Edmund Earl of Arundel his Father died seised either in England or in Wales as of the said Castle As for this Earl of Arundel here spoken of his Cause as well as his Valour is sufficiently declared in the former Part of this our History but for this Earl John we shall now once for all add somewhat of him because the small Age to which he attained rendred him unable to purchase any higher Character in this Work. He was Second Son to Edmund Plantaginet Earl of Kent the Kings Uncle of whose Death f 〈…〉 3. §. 3. 〈…〉 ad p. 42. we spake in the Fourth Year Yet he made no Proof of his Age till this very g Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 94. b. Year when upon his Homage he had Livery of all his Lands his Mother the Lady Margaret being then also dead And at that time he granted unto King Edward the Third and his Heirs Kings of England the Castle and whole Lordship of Lydel as well within the Precincts of England as Scotland after the Decease of Blanche Relict of Thomas Lord Waâ—e which Castle and Lordship came to him in Right of the Lady Margaret his Mother Sister and Heir to the said Lord Wake of Lydel But this hopefull young Prince having just married Elizabeth Daughter to William Marquess of Juliers departed this Life without Issue the Year next following in the Prime of his Youth leaving all his vast Possessions to his Sister and Heir the Lady Joan commonly called the Fair Maid of Kent first Espoused to William Montagu second Earl of Salisbury of that Name at this time the Wife of Thomas Lord Holland in her Right afterwards Earl of Kent But to return to the Transactions of this Parliament King Edward during this Session bestow'd several great Honours on Sundry of his Martial Nobility As particularly his Valiant Cosen Henry Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster Leicester Lincoln Darby Grosmont and Ferrers him on the a Ashmoles Garter p. 682. Dudg Bar. 1 Vol. p. 786. Stow p 251. M.S. Vet. Angan Bib. C.C.C. Cantabr c. 224. Sixth of March he advanced to the Title and Dignity of Duke of Lancaster Which being done by the General Consent of all the Prelates and Peers then sitting in Parliament and Confirmed unto him for his Life he was invested therewith by the Cincture of a Sword with Power to have a Chancery in the County of Lancaster and there to issue out Writs under his own Seal as well touching Pleas of the Crown as others relating to the Common Laws of this Realm As also to enjoy all other Liberties and Regalities belonging to a County-Palatine in as ample Manner as the Earl of Chester was known to have within that County the Tenths * Ashmole ibid. and Fifteenths and all other Payments granted by the Clergy or Canons and Pardons for Life and Members to the King excepted Thus the Black-Prince who was Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester and Henry Plantagenet Duke of Lancaster being the two first Dukes in England since the Conquest by the Grandeur of their Names as well as Birth and Dignity did seem the Worthiest of all Men to be so Duke Henry was yet i 8 Martii Ret. Franc. 25. Ed. 3. m. 15. Ashmole p. 682. further about the same time constituted Admiral of the Kings whole Fleet from the River Thames Westward And two Days after the King assigned him several Lieutenants namely Reginald Ferrers on the Rivers of Thames and Medway Robert Ledred Serjeant at Arms within the Cinque-ports Philip de Wetton and Walter de Harewell Serjeant at Arms in the Port of Seaford and in every Part and Place thence by the Sea-coast to Foye Richard Lengles in the Port of Foye and thence to Bristow and there and in the Port of Chepstow and River of Severn and Ralph de Lullibrock in all Places and Ports from Chepstow to Chester and there and in all Parts and Maritime Places in Wales Mr. Stow k Stow Chron. p. 251. says that at this time Prince Lionel of Antwerp the Kings Son was made Earl of Vlster in Ireland and John of Gaunt his Younger Brother Earl of Richmond but the Former had not that Title till l Dagd 2 Vol. p. 167 c. Ten Years after at what time he took to Wife the Heiress of Vlster and the Latter had his Nine Years before as appears by the m Cart. 16 Ed. 3. n. 2. Records So Knighton n Knighton p. 26â—2 tells us that the Lord Robert Hufford was now made Earl of Suffolk whereas he had been advanced to that Dignity no less than o Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 47. fourteen Years before But the Lord Ralph p Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 160. ex Cart. 25 Ed. 3 m. 25. Martâ—â— 5. Stafford was at this time advanced to the Title of Earl of Stafford and for his better Support in that Dignity the King granted him a 1000 Marks per annum in Fee untill he should provide Lands of that Value to settle on Him and his Heirs In this Parliament also the Lord John Maltravers senior one who was thought to have had an hand in the Murder of King Edward the Second having as we shew'd q L. 1. c. 24. §. 4. six Years before surrendred himself with great Contrition to the King was now r Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 102. by the Judgment of the Parliament acquitted and by his Majesty thereupon fully pardoned restored and admitted to take Place in that Honourable Convention In Å¿ M.S. Rot. Par. p. 72. §. 11. Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridgment p. 74. §. 11. c. ad hunc annam Consideration of the great Dearth of which yet the Land was not wholly freed the King releaseth one Half of his Provision appointed to be taken up by Purveyors And Remedy was likewise taken against Labourers who required Excessive Wages as we partly intimated before as also against the Pope's Reservations and those who being cast in the Kings Court seek redress from the Court of Rome to the Subversion of the Laws of the Realm Then the Commons petition'd That no Man may be put to answer in what concerns his Freehold or whatever toucheth Life Limb or Fine by his Opposite before the Council but by due Process of Law. To this the King as to what concerned the Freehold agreed but for the rest rejected it in the usual Form saying Le Royse advisera That no Man whatsoever but Merchants only for their great Necessity of Traffick should export the Good Money of the Realm The King answer'd as before that he would be advised That the Fines of Labourers may be paid to the chief Taxors of this Fifteen in Aid of the Poor The King replyed the Surplusage thereof should be employed according as Circumstances hereafter shall most require That the Steward and Marshal and their Deputies do make no other Process than was used in the Time of King Edward the Second and limited by the
whereof You still want and I believe will not find them here in haste The King extreamly disdaining these Proud Words immediately Answer'd That he would however ride forth into France with Banner displayed and that there he would demand a View of those Invincible Frenchmen and that He would either win that Realm against whosoever should oppose him or honestly leave his Body in the field The next day He x Froisa 38. departed in this Resolution from Mechlin and went on to Brussels another Chief City of Brabant his people passing on by the Town Thither at last came now the long expected Aid of Almaines to the Number of 20000 strong with their Leaders but only the Duke of Brabant appeared not as yet Wherefore once more King Edward sent and demanded of him Whether he intended to let him have his Company to the Siege of Cambray or no The Duke answer'd that as soon as he knew for certain that Cambray was actually Besieged he would upon his Honour come thither with 1200 Spears all good Men of War. Satisfied with this King Edward marched on five Leagues Farther till he came to Nivelle a Town near the Borders of Hainault where he lay one Night and the next day went to Mons a chief Town in Hainault and of great strength and there he found the young Earl of Hainault his Brother-in-Law who received him gladly The King was attended by the Lord Robert of Artois who was of his Privy Council and always about him with about 16 or 20 more of the most Noble Barons of England who still waited on the King both for the Honour of his Person and to be ready to advise with him about any sudden Emergency Together with whom was Doctor Henry Burwash Brother to the Lord Bartholomew Burwash Senior and Lord Bishop of Lincoln who purchased much Praise of all Men for the great Wisdom Conduct and Courage he at all times shew'd but especially in these Grand Affairs of the King his Master The Army lay without the Town in the Fields and Villages thereabout where they found plenty of Provision of all sorts for their Money thô as some paid truly others made bold to do otherwise It being next to Impossible absolutely to restrain a whole Army from all kind of Licence When the King had tarried thus at Mons the space of two Days he went thence accompanied with the young Earl to Valenciennes which was seven Leagues further standing on the Skell And here he met with the Lord John of Hainault the Earls Uncle the Lord Faginelles the Lord Verchin the Lord of Havreth and others who were about the Earl their Master The King to shew his Generous Confidence in the Earl went into the Town only attended with twelve more of his Nobles the King and the Earl his Brother-in-Law y Engl. Atl. 4 Vol. p. 233. going hand in hand thrô the Court of the great Hall of his Palace which is called La Salle du Comte But as they were going up the Stairs of the Hall the Bishop of Lincoln Proclaimed aloud these Words O Yes William Bishop of Cambray I Henry Bishop of Lincoln as Procurator to the Mighty Lord Edward King of England Vicar of the Sacred Empire of Rome do here Warn and Admonish You the said William that You open the Gates of the City of Cambray to Our said Lord the King of England Which if You refuse to do You shall forfeit Your Lands and We will enter by force To this Proclamation no Answer was given for the Bishop of Cambray was not there Present but in the City of Cambray it self looking to the Defence thereof Then the Bishop of Lincoln Proclaim'd again O Yes You Lord William Earl of Hainault We here Warn and Admonish You in the Name of the Emperour that You come and serve the King of England his Vicar before the City of Cambray with such a Number of Souldiers as You ought to do The Earl answer'd With all my Heart I am ready to serve him according to my Duty Upon these Words they enter'd into the Hall after which the Earl Led the King into his Chamber where they supp'd together The next day the King departed to Haspre upon the Salle where he tarried two days viewing his Men as they passed onward before him and thence he went to Cambray which immediately he began to invest round and daily his Forces encreased For thither came the young Earl of Hainault and John Lord of Beaumont his Uncle in Great array These had their Quarters Assign'd them near the King there were there also the Duke of Gueldre and his Men the Earl of Juliers the Earl of Mons the Earl of Savenier the Marquess of Nuys the Lord of Faulquemont Sr. Arnold of Baquehen with other Lords of the Empire Allies of England And now at last the sixth day after the Siege was laid came thither the Cautious Duke of Brabant with 900 Spears in his Company and he took up his Station on the side towards Ostervandt on the River Skell over which he flung a Bridge to maintain Communication between the Hosts for their mutual security As soon as he was come he also sent his Defiance to the French King who was then at Compiegne in Valois whereat his Resident Sr. Lewis of Travemund who had always confidently affirmed that his Lord meant nothing less was so ashamed and confounded that he would never after that return into Brabant but died in France of sorrow and vexation During this Siege there were many Skirmishes and Rencounters for the Town was well replenished with good Men of War the Bishop z Mezeray 2. part 3 tom p. 15. having lately received into the Walls John Duke of Normandy King Philips Son with 500 Men of Arms besides the ordinary Garrison and the Forces sent thither before upon the Defiances of King Edward and his Allies And many times there went forth from the Army strong Detachments to fetch in Provision or to seek for Adventures abroad among whom the Lord John of Hainault and the Lord of Faulquemont with their Men rode constantly together as Companions in Arms and burnt and wasted greatly the Country of Cambresis One day among others the two foresaid Lords with 500 Spears and a 1000 other Souldiers in their Company went and presented themselves before the Castle of Oisy in Cambresis which belonged at that time to the Lord of Coucy and made there a very vigorous Assault But the Besieged defended themselves so well that they received little or no Disadvantage so that the Lords were fain to return again without obtaining their purpose But the Assaults that were given to the City of Cambray it self were surely both many and very fierce thô not much more successfull Once especially the young Earl of Hainault with some Troops of English mixt with his own Men on a Saturday gave a terrible Assault at the Gate of Cambray that looks towards St. Quintins there was a young lusty
to an High Degree as indeed she well merited Then follow the Remembrances for the King to keep promise as to keep the Sea to purvey for the Navy and to defend the Isles of Jersey and Garnsey Sr. Anthony Bath was Order'd to see to the delivery of the Kings Jewells And Conrade Clipping and Godrick de Renley are Assign'd for the Customs of England Then there is the Copy of a Letter sent from the Lords of the Parliament to the King by Sr. William Trussel containing the Grant of the Ninths and their Policy in making present shift for ready Money by Woolls In the Postscript they direct him to buy at Sluce and other Ports of Zealand because the greatest store of Woolls had been convey'd away by stealth To which there is another secret Letter adjoyned sent as it seems from some of the Council to the same Effect And here 's the Substance of this Parliament and the Summe of all the Aid that came to the King during the Siege of Tournay thô it both fell short and came also too late and as is highly probable not till after the Treaty But We are also to remember that in this Parliament King Edward Bailiol was appointed to serve at Carlile with 40 Men of Arms being still allowed 300 l. per annum together with the Mannor of Hexlisham as in the last x I. 1. c. 16. §. 1. p. 180. Parliament And the Earl of Angos and the Lord Piercy were Order'd to set forth the Arrays of Yorkshire Nottingham and Darby to Newcastle upon the Tine and so to the Marches For about this time Scotland began to Raise up her Head again of whose Affairs it will not be amiss in this place to take some Prospect VIII About the time that King Edward Commenced his French Wars the Lord y Buchan p. 297. l. 9. Holinshead Scotl. p. 238. Hector Beeth p. 322. Andrew Murray Viceroy of Scotland Departed this Life and was buried at Rosmarkie being greatly desired by the Scots for his successfull Valour After his Death the Young Lord Robert Stuart was continued Viceroy till the Return of King David out of France This Lord Robert took up during his Viceroyship the most Successfull Arms against England that ever had been since the Death of King Robert his Uncle But in Process of time when he came to be King himself he first wholly cast off the English Yoke and maintain'd that Kingdom in Prosperity and Honour during his whole Reign as in part we shall shew hereafter But the uncertain and contradictory Reports with the false Computations of the Scotch Writers make it as impossible to give a succinct and exact Account of every Action as it is indeed unnecessary Let this suffice that Scotland being now left more at Liberty by King Edward's Absence while he was busied in the French Wars did by Degrees recover many Great and Important Places which before she had lost thô as yet she was unable to do any Notable Exploit upon the Borders of England And first by the High Valour of Sr. William Douglas all Tividale was clean Recover'd out of the English mens Hands for which piece of Service he was afterwards Rewarded with that Country He also overthrew the Lord John Striveling at Cragings Wan the Castle of Hermitage baffled Sr. Laurence Vaux and took Sr. William Abernethie Prisoner and then by the Lord Robert Stuart was sent into France to King David to Request his Counsel and Assistance in the War because a Tempest was expected from England The mean while the Lord Robert Besieges Perth alias St. Johnston which was by the English Valiantly maintain'd against him for the space of Ten Weeks When the Lord Douglas on a sudden Arrived from France bringing with him into the Tay 5 Ships well furnished with Men Arms and Ammunition the Captains whereof were two Knights belonging to Galliard Castle in France upon the Seyne which was allotted for King Davids Residence also two Valiant Esquires named Giles de la Hoy and John de Breis with a Pirate of great Renown whose Name was Hugh Handpile so that now the Captain of Perth Sr. Thomas Vghtred not being able to hold out any longer after he had z Holinshead p. 239. destroy'd the best Ship that Hugh Handpile had and perform'd all that could be expected was at last enforced to yield up the Town thô not without a Hector p. 322. Honourable Conditions Now beside the foremention'd Captains who were on the Brucean Side Patrick Earl of Dumbar Kenneth Earl of Southerland Sr. Robert Hussey Sr. Simon Frasier and Sr. Alexander Ramsey who were dispos'd about in Garrisons of those parts of Scotland which the English had not won during the space of seven Years made continual War upon the English with various Success sometimes loosing and sometimes winning as well by Open Force as by Surprise Till at last King Bailiol being wholly tired out by these their importune Hostilities retired into England as we shew'd before Thô others say he was brought hither by King Edward either for his own further Security or hoping by his Removal to keep the Scots more quiet or for suspicion of his Loyalty But now while King Edward lay at the Siege of Tournay the French King sent new Supplies of Men and Money into Scotland requesting withall the Lord Robert Stuart to make strong War upon England that by such a Diversion King Edward might be forced to quit the Siege The Scots taking heart upon this Reinforcement not only wan many Fortresses in Scotland but also adventur'd in several Bodies to enter England where they destroy'd the Country almost as far as Durham returning all safe again saving b Holinshead Sâ—ctl p. 238. that the Earls of March and Southerland being encountred by the Lord Thomas Grey of Werke Sr. Robert Manners and John Copland a valiant Esquire of Northumberland were utterly discomfited In short the Scots did so well use this Opportunity of King Edwards Absence c Frois c. 55. f. 31. b. c. that there was by this time scarce any Place of Moment left to the English in all Scotland except Barwick Striveling Roxborough and Edinborough Which last Castle stands on a Rock on an Hill so high that a Man who is no way resisted can yet hardly pass up to the Top without Resting so that it is in a manner impregnable The Captain of this Piece at that time was Sr. Richard Limesi who had so valiantly kept the Castle of Thine l'Evesque against the Duke of Normandy as we shew'd d Vid. l. 1. c. 15. §. 10. p. 174. before and was thereupon Commission'd by King Edward to undertake the Defence of this Place But althô the Strength of the Hold and the Resolution of the Captain were so notorious the Lord William Douglas invented a subtle Device wherewith to recover the Castle and which he discover'd only to three of his chief Companions and Friends Sr. Alexander Ramsey Sir
Arms for that was try'd in vain but by the Faith he reposed in Your Princely Honour which all Kings should take the utmost Care to keep inviolate My Lord and Father let it not be said that the Heir of France after a Fruitless Siege of many Months was fain to falsifie his Word confirmed with his nay with Your Royal Seal to trepan a Generous Enemy into an Ignoble Death For thô all this proceeded of Your Majesties Pleasure alone yet there is no Man but will believe that it was I who betray'd him and so they justly may unless they shall see him set free again by my Endeavours Set Free again reply'd the incensed Prince let me see who dare pretend to dispose of my Prisoners otherwise than I shall think Convenient Be this your satisfaction that your Father and your King is resolved He shall die For I look upon him as One of my most Deadly Enemies and so would You if You knew how he aims to ravish away for another that Crown which You may one Day Wear Father said the Duke if this be Your final Determination surely I shall never bear Arms on Your behalf against the King of England nor shall any of those on whom I have any Influence For I am not greatly Ambitious to Wear a Crown that is upheld by any Unjust Action and then going out of the Presence in Great Displeasure he repeated his former Words Vowing on that Condition never more to bear Arms for the King his Father again Thus the Matter stood a while King Philip in doubt whether to appease his Son or rid himself of an Enemy the Prince in deep Sorrow Shame and Displeasure and the Lord Manny in great Danger of Death But there was at Court a Worthy Knight of Hainalt named Sr. Mansart de Sue who made it his sole Endeavour to deliver the Lord Manny he held about this Matter several private Conferences with the Duke of Normandy and by his means with the greatest Peers and Barons of France whereupon at last King Philip was so importun'd by their joynt Prayers and Remonstrances that he was content to let him go out of Prison with all his Men their Horses Goods and Armour and all their Costs paid And because now the King himself was ashamed of what he had done he sent for the Lord Manny to his Palace of Nesle in Paris and made him sit down with him at Dinner at his own Table All which time the King spake so familiarly with him and shew'd him so good a Countenance as might become the most Gracious King in Europe to use with his most Loyal Friend and Favourite After all he presented him with great Gifts and Jewels to the Value of a 1000 Florens of Gold. But Sr. Walter would not receive this Present saving on this Condition that if his Master the King of England upon his Arrival before Calais should allow thereof then he would keep them as Tokens of his Princely Bounty but otherwise he must crave Pardon thô he send them all back again to the Royal Donor The King said how he spake like a Man of Honour and so the Lord Manny took his leave and rode Northward till he came into Hainalt where he had his Birth and having only tarried three Days at Valenciennes he proceeded till he came to Calais where he and all his Men were welcome to the King of England But when he had shew'd the King the Particulars of all his Journey and the Danger he was in at first as also how afterwards on certain Conditions he had accepted of Gifts from the French King Edward took him aside and said Sr. Walter You have hitherto served Us with much Loyalty and We doubt not but You will continue so to do Send again to Philip of Valois his Presents You have no need of them We thank God We have enough for our selves and for You too And surely We design for You both great Honour and other Rewards according to the Good and Laudable Service You have done Us. Upon these Words of the King the Lord Manny took immediately all the foresaid Jewels and delivering them to a Cousin of his named Sr. Mansel a young Gentleman of Gallant Shape Deportment and Courage thô at that time of no considerable Office because of his Youth he said Cousin Mansel ride into France to the King there and recommend me to him and tell him that I thank his Majesty a Thousand times for the Favours he was pleased to shew me and the Gifts he gave me But let him know that it is not the Pleasure of the King my Master that I should keep them Wherefore I now send them again unto him This young Knight rode to Paris accordingly and deliver'd his Message with the Jewels to the King But he thought it agreed not with his Honour to take them back again wherefore as Sr. Walter had imagin'd He bad Sr. Mansel take them to himself He for his part as one whose Place laid no such Obligation upon him as the Lord Manny's did thanked his Majesty heartily and made no scruple to bring them along with him to Calais XI Now as soon g Frois c. 136. Ashuncle p. 681. Du Chesne p. 665. Holinshead p. 938. Meâ—â—crâ—y p. 28. Grev. Villan l. 12. c. 76. p. 887. as the Duke of Normandy had Raised his Siege from before Aiguillon and was returned to Paris Henry Earl of Lancaster and Darby who during the Siege had kept at Bourdeaux or la Reole and thereabout when he heard of the Duke's Departure sent his Summons throughout Gaseogne to all the Lords Knights and Esquires of England besides such Gascogners as held for King Edward Among whom were the Lord of Albret the Lord de Le Sparre the Lord of Rosam the Lord of Mucidan the Lord of Pamiers the Lord of Tourton the Lord of Bouqueton Sr. Emery of Traston and others so that the Earls Forces amounted in all to 1200 Men of Arms 2000 Archers and 3000 Foot. With this small but well compacted Army he passed the Garonne between Bourdeaux and Blaye and marching up the way toward Saintogne came to Mirembeau which he took by Storm both Town and Castle and set therein a Garrison of English Then he turned to Mortagne by the Sea-side in Poicton which he took by Assault and Garrison'd also From hence he rode to Taillebourg and wan the Bridge Town and Castle putting all whom he found to the Sword in Revenge of the Death of a Knight of his who was slain in the Assault After this he advanced to Aunay Surgieres and Benon all which he took but the Castle of Marans beyond Rochelle he could not prevail upon by any means Then he went and laid Siege to the Fair Town of St. John the Evangelist called in French St. Jean D'Angely and gave there a great Assault which lasted till almost Night There were no very Expert Captains at that time in the Place wherefore Sr. William de
Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 356. the Twelfth of February the valiant English Lord Maurice Berkley younger Son to Maurice Lord Berkley and Brother to the Lord Thomas Berkley in the Camp before Calais to the extream Regret of his Master King Edward who set an high value upon his Services of which an Estimate may be from the Retinue he had at the time of his Death Which consisted of six Knights among whom p Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 89. was Sr. Nicolas de St. Maure aliàs Seymour and 32 Esquires with 30 Archers on Horseback and 200 Archers on Foot. Three q Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 356. days after his Death the King in contemplation of his singular Merits gave unto Thomas his Son and Heir a Grant of the Profits of his own Wardship as to his Lands and Marriage This Noble Family of the Berkleys is derived from Maurice the Son of Robert Fitz-Harding who was the Son of Harding one of the Royal Blood or as some say r Vetus M.S. in Castro de Berkley Leland Coll. 1 Vol. p 912. Youngest Son to the King of Denmark who came into England with William the Conquetour The foresaid Maurice Son to Robert Fitz-Harding had in Marriage the Lady Alice Daughter and at last ſ Dudg 1 Vol. p. 352. Godwins Catal. Bishops p. 500. sole Heir to Roger Lord Berkley so called from his Castle of Berkley in Gloucestershire and thereupon changing his Name became Ancestour to this Illustrious Family which since that Time hath flourished and still continues in great Honour to this Day X. I do not meet with any more Persons of Rank that died during this Siege in the English Camp but 't is certain that not a few of the Common Sort were wasted away as we said before The Loss of whom was notwithstanding easily made up by succeeding Recruits from England and other Places For many great Lords of Flanders Hainalt Brabant and Almain came thither to the Camp some indeed onely to pay their Respects to the King and Queen others to joyn with the English Forces And of all the Visitors none departed home again without an agreeable Gratuity from the King. Among all those Lords that won by the Kings Fame or otherwise came now to embrace his Service the Lord t Frois c. 141. Robert of Namur was not the least Considerable This worthy young Lord had lately received the Order of Knighthood at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by the hands of that Renowned Christian Souldier the Lord Lespentine and had thereupon continued for some time in the Holy Wars but was now newly returned into the Country of Namur and Liege He was as then in the first flower and vigour of his Age of good Discretion Courage and Conduct and had not since his Return been engaged by either of the two Kings of England or France but now of his own Accord he came gallantly attended and richly provided to the Siege before Calais and there offer'd himself to the Service of King Edward By him he was received very graciously as also he was highly welcome to the Queen and the English Lords but especially he won upon the Kings Affections on the Account of the Lord Robert of Artois his Uncle whose Name he bare and whose Person and Vertues seemed again to be revived in him Nor shall it be forgot that this Martial Knight was a great Friend to the Muses as we may learn from u Frois l. 1 a. 1. f. 1. ad finem Sr. John Froisard For whose laborious and noble History which for the most part contains the Heroick Acts of King Edward and his Children we are not a little beholding to this Sr. Robert of Namur Lord of Beaufort who requested him to set about that Laudable Work and both encouraged and assisted him in it Sr. Robert of Namur bare for his Arms x Ashmoles Garter p. 79. Plate 85. Or a Lion Rampant Sable Crowned Gules and in process of time became Knight of the Garter For from this time forward he became Liegeman to the King of England who thereupon gave him for the first Hansel of his Favour 300 l. per annum to be paid by Yearly Return at Bruges in Flanders and now he continued with his Troops amounting to 300 Men of Arms before Calais till the Place was taken About y Knighton p. 2592. Whitsuntide King Edward sent to all the Abbeys and Priories throughout England for an Aid of their Woolls and for a proportionable Support from all other Religious Houses as lately had been granted unto him in Parliament One z Odoric Rainald ad hanc an §. 24. ex Archivis Vaticani says that he seized on all the Ecclesiastick Wealth under the specious pretence of Borrowing it to maintain him in his Wars against France By whose Example King Philip to defend his own laid hands on the Revenues of all Priests except Cardinals not residing in his Kingdom and of other Benefices he took the Tenths Whereupon the Pope sent unto him Pastor Archbishop of Ambrun and William Bishop of Chartres to restrain him and the Gallican Clergy he exhorted to maintain the Liberties of the Church Threatning a Tem. 5. ep secret 1160. Clem. VI. PPae moreover to use his Pontifical Authority against him unless he would restore the Ecclesiastick Right to its pristine Splendour But we do not find that King Philip alter'd his Course of Proceeding for all this the Necessity of his Affairs calling for extraordinary Supplies XI Before we come to the Winning of Calais it is fit we should take notice of other Matters that happen'd elsewhere the mean while no whit less Worthy of Memory And first we shall enquire after the Condition of Scotland at this time We shew'd before how the preceding Year immediately after the Battle of Durham the English pursuing their Victory recover'd the Castle b Hector l. 15. f. 325. Buchan l. 9. p. 303. of Hermitage with all Anandale Marches Tweedale Tividale and Ethrick Forest besides regaining what the Scots had won in England enlarging their Limits as far as Cockburne's pit and Solway And all this was obtained in a manner with little or no Resistance for the Scots were now brought c Buchan ibid. so low since that blow they received near Durham that for a long while after they were unable to bring any considerable Army into the Field But now early this Year King Edward Bailiol in hopes to recover his Inheritance during this weak Estate of Scotland d Knighton p. 2592. Hector Buchan Holinshead Scotl. enters that Kingdom by Carlile with an Army of 20000 Men and the Lord Piercy with as many more by Barwick made a Road into Louthian and Cliddisdale whence he brought great Booty of Goods and Cattle while the Bailiol raged alike in Galloway Niddisdale and Carrick so that the Scots were at last compelled to yield unto him and accept him for their King. From hence when both the Armies
other Knights and Esquires of their Company few or none in that hurry being taken to Ransom And here the Lord Eustace D'Ambreticourt was found tied fast to a Chair and unbound rescued and remounted by his own Men and he being thoroughly vext that he had so long stood idle did now many Worthy Feats of Arms and took good Prisoners When the Duke of Normandy's Battail which was already hardly matched and had the Captal of Busche upon the Reer beheld also the Victorious Prince of Wales approaching they thought it best not to abide him but to save themselves as soon as they might And so the Duke and two other of the Kings Sons who were but young lightly believed their Tutors and departed out of the Field with more than 800 Spears in their Company who had not struck one stroak that day But however the Lord Guischard Dangle and the Lord John de Santerre by some called Ceintre accounted one of the best Men of Arms in France would not fly on any pretence whatsoever but rush'd into the thickest preass of the Battle The Kings Three Sons took the way to Chauvigny but the Lord John of Landas and the Lord Theobald of Bodenay who were appointed to wait on the Dauphâ—n of Vienna when they had conducted the Three Princes a long League from the place of Battle having charged the Lord of St. Venant not to leave them till they were in safeguard whereby he would better please the King than if he aboad in Battle took their leave of the Dauphin intending to return to the Field again In their way thither they met with the Duke of Orleans and with him a great Company who had also left the Field with clear hands and yet there were among them many good Knights and Esquires who thô they were constrained to accompany their Masters had rather have died than have done a thing themselves so worthy of Reproach Upon the Dauphin's Departure there came b Stow p. 262. one to the French King and said My Lord the Field is fallen to the English and your Eldest Son is withdrawn out of the Battle At which the King said with an Oath that he for his part would not forsake the Field that day without a notable Revenge unless that he were either taken or slain Then the Standard-Bearers were Commanded to move forward and presently there appeared to the Prince of Wales two great Battalions of Armed Men marching towards his small Company At the sight whereof an old Counsellour who stood near the Prince was so extreamly discouraged that he could not forbear crying out Alas Poor Wretches now are we utterly undone But the Prince who was full of Courage and Faith in Christ check'd his Cowardise with these Words Thou liest like a Dastardly Fellow as thou art for We cannot be overcome as long as I am alive And with that the Kings Battail came fiercely on the English consisting of no less than 8000 Men of Arms besides footmen but now the rest of the French being clear'd the English Marshals and the Earls of Warwick Salisbury and Suffolk with their wearied Battails joyned the Prince having first supply'd the exhausted Quivers of their Archers with Arrows drawn from the Bodies of Dead and Dying Enemies And thus Armed with Necessity and Hope from their Prosperous Beginnings a Few weary and wounded Men went on boldly to engage with a Numerous and Fresh Army The Fight was Desperate and for a while well maintain'd on both sides for here were good Men of War and the Kings Presence Armed them with deeper Resolution The King and his Son Philip happen'd to oppose the English Marshals the Earls of Warwick Salisbury and Suffolk and with them were now joyned all the Gascogne Lords as the Captal of Busche the Lord of Pamiers the Lord of Mucidan and the rest aforenamed To the French Kings Battail there came back time enough the Lord John of Landas and the Lord of Bodenay who with their Men alighted on foot and like Valiant Gentlemen enter'd into the thickest of the Battle On one hand of the King there fought the Noble Duke of Bourbon who had with him many Valiant Knights of Bourbonnois and Picardy Hard by were the Poictevins with the Lord of Pons the Lord of Partenay the Lord of Dampmartin the Lord of Montalboto the Lord of Surgeres the Lord John de Santerre the Lord Guischard D'Angle the Lord of Argenton the Lord of Lymiers the Lord of Montendre the Lord James of Beaujeu and the Lord de Chastell Vilaine In another quarter fought the Earl of Ventadour the Earl of Monpenser the Lord James of Bourbon the Lord John of Artois and the Lord James his Brother the Lord Arnold de Cervoles commonly called the Arch-Priest who was clad in the Armour of the young Earl of Alenson there tarried also still in the Field the Lord de la Torre the Lord of Chalenton the Lord of Montagre the Lord of Rochefort the Lord de la Charre the Lord Dachone the Lord Delmal the Lord Norvel the Lord Piers Buffiers the Lord William Nesle the Lord Arnold Reuel the Lord Geoffry de St. Dizier the Lord Guyventon de Chambley the Lord Eustace de Ribemont the Lord of Holey the Lord of Monsalt and many more too tedious to Name and some place here with more probability the Earl Douglas and his Scots who yet suffer'd as before We have related On the English Part the Prince c Walfingh Hypod p. 124. of Wales was no less Remarkable for his Valour than for his Place and Quality performing both the Part of a Prudent and Carefull General and also of an Approved and Experienced Souldier adventering trying and performing whatever might be expected from a perfect and exalted Courage All his Captains did their Parts with much Bravery and Resolution Among whom the Lord John Chandos merited no small Praise both for his discreet Conduct and unwearied Valour 'T is impossible to recount the Particulars of those Noble Exploits that were this Day performed by the Nobility of England But this is certain that as the Earls of Salisbury and Suffolk Oxford and Others were exceedingly remarkable in this Hot Service so particularly the Noble Earl of Warwick fought so long and with such Fury that his Hand was d Dudg Warwickshire p. 317. M.S. in Bibl. Bodleian Cantuar K. 84 123 vid. Dudg Bar. 1 Vol. p. 233. galled with the exercise of his Sword and Poleax Among others he himself took William de Melun Archbishop of Sens Prisoner for whose Ransom alone he had afterwards no less than e Pat. 37. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 25. 8000 Pounds But all this Courage had been thrown away to no purpose had it not been seconded by the extraordinary Gallantry of the English Archers who behaved themselves that Day with wonderfull Constancy Alacrity and Resolution So that by their means in a manner all the French Battails received their first Foil being by the barbed Arrows so
Knighton ibid. Du Chesne p. 682. Guil. Paradin Annal. de Bourgogne l. 2. p. 345. seven Weeks all which time he never offer'd to attack the Place For he knew well it would have been either wholly in vain or very expensive of his Subjects Blood. But by this time being wearied out with this tedious way especially because Forage was so difficult to be got that his Men began to lose their Horses and to want Victuals themselves he resolved now to rise from before the Place and marched forth in good Order the way that leadeth to Châlons in Champagne which passing by he proceeded toward Troyes and encamped about Mery sur Seyne all his Host covering the Face of the Country for above 8 Leagues together While the King lay here the Constable went with the Vantguard to attempt St. Florentin where Sr. Edward Renty was Captain but after a great Assault made in vain he gave it over About which time the King came up to him and departed thence to Tonnerre in Burgundy which City he took by Assault but the Castle he could not win For the Lord Moreau de Fiennes Constable of France and Sr. Baldwin Danequin Master of the Crossbows were there in Garrison with a great Number of chosen Men. But because the King found here 3000 Vessels of Wine he was pleased to tarry there five whole Days to refresh his Army in which time thô he gave many Assaults to the Castle he was yet never the nearer Thence passing over the River Armancon he refused the way on the Right Hand and went a little declining to the Left to Noyers which he took without any Assault for their Lord and Captain was still a Prisoner in England ever since the Battle of Poictiers Thence n Frois Holinsh Ashmole p. 660. c. he marched to Mont-Real and so to Avallon on the River Cousson where he tarried from Ashwednesday to Midlent because of the great Opportunity he found thereabout of receiving Supplies of Provision for his Army from a valiant English Esquire named John Argentine who bore for his Arms Azure an Escutcheon of Pretence Argent This Man had won the Town of Flavigny not far thence wherein he found sufficient Provision of all Sorts to serve the whole Army for a Month and accordingly he constantly supplied the King therewith Besides which his Marshals and Van-currours overran the Country wasting and ravaging all about and they also brought in much prey daily During the Kings stay here namely on the 26 of February o Lit. Dom. ED. Pascha 5 April being the Thursday in Quadragesima there departed this Life at the Town of Rouvray on the Coussin near Avallon in Burgundy the Noble and Valiant Young Lord Roger Mortimer Earl of March and Constable of the English Army leaving behind him one onely Son named Edmund then about nine Years of Age Upon whose Death we find p Rot. Franc. 34. Ed. 3. m. 45. vid. Ashmole's Garter p. 695. p. 692. that the King made the Lord John Beauchamp Brother to the Earl of Warwick Constable of the Army as also of Dover-Castle and of the Cinque-Ports the Letters Patents bearing Date apud Avallon in Burgundiâ Primo Martiâ— IV. Now the q Frois c. 210. f. 103. b. King and his Chief Lords had with them in this Expedition as we said before besides the usual Carriages Hand-Mills to grind their Corn Ovens to bake Bread Meat or Pasties Spits and Cauldrons to roast or boil and Forges to make Shoes for their Horses And over and above all this there were brought in Carts a sort of little Boats made artificially of Leather every one being able to hold Four Men to row on Ponds or in Rivers and to fish in them at their Pleasure Which Device proved both pleasant and very convenient to the Lords of England during the season of Lent. The King had also for his Diversion thirty Faulconers on Horseback with Hawks and sixty Couple of Hounds and as many Grey-hounds besides those Hawks and Hounds which his Sons and the Chief of the Nobility had wherewith they hunted and hawked by the River at their Pleasure And during all this Expedition from the time they left Calais till their coming to Chartres where the famous Treaty for Peace was set on foot the whole Army was divided into three Great Battalia's every Battalia subdivided into three Bodies each whereof lodged a-nights well-nigh a League from each other The Duke r Knighton p. 2623. n. 50. Matt. Villani l. 9. c. 85. p. 559. c. of Lancaster and the Earls of Northampton and Salisbury were in the first Great Battail the King Himself in the Second and the Black-Prince with his Three Brethren in the Last V. While King Edward lay thus at Avallon Å¿ Frois ibid. Paradin Annales de Bourgogne l. 2. p. 346. Mezer. Holinsh p. 965. Fabian p. 238. Speed Matt. Villani l. 9. c. 82. 84. p. 557. c. Philip the young Duke of Burgundy by Advice and at the Request of all the Country sent unto him in order to a Treaty Sr. Anselme de Saulieu Chancellour of Burgundy Sr. John de Vienne who had defended Calais so worthily against King Edward and Sr. Hugh de Vienne his Brother Sr. John Derie Sr. William de Thoraise and Sr. John de Mont-martin These Lords found King Edward in so good an Humour that they presently obtained this Composition That the King of England giving Security for Himself and all his Subjects not to ravage rob or commit any Hostilities within the Territories of Burgundy for the space of three Years then following in Lieu whereof the Duke should pay unto the King in ready Money the Summ of t De hac Summà variant Autheres Knighton Da Chesne Froi 200000 Motons Mat. Villani 100000 Motons Paradin 200000 Florens Walsingh M. S. vet Angan Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. 70000 Florens Paul. Aâ—â—yl 100000 numm 〈◊〉 â—elyd 〈…〉 non 〈…〉 sed 〈…〉 Speed. altiâ—ae meâ—â—â— sentiunt 200000 Florens of Gold which amounts to 35000 l. Sterling Besides which the Burgundians were to administer to the King and his People whatever Provision of Victuals or other things they wanted for their Money Some suppose n Matt. Villani l. 9 c. 82. 84. p. 557. 558. that the Burgundians having little Love at this time for the House of France and verily believing that King Edward would attain the Crown of that Realm entred a Secret Alliance with him on Condition that then the Duke of Burgundy should be the First Peer of France However when this Agreement between the King and the Duke was sealed and engrossed and mutual Security given the King of England decamped from before Avallon intending directly for Paris and so he passed the River of Yonne at Coulogne beside Vezelay and the Army spread along by the River almost to Clamecy at the Entry of Nivernois Which x Mezeray ad hinâ— ann
the King was resolved to execute the Statute of Apparel and therefore charged them all to promote the same After which he demanded of both Houses whether they would have such Matters as they agreed on to be by way of Ordinance or of Statute they answer'd by way of Ordinance that they might amend the same at their Pleasure and so it was done Then the King thanked them for their Pains taken and so dismist them for that time VII A Convocation x Regist Arch. Cant. Simon Islip fol. 186. b. Selden's Titl Honor. c. 5. § 43. p. 815. of the Province of Canterbury being held this Year under Archbishop Islip the Holy-days were by a Canon retrenched to a far less Number than before which indeed amounted to few more than We now observe in England Excepting to particular places the Days of Dedication of Churches and the Saints days Patrons thereof and also the Double Festival of y Lindâ—ood de Feriis C. eâ— Scriptur is St. George liberty being left to Work on any other Saints Days VIII This Year z Knighton p. 2627. n. 40. departed this Life the Fair young Lady Elizabeth Dutchess of Clarence leaving one only Daughter behind her by Duke Lionel her Husband called Philippa who afterwards was Married to Edmund Mortimer Third Earl of March Lord and Baron of Wigmore Trim Clare and Connaught as also of the Lordship and Town of Ludlow By him She had Roger Mortimer Fourth Earl of March whose Son Edmund dying without Issue his Daughter Anne was Married to Richard Plantagenet Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund Langley Duke of York Fifth Son of King Edward the Third and so convey'd her Title to her Son Richard Duke of York who thereupon openly challenged the Crown of King Henry the Sixth the Son of Henry the Fifth the Son of Henry the Fourth the Son of John of Gaunt King Edwards Fourth Son when as by the Mothers side himself was the Son and Her of Anne Daughter and Heir of Roger Mortimer Son and Heir of Edmund Mortimer by the Lady Philippa sole Daughter and Heiress of Prince Lionel Duke of Clarence King Edward's Third Son. And thô this Richard failed in the attempt yet his Son Edward afterwards call'd the Fourth obtain'd the point having destroy'd the House of John of Gaunt in the Third Generation after his Son Henry of Bolingbroke had depos'd King Richard the Second by Rebellion King Edward solemnized the Funerals of this great Dutchess of Clarence and a Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 167. gave Command to the Keeper of his great Wardrobe to deliver out Four Cloths of Gold Baudekin or Tinsell and Nine of Baudekin of Lucca to be offer'd for himself and his Queen at her Funeral Her Body b Sandford's Geneal Hist p. 220. was solemnly interred in the Chancel of the Augustine Fryers at Clare in Suffolk Queen Philippa who together with the Lady Catherine Countess of Warwick and Daughter to Roger Mortimer First Earl of March had stood her Godmother took her young Daughter Philippa into her Care and Protection She being then in the Eighth Year of her Age. This Year also Edward Bailiol who was in his time King of Scotland till he resign'd his Title to King Edward of England c Knighton p. 2627. n 50. departed this Life at Doncaster in Yorkshire without Issue being the last of the Family of John Bailiol So that hereby there was no pretence left to any to disturb the Then-uncontroverted Right of David Bruce King of Scotland and consequently of Prince Robert Stuart who being the Eldest Son of King David's Eldest Sister succeeded him in the Kingdom upon King David's Dying also without Issue as we shall see about Ten Years hence On the d Gedw Catal. Bps p. 371. Walsing hist p. 173. Dagd Warw. p. 557. Fourteenth of August Dr. Ralph Shrewsbury Bishop of Bath and Wells departed this Life being succeeded by Dr. John Bernet who was translated thither from Worcester and William Wittlesey Bishop of Rochester supply'd his place at Worcester whose vacant See was filled by Dr. Thomas Trillick Dean of St. Pauls London IX About this time e Knighton p. 2627. n. 40. one Walter Winkeburne was for some Capital crime or other so violently prosecuted by one of the Knights Hospitallers that whether Guilty or no he received Judgment to be Hanged and Hanged he was Being after such a time cut down as he was carried for Dead to be laid in the Church-yard of St. Sepulchers at Leicester he began to revive in the Cart and being thereupon carried for safeguard into the Church was there perfectly recover'd and carefully watched by the Clergy of Leicester lest the Sheriff should take him away to hang him again while some were sent to tell the King who was then in those Parts of the Adventure and to beg his Charter of pardon since the Person had in a manner satisfied the Law and that his miraculous Recovery might seem no bad Argument of his Innocency Accordingly King Edward presently after granted him his Charter of pardon in the Abbey of Leicester saying these Words which Knighton affirms that himself heard from him Since God hath given him Life I 'll give him my Charter Such another Case happen'd at London in my Time about the Year 1670 upon the Body of one Savage an hopefull young Man who gave great testimony of his Repentance both before and at the place of Execution After he had hung a full Half Hour his Body being granted to his Friends for Burial they perceiving some signs of Life to remain put him into a warm Bed and at last perfectly recover'd him thô by his own Confession he had been guilty of the Murther and Robbery laid to his Charge But he had not such Fortune as this Walter Winkeburne for before King Charles the Second could be made acquainted with the Accident the Sheriff having an inkling of the matter by the indiscretion of his Friends came and took him away to the Gallows again where finally he died X. In this Season either because the Wars being now ended those who had been Souldiers had rather do any thing than return to their former Occupations or thrô relaxation of Discipline there Å¿ Knighton p. 2628. n. 10 c. arose Swarms of Theeves and High-way Men in several parts of England who set upon Travellers and brake up Houses and robbed Churches and the Shrines of Saints and carried away the more pretious Reliques and all the Rich Offerings Particularly they robbed the Abbey of Thornton in Leicestershire and took away the Image of our Lady of Mirivale out of her Chappel and the Image of our Lady of Monks-Kirkby and the like they did in many other places thô most of the Authors were taken and hanged Some of these People stole away the Head of St. Hugh formerly Bishop of Lincoln which after they had spoiled it of all the Gold Silver and precious Stones belonging unto it they
as then they heard to be in the County of Bigorre and to have won the Town of Bagneres whereby he had done much Mischief in those Parts And the Lord Chandos told the Prince that Sr. Bertram was so belov'd by all manner of Men of War that it was not safe to let him go till Don Pedro had paid what he ow'd the Prince lest he should again embroil his Affairs as he had done before On all which accounts Sr. Bertram could not obtain to be deliver'd at this time whatsoever Ransom he offer'd and so he was obliged to be content with his Condition Now while the Prince of Wales lay at Valladolid which he did in all for about three Months even the best part of that Summer among many Hundreds others James the young King of Majorica fell dangerously ill and kept his Bed so that when the Prince was ready to depart he sent the Lord John Chandos and Sr. Hugh Calverley unto him to let him know that he was just then upon taking his leave of Spain and would be glad of his Company as one whose Interest he had promised to embrace Wherefore he should be loth to leave him behind The King of Majorica replied that he thanked the Prince most heartily but that as then he could not ride nor endure to be carried till it should please God to restore him to a better Degree of Health and Strength Then they demanded if he was willing that their Lord the Prince should leave with him any Troops to wait on him and to conduct him into Aquitain when he should be able to ride Nay surely said the King I shall never put the Noble Prince to any such unnecessary trouble for God alone knows whether ever I shall be able to ride or no. So the English Knights took their leave and returned and declared all this to the Prince who said Well then be it as it shall please God and him For Necessity calls us away from this unfortunate Country And then he took the first Opportunity to march with all his Army and went to the City called Agreda and thereabout he rested in the Vale of Soria between Aragon and Spain where he was fain to tarry a Month because he found certain Passages closed against him on the Borders of Aragon And it was reported thrô the Army that the King of Navarre who was newly released from his Imprisonment had agreed with the Bastard of Spain and the King of Aragon to hinder the Prince's Return thô there was no such Matter as it afterwards appeared However as then the Prince was the more enclin'd to believe this Report because the King of Navarre came not unto him thô he was at Liberty Whereupon he began to treat with the King of Aragon certain Commissioners on both sides meeting on the Marches for that Purpose Between whom it was at last concluded that the King of Aragon should open his Country and permit the Prince and his Army to pass thrô freely they paying courteously for what they should take up among his People After this Agreement was established the King of Navarre and Sr. Martin Carre came unto the Prince and then the King of Navarre seeing how Matters stood between the Prince and the King of Aragon shew'd all the Respect and Honour imaginable to the Prince and readily offer'd free Passage to him and his Dear Brother the Duke of Lancaster and all the Knights and Lords of England and of Gascogne but by no means would he permit the Companions to take their way thrô Navarre He said he had had enough of them already Then the Prince order'd the Companions to accept of his Agreement which he had made with the King of Aragon and to pass thrô his Country but as for Himself because he saw the Way thrô Navarre more commodious than the other he chose to go that Way and was convey'd with the rest of the Army quite thrô that Realm even beyond the Passages of Roncevaux From thence the Prince marched at his ease till he came to Baionne where he was received with great joy and tarried there four Days to refresh Himself and his Men. Then he proceeded toward Bourdeaux where he was received in Triumph being also met and welcom'd Home by his Beautifull Princess with her Eldest Son Edward who was then about Three Years of Age. Here the Prince disbanded his Army and sent the Lords and Captains of Gascogne and others to their several Homes having first declared his Obligations unto them and promised to pay them every Man punctually when he could raise Money enough even thô King Don Pedro should not keep Touch with Him For He said they should suffer no Loss however since they had served him so well and for his own Part Honour should be his Reward At the same time the Companions that went thrô Aragon came into the Principality where they had Quarters assigned them till they should be paid their Wages XXII King Henry the Bastard this mean while hearing of the Prince's Return thought it no time for him to expect any Advantage in those Parts wherefore immediately he removed with all his Men into Aragon and had his Recourse to the King of that Realm who loved him entirely and made him extream welcome There he tarried all that Winter and renewed his former Alliance with that King who promised to aid him in his War against the King his Brother and forthwith the Bretons that were with Don Henry as Sr. Arnold de Limousin Sr. Geoffry de Ricons Sr. Pontius Laquenet Sylvester Budes Eliot du Carhais Alan du St. Pol and the rest of the Bastards friends had order to go to the Frontiers of Spain and begin to make War on King Henry's behalf And thus have We ended this Great and last Expedition of the Prince of Wales I say his last For whether God Almighty was displeased with him for assisting so Wicked a Tyrant thô We shew'd before what good Grounds he went upon or whether the Sins of England being now also ripe began to call for Vengeance from this time We may be bold to period the Happiness of King Edward's Wonderfull Reign For We shall find that l Virgil. Aen. l. 2. v. 169. c. Exillo Fluere retrò sublà psa referri Spes Anglûm Fractae Vires Aversa Deûm Mens From thence the English Hopes did Ebb and fail Nor could their Fortune or their Arms prevail From this time the swelling Tide of Prosperity was found to Ebb apace the Prince of Wales begins to be sick of an Incurable Disease Prince Lionel is taken away in the Flower of his Age Queen Philippa soon after dies and King Edward who hitherto was both Glorious and Fortunate shall from this time be less Fortunate thô not one jot the less Glorious For We shall find that never any Prince contended more bravely with Froward Fortune nor ever was more Worthy to have succeeded still XXIII This Year m M.S. vet
Lancaster founds an Hospital at Leicester The Pope's Opinion about the Souls of the Departed The Lord Douglas dies in Spain Edward Bailiol claims the Crown of Scotland Hector and Buchanan found tardy King Edward represses certain Outlaws A Parliament The Earl of Oxford dies John of Luxemburgh King of Bohemia conquers in Italy From p. 55. to p. 65. Chap. V. A Parliament The true Grounds of the Scotch War. A Recapitulation of the Scotch Affairs The Scots Preparations against the War from England King Edward's preparations against Scotland A Parliament at York The Earl of Gueldre marries King Edward's Sister Edmund the young Earl of Kent dies Queen Philippa deliver'd of a Daughter From p. 65. to p. 70. Chap. VI. The Lord Robert of Artois flies into England King Edward summons the Scotch King to his Homage and on his refusal defies him and lays siege to Barwick The Ancestry of James Cecil the present Earl of Salisbury A Combat The Battle of HALIDOUN where King Edward obtains a mighty Victory King Bailiol prosecutes the War in Scotland King David flies into France King Bailiol plays the King in his Absence The Death of an Archbishop a Bishop and a Lord. From p. 70. to p. 83. Chap. VII A Parliament at York King Bailiol does Homage to King Edward as likewise the Duke of Bretagne A Council at Nottingham A Parliament at Westminster King Edward designing for the Holy Land sends Ambassadors to the French King. King Bailiol displeases his Friends and growing weak thereupon reconciles them and recovers King Edward goes towards Scotland The Lord Edward Bohun drown'd From p. 83. to p. 88. Chap. VIII King Philip of Valois undertakes the Croisade but doubting King Edward sifts Him first He rejects K. Edward's Conditions The first Seeds of the French War. Hugh Courtney made Earl of Devonshire A Parliament at York King Edward's Scotch Expedition The Earl of Namur taken by the Scots and the Earl of Murray by the English John Earl of Cornwall's Success in Scotland King Philip of Valois tryes King Edward again The Scotch Nobles submit to King Edward King Philip makes frustrate their Agreement David Earl of Athol slain Two Prodigies with the Death of two great Barons From p. 89. to p. 101. Chap. IX Certain English Lords besiege Dunbar but in vain King Edward orders King Bailiol to take the Field and soon after joyns him King Philip sends a Fleet against England King Edward commissions his Admirals to defend the English Seas He heaps up Money for the War but makes fair Overtures for Peace His Considerations on the French War and the Opinion of his Council thereon His Embassy to the Earl of Hainalt The two Kings put themselves in a Posture John Earl of Cornwall dies A Scotch Tale of his death refuted The Earl of Lincoln dies The Queen of England deliver'd of her Second Son William of Hatfield A Comet with other Prodigies From p. 101. to p. 108. Chap. X. King Edward's second Embassy to the Earl of Hainalt Five hundred English Voluntiers under a Vow King Edward's Methods to reduce the Flemings The Rise and Power of Jacob van Arteveld King Edward makes his Son the Black-Prince Duke of Cornwall and creates seven Earls A Parliament Affairs of Ireland All Aliens Lands seised into the Kings Hands and let to Farm. The Earl of Hainalt dies King Edward challenges the Crown of France and makes Friends in the Empire King Philip attempts the Flemings in vain He sets a Garrison in Cadsant which King Edward beats out King Edward treats with King Philip but finding no good there treats with his Allies The Pope interceeds From p. 108. to p. 120. Chap. XI A Parliament The Cardinals with King Edward's Commissioners return into France Their Overtures rejected King Edward at Antwerp summons his Allies with whom he holds a Parliament and another at Halle He sends to the Emperour and invites his Queen over She is deliver'd at Antwerp of her Third Son Prince Lionel Thomas of Brotherton the King's Vncle dies Naturalization An Enterview between the Emperour and King Edward who is made Lieutenant of the Empire King Edward holds a Parliament in Brabant A Day limited for the Confederate Lords to joyn King Edward who keeps his Court at Antwerp The Duke of Brabant makes fair with the French King. The Black-Prince holds two Parliaments in his Father's Name and obtains a mighty Aid for him The English Navy reinforced From p. 120. to p. 125. Chap. XII King Edward prepares to open the Campaign His Letters to the Pope and Cardinals setting forth his Right to the Crown of France The Pope's Answer thereto From p. 126. to p. 133. Chap. XIII King Edward summons the German Lords to meet at Mechlin They altogether send their Defiances to King Philip. The Lord Walter Manny begins the War. The Earl of Salisbury makes an Incursion into the Bishoprick of Liege The French King's Preparations The French burn Southampton K. Edward lays siege to Cambray And on King Philip's approach rises to meet him The two Kings face one another at Vironfoss A Day appointed for a Decisive Battle King Philip steals away King Edward returns to Antwerp sends for his Eldest Son and keeps Christmass there The Pope's Letters to King Edward The King's Answer Two Parliaments at Westminster From p. 134. to p. 153. Chap. XIV King Edward holds a Parliament at Brussels where he assumes the Arms and Style of France The Reasons why he did so The Queen of England deliver'd of her Fourth Son at Gaunt King James the Second his Pedigree from him by the Mothers Side A Copy of King Edward's Letters Monitory to his French Subjects He returns into England informs the Pope of his Reasons for using the Style and Arms of France The Pope's Answer From p. 154. to p. 162. Chap. XV. The Lord Oliver Ingham routs a French Army King Philip reinforces his Navy and sends to wast the Lord John of Hainalt's Lands The Lord Walter Manny's Brother slain The French King orders an Invasion upon the Lands of the Earl of Hainalt who therefore sends him a Defiance and having revenged himself on the French makes an Allyance with King Edward John Duke of Normandy invades Hainalt King Philip procures the Pope to interdict Flanders Jacob van Arteveld invites the Earl of Salisbury to joyn him before Tournay the said Earl and the Earl of Suffolk's Eldest Son taken Prisoners sent to the French King their Lives saved by the Old King of Bohemia The Duke of Normandy's Success in Hainalt he returns to Cambray Mutual Inreads into France and Hainalt The Duke lays siege to the Castle of Thine l'Evesque The Earl of Hainalt goes to raise the Siege From p. 162. to p. 177. Chap. XVI A Parliament King Edward being inform'd of the strength of the French Navy makes himself strong takes the Sea and engages the French Fleet. His Victory at SCLUCE Neale Loring Knighted for his Valour King Edward's Letters to his Clergy How King
this life to the infinite regret of all good and Loyal Men and particularly of the whole Clergy of England and all other Sons of Learning But the Memory of him and his vertues is again revived in his Noble Heir and Successor Thomas now Earl of Aylesbury and Elgine Who together with the Honours his Father enjoy'd is now Lord Lieutenant of Bedford and Huntington and Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the most Prudent and Heroick Monarch King James the Second His two younger Brothers Robert and James whom I have had the honour to know here in Queens College in Cambridge being most towardly Branches of that Ancient and Flourishing Family Nor is it altogether unworthy to mention the Great Ottomans Death which n Labbeâ— Chronologia Technica ad hunc annum happen'd this year being the 727th of the Turkish Hegira after he had been rearing that vast Monarchy on the ruines of Christian Princes for about 27 Years together This Man was the first Founder of the Glorious Family of the Ottomans which has ever since continued a Plague and Terrour to all Christendom Orchanes his Son succeeded him in the Turkish Empire Also this Year departed three famous Prelates of this Nation the one Dr. James Barkley descended from the Noble House of the Lord Barkley * Bp. Gâ—dn Catal â—pp p. 406. who was consecrated Bishop of Excester on the 15th of March 1326 / 7. by Walter Reginald Archbishop of Canterbury at the Commandment of Queen Isabell being reputed a very holy and discreet Person But he enjoyed the Title not long for about the 24 of June following he deceased and was succeeded by one of equal wisdom and Nobility Dr. John Grandesson of whom as also of his Family more hereafter Dr. Thomas Cobham also Bishop of Worcester died about the 20 of August he was a very learned Man and a great Author o Pits de illust Angl. script An. 1316. Bp. Godwin Catal. p. 443. as his Works declare and by his wonderfull Meekness Bounty Sobriety and Modesty obtain'd an universall love and respect insomuch that he was commonly called the Good-Clerk When he was Canon and Subdean of Salisbury he was first upon the vacancy of that See elected Archbishop of Canterbury but King Edward the Second in favour of Dr. Walter Reginald vacating that Election he was glad in the end to accept the Bishoprick of Worcester He was now buried in the North Isle of the Body of Worcester Cathedral which Isle he had Vaulted over at his own Expence The Bloody Bishop of Hereford succeeded him of whom more in another place Another that went off this Year was p Godwin Catal. p. 129. Dr. Walter Reginald Archbishop of Canterbury of whom something must be said for the Instruction of others He had been Chaplain to King Edward the First by whom he was made Parson of Wimberton and after that Schoolmaster to his Son Edward the Second who in the first Year of his Reign Anno MCCCVII advanced him to the place q Philpot's Catal Treas and Chancel p. 24. p. 37. of Lord Treasurer of England and in the year following to the Bishoprick of Worcester and two years after he made him Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and Chancellor of England After this King Edward was so good a Master to him that upon the Death of the good and learned Dr. Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury he vacated the Election of Dr. Cobham as we shew'd before and caused this Man to be prefer'd to that eminent Dignity And accordingly he was with great Pomp and Solemnity r Godwin p 129. Walsingh hist p. 78. Installed on the 19 of April Anno MCCCXIII the King himself with the Queen and many Nobles honouring him with their Presence He is indeed Å¿ Pits p. 419. by some commended for his love to Learning and Vertue I am sure he wanted these three no mean Qualities Loyalty Constancy and Gratitude For upon the Return of Queen Isabell into England in such Hostile manner as was shew'd before against her Lord and Husband this Man at that time manifested himself to be indeed a good Politician but as Bishop Godwin too mildly phrases it a very t Godw. p. 130. weak Man. For thô a while he seem'd outwardly to adhere to the King his Master yet even then privately he assisted the Queen with vast Sums of Mony as resolving to play his own Game whatever Conscience might perswade or Religion teach to the contrary But when the Kings downfall was now no longer doubtfull then he openly play'd the Traitor forsaking his Lawfull Prince his good Lord and Patron who had gradually advanced him from a mean Condition to the highest Titles of Honour For which thô he scap'd the publique censure of the Law yet did he enjoy the fruits of this double-hearted Dealing but for one Year For on the u Godw. p. 130. c. Thâ—rnes Chron. p. 2039. n. 30. 16 of November following this first Year of King Edwards Reign he died of grief and horror of mind at Mortlack after he had held that Seat 13 years and about seaven Months from his Instalment But here he shall stand mark'd out to Posterity for an Example and terror to all Traitors whom neither the Sacred Function it self nor any other either Dignity or Merit ought in my Opinion to defend from deserved Infamy Since Treason cannot proceed but from the most unworthy and ignoble Minds in the World or however it renders them so Ingratitude of it self is the basest most unjust and ungenerous thing in Nature but Ingratitude to our Natural Prince most abominable beyond all Expression since to his Service we are most strictly obliged by Laws Divine and Humane How much more then when he is unto us a Good and Gracious Lord and heapeth upon our Heads many signall and personal Favours He was succeeded by a very Worthy and Learned Doctor in Divinity x Thornes Chro. p. 2039. Walsin hist p. 109. Godwin p. 131. Pitsae p. 429. Simon Mepham an Oxford Man by Education by Birth of Kent and Canon at that time of Chichester This Year were seen y M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C. C. C. Cantab. c. 214. ad fin two Moons in the Firmament the one was clear and the other dark as at times might be seen over all the World and now the Quarrel was high between Pope John XXII who kept his Court at Avignon in Provence and Lewis of Bavaria Emperour of Germany who in revenge of his being Excommunicated by the said Pope went to Rome being invited thither z Labb Chron. Techn ad hunc ann by the Faction of the Gibellines where he set up an Antipope against Pope John by whom he was crowned Emperour But this new Pope was soon laid aside thô the Dissention between the Emperour and the Pope was never sully made up And because of the foresaid Prodigy and others that happen'd about the same time it was commonly
safe with a merry Gale to Dover In their Approach to London f Knighton p. 2552. the Mayor and Aldermen went forth in their Habits well attended to meet their New Queen and to do her honour 'T was about Christmass when she came to London and the whole City enlarged their Joys and Feastings in honour of so welcome a Guest From London they all went to York where the Court then was and there g Id. Ibid. Frois c. 19. Fabian p. 195. Lit. Dom. C.B. on the twenty fourth Day of January being a Sunday and the Eve of St. Pauls Conversion the Marriage was Solemnized at which Dr. h M.S. Vet. Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. c. 216. William Melton Archbishop of York and Dr. John Hotham Bishop of Ely sang the Mass And afterward i Sandford Geneal hist p. 159. on the first Sunday in Lent following was the Young Queen crown'd at Westminster with much Pomp and Glory Upon these happy Nuptials there was great Joy over all England but especially at Court where there was nothing but Justs and Turnaments in the Day-time Maskings Revels and Interludes with Songs and Dances in the Evenings and continual Feasting with great Magnificence for three Weeks together Soon after the Queens Coronation all except a very few of her Attendants Relations and Countrymen departed with her Uncle the Lord John of Beaumont into their own Country highly satisfied with their Entertainment and well rewarded by the King of England Among those few necessary Servants that stay'd here with her there was one a very proper and well-shap'd young Gentleman of strong Limbs and exalted Courage named Sr. Walter Manny k Frois c. 19. Lord of the Town of Manny in the Diocess of Cambray who was then Carver to the Queen but after that became for his exceeding Valour Generosity and Eminence in all Vertue One of the most Renowned and Gallant Knights in the whole World as the Sequel of this History will abundantly declare Now l Ashmole p. 669 there had been before in this King's Father's Days several other Matches proposed for him thô none of them took but this last And first his Father had design'd him for the Lady Margaret Eldest Daughter to William the Good Earl of Heinalt and Sister to this Queen Philippa who was afterwards Married to Lewis the Emperour Another time for Sibylla a Kinswoman of the said Earls and thirdly for Iolant the Daughter of James King of Aragon fourthly for the Lady Eleanora Sister to Alphonso King of Spain and while this Match was in Treaty another Alphonso King of Portugal propos'd his Daughter to the Prince but neither this nor that came to any effect because all former measures were broken by that great and sudden Alteration of Affairs in England II. And thus was King Edward a Married Man at the age of Fifteen but not fully Lord of himself being kept from the true Knowledge of Affairs by the Queen Dowager and her Minion the Lord Mortimer who by his great Power with her so Lorded it over his Betters that he began to grow insupportable to the Kings Uncles and Henry Earl of Lancaster which ill-will of their's was encreased by this Occasion In m M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. c. 216. Whitsunday Week being the latter end of May there was a Parliament held at Northampton in which first King Edward began to stir about his Title to France For Charles the Fair King of France and Brother to his Mother Isabella Queen Dowager of England being lately dead without Issue-Male notwithstanding that King Edward acknowledged their Salic Law whereby an Infant Daughter of the said Charles was excluded wherefore neither did He claim the Crown for his Mother yet he maintain'd this Point n Mezeray ad an 1328. That the Sons of the Daughters having no such Imbecillity of Sex were not at all uncapable and that so the Peers of France ought to prefer him who was a Male and Grandchild to King Philip the Fair before Philip of Valois another Pretender to that Crown who was but a Nephew These things o Antiq. Brit. p. 228. n. 50. being discussed in Parliament it was thereupon Ordained That Adam Orleton Bishop of Worcester and Roger Northborough Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield should go into France and there in the Name of King Edward their Master claim that Kingdom and as much as in them lay hinder the Coronation of the said Philip of Valois But of this matter we shall say no more till we are called to enter upon the Wars of France which King Edward in his Riper Years undertook upon this Occasion Now we must look upon him as influenced by others counsels and so neither Formidable abroad nor Powerfull at home and one notable Instance thereof appeared in this very Parliament at Northampton where not so much the Honour and Profit of the King and his Realm was respected as the enriching security and advancement of the Lord Mortimer Here the two Spencers Father and Son Edmund late Earl of Arundel who had been executed by the Queen Mothers Party without any legal Process made against them And Walter Stapleton late Bishop of Excester whom for firmly adhering to his Master King Edward the Second against Queen Isabell's Pretensions the Commons of London had in a seditious tumult illegally beheaded together with his brother p Godw. Catal. B shops p. 405. Sr. Richard Stapleton a valiant and loyal Knight who died in the same manner at the same time all these now thô dead * Martin Ed. 3. p. 104. M. S. Record p. 12. Sr Rob. Cottons Abridgm p. 8. were in this Parliament attainted of High Treason by the directions and influence of the Queen Mother and the Lord Mortimer Whether it proceeded of implacable Malice which recked not to pursue them even into their Graves or whether by this means they meant to cover their former unjustifiable Proceedings against those Persons by a subsequent countenancing of the Action in Parliament Such pittifull shifts are Men put to when once they deviate from the straight way of Justice and Vertue thô at last all disguises must fall off and Wickedness appear open in all its natural Turpitudes From the same Influence also at this time by very subtle dealing and precontrived Overtures which the Scots were underhand dealt withall to propose a base and dishonourable Peace was struck up with that Nation profitable indeed to Mortimer and the Old Queen who with Adam Orleton Bishop of Worcester were the chief contrivers of it but utterly inconsistent with the Honour of the Young King or Profit of his Realm and People The Reason that moved the Scots to part with so much Money as was given by them upon the Establishing this Peace was because they were beforehand assured that they should have a good Return made them in consideration thereof beside they were sure to loose much more by the War next Year if continued because their
subtle and crafty insinuations he made himself Necessary to this Queens Counsels than that his Person could ever render him acceptable to her Bed She her self being accounted one of the most Delicate Ladies of that Age. Whereas He was not only a Married man but a Father of Eleven Children by most of whom he was at his Death a Grandfather Howbeit near this time the King being sensible of her Wickedness to the King his Father p Holinshead Engl. Chrâ—n p. 895. c. confin'd her to perpetual Imprisonment at Riseings near London being in Filial Piety obliged to do no more against the Mother nor no less for the Sake of his Father The Greek Tragedians might have sav'd Orestes from his Mothers Furies had they given him the Discerning Justice of this Young English Prince to Revenge indeed his Fathers Death but not so as by shedding of his own Mothers Blood. Nay herein he not only transcended the Vertue of a Pagan Heroe but shew'd himself both more Pious and more Discreet than that Christian Prince his Predecessor Edward the Confessor who only upon a bare suspicion of Adultery in his Mother Emma caused her to pass q Milton's Hist Engl. l 6. p. 287 Antiqu. Britann p. 98. Blindfold over Nine Burning Plow-shares after the Law of the Ordeal a Fiery Tryal indeed before any Proof made Immediately upon this Confinement of the Old Queens all her Vast and Immoderate Dowry was siesed into the King's Hands but some Plate and Jewels with other Furniture convenient for her Estate were still left unto her and besides the King her Son allow'd her during Life three Thousand Marks or a Thousand Pounds sterling which was afterwards Augmented to four Thousand Pounds per annum for her Maintenance and went himself constantly whilst she lived which was almost Twenty Eight Years after to visit her Once or Twice a Year Nevertheless He often sent her many Goodly Presents and Granted several Advantages as of Fairs and the like and for her Greater Diversion would frequently cause many Rare and Pleasant Shews to be Represented before her both within and without the Castle to which upon Occasion she was permitted to come But certain Limits were appointed and the Keeper of the Castle on Peril of his Head was to secure his Royal Prisoner CHAPTER the FOURTH The CONTENTS I. Henry Earl of Lancaster founds the New Hospital at Leicester The Popes Grant to King Edward with his Opinion about the Souls of the Departed II. The Lord James Douglas of Scotland kill'd in Spain III. Edward Baliol claims the Crown of Scotland against David Bruce with the Event IV. Hector and Buchanan found tardy V. King Edward represses the Licence of certain Outlaws VI. A Parliament at Westminster VII Robert Vere the Good Earl of Oxford dies King John of Bohemia his Victories in Italy I. THUS at last the Nation being by this due course of long-intermitted Justice cleans'd from the sin of shedding so much Royal Blood AN. DOM. 1330 An. Regni IV. began to smile again with new Hopes And now that the Heavy load of Rebellion and Murder was lay'd on the Heads of the Authors of either the whole Kingdom sprang out with new Joy and the Royal Throne became fixed and settled being arm'd with the Sword of just Authority and from this time all publique Transactions succeeded with an uninterrupted serenity For no doubt if we look seriously into the Dispensations of Providence we may safely conclude from a prospect of these Affairs that one Reason why hitherto our Arms were improsperous and so various Misfortunes daily encroached upon the rising Glories of this Young King was that Judgments were still owing to the Land for the late Rebellion and Treason which till now could not be throughly expiated The Good old a Knighton p. 2559. n. 40. Henry Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster High-Steward of England being now almost blind with age but having first seen the Redemption of his King and Country from the slavery go which Mortimer's Insolence and Cruelty had well nigh brought it in pious Gratitude to Divine Providence and in contemplation of his own Deliverance built and founded to the Honour of God the New-Hospital by the Castle of Leicester which he also endow'd with sufficient Maintenance for one Hundred Impotent and Aged People of whose Wants his own Age made him not a little sensible Which pious Work received its Completion from his Son Henry the first Duke of Lancaster This Year Pope b Walsing Hypod p. 112. n. 10 John the XXII to ingratiate himself with our Young King grants him the Tythes of all Spirituals for four Years reserving however one Moiety to himself So wisely liberal was his Holiness both to himself and others of what was not his own This c Victerel p. 871 Pope was of Opinion that the Souls of the Blessed shall not see the Face of God till the Day of Judgment as were also all the Cardinals of his Court except d Victerel p. 879 James Furnere Priest-Cardinal titulo Sanctae Priscae commonly called the White Cardinal who also immediately succeeded this Pope by the name of Benedict the XII Now it e Thorne's Chr. p. 2067. n. 20. ad n. 60. happen'd that Ralph de Berne alias Barnes Abbot of St. Austen's in Canterbury being dead Thomas Poncy D. D. was chosen Abbot whereupon he went to Avignion to be Consecrated of the Pope There being look'd upon as a Man famous for Learning and of deep knowledge in Divinity he was by the Pope enjoyned among many Others to study the Point and to deliver his Thoughts thereupon openly in the Consistory He would fain have excus'd the Matter as fearing thereby to disoblige the Pope and so to retard his own Business by saying That he had not his Books about him and that he came not thither to engage in Disputations but to dispatch his Business and that he could not make any long stay in those Foreign parts without being at vast expences But all this notwithstanding he was not suffered to depart till he should declare his mind as to the Premises the Pope offering him a free use of his Library Hereupon thô for the most part Others approv'd of the Pope's Opinion even against their Consciences least otherwise they should incurr his Displeasure our Doctor Thomas Poncy resolving rather to hazard all things than to contradict the Catholick Faith or his own Conscience held the Affirmative of the Question and stifly maintain'd it by Word of mouth and by Writing Which afterwards turned to his great Honour this same Pope upon his Death recanting his former Opinion as erroneous But for this small Digression we crave pardon II. Thô not much more to our purpose yet not altogether impertinent were those two memorable Battels fought this Year between the Pagans and Christians the One in f Knighton p. 2559. n. 30. c. Armenia upon the Plains of Lyas where Cassanus the King of Tharsis
wholly acquitted thereupon As indeed by this time both his Father and Grandfather too might have been had not the too speedy violence of their Enemies taken them both out of the way Yet 't is observable by this Sr. Hugh the younger whose Manuprizors were Sr. Ebulo le Strange and eleven other Knights as also by Thomas Lord Barkley who had as many Manuprisors thô he was acquitted the last year that it was a custome to say no more in those days when any one had been tryed as an Offender against the King thô he were thereof acquitted or had his Pardon yet ſ M. S. p. 15. 16. Sr Rob. Cotton p. 10. notwithstanding he was to provide Twelve of his Peers to be Sureties for his Forth-coming during the Kings pleasure The Discontinuance of which custom has been too usefull to Traytors in our days It was also here moved by the whole Parliament either in compassion of Innocence or because all their Rancour was satisfied in the execution of Mortimer that the King's Majesty would be graciously pleased to extend some Favour to Sr. Edmund Eldest Son to the late Earl of March. At which bold request the King being offended as imagining they petition'd for his full Restoration to his Fathers Lands and Honours asked them with some Emotion What they would have since the King his Father had been murder'd by the procurement of the said Earl The Parliaments Answer was they only spake in the Young Man's behalf for some certain Lands Intail'd to which the King replied That he himself would do what to him should seem best at his Pleasure Which severity went so near to the heart of the young Lord that before the end of the Year t Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 147. he died in the Flower of his Age leaving behind him Roger his Son and Heir then but three Years of age which Roger three and twenty Years after was fully restor'd to all the Lands and Honours of his Grandfather It is u M.S. p. 14. §. 5. Sr Rob. Cotton p. 10. §. 5. c. agreed that all Feats of Arms shall be defended as well by the Justices as Others untill the King and his Council do otherwise appoint It is agreed that Queen Isabell the King's Mother shall have yearly four thousand Pounds in Rents or Lands All the Estates in full Parliament do agree that none of them shall retain sustain or avow any Felon or other common Breaker of the Law. It is enacted that no Purveyance be made but for the King Queen and their Children and that by good Warrant and ready Payment The King shall appoint certain Persons to determine the Office of Thomas de Ferrers and Other his Brethren of the Parsonage of Marleston in the County of Leicester Commandment is given to the Abbot of Crowland and Thomas Lord Wake of Lidel between whom there had been debate to keep the Kings Peace The like command was given to Sr. William de la Zouch of Ashby and Sr. John Grey of Rotherfield Stephen Gravesend Bishop of London was taken into the Kings Privy Council and took his Place at the Board accordingly At the request of the whole Estate the King now at last dischargeth the Lord Thomas Barkley of his Mainprisors day being given to him to appear at the next Parliament Whereas Sr. Henry Percy for the Yearly Fee of 500 Marks stood bound to serve the King with a certain number of Men as well in Peace as in War The King in release of the said Fee granteth to the said x In my M.S. and Sr. Rob. Cotton too he is here called an Earl thô the First Percy Earl of Northumberland was not till the Coronation of King Richard the Second An. 1377. vid. Mills Catal. He p. 718. Sr. Henry in Fee the Castle of Workworth in Northumberland and the Mannor of Rochbury In this Parliament Sr. Robert y Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 154. Benhale who was then or soon after a Baron of the Realm and a most noble and couragious Knight in his time as we shall have Occasion to see hereafter with William Clopton and John Clopton all young spritely Gentlemen having been convicted before the Justices of Assize in Norfolk and Suffolk of certain Ryots and other youthfull Extravagancies were brought to appear in full Parliament with several Knights and Esquires their Sureties where each of them was fin'd and further bound with other Sureties for his good Behaviour For at this time Justice being provok'd by the Insolence of those who took too great liberty during the Kings Minority was every where severely administred as in the next years Parliament we shall see more particularly Sundry Merchants of Brabant having been arrested by English Merchants for Wools taken up to the use of the Duke of Brabant upon the said Duke's request the King commands all the said English Merchants to appear before the Council and abide further Order therein About this time King Edward z Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 148. confer'd on the young Sr. Walter Manny Carver to his Queen the Honour of Knighthood here in England by Bathing and other sacred Ceremonies with allowance of Robes for that Solemnity out of the Kings Wardrobe as for a Baneret And in the Sequel of this History we shall see how worthily he behav'd himself in this Honour VII There a Mill's Catal. Hener p. 683. departed this life on the 19 of April this Year the Lord Robert Vere called the Good Earl of Oxford Lord of Bolebec Samford and High-Chamberlain of England So Valiant that King Edward the First often employ'd him in his greatest Affairs with equal success so Temperate that he had the common Repute of a Saint He was solemnly interred at the Priory of Colne and because he left no Issue of his Body was succeeded in his Honours by his Nephew Sr. John Vere son of his Brother Alphonso who was now about Nineteen years of Age The Arms of this Honourable Family are Quatterly Gules and Or in the First a Mullet Argent which have belonged to the Earls of Oxford of that House and Name from the Year of our Lord 1140 even down to our days In these days John of Luxemburgh Son and Heir to Henry of Luxemburgh once Emperour of Germany the most valiant King of Bohemia * Lanquets Chread hunc annum invading Italy brought under his subjection Brescia Bergamo Lucca Parma Reggio and Modena of whose noble Exploits and Death we shall have Occasion to speak hereafter But the Occasion of his Wars in Italy may be seen in the Writers of that Nation and no where more particularly than in Odoricus Rainaldus his Continuation of Baronius his Annals of the Church at the Year of our Lord 1330 and after CHAPTER the FIFTH The CONTENTS I. A Parliament at Westminster II. The true Grounds of the Scotch War enquired into III. A Recapitulation of the Scotch Affairs from the first Invasion of Bailiol to this time IV.
the King either could not or would not of themselves be fully resolved but after the manner of that Age wished the King to Advise first with the Pope and also with the French King both which befriended King David of Scotland and concern'd themselves in his matters However King Edward was so far from either violating the Peace first or even when 't was done by the Scots from precipitating himself into a War that thô the French King did openly abett the Scots and the Pope did abett France as palpably yet he follow'd this Counsel For we find that about this time among others k Philipet's Catal Chanceli p. 36. he sent this same Bishop of Winchester into France concerning these Affairs Of whom this is observable that being then Lord Chancellour he did not as afterwards Cardinal Woolsey did in the Days of King Henry the VIII presumptuously carry the Great Seal with him beyond the Seas but left it in his Absence with those who both could and would be responsible for it during his abode in France And these things being thus done the l M. S. Sr. Rob. Cotton ibid. Commons had all leave to depart but the Lords were Commanded to attend the next day at which time the King dissolved the Parliament It is observable that on the first day of this Parliaments sitting Commandment was given to the Mayor of York in Presence of the King in full Parliament to see the King's Peace kept in the same City and the Suburbs thereof and to arrest them that did the contrary Also that Proclamation against Weapons and Plays should be made by the Steward and Martial before the Parliament-House and by the Mayor and Bayliffs in the City of York VI. Thus this Year ended the Peace not yet broke on the English part but all things being in so loose a Posture that nothing seem'd more certain than that a War would inevitably follow The Princess m Speeds Ed. 2. p. 564. §. 81. Eleanora King Edward's Younger Sister being about fourteen Years of Age was this Year given in Marriage to Reginald the Second Earl of Gueldre a great Lover of King Edward and the English Nation Her Portion was 15000 pounds Sterling no small Summe of Money in those Days for we find in Ancient Times that even the Marriages of the Daughters of France n Causin's Holy Câ—art l. 3. part 1 §. 39. n. 60. exceeded not 6000 Crowns ready Money thô in our Days a Merchant of London has made his Daughter worth Forty Sixty and a Hundred Thousand Pounds This Lady thô his second Wife brought to the said Earl two hopefull Sons Reginald and Edward both Dukes successively after their Father For when afterward King Edward was made Vicar of the Sacred Empire he Created this Earl Reginald Duke of Gueldre since which that Earldom became a Dukedom In her passage to Guelderland she was Honourably attended by many English Knights among whom was o Dugd. Bar. 1 Vol. p. 154. William Lord Zouch of Mortimer and Sr. Constantine Mortimer his Kinsman both Branches of that Great Family of the Mortimers late Lords of Wigmore Sr. Constantine four Years after became Steward of the Houshold to the foresaid Countess of Gueldre This p Sandford's Geneal Hist p. 214. Claus 6. Ed. 3. m. 31. Year the Lord Edmund Plantagenot Eldest Son of Edmund of Woodstock late Earl of Kent departed this Life being at his Death the King's Ward and so without Issue Whereupon his Brother John succeeded him in the said Earldom To repair which Diminution of the Royal Branches in England Queen q Knighton p. 2560. Speed p. 590. b. Stow p. 231. c. Philippa soon after Christmas was happily deliver'd at Woodstock near Oxford of her second Child a fair Daughter who was Christened by the Name of Isabella and many Years after by the King her Father given in Marriage to the Honourable and Valiant Lord Ingelram Coucy Earl of Guisnes and Soissons and in time Archduke of Austria CHAPTER the SIXTH AN. DOM. 1333. An. Regni VII The CONTENTS I. The Lord Robert Earl of Artois in Picardy being prosecuted by the French King flies into England to King Edward's Protection and becomes a Firebrand of the War against his Country II. King Edward Summons the King of Scotland to come and do Homage as also to render Barwick unto him with King David's Reply III. King Edward in Parliament resolves on a War with Scotland and sends his Defiance IV. Mutual Inroads as Praeludiums to the War with the Siege of Barwick V. King Edward's expedition in Scotland and return to the Siege before Barwick where he is met by the Lord Darcy VI. A Combat between a Scotch and English Knight with the Battle of Halidown VII The Names of the English Lords in that Battle with an account of the Loss on both sides Barwick taken and Garrison'd by King Edward VIII King Edward's Devotion after the Victory He leaves Edward Bailiol to prosecute the War in Scotland King David flies into France and makes a League Offensive and Defensive with King Philip. IX King Bailiol's Success in Scotland he calls a Parliament at St. Johnston to which the English Lords his Assistants come and do Homage for their Lands held in that Kingdom The Year concludes with the Death of the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Durham and the Lord Hugh Poynz I. THat it may appear that National Commotions and Destructive Wars do come by the Ordinance of God for the Correction of Pride Injustice or other Sins I shall here briefly touch at the seeds of the French War which being cast about this time lasted for so many years and brought forth so many strange and notable Events thô when first sow'd they seem'd so small and inconsiderable King Philip of Valois who now wore the Crown of France a Frois c. 25. obtain'd it at first chiefly by the Assistance Conduct and Authority of a Mighty Peer of that Kingdom named Robert Earl of Artois who was one of the most Noble Valiant and Politick Lords in France of High Lineage and Prince of the Blood. He had married King Philips's German Sister and was ever his Chief and Special Friend and Counsellour as well before in his private Condition as now in his Regal Eminence Insomuch that for the space of three or four Years nothing of any moment passed in all that Kingdom but at the Advise and Discretion of the Lord Robert of Artois This Lord Robert besides the Relation he bore to King Edward as having Married the Sister of King Philip who was Uncle to Queen Philippa was also by the b Sandford Geneal Hist p. 94. Mother's side descended from King Henry the Third of England King Edward's Great Grandfather by the Lady Blanch of Bretagne who was Daughter to Beatrice second Daughter to the said King Henry the Third He was the Son of Philip Earl of Artois Lord of Conches and Damfront and
took a fifteenth of all the Commonalty of his Realm in Wooll the Price of every Stone Rated at fourteen Pound per Stone at two shillings And yet before this e Knighton p. 2570. n. 10. 20. about the Feast of all Saints he had sent the Bishop of Lincoln and the Earls of Northampton and Suffolk with ten Thousand Sacks of Wooll into Brabant to make Retainors in High Germany and there at the same time they sold all their Wooll every Sack for fourty Pounds which amounts in all to 400000 Pounds Besides all this he is said about this time to have seised on the Wealth of the Cluniacks and Cistertians Aliens of which we spake in the former Chapter and of the Lombards f Odoric Rainald ad An. 1337. §. 21. and all the Triennial Tythes which were first intended for the Holy War. Nor was the French King behind him in these Arts of Raising Money for he also laying Usury to their Charge confiscated all that the Lombards had Coyned Moneys both Gold and silver of a less Value and drain'd the Clergy Exceedingly On the First g Rot. Alman 12. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 36. vid. Pat. de â—â—d in p. 1. â— 24. of March at the Cardinals Instance the King Prorogued the foresaid Truce to Midsummer following in case the King of France should consent to it and give Security that it should be observed after which on the 21 of the said Month the Cardinals who h Knighton p. 2570. n. 20. cost the Church of England fifty Marks per diem all the time of their stay here took Sea at Dover the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London bearing them Company with intent to further the Treaty between the two Kings but because all their Endeavours brought forth no Accommodation we shall say no more of their Proceedings But hasten to the Matter in Hand King Edward when it was understood i Ashmole p. 649. that the French King refus'd to give Security for the observing the Truce inviolably being advised to revoke the latter Prorogation did so on the sixth of May and immediately set himself about a Journey into Flanders there Personally to confer with his Allies in pursuance of his Design against France But before he went upon the Cardinals further importunity a Commission was issued * 21 Jun. Râ—t Aleman 12 Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 5. to John Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of Durham Robert Earl of Suffolk Sr. Geoffry Scroop Knight and Mr. John Hufford Archdeacon of Ely with Power to Treat and agree touching all things in Difference between the two Kings in Reference to a full and final Peace And by another Commission bearing the same Date of the 21 of June the Duke of Brabant the Earls of Heinalt and Gueldre the Marquess of Juliers and Sr. William Dunort Lord of Ostervandt Knight are added to them These Commissions were double and of two several Styles in the One the King calls King Philip only Philippus de Valois Consanguineus noster Franciae but in the other Excellentissimus Princeps Dominus Philippus Rex Franciae Illustris Consanguineus noster Charissimus II. But these Offers being all rejected and Jacob k Frois c. 32. van Arteveld urgently requesting his Presence in Flanders the King at last on the * Ashmole p. 649 Walsing hist 119. 16 of July took shipping at the Port of Orewell near Harwich in Suffolk with a Royal Navy of l Avesbury 300 alti 500 Sail and many great Barons of England in his Company among whom were m De his â—mnilus vid. Dugd. Bar. ad singulorum nomina hunc an Ed. 3. Henry Earl of Darby William Montague Earl of Salisbury Robert Earl of Suffolk the Lord John Fauconberg Norman Lord Darcy Hugh Lord Meinill John Lord Beaumont Son to Henry Vicount Beaumont Earl of Buqhan in Scotland Nicolas Lord Cantilupe Sr. John Beauchamp a younger Brother of Thomas Earl of Warwick Sr. Robert Benhale of Norfolk that vanquished Turnbull the Scot Sr. Otho n Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 181. vid. Bp. Godw. Catal. Bpps p. 406. Grandesson Son of Gilbert or William Grandesson who was Brother to the Great Otho Lord Grandison descended of the Ancient House of the Grandessons Dukes of Burgundy Sr. Walt. Manny many others of High Birth Youth and Courage for King Edward chose the most Personable of all his Nobility to accompany him in this Expedition thereby to gain the greater Reverence to the English Nation from Strangers who should see their Proportion Shape and Stature These were all with their Retinues Men of Arms besides whom the King had a great o Knighton p. 2571. n. 20. Joh. Villan l. 110. c. 83. Multitude of Archers and Welchmen with all whom he arrived at Antwerp belonging then to the Duke of Brabant on the 22 of July While he resided here People came flocking from all Parts to see him and to observe the Royal Magnificence of his Court He for his part upon his first Landing had sent out his Summons to his Cosin the Duke of Brabant to his Brother-in-Law the Earl of Gueldre to the Marquess of Juliers to the Lord John of Heinalt Uncle to the young Earl and to all others in whom he had any confidence signifying unto them that he would gladly confer with them at Antwerp They accordingly came all thither within two days after at which time King Edward p Ashmole p. 649. ex Rot. Alman fact apud Antwerp Julii 22. 12 Ed. 3. m. 7. 3. expresly revoked all the Power which he had given formerly to his several Commissioners to Treat with Philip of Valois as King of France and then he desired to know their Minds and when they would in good Earnest perform what they had undertaken in his behalf He earnestly also required them to dispatch what they intended with all possible Expedition q Frois c. 32. for to that purpose he said he was come thither with his Forces ready prepared to begin the War and that it would be an infinite damage to him to protract the Matter much longer The Lords having consulted among themselves return'd this Answer Sir our coming hither at this time was rather to give your Majesty a Visit then for any thing else we are not yet prepared to give a Determinate Answer to your Demands But by your leave we shall go back again among our Subjects Friends and Allies and return hither at what time you shall please to fix us when we shall give you so direct and positive an Answer that it will nor appear otherwise but that We shall well have done our Devoirs The King shew'd them what Charges he had been at and still was like to be with these Delays that he expected to have found all ready at his coming thither but since it was not so He for his part resolved not to return to England till he had a plain Answer from them one
English Esquire of honourable Parentage called John Chandos who afterwards became a great Lord and a Noble Captain of whose rare Valour and wise Conduct this our History will produce many famous Instances This valiant Esquire cast himself first of any between the Barriers and the Gate where he was presently taken up by an Esquire of Vermandois called John of St. Dizier and so between these two there were performed many notable Feats of Arms that it was a gallant sight to behold them till new-comers on both sides parted them For John Chandos was so well follow'd by others both English and Hainalders that the Barriers were clearly won by force the Earl himself being now entred with his Marshals Sr. Gerard of Verchin and Sr. Henry Dantoigne and others who adventur'd their Bodies couragiously to crown their Names with Immortality At another Gate called the Gate Robert the mean while fought Sr. John of Hainault the Earls Uncle with the Lord of Faulquemont the Lord of Engien and the Lord Walter Manny and their Companies who maintained a fierce and honourable Assault But Cambray was not to be won easily the French King had so well furnished the Place with valiant Knights and Esquires who delighted in Arms and defended themselves and the City so bravely that the Assailants got nothing that day but dry Blows and at last returned to their Lodgings weary and well beaten For the Duke of Normandy's Presence and the hopes of a speedy Relief from the King his Father was an invincible Bulwark to them against Despair and the Bishop of Cambray preached well to the Souldiers chiefly for his own Sake For he was the first Occasion of betraying the City to King Philip in hate to the Emperour who was excommunicate by the Pope To this Siege came John the young Earl of Namur at the Earl of Heinalts desire to serve the King of England But he at his first coming declared That he would use his Utmost endeavours in the King of Englands Service while he should continue within the bounds of the Empire but as soon as ever he should enter the Realm of France he said he must take his leave of him and go to the Service of the French King who had retained him before Of the same Resolution was the Earl of Hainalt for he had privately commanded his Captains on pain of Death that none of them should presume to act any thing of Hostility within the French Pale VII While thus the King of England held Siege before Cambray with 40000 Men of Arms besides Archers and Footmen and hardly pressed the Besieged with continual Assaults King Philip made his General Rendezvous at Perone in Vermandois a Tract of Picardy 5 leagues from Cambray and news came daily to the Camp of his great Preparations to raise the Siege King Edward hereupon consulted with the Lord Robert of Artois in whom he reposed an entire Confidence demanding of him whether it were better to March forward toward Perone and bravely meet his Adversary in his own Realm or still to lie before Cambray till he should win it by Force He as he was a Person of rare Wisdom concurred with the Lords of England in this Opinion That since the City was strong and well furnished with Warriers Victuals and Ammunition so that it would require much time to constrain it and that they were not sure to win it at last since especially the Winter season drew on apace and they as yet had done nothing worthy the Fame of so gallant an Army but lay in a manner idle at much Charge and Expence Upon these Reasons they judg'd it best for his Majesty to leave an uncertain and unprofitable Siege and to set forward into the Realm of France where they might find more Forage and plenty of all things and in all likelihood presently obtain a Battle This Advice prevailing the Army was order'd to rise from before Cambray and to follow the Marshals Banners Then their Tents and Pavilions and all manner of Harness being truss'd up they departed thence in good order toward Mount St. Martin on the Borders of France The Marshals of the English Army were William Bohun Earl of Northampton and Hugh Audely Earl of Glocester with Robert Hufford Earl of Suffolk the Lord High-Constable was Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick and thus they all passed the River of Skell on a Knighton p. 2574. St. Matthews day at their ease the whole Country of Cambresis being destroyed as they went along with Fire But when the Earl of Hainault had accompanied the King of England as far as the Empires Bounds reached that way and that he should pass the River and enter the Realm of France he then took leave of the King his Brother-in-Law saying He would ride no further with him at that time for King Philip his Uncle had sent for him and he would not incurr his Displeasure but intended now to serve him in France as he had done to King Edward in the Empire So he and the Earl of Namur with their Men rode back to Quesnoy in Hainalt at which place the Earl for the present dismist most of his Men commanding them to be ready when he should send for them for he said that shortly he design'd to go and help his Uncle King Philip But the Dukes of Brabant and Gueldre and the other German Lords with all their Troops went over the River with King Edward as did also the Lord John of Heinalt and his Brigade by the express Leave of the Earl his Nephew As soon as the Army was got over the great River of Skell into the Realm of France b Frois c. 39. among many others whom King Edward Knighted at that time one whereof was John Chandos aforesaid he called unto him a young lusty Esquire a Native of Brabant whose right Name was Henry Eam thô commonly called Henry of Flanders and there presently he Dubbed him Knight assigning him at the same time for his better maintenance 200 l. Sterling per annum to be raised of certain Lands in England This Gentleman was of great Nobility and Valour but above all of singular Loyalty to King Edward and of extraordinary strength of Body and of a promising Aspect whereby he purchased such esteem from this King who was a wonderfull Judge of mens Persons that he was afterwards by him chosen to be one of the First Founders of the most Noble Order of the Garter But in this our History he shall go by the Name of Sr. Henry of Flanders that being his more usual Title in Froisard his Name of Eam or Esme seldom occurring Which gave occasion to the learned Esquire Ashmole to say that he could meet with little or nothing relating to him whereas we shall find frequent mention of his Honourable Actions under the foresaid Title but indeed nothing under his true Name of Eam Thô 't is worth our Observation that as here Froisard says truly how he was now first made
who lay on the other side of the River with a goodly Army saw how these Lords his Enemies were thus lodged between Sars and Ausne he sent Word to the King his Father letting him know how great the Earl of Hainalts Forces were and how they still encreased daily King Philip being then at Perone sent presently 1200 Spears to the Reinforcement of his Son and he himself soon after went to the Army but Incognito and like a private Souldier for he was under an Obligation made by Oath to the Emperour never to come against any Lords of the Empire or those that held thereof without the Imputation of flat Perjury Which by this pittifull Salvo he thought now to avoid Wherefore the Duke of Normandy his Son was still look'd upon and named the Chief General of the whole Army thô all the while he did nothing but by the Advice and at the Command of the King his Father When those who were besieged in Thine saw the Earl of Hainalt come to their Aid with such a Mighty Power they were well refreshed as well with the Conscience of having held out so gallantly as with sure Hopes of an easie Deliverance But all their Friends were not come yet for on the fourth Day after the Earls Arrival there came to him a fresh Accession of considerable Forces from Valenciennes under the Conduct of Sr. John de Bossu Provost of the City Upon this Reinforcement the Earl of Hainalt began to skirmish with the Frenchmen couragiously But neither were they wanting to do their Devoir so that with Arrows Quarrels and Engines many were slain and hurt on both sides but the Armies could not as yet joyn Battle because the River Sambre ran between them l Fabian p. 269. Only the Skirmishers fought daily together by means of four Bridges that lay over the River which yet were well kept on both sides that neither could pass over to the other without apparent Disadvantage While thus the two Armies lay by the River Sambre the French toward France and the Hainalders towards their own-Country the Foragers on both sides rode forth daily to fetch in Provision for the Army but they never encountred one another because the River parted them Only a strong Detachment of the French went forth and burnt in the Country of Ostervandt where it had not been wasted before as part of the Town m Fabian ibid. of Quesnoy and other Villages thereabout which the Hainalders requited by burning in like manner in the Country of Cambresis While n Frois c. 49. fol. 29. both Armies stood thus confronting each other there came to the Earl of Hainalts Aid at the Perswasion and under the Conduct of Jacob van Arteveld 60000 Flemings well-arm'd and in good Array Wherefore now that the Earl found himself above an 100000 strong he sent by his Heralds to the Duke of Normandy demanding Battle of him for he said it could not but prove a shame to that Party of the two who should now decline the fight when both Armies were so equally great and alike provided The Duke said he would ask Counsel of his Lords but they were so long in Debate that the Heralds were fain to come back for that time without any Answer at all The third Day after therefore the Earl having all this while received no Return to his Message sent again to the Duke to know his final Resolution The Duke repli'd That he was not sufficiently convinced that it was necessary to give his Enemies Battle at their pleasure but at his own rather That the Earl was too hot and hasty but might perhaps be cooled some time or other The Earl hearing this took it but for meer Tergiversation and Delay and so declared to his Chief Lords and Captains the Summ of his two Messages with the Answer and that he was resolv'd to fling a Bridge over and go and give them Battle in spight of their Teeth demanding their Opinions thereupon At this they all began to look on each other every Man being unwilling to speak First but by and by the Duke of Brabant spake thus for all To make a Bridge and so to go over and fight the French whatever I should think in other Circumstances is not my Opinion at this time For I am most certainly assured that the King of England will very shortly come over the Sea and lay his Siege before Tournay and you know we have all sworn to aid and succour him to the utmost of our Power If we should now fight the French and have so ill success as to lose the Field King Edward would miss of his Purpose and be wholly disappointed of the help he expecteth of us And if we should obtain the Victory he will have but small reason to thank us since we shall seem to have prefer'd the Gratification of our own Revenge to the care of his Welfare So that my Opinion is that by no means while it is in our choice not to be compell'd we engage our selves with the whole Power of France without the Presence of him who is chiefly concern'd in this War. But when we shall lie before Tournay with King Edward on our side and the French King in Person against us I think it will be next to impossible that we should then miss of a Battle Wherefore for this time my Advice is that we break up and depart when we have secur'd the Lives of this Garrison here since our Lying in this place is so excessive chargeable and expensive For I am certain within these ten Days at farthest we shall hear that the King of England is come The Major Part of the Lords present approved of this Counsel as most reasonable all things considerd and especially the Brabanders Citizens of Brussels and Louvain when they heard of this Advice of their Lord applauded it extreamly as being desirous to return home as soon as might be But the Earl of Hainalt prevail'd with much ado with the Leaders to tarry a little longer In which time since he had never before seen himself in the Head of so considerable an Army as he was very Couragious he thought to force the Lords his Allies to an Engagement before their Departure as Themistocles did the Grecian Confederates at Salamis Wherefore privately he brake his Mind to the Lord John of Hainalt saying Dear Uncle I desire you would please to ride down by the River side and to call over the River to speak with some Body of the French Army And then desire him to shew unto the French King and his Son from me that if they will give me three Days Respit and Truce I will make a Bridge over the Water and so go over and give him Battle Or else let him do the like and we will by no means hinder the Workmen from making the Bridge The Lord of Beaumont according to his Nephews Desire rode presently down along the River side with Thirteen Knights in his Company
victory after a sharp and terrible Conflict In which Battle a mighty Number of our Enemies were destroyed and almost all their whole Navy taken with some Loss also on our Part but nothing like in Comparison to theirs By reason whereof We doubt not but that the Passage by Sea shall hereafter prove more quiet and safe both to Us and our Subjects And also many other Commodities shall ensue thereupon as we have good cause to hope Wherefore We devoutly considering the Divine Favours so gratiously bestowed upon Us do render our most humble Thanks and Praise to Christ our Lord and Saviour Beseeching him that as he hath been and always is most ready to prevent our Necessities in his own good time so he will please to continue his helping Hand ever towards Us and so direct Us here temporally that We may reign and rejoice with him eternally in Heaven Moreover We require your Charitable Assistance that you also Rising up together with Us unto the Praise of God alone who hath so favourably begun to work with us for our Good do instantly in your Publique Prayers and Divine Service as well as in your Private Devotions recommend Us to the Lord since We are here labouring in these foreign Countries and not only studying to recover our Right in France but also highly to exalt the whole Catholick Church of Christ and to rule our People in Righteousness And that You also call upon all your Clergy and People each one thrô his distinct Diocess to do the same altogether invocating the Name of our Saviour on our Behalf that of his Clemency he would please to give unto Us his Humble Servant his Grace and a docible Heart that We may so judge and govern here upon Earth in Equity doing what he hath commanded that at length We may happily attain to that which he hath promised thrô our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ c. An. 1340. V. This Letter was enclosed in another of the Kings directed to his Son the Prince who received them at Waltham And then at last and not before was the Fame of this Victory perfectly credited by the most Scrupulous But thrô France the sad News of this their Loss flew more nimbly thô as yet none durst undertake to be the hatefull messenger of such an unwelcom Relation to King Philip. Till at last his Lords prompted a pleasant Fellow the Kings Jester to do it who is said to have revealed the whole Matter after this manner r Walsingh hist p. 134. n. 30. Fox Acts and Mon. p. 347. Sr. Rich. Baker c. Running carelesly one time into King Philips Presence he began to insult with much vehemence and upbraid the English of flat Cowardise calling them Dastards and cowardly Poltrons with many other Opprobrious Words to that effect Which he repeated with great Bravery till the King asked him the reason why he so extreamly undervalued the Englishmen Why said the Fool because the Cowardlike Faint-hearted Rogues had not the Courage to leap into the Sea so gallantly as our Normans and Gentlemen of France did Certainly We are told by most Writers that in this Fight the English Arrows fell so thick among the French and did so sting torment and fright them that many Men rather than endure them leapt desperately into the Sea To which the Words of this Jester no doubt alluded And without all question the Guns which are used now adays are neither so terrible in Battle nor do such Execution nor work such Confusion as Arrows can do For Bullets being not seen only hurt where they hit but Arrows enrage the Horse and break the Array and terrifie all that behold them in the Bodies of their Neighbours Not to say that every Archer can shoot Thrice to a Gunners once and that whole Squadrons of Bows may let fly at one time when only one or two Files of Musqueteers can discharge at once Also that whereas Guns are useless when your Pikes joyn because they only do execution point blank the Arrows which will kill at Random may do good service even behind your Men of Arms And it is notorious that at the famous Battle of Lepanto the Turkish Bows did more mischief than the Christian Artillery Besides it is not the least observable that whereas the Weakest may use Guns as well as the Strongest in those Days your lusty and tall Yeomen were chosen for the Bow whose ſ Fabian p. 392. Hose being fastned with one Point and their Jackets long and easie to shoot in they had their Limbs at full liberty so that they might easily draw Bows of great strength and shoot Arrows of a Yard long beside the Head. But to proceed VI. About the same time that King Edward sent the foremention'd Letters into England he also directed others from t Frois c. 50. f. 30. Gaunt to the Earl of Hainalt and those who were besieged within the Castle of Thine certifying them of his Arrival and Success When the Earl heard this News and that the French had received such a Blow at Sea because he could not force the Duke of Normandy to a Battle having at last brought off the Besieged in that manner as we related he decamped and giving his Souldiers leave to depart return'd with all the Lords in his Company to Valenciennes where he feasted them all most magnificently There Jacob van Arteveld once or twice declared openly in the Market-place in the Presence of the Earl of Hainalt the Duke of Brabant and all the Lords and Others who were content to hear him What undoubted Right the King of England had to the Crown of France and of what great Puissance the Three Countries of Flanders Hainalt and Brabant were like to be now that they were surely joyn'd in one indissolvible Bond of Allyance whereof King Edward was the Knot Strength and Stay. And more he spake to this purpose with so much Eloquence and Discretion that all who heard him highly applauded his smooth Language and weighty Reasons Saying that he was both a very good Orator and a most sound and expert Politician and therefore most meet and worthy to Govern all Flanders After this the Lords of the Empire departed severally from Valenciennes having first of all agreed to meet again within eight Days at Gaunt to visit the King of England which they did accordingly He for his part received them gladly and feasted them honourably as also did the Queen in her Apartment And here 't was agreed between King Edward and the Lords of Germany that a General Council should be held at Villenort about their present Affairs for which a certain Day was appointed and Notice given to all the Allies to meet accordingly Now the King of England as he had formerly made a Promise to the Flemings had brought over with him certain Bishops and very many Priests and Deacons u Mezeray 2 part 3 tom 16 pag. who being less scrupulous than the Priests of Flanders
notwithstanding the Popes Interdict open'd the Churches there and celebrated Divine Service without the least hesitation Whereupon the Fears of the Flemings were abated as such whom the Pope himself so much above all others could not materially endammage The mean while the French King having understood for certain of his great Loss at Sea brake up and dislodged from before Thine with his Son the Duke of Normandy at the same time that the Earl of Hainalt departed on the other side and drew towards Arras the chief City of Artois having dismist the greater Part of his Forces till they might hear other news from him But immediatly he sent the Lord Godmar du Fay with a good Number of Men of Arms to the City of Tournay to look that nothing was wanting there for he had an Eye especially upon the Flemings Wherefore he also sent the Lord of Beaujeu to Mortagne to keep the Frontiers against Hainalt and in like manner he provided for St. Omers for Aire for St. Venant and all the Fortresses fronting on Flanders VII It may be remembred that we spake x L. 1. c. 13. §. 9. p. 146. a little before of King Robert of Sicily of whom again we have something more to say his Zeal for the House of France bringing him again in our Way Now this Robert being the Son of Charles the Second King of Sicily and Naples was also nearly alli'd to King Philip of France y Odoric Raynald ad an 1339. §. 39. being his Uncle for his Sister the Lady z Mezeray 2 par 3 tâ—m p. 31. Margaret being formerly given in Marriage to Charles Earl of Valois was by him Mother to the said King Philip. This Robert at that time excelled all the Kings of Christendom in humane Learning especially in the more recondite Parts thereof but chiefly as we have intimated before he addicted himself to the Study of Astrology which he did with so good success that either from the Regular Conclusions of that Science for certainly that Study cannot be called wholly trivial or vain without as much Rashness as Ignorance or by some Natural Impulse or by Divine Direction and Inspiration he drew this for an undoubted Maxim That it was given to King Edward of England to succeed prosperously in all his Personal Undertakings So that both before at Vironfoss as we have related and now also again he warned the French King and his Council that King Philip should by no means adventure a pitch'd Battle where the King of England should be present in Person And besides all this he had such a tender and friendly Regard to the fair Realm of France that he us'd all the means possible to set the two Kings at Unity and when at last he found his Endeavours prove unsuccessfull was passionately concerned at the Destruction which he foresaw was coming upon that Famous Kingdom This Pious and Learned Prince was now with Pope a Labbâ— Chron. Techn ad hunc ann Benedict XII and the College of Cardinals at Avignion before whom with Tears he declared the great Miseries that were like to fall upon France by this War between the two Kings most earnestly desiring them to use their utmost Endeavours to reduce them Both to some Friendly Terms of Agreement The Pope and his Cardinals answer'd That for their Parts they both were and always would be ready with delight to promote so good a Work and would willingly bestow their utmost Labour therein if by any means they might obtain a Hearing Accordingly Letters were prepared and sent to the King of England by two Eminent Cardinals Pedro of St. Praxede and Bertrand of St. Mary in Aquiro who had further Instructions to treat with him about a final Peace But these Endeavours being as useless as many the like before we shall say no more of them at this time CHAPTER the SEVENTEENTH The CONTENTS I. King Edward holds a Council of his Friends and Allies at Villenort where the Method of the War is agreed on and St. Omers and Tournay appointed to be at one time besieged II. King Edward sends a Challenge to King Philip with the Answer III. King Edward lays Siege to Tournay where he is joyn'd by his Allies IV. The Earl of Hainalts Exploits and the Assault of the Flemmings upon Tournay V. King Philip prepares to raise the Siege and encamps at Pont a Bouvines VI. The various Rencounters during the Siege VII An Account of a Parliament held at Westminster VIII Scotland recovers breath and takes Edinburgh by Stratagem other Places by Force IX The English Allies before St. Omers raise their Siege and in a Panick fear fly home X. King Edwards and the French Kings several difficulties at the Siege render them both uneasie XI Dr. Norwich comes with Instructions from the Pope to induce King Edward to a Peace The Lady Jane of Valois obtains from the two Kings a time for a Treaty with the manner thereof and the Articles of the Truce XII Vpon Proclamation of the Truce both Armies break up with divers Descants thereupon XIII In a Parliament at Arras the Truce between the two Kings prolonged for two Years XIV The Year concludes with the Death of sundry Great Personages a Notable Victory obtain'd by the King of Spain over the Moors and the Birth of a Princess of England named Blanch of the Tower. I. NOW the time being come wherein the Great Council at Villenort was appointed to meet there came thither accordingly King Edward with his English Nobles as did also all his Friends and Allies in the Empire and in Flanders namely the Duke of Brabant and the Duke of Gueldre the Earl of Hainault and the Lord John his Uncle the Marquess of Juliers Earl of Cambridge the Lord Robert of Artois the Earl of Mons the Marquess of Nuys the Marquess of Blankeberg the Lord of Valkenberg the Earl of Namur Sr. William of Dunort and Jacob van Arteveld with many other Great Personages and three or four Burgesses from every good Town in Flanders In this Parliament there was a perfect Union Alliance and Concord made between the Three Countries of Flanders Brabant and Hainault that from thenceforward each of them should be aiding and assisting to the other and that if any one of them should either make War against or be warred upon by any other Prince or State thon the other two should take the Part of the Third And that if any Quarrel happen between any two of the foresaid Countries then the Third should be taken as Umpire in the case and if so they should not be able to adjust Matters fully then the whole to be left to the Decision of the King of England to whom the last Appeal was to be made And in Confirmation of this Triple League there was a Law Ordained and Established to be common and current thrô the whole Three Countries which was named the Law of the Allies Here also it was determin'd that two Compleat Armies
was of their Party and so flock'd unto it For there was but a small difference between the two Brethrens Banners for the Arms of the Murrians are three Bars Counter-bars a Chevron Gules only in the Chevron of Sr. Robert there was a Croslet Or which being but small was not taken heed of by the Hainalders But some applying themselves to Sr. William's and some to Sr. Roberts Banner being broken and divided by this Mistake they were all routed taken or slain none knowing whither to turn in so strange a Confusion Sr. John Verchin was slain with Sr. Walter du Pont de l'Arche Sr. William Piereport and many Others Sr. John de i Salra Latin. Solre Sr. Daniel Bloss Sr. Ralph Monceaux Sr. Lewis Lamplugh and Others were taken the Lord William Bailleul himself with much difficulty escaped and hardly five or six more of all his Men. But as for poor Sr. Vauflart de la Croix who lay in the Marish grounds in great fear wishing that the Mist would not break up all that day his evil Destiny betray'd him for by the end of that Skirmish the Day being clear again he was espied by some of those who rode by that way and these presently made such a Shouting and Out-cry upon him that he was fain to come forth and yield himself their Prisoner They that took him carried him into the Camp and deliver'd him to their Master Sr. Robert Bailleul who was very much concern'd for him as one that knew the danger he was in and that if the French King should hear of his Taking he hated him so mortally that it was impossible to preserve him Wherefore Sr. Robert did what he could to stop the Report and advis'd him to disguise his Name but alas 't was too late for King Philip having already heard that Sr. Vauflart de la Croix who had done so much Mischief to the Men of Lille was a Prisoner in his Camp sent his Officers for him and forthwith order'd him to be carried under a Guard to Lille giving the Inhabitants leave to do with him as they thought best No Prayers nor Promises of Gold or Silver could mollifie the minds of those Men when they saw him in their Power but immediatly they put him to a cruel Death though he offer'd an incredible Ransom so justly did he formerly fear to fall into their Hands when the Earl of Salisbury and the Earl of Suffolks Son were taken but yet what so wisely he before avoided being urged by his unhappy Destiny he now fell into unawares King Philip was wonderfully pleas'd with this Adventure of Sr. Robert Bailleuls and no doubt gave him some good Tokens of his Favour For small successes are a Refreshment to a Man after great and continued Losses and besides he was glad that by the death of an Enemy he had so highly gratified his good Subjects of Lille as if he had given them large Franchises But the Earl of Hainalt was so extreamly k Du Chesne p. 653. incens'd at this Matter that immediatly he l Frois c. 59. f. 33. sent to his Subjects of Valenciennes that at such a time they should come and meet him before Mortaigne appointing them to make their Assault between the Rivers of Scarp and Skell and the Towns of St. Amand and Condet Against the time limited He himself and the Lord John his Uncle with the Seneschal of Hainalt and 600 Spears of Hainalt and Almain departed from the Siege before Tournay and went to Mortaign on the side of Condet at which time also the Men of Valenciennes came on another Part in great Numbers bringing with them several huge Engines for Battery The Lord of Beaujeu who was Captain there at that time had all along expected a Siege because the Fortress stood so near the River and was so unwelcom a Neighbour to Hainalt Wherefore on the Sides next the Land he had made strong Fortifications and cut deep Trenches and to secure himself on the River Side he had caused twelve hundred Piles to be driven in that no Vessels might pass that way But for all these Preparations the Earl and his Men came thither on one part and the Men of Valenciennes on another And so the Assault began in Two places at once But the Piles on one side hindred their Progress and the Earl approaching the Barriers found the Trenches on his side so deep and large that he could not come near enough and he wanted both Hands and Stuff besides time to fill them Then he advis'd and sent four hundred Men over the River Scarp to that side where Chasteau l'Abbaye and St. Amand stood commanding them to give an Assault at the Gate that looks toward Mauld And now was Mortaign enclosed on three Parts that being the weakest of the Three which respected Mauld but yet it prov'd strong enough For thither came the Lord Beaujeu himself with the Flower of his Men to defend the Place He for his part had in his hand a broad glittering Sword sharp and well-steel'd and above the blade near the hilt was fastned a sharp Hook of Steel which Hook was made with such art that it always took hold of what he strook and he was so strong of Arm that whomsoever he caught hold on he either brought to him or flung him with great force into the Water as he did more than a dozen at that time However here the Assault was well carried on being much fiercer than in any other place The Earl of Hainalt on the other hand was contriving how by force or art to pull out the Piles that were stuck in the River for then they might come up in their Vessels close to the Walls At last he order'd to make ready a Ship wherein was to be placed a great Engine to draw out the Piles one by one And while the Carpenters were about this work that same Day the Valenciennois on their Side had reared a great Engine wherewith they cast huge Stones into the Fortress to the no small trouble of the Besieged Thus the first day and night passed in Assaulting and Contriving how to carry the Place The next morning the Assault was renewed and continued on all hands till the Evening And on the third Day the Ship was ready with the new-design'd Engine to draw out the Piles But when they went to use it at that kind of work they found their Labour to be so great and to require so many Hands and that it was so long e're they could pluck out one that they despair'd of pulling out 1200 in a Year almost upon which accounts they were soon weary of that Trade and the Earl wishing he had never begun it commanded them to leave off However still the other Engine of Valenciennes that cast Stones into the Fortress play'd on lustily and with good Success But at that time there was within Mortaign a subtle Mathematician an Engineer who saw there was much mischief like to be done
the War and were now quite tired out with the length of the Siege So that the very next Morning with the light ye might have seen Tents taken down Carts and Waggons lading and People removing with all speed imaginable The Brabanders therefore went away first as being more eagerly bent upon home the King of England thô much against his Will departed also but he was so earnestly parswaded to the Truce both by his real and false Friends and also by the necessity of his Affairs that he could not but comply And the King of France had so much of the bad Air and hot Weather already that he was glad to make hast away from that unfortunate Place Thus was the strong City of Tournay wonderfully preserved from utter Ruine without Battle given only by the power of a Ladies Tongue and by the Providence of the Divine Goodness which even yet seem'd desirous to give further Warning to King Philip and as it were to offer him one more Opportunity for Deliberation Before it would resign his Kingdom up to those Destructions for which already it was marked out Yet notwithstanding f Frois ibid. the City had been so reduc'd that their whole Provision of Victuals could not as was said have held out above three or four Days longer So in France it was reckon'd that King Philip had the chief Honour of this Expedition because he had as he design'd saved Tournay from ruine and obliged her Enemies to forsake the Siege and to depart the Country On the other Hand the Lords of England said how they had the Honour only because they had tarried so long in the Realm of France without Battle having for more than nine Weeks besieged one of the best Towns thereof wasting and destroying about in the Country all the while at their pleasure and that the French King had not once offer'd to relieve the Place at the time prefix'd in his Letters but had in the end without giving Battle as he ought to have done first himself sought and after agreed to a Truce with them who had done him all this Displeasure King Edward g Frois ibid. went from Tournay directly for Gaunt where he found his Vertuous and Beautifull Queen in good Health with whom about two Months after he went privately for England as we shall shew in due place all his Men being Order'd to follow except those Lords who were to be at the Parliament at Arras King Philip for his Part dismist the Main of his Army and himself went first to Lille whither the Burgesses of Tournay came to wait upon him He received them very Graciously and shewed them much favour upon the account of their Hazard for his Sake restoring unto them at this time all their former Privileges and adding to them several New ones to their great Satisfaction for a while before he had upon some Displeasure taken away their Charter and set over them the Lord Godmar du Fay and other Captains successively to be their Governours But now for their late approved Loyalty and Valour they had their old Form of Government restored and leave to choose a new Provost and Jurats according to their Ancient Customs All which being done and ratified the King went from Lille to Paris XIII While King Edward tarried yet at Gaunt he h Odoric Raynald An. 1340. §. 33. ad §. 37. wrote unto the Pope a Letter wherein thanking him for his diligence in Labouring after a Peace between the two Realms which he himself also mightily desired that thereby he might be at liberty to prosecure the Holy War against the common Enemies of Christendom and declaring how at the importunate Instances of some he had accordingly condescended to a Truce even then when he had almost reduced Tournay to the last Extremity he shews that upon sight of his Holinesses Letters he had prolonged the Term of the Truce that thereby he might give his Holiness suller Information of his own Intentions and also of the Equity of his Cause requiring thereupon his Advice which he should be ready to embrace Also that he had sent his Envoys to the Apostolick See to return Thanks to his Holiness for his Diligence in obtaining the Liberty of Nicolas de Flisco desiring God Almighty to preserve his Holiness in the Government of his Holy Church many and happy Days Datum apud Gandavum 19 no Novembris Anno Regni nostri Franciae Primo Regni verò nostri Angliae Quartodecimo At which time also he sent unto his Holiness the following Justification of Himself and his Cause i Extat apud Benedict Tom. 2. Ep secr 114. in Bib. Vatican Odoric Raynald ibid. These are the things in effect which are reported unto You Most Holy Father our Lord by Us William of Norwich Dean of Lincoln John Hufford Archdeacon of Ely and John Thoresby Canon of Southwell on the Behalf of our Lord the Illustrious King of England Most Holy Father and Lord that your Holiness may be more fully informed of the sincere and just intention of our said Lord the King which is ever prone and ready to accept of a Reasonable Peace something in Fact is to be opened The Lord Philip who now bears himself as King of France from the time that he first occupied the Realm of France verily believing nor without Reason that our said Lord the King directed the Eyes of his mind toward the Kingdom of France or at least would afterwards look that Way was pleased what in the Parts of Scotland by really Adhering to the Scots and what in the Dutchy of Guienne by there Usurping many Places so continually and strongly to divert him that he should have no leisure to intend to the Recovery of his Rights in France And because he being under Age and having no skill in the matter of his Right nor Experience as to what he was to do especially because of the foresaid Snates as is premised prepared for him had not untill of late any way open of duly prosecuting his Rights as to his said Kingdom of France Our said Lord the King desiring Peace and Quiet offer'd unto the said Lord Philip the Methods here under-named only for the Recovery of the Dutchy aforesaid and that he would absolutely refrain from Assisting the Scots Viz. First the Marriage of his Eldest Son for a Daughter of the Lord Philip to be Coupled with him in Matrimony without any Dowry Secondly the Marriage of his own Sister now Lady of Gueldre for a Son of the said Lord Philip with a great and excessive Dowry Thirdly the Marriage of his own Brother the Earl of Cornwall for some one Kinswoman of his Fourthly to redeem the Seisure of his Lands he offer'd unto him a Summ of Mony to be adjusted at the Discretion of the said Lord Philip Fifthly because the said Lord Philip pretended that he would cross the Seas to the Aid of the Holy Land our said Lord the King out of the great Zeal
all the French Lords who had the Year before assisted the Lord Charles of Blois returned unto him to the City of Nantes with a great Power of Armed Men. Among them it was in a Council of War agreed that the City of Rennes upon the River of Vilaine should be first attempted as being a place of great Importance and the Seat of Parliament for the whole Province The Countess of Montford who foresaw no less had already well provided for that City having made a most loyal and couragious Gentleman of Bretagne named Sr. William Cadudal Captain thereof However the Lords of France laid their Siege to Rennes but were so well received by the Captain that they lost much more than they could win Yet still they continued there resolving one way or other to be Masters of the Place II. Upon the first News of their Return into Bretagne the Countess of Montford sent the Lord Emery Clysson into England to desire Succour of King Edward proffering her only Son and Heir in Marriage with one of the Kings Daughters who thereupon should be Dutchess of Bretagne King Edward upon this Lords Arrival was at London holding a great Feast for it was Easter whereupon most of his Chief Barons and Knights were about him When the Lord Clysson had punctually related his whole Errand the King granted his Request in contemplation of the Alliance already made and to be made between England and Bretagne Whereupon he commanded the Noble Lord Walter Manny to take with him as many Men of War as Sr. Emery thought necessary besides 5000 Select Archers at least and with all speed to cross the Seas for Bretagne in order to aid the Countess Sr. Walter Manny prepared with all Expedition and when all things were ready took the Sea with these Lords of England and of Bretagne in his company the Lords of Bretagne were Sr. Emery of Clysson the two Brethren of Lyndale Sr. Lewis and Sr. John Sr. Alan Sirefond Sr. John Hayes of Brabant and of England the Lord John b Didg 1 Vol. p. 682. Bardolph the Lord Miles Stapleton the Lord John Darcy senior Sr. John Butler and Sr. Matthew Trelauny being in all c Knighton p. 1581. n. 10. 620 Men of Arms and 6000 Archers with others For we find d Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 751. that Hugh Audley Earl of Glocester was also there as a Volunteer under the Lord Manny with a Troop of an 100 Men of Arms himself accounted for one whereof there were befides one Banneret twenty Knights and seventy eight Esquires and these were joyned with another Troop of an 100 Archers on Horseback Here was also the Lord William Bohun Earl of Northampton who e Id. ibid. p. 185. had Commission to receive Fealty and Homage from the Bretons on the behalf of King Edward as King of France But thô these Succours took the Sea early enough it was almost too late before they came to the Countess for they were detained at Sea more than fourty Days by Tempests and bad Weather III. The mean while the Lord Charles of Blois who had layn some while before Rennes gave such Trouble to them within that the Citizens would gladly have Articled but Sr. William Cadudal their Captain would by no means hear of any Agreement The Besieged however when they saw that all this while there came no Succour from England nor from the Countess as they had been promised and that they had already endured much Trouble urged the Captain again more importunately to think of yielding while there was time of Mercy but he absolutely refused saying he was strong enough to hold out but if not had rather die than turn Traytor When they saw his Resolution they kept their own counsel secret and being resolved to save themselves thô without doing him any harm for they lov'd his Person for his valour Bounty and Loyalty they once by a wile train'd him from his Attendants and seising his Person cast him into Prison Then they presently agreed with Sr. Charles of Blois to yield up the Town the next Day on condition that the Captain and all those who would still hold on the Countesses side might have free leave with their Horse and Arms to depart whither they would and the rest should make Homage unto him Accordingly in the beginning of May the City was yielded up and the Lord Charles received there as Duke of Bretagne to whom all the Burgesses made their Homage and sware Fealty But Sr. William Cadudal could not be wrought upon to own him or his cause wherefore according to the Articles he had leave to depart which he did with all those of his Mind and went straight to the strong Town of Hennebond where he found the Countess who as yet had heard no News of Sr. Emery Clisson and his Fellows IV. Rennes being thus taken the Lord Charles of Blois was ſ Frois c. 80. fol. 41. l. advised to go and lay his Siege to Hennebond where the Head of the War the Countess and her Son were For said the Lords his Friends now the Earl himself your Adversary is in Prison if We might get the Countess and her Son into Our Hands the whole War would be at an end This Advice if it had been taken before they went to Rennes had in all likelihood succeeded as they wish'd For even now We shall find the Place to be almost reduc'd by that time the slow Succours came from England When the Countess understood that the French were come to Besiege her she immediately commanded an Alarum to be given with the Watch-Bell for all Men to go to their Defences And she had now with her in the Town a Competent Garrison well furnish'd with Provision Ammunition and Good Captains as the Bishop of Leon Uncle to the Lord Henry du Leon who was Revolted Sr. Pierce of Triguier the Lord of Landernear Sr. William Cadndal Sr. Henry Pennefort and Sr. Oliver his Brother the Governour of Guingand and many other Valiant Gentlemen When Sr. Charles came thither with his Army he encamped within a quarter of a Mile of the Town But some of his lusty young Knights and Esquires would not rest till they had try'd what Defence their Enemies could make So to the Barriers to skirmish they went and others as bold went forth to meet them The Dispute was continued very hot between them for a while but at last the Frenchmen and Genouese being overpower'd were forced to retire with considerable loss The next day Sr. Charles perfected his Siege round both the Town and Castle except where the Castle opens to the Sea for he had no Navy and then took Advice to give a fierce Assault at the Barriers which continued till Noon At which time the Assailants were compelled to draw back themselves all weary and having lost many of their Men. When the Lords of France saw their people retire thus they were no less ashamed than displeased insomuch that they all
parts retired fair and softly to their main Battle not ceasing to skirmish all the way The mean while Sr. Emery drew forth his Men along upon the Dike without the Barriers and placed the Archers ready on both sides the way to receive the Enemy The Noise and Cry of Men and Martial Instruments was so great that all the whole Army drew thitherward expecting a full decision by Battle only their Pages and Valets being left in the Camp. At that very time Sr. Walter Manny with his 600 Men sallied out privily at the Postern Gate and fetching a Compass behind the Camp entred the Lodgings of the French Lords where they met with no Resistance for all were at the Skirmish Sr. Walter being directed went straight to the Lord Charles of Blois his Tent where he found the two Knights Prisoners Sr. John Butler and Sr. Matthew Trelauny with their Faces cover'd and their Hands ti'd behind them For all the Servants left about them were run away Sr. Walter unbound them himself and made them leap upon two good Horses brought thither for that purpose gave them each a Sword in their Hands and immediately without doing any harm return'd the same way he came and enter'd Hennebond with all his Company where he was received of the Countess with great joy All this while the Battle waxed hot near the Great Gate till the Valets who fled from before Sr. Walter brought word how the Prisoners were rescued When Don Lewis heard this Report he thought the Lord Charles had put a Trick upon him and ask'd in great fury which way they were gone that made the Rescue they told him toward Hennebond Then he left the Shirmish in great Displeasure and with his Troops retreated to the Camp at which time also Sr. Charles sounded a general Retreat For he found himself cheated and that there was no good to be done As the Frenchmen retired the Lord of Landerneau and the Governour of Guingand pursued after them so eagerly that they were both taken Prisoners and carried to the Lord Charles his Tent where they were so beset with Threats and Promises that they presently acknowledged him Duke of Bretagne and rendred him their Homage and Fealty Thus for the Recovery of two Friends the Countess lost two other but however by this Action she gain'd such a Reputation from her Enemies that they reckon'd her at that time Invincible XVII For three days after this brisk Exploit at a Council of War in the Lord Charles his Tent it was consider'd That Hennebond was not to be forced that by these Wars the Country had been so wasted and robbed by both Parties that there was hardly any Forage or Provision to be got that Winter also was near at hand for it was now t October between the Feast of Remigius and All Saints Wherefore they agreed to raise their Siege for that time only it was advis'd that the Lord Charles should take care to reinforce all his Fortresses which he had won with Provision Soldiers and Captains that so they might the next Year find their Affairs in no worse Posture than now they left them And for the better security of their Men in Winter Quarters it was order'd that if any desired a Truce till Whitsuntide it should not be refused This was the Result of what was agreed in this Council before Hâ—nnâ—bond in the Moneth of October MCCCXLII Whereupon u Frois c. 88. fol. 47. they brake up the Siege and except only such of the Lords as the Lord Charles of Blois retain'd with him to advise him in his Affairs all the Captains with their Forces went to their several Homes or the Quarters assigned them The Army breaking up at the strong Town of Karhais where some time after the Lord Charles of Blois remained Now during his Stay at Karhais a certain rich Merchant being a wealthy and powerfull Burgess of Jugon a Town standing on the River Arguenon about 7 Leagues from St. Brieu and 5 from Dinant was taken up by the Marshall Sr. Robert Beaumanoir and brought to his Lord Sr. Charles This Merchant by Commission from the Countess of Montford had the chief Rule of the Town of Jugon and was greatly also beloved and respected by the Inhabitants thereof Him Sr. Charles put in fear of his Life and pretended to be unwilling to accept of any Ransom whatsoever So that what thrô Fear and other Arts us'd upon him he began to listen to a Proposal of Betraying the Town At last it was agreed that as he who kept the Keys of the Town he should on such a Night leave open such a certain Gate For the Accomplishment whereof he left his Son in Hostage and Sr. Charles on his Part promised to give him in Requital of that Service five hundred Pounds of yearly Revenue This Agreement was performed on the Alderman's Part and on the Night appointed Sr. Charles enter'd the Town at such a Gate with considerable Forces But the Watchman of the Castle perceiv'd them and gave the Alarm crying out Treason Treason At this the Inhabitants began to run to their Arms but seeing all lost they fled to the Castle for security by Heaps and to set a good Face upon the Matter the Alderman who was author of the Plot fled along with them In the morning Sr. Charles of Blois sent such a number of his Men to search and plunder the Houses and he himself with the rest came before the Castle and thô he saw and knew the great Strength thereof yet considering how thronged it was now with new Comers whereby their Provisions would be mightily wasted he said aloud That he would not stir thence till he had it at his Devotion The mean while Sr. Gerard of Rochfort who was Captain of the Castle perceiving evidently and upon strict Examination finding that this Burgess the Governour of the Town had betrayed all presently took him and hang'd him for an Example over the Walls after which considering that his Provision would not serve above ten Days and that the Lord Charles had made a vow not to depart till he had one way or other reduced the Place he Capitulated to yield on Condition that the Goods and Lives of all within should be saved which was granted The Lord Charles took them all to his Homage and left the Castle to the Government of the same Captain Sr. Gerard of Rochefort whose Loyalty he approved even thô lately contrary to him Thus both Town and Castle of Jugon were put in a good posture of Defence only the Master was changed XVIII But now by the Mediation of many sober Men on both Parties a Truce was at last concluded between the Lord Charles of Blois and the Countess of Montford and consented to by all their Aiders and Assisters to endure to the Fifteenth of May then next ensuing Whereupon the King of England having before sent for the Countess of Montford as soon as this Truce was ratified She together
are to be seen in their Primitive Obscurity in the Learned Seldens Titles of Honour y Saxon M.S. apud Selden Titles of Honour p. 812. And St. George upon the Point of his Martyrdom in the Days of Dioclesian the Emperour prayed to the Lord and said Jesu Christ receive my Soul And I beseech thee that whosoever shall commemorate me on Earth all Fraud Peril Hunger and Sickness be far from his House and that whosoever shall in any danger ON THE SEA or elsewhere make use of my Name Thou wilt be mercifull unto him Then came a Voice from Heaven saying Come thou Blessed and whosoever shall in any Danger or Place call on my Name thrô Thee him will I hear The same Sense is thus expressed in the other z Apud Selden ibid. p. 813. MS. in Meeter His Hands he held up on High adown he set his knee Lord he said Jesu Christ this only thing might I see Grant me if it is thy Will that whoso in fair manere Holds well my Day in a April 23d St. George's Day Aperil for my Love on Earth here That there never fall in his House no Harm in all the Year Nor great Sickness nor Famine strong that thereof there be no fear And WHOSO IN PERIL OF SEA thrô me shall make his Boon Or in other Cases Perillous heal him thereof full soon Then heard he a Voice from Heaven that to him said I wis Come forth to me my Blessed Child thy Boon heared is Then his Head was off y-smitten c. Some small Account of this ancient Original I gave about ten or eleven Years since to that Learned Antiquary Esquire Ashmole in the Lodgings of my worthy Friend and Master Dr. Goad then at Merchant Taylors School in London who seem'd not a little pleas'd at the probable Authentick Occasion of this most Noble Order But I leave the Judgment of all to the Candid Reader being content with those Reasons that induced me to make these Conjectures as I readily allow others to follow what may seem more Rational to them V. And having thus at least endeavour'd to find out hidden Truth from among the gross Rubbish of Antiquity we shall now proceed When this Mighty Prince had formed in his Head this most Honourable Design and had begun to hold his Round Table at Windsor upon b Ashmole p. 186 b. c. New-years Day this Year 1344. He issued out his Royal Letters of Protection as we shew'd before for the safe Coming and Return of Foreign Knights their Servants and what belonged unto them who being desirous to try their Valour should come to those solemn Justs by him intended to be held at Windsor on the c Pat. 17. Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 2. Monday next after the Feast of St. Hilary next ensuing which happen'd then to be on the * Dom. Lit. D.C. 19 Day of January And these Letters of safe Conduct continued in Force till the Octaves of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary being in the 18 Year of his Reign The Time appointed being come the King provided a Royal Supper to open the Solemnity and then first Ordained that this Festival should be annually held there at Whitsuntide The next Day and during all this splendid Convention from before Candlemas unto Lent the Lords of England and of other Lands exercised themselves in all kind of Knightly Feats of Arms as Justs and Tourneaments and Running at the Ring The Queen and her Ladies that they might with more Convenience behold this Spectacle were orderly seated upon a firm Balustrade or Scaffold with Rails before it running all round the Lists And certainly their extraordinary Beauties set so advantageously forth with excessive Finery and Riches of Apparel did prove a Sight as full of pleasant Encouragement to the Combatants as the fierce Bucklings of Men and Horses gallantly armed was a delightfull Terrour to the Feminine Beholders During these Martial sports William Montagu the Great Earl of Salisbury King of the Isle of Man and Marshal of England thrô his immoderate Courage and Labour for 3 or 4 Days together was at last so bruised and wearied with those boisterous Encounters that falling d Holinsh Engl. Chron. p. 924. into a Feavour thereby he died within 8 Days after in the e Vid. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 640. ubi Anno 13. Ed. 2. aged 18. vid. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 647. Ashmole 690. 43d. Year of his Age on the 30 of January being then a Fryday to the infinite regret of the King and all the Court as well Strangers as English and was afterwards Honourably buried in the White-Fryers at London This Mans Father named William Lord Montagu f Mills Catal. Honor. p. 1041. Son of Simon Lord Montagu and being descended of Drû or Drogo who was branched from the Lines of the Ancient Kings of Man did Marry Aufric Daughter of Fergus and Widow of Olaus King of Man or as others report she was g Dugd 1 Vol. p. 633. Sister of Orry King of Man who was descended from Orry Son to the King of Denmark Which Lady discerning her Brother and all his Blood to be overcome and ruin'd by Alexander King of Scots fled into England with the Charter of that Isle and being there Honourably received of King Edward I was by him given in Marriage to William Lord Montagu aforesaid who in her Right by Aid of the said King Edward I recover'd the said Isle till at length he mortgag'd it for seven Years to Anthony Beck Bishop of Durham from whom it should seem to have been taken by the Scots Till this Earl William as we shew'd before reconquer'd it from the Scots and was by King Edward III made King of the said Isle as was also his Son after him till the 16 of Richard II when he sold the Crown thereof to William Lord Scroop as some say thô 't is certain that even h Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 648. to his Death he retain'd the Title of Lord thereof as appears by his Will bearing Date at Christ-Church-Twynham 20 April Anno 1397 20 Richardi 2 where he calls himself Earl of Salisbury and Lord of the Isles of Man and Wight Within 6 Weeks after the Date whereof he departed this Life But now at the Death of his Father the first Earl he was found to be but 15 Years old and an half thô in time he became no less renowned than his Father and was One of those 25 whom King Edward chose together with himself Founders of the Order of the Garter But of his Heroick Father who died at this time i Hypod. p. 117. ad n. 1344. Walsingham takes his leave in these Words This Year says he departed this Life the Lord William Montagu Earl of Salisbury King of Man and Marshal of England of whose Valorous Acts worthily to write would be a Work of great Commendation And thus died this Valiant Worthy in the strength of his
Gascogners who were nothing aware of this sudden Attack from behind for they were then going to Supper and some ready set at their meat The English cryed a Darby a Darby and overthrew Tents and Pavilions and slew and hurt great Numbers bearing down all before them For the Frenchmen knew not which way to turn they were so surprised and had so short a time and so various Resolutions to take Those that went out into the Field to range themselves in some Order were warmly received by the Archers on Horseback who rode about scouring the Field and whereever they espied any extraordinary Concourse of Men gathering together thither they rode up and dissolved them by their thick flights of Arrows The mean while the Men of Arms easily beat down those whom they found unranged and disorder'd in the Camp. The Earl of Laille himself being first grievously wounded was taken Prisoner in his own Tent and the Earl of Perigord and Sr. Roger his Uncle in theirs The Lord Duras was slain Sr. Charles of Poictiers and the Earl of Valentinois his Brother were taken with many more of their Captains and thus this Camp was broken and discomfited every Man flying where he best could to avoid being taken or slain But for all this the one half of the Frenchmen remain'd as yet entire and undisturbed for now the Earl of Cominges the Vicount of Carmain the Viscount of Villemur the Lord of Bouquentine the Lord de la Bard the Lord of Tarbe and others who were encamped with a Moiety of the Army on the other side the Town and had timely notice of the Enemies approach were risen and drawn out into the Fields in good Order of Battle with their Banners displayed The k Frois c. 107. English who by this time had fully vanquished all the rest spur'd on now with generous Indignation to see so Glorious a Victory ready to be snatch'd out of their hands being rallied and in good Order with a Division of Archers on each Wing strack in furiously among them thô they were still more than treble their Numbers the Trumpets loudly sounding a Charge on both sides This Battle was well fought indeed and here a Victory was not to be obtained by the English without great Courage and Industry Many Noble Feats of Arms were done on both sides in taking and rescuing again the English Lords were ever in the heat of the Battle Matters being now brought to the utmost push encouraging their Men by their Words and Actions At which instant the Besieged also being Alarum'd by this unusual Noise and the sound of the Trumpets blowing a Charge observing also thô it was almost Dark Night and the New-Moon was not above a Day old some English Banners from their High Tower Armed themselves immediately and with all their Forces sallied out and came upon the Backs of the French making a terrible Noise and Clamour These Men rushing among the thickest of the Enemies brought good and timely Comfort to their Friends who had been fighting all this while and to be brief turned the hitherto doubtfull Scales of Victory wholly to their own side For the New-Comers being extreamly irritated with their late sufferings handled them that fell into their hands with more Cruelty and fought with a full Resolution either then to end the Siege or their Lives Above 7000 of the enemy in all were slain and many taken Prisoners among the latter whereof were Nine Earls and Viscounts of Lords and Knights 200 and of Esquires and other Souldiers so many that every Englishman had two or three Prisoners The Rest were saved by the Nights approach This Battle was thus struck on St. Laurence Eve or the Ninth of August being a Monday in the Year of our Lord MCCCXLIV The English dealt very kindly with their Prisoners and let many of them go upon their Oath and Promise to return with Money for their Ransomes or to render up their Bodies by such a Day at Bergerac or Bourdeaux The Fight ended they all entred into Auberoche and there the Earl of Darby gave a Supper to the most part of the Earls and Viscounts Prisoners and to many of the Knights and Esquires part whereof without doubt was of their own Provisions now taken in their Camp. At the same time the Pious Leader gave Order that Publique and Private l Frois c. 107. Thanksgiving should be return'd to God because by his Good Hand of Providence m Frois Mezeray p. 23. a Thousand of them had overcome twelve Thousand of the Enemy and had seasonably relieved the Town of Auberoche and saved their Friends within who in all likelyhood would have been lost within two or three Days more The next Day by Sun-rise there came thither the long-expected Earl of Pembroke with 300 Men of Arms and 4000 Archers in his Company who when he saw that all was done already to his hand said with some Displeasure to the Earl of Darby Surely Cousin You have not dealt kindly with me to fight the Enemy before my coming For since You sent for me You might have been sure I would not fail to come to You Dear Cousin said the Courteous Commander We desired with all our hearts that You should have shared with Us in the Action of last Night But You was not only too slow for our Expectation and the Urgency of Affairs the other Night when We waited for Your coming at Liburne but yesterday also when We tarried for You in the Wood till it was far gone in the Afternoon Wherefore despairing of Your coming in any time We were obliged to put our Lives in our hands and venture to attack the Enemy For if We had stayed there longer We justly feared some French spies would have discovered Us And then they would have had as much Advantage over Us as now We by the Grace of God have had over them Wherefore pray Cousin be satisfied and help to guard Us back to Bourdeaux for of our selves We are not strong enough to ride openly thrô the Country After this the Earl of Darby set Sr. Alexander Chaumont a Valiant and Loyal Knight of Gascogne over the Town with a good Garrison and having tarried all that Day and the next Night in Auberoche in which time the Enemies Engines were brought into the Town and their Camp spoiled He departed betimes the next Morning with the Earl of Pembroke S. Frank van Hall and his own Forces for Bourdeaux The Inhabitants of this City knew not how to express their Joy nor with what Acclamations to receive and welcome the Earl of Darby and the Lord Walter Manny and more than n Ita lego apud Frois ne altàs sibi non censentiat qui suprà dicit omnes Anglos armates ultra duos ant tres Captivos habuisse c. twelve Hundred Prisoners Lords Knights and Esquires with him As for the Earl of Darby when he saw the Chief Force of the Enemy in those Parts to
Castle but rather offend them to the best of their Power till they were reduced After this the Earl having proclaim'd that none should presume to do any the least harm to the Town or Inhabitants of Reole made his entry into the Place and immediately began to invest the Castle round about as much as he might and then raised his Engines which cast against the Walls Day and Night but to little purpose they were so thick and strongly cemented of most hard stone molten-lead and morter It is thought that this Castle of old time had been wrought by the hands of the Saracens who made their Works so strong that the later Buildings were no way comparable to them Wherefore the Earl seeing that with his Engines he could do no good called unto him the Captains of his Pioneers and gave them Command to make a great Mine under the Walls which yet was not expected to be done under many Days VI. Now q Frois c. 110. fol. 54. during this Siege and while the Mine was carrying on the Lord Walter Manny remembred that his Father who had been heretofore Assassined in his Return from a Pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella was buried as he had heard in his Youth in Reole or thereabout Wherefore now being desirous to find where his Bones lay he enquired about the Town offering an 100 Crowns to any Man that could shew him his Tomb. Within a while there came an old Man of the Town to Sr. Walter who said Sir I believe I can bring You to the very Place where my Lord your Father was buried Sr. Walter told him if his Words proved true he would keep his Promise with him and something more The Lord Manny's Father is reported to have been slain upon this Occasion Almost 24 Years before this there was a Gascogner of the House of Mirepoix Bishop of Cambray in whose Days happen'd a Solemn Tournament before the City of Gambray in which on both Sides there were no less than 500 Knights It was the Fortune of the Lord of Manny an Hainalder Sr. Walter 's Father to just with a certain Knight of Gascogne who was near of Kin to the said Bishop But the young Gascogner was so roughly handled by him that he lived but a few Days after Wherefore the Lord Manny incurr'd the heavy Indignation of the Bishop and all his Kindred But two or three Years after some Pious Men by their great Diligence labour'd to compose Matters and to make a Reconciliation between the Lord Manny and his Enemies So that the Bishop and his Relations either did or at least pretended to pardon all and a Friendship was made only the Lord of Manny was enjoyned by way of Penance to go on Pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella In his going thither he passed by Reole where he then found Charles of Valois Father to King Philip that now reigned laying his Siege to that Town which then together with all Guien and Gascogne belonged to King Edward II of England Having ended his Pilgrimage and returning the same way he gave a Visit to the said Earl Charles in the Town of Reole which by that time r Giovan. Villan l. 9. c. 169. was upon Composition yielded up to him by Edmund Earl of Kent He was entertain'd at Supper that Night by the said Charles Earl of Valois but going home late to his Lodgings he was set upon as was thought by some of the Kindred of that Gascogner whose Death he had occasion'd and there barbarously murder'd The Authors of the Murther could no ways be clearly proved thô the said Bishops Kindred were generally suspected But they were as then so high and the Truth was so dark especially the Lord of Manny having no Friend there to pursue his Quarrel that the matter was hush'd and by degrees quite put up However the Earl of Valois caused him to be decently interred within a little Chappel in the Field then without the Town but afterwards the Lord Charles having won the Place enlarged the Walls and so took in that Chappel also into its Compass Thus was Sr. Walter 's Father slain and the Old Man remembred all very well as one who then belonged to Charles of Valois and was at his Burial Sr. Walter therefore followed this old Man and went with him into the Chappel aforesaid where he shew'd him a little plain Stone of Marble which his Servants had laid over him and said Sir most certainly my Lord your Father lies buried under this Stone Then the Lord Manny drew near to view the Tomb and there he found a Latin Inscription which imported that the Lord of Manny's Body lay there He could not forbear Weeping to find this poor Remembrance of his Dear Father whom he could scarce remember to have seen alive for he was but young at his Death The old Man he rewarded as he had promised and two Days after took up his Fathers Bones and putting them in a rich Coffer sent them to Valenciennes in his native Country of Harnalt and there caused them to be deposited in the Church of the Fryars and his Obsequies to be kept Annually with great Solemnity which for many Years after were commemorated VII All this ſ Frois c. 111. while the Earl of Darby held his Siege before the strong Castle of Reole and now when it had held out near 11 Weeks the Miners were at last come under the Base Court but under the Dungeon they could not get by any means for it stood on an hard Rock Sr. Agoust de les Baux the Captain of the Castle perceived how he was undermined and told his Officers their Danger Then they said Sir the Peril is common to us all and we fear now inevitable unless you in your great Wisdom contrive a Remedy You are our Chief whom as hitherto we have obey'd so now will we follow your Determination But surely we have so long and so worthily held out already that if we could now come to any good Composition no man could blame us for Yielding at last Try if you can get the Earl of Darby to grant us our Lives and Goods and so to accept the Castle Upon this the Captain went down from the High Tower and looking out at a little Window made a sign that he desired to speak with some Body Being demanded what he would have he answer'd how he would gladly speak with the Earl of Darby or the Lord Walter Manny The Earl hearing hereof took along with him the Lord Manny and the Lord Stafford saying Come let us go to the Fortress and know what the Captain has to say now So they all rode to the Castle and when Sr. Agoust de les Baux saw them he took off his Cap and saluting them all three in their Order said My Lord of Darby I must confess the French King sent me hither to defend and keep this Town and Castle to my Power And you know very well how I have
Villant p. 862. l. 12. c. 53. September he went from Dort in Holland with a great Fleet of Valiant Souldiers gather'd from Hainalt Flanders Brabant Holland Guelderland and Juliers to take Revenge of his Rebells of Friseland For he claimed to be Lord thereof and it was indeed his by Right if the Frisons had not been of Barbarous and Unreasonable Principles But here at last it was his ill Fortune to be met by the Frisons in a narrow passage near Staveren where being unknown he was presently slain before any of his Friends could come up to his Assistance He was a Prince of high Merit and a most Famous Souldier whereof for the short time he lived u Tâ—â—e's stcrehouse p. 721. he gave many good Testimonies in his Wars against the Saracens and Moors in the Kingdom of Granada and against the French in the behalf of his Brother in Law the King of England also in his Victories in Lithuania and Livonia and against the Russian Infidels where he loaded himself with Honour and his Men with spoil and booty Lastly in his Conquest of Vtrecht and his frequent Victories over the Frisons till this unhappy encounter wherein he lost his Life He died without Issue whereupon he was succeeded by his Eldest Sister Margaret the Empress whose Son William of Bavaria was Earl after her Decease Which William Married the Lady Mathilda Daughter to Henry Plantagenet now Earl but then Duke of Lancaster by whom yet he had no Issue There was slain at the same time with this Young Valorous Earl of Hainalt his Sisters Son William x Giov. Villani p. 862. c. Marquess of Juliers and Earl of Cambridge a Lord of great Power and Valour and while he lived a sure Friend both to him and King Edward His Uncle Sr. John of Hainalt Lord of Beaumont was y Frois c. 116. not in Friseland at the time of this woefull chance but soon after coming thither when he was told of the Death of his Nephew he rag'd like a Man distracted and would immediately have taken the Field against the Frisons But he was hinder'd by his servants and especially Sr. Robert Gluves who was his Armour-bearer and by a Dutifull Violence forced him into his Ship against his Will. So he return'd into Holland with a small Company and came to St. Geertruydenberg where he found the Young Lady his Niece late Wife to the said Earl named Joan the Duke of Brabant's Eldest Daughter who being informed of this heavy loss went and lived disconsolate in the Land of Binche about three Leagues Eastward of Mons z Vid. c. 10. §. 6. p. 114. which had been assign'd her for her Dowry The Government of Hainalt was menag'd by the Lord John till the Empress Margaret his Niece came thither to take Possession in her own Person VIII After this News was spread abroad in France King Philip whom it became to be vigilant about this own Advantage began to think how he might bring over the Lord John of Hainalt to his Side now the Earl was dead with whom since his Invasion of his Lands he could never have hopes of Reconciliation But the Lord John's Resentments he knew were not so deep wherefore he spake to Guy Earl of Blois who had married the Lord John's Daughter and had by her three Sons Lewis John and Guy besides the Lord Charles whom he had by a former Venter to use his Interest with him to bring him over to the French Side and he himself also by his Royal Letters assured unto him greater Revenues in France than he had in England which he promised to assign unto him in Lands where he should think best himself But to all these Arguments the Noble Lord was wholly Deaf for he consider'd that he had spent all the slower of his Youth in the King of Englands Service and ever found great Favour and Love from him wherefore now he had no mind to leave him When the Earl of Blois saw there was no sixing on him this way he resolved to try another and first to win the Lord of Saginelles his Chief Companion and Counsellour and so by his means to work further upon the Lord of Beaumont This Man being soon gain'd as one that had no such Obligation to England it was agreed between him and the Earl of Blâ—is to make the Lord John believe that King Edward would no longer pay him his usual Pension but had absolutely refus'd upon Demand to pay it to his Use as he had been wont This Device took for the Lord John without enquiring into the Bottom of it was so displeas'd at this supposed Unkindness that he forthwith renounced his Service and Good-will which hitherto he had born to King Edward The French King hearing hereof sent immediately sufficient Deputies to him and chose him of his Council and retained him in his Service for War at certain Wages assigning him moreover in France as much Land or more than he had in England But to require the Loss of these four Friends of King Edward's Earl William his Uncle John the Marquess of Juliers and Jacob van Arteveld about a Frois c. 114. this very time came over to his Side the Couragious and Politick Lord Godfry of Harcourt Lord of St. Saviour le Vicount and Brother to John Earl of Harcourt He had been once as Dear to King Philip of France as any Lord of his whole Realm but on b Fabian p 271. Occasion of a Quarrel between his Brother and Sr. Robert Bertram Marshal of France which was hugely fomented by Partakers on both Sides he so greatly displeased King Philip that if he could have got him into his Power 't was concluded he had found no better usage than the Lord Clysson had done before But he having timely Notice from his Friends withdrew into Brabant to the Duke his Cousin by whom when all his Lands were seised on by King Philip he was advised to go into England and proffer his Service to the King there He did so and was welcome to the King who received him with large Demonstrations of Good-will and made much use of him in his following Wars And this Displeasure of his cost the Realm of France dearly especially the Dukedom of Normandy for there the sad Effects thereof were seen an hundred years after IX In the Close of the foregoing Year it may be remembred c c. 22. §. 1â— p. 312. how we spake of the Deliverance of John Earl of Montford who claim'd the Dukedom of Bretagne from Prison And that by Vertue of the Truce King Philip was obliged in a manner to give him his Liberty but it was done with this Proviso that he d â—â—bian p. 270. should not go into Bretagne nor make the least offer to intermeddle with the Affairs of that Country Notwithstanding this Tye of his Promise Earl Montford took the first Opportunity to make his Escape into England as he did about
Bodies of English that were coming upon them besides this loss wanting both Victuals and Rest for their Bodies sled away having indeed purchas'd the Name of Truce-breakers but gain'd little Praise for their Valour One o Godw. Catal. Bâ—s p. 678. says that for want of Victuals they were compell'd to fight upon Disadvantage where the Bishop of Caerlile gave them a memorable Overthrow But I can find no such matter unless the loss under Sr. Alexander Straghan may be so accounted For what became of Sr. William Douglas Had he been entirely beaten he could never have escaped either being slain or taken and he was too eminent not to be taken Notice of both by Scotch and English Writers had either of those things happen'd unto him And we find him alive after this wherefore we rather chose to relate as we have done This loss however dispos'd King David of Scotland to admit of a Truce which p Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 565. ex Rot. Scot. 19. Ed. 3. m. 4. c. presently ensued hereupon and the Lord Thomas Lucy with the Bishop aforesaid and others were by King Edward joyned in Commission to see the same duly observed The said Lord Lucy being likewise constituted Sheriff of Cumberland and Governour of the Castle at Caerlile XII And now we shall close this Year after our usual Method when we have remembred the Names of some Grandees that departed this Life about this time The first was the Lord q Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 11. Adam Welles a Valiant and Noble Gentleman who dying at the Age of one and fourty left behind him John his Son and Heir then but Eleven Years of Age who afterwards behav'd himself with Great Honour in the French Wars On the r Godw. Catal. Bpâ—p 662. 24 of April there departed this Life at Aukland the Renowned Dr. Richard Aungervile commonly called of Bury Bishop of Durham of whose Wisdom and other Vertues we have more than once spoken in these Papers He died in the 58 Year of his Age and lies buried in the South angle of his own Church We have already seen how great part of this Mans Life was taken up in publique Employments for the Service of his Royal Pupil King Edward But this is memorable of him that what spare time he found from these Weighty Affairs he either spent in Å¿ â—odw Cattal Bps p. 661. Prayer or Conference with his Chaplains or else in study with which he was extreamly delighted He wrote many things whereof some yet remain and in one of them entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Conradus t Conr. Gesner in â—â—blieth Vnvers p. 582. Gesner commends highly he saith of himself * Fâ—tatico quedarn librer unâ—mâ—re potenter se abreptum vid. Godwin ibid. that he was powerfully hurried away with a certain Ravishing Love of Books And indeed his study was so well furnished that it was thought he had more Books than all the Bishops in England beside He was also wonderfully taken with the Conversation and Acquaintance of Learned Men and many Letters passed between him and Francis Petrarch and others Famous for Learning in that Age. He had still in his House many Chaplains all Notable Scholars the Chief whereof were Thomas Bradwardin King Edwards Confessor and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Richard Fitz. Ralph afterwards Archbishop of Armagh Dr. Walter Burly Tutor to the Prince of Wales Dr. John Mauduit Dr. Robert Holcot Dr. Richard Killington Dr. Richard Wentworth who in time became Bishop of London and Dr. Walter Seagrave whom Bishop Godwin calls Bishop of Chichester thô himself neither in that Title nor in any other takes notice of any such Man. It was this Bishop of Durhams Custom in Dinner and Supper time to hear some one or two Paragraphs out of some Choice Book read to him the Matter whereof he would afterwards discourse with his Chaplains as leisure from other business would permit He was of a very Charitable and Bountifull Disposition u Godw. Catal. Bps p. 662. Stows Survey of London p. 75. giving a Weekly allowance of Eight Quarters of Wheat made up into Bread for the Relief of the Poor besides the Offals and Fragments from his Table He would constantly when he rode between Durham and Newcastle give away Eight Pounds Sterling in Almes in his riding from Durham to Stockton Five Pounds from Durham to Aukland Five Markes from Durham to Middleham Five Pounds and so proportionably in other journeys Many other Monuments of his Charity Wisdom Piety and Learning he left behind him which have endear'd his Name to all Posterity He was succeeded by Dr. Thomas Hatfield the King's Secretary of whose Election this x Walsing Hypod p. 118. Story is Reported That King Edward being by all means desirous to prefer him to the Bishoprick and perhaps doubting the Convent would not choose him was content rather then miss of his Purpose even against his own late Resolution to Request of the Pope that he would give it him thereby opening a new Passage for him to Reenter into Possession of his late Cancell'd Usurpation The Pope therefore glad of this Opportunity without any Regard had to the Merit of the Man immediately comply'd with the King's Desire And when some Cardinals made Exceptions saying that he was not only a meer Lay-man but one of Light Carriage and no way Worthy of that Sacred Dignity 'T is true said the Pope but if now the King of England had Requested me in behalf of an Ass he should have succeeded And yet y Godw. Catal. Bps p. 663. this Man built Durham College in Oxford and purchased certain Lands unto the same for the Maintenance of such Monks of Durham as should be sent thither to study Which College having many Years after received a new Foundation from Sr. Thomas Pope of Tyttenhanger in Hertfordshire Knight was by him called as it is to this Day Trinity-College This Thomas Hatfield built also Durham Palace in London for the Reception of himself and Successours at their Repair thither And was a Principal Benefactour if not the Founder of the Friery at Northallerton in Yorkshire and having sat in the See 36 Year died a Good Old Man in the Year of our Lord MCCCLXXXVI In this Year on the Eighteenth of July died the Famous or rather infamous Adam Orleton of whom We have spoken where We Related the Trayterous and Horrid Murther committed upon the Sacred Person of King Edward the Second We there shew'd how far he was concerned in that Heinous Act but by his subtil Evasions he so well Handled the Matter that he not only escaped Temporal Punishment but within two Moneths after by Means of his Patroness the Queen Mother was Prefer'd to the Bishoprick of Worcester Six Years after thô now King Edward could not endure him at the z Godw. Catal. Bps p. 233. Request of the French King he was Translated by the Pope to Winchester Whereat King Edward was so
Army with Provision By Chance he was met by the Lord Manny who neither well could nor much car'd to avoid him There happen'd between these two Lords a most fierce Rencounter and many were unhorsed hurt slain and taken on both sides For the p Frois c. 120. French were Five to One. While this Medley lasted News thereof was carried to Aiguillon Whereupon the English Lords prepared hastily to relieve their Fellows and first the Earl of Pembroke with his Men rode forth and being come to the Skirmish he there found his Noble Friend Sr. Walter Manny q Frois ibid. on Foot surrounded by his Enemies but doing wonderfull Deeds of Arms. To him the Earl presented a lusty fresh Horse and it was well in the mean time some Frenchmen drove the Cattle away toward their Camp For else they had lost both them and themselves too For the English that made this Sally set upon the French with so much Fury that they presently put them to the Rout and deliver'd all their Friends and took many of their Enemies Prisoners So that the Lord Charles of Monmorency himself had much ado to make an Escape And such Rencounters happen'd frequently almost r Frois ibid. every Day beside the Assaults made upon the Castle One day above the rest the whole Host was armed and the Duke of Normandy gave Order that the Men of Tholouse Carcassone and Beaucaire should make an Assault from Morning till Noon and those of Rodes Cahors and Agen from Noon till Night and he himself promised that whoever could win the Bridge of the Gate should have for his Reward an hundred French Å¿ Fr. Crown 6 s. 8 d. Crowns of Gold. And the better to render this Days work effectual he mann'd several Ships and Barges on the River some whereof ply'd by the Bridge and others passed the River to divert the Defendants At last certain of the Frenchmen came in a Boat under the Bridge where they cast up great Hooks of Iron to catch hold on the Draw-Bridge and having so done never left pulling till they had broke in sunder the Chains that held it and so laid down the Bridge by Force Then Others that were ready for that purpose leap'd thereon so hastily that one overthrew another they were all so greedy of the 100 Crowns The mean while the Defendants when they saw the Bridge as throng'd as ever it could be threw down plentifully among them vast Bars of iron massy pieces of Timber Pots of quick Lime with burning Pitch Tarr and scalding Oyl so that many were brained and scalded to Death grievously wounded and overthrown Dead and half-dead into the River and into the Ditch However the Bridge remained for that time in the Possession of the French but it signified little for they could not win the Gate for all that So at last when it was late the Retreat was sounded to the French and they being retired to the Camp the Defendants open'd their Gates and raised up the Bridge again and made it stronger than ever it was and bound it fast to great Rings in the Wall with thicker Chains of Iron The next Day there came to the Duke two Cunning Carpenters well skill'd in Mathematicks who said Sir if your Highness will allow us Timber and Workmen to follow our Directions we will make you Four strong Scaffolds as high or higher than the Walls of this Castle whereby your Men may come hand to hand with the Defendants The Duke commanded they should do so and empower'd them to press Carpenters about in the Country at his Pay and promised them liberal Rewards So at last after a long Time excessive Labour and vast Expence these four Scaffolds were ready being built on the Decks of four Great Ships and such as were appointed for that Work were disposed in them But having passed scarce half way in the River to give the Assault the Defendants who having observed all these Preparations had by this time provided a Remedy set up against them four tight Engines which they had newly made to resist the Scaffolds These four Engines cast such huge Flints and Stones with such a force and hit the Scaffolds so luckily that presently they were all so uncover'd and broken that they could yield no Defence to those that were within Wherefore they were all commanded back again but before they reach'd the Land one of the Scaffolds Ship and all sunk in the River and the greater Part of those within it were drown'd Which was a great Loss for none were there but good and valiant Knights and Gentlemen who only courted Honour by this Hazardous Enterprise When the Duke saw that whatever way he went was thus rendred unsuccessfull he let the other three Scaffolds lie still and repented much that ever he came thither For now he saw no likelihood of Winning the Castle and yet at his first coming thither he had t Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 46. p. 856. swore a solemn Oath that he would never rise thence till he had the Place at his Devotion Then he sent the Constable of France and the Earl of Tancarville to Paris to the King his Father to let him know the State of the Siege before Aiguillon and it was the Kings Pleasure that the Duke should lie there still till he had won them by Famine since he could not by Assault But this latter Device signified as little as any of the former for this Garrison was so far from allowing themselves to be pent up within Walls that having heard of two u Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 46. p. 856. Great Ships which were coming from Tholouse to the Army laden with Provision of Victuals and Armour they adventur'd forth both by Land and by Water those beating up the Enemies Quarters in their Camp and these fetching away the Ships which they brought into the Castle to their great Comfort and the infinite Loss and Vexation of the Duke of Normandy This Action happen'd on the 16 of June VIII During this famous Siege before Aiguillon x Giov. Villani l 12. c. 60. p. 870. Holinshead Engl. Chr. p. 928. the Seneschal of Guienne under the French King departed from the Duke of Normandy with a Detachment of 800 Horse and 4000 Foot designing to take in a Castle belonging to a Nephew of the Cardinal de la Motte which was about 12 Leagues distant from Aiguillon The Archdeacon of Vnfort who was Lord of the Castle and held for England understanding of the Frenchmens Approach to his Fortress went out privily and rode Post to la Reole where the Earl of Lancaster and Darby lay at that time with his little Army waiting for some Advantage against the Duke of Normandy Upon the Information and Request of this Man the Earl appointed a certain Number of Horsemen and Archers to ride along with him With whom the Archdeacon going back came on the 31 of July early in the Morning before his
Bill-men the whole Battalia amounting to 12000 Men and all Three to 30000 compleat As for the Names of other Lords and Knights who were present in this Action I have recovered these thô here placed out of Order because no certain Rank is any where assigned Sr. Peter Grandison Banneret Robert Lord Morley the Lord William Felton the Lord Adam Eâ—â—ringham Robert Lord Ferrers the Lord Hugh Meinill the Lord Maurice Berkâ—â— Thomas Lord Furnival the Lord William Kerdeston the Lord Michael Poynings the Lord Robert Vghtred the Lord Thomas West the Lord John Engaine Banneret the Lord John Striveling the Lord John Montgomery and Sr. Giles Erdinton of his Retinue Sr. Fouk c Dugd. Warw. p. 658. Bermingham Peter Lord Mauley Sr. William Swinnerton Sr. Richard e Id. p. 750. Whitacre Sr. John f Id. p. 434. Murdaâ— Sr. Gerard g Id. p. 623. Burdel besides many Others whose Names it is both difficult to collect and tedious to recite Over and above all which the King to encourage his Men the better to pursue Honour created this Day no less than h Asâ—mole p. 655. 50 New Knights the Chief whereof were Sr. Guy Brian a young Baron Sr. Robert Mauley Brother to Peter Lord Mauley Sr. John Ravensholm Sr. Peter Brewis Sr. Thomas Lancaster Sr. Henry d' Engaine and Sr. John Beauchamp younger Brother to the Earl of Warwick to which i Dudg 1 Vol. p. 231. Vbi tamen militari cing de dâ—natum brennic antebâ—â— memerat Aâ—t verò in hoc errat aut haec in Campo Equitum Creatio differt ab alià Hìc Ashmolaeum sequer last was committed that Day the Honour of Bearing the Kings Standard All things being thus order'd every Lord and Captain under his own Banner and Pennon and the Ranks duly settled the Valorous Young King mounted on a lusty White Hobby and with a white Wand in his Hand rode between his two Marshals from Rank to Rank and from one Battalia into another exhorting and encouraging every Man that Day to defend and maintain his Right and Honour And this He did with k Frois c. 128. so cheerfull a Countenance and with such sweet and obliging Words that even the most Faint-hearted of the Army were sufficiently assured thereby By that time the English were thus prepared it was Nine a Clock in the Morning and then the King commanded them all to take their Refreshment of Meat and Drink which being done with small Disturbance they all repaired to their Colours again and then laid themselves in their Order on the dry and warm Grass with their Bows and Helmets by their side to be more fresh and vigorous upon the Approach of the Enemy II. That l Frois c. 129. same Day King Philip on the other side rose early in the Morning and heard Mass at Abbeville in the Abbey of St. Peter where he had lodged and exactly at Sun-rise began to March out of the City against the English with more than an m Frois ibid. Mezeray p. 26. Hundred Thousand Men. Abbeville is between three and four Leagues from Cressy whereof when King Philip had passed about two Leagues some of his Lords said to him Sir it is now High time to set your Battails in good Order and let your Infantry pass on forward while You range your Cavalry here This Advice the King follow'd and moreover sent out four Knights of great Experience viz. the Lord Moyne of Bastelberg in Bohemia the Lord of Nogheres the Lord of Beaujeu and the Lord of Aubigny to ride forward and discover the Face of the Enemy These Lords rode so near that they took notice of much part of their Order and Behaviour and yet the English made no offer to hinder them but lay still and let them alone thô they saw their Business and knew who it was that sent them So these four Lords return'd to their Master who presently demanded of them what tidings They look'd about upon One another as being every Man loath to speak since they had no good News to declare Then the King Commanded the Lord Moyne of Bastelberg to tell him what discovery they had made and freely to utter his opinion Now this Moyne Lord of Bastelberg in Bohemia was an Ancient Gentleman a Native of that Country who in his Youth had been an Esquire to John of Luxemburgh the Valiant Old King of that Realm and had behav'd himself in all his Masters Wars with so much Gallantry that he gain'd the Reputation of being One of the Bravest and most Expert Knights in the World Thô now Age had rendred him more fit for Counsel than Action This Man thus Answer'd the King Sir since it is your Pleasure I shall speak under Correction of my Fellows if they should chance to think otherwise Sir We have ridden forth and at our Leisure view'd the Countenance of Your Enemies and know for certain they are ready ranged in three Fair Battalla's as resolved to wait Your coming being in all by Estimation little more or less than 30000 Men. Sir as for my part bateing Your Majesties Displeasure I would Advise that for this Day You go no further for before Your Reer is fully come up and all Your Forces ranged in good Order of Battle it will be late Not to say that Your Footmen are weary with this long March in their Armour and their Ranks much disorder'd whereas the Enemy is Fresh and Lusty and ready to receive You. Thô by to morrow Morning as their Vigour will be more languid and pall'd so Your now-tired Troops will then be more Vigorous And hereby also Your Majesty may with more Deliberation and greater Exactness both Order Your Men and view the whole Posture of the Enemy as well as consider after what Manner to assail them For doubtless Sir they will not flinch from You. This Counsel the King Commanded to be put in Execution but the Evil Genius of France would not suffer that Command to take any Effect Althô the Kings two Marshals rode forth One to the Front and the Other toward the Reer saying to all the Captains and Ensigns Stand and tarry here in this place in the Name of God and St. Dennis They that were foremost stood still according to Command but the Hindmost would hear nothing of Obedience or Order but with Words of great Bravery rode forward saying they would make no stop till they were as forward as the Foremost So that by their pressing on the First were again forced to March to make room for them that thus followed by which means neither the King nor his Marshals could make them stand till they came in sight of the English And then the Front recoyled back very disorderly to the great Wonder of those behind who thought the First Troops were now engaged with the Enemy And then they might have had Leisure and room enough to have gone forward but they were content to make an Halt Yet some went with
Courage enough and many of the Common Souldiers of whom all the Ways between Abbeville and Cressy were full when they perceived the Enemy was near them drew their Swords and cry'd down with 'um down with 'um let us slay them every Mothers Son. There was no Man present could imagine or guess at the Reason of all this Disorder that happen'd among the French but only for that they were such a great Number and despis'd the small Power of their Enemies This account Sr. John Froisard n Frois c. 129. fol. 66. learn'd not only from several English Gentlemen who were present and saw all this but also from certain Knights belonging to the Lord John of Hainalt who was all that Day near the Person of King Philip and proved the Occasion of saving him from being either flain or taken III. When the o Frois c. 130. English who lay still on the ground in three Battalia's saw the Approach of the Frenchmen they sprang up lightly from the Earth upon their Feet and order'd themselves fair and leisurely In the first Battail which was govern'd by the Young Prince of Wales his Chief Assistants being the Earl of Warwick and the Lord John Chandos the Archers stood in Manner of an p Holinshead p. 933. Herse about 200 in Front and but 40 in Depth which is undoubtedly the best q Vid. Clement Edmunds notes on Caes Comment l. 7. c. 15. way of embattelling Archers especially when the Enemy is very numerous as at this time For by the Breadth of the Front the extension of the Enemies Front is matched and by reason of the Thinness in Flank the Arrows do more certain Execution being more likely to reach home In the bottom of this Fatal Herse stood the Prince of Wales on Foot among his Men of Arms in a close square Battail On whose left Wing were the Earls of Arundel and Northampton with a strong Brigade of above 7000 Choice Men of Arms Bill-men and Archers And on their Left Hand ran a Ditch new cast up toward the Town and the River to prevent being surrounded Which being like an Half-Moon with One Horn reach'd the Park behind the Princes square Battail and with the Other touch'd the Left-side of their Front their Right-side being cover'd with the Princes Brigade And afar off on the Right-side of the Park where the Carriages were stood the Kings firm Battail of 12000 Men near an Hill whereon there was a Wind-mill as a Forlorn if need should be Old John r Walsing hist p. 157. of Luxemburgh King of Bohemia who in his Days had been a Great Souldier and having in his Wars in Italy formerly lost one Eye was now by reason of his great Age reputed little better than Blind having heard from the Lord Moyne this account of the good Order of the English Army reply'd as a Man of much Experience Then I see the English are resolv'd to win all or die IV. 'T is ſ Sr. Tho. de la More apud Stow p. 242. reported that King Philip as fully secure of the Victory and resolving to make an end of the War at One Blow had by erecting his Banner of Oriflambe which was the Great and Holy Standard of France signified thereby that all the English should be put to the Sword on pain of Death and none taken to Mercy except the Persons of King Edward and of his Son the Prince of Wales only And that on the other Hand King Edward understanding of this cruel Determination of his Adversary caused also his Burning-Dragon to be raised up which signified as little Mercy to be shew'd to the Frenchmen And this presents us with a sufficient Reason for King Edwards standing still all the time of the Battle for on this account he may well be supposed to alter his First Resolution of fighting himself as seeing then that without a Powerfull Reserve if Fortune should be adverse all would be utterly lost And therefore now sending his Eldest Son as his Dearest and most valuable Pledge into the Field with Good and Expert Captains about him he himself tarried on the Hill which he fortified either thence to relieve his Men if they should be worsted or to pursue the Victory if they succeeded And this Opinion seems highly probable if We consider that this Banner being by the Frenchmen held sacred as having come down from Heaven was originally only used in Wars made against the Infidels however afterward it was used against Christians also till at last it was wholly lost in a Battle against the Flemings and likewise that according to the Rigour signified by the Burning-Dragon of England not one Frenchman was taken Prisoner at this time thô so many Thousands were slain which Calamity had happen'd in like Manner to the English if the loss had fell on their side This Standard is t Gaguin said to have been of Red Silk Adorned and beaten with very broad and fair Lillies of Gold and bordered about with Gold and Vermilion Thô Villani u Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 86. p. 894. doth not mention this Ensign to be taken down or used in these Wars till the next Year when King Philip resolved severely to Revenge his Losses and Dishonour upon the King of England However We rather encline to believe that at this time King Philip brought with him from St. Dennis this Hallowed Banner into the Field as well upon the foremention'd accounts as because without this Supposition 't is hard to give a Reason why King Edward should leave his Eldest Son to deal with so numerous an Enemy and that so many being slain on the French Part We yet hear not of so much as One taken Prisoner Except that this might be the Occasion which is also Reported that King Edward seeing how far the Enemy exceeded him in Number and fearing his Forces would be too much distracted if they were allowed to take Prisoners gave a x Frois c. 130. fol. 65. a. severe Charge that Morning that no Man should be taken to Ransom till the Victory was Compleat V. King Philip had divided his Army into y Stow p. 242. Frois c. 130. Nine Squadrons which made also three Great Battails thô the French Lords coming up one after another there was much changing and confusion among them The Van was first committed to the King of Bohemia and Charles Earl of Alencon King Philips Brother the One's Sagacity and Experience being prudently joyn'd with the Others Youth and fiery heat to temper it With them was the Marquess of Moravia Charles of Luxemburgh Son to the King of Bohemia and afterwards Emperour of Germany Peter of Clermont Duke of Bourbon Lewis Earl of Flanders Ralph Duke of Lorrain James the only Son of Prince Humbert Dauphin of Viennois Henry firnamed the Liberal Earl of Vaudemont Guy Earl of Blois and others to the Number of z Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 66. p. 876. 3000 Men of Arms
and came though not without much Loss on the Right Side of the English Archers where they fell to Handy-strokes with the Prince's Battail right fiercely VII King Philip saw their Banners and would willingly have come on to their Assistance but if he had coasted after their manner all his Battails had been disorder'd and he thought it impossible yet to force a way thrô that great Hedge of Archers So that after much Valour shew'd in vain the Prince of Wales prevailed against this Battail of the French and there all their Men of Arms were beaten down to the Ground and cut in pieces by the obstinate Prowess of the English and Welchmen with the Prince Scarce was this done when three Fresh Squadrons of French and Germane Gentlemen rushing forward with great fury forced the Archers Battail to open and so came full upon the Prince with such Violence and such a Number of Men of Arms that the Young Prince was very hard put to it But then the Archers joyning their Ranks again and stepping several Paces forward the Earls of Arundel and Northampton sent out a strong Brigade of Men of Arms to help the Prince who falling in at their Reer and on their Flank the Enemy was almost enclosed while in the Front the Couragious Prince and his Men laid about them most furiously with Spear and Shield When first these Men broke thrô the Archers the Earl of Warwick doubting the worst and that the whole French Army follow'd them at the Heels dispatched a Knight away to King Edward who saw all the manner of the Fight from the Windmill desiring him to move forward and succour his Son. Sir said the Knight the Earl of Warwick the Earl of Oxford Sr. John Chandos and Sr. Reginald Cobham are so fiercely fought withall and so hard put to it by the French that they are in much danger wherefore they desire that You would please to set forward to their Aid For they are now disputing with the main Strength of the Enemy so that if any more Troops should break through upon them both They and the Prince your Son would go nigh to miscarry Well said the King is my Son Dead or Wounded or Fell'd to the Ground For I see the French Standards drop and conclude no otherwise but that things are yet in good Case No Sir replied the Knight Thanks be to God our Prince is yet well but he begins to want your Assistance Go you back said the King and bid them that sent you take care to trouble me no further while my Son is alive But let him take pains to win his own Spurs and to deserve the Honour of Knighthood which I so lately confer'd upon Him. For I am resolved by the Grace of God that the Reputation of this Glorious Day shall fall to his Portion and to those that are with Him. This Answer being brought back to the Prince's Captains they were wonderfully encouraged thereby being displeased with themselves that ever they should send so mean a Message to the King. But by this time the three Squadrons were utterly broken beaten down and slain by the Prince and his brave Companions That Morning King Philip had given a lusty black Courser to the Lord John of Hainalt who appointed his Standard-Bearer Sr. John Fussels to ride thereon This mettlesome Horse in the Heat of the Battle at the same time that the Archers were broken taking the Bridle in his Teeth carried his Master by force thrô the English Van between the Prince's Battail and the Earl of Arundels on the left Hand and as Sr. John thought to return he fell Horse and Man into the great Ditch which the English had made and there had perished had it not been for his faithfull Esquire who having followed him thrô the Archers saw now this Mischance of his Masters thô he was in no other Danger but what he might receive from his Horse For the Englishmen would never stirr that day out of their Ranks to take any Prisoner whatsoever Wherefore the Esquire securely alighted and relieved his Master from under the Horse but they went not back the same way they came but coasted far about and so at last came again in safety to the Lord John of Hainalt VIII And now the Prince and his Men being throughly chafed and enflamed with Courage began to March sorward the Archers being order'd to fall into a Wing on each Side and the Earls of Arundel and Northampton joyning the Prince The Frenchmen met them with equal Courage being refreshed with the Thoughts that now their Deaths should not be sent them at a Distance but that they might contend hand to hand for the Mastery And first the Marquess Charles Elect Emperour resisted the Prince with great Courage but his Banner was beaten to the ground his Men slain miserably about him and himself wounded in k Villani p. 878 Mezerâ—y p. 27. Three places of his Body wherefore thô not without much Difficulty he turned his Horse and rode out of the Field having cast away his Coat-Armour that he might not be known The mean while his Father John King of Bohemia who was Son to the Noble Emperour Henry of Luxemburgh althô he was near blind with Age when he understood how the Day was like to go asked of his Captains what was become of the Lord Charles his Son They told him they knew not but that they supposed him somewhere in the Heat of Action Then the good Old King resolving by no means to Disgrace his former Victories and Cancell the Glory of his Youth by a degenerous Old Age said unto them Gentlemen you are my Men my Companions and Friends in this Expedition I only now desire this last piece of Service from You that You would bring me forward so near to these Englishmen that I may deal among them One good Stroak with my Sword. They all said they would obey him to the Death and lest by any Extremity they should be separated from him they all with one Consent tied the Reins of their Horses one to another and so attended their Royal Master into Battle There this Valiant Old Heroe had his Desire and came boldly up to the Prince of Wales and gave more than one or four or five good Stroaks and fought couragiously as also did all his Lords and Others about him but they engaged themselves so far that there they were all slain and the next Day found dead about the Body of their King and their Horses bridles tied together Then were the Arms of that Noble King being the Ostrich Feathers with the Motto IGH DIEN signifying I SERVE taken and won l Sandford's Geneal Hist p. 182 by the Prince of Wales in whose Memory they have ever since been called the Princes Arms being also from that time worn by his Successors Princes of Wales Eldest Sons to the Kings of England With him also fell the Unhappy King of Majorica named James by the Hands of
14 day of September VI. And now for a while we shall leave King Edward at the Siege of Calais and look what became of the Siege of Aiguillon in Agenois the News whereof had lately incited the King of England to make this Expedition All this while r Prâ—is c. 134. the Duke of Normandy lay before the strong Castle of Aiguillon not now so much in hopes to win the Place for not only the English held out still with their usual Bravery but he also himself was held short by the Earl of Darby as because he had rashly made a solemn Vow never to depart thence till he had the Fortress at his Devotion Now a few Days before the Battle of Cressy was fought Duke John hearing that King Edward was marching through France resolved to give one more general Assault if by any means he might by Carrying the Place both save his Oath and also be at liberty to go and assist his Father It was then about the middle of August and the Frenchmen being irritated with their long stay here became more resolved to do their Utmost in order to end so tedious a Siege with Honour Nor were encouragements wanting from the Duke nor provocations from the Enemy But for all that althô in a manner the whole Army was engaged in a general Assault carried on with the utmost vigour for the space of an whole Day yet all was in vain and their Losses were doubled but their Advantages no whit better'd Among many others there fell that day the young Lord Philip of Burgundy Eldest Son to Eudo the IV. Duke of Burgundy who was Earl of Artois and Boulogne and Cousin-German to the Duke of Normandy This Gallant Gentleman was in the Flower of his Youth and but newly come thither But being desirous at this time to signalize himself when the Skirmish was begun he set Spurs to his Courser and came onward to the Assault But the mettlesome Horse taking the Curb between his Teeth ran away with his Master and chanced to stumble in a Ditch where they fell both Horse and Man The young Lord being so rudely handled that he died within a few days after leaving behind him Å¿ Favine le Parisien l. 4. c. 3. p. 7. one Infant Son and a Daughter VII Now King Philip was returned to Paris where he busied himself in Thoughts nothing unworthy the Grandeur of such a Monarch nor did all this Adversity abate his Courage or extort one Low thought from him He resolves to try all means to uphold his Sinking Honour and take a severe Vengeance of his Enemies for the Loss he had received First therefore he sends a peremptory Command to his Son John who lay still before Aiguillon with a very considerable Army immediately to rise up and all Excuses laid aside to come away to aid his Country nearer Home against the Enemy who had already drank deep draughts of her best Blood and now lay gnawing at her very Bowels At the same time he seriously bestirs himself to raise another Mighty Army wherewith he design'd to go and drive away King Edward from before Calais Which he intended to succour in Person very early the next Campagne And besides this in hopes to divert the War from his own Doors into England or at least to repay the Losses of France with the like in England he presently after the Battle of Cressy sent his special Messengers to his Old Friend and Ally David Bruce King of Scotland Not only desiring him earnestly to remember former Obligations and their late strict Alliance but encouraging him at such a time t Knightâ—n p. 2589. n 40. when all the strength of England was drain'd out in the parts of Gascogne Bretagne and before Calais to invade the Northern Borders of his and their Inveterate Enemys the English and to revenge the manifold Injuries they had Both received earnestly requesting him not so much to stand upon a slight Truce which King Edward had only made for his own Advantage as to value and respect those sacred Tyes of mutual Amity and Entercourses that have been not only for many Generations inviolably maintain'd between both their Ancestors but also in especial manner had been cultivated and confirmed between them two And besides all these Arguments he sent him a good round Summ of Mony and 15000 Crossbows of Genoua to his Assistance thô not as some say under the Command of Antonio Doria and Carolo Grimaldi for they were both slain in Cressy-Field as we have shewn from the Testimony of Giovanni Villani who was himself an Italian And truly it might be wondred that any of the Genouese should now care to serve King Philip any more after that great Affront at Cressy but that it is to be remembred how these People were in those Days Mercenaries to the Crown of France as of late the Swissers have been and so might well be now appeased with gracious Words especially attended with Gold which always bears a Great Sway not only among Souldiers of Fortune but also with the major Part of Mankind The Effects of this Message we shall shew by and by when we have first related how the Siege was broken up from before Aiguillon VIII And as for John Duke of Normandy when he had received his Fathers peremtory Command he became infinitely displeas'd as well at the unhappy News of King Edwards Victorious Progress as because he saw his own Honour so apparently touched in that he had received such Opposition before so inconsiderable a Fortress Indeed he had met with many Checks and Rebuffs during this Siege not only from the Besieged themselves who maintain'd the Place with invincible Courage as we have particularly shew'd but also from the most Noble Earl of Darby who held him so short with his flying Troops that scoured about the Country for that purpose having certain strong Garrisons for their Retreat that he could never get in Provisions fast enough to supply the wants of his Army and what he got was not many times without great Labour thô fetch'd in by Considerable Bodies Wherefore that he suffer'd some Difficulty is very easily granted but that he was thereby obliged secretly to forsake his Army and escape away by stealth I cannot by any means allow thô u Knighton p. 2589. n. 30. c. some of our Writers have too heedlesly ventur'd to say as much And that his Headless Army thereupon flying away after him in much Confusion they were between the People of the Country and the Earl of Darby almost all reduced to nothing I have all along professed to have a zeal for Truth and must not therefore here allow of those improbable Relations of some of our Countrymen For it is certain that Prince John was a Man of truly Royal Courage and Magnanimity and the Army he lead very formidable for the Fame of its Captains and Officers as well as its own Numbers And we are sure not only that the
Earl of Darby was unable to keep the Field against him but that King Edward who also well knew as much chiefly at first undertook this Expedition as was generally reputed with a design to raise that Siege Thô as we have shewn he was diverted into Normandy as well by the Necessity of the Weather as afterwards by New-Counsels And also we shall presently see this Duke in the Head of a considerable Army watching King Edwards Motions which could not have been had he so unworthily deserted these Forces and betray'd them to Ruine Wherefore we shall embrace the more probable Account which x Frois c. 134. Froisard gives in this manner That when Duke John received this express Command from his Father that he should forthwith break up his Siege from before Aiguillon and with all Expedition return into France to defend his Heritage against the English he call'd his Chief Lords and Captains about him to a Council of War to know what Course he had best to take in that Juncture For as he said he had solemnly sworn never to depart thence till he had won the Castle The Lords all agreed with one Consent That since his Father commanded him he must obey notwithstanding his Oath which must be implied but Conditional since being both a Son and a Subject he was not therein at his own Dispose For his Duty to his King and Father had laid a greater and more early Obligation upon him IX According to this Advice the next Morning early he prepared to March back with his Host toward Paris having y Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 60 p. 870. sent unto the Pope to Avignon requesting to be absolved of his Oath which he had made not to part thence till he had the Castle whereupon he receiv'd the Popes Absolution It is said by z Stow p. 240. ex eo Dagd Ashmole some that Ralph Lord Stafford was at this time Captain of Aiguillon but it appears that althô indeed upon the Death of Oliver Lord Ingham he was by the King made Seneschal of Gascogne yet early this Year he Resign'd that Office into the Kings Hands and was actually in the Battle of Cressy as We have declared which Battle preceded the raising of this Siege As appears by the Confession even of those a Ashmole p. 689 c. who otherwise say the Contrary though imprudently for yet they allow the Battle of Cressy to have been fought on the 26 of August and acknowledge this Siege was not raised till the Feast of the Decollation of St. John Baptist which is known to be not till the 29 of August althô for want of comparing they make the latter to be before the former And then with what Forces could this Lord Stafford pretend to go above an 100 Miles thrô France to meet with the King at Cressy unless he left Aiguillon void We shall therefore leave these Idle Tales and go to a more probable and better attested Narration The Earl of Pembroke and the Lord Walter Manny were with some other aforemention'd Chief Captains of Aiguillon Who when they saw the Departure of the Duke of Normandy for he had b Giov. Villâ—ni l. 12. c. 60. p. 870. fired his Tents to the great Damage of those that were Infirm and the Loss of their Necessaries resolved to give him a brisk Farewell And so the Lord c Frois c. 134. Walter Manny issued out with his Banner before him and dashed in among the hindmost of the French and fell upon them with such Vigour that he slew one with another 600 of them and took about 60 Prisoners whom he brought back with him into the Fortress Of these Prisoners upon enquiry he understood how the King of England his Master had made an Expedition into France and had won a notable Victory in the Fields of Cressy and was intended to lay his Siege before Calais Hereupon f Frois c. 135. c. Sr. Walter Manny some days after fell into Communication with one of the Chief of all his Prisoners who was a Noble Knight of Normandy and both very Dear and also nearly Allied to Duke John demanding of him how much Money he was content to pay for his Ransom The Knight reply'd He would very willingly give him 3000 Crowns Well said the Lord Manny I am fully enformed that You are of Kin to the Duke of Normandy and very High in his Favour of that I am sure And if I would press upon You I am certain You could pay me 10000 Crowns But I shall deal otherwise with You and only rely upon your Faith and Promise You shall go to the Duke your Lord and endeavour to obtain of him a Safe-Conduct for me and 20 more of my Company to ride thrô France to Calais We paying courteously for all our Expences and lying but One Night in a place till We come thither and not offering the least Wrong or Violence to any soul whatsoever And if You can get this Grant of the Duke or of the King his Father I shall clearly quit You your Ransom with many Thanks For I am very desirous to see the King my Master But if You cannot procure thus much for me You shall return hither again within a Moneth and yield your Body up as my Prisoner X. To all this the Knight agreed and gave his Promise to keep the Bargain truly and honestly and so went to Paris where having found the Duke of Normandy he Obtained of him a Pass-port and Safe-Conduct for Sr. Walter Manny and only 20 Horsemen beside and therewithall returning punctually to Aiguillon upon delivery of the said Conduct he was freely acquitted of his Ransom and Imprisonment Then the Lord Walter Manny made sufficient Provision for his journey and having took leave of the Earl of Pembroke and the other English Lords and Captains left the Fortress with 20 Gallant Fellows in his Company all well Mounted and rode thrô Auvergne and when he came to any City or Town he produced his Letters and so was let pass unmolested But being come to Orleans for all his Letters he was arrested together with all his Company and hurried away to Paris where by the Kings Order they were Imprison'd in the Chastelet or Chief Prison The Duke of Normandy having got notice hereof went immediately to the King his Father and told him how Sr. Walter Manny had his Safe-Conduct wherefore he earnestly desired him to deliver him Sir said he for Gods-sake blemish not Your Royal Honour by such an Unjust and Unprincely Action I was furnished with full Power from Your own Commission to grant a Safe-Conduct or to Treat with any of Your Enemies in what Manner I should think fit Neither did I make this Grant which yet is of small consideration to an Enemy but for the sake of a Loyal and Valiant Subject who was redeem'd from Prison thereby Nor could he have been reduced into Your Power by the Force of Your
Philip sought by his Ambassadors to provoke King David of Scotland to break the Truce made with England and with all Expedition strongly to invade the Northern Borders But this Matter however closely carried on came to be scented by King Edward who then lay before Calais Thô he resolved for all that not to quit the Siege as well because he had Confidence in the Courage and Sufficiency of those to whom he had left the Care of the Government in his Absence as because he had some hope that the Scots themselves either in Respect to their Faith given or thrô Remembrance of their former Losses would not easily venture to break the Truce so solemnly taken between them Yet however to prevent if possible the Calamities that might ensue upon an Invasion from Scotland he presently dispatched away from Calais certain of his Lords being Captains of great Experience either to perswade King David to a punctual Observance of the Truce or if that might not be obtained to help to defend his Subjects against him Among these were John Lord Moubray William Lord Ros and Thomas Lord Lucy of Ceckermouth who bare for his Arms Gules Three Lucies Hariant Argent These with other the Kings Ambassadors are said by the Scotch Writers a Hector l. 15. p. 325. Bachan l. 9. p. 302. Holinshead Hist Sect. p. 240. vid. Frois c. 137. Du Chisne p. 666. Mezeray Aiscues Hist of Scotland p. 178. Walsin Hyped p. 119. id Hist p. 157. Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 75. vid. Odoric Rainal ad hunc ann §. 43. Adam Mâ—rimâ—uth c. to have offer'd King David in their Masters Name Not only to deliver into his Hands the strong Town and Castle of Barwick but even the Person of his old Competitor King Bailiol for whose Sake the War was first begun betwixt them on Condition that he would reject the Motions of the French King and agree to observe the Truce as both in Equity and Honour he was bound These Offers if the Scotch Authors do not enlarge them as we have good reason to doubt especially in that part which relates to the Delivery of the Bailiol being propounded to the King of Scotland in his Council caused the more Prudent Sort to advise their Master that in no wise they ought to be rejected Since the Friendship of a Conquerour especially on Conditions both Honourable and Advantageous was more preferable than to abett the Weaker Side both against Equity and Profit But David himself thrô the great Love he bore to the French King with whom he had also sojourned about seven Years during his Exile and the Major Part of his Nobility being such as had either Younger Heads or more Daring Hearts or who were either sway'd by their Princes Example or France's Gold were all desirous to take this Opportunity of King Edward's Absence to revenge themselves on the English Nation and so were fatally drawn to condescend to King Philips chargeable and hazardous Request and reject King Edward's more safe and profitable Offers II. Wherefore a b Du Chesne p. 666. Parliament of all his Earls Prelates and Barons of Scotland being met at St. John's Town it was concluded that England should speedily be invaded with a Puissant Army Now that King Edward being at Calais and such other of his Forces in Bretagne Gascogne and Poictou a pleasing hope of Success began to smile upon Scotland So a War was resolved an Army appointed to be levyed forthwith and Solemn Proclamation made that all who were able and fit to bear Arms should come to the King to the General Rendezvous at St. Johnston upon the Tay by such a Day well appointed Accordingly toward the latter end of September there came to St. Johnston the Earls Barons and Prelates of Scotland all ready to serve their King against their old Enemies the English Among other great Captains thither came c Ita Hector Buchan sed John apud Frois Reginald Lord of the Isles of Hebrides who govern'd the Wild Scots for they would not endure the Government of any Man else thô others desired to obtain it And he brought with him no less than 3000 of the most Couragious and Hardy People of all that Country There came also thither at the same time David Earl of Rosse with his Troops and made his Musters before the King But the Night following he treacherously slew the Noble Lord of the Isles with seven of his Kinsmen as they lay in their Beds and immediately fled thereupon and gat him into Resse At which horrid Fact as the Army was greatly troubled so it was very much weakned the Friends of both Parties for fear of a Civil Combustion between the two Families departing to their several Homes King David thô he was extreamly incensed hereby and eagerly bent and fully resolved severely to punish that insolent and daring Fact yet because he would not break off this Expedition defer'd the prosecution thereof till a more convenient Opportunity Althô the Lord William Douglas of Liddisdale us'd his utmost to perswade him rather for that time to defer this journey and first to Chastise these Insolencies 〈◊〉 Home thereby to allay those unkind heats that might else raise a General Conflagration in his Absence But all would not do the King was so hot upon his purposed War with England to which his Affection and Obligations to the French Nation and his own evil Destiny hurried him on continually When the whole Army was assembled at St. Johnston it amounted to between 50000 and 60000 Fighting Men with which Forces King David began his March from St. Johnston in the beginning of October about a Moneth after King Edward had lay'd his Siege before Calais On the first Day he reach'd Dumfermeling which was about 20 Scottish Miles onward The next Day passing a little Arm of the Sea he came to Sterling and thence to Edinburgh where again he muster'd all his Men and found them to be 3000 Men of Arms Knights and Esquires and 30000 other on Geldings and Gallowayes besides the 15000 Crossbows of Genoua and the French Auxiliaries From Edinburgh he marched to Roxborough the first Fortress that was then on the English side that way The Captain whereof was a Famous Souldier Sr. Edward Montagu Uncle to the present Earl of Salisbury Of whose Valour We had occasion d L. 1. c. 19. §. 19. p. 251. c. to speak in the Fifteenth Year King David whether in dobut of a Man whom he had already experienced to be unconquerable even when in a Place of less strength and importance or rather because he designed greater things passed him by without offering the least Assault to the Castle and on the sixth of October began to enter Northumberland Upon his first coming to the Borders before he set foot within the English pale he made many new Knights to encourage and animate his Men But especially he created the Lord William Douglas the Son
being joyned began to March toward St. Johnston with a Resolution to bring all Scotland to their Subjection the Scots made such humble Instance that they obtain'd a Truce for one Year on Condition to pay immediately to King Bailiol 9000 pounds Sterling Whereupon it was ordained that King Bailiol should reside the mean while in the Castle of Lanerock on the Borders of Galloway with competent Forces for fear of the Scots and the other English Lords and Captains that could be spared returned to King Edward to the Camp before Calais XII We have not of a long while made any mention of the Affairs of Bretagne which now seem not out of season to call upon Us For they are fruitfull of Actions neither unworthy Memory nor foreign to our Purpose and yet can no where be more conveniently handled than in this place and at this time wherein they had their Birth King Edward thô he lay all this while before Calais did yet by his Working Genius actuate and influence more distant parts as we have already instanced in Matters both at Home and Abroad in England Scotland Gascogne and Flanders Now as for what relates to Bretagne we shew'd before e L. 1. c. 21. §. 18. Article 2. p. 283. in the latter end of King Edwards 17 Year that a triennial Truce had settled Matters there In which Truce were comprehended the Kings of France and of Scotland with their Allies however the two said Kings afterwards brake the Truce the One in the first Year by putting King Edwards Friends to Death and the Other not till the Third by invading England whence succeeded the Battle of Durham Yet for all this the Lord Charles of Blâ—s and the Countess of Montfort her husband who brake the Truce being dead kept strictly to the former Articles But now the Truce being to expire in Bretagne also on the 19 of January this Year King Edward thought fit to send some necessary Aid to the Countess as well for his own Honour he having espoused her Quarrel as also with design to weaken his Adversary the French King who had undertaken the Protection of the Lord Charles Wherefore on the f Dagd 2 Vol. p. 148. 10 of January he created Sr. Thomas Dagworth a Valiant Baron of England his Lieutenant and Captain-General in the Dukedom of Bretagne and sent g Frois c. 142. him together with Sr. John Hartwell Sr. Alan h M.S. in Bibl. Bodlei K. 84. p. 117. b. Zouch and Sr. John Lile alias L'Isle from the Siege of Calais into Bretagne with an 100 Men of Arms and 400 Archers who all came in good time to the Countess at Hennebond where they found her attended with her Men of War of whom was Captain Sr. Tanguy de Castelle Breton Bretonant As the Year began to open these English and Bretons began to make their Incursions on those who held for Charles Earl of Blois And sometimes they wan and sometimes they lost as the Course of War is but the Country always suffer'd whoever had the better One day Sr. Thomas Dagworth laid Siege to a good strong Town standing between Pontrieux and Lantriguet called Roche D'Arien in English the Rock of Arrian whose Captain for Sr. Charles of Blois was Sr. Tassart of Guisnes Here he gave many fierce Assaults but the Place was so strong and so well Defended that by force they were likely not much to prevail However whether by secret Intelligence i Du Chesne p. 667. as some say or any other consideration the Majority of the Town enclin'd to the English and seising on their Captain Sr. Tassart said how they would kill him unless he would be for the Countess Hereupon he yielding to their desires they all together deliver'd up the Town to the English who left Sr. Tassart there still as Captain with a sufficient Recruit for his Defence and so went back again for that time with the Countess When Sr. Charles of Blois heard of this k Frois ibid. Du Chesne Vid. Fabian p. 276. Knighton p. 2593 n. 40. 50. Walsingh hist p. 158. Reb. Aveâ—bury Oiov Vallanil 12. c. 92. p. S. 8. Helâ—nshead p. 941. he sware Matters should not go so over long and immediately he sent his Summons both thrô Bretagne and into Normandy among his Friends so that he muster'd at Nantes no less than 1600 Men of Arms 12000 Footmen and 2000 Balisters and he had in his Company 400 Knights and 24 Banners With these Forces he went and laid Siege to Roche D'Arien so lately won by the English here he is said to have used such terrible Engines that neither Walls nor Towers nor any thing else could long resist them perhaps these might be great Ordnance so that thô the Garrison had already sent to the Countess for aid yet by the excessive fury of these Engines which beat down all before them one huge stone or bullet making its way even thrô the Roof of the Chamber where the Captains Wife lay in Childbed to her Infinite Affrightment the Captain and all others were in such a Consternation that they offer'd forthwith to deliver up the Place on Condition they might depart with their Lives and Goods where they would But the Lord Charles being too eager of Revenge and blinded with security refused this Advantageous Offer to his almost utter Ruine For the Countess of Montfort who knew the Condition of her Friends as well as of her Enemies had by this time provided a 1000 Men of Arms and 8000 Footmen whereof Sr. Thomas Dagworth was Principal Leader with Sr. John Lile S. John Hartwell and Sr. Alan Zouch aforesaid under his Command These all agreed to raise the Siege or never to return alive to the Countess and with this Resolution they set forward till they came near to Sr. Charles of Blois his Camp where for that Night they pitch'd up their Tents by the River Trieu designing to fight the next day But when they had all refreshed themselves at Supper Sr. Thomas Dagworth caused half the Host to arm with whom about Midnight he sent forth Sr. John Hartwell commanding him to give a brisk Camisade upon Sr. Charles his Host and then to retire after some Execution in seeming Confusion and as if he was utterly Routed This Brigade went forward and dash'd suddenly into the Lord of Blois his Camp on the nearer-side and beat down Tents and slew much People but being too eager in the pursuit of their good Fortune they tarried there so long that all the Host being come to the Rescue they were so beset that they could not retreat without Battle or downright flight which had exposed them all to the sword of their Enemies When they saw this they were not wanting to themselves in Courage thô so lately they had forfeited their Discretion But they were now already pretty well tired with Action and their Enemies encreased upon them on all Hands so that finally they were overcome
and for the most part taken or slain but Sr. John Hartwell made shift to escape with a small Number along by the River-side and so returned to the General Sr. Thomas Dagworth to whom he declared their ill Adventure Whereupon the whole Army thought for that time to leave off all hopes of further succeeding and to return back again to the Countess at Hennebond But then Sr. Thomas Dagworth spake to all the Captains and those were about him saying Nay Gentlemen let not such a strong Body of Men as We are think of going back again till We have recover'd the Reputation We have so lately lost Rather let Us now leap all on our Horses like Men of Courage and for them that have none let them follow on a Foot in Gods Name For now is the best time in the World to look upon our Enemies when their late Success has lull'd them asleep in the Arms of security I 'll warrant You We shall easily discomfit them and You shall soon see an happy turn of Affairs As he spake thus and his Men yet doubted whether to obey him or no there came up to them a Knight of good Conduct and Valour called Garnier who was Lord of Cadudal with an 100 Men of Arms sent to joyn Sr. Thomas Dagworth from the Countess of Montfort This fresh recruit wholly confirmed the wavering Courages of the English and so Sr. Thomas having order'd his Troops put himself in the Head of the Men of Arms and the Archers on Horseback and the Foot followed him with a good Courage So that about Sun-rise they dashed into the Lord Charles of Blois his Host where they found all was buried in sleep and security For they were proud of their Success and weary with obtaining it and verily thought there was no more Enemy remaining after their last Nights Victory Wherefore the Englishmen and Bretons with an horrible outcry invaded them like sheep in a fold and beat down Tents and Pavilions and slew people on all hands At which time the Captain of the Town making also a vigorous Sally with all his strength the whole Army of Charles of Blois which consisted of 30000 Men was entirely defeated and broken The Lord Charles himself taken Prisoner together with his two l Du Chesne p. 667. vid. Knighton Faliâ—n H. linstead Villari c. ut ante Sons John and Guy the Lord of Rochefort the Lord of Beaumanoire the Lord of Lodeac Sr. Guy de la Valle and 36 Knights more Among the slain were found the Vicount of Rouen the Lord De la Valle whose Son Guy was taken alive the Lord of Chasteau Briant the Lord of Derual and his Son the Lord of Rouge the Lord of Quintin with Sr. William his Son the Lord of Malestroit the Lord Ralph de Montfort and others to the Number of 500 Men of Arms besides Footmen After this entire Defeat Sr. Thomas Dagworth set the Prisoners in safe Custody especially the Lord Charles of Blois who being wounded was committed to the Care of skillfull Chirurgeons and then all Sr. Charles his Engines of battery and other Spoils sound in the Field were brought into the Town and Castle of Roche D'Arien But as for the Villagers and Men of the Country thereabout because contrary to their Oath and Duty they had favour'd the Earl of Blois in this Siege Sr. Thomas punished their Towns and the Chief Men thereof with severe Fines and held them much shorter than ever before and having executed several of the most Guilty kept many of the Rest in a kind of slavery to be Labourers and Drudges for his Men of War. Then he set himself to repair the Breaches in the Walls and elsewhere and having sufficiently reinforced the Garrison with Men Ammunition and other Provision departed with his Prisoners for Hennebond Where he tarried till the Lord Charles was recover'd of his Wounds and then convey'd him and his Sons and the rest of the Prisoners into England and there they were all bestow'd about in places of sure Custody in the Tower and elsewhere about London This great Victory was thus obtain'd before the Fortress of Rochedarien on the Wednesday m Ita Aenales Britannix apud Du Chesne p. 667. Knighton p. 2593. n. 44. Lit. Dom. G. Labâ—e's Chren Techad hunc an before the Feast of St. John Baptist being the 12 of the Calends of July or the 20 Day of June Ano. Dom. MCCCXLVII I have ventur'd to differ something in the Relation of the Fact from Froisard in that Matter where he makes Sr. Thomas Dagworth to be grievously Wounded in the first Onset and Garnier Lord of Cadudal to be the Author of that Counsel of falling upon the French a second Time not only because our n Ret. Franc. 21. â—d 3. p. 2. m. 2. p. 1. m. 11. Records attribute the Conduct of this Affair to Sr. Thomas Dagworth but also his own Letter is extant in Robert Avesbury wherein he shews forth the Matter as We have related it And in consideration thereof the King o Claus de ced Ano. in Derso created him before the End of this Year a Baron of the Realm As also two p M. S. in Bibl. Bodl. K. 84. p. 117. b. others of his Valiant Associates Sr. Alan Zouch and Sr. John Lisâ—e besides whom he made 50 Knights And upon the first News of this Happy Success the same King according to his Pious Custom caused Publique Thanks to be given to God Almighty both in the Camp before Calais and also throughout England XIII And truly this was a very Important Success especially considering the taking of Charles of Blois and his two Sons althô his Lady q Du Chesne p. 667. D. Fabian p. 276 c. continued the War as resolutely as ever For she requested King Philip so earnestly to enable her to Revenge this Loss that soon after when Sr. Thomas Dagworth was now in England he sent thither the Lord of Craon with a strong Army to whom also great Multitudes of the Bretons resorted And thus altogether they came before Rochedarien and Assaulted the Town for two days continually but the English Defended themselves vigorously and threw forth upon their Enemies hot boyling Oyls Fire Coals hot Ashes and other Offensive Matter wherewith they did much mischief to the Besiegers The Third Day the English being opprest offer'd to yield the Place on Condition they might have security to depart with Life and Goods But this the French and Bretons would not now condescend to So the Assault began anew and the Lord Craon to encourage his Men had hung up fifty Scutes of Gold in a Purse upon a Spears point and Proclaim'd aloud that he that first enter'd the Town should have the said Purse of Gold for his pains When the Genouëse Souldiers heard the Promise of their Captain some of them went under the protection of their Fellows Shot with long and sharp Pick-axes and Mattocks and so stoutly
and many others have observed But to return to Affairs at home After * Stow p. 245. Easter King Edward made an Order in Council that none of his Servants should presume to take up any Victuals of any Man against his Will nor then without paying ready Money on pain of Punishment proportionable to his Offence and being banish'd the Kings Court for ever To the Execution of which Decree Sr. Richard Talbot Lord High-Steward of the Kings Houshold was appointed to have an Eye VI. The Truce taken between the two Kings at Calais last Year drawing now toward an end upon z Ashmâ—le p. 656. ex Rot. Franc. 15. Maâ—i 22 Ed. 3 m. 13. the Pope's Letters to King Edward he was prevail'd with to depute Thomas Falstaff Arch-Deacon of Welles John Carleton Canon of Welles both Doctors of Law and Frier John de Reppes of the Order of Mount Carmel who had Commission to prorogue the Truce and to Treat of a Final Peace The Truce they accordingly prorogued for six Weeks to Commence on the 13 of September following and to be observed throughout all Picardy Normandy Artois Boulogne and Flanders But the King well perceiving the delay and backwardness of the French to close with him sincerely either for a Truce or Peace in a Claus 22. Ed. 3 p. 2. m. 8. in Derse October next drew down his Forces to Sandwich intending to pass the Seas Whereupon the French were quicken'd to a speedy agreement as to the Prorogation of the foregoing Truce b 18 Novemb. Râ—t Franc. 22. Ed. 3 an 10 from the 18 of November 1348 unto the 1 of September 1349 on News whereof the King return'd to London VII On the c Knighton p. 26â—0 Stow p. 248. Walsirgh hist p. 160 n. 20. Odor Rainald quanquaâ— hâ—c 2 post annis pen. t. 25 of October King Edward solemnized the Translation of St. Themas the Confessor once Bishop of Hereford to the great Expence and Charge of his Kinsman the Lord Nicolas Cantilupe This St. Thomas had been also of the sirname of Cantilupe being in his Life time a Gentleman of a very Noble and Ancient House as appears * Vid. Dagd 1 Vol. p. 731. by the Antiquity of their Baronage in our Records but as Bishop Godwin d Gedâ— Catal. Bps p. 457. says of a much more Noble and Excellent Mind For he was not only of a wonderfull Ingenuity and exquisite Judgement but even from a Child of great Diligence and Industry in his studies of Marvellous Exactness of Life and of incomparable Candour and Vertue His Father was William Lord Cantilupe e Mâ—tth Paris l. 17. p. 815. Dagd ibid. High-Steward to King Henry III of England a Man of great Power and Loyalty His Mother was the Lady Millicent Countess of Eureux in Normandy He first studied at Oxford and afterwards at Paris where having proceeded Master he return'd to Oxford and there apply'd himself to the Canon Law till he went out Doctor in that Faculty After this he entirely gave his Mind to the study of Divinity whereof he was to proceed Doctor in the Year 1273 Robert Kilwardby with whom he was very familiarly acquainted was then Provincial of the Friers-Preachers and Doctor of the Chair in Oxford when he was presented But before the time came that he should keep tho Act or rather the Act being by some Accident delayed till then the said Doctor Kilwardby was become Archbishop of Canterbury But this notwithstanding he vouchsafed this his old Friend the Honour to come down to Oxford to his Act on purpose and there gave him the Ceremonies of his Creation And it is observable that this Archbishop and Pâ—ofessor in his speech after the Disputation among many other great Praises which he bestowed on him affirmed that he the said Archbishop having of many Years been Confessor to the said Candidate Dr. Thomas Cantilupe had never perceived him guilty of any sin which he could judge to be Mortal Certainly either the Confessee did a little mince Matters or the Confessor was blinded with the prejudice of Friendship or some other Infirmity or the Relator did take a little too much liberty in Honour of the Man. Who notwithstanding was no doubt of great Merit every way as may appear by these manifold Honours which as so many loud Testimonials of his Vertue were heaped upon him both Living and Dead For first he was made Arch-Deacon of Stafford then Chancellour of the University of Oxford then Lord f Philipor's Catal Chancellors p. 24. Chancellour of England and afterwards Bishop of Hereford lastly a few Years after his Death Canonised a Saint For whereas in his Travels to or as some say from Rome he departed this Life at Civita Vecchia a Town of Tuscany in the Year of our Lord 1282 and was Honourably buried in the Church of St. Severus there from whence afterward his Bones were brought into England and solemnly interred in his own Church of Hereford near the East-Wall of the North-Cross-Isle where we see an High-Tomb of Marble Within a few Years after his Death there being no less than g Nâ—c Harpsfeld Hist Feel Angl. secul 13. c. 21. ex Floril ad an 1287. 163 Miracles said to be wrought by him his Fame was so great that we find h Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 92. ex Rot. Rom. 12. Ed. 2. m. 9. King Edward the Second in the Twelfth Year of his Reign and the Year of our Lord 1318 sent an Embassy to Pope John XXII about his Canonization And two Years after namely in the Year of our Lord 1320 i Oder Rainald ad an 1320. à § 43. ad §. 47. being the 13 of King Edward the Second on the XV of the Calends of May he was by the said Pope John Canonized with great Solemnity at Avignon and the VI of the Nones of October was set apart for his Festival as appears by the said Pope's Bull bearing Date at Avignon XII Cal. Maii Pontificatús nostri Anno IV. But now King Edward designing to Honour the Memory of this Holy Man took up his Bones this Year being k Nic. Harpsfield Hist Fecl Angl. secul 13. c. 21. Sixty five Years since he died and had them Honourably reposed in a Rich and Glorious Shrine of great Value This small Digression I ow'd to the Memory of this Worthy Prelate as well that the Reader might understand what kind of Man he had been whose Translation King Edward did now so devoutly solemnize as also because I believed that such a Person to whom so many of several Nations and Interests never envied the Title of a glorified Saint would much less by any Man of Modesty be envied an Honourable Mention in History VIII While King Edward was thus with as much Devotion as Splendour keeping a Feast in Memory of this Great Prelate Henry the Noble Earl of Lancaster was by him l Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 786. ex Claus
This pious and reasonable Request King Edward granted but as for the Tender of his Service in the Wars he said he hop'd to have no more occasion of making War in France there being now such a likelihood of a lasting Peace to be established between the two Nations But shortly after he heard a Walsing Hyp. p. 125. n. 10. Knâ—ghton p. 2618. n. 60. how the French indeed were willing to pay unto him 600000 Florens in Part of the Three Millions for the Redemption of their King but they refused to deliver him such Hostages as he demanded for his Security Which when he understood being extreamly incensed he sent word to the Estates of France that then they should look to themselves and be ready to receive him by the time wherein the Truce was to expire King David of Scotland tarried several Weeks with his Queen at London having his Lodgings prepared in the Gray-Fryers now called Christ-Church During his Stay there were many friendly Entercourses between him and the two Kings of England and France King Edward feasting and caressing them in Royal Manner for it was not till the next Year that King John was closely confin'd thô we have mention'd it before Particularly this Year he kept his Christmas with them both at London where he sat between the two Kings at one Table and not as some report between the two Captive Kings in Ostentation of his great Fortune for as it appears these two Kings were not Captives together in England during any one Christmas at all King John being brought Prisoner into England in May and King David being released the September following But King David as his Guest might now be reasonably expected to sit at his Table And King John as Davids Friend and Edwards Cousin to have so much Respect shewn unto him for that time at least Besides since Pride is so loathsome especially to them over whom she insulteth it is not to be imagin'd that these two Kings should ever after so entirely love and respect King Edward as they did had he entertain'd them with such supercilious Haughtiness at this time That Monarch's Soul was elevated to such a degree of Generosity that he absolutely reigned in the Hearts of these two Princes who came after they were at Liberty of their own Accord to visit him as a Friend as we shall shew in due Place XIV This b Sandfords Geneal hist p. 146. Walsingh hist p. 165. Stow's Chron. p. 264. Survey of London p 421. Knâ—ghton p. 2618. n. 54. Year the Lady Isabella the Queen Mother of England who was Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all successively Kings of France departed this Life in her great Climacterical or 63d Year after almost 28 Years Confinement because of her Concern in the Ruine of King Edward the II her Lord and Husband Her Punishment was easie and temper'd with Respect for all the while she had a liberal Allowance of 4000 l. per annum and freedom enough thô under the Eye of a Keeper and the King her Son did once a Year at least pay her a Visit and often shew'd her many notable Diversions and Princely Recreations Alan Buchet in his Annals of Aquitain and nom him c James Meyors Annal. Flandr l. 12. p. 152. James Meyor says that being big with Child by Mortimer she was presently put to Death by her Son Edward but the Notoriety of this Falshood appears not only from the concurrent Testimonies of all Authors and Records but especially from thus that besides many others at divers times we shall find Pope Innocent the IV to direct his Letters unto her bearing d Extant Tom. 4. Epist Secret. p. 158. vid. Odor Rainal ad ann 1356. §. 4. al as Date Avin XIV Kal. Julii An o Pontif. W. i.e. An o Dom. 1356. Wherefore let those Authors look to their Credit as well as they can 't is certain they wanted Care or Honesty but to return This Queen was married to King Edward the II in the 12 Year of her Age was his Wife 20 Years and his Widow about 31 being as was thought a Widow of her own making And yet truly I am persuaded partly from the Consideration of her long and happy Life after as well as from many other Circumstances apparent from the History that upon her first coming with Armed Force into England she had no design in the World against the King her Husband but only against the Spencers But that Mortimer and Others who were already obnoxious to the Law upon the account of Treason for their own Security drove her on so far by their Cunning that she was not able to retire And afterwards when the King was deposed they so terrified her with making her believe that if ever he recover'd his Crown he would certainly burn her that she complied with the Design for his Destruction However she proved occasionally almost Fatal to her Native Country of France her Birth affording that Title to King Edward which in those Days produced a War of above Fourscore Years Continuance wherein besides many thousand great Losses that Realm suffer'd three Memorable Defeats as at Cressy and Poictiers under King Edward and at Agencourt under King Henry the V. And even unto this Day the Kings of England are from her furnished with a just Pretence whenever they shall please to resume a Quarrel with that Kingdom She died at the Castle of Risings near London on the Wednesday before St. Bartholomew's Day being e Hoc ann G. Dom. Lit. the 22d of August An o Dom. MCCCLVIII having first lived to see her Son the most Glorious Prâ—nce of all Europe and the Right which she had convey'd unto him to be in a manner asserted by the Decision of God Himself in the Captivity of the French King by the Valour of her Grandson the Prince of Wales She was most honourably interred on the 27th of September following being a Thursday in the Midst of the Quire of the Gray-Friers now called Christ-Church in London under a magnificent Tomb of Alabaster The Church not being yet dedicated Queen Joan also of Scotland sirnamed Joan of the Tower Sister to King Edward of England and Daughter to Queen Isabel aforesaid deceased toward the end of this Year without Issue But that it is better to leave an Honourable Report than Children behind And certainly if King David her Husband had never been oppressed with Adversity she might have been accounted happy but then she had never been extolled with that Commendation which her Vertue and Conjugal Affection doth claim from all Posterity For f Holinsh Scotl. p. 244. during the seven Years Exile which King David had formerly led in France when he was expelled his own Kingdom by the English Forces she would by no means forsake Him oâ— his Fortune but faithfully and constantly adhered to him both then and
Famine since they could not succeed any other way So all the Streights and Avenues were well watched that nothing could be conveyed to the Besieged either by Land or by Water Hereupon by Lent their Provision being in a manner wholly wasted when they found no hope of Subsistance from within or of Succour from abroad they advised to treat with the Constable that upon yielding up the Fortress they might have their Lives and Goods saved and liberty to march whither they pleased All this was granted them saving that they were not permitted to bear away any Armour or Weapons thô the Earl of St. Paul was very loath they should have such easie Conditions for he knew that shortly they must of necessity have yielded up simply But he little thought that at that very instant the Lord Philip of Eureux the King of Navarre's Brother was upon his March to raise the Siege which he was resolved to attempt at least if the Castle had not been thus yielded up before whereat he was infinitely displeased When the d Frois c. 194. French Lords had trussed up Bag and Baggage and were upon the point of Departing from St. Valery which they had now Garrison'd for themselves they heard news of the approach of the Lord Philip of Navarre Now this Lord Philip was Governour of all his Brothers Lands especially in the Country of Eureux and had at his Command all the Men of War which were Enemies to the Crown of France The Lord John of Picquigny had privately informed him that the Garrison of St. Valery would infallibly be lost unless he attempted a Rescue Wherefore he resolved to go and raise the Siege And so he secretly gather'd together about Mante and Meulan 3000 Men among whom were the young Earl of Harcourt the Lord William Granville Sr. Robert Knolles of England the Lord John of Picquigny and several other Knights and Esquires Prince Philip was within three Leagues of St. Valery with this Army when he met with Sr. William de Bonmare and Sr. John Segar of whom he had the whole Account of the Siege and Yielding up of St. Valery whereat he was extreamly displeased The French Lords had news likewise of Prince Philips Approach and resolved to meet him and give him Battle But he hearing that the Enemy was at least 30000 Strong had no mind to expect them but with all speed turn'd off to the Right hand and passing the River of Somme entred the Fortress of Long in Ponthieu with all their Carriages and what else they had They were scarce well entred when the French Army who followed them came thither also about the time of Evening-Prayer and still their Number encreased the Foot coming by degrees after the Men of Arms who rode on before in hopes to overtake the Navarrois Wherefore the French Captains determin'd to rest for that Night before the Fortress till their Men might come up and then all together to attack the Place the next Morning The Navarrou who were within finding they had little or no Provision for a Siege left the Place about the hour of Midnight and went away at a Back Gate and marched as fast as they could toward Vermandois having reached above two Leagues of their way before the French knew of their Escape Then they presently went to Arms and began to follow the Navarrois by the Track of their Horses The Navarrois in the mean time passed on a great way before till they came to Thorigny a little Village standing on an Hill in the middle way betwixt St. Quentin and Perone in Vermandois So that from thence one might view the whole Country round about Here they resolved to rest a while and refresh themselves and their Horses and if they must needs fight there they had the best Advantage of Ground to deal with their Enemies They had not been long here devising about their present Condition when they might behold all the Country beneath them cover'd with the French who were in Number more than 30000 Men. Whereupon they came forth of their Quarters and ranged themselves in Three Battails on the Hill ready to receive them The first Battalia was committed to the Care of Sr. Robert Knolles Prince Philip himself had the Second and the Third was lead by the young Earl of Harcourt each of them consisting of 700 Choice Men besides 300 Archers Then they were all commanded to cut their Spears to a five Foot length and in the hanging of the Hill they caused their Valets to set all their Spurs in the Earth with the Rowels upward to make the Enemies Ascent the more difficult At which time Prince Philip made several Knights the Chief whereof were the Earl of Harcourt and the young Lord of Granville The Frenchmen being come up to the Navarrois made an Halt and alighted on Foot as indifferent for the present whether to give or take Battle Some were for going up the Hill immediately and so to have fought them But those who had more Judgment said Our Men are almost tired with Travel and many of them not yet come up and it will be late presently so that considering all things we had best tarry here this Night and having the Day before us to set upon them to morrow fresh and with all our Forces This Resolution prevailing there they encamped for that Night setting all their Carriages round them for their better Defence which when the Navarrois perceived and that they should not be fought with as then in the Evening they returned into the Town again Where they kindled huge Fires and made great Smoke thereby to persuade their Enemies that they design'd to lodge there that Night But being before-hand resolved what to do when it was dark night they all mounted their Horses and left the Town in great silence riding toward the River of Somme which with the help of a Guide they passed at a little Village near Bethencourt Then they rode toward the Wood of Bouhain which they coasted and went that night above seven Leagues thô of those that had bad Horses or had lost their Way not being able to recover the Track of this silent Army in a Dark Night some were taken Prisoners by those of the Garrison of Bouhain and others were knockt on the head by the Bores of the Country The Frenchmen knew not of their Escape till it was near Day-light at which time they hasted as fast as they might to St. Quentins in order to pass the Somme at the Bridge there so to make a nearer Cut to intercept the Navarrois whom they expected to meet coming back in their Return toward Normandy So they rode toward St. Quentin which was but two Leagues off and came thither by that time it was Day the Constable and the Earl of St. Paul riding foremost The Watchmen on the Gates of St. Quentin hearing a noise of Horses and Men approaching were in some doubt of themselves because they knew the Enemy to
be within One Year next after that the King of France shall depart from Calais the Lord John Earl of Monford shall have the Earldom of Monford with all the appurtenances he doing for the same Liege Homage to the King of France and all such Duties and Services which a good and Loyal Liege-Vassal ought to do to his Liege Lord because of the said Earldom And also his other Heritages shall be rendred unto him which are not of the Dutchy of Bretagne he doing Homage or other Duty therefore as it appertaineth And if he will challenge any thing in any of the Inheritances which are of the said Dutchy besides the Country of Bretagne good and speedy Reason shall be done him by the Court of France 22. Item Concerning the Question as to the Demaine of the Dutchy of Bretagne which is between the said John of Monford on the one Party and Charles of Blois on the other Party it is agreed that the two Kings having called before them or their Deputies the Principal Parties of Blois and Monford shall by themselves or Special Deputies as soon as may be inform themselves of the Right of both Parties and do their best to set them at an Agreement touching what is in Controversie between them And in case the said Kings by themselves or their Deputies shall not be able to bring them to an Agreement within One Year next after that the King of France shall be arrived at Calais then the Friends of the one Party and of the other shall diligently inform themselves of the Right of the Parties in manner abovesaid and shall endeavour to bring the said Parties to an Agreement to the best of their Power and as soon as may be And if they cannot bring them to an Agreement within half a Year next following they shall then report unto the said two Kings or to their Deputies all that which they shall have found about the Right of the Parties and touching the points of Discord which shall remain between them both And then the two Kings by themselves or their Special Deputies as soon as may be shall set the said Parties at an Agreement or shall declare their final sentence about the Right of the one Party and of the other and the same shall be put in Execution by the two Kings And in case they cannot do this within half a Year next following then the said Principal Parties of Blois and Montford shall do what they shall think best and the Friends of the one Part and of the other shall aid either Part as they please without any Impeachment from the said Kings and without any Damage Blame or Reproof by either of them at any time for the cause aforesaid And if it so happen that one of the said Parties will not sufficiently appear before the said Kings or their Deputies at the time which shall be appointed for them And also in case that the said Kings or their Deputies shall have ordained and declared that the said Parties should be at concord or shall declare their sentence for the Right of the one Party and either of the said Parties will not agree unto the same nor obey the said Declaration then both the said Kings shall be against him with all their Power and aid the other Party which is content to agree and to obey But the two Kings shall in no case neither in their own proper Persons nor by others make or enterprize War one against the other for the cause aforesaid And always the Sovereignty and Homage of the said Dukedom shall remain to the King of France 23. Item That all the Lands Countries Towns Castles and other Places yielded over to the said Kings shall be in such Liberties and Franchises as they are at this present And these Franchises shall be confirmed by the said Lords the Kings or by their Successors and by every of them so often as they shall be duly required thereto if they be not contrary to this present Agreement 24. Item that the said King of France so soon as he can and at the farthest within one Year next after that he shall depart from Calais shall without deceit render and cause to be rendred de facto to Monsieur Philip of Navarre and to all his Publique Adherents all the Towns Castles Forts Lordships Rights Rents Profits Jurisdictions and Places whatsoever which the said Monsieur Philip as well in his own Right as in the Right of his Wife or which the said Adherents do hold or ought to hold in the Realm of France Neither shall the said King do unto them at any time Reproach Dammage or Impeachment for any thing done heretofore but shall forgive them all Offences and Misprisions for the time past by occasion of the War. And of this they shall have his Letters good and sufficient so as the said Monsieur Philip and his said Adherents shall return to his Homage do unto him their Duties and be unto him Good and Loyal Vassals 25. Item It is agreed that the King of England for this time only may give unto whom it shall please him in Heâ—itage the Lands and Inheritance which sometimes appertained to Godfry of Harcourt to be held of the Duke of Normandy or of any other Lords of whom they should be holden of Right by the Homages and Services anciently accustomed 26. Item It is agreed that no Person or Country which have been of the Obedience of the One Party and by this Agreement shall come to the Obedience of the Other Party shall be Impeached for any thing done in time past 27. Item It is agreed that the Lands of the Banished and Adherents of the One Party and of the Other and also of the Churches of the One Kingdom and of the Other and all they who are disinherited or expelled from their Lands and Heritages or are charged with any Pension Taillage or Debt or otherwise grieved in any manner whatsoever because of this War shall be restored intirely to the same Rights and Possessions which they had before the War began And that all manner of Forfeitures Debts and Misprisions done by them or any of them in the mean time shall be wholly pardon'd and that these things shall be done as soon as may be effectually and at the farthest within one Year next after that the King of France shall be gone from Calais excepting what was said in the Article of Calais and Merks and other Places in the said Article named excepting also the Vicount of Fronsac and Monsieur John de Galard who are not comprised in this Article but their Goods and Heritages shall remain in the same State wherein they were before this present Treaty 28. Item It is agreed that the King of France shall effectually deliver unto the King of England as soon as may be and at the farthest before the Feast of St. Michael the Year next coming after his Departure from Calais all the Cities Towns Countries and other
while the Duke of Burgundy had held Siege before Marcheville whereby by he so streightned the Garrison that at last they were content to yield up the Town their Lives and Goods saved which Conditions being granted them they departed The Duke order'd Sr. Bouciquault Marshal of France and Sr. John de Vienna Marshal of Burgundy to take possession of the Town over which he set an Esquire of his named William of Chartres with Fourty Men of Arms and so departed and went to Cameroles to which he laid Siege because it stood in the plain Country and had been a very troublesome Neighbour to the Inhabitants of Chartres While this Siege lasted the Lord John de la Riviere who had the Second Division consisting of 2000 Spears laid his Siege to Aquigny near to Louviers in the County of Eureux wherein was a Garrison of English Normans Frenchmen and Gascogners all Navarrois who had held that place ever since the Battle of Cocherel and now maintain'd it with great Obstinacy for they had good store of Ammunition and Provision of all sorts and yet notwithstanding they were at last so streightned that they were fain to yield up the Castle their Lives and Goods saved After which they went with all they had and were by the Lord de la Riviere's Conduct safely convey'd to Cherburgh where they remain'd The Lord de la Riviere having Garrison'd Aquigny marched directly toward the City of Eureux but there he was not able to prevail And now the Duke of Burgundy had constrained the Garrison of Cameroles to yield up to his pleasure which done all the Souldiers Strangers he took to Mercy but as for those Frenchmen whom he found among them because they had been Renegado's Robbers and Enemies to their King and Country he hanged them up every Mothers Son. And then certain of the Chief Burgesses of Chartres came unto the Duke humbly desiring that of his Goodness and as a reward for the Engines of Battery which they had lent him he would please to grant unto them the sole Disposal of the Fortress of Cameroles which had formerly been so troublesome to them To this request the Duke readily agreed and then the Burgesses immediately set Labourers at Work who rased the Castle down to the ground After this the Duke went to the Castle of Dreux on the River Blaise in the plain Country of Beausse which was a Nest of the Companions likewise all whom having carried the Place by fine force he caused to be put to the Sword. Thence he marched to Preux and invested it round and gave many vigorous Assaults before he could obtain any advantage at last the Besieged thought best to yield their Lives only saved but as for their Goods they all fell to the Conquerour with whom also the Frenchmen found therein were detained Prisoners When the Duke had taken possession of this place he committed it to the Custody of Sr. Peter du Bois a Knight of Beausse whom he order'd to repair the Fortifications and defend the Place After this he went to Chartres where he tarried five days to refresh himself and his Men and then he laid his Siege to Connay a Castle that had been troublesom to the whole Country and caused six great Engines of Battery to be raised up against it XVII But while he did these things his Enemies gave him sundry Diversions For the Lord Lewis of Navarre overran all the Low-Country of Auvergne and brought those Parts into much Distress for thô he kept the Field there was none to oppose him Those also of the Garrison of la Charité did what they pleas'd round about them And the Earl of Monbelliard likewise with his Allies of Almain was entred into the Dutchy of Burgundy by the way of Bezancon where he began to ravage over all the Country in revenge that his Pretences to the said Dukedom were not allowed but another was brought in over his Head. Upon News of these unexpected Commotions in Burgundy the King sent to the Duke commanding him immediately to raise his Siege from before Connay and come back to Paris in order to march into Burgundy against the new Invaders The Duke however his own Dominions were in danger was not a little concerned at this Message because he had made a solemn Vow not to rise from before Connay till he should be Master of the Place But now those of his Council told him That since the King sent for him he might lawfully depart notwithstanding his Vow for that no Vow could cancell that previous Duty wherein he was bound to his Prince Hereupon he resolved to quit the Siege but making as yet no shew thereof he sent his Marshal to demand of the Besieged whether they would yield up absolutely to the Dukes Pleasure or no They returned Answer No they would not do that but however on Condition they might have their Lives and Goods saved they were now content to yield The Offer was gladly accepted and they permitted to depart with Bag and Baggage After which the Duke having deliver'd the Castle to a Knight of Beausse called Sr. Philip of Artenay with Order to repair the Fortifications went from thence to Chartres where he left the greater Part of his Forces under the Care of the Earl of Auxerre the Lord Bouciquault and Sr. Lewis of Sancerre and so rode forth to Paris with Sr. Lewis of Alenson the Lord of Beaujeu the Lord John de Vienna and all the Burgundians in his Company and went thence to the King his Brother whom he found at Meaux in Brie and there he tarried but one Day On the Morrow he rode on till he came to Troyes in Champaigne Thence he went to Langres and still as he proceeded he enforced himself with Men of War. At Langres he was met by a considerable Body of Burgundians who to their Power had maintained themselves hitherto against their Enemies and were now extream glad of their Lord the Dukes so seasonable coming among them The Chief Captains of these Troops were the Arch-priest the Lord of Chasteau Villain the Lord of Grancy the Lord of Vergny the Lord of Sobournon the Lord of Rugemont Sr. Hugh de Vienna the Bishop of Langres and a Wealthy Man called John of Boulogne with others Being thus enforced he marched against his Enemies who made at least 1500 Spears and yet durst not abide him but retired beyond the Rhine Notwithstanding he followed them beyond Monbelliard burning and destroying the Earls Lands as he went and so having sufficiently revenged his Wrongs for that time he returned with most of his Troops to Paris XVIII This mean while King Charles his Brother had sent the Lord Moreau de Fiennes his Constable and his two Marshals Sr. Bouciquault and Sr. Moron de Branville with a goodly Number of Men of Arms to go and lay Siege to la Charité on the River of Loire which they did and skirmished almost every Day with the Besieged But as yet prevailed
e Frois c. 239. fol. 143. Fabian p. 250. M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 233. departed out of England with a Princely Equipage and set sail for France being received at Boulogne by several Persons of the Highest Quality and by them conducted to Paris At some distance from the City he was met by the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy and the Lord Ingleram of Coucy Earl of Bedford his Brother-in-Law who convey'd him to the Louvre to the Presence of the King of France his Lodgings being provided in the Kings own Palace The first day he din'd and supp'd with the King at his own Table the next day he dined with the Queen at another of the Kings Houses near St. Paul and having danced after dinner with the Ladies and passed his time in such Amorous Gallantries and Recreations as young Princes usually divert themselves with in presence of that agreeable Sex he was again by the two foresaid Dukes of Berry and Burgundy conducted back to the Louvre where he supped with the King that Night also On the day following the two Dukes entertain'd him in like Manner at One of their Houses named Artois in Paris and the Day after he dined and supp'd again with the Queen and on the next Day being a Thursday he took his leave of the King and Queen who gave unto him and to the Chief of the English Lords in his Company sundry Gifts to the Value of 20000 Florens And so he was convey'd as far as Sens in Champaigne by the Earl of Tancarville and other Noblemen and from thence to the utmost Bounds of France by Knights and Gentlemen of that Kingdom to whom at parting he gave several Rich Gifts with many thanks Having thus passed thrô France he came into Savoy where he was very kindly received at the City of Chambery by the Generous Earl of Savoy whose Sister the Lady Blanch was Wife to Galeas Duke of Milain and Mother to the Lady Violantis Prince Lionel's Espoused Lady Having tarried there three Days which were all spent in Magnificent Entertainments Balls and Dancing with the Ladies and Gentlewomen he took his leave and began to set forward the Earl himself bearing him Company to Milain Where he saw his Niece Daughter to Duke Galeas given in Marriage unto Prince Lionel in the Famous Cathedral of Milain on the 29 Day of May f Lit. Dom. B.A. Pasch 9. April being a Monday and the next day after the Festival of the Holy Trinity in the Year of our Lord MCCCLXVIII Duke Galeas in Honour of this his Son-in-Law g Paul. Jovins in Galeatio 2 do p. 152. ex co Stow p. 267. Sandford p. 220. is said to have spent such abundance of Treasure as seem'd to surpass the Magnificence of the most Wealthy Monarchs For not to mention all the Sumptuous Feasts Balls Justs and Tourneaments and other stately and divertive Spectacles set forth on this occasion nor to summ up the great and large Gifts which were given to the Lord Edward Spencer and more than 200 other English Gentlemen who came out of England to wait on the Prince the Marriage Feast alone was so extraordinary that We may by that Conjecture the Largeness of Duke Galeas his Soul the full satisfaction he had in this Match and the Abundance of his Coffers For in that One Feast where Francis Petrarch the Laureate Poet of Italy was present being for Honour of his Learning seated among the Guests of the Highest Quality there were above 30 Courses of service upon the Table and between every Course as many Presents of unusual Magnificence intermixed all which John Galeas the Duke's Son and Prince of the Chosen Youth that waited that day presented unto Prince Lionel as they were brought up to the Table In one Course were presented Seventy Good Horses richly Adorned and Caparizon'd with Silk and Embroider'd Furniture and in the other Courses came up Vessels of Silver Ger-Falcons Hounds Armour for Horses Costly Coats of Mail shining Breastplates of Massy Steel Corslets Helmets and Burganets adorned with High and Rich Crests and Plumes Surcoats embroider'd with costly Jewels Knights Girdles and lastly Pictures of Gold beset with Gems and Purple and Cloth of Gold for Mens Apparel in Great Abundance And such vast Provision was there at this Feast that the Meats which were brought from the Table would have plentifully sufficed 10000 Men. II. But while the Accomplished Young Prince lived with his New Lady after the Manner of his own Country in continual Sports and Revellings besides the more boistrous Exercise of Tourneaments as forgetting or not regarding his Change of Air and what Diet was most proper for the Italian Clime within Five Months after his Marriage he fell into a grievous Sickness in the City of Alba Pompeia now called Longeville in Italy in the Marquisate of Monferrato in Piedmont in the House of his Father in Law the Duke of Milain Whereupon perceiving his Disease to be Mortal by h Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 167. Sandford p. 221. his Testament bearing Date there upon the Third of October 1368 he bequeathed his Body to be buried in England in the Convent Church of the Augustine-Fryars at Clare in Suffolk before the High-Altar and gave thereto a Black-suit with all the Appurtenances as also his Black Cloth Embroider'd To his Lady Violantis He bequeathed his Vestment with Gold Coronets and all that belonged thereto Item to Sr. John Bromwick Knight his Courser called Ger-Falcon to Dr. John Capell his Chaplain a Girdle of solid Gold therewith to make a Chalice in Memory of his Soul to Thomas Waleis the Circle of Gold wherewith his Brother the Black-Prince was created Prince and to Edmund More the Circle wherewith he himself had been created Duke that we may pass over the many other Great Legacies which he gave to the Lord Edward Spencer Thomas Newborne Esquire and others then attending him in Italy And so being at that time i Vid. Ashmole's Garter c. One of the Companions of the most Noble Order of the Garter he finally departed this Life k Sandford Dugd. ex Escaet 43. Ed. 3. p. 1. n. 23 c. on the Vigil of St. Luke the Evangelist being a Tuesday and the 17 day of October the same Year not without suspicion of being * Knighton p. 2629 n. 50. poisoned by some subtle Italian trick to prevent that Glory which perhaps some Envy'd that he should attain He left behind him only One Daughter his Heir by Elizabeth his First Wife called Philippa then but l Sandford p. 222. 13 Years of Age and soon after given in Marriage to Edmund Mortimer the Third Earl of March of that Great Family from whom by the Mothers side came Edward the IV. Thô for the present he was deposited in the Chief Church of Pavia a City of Milain yet soon after according to his Testament his Body was brought over into England by Thomas Newborne
Duke of Burgundy came thither with his great Army and sat down over against the English between St. Omers and Tournehan in very good Order But he took up a large extent of ground for it was said how he had in his Army more than y Frois ibid. 4000 Knights whereby the Number of the rest may be conjectur'd And in this manner the two Armies lay facing each other without any offer to come to a decisive Battle For thô the Duke of Burgundy did so far outnumber the English that he was z Frois ibid. fol. 169. Seven to their One yet he durst not come to a pitch'd Battle because the King his Brother had commanded expresly to the contrary And no doubt that Circumspect Prince considering that in spite of such disadvantages the English had oftentimes conquer'd in the Days of his Predecessors particularly when they took his Father Prisoner in the Battle of Poictiers thought it best now like Fabius the Cunctator to oppose delay to their Fury which indeed as Matters then went prov'd the best Council As for the English thô being so inferior in Number they thought not good to attaque the Enemy in his Trenches a Fro. s ibid. yet they would not have refus'd him had he come forward for every day they ranged themselves in good Order of Battle to receive him all Men being appointed what to do in their several Offices and Stations However most of the time was entertain'd with Skirmishes between the two Armies now this fide gaining the better and now that as the chance of War is And Lewis Earl of Flanders who very much studied the Welfare of his Son-in-Law the Duke of Burgundy and now lay at a fair Palace of his which he had newly built near Gaunt hearing an account of the State of both Armies by Messengers going too and fro between the Duke and Him would always advise him by his Letters that he should not by any means break the Command of his Brother the French King to present the English with Battle XX. While b Frois c. 264. fol. 169. these two Armies of France and England lay thus idly confronting one another there fell many memorable adventures in Poictou of which we shall now say somewhat For it is not agreeable that any of the Exploits of that Gallant Hero Sr. John Chandos should be forgotten We remembred before how upon the Lord James Audley's not Death but only Retirement into England he was by the Prince of Wales made Grand Seneschal of Poictou and as he yielded in Conduct or Courage to no man living so now especially he desired to adorn his Province and to do some memorable Act upon the Frenchmen Wherefore he soon assembled a considerable Body of Men of Arms in the City of Poictiers saying he design'd to make an Inroad into Anjou and to come back again by Touraine and look upon the Frenchmen in the Marches and Frontiers there Notice of this his Design he sent forthwith to the Earl of Pembroke who lay then in Garrison at Mortagne a Fortress of Poictou lying on the River la Sevre and confining on the Borders of Anjou and had at least two Hundred Spears in his Company The Young Earl was huge glad of this News and very much desired to go along with the Lord Chandos but some Green Heads among his Followers diverted him by saying Sir You are but as yet in the Flower of your Youth Your Honour is yet to come whereof from those early Seeds of Vertue within You We may expect a plentifull harvest But if You put your self in Company of the Lord Chandos his Ripe and High-grown Reputation will choak yours in its very growth So that whatsoever Noble Exploit You shall now perform the Glory thereof will be only his because He is the Sovereign and most noted Captain in these parts Wherefore since You are so great a Lord and nothing Inferior to him either in Birth Alliance or Courage 't is fitter that what You do You build on your own Foundation And e'en let the Lord Chandos do what he pleases upon his own account c Frois ibid. since in comparison to You he is but a Knight Batchelour A Lecture of Ambition is easily received by most Men but especially by Young Persons who apparently hazard their Lives for Honour So that the Earls Eagerness to accompany the Lord Chandos was upon this occasion very much abated whereupon he made his Excuse for that time and declin'd to joyn Issue in the Enterprise Envy is surely the Stepmother of all Brave Undertakings and the Laudable Course of Vertue is never stopt but by the Rubs she flings in her way However the Just God has made her a Plague to her self and in the End all the Mischief she design'd falls redoubled upon her own Head. The Earl of Pembroke will find a time to repent this folly of his and we shall shortly see him to owe his Life to the Assistance of this General under whom He now despis'd to learn the Rudiments of War. Notwithstanding the Lord Chandos would not break his Purpose but made his Rendezvous at Poictiers and then began his March with 300 Men of Arms Knights and Esquires and 1100 Archers in his Company The Chief Noblemen and Captains under him were the Lord Thomas Piercy the Lord Thomas Spencer Sr. Neal Loring Sr. Dangouses Sr. Thomas Banister Sr. John Trivet Sr. Geoffry Argentine Sr. William Montendre Sr. Moubron Linieres Sr. Richard Taunton and many more all who rode forth with their several Retinues and the Archers in good Array and passed thô Poictou into the parts of Anjou their Van-Currours who rode before them ravaging all the Country as they went. At this rate they proceeded and did what they pleas'd in the fruitfull Land of Anjou none offering to oppose them thô they tarried in those parts for 15 days especially in Loudunois After which they return'd again with much Booty taking the way between Anjou and Touraine along by the River Creuse whence they descended into the Lands of the Vicount of Rochechoüart and put all to fire and sword leaving nothing untouch'd except perhaps what was secur'd in strong Fortresses So at last they passed the Vienne at St. Junien and shew'd themselves before the strong Town of Rochechoüart which they attempted but in vain For the Vicount had beforehand well fortify'd the Place and set therein two good Captains Sr. Tibault du Pont and Sr. Helion de Talay whereupon the Lord Chandos would spend no more time there Just then he had notice how the Lord Lewis of Sancerre Marshal of France was at la Haye en Touraine with a considerable Body of Men wherefore being desirous to go thither and yet thinking himself not strong enough he sent once more to the Earl of Pembroke kindly entreating him now that an Advantage was offer'd against the Enemy to come and joyn him with all his Power at Chastelleraut in order to march
when the News of this Treason was brought to the Lord Thomas Felton and the Captal of Busche These two Lords were mightily surprised at this Treachery of Sr. Thomas Batefoile but they said however they would be present at the Delivery of the Town by the Grace of God. And so before it was light they rode from Bergerac towards la Linde whither they came by break of Day and having caused the Gate to be open on that side rode quite thrô the Town in silence till they came to the other Gate where the Frenchmen were to enter at which very instant the Gate was opening for the French and Sr. Thomas Batefoile stood ready to receive them Then Sr. John Greilly Captal of Busche alighted from his Horse and stept forward with his Sword in his Hand to the Gate and said Ah! thou Perfidious Traitor Batefoil thou shalt first die by my hand and never more commit Treason against thy Good Lord and Master And with those Words gave him so sure a Blow that he fell Dead to the Earth When the Frenchmen perceived the Captal and his Banner and Sr. Thomas Felton with him they saw plainly how their Plot was discovered whereupon they hastily withdrew from the Gates like one that found a Lion in his way and then turn'd their Backs and fled to their main Host Then were the Gates closed again for none pursued them because of their great Army which lay near and so the Town continued English but was in great Danger of being plunder'd and burnt by these Captains who were enclin'd to do so and to put all the Inhabitants to the Sword because they consented to this Treason But they excus'd themselves by laying all the Fault upon Sr. Thomas Batefoile who they said over-aw'd them to it by Threats and how they did nothing but for Fear being compelled thereto and so at last they were pardon'd But these two Lords tarried there till the Duke of Anjou had remov'd his Siege and taken another way as we shall shew when we have cleared our Hands of other Matters which naturally fall in at this Place XIV On the h Hector Boet. l. 15. f. 327. n. 50. Buchan l. 9. p. 306. Holinsh Scotl. p. 244. Odor Rainal ad hunc ann §. 27. Favine le Paris Theatre of Honour l. 5. c. 3. p. 89. Seventh Day of May David Bruce King of Scotland departed this Mortal Life at his Castle of Edenburgh leaving no Lawfull Issue behind him wherefore the Lord Robert Stuart Eldest Son of the Lady Margaret aliàs Margery his Eldest Sister by True Right of Succession came to the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland Which have ever since continued in that Glorious Family down to our Most Gracious Sovereign His Present Majesty King JAMES the Seventh of Scotland and of England the Second To whom may God Almighty grant a Long Happy and Victorious Reign and of his Race and Name to wear the United Crowns of Great Brittain till all Earthly Kingdoms shall be swallowed up in the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven The Original of this Illustrious Family is thus traced by i Favine le Paris l. 5. c. 3. p. 89. c. Favine in his Theatre of Honour Banquho who was Thane i. e. President or Governor of Loquhaber in Scotland being slain by the Tyrannical Usurper Mackbeth his Son Fleance made shift to escape into Wales where of the Daughter of Prince Griffith he begat a Son named Walter and Sirnamed also Banquho as his Grandfather was At that time the Arms of this Family are said to have been Or a Fefs Checkie Argent and Sable of Four Pieces This Walter long after the Death of Mackbeth returning into Scotland fought valiantly for his King against the Island Rebels and the Savages of Scotland and was in recompence of his extraordinary Vertue and eminent Services made Great Provost and Treasurer of the Houshold Royal which the Scots signifie by the Name of Stuart or Steward And he so faithfully discharged the Trust reposed in him without the least Reproach or Embezling of the Kings Money that the Sirname of Stuart was imposed on him and transmitted to all his Posterity Walter begat Alan Stuart who was in the Expedition of Godfrey of Boulogne Alan begat Alexander I his Son was Walter who begat Alexander II and Robert Stuart by whom the Family ran into many Noble Branches Alexander the II Eldest Son of Walter the II begat John Stuart James and other Children by whom Scotland hath been replenished with a Numerous Encrease of Generous Souls John Stuart Eldest Son of Alexander the Second left one Daughter named Jane Stuart who brought unto her Husband the Lord of the Isle of Bute Walter Stuart Third of that Name who taking to Wife the Lady Margery Eldest Daughter to King Robert the First and Sister to King David Bruce gat of her this Robert Stuart King of Scotland by the Name of Robert the Second But because there is a gross Error in all the Scotch Historians concerning the immediate Successor of this King Robert of which many Wicked Men have in our days thought to make Advantage for the sake of Truth and Justice and the Honour of Majesty We shall here fairly state the Matter and faithfully and truly settle it It is the Assertion of all the Scotch Writers whom I have seen thô in some particulars they differ one from another that this Robert before he was King had by a certain Mistress named Elizabeth More Three Sons and Two Daughters that after by his Wife Euphemia Ross who was also Queen he had two Sons and a Daughter that upon the Death of his Queen his Former Mistress being then also by the Death of her Husband Giffard at Liberty was by him taken to Wife her Children legitimated and the Right of Succession by Act of Parliament settled first upon them This is the Effect of what the Scotch Writers say wherein there are many abominable Falsities as We shall make appear for We shall most evidently prove that the Lady Elizabeth More was his First and Lawfull Wife and died before he Married Euphemia that John who succeeded him by the Name of k When he came to the Crown he laid by the Name of John as unfortunate to two Kings of England and France and took upon him that of Robert Fortunate to his Father and Great Grandfather Robert Bruce Robert was his true and lawfully begotten Eldest Son and so reputed both by his Father and King David himself all along and that this Act for settling the Succession was only a Declaration of what was Right and Equity and done in the Life time of Queen Euphemia as is abundantly * P. 189. ad p. 201. made out in Sr. George Mackenzies Jus Regium and l Dr. Brady's True c. p. 309. ad p. 311. Dr. Brady's True and Exact History of the Succession of the Crown of England to whom I shall refer the Reader for the Original Record
there was no English Army in those Parts able to fight Sr. Bertram or to raise the Siege they called a Council of War and concluded to treat with the Constable which they did so discreetly that they were permitted to go away with all their Goods and what they pleased to carry and were also conveyed safely into Limosin where they incurred no Blame of their Friends for what they had done Thus Sr. Bertram prosper'd in this Expedition and wan many Towns and Castles from the English before he return'd into France VIII But now 't is time to look at home and see how King Edward behaves himself in this juncture He for his part m M. S. Rot. Parl. p. 107. Sr. Rob. Cottons Abridgm p. 111. M.S. vet Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 234. in the first Week of Lent being the Beginning of March held his High Court of Parliament at Westminster at the opening whereof William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester and then Lord Chancellor of England declared in the Painted-Chamber before the King Lords and Commons how since the last Sessions his Majesty had defrayed a Mighty Mass of Money and had sent over considerable Armies for the Conquest and Recovery of his Own And that he had lately received perfect information of the Great Power which the French King had prepared therewith to drive him from his Inheritance beyond the Seas as also of his Vast Navy whereby he meant to Subject unto him the whole Realm of England of all which the King demanded their Counsel and Advice Then there were appointed Receivers of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland Guienne and other foreign Places and Isles and Tryers also for the said Petitions At this time * Stow p. 268. M.S. vet Ang. in Bib. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 234. the Clergy granted unto the King an Aid towards his Wars in France of Fifty Thousand Pounds to be paid that Year towards which Sum Chantry Priests were taxed according to their Annual Receits and also small Benefices which had not been taxed before And the Laity also Lords and Commons granted unto the King for the Use aforesaid the like Sum of Fifty Thousand Pounds to be levied of every Parish within the Realm at the rate of 22 s. 4d. the greater Parishes helping out the less supposing according to the Common Opinion that there had been as many Parishes in England as would have sufficed to answer the said Sum. Wherefore Writs were directed into all the Shires in England that the King might be certified of all the Churches in every Shire and of their Number Upon which it was found that the said Sum of Fifty Thousand Pounds might not be raised in that Manner as had been proposed The mean while among other things because all the High Offices of the Realm had been engrossed in a manner by Men of the Church n M.S. Rot. Par. Sr. Rob. Cottons Abridgm ibid. M.S. vet Angl. in Bâ—bi C.C.C. Cantab. c. 234. to the Disherison of the Crown the Lords and Commons petition'd that for the future Secular Men only might be Principal Officers of the King's Court and Houshold the Chief of which Places were there named particularly as that of the Chancellor Treasurer Privy Seal and the like and none of the Clergy they being enough taken up by their Spiritual Affairs if they minded them according to their Duty Saving unto the King his Prerogative freely to choose or remove Officers provided they may be of the Laity only To which Petition althô the King's Answer was then That he would do by Advice of his Council yet we find that in this very o Philipots Catal Chancellorâ— p. 43. Month of March William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England did deliver up the Great Seal unto the King at Westminster who immediately deliver'd it to Sr. Robert Thorpe One of the Justices of the Law. At the same time p Philipâ—ts Catal Treasurers p. 39. Godwin Catal. Bish 40â— Thomas Brentingham alias Brantington Bishop of Excester was also removed from being Lord Treasurer in whose Place Sr Richard Scroop of Boulton a Baron of the Realm succeeded on the 27 of March. And then it passed into a Law that for the future the Chancellor Treasurer and Clerk of the Privy Seal should not be Spiritual Men but that Secular Persons only should have those Employments After which thô sometimes indeed the Clergy did attain the said Dignities yet it was much more seldom and in process of time very rare or never This done q M.S. Rot. Par. p. 107. §. 8. Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridgm p. 111. Sr. Robert Thorpe the New-Lord Chancellor declared that for as much as Easter drew near all the Petitions of the Commons could not be answer'd at that time But that after the said Feast the King would take Care to answer them And so the King thanked the Lords and Commons for their Travel and Aid and gave them leave to depart The next Sessions was held at r Ita M.S. Râ—t Parl. rectè sed Winchest apud Sr. Rob. Cotton Westminster in the Octaves of the Holy Trinity then next after at which time the Lord Chancellor declared unto the Lords and Commons there assembled how their late Grant of 22 s. and 4d out of every Parish would not amount to 50000 l. because by the Return into the Chancery it appear'd that there were not so many Parishes in the Realm Whereupon the Lords and Commons for the perfecting the foresaid Sum granted unto the King of every Parish-Church assessed within the Realm Five Pounds Å¿ Ita M.S. rectè ut videtur sed Sr. Rob. Cotton legit 10â— Sixteen Shillings comprising therein the foresaid Sum of Twenty Two Shillings and Four Pence except the County of Chester and all such Lands of the Church as had been amortized before the Twentieth of King Edward the First The Form of the Commission for this Subsidy was read before the King and the Collectors and Commissioners were appointed by the Knights of the several Counties and there were set down the t Vid. Stow p. 268. c. ubi tamâ—n errer in numer is nâ—n facile emend â—nduâ— Names of every Shire with the Number of the Parish-Churches therein and the Sum to which the Gross of the Payment of all the Parishes amounted Which was in all 50181 l. 8 s. Whereof the Odd 181 l. 8 s. was deducted because thrô great Poverty the Parishes in Suffolk paid but Five Pounds Twelve Shillings and Seven Pence apiece and those in Devonshire but Five Pounds Twelve Shillings and Ten Pence Farthing And so the King was answer'd his full Summ of 50000 l. But Cheshire a County Palatinate I know not for what Reason came not to this Parliament and so was not reckon'd among the other Counties nor in the Tax Thô in the City of Chester there were Ten Parish Churches and in the Shire Eighty Seven more besides Chappels In this
Parliament it was u M.S. Rot. Par. 45. Ed. 3. n. 7 11 13. p. 107. Sr. Rob. Cotton p. 111 c. agreed that a Staple should be held at Melcomb Regis in Dorsetshire after which the Petitions of the Commons not before answered were now read and answer'd before the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons which done the King licensed the Estates to depart and the Parliament ended Petitions of the Commons with their Answers That Magna Charta and the Charter of the Forest may be observed in all Points and also that every Petition now exhibited may be by some of the Lords considered It pleaseth the King. For that the Realm hath been of long time governed by Men of the Church to the Disherison of the Crown the Lords and Commons required that Lay-men only may be Principal Officers of the Kings Courts and Houshold and that none of the Clergy be saving as before unto the King his Free Election c. The King will therein do by Advice of his Council That all Lands holden of the King in Chief may be let for Life without Licence The King will do his Pleasure That there be no Fines for any Writs of Chancery The Chancellor shall consider the state of the Person That no Purveyance be made for the King but for ready Money and that the King be served by common Measure The Statute made shall be observed That no Eyre or Trailcbaston be used during the Wars It pleaseth the King. That in the Extracts of Green Wax mention may be made at whose Suits such Amerciaments were lost in what Term in what Plea and between what Parties Let the same be provided at the next Parliament That Sheriffs be no further charged than they shall receive The Party grieved upon Complaint shall have Remedy That the Birth of any Man may be try'd as well of the Country where the Birth is alledged as where the Writ is brought The Law used herein shall stand That no Mayor Bailiff or any Sergeants be Victualler x i.e. Hosteller Diverserii Deminus Hostler or Taverner during their Offices on pain of 20 l. There is in this Case a certain Law. That the Easterlings may give Security to treat the English Merchants in their Country in such manner as they are here The same hath and shall be done as need shall require That all Merchants may pass over Wooll freely The King will be advised That such Statutes as restrain English Merchants from fetching Wines at Gascogne may be utterly repealed The Statutes heretofore made shall stand That all Corporations may enjoy their Liberties any Statute to the contrary notwithstanding Such as be grieved upon Complaint shall be answer'd The Commons affirm the Decay of the Navy to arise from three Causes First because several Mens Ships are stay'd for the King long before they serve whereby the Owners are compelled at their own Charges to find their Mariners to their undoing Secondly because Merchants the Nourishers of the Navy are often restrained their Shipping that Mariners are forced to seek out for other Trades to get a Livelihood Thirdly because Masters of the Kings Ships do take up Masters of other Ships as good as themselves so that most of these Ships lie still and the Mariners are enforced to seek out for a new Livelihood For all which they pray that Remedy may be had The King will provide a Remedy That all such Merchants as plead the Kings Pardon for Goods not Customed may have the same allowed The Grieved upon Complaint shall be heard That every Man may freely make Fortresses Towns and Walls y Vid. Skinner in vice Kernells à Cornelle c. Karnelled and Embattled The King will be advised That such as sue forth Assises be not obliged to pay for the Justices Patent The same shall be as formerly That the Commissioners for the Kings Affairs may be allow'd their Charges of the Profit of their Sessions The King will provide therefore That in Villengage alledged in the Plaintiff as regarding a Mannor the Issue may be where the Mannor is laid The King will be advised That no Man be put from his Possession by an Inquest of Office before the Escheator or other Justice by Commission untill the Right be try'd by Scire Facias The Statute made heretofore shall stand That no Sheriff or Escheator do remain above one Year The Statute made shall be kept That the Boys or Valets of France being here shall be used as Servants or Bondmen Let them stay till the next Parliament That the Statutes whereby Justices are not to defer doing Justice for the Great or Privy Seal or other Commandment and that no Man be put to answer but by due Order of Law may be kept Such as are grieved shall be heard That none of the House of Commons be appointed for Collecting the Subsidy The King will be advised That such as remain on the Sea-Coasts by the Kings Command may have Protections with the Clause Volumus c. The same is to the apparent Loss of the Commons That such as counterfeit any Mans Seal to any Deed may remain in perpetual Prison The Statute made therefore shall stand That all Scotch Money may be brought into the Kings Exchequer by a Day And that the Statutes of the Priests by Assent of the Clergy may be observed The Answer to both these Petitions cannot now be read from the Records IX During this z M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 23 p. Walsingh hâ—st c. Od. Rainal ad hunc an §. 1. Session there came from Pope Gregory two Legates the One having been Chancellor to the King of England and the Other to the King of France namely Simon Langham titulo S ti Sixti and John titulo Sanctorum Quatuor Coronatorum Priests Cardinals of the Apostolick See who were sent from his Holiness with Letters bearing Date VII Idûs Martii Anno Pontific I. to treat effectually with King Edward about the settling of Peace between the two Crowns of France and England But althô in this case the Pope shew'd how willing he was to follow the pious Footsteps of his Predecessor yet he also found no better effect than the other had And so the Breach continued as wide as before X. This Year King Edward a Frois c. 292. f. 177. Walsing hist p. 181. Ashmole p. 666. M.S. Vet. Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 235. Jacob. Meyer Annal. Flandr ad hunc ann l. 13. p. 190. sent the Lord Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford Essex and Northampton to treat and confer with John Duke of Bretagne his Son in Law about some important Matters But because the War was open and the Seas infested with the Fleets of France and Spain there went in this Voyage many Noble and Valiant Knights of the Kings Houshold The Chief of these was Prince Thomas of Woodstock King Edwards Youngest Son then about sixteen Years of Age who shortly
Manny at the same time resigning his Lands also had the Earl of Pembroke and all the other Prisoners rendred back For whom they were now to make their Bargain as well as they could For the Ransom of the Lord Thomas Percy the strong Castle of Liziniac was yielded up to the French But the manner of the Lord Gutschard D'Angoulesme's Redemption was thus It may be remembred how we shew'd before that the Lord of Roy was still a Prisoner in England and likely enough to continue so because King Edward loved him not Now this Lord who was of High Birth and Estate had no Children but only one Daughter a Fair young Lady his Sole Heiress During his Imprisonment at this time his Friends proffer'd this Lady in Marriage to Sr. Oliver Manny a Knight of Bretagne Sr. Bertram of Clequin's Nephew on Condition he could obtain the Delivery of the Lord of Roye by Exchange for any one or more of his Prisoners Whereupon Sr. Oliver Manny sent to King Edward of England to know what Knight next the Earl of Pembroke he would have deliver'd in Exchange for the Lord of Roye The King hereupon intimating his particular Esteem for Sr. Guischard Dangle the Exchange was made and Sr. Oliver Manny married the Lord of Roye's Daughter with which Fortune he was so well pleased that he procured the other English Lords and Knights with all the rest of the Prisoners to be deliver'd for very easie Ransoms But as for the Earl of Pembroke p Frois ibid. no less than 6000 Florens of Florence were set on his Head for which certain Merchants of Flanders engag'd being to pay the Money at Bruges upon News of his safe Delivery at Calais 'T is q Walsingh hist p. 185. n. 20. thought the Spaniards upon his leaving them had given him a Dose For soon after this Bargain for his Redemption he began to be so extream sick that the Constable of France fearing the loss of his Money by his Death made hast to convey him by easie journeys from Paris in an Horse-litter But a Feaver came so violently upon him that he died by the way at Arras and so the Constable lost his Money He departed this Life on the r Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 577. ex Esc 49. Ed. 3. n. 70. sixteenth Day of April in the Year of our Lord 1375 being the following Year till the beginning whereof this business of the Prisoners was not settled He left behind him Å¿ Dugd. ibid. p. 578. one Son his Heir named after his Name John then but two Years old and an half and not born when his Father was taken Prisoner Which young Child proving of a very forward Vertue exceeding Hopefull and Towardly was afterwards in the Flower of his Youth being but seventeen Years of Age slain in a Tilt by an unlucky slip of Sr. John St. John's Lance to the great Regret of the King and of the whole Court because he was a Person of so Noble a Disposition as well as Extract and in Courage Bounty and Courtesie exceeded most of his Age and Dâ—gree I do not love to trample upon the Dead and to kill them again in their Reputation But for Example sake we must not conceal what some have observed to have been the occasion of these Judgments upon this Noble Earl and his Family It is first said t M.S. in Bibl. Bodlei K. 8. Cant. 186. b. that ever since Emery de Valence Earl of Pembroke and Ancestor of this Hastings sat among those who gave Sentence of Death against Thomas Earl of Lancaster in the Days of King Edward the Second none of the succeeding Earls of Pembroke ever saw his Father so as to be sensible of him nor any Father of them saw his Child or but an Infant But as for this Earl John whom we observe to have been taken Prisoner on the Eve of St. John Baptist which it seems is the Festival of St. Ethelred the Virgin many in those Days took occasion thence to censure that he was thus pursued by God's Judgments for the injury he had done to the Church of that Holy Virgin at Ely in a Cause depending betwixt the Church of St. Edmundsbury and that before his last Departure out of England And that the Money so lost did no more good forasmuch as it had been extorted from Religious Houses and the Clergy Thô surely u Walsing ibid. n. 26. Walsingham is too precise in fixing his Death also on the Day of the same Virgin Saint since it appears by Record to the contrary as we have shewn But x Walsing hist p. 182. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 577. others attributed this ill Success to his having lead an Adulterous Life being a Married Man also because he had in Parliament attempted an Infringement of the Churches Liberties and persuaded the King to lay heavier Taxes upon the Clergy than on the Laiety for the support of his Wars Which practice of Pilling and Polling the Church however the Temporal Lords were pleased therewith yet what Success ensued thereupon saith y Walsingh hist p. 182. Walsingham not only England but the whole World doth know I dare not accuse the Earl of these Crimes because 't is evident how the Monks in those Days were apt to attribute every Mischance that a Man met with to the Hand of God stretch'd out for their sakes wherefore I leave the Discussion of this Matter to the judgment of the Reader However the Earl of Pembroke dying thus in the Flower of his Age having then seen but twenty seven Years His Body was brought over into England and buried first in the Choir of the Fryers-Preachers at Hereford but afterwards for the Summ of an 100 l. Translated to the Grey-Fryers near Newgate in London now called Christ-Church This Earl John z Pat. 51. Ed. 3 m. 29 per Inspeâ—imus Esc 49. Ed. 3. n. 10. Claus 49. Ed. 3. in Dorso in the Fourty Third Year of King Edward having obtained Licence for that purpose of the King made a Feoffment to Walter Amias and others of all his Castles Lordships Lands and Mannors in England and in Wales to certain Uses Which Feoffment being left seal'd up in the Hands of his Feoffees to be kept till his Return from beyond the Seas was now upon his Death deliver'd up to the Kings Council who thereupon opening it found that in case he died without Issue of his Body the Town and Castle of Pembroke should come to the King his Heirs and Successors and the Castle and Lordship of Bergavenny and other his Lands in England and Wales to his Cousin William Beauchamp his Mothers Sister's Son in Fee provided he would bear his Arms and endeavour to obtain the Title of Earl of Pembroke But in case he should decline so to do then his Kinsman William Clinton to have them on the same Conditions IX There died a Jacob Meyer Annal. Flandr l. 13. p. 193. c. this Year the Famous
Francis Petrarch the Laureat Poet of Italy of whom We have spoken b Lib. 1. c. 19. §. 14. p. 247. in the former Part of this History in the seventieth Year of his Age wherefore Squarzafichus the Writer of his Life is to be corrected who acknowledges him to have been of that Age and that he was born in the Year 1304 but yet that he died Anno 1364 which is a palpable Mistake Upon the Thursday next after the Feast of the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr there departed this Life that Valiant Baron Sr. John Charleton Lord of Powis leaving John his Son and Heir at that time 14 Years of Age and another Son named Edward aged about Four Years behind On the c Vid. Thorn's Chron. apud 10. Angl. Script p. 2148. p. 2150. Walsing hist p. 183. Hypod. p. 133. Godâ— Catal. p. 146. M.S. vet Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 236. 5th of July D. William Wittlesey Archbishop of Canterbury departed this Life presently after whose Death the Monks of Canterbury elected for their Archbishop one Adam Easton d Ità Scriptâ—res nostri sed bis térve evolventi Victorellum nullus mihi cecurrit Cardinalis horum temperum Adam nominatus a Cardinal who was an Englishman born but thoroughly Italianated as having lead his whole Life in a manner at the Court of Rome Wherefore King Edward was so offended at this Choice of the Monks that he determin'd to banish them out of the Realm and to confiscate their Goods But then Pope Gregory thô he favour'd this his Cardinal yet to shield the poor Monks from the Danger of this Tempest was content to annull their Election and to bestow the Archbishoprick by way of Provision on Dr. Simon Sudbury then Bishop of London whom he knew the King liked well enough This Man was the Son of Nigellus Tibalds a Gentleman of Suffolk but being born in the Parish of St. George in Sudbury a Town of the said County he took his sirname thence after the manner of many Clergymen in those days He was a Man of Excellent Parts great Knowledge Judgement Wisdom and Eloquence and among many Works of Charity he e Speed's Maps in Kent c. 3. §. 8. built the West-Gate of the City of Canterbury and all the Wall from that Gate unto North-Gate commonly called by the Name of the Long-Wall an Act of no less Advantage to the City than of Expence and Charge to the Builder About seven Years after he yet ended unhappily being barbarously Murder'd together with Sr. Robert Hales Treasurer of England by the Rebels who were headed by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw in the Days of King Richard the Second neither his Age nor Dignity nor Eloquence nor Piety being able to mollifie the Minds of those Wretches who had already cast away the Bonds of their Allegiance X. About this time a certain Lady named Madam Alice Perrers being a Person of extraordinary Beauty f Stow's Survey of London p. 421. was therefore made Lady of the Sun and rode from the Tower of London thrô Cheap-side accompanied with many Lords Knights and Ladies every Lady leading a Lord or a Knight by his Horses Bridle till they came into West-Smithfield where presently began a Solemn Justs which held for seven Days together But because hereafter we shall have occasion to speak further of this Madam Alice Perrers especially since by our Vulgar Historians she hath constantly been misrepresented I shall here once for all make a more particular Enquiry who and what She was That She was not King Edward's Concubine as most of our Writers one taking it from another too boldly affirm may appear not only from the utter Improbability of the Matter it self which we shall shew but also from the Reputation of her Person which was so great that after this She was g Dudg Warwickshire p. 434. taken in Marriage by a considerable Baron of this Realm the Lord William Windsor h Dugd. Bar. 1 Vol. p. 509. who in the Fourty Third of this King was Constituted his Lieutenant of Ireland but afterwards became much more notable Now I say 't is neither probable that King Edward who never else is said to have gone astray even in the Flower of his Age especially while his beloved Queen lived which was within five Years of this time except only that Story of his being enamour'd on the Fair Countess of Salisbury which We have utterly exploded should now in the very impotence of his Age burn in Flames to which he had so seldom indulged And it is as improbable that so Noble a Baron as Sr. William Windsor should afterwards take in Marriage so notoriously infamous a Woman had she been thought at that time such a lewd and impudent Strumpet as many would make her But the i Rot. Par. 1 Ric. 2. n. 41. c. Vid. M.S. Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridg. p. 158. n. 41. Records themselves are nothing so severe upon the Reputation of this Lady as appears from these Words Dame Alice Perrers was introduced before the Lords and by Sr. Richard Scroop Knight Steward of the Kings Houshold charged for pursuing of Matters contrary to order taken two Years before namely that no Woman should for any Advantage present any Cause in the Kings Court on pain of losing all they had and being banished the Realm for ever That particularly she had procured Sr. Nicolas Dagworth to be called from Ireland whither he had been sent and at the same time procured from the King Restitution of Lands and Goods to Richard Lyon Merchant of London whereas the same Lands having been forfeited by him had been given to the Kings own Sons To all which the said Dame Alice reply'd that she had not pursued any such thing for any Advantage of her own Whereupon divers Officers Counsellours and Servants to King Edward the Third being examin'd prov'd that she made such pursuit and that in their conceits for her own private Gain And so the Lords gave judgement against the said Lady that according to the Order aforesaid she should be banished and forfeit all her Goods and Lands whatsoever But as Sr. Robert Cotton goes on to say truth of the Devil is counted Commendable and therefore surely says he the Record against the said Lady being very long proves no such heinous Matter against her only it shews how she was in such Credit with King Edward the Third that she sat at his Beds head when others were fain to stand at the Chamber Door and that she moved those things unto him which they of the Privy-Chamber durst not And further says he those two Points for which she was condemned seemed very honest Only her Misfortune was that she was Friendly to many but all were not so to her The Record is strange and worthy of perusal Thus much by the by for clearing of injur'd Innocence and stopping the Mouth of Popular Calumny thô this Matter of Record happen'd
shall find Complaint made in Parliament the Year following by the Owners of the said Vessels X. On the r Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 96. Tenth of October this Year there departed this Life the thrice-Noble and Valiant Lord David Strabolgi Earl of Athol leaving only two Daughters his Heirs behind him And the most Honourable Heroe Richard Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel Å¿ Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 318. Catal. Henâ—â— p. 650. died on the Ninth of the Calends of February this same Year in a good old Age leaving behind him three Sons and three Daughters Richard the eldest of his Sons succeeded him both in his Honours and Vertues Helming t Stow's Survey of London p. 217. Legat Esquire having obtained Licence of the King gave at this time one Tenement with a Cartelage or Yard thereto belonging and a Garden with an Entry leading thereto unto Mr. John Hariot Parson of Fen-Church and to his Successors for ever the House to be a Parsonage-House and the Garden to be a Church-yard or Burying-place for the Parish And about the same time u Dugd. Warw. p. 781. a. Ralph Lord Basset of Drayton founded an House at Atherston in Warwickshire called the Fryars-Hermits of St. Augustin over the Gate whereof is yet to be seen his Coat of Arms cut in a fair Shield of Stone CHAPTER the THIRTEENTH The CONTENTS I. Ingleram Lord Coucy makes an Expedition a second time into Austria but to no purpose II. Another Treaty at Bruges which only produces a short Truce and that another At which time King Edward offers largely for the Redemption of the Captal of Busche but cannot obtain it III. The Jubile of King Edward's Reign A Parliament at Westminster IV. During whose Sessions the Black-Prince dies his Will Character AN. DOM. 1376. An. Regni Angliae L. Franciae XXXVII Burial and Epitaph V. The Captal of Busche takes his Death to Heart and pines away VI. The Black-Prince's Character again his Children VII The Continuation of the foresaid Parliament at Westminster VIII A Censure thereof who the First Speaker of the House of Commons IX The Death of an English Cardinal and of the Lord John Peche X. Pope Gregory returns the Papal Chair to Rome I. IN these Days Ingleram de Guisnes Lord of Coucy Earl of Bedford and King Edward's Son-in-Law a Frois c. 314. fol. 195. Gallicè f. 266. De bello inter Bernabonem Pentifices gesto vid. Odor Rainal ab Ano. 1360. n. 6. c. returned into France from the Wars in Lombardy which at the Instance and on the Behalf of the Pope he had maintain'd together with John Galeas Earl of Vertus Son of Duke Galeas against his Uncle Duke Bernabo and his Allies the Recital whereof would be Foreign to the Matter now in Hand This Lord of Coucy was Son to the Lady b Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 761. a. Catherine of Austria who was Sister to c Catal. Hener p. 440. Peter Duke of Austria last deceased so that the said Duke dying without Issue lawfully begotten the Lord of Coucy was of Right to succeed in that Dukedom to his Uncle Peter aforesaid But the d Pannones olim dicti People of the Country had already given the Dukedom to another further removed than he whereof he had before this made frequent Complaints to the Emperour Charles the Fourth Who very well knew the Right which he had but durst not interpose too vigorously on his Behalf because the Austrians were a considerable Nation and Hardy in War. Wherefore the Lord of Coucy seeing he could not be righted otherwise had his last recourse to Arms wherein thô assisted by his Aunt Sister to the late Duke and his Mother he nevertheless had but small Success wherefore having afterwards exercised his Arms for some time in Lombardy he now returned as We have shewn into France where he was received very gratiously of the King who highly esteem'd him for his Valour and imagin'd by what means he might win him over from King Edward unto himself The Lord of Coucy understanding that there was a Truce at that time between England and France which was in a fair way to be prolonged and that there were many Men of War then in France without any Employment who as he thought might prove very serviceable to him in Recovering his Right in Austria began now to request of King Charles that he would permit those Bretons and Companions who during the Truce were like to be but a Burthen to his Realm to go along with him into Austria to help him to recover his Right The King as well to rid himself of that Charge and Trouble as to oblige him granted this his Request and besides that either gave or lent him 60000 Franks to bestow among his Followers Wherefore several French Lords themselves when they saw how well their King himself wish'd to this Cause joyned themselves with the Lord of Coucy as the Vicount of Meaux the Lord of Aunay Sr. Ralph de Coucy the Baron of Roye and the Lord Peter de la Bar with many other Lords and Knights of France Bretagne Artois Vermandois Picardy and Hainalt all desirous to advance their Bodies in Quest of Military Honour With these Forces the Lord of Coucy rode forth towards Austria about the Feast of St. Michael in the Year 1375 the Companions that were with him after their manner doing much Mischief all the way But when the Austrians and the Almaignes with their New Duke whom they had chosen understood for certain that the Lord of Coucy was coming against them with such Forces they immediately burnt and destroy'd for three Days journey along by the River Danube after which they retired into the Mountains and other Places hard of Access So that the Lord of Coucy and his Men who had expected to have met with Victuals could find none at all whereby they suffer'd that Winter infinite Loss and Trouble for not knowing where to get Forage or Victuals for themselves or their Horses many of both Sorts died what with Hunger Cold and Sickness These Afflictions put an end to this Expedition so that in the Spring the poor Remainders of the Army returned into France where they divided into several Quarters to refresh themselves But the King sent the most part of the Companions into Bretagne and Low Normandy to quarter there till he should have occasion for them which he expected shortly For there was only a Momentary Truce taken between the Realms of England and France of which we shall now speak a little II. When the Feast of e Vâ—d l. 4. c. 12. §. 7. p. 876. All-Saints drew near which was the Time appointed for a Meeting at Bruges in order to prolong the Truce beyond the forelimited time of the First of April or if possible to settle a lasting Peace there came again to Bruges for the French King the Duke of Burgundy the Earl of Salebruse and the Bishop of Amiens but the
Duke of Anjou tarried still at St. Omers From King Edward there came John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster John Dreux commonly called Monford Duke of Bretagne William Montagu Earl of Salisbury and William Courtney Bishop of London Sr. Robert of Namur was also with the Duke of Lancaster and waited on him to do him Honour while he staid in Flanders and the two Legates the Archbishop of Rouën and the Bishop of Carpentras went between the two Parties and took much Pains shewing many weighty Reasons to induce both Sides to Moderation but all to no purpose the Lords were so far asunder in their Resolutions For the French King demanded back again 1400000 Franks which had been paid for the Redemption of King John and also to have Calais rased and beaten down to the Ground To neither of which would the King of England by any means consent Then the f Fabian p. 258. c. French Deputies required Licence of the Legates that they might ride to Paris to declare more particularly unto the King the Offers made on the English Part after which they promised to return with an Account of his Pleasure as to the Premises Upon this Demand it was at last resolved that certain sufficient Persons for that purpose appointed should go and shew unto King Charles How the English Negotiators besides that they absolutely refused to refund the Money or to rase Calais as aforesaid stood stifly for the Absolute Sovereignty which they said belonged to the King their Master and that the King of England and his Heirs Kings of England should for ever enjoy all the Lands comprised in the former Peace made between Him and King John without any Homage or Resort or any other Duty paying or owing therefore Upon this King Charles summon'd his Peers and Nobles about him and there came many Lawyers and Doctors of Divinity unto him to Paris to hold a Debate and Argument on this Matter And here at last it was peremptorily determin'd that the King might not part with his Right of Sovereignty without great Peril of his Soul because he was so manifoldly engaged to maintain the Rights of his Kingdom This Report being brought to Bruges the Treaty immediately fell to pieces without any further Effect but only that by the earnest Intercession of the Legates the Truce however was prolonged to the g Rot. Franc. 50. Ed. 3. m. 16 21. Last of June then next ensuing and afterwards was lengthen'd out farther to the First of April of the Year MCCCLXXVII to give notice whereof to the English Subjects h 7 Aug. Claus 50. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 3. Dorso vid. Rot. Vasc de cod an m. 8. Rot. Franc. m. 10. a Proclamation was set forth So these Lords on both sides tarried at Bruges the Remainder of the foregoing h 7 Aug. Claus 50. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 3. Dorso vid. Rot. Vasc de cod an m. 8. Rot. Franc. m. 10. Winter and most part of the Lent following keeping great State especially the Dukes of Lancaster and Burgundy But in the Spring they all return'd to their several Countries except the Duke of Bretagne who tarried still in Flanders with the Earl Lewis his Cosen k Jacob. Meyer Annal. Flandr l. 13. p. 193. who made him extream welcome for the space of a Year i Fabian p. 258. But we must not forget to make mention of the great Good-will which King Edward and his Children still manifested to the Person of the Noble Lord John Greilly Captal of Busche who being taken as we have related before Soubise was all this while kept a Prisoner in the Tower of the Temple at Paris Him they l Frois c. 315. earnestly labour'd to get at Liberty and made frequent Overtures to that purpose but especially now by their Ambassadors and Negotiators at Bruges they offer'd in Exchange for him Valeran the young Earl of St. Pol and Three or Four other Knights besides m Frois c. 332. fol. 210. b. Gold and Silver in Abundance But the French King and his Council would by no means consent to deliver him n Frois c. 315. fol. 196. b. Jacob Meyer Annal. Flandr l. 13. p. 194. unless he would swear Never more to bear Arms against the Crown of France To which Proposal the Loyal Gascogner stoutly reply'd That thô he was sure otherwise to die in Prison yet he would never make any such Oath But of this Valiant Prince's Death we shall speak hereafter III. This Year being the Fiftieth of King Edward's Reign over England he kept o Daniel's History p. 256. a Second Jubilee in consideration thereof and gave Pardons Immunities and Graces and shew'd many Notable Acts of Bounty and Goodness to his People as in the First Jubilee which was the Fiftieth Year of his Age. A singular Blessing which very few Monarchs have ever arrived to either before or since that time Soon after viz. on the 28 of April p M.S. Ret. Par. 50. Ed. 3. p. 116. n. 1 c. Item Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridgment p. 120. c. being the Monday after the Feast of St. George FE Lit. Dom. the King of England held his High Court of Parliament at Westminster On which Day there was a considerable Appearance both of Lords and Commons before the King in his own Chamber Royal. But because divers of the Lords and some few of the Commons were not come Proclamation was made in the Great Hall at Westminster that all such who had received Summons to Parliament should be there the next Morning by Eight of the Clock At which Day Sr. John Knevet Knight Lord Chancellour of England §. 2. declared before the King Lords and Commons the Causes of the present Parliament to be Three viz. To enquire how the King should best provide for the Government of the Realm Secondly for the Defence of the same as well beyond the Seas as on this side both by Sea and by Land and lastly how he might prosecute his Quarrel against his Enemies and make good the same the Chancellour adding That as the King had always in all his Attempts follow'd their Good Counsel so now he meant to do no less Wherefore in the King's Name he wish'd them to go together the Lords by themselves and the Commons by themselves and speedily to consult and return an Answer So when there were appointed Receivers of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland as also for Gascogne and other Places and Isles beyond the Seas Tryers of the said Petitions after the Custom being subjoyned §. 3 4 5 6 7. the * §. 8. Commons were willed to depart to their accustomed Place being the Chapter-House of the Abbot of Westminster whither they went accordingly And then certain of the Lords and Nobles who are particularly named in the Records were order'd for the quicker Dispatch of Affairs to go and consult with the Commons In consideration of the necessary
departed with all his Men to Calais where Sr. Hugh Calverly seized upon him and sent him into England to answer for the Fact. He was for the present committed to the Tower but during King Edward's Reign was proceeded against no further The Duke of Bretagne q Frois c. 314. s 196. id Gallicè fol. 267. b. who had been more than a Year with his Cousin the Earl of Flanders seeing now the War open again took leave of the Earl and went to Graveling whither there went to meet him the Earl of Salisbury and Sr. Guischard Dangle with a Select Body of Men of Arms and Archers and so conducted him safely to Calais The next Day some of their Retinue r Stow p. 276. to the number of about Fifty suddenly of their own Heads took Ship thinking so to pass securely to Dover But they were presently snapt by some French Gallies and every one of them except two Men and two Women slain in the sight of the Calisians who were not able to give them any help at that time Sr. Hugh Calverley who was then Captain of Calais took this in very ill part especially because the Injury was done to such as being concerned in the Treaty had the French King's Security to come and go without Danger but since it was impossible to remedy the Matter he resolved to revenge it and presently taking with him some Choice Troops he made an Inroad into the French Pale where he slew many Men retook the Castle of Outwick and returned safe with a great Booty of Artillery and Cattle And indeed many Å¿ Vid. Walsing hist p. 199. c. notable Actions were afterwards done by this Valiant English Knight of which notwithstanding We are forbid to speak because they will not fall within the Compass of our History XV. When t Frâ—is ibid. the Duke of Bretagne the Earl of Salisbury and Sr. Guischard Dangle with their Company had tarried now about a Month at Calais having at last got a sufficient Convoy they set Sail for England about the Middle of June and arrived safe at London And from thence the Lords and Knights took Boat and went to Sheen in Surry by the Thame's side where at that time King Edward lay very sick and soon after departed this Life on the XI of the Calends of July that is on the 21 of June being the Day of St. Alban the Protomartyr of England and a Sunday in the Year of our Lord MCCCLXXVII which was the One and Fiftieth of his Reign of England but of France the Thirty Eighth and of his Age the Sixty Fifth In Memory whereof his Anniversary Obit was ordain'd to be held for ever on the u Ashmole's Gâ—rter p. 151. 21 of June in the Famous Chappel of St. George at Windsor And thus by the Death of this Great Conqueror and his Son the Black-Prince we may see that no Worldly Grandeur can secure us from the Reach of Fate But Monarchs althô they bear the Stamp Divine And o'r the World their Awfull Scepters sway Thô Subjects their Commands obey To Death's High Hand must all their Crowns resign The Godlike Heroe that from every Field Reaps a Full Harvest of Immortal Fame To Conquering Fate his sinewy Arms must yield At whose First Frown the Fiercest Warrier's tame Beauty it self her Heavenly Lustre vails And all her dazling Glories die Those Swelling Charms puff'd up with Flattery 's Gales Shrink into Dirt and wound th' offended Eye When Death attacks the once-relentless Fair Cruel to her as she to them whom once she bad Despair But Vertue Heavenly Vertue that can save Th' Owner from wholly passing Lethe's Lake Vertue can even the Dead Immortal make And like some Heaven-born Plant sprouts fresher from the Grave Wherefore now it will become us to clear the Reputation of this Mighty Prince from those foul Reflections which Malice or Ignorance may have cast upon his Declining Age for till then the Fiercest Envy durst not attack him and lastly to sum up his Character and as in a Looking-Glass exhibit Him fully and faithfully to the World. XVI Most of our Historians taking it from one another x Walsing hist p. 189. Stow p. 276. Sr. Rich. Baker p. 145. Daniel p. 260. c. talk very dolefully of his forlorn Condition at the point of his Death and tell us that first his Concubine as they call her Alice Perrers took the very Rings off his Fingers and so left him after whom other Servants went away in like manner with what they could carry That at last only a poor Priest remaining in the Room out of Christian Piety and Loyal Respect to his dying Master went boldly up to him and admonished him to lift up his Heart to God in the Heavens and humbly with contrition to ask Mercy of Him whose Divine Majesty he must needs have grievously offended whereupon the King say they being awaken'd somewhat from his former Lethargy began by Signs for his Voice had by this time almost wholly fail'd him as by taking a Crucifix in his hands and kissing it with many Tears flowing from his Eyes to signifie a Declaration of his Faith and Repentance and so with much adoe making shift to pronounce the Adorable Name JESVS with that Sweet and Salutiferous Word He finished his Speech and Life together Well might the Death of this Monarch be in such a Penitent Manner whose Life had afforded so many Instances of Piety and Devotion But as for Dame Alice Perrers her Rifling him of his Rings from his Fingers it is no way credible not only from what We y I l. 1. c. 11. §. 1â— p. 872. said of her before and that upon her Convention in Parliament in the Year following there was no such thing laid to her Charge by her most inveterate Enemies but also because if she did it before Witnesses it must have come out and then could not but have been faral to her and if not it could not have been known And whereas it is said that this Woman flatter'd the King that He should still live untill his Speech fail'd him whereby he neglected to prepare for his Soul as he ought to have done this savours of a Monkish Lie too grosly and of that Spirit so visible in many of their Writings which either from any Judgment falling upon a Man presently attributes unto him some Failure against the Liberties of the Church or some Saint or else when they find the Person to have in any thing thwarted their Interest is apt to invent some Tale or other which may insinuate his Dereliction of God. And this use only doth z Vid. hujus Hist l. 2. c. 6. §. 3. p. 392. Odoricus Rainaldus make of this Story which none ever had before Walsingham and none since but from his single Authority Whereas not only the Silence of all other Authors before his time as to any such thing may evince the Falshood of this matter