Part 10
This agréement was made the sixt of Iulie in the yeare 1419. It was ingrossed by notaries, signed with their hands, and sealed with their great seales of armes: but as the sequele shewed, hart thought not what toong spake, nor mind meant not that hand wrote. Whiles these things were a dooing, diuerse of the Frenchmen in Rone went about a conspiracie against the Englishmen, whereof the king being well aduertised, sent thither certeine of his nobles, which tried out these conspirators, caused them to be apprehended, had them in examination, and such as they found guiltie were put to death; and so setting the citie in quietnes, returned to the king, who counted it great honor to kéepe the countries which he woone by conquest in obedience and aw; sith such victories are not obteined without sore labour and toile, both of prince and people, as the poet rightlie saith:
[Sidenote: _In Angl. præl. sub Hen. 5._]
Quærere regna, labor; virtus est parta tueri Maxima.
[Sidenote: _Hall._]
[Sidenote: These bands belonged to the earle of Longueuile & to the lord de Lespar Gascoignes.]
[Sidenote: _Hist. des ducs de Normand_]
[Sidenote: The king plaieth the porters part.]
The king of England, perceiuing, by this new aliance, that nothing was lesse to be looked for, than peace at the hands of the Frenchmen, deuised still how to win townes and fortresses, which were kept against him: and now that the truce was expired, on the thirtith daie of Iulie, he being as then within the towne of Mante, appointed certeine bands of souldiers in the after noone to passe out of the gates, giuing onelie knowledge to the capteins what he would haue them to doo. And to the intent that no inkling of the enterprise should come to the enimies eare, he kept the gates himselfe as porter. These that were thus sent foorth being guided by the earle of Longueuile, otherwise called the captau de Buef, were commanded in secret maner as they could to draw toward the towne of Pontoise, and to kéepe themselues in couert till the darke of the night, and then approch the walles of that towne, and vpon espieng their aduantage to enter it by scaling, hauing ladders and all things necessarie with them for the purpose.
[Sidenote: This captau was brother to the earle of Fois.]
[Sidenote: _Hall._]
[Sidenote: Pontoise surprised by the Englishmen.]
Moreouer, about the closing of the daie and night in the euening, he sent foorth the erle of Huntington with other bands of soldiers, to succor and assist the other, if they chanced to enter the towne according to the order taken. Those that were first sent foorth (according to their instructions) conueid themselues so closelie to their appointed places, that the enimies heard nothing of their dooings. Wherevpon when the night was come, they came in secret wise vnder the walles, and there watched their time till the morning began to draw on. In the meane time, whilest the watch was departed, and before other were come into their places to relieue it, the Englishmen setting vp their ladders, entered and brake open one of the gates to receiue the other that followed.
[Sidenote: _Hall._]
[Sidenote: _Hall._]
The Frenchmen perceiuing that the walles were taken, and their enimies entered into the towne, at the first were sore amazed: but after perceiuing the small number of the Englishmen, they assembled togither and fiercelie assailed them, so that they were constreined to retire to the walles and turrets which they had taken, and with much adoo defended the same; some leaping downe into the diches, and hiding them in the vines, till at length the earle of Huntington, with his companies came to their succors, and entring by the gate which was open, easilie did beat backe the enimies, & got the market place. Which when the lord Lisle Adam capteine of the towne perceiued, he opened the gate towards Paris, by the which he with all his retinue, and diuerse of the townesmen to the number of ten thousand in all, (as Enguerant de Monstr. recounteth) fled towards Paris, taking awaie with them their coine, iewels, and plate. Some of them fléeing towards Beauuois were met with, and stripped of that they had, by Iehan de Guigni, and Iehan de Claw, two capteins that serued the Orlientiall faction.
There were within the towne of Pontoise at that time when it was thus taken by the Englishmen, a thousand lances, and two thousand arcubalisters, as Thomas Wilsingham affirmeth, and of Englishmen and Gascoignes that went first foorth of Mante with the captau de Buef, not past fiftéene hundred, as Hall reporteth: although Enguerant de Monstrellet saith, they were about thrée thousand. But how manie soeuer they were, they durst not at the first, by reason of their small number (as may be thought) once diuide themselues, or deale with booties, till about the houre of prime, that the duke of Clarence came to their aid with fiue thousand men, who much praising the valiantnesse of the earle and his retinue that had thus woone the towne, gaue to them the chéefe spoile of the which there was great plentie.
[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence c[=o]meth before Paris with his armie.]
[Sidenote: The Irishm[=e] spoil the Ile of France.]
Then went the duke foorth towards Paris, and comming thither, lodged before it two daies and two nights, without perceiuing anie proffer or issue to be made foorth against him by his enimies, and therefore séeing they durst not once looke vpon him, he returned to Pontoise, for the taking of which towne the whole countrie of France, and speciallie the Parisians were sore dismaied: sith now there was no fortresse able to withstand the English puissance; for that the Irishmen ouerran all the Isle of France, did to the Frenchmen damages innumerable, (as their writers affirme) brought dailie preies to the English armie, burst vp houses, laid beds on the backes of the kine, rid vpon them, carried yoong children before them, and sold them to the Englishmen for slaues. These strange dooings so feared the Frenchmen within the territorie of Paris, and the countrie about, that the sorie people fled out of the villages with all their stuffe into the citie.
The French king, and the duke of Burgognie lieng at saint Denis, in this season, departed from thence with the quéene and hir daughter, and went to Trois in Champaigne, there to consult of their businesse, hauing left at Paris the earle of S. Paule, and the lord Lisle Adam, with a great puissance to defend the citie. The king of England immediatlie after that Pontoise was woone (as before yée haue heard) came thither in person, as well to giue order for the placing of a sufficient garrison there for defense thereof; as to procéed further into the countrie for the getting of other townes and places: and so after he had well prouided for the good gouernment, & safe kéeping thereof, the eightéenth daie of August he departed out of the same with his maine armie.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: The castell of Vaucon Villers besieged and taken.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
And bicause they of the garrison that laie in the castell of Vaucon Villers had doone, and dailie did diuerse and sundrie displeasures to the Englishmen, he pight downe his field néere to the same, the better to restraine them from their hostile attempts, and withall sent part of his armie to besiege the castell, which put them in such feare, that they despairing of all reléefe or succour, and perceiuing they should not be able long to defend the place against the kings puissance, yéelded the place, with all their coine and other goods into the kings hands. The soldiers of that garrison, and the inhabitants, at the contemplation of a certeine ladie there amongst them, were licenced by the king to depart without armor or weapon, onelie with their liues saued. Iohn of Burgh that was after bailiffe of Gisours, was appointed capteine of this castell.
[Sidenote: Gisours besieged and yéelded to the Englishmen.]
After this, all the townes and castels within a great circuit offered to yéeld themselues vnto the English obeisance; the strong towne and castell of Gisours onelie excepted, which still held out, & would shew no token of will to yéeld. Héerevpon the king the last of August began to approch the same, but at the first he could not come néere, by reason of the marishes and fennes: but yet such was the diligence of the Englishmen, aduanced by the presence of the king, readie in all places to commend them that were forward in their businesse, and to chastise such as slacked their duetie, that dailie they came néerer and néerer, although the Frenchmen issued foorth dailie to encounter them, giuing them manie sharpe skirmishes. For the towne being double walled and fensed with those broad marishes, so incouraged them within, that they thought no force had béene able to haue subdued them.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: Duke of Clarence saith _Rich. Grafton._]
But at length calling to remembrance, that the king of England came before no towne nor fortresse, from which he would depart before he had brought it vnder his subiection, they offered to come to a parlée, and in the end compounded to render the towne into the kings hands the eight daie of September next insuing, and the castell (bicause it was the stronger péece) they couenanted to deliuer the foure and twentith of the same, if in the meane time no rescue came to raise the siege. Herevpon when no such reléefe could be heard of, at the daies limited, the soldiers of the garrison, and the more part of the townsmen also submitted themselues, and receiued an oth to be true subiects to the king, and so remained still in their roomes. The earle of Worcester was made capteine there.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: Normandie brought into the kings subiection, that had béene lost & deteined a long time fr[=o] the English.]
About the same time, to wit, the thrée and twentith of September (as some write) was castell Galiard surrendred to the hands of the duke of Excester, which had béene besieged euer since the last daie of March (as before yée haue heard.) But others write that it held out seauen moneths, and was not deliuered vp till the twentith of December. This castell was not onelie strong by situation, standing vpon the top of a stéepe hill, but also closed with mightie thicke walles, and furnished with men and all maner of munition and things necessarie. The king appointed the lord Ros capteine of it. After that Gisours and castell Galeard were thus yéelded to the English obeisance, all the other townes and castels thereabout, and in the countrie of Veulquessin, shortlie after yéelded to the king, as Gourneie, Chauniount, Neaufle, Dangu, and other small fortresses. Of Gourneie, was sir Gilbert Umfreuile made capteine; at Neaufle, the earle of Worcester; and at Dangu, Richard Wooduile. Shortlie after was the castell Daumall yéelded to the earle of Warwike, to whome it was giuen. And thus was the whole duchie of Normandie (Mont saint Michael onelie excepted) reduced to the possession of the right heire, which had béene wrongfullie deteined from the kings of England euer since the daies of king Iohn, who lost it about the yeare one thousand two hundred and seauen.
To satisfie those that be desirous to know what capteins were appointed by the king in diuerse townes that were yéelded to him (of which we haue made no mention heretofore but in generall) here their names doo follow, and of the townes, as we find them in the chronicles of maister Hall. At Crewleie sir Henrie Tanclux an Almaine; at Torignie, sir Iohn Popham, to whome it was giuen; at Chamboie, the lord Fitz Hugh; at Vernueil in Perch, sir Iohn Neuill; at Essaie, sir William Huddleston bailiffe of Alanson; at Crulie sir Lois Robsert; at Conde Norean sir Iohn Fastolfe; at Cawdebecke, sir Lois Robsert; at Déepe, William lord Bourchier earle of Eu; at Aubemarle, the earle of Warwike, and his deputie thereof William Montfort; at Bellincombre, sir Thomas Ramston lord thereof by gift; at Longueuille, the capitall de Beuf or Buz, earle thereof by gift; at Danuille, sir Christopher Burden; at Couches, sir Robert Marburie; at Chierburg, sir Iohn Gedding; at Bacqueuille, the lord Ros; at Arques sir Iames Fines, bailiffe of Caux; at Monceaux, sir Philip Léech; at Estrie Pagnie, Richard Abraham; at Sentler Surget, William Basset; at Bretueill, sir Henrie Mortimer bailiffe of Hunflew.
[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie murthered.]
But now to returne where we left. The wise and graue personages of the realme of France, sore lamenting & bewailing the miserie of their countrie, saw they had puissance inough to defend their enimies, if they were of perfect concord amongst themselues. And therefore to remooue all rancor and displeasure betwixt the Dolphin, and the duke of Burgognie, they procured a new méeting, which was appointed to be at Monstreau ou fault Yonne, where the two princes at the daie assigned met. But such was the fortune of France, that the duke of Burgognie was there murthered, as he knéeled before the Dolphin: wherevpon insued greater debate than before. For Philip earle of Charolois, the sonne and heire of the said duke, tooke the matter verie gréeuouslie, as he had no lesse cause, and determined to be reuenged on the Dolphin, and other that were guiltie of the murther: so that now there was great expectation of slaughter and bloudshed, but no hope for the most part of tranquillitie & peace. France therefore, what with ouerthrowes giuen by the English, & diuision among themselues, was verie sore afflicted; insomuch that one miserie riding on anothers necke, the whole land was in danger of desolation by ciuill dissention & mutuall mutinies; as the poet noteth:
[Sidenote: _Anglorum prælia sub Henr. 5._]
---- accessit ad ista Tunc mala Celtarum Burgundio fraude peremptus Sparsaq; ciuilis tota dissensio terra.
[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent to king Henrie.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: A wise and princelie caution.]
[Sidenote: The castell of S. Germane in Laie and Montioie yéelded to the Englishmen.]
When he had well considered of the matter, and taken aduise with his councell, he first sent ambassadours to the king of England, then lieng at Gisours to treat and conclude a truce betwéene them both for a certeine space, that they might talke of some conclusion of agréement. King Henrie receiued the ambassadors verie courteouslie, and granted that communication might be had of peace, but vtterlie denied anie abstinence from warre, bicause he would not lose time, if the treatie sorted not to good effect. Herevpon hauing his armie assembled at Maunt, he diuided the same into thrée parts, appointing the duke of Glocester with one part to go vnto the castell of S. Germane in Laie, and to laie siege therevnto. The duke according to his commission, comming before that castell, within a while constreined them within by continuall skirmishes and assaults to diliuer vp the place into his hands. An other part of the armie was sent vnto the castell of Montioie, which likewise by such fierce assaults and manfull approches, as the Englishmen made thereto, was shortlie giuen ouer and yéelded. The third part of the hoast went to Meulanc, a verie strong towne compassed about with the riuer of Seine.
[Sidenote: A policie for redie bridges.]
[Sidenote: The strong town of Meulanc yéelded to the English.]
But the king deuised to fasten botes and barges togither, and to rere vp certeine frames of timber aloft on the same for defense of his soldiers, that should by that meanes approch the walles, wherewith those that had the towne in kéeping were so put in feare, that their capteine was glad to come to a communication, & agréed to deliuer the towne into the kings hands, if no rescue came before the thirtith daie of October next insuing. On which daie, for that no succours appeared, the towne (according to the couenants) was giuen vp into the kings hands. Sir Thomas Ramston was made capteine there, and after him sir Iohn Fastolfe. The king, whilest these places were besieged, and thus brought vnder his subiection, continued for the most part at Maunt; but yet oftentimes he went foorth to visit his campes, and to sée that nothing should be wanting, that might further the spéedie dispatch of his enterprises.
[Sidenote: 1420 An. Reg. 8.]
[Sidenote: A great victorie on the English side.]
About the same time, there came againe ambassadours to him from Charles the French king, & from the yoong duke of Burgognie to treat with him of some good conclusion of peace to be had; who had no such trust in their sute, but that he doubted their meaning, and therefore ceassed not to procéed in the winning of townes and castels, as he was in hand. Now when Christmasse approched, the king withdrew to Rone, and there kept the solemnization of that feast, appointing in the meane time his men of warre to be occupied as occasion serued. The earle of Salisburie was sent to besiege the towne of Fresneie, the which after stout resistance made at the first, shortlie after was deliuered to him to the kings vse. The earles Marshall and Huntington, sir Iohn Gréene Cornewall, sir Philip Léech, and diuerse other, were sent into the countrie of Maine, where, not farre from the citie of Mens they were incountered by a power of Frenchmen, which the Dolphin had sent against them. There was at the first a sharpe bickering betwixt them, but in the end the victorie remained with the Englishmen; so that manie of the Frenchmen were slaine, and taken, and the residue chased out of the field. There were slaine (as Thomas Walsingham saith) at the point of fiue thousand, and two hundred taken prisoners, among whome was the marshall de Rous, and diuerse other of good account. The two English earles remained there as victors, in the countrie which was by the king to them assigned.
[Sidenote: King Henrie condescendeth to a treatie of peace.]
Whilest these victorious exploits were thus happilie atchiued by the Englishmen, and that the king laie still at Rone, in giuing thanks to almightie God for the same, there came to him eftsoones ambassadours from the French king and the duke of Burgognie to mooue him to peace. The king minding not to be reputed for a destroier of the countrie, which he coueted to preserue, or for a causer of christian bloud still to be spilt in his quarell, began so to incline and giue eare vnto their sute and humble request, that at length (after often sending to and fro) and that the bishop of Arras, and other men of honor had béene with him, and likewise the earle of Warwike, and the bishop of Rochester had béene with the duke of Burgognie, they both finallie agréed vpon certeine articles, so that the French king and his commons would thereto assent.
[Sidenote: A truce tripartite.]
[Sidenote: Ambassadors from K. Henrie to the French king.]
Now was the French king and the quéene with their daughter Katharine at Trois in Champaigne gouerned and ordered by them, which so much fauoured the duke of Burgognie, that they would not for anie earthlie good, once hinder or pull backe one iot of such articles as the same duke should séeke to preferre. And therefore what néedeth manie words, a truce tripartite was accorded betwéene the two kings and the duke, and their countries, and order taken that the king of England should send in the companie of the duke of Burgognie his ambassadours vnto Trois in Champaigne sufficientlie authorised to treat and conclude of so great matter. The king of England, being in good hope that all his affaires should take good successe as he could wish or desire, sent to the duke of Burgognie his vncle, the duke of Excester, the earle of Salisburie, the bishop of Elie, the lord Fanhope, the lord Fitz Hugh, sir Iohn Robsert, and sir Philip Hall, with diuerse doctors, to the number of fiue hundred horsse, which in the companie of the duke of Burgognie came to the citie of Trois the eleuenth of March. The king, the quéene, and the ladie Katharine them receiued, and hartilie welcomed, shewing great signes and tokens of loue and amitie.
[Sidenote: The articles of the peace concluded betwéene king Henrie and the French king.]
After a few daies they fell to councell, in which at length it was concluded, that king Henrie of England should come to Trois, and marie the ladie Katherine; and the king hir father after his death should make him heire of his realme, crowne and dignitie. It was also agréed, that king Henrie, during his father in lawes life, should in his stéed haue the whole gouernment of the realme of France, as regent thereof, with manie other couenants and articles, as after shall appéere. To the performance whereof, it was accorded, that all the nobles and estates of the realme of France, as well spirituall as temporall, and also the cities and commonalties, citizens and burgesses of townes, that were obeisant at that time to the French king, should take a corporall oth. These articles were not at the first in all points brought to a perfect conclusion. But after the effect and meaning of them was agréed vpon by the commissioners, the Englishmen departed towards the king their maister, and left sir Iohn Robsert behind, to giue his attendance on the ladie Katharine.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
King Henrie being informed by them of that which they had doone, was well content with the agréement and with all diligence prepared to go vnto Trois, and therevpon hauing all things in readinesse, he being accompanied with his brethren the dukes of Clarence and Glocester, the earles of Warwike, Salisburie, Huntington, Eu, Tankeruile, and Longuile, and fiftéene thousand men of warre, went from Rone to Pontoise; & departing from thence the eight daie of Maie, came to saint Denis two leagues from Paris, and after to Pontcharenton, where he left a strong garison of men, with sir William Gascoigne, to kéepe the passage; and so then entering into Brie, he tooke by the waie a castell which was kept against him, causing them that so kept it, some to be hanged, and the residue to be led foorth with him as prisoners. And after this kéeping on his iournie by Prouins, and Nogent, at length he came to Trois.
[Sidenote: King Henrie commeth to Trois to the French king.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie affieth the French kings daughter.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
The duke of Burgognie accompanied with manie noble men, receiued him two leagues without the towne, and conueied him to his lodging. All his armie was lodged in small villages thereabout. And after that he had reposed himselfe a little, he went to visit the French king, the quéene, and the ladie Katharine, whome he found in saint Peters church, where was a verie ioious méeting betwixt them (and this was on the twentith daie of Maie) and there the king of England, and the ladie Katharine were affianced. After this, the two kings and their councell assembled togither diuerse daies, wherein the first concluded agréement was in diuerse points altered and brought to a certeinetie, according to the effect aboue mentioned. When this great matter was finished, the kings sware for their parts to obserue all the couenants of this league and agréement. Likewise the duke of Burgognie and a great number of other princes and nobles which were present, receiued an oth, the tenor whereof (as the duke of Burgognie vttered it in solemne words) thus insueth, accordinglie as the same is exemplified by Titus Liuius De Foro Liuisiis in Latine.
The oth of the duke of Burgognie.