Part 6

During the time of their abode there, the duke of Burgognie offered to come to Calis, to speake with the emperor and the king, bicause he had knowledge of the league that was concluded betwixt them: the king sent his brother the duke of Glocester, and the earle of March to the water of Graueling, to be hostages for the duke of Burgognie: and also the earle of Warwike, with a noble companie to conduct him to his presence. At Graueling foord the dukes met, and after salutations doone, the duke of Burgognie was conueied to Calis, where of the emperor and the king he was highly welcomed and feasted. Here is to be noted, that in Iune last, the king of England had sent the earle of Warwike, and other, vnto the duke of Burgognie, as then remaining at Lisle, where by the diligent trauell of those English ambassadors, a truce was concluded betwixt the king of England and the duke of Burgognie, touching onelie the counties of Flanders and Arthois, to indure from the feast of saint Iohn Baptist in that present yeare 1416, vnto the feast of saint Michaell, in the yeare next insuing. Which truce at the dukes being now at Calis (when no further agréement could be concluded) was prolonged vnto the feast of saint Michaell, that should be in the yeare 1419. The duke of Glocester was receiued at Graueling, by the earle Charolois, and by him honorablie conueied to saint Omers, and there lodged that night.

The next day, the earle Charolois came with diuerse noble men, to visit the duke of Glocester in his lodging, and when he entered into the chamber, the dukes backe was towards him, talking with some one of his seruants, and did not sée nor welcome the earle at his first entrie; but after he said to him shortlie without any great reuerence, or comming towards him; You be welcome faire cousine, and so passed foorth his tale with his seruants. The earle Charolois for all his youth, was not well content therewith, but yet suffered for that time. When the duke of Burgognie had doone all his businesse at Calis, after the ninth daie he returned to Graueling, where the duke of Glocester and he met againe, and louinglie departed, the one to Calis, and the other to saint Omers; for the which voiage the duke of Burgognie was suspected to be enemie to the crowne of France. After the dukes departing from Calis, the emperor was highlie feasted and rewarded, and at his pleasure sailed into Holland, & so rode towards Beame. The king likewise tooke ship, and returned into England on saint Lukes euen.

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius. W. P._]

[Sidenote: The prerogatiue of the English nation in the generall councell.]

About the same time, the king sent new ambassadors vnto the generall councell, which still continued at Constance, whither the emperour Sigismund also returned, chéefelie for chasing awaie of that pestilent smoke of schisme then blasted vp betwéene Iohn the thrée and twentith, Gregorie the twelfth, and Benet the thirtéenth (as they intituled themselues) the thrée peruerse prelats, that all at once with such eager malice stroue togither for the sacred sée of papasie Gods vicarage (that was) who to be highest here in earth. The infectious smother of this venemous vapor by the spirit of these holie men thus raised vp thorough faction and parts taking, had béene readie to choke all christendome, had not by the wisedome and authoritie of the princes there, the same the sooner béene vented away. Here by the consent also of all nations it was ordeined in this councell, that this realme should haue the name of the English nation, and be called and reputed for one of the fiue principall nations of the councell, which to grant before that time, through enuie, other nations had vtterlie refused.

[Sidenote: _Thom. Walsi._]

[Sidenote: The kings oration.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Bedford regent of England.]

[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsi._]

The ninetéenth of October, the parlement that had béene broken vp, by reason of the emperours comming, began againe at Westminster, and there the king made to them a short and pithie oration, declaring the iniuries latelie doone and committed by the French nation, shewing also the iust and lawful occasion of his warres: signifieng furthermore the great discord and ciuill dissention which reigned amongst the nobilitie of France, rehearsing manie things, for the which it were necessarie to follow the warres now in hand against them, and that without delaie. He therefore desired them to prouide for monie and treasure, that nothing should be wanting when néed required: his request héerein was granted, for euerie man was willing and glad to further that voiage, so that the cleargie granted two dismes, and the laitie a whole fiftéenth. In this parlement also Iohn Duke of Bedford was made gouernour or regent of the realme, to hold and enioie the office so long as the king was occupied in the French wars. Moreouer, in this parlement, the king gaue to the duke of Excester a thousand pounds by yeare, to be paid out of his owne cofers; besides fortie pounds yearelie, which he was to receiue of the towne of Excester, of the kings reuenues there, and had the same grant confirmed by authoritie of the parlement, insomuch that some write, that in this parlement he was made duke of Excester, and not before.

[Sidenote: Libels against the cleargie.]

[Sidenote: 1417]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 5.]

[Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._]

The king kept his Christmasse at Killingworth, and the morrow after Christmasse daie were certeine writings cast abroad, in great mens houses, and almost in euerie inne within the townes of S. Albons, Northampton, and Reading, conteining sharpe reproofes against all estates of the church, and it could not be knowne from whence those writings came, nor who was the author of them. The king verie earnestlie procured all things to be made readie for the warre, meaning to passe the next summer ouer into France, to recouer his right by force, which by no other meane he saw how to obteine. ¶ In this meane while had the Frenchmen hired a great number of Genowaies and Italians, with certeine carickes and gallies well appointed, the which being ioined with the French fléet, laie at the mouth of the riuer of Seine, and vp within the same riuer, both to stop all succour by sea that should come to them within Harflue, and also to waft abroad, and doo what damage they could vnto the English, as occasion serued.

[Sidenote: A great exploit by sea doone by the earle of Huntington.]

[Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._]

The king therefore yer he passed ouer himselfe, sent the erle of Huntington to search and scowre the seas. This lustie earle, called Iohn Holland (sonne to the earle of Huntington, otherwise called duke of Excester, beheaded at Circester, in the time of king Henrie the fourth, and cousine to the king) with a great nauie of ships searched the sea, from the one coast to the other, and in conclusion incountred with nine of those great carickes of Genes (the which the lord Iaques the bastard of Burbon had reteined to serue the French king) and set on them sharplie. The conflict was great, and the fight long (continuing the more part of a summers daie) but in conclusion, the Frenchmen and Italians were ouercome and fled. Thrée of the greatest caricks with their patrons, and monsieur Iaques de Burbon their admerall were taken, with as much monie as should haue paid the soldiers of the whole fléet for halfe a yeare, and thrée other caricks were bowged.

[Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._]

The earle returning backe with this good lucke, found the king at Hampton, who receiued him with thankes, as he had well deserued. Shortlie after, vpon the thrée and twentith of Iulie, the king tooke his ship at Portesmouth, accompanied with the dukes of Clarence and Glocester; the earls of Huntington, Marshall, Warwike, Deuonshire, Salisburie, Suffolke, and Summerset; the lords Rosse, Willoughbie, Fitz Hugh, Clinton, Scroope, Matreuers, Burchier, Ferreis of Grobie, and Ferreis of Chartleie, Fanhope, Graie of Codnore, sir Gilbert Umfreuile, sir Gilbert Talbot, and diuerse other; and so hauing wind and weather to his desire, the first daie of August he landed in Normandie, néere to a castell called Touque, where he consulted with his capteins, what waie was best for him to take concerning his high enterprise.

[Sidenote: The number of the armie 16400, of his owne purueiance.]

[Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._]

His armie conteined the number of sixtéene thousand and foure hundred soldiers and men of warre of his owne purueiance, beside others. The duke of Clarence had in his retinue a hundred lances, and thrée hundred archers: and beside him, there were thrée earles, which had two hundred and fortie lances, and seauentéene hundred and twentie archers. The duke of Glocester foure hundred and seauentie lances, and fouretéene hundred and ten archers. The earles of March, Marshall, Warwike, and Salisburie, each of them one hundred lances; and thrée hundred archers a péece. The earle of Huntington fortie lances, and six score archers. The earle of Suffolke thirtie lances, and fourescore and ten archers. Beside these, there were thirtéene lords, as Aburgauennie, Matreuers, Fitz Hugh, Clifford, Graie, Willoughbie, Talbot, Courtnie, Burchier, Roos, Louell, Ferrers of Chartlie, and Harington, the which had in their retinue the number of fiue hundred and six lances, and fiftéene hundred and fourescore archers. Also, there were in this armie thréescore and seauentéene knights, which had vnder them nine hundred and fortie fiue lances, and two thousand eight hundred and fiftie two archers; so that in all, there were fiue and twentie thousand, fiue hundred, and eight and twentie fighting men: of which number euerie fourth man was a lance. Beside the soldiers and men of warre, there were a thousand masons, carpenters, and other labourers.

[Sidenote: The Normans flée to the walled townes.]

[Sidenote: Touque castell beseiged by the Englishmen & taken.]

[Sidenote: Amberuilliers castell taken.]

The Normans hearing of the kings arriuall, were suddenlie striken with such feare, that they fled out of their houses, leauing the townes and villages, and with their wiues and children, bag and baggage, got them into the walled townes, preparing there to defend themselues, & with all spéed sent to the French king, requiring him to prouide for the defense and preseruation of his louing subjects. Héerevpon, the men of war were appointed to resort into the strong townes, to lie within the same in garrisons, to resist the power of the Englishmen, so that all the walled townes and castels in Normandie were furnished with men, munition, and vittels. The king of England, when he had resolued with his councell for his procéeding in his enterprises, laid siege vnto the castell of Touque. The duke of Glocester that led the fore ward, had the charge of that siege, the which by force of assaults, and other warlike meanes, brought to that point, that they within yéelded the place into his hands, the ninth daie of August. The earle of Salisburie, who led the battell, tooke the castell of Amberuilliers, the which was giuen to him by the king, and so this earle was the first that had anie territorie giuen him of the king in this new conquest. The king made at the winning of Touque eight and twentie knights, and left sir Robert Kirkelie capteine there.

After this, on deliberate aduise taken how to procéed, the k. set forward toward the towne of Caen in most warlike order, wasting the countrie on euerie side as he passed. Which towne standeth in a plaine fertile countrie, no stronger walled, than déepe ditched, and as then well vittelled and replenished with people: for the citizens fearing the kings comming, had there prouided all things necessarie and defensible. But his maiestie doubting least the Frenchmen, vpon their vnderstanding of his approch to the towne, would haue burned the suburbs and buildings without the walles, sent the duke of Clarence with a thousand men before him, to preuent that mischéefe. The duke comming thither, found the suburbs alreadie set on fire, but vsed such diligence to quench the same, that the most part was saued. He also wan the abbeie church of saint Stephan, which the Frenchmen were in hand to haue ouerthrowne, by vndermining the pillers; but the duke obteining the place, filled vp the mines, and so preserued the church. He also wan a cell of nunnes, verie stronglie fensed, after the manner of warre.

[Sidenote: Caen besieged.]

[Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._]

[Sidenote: The order of the assault.]

Then came the king before the towne, who caused foorthwith to be cast a déepe trench, with an high mount, to kéepe them within from issuing foorth, and that doone, began fiercelie to assault the towne: but they within stood manfullie to their defense, so that there was sore and cruell fight betwixt them, and their enimies. But when king Henrie perceiued that he lost more than he wan by his dailie assaults, he left off anie more to assault it, and determined to ouerthrow the wals, with vndermining. Wherefore with all diligence, the pioners cast trenches, made mines, and brought timber: so that within a few daies, the wals stood onelie vpon posts, readie to fall, when fire should be put to them. The king meaning now to giue a generall assault, caused all the capteins to assemble before him in councell, vnto whome he declared his purpose, commanding them not before the next daie to vtter it; till by sound of trumpet they should haue warning to set forward towards the wals, least his determination being disclosed to the enimies, might cause them to prouide the better for their owne defense. He also prescribed vnto them, what order he would haue them to kéepe, in giuing the assault, and that was this; that euerie capteine deuiding his band into thrée seuerall portions, they might be readie one to succéed in an others place, as those which fought should happilie be driuen backe and repelled.

In the morning next following, being the fourth of September, somewhat before the breake of the daie, he caused his people to approch the wals, and to shew countenance, as though they would giue a generall assault; and whilest they were busied in assailing and defending on both sides, the Englishmen pearsed and brake thorough the wals by diuerse holes and ouertures made by the pioners, vnder the foundation: yet the king vpon diuerse respects, offered them within pardon of life if they would yéeld themselues and the towne to his mercie; but they refusing that to doo, the assault was newlie begun, and after sore fight continued for the space of an houre, the Englishmen preuailed, and slew so manie as they found with weapon in hand, readie to resist them.

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]

[Sidenote: Caen taken by the Englishmen.]

The duke of Clarence was the first that entred with his people, and hauing got the one part of the towne, assailed them that kept the bridge, & by force beating them backe, passed the same, and so came to the wals on the other side of the towne, where the fight was sharpe and fierce betwixt the assailants and defendants; but the duke with his people setting on the Frenchmen behind, as they stood at defense on the wals, easilie vanquished them, so that the Englishmen entred at their pleasure. Thus when the king was possessed of the towne, he incontinentlie commanded all armours & weapons of the vanquished, to be brought into one place, which was immediatlie doone.

[Sidenote: Diuision of spoile.]

Then the miserable people came before the kings presence, and knéeling on their knées, held vp their hands, and cried; Mercie, mercie: to whome the king gaue certeine comfortable words, & bad them stand vp. All the night following, he caused his armie to kéepe themselues in order of battell within the towne, and on the next morning called all the magistrats & gouernors of the towne to the senat house, where some for their wilfull stubbornesse were adiudged to die, other were sore fined and ransomed. Then he calling togither his souldiers and men of warre, not onelie gaue them great praises and high commendations for their manlie dooings, but also distributed to euerie man, according to his desert, the spoile and game gotten in the towne, chéeflie bicause at the assault they had shewed good proofe of their manhood and valiant courages.

[Sidenote: The capteine of the castell held out.]

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]

[Sidenote: Caen castell yéelded.]

After that the towne was thus woone, the lord Montainie, capteine of the castell, would not yéeld, but made semblance, as though he meant to defend the place, to the vtterance: but after that he was sharplie called vpon by king Henrie, either to yéeld it, or else that he should be assured to haue all mercie and fauour sequestred from him, he tooke better aduise, and therevpon being in despaire of reléefe, made this composition, that if he were not rescued of the French power by a certeine daie, he should render the fortresse into the kings hands, with condition, that he and his souldiers should be suffered to depart with all their goods, the habiliments of warre onelie excepted. Herevpon twelue hostages were deliuered to the king, and when the daie came, being the twentith of September, they within rendred the castell into the kings hands; and thus, both the towne and castell of Caen became English.

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]

[Sidenote: The Scots inuade the English borders.]

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]

[Sidenote: A great armie to resist the Scots.]

[Sidenote: Thom. Walsin.]

[Sidenote: The Scots recoile home.]

Whilest the king was thus occupied about his warres in Normandie, the Scots in great number, entring England, wasted the countrie with fire and sword whersoeuer they came. The English lords that were left in trust with the kéeping of those parties of the realme, raised the whole power of the countries, so that there came togither the number of an hundred thousand men vpon Baw moore, where the generall assemblie was made, and as it chanced, the duke of Excester, vncle to the king, who had latelie before mustered a certeine number of men to conueie them ouer to the king as a new supplie to his armie there, was the same time in the north parts on pilgrimage at Bridlington; and hearing of this inuasion made by the Scots, tooke vpon him to be generall of the armie prepared against them, and to giue them battell. Also, the archbishop of Yorke, although he was not able to sit on horssebacke by reason of his great age, caused himselfe to be caried foorth in a charet in that iournie, the better to incourage other. But the Scots hearing that the Englishmen approched toward them with such puissance, withdrew backe into their countrie, and durst not abide the bickering; either because they mistrusted an infortunat euent on their side, by reason of the English prowesse; or else for that they had learned by others ouerthrowes to auoid the like, wherein standeth a profitable point of wisedome, as the poet verie sententiouslie saith,

Feliciter sapit qui in alieno periculo sapit.

[Sidenote: _Plautus._]

[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Oldcastell.]

[Sidenote: The seruants of the abbot of S. Albons go about to catch the lord Cobham.]

The same time, the lord Cobham, sir Iohn Oldcastell, whilest he shifted from place to place to escape the hands of them, who he knew would be glad to laie hold on him, had conueied himselfe in secret wise into an husbandmans house, not farre from S. Albons, within the precinct of a lordship belonging to the abbat of that towne. The abbats seruants getting knowledge hereof, came thither by night, but they missed their purpose, for he was gone; but they caught diuerse of his men, whome they caried streict to prison. The lord Cobham herewith was sore dismaied, for that some of them that were taken were such as he trusted most, being of counsell in all his deuises. In the same place, were found books written in English, and some of those books in times past had béene trimlie gilt, limned, and beautified with images, the heads whereof had béene scraped off, and in the Letanie they had boltted foorth the name of our ladie, and of other saints, till they came to the verse Parce nobis Dommine. Diuerse writings were found there also, in derogation of such honor as then was thought due our ladie. The abbat of saint Albons sent the booke so difigured with scrapings & blottings out, with other such writings as there were found, vnto the king; who sent the booke againe to the archbishop, to shew the same in his sermons at Paules crosse in London, to the end that the citizens and other people of the realme might vnderstand the purposes of those that then were called Lollards, to bring them further in discredit with the people.

[Sidenote: Commendation of the Dolphin of France.]

In this meane time that the king of England was occupied about Caen, the Frenchmen had neither anie sufficient power to resist him, nor were able to assemble an host togither in their necessitie, by reason of the dissention among themselues: for their king was so simple, that he was spoiled both of treasure and kingdome, so that euerie man spent and wasted he cared not what. Charles the Dolphin being of the age of sixtéene or seauentéene yeares, bewailed the ruine and decaie or his countrie, he onelie studied the reléefe of the common-wealth, and deuised how to resist his enimies; but hauing neither men nor monie, was greatlie troubled and disquieted in mind. In conclusion, by the aduise and counsell of the earle of Arminacke the constable of France, he found a meane to get all the treasure & riches which his moother quéene Isabell had gotten and hoorded in diuerse secret places: and for the common defense and profit of his countrie he wiselie bestowed it in waging souldiers, and preparing of things necessarie for the warre.

[Sidenote: The yoong Dolphin fléeced his old moother of hir treasure, what mischéefe rose vpon it.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie chéefe dooer in France.]

The quéene forgetting the great perill that the realme then stood in, remembring onelie the displeasure to hir by this act doone, vpon a womanish malice, set hir husband Iohn duke of Burgognie in the highest authoritie about the king, giuing him the regiment and direction of the king and his realme, with all preheminence & souereigntie. The duke of Burgognie hauing the sword in his hand, in reuenge of old iniuries, began to make warre on the Dolphin, determining, that when he had tamed this yoong vnbrideled gentleman, then would he go about to withstand, and beat backe the common enimies of the realme. The like reason mooued the Dolphin, for he minded first to represse the authours of ciuill discord, before he would set vpon forreine enimies, and therefore prepared to subdue and destroie the duke of Burgognie, as the chéefe head of that mischéefe, whereby the realme was vnquieted, decaied, and in manner brought to vtter ruine. Thus was France afflicted, and in euerie part troubled with warre and diuision, and no man to prouide remedie, nor once put foorth his finger for helpe or succour.

[Sidenote: Baieux tak[=e].]

[Sidenote: Liseaux taken.]

[Sidenote: Caen peopled with English inhabitants.]

[Sidenote: A worthie & rare example of equitie in king Henrie.]