a treatie considering that all our warres in France had rather purchaste fame then treasure to our Kingdome and when our Souldier returnd home their scarres were greater then their spoiles And howsoever we had at staits got possession of the largest territories in France yet still wee retired back againe As if the devine providence had decreed to have our Empire bounded with our Seas Moreover they who affected the happinesse of a Kingdome and loved their owne country desired rather France under a forraigne governour least if in possession of our King England being the lesse both in extent and fertility might be reduc'd to the condition to a Province and live in obedience to a Deputie enriching the greater Kingdome with her tribute Other consirations likewise of the present state of the warres prevail'd to get content for a treatie whereupon with reward the Herauld was dismist a safe conduct granted and the place for the Commissioners appointed in a Village neare Amiens For the King were nominated the Lord Howard Sir Anthony St. Leger and Doctor Morton for the French the bastard of Burbon Admirall of France the Lord Saint Peire and the Bishop of Evereux This at the first meeting brought almost the treaty to a conclusion for on both sides they brought mindes disposed to peace And although the English Commissioners at first demanded the Crowne of France as due to the King by right from which in honour he could not recede and afterward with much apparence of difficultie condescended to be content with Normandy and Guien yet they themselves knew well Princes never use to part with Countries upon treatie before the battaile hath imposed a necessitie to yeeld And indeede the English expected not that Lewys would be frighted out of so important lims of the body of France onely upon the braving of an enemy Soone this first florish of businesses came to more easie termes Edward desired to be gone without losse of honour Lewys to have him gone with as much reputation as he desired Edward had occasion of mony and Lewys was willing to make him a bridge of Gold from Callice to Dâ—ver whereon to carry backe his Army And shortly to both their contents an absolute atonement was made Whereby threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes were to be paid to King Edward before his departure out of France and fifty thousand annually Concerning the annuitie of fiftie thousand Crownes there is much controversie among French and English writers about the name They call it a Pension wea Tribute And certainly the later to speake without partialitie to our selves hath in it much more proprietie of language For a Prince who over-awed by a powerfull Armie mediates by deprecatory massages to divert the battaile and afterward buyes his safetie not onely with a present Summe but an annuall payment cannot have a freer name then tributary And as for pensions they are granted upon petition to the poorer and weaker not upon feare to the mightier But to compare the greater actions of Princes to the customes of Subjects The threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes was the fine King Lewys payd for France and the fiftie thousand annually the rent Onely the farme was too mightie to be set and the tennant too strong and stubborne ever to quit possession to his Landlord Then for establishment of future peace that posteritie might partake in the benefit of this accord it was concluded that the Princesse Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward should marry with Charles the Dolphin Son to Lewys And for her present maintenance five thousand Crownes from France to be payd in the Tower of London and after the expiration of nine yeares shee and the Dolphin to be invested in the Dutchy of Guyen And that on the English side there might bee no fraud upon payment of the first summe the Lord Howard and Sir John Cheinie Master of the Horse were to remaine in hostage untill the Army were return'd into England But that the King might not seeme to forget his confederates the Duke of Burgundie and Britaine were comprehended if they would accept the peace The Count S. Paul was abandon'd in this treatie as an efficiall servant and subject to the Crowne being Constable of France and who by his dissimulation and treason had most offended the nature of our King And usually thus to reconcile great Princes lesser are offered up for sacrifice This peace was generally receiv'd by the Army with applause as by people who began to consider no victory before the battaile certaine and in the battaile much hazard Onely the Duke of Glocester who stood aloofe off on the other side for honour frown'd at this accord and exprest much sorrow as compassionating the glory of his nation blemisht in it Hee repeated his jealousie of the worlds opinion which necessarily must laugh at so chargeable a preparation to attempt nothing And scorne either the wisedome or courage of the English when they shall perceive them in so full numbers and so well arm'd to passe the Sea after a defiance sent and challenge to a Crowne to returne backe without drawing a Sword Moreover to forsake the amitie of so constant friends and in extreame necessitie to betray them beguiled by a common dissembler whose shifts and trickes of state like the slights of hand in juglers are discovered and wondred at by those fooles onely whom hee cozens And what carried with it an apparence of most danger to necessitate the Duke of Burgundie to a peace with King Lewys whereby both may hereafter joyne in a common league against us Who by this one act have forfeited all leagues with our ancient confederates and frighted any other Princes from joyning with us With Glocester agreed many of the Army who were either dependant upon him or who had as unquiet thoughts as hee some likewise who having set up the rest of all their fortunes upon this gaine found themselves undone in their hopes because the Princes had drawne statues But most of a discontented humour that maliciously alwayes interprets the actions of Princes to the worst sence But the Duke of Glocester had a further and a more dangerous aime as who by the dishonour of his brother thought his credit receiv'd increast and by how much the King sunke in opinion he should rise And in regard good and quiet men were delighted in the accord he would be had to the wicked and unquiet and adde a luster to his faction by drawing the nations honour to his part But why this peace should endure so hard a censure both at home and abroad is strange and above all why King Lewys should ascribe any honour to himselfe or thinke the advantage on his side For what ecclipse soever the English glory suffered certainly the French by a most servile way purchast safetie They descending beneath the honour of men by mony to wave a battaile wee being onely faultie in not having perform'd more then men For if we consider our selves subject to
himselfe into authority in regard peace levelled him with inferior Lords and made his service of no use King Lewys proceeded on to tell him in how miserable a condition the Burgonian army was having beene broken at the siege at Nuz a desperate and madde undertaking and now returned home the Souldier destroyd either by the sword or famine and that small number escaped so wretched that the Duke might well expect protection from the King but could no way bee of power to advance his purpose Hee added how the season of the yeare Summer being almost past must of necessity deterre the King from crossing the Sea and many other arguments against the present undertaking As if the Herauld being perswaded to quiet by Oratory France might have beene reprived from warre for that yeare And to make him the more his friend hee gave him three hundred crownes with promise of a thousand more if the peace so much desired by him tooke effect The Herauld overcome much by his perswasions but much more by his money replyed That no travell on his part should bee omitted that might tend to the service of his Majesties intentions And that he as farre as his observation upon the Kings nature could reach imagined no great difficulty to bring his Master to a faire accord But that as yet the motion would be most unseasonable Considering that after so vast a charge in levy of an army and so universall an applause to the designe his Majesty could not retire untill at least he had led his Forces into France and made some apparence of intending what so constantly he had pretended Hee advised him therefore to let the army passe over to Callice thither to send his Herauld to desire a safe conduct for Embassadors with order to make addresses to the Lords Stanley and Howard and himselfe And that the way should be prepared so plaine for King Lewys his purpose that there should be no impediment at the worst to a faire respect if not to a full satisfaction of his desires All this discourse past in private In publicke there was caution by the Kings strickt command given that no French man should have any communication with him And soone as possibly he was dismist with many faire words and thirty Ells of crimson velvet for reward The King after his departure expressing in his looke and carryage much cheerefullnesse and courage either comforted by the faint hopes our Herauld gave him or else cunningly dissembling his feares The order of this discourse betweene them is delivered to us as a high reach of pollicy in King Lewys But to an indifferent understanding it appeares nothing but the ordinary wit of cowardize and certainly how covetous soever the necessitie of his occasions made him to buy peace yet his manner of traffique at this time was beneath the spirit of a Prince For although his largesse to the Herauld wrought the wisht effect yet he might have beene deceived by him and by his so earnest desire to avert the present warre have endangered it much more fierce upon him Neither could it be imagined common discretion to commune his feares to an enemy who might perhaps betray them to the scorne of the English army or to negotiate peace with a Herauld though even persons of much worth and understanding yet commonly remote from the knowledge of the inwarder resolutions of state But the manage of this businesse thus tooke a good effect and that concurring in a Prince whose other actions were pollitickely ordered made it have so happy a censure Vpon returne of the Herauld the King embarqued for Callice and after him followed his army Which was transported in certaine slat bottom'd boates of Holland and Zeland by them usually called Scuts lent as before covenanted by the Duke of Burgundy And notwithstanding the commodiousnesse of the vessells and the multitude being five hundred in all three weekes were they in their passage among all the forces not being one page Which as it instructs us in the vast numbers of the Souldier so doth it in the strength and power in regard they were all able men who undertooke this enterprise and who came not to learne but to make proofe of their knowledge in armes Soone as he heard they were certainly a shore the Duke in all haste came to congratulate the Kings safe landing and happy arrivall of the armie for there was just ground for feare that the French Navy might have endeavoured to trouble their passage But the Duke comming with a very small traine much afflicted the expectation of the English who thought to have seene him march to meet them with five and twenty hundred men at armes well appointed beside a large power of horse and foote As by his Embassadours and his owne Articles had so amply and frequently beene promist But to take away this suspicion from them for feare it might any way drive backe their thoughts toward England he told them that his so private comming to the King was onely to expresse his joy for the Kings safety and theirs and that his army was further in the Country so well prepared for the present designe that they should have no reason to thinke him any way to have boasted He therefore invited them to march up into the Land where they might be better accomodated and conducted the King to Bullen A Towne which having beene heretofore morgaged by the French to Phillip Duke of Burgundy with a large part of Picaray was notwithstanding the often tender of the mony by Lewys still detained violently by Duke Charles There hee gave the English a free intertainement and still kept their expectation high From thence hee went with them to Peron another Towne of Picardy kept upon the same termes Into which hee admitted but few of the better sort of the English and over those too he carryed a watchfull eye The army forced to lodge in the field which was the lesse inconveni convenient in regard of the Season of the yeare and the commodiousnesse of pavilions and tents with which they were so plentifully furnisht The Duke perhaps loath to trust the armie in possession of so important a place least their expectation irritated they might attempt to him some trouble To Peron the Count Saint Paul sent to congratulate the Kings arrivall in France to promise all service to his enterprise and his townes to his use and command Whereupon the King removed to Saint Quintin over which Saint Paul commanded there to accommodate his Army till the Dukes forces were in readinesse to take the field But as some over-hastie Troopes having got the start of the Army came confidently toward the gates expecting to be receiv'd if not with triumph at least with all the demonstrations of joy the Artillery from the towne shot against them and some of the Garrison issued forth to skirmish in which two or three of the English perisht This apparence of hostility from a Confederate confirmed the former jealousie
large territories in France hee certainly from his heart desired And when he invited King Edward into France to that purpose and there fail'd him of his promist succours it proceeded doubtlesse not from any underhand practise or remissenesse in the undertaking but onely by the misfortune of his Armie somewhat broken not long before at the siege of Nuze He was therefore a friend to us if an ambitious man be sayd a friend to any or rather so great an enemy to Lewys of France that he loved us onely in opposition and desired our prosperitie because it could not grow without ruine to the French How just a governor hee was in peace appertaines little to our knowledge and the world had little leasure to consider hee was so everlastingly in Armes In which as hee shewed great courage and judgement so likewise did hee commit much injustice And who will examine what licence warre gives to injury and how it imposeth almost necessitie of doing wrong may in some sort excuse him But his being ever in quarrells into which hee enter'd and continued as his passion not his reason directed him presents his spirit daring but turbulent and his valour rash and inconsiderate and takes away all pardon from his so many errors The two great blemishes upon his memory are his crueltie at Granson in Lorrain where in cold blood hee caused all the inhabitants to be kil'd the towne being yeelded to his discretion And his perfidiousnesse to the Count Saint Paul whom notwithstanding a safe conduct hee delivered up to execution into the hands of King Lewys The good men who ascribe punishment to the justice of heaven observe that after these two crimes his fortune left him and with dishonour death overtooke him when he least expected it Having at that time in his imaginations so many and so vaste designes that scarce the age and fortune of man had length and power enough to accomplish them all The death of this Prince having begot so much businesse in his life diversly affected all the neighbour countries Generally according to the custome in private families every state entertain'd it with such a passion as the advantage or disadvantage appear'd by it to themselves Some few out of love to his person hope of marriage with his daughter or compassion of humane accidents griev'd at the report But most exprest their sorrow for the libertie King Lewys had attain'd by it no man living now of power and will to oppose him should hee attempt injury and offer violence to his weaker neighbours For King Edward was so infatuated by his Arts that hee never startled at this great accident nor looked how nearely it might concerne his owne safetie So that notwithstanding hee were daily certified of new undertakings by King Lewys he rested quiet and gave free reines to his injurious ambition Who soone as he understood of the death of Duke Charles and perceived how open his countries lay to an invader Pretended the Dutchy of Burgundy for want of heires male devolved backe to the Crowne of France and by the armes of the Duke of Lorrain without further dispute tooke it in In the meane time himselfe seizing upon all Picardie which for many yeares had remain'd in possession of Dukes Philip and Charles And that he might have yet more occasion of quarrell with an unsetled Lady unable to withstand his opposition he summond the Princesse Mary Dutches of Burgundy to come in person into France to doe homage for the Countie of Flanders and her other estates held in chiefe of that Crowne But she knowing how unsafe it was to yeeld her person up to a Prince who made his advantage of every opportunitie delaid the homage and stood upon her guard as strongly as in so disorder'd a Countrey was possible For though shee were Lady of many opulent and mightie Provinces able if not to offend yet to defend themselves against the world yet were the people stubborne and prone to rebellion and who by the weakenesse of some of their Princes heretofore had purchast to themselfe too large immunities And indeed scarce any towne but had or pretended to have such prerogatives as debased all authoritie of government Which upon every change in state they revived and endeavor'd if possible to redeeme themselves from subjection And this hope more then ever now possest them considering the unexperience both of the youth and sex of her that ruled so that by apparence of their churlish carriage to the Dutchesse and small preparations against King Lewys who every day surpriz'd some place or other they rather desir'd to be exposed a prey to an insolent and cruell enemy then indure the milde government of their lawfull Princesse Shee therefore sent Embassadours to implore ayd of King Edward and declare to him the urgencie of her present necessities Who showed that their Princesse the greatest inheretrix of the world borne to a large and rich territory was at the present in a condition beneath the poorest subject that enjoyd but libertie Being detain'd captive by the hands which made restraint farre more unsupportable of her owne insolent rebells Her delivery concern'd the King of England in generall as a Prince and in particular as a neighbour and an alley Her tumultuous subjects who had dared to attempt and act this treason tooke courage from the French Kings declared enmitie An injurious proceeding in a Prince against a neighbour which justly provokes all Christendome to unite in her defence and punish so barbarous a proceeding in him That the ancient league observ'd with so much Religion betweene England and the Low Countries particularly did require his Majesties present ayd and a consideration of what might happen perhaps in his owne posteritie in the same nature did invite him to doe favours as his might challenge to receive them hereafter That even in the pollitique discretion of government it was conceiv'd that nearely it concernd the state of England to provide against so dangerous an addition of dominion to the French Considering King Lewys had already most injuriously wrested away not onely Peronne Mountdidier Tournay and all the rest of Picardie sold heretofore to Duke Phillip But seizd even upon Burgundy the inheritance of their Princess And what expresseth the inhumanitie of the tyrants and the hated malice of his intentions sommons her at this present to do homage personally for Flanders and her other territories Which sommons if shee obeyes she certainly betrayes her selfe into an everlasting captivitie or to a necessitie to surrender a large part of her inheritance for redemption And if shee refuseth shee indangers her whole estate to the surprize of a mercilesse enemy who never wanted the pretence of justice to justifie spoile and rapine They farther urged how their Princesse was not onely in her person restrain'd by her owne subjects but had not so much as apparence of any army in the field to oppose the invader The Souldier being absolutely destroyd in the former unfortunate
title to the Crowne of England be just as man did alwayes allow in judgement and Almightie God hath approved in the successe The same title is good to the Crowne of France Both having beene united into one ever since the usurpation of Philip de Valois The peoples affection to Princes of their owne nation enacted an injurious Law that authoriz'd injustice and confirm'd the Soveraigntie in the heires Male The Female were excluded as if the distinction of kind could make a difference in right and the being borne a woman were to bee borne illigitimate for the Law Salique in a manner bastardizeth the whole Sex Your great Ancestor Edward the third whose name and magnanimity you inherit with his Sword abrogated this Law And call'd the Lawmakers to a severe acacount at Crecie and Poitiers where more veines of France were opened and more blood issued then any time records Considering the small numbers of the English In the later of the two battels John Sonne to Philip of Ualois laboring to make good the pretentions of his Father was taken prisoner and so continued lesse then a free Subject by endeavouring unjustly to be a Soveraigne The little handfull of men with which the English then opposed the vast armies of the French not onely showing the high advantage the Nation hath in courage But the miraculous justice of the Almighty who delights to make the destruction of Vsurpers his owne Worke and not to permit man by his power to rivall heaven in the punishment Your Majesty needes not History to perswade you to the quarrell or example to assure you of the successe The justice of the claime will easily prevaile with you to draw againe your sword which hath beene hitherto almost still unsheathed in vindication of your right And that with so much prosperity that they who admire your valour and direction applaud your fortune But if the nature of man delighted in the felicities of peace should advise your Majesty to satisfie your mind with the triumph of those victories you have already purchast Yet neither a just revenge nor discreet pollicy will admit it For how can England remaine safe from future injuries and acquit her selfe in honour against those who have heretofore affronted her if France where all the late combustions were first conceived remaine unpunished The huge body of the civill Warre lies now a dead trunke wounded to death by your arme but yet Lewys of France the head of that monster though contrary to the ordinary course of Nature retaines still a life and quickens mischiefe hourely against this Kingdome least otherwise his owne be not secure And should your Majesty out of desire to avoid the further effusion of Christian blood permit him to continue in the unjust possession of a Kingdome he would interpret his safety and your mercy to be either a blind ignorance or a degenerate feare And from your lenity draw the boldnesse to prepare new troubles against your quiet And if it be not an over much care in a confederate and an allye to make so narrow a scrutinie into your Majesties affaires Our Master beleeves that this warre will not be unnecessary for the present state of England In regard this way those many evill humours gathered in the body of the Kingdome by the late disorders will be easily purged away or at least diverted Seeing experience teacheth us how impossible it is for a Nation nurst in civill war suddenly to embrace a peace and endure a severe government And should the discontented not vent themselves thus abroad how dangerous it might make the disease at home is easie to be conjectured But all this showes only the justice and necessity of your warre Preparations great enough to oppose a King of France yet we have not toucht upon And that indeed is it our Master gave us in our instructions most to acquaint your Majesty withall As by which it will be most apparent how without any reflection upon his owne occasions he invites you to this undertaking For his Highnesse understands how farre this overture lyes open to a false interpretation considering his enmity with King Lewys did not the circumstance of the businesse show how your Majesty is rather desired to a triumph then a battle Never had France so many enemies so powerfully united and never so few friends if shee may be said to have any For except onely the poore Duke of Lorraine who happily may be a burthen never an aide to any Prince wee can hardly reckon a confederate For so trecherous have beene all King Lewys his arts so dissembling his nature that the world hath concluded it much safer to be at enmity with him then upon the fairest termes His friendship having ruined some his armes never any man In confederacy with our Master and in absolute resolution to invade France are the Duke of Brittaine and the Count Saint Paul Brittaine able of his owne Subjects to bring a powerfull army into the field Saint Paul by his kindred and intelligence to cause a generall revolt of all the nobility from the King And indeed such hath beene the carryage of that polliticke Prince for that epethite his poore shifts have got him that a continuall contempt hath beene throwne by him upon the great Lords and a most neere familiarity enter'd into with the basest people His barber being more acquainted with the affaires of state then the whole body of his Councell This preposterous course of favor hath made the greatest states of the Kingdome scorne their present King and reflect upon your Majesty whose comportment in warre and peace hath beene such as justly makes your triumph in the generall affections of your many friends and utter destruction of your enemies If it may therfore please your Majesty to admit of that greatnesse your high descent hath title to and your Predecessors ' have had possession of The armes of these great Princes are prepared to serve you Our Master first honoured your Majesty as a potent neighbour great in your selfe as in dominion Then by marryage he grew into the neerest degree of correspondence the title of Brothers a ceremony used betweene Princes being of due in alliance between you two Lastly he had the happinesse which Potentates seldome have though with some trouble to your Majesty to enjoy entire familiarity By which those other respects common among persons of like quality and which are often but weake tyes of amity converted into a perfect friendship So that this desire his Highnesse hath to advance your Majesties glory and command proceeds onely from love to the posterity of your person and iust claime With How powerfull forces he will concurre to this great action hath beene of purpose omitted Because the world hath had sufficient testimony how able his Highnesse hath beene to oppose if not oppresse King Lewys without borrowing aid from a confederate He therefore intreates to know your Majesties resolution whether you will passe over and personally make your