Part 10

And none of alle these trewes hathe ben observed ne kept, notwithstanding any sacremente, othes, [or] promisses made by youre adversarie and be his dukes, erlis, and barones of the seide Frenshe partie, but alway brake the saide trewes whan they coude take any avauntage ayenst us, as it shewethe openly, and may be a mirroure for ever to alle cristen princes to mystrust any trewes taking by youre saide adversarie or his allies and subjectis, be it the duke of Breteyne, the duke of Orliens, or any suche other his complisses: for where as youre noble progenitours were seased and possessid of the said duchie of Normandie sithe that duke Rollo of the nacion of Denmarke, the yere of Crist .ix^cxij. conquerid it upon Charlis le Simple, to whome he gave his doughter in mariage withe the seide duchie, and so hathe continued from heire to heire .cc.iiij^{xx}xj. yere, but after as it may be cast it was .cc.iiij^{xx}xj. yere that it was nevor in no king of Fraunce is hande tille it was lost in king Johan is daies of Englande. And than for suche inconvenientis as was used now be mysfortune under {40} [the umbre of trewes and for puttyng down Arthur of Breteyn,[133]] it was lost and yoven up to the seide king Phelip dieudonne in the yere of Crist M^l.cc.iij., about the first [and second[133]] yere of the seide king Johan. And frome the saide first yere of king Johan the possession of the saide duchie of Normandie discontynued .C.xxxvj. yere, that was to the yere of Crist M^l.ccc.xxxix., that youre right and possession was refourmed by youre noble progenitoure king Edwarde the thrid, whiche by many yeris leide segis and had batailes withe Philip de Valois and Johan of Fraunce, occupieris of that kingdom.

How king Edwarde the thrid made first grete alliaunces withe gret astatis or he began to make werre in Fraunce.

[Sidenote: Nota de auxilio regis Edwardi.]

[Sidenote: Conciderand'.]

[Sidenote: In cronicis Frodsard.]

[Sidenote: Pax finalis sperata fuit.]

[Sidenote: .1360.]

[Sidenote: Exclamacio.]

[Sidenote: Consideracio.]

And therto king Edwarde allied hym withe fulle mighty princes to socour and reliefe hym in his werres or he began to set on hem: first withe Lowes emperoure of Allemayne, to whome he rewardid fifty thousande sak wolle for perveaunce, and soulde men of werre that he shulde make to helpe king Edward the thrid in his conquest; and after allied hym to the erle of Heynew and to the erle of Flaundres, and also withe the duke of Bretein; the whiche alliaunces was a fulle gret socoure and helpe to his conquest in Fraunce and Normandie, for he wanne at the first raise that he made over the see M^l.M^l.v^c. townes and castellis, and soforthe reigned and continued in armes .xxxiiij. yeris, by putting the Frenshe king and his allies in gret subgeccion for the right of his enheritaunces, like as who so lust rede the booke [of] his actis clepid [mayster[133]] Froddesarde more plainly may perceyve. And so alle his daies contynued tille unto the tyme that be dissimulacion of the gret peas taken atwix hym and his prisoner king Johan of Fraunce, made at Bretigny the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.lx., that undre umbre of the seid trewes Charles le Sage his sonne, after the decese of king Johan, did put king Edwarde thrid out of alle his said conquest in Fraunce and Normandie, and partie of Guyen. And sithen more effectuelle laboures and dedis of armes {41} hathe be done by that victorioux prince Henry the .v^{the}., he being parsonelly bothe at many sieges, leyng at assautes, at batailes, and journeis frome the second yere of his reigne [exclusyfe[134]] into the day of his trespassement the space of .vij. yere. Whiche labouris parcellis of them briefly bene specified before. And there youre obeisaunt subgeitis and trew liege peple be put owt of their londis and tenementis yoven to hem by youre predecessoures, as wel as be that highe and mighty prince Richarde duke of Yorke youre father, being at two voiages lieutenaunt and gouvernaunt in Fraunce, for service done unto hem in theire conquest, not recompensed ayen to theire undoing. Heh allas! thei did crie, and woo be the tyme they saide, that ever we shulde put affiaunce and trust to the Frenshe partie or theire allie[gh] in any trewes keping, considering so many folde tymes we have ben deceived and myschevid thoroughe suche dissimuled trewes as is late before specified. And yet not for alle these inconvenientis that have falle to us be conspiring of deceitis undre umbre of suche dissimuled trewes, late it be out of doubte that, thoughe they holde theym never so proude, puissaunt, and strong, ne so sotill and crafty in suche deceitis conspiring, they by Goddis might shalbe overcome and brought to the right astate that it oughte be, where as the title and clayme of thenheritaunce of Fraunce is verray trew, whan dew diligence have be shewed by us in executing the saide right, as it is verefied briefly by examples here before.

[Sidenote: Divina concideracio enodanda per theologos.]

How be it that at som tymes that God suffrithe the partie that hathe a true title and right to be overcome, yet for alle that a man shulde not be discouraged alway to sew his right.

[Sidenote: .1450.]

[Sidenote: Infortunium bellum apud Fermenye ultima vice.]

[Sidenote: Gyen.]

[Sidenote: Burdeux.]

[Sidenote: De sancto Lodovico rege Fraunciae.]

And albeit that at som tymes God suffrethe the partie that hathe right and a trew title, and that livethe after his lawes, to be gretly parsecuted, and to be put to over gret aventure, laboure, and peyne, some tyme to be overthrow, some tyme to be prisoner or slaine in {42} bataile be divine providence whan hym lust to be Juge, thoughe the peple be never so goode, ne the querelle, title, and right never so trew; and yet not for no suche adversite and as have fallen the yere of Crist M^l.iiij^c.l., be the last overthrow of a notable arme at Fremyny, where ser Thomas Kirielle knight, lieftenaunt in that voiage, [was take prysoner wyth many othyrs to the nombre about .ix^c.,[135]] a grete caus was that the pety capteins wolde not obbey at the day of that journay at that sodeyne recountre to her chieftein, and taried lengir in his voiage after he was londed or he came to any strong holde was present.[136] Also another gret armee and voiage fordone for defaut and lak of spedy payment this yere of Crist M^l.cccclj., whiche were at last redy to goo to Gyen, the armee taried upon the see coostis in Englande almost a quarter of a yere or theire payment was redie. And the cite of Burdeux lost in the meane tyme for lak of rescue. Yet God defende that thoroughe suche adversitees we shulde be utterly discoraged. Late us take example in according to this. It is wretin in the booke of Machabeus, in the .viij. chapitre, how the worshipfull Judas Machabeus, seeyng Goddis peple gretly febled and abashed be divers discomfitures of theym, seide to his knightis, A, a, It is bettir to us to avaunce us forthe and rather to die in bataile then lengre to suffre the gret passions and troubles of oure infortune. And fro thens forthe by the wille of God, good corage and comfort taken to theyme, they were made conquerours and had the victorie in alle theire batailes. Also another example by seint Lowes king of Fraunce, whiche in encresing the cristyn feithe made gret armees into the holy land in [about[135]] the yere of Crist M^l.ij^c.lxx., and suffrethe gret adversiteis among the Sarresyns, he and his knightis overthrow and take prisoneris to the Soudan of Babilon, and the king put to gret raunsom paide, his peple died up by gret mortalite of pestilence, suffred famyne, hungur, and thurst, yet God at the last releved hym, and [he] came into Fraunce withe gret worship.

{43}

[Sidenote: Animacio.]

An nother exhortacion of the historier.

O ye highe and myghtifulle prince, king of Englande and of Fraunce, and alle ye other noble princes and other puissaunt lordes and nobles of divers astates olde or yong, of so auncien a stok and of so worthy a lineage, as of the noble Trojan is blode descendid, as it is auctorised and may appere by many croniclers and histories of noble doctours enacted and registred, that ye alonly have ever ben halden without note of errour or deformite of the law withe the most puissaunt and of power thoroughe alle regions cristen or hethen, haveng alway under youre regencie and governaunce the habondaunce of noble men of chevalrie, passing alle othir landes after the quantite and afferaunt of youre roiaume, lete then be as a mirrour noted and had before youre eyen by contynuell remembraunce to thentent that the excersising of theire noble actis in conquestis may the more vigorously endeuce you to succede the prowesse and vaillauntnesse of youre highe predecessoures in armes, like as it shewethe welle at this tyme of what worship they have bene by here victorious dedis, for they in difference of other nacions have ever ewred and shewed the renomme and excellence of youre highe and mighty antecessours' corages, aswelle in straunge regions as among the Sarrazyns in the region of Sirie and Turkie, as in the said neere regions of Fraunce, Spayne, Lumbardie, Spruce, and other countrees. And therfor ye shulde yeve laude and praisingis alway to God, for, sithe the trespassement of prince Edwarde and good Henry duc of Lancaster that was, [ther wer but few like to hem in armys.[137]]

Here is brieflie made mencion of the recomendacion of acyn[138] worship of Henry the .v^{the}. and his bretheryn Thomas, Johan, and Humfrey, .iiij. noble princes.

Where was he of late daies descendid of noble bloode that was so corageous in dedis of armes as was that mightifull prince of renommee of {44} youre noble lynage Henry .v^{te}. and his said thre full mighty and noble princes his brethern, and next .ij. cosyns germayns of youre kynne, that in here daies were as the pilours and chief postis of the holders up of the [last conquest, and of the[139]] possession of youre rightfulle enheritaunce, bothe of youre roiaumes of Fraunce as of justice keping, tranquillite and pease in youre roiaume of Englonde, also of the duchies of Normandie, Gascoigne, Guyen, and of the counte of Mayne.

[Sidenote: Dux Clarence.]

[Sidenote: Conciderandum est.]

For as for a brief advertisement and remembraunce how Thomas the duc of Clarence in his yong age, the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.iij., lieutenaunt of alle Irelonde, and after that lieutenaunt and governoure of youre duchees of Gascoyne and Guien, defending the true subgettis frome theire adversaries, holding up youre right and keping youre peple and subgettis under youre lawes. And after [the seyd duc,[139]] in company of the victorioux prince Henry the .v^{te}., labourid in armes upon that noble conquest in Fraunce and the duchie of Normandie, there being lieutenaunt for that marchis, where as he in bataile among youre adversaries in the duchie of Anjou at Bowgee most worshiplie at a sodeyn recountre fighting withe a few felouship of lordes and nobles, levyng his hoste behynde, not abiding theire comyng, ayenst a gret multitude of fighters, the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xxj. among the Frenshemen and Scottis was slayne; whiche not long after God thoroughe power suffred the seid capteyns of Scottis to be overthrow bothe at the batailes of Cravant, also at the bataile of Vernelle, and [also[139]] at the bataile of Rouverey.

[Sidenote: J. dux Bedfordie regens regni Frauncie.]

[Sidenote: Conquestus comitatus de Mayn.]

[Sidenote: .1435.]

Also youre second cousyn Johan duc of Bedforde, that in his grene age was lieutenaunt of the marchis, werrid ayenst the Scottis, keping them in subgeccion, havyng gret journeis and batailes ayenst them. After that made admirall and kepar of the see, havyng a gret mortal bataile and victorie ayenst the carrakes, galeis, and othir gret shippis. Beyng also a certayn tyme lieutenaunt and protectoure in this lande; and sethe yeede upon youre said conquest into Fraunce and {45} Normandie, therof being regent and gouvernoure in the daies of the devout prince Henry the sext over alle the subgeitis of Fraunce and Normandie .xiij. yeris, and conquerid the counte of Mayne, defending, keping, and gouvernyng the said countreis in gret tranquillite and peace, to the gret worship of bothe roiaumes, and there made his faire ende at Rone, where he liethe tombid, the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xxxv., the .xiiij. day of Septembre.

[Sidenote: Dux Glouc'.]

[Sidenote: Comes de Marche. Comes Suff'.]

[Sidenote: Calix.]

[Sidenote: .1436.]

[Sidenote: .1447.]

And how the thrid brother Humfrey duc of Gloucestre, withe a notabille power, was upon youre conquest in Normandie withe his said brother, and at the bataile of Agyncourt was sore woundid, and after he wanne [with help of the noble erle of Marche and the erle of Suffolk acompanyed,[140]] brought in subjeccion, beforce of siegislieng among youre adversaries, base Normandie, the castelle of Chierbourgh, the cite of Bayeux, Costances, withe all the close of Costantyne and Averances, Seynt Lowe, Carenten, and Valoignez, withe alle othir forteressis and villages in that marcher. And over that sithe he was protectoure and defendoure of your roiaume of Englond, in the tyme of the said Henry the sext of grene age, keping gret justice, tranquillite, and peace withyn youre saide roiaume. And after whan youre nobille castelle and towne of Calix was beseigid in the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xxxvj., without long respit or tarieng, he puissauntly rescued it. And many other souvereyne and princely condicions he used in this youre roiaume of Englonde, as in [bokys yovyng as yt ys seyd to the value of M^l. marks of all the .vij. sciences, of dyvinite, as of lawe spirituell and cyvyle, to the universite of Oxford, and[140]] cherisshing the noble clergie of youre said roiaume. And also havyng gret charge and cost aboute the gret tendirnesse and favoure shewed and done to alle straungiers, were they ambassatours, messangiers, and other noblesse that sought worship of armes, that of divers regions visited this lande, for whiche favoure and bounteous chier, withe gret rewardes done to theym, the renome of his noble astate and name sprad thoroughe alle cristyn roiaumes {46} and in hethynesse. And after he had by many wyntris lyved in worship, he making his ende at the towne of Bury, the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xlvij., the .xxv. day of Februarie.

And over alle these puissaunt dedis done and meynteyned by the foreseid .iiij. noble princes in theire daies, and now sithen many of youre noble bloode, as cosins germayns and other allie[gh] of youre nere kyn, as dukis, erlis, barons, bene deceasid sithe the tyme of the last conquest of Fraunce and Normandie.

[Sidenote: Nota de ordine militum de la Gartere.]

For what cause the knightys of the order and felouship of saint George was ordeigned.

[Sidenote: Non sunt oblivio tradend'.]

[Sidenote: Nobilitas Johannis Chaundos de comitatu Herefordie, senescalli de Peytou.]

[Sidenote: Senlys]

[Sidenote: .1431.]

[Sidenote: Parys.]

And also of the vaillaunt chosen knightes of the noble and worshipfulle ordre of the Garter, founded by the right noble prince king Edward thrid, and to bere about his legge a tokyn of the Garter, in the castelle of Wynsore, the .xxiij. yere of his reigne. And [as yt ys seyd[141]] in token of worship that he being in bataile what fortune fille shuld not voide the feeld, but abide the fortune that God lust sende. Whiche for gret prowesse and here manlynesse approved in armes was founded for her gret labouris in werre and vaillaunt dedis of armes be now passid to God and ought be put in memorialle, that in what distresse of bataile or siege that they have ben yn for the righte title in the crowne of Fraunce they alway avaunsid hem forthe withe the formost in example of good corage gyvyng to alle theire felouship, to opteyne the overhande of here entreprise. He allas! sethe that none suche were never sene withdrawers or fleers frome batailes or dedis of worship, but rather vigorouslie foryeting theymsilfe, as did the full noble knight, a felow of the Garter, ser Johan Chaundos, as a lion fighting in the feelde [at the bataylle of Fizar, yn Spayn, wyth prince Edward[141]] of the lion condicion, and defendid youre roiaume of Fraunce frome youre adversaries, preservyng theire prince's right and theire subgettis, avaunced youre conquest of Fraunce and Normandie, Angew, and Mayne, and the noble duchie of Gascoigne and Gyen, {47} and maynteyned theire honoure and astate, to the welle of youre bothe roiaumes and relief of youre treu subgettis of this lande. And thereto they have ben of the condicions of lyons fighting withe gret strenght, puissauntlie and stifly sett to withestande youre ennemies, notwithestanding gret part of the said adverse partie have voided, fledd, and forsake the feeld and theire felouship at suche tyme as they sought to abide. In example, of the fulle noble jorney late had in the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xxxj., at Senlys, where youre lieutenaunt and youre power being present, and Charlis the .vij^{the}, youre gret adversarie of Fraunce withe alle his power to the nombre of .l^{ti}.M^l. fighters on his side, and embatilled by thre daies in the feeld, fled and voided unfoughten at the said jorney of Senlis, youre saide kynnesman Johan duc of Bedford being then lieutenaunt, and present in the feeld before hym thre daies. And also sone after the saide worshipfull journey of Senlis, your saide adversarie of Fraunce, after that made his entreprise, comyng before the noble cite of Paris, with alle his roialle power to have entred the said cite, and to put out youre saide cosyn duke of Bedford; whiche havyng knowlege therof incontinent disposed hym (albeit he had upon so soden warnyng but a few felouship) to mete ayen withe youre saide adversarie, and put hym in gret aventure, and entred in youre saide cite of Paris to relief and defende theym as he promised, and sent worde unto hem late before to theire grettist yoie and comfort. And youre said adversarie, that ententid to gete the saide cite, besieging theym withe a grete nombre, mightilie resisted withe men and ordenaunce, so grevously hurt, being fayne to voide incontinent.

And as in this maner it shewithe evidently that youre true obeisaunt lordis, and noble chieveteins, also true subgettis, have abandonned theire bodies, putting them in gret jupardie unto the parelle of dethe, or to be taking prisoneris, and yet God hathe served hem soo, that thoroughe His grace and theire manhod withe wise governaunce [they] have had the overhande of youre adversaries, and kept bothe the saide citee and the feelde withe other good men that aboode, whan theire partie contrarie have ben nombred double or treble {48} moo than youris, as is before expressid. And at whiche tyme the saide citee was so mightly besegid, ser John Radclif knight, withe his felouship, had gret worship.

[Sidenote: Exclamacio.]

[Sidenote: Nota. 1449, 1450.]

[Sidenote: Tempus ultimi conquestus.]

[Sidenote: De pace finali apud Bretygnye.]

[Sidenote: .1371.]

O ye right noble martirs! whiche that for youre verray righte of the coroune of Fraunce, and for the welfare of the kingis highenesse, and for the worship of his bothe roiaumes of Englond and Fraunce, ye forto susteyne righte and forto wynne worship, have ben often put in gret aventure, as was often tymes of the worshipfulle Romayns. And therfore of you may be saide that ye were alway stedfast and obeieng youre souvereyn unto the jupardie and perille of dethe. So wolde Jhesus that in the brief seson of the sodeyne and wrecchid intrusion late had by the unmanly disseising and putting oute of Fraunce, Normandie, Angew, and Mayne, withe the duchies of Gasquien and Guyen, whiche is done bethin the space of .j. yere and .xiiij. wekis, that is to wete frome the .xv. day of Maij in the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xlix. unto the .xv. day of the monithe of August the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.l, that every castelle, forteresse, and towne defensable of the said duchiees [were delyvered upp by force or composicion to the adverse partye.[142]] And if they had be alway furnished and stuffed withe suche suffisaunt nombre of men of armes, with ordenaunce, vitaile, and wages duely kept and be paied, that they myght couraged and enforced hem to have bene kept stille the possession,[143] and they so being of the lyonns kynde as to have bene of soo egir courage and so manly and stedfast as they were before this tyme in that parties of Normandie, conquering, keping, and defending it as they did by the space of .xxxv. yeris complete and .vij. daies frome the begynnyng of the last conquest the thrid yere of king Henry the .v^{the}., and not the whele of fortune turned ayenst this lande as it hathe. Notwithestanding king Edwarde the thrid occupied not in his conquest of Fraunce and Normandie passe .xxxiiij. yere, whiche that after undre certayne condicions upon apoyntement of a smalle pease made atwix hym and king Johan of Fraunce was {49} graunted that the saide king Johan shulde be seased and possessid ayen of a part of the said roiaume and duchie for certeyne countees, baronnyes, and seignories that we shulde in chief halde in Guien and other contrees, whiche is more amplie declared in the saide finalle trety of pease made at Bretygny; yet for alle the othes, sacrementis, seles of bothe kingis and here lordis made, the said trety of pease was sone broken by the adverse partie when they couth take theire avauntage, about the yere of Crist M^l.ccc.lxxj.

[Sidenote: Exclamacio alia.]

[Sidenote: De amicicia per maritagia et alias alligancias fienda.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene.]

[Sidenote: Nota et concidera ad honorandum extraneos.]

He allas! we dolorous parsones suffring intollerabille persecucions and miserie, aswelle in honoure lost as in oure[144] lyvelode there unrecompensid, as in oure meveable goodes bereved, what shalle we doo or say? Shalle we in this doloure, anguisshe, and hevynesse contynew long thus? Nay, nay, God defende that suche intrusions, grete wrongis, and tiranye shuld be left unpunisshed, and so gret a losse unpunysshed and not repared! For one good moyen, undre correccion, may be this, and if youre lordis wolde enforce hem to renew theire olde allie[gh] of straunge regions and countrees, as the Romayns did whan they werrid in Auffrik ayenst the Cartages, and of late daies king Edwarde the thrid gafe example and sithe king Harry the .v^{te}. in oure daies, and also his noble brothir Johan duke of Bedford after hym; whiche allies be almost werid out and foryete to oure grete desolacion, whiche and they were renewed by meane of mariages of gret birthe, by cherisshing of lordis, nobles, and marchauntes of the regions that we have been allied unto, or desire to be gyvyng renomme and honoure in armes to the princes that we desire alliaunce, or[145] sending at suche tymes as the cas shalle require to the princes ambassiatours that be halden worshipfulle men of astate and degree that have sene worship in divers contreis, whiche prudently can purpose and declare the urgent cause and necessite of this royaume, it wolde be to think verralie than that tho yowre[146] people true subgettis of Fraunce were mynusshed or abated as it is, but oure saide allies wolde enforce hem withe alle hir power and might to the {50} reformacion of the saide intrusions, and under colour of trewes wrought ayenst us. In example of this matier, it bathe bene specified herebefore, and how it hathe be rad among the Romayne stories that, whan Haniballe, prince of Cartage, had so gret a descomfiture ayenst Camos, governour of the Romayne ooste, that the men of Cartage gaderid of the fingers of the ded Romayns three muys fulle of golde ringis. So it shewed that the power of Rome was gretly mynusshed and febled. Than, whan this tidingis come to Cartage, one Hamon, a wise man, a senatoure, demaunded if it so were that for alle so gret a discomfiture is