Skirmishes at the Barriers A Remark on Mr. Stow. The King resolves for Bretagne intending to return to the Siege before Paris at a better season The Great Miseries of France whereby the Dauphin finds himself obliged to make certain Offers to King Edward for Peace The King being moved by a strange Tempest accepts the French Offers A Treaty ensues A Copy of the Famous Peace made at Bretigny The two Eldest Sons of England and France sworn to uphold the Peace King Edward returns for England and sends King John over to Calais The Pope quickens him to finish the Peace which he does The Copies of both the Kings Letters The Names of the Grandees sworn on both sides Other things relating to the Consummation of the Peace Endeavours to reconcile the two Pretenders to Bretagne The Mutual Friendship of the two Kings King John goes to Boulogne King Edward returns to England The Death of the Earl of Oxford of the Earl of Northampton also of the Earl of Hereford and Essex of the Earl of Kent of the Earl of Warwick's Brother and of the King of Cyprus From p. 575. to p. 607. Chap. VII The Methods of the two Kings to establish the Peace King John's Reception at Paris The unwillingness of the Frenchmen to admit of the English Government King Edward makes the Lord John Chandos his Lieutenant in Aquitaine The said Lord's Praise and Character The Disbanded Souldiers turn Robbers and overthrow the Lord James of Bourbon The Pope gets them to be drawn off into Italy A second Plague in England The Death of the Good Duke of Lancaster of the Lord John Moubray and others with six Bishops and the Archbishop of Armagh The Black-Prince Marries the Countess of Kent Prince Lionel made Lieutenant of Ireland with his behaviour there King Edward restores unto the Priors Aliens what he took from them in the Eleventh Year of his Reign From p. 608. to p. 619. Chap. VIII Ambassadors from the Kings of Armenia and Cyprus entertain'd by the King with Justs and Tourneaments King Edward Creates his Son the Black-Prince Prince of Aquitaine The Copy of his Charter The Prince prepares to go over with his Family An occasional Prophesie concerning King Edward's immediate Successor The Prince his Reception in Aquitaine He settles his Court at Bourdeaux A Parliament at Westminster The Jubilee of King Edward's Age. He Creates his Son Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Edmund Earl of Cambridge His Acts of Grace to all his Subjects He holds a Solemn Hunting The Lord Fauconberg dies Sr. John Copland Murther'd From p. 620. to p. 626. Chap. IX King John of France on the Death of the Duke of Burgundy without Issue takes Possession of that County and goes to visit the Pope at Avignon Pope Innocent VI dies Urban V succeeds The King of Cyprus comes to Avignon A Combat fought there A Croisade proclaimed The King of France being the Head thereof The King of Cyprus visits the Emperour The Emperours Opinion concerning the Holy War. The King of Cyprus goes to other Christian Princes The Duke of Anjou being one of the French Hostages makes an Escape The Kings of Cyprus and Denmark and the Duke of Bavaria come into England King Edward's answer to the King of Cyprus when he ask'd his Company to the Holy War. A Parliament at Westminster A Convocation which retrenches the Excessive Number of Holy Days The Death of the Dutchess of Clarence of Edward Bailiol once King of Scotland and of the Bishop of Bath and Wells A Man who after Execution at the Gallows recover'd is pardon'd by the King. The King of Cyprus rob'd King David of Scotland comes into England A long and hard Frost From p. 626. to p. 633. Chap. X. King John comes into England King Edward welcomes Him. An Alderman of London entertains Five Kings at once The King of Cyprus returns into France and visits the Black-Prince then Prince of Aquitaine King John sickens and dies in England The King of Navarre stirs again Sr. Bertram of Clequin sent for to oppose him A Story of his Original He takes Mante and Meulan by stratagem The King of Navarre sends the Captal of Busche against Him. Sr. Bertram reinforced The Lord Beaumont de la Val taken Prisoner by Sr. Guy of Granville King John's Funeral Rights performed in England His Body buried in France A Day appointed for the Coronation of the Duke of Normandy The Famous Battle of COCHEREL wherein the Captal of Busche is overthrown and taken Prisoner by Sr. Bertram of Clequin Sr. Guy of Granville redeems his Father by Exchange for the Lord Beaumont de la Val. Charles Duke of Normandy Crown'd King of France at Rheims He makes his Brother Philip Duke of Burgundy Sr. Bertram of Clequin buys the Castle of Rolebois The Duke of Burgundy sent to reduce the rest The Army divided Acts separately Prince Lewis of Navarre grows strong about Bourbonnois A Party of his surprises la Charité The Duke takes in several Places Prince Lewis and his Garrison of la Charité do as they please The Duke of Burgundy goes to oppose the Earl of Monbelliard La Charité besieged and taken From p. 634. to p. 650. Chap. XI The King of France helps Charles of Blois and the King of England John of Monford both who prepare for Battle The French Order their Men. The Lord John Chandos orders the English and gives a Reserve to Sr. Hugh Calverley The Lord of Beaumanoir obtains a short Truce in order to an Agreement The Lord Chandos breaks off the Treaty The Famous Battle of AURAY in Bretagne with the Death of Charles of Blois and the Number of the slain and Prisoners on both sides Earl Monford weeps over Charles his Body the Character and Praise of the said Charles Earl Monford gives a Truce to the Country and returns to the Siege of Auray which he soon takes A Treaty for a Match between the Daughter and Heiress of Lewis of Flanders and Edmund Earl of Cambridge is dash'd by the French King's subtlety The Christians obtain a Cadmaean Victory against the Turks From p. 651. to p. 661. Chap. XII John of Monford reduces all Bretagne With King Edward's leave he holds the Dukedom of the French King. Peace made between the French King and the King of Navarre The Captal of Busche set at Liberty Is tempted to renounce the English Interest in vain The Death of the Lord Lewis of Navarre A Parliament at Westminster King Edward's Buildings and Foundation of Kings-Hall in Cambridge now called Trinity-College The Pope demands King John's Fee-Farm Rent King Edward refers the Matter to his Parliament The Lady Isabella Daughter to the King given in Marriage to the Lord Ingleram de Coucy The King punishes sundry of his Judges for Male-Administration The King of Cyprus takes Alexandria in Egypt but leaves it again Dr. Thoroton twice corrected The Earl of Warwick returns into England with the King of Lithuaniâ—'s Son to
Lord Mauley Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick John Earl of Warren and Surrey the Lord Walter Manny Ralph Lord Nevil of Raby Henry Lord Percy John Lord Gray of Codonor the Lords Alexander Hilton Ralph Camois Thomas Furnival Gilbert Aton Adam Wells John Moels alias Mules beside the Lords John Willoughby and John Fauconberg both who fought Valiantly under the Banner of the Lord Ebulo le Strange There were also these Lords John Moubray Bartholomew Burwash senior Robert Lord Clifford William Lord Clinton Hugh Lord Audley junior afterwards Earl of Gloucester Ralph Lord Basset of Drayton Sr. John Roos and Thomas Brethren to William Lord Roos Sr. Hugh Courtney son and Heir apparent of the Lord Hugh Courtney the Elder and Sr. Robert Pierpoint g Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 458. whose services that day were so Considerable that they obtain'd him an High Place in the Kings Favour And from him the present Thrice-Noble Earl of Kingston is Descended It is h Walsing hist p. 114. n. 40. Knighton p. 2559. n. 10 20. generally agreed that the Scotch Army did by far exceed the English in number and the Courage of that Nation was never justly called in question yet thus by their own want of Experience or disadvantage of Ground or Divine Judgment they were slain taken and routed by a far less number of English who yet in the whole Action lost but one Knight one Esquire and twelve or thirteen Footmen fifteen being the most that are said to fall on our side So great and signal a Victory could not but enforce the yielding up of the Town and Castle which were before so much distressed and could now expect no other timely Succour Accordingly i Id. ibid. n. 29. that very day or rather as k Walsingh p. 114. Fabian p. 199. Holinsh p. 896. M.S. ibid. c. some say the next both were deliver'd up to King Edward who gave the Townsmen l Knighton p. 2â—64 n. 60. a Truce for 40 days in which space of time they might sell or otherwise dispose of their Goods such as had a mind to depart but as for those who were willing to become his Liege Men he gave them free leave to remain in their dwellings still and enjoy their own they giving unto him their Oath of Fealty Of these were Earl Patrick of Dunbar late Captain of the Castle and Sr. Alexander m Hector l. 15. p. 316. l. 32. Bachan p. 289. Seton himself Captain of the Town who certainly would never have sworn Loyalty to him had he so cruelly executed his Sons as the same Scotch Writers too rashly report Sr. n Knighton p. 2564. Alexander Ramsey also and Sr. Robert Miners with Other the Chief of the Town to save their Houses and Lands there took the Oath of Allegiance King Edward entred into Barwick with great Solemnity where having tarried twelve days he appointed King o Frois c. 26. Grafton p. 228. Bailiol to rule all the rest of Scotland and left with him the Lord Richard Talbot and many other valiant Leaders with a sufficient Army to keep that Realm that is all beyond the Scottish Sea but he himself claim'd Barwick both by Inheritance from his Ancestors and his own Conquest And there therefore in his own Name he immediately places the Lord Henry Percy as Governor of his Castle of Barwick with his Lieutenant Sr. Thomas Grey and the Lord Patrick Earl of Dunbar was joyn'd in Commission with them as Wardens jointly of all on this side the Scotch Sea which he had received to his Peace Only Earl p Hector l. 15. fol. 316. lin 37. Patrick had this Penance imposed on him by King Edward That since upon the first Arrival of the English he had thrô despair to keep it caused his Castle of Dunbar to be dismantled and rased to the ground he should now at his own charge rebuild it and admit an English Garrison therein The Lord John q Thoroton Nottingh Antiq. p. 164. Darcy having obtain'd much honour in this War return'd now with all his Forces to his Province of Ireland where all along he exercis'd much wisdom and integrity in that his Government and upon his return presently deliver'd Walter Bermingham Primate of Armagh out of the Castle of Dublin of which matters to enlarge would be foreign to our purpose VIII But the Pious King Edward of England in r Ashmâ—le Garter p. 645. Memory of this great Victory which happen'd as we have shew'd on the Eve of St. Margaret the Virgin that Festival being in the Roman Calendar on the Å¿ Malè ergo Ashmole 13. ibid. 20 of July repaired the Church and Convent of the Nuns near the place where the Battle was sought it having upon that Occasion been burnt and destroy'd and caused an Altar to be therein erected and dedicated to that Virgin-Martyr He further granted to those Nuns and their Successors for ever 20 l. per annum out of the Issues of the Town and County of Barwick untill Lands to that value might be settled upon them to the end That annually on the Eve and Day of St. Margaret for ever they should commemorate the Goodness of God for his so prosperous Success in that Battle As for the Bailiol about the Feast of St. t Knighton p. 2565. n. 1. c. Laurence which is the tenth of August even before the King of England had left those parts he put himself in the Head of an Army of about 26000 men all English or such Scots as had yielded to serve him and to prosecute this Victory marched forth into the very Heart of Scotland taking Towns and Castles at his pleasure for none resisted him And there he took up his Winter Quarters all the Country being subjected unto him as we shall shew more fully anon About this time it was as the best Authors agree that King u Fabian p. 199. Frois 33. David Bruce being thus in a manner deprived of his Kingdom was both advised by his Friends and forced by Necessity to forsake his Native Country for a while and fly to the protection of his old Confederate of France All this was happily effected by the Loyal assistance of Malcome Flemein of Cumirnald the Captain of the impregnable Castle of Dunbriton under whose Conduct departing secretly with his Queen and a small Company he set sail for France and arrived safely at Bouloigne whence riding to Paris he was heartily welcom'd of King Philip who received him with extraordinary Courtesie offering him freely to command any of his Houses or Castles to reside in and to take up whatsoever he should want either for Use or Pleasure provided he would engage never to make any final Agreement with King Edward of England without his Consent first had and obtained thô at the same time the Lord x Dugd. Bar. 2 Vol. p. 34. Bartholomew Burwash the Elder and other Commissioners late sent from England were
made shift to escape to the Camp where they related the whole Matter At this such as were most ready rose up to Rescue the Prey which they overtook near the Barriers of the Town And here began a fierce skirmish the Nantois being hard put to it by reason of the Numbers that flow'd in upon them from the Camp but however some of them took the Horses out of the Wagons upon the first approach of the Enemy and drove them in at the Gate that the Frenchmen might not easily drive back the Provision Hereupon Fresh Men came out of the City to relieve their Companions so the Fray multiplied and many were slain and hurt on both sides for Recruits continually came both from the Camp and City Wherefore the Lord Henry du Leon the Earl of Monford's Chief Captain perceiving that by continuing the Fight in this Manner he might by Degrees engage the whole City with the whole Army without any Advantage of his Walls and other Works thought best to sound a Retreat now before it grew worse But then the pursuit was so close upon their heels that more than 200 of the Burgesses were taken and slain Wherefore the Earl Monford when the business was over blamed Sr. Henry du Leon very severely for Retreating so soon At which unseasonable Reproof Sr. Henry who had hitherto been his Main Support was infinitely disgusted and for the future came not to any Council of War as his Manner was Which made many to wonder what his Design should be Soon * Frois c. 72. after this Mischance 't is said that some of the Chief Burgesses considering how their substance went daily to wreck both without and within the City and that already several of their Friends and Children were Prisoners if no worse and that themselves were in no less Danger privately agreed together to hold a Treaty with the Lords of France This Plot was carried on so closely by the connivance at least of Sr. Henry du Leon that it was concluded all the Prisoners should be deliver'd they in Lieu thereof engaging to set open their Gates that the French Lords might enter and take the Earl of Monford's Person in the Castle without doing any harm to the City the Inhabitants or their Goods Some lay all this Contrivance and the Menagement thereof to Sr. Henry du Leon's Charge who had been One of the Earls Privy-Counsellors his Friend and Chief Captain till that unhappy Accident whereby the Earl was provok'd to take him up so roundly However according to this Device so one Morning early it was effected The French Lords found easie entrance went straight to the Castle brake open the Gates and there took the Unhappy Earl Prisoner and led him clear out of the City into their Field without doing any further harm in the World This happen'd about the Feast of All-Saints in the Year of our Lord MCCCXLI After this the Lords of France and Sr. Charles of Blois enter'd the City again with great Triumph and there all the Burgesses and others did Fealty and Homage to the Lord Charles of Blois as to their Right Sovereign and True Duke of Bretagne For three Days they all continued here in great Jollity and Feasting because of this their unexpected Success After which the Lord Charles was advised to tarry thereabout till the next Summer and to set Captains in the places he had won But most of the other Lords return'd to Paris with the Earl of Monford their Prisoner XI Now Margaret the Countess of Monford who had the Courage of a man and the heart of a Lion was in the City of Rennes at what time her Lord was taken and althô she had a due sense of this great Misfortune yet she bore a good Countenance Recomforted her Friends and Souldiers and shewing them her little Son John said Gentlemen be not overmuch dismay'd at this mischance of my Lord the Earl whom We have unhappily lost He was but a Mortal Man and so all our hope ought not to rest on him But behold this my little Son who by the Grace of God shall be his Restorer and your Benefactor I have Riches enough so that you shall want for Nothing and I doubt not but to purchase such a Captain to be your Leader who shall be Wise Valiant and Noble When she had thus animated her Men in Rennes then she went about to all the Fortresses and good Towns that held of her side and still she carried along with her the little Lord John her Son and fortify'd all her Garrisons and spake to them as she had done to those at Rennes and paid largely and gave great Gifts where she thought it Convenient After all things were settled she went to the strong Town of Hennebond where she and her Son tarried all that Winter and frequently she sent to visit her Garrisons and paid all Men well and truly their Wages The mean while her Lord was a close Prisoner in the Louvre in Paris without hopes of Escape or Redemption Thô it will appear that about 3 years after upon certain Conditions which he kept not he got his Liberty but he died so soon after that it is hardly worth taking notice of and that I take to be the Reason why many Historians say nothing of it but rather think he died in Prison Thus much thô great part thereof seems a Digression was necessary to be said in order to clear what follows next Year of the Wars of Bretagne wherein England was concern'd I shall now take leave to speak something of the Scotch Affairs relating to the end of this and the beginning of the following Year Which after a small Digression we shall pursue more closely XII The last Year We show'd briefly how the Scots succeeded during King Edwards absence he lying at that time before Tournay So that having at last taken Edenburgh by Stratagem they had left nothing of Scotland in the English Hands but Striveling Barwick and Roxborough Now at King Edwards Return into England nothing was yet done against them because they were comprehended in the first Years Truce with France y Knighton p. 2580. But the King went about St. Andrews toward Scotland and kept his Christmas at Melros-Abbey Henry the Noble Earl of Darby keeping the same Festival at Roxborough hard by To Roxborough came the Lord William Douglas with Three Scotch Knights to Just with the Earl of Darby and his Knights which Martial Sport being honourably maintain'd on both sides the Scots departed for that time but shortly after the said Earl of Darby being then at Barwick twelve Knights of Scotland came thither also for the same purpose who were presently Match'd by as many English Of the Scotch Knights two by chance were slain and one Sr. John Twyford of the English Earls Retinue all the Rest came off with safety and Honour on each side King Edward presently after Christmas Return'd to Langley in Hertfordshire z Stow p. 238.
Standard of the Lord John Chandos who at the same time took a Great Lord of Bretagne Prisoner with his own hands called the Lord of Raix a Knight of approved Valour And by that time this Battail was thus open'd all the rest were quite discomfited and lost their Array and every Man began to flee away as fast as he might to save himself Except certain Valiant and Loyal Gentlemen Knights and Esquires of Bretagne who would not by any means forsake the Lord Charles of Blois but chose rather to die with him than to leave the Field with Dishonour Wherefore they all drew together about him in a Ring and disputed the Point to the last Man. Thus the Lord Charles accompanied with these Gallant Souls play'd his last Stake as bravely as was possible but 't was not likely those few should hold out against an Army newly flush'd with Victory especially since the rest of the Field being cleared the greaer Part of the English came thither against them So that at last they also were by fine Force broken discomfited and slain There the Banner of the Lord Charles was beaten down to the ground and he that bare it was slain and with him fell the Lord Charles of Blois himself with his Face towards his Enemies and by his side was slain a valiant Bastard Son of his called Sr. John of Blois and many other Knights and Esquires of Bretagne It is said that the Captains of England had agreed beforehand that if they had the better in Fight and Sr. Charles of Blois were found upon the Place he should not be taken to Ransom by any Man but slain outright And the same Design had the Frenchmen and Bretons upon the Earl of Monford if they should obtain the Victory For both Sides were resolved how that Day should make an end of the Controversie So when it came to the Rout there was a great Slaughter and many a Good Knight slain or taken which was the lot of the very Flower of all that Side but a few Men of Honour that escaped especially of the Bannerets of Bretagne There was slain first of all the Noble and Valiant Lord Charles of Blois who called himself Duke of Bretagne and his Son Sr. John the Bastard Sr. Charles of Dinant the Lord of Leon the Lord of Ancenis the Lord of Avaugeur the Lord of Lodeac the Lord of Malestroit the Lord of Ponto the Lord of Gargol and many others whose Names cannot be recovered r Walsingh hist p. 128. to the number of about a Thousand Besides whom there were taken Prisoners the Earls of Auxerre and Joigny Sr. Bertram of Clequin the Vicount of Rohan Sr. Guy du Leon the Lord of Rochefort the Lord of Raix the Lord of Rieux the Lord of Lomine the Lord of Quintin the Lord of Franville the Lord of Ravenal the Lord de la Fevilleé Sr. Henry of Malestroit Sr. Oliver Manny and divers Others Lords Knights and Esquires of Bretagne France and Normandy in all one Vicount ſ Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 32. Walsin hist p. 128. Ashmole p. 703. two Earls Twenty seven Lords and fifteen Hundred Knights and Esquires On the English Part I can find but one Man of Honour that fell this Day t Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 9. namely the Lord John de Nereford and the highest Account that appears any where is u Knighton p. 2628. n. 30. that there fell one Knight and five Esquires at the most there died but x Walsing ibid. M.S. vet Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 232. Seven in all But many were grievously wounded To conclude this Discomfiture was great and wonderfull and many Gallant Men were put to the Sword as well in the Field as in the Chace which lasted eight long Leagues even to the Gates of Rennes There happen'd many notable Adventures as well during the Fight as the pursuit which cannot all be recounted and then Gentlemen were either taken alive or slain outright as they fell in the hands of those that were Courteous or Cruel This Battle was thus fought on the y Mezeray p. 71 Lit. Dom. G F. Twenty ninth of September being a Sunday and St. Michaels Day near to Auray in Bretagne in the Year of our Lord MCCCLXIV X. After the Discomfiture the Lords and Knights of England and Bretagne having sent out certain Troops to make good the Chace returned themselves and came to the Earl of Monford who had a rich Tent with the Arms of Bretagne thereon pitch'd up for him in the Field Thither came to him to his Tent Door the Lord John Chandos the Lord John Bourchier the Lord William Latimer Sr. Walter Hewet Sr. Hugh Calverley Sr. Robert Knolles Sr. Richard Burley Sr. Eustace Dambreticourt Sr. Matthew Gournay Sr. Richard Taunton and Others who first had retired to the side of an Hedge and unarmed themselves when they saw the Day was unquestionably their own and the Chief of them set up their Banners and Standards on the Hedge and the Banner of Bretagne aloft on a Bush to direct their Men thither Then the Lord Chandos being attended with the other Knights aforesaid went to the Earl of Monford and with a Smile said unto him Sir Praise God and be merry for this Day you have conquer'd your Inheritance of Bretagne Then the Earl enclined his Body very respectfully and said aloud Oh! Sr. John Chandos this Prosperous Adventure that hath now befallen me was brought about thrô your great Conduct and Prowess as I know very well and so do all that hear me at this time Sir I pray drink with me And with that he reach'd him a Flagon of Wine of which himself had drank just before and when Sr. John had drank and deliver'd the Drink to another the Earl added Sr. John next to God Almighty and his Grace I ought to be most thankfull to you and do hereby own my self obliged to you above any other Mortal Man. And at that instant came up to them the Lord Oliver Clisson very much chafed and enflamed with his continual Action in the Fight and the long pursuit of his Enemies so that he had much ado to return again with his Men in any time he was so extream weary but he brought back with him many rich Prisoners And now he alighted and came to the Earl of Monford and refreshed himself and began to unarm and had a Chirurgeon called to dress his Eye when there came up to the Earl two Knights and two Heralds who had been to view the Field and to search among the Dead Bodies if so they might find the Body of Sr. Charles of Blois whether he was Dead or no. These Heralds spake aloud to the Duke Sir God give you Joy of your Dukedom of Bretagne for we have seen your Adversary Sr. Charles of Blois lying dead upon the Earth At that the Earl of Monford rose up from his Chair and said he would go and view him for he had
Daverill Constable of Corfe Castle who had been an Evidence against Edmund late Earl of Kent the King's Uncle That day Mortimer with the rest that were taken upon his Account was hurryed away by Officers and a strong Guard towards London the People all along insulting on his Misery among whom even Henry the Old Earl of Lancaster thô almost blind with Age could not refrain expressing his Great Satisfaction in the Downfall of this his bitter Enemy by shouting and flinging up his Cap for joy Being at London they are all committed to the Tower the King the mean time having adjourn'd the Parliament from Nottingham to London the summons bearing Date the 23d of October from Leicester where the King then was whereby every man was commanded to meet at Westminster on the 26 of November following being a Monday and the Day after St. Catherine The Parliament being met in Time and Place accordingly Articles are drawn up against the foresaid Lord Mortimer Earl of March which thô an Extract I have by me complains could not be perfectly read from the Records they being Moldred in that part stand to this purpose in their old Original French in Knighton who lived in those Days and had Copies of the Records so that the Matter appears thereby very Authentick 1. Imprimis That whereas it was ordain'd by the Parliament then held at London just after the Coronation of our Lord the King that m H. Knighton p. 2556. ib. quatre Eveskes quatre Centes VI Barons sed hoc ex priùs facto corrigâ— vid. c. 1. §. 4. five Bishops two Earls and five Barons should be of Council to the King that is to say Four at one time viz. One Bishop one Earl and two Barons at the least without whose Assent no matter of Moment should be done and that each of these should be responsible for what they should do in their turns the said Roger bearing no Regard to this assent of Parliament appropriated to himself the sole Disposal Government and Administration of the Realm to the Derogation of the Estate Royal and placed and displaced Ministers in the King's Houshold and elsewhere throughout the Realm at the Pleasure of himself and his Friends And set Sr. John Wyard and others over the King as Spies of his Words and Actions so that the King was in such manner encompassed by his Enemies that he was not able to do any thing after his own Mind but was rather like a Prisoner than a King. 2. Item That whereas the Father of our Lord the King was placed in the Castle of Kenelworth by Ordinance of the Peers of the Realm there to abide at his ease to be served according to the Dignity of so Great a Prince The said Roger presum'd to let him have nothing according to his Will but order'd him to be remanded to Barkley Castle where finally by him and his he was falsly Traitrously and Feloniously Murd'red and Slain 3. Item That whereas the said Roger had himself caused that it was forbid by the King 's Brief under the Great Seal that any should come armed to the Parliament at Salisbury on Penalty of forfeiting all they had to the King Notwithstanding the said Roger and others of his Company came thither with force of Arms against the said Order Whereby many as the Earl of Lancaster and others knowing the manner of his coming durst not come at all And whereas the Prelates were Assembled at the same Parliament in a certain House there to consult the Affairs of the King and his Realm the said Roger compell'd them to sit in another House where his Armed Men were to overawe them and threatned them on peril of Life and Limb not to say or do any thing contrary to his Will and Ordinance So that in the said Parliament he brought to pass that the King made him Earl of March and gave him many Lands and Tenements to the Disherison of the Crown Also then the said Roger perswaded the King to march in Hostile manner against the said Earl of Lancaster and others Peers of the Realm as far as n Errâ—rem hìc suspicor vid c. 2. §. 4. p. 40. Winchester whither they were advanced towards the King in order to come to the said Parliament at Salisbury So that the said Earl and the other Peers of the Realm to eschew the Danger that might happen from a Civil War and for Reverence of the Kng brake up and went homeward grieving that they could neither be admitted to speak with nor to advise their Liege Lord as they ought to do 4. Item That the said Roger caused the King to ride with an Army against the Earl of Lancaster and other Peers of the Realm who had been ordain'd to be of the King's Council And so violently pursu'd them that the Earl of Lancaster and other Grandees of the Realm who never design'd any thing but his Majesties Welfare were forced to submit themselves to the King's Grace saving to them Life and Limb and that they should not be disinherited nor set at too Great Ransome Notwithstanding the said Roger put them to great Ransome and others he chased out of the Realm that he might seise on their Lands against the form of Magna Charta and the Law of the Land. 5. Item That whereas the said Roger knew very well that the Father of our Lord the King was Dead and buried he by the help of others his Accomplices had in deceitfull manner so wrought that Edmund Earl of Kent heard he was alive whereupon the said Earl was very desirous to find out the Truth and did accordingly by all the best and most honest ways he could proceed to search out the Reality till the said Roger by the Royal Power usurped by him caused the said Earl of Kent at a Parliament at Winchester to be apprehended and then and there procured him to be put to Death 6. Item That the said Roger had wrought upon the King to grant unto him his Children and Allyes Castles Towns Mannors and Franchises in England Ireland and Wales to the Detriment of the Crown 7. Item That he had in deceitfull manner caused the Charges of the War in Gascoigne for one whole Year to be paid to him beforehand by the Knights who were severally to find such a number of Men of Arms And that this Money was not employed in the War but converted falsly to his use and pleasure 8. Item That by the Royal Power which he had usurped he had by Letters under the Great Seal summon'd many Barons and Knights to come to the King to what part he pleased and at their coming had charged them to address themselves to the War in Gascoign or in lieu thereof to pay such and such Fines at his pleasure All which as it was grievous to the Subject only turn'd to the profit of the said Roger who also appropriated the Kings Wards to himself 9. Item That he had falsly and seditiously sowed
the Lords of his z Frois c. 42. Council told him that he had not lost one jot of his Honour since he had Couragiously sought out his Enemies and Faced them boldly for several days and finally for by that time King Edward also was return'd to Antwerp had made them quit his Realm without any Great Advantage And they moreover said that the King of England must be fain to make many vast and expensive Voyages before he should be able to Conquer France unless the Frenchmen by their own heat and rashness would fling their Country away King Philip however went the next day to St. Omers and thence placed his Men of War in Garrisons especially at Tournay Lille and Douay and to other Towns bordering on the Empire Sr. Godmar du Fay a Norman Lord was now made Captain of Tournay and Sr. Edward Lord of Beaujeu was sent to Mortagne confining on Hainault near the Skell And having thus settled Affairs King Philip returns to Paris X. The mean while King Edward who knew nothing of the Departure of the French Army stood after his usual manner embattlel'd in the Fields the next Sunday on which Day the Lord of a Knighton p. 2575. n. 50. Andelys was taken by the English Then the King heard that the French Army was marched off and retired to their own homes Whereat he was extreamly amazed But on the Monday the Marquess of Brandenburgh Son to the Emperour the Marquess of Nuys his Son in Law the Duke of Brabant and the other Germans disposed themselves for home because of the sharpness of the Weather the Winter being already pretty well enter'd King Edward gave them his leave to depart and he himself went straight to Antwerp in Brabant where he had left his Queen and her young Son Prince Lionel Upon his Return to Antwerp he issued out another b Ashmole p. 650 ex Pat. inter Regem diverses Magnat German 15 Novemb 13 Ed. 3. m. 3. Commission to John Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of Durham Henry Bishop of Lincoln William Earl of Salisbury Sr. Bartholomew Burwash and Sr. Geoffry Scroop Knights and John Hufford Archdeacon of Ely to treat of Peace with Philip of Valois as he is called in the Commission or with Commissioners from him and a Month after to wit on the 16 of December the said Commission was renewed upon adding Robert Hufford Earl of Suffolk to the forenamed Commissioners The mean while the King kept his Christmas in great Splendour at Antwerp together with his Queen and her Ladies and many German Lords c Walsingh hist p. 132. most part of his Army remaining still about him To adorn the Solemnity the better he had sent for his Eldest Son Prince Edward Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester for he was not yet creaated Prince of Wales whom he had left his Lieutenant or Warden of England being now a Proper Hopefull Young Gentleman of almost ten Years of Age. His great Grace and exact Shape made him as acceptable to the Ladies Eyes as his large and well-proportion'd Limbs rais'd a full Expectation of his future Manhood among the Lords both of England and Almain And here it seems by what follows in the next Year that a Match was if not fully concluded yet at least propounded and well-nigh agreed on between the said Young Prince and the Duke of Brabants Fair Daughter the Lady Margaret at that time but four Years old thô indeed the same thing had been projected the Year foregoing as appears by d Ret. Aleman 12 Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 17. vid. Ashmcle p. 675. Sandford p. 184. the Rolls About the same time Prince Otho Duke of Austria stirred up with the Fame of King Edward with whom he had enter'd an e 16 Febr. Patentes inter Regem diversos Magnates German de anno 13 Ed. 3. m. 2. Alliance this Year sent and required the Lady Isabella his Daughter in Marriage for his Young Son the Letters beginning thus f Walsingh hist p. 133. To the most Excellent and Magnificent Prince the Lord Edward the most Illustrious King of England his Sincere and most Dear Friend Otho by the Grace of God Duke of Austria Stiria Suabia and Carinthia Lord of Carniola Moravia and Portaenaon Earl of Hapsburgh and Chiburgh and Land grave of Alsatia with all Hearty and Devout Affection wishes a good Success of his Desires and a continual Encrease of Health and Felicity c. But neither g Ashmole p. 675. 676. of these Matches took effect the Pope by the King of France's underhand-dealing still refusing a Dispensation for the First they being within the Third Degree of Consanguinity and the Other being otherwise hindred as we shall see hereafter At the End of this Year there came from the Pope to King Edward this Letter following the like whereof He also at the same time sent to King Philip of France * * Walsingh hist p. 129. Censimiles Liter◠Regi Franciae directae exstant apud Odoric Rainald ad an §. 1339. 14. Benedict the Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to his most Dear Son in Christ Edward the Illustrious King of England Greeting and Apostolick Benediction While we seriously consider and deeply revolve in our Minds how great hath been the Bounty of the most High and Eternal King and the Abundance of his most mercifull Goodness that when lately your Army most Dear Son and the Army of our most Dear Son in Christ the Illustrious King of France stood so near together confronted in Battle Array furiously dispos'd to a terrible Conflict on both sides those miserable Effects did not ensue which those warlike Preparations and Force of Armed Men did threaten to him we pay the tribute of our Praise since it ought to be esteemed as the greatest Gift of Almighty God and no less than a Miracle gratiously wrought by the Goodness of the Wisdom of God which never fails in its Dispensations And surely it may be more evidently gather'd that so great an Effusion of Blood of those who had been redeem'd with the precious Blood of our Lord as must needs have followed if the said Armies had come to Battle at that time to the great loss and scandal of all Christendom and to the hazard of many Souls was by no means pleasing to the most High who maketh Wars to cease and by the Prophet threatens to scatter the Nations that delight in War. Your Royal Wisdom also may consider how deeply both You and the foresaid King must have incurr'd the Divine Anger if you had proceeded to hazard so many of those whose Souls and Bodies he hath so dearly ransomed And it is to be feared that without doubt God Almighty will most severely animadvert against him especially who of the two should be most forward in promoting such Mischief whereby such Slaughter and Confusion would follow that all Christendom would be shook thereby and a Reformation of
at the East-end of his Cathedral toward the North At whose Feet there lies his Brother Sr. Robert who was a Great Souldier in his time and also a Son of Sr. Robert's Named Bartholomew There died also this Year two Famous Old Barons of England the a Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 639. One was Hugh Courtney Senior Earl of Devonshire of almost 90 Years of Age who left behind him his Son and Heir of the same Name then about Thirty three Years Old. The Other was the * Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 52. Lord Henry Vicount Beaumont Earl of Buquhan in Scotland He left behind him John his Son and Heir then Twenty two Years of Age and a young Daughter Named Elizabeth afterwards Married to Sr. Nicolas Audley Son and Heir to the Lord James Audley of Heley Besides these two there Died about the same Time at Gaunt in the Kings Service the Lord Chief Justice of England Sr. Geoffry Scroop He had been very Loyal to King Edward the Second as appeared by the joynt Testimonies of the Prelates Earls and Barons in b Pat. 1. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 22. Parliament whereupon he Obtain'd much Grace with King Edward the Third whom he also Served till his Death with Indefatigable Industry Admirable Discretion and Untainted Loyalty In Consideration whereof among other Princely Favours bestow'd on him we find that the King Advanced him to the Degree of a c Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 658. Knight Banneret with a Gift of two Hundred Marks per annum for his better Support and that but this very Year he d Stow's Survey Lond. p. 249. gave unto him the Great House call'd the Erbar by the Church of St. Mary Bothaw near Dowgate-Street in London He lest behind him together with a Good Name and a Plentifull Estate Henry his Son and Heir at that Time Twenty five Years of Age who prov'd a Valiant and Noble Knight in his Days and John a Younger Son who many Years after Married Elizabeth one of the Daughters and Coheirs of David Strabolgi Son to David Earl of Athol slain in Scotland five Years before We shall conclude this Chapter with a short Relation of a most signal Victory obtain'd this Year on the 30 of October over the Saracens Moors and Africans in Spain In the foregoing Year e Câ—â—â—â—n Victorell de PP Reman p. 884. p. 887. Alphonso XI King of Castille and Leon being hardly put to it by the Barbarians begg'd aid of the Pope and all the Great Princes of Christendom From France and England went but few or none because of the Wars then hot between the two Realms But from other Parts many gallant Knights and Gentlemen went against those Enemies of God being especially encouraged thereto by the Pope's Bulls wherein he granted large Indulgences to those who undertook this Expedition Alphonso therefore being now reinforced with a small but well-compacted Army and joyned with his Neighbour Alphonso the Brave King of Portugall gave Battle to the Moors in the Plains of Tartessos vulgarly called Tariffa from a Town of that Name in the Boetic Province which enclines to the River called Rio Salado near the Herculean Sea. The Forces of Alphonso were 35000 Foot and 14000 Horse but the Army of Allibohacen King of Morocco with those of Granada under their Miramolin and three other Kings of the Moors consisted of 600000 Foot and 80000 Horse And yet thrô the Divine Assistance the Christians wan the Day f Jos Teixera de Orig. Reg. Port. and with the Loss of no more than g Joh. Mariana l. 16 c. 7. 20 Men slew in the Fight and in the Chace above h Vasaus Hist Hisp Genebr l. 4 Chronog vid. Odâ—ric Raynal ad hunc annum §. 40. usque ad §. 56. 200000 of the Infidels besides an incredible number of Prisoners taken Thô Others reckon no less than 450000 to have fallen that Day among whom were two of the Sons of Allibohacen In Memory of which Miraculous Victory the said 30 of October hath ever since been kept as an high Festival in Spain being dedicated to the Honour of the Holy Cross which was at this time so successfully advanced against the Enemies of Christendom King Alphonso after this Exploit having first and chiefly return'd his Thanks to Almighty God now also in token of his Gratitude to the Pope sends him for a Present to Avignon out of the Spoils he had taken an 100 gallant Horses of Barbary in rich Trappings with an 100 Saracen Slaves to lead them an 100 Morisco Cimitars and an 100 Shields of Tann'd Leather plated Also 24 Military Ensignes and the Horse and Standard of King Allibohacen which he used in this War together with many rich Vessels of Gold and Silver and Jewels of great Price besides his own Horse on which he fought and his own Royal Standard which he follow'd in that Battle i Ita Literae Pontis gratulatoriae ad Alphonsum neminant John Martin Don Leyva and Pedro Didaci de Corduba the Spanish Ambassadors who brought all these Presents were received with extraordinary Pomp by the Cardinals and other Prelates at their entrance into Avignon And the next day his Holiness k Victorell ib. himself celebrated Mass and after that made a notable Sermon wherein with great Eloquence he magnifi'd the Kings Victory and exhorted all present to praise God therefore and to pray for the Kings Health and Perseverance in Prosperity And to enable him the better to maintain his Wars against the Moors he then granted unto him the Thirds of the Tithes of all his Subjects which the Kings of Spain enjoy to this Day From this happy Success of the two Alphonso's Kings of Spain and Portugal against Jutzeph King of Granada and Allibohacen King of Morocco the Pope took an Occasion to exhort our King Edward of England to dispose himself towards a l Odoric Raynald ad ann 1340. §. 55. Peace with his Rival of France that they might both unite their Forces against the general Enemies of Christendom These Letters bear Date from Avignon the xv of the Kalends of January i. e. 18 of December in the Close of this Year being the VI of his Pontificate The Copy of which Letter is to be seen in the Ecclesiastical History of Odoricus Raynaldus at this Year 1340. King Alphonso presently after this Victory lays Siege to the great Town of Algezira belonging to the Moors and lying upon the Streights of Morocco on the Frontiers of Granada Which after a long Siege was enforced at last thrô Famine to yield to the Christians Thô still the Saracens held Footing in that Kingdom till having lost the City of Granada to Ferdinando and Isabella Kings of Spain they were at last finally expelled that Kingdom by Philip III. Because we may not disturb the intended Order of our Discourse which follows in the next Chapter we take leave in this place to tell the Reader that the Fruitfull Young Queen of
the Lord John Greilly with Others who held of the King of England to shew unto him the State of the Countreys thereabout And other Messengers also at the same time came from Bayonne and Bourdeaux to the same purpose All these were highly entertained by the King to whom they distinctly shew'd the weak Condition of his Country of Guienne and Gascoigne and especially of his good Cities of Bourdeaux and Bayonne wherefore they desired him to send thither such Commanders and such Forces as might be able to keep the Field against the French who were already preparing for the next Campagne and both secretly attempted to debauch the Loyalty of his Friends and other ways also to run counter to the express Form of the Truce And moreover a little before Pope h Odoric Rainald ad hunc ann §. 39. ad §. 50. c. Clement the VI. had in the Publique Consistory created Don Lewis of Spain Prince of the Fortunate Islands he being then Earl of Cleremont and one of the French Ambassadors Upon which Occasion his Holiness took this Text i Walsingh hist p. 155. I will make Thee a Prince over a Great Nation These Isles are the same with the Canaries which are seven Islands of Africa in the Atlantick Sea and which as k Walsing ibid. one says would have proved a gift worthy of Acceptance had his Holiness also given a peaceable and quiet Possession thereof But the Inhabitants were Mahometans and must first be conquer'd before they would accept of a Spanish Prince wherefore the English l Du Chesne p. 660. ex R. Avesbury c. Ambassadors who were then at Avignon and understanding hereof concluded that his Holiness had design'd him to be Prince of Great Britain as which was one of the most Happy and Fortunate Islands in the World not to say that among the m Tâ—etzes in Lyâ—â—phr Ancients it was so accounted indeed When they saw that Don Lewis began thereupon to raise Men of War in his own and the Pope's Name over all France Spain and Italy they no longer doubted but that all these Preparations were design'd against England wherefore they secretly left Avignon and made all speed home they could where they related these Matters to the King their Master which yet ought to be imputed rather to their Zeal than their so gross Ignorance of Topography n Dr. Hakewills Apâ—lâ—gâ— c. l. 3. c. 3. p. 280. as some suppose And Du Chesne himself confesses that all this was really intended against King Edward thô being a Frenchman he qualifies the Matter saying it was only in order to resist the New War which was lately threatned by the Mouth of Sr. Henry du Leon. But then I cannot see what need there should be of all this Dissimulation unless these Preparations were begun before that Defiance and so consequently could not but give just matter of Jealousie to England However upon these frequent Alarms King Edward resolv'd not to be taken napping but to provide for the Defence of his own Land and to keep the War on foot in Bretagne Gascoigne and where else there should be occasion XII First therefore o Ashmele p. 679. ex Râ—t Vasc 18. Ed. 3. m. 9. Knighton p. 2583. n. 60. by his Letters Patents he constitutes his Noble Cousin Henry Plantagenet Earl of Darby and Richard Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel his Lieutenants in the Dukedom of Aquitain and the Countries adjoyning with power to govern and defend those Territories to demand and receive the Possession of the Castles Places and Rights unjustly detained from him and to receive such as should return to their Obedience to the Grace and Favour of the King as also the Homage and Fidelity from whomsoever in those Parts due and generally to do all things for the Defence and Recovery of the King 's Rights and the good Government of those Countries and his Subjects with Command to all Archbishops Bishops and other Officers both Spititual and Temporal to yield Obedience to these Earls in his Name And whereas the King upon false Suggestions had been deceived in many of his Grants and Donations in that Dukedom by other Letters Patents he now gave Power to the Earl of Darby to seise into his Hands all the Castles Lands Liberties and Profits formerly granted by him and those that should appear to have been obtained upon untrue Suggestions to retain without Restitution but if otherwise to restore entirely The Earls had also a like Commission extending to those Grants which were made by his Father King Edward II. upon the same Pretences as well as by himself Besides this they had a General Commission to treat and conclude with all Persons of whatsoever State or Condition Kingdome or Nation for the Settling of Alliances and mutual Assistance between the King and them to retain Men for the Kings Service and to agree about Fees Wages and Rewards to be paid unto them By other Commissions they had Power to treat and conclude with Alphonso King of Castille and Leon there stiled Alphonsus Rex Castiliae Legionis Algezira Tâ—leti Galloeciae Seviliae Cordubae Murciae Giennii Algarbiae Comes Molinae or his Deputies upon all differences arising between their Subjects especially Mariners and Citizens of Bayonne amicably to compose them as also about a perpetual League of Friendship between them their Friends and Subjects and to afford each other their mutual Assistance with Power to make Substitutes in their stead The like Commissions they had with the same Powers to treat with Don Alphonso sirnamed the Brave King of Portugal and Don Pedro King of Aragon both Neighbours also to France on the side of Navarre and the Pyrenaean Mountains All which Commissions bare Date 24 March 18 Edw. 3. About this time also the King p Frois c. 102. fol. 50. order'd a Noble and Valiant Knight of England named Sr. Thomas Dagworth who was afterwards a Baron of the Realm to go into Bretagne with an 100 Men of Arms and 200 Archers to reinforce the Countess of Montford for he doubted not but King Philip would renew the War there too because of the Defiance lately sent him by Sr. Henry du Leon. The Young q Frois ibid. Knighton p. 2584. n. 3â— Earl of Salisbury and Others to the number of 600 Men of Arms and 2000 Archers he sent under the Leading of Edward Bailiol to look to the Motions of the Scots and to guard the Marches beyond the Trent And thus did this vigilant young Monarch send forth his Men of War into divers Parts according to the exigence of Affairs as he either found or foresaw a Storm and he deliver'd to all the Captains Gold and Silver sufficient to pay their Wages and to retain Souldiers XIII But yet at the same time that he was thus taking up Arms to let the Christian World know that he did not without great Provocations thus again go about to disturb the Peace of
acquitted my self hitherto in this my Charge and still would if I might But a Man cannot always stay where he is best pleased Therefore my Noble Lord of Darby if it may so please you I and my Company upon security for our Lives and Goods are now willing to depart and to resign the Fortress into your Hands Nay said the Earl of Darby Sr. Agoust you are not like to leave us so You must needs know that we have so undermin'd you that we may have you when we will for the Walls of your Castle only stand upon Props of Wood If therefore you will yield upon Discretion we will receive you to Mercy Why truly Sir reply'd Sr. Agoust if we should do so I verily believe there is so much Honour and Generosity in your Princely Person that you would not but deal courteously with us as you would desire the French King to deal with any of your Knights whom he should take at the like Advantage For Godsake Sir blemish not your Honour for a poor Sort of Souldiers that are here within who with much pain and peril have hardly won a small Livelihood and whom I have brought hither out of Provence and Savoy and the Dauphine For Sir be assured that if we thought the least of us should not come to Mercy as well as the Greatest we should sell our Lives so dearly that all the World should speak of Us. Sir we heartily desire you to bear us some Company of Arms and to use us like Souldiers and we shall pray for You. At this the Earl and the two Lords drew aside together to commune upon the Captains Words They saw all was true he had said and consider'd that he was a Stranger and they also knew they could never undermine the Dungeon wherefore they agreed to take them to Mercy but to let them bear nothing away but their Horses and Armour Then the Earl turning again to Sr. Agoust said Sir we would gladly shew our selves friendly Companions in Arms to all Strangers wherefore I am content that you and all your Company march out with your Lives assured so that you will bear nothing away but your Arms. So be it then said Sr. Agoust if it can be no better and saying so went back to his Men and related how he had sped Then they all put on their Harness and took their Horses whereof they had but six remaining and came forth of the Castle Some bought Horses of the English for which they gave Bills of Return which were truly paid the rest follow'd on Foot and so they all went to Tholouse VIII When the Earl of Darby t Frois c. 112. had taken his Pleasure in the Castle of Reole a day or two having set Men at work about the Repairs of what had been broken and filled up the Mine with Stones Cement and Earth he left an English Knight his Captain of the Town and Castle and so rode forth to Monpesat whither many of the Country had fled with their Goods in confidence of the Strength of the Place but the Castle was not greatly furnished with Men of War wherefore it was soon taken by Assault and Scalade thô several English Archers were lost in the Attack and an English Gentleman who bore the Lord Staffords Banner named Sr. Richard Penfort This Place the Earl committed to the Custody of one of his own Esquires called Thomas Lancaster and left with him 20 Archers Then he went before Mauron which he assaulted long and vigorously but was not able to carry it however he lodged there for that Night The next day as they held a Council of War a Knight of Gascogne named Sr. Alexander of Chaumont who being the last Year left Captain of Auberoche had now leave to joyn the English Forces said thus to the Earl of Darby Sir I desire you would make a Shew as if you rais'd your Siege and march'd off to some other Part only leaving a few Men still before the Town I know the Nature of those within so well that I durst engage they will make a Sally upon those whom they shall see lagging thus behind Then let your Men fly wisely while they Chace but we will lie under the Olives in Ambuscado and when they have pursued till they are past our Ambush some of us shall hold them in Play while others return toward the Town which they shall find open This Counsel the Earl approved and having in the Declining of the Day order'd the Earl of Oxford with an 100 select Horse only to stay behind all well informed how to behave themselves began to march away with the rest of his Army Bagg and Baggage And half a League off Sr. Walter Manny was planted with a great Ambush in a Vale among the Olives and Vines and the Earl rode on a great way before with his Banners aloft When those of Mauron saw in what manner the Earl departed as it were hastily leaving those Men behind him and that the English Army was too far off to give them any timely Assistance they said one to another Let us now at length sally out and fight with these Loiterers that lag thus indiscreetly behind their Master We shall soon discomfit them every Man and get thereby no small Honour and Advantage To this Resolution they all quickly agreed and being ready mounted and armed 400 of them made a sally The Earl of Oxford who desired as much first retired back in some seeming Disorder But when he saw them begin the Chace in good earnest he and his Men also as in fear set upon the Spur but yet so as to leave the Enemy Hopes to overtake them soon Thus the one Party fled in Jest and the other pursued in Earnest till all were past the Ambush At that instant the Earl of Oxford turns back in great sury upon the Enemy and the Lord Walter Manny rushes out from among the Vines upon their Backs crying out a Manny a Manny While another part of the Ambush took the Way straight to the Town where they found the Barrs and Gates left open against the Return of their Friends For it was now dark and none could discern but that these New-comers were their old Companions till they saw them seise the Gates and the Bridge and so make themselves Masters of the Town Those who had made the Sally were all either slain or taken every man of them for they were as we shew'd enclosed both before and behind Wherefore the Town yielded with great humility to the Earl of Darby who of his great Grace and Clemency took them to Mercy and spared their Houses from Fire and Plunder All that Lordship the Earl gave to Sr. Alexander of Chaumont by whose Advice the Town was won whereupon Sr. Alexander set his Brother Sr. Anthony of Chaumont as Captain there with a sufficient number of Archers and Men of Arms he himself choosing still to follow the Earl in this his Expedition The next
Jacob van Arteveld desired himself for the better security of his Person because he said that one Gerard Dennis who was Dean of the Weavers and a very seditious fellow did maliciously plot his Ruine And no doubt but by this time he had Enemies enow as we shall quickly find V. Now the k Frois c. 115. Burgesses of Gaunt that came from Scluse had declared to the People with no great Advantage how Jacob van Arteveld went about to depose and exclude their Natural Lord and his Heirs from their true Right and Title and to introduce an Alien to rule over them at which News the Commons began generally to murmure against him for that Design of his did no way suit with their Desires and they said That althô there had past some unkindness between the Earl and them yet by the Grace of God no such Disloyalty should ever be found in them as to disinherit and exclude their own Natural Lord and his Issue to endow a Stranger with his Right We may well think that Gerard Dennis and others who either favour'd the Earl. or maligned Jacob van Arteveld did not overslip this opportunity but used all their Art and Diligence to embroile matters further They lay'd whatever had happen'd amiss during his Government all to his Fault but chiefly scattered about the Town such Reports as these that Jacob van Arteveld had gather'd in the whole Revenues of Flanders for seven Years together of all which he had never yet given any account but had spent it upon himself in Housekeeping and otherwise as he pleased And that having secretly Convey'd vast Sums of Money into England he intended when he had quite Ruin'd his Country to make his Retreat thither and laugh at them These and the like malicious and false Reports set the Minds of the Gantois on Fire But while these seeds of Displeasure were thus by his Enemies sowing against him in Gaunt this Popular Man had wholly brought over the Men of Bruges and Ipres to his Opinion Whereby he became so blinded with Confidence that without half his Guard of Welchmen he came one Morning before Dinner to Gaunt with his usual unconcernedness and security The Commons had warning of his coming beforehand and so he found some Numbers of them met in the Streets where he was to pass not as they used to do to bid him Welcome but to attend his Downfall When they saw him instead of making their usual Honours they turned aside and began to run three Heads under one Hood and to murmure and whisper among themselves saying one to another See yonder comes our great Master who will dispose of all Flanders at his Pleasure But this is no longer to be endured Jacob could not but observe a Wonderfull Alteration as he rode thrô the Streets but when he saw those whom he knew to be his Friends to shake their Heads and look heavily and then turning their Backs to go into their Houses silently he began to distrust that there was no good meant unto him Wherefore being come to his House he order'd to shut up his Doors Gates and Windows which was scarce done but the street was full of Men who consisted chiesly of the smaller Trades and the more Rascally sort of People Such being always the first for any Mischief or Sedition These presently Assaulted Jacob's House with all their Fury and had made quick work but that the Welchmen gave them some diversion for they barricado'd all the Avenues of the House and shot among the mixt Multitude and threw down upon them huge Weights of Massy Stone and Timber wherewith they slew and l Gievan Vâ—llan p. â—55 hurt many But when Jacob saw he could not possibly hold out long and that by this time near upon three parts of the whole Town was gather'd against him he thought once more to try what his tongue that never yet had failed him could do in this exigence So a Parly being demanded and obtain'd he came bare-headed to an high-Window and said with great Modesty Ah! Ye good People how comes it to pass that you are thus strangely stirr'd up against me Wherein have I ever displeas'd You Do but declare it unto me and I will endeavour to correct mine Errour thô with the utmost hazard of my Life which I never yet accounted Dear in respect of your Advantage As he was going on those that heard him answer'd as it were with one voice We will have an Account given us of the vast Treasures of Flanders which you have squander'd away and dispos'd of at your pleasure without the least title of reason Jacob answer'd Certainly my Friends of the treasure of Flanders I never converted any thing to my own private use and if it will please you to retire peaceably to your several homes and come again to morrow in the Morning I shall give you so good and just an account of what has been in my hands that will make you all well satisfied of my truth in your Service Then they all cry'd out with more fury Nay nay we will have an account made immediately you must not think to escape us so For we are very sure you have convey'd away great Riches into England without acquainting us therewith And therefore You shall die When Jacob heard that Word he clasp'd his hands together woefully and said all weeping Sirs such as I am You your selves have made me and You have all sworn to me before now that You would protect me against all Persons whatsoever and yet now You talk of slaying me without Reason You may do it if You are so resolved for I am but one Man among You all But for Gods Sake and your own souls sake be better advised and remember the time past and consider the great Favours and Courtesies that I have shewn to You and yours Methinks you intend to give me but a bad Reward for all the Goodness that I have used toward You and your Town hitherto You know very well that Merchandise was almost Ruin'd throughout this whole Country till I prov'd the occasion of reviving it again and that I have govern'd You in great Peace and Prosperity for during my Government among You You have had all things at your desire as Corn Riches and all sorts of Merchandise Then they all cry'd with one voice Come down and be hang'd and don 't Preach to Us at such a Distance but give Us an account of the vast Treasure of Flanders which You have had so long in your hands For it is not the part of a just Officer to receive the Goods of his Lord or of his Country without making account When Jacob saw that nothing would prevail with them he drew in his Head and shut the Window thinking if he might to steal out on the backside and to escape away on his Horse or however to get into the Church adjoyning there to take Sanctuary till this Fury of the Rabble should be
River make any Resistance for the Defence of his Country and People And so our King proceeding forward came to Poissy where the French King had likewise broken down the Bridge and keeping on the other side would rest in no certain Place Dat. apud Pusiacum Festo Assumptionis B. Mariae Virginis c. The other Letter of the said Michael Northborough begins where this ends and proceeds even to the Siege of Calais in this manner n Rob. Avesbury Fox Acts and Mâ—n p. 504. Hâ—liashead Eng. Chron. p. 930. Salutations premised we give you to understand that our Sovereign Lord the King came to the Town of Poissy on the Vigil of the Assumption of our Lady where was a certain Bridge over the Water of Seyne broken down by the Enemy But the King tarried there so long till the Bridge was made again And whilst the Bridge was in Repairing there came thither a great Number of Men of Arms and other Souldiers to hinder the same But the Earl of Northampton went out against them and slew of them more than a Thousand the rest fled away Thanks be to God. And at another time our Men passed the Water althô with much Difficulty and slew a great Number of the Common Souldiers of France about the City of Paris and Country adjoyning being part of the French Kings Army well and throughly appointed So that our People had soon made other good Bridges in spight of our Enemies God be thanked without any great Loss or Dammage on our Part. On the Morrow after the Assumption of our Lady the King passed the Water of Seyne and marched toward Pont-Oyse which is a Town of great Defence and strongly immured being also furnished with a marvellous strong Castle which our Enemies kept And when our Van-guard was passed the Town the Reer made an Assault thereto and took the same where more than 300 Men of Arms on the Enemies Part were slain And the next Day following the Earl of Suffolk and Sr. Hugh Spencer marched forth against the Commons of the Country who were assembled together and well-armed and in fine slew of them more than o o 1200 hîc lego non ut Fox c. 200 ex Frois Ashmole Martin aliis ita corrigendâ— vid. l. 2. c. 2. §. 10. p 348. 1200 and besides others took 60 Gentlemen Prisoners After that the King marched toward Grandvillers and while he was there encamped his Van-guard was descried by the King of Bohemia's Men of Arms Whereupon certain of our Men issued forth in great haste and began to joyn Battle with them but were enforced to retire notwithstanding thanks be to God the Earl of Northampton issued out and rescued the Horsemen with other Souldiers so that few or none of them were either taken or slain saving only Thomas Talbot but had again the Enemy in Chace till within two Leagues of Amiens of whom we took 8 and slew 12 of their best Men of Arms the rest being well horsed got to the Town of Amiens After this the King of England marched towards Ponthieu upon the p p A. Lit. Dom. 24 Aug. Thurs Feast of St. Bartholomew and came unto the Water of Somme where the French had posted 500 Men of Arms and 3000 Footmen with design to keep and defend that Passage against us but Thanks be to God the next Morning the King of England and his Host entred the same Water of Somme where never Man passed before without the loss of any of our Men And after that encounter'd with the Enemy and slew of them more than 2000 the rest fled toward Abbeville but in the Chace many Knights Esquires and Men of Arms were taken The same Day Sr. Hugh Spencer took the Town of Crotoy where He and his Men slew 400 Men of Arms and kept the Town wherein they found good store of Provision That same Night the King of England encamped in the Forest of Cressy bordering upon the same Water For that the French Kings Host came on the other side of the Town near unto our Passage but declining to take the Water of us he marched back to Abbeville And upon the Saturday the King being still encamped in the said Forest our Van-currours descried the French King who marched toward us in Four Great Battails And having by this means as it pleased God understanding of our Enemies a little before Even-song We set our Battails in Array and presently the Fight began which was sore and cruel and endured long For our Enemies behaved themselves right Nobly But Thanks be to God the Victory fell on our Side and the King our Adversary was discomfited with all his Host and put to Flight Where also was slain the King of Bohemia the Duke of Lorrain the Earl of Alenson the Earl of Flanders the Earl of Blois the Earl of Harcourt with his two Sons the Earl of Aumale the Earl of Nevers and his Brother the Lord of Thonon the Archbishop of Nismes the Archbishop of Sennes the Grand Prior of France the Lord of Marle the Lord of Guise the Lord of St. Venant the Lord of Rosemburgh with six Earls of Almain and divers other Earls Barons Knights and Esquires whose Names are unknown But Philip of Valois himself with another Marquess who was called Lord Elector of the Romans escaped from the Battle The Number of the Men of Arms which were found dead in the Field besides the Common Souldiers and Footmen came to 1542 And all that Night the King with his Host abode armed in the Field where the Battle was fought On the next Morning before the Sun-rise there marched towards us another huge Host of Frenchmen mighty and strong But the Earl of Northampton and the Earl of q q Ita lego pro illorum Norfolk nam nullus his diebus erat Comes Norfolâ—â— Suffolk went out against them in three Battalions and after a long and terrible Fight discomfited them likewise by Gods great Help and Grace for otherwise it could not have been done where they took of Knights and Esquires a good Number and slew above 2000 following the Chace three Leagues from the place where the Battle was fought The same Night also the King encamped still in the Forest of Cressy and on the Morrow marched towards Boulogne and by the way took the Town of Estaples and from thence he marched toward Calais where he intendeth to plant his Siege and lay Battery to the same Wherefore our Sovereign Lord the King willeth and commandeth you in all that ever you may to send unto the said Siege Victuals convenient For from the time of our departing from Caen we have travelled thrô the Country in great peril and hazard of our People but yet always had Plenty of Victuals Thanks be to God for it But now as the Case stands we partly stand in need of your Help to be refreshed with Victuals Thus fare you well Dated at the Siege before the Town of Calais
Invitation the young Earl accepted of and returned forthwith into Flanders where he was received in most splendid manner and presented with Gifts of great Value But as soon as King Edward heard of this Change of Affairs in those Parts he sent thither William Bohun Earl of Northampton Richard Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel and Reginald Lord Cobham who prevail'd so far with the Demagogues and Leading Men of Flanders that all the Country was quickly of the mind that their Lord should rather take to Wife a Daughter of England than the Daughter of the Duke of Brabant or of any other Prince whatsoever And so they effectuously desired their Lord and shew'd him what Reasons he had so to do nor durst those few Burgesses who were for a Match with Brabant speak the least syllable to oppose them But the young Earl boldly declared his Resolution saying That by the Grace of God never while he lived would he Marry her whose Father had slain his thô he should have half the Realm of England for her Dowry When the Flemings heard this peremptory Answer they as boldly but with little Care of their Duty told him that he was too much sway'd by French Counvels and sought the Interest of their Enemies more than it became him And that he must expect no good from them if he would not rather believe the Counsel which they should give him and which was for the common Advantage both of him and them But the Young Prince not being at all shaken with this they proceeded further and took and put him in the Prison of Courtray swearing That he should never come forth thence while he lived unless he would govern himself after their Advice and Counsel And they told him moreover that the Earl his Father believed and loved the French Nation in like Manner to his utter Ruine whereas had he follow'd their Advice and been a Friend to their Friends he might have been as Great a Lord as any in Christendom and have recover'd again Lille Douay and Bethune and still on this side Heaven Thus Matters rested for a while and the Earl was kept short nor without some inconvenience in no little fear being emprisoned by his own Subjects V. King Edward the mean while was still before Calais and had kept all that Winter especially during the Christmas Holy-days a most Magnificent Court in the Camp but as soon as the Spring began to open the Year for Action he set himself earnestly to establish his Affairs On the o Ashmele p. 704. ex Ret. Franc. 21. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 17. 2 April second of April therefore being Easter-Monday he sent the Lord James Audeley from the Siege before Calais into England with Command to raise what Forces he could and to bring them down to Sandwich by Ascension-day well-arm'd in Order to pass over to Calais in regard the French King was drawing together a Vast Army with a purpose to raise the Siege About a p Ashmele p. 681. 14 Maii. Ret. Franc. 21. Ed. 3 p. 1. m. 10. Month after hearing the French King intended to be at Calais about Whitsuntide he sent also into England to his Cousin Henry Earl of Lancaster and Darby commanding him speedily to repair to his Assistance with the Forces he had raised In reference to whose Passage Command was given q 19 Maii Rot. Franc. 21. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 6. five Days after to the Lord John Mongomery Admiral of the Fleet Westward to provide Ships in readiness at Sandwich and Dover with all speed for the transportation of those Forces Accordingly the Earl arrived at Calais before the end of May immediately upon whose coming thither King Edward among other Gracious Tokens of Favour wherewith he welcomed this High-born Subject taking into consideration his many great Services and Victorious Successes in Aquitain and elsewhere r 1 Junii Ret. fact apud Cales 21. Ed. 3. m. 13. granted unto him and his Heirs-Male for ever by Charter the Castle Town and Place of Bergerac on the Dordonne in the Diocese of Perigort with the whole Chastellany and all Jurisdiction High and Low Royal Authority Absolute and Mixt as also the Coynage of Money there To which he afterwards added a Grant of the Examination of the Assay with both the Criminal and Civil Punishment of all Offendors for Coyning of Money And ſ 17 Jun. Ret. Cales 21. Ed. 3. m. 16. because this Town and Castle stood upon the Frontiers of the Enemy the King granted that during the War there should remain in that Garrison an 100 Men of Arms and 200 Foot at the Kings pay subject nevertheless to the Command of the Kings Seneschal of Gascogne and to be by him drawn out upon occasion he leaving sufficient strength to Defend the same And further because this Noble Earl had taken divers Prisoners at the Town of St. Jean d' Angely when he reduced that Place as we have shewn the King therefore toward the latter end of this Year granted unto him all the Lands Tenements Vines and other Goods of those Prisoners till their Ransom was fully paid And a little after he granted unto him and his Heirs for ever the Houses Lands and other Goods and Possessions of Bernard Barrham Burgess of that Town to hold by the service of rendring to the King and his Heirs One Rose annually at Midsummer And besides all this he t Extract Donat 21. Ed. 3. m. 10. Novemb 10. granted unto him the Castle of Horeston in the County of Darby with the appurtenances and 40 pounds per annum out of the Farm of the Town of Darby to him and his Heirs-Male and for default of such the same to revert to the King and his Heirs All these Grants and more were made to him by that Munificent Monarch upon the Account of his many good and acceptable Services by him performed VI. While King u Frois c. 140. Edward was thus busied in reinforcing the Siege at Calais and King Philip was on the other hand preparing to rescue the Town Lewis the young Earl of Flanders whom We lately left confin'd at Courtray having by loss of Liberty and some hardship learn'd a little Experience resolved now to work his own Will but therein to use more caution and to procure his escape by Dissimulation Since he found it impossible to avoid ruine if he should still openly avow what he could not but harbour in his heart He often therefore said to those who were about him that he would for the future believe the Counsel of his good Subjects of Flanders for he knew well he said that he should live in more splendour there and in a Higher Condition than in any other Country For in France he was subject to the pleasure of other Men and could not do as he would These Words being noised abroad were greedily swallowed by the plain-dealing Flemings who could not penetrate into the forced Dissimulation of the Willfull young Lord.
so well that he absolutely rejected these honest and advantagious Conditions But it happen'd soon after that having bought a young mettlesome Horse for 300 Crowns he would needs try him himself and in riding so spurr'd him that the Horse ran away with him and in running fell in a great Ditch where poor Croquart brake his Neck to the infinite regret of his Men but to the full satisfaction of all the Country thereabouts which he had so wonderfully harassed ravaged and plunder'd X. As for the Affairs of Ireland I have all this while forbore to speak more particularly of them because neither is the Matter it self of any great Moment and there is not only much variety and confusion in the Relation but also what is related is done very imperfectly at least nothing that I have met with hitherto hath given me satisfaction But however I shall not omit one or two Occurrences that are coincident with this Year in that Kingdom The Kings Lieutenant of Ireland at this time was k Holinshead Chron. Ireland p. 72. Sr. Robert Darcy Second Son to John Lord Darcy deceased and Brother to John Lord Darcy Junior under whom Sr. Thomas Rokeby l L. 1. c. 1. §. 6. p. 11. of whose being Knighted we spake in the beginning of this our Work was now Deputy-Lieutenant He had besides his ordinary Retinue assign'd him by the King for the defence of his Person and Authority 30 Men of Arms and 200 Archers on Horseback so long as it should be judged needfull This Gentleman was a Person of great sincerity and integrity and being once twitted for suffering himself to be served in Cups of Wood answer'd These homely Cups and Dishes pay truly for what they contain I had rather drink out of Wooden Cups and pay Gold and Silver than drink out of Gold and Silver and make Wooden Payment In the time of this Mans Governance there dwelt in the Province of Vlster a substantial English Knight called Sr. Robert Savage who the better to preserve his own from the suddain Incursions of the Wild Irish began to enclose and fortifie his Mannor-Houses with strong Castles Piles and Trenches exhorting his Son and Heir Henry Savage to pursue the same Work as a thing likely to be beneficial to himself and his Posterity Father replied the young Savage I am for that Proverb which says a Castle of Bones is better than one of Stones When Strength and Courage of valiant Men may be found to help us never will I by the Grace of God seek to lurk behind dead Walls My Fort shall be wherever young Blood is stirring and where I can find room to fight in Upon this Answer his Father in a heat surceased the Building and sware never to proceed any further therein But however the gallant young Henry Savage maintain'd his Possessions by the Valour of his Hands as he had promised And among many other of his Acts all worthy of eternal Memory I shall choose to relate this one not doubting but it s own Worth may attone for the Digression Having one time gather'd a little Band of Men to go forth against the Irish he allow'd to every Souldier to drink before they began their March a good Draught of Aqua-Vitae Wine or strong Ale and for Provision against their Return had kill'd ready beforehand great store of Beef Venison and Fowl Whereupon some of his Officers considering the uncertainty of War told him it would be better Policy to poison the Meat or at least to destroy it than to leave it there perhaps to feed and cherish a sort of Rude Barbarians their Enemies at so splendid a rate if being a few against many they should as 't was most likely miscarry in this Adventure Now God have Mercy replied this Worthy Gentleman smiling You are too full of envy against your Fellow Creatures This World is but an Inn to which we can claim no Propriety but are only as Tenants at will to the Landlord If it please him to command us to leave it as it were our Lodgings which he had lent us and to set other good Fellows in our Room what harm is it for us if we leave them some meat for their Suppers of which we our selves have no Occasion Let them win it hardly and they deserve to eat it For if they enter our Dwellings common Civility would do no less than welcome them with such Fare as the Country affords and with all my Heart much good may it do them Notwithstanding I repose such an assurance in the Grace of God and in your noble Courages that I am fully perswaded in my Mind we shall return Conquerours at Night and feast our selves with our own Provision Thus he said and thus accordingly he returned at Night having with a small Number slain no less than Three Thousand of the Irish his Enemies But however this Valiant Gentleman was of the Opinion with the Lacedaemonians and scorned to be defended by any other thing than his own Courage it is certain that for want of Walls and other places of Strength not only the family of the Savages but also most of many other English Gentlemen have been greatly diminished in Vlster and other parts of Ireland the lack of Walled Towns being one of the Principal occasions of the rude barbarity of that People XI But before we close this Year we think fit to remember a remarkable Instance of the Generous Prince of Wales his Bounty to a Valiant Servant of his Sr. Henry Eam of Flanders which will best be discover'd from an Instrument made unto him by the said Prince two Years before and now confirmed by the King his Father the Copy whereof being to be seen according to the Original French and Latine in m Ashmole Instit Garter p. 707. ex Pat. an 23. Ed. 3. par 2. m. 24. Esquire Ashmole's noble Work of the Garter we shall take leave to set it down in English The King to all to whom these presents shall come Greeting We have seen the Letters Patents of our most Dear most Well-beloved and most Trusty Son Edward Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester in these Words EDWARD Eldest Son of the Noble King of England and of France Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester to all who shall see or heat these Letters Greeting Know that whereas our Thrice-Dear and Well-beloved St. Henry Eam from the time that he hath taken at our hands the Order of Knighthood hath offer'd and promis'd of his Free-will to be intending to our Service during his Life and while we shall sufficiently furnish him with Arms to go along with Us to what part We shall please as well in Peace as in War and to bear Arms with Us at our Pleasure against all Men except the Duke of Brabant his Liege Lord in defence of his own Lands We accepting of this his Offer and Promise and being willing to retain him for our Service
deliver them to whom they ought to be deliver'd And of this there should be made Obligations and Bonds as sure and perfect as can be devised as well by the Bishop of Rome and the College of Cardinals as by others There was also another Article in the same Treaty which ran thus Item In token and perfect Assurance that We desire and intend to have and to nourish perpetual Peace and Love between Us and our Brother of France We shall renounce and by these Presents do renounce all Graces and other Process of Deed against our said Brother his Heirs and Successors of the Realm of France and Subjects thereof and do promise swear and have sworn on the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ for Us and for our Heirs and Successors not to do nor suffer to be done either by Word or Deed any thing against this Renuntiation or against any thing contained in the foresaid Articles And if We do or suffer to be done the Contrary any manner of way which God forbid then We will that We be reputed for false and forsworn and incurr such blame and infamy as a King Sacred ought to incurr in such a Case And We positively Renounce all Dispensations and Absolutions of the Pope and if any be obtained We will that they stand for nought be of no force nor avail Us in any manner of case And the more firmly to uphold the said Articles We herein submit our selves our Heirs and Successors to the Jurisdiction and Correction of the Church of Rome and Will and Consent that the Bishop of Rome confirm all the said Treaty and ordain Monitions and General Commands against Us our Heirs and Successors and against our Subjects Commons Universities Colleges or any other Bodies Politick or single Persons whatsoever they be in giving Sentence General of Excommunication Suspension or Interdiction to run upon Us or any of them as soon as We or They shall do or attempt any thing against the said Treaty in occupying or withholding any Towns Castles or Fortresses or any other thing doing Ratifying or giving Counsel Comfort Favour or Aid privily or apertly against any of the said Articles And further We have caused our Most Dear Eldest Son Edward Prince of Wales to swear unto the same and also our Younger Sons Lionel Earl of Ulster John Earl of Richmond and Edmund of Langley together with our Right Dear Cousin Philip of Navarre and the Dukes of Lancaster and of Bretagne the Earls of Stafford and Salisbury the Captal of Busche the Lord of Monferrant Walter Manny James Audley Roger Beauchamp John Chandos Ralph Ferrers Edward Spencer Thomas Felton William Felton Eustace Dambreticourt Frank van Hall John Mowbray Bartholomew Burwash Henry Piercy and divers others and also as soon as We can conveniently We shall cause to swear all our other Children and the Major part of the great Prelates Earls Barons and other Nobles of our Realm of England In Witness whereof We have put our Seal to these Presents Given at our Town of Calais the 24 day of October in the Year of Grace MCCCLX Among many other Writings that had been made as well at Bretigny near Chartres as at Calais when King John was there this said Chapter being one was chiefly now insisted on and was well read and examin'd by King Charles in presence of his Council and after they had spent their Thoughts thereon then the Prelates and Barons of France said unto him Sir it is most evident that the King of England and his Son the Prince have not duly kept the said Peace but have taken Towns and Castles and do still hold them to the infinite Dammage of this your Realm and they Ransom and Pillage your People because the Money for the King your Fathers Redemption is yet in part unpaid Wherefore Sir You and your Subjects have good Right and just Cause to break the Peace and to make War against England and to endeavour to take out of their hands all that they hold on this side the Water Also certain of his Council advised him secretly upon mature Deliberation Sir boldly undertake this War for there is good Reason You should so do For as soon as ever You have once open'd the War you shall see and find that all the Dutchy of Aquitain will turn to your side as well Prelates Barons Earls Knights and Esquires as the Burgesses of the Good Towns. You may see Sir how the Prince would have proceeded in raising of his Foüage but he cannot bring his purpose about and yet thereby he hath lost the Hearts of all Men for those of Poictou Rochellois Sainctogne Quercy Limosin and Rouvergue are of such a Nature that they can by no means love the Englishmen nor the Englishmen them they are so proud and presumptuous nor never did And besides all this the Princes Officers commit such Extortion among the People of Sainctogne Poictou and Rochellois for they take all at Random and raise so much in the Prince's Name that no Man is sure of any thing that is his own And further the Gentry and Chief Men of the Country are disgusted because they can attain to no Office of Dignity or Profit For the Englishmen and the Prince's Servants run away with all By such Words as these was the French King encouraged to begin the War and especially he was instigated and moved thereto by his Brother the Duke of Anjou who lay at Tholouse wishing nothing more than to see the War open For he could never endure the Englishmen because of such Displeasures as they had done Him and His formerly And frequently the Gascogne Lords would say to the King Most Dear Sir We are obliged to have our Resort in your Court wherefore we all humbly require that you would please to do us Right and Law and as you are the most Just Prince in the World let us have Justice against the great Extortions Grievances and Oppressions that the Prince of Wales and his Men have and would put upon us For Sir if you refuse to do thus much for us we must then seek some other Remedy elsewhere and shall be obliged to yield and submit our selves to the Jurisdiction of such a Lord as shall see We have Reason done us Whereby you will lose your Sovereignty over us for ever The French King who was extream loath to let them part as also he was doubtfull of embracing their Interest knowing that by them his Realm would receive much Strength and Advantage answer'd these Complainants very courteously Surely Gentlemen says he for want of Love and good Counsel you shall not need to make your Resort to any other Court but only to Ours But yet in a matter of this Consequence we ought to move with much Caution and Deliberation And thus the King drove them off for the space of well-nigh a Year but kept them still with him at Paris and paid for all their Expences and gave them many Rich Gifts and Jewels
also unworthy to be related The Earl of Flanders b Frois c. 253. fol. 153. himself was not unwilling and had also enter'd Solemn Engagements by Covenant to promote and effect the Nuptials But the Lady Margaret her Grandmother a Frenchwoman both in Blood and Affection opposed her self against this Alliance with all her Power being rather minded to fortifie the House of France Wherefore she prest her Son with all the Vehemence imaginable even so far as to threaten c Mezeray ibid. to cut off those Breasts of hers wherewith she had given him suck because they had nourished up such an ungratefull and unnatural Son. These Words of hers touch'd him to the Quick so that he resolved in his Mind to bestow his Daughter elsewhere As he had opportunity enough to do for many great Princes Courted the Young Lady with assiduous application but especially he was call'd upon by the French King to bestow his Daughter upon his Brother Philip the Hardy Duke of Burgundy And this Politick King had secretly so tamper'd with Pope Urban that he could by no means be prevail'd with to allow a Dispensation for the King of England's Son to Marry her for they were within the Degrees forbidden The Earl of Flanders therefore d Frois ibid. being thus press'd upon by his Mother as well as by the French King and finding by the Pope's obstinacy that the Marriage would not presently take with England especially considering that it was high time for his Daughter to be Married because he had no more Children and also believing that the Young Duke of Burgundy would be no improper Match for his Daughter who before had been Married to that Title upon these and the like accounts he sent certain Messengers into England desiring the King to acquit him from his Obligations since a Dispensation for a Marriage with his Son could not be obtain'd by any means King Edward who was not apt to suspect any fraud in Princes and Men of Honour considering withall that the Young Lady was not to lose her time since he could not hope for any timely Dispensation freely releas'd him of all Covenants to that purpose of which he gave his Letters wherewith the said Messengers return'd to Bruges and shew'd their Lord the Earl how they had succeeded which pleas'd him wondrous well And soon after the Marriage was fully agreed on between Philip Duke of Burgundy and the Earl's Daughter these being the Conditions That the Earl of Flanders in consideration of this Match should have 50000 Franks that the Towns of Lisle and Doway should be deliver'd up unto him in gage for certain Sums of Money which the French King hereupon undertook to pay to the Earl of Flanders Who accordingly had present Possession thereof and placed his own Subjects therein This Composition being made and Ratified they proceeded to the Marriage which was held and consummated in the City of Gaunt with great Pomp and Solemnity many High Lords Barons and Knights being present especially the accomplish'd Young Lord Ingleram de Coucy Earl of Bedford who was sent thither by the French King to add Grace to their Dancing Justs and Triumphs But when King Edward of England saw that the Earl of Flanders was by means of his Daughter allied thus to the House of France he knew not what to think whether or no the Earl would take Part against him for the sake of the Duke of Burgundy his Son-in-Law and Presumptive Heir For he doubted much what kind of Covenants might have passed on that Occasion between the French King and the Earl to his Prejudice Wherefore he became now more severe with the Flemings and vexed them more than heretofore both by Land and by Sea as they were about their Merchandise And at this the French King was not at all displeased but rather laughed in his sleeve for he hoped that thereupon a War would ensue between the English and the Flemings But however the Wise Men of Flanders and the most Wealthy Burgesses of the Good Towns had no mind to break with England not only because of their loss of Trade consequent thereupon but because in a manner all the Commons of Flanders were absolutely enclin'd to King Edward's Side and generally believed his Title to the Crown of France to be much fairer than that of the French Kings II. The mean while King Edward who was as busie to procure himself Friends as the French King was on the other hand to ballance this Loss of the Earl of Flanders sent to his Cosen Charles King of Navarre whom he knew to be at no good Terms with the French King Because he claimed a Right of Inheritance to certain Lands which he held concerning which both their Councils had often treated But still the King of France denied that he ought to inherit them and so Matters rested at this time both the Kings being not yet come to Daggers drawing but exceeding Jealous of each other Particularly the King of Navarre who was then in Base Normandy began seriously to fortifie his Towns and Castles in Coutantine and the Earldom of Eureux and other Parts of Normandy which came unto Him by his Mother the Countess of Eureux or otherwise He himself making his chief Residence at Cherburgh with Men of War ready in that as well as all other his Garrisons Among others at this time in his Service there was that Eminent Warrier Sr. Eustace Dambreticourt who as then govern'd Carentan a City beyond the Passage of St. Clement in the Limits of Coutantine which belonged to the King of Navarre's Inheritance This Sr. Eustace was one of the King of Navarre's Principal Councellors but a Subject and Liegeman to the King of England wherefore King Edward sent now to him to sift the King of Navarre throughly and he so far prevail'd with him that at last the King of Navarre with a private Company went on Board an English Vessel called the Lynne and set sail for England where he was heartily welcome to King Edward And here at last it was agreed that the King of Navarre immediatly upon his return to Cherburgh should admit English Troops into all his Garrisons and also send and defie the French King. After which he returned with a strong Convoy of English Knights and Archers into Normandy where he dispos'd of most of the Men in Garrisons but those few who returned home with the Ships had but ill Fortune For they met with certain Pirats Normans and others who being far stronger set upon them fiercely and within a while took and slew them every Man they would not receive one to Mercy Which was a great Trouble as well as Loss to King Edward but the matter was past all Recovery III. Soon after the King of Navarre was return'd safe to Cherbourgh Sr. Eustace Dambreticourt being sent for by the Prince of Wales took leave of him to go and serve the Prince according to his Duty thô the King was at
the Meat will be cold else So he sat down with his Chief Captains about him and had done with the First Course but as the Second was served up and he had hardly tasted thereof having all this while deeply weighed the Matter with himself he suddenly lifted up his Head and said to the Knights and Esquires about him Hark ye Gentlemen the Earl of Pembroke is a Noble Person and of High Lineage he is Son also to my Natural Lord the King of England for he hath married a Daughter of his and in all things he is a Companion with the Earl of Cambridge He has requested me to come and succour him and I ought not to see such a Man lost if I may help it Wherefore I 'll go to his Assistance by the Grace of God. And with that Word he thrust away the Table from him saying Gentlemen make ready for Puirenon His Men were all overjoy'd when they heard these Words and immediatly flew to their Arms and the Trumpets sounded and every Man made haste to mount his Horse as soon as it was known that the Lord Chandos would ride to Puirenon to help the Earl of Pembroke and his Men that were besieged there So they drew out into the Field more than 200 Spears and presently the Lord Chandos was in the Head of them compleatly armed and so they set forward their Numbers still encreasing as they went. The Frenchmen that held the Earl of Pembroke so close had their Spies abroad who brought them Word at High noon to which time they had continued the Assault that Sr. John Chandos had left Poictiers with more than 200 Men of Arms and was coming thitherward in great haste having as it seem'd an huge desire to find them there When Sr. Lewis of Sancerre Sr. John de Vienne and the other Captains heard this News the Wisest of them said Gentlemen our Men are now extream weary and spent with Assaulting these Englishmen both yesterday and to day surely therefore it would be better for us to return now fair and softly while we are well with such Prisoners and Booty as we have than to expect the arrival of the Lord Chandos and his Men who are fresh and lusty and what Number they make we know not For otherwise we may not only lose what we have with so much Labour won but fling away our selves too in the Bargain This Advice was presently taken for they had but a short time to advise in So they sounded a Retreat and put themselves in Order and trussed up all their Baggage and presently took the way to la Roche Pozay The Earl of Pembroke and the Lords with him knew by this their hasty Retreat that the Frenchmen were inform'd of the Lord Chandos his Coming then he said Come on now Gentlemen let us leave this unhappy Place where we have been thus long Prisoners against our Wills and ride forth toward Poictiers to meet my Dear Friend Sr. John Chandos Then those that had Horses still leapt upon them and some went two and two on an Horse the rest going on foot and so they all went out of their Hold with great joy taking the way toward Poictiers They had scarce gone thus the space of a League but they met with the Lord Chandos and his Men to the great satisfaction of both Parties who shook each other by the Hands the one side congratulating the others Safety and they returning thanks for so seasonable Deliverance But Sr. John Chandos said how he was extreamly dissatisfied with himself that he came too late to find the Frenchmen Thus they rode all together the space of three Leagues and then took leave of each other Sr. John returning to Poictiers and the Earl of Pembroke to Mortagne from whence he went at first But the Marshal of France with his Troops went without the least impeachment to la Roche Pozay where the Booty was divided and then every Man return'd to his own Garrison leading along with him his Prisoners whom shortly after they ransom'd with much Courtesie and at easie Rates as was the Custom in those Days between the English and French Men. XXIII All this g Frois c. 267. f. 161. while the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Burgundy faced each other at Tournehan at which time another great Loss happen'd to King Edward of England which indeed fell not out but by the usual Course of the World and yet was heavy to the King his Children and all the Realm For now the Incomparable Queen Philippa who had done so many Acts of Piety and Charity in her Days and had protected so many oppressed Persons and had brought forth such Renowned Sons and was always a h Walsing hist p. 179. n. 10. constant Lover of the English Nation this Excellent Lady fell mortally sick in the Castle of Windsor and was brought so low that she was given over in the Opinion of the Wisest But when the Good Lady i Frois ibid. perceived her Dissolution approaching she desired to speak with the King her Husband who coming into her Chamber she put forth her Right Hand out of the Bed and took the King by his Right Hand whose great Heart was now almost conquer'd with Grief and then she said Sir blessed be God We have lived in good Love together this two and fourty Years crown'd all the while with Peace Joy and great Prosperity But now Sir since it pleaseth Almighty God to call me from You I pray that You will grant unto me three Requests at this our Parting Then the King not able to refrain from Tears said Dearest Madam ask what You will I grant it Sir said she First of all I desire You that as for all manner of People whom I have had occasion to deal withall in Merchandise either on this side or beyond the Sea You would please to pay them whatever it shall appear I owe unto them or to any other Person Secondly whatsoever Donations or Promises I have made to any Churches Religious Houses or Colleges either in this or other Countries as my Devotion perswaded me that You would please to confirm and fulfill the same And Lastly Sir I heartily desire You that whensoever it shall please God to call You out of this transitory Life it would please You to choose no other Sepulchre but near unto me in Westminster The King not without many Tears answer'd Sweet Madam all this I firmly promise and grant You with all my Heart Then the Good Queen signed her self with the sign of the Cross in token of her Faith in Jesus Christ and so recommended the King her Husband and her Youngest Son Thomas of Woodstock who being about 14 Years old stood crying at her Bedside and all her other Children to God Almighty she quietly yielded up the Ghost on the k M.S. vet Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 233. Walsing 〈◊〉 p. 179. c. 15 of August being the Festival of the
a like Distance from each other In the year 1346 being then in the Sixteenth Year of his Age he obtain'd that Memorable Victory at Cressy in Ponthieu in the Year 1356 being the 26th of his Age he took King John of France Prisoner at the Battle of Poictiers in the Year 1366 he undertook the Quarrel of Don Pedro upon which Account he Triumphed at Najara in Spain being then Thirty Six Years Old and now lastly in the Year 1376 being the Fourty Sixth of his Age he left this World for a better His last Will and Testament was finish'd k Ashmoles Garter p. 676. ex libro in Offic. Principal Cant. vecat Sudbary f. 90. b. but the Day before his Death all the former being then rendred void wherein he disposed of his Body to be buried in the Cathedral of Canterbury called Christchurch And such was his Care of those who had done him Service that he charged his Son Richard by his Will to continue unto them all the Payment of those Pentions which he had given them But 't is not material to reckon up here the Various Legacies that he gave as Silk-Beds Horses Armour Gold and Silver besides what he dedicated to Holy Uses as he had done many things of that nature in his Life-time We shall only remember the Names of his Executors as they were appointed in his Will viz. his Brother of Spain the Duke of Lancaster William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester John Harewell Bishop of Bath and Wells William Spridlington Bishop of St. Asaph Robert Walsham his Confessor Hugh Seagrave Steward of his Lands Sr. Alan Stokes and Sr. John Fordham And thus fell this Victorious Prince in whose l Walsing hist p. 186. M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 238. Fall the Hopes of all England seem'd to be cast down While he lived they feared no Invasion they doubted no Warlike Encounter He never march'd against any whom he overcame not never besieged any City which he took not All Nations both Heathen and Christian dreaded his Fortune and Conduct in War as of another Hector nor did his * Churchill's Divi Britan. p. 245. Wisdom any way come short of his Courage Both which were equall'd by his Exemplary Justice Clemency Liberality Piety and Moderation Vertues but seldom sincerely embraced by Persons of High Condition He was a Prince m Daniel's hist p. 256. of whom we never heard any Ill nor received any other Note than of Goodness and the Noblest Performances that Magnanimity Generosity Courage and Wisdom could ever shew Insomuch as what Praise can be given unto Vertue is due unto Him. King n Frois c. 314. fol. 195. b. Gaâ—lic f. 266. b. Charles of France because he was of his Kindred performed his Obsequies in most Solemn Manner in the Holy Chappel of the Palace at Paris the greater part of the Prelates and Peers of his Realm being present A little before which time the Truce between the two Realms was again o Ret. Franc. 50. Ed. 3. â—â— 16. 21. prolonged unto the First Day of April which was to be in the Year of our Lord 1377. The mean while King Edward was sorrowfully busied with the unwelcome Cares of his Son's Funeral the last Office he could pay unto Him but p Polyd. Virg. p. 399. that 't is believed thrô Grief at this Loss that he was the rather content to loose Himself by following him sooner into the other World for we shall find that he surviv'd him but a Year and Thirteen Days Nor did he properly live that while neither for presently upon the Death of his Son he retired to Eltham in Kent endeavouring to concoct this hard Morsel of Providence thô it was every day ready to break his Heart The Body of this Famous Warrier being Embalmed lay in State and was then wrapped up in Lead to be kept till Michaelmas next coming that so it might be interred with the Greater Solemnity in the Presence of the Parliament as both Houses had desired And accordingly at Michaelmas He was carried in a stately Herse drawn with 12 Horses thrô the City of London over the Bridge the Whole Court and the Two Houses of Parliament attending him in Mourning till they came to Canterbury where he was buried with Great Solemnity in the Cathedral of Christ-Church as Himself had order'd in his Will on the South-side and near the Shrine of St. Thomas Becket and over his Grave was shortly after erected a Stately Monument of Grey Marble with his Pourtraiture lying thereon of Copper Gilt The Ends and Sides whereof are garnished with Escutcheons of Copper enamel'd with his Arms and Devises the One being the Arms of France and England Quarterly with a Labell of Three Points and the Other the Ostrich Feathers commonly called from Him the Prince's Arms with the Word Doumont on the Former and Ich Dien on the Latter On an Iron Bar over the Tomb are placed the Helm and Crest Coat of Mail and Gauntlets and on a Pillar near thereunto his Shield of Arms richly Diapred with Gold all which He is said to have used in Battle The Figure of this Noble Monument is exactly delineated in q Sandford p. 188. Mr. Sandford's Genealogical History of the Kings of England On the Monument there is this old French Epitaph circumscribed on a Fillet of Brass beginning at the Head * Extat apud Sandford â—â—l Weever's Fan. Mon. c. viz. By Gist le Noble Prince Monsleur Edward aisnez Filz du Tresnoble Roy Edward Eiers Iadis Prince d' Aquitaine de Galles Duc de Cornwaille Comte de Cestre qi mojust en la Feste de la Vrinite qestoit le viii jour de Juyn l'an de Grace Mill Trois cenz septante sisine Laime de qi Dieu tit Merrit Amen That is in English Here lieth the Noble Prince the Lord Edward Eldest Son to the Thrice Noble King Edward the Third late Prince of Aquitaine and of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester Who died on the Feast of the Trinity which was the Eight Day of June in the Year of Grace MCCCLXXVI On whose Soul God have Mercy Amen To which is added this French Rhyme beginning at the South-side of the Tomb and running on at the Foot of the North-side Tu qi passez oue bouche close Par la ou ce Torps repose Entent ce qe te dirai Si comme te dire le scay Tiel comme tu es autiel fu Tu seras tiel conune je su De la mort ne pensai je mie Cant comme javoy la vie Entre avoi grand Richesse Dont je y fis grand Noblesse Eette Mesons grand Tresor Draps Chivaux Argent Dr. Mes ore su jeo poures chetiss Perfond en la * An Terre tre gis Grand Beaute est tout allee Ma thar est tout gastee Moult est estroit ma Meson En
Banner the Earl of Lenox Alexander Bruce Earl of Fife John Campbell Reputed Earl of Athol Robert Sterenlow William Vipount Robert Lawether John Lindsey Alexander Graham Patrick Prollesworth David Wimes Michael Scot Thomas Bois Roger Mortimer William Vmphranville Thomas Vaux William Landis with 30 Batchelours 900 Men of Arms and 18400 Commons Besides this the Earl of Dunbar Keeper of the Castle of Barwick holp the Scots at this time with 50 Men of Arms and Sr. Alexander Seton Captain of the Town with an 100 Men of Arms and the Commons of the Town with 400 Men of Arms and 10800 Footmen For all was set upon the Fortune of this Battle So the Summ of the Earls and Lords amounts to 65 the Summ of Knights Batchelours new-dubbed comes to 140 the Foot of the Computation of Men of Arms makes 3650 and of the Commons 64200 The Total of the whole Army arises to 68055. And the 65 Great Lords lead them on in Four Battails as we said before all on Foot having deliver'd their Horses to their Servants Now because the Garrison of Barwick was almost exhausted and by the Consent of both Nations the Matter was to be determin'd by this Battle there was no necessity of leaving any English Troops at the Siege wherefore Edward King of England and Edward King of Scotland having drawn out all their Forces into the Field had also by this time well Marshal'd their Men in Four small Battails to fight on foot against their Enemies And then the English Ministrels blew aloud their Trumpets and sounded their Pipes and other Instruments of Martial Musick and Marched furiously to meet the Scots Now to each Battail of English were two Wings of chosen Archers who z Conser H. Knighton p. 2563. n. 50. shot this day so thick and so home that the Scots could by no means maintain their Order So that the Englishmen of Arms and Footmen enter'd in among them and beat them down by Heaps Yet still the Scots fought valiantly and while the Lord Archimbald Douglas liv'd kept the Field with great Courage thô much to their Loss But when they saw him struck thrô the Body with a Spear they began to flee for safeguard of their Lives thô to very little purpose For when the Scotch Valets and Pages saw the Discomfiture they ran away upon the Spur with their Masters Horses to save themselves taking no Care for their Masters But when the English men of Arms saw that they leap'd on their Horses and follow'd the Chace with great Fury then were the Scotch men trodden down on all sides their display'd Banners fell'd to the Ground all torn and hack'd in pieces and many a good Habergeon bathed in the Owners Blood. Yet frequently did the Scots gather together in Companies to dispute the point with their Pursuers but still they were discomfited And thus says my a M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. c. 224. Author it befell as God would that the Scots had that day no more Power nor Might against the English than twenty Sheep would have against five Wolves and so were they discomfited althô they were almost five to one of the English And in this Battle were slain of the Scots 35712 and of Englishmen only Seven according to the foresaid Author and those were Footmen Their Writers confess that a Wing of English wheeling about intercepted them in their Flight and that they were b Hectâ—r p. 316. n. 10. even wearied with the slaughter of the Scots and yet at the same time Hector allows but 14000 Buchanan but 10000 to be slain So fearfull are they to speak an ungratefull Truth thô they have not Art enough wholly to conceal it They themselves acknowledge that these Great Men fell that day namely the Lord c Knighton p. 2563. n. 50. c. Hector p. 316 n. 20. Buchan p. 289. Ashmole p. 645. Holinshead Engl. Chr. p. 896. Archimbald Douglas their General the Lords James John and Alan Stuarts Hugh Earl of Ross Kenneth Earl of Southerland Alexander Bruce Earl of Carrick Sr. William Tudway Sr. John Graham Sr. Alexander Fraisier and his two Brethren James and Simon Knights of High Birth and Valour Sr. Duncan Campbell and Sr. John Campbell who call'd himself Earl of Athol the Earls of Lenox and Menteith and many more So that this day seem'd to take away whatever of the Scotch Nobility was left in the Battle of Duplin The English followed the Chace five Miles making a Bloody Pursuit till Night For the Scots as they gather'd together made frequent Returns upon their Enemies insomuch that in all they lost upon this Occasion 8 Earls 90 Knights and Baronets 400 Esquires and about 32000 or as some say d Walsing Hist p. 112. Knighton p. 2563. Stow p. 231. lin 50. Fabian p. 199. 35000 of the Common Soldiers For the Lord John e Thoroton Nâ—ttingh Antiqu. p. 264. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 371. Darcy with his Irish Troops on the one side made a great Slaughter while the King with a choice Brigade of Men of Arms and Archers on Horse-back so encompassed them on the other side that very few could escape except those who first of all began the Flight Not a few also were taken alive as Sr. William Keth who was the Occasion of this Loss to his Country by perswading them against their Opinions to joyn Battle with the King Sr. William Douglas the Son of Sr. James who died in Spain Sr. Robert Kirkpatrick Sr. William Campbell Sr. Gilbert Wiseman Sr. Alexander Graham Sr. Oliver Sinclare with many more all whom as Hector says King Edward the next day caused to lose their Heads except such as for Rewards were privily conceal'd from Death by the souldiers This shamefull lie Buchanan however wholly omits not out of good Nature we may be sure but because of its Notorious Falsity And Froisard frequently Reports of the English and Scots that of all other Nations they were most Fierce against each other in time of Battle but mutually Kind and Courteous to their Prisoners Nor durst any souldiers for Gain conceal them nor could they if they would and we shall find several of these said here to have been Beheaded in Action hereafter For thô Hector in subtlety left out the Names of the Prisoners we have recovered them elsewhere and cannot but observe the Malice of the Man who when he makes Calumnies many times uses such General Terms as plainly shews he was not furnish'd with Particulars Those who were privately saved by some English Souldiers make a plausible excuse for the Forger to evade by when we shall produce him any of these Prisoners alive afterward VII Now the most Famous Barons and Leaders that were with King Edward in this Battle f Vid. Dudg Bar. 1 2 Vol. sub his Nominibus Brotherton Montague Mauley c. were Prince John of Eltham the Kings own Brother and Prince Thomas of Brotherton his Uncle William Lord Montagu Peter
they found no Enemy to oppose them and first let us speak of the Prince of Wales and of his Actions in this Expedition EDWARD the Black-Prince n Frois c. 155. being thus happily arrived in Gascogne as we shew'd before declared o Holinsh p. 951. M.S. Vet. Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantabr c. 230. to the Chief Captains and Lords of the Country the Reasons of his coming thither and fell immediately to advise with them how to proceed for the best Advantage in his Affairs After which having well refreshed his Souldiers and sufficiently augmented his small Forces on the * Lit. Dom. D. Fifth of October being a Monday he marched out of Bourdeaux in this Order In the Vanguard was the Earl of Warwick his Constable the Lord Reginald Cobham his Marshal the Lord Roger Clifford Son in Law to the Earl of Warwick the young Lord John Beauchamp of Somersetshire the Lord Richard Stafford Brother to the Earl of Stafford and Sr. John Wingfield an intimate Friend of his of the Lord Cobhams Retinue and seven stout Barons of Gascogne with 3000 Armed Men In the Main-Battail marched the Valiant Young Prince himself being now in the 25th Year of his Age with a double Ensign with him were the Earl of Oxford the Lord Bartholomew Burghersh or Burwash whose Father was then newly dead the Lord John Lisle the Lord John Willoughby of Eresby the Lord Roger de la Warre the Lord Maurice Berkley the Lord John Bourchier the Lord John Rose the Elder of Bourdeaux the Lord John Greilly Captal de la Buche the Lord of Chaumont and the Lord of Monferrand the Four latter being of Gascogne and in this Battail were 7000 Men of Arms. The Reer which contained 4000 Men of Arms was led by the Earls of Suffolk and Salisbury with whom was the Lord of Nemours who conducted the Carriages The whole Army consisted of better than 60000 Men one with another and being furnished with such a General and such Valiant and Expert Leaders might well be counted very formidable Wherefore the Earl of Armagnac who was Lieutenant to the French King in Languedoc Gaston Phoebus Earl of Foix James of Bourbon who was Lord of Ponthieu and Constable of France and the Lord John Clermont Marshal of France thô they had among them far p Frois c. 155. Mezeray p. 42. greater Numbers than the Prince and were more Powerfull in the Field if their Courage would have permitted a Tryal durst not either for Fear or as Mezeray softens it for jealousie of one another so much as once offer to stop his Victorious Progress Wherefore in little more than two Months time the Prince overran all the Country at his pleasure as far as Beziers and Narbonne burning the very suburbs of Narbonne or rather as will appear by and by the city it self and taking and destroying very many strong Towns and Castles all which are particularly and truly enumerated by Sr. Thomas de la More thô the Names of the Places are there most corruptly written for which reason as well as for the dryness and prolixity thereof we forbear to add the particulars here In this q Stow p. 255 c. Expedition on occasion of a Fire that happen'd one Night in a Town where he lodged he took a Resolution which he kept while he lived never to lie a Night in any Town in an Enemies Country in time of War. Being come to the strong City of Carcassone the Citizens offer'd him 25000 souses of Gold on Condition he would spare their Town from Fire but the Prince answer'd That he came not thither for Gold but to take Cities and Towns with their Inhabitants to succour and cherish his Friends and to offend his Enemies In this Expedition at several times the Prince Knighted all these Gentlemen Jenkin Barefort Giles Stratton Rowland Davis Ralph Basset the Sons of the Lord of Albret Theodorick Dale Porter of the Prince's Chamber and many others In lieu of all whom he lost only one but him a most Valiant and Noble Knight of the Order of the Garter named the Lord John Lisle who on the r Ashmole's Garter p. 673. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 739. 14 of October received a Mortal wound with a stone from a Wall of which he died the next day to the infinite regret of the Prince and all who knew his Worth and Gallantry leaving behind him his Son and Heir Robert then 22 Years of Age. IV. But because a more particular account of this Expedition cannot better be expected than from the Mouthes of those who were actually concern'd therein besides the former Reference to Sr. Thomas de la More I shall take leave to subjoyn the Words of Sr. John Wingfield a Valiant Knight whose ſ Holinshead Engl. Chron. p. 952. ex Rob. Avesbury c. Ashmole p. 672. two Letters on this subject are most Worthy to be inserted that thereby the Reader may as by a Touchstone try the Truth of Authors who write of the same Matter A Copy of Sr. JOHN WINGFIELD's Letter to a certain Noble Lord then in England My Lord as touching News in these parts may it please you to understand that all the Earls Barons Bannerets Knights and Esquires were in Health at the writing hereof and my Lord the Prince hath not lost either Knight or Esquire in this Expedition except the Lord John Lisle who was slain after a strange manner with a Quarrel the third day after we were entred into our Enemies Country He died the 15 of October And please you to understand that my Lord hath rode thrô the Country of Armagnac and hath taken many enclosed Towns and burnt and destroy'd them except such as He fortified for himself After this He marched into the Vicountie of Rovergue where He took a good Town called Plaisance the Chief Place in that Country which He burnt and destroy'd with the Country round about the same This done He went into the Country of Estarrac wherein He took many Towns and wasted and ravaged all the Country Then He entred the County of Cominges and took many Towns there which He caused to be destroy'd and burnt together with all the Country round about He also took the Town of St. Bertrand the Chief in that Country being as large in compass as the City of Norwich in England After that He entred the County of t t L'Isle en Dodon Lille and took the greater part of the closed Towns therein causing several of them to be burnt and destroy'd as he passed Then going into the Lordship of Tholouse We passed the River of Garonne and another a League above Tholouse which is very great For our Enemies had burnt all the Bridges as well on the one side of Tholouse as the other except those within Tholonse for the River runneth thrô the Town And within this Town at the same time were the Constable of France the Marshal Clermont and the Earl of
Armagnac with a great Power of Souldiers Tholouse is a City of a large extent strong fair and well-walled And there was none in our Host who perfectly knew the Ford of the River but yet by the Grace and Goodness of God we found it So then we mâ—ched thrô the Seigniory of Tholouse and took many good Towns enclosed before we came to Carcassone which We also took a Town greater stronger and fairer than York But as well this as all other Towns in the Country which We took were burnt plunder'd and destroy'd Now after We had marched by many journeys thrô the Country of Carcassone We came into the Seigniory of Narbonne which Town held out against Us but it was won by force and the same Town is little less than the City of London being scituate upon the u u i.e. the Mediterranean in ho◠〈◊〉 Greekish Sea which is not above two Leagues therefrom And there is there an Haven or Landing-place from whence the x x Aude Latinè Atâ—â— River goeth up to Narbonne And Narbonne is but 11 Leagues distant from Monpellier 18 from Aigues-Mortes and 30 from Avignon And may it please You to understand that our Holy Father sent Messengers to my Lord who being not past 7 Leagues from him sent a Serjeant at Arms who was Serjeant Attendant at the Door of our Holy Fathers Chamber with Letters to my Lord requiring of him a safe Conduct to come and declare to his Highness their Message from our Holy Father which was to treat of an Accommodation between my Lord and his Adversary of France But the Serjeant was two days in the Army before my Lord would vouchsafe to see him or receive his Letters The reason whereof was because He was informed that the Power of France was come forth of Tholouse toward Carcassone wherefore my Lord was obliged to turn back again upon them presently as He did But the Third day when We expected to have met them they understanding of our approach retired before day and gat them to the Mountains marching hastily toward Tholouse But the Country People who had been their Guides to lead them that way were taken by Us as they should have passed the Water At which time because the Serjeant at Arms was in my Custody I caused him to examine the Guides that were so taken and because one of the Guides so taken had been the Constables Guide and his Countryman He might well see and know the Countenance of the French upon this his Examination And I told the Serjeant that he might the better declare to the Pope and all those at Avignon what he had now heard or seen But as to the Answer which my Lord return'd to them who had been sent to treat with him You would be hugely pleased if You knew all the Matter For He would not suffer them by any means to approach his Person any nearer but He sent them word by their Serjeant that if they came to treat of any Matter they should send to the King his Father For my Lord himself would not do any thing therein but by command from my Lord his Father But of my Lords turning back to meet his Enemies of his repassing the River Garonne and of his taking Castles and Towns in this Expedition and of other things done against his Enemies in pursuit of them they were all Deeds Right Worthy and Honourable to be told as Sr. Richard Stafford and Sr. William Burton can more plainly declare than I can write unto You For it would be too tedious to commit so much to writing Now my Lord rode abroad over the Country eight whole Weeks whereof He rested not above 11 days in all those places whither he came And know for certain that since this War first Commenced against the French King he never received such Loss and Mischief as he has in this last Expedition For the Countries and good Towns which were laid waste at this time supply'd the French King every Year towards the Maintenance of his War with more than half his Realm hath done beside except the Change of his Money which He maketh every Year and the Profits and Custom which he taketh of the Poictevins as I can shew You by good Records which were found in divers Towns in the Collectors houses For Carcassone and Limoux which is as great as Carcassone and two other Towns in the Coasts of Carcassone found to the French King yearly wages for a 1000 Men of Arms and an 100000 old Crowns to maintain the War beside And know that by the Records which We found those Towns of THOLOUSE which We have destroyed together with the Towns in the Country of CARCASSONE and the Town of Narbonne with others in Narbonnois did together with the Sums aforesaid find him every Year to the Aid of his War 400000 Old Crowns into his Coffers as the Burgesses of the great Towns and other People of the Country who are supposed well able to know have told Us. Wherefore by Gods assistance if my Lord had wherewithall to maintain this War to the King his Fathers Profit and to his own Honour He should greatly enlarge the English Pale and win many fair places For our Enemies are wonderfully astonished At the writing hereof my Lord hath resolved to send all the Earls and all the Bannerets of Quarter in certain places on the Marches to be ready to make inroads upon the Enemy and to annoy them My Lord at this present I have no other News to send but You may by Your Letters command me as Yours to my Ability My Right Honourable Lord God grant You good Life Joy and Health long to continue Dated at Bourdeaux the y y i.e. 22d Decemb Lit. Dom. D. Tuesday next before Christmas This Letter may very well be supposed to have been sent into England by Sr. Richard Stafford and Sr. William Burton Knights who returned thither at the end of the foresaid Expedition especially if we compare what is mention'd of them both in the preceding Letter with what is seen in the Title of the Following which is dated a Month later The Tenour of a second Letter written by Sr. John Wingfield directed to Sr. Richard Stafford Knight who had been in Gascogne and there leaving his Family was now returned into England Right Dear Sir and truly Loving Friend Touching News here after your Departure You may understand that We have taken and forced to yield five Towns enclosed viz. Port St. Mary Clerac Tonneins Bourg z z Ita lego pro St. Pierre vid. Maps Sur Mer Chasteau Sacrat and Brassac also seventeen Castles viz. Coiller Buzet Lemnac two Castles called Bolognes which are near one another Montaut Viresche Frechenet Montendre Rochechalais Montpont Montignac Vauclare Cenamont Leyrac Plassac Montravel And please to know that my Lord John Chandos my Lord James Audley and your Men that are with them and the Gascogners that are in their Company and my Lord a