months and halfe a siege Reolle a City seated upon the River of Garrone seaven leagues distant from Burdeaux was taken by force but when Charles returned into France the English repossessed themselves of Ayes and Saint Leverine and kept Ayes but lost Saint Leverine which was retaken by the Count de Fois their great enemy in an other part the Towne of Galerdonne did much molest Shartres as being neare unto it in so much as the Bastard of Orleans did besiege it but raised the siege when Talbot having taken Conches came to confront him and Talbot being assured that it would againe bee set upon as soone as the Bastard was gone did demolish it to the very ground whilest businesses went thus in France the ground works of Glocesters ruine were laid in England who relying upon his quality was not aware that his brothers death had lessened that authority which was due to him as Uncle to the King and Protector of the Kingdome whereupon provoked by his antient hatred of the Cardinall of Winchesters pride hee laid many faults unto his charge wherein though there might bee some likelyhood yet were not his proofes sufficient to convince him hee objected unto him 24. Articles some of which touched likewise upon the Archbishop of Yorke that hee had dared to doe many things without the authority of the King or him the Protector to the offence of Majesty and of the lawes to the end that in honour and dignity hee might proceed wheresoever els of greater degree that to enrich himselfe hee had defrauded the Exchequer and practised things prejudiciall to the affaires of France and that hee had beene the cause of the King of Scots liberty contrary to the interests of England there were the contents of his most waighty objections which were by the King referred to the Councell and the Councell consisting much of Ecclesiasticall persons the Duke was deluded not with oppositions or difficulties but with hopes promises till such time as the controversie falling into oblivion there was no more speech thereof hee had plunged himselfe into this busines upon extraordinary disadvantage his nature and the Cardinalls were too much differing for being more violent then revengefull and satisfied in that hee had vented his choller hee did not sollicite expedition whilest so harmefull carelesnes made him subject to bee despised and encouraged the Cardinall to revenge This great Prelates ambition was growne so high as that hee did pretend that King and Kingdome depended upon his directions wherein hee did so artificially behave himselfe that though his actions were blameable and unjust yet did they to all men seeme praise worthy and just dissimulation and cunning are the characters of a wary Courtier but not of a good Christian as simplicity and candour are of no use but of more danger to Princes then private men Henry and Gloster lost themselves for not having taken the other Councell the Cardinall did with the Duke as doth a well experienced Captaine with a Fort who not battering the Wall undermines the foundations being sure that the Battlements and Walles withall fall at once without any hazard to himselfe the foundations were the Dukes reputation which falling it behooved him to fall hee caused Elianor Cobham Dutchesse of Glocester to bee accused of treason witchcraft and enchantment for having made the Kings image in wax purposing that the King should consume away and perish as that image should doe to the end that the Duke her Husband might come unto the Crowne her complices were Thomas Southwell one of Saint Stephens Canons in Westminster Iohn Hum a Priest likewise Roger Bullenbrook reputed a great Negromancer Margery Iordan surnamed the Witch of Eie they were examined and convinced in Saint Stephens Chappell before the Archbishop of Canterbury the Dutchesse was sentenced to do publike pennance in three severall parts of the citie and to perpetuall imprisonment in the Isle of Man Iohn Humme was pardoned the other Priest they say did die the night which did immediatly preceede his punishment according to what he had prognosticated of himself that he should die in his bed The Witch was burnt in Smithfield and Bullingbrooke being drawne at a Horses tayle to Tyburne was hanged and quartered whether this imputation were true or no may be disputed by reason of Iohn Hummes being pardoned and Bullingbrookes constant affirmation at his death that no such wickednesse was ever imagined by them how ever it was this businesse was in it selfe so shamefull and scandalous as the Duke did not any wise meddle therein but patiently endured the affront and the being parted from his wife The losses which this meane while were suffered in Guienne made Henry resolve to send thither some little succour till such time as hee could provide greater Sir William Woodvile was dispatcht away with 800. men and Proclamation made that whosoever would transport any victuals thither should be exempted from all taxations which caused so much provision be sent thither as did supply the necessitie of that Province which being environed enemies could not make any use of the adjacent countries Talbot was likewise dispatcht away with 3000. Souldiers into Normandy and that he might goe with honour answerable to his deserts he was by the King created Earle of Shrewsbury a title which had not beene made use of for 340. yeares from such time as William the Conquerour having bestowed it on Robert Montgomery who came together with him from Normandy and who had but two that did succeed him It fell upon the person and family of Talbot who have injoyed it the space of a 190. yeares with a successive descent of ten Earles Whilest these provisions were made in England Count Armignac proffered his daughter for wife to Henry together with all the places which hee or his predecessors either by their owne acquirement or by gift and investment from the Kings of France had possessed in Gascony together with monies and assistance in the recovery of such places as were detained from him by Charles by Monsieur d'Albret and others of that Province till such time as hee should be intirely Duke thereof as anciently he was of Aquitane the councell did well approve of these offers and Embassadours were sent unto him but this businesse was not nor indeede could not be handled with so much see resieas to be kept from Charles his eare who caused notice to be given unto him for his personall appearing at the Parliament to be holden within 15. dayes at Tholouse and from thence at Paris That which mooved the Count to this offer to boote with his ambition of having his daughter a Queene and his dislike for not having a share in Court answerable to his greatnesse and his fathers great deserving was his desire to appropriate to himselfe the county of Comminges whereunto he layd pretence Iane Countesse of Comminges daughter to the Count of Bullen and Comminges and widdow to Iohn Duke of Berny who married her when
up but one body yet they were diversly inclined Yorke Ireland Suffolke Trisillian and Bambre were all ruled by like interest the rest not so The former being in a desperate case in their owne respects the rest not so unlesse in respect of them Trisillian framed ten Articles whereof the first nine contained onely two queres The first whether the King being inforced to give his assent to the Acts of the last Parliament to the prejudice of his Prerogative might not lawfully revoke them The second that if hee might doe it what punishment did they deserve who had forced his assent The tenth was whether or no the judgement given against Suffolk was erroneous and consequently revocable To this purpose the chiefe Judges of England were summoned to the Castle of Nottingham that they might give their opinions in these points and having given them subscribe them Their answers were according as were desired but they did not all incline to subscribe them by threats and examples they were drawne unto it Robert Belenap chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas threatned by the Duke and Suffolke was the first that underwrit them which when he had done he said now I lacke nothing but a rope if I should not have obeyed you I know I could not have escaped your hands now that I have obeyed I shall not scape being punished by the Barons of the Land nor can I complaine if they so doe The answers of the learned in the Law were that the King might revoke all as done against his will that those who were the cause of it deserved death as traytors and that the judgement given against Suffolk was erroneous and consequently revocable This being done they thought the worst was past the goods of the condemned were already shared nor remained there any thing save the owners death to the taking of possession the which was diligently indeavoured besides the Judges of the Kingdome the Sheriffes of every Shire were summoned thither for two purposes the one to know how many men might be found who would fight against the Barons the other that if another Parliament should be called the Knights and Burgesses might be chosen by the kings recommendation To the first they answered that the people stood so well affected to the Barons that they would not take armes against them to the second that to chuse the Burgesses contrary to the usuall forme of Law and liberty of the Kingdome was not onely impossible but dangerous The few that with an implicite obedience soothed their designes were commanded to be ready at need The Duke of Gloster was advised of all these affaires and fearing lest greater inconveniences might ensue he went unto the Bishop of London to whom he swore that he nere had other designe then the service and honour of the King and Kingdome that his onely errour was that he had hated and still did hate the Duke of Ireland so singularly beloved of the King but that hee was so farre from repenting himselfe of it that he desired the King and all the world might know that his hatred should never cease till crown'd with a just revenge that he was sory that no revenge was to be found answerable to his offence to wit the divorce of a Lady cosen to the King and neece to him he desired the Bishop to go to Court to acquaint the king with his good intentions to intreat his better opinion of him and to perswade him to lesse dangerous designes The Bishop went did what was desired and was graciously heard and had received as gracious an answer had not the Earle of Suffolke who apprehended all reconciliation mard the matter These men were like to those who falling down headlong lay hold upon some craggy stone which if pull'd out falls downe with them They kept themselves close to the King indangering his safety to save themselves The Earle shewed unto Richard how that the Dukes minde was full of deceit dangerous ambition seditious practices charging him with whatsoever he might doe to the prejudice of his Majesty as if he had already done it in such sort as the Bishop not able any longer to endure so much provoking petulancy commanded him to hold his peace he not accustomed to such commands asked him why because replied the Bishop you being a condemned man and one who lives onely by the Kings meere grace should not meddle in these affaires These words did strangely offend the King who after many and terrible threats went his way commanding him to goe unto his place of residence and not to stirre from thence without his expresse permission The which hee forthwith did for afterward having made relation to the Duke of what had past he retired himselfe to his owne Church Arundel Warwicke and Darby were those who were most exposed to danger To these Gloster joyned himselfe shewing that it was not now time to temporize that force was the onely meanes whereby to worke their safetie with the King and to keep the plotters of mischiefe within their bounds since that an open warre would be more advantagious to them then a deceitfull peace subject to deceit danger and suspition These reasons being approved they all withdrew themselves to their own homes using all the meanes they could to raise great troops of armed men the King advertised of their preparations thought the best course hee could take would be to prevent them and take from them the meanes uniting themselves Whereupon the Earle of Arundell being farthest distant from the rest and more exposed to danger hee commanded the Earle of Northumberland to surprize him who taking along with him store of company came to Rigate in Surrey where finding him rather in a condition of offending then being offended he thought he should doe better to returne without doing of any thing then by making a rash attempt discover the reasons of his comming But the King did not for all this quit his designe hee gave the like order to divers others commanning that if hee could not be had alive hee should be brought dead The Earle was ignorant of these plots but being advertised of them by Gloster who had better spies in Court hee travelled with all his followers all night long and in the morning came weary to Aringey where hee found the Duke and Warwick with a great number of Souldier a rumor was at the same time spread that the King under pretence of going to Canterbury to performe a vow would passe over into Fraoce to surrender unto that King Callis the castle of Guines whasoever else was in that country possessed by the Crown of England which whether or no it were invented to increase the peoples hatred is more then I can say but he made no such journey not to free them of suspition but for the fear he had of their combination For their forces were not to bee despised their ends being as they gave forth to reduce him to a better and more frugall government
of reason they had required of him Assoone as they were gone the first thing he did was to secure the consines upon Scotland by adding to the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Scroope Lord Greystock and Sir Robert Vmfrevill The last of which desirous to trie his fortune set upon the enemy of Godering where hee slew 600. of them and tooke 300. prisoners whilst the King sent a Herald into France with new letters of defiance who having accesse unto the Councell but not unto the King departed with this replie That answer should be made in time and place convenient The King was a ship-board in Antona when he was informed that the Earle of Cambridge the Lord Henry Scroope and Sir Thomas Grey had conspired his death This was the onely mischiefe undertaking against him though in vaine by the raging bloud of Civill ware More certainly would have beene indeavoured had it not beene for the warres with France which hindred such attempts whilst it served for a cauter to the bad humours of England This Princes misfortunes were put over to those that followed him for the cautery being closed up after his death produced such sicknesse as slew his sonne and grandchild as wee shall see in the second Volume The three Conspirators were apprehended The first was grandsonne to Edward the third cousen german to Richard the second and Henry the fourth and brother to the Duke of Yorke a Prince of great expectation one of whom England and the King himselfe did promise unto themselves deeds worthy of his birth in these present occasions he easily confessed I will not say the truth but that which being likely to be true redounded to his advantage that it should be beleeved He confessed that he and the other two had beene bribed by great summes of money received by the way of anticipation which caused them resolve since it was impossible for them to deliver him alive into the French mens hands to kill him before he should set footing in Normandy This did very much afflict the King he thought it improbale that men of so great fortunes should be capable of so base corruption for in his person they betrayed their Country exposed the very flower of England to the slaughter and cut the very nerves of the fortune of the land He bewailed the fault but did not perceive the true occasion of the treason which if he had done he had perhaps by rooting out the house of Yorke prevented the ruine wich was a framing against his house of Lancaster But humanity attains not to the secrets of above and if it did it is not wise enough to divert the wisdome of heaven God is as well the reward of good in thousands as he is the punisher of evill in the third fourth generation In Richard the 2. he punished the death of Edward the second In Henry the sixt and his sonne the death of Richard the second In Edward the fifth and his brother the death of Henry the sixt and his sonne And in Richard the third the death of Edward the fifth and his brother and yet hee was pleased to suffer those to dye in peace which were the authors thereof I would not place Edward the third in this number if his mothers fault did not in some sort lay upon him the aspersion of parricide Henry the fourth who murthered Richard the second and Edward the 4. who murthered Henry the sixt remained all unpunished But to Richard the second he denyed life perhaps repentance his inhumanity not deserving successor nor pardon And though he died a violent death yet not so ill as he deserved for who doth live through cruelty should through cruelty die It was not credited that the Earle of Cambridge was corrupted by France as he himself said but of his own accord for being married to Anne great grandchild to Lionell Duke of Clarence and sister to Edmond Earle of March to whom the Crowne did of right belong his designe was to kill the King and his brethren that so he might make his brother in law King who having no children nor in a capacity of having any he and his sonne were to succeed in the right of Anne so as fearing lest to confesse the truth might endanger his heires life he framed this fable He and his complices were beheaded And though he was pittied by all yet his resolving upon so wicked a deed in the nicke of so important a businesse to the common losse and danger did much abate their commiseration for his death was thought expedient for the life and safety of King and and subjects Walsingham writes that the Lord Scroop Lord Treasurer whose hypocrisie had wonne so much of credit with the King that nothing was done without his approvall was he who was corrupted by the Embassadors of France and that the other two received their infection from him That the Embassadors being returned home reported that they had so ordered the businesse that King Henry was as then either diverted from the enterprise of France or slaine A manuscript cited by Iohn Speed saith that the King of France gave them a million of Crownes that they might either kill him or deliver him up prisoner into his hands and that the Earle of Cambridge desirous to draw the Earle of March unto his party revealed the designe unto him forcing him by threats to sweare secrecy and that having obtained one onely hour for resolution the Earle of Marsh accused him unto the King The sentence of death which in history is recorded saith That it was so wrought as that the Earle of Marsh should take upon him the government of the Kingdome in case Richard the 2. were dead there remained still an opinion that he was yet living in Scotland and that he should be proclaimed heire to the Crown in opposition to Henry of Lancaster usurper The which doth partly correspond with the manuscript as likewise that the Earle of Marsh was the accuser it being probable that having no children and voide of ambition and of a peacefull condition he would not hazard his life to satisfie his brother in lawes ambition But it is not possible that the King of France should have payed this mony for if so it would have beene found after the delinquents death and some mention would have been made thereof Moreover the revenues of France in those daies not amounting by much to so great a sum it must of necessity either be taken out of an already gathered treasure or from the common peoples purse not from the treasury for Princes lay up treasure onely in peace and by good government both which were a long time unknowne to that Kingdome Not from the purse of the common people for it was impossible in such an instant and with so much secrecy to have drawne it from them So as for what appeares to me the reasons alledged in their sentence ought most to be beleeved the rather for that King Henry did never upbraid
governe alone they measure their owne interests by the concernments of their servants who if they were worthy would either sacrifice themselves for their Masters wellfare or would save themselves by flight to shun the being reputed their Prince his undoing These alterations made sport for King Henry the vitall spirits which ought to have concurred to the strengthening of so important a member as was Normandy retired themselves unto the heart oppressed by dangerous symptomes the which not easing the one did aggravate the other to the danger of them both nor could it be otherwise for the businesse requiring union and obedience the Duke could not obey the Dolphin whilst he pretended to governe him and union was impossible to the Dolphins servants being they were to lose their authority which together with the Dukes authority was incompatible The one side and the other did alike feare that the severall factions being once reduced into the right way would not goe astray againe for there is nothing whereof seditious men are more jealous then to make those taste the sweete of good who were formerly their associates and coadjutors in evill So as France running ruine through the excesse of disorder it was no wonder if England did establish herselfe through the excellency of counsell The English before they could besiege Roan were constrained to endeavour the taking in of Pont d'Arcke a fortresse seated upon the River Sâ—…ne that so they might the better keepe Roan from being succoured The King being not farre from thence in the Priory of Boneport sent the Lord of Cornwell to sound the defendants minds and to see whether the example of so many other places which had received his ensignes would move them to doe the like Iohn Graville was governour thereof who being resolute to stand out the Baron said unto him that he did ill to oppose himselfe against the King of Englands forces for he would undertake himselfe alone with very few more to passe over that River in despite of him and all his people offering to wage with him hereon his helmet with 500. Nobles in it against the best horse in his Stable Graville accepted of the wager and placed great troopes upon the passages Iames Harcourt being come to him from Estempes with 800. fighting men and 12000. of the Country people The Baron failed not to make good his word the next day he brought along with him 600. almost all archers amongst whom was a yong sonne of his owne of fifteene yeares of age one horse and some little field peeces all which hee conveied over in eight barkes to a little Iland situated in the midst of the River from whence shooting at the enemy who were upon the further banke hee so disordered them with his small peeees and his artillery as that they were faine to save themselves Harcourt retiring himselfe to Estempes Graville to Ponte d'Arcke and the rest to the woods so as being past over without resistance and having Knighted his sonne he put himselfe in battell aray and sent backe the boats to the end that they with some others that he had provided might convey over about a thousand souldiers with which hee did not onely maintaine skirmish against the garrison of the Fort but lodging himselfe in Mortamer Abbey he ransackt the Country putting them all in feare and disorder Graville being afterward jibed at for having so poorely mainteined the passage against so few men replied That if he had beene so seated as was he he would have hindred the passage not onely against him but against England and France put together But the seate was not the right reason of this it was rather the bowmens cunning and the terror which without any evident cause doth surprise even the stoutest hearts by the ancients called fate but by us divine providence the which is then more particularly seene when greater things are done then were the meanes whereby they were done The next day the Duke of Clarence passed over with 4000. fighting men and the King causing a bridge to be made on Roans side made himselfe Master of the field so as the Country people having no place to repaire unto the greatest part fled elsewhere and Graville having withstood a siege of three weekes despairing of succour yeelded the Fort their lives and goods saved Roan yet remained not that there were not many other Townes yet not taken in but because if she were once taken the rest would come in of themselves without one blow strucken The King of France and Duke of Burgony had sent thither made Captaines and souldiers to boot with the great number of inhabitants who were all resolved rather to die then to suffer the English subjection This siege was laid when the corne was not yet gathered in to the end that hunger might assist the other forces The King tooke up his quarter amongst the Cheartosine Monkes his brothers and Lords quartered themselves in seven other places to wit upon Saint Kathernes hill and over against the gates of Saint Hillary Caux Martinville Beauvais the Castle and the bridge The defendants made many fallies to impeach the besiegers workes slew some of them and lost some of their owne retiring themselves sometimes with their swords bloudy sometimes with bloudy heads But for all this they could not hinder them from securing their quarters with great ditches and workes and from accommodating themselves as that though they found all the adjacent houses Churches and Monasteries beaten downe and razed particularly Saint Severe Richburg Saint Gervais Mâ—…rtenville the Arsenalle and the Galleyes that were in it yet they used such diligence as that they wanted nothing requisite for a long siege as they thought this would prove the Cities strength being considered and the Citizens resolution who on the contrary side chased out of the City all such as had not wherewithall to victuall themselves easing themselves out of the number of 210000. mouths which were numbred in the City of 12000. of the most unusefull ones as old men women children and religious people who did afterwards all of them almost dye for hunger in ditches for they were not suffered to passe any further that the City might bee inforced to take them in againe the which she did not one of the evill effects of warre amongst those who doe defend themselves being to lay aside all manner of charity even though it concerne their owne blood so as the King was constrained the moanes and outcryes of the miserable people flying up to heaven afterwards to succour them to keepe them from utter perishing He sent the Earle of Warwicke and the Baron Talbot to Caudebec a place upon the Sene betweene Roan and Harfleur wherewith they agreed for the passage of the English Vessells over the River and that that Town of Caudebec should surrender it selfe as soone as Roan should either be taken or surrendred They gave ostages hereupon and suffered an hundred Vessells to passe over which came from the
Fleet to cast Anchor under Roan He made a bridge over the uppermost part of the River towards France and displaied three chaines a Canon shot off from the walls the one a fooot and a halfe under the water the second equall with the superficies of the water and the third two foot above the water bereaving them thereby of all manner of succour And because their many salleyes were the cause of the losse of many of his men to no purpose hee endeavoured to take it in by famine being sure that their obstinacy could not continue long Those of Saint Katherins who had not beene diligent in making their provisions yeelded themselves at the first months end their lives saved but not their goods The field this mean while was full of Burgonian Daulphinist and English Colours all of them to each other enemies so as if the former two did backe together the third made booty the two carrying away what the third left At this same time sixteen hundred Irish arrived at the Camp conducted by the Lord Kilmayne ill armed and but badly cloathed but of such agility and valour as they were commended beyond all the rest whereupon a newes being given out that the French were comming to succour the towne they were placed where it was thought the French would come they received this charge with unexpressible joy and though the succour came not they ceased not to do much mischiefe going and returning with more speed and to better purpose then the horses themselves either could or would have done The Citie had suffered much ever since October their victuals were spent happy were they that could get either Horses Dogges Cats Mice or such like uncleannesse to eate The poorer sort of people if in the streets they met any one with any thing of livelihood they would flye upon him blowes nor wounds not availing to make them to desist In three months space no meat had been publickly sold and those who had meanes to purchase any payed excessive prices above 50000. persons died of hunger during this siege They sent Eustace Paville a Doctor to acquaint the King and Duke of Burgony with their misery who when he had shewed how great evills they had suffered onely that they might preserve their faith and loyalty protested that if they should be inforced to yeeld themselves the King and Kingdome of France should have no greater enemies then they The answer was gracious that the King would preserve his good City of Roan that within a few daies hee would so succour it as that the enemy should rather bethinke themselves how to escape away then any longer to continue the siege Words which proved to no effect yet necessary to hinder the proceedings of the English to the cost of the miserable besieged but not able to succour them by force hee bethought himselfe how to give them comfort by a treaty of peace Cardinall Vrsino was about this time come from Avignon sent by Pope Martin the fifth to finde out some meanes how to agree these two great Princes The first thing he treated of was that they should send their Embassadours to Pont d'Arcke as they did but the time being spent in disputes and no conclusion made he resolved to goe himselfe to the walls of Roan Hee spoke with King Henry he presented him with the Picture of the Lady Catherine of France the best meanes as he thought whereby to perswade him The King after he had well considered her beauty and praised it seemed to be desirous of the match if shee should come endowed with a million of gold with the Province of Normandy by him almost wholly conquered the Province of Acquitany by him likewise in a great part possessed the County of Poictou and all the other Signiories which did formerly belong and were hereditary to the Crowne of England adding that he would have them free from having any dependancy upon France The which seeming very hard to the French Deputies the conference was dissolved For besides the abovesaid pretensions the English Deputies explained themselves that Charles by reason of his sicknesse was not fit to make treaties nor the Dolphin as not being King nor the Duke of Burgony as not having power to dispose of the inheritance and dependances of the Crowne That therefore it did necessarily follow there was no accord to be made but by the sword which was onely able to satisfie the one and inforce the other The breach of this Treaty did almost quite dead the hopes of the besieged yet did they a while languishin agony by reason of the great preparations which were made throughout all Picardy but as soone as they perceived that the King and Duke of Burgony distracted through their jealousies of the Dolphin could not succour them they resolved to hazzard their lives lesse valued then their pretended liberty and to goe themselves to procure and bring in succour the which they could not doe but by breaking through the Campe 10000. of them well armed the rest remaining to defend the City rushed furiously out of a gate from whence they were not gone two miles when the rafters of the bridge breaking as many as were upon it fel into the water those who remained in the town issued out at another gate to save their companions the which they could not so soon doe before the English had already fought with them and driven them back Those who fell shared all of severall misfortunes few of them escaping being either drowned broken or wounded The bridges rafters were cut in two by Guy Buttler after the place was surrendred he was thought to have caused them to bee cut onely because he had sworne loyalty to King Henry and was become his subject The Duke of Burgony did not cease though in this desperate case to flatter them with hopes of succour and that they might beleeve him he said he would doe that which he was farre from being able to effect He brought the King and Queene to Beauvais and caused great troopes of armed men to come thither which served to no other use then to bee an oppression to the Countreyes through which they passed Hither for their last Embassy came new soliciters from Roan the midst of December who laid open what miserable famine they suffered the misery that those endured who being shut out of the city died in ditches that they were forced to take up such children as were there borne in baskets over the walles to baptize them and being baptized to convey them downe againe to their mothers who rather expected death then life That many died unbaptized evils which had happened and did happen for their service done unto the King and Duke of Burgony whilest they on their sides had done nothing that they ought to have done and had promised that they could expect no longer that if succour were not immediately sent they would render themselves to the King of England And with this protestation they
possesse if you doe not this King of England I am the Head of Warre in whatsoever part of France I shall meet with your people I will drive them out will they nill they If they will obey I will receive them to mercy The Maid comes from the King of Heaven and if you will not obey her shee will make you so great an Hahai as the like hath not beene heard this thousand yeares in France for you ought firmely to beleeve the King of Heaven will give to her and her good Souldiers more force then you are likely to have goe to your owne Country in Gods name and bee not stubborne for you shall not hold France by permission of the King of Heaven Sonne of Saint Mary but King Charles the true heire shall hold it to whom-God hath given it and who shall enter Paris with a faire company You William Poole Earle of Suffolke you John Lord Talbot you Thomas Lord Scales Lieutenants to the Duke of Bedford and you Duke of Bedford who call your selfe Regent in the Kingdome of France spare the innocent bloud leave Orleans in liberty for if you will not doe reason to those you have done wrong unto The French will doc the bravest deed was ever done in Europe thinke well upon what God and the Maid sayes unto you No man will thinke it could produce any thing but laughter but by what soone ensued that laughter was turned to an other tone The Frenchmen say that the Trumpetter who brought the Letter was contrary to the law of Nations detained and that hee hardly escaped being burnt Chartier and Dupleix adde that after the siedge he was found in shackles which whither it was so or no I cannot tell for the English say nothing in this point and the French doe not all agree in one relation therefore let it bee lawfull for every one to beleeve as hee listeth but it is hard to beleeve if it were so that the rage of those who were driven away who formerly had a minde to burne him should not provoke them to kill him before they went since they did not depart in such hast as Chartier will have them to have done but that they might have time enough to have done it since it consisted onely in the striking of one stroake The besieged consulted what they had to doe being by the Maiden assured of certaine victory they resolved to begin with the Fort of Saint Lupe plac't over against the gate of Burgony and guarded by 400. Foote Fortune favoured their forwardnesse they set upon it the fourth of May with so much resolution as that though it were manfully defended it was after long contestation more manfully gotten the garrison was put to the sword the Fort burnt the Artillery and munition brought into the Citie and since Serres writes that the maid was the first that entred the towne crying Monjoy Saint Denis victory let us grant her this honour though the rest who speake of her as the head of the enterprise speake not one word thereof They left the towne the next day and tooke two Forts St. Iohn and Londre the first was easily taken the second not so easily where the Souldiers were cut in pieces and many French prisoners recovered the sixt day they assailed the tower upon the bridge defended by Gladisdale by them called Classidas and highly commended the fight continued from breake of day till Sunne set Gladisdale was slaine together with the Lord Merlin and Poinings and many Souldiers The maid was wounded with an Arrow betweene the necke and the backe but shee forbore not though to fight and to incourage her men Dupleix saith that the Bastard of Orleans seeing the stout resolution of the defendants would have sounded a retreate but being intreated to the contrary by her he did not That having retired herselfe to her Oraisons for halfe a quarter of an houre she returned more couragious then before emboldening the rest by her example and againe that shee having till then beene undervalued by the English they seeing her valour began now to thinke that there was somewhat more then humane in her which formerly they did not beleeve and that they were led to this by one of Merlins prophecies which foretold that they should be ruinated in France by the meanes of a maid To the first 't is answered that it was by him invented since that hee sayes that which others doe not the more to confirme the opinion of her pretended sanctity so the second that amongst all Merlins prophecies there is not any one such there is none of any understanding in England who doe not hold Merlins prophecies as invented tales the diversity of editions the one not agreeing with the other as every one of the compositors best liked his owne proves this clearely unto us but to leave generalls no historian mentions any such thing save himselfe so as the English could thinke no otherwise of the maid then as of an imposture chosen for that purpose neither is it they alone that doe beleeve this for the sharpest sighted of France did and doe beleeve it Things were brought to that passe as hath beene said to the besiegers great disadvantage so as the besieged pursuing their good fortune provided to invade such Forts as yet remained in the possession of the enemy the first was that of the Lord Talbot who not waiting for them lockt up within met them abroad fought with them and forced them to retire with the losse of some men and Artillery but this imported nothing to what remained to continue the siege was dangerous the Citie was free on the side of Soulogne the number of the enemie was increased and daily to increase more in number already then were they victualls could not be inhibited them to recover what was lost was impossible so as they resolved to rise from before the towne which was no sooner mention'd then put in execution but to take away all appearances that they should be driven away they resolved their Forts being forsaken to put themselves in battle array to expect the enemie to fight with them if they should come if not to retreat as they did for the French making them a bridge of gold by keeping within the Citie having expected them the greatest part of the day they marcht away in good order after seven monethes siege The Earle of Suffolke came with 400. men to Iergeau Talbot to Meune and the rest to other places Iohn Chartier sayes that at the end of the the siege there were left but 4000. of the English Serres sayes that they stole away by night in a squadron of 9000. and marched towards Baugences but since he is noted of falshood by his owne country men t is needlesse for me to endeavour to confute this flight by night for the rest relate it as we have done this was the end of the siege of Orleans A game blow for as in the losse there of Charles would have
and her Children remaine any longer in so eminent danger Caen was by King Henry given to the Duke of Yorke so as though the Duke of Somerset as Lieutenant generall had all plenary authority in all other places yet had hee not so in this without Sir David Halls consent Commander of the Towne under the Duke of Yorke But Somerset summoning together the chiefest Citizens told them that it was impossible to defend the Towne and that in endeavouring it they would endanger being taken by force His proposition was gladly entertained by them all Hall opposed him shewing him that though his authority was generall yet had hee nothing to doe in that place which did belong to the Duke of Yorke and whereof the charge was committed to him that the Towne was not in such danger as hee pretended for it neither wanted men munition nor mony that therefore it behooved them to spin out the time till the Duke himselfe might come to the succour thereof or els give order for the surrender thereof That in the meane while hee would defend it against whatsoever power since the Castle was impregnable and though subject to the thunder of a cannon yet onely Women and Children were there at to bee affraid not men of warre Long were the disputes hereupon but the Inhabitants siding with the Duke all of them naturally enclined to the French and fearing to bee sackt they mutined against the Captaine vowing that if hee did not yeeld up the Towne within three dayes they in despight of him would throw open the Gates to the King their threats were not to bee despised since the common sort of Souldiers and the Duke sided with them so as hee was constrained to yeeld but would not have his name used in the articles which were signed in this manner the next day of the Feast of Saint Iohn Baptist that in the Towne Castle should be yeelded up on the first of Iuly in case they were not before that succoured that the Duke Dutchesse their Children all others that had a minde to depart might do so the Souldiers with their horses harnesse the Inhabitants with their Wives Children and moveables but at their owne charges that they should pay what they ought unto the Citizens and should leave behinde them all sort of Artillery Sir David Hall tooke shipping for Ireland to advertise the Duke of Yorke his master hereof who was so much offended thereat that if his former injuries received from the Duke of Somerset did touch him to the quick this vext his very heart Of a 100. Townes enjoyed by the English they now enjoyed but foure Lisieux commanded by Gough yeelded their lives and livelyhood saved but the Garrison was to march forth with a white truncheon onely in their hand Falce whereof the Earle of Shrewesbery was Master by gift from Henry held out a while the souldiers sailed forth to surprize the cannon which they saw appeare but being repulsed and Charles himselfe comming thither in person they demanded parly which was granted them they agreed upon two articles one for each side for them that they should surrender the place if they were not succoured within twelve dayes For Charles that hee should set the Earle of Shrewesbery at liberty who was prisoner in Dreux Dumfronte yeelded the second of August the lives and goods of the Inhabitants saved Chereburg held last out it was valiantly defended as long as their munition lasted from thence the Governour thereof Captaine Thomas Gonvall and the Garrison went to Callais where he found the Duke of Somerset and the rest who after so many adverse fortunes had retired themselves thither Normandy returned back againe to the possession of the French 30. yeares after it had beene conquered by Henry the fifth and 3. were the causes of her losse the first that a small number of Souldiers were not sufficient to retaine it in obedience for though it did patrimonially belong to the Crowne of England yet did it not any longer retaine those former good affections to England which had beene cancelled by the interposition of the government of two ages from the time that King Iohn of England was deprived thereof by Philip the first so as being French in scituation tongue and customes it was impossible to preserve her with the weake forces of bare garrisons devided conquests and which are aloofe of are not kept without great Collonies or without the totall rooting out of the people especially when they neighbour upon great Princes that may helpe them the common wealth of Rome doth antiently teach us this and in moderne time the Turke and the Spaniards the Turke in the Easterne Countries and parts adjacent the Spaniards in Cuba Muxico Pera and the rest of America wherein destroying as many as could hurt them they reserved none alive save some few that they thought might doe them service the second was the Duke of Somersets avarice for that hee did not keepe such garrisons there as hee should have done but pocketted up the money in his owne purse as appeares by his conniving during the truce at the robberies which with suppository beards were done upon the high wayes by his Souldiers whereby hee gave just occasion of complaint unto the French and by not paying of his Souldiers lost all power either of suppressing their out rages or punishing their selves the third home divisions of these three the first is not to bee questioned the second though some what obscure yet cleare enough by the effects the third may suffer a dispute for though ill humours were conceived they were not ripe enough to cause the ruine of the state â—…or would they have beene at all conceived or bred under a princely spirited King 〈◊〉 proceed from ill government ill government from the want of judgement insufficiency and easinesse and cruelty in the Prince now to come to these ruines I say the chiefest of them had their beginnings from the Duke of Suffolke of whom there are divers opinions Polliâ—…ore Holinshead and Hall judge evilly of him following the vâ—…lgar opinion which never adheres to favorites Caniden and Speed evilly but not with ingratitude grounding themselves upon many truthes I in like manner beleeve both well and ill of him the good in him was that he was very vertuous and of heightned conditions for what concerned himselfe he waged warre in France 44. yeares without intermission in seventeene of which he never saw his owne country when he was taken prisoner his ransome cost him 20000. pound sterling though then he had no greater title then bare knighthood he was of 30. yeares standing of the order of the Garter his father was slaine at the siege of Harflore his elder brother in the battle of Ajencourt and two younger brothers in the same warres so as it cannot be denyed but that his Prince and country ought much unto him since he spent his life and livelihood in the service of the one his reputation in the service
thereby set them at liberty and armed them but this did but little availe him for the Archbishop of Canterbury having wisely framed a generall pardon and authorised it with the great Seale hee himselfe being Lord Chancellour hee crost the River over against the Tower accompanied by the Bishop of Winchester made it bee proclaimed in South-wark where it was so welcomly received by the rebells that without taking leave or seeing their Captaines face they returned to their owne homes so as being suddenly forsaken and those aydes not appearing which were promised by such as sided with the Duke of Yorke hee fled in disguise into Sussex and was pursued by many to gaine the 1000. marks which were promised to him that should kill him this good fortune befell Alexander Iden who did well deserve it by reason of the danger wherein hee put himselfe for finding him in a Garden hee slew him hand to hand without any manner of treachery and brought his Body to London where the Head being taken of it was put upon a spear's end and set it upon the Bridge as are usually the heads of Traitors and Iden received the 1000. marks which hee had generously wonne The Archbishop of Canterbury plaid a discreet part in this busines by applying the generall pardon to the seditious in a time when many of them being slaine or hurt the rest shreudly affrighted and fearing yet worse hee did that with a few stroakes of his pen which many a stroake of sword neither could nor would have done an act of a wise Minister for the common people are for the most part like pettish children who grow wilde at the whisk of a Rod and are made tractable at the sight of a red cheekt apple The King was advised to goe into Kent where having chastised some hee made good the pardon to all the rest to the great satisfaction of the Country Charles made use of these dissentions in England to impatronize himselfe of Gascony just as hee did of the disorders of Normandy to make himselfe master of that Province the experience of so many yeares wherein hee had governed himselfe amisse had made him more minde his busines Monstrelet observes that the conquest of Normandy was an effect of his good order taken with his Souldiers for hee had reduced the horse which was the chiefest part of his strength to so perfect a discipline by well arming of them and well paying them as that the Country people did in safety enjoy their own goods any transgression in that behalfe being severely punished which if all Princes would doe they would seldome bee loosers Nothing did more preserve the Guascons for 300. yeares and upward in their obedience to the English not withstanding all the forces pollicies and proffers of France then good government for they were ruled under the liberty of the lawes as if they had beene naturall English-men not that when a goverment is come to it's period any thing is able to uphold it since the orders of fortune and of nature have their bounds prefixt as well in what is good as what is bad Bergerac was the first place besieged in Guien a place seated upon the River Dordon in Perigord Charles made the Count Pointeverres who was likewise Count de Perigord and Viscount de Limoges his Lieutenant in those parts hee was accompanied with many Gentlemen and with 2500. horse 500. whereof were lances for every lance consisted of five horse the man at armes his page his servant armed and two bow men When the artillery came up Bergerac yeelded the English came forth on horseback and with their goods the Inhabitants enjoyed their owne as formerly Iansack seated upon the same River was taken by assault 35. English being there slaine the rest taken prisoners Monferat Saint Foye and Chalois yeelded for the Inhabitants were affrighted and resolved not to hazard their lives and livelyhoods since the Lord Cameile had written into England for succour and no order was taken for any by reason of the home broyles there so as no Towne now durst any longer hold out but that which did chiefely quell their Spirits was the defeat given by Monsieur de Orvall the third sonne of the house of Albret to the Maior of Burdeaux Orvall was parted from Bazas to make an inroade into the Island of Medock with 4. or 500. fighting men when night came on hee staid some two leagues short of Burdeaux and the next morning being all Saints day as hee was on horseback to enter the Island hee was tould that betweene 8. and 9000. of those of Burdeaux what Townesmen what English were marched forth to give him battell whereupon hee set his men in order expecting to bee set upon When they came to blowes hee slew 1300. of them and the Maior fled away abandoning the Infantry which hee had placed in the front of the enemy and besides those hee slew hee tooke 1200. prisoners this is according to Monstrelets relation Hallian who taxeth the Geographers of ignorance for calling the country of Madock an Island since it is onely environed on the one side by the River of Garronne and on an other side by a little arme of the Sea all the rest being firme continent joyning to the lands of Burdeaux doth agree almost in all things with Monstrelet save that hee saith that the English Authours write that the French were twise as many as they and that their victory cost them the lives of 1000. of their owne men Chartier saith that Monsieur d'Orvall had betweene 6. and 7000. fighting men that as hee returned with his booty hee was set upon by the English that hee slew about 2000. of them and tooke 2200. prisoners The English writers on the contrary side say that the Maior of Burdeaux was overcome more by number then valour that those who were slaine and taken prisoners were about 600. and that 800. of the French were slaine Which of these is the true relation is left to the judgement of him who will take the paines to examine them if Chartier bee to bee beleeved the 2200. prisoners will proove likelier to bee sheepe then men for every one of the Victors must binde at least 3. or 4. and if it bee said that they who could kill every man 14. which is not granted might much easier take every man his 3. or 4. prisoners The argument holds not for it is easier for one man to kill 14. then to take and detaine 4. The English have divers times fought against 7. or 8. and have overcome the French themselves will not deny it but there is some reason given for it for though valour bee to bee accounted in the first place since without it no so disadvantagious resolution can bee taken yet in the second place may bee alleadged the disorder of the enemy their owne good order and their arrowes which gawling and disordering the horse were cause of the victory In this present affaire neither the valour nor the
seeing he was used but as an instrument to work the designes of others began better to bethink himself His men had taken a servant of Iames de Gratsi a Gentleman who then served the King prisoner Edward would have him set at liberty without ransome and the Lord Howard and Lord Stanley having furnished him with Moneys for his expences loaded him with the presentment of their services to the King in case he should come to speak with him which at his first coming he did This News seeming strange to Lewis who did not reflect upon the names of those that sent him his naturall jealousie wrought so far upon him as that he made Irons to be clapt upon him taking him to be but a Spie the which he the rather did for that his Masters brother was in great favour with the Duke of Bretagne But after he had made him be privately examined by some and had spoke with him himself he remembred the English Heraulds words That if he did resolve to treat with Edward he should send a Herauld to demand safe-Conduct for his Ambassadours prescribing unto him that he should make his addresse to the Lord Howard and Lord Stanley Having well bethought himself herein some time past before he could resolve whether to do it or no At last he resolved and pitcht upon a person to send wherein his choice seemed very strange Monsieur de Hales had a servant with whom Lewis had never spoken but once he thought this man fit for the employment he was a man poor in aspect but rich in understanding who could at the same time expresse himself boldly enough and yet with modestie whereupon it may be said that in this his choice he shewed his wisedom He caused a Heraulds Coat be made for him whereof there was none at that time in the Camp for Lewis was an enemy to Apparences no great friend to Decency and no ways curious in the accustomed Formalities of Princes This man received his Instructions and presented himself before the English Camp He made known to the Lords Howard and Stanley that he desired to speak with the King and chancing to come when the King was at Dinner he was led into a Tent to dine When he was brought unto the King he told him in Lewis his name He was come from the King of France his Master who was desirous of Peace with his Majestie and his Kingdom as that which was to be sought for by both of them by reason of the commodity of Commerce and which was necessary for the Subjects both of the one and the other That the King his Master wondred to see him come into France since he had never given him occasion to wage War That if he had favoured Warwick it was not out of any ill will to him or his House but in respect of the Duke of Burgundy his inexorable enemy who had made his Majestie of England take Arms against him not for that he intended any advantage or honour to him thereby but that the Forces of England might better his own condition and that of his Colleagues That the Dukes affairs needed Accommodation not War the which might be witnessed by the state his Master found him in since being undone by a long and unfortunate Siege he was reduced to such a passe as that he could not sustain himself but at the charge of others He wished Edward to consider that he had Winter at his back That he was in the Field and unprovided of Towns not being come out of his own election but called in to please his Subjects who if they desired War with France 't was out of passion since reason shewed them there was no appearance of their reaping any profit thereby but rather the contrary for building upon the Duke of Burgundy and the Constable they were certainly to be deceived their Coyn being of a false alloy That he knew the King of England had been at great expence to come into France but that if he would give way unto a Treaty his Master would give him such satisfaction as that he his Nobility and Countrey should have reason to rest satisfied That if it would please him to send Lewis a safe-Conduct for a hundred Horse he would send Ambassadours to wait upon him where he pleased either in any Village or between the two Camps and that Lewis would not fail to send the like to wait upon his Ambassadours Edward and the major part of his Counsel were well pleased with this Proposition The Herauld was suddenly dispatched away being presented with a hundred Angels in a gilt-Cup and had along with him the Safe-Conduct he desired and was accompanied by an English Herauld who might bring back the like with the which assoon as he returned the Ambassadours met in a Village neer Amiens the two Armies being four Leagues distant from thence And though the Demands of the English were exorbitant standing still upon their old Pretences of demanding the Crown and in the second place the Dutchies of Normandy and Guienne yet the one being desirous to return home the others to send them away assoon as possibly they could this Treaty ended upon two chief Conditions besides such as concerned Commerce The one That Lewis should pay to Edward Seventy five thousand Crowns Seventy two thousand says Commines before he went from France the other That the Dolphin who was afterwards Charles the Eighth should marry ELIZABETH eldest Daughter to Edward who was afterwards Wife to Henry the Seventh allowing her for her Maintenance Fifty thousand Crowns a yeer which were for Nine succeeding yeers to be paid her in the City of LONDON at the end whereof the Marriage being to be consummated the married Couple were joyntly to enjoy all the Revenue of the Dutchy of Guienne the annual payment of the abovesaid Fifty thousand Crowns ceasing And that the Peace between the two Kingdoms should be understood to continue during these Nine yeers their friends therein comprehended namely the Dukes of Burgundy and Britanny Many blamed Lewis for these Agreements and not looking into the reasons thereof imputed pusillanimity and cowardise unto him but they did not well understand the businesse Commines says that besides his declared enemies who were the Dukes of Britanny and Burgundy and the Constable he had so many private concealed ones in the body of his Kingdom as without this Agreement he might have suffered losse He meaneth as I believe such Princes and Lords who not approving of the Person of the King would have caused the good o France which Charles said once he wisht her to wit That in stead of One King she might have Six But suppose there were no such dangers there yet remains one reason not spoken of by him which of it self ought to have perswaded him to do what he did The end of War is Victory but all Victories are not equally profitable there is difference between overcoming to preserve our own and overcoming to get
with King Iames who did not suffer any one to come into the Castle he made a publike Proclamation to be made in the chief Market place by Garter King at Arms that if he would not make good to Edward what under his hand he was by agreement obliged unto if he did not before September next make satisfaction for the damages and injuries done to England and did not put the Duke of Aubeny in his former condition without the diminishing of his Possessions Authority or Offices he would put his whole Kingdom to fire and sword But the King returning no Answer neither by message nor writing being equally unfit either to give satisfaction or make resistance the Nobles who had encamped themselves at Haddington with a great number of men being abandoned by the King and not willing to abandon themselves and Countrey sent Ambassadours to the Duke of Gloucester offering for what belonged to them to effect the Marriage and requiring the like of him promising that it should not fail on their sides if all the Articles agreed upon were not put in execution and an inviolable Peace for the time to come were not made between the two Kingdoms To the which Gloucester answered that the Match was broken by means contrary to the end for which it was made That he did not know the King his brothers intentions and whether he was not resolved as he had good cause not to think any more of it That his Instructions were To demand restitution of the Moneys the which he did requiring speedy payment for what concerned the Peace That it was not to be had unlesse they would promise to deliver up unto him the Castle of Berwick or unlesse in case they could not do it they would oblige themselves not to assist the besieged nor molest the besiegers till such time as it were either taken or surrendred These Demands seemed very hard to the Scots They answered The cause why the Marriage was not effected was by reason of the young couples yeers not through any default of theirs That the Moneys could not justly be demanded the time of repayment being not yet come That if the security given in for the repayment of them did not suffice they would give in other That Berwick was situated upon the very Bound of Scotland built by the Scots and by just Title always possessed by them nor was their claim thereunto the weaker because the English had made themselves Masters of it since violence doth not prejudice the right of a just ancient natural and primary possession But the Duke of Aubeny put an end to all these differences for Gloucester permitting him to go into the Scotish Camp and the Lords there promising him that if he would submit himself to the King they would procure his pardon and the restitution of all his goods he was declared under the King Lord Lieutenant of the Kingdom and it was resolved though not without much opposition that the Castle of Berwick should be surrendred and a Truce for certain moneths was agreed upon to the end that the Peace might be treated on without disturbance oâ—… hostility so as the Duke of Gloucester having recovered Berwick One and twenty yeers after Henry the sixth had given it to the Scots he retired himself to Newcastle where he expected directions from his brother who having weighed the concernment of this Match the Kings decaying condition the danger he was in of being deposed he being hated and the Duke of Aubeny beloved he demanded his Moneys which were forthwith payed him leaving Scotland to its turmoils the which though the Duke of Aubeny did sincerely endeavour to quiet by remitting the King his brother to the plenary possession of his Kingdom yet could he not reconcile the King unto him For if the remembrance of injuries be never to be forgotten by men of perverse natures good turns are the more easily forgotten ingratitude being an enemy to all Christian and Moral vertues King Iames his minde was so contaminated and depraved as it would not suffer him to think well of his brother though the effects demonstrated the contrary nay he was likely to have made him follow his other brother had he not by his friends been advertised thereof which made him flee into England from whence having delivered up to Edward the Castle of Dunbarre he went to France where running at Tilt with the Duke of Orleans who was afterwards Lewis the twelfth he was unfortunately slain by the splinter of a Lance which wounded him thorow the sight-hole of his Helmet Edward had long suffered Lewis to take his advantage not onely in such parts of the Heir of Burgundy's Countrey as were far distant from him but even in those which were neare to Callice permitting him contrary to all reason of State to make himself master of Bullein and other Forts upon the Sea onely out of the hopes of his Daughters marriage but growing too late suspicious of it he sent the Lord Howard to France to sift out the truth who though he saw the solemne receiving of Margaret Daughter to the late heire of Burgondy and Maximilian of Austria and saw her married to the Dolphin in Amboyse yet when he tooke his leave Lewis according to his wonted dissimulation confirmed unto him his former promises as if a new match contracted with all the Church-Ceremonies and the Bride in the house did not prejudice the former so as being returned to England hee truly related the difference of what his Eyes saw and Lewis told him Lewis had handled this match according to his wonted craft not seeming to be therein obliged to those of Gaunt who had concluded it maugre their Prince the Brides Father and they did it willingly for taking from him the Counties of Artois Burgondy and Carolois the Counties of Macon and Auxorres which they gave in portion to the Dolphin they made him the lesse able to offend them they would likewise if they could have given him Hainault and Namours not considering that these Provinces in the hands of so great a King were like to forme the chaine of their servitude But Fortune favoured them beyond all expectation for this marriage so advantageous for that Kingdome was together with the Bride yet a Virgin not many Yeares after renounced by Charles the eight that he might take to Wife Anne the Daughter and Heire of Francis Duke of Britaigne and thereby to possesse himselfe of that Dukedome and the aforenamed Margaret borne under an unhappy constellation for matter of Husbands was in a very short time Widow to three To Charles who did yet live and to two others who died Iohn Prince of Aragon who lived not many moneths and Philibert the 8th Duke of Savoy who within a few Yeares dyed so as she had no issue by any of them Edward was so sensible of this his great abuse as that he resolved on revenge every one with cheerfulnesse provided for War the Clergy supply'd in monies
esteem amongst the Flemings she was the third wife to Charles Duke of Burgundy who being slain before Nanci left no Heir behinde him save Mary born to him by Elizabeth of Burbon his second wife who was married to Maximilian of Austria son to the Emperour Frederick the third to whom she bare Philip and Margaret which their mother being dead were brought up with much charity and affection by this window she doing for Them as she could have done had they been her Own children which caused the Subjects moved thereunto by her so great Charity to honour and obey her as if she had been their Naturally-reigning Princesse Her husband had left her a very great Dowry so as she having had no other occasion of Expence saving her frugal Domestick affairs she might by the Moneys she had gathered in so many yeers of her Self unassisted by any Other undertake this business She therefore willingly listened to the Embassie not that she was Ignorant of the Falshood of it for she knew her Nephew so strictly kept as he could not escape but that she might have an occasion to trouble Henry His marriage with her Neece which should have reconciled her to him did the more Incense her against him since it was the way to Establish him in the Kingdom and to take it from Her House without any Hope of ever Recovering it again whereupon she readily Promised Assistance and in it's due time Sent it more Readily The King when he heard of this Rebellion in Ireland was very much troubled being too-late aware he had done ill to leave that Nation under the Command of such as depended upon his Predecessor And though he could not have imagined such an accident as This yet was he not to be excused for Wisedom ought to foresee not onely Evident but Contingent dangers neither was it Contigency to trust Ireland in the hands of such as were Well-wishers to the Adverse party it was not to be believed that together with their Prince they would change their Inclinations for Hatred in inveterate Factions is seldome changed But having no ready remedie nor being able to exercise his own Valour upon this occasion as he had done upon Others by reason of the Sea's interposal he called his Council together to know their Opinions and to resolve upon what was to be done They propounded and concluded upon Three expedients First a General Pardon for All faults Treason against the Kings Person not excepted to all such as within a Prefixt time should Confesse themselves guilty a thing most Usual upon Other occasions but necessary at This time since Ordinary Treason which is usually pardonable was not Now treated of but treason grown to such a Height as makes the partakers therein Desperate even to the Uttermost Hazard their welfare being incompatible with the welfare of the Prince This Article was resolved on in consideration of Sir Thomas Broughton who had saved the Lord Lovel for being a powerful man in his Countrey he might have assembled many men who joyned to the rest might have done much harm and though there was no doubt of his Correspondency with the Irish yet it was Now no fitting time to proceed against him with Severity it was thought fittest for the Present Danger not to put him to Desperation not to Provoke him to Mischief and to shew him a way to save himself Secondly that Edward Plantagenet should be taken out of the Tower and shewn to the People to the end they might know he was not dead and that the supposed Plantagenet in Ireland was a meer Chimaera framed onely to trouble the State Thirdly that the Queen-mother should be confined to the Nunnery of Bermondsey and that her goods should be confiscated for that having promised the Princesse Elizabeth to the now-King whilst he was in Britanny she had contrary to the Articles of Agreement delivered Her and the rest of her sisters up to Richard The issue of these three Resolutions were Broughton bit not at this bait of Pardon Edward Plantagenet was led in Procession to Pauls being by the way discoursed withal by divers of the chief of the Nobility that knew him especially by such of whom the King had any Suspition to the end they might be convinc't in their reason The which though it availed in England yet did it no good in Ireland where the King was accused That out of an intent to rob Edward the Sixth of his Inheritance which he had Tyrannously enjoy'd he had shewed to the view of the People a young boy who was somewhat like him to the end they might believe a Falshood thereby cheating the World and by an unparallel'd Imposture profaning the Church and sacred Ceremonies The resolution concerning the Queen was that Alone which took Effect though not without Scandal for there being no other cause then what was alleadged the punishment savoured too much of Avarice and Cruelty of Avarice because the King got thereby her Confiscation which was very Great of Cruelty because the Weaknesse and Vanity of a Woman the Weaknesse caused by the Threats the Vanity by the Promises of a Tyrant and the Irksomnesse of a Sanctuary an End whereof she was Never to expect did not deserve so Severe a punishment Not but that her fault was very Great since she did what in Her lay to render the Kings return vain and to make those Lords for ever lose their Countrey and their Possessions who upon her promises were gone into Britanny but the Difficulty of so dangerous an enterprise under the conduct of a Young man without Forces against a powerful King a skilful Warriour together with the Example of the Duke of Buckingham who first began it with so Unfortunate Successe were able to have made a Stronger minde then Hers to have Waver'd the sufferings of her Body and Minde made her covet a Quiet which she could not hope for from a few Exil'd People and if This were her Onely fault wherefore was she not at first proceeded against before her daughter's Marriage and the Prince's birth in all which time the King shewed no distaste against her neither held her as a Delinquent But in my Opinion it is to be thought that the Kings nature though Covetous yet not Wicked did not move him to deal so injuriously with her rather that he was induced to these proceedings out of some Hidden cause and that those Forces above mention'd which made her guilty in the highest degree made him so exceeding Severe else he would have punisht her Before as in Justice he might have done But Princes Imaginations are not as manifest as their Actions This Queen was one of Fortune's greatest works whose Inconstancy in the enterchanges of her Felicity and Misery proved Constant from being a widow to a bare Knight she was made wife to a great King who being fled away deposed and banished she was enforced for the Safety of her Self and the Prince her son which she bare there to take
unawares and was victorious slew Eight thousand and got all their Artillery and Baggage The cause of so great slaughter was this Morley being the onely man who amongst so many fought on Horse-back was unhors'd and slain whereat his men were so enraged that they slew their Prisoners and together with them all those that could not flee away not above Two hundred of Them being slain Monsieur Daubeny returned to Callis having left his wounded men and the booty at Newport affording thereby a thought of Recovering it to Monsieur Cordes who was at Ypre he brought Twenty thousand men with him thither play'd upon the Town and gave an Assault The Defendants did their parts Manfully and were helped by such as were left Wounded there after a long fight they lost one Tower upon which Cordes planted the French Colours and was likely to have won all the Rest had not Fortune disfavour'd him at that very Instant by a Small Succour which entred the Town from Callis for Dawbeny knowing the slendernesse of the Garison had embarked Fourscore chosen Souldiers to Abet them till such time as he might send Greater Forces to Free them Altogether These men arriving in the Heat of the fight whilst the Defeudants fought out of Meer Courage for New wounds being added to what they had Formerly received they could scarcely stand upon their legs they ran to the Walls drave back the Besiegers regained the Tower and this with such Forward Valour as Cordes believing them to be a much Greater number raised the Siege whereupon this Personal Disgrace added to his former National Hatred he swore He would be content to be Seven yeers in Hell so he might have the fortune to take Callis from the English Henry not contented to have assisted Maximilian with Arms endeavoured to do the like with Counsel he perswaded him to re-assume the businesse of the Marriage and to Conclude it with the Dutchesse as hath been said Which counsel he presently embraced and sent Four Ambassadours to her to whom he gave the Count de Nassau for their Chrief with Commission that when all things were agreed upon the Count should marry her in His name as he did and used therein a Ceremony not accustomed in those times for ought I know The Dutchesse being lay'd in her Bed the Count in the presence of many Lords and Ladies put one of his Leggs between the Sheets in signe of Consummation of the Marriage holding all the while Maximilian's Proxie in his hand Belforest denies this Marriage by Proxie and to boot with the reasons he alleadges for his opinion one chief one is That if it had been so the Annales of Britanny would have made some Mention of it I confesse I have not read Them nor do I know the Author's name I have read Argentres the last who hath written thereof and he alleadges for his Testimony the Records of that Countrey he says That the Dutchesse after this Marriage assumed the title of Queen and that the publike Acts and Proclamations were made in the Names of Maximilian and Anne by the Grace of God King and Queen of the Romanes Duke and Dutchesse of Britanny But Maximilian did not pursue this his advantage with requisite effects for believing he had so Consummated this Marriage as it could not be Broken he neglected the sending of Aid into Britanny so as leaving it to Fortune which favours the Provident it did frown upon Him who Negligent in his affairs did not almost ever do any thing which though it might Begin well had a good End He was endued with very Excellent qualities but abounding with Bad ones likewise by which his good parts being born down all his undertakings proved for the most part unfortunate His Valour Knowledge in Military affairs and his good Understanding in matters of Counsel became un-useful to him through his ill Government He never raised Moneys for making of a War but that he had Spent them before the War was Begun he was one of those that can tell how to Propound but not how to put in Execution wise in Discourse foolish in Action so as if it had been possible to have furnished him with one to have Executed his Projections nothing had remained to have been desired in him I have sometimes thought it impossible that the understanding Conceiving aright should work Evil Effects and that it being our Directour it should not be of force enough to make our Actions conformable to those Idea's upon which they depend but daily practice shews me I was in an Errour He then not having done what he ought to have done Charles believed it behov'd him to do what became him wherefore Charles betook himself to a double remedy To the Dutchesse in Countermining her Marriage with Maximilian by endeavouring to marry her Himself for so he was advised to do by those who bore the greatest sway with him and to Henry by sending Ambassadours to him who were Francis Lord of Luxenburgh Charles de Marignan and Roger Gaguine the Writer of the French Story Their Instructions were to treat a League or Peace with him which was desired by him not that he Charles might the more securely turn his Forces upon Italy but out of an Affection that he bore unto him Henry from the first day he saw him either out of Natural Sympathie or Heavenly Constellation He knew there was no Enmity between them but that the casual encounters of their Subjects in Flanders and in Britanny did require a Confirmation thereof that he did not accuse his actions in this behalf it being a thing certain that Frontire-wars draw Princes to them as Wounds do Humours so as such effects being Natural they ought not to be esteemed the motives of Ill-will that for such he esteemed them and so interpreted them wherefore he likewise desired to be excused for if he had made war upon Britanny 't was for that his Honour and the Preservation of his due Prerogative would not suffer him to do otherwise and if upon Flanders still out of the same considerations because those of Flanders being under the Soveraign Protection of France oppressed by their Prince and fleeing to Him for Succour he could not chuse but assist them and though the casual encounters of the French and English Nations had not thereupon raised a Formal War yet a Consolidation of Friendship between those Two Nations was requisite to the end that when he should have turned his Arms elsewhere the World might not rest in doubt of it that he would acquaint him with his more Secret designes as an Earnest of the Confidence he would always use with him that his intention was not to conquer the Kingdom of Naples a Kingdom which of right belonged to him and that from thence by God's assistance he would passe into Turkey and wage war with those Infidels a thought worthy to be favour'd by all Christian Princes much more by a Christian King and a Friend as was Henry and
ransacking of the Countrey make amends for what of dammage Scotland was likely to receive This advice being approved of they came downe from the Hills and entred Comberland where finding no resistance they ransacked all the parts thereof they assayed Carlisle but unfortunately for it was defended by many brave Gentlemen This meane while Richard being entred Scotland came to Edinburgh he burnt almost the whole Towne but not the Castle saved by the fort and its situation From thence some of his troops passing further they burnt and destroyed Townes Houses and Monasteries till they came to Sterling méeting with none that opposed them the men of warre being gone as you have heard into Comberland and King Robert having retired himselfe to places of more safety so as the Cattell being driven into the woods they reaped no profit for all the harme they did which made them more insatiate in their ruinating the Countrey nay had not provision of victuall by shipping and cart beene brought from England they could not have found food for one onely day in that Countrey for being naturally barren and of set purpose destroyed there was noâ—… so much as grasse for their horses to bee found The King therefore being necessitated to returne Lancaster propounded that taking necessary provision along with them they might returne by the way of Comberland as the Scots had done and so barring their returne they must needs of themselves fall into their hands The proposition pleased the Councell and the King himselfe and was the onely one like to be effected but when night came the Earle of Oxford had accesse to the Kings â—…are and whispered unto him that the Dukes ends were to bring his Majesty to the last of dangers For it was impossible for them to passe over those hils winter being so farre advanced without great prejudice that the numerous army required greater store of provision then was to be carried on sumpter horses that the enemie having ruinated and harased the Country they were not likely to finde straw enough much lesse other necessaries If the speakers Genius much more predominant then was the Kings was able without such likely arguments to prevaile with him how much more did it now doe so strengthned by these reasons and former jealousies had of the Uncle so as the next day whilst according to the resolution formerly taken the army expected to have order for marching towards these parts the King having in sharpe tearmes upbraided the Duke with disloyalty for that hee durst advise him to the danger of either perishing by famine or becomming a prey unto the enemy said that he would returne into England the road way whilst the Duke if he pleased with such as would follow him might goe into Comberland for his part hee and such as loved him would goe the other way The Duke astonished at so unexpected an entertainment excused himselfe in all humility omitting nothing that might appease the King nor had this sufficed had hee not beene seconded by many Lords who were witnesses to his conscience This was the last sceane of these Tragicomicall distasts worthy to be so stiled to put a difference betweene them and those Tragicall ones of Gloster the former ending in words the latter in effects maligne and mortall He then returned the same way hee came having for his so great expence reaped no other fruit then the breaking of Charles his designes The Admirall according to his instructions was to have wintered in those parts that by renewing the warre in the Spring he might facilitate the invasion which Charles was to make on the other side but it was not in his power to effect it both man and horse being brought to that passe as they had not whereon to live Those who had most money could find nothing to buy and those who would have sold their horses or any thing else to have supplyed their wants could finde no chapmen to tarry all in one body in one place was impossible to divide themselves dangerous the peoples hatted being like lightning a fore-runner of tempests there was not any who either could or would carry there The Admirall understood this very well he intended to give the most necessitous leave to depart and to promise the rest speedy supplyes of money but those who had leave to bee gone were not suffered to imbarque themselves they would neither suffer them to tarry nor to be gone The Scots exclamed that 't was they that had made the warre that their countrey was ruin'd by reason of them that they had done more mischiefe then had the English that they had trodden downe the corne cut downe trees and as if they had beene in the enemies countrey lived onely upon rapine for which they required satisfaction excuses or were not found or not admitted of The Admirall was at last constrained by publique proclamation to ingage himselfe to give satisfaction to all such as pretended to have received injury by his men The debt being agreed upon he imbarqued his men tarrying himselfe in Scotland till such time as he received moneyes wherewith he satisfied the creditors and so departed unsatisfied himselfe This was Charles his first adventure wherein meeting with a rub it made him the second time stumble against a yet harder stone The Admirall being returned confirm'd in him the resolution of his imaginary conquest assuring him that the whole people of England exceeded not 60000. Archers and 7. or 8000. Launces a slender defence in comparison of what forces were for her ruine mustered in France But it is usuall in nature for the most excellent faculties to be more tender then are the rest strong and acute sights suffer more by looking on the Sunne then those which are obtuce and weake therefore if the Admirall a judicious Commander failed in his judgement being dazled by the splendor of so many ships engines and Princes as were gathered together at Sluce he ought to be pardoned Some are notwithstanding of opinion that France would never have dreamed upon any enterprise on England had it not beene by his perswasion and that the Duke of Burgundy by the death of his wives father now Count of Flanders desiring the suppression of the English who had fomented the rebellion in those provinces made him give this advice which was praised of all save the Duke of Berry though he durst not make publique opposition seeing Charles was inclined thereunto Others write that the Duke of Burgundies intentions were not to hazard the King in passing the Seas the landing being difficult and more difficult to keepe himselfe there when he should be landed the people considerable by reason of their number and valour the comparing of these with those who had formerly conquered them equivocall that at the present they were governed by one onely King whose hatred was not to be put in ballance with the hatred they bore to strangers that they were passionately lovers of liberty abhorring the French nation and a
with his hand would have put it in its right place Robert said will you lift your hand against the Dolphin and at the same instant Tannigues having said to his companions now is the time he struck at him with a hatchet thinking to have cleft his head but did onely take his chin away at which blow he fell with one knee upon the ground and laying hand on his sword wounded as he was with many blowes borne to the ground whilst Oliver Laiet thurst his sword into his belly up to the hilts Monsieur de Novaille brother to the Count de Fois as he was about to defend him was hindred by the Vicount of Narbone who opposed him with a dagger and whilst he flew furiously upon him to have taken his dagger away he was by others slaine Friburg doing his duty likewise was taken prisoner St. George was wounded in the flanke and d'Ancre in the hand Montaigne leaping over the bars got into the Castle the Secretary and all the rest were taken prisoners those of the Castle perceiving the bickering and not knowing of the Dukes death came forth to the palisado but driven backe by the bowmen fled to Bray beaten slaine taken and losing all they had Monsieur de Jouvelle and Montaigne with some souldiers and about some thirty of the Dukes servants and pages fortified themselves within the Castle but wanting victualls they yeelded it up their lives and goods saved All the Dukes furniture and jewells which were many and of great worth were reserved for the Dolphin such prisoners as would not take the oath had ransomes set on their heads and those who would were set at liberty Charles de Lens Admirall of France and who was constant in his friendship to the Duke till his last gaspe was slaine upon cold bloud Iohn Lovet President of Provence the Vicount Narbone William Butler Tanniques de Chasteau Francis de Grimaux Robert Loire Peter Frotiere Oliver Laiet and â—…onchore de Namae Marshall Seneshall of Auvergnia were the authors of this parricide Madam de Giac was thought a confederate in this businesse for that the deed being done she withdrew herselfe unto the Dolphin Monsieur de Barbasan not guilty of the treachery but present when it was done said unto the rest that they had ruinated their Masters reputation and wished rather to have beene dead then present at so wicked an action the Dukes body was laid upon a table and carried at midnight into a mill from whence it was taken away the next day and buried in his calsons with his hat upon his face his dublet on the which they had not taken off because it was bloudy and full of holes with his bootes and spurs without any Christian decency save a dosen masses which were likewise the oblations of bleeding hands and teares of woe This was the end of Iohn Duke of Burgony surnamed the Undaunted by him deserved by reason of the murther committed twelve years before upon the Duke of Orleans person by his command but his fault did not wash away theirs that slew him and though in the former ambition was the onely cause so as he could not be more wicked and in the second hatred and reason of State yet the so often plighted faith and swearing by the name of God in witnesse thereof makes the latter more wicked and inexcusable The Dolphin who had promised himselfe great advantage thereby found he was deceived for effects are not alwaies taken away by the cutting off their causes unlesse they be wholly rooted out the sonne remained a branch from which did bud forth more ruines then either could or would have done from the stocke if the advisers to this businesse had had respect to the subjects relation to the good and honour of the Prince more then to the jealousie of his authority the which whilst the Undaunted lived was fading they would have seen that dying he left clients subjects and servants ready to revenge him that so detestable an action was sufficient even to alienate the Dolphins owne friends that the King his father was subject to those that governed him that his rulers were the defuncts creatures his mother more then ever irreconcilable the King of England fastned in France The new Duke of Burgony as well heire to his fathers injuries as to his estate and authority that being descended from a turbulent family he was not likely to be quieted without bitter revenge though the worlds welfare should therein consist so as the interest of servants which for the most part doth ruine such Princes who are either very yong or ill advised did undoe the Dolphin who not able in sincerity of truth to excuse so scandalous an act indeavoured to cloak it by a falshood giving out that the Duke came with an intention to kill him the Dolphin but Montaigne published the truth of the businesse whereat the King was troubled the Queene offended who as was thought did love the Duke more then became her reputation after hee had delivered her from Towers and the people which had alwaies sided with him were herein confirmed the Court remained as before governed by such as did depend upon him not staggered by his fall He had a sonne by surname and actions good who afterwards was called Philip the good not violent as was his father but more wise so as of the whole of so great a Kingdome a little cantle did onely side with the Dolphin his more southerne Provinces which disjoyned from the low Countries had no occasion to be annoyed by the Undaunted were those alone which did sustaine him and which after a tempestuous voiage brought him safe into the haven thanks to the disorder of others which are the chiefest and most frequent occasions of taking away of Kingdomes from some and conferring them on others for the death of King Henry the underage and weaknesse of his succeeding sonne and the bad intelligence betweene the Uncles and Duke of Burgony the reason of their reconciliation did after many yeares contrary to all likelihood set him on foote againe Philip Count Carelois whom henceforth we will call the Duke of Burgony understanding his fathers death after his sorrow and obfequies consulted upon what was to be done he had two advices given him the one hee should treat well the Dutches his wife sister to the Dolphin since she did not share in the injury done unto him by her brother the other that being to revenge his fathers death he should seeke out the most effectuall meanes how to doe it that friendship with the King of England being of all others the likely best hee should offer him peace and his assistance in his pretences to the Kingdome and his marriage for the Dolphin could by no other means be debarred of the Kingdome he who had cooled in his affection to his wife his passion overswaying his reason and who knew her vertue did deserve this advice honoured her and made much of
prisoners and did forsake the Field The English buried their dead and carried the Dukes body along with them which was afterwards sent from Roan to England and buried at Canterbury by his father This is the substance of their narration Chesne and Derplaix say that the Duke of Clarence a wise and valiant Prince went to fight with the Earle Bouhan the Dolphins Constable and Mr. de Faiette That the French though fewer in number obtained the victory having slaine three thousand English And that the English Historians to defraud the French of this glory make their losse lesse accusing the Duke of Clarence of rashnesse for thatnot trusting in the French that were with him he undertook the businesse with his own men onely Dupleix further to convince them asketh what the French men did while they fought whether or no they stood with their armes acrosse and that he expected they should couple imposturisme to their calumnie and say that the French had joyned with the Dolphins forces to their prejudice Monstrelet sayes that the Duke of Clarence had sent his people into Anjou where under the command of the Scottish Constable and Mr. de Faiette a great number of the Dolphinists were met That Clarence hearing they were at Bawges tooke along with him part of his men and almost all the chiefe Commanders being followed by the rest aloofe off That he marched towards them with much danger and paine by reason of a troublesome passage over a river which he was to passe That the Dolphinists being aware of his comming and provided for him after a keene cruell and bitter battell had the victory That the English lost between two and three thousand men the French above eleven hundred yet notwithstanding all this they under the command of the Earle of Salsbury recovered the Dukes body Paulus Emilius writes that the Duke being come before Angiers and having provoked the Garrison and taxed them of cowardise because they did not issue forth passed forward to a little towne where he understood the Scots were who fought under the Dolphins pay joyned to some companies of French the which he carelesly set upon for that hee was much more in number then they but that being knowne by a golden circle which as a Jewell he wore on his helmet hee was set upon by many of them and slain That notwithstanding this the greatest part of his men retired themselves without or feare or disorder unto Umena where taking upon them the white crosse of France and finding the bridge over the river cut they compelled the countrey people to re-edifie it killing some of them leading the rest along with them lest that the inhabitants being by them advertised might have followed them and that in this manner they got safe to Normandy He speakes nothing of the number of the dead Gaguinus sayes that the Duke of Clarence being gone with a many Souldiers into Anjou did incamp himselfe at Beufort that being at table he was told by certaine Scottish Free-booters who were taken prisoners that the French and Scotch were met together at Bawges whereupon rising immediately from the table he said they are our own let none but the horse follow us that when he was come to little Bawges he met with Iohn de Croix a valiant French Gentleman who being got into a Church and having shut the doore upon him was got up into the Belfree that the Duke seeing he spent his time in vaine set upon the rest and being himselfe in the head of his men having a garland of Jewels upon his helmet hee was one of the first that was slaine by the French and many other Lords with him The Earles of Huntington and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort brother to the last being taken prisoners That the rest saved themselves by flight but that finding the bridge broken at Umena they tooke the white Crosse faigning themselves to be French and causing it to be mended by the Countrey people they put them all to death and passed forwards Serres reports that having presented himselfe before Angiers and having no hope to win it hee set upon the French Army lodged at little Bawges that out of assurance of victory he was lost and that together with him there were there slaine fifteen hundred English The history and Chronicle of Normandy relates that being come into Angier on Easter Eve hee understood that a great number of Scots were at Bawges whereupon passing the river hee in disorder set upon them not tarrying for his company that the Earle Bouhan a Scot had the honour of the day the English being defeated and slaine hee names the great ones but makes no mention of the rest but saith that the bodies of the Duke and the rest of the Lords were taken away and sent into England Buchanan reports that the Duke being informed by Andrew Fregoso or some other Scottish Free-booters that the French were carelesly disporting themselves at Bawges as thinking themselves secure it being good Friday a day dedicated to devotion or were it because there was a truce for eight dayes resolved to set upon them and that rising from the table he commanded that the horse should only follow him that when he came to Bawges he met with some scattering French who saving themselves in a Belfree whilst hee in vaine did spend his time there the rest were advertised of his arrivall that the Earle Bouhan sent 30 Archers to possesse the bridge with whom Hugh Kened together with an hundred others who were quartered in a Church hard by all of them almost unarmed as upon such sudden occasions doth oftentimes fall out did joyne himselfe That the Duke not able to make his horses take the bridge being shot at by the enemies was the first that lighted and who wonne the passage but that whilst hee and those few that followed him got on horseback againe and that the rest passed leasurely after him by reason of the narrownesse of the bridge hee was set upon by Earle Bouhan who had not with him above two hundred horse That they fought with equall courage and hatred the Scots as having an occasion to give proofe of themselves for the French were of opinion that the inhabitants of great Britaine were good for nothing but to eate and drinke the same opinion which the Spaniards hold of the French and the Africanes of the Spaniards and the English as having before them an unplacable enemy who not contented to fight with them at home was come to seeke them on the other side the Sea That they laid load one upon another the Duke himselfe fighting more eagerly then did any other but that being wounded with a lance in the face by Iames Luinton and unhorst by the Earle Bouhan who let drive at him with a battle Axe the rest all ran away were pursued till dark night that there died about 2000 English of which six and twenty men of account besides prisoners which were many Of French and
taken care to assemble together such as were escaped hee had beene wholly destitute of Souldiers Steven de Vignolus called la Hire did the like for considering in what condition his King was without Souldiers Commanders and Princes of the bloud all of them being all most Prisoners to the English Hee quitted Vitres and other places in Champagnia to joyne his troopes with the others Charles had not any time before beene in a worse condition Monsieur de Rombarres deputed to the custody of Vernuille with 3000. men as hath beene said yeelded it up two dayes after comming all of them out of the Towne their Lives Armes Baggadge and Horses saved Hee likewise was of some comfort to the common apparent ruine The Duke of Bedford who after so happy successe had withdrawne himselfe to Roan and from thence to Paris sent the Lord Scales with 2000. men accompanied by Sr. Iohn Montgomery and Sr. Iohn Falstaffe to annoy Aniou and Mayne where though a number of Castles yeelded unto them yet this seeming but a small affaire the neighbourhood of these two Provinces being dangerous for the safety of Normandy and requiring greater effects the Earle of Salisbury with 10000. fighting men went to besiedge Mans the Metropolitane of Maine battering it in such a sort as throwing to the ground the Houses Walls and Toures thereof Hee wonne it to his obedience and giving the command thereof to the Earle of Suffolke and the Lieutenancy to Falstaffe hee passed forward to S. Susanna defended by Ambrogius de Lore assaying it on that side which hee thought fittest for assault but having got no good thereby the Walls being manifully defended Hee bethought himselfe how to have it without so much bloud Hee played upon it with his Ordnance two whole dayes together so as having layd flat its defences and reduc'd it to such a point as that it was not able to endure any other assault they were inforced to surrender paying some certaine monies and the Garrison comming forth onely in their Doublets their lives saved From hence he went too before Forte Barnardo where being advertis'd by the Gascons of Alansons Garrison how they had made agreement with Iohn de Villiers to sell unto him that place for 400. Crownes hee sent thither the Lord Willoughby and Falstaffe with 2000. Souldiers who surprised the purchaser whilst he thought to have made his entry with 200. Horse and 400. Foote which hee had brought to guard the place they slew him none of the rest escaping save 25. thankes to their Horses heeles The place which hee besieged being then yeelded up unto him together with a many more hee frighted France which thought fortune too partially favourable unto him At this time Edmund Mortimer Earle of March formerly deprived of his liberty died at Trimmes in Ireland whereupon his just and lawfull pretences fell upon Richard Plantaginet sonne to that Richard Earle of Cambridge who by the commandement of Henry the fift was beheaded at Antona wee shall shortly heare newes of his claime unfortunate to him the King and kingdom for though he turned England topsey turvy he did not notwithstanding compasse the government thereof the which was reserved with better fortune for his sonne This his death was accompanied by the death of Iohn Mortimer his Cousin who accused of treason to the scandall of all men suffered the punishment of the Law his faults being beleeved to bee calumnies and himselfe brought to so ignominious an end for that alone which by vulgar Politicians is called Reason of State The same resolution which as wee have said made the Duke of Glocester marry Iacoline of Baviers contrary to the Law made him likewise resolve to take up Armes against him who of all others was most requisite for the friendship of England neither could hee after the first errour forbeare committing of others for he was inforced to recover for her her possions injoy'd by the Duke of Brabant her legitimate husband the which hee now pretending himselfe to be the like must account his Neither thought he that he should neede any great forces since Hannault which was to be the seat of the warre was thought to favour him for the people of the Country had alwayes sided with their true and naturall Princes so as both of them imbarking themselves at Dover with 5000. fighting men conducted by the Earle Marshall they went to Calis Duke Philip according to appointment formerly made with the Duke of Bedford was come for this cause to Paris and after having friendly disputed it amongst themselves they framed an agreement to be accepted of by both parties the Duke of Brabant did not refuse to accept thereof but Iacolina and Glocester did who said they might goe to take possession of what was their owne without the interposition of others A resolution which did inwardly wound the brother who foresaw the evills that were to ensue thereupon and did touch Philip to the quicke being interessed in these states and Princes by neighbourhood and pretensions besides he thought Glocester did too little value him whilst the English ought rather to set an esteeme on him then on any other Neither did hee forbeare to say to Bedford that since his brother would not condescend to the agreement made between them two he was not to be blamed if he should imploy all the forces he had in the behalfe of Brabant against Glocester to the which Bedford knew not what to reply no reason being to be given for his actions who not respecting friendship equity nor publik interest is resolv'd to pursue his owne Caprichies Glocester passed through Artois into Hannault where he and his wise Iacolina were received with all expressions of obedience all the Lords and Gentry of the Country comming into their service except the Counts Conversan Angebert and Anguiere and Iohn de Iumont who were the onely men that with their Townes and Fortresses observed the oath they had formerly taken to the Duke of Brabant who growing more powerfull by reason of the concourse of men from Artois and Flanders for Philip had made it be proclaimed that such as were obliged to weare Armes should goe to his service he began the warre to the great incommoditie of the Country the which growing cooler towards their Princes would have shewed some effects had not not their places of chiefest importance beene in the power of the English Glocester did not beleeve that Philip would have opposed him but hearing of the Proclamations and seeing the effects hee made his grievance knowne unto him by letters which though in some sort modest yet were they not void of injury for he had let fall from his pen that in his Proclamations there were many untruthes whereupon Philip replyed that hee had taken upon him the defence of his Cousin the Duke of Brabant as by reason hee was obliged by accepting the Articles of that agreement which Glocester refused to doe whilst both law and conscience required that the deciding
knew fit for the purpose Hee gave the charge thereof to the above named who guided by Coulonnis made an Ambuscado of 6000. men Monstrelet saith but 1500. in a place called la Bassecourt neare unto a Bridge betweene Pontersonne and the plaine over against Monte Saint Michael where the Lord Scales and his men were furiously set upon this place as it was the more advantageous for the assailants so was it the lesse proper for the assailed who were beset on the one side by the enemy on the other side by the sea so as inanimated by necessity and danger and despairing of all other hopes then what they should by their Swords receive they did in close files and on foote so well defend themselves as that the Britons could never open them but this their first heate being abated and being withstood by an unexpected and stout incounter they began to give backe and then to runne away being followed at full speed by their enemies who were gotten againe on Horsebacke the number of those who were slaine and taken prisoners was about 1100. amongst the dead were the Baron Coulonnis theinciter to this enterprise Messieurs de Castelgironne and de Hananday and amongst the prisoners the Viscount de Belliere and many other Gentlemen So as the Lord Scales loaded with victualls munition and prisoners came with much honour and praise to the Campe. The Constable went afterwards to perswade the Duke his brother to succour the towne but could by no meanes worke him thereunto for his experience upon this occasion had proved unto that to hazard a battell might be his ruine for by loosing it he should loose Dukedome whereas the enemy was to loose nothing but men so as Pontersonne being for three moneths space well defended and not succoured surrendred it selfe in May the Garrison marching forth with their Armes and baggage Which as soone as the Duke of Bedford understood he went from Roan to enter Britanny with a powerfull Army and likely he was to have done good had he not beene perswaded to accept of the Duke of Britannies offers who being too weake to incounter with him Pontersonne his chiefe hold being lost his hopes but small of being succoured by Charles hee himselfe not knowing what to doe his Peeres and People affrighted having nor provisions nor forces no courage but full of apprehension and danger hee was compell'd to send unto him that pardoning what was past hee would bee pleas'd to grant him peace Bedford yeelded thereunto unwillingly and as some will have it by bad advice but in my opinion very discreetly if wee consider the uncertainety of events For the garrisons of Britanny give the conquest granted would require a great many people not to bee made use of elswhere Countries subdued are subject to infidelity and chiefely Britanny which naturally ill inclined was to bee thought subject to the least puffe of alteration so as joyning it by this meanes unto himselfe or if not so cutting it off from the enemy Hee might upon all occasions like Poliphemus keepe it for his last bit Moreover hee could not have desired more honourable nor more advantageous conditions For the Duke oblig'd himselfe to renounce all former confederacies made with the Kings of France to observe the treaty of peace betweene the two Kingdomes and to doe homage to King Henry as soone as hee should have crost the Seas in the selfe same manner as the Dukes his predecessors had done to the Kings of France requiring but 3. monthes space after requiry The Bishops and Barons of Britanny bound themselves to the observance of this treaty together with the Dukes two Sonnes Francis and Richard the Chapters Cathedrall Churches Citizens and all those who amongst the meaner sort of gentry were of any name so great was the feare wherewith the one was inforced the others surprised foretold as Argentres will have it by a terrible earthquake which shooke the whole Country of Nantes some few Monthes before Small things and but of small importance were done during the seige of Pontersonne Nicholas Hansonne one of the garrison of S. Susan plundered the Country of Aniou Hee tooke Ramfort before the Captaine thereof knew of his comming hee slew and tooke as many as hee found there A number of the French on the other side assembled to succour Pontersonne went to regaine Ramfort they besieged it the space of 10. dayes and Articles being made that the defendants should come forth with their Armes Horses and other provisions they returned abandoning their first designes Messieures de Raise and Beumanoir tooke Malicorne and the Castle of Iude in the Country of Maine by assault treating them according to the Lawes of places taken by force they saved the lives of none save such by whom they might reape advantage being gone from thence and Pontersonne surrendred the above named Hanson surprised S. Lorance de Mortiers the Captaine thereof being gone to heare Masse in a neighboring Church and returning home not knowing that the Towne was taken hee was tane prisoner but those who followed him sav'd themselves Falstaffe the Governour of Aniou and Maine having almost at the same time taken the Castle of S. Oven by composition went to lay siege to Grieville a place not to bee taken by force but wanting victuals they treated on a surrender if they should not bee succoured by such a day Falstaffe himselfe went to advertise the Regent thereof who suddenly came into the field hoping to fight if the French should come but they appeared not though not farre off being taught to bee circumspect by the battle of Vernuille Grieville which this meane time was victuall'd deny'd to make good their treaty and the English not likely to reape any good by tarrying long there raysed the siedge hanging first in sight of the Castle their hostages their friends and fellow souldiers The Regent at his returne from England had given the charge of those men which he then brought along with him to the Lord Iohn Talbot who afterwards proved one of the most famous Captaines in all the French warres His name lives there yet amongst them who never read his story before that by his worth hee atchieved greater titles of honour hee was of most noble bloud Sonne to Richard Talbot Lord of Goderick Castle who in his time had fought valiantly under Henry the fifth Camden speaking of him cals him Englands Achilles His warlike humour cannot bee better described then by the Latin inscription on his sword on the one side of which was read Sum Talbotty on the other side Per vincere inimicos meos The Regent thought fit to conferre upon him the Government of Aniou and Maine fitting Falstaffe with some other charge The first thing hee did after having receaved his command was the taking in of Lavat wherein Monsieur de Loac and other People of account being casually at that time they bargained for the liberty of their Persons and goods paying therefore 100000.
could not bee withstood but by a field battle came forth of Paris with 10000. English and some few Norman troopes When hee was come to Brie hee writ by a Herauld to Charles that his pretensions which had caused so great mortality and mischiefe to the people being contrary to all lawes especially to the agreement made betweene Henry the fifth and Charles the sixth and the Kingdome of France hee was came out of Paris to prove them unjust that therefore if hee would chuse the place hee was ready to give him battle where ever it were Charles accepted the invitation at least seemed so to doe the Armies presented themselves in sight one of the other neare to Senlis they stayed there the space of two dayes and two nights making onely some little skirmishes each indeavouring to get the advantage over the other but the English having secured themselves behind that they might not bee surprised for Charles was by much the greater number especially in horse and the French not willing to venture upon one battle what they had wonne and what they had to winne by the devotion of sueh as dayly came over to them and the Maide councelling sometimes to fight sometimes otherwise they retreated face to face and Bedford return'd to Paris doubting the Citizens loyaltie This retreat is diversly reported by Authours this which I haue said is according to Monstrelot The English affirme that Charles retreated by night as not willing to hazard a battle nor yet willing to tarry longer for feare of incurring the name of Coward Belleforest on the other side sayes that Bedford did not passe Melune where examining the turne of the wheele hee resolved like a wise Prince not to wrestle against fortune leaving Charles Master of the field Giles brings him to Brie neare to the Towne called Motta de Nangis where hearing that the King expected him hee durst goe no further but fled away with his Army to Paris Hallian encamps him so much to the advantage as that the King was advised not to fight with him and that therefore the next day hee returned to Paris Chesnes having registred the long letter of defiance sent by Bedford to Charles addes but as such letters were fuller of bravadoes and passion then of desire to fight so the Duke of Bedford being come neare to Charles not farre from Senlis durst not give him battle but shamefully sounded a retreat which afforded the King leasure to lead his Army towards Champagnia these foure Authours are of foure severall opinions in this history The first will not have Bedford passe Melune the second brings him to Brie the one making him wise the other a Coward the third making him wise by well intrenching himselfe whereupon he was advised to retire the fourth brings him neare to Charles but arming him with Thraso's Army makes him a braggard and runne-away Dupleix confronts the two Armies with an opinion of fighting though some skirmishes onely insued wherein about 300. of both sides were slaine Hee sayes that the English intrench't themselves to much to the advantage against the French-horse that the Councell and Iane her selfe advised not to set upon them whilest they the meane while were sure not to stirre forth for feare of being fought withall that the English say Charles retired by night for feare of being inforced to fight where on the contrary side it was likelier that it was not hee who formerly forbore to fight because he went with banners displayd directly towards Paris where the English might advantagiously have given him battle all the Country thereabouts being at their command to witnesse what he sayes hee in the Margent cites Monstrelet and Chartier Monstrelet sayes they did skirmish but not that the English durst not come forth of their trenches for they could not otherwise skirmish Hee adds that they were so well intrench't as that they could not bee set upon behinde the French exceeding by much the enemy in number A particular whereof Dupleix speaketh not then if Bedford merit blame for having secur'd himselfe backewards to the great disadvantage of those that should fight with him what doth Charles deserve who with so much a greater number durst not confront him whilest unintrench'd hee stood ready to receiue him so as it was not cowardise in the one not to permit all aduantages to the adversary so not to fight because all were not permitted him was no signe of much valour in the other Monstrelet doth not say that Iane advised not to set upon the enemy but that shee was various in her opinion advising sometimes to fight sometimes not a witnesse rather that shee was any thing els then what by his owne testimony shee was reputed But I wonder at nothing more then that Dupleix should quote Chartier who writes all things contrary to what hee sayes Chartier brings the two Armies face to face within the shoote of a Culverin for one whole day together without either hedge or thorne betweene them that is any thing whereby to fortifie them or to detaine them they not having according to his account sufficient time to fortifie themselves Hee sayes Charles was the first that left the field and then Bedford Charles that very night went to Crespus and the next night to Compaignes where hee sayes hee stayed 8. dayes if Charles went first away Bedford fled not that hee departed by night is more likely by the English Histories which affirme hee did so to shun fighting then the likelyhoods affirmed by Dupleix grounded upon his fained voyage to Paris which none other writes off Chesnes and Chartier say plainely that hee went to Compaignes where if hee tarryed 8. dayes Bedford could not with advantage give him battle in a Country which was at his command and disposall as hee would have it My opinion amongst the diversity of so many which if they could bee credited should bee conformable is that the Duke if Charles had not gone his wayes would have fought though upon whatsoever disaduantage For the English covet battle at all times and in all warres as well forraine as civill they are by nature firme to their resolves as are their cockes and dogs which suddenly fall to and give not over but by death or want of breath but say this was not the reason which eggd them on to battle since that the French forces increas'd by temporising and theirs decreased Charles on the other side had no reason to fight least by an irrationall hazard hee might breake the course of his victory one battle being able to ruinate him so as holding fortune in his fist by pursuing her hee had no reason to give her occasion to forsake him by tempting her too much The Duke of Bedford seeing that the state of affaires required briske resolutions writ to his Brother desiring to use all meanes possible to send him over some Souldiers for without speedy helpe his affaires in France were in great danger These Letters came unto the King just as
the Cardinall Santa-croce about so holy a worke he came treated but did nothing at his first comming both parties seemed to bee well dispos'd their words in generall were complementall full of honest and good intentions but those which were in fact essentiall were high in demands resolute to keep what they had and obstinate in pretensions so as perceiving he did but loose his time that he might not returne home and doe nothing he concluded a Truce for six yeares which according as was foretold prov'd changeable and of short continuance the more needfull France was of rest and quiet the lesse prone was she to suffer it Monstrelet Chesnes and Dupleix say not that it was made with Henry but with Philip Polydore Hallian and Serres affirme it to be made with both Paulus Aemilius Chartier Belleforest and Giles doe not at all mention it The Cardinall of Winchester went by order from the King to allay some tumults raised there under pretence of Religion by two seditious spirits William Mandeville and Iohn Sharpe who indeavoured to insinuate two things into mens hearts that the Clergy should possesse nothing that the lay people should by way of charity have all things common amongst them a superfluous division the last article being sufficient for that which was pretended from the one was indifferently demanded of all the direct way to introduce carelesnesse and sloth amongst the people instead of Charity and to punish Industry vertue and all good acts They were severely punished their extravagant and contagious opinions ceasing with them The Cardinall was to returne to France with provision of Souldiers and mony the truce not thought likely long to continue whereupon a Parliament being called the Duke of Glocester tooke order for this busines as likewise to the concluding a peace with the King of Scotland who being troubled with home dissentions had sent Embassadors to demand it for it made little for his purpose to have warre abroad and at home whilst France as he beleeved had by meanes of this truce laid downe armes But I wonder that Buchanan and Ascu make no mention at all hereof The King and Regent were at Roan when the Cardinall came thither Consultation was had what was to be done the souldiers expence in time of truce as in time of war seemed superfluous to some the wisest amongst which the three Dukes of Bedford Yorke Sommerset did not onely diswade from lessoning the Souldiers but would have their numbers increased to the end that if a breach should happen as was expected they might have forces enough to end the enterprise or at least to make good what they had won for the ordinary provision did not resolve the war but did onely draw it out in length with danger of loosing what they with so much expence of blood and coyne had already won But the appearing good of sparing prevailed over the other more essentiall one though it was not afterwards put in execution the regulating of companies being deferr'd till the truce was broken The King this meane while went to Calais from thence to England where he was received with great solemnity and joy But the Souldiers sorry to live under the Lawes of France the Garrison of Calais accustomed to pillage mutinied not alleadging the want of pillage for their cause though it were so but the smal nesse of their pay not able to maintaine them the Regent hasted thither putting foure of the most seditious to death cashiering and banishing some and putting others in their place appeased the rest The Dutchesse his wife sister to Philip was some moneths before dead the onely preserver of that lukewarme intelligence which after so many ill satisfactions remained betweene them so as going to Terrovane he there married the daughter of Peter de Luxenburg Count Saint Paul one who was no great friend of Philips this he did not giving Philip any account at all thereof increasing the former distasts by the little account he seemed to make of him since being his Ally and confederate he had pretermitted those offices with him which among friends and Princes who are friends use not upon like occasion to be pretermitted the last occasion save one of severing him wholly from England According to the opinion of the wisest the truce in stead of six yeares lasted but six moneths Charles his people deprived of their pray and accustomed to Rapine could not live upon the ayre the greatest and worst part of them were handicrafts men and country people who wonted to the sword scorn'd to turne backe to the Plow Harrow and Pick-axe The first beginnings were pilferings and robberies from whence they came to the taking of men and setting them to ransome but this they did onely with the Burgonians till such time as having taken free libertie they shocked likewise against the English So as their insolencies causing reprisalls and those reprisalls incounters so as the Warre was as easily kindled againe as are firebrands which full of vapour and smoake sucke the flame unto them the parties offended knew they could not be righted but by armes and that all appeales as untimely refuges would bee ridiculous so as interchangeably and with the liking as I thinke of both parties they threw themselves upon all inconveniences The French took S. Valleri in the mouth of the River some confining upon Normandy a little distant from Abbeville seated on the other side of the River and with diversitie of fortune made many attempts and conquests in Aniou and Maine Ambrogius de Lore being gone from St. Scelerin with 700. men passed over the River Orne he went towards Caen to surprise the Faire which was held every Saint Michaels day before S. Stevens Church in the fields he divided his 700. he kept a 100. Crossebowmē and 50. Horse with himselfe with the which he placed himselfe betweene the Faire and Caen to beate back those of the Garrison if they should sally forth to hinder his designe He sent the rest to the place of businesse which succeeded luckily unto them for the English ignorant of what was done came not forth and none being in the Faire but buyers and sellers they found no opposition the booty was rich with which repassing over the Orne he made a scrutiny of the prisoners he detained such as were ransomable which were 800. and suffered the rest to depart home which were in number 2000. The Regent seeing that by the open breach of Truce Laignes hindred the commerce and victualls which were brought to Paris sent the Earle of Arundel to besiege it hee gave him 1200. souldiers and for his companions the Earle of Warwicks sonne and Monsieur de Lilleadam who was Marishall of France for Henry but little good could bee done his forces were but few and the place was well provided for so as having by Canon shot broken one of the Arches of the bridge which crossed Marne and burnt the Ravelin finding himselfe the weaker in
assaults and the number of the besieged if not more at least as many as hee hee raised the siedge whereupon the Regent was forced to goe thither himselfe with 6000. men hee fortified himselfe in a great Parke neare unto the Walls hee threw a bridge over the Marne His Canon playd where it was requisite to make breaches for an assault hee to his losse assaulted the place which was defended by Guermede Fanculdus and Reynald of Saint Iohn all brave Gentlemen Hee for all this slacked not his raine but was resolv'd to winne it if not by sword by famine on the other side Charles knowing how much it imported dispatcht away a succour of 6000. men with great store of victualls under the conduct of the Bastard of Orleans Monsieur de Rieux Marishall of France Iohn Straigle brother to Potone Stephen de Vignolles surnamed la Hira Roderigo Villandras a Spaniard Monsieur de Coulant Admirall of France and Gaucourt Governour of Daupheny these Gentlemen made a proud appearance at their first comming the Regent kept himselfe within his fortifications not suffering any one to goe forth the next day hee sent to offer them battaile they deny it and say that being drawne forth to skirmish many of the French were hurt slaine and taken prisoners amongst the which Iohn Straigle for one but that the besieged sallying forth and the English fighting with them the French set upon them behind and defeated them entring the Citie with victualls and that Bedford comming forth to hinder them the businesse was so intricate as that the one knew not the other in so much as the heat being very great it was on Saint Laurence his day many being suffocated in their armor the Regent in all hast was glad to save himselfe within his Parke that Gaucourt entring the Citie the next day and the other Captaines having made a bridge of boates over Marne they passed over into the Isle of France and tooke many Forts there so as the Duke fearing to loose Paris by reason of the peoples bad inclination raised the siedge in all hast leaving his Engines Provisions and Pavillions behind him and was pursued by the besieged who slew a great number of his men and tooke many prisoners returning backe to the City rich in Armes and Horses Dupleix more then the rest is pleased to adde unto the good or bad according to his love or hatred sayes that hee rise as shamefully from before Laigni as Iohn de Luxenburg did from before Compaigne and that being valiantly assaulted by the Constable Richmont hee readily passed over the River and shut himselfe up in Paris As for Compaigne judgement may be made by what is to bee alledged how equivocall and full of malice the comparison is For the Constable no man names him but Chartier who though a Writer that lived in those dayes hath as some that live in these dayes his oppositors And if hee say that Bedford did returne to Paris hee concludes not that hee shut himselfe up there for to returne and to shut one selfe up are too much differing tearmes For what remaineth I meane not to use the authority of any of the English Authours though with all just men their authority ought to bee as much credited as what the French say I alledge Monstrelet as a neuter though by Country language and faction hee bee to bee reputed French his words are these The Duke prepared to fight with the French who came upon him and that hee might the better doe it hee sent for men out of other places that were under him Hee then sent some of his officers to signifie to the French that hee was ready to fight with them notwithstanding all their aydes if they would appoint a day for that purpose To the which they made no answere save that with the grace of God they would at their leasure and when they should best thinke fitting accomplish their enterprise And afterwards describing his retreate to Paris hee saith hee afterwards assembled his people and marched to where the Frenchmen were to offer them battle once more but their answere was as before they had done what they came for The English doe not deny that hee raysed the siege fearing least otherwise hee might lose Paris but not driven away nor in flight They say hee offered battle which the French affirme not nor will suffer others to affirme it that hee continued his siege after the enemy was gone that hee retired not for that a fictious constable made him shamefully passe over the Marne but because the reason of Warre would have him so to doe that hee went to Paris to secure himselfe thereof not to shut himselfe up that hee defied the enemy the second time that hee fayled not in the duty of a good Souldier and if hee met with evill fortune so long as it was not through cowardize which is that which Dupleix would insinuate malice it selfe hath not where withall to defame him The ill successe of Laigni was in some sort recompensed by the retaking of Valery which was not long before taken by the French the opposers were Peter de Luxenburg Count de Saint Paul the Lord Willoughby the Defendants Messieurs de Voucourt de la Torre and de Verseil But after three weekes stout defence they yeelded their horses and baggage saved the Towne soone after lost two thirds of her inhabitants by reason of a contagious pestilence caused by the corruption of the victualls they had eaten This was the last of the Count Saint Pauls actions Hee dyed neere to Blangi when having set downe his time to bee at the Chasteau de Monchas and taken order for the siege of Rembarres hee was seized upon by one of those indispositions which nature sends us when shee pretends to claime from us what wee owe her His obsequies were solemniz'd in the Metropolitan Cities of both the Kingdomes as to the Duke of Bedfords Father in Law His sonne Lewis succeeded him both in title and possessions a yong man not then above 15. yeares old who growne to riper years served for a witnesse that cunning woven with infidelity and dissimulation hath alwayes beene mortall for having forsaken England and being by Charles the eleventh created Constable he ended his life by the Hangmans hand for having beene unfaithfull to him in his service The French fayled not to doe all the mischiefe they could La Hire accompanied by many Gentlemen and by 1500. Souldiers tooke Somme and therein a great number of Prisoners by whose ransoms the Souldiers did better maintaine themselves than by their pay Hee afterwards divided them and sent part of them into the Country of Cambrey where they assayled Haspre a great concourse of people being come thither by reason of free feast They set upon it at unawares and tooke some Prisoners affording leasure for such as were of better condition to save themselves within a great and strong Tower so as having sack't the Towne burn't the Church
that the English went to meete them that the French came to a little village called Lonvell and were onely parted from the enemy by a little River that great skirmishes were there made that finding them to bee in an advantagious place they would not set upon them that about evening they sent word by a Herauld to the Earle of Arundel that hee should either come forth to battle or else give backe his hostages the which being received they departed and that the English seeing themselves free returned too before Silli and tooke it by a fierce assault The rest differ not from him but adde that in their Articles the besieged specified that the English should quarter themselves neere such an Elme and fight there that whereunto the besieged were obliged according to Giles was to surrender themselves if the Towne were not succoured or the English fought withall neither of both which ensued To fight belonged to the French for they were to free the Towne The English were to keepe from fighting if they could and to inhibite succour so as the French not able to do the one should have tryed the other which they did not That the Earle of Arundel should give up the hostages was a piece of obedience not to be beleeved for since they could not fight with him they could not force him in this point that they should depart having received the hostages without putting them into Silli or succouring the Towne argues either simplicity which was not likely to be in such personages or want of strength and is not sufficient to excuse their retreate for say that the Earle had delivered up his hostages the more reason had they had to have kept the field to shew themselves masters thereof and to have seene the enemy first gone that they might have secured the towne for what concernes the Elme the besieged may by agreement prefix the day of succour but not the place of combate for that were to teach him what to doe who was to hinder their being succoured whose advantage it was to work his ends without danger or bloodshed Two armies equally resolved to fight may appoint a time place that they may know where to meet not out of any advantage but such appointments happen not betweene besiegers and besieged for the besieged have onely two things to looke unto necessity which enforceth them and reputation which makes them doe their utmost indeavour which when they have satisfied their being or not being succoured belongs no more to them since by yeelding they are freed from necessity and 't is not likely that the besiegers together with the prolongation of time which was much to their disadvantage would accept of a disadvantagious place whereby to be cut in peeces But this invention is like to that of the Duke of Orleans which hath beene spoken of who being taken prisoner in the battell of Aincourt where there neither was necessity reason nor yet time for capitulation those who were besieged in Orleans did notwithstanding alledge that by expresse agreement his territories were to be exempted from the damage of warre during his imprisonment whilst no such condition complies with the nature of warre nor can be witnessed by any president The English say that when the succour appeared the terme whereof was not 15. but 30. dayes they of their owne accord delivered up the hostages to those of Silli according to their Articles that they stood in face of the enemy without any skirmishing or any shew of battle that the French departed by night as if affraid whereupon Silli surrendred it selfe according to promise without assault or blood The Earle ended these his proceedings with the taking of Millay and Saint Laurence de Mortiers so as having in hostile manner succoured the country of Mayne hee retired sending his men to their wonted Garrisons Not long after a good part of the lower Normandy rise in insurrection against the English a fire as easily extinguished as it was lightly kindled They were all countrymen inhabitants upon the coast of that sea a Monstrous body a beast of few armes all head under the conduct of the Marishall de Rochefort Walter de Brusack and Charles de Mares who came with some troopes of horse to sustaine them they tooke Diepe Fescampe Harfleur Monstrevillier Tancherville and all the country of Caux except Arques and Candebec But going afterwards themselves alone towards Caen to incourage and incite the malecontents The Dukes of Sommerset and Yorke who commanded that Province dispatcht away the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Willoughby with 6000. bowmen and 1300. horse to take order with them The Earle who had notice which way they went sent Willoughby with part of the troopes before to light upon them in the way not fearing their numbers and hoping that the condition of an ill guided rabble would winne him the day as it did for Willoughby lying in Ambush as soone as they appeared he set upon them having formerly agreed upon a signe with the Earle so as being set upon before and behind they threw away their armes and cryed for pardon the Earle moved to compassion forbad the killing of them yet could he not so readily be obeyed but that about 1000. of them were slaine The heads of the insurrection were detained and afterwards severely punished the rest were suffered to returne to their owne homes having to their cost learned the difference betweene the handling of the Mattocke and the Sword the conquest of the forenamed places was not of long continuance after this for the Commanders who were therein left being of this summy multitude behaved themselves so insolently as that the countrey revolted from them and by reason of their rustique tiranny recalled the English so as this threatning storme was soone blowne over Iohn de Bressay Lievtenant to the Marshall de Rieux had taken the Fort of Rue a losse of great consequence to the English the country lying thereby open to incursions even to Estaples and Monstrolle which caused the Duke to commit the recovery thereof to the said Earle who with 800. men undertooke this enterprise but being come to Gourney he altered his resolution An old Fort called Gerberoy was seated betweene Gournay and Beauvois dismantled and ruinated a little before And because the situation thereof was convenient to suppresse the enemies incursions into the countrey of Beauvois La Hire had order for the rebuilding of it The Earle not thinking that in so short a space it could be in any condition of defence for hee thought to ruinate it in the beginning of its being reedified before that being built and fortified it might be the harder to be wonne Hee thought suddenly to have dispatcht the businesse not knowing that La Hire was there in person with a great many souldiers so as leaving his foot behinde him which followed him at leasure hee advanced with his horse which were not above 500. La Hire seeing him appeare with so few
it would bee a greater shame to France to shew her selfe cruell to his bones who whilest hee was alive none durst oppose that hee was sorry that the memoriall was no more stately and that none was to bee found answerable to so great a worth none of the Sonnes of Henry the fourth did degenerate a thing not usuall in so large a family Henry the fifth dyed gloriously in the pursuite of his conquests the Duke of Clarence valiantly fighting and though Bedford of a naturall death and Gloster of a violent yet dyed they not with lesse fame then did the others so as nature having done her utmost in them if shee failed in the present Henry it is not to bee wondered at for having clade him with a rich shirt of goodnes shee was scant unto him in an upper roabe of reall vertues and of fortune Bedford being dead a new choise was made of who should succeed him of two that pretended thereunto the Duke of Yorke bore away the bell whereat the Duke of Somerset was scandalized who being the Kings cousen thought to have beene preferred before him but the councell was of an other opinion Yorkes true pretences unto the Crowne though at that time not spoken of was perhaps the cause why they would not discontent him Somerset finding no other remedy endeavoured the hindring of his dispatch to the common losses for Paris and the chiefest places which the English held in France were in this interm lost which would not have hapned if hee had had his dispatch time enough Disadvantages which infant Kings are usually subject unto who governed by many and shared by the emulation of great ones cannot favour private interests without disfavouring the publique to the ruine of King and Kingdome Yorke seemed not to take notice of these practises a dissimulation which caused an inward impostumation in him wherewith Somerset being afterwards infected it in a few yeares after brought them both to immature end In the same month of September Queene Isabell mother to Charles King of France and Katharine Queene of England dyed in Paris shee was buried by the side of her husband in Saint Denis without any funerall pompe the times not suting with such like solemnities shee lived not much esteemed of by any no not by the English which made them undergoe the imputation of ingratitude though without reason since nature hath endued us with a secret not well understood light which cleer's unto us all ambiguities so as the imagined good which is not is will wee nill wee not taken by us for good No man denies but that ingratitude is of all vices the most abominable but neither is it to bee denyed that benefits sprung from charity or any other species of courtesie and love not from ostentation or interest are those alone which denominate an ungratefull person Isabels good turn's had their rise from selfe interest if shee sided with the English 't was to side against her sonne shee favored them not as friends but as instruments of her revenge her daughters marriage was from the like cause shee loved her as having beene her companion in her misfortunes but t is not likely shee would ever have sought her advantage to the injury of Charles had shee not hated him shee confounded the World ruinated her Kingdome disinherited her owne bloud and out of dispight not any inclination favored the enemy so as if the English seemed not to bee over gratefull to her it was because her benefits were none of those which conduce to gratitude The rebellion of Normandy was one of the first evill effects caused by the death of the Duke of Bedford for seeing herselfe freed from that chaine which held her in obedience to England shee gave her selfe up unto the French Charles de Marest accompanied by the Marishall de Rieux Messieurs de Bousack and Longaville two houres before day scalled the Walles of Diepe neere to the Gate and met with no opposition by reason of the intelligence they held within the Towne hee had the like successe in forcing open the Gate which leads to Roan through which the Marishall and all his People being entered hee made a stand in the market place crying out according to the military custome of France the City is taken these acclamations awakened those who slept who with stones and dartes made some short defence but they were forced to give way to the last commers there were but few that were slaine The Lieutenant Mortimer with some few others saved himselfe the rest remained prisoners together with such Citizens as had almost affectionately favored the English their goods were ransackt but not theirs who were willing to receivè the oath upon the newes of this acquisition Anthoni de Chabanus Sentraglie Estouteville and many other Lords with betweene three and foure thousand horse came thither to whom one Kernier a leader of the common People followed by 6000. of the Country-people joyned himselfe and all of them did willingly take the oath being marched forth into the field with these and many other Gentlemen of the Country which daily flockt unto him Fescan yeelded it selfe up unto him on Christmas eve and on Saint Stephens-day Monsieur Villiers the Gnascoigne Captain who commanded there having revolted hee assaulted Harfluer but being beaten back and forty of his men slaine whilest hee put himselfe in order for a second assault the Inhabitants capitulated to surrender up the Towne upon condition that the English garrison which consisted of 400. men should be suffered to depart peaceably with all their goods Beccrespin Tancharville Gomesseule Loges Vallemont Graville Longerville Neneville Lambraville and other Townes did the like Upon this flood of fortune the constable Richmont arrived to whom Carles Mesull Aumerle and many other Townes yeelded themselves all which having Garrisons put into them he with-drew himselfe for want of victualls the rest doing the like So as in a short time Normandy was dismembred of the greatest part of the Country of Caux the English were not now to defend themselves against one onely enemy The treaty at Arras as pointed out unto them a second viz. Philip and though warre was not yet declared betweene them they forbare not to bethinke themselves how they might prejudice each other the Garrisons of Callais and the adjacent parts had a designe upon Ardres and those Burgonians which were in the Country of Ponitean upon Crotoi designes wherein they both failed The low Countries were not well pleased with this Breach for the losse they thereby received by want of commerce having acquainted Philip with the importancy hereof they prevailed so farre with him as to permit them endeavour the continuation of peace Iohn of Luxenburg Count de Ligni who had not yet revolted from the English was thought fittest for this imployment hee writ hereof to his Brother the Archbishop of Roan one of Henries chiefest Counsellors in France who writ over into England where the proposition being
They made some resistance though but for a small time their numbers not being able to withstand the great Forces of the Constable and people so as some of them being slaine and the rest retired into the Bastaile they were beset with Corps de Guard in such places as were least to be annoyed by the Artillery in so much as being blockt up on all sides this their retreate served onely for their recapitulation which is no small advantage in such a case the goods they had left in the Citie were seised on and shared the Bishop of Terrovan to boote with his other houshold implements part of which hee afterwards recovered by the favour of Messieurs de Trenant and Lalaigne lost the richest adornements of his Chappell the goods of such Citizens as had sided with the enemy were confiscated the antient Officers cashiered and new ones put in their places and the besieged not able to hold out and not likely to bee succoured after tenne dayes came forth their good and lives saved and with a safe conduct from the Constable retired themselves to Roan Thus Paris returned to its former government sixteene years after that the Duke of Clarence had placed a Garrison there in the behalfe of his brother Henry the fifth This and some other losses had rather madded them then mated the English The Garrison of Callais went to Bullen and had almost taken that part which is called the lower Bullen But Fortresses are taken by great Forces not great anger having burnt many of the shipps which lay in the Haven they passed into the precincts of Gravelline where destroying all the country they gave a furious allarum to the common people who having taken Armes ran to oppose them but as it is usuall to homebred people to presume much and performe little they were rooted 400. of them slaine 120. taken prisoners the rest escaping whither they could whilst the English leading away their pray and prisoners retired themselves to their Garrisons on the other side some of the inhabitants of Gisores were corrupted by La Hire to permit him entry in to the City so as comming with great forces from Gerbery hee entered in and laid siege to the Castle wherein the Garrison had saved themselves and given notice hereof to Roan so as whilest the oppugners and defendors were in their chiefest heate the Lord Talbot came thither with the Lord Scales and 1800. Souldiers werewithall he freed the Castle recovered the Citie chased the enemy away and punisht the traytors At this time the Duke of Yorke came from England to Normandy bringing along with him 8000. Souldiers with which if hee had bin dispatcht away when he ought to have beene the Country of Cauxe had not beene lost and much lesse Paris The Duke of Summersets envy the cause of so great losse was not punished for that hidden mischiefes are not subject to punishments or for that the faults of great delinquents are not without great danger taken notice of Monsieur de Croy Bayliffe of Hannault had at this time gathered together 1500. Souldiers under the conduct of Messieurs de Vaurin Noyrule Sananses and other remarkeable commanders with intention by way of Praeludium to the siege of Callais to runne the country round about it The Garrisons of Callais Guines and other neighbouring places fall upon the same designe who the same night were gathered together to the number of 2000. to sacke the country about Bullen so as the Burgonians had advanced themselves but one houre sooner they had met with their Scouts who they descryed by breake of day upon the passage over the bridge of Millay Croy having advised what was to bee done resolved to set upon them whilst in disorder they should be pillaging the country and though hee could not take them at unawares yet howsoever to give them battell hee devided his men into two squadrons himselfe following the English with the former having for his guide the smoke of such houses and villages as they burnt The English had notice of his comming from Some who at the same time they had taken prisoners so as having there forraging those who were nearest him united themselves together and placed themselves upon the top of a little hill where being by him discovered but not the rest that marched after he set upon them not expecting the arrivall of his second Squadron and finding them in disorder and but a few in number and the first incounter he slew betweene three and fourescore of them the rest fled to their companions and were pursued by the victorious But when they perceived a second Troope they made a stop expecting the arrivall of their second Squadron and wavering in their resolution of fighting they encouraged one another to what none of them had any minde The English this meane while having reordered themselves set furiously upon them the Bickering was not long and the formerly victorious making very little resistance were driven even to underneath the walls of Ardresse the number both of slaine and prisoners did not exceede 100. for surprised by feare they betooke themselves rather to flight then fight Decroy was wounded and his horse slaine under him but he had the good fortune to recover another and was more vext at the manner of his losse then at the losse it selfe which might be counterpoised by his former encounter The victualls returned with their prisoners to Callais and were met by the Earle of Mortaigne sonne to the Duke of Sommerset who was sent thither with 1500. men to oppose Philips designes who if hee had undertaken this enterprise with men taken into pay and not with the common people of Flanders who will be entreated and not commanded by their Princes hee would either have reaped more advantage thereby or lesser shame had he gathered together so many men as thinking the number superfluous he dismist the greatest part of them the number of those who remained amounting to 40000. An Army which if considered in ' its number richnesse of apparell splendor of Armes quantity of Artillery Pride of Pavillions and infinite number of Carriages fit to conquer a whole nation not a single towne but wee are deceived in nothing more then in a good opinion wee hold of our selves The people of Gaunt thought that the walls of Callais ought to have fallen downe at their appearing as did the walls of Iericho when the Israelites appeared They were troubled that the ships came no sooner from Holland fearing least the English having the Sea open should leave the towne empty and fly away to England they thought that being terrible to their owne Princes at home they should bee the like abroad to all the world and growing insupportable by reason of this confidence they became odious to all men before they came from Flanders they caused two Mills belonging to two particuler men to be beaten downe imputing the late losse of the Flemings before the Graveline to them neither durst Philip contradict
scituated betweene Râ—…es Monstreula and Saint Valeri requisite to the peacefull possession of Callais Bullen and Pontieu So as if Philip did what in him lay to winne it the English did what they could to succour it The Burgonians that they might bee sure to keepe it from being succoured built a great Fort wherein they placed 1500. Souldiers and the English to free the Towne from being blockt up by Sea sent forth seaven ships which chas'd away the other foure thereby freeing it from the feare it was in of want of victualls and totally to set it at liberty the Regent Warwick sent thither Talbot Scales and Terrill with 5000. fightingmen who having passed the Soame marched forward with a resolution either to raise the siege or dye in the quarrell Philip being hereof advertised hasted from Hedine to Abeville accompanied by the Counts of Nivers Saint Paul Estampes and the Prince of Cleurs in a posture of affronting the enemy but in effect did nothing For the English passed every where unresisted doing all the mischiefe they could so as by this proceeding it was thought hee meant to raise the siedge with the least dishonour hee might and the besiedgers scandalized at this his temporising no sooner understood of Talbots approach but imitating those of Gaunt before Callais they rise from before the Towne not expecting any command and retired to Rues being scoftat and mockt by the Garrison as saith Monstreulet as men of no courage there was amongst them foure Knights of the order Iohn de Croy Florimand and Iames de Bremiau and Baude de Noyelle so as Talbot after having burnt eight Towers ruinated all the Country about and raised the siege turned back the same way into Normandy with a booty of many prisoners and horses and Philip with this second shame retired himselfe to Arras having lost many of his carriages taken from him by S. Thomas Terrill This Winter was much more sharp then usuall which caused the surprise of Pontous the possession whereof the more necessary it was for Charles by reason of the nearenes thereof to Paris the more was hee incommodiated by the losse of it it was a fit place to annoy the one side and to secure the other from the City and all the Isle of France Talbot was he who did the busines who favored by the ditches being froozen over might without danger make himselfe master thereof by scaling it the onely obstacle hee met withall was two brothers surnamed Gurry who having fortified themselves in a Turret which stood over the Gate which lead to Paris and sent notice thither did defend it till the ensuing night and if any succour had come the Towne had run danger of being recovered by that place but no succour appearing they covenanted to be gone their lives saved and leave the Towne to him that had wonne it so as the in-roades that were afterwards made The mischiefe that the French Garrisons for want of pay did in the Country and famine which by reason of the Countries not being cultiated was very great forced the poore Country-people to retire themselves to Paris where neere about 50000. dyed for meere want and amongst so many miseries the newest and unheard of was that no man durst walke through the open fields and Country Villages for feare of Woolves which having slaine and eaten about 80. people taught the rest to guard themselves from them thus were they warr'd on by all sides their friends injured them by their insolencies and rapines their enemies slue them their ground gave not its wonted encrease and ravenous beasts devoured them After Warwick was come into France Earle Montaigne came to Cheriburg with 400. Archers and 300. Launces with the which passing through the Country of Maine hee by assault tooke Saint Annian put 300. of the Scottish Garrison to the sword and hung up the French therein as falsesifiers of the oaths they had formerly taken to Henry at the same time Longaville Charles Maâ—…ille and many other places yeelded themselues up to Talbot not so much for lack of victualls as want of Loyalty On the other side naturall inclination caused Montargnes and Cherosse to submit themselves to Charles his obedience playing with fortune and as it were in sport giving themselves some times to the one side some times to the other This meane while Philip who after his unfortunate retreate from Callais studied nothing more then how to annoy that place sent a number of Pioners Woodcleavers and Smiths with a conduct of 1600. Souldiers to cut downe the bancks which resisted the Sea beleeving that hee should thereby drowne Callais and all the precincts thereof but the event shewed his want of experience who advised him thereunto for leaving the enterprise they went to Pont de Millay rather that they might appeare not to have come in vaine then out of hopes of their endeavours might proove prejudiciall to Callais or the parts adjacent The Souldiers of France were reduced to that point as they were no longer fit to defend but made rather a profession of living upon other mens goods more to the prejudice of their owne side then of their enemies some good store of them had assembled themselves together to commit robberies safely amongst their owne men since they could get nothing amongst the enemy but wounds and death They were properly enough called Flears great complains was made hereof to Charles especially of one of their troopes which rise to the number of 600. horse led on by Rodrigo de Villandras who being by Charles commanded either to quit the Kingdome or els to fight against the enemy did not obey him which forced Charles to march himselfe into the field and fight with him Villandras weighing the danger made vertue of necessity hee went to Toulosse from thence to Guiene where having much endamaged the English hee deserved his pardon though the English did afterwards in the Dolphins insurrection regaine all they there lost The dangers of that Province were at this time caused more by corruption of mony then force of Armes which being knowne in England and that the Bastard of Orleans was for this purpose at Tolousse they dispatcht away the Earle of Huntington with 2000. Bowmen and 400. Lances who broke the bargaine by changing the Governours and removing the Captaines from one place to another and because the like contagion was entered amongst the Souldiers in Normandy corrupted by the French crownes a supply of a 1000. men was sent thither under the conduct of foure Knights which secured that Province and though it cannot for certaine bee affirmed that there was some corruption in the losse of Meaux in Brie yet hee who did defend it gave evident signes thereof for being besieged by the Constable and taken by assault wherein the Bastard of Tian was taken and immediately beheaded The defendants retired themselves into the market place one of the strongest retreats that then was in all France where they might longer have
great a concourse of People no one Voyce or Gesture of applause was heard or seene either for Protectour or Preacher their conceived hopes were rendered vaine so as both of them being utterly out of Countenance the one returned much confused to his Palace the other very Resolute to his House where understanding by his friends how exceedingly Hee was blamed Hee a few dayes after Died for meere shame The Protectour for all this ceased not to pursue his intent being resolved come what would come to effect His desire Audacity Importunacy and Violence might effect that which Fraud Calumny and Perswasion could not so as having put the Chamberlaine to death on the Thirteenth of Iuly and indeavored three or foure dayes after by Doctor Shaw's Preaching to seduce the People on the one and Twentieth of the same Moneth hee sent the Duke of Buckingham accompained by many Lords and Gentlemen to the Major and Aldermen of London with whom were likewise the Common Counsell of the City commanded purposely to attend Where being a very well spoken man hee made a long Narration of the last Kings Actions thereby to make his memory odious and his Children incapable of succession Hee said Hee was come to propound unto them a weighty businesse and of inestimable advantage to the whole Kingdome and every Member thereof the which conteined in it the security of their Lives their Wives Honesty and the safety of their Goods which till that time had beene subject to so many Robberies Taxes and Impositions which being imposed without necessity there was no hope of ever seeing an end of them the ablest men amongst them were most subject to these miseries as better endowed by Fortune then were the rest and because these grievances were not sufficient to satisfy Avarice great summes of Money were raised under Title of Benevolence the Title taking from both the Name and Nature that not being given with Good Will which being not in the power of the Giver to withstand was given by violence the Good Will remaining onely in the King in His Desiring it Receiving it and thereby inriching his Coffers things which though they were all insufferable yet might they bee indured were they not come to that height as that Impositions past on to Punishments Punishments to Ransomes deniall of the Benevolence to Contempt of the Lawes such contempt to Treason which was the Trap-hole whereinto did fall the Lives and Livelyhoods of the impoverished and evilly treated Subject so as so long and exemplary a Patience was not longer to bee indured Hee instanced in the Names of sundry that had come by Sinister ends that their Goods might bee seised on hee called the Auditors to witnesse not any one of them being there who had not had some feeling of these proceedings either in themselves or their friends That plots had not been wanting to endanger their Lives and Goods little things had beene made great meere Chimeras and imaginations though in themselves vaine were made capable of Pretence none was so poorely spirited or void of sence but might invent some any superficiall colour being sufficient to ruine the People Then falling upon discourse of the late Warres he shewed how his accesse unto the Crowne was through much blood That hee came to it before his time for during Henry the Sixt his Life Hee had no pretence thereunto The very imputation of being of the contrary faction was enough to make a rich Man a begger Great were the number of those that were impoverished the one halfe of the Kingdome at least being then Lancastrians Hee bad them consider how long the Warre indured which if it were deplorable betweene two severall Nations and in a forreigne Countrey how much more miserable was it at Home where the Sonne should be found to be against the Father one Brother against Another friends becomming Enemies Hee forgot not to urge his flight into Flanders when hee had lost the Kingdome and how many Mens lives his retorne cost as well of those who adhered to Him as of His opposers Hee called to minde the many fought Battells the cruelty used in Victories the desolations of Cities and Provinces the Slaughters of so many of the Nobility which were not for number and Valour to give way to whatsoever Empire and which was not to be regained but in a long revolution of time more blood being spent in a short time to lose themselves then was lost in so many Yeares for the winning of France That they had beene but little bettered by Peace rich Men not being secure of their Lives and Goods an avaritious Tyrant neither trusting nor loving one that had Power and Meanes not trusting nor loving His Brother he put him to a miserable Death For what concerned Woemens reputation it never had a more insnaring Enemy or Persecutor since not contented to have deceived the Lady Lucy with promise of Marriage and to have taken away the Wife of Shore a Man of such esteeme and here though from the purpose Hee fell to praise Shore to captivate the good will of his fellow Citizens hee never cast his Eye upon Woman in his Life that hee desired not to enjoy not regarding either the feare of God nor his Owne nor other mens Honour trampling the Laws under foote and those of Friendship and Blood whilst a Prince who is the Father of his Subjects should abstaine from so doing as from Incest his Women Subjects being his Daughters Hence proceeded the Earle of Warwickes distastes the illegitimate Marriage if Marriage it might be called with a Widdow full of Children and the renewing of a Civill Warre the cause of so many evills and if reputation which is for its owne sake to be desired were not the chiefe Ornament of Woemen the establishing of Families and of more worth then all Worldly Treasure hee ought to reverence it if not as the generall duty of All Princes to whom it is not permitted to usurpe what is another Mans much lesse his Honour the chiefest of all possessions yet as his owne Peculiar duty being Obliged to the noble City of London the Metropolitan of so great a Kingdome for that shee had taken part with the House of Yorke assisted it in so many Warres with Expence Blood and Danger and not to repay it with Ingratitude rendring evill for good shame for Honour and charging himselfe with an ignominy neither to be cancelled in this World nor forgotten in the World to come without the extraordinary mercy of God but was to be punished with like punishment as Tyranny Lust and Ingratitude But it was not to be wondred if Hee were such a Man Hee was like to little Rivulets which deriving themselves from Ditches and Marsh-grounds are thicke and muddy since not being of the House of Yorke Hee could not partake of the worth thereof his actions shewing Hee discended from some low and stinking originall That therefore they were to praise God who drying up the Puddle had given them a
Destroy them The Duke of Britanny who knew his Forces too weak to withstand the King's had recourse to Henry to whom Charles had already sent Ambassadours to shew him That the chief Princes of the Blood and greatest Lords of his Kingdom being retired into Britanny under pretence of Refuge but in effect that being joyned to that Duke they might mischief Him the more he was forced to take up Arms and necessitated to war for his Own Defence and to Prevent him that sought His ruine that the war was Defensive on His side that he pursued Rebels in a Prince's Countrey who owing Homage to Him ought not to have received them and much lesse to have Conspired against him with them wishing him to remember that if the Duke of Britanny had done him any favour he had marr'd the merit of it since it failed on his part that he might have been utterly ruined by being deliver'd up to Richard that he did not pretend to remember him of the Assistance and Favours he had received from Him which were done out of meer Affection and contrary to what Reason should have perswaded him to for his Own good since it had been better for him that a Tyrant like Richard should have reigned in England then so vertuous a King as was he That if he would rightly weigh both their good turns he should finde His proceeded from true Friendship the Duke's from Self-interest That he did not desire a Requital of Assistance knowing that he was but Newly possest of the Kingdom which he had purchas'd with great Expence and Trouble but onely that he would stand Neuter That he would not by aiding the Duke hinder the just progresse of hiâ—… Arms justly to punish Rebels and to give due correction to him that had contrary to all Law received them He herewithaâ—… acquainted him with his having taken some certain Towns from the Archduke Philip in Flanders affirming he had not done it out of any Ill-will but for that it behoved him a little to Quell him the difference between them for any thing else being Little or Nothing they being Neighbours and he to marry his sister He said this to disswade Henry from believing that he made war in Britanny to Possesse himself thereof and to honest the Usurpation by Marrying the Heir as he intended and as he did and to make him believe this the rather he discover'd unto him as a businesse of great Trust his designes upon the Kingdom of Naples as if the attempt upon Naples which was but an imagination in Future were not compatible with his Present Real attempt upon Britanny Henry was displeased at this Embassie Two Princes being therein concern'd of which he knew not whether to prefer being obliged to them Both and equally favoured by them Both. He knew Charles did but Dissemble that the injury he did the Duke was unjust and hurtful for England that France might peradventure have reason enough to be Offended with Britanny but none to Subdue it The danger was great The Duke was Old Sickly and for the most part out of his Wits He had no issue Male Females the weaker they are and Marriageable the fitter are they to serve for an occasion of Oppressing the Countrey The Nobility was Mistrustful the People wavering He objected to himself that the Duke having preserved Him so many yeers against the Treacheries of so many Enemies he was in Honour obliged to do the like for him wherewithal it likewise became him to preserve the freedom of Commerce unto his Kingdom which would be Lost or much Lessen'd should it fall into the hands of such a King who if by reason of what he already possessed he were of so great might as he became formid able to his neighbours and those that lived further from him what would his greatnesse become when it should be Augmented by the Addition of a Dukedom equal to a Kingdom rich in Nobility People Seas and Ports But having been likewise Obliged to Charles he could not without the Badge of Ingratitude treat him like an Enemy To do then what he ought to do which was not to Declare himself Against the One nor Suffer the Other to be Undone it behoved him to have Evident Reasons should he do Otherwise whereby it might Appear that he was Perforce induced thereunto His Obligation being Equal his duty of gratitude could not be Dispensed withal to Either of them so as desirous to carry himself Indifferent where Circumstances were Equal as in his Obligations it behoved him to do Otherwise where Circumstances Differ'd as in Interest of State and Justice Two ponderous weights Both of which were put into the Duke's Scale Having then answer'd the Ambassadours in matters of Lesser importance as in the businesse of Flanders he told them He found himself bound in a Like bond of obligation to the King and to the Duke That the cause of his flight from Britanny into France was not from the Duke but through the wickednesse and malice of his Officer Landois He must confesse he Oft hath owed his Life unto him having had divers treacherous plots contrived against him by the corruption of his Servants that He never failed him neither in Will nor Deed So as finding himself in this condition with them Both he hoped that his Interposing himself as a Friend between them might produce that Peace which was to be desired and to which end he would forthwith dispatch away an Ambassadour to him They being dismiss'd with this answer he bent all his endeavours to work a Reconciliation between them that he might not be Enforced to take up Arms the which if against his will he Must do he was resolved to employ them to Preserve Britanny neither did he believe fortune would prove so favourable to Charles but that He might have time to Negotiate this businesse grounding his Confidence upon the great Oppositions he had on the one side Maximilian on the other the Forces of Britanny and the Orleanists in the Bowels of his Kingdom ready to raise a Civil war which he was not likely Quickly to quit his hands of together with the Inconstancy of his Young yeers able to make him Change his minde especially he being environ'd with men of Mean condition who rather make their fortunes in Court-changes then in Chances of War Upon these supposals which proved all false he sent his Chaplain Christopher Ursewick into France he gave him order that if he found Charles disposed to Peace he should instantly go to Britanny and conclude it in the best manner he could Ursewick came to France where Charles made him believe he did passionately desire Peace whilst he was far from it he therefore past on into Britanny thinking he had done Half of his work but he found he was deceived for the young King handled the businesse with so much Subtlety as he that had been longest Experienced and Verst in businesse could not have done it better He seemed to be very
desirous of Peace knowing that Ursewick's pains would be to no purpose for the Duke of Britanny was not in case to rely upon his Own Judgement having indeed None at all and the Duke of Orleans would not hear of it for being injured by him it was not likely he should trust him He on the other side should by this means justifie himself to Henry since the making of peace stuck not at Him so as he should not have any occasion to enterprise ought against Him the fault in all appearance not being His. Ursewick being come to Britanny found the Duke so very ill as it was impossible for him to treat with him who had lost almost all the faculties of judgement it behoved him to treat with the Duke of Orleans whom he acquainted with the King his Master's desire and with the good inclination he found in the King of France thereunto so as there remained nothing to establish a good Agreement but to conclude upon the means to every one's satisfaction The Duke being far from any such thought knowing that Charles his intention was other then he made shew for and he himself thirsting to make war with Another man's purse and with the hopes of getting the Dutchy of Britanny answer'd He wonder'd that so Wise a King as Henry would suffer himself to be over-reached by so very Young a King as Charles and that those reasons to which he was bound by Honour and Gratitude bore no sway with him that he should do well to remember the Duke of Britanny had been in lieu of a Father tâ—… him from his Childhood till his promotion to the Crown to the which though Nature Birth and the Kingdom had play'd their parts he had Never attained had he not used that charity towards him which obliged Henry to do the like for Him that the present Mediation did not correspond with the businesse that it was Destructive but Useful for Charles who thereby would gain time to do that which otherwise he could not that Aid was expected from Henry worthy of the Greatnesse of his Minde of his Tye of Friendship and of the imminent Danger the fair Appearances of France were nothing but Fraud and Cozenage 't would be too Late Dangerous and Dishonourable to know it by the Event that if Henry would believe Charles to be of as Candid a minde as was He himself he might do well to believe it with his Sword in Hand so that if it should prove Otherwise he might be ready to Chastise him that had abused him by doing this he should acquit himself on All hands nor could any one have just cause to complain of him And if the reasons of Gratitude which were the same with those of Honour were not of force enough to perswade him he ought to do it out of reason of State and take upon him that defence in Time without Offending Any One which should he undertake Unseasonably would be offensive to All Three to France by opposing it in Open War to Britanny by giving it too Late succour and to England by permitting a Great King to Increase in Power State and Situation hurtful to that Kingdom who was set upon on all sides subject to the discretion of England upon whose pleasure he depended having Seas Ports Commerce and all that could accommodate or incommodate secure or endanger England Ursewick was ready to answer That Princes could not chuse but in some sort believe one another especially where an Obliged friendship plays the part of a Surety not that Wisedom may not have her Exceptions but that she should too largely dispose of her self if where there is Parity of Friendship and Obligation she should believe a friend to be what he ought not to be that Henry's obligations to France arose from Britanny's failing him which if it were not through any fault of the Duke 't was through the fault of Landois Fortune and Chance 'T was Chance that when fleeing from England he would have gone to France brought him into Britanny Fortune when he would have stay'd in Britanny brought him into France whither he would not have gone nor have had any obligation to the King thereof had it not been for danger of being sold to Richard by Landois He did not accuse the Duke of this but neither ought the Duke to accuse him if Fortune bore him to Divide between Two that obligation which was formerly due to Him alone He could not but confesse this without the mark of Ingratitude neither could he take One of them into his consideration and leave the Other neglected More time was requir'd to arm by Sea and Land then to send an Embassie the One did not hinder the Other That an Ambassadour served for a Soul to such businesses as were to be brought to Life no resolutions of importance being taken between Prince and Prince but by Mediation But Ursewick not being suffer'd to say This nor what more he would have said for the Duke arose from him and would not hear him he returned to Charles who told him He had rightly foretold that the Duke of Orleans would not un-enforced yeeld to any Pacification that he would endeavour to force him to it as his obstinacy required in the mean time he desired Henry not to desist from doing good offices for by continuation thereof that Peace would be effected which He desired to which he for his part would Never be Averse and that under such conditions as Henry should prescribe him Lewis the father of this Prince would never suffer this his son to be taught more Latine then Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare wherein he so well profited as not having his brains troubled with any Other lesson and being thought by reason of his rough nature to have but a blunt judgement he deceived all men especially Ursewick whereby the King his Master was likewise deceived Some think that Henry's credulity was but feigned that he might have an Excuse not to intricate himself in a War he Hated and which would be of great Trouble to him But if he were not Deceived he deceived Himself for hoping it would be hard for Charles to make any Progresse in this businesse being unable at the same time to beat the Forces of Britanny and Orleans his party it proved clean Otherwise The French Army being entred Britanny and brought in by the confederate Barons made them soon repent it The Articles greed upon between them were instantly broken Cities besieged taken and Sacked no difference being put between the grounds and territories of the Confederate and Not confederate whilst the Duke abandon'd by his Subjects and not assisted by his friends escaped narrowly being taken at Vannes from whence with much ado he got to Nantes where being besieged and destitute of hope he sent the Count of Dunois and Viscount Coteman to get aid from England who having ridden by night thorow Forests and desert places in great danger the Countrey being wholly possest
for that the war with Britanny might move some jealousies in him the true Reasons whereof not being known he gave him to understand that that Countrey being Feudatary to him it became him in his reputation to preserve his rights therein amongst which one was that the Heir could not marry without his Consent that the Dutchesse having done otherwise in freely disposing of her self without the Consent of Him her Soveraign it behoved him with his good leave to match her so as might not be prejudicial to his Crown to the which he hoped He would give way as to a thing becoming the reason of State and Justice Henry perceiving that the King of France would have him swallow up a bitter Pill wrapt up in Leaf-gold caused answer to be made to the Ambassadours That Peace ought not to be treated of thereby to make War upon one's Friends that to Demand it was Unjust Most unjust to Grant it He had too much of interest with Britanny to abandon it That the proceedings held by Charles were not like those of a Lord who intends to keep his right of Fee-farm but like those of an Enemy which intends Usurpation That his Correction say it were just and necessary needed not to be imposed by so Unjust means and such Unnecessary Arms against a Maiden That he did not dispute whether it were Charles his Right to marry her as he pleased or no though he thought few Presidents could be given thereof That Britanny's tenure in Fee was not subject to the Justice Laws and Will of the Lord thereof as were Other Common tenures That Gascoigne and Normandy in Former times and Flanders at the Present were not under so Servile a Subjection but say they were Marriages ought to be Free not made by Force the parties not Constrain'd otherwise they would be against the Laws both Humane and Divine and suppose his disposal of her did not contradict the Laws it might yet be averse to the interest of Other Princes who peradventure might be content he should marry her to some Other and not unto Himself As for Flanders he wonder'd so Wise a King as Charles should use such slight Arguments in so weighty a matter that he should term the Oppression of the Prince the People's Oppression the Rebellion of the One the Injustice of the Other that after having so many months detained him prisoner slain his ser vants bereft him of his Son and injuriously put him under their own Government they should pretend by Injuring to be injured being protected and confirmed in their Rebellion by Charles himself A thing which had not formerly happened and which now fell out opposite to the Interest and Dignity of All Princes for in time that might happen to Each of them which now befel This so as all Princes were bound upon such like occasions reciprocally to Help one another the which if it became Others much more did it become Charles who being Soveraign ought to chastise Rebellion in the people not to Authorize and Nourish it He thanked him for his acquainting him with his Secret designes which were So secret as not onely Italy but the whole World knew of them For his ends of Passing into Macedonia to make war upon the Turks they were not onely Christian but Generous so as if in stead of his demanding Peace he would grant his request in accepting of Him for a Companion in so holy an Enterprise he should think himself happie but that his arguments were of too Repugnant a Construction God did not command Evil to be done that Good might come thereof nor that what is offer'd on His Altars should be taken from Another's flock Yet if he thought he might with Justice set upon the Kingdom of Naples and that his pretended right thereunto was good meerly by the Renunciation of the House of Anjou what might He think of himself that was bereft of Normandy Anjou Gascoigne and All France which falling upon his person by natural Inheritance not by Anothers Renounsal was his Legal Patrimony if being instructed by him He should not do the like He would therefore follow his example and run the same carreer he had traced out to him Therefore if he would have Peace he might have it upon condition either that he would Renounce that which by an unjust title he Possessed or else pay such a Tribute as might be proportionable to what he should hold The Ambassadours not expecting such an Answer said They had no Commission to any such purpose but that they were sure their King's Sword was able to defend his Crown from losing any the least of his Flower-de-Luces that for what concern'd his marriage with the Dutchesse he never had any such Thought being already married to Maximilian's daughter To which the King reply'd He lookt for such an Answer and that he would send Ambassadours to him the better to be satisfied therein whereupon he dismissed them and Gaguine stayed in England till he had dispatcht Thomas Earl of Ormond and Thomas Goldenstone Prior of Christs-Church in Canterbury Ambassadours into France for that purpose Charles this mean while labour'd to remove from the Dutchesse Ann all scruples and detestations which withheld her from taking him for her husband He employed people of all conditions Divines Ladies Lords Counsellours and all such as had accesse unto her The Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Orange newly freed from their imprisonment pleaded for him so did the Count Dunois who after Orleans was tane prisoner turn'd again to the King's party The Marshal de Rieux Chancellour Mountalban the Ladies and Gentlewomen that were familiar with her and almost the whole Counsel were his instruments herein Madame de Laval her Governesse and Lady of Honour took more pains herein then All the rest Much ado there was to perswade the Dutchesse to forget how unworthily she had been dealt withal for Three yeers together how the Agreements made with the Duke her father and after with her Self had never been observed that Charles had destroy'd and sackt her Countrey that he was married to the Daughter of the King of the Romanes and the King of the Romanes married to Her So that if the Divines were troubled to remove from her her Scruples of Conscience Madame de Laval was no lesse troubled to rid her of the Hatred she had conceived against his Person She at the last yeelded thereunto upon the remonstrance of Peace the Necessity of embracing it and that there was no other way to compose it then by this Marriage Maximilian being Far off and reduced to such Poverty as in a time of so great need he could assist her with but Two thousand men Charles on the contrary was Neer at hand Powerful and not likely to give over till he had bereft her of her Countrey and brought her to Poverty and Misery the which if it should so fall out Maximilian would no longer care for her whose end was to possesse himself of Britanny
Tirrel and his servant Iohn Dighton who were the onely Two that remained alive of the Four which were conscious of this cruelty for Miles Forrest the Second rogue that slew them and the Priest that buried them were dead they deposed That Tirrel saw them Dead after they were Smother'd that he made them be buried underneath a stair and cover'd them with a Stone from whence by order from Richard they were afterwards tane and reburied by the Minister of the Tower but in what place they knew not the Minister being Dead But the King not satisfied with these testimonies that he might divert the danger and satisfie the World he bethought himself of some other means whereby he might discover the Impostors condition and descent He made choice of some and scatter'd them thorowout all Flanders directing them what they were to do Those who were not to stay in any setled place were ordered diligently to enquire after his Birth and to give Him daily advertisement of what they should learn which makes men believe he had some glimpse of it before the other who were to make their abode where He was were by his direction to seem as if they were fled away so to shun the danger they should incur if they were discover'd to be well-wishers to his party and to professe they were come to run the like fortune with Him they were as the Other to make Discovery but more particularly to finde out the Designes and Correspondencies they were to grow familiar with those whom Perkin most confided in and to shew them the Vanity of the Undertaking they having to do with a wise King not easily to be beaten without extraordinary Forces that the Dutchesse's favours were not answerable to their need that they wanted assistance and were not certain of what they presumed to be Secure which was the assistance of the party and the peoples inclination both which were unuseful for that such accurate and diligent provision was made that all men would forbear to declare themselves unlesse they might be encouraged by the sight of a Great army which the Duke of York was not likely to shew them no not if all Flanders were to declare it Self for him But their chief care was to sound Clifford by tasting him with fair promises for if they could win Him over the deed was done he being the Cabinet of secret Correspondencies between Flanders and England neither were they much troubled to effect it for being come to the knowledge of this imposture he was wrought upon by them with promise of Forgivenesse and of Rewards proper baits for such a fish Henry this mean while had made all those whom he had sent to be excommunicated in Pauls and their Names to be registred in the Book of the King's enemies according to the custom of those times to the end that no man might suspect them neither did he forbear to sollicite the Confessors of the greatest men that he might learn how they were enclined not weighing the Profanation of Religion and holy things since his particular interest was concern'd though in all Other things he was reputed a Pious Prince At last they came to the perfect knowledge of Perkin's Birth Name Surname Countrey Employments and Voyages till coming to the Dutchesse he was metamorphis'd into the Duke of York they likewise won over Clifford who gave them such proofs of his repentance as the King was therewithal satisfied Perkin's Genealogie was published in the Court and thorowout the Kingdom and Henry not esteeming it fitting that a Mechanick should with such ostentation be protected in Flanders under a false name and which redounded to His injury he sent Ambassadours to the Archduke Philip Maximilian being gone into Germany who were Sir Edward Poynings and Sir William Warham Doctor of the Civil Law The Council gave them audience the Archduke being yet a Childe their Embassie was That Flanders being confederate and in friendship with England the King could not but resent that she should nourish an Impostour who durst call himself Duke of York and pretended unto his Kingdom that such a Belief must needs admit of some Malignity since the Duke of York's death was too manifest to the world which were it not so very Conjecture were sufficient to put it out of doubt the Nature and Craft of Richard the Third was not such as would encourage the Executors of his cruelty to save One brother and murder the Other Mercy was not to be suppos'd in such Rascals and if it were not without Reward and freedom from Punishment Reward was not to be expected from a Childe destitute of Hopes and who getting out of prison had not wherewithal to feed himself but say that meer Compassion had moved them to save him such compassion must be either in One or in All of them it was impossible it should be in One of them and the Rest not know of it and it was incredible it should be in All of them for that three such wicked ones could not so far trust one another as not to live in perpetual Jealousie And give this likewise granted how could a childe ignorant of the ways wanting direction and counsel passe undiscover'd that the Night-guards which are usual in all the streets of London should not stop him should not take him or that some other difficulty should not hinder him 't was impossible a tender childe of Nine yeers old alone in Lord-like looks and apparel could passe on unknown by any Certainly this could not have befallen the True Duke of York much lesse could it have happened unto the Counterfeit whose true name was Perkin that the King knew him well knew his Countrey and his Extraction that the Nurse or rather Mother of this the Dutchesse of Burgundy knew it well enough who emulating the ancient Fables had brought him forth as Iove did Mercury out of her Brain feigned him to be her Nephew given him instructions and taught him how to lye that she could not tolerate that her Neece should reign being joyned to the House of Lancaster her hatred being thereunto such as rather then to suffer her to be a Queen with such a Husband she would bereave Her and her Children of a Kingdom and give it to Perkin begotten by a Jew turned Christian They desired that after the example of the King of France they would chase him out of their Countrey and that if the useful friendship which was between the two Nations should perswade them as well it might to do More they should do like true friends indeed if they would deliver him up into Their Hands The Answer was That they desired to preserve friendship with the King that they would not assist the pretended Duke of York but that they could not hinder the Dutchesse who was absolute in her Countrey from doing what she listed Henry was not pleased with this answer knowing that Princesses Dowagers have not the like Prerogative over the Countreys where they govern
entertainment in Ireland which he expected for Poynings had an eye to the actions of the Rebels there he met with it in Scotland whither he went grounding his hopes upon the natural enmity of those Two Kingdoms and upon the recommendation of the Three above-written Princes he had solemn audience given him by the King in the presence of all the Lords that were then at Court His Lordlike looks which together with his being thought the true Duke of York were augmented by Art and by the gifts of Nature captivated the good-will of the standers by Having in a grave manner done his Obeisance to the King he told him That he was the unhappie Richard Plantagenet son to Edward the Fourth who drawn by fraudulent promises from his mother's bosom she having taken Sanctuary at Westminster was brought to the Tower of London there to be smother'd with his brother Edward but that charity arising in the brest of those who executed that cruel office they were contented with the death of his Elder brother and saved Him giving him life liberty and means how to scape away he desired to be pardoned if he did not tell the Manner how for that the interests of those that had saved him who were yet alive would not suffer him so to do that Fortune had posted him into divers places and God had given him the grace to conceal his condition lest being known the evil might have befaln him which the vigilancy of a wicked Uncle threatned who having usurped his Kingdom from him knew he could not enjoy it but by his death which he thought had already happened but that his Uncle being by divine justice rewarded according to his deserts and he grown in yeers after many circumvolutions he had withdrawn himself from France to his Aunt the Dutchesse of Burgundy who being a widow and on the Other side of the Sea could not give him such assistance as was requisite for the recovery of his Kingdom which being faln from One Tyrant to Another from an unnatural Uncle to a Kinsman who was naturally his Enemy he stood in need of some to assist him Arms being the onely Tribunal whereat pretences to Kingdoms are disputed that England knew very well his claim and his being which some of the chiefest there had witnessed with their bloods betrayed by their false corrupt friends that Corruption was easily effected where Jealousie and Suspition made men who were naturally covetous and sparing as was Henry liberall and profuse that Ireland was not ignorant of this but that being grievously opprest her weaknesse was such as she could not shew her fidelity and obedience to the House of Yorke and to Him the true heir thereof as shee formerly had done and would again doe neither was it to be doubted but that if he could find a place to take footing in and any one that would protect him he should both from the one Kingdom and the other receive such assistance as might make the regainment of his owne an easie busines that the Dutchesse Emperour Arch-duke King of France and Himselfe finding there was no other wheron for him to take footing then Scotland nor other Protector for him then the magnanimous King thereof they had advised him to present himselfe before his Majestie they being afterwards ready to joyne with him in so just a cause in defence of an Orphan and to the assistance of a Prince betraid usurp'd upon and driven out of this Countrey as was Hee Here enlarging himselfe upon Henrye's illegall pretences upon his base ignoble descent vilifying his Grand-father Tewder as descended from the Scum of the poorest sort in Wales he said that his title was in no sort good unto the Crowne nor yet his Wifes title as long as He the Duke of Yorke and of right King lived that Henry had endeavour'd to have him given up into his hands by Charles when he was in France but that being by Charles denied hee had not spared for Treachery Arms nor poyson to bereave him of his life by the means of divers of his Ministers more particularly by Robert Clifford the wickedst of them all so as when all his diabolicall designes failed him his last refuge was to slanders and to new inventions drawn from hell thereby to obscure the splendour of his Birth to the end that being believed to be what he would have him to be his tyrannie and usurpation might not be withstood that if he were such a one King Charles nor his aunt the Dutchesse would not have counsell'd him to have had recourse to the powerfull tuition of the King of Scotland with hopes that he would succour him as his generous Predecessours had formerly done the afflicted Kings of England whose name worth and Kingdome since he inherited he hope hee should inherit the like benefits as they had done that hee might shew himselfe having recovered his Kingdome to be the most usefull and truest friend that ever did or shall deserve to be celebrated for gratitude Perkins expressions the compassion of his case the recommendation of so many Princes and their promises or rather the Occasion to wage war with Henry whereunto he had a great desire moved the King to promise him his assistance the which hee readily effected though many who knew the Imposture disswaded him from him moreover he did not only appoint unto him an Attendance and Entertainment every way befitting a Duke of Yorke but that it might be beleeved he tooke him to be so he gave unto him for wife his neerest kinswoman Katherin Gordon daughter to the Earl of Huntley a Lady of excellent beauty Such provisions being made as the enterprise required he with a good Army entred Northumberland where Perkin under the name of Richard Duke of Yorke the true and lawfull heir to the Crown of England published a Declaration the Contents whereof were That being by the Grace of God and Favour of Iames the fourth King of Scotland entred into his Kingdom of England he declared his coming was not to make war upon his subjects but to free them from the tyrannie wherewith they were oppressed that it was known the Crown belonged to the Regall house of Yorke of which since after the death of Edward the fourth there remained no other pretender then Himself his Son He and no other was the lawfull heir thereof that Henry Teudor had usurped the Crown from him and by in humane ways sought to betray him and bereave him of his life that he had vaunted himself to have eased the subject of a Tyrant but by excluding the Duke of Yorke their rightfull King he had made himself their Tyrant that Richords tyranny was so much the more excusable in that his Nephews being supposed to be dead he had some Pretences to colour it with the difference between them two was that Richard a true Plantagenet had for his aim the Honour of the Nation and the Subjects Tranquillity Henry meanly born not regarding the Honour of
Govern them as he had done Before in which respect All the Kingdom concurr'd except some of the Nobility who had greater hopes under a New Young King then under an Old and Ancient one who being sufficiently informed of their Humours knew they were given rather to Tyrannize then to be contented with Respect from their Inferiours These Disputes caused great jealousies on all sides specially in Ferdinand for Philip following the advise of his Father the Emperour hee feared lest if they should happen to corrupt Consalvo as they had endeavour'd it they might take from him the Kingdom of Naples wherefore he recalled 2000 Spaniards from that Garrison under pretence of sending them into Africa and making the Germans be dismist he weakned the forces thereof that he might have the lesse cause of feare Amongst divers rumours which were spread abroad to discredit him with the Castillians one was that he intended to marry Ioane who was thought to be Daughter to the last King Henry who had beene a Competitresse for the Crowne with his Wife Isabel that so he would undertake the Defence of Her claime which formerly he had oppugned and thereby make himself King of Castile which he never Dream't of T is true he pretended the claime of a Father to whom the Guardian-ship of children under Age belongs of which number though Ioane were none in respect of Years yet in respect of her weaknesse she was to bee accounted one The very selfe same thing was granted in the Kingdom of Navarre to Iohn King of Arragon this mans Father The rumour of his intention of marriage was not vaine for hee Himselfe had caused it to be spread abroad from the first Beginning of the distastes that he might thereby mortifie Philip for in case she should have any Sons he deprived him of all the Kingdomes wherein He had any Propriety especially of Naples Hee pretended likewise to the Kingdome of Granada or at least to Halfe of it having gotten it with his Wife These conceits proceeded from the Dislike hee had that during the Life of Isabel Maximilian and Philip should make Peace with the King of France without His knowledge that of the Articles These were some The Marriage of Claudia Daughter to Lewis with Charles Philips eldest Son the investing of Milaine upon Lewis and his heires male if he had any and in case hee should have none upon Claudia and Charles and if Charles should happen to Dye upon Philips second Son marrying with the same Claudia so as willing to pay them with the same coyne hee not making Them acquainted therewithall made his Peace with Lewis who gave unto him for wife Germana de Fois his sisters Daughter and by title of Dowry renouncing unto him that part of the Kingdome of Naples which belonged unto Him with this obligation on the other side that Ferdinand should pay unto Him 700000 Duckets within ten yeers for the expences he had beene at in that Kingdome and should give in Dowry to his Wife 300000. more A busines which incens't Philip and made him undertake his voyage into Spaine The first contentions begate both Feare and Hope in Henry Feare that the Emperour Arch duke and King of France joyning in League together against Ferdinand hee should not only fall from being Arbitrator between those Princes as till then hee had beene but also to boote with the Prejudice that might redound to Him by their Confederacie from the advantage of his friendship with Arragon which now being left Single might be to his disadvantage Hope for that intending to marry Ioane Queene of Naples Dowager to the last Ferdinand he beleeved that Kingdome would be assigned over to Him as a Feoffee in Trust whilst the other two were in contention There were at this time in Naples two Dowager Queens the Mother and the Daughter both of them but young The first who was sister to Ferdinand King of Arragon was second Wife to Ferdinand the first King of Naples by whom shee had this second Ioane who was both Wife and Ant to Ferdinand the Second for she was sister by the Fathers side to King Alphonso who was his Father Hereupon Henry built his Designe He sent Embassadours by way of Complement unto them Both and Katharine who was Widow to Prince Arthur being Neece to the One of them and Cozin to the Other he gave unto them Letters from Her giving them particular Instructions to examine the conditions well and see what by vertue of such a Match might be hoped for in that Kingdome from thence they were to passe into Spaine as they did But when they returned hee gave over that Designe having learnt that she lived meerly upon Pensions from Ferdinand without other Lands or Iurisdictions The advantage hee got by this Embassie was to know how hee might keepe the friendship both of Ferdinand and Philip and to free himselfe from feare of Philips joyning with France and of the Marriage of Charles the Sonne of Philip to the Daughter of Lewis as was formerly a greed upon for Ferdinands Secretary had secretly treated with the Embassadours that the Princesse of France being taken from Charles contrary to the First capitulation that she might be married to the Duke of Angonlesme heire apparent to the Crowne their king should give Mary his Second daughter for wife to Charles A busines which hee was much pleased with for Charles was the Greatest match of Christendome being to inherit all that his Father Mother and Grand-father possest and to this purpose he endeavour'd as much as in himlay that there should be no breach between them in the future Amongst so many of their relations he liked not to heare that Castile desired Philip and detested Ferdinand by reason of the great Taxes and Impositions which he put upon them it being his Own very case so as upon the like reason he thought his Son might be desired and He abhorr'd the grievances imposed by Him much surpassing those of Ferdinand Those who tooke part with Philip did much importune him to come into Spaine before Ferdinand should be setled in his pretended Administration but he desirous to come thither unexpected took shipping together with his Wife in Ianuary when 't was thought hee would not have tane his journey till the next Summer He had hardly quitted the coast of Flanders when taken by a sodaine tempest his Navy was disperst upon the coast of England he himselfe lighted upon Waymouth and was brought a shore in a little Frigat His Counsell would not have had him landed since by losse of Time hee would misse of his designe of comming unexpected unto Spaine but he being sea-sick would by all means come on shore The great number of his ships had given an Alarme to the Countrey so as many troops of armed men came to Waymouth not knowing what his Fleet was nor what he would doe Sir Thomas Trenchard and Sir Iohn Carew who were their Leaders understanding the reason of
the Cardinall of Winchester was at Dover ready to passe over into Bohemia with 4000. men The Hussites had much troubled that Kingdome not without danger of infecting the Neighboring Countries with their opinions the which Martin the fifth being willing to withstand hee did together with other remedies nominate the Cardinall of Winchester his Legate in this Warre and that by comming arm'd hee might not bee despis'd hee gave him power to raise the tenth part of all the Ecclesiasticall livings in England to make thereby a leavy of souldiers The busines being propounded in Parliament and approved of by meanes of the said moneyes these 4000. men were raysed The Duke of Glocester who could not make so suddaine provision of men intreated the Cardinall to assist the busines of France by transporting those souldiers to the Regent and that when hee should see those affaires out of danger hee might goe on his journey The Cardinall obeyed him though unwillingly mov'd thereunto out of consideration that if any disaster should be fall the Kings businesse the fault might be laid on him The Regent re-inforced by these men came forth againe into the field continuing his resolution of fighting with the enemy who being incamped between Baron and Monpillier he incampt himselfe betweene Baron and Selins where many skirmishes were made but Charles not willing to set upon him in his owne Campe though he were by much the greater number nor the Regent to expose himselfe to all disadvantages they both retired the Cardinall taking his way towards Bohemia where having had ill fortune he returned home with little honour and Cardinall Guilian was sent in his place Henry was now entred into the eighth yeare of his raigne and the ninth of his age not having beene till then crowned so as on the sixt of November this solemnity was with much pompe celebrated at Westminster with all such demonstrations of joy as upon like occasions are usually made both publiquely and privately Charles this meane while being free from the incounter with Bedford received as hee passed by such Cities as surrendred themselves amongst which Campaigne and Senlis but thinking this successe not sufficient unlesse hee could totally sever Philip from the enemy hee resolved to send Embassadours to him who excusing the death of his Father might shew unto him how misbecomming a thing it was for a Prince of his qualitie so blamefully to joyne with those who did oppugne the house royall the Country and Kingdome to the which hee or such as should descend from him might sometimes aspire if Fortune should throw the succession upon him offering him what conditions hee pleased and such as were never to be effected But Philip keeping himselfe upon generalls neither giving hopes nor taking them quite away and demanding such things as were not to bee granted him reserved himselfe to his best advantage for being courted by both sides he was sure that without him neither of them could prevaile This meane while Beaunois and Omale being come over to Charles the Regent fearing yet worse went to Normandy the Province which though all the rest were lost was chiefly to be preserved as being the Patrimony of the Crowne of England and the most convenient for it of all the rest leaving Lovis of Luxemburg Bishop of Ierouanne who by Henries meanes enjoyed the office of Chancellorship of France in Paris with 2000 English under good Commanders Charles would not not lose the opportunity of this absence to try whether fortune would favour him in the atchieving of that City S. Denis yeelded it selfe up unto him without resistance so as his men began to scowre the country even to underneath the walls of Paris and the chiefest of his Army being lodged at La Chapelle they levell'd their Artillerie against the gate Saint Honore and tooke the Bulwarke thereof whereupon the Maid throwing her selfe into the ditch and resolute contrary to the advice of Alansonne and all the rest to give an assault he pretended revelation having not revealed unto her the depth of the ditch and the water therein she was wounded in her leg the which not abating her violence but she still persisting in causing where withall to be brought to fill it up she had there beene taken had not a servant of the Duke of Alansonnes withdrawne her from thence so as force proving vaine many brave souldiers being there slaine and the Bulwarke abandoned they wholly forsooke the enterprise Charles tooke his way from Touraine by Berry being not naturally inclin'd to businesses but rather to the trimming up of gardens as usually are the lovers of idlenesse an humour which though it be allowable in men who have not much to doe yet is it harmefull in Princes whose art it is to give lawes to peace to governe their people with honour to pardon the humble and punish the proud The Regent understanding the danger that Paris was in made hast thither he thanked the Citie for the loyaltie they had shewed upon this occasion promising whatsoever might be expected from a moderate government and from a King who loved nothing more then the preservation and content of his people Philip was not long in comming thither who after having treated with him of what was to be done after a short stay departed leaving him to the recovery of Saint Denis and the adjacent places whilst the Bastard of Orleans layd siege to the Castle of Turcis which being very strong both by scituation and art held out six moneths at the end whereof it yeeded the Souldiers lives being saved and the Castle wholly demolished At this very time Sir Thomas Tirill had with 400. Souldiers much damnified the county of Cleremont the Count thereof resolute to chastise his boldnesse drew out the Garrisons from thence and the neighbouring places and chasing him therewithall overtooke him about Beauvois in so narrow a passage as his Horsemen could not make use of their Horses they therefore quitted them and fiercely set upon him the bickering lasted a good while without knowledge which side had the better till such time as the English bowes decided it the Count saved himselfe for which he owes thankes to his Horses heeles of the rest 300. were slaine and 200. taken prisoners with whom Sir Thomas returned to Grovay the place of his Garrison Omale had a little before yeelded unto Charles as hath beene sayd Mounsieur de Ramburres remaining Governour thereof the Earle of Suffolke besieged it and after 25. assaults the Towne not being able to doe any more surrendred it selfe the Earle caused 30. of the chiefest of them to be hang'd on the Walls as falsifiers of their faith and perjur'd to Henry he fined the rest and sent Mounsieur de Rambourres into England who six yeares after recovered his lost liberty by exchange On the other side Laval which Talbot had taken the yeare before was retaken by the French who lay in ambush all night neare unto a Mill and following the Millers advice who