Part 13
¶ Here writers varie: for Froissard saith that king Edward had information thereof, before that sir Amerie de Pauie vttered the thing himselfe; but the French chronicles, and also other writers affirme, that the Italian aduertised the king of all the drift and matter betwixt him & the lord Geffrie of Charnie, before he went through with the bargaine. But whether by him or by other, truth it is the king was made priuie to the matter at Hauering Bower in Essex (where he kept the feast of Christmasse) & therevpon departing from thence, he came to Douer, and the daie before the night of the appointment made for the deliuerie of the castell of Calis (hauing secretlie made his prouision) he tooke shipping, and landed the same night at Calis, in so secret maner, that but few of the towne vnderstood of his arriuall, he brought with him out of England thrée hundred men of armes, and six hundred archers, whom he laid in chambers and towers within the castell, so closelie that few or none perceiued it, the maner he knew by sir Amerie de Pauie his aduertisements (accordinglie as it was agréed betwixt them) that the lord Geffrie of Charnie was appointed to come and enter the towne that night, for the king had commanded sir Amerie to procéed in merchandizing with the said lord Charnie, and onelie to make him priuie of the day & houre in the which the feat should be wrought.
[Sidenote: 1350.]
[Sidenote: Sir Edward de Rentie.]
[Sidenote: The king crieth Mannie to the rescue.]
The lord Geffrie de Charnie being couenanted that he should be receiued into Calis the first night of the new yeare, departed from S. Omers, where he had assembled fiue hundred speares, the last day of December toward night, and so in secret wise he passed foorth, till about the middest of the next night after, he approched néere to Calis, and sending an hundred men of armes to take possession of the castell, and to paie the Italian his twentie thousand crownes, came to the posterne of the castell, where sir Amerie de Pauie hauing let downe the posterne bridge, was readie to bring them in by the same posterne, and so the hundred men of armes entered, and sir Edward de Rentie deliuered to the Italian his twentie thousand crownes in a bag, who when he had cast the crownes into a coffer (for he had no leisure to tell them) he brought the Frenchmen into the dungeon of the castell, as it were to possesse them of the chéefest strength of the fortresse. Within this dungeon or tower was the king of England closelie laid, with two hundred men of armes, who issued out with their swords and axes in their hands, crieng Mannie to the rescue, for the king had so ordeined, that both he and his sonne should fight vnder the banner of the lord Walter de Mannie, as chéefe of that enterprise.
[Sidenote: The earles of Stafford and Suffolke, the lords Montacute, Berkley and la Ware.]
[Sidenote: The Frenchmen alight on foot.]
Then were the Frenchmen greatlie abashed, in such wise, that perceiuing how no defense might aduance them, they yéelded themselues without any great shew of resistance. Herewith the Englishmen issued out of the castell into the towne, and mounted on horssebacke, for they had the French prisoners horsses, and then the archers road to Bullongne gate, where the lord Geffrie was with his banner before him of gules thrée scutchens siluer. He had great desire to be the first that should enter the towne: but shortlie the king of England with the prince his son was readie at the gate, vnder the banner of the lord Walter de Mannie to assaile him. There were also other banners, as the earles of Stafford and Suffolke, the lord Iohn Montacute brother to the earle of Salisburie, the lord Beauchampe, the lord Berkley, and the lord de la Ware. Then the great gate was set open, and they all issued foorth crieng Mannie to the rescue. The Frenchmen perceiuing that they were betraied, alighted from their horsses, and put themselues in order of battell on foot, determining to fight it out like valiant men of war. The king perceiuing this, caused his people likewise to be set in order of battell, & sent thrée hundred archers to Newland bridge, to distresse those Frenchmen, which he heard should be there. This was earelie in the morning but incontinentlie it was daie: the Frenchmen kept their ground a while, and manie feats of armes were doone of both parts, but the Englishmen euer increased out of Calis, and the Frenchmen diminished, so that finallie they were ouercome, as well in the one place, as in the other.
[Sidenote: Sir Eustace de Ribaum[=o]t a right valiant knight.]
[Sidenote: He is taken prisoner by the king of England.]
[Sidenote: The lord Geffrie de Charnie is taken.]
[Sidenote: Sir Eustace de Ribaumont.]
It chanced that in the hotest of the fight, the king was matched with sir Eustace de Ribaumont, a right strong and hardie knight. There was a sore incounter betwixt him and the king, that maruell it was to behold them. At length they were put asunder, for a great companie of both parts came that waie, and there fought fiercelie togither. The Frenchmen did behaue themselues right valiantlie, and especiallie sir Eustace de Ribaumont: he strake the king that daie twise vpon his knées, but finallie he was taken prisoner by the king himselfe. The lord Geffrie of Charnie was also taken prisoner, and wounded right sore, but the king of his noble courtesie caused him to be dressed by surgions, and tenderlie looked vnto. There were slaine, sir Henrie de Blois, and sir Pepin de la Ware, with other, to the number of six hundred. Monsieur de Memorancie escaped with great danger. Froissard saieth, that this battell was fought in the yeare 1348, vpon the last of December, towards the next morning being Newyeares daie: but (as Auesburie & Walsingham haue, who begin the yeare at our ladie day) this enterprise chanced 1349, and so consequentlie in the 23 yeare of this kings reigne. All the prisoners were brought to the castell of Calis, where the K. the next night gaue them a supper, & made them right hartie cheare, and gaue to sir Eustace de Ribaumont a rich chaplet of pearles, which he then did weare on his owne head, in token that he had best deserued it for his manfull prowes shewed in the fight; & beside that in fauour of his tried valiancie, he acquit him of his ransome, and set him at libertie. This fact of the king was roiall in déed, and his clemencie greatlie to be commended; & therfore it is well said to this purpose,
Gloria consequitur reges sic bella gerentes, Sic certare parit decus immortale duello.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 24.]
[Sidenote: The death ceaseth.]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: Commissioners méet to talke of peace.]
[Sidenote: Men borne with fewer téeth than in times past.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsin._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: A combat.]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: A Spanish fléet. Spaniards vanquisht by the K. of England by sea.]
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
About the end of August the death in London ceassed, which had bin so great & vehement within that citie, that ouer & beside the bodies buried in other accustomed burieng places (which for their infinit number cannot be reduced into account) there were buried that yeare dailie, from Candlemasse till Easter, in the Charterhouse yard of London, more than two hundred dead corpses. Also this yeare, by the earnest sute of the two cardinals which were sent (as ye haue heard) from pope Clement the sixt, a peace was concluded for one yeare. There met néere vnto Calis for the treatie of this peace, the foresaid two cardinals, as mediators; and for the king of England, the bishop of Norwich treasuror and high chancellor of the realme, with others came thither as commissioners; and in like maner for the French king, there appeared the bishop of Lion, and the abbat of S. Denise. ¶ This yeare in August died Philip de Valois the French king. Here is to be noted, that all those that were borne, after the beginning of that great mortalitie whereof ye haue heard, wanted foure chéeke téeth (when they came to the time of growth) of those 32 which the people before that time commonlie vsed to haue, so that they had but 28. In this 24 yeare of this kings reigne, there was a combat fought in lists within the kings palace of Westminster, betwixt the lord Iohn, bastard sonne to Philip king of France, & a knight of the towne of Ypres in Flanders; but the bastard had the vpper hand, and vanquished his aduersarie. ¶ About the feast of the decollation of saint Iohn Baptist, king Edward aduertised of a fléet of Spaniards returning foorth of Flanders, that was laden with clothes and other riches, assembled a conuenient power of men of armes and archers, & at Sandwich tooke the sea with them, sailing foorth, till vpon the coast of Winchelsie he met with the Spaniards, and there assailed them; so that betwixt him and those Spaniards, there was a sore fight, and long continued, to the great losse of people on both parts; but in the end, the bright beame of victorie shone vpon the English sailes, so that all the Spaniards were slaine, for they were so proud and obstinat (as Walsingham affirmeth) that they would not yéeld, but rather choose to die, & so they did indéed, either on the Englishmens weapons points, or else were they drowned there in the sea, six and twentie of their ships were taken, in the which was found great store of good ware and riches. And so the king thought himselfe well reuenged of the Spaniards, which in the last yeare about Alhallontide, had entred into the riuer of Garons, as it runneth vp towards Burdeaux, and there finding manie ships fraught with wines, slue all the Englishmen they found aboord, and tooke awaie the ships with them: which iniurie mooued the king to enterprise this exploit now at this time against them.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Dagworth slaine.]
[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent to the pope.]
About the beginning of August, sir Raoull de Cahors, and diuerse other knights and esquiers, to the number of six score men of armes, fought before a castell called Auleon, with sir Thomas Dagworth, and there slue the same sir Thomas, and to the number of one hundred men of armes with him. There were sent solemne messengers this yeare vnto Auignion, for the establishing of a peace, mentioned betwixt the king of England and France, at the sute of the pope, so that king Edward should haue resigned his title and claime to the crowne of France, and the French king should haue giuen ouer vnto him the whole duchie of Guien, to hold the same fréelie, without knowledging of resort or superioritie, or dooing any manner of homage for the same: but such delaies were made, and the sute so prolonged by the pope, that the earle of Derbie, who with others was sent to him about this matter, returned without spéed of his purpose for the which he went.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 25.]
[Sidenote: 1351.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
In the fiue and twentith yeare of king Edwards reigne, the Frenchmen hauing laid siege vnto the towne of saint Iohn Dangeli, the lord Dalbrets son, hauing assembled six hundred men of armes, Gascoigns and Englishmen, meant to worke some feat for reliefe of them within, whervpon, as he was marching through the countrie of Xainctonge néere vnto Xaincts the eighth of Aprill, or (as other haue) the first, he was incountered by the lord Guie de Néell, one of the marshals of France, & other French lords, where at length, the Frenchmen were discomfited, manie also slaine, and diuerse taken prisoners, of which number was the said marshall, with his brother the lord William, and sir Arnold de Dandrehen, beside others, to the number of 300 men of armes, but yet the siege remained, till for want of vittels the towne was rendered to the Frenchmen.
[Sidenote: The castell of Guines woone.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
The same yeare in October, an English archer of the garison of Calis, named Iohn of Dancaster, by licence of the lord deputie of Calis, tooke with him thréescore persons men of armes and archers, and in the night that goeth before the feast daie of S. Vincent, in the last quarter of the same night, he comming to the castell of Guines, found as well the watch as others fast asléepe, wherevpon he passed a water that adioined to the castell, wading vp to the girdle, and so came to the wall, where he & his companie rearing vp ladders, mounted by the same so secretlie, that slaieng the watch, being not past thrée or foure persons that were on the wals, they entred the castell, and finding the Frenchmen asléepe, slue those that vpon their wakening made any defense, and tooke the residue, whome they suffered to depart: and by this meanes they wan the castell, finding great store of vittels within, and so as they found it, they kept it to the king of Englands vse. The French histories declare, that one Guilliam de Beauconroy that was capteine of this castell, betraied the place to the Englishmen, for a summe of monie, and when the French king required restitution bicause the truce was not yet expired, he was shifted off with this forged answer, that nothing was excepted by the assurance of the truce, concerning things that should be bought and sold. The Frenchman that betraied it, was shortlie after put to execution at Amiens.
[Sidenote: Grotes and halfe grotes first coined.]
[Sidenote: 1352.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 26.]
[Sidenote: Mouron.]
In this yeare were the first péeces of siluer called grotes and halfe grotes of foure pence & two pence the péece stamped, by the kings appointment, through the counsell of William de Edington bishop of Winchester lord treasuror. Before that time, there were no other coines, but the noble, halfe noble, and quarter noble, with the péeces of siluer called sterlings. Bicause these new péeces wanted of the weight of the old sterling coine, the prices as well of vittels as of other wares, did dailie rise, and seruants and workemen waxing more craftie than before time they had béene, demanded great wages. ¶ This yeare, vpon the euen of the Assumption of our ladie, sir Iohn Bentlie knight, as then lord warden of Britaine, fought with the lord Guie de Néell, marshall of France (latelie ransomed out of captiuitie) in the parts of Britaine, néere to a place called Mouron, betwixt Rennes and Pluremell, where the said marshall was slaine, togither with the lord of Briquebeke the Chateline of Beauuais, and diuerse other both Britains and Frenchmen.
[Sidenote: 1353.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 27.]
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsi._]
[Sidenote: In the printed booke of statutes it should appeare, that this parlement was rather holden in the 25 yeare of this kings reigne.]
[Sidenote: Statutes for making of clothes.]
[Sidenote: Weares and milles.]
In the seuen and twentith yeare of his reigne, K. Edward held a parlement at Westminster, after the feast of Easter, in which an ordinance was deuised, what wages seruants and laborers should be allowed, prohibiting them to receiue aboue the rate which they were accustomed to take before the yeare of the great mortalitie. Seruants and laborers were in déed growen to be more subtill than before time they had béene; but by reason of the prices of things were inhanced, it is like they demanded greater wages than they had doone before time: and one cause of the dearth was imputed to the new coine of monie, being of lesse weight in the value thereof, than before it had béene, so that the bishop of Winchester being lord treasuror, who had counselled the king to ordeine those grotes and halfe grotes, was euill spoken of amongst the people. In this parlement there were statutes also made, that clothes should in length and in breadth through the realme, beare the same assise, as was ordeined in the parlement holden at Northampton. Also, that all weares, milles, and other lets, should be remooued foorth of riuers, that might be any hinderance of ships, boats, or lighters to passe vp and downe the same. But these good ordinances tooke little or none effect, by reason of bribes that walked abroad, and fréendship of lords and great men, that sought rather their owne commoditie, than the common-wealths.
[Sidenote: Creations of noble men.]
[Sidenote: The lord Charles of Blois.]
Shortlie after the feast of Pentecost, the earle of Derbie and Lancaster was made duke of Lancaster, and Rafe lord Stafford was created earle of Stafford. Whereas there had béene a treatie betwixt the lords of Britaine, and the king of England, not onelie for the deliuerance of the lord Charles de Blois, but also for the matching of his eldest sonne in mariage with one of king Edwards daughters, and so to inioy the dukedome in peace: this matter was so far forwards, that in the yeare last passed, the said lord Charles, leauing two of his sonnes and a daughter in pledge for the paiement of fortie thousand florens, agréed vpon for his ransome; he was permitted to returne into Britaine to prouide that monie: and withall, to procure a dispensation, that his eldest sonne might marrie with one of K. Edwards daughters, notwithstanding that otherwise they were within the degrées of consanguinitie, prohibiting them to marrie. Herevpon this yeare about Michaelmas, he returned into England with the same dispensation: but bicause about the same time the Britains had taken by stealth an Iland with a castell therein, that the Englishmen had kept, & put all those which they found therein, to the sword, the said lord Charles, otherwise duke of Britaine, lost the kings fauour, so that he would heare no more of anie such aliance, by waie of marriage, as had béene communed of before: by reason whereof the British lords, that were in great number come ouer with the lord Charles de Blois, were constreined to returne home, without atchiuing anie part of their purpose, leauing the said lord Charles and his children behind them still héere in England.
[Sidenote: Debate betwixt the dukes of Brunswike & Lancaster.]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsi._ affirmeth that this remoouing of the staple of wols was the 28 yeare of K. Edwards reigne.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
On the fourth day of September, the duke of Brunswike and the duke of Lancaster should haue fought a combat in Paris, about words the duke of Lancaster should speake, in derogation of the duke of Brunswikes honor, for the which the said duke had appealed him in the court of France: but when they were readie to haue tried it, and were on horssebacke with their speares in hand within the lists, at point to haue runne togither, the French king caused them to staie, and taking on him the matter, made them fréends, and agréed them. This yeare the king by aduise of his councell remooued the mart or staple of wools from the townes in Flanders, and caused the same to be kept at Westminster, Chichester, Lincolne, Bristowe, Canturburie and Hull. This was doone in despite of the Flemings, bicause they held not the couenants and agréements which they had made with the king, in the life time of Iacques Arteueld, by whose prouision the said mart or staple had béene kept in sundrie townes in Flanders, to their great aduantage and commoditie.
[Sidenote: Sir Walter Bentlie committed to the tower.]
[Sidenote: A great drought.]
[Sidenote: A dearth.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: Corn brought out of Zeland.]
Sir Walter Bentlie, vpon his comming ouer foorth of Britaine, where he had béene the kings lieutenant, was committed to the tower, where he remained prisoner for the space of twelue moneths, bicause he refused to deliuer vp the castels within his gouernement, vnto sir Iohn Auenell knight, being appointed to receiue the same, to the vse of the lord Charles de Blois, at the same time when the treatie of agréement was in hand, betwixt the king, and the said lord Charles. But after, when it was perceiued what damage might haue insued by deliuerie of those castels, sir Walter was set at libertie vpon suerties yet they were bound for his foorth comming, and that he should not depart the realme: at length, he was receiued againe into the kings fauour. In the summer of this seauen and twentith yeare, was so great a drought, that from the latter end of March, fell little raine, till the latter end of Iulie, by reason whereof, manie inconueniencies insued: and one thing is speciallie to be noted, that corne the yeare following waxed scant, and the price began this yeare to be greatlie inhanced. Also béeues and muttons waxed déere for the want of grasse, and this chanced both in England and France, so that this was called the déere summer. The lord William duke of Bauiere or Bauarie, and earle of Zeland, brought manie ships into London, fraught with rie, for reléefe of the people, who otherwise had, through their present pinching penurie, if not vtterlie perished, yet pittifullie pined.
[Sidenote: 1354.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 28.]
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: A truce betwixt England and France.]
[Sidenote: Ambassadors to the pope.]
In the eight and twentith yeare of king Edwards reigne, vpon a treatie that was holden by commissioners, appointed by the two kings of England and France, after Easter, they were in maner fullie agréed vpon a peace, so that nothing wanted, but putting vnto their seales. In the articles whereof it was conteined, that the king of England should inioy all the lands of his dutchie of Aquitaine, without holding the same of anie by homage, or resort, and in consideration thereof he should resigne all his claime to the crowne of France. Héerevpon were ambassadors sent from either king, vnto the pope, and a truce taken, to indure till the feast of saint Iohn Baptist in the yeare next following. Ambassadors for the king of England were these: Henrie duke of Lancaster, Iohn earle of Arundell, the bishops of Norwich and London, and the lord Guie de Brian. For the French king, the archbishop of Rouen lord chancellor of France, the duke of Burbon, and others: but when the matter came to be heard before the pope about Christmasse, all went to smoke that had béene talked of: for the Frenchmen denied that the articles were drawne according to the meaning of their commissioners, and the pope also winked at the matter, so that the English ambassadors (when they saw that nothing would be concluded) returned home all of them (the bishop of Norwich excepted who departed this life there) and so their iournie came to none effect.
[Sidenote: 1355.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 29.]
[Sidenote: Debate betwixt the scholers & townesmen of Oxenford.]
This yeare, the tenth of Februarie, there rose a sore debate betwixt the scholers and townesmen of Oxenford. The occasion rose by reason of the falling out of a scholer with one that sold wine: for the scholer perceiuing himselfe euill vsed, powred the wine on the drawers head, knocking the pot about his pate, so as the bloud ranne downe by his eares. Héerevpon began a sore fraie betwixt the scholers and townesmen, which continued for the most part of two daies togither. There were twentie townesmen slaine, beside those that were hurt: but at length, there came a great number of countrimen foorth of the villages next adioining, to aid the townesmen, entring the towne with a blacke banner, and so fiercelie assailed the scholers, that they were constreined to flée to their houses and hostels, but their enimies pursuing them, brake vp their doores, entered their chambers, slue diuerse of them, and threw them into priuies, tare their bookes, and bare awaie their goods. The sholers héerewith tooke such displeasure, that they departed the Vniuersitie: those of Merton colledge, and other the like colledges onelie excepted.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: The quarrell appeased betwixt the scholers and townesmen of Oxenford.]