Part 6

Mon treshonnoure et Redoubte Sr., toute humble Recommendacion primier mise, plaise vous savoir que Jay entendu que piecha vous aviez quittie et transporte afin de heritaige a Degory Gamel vostre terre et seignourie de Piron pour le prix de deux mille francs lesquelx il devoit paier a chinq annees enssuit du dit transport, cest assavoir pour la premir ann six cens francs, et le demourant es autres quatres anns ensuit, a chacun par egalle porcion; de la quelle chose J'entens que le dit Degory na pas acompli ces termes ne ses {lvii} paiemens, car il nest pas tousjours prest de paier, et est de tel gouvernement que p..... que navez eu que peu de chose de vostre ditte s'rie dempuis quil en a eu le gouvernement. Et pour ce, mon treshonnoure et Redoubte, Janvois grant desir davoir icelle terre afin de heritaige si c'estoit vostre plaisir et volente. Car elle est pres de mes et bien a mon aise. Sy vous prie et requier tant humblement comme Je puis et comme vostre petit et humble serviteur, qu'il vous pla[ira] que J'aie icelle terre et seigneurie de Piron par les prix et condicions dessus descleres et que l'aviez accordee au dit Degory en cas que [sera] vostre plaisir de vous en des faire, et que Je la puisse avoir aussi tost que ung autre, et J'en seay a tousjours mais tenu ... car vous estes le seigneur qui vive en monde a qui Je suis plus tenu et a qui Jay greigno' service, et que elle me soit confe[rme?] par le Roy nostre seigneur tellement que Je ny puisse avoir empeschement. Et je vous promet que Je vous paieray loyalment es termes qui seront assignes sans aucune faulte, et se faulte y avez per moy que le marchie ne fust nul, et sur paine de perdre s ... que Jen avoie paie. Et sy est ce grant chose pour le present de deux mille Francs attendans la guerre qui est a present ou ... a l'occasion de la prinse et perte de la place de Grantville. Car se remede ny est mis de brief tout le bailliage de Costentin est en voie destre destruit, et estre comme le pais de Caulx, que Dieu ne vueille. Car se seroit grant dommaige et grant pitie. Et pour ceste cause Jenvoie Jehan Dotton devers vous, qui est vostre serviteur, porteur de ces presentes, auquel Jay donne pouvoir et puissance den composer et appointier avecque vous ainsi quil vous plaira, et que regarderez quil sera bon a faire, tout aussi comme se Je y estoie present, et lequel vous parlera plus a plain de lestate et gouvernement de vostre ditte seigneurie de Piron et comme elle a este gouvernee. Et pour ce que autrefois Je vous avoie rescript de vostre terre et seigneurie de Beaumont, que Jeusse volentiers eue se ceust este vostre plaisir et volente, pour ce que ma terre d'Asineres est parmys la vostre et joingnent ensemble, Et en cas que se ne seroit vostre plaisir que Jeusse vostre ditte seigneurie de Piron, jentend' encores volentiers a icelle de Beaumont, et quil vous pleust la mettre a prix de raison, car Je ne scay pas bien que elle peult valloir, mes vous le savez bien, car vous en avez fait fe presn(?) et en avez eu la desclaracion, non obstant que les terres depar de cha sy sen vont en tres grant diminucion pour la cause dessus dict. Sy vous plaise de vostre grace a y avoir sur le tout advis, et den faire tant que Jen puisse estre tous jours vostre petit et humble serviteur, et comme Jay tousjours este et seray tant que je vivray. Et se il vous plaist faire quelque appointe des choses dessus dictes, quil vous plaise a le faire vous mesmes, et que ne menvoiez a Raouen ne ailleurs, car les chemins sont trop dangereux, et ne voudroie pas aler a Rouen voulentiers pour gaignier deux cens frans. Mon treshonnoure et redoubte seigneur, Je me recommande a vous tant humblement comme Je puis et comme vostre petit et humble serviteur, et se il est chose que faire puisse pour vous, mandez le moy et Je l'acompliray de tout mon cuer et volentiers, en priant le Saint Esprit qu'il soit garde de vous et vous donne bonne vie et longue et acomplisse(ment) de vous nobles desirs. Escript a la Haie du Puis, le derrain jour de May. {lviii}

Mon treshonnoure et redoubte seigneur, Je vous recommande ma fille qui est demour' veufue, et quil vous plaist qelle soit (en) vostre bonne grace et service, et la conseiller et conforter en tous ses afaires.

Letout vostre humble serviteur Jhon 'Appulton, cap(itaine) du Pont donne et de la Haie du Puis.

(_Directed on the back_,)

A mon treshonnoure et tresredoubte sire Messire Jehan Fastouf, chevalier, seigneur de Piron et de Beaumont en Normendie.

From the BAILIFFS of WINCHESTER.[83]

Right Worshipfulle Sire,--We recommande ws unto you, latyng you wete of howre taryng that we brynge nat hoppe (up) howre money for howre ferme ys for be cawse that we wholde receyve of howre dewte of the Cete, and of the awnage sum of xiij. li.; the wheche money we cannat receyve in to the time that we have a wrette to the mayre and to ws Ballys, for the Cete scholde have of the awnage as Easter terme xx. marcs, for that the Cete grant(ed) us to howre eryste ferme, and here a pon we tryst; and now the fermeris of the awnage sey it pleynli that the Cete schale nat have a peny in to Mighelmas terme but zyffe so be that ye sende us a wrytt that we mowe brynge the fermers in to the Cheker, and ther to pay ws thys xx. marcs, for we lacke no money but that, for the fermers makit hyrr a skowsce apon the refuson that was thys tyme thre zere, for they fere laste they schold pay agen, and there for they sey it they whole nat pay us no peni but in the Cheker, also howre Mayre takyt no hede of ws, nother howe whe schal be servyd of the mony, theirefore we pray you sende a wrett down to the Mayre and to ws for to brynge ho(ppe, _i.e._ up) howre ferme for the halfe zere, for dowt hyt nat ze schale be as wel payd of ws as zevr (ever) ye w(ere) of zeny men, for in trowyf we pay of howre money more than xiiij. li. No more, but God kepe you. I-wretyn at Wynchester the viij. day of May.

By the baillifes of Wynchester.

(To this letter no address is preserved.)

* * * * *

{lix}

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

Page liv. _De Regimine Principum._--Sir John Paston (temp. Edw. IV.) had a copy of this work, which formed part of a volume which he thus described in the catalogue of his library:--

"M^d. my _Boke of Knyghthode_ and the maner off makyng off knyghts, off justs, off tornaments, ffyghtyng in lystys, paces holden by soldiers and chalenges, statutes off weere, and _de Regimine Principum_." (Paston Letters, vol. iii p. 302.)

It is more fully described by William Ebesham, the scribe who had written the book, in his bill of accompt, which is also preserved in the same volume, p. 14:--

"Item as to _the Grete Booke_.

"First for wrytyng of the _Coronacion_ and other _tretys of Knyghthode_ in that quaire, which conteyneth a xiij. levis and more, ij^d. a lefe ij^s. ij^d.

"Item for the _Tretys of Werre_ in iiij. books, which conteyneth lx. levis, after ij^d. a leaff x^s.

"Item for _Othea pistill_, which conteyneth xliij. levis vij^s. ij^d.

"Item for the _Chalenges_ and the _Acts of Armes_, which is xxviij^{ti}. lefs iiij^s. viij^d.

"Item for _de Regimine Principum_, which conteyneth xlv^{ti}. leves, after a peny a leef, which is right wele worth iij^s. ix^d.

"Item for rubriesheyng of all the booke iij^s. iiij^d.

The "Treatise of Knighthood" here mentioned, may probably have resembled _The Booke of the Ordre of Chyvalrye or Knyghthode_ printed by Caxton (see p. liv.); and the "Treatise of War" may have been a version of _The Boke of Fayttes of Armes and of Chyvallrye_, which Caxton also published from the _Arbre de Batailes_, &c. as before noticed in p. vi.

The "Othea pistill" was certainly the same book which passes under the name of Christine de Pisan, and which was printed at Paris by Philippe Pigouchet, in 4to, under the title of "_Les cent Histoires de troye._ Lepistre de Othea deesse de prudence enuoyee a lesperit cheualereux Hector de troye, auec cent hystoires." In every page of this book there is a _Texte_ in French verse, and a _Glose_ in prose, which agrees exactly with sir John Paston's description in his catalogue (where it appears as distinct from Ebesham's "Great Book,") in this entry,--"Item, a _Book de Othea_, text and glose, in quayers."

Page 15. _Matheu Gournay de comitatu Somerset._ This personage, whose name has been inserted by the second hand, was a very distinguished warrior in the French wars, and has been supposed to have been the model of the Knight in Chaucer's Canterbury {lx} Pilgrims. His epitaph at Stoke upon Hampden in Somersetshire, which has been preserved by Leland, describes him as "le noble et vaillant chivaler Maheu de Gurney, iadys seneschal de Landes et capitain du chastel Daques por nostre seignor le Roy en la duche de Guyene, qui en sa vie fu a la batail de Beaumarin, et ala apres a la siege Dalgezire sur les Sarazines, et auxi a les batailles de Lescluse, de Cressy, de Yngenesse, de Peyteres, de Nazara, Dozrey, et a plusiurs autres batailles et asseges, en les quex il gaina noblement graund los et honour per lespece de xxxxiiij et xvj ans, et morust le xxvj jour de Septembre, l'an nostre Seignor Jesu Christ Mccccvj, que de salme Dieux eit mercy. Amen." (See Records of the House of Gournay, by Daniel Gurney, esq. F.S.A. p. 681.)

Page 68. _Sir John Fastolfe's victualling of the Bastille._ This anecdote is illustrated by the following passage of one of sir John's books of accompt:--

"Item, in like wise is owing to the said Fastolfe for the keeping and victualling of the Bastile of St. Anthony in Paris, as it appeareth by writing sufficient, and by the creditors of sir John Tyrel knight, late treasurer of the King's house, remaining in the exchequer of Westminster of record, the sum of xlij li.

(Paston Letters, iii. 269.)

* * * * *

{1}

THE BOKE OF NOBLESSE.

[MS. REG. 18 B. XXII.]

* * * * *

The Boke of Noblesse, compiled to the most hyghe and myghety prince Kynge Edward the iiij^{the} for the avauncyng and preferryng the comyn publique of the Royaumes of England and of Fraunce.

First, in the worship of the holy Trinite, bring to mynde to calle, in the begynnyng of every good work, for grace. And sithe this litille epistle is wrote and entitled to courage and comfort noble men in armes to be in perpetuite of remembraunce for here noble dedis, as right convenient is soo to bee. And as it is specified by auctorite of the noble cenatoure of Rome Kayus son, in these termes foloweng: "Hoc igitur summum est nobilitatis genus, posse majorum suorum egregia facta dicere, posse eorum beneficiis petere honores publicos, posse gloriam rei publicae hereditario quodam jure vendicare, posse insuper sese eorum partes vocare, et clarissimas in suis vultibus ymagines ostendere. Quos enim appellat vulgus nisi quod nobilissimi parentes genuere."

De remedio casus Reipublicae.

[Sidenote: Anglorum nacio originem sumpsit ex nacione Trojanorum.]

[Sidenote: Nota j^{o}. quod lingua Britonum adhuc usitatur in Wallia et Cornibea, que lingua vocabatur corrupta Greca.]

Here folowethe the evident Examples and the Resons of comfort for a reformacion to be had uppon the piteous complaintes and dolorous lamentacions made for the right grete outragious and most {2} grevous losse of the Royaume of Fraunce, Duchee[gh] of Normandie, of Gascoyne, and Guyen, and also the noble Counte of Mayne and the Erledom of Pontife. And for relevyng and geting ayen the said Reaume, dukedoms, [and earldoms,] undre correccion of amendement ben shewed the exortacions and mocions, be auctorite, example of actis in armes, bothe by experience and otherwise purposid, meoved and declarid, to corage and comfort the hertis of [the] Englisshe nacion, havyng theire first originalle of the nacion of the noble auncient bloode of Troy more than M^l. yere before the birthe of Crist; in token and profe wherof the auncient langage of the Brutes bloode at this day remayneth[84] bothe in the Princedome of Walis and in the auncient provynce and Dukedom of Cornewale, whiche was at tho daies called corrupt Greke.

[Sidenote: ij^{o}. lingua Saxonum alias lingua Germanorum.]

[Sidenote: Dux Cerdicius applicuit in Britania tempore Regis Arthuri, et sic per favorem regis inhabitavit, et . . ex natione Grecorum.]

And next after the mighty Saxons' bloode, otherwise called a provynce in Germayne, that the vaileaunt Duke Cerdicius arrived in this reaume, with whom[85] Arthur, king of the Breton bloode, made mighty werre, and suffred hym to inhabit here. And the Saxons, as it is writen in Berthilmew in his booke of Propreteis, also were decendid of the nacion of Grekis.

[Sidenote: iij^{o}. Lingua Danorum ex nacione Grecorum. Rex Danorum Knott conquestum fecit.]

And next after came the feers manly Danysh nacion, also of Grekis bene descendid, that the gret justicer king Knowt this land subdued and the Saxons' bloode.

And sithen the noble Normannes, also of the Danys nacion, descendid be William Conquerour, of whome ye ben lyniallie descendid, subdued this lande.

And, last of alle, the victorius bloode of Angevyns, by mariage of that puissaunt Erle Geffry Plantagenet, the son and heire of Fouke king of Jherusalem, be mariage of Dame Maude, Emperes, soule doughter and heire to the king of grete renoune, Henry the first of Inglond, and into this day lineally descendid in most prowes.

And whiche said Englisshe nacion ben sore astonyed and dulled {3} for the repairing and wynnyng ayen, uppon a new conquest to be hadde for youre verray right and true title in the inheritaunce of the saide Reaume of Fraunce and the Duche of Normandie. Of whiche Duchie, we have in the yere of oure Lorde M^l.iiij^cl., lost, as bethyn the space of xv monithes be put out wrongfullie, tho roughe subtile wirkingis conspired and wroughte be the Frenshe partie undre the umbre and coloure of trewis late taken betwyxt youre antecessoure king Harry the sext then named king, and youre grete adversarie of Fraunce Charles the vij^{the}.

And where as the saide piteous complaintes [and] dolorous lamentacions of youre verray true obeisaunt subjectis for lesing of the said countreis may not be tendrid ne herde, [they] many daies have had but litille comfort, nether the anguisshes, troubles, and divisions here late before in this reaume be cyvyle batailes to be had, may not prevaile them to the repairing and wynnyng of any soche manere outrageous losses to this Reaume, whiche hathe thoroughe sodein and variable chaunces of unstedfast fortune so be revaled and overthrow; the tyme of relief and comfort wolde not be despendid ne occupied so: namely with theym whiche that have necessite of relief and socoure of a grettir avauntage and a more profitable remedie for theire avauncement to a new conquest: or by a good tretie of a finalle peace for the recovere of the same: but to folow the counceile of the noble cenatoure of Rome Boicius in the second prose of his first booke of consolacion seieng _Sed medicine_ (inquid) _tempus est_, _quam querele_.

Therfor, alle ye lovyng liege men, bothe youre noble alliaunces and frendis, levithe suche idille lamentacions, put away thoughte and gret pensifnes of suche lamentable passions and besinesse, and put ye hem to foryetefulnesse. And doo not away the recordacion of actis and dedis in armes of so many famous and victorious Kingis, Princes, Dukis, Erles, Barounes, and noble Knightis, as of fulle many other worshipfulle men haunting armes, whiche as verray trew martirs and blissid souls have taken theire last ende by werre; {4} some woundid and taken prisonneres in so just a title and conquest uppon youre enheritaunce in Fraunce and Normandie, Gasquyn and Guyen; and also by the famous King and mighty Prince king Edward the thrid, first heriter to the said Royaume of Fraunce, and by Prince Edwarde his eldist son, and alle his noble bretherin, [who] pursued his title and righte be force of armes, as was of late tyme sithe the yere of Crist M^l.iiij^cxv. done, and made a new conquest in conquering bothe the saide Reaume of Fraunce and Duche of Normaundie by the Prince of blissid memorie king Harry the v^{the}. Also be the eide of tho thre noble prynces his bretherne and be other of his puissant Dukes and lordis, being lieutenaunt[gh] for the werre in that parties, as it is notorily knowen thoroughe alle Cristen nacyons, to the gret renomme and[86] worship of this Reaume.

How every good man of [worshyp yn[87]] armes shulde in the werre be resembled to the condicion of a lion.

And therfor, in conclusion, every man in hym silf let the passions of dolours be turned and empressid into vyfnes of here spiritis, of egre courages, of manlinesse and feersnesse, after the condicion of the lion resembled in condicions unto; for as ire, egrenesse, and feersnesse is holden for a vertu in the lion, so in like manere the said condicions is taken for a vertue and renomme of worship to alle tho that haunten armes: that so usithe to be egre, feers uppon his advers partie, and not to be lamentable and sorroufulle after a wrong shewed unto theym. And thus withe coragious hertis putting forthe theire prowes in dedis of armes, so that alle worshipfulle men, whiche oughte to be stedfast and holde togider, may be of one intencion, wille, and comon assent to vapour, sprede out, according to the flour delice, and avaunce hem forthe be feernesse of strenght and power to the verray effect and dede ayenst the untrew reproches of oure auncien adversaries halding uppon the Frenshe partie, whiche of late tyme by unjust dissimilacions, undre the umbre {5} and coloure of trewis and abstinence of werre late hadde and sacred at the cite of Tairs the .xxviij. day of Maij, the yere of Crist of M^l.iiij^cxliiij^{to}. have by intrusion of soche subtile dissimilacion wonne uppon us bethyn v yeres next foloweng withyn the tyme of [the last[88]] trieux the said Reaume and duchees, so that in the meane tyme and sethe contynued forthe the saide trewes from yere to yere, to this land grete charge and cost, till they had conspired and wrought theire avauntage, as it approvethe dailie of experience. And under this they bring assailours uppon this lande and begynneris of the trewis breking.

How the Frenshe partie began firste to offende and brake the Trewis.

[Sidenote: Tempore Regis H. vj^{th}.]

First by taking of youre shippis and marchaundises upon the see, keping men of noble birthe undre youre predecessoure obedience and divers other true lieges men prisoneris under arest, as that noble and trew knight ser Gilis the Duke is son of Bretaine, whiche for his grete trouthe and love he hadde to this youre Royaume warde, ayenst all manhode ungoodely entretid, died in prison. And also before the taking of Fugiers ser Simon Morhier knight, the provost of Paris, a lorde also of youre partie and chief of the Kingis counceile, take prisoner by Deepe and paieng a grete raunson or he was deliverid. And sone after one Mauncelle a squier, comyng fro Rone, with .xx. parsones in his company, to Deepe, pesibly in the monythe of Januarij next before the taking of Fugiers, were in Deepe taken prisoneris wrongfullie undre the umbre of trewis. And sithen the lord Faucomberge take prisoner by subtile undew meanys of a cautel taken under safconduct of youre adversarie at Pountelarge the xv day of Maij, the yere of Crist M^l.iiij^cxlix. And also the said forteresse of Pountlarge take the said day be right undew meanys taken uppon the said lorde Faucomberge contrarie to the said trewis, {6} forging here colourable matieris in so detestable unjust quarellis. For reformacion of whiche gret injuries conspired, shewed, and doone, alle ye put to youre handis to this paast and matier. Comythe therfor and approchen bothe kyn, affinitees, frendis, subgectis, allies, and alle wellewilleris. Now at erst the irnesse be brennyng hote in the fire thoroughe goode courage, the worke is overmoche kindelid and begonne, thoroughe oure dulnesse and sleuthe slommering many day, for be the sheding of the bloode of good cristen people as hathe be done in youre predecessours conquest that now is lost: is said be the wordis of Job: Criethe and bewailethe in the feelde, frendis and kyn, take heede pitously to your bloode.

A question of grete charge and wighte,[89] meoved first to be determyned, whethir for to make werre uppon Cristen bloode is laufulle.

[Sidenote: 1: p^{a}]

[Sidenote: 2: ij^{da}]

[Sidenote: 3: iij^{d}]

But first ther wolde be meoved a question, whiche dame Cristyn makithe mencion of in the seconde chapitre of the Tree of Batailles: whethir that werres and batailes meintenyng and using ben laufulle according to justice or no. And the oppinion of many one wolde undrestond that haunting of armes and werre making is not lefull, ne just thing, for asmoche in haunting and using of werre be many infinite[90] damages and extorsions done, as mourdre, slaugheter, bloode-sheding, depopulacion of contrees, castelles, citees, and townes brennyng, and many suche infinite damages. Wherfor it shulde seme that[91] meintenyng of werre is a cursid deede: not dew to be meyntened. As to this question it[92] may be answerd that entrepruises and werris taken and founded uppon a just cause and a trew title is suffred of God, for dame Cristen seiethe and moevithe, in the first booke of the Arbre of Bataile, how it is for to have in consideracion why that princes shuld maynteyne werre and use bataile; and the saide dame Cristin saiethe v. causes principalle: thre of them {7} bene of righte: and the other tweyne of vallente. The first cause is to susteyne right and justice; the second is to withestande alle soche mysdoers the whiche wolde do foule[93] greif and oppresse the peple of the contre that the kyng or prince is gouvernoure of; the thrid is for to recuver landes, seignories and goodes [that] be other unrightfully ravisshed, taken away be force, or usurped, whiche shulde apperteine to the kyng and prince of the same seignorie, or ellis to whome his subgettys shuld apparteine [and] be meinteined under. And the other tweyne be but of violence, as for to be venged for dammage or griefe done by another; the othir to conquere straunge countrees bethout[94] any title of righte, as king Alexandre conquerid uppon the Romayne: whiche tweine last causes, though[95] the conquest or victorie by violence or by roialle power sownethe worshipfulle in dede of armes, yet ther ought no cristen prince use them. And yet in the first thre causes, before a prince to take an entreprise, it most be done be a just cause, and havyng righte gret deliberacion, by the conduyt and counceile of the most sage approuved men of a reaume or countre that the prince is of: and so for to use it in a just quarelle as[96] the righte execution of justice requirithe, whiche is one of the principalle iiij. cardinall virtues. And if that using of armes and haunting of werre be doone rather for magnificence, pride, and wilfulnesse, to destroie Roiaumes and countreis by roialle gret power, as whan tho that wolde avenge have noo title, but sey _Vive le plus fort_, [that] is to sey, Let the grettest maistrie have the feelde,--

[In this place the following insertion is made by a second hand in the margin:]