Part 11

And therefore, by procuring the king of Englands power to ioine with his, he supposed his purpose atchiueable with the more facilitie. King Edward not so much for the loue he bare to the duke of Burgognie, as for desire to be reuenged on the French king, whome he tooke to be his enimie for aiding the earle of Warwike, quéene Margaret, and hir sonne prince Edward, with their complices, gaue good eare to the duke of Burgognie his messengers, and finallie (after he had taken aduise of his councell) the said messengers were answered, that king Edward in the beginning of the next yeare would land at Calis with a puissant armie, both to reuenge such injuries as he had receiued at the French kings hands, and also to recouer his right, which he wrongfullie deteined from him.

[Sidenote: Opportunitie not to be neglected.]

[Sidenote: The earle of S. Paule.]

In déed the time serued verie well for the Englishmen to atchiue some high enterprise in France at that present. For not onelie the duke of Burgognie as then made warre against the French king, but also manie great men within the realme of France, misliking the manners of their king, began to haue secret intelligence with the said duke; and namelie Lewes of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule constable of France, was secretlie confederate with the duke of Burgognie, intending verelie to bring the French king to some great hinderance, the better to haue his purpose accomplished in certeine weightie matters. King Edward vnderstanding all these things, was greatlie incouraged to make a iournie into France, and therevpon with all diligence prepared all things readie for the same.

[Sidenote: A shift to recouer monie.]

But bicause he wanted monie, and could not well charge his commons with a new subsidie, for that he had receiued the last yeare great summes of monie granted to him by parlement, he deuised this shift, to call afore him a great number of the wealthiest sort of people in his realme; and to them declaring his néed, and the requisite causes thereof, he demanded of euerie of them some portion of monie, which they sticked not to giue. And therefore the king willing to shew that this their liberalitie was verie acceptable to him, he called this grant of monie, A beneuolence: notwithstanding that manie with grudge gaue great sums toward that new found aid which of them might be called, A meleuolence. But the king vsed such gentle fashions toward them, with freendlie praier of their assistance in his necessitie, that they could not otherwise doo, but franklie and fréelie yéeld and giue him a reasonable and competent summe.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem. ex. Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxvj.]

[Sidenote: _Iohn Stow._]

¶ But here I will not let passe a pretie conceipt that happened in this gathering, in the which you shall not onelie note the humilitie of a king, but more the fantasie of a woman. King Edward had called before him a widow, much abounding in substance, and no lesse growne in yeares, of whome he merilie demanded what she gladlie would giue him toward his great charges? By my trueth quoth she, for thy louelie countenance thou shalt haue euen twentie pounds. The king looking scarse for the halfe of that summe, thanked hir, and louinglie kist hir. Whether the flauor of his breath did so comfort hir stomach, or she esteemed the kisse of a king so pretious a iewell, she swore incontinentlie, that he should haue twentie pounds more, which she with the same will paied that she offered it. ¶ This yeare the duke of Excester was found dead in the sea betwéene Douer and Calis, but how he came there the certeintie could not be knowne.

[Sidenote: 1474.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 14.]

[Sidenote: The K. with an armie passeth ouer into France.]

When all things conuenient for such an enterprise were in a readinesse, the king came to Douer, where he found fiue hundred ships and hoies readie to transport him and his armie. And so the fourth daie of Iulie he passed ouer, and landed at Calis with great triumph; but his armie, horsses, and munitions of war scarse passed ouer in twentie daies. In this armie (being one of the best appointed that had passed out of England into France in manie yeares before) were fifteene hundred men of armes well horssed, of the which the most part were barded and richlie trapped, and manie of them trimmed in one sute. There were also fiftéene thousand archers with bowes and arrowes, of the which a great number were on horsbacke. There were also a great companie of other fighting men, and of such as serued to set vp tents and pauilions, to attend the artillerie and to inclose their campe, and otherwise to labour and be imploied in seruice.

[Sidenote: The siege of Nusse.]

[Sidenote: The lord Scales.]

In all this armie was there not one page. The king of England was at his ariuall highlie displeased with the duke of Burgognie, who in the word of a prince had promised to meet him at his landing, with two thousand men of armes and light horssemen, besides a great number of lanceknights and halberdiers, and that he would haue begun the war three moneths before the kings transporting; whereas contrarilie the duke laie lingering at the siege of Nusse, and let passe the occasion of atchiuing a more profitable enterprise. King Edward incontinentlie dispatched the lord Scales in post vnto the duke, to put him in remembrance of his promise, and to aduise him to come and ioine with him before the summer were spent.

[Sidenote: A defiance sent to the French king.]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxvij.]

Before king Edward departed from Douer, he sent an officer of armes vnto the French king with a defiance. The French king, receiuing the king of Englands letters at the messengers hand, read the same; and after he had considered thereof at leasure, he called the English herald aside, and to him declared the little trust that was to be put in the duke of Burgognie and the constable, by whose procurement he knew that king Edward was procured to come at that season into France; and therefore it should be better for him to haue peace with an old enimie, than to staie vpon the promises and familiaritie of a new dissembling freend, which peace did highlie please God, & was the thing that he most desired. ¶ But to giue the greater grace to the matter in hand, it is good to laie downe the forme of the French kings spéech to the said herald, to whome he vttered these words in his wardrobe, as Edward Hall reporteth.

"Sir I know and well wot, that the king of England your maister, is neither decended in these parts of his owne frée motion, nor yet of vs required; but onelie entised and prouoked by the duke of Burgognie, and somewhat inforced by the commons of his realme. But now you may sée that the season of the yeare passeth, and the duke of Burgognie is in poore estate, returning from Nusse almost discomforted. The constable also, with whome the king your souereigne lord (I am sure) hath some intelligence, for fauour that your maister hath maried his néece, is not so sure a freend as he is taken for. And if all the world knew how I haue promoted him, and what I haue doone for him, they would little thinke, that he would so vntrulie handle me as he dooth. For I assure you, he is a déepe dissembler, & in continuall dissimulation intendeth to lead his life, interteining all men for his owne profit. And although the king your maister be vnsure of all his other promises, yet of one thing he shall be sure, that is, he shall be euer dissembled withall. And therefore I saie to you, and not to your maister, that he were better haue a peace with an old enimie, than the promises and familiaritie of a new dissembling fréend, which peace most pleaseth God, and is the thing that I most doo desire."

[Sidenote: The office of an herald.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie commeth to king Edward.]

When he had thus said, he gaue the herald thrée hundred crownes, promising him a thousand crownes if anie good appointment came to passe. This herald was borne in Normandie, who being more couetous of the crownes than secret (according as of dutie by his office he ought to haue beene) promised to doo all things that in him laie, and further shewed waies by the which the French king might enter into the port of treatie for peace, the which he doubted not would sort to a good conclusion. The French king glad to heare these things, gaue to the herald when he should depart, beside the other reward, a péece of Crimson veluet of thirtie yards long. The lord Scales, comming to the duke of Burgognie before Nusse, could not persuade him to raise his field, and (as it stood him vpon) to come and ioine with king Edward, till at length constreined thereto by other means, he left Nusse vnconquered and sending the most part of his armie into Lorraine, came with a small companie to king Edward lieng before Calis.

King Edward at the first comming of the duke vnto him, séemed much to reprooue his vnwise dealing, in making so slow hast to ioine with him at this time, sith for his sake, and at his sute, he had passed the seas with his armie, to the intent to make wars in France in reuenge of both their iniuries; the time seruing their turnes so well as they could wish or desire, the opportunitie whereof could neuer happilie be recouered againe. The duke after he had excused himselfe, with alledging the dishonour that should haue redounded to him, if he had left the siege of Nusse without meane of some shew of composition, incouraged king Edward to aduance forward with manie golden promises, aswell of his owne part, as of the constable. The king agréed to the dukes persuasion, and so set forward.

[Sidenote: The constable of France a déepe dissembler.]

But yet when he was entred into the dukes countries, the Englishmen were not so freendlie interteined as they looked to haue béene: for at their comming to Peronne, there were but a few suffered to enter the gates, the remnant were driuen to lodge in the fields, better purueied of their owne, than of the dukes prouision. And at their comming before saint Quintines (which towne the constable had promised to deliuer into the hands of the duke of Burgognie) the artillerie shot off, and they of the towne came foorth both on horssebacke and foot to skirmish with them that approached, of the which two or three were slaine. This interteinment seemed strange to king Edward, pondering the last daies promise with this daies dooing. But the duke excused the matter, and would haue persuaded him to make countenance to besiege the towne, that the constable might haue a colour to render it into his hands, as though he did it by constraint.

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie departeth.]

But the king, remembring what had béene told to his herald by the French K. how he should be dissembled with, perceiued the French kings words to be too true, and therefore thought it more sure to heare the faire words of the constable and the duke, than to giue credit to their vntrue and deceitfull dooings. The Englishmen returned vnto their campe in a great chafe towards the constable; and the next daie to increase their displeasure, an other corosiue was ministred, that smarted sorer. For duke Charles of Burgognie tooke his leaue suddenlie of king Edward, alledging that he must néeds see his armie in Artois, promising shortlie with all his puissance to returne againe to the great commoditie of them both. This departing much troubled the king of England, bicause he looked for no such thing; but thought rather that he should haue had the duke his continuall fellow in armes: and therefore this dissembling and vnstedfast working caused the king to thinke that he neuer thought, and to doo that he neuer intended.

The French king in this meane while had assembled a mightie power; ouer the which he had made monsieur Robert de Estoutuile capteine, whome he sent to Artois, to defend the frontiers there against the king of Englands entrie, and he himselfe tarried still at Senlis: but though he shewed countenance thus of warre, yet inwardlie desirous of peace, according to the aduise giuen him by the English herald, he caused a varlet or yeoman (as I may call him) to be put in a coat of armour of France, which for hast was made of a trumpet baner. For king Lewes was a man nothing precise in outward shewes of honor, oftentimes hauing neither officer of armes, trumpet in his court, nor other roiall appurtenances belonging to the port of a prince, which should be glorious and replenished with pompe, as the poet saith:

Regia mirifici fulgent insignia regis.

[Sidenote: A messenger sent to the king of England.]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex. Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxix, ccxxx.]

This counterfeit herald, being throughlie instructed in his charge, was sent to the king of England, and so passing foorth: when he approched the English campe, he put on his coat of armes, & being espied of the outriders, was brought to a tent, where the lord Howard and the lord Stanleie were at dinner, of whome he was courteouslie receiued, and by them conueied to the kings presence, vnto whom he declared his message so wittilie, that in the end he obteined a safe conduct for one hundred horsses, for such persons as his maister should appoint to meet, as manie to be assigned by king Edward in some indifferent place betwéene both armies, to haue a like safe conduct from his said maister, as he receiued from him. ¶ The words of which herald are woorth the noting, reported in writers as followeth.

The heralds oration to the king vttered with boldnesse of face and libertie of toong.

Right high and mightie prince, right puissant and noble king, if your excellent wisedome did perfectlie know, or your high knowledge did apparantlie perceiue, what inward affection and feruent desire the king my maister hath alwaies had, to haue a perfect peace, a sure vnitie, & a brotherlie concord betweene your noble person and your realme, and his honorable personage and his dominions, you would & (for truths sake) should confesse and saie, that neuer christian prince more thirsted for an amitie, nor yet no louer hath more sought to atteine to the fauour of his paramor, than he hath sought to haue with you a perpetuall fréendship, amitie, and aliance: to the intent that the subiects of both the relms, quietlie liuing vnder two princes, confederate and combined togither in an indissoluble confederacie and league, may mutuallie imbrace ech other in their harts, may personallie haue resort and frequent each others princes territories and dominions, with their merchandizes and wares: and finallie, the one to liue with the other, as freend with freend, brother with brother, companion with companion, in continuall loue, rest, and tranquilitie. And for his part he dooth affirme & saie, that since he receiued first the crowne of his kingdome, and was annointed with the holie ampull, he neuer attempted, nor yet once imagined anie war, or thing preiudiciall toward your roiall person, your realme, or your people.

If you peraduenture will saie, that he supported & mainteined the earle of Warwike against your maiestie, he suerlie that dooth & will denie: for he aided him against the duke of Burgognie, whome he knew not onelie to be his extreame enimie, but also to laie in wait (both by sea and land) either to take him, or vtterlie to destroie him. Which duke of Burgognie, onelie for his owne cause, hath excited and solicited your highnesse to come ouer the troublous and tempestuous seas, to the intent to cause (yea in maner to compell) the king my master, to condescend to such treatie and appointment, as should be to his onlie profit, and neither to your honour, nor yet to your game. For if he & such other as dailie flattered him for their peculiar profits (as he had manie in deed that dailie sucked at his elbow) had once obteined the thing that they breathed for, all your affaires were put in obliuion, and left at large for them, or their assistants, euen as they be at this daie. Hath not the duke of Burgognie caused you first to come into France; after to set forward your armie; and in conclusion, for lacke of his promise, to loose the faire season of the yeare, and to lie in the fields in winter. Which warre (if it continue) shall neither be profitable to you, nor to your nobilitie, nor yet pleasant but painefull to your communaltie: and finallie to both the realmes, and especiallie to merchant men shall bring both miserie, pouertie, and calamitie.

Came the duke of Burgognie from Nusse to Calis, onlie to visit you? Rode he all that post hast onelie to blind you? Returned he backe into Loraine againe for anie cause but onelie to leaue you desolate, & to abandon you? Did he or the constable keepe anie one promise with you? Why doo you then beleeue, and yet still trust them, in whome you neuer found faith nor fidelitie? But if God will it so ordeine, that you and my master may ioine in league and amitie, I dare both saie and sweare, that the fine steele neuer cleaued faster to the adamant stone than he will sticke & claspe with you, both in wealth and wo, in prosperitie and aduersitie. And if it shall please you, to harken to anie reasonable treatie, I being a poore man, shall (on ieopardie of my life which is my chiefe treasure) vndertake, that this communication shall sort and come to such an effect, that both you & your nobilitie shall be glad and reioise, and your commons shall be contented and pleased; and they that haue deceiued you, shall be both abashed and ashamed. Most humblie beséeching your highnesse, if your pleasure shall incline this waie, that I may haue a sure safe conduct for one hundred horsses, for such personages as the king my master shall send vnto you with further intimation of his mind and purpose. And if your pleasure shall be to haue the communication in anie place indifferent betweene both the armies, then shall I warrant you the like safe conduct for your men, as you doo send for ours.

When he had accomplished his message and instructions, the king of England and his councell highlie commended his audacitie, his toong, and his sobernesse, giuing to him in reward a faire gilt cup, with a hundred angels: deliuering him a safe conduct according to his request and demand, with the which he with speed departed, hauing with him an English herald to bring a like safe conduct from the French king.

[Sidenote: Commissioners appointed to treat of peace.]

After that the safe conducts were deliuered on both parts, the ambassadours met at a village beside Amiens. On the king of Englands side, the lord Howard; sir Thomas Saintleger; doctor Morton after bishop of Elie, & chancellor of England, were cheefe. For the French king, the bastard of Burbon admerall of France; the lord Saint Pierre; & the bishop of Eureux called Heberge, were appointed as principall. The Englishmen demanded the whole realme of France, or at the least Normandie and whole Aquitaine. The allegations were proued by the Englishmen, and politikelie defended by the Frenchmen, so that with arguments, without conclusion, the day passed, and the commissioners departed, and made relation to their maisters. The French king and his councell would not consent, that the Englishmen should haue one foot of land within France; but rather determined to put him selfe & the whole realme in hazard and aduenture.

[Sidenote: Articles of agréement betwéene king Edward and the French king.]

[Sidenote: Want of monie procureth peace.]

At the next méeting the commissioners agréed vpon certeine articles, which were of both the princes accepted and allowed. It was first accorded, that the French king should paie to the king of England without delaie seauentie & fiue thousand crownes of the sunne; and yearelie fiftie thousand crownes to be paid at London during king Edwards life. And further it was agréed, that Charles the Dolphin should marrie the ladie Elizabeth, eldest daughter to king Edward, and they two to haue for the maintenance of their estates the whole duchie of Guien, or else fiftie thousand crownes yearelie to be paid within the Tower of London by the space of nine yeares; and at the end of that terme, the Dolphin and his wife to haue the whole duchie of Guien, and of the charge the French king to be cléerelie acquit. And it was also concluded, that the two princes should come to an interview, and there take a corporall oth for the performance of this peace, either in sight of other.

On the king of Englands part were comprised as alies (if they would thereto assent) the dukes of Burgognie and Britaine. It was also couenanted, that after the whole summe aforesaid of seuentie and fiue thousand crownes were paid to king Edward, he should leaue in hostage the lord Howard, and sir Iohn Cheinie maister of his horsse, vntill he with all his armie was passed the seas. This agréement was verie acceptable to the French king; for he saw himselfe and his realme thereby deliuered of great perill that was at hand: for not onelie he should haue béene assailed (if this peace had not taken place) both by the power of England and Burgognie, but also by the duke of Britaine, and diuerse of his owne people, as the constable and others. The king of England also vnderstanding his owne state, for want of monie, to mainteine the warres, if they should long continue (though otherwise he desired to haue attempted some high enterprise against the Frenchmen) was the more easilie induced to agrée by those of his councell, that loued peace better than warre, and their wiues soft beds better than hard armor and a stonie lodging.

[Sidenote: The duke of Glocester an enimie to peace.]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxxj.]

But the duke of Glocester & others, whose swords thirsted for French bloud, cried out on this peace; saieng that all their trauell, paines, & expenses were to their shame lost and cast awaie, and nothing gained but a continuall mocke [and dailie derision of the French king and all his minions. This imagination tooke effect without delaie. For a gentleman of the French kings chamber, after the peace was concluded, did demand of an Englishman, how manie battels king Edward had vanquisht? He answered, nine: wherein he himselfe personallie had béene. "A great honoure" said the Frenchman. "But I praie you (quoth he smiling) how manie hath he lost?" The Englishman perceiuing what he meant, said: "one, which you by policie, and by no strength, haue caused him to loose."

"Well" said the Frenchman, "you maie ponder in a paire of balance, the gaine of nine gotten battels, and the rebuke of this one in this maner lost: for I tell you, that we haue this saieng; the force of England hath and dooth surmount the force of France: but the ingenious wits of the Frenchmen excell the dull braines of Englishmen. For in all battels you haue béene the gainers, but in leagues and treaties our wits haue made you loosers: so that you maie content your selues with the losse in treaties, for the spoile that you gat in warres and battels." This communication was reported to the French king, who priuilie sent for the Englishman to supper, and not onlie made him good cheere, but also gaue him a thousand crownes, to praise the peace and to helpe to mainteine the same. Yet neuerthelesse, he being not a little mooued with these brags, declared all the communication to the duke of Glocester; who sware, that he would neuer haue set foot out of England, if he had not thought to haue made the Frenchmen once to assaie the strength & puissance of the Englishmen: but what so euer he thought, all things were transferred vnto an other end than he could imagine.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie commeth in hast to the king of England.]

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxxj.]