Part 10

The bishop of Terwine, chancellor there for king Henrie, the lord Willoughbie, and sir Simon Morhier, tooke great paine to appease the people: but when they saw that all auailed not, they withdrew into the bastile of saint Anthonie, which fortresse they had well vittelled, and furnished with men and munitions. Whilest this rumor was in the towne, the earle of Dunois and others scaled the walles, and some passed the riuer by botes, and opened gate of saint Iames, by the which the constable with his banner displaied, entered, at whose entrie the Parisiens made great ioy. The bishop and the lord Willoughbie, with their small companie, defended their fortresse ten daies, looking for aid: but when they saw that no comfort appeared, they yéelded their fortresse, so that they and theirs, with certeine baggage, might peaceablie returne to Rone. Thus was the citie of Paris brought into the possession of Charles the French king, through the vntrue demeanour of the citizens, who contrarie to their oths, and promised allegiance, like false and inconstant people, so reuolted from the English.

After this glorious gaine, the Frenchmen besieged the towne of Craill vpon Oise, wherof sir William Chamberlaine was capteine, the which with fiue hundred Englishmen issued out of the towne, and after long fight, discomfited his enimies, & slue two hundred, and tooke a great number prisoners: the remnant not liking the market departed to Campaigne, and other townes adioining. During which season, twelue burgesses of the towne of Gisours sold it for monie vnto Poiton de Xantrailes. But he had not the castell deliuered, & therefore with all his power he besieged the same; whereof the lord Talbot being aduertised, sent for the lord Scales, and they both with eightéene hundred men rescued the castell, tooke the towne, and discomfited their enimies, and slue of them foure hundred persons.

[Sidenote: The duke s[=e]t into France too late.]

Now according to the old saieng (when the stéed is stolen shut the stable doore) the duke of Yorke appointed at the last parlement to be regent of France (after that Paris, Saint Denis, Saint Germans in Laie, and diuerse other townes in France were taken and betraied for lacke of conuenient succours) was sent ouer into Normandie with eight thousand men, and in his companie, the earles of Salisburie, and Suffolke, and the lord Fawconbridge, and diuerse other valiant capteins. When he was landed, the earle of Salisburie besieged the castell of Chambois which shortlie was to him rendered. Then the duke remooued to Rone, where he set good orders, and did great iustice to the countrie; wherefore the Normans in their chronicles highlie extoll him for that point. Howbeit they saie, that he gat by long siege the towne and abbeie of Fecampe, and did none other notable act, during the time of his rule and gouernment.

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie prepareth an armie against Calis.]

In this fourtéenth yeare, the duke of Burgognie determined by the aduise of his councell, to attempt the winning of Calis. The prouision was woonderous great which was made for the atchiuing of this enterprise: whereof sir Iohn Ratcliffe, deputie of the towne of Calis, hauing perfect intelligence, aduertised king Henrie, and his councell, who incontinentlie sent thither the earle of Mortaigne, sonne to the duke of Summerset, and the lord Camois, with fiftéene hundred men, and great foison of vittels, that issued out of Calis, and came before Grauelin, where they were incountered with a great number of Flemings, who were shortlie discomfited, foure hundred of them slaine, and six score taken prisoners. Within two daies after, the Englishmen draue by fine force the lords of Warren and Bado to the barriers of Ard, and discomfited their whole companie, to the number of fiftéene hundred, slue seauen valiant capteins, and tooke manie gentlemen prisoners.

[Sidenote: The Duke of Burgognie with fortie thousand m[=e].]

The duke of Burgognie, remaining still in his former purpose, assembled togither, of Flemings, Picards, Hollanders, and Heneweirs, a great armie, to the number of fortie thousand, so well armed, so well vitteled, so well furnished with ordinance, and garnished in all things, that they thought and blazed amongst themselues, that the Calisians would leaue their towne desolate, and flée for their safegard, hearing onelie of the dukes approch: but they reckoned without their host; and so paid a déerer shot than they looked for. Now when this mightie armie was past the water of Grauelin, the duke intending to begin his feats, assaulted the little poore castell of Oie, which hauing in it but fiftie souldiers, whereof twelue sold their liues déerelie; the remnant (compelled by necessitie) yéelded themselues to the dukes mercie. Which to please the Gantois (being of number most puissant in all the armie) liberallie gaue to them, both the castell and prisoners, who (rude and cruell people) not onelie raced the castell but also hanged nine and twentie of the captiues, and had so doone with the residue, if the duke, offended at their crueltie, had not willed a staie.

[Sidenote: Calis besieged by the Duke of Burgognie.]

After this feat doone, the Picards besieged the castell of Marke, and gaue thrée assaults to it. The Englishmen within, being in number two hundred and six, vnder the gouernement of their capteine sir Iohn Gedding, valiantlie defended the place; vntill at length, despairing of succours, they yéelded themselues (their liues and lims saued.) The castell of Marke being thus deliuered, was raced to the ground. Then the duke, accompanied with the duke of Cleues, the earle of Estampes, the lords of Dantoing, Croie, Crisquie, Humiers, and manie other barons and knights, with his great armie, came before Calis, & placed his siege about the same most to his aduantage: he gaue thrée assaults, and gained nothing by them, but constreined to kéepe them further off. At the first assault, the Hire which was come to sée the duke of Burgognie, was sore wounded and hurt. A cooling card it was also vnto them, still to sée ships arriued in the hauen out of England, openlie before their faces, laden with vittels, munition and men.

[Sidenote: The dukes enterprise to bar the hauen.]

The duke on a daie riding about to view the situation of the towne, to the intent to take his most aduantage (either by assault or otherwise) was quickelie espied, and with the shot of a canon, a trumpetter, which rode next before him, and thrée horsses in his companie were slaine out of hand. The lord of Croie, and a conuenient number with him, was appointed to besiege the castell of Guisnes, where he got little profit, and did lesse harme. Moreouer, for the better aduancing of his enterprise, the duke minded to stop vp the hauen; so that no succours should enter there. Herevpon, he caused foure great hulkes to be fraught with great square stones, cemented and ioined togither with lead, to the intent they should lie still like a mount, and not seuer in sunder.

These ships, with the residue of the dukes nauie, were conueied into the mouth of Calis hauen, and at a full sea, by craft and policie, were soonke downe to the ground. But whether God would not that the hauen should be destroied, either the conueiers of the hulkes knew not the verie chanell; these foure great ships, at the low water, laie openlie vpon the sands, without hurting the rode or chanell. Which when the souldiers perceiued, they issued out of the towne, brake the ships, and caried both the stones and timber into the towne. An other deuise the duke had, which was the building of a strong bastile vpon a little mountaine, which he furnished with foure hundred men, and much artillerie, that did impeach the Englishmen from issuing foorth of the towne, to their great displeasure.

Whilest these things were adooing, there came to the duke an herald called Penbroke, belonging to duke of Glocester, who declared to the duke of Burgognie, that the protector of England his maister (if God would send him wind & weather) would giue him battell, either there, or in anie other place within his owne countrie, where he would appoint, and that with spéed, if God vouchsafed him wind and weather. The duke answered the herald; "Sir, saie to your maister, that his chalenge is both honorable and reasonable: howbeit, he shall not néed to take the paines to séeke me in mine owne countrie, for (God willing) he shall find me héere, till I haue my will of the towne, readie to abide him and all the power he can bring." After the herald had receiued this answer, he was highlie chéered, and had a cup and an hundred guildens to him giuen in reward, and so he returned to Calis.

[Sidenote: The dukes bastile woone.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie breaketh vp the siege before Calis, and fléeth, the 26 of Iulie.]

After whose departure, the duke called a councell in the chéefe pauilion of the Gantois, about this message of the English herald, where it was determined with great courage, that they would abide the battell, if the duke of Glocester came to offer it. Whilest this great matter was in consultation, the Calisians, not well content with the bastile which the duke had newlie builded, issued out of the towne in great number, part on horssebacke and part on foot. The footmen ran to assault the bastile, and the horssemen went betwéene the armie & the assailants, to stop the aid and succours that might come. Vpon the sounding of the alarme, the duke himselfe in person was comming on foot, to reléeue his men: but being kept backe a space by the English horssemen, in that delaie of time, the bastile was woone by fine force, and eight score persons of those that kept it slaine, beside the residue which were taken prisoners, and led to Calis with all the ordinance and artillerie, to the high displeasure of the duke and his prudent councell. The next daie after, there sprang a rumor in the armie (no man could tell how) that the duke of Glocester with a great puissance was alreadie imbarked, and would arriue at the next tide. The same night the duke fled awaie, and sent in all hast to the lord of Croie, to raise his siege before Guisnes, which tidings were to him verie ioious, for he neither got nor saued. So these two capteins departed, leauing behind them, both ordinance, vittels, & great riches. ¶ The French writers (to saue the honor of the duke of Burgognie) saie, that there was a certeine discord and commotion amongst the Flemings and Duch nation, affirming, that the great lords and the Picards (whome the Frenchmen greatlie extoll) would betraie and sell the Flemings and their fréends, and that for the same cause in a great furie they cried; Home, home: and would not tarrie for anie request that the duke could make, and so by their misgouernance, the duke was inforced to raise his siege, and to depart. The Flemish authors affirme the contrarie, saieng, that they were readie to abide the comming of the duke of Glocester: but the duke of Burgognie fearing to be intrapped betwéene the English armie without, and the garrison within the towne of Calis, fled awaie in the night, giuing to them no warning thereof before, so that for lacke of time, and conuenient space to lade and carrie their stuffe, and being commanded vpon the sudden to dislodge with all spéed, they left behind them their vittels, tents, and other things, to their great losse and detriment.

[Sidenote: A gun called Digeon.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Glocester spoileth Flanders.]

Howsoeuer the matter was, the truth is, that he fled the six and twentith daie of Iulie, in the night. And the next daie in the morning, the duke of Glocester landed in Calis hauen, & streight went into the campe, where his enimies the night before were lodged, and there he found manie faire péeces of ordinance, and speciallie one called Digeon: so named, after the chéefe towne of Burgognie; beside pauilions, wine, béere, meale, and innumerable vittels. The duke of Glocester, séeing his enimies reculed, hauing in his companie fiue and twentie thousand men, entered into Flanders, burning houses, killing such as made resistance, destroieng the countrie on euerie part, setting fire in the townes of Poperinch, Bailleull, and others. Also, they wasted the suburbes of diuerse closed townes, and after passed by Newcastell, Rimesture, and Valon chapell: and then entering into Artois, they came to Arques and Blandesques, setting fire in euerie part where they came. Thus they passed by saint Omers, and finallie by Arde returned to Guisnes: and so to Calis at the six wéeks end, with great booties of cattell and riches.

[Sidenote: _Barlund._]

[Sidenote: _Enguerant._]

[Sidenote: The king of Scots fled from his siege at Rockesburgh.]

In all this their iournie, they had but small store of bread, which caused much faintnesse and diuerse diseases in the armie, whereof a greater number died than did of the enimies sword: and yet the Flemings write, that they of Bruges distressed to the number of two thousand Englishmen in this iournie. Howbeit, the French writers affirme, that the Englishmen lost more of their companie in the marches about Ard, than they did in all other places where they had béene before, hauing passed through the parties of Flanders, without incounter, or any damage doone to them by the enimies. After that, the duke of Glocester returned into England, where he was aduertised, that Iames king of Scots had besieged the castell of Rockesburgh with thirtie thousand men: but the capteine thereof, sir Rafe Greie defended it so manfullie, for the space of twentie daies, that king Iames being then aduertised, that the earle of Northumberland was comming to fight with him, fled with no lesse losse than dishonor, and inough of both.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 15.]

[Sidenote: A truce taken betwéene the king of England and the duchesse of Burgognie.]

Shortlie after that the duke of Burgognie had béene before Calis, at the desire of princes, a truce for a time was moued to be had betwéene the king of England & the said duke. For which cause were sent to Grauelin for the king of England, Henrie Beauford cardinall of Winchester, Iohn lord Mowbraie duke of Northfolke, Humfrie earle of Stafford, and diuerse other well learned & honorable personages. And for the duke of Burgognie, there appeared the duchesse his wife, the bishop of Arras, the lord of Croie, and diuerse other. At this treatie, a truce was taken for a small time, and for a lesse obserued, which was concluded betwéene the king of England, and the duchesse of Burgognie (interlacing the duke and his name.)

[Sidenote: _Hall._]

Some thinke, that the king of England would neuer enter in league with him, bicause he had broken his promise, oth, and writing sealed to him, and to his father. Other imagined this to be doone of a cautell, to cast a mist before the French kings eies, to the intent he should beléeue that this feat was wrought by the duchesse, without assent or knowledge of the duke or his councell; and so he was not bound to accomplish anie act or thing doone in his wiues treatie. Thus may you sée, that princes sometime with such vaine glosses and scornefull expositions will hide their dooings, and cloke their purposes; to the intent they would not either be espied, or else that they may plucke their heads out of the collar at their pleasure. But (as the common opinion goeth) he which is a promise-breaker escapeth not alwaies with impunitie. For it is well séene by dailie and vsuall euents both in princes and priuat persons, that for violating their faith, and breaking of promise, manie discommodities arise, and inconueniences not a few doo follow. To the due kéeping whereof the heathen bare such a religious conscience, that a prophane man in respect of others, preferreth it before sacrifice, the sentence is of great excellencie out of a pagans mouth:

Non boue mactato coelestia numina gaudent, Sed quæ præstanda est & sine teste fide.

[Sidenote: 1437.]

[Sidenote: Katharine mother to king Henrie maried Owen Teuther.]

About this season, quéene Katharine mother to the king of England departed out of this life, and was buried by hir husband in the abbeie of Westminster. This woman, after the death of king Henrie the fift hir husband, being yoong and lustie, following more hir owne wanton appetite than fréendlie counsell, and regarding more priuate affection than princelike honour, tooke to husband priuilie a galant gentleman and a right beautifull person, indued with manie goodlie gifts both of bodie & mind, called Owen Teuther, a man descended of the noble linage and ancient line of Cadwallader last king of the Britains. By this Owen she brought foorth thrée goodlie sonnes, Edmund, Iasper, and another that was a monke in Westminster and liued a small time: also a daughter which in hir youth departed out of this transitorie life.

[Sidenote: _Ab. Fl._]

King Henrie, after the death of his mother, bicause, they were his brethren of one wombe, created Edmund earle of Richmund, and Iasper earle of Penbroke: which Edmund of Margaret daughter and sole heire to Iohn duke of Summerset begat Henrie, who after was king of this realme, called Henrie the seuenth, of whome ye shall heare more in place conuenient. This Owen, after the death of the quéene his wife, was apprehended and committed to ward, bicause that (contrarie to the statute made in the sixt yeare of this king) he presumptuouslie had maried the quéene, without the kings especiall assent, out of which prison he escaped, and let out other with him, but was againe apprehended, and after escaped againe. ¶ Polychronicon saith that he was a squier of low birth and like degrée, the same author also reporteth that he was commanded to Newgate by the duke of Glocester then lord protector of the realme: out of which prison he brake by the helpe of a préest that was his chapline. Neuerthelesse he was apprehended afterwards by the lord Beaumont, & brought againe to Newgate, whence (when he had remained there a while) he was deliuered and set at libertie.

[Sidenote: Quéene Elizabeth.]

The duchesse of Bedford also, sister to Lewes erle of S. Paule, more for affection than increase of honour, without councell of hir fréends, maried a lustie yoong knight, called sir Richard Wooduile, to the great displeasure of hir vncle the bishop of Terwine, and the earle hir brother. This sir Richard was made baron of Riuers, and after earle, and had by this ladie manie noble sonnes, and faire daughters, of the which one was the ladie Elizabeth, after quéene of England, by reason she was married vnto Edward the fourth. ¶ Whilest this marriage was a celebrating, Iane late quéene of England, and before duchesse of Britaine, daughter to the king of Nauarre, and wife to king Henrie the fourth, died at the manor of Hauering, and was buried by hir husband at Canturburie. ¶ About the same time, deceassed also the countesse of Warwike, and Henrie archbishop of Yorke.

[Sidenote: Harflue besieged and woon by the Englishmen.]

In this yeare also, the duke of Summerset, accompanied with the lords of Fauconbridge, Talbot, sir Francis Surien, the Arrogonnois, Matthew [17]Gough, Thomas Paulet, Thomas Harington, Walter Limbrike, Iohn Gedding, William Watton, esquiers, and Thomas Hilton bailiffe of Rone, with a great companie of the English partie, besieged the towne of Harflue (latelie before gotten by the Frenchmen) both by water and land: the capteine within the towne was one sir Iohn d'Estouteuille, hauing his brother Robert with him, and a six hundred good fighting men. The assailants cast trenches and so fortified themselues in their campe and lodgings, that when the earles of Ew and Dunois, the valiant bastard of Bourbon, the lord Gawcourt, and other famous capteins, with a foure thousand men, sent to the rescue of them within, came before the towne, they could not succour their fréends, nor annoie their enimies by any meanes they could deuise; & so for feare to lose honour, they returned backe againe, with much trauell and little profit.

[17] Or rather Goche.

[Sidenote: The duke of Summersets infortunatnes.]

[Sidenote: Iames king of Scots murthered.]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Polychr._]

The capteins within the towne perceiuing they could not be aided, did shortlie after render the towne to the duke of Summerset; who after committed it to the kéeping of Thomas Paulet, William Limbrike, Christopher Barber, and George saint George, which manie yeares (till the diuision began in England) manfullie and valiantlie defended both the towne and the hauen. But afterward, when this duke of Summerset was regent and gouernour of Normandie, he not onlie lost this towne of Harflue, but also the citie of Rone, and the whole duchie of Normandie, whereas now (being but a deputie) he got it to his high praise and glorie. In this yeare was Iames king of Scots murthered by certeine traitors of his own subiects [euen in his bedchamber by night, which king (saith Polychr.) had béene prisoner in England fiftéene yeares, the murtherers of whom being afterwards taken, were terriblie executed.]

[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike made regent of France.]

The lord Talbot besieged Tankeruile, and after foure moneths had it simplie to him rendered. This towne was no great gaine to the Englishmen, for in the meane season, the French king in his owne person besieged the strong towne of Monstreau fault Yonne; whereof Thomas Gerard being capteine, more for desire of reward, than for feare of enimies, sold the towne to the French king, and had of him great gifts and interteinement, as afterwards was openlie knowen. This towne had béene rescued of the French king fought withall, if one chance had not happened. For the duke of Yorke about that time was discharged of his office, and the earle of Warwike preferred to the same, so that the duke of Yorke, lieng as then at Rone, would haue gladlie rescued the towne, if his authoritie had not surceassed; and the earle of Warwike could not come in time, for the wind was contrarie to him.

This present yeare was a parlement holden at Westminster, in the which manie good and profitable acts for the preseruation of concord at home, and defense against the enimies abroad, were ordeined and deuised. ¶ Arthur of Britaine constable of France, and Iohn duke of Alanson, were sent by the French king into Normandie, with a great armie, to besiege the towne of Auranches, standing vpon the knob of an hill: where after they had laien a certeine space without gaine, the lord Talbot with a valiant companie of men came thither, and offered the enimies battell. Which when they at all hands refused, the lord Talbot perceiuing their faint harts, raised his field, and in the open sight of them all, entered into the towne, and the next daie issued out; and finding the Frenchmen riding abroad to destroie the plaine countrie, he compassed them about, and slue manie of them, and tooke diuerse prisoners. Although the Frenchmen got neither honor nor profit by this iournie, yet they enterprised a greater matter, as the winning of Rone; in so much that Pouton de Santreils, and the Hire, with manie other notable capteins, hauing promise of certeine burgesses of that citie to haue entrie made them, secretlie in the night came forward to a towne called Rise or Riz, not past foure leagues from Rone, and there lodged.