Part 16
On the morrow after being sundaie, and the eightéenth daie of September, the French king caused his host to be diuided into thrée battels or wards, and in each of them were sixtéene thousand armed men, all mustered and passed for armed men. The first battell was gouerned by the duke of Orleance, wherein were six and thirtie banners, and twise as manie penons. The second was led by the duke of Normandie and his brethren, the lord Lewes & the lord Iohn. The third the French king himselfe conducted. And while these battels were setting in arraie, the king caused the lord Eustace de Ribaumount, and two other noble men to ride on before, to sée the dealing of the Englishmen, and to aduise of what number they were. Those that were thus sent, rode foorth and beheld the order of the Englishmen at good leisure: and returning, infourmed the king, that as they could iudge, the enimies were about two thousand men of armes, foure thousand archers, and fiftéene hundred of others, and that they were lodged in such a strong place, and so well fensed with ditches and hedges, that it would be hard assaulting them therein.
[Sidenote: The cardinal of Piergort.]
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales contented to come to a treatie.]
The cardinall of Piergort the popes legat, as then lieng in the citie of Poictiers, came that morning to the king, and required him to absteine from battell, till he might vnderstand whether the prince would condescend vnto such conditions of peace as he himselfe should think reasonable, which if it might be brought to passe, the same should be more honorable for him, than to aduenture so manie noble men as were there with him at that present in hazard of battell. The king was contented that the cardinall should go to the prince, and sée what he could doo with him. The cardinall rode to the prince, and talked with him till he was contented to come to a treatie. The cardinall returned to the French king, and required of him that a truce might be granted till the next daies sun-rising: which truce obteined, he spent that daie in riding to and fro betwixt them.
[Sidenote: The offer of the prince of Wales.]
[Sidenote: The French kings presumptuous demand.]
The prince offered to render into the kings hands all that he had woone in that voiage, as well townes as castels, and also to release all the prisoners, which he or any of his men had taken in that iournie: and further he was contented to haue béene sworne not to beare armour against the French king within the terme of seuen yeares next following. But the French king would not agrée therevnto: the vttermost that he would agrée vnto, was this, that the prince and an hundred of his knights should yéeld themselues as prisoners vnto him, otherwise he would not haue the matter taken vp. But it was the French kings hap after (notwithstanding his hautines) to be taken captiue, as Okland noteth, saieng,
---- seruilia sub iuga missus Disceret vt domino regi parêre Britanno.
But the prince in no wise cold be brought to any such vnreasonable conditions, and so the cardinall could not make them fréends, although he trauelled earnestlie betwixt them all that daie. When it drew towards night, he returned toward Poictiers.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen fortifie their campe.]
[Sidenote: The cardinall trauelled in vaine.]
The Englishmen were not idle, whilest the cardinall was thus in hand to bring the parties to some good agréement, but cast great ditches, and made hedges, and other fortifications about the place where their archers stood, and on the next morning, being mondaie, the prince and his people prepared themselues to receiue battell, as they had doone before, hauing passed the day before and that night in great defect of necessarie things, for they could not stir abroad to fetch forrage or other prouisions without danger to be surprised of their enimies. The cardinall came againe earlie in the morning vnto the French king, and found the French armie readie in order of battell by that time the sunne was vp, and though he eftsoones fell in hand to exhort the king to an agréement, yet it would not be. So he went to the prince, and declared to him how he could doo no good in the matter, and therefore he must abide the hazard of battell for ought that he could sée: wherewith the prince was content, and so the cardinall returned vnto Poictiers.
[Sidenote: _Tho. Wals._]
[Sidenote: A prophesie of a prelate.]
¶ Here is to be remembred, that when (as Thomas Walsingham writeth) this cardinall of Piergort was sent from the pope to traueil betwixt the parties for a peace to be had, and that the pope exhorted him verie earnestlie to shew his vttermost diligence and indeuour therein: at his setting foorth to go on that message, the said cardinall (as was said) made this answer: Most blessed father (said he) either we will persuade them to peace and quietnesse, either else shall the verie flintstones crie out of it. But this he spake not of himselfe, as it was supposed, but being a prelate in that time, he prophesied what should follow; for when the English archers had bestowed all their arrowes vpon their enimies, they tooke vp pebles from the place where they stood, being full of those kind of stones, and approching to their enimies, they threw the same with such violence on them, that lighting against their helmets, armor, and targets, they made a great ringing noise, so that the cardinals prophesie was fulfilled, that he would either persuade a peace, or else the stones should crie out thereof.
[Sidenote: The exhortation of the prince.]
The worthie prince like a couragious chiefteine, when he saw that he must néeds fight, required his people not to be abashed at the great number of their enimies, sith the victorie did not consist in the multitude of men, but where God would send it: and if it fortuned that the iournie might be theirs and his, they should be the most honored people of the world: and if they should die in that righteous quarrell, he had the king his father and also his brethren, in like case as they had fréends and kinsmen, that would séeke their reuenge. And therefore he desired them that daie to shew themselues like valiant men of warre: and for his part he trusted in God and saint George, they should sée in his person no default. These or the like words did this most gentle prince speake, which greatlie comforted all his people.
[Sidenote: Noble men with the prince of Wales.]
[Sidenote: The capitall de Beuf.]
[Sidenote: The number of the prince his armie.]
There were with him of earles, Warwike, Suffolke, Salisburie, Stafford; of lords, Cobham Spenser, Audeley, Berkley, Basset, Warren, de la Ware, Bradeston, Burwasch, Felton, Mallow, and diuerse other: also sir Iohn Chandois, by whome he was much counselled, sir Richard Stafford, sir Richard of Penbruche, and manie other knights and valiant esquires of England. Moreouer, there was of Gascoigne, the capitall of Buz or Beuf, the lords of Prumes, Burguenrie, Chaumount, de Lespare, Rosen, Monferant, Landuras, the Souldich of Lestrad or Lescard, and other; and of Heinault, sir Eustace Daubreticourt, sir Iohn de Guistelles, and other strangers. All the princes companie passed not the number of eight thousand men one and other, of the which (as Iacobus Meire saith) thrée thousand were archers: though Froissard (as I haue rehearsed before) reporteth the number of archers to be more, as in one place six thousand, and in an other place foure thousand.
[Sidenote: The number of the French.]
[Sidenote: The battell is begun.]
[Sidenote: The force of the English archer.]
[Sidenote: The lord Iames Audeley.]
The French king hauing in his armie thrée score thousand fighting men, wherof there were more than thrée thousand knights, made so sure account of victorie, as anie man might of a thing not yet had, considering his great puissance, in regard to the small number of his aduersaries: and therefore immediatlie after that the cardinall was departed, he caused his battels to march forward, and approching to the place where the Englishmen stood readie to receiue their enimies, caused the onset to be giuen. There were certeine French horssemen, to the number of thrée hundred, with the Almains also on horssebacke appointed to breake the arraie of the English archers, but the archers were so defended and compassed about with hedges and ditches, that the horssemen of the French part could not enter to doo their feat, and being galled with the sharpe shot of the English bowes, they were ouerthrowne horsse and man, so that the vaward of the Frenchmen, wherein was the duke of Athens, with the marshals of France, the lord Iohn de Cleremont, and the lord Arnold Dandrehen or Odenhen, began to disorder within a while, by reason of the shot of the archers, togither with the helpe of the men of armes, amongst whome in the forefront was the lord Iames Audeley, to performe a vow which he had made, to be one of the first setters on.
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsi._]
[Sidenote: The earles of Warwike and Suffolke.]
There was the lord Arnold Dandrehen taken prisoner, and the lord Iohn de Cleremont slaine, so that the noble prowesse of the said lord Iames Audeley, breaking through the Frenchmens battell with the slaughter of manie enimies, was that day most apparant. The loiall constancie of the noble earles of Warwike and Suffolke, that fought so stoutlie, so earnestlie, and so fiercelie, was right manifest. And the prince himselfe did not onelie fulfill the office of a noble chéefteine, but also of a right valiant and expert souldiour, attempting what soeuer any other hardie warriour would in such cases haue done. Neither was this battell quicklie dispatched, nor easilie brought to end; but it was fought out with such obstinate earnestnesse, that thrée times that daie were the Englishmen driuen to renew the fight, through the multitude of enimies that increased and came still vpon them.
[Sidenote: The marshals battell put to ye worst.]
[Sidenote: The Frenchmen séeke to saue themselues by flight.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Finallie, the marshals battell was quite discomfited: for the Frenchmen and Almains fell one vpon an other, and could not passe foorth; and those that were behind, & could not get forward, reculed backe: and while the marshals battell being on horssebacke thus assailed the English armie with great disaduantage, and was in the end beaten backe, the two battels of the dukes of Normandie and Orleance came forward, and likewise assailed the Englishmen, but could not preuaile. The archers shot so fiercelie, that to conclude, the Frenchmen behind, vnderstanding the discomfiture of the marshals battell, and how their fellowes before could not enter vpon their enimies, they opened and ran to their horsses, in whome they did put more trust for their safegard by galloping on them awaie, than in their manlike hands, for all their late brauerie and great boasts. One thing sore discouraged the Frenchmen, and that was this: beside those Englishmen that were within the closure of their campe, there were certeine men of armes on horssebacke, with a number of archers also on horssebacke, appointed to coast vnder the couert of a mounteine, adioining to the place, where they thought to strike into a side of the duke of Normandies battell, so that with the terrour hereof, and with the continuall shot of the English archers, the Frenchmen not knowing where to turne themselues, sought to saue their liues by flight.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The valiancie of the French king.]
[Sidenote: The French king taken.]
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: Sir Denise Morbecke.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
The prince of Wales, perceiuing how his enimies (for the more part of them) were fléeing awaie as men discomfited, sent out his horssemen as well on the one hand as on the other, and he himselfe with his whole power of footmen rushed foorth, and manfullie assailed the maine battell of the Frenchmen, where the king himselfe was, who like a valiant prince would not flée, but fought right manfullie: so that if the fourth part of his men had doone halfe their parts as he did his, the victorie by likelihood had rested (as Froissard saith) on his side: but he was forsaken of his thrée sonnes, and of his brother the duke of Orleance, which fled out of the battell with cleare hands. Finallie, after huge slaughter made of those noblemen, and other which abode with him euen to the end, he was taken, and so likewise was his yongest sonne Philip, and both put in great danger to haue béene murthered after they were taken, by the Englishmen and Gascoignes, striuing who should haue the king to his prisoner, where indéed a knight of Flanders or rather Artois, borne in saint Omers, called sir Denise Morbecke, tooke him, but he was streightwaies taken from the same sir Denise by other that came in the meane season, better prouided (béelike) of strength, and lead him awaie vnresisted.
[Sidenote: Noblemen slaine.]
[Sidenote: _Ia. Mair._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The chase.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: _Annales de France._]
[Sidenote: Archembald Douglas tak[=e].]
[Sidenote: _Iacob Meir._]
[Sidenote: Prisoners taken.]
There were slaine in this battell, of noblemen, the dukes of Burbon and Athens, the marshall Cleremont, sir Geffrey Charnie that bare the chéefe standert of France, the bishop of Chaalons, sir Eustace de Ribaumont, with diuerse other to the number of eight hundred lords, knights, and gentlemen of name. In all there died on the French part six thousand of one and other. The chase was continued euen to the gates of Poictiers, and manie slaine and beaten downe in the stréet before the gates, which the citizens had closed, for doubt least the Englishmen should enter with them that fled, thither for safegard. There were taken beside the king and his sonne, the lord Iaques de Burbon earle of Ponthieu, brother to the duke of Burbon that was slaine there, the earle of Ew, the lord Charles his brother earle of Longuile, the archbishop of Sens, the earle of Vandosme, Salesbruch, Ventadore, Tankeruille, Estampes, and Dampmartine: also Archembald Douglas a noble man of Scotland, sonne to the honorable lord William Dowglas that was killed in Spaine, the marshall Dandrehen or Odenhen (as Iacobus Meir saith) with others to the number of seuentéene hundred earles, lords, knights, and gentlemen, beside those of the meaner sort; so that the Englishmen had twise as manie prisoners as they themselues were in number: and therefore it was deuised amongst them, to put the most part of their prisoners to ransome there in the field, and so they did for doubt of further danger, the multitude being so great as it was.
[Sidenote: The battell of Poictiers when it was.]
[Sidenote: The prince suppeth the prisoners.]
Thus was the prince of Wales victor in that notable battell fought in the fields of Beauuoir and Malpertuse, two leagues from Poictiers, the ninetéenth day of September being monday, in the yéere a thousand, thrée hundred, fiftie and six, which began in the morning and ended at noone. But bicause the Englishmen were scattered abroad in chase of their enimies, the princes banner was set vp in a bush, to draw all his men togither. It was almost night yer they were all returned from the chase. The prince made a great supper in his lodging that night to the French king, and to the most part of his nobles that were taken prisoners, and did all the honour that he could deuise to the king. And where he perceiued by his chéere and countenance, that his heart was full of pensiue gréefe, carefull thought and heauinesse, he comforted him in the best maner that he might, and said to him: as followeth.
The méeke and comfortable oration of the English prince to the French king being taken prisoner.
Most noble king, there is no cause wherefore your grace should be pensiue, though God this day did not consent to follow your will. For your noble prowes and dignitie roiall, with the supreme type of your kinglie maiestie, remaineth whole and inuiolate, and what soeuer may rightlie be called yours; so that no violent force of time shall blot out or diminish the same. The almightie God hath determined that the chance of war shall rest in his disposition and will, as all other things. Your elders haue atchiued both by land & sea manie noble enterprises. The whole compasse of Europe, all the east parts of the world, all places and countries, both far & néere, are full of monuments, witnessing the noble victories atteined by the French people.
The cause of godlie liuing and religion, the dignitie and preheminence of christianitie hath béene defended and augmented by you, against the most mightie and puissant capteins of the infidels, enimies to the said christian religion. All ages shall make mention of your worthie praises, no nation there is but shall confesse it selfe bounden at one time or other for benefits receiued at your hands; neither is there any people but such as hope to be hereafter bounden to you for reliefe and benefits, to procéed from you in time to come. One or two battels happilie haue chanced among so manie triumphs otherwise than you would haue wished; chance would it should be so, which may inféeble and make weake the power of horsses, armor, and weapon: your inuincible courage and roiall magnanimitie lieth in your power to reteine: neither shall this day take any thing from you or yours. And this realme of France which hath procreat and brought foorth and norished so many of my noble progenitors, shall perceiue my good meaning towards hir, as not forgetfull of mine elders, and toward your maiestie (if you will vouchsafe that I should glorie of that name) a most humble kinsman. There are manie occasions of loue and fréendship betwixt you and my father, which I trust shall take place, for I know all his thoughts and inward meanings: you shall agrée and come to an attonement right easilie togither, & I praie God he neuer take me for his sonne, except I haue you in the same degrée of honor, reuerence, and faithfull loue, which I owe towards him.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: The French king thanketh the prince.]
[Sidenote: The prince returneth to Burdeaux.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The lord Audelie rewarded.]
The king (as reason would) acknowledged this to procéed of great courtesie shewed toward him in the prince, and thanked him accordinglie. And the prince performing in déed that which he spake with word, ceassed from further vsing of fire, or other indamaging of the French dominions, and taking his waie through the countries of Poictou and Xaintonge, by easie iournies, he and his people came to Blaie, and so passed ouer the water to Burdeaux in good safetie with all their riches and prisoners. The prince gaue to the lord Iames Audelie (who had receiued in the battell manie sore wounds) fiue hundred marks of yearelie reuenues assigned foorth of his lands in England. The which gift the knight granted as fréelie as he had receiued it vnto foure of his esquiers, which in the battell had béene euer attendant about his person, without whose aid & valiant support, he knew well that he had béene slaine sundrie times in the same battell by his enimies, and therefore thought it a dutie of humanitie and gratitude to make them amends with some temporall recompense, that had saued his life, than the which nothing is more déere, nor of greater price in the world, as the poet saith,
---- nihil est vita pretiosius ipsa.
When the prince heard that he had so doone, he meruelled what his meaning was therby, and caused him to be brought before his presence, and demanded of him wherefore he had so lightlie giuen awaie that reward which he had bestowed vpon him, and whether he thought that gift too meane for him or not. The lord Audelie so excused himselfe in extolling the good seruice doone to him by his esquiers, through whome he had so manie times escaped the dangers of death, that the prince did not onelie confirme the resignation of the fiue hundred marks giuen to the esquiers, but also rewarded the lord Audelie with six hundred marks more of like yearelie reuenues, in maner and forme as he had receiued the other.
[Sidenote: Bonfiers.]
[Sidenote: 1357.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 31.]
[Sidenote: Additions to _Adam Merimuth._]
[Sidenote: The prince bringeth the French king ouer into England.]
When the newes of this great victorie came into England of the ouerthrow of the Frenchmen, and taking of the French king, ye may be sure there was great ioy shewed by outward tokens, as bonfiers made, feasts and bankets kept, through the whole realme. Likewise the Gascoignes and Englishmen being come to Burdeaux, made great reuell and pastime there, spending fréelie that gold and siluer which they had woone in the battell of Poictiers, and elsewhere in that iournie. ¶ This yeare in Aprill the prince of Wales tooke shipping with his prisoners at Burdeaux, and on the fift of Maie arriued at Plimouth. On the foure and twentith day of Maie he was with great honour ioifullie receiued of the citizens into the citie of London, and so conueied to the palace of Westminster, where the king sitting in Westminster hall, receiued the French king, and after conueied him to a lodging appointed for him, where he laie a season; but after he was remoued to the Sauoie, which was at that time a goodlie house, perteining to the duke of Lancaster, though afterwards it was burnt and destroied by Wat Tiler, Iacke Straw, and their companie. In this place the French king laie, and kept house a long time after.
[Sidenote: A iusts holden in Smithfield.]
[Sidenote: The French K. sorrowfull.]
In the winter following were roiall iustes holden in Smithfield, at the which were present the kings of England, France, and Scotland, with manie great estates of all their thrée kingdoms, of the which the more part of the strangers were as then prisoners. It was reported, that the French king could not so dissemble nor cloake his inward thought, but that there appeared some tokens of gréefe in his countenance, whilest he beheld these warlike pastimes. And when the king of England, & his sonne prince Edward with comfortable words required him after supper to put all pensiue cares out of his fantasie, and to be merrie and sing as other did, he should make this answer with a smiling countenance, alluding to the complaint of the Israelits in time of their captiuitie vnder the gentiles, & saieng,
[Sidenote: _Psalm. 137._]
Quomodo cantabimus canticum in terra aliena?
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: Cardinals sent into England.]
[Sidenote: A truce for two yeares.]
About the same time there came ouer into England two cardinals, the one called Talirand being bishop of Alba (commonlie named the cardinall of Pierregort) and the other named Nicholas intituled cardinall of S. Vitale or (as Froissard saith) of Dargell, they were sent from pope Innocent the sixt, to intreat for a peace betwixt the kings of England and France: but they could not bring their purpose to anie perfect conclusion, although they remained here for the space of two yeares: but yet onelie by good means they procured a truce betwéene the said kings, and all their assistants, to indure from the time of the publication thereof, vnto the feast of S. Iohn Baptist, which should be in the yeare 1359: out of the which truce was excepted the L. Philip of Nauarre, and his alies, the countesse of Montfort, and the whole duchie of Britaine.
[Sidenote: The French king remoued to Windsor.]
[Sidenote: Rennes besieged.]