Part 20
The prince tarried for the returne of king Peter, both wéekes and moneths, but could not heare anie tidings of him. He therefore sent vnto him, to vnderstand the cause of the staie: his answer was, that he had prouided monie, and sent it by certeine of his men toward the prince, but the companions that serued vnder the prince, had met with it by the way, and taken it from them that had the conueiance of it: he therefore required the prince to rid the realme of those snaphances, and to leaue behind him some of his officers, to whome in name of him he would make paiment of such monie as was due. This answer pleased not the prince, but there was no remedie, for other at that present he could not haue, for anie likeliehood he saw: and therefore, taking order with king Peter how the paiment should be made, he prepared to returne into Gascoigne. The order therefore taken betwixt them, was this. Within foure moneths next insuing, king Peter should paie the one halfe of the wages due to the soldiers for this iournie, vnto such as the prince should leaue behind him to receiue the same, and the other halfe within one yeare.
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsi._]
[Sidenote: The prince put to his shifts for default of paie.]
The prince was compelled to breake his plate, and to make monie thereof to paie his soldiers, namelie, the companions, which he had called forth of France, so that he left himselfe bare of all riches, to kéepe touch with them, although king Dampeter failed in his promise each waie foorth. For where the prince should haue had in recompense towards his charges, the countie of Algezara, and other lands, by the said Dampeters assignment, so that he sent one of his knights to take seizine of the same lands, he was neuertheles disappointed, for he could not come by any peaceable possession of those lands, and so returned greatlie impouerished, hauing spent in this iournie all that he could make. In the meane time the bastard Henrie, hauing escaped out of the field by flight, got him into France, and there through fauor of the duke of Aniou, so purchased for himselfe, that he got togither a certeine number of Britains and other soldiers, & comming to the frontiers of the princes land in Gascoigne, got a towne in Bigore, called Bannieres, and made war upon the princes subjects.
[Sidenote: The prince returneth into Gascoigne.]
[Sidenote: 1368.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 42.]
[Sidenote: A blasing starre.]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
The prince obteining passage for himselfe and his men, of the kings of Aragon and Nauarre, returned to Burdeaux, and then did the bastard Henrie forsake his garrison at Bannieres, and went into Arragon, and there got the king of Arragons assistance: & finallie, in the yeare 1369, returning into Spaine, recouered the kingdome, and slue his brother king Peter, as in the historie of Spaine it may appeare, which for that it apperteineth not to this historic of England, I doo here passe ouer. This yeare, in the moneth of March, appeared a blasing starre, betwixt the north and west, whose beames stretched towards France as was then marked, threatning (as might bethought) that within a small time after it should againe be wrapped and set on fire with new troubles of warre, and euen then, that countrie was not in quiet, but harried in diuerse parts, by such soldiers as had béene with the prince in Spaine, & were now out of wages. The leaders of which people were for the more part Englishmen and Gascoignes, as sir Robert Briquet, sir John Tresmelle, Robert Cenie, sir Gaollard Vigier, the bourge of Bertueill, the bourge Camois of Cominges, as Denise Sauage thinketh, the bourge of Lespare, Nandon or Nawdon of Bargerant, Bernard de la Salle, Ortigo, Lamut, and manie other.
[Sidenote: The Duke of Clarence goeth into Italie. The ladie Violant.]
[Sidenote: His interteinement in Sauoy.]
In this 42 yeare of king Edwards reigne, his second son the lord Lionell duke of Clarence and earle of Vlster passed the sea, with a noble companie of lords, knights, and gentlemen, and went thorough France into Lombardie, there to marrie the ladie Violant, daughter to the duke of Millane. He was honorablie receiued in all places where he came, and speciallie at Paris, by the dukes of Berrie and Burgognie, the lord Coucie and other, the which brought him to the court, where he dined and supped with the king, and lodged within the palace. On the next day he was had to a place where the quéene lodged, and dined with hir, and after was conueied to the court againe, and supped that night with the king, and on the morrow following, he tooke his leaue of the king and quéene the which gaue to him great gifts, and likewise to the noble men of England that came ouer with him, to the value of twentie thousand florens and aboue: he was conueied from place to place, with certeine of the French nobilitie, till he came to the borders of the realme and then entring into Sauoy, he came to Chamberie, where the earle of Sauoy was readie to receiue him, and there he remained foure daies, being highlie feasted amongst the ladies and damosels: and then he departed, and the earle of Sauoy brought him to Millane, to doo him the more honor, for his sister was mother to the bride, which the duke should marrie.
[Sidenote: His receiuing into Millane.]
[Sidenote: _Corio_ in the historie of Millane.]
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
To speake of the honorable receiuing of him into the citie of Millane, and of the great feast, triumph, and banketting, and what an assemblie there was in Millane of high states, at the solemnizing of the mariage betwixt him and the said ladie Violant, it were too long a processe to remember. The gifts that the father of the bride, the lord Galeas gaue vnto such honorable personages as were there present, amounted in value to an inestimable summe. ¶ The writers of the Millane histories affirme, that this marriage was celebrated on the fiftéenth daie of Iune, in the yeare 1367, which being true, the same chanced in the 41 yeare of this kings reigne, and not in this 42 yeare, though other authors agrée, that it was in the yeare 1368. But to returne to other dooings where we left.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales constreined to burden his subiects with a sore subsidie.]
[Sidenote: Coine not to be inhanced nor abased.]
Ye haue heard how the Prince of Wales could get no monie of the king of Spaine, for the wages of his men of warre, which he had reteined to serue him in the reducing the said king home into his countrie, wherefore the prince hauing béene at great charges in that iournie, was neither able to satisfie them, nor mainteine his owne estate, without some great aid of his subiects, and therefore he was counselled to raise a subsidie called a fuage, through all the countrie of Aquitaine, to run onelie for the space of fiue yeares. To this paiment, euerie chimnie or fire must haue béene contributorie, paieng yearely one franke, the rich to haue borne out the poore. And to haue this paiment granted, all the states of the countrie were called togither at Niort. The Poictouins, and they of Xainctonge, Limosin, Rouergne, and of Rochell, agréed to the princes request, with condition, that he should kéepe the course of his coine stable, for the terme of seuen yeares.
[Sidenote: The demand of this fuage the cause of ye Gascoignes reuolting to the French king.]
But diuerse of the other parts of Guien refused that ordinance, as the earles of Arminake, and Gominges, the vicount of Carmaigne, the lords Dalbret, de la Barde, Cande, Pincornet, and diuerse other great barons: but yet to depart quietlie from the assemblie, they required a time to take better aduise, and so they repairing into their countries, determined neither to returne againe according to their promises, nor to suffer any fuage to run amongest them at all, and were so much offended with the motion, that they sought occasion forthwith to reuolt from the English obeisance and submission, knowing that
Pastores tondere boni haud deglubere cultris Villosum assuescunt pecus.
And therefore diuerse lords of them went to the French king, and there exhibited into the chamber of the péeres of France, their complaints of the grieuous impositions & wrongs, which the prince went about to laie vpon them, affirming that their resort ought of speciall duty to be to the crowne of France, and to the king there, as to their lord Peramount. The French king, who would not séeme to breake the peace betwéene him and the king of England, dissembled the matter, and told them that he would peruse the tenor of the charters and letters of the peace, and so far foorth as he might by permission of the same, he would be glad to doo them good. The earles of Arminake, Perigourd, Gominges, and the lord Dalbret, with other that were come thither about this matter, were contented with this answer, and so staied in France, till they might vnderstand further, both of the French kings mind, and of the princes dooings. ¶ This yéere in October, was Simon Langham archbishop of Canturburie elected to the dignitie of a cardinall, and then William Witleslie, bishop of Worcester, was remooued vnto the sée of Canturburie.
[Sidenote: The earle of Saint Paule.]
[Sidenote: 1369.]
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales appealed to appeare.]
About the same time, the earle of saint Paule, one of the hostages in England, stale from hence, without taking anie leaue, or saieng farewell. At his comming into France, he greatlie furthered the sute of the lords of Gascoigne, & finallie so much was doone on their behalfe, that the French king was contented that the prince of Wales should be appealed, and summoned to appeare before the French king as iudge in that point, for reformation of the wrongs which he offered to them that had made their resort vnto him, as reason was they should. This appeale was written and dulie examined.
The tenor of the said prince of Wales his appeale or summons of appearance before the French king, &c.
Charles by the grace of God king of France, to our nephue the prince of Wales and Aquitaine, send gréeting. So it is, that diuerse prelats, barons, knights, vniuersities, communalties, and colledges of the marches and limits of the countrie of Gascoigne, and the dwellers and inhabitants in the bounds of our realme, besides diuerse other of the duchie of Aquitaine, are resorted and come to our court, to haue right of certeine gréefes, and vnlawfull troubles, which you, by vnaduised counsell, and simple information, haue purposed to doo vnto them, whereof we greatlie maruell. Therfore, to withstand, and to redresse such things, we are so conioined to them that we haue thought good, by our roiall power, to command you to repaire to our citie of Paris, in proper person, and there to shew and present your selfe before vs, in the chamber of our péeres, that you may be constreined to doo right to your people, concerning the gréefes which they alledge that you are about to oppresse them with, who claime to haue their resort into our court: and that you faile not thus to doo, in as spéedie manner as yée can, immediatlie vpon the sight and hearing of these present letters. In witnesse whereof, we haue to the same set our seale. Yeuen at Paris, the fiue and twentith daie of Ianuarie.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 43.]
[Sidenote: The princes answer to the messenger.]
These letters were giuen to a knight and a clerke, to beare and present to the prince, which according to that they had in charge, went to Burdeaux, and there getting licence to come before his presence, they read the letters, wherewith he was not a little chafed, and openlie told them for a plaine answer, that he meant to accomplish the French kings request, for his comming to Paris, but that should be with his helmet on his head, and thréescore thousand armed men, to beare witnesse of his appearance. The messengers perceiuing the prince to be sore offended with their message, got them awaie, without taking their leaue: but before they were passed the limits of the English dominion, they were staied by commandement of the prince, and committed to prison, within the citie of Agen.
[Sidenote: The duke of Berrie.]
[Sidenote: The lord Chandois.]
[Sidenote: Chimniage.]
About the same time, the duke of Berrie returned into France, hauing licence of king Edward for an whole yeare; but he bare himselfe so wiselie, that he returned not againe at all: for he excused himselfe, till time that the warre was open. In like manner, the more part of all the other hostages, by one meane or other were returned into France, and some indéed were deliuered vpon their ransomes, or other considerations, so that the French king being deliuered of that obstacle, was the more readie to breake with the king of England, and therefore vpon knowledge had of the princes answer, to those that he sent with the appeale, by such of the messengers seruants as were returned, and declared how their maisters were delt with, he couertlie prepared for the warre. The lord Iohn Chandois, and other of the princes counsell foresaw what would insue of leauieng the fuage, and therefore counselled the prince, not to procéed any further in it. But he hauing onlie regard to the reléefe of his souldiers and men of warre, would néeds go forward with it. ¶ Indéed, if he might haue brought it to passe, as it was denied, that euerie housholder should haue paid a franke for chimniage, the summe would haue growne to twelue hundred thousand frankes by the yeare, which had béene a great reléefe, and that made him the more earnest, bicause he might haue béene able so to haue paid his debts.
[Sidenote: A letter published by the prince to appease the Gascoignes.]
Now, when it was perceiued certeinlie that open rebellion would therof insue, and that king Edward was certified of the whole state of the matter, and how diuerse of the lords of Aquitaine were withdrawne vnto the court of France, in manner as before yée haue heard, he deuised a letter, which he caused to be published through all the parts of Aquitaine the effect whereof was this; That were the people of that countrie found themselues gréeued for such exactions as were demanded of them, he meant therefore vpon examination of their iust complaints, to sée their wrongs redressed. And further, he was contented to pardon all such as were withdrawne to the French king, so that within a moneths space they would returne home; requiring them that in no wise they should stirre anie seditious tumult, but to remember their oths of allegiance, and to continue in the same, according to their bounden duties; and as for him, he would be readie to sée them eased, that would shew by plaine proofe how they had béene otherwise gréeued than reason might beare. This was his meaning and this was the aduise of all his councellours.
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: Philip duke of Burgognie marieth ye erle of Flanders daughter. The cause of his surname le Hardie.]
But this courteous letter little auailed, for dailie the Gascoignes reuolted from the prince, and turned to the French part. Moreouer, another occasion of grudge chanced to renew the malice betwixt the K. of England, and the French king. For whereas yée haue heard, that the earle of Flanders had affianced his daughter and heire to the lord Edmund of Langlie, earle of Cambridge, a shift was made, namelie by the earles mother the countesse of Arthois, who was all French, that notwithstanding the same affiance, she was married to Philip duke of Burgognie, who was surnamed the Hardie, by this occasion, as I. Meir saith. It chanced, that whilest he was prisoner in England with his father, he was vpon a time appointed to wait at the table, where his father and the king of England sat togither at meat. And bicause a noble man of England that was appointed likewise to attend at the same table, serued first the king of England before the king of France, this Philip vp with his fist, and tooke the English lord a blow on the eare, saieng: "Wilt thou serue the king of England first, where the French king sitteth at the same table?" The Englishman out with his dagger, & would haue striken the said Philip, but the king of England streictlie charged him to the contrarie, and praising the déed of the yoong stripling, said vnto him, "Vous estes Philip le hardie," Thou art (said he) the hardie Philip. And so from that daie he bare that name euer after. There be other that saie, how he tooke that surname, bicause in the batell of Poictiers he abode still with his father till the end of the battell, without shewing any token of feare, or faintnes of courage.
[Sidenote: The earles of Arminacke & Perigord.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The L. Wake discomfited.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: The French king procéedeth against the prince in iudgement of the appeale.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
The earles of Arminacke and Perigord, with the other lords of Gascoigne, that had made their appeale (as ye haue heard) to the chamber of the péeres of France, when they vnderstood that the prince had imprisoned the messengers, that brought to him the French kings letters, began to make warre on the princes lands. The first enterprise they made, was the discomfiting of the lord Thomas Wake seneshall of Rouergne, as he was riding from Agen vnto the citie of Rodais, with thréescore spears, and two hundred archers in his companie. Also the French king being now prouided for the war, and vnderstanding the minds of the people within certeine towns vnder the dominion of the Englishmen, in his high court of parlement holden at Paris, procéeded in iudgement vpon the appellation before made by the earles of Arminacke, Perigord, and others, against prince Edward. And moreover he sent ouer into England the earle of Salisbruch, and a knight called sir William Dorman, to signifie to the king of England, how he thought himselfe not honorablie vsed, & that the king of England did but slenderlie kéepe the couenants of the peace, considering that he did not find meanes to reforme such of his subiects Englishmen and Gascoignes, as dailie robbed and wasted the countries & lands belonging to the crowne of France.
[Sidenote: The French king sent to defie the king of England.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: A parlement assembled. Thrée fiftéens and thrée tenths granted.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
These ambassadors were staied for the space of two moneths, & still they complained of the wrongs that the Englishmen had doone contrarie to the couenants of the peace, but the king made small account thereof, bicause he perceiued it was a forged matter that they alledged, and so in the end sent them awaie. At Douer being vpon their returne, met them a Britaine that was comming with letters of defiance to the king of England from the French king, and as he had in commandement, he declared to them the effect of his message, whervpon with all spéed they passed ouer to Bullongne, and were glad they had so escaped. The Britaine came to the court, and deliuered the defiance to the king, according to the instructions which he had receiued. When the king had heard the letters read, and perceiued by good view taken of the seale and signet, that the same were of authoritie, he licenced the messenger to depart, and fell in councell with the péeres of his realme, what he should doo in so weigthie a matter. Wherevpon it was thought necessarie by them, that he should assemble his court of parlement, and so he did. In the which (vpon declaration made how iniuriouslie the French king after manie wrongfull dealings had now broken the peace, and sent his defiance vnto the king in so despitefull wise as might be) there was granted towards the maintenance of the warre thus begun, thrée fiftéens of the temporaltie, and thrée dismes of the spiritualtie, to be paied in thrée yeares.
[Sidenote: Sir Nicholas Louaigne taken. The countie of Ponthieu taken by the French king.]
At the selfe same time that the defiance was made to the king here in England, the earle of S. Paule, and Guie de Chatillon master of the crosbowes in France, entered into the countie of Ponthieu, tooke Abuile, and an English knight called sir Nicholas Louaigne seneshall of that countrie vnder the king of England, as then being within it. They tooke also saint Valerie, Crotoie, Rue, Pont saint Renie, and to be short, reduced the whole countrie of Ponthieu vnder the French obeisance, which had remained in possession of the Englishmen for the space of a hundred and twelue yeares, euer since Edward the first had the same assigned to him in name of a dowrie, with his wife quéene Elianor, sister to Alfonse K. of Castile. And yet were the people of that countrie readie now to reuolt to the French dominion, not withstanding their former long continued obeisance to the Englishmen: for otherwise could not the Frenchmen so easilie haue come to their purpose, but that the people were couenanted before to receiue them, and betraie those few Englishmen that were amongst them.
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales diseased with sicknesse.]
[Sidenote: The citie of Cahors reuolteth.]
About the same time also, it fell so ill for the Englishmen, that the prince of Wales was troubled with a sore sickenesse, that had continued long with him, euer since his being in Spaine, by reason whereof his enimies were the more bold to make attempts against him, and dailie went about to allure and intise his subiects of the marches of Guien to reuolt from him, in somuch that the citie of Cahors, and diuerse other townes thereabout turned to the French part. Thus was the peace which had béene so suerlie made, and with so manie solemne oths confirmed, violated and broken, and the parties fallen togither by the eares againe in sundrie places, and namelie in Aquitaine, where sundrie armies were abroad in the fields, diuers sieges laid, manie townes taken, often incounters and skirmishes made, sometime to the losse of the one part, and sometime of the other, and the countries in the meane time harried and spoiled, that maruill it is to consider, and too long a processe it should be to rehearse the tenth part of such chances as dailie happened amongst them, so that it might well haue béene said of that sore & tumultuous time:
O quàm difficiles sunt sint pace dies.
[Sidenote: Succors sent into Gascoigne.]
[Sidenote: Burdille besieged.]
[Sidenote: Sir Hugh Caluerlie.]
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Chandois.]
[Sidenote: Burdille wonne.]