his Cardinals in Council yet it is likely that they enjoy'd the said Benefit at last h Odor Rainal ad an 1350. §. 2. for it appears that soon after the same was granted to King Edward of England and to his Son Edward Prince of Wales to the Queens of England Isabell and Philippa and to Elisabeth Queen of Hungary II. The Jubilee began i Knighton p. 2602. n 29. vid Walsingh Hist p. 160. on the 25 of March being the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and lasted until the said Feast of the Year following during the most part of which space especially about Easter Ascension-Day and Whatsuntide there was such a crowding rather than concourse of People at Rome k Vid. Matur Annot. ad D. Antenin Chron. p. 355. that Francis Petrarch who was then present says how it seem'd the late horria Plague had done little or no harm there came thither every day such Incredible Multitudes of Christian People from all parts of Europe Althö few or none went out of England upon that account except the l Dudg 1 Vol. p. 550. Lady Margaret Mother to William Lord Res of Hamlake King Edward m Knighton p. 26â—â— n. 30 40 50 c. expresly forbidding it as of ill Consequence to his Realm very considerable Sums of Money being necessarily on such occasions transported out of the Kingdom When the Pope understood this he sent his Nuntio's to the King of England desiring of him First that he would not hinder the Passage of those who desired to visit the Places of the Holy Apostles Item that he would grant a Truce that so the Earl of Lancaster might not act any Hostilities in Aquitain to the himdrance of those who desired to visit Holy Places Lastly that he would not hinder or permit to be hindred those who were promoted by his Bulls at the Court of Rome from receiving Benefices so incumbent on them To the first Article it was answer'd that the King being busied in his Wars did therefore Want to be Aided of what was his own and that it was necessary to provide for the Treasure of his Kingdom lest while the War endured it should be exported out of the Realm to the Prejudice of Him and of his Subjects And further as to this point the King caused to be proclaimed that all Englishmen as well at Rome as any other place beyond Sea should make haste to return home as soon as might be on pain of forfeiture of Life and Goods As to the second Article relating to the Truce it was answer'd that the King of France had often acted Hostilities during such a Truce upon the Lands of the King of England treacherously to the destruction of his People and contrary to the Conventions contained in the said Truce And as to the Third Article respecting the Provisors it was answer'd that the King would graciously receive Clergy-men making use of Papal Provision who were of good Condition and worthy of Promotion but not others And with this Answer the Popes Nuntio's returned III. About the n Vid. Odoric Rainald ad an 1349. §. 18. Albert. Argent in Chron. Ianquet Chron. ad an 1350. Walsing hist p. 160. Stow p. 246. same time there arose a certain Sect of People who were seised with a pious Frenzy and went about in several Parts of the World whipping themselves with four-corded Whips and Preaching Singing and Praying with much seeming Devotion but it proved no better than Hypocrisie or misguided Zeal at the best as may appear to any that shall consult the Places quoted in the Margin Wherefore the Pope wrote his Letters to the Archbishops and Bishops of Germany Poland Sweedland England and France enjoyning them to extinguish this Sect of Whippers and also to the several Kings that by their Kingly Authority they would uphold the said Prelates in this matter Particularly there are extant to our King Edward Letters from the Pope wherein he writes thus concerning the Rise of these Whippers o Tem. 8. Epist seer p. 104. apud Odor Rainal ad an 1349. §. 22. Latclym the Parts of Almain under the pretence of Piety and doing Penance there hath arisen a Superstitious and vain Generation and so having at large declared how they had been condemned by the Apostolick Decree and that Patriarchs and Archbishops had been enjoyned to pluck up that poisonous Plant which the Heavenly Husbandman had not planted he adds these Prayers Do You therefore ô most Dear Son not only drive away the same Wicked Persons if perhaps they should presume to come into your Kingdom out of the Limits of your said Kingdom but also that they may repent of their Follies and Errours and return to Modesty correct and punish them That so the Purity of the Catholick Faith may always shine forth and the leaven of the Malice of these Men may by your provident Care be taken away from among all your Subjects Dat. Avenion III Non. Decembris Anno Pontif VIII About p 〈…〉 p. 〈…〉 2â— b. Michaelmas this Year above an hundred and twenty Noblemen and Others Natives of Zealand Holland and Hainalt in the same blind Devotion passing thrô Flanders came into England and at London sometimes in the Cathedral of St. Paul sometimes in other Religious Places of the City made their procession all together being coverd from the Loins to the Heels with Linnen marked with Red Crosses before and behind and on their Hats all the rest of their Bodies being bare they had every one a Three-corded Whip in his hand well knotted wherewith twice or thrice in a Day they beat themselves on their bare bloody Bodies most cruelly Four of them singing all the while in their own Language and all the rest making up the Chorus King Edward thô he strictly forbad all others from joining with them inflicted no other Punishment on them than what was the effect of their own Folly seeing how severely they chastised themselves and knowing such Smarting Devotion could not hold out long if no manner of notice was taken of them I remember to have read q Vid. Diâ—gen Lâ—ert that when Diogenes the Cynick stood naked out of an Ostentatious humour in a very cold Season embracing a Pillar of Marble and all the People slocking about him pitied the poor Mans Condition the Divine Plato passing accidentally by told the Spectators If they really pitied him they should take no notice of him but pass regardless on and then they should see the Vain-glorious Philosopher make haste away and gladly â—un to a Fire In like manner these Enthusiasts when they saw none took notice of them and that but a few of the Common People afforded them any pity or respect the most part of them also flouting and deriding their Madness began to cool in their warm fit of Penance and at last vanished away as ashamed of their former folly Certainly the soundest and most effectual Devotion consisteth not
the Destruction of Christians but hath also lately administred unto many Infidels the Courage to seise on the Lands of Christians and to extinguish the a a Lat. aliàs ad Religionem Christiani Nominis extinguendam Name of the Christian Religion and that if the said Infidels shall perceive that Discord shall endure between the said Kings of England and France and Concord shall be banished of their wonted madness they will arise more Couragiously and boldly against the Christians and their Lands and will assume the greater Confidence to bring upon Christian Kings Kingdoms and People more heavy and pernicious Troubles than before to the Execution whereof the foresaid most wicked Infidels do already as is said prepare and dispose themselves And not being able any longer to endure the like War and Discord as also weighing and often revolving that We and our Predecessors Popes of Rome by frequent sending both Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and divers other Nuntio's of the Apostolick See to those Parts have in this point shewn what Diligence We could since We cannot see any further Remedy if this Concord and Peace cannot be perfected We intend not any longer to delay but forthwith to proceed without any Favour Justice always being our Guide against that Party of the two which shall appear to be the Occasion thereof and all its Favourers Counsellers and Assistants whatsoever by Ecclesiastical Censures and other Remedies of Law. Dat. Aven III Non. Jan. Ano. Pont. II. The same b Tom. 2. Episecret p. 237. Vid. Odoric Runald ibid. Letters only mutatis mutandis were sent to the Ambassadors of the French King at the same time But the Rancour of their Minds was too great and the Difficulty of adjusting Affairs to both their satisfaction too impracticable to admit of any tolerable Agreement at this time Thô Simon of the Title of St. Sixtus and John of the Title of the Four-Crowned-Saints being sent unto the Two Kings and much stirr'd up by the Popes Letters are reported to have spared no pains in the Affair This was in the beginning of the Year as appears by the Date of the Pope's Letters but now when the Duke of Lancaster was thus upon his March thrô France and all things tended to a Desperate War the Pope sent again into France his two Legates the Archbishop of Rouën and the Bishop of Carpentras to treat of a Peace if possible between the Two Kings These Pious Prelates took much Pains in riding too and fro between the French King and his Brethren on the One Part and the Duke of Lancaster on the other but all to no purpose For all the while the English Duke rode forward as we have partly shew'd piercing thrô and ravaging from Artois and Picardy thrô Champaigne Burgundy Beaujolois le Forestes Auvergne and Limosin by the Loire even to the Lot Dordogne and Garonne Rivers of Guienne XVI Much part c Frois Gallicè fol. 257. a. of this long way being at that time the whole extent of the Kingdom of France gave indeed great trouble to the English besides those few Losses We have related for not to mention the many Difficulties incident to such a long March especially when Provision was so hard to be got the Duke of Lancaster lost many both Men and Horses thrô some secret indisposition From which neither were the Frenchmen free for there died several of them and particularly three Lords of Hainalt as the Lord Fatieres of Berlammont the Lord Bridol of Montagne and the Begue of Werlan But there was no such Matter as some Historians too rashly report namely that the Duke of Lancaster's Army of 30000 was reduced only to 6000 by that time he came to Bourdeaux unless it be meant that he had no more Horses left For of them it must be confessed how there perished a great Number for want of Fodder as well because all Provender was convey'd away into strong Places as because the French King by his several flying Parties kept them from Foraging So that whatever they got was dearly bought and not fetch'd in to the Army without many Hands Wherefore more wisely doth Honest d Fabian p. 258. Fabian say from the French Writers themselves that thô indeed this Expedition was Honourable to the English because they rode thrô the whole Realm of France unfought withall yet was it also exceeding troublesome and chargeable unto them considering the many mischiefs they met withall in their long March especially the great Loss of Horses When the Duke of Lancaster had past the Loire about Roanne he was informed how the Frenchmen prepar'd to entertain him as they should find opportunity with sundry Ambuscadoes Wherefore he presently e Polyd. Virg. Holinsh p. 994. set his light Horsemen with a Division of Archers in the Front and in the Main Battail where he himself was with the Duke of Bretagne the whole Force of his Footmen and Men of Arms on each side for Wings to cover them The Rest of the Horse with the other Division of Archers he appointed to be in the Reer and having commanded them all to March close together in this Order he thus frustrated all further attempts of his Enemies and came in safety into Poictou where in Revenge of their Defection from England he began a new spoil killing and ransoming the people wasting the Country and firing the Towns where-ever he came till at last he arrived at Bergerac in his way to Bourdeaux the Frenchmen always following till he came thither at the tail and coasting him as they saw occasion without any further Advantage than what we have mention'd But the Duke of Anjou having left Paris and joyn'd the Constable rode above towards Rouvergue Rodez and Tholouse but at last they return'd to Perigort where the two Legates then were having rode between the two Parties preaching and laying many sound Reasons before them to bring them to some Agreement but they were both so harden'd that neither would admit of Peace without some apparent Advantage which the other would not grant So about the beginning of November the Duke of Lancaster came to Bourdeaux where both he and the Duke of Bretagne lay all that Winter and the Lent following only some few taking their leave now the Campaine was over among whom the Lord Ralph Basset of Sapcote with his Retinue went back into England whereat the King was much displeas'd and chode him severely that he would offer to return without his Lord and General Of this Expedition we are to observe that some thrô largeness of speech have made it to begin in Flanders whereas it is to be understood as We have shewn at Calais which confines on Flanders And so Sr. William Dugdale is to be expounded who speaks of an Expedition this Year made into Flanders wherein he f Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 396. says were present the Lord Edward Spencer the Lord * Id 2 Vol. p. 173. John
of the Assumption past over without the appearance of any One in the King of England's behalf he sent word to the Earl of Foix the Vicount of Chastel-Bon to the Lords of Mont de Marsan of Chastelneuve and of Lescar and to the Abbot of St. Sever letting them know that if they did not now stand to their Bargain he would forthwith put all their Hostages to Death and after that enter their Lands with such a Power as to oblige them all to cry Mercy Hereupon they all freely submitted themselves and their Lands to the Obedience of the French King and the Inhabitants also of Moissac which was a Fair Garrison open'd their Gates and their Chief Burgesses went out with the Keys to the Duke of Anjou rendring their Fealty and Homage unto him as unto the French Kings Lieutenant Then the Duke and all the Lords with him enter'd the Town and tarried there 18 days during which time they had Counsel which way to draw next for the Month of August was past at which time the Truce was ended and as yet there was no News of the Duke of Lancaster's being at Calais to renew the Truce wherefore now again the War was open So after this Success the Duke went with his Army before la Reole which he besieged three days and on the Fourth was received into the Town the Inhabitants returning to the Obedience of the French King. After that the Duke took in Langon St. Macari Condom St. Bazeille or Basil la Tour de la Prudence Mauleon la Tour de Drû and other Towns and Castles to the Number of Fourty in all the last being the strong Town of Auberoche in Perigort in all which he set good Garrisons VI. When things were thus happily settled and in a manner all Gascogne and Guienne except Baionne and Bourdeaux were thus either conquer'd or revolted from the English the Duke of Anjou and the Constable being sent for by the French King gave leave to their Men to go whither they would and they themselves return'd into France But the Lords of Clisson of Beaumanoir of Roye of Riom and of Anaugeur with the Vicount of Rohan and of Lavalle and many more went to the Siege of Becherel which was not yet yielded up nor was to yield till the Feast of All-Saints by which time it had been covenanted that if it was not rescued it should be yielded And now these Lords went thither because they heard that the Duke of Bretagne Sr. Robert Knolles and the Lord Edward Spencer would be there in Person to raise the Siege Thô in the end this Rumor prov'd false and no Succour coming Sr. John Cornwall and Sr. John Appleyard yielded up the Place and return'd into England as We said before VII It may be remembred that we h Vid. L. 4. c. 6. §. 29. p. 781. shew'd how Sr. Hugh de Chastillon Master of the Crossbows of France was taken near Abbeville by Sr. Nicolas Lovaine and carried Prisoner into England Ever since that even for the space of near five Years he continued in that Condition and could not be redeem'd because they asked so great a Ransom for him Thô now by the Assistance of a certain Merchant of Flanders he paid down 20000 Franks being but the Moiety of what he was to pay but when this Merchant by paying that Summ had got him out of England he escap'd all further Obligation by a subtle Device too long to be remembred here and perhaps the Recital would rather instruct Knaves than pleasure Honest Men. However when thus Sr. Hugh de Chastillon was return'd into France King Charles restor'd unto him his Office of Master of the Crossbows and sent him to Abbeville his old Province there to keep the Frontiers with 200 Men of Arms in his Company and he was obey'd as Chief by all the Captains of the Neighbour-Garrisons as Sr. John of Bournonville Captain of Boulogne and Sr. John Lisle Captain of Dieppe and the Captains of Teronenne St. Omers of Liques Fiennes and Montrevil Now it happen'd one Morning that the Lord of Gomegines who was still Loyal to King Edward being an Hainalder by Birth and by him made Captain of Ardres a Town of Picardy about three leagues from Calais prepared early one Morning to ride abroad so together with the Lord John of Vbrues he left his Garrison with about 800 Men of Arms collected from several Places with a Design to ride towards Boulogne to seek for some Adventure That same Morning it chanced that Sr. John Bournonville Captain of Boulogne had left his Garrison with 60 Spears and rode towards Calais with a like Design But when he had met with nothing of that kind as he was returning not well pleased that he had succeeded no better he met with this Lord of Gomegines who had been riding towards Boulogne with his Men. The Captain of Boulogne at sight of this great Power drove down another way which he knew as fast as ever his Horse could carry him but he was so closely pursued that he lost 14 of his Men of Arms and very narrowly escaped himself with the rest After which Chace the Lord of Gomegines was returning homeward not thinking to meet with any more Adventures But it happen'd otherwise For that same Morning St. Hugh Chastillon Master of the Crossbows had left his Garrison also with 300 Spears of Artois Vermandois and other Countries whom he had collected from the Neighbour-Fortresses for that Purpose At which very time the young Earl of St. Pol being newly come into Picardy from his Lands in Lorraine was riding on a Pilgrimage to our Lady of Boulogne But hearing by the way that the Master of the Crossbows was riding thitherward also he went and joyned him and rode with him first before Ardres where they tarried a while in the Field altogether to shew themselves to the Garrison not knowing any thing that the English were abroad at that time no more than the English knew where they were When the Frenchmen had been a while before Ardres and saw none would offer to come out against them they rode back as far as the Abbey of Liques But upon their departure there presently rode forth out of Ardres an Englishman who taking several By-ways as one that well knew the Country met at last with the Lord of Gomegines as he was returning toward Ardres to whom he told how the Frenchmen had been just before to view his Garrison with about 400 Spears but that now they were gone off When the Frenchmen were got a little beyond Tournehan toward the Abby of Liques they also were informed how the English were abroad with the Captain of Ardres but their Number was not known However upon the Information they agreed to meet them and so turning coasted on one side and laid an Ambush of 300 Spears whereof Sr. Hugh Chastillon was Captain in a little Wood hard by the Abbey of Liques The Earl of St. Pol being appointed
with his Hundred Knights and Esquires to ride abroad so to entice the Enemy into their Ambush Not far thence along by a great Hedge were the Lord of Gomegines and his Men who stood there on Foot all in good Order only Sr. John Harleston i True Use of Armory in the Life of the Captal of Busche p. 154. Captain of Guisnes was sent forth with 20 Spears to see if he could find the French his Orders being on sight of them to fly and suffer the Enemy to pursue him towards this Hedge where his Friends stood ready for them As Sr. John was riding forth in the Fields with this Design the young Earl of St. Pol espi'd him and said aloud to his Men Sirs now let us advance forth Yonder are our Enemies and so clapping Spurs to their Horses they set forward full Speed Sr. John Harleston flying as fast before them till he came to the Hedge where his Friends stood ready ranged with the Archers in their Front. As soon as the Frenchmen came in their reach the Archers received them warmly shooting and overthrowing to the ground Men and Horses and immediatly the Men of Arms came up with them having remounted their Horses with Spears and Axes in their Hands while Sr. John Harleston with his twenty Spears fetching a Compass about came behind and fell in upon their Backs with great fury Many gallant Deeds were done by the Young Earl of St. Pol and the Frenchmen but being thus surrounded and overpower'd with Number they were all slain or taken to a Man. The Earl of St. Pol was taken alive by the hands of an Esquire of the Dutchy of Gueldre and together with him by other Hands the Lord of Pons the Lord of Clery the Lord William of Nesle Sr. Charles of Chastillon Sr. Lionel D'Araines Sr. Gawen de Vesley Sr. Henry de Lisle and Sr. John his Brother the Chastellain of Beauvais and many more Knights and Esquires Immediately after which Discomfiture the Lord Hugh de Chastillon came thither with his three hundred Spears and his Banner before him he rode up almost to the Hedge end but understanding then how his Friends Business was already done and that the English so far outnumbred him he drew his Men together and wheel'd off without giving a stroke for he doubted more to encrease the Loss than to repair it Upon this good Success the English return'd to Ardres with their Prisoners and that very Night the Lord of Gomegines bought the Young Lord Valeran Earl of St. Pol of the Esquire that took him and soon after carried him into England and presented him to the King who thanked him very much and rewarded him more for that acceptable Piece of Service But this young Earl found such Gracious Dealing from King Edward that he became ever after as great a Friend as his Father had been an Enemy to the English Nation * Mili's Catal. Hen. p. 765. being Married to the Half-sister of King Richard the Second VIII About that time the Duke of Anjou and the Constable return'd as we observ'd before into France where they found the Archbishop of Roüen and the Bishop of Carpentras who had been long with the King at Paris making instant and continual Application unto him in the Pope's Behalf as other Legats at the same time dealt with King Edward for the same Purpose Wherefore according to a former Agreement between the Dukes of Anjou and Lancaster both the Kings were now again obliged to enter a Negotiation thereby if possible to accommodate their Differences The Place appointed for the Assembly was Bruges in Flanders but first the Duke of Anjou according to his Obligation went to St. Omers in great Array having sent for his Cousin Guy of Blois to come thither to him out of Hainal◠about which time the Duke of Lancaster arrived at Calais soon after which both the Dukes with their several Retinues went to Bruges And all the while there lay on the Marches between France and Flanders towards Aire and about Belle or Baillieul and Cassell in Flanders and near those Parts the Constable of France the Lords of Clisson and la Vall and Sr. Oliver Manny with above 600 Men of Arms to keep the Country least any thing should be innovated by the Earl of Flanders For these Lords being all Bretons could not repose any Trust in that Earl because he was so firm a Friend to John of Monford Duke of Bretagne against whom they fought Wherefore neither would they ever come to Bruges whatever the Commissioners on both sides could say or do There were present at this Treaty on the French Kings Part Lewis Duke of Anjou and Philip Duke of Burgundy the Earl of Salebruce the Bishop of Amiens the Bishop Elect of Bayeux and others And for the King of England there was John Duke of Lancaster William Montagu Earl of Salisbury Simon Sudbury Bishop of London Sr. John Cobham of Kent Sr. Frank van Hall Sr. Arnold Savage Mr. John Shephey and Mr. Simon Multon This Treaty was carried on by Snatches for k Mezeray two full Years with incredible Expences the Frenchmen all the while preparing at Home l Walsingh Hyp. p. 133. n. 40. for War fitting and making of Arms of all sorts and providing all manner of Warlike Habiliments And thus even in those Days were the French always too hard at Council for the English However for the present m Frois c. 312. fol. 194. Angl. sed Gallicè fol. 264. b. that no Harm or Molestation should come to any of the Lords of either Party or to any of their Men by subtlety or other means since there were Hundreds that rode in and out daily of both Sides thô they could not settle a Firm and General Truce because of the Duke of Bretagne's Concerns and other Matters which render'd the thing impracticable yet first of all they settled this Point by agreeing on a Partial Truce to endure till the First of May in the Year following in all the Marches of Calais as far as the River of Somme all other Lands being left in their former state of Hostility Whereupon the Lord Oliver Clisson and the Lord de la Val hasted with their Troops into Bretagne because the Truce extended not to that Dukedom About this n Frois c. 311. time also there was a Treaty set on Foot concerning the Delivery of the Earl of Pembroke and the rest of the Prisoners out of Spain especially because the Earl of Pembroke o Walsingh hist p. 185. n. 10. not enduring the hard Usage of the Spaniards sent to Sr. Bertram of Clequin Constable of France whom he knew to have great Interest with the King of Spain entreating him to use his power to deliver him out of that inhumane Thraldom Whereupon Sr. Bertram upon delivering back his Lands belonging to Soria Castle and acquitting certain Sums of Money due unto him from the King of Spain his Nephew Sr. Oliver
out 60 of their best Horses rode about the Town by the directions of the Spie conceal'd in by-ways till at last he came into the Fair Meadows where the Cattle were Immediatly they began to drive all the Herd before them by another way than that they came which yet carried them directly to the Valley where their Companions were ready for the first Opportunity The English who kept Watch on the Walls and in the Castle saw all this and presently gave the Alarm Whereupon the Garrison began to rise and arm and some were fain to be awaked out of their Beds for it was early in the Morning and then they drew together and took Horse Sallying out after their Enemies who were not yet got very far because of the Cattle's slow Pace but yet by that they were overtaken they were almost at the Valley The English were so eager to recover their Prey that they all followed in the Chace leaving none but a few Servants and common Souldiers in the Town When they were near they spurred on upon the French crying out Sirs you must not think to steal Cattle and be free Then the French faced about upon them and the Ambush came on with great Shouts and in terrible Array So that the English were presently surrounded overcome and slain every Man except the Captain Sr. Stephen Lacy and three or four more of his Officers This done the Frenchmen hasted to the Town which they easily won by Assault for there were too few Hands to defend it First the Duke of Bourbon's Men entred and having slain all they found and set new Captains of their own there with a sufficient Garrison they went back with their Prey and Prisoners and return'd the next day to the Army before Angoulesme Here they were all gladly received and though there had been greater Lords in that Exploit than the Seneschal of Beancaire yet he got the highest Praise because all was done at his Motion and under his Conduct V. Thus the greater part of January they h Frois c. 119. fol. â—â— held Siege before Angoulesme and overran all those parts thrô Santogne and Poictou and to the Confines of Bretagne with their several Detachments and brought daily to the Army many Prisoners and much Prey But in all these Adventures the two Brethren of Bourbon to their great Honour would ever be present among the Foremost When Sr. John Norwich saw how the Duke was resolv'd not to stir till he had the Town at his Pleasure and that already his Victuals began to fail and that the Earl of Lancaster was not able to give the Enemy Battle or to raise the Siege but chiefly because he knew the Men of the Town were more enclin'd to France than England so that he was sure they would have open'd their Gates to the Duke before now if he had not Commanded the Castle Upon these and the like Considerations he thought it high time to contrive how to bring himself and his Men off with most Honour and least Disadvantage Hereupon as he was a Man of a good reach without letting any One know what he intended on the first of February being the Eve of the Purification of the Virgin Mary he went all alone upon the Walls of the City where he made a sign with his Hat towards the Army Some of those who saw him wave his Hat came to him demanding what he meant thereby He said he had a great mind to speak with the Duke of Normandy or at least with one of his Marshals The Duke being acquainted with this News went straight to the Walls with certain of the Chief Lords in his Company When the English Captain saw the Duke near he pull'd off his Hat and saluted him to whom the Duke having return'd the like said Sr. John and how is it with you now Will you at last deliver up this City to Me or no Sir reply'd he as yet I have not fully resolv'd upon that point But my Lord Duke for the present I would desire of You that for the Honour of the Virgin Mary whose Day is now approaching You would grant us a short Truce only to endure for to Morrow so that for that time neither You any way to molest Us nor we You but both sides to remain in full and perfect Peace and Amity all that Day Said the Duke Sr. John as to that I am well content and upon my Word You may rest assured and having said so he rode back to his Tent and the Captain went into the Town Now early the next Morning which was i 2 Febr. Candlemas Day the Lord John Norwich Arm'd himself and all his Men and having trussed up their Bag and Baggage and being every Man furnished with a good Horse from the Town the Chief Gate being set open they began in peaceable Manner to take their March thrô the French Host At first sight of them the Frenchmen ran to their Arms but the English Captain rode up before his Men and spake to them saying Sirs beware that You offer no Violence to Us as neither shall We to You for We have a Truce granted Us for this Day by your General the Duke himself If You know it not go and enquire of him For by Vertue of this Truce We may ride whither We please Upon this the Duke being consulted answer'd Let them go whither they will for thô they have overreach'd me I will by no means break my Promise This was that Noble Dukes Character to be always firm to his Word whatever Loss he might incurr thereby and this Temper he kept to his dying Day so that being King he is said to be the k Mezeray p. 67. ad an 1364. Author of this Golden Sentence That if Faith and Truth were Banished from all Mankind yet they ought to be found in the Mouth of Kings and Princes And 't was the knowledge of this Veracity of the Duke's that made the English Captain venture upon this Device without any further security Wherefore now with all his Men and his Goods he passed freely thrô the heart of the French Army without any Damage or Impeachment and went straight to the strong Castle of Aiguillon where the English Lords received him gladly and having heard the Manner of his Escape said he had handsomly and honestly outwitted his Enemies The next Day the Citizens of Angoulesme took Counsel and resolved to yield up the Town to the Duke of Normandy wherefore immediately they dispatch'd unto him certain Deputies who at last by their submission prevail'd so far that the Duke took them to Mercy and pardon'd them all their Miscarriages and so entred and took Possession of the Town and Castle in his Fathers Name and having left Sr. Anthony Villiers Captain of the Place with a sufficient Garrison he departed thence and went backward and laid Siege to the Castle of Damasan which after having endured his Assaults for 15 Days together was at last
taken by Force and every Man within put to the sword both English and Gascogners This Place with the Lands thereto belonging the Duke gave to an Esquire of Beausse called George du Milly and so repassing the Garonne came before Tonneins Which after a Siege of 4 Days yielded on Condition to have their Lives and Goods saved and to be safely convey'd to Bourdeaux So the English Garrison went away free but those of the Town submitted to the Dukes Government who tarried there till it was past * Pascha 16 April Lit. Dom. A. Easter VI. Then he came to Port St. Mary standing also on the River Garonne where he found 200 Englishmen ready to defend the Town and Passage which were well fortified But at last the Place was won by Force and every Man within put to the Sword. The Duke having Repaired what was out of Order and set a good Garrison there went now to the strong Castle of Aiguillon seated upon the Confluence of two Great Rivers the Lot and the Garonne Here they laid their Siege in the Fair Meadows along by the River which was able to bear Ships every Lord with his own Men and every Constable by himself for so the Marshals had order'd as well to raise a mutual Emulation in the Army as that Obedience and Discipline might be more readily observed when the Souldiers should find themselves still under their accustomed Leaders The Castle was well fortified besides its most advantagious scituation and very well victualled beforehand but a braver Garrison could not be found thrô the whole World then those which were now therein There was the Lord John Moubray with an 120 chosen Men set there at first by the Earl of Darby and since that as we shew'd before there were come thither the undaunted Earl of Pembroke the Invincible Lord Walter Manny the Couragious Sr. Frank van Hall and those other Knights and Esquires to the Number of 40 which the Earl of Lancaster and Darby aforesaid had lately sent thither with 300 Men of Arms and 600 Archers to Reinforce the Garrison and lastly to all these the Politick and Worthy Captain Sr. John Norwich was added with all those Valiant Men whom he had brought off so finely from Angoulesme the whole Number amounting to l Giov. Villud l. 12. c. 6â— p. 870. 400 Lords Knights and other Gentlemen Cavaliers and 800 Gascogners and English Footmen besides Carpenters Workmen and Labourers The Defendants wanted no more Provision nor Materials than they did Courage and the Assailants were neither deficient in Numbers nor Animosity nor Art nor Industry so that this Siege was the m Meâ—eray p. 24. ad 〈◊〉 most Memorable considering the Place and the few Hands to Defend it of any We find in all that Age whether We look upon the Attacks or the Defences for it lasted notwithstanding all Opposition from the latter end of April till the Feast of St. Remigius or the First of October when it was Raised as We shall shew in due Place the Fortress being entire and the Garrison in Good Condition VII The French Army consisted of an n Frois c. 12â— Du Châ—â—â—â— c. 100000 Men of War both Horse and Foot so that they could easily afford to make two or three Assaults every Day and most commonly from Morning till the Evening without any intermission For still when one Party was well wearied with Storming there came fresh Assailants in their stead whereby they held the Defendants in continual Action But first the French Lords considering that they could not come freely to the Front of the Castle at the Bridge and Gate unless they passed the River Garonne which was Large and Deep The Duke of Normandy Commanded that a Bridge should be laid over the River whatsoever it cost When the English Captains perceived the Bridge to be more then half finished then they equipp'd three Good Vessels and Manning them well with Select Men of Arms and Archers sent them forth to destroy the Enemies Works These Men came furiously upon the Workmen and chased away both them and their Defenders and presently broke all to pieces what they had been so long in making Upon this the French Lords prepared other Vessels to receive those of the Garrison and then again set their Workmen about a New Bridge which they began in Confidence of these their Protectors They had hardly been at this Work above one half of a day when the Lord Walter Manny himself with the Flour of the Garrison enter'd a Ship and came suddenly upon the Workmen and in spight of all Opposition drove them away and utterly destroyed all their Labour This Course was thus carried on for several Days together till at last the French Lords Defended their Workmen so strongly that the Bridge was brought to its Perfection thô it cost far more than it was worth Then the Lords and all the Army passed over in Battle Array and began an Assault which they continued for an whole Day together without any Intermission but all signified nothing For at Night the Frenchmen being retired to their Lodgings the Garrison mended what was broken as having Materials of all sorts and Workmen enough The next Day the French drew out four Great Detachments every One to Assault the Castle in its turn the First beginning in the Morning was to continue their Attack till Nine then immediately the Second to succeed and to hold till Noon The Third from that time till Three of the Clock and the Fourth from thence till Night came on And this Method they used for six Days together but all the while the Garrison maintain'd their Defence so Bravely that the Enemy wan nothing of them but only the Bridge without the Castle Then the Duke of Normandy was advis'd to go another way to Work He sent to Tholouse for Eight huge Engines of Battery and they themselves made four greater there And all twelve being ready they cast therewith vast Stones both Day and Night into the Fortress but the Garrison had beforehand so well secured themselves against this Device by I know not what Art that o Frois c. 120. not one Stone did them any considerable hurt except that the Coverings of some Houses were now and then a little broken Besides the English Lords within soon provided such Counter-machines as within a few Days brake six of the Assailants biggest Engines all to pieces Frequently during this Siege the Lord Walter Manny would sally out at the Postern with an 100 or an 120 Brave Companions and go on the other side of the River a Foraging and always came back again with much Corn and Cattle in the sight of the French Army One time among others the Lord Charles of Monmorency Marshal of the Duke's Host rode also forth the same way with 500 Men in his Company and was returning back with a great many Head of Cattle which he had gather'd up in the Country to serve the