Part 9
¶ The cause and first originall of instituting this order is vncerteine. But there goeth a tale amongst the people, that it rose by this means. It chanced that K. Edward finding either the garter of the quéene, or of some[2] ladie with whom he was in loue, being fallen from hir leg, stooped downe and tooke it vp, whereat diuerse of his nobles found matter to iest, and to talke their fansies merilie, touching the kings affection towards the woman, vnto whome he said, that if he liued, it should come so passe, that most high honor should be giuen vnto them for the garters sake: and there vpon shortlie after, he deuised and ordeined this order of the garter, with such a posie, wherby he signified, that his nobles iudged otherwise of him than the truth was. Though some may thinke, that so noble an order had but a meane beginning, if this tale be true, yet manie honorable degrées of estates haue had their beginnings of more base and meane things, than of loue, which being orderlie vsed, is most noble and commendable, sith nobilitie it selfe is couered vnder loue, as the poet Ouid aptlie saith,
[2] The countes of Salisburie.
[Sidenote: 1345.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 19.]
Nobilitas sub amore iacet.
[Sidenote: Additions to _Adam Merimuth_, and _Triuet._]
William de Montacute earle of Salisburie king of Man, and marshall of England, was so brused at the iusts holden here at Windsore (as before ye haue heard) that he departed this life, the more was the pitie, within eight daies after. ¶ The king about the same time, to wit, in the quindene of Candlemasse, held a councell at London, in the which with good aduise and sound deliberation had vpon the complaint of the commons to him before time made, he gaue out streict commandement, that no man on paine of imprisonment and death, should in time to come, present or induct anie such person or persons, that were so by the pope promoted, without the kings agréement, in preiudice of his roiall prerogatiue. Héerevpon, he directed also writs to all archbishops, bishops, abbats, priors, deanes, archdeacons, officials and other ecclesiasticall persons, to whome it apperteined, inhibiting them in no wise to attempt anie thing in preiudice of that ordinance, vnder pretext of anie bulles, or other writings, for such manner of prouisions to come from the court of Rome. Other writs were also directed to his sonne the prince of Wales, and to all the shiriffes within the realme, for to arrest all such as brought into the land any such buls or writings, and to bring them before the kings councell or his iustices, where they might be punished according to the trespasse by them committed.
[Sidenote: Coine changed.]
About the same time, the king ordeined a certeine coine of fine gold, and named it the floren, which coine was deuised for his warres in France, for the gold thereof was not so fine as was the noble, which in the fourtéenth yeare he had caused to be coined: but this coine continued not long. ¶ After the feast of the holie Trinitie, the king held a parlement at London, in the which he asked a tenth of the cleargie, and a fiftéenth of the laitie, about which demand there was no small altercation, but at length he had it granted for one yeare. ¶ At the same time, the archbishop of Canturburie held a conuocation of all the cleargie at London, in the which manie things were in talke about the honest demeanor of churchmen, which sildome is obserued, as the addition to Nicholas Triuet saith. About the feast of the Assumption of our ladie, the king disanulled the florens, to the great commoditie of his kingdome, ordeining a greater floren of halfe a marke, and a lesser of thrée shillings foure pence, and the least of all of twentie pence, and these were called nobles, and not without cause, for they were a noble coine, of faire & fine gold.
This yeare, on the seauentéenth daie of Nouember, the pope in Auinion created the lord Lewes de Spaine, ambassador for the French king, prince of the Iles called Fortunatæ, for what purpose it was not knowne, but it was doubted, not to be for anie good meaning towards the kingdome of England, the prosperitie whereof, the same pope was suspected not greatlie to wish. ¶ About the beginning of Lent the same yeare, the said pope had sent an archbishop and a bishop, ambassadors to the king, who met them at Ospring in Kent, and to the end they should not linger long within the realme, he quicklie dispatched them without effect of their message. ¶ This yeare, shortlie after Easter, the duke of Britaine, that had béene deteined prisoner by the French king, and escaped out of prison, came ouer into England. ¶ And about the same time, the king ordeined the exchange of monies at London, Canturburie, and Yorke, to the great commoditie of his people.
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: _Ad. Merimuth._]
[Sidenote: _Polychron._]
[Sidenote: Fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand archers saith _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: Bergerat woone.]
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
About Midsummer, or (as other haue) Michaelmas, the earle of Derbie, with the earle of Penbroke, the lord Rafe Stafford, the lord Walter de Mannie, the lord Iohn Graie of Codnore, and diuerse other lords, knights, and esquires, to the number of fiue or six hundred men of armes, and as manie archers, sailed ouer into Gascoine, to assist the kings subiects there against the Frenchmen. This earle of Derbie, being generall of the armie, after his arriuall in Gascoine, about the beginning of December, wan the towne of Bergerat by force, hauing put to flight the earle of Lisle, as then the French kings lieutenant in Gascoine, who laie there with a great power, to defend the passage: but being driuen into the towne, and hauing lost the suburbes to the Englishmen, he fled out in the night, and so left the towne, without anie souldiers to defend it, so that the townesmen yéelded it vnto the earle of Derbie, and sware themselues to be true liege men vnto the king of England. After this, the earle of Derbie passed further into the countrie, and wan diuerse castels and towns, as Lango, le Lake, Moundurant, Monguise, Punach, Laliew, Forsath, Pondair, Beaumont in Laillois, Bounall, Auberoch and Liborne, part of them by assault, and the residue by surrender. This doone, he returned to Burdeaux, hauing left capteins and souldiers in such places as he had woone.
This yeare, the king sent foorth a commission vnto certeine persons in euerie countie within the realme, to inquire what lands and tenements euerie man, aboue fiue pounds of yéerelie reuenues, being of the laie fée, might dispend; bicause he had giuen order, that euerie man which might dispend fiue pounds and aboue, vnto ten pounds of such yéerelie reuenues in land of the laie fée, should furnish himselfe, or find an archer on horssebacke, furnished with armour and weapon accordinglie. He that might dispend ten pounds, should furnish himselfe, or find a demilance or light horsseman (if I shall so terme him) being then called a hobler with a lance. And he that might dispend fiue and twentie pounds, should furnish himselfe or find a man at armes. And he that might dispend fiftie pounds, should furnish two men at arms. And he that might dispend an hundred pounds should find thrée men at armes, that is, himselfe, or one in his stéed, with two other. And such as might dispend aboue an hundred pounds, were appointed to find more in number of men at armes, accordinglie as they should be assessed, after the rate of their lands, which they might yearelie dispend, being of the laie fée, and not belonging to the church.
[Sidenote: Additions to _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Britaine departed this life.]
[Sidenote: The lord Beaumont of Heinault forsaketh the K. of England his seruice.]
About this season, the duke of Britaine, hauing with him the earles of Northampton and Oxenford, sir William de Killesbie one of the kings secretaries, and manie other barons and knights, with a great number of men of armes, passed ouer into Britaine, against the lord Charles de Blois, where they tarried a long time, and did little good to make anie accompt of, by reason that the duke, in whose quarrell they came into those parts, shortlie after his arriuall there, departed this life, and so they returned home into England. But after their comming from thence, sir Thomas Dagworth knight, that had béene before, and now after the departure of those lords and nobles, still remained the kings lieutenant there, so behaued himselfe against both Frenchmen and Britains, that the memorie of his worthie dooings deserueth perpetuall commendation. Sir Iohn de Heinault lord Beaumont, about the same time, changed his cote, and leauing the king of Englands seruice, was reteined by the French king.
[Sidenote: The king goeth ouer into Flanders.]
[Sidenote: _Ia. Mair._]
In this ninetéenth yeare of king Edward I find, that about the feast of the Natiuitie of saint Iohn Baptist, he sailed ouer into Flanders, leauing his sonne the lord Lionell, warden of the realme in his absence. He tooke with him a great number of lords, knights, and gentlemen, with whome he landed at Sluse. The cause of his going ouer was, to further a practise which he had in hand with them of Flanders, the which by the labour of Iaques Arteueld, meant to cause their earle Lewes, either to doo homage vnto king Edward; or else if he refused, then to disherit him, and to receiue Edward prince of Wales for their lord, the eldest sonne of king Edward.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: A councell holden in the king of Englands ship.]
King Edward promising to make a dukedome of the countie of Flanders, for an augmentation of honour to the countrie, there came vnto Sluse to the king, Iaques van Arteueld, and a great number of other, appointed as councellors for their chéefest townes. The king with all his nauie lay in the hauen of Sluse, where, in his great ship called the Catharine, a councell was holden vpon this foresaid purpose: but at length, those of the councellors of the chéefest townes misliked the matter so much, that they would conclude nothing, but required respit for a moneth, to consult with all the comunaltie of the countries and townes, and as the more part should be inclined, so should the king receiue answer. The king and Iaques Arteueld would faine haue had a shorter daie, and a more towardlie answer, but none other could be gotten.
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: Welshmen appointed to Iaques Arteueld for a gard against Gerard Denise.]
Herevpon the councell brake vp, and Iaques Arteueld tarieng with the king a certeine space, after the other were departed, promised him to persuade the countrie well inough to his purpose, and suerlie, he had a great gift of eloquence, and had thereby induced the countrie wonderfullie, to consent to manie things, as well in fauour of king Edward, as to his owne aduancement: but this suit which he went now about to bring to passe, was so odious vnto all the Flemings, that in no wise they thought it reason to consent vnto the disheriting of the earle. At length, when Iaques Arteueld should returne vnto Gant, king Edward appointed fiue hundred Welshmen to attend him as a gard, for the preseruation of his person, bicause he said, that one Gerard Denise deane of the weauers, an vnquiet man, maliciouslie purposed his destruction.
[Sidenote: Iacob Arteuelds house beset.]
Capteins of these Welshmen were Iohn Matreuers, and William Sturine or Sturrie, and so with this crue of souldiers Arteueld returned vnto Gant, and earnestlie went in hand with his suit in king Edwards behalfe, that either the earle should doo his homage to the king of England to whome it was due; or else to forfeit his earledome. Then the foresaid Gerard, as well of his owne mind, as procured thereto by the authoritie of earle Lewes, stirred the whole citie against the said Arteueld, and gathering a great power vnto him, came and beset Arteuelds house round about vpon each side, the furie of the people being wonderfullie bent against him, crieng; "Kill him, Kill him that hath robbed the tresurie of the countrie, and now goeth about to disherit our noble earle."
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: _I. Meir._]
[Sidenote: Iacob van Arteueld slaine.]
Iaques van Arteueld perceiuing in what danger he was, came vnto a window, and spake to that inraged multitude, in hope with faire and courteous words to appease them, but it could not be: whervpon he sought to haue fled out of his house, but the same was broken vp, and so manie entred vpon him, that he was found out, and slaine by one Thomas Denise (as some write.) But other affirme, that on a sundaie in the after noone, being the 17 of Iulie, a cobler, whose father this Iaques van Arteueld had sometime slaine, followed him, as he was fléeing into a stable where his horsses stood, & there with an ax cloue his head asunder, so that he fell downe starke dead on the ground. And this was the end of the foresaid Iaques van Arteueld, who by his wisdome and policie had obteined the whole gouernment of all Flanders. This wofull end was allotted vnto him by destinie, whose decrée nothing is able by any shift to auoid, as is notablie said of the poet in this distichon;
[Sidenote: _M. Pal. in scor._]
Nil extra fatum est, metitúrque omnia summi Mens regis, cuius sine numine fit nihil vsquam.
[Sidenote: Ambassadors from the good townes in Flanders vnto king Edward.]
There were slaine also ten other persons that were of his councell, and diuerse of the Welshmen in like manner; but the other escaped, and got awaie vnto king Edward, as yet remaining at Sluse, vnto whome those of Bruges, Cassell, Curtrike, Ypres, Aldenard, and other townes, did afterwards sent their orators to excuse themselues, as nothing guiltie nor priuie to the death of his fréend, and their worthie gouernor Iaques van Arteueld, requiring him not to impute the fault vnto the whole countrie, which the rash and vnaduised Gantiners had committed, sith the countrie of Flanders was as readie now to doo him seruice and pleasure as before, sauing that to the disheriting of their earle they could not be agréeable, but they doubted not to persuade him to doo his homage vnto the king of England, and till then they promised not to receiue him. They put the king also in hope of a mariage to be had, betwixt the sonne of their earle, and some one of the kings daughters. Herewith the king of England (who was departed from Sluse, in great displeasure with the Flemings) became somewhat pacified in his mood, and so renewed the league eftsoons with the countrie of Flanders: but the earle would neuer consent to doo homage vnto the king of England, but still sticked to the French kings part, which purchased him much trouble, and in the end cost him his life, as after shall appeare.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: Auberoch besieged.]
[Sidenote: The French armie distressed, and the earle of Lisle taken.]
But now to returne vnto the earle of Derbie, whome we left in Gascoigne. Ye shall vnderstand, that shortlie after he was come backe to Burdeaux, from the conquest which he had made of Bergerat, and other townes thereabouts; the earle of Lisle, who (as ye haue heard) was the French kings lieutenant in that countrie, assembled an armie of twelue thousand men, & comming before Auberoch, (a towne in Gascoigne) besieged it, sore pressing them within, in somuch that they were in great danger to haue béene taken, if the earle of Derbie, hauing knowlege in what case they stood, had not come to their rescue, who with thrée hundred speares or men of armes, as we maie call them, and six hundred archers, approching néere to the siege, laid himselfe closelie within a wood, till the Frenchmen in the euening were at supper, & then suddenlie set vpon them in their campe, and discomfited them, so that the earle of Lisle was taken in his owne tent, and sore hurt. There were also taken the earle of Valentinois, and other earles, vicounts, and lords of great accompt, to the number of nine, besides those that were slaine. The residue were put to flight and chased, so that the Englishmen had a faire iournie, and wan great riches by prisoners and spoile of the enimies campe.
[Sidenote: Towns woon by the earle of Derbie.]
[Sidenote: Angolesme.]
After this, the earle of Derbie, being returned to Burdeaux, and hauing put the captiues in safe kéeping, assembled his power, and marching foorth into the countrie, towards the Rioll (a towne in those parts which he meant to besiege) he wan diuerse towns and castels by the way, as saint Basill, Roch, Million, Montsegure, Aguillon, & Segart. At length he came to the towne of the Rioll, which he besieged, and laie about it nine wéekes yer he could win it, and then was the same towne surrendered into his hands, but the castell was still defended against him for the space of eleuen wéekes, at which time being sore oppressed & vndermined, it was yéelded by them within conditionallie, that they should depart onelie with their armour. After this, the earle of Derbie wan Montpesance, Mauleon, Ville-Franche in Agenois, Miremont, Thomines, the castell of Damassen, and at length came before the citie of Angolesme the which made appointment with the earle, that if no succors came from the French king within the space of a moneth, that then the citie should be surrendered to the king of Englands vse: and to assure this appointment, they deliuered to the earle foure and twentie of their chéefe citizens as hostages.
[Sidenote: Blaues.]
In the meane time, the earle laid siege to Blaues, but could not win it. His men rode abroad into the countrie, to Mortaigne, Mirabeau, and Aunay, but wan little, and so returned againe to the siege of Blaues. Now when the month was expired, that they of Angolesme should yéeld, the earle sent his two marshals thither, who receiued the homage and fealtie of the citizens, in the king of Englands name, and so they were in peace, and receiued againe their hostages. At length when the earle of Derbie saw that he did but lose his time in the besieging of Blaues, which sir Guischart Dangle, and sir Guilliaume de Rochfort, being capteins within, did so valiantlie defend, that he could obteine no aduantage of them, he raised his siege, and returned vnto Burdeaux, hauing furnished such townes as he had woone in that iournie with conuenient garisons of men to defend them against the enimies, and to kéepe frontier warre, as they should sée cause.
[Sidenote: _Froissard_ saith they were an hundred thousand.]
[Sidenote: _Gio. Villani_ writeth that they were a six thousand horsmen and fiftie thousand footemen, of Frenchmen, Gascoignes & Lombardes.]
[Sidenote: _Annales de Burgoigne._]
[Sidenote: 1346.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 20.]
[Sidenote: Angolisme recouered by the Frenchmen. Damassen. Thonins.]
[Sidenote: Aiguillon besieged.]
The French king being sore moued at the conquests thus atchiued by the earle of Derbie, raised a mightie armie, and sent the same foorth, vnder the leading of his sonne the duke of Normandie, into Gascoigne, to resist the said earle, and to recouer againe those townes which he had woone in those parts. The duke of Normandie being come to Tholouz, where generall assemblie was appointed, set forward with his armie, and winning by the waie Miremount, and Ville Franche in Agenois; at length came to the citie of Angolesme, which he inuironed about with a strong siege, continuing the same, till finallie, the capiteine named Iohn Normell, required a truce to indure for one daie, which was granted, and the same was the daie of the Purification of our ladie, on the which, the same capiteine, with the souldiers of the garrison departed, and left the citie in the citizens hands. The Frenchmen, bicause they had granted the truce to indure for that daie without exception, permitted them to go their waies without let or vexation. The citizens in the morning yéelded the citie to the duke. After this, he wan the castell of Damassen, Thonins, and Port S. Marie; Thonins by surrender, and the other two by force of assaults. Then he came to the strong castell of Aiguillon, which he besieged, and laie thereat a long season. Within was the earle of Penbroke, the lord Walter de Mannie, sir Franke de Halle, and diuerse knights and capteins, which defended themselues, and the place so stoutlie, that the Frenchmen could win little aduantage at their hands.
[Sidenote: _Gio. Villani._]
[Sidenote: The archdeacon of Vnfort.]
[Sidenote: Frenchmen discomfited.]
Whilest the siege continued before this fortresse, the seneshall of Guien departed from the campe, with eight hundred horssemen, and foure thousand footmen, purposing to win a castell, belonging to a nephue of the cardinall Della Motte, a twelue leagues distant from Aiguillon. The archdeacon of Vnfort, owner of that castell, went to the Rioll, where the earle of Derbie with his armie as then was lodged, to whome he made suit, to haue some power of men to rescue his castell. The earle appointed to him a sufficient number, both of horssemen, and also of English archers, with whome the said archdeacon rode all the night, and the next morning betimes, being the one and thirtith of Iulie, they came to the castell where the Frenchmen were arriued the daie before, and had fiercelie assailed the castell, dooing their best to win it by force. But the Englishmen without anie delaie, immediatlie vpon their comming, set vpon the Frenchmen, and gaue them so sharpe and fierce battell, that in the end, the Frenchmen were discomfited: the seneshall with manie other gentlemen were taken prisoners, beside those that were slaine. To conclude, the number of them that were slaine, and taken prisoners in the whole, amounted to foure hundred horssemen, and two thousand footmen. Sir Godfrey de Harcourt being constreined to flée out of France, to auoid the French kings displeasure, came ouer vnto the king of England, who receiued him verie ioifullie, for he was knowne to be a right valiant and a wise personage. He was brother to the earle of Harecourt, lord of saint Sauiour le Vicount, and of diuerse other townes in Normandie. A little before that he fell into the French kings displeasure, he might haue doone with the king of France, more than anie other lord within that realme.
[Sidenote: Additions to _Adam Merimuth._]
[Sidenote: Purueiers punished.]
[Sidenote: Iustices.]
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: Cardinals.]
In this twentith yeare of his reigne, king Edward vpon complaint of the people made against purueiours of vittels for his houshold (the which vnder colour of their commissions, abused the same, in taking vp among the commons all manner of things that liked them, without making paiment for the same, further than the said commissions did allow them) he caused inquirie to be made of their misdemeanors, and such as were found to haue offended, of whome there was no small number, some of them were put to death on the gallowes, and other were fined, so to teach the rest to deale more warilie in their businesse from thenceforth. ¶ About the same time, he caused all the iustices within his dominions to renounce and giue ouer all their pensions, fées, and other bribing benefits and rewards, which they vsed to receiue of the lords and great men of the land, as well prelats, as of them of the temporaltie, to the end that their hands being frée from gifts, iustice might more fréelie haue course, and be of them dulie and vprightlie ministred. Also this yeare in the Lent season, the king held a parlement at Westminster, and tooke into his hands all the profits, reuenues, and emoluments, which the cardinals held within this land: for he thought it not reason, that they which fauoured the pope and the French king, being his aduersaries, should inioy such commodities within his realme.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._]
[Sidenote: The king paseth ouer into Normandie.]