Part 13
¶ After the great solemnization at the foresaid coronation in the church of saint Peters at Westminster was ended, the quéene was conueied into the great hall of Westminster, and there set to dinner. Vpon whose right hand sat at the end of the table the archbishop of Canturburie, & Henrie surnamed the Rich cardinall of Winchester. Vpon the left hand of the quéene sat the king of Scots in his estate, who was serued with couered messe, as were the forenamed bishops; but yet after them. Vpon the same hand and side, néere the boords end, sat the duchesse of Yorke and the countesse of Huntingdon. The earle of March, holding a scepter in his hand, knéeled vpon the right side: the earle marshall in like manner on the left of the quéene. The countesse of Kent sat vnder the table at the right foot, and the countesse marshall at the left. The duke of Glocester sir Humfrie was that daie ouerséer, and stood before the quéene bareheaded. Sir Richard Neuill was that daie caruer to the quéene, the earles brother of Suffolke cupbearer, sir Iohn Steward sewar, the lord Clifford pantler in the earle of Warwikes stéed, the lord Willoughbie buttler in stéed of the erle of Arundell, the lord Graie Ruthin or Riffin naperer, the lord Audleie almoner in stéed of the earle of Cambridge, the earle of Worcester was that daie earle marshall in the earle marshals absence; who rode about the hall vpon a great courser with a multitude of tipped staues about him, to make and keépe roome in the said hall. Of the which hall the barons of the cinque ports began the table vpon the right hand, toward saint Stephans chappell; and beneath them at the table sat the vowchers of the chancerie. Vpon the left hand next to the cupboord sat the maior and his brethren the aldermen of London. The bishops began the table against the barons of the cinque ports; and the ladies against the maior. Of which two tables, for the bishops, began the bishop of London and the bishop of Durham; and for the ladies, the countesse of Stafford, and the countesse of March.
[Sidenote: The first course.]
The feast was all of fish, for the ordering of the seruice whereof were diuerse lords appointed head officers, as steward, controller, surueior, and other honourable officers. For the which were appointed the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland, the lord Fitz Hugh, the lord Furneuall, the lord Graie of Wilton, the lord Ferres of Grobie, the lord Poinings, the lord Harrington, the lord Darcie, the lord Dacres, and the lord de la Ware. These with others ordered the seruice of the feast as followeth; and thus for the first course. Brawne and mustard, éeles in burneur, frument with balten, pike in herbarge, lamprie powdered, trowt, codling, plaice fried, martine fried, crabs, léech lumbard flourished, tartes; and a deuise called a pellican, sitting on hir nest with hir birds, and an image of saint Katharine holding a booke, and disputing with doctors, holding this poesie in hir right hand, written in faire and legible letters, Madame le Royne; and the pellican answering.
C'e est la signe & du roy, pour tenir ioy, Et a tout sa gent, elle mette sa entent.
[Sidenote: The second course.]
The second course was: gellie coloured with columbine flowers, white potage or creame of almonds, breame of the sea, coonger, soles, cheuen, barbill and roch, fresh salmon, halibut, gurnard, rochet broiled, smelts fried, creuis or lobster; léech damaske, with the kings poesie flourished therevpon, vne sans plus; lamprie fresh baked, flampeine flourished with a scutchion roiall, and therein thrée crownes of gold planted with flourdeluces and floure of camomill wrought of confection: with a deuise of a panther, and an image of saint Katharine with a whéele in one hand, & a scroll with a poesie in the other, to wit,
La royne ma file, in cesta ile, Per bon resoun, aues renoun.
[Sidenote: The third course.]
The third course was, dates in compost, creame motle, carpe deore, turbut, tench, pearch with goion, fresh sturgion with welks, porperous rosted, mennes fried, creuisse de eau doure, pranis, éeles rosted with lamprie, a léech called the white léech flourished with hawthorne leaues & red hawes; a marchpane garnished with diuerse figures of angels, among which was set an image of S. Katharine, holding this poesie,
Il est escript, pur voir & eit, Per marriage pure, cest guerre ne dure.
And lastlie a deuise of a tiger looking in a mirror, and a man sitting on horssebacke all armed, holding in his armes a tigers whelpe with this poesie; Per force sans resounie ay prise ceste best: and with his owne hand making a countenance of throwing of mirrors at the great tiger, which held this poesie; Gile che mirrour ma feste distour. Thus with all honour was finished the solemne coronation, after which the quéene soiourned in the palace of Westminster till Palmesundaie following; and on the morow she tooke hir iournie towards Windsor; where the king and she held their Easter.
[Sidenote: Iustice ministered by king Henrie in progresse.]
After the solemne feast of the coronation was ended, the king as well to visit certeine places for deuotion by waie of pilgrimage, as also to sée in what state and order diuerse parts of his realme stood, departed from the quéene, appointing daie and place where she should méet him, and so iournied foorth from place to place, thorough sundrie countries, as well of Wales as England, and in euerie quarter where he came, he heard with diligent eare the complaints of sutors, and tooke order for the administration of iustice both to high and low, causing manie misdemeanours to be reformed. At length he came to the towne of Leicester, where he found the quéene according to the appointment before taken. Here at Leicester, he held the feast of Easter.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
¶ How then standeth this with the report of Fabian, who saith, that the king and quéene kept their Easter at Windsor; and that when the said festiuall time was expired, the king made prouision for his warres in France, during the tearme of Richard Whitinghams meraltie of London, which was in the eight yeare of this king Henries reigne: Suerlie there must néeds be an errour, either in mistaking the yeare or the place: vnlesse we will grant the king and quéene (with their court of attendants) to haue béene Hîc ibi simul, which priuilege is granted to none but Ubiquitaries.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 9.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence made a rode into Aniou.]
[Sidenote: Viell Baug[=e] or Baugie.]
But while these things were thus adooing in England, the duke of Clarence, the kings lieutenant in France and Normandie, assembled togither all the garrisons of Normandie, at the towne of Bernaie, and from thence departed to the countrie of Maine, and at Pont le Gene he passed the riuer of Yonne, and rode through all the countrie to Lucie, where he passed the riuer of Loire, and entered into Aniou, and came before the citie of Angiers, where he made manie knights, that to saie, sir William Ros, sir Henrie Goddard, sir Rowland Rider, sir Thomas Beaufort, called the bastard of Clarence, and diuerse other; and after that he had forraied, burnt, and spoiled the countrie, he returned with preie and pillage to the towne of Beaufort in the vallie, where he was aduertised, that a great number of his enimies, Frenchmen, Scots, Spaniards, and other were assembled togither, at a place called Viell Bauge, that is Old Baugie, with the duke of Alanson, calling himselfe lieutenant generall for the Dolphin.
[Sidenote: Forgusa, a Lumbard betraieth the duke of Clarence.]
The duke of Clarence had a Lombard resorting vnto him, reteined with the part aduerse (his name was Andrew Forgusa) of whom the duke inquired the number of his enimies, to whome he reported, that their number was but small, & not of puisance to match with halfe the power of his strong armie, intising him with assurance of victorie, to set on the Frenchmen. The duke like a couragious prince, assembled togither all the horssemen of the armie, and left the archers vnder the guiding of the bastard of Clarence, and two Portingales, capteins of Fresnie le vicount, saieng, that he onelie and the nobles would haue the honor of that iournie. When the duke was passed a certeine streict and narrow passage, he espied his enimies ranged in good order of battell, by the monition of the Lombard, which had sold him to his enimies, & his aduersaries had laid such ambushments at the streicts, that the duke by no waie without battell could either retire or flée.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen discomfited.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence and diuerse nobles of England slaine.]
The Englishmen séeing this, valiantlie set on their enimies, who were foure to one, by reason whereof at length the Englishmen were oppressed with multitude, and brought to confusion. There were slaine, the duke of Clarence, the earle of Tankeruile, the lord Ros, sir Gilbert Umfreuile earle of Angus, and sir Iohn Lomlie, sir Robert Verend, and almost two thousand Englishmen: & the earles of Summerset, Suffolke, and Perch, the lord Fitz Water, sir Iohn Berkelie, sir Rafe Neuile, sir Henrie Inglis, sir Wiliam Bowes, sir Wiliam Longton, sir Thomas Borough, and diuerse other taken prisoners. And of the Frenchmen were slaine aboue twelue hundred of the best men of warre they had, so that they gained not much.
The bastard of Clarence which tarried at Beaufort, being informed of the great number of the Frenchmen, made forward with all the archers, to come to the succor of the duke, but they came too late. For the Frenchmen, hearing of the approching of the archers, fled with their prisoners, and left the bodie of the duke, and other the dead carcases behind them. The archers buried them all sauing the dukes corpse, which with great solemnitie was sent to England, and buried at Canturburie beside his father. After this the Englishmen burnt and spoiled the countrie of Maine, and so returned to Alanson, and after departed euerie man to his garrison. This battell was fought on Easter euen, in the yeare 1421. But now to returne to the king.
[Sidenote: The earle of Mortaignie made lieutenant of Normandie.]
After he had kept his Easter at Leicester, he with the quéene remooued and went northward, till they came to Yorke, where they were receiued with great ioy of the citizens, and other the nobles and gentlemen of the countrie. The king went vnto Beuerlie, to visit the shrine of saint Iohn, and immediatlie vpon his departure from thence, the sorowfull newes of his brother the duke of Clarences death, came to him, for which he was right pensife. But sith mourning would not auaile, he called to remembrance what he had to doo, and therevpon without delaie, sent Edmund earle of Mortaigne, brother to the earle of Summerset into Normandie, giuing to him like authoritie and preheminence, as his brother the late deceassed duke of Clarence had before enioied.
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: The bishop of Winchester lent the king 20000.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie saileth into France againe.]
After this, he called his high court of parlement, in the which he declared with such great wisedome & grauitie, the acts which had béene doone in France, the state of the time present, and what was necessary to be prouided for the time to come (if they would looke to haue that iewell and high kingdome, for the which had so long laboured and sought) that the communaltie gladlie granted a fiftéenth, & the clergie beneuolentlie offred a double disme. And bicause no delaie should be in the kings affaires for lacke of paiment, the bishop of Winchester the kings vncle lent vnto him twentie thousand pounds, to be paid him againe of the same dismes. When all things necessarie for this iournie were readie and prepared, he sent his brother the duke of Bedford before him to Calis with all his armie, being (as some write) foure thousand men of armes, and twentie thousand archers and others; though some haue written, that the whole armie passed not twelue thousand of one and other.
[Sidenote: He tooke sea at Douer the fourth of Iune, as _Titus Liuius_ saith, and so saie the chronicles of Flanders.]
The king himselfe shortlie after, about the middle of Maie, passed the seas to Calis, and so from thence he marched through the countrie vnto Boies de Vincennes, where the French king and the quéene as then soiourned. The duke of Burgognie also that had receiued him at Monstruell, attended him to Dowast in Ponthieu, and there hauing taking leaue of him for six daies, returned now againe to him, according to his promise. Then did they consult togither about their affaires, and appointed in all hast to fight with the Dolphin, and to raise the siege of Chartres which he had there planted. Herevpon, the king of England with all his puissance, came to the towne of Mante, and thither repaired the duke of Burgognie; but yer they departed from thence, they had knowledge, that the Dolphin hearing of the puissant armie of the king of England approching towards him, was recoiled with his people towards Towers in Touraine.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots serueth king Henrie. Dreux besieged & rendred to the Englishmen.]
Herevpon the king of England incontinentlie, did not onelie send backe the duke of Burgognie into Picardie, to resist the attempts of sir Iaques de Harecourt, which made war in that countrie for the Dolphin; but also appointed the king of Scots, with the duke of Glocester, to besiege the towne of Dreux. They comming thither about the eightéenth of Iulie, planted siege on euerie side, both of the towne and castell; and what with power of batrie, and other forcible meanes, so constreined them within, that on the eight daie of August they compounded, that if no sufficient rescue came to raise the siege, before the end of twelue daies next insuing, both the towne and castell should be deliuered to the king of Englands vse, so as the soldiers might depart with their goods whither they would, except one Englishman, which was knowen to be amongst them, being fled for treason out of the kings dominions.
On the twentith daie of August, which was the day of the appointment, the king of Scots receiued the towne and castell to the behoofe of his souereigne lord the king of England, who (during all the time of the siege) laie at Moraumall. The townesmen that would remaine still in their houses, were sworne to be true subiects to the king; and the other which refused, departed with the souldiers. The Englishman that was excepted, was deliuered according to the couenants; and after executed, as he had deserued. The earle of Worcester was made capteine of Dreux, and sir Henrie Mortimer bailiffe there. This doone, the king hearing that the Dolphin should be at Baugencie, assembling his power, hasted thitherwards: but at his comming into those parties, he found no appearance of enimies in the field, and so he remained there fiftéene daies.
[Sidenote: King Henrie pursueth the Dolphin.]
[Sidenote: The Dolphin, why called king of Berrie.]
In which meane while, the earle of Suffolke was sent foorth to discouer the countrie, and the king wan by assault the towne of Baugencie, and after when vittels began to faile, he marched forward, meaning to pursue the Dolphin. But the Dolphin douting the English puissance, conueied all the vittels foorth of those quarters, and retired himselfe to Burges in Berrie, choosing that place as his first refuge, & therefore determined there to remaine, till fortune turning hir whéele shuld looke on them with a more fauorable countenance, hereof in scorne was he commonlie called king of Berrie. The king of England followed, till vittels and forrage began sore to faile on all sides, and then returning, passed towards Orleance, taking the castell of Rouge Mont by assault.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: _Les histories des ducz de Normandie._]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
He staied thrée daies before Orleance, and from thence, for want of vittels, marched through Gastinois, till he came to Vignie sur Yonne, where he remained for a season, to refresh his people that were sore trauelled, in that painefull passed iournie: in which the king lost not onelie manie of his men for lacke of vittels, but also a great number of horsses and carriages. Some haue written, that about the same time, he should win the citie of Sens, otherwise called the kings new towne by surrender; but after he had remained for a time at Vignie, we find that he remoued to Paris, where he was honorablie receiued. ¶ For he came among them as one hauing empire and dominion in his hand, so that to him they were no lesse forward in submission for feare of his indignation, than readie to giue him all the interteinement that they could deuise for the kéeping of his fauour: the lacke whereof they knew stood with the hazard of their safetie, as the contrarie tended to their welfare.
[Sidenote: The strong towne of Meaux besieged by the Englishmen.]
Shortlie after, considering with himselfe that the towne of Meaux in Brie, being replenished with enimies, was not to be suffered to remaine in that state, in the middes of his new gotten subiects; he determined to take awaie the open scruple that might poison and infect the members, dwelling hard by: wherefore with a great number of earles and barons in his companie, he came to besiege it. This towne was no lesse well vittelled than manned, and no better manned than fortified; so that the king could neither haue it to him deliuered at his pleasure, nor gaine it by assault, without the great losse of his people: yet neuerthelesse, he determined not to depart till he had got it by one meane or other. The riuer of Marne diuided this towne into two parts, so that there was no enterie from the one into the other, but by a bridge, raised vp, and made ouer the riuer, susteined with manie arches. The one part is called the citie, and the other la March being the strongest and best fortified. The king first lodged a mile off in a castell, and sent the duke of Excester to begin the siege, which he did according to his instructions, vpon the sixt of October.
[Sidenote: A parlement called by the duke of Bedford, the king being in France.]
Shortlie after, the king himselfe came, and lodged in the abbeie of Pharon, the duke of Excester in the abbeie de Chage, the earle of March at the greie friers, and the earle of Warwike directlie against that part that is called la March. They within defended themselues right valiantlie, so that the Englishmen were not all at their ease, but specialie through lacke of vittels manie died, and manie fell sicke, by reason whereof, no small number returned home into England; wherein the meane time, on the first of December, a parlement was called and holden at Westminster, by the duke of Bedford, gouernour of the realme in the kings absence. ¶ In this parlement, a fiftéenth was granted to the king towards the maintenance of the warres, the one moitie to be paid at Candlemasse, and the other at Martinmasse, of such monie as at the time of the grant was currant.
[Sidenote: Windsore. The birth of king Henrie the sixt.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie prophesieth of his sonne.]
This yeare at Windsore on the daie of saint Nicholas in December, the quéene was deliuered of a sonne named Henrie, whose godfathers were Iohn duke of Bedford, and Henrie bishop of Winchester, and Iaquet, or (as the Frenchmen called hir) Iaqueline of Bauier, countesse of Holland was his godmother. The king being certified hereof as he laie at siege before Meaux, gaue God thanks, in that it had pleased his diuine prouideuce to send him a sonne, which might succéed in his crowne and scepter. But when he heard reported the place of his natiuitie; were it that he warned by some prophesie, or had some foreknowledge, or else iudged himselfe of his sonnes fortune, he said vnto the lord Fitz Hugh his trustie chamberleine these words; "My lord, I Henrie borne at Monmouth, shall small time reigne, & much get; and Henrie borne at Windsore, shall long reigne, and all loose: but as God will, so be it."
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: 1422]
The king held his Christmasse at the siege before Meaux, for he would not giue ouer that siege, although his armie was greatlie diminished, by reason of lacke of vittels, extreame cold, foule weather, and other discommodities that bred great store of diseases and sickenesse among his people; notwithstanding, all the helps and means that might be, he deuised to remedie the same: so that beside such as died, as well of sickenesse as by the enimies hand, manie returned home into their countries. But yet he ceassed not to continue the siege, beating the walles with his ordinance, and casting downe bulworkes and rampiers on ech side the towne, made approches as well by water as land, with mightie engines deuised of boords to defend the Englishmen, as they approched the walles, and gaue assaults. The walles also were in diuerse places vndermined.
After this, the Englishmen found meanes, by bridges made of boats, to passe the riuer; but yet the souldiers and other within defended their rampiers and breaches most stoutlie, and with guns and quarrels still shot at the Englishmen, of whome they slue manie; and among other the earle of Worcester was slaine, with a bullet of the great artillerie, & the lord Clifford with a quarrell of a crossebow; yet the Englishmen still wan ground, and got néerer and néerer to the walles. They also woone the chiefest part of a bridge from the enimies, and kept watch and ward vpon and about the same. The earle of Warwike had also taken a Vaumure from them of the market place, built on the southside thereof, able to receiue and lodge a good number of men, which seruing to good purpose, for the better brideling of them within, he caused to be kept, and thus were they within Meaux sore oppressed on euerie side.
[Sidenote: Meaux taken by assault.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 10.]
[Sidenote: Quéene Katharine saileth into France.]
Herevpon in Februarie, the capteins doubting least the citie could not be defended long, caused all the vittels and goods to be conueied into the market place, and retired all the men of warre into the same, leauing none in the other part of the citie, but the commons, and such as were not able to doo any auaileable seruice in the warre. The king aduertised hereof commanded in all hast to assault the citie, which was quicklie doone; so that the citie by fine force was within thrée houres taken and spoiled; and the same daie the market place besieged round about, and a mill woone adioining vnto the same. In Aprill, the quéene passed ouer into France, with a faire retinue of men, vnder the conduct of the duke of Bedford, the duke of Glocester remaining lord gouernour of the realme in his place. At hir comming thither, she was so welcommed and honorablie receiued, first of hir husband, and after of hir father and mother, that she appeared to be no lesse loued of hir noble husband, than of hir déere and naturall parents.
[Sidenote: Oliuer Mannie.]