more dishonour leaving his slaine and maimed souldiers behind him all save the Pusil impostor who being hurt in the leg and almost stifled with mire in the ditch was by Guisio Thierborne a servant to the Duke of Alanson drawne up and conveyed after the King to Berry who in the way received the submission of the Inhabitants of Laigny The Regent returning to Paris so effectually with words and gesture expressed his true acknowledgement of thankfulnesse for their good service generally and every ones faith in the particular that the Parisians publikely professed Friends to King Henry Friends to Paris enemies to England enemies to the Parisians Philip Duke of Burgoine commeth to Paris where it is concluded in Councell that hee shall remaine for the safeguard of the Citie whilst the Regent infinitely desirous to affront King Charles in the field makes head against the usurper but no certaine newes could be brought where he was in prison the Regent in his March regained Saint Dennis with divers other Fortlets adjoyning The Bastard of Clarence layd siege to the Castle of Sorsy which after sixe moneths siege was yeelded unto him Sir Thomas Kiryel with foure hundred English-men issued out of Gourney in Normandy and wasted the Country to the suburbes of Clerimont all along The Earle of Britaine with his forces meet them neere Beavoys who not liking to charge them with his horse observing some disadvantage in the place or fearing their stakes caused his men to dismount and to charge them on foot but their entertainment was such that the English made shift with their owne horses to follow them flying taking two hundred prisoners and slaying six hundred and so victoriously returned The Duke of Suffolke having payed his ransome and set at libertie besieged the place whereof the Lord Rambures was chiefe which after foure and twenty assaults hee caused to be rendred simply unto him Sir Stephen le Hire with Captaine Franquet with three hundred men marching toward Champayne which was beleagred by the Duke of Burgoyne the Earles of Arundell and Suffolke were encountred by Pusil Ioane and foure hundred with her who fiercely charged them but being by the close order of the English debard from breaking in shee like a Masty curre not daring come too neere stood baying untill shee had drawne out the garrisons of Laigny and other Forts which all fell upon the English and made a great slaughter amongst them and tooke the Captaine prisoner who being presented unto her for shee was reverenced as a Commander in chiefe because hee would not humble himselfe unto her upon the knee like her selfe against law of armes and rule of reason shee caused his head to bee cut off and all his souldiers taken prisoners cruelly to bee slaine From thence shee sped her to Campayne into which with her company shee entred the same as yet not being besieged round Vpon Ascention day at night this Amazonian Virago sallyed out upon the Lord Bawdoe de Noyels quarter where shee did but little hurt and was repulsed though her plot was to have fired his lodgings two nights after by the same place the Bridge towards Montdrider with five hundred men at armes shee sallyed out againe but being discovered by Sir Iohn of Lutzenborough her company was defeated and shee taken and presented to the Duke of Burgoyne who sent her to the Regent who sent her to the Bishop of the Diocesse who after judiciall proceeding against her as a Sorceresse and deceiver of the King and his subjects by her seeming show of sanctitie and her inhumane cruelty against the King of England and his subjects was after her many delayes of promise of discoverie of secret practises and lastly of her fained pregnancie burned at Roane The siege still continued before Campaigne whither the Regent sent the Earle of Huntington and Sir Iohn Robsert who brought fresh supplies of all things But Philip the Duke of Brabant being dead and the Duke of Burgoyne going thither to take possession of the Dutchie as undoubted heire Sir Iohn of Luxborough was left in his stead to prosecute the siege who contrary to the wills of the English and against the opinion of the major part of the Councell raised the same and departed whereby hee left the besieged meanes how to have therewith famine relieved but the Pestilence raged very hot in the Towne The game at Chesse amongst the souldiers playd gave checke sometime to the French and sometime to the English the one in one place prevailing the other doing in another place the like and so it continued wavering in doubtfull ballance a long time The young King of England was by his Councell advised for it was by them resolved that his presence would be a good motive to retain his friends in their former fidelity and reduce the backsliders to their sworne allegiance to goe with armed power in person into France To this end upon St. Georges eve he took shipping at Dover and landed on Sunday being St. Georges day at Callice with a wel-appointed Army from thence by easie marches went to Roan and from thence to Paris where he was by his Vncle the Bishop of Winchester and Cardinall of Eusebius with all wel-beseeming Ceremonies and observances Crowned King of France receiving the oathes of homage and Fealty of all the Nobilitie of France present and all the Citizens and inhabitants of that Citie and of the places adjacent It was very observable amongst strangers and not without some admiration that so small an Iland as England under the governance of so tender an infant should so long and upon so good termes contend with so large potent and populous a kingdome as France But such at that time was the vertue martiall valour of the English Nation That they knew no meane betwixt death and victory alwayes preferring an honorable death before a lingring servitude This moved Eugenius the Pope and all the Christian Princes so often to make Overtures of reconcilement betwixt these two kingdomes but could effect nothing but an imperfect truce for six years which agreed upon King Henry returnes for England and landeth at Dover the 11. of February The six yeares truce was scarce openly proclaimed when an unexpected accident gave occasion of breach thereof and which was worse of the amitie betwixt the Regent the Duke of Burgoyne For his Sister the Lady Anne being dead without issue he too suddenly married the young Lady Iaqueline Daughter to Peter Earle of St. Paul at Terwyâ—… from whence before the solemnitie of the Feast were fully finished he posted to Callice to punish the insolency of some of the garrison there who pretending want of pay had restrained the Merchants from venting their Woolls foure of the faulty souldiers he executed 110. he banished the Towne and many more hee punished by imprisonment from whence with his new Bride on Midsommer eve hee departed for London where he stayed untill the
France to peruent the groweth of so rancke a mischiefe sendeth the Dolphine with a puissaunt army who tooke the Earle with his youngest sonne and both his daughters and gained the Countries of Arminack Louergne Rouergue Moulessenoys with the Cities of Seuerac and Cadeack chasing the bastard of Arminack out of the Country by meanes whereof the marriage was then deferd and afterward disanuld The Christian Princes casting their contemplatiue lookes upon the misery of France for the present groning under the three arrowes of Gods vengeance Fire Sword Famine and the danger of England to be embroyled hereafter in the like wherof there were already discerned to many sumeptomes like themselues did by their severall Embassadors labour a peace betweene these two powerfull Kings and prevaile so farre That at a dyet at Tours in Touraine there appeared for the King of England William de-la-poole Earle of Suffolke Doctor Adam Milyes Keeper of the privy seale Sir Robert Rose and others for the King of France Charles Duke of Orleance Lewes Earle of Vendosme Perce de Bresse stuard of Poyton and Bartram Beavar Lord president of Presignry there came Embassadors likewise from the Emperor the Kings of Spaine Denmarke and Hungary to be mediators The assemblies was great and the expences greater every day then other each one striving to exceed the other in entertainment for the honor of their Masters many meetings were had many motions made but as one waue brings on another one quere encreased many doubs no full conclusion is made onely a truce for eighteene moneths is agreed vpon In the meane time the Earle of Suffolk stretching a point of his Commission beyond his direction withoutthe knowledge of his fellow Commissioners plotted a marriage with thekins woman of the French King the King of England in which businesse the Earle of Suffolke was so intentive and made such large vnnecessary proffers that he did not escape the aspertion of being bribed by the King of France to that businesse an enteruiew betwixt the two Kings of England and France is agreed upon without warant of King Heneryes part to be betweene Charters and Roane The Commissioners returne where nothing is forgotten by Suffolke that might illustrate the beauty and lovelinesse of the proposed Bride or the great vtilitie that might redound to both Kingdomes by the consummation of this marriage the King was easily induced to give credence to the relations but diuerse of the Kings Councels especially the Duke of Gloucestor opposed and give reasons against the proceeding first that her discent was not royall not her dignities but barely titular and all her fathers titles but disputable alleaging that Duke Rayner Father of Margarite the much commended Lady was but by himselfe stiled King of Scisill Naples and Ierusalem without any penny profit or foot of possession of any those places Next that his Pouerty was such that he could not subsist without continuall reliefe from his friends wherof his sonne in law must be euer a furtherer then the Duke obtruded the dishonor that would redound to the King if he should forsake the Duke of Arminacks daughter to whom he had in that ceremonious manner beene publirkly affiranced and the dangerous consequence of breach of faith and neglect of the friendship of so potent a neighbour and lastly the vnsufferable losse by the surendring and releasing his Title to the Dutchy of Anions so unadvisedly proffered by the capitulation of the Duke of Suffolke but all this while hee but laboured against prejudice for though it could not bee denyed but that his reasons were undeniable and better then could bee given to the contrary yet they must not have place of beliefe because Suffolkes affirmation and negotiation must not bee undervalued Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington is Created Duke of Exceter Humphry Earle of Stafford Duke of Buchkingham Henry Earle of Warwicke Duke of Warwicke and the Earle of Suffolke Marquesse of Suffolke The new Marquesse honourably accompanied fetcheth the Lady Margaret from FRANCE and shortly afterward she is Married at Southwicke in Hampshire and Crowned Queene of England at Westminster on the thirtieth day of May How advantagious this match was for the Crowne of England may bee gathered when shee brought not a penny portion the charge of comming being defrayd by the Marquesse who had towards the discharge thereof the full Fifteene granted to the King in the late Parliament and in exchange of her Person the Dutchie of Anion the City of Mauns with the whole Countie Mayne and so the best Props of the Dutchy of Normandy are surrendred into the hands of the French but affection is blind and what shall- be shall-bee youth rides in post to be married but in the end findes the Inne of repentance to bee lodged in The Duke of Arminiack in requitall of the King of Englands kind usage of his Daughter is a meanes to expell the English out of the whole Dutchy of Aquitan And it is to bee feared that God was displeased with the match for after the consummation thereof there was a quotidian consumption of the Kings Friends both in his owne Land and Forraine parts intestine warres are kindled at home and rebellion is rise in all parts abroad and which is most grievous of all after the slaughter of many thousands of his Christian subjects the confusion of his Vncles and their Posteritie almost the Deposition of himselfe the inhumane butchery of his Son the Queene must be sent home againe in as much misery and contempt as shee was now received with pompe and acclamations During the time of the truce as well to bee partakers of the jollitie of the Court at this time as to visit their familiars and friends the Regent and chiefe Commanders resort to England and there put the King and Councell in mind to provide a cloake ready though Sunne shone bright lest it should raine Whereupon a Parliament is assembled wherein is especiall provision made for the furnishing of all the Frontier townes but principally the places of Normandy To which end levies of men and money are made and all things usefully-necessary are prepared But a sparcke of fire is fallen amongst the flaxe which though little and unseene at first grew to an unquenchable flame for the Duke of Yorke being at first chosen Regent for five yeares and at the expiration thereof returning was received nec merito with great love and commendation After the death of the Earle of Warwicke who succeeded him in the Regency hee againe as a man well-deserving the place is sent over with the like Authority and instructions for other five yeares but Somerset which envied the Duke of Yorkes first advancement and still was full of peccant humours against his continuance of that place so undermined Yorke that by the meanes of the new Marquesse whose favour from the King and Queene now was beyond mediocrity and into whose more inward familiaritie Somerset was now
besieged 1422. A Parliament in the Kings absence called The birth of Henry the sixt The Dolphin besieged Cosney An. 1422. R. 9. King Henry dieth The Duke of Bedford made Generall of Normandy The Duke of Glocester Protector Ann. 1422 R. 1. The Dolphin proclaimed King Pont Melon surprized by the French An. 1422. R. 3. Reduced by the Earle of Salisbury The league renewed with Burgoine A conspiracy at Paris Preventtd and punished The French defeated Ann. 1422 R. 2. The King of Scots marieth the Duke of Somersets Daughter Crotoy lost and recovered The English are victorious at Vernoyle 1424. The reduction of Vernoyle An. 14. 24. R. 3. The French frighted with the name of Salisbury A jarre betwixt the brothers in England drawes the Regent into Ergland The young King knighted The Regent returnes to France Burgoyne by letter disswades Glocester from his new wife The name of Salisbury a bugbeare to the French 1426. Ponterson taken by the English Mounts retaken 1427. An. 1427. R. 6. The pollicy of the French The death of Salisbury the downfall of the English good fortune Both wind Sun against the English The French every where revolt The Regent defies the French King The Armies on both sides in array An. 1428. R. 7. 1429. Henry the sixt Crowned The constancy of the Lord Barbason Ann. 1429 Reg. 8. Charles attempts Paris But disappointed retreats The Regent desirous to cope with King Charles An. 1430. R. 9. The Earle of Britaine defeated 1430. The Pusil Ioane taken Proceeded against Burned King Henry in person goeth into France King Henry returnes for England after a Truce concluded The Regent having buried the sister of Burgoyne marrieth a second wife An. 1432. R. 11. The Peasants in Normandy rebell The Duke of Burbon receiveth liberty of body out of prison and losse of life all in one day At St. Omers the Dukes of Bedford and Burgoyne meet and depart without conference 1435. The death of the Regent Emulation betwixt the Vncle and Nephew thwart the businesse in France Ann. 1435 R. 12. Callice besieged by the Duke of Burgoyne The Duke of Burgoyne retreats from Callice An. 1437. R. 13. 1437. The death of three great Ladyes The King of Scots murthered Ann. 1439 R. 14. A Parliament at Westminster Roan attempted but with losse to the French An. 1437. R. 16. Ann. 1437 Reg. 15. The Lord Talbot harroweth Piccardy 1438. Famine in England Pestilence in Paris 1439. An. 1439. R. 18. Ponthoys taken by the English Ponthoys succoured The French King braved by the Regent but is patient Treaty for a peace Ann. 1441 Reg. 20. The Duke of Orleance released The Earle of Saint Paul forsaketh the English An. 1442. R. 20. The Castle of Cornhill surprized by a stratagem Vnnaturall dissention betwixt brothers An. 1442. R. 21. Ann. 1442 Reg. 21. King Henry betrothed to the Earle of Arminacks Daughter An. R. 22. A truce agreed upon The Earle of Suffolk transends his Commission An. 1444. R. 22. 23. King Henry marrieth Duke Rayners Daughter 1444. The Regent comes for England An. 1416. R. 24. Glocesiers destruction plotted 1448. The Cardinal of Winchester dies William Wanfleet consecrated Bishop of Winchester An. 1430. R. 26. The truce broken by the English Ardes surprised An. 1449. R. 27. The Duke of Yorke sent into Ireland The English overthrowne An overbold but true language An. 1450. R. 27. Suffolke traduced The Parliament adjourned from Black-fryers to Lecester and then to Westminster Suffolke committed to the Tower A Parliament summoned Mortymer incites the many to insurrection The grievances of the Commons tendred to the Parliament Captaine Mend-all his private petition The two Staffords defeated and slaine The forme of Iacke Cades Warrant The captaine of the rebells slaine The Bishop of Salisbury murthered An. 1452. R. 29. A Parliament The Duke of Yorkes policy to cloake his intention Yorke raiseth forces in Wales The King sends to the Duke of Yorke Yorks answer Yorke dismisseth his army Yorke takes the oath of allegiance Burdeux is reduced Shrowsbury with his fourth sonne and his naturall brother slain at Chattillon 1453. Ann. 1453 R. 30. The Queene delivered of a Sonne Norman the first Lord Maior that went by water to Westminster to take his oath The Queenes Attourney with others slaine in a fray The Duke of Yorke writeth to the King Ann. 1454 R. 33. First battell at St. Albones The Duke of Somerset slaine 1455. Ann. 1455 Reg. 33. The Duke of Yorke conveyeth the K. to London Yorke made Protector of the King The Merchant strangers rifled An invasion attempted by the French Sandwich plundered The Scots make an inroad The Sheriffs of London in trouble for the escape of the Lord Egrimond Ann. 1455 Reg. 33. The Duke of Yorke with the Earles of Salisbury and Warwick betake themselves to their severall strengths The General agreement amongst the Nobilitie by the mediation of the King An. 1449 Strange apparitions An. 1459. R. 34. Sonne against father 1459. Subjects against Soveraigns Father against Sonne A fray An. 1458. R. 34. Three great Carricks taken worth 10000. 2. Battailes fought The Lord Audley slaine The Duke of Yorke flyeth An. 1428. R. 38. A Parliament The Earle of Warwicke with 25000. men taketh the field 3. Battell at Northampton Warwicke possest of the Tower An. 1459. R. 39. The Duke of Yorke puts in claime The Duke of Yorke to be proclaimed heire to the Crowne and Protector 4. Battell at Wakefield Young Rutland butchered The Earle of Salisbury beheaded Ann. 1458 R. 34. 1461. Fift battell at Mortimers crosse Sixt battel second at Saint Albones The Lord Bonvile and Thomas Kiryell beheaded by the Queene contrary to the Kings promise 30. Knights made Prince Edward dubbed Knight The Families of Yorke and Lancaster distinguished by the red Rose and white The Archbishop of Canterbury animated the Duke of Yorke to take upon him the Crowne Ann. 1460 Reg. 1. The Dukes title to the Crowne double An. 1460. R. 2. Edward leaveth London Lord Fitzwalter slaine at Ferry-brig 1461. The Lord Clifford slaine Ann. 1461 Reg. 2. The Earle of Northumberland with 36776. English slaine at Caxton field Edward the 4. Crowned An. 1461. R. 24. An. 1462 R. 2. An. 1642. R. 2. Conquet and Ree taken and pillaged by the Earles of Essex and Kent Sir Ralph Piercy slaine The Earle of Somerset taken prisoner An. 1464 R. 3. King Henry brought prisoner to the Tower The Earle of Warwick sent into France An. 1466 R. 6. Of Thomas Lord Scales of Nucells An. 1466 R. 9. The Lord Stafford forsakes Pembrooke Sir Hen Nevil slaine Ann. 1469 R. 9. King Edward taken prisoner King Edward escapes An. 1470 R. 10. The Lord Wells and Sir Thomas Dymock beheaded Ann. 1470 R. 10. Loose Coatefield Warwick entertained by the French King Visited by Queene Margaret Ioyne inconfederacy against King Edward Prince Edward married to his daughter The Burgonian Fleet dispersed Doctor Goddards Sermon at Pauls crosse King Edward enforced to forsake the land King Edward in danger of Pirates King Edward craveth succour of the Duke of Burgoyne Queene Elizabeth taketh Sanctuary at Westminster Rebells of Kent suppressed by Warwicke King Henry set at libertie A Parliament The Crowne entayled upon Clarence The Queene delivered of a Sonne An. 1471. R. 11. King Edward is admitted into Yorke An. 1471. R. 11. Warwicke entrencheth at Coventry King Edward entreth London An. 1471. R. 10. Warwicke slaine An. 1472 R. 11. Marquesse Mountacute Queene Margaret taken prisoner Prince Edw. slaughtered King Henry murdered Ann. 1472 R. 12. An. 1473. R. 13. A Kings kys to a rich widdow procured 40. where but 20. was expected An. 1474. R. 14. The Duke of Exceter found dead Ann. 1474 R. 4. King Edward writes to the French King * 300. crowns in gold and 30. yards of red velvet The duke of Burgoyn excuseth his breach of promise The Constable repromiseth ayd An. 1474 R. 14. Burgoyne departeth promising speedy returne The policy of the French King King Edward sends an Herald of armes to Lewis * S. Leoger Burgoyne retornes displeased The French Kingliberally rewardeth the good carriage of the English The manner of the internew of the 2 Kings King Edward could not be drawne from ayding the Duke of Brittayne A. 1475. R. 15. King Edward attempteth by a colourable pretence to procure Richmands person to be delivered to him Delivered to the Embassadors Escapeth into Sanctuary An. 1477. R. 17. Clarence drowned An. 1480. R. 22. An. 1483. R. 23. An. 1483. An. 1483. R. 1. An. 1484. R. 1. An. 1484. R. 2. Humphry Duke of Buckirgham slain at St. Albones 1455. Humphry slain at Northampton 38. H. 6. 1460. An. 1484 An. 1484 R. 1. An. 1484. Reg. 2. Richmonds ex hertation Battaile 1. Anno 1455. Dukes 1. Earles 3. Lords 1. Knights 11. Esquires 18. 5641. Battaile 2. Anno 1459. Lord 1. Knights 7. 2411. Knight 1. Battaile 3. Anno 1459. Duke 1. Earle 1. Lord 1. Viscount 1. Knight 1. Lord 1. Battaile 4. Anno 1469. Duke 1. Earles 2. Knights 8. Battaile 5. Anno 1491. Knight 1. Battaile 6. Lord 1. Knights 3. Battaile 7. Anno 1491. Earles 4. Lords 9. Knights 22. 37046. Battaile 7. Anno 1463. Knight 1. 107. Anno 1464. Duke 1. Lords 3. Knights 20. 2024. Battaile 8. Anno 1469. 5009. Earles 3. Lords 3. Knights 11. Battaile 9. Anno 1470. Knights 〈◊〉 10000. Battaile 10. Anno 1471. Earle 1. Marquesse 1. Lords 3. Knights 2. 10000. Battaile 11. Anno praedict A Prince Dukes 2. A Marquesse A Lord Prior An Earle A Baron Knights 20. Esquires 37. 1092. Battaile 12. Anno 1485. King 100. Duke 1. Lord 1. Knights 3. * Knights eldest Sonnes * Of coat-armour and Ancestry
King should take the revenews of his land untill he was satisfied of such sommes of money as hee had received out of the Kings coffers for the payment of the garrison of Calice And he further sayd That the King commanded upon paine of his high displeasure that no man from thenceforth should presume to petition the King in behalfe of either of those Dukes to alter this Decree The sentence thus read the King called the exiles before him and tooke of them a solemne oath that they should never converse together nor willingly come into each others company lest common discontent should draw first reconcilement and after desire of revenge But this pollicie is ever weake to prevent such purposes for oathes are often spurnd aside when they lye like rubbeâ—… to stoppe the way to honour or revenge Therefore the Princes of the Realme have with more safetie for the most part abolished the use of abjuration and either by death extinguish the power or by pardon alter the will of great offendors from entring into desperate and dangerous attempts which men in miserie and disgrace with more vehemency begin and with more obstinacy continue When the Samnites had so enclosed the Roman Legions that they had neither space to fight nor meanes to flye and without fight had enforced them to yeeld they sent for advise to one Pontius an antient Ruler of their State what to doe with them His answer was that the Romans should bee permitted to depart without losse or derision But this not pleasing those that were either cruell or covetous Pontius was the second time consulted with whose answer then was That the Romans should bee generally slaughtered and not one spared This contrarietie of advise brought Pontius into suspition of dotage which he suspecting came in person and maintained both to be advantageous The first by an unexpected favour might provoke the Romans to a perpetuall friendship the second would deferre the warres for many yeares The third Counsell quoth he there cannot be given that may be fafely followed yes say the Samnites to grant them their lives but to take away their armes and bootie This is a way replies old Pontius which can neither win friends nor weaken enemies but may increase fury but not diminish force So that that course of punishment is out of course which doth neither reclaime the minde of man nor restraine the might from mischievous endevours The Duke of Norfolke with great griefe and perturbation of minde now â—…ving it to bee true that greatnesse abused by whispering untruthes draweth if discovered certaintie of destruction departed into Almaine and from thence travailed to Venice where shortly after hee ended his dayes It is observed that this Duke was banished the same day of the yeare wherein the Duke of Yorke by his contriving was strangled at Calice The Duke of Hereford tooke his leave of the King at Eltham where foure yeares of his exilement were strooke off The Dukes deportment was with that moderation that in his countenance he made shew neither of sorrow or stupiditie and at his departure let not fall any either intemperate or unseemely sillable The Commons much lamented his departure not sparing to exclaime that it was against the Law of armes the custome of the Realme and all Iustice that hee should bee exiled who had honourably endevoured to maintaine his appeale according to the law of the field Their affection was the more excessive by reason the ground of his speech was against those that the people hated and he was the only survivor of the popular faction The Duke of Hereford sayleth to Callice and from thence to Paris where hee was honourably received by the King of France and in short time found that favour with him that hee was offered for wife the only Daughter of Iohn Duke of Berry Vncle to the French King But the King of England upon notice thereof made such meanes that the Mariage was stopt Many things hapned this yeare which were interpreted to presage the revolt of the people which hapned the yeare following observation likewise was taken that when King Richard brought his first wife with him out of Beanne shee was no sooner on shore but such a tempest arose as the like thereof had not beene seene in many yeares before wherein many shippes and amongst them the ship the Queene came in was cast away The like storme and the like losse did betide when the King brought his second wife out of France Many prodigies are likewise storied to appeare about these times both strange and fearefull I dare not avouch them all to be true neither will I detract all truth from such things so antiently reported Many are perswaded that these things which are fatally allotted though they are unavoidable yet are they some times foreshowne not so much that we may prevent them as that we should prepare our selves against them About this time died Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who was buried on the North side of the high Altar of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London he was a man advised and wary liking better safe courses with reason then happy by hazzard neither unrespective nor ambitiously carefull of his owne glory Hee carried himselfe towards the King in termes honourable enough for a moderate Prince and yet not so plausible as an uncollected man might desire whereby nothing hapned unto him extraordinary either in prejudice or preferment This Iohn of Gaunt so named of the place where hee was borne fourth sonne of Edward the third did write in his stile Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster Earle of Richmond of Darby Lincolne Leicester and high Constable of England hee married three Wives Blanch Daughter and coheire of Henry first Duke of Lancaster by whome hee had issue Henry afterwards King of England Philip married to Iohn King of Portugal Elizabeth married to Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter His second wife was Constance daughter and one of the Coheires of Peter King of Castile by whom he had issue Katherinâ—… married to Henry son of Iohn King of Spaine His third Wife was Katherine daughter of Payne Rurt King of armes and Widow of Sir Otes Swinford Knight by whom hee had issue Iohn Bewford Earle of Somerset and Marquesse Somerset Henry Bewford Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bewford Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exceter Ioane married to Ralph Nevill Earle of Chester and afterwards to Robert Ferrers Lord of Ousley all these Children though borne before espousall by a Bull from Rome were made legitimate hee lyeth buryed in Pauls After his death the Dutchy of Lancaster did lineally descend to his eldest sonne the Duke of Hereford But as the nature of man is prone to hate those whom hee hath injured the King seized all the lands and goods of the deceased Duke and endevoured to perpetuate the banishment of the young Duke revoked the Letters patents granted and consented unto
the phrase of them is â—…ade bootie of a silver Pix out of the Church hee not only caused the same to bec restored but the souldier also to bee hanged which due justice at that time done kept the rest from offending in that kind and provoked the people under hand to relieve his men with necessaries The French King hearing that King Henry had past the River Soame assembled his Councell whereof thirtie five appearing to the point in question thirtie of them advised that the English should not depart without being fought with but five whereof the Dolphin was none were of a contrary opinion and though they assented not yet by the major voyces enforced to consent Montjoy the French King at Armes was sent to defie the King of England as an enemy to France and to tell him hee should bee fought with King Henryes answer was hee was unwilling to provoke battaile yet too confident in God to feare it by whose good leave hee would proceed in his journey and if the French or any other would oppose him if hee could not finde his way hee would make it or his Sword should faile him and so suffered the Herald being well rewarded to depart King Henry having notice that hee must of force passe another River in his way over which there was but one passable Bridge hee commanded certaine troopes of horse to goe thither on the spurre and some foot Companies to speed thither to second them and to make good the same untill the Army should come When the horse came thither they found the French very busie in breaking downe the bridge but perceiving the approach of the English they left their worke and fled the passage being cleered upon the two twentieth of Octob. the King of England passed over with his Army The Duke of Yorke that lead the reareward sent word to the King that his skowtes had discovered the enemy to come on apace whereupon hee made a stand and gave direction to the Officers what course to take to acquaint their souldiers that to flye would but cause a lingring death for their flight would bee out of the pan into the fire there being no place of refuge neere and the way thither if any were was altogether unknowne And so mounting on horsebacke hee road from place to place assuring them of his resolution to live and die with them and so with his word and countenance hee so encouraged his men that they were generally resolved to conquer and dye and accordingly prepared themselves reconciling themselves to God by confession and receiving the Sacrament and lastly embracing each other with constant protestations to bee firme and faithfull one to the other so upon Friday the five and twentieth of October being derayned in order of battell they attended the signall to begin The Constable of France divided his Companyes into three battailes In the first were placed eight thousand men at armes foure thousand Archers and fifteene hundred Crossebowes the wings consisting of two thousand two hundred men at armes this battaile was led by himselfe the Dukes of Orleance and Burbon the Earles of Ewe Richmond and Vandosme the Lord Dampier the Admirall of France the Marshall Bouciqualle others 2. The middle battaile wherein were more men at armes was commanded by the Dukes of Barre and Alanson and by the Earles of Vawmont Salings Blamont Grantpee and Rusey 3. In the rereward were all the remainder of the French forces and guided by the Earles of Marle Dampmortyne Fauconbridge and the Lord Lonray Captaine of Ards. The Frenchmen thus ordered consisting of sixfold the number of the English thought of nothing but the booty they should get In the meane time King Henry having made choice of a peece of ground halfe fenced on his backe with the Village wherein they had encamped the night before on both sides having strong hedges and ditches began there to order his Battailes But first hee appointed an ambush of two hundred bold Archers which should upon a watch-word given make a whole flight upon the flancke of the enemyes horse The Vantgard consisting of Archers only was conducted by the Duke of Yorke who out of a brave and heroick courage had made entreatie for that place with him were the Lords Beamont Willoughby and Fanhop The maine battaile was led by the King in person which consisted of Bill-men and some Bowmen With him were the Duke of Glocester his brother the Earle Marshall Oxford and Suffolke The reareward was led by Thomas Duke of Exceter the Kings Vncle consisting of all sorts of weapons the Horsemen as wings guarded the Companies on both sides The King to prevent the fury of the French Cavalery by the direction of the Duke of Yorke appointed divers Stakes shod with iron at both ends of six foot long to bee pitched behind the Archers and appointed the Pioners to attend to remove them as occasion and direction gave order These things thus ordered publike prayers were humbly made and the onset was expected which was presently performed by the French horsmen who gave on with a furious bravado but Sir Walter Orpington who was thereunto appointed giving the signall the English gave a great showte whereupon according to direction the Bowmen behind the hedges sent forth such a showre of Arrowes that the French horse thereby galled were so unruly that their riders could not force them to give against the ditch to come at those that were beyond the ditch Whereupon the Vantguard of the English taking advantage of their disorder made forward and powred another volly of arrowes among them by meanes whereof the horse thorowly gald either cast their riders or through their unrulinesse so opened their ranckes that the right Wing of the English horse gave in so manly that the French horse disorderly retiring broke the aray of their foot who were miserably trod downe and disrancked with their owne Company by this the two hundred Bowmen having emptied their quivers flung away their Bowes and with their swords fell upon the enemy and wresting from them their owne weapons made a great slaughter among them and putting the voward to flight they adventured upon the middle battaile which the French horsmen taking in scorne to be charged with so small a company bravely gave on Whereupon the English made show of retiring but when they came where the Bowmen were Impaled with the armed stakes they made a stand and as the horsmen were thereby gored they were ready to helpe them forward with a pat on the pate with a browne Bill to their last home whereby their maine battaile was broken and disordered when presently the King with his maine battell gave on with that resolution that himselfe in person charged the Duke of Alanson by whom hee was in his carere wel-nie unhorsed but afterward hee having slaine two of the Dukes men that were neerer to him then the Duke hee charged the Duke againe and with his sword
betweene whom an accord was made in case the King of France and his Peeres with the Commons would approve thereof They being to that purpose by the Duke of Burgoyne solicited willingly gave their consent and appointed the Duke of Burgoyne to send his Embassadours sufficiently authorized to meete with King HENRYES Embassadours at Troyes in Campaygne and to that end the King of England was earnestly entreated so to doe who thereupon sent his Vncle the Duke of Exceter the Earle of Salisburie with others to the number of five hundred Horse to the Duke of Burgoyne who from thence came together with them to Troyes upon the eleventh of March were in that manner received as where affection and loving desire are the entertainers There it was quickly concluded that the King of England should speed himselfe to Troyes there to bee espoused to the faire Lady Katherine and to have assurance of the Crowne of France after the decease of the diseased Charles Whereupon with a guard of fifteene thousand choice souldiers accompanied with the Dukes of Clarence and Glocester with the Earles of Warwicke Salisbury Huntington Longevile Tanckervile and Ewe the King of England came to Troyes upon the eighteenth day of May where hee was met by the Duke of Burgoine and divers of the French Nobility who attended him to the Pallace where the Queene with her Daughters the Dutches of Burgoine and the Lady Katherine gave him Princely entertainment where after some little pause whilst the intercourse of complement was passing betwixt the French and the English the King addressed himselfe to the Dutchesse of Burgoine demanding of her in befitting termes if shee thought her Sister Katherines affection was free and not in bondage to any to whom the Dutchesse with a gracefull smile made answer that shee durst pawne her soule her Sister till that houre shee first saw his highnesse was as free as any Virgin might bee but how shee stood affected now shee referred him to her owne answer opportunitie giving way as when mindes are willing it may bee easily apprehended the Lady Katherine was by the King interrogated how shee stood affected to marriage shee answered shee was to bee disposed of by the King otherwise if shee might have the libertie of her owne will shee would give him a more full answer and so making offer to depart King Henry with an amiable voice said Give but your consent and I will by Gods leave make all the rest agree or leave them landlesse or livelesse and thereof rest assured by this pledge of my faith and so tendered unto her a Ring of great price which she not without some blushing received and making a Courtly conge unto him left him and hee the company being come to his lodging hee gave order to his Commissioners to make speed in their consultations and not to give the least way to any procrastinations Whereupon that speed was used in their conferences that upon the twentieth day of May the Lady Katherine was affianced unto him in Saint Peters Church after this the two Kings with their Privie Councellours divers times met and all points of accord were reduced to a certaintie and concluded to which agreement the Kings and all present made faith for the performance and the Duke of Burgogny for his particular made oath as followeth I Philip Duke of Burgoignie for my selfe and my heires upon the holy Evangelists of God sweare to Henry King of England and Regent of France under King Charles that wee shall humbly and faithfully obey King Henry in all things which concerne the Crowne of France and the Common-wealth thereof and after the decease of our now Soveraigne Charles shall remaine faithfull leigemen to the said King Henry and his Successours for ever neither shall we admit or allow of any other Lord or supreme King of France but Henry of England and his heires neither shall wee counsell or consent to any thing that may bee prejudiciall to the said King Henry or his Successours or may bee damagefull to his life or limme but shall with all speed give notice thereof and endevour to prevent it The morrow after Trinitie Sunday being the third of Iune the Marriage with all befâ—…ting Ceremonies was solemnized and the King of England named and proclaymed heire and Regent of the Realme of France of this accord and the Articles subsequent the French King sent Copies all over France and King Henry the like to England in these words Henry by the grace of God King of England heire and Regent of France and Lord of Ireland to bee perpetually remembred of all Christians under our obeysance doe notifie and declare that whereas there hath bin divers Treaties betwixt our royall Father King Charles for peace and quiet to bee established betwixt the Realmes of France and England which have proved fruitlesse considering the many detriments thereby fallen not only to those Realmes but the disturbance of holy Church we have now concluded with our said royall Father for removing all distractions and accorded that our said royall Father and his ever to bee honoured Queene Isabell shall be entituled the Father and Mother of us and reverenced and respected in all things as such alliance shall require That the said King Charles shall during life hold and enjoy in peace and tranquillitie his royall Dignitie Crowne and Revenewes of all France And that all Writs Processe and Commissions and such like proceedings shall passe under his Name and Seale as King And that his Queene Isabell in case shee survive him shall keepe her estate and Title and all such rights and revenewes as were formerly enjoyed by Blaunch Queen Dowager to Philip Grandfather to King Charles That Queene Katherine should with all convenient speed bee sufficiently endowed in England with twenty thousand Markes per annum That during the life of Charles King Henry should not assume the Title of King of France and that the French King should write and entitle him our thrice noble Sonne Henry King of England and heire of France That after the death of Charles the Crowne of France would really and entirely remaine to King Henry and his heires for ever That in regard of the inabilitie of King Charles by himselfe to rule and manage the affaires of the kingdome King Henry should bee Regent and governe the â—…ame as to him should seeme expedient for the Kings honour and the commoditie of the Realme and Common-wealth That the estate of Parliament in France should retaine all accustomed priviledges power and authoritie That King Henry should to his power faithfully assist both Peeres and people to regaine all such things as did of right belong unto them and should protect all the preheminences priviledges and possessions of the Crowne of France That King Henry should support the Subjects of France against all forraine enemies and labour the suppression of all intestine debates and civill warres and endevour the increase of the prosperitie and peace of
France by impartially administring justice to all That King Henry in places of Iustice and charge should place persons generally taken for wise faithfull and fit to administer and manage those things unto them committed That King Henry should speedily endevour to reduce the Dolphin and the Earle of Arminacke and all their confederates to their due obedience to the Crowne of France That King Henry should cause all persons of what degree condition or qualitie soever to take a corporall oath for their true obedience to K. Charles during life and after his death to King Henry and his heires and to admit no other King or Regent nor conspire any thing against his or their Persons or estates but disclose all mischiefes plotted or intended for his or their hurt or losse That all possessions King Henry should gaine from any Rebell to King Charles except in Normandy should bee to the use and benefit of the French King But upon voluntary taking the before-mentioned oathes to be tendred and taken then to retaine their possessions freely That after the death of King Charles the Dutchie of Normandy and what else had beene conquered by King Henry should returne to the obeysance of the Crowne of France That King Henry should not overburden his Subjects of France with impositions but in cases of urgent necessitie and then the same to bee assessed and levied according to the Custome and manner of France and not otherwise That after the death of King Charles the two Realmes of France and England should Soveraignely be ruled but by one man and not to admit two Kings and that neither Crowne should bee subject to other but each of them to retaine and enjoy their particular customes priviledges liberties immunities lawes and preheminencies That diligent observation be used to retaine both Nations in fraternall concord and mutuall friendship as brethren and friends That neither King should conclude any peace or make any truce with the Dolphin except they and the Duke of Burgoyne all three consented thereto That none shall bee placed about the French Kings person but French-men such as hee by his Councell should make choice of and should reside wheresoever in the kingdome at his pleasure And lastly that both the Kings under their great Seales and all their Peeres Prelates Cominalties Gentry and Corporations under their usuall seales shall ratifie and confirme the Articles of agreement and shall all sweare to observe them to their uttermost abilities and power These thus concluded were proclaimed publikely both in England and France the Kings with their Nobilitie present solemnly sworne to the observation of them This caused a solemne Procession upon the fourteenth of Iune following in London and a Sermon at Pauls Crosse being Friday wherein the Preacher amongst other things affirmed that for perpetuall manifestation of this so honourable an accord that the old Seale was to bee broken and a new great Seale to bee made wherein the Kings Title as Regent of France and heires apparant to the Crowne thereof and three Flowre-de-luces instead of sixe formerly borne in the Scutcheon of armes was to be engraved There was likewise a private League contracted betweene king Henry and the Duke of Burgoyne to this effect That the Duke to the uttermost of his best abilities should endevour the continuation of the former agreements That one of the Dukes Sisters should bee matched to one of the Kings Brothers that after the death of Charles hee should doe fealtie to the King of England That King Henry should prosecute the murtherers of the Dukes Father with all extremitie And that if any of them or the Dolphin should in any place be taken that they should not bee delivered without condigne punishment without the consent of the two Kings and the three estates of both kingdomes That the Duke should have assurance of lands for the annuall payment of the fee of twenty thousand pounds Paris to him and his Wife and the heires males betwixt them to be begotten And that King Henry upon the receiving his homage should confirme the same This thus finished King Henry invites the King and Queene of France with the Duke and Dutchesse of Burgoyne with all the Nobles of France there to a stately banquet the Ceremonies whereof ended hee made unto them so pithy and patheticall Oration declaring therein the utilitie of the union of the two kingdomes his right to them on the surer side with protestation of as true love and affection to France as if a native thereof and promises of tender regard to bee alwayes by him extended towards them with all filiall respect and dutifull observance to his Father and Mother-in-law and the true performance of all and every part of the Agreement And so perswading them to mutuall love and friendship amongst themselves and truth and loyalty to their Soveraigne And so with an expression of detestation of the late murther of the Duke of Burgoyne and giving assurance of his desire to procure the revengement thereof he concluded The next day following Iames the young King of Scots arrived And upon the fourth day of Iune King Henry with the French King the King of Scots the Duke of Burgoyne the Prince of Orange one and twenty Earles five and fouâ—…y Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen with an Army consisting of French English Scottish Irish and Dutch to the number of sixe hundred thousand marched towards the Dolphin and upon the seventh day layd siege to the Towne of Seins that sided with the Dolphin which after foure daies siege yeelded and thereof the Lord Benvile was made Captaine From thence they removed having the Duke of Bedford in their company who had brought out of England large supplies of men and money to Monstreau en falte Yon which was taken by Escalado here the murthered Duke of Burgoyne being buried and from thence his Sonne caused his boues to be taken up and carried to Digeon in high Burgoyne and there enterred by his Father Philip The Castle held out and during the siege thereof King Henry Created an Officer of armes to bee king of Herolds over the English men and entituled him Garter whom hee had formerly sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by the Captaine thereof reproachfully upbrayded for punishment of which his presumption a gibbet was erected and in view of Mounsieur Guitry the Castle Captaine twelve of his friends were executed Whereupon the Castilians treated for peace but the King in eight dayes together would not vouchsafe a parle so that after they had borne the brunt of six weekes siege they were enforced with saving of lives simply to yeeld The Earle of Warwicke was appointed to examine by poll all the prisoners and others that yeelded to find out any that had bin privy or parties to the murther of the Duke of Burgoine and was afterward made Governour both of Castle and Towne From thence the King marched to Melun upon Seine which was besieged the
thirteenth of Iuly the Captaine whereof was Barbason a Gascoyne a skilfull souldier and of approved valiancy And as Hanniball in warre was not more ready to invent stratagems then Quintus Fabius to prevent them so King Henryes counsell could not bee more wily to winne then Barbason was warie to defend The King by land and water stopped all passages making use of his before-mentioned floates to passe his souldiers over the River yet Barbason sallied out and fell upon the Earle of Warwickes quarter where if hee had not beene the more valiantly resisted The Duke of Burgoynes men had tasted of their fury The Duke of Bavier another of King Charles Sonin-lawe but his Dutchesse was dead with seven hundred well-appointed Horse-men came to the Campe which were presently listed under the Kings pay Barbason countermined some and stopt other mines made by the English and fought hand to hand in the Barryers with King Henry yet notwithstanding all his circumspect care and praise-worthy diligence when hee found hee was to fight against the two bitter arrowes of Gods wrath Famine and Pestilence hee humbled himselfe to the King who pardoned all that were not guilty of the forenamed murther whereof Barbason being suspected and others that were found faultie were sent to Paris under the conduct of the Duke of Clarence whom King Charles made Captaine of Delea that Citie and was accordingly admitted into the possession of all the strength thereof And presently thereupon both the Kings with their Queenes the Duke of Burgoyne and his Dutchesse with a royall traine came thither where they were most magnificencly entertained the French King was lodged in the house of Saint Paul and the King of England in the Castle of Louer Here the three States of France anew under their hands and seales in most authenticke manner ratified the former agreement the instruments whereof were delivered to the King of England who sent them to bee kept in his Treasurie at Westminster Now King Henry began to exercise his Regency and as a badge of his authoritie hee caused a new coyne which was called a Salute to bee made whereon the armes of France and England were quarterly stamped Hee there heard the Appeale of the Dowager of Burgoine against the Dolphin whose Advocates in his behalfe made large offers for satisfaction but they were adjourned to another day Hee placed and displaced divers officers and appointed the Duke of Exceter with five hundred men to the guard of Paris Sir Gilbert Vmfrevile was made Captaine of Melun and the Earle of Huntington of Bloyes de Vinces King Henry awarded out Processe against the Dolphin to appeare at the Marble table at Paris which hee not obeying sentence was denounced against him as guilty of the murther of the Duke of Burgoyne and by the sentence of the Parliament the Dolphin was banished the Realme The King with his beloved Queene Katherine the sixt of Ianuary left Paris and came to Roane where hee received homage of all the Nobilitie aswell such as were enobled by descent of the French as such as were dignified by desert of the English And making Thomas Duke of Clarence Lieutenant generall of France and Normandy and his Deputie in Normandy the Earle of Salisbury Having finished his Christmas he with his Queene went to Amiens and from thence to Callice and thence landing at Dover came to Canterbury and afterward thorow London to Westminster where the Queene upon Saint Mathewes day the fourth of February with all ceremonies rites and accustomed solemnities was Crowned The King of Scots sitting at dinner in his Estate but on the left hand of the Queene the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Kings Vncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand all were serued with covered messes of silver but all the Feast was fish in observation of the Lent season King Henry by his ghostly father being instructed that the surest stone that can bee layd for the foundation of future felicitie must bee digged out of the quarry of Pietie first visited many places for devotion by way of Pilgrimage and then tooke his Progresse thorow the Land and knowing that great evills may grow out of the smallest causes if neglected hee by the way reformed all misdemeanours whereof he received notice hearing with a diligent eare the complaints of his poore subjects taking order for the administring of Iustice to high and poore neither sparing the great for might nor the meane for misery And shewing that Examples are the best Lectures and Vertue the best example after hee had set his ministers a copy thereof Hee gave meeting to the Queene at Leicester where they kept their Easter In the meane time the Duke of Clarence making a road into Aniou with the garrisons of Normandy came to the City of Ampers where hee knighted Sir William Rosse Sir Henry Goddard Sir Rowland Vider Sir Thomas Bewford his naturall Sonne And retutning home laden with prey was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage hee therefore sent the skowt-Master Andrew Fogosa to discover the face of the enemy who being a trecherous Lombard and having beene corrupted by the enemy at his returne reporteth their number to bee but small meanly armed and worse ordered so that if presently charged there could bee no resistance The Dukes credulitie caused him to draw all his horses together leaving the strength of the field his Bowes and Bills behind with them hee makes towards the enemy the traitour leading to a straight where by his appointment an ambush was layed that the Duke could neither retreat nor flee which perceiving the Duke with a valiant courage told the Earle of Tanckervile that their chance was very hard when no meanes was left but to sell their lives at the dearest rate to their enemies and so setting spurres to his horse charged upon the enemy but over-layed with multitude and over-wearied with fight The Duke of Clarence the Earle of Tanckervile the Lord Rosse the Earle of Angus Kyme Sir Iohn Lumley and Sir Iohn Verend with above two thousand English slaine The Earles of Somerset Suffolke and Pearch Sir Iohn Berckley Sir Ralph Nevile Sir William Bowes and threescore Gentlemen were taken prisoners The Bastard Clarence having an inckling of the Lombards treachery brought on his Archers whom the French perceiving to approach fled with their Prisoners leaving the dead undispoyled by which meanes the Lord Fitzwater and some others were found wounded and almost stifled amongst the carkasses The bodyes of the dead were by the foot-men buried except the Duke of Clarence who by Sir Iohn Beauford his base sonne the Duke dying without other issue wac conveyed to England and buried at Canterbury besider his father This happened upon Easter Eeve The King was at Beverly when he had notice of his brothers death and presently thereupon hee dispatced away Edmond Earle of Mortaigne into Normandy making him Lieutenant thereof Then calls hee his
and to others as having spirit to dare and a power to doe bravely hee was married to Katherine Daughter of Charles the sixt King of france whose company shee enjoyed but two yeares and three moneths by whom hee had issue only Henry that succeeded him in the Crowne her affections after tyed her to Owen Theodor a Gentleman of no extraordinary linage but absolute for the lineaments of his body by whom shee had issue three sonnes Edmond Iasper and Owen Edmond was after Earle of Richmond and maried Margaret daughter and sole heire of Iohn Duke of Somerset who had issue King Henry the seuenth Iasper was Earle of Penbrocke and after Duke of Bedford shee dyed in Southwarcke and was buried at Westminster THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING HENRY THE SIXT HENRY the sixt borne at Windsor an infant of nine moneths old began his Raigne the last of August Anno Dom. 1422. The government of the Realmes preappointed by the Father on his death-bed and after confirmed by the Nobilitie was committed to Humphrey Duke of Glocester The guard of his person to Thomas Duke of Exceter and Henry Bewford Bishop of Winchester and to Iohn Duke of Bedford was appointed the Regency of France This triple twyne untill the time unhappily untwisted kept the wheeles in orderly motion that guided the Clocke of good government in this Realme so that there was in the beginning of their proceeding no disproportion or disagreement betwixt them but all things were continued advisedly and well The Protectors knowing that it is trechery to wisdome in managing great affayres not to bee directed by the clew of advise made choice of grave and discreet Councellours by whose approvement he made provision of all things necessary aswell for quiet governing the English as for retayning the conquered parts of France in obedience and further conquest of such as yet were refractary leauing nothing undone that might conduce to the honour and happinesse of the estate of the young King and the Realme The Regent of France was not backward on his part but endevoured all that was possible to second the Protectours care But the death of Charles the sixt and the proclaiming the Dolphin King of France by the name of Charles the seventh gave the Regent just cause to suspect the tergiversation of the French Whereupon hee encreaseth the Garrisons and sufficiently furnisheth all places of import with men and amunition exhorting the Normans to continue constant according to their fealtie made to the King of England On the other side the new King of France makes provision in all places to draw his forces together And in the meane time sends the Lord Granvile to Pont Melan who surprised the same putting all the English souldiers to the sword for revenge whereof and the recovery of the Towne the Regent sent the ever to be commended Commander Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury with convenient forces thither who for the space of two moneths so straightly beleagred the same that the Lord Gravile surrendred the same and sware but fleshly to bee true man to the King of England Hereof was Sir Henry Mortimer made Captaine and Sir Richard Vernon of the Castle From thence hee marched to Seyne which hee tooke by assault and put all the souldiers except the Captaine Sir William Maryn to the sword and thereof made Captaines Sir Hugh Godding and Sir Richard Aubemond the first of the Towne the other of the Castle The Regent the Duke of Burgoyne and Iohn Duke of Britaine meet at Amiens and renewed the old league and further inlarged it to bee defensive and offensive respectively And knowing that affinitie for the most part is the truest entertainer of friendship and an unquestionable obligation of amity the Regent afterward marrieth Anne the Sister of Burgoyne at Troys In the meane time the Parisian conspired to have let in the new King into Paris but the day before the night appointed for his admission the Duke with his power entred apprehended the Conspiratours and put them to publike execution which done hee furnished all the Forts and places of strength with Englishmen sent Sir Iohn Falstaffe who tooke in Pacy and Coursay two strong Castles whilst hee with his forces tooke in Traynells and Bray upon Seyne The Constable the while with all the new Kings forces layed siege to Cravant in Burgoyne But the Regent and the Duke of Burgoyne sent their forces under the conduct of the never-sufficiently to bee praysed Earle of Salisbury who having with great difficultie and small losse passed the river of Yone seconded by the Burgonians set upon the French and after a long and doubtfull fight put the French to flight slaying about eighteene hundred Knights and Gentlemen of note and three thousand common souldiers Scottish and French there were taken Prisoners The Constable of France who had lost an eye the Earle of Ventadour Sir Alexander Merdyn Sir Lewis Ferignye and two and twentie hundred Gentlemen of the English part were slaine Sir Iohn Gray Sir William Hall Sir Gilbert Halsall one of the Marshalls of the field Richard ap Maddocke and one and twentie hundred souldiers one with another From hence the Earle led his forces to Montaguillon and sate downe before it and after five moneths siege tooke it whilst the Duke of Suffolke tooke in the two strong Castles of Coucy and le Roche The Protector in the meane time ransomed and enlarged the young King of Scots who for many yeares had beene prisoner taking Homage and Fealtie of him from the Crowne of Scotland the tenour whereof is thus recorded I IAMES STEVVARD King of SCOTS shall bee true and faithfull unto you Lord HENRY by the grace of GOD King of ENGLAND and FRANCE the Noble and superiour Lord of SCOTLAND and to you I make my fidelitie for the said kingdome which I hold and claime of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and limme and worldly honour against all men and faithfully I shall acknowledge and shall doe you service due for the Kingdome of SCOTLAND afore-sayd so GOD mee helpe and these holy Evangelists And with consent of all the Nobilitie gave him to wife the Lady Iane Daughter to the deceased Duke of Somerset and Cousin german to the King with a large Dowrie besides many great and rich gifts bestowed by the Mother Vncles and other her kinred but no courtesie or bounty could keepe him from proving unfaithfull and unthankfull The Protectour with his accustomed provident circumspection to prevent dangers that want of supplies might bring to the Army sent over to the Regent tenne thousand well-furnished souldiers with all things whereof hee might stand in need with which fresh succours hee wonne and valiantly conquered many Townes Castles and places of strength whose power the French-men not able to withstand began to fasten the foxes tayle to the lyons skin and what they could not by courage compasse they attempted
end of August following In which time the truce began to be forgotten for the French awaiting all occasions of advantage by secret plots and devises had cunningly possessed themselves of divers Castles places of strength justifying their actions and affirming that what was politickly obtained without blows was no infringement of the Truce And afterwards they perfidiously conveyed 200. men at armes into the Castle of Roan presuming to have surprized it but being discouered they were all taken and either executed as traytours or ransomed The Regent knowing these coles would quickly kindle speeds him to his charge and preparation on both sides is made for war wherein he found the Duke of Burgoine lesse forward then he had used to be whereby the Regent found his affection did slacke but would not seeme to take notice thereof The Lord Talbot having payed his ransome commeth to the Regent bringeth with him 700. tryed souldiers They take the field on both sides in warlike manner making shews of encounter but twice together being provoked by the Regent to fight the French slunke away in the darke as not daring to abide the hazard of a battell The Peasants of Normandy pretending to shake off the English yoke which never had beene made insupportable rudely armed themselves and in outragious manner drew towards Cane but having neither power to command nor honesty to obey they were by the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Willoughby encountred and easily overthrowne with the slaughter of 1000. of them the rest were all taken whereof the chiefe Leaders were executed as traytors and the baser sort upon submission and acknowledgement of their errours permitted to depart to their severall homes But the Earle and the Lord Willoughby being now in the field and having intelligence that le Hire had besieged the Castle of Gorbury drew thither with intent to have succoured it but finding themselves too weak they made account to have retired to Beavoys but being descried they were pursued by le Hire who having advantage charged the Earle perceiving no safetie but not to hope of help resolved to win or dye fought valiantly but the Earle is dangerously wounded by the shot of a Culvering which caused the Lord Willoughby to retyre and convey the wounded Earle to Beavoys where within three dayes hee dyed say the Historians but the Harrolds say he dyed and was buried at Lewis in Sussex he married Mawd the Daughter of Sir Robert Lovell and had issue Humphry that succeeded him and Avitie married to Iames Butler Earle of Ormon and Wiltshire After the death of Arundel the Lord Willoughby dispierced his forces to their former garrisons but stayed himselfe there The Duke of Burbon taken at the battell of Agincourt after eighteene yeares imprisonment paying 18000 pounds for his ransome the same day hee was enlarged dyed at London Charles his Son who had married the Sister of the Duke of Burgoyn succeeded his Father Betwixt the two brother-in-lawes an unnaturall jarre was raysed but by the mediation of Mary Dutchesse of Berry they are reconciled by whose labour and industry with the helpe of the Duke of Burbon a reconciliation is likewise wrought betweene the French King and Burgoyne The jealousie between the Regent and the Duke of Burgoyne now was publickly discerned Whereby those that cald to mind the great charge that Henry the Fift gave on his death-bed carefully to retaine that Dukes amity laboured an enterview betwixt them to remove all scruples on either part which was obtained and Saint Omers was the place agreed upon where both Dukes being arrived they both standing too punctually on points of Honour who should give prioritie of visitation the Duke of Bedford as the Sonne Brother and Vncle of a King and Regent of France pretended it dishonourable for him to begin and the other challenging the same as of right belonging to him to have the first place the same being within his own Dominions The wisest in some points are foolish they both departed more discontented then before the haughtinesse of the spirit of the one and the great stomacke of the other being unable to give way to their unruly passions And hereupon the Duke of Burgoyne made choice rather to enter league with him that had murthered his Father then to keepe his oath with the King of England or the bond of love so often plighted with the Regent his friend and Brother-in-law And upon the receipt of a blancke Charter under the French Kings Seale to insert what Conditions of peace hee would hee proved renegado and falsified his faith to England lost his reputation to the world and sold himselfe slave to perpetuall ignomy The Towne of Saint Dennis by the perfidiousnesse of Mathew Gougley was betrayed to the Bastard of Orleance but the Lord Talbot presently beguirt the same with a siege to raise which the bastard Orleance drew great forces together but before their approach the Towne was given up and beatento the ground The inhabitants of Pontoys neverthelesse rebell and thrust out the English garrison whose examples did set the Parisians mindes on worke to tread the same steps but the Regents vigilancie over them hindred their intentions But now began the bright light of Englands glory to be ecclipsed those glorious beames of victory which they formerly had obtained every day more and more to decline The triple twine being cleane untwisted for the thrice renowned wise and circumspect Iohn Regent of France Duke of Bedford Aniou and Alanson Earle of Mayne Harecourt Dreux Richmond and Carlile and Vicount Beamond the Atlas whose shoulders kept the realme of France from sliding from their allegiance sworne to King Henries Father and Sonne upon the fourteenth of September 1435. at Paris exchanged all his glory here for the fruition of a more sempiternall felicitie in another place he was buried at Roan in our Ladies Church Whereat the Nobilitie of Normandy much repined as seeming desirous to have had some place of their owne territories to have been honoured by giving sepulture to so nobly deserving a Patriot unto them Yet such was their levitie that within few yeares after in the Raigne of Lewis the Sonne of Charles they instantly desired to have the Monument erected over him to bee demolished alleaging it was dishonourable to have so arch an enemy to France interred in the Metropolitan Citie of that Province But Lewis answered God forbid I should give way to so dishonourable an act as to molest the quiet of his dead bones that living would if offended have molested all here and it savours of too much basenesse to insult upon a dead Lyon Hee had two wives the first was Anne Sister of the Duke of Burgoyne the second Iaqueline daughter of Peter Earle of Saint Paul but had issue by neither No sooner was his death divulged but infinite alterations followed aswell in England as France Edmond Duke of Somerset as much affecting Soveraigne command underhand laboured to
succeed in the Regency but the Duke of Yorke was appointed the Vncle being preferred before the cousin to the King which made the young duke to endevour what he could to crosse the new Regent in all the designes abroad and to under-value at home whatsoever was never so well atchieved else-where still plotting against him For ambition is a passion that will never suffer a man to sleep without dreaming of revenge or to wake without inventing stratagems to compasse desired ends Paris making sayle whilst the gale blowes turneth Traitour and not only rebelleth but inhumanly abuseth the English within their power and after it had remained 17. yeares in the possession of the English yeelds to the Constable who by composition gave the English leave to depart other Towns tread in the same steps whose course the Normans would have followed but that the Lord Talbot with some other his associats did with great discretion warlike behaviour slaughter some 5000. of the rebellious crew and therby kept the rest in awe Private envy all this time hindred publick good and the emulation betwixt the Dukes of Yorke and Somerset too long delayed the presence and supplyes of the new Regent that in the interim the French grew Citie merchants buying and selling Cities Towns and Forts to whom would give most but the English were no good chapmen would not sell honor to buy treason But now the Regent with 8000. new souldiers arrived at Harflew from thence marcheth to Roan where he won the title not undeservedly of equall holding the skale of justice keeping the ballance so even and upright that the partiall observations of those whom Somerset had placed as spies over his actions could not give intelligence of just cause to calumniate The revolted Duke of Burgoyne pretending title to the Towne of Callice assoone as the spring approacheth with an Army of forty thousand men most of them Artificers and tradesmen whom he easily engaged to the wars by his authority and show of advantage to them to have a Towne so convenient for any Trafficke to be at their disposall passeth over the water at Graveline and there assaults the poore Bastile of Oye mand but with fifty men twelve of them having sold their lives very deere killing ten for one being slaine the residue submitted whom together with the Fortresse the Duke gave to the Gantoys which place they beat downe and hanged nine and twenty of the souldiers and would have done the like to the rest had not the Duke stayed their cruelty The Piccards besieged the Castle of Saint Marke Sir Iohn Gedding being Captaine thereof who having endured two hot assaults and seeing no possibilitie to hold it yeelded upon composition to have their lives and lims saved which Castle was demolished likewise From thence they beguirt Callice with a siege and upon a first approach perswaded themselves to carry it by assault wherof they made three strong ones but they found by their repulses that they reckoned without their host and were well pleased to keepe after within their trenches not daring so much as to attempt to hinder the shipping that every day with provision entred the harbor The Duke of Burgoin sent the Lord Croye to besiege the Castle of Guiesne where hee got little honour and did lesse harme many attempts were made to stop the chanell of the Haven and to build a Bastile to stop the passage of boats but they were prevented in the execution and made fruitlesse In the meane time Penbrocke the Harrold brought a defiance to the Duke of Burgoyne giving him to understand from the Duke of Glocester the Protectour that he would God sending him wind weather either there or in any other place the Duke would appoint in his own Dominions give him battell if hee would but abide it to whom the Duke of Burgoyne answered I shall be sure to stay for him here untill I have my will of this Towne wherewith the Harrold departed the Duke of Burgoyne calleth a Councell and whilst they are debating what is best to be done the Callisians make a sally of horse and foot the foot falling upon the Bastile lately erected to hinder the passage of the river for Boats whilst the horse give the alarm to the Campe the Bastile is carried by force with the slaughter of eight score of the Burgonians and many prisoners with all the Artillery provision carried to Callice from wence issued then fresh forces to favour the retreat of the horse who with the losse of twenty horse and 120 men returned which stroke such an amazement amongst the Burgonian Bores they were incapable of any understanding what to doe and thereupon a faire gale of wind blowing the hearts of the bread and butter fed Flemings were so amated that they presently rumored the approach of the Duke of Yorke and after the rumour was once up the fame increased the number and the certainty of the sight of eight hundred sayle was affirmed so that those that seemed not to be daunted with the newes were suspected to bee traytours to the Duke of Burgoyne the Dutch upbraid the Piccards the French the Gantoys nay the most resolute of the Councell told the Duke of Burgoyne that the stay might give opportunitie to the enemie to beleaguer his Leguer and to set downe betwixt him and FRANCE and then they should bee coopt up and bee charged both before and behind which so did take the Duke of Burgoyne that presently in a fury raging like the Persian that threatned the Tempest and whipt the Sea he sent to the Lord of Croy and both of them that night quit their quarters and in that hast departed that they left a great part of their best Ordnance and all their provision for the reliefe and helpe of the besieged It seemed they had some reason to run for the next day being the seven and twentieth day of Iuly the Duke of Glocaster landed at Callice with five and twenty thousand good fighting men and finding the enemy recoyled forrageth all the Countries adjacent and for the space of sixe weekes harrowed all the parts of Flanders Artoys and Hennalt and so returning by Saint Omers Arde and Guyens comforting his friends and terrifying his enemies with great and rich booty they arrived at Callice But the want of bread whereof they could not be furnished all the way did bring divers diseases amongst the Army whereof more dyed then were slaine upon any Camisado by the enemy for encounter they had none all the way The Duke of Yorke returneth into England to the rescue of Rocksboro Castle defended by Sir Sir Ralph Gray and besieged by the King of Scots with thirty thousand men who having advertisement of the Earle of Northumber lands approach the Dukes safe returne fled with no lesse losse then dishonour and enough of both A truce is desired betwixt England and Burgoyne and obtained the meeting is appointed at
two wives Anne daughter of Edmond Earle of Stafford by whom he had issue Henry that succeede in the Dukedome his second wife was Anne daughter to Iohn Mountacute Earle of Salisbury by her he had issue a daughter Anne married to the heire of Westermerland Iohn Nevill by whom she had no issue Then she was married to Thomas Nevill brother of Ralph the father of her first husband by whom she had issue Ralph the third house of Westmerland and her third husband was Iames Earle Dowglasse by whom she had no issue Before the time of truce was expired the divell cast a bone by meanes of an overforward Curre that set all on snarling For Sir Francis Suryens and Araganois thought worthy to be admitted into the honourable societie of the Garter taking advantage of the securitie the French Garrisons did sleepe in sodainely upon our Lady day eve in Lent at night surprised a Frontier Towne belonging to the Duke of Brittaine called Fougeirs ransaking it killing the inhabitants and caried away all the spoyle the Duke advertiseth the French King lying at Râ—…unes thereof who by his Embassadors complaine both to the King of England and the regent Somerset the fault is all layd upon the Aroganoys who did it without warrant or wit the King or Councell nether advising or approving what was done neverthelesse for restitution or satisfaction a meeting is appointed at Lanveirs where the Commissioners treat of the businesse But whilst they talke of this newes are brought to the regent That the French by a stratagem of a Carter that with a load of hay comming over the draw-bridge caused the axeltree to breake and whilst the porter was ready to helpe the Carter the Porters braines were beaten out and the Towne of Ardes surprised and the Lord Fauconbridge Captaine thereof taken prisoner restitution is demanded by the English they are answered with their owne language what was done was neither by the privitie or porcurement of the French King or any of his Councell so they hold fast on both sides their ill gotten bargaines and from thence forward the truce on both side is broken all things grow worse and worse The French King assembleth a mightie army and dividing it into three parts imployeth every one in a severall quarter who according to direction get possession of Louviers Gerbury and Vernuele all which by composition attended twenty dayes to be reskued but none came This warre is begun before the terme of truce expired the English gave the first occasion and are payed with their owne coyne whilst the new Regent which like the sonnes of Zebede presumed of more abilities then he had knowes not where to begin nor what to say or doe makes ready to recken the Townes lost but newes is brought of a conspiracie against him in the same Towne he goes about to suppresse that whilst the enemie is at another towne ready to carry it without speedy succor whereupon he giues Command to such troopes to march as he thinks fit but they in steed of putting his Command in execution expostulate the reason of such directions then calls he to Councell but there is more time spent in chiding and finding fault then in debating for the amending of what is out of square whereby his proceedings as it were make a parenthesis to a discourse betweene the good government of the Duke of Yorke and the bad event of the murthered Duke of Gloucester Thus perplexed the regent in a desperate case complaines of want of Councellors talkes much to no purpose does many things to as little proofe or profit so having tir'd himselfe to no end retires himselfe to his Chamber and there with more deliberation then discretion debates with himselfe what is best to be done The Cocks now begin to ctow upon their dunghill which but a while before were cowed by the English if staying or Cravend by themselves if they fell a running Constance Guisard Gahard Pontean sa meare S. Loe Festampo Newcastle Tongue Moleor Argenton Lisseux and some other peices in Normandy are reduced to the Crowne of France Maulisson in Guyen upon notice of their defections arme against their Garrison and set open the gates to the Earle of Foys who enters and taketh it This is seconded by the Citizens of Roan who vexed the regent and the Earle of Shrousbury more within then the French army abroad and enforced them to make composition to have liberty with bag and baggage to march to Cane and to procure by a certaine day divers adiacent strong peices to be surrendred unto the French and untill the same were delivered the Earle of Shrousbury and the Lord Butler the heire to the Earle of Ormond to remaine pledges who were sent to be safely kept in the Castle of Eureux Succors are sent for into England but an unexpected occasion diverted the passage of them for the necessitie of present meanes to suppresse an insurrection made by rebells in Ireland for the effecting whereof the Duke of Yorke is with an army sent thither where he so behaved himselfe that he not only suppressed the insurrection but purchased the good will and affection of the Irish nation firme to him and his for ever after The Frenchmen now throughly flesht assault Harflew but are by Sir Robert Curson for along time valiantly repelled but in the end fearing to be forced he makes composition to depart with body and goods Fougers and Sir Iames de Benron are likewise received by the Duke of Britaine A fresh supply of fifteene hundred men under the conduct of Sir Thomas Kiryell are sent over who did as much as with so small an handfull could be expected taking in some Townes but marching with the rest of the army towards Bauguenx at a place called Formigney he was encountred by the Earle of Cleremont and seven thousand French and Scots at first the French were driven to recoyle and lost two peeces of their ordnance but the Constable of France with foure hundred men at armes and eight hundred archers came to the reskew and being fresh so beat upon the tyred English that they with the losse of three thousand seven hundred threescore and thirteene besides divers prisoners gave proofe that it was not altogether unpossible but that the English might be overcome which hitherto in France for many yeares they never had been Sir Thomas Vere and Captaine Goughe escaped to Roven The French King with an army royall besiegeth Cane which is bravely defended till the Dutches importuneth her husband to take pitie of her and his children to give over the Towne her entreaties his childrens teares so far prevaile that he moves the surrender to Sir David Hall whowas there in right of his Master the Duke of Yorke owner of Cane who knowing that there was no great Correspondency betwixt the Duke of Somerset and his Colonel boldly told the Duke that he had the charge of that Citie delivered to
in Sussex Surry and Wilshire but were soone appeased without much hurt done only the Wilshire men upon the nine and twenteth day of Iune drew William Askots Bishop of Salisbury from the high altar celebrating Masse in Edington Church in his albe with his stole about his necke to the top of the hill and their inhumanly murdered him Their rage having blinded their reason banisht humanitie and drowned all pitty they stripped him naked every one of his tenants striving to have a peece of his bloody shirt not as others to have the relikes of the Martyr to celebrate his memory but as glorying in their owne villany they having the day before robbed his carriage and taken the sum of ten thousand marks The French King taking hold of these disorders in England winneth out of their hands all whatsoever was in their possession in France no succour though often and earnestly by writing and Messengers required being sent unto them so that England at this time suffred a totall eclipse of glory in France They every day loosing more or lesse untill they had nothing left in France to loose but the Towne of Callice and the Castles of Hames and Gnynes so that King Henry the Fifts propheticke declaration that what Henry of Monmouth got in France Henry of Windsor should lose was now verified The Duke of Somerset having so well discharged his place of Regency that hee had lost but few men but consumed much Treasure and kept never a Towne commeth into England and at a Parliament which began at Westminster the sixt of November was put under arrest upon notice whereof the commons of London despoiled his house at Black-fryers and ransacked the same making havocke of all things untill Proclamation was made on pain of death that no man should meddle with any the Dukes houses or stuffe and one for disobeying the Proclamation was beheaded at the Standard in Cheape The Duke of Yorke under pretence of comming to this Parliament came out of Ireland and at London had private conference with Iohn Duke of Norfolke Richard Earle of Salisbury the Earle of Devon and other his assured Friends where it was resolved to keepe the chiefe purpose the pretence to the Crowne secret and only make shew of his endevours to bee bent to remove those from the Councell of the King that had so dishonoured the Realme and wasted the revenewes of the Crowne in losing so many good Townes in France and doing nothing worthy their place or credit they held about the King whereof the Duke of Somerset must bee the chiefe man to bee instanced and the rather for that hee was in great contempt of the Commons and was the only hee that opposed the Duke of Yorke in all things The Duke having layed the foundation of this his so long intended enterprise sent divers Letters unto the King wherein hee intimated the many unworthy proceedings plotted against him by his enemies whereby they had well-nie if hot altogether withdrawne his Majesties affection from him and though hee were and was ready to lay downe his life at the Kings command as a testimony of his ever to continue loyalty yet by their secret and dishonourable practises they had besmeared his honour with suspition of his integrity which was a griefe unutterable and an injury unsupportable That his patience abused might turne to furie neverthelesse his only request was to know his accuser and either to have libertie to defie him and make good his challenge by the law of Armes or bee permitted to take that course for the reparation of his Honour as was appertaining to his condition and birth To this the King maketh answer that hee would take his complaint of wrongs into consideration and endevour to give him faire satisfaction but withall somewhat blames him for the death of the Bishop of Chester by his meanes suspected to bee slaughtered and of dangerous speeches uttered by his servants tending to rebellion concluding that notwithstanding any thing said or done to the contrary he did take and esteeme him as a faithfull subject and a loving kinsman The Duke of Yorke not herewith satisfied intending at once both to promulgate his protestation and display his colours departeth into Wales and there levieth men making his colour for the good of the Common-wealth and the removing the bad Councellers that sought the ruine of his subjects from the Kings Councell Newes hereof being brought the King with the Duke of Somerset now enlarged with an Army marched towards Wales whereof the Duke of Yorke having notice by his Scoutes which way the King came by a contrarie way marched towards LONDON but having from thence received advertisements that hee would bee prohibited entrance hee past the River Thames at Kingstone bridge and marched into Kent expecting there to find many friends at least partakers and encamped upon Burnt heath The King in his pursuit came to Blackheath and there pitcht his Tents From whence the King sent the Bishops of Winchester and Ely the Lord Rivers and Richard Andrews the keeper of the Privie Seale to know the cause of this Commotion and to make offer of reconcilement if the Dukes Demaunds were consonant to reason The Duke made answer that there was nothing intended that might bee prejudiciall to the Kings person his Crowne or Dignitie nor to the hinderance of any good man but to remove certaine blood-suckers evill disposed persons oppressours of the poore and infamous impostors from about the King but especially Edmond Duke of Somerset whom if the King would bee but pleased to commit to Ward untill by a legall tryall in Parliament hee might receive judgement of such treasonable crimes as should then and there bee proved against him that then he would not only dismisse his Army but come unto his presence as a true and loyall subject in dutie was bound so to doe and to tender him all befitting service Hereupon the Duke of Somerset is committed to prison the Duke of Yorke dismisseth his Army and commeth in person to the King where finding the Duke of Somerset in the Presence hee chargeth him with Treason The Duke of Somerset denieth the accusation and recriminates the Duke of Yorke to have conspired the death of the King and the usurpation of the Crowne The King removeth to London and the Duke of Yorke as a prisoner rode before the King but the Duke of Somerset at liberty which ministred much occasion of heart-burning amongst the friends of Yorke The King calleth a Councell at Westminster where the Dukes are earnest in accusing each other Somerset instantly craved of the Councell that the Duke of Yorke might by compulsion or otherwise bee made to confesse his Conspiracy and to doome him to condigne punishment and his children taken as enemies to their country as the only meanes to represse the so much to bee feared civill dissention This hee with great show of vehemency urged but not how true soever to
the point of beliefe for the most of the Councell suggested his innocencie first by his voluntary submission when he had power sufficient either to have kept the field or to have assured his retraite then by his request made not for himselfe but for the ease of the poore Commons next his carefull and honourable endevours both in France and Ireland where if he had had any such traiterous intent he had the pan by the stale and might have kept it But while the Councell are debating this at the very instant the Earle of Kendall and the Lord Lespar crave present admission to the Borde and audience as Embassadours from Burdeux for businesse of great import and speedy dispatch they being admitted declare to the Kings Councell how readily and really the inhabitants of Burdeux are to submit their obedience to the Crowne of England if they might but bee assured to bee defended by it they therefore offer upon the appearance of an Armie in Gascoygne if come before the plot bee discovered to yeeld all up unto them To second this commeth a constant urged report that Edward Earle of March Sonne and heire to the Duke of Yorke with a great power of March-men made a speedy march towards London These newes troubled the Queene those the Councell it is therefore resolved on That the Duke of YORKE lest private dissention should hinder publicke designes of such consequence as the reduction of GASCOIGNE should in the presence of the KING and his Nobilitie and all the Congregation at the high Altar at Pauls take his oath of submission and allegiance to the King of England which he accordingly did and so had liberty to depart to his Castle of Wigmore After his departure the Earle of Shrewsbury with about three thousand men was sent to Gascoyne who arriving in the I le of Madre passed forth with his power and tooke Fronsacke and other pieces But having received in the nightinstructions from Burdeux hee makes all speed thither and was entred therein before the French had notice of his comming so that many of them were slaine by the Lord Espar in their beds shortly after the destruction of Burdeux there arrived at Blay the Earle of Shrowsburies Sonne Sir Iohn Talbot with the Bastard of Somerset with divers others with two and twenty hundred men furnished and victualed by whose meanes Burdeux is well mand with English and provided for at full whilst the Earle was not idle but went from place to place to receive the offred submission of all places whither hee came and having taken Chattillon he strongly and sufficiently fortifieth and furnisheth the same The French King rayseth an Army and forthwith besiegeth by his Commanders Chattillon to the reskue wherof the Earle maketh all possible speed with eight hundred Horse appointing the Earle of Kendall and the Lord Lespar to follow with the foot In his way hee surprised a Tower the French had taken and put all within it to the sword and meeting five hundred French-men that had beene forraging hee slew a great number of them and chased the rest to the Campe upon whose approach the French understanding which way the enemy came they left the siege and retired to a place which they had formerly trenched and fortified whither the Earle followeth them and resolutely chargeth them so home that he got the entry of the Campe where being shot thorow the thigh with a Harquebush and his horse slaine under him his sonne desirous to relieve his Father lost his owne life and therein was accompanied with his Bastard brother Henry Talbot and Sir Edward Hall and thirty other Gentlemen of name the Lord Molynes with threescore others were taken prisoners the rest fled to Burdeux but in the way a thousand of them were slaine Thus on the last day of Iuly at Chattillon the thrice honourable Earle of Shrowsbury the first of that name gave the last testimony of his true service to his King after hee had employed the same to his never-dying Honour in the parts beyond the Seas by the space of foure and twenty yeares hee had married two wives The first was Matild daughter and sole heire of Thomas Nevill Lord Furnivall by whom he had issue Iohn that succeeded him in the Earledome Sir Christopher Talbot and Sir Humphry Talbot Knights His second wife was Margaret elder Daughter and Coheire of Richard Beuchamp Earle of Warwicke by whom hee had issue Iohn Talbot in right of his Wife Vicount Lisle slaine with his Father Sir Humphry Talbot slaine at Mount Sinay Elizabeth married to Iohn Mowbray Earle of Norfolke and Elianor Wife to Thomas Boteleer Lord of Sudley Castle And a naturall sonne slaine as afore with his Father his body was buried in a tombe at Roan in Normandy with this inscriptioa Here lyeth the right noble Knight Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrowsbury Weshford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodritch and Orchenfield Lord Srange of Blackmere L. Verdon of Acton L. Cromwell of Wingfield L. Lovetoft of Worsop L. Furnivall of Sheffield L. Fauconbridge knight of the noble orders of St. George St. Michael and the golden Fleece great Marshall to K. Henry the sixt of his Realme of France The Earle of Kendall the Lords Mountferrat Rosayne and Dangladas entred into the Castle of Chattillon which they made good against the French by the space of ten dayes and then without hope of succour delivered it upon composition to have liberty to depart to Burdeux Now the tyde turned againe the Gascoynes levitie being as ready to open the gates to the French as they were but little before to the English by meanes whereof in short time the French recovered againe all Gascoyne except Burdeux which the French King in person layeth siege unto and at length hath it surrendered upon condition that both garrisons and inhabitants with all their substance might safely depart for England or Callice and that the Lords Lespar and Durant with thirty others whose names were expressed upon paine of death should never after be found in the territories of France the neglect of which oath within few yeares after caused Lespar to leave his head behind him there whilst the rest in safetie came to England this losse of Aquitane was palliated by the happy delivery of the Queene of a Sonne who was Christened The King and the Dukes beginning to bandy one against the other gave a beginning to that faction whose end was not procured without the deplorable losse of so many thousand Englishmen and now as a praeludium to that tragedy upon Saint Bartholmewes day an antient custome being that the Maior of London and the Sheriffs should be present in giving prizes to the best Wrastlers at the wrastling place neere More-fields The Prior of Saint Iohns being there to see the sport a servant of his not brooking the disgrace to bee foyled before his Master against the custome of the place would have wrastled againe and with foule
where advised thereto by his Councell hee sent great Warwickes Brother the Archbishop of Yorke to bee kept prisoner in the Castle of Guisnes and the Earle of Oxford who had submitted himselfe upon pardon of life only to the Castle of Hams and layed all the Ports for the stopping of the Earle of Penbrookes going out of England which hee neverthelesse afterwards did with the young Earle of Richmond King Edward much displeased with the escape of the Earle of Penbrooke but more of that of Richmond by how-much the one could but abet the other might lay claime sent his Letters over to the Duke of Britaine whither those two Earles had found meanes to convey themselves and were in Britanny by him kindly entertained intimating therein his earnest desire either to have them sent over to him or at least watchfully kept from attempting any thing which he had iust causte to suspect they would to his prejudice by their being at liberty with many promises of thankfull respect for this courtesie if granted and for an earnest thereof sent him a token worthy the receiving which so prevailed with the Duke that the two Earles were debard each others company and all their English attendants taken from them and Britons appointed in their places which somewhat satisfied the King of England but gave no content to the English Gentlemen in France A Parliament is called at Westminster wherein all acts formerly made by him are confirmed And those that King Henry after his redemption of the Crowne had abrogated were revived And an ordinance made for the confiscation of all their lands and goods that had taken part against him and were fled with a restauration of all such as for his part had beene attainted both to blood and patrimony Towards his charges in this Parliament a competent summe of mony is voluntarilie given and in respect thereof a generall pardon is granted The Duke of Burgoyne not willing that his courtesies formerly done to his brother in law should be thought upon and willing to ingulph him in the warres of France That he in the meane time might have the better opportunitie to worke some malicious stratagem against the French king sends over Embassadors with ample instructions to solicit the King of England to set on foot his title to the Crowne of France making great offers with protestations to ayd and assist him therein both with purse and person The Embassadors have audience and after much debating the poynt amongst the privy Councell it was thus amongst them concluded 1 That the Crowne of France was not ambitiously affected But the title thereof legally Challenged as the unquestionable right of the now King of England 2 That the French warres if orderly pursued alwayes enriched English Souldiers 3 That France being made the seat of the war it would keepe them from making invasion on England and hinder them from supporting any against the King of England 4 That the French King had in an unsufferable fashion given an affront to the King of England in ayding and abetting Queene Margaret and her trayterous complices against him and prohibiting any his true subiects to reside within his territories And in continually sending combustible stuffe to feed the fire of rebellion which had so disquieted the common-wealth of England 5 That the King of France infested the Duke of Burgonies Countries with warres who was a friend and Collegue with the King of England and one that was in league with him both offensive and defensive Therefore this proposition from the Duke of Burgoin to vndertake the warres against France was to be approved of as being both lawfull and behoofefull for the honour of the King and the good of the Kingdome But the meanes how to pursue the warre being once undertaken was an other cause considerable For treasure the sinewes of warre was wanting and to procure a supply by Parliamentary courses would take up too much time They were therefore driven to find out and set on foote a proiect till then unheard of which was to draw by way of benevolence from the subject a seeming voluntary howsoever often very unwillingly payed contribution Thereby to supply the want of mony for the pursuance of these warres To this end divers Commissioners are assigned with letters to the knights and Gentlemen and severall instructions are sent into every County who did therein so effectually Comply themselues to doe the King service that by their perwasions most men of abilitie did enlarge their contributions to this so faire an enterprise and readily departed with their mony And a Kings kys to a sparing and therefore a rich widdow amongst many others drawne in by Court holy water to make oblation brought in twenty pounds more then was demanded for that being but twenty she gave forty It is almost a matter of admiration in these dayes how in those dayes The King could out of this little Island be furnished with able men for his warres old men women and children with sufficient meate to put in their mouthes the Cleargy and Schollers with competent maintenance and the markets with necessary provision considering the infinite number of those in the late Civill broyles slaughtered the paucitie of Ploughmen and husbandmen the want of farmers and the indigency of Cattell wherewith to stocke their farmes infinite quantities of ground lying unmanurde or tilled and the pastures and downes without sheepe or Cattell The generall spoyle and wastment which the Souldiers wheresoever they came and that was almost every where in this kingdome made and the generall ceasing and neglect of commerce or trafficke the shipping not daring to stir abroad the danger being so great to be robbed and spoyled either by hombred pirates or forraine foes yet such was Gods great mercies that every one of these respectively were supplied and did subsist without any notable defect or extraordinary want Henry Holland Duke of Exceter and Earle of Huntington dishinherited by act of Parliament with Henry Duke of Somerset and Thomas Earle of Devonshire in the fourth yeere of King Edward the fourth was this yeare found dead stript naked betwixt Dover and Callice but how hee came by his death no inquiry could bring to light he married Anne daughter of Richard Duke of Yorke and sister to Edward the fourth but had no issue by her she was after married to Sir Thomas Saytleoger and had issue by him a daughter to George Mannors Lord Rosse of Hâ—…mlack Provision for this French expedition of all things necessary being throughly made aad order taken for the quiet government of the kingdome in his absence and the stop of incursiones if any should by the Scots be made King Edward with an army of fifteene hundred men at armes and all of the nobility and Gentry gallantly mounted and wel attended with fifteene thousand archers on horsebacke eight thousand common souldiers whereof five thousand were sent to Brittaine and three thousand pioners to attend the ordnance and
garde the Carriage came downe to Dover whither the Duke of Burgoine had sent five hundred skutes or flat bottombd boates to transport the horse to Callice yet notwithstanding that helpe it was above two and twenty dayes before the Kings forces were all past over to Callice Before the Kings departure from Dover because hee would witnesse to the world his faire and legall proceeding hee sent an Harold named Gorter a Norman by birth with a letter of defiance in faire and fitting termes requiring the French King to yeeld unto him the Crowne of France his unquestionable inheritance by the French King unjustly detained from him which if he should dare to deny that then he was to expect from England but what the extremity of the sword and the Calamities of warre could bring upon him and his Country This letter the French king read and withdrawing himselfe caused the Harold to be brought to his presence to whom in private he gave this answer That the Duke of Burgoyn and the Constable by whose trayterous instigation and not of his owne inclination he knew the King of England intended to visite France would but delude him for they were dissemblers and impostors And therefore said it would conduce more to the honor and content of the King of England to continue in league with mee though an old adversary then to hazard the fortune of the warres upon the promised assistance of new-come deceivers such as those two will prove And so Commend me to the King thy Master and say what I have told thee and so with an honourable reward dismissed the Harold who returned to the King of England to Callice And there returned the French Kings answer This advise though from an enemie if followed had saved the King of England a great deale of mony For the Duke of Burgoyne notwithstanding his promise in the word of a Prince not to faile was not at the time and place appointed ready with his forces which should have beene by pact and promise two thousand Lanceers and foure thousand stradiots or light horse Whereupon the Lord Scales is by the King of England sent to the Duke to put him in minde of his promise and to hasten his comming with his promised forces But the journey was to little purpose onely it occasioned the Duke with a small Troope of horse to come unto the King of England formally to excuse himselfe for beeing so backward in that he having with his forces beene embroyled in the siege of Nants could not depart thence without infinite disgrace if neither Composition or submission were enforced which now notwithstanding because hee would not too much trespasse upon his brother in lawes patience to have longer expected hiscomming he was by the obstinacy of the besieged enforced to do But promised to supply all defects both with his presence and power and that speedily The Constable likewise by letters perswades the King of England to proceed in the action and not to doubt from the Duke and himselfe but to be sufficiently accommodated every way and seconded King Edward thus encouraged marcheth on But in his way found no performance of promises either on the Dukes or Constables part For the first did not at their comming to Peroone accommodate the souldiers with victuall or lodging in that manner as was requisite and expected And the other in steed of surrendring up of S. Quintayns according to the agreement made a sally out upon such as were sent from the King of England to receive the same playing upon them with their great ordnance Whereupon King Edward comparing the last dayes words with this dayes actions began to suspect the truth of the Kings description of the Duke Constables condition and from thence forward stood upon his own gard and gaveno further credence to any of their protestations which the Duke of Burgoyne resenting pretending earnest occasions for the hasting forward of his forces and promising speedy returne with them taketh his leave and departeth wherewith the English are displeased and King Edward not a little disquieted The French King having intelligence of the Dukes departure forcasting the worst suspecteth that the Duke was with an intent to returne gone to bring on his power well knowing that if they should unite their forces his Crowne was in great hazard to be pluckt from him Neverthelesse hee thought that winter being so neere they could not well keepe the field howsoever being his crafts Master and politicke enough to worke his own ends which hee seldome fayled in he resolved with himselfe to assay what might be done to mediate a peace with the English in Burgoins absence And yet so to retreate that if it tooke not effect he might disclaime the knowledge of the overture he therefore privately dispatcheth a messenger in show of an Herhought indeed hee was a fellow neither of Office or estimation and not knowne to any of the Kings houshould but to Villeers the Master of the horse who onely was acquainted with the plot and partie This Counterfeit pursevant at armes with a Coate made of a Trumpets banner rowle ad dressed himselfe to the King of England and upon admission to his presence insinuates the French Kings desire which was to have Commissioners on both parts consigned to conferre of the means to reconcile the differences betwixt the two Kings at least-wise to conclude the cessation from warres for some time and so well this messenger delivered his arrand That it was credited and his request granted and with a reward and a letter of safe conduct for such as should be imployd from the French King in this businesse is returned and an Herhaught likewise from King Edward is sent to King Lewis for the like letter of safe conduct to bee sent for those that from the English Campe should be imployed in this negotiation which is accordingly granted and at a village neere Amiens the Commissioners meete For King Edward appeare the Lord Howard Sir Anthony Chalenger and Doctor Morton after made Lord Chancellor of England For King Lewis came the Admirall of France the Lord S. Peirs and Heberg Bishop of Eureux After long conference the Articles of peace were concluded on to this effect 1 The French King was to pay presently to the King of England threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes And from thence forth annually pay fifty thousand Crownes during the life of King Edward 2 That within one yeere the French King should send for the Princesse Elizabeth the king of Englands daughter ioyne her in marriage to the Dolphine And for their maintenance for nine yeeres the French King agreed to allowe them fifty thousand crownes per annum and that time expired they should peaceably be invested in the possession of the Dutchy of Gayen for the better supportation of their estate 3 That the Lord Howard and Sir Iohn Cheney Master of the horse should remayne in hostage there untill
the Citizens of London a privie seale for the loane of five thousand markes for a yeere which were presently provided and at the time prefixed as orderly repayed which with the royall entertainment he gave them upon invitation at Windsor and the store of venson sent by him with them to make merry with their wives at home won the harts affectiōs of the Londoners both male female That from thence forth no pleasure was denied that they could procure him The Scots make an inrod into Northumberland against whom the Duke of Gloce. was sent with some power but they were retreated before his comming Iames King of Scotland shortly afterward sent Embassadors to treat of a marriage between his eldest son Iames Duke of Rothsay Cecily the kings second daughter This overture for a match was by King Edward his councell embraced and divers great sums of mony as part of her portion were delivered to the Scots but with this proviso that if the marriage did not take effect that the provost and Marchants of Edenborough should be bound to repay the same This Iames K. of Scotland was too much wedded to his own opinion couldnot endure any mans advise how good soever it were that he fancied not he would seldom aske counsel but never follow any by reason wherof such of his counsell as more respected the honour of the kingdom the publike good then what should be pleasing to his private conceits or peculiar fancy did divers times reape exilement and ill will for truth speaking and well meaning so that the way to win his favour could not be found out or followed but by flattery whereby few or none but thrasonicall parasites and camelion timepleasers would follow the court or continue their places therin hence came it that many ignoble affronts were offred to the King of England more disrespects done to his own nobility Insomuch that his brother the Duke of Albany was enforced to ◅and on the Country and to fly for refuge into England where he was by King Edward respectively entertained From him was the King of England truely informed of the weake disposition of King Iames wherewith King Edward was so much incensed that hee made speedy preparation of a competent army which being sufficiently accōmodated withall necessaries for the field under the conduct of Richard Duke of Glocester accompanied with the Duke of Albany they marched towards Scotland The Duke in the way tooke in Barwick and besieged the Castle which was resolutely defended by the Earle Bothwell The Duke perceiving no good to be done against the Castle but by famishing them having sufficiently taken course to secure the towne from sallies leaving the Lord Stanley behind to continue the siege he with the residue of the army marched toward Edenbrough where within the Castle of Maydens the King of Scotland had immurde himselfe The nobility of Scotland observing the miserable spoyle that the English army did the impossibility to prevent it by opposition endevored by humble submission to procure a peace at least a cessation from wars which with much importunitie they obtained at the hands of the general under these conditions 1 That ful satisfaction should be presently given to the English for all damages and wrongs done by the late incursions 2 That the D. of Albany whose friendship the general laboured to be made firme unto him should be fully restored to grace place whatsoever had bin taken or withheld from him by the king his brother and an abolition of all former discontents betwixt them 3 That the Castle of Barwick should immediately be surrendred into the generalls hands from thence no reduction either of that or the town attēpted 4 That all such sums of mony as had bin upon the proposition of the mariage as aforesayd delivered should be repayed or that befitting security should be given by the Provost Citizens of Edenborough for the orderly repayment therof at the Tower of London at some reasonable time before the day prefixed in case K. Edw. should signifie unto them that there should not be any further prosecution of the said proposition of marriage Al which except the first article were accordingly performed A Generall pardon and loving letters from the king are sent unto the Duke of Albany with an authentick instrument under the common seale of the Provost and Citizens of Edenborough for the performance of that part that belonged to them to the D. of Gloc. who upon the receipt therof the surrender of the Castle of Barwick with all ordnance and amunition therin of which and of the towne the Lord Stanley with a competent number of Souldiers to gard the same being made Captaine The generall with the rest of the army joyfully returned for England leaving nothing undon by the way to endeer himselfe to the good opinion of the Captaines the applause of the common Souldiers The faire proceedings in the Scotish expeditiō did not bring so much content to the K. of England but the dishonorable forgetful breach of oath of the French K. did much more molest and trouble him For he had received certaine intelligence from his Embassador leidger that the French K. not onely denied the paiment of the annual tribute of 5000. crowns agreed upon sworne to upon the ratification of the late conluded peace betwixt the kings kingdoms of England France But had also married the Dolphyn of France to the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximilian the son of the Emperor And therby notoriously infringed both the Article concluded for a match betweene him and the Lady Elizabeth K. Edwards daughter therby brokē his faith for the performāce thereof so solemnly plighted which much incensed the King of England so much the more by how much the care to provide a fitting match for his daughter when he deemed it to be past was now to begin to be taken hee resolves therefore to vindicate this unsufferable disgrace offred his daughter by punishment of the French kings periury herewith acquaints his Councell who unanimously conclude open wars to be proclaimed and provision to be prepared to prosecute the same to the uttermost in this businesse the Duke of Glocester was not slacke but daily though he knew it needlesse did inculcate to the King his brother how much it did import his honour to draw his sword and not to sheath it untill Lewis for expiation of his jniury had submitted his Crowne to the rightfull owner and given the King of England possession thereof And did make proffer both of purse and person to give him assistance therin to the uttermost preparation for the invasion of France is making in every place to which the King is very proclive But whilst he is intentive in the businesse hee is suddainly attached by the hand of death and without Glouc. hand though not without his wish upon the ninth of Aprill 1483. at Westminster departed this mortall life
England was the validitie of whose gold and the power of whose arme might purchase or procure his freedome or sasetie if at any time thereafter impeached Whilst the Treasurer is plotting and placing his engines to make delivery of the merchandise as afore bought and sold. God who alwayes provideth for the deliverance out of danger for those that trust in him had so appointed that Christopher Vrswicke is sent out of Flaunders from Morton Bishop of Ely who by Gods especiall care and providence was ever mindfull and carefully watchfull of the Earle of Richmonds prosperous proceeding to forewarne the Earle of the neere and certaine perill hee was in and to acquaint him both with the plot and the meanes to prevent it The Earle quickly resenteth it and presently dispatcheth Vrswicke to the French King to crave the continuance of his gracious favour and againe to grant him safe passage thorow his Dominions Vrswicke was no sooner gone on his way but the Earle making no more then needs must acquainted with his intention having procured a guide by unfrequented wayes to conduct him into France gave private directions to the Earle of Penbrooke to make an overture to drawe his forces towards the Duke of Britaine who by this time had beene somewhat recovered of his maladie and was retired to take the ayre neere the borders of France That hee as though so by him desired might make view of them But assoone as ever they came neere any the confines of France hee should with all convenient speed make entrance thereinto and attend further directions The Earle of Pembrooke punctually followed his directions and safely arrived in the Dutchy of Anjou where they made their randevow Richmond with only five in his company himselfe disguised like an ordinary Serving-man through Woods and by-wayes came to Angeirs whither some of his retinue were gotten before and attended his comming From thence hee writeth to the Duke of Britaine excusing his so sudden and unmannerly departure occasioned through his certaine danger if not thus avoided by the plot aforesaid Some few dayes after his departure the Treasurer with a selected company of souldiers under the conduct of John Vitry Landoys his onely creature and counsellour who gave forth by the way that these men were waged for the ayde of the Earle of Richmond and to that purpose had Vitry formerly written to the Earle came to Vans where hearing of the Earles sudden departure hee sent out his Vauntcorriers into every quarter to apprehend and stay him but they lost their labours Sir Edward Woodvile and Captaine Poynings with their Companies being left behind in Vans had beene in great hazard to have beene distressed but their discreet behaviour both then and before had gotten a good opinion amongst the Townsmen that they quietly permitted their stay amongst them untill they had informed the Duke by the meanes of the Chancellour who was their friend and Landoys antagonist of their estate who much displeased with the harsh usage of the Earle by Landoys out of a noble and commendable disposition furnished them not only with money to discharge their debts in the Towne but also with carriages and all necessaries for their orderly accommodation in their march to the Earle of Richmond whither with a safe conduct hee sent them where they safely arrived The Earle returnes thankes to the Duke and with an authenticall Instrument whereby the Earle and all the Gentlemen present had subscribed to the repayment of the money lent and satisfaction of all things else by those Companyes received sends him a more ample and perfect remonstrance of the Treasurers trechery which afterwards gave just occasion to the Duke of Britaines kinred who were by Decree of the King and all the Peeres of France in regard of the Dukes infirmitie to manage the affaires of the Dutchy to question Landoys for that and other overbold actions of his to his after-overthrow For hee and his Favourite John Vitry upon the just complaint of the Chancellour and the unappeasable fury of the inraged multitude had their processe legally made against them and were accordingly hanged The Earle of Richmond admitted to the presence of the French King acquaints him with his intention and laying claime to the Crowne of England and his meanes of prosecution thereof and requesteth his amitie and assistance Both which King Charles faithfully promised and as effectually performed to his great honour In the interim Richmond and his retinue are honourably entertained and bountifully feasted in the French Court and many proffers of matches to the young English Bachelers there made but none succeeded Whilst the Earle is thus attending in the French Court John Vere Earle of Oxford who had long beene Prisoner in the Castle of Hams had so prevalently perswaded with James Blunt Captaine of the Fortresse and Sir John Fortescue Porter of the Towne of Callice that they not only gave him leave to take his owne liberty but accompanied him to the Earle of Richmond of whom they are joyfully welcommed and to him Captaine Blunt gives assurance that the Fortresse did remaine only at his devotion To the Earle at this time there resorted divers young Gentlemen that were students in the Vniversity of Paris proffering him their service amongst whom was Richard Fox at that time very famous for good Clerkship and faire carriage to whom the Earle then gave entertainment and then advised with him in all his affaires but afterwards upon proofe of his good abilities he made him one of his most privy Councell King Richard being informed that his Chapmen could not compasse his so much desired merchandize in Britaine and that Richmond was safe and fairely entertained in the French Kings Court hee resolved not to leave any thing undone how vile and nefarious soever that might further him to defeate his Adversary And being perswaded that hee could by any meanes anticipate the Earle from matching with his Neece Elizabeth And being so flesht in villany that custome in him had taken away all sence of sinning This downright instrument of the Divell resolveth to ridde his hands of Anne his Queene and as it were to win the prize from all precedent Tyrants in being guiltlesse of no impietie hee attempteth the marriage of his Neece his Queene being yet living But shee good Lady shall bee quickly made sure enough from hindring his despicable designe in joyning incest to murther And thus resolved cloking his wolvish condition under the vaile of innocent well-meaning this Monster of men backt by the divell and his dissembling lookes endevoureth to perswade the Queene of England his Brothers Widow that hee most entirely affected her pleasure and her childrens preferment and to obtaine her good opinion would not only pardon the Earle Dorset but promote him and all their kinred to Honour and prime offices of the Kingdome So farre hee prevailed with this meere pittifull Queene that shee had quite forgotten the murther of her innocent infants the butchering of her owne
inflicted on any only the Earle of Sarum and the Lord Morley who had beene in especiall grace with King Richard These two were committed but at the intercession of their friends they were quickly released the rest but especially the Duke of Aumerle and the Duke of Exceter the Governour of Callice hee received freely to favour Aumerle was Cousin german to both Kings Exceter halfe Brother to King Richard and Brother-in-law to King Henry as having espoused his Sister the Lady Elizabeth The greatest crime they could enforce against them was their being firme to King Richard because they did not only stomacke his dejection but stirre more then others and assay to raise forces on his behalfe The Dukes confessed the first accusation affirming they were unfortunately faithfull to King Richard but as they that are once false prove seldome after firmely sound so they that have approved themselves true to one Prince may bee the better trusted by another The King did rather admit this as a defence then remit it as a fault affirming that such examples were not to bee misliked of Princes and did afterwards by curtesie and liberalitie endevour to make them firme and faithfull unto him This fact was diversly interpreted according to mens severall dispositions some admiring the Kings moderation others disallowing his confidence And though these meanes have to that purpose prevailed with some yet the common course may move us to conjecture that there is small assurance to bee had in reconciled enemies whose affections for the most part are like to glasse which being once crackt will never bee otherwise then crazed and ever unsound During this time of Parliament held at Westminster the Archbishop had convoked a Synod which was held in Pauls Church to whom the King sent the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland who declared to the Clergie that they were not sent to them from the King to require any moneys from them but to acquaint them with the Kings resolution which was to confirme all their priviledges and immunities unto them and to joyne with them as they should desire him in the punishment of all hereticks and opposites to their religion received for which so doing hee craved but their supplications to God for the safetie of him and his posteritie and prosperitie of the kingdome which was by all there present religiously promised Now to palliate all prejudice and hard opinion which other Princes might happily conceive of these his proceedings Hee dispatched Embassadours to divers his bordering neighbours intimating to them respectively both by what Title and whose favour hee had obtained the Kingdome To Rome he sent the Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheney Knight and Iohn Cheney Esquire to France the Bishop of Durham and the Earle of Worcester into Spaine the Bishop of Saint Asaphs and Sir William Par into Almaine the Bishop of Bangor and others most of these Princes as in a matter which little concerned them either in point of honour or hatred seemed to take no notice of what was done or were easily perswaded that all was done well But Charles of France was so disquieted with this dishonourable dealing with his Son-in-law that his passion upon the first relation thereof put him into his old fit of phrenzie but recovered thereof hee provided for to revenge the injury Many of the Nobilitie of France were forward to set a foot this enterprise but especially the Earle of Saint Paul who had married King Richards halfe Sister so that defiance is sent and on both sides preparation for warre is made These novelties much animated the Aquitains being under the English command some were grieved at the infamous blemish of disloyaltie which was cast upon the Nation others feared their being made a prey to the tyrannie of the French against whom they had cause to suspect that England being distracted by civill factions either would not attend or could not bee able to beare them out But the Burdisians were principally perplexed with King Richards wrongs because hee was borne and bred in their Citie The Frenchmen generally were nothing displeased at this discontentment of the Aquitanes supposing that opportunitie was now offered to regaine the possession of the Dutchy of Guian if either power or pollicie were seasonably applied Hereupon Lewis Duke of Burbon came downe to Angiers who from thence solicited the chiefe Townes of Guyan by faire speeches and large promises to change their allegiance but the Lieutenant there Sir Robert Knowles withall diligence industry laboured to suppresse the mutinous to stay the doubtfull to confirme the good and to retaine all in due obedience and order But hee prevailed very little his armie being but weake and the people stiffenecked Neither did Burbon much prevaile due consideration being had how heavy the yoke of France was above the subjection of the English having beene well acquainted with the tributes and taxes wherewith the Frenchmen were usually taxed who had in every Country assigned Lieutenants and Treasurers the one to draw the blood the other the substance of the slavish-made subjects whose cruelty and covetousnesse laid hold without exceptions of all the one tormenting by force the other by law Thus like a ship that the tyde driveth one way and the wind another betwixt obedience and revolt stood the Aquitanes they were willing enough to displease the English but most unwilling to indanger or undoe themselves by adhering to the French upon advertisement whereof the Earle of Worcester with a Company of able and willing souldiers is sent into Guyan who not by unseasonable exprobrating their fault but by reason convincing it partly by his wisdome and credit and partly by his authoritie and power so terrified the wavering multitude that he won them to his opinion and kept their allegeance The graver sort with respect of dutie and faith the rest with regard of feare and danger Then hee tooke their oathes for obedience unto King Henry and planted garrisons in places of import without molestation if they remained dutifull and yet of force sufficient to keepe them under if they should attempt to rebell and then returned to England there showing a faire example of moderation in seeming rather to have found then made the Aquitanes dutifull Subjects This stirre no sooner stinted when another more desperately dangerous did arise For divers who had dissembled or did repent the furtherance they had used to the advancement of King Henry conspired to compasse his destruction whether for favour to King Richard as the nature of man is to behold sudden miseries with the eyes of pitie or for envie to King Henry as commonly wee can endure excessive fortune no where so little as in those that have beene in equall degree with our selves or whether upon distaste received in the late Parliament or in disdaine to see others goe before them in the Princes favour it is uncertaine many sought to revenge their unjust anger with revolting There was in those times an Abbot
by craftie subtiltie to accomplish first they worke upon the inconstancy of the Duke of Britaine and his Brother Arthure by King Henry the fift Created Earle of Yewry these two by gifts had promises things that blind the eyes of the treasonally minded wife they suborned perfidiously to deliver over into their possession the Castle of Crotoy and Yernye and what the English had wonne by true manhood and valour they stole away with craft and trechery but little to their praise or profit for the English before the garrisons were settled fell upon Crotoy and tooke the prey out of the Leopards jawes and like unkind hosts made them pay too deere a price for their lodgings Crotoy thus regained the Regent straightly begirts Yenrye and by secret myning fierce assaults and violent batteryes so shooke the walls that composition was made to yeeld it up if not relieved by a certaine time The Regent was throughly resolved to set up his rest and to abide battell what forces soever should appeare and thereof permitted the besieged to send notice to the French King The Duke of Alanson thereupon with sixteene thousand French approached but when he perceived the English were ready prepared to receive him according to the French fashion at that time to bragge much and doe little hee wheeled about to Vernoyle whereas perjury is the concomitant of every other sinne hee joyned it to his cowardise swearing to the Townsmen that hee had put the Regent to flight and had beaten him out of the field and reskued Yenrye by this false report hee got Vernoyle Whilst the Regent had Yurye surrendred unto him which being strengthened and furnished hee followed the cowards to their conny-borrough at Vernoyle who by the encouragement of some fresh companies of Scots come unto their succour came to a battell in the field where the English with the losse of two thousand one hundred common souldiers and two of the Nobilitie Lord Dudley and Lord Charleton got the glory of the day and slew of their enemies five Earles two Vicounts and twenty Barons and above seven thousand other of the French besides two thousand seven hundred Scots lately arrived The Duke himselfe with the Bastard of Alanson the Lord of Hormyt and divers other French and Sir Iohn Turnbull and two hundred Gentlemen besides common souldiers were taken prisoners This battell was strooke the twentie eight day of August Vernoyle hereupon without battery or assault upon promise of safetie of life only was delivered and there of Sir PHILIP HALL made Captaine and sufficient garrison left him from thence the Armie marched to Roan and from thence to Paris both which places were at strife which should exceed other in freedome of welcome and loving entertainment to the Regent This overthrow so weakened the new King that hee was enforced to quit the country and went to Poyteers where hee established his high Court of Parliament and laboureth his owne establishment The valiant Earle of Salisbury with ten thousand men taketh in the strong Towne of Maunts the towne of Saint Susan le fort St. Bernard and others from thence hee went into Angeou where hee performed such heroicke acts that his very name grew terrible in all France for instance The new high Constable perfidious Richmond in hope to doe some what to advance the reputation of his new Office with fourty thousand men layeth siege to the good towne of Saint Iames in Bevion the garrison whereof consisted but of six hundred English who being droven to some extremitie bravely I might say desperately at one time sallied forth crying Saint George a Salisbury the French men fearing that they had some token given that Salisbury was come to the reskue or that hee was behind in the Towne with more forces were so suddenly affrighted that the craven cowards casting away their weapons ranne all away saving some few that yeelded themselves prisoners leaving all their tents fourteene peeces of Ordnance fourty barrells of Powder three hundred Pipes of wine two hundred Pipes of Bisket and flower two hundred pieces of Raisins and Figges five hundred barrells of Herrings much Armour and some Treasure At this time Sir Iohn Montgomery and Sir Iohn Falstaffe with two thousand men entred into Ainon and Mayne and tooke the Castles of Beamont Vicount Teune Sillye Osce Courceriers Ronsey Vasike Couetenement and very many others so that it appeareth at that time it was but for the English to aske and have so pittifully were the French Cowde with the Regents prosperitie The French were come to their old course of fraud and had compounded with a Gascoyne Captaine there for the delivery of Alanson to the enemy notice being given hereof the Lord Willoughby and Sir Iohn Falstaffe with two thousand men were sent to spoyle she Market who encountering with the chiefe Merchant Charles de villiers who with two hundred horse and three hundred foot were come to the place appointed for their entry tooke and slew them all except some few horse which saved themselves by flying away The Lord Willoughby with his troopes returned to the Earle of Salisbury who victoriously proceeded taking in and demolishing above fourty Castles and strong piles the newes thereof in England caused publike Processions and generall thanks-giving to God in London and other places Neverthelesse an unkind variance and a jarre betwixt the Protector and the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellour arising endangered the quiet of the Common-wealth for the appeasing whereof the Regent having substituted the Earle of Warwicke Lieutenant generall in his absence came into England where a Parliament being convoked hee therein discreetly arbitrated and compounded all differences betwixt the Protector and Winchester and to the comfort of the Councell and content of all stinted the quarrell In honour whereof the King of England kept a solemne feast at which time the Regent dubbed the King Knight who invested with that dignitie many of his servants and Created Richard Sonne of Richard late Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke and restored Iohn Mowbray to the Dutchy of Norfolke In the meane time the Earle of Warwicke conquered many strong pieces in Mayne and made preparation to fight a set battell whereunto hee was challenged by the French but they said never the sooner for a hasty word their hearts were in their heeles and in stead of comming on to fight they tooke their flight another way a day before the prefixed time of battell All things peaceably settled in England the regent with the Bishop of Winchester returned into France where at the intercession of the Duke of Burgoyne the Duke of Alanson was ransomed for two hundred thousand Crownes The Bishop of Winchester returned to Callice where hee was invested with the Hat habit and dignitie of a Cardinall I dare not thinke because hee was a Clergie man that hee ambitiously affected or otherwise contracted for that place But the advantage of a Bull from the Pope was
Gravelin wherefore the King came the Bishop of Winchester Iohn Duke of Norfolke with Humphry Earle of Stafford and others For the Duke appeared his Dutchesse the Bishop of Arras and the Lord of Croys where truce for a very small time is concluded on and for lesse kept This yeare was memorable for the death of three great Princesses Katherine Queene of England and Sister to the King of France The old Dowager of Henry the fourth King of England Daughter of the King of Navar and Mother to the Princes of Britaine And the old Countesse of Armanacke Daughter to the Duke of Berry and Mother to the Duke of Savoy which all dyed within eight and fourty houres the one of the other The fury of fighting growing cold Traffick for townes was againe set on foot and Harflew sold For the recovery whereof the Duke of Somerset with the Lord Talbot and a brave company of souldiers beset it both by land and water there being within to defend it Sir Iohn Estontvile and his brother with six hundred men and upward the Earles of Ewe with the Bastards of Orleance and Burbon with foure thousand men came to the reskue but so well were the English entrencht that the French could neither succor their friends nor annoy their enemies and so as they came they returned Whereupon the towne was surrendred upon composition About this time the Dutchesse of Bedford followed Queen Katherines example making election for an Husband of a gallant young Gentleman but of small meanes yet fortunate only enough by being affected one Sir Richard Woodvile whom she took to Husband to the great discontent of her French friends but especially her Vncle the Bishop of Terwine but she cared not who was vext so her selfe was pleased and God not offended who blest her and made her Mother of many children and amongst the rest of the Lady Elizabeth afterwards married to King Edward the fourth Iames King of Scots which before had bin fifteen yeares prisoner in England and from thence released with a Wife a great dower and many honourable presents yet proved ingratefull was murthered by certaine his traiterous subjects in his bed-chamber by night who being found out were cruelly tortured The Duke of Burgoine having attempted the unworthy traffick of bartering for Callice with mony but not able to compasse it being infinitely desirous to bee Master of it when neither force nor fraud could prevaile attempts it by a strange pollicy but of like successe to the former for hee was perswaded by a rediculous practise so to cut a ditch that hee might at his pleasure drowne both the Towne and Countrey about this hee imployed much labour and more cost but this fantasticall fancy of a flood vanished away like his Flemmish army at the siege there of like a vapour The Lord Talbot besieged Tanckervile and hath it after foure moneths lying before it simply rendred unto him In leiw whereof the French King in his owne person layes siege to Monstrew fault Yonne Whilst the Duke of Yorke was providing for the reskue of this Towne hee was discharged of his office by which meanes Sir Thomas Gerrard had the more colour to sell not lose the Towne which the King of France making his owne contract with him bought of him for rewards and preferment both promised but how performed I know not only having sold his honour with his charge hee lived disgraced and discarded in much discontent an exile in France where hee died This yeare is a Parliament holden at Westminster in which were made many good and profitable acts aswell for the preservation of peace at home as for provision to maintaine the warres abroad Arthur Constable of France and Iohn Duke of Alanson besieged the Towne of Auranches whither the Lord Talbot came and offered them battell which they refusing hee marched in despight of them none daring to make resistance into the Towne from whence next morning he sallyed out and having made a greatslaughter amongst them tooke divers prisoners and retreated at pleasure the French being well contented so to bee rid of him The French the next morning were called from the siege pretended for Pautou de Santrelis for the Hire had sent Letters unto them that they had the promise of divers Bourgers of Roan when their watch-night came to let them in they wisht therefore the Constable to meet them at Rize a place within foure leagues of Roane here of the Lord Talbot having notice covertly marcht to Roan and from thence though wearied with a bad journey marcheth before day to Rize where he surprizeth the French taketh the Lord Fontaines Sir Allaine Geron and many other the Hire by the helpe of his horse though not unwounded by him that pursued him escaped and so Talbot returneth to Roan with a faire bootie and full instructions to discover the Traitours who convicted had the reward of their treason The sixtday of November the Earle of Warwicke who seven times having beene abourd and still beat backe by tempestuous and contrary winds landed at Hoinflew with a thousand fresh souldiers came to Roan whither the Duke of Yorke was come downe and from thence returned for England The Duke of Burgoine taking advantage as hee thought of a still water with tenne thousand men besiegeth the Towne of Crotoy to relieve whom the new Regent sent the Lord Talbot with five thousand men whereof the Duke having notice upon their approach retyreth with his power except foure hundred with whom hee had manned a Bastileo by him there erected to Abvile but the Bastilio is soone gained and all the souldiers either taken or slaine The valiant Talbot sent the Duke word that if hee would save his Countrie of Piccardy from vastation that hee should come into the field where hee attended him and would give him if he dared to come battell But the Duke of Burgoine was not in the fighting humour neither loved to bee too neere so cholericke an enemy that would strike if hee might come at him and therefore from Abvile secretly conveyes himselfe to Amiens Twenty dayes together did the Lord Talbot with fire and sword passe thorow Piccardy and Arthoys destroying all that stood in his way and so returneth unencountred Sir Thomas Kiryel seized upon the Dukes Carriages and Ordnance and having left in Crotoy victual enough for six hundred men for a whole yeare hee brought the rest to the Earle of Warwicke who thankfully received them Henry Earle of Mortaine sonne to Edmond Duke of Somerset arrived with three hundred Archers and three hundred Speares and past thorow Normandy to Mayne and tooke in his March by assault the Cattle of Saint Anian wherein were three hundred Scots and French-men the Scots hee slew all and hanged the French-men for that they had sworne fealty to England and broke it hee tooke likewise the Castle of Algarche and by meanes of an Ambush taketh the Lord of Camerois comming
to the reskue thereof on the other side the Townes of Neux in Bry and Susan were sold and delivered to the French by the trecherous Burgers All manner of graine in England in respect of the scarcity thereof was at exceeding high prices and had not the care and industry of the then Maior Stephen Browne beene such that hee had caused provision of corne especially Rye to bee bought and brought from farre Countries thither the famine would have raged as much in London as the fearefull Pestilence did in Paris where those that dyed in the streets lay unburied untill the ravenous Wolves made their mawes the sepulture of their flesh but God in his mercy ceased the plague in Paris and replenished London with graine in abundance to the great reliefe of remoter parts of the kingdome which before that time were driven to make their sustenance of Fearne rootes and Ivy berryes In Iune the Earle of Huntington with two thousand Archers and foure thousand Speares was sent into Gascoyne whither the Earle of Danoyes was lately come throughly instructed and provided to buy the best penny-worths of Townes â—…nd Castles hee could compasse but the Earle of Huntington upon his comming thither changed all the Captaines and Officers and put others in their roomes whereby hee warily prevented the Bastards chafferours This strumpet Bribery and whore covetousnesse began to spread their wings so farre that in Normandy the English Captaines had small confidence in the Natives and not too much in some of their owne Nation Whereupon Sir Richard Woodvile Sir William Chamberlaine Sir William Peto with a thousand men were sent thither to stoppe the current of French crownes from corrupting the yet faithfull souldiers with them They according to their directions narrowly sifted all and where they found fault or cause of suspition they punished or removed and having settled all things in good order returned A gap began this yeare to bee opened whereby the English might have entred to have made a reduction of those pieces the French had bought or conquered but the wisdome of the Councell of France stopped it by reconciling the King and his sonne the Dolphin betweene whom by the sinister perswasions of base Sycophants on both sides there were discurtesies taken before given and discontent without any ground the sonne deeming his Fathers grave deportment too too much austerity and the Father the Dolphins youthfull countenance to a kind of contempt beyond filiall dutie neither having just cause of jealousie yet both suspitious of each others countenance But the knot of seditious faction tyde betweene the Dukes of Burgoyne Alanson and the Dolphin is dissolved and the King and his Sonne in show reconciled Some small peeces were in this time regayned but Paris for which provision was making for the reduction thereof was left off upon the notice of the reconcilement In a great bend of Frost with a deepe snow the English under the conduct of Iohn Lord Clifford having covered their armour with white shirts and their heads with white Alman skulls come to Ponthoys by night and undiscovered past the ditches skaled the walls slew the guards and tooke the Towne with many good prisoners and a great spoile presently upon the regaining of which Towne the Earle of Warwicke died in the Castle of Roan and was from thence conveyed to England and buried in his Colledge at Warwicke hee was the sixteenth Earle of Warwicke and Lord Lisle in the right of his Wife hee married two wives the first Elizabeth Daughter and heire of Thomas Lord Barckley and Margery his Wife Daughter and heire of Warren Lord Lisley and Tyes by whom hee had issue three Daughters Margaret the eldest married to Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury who had issue Iohn Talbot Vicount Lisley Elianor married with Thomas Lord Rosse of Hamlocke and after to Edward Bewford Duke of Somerset Elizabeth maried to George Nevill Lord Latimer Earle Richard Beauchampes second Wife was Isabell Daughter of Thomas Spencer Earle of Glocester by whom hee had issue Henry Duke of Warwicke and Anne married to Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury who in her right was after Earle of Warwicke To reduce Ponthoys the French King in person layeth siege thereunto and useth all possible meanes hee can to enforce it but the defendants but flowt him for his paines and many times send his assaulting souldiers haulting home with fleaes in their eares Richard Duke of Yorke being the second time made Regent being arrived with the Earle of Oxford and the Earle of Ewe levies a power to raise the siege and arriving there giveth notice to the King that the next morning hee would bid him battell But the King not liking the breath of Talbot leaves his Ordnance and best provision in the Bastile of Saint Martins and in the midst of the night stole to Poysy The English possesse his tents furnish the Towne with the provision therein left and thereof make Sir Gervoys Clifton Captaine with a thousand souldiers for the defence thereof and then marched to Poysy where he braved the French King and thought with taunts and revilings to have put valour in him but hee was too patient to bee provoked to fight wherefore hee left him there and returned to Roan A motion of parlie is moved the place appointed Callice by the mediation and solicitation of the Dutchesse of Burgoyne shee being a Portugall by birth very solicitous of the safetie of her husband and the quiet of France a woman of no ordinary capacitie but of an extraordinary understanding by her meanes the King of France sendeth the Archbishop of Reimes and Narbon and the Earle of Dunoys For the King of England the Cardinall of Yorke and the Duke of Exceter with whom came Charles Duke of Orleance who having beene long kept Prisoner was in good hope of enlargement but the successe of the meeting not answering the expectation nothing was done for his enlargement for in such treatises such as have the possession of strong holds doe commonly use policie and delayings the stronger giving lawes to the weaker so that the English would not bate an ace of what they had gotten to keepe and would have for the ransome of the Duke their first asking which was more then his meanes could any way compasse and the French King not very forward to give him any assurance so that the disconsolate Duke patiently returnes but his misery so moved the heart of the Dutchesse of Burgoyne that shee prevailed so farre with her husband that hee passeth his credit for the payment of three hundred thousand Crownes for his ransome at Callice at a day prefixt at which time and place the Duke of Orleance in person and the Duke of Burgoynes money meet where the one being received the other after five and twenty yeares imprisonment is released and by his sonne that had slaine his Father and sought the ruine of his house but now a firme league of
first alienated the heart of Warwicke from the King and gave the occasion of the effusion of so much Christian blood and the downfall of the great Beare and all his ragged staves This marriage at the Command of Love the Lord of Kings was begun in heat of desire and finished in hast without advise of any but his owne untamable affections it much distasted the French King displeased King Edwards mother and disquieted the Councell and state And as it commonly falls out when men ride post for such matches in the end of their journey they take sorrow for their Inne and make Repentance their host for speedy repentance followes precipitated hast in such affaires But in the Kings marriage and VVarwickes distast thereof appeared different effects of unbrideled passions The fervor of the kings desires are lessened but the fire of the E◅rage every way every day encreased flamed with greater fury until it consumed both him and his yet for a while he covered the coales concealed the cause of his indignation howsoever now then in private to his familiars he would complaine how much he was disgraced to be made an instrument to set a young Lady a Gog for a husband then to have her disappointed upon his returne he carried a faire countenance on the busines publickly approving the kings choice cōmending the new Queens beauty natural endowments applauding whatsoever she said or did But privately he only awaited how to displease her displace her husband wherin he was the more resolutely intentive by how much he presumed the K. of France and the D. of Savoy who were interessed in the disgrace the Q. her sister Bona which shared in thedishonorable affront would be alwaies as occasion should be offred ready to second him with power prayers in any thing that to that end he should attempt To have the more liberty to plot his designes the E. procures leave to leave the court retires himself to his Castle of Warwic K. E. in the mean time having just cause to suspect the French his discretion prōpting him to be watchfully valorous to retain his but yet borrowed title Wisdom admonishing him in day of Sunshine to provide a cloak to prevent being wet in case astorme should fal thought it good policy to strengthen himself by some befitting cōfederation abroad to that end entreth into a league with Iohn K. of Arragon H. K. of Castile to whō he sent for a present a score of Cotsall ewes and five rams which though they were but few in number yet hath the loss that hath therby redounded to Englād bin too too great yea more then he could then wel imagin greater then the reader can prima facie apprehēd but great evills may grow out of small causes To secure himself at home he took truce with the K. of Scots for 15. yeres And as he had former ly married his two sisters Anne the eldest to H. Holland E. of Exceter Eliz. to Iohn de la Poole D. of Suffolk so now he matched Margaret the third sister to Charles D. of Burgoin This last match added oyle flax to quench the flame of Warw. fury insomuch that now he gave it vent And having with much adoe drawn to his part his two brothers the Archbish. of York the Marquesse Moūtacute he now began to cast a windlace todraw in the kings two brothers The D. of Gloce. he found so reserved that he durst not close with him but finding the D. of Clarence more opē he addresseth himself to him And taking occasiō in private conference to cōplain to him of the kings uncourteous usage of him he said noble Sir if I might be my own judge my more then ordinary respect diligence to do the K. your brother acceptable service deserveth more thē cōmon curtesie but all whatsoever I have done do howsoever it hath bin more then could any way come to my single share for his advantage is ever unrespectively drēched in the whirlpit of duty for which I must be contented To whom presently the D. makes answer did or do you expect as to a friend courtesie from him that neglects the respect of blood to a loving brother it is all little enough for him to provide for to pleasure his deere Loves brave kindred all too little he bestows on thē whilst he that in the same belly with him must attend to be served withtheir leavings or have nothing hath he not made a match betweene his wives brother Antony the sole daughter of the L. Scales hath he not married Thomas her son with the daughter heire of the L. Bonvile and like wise his minion the L. Hastings with the sole daughter heir of the L. Hungerford But no such match can be thought of for me his brother Nay are not his brothers best friends that have opposed our selves to all dangers to abet his advancement undervalued unregarded have we not iustoccasion to be perswaded he loves vs not how then should you expect better dealings from him The E. finding the game comming wanted not words to whet nor reasons to incite to a settled distast of his brothers unrespective carriage towards him prevailed after much Communication betwixt thē so far that what he so much desired he effected for he counted the natural Current of brotherly affection which afore ran in the veines of Clarence to an vnnatural streame of rancor disobedience against a Soveraigne And now the better to knit a firme knot of association betwixt thē a match is to be concluded upon the D. is to take to wife Isabel the E. of Warw. daughter with her to have assured unto him halfe the lands the E. held in right of his wife the Lady Anne daughter of Rich. Bewchamp E. of Warw. deceased For the Consummation wherof Clarence accompanies of Warw. to Callice where the Countesse her daughter then resided by the way the E. unmasked himself discovereth to the Duke what hitherto he had concealed of his proiect for the restoring of K. H. hisplot how to accomplish it To which Clarence gave both approbation and promise to ayde assist him to the accomplishment thereof to the uttermost This thus concluded The E. dispatcheth messengers to his brother the Archbish. Marquesse to prepare all things ready to set on foot the intended revolt from K. E. to take hold but cautiously upon any ground to procure or prosecute some rebellious cōmotion or other in the North whilst he his new son in law would provide to go through stitch with the work To a willing mind occasion wil quickly be found the brothers entertaining the Earles advice tooke hold upon this accident The Yorkshire husband men annually by antient custome used to give to the poore people of S. Leonards in the Citie of York for their alimony certaine quantities of corne graine
the army had altogether quitted France and were returned into England and a generall peace for nineyeers wherin Burgoine and Brittaine are included if they will accept thereof The way made the easier for the compassing this so profitable a conclusion by Lewis his offring to every Saint a Candle for he distributeth sixteene thousand crownes amongst King Edwards Councellors and favorites two thoutwo thousand Crownes to Hastings the Kings Chamberlaine and to the Lord Howard Sir Iohn Cheney Sir Arthur Chauenger or Sellinger and Mountgomery theresidue besides great store of Plate and jewels distributed amongst inferior officers of the Court. The motives that induced King Edward the sooner to condesend to this accord were 1 The vacillation and instabiltie of the Duke of Burgoyne and the Constable they never performing any the agreements really concluded on 2 The extremitie of winter approching the present want of fodder and the not having any strong place or fort to shelter the souldier in The impossiblitie of raising any more great forces for reliefe if necessitie should require to be seconded the late Civill warres having almost eaten out the most and best souldiers in England 4 The emptinesse of the Treasury and alwayes of supply being taken off The Duke of Glocester onely whose braines were busie at worke about great designes the easie compassing whereof hee deemed unpossible in case the warres with France were not pursued opposed this accord neverthelesse it proceeded and notice therof is presently sent to the Duke of Burgoyne who thereupon onely with fifteene hundred horse posts to the English Campe At his first arrivall he discovers his inward passion by his outward countenance But he came to late too prevent what was done King Edward perswades him to enter into the peace according to the reservation But Charles reprocheth K. Edward for entring into such a truce saying that K. Edwards predecessors had with their armies performed many brave notable exploites upon the French purchased thereby fame and reputation and that he had brought his souldiers but to show them the Country returne as they came adding therwithall That to make it appeare to the world that he was able without the helpe of the English to subsist of himself he disclaimed any benefit by that truce or any other reconciliation with the French untill three months after the English had remained in their owne Country But when King Edward not well pleased with this French bravado retorted unto him the base and forgetfull neglect both on the Constables part and his of not being their words Masters The Duke in a great snuffe returnes to Luxenburg from whence he came For the better confirmation of what was agreed upon and setling of amitie betwixt the two Kings an interview is desired but before the same is effectuated the French King sends unto the English armye an hundred Tun of Gasooyne wine to be drunke out amongst the private soulders and therewith free licence at pleasure for Commanders and Gentlemen of ranke and qualitie to recreate themselues in Amiens where they were freely and fairely entertained by the Burgers at the kings expresse commandement The commanders in chiefe at their returne were well rewarded with jewels and plate for their faire deportment and the orderly carriage of their Souldiers during the aboad there and not without good cause for hadnot their behaviour bin the better the number of those that were there had bin sufficient to have done much mischiefe or made themselves Masters of the town A place of interview of these two Kings is agreed on against the time appointed all things are orderly prepared readily fitted at the charge of the French king by the English Carpenters foure of the bed Chamber on both sides are appoynted to search the contrary end of the roome to prevent traps or instruments of trechery lest any thing might bee pottedor practised to the preujudice of their Masters They returne certifyingl mnia bene the Kings advanace themselves K. Edward being come in sight of the place maketh a stand as being told the omission of any circumstance in point of honour might reflect upon not wisely forecasting all passages of state and knowing to attend the first offer of the ceremony would much take of frō the dignity of his state which although King Lewis perhaps did apprehend yet hee would not stand to straining of curtesie and fearing to loose the faire opportunity to give two blowes with one stone free himselfe from their presence whose breath was to hot for his company weaken therby the arme of an overweening neighbour he gave the K. of England the advantage to come at his pleasure whilst first to the bar appointed for conference And there did attend King Edwards leasure he had in his company Iohn Duke of Bourbon with his brother the Cardinal and was attended with 800. men at armes King Edward comes with his brother the Duke of Clarence Glocester wanting moderation with patience to admit a Court complement in the sight of an army with a French man excused his not comming the Earle of Northumberland the Lords Chamberlaine and Chancellor and at his backe his whole army in battaile aray The kings lovingly embrace each other court cringes complements of courtesie reciprocally passe which finished they with their nobles then present all take their oathes upon the holy Evangelists in all things pro posse to observe the articles of accord concluded on as afore Then all were cōmanded to withdraw themselves whilst the two kings fall into private conference concerning the Dukes of Burgoyne and Britany Lewis leaves not a string untoucht that might make muficke for his profit And having felt the K. of Englands pulse not to beate over strongly on behalfe of his brother in law that on his part he desired but respit until he might receive answer of a message he would send to the D. that if he refused to accept of the benefit of the accord he would leave him to the French K. pleasure he leaves further speech of him earnestly importnes that Britayn might be left out of their articles which K. E. utterly denies affirming that he had found the D. an open hearted opehanded friend to his in his extremity therfore would not now leave him unregarded Lewis observing Ed. countenance in delivery of those words thought it no policie to strain that string any higher but with all curtesie takes his leave giving many kind words some tokens of favour to some noblemen all the officers so departeth yet after he was gone not throughly disgesting the K. of Englands defence of the D. of Britaine he makes a second motion unto him to the former purpose by letter from whom he received this resolute answer that if the French K. desired the friendship of England he should not molest the D. of Britayne for he was resolved in person to come at any time for his defence