Part 21
King Edward sent ouer into Gascoigne the earls of Cambridge and Penbroke, with a certeine number of men of armes and archers, the which arriuing in Britaine, passed through that countrie by licence of the Duke, and came to the prince as then lieng at Angolesme in Poictou, by whom they were sent to ouerrun the earle of Perigords lands, and so they did, and after laid siege to Burdille, hauing with them about thrée thousand men one and other. There came with them foorth of England foure hundred men of armes, foure hundred archers, and (as Froissard saith) beside their capteins, these earles which he nameth, to wit, the lord of Tabestone (or rather Bradstone as I take it) sir Brian Stapleton, sir Thomas Balaster, and sir Iohn Triuet: Whilest the said earles went thus to make warre against the earle of Perigord, sir Hugh Caluerlie with two thousand men of warre was sent also to ouerrun the lands of the earle of Arminacke, and of the lord Dalbret; sir Iohn Chandois laie in the marches of Tholouse at Mountaubon, & afterwards besieged Terrieres, and in the end wan it; and so likewise did the earles of Cambridge and Penbroke win Burdille, by reason of a saillie that they within made foorth, and passed so far from their fortresse, that the Englishmen got betwixt them and home.
[Sidenote: Sir Robert Knols.]
[Sidenote: _Ba. Gerard._]
Sir Robert Knols came from such lands as he had in Britaine, to serue the prince now in these warres of Gascoigne, and was by him made chéefe gouernor of all his men of warre, who bare himselfe right worthilie in that charge. The first iournie which he made at that time, was into Quercie, hauing with him beside his owne bands, certeine knights of the princes retinue, as sir Richard Ponchardon, sir Stephan Gousenton, sir Noell Loring, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Iohn Triuet, sir Thomas Spenser, sir Thomas Balaster, sir Nicholas Bond, sir William le Moine seneschall of Aigenois, sir Baldwin de Freuille, and others. At their comming into Quercie, they besieged a strong fortresse called Durmell, within the which were diuerse capteins of the companions, as Aimon d'Ortigo, the little Mechin, Iaques de Bray, Perot de Sauoie, and Arnaudon de Pons, the which so valiantlie defended the place, that although the lord Chandois, accompanied with sir Thomas Felton, the capitall of Beuf, sir Iohn de Pommiers, sir Thomas Percie, sir Eustace Daubreticourt, and others came with their retinues from Montaubon, to réenforce that siege, yet could they not obteine their purpose, but raising from thence after fiue wéekes siege (constreined thereto through want of vittels) they marched streight to a towne called Domme, which they besieged, hauing in their armie fiftéene hundred men at armes, beside two thousand archers and brigands, so called in those daies, of an armor which they ware named brigandines, vsed then by footmen, that bare also targets, or pauoises, and certeine darts or iauelines to throw at their enimies.
[Sidenote: Aquitaine full of warre.]
The towne and castell of Domme were so strong of themselues, and so well prouided of men of warre that were appointed to the gard of the same, with the lord thereof called sir Robert de Domme, that after the English capteins perceiued they should but lose time to linger about the winning of that towne, they raised their siege, and marching further into the countrie, wan Gauaches Freins, Rochmador, and Ville Franche, vpon the marches of Toulouzain, greatlie to the displeasure of the duke of Aniou that lay at the same time in the citie of Toulouze, & could not remedie the matter. ¶ But to recite euerie particular enterprise, as the same was atchiued by the English capteins and men of warre in that season, it should be more than the purpose of this volume might permit, and therefore I passe ouer diuerse things, which I find registred by Froissard and other writers, onelie aduertising you, that as the Englishmen thus made sore warres against their aduersaries abroad in those quarters: so the Frenchmen on the other part had assembled great numbers of men of warre, not onelie to defend their frontiers, but also by inuasions to win from the Englishmen towns and castels, and to wast such countries as would not turne to their side. Thus were all those countries in troubles of warre.
[Sidenote: The duke of Bauier.]
The two kings also of England and France, signified to their neighbours the causes of this warre, laieng the fault either to other, and excusing themselues as cleare and innocent therein. Edward duke of Gelderland, nephue to the king of England, as sonne to his sister, and the duke of Gulike cousine to the kings children by their mother that was daughter to the earle of Heinault, tooke great despite that the French king had broken the peace, as they were throughlie persuaded, and that he had defied king Edward (as before yée haue heard.) Wherevpon they sent their defiance vnto the French king, threatning to be reuenged on him to the vttermost of their powers. Duke Albert of Bauier, was once minded also to haue aided king Edward in this warre: but afterwards such persuasions were vsed on the French kings part, that he chose to remaine as neuter betwixt them both, refusing to take anie part.
[Sidenote: The duke of Burbons mother taken.]
Among the soldiers also called companions, which serued the prince in this season, there were thrée capteins, right hardie and verie expert men of warre, Ortigo, Bernard de Wiske, & Bernard de la Sale. These thrée remaining as then in Limosin, hearing that the duke of Burbons mother, which was also mother to the French quéene, laie within the castell of Belleperch in Burbonnois, with a small companie about hir, rode thither in one daie and a night, so that in the morning they approched the castell, scaled it, and tooke it, with the ladie within it. And though they were after besieged in the same castell by the duke of Burbon and other Frenchmen, yet they defended it, till the earls of Cambridge and Penbroke, with fiftéene hundred speares, and thrée thousand of other men of warre, came and offered the Frenchmen battell, lodging afore them fiftéene daies. And when they perceiued that the Frenchmen would not issue out of the bastide (in which they laie) to giue battell, the earles of Cambridge and Penbroke caused all them within the castell to come foorth, and to bring with them the duches of Burbon, whome they led awaie in sight of hir sonne, leauing the castell void and frée for him to enioy.
[Sidenote: The French king prepareth a nauie.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster set into France with an armie.]
The French king prouided a great number of ships to assemble togither at Harflew, and leuied a great power of men, minding to bestow them aboord in the same ships, that they might saile into England, and make warre against king Edward in his owne countrie. Chéefteine of this armie should haue béene his brother the duke of Burbon, but this iournie was broken, for the Frenchmen were eased of the paine to come to séeke the Englishmen at home in England, they comming ouer into France, and proffering them battell euen at their owne doores. For the king of England hauing leuied a power of archers, and other men of warre, sent them ouer vnder the leading of his sonne the duke of Lancaster. There went with him in this iournie, the earles of Hereford and Salisburie, the lord Ros, the lord Basset, the lord Willoughbie, the lord de la Ware, the lord de la Pole, the lord Walter of Mannie, the lord Henrie Percie, the lord Thomas Grantson, sir Alane Burhul, sir Richard Sturrie, & diuerse other. They went ouer about Midsummer. And after they had rested a little, the duke set forward and roded foorth into the countrie, spoiling and harrieng the same, and when he saw time, returned againe to Calis.
[Sidenote: The Duke of Lancaster fortifieth his campe.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
The French king being at Roan, heard of the arriual of this armie at Calis, and that his countrie of Picardie was in great danger: he changed his purpose therefore of sending an armie into England, and with all spéed appointed that his power should with his brother the duke of Burgognie turne toward Calis, to resist the duke of Lancaster. Herevpon when the duke of Lancaster heard that the duke of Burgognie was thus comming toward him, he issued foorth of Calis, and comming into the vallie beneath the hill of Turneham, there tooke his field, and fortified the place with strong hedges and rampiers, the better to be able to resist his enimies if they would assaile him. The duke of Burgognie came still forward, till he approched verie néere to the duke of Lancasters campe, and pight downe his field aloft vpon the hill of Turneham, so that the fronts of both hosts were within lesse than a mile either of other.
[Sidenote: Sir Robert de Namur.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike.]
There was come to the duke of Lancaster a knight of the marches of Almaine, called sir Robert de Namur with an hundred speares: but yet the duke of Lancasters host was but one handfull of men, in respect of the huge number of the French armie, wherin were (as Froissard writeth) foure thousand knights beside others. But yet for all his great puissance and number of men, he would not aduenture to assaile the Englishmen in their lodgings, as it was thought he would haue doone, but kept himselfe and his men vpon the hill, from the foure and twentith of August, vnto the twelfth of September, and then dislodged not much to his honour, howsoeuer writers doo excuse it, declaring how his brother had giuen him streight commandement, that in no wise he should fight with the Englishmen: and that when he had sent to his brother for commission either to fight, or to remooue, he was commanded to turne with all spéed vnto Paris, and to breake vp his armie for that time. Some there be that write, how that after both these hostes had lien the one against the other a long space, to the reproofe of both chiefteins, it chanced that the lord Thomas Beauchampe earle of Warwike came thitherward by sea, to be at the battell, which he heard would shortlie follow betwéene the two armies: but yer he was come to land, the Frenchmen for feare durst no longer abide, but secretlie in the night departed and fled towards Hesdin, and so to Paris, for the which their flight, the duke of Burgognie was after blamed of his brother the French king.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The quéene of England departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Hir thrée petitions to the king.]
In this meane while, that is to saie, on the euen of the Assumption of our ladie, died that noble princesse, the ladie Philip quéene of England. It is said that when she perceiued that she must néeds depart out of this transitorie life, she desired to speake with the king hir husband, and when he was come to hir with a sorowfull hart to sée hir in that state, she tooke him by the hand, and after courteous words of induction, she required of him to grant hir thrée requests.
[Sidenote: 1]
The first request was, that all such merchants, and other men, with whom she had bargained in any condition, might be answered of all such debts as she owght them, whether they dwelled on this side the sea or beyond.
[Sidenote: 2]
The second request was, that all such ordinances and promises, as she had made to churches, as well within this realme, as in the parts of the further side the sea, might be performed.
[Sidenote: 3]
The third request was, that it might please him to choose out none other sepulchre when God should call him out of this world, but beside hir at Westminster.
[Sidenote: The praise of quéene Philip.]
[Sidenote: The quéenes colledge.]
This quéene, to traine the English youth vnto vertuous conuersation, & to giue occasion that they might be brought vp in learning and good instructions, founded a colledge at Oxford, furnishing it with goodlie buildings, and a church, that they might both serue God, and profit in their studies, wherevpon it is called the quéenes colledge euen to this daie.
[Sidenote: The duke of L[=a]caster maketh a iournie into France.]
[Sidenote: S. Riquier.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: The master of the crosbowes of France taken.]
But now to returne to the duke of Lancaster. Ye shall vnderstand that after the departure of the French armie beside the hill of Turneham, the said duke returned to Calis, and there refreshed himselfe and his people the space of thrée daies. And then he set forward againe, & with him as marshals of the host, was the earle of Warwike, and the lord Roger Beauchampe, with the lords and knights before remembred. They tooke their iournie to S. Omers, and by Turwin, and then through the countie of saint Paule, still burning the countrie as they went. They rode not past thrée or foure leages in a daie, and kéeping on their waie, they came by saint Riquier, and at the planches vnder Abuile passed the riuer of Some, and then entered into the countrie of Vimew, in purpose to go vnto Harflew, and there to burne the French kings nauie. Thus passing forward thorough Vimew, and the countie of Ewe, they entered into the archbishoprike of Roan, and marching foorth by Déepe, came vnto Harflew: but the earle of saint Poule, and the lord of Fiennes constable of France which had coasted the English armie in all this iournie, with a great power of men, was gotten before them, and entred into this towne, so that they knew how they should but lose their paine, if they did assaile it, and so therefore after they had lien before it thrée daies, on the fourth day they dislodged, & went backe againe towards Calis, returning through the countrie of Ponthieu, and before Abuile chanced to incounter a number of Frenchmen, which gaue to the duke battell. In the which was taken sir Hugh de Chatellon, master of the crosbowes of France, with other knights, esquiers, and burgesses of that towne, and about sixtéene score of the French part slaine.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The third mortalitie.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwicke departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: 1370.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
There be that write otherwise herof, shewing how the said sir Hugh Chatellon was taken by an ambush laid by sir Nicholas Louaine, as the same sir Hugh was come foorth of the towne, with not past ten or twelue with him, to sée how the passage of Rowraie was kept by them that had charge thereof. How soeuer it came to passe, taken he was, & brought to the duke of Lancaster, that reioised greatlie of that good hap: and so marching forward, he passed the riuer at Blanchetaque, and drew towards the towne of Rew on the seaside, and so to Montreuill, and finallie to Calis. Then were the strangers licenced to depart: and bicause it was far in the winter, as about saint Martines tide, the duke and the most part of his armie returned into England. In this yeare chanced the third mortalitie, which was excéeding great both of men and beasts, that the like had not béene heard of. And amongst other people that perished of that pestilentiall sickenesse, that worthie knight and noble capteine the earle of Warwike died at Calis in the moneth of Ianuarie, after his returne from Harflew. ¶ The countrie of Aquitaine was full of trouble in this meane time, either part séeking to grieue other to the vttermost of their powers. ¶ Iohn Hastings earle of Penbroke, hauing with him certeine bands of men of warre, recouered diuerse towns and castels in those parts: but when he perceiued how the enimies that were not far from the place where he was lodged, shewed manifest tokens of feare, in marching one while vncerteinelie forward, and an other while fetching great compasses about, he somewhat vnwarilie setting vpon them in their campe, was discomfited and put to flight, so that getting him into a place of the Templers, that was closed about with a wall, he remained there in great danger to be taken prisoner of his enemies that assailed him, if the lord Iohn Chandois seneschall of Poictou had not come to the rescue, and pledged him foorth.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Chandois slaine.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
But shortlie after, the said lord Chandois was slaine by the enemies (whom first he had ouercome) whilest without good aduise he put off his helmet, and so receiuing a stroke with a glaiue that entered into his head, betwixt his nose and his forhead, he neuer after spake word, not liuing past a day and a night after he was hurt. The death of this right famous, wise, and valiant knight, was bewailed as well of the Frenchmen as Englishmen. The French king himselfe, when he heard that he was slaine, greatlie lamented the mishap, affirming that now he being dead, there was not any left aliue able to agrée the kings and realmes of England and France: so much was he feared, estéemed, and beloued of all men. But alas what auailed all their mourning and lamenting against the necessitie of death, sith we know that
Est commune mori, mors nulli parcit honori.
[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Percie. A dearth.]
[Sidenote: _Hen. Marle._]
After he was thus slaine, sir Thomas Percie was made seneschall of Poictou. By reason of the great wet and raine that fell this yeare in more abundance than had béene accustomed, much corne was lost, so that the price thereof was sore inhanced, in so much that wheat was sold at thrée shillings foure pence the bushell. But as concerning the death, the west parts of the realme was sorest afflicted with this mortalitie, and namelie at Oxford there died a great number of scholers.
[Sidenote: The duches of Lancaster.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 44.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
Somewhat before this time, the ladie Blanch daughter to Henrie duke of Lancaster, departed this life, and was buried on the north side of the high altar in the cathedrall church of saint Paule within the citie of London, where hir husband Iohn of Gant was after also interred. She ordeined for hir husband and for hir selfe a solemne obit to be kept yearelie in that church, where the maior being present with the shiriffes, chamberlaine, and sword-bearer, should offer each of them a pennie, and the maior to take vp a pound, the shiriffes either of them a marke, the chamberleine ten shillings, and the sword-bearer six shillings eight pence, and euerie other of the maiors officers two and twentie pence, and the number of eight officers belonging vnto the shiriffes (and by them to be appointed) eight pence a péece. ¶ This yeare was granted to the king in parlement assembled at Westminster of the spirituall mens liuings a tenth for the space of thrée yeares, and a fiftéenth of the temporaltie during the same tearme.
[Sidenote: Sir Robert Knolles with an armie sent into France.]
[Sidenote: Truce with Scots.]
This yeare, after that the king had gotten togither a great summe of monie, as well by borowing of the clergie as of the laitie, he leuied an armie, & sent the same ouer to Calis about Midsummer, vnder the gouernance of that worthie chéefteine sir Robert Knolles, accompanied with the L. Fitz Walter, the lord Granson, sir Alaine Buxhull, sir Iohn Bourchier, sir William Meuille, sir Geffrey Wourseley, and diuerse other noblemen, knights, and worthie capteins. About the same time, the king of England concluded an abstinence of warre with the Scots for the tearme of nine yeares, yet so that the Scots might arme themselues, and at their pleasure serue and take wages, either of the English or French, by reason whereof, sir Robert Knolles had in his companie an hundred speares of the realme of Scotland.
[Sidenote: _Iac. Meir._]
[Sidenote: The number of men of war in this armie.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
When this armie had lien and rested in Calis about the space of seauen daies, sir Robert Knolles caused euerie man to depart the towne, and to take the fields, marching the first daie néere to the castell of Fiennes, and there lodged for that night. The whole number of this armie was not aboue twelue thousand men. Froissard saith, they were but fiftéene hundred speares, & foure thousand archers. Within the castell of Fiennes was the constable of France, that was lord thereof, with such a number of souldiers and men of warre, that the Englishmen thought they should but lose their labour to assaile it. And so they passed foorth by Turrouane, and toward Arras, riding not past foure leages a daie, bicause of their cariages and footmen. They tooke their lodging euer about noone, and laie néere vnto great villages.
[Sidenote: The suburbs of Arras burnt.]
[Sidenote: The towne of Roy burnt.]
[Sidenote: The French m[=e] withdraw into their fortresses & str[=o]g townes.]
The French king had furnished all his townes and fortresses in Picardie with strong garrisons of souldiers, to defend the same against all chances that might happen either by siege or sudden assault. The Englishmen therefore thought not good to linger about the winning of anie of the strong townes, but passed by them, wasting or ransoming the countries. At Arras they shewed themselues before the barriers, and when none would issue to skirmish with them, they set fier on the suburbs, & departed. From thence they tooke the waie by Baupalmes, and so came into Vermendois, and burnt the towne of Roy. Then went they to Han in Vermendois, into the which all the people of the countrie were withdrawne, with such goods as they might carie with them. And in like manner had those doone which inhabited about S. Quintine, Peronne, and other strong townes, so that the Englishmen found little abroad, sauing the barnes full of corne for it was after haruest.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen before Paris.]
Thus they rode faire and easilie, two or thrée leages a daie, and sometime to recouer monie of their enimies, they would compound with them within strong townes, to spare the countrie from burning and destruction, for such a summe as they agréed vpon, by which meanes sir Robert Knolles got in that voiage aboue the summe of an hundred thousand frankes. For the which he was after accused to the king of England, as one that had not dealt iustlie in so dooing. In this sort passing the countrie, they came before Noion, and after they had rested a while afore the towne, they went foorth wasting and burning the countrie, and finallie passed the riuer of Marne, and so entered in Champaigne, and passed the riuer of Aube, and also diuerse times they passed to and fro ouer the riuer of Saine: at length drawing toward Paris, and comming before that citie, they lodged there in the field a day and two nights, and shewed themselues in order of battell before the citie. This was on the twentie fourth daie of September.
The French king was at the same time within the citie, & might behold out of his lodging of S. Paule, the fiers and smokes that were made in Gastenois, through burning the townes and villages there by the Englishmen, but yet he would suffer none of his people to go foorth of the citie, although there was a great power of men of warre within the citie, both of such as had coasted the English armie in all this iournie, and also of other which were come thither by the kings commandement, beside the burgesses, and inhabitants of the citie. When sir Robert Knolles perceiued that he should haue no battell, he departed and drew toward Aniou, where they wan by strength the townes of Vaas and Ruellie. But now in the beginning of winter, there fell such discord amongst the English capteins, through couetousnesse and enuie, that finallie they diuided themselues in sunder, greatlie to the displeasure of sir Robert Knolles their generall, who could not rule them.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: Sir Simon Minsterworth.]