Part 7

King Henrie in the meane time following victorie and his good successe, sent the duke of Clarence to the sea coast, where (with great difficultie) he got the towne of Baieux, whereof the lord Matreuers was appointed capteine. The duke of Glocester also finding small resistance, tooke the citie of Liseaux, of which citie sir Iohn Kirkleie was ordeined capteine. King Henrie himselfe taried still at Caen, fortifieng the towne and castell, and put out fiftéene hundred women and impotent persons, replenishing the towne with English people. Where while the king soiourned, he kept a solemne feast, and made manie knights; beside that, he shewed there an example of great pitie and clemencie: for in searching the castell, he found innumerable substance of plate and monie belonging to the citizens, whereof he would not suffer one penie to be touched, but restored the same to the owners, deliuering to euerie man that which was his owne.

[Sidenote: The Normans willinglie sworne English.]

When the fame of his mercifull dealing herein, of his bountie to captiues, and of his fauourable vsing of those that submitted themselues to his grace, was spred abroad, all the capteins of the townes adioining, came willinglie to his presence, offering to him themselues, their townes, and their goods, whervpon he made proclamation, that all men, which had, or would become his subiects, and sweare to him allegiance, should inioy their goods, and liberties, in as large or more ample maner, than they did before: which gentle interteining of the stubborne Normans, was the verie cause, why they were not onlie content, but also glad to remooue and turne from the French part, and become subiects to the crowne of England.

[Sidenote: The castell of Courfie rendered.]

[Sidenote: Argenton builded.]

[Sidenote: The voluntarie subiection of the French.]

[Sidenote: Sées yéelded.]

When the king had set Caen in good order, he left there for capteins, the one of the towne, the other of the castell, sir Gilbert Umfreuill earle of Kime or Angus, & sir Gilbert Talbot, and made bailiffe there sir Iohn Popham, and so departed from Caen the first of October, and comming to the castell of Courfie, within thrée daies had it rendred to him. From whence, the fourth of October, he came vnto Argenton; they within that towne and castell offered, that if no rescue came by a daie limited, they would deliuer both the towne and castell into the kings hands, so that such as would abide and become the kings faithfull subiects should be receiued, the other to depart with their goods and liues saued whither they would: the king accepted their offer. When the daie limited came, and no succours appeared, they yéelded according to the couenants, and the king performed all that on his behalfe was promised. The lord Graie of Codnor was appointed capteine there. After this, resorted dailie to the king, of the Normans, people of all sorts and degrées, to sweare to him fealtie and homage. The citie of Sées which was well inhabited, and wherein were two abbeies of great strength, one of them yéelded to the king, and so likewise did diuerse other townes in those parties, without stroke striken.

[Sidenote: Alanson besieged and yéelded vp.]

[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]

The towne of Alanson abode a siege for the space of eight daies; they within defending it right valiantlie at the first; but in the end, considering with themselues, what small hope there was for anie succours to come to remooue the siege, they grew to a composition, that if within a certeine daie they were not reléeued, they should yéeld both the towne and castell into the kings hands, which was doone: for no succours could be heard of. The king appointed capteine of this towne, the duke of Glocester, and his lieutenant sir Ralfe Lentall. The duke of Britaine vnder safe conduct came to the king, as he was thus busie in the conquest of Normandie, and after sundrie points treated of betwixt them, a truce was taken, to indure from the seuenth daie of Nouember, vnto the last of September, in the yeare next following, betwixt them, their souldiers, men of warre, and subiects. The like truce was granted vnto the quéene of Ierusalem and Sicill, & to hir sonne Lewes, for the duchie of Aniou, and the countie of Maine, the duke of Britaine being their deputie for concluding of the same truce.

[Sidenote: A truce taken betwéene king Henrie and the duke of Britaine.]

[Sidenote: Faleis besieged.]

About the same time also, at the sute of Charles the Dolphin, a treatie was in hand at Touque, for a finall peace, but it came to none effect. From Alanson the king set forward towards the towne and castell of Faleis, meaning to besiege the same, where the Frenchmen appointed to the kéeping of it, had fortified the towne by all meanes possible, and prepared themselues to defend it to the vttermost. The earle of Salisburie was first sent thither before with certeine bands of souldiers to inclose the enimies within the towne, & to view the strength thereof. After him came the king with his whole armie, about the first of December, and then was the towne besieged on ech side. The king lodged before the gate that leadeth to Caen, the duke of Clarence before the castell that standeth on a rocke and the duke of Glocester laie on the kings right hand, and other lords & noble men were assigned to their places as was thought expedient. And to be sure from taking damage by anie sudden inuasion of the enimies, there were great trenches and rampiers cast and made about their seuerall campes, for defense of the same.

[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]

[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Oldcastell taken.]

The Frenchmen notwithstanding this siege, valiantlie defended their wals, and sometimes made issues foorth, but small to their gaine: and still the Englishmen with their guns and great ordinance made batterie to the wals and bulworks. The winter season was verie cold, with sharpe frost, & hard weather; but the Englishmen made such shift for prouision of all things necessarie to serue their turns, that they were sufficientlie prouided, both against hunger and cold: so that in the end, the Frenchmen perceiuing they could not long indure against them, offered to talke, and agréed to giue ouer the towne, if no rescue came by a certeine daie appointed. About the same season was sir Iohn Oldcastell, lord Cobham taken, in the countrie of Powes land, in the borders of Wales, within a lordship belonging to the lord Powes, not without danger and hurts of some that were at the taking of him: for they could not take him, till he was wounded himselfe.

[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Oldcastell executed.]

At the same time, the states of the realme were assembled at London, for the leuieng of monie, to furnish the kings great charges, which he was at about the maintenance of his wars in France: it was therefore determined, that the said sir Iohn Oldcastell should be brought, and put to his triall, yer the assemblie brake vp. The lord Powes therefore was sent to fetch him, who brought him to London in a litter, wounded as he was: herewith, being first laid fast in the Tower, shortlie after he was brought before the duke of Bedford, regent of the realme, and the other estates, where in the end he was condemned; and finallie was drawen from the Tower vnto saint Giles field, and there hanged in a chaine by the middle, and after consumed with fire, the gallowes and all.

[Sidenote: 1418]

[Sidenote: Faleis rendered vp to king Henrie.]

When the daie was come, on the which it was couenanted that the towne of Faleis should deliuered, to wit, the second of Ianuarie, because no succours appeared, the towne was yéelded to the king: but the castell held out still, into the which the capteine and gouernour both of the towne and castell had withdrawne themselues, with all the souldiers; and being streictlie besieged, the capteine defended himselfe and the place right stoutlie, although he was sore laid to, vntill at length, perceiuing his people wearied with continuall assaults, and such approches as were made to and within the verie wals, he was driuen to compound with the king, that if he were not succoured by the sixt of Februarie, then should he yéeld himselfe prisoner, and deliuer the castell; so that the souldiers should haue licence to depart, with their liues onelie saued. When the daie came, the couenants were performed, and the castell rendered to the kings hands, for no aid came to the rescue of them within. The capteine named Oliuer de Mannie was kept as prisoner, till the castell was repared at his costs and charges, because the same, through his obstinat wilfulnesse, was sore beaten and defaced, with vnderminings and batterie. Capteine there, by the king, was appointed sir Henrie Fitz Hugh.

[Sidenote: _Histoir des ducs de Normandie._]

[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsin. Titus Liuius._]

After this, king Henrie returned to Caen, and by reason of a proclamation which he had caused to be made for the people of Normandie, that had withdrawne themselues foorth of the baliwicks of Caen and Faleis, he granted awaie to his owne people the lands of those that came not in vpon that proclamation, and in speciall, he gaue to the duke of Clarence, during his life, the vicounties of Auge, Orbec, and Ponteau de Mer, with all the lands of those that were withdrawne foorth of the same vicounties. This gift was made the sixtéenth of Februarie, in this fift yeare of this kings reigne. All the Lent season, the king laie at Baieux with part of his armie, but the residue were sent abroad, for the atchiuing of certeine enterprises, because they should not lie idle.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Fabian_ pag. 397 and _Iohn Stow._ pag. 598.]

[Sidenote: Slaughter and bloudshed in S. Dunstans church on Easter day.]

[Sidenote: Women full of mischéefe.]

¶ In this yeare 1418, and in the first yeare of the reigne of this victorious king, Henrie the fift, on Easter daie in the after noone (a time which required deuotion) at a sermon in saint Dunstans in the east of London, a great fraie happened in the said church, where through manie people were sore wounded, and one Thomas Petwarden fishmonger that dwelt at Sprots keie was slame outright; as they (vpon a good intent) did what they could (to their owne perill as vnfortunatlie it befell) to appease the turmoile, and to procure the kéeping of the kings peace. Herevpon the church was suspended, and the beginners of the broile, namelie the lord Strange and sir Iohn Trussell knight (betwéene whome such coles of vnkindnesse were kindled (at the instigation of their wiues, gentlewomen of euill disposition and at curssed hatred one with another) that their husbands ment at their méeting in the said church to haue slaine one another) were committed to the counter in the Pultrie. Two wise gentlemen (I wisse) and well aduised (no doubt) who without regard of day, place, people, preacher, or perill that might insue; were so forward to become the instrument of their mischieuous wiues malice; the fulfilling wherof they would haue forborne, if with discretion they had pondered the verdict of the poet concerning the said sex:

Foemina lætalis, foemina plena malis.

[Sidenote: _Record. Cant._]

[Sidenote: The principall offendors punishment.]

The archbishop of Canturburie, when he had intelligence giuen of this outragious prophanation of the church, caused the offendors to be excommunicat, as well at Paules, as in all other parish churches of London. Shortlie after, to wit on the one and twentith of Aprill, the said archbishop sat at saint Magnus, vpon inquisition for the authors of the said disorder, and found the fault to consist speciallie in the lord Strange and his wife. So that vpon the first daie of Maie next following in Paules church, before the said archbishop, the maior of London, and others, the said offendors submitted themselues to doo penance, and sware to doo it in such sort as to them it was inioined; namelie, as followeth. That immediatlie all their seruants should (in their shirts) go before the parson of saint Dunstans, from Paules to the said saint Dunstans church; and the lord Strange bare headed, with his ladie barefooted; Reignold Kenwood archdeacon of London following them. Also it was appointed them, that at the consecrating or hallowing of the said church (which they had prophaned) the ladie should fill all the vessels with [1] water, and offer likewise to the altar an ornament of ten pounds; and the lord hir husband a pix of siluer of fiue pounds. Which doone by waie of a satisfactorie expiation, it is likelie they were absolued: but the lord Strange had first made the wife of the said Petwarden slaine in the fraie, large amends: as Fabian saith, though in what sort he maketh no mention.

[1] Not teares of hir c[=o]plaint (I trust) for sorrow of hir sinne.

[Sidenote: A sore t[=e]pest.]

[Sidenote: A violent tempest of wind.]

Whilest the king of England wan thus in Normandie, his nauie lost nothing on the sea, but so scowred the streames, that neither Frenchmen nor Britons durst once appeare; howbeit, on a daie there arose such a storme and hideous tempest, that if the earles of March and Huntington had not taken the hauen of Southampton, the whole nauie had perished; & yet the safegard was strange, for in the same hauen, two balingers, and two great carickes, laden with merchandize were drowned, and the broken mast of another caricke was blowen ouer the wall of the towne. When the furie of this outragious wind and weather was asswaged, and the sea waxed calme, the earles of March and Huntington passed ouer with all their companie, and landing in Normandie, they marched through the countrie, destroieng the French villages, and taking preies on each hand, till they came to the king where he then was.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.]

[Sidenote: Townes in Normandie yéelded to K. Henrie.]

In the sixt yeare of king Henries reigne, he sent the earle of Warwike, and the lord Talbot, to besiege the strong castell of Dampfront. The duke of Clarence was also sent to besiege and subdue other townes, vnto whome, at one time and other, we find, that these townes vnderwritten were yéelded, wherein he put capteins as followeth. In Courton Iohn Aubin, in Barney William Houghton, in Chambis Iames Neuill, in Bechelouin the earle Marshall, in Harecourt Richard Wooduill esquier, in Fangernon Iohn S. Albon, in Creuener sir Iohn Kirbie to whom it was giuen, in Anuilliers Robert Hornebie, in Bagles sir Iohn Arthur, in Fresnie le vicont sir Robert Brent.

The duke of Glocester the same time, accompanied with the earle of March, the lord Greie of Codner, and other was sent to subdue the townes in the Ile of Constantine, vnto whome these townes hereafter mentioned were yéelded, where he appointed capteins as followeth. At Carentine the lord Botreux, at Saint Lo Reginald West, at Valoignes Thomas Burgh, at Pont Done Dauie Howell, at the Haie de Pais sir Iohn Aston, at saint Sauieur le vicont sir Iohn Robsert, at Pontorson sir Robert Gargraue, at Hamberie the earle of Suffolke lord of that place by gift, at Briqueuill the said earle also by gift, at Auranches sir Philip Hall bailiffe of Alanson, at Vire the lord Matreuers, at S. Iames de Beumeron the same lord.

[Sidenote: Chierburgh besieged by the English.]

After that the duke had subdued to the kings dominion, the most part of all the townes in that Ile of Constantine, Chierburgh excepted, he returned to the king, and forthwith was sent thither againe to besiege that strong fortresse, which was fenced with men, munition, vittels, and strong walles, towers, and turrets, in most defensible wise, by reason whereof it was holden against him the space of fiue moneths, although he vsed all waies and meanes possible to annoie them within, so that manie fierce assaults, skirmishes, issues, and other exploits of warre were atchieued, betwixt the Frenchmen within, and the Englishmen without: yet at length, the Frenchmen were so constreined by power of baterie, mines, and other forceable waies of approchings, that they were glad to compound to deliuer the place, if no rescue came to raise the siege, either from the Dolphin, that then was retired into Aquitane, or from the duke of Burgognie that then laie at Paris, within the terme of thrée score and two daies (for so long respit the duke granted) but they trusting further vpon his lenitie and gentlenesse hoped to get a far longer terme.

Now were the Dolphin and the duke of Burgognie growen to a certeine agréement, by mediation of cardinals sent from the pope, so that the Englishmen suerlie thought that they would leauie a power, and come downe to rescue Chierburg. The duke of Glocester therefore caused his camps to be stronglie intrenched, and manie defensible blockehouses of timber to be raised, like to small turrets, that the same might be a safegard to his people, and to conclude, left nothing vnforeséene nor vndoone, that was auailable for the defense of his armie. The king doubting least some power should be sent downe, to the danger of his brother, and those that were with him at this siege, caused two thousand men to be imbarked in thirtie ships of the west countrie, by order sent vnto certeine lords there.

[Sidenote: Chierburgh yéelded to the Englishmen.]

[Sidenote: The castell of Dampfront yéelded.]

[Sidenote: W. P.]

The Frenchmen within the towne, perceiuing those succors to approch néere to the towne, thought verelie that there had béene a power of Frenchmen comming to their aid: but when they saw them receiued as fréends into the English campe, their comfort was soone quailed; and so when the daie appointed came, being the ninetéenth of October, or rather about the later end of Nouember (as the historic of the dukes of Normandie hath) they rendred vp both the towne and castell, according to the couenants. The lord Greie of Codnore was made the kings lieutenant there, and after his deceasse, sir Walter Hungerford. About the same time, or rather before, as Titus Liuius writeth, to wit, the two and twentith of Iune, the strong castell of Dampfront was yéelded into the hands of the earle of Warwike, to the kings vse. But the historie writen of the dukes of Normandie affirmeth, that it was surrendred the two and twentith of September, after the siege had c[=o]tinued about it from Aprill last. The king by honorable report of other, and of his owne speciall knowledge, so rightlie ascerteined of the great valure that (for feats at armes and policie in warre) was alwaies found in the person of that Iohn Bromley esquier (spoken of a little here before) for which his maiestie so sundrie waies roiallie rewarded him againe; some specialtie yet of the gentlemans merits togither with the souereignes bountie to him among other, séemes here (at mention of this Dampfront, whereof shortlie after he was capteine) verie well to deserue a place: and to that purpose as the king in Iulie went ouer againe, and this Iohn Bromley in Iune the same yeare, with conduct of charge was sent afore, imploieng himselfe still in venturous actiuitie with great annoie to the enimie: his highnesse for good liking of the same, and for hartening and example to other (in Aprill next following) gaue fourtie pounds land to him and his heires males by letters patents in words as followeth, and remaining yet of record in the Tower of London.

A copie of the said letters patents.

HENRICUS Dei gratiâ rex Angliæ & Franciæ & dominus Hiberniæ, omnibus ad quos præsentes litteræ peruenerint salutem. Sciatis quòd de gratiâ nostra speciali & pro bono seruitio quod dilectus seruiens noster Iohannes Bromley nobis impendit & impendet in futurum: dedimus & concessimus ei hospitium de Molay Bacon, infra comitatum nostrum de Baieux, ac omnes terras, tenementa, redditus, hæreditates, & possessiones infra ducatum nostrum Normandiæ, quæ fuerunt Alani de Beaumont nobis rebellis, vt dicitur. Habendum & tenendum præfato Iohanni & hæredibus suis masculis de corpore suo procreatis, hospitium, terras, & tenementa, redditus, hæreditates, & possessiones supradictas, vna cum omnimodis franchesijs, priulegijs, iurisdictionibus, wardis, maritagijs, releuijs, eschetis, forisfacturis, feodis militum, aduocationibus ecclesiarum, & aliorum beneficiorum ecclesiasticor[=u] quorumcúnq; terris, pratis, pasturis, boscis, war[=e]nis, chaseis, aquis, vijs, stagnis, mol[=e]dinis, viuarijs, moris, mariscis, ac alijs c[=o]moditatibus quibuscúnq; dictis hospitio, terris, tenementis, redditibus, hæreditatibus, & possessionibus pertinentibus siue spectantibus, ad valorem quadraginta librarum sterlingorum per annum, tenendis de nobis & hæredibus nostris per homagium, &c.: ac reddendo nobis, & eisdem hæredibus nostris apud castrum nostrum de Baieux vnam zonam pro lorica, ad festum Natuitatis sancti Iohannis Baptistæ singulis annis: nec non faciendo alia seruitia, &c. Reseruato, &c. Prouiso semper, &c. Castro seu ciuitati nostro de Baieux, &c. Qudóq; prædictum hospitium, &c. In cuius rei, &c. Teste me ipso apud dictam ciutatem nostram de Baieux, 18 die Aprilis, anno regni nostri sexto, per ipsum regem.

[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Bromley made capteine of Dampfr[=o]t.]

Yet héereat the noble prince not staieng his bountie, but rather regarding euer how iustlie new merits doo deserue new dignities, and peraduenture the more mooued somewhat to reare vp the degrée of this esquire, toward the state of his stocke, who a long time before had béene indued with knighthood, and also bicause that vnto the duke of Buckingham he was of bloud, which his behauiour alwaies had from staine so farre preserued, as rather brought to it some increase of glorie, did (in the most worthie wise which to that order belongeth) dub him knight of warfare in field, made him also capteine generall of this strong castell of Dampfront, seneshall and great constable of Bosseuile le Rosse, with other offices and titles of worship, as partlie may appeare by a déed, in which this knight taking patterne at his princes benignitie had giuen an annuitie of twentie pounds to his kinsman Walter Audeley.

A copie of that writing sundrie waies so well seruing to the truth of the storie was thought right necessarie héere to be added, thus.