaie with them sixtéene carts and wagons laden with hurt persons and dead carcasses besides thrée hundred that were line 20 found in the base court which they could not come to after they were beaten out to take awaie with them And thus was monsieur de Desse constreined to returne repenting himselfe of that his bold attempted enterprise hauing lost no small number of his Frenchmen and Almans being slaine in the place In this meane time the kings maiestie summoned his high court of parlement to be holden vpon prorogation at Westminster the fourth of Nouember where it
An qua Budaeum Gallia docta suum Candidus ille studet Graecam celebrare Mineruam Graecorum celebras tu monumenta patrum Ille colit veteres intento pectore leges Sunt studij leges cura diserta tui Ille rudes assis docuit cognoscere partes Tu numeros primus verba Latina loqui Gallia causidicum tecum dignare Britannum Conferri niueis dignus vtérque notis In this meane time through controuersie raised betwixt the Scotish nobilitie and the queene Dowager of Scotland which chanced especiallie about matters of religion certeine of the lords there minding a reformation therein and the quéene resisting them to hir power in purpose to mainteine the old popish religion which some name catholike diuerse companies of souldiers and men of war were sent out of France into Scotland to aid the said quéene where they were placed in diuerse townes and forts to the high displeasure of the more part of the Scotish nobilitie who lothing to be oppressed with strangers in that sort were forced to sue vnto the quéene of England for aid to expell the French who sought to subuert the ancient state of that realme and to annex the same vnto the crowne of France Their sute was the better liked of for that it was doubted least the Frenchmen vnder pretense of bringing an armie into Scotland to appease the Scots might attempt some inuasion here in England considering that by procurement as was thought of the duke of Guise vncle to the quéene of France and Scotland a title should seeme to be pretended by his néece the foresaid quéene as might be gathered by manifest coniectures of the vsurping of armes and so foorth The names of the lords of Scotland that made sute for aid against the Frenchmen at this season were these the duke of Chateau le reault the earle of Arraine his sonne the lord Iames prior of saint Andrews the earle of Argile the earle of Glencarne the earle of Rothouse the earle of Southerland the earle of Mounteith the earle of Huntleie the earle of Cathnes the earle of Erroll the earle Marshall the earle of Morton the earle of Cassils the earle of Eglenton the earle of Montros the lord Ruithuen the lord Boid the lord Ogletrée the lord Erskin the lord Dromond the lord Hume the lord Roose the lord Chreighton the lord Leuingston the lord Somerwell the maister of Lindseie the maister of Maxwell The quéenes maiestie with aduise of hir graces councell considering of this weightie businesse and withall foreseeing the malicious purpose of hir aduersaries and how the queene of Scots was in France married and gouerned so as she was not able to vse the libertie of hir crowne did thinke it best to preuent such mischiefs as might insue if timelie remedie were not vsed to displace such dangerous neighbours the Frenchmen that began to nestle themselues thus stronglie so néere at hand for no good purpose as easilie might be ghessed Herevpon was a power raised and sent foorth both by sea land line 10 the duke of Norffolke being appointed generall and sent into the north for the direction thereof And first maister William Winter appointed viceadmerall of the quéens nauie northwards made saile toward Scotland and wasting alongst the coast in Ianuarie year 1560 came into the Forth so to the road of Leith and there cast anchor as well to impeach the landing of such Frenchmen as might happilie be sent foorth of France to the aid of the French there against the Scotish lords named of the congregation as also to line 20 keepe them that laie in Insketh from vittels and likewise to sée that none of the Frenchmen by water should passe to or from Leith but to watch them so as they shuld not inioy any commoditie that might come to either place by the same water Moreouer after that the armie by land was come togither into the north parts and had soiourned at Berwike and thereabouts the lord Greie of Wilton being appointed generall of the said armie departed with the same out of the bounds of Berwike and marched to Coldingham where they incamped that line 30 night Saturdaie the thirteenth of March sir Iames Croft and sir George Howard departed Berwike to the armie with all the lances and light horssemen conteining the number of twelue hundred and fiftie horsses The number of the footmen amounted to aboue six thousand in all The chiefe gouernours of which armie were thâ—se the lord Greie of Wilton lieutenant generall sir Iames Croft assistant with him in that charge the lord Scroope lord marshall sir line 40 George Howard generall of the men at armes and demilances maister Barnabie Fitz Patrike his lieutenant sir Henrie Persie generall of the light horssemen Thomas Hugghens esquier prouost marshall Thomas Gower master of the ordinance master William Pelham capteine of the pioners Edward Randoll esquier sergeant Maior masâ—er Thomas Burrough master Cutbert Uaughan master Williams and master Cornewall corporals This saturdaie at night the armie incamping at line 50 Dunglas the horssemen lodged in sundrie villages néere about Sir Iames Croft laie that night at Coberspeth in the lard of Whitlaies house Sundaie the last of March the armie remooued from Dunglas and marching by Dunbar there issued out of the towne certeine horssemen and footmen offering a skirmish towards whome certeine of the English lances and pistoliers with certeine harquebutters made forwards but they kept themselues within their strength Yet some of the English horssemen line 60 approched them so néere that in skirmish two of the enimies horssemen and one footman were slaine The Englishmen receiued little damage sauing that Peter Mince one of their horsmen was hurt there This doone the armie marched on to Linton brigs where the footmen incamped that night The horssemen laie at Hadington and in diuerse other small townes and sir Iames Croft laie at Clarkington west of Hadington at the lard of Cockburns house Mondaie the first of Aprill the campe remooued from Linton brigs vnto salt Preston and there incamped This euening sir Iames Croft with diuers of the capteins in his companie mâ—t with the earle of Arraine the lord Iames prior of saint Andrews the master of Maxwell sir William Kirkaudie lard of Grange and diuerse other of the Scotish nobilitie with thrée hundred horsse in their traine After they were met and had saluted each other they rode altogither vnto salt Preston where at the end of the towne my lord Greie lord lieutenant met them and imbraced them so they lighted from their horsses and entered into communication for the space of an houre and after tooke leaue each of other and so departed for that night Tuesdaie the second of Aprill my lord Greie sir Iames Croft my lord Scroope sir George Howard with diuerse of the capteins rode to Musklebourgh church and there taried the comming of the duke of Chateau
horae Euolat in tenues laetus citò spiritus auras This skirmish was stoutlie mainteined and continued for the space of thrée long houres Their great artillerie was shot off freshlie from the wals and bulworks At length when the night drew on the retire was sounded and the Englishmen came their line 10 waie backe to Newhauen with honor hauing lost not past eight of their souldiors that were slaine and six other hurt whereas there was one of the enimies capteins slain in sight with twentie souldiors and another of their capteins with diuerse others of their numbers gréeuouslie wounded Monsieur Beauuois shewed himselfe that daie verie forward and valiant so likewise did the Scotishmen The thirteenth of Nouember a pinnesse of the Frenchmen that belonged to Newhauen being gone foorth line 20 the night before brought into the hauen a ship laden with Rochell wines fiue and twentie tuns that was bound to passe vp to the enimies and so esteemed a good prise On the fourtéenth of Nouember another ship fraught with twentie tuns of Gascoigne wines was brought in as a prise likewise taken by a barke of Newhauen that belonged to a Frenchman called Iehan de Bois an earnest aduersarie to the papists The seuenth of Nouember a proclamation was line 30 made by Blewmantell concerning orders taken and passed by the lord lieutenant that no Englishman nor Frenchman should shoot off anie harquebuse within the towne nor that anie Frenchman except monsieur Beauuois or monsieur Bricquemault or their companies should be out of their lodgings after nine of the clocke at night till the next morning on paine of death except in cases of alarums The twelfe of Nouember about six of the clocke at night one of the mils without the gate line 40 was set on fire by some of the papists as was thought whereof rose a great alarum The thirtéenth of Nouember the Reingraue was seene on the north hils of the towne with foure score horssemen wherevpon the Scotish horssemen and thrée bands of footmen issued out marching vp towards the same hils in hope to méet with their enimies but they were retired towards Mondeuille and so nothing was doone It was reported for a certeine truth that the duke Daumale was there at that present line 50 with the Reingraue On wednesdaie the fiue and twentith of Nouember one of capteine Cocksons souldiors was hanged in the market place and an other that was brought thither likewise to be executed had his pardon at the sute of certeine French gentlemen And herewith was proclamation made that where it had béene proclamed afore that none should take anie thing forceablie from the French on paine of death for breach whereof such execution was presentlie line 60 doone the lord lieutenant did by this proclamation eftsoons charge and command that none vpon like paine should breake or spoile anie house or ship or take anie timber wood or anie other thing from the French without their good will consent and agreement The same afternoone came into the hauen hoies and botes laden with wine cider perrie wheate béefe bisquet meale and other prouision of vittels Two French shallops of Newhauen had taken them besides Hunflue and beaten backe a shallop of the enimies slaieng ten or twelue Frenchmen that came foorth of Hunflue to haue succored the hoies The fiue and twentith of Nouember there landed at Newhauen six hundred souldiors Essex-men vnder the leading of Auerie Darsie Reginald Higate and William Twedie each of them hauing his appointed number of two hundred to his ensigne Moreouer where as well diuerse prentises as other Englishmen were come ouer since the placing of the garrison in that towne of Newhauen not offering their seruice anie waie other than by stragling abroad to séeke pillage whereby they fell oftentimes into the hands of the enimies both to the dishonor of their countrie losse of their owne liues For reformation hereof proclamation was made the last of Nouember that all Englishmen within the said towne aboue the age of sixteene yeares and vnder thrée score being not reteined in the queens maiesties paie should at one of the clocke that present daie repaire to the bulworke called the bulworke of saint Addresses there to present his name person to the â—omptrollor that order might be taken how to emploie them in some certeintie of seruice vpon paine to euerie one failing hereof to suffer ten daies imprisonment also to be banished the towne The same daie the quéenes ship called the Hare comming from Portsmouth arriued at Newhauen and in hir came sir Iohn Portinarie whose ripe skill déepe iudgement and great experience in matters of fortification had bred in him such knowledge as he may worthilie be called a maister in that science They were by the waie assailed by a French ship of foure score and ten tuns and better but they that were aboord in the Hare so manfullie acquited themselues that they vanquished the enimies tooke the same ship brought hir with them being laden with wines which they meant to haue conueied to the aduersaries in some garrison The same daie sir Iohn More landed at Newhauen bringing ouer with him fiue hundred soldiors out of Denshire for a supplie of the garrison there He himselfe returned backe into England but the soldiors were appointed to the leading of other capteins so that Francis Summerset brother to the earle of Worcester had three hundred of them Oliuer Manners an hundred and Edward Ormsbie the other hundred On tuesdaie the eight of December monsieur de Beauuois capteine Francis Summerset and capteine Edward Horseie with diuerse other capteins officers and gentlemen rode to the Reingraue lieng at a faire house not farre from Mondeuille where they dined with him had great and hartie chéere and after returned againe to Newhauen The same daie the Reingraue sent for a present vnto my lord of Warwike a great horse verie faire with saddle and bridle estéemed to be well worth an hundred pounds Moreouer the same daie at night the Double Rose with certeine other botes and French shallops passed foorth of the hauen Edward Dudleie and capteine Iohn Ward being aboord in the said Double Rose with diuerse other Englishmen Frenchmen to the number of a hundred good soldiors who sailing downe the riuer landed beside Tankeruille and laie close all that night in the wood And in the morning about nine of the clocke monsieur Bimar ensignebearer to the counte Montgomerie with six or seauen Frenchmen vnarmed went to the castell gate and there fell in talke with monsieur Dimenée who was capteine of that fortresse hauing with him about ten soldiors that were appointed to remaine with him vpon the gard of the same castell Whilest they were thus in talke the Englishmen and other Frenchmen comming foorth of the wood that was there at hand reared vp their ladders which they had brought
Reingraue after he had laine about it eight daies with two thousand horssemen and footmen It was now yéelded by composition after it had béene kept by the space of thirtie eight daies that those within should depart with bag and baggage the gallie being sent from Newhauen to fetch them awaie There were no more within it at that time when it was thus deliuered but capteine Iohn Ward capteine Edward Dudleie and capteine Saule his lieutenant Rileie with seuentie English souldiers thirtie French The 19 of Ianuarie there landed at Newhauen capteine Tremaine with 50 horssemen verie well appointed to serue the quéenes maiestie there The foure and twentith of Ianuarie Francis Clerke Frenchman arriued at Newhauen with two tall ships of his owne right well appointed for the wars bringing with him thrée rich prises valued at about fiftie thousand crownes one of them was a line 10 mightie great hulke laden with wood allume The 26 of Ianuarie capteine Tremaine with all his horssemen capteine Clerke with his Scotish horsmen and 600 footmen went foorth of Newhauen towards Mondeuille by the waie in a little village there was a French capteine came foorth of Mondeuille named monsieur Emerie hauing with him thirtie souldiers where falling in hand to spoile the same village the pezzants about gathered themselues line 20 togither and set vpon him and his souldiers Now whilest they were thus in fight the Scotish horssemen came suddenlie vpon them tooke the said capteine sore wounded slue twelue of his soldiers tooke foureteene other of them prisoners whome with their capteine wounded as he was they brought home the same night vnto Newhauen The three and twentith of Ianuarie a proclamation was made for orders to be obserued by the souldiers and other resiants within the towne of Newhauen line 30 concerning politike gouernement thereof as well for the better defense against the enimies without as the quiet demeanor of the men of warre and inhabitants within The fift of Februarie two ships of Britons laden with Gascoigne wines butter bakon lard salt and other vittels were brought into Newhauen by a shallop of Killebeuf that was resiant with other Frenchmen in Newhauen seruing against the papists and had taken those two vessels as they were going to vittell the enimies line 40 The sixt of Februarie thrée faire mightie ships of warre belonging to Francis Clerke brought into Newhauen thrée rich prises laden with sackes bastards sugar orenges graines and other merchandizes This Clerke had not béene foorth past six weeks at this time and yet he had got aboue eightéene prises well worth by iust valuation the summe of fiftie thousand pounds On saturdaie the sixt of Februarie a souldier of capteine Appleyards band was executed in the market place for that contrarie to order line 50 taken and published afore that time by proclamation he had not onelie drawen his weapon against another souldier but also maimed him and plaied other lewd parts in contempt of the lord lieutenants commandements There was another also condemned to die and two others adiudged to lose their hands but the lord lieutenant of his mercifull clemencie granted to those thrée his pardon for their passed offenses On sundaie the seuenth of Februarie was Hunflue summoned by an herald line 60 sent from the French admerall monsieur de Chatillon On mondaie the eight of that moneth the said admerall came before Hunflue with six thousand horssemen Reisters and other of his owne retinues beside footmen and a thousand horssmen of the countries thereabout And about six of the clocke at night there was a great peale of ordinance shot off at Newhauen for a welcome to the said admerall The twelfe of Februarie the French gallies of Newhauen passing foorth and wasting about Hunflue to séeke aduentures in hope of suertie by reason the lord admerall of France laie therby at Touque rode at an anchor whilest some of them that were aboord in hir went on land to gaine somwhat of the enimies But they within Hunflue perceiuing this made out their great gallies with fiftie good mariners and souldiers who comming vpon the gallies of Newhauen lieng at anchor put hir in great danger of taking For there were but fifteene men left aboord in hir at that present wherof thrée of them were Englishmen who perceiuing in what danger they stood waied anchor with all spéed and drew towards the shore to take in the rest of their companie and getting them aboord vnto them they manfullie stood to their defense being in all but foure and twentie men Neuerthelesse they so behaued themselues that continuing in fight aboue a long houre at length they ouercame their enimies slue seuen of them outright wounded seuen and thirtie tooke their gallie and brought hir to Newhauen with thirtéene bels diuerse copes and church ornaments shéepe and other spoiles which they had got abroad in the countrie togither with thrée and fortie good prisoners and the artillerie which was found aboord in the foresaid great gallie wherewith she was verie well appointed and furnished Of the French protestants there were but thrée slaine and six hurt and one of the thrée Englishmen was also hurt As it hath béene crediblie reported the French protestants might thanke those thrée Englishmen that were with them in their gallies for that their good hap for if they had not manfullie stood to it at the first and bestowed such artillerie as they had aboord with them freshlie against the enimies the French had yeelded But by Gods good helpe and their worthie courage the victorie remained on their side The fouretéenth of Februarie there came from the lord admerall of France lieng then at Touque monsieur de Rohen and monsieur de Grandemont a knight of the order monsieur Telegnie the admerals sonne in law and diuerse other French gentlemen to confer with the lord lieutenant who receiued them right gladlie and made them great cheere They remained in Newhauen till the eightéenth of Februarie and then departed and went to Caen whither the said lord admerall was remooued had entred the towne laie within it preparing with all spéed to besiege the castell The same daie that the French lords departed from Newhauen towards Caen monsieur Briquemault and sir Nicholas Throckmorton knight arriued at Newhauen in one of the quéenes ships called the Aid The admerall Chatillon being got into the towne of Caen kept the castell besieged within the which was inclosed the marquesse Dalbeuf There were sent to him from Newhauen the fiue twentith of Februarie seuen canons two demie culuerings one minion On the morrow following being fridaie and six and twentith of Februarie sir Nicholas Throckmorton knight monsieur Briquemault and monsieur Beauuois with a thousand souldiers French and as manie English to wit capteine Zouch capteine Twedie capteine Higate ech of them with two hundred capteine Iohn Ward
Normans at Yorke he shewed proofe of his prowesse in striking off the heads of manie of them with his owne hands as they came foorth of the gates singlie one by one yet afterwards when the king had pardoned him of all former offenses and receiued him into fauour hee gaue to him in mariage his néece Iudith the daughter of Lambert earle of Lens sister to Stephenerle of Albermare and with hir he had of the kings gift all the lands and liberties belonging to the honor of Huntingdon in consideration whereof he assigned to hir in name of hir dower all the lands that he held from Trent southward Shée bare by him two daughters Maud and Alice We find that he was not onlie earle of Northumberland but also of Northampton and Huntingdon The countesse of Cambridge or Northfolke as other haue wife of earle Rafe being fled into the citie of Norwich was besieged in the same by the kings power which pressed the citie so sore as it was forced for verie famine to yéeld but yet by composition namelie that such as were besieged within should depart the realme as persons abiured and banished the land for euer This was the end of the foresaid conspiracie At this verie time the Danes being confederate with these rebels and by them solicited set forth towards England vnder the leading of Cnuto sonne to Sueno and earle Haco and vnlooked for arriue here in England with two hundred sailes But hearing that the ciuill tumult was ended and seeing no man readie either to countenance or encourage them in their enterprise they sailed first into Flanders which they spoiled and after into their owne countrie with little desire or will to come againe into England King William also vnderstanding that they were thus departed passed ouer into Britaine and there besieged the castell of Doll that belonged to Rafe earle of Cambridge or Northfolke but by the comming of Philip the French king king William being vnprouided of sufficient vittels for his armie was constreined to raise his siege although with great losse both of men and horsses On the 27. daie of March was a generall earthquake in England and in the winter following a frost that continued from the first of Nouember vntill the middle of Aprill A blasing starre appeered on palme sundaie beeing the sixteenth daie of Aprill about six of the clocke when the aire was faire and cleere About the same season pope Gregorie perceiuing that married préests did thoose rather to run into the danger of his câ—â—sse than to forsake their wiues meaning to bridle them by an other prouiso gaue commandment by his bull published abroad that none should heare the masse of a married prâ—est King William after his comming from the siege of Doll remained a certeine time in quiet during which season Lanfranke the archbishop called a synod or councell of the cleargie at London wherein amongst other things it was ordeined that certeine bishops sees should be 〈…〉 small townes to cities of more fame whereby it came to passe that Chichester Exceter Bath Salisburie Lincolne Chester were honored with new sees and palaces of bishops whereas before they kept their residence at Sellewey Kirton Welles Shireborne Dorchester and Lichfield At this synod also Woolstan bishop of Worcester was present whom Lanfranke would haue deposed for his insufficiencie of learning as he colourablie pretended but indeed to pleasure the king who faine would haue placed a Norman in his roome but as they saie by a miracle which he presentlie wrought in causing his crosier staffe to sticke fast in the toome line 10 of saint Edward to whom he protested and said he would resigne it for that he obteined the same by his gift he did put the king and the archbishop into such feare that they suffered him still to enioy his bishopprike without any further vexation These things with other touching a reformation in the church and cleargie being handled in this councell it was soone after dissolued In the yeare following king William led a mightie armie into Wales and subdued it receiuing of line 20 the rulers and princes there their homages and hostages About the same time Robert the kings eldest sonne a right worthie personage but yet as one of nature somewhat vnstable entred into Normandie as a rebell to his father and by force tooke diuers places into his hands Which he did by the practise of Philip the French king who now began to doubt of the great puissance of king William as foreseeing how much it might preiudice him and the whole line 30 realme of France in time to come Wherefore to stop the course of his prosperous successe he deuised a meane to set the sonne against the father True it is that king William had promised long afore to resigne the gouernment of Normandie vnto the said Robert his sonne Wherevpon the yoong man being of an ambitious nature and now pricked forward by the sinister counsell of his adherents seeketh to obteine that by violence which he thought would be verie long yer he should atteine by curtesie King William hereof aduertised was not a little mooued line 40 against his disobedient sonne and curssed both him and the time that euer he begat him Finallie raising an armie he marched towards him so that they met in the field Assoone as the one came in sight of the other they encountred at a place called Archenbraie and whilest the battell was at the hottest and the footmen most busied in fight Robert appointed a power of horssemen to breake in vpon the réereward of his enimies he himselfe following after line 50 with all his might chanced among other to haue a conflict with his owne father so that thrusting him through the arme with his lance he bare him beside his horsse and ouerthrew him to the ground The king being falne called to his men to remount him Robert perceiuing by his voice that it was his father whom he had vnhorssed spéedilie alighted and tooke him vp asking him forgiuenesse for that fact and setting him vp on his owne horsse brought him out of the prease and suffered him to depart in safetie line 60 King William being thus escaped out of that present danger and séeing himselfe not able to resist the puissance of his enimies left the field to his son hauing lost many of his men which were slaine in battell and chace besides a great number that were hurt and wounded among whom his second sonne William surnamed Rufus or Red was one and therefore as some write he bitterlie curssed his son Robert by whom he had susteined such iniurie losse and dishonor Howbeit other write that for the courtesie which his sonne shewed in releeuing and helping him out of danger when he was cast off his horsse he was mooued with such a fatherlie affection that presentlie after they were made friends the father pardoned his
which his vncle Odo sometime held Now bicause he was not onelie denied of that sute but also by order of lawe had certeine parcels of land taken from him which he wrongfullie deteined he got him into Normandie and there made war both against those places which the king held and also against other that belonged to Richard earle of Chester who was then vnder the kings tuition and gouernement by reason of his minoritie The threatning words of duke Robert comming at the last to king Henries eares caused him foorthwith to conceiue verie sore displeasure against the duke in so much that he sent ouer a power into Normandie which finding no great resistance did much hurt in the countrie by fetching and carieng spoiles and preies Againe the Normans rather fauoured than sought to hinder the enterprise of king Henrie bicause they saw how duke Robert with his foolish prodigalitie and vndiscréet liberalitie had made awaie all that belonged to his estate so that of the whole duchie of Normandie he had not any citie or towne of name left in his owne possession Roan onelie excepted which he also would haue alienated if the citizens would haue consented to his fond motion Now king Henrie hearing of the good successe of his men year 1105 passed ouer himselfe soone after with a mightie armie and with little adoo tooke Eureux or as others haue Baieux and Caen which cities when he had furnished with sufficient garisons of men he repassed the sea into England bicause the winter approched and the wether waxed troublesome for such as laie in the field Herevpon duke Robert considering how vnable he was by reason that his people failed him at néed to resist king Henrie sith the Britans also and they of Aniou tooke part with the said king he thought good to laie armour aside and to passe ouer into England to entreat with him by way of brotherlie amitie in full hope by that meanes to auoid this present danger But at his arriuall here he learned how the king his brother as then was at Northampton wherefore he hasted thither and comming to him made earnest sute for peace beséeching the king in respect of brotherlie loue to grant the same or if it were that he regarded not the goodwill of his naturall brother to consider at least wise what apperteined to his accustomed gentlenesse and to thinke with himselfe that warre betwixt brethren could not be mainteined without reproch nor that victorie be honorable which was obteined against his owne flesh Wherefore he required him not to refuse peace freendship and voluntarie beneuolence sith he was now readie to render all that euer he had into his hands The king nothing mooued herewith but as one that disdained to make a direct answer murmured certeine things with himselfe and turned away from the duke as one that either by experience knew his brothers light and vnstable mind or as one that determined to be reuenged of him euen to the vttermost Duke Robert also abhorring and vtterlie detesting this his brothers pride streightwaies returned home purposing with himselfe to trie the hazard of warre sith he sawe no hope to be had in brotherlie loue and amitie Wherevpon he prouided for wars with all his power seeking aid from all places where he might get any though the king his brother gaue him small leisure thereto who followed him incontinentlie with a new supplie of souldiours desiring nothing more than to get him within his danger Soone after both the brethren approching néere togither ech of them pitched their campe within the sight of other preparing themselues to giue battell with princelie stomachs The king surmounting the duke his brother in number first bringeth foorth his men in order of battell and streightwaies the duke likewise boâ—h being readie to trie the matter by dint of sword Then the one prouoking the other and the trumpets sounding aloft the conflict began The kings souldiers trusting too much in their owne line 10 force by reason of their great multitude brake their arraie and assailed their enimies on ech side verie disorderlie but the Normans being wiselie ordered and instructed by their duke kept themselues close togither so that the kings battell which had without order stept foorth to assaile them finding sturdie resistance began now to result or giue backe for not onelie duke Robert but also William earle of Mortaigne preased foreward amongst their men and fought valiantlie with their owne hands Whervpon line 20 the king when he perceiued how his men began to shrinke cried vpon them to staie and withall commanded his horssemen to breake vppon the flanks of his enimies battell which they did with such violence that they disparkled the same and caused the enimies to scatter Herewith also the kings foot men togither with the horssemen inuaded the Normans afresh who neuerthelesse resisted a while till being compassed about in maner on euerie side they began to flee as oftentimes it chanceth when a few driuen in sunder by a multitude are assailed on line 30 all sides The king then hauing vanquished his aduersaries followeth the chase and maketh great slaughter of them though not without some losse of his owne for the Normans despairing of safetie turned oftentimes againe vpon their pursuers Duke Robert and the earle of Mortaigne fighting most manfullie in the verie prease of their enimies were taken or as other saie betraied and deliuered into their enimies hands beside which twaine William Crispine William Ferreis Robert Estoutuille line 40 the elder with foure hundreth men of armes and to the number of 10. thousand footmen were taken As for the number that were slaine in this battell there is none that declareth the certeintie but yet it is reported by diuers writers that no one battell in those daies was sorer fought nor with greater bloudshed either in Normandie or elsewhere Gemeticensis sheweth breeflie that king Henrie was offended with his brother duke Robert for alienating line 50 the duchie of Normandie his inberitance for wasting his reuenues with such riotous demeanour as he vsed so that he left himselfe nothing but the citie of Roan which he had not passed to haue giuen awaie also if the citizens would thereto haue granted their consent The king I saie taking displeasure herewith went ouer into Normandie and assuming a mightie power first besieged Baieur then halfe destroieng it he tooke it by force After this he tooke Caen also and then besieged a castell called line 60 Tenerchbray perteining to the earle of Mortaigne during which siege his brother Robert and the said earle of Mortaigne came with a great multitude of people in hope to be reuenged of the king and to chase him out of the countrie But the punishment of God fell so vpon them that they were both taken and manie of their freends with them as Robert de Estoutuille William de Crispine and others who were
he was assailed by other at home not without the iust vengeance of almightie God who meant to punish him for his periurie committed in taking vpon him the crowne contrarie to his oth made vnto the empresse and hir children For Robert earle of Glocester base brother vnto the empresse and of hir priuie councell sought by all meanes how to bring king Stephan into hatred both of the Nobles and commons that by their helpe he might be expelled the realme and the gouernment restored to the empresse and hir sonne Such earnest trauell was made by this earle of Glocester that manie of his freends which fauoured his cause now that king Stephan was occupied in the north parts ioined with him in conspiracie against their souereigne First the said earle himselfe tooke Bristowe and after this diuerse other townes and castels there in that countrie were taken by him and others with full purpose to kéepe the same to the behoofe of the empresse and hir sonne Amongst other William Talbot tooke vpon him to defend Hereford in Wales William Louell held the castell of Cary Paganell or Painell kept the castell of Ludlow William de Moun the castell of Dunestor Robert de Nicholl the castle of Warram Eustace Fitz-Iohn the castle of Walton and William Fitz-Alain the castle of Shrewesburie When word hereof came to king Stephan he was maruellouslie vexed for being determined to haue pursued the Scots euen to the vttermost limits of their countrie he was now driuen to change his mind and thought it good at the first to stop the proceedings of his enimies at home least in giuing them space to increase their force they might in processe line 10 of time growe so strong that it would be an hard matter to resist them at the last Herevpon therfore he returned southward and comming vpon his enimies recouered out of their hands diuers of those places which they held as Hereford and the castle of Shrewesburie About the same time one Walkeline yéelded the castle of Douer vnto the quéene who had besieged him within the same Now king Stephan knowing that the Scots were not like long to continue in quiet returned line 20 northwards againe and comming to Thurstan the archbishop of Yorke he committed the kéeping of the countrie vnto his charge commanding him to be in a redinesse to defend the borders vpon any sudden inuasion Which thing the couragious archbishop willinglie vndertooke By this meanes king Stephan being eased of a great part of his care fell in hand to besiege the residue of those places which the rebels kept but they fearing to abide the danger of an assault fled away some into one part and some line 30 into an other whom the kings power of horssemen still pursuing and ouertaking by the way slue and tooke no small number of them prisoners in the chase Thus was the victorie in maner wholie atchiued and all those places recouered which the enimies had fortified In like maner when king Dauid heard that the king was thus vexed with ciuill warre at home he entred England againe in most forceable wise and sending his horssemen abroad into the countrie line 40 commanded them to waste and spoile the same after their accustomed maner But in the meane time he purposed with himselfe to besiege Yorke which citie if he might haue woone he determined to haue made it the frontier hold against king Stephan and the rest that tooke part with him Herevpon calling in his horssemen from straieng further abroad he marched thitherwards and comming neere to the citie pitched downe his tents In this meane while the archbishop Thurstan to line 50 whom the charge of defending the countrie cheefelie in the kings absence apperteined called togither the Nobles and gentlemen of the shire and parties adioining whom with so pithie and effectuall words he exhorted to resist the attempts of the Scots whose cruell dooings could kéepe no measure that incontinentlie all the power of the northparts was raised and vnder the leading of William earle of Albemarle Walter Espeke William Peuerell of Nottingham and two of the Lacies Walter and Gilbert line 60 offered euen with perill of life and limme to trie the matter against the Scots in a pight field and either to driue them out of the countrie or else to loose their liues in the quarell of their prince It chanced at this time that archbishop Thurstan was sicke and therefore could not come into the field himselfe but yet he sent Rafe bishop of Durham to supplie his roome who though he saw and perceiued that euerie man was readie enough to encounter with their enimies yet he thought good to vse some exhortation vnto them the better to encourage them in maner as here ensueth Most noble Englishmen and ye right valiant Normans of whose courage the Frenchman is afraid by you England is kept vnder by you Apulia dooth florish and vnto you Ierusalem and Antioch haue yéelded their subiection We haue at this present the rebellious nation of Scotland which of right ought to be subiect to the crowne of England come into the field against vs thinking for euermore to rid themselues of their submission and to bring both vs and our countrie into their bondage and thraldome Now albeit I see in you courage sufficient to beat them backe from any further attempt yet least when you shall come to the triall by any manner of chance you should loose any péece thereof I lamenting the state of my countrie whose gréeuances I wish you should redresse doo meane to vse a few words vnto you not for that I would exhort you to doo any man wrong but rather to beat them backe which offer to doo you iniurie Consider therefore that you shall here fight with that enimie whom you haue oftentimes vanquished and oftentimes offending in periurie haue oftentimes most worthilie punished whome also to be bréefe raging after the maner of cruell robbers wickedlie spoiling churches and taking away our goods you did latelie constreine to lurke in desert places and corners out of sight Against this enimie I say therefore worthie of reuengement for his so manifold outrages shew your selues valiant and with manlie stomaches driue him out of our confines For as far as I can perceiue the victorie is yours God surelie will aid you who cannot longer abide the sinnes of this people Wherefore he that loseth his life in so iust a quarell according to the saieng of our sauiour shall find it Let not their rash and presumptuous boldnesse make you afraid sith so manie tokens of your approoued valiancie cannot cause them to stand in doubt of you You are clad in armour and so appointed with helmet curase grâ—iues and target that the enimie knoweth not where to strike and hurt you Then sith you shall haue to doo with naked men and such as vse not to weare any armour at all but more méet for brablers and
and there ouermatched fell to galoping Which thing when the king beheld he was not yet any whit therewith abashed but like an hardie captein as he was no lesse indéed comforted his footmen whom he had about him and rushing vpon his enimies bare them downe and ouerthrew so manie as stood before him so that with the point of his weapon he made himselfe waie His footmen who were but a few in number to the multitude of his enimies counteruailed in all points the prowes and manlike dooings of their king and capteine insomuch that few battels had beene better fought nor with greater slaughter on both sides if the kings fore ward which in maner at the first shranke backe and was disordered not without some supicion of treason had staied the brunt of the enimies a while as it had béene requisite At length the king encountring with the earle of Chester being ouercharged with multitude was taken prisoner by one William de Cahames Earle Baldwine who had made the oration in the kings behalfe was also taken after he had fought valiantlie and receiued manie sore wounds likewise Richard Fitzvrse who on that daie had shewed good proofe of his manhood and had giuen and receiued manie a sore stripe To conclude all those that abode with the king and namelie all the footmen were taken prisoners those which were slaine in the place excepted This battell was fought in the sixt yeare of king Stephans reigne vpon Candlemas daie being sundaie as Niger saith The king being apprehended and brought to the empresse lieng at Glocester was commanded by hir to be conueied in safetie vnto Bristow where he was kept as prisoner from that time of his taking vntill the feast of All saints next ensuing Not long after this field fought as ye haue heard Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to the empresse receiuing aduertisement of this victorie atchiued in England foorthwith inuaded Normandie inducing all the Nobles of the countrie to incline vnto him for by publishing the captiuitie of king Stephan it was easie for him to come by the possession of the same Moreouer Dauid king of Scotland entred into Northumberland and by commandement of the empresse tooke the countrie into his hands whilest she like a woman of great wisedome as she was no lesse indéed iudging that it stood hir vpon to vse the victorie which fell to hir lot slept not hir businesse but went forward and setting from Glocester she came to Winchester where she was honorablie receiued of bishop Henrie though he was king Stephans brother and inwardlie lamented the misfortune of the king Then came she backe againe to Wilton and so to Oxenford from thence to Reading and then to S. Albons into all which cities and townes she was receiued with great triumph and honour Hauing thus passed through all the south parts of the realme on that side she finallie came to London where the citizens welcomed hir in most ioifull and hartie maner Now being come to London and consulting with those of hir councell for the quieting of the whole state of the realme queene Maud wife to king Stephan for so she was also called made humble suit vnto hir to haue hir husband set at libertie promising that he should resigne his whole claime and title into hir hands and content himselfe with a priuate life But hir suit was so farre off from being granted that she was reiected and cast off with reprochfull words Wherevpon she conceiued a most high displeasure and vnderstood well inough that peace was to be purchased by force of armes onelie and not by any other meanes insomuch that with all diligence she sent to hir sonne Eustace then being in Kent willed him to prepare an armie which he did most spéedilie It chanced at the same time that the citizens of London made great and laborious suit vnto the said empresse that they might haue the lawes of king Edward the Confessour restored and the straight lawes of hir father king Henrie abolished But for so much as they could get no grant of their petition and perceiued the empresse to be displeased with them about that importunat request wherein onelie she ouershot hir selfe they deuised how and by what meanes they might take hir prisoner knowing that all the Kentishmen would helpe to strengthen them in their enterprise But reckoning with hir selfe that Nil pâ—terit propera tutius esse fuga And being warned thereof she fled by night out of the citie and went to Oxenford determining to be reuenged vpon hir aduersaries when time should serue hir turne Herewith she began to wax more displeased both against those Nobles whom she kept in prison other also whom she troubled but namelie king Stephan whom she commanded to be loden with yrons and serued with verie slender diet line 10 Now when she had thus fled out of London which was about the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist the tower of London was besieged which Gefferey de Mandeuile held and valiantlie defended The same Geffrey rushing out on a time came to Fulham where he tooke the bishop of London then lodging in his manor place being one of the contrarie faction Henrie bishop of Winchester perceiuing the wrath of the empresse more and more to increase dailie against line 20 hir people thinking it wisedome to serue the time manned all the castels which he had builded within his dieces as at Waltham Farnham and other places and withdrew himselfe into the castell of Winchester there to remaine till he might sée to what end the furie of the woman would grow This being knowne the empresse tooke vnto hir Dauid king of Scotland that was hir vncle who immediatlie ioining their armies togither went to Winchester and besieged the castell In the meane time the line 30 quéene and hir sonne Eustace with the helpe of their freends as the Kentishmen the Londoners and other had assembled a great armie and appointed the gouernement and generall conduct thereof vnto one William of Ypres a Fleming who for his valiancie was by king Stephan created earle of Kent he was sonne to Philip of Flanders begotten of a concubine his father also was sonne to Robert earle of Flanders surnamed Frisius This William was banished out of his countrie by Theodorike Elsas earle line 40 of Flanders bicause he attempted to bereaue him of his earledome The quéenes armie thus committed to his guiding came néere vnto Winchester and kept the empresse and hir people in maner besieged at length perceiuing the aduantage after the comming of a great supplie of Londoners to their aid they set vpon hir armie as the same was departing with such violence that straightwaies hir host was put to flight and discomfited The empresse was glad to saine hir line 50 selfe dead and so to be conueied in a coch as a dead corps vnto Glocester Hir brother
Feuersham abbeie which she and hir husband had begonne from the verie foundation And bicause the moonkes line 20 of S. Augustine might not celebrate diuine seruice she called thither commonlie the moonks of Christes church to say seruice before hir Thus much for that purpose and now to other matters The lord Henrie Fitzempresse after all these businesses returned into England in the moneth of May with a great companie of men of warre both horssemen and footmen by reason whereof many reuolted from king Stephan to take part with him whereas before they sat still and would not attempt line 30 any exploit against him But now incouraged with the presence of the lord Henrie they declared themselues freends to him and enimies to the king Immediatlie after his arriuall he tooke with him the earles of Chester and Hereford Ranulfe and Roger and diuers other Noble men and knights of great fame beside those whom he had brought with him out of Normandie and went vnto Carleil where he found his coosin Dauid king of Scotland of whome he was most ioifullie receiued and vpon Whitsunday line 40 with great solemnitie being not past sixtéene yeares of age was by the same king made knight with diuerse other yoong gentlemen that were much about the same age ¶ Some write that the king of Scots receiued an oth of him before he gaue him the honor of knighthood that if he chanced to atteine vnto the possession of the realme of England he should restore to the Scots the towne of Newcastle with the countrie of Northumberland from the riuer of Twéed to the riuer line 50 of Tine But whether it were so or not I am not able to make warrantize Now king Stephan hearing that the king of Scots and his aduersarie the lord Henrie with the chéefest lords of the west parts of England lay thus in Carleil he raised an armie and came to the citie of Yorke where he remained for the most part of the moneth of August fearing least his enimies should attempt the winning of that citie But after the one part had remained a time in Carleil and the other in line 60 Yorke they departed from both those places without any further exploit for that season sauing that Eustachius king Stephans sonne hauing also latelie receiued the order of knighthood did much hurt in the countries which belonged to those Noble men that were with the lord Henrie The great raine that fell in the summer season this yeare did much hurt vnto corne standing on the ground so that a great dearth followed In the winter also after about the tenth day of December it began to fréese extreamelie and so continued till the nineteenth of Februarie wherby the riuer of Thames was so frosen that men might passe ouer it both on foot and horssebacke In the meane while Henrie Duke of Normandie after he had returned from the king of the Scots sailed backe into Normandie about the beginning of August leauing England full of all those calamities which ciuill warre is accustomed to bring with it as burning of houses killing robbing and spoiling of people so that the land was in danger of vtter destruction by reason of that pestilent discord This yeare the 23. of Februarie Galfridus Monumetensâ—s otherwise called Galfridus Arâ—hâ—rius who turned the British historie into Latine was consecrated bishop of S. Assaph by Theobald archbishop of Canturburie at Lambeth William bishop of Norwich and Walter bishop of Rochester assisting him Morouer this yeare as some writers haue recorded Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to the empresse Maud departed this life on the seuenth day of September leauing his sonne Henrie onelie heire and successor in the estates of the duchie of Normandie and countie of Aniou The bodie of the said earle was buried at Mans with a great funerall pompe his three sonnes Henrie Geffrey and William being present But king Stephan assaulting the faire citie of Worcester with a great power of men of warre tooke it and consumed it with fire but the castell he could not win This citie belonged to earle Waleran de Mellent at that season for king Stephan to his owne hinderance had giuen it vnto him Now after the men of warre had diuided the spoile amongst them they came backe and passing through the lands of their enimies got great booties which they also tooke away with them finding none to resist them in their iournie In the yeare following Theobald archbishop of Canturburie and legat to the sée apostolike held a generall synod or councell at London in the Lent season where king Stephan himselfe with his sonne Eustachius and other the péeres of the realme were present This councell was full of appeales contrarie to that had beene vsed in this land till the time that Henrie bishop of Winchester vnto his owne harme whilest he was likewise the popes legat had by vniust intrusion brought them in and now at this councell he was himselfe thrise appealed to the hearing of the popes owne consistorie After this king Stephan in the same yeare brake into the citie of Worcester and whereas he could not the last time win the castell he now endeuoured with all his force to take it But when those within made valiant resistance he raised two castels against it and leauing in the same certeine of his Nobles to continue the siege he himselfe returned home ¶ Thus as yee see the kings propertie was to attempt manie things valiantlie but he procéeded in them oftentimes verie slowlie howbeit now by the policie of the earle of Leicester those two castels which the king had raised to besiege the other castell were shortlie after destroied and so the besieged were deliuered from danger This earle of Leicester was brother to the earle of Mellent Thus the kings purposed intention and painefull trauell on that behalfe came to none effect In the meane while Henrie duke of Normandie maried Elianor duches of Guien or Aquitaine latelie diuorsed from the French king and so in right of hir he became duke of Aquitaine and earle of Poictou for she was the onelie daughter to William duke of Guien and earle of Poictou and by hir father created his sole and lawfull heire The French king was nothing pleased with this mariage in somuch that he made sore warre vpon duke Henrie ioining himselfe in league with king Stephan with his sonne Eustace and with the lord Geffrey brother to duke Henrie so that the said Henrie was constreined to defer his iournie into England and applie his power to deâ—end his countries and subiects on that side of the sea For whereas he was readie at the mouth of the riuer of Barbe to passe ouer into England not long after midsummer the French king with Eustace king Stephans sonne Robert earle of Perch Henrie erle of Champaigne and Geffrey brother to duke Henrie hauing assembled a mightie armie came and besieged the line 10
fortified at Xanctes and in the same forts and church which was also fortified against him 60. knights or men of armes and 400. archbalisters that is the best of them that bare crossebowes Philip earle of Flanders in the presence of the French king and other the peeres of France laieng his hand vpon the holie relikes sware that within 15. daies next insuing the feast of S. Iohn then instant to enter England with an armie and to doo his best to subdue the same to king Henrie the son Upon trust whereof the yoong king the more presuming came downe to Whitsand the 14. daie of Iulie that he might from thence send ouer into England line 10 Rafe de la Haie with certeine bands of souldiers Before this the earle of Flanders had sent ouer 318. knights or men of armes as we may call them But after their arriuall at Orwell which chanced the 14. of Iune by reason that their associats were dispersed and for the more part subdued they tooke with them earle Hugh Bigot and marching to Norwich assaulted the citie and wan it gaining there great riches and speciallie in readie monie and led awaie a great sort of prisoners whome they line 20 ransomed at their pleasure This chanced the 18. of Iune ¶ I remember that William Paruus writeth that the citie of Norwich was taken by the Flemings that came ouer with the earle of Leicester in the yeare last past by the conduct of the said earle before he was taken and that after he had taken that citie being accompanied with earle Bigot he led those Flemings also vnto Dunwich purposing to win and sacke that towne also but the inhabitants being line 30 better prouided against the comming of their enimies than they of Norwich were shewed such countenance of defense that they preserued their towne from that danger so that the two earles with Flemings were constreined to depart without atchiuing their purpose But whether that this attempt against Dunwich was made by the earle of Leicester before his taking in companie of earle Bigot I haue not to auouch But verelie for the winning of Norwich I suppose that William Paruus mistaketh line 40 the time except we shall saie that it was twise taken as first by the earle of Leicester in the yeare 1173. For it is certeine by consent of most writers and especiallie those that haue recorded particularlie the incidents that chanced here in this land during these troubles betwixt the king and his sons that it was taken now this yeare 1174. by earle Bigot as before we haue shewed But now to procéed The lords that had the rule of the land for king Henrie the father perceiuing line 50 earle Bigots procéedings sent knowledge thereof with all expedition to the king as yet remaining in the parties beyond the seas Whilest these things were a dooing although the minds of manie of the conspirators against king Henrie the father were inclined to peace yet Roger Mowbray and Hugh Bigot by reason of this new supplie of men got out of Flanders ceassed not to attempt fresh exploits and chéeflie they solicited the matter in such wise with William king of Scotland that whilest they in line 60 other quarters of the realme plaied their parts he entred into the confines of Cumberland and first besieged the citie of Carleil but perceiuing he could not win it in any short time he left one part of his armie to keepe siege before it and with the residue marched into the countrie alongst by the riuer of Eden taking by force the castels of Bourgh and Applebie with diuerse other This doone he passed ouer the riuer and came through Northumberland wasting the countrie as he went vnto Alnewike which place he attempted to win though his labour therein proued but in vaine This enterprise which he made into Northumberland he tooke in hand chéefelie at the suit and request of Roger Mowbray from whome Geffrey who after was bishop of Lincolne K. Henries eldest base son had taken two of his castels so that he kept the third with much adoo He had giuen his eldest sonne in hostage vnto the said king of Scots for assurance of such couenants to be kept on his behalfe as were passed betwixt them In the meane time one Duncane or Rothland with an other part of the Scotish armie entered into Kendall and wasted that countrie in most cruell wise neither sparing age nor sex insomuch that he brake into the churches slue those that were fled into the same for safegard of their liues as well preests as other The English power of horssemen which passed not the number of 400. was assembled at Newcastell vnder the leading of Robert de Stouteuille Raâ—e Glanuille William Ursie Bernard Balliolle and Odonet de Umfreiuille These capteines hauing knowledge that Duncane was in one side of the countrie and king William in another determined to issue foorth and trie the chance of warre which is doubtfull and vncerteine according to the old saieng Fortuna belli semper ancipiti in loco est against the enimies sith it should be a great rebuke to them to suffer the countrie to be wasted after that sort without reuengement Herevpon riding foorth one morning there arose such a thicke fog and mist that they could not discerne any waie about them so that doubting to fall within the laps of their enimies at vnwares they staied a while to take aduise what should be best for them to doo Now when they were almost fullie resolued to haue turned backe againe by the comfortable words and bold exhortation of Bernard Balliolle they changed their purpose and rode forward till at length the northerne wind began to waken and droue awaie the mist so that the countrie was discouered vnto them and perceiuing where Alnewike stood not knowing as yet whether the Scots had woone it or not they staied their pace and riding softlie at length learning by the inhabitants of the countrie that the Scotish king despairing to win Alnewike had raised his siege from thence the same day they turned streight thither and lodging there all night in the morning got to their horsses verie earelie riding foorth towards the enimies that were spred abroad in the countrie to forrey the same They had anon espied where the king was and incontinentlie compassed him about on euerie side who perceiuing the English horssemen readie thus to assaile him with all diligence called backe his men from the spoile but the more part of them being straied far off through the swéetnes they found in getting of preies could not heare the sound of the trumpets yet notwithstanding with those his horssemen which he could get togither he encountred the English men which came vpon him verie hastilie The battell was begun verie fiercelie at the first and well fought for a time but the Scotish horssemen being toiled before in forreieng the countrie could not long continue against the
fierce assault of the English but were either beaten downe or else constreined to saue themselues by flight The king with a few other who at the first had begun the battell was taken Also manie of the Scots who being far off and yet hearing of the skirmish came running toward the place were taken yer they could vnderstand how the matter had passed This taking of the king of Scots was on a saturdaie being the seuenth of Iulie The English capteines hauing thus taken the Scotish king in the midst of his armie conteining the number of 80000 men returned to Newcastell greatlie reiâ—ising of their good successe aduertising king Henrie the father hereof with all speed who as then was come ouer from Normandie and was the same day that the Scotish king was taken at Canturburie making his praiers there before the sepulture of the archbishop Becket as after it shall appéere In the meane while and somewhat before this time the earle of Leicesters men which laie at Leicester vnder the conduct of Robert Ferreis earle of Darbie as some write or rather of Anketille Malorie line 10 constable or gouernour if we shall so call him as Roger Houeden saith came to Northampton where they fought with them of that towne and getting the victorie tooke two hundred prisoners and slue or wounded néere hand as manie more and so with this good successe in that enterprise returned againe to Leicester from whence they first set foorth The kings horssemen herevpon came streightwaies to Northampton and following the enimies could not ouertake them line 20 Robert Ferreis earle of Darbie being now come vnto Leicester in aid of them that laie there staied not past ten daies but finding meanes to increase his number of horssemen suddenlie made to Notingham which Reignold de Lucie had in kéeping and comming thither earelie in the morning tooke it droue out the kings souldiers that laie there in garison burned the towne slue the inhabitants and diuided their goods amongst his souldiers which thing put the countrie about in such feare that manie of line 30 the inhabitants submitted themselues vnto him King Henrie the sonne being hereof aduertised by letters oftentimes sent vnto him by this Robert Ferreis and other his fréends here in England estsoones conceiâ—ed some good hope to obteine his purpose and therefore determined to prepare for the warre Herevpon he purchased aid of king Lewes who bicause the truce which he had taken with king Henrie the father was now expired thought it was reason to further his sonne in lawes enterprise so line 40 farre as in him laie Wherfore he made his prouision at Graueling and there incamping with his people staied till his ships were readie to transport him and his armie which consisted of certeine horssemen and of a number of Brabanders King Henrie the father being informed both of his sonnes purpose and of the dooings in England with all possible spéed determined to passe ouer into England and therefore got his souldiers a shipboord among whom were certeine bands of his Brabanders line 50 and so soone as the wind blew to his mind he caused the sailes to be hoised vp and the nauie to set forward Being landed he repaired first vnto Canturburie there to make his praiers doubting least the bloud of the archbishop Thomas Becket being shed through his occasion did yet require vengeance against him for that fact From Canturburie he came to London and tooke order for the placing of capteins with their bands in certeine townes about the coast to defend the landing places where he line 60 thought his sonne was like to arriue Then went he to Huntington and subdued the castell there the 19. of Iulie for the knights and other souldiers that were within it yéelded themselues to the kings mercie their liues and lims saued After this assembling his people on all sides he made his generall musters at S. Edmundsburie and determined to besiege the castels of Bunghey and Fremingham which the earle Hugh Bigot held against him who mistrusting that he was not able to defend himselfe and those places against the king agréed with the king to haue peace paieng him the summe of a thousand markes by composition This agréement was concluded the 25. of Iulie Herevpon a multitude of the Flemings which Philip earle of Flanders had sent into England as before is mentioned vpon their oth receiued not afterwards to come as enimies into England had licence to returne into their countrie Also the bands of souldiers that came into the realme with Rafe de la Haie departed without impechment by the kings sufferance The king hauing thus accomplished that which stood with his pleasure in those parties remoued from thence and drew towards Northampton To which towne after his comming thither the king of Scots was brought with his féet bound vnder the horsses bellie Thither also came the bishop of Durham and deliuered to the king the castels of Durham Norham and Allerton Thither also came to the king Roger Mowbraie and surrendred to him the castell of Treske and Robert earle Ferreis deliuered vp into his hands the castels of Tutburie and Duffield and Anketill Mallorie and William de Diue constables to the earle of Leicester yeelded to the king the castels of Cicester Grobie and Mountsorell to the intent that he should deale more courteouslie with the earle their maister Also William earle of Glocester and earle Richard of Clare submitted themselues to the king and so he brought all his aduersaries within the realme of England vnto such subiection as he himselfe wished so that the king hauing atchiued the vpper hand of his enimies returned to London ¶ All this hurlie burlie and bloudie tumult was partlie to be ascribed to the king himselfe who ouer tenderlie fauouring his sonne did deiect and abase himselfe to aduance the other partlie to the ambitious disposition of the youth who was charged with roialtie before he had learned sufficient loialtie else would he not haue made insurrections against his father that himself might obteine the monarchie and the old king doo him homage and partlie to the quéenes discontented or rather malicious mind whose dutie it had béene notwithstanding such dishonour doone hir by the king in abusing his bodie vnlawfullie so little to haue thought of stirring commotions betwixt the father and the sonnes that she should rather haue lulled the contention asléepe and doone what she possiblie could to quench the feruent fier of strife with the water of pacification But true it is that hath béene said long ago Mulier nihil nouit nisi quod vult Et plenum malorum est onus But what insued herevpon euen by waie of chastisement but that which commonlie lighteth vpon tumult-raisers namelie either losse of life or at least restraint of libertie For the king after this happie atchiuement of his warlike affaires being ruled
him with a great power where immediatlie at the first ioining of the battels the earle of Lincolne retired backe so that the lord Iohn saint Iohn and his companie ouerset with preasse of enimies were vanquished and the said lord saint Iohn with sir William de Mortimer sir William Burmengham and other to the number of eight knights and diuerse esquires were taken the which were sent to Paris as prisoners Other write somewhat otherwise of this battell as that vpon the first incounter the Englishmen droue backe one regiment of the earle of Arthois his men of armes whom he diuided into foure parts but when they once ioined with the second regiment to the which they were beaten backe forward they came againe and so charging the Englishmen with helpe of their third squadron which was now come to them also they easilie put the Englishmen oppressed with multitude vnto flight followed them in chase After this came the Englishmen which were in the rereward and incountring with the fourth squadron or regiment of the Frenchmen streightwaies brake the fame Herewith was the night come vpon them so that one could not know an other a fréend from an enimie and so both the Englishmen and Frenchmen were dispersed till the moone rose and the Frenchmen withdrew to their fortresses and amongst them certeine Englishmen were mingled which being discouered were taken prisoners as the lord Iohn saint Iohn and others The slaughter was not great for there were no footmen on either part to spoile or kill the men of armes that were throwne beside their horsses for the English footmen remained in the wood or were withdrawne backe as before ye haue heard without attempting any exploit worthie of praise Indéed some laie the blame in the Gascoine footmen for the losse of this battell bicause that they withdrew backe and left the English horssemen in danger of the enimies which had compassed them about on euerie side Thrée hundred of the men of armes came through to the towne of Bellegard but bicause it was night so that they could not be discerned whether they were frends line 10 or foes they within the towne would not suffer them to enter wherevpon they departed and went to S. Seuere foure leagues off Yet further in the night other of the Englishmen were receiued into Bellegard which came thither after the other and so in the morning they of the garison with their assistance issued foorth and comming to the place where the battell had béene gathered the spoile of the field and conueied into their towne such prouision of vittels as they found there line 20 The earle of Lincolne with a great manie of other wandred a great part of the night and knew not whither to go At length about thrée of the clocke in the morning he came to Perforate where he had lodged with his armie the night before there found a great number of his people right glad of his comming and happie escape out of danger From thence he returned vnto Baion with the earle of Richmond sir Iohn de Britaine and all his companie that were left And such was the hap of this iournie In Lent line 30 following those that were dispersed here and there abroad resorted to the earle of Lincolne soiourning at Baion and in the summer season made a iournie towards Tholouse spoiling and wasting the countries of Tholouse and other there abouts and remoued also the siege which those of Tholouse had laid vnto a fortresse called S. Kiternes in chasing them from the same siege and towards Michaelmasse they returned to Baion and there laie alle the winter till after Christmasse and then by reason of the truce concluded line 40 as after appeareth betwixt the two kings of England France they returned home into England In the same yeare the king raised the custome of wooll to an higher rate than had beene paid at any time before for he tooke now fortie shillings of a sacke or sarpler where before there was paid but half a marke Moreouer he commanded that against his iournie which he meant to make ouer into France there should be two thousand quarters of wheat and as much of oates taken by the shiriffe in euerie countie line 50 within the realme to be conueied to the sea side except where they had no store of corne and there should béeues and bakons be taken to a certeine number In the meane time the earle of Flanders was sore vexed by war which the French king made against him being entred into Flanders with an armie of thrée score thousand men as some authors haue recorded About the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist he laid siege to Lisle and shortlie after came the line 60 earle of Arthois being returned out of Gascoine with his power vnto that siege and was sent foorth to kéepe the Flemings and others occupied which laie at Furneis and in other places thereabouts in low Flanders with whome he fought and got the victorie King Edward therefore to succour his fréends prepared to go ouer into Flanders and therevpon summoned all those that owght him any seruice such also as held lands to the value of twentie pounds and aboue to be readie with horsse and harnesse at London about Lammas to passe ouer with him in that iournie In the meane time about the moneth of Maie there began a rebellion in Scotland by the setting on of William Waleis for the king of Englands iustice William Ormsbie accordinglie as he had in commission confined and put to outlawrie a great sort of such Scotishmen as refused to doo fealtie and homage vnto the king of England the which Scotishmen being thus condemned as outlawes elected the foresaid William Waleis for their capteine with whome William Douglas being once associated the number of them increased hugelie The earle of Surrey and the treasurer being in England those outlawes purposed to haue taken the iustice at Scone but he being warned though almost too late escaped himselfe with much adoo leauing the most part of his people as a spoile to the enimies For William Waleis and his companie killed as manie Englishmen as fell into his hands and taking certeine religious men he bound their hands behind them and constreined them to leape into the riuer taking pleasure to behold how they plunged The king sent the bishop of Durham into Scotland to vnderstand the certeintie of this rebellion who returning from thence informed him of the truth The king not minding to breake his iournie which he had purposed to make into Flanders appointed that the earle of Surrey should haue the leading of all such men of warre as might be leuied beyond Trent to represse the Scotish rebels and also wrote vnto Iohn Comin earle of Boughan that remembring their faith and promise they should returne into Scotland and doo their best to quiet the countrie they according to
king and to persuade him the more easilie therevnto he promised him great aid but the king of England hauing prooued the said pope not the surest man in friendship towards him forbare to attempt anie forceable exploit against the French king trusting by some other meanes to recouer his right This yeere Humfrey Bohun earle of Hereford departed out of this life after whome succeeded his sonne Humfrey who afterwards maried the kings daughter Elizabeth countesse of Holland after that hir first husband was dead Tournies iustes barriers and other warlike exercises which yoong lords and gentlemen had appointed to exercise for their pastime in diuerse parts of the realme were forbidden by the kings proclamations sent downe to be published by the shirifs in euerie countie abroad in the realme the teste of the writ was from Westminster the sixteenth of Iulie ¶ The citizens of Burdeaux could not beare the yoke of the French bondage and therefore this yéere about Christmasse expelled them out of their citie ¶ Shortlie after the French king doubting least the king of England by the setting on of the pope should make warres against him for wrongfull deteining of Gascoine to purchase his fauor restored to him all that which he held in Gascoine and so then they of Burdeaux also submitted themselues to the king of England of their owne accord Now after that the truce with the Scots was expired which tooke end at the feast of All saints last past the king sent the lord Iohn Segraue a right valiant knight but not so circumspect in his gouernment as was necessarie with a great armie into Scotland to haue the rule of the land as lord warden of the same with him was ioined also Rafe Confreie treasurer of the armie These two capteins comming to the borders and hearing that the Scotishmen alreadie were in armes they entered into Scotland and in order of battell passed foorth to Edenburgh and hearing nothing of their enimies which kept them still in the mounteins they deuided their armie into three seuerall battels two of the which came behind the fore ward vnder the leading of the said Rafe Confreie the third that is to say the fore ward the lord Segraue led himselfe in such order that there was the distance of foure miles betwixt their lodgings This they did to be the more plentiouslie serued of vittels But the Scots vnderstanding this order of their enimies became the more hardie and therevpon hauing knowledge where the lord Segraue was lodged with his companie a good way off from the other two parts of the armie they hasted forwards in the night season and came néere vnto the place where the same lord Segraue was incamped a little before daie making themselues readie to assaile the Englishmen in their campe But the lord Segraue hauing knowlege of their comming though he was counselled by some of them that were about him either to withdraw vnto the other battels or else to send vnto them to come to his aid he would follow neither of both the waies but like a capteine more hardie than wise in this point disposed his companies which he had there in order to fight and incouraging them to plaie the men immediatlie vpon the rising of the sunne and that his enimies approched he caused the trumpets to sound to the battell and gaue therewith the ouset The fight was sore and doubtfull for a while till the Englishmen ouercome with the multitude of their enimies began to be slaine on ech side so that few escaped by flight To the number of twentie worthie knights were taken with their capteine the said lord Segraue being sore wounded but he was by chance rescued and deliuered out of the enimies hands by certeine horssemen which vnder the leading of the lord Robert Neuell a right valiant knight vpon hearing the noise of them that fled came on the spurs out of the next campe to the succour of their fellowes Rafe Confreie after this mishap as Polydor saith brought backe the residue of the armie into England not thinking it necessarie to attempt any further enterprise at that time against the enimies ouermatching him both in strength and number This incounter chanced on the first sundaie in Lent ¶ I remember the Scotish chronicles conteine much more line 10 of this enterprise greatlie to their glorie and more haplie than is true as by conferring the place where they intreat of it with this that I haue here exemplified out of our writers it may well appeare The earle Marshall hauing spent largelie whilest he stood in contention against the king who was now earnestlie called vpon to repaie such summes of monie as he had borowed of his brother Iohn Bigod who was verie rich by reason of such benefices and spirituall liuings as he had in his hands the earle bicause line 20 he had no children to whom he might leaue his lands meant to haue left them vnto his said brother but when he saw him so importunate in calling for the debts which he owght him he tooke such displeasure therewith that to obteine the kings fauour and to disappoint his brother of the inheritance he gaue vnto the king all his possessions vpon condition that the king adding thereto other lands in value woorth a thousand markes by yeare should restore them to him againe to inioy during his life the remainder line 30 after his deceasse to come vnto the king and further the king should paie and discharge him of all his debts King Edward being aduertised of the losse which his men had susteined in Scotland streightwaies called a parlement wherein by assent of the states a subsidie was granted towards the maintenance of his warres and then the same being leuied he assembled his people and shortlie after about Whitsuntide entred into Scotland to reuenge the death of his line 40 men The Scots hearing of the kings comming fled into the mounteins mosses and marish grounds not once shewing any countenance to fight any set battell with the English host so that the king in maner without resistance passed through the countrie euen vnto Cathnes which is the furthest part of all Scotland Manie of the Scots perceiuing their lacke of power to resist the English puissance came to king Edward and submitted themselues with condition that they should inioy their lands which he line 50 had giuen awaie to his lords they redéeming the same with conuenient fines which was granted But Will. Waleis with certeine other kéeping themselues in places where no armie could come to pursue them would neuer giue eare to any conditions of agreement so that neither with feare neither with offer of rewards could this Waleis be induced to follow or behold the English K. ruling the realme of Scotland King Edward returning backe came to the castell of Striueling which the Scotishmen line 60 held against him and besieged it The king himselfe
Suffolke and sir Hugh Spenser marched foorth vpon the commons of the countrie assembled and well armed and in fine discomfited them and slue of them more than two hundred tooke three score gentlemen prisoners beside others And after that the king marched toward grand Uilliers and while he was there incamped line 10 the kings vantgard was descried by the men at armes of the K. of Boheme whervpon our men issued out in great hast and ioined battell with them but were inforced to retire Notwithstanding thanks be vnto God the earle of Northampton issued out and rescued the horssemen with the other soldiers so that few or none of them were either taken or slaine sauing onlie Thomas Talbot but had againe the line 20 enimie in chase within two leagues of Amiens of whome we tooke eight and slue twelue of their best men at armes the rest being well horssed tooke the towne of Amiens After this the king of England marched toward Pountife vpon Bartholomew day and came to the water of Some where the French king had laid fiue hundred men at armes and three thousand footmen purposing to haue kept and stopped line 30 our passage but thanks be to God the K. of England and his host entered the same water of Some where neuer man passed before without losse of any of our men and after that incountered with the enimie and slue of them more than 2000 the rest fled to Abuile in which chase were taken manie knights esquiers men at armes The same day sir Hugh Spenser tooke the line 40 towne of Crotaie where he his soldiers slue 400 men at armes kept the towne where they found great store of vittels The same night incamped the king of England in the forrest of Cressie vpon the same water for that the French kings host came on the other side of the towne neere vnto our passage but he would not take the water of vs so marched toward Abuile line 50 And vpon the fridaie next following the king being still incamped in the said forrest our scuriers descried the French K. which marched toward vs in foure great battels and hauing then vnderstanding of our enimies as Gods will was a little before the euening tide we drew to the plaine field and set our battels in arraie and immediatlie the fight began which was sore and cruell indured long for our enimies line 60 behaued themselues right noblie But thanks be giuen vnto God the victorie fell on our side the king our aduersarie was discomfited with all his host put to flight where also was slaine the king of Boheme the duke of Loraine the earle of Alanson the earle of Flanders the earle of Blois the earle of Harecourt with his two sons the earle of Daumarle the earle de Neuers and his brother the lord of Tronard the archbishop of Nismes the archbishop of Sens the high prior of France the earle of Sauoie the lord of Morles the lord de Guies le seigneur de Saint Nouant le seigneur de Rosinburgh with six earles of Almaine and diuerse other earles barons knights and esquiers whose names are vnknowne And Philip de Ualois himselfe with an other marques which was called lord elector among the Romans escaped from the battell The number of the men of armes which were found dead in the field beside the common soldiers and footmen were a thousand fiue hundred fortie and two and all that night the king of England with his host aboad armed in the field where the battell was fought On the next morrow before the sunne rose there marched towards vs another great host mightie strong of the Frenchmen but the earle of Northampton and the earle of Norffolke issued out against them in three battels after long and terrible fight them likewise they discomfited by Gods great helpe and grace for otherwise it could neuer haue beene where they tooke of knights and esquiers a great number and slue aboue two thousand pursuing the chase three leages from the place where the battell was fought The same night also the king incamped himselfe againe in the forrest of Cressie and on the morrow marched toward Bullongne and by the way he tooke the towne of Staples and from thence he marched toward Calis where he intendeth to plant his siege and laie his batterie to the same And therfore our souereigne lord the king willeth and commandeth you in all that euer you may to send to the said siege vittels conuenient For after the time of our departing from Caen we haue trauelled through the countrie with great perill danger of our people but yet alwaies had of vittels plentie thanks be to God therefore But now as the case standeth we partlie need your helpe to be refreshed with vittels Thus fare you well Written at the siege before the towne of Calis the fourteenth daie of September But now touching the siege of Calis and to returne where we left ye shall vnderstand that as ye haue heard the English campe was furnished with sufficient prouision of meat drinke apparell munition and all other things necessarie and oftentimes also the soldiers made roads and forrais into the borders of France next adioining as towards Guines and saint Omer ye euen to the gates of that towne and sometime to Bullongne Also the earle of Northampton fetched a bootie out of Arthois and as he returned toward the host he came to Terrouan which towne the bishop had fortified and manned deliuering the custodie therof vnto sir Arnold Dandrehen for when he heard the Englishmen approched he durst not tarrie within the citie himselfe but got him to saint Omers Sir Arnold stood valiantlie to his defense and would not yéeld till by verie force the Englishmen entered the citie slue the soldiers and tooke their capteine the said sir Arnold prisoner The citie was put to sacke and after set on fire And when the Englishmen were departed there came a number of Flemings from the siege which they had â—aid before S. Omers and began a new spoile and fired such houses belonging to the canons and other which the Englishmen had spared Thus were those confines in most miserable case for no house nor other thing was in safegard but such as were conteined within closure of strong townes and fortresses The king of England would not assaile the towne of Calis by giuing anie assault to it for he knew he should but lose his labour and waste his people it was so strong of it selfe and so well furnished with men of warre Capteine thereof also was one sir line 10 Iohn de Uienne a valiant knight of Burgoigne hauing with him diuerse other right hardie and expert capteins knights and esquiers When the said sir Iohn de Uienne saw the manner of the English host and what the kings intention was he constreined all the poore and meane people to depart out of the towne The king of England
cardinall returned to the French king and required of him that a truce might be granted till the next daies sun-rising which truce obteined he spent that daie in riding to and fro betwixt them The prince offered to render into the kings hands all that he had woone in that voiage as well townes as castels and also to release all the prisoners which he or any of his men had taken in that iournie and further he was contented to haue béene sworne not to beare armour against the French king within the terme of seuen yeares next following But the French king would not agree therevnto the vttermost that he would agree vnto was this that the prince and an hundred of his knights should yéeld themselues as prisoners vnto him otherwise he would not haue the matter taken vp But it was the French kings hap after notwithstanding his hautines to be taken captiue as Okland noteth saieng seruilia sub iuga missus Disceret vt domino regi parêre Britanno But the prince in no wise cold be brought to any such vnreasonable conditions and so the cardinall could not make them fréends although he trauelled earnestlie betwixt them all that daie When it drew towards night he returned toward Poictiers The Englishmen were not idle whilest the cardinall was thus in hand to bring the parties to some good agréement but cast great ditches and made hedges and other fortifications about the place where their archers stood and on the next morning being mondaie the prince and his people prepared themselues to receiue battell as they had doone before hauing passed the day before and that night in great defect of necessarie things for they could not stir abroad to fetch forrage or other prouisions without danger to be surprised of their enimies The cardinall came againe earlie in the morning vnto the French king and found the French armie readie in order of battell by that time the sunne was vp and though he eftsoones fell in hand to exhort the king to an agréement yet it would not be So he went to the prince and declared to him how he could doo no good in the matter and therefore he must abide the hazard of battell for ought that he could sée wherewith the prince was content and so the cardinall returned vnto Poicâ—iers ¶ Here is to be remembred that when as Thomas Walsingham writeth this cardinall of Piergort was sent from the pope to trauell betwixt the parties for a peace to be had and that the pope exhorted him verie earnestlie to shew his vttermost diligence and indeuour therein at his setting foorth to go on that message the said cardinall as was said made this answer Most blessed father said he either we will persuade them to peace and quietnesse either else shall the verie flintstones crie out of it But this he spake not of himselfe as it was supposed but being a prelate in that time he prophesied what should follow for when the English archers had bestowed all their arrowes vpon their enimies they tooke â—p pebles from the place where they stood being full of those kind of stones and approching to their enimies they threw the same with such violence on them that lighting against their helmets armor and targets they made a great ringing noise so that the cardinals prophesie was fulfilled that he woulde either persuade a peace or else the stones should crie out thereof The worthie prince like a couragious chiefteine when he saw that he must needs â—ight required his people not to be abashed at the great number of their enimies sith the victorie did not consist in the multitude of men but where God would send it and if it fortuned that the iournie might be theirs and his they should be the most honored people of the world and if they should die in that righteous quarrell he had the king his father and also his brethren in like case as they had freends and kinsmen that would seeke their reuenge And therefore he desired them that daie to shew themselues like valiant men of warre and for his part he trusted in God and saint George they should see in his person no default These or the like words did this most gentle prince speake which greatlie comforted all his people There were with him of earles Warwike Suâ—folke Salâ—sburie Stafford of lords Cobhain Spenser Andeley Berkley Basset Warren de la Waâ—e Bradeston Burwasch Felton Mallow and diuerse other also sir Iohn Chandois by whome he line 10 was much counselled sir Richard Stafford sir Richard of Penbruche and manie other knights and valiant esquires of England Moreouer there was of Gascoigne the capitall of Buz or Beuf the lords of Prumes Burguenrie Chaumount de Lespare Rosen Monferant Landuras the Souldich of Lestrad or Lescard and other and of Heinault sir Eustace Daubreticourt sir Iohn de Guistelles and other strangers All the princes companie passed not the number of eight thousand men one and other of line 20 the which as Iacobus Meire saith thrée thousand were archers though Froissard as I haue rehearsed before reporteth the number of archers to be more as in one place six thousand and in an other place foure thousand The French king hauing in his armie thrée score thousand fighting men wherof there were more than three thousand knights made so sure account of victorie as anie man might of a thing not yet had considering his great puissance in regard to the small line 30 number of his aduersaries and therefore immediatlie after that the cardinall was departed he caused his battels to march forward and approching to the place where the Englishmen stood readie to receiue their enimies caused the onset to be giuen There were certeine French horssemen to the number of three hundred with the Almains also on horssebacke appointed to breake the arraie of the English archers but the archers were so defended and compassed about with hedges and ditches that the horssemen line 40 of the French part could not enter to doo their feat and being galled with the sharpe shot of the English bowes they were ouerthrowne horsse and man so that the vaward of the Frenchmen wherein was the duke of Athens with the marshals of France the lord Iohn de Cleremont and the lord Arnold Dandrehen or Odenhen began to disorder within a while by reason of the shot of the archers togither with the helpe of the men of armes amongst whom in the forefront was the lord Iames Audeley line 50 to performe a vow which he had made to be one of the first setters on There was the lord Arnold Dandrehen taken prisoner and the lord Iohn de Cleremont slaine so that the noble prowesse of the said lord Iames Audeley breaking through the Frenchmens battell with the slaughter of manie enimies was that day most apparant The loiall constancie of the noble earles of Warwike and Suffolke that fought so stoutlie so
earnestlie and so fiercelie was right manifest And line 60 the prince himselfe did not onelie fulfill the office of a noble chéefteine but also of a right valiant and expert souldiour attempting what soeuer any other hardie warriour would in such cases haue done Neither was this battell quicklie dispatched nor easilie brought to end but it was fought out with such obstinate earnestnesse that thrée times that daie were the Englishmen driuen to renew the fight through the multitude of enimies that increased and came still vpon them Finallie the marshals battell was quite discomfited for the Frenchmen and Almains fell one vpon an other and could not passe foorth and those that were behind could not get forward reculed backe and while the marshals battell being on horssebacke thus assailed the English armie with great disaduantage and was â—n the end beaten backe the two battels of the 〈◊〉 of Normâ—ndie and Orleanâ—â— came forward and likewise â—ssâ—iled thâ— Englishmen but could not preuaile The archers shot so fercelie that to conclude the Frenchmen behind vnderstanding the discomfiture of the marshals battell and how their fellowes before could not enter vpon their enimies they opened and ran to their horsses in whome they did put more trust for their safegard by galloping on theiâ— awaie than in their 〈◊〉 hands for all their late brauerie and greâ—t 〈◊〉 One thing sore discouraged the Frenchmen 〈◊〉 that was this beside those Englishmen that were within the closure of their campe there were certeine men of armes on horssebacke with a number of archers also on horssebacke appointed to coast vnder the couert of a mounteine adioining to the place where they thought to strike into a side of the duke of Normandies battell so that with the terrour hereof and with the continuall shot of the English archers the Frenchmen not knowing where to turne themselues sought to saue their liues by flight The prince of Wales perceiuing how his enimies for the more part of them were fleeing awaie as men discomfited sent out his horssemen as well on the one hand as on the other and he himselfe with his whole power of footmen rushed foorth and manfullie assailed the maine battell of the Frenchmen where the king himselfe was who like a valiant prince would not flee but fought right manfullie so that if the fourth part of his men had dooâ—e halfe their parts as he did his the victorie by likelihood had rested as Froissard saith on his side but he was forsaken of his three sonnes and of his brother the duke of Orleance which fled out of the battell with cleare hands Finallie after huge slaughter made of those noblemen and other which abode with him euen to the end he was taken and so likewise was his yongest sonne Philip and both put in great danger to haue béene murthered after they were taken by the Englishmen and Gascoignes striuing who should haue the king to his prisoner where in déed a knight of Flanders or rather Artois borne in saint Omers called sir Denise Morbecke tooke him but he was straightwaies taken from the same sir Denise by other that came in the meane season better prouided béelike of strength and lead him awaie vnresisted There were slaine in this battell of noblemen the dukes of Burbon and Athens the marshall Cleremont sir Geffrey Charnie that bare the chéefe standert of France the bishop of Chaalons sir Eustace de Ribaumont with diuerse other to the number of eight hundred lords knights and gentlemen of name In all there died on the French part six thousand of one and other The chase was continued euen to the gates of Poictiers and manie slaine and beaten downe in the stréet before the gates which the citizens had closed for doubt least the Englishmen should enter with them that fled thither for safegard There were taken beside the king and his sonne the lord Iaques de Burbon earle of Ponthieu brother to the duke of Burbon that was slaine there the erle of Ew the lord Charles his brother earle of Longuile the archbishop of Sens the earles of Uandosme Salesbruch Uentadore Tankeruille Estampes and Dampmartine also Archembald Dowglas a noble man of Scotland sonne to the honorable lord William Dowglas that was killed in Spaine the marshall Dandrehen or Odenhen as Iacobus Meir saith with others to the number of seuenteene hundred earles lords knights and gentlemen beside those of the meaner sort so that the Englishmen 〈…〉 Thus was the prince of Wales victor in that notable battell fought in the fields of 〈◊〉 and Malpertuse two leagues from 〈◊〉 the nineteenth day of September being monday in the yéere line 10 〈…〉 all his men togither It was almost night yet they were all returned from the chase The prince made a great supper in his lodging that night to the French king and to the most part of his nobles that there taken prisoners and did all the honour that he could deuise to the king And where he perceiued by line 20 his chéere and countenance that his heart was full of pensiue greéfe carefull thought and heauinesse he comforted him in the best maner that he might and said to him as followeth The meeke and comfortable oration of the English prince to the French king being taken prisoner MOst noble king there is no cause line 30 wherefore your grace should be pensiue though God this day did not consent to follow your will For your noble prowes and dignitie roiall with the supreme type of your kinglie maiestie remaineth whole and inuiolate and what soeuer may rightlie be called yours so that no violent force of time shall blot out or diminish the same The almightie God hath determined that the chance of line 40 war shall rest in his disposition and will as all other things Your elders haue archiued both by land sea manie noble enterprises The whole compasse of Europe all the east parts of the world all places and countries both far neere are full of monuments witnessing the noble victories atteined by the French people The cause of godlie liuing and religion line 50 the dignitie and preheminence of christianitie hath beene defended and augmented by you against the most mightie and puissant capteins of the infidels enimies to the said christian religion All ages shall make mention of your worthie praises no nation there is but shall confesse it selfe bounden at one time or other for benefits receiued at your hands nether is there line 60 any people but such as hope to be hereafter bounden to you for reliefe and benefits to proceed from you in time to come One or two battels happilie haue chanced among so manie triumphs otherwise than you would haue wished chance would it should be so which may infeeble and make weake the power of horsses armor and weapon your inuincible courage and roiall magnanimitie lieth in your power to reteine neither shall this day
Castile And yet were the people of that countrie readie now to reuolt to the French dominion notwithstanding their former long continued obeisance to the Englishmen for otherwise could not the Frenchmen so easilie haue come to their purpose but that the people were couenanted before to receiue them and betraie those few Englishmen that were amongst them About the same time also it fell so ill for the Englishmen that the prince of Wales was troubled with a sore sickenesse that had continued long with him euer since his being in Spaine by reason whereof his enimies were the more bold to make attempts against him and dailie went about to allure and intise his subiects of the marches of Guien to reuolt from him in somuch that the citie of Cahors and diuerse other townes thereabout turned to the French part Thus was the peace which had beene so suerlie made and with so manie solemne oths confirmed violated and broken and the parties fallen togither by the eares againe in sundrie places and namelie in Aquitaine where sundrie armies were abroad in the fields diuers sieges laid manie townes taken often incounters and skirmishes made sometime to the losse of the one part and sometime of the other and the countries in the meane time harried and spoiled that maruell it is to consider and too long a processe it should be to rehearse the tenth part of such chances as dailie happened amongst them so that it might well haue beene said of that sore tumultuous time O quà m difficiles sunt sint pace dies King Edward sent ouer into Gascoigne the earls of Cambridge and Penbroke with a certeine number of men of armes and archers the which arriuing in Britaine passed through that countrie by licence of the Duke and came to the prince as then lieng at Angolesme in Poictou by whom they were sent to ouerrun the earle of Perigords lands and so they did and after laid siege to Burdille hauing with them about thrée thousand men one and other There came with them foorth of England foure hundred men of armes foure hundred archers and as Froissard saith beside their capteins these earles which he nameth to wit the lord of Tabestone or rather Bradstone as I take it sir Brian Stapleton sir Thomas Balaster and sir Iohn Triuet Whilest the said earles went thus to make warre against the earle of Perigord sir Hugh Caluerlie with two thousand men of warre was sent also to ouerrun the lands of the earle of Arminacke and of the lord Dalbret sir Iohn Chandois laie in the marches of Tholouse at Mountaubon afterwards besieged Terrieres and in the end wan it and so likewise did the earles of Cambridge and Penbroke win Burdille by reason of a saillie that they within made foorth and passed so far from their fortresse that the Englishmen got betwixt them and home Sir Robert Knols came from such lands as he had in Britaine to serue the prince now in these warres of Gascoigne and was by him made chéefe gouernor of all his men of warre who bare himselfe right worthilie in that charge The first iournie which he made at that time was into Quercie hauing with him beside his owne hands certeine knights of the princes retinue as sir Richard Ponchardon sir Stephan Gousenton sir Noell Loring sir Hugh Hastings sir Iohn Triuet sir Thomas Spenser sir Thomas Balaster sir Nicholas Bond sir William le Moins seneschall of Aigenois sir Baldwin de Freuille and others At their comming into Quercie they besieged a strong fortresse called Durmell within the which were diuerse capteins of the companions as Aimon d'Ortigo the little Mechin Iaques de Bray Perot de Sauoie and Arnaudon de Pons the which so valiantlie defended the place that although the lord Chandois accompanied with sir Thomas Felton line 10 the capitall of Beuf sir Iohn de Pommiers sir Thomas Percie sir Eustace Daubreticourt and others came with their retinues from Montaubon to reenforce that siege yet could they not obteine their purpose but raising from thence after fiue weekes siege constreined thereto through want of vittels they marched streight to a towne called Domme which they besieged hauing in their armie fifteene hundred men at armes beside two thousand archers and brigands so called in those daies of an armor line 20 which they ware named brigandines vsed then by footmen that bare also targets or pauoises and certeine darts or iauelines to throw at their enimies The towne and castell of Domme were so strong of themselues and so well prouided of men of warre that were appointed to the gard of the same with the lord thereof called sir Robert de Domme that after the English capteins perceiued they should but lose time to linger about the winning of that towne they line 30 raised their siege and marching further into the countrie wan Gauaches Freins Rochmador and Uille Franche vpon the marches of Toulouzain greatlie to the displeasure of the duke of Aniou that lay at the same time in the citie of Toulouze could not remedie the matter ¶ But to recite euerie particular enterprise as the same was atchiued by the English capteins and men of warre in that season it should be more than the purpose of this volume might permit and therefore I passe ouer diuerse line 40 things which I find registred by Froissard and other writers onelie aduertising you that as the Englishmen thus made sore warres against their aduersaries abroad in those quarters so the Frenchmen on the other part had assembled great numbers of men of warre not onelie to defend their frontiers but also by inuasions to win from the Englishmen towns and castels and to waâ—t such countries as would not turne to their side Thus were all those countries in troubles of warre The two kings also of England and France signified line 50 to their neighbours the causes of this warre laieng the fault either to other and excusing themselues as cleare and innocent therein Edward duke of Gelderland nephue to the king of England as sonne to his sister and the duke of Gulike cousine to the kings children by their mother that was daughter to the earle of Heinault tooke great despite that the French king had broken the peace as they were throughlie persuaded and that he had defied king line 60 Edward as before yee haue heard Wherevpon they sent their defiance vnto the French king threatning to be reuenged on him to the vttermost of their powers Duke Albert of Bauier was once minded also to haue aided king Edward in this warre but afterwards such persuasions were vsed on the French kings part that he chose to remaine as neuter betwixt them both refusing to take anie part Among the soldiers also called companions which serued the prince in this season there were three capteins right hardie and verie expert men of warre Ortigo Bernard de Wiske Bernard de la Sale
the horssemen and set the footmen in a battell marshalled wedgewise broad behind and sharpe before hauing with them a banner wherein the crosse was beaten The archers were ranged on either side the standard of the church went before the field gules and two keies siluer signifieng that they were souldiors line 30 of pope Urbane Moreouer the bishop had his penon there siluer and azure quarterlie a freat gold on the azure a bend gules on the siluer and bicause he was yoongest of the Spensers he bare a border gules for a difference At the approching of the battels togither the trumpets blew vp and the archers began to shoot against the battell of the Flemings the which valiantlie defended themselues fought egerlie a long time but at length they were so galled with arrowes which the archers shot at them a flanke that they line 40 were not able to indure but were compelled to giue backe They were diuided into two battels a vaward and a rereward When the vaward began to shrinke the rereward also brake order and fled but the Englishmen pursued them so fast that they could not escape but were ouertaken and slaine in great numbers Some saie there died of them in the battell and chase fiue thousand some six thousand and others write that there were nine thousand of them slaine line 50 and Thomas Walsingham affirmeth twelue thousand Manie of them fled into the towne of Dunkirke for succour but the Englishmen pursued them so egerlie that they entered the towne with them and slue them downe in the streets The Flemings in diuerse places gathered themselues togither againe as they fled and shewed countenance of defense but still they were driuen out of order and brought to confusion The préests and religious men line 60 that were with the bishop fought most egerlie some one of them slaieng sixtéene of the enimies There died of Englishmen at this battell about foure hundred The Flemings had no horssemen amongst them nor anie number of gentlemen for they stood in such dread of English bowes that they durst not come to anie battell with them but kéeping themselues out of danger set the commons of the countrie in hand to trie what they against the Englishmen were able to doo without them This battell was fought vpon a mondaie being the fifteenth of Maie The countrie was put in a woonderfull feare by this ouerthrow so that the townes and fortresses were in great doubt and some yeelded themselues to the Englishmen as Berghen and others some were woone by force as the castell of Drinchan and the towne of S. Uenant To be short the Englishmen became maisters of all the countrie alongst the sea side euen from Grauelin to Sluis and got such riches by pillage and spoile as they could not wish for greater They preuailed so much that they wan in maner all the close towns within the bailiffewéekes of Cassell of Popering Messines and Furneis with the townes of Newport Blankberke and diuerse other Also entring into the woods Nepse and Rutholt they found a great bootie of sheepe and beasts and tooke a great sort of prisoners of the countrie people which were fled into those woods for feare of the enimies but the Englishmen plaieng the part of good bloudhounds found them out sent all their booties and preie vnto Grauelin and Bruckburge On the eight daie of Iune they came before the towne of Ypres and laid siege thereto whereat they continued the space of nine wéekes Thither came to their aid twentie thousand Gauntiners vnder the leading of Francis Akreman Peter Wood and Peter Winter so that they within Ypres were streictlie besieged but there were within it in garrison diuerse valiant knights capteins which defended the towne right manfullie it was fensed with a mightie rampire and a thicke hedge trimlie plashed and woond with thornes as the manner of fortifieng townes was in ancient time amongst them in that countrie as Strabo witnesseth During the time that the siege laie before Ypres the Englishmen swarmed abroad in the countrie for when it was once knowne what good successe the first companie that went ouer had found there came dailie foorth of England great numbers to be partakers of the gaine Sir Iohn Philpot that fauoured the bishops iournie prouided them of vessels for their passage till the bishop vnderstanding that the more part of those that came thus ouer were vnarmed and brought nothing with them from home but onelie swords bowes and arrowes did write vnto the said sir Iohn Philpot that he should suffer none to passe the seas but such as were men able and likelie to doo seruice where a great number of those that were come to him were fit for nothing but to consume vittels much like the popish shauelings and the Romish rascalitie of whome the like is spoken thus Nos numerus sumus fruges consumere nati The multitude of Englishmen and Gauntiners at this siege was great so that diuerse skirmishes chanced betwixt them and such as were appointed by the earle to lie in garrisons about in the countrie against them but still the victorie abode on the English side Also there was an English préest one sir Iohn Boring that went to Gaunt with fiue hundred English archers by whose aid Arnold Hans one of the capteins of Gaunt ouercame his enimies in battell which were laid in a castell neere to the hauen of Allost and stopped that no vittels might safelie come out of Holland or Zeland to be conueied to Gaunt The earle of Flanders was not well contented in his mind that the Englishmen were thus entred into his countrie and therefore earnestlie laboured to the duke of Burgognie that had married his daughter and should be heire of all his dominions and seigniories after his deceasse to find some remedie in the matter The duke whome the matter touched so néere did so much with his nephue the French king that eftsoones he raised his whole puissance and came downe into Flanders so that the Englishmen perceiuing themselues not of power to incounter with this huge and mightie armie were constreined after a great assault which they gaue the eight of August to raise their siege from Ypres the mondaie after being S. Laurence daie and to withdraw into Bruckburge Berghen Dixmew Newport Cassell Dunkirke Grauelin and other places which they had woon But at Newport the townesmen set vp the earles banner and assailing those that were come into the towne slue diuerse of them The Englishmen being sore offended therewith came running thither with certeine Gauntiners and made great slaughter of line 10 them that had so murthered their fellowes The towne was sacked and all the goods aswell church iewels as other were sent awaie partlie by sea into England and partlie by waggons vnto Berge After this they set fire in more than thirtie places of the towne so that there remained nothing
siue annualem redditum quadraginta librarum legalis monetae annuatim percipiendum durante tota vita naturali praedicti Iohannis de Bromley de in omnibus manerijs terris tenementis nostris cum pertinentibus in comitatu Stafford Warwik ad festa Penthecostes sancti Martini in hyeme aequis portionibus Et si contingat praedictam annuitatem siue annualem redditum quadraginta librarum à retro fore in parte velin toto ad aliquod festum quo solui debeat tunc bene licebit praedicto Ioh̄ani assignatis suis in praedictis manerijs ac in omnibus alijs terris tenementis cum suis pertinentibus praescriptis distringere districtiones effugare retinere quousque de praedicta annuitate simul cum arreragijs si quae fuerint plenariè sibifuerit satisfactum persolutum Et vt haec nostra concessio scripti huius confirmatio durante tota vita praedicti Iohannis de Bromley vt praefertur rata stabilis permaneat hoc scriptum impressione sigilli armorum meorum roboraui Hijs testibus Iohanne de Holland Richardo le Greuyll Richardo de Horwood Thoma le Forestar alijs Datum apud Madeley decimo die mensis Martij anno regni regis Henrici quinti post conquestum quarto For that by the armes in the seale it may the better be knowne of what stem this noble man sproong a matter which this storie seemes iustlie to require vnderstand yée thus were the same In his shield a cheuorne charged with a mullet his crest a swans head couped betweene two wings displaied all out of a crowne supported by two greihounds about the shéeld ingrauen Signa Hugonis de Stafford militis Héereby is gathered that he was a third brother of the duke of Buckinghams house This feat thus line 10 well doone the king the same daie found a shallow betwéene Corbie and Peron which neuer was espied before at which he with his armie and carriages the night insuing passed the water of Some without let or danger and therewith determined to make haste towards Calis and not to seeke for battell except he were thereto constreined bicause that his armie by sicknesse was sore diminished in so much that he had but onelie two thousand horssemen and thirteene thousand archers bilmen and of all line 20 sorts of other footmen The Englishmen were brought into some distresse in this iornie by reason of their vittels in maner spent and no hope to get more for the enimies had destroied all the corne before they came Rest could they none take for their enimies with alarmes did euer so infest them dailie it rained and nightlie it fréesed of fuell there was great scarsitie of fluxes plentie monie inough but wares for their reléefe to bestow it on had they none Yet in this great necessitie line 30 the poore people of the countrie were not spoiled nor anie thing taken of them without paiment nor anie outrage or offense doone by the Englishmen except one which was that a souldiour tooke a pix out of a church for which he was apprehended the king not once remooued till the box was restored and the offendor strangled The people of the countries thereabout hearing of such zeale in him to the maintenance of iustice ministred to his armie victuals and other necessaries although by open proclamation line 40 so to doo they were prohibited The French king being at Rone and hearing that king Henrie was passed the riuer of Some was much displeased therewith and assembling his councell to the number of fiue and thirtie asked their aduise what was to be doone There was amongst these fiue and thirtie his sonne the Dolphin calling himselfe king of Sicill the dukes of Berrie and Britaine the earle of Pontieu the kings yoongest sonne and other high estates At length thirtie of them agréed that the Englishmen should not depart vnfought line 50 withall and fiue were of a contrarie opinion but the greater number ruled the matter and so Montioy king at armes was sent to the king of England to defie him as the enimie of France and to tell him that he should shortlie haue battell King Henrie aduisedlie answered Mine intent is to doo as it pleaseth God I will not séeke your maister at this time but if he or his séeke me I will meet with them God willing If anie of your nation attempt once to stop me in my iournie now towards Calis line 60 at their ieopardie be it and yet with I not anie of you so vnaduised as to be the occasion that I die your tawnie ground with your red bloud When he had thus answered the herald he gaue him a princelie reward and licence to depart Upon whose returne with this answer it was incontinentlie on the French side proclamed that all men of warre should resort to the constable to fight with the king of England Wherevpon all men apt for armor and desirous of honour drew them toward the field The Dolphin sore desired to haue béene at the battell but he was prohibited by his father likewise Philip earle of Charolois would gladlie haue béene there if his father the duke of Burgognie would haue suffered him manie of his men stale awaie and went to the Frenchmen The king of England hearing that the Frenchmen approched and that there was an other riuer for him to passe with his armie by a bridge and doubting least if the same bridge should be broken it would be greatlie to his hinderance appointed certeine capteins with their hands to go thither with all speed before him and to take possession thereof and so to keepe it till his comming thither Those that were sent finding the Frenchmen busie to breake downe their bridge assailed them so vigorouslie that they discomfited them and tooke and slue them and so the bridge was preserued till the king came and passed the riuer by the same with his whole armie This was on the two and twentith day of October The duke of Yorke that led the vauntgard after the armie was passed the riuer mounted vp to the heigth of an hill with his people and sent out scowts to discouer the countrie the which vpon their returne aduertised him that a great armie of Frenchmen was at hand approching towards them The duke declared to the king what he had heard and the king therevpon without all feare or trouble of mind caused the battell which he led himselfe to staie and incontinentlie rode foorth to view his aduersaries and that doone returned to his people and with chéerefull countenance caused them to be put in order of battell assigning to euerie capteine such roome and place as he thought conuenient and so kept them still in that order till night was come and then determined to seeke a place to incampe lodge his armie in for that night There was not one amongst them that knew
word of surrendring the towne line 20 or of comming to anie composition or agréement with the two kings except they made him being their capteine priuie thereto before they attempted anie such thing ¶ In the meane season the French queene the queene of England and the duches of Burgognie lieng at Corbeill came diuerse times to visit their husbands and to sée their fréends whome the king of England highlie feasted and louinglie interteined that euerie creature reported great honour of him This towne of Melun séemed verie line 30 strong both by reason of the riuer of Seine which compassed part thereof and also by strong walles turrets ditches and bulworks made about it The king therefore to take awaie all the issues and entries from them within made a bridge ouer the riuer able to beare horsses and carriage and againe appointed diuerse botes furnished with men of warre to kéepe the streame so that they within should haue no waie to come abroad either by water or land yet on a daie the Frenchmen sailed foorth line 40 and assailed the English lodgings where the earle of Warwike was incamped on the east side of the towne not farre from the duke of Burgognie but by the valiant prowesse and manlie courage of the Englishmen the enimies were easilie beaten backe and constreined to retire into the towne againe with their losse Héere is to be remembred that during this siege before Melun there came to the king the duke of Bauiere the kings brother in law but the kings sister that had beene married to him was line 50 not then liuing and brought with him seauen hundred well appointed horssemen which were reteined to serue the king and right worthilie they bare themselues and therefore most liberallie recompensed at the kings hand for the time they continued in his seruice The king inforced this siege by all waies and meanes possible to bring the towne into subiection as well by mines as otherwise but they within the line 60 towne so valiantlie behaued themselues as well by countermines whereby at length they entered into the kings mines as by other waies of resistance that by force of assaults it was not thought anie easie matter to win the same It fortuned on a daie that whilest there rose a contention betwixt two lords of the kings host who should haue the honor to go first into the mine to incounter with the Frenchmen that now had brought their mine through into the English mines and made barriers betwixt that they might safelie come and fight with the Englishmen the king to auoid the strife entered the mine himselfe first of all other and by chance came to fight hand to hand with the lord Barbason who was likewise entered the mine before all other of them within the towne After they had fought a good season togither at length they agreed to discouer either to other their names so as the lord Barbason first declaring what he was the king likewise told him that he was the king of England Wherevpon Barbason perceiuing with whome he had fought caused the barriers foorthwith to be closed and withdrew into the citie and the king returned backe to his campe At length vittels within the towne began to faile and the pestilence began to wax hot so that the lord Barbason began to treat and in conclusion about the middest of Nouember as Fabian saith the towne was yeelded vpon certeine conditions where of one was that all that were consenting to the death of the duke of Burgognie should be deliuered to the king of England of whome the lord Barbason was suspected to be one The king sent them vnder the conduct of his brother the duke of Clarence to the citie of Paris whereof the French king made him capteine and so at his comming thither he tooke possession of the Bastill of S. Anthonie the Loure the house of Néelle and the place of Bois de Uincennes Monsieur de Barbason was accused by the duke of Burgognie and his sisters as guiltie to their fathers death but he in open court defended himselfe as not guiltie of that crime granting indeed and confessing that he was one of the familiar seruants to the Dolphin but that he was priuie or consenting to the death of the duke of Burgognie he vtterlie denied Wherevpon he was not condemned neither yet acquited by reason of such presumptions and coniectures as were alledged and brought against him so that he remained in prison at Paris and else-where the space of nine yeares till at length being brought vnto castell Galliard it chanced that the same castell was woone by those of the Dolphins part and he being as then prisoner there escaped out of danger and so by that means was set at libertie as after shall appeare Some write that he had béene put to death if he had not appealed from king Henries sentence vnto the iudgement of the officers at armes alledging that by the lawe of armes no man hauing his brother in armes within his danger afterwards ought to put him to death for any cause or quarell And that he was the kings brother in armes he prooued it for that he had fought with him hand to hand within the mines as before yee haue heard which combat was thought of equall force by the heralds as if he had fought with the king bodie to bodie within solemne lists The credit of this matter we leaue to the consideration of the readers The earle of Huntington was made capteine of Melum In defense of this towne and castell the French had gotten vnto them manie Scots At the siege héere the king kept with him yoong Iames of Scotland who sent to those Scots that they should come out and yéeld them vnto him and not to stand in armes against their liege lord and king but they gaue word backe againe they could not take him for king that was in the power of another and so kept them in hold and in their armor still King Henrie vpon winning of these forts for their rebellion against their prince which they would haue to be counted constancie and for their contemptuous answer vnto him twentie of the proudest in example of the rest caused he there to be hanged at once From thence the king departed with his armie vnto Corbeill where the French king and the two queenes then soiourned and after both the kings accompanied with the dukes of Bedford Burgognie Glocester and Excester and the earls of Warwike and Salisburie with a great number of noble men and knights set foorth towards Paris whome the citizens in good order met without the gates and the cleargie also with solemne procession All the streets were hanged with rich clothes the two kings rode togither the king of England giuing the vpper hand to his father in lawe through the great citie of Paris to our ladie church where after they had said their deuotions they departed vnto their
Maine and at Pont le Gene he passed the riuer of Yonne and rode through all the countrie to Lucie where he passed the riuer of Loire and entered into Aniou and came before the citie of Angiers where he made manie knights that is â—o saie sir William Ros sir Henrie Goddard sir Rowland Rider sir Thomas Beaufort called the bastard of Clarence and diuerse other and after that he had â—orâ—aied burnt and spoiled the countrie he returned with preie and pillage to the towne of Beaufort in the vallie where he was aduertised that a great number of his enimies Frenchmen Scots Spaniards and other were assembled togither at a place called Uiell Bauge that is Old Baugie with the duke of Alanson calling himselfe lieutenant generall for the Dolphin The duke of Clarence had a Lombard resorting vnto him reteined with the part aduerse his name was Andrew Forgusa of whom the duke inquired the number of his enimies to whome he reported that their number was but small not of puissance to match with halfe the power of his strong armie intising him with assurance of victorie to set on the Frenchmen The duke like a couragious prince assembled togither all the horssemen of the armie and line 10 left the archers vnder the guiding of the bastard of Clarence and two Portingales capteins of Fresnie le vicount saieng that he onelie and the nobles would haue the honor of that iournie When the duke was passed a certeine streict and narrow passage he espied his enimies ranged in good order of battell by the monition of the Lombard which had sold him to his enimies his aduersaries had laid such ambushments at the streicts that the duke by no waie without battell could either retire or flée line 20 The Englishmen séeing this valiantlie set on their enimies who were foure to one by reason whereof at length the Englishmen were oppressed with multitude and brought to confusion There were slaine the duke of Clarence the earle of Tankeruile the lord Ros sir Gilbert Umfreuile earle of Angus and sir Iohn Lomlie sir Robert Uerend and almost two thousand Englishmen the earles of Summerset Suffolke and Perch the lord Fitz Water sir Iohn Berkelie sir Rafe Neuile sir Henrie Inglis sir line 30 Wiliam Bowes sir Wiliam Longton sir Thomas Borough and diuerse other taken prisoners And of the Frenchmen were slaine aboue twelue hundred of the best men of warre they had so that they gained not much The bastard of Clarence which tarried at Beaufort being informed of the great number of the Frenchmen made forward with all the archers to come to the succor of the duke but they came too late For the Frenchmen hearing of the approching of the line 40 archers fled with their prisoners and left the bodie of the duke and other the dead carcases behind them The archers buried them all sauing the dukes corpse which with great solemnitie was sent to England and buried at Canturburie beside his father After this the Englishmen burnt and spoiled the countrie of Maine and so returned to Alanson and after departed euerie man to his garrison This battell was fought on Easter euen in the yeare 1421. But now to returne to the king line 50 After he had kept his Easter at Leicester he with the quéene remooued and went northward till they came to Yorke where they were receiued with great ioy of the citizens and other the nobles and gentlemen of the countrie The king went vnto Beuerlie to visit the shrine of saint Iohn and immediatlie vpon his departure from thence the sorowfull newes of his brother the duke of Clarences death came to him for which he was right pensife But sith mourning would not auaile he called to remembrance line 60 what he had to doo and therevpon without delaie sent Edmund earle of Mortaigne brother to the earle of Summerset into Normandie giuing to him like authoritie and preheminence as his brother the late deceassed duke of Clarence had before enioied After this he called his high court of parlement in the which he declared with such great wisedome grauitie the acts which had béene doone in France the state of the time present and what was necessarie to be prouided for the time to come if they would looke to haue that iewell and high kingdome for the which they had so long laboured and sought that the communaltie gladlie granted a fiftéenth the clergie beneuolentlie offred a double disme And bicause no delaie should be in the kings affaires for lacke of paiment the bishop of Winchester the kings vncle lent vnto him twentie thousand pounds to be paid him againe of the same dismes When all things necessarie for this iournie were readie and prepared he sent his brother the duke of Bedford before him to Calis with all his armie being as some write foure thousand men of armes and twentie thousand archers and others though some haue written that the whole armie passed not twelue thousand of one and other The king himselfe shortlie after about the middle of Maie passed the seas to Calis and so from thence he marched through the countrie vnto Boies de Uincennes where the French king and the queene aâ— then soiourned The duke of Burgognie also that had receiued him at Monstruell attended him to Dowast in Ponthieu and there hauing taken leaue of him for six daies returned now againe to him according to his promise Then did they consult togither about their affaires and appointed in all hast to fight with the Dolphin and to raise the siege of Chartres which he had there planted Herevpon the king of England with all his puissance came to the towne of Mante and thither repaired the duke of Burgognie but yer they departed from thence they had knowledge that the Dolphin hearing of the puissant armie of the king of England approching towards him was recoiled with his people towards Towers in Touraine Herevpon the king of England incontinentlie did not onlie send backe the duke of Burgognie into Picardie to resist the attempts of sir Iaques de Harecourt which made war in that countrie for the Dolphin but also appointed the king of Scots with the duke of Glocester to besiege the towne of Dreux They comming thither about the eighteenth of Iulie planted siege on euerie side both of the towne and castell and what with power of batrie and other forcible meanes so constreined them within that on the eight daie of August they compounded that if no sufficient rescue came to raise the siege before the end of twelue daies next insuing both the towne and castell should be deliuered to the king of Englands vse so as the soldiers might depart with their goods whither they would except one Englishman which was knowen to be amongst them being fled for treason out of the kings dominions On the twentith daie of August which was the day of the appointment the king of
to driue the English nation out of the French territories Whereto they were the more earnestlie bent and thought it a thing of greater facilitie because of king Henries yoong yeares whome because he was a child they estéemed not but with one consent reuolted from their sworne fealtie as the recorder of the Englishmens battels with forren nations verie aptlie doth note saieng Hîc Franci puerum regem neglectui habentes Desciscunt violátque fidem gens perfida sacro Consilio ante datam The duke of Bedford being greatlie mooued with these sudden changes fortified his townes both with garrisons of men munition and vittels assembled also a great armie of Englishmen and Normans and so effectuouslie exhorted them to continue faithfull to their liege and lawfull lord yoong king Henrie that manie of the French capteins willinglie sware to king Henrie fealtie and obedience by whose example the communaltie did the same Thus the people quieted and the countrie established in order nothing was minded but warre and nothing spoken of but conquest The Dolphin which lay the same time in the citie of Poitâ—ers after his fathers deceasse caused himselfe to be proclamed king of France by the name of Charles the seuenth and in good hope to recouer his patrimonie with an haultie courage preparing war assembled a great armie and first the warre began by light skirmishes but after it grew into maine battels The Dolphin thinking not to lose anie occasions of well dooing sent the lord Grauile to the towne of Pont Meulan standing on the riuer of Seine who comming to the same vpon the sudden the fouretéenth of Ianuarie year 1423 tooke it and slue a great number of English souldiors which he found within it When the duke of Bedford the regent aduertised of this sudden surprise appointed the lord Thomas Montacute earle of Salisburie a man both for policie and courage liker to the old Romans than to line 10 men of his daies accompanied with the earle of Suffolke the lord Scales the yoong lord Poinings sir Iohn Fastolfe maister of the houshold with himselfe and diuerse others to besiege the said towne of Pont Meulan which after two moneths siege was rendred to the said earle and the lord Grauile sware â—o be true to the king of England euer after that day but shortlie after forgetting his oth he turned French againe The earle of Salisburie appointed sir Henrie line 20 Mortimer and sir Richard Uernon capteins of the towne and from thence went into Champaigne and there besieged the towne of Sens tooke it and sir William Marin the capteine within it and slue all the souldiors that kept it made capteins there sir Hugh Godding sir Richard Aubemond ¶ In this season Humfrie duke of Glocester either striken in loue or vpon some other occasion maried the ladie Iaquet or Iaquelin daughter and sole heire to William of Bauier duke of Holland which was lawfull line 30 wife to Iohn duke of Brabant then liuing who afterwards as after ye shall heare recouered hir out of the dukes hands The chances thus happening as you before haue heard Iohn duke of Bedford Philip duke of Burgognie and Iohn duke of Britaine made a fréendlie méeting in the citie of Amiens where they renewed the old league and ancient amitie made betwéene the noble prince king Henrie the fift and them adding thereto these conditions and agréements ech of them line 40 to be to the other fréend and aider and the enimie of the one to be enimie to the other and all they to be fréends and aiders to the king of England welwiller to his welwillers and aduersarie to his aduersaries And bicause that affinitie is commonlie the bond of amitie there was concluded a mariage betwéene the duke of Bedford and the ladie Anne sister to the duke of Burgognie which was after solemnized at Trois in Champaigne in the presence of the duke of Burgognie brother to the bride and of hir line 50 vncle the duke of Brabant the earles of Salisburie and Suffolke and of nine hundred lords knights and esquiers with such feast and triumph as before that time had not béene séene of the Burgognions Whilest these matters were in hand the Parisiens thinking to blind the eies of the duke of Bedford wrote to him how diuerse castels and fortresses lieng about their territories were replenished with their enimies dailie stopping their passages and robbing their merchants to their vtter vndooing if they line 60 by his helpe were not relieued But this was but a glose of the Parisiens meaning to cause him to go about the winning of some strong hold whilest they in his absence might bring into the citie Charles the Dolphin that then called himselfe French king for so had they appointed assigning to him the daie of his comming and the post of his entrie But their practise being discouered to the duke of Bedford he with a great power entered into Paris one daie before the faire was appointed two nights before he was looked for of his enimies being vnprouided and suddenlie caused the conspirators within the citie to be apprehended and openlie to be put to execution This doone putting a mistrust in the Parisiens he caused the castels and fortresses neere and adioining to the citie to be furnished with Englishmen And to auoid all night-watchers about Paris and the confines thereof he first tooke into his possession either by assault or composition the towne of Trainelle and Braie vpon Seine And bicause two castels the one called Pacie and the other Coursaie were also euill neighbors to the Parisiens he sent sir Iohn Fastolfe great maister of his houshold with a notable armie to win the same castels which he did and with preie and prisoners returned backe againe to his maister the regent In this verie season the Dolphin sent the lord William Steward earle of Buchquhane that was constable of France and the earle of Uentadour in Auuergne and manie other noble men of his part to laie siege to the towne of Crauant in the countie of Auxerre within the parts of Burgognie Wherof hearing the lord regent and the duke of Burgognie they assembled a great armie and appointed the earle of Salisburie to haue the guiding thereof who with his capteins and men of warre English and Burgognions came in good arraie to giue battell to the besiegers And bicause the riuer of Yonne which runneth by the said towne was betweene the English armie and their aduersaries they could not well assaile their enimies which defended the bankes and passages verie stronglie yet notwithstanding both horssemen and footmen of the English part couragiouslie put themselues into the riuer and with fine force recouered the banke whome the Burgognions incontinentlie followed When they were all gotten into the plaine the archers shot the bill men strake and long was the fight in doubtfull balance But in conclusion the Frenchmen not able to resist the force of the English nation were
Narbonne and six thousand Frenchmen which finding the Englishmen out of araie incumbred with carriage of their great spoile suddenlie set on them gaue them the ouerthrow slue thrée hundred and tooke manie prisoners as the said sir Iohn de la Poole sir Iohn Basset Iohn Aâ—fort lieutenant of Faleise Iohn Clitton Henrie Mortimer and other to the number of six hundred But though the Frenchmen got here in this place they went not awaie with like gaine in an other for the bastard de la Baulme and the lord Craignar capteins of Courallon with a great band made rode into Masconnois whom by chance Matthew Gough and other Englishmen which were also abroad in the countrie met and incountred There was a sore fight betwéene the parties being of courage and number in maner equall But after long conflict the Frenchmen almost all were slaine and taken and the bastard being well horssed fled after whome followed vpon the spurres Matthew Gough chasing him euen to his castell gate and there tooke him for the which act he was much praised of the erle of Salisburie to whom he presented the said bastard and had not onelie the rights giuen him that belonged to the prisoner but also was rewarded with a goodlie courser at the earles hands About this season Arthur brother to Iohn duke of Britaine commonlie called the earle of Richmond hauing neither profit of the name nor of the countrie notwithstanding that king Henrie the fift had created him earle of Yurie in Normandie and gaue him not onelie a great pension but also the whole profits of the same towne of Yurie yet now bicause that the duke his brother was returned to the part of the Dolphin he likewise reuolting from the English obeisance came to the Dolphin to Poictiers and there offered himselfe to serue him whom the Dolphin gladlie accepted reioising more thereof than if he had gained an hundred thousand crownes for the Britons within the towne of Yurie hearing that their maister was ioined with the Dolphin kept both the towne and castell against the duke of Bedford furnishing it dailie with new men and munition The lord regent aduertised hereof raised an armie of Englishmen and Normans to the number of eighteene hundred men of armes and eight thousand line 10 archers and other He had in his companie the earles of Salisburie and Suffolke the lords Scales Willoughbie and Poinings sir Reginald Graie sir Iohn Fastolfe sir Iohn Saluaine sir Lancelot Lisle sir Philip Hall sir Iohn Pashleie sir Iohn Greie sir Thomas Blunt sir Robert Harling sir William Oldhall and manie other both knights and esquiers with whom he came before the towne of Yurie which was well defended till they within perceiued themselues in danger by reason of a mine which the Englishmen line 20 made wherevpon they yeelded the towne But the capteins of the castell would not presentlie render the place howbeit they promised to deliuer it if the same were not rescued at a day assigned by the Dolphin or his power Upon this promise hostages were deliuered into the possession of the lord regent by whose licence an herald was sent to the Dolphin to aduertise him of the time determined who vnderstanding the distresse of his fréends incontinentlie sent Iohn duke of Alanson line 30 as his lieutenant generall the erle Douglas whome at their setting foorth he made duke of Touraine and the earle Buchquhane as then constable of France the erls of Aumarle Uentadoure Tonnere Maulieurier and Forests the vicounts of Narbonne and Touars the lords of Grauile Gaules Malicorne Mannie Ballaie Fountains Montfort and manie other noble knights and esquiers to the number of fifteene thousand Frenchmen Britons besides fiue thousand Scots whome the earle line 40 Dowglas had but latelie transported out of Scotland This roiall armie approched within two miles of Yurie But when the duke of Alanson vnderstood by such as he had sent to view the conduict of the Englishmen that he could not get anie aduantage by assailing them although the Dolphin had giuen him streict commandement to fight with the regent he retired backe with his whole armie to the towne of Uernueill in Perch that belonged to the king of line 50 England sending word to the garrison that he had discomfited the English armie and that the regent with a small number with him by swiftnesse of horsse had saued himselfe The inhabitants of Uernueill giuing too light cerdit herevnto receiued the duke of Alanson with all his armie into the towne In the meane time came the daie of the rescues of Yurie which for want thereof was deliuered to the duke of Bedford by the capteine called Gerard de la Pallier who presenting vnto the duke of Bedford line 60 the keies of the castell shewed him a letter also signed and sealed with the hands and seales of eightéene great lords who the daie before promised by the tenour of the same letter to giue the duke battell and to raise the siege Well said the duke if their hearts would haue serued their puissance was sufficient once to haue proffered or to haue performed this faithfull promise but sith they disdaine to seeke me God and saint George willing I shall not desist to follow the tract of their horsses till one part of vs be by battell ouerthrowne And herewith he sent foorth the earle of Suffolke with six hundred horssemen to espie the dooings of the Frenchmen and where they were lodged The earle riding foorth passed by Dampuile and came to Bretueill where he heard certeine newes where the Frenchmen had gotten Uerneueill and remained there still These newes he sent by post vnto the duke of Bedford the which incontinentlie vpon that aduertisement set forward in great hast towards his enimies The Frenchmen hearing of his comming set their people in arraie and made all one maine battell without fore ward or rere ward and appointed foure hundred horssemen Lombards and others to breake the arraie of the Englishmen either behind or at the sides of the which was capteine sir Stephan de Uinoiles called the Hire The duke of Bedford likewise made one entier battell and suffered no man to be on horssebacke and set the archers euerie one hauing a sharpe stake both on the front of the battell and also on the sides like wings And behind were all their horsses tied togither either by the reins or by the tailes with the carts and cariages to the defense whereof were two thousand archers appointed Héerewith either part being come almost to the ioining the duke of Alanson on the one side exhorted his people to plaie the men declaring vnto them that the conclusion of this battell should either deliuer them out of vile seruitude or place them in the vale of bondage On the other side the duke of Bedford to incourage his men willed them to remember how oft they had subdued those their aduersaries in battell with whome they should now cope for the most part
sir Francis called the Aragoignois a noble capteine of the English part in Normandie tooke by force and policie the towne of Montargis with a great preie of treasure and prisoners and put therein a garrison leauing it well furnished with vittels and munition About the same time the earle of Arundell being truelie informed that the lord Bousac marshall of France was come to Beauuois intending to doo some feat in Normandie assembled the number of thrée and twentie hundred men and comming néere to the said towne of Beauuois sent a great number of light horssemen to run before the towne to traine out the Frenchmen within the which issuing out and following the English horssemen vnto their stale were so inclosed and fought with that in maner all the number of them saue a few which fled backe into the towne with the marshall were slaine or taken Amongst other of the cheefest prisoners that valiant capteine Pouton de Santrails was one who without delaie was exchanged for the lord Talbot before taken prisoner at the battell of Pataie There was also taken one called the sheepheard a simple man and a sillie soule but yet of such reputation for his supposed holinesse amongst the Frenchmen that if he touched the wall of any of their aduersaries townes they beléeued verelie it would incontinentlie fall downe This chance succéeded not fortunatlie alone vnto the English nation for Richard Beauchampe earle of Warwike had a great skirmish before the towne of Gournie where he discomfited and repelled his enimies and beside those that were slaine he tooke fortie horssemen all being gentlemen of name and armes Like chance happened to the fréends of king Charles towards the marches of Lorraine where Reigner duke of Bar besieged the towne of Uaudemont perteining to the earle thereof named Anthonie cousine to the same duke Reigner This earle before the dukes approching left a conuenient crue within the towne to defend it and with all spéed rode to the dukes of Bedford and Burgognie being then at the foresaid great triumph at Paris where he purchased such fauour at their hands bicause he had euer taken their parts that not onelie sir Iohn Fastolfe was appointed to go with him hauing in his companie six hundred archers but also the duke of Burgognies marshall named sir Anthonie Toulongon accompanied with fiftéene hundred other men of warre When the duke of Bar heard that his enimies were thus comming towards him like a hardie capteine he raised his siege and met face to face with the earle and his companie betwéene whome was a cruell and mortall battell The horssemen of the French side endured long but in conclusion the English archers so galled their horsses and so wounded the men that the Barrois Almains and other of duke Reigners side were compelled to flee In the chase was taken the duke of Bar the bishop of Metz the lord of of Roquedemaque sir Euerard of Salseburgh the Uicont Darcie and two hundred other beside three thousand which were slaine In this luckie time also no lesse occasion of victorie was offered to the Englishmen in an other part if they could haue vsed it with such circumspect warinesse as had beene expedient For Robert lord Willoughbie and Matthew Gough a valiant Welshman with fifteene hundred Englishmen laid siege to a towne in Aniou called saint Seuerine Whereof line 10 Charles the French king being aduertised sent with all speed the lord Ambrose de Lore with manie noble men to the succours of them within the towne wherof the same lord Ambrose was capteine and therefore made the more hast to releeue his deputie and the other being streictlie besieged but yet staied at the towne of Beaumont till his whole power might come to him The Englishmen aduertised of this intent of the capteine came vpon him in the night and found the line 20 Frenchmens watch so out of order that a thousand men were entered into the campe before they were espied by reason whereof the Englishmen found small resistance But when the daie began to appeare and that the sunne had set foorth his bright beames abroad that all things might be seene the Englishmen giuen wholie to spoile followed not their enimies in chase but being contented with their preie and gaine began to retreit toward the siege againe line 30 which the lord Willoughbie still mainteined with a part of the armie But sée the chance The Frenchmen which were coÌ„ming after hearing by the noise of the people that some fraie was at hand put spurres to their horsses and set on the Englishmen pestered with bag and baggage of the spoile and preie which they had gotten in the French campe The other of the Frenchmen which before had fled returned againe and aided their fellowes so that the Englishmen being taken out of order were compelled to flée of whome line 40 Matthew Gough and diuerse other were taken prisoners And yet of the other part manie were slaine and a great number taken amongst whom was the lord de Lore who for all that the Frenchmen could doo was kept and not deliuered The lord Willoughbie hearing of this mishap raised his siege and departed verie sore displeased in his mind but could not remedie it About this season Nicholas the cardinall of the holie crosse was sent into France as a legat from line 50 Eugenie the fourth as then bishop of Rome to treat a peace betwéene the Englishmen and Frenchmen But when after great instance and labour made betweene the parties he saw their obstinate and froward minds nothing inclined to anie agréement he wan so much at their hands by earnest sute that a truce was granted to indure for six yeares to come but as the same was hardlie granted so was it of the Frenchmen soone and lightlie broken For the bastard line 60 of Orleance newlie made earle of Dunois tooke by treson the towne of Chartres from the Englishmen affirming by the law of armes that stealing or buieng a towne without inuasion or assault was no breach of league amitie or truce In which towne he slue the bishop bicause he was a Burgognian Hereby did new malice increase and mortall warre began eftsoones to be put in vre Whilest these things were dooing in France the cardinall of Winchester was come backe againe into England to appease certeine commotions and sturres aâ—tempted by sundrie persons vnder colour of religion but after that William Mandeuile and Iohn Sharpe the chéefe authors thereof were apprehended and executed by the gouernour and the kings iustices the residue yeelded and confessed their offenses whereof two articles were these as some write that priests should haue no possessions and that all things by the order of charitie among christian people should be in common Other thought their opinions were not such errours but that their enimies spread abroad such rumors of them to make them more odious to the people After that a parlement was called by
other noble and valiant personages The Frenchmen thus politiklie hauing doone their feat in the beginning of August remooued their armie vnto Fort vnder Yer where by a bridge of tuns they passed into the I le of France The duke of Bedford like a wise prince not minding to leaue the more in ieopardie for hope of the lesse nor the accident for the substance raised his siege and returned to Paris nothing more minding than to trie his quarrell with dint of sword against the enimies if they would thereto agrée And herevpon sent Bedford his herald to the lord Gawcourt and other capteins of the French armie offering them battell and a pitched field within a conuenient time and where they would appoint The French capteins answered the English herald that there was time to gaine and time to lose and for choise of times they would vse their owne discretions Shortlie after Piers Audebeufe constable of the castell of Rone corrupted with monie year 1433 suffered the marshall of France with two hundred other as persons disguised to enter the place by stealth but they were soone espied and driuen to the dungeon where they were constrained to yéeld themselues prisoners of the which some were hanged some headed and some ransomed at the pleasure of the regent This pageant thus plaied the lord regent sent the earle of saint Paule and Robert lord Willoughbie with a competent number of men to besiege the towne of S. Ualerie which the Frenchmen a little before had taken This siege continued the space of thrée wéeks at the end whereof the Frenchmen within yéelded the towne and departed with their horsse and harnesse onelie to them saued The earle put there in garrison fresh and valiant souldiers and appointed capteine there sir Iohn Aubemond ¶ In the same towne whether by infection of aire or by corrupt vittels which the townesmen did eat a great pestilence shortlie after happened which consumed within a small time two parts of the people The earle of saint Paule and the lord Willoughbie returning backe to the regent were ioifullie receiued and within a while after the earle departed from Paris to laie siege to the castell of Mouchas But being incamped néere the towne of Blangie he by a sudden maladie departed this life the last of August leauing his seigniories to Lewes de Lutzenburgh his sonne and heire Bicause this dead earle was father in law to the regent solemne obsequies were kept for him both in Paris and in London In the meane season the Frenchmen entering into high Burgognie burnt tooke and destroied diuerse townes wherevpon the Burgognians assembled a great armie both to reuenge their quarrels and to recouer their townes taken from them To whome as to his freends the duke of Bedford sent the lord Willoughbie and sir Thomas Kiriell with a conuenient number of souldiers which entering into the lands of Laonnois were incountered with a great power of their enimies But after long fight the Frenchmen were ouerthrowne and of them left dead in the field an hundred and sixtie horssemen beside prisoners which after vpon vrgent cause were all killed Whilest these things happened thus in France Iohn lord Talbot gathered togither a crue of chosen men of warre in England year 1434 to the number of eight hundred and sailed into Normandie and passed by Rone to Paris In his waie he tooke the strong castell of Ioing betwéene Beauuois and Gisours and caused all the Frenchmen within to be taken and hanged and after raced and defaced the castell After he had rested himselfe a while at Paris and taken aduise with the councell there what waie it should be best for him to take without prolonging time he with the lord de Lisle Adam and others departed from thence hauing in their retinues sixtéene hundred men of 〈◊〉 And comming to the castell of 〈…〉 vpon Oise whereof was capteine sir Aâ—adour de Uignoils brother to the Hire they found line 10 it abandoned by them that had it in kéeping who were withdrawne to the towne of Creill Thither therefore the lord Talbot followed who slaieng in a skirmish the said Amadour he wan at length the said towne of Creill and after the townes of Pont S. Maxence Neufuile in Esmoie la Rouge maison Crespie in Ualois Cleremont in Beauuois and after with great riches and good prisoners returned to Paris Neither had the lord Talbot such good and prosperous successe alone but the earle of Arundell line 20 also at the verie same season tooke the castell of Bomeline raced it to the ground after he got by force the castell of Dorle from thence came to S. Selerine where the lord Ambrose de Lore being capteine issued out and fought with the Englishmen so egerlie that he droue them backe an arrow shoot by fine force but the earle so incouraged his men that they gaue a fresh onset vpon the Frenchmen and followed it so fiercelie that they slue a great number of them and droue the residue into the towne line 30 After this victorie he besieged Louiers whereof was capteine the Hire and his brother who rendered the towne without assault Then the earle assembling togither a great armie returned againe to S. Selerine inuironed the towne with a strong siege When he had lien there almost thrée moneths euerie daie attempting or dooing somewhat he finallie gaue so fierce an assault that by force he entered the towne and slue Iohn Almaigne and Guilliam saint Albine the chéefe capteins and eight hundred other line 40 men of warre The children of le seigneur de Lore were taken prisoners The earle put new men of warre into the towne and made capteine there sir Iohn Cornewall After this he before the strong towne of Sillie pitched his campe The inhabitants terrified at the losse of saint Selerine deliuered him pledges vpon condition that if they were not rescued within thirtie daies next then they their liues saued should render the towne into his possession which offer was receiued line 50 The French king being aduertised hereof by a post appointed as some saie Arthur earle of Richmont or as other write Iohn duke of Alanson with a great companie of men of warre to go to the rescue of this towne But whether it was the earle or duke certeine it is at his approching to the siege he incamped himselfe by a brooke side ouer the which a man might haue striden perceiuing how stronglie the English were incamped against him he thought it not for his profit to giue battell so in the night season line 60 raised went his waie without further attempt When they within the towne knew that their succours failed they rendered themselues to the mercie of the earle of Arundell who gentlie receiued them and leauing a garrison in the towne departed to Mans and in his waie tooke the castels of Mellaie and saint Laurence About this time the lord Willoughbie
sir Thomas Kiriell returning with great victorie out of Burgognie passing by the towne of Louiers latelie reduced to the English obeisance furnished it both with men and munition Among so manie good chances some euill are accustomed to happen or else the gainers would not know themselues And so at this time it happened that a great number of the common and rusticall people in Normandie dwelling by the sea coast either prouoked by the French king or desirous of alteration and change which thing the commons much couet and desire made an insurrection put on harnesse and by force expelled certeine English garrisons out of their holds publishing and proclaming openlie that their onelie purpose and intent was to expell and banish the whole English nation out of their countries and coasts Wherefore it maie be likelie that the blacke Morian will sooner became white than the people bred in France will heartilie loue an English borne For it standeth not with their enuious nature to alter their malicious maners as the old prouerbe saith truelie of them Celtica natura semper sequitur sua iura These rebels thus frantikelie assembled with all spéed marched toward Caen to the intent there both to increase their number and also to consult what waie they should follow in their new begun enterprise But the dukes of Yorke and Summerset then lieng in Normandie hauing perfect knowledge hereof immediatlie sent foorth the earle of Arundell and the lord Willoughbie with six thousand archers and thirtéene hundred light horssemen to staie and kéepe them from making anie further progresse The earle of Arundell appointed the lord Willoughbie with two thousand archers and certeine horssemen to go afore him and lie in a stale within some couert place Which doone the earle followed so keeping in the multitude at the backe droue them before him as deare into a buckestale and when the miserable wretches came néere to the stale the earle made a token whereat a gun shot off for a signe Therewith the lord Willoughbie set on them before and the earle behind shooting so fiercelie that the poore caitiues wounded and galled with the shot of arrowes threw awaie their harnesse and cried out instantlie for mercie The earle of Arundell mooued with compassion caused his souldiers to staie from further slaughter and apprehending those that were knowen to be stirrers and leaders of the rest let the other returne home without further damage but yet yer the souldiers could be brought backe vnder their standards there were aboue a thousand of the rebels slaine And this commotion thus appeased vpon inquirie of the principall offendors such as were found guiltie were put to terrible executions as they had well deserued During which rebellion Peter Rokeford and his companie gat by treason the towne of Diepe and diuerse other holds thereto adioining After the earle of Arundell had obteined so good successe in his enterprises as partlie ye haue heard he attempted another which was the last worke and finall labour of his liuing daies For the duke of Bedford being informed that his aduersaries had gotten the towne of Rue and therein put a garrison which sore vexed the countries of Ponthieu Arthois and Bolennois sent word to the earle that he without delaie should besiege the said towne The earle obeieng his commandement assembled his people and came to Gourneie where he heard tell how there was a castell néere to Beauuois called Gerberoie the which being fallen in decaie Charles the French king had appointed sir Stephan de Uignoils commonlie called the Hire to repare and newlie to fortifie bicause it stood commodiouslie to serue as a countergarrison against the English townes and fortresses on those frontiers The earle aduertised hereof and perceiuing that this new building would be greatlie preiudiciall to the Englishmen determined first to dispossesse his enimies of that place supposing to find small resistance but he was deceiued For there was the said Hire and three thousand men of warre with him The erle comming thither incamped himselfe with fiue hundred horssemen in a little close not farre from the castell The Frenchmen perceiuing that the earle and his horsses were wearie and that his archers were not yet come determined to set vpon him before the comming of his footmen the which they knew to be little more than a mile behind Wherfore for a policie they set foorth fiftie horssemen as though there had beene line 10 no mo within the castell The earle perceiuing this sent foorth sir Randolfe Standish to incounter them hauing with him an hundred horsses The Frenchmen fought couragiouslie awhile and suddenlie came out all the remnant and slue sir Randolfe Standish and all his companie and boldlie set on the earle and his band which manfullie resisted the Frenchmen till at length the Hire caused thrée culuerings to be shot off amongst the Englishmen wherof one strake the earle on the ancle and so brake his leg that for line 20 paine he fell from his horsse Then the Frenchmen entered amongst the Englishmen tooke the earle lieng on the ground with sir Richard Wooduile and six score more and there were slaine almost two hundred The residue saued themselues as well as they might The earle was caried to Beauuois where of his hurt he shortlie died was buried in the frier Minors He was a man of singular vertue constancie and grauitie whose death in so troublous a season did sore appall the harts of the English people Thus oftentimes varied the chance of line 30 doubtfull warre so that one time the Englishmen got by assault and yeelded diuerse strong townes castels and piles and at another season the French people sometime by bargaine sometime by assault obteined the same againe or other in their stéed About the moneth of Iune in this twelfth yeare Iohn duke of Bourbon and Auuergne taken prisoner at the battell of Agincourt eighteene yéeres past as before ye haue heard now paieng his ransome line 40 which was eightéene thousand pounds sterling was taken with a most sore and grieuous feuer the which made an end of his life in the citie of London on the same daie that was appointed for his departure towards France whose corpse was interred in the graie friers of the same citie ¶ This yeare also about the latter end of Maie was a méeting appointed to be had at saint Omers betwixt the dukes of Bedford and Burgognie for the qualifieng of certeine displeasures and grudges betwixt them kindled and mainteined by some flattering taletellers who raising line 50 matters of reproch touching their honors bred such grudges that all loue betwixt them ceassed all affinitie reiected and all old fréendship forgotten such enuie insueth where enimitie once hath princes harts possessed These two dukes come into the towne of saint Omers the duke of Bedford being then regent of France sonne brother and vncle to kings thought that the duke of Burgognie should haue come and line 60 visited him in his
enterprise And so obteining of king Charles a small crew of men and borrowing certeine summes of monie of him and of diuerse other his priuate freends for the which he left as debter or more likelie as a pledge or hostage lord Thomas marquesse Dorset whome he halfe mistrusted and sir Iohn Bourchier he departed from the French court and came to the citie of Rone While he taried there making prouision at Harfleet in the mouth of the riuer of Sene for all things necessarie for his nauie tidings were brought to him that king Richard being without children now a widower intended shortlie to marie the ladie Elizabeth his brothers daughter and to prefer the ladie Cicilie hir sister to a man found in a cloud and of an vnknowne linage and familie He tooke these newes as a matter of no small moment and so all things considered it was of no lesse importance than he tooke it for For this thing onelie tooke awaie from him and all his companions their hope and courage that they had to obteine an happie enterprise And therefore no maruell though it nipped him at the verie stomach when he thought that by no possibilitie he might atteine the mariage of any of K. Edwards daughters which was the strongest foundation of his building by reason whereof he iudged that all his fréends in England would abandon and shrinke from him Wherefore making not manie of his counsell after diuerse consultations he determined not yet to set forward but to tarie and attempt how to get more aid more fréends and more stronger succours And amongst all other it was thought most expedient to allure by affinitie in his aid as a companion in armes sir Walter Herbert a man of an ancient stocke of great power among the Welsh who had with him a faire ladie to his sister of age ripe to be coupled with him in matrimonie And for the atchiuing of this purpose messengers were secretlie sent to Henrie earle of Northumberland which had before maried another sister of sir Walter Herberts to the intent that he should set forward all this deuise and purpose but the waies were so narowlie watched and so manie spies laid that the messenger procéeded not in his iournie and businesse But in the meane season there came to the earle a more ioifull message from Morgan Kidwellie learned in the temporall law which declared that Rice ap Thomas a man of no lesse valiantnesse than actiuitie and Iohn Sauage an approoued capteine would line 10 with all their power be partaker of his quarell And that Reginald Breie had collected and gotten togither no small summe of monie for the paiment of the wages to the souldiers and men of warre admonishing him also to make quicke expedition and to take his course directlie into Wales The earle of Richmond bicause he would no longer linger and wearie his fréends liuing continuallie betwéene hope and feare determined in all conuenient hast to set forward and caried to his ships armor weapons line 20 vittels and all other ordinances expedient for warre After that all things were in readinesse the earle being accompanied onelie with two thousand men and a small number of ships weied vp his anchors and halsed vp his sailes in the moneth of August and sailed from Harfléet with so prosperous a wind that the seuenth daie after his departure he arriued in Wales in the euening at a place called Milford hauen and incontinent tooke land and came to a place called Dalle where he heard saie that a certeine line 30 companie of his aduersaries were laid in garrison to defend his arriuall all the last winter And the earle at the sunne rising remooued to Hereford west being distant from Dalle not full ten miles where he was ioifullie receiued of the people and he arriued there so suddenlie that he was come and entered the towne at the same time when the citizens had but knowledge of his comming Here he heard newes which were as vntrue as they trulie were reported to him in Normandie that Rice ap Thomas and Iohn Sauage with bodie and line 40 goods were determined to aid king Richard While he and his companie were some what astonied at these new tidings there came such message from the inhabitants of the towne of Penbroke that refreshed and reuiued their frosen harts and daunted courages For Arnold Butler a valiant capteine which first asked pardon for his offenses before time committed against the earle of Richmond and that obteined declared to him that the Penbrochians were line 50 readie to serue and giue their attendance on their naturall and immediat lord Iasper earle of Penbroke The earle of Richmond hauing his armie thus increased departed from Hereford west to the towne of Cardigan being fiue miles distant from thence While the souldiers were refreshing and trimming themselues in their campe strange tidings sproong among them without anie certeine author that sir Walter Herbert which laie with a great crue of men at Carmarden was now with a great armie readie to approch and bid them battell With line 60 which newes the armie was sore troubled and euery man assaied his armour and prooued his weapon and were prest to defend their enimies And as they were in this fearfull doubt certeine horssemen which the earle had sent to make inquirie and search returned and reported all the countrie to be quiet and no let nor impediment to be laid or cast in their iournie And euen at the same time the whole armie was greatlie recomforted by reason that the comming of Richard Griffith a man of great nobilitie the which notwithstanding that he was confederate with sir Walter Herbert and Richard ap Thomas yet at that verie instant he came to the earle of Richmond with all his companie which were of no great number After him the same daie came Iohn Morgan with his men Then the earle aduanced forward in good hast making no repose or abode in anie one place And to the intent to passe forward with sure and short expedition he assaulted euerie place where his enimies had set anie men of warre which with small force and lesse difficultie he brieflie did ouercome vanquish And suddenlie he was by his espials ascerteined that sir Walter Herbert and Rice ap Thomas were in harnesse before him readie to incounter with his armie and to stop their passage Wherefore like a valiant capteine he first determined to set on them and either to destroie or to take them into his fauour and after with all his power and puissance to giue battell to his mortall enimie king Richard But to the intent his fréends should know in what readinesse he was and how he procéeded forward he sent of his most secret and faithfull seruants with letters and instructions to the ladie Margaret his mother to the lord Stanleie and his brother to sir Gilbert Talbot and to other his trustie fréends declaring to them
out of his realme seigniories and dominions About the same time king Henrie receiued the ambassadors that were sent to him from the French king and had béene staied at Douer till the Cornish rebels were vanquished and subdued Also the lord of Camphire and other oratours of Philip archduke of Austrich and duke of Burgognie came to him for the conclusion of amitie and to haue the English merchants to resort againe to their countrie Which request being verie agréeable to the quietnesse and wealth of his realme and especiallie at that time he did fauourablie grant and agrée vnto And so did the Englishmen resort againe into the archdukes dominions and were receiued into Antwerpe with generall procession so glad was that towne of their returne Shortlie after the concluding of the truce betweene England and Scotland Perkin Warbecke being willed of the king of Scots to depart out of the Scotish dominions sailed with his wife and familie into Ireland there determining with himselfe either to repaire into Flanders to his first setter vp the duches of Burgognie or else ioine and take part with the Cornishmen But howsoeuer it came to passe whilest he laie in Ireland he had knowledge from the Cornishmen that they were readie to renew the warre againe Wherevpon he minding not to let passe so faiâ—e an occasion hauing with him foure small ships and not aboue six score men sailed into Cornewall and there landed in the moneth of September and came to a towne called Bodman and there did so prouoke the wauering people what with faire words and large promises that he gathered to him aboue thrée thousand persons which immediatlie called him their capteine promising to take his part and follow him to the death Then Perkin well incouraged made proclamations in the name of king Richard the fourth as sonne to king Edward the fourth And by the aduise of his three councellors Iohn Heron mercer a bankrupt Richard Skelton a tailor and Iohn Astelie a scriuener determined first of all to assaie the winning of Excester Then hasting thither he laid siege to it and wanting ordinance to make batterie studied all waies possible how to breake the gates and what with casting of stones heauing with iron barres and kindling of fire vnder the gates he omitted nothing that could be deuised for the furtherance of his purpose The citizens perceiuing in what danger they stood first let certeine messengers downe by cords ouer the wall that might certifie the king of their necessitie trouble And herewith taking vnto them boldnesse of courage determined to repell fire with fire and caused fagots to be brought and laid to the inward parts of the gates and set them all on fire to the intent that the fire being inflamed on both sides the gates line 10 might as well keepe out their enimies from entring as shut in the citizens from fléeing out and that they in the meane season might make trenches and rampires to defend their enimies in stéed of gates and bulworks Thus by fire was the citie preserued from fire Then Perkin of verie necessitie compelled to forsake the gates assaulted the towne in diuerse weake and vnfortified places and set vp ladders to take the citie But the citizens with helpe of such as were line 20 come foorth of the countrie adioining to their aid so valiantlie defended the walles that they slue aboue two hundred of Perkins souldiers at that assault The king hauing aduertisement of this siege of Excester hasted foorth with his host in as much speed as was possible and sent the lord Daubeneie with certeine bands of light horssemen before to aduertise all men of his comming at hand But in the mâ—ane season the lord Edward Courtneie earle of Deuonshire and the valiant lord William his sonne accompanied line 30 with sir Edmund Carew sir Thomas Trenchard sir William Courtneie sir Thomas Fulford sir Iohn Halewell sir Iohn Croker Water Courtnie Peter Edgecombe William saint Maure with all spéed came into the citie of Excester and holpe the citizens and at the last assault was the earle hurt in the arme with an arrow and so were manie of his companie but verie few slaine When Perkin saw that he could not win the citie of Excester sith he sawe it was so well fortified both line 40 with men and munitions he departed from thence and went vnto Taunton and there the twentith day of September he mustered his men as though he were readie to giue battell but perceiuing his number to be minished by the secret withdrawing of sundrie companies from him he began to put mistrust in all the remnant In déed when the people that followed him in hope that no small number of the nobilitie would ioine with him saw no such matter come to passe they stale awaie from him by secret companies When the king heard that he was gone to line 50 Taunton he followed after him with all spéed And by the way there came to him Edward duke of Buckingham a yoong prince of great towardnesse and him followed a great companie of noble men knights and esquiers as sir Alexander Bainam sir Maurice Barkleie sir Robert Tame sir Iohn Guise sir Robert Pointz sir Henrie Uernon sir Iohn Mortimer sir Thomas Tremaile sir Edward Sutton sir Amise Paulet sir Iohn Birkneâ—ll sir line 60 Iohn Sapeotes sir Hugh Lutterell sir Francis Cheineie and diuerse other At the kings approching to the towne of Taunton he sent before him Robert lord Brooke lord steward of his house Giles lord Daubeneie his chiefe chamâ—erleine and sir Rice ap Thomas But as soone as Perkin was informed that his enimies were readie to giue him battell he that nothing lesse minded than to fight in open field with the kings puissance dissembled all the daie time with his companie as though nothing could make him afraid and about midnight accompanied with thrée score horssemen he departed from Taunton in post to a sanctuarie towne beside Southampton called Beaudlie there he and Iohn Heron with other registred themselues as persons priuileged When as king Henrie knew that Perkin was thus fled he sent after him the lord Daubeneie with fiue hundred horssemen toward the sea side to apprehend him before he should get away Although Perkin escaped as I haue said vnto sanctuarie yet manie of his chiefe capteins were taken and presented to the king Also the horssemen that were sent without anie stop or staie came to saint Michaels mount and there as chance was found the ladie Katharine Gordon wife to Perkin and brought hir streight to the king At whose beautie and amiable countenance the king much maruelled and thought hir a preie more meet for a prince than for the meane souldiers and sent hir incontinentlie vnto London to the queene accompanied with a sort of sage matrones and gentlewomen bicause she was but yoong The common people that had followed Perkin after that their chéefeteine was
as the armie marched forward by negligence of the carters that mistooke line 40 the waie a great curtall called the Iohn Euangelist was ouerthrowne in a déepe pond of water and could not quicklie be recouered The king being aduertised that the Frenchmen approched to fight with him left the gun bicause the maister carpenter vndertooke to weie it shortlie out of the water set forward passing on by Tornohan which he left on his right hand and a little beyond pitched downe his field abiding for his enimies the which as he was informed were not far off On the line 50 morrow after being wednesdaie the Reliefe of the speares brought word that they had ascried the French armie comming forward in order of battell to the number of eleuen thousand footmen and foure thousand horssemen Capteins of this armie were the lord de la Palice the lord de Priennes the duke of Longuile the earle of S. Paule the lord of Floringes the lord of Cleremont Richard de la Poole a banished man son to Iohn duke of Suffolke They came within two miles of the kings armie and there line 60 the footmen staled and came no further But certeine of the horssemen to the number of thrée thousand came forward and at the end of a wood shewed themselues in ope◠〈◊〉 of the English armie And thus they stood countenancing the Englishmen Some of the northerne prickers made to them and in skirmishing with them tooke some of them prisoners About noone the same daie that valiant Welsh knight sir Rice ap Thomas with his retinue of horssemen being departed from the siege of Terrouan came to the king and streightwaies was sent to the earle of Essex which with two hundred speares was laid in a stale if the Frenchmen had come neerer When they were ioined togither they drew about the hill hauing with them sir Thomas Guilford with two hundred archers on horssebacke meaning to set on the Frenchmen which perceiuing that and doubting least more companie had followed they suddenlie drew backe and ioined them with their great battell Then the earle of Essex and the English horssemen followed them till they came néere to the armie of France and then scaled and sent foorth light horssemen to view the demeanor of the Frenchmen When the Frenchmen of armes were returned to their battell then both the horssemen and footmen withdrew in order of battell and still the English currors followed them for the space of three leagues and then returned to the earle making report to him of that they had séene who then brake vp his stale and came to the king declaring to him how the Frenchmen were gone backe This was called the drie wednesdaie for the daie was woonderfull hot and the king with his armie stood in order of battell from six of the clocke in the morning till three of the clocke in the after noone And some died for lacke of moisture and generallie euerie man was burned about the mouth with heat of the stomach for drinke lacked and water was not neere After this the king remooued toward Terrouan and as he was setting forward the lord Walon of Flanders came to him with his horssemen which were alreadie in the kings wages As the armie passed by negligence the same daie in a lane was ouerthrowne one of the kings bombards of iron called the red gun and there left The king lodged that night two miles from saint Omers on the north side of the towne On the thursdaie being the eight and twentith of Iulie the maister carpenter with an hundred carpenters and labourers without knowledge of the marshall went to weie vp the great gun that was in the pond as ye haue heard and by force of engins drew it vp and carted it readie to bring awaie but suddenlie there came an eight hundred Frenchmen with speares crossebowes and handguns which set on the labourers so fiercelie that notwithstanding their manfull defense the most part of them were slaine and the residue taken and both they and the péece of ordinance conueied to Bullongne The Frenchmen glad of this chance assembled a great number to fetch the other gun which laie yet in the lane But the lord Berners being capteine of the pioners and hearing all these things prepared to recouer that gun and so in the morrow ment to fetch it There were appointed to go backe to see him safe conducted the earle of Essex with his companie of speares sir Rice ap Thomas with his retinue and sir Iohn Neuill with the Northumberland men The Almans also were commanded to retire backe to the succours of them that were gone for the gun The Almans went foorth till they came within two miles of the place where the gun laie and further they would not go The Frenchmen to the number of nine or ten thousand men as some estéemed were abroad and came toward the place where the Englishmen were carting the peece of ordinance The Northumberland horssemen hauing espied them gaue knowledge to the residue of the Englishmen who prepared themselues to defend their ground against the enimies and the earle of Essex sent to the lord Walon willing him with his companie to come to his aid but the lord Walon sent word againe that he was come to serue the king of England more than for one daie and therefore he wished that all the Englishmen would returne sith that with the great power of France they were not able to match This answer was much displeasant to the earle of Essex and the other capteins In this mâ—ane time the foreriders of the French part were come to the hands of the Englishmen and so they fell in skirmish very hotlie but at length all things considered and speciallie the small number of the Englishmen being not aboue seuen hundred horssemen it was thought best that they should returne and follow the gun which they had sent forward Herevpon they retreited in order and not in anie flieng manner still following the gun The Frenchmen perceiuing that pricked forward to the number line 10 of two thousand horssemen came iust to the backs of the Englishmen who therewith cast about and made returne to the Frenchmen Sir William Tiler and sir Iohn Sharpe were the first that charged and after all the other Englishmen The Frenchmen fled immediatlie so fast backe that happie was he that might be formost The whole host séeing their horssemen thus had in chase suddenlie returned The earle of Essex withdrew to an hill and there caused his trumpet to blow to the standard for feare of subtile line 20 dealing and when his men were come in and gathered togither he returned On the same daie being fridaie the nine and twentith of Iulie the king came to Arkes there incamped whither the earle of Essex came to him and declared what had beene doone that daie the king thanking him and other the capteins for their paines and diligence
quéere sang Te Deum and the minstrels plaid on eueriâ— side ¶ Here it is conuenient to adde the battell of Pauia wherein the French king was taken prisoner most notablie discoursed by Guicciardine in the fiftéenth booke of his historie the principall matter wherof to make the report of Pauia and the French king more perspicuous it were good to inferre On the night saith mine author before the fiue and twentith of Februarie a daie dedicated by the christians to the apostle saint Matthew and also the daie of the â—â—tiuitie of the emperour the imperialles determined to march to Mirabell where laie incamped certeine companies of horssemen and footmen In this march they stood vpon this intention that if the French men mooued then they had set at libertie the siege of Pauia and if they mooued not then to aduenture the fortune of the battell Therefore the better to aduance this determination all the beginning of the night they gaue manie alarmes the more to kéepe trauelled and wearie the French men making semblance as though they would charge them on that side towards Paw Thesin and saint Lazarus About midnight euerie souldior by the commandement of the capteins put on a white cassakin ouer his armor to be knowne from the Frenchmen They were cast into two squadrons of horssemen foure of footmen In the first were six thousand footmen equallie compounded of lanceknights Spaniards and Italians this squadron was led by the marquesse of Guast the second stood onelie vpon certeine bands of Spanish footmen vnder the charge of the marquesse of Pisquairo the third and fourth squadron were of lanceknights commanded by the viceroy and the duke of Burbon They arriued at the parke walles certeine houres before daie and by the working of their masons and readie willes of their souldiers they cast downe to the earth thrée score fadome of wall by which breach being entred within the parke the first squadron drew towards Mirabell and the residue of the armie tooke the waie to the campe As soone as the king vnderstood that they were entred into the parke thinking they would draw to Mirabell he issued out of his lodging to fight in plaine and open field desiring to draw the battell rather to that place than to anie other for the aduantages which it gaue to the horssemen he commanded to turne the artilleries toward the enimies which beating them in flanke brought great damage to the reregard But in the meane while the battell of the imperialles gaue a furious charge vpon the kings squadron which ordinarilie was the battell but as the Spaniards went it was the reregard The king fought valiantlie abode with great courage the violence of his enimies who with the furie of their harquebuziers forced his men to giue ground till the rescue of the Switzers came when the Spaniards were repelled as well by them as by the horssemen that charged them in flanke But the viceroy being called in by the marquesse of Pisquairo who broght to the fight his lanceknights they were easilie broken not without great slaughter of the Switzers who that daie did nothing answer the opinion of valor which aforetimes they had woont so honorablie to expresse in battelles The king kept alwaies the middle of the battell being inuironed with a great gard of men at armes And albeit he did what he could to conteine and confirme his people yet after he had fought long with his owne hands his horsse being slaine vnder him him selfe lightlie hurt in the face and in the hand he was stricken downe to the earth and taken prisoner by fiue souldiers that knew not what he was In which misfortune the viceroy pressing into the throng his maiestie disclosed him selfe to him who with great reuerence kissed his hand and receiued him prisoner in the emperours name At the same time the marquesse of Guast with the first squadron had defeated the horssemen that were at Mirabell And Anthonie de Leua who as was said had to that end cast downe to the earth so great a quantitie and space of wall as an hundred and fiftie horssemen might sallie foorth in front issued out of Pauia so charged the French behind that he put them wholie to flight And in that feare they were almost all stripped and trussed except the reregard of the horssemen which being led by monsieur de Alanson from the beginning of the battell retired almost whole It is holden for certeine that in this battell were slaine more than eight thousand men of the French campe part by sword and part of bodies drowned in the riuer of Thesin séeking their safetie by swimming Of this generall number were about twentie of the most noble and apparant lords of France as the admerall the lord Iames Chebanes the lord line 10 Palissa and Trimouille the master of the horsse monsieur de Aubignie monsieur de Boissie and monsieur de la Escud who being taken gréeuouslie wounded by his enimies gaue to them his life in stéed of a ransome The prisoners that were taken were the king of Nauarre the bastard of Sauoie the lord Montmerancie Saint Paule Brion Anall monsieur de Chandion monsieur de Imbercourt Galeas Uisconte Frederike Bossolo Barnabie Uisconte Guidanes with manie gentlemen line 20 and almost all the capteins that escaped the slaughter of the sword There was also taken prisoner Ierome Leandro bishop of Brunduso the popes nuntio but by commandement of the viceroy he was eftsoones set at libertie as also monsieur Saint Paule and Frederike Bossolo committed to the castell of Pauia brake prison a little after by the corruption of the Spaniards that had them in charge Of the imperialles side the vniuersall slaughter excéeded not seauen hundred bodies and not one line 30 capteine of name except Ferrand Castriot marquesse of Angeo the marquesse of Pisquairo was wounded in two places Anthonie de Leua lightlie hurt in the leg The preie and spoile of this battell was so great as there had not beene seene in Italie more rich souldiors Of so great an armie there was preserned but the reregard of foure hundred lances commanded by monsieur de Alanson they neuer came to the fight neuer suffered charge nor neuer were followed but leauing behind them their baggage they retired line 40 whole to Piemont their feare making them more hastie to flie than carefull of their honor And as one calamitie followeth another so the losse of the battell was no sooner reapported at Millaine than Theodor Triuulce who laie there in garrison with foure hundred lances departed and tooke his waie to Musocquo all the souldiors folowing him by troops insomuch as the same daie that the king lost the battell all the dutchie of Millaine was made frée line 50 from the iurisdiction of the French The daie after the victorie the king was led prisoner to the rocke of Pisqueton for that the duke of Millaine in regard of his proper
hill and thereby of euen ground with the enimie rode streight toward them with good spéed and order whom at the first the Scots did boldlie countenance and abide but after when they perceiued that our men would néeds come forward they began to pricke and would faine haue béene gone yer they line 50 had told their errand But the Englishmen hasted so spéedilie after that euen streight they were at their elbowes and did so stoutlie then bestirre them that what in the onset at the first and after in the chase which lasted a thrée miles welnie to as far as the furthest of their campe on the south side they had killed of the Scots within a thrée houres aboue the number of thirtéene hundred and taken the maister of Hume the lords Humes sonne and heire two priests and six gentlemen whereof one by sir Iaques Granado line 60 and all vpon the highest and welaéere nighest of the hill toward the Scots within the full sight of their whole campe On the English part one Spanish haquebutter hurt and taken sir Rafe Bulmer knight Thomas Gomer marshall of Berwike and Robert Crouch all capteins of seuerall bands of the English light horssemen and men of right good courage and approued seruice at this time distressed by their owne too much forwardnesse and not by the enimies force To conclude of fiftéene hundred horssemen for skirmish and fiue hundred footmen to lie close in ambush and to be readie at néed which came that morning out of their campe there returned not home aboue seuen hundred and diuerse of those sore hurt and among other the lord Hume himselfe for hast in the flight had a fall from his horsse and burst the canell bone of his necke that he was faine to be caried streight to Edenborough and finallie there departed this life of that hurt So that it is true which C. O. saith that in this skirmish manie a good rider was dismounted their horsses with emptie saddles and loose bridles running vp hill and downe dale as if they had beene starke mad and to conclude saith he equi lapsurus inhaesit Tergo alius summo tellurem vertice pulsans Then after this the lord protector and the earle of Warwike and other of the councell with a small gard mounting vp the hill where the slaughter had beene made about halfe a mile southeast from the Scotish campe tooke full view therof the plot where they laie so chosen for strength as in all their countrie some thought not a better saue on the south by a great marish on the north by the Forth which side they fensed with two field péeces and certeine haquebutters a crooke lieng vnder a turffe wall Edenborough on the west at their backes and eastward betwéene the Englishmen and them stronglie defended by the course of a riuer called Eske running north into the Forth which as it was not verie deepe of water so were the bankes of it so high and stéepe as a small sort of resistants might haue beene able to kéepe downe a great number of commers vp About a twelue score from the Forth ouer the same riuer is there a stone bridge which they did kéepe also well garded with ordinance When the lord protector and the earle of Warwike had viewed euerie thing as they thought expedient they returned home towards their campe alongst before the campe of the enimies within lesse than two flight shoots entring into a lane of thirtie foot bread fensed on either side with a wall of turffe an ell of heigth The Scots did often shoot at them in the waie as they passed thus homewards without hurt sauing the killing of an horsse among thrée hundred the rider escaping else harmelesse And as the dukes grace was passed welnie halfe the waie homewards a Scotish herald with a cote of his princes armes vpon him as the maner is and with him a trumpetter ouertooke them The herald declaring this message to the lord protector pretended to come from the gouernour to inquire of prisoners taken and therewith to proffer honest conditions of peace And after he had told his tale then began the trumpetter and said how he was sent from the earle of Huntleie My lord my maister saith he hath willed me to shew your grace that bicause this matter maie be the sooner ended and with lesse hurt he will fight with your grace for the whole quarell twentie to twentie ten to ten or else himselfe alone with your grace man to man The lord protector hauing kept with him the lord lieutenant had heard them both throughlie and then in answering spake somewhat with lowder voice than they had doone their messages Wherevpon they that were the riders by thinking that his grace would haue it no secret were somewhat the bolder to come néerer the words whereof were vttred so expeditelie with honour and so honourablie with expedition that the standers by were mooued to doubt whether they might rather note in them the promptnesse of a singular prudence or the boldnesse of a noble courage and they were thus Your gouernour maie know that the speciall cause of our comming hither was not to fight but for the thing that should be the weale both of vs and you For God we take to record we mind no more hurt to the realme of Scotland than we doo to the realme of England and therefore our quarell being so good we trust God will prosper vs the better But as for peace he hath refused such conditions at our hands as we will neuer proffer againe and therefore let him looke for none till this waie we make it and thou trumpetter saie to thy maister he seemeth to lacke wit so to make this chalenge to me being of such estate by the sufferance of God as to haue so weightie a charge of so pretious a iewell the gouernance of a kings person then the protection of all line 10 his realms whereby in this case I haue no power of my selfe which if I had as I am true gentleman it should be the first bargaine I would make but there be a great sort amongst vs his equals to whome hee might haue made this chalenge without refusall Then quoth the lord lieutenant to them both He sheweth his small wit to make this chalenge to my lords grace and he so meane but if his grace will giue me leaue I shall receiue it and trumpetter bring me word thy maister will so doo and thou shalt line 20 haue of me an hundred crownes Naie quoth my lords grace the earle of Huntleie is not meet in estate with you my lord but herald saie to the gouernor and him also that we haue béene a good season in this countrie and are here now but with a sober companie and they a great number and if they will méet vs in field they shall be satisfied with fighting inough and herald bring me word if they will so doo and by my
honour I will giue the a thousand crownes Ye haue a proud sort among you but I line 30 trust to sée your pride abated shortlie and of the erle Huntleies too Iwis he is a glorious yoong gentleman This said the earle of Warwike continued his request that he might receiue this chalenge but the lord protector would in no wise grant it These messengers had their answers and therewith leaue to depart The Scots in midst of this message dooing contrarie to the order of warre which as it granteth safetie to heralds and trumpettâ—rs to passe betwixt line 40 armie and armie so during the time of anie such message as this was hostilitie on both parts ought to ceasse but it skilled not On the morow after they had their guns taken from them as saith maister Patten and put into their hands that could vse them with more good maner But now concerning the message of the herald it was thought that he was sent therewith not for that it was beléeued of them that it would be accepted but rather that whilest he was dooing his errand he might surueie the English line 50 power or else for that vpon refusall of the offer they might vse the victorie whereof they accounted themselues assured with more crueltie Of nothing they doubted more than least the Englishmen would haue béene gone backe and gotten to the water before they should haue incountered them and therefore they had appointed to haue giuen the English armie a camisado in the night before the daie of the battell but peraduenture vnderstanding that the Englishmen had warning of line 60 their intention and were prouided for them if they had come they staied and came not at all But in the morning they were vp verie timelie and being put in order of battell they marched streight towards the English campe against whome then though they saw the English horssemen readilie to make yet could not be persuaded but that it was for a policie to staie them till the English footmen and cariages might fullie be bestowed a shipboord and that for the same purpose the English ships were come backe from before Lieth In the night of this daie the dukes grace appointed that earlie in the next morning part of the ordinance should be planted in the lane wherof mention before is made vnder the turfe of the wall next to their campe and some also to be set vpon the hill nie to Undreske church afore remembred and this to the intent we should with our shot cause them either wholie to remooue their campe or else much to annoie them in that place where they laie It was not the least of the Englishmens meaning also to win from them certeine of their ordinance that laie néerest vnto this church And herewith the same morning being the tenth of September and Saturday somewhat before eight of the clocke the English armie dislodged marched streight toward the church of Undreâ—ke as well for intent to haue incamped neere the same as for placing their ordinance and other considerations afore remembred The Scots either for feare of the Englishmens departing or hope of their spoiling were out of their campe comming toward them passed the riuer gathered in araie and well néere at this church yer the Englishmen were halfe waie to it so quite disappointing the Englishmens purpose Which at the first séemed verie strange in their eies as altogither beside their expectation as they that thought they would neuer haue forsaken their strength to méet them in the field But after it was knowne that they did not onelie thus purpose to doo but also to haue assailed them in their campe as they laie if they had not béene stirring the timelier and hauing caused all their tents to be let flat downe to the ground yer they came out bicause none should lie lurking behind them in their campe and as well the nobles as other leauing their horsses behind them except such as were appointed to serue on horssebacke marched on with their souldiors on foot They came spéedilie forwards on both sides the one till then no whit aware of the others intent but the Scots indeed with a rounder pase betweene two hillocks betwixt the Englishmen and the church mustred somewhat brim at whome as they staied the English gallie shot off slue the maister of Greime with fiue and twentie others néere by him and therewith so skard foure thousand Irish archers brought by the earle of Argile that where as it was said they should haue béene a wing to the fore-ward they could neuer after be made to come forward Hervpon did their armie hastilie remooue from thence declining southward tooke their direct waie toward Fauxside braie Of this sir Rafe Uane lieutenant of all the English horssemen first of all or with the first noting it quicklie aduertised the lord protector who thereby did readilie conceiue their meaning which was to win the hill and thereby the wind and sunne the gaine of which thrée things as is thought whether partie in fight of battell can hap to obteine hath his force doubled against his enimie In all this enterprise they vsed for haste so little the helpe of horsse that they plucked foorth their ordinance by draught of men which at that present began fréelie to shoot off towards the English armie whereby it was perceiued they ment more than a skirmish Herewith euerie man began to applie him selfe in his charge and dutie which he had to doo And herewith the lord protector and other of the councell on horssebacke as they were fell streight in consultation The sharpenesse of whose circumspect wisedoms as it quicklie espied out the enimies intents so did it among other things promptlie prouide therin remedie to preuent them as néedfull it was for the time asked no leisure Their deuise was that the lord Greie of Wilton marshall of the armie with his band of Bulleners and with the lord protectors band and the earle of Warwikes all to the number of eightéene hundred horssemen on the left hand on the east halfe and sir Rafe Uane with sir Thomas Darcie capteine of the pensioners and men of armes and the lord Fitzwaters with his band of demilances all to the number of sixtéene hundred to be readie and euen with the lord marshall on the west halfe And thus all these togither afore to incounter the enimies afront whereby either to breake their araie and that waie to weaken their power by disorder or at the least to stop them of their gate and force them to staie while the fore-ward might wholie haue the hilles side and the battell and rere-ward be placed in grounds next line 10 that in order and best for aduantage And after this that the same horssemen should retire vp to the hilles side to come downe in order afresh and infest them on both sides whilest the foot battels should occupie them in fight afront Which enterprise
though it séemed right dangerous to the assailers yet was it not more wiselie deuised by the councell than valiantlie and willinglie executed of the lord marshall the others For euen there taking their leaues of the councell the said line 20 lord marshall requiring onelie that if it went not well with him the dukes grace would be good to his wife children he said he would méet those Scots and so with their bands the foresaid capteins tooke their waie and made towards the enimie By this time were the fore-wards on either part aduanced within two flight shoots in sunder The Scots came on so fast that it was thought of the most part of the Englishmen they were rather horssemen than footmen line 30 The Englishmen againe were led the more with speed to shew that they were as willing as the Scots to trie the battell The master of the ordinance to their great aduantage pluckt vp the hill at that instant certeine péeces and soone after planted two or thre canons of them welnigh vpon the top there wherby hauing so much the helpe of the hill he might ouer the Englishmens heads shoot niest at the enimie As the lord protector had so circumspectlie taken order for the araie and station of the armie and for line 40 the execution of euerie mans office beside he being perfectlie appointed in faire armour accompanied onelie with sir Thomas Chaloner knight one of the clearkes of the kings priuie councell got him to the hight of the hill to tarrie by the ordinance where hée might best surueie the whole field and succour with aid where most he saw néed and also by his presence to be a defense to the thing that stood weakest in place and also most in daunger the which how much it stood in stead anon ye shall heare further line 50 As he was halfe vp the hill the erle of Warwike was ware the enimies were all at a sudden staie and stood still a good while so that it séemed to him that they perceiuing now their owne follie in leauing their ground of aduantage had no will to come anie further forward but gladlie would haue bin whence they came The reasons were these First bicause at that time beside the full muster of the English footmen of whome they thought there had béene none there in field but all to haue béene either shipt or a line 60 shipping then they saw plaine that the Englishmen were sure to haue the gaine of the hill and they the ground of disaduantage out of their hold and put from their hope and hereto for that their herald gaue the lord protector no warning the which by him if they had ment to fight it out who would not haue presumed that for the estimation of their honor they would little haue stucke to haue sent and he againe and it had beene but for his thousand crowns would right gladlie haue brought Well yet how so euer their meaning changed finallie considering belike the state they stood in that as they had left their strength too soone so now to be too late to repent vpon a change of countenance they made hastilie forward againe and as it séemed with no lesse stoutnesse of courage than stronglie in order whose maner armour weapon and order in fight in those daies and also before though now somewhat changed as well as amongest other nations was as insueth Harquebutters had they few and appointed their fight most commonlie alwaies on foot They vsed to come to the field well furnished with iacke and skull dagger buckler and swords all notablie brode and thin of excéeding good temper and vniuersallie so made to slice as hard it is to deuise the better hereto euerie man his pike and a great kercher wrapped twise or thrise about his necke not for cold but for cutting In their araie toward the ioining with the enimie they thrust so nie in the fore-ranke shoulder to shoulder togither with their pikes in both hands streight afore them and their followers in that order so hard at their backes laieng their pikes ouer their foregoerrs shoulders that if they doo assaile vndisseuered no force can well withstand them Standing at defense they thrust shoulders likewise so nie togither the fore-ranks well nie to knéeling stoope low before for their fellowes behind holding their pikes in both hands and therewith in their left their bucklers the one end of their pike against their right foot the other against the enimie breast high their followers crossing their pike points with them before and thus each with other so nie as place and space will suffer through the whole rankes so thicke that as easilie shall a bare finger pearse through the skin of an angrie hedgehog as anie incounter the front of their pikes Thus prouided they I meane the Scots addressed themselues to incounter inflamed with a heat of furious hatred but not aduised whether the cause were iust or vniust for the which they were vp in armes which foolish madnesse the poet pointeth at and painteth out saieng Arma Scotus poscit valida contendere vi vult Is nec habet pensi sit it aequum an prorsus iniquum The lord marshall notwithstanding whome no danger detracted from dooing his enterprise with the companie and order afore appointed came full in their faces from the hill side towards them Herewith waxed it verie hot on both sides with pitifull cries horrible rore and terrible thundering of guns beside the daie darkened aboue head with smoke of the artillerie the sight and appeerance of the enimie euen at hand before the danger of death on euerie side else the bullets pellets and arrowes flieng each where so thicke and so vncerteinelie lighting that no where was there anie suretie of safetie euerie man striken with a dreadfull feare not so much perchance of death as of hurt which things though they were but certeine to some yet doubted of all assured crueltie at the enimies hands without hope of mercie death to flie and danger to fight The whole face of the field on both sides vpon this point of ioining both to the eie and to the eare so heauie so deadlie lamentable furious outragious terrible confuse and so quite against the quiet nature of man as if to the nobilitie the regard of their honor and fame to the knights and capteines the estimation of their worship and honestie and generallie to them all the naturall motion of bounden dutie their owne safetie hope of victorie and the fauour of God that they trusted vpon for the equitie of their quarrell had not béene a more vehement cause of courage than the danger of death was cause of feare the verie horrour of the thing had beene able to haue made anie man to forget both prowesse and policie But the lord marshall and the others with present mind and courage warilie and quicklie continued their course towards them The enimies were in a fallow field whereof the furrowes
laie sidelong toward the Englishmen next to whome by the side of the same furrowes a stones cast from the Scots was there a crosse ditch or slough which the Englishmen must needs passe to come to them wherein manie that could not leape ouer stucke fast to no small danger of themselues and some disorder of their fellowes The enimie perceiuing the Englishmen fast to approch disposed themselues to abide the brunt and line 10 in this order stood still to receiue them The earle of Angus next to the Englishmen in the Scotish foreward as capteine of the same with an eight thousand men and foure or fiue péeces of ordinance on his right hand and a foure hundred horssemen on his left Behind him westward the gouernour with ten thousand Inland men as they call them the choisest soldiers counted of their countrie And the earle of Huntleie in the rere-ward welnie euen with the battell on the left side with eight thousand The foure line 20 thousand Irish archers as a wing to them both last indéed in order first as they said that ran awaie The battell and also the rere-ward were garded likewise with their ordinance according Edward Shelleie lieutenant vnder the lord Greie of his band of Bulleners was the first that passed ouer the sâ—ough The lord Greie himselfe next with the lord Iohn Greie and others in the foremost ranke and so then after two or thrée rankes of their former bands But badlie yet could they make their line 30 rase by reason the furrowes laie trauerse to their course That notwithstanding and though also they were nothing likelie well to be able thus afront to come within them to doo them hurt as well bicause the Scotishmens pikes were as long or longer than their staues as also for that their horsses were all naked without bards whereof though there were right manie among them yet not one put on for as much as at their comming forth in the morning they looked for nothing lesse than for battell that daie yet line 40 did those worthie gentlemen the lord Greie of Wilton the lord Iohn Greie and maister Shelleie with the residue so valiantlie stronglie giue the charge vpon them that whether it were by their prowesse or power the left side of the enimies that his lordship did set vpon though their order remained vnbroken was yet compelled to swaie a good waie backe and giue ground largelie and all the residue of them beside to stand much amazed Beside this as the Englishmen were welnie at line 50 their enimies they stood verie braue and bragging shaking their pike points crieng Come lounds come héere tikes come heretikes and such like rhetorike they vsed But though saith master Patten they meant but small humanitie yet shewed they thereby much ciuilitie both of faire plaie to warne yer they stroke and of formall order to chide yer they fought The English capteines that were behind perceiuing at eie that both by the vnéeuennesse of the ground by the sturdie order of the enimie and line 60 for that their fellowes were so nie and streight before them they were not able to anie aduantage to mainteine this onset did therefore according to the deuise in that point appointed turne themselues and made a soft retire vp toward the hill againe Howbeit to confesse the truth some of the number that knew not the prepensed policie of the counsell in this case made of a sober aduised retire an hastie rash and vnaduised flight howbeit without capteine or standard vpon no cause of néed but of a méere vndiscretion and madnesse A madnesse indéed for first the Scots were not able to pursue bicause they were footmen and then if they could what hope by flight so farre from home in their enimies land where was no place of refuge The valiant lord Greie Edward Shelleie little Preston Brampton and Ierningham Bulleners Ratcliffe the lord Fitzwaters brother sir Iohn Cleres sonne and heire Rawleie a gentleman of right commendable prowesse Digs of Kent Ellerker a pensioner Segraue of the duke of Summersets band Standleie Woodhouse Conisbie Horgill Norris Denis Arthur and Atkinson with other in the fore-ranke not being able in this earnest assault both to tend to their fight afore and to the retire behind the Scots againe well considering herby how weake they remained caught courage afresh ran sharplie forward vpon them and without anie mercie slue the most part of them that abode furthest in prease a six more of Bulleners and other than before are named in all to the number of twentie six and most part gentlemen My lord Greie yet and my lord Iohn Greie and likewise my lord Edward Seimer as some grace was returned againe but neither all in safetie nor without euident markes they had bin there for the lord Greie with a pike through the mouth was rased a long from the tip of the toong and thrust that waie verie dangerouslie more than two inches in the necke and the other two had their horsses vnder them with swords sore wounded Like as also a little before this onset sir Thomas Darcie vpon his approch to the enimies was striken glansing wise on the right side with a bullet of one of their field péeces and thereby his bodie brused with the bowing in of his armour his sword hilts broken and the forefinger of his right hand beaten flat Euen so vpon the parting of this fraie was sir Arthur Darcie slasht at with swords and so hurt vpon the wedding finger of his right hand also as it was counted for the first part of curing to haue it quite cut awaie About the same time certeine of the Scots ran on hastilie to the kings standard of the horssemen the which sir Andrew Flammocke bare and laieng fast hold vpon the staffe therof cried A king a king that if both his strength his hart and his horsse had not beene good and herewith somewhat aided at this pinch by sir Rafe Coppinger a pensioner both he had béene slaine and the standard lost which the Scots neuerthelesse held so fast that they brake and bare awaie the nether end of the staffe to the burrell and intended so much to the gaine of the standard that sir Andrew as hap was scaped home all safe and else without hurt At this businesse also the lord Fitzwaters both earle of Sussex and lord chamberleine to the quéenes maiestie capteine there of a number of demilances was vnhorst but soone mounted againe scaped yet in great danger and his horsse all hewen Hereat further were Caluerleie the standard-bearer of the men at armes and Clement Paston a pensioner thrust each of them into the leg with pikes and Don Philip a Spaniard into the knée diuerse others maimed and hurt and manie horsses sore wounded beside By this time had the English fore-ward accordinglie gotten the full vantage of the hilles side and in respect of their
account of their enimies forces Herevpon within few daies after the Scots fiue or six hundred light horssemen onelie excepted brake vp their campe and returned home After this my lord Greie remaining at Berwike ment to make a voiage himselfe in person for the reliefe of them that line 50 were thus besieged in Hadington Now when all things were so farre in a readinesse as the next daie he ment to haue set forward letters were brought that night from the court willing him to performe that seruice by a deputie and to staie himselfe till the comming of the earle of Shrewesburie who was appointed with an armie to come verie shortlie as generall into those parties My lord Greie herevpon appointed in his stead sir Robert Bowes and sir Thomas Palmer to go line 60 thither who comming to Dunglas left there certeine bands of footmen and with the horssemen being in number thirtéene hundred whereof seuen hundred lances were appointed vnder the charge of sir Thomas Palmer they rode forward to accomplish their enterprise but the French capteins hauing knowledge of their comming they prouided the best they could to repell them appointing foure venlins or ensignes of lanceknights to kéepe a standing watch that night in the trenches and the like number of French ensignes to watch about their campe All the other of their bands were commanded to take rest but yet with their armour on their backs Their generall monsieur de Desse himselfe monsieur de Mailleraie admerall of their fléet monsieur Dandelot coronell of the French footmen Piero Strozzi coronell of the Italians the Reinsgraue coronell of the lanceknights and all other the noble men and capteins of honour among them were all night long in armour trauelling vp and downe some on horssebacke and some on foot to visit the watches and scouts set in places and waies by the which they suspected that the Englishmen ment to come The lord Hume riding abrode to learne what he might of the Englishmens demeanour earlie in the morning returned to the campe and certified monsieur de Desse that they were at hand Herewith were the Scotish and French horssemen that kept the scout called in and monsieur Dandelot with great expedition ranged his battell of footmen in order and so likewise did the Reinsgraue his Almans The Englishmen diuided into two bands came and shewed themselues in the sight of the towne and charging such Scots and Frenchmen as came foorth to incounter them gaue them the ouerthrow at two seuerall charges but finallie presuming too farre vpon their good lucke thus chancing to them in the beginning followed in chase those that fled before them vntill at length they were inclosed and shut vp betwixt the French footmen on the one side and the Almans on the other And herewith the Scotish horsmen vnder the conduct of the lords Humes Dune the French horssemen led by monsieur de Etauges their generall being assembled togither eftsoones after they had beene so repelled were now readie to come forward againe and perceiuing their footmen so to haue inuironed the Englishmen that they were not able to recouer themselues nor to get out of danger but by disordring their ranks to take them to flight followed amaine so that those which escaped the Frenchmens hands were taken by the Scots that pursued them in chase so that few were saued that were not either slaine or taken My lord Greie lost thréescore and twelue great horsses and an hundred geldings with all the men vpon them armed with his lordships owne furniture onelie foure or fiue of his men came home of the which Thomas Cornwallis now groome porter to the quéenes maiestie was one and Robert Car esquier an other then page to my said lord Greie The vnaduised rashnesse of sir Thomas Palmer was thought to be the chiefe occasion of this distresse of those horssemen who after they had doone sufficientlie for that time would needs haue them to giue a new charge and so were discomfited After this ouerthrow and chase of our horssemen the armie that was leuied to passe into Scotland was hasted forward with all spéed possible for although before the comming of the English horssemen the French vpon aduertisement giuen that they meant to come had plucked backe their great artillerie and sent the same vnto Edenburgh kéeping onelie with them six field-péeces and herewith remooued their campe further off from the towne yet by forestalling vitels and all other necessarie things from them within they were driuen to such distresse that they must of force haue left the towne to the enimies if some power had not come within a while to remooue the siege that laie thus to annoie them When therefore the armie was come to Newcastell the earle of Shrewesburie generall lieutenant of the same was there arriued they passed forward to Berwike and from thense marched streight towards Hadington The number of the Englishmen and strangers was reported at the point of fifteene thousand whereof thrée thousand were Almans vnder the conduct of a right woorthie and expert chiefteine named Conrad Phenning commonlie called Cortpenie Beside this armie by land there was also furnished foorth a fléet by sea vnder the conduct of the lord Clinton high admerall of England and other capteins of great experience in affaires and seruice by sea This fléet was appointed so to kéepe course with the armie by land that the one might be euer in sight of the other Monsieur de Desse aduertised of the comming forward of this armie durst line 10 not abide their comming but raised his field and retired with his armie toward Edenburgh howbeit they were no sooner dislodged but that a great troope of the English horssemen were got within sight of them and coasted them all the waie as they marched for the space of seuen or eight miles in maner to as farre as Muskelburgh where the Frenchmen staied and incamped in a place chosen foorth to their most aduantage The earle of Shrewesburie and the lord Greie line 20 with the armie comming vnto Hadington were ioifullie receiued of the capteins and soldiours within where it might appeare how valiantlie they had defended that towne during the siege being so destitute of all things necessarie for their reléefe and the fortifications so weake that if the noble prowesse of their woorthie generall sir Iames Wilford and the incomparable manhood of the rest of the capteins and soldiours had not supplied all other wants it was thought impossible that they should haue defended the place so long a time against such forces as had line 30 beene there imploied against them But such was the vndanted valiancie of that noble crue and garrison that euen the verie enimies themselues could not but yeeld high commendations to the capteins and soldiours for the hardie forwardnesse and manhood which at all times they had found and tried in them at all points of seruice when
sir Iohn Suliard sir William Walgraue sir Iohn Cuts sir Thomas Cornewallis knights togither line 30 with a great manie of other knights esquiers and gentlemen and a small band of Italians vnder the leading of a capteine named Malatesâ—a The lord marquesse being approched within a mile of Norwich sent sir Gilbert Dethicke knight now Garter then Norrie king at armes vnto the citie to summon them within to yéeld it into his hands or vpon refusall to proclame warre against them Herevpon Augustine Steward the maiors deputie sent to the maior that was in the campe with line 40 Ket aduertising him what message he had receiued from the marquesse The maior sent word againe that nothing was more greeuous vnto him than to sée into what miserie the citie and countrie about were brought by the rage of these commotions and declaring in what case he stood being kept by force among the rebels wheras otherwise he would according to his dutie haue come to his honor But as for the citie he had committed the gouernance vnto Augustine Steward who should be readie to surrender line 50 it into his lordships hands and that if Ket would giue him leaue he would come himselfe to his honor submitting all things wholie to his lordships order and disposition This message being brought backe by the said Norrie Augustine Steward the maiors deputie with the shiriffs and a great number of the citizens came to the lord marquesses campe and deliuered vp the sword to his lordship declaring how the maior himselfe would gladlie haue come if he could line 60 haue got from the rebels and that although a great rowt of the lewd citizens were partakers with the rebelles yet a number of the substantiall honest citizens would neuer consent to their wicked doings but were readie to receiue his lordship into their citie The lord marquesse giuing good woords to the citizens and willing them to be of good comfort sith he trusted to appease these troubles verie shortlie deliuered the sword vnto sir Richard Southwell who bare it before the lord marquesse as he passed foorth towards the citie entring the same by saint Stephans gate And incontinentlie was proclamation made that they should all resort into the market place where they consulted togither how they might best defend the citie against the enimies and to represse their furie Herevpon was order giuen for the placing of watch and ward about the gates and the wals as might séeme expedient The lord marquesse supped that night and lodged in the maiors deputies house but his lordship as well as other kept their armour on their backs all that night for doubt of some sudden assault to be made against the citie by the rebels Here it chanced that the strangers either by appointment or otherwise went foorth and offered skirmish to the rebels vpon Magdalen hill The rebels came foorth with their horssemen but it séemed that they were better practised to fetch in booties than to make their manage or careire and therefore not able to match the strangers which being perceiued of their fellowes that were footmen they put foorth their archers before their horssemen and such numbers herewith came swarming foorth of their campe meaning to compasse in those strangers that they perceiuing the maner and purpose of the enimies cast themselues in a ring and retired backe into the citie againe But they left one of their companie behind them a gentleman that was an Italian who more valiantlie than warilie ventured too farre among the enimies and through euill hap being ouerthrowne beside his horsse he was inuironed about with a great multitude of those rebels that tooke him prisoner and like vile wretches spoiling him of his armor and apparell hanged him ouer the wals of mount Surrie Which act well shewed what courtesie might be looked for at such cruell traitors hands that would thus vnmercifullie put such a gentleman and worthie souldior to death for whose ransome if they would haue demanded it they might haue had no small portion of monie to haue satisfied their gréedie minds But it séemed that their beastlie crueltie had berest them the remembrance of all honest consideration and dutifull humanitie The marquesse of Northampton causing as before yee haue heard diligent watch to be kept vpon the walles and at the gates appointed the same to be visited right often that through negligence no mishap should follow Moreouer besides the watch at the gates and walles the residue of the soldiors making a mightie huge fire in the market place so as all the stréets were full of light they remained there all that night in their armour readie vpon anie occasion to resist the enimies if they should make anie attempt Sir Edward Warner marshall of the field gaue the watch-word sir Thomas Paston sir Iohn Clere sir William Walgraue sir Thomas Cornwallis and sir Henrie Bedingfield were appointed to the defense of other parts of the citie And now when euerie thing was thought to be safelie prouided for and that the lord marquesse and other were laid to take their rest the rebels about the middest of the night began to shoot off their great artillerie towards the citie so thicke as was possible but the bullets passed ouer their heads that were lodged in the citie without dooing anie great hurt at all The lord marquesse by reason of the often alarums that were giuen whilest the enimies thus ceased not to rage with continuall shot of ordinance was called vp by the marshall sir Edward Warner and comming into the market place accompanied with the nobles and gentlemen of the armie fell in councell with them how to foresée that the citie in such danger might be safelie defended against the enimies with such small power as he had there with him It was therefore determined that all the gates which were on the contrarie part of the towne from the rebels campe and likewise the ruinous places of the walles should be rampired vp that if the enimies should chance to giue an assault to the citie they might more easilie be repelled But as these things were in dooing and almost brought to end in a manner all the whole multitude of the rebelles came out of their cabins running downe in most furious maner to the citie and with great shouts and yelling cries went about to set fire on the gates to clime ouer the walles to passe the riuer and to enter the citie at such places where the walles were through age decaied and ruinous The soldiors that were there with the lord marquesse did line 10 shew their vttermost indeuor to beat backe the enimies This fight in most cruell wise continued for the space of thrée houres without ceasing the rebels forcing themselues to the vttermost of their powers to enter perforce vpon them and they within the citie shewed no lesse courage to repell them backe The hardie manhood of diuerse knights and other men of worship was here right apparant
therefore of this and other vaine prophesies the rebels through the diuels procurement that had nourished and pricked them forward all this while in their wicked procéedings determined to remoue thither to the end that they might with more spéed make an end of the matter before they should be driuen to disperse themselues by famine For the earle of Warwike had taken order to haue the passages stopped in such wise as no vittels could easilie be conueied to their campe the want whereof began alreadie to pinch them Herevpon setting fire on their cabins which they had raised and built here and there of timber and bushes the smoke whereof couered all the grounds about them they came downe with their ensignes into the vallie called Dussin daie where with all spéed that might be they intrenched themselues about and raising a rampire of a good height set stakes also round about them to kéepe off the horssemen The earle of Warwike perceiuing their dooings the next daie being the seuen and twentith of August with all his horssemen and the Almans with capteine Druries band issued foorth of the citie marching streight towards the enimies Yet before he approched in sight of them he sent sir Edmund Kneuet sir Thomas Palmer knights with others to vnderstand of them whether now at length they would submit themselues receiue the kings pardon which if they would doo he offred to grant it freelie to all the whole multitude one or two of them onelie excepted but they with generall voices refusing it the earle fell in hand to incourage his people vnto the battell and hauing appointed as well the horssemen as footmen in what order they should giue the charge they passed forward in approching the enimies The rebels beholding them thus to come forward put themselues in order of battell in such manner that all the gentlemen which had béene taken prisoners and were kept in irons for starting awaie were placed in the fore ranke of their battell coupled two and two togither to the end they might be killed by their line 10 owne friends that came to seeke their deliuerance but yet as God would haue it the most part of them were saued Miles the maister gunner among the rebels leuieng a péece of ordinance shot it off and stroke him that caried the kings standard in the thigh and the horsse through the shoulder The earle of Warwike and others sore grieued therewith caused a whole volie of artillerie to be shot off at the rebels and herewith capteine Drurie line 20 with his owne band the Almans or lanceknights whether ye list to call them on foot getting néere to the enimies hailsed them with their harquebut shot so sharplie and thrust forward vpon them with their pikes so stronglie that they brake them in sunder The gentlemen who as we haue said were placed in the fore ranke found meanes as good hap was to shrinke aside and escaped the danger for the more part although some indeed were slaine by the Almans and other that knew not what they were line 30 The light horssemen of the kings part herewith gaue in amongst them so roundlie that the rebels not able to abide their valiant charge were easilie put to flight and with the foremost their grand capteine Robert Ket gallopped awaie so fast as his horsse would beare him The horssemen following in chase slue them downe on heapes euer still as they ouertooke them so that the chase continuing for the space of thrée or foure miles there were slaine to the number of thrée thousand fiue hundred at the least beside line 40 a great multitude that were wounded as they fled here and there ech waie foorth as séemed best to serue their turne for their most spéedie escape out of danger Yet one part of them that had not beene assailed at the first onset séeing such slaughter made of their fellowes kept their ground by their ordinance and shranke not determining as men desperatlie bent not to die vnreuenged but to fight it out to the last man They were so inclosed with their carts carriages line 50 trenches which they had cast and stakes pitched in the ground to kéepe off the force of horssemen that it would haue béene somewhat dangerous to haue assailed them within their strength But sure they were that now they could not escape séeing no small part of their whole numbers were cut off and distressed and they inuironed on ech side without hope of succour or reléefe of vittels which in the end must néeds haue forced them to come foorth of their inclosure to their vndoubted ouerthrow and destruction The earle of Warwike yet pitieng their case and line 60 loth that the king should loose so manie stout mens bodies as were there amongst them which might doo his maiestie and their countrie good seruice if they could be reclamed from this their desperat follie vnto due obedience sent Norreie vnto them offering them pardon of life if they would throw downe their weapons and yéeld if not he threatened that there should not a man of them escape the deserued punishment Their answer was that if they might be assured to haue their liues saued they could be contented to yeeld but they could haue no trust that promise should be kept with them For notwithstanding all such faire offers of pardon they tooke it that there was nothing meant but a subtill practise to bring them into the hands of their aduersaries the gentlemen that had prepared a barrell of ropes and halters with which they purposed to trusse them vp and therefore they would rather die like men than to be strangled at the wils and pleasures of their mortall enimies The earle of Warwike right sorie to sée such desperat minds among them sent to the citie and caused the most part of the footmen which he had left there to defend the same to come foorth now in battell arraie that they might helpe to distresse those wilfull rebels that thus obstinatelie refused the kings pardon And hauing brought as well them as the Almans and the horssemen in order of battell againe and readie now to set vpon the rebels he eftsoones sent vnto them to know that if he should come himselfe and giue his word that they should haue their pardon whether they would receiue it or not Herevnto they answered that they had such confidence in his honor that if he would so doo they would giue credit thereto and submit themselues to the kings mercie Incontinentlie herevpon he went vnto them and commanded Norreie to read the kings pardon fréelie granted to all that would yéeld Which being read euerie man threw downe his weapon and with one whole and entier voice cried God saue king Edward God saue king Edward And thus thorough the prudent policie and fauourable mercie of the erle of Warwike a great number of those offendors were preserued from the gates of death into the which they were
should make an alarum to the towne in so much that capteine Uaughan with diuerse of the soldiors of Montpelham entred the ditch and approching the walles discouered the height of them And notwithstanding that the French did what they could to annoie them in the diches with currier shot yet did capteine Uaughan staie in the ditch a pretie while and retired with his men without receiuing anie great hurt Wednesdaie the first of Maie the Frenchmen set vp verie earlie in the morning their Maie poles in certeine bulworks and fouretéene ensignes the which being discouered of them in the campe they saluted them with a peale of great ordinance and likewise the Frenchmen answered them againe and so continued the most part of that daie The same daie Iohn Brian lieutenant to capteine Capell wan a trench froÌ„ the French at the west side of the towne and in despite of them kept it all that daie with the losse onelie of one man Thursdaie the second of Maie the pioners made the trenches for the artillerie to be planted in batterie The night following they remooued and placed the same artillerie in the new trench and the next morning being fridaie and the third of Maie about foure of the clocke the same batterie went off and continued all that daie In the after noone of the same daie certeine Frenchmen issued out of the west bulworke and skirmishing with the Englishmen on that side the water returned without anie great hurt The night insuing the pioners made a new trench by the citadell wherein they might lodge some shot and capteine Uaughan with diuerse of the bands in Montpelham gaue two false assaults to the towne entred the ditches and viewed the flankers wherevpon the French shot off the same flankers and manning their walles shot off two or thrée volees of their small artillerie slaieng and hurting to the number of twentie of the Englishmen Among other little Norton lost his life that night and so at length the residue returned Saturdaie the fourth of Maie there were thrée ensigns appointed to gard the new trenches and towards night when the ward should be reléeued and the watch set the Frenchmen that were in the trench vnder the citadell made a sallie vpon the sudden Wherevpon the Englishmen that garded the said trench were constreined to abandon a great part thereof for a time but yet the Englishmen eftsoons taking courage laid to them afresh repelled them againe draue them backe into their owne trenches slue foure of them in sight and hurt manie others This was the lot of warre to be ouerthrowne by force of the enimie as the poet saith Qui Martem experti per vim subiguntur ab hoste Whilest this was in dooing the French had stuffed their bulworks and rampiers with curriers and harquebusiers of Croke as thicke as was possible which went off without ceassing at the Englishmen for the space of an houre and more The English artillerie planted in the trenches did answer them againe continuallie and the great péeces did much hurt among them in sight of them that watched in the same trenches The same night the Englishmen conueied two culuerings ouer the water to scowre the mils and before the breake of the daie they had burnt one of the same mils Sundaie the fift of Maie earlie in the morning at the reléeuing of the watch and entring of the ward foure souldiors that belonged to the great ordinance issued out and set fier on the other mill which burnt verie outragiouslie without ceassing for the space of an houre or more The French began to assemble towards the mill in hope to haue quenched the fire but they were deceiued for suddenlie the Englishmen cut two holes through their trenches placing in the same the two demâ—culuerings shot them off at the Frenchmen so that they were driuen to forsake the mill and in their retire some of them were slaine This daie also as foure French gentlemen came foorth to discouer the English trenches capteine Read commanded one of his souldiors to shoot at them but through mishap his péece burst and a shiuer thereof flue out and brake the arme of his said capteine Mondaie the sixt of Maie the armie lieng quiet all the morning in the afternoone the English ordinance on the further side the water began to shoot off against the enimies verie hotlie so continuing till night This daie the earle of Argile and diuerse other noble men of Scotland came to Edenburgh with two thousand horssemen and footmen who shewed themselues in order of a muster on the hill vnderneth the castell Which being perceiued of the French line 10 within Leith they shot off thrée great péeces of artillerie at them but as God would haue it without hurt for two of the bullets lighted short and the third did fall in a garden within the towne of Edenburgh The night insuing the great ordinance in the Englishmens trenches and bulworks continued shooting on euerie side And héerewith commandement was giuen by the lord lieutenant and the councell that the whole armie should be readie armed with their weapon and furniture according by midnight line 20 In the morning by two of the clocke the seuenth of Maie being tuesdaie diuerse bands passed foorth towards the towne and entring the ditches offered the scale other capteins with their men approched the bulworks and other there were appointed to enter beside the mils Beside the English bands commanded thus to giue the assault there were a thousand Scots ioined with them whereof fiue hundred with capteine Uaughan and such other capteins as line 30 were commanded to attempt the bulworke next to Montpelham and other fiue hundred went with such of the English capteins as were commanded to assault the breach beyond the water Moreouer as well the lances as light horssemen were assigned to gard the fields sir George Howard with the lances kéeping betwixt the fort of Montpelham and the sea westward and sir Henrie Perâ—ie with the light horssemen betwixt the campe and the sea eastward The rest of the footmen that went not to the assault line 40 were also appointed to gard the trenches and field in such wise as was thought expedient So that perfect direction was giuen in euerie behalfe by the lord lieutenant and other of the councell And vpon warning giuen by capteine Randall sergeant maior such as had béene commanded to giue the assault in their seuerall appointed places preased forward with courage inough and boldlie aduentured to clime the wals enter at the breaches but yet their attempt wanted the wished successe for what through the line 50 Frenchmens policie in stopping the currant of the riuer that night and other deuises for their owne safegard and the annoiance of the assailants and what by reason of the vnfitnesse of the ladders being too short by two yards and more the assailants were repelled For during the whole time of
and all ministers then being within the towne being neuerthelesse cléerelie excepted and diuerse prouisions also included in this selfesame proclamation for the mitigating of extremities by wrong interpreting thereof in behalfe of them that were to depart as also that the gaine that should come by euerie particular prisoner so arrested by the prouost marshall should returne to anie of the quéenes maiesties subiects by whose meane and procurement the same prisoner was detected and caused to be apprehended On mondaie the fift of Aprill the Reingraue with foure hundred horssemen and about fiue hundred footmen came downe the hill betwixt saint Addresses Englefield where sir Hugh Paulet knight met with him by appointment of the lord lieutenant accompanied with fortie horssemen and a thousand English footmen and after they had talked togither by the space of an houre they departed the one from the other maister Paulet returning to Newhauen and the Reingraue to Mondeuille the place where he vsuallie remained On Easter euen two souldiers that had serued vnder capteine Parkinson were hanged in the market place of Newhauen for running awaie to the Reingraue and vnto Diepe Another also that serued vnder capteine Turner was condemned for the like offense but pardoned throgh the great clemencie of the lord lieutenant The eight and twentith of Aprill proclamation was made that all the papists and the wiues and children of all them that were departed foorth of Newhauen and made their abode at that present in line 10 Monstreuilliers Harflue or elsewhere abroad in the countrie and likewise all other whome the last proclamation for their auoiding out of the towne in anie wise touched should depart on saturdaie then next insuing on paine to haue their bodies arrested as prisoners and their goods to be confiscate Other articles were conteined in the same proclamation as well for the forreners that should come foorth of the countrie to the market as for the behauiour and demeanor of the French inhabitants of the towne line 20 with promise of reward to such as should discouer and apprehend anie espiall either dwelling in the towne or comming and going to or from it The first of Maie Garter principall king of armes arriued at Newhauen bringing with him the garter to the lord lieutenant chosen on S. Georges daie last past to be one of the confréers of that most honorable order The fourth of Maie proclamation was made that all the French burgesses others should bring and deliuer all their armour and weapon into line 30 the towne hall of Newhauen which commandement was incontinentlie obeied and accomplished The seauenth of Maie proclamation was made for the auoiding of all such whome the former proclamations had in anie wise touched for their departure foorth of the towne that they should depart by tuesdaie next the ministers of the church excepted and that none should enter into the towne of what condition or estate soeuer he should be without licence line 40 of the lord lieutenant except he were a burgesse of the towne and of the number of those that had their names inrolled as by the rols lastlie made it might appeare on paine to be apprehended as good and lawfull prisoners The twelfe of Maie it was prohibited by proclamation to all burgesses inhabitants and others not to go vnto Harflue or Montreuilliers or elsewhere out of sight of the towne of Newhauen on paine to be taken as lawfull prisoners The fifteenth of Maie a marriner of the great line 50 gallie suffered in the market place of Newhauen for robbing and pilfering of ships there in the hauen and thrée other that were condemned for the like offense had their pardons The sixtenth of Maie was proclamation made that all Frenchmen being within the towne of Newhauen otherwise called Haure de Grace as well men women as children should depart the towne betwixt that present time and six of the clocke at night on the next daie being mondaie except surgians line 60 apothecaries bakers butchers smiths masons locksmiths carpenters and other such artificers vpon paine to be attached as good and lawfull prisoners and their goods to be confiscat By the tenor of these seuerall proclamations it maie appeare that the lord lieutenant procéeded nothing rigorouslie against the French in remoouing them foorth of the towne although it maie be that some which had to deale therein dealt hardlie inough with them But in such cases there must of necessitie be some diligent héedfulnesse vsed for otherwise in such packing away some might peraduenture carie with them too much others too litle But howsoeuer this mater was handled true it is that it was thought expedient to auoid the French out of the towne For after the duke of Guise was slaine before Orleance and that the parties were agréed as by edict of the pacification published in March last past it maie appeare the whole deuises as well of them of the one religion as the other tended to this end how to recouer the towne of Newhauen out of the Englishmens hands either by practise or open force And such intelligence was vsed betwixt the French within that towne and the enimies without to bring this to passe that the English could assure themselues no more of the one than of the other and so were driuen for their owne safeties to rid the towne of so doubtfull partakers The seuen and twentith of Maie proclamation was made that all maner of furniture and apparell apperteining to ships within the garrison hauen or rode of the towne of Newhauen should be brought in or a note to be giuen therof in writing to the lord lieutenant and councell there before twelue of the clocke the next day Saturdaie the two and twentith of Maie about one of the clocke in the morning the Reingraue with fiue hundred horsmen and twentie two ensignes of footmen came downe to the village called Lheure neere vnto the new fort which by order of the lord lieutenant was latelie before begun to be built sir Iohn Portinarie being chiefe deuiser of the fortifications about the same The enimies meaning was to haue taken the same fort by a sudden assault but the English scouts looking well to their charge gaue intelligence to the lord lieutenant thereof who incontinentlie going to the bulworke roiall set out by the posterne capteine Iohn Ward with his hundred souldiers and capteine Parkinson with his hundred to passe to the fort there to be an aid and defense to them that laie in the same About thrée of the clocke in the morning the Reingraue suddenlie with his bands of horssemen and footmen gaue them in the fort an hot alarum and immediatlie the earle of Warwike gaue in charge to these capteins Read Appleyard Tuttie Zouch Antwisell Ward Morton and Parkinson hauing with them a thousand footmen and twentie horsmen to set vpon the enimies in the village of Lheure néere adioining to the said
new fort where the valiant English souldiers shewed well the woonted valure of their woorthie ancestors giuing such an hardie onset vpon their aduersaries that greater manhood had not lightlie appeared in any incounter than was vsed by those martiall capteins and their warlike bands at that present to the high honor of their countrie insomuch that they beat backe their enimies slue and tooke of them to the number of foure hundred beside thirtie faire horsses and an ensigne which one Eastwike lieutenant to capteine Antwisell got Amongst the numbers of them that were slaine there were found aboue thirtie handsome gentlemen and verie well appointed To conclude the Englishmen behaued themselues so manfullie on each side that by plaine force of armes they droue the enimies quite out of the village after set it on fire bicause the enimies should not come to incampe therein as their purpose was to haue doone at that present The six and twentith of Maie the Frenchmen in number about thrée thousand horssemen and footmen came downe towards the windmils neere to the bulworke called saint Addresses against whom the English horsemen and footmen issued foorth of the towne giuing them a right hot skirmish which continued for the space of two houres insomuch that there were slaine of the French to the number of 200 beside an hundred and aboue that were hurt On the English side that daie were lost about a dozzen or thirtéene persons and amongst others was capteine Tremaine slaine and manie hurt To conclude the Englishmen like hardie and worthie souldiers wan and kept the field so as the Frenchmen in the end were driuen to retire and besides other losses which they receiued they had aboue fiftie of their horsses killed and hurt In this skirmish being one of the notablest that had béene lightlie séene manie a daie before capteine Horseie shewed woorthie proofe of his most valiant line 10 courage winning to himselfe such commemdation as the same will not be forgotten whilest anie shall remaine aliue that beheld his manfull dealings being such at that present as deserue to be registred in the booke of fame to continue with posteritie for euer On saturdaie the fift of Iune at seuen of the clocke at night the Reinsgraue hauing laid in the village of Lheure an ambush of six hundred horssemen and fiftéene hundred footmen there came downe also betwéene the abbeie and the village called Englefield line 20 towards the towne the number of a thousand footmen which began a verie hot skirmish first at the new fort comming euen hard to the ditches where the Englishmen manfullie incountered them Herewith also the Reinsgraue appointed other to come downe and approch the bulworks of saint Addresses saint Francis saint Michaell and to conclude round about the towne so that there were of them to the number of six thousand that were imploied in this skirmish which was mainteined right fercelie for the space of two hours with verie sharpe line 30 and cruell fight in the end the enimies were forced to giue place with the losse of fiue hundred of their men Almans Frenchmen Gascoignes and Spaniards The Englishmen verelie in this seruice shewed that they were nothing degenerat from the ancient race of their noble progenitors Besides those that were slaine on the French part amongst whom was one of their capteins of good account amongst them they tooke also Bassompeere an Almane coronell line 40 ouer ten ensignes of footmen The presence of the lord lieutenant was not wanting that daie both to incourage his worthie souldiers and also to sée them applied with weapon â—nd munition so as they should not be vnprouided of anie thing that was néedfull for seruice Of Englishmen there was hurt capteine Gilbert and capteine Pelham and about fiftéene other hurt and slaine The seuenth of Iune capteine Edward Dudleie arriued at Newhauen with an line 50 hundred souldiers The morrow after the first canon shot light within the towne of Newhauen néere to the bulworke of saint Addresses striking into the house where capteine Whéeler was lodged which shot being brought to my lord of Warwike by Blewmantell purseuant at armes his honor beholding it reioised thereat and said by Gods grace he would answer them againe The ninth of Iune arriued at Newhauen three capteins with their bands of an hundred a péece line 60 being of the garrison of Berwike to wit capteine Tremaine capteine Cornewall capteine Carew Edward Randoll also landed there the same daie appointed to be knight marshall For ye must vnderstand that sir Adrian Poinings being knight marshall vpon his returne into England was otherwise emploid and went not backe againe and then was sir Thomas Finch of Kent appointed to go ouer to supplie the roome of knight marshall who making his prouision readie sent ouer his brother Erasmus Finch to haue charge of his band and his kinsman Thomas Finch to be his prouost marshall whilest staieng till he had euerie thing in a readinesse to passe ouer himselfe At last he imbarked in one of the quéenes maiesties ships called the Greiehound hauing there aboord with him beside thréescore and six of his owne retinue fourtéene other gentlemen two of them being brethren to the lord Wentwoorth Iames Wentwoorth and Iohn Wentwoorth with diuerse others who in the whole accounting the mariners amounted vnto the number of 200 persons and vpward And as they were on the furthest coast toward Newhauen they were by contrarie wind and foule weather driuen backe toward the coast of England and plieng towards Rie they forced the capteine of the ship a verie cunning seaman named William Maline and also the maister and mariners to thrust into the hauen before the tide and so they all perished seuen of the meaner sort onlie excepted where of three died shortlie after they came to land The dead bodie of sir Thomas Finch amongst others was cast on shore being knowne was conueied home to his house and there buried in his parish church After this mischance and losse of that woorthie gentleman the said Edward Randoll was appointed knight marshall who ordeined a right sufficient personage capteine Iohn Shute to be his prouost marshall The fifteenth of Iune capteine Richard Sanders and capteine William Saule with their bands of an hundred souldiers a péece and capteine Drurie with two hundred arriued at Newhauen and the morrow after arriued capteine Roberts with another hundred of souldiers And on the seuenteenth of Iune being thursdaie sir Francis Knolles vicechamberleine of the quéenes maiesties house landed there béeing sent ouer by hir maiestie and hir councell to view the state of the towne On fridaie the eightéenth of Iune a sergeant of capteine Blunts band and a souldior of capteine Darcies band were executed in the market place of Newhauen for drawing their weapons against their capteins and forsaking their appointed places of warding
and such other lewd parts which they had committed The fiue and twentith of Iune proclamation was made that no souldior of the new fort should resort to the towne of Newhauen without licence of his capteine or some of his principall officers on paine of death or that anie man should presume to passe the limits of the said new fort except vpon occasion of seruice in companie of his capteine or lieutenant on like paine And this order was taken because diuerse stragling abroad had béene taken prisoners and slaine by the enimies to their owne reproch hindâ—rance of the princes seruice The eight and twentith of Iune the Frenchmen came downe to the village of Lheure there verie néere to the fort began to skirmish with the Englishmen There were of them ten ensignes of footmen and two hundred horssemen This skirmish lasted thrée houres and yet there were not past foure slaine The night following they placed fiue canons betwixt the towne and the brickehils and likewise they placed other péeces of their artillerie at the foresaid village of Lheure so that they shot both into the towne and fort The first of Iulie about midnight they issued foorth of their trenches and skirmished with the English scouts droue them vnder the bulworke of saint Addresses and there perceiuing that the Englishmen had a priuie sallie out after a long skirmish they retired They had meant to haue set the mils belonging to the towne on fire but they had such plaie made them that about thrée of the clocke in the morning they became to be quiet and left the Englishmen in rest hauing doone to them little or no hurt at all The great ordinance on both sides was not idle whilest this skirmish was in hand The second and third of Iulie there landed nine hundred souldiors that came foorth of Northfolke and Suffolke yellow clokes and blew clokes verie well appointed hauing to their capteins Ferdinando Liggens Philip Sturleie Iohn Highfield and Edward Driuer Also there came the same time fiftie carpenters sixtéene sawyers and eight smiths in hir works Moreouer on the third daie of Iulie about ten of the clocke at night the French gaue a great alarum to the towne beat in the scouts but incontinentlie issued foorth fiue hundred souldiors out at line 10 the sallieng place vnder the gréene bulworke and beat the Frenchmen backe into their trenches and kept them waking all that night The same time capteine Sanders was hurt with a shot in the leg whereof he shortlie after died other losse at that time the Englishmen receiued not The fift of Iulie a proclamation was made for souldiors to resort in time of alarums vnto that part quarter which was assigned to their capteins and not to absent themselues from their ensignes whether it line 20 were at alarums watch ward or other seruice The sixt of Iulie about thrée of the clocke in the morning the enimies planted thrée canons and thrée culuerings discharging that morning to the number of foure score and ten shots but perceiuing they did little hurt they staied their shooting sauing that now and then they shot into the bulworke and ouer it into the towne they also leuelled a péece and shot it off towards the new gallie slue therein two men and hurt thrée or foure other The same daie a canon line 30 and a culuering were sent foorth of the towne to the new fort The twelfe of Iulie about foure of the clocke in the morning the French laid batterie to the bulworke of saint Addresses continuing the same all that daie They also dismounted the same daie the ordinance in the stéeple of Newhauen and beat downe the great bell cleane defacing the stéeple They discharged that daie against the towne as was gathered by due estimation to the number of twelue hundred canon shot line 40 The same euening was William Robinson esquier waterbailife of the towne of Newhauen slaine with a shot and also William Bromfield maister of the ordinance hurt with the same and being conueied ouer into England he shortlie after died of that hurt The fourtéenth of Iulie sir Hugh Paulet knight landed at Newhauen bringing with him eight hundred souldiors out of Wiltshire and Glocestershire The same daie came the Frenchmen downe to the number of three thousand euen hard to line 50 the gates of the towne beating the Englishmen out of their trenches but yet in the end they were forced to retire and of Englishmen there were not past twentie slaine and about an hundred hurt But the Frenchmen as was estéemed lost aboue foure hundred horssemen and footemen albeit they tooke from the Englishmen at that present a culuering which was set foorth to annoie them But their force at that time was such as they preuailed so retired line 60 with that peece though they well paied for it The same daie also in the after noone the little galeasse called the Fox went out of the hauen fraught with fiftie men to flanke alongst the shore and to beate the Frenchmen with hir shot but as she was shooting off at them a linnen stocke fell into a barrell of powder and set it on fire togither with the vessell so that she suddenlie sanke and all that were aboord in hir were lost sauing fiftéene that saued themselues by swimming The one and twentith of Iulie the conestable of France accompanied with the marshals Montmorancie and Burdillon and manie other lords and knights of the order came to the abbeie of Grauille where the marshall Brissacke was lodged who had the generall charge in the armie before the comming of the said conestable They dined togither there in the said Brissacks lodging and after dinner they sat in councell togither how to procéed in the siege Fridaie the three and twentith of Iulie the conestable came into the trench that was cast ouer against the bulworke of saint Addresse alongst by the sea side and sent his trumpet to summon the towne The lord lieutenant appointed sir Hugh Paulet to go foorth make the answer in his name which was in effect that â—he quéens maiestie of England had appointed him and others to kéepe that towne and therefore they meant not to deliuer it to anie other person without hir graces especiall commandement In the meane time there were diuerse of the English capteins and gentlemen which accompanied the said sir Hugh offered the wine which they had brought out of the towne with them in flagons of siluer and guilt vnto such capteins and gentlemen as accompanied the trumpet by commandement of the conestable to surueie the state of the trenches and Palisad as the French writers themselues confesse Amongst others there was capteine Monines the lieutenant of one of the ensignes coronels of monsieur Dandelot with whom capteine Leighton being of acquaintance had some talke The Englishmen and Frenchmen were no sooner departed they to their trenches and
Hunnesdon master Drurie and diuers other capteins and souldiours to the number of thrée thousand or thereabouts set from Barwike about fiue of the clocke in the afternoone towards Warke where they arriued about nine of the clocke in the night and continuing there till the next morning in the meane time he put things in order necessarie for the assiegging of Hume castell the winning whereof his lordship seemed to haue vowed About the breake of the daie he sent foorth master Drurie with certeine horsmen and shot before to inuiron that castell and to choose there such a plot of ground where he might incampe best in safetie frō the shot of the same Which line 10 the said master Drurie accordinglie performed and there remained till the comming of the said lord lieutenant with the armie who setting forward the footbands cariage and ordinance made hast to follow But yet yer he could passe the riuer of Twéed and set ouer all the men ordinance and carriage it was almost ten of the clocke Héere at this riuer the lord lieutenant caused all the horssemen to staie and to take ouer the footmen This doone with good circumspection he appointed line 20 the demilances and other horssemen to remaine behind in the rereward and put the footmen in the battell for the more safegard of themselues the ordinance and cariages Then his lordship himselfe with his owne standard and the lord of Hunnesdons guidon marched forward towards Hume castell commanding the rest of the armie with the ordinance to follow after and so about one of the clocke in the afternoone he came before the castell out of the which the enimies shot at his standard verie hotlie but line 30 God be praised without dooing hurt either to man or horsse and incamped vnder a rocke or crag which the marshall had possessed with his band of horssemen and certeine footmen as in a place most apt from danger of shot out of the castell Héerewith a companie of curriours and caliuers were put forward and appointed to take an other rocke néerer to the castell which shot at them in the said castell and the defendants within it answered them againe verie roundlie although without anie great hurt on line 40 either part In the meane time the lord lieutenant himselfe accompanied onelie with the marshall master Drurie rode sundrie times round about the castell to view and surueie the same at whome they within shot verie sore both with their great artillerie and small shot yet missing them as God would though verie narrowlie About six of the clocke in the euening came the whole battell ordinance and cariages with ensignes spread shewing themselues verie line 50 brauelie at whome also the castell shot lustilie but as God would haue it without hurting either man or boie They lodged vnder another rocke neere adioining vnto the lord lieutenant vpon the west side where there were appointed more small shot to go to the trench which shadowed themselues vnder the old wals of the houses which the Scots had burnt before the comming of the Englishmen and occupied them so within the said castell that one of them could not so soone looke out at a loope but three or foure were line 60 readie to salute him and kéeping them in such sort that they durst not well shew their heads the capteine of the pioners the same night by commandement of the lord lieutenant raised a mount vpon the northeast side of the castell wherevpon the péeces of artillerie might be planted in batterie This worke was so well applied and with so great diligence aduanced that by fiue of the clocke in the next morning it was finished The eight and twentith of Aprill the marshall maister Drurie verie earlie rode about the castell to surueie and view euerie thing which doone the great ordinance was brought to the appointed place and bent against the castell to wit thrée canons and two falcons Héerewith also the lord lieutenant caused summons to be giuen vnto them within to yéeld And about seauen of the clocke the same morning the whole tire began to go off and a great showt was made by the armie to the great terrour of the defendants and of all the countrie neere adioining The foresaid péeces continued shooting till two of the clocke in the afternoone discharging within that space a thrée score shots During the time of this batterie there was no great store of shot discharged by the great peeces within the castell bicause their master gunner within after he had first shot off a péece and doone no hurt therewith as he was about to shoot againe the master gunner of the two English falcons hauing espied him tooke his leuell so right that discharging therewith one of the falcons he displaced the enimies péece and stroke the gunners leg off whereby their great ordinance within ceassed which was an happie turne for the Englishmen About two of the clocke they within sent foorth a trumpet vnto the lord lieutenant requiring a respit that they might talke with the marshall master Drurie and to send a messenger to the lord Hume their master to know his further pleasure for that being put in trust by him with the kéeping of that fortresse they could not giue it vp without his consent And then vpon the returne of the messenger they trusted to giue his lordship contented answer The marshall master Drurie talked with them twise and the lord lieutenant was contented to grant vnto William Trotter and Gilbert Greie the lord Humes wiues brother being principall capteins appointed to the kéeping of the said castell three houres respit with condition that they should not vse therein anie subtiltie or for the delaieng of time swearing by his honour that if they so did he would not depart the field till he had woone it by force and further that there should not one of them escape with life They being brought in doubt of their owne safeties hereby sent one in post togither with a seruant of master Druries the marshall to the lord Hume And presentlie heerevpon they shewed themselues vpon the walles and rampires of the said castell but immediatlie the lord lieutenant sent to them a commandement strictlie inhibiting them that not one of them should once on paine of death looke ouer the wals or rampires to the end to view the breach of the batterie forsomuch as in the time of parlée it was against the law of armes so to doo But now the messenger that was thus sent to the lord Hume comming to him declared i◠what case his house and people stood who being as was supposed not so farre off but that he might heare how lustilie the English canons did canuasse and batter his Humish castell walles did now agrée to méet the marshall master Drurie two miles distant from the said castell and there to commune further with him in that matter Upon the comming backe of the messenger with this
of their beds and run to the churches where they called vpon God by earnest praiers to be mercifull vnto them Of this earthquake one writeth thus Manie thousands haue heard and commonlie it is reported that latelie in Kent an other earthquake was séene and felt and so terriblie and sore the line 60 earth did tremble and quake that it wakened people that soundlie slept and had like to haue rocked them all asléepe that were awake So fearefull was the matter and so dreadfull is the wrath of God in time of visitation and wicked season of iniquitie This was a pretie naturall cause in deed so I thinke For the naturall diseases of man and the naughtie filthinesse of the flesh full of lust and infirmities caused God for the correction of natures inclination to make Douer Sandwich Canturburie Grauesend and sundrie other places tremble and shake The eightéenth daie of Maie about one houre before sun setting diuerse gentlemen of worship and good credit riding from Bodnian in Cornewall towards Foie there appeared to their séeming in the northeast a verie great mist or fog much like vnto the sea and the forme of a cloud in the fashion of some great castell with flags streamers thereon as it were standing in the sea which presentlie vanished awaie In whose stéed and néere to the same place appeared an other cloud which altered into the likenesse of a great argosie furnished with masts and other necessaries and hir sailes séeming full of wind made hir waie on the southwest of the castell hauing streamers and flags verie warlike with two boats at either sterne There incontinent appeared againe the forme of a castell and behind the same came following on the southwest side an other great argosie furnished as the first This being past there appéered three or foure gallies with their masts and flags in warlike sort hauing boats at their sternes and thereby appeared other small clouds to the number of twelue which altered into the proportion of the said castels and one following an other as soone as anie of them vanished other came in their rooms and this continued the space of an houre Shortlie after the sights in the aier aforesaid a worthie Gentleman in the countrie writ to a right good gentleman in the court that there was seene vpon a downe called Brodwels downe in Summersetshire thrée score personages all clothed in blacke a furlong in distance from those that beheld them and after their appearing and a little while tarieng they vanished awaie but immediatlie an other strange companie in like maner colour and number appeared in the same place and they incountered one an other and so vanished awaie And the third time appeared that number againe all in bright armour and incountered one an other and so vanished awaie Foure honest men which saw it reporting the same abroad were examined thereof before sir George Norton to whome they sware that those things they had séene were true as here before is rehearsed Moreouer it is crediblie reported of manie honest men that fiue miles from Blonsdon in Wiltshire a crie of hounds was heard in the aier the selfe same daie that the first earthquake was and the noise was so great that was made that they seemed thrée or foure score couples whereat diuerse tooke their greihounds thinking some gentlemen had béene a hunting in the chase and thought to course yet some of those that went out of their houses séeing nothing below abroad looked vpwards to the skies and there espied in the aier fiue or six hounds perfectlie to be discerned Now to saie my fansie I doubt not but thousands hold these newes for fables inuented for pleasure But I protest before God and man I can beléeue a great deals more stranger matter than this in this strange world for the people so estrange themselues from God by vsing manie strange fashions and clapping on new conditions natures that except he shew some miracles his godhead would quickelie be forgotten on earth and men would beléeue there were no other world but this The thirtéenth of Iune about six of the clocke in the morning at Shipwash within the baronie of Bothell in Northumberland there happened a tempest of lightning and thunder after the which on a sudden came a great showre of haile amongest the which were found stones of diuerse shapes maruellous to behold as in the likenes of frogs mattocks swords horsse shooes nailes crosses of diuerse sorts skuls of dead men c. The seuentéenth day of Iune in the parish of Blasedon in Yorkeshire after a gret tempest of lightning thunder a woman of foure score yeares old named Alice Perrin was deliuered of an hideous monster whose head was like vnto a sallet or headpeece the face like vnto a mans except the mouth which was round and small like vnto the mouth of a moâ—so the fore part of the bodie like to a man hauing eight legs not one like an other and a taile halfe a yard long Which monster brought into the world besides an admiration of the diuine works of God an astonishment at his iudgements But of these we may saie as a stranger said sometime vpon the like occasion of prodigies and woonders successiuelie insuing not without weightie line 10 signification to wit that such things be as tales told to the deafe verie few weieng in their minds the meaning effect of strange accidents and therfore thinke vpon nothing lesse than a reformation of their wicked life for the which things sake God sendeth these and manie such significant warnings before he taketh the rod in hand and whippeth vs till we smart we then not looking to the meanes that prouoke this vengeance as willing to auoid them but murmuring at the iust iudge vnder whose heauie line 20 hand we grone charging him to be the author of all misfortunes falling vpon vs which Homer trulie séemeth right well to haue noted in this sense Cur stulti incusant mortales numina coeli Et sibi nos dicunt autores esse malorum Cum praeter fati leges in aperta ferantur Damna suaementis proprijs erroribus orti About the eightéenth daie of Iulie the lord Greie tooke his voiage towards Ireland as lord deputie thereof after whom was sent diuerse bands line 30 of lustie souldiors both horssemen and footmen vnder the leading of expert capteins of whose prosperous and happie successe against their enimies the Irish and others diuerse pamflets haue béene published matter more at large is set downe in the historie of Ireland The thrée and twentith of September at fennie Stanton in Huntingtonshire one Agnis wife to William Linseie was deliuered of an vglie and strange monster with a face blacke the necke red mouth and eies like a lion on the forehead line 40 a roll of flesh that might be turned vp with ones finger on the hinder part of the head a lumpe of flesh proportioned
318 a 30. Of Dublin made archbishop 59 b 20. Of Durham created an earle 119 b 50. Besieged the castell of Tickâ—ill 142 a 30. Lost his earledome 144 a 10. Restrained of his libertie 122 b 60 Chiefe ruler of the north parts 121 a 10. He earle Patrike at strife 161 a 10. By letters asswageth the Scotish kings displeasure hee goeth into Scotland 785 a 30 40. Winneth castels 307 a 40. Of Elies taking vp of horses to K. Richard the firsts vse 122 b 50 60. Summoned to appeare at Reading his returne to London a declaration against him he yéeldeth vp the tower 131 all His letter to the shiriffe of Kent 130 b 30. Disguiseth himselfe in womans apparell he flieth is betraied and committed to prison complaineth of his wrongs to the pope 132 a 10. He deceaseth 151 b 10. Of Elie imprisoneth archbishop Geffreie of Yorke 130 b 30. Arriueth in England as a simple bishop 139 b 30. Sent ambassadour to the emperour 148 a 30. Banished 50 b 30. Blind of Excester sent to Rome from Henrie the first 37 b 30. Pat in charge with the citie of London beheaded by the Londoners 338 a 40 b 30. Hereford arrested for treson 335 a 10. His deuise to get monie of the bishops 251 b 10. Of Ireland elected out of England 22 a 50. Of Léege murthered 140 a 10. Of Lincolne visiteth abbeies and is suspended by the pope 244 a 40 50. Capteine of a band of men 30 a 50. Of London taken vp with reprochfull words and reuenged by the Londoners 412 a 20. His palace where Richard second kept open house 474 a 10. Stout words to an earle 458 a 20. Made lord chancellor 440 b 60. Ambassadour to the emperour 168 b 20. Deane to the archbishop of Canturburie 35 b 20. Of Norwich in armes against the antipaâ—e 441 b 50 60 442 a 40. Couragious and warlike 444 a 20. Setteth forward with his armie inuadeth Flanders 442 b 10 50. The order of his battell against the Flemings 443 a 30. His disobedience punished 445 a 20. His armie of fiue hundred footmen and manie horsmen 176 b 50. Returneth out of Flanders into England 444 b 60. Of Rosse an enimie to the English estate 1370 b 60. Of Salisburies men and the Londoners in a riot he maketh a great â—oâ—plaiâ—â— of them to the king 478 a 20 50. Dreth for thought 50 b 30. Made lord chancellor 51 a 10. Shamefullie mâ—rthered note 636 a 10. Of Whiteherne consecrated 119 b 10. Of Winchester lent Henrie the fift two hundred thousand pounds 580 b 10 Made a cardinall 596 b 10. Legated and vnlegated by the pope 602 a 60 b 60 Bishop earle of Kent 13 a 60. Capteine of an armie 7 b 40. Wiped of fiue thousand pounds by William Rufus note 20 b 10. Depriued of his staffe by the king 21 a 40. ¶ Sée Herbert One reuengeth anothers death 12 b 20 Bishops chosen principall iustices of the realme 115 b 20. Sent ambassadours to the French king 112 b 50 Forbidden the vse of the sacrament 76 b 10. Disallow archbishop Thomas Becket 71 b 40. Thinke to please God in breaking their oth 46 b 40. Of Man first and second 59. b 10. Threatened 59 a 40. In suspicion to be disloiall 50 b 10. Inuesting doonâ— by the kings of England 29 a 50. ¶ Sée William Rufus At strife about crowning the king and saieng masse before him 37 a 10. Translation from sée to sée 36 a 30. Of priuie councell and ambassadors to Rome 31 b 20. Fiue consecrated by Anselme in one daie 34 a 40. Inuestâ—tures giuen awaie from the king by the popes sentence 31 b 60. Of a late election Salisburie and Hereford 30 a 60 b 10. Depriued by the bishop of Elie 129 a 50. Conâ—entious and ambitious 121 a 50. Elected and consecrated 119 a 60 b 10. Quarell with the moonks of Canturburie 169 b 30. Thrée dead in one yeare 788 b 20. Restored and others depriued 1089 a 20. Trauell to make peace 265 a 30. Would rather become martyrs than loose their monie 252 b 40. Practise to disappoint the archbishop of Canturburie of his purpose 243 a 50. Readinesse to resist the Saracens 209 a 50. Ambassadors 205 a 60. Cannot tell what to saie in the contention betwéene king William Rufus and Anselme note 25. Of Ireland their names and fées 22 b 50. Seditious and ranke warriors 17 a 30 40. In fault that duke William was king of England 1 a 40 50. Submit themselues to duke William 1 a 40. Sworne to be loiall 1 b 20. Flie into forren lands and countries 6 a 20. Sées remooued from small towns to cities of more fame 11 b 60. In armes against rebellious earls 11 a 50. Of Scotland consecrated by the archbishop of Yorke 9 b 20. Of Excester from the first to the last set downe in a catalog 1300 a 20 30 1301 c. Six receiue the communion 1185 a 60 Depriued others succéeding 1184 b 30. ¶ Sée Ambition Archbishops and Consecration Bishoprike of Carleils erection 44 b 20. Of Elie first erected 36 a 30. Of Lincolne void seuentéene yeares 75 a 60 109 b 40. Of Waterford in Ireland erected 22 b 40 Bishoprikes bestowed by king Henrie his gift thought insufficient 31 a 50. Bought of king William Rufus 21 a 40. Let out to farme 26 a 40 Bishopsgate new builded 702 b 60 Biskains and Englishmen togither by the eares 813 b 60 Blackwagon that followed euill Maie daie 844 a 60 Blackheath field 782 b 10 Blackenesse an hauen towne on the south shore of Scotland 989 b 50 Blackwell knight smothered to death in a throng 319 a 10 Blacke Will a notorious murthering ruffian 1063 a 50 b 40. Receiueth ten pounds in reward for murthering of Arden 1065 a 10. Burnt at Flushing 1066 a 20 Blasing star 1131 b 10 252 a 50 204 b 40 277 b 40 1344 a 40 1314 a 50. Of strange appéerance 37 a 40. With other strange sights 519 b 60. Uerie dreadfull for thirtie daies space togither 225 b 60. In the north of a moneths continuance 323 a 10. With long terrible streames 353 a 20. Appéering in a faire cleare daie 11 b 50. ¶ Sée Comet and Starre Blasphemie of pope Iulie against God 1128 a 40. Of a popish preacher seuerelie punished by God 1128 b 60 1129 a 10 Bleothgent king of Wales partaker with a rebell 5 a 20 Blewbeard capteine of rebels 632 a 20 Blockhouses bulworks builded 946 b 10 Bloreheath field 649 a 50 Bluet Robert bishop of Lincolne note 20 b 10 Blunt knight his notable seruice against the French 540 b 50 Bohune Iohn his wife and issue 20 a 50 Boier maior of Bodwin in Cornwall hanged note 1006 b 50 c 1007 a 10 Boldnesse ¶ Sée Magnanimitie and Words Bolton prior of S. Bartholomews buildeth an house at Harrow on the hill to auoid flouds prognosticated that yeare 882 b 20 Bondage ¶ Sée Seruitude Bondmen by
Frenchmen in womens apparell Blacke mondaie The Frenchmen win the trench Maister Barkeleie taken prisoner The Frenchmen repelled and some of them slaine Maister Arthur Greie hurt in the shoulder A new supplie commeth to the armie the capteines names An hot alarum of an houres continuance Ordinance planted in trenches The bishop of Ualence and his companie A skirmish of two houres continuance More ordinance planted The enimies ordinance displaced A sort raiseâ— A skirmish The French repelled The new 〈◊〉 called Montpelham Another skirmish Iames Hamilton taken prisoner Prisoners taken and slaine The armie râ—mooueth from Lesterâ—ke to the red Braies A skirmish and what was doone in the same The planting 〈◊〉 the great artillerie A trench 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 Great ordinance planted 〈◊〉 discharâ—â—â— A skirmish A fire in 〈◊〉 and augmented with shot of ordinance and 〈…〉 weather Capteine Uaughan Maie poles set vp in Leith on Maie daie A trench woon from the French Capteine Uaughan vieweth the enimies flankers The French repelled by the English The mils burnt by the English and the French driuen from thense Capteine Reades arme broken The earle of Argile with his armie commeÌ„th to Edenburgh The assault giuen to Leith the seauenth of Maie The horsmen appointed to gard the field The English men repelled by the policies and deuises of the French The number slaine hurt at the assault Sir George Howard and sir Richard Lée A supplie froÌ„ Barwike of foure hundred and fiftie soldiors Sir Francis Leake bringeth a supplie to the campe A skirmish bâ—â—twéene the English and French The Frenchâ—men chased Summerseâ— mount Sir Peter Carew senâ— from the court 〈…〉 wherein 〈◊〉 French 〈…〉 〈◊〉 English 〈◊〉 taken 〈◊〉 quéene Dowager 〈…〉 life 〈◊〉 French 〈…〉 to their 〈◊〉 Sir William 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Wotton 〈◊〉 to Eâ—â—â—â—urgh Frenchmen 〈…〉 as they gathered 〈◊〉 Scattergood 〈…〉 the Frenchmen Order taken for the restreining of all signes of hostilitie The peace concluded and word sent to the French that it should be proclamed Sir Francis Leake and sir Gerueis Clifton banketted by monsieur Doisell Schardius in rebus gestis suâ— imperatore Maximiliano secundo Whie this historiographer is so large in the description of this siege of Leith The articles of the peace at the siege of Leith The end of this peace thus concluded Sée more herof in ScotlaÌ„d pag. 374. The commenâ—dation of the foresaid concluded peace T. Church-yard The quéeneâ— meaning in remoouing 〈◊〉 French out 〈◊〉 Scotland The quéenes armie reuoke out of Scotland Iohn Stow. A fall of basâ— monie making of new coines Anno Reg. 3. Additions to Lanquet The quéene furnisheth hiâ— land with armour and munition The merchaÌ„t â—â—â—lors frée sâ—hoole William Geffreie whipped A false Christ whipped till he changed his song Paules stéeple on fire by lightening The quéene 〈◊〉 gréeued with the losse of Paules stéeple prouideth means to repare it The quéenes beneuolence to excite others Ouerséers appointed to 〈◊〉 the reparing of Paules All the iles of Paules made and framed of new timber Ten thousand pounds insufficient to repare Paules as it was at the first Good orders nothing worth if they be not put in execution Fréeschoole in Bedford towne founded by William Harper maior of London elect New coines of small péeces as six pence c. Anno Reg. 4. Monstruous births in diuerse places of England France at diuision in it selfe by ciuill warres The quéenes maiesties mistrust of inconuenience and the same remedied Sir Henrie Sidneie sent ambassador into France An other ambassage in Iulie directed into France Ships of LoÌ„don Excester Falmouth spoiled by the French in Britaine the thirtith of Iulie and ninetéenth of August Letters taken from the quéens ambassadors seruants The French troubles touch most the quéene of England The chiefe causes that mooued the quéenes maiestie to send a power into France The earle of Warwike sent into Normandie with an armie The earle of Warwike â—â—ndeth at Newhauen Light horssemen Scots An oth receiâ—ed by the lord lieutenant â—nd other ofâ—â—cerâ— A skirmish betwéene the Scotishmen and them of Mondeuille A prise of winâ—s to the quantitie of two hundred tuns An alarum in 〈◊〉 towne of Newhauen Stephan Medcalfe trumpettor The earle of Warwike and the Reingraue talke togither The church of Hauteuille recouered A proclamation for good orders to be kept by the souldiors A skirmish before Harflue The Englishmen retire to Newhauen with honor Monsieur Beauuois Prises taken and brought to Newhauen A proclamation for harquebut shot An alarum vpon occasion of fier made by the papists Execution A proclamation to restreine the outrage of souldiors Prises brought to Newhauen A supplie of souldiors out of Essex arriue at Newhauen A proclamation for the assemblâ—ng of souldiors at same Addresses Sir Iohn Portinarie a Florentine and an excellent enginer Sir Iohn More bringeth a supplie of soldiors to Newhauen out of Deuonshire A present sent by the Reingraue to the earle of Warwike Edward Dudleie The castell of Tankeruille woone by the Englishmen A skirmish 〈◊〉 Harflue The French 〈◊〉 beaten 〈◊〉 Harflue Monsieur Beauuois 〈◊〉 Antwisell hurt A proclamation for obserâ—ing of orders The death of the lord Greie of Wilton A hoie recouered which the French had taken Certeine apprehended for conspiracie A great tempest in Leicester An alarum giuen to Mondeuille An alarum giuen to Harflue The castell of Tankeruille deliuered to the Reingraue Tremaine Francis Clerke Frenchman Prises taken by him of about 50000 crownes value Capteine Emerie taken by the Scotish horsmen A proclamation for the obseruing of orders A prise brought to Newhauen Thrée other prises of sackes bastards c. A souldier executed for fighting contrarie to the orders in that case giuen Thrée other pardoned The admerall of France summoneth Hunflue The great gallie of Hunflue taken The French beholden to the English Noble men sent from the admerall of France to the earle of Warwike Sir Nicholas Throckmorton arriueth at Newhauen Caen castell besieged The marquesse Dalbeuf brother to the duke of Guise Aid sent to the siege of Caeâ— The counte 〈…〉 a French 〈◊〉 MoÌ„tgomerie â—â—th to Caen to speake with 〈◊〉 admerall The castell of Caen batteâ—â—â— It is rendred to the admerall Baieulx Faleise and S. Lo yéelded to the admerall The canon 〈◊〉 to the â—â—stell of â—â—ndue 〈◊〉 yéelded A proclamaâ—â—on vpon 〈◊〉 of death A proclamaâ—â—â—n in the FreÌ„ch kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adrian Pâ—â—â—ings 〈◊〉 French appointed to depart out of Newhauen Proclamation for the lawfull taking of prisoners Another proclamation in the behalfe of strangers Another proclamation for the lawfull apprehending of prisoners Exceptions against the foresaid proclamation The Reingraue with his horssemen Execution on Easter euen A proclamation to be packing out of Newhauen Garter king of armes bringeth the garter to the lord lieutenant A proclamation for auoiding Ministers excepted Places forbidden by proclamation to be resorted vnto Execution for pilfering A proclamation for the auoiding of the French out of Newhauen
be perceiued and so in like case was the rereward ioined on the left hand that the one might the more readilie succour an other in time of néed When he had thus ordered his battels he left a small companie to kéepe his campe and cariage which remained still in the village and then calling his capteins and soldiers about him he made to them a right graue oration moouing them to plaie the men whereby to obteine a glorious victorie as there was hope certeine they should the rather if they would but remember the iust cause for which they fought and whome they should incounter such faint-harted people as their ancestors had so often ouercome To conclude manie words of courage he vttered to stirre them to doo manfullie assuring them that England should neuer be charged with his ransome nor anie Frenchmen triumph ouer him as a captiue for either by famous death or glorious victorie would he by Gods grace win honour and fame It is said that as he heard one of the host vtter his wish to another thus I would to God there were with vs now so manie good soldiers as are at this houre within England the king answered I would not wish a man more here than I haue we are indeed in comparison to the enimies but a few but if God of his clemencie doo fauour vs and our iust cause as I trust he will we shall spéed well inough But let no man ascribe victorie to our owne strength and might but onelie to Gods assistance to whome I haue no doubt we shall worthilie haue cause to giue thanks therefore And if so be that for our offenses sakes we shall be deliuered into the hands of our enimies the lesse number we be the lesse damage shall the realme of England susteine but if we should fight in trust of multitude of men and so get the victorie our minds being prone to pride we should thervpon peraduenture ascribe the victorie not so much to the gift of God as to our owne puissance and thereby prouoke his high indignation and displeasure against vs and if the enimie get the vpper hand then should our realme and countrie suffer more damage and stand in further danger But be you of good comfort and shew your selues valiant God and our iust quarrell shall defend vs and deliuer these our proud aduersaries with all the multitude of them which you sée or at the least the most of them into our hands Whilest the king was yet thus in spéech either armie so maligned the other being as then in open sight that euerie man cried Forward forward The dukes of Clarence Glocester and Yorke were of the same opinion yet the king staied a while least anie ieopardie were not foreséene or anie hazard not preuented The Frenchmen in the meane while as though they had béene sure of victorie made great triumph for the capteins had determined before how to diuide the spoile and the soldiers the night before had plaid the Englishmen at dice. The noble men had denised a chariot wherein they might triumphantlie conueie the king captiue to the citie of Paris crieng to their soldiers Haste you to the spoile line 10 glorie and honor little weening God wot how soone their brags should be blowne awaie Here we may not forget how the French thus in their iolitie sent an herald to king Henrie to inquire what ransome he would offer Wherevnto he answered that within two or thrée houres he hoped it would so happen that the Frenchmen should be glad to common rather with the Englishmen for their ransoms than the English to take thought for their deliuerance promising for his owne part that line 20 his dead carcasse should rather be a prize to the Frenchmen than that his liuing bodie should paie anie ransome When the messenger was come backe to the French host the men of warre put on their helmets and caused their trumpets to blow to the battell They thought themselues so sure of victorie that diuerse of the noble men made such hast towards the battell that they left manie of their seruants and men of warre behind them and some of them would not once staie for their standards as amongst other the duke of Brabant when his standard was not line 30 come caused a baner to be taken from a trumpet and fastened to a speare the which he commanded to be borne before him in stéed of his standard But when both these armies comming within danger either of other set in full order of battell on both sides they stood still at the first beholding either others demeanor being not distant in sunder past thrée bow shoots And when they had on both parts thus staied a good while without dooing anie thing line 40 except that certeine of the French horsemen aduancing forwards betwixt both the hosts were by the English archers constreined to returne backe aduise was taken amongst the Englishmen what was best for them to doo Therevpon all things considered it was determined that sith the Frenchmen would not come forward the king with his armie imbattelled as yee haue hard should march towards them and so leauing their trusse and baggage in the village where they lodged the night before onelie with their line 50 weapons armour and stakes prepared for the purpose as yée haue heard These made somewhat forward before whome there went an old knight sir Thomas Erpingham a man of great experience in the warre with a warder in his hand and when he cast vp his warder all the armie shouted but that was a signe to the archers in the medow which therwith shot wholie altogither at the vauward of the Frenchmen who when they perceiued the archers in the medow and saw they could not come at them for a ditch that was betwixt line 60 them with all hast set vpon the fore ward of king Henrie but yer they could ioine the archers in the forefront and the archers on that side which stood in the medow so wounded the footmen galled the horsses and combred the men of armes that the footmen durst not go forward the horssemen ran togither vpō plumps without order some ouerthrew such as were next them and the horsses ouerthrew their masters and so at the first ioining the Frenchmen were foulie discomforted and the Englishmen highlie incouraged When the French vauward was thus brought to confusion the English archers cast awaie their bowes tooke into their hands axes malls swords bils and other hand-weapons and with the same slue the Frenchmen vntill they came to the middle ward Then approched the king and so incouraged his people that shortlie the second battell of the Frenchmen was ouerthrowne and dispersed not without great slaughter of men howbeit diuerse were releeued by their varlets and conueied out of the field The Englishmen were so busied in fighting and taking of the prisoners at hand that they followed not in chase of their enimies nor would
once breake out of their arraie of battell Yet sundrie of the Frenchmen stronglie withstood the fiercenesse of the English when they came to handie strokes so that the fight sometime was doubtfull and perillous Yet as part of the French horssemen set their course to haue entred vpon the kings battell with the stakes ouerthrowne they were either taken or slaine Thus this battell continued thrée long houres The king that daie shewed himselfe a valiant knight albeit almost felled by the duke of Alanson yet with plaine strength he slue two of the dukes companie and felled the duke himselfe whome when he would haue yelded the kings gard contrarie to his mind slue out of hand In conclusion the king minding to make an end of that daies iornie caused his horssemen to fetch a compasse about and to ioine with him against the rereward of the Frenchmen in the which was the greatest number of people When the Frenchmen perceiued his intent they were suddenlie amazed and ran awaie like sheepe without order or arraie Which when the king perceiued he incouraged his men and followed so quickelie vpon the enimies that they ran hither and thither casting awaie their armour manie on their knees desired to haue their liues saued In the meane season while the battell thus continued and that the Englishmen had taken a great number of prisoners certeine Frenchmen on horssebacke whereof were capteins Robinet of Borneuill Rifflart of Clamas Isambert of Agincourt and other men of armes to the number of six hundred horssemen which were the first that fled hearing that the English tents pauilions were a good waie distant from the armie without anie sufficient gard to defend the same either vpon a couetous meaning to gaine by the spoile or vpon a desire to bâ— reuenged entred vpon the kings campe and there spoiled the hails robbed the tents brake vp chests and caried awaie â—askets and slue such seruants as they found to make anie resistance For which treason and haskardie in thus leauing their campe at the verie point of fight for winning of spoile where none to defend it verie manie were after committed to prison and had lost their liues if the Dolphin had longer liued But when the outcrie of the lackies and boies which ran awaie for feare of the Frenchmen thus spoiling the campe came to the kings eares he doubting least his enimies should gather togither againe and begin a new field and mistrusting further that the prisoners would be an aid to his enimies or the verie enimies to their takers in déed if they were suffered to liue contrarie to his accustomed gentlenes commanded by sound of trumpet that euerie man vpon paine of death should incontinentlie slaie his prisoner When this dolorous decree and pitifull proclamation was pronounced pitie it was to sée how some Frenchmen were suddenlie sticked with daggers some were brained with pollaxes some slaine with malls other had their throats cut and some their bellies panched so that in effect hauing respect to the great number few prisoners were saued When this lamentable slaughter was ended the Englishmen disposed themselues in order of battell readie to abide a new field and also to inuade and newlie set on their enimies with great force they assailed the earles of Marle and Fauconbridge and the lords of Louraie and of Thine with six hundred men of armes who had all that daie kept togither but now slaine and beaten downe out of hand ¶ Some write that the king perceiuing his enimies in one part to assemble togither as though they meant to giue a new battell for preseruation of the prisoners sent to them an herald commanding them either to line 10 depart out of his sight or else to come forward at once and giue battell promising herewith that if they did offer to fight againe not onelie those prisoners which his people alreadie had taken but also so manie of them as in this new conflict which they thus attempted should fall into his hands should die the death without redemption The Frenchmen fearing the sentence of so terrible a decrée without further delaie parted out of the field And so about foure of the clocke in the after noone the line 20 king when he saw no apperance of enimies caused the retreit to be blowen and gathering his armie togither gaue thanks to almightie God for so happie a victorie causing his prelats and chapleins to sing this psalme In exitu Israel de Aegypto and commanded euerie man to knéele downe on the ground at this verse Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Which doone he caused Te Deum with certeine anthems to be soong giuing land and praise line 30 to God without boasting of his owne force or anie humane power That night he and his people tooke rest and refreshed themselues with such victuals as they found in the French campe but lodged in the same village where he laie the night before In the morning Montioie king at armes and foure other French heralds came to the K. to know the number of prisoners and to desire buriall for the dead Before he made them answer to vnderstand what they would saie he demanded of them whie they line 40 made to him that request considering that he knew not whether the victorie was his or theirs When Montioie by true and iust confession had cléered that doubt to the high praise of the king he desired of Montioie to vnderstand the name of the castell néere adioining when they had told him that it was called Agincourt he said Then shall this conflict be called the battell of Agincourt He feasted the French officers of armes that daie and granted them their request which busilie sought through the field for such line 50 as were slaine But the Englishmen suffered them not to go alone for they searched with them found manie hurt but not in ieopardie of their liues whom they tooke prisoners and brought them to their tents When the king of England had well refreshed himselfe and his souldiers that had taken the spoile of such as were slaine he with his prisoners in good order returned to his towne of Calis When tidings of this great victorie was blowne into England solemne processions and other praisings line 60 to almightie God with boune-fires and ioifull triumphes were ordeined in euerie towne citie and burrow and the maior citizens of London went the morow after the daie of saint Simon and Iude from the church of saint Paule to the church of saint Peter at Westminster in deuout maner rendring to God hartie thanks for such fortunate lucke sent to the king and his armie The same sundaie that the king remooued from the campe at Agincourt towards Calis diuerse Frenchmen came to the field to view againe the dead bodies and the pezants of the countrie spoiled the carcasses of all such apparell and other things as the