A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government
Also this king instituted the Dutchie Court, which he did in honor of the House of Lancaster ; to the end, the Lands belonging to that Dutchie, might in all following times be distinguished and known from the Lands of the Crown. In his sixth year, the king called a Parliament at Coventry, and sent Processe to the Sheriffs, that they should choose no knights nor Burgesses, that had any knowledge in the Laws of the Realm; by reason whereof, it was called the Lay-men's Parliament. In his seventh year, the Major of London for preservation of fish; obtained, that all Weres which stood between London and seven miles beyond Kingstone ; as also, such as stood between London and Gravesend, should be pulled up and taken away.
Affaires of the Church in his time.
BY reason of discord between John of Gaunt, and Wickham Bishop of Winchester ; the Bishop either in durance, could not, or in fear durst not come to the Parliament House, at a time when the King required a supply of money; but the Clergy unanimously affirming, that without their brother, the Bishop of Winchesters presence, they neither can nor will consult of anything • he is presently sent for, and by the King secured. After this, the King called a Parliament at Coventry, and sent Processe to the Sheriffs that they should choose no knights or Burgesses that were Lawyers, and was therefore called the Laymens Parliament: And shortly after another Parliament was called, and named the unlearned Parliament, either for the unlearnednesse of the persons, or for their malice to learned men; In which the Commons presented a Petition to the King and the upper House; desiring that the king might have the Temporal Possessions of the Bishops and Clergy; the value whereof, they pretended would be sufficient maintenance for a hundred and fifty Earls, one thousand five hundred knights, six thousand two hundred Esquires, and a hundred Hospitals for maimed Soldiers. They craved likewise, that Clerks convict should not be delivered to the Bishops prison; and that the Statute made in the second year of the king against Lollards, might be Repealed. But the king denied their Petition; and in Person commanded them from thenceforth, not to presume to trouble their brains about any such business, for he was resolved to leave the Church in as good state as he found it. In the twelveth year of his Reign, certain learned men in Oxford, and other places, in their Sermons maintained the opinions of Wycliffe ; but the Bishops and Doctors of the University, inhibited and condemned them. In his time was a great Schism in the Church, by reason of two Anti-Popes; but afterwards in an assembly of Cardinals and Bishops, a third man was elected, named Alexander the fifth, who had been trained up at Oxford.
Works of Piety in his time.
KING Henry Fownded a College at Battlefield in Shropshire, where he overcame the Lord Henry Percy. In his third year, the Conduit upon Cornhill was begun to be built. Also in his time Sir Robert Knolls made the Stone bridge of Rochester in Kent ; and founded in the Town of Pomfret a College, and an Hospital; he also re-edified the body of the White-Friers Church in Fleetstreet, where he was afterward buried: Which Church was first founded by the Ancestors of the Lord Grey of Codnor. In the eighth year of his Reign, Richard Whittington Major of London, erected a house or Church in London, to be a house of Prayer, and named it after his own name, Whittington College ; with lodgings, and weekly allowance for divers poor people. He also built the Gate of London, called Newgate, in the year 1420, which was before a most loathsome prison: He built also more than half of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in West-Smithfield, and the beautiful Library in the Gray Friars in London • now called Christ's Hospital: He also built a great part of the east end of Guildhall, and a Chapel adjoining to it, with a Library of stone, for the custody of the Records of the City. But he that exceeded all at this time in works of Piety, was William Wickham Bishop of Winchester ; his first work was the building of a Chapel at Tychfield, where his Father, Mother, and Sister Perr • t was buried: Next, he founded at Southwick in Hampshire, near the Town of Wickham, the place of his birth, as a supplement to the Priorie of Sout • wicke ; a Chauntry, with allowance for five Priests forever: He bestowed twenty thousand marks in repairing the houses belonging to the Bishopric; he discharged out • f Prison in all places of his Diocese, all such poor prisoners as lay in execution for debt, under twenty pounds: he amended all the high-ways from Winchester to London, on both sides the River. After all this, on • he fifth of March 1379, he began to lay the foundation of that magnificent Structure in Oxford, called New-College, and in person laid the first stone thereof; in which place before, there stood Naetius-College, built by Alver, at N • tius entreaty; and for the affinity of the name, came to be called New-College. In the year 1387, on the 26 of March, he likewise in person laid the first stone of the like foundation in Winchester, and dedica ••• the same, as that other in Oxford, to the memory of the Virgin Mary. The Grocer • in London purchased their Hall in Cu •• yhope Lane for 320 marks; and then laid th • foundation thereof on the tenth of May. King Henry founded the College of F •• ringhey in Northampto • shire ; to which King He • ry the fifth gave land of the Priories of Monks Aliens, by him suppressed.
John Gower the famous Poet, new built a great part of St. Mary Overyes Church in South •• rke, where he lies buried. In the second year of this king, a new market in the Poultry, called the Stocks, was built for the free sale of Forreign Fishmongers and Butchers. In his twelveth year, the Guildhall of London was begun to be new Edified; and of a little Cottage, made a goodly house, as now it is.
Casualties happening in his time.
IN his third year, in the Moneth of March, appeared a Blazing-star; first betwixt the East and the North, and then sending forth fiery beams towards the North; foreshowing perhaps the effusion of blood that followed after, in Wales and Northumberland. In the same year, at Danbury in Essex, the Devil appeared in likeness of a Gray-Frier; who entering the Church, put the people in great fear, and the same hour, with a tempest of Whirlewinde and Thunder, the top of the steeple was broken down, and half the Chancel scattered abroad. In his seventh ye • re, such abundance of water brake suddenly over the Banks in Kent, that it drowned Cattle without number. Also this year, the Town of Reystone in Hartfordshire was burnt. In his ninth year was so sharp a winter, and such abundanc • of snow; continuing December, January, February, and March, that almost all small Birds died through hunger.
Of his Wives and Children.
HE had two Wives, the first was Mary, one of the Daughters and heirs of H • mphrey de Bo • un Earl of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton ; she died before he c • me to the Crown, in the year 1394. His second Wife was Joan, Daughter to Charles the first king of Navarre, she being the widow of John de Montford surnamed Strea • y, or the Conqueror, Duke of Britain ; who died without any issue by king Henry, at Havering in Essex, the year 1437, in the fifteenth year of king Henry the sixth, and lieth buried by her husband at Canterbury. He had four Sons and two Daughters; Of his Sons, Henry his eldest was Prince of Wales, and after his Father, king of England. His second Son was Thomas Duke of Clarence, and Steward of England ; who was slain at Beaufort in Anjo • , and died without issue. His third Son was John Duke of Bedford ; he married first with Anne Daughter to John Duke of Burgundy ; and secondly with Iacoba Daughter of Peter of Luxenbourgh, Earl of St. Paul, but died also without issue. His fourth Son was Humphry ; by his brother king Henry the fifth created Duke of Gloucester, and was generally called the good Duke; he had two Wives, but died without issue, in the year 1446, and was buried at St. Albans ; though the vulgar opinion be, that he lies buried in St. Paul's Church. Of king Henry the fourths Daughters; Blanch the elder was married to Lewis Barbatus, Palatine of the Rhene, and Prince Elector: Philippe his younger Daughter, was married to John king of Denmark, and Norway.
Of his Personage and Conditions.
COncerning his Body; he was of a middle stature, slender limbs, but well proportioned. Concerning his Mind; of a serious and solid disposition, and one that stood more upon his own legs than any of his Predecessors had done: in cases of difficulty, not refusing, but not needing the advice of others; which might confirm, but not better his own. He was neither merry nor sad, but both: best pleased when he was opposed, because this was like to do him good, by sharpening his invention: most angry when he was flattered, because this was sure to do him hurt, by dulling his judgment. No man ever more loved, nor less doted upon a wife, than he: a good husband, but not uxorious; that if there be reins to that Passion, we may know he had them. It may be thought, he affected the Crown, not so much out of Ambition as out of Compassion, because the oppre • sions of his Country he could not so well help being a Subject, as a King; for otherwise we may truly say, he was a loser by the Crown, being not so great for a King, as he was before for a Subject: The Crown rather was a gainer by him, which hath ever since been the richer for his wearing it. We may think he was either weary of his life, or longing for death; for why else would he take upon him the Crusado, having been told by a skilfu • l Soothsayer, that he should die in Jerusalem? but it seems, he did not believe him.
Of his Death and Burial.
IN the fortysixth year of his Age, having Peace both at home and abroad, and being of too active a spirit to be idle, he took upon him the Crusado, and great provision was made for his journey to Jerusalem: but alas, his journey to Jerusalem required no such provision; for being at his prayers at S. Edwards shrine, he was suddenly taken with an Apoplexy, and thereupon removed to the Abbot of Westminsters house; where recovering his senses, and finding himself in a strange place, he asked what place it was? and being told that he was in the Abbots house, in a Chamber called Jerusalem: Well then (said he) Lord have mercy upon me, for this is the Jerusalem where a Soothsayer told me I should die. And here he died indeed, on the 20. day of March, in the year 1413. when he had lived six and forty years, Reigned thirteen and a half. It is worth remembering, that all the time of his sickness, his will was to have his Crown set upon his bolster by him; and one of his fits being so strong upon him, that all men thought him directly dead; the Prince coming in, took away the Crown: when suddenly the king recovering his senses, missed his Crown; and asking for it, was told, the Prince had taken it: whereupon the Prince being called, came back with the Crown, and kneeling down, said: Sir, to all our judgments, and to all our griefs, you seemed directly dead, and therefore I took the Crown as being my Right: but seeing to all our comforts, you live, I here deliver it much more joyfully than I took it, and pray God you may long live to wear it yourself. Well (saith the king sighing) what right I had to it, God knows. But (saith the Prince) if you die king, my sword shall may • teine it to be my Right against all Opposers. Well (saith the king) I refer all to God: but I charge thee on my Blessing, that thou administer the Laws indifferently, avoid Flatterers, defer not to do Justice, nor be sparing of Mercy: And then turning about, said, God bless thee, and have mercy on me: and with those words, gave up the Ghost. His body with all Funeral pomp was conveyed to Canterbury, and there solemnly buried.
Of men of Note in his time.
OF men of Valour in his time, of whom there was great store, I shall need to say no more than what hath already been said in the body of the story: only I cannot but remember Sir Robert K • olls, who borne of mean parentage, made himself famous over all Christendom; and dying at a Manor of his in Norfolk, was brought to London, and buried in the Church of the White F • ie • s in London, which himself had re-edified. But for men of learning, I must set in the first place, William Wickham, a man of no learning, yet well wor • hy t • hold the place: In relating of whose life, I must have leave to expatiate a little. His fathers name was John Long, or as some say, Perot ; but as Campian proveth, Wickham ; and not from the place of his dwelling, though he was Parish-Clerke of Wickham in Hampshire, where he taught children to write: in which quality his son William proved so excellent, that Nicolas Wooddall, Constable of Winchester Castle, took him from his fa • her, • nd kept him at School, first at Winchester, afterward at Oxford, till himself being made Surveyor-general of the Kings works, he sent for this William to serve him as his Clerke; who in short time grew so expert in that employment, that Adam Torleto • B • shop of Winche • ter, commended him to the King, who employed him presently in surveying his Fortifications at Dover, and Quinborough Castles, and afterward made him Surveyor of his Buildings at Windsor Castle, and his houses of Henley and East-Hamstead. And here first, Envy rose up against him; for having caused to be engraven on the stone of a wall in Windsor Castle, these words; This made William Wi • kham: some that envied his rising, complained to the King of this insolency, as arrogating to himself, that excellent piece of Building to de done at his charge: but Wickham called before the King about it, made answer, that his meaning wa • not, neither by any ind • fferent construction could it import, that Wickham made that bui • ding, but that the same building made Wi • kham, as being a means of the Kings great favor towards him. This answer pacified the King, who took him daily more and more into his favor; and being now entered into the Ministry, was first made Parson of S. Martins in the Fields, then Minister of S. Martins le Grand. • f • erwards Archdeacon of Lincoln, Provost of Wells, and Rector of Manyhens in Devo • shire ; so as at one time he had in his hands so many Ecclesiastical livings, that the value of them, in the Kings books, amounted to eight hundred seventy six pounds thirteen shillings: besides which, he was honored with many Temporal places of great profit and respect, as to be his principal Secretary, Keeper of the Privy Seal, Master of the Wards and Liveries, Treasurer of the Kings Revenues in France, and some other Offices. After which, the Bishopric of Winchester falling void, means was made to the King to bestow that place upon him: And here, the •• cond time, did Envy rise up against him, informing the King that he was a man of little or no learning, and no way sit for such a dignity: whereupon the King made stay of granting it: but when Wickham came before the King, and • old him, that what he wanted in personal learning, he would supply with being a Founder of learning; This so satisfied the King, that he bestowed the place upon him. After this, he was made Lord Treasurer of England: and here the third time did Envy rise up against him; for the King requiring of his subjects a supply of money, It was answered, that he needed no other supply, than to call his Treasurer to accompt: This blow struck deep upon the Bishop; for he was presently charged to give accompt for eleven hundred ninety six thousand pounds; and whilst he was busy in preparing his account, all his Temporalties, upon importunity of John of Gaunt. were seized into the Kings hands, and given to the Prince of Wales, and himself • upon pain of the Kings displeasure, commanded not to come within twenty miles of the Court. In this case, he dismisseth his train, and sendeth copies abroad of his accompt, if it might be received; but was hindered by the working of John of Gaunt against him. Upon this ground (as was thought) Queen Philip wife to K. Edward the Third, upon her death-bed, by way of Confession, told Wi • kham, that John of Gaunt was not the lawful issue of king Edward, but a supposititious Son; for when she was brought to bed at Gau • t, of a Daughter, knowing how desirous the King was to have a Son; she exchanged that daughter, with a Dutch woman, for a Boy • whereof she had been delivered about the same time with the Queen. Thus much she confessed, and withal made the Bishop swear, that if the said John and Gaunt should at any time, either directly, or indirectly attempt the Crown; or that rightfully, through want of issue, it should devolve unto him; that then he should discover this matter, and make it known unto the King, and Council. Afterward the Queen being dead, and the Bishop finding John of Gaunt, as he thought, too much aspiring, he secretly told him this relation, and this adjuration of his supposed mother, advising him not to seek higher than a private state; for else he was bound by oath to make it known to all the World: Thus far the Bishop did well; but when he saw the Son of John of Gaunt not only aspiring, but possessed of the Crown, why did he not then discover it, and join at least with the Bishop of Ca • lile, in opposing it? Certainly, we may know, that either the whole relation was but a Fable, or that Wickham was a Temporizer, or that John of Gaunt was a most patient man, to suffer the affront of such an indignity, with l • sse than the death of him that did it. But howsoever it was, it is certain, the Duke bore a mortal grudge to the Bishop; who had no way to withstand such an enemy, but by making Alice Pierce his friend: by whose means, after two years, he was restored to all his livings; and afterward K. Edward being dead, and Alice Pierce banished; by the means of a greater friend than Alice Pierce (his full ourse) he obtained in the second year of k. Richard, a general pardon under the Great Seal of England ; and from that time forward enjoyed a quiet life, and died in the fourth year of this King Henry the fourth, being then of the age of above 80 years, and lieth buried in the Church of St. Swithen • in Winchester, in a monument of his own making in his life time; leaving for his heir Thomas Perrot, the son of his sister Agnes, married to William Perrot.
Another great example of the volubility of Fortune, in Professors of learning, was Roger Walden, who died in the ninth year of this King: he was at first a poor Scholar in Oxford ; and the first step of his rising, was to be a Chaplain in the College there of St. Mary's ; from thence by degrees he got to be Dean of York ; and after this, a high step, to be Treasurer of England ; and yet a higher after that, up • n the banishment of Thomas Arundell, to be Archbishop of Canterbury : But bein • now at the top, he came down again, for in this kings time, Thomas Arundell bei • g restored to the Archbishopric, Walden was not only put out of • hat place, 〈◊〉 was called to accompt for the Treasure • ship: and though he shown hi • quietus est, yet all his Temporalties were seized, and his person imprisoned, till by the mediation of the now Archbishop Arundell, he was made Treasurer of Calais, and after promoted to be B • shop of London.
The next place after these, is justly due to Geoffrey Ch • ucer, and John Gower, two famous Poets in this time, and the Fathers of English Poets in all the times after: Cha • cer died in the fourth year of this king, and lieth buried at Westminster: Gower, in this kings ninth year, and was buried in St. Mary Overys Church in Southwarke. And now come others to be remembered, who lived and died in this kings time: Hugh Legate, born in Hartfordshire, a Monk of St. Albons, who wrote Scholies upon Boetius de Consolatione. Nicholas Gorham, born also in Hartfordshire, a Dominick Frier, and the French kings Confessor, though an Englishman. Walte • Disse, so called of a Town in Norfolk where he was borne, Confessor to the Duke of Lancaster. Lawrence Holbeck, a Monk of Ramsey, who wrote an Hebrew Dictionary. John Cotton Archbishop of Armagh: Rich • rd Scroope, brother to William Scroope Lord Treasurer of England, made Archbishop of York ; and writing an invective against King Henry, lost his head. William Thorpe, an earnest follower of John Wycliffe, for which he was committed to Saltwood Castle, where he died. Stephen Patrington, born in York • shire, and Robert Mascall a Carmelite Frier of Ludlow ; both of them Confessors to king Henry the fifth. Boston a Monk of the Abbey of Burie in Suffolk ; who wrote a Catalogue of all the Writers of the Church, and other Treatises. John Purvey, who was convented for teaching Doctrine con • rary to the Church of Rome, and compelled to recant. Thomas Rudburne Bishop of S. David's, who wrote a Chronicle. Nicolas Riston, who considering the strife between the then Anti-popes, wrote a book, De tollendo schismate. Robert Wansham a Monk in Dar • etshire, who wrote a book in verse, Of the Original and signification of Words. Robert Wimbledon an excellent Preacher, as app • ar • th by the Sermon he made upo • this Text, Redde rationem Villicatio • is tuae.
THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH.
HENRY of Monmouth (so called from the place in Wales, where he was born) eldest Son of King Henry the fourth, succeeded his Father in the kingdom of England, to whom the Lord's of the Realm swore Homage and Allegiance, before he was yet Crowned; an honor never done before to any of his Predecessors: and afterwards, on the ninth of April, in the year 1412, he was Crowned at Westminster, by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury ; with all Ri • es and Solemnities in such case accustomed: And as the Scripture speaks of Saul, that as soon as Samuel had anointed him King, he had a new heart given him, and he became another man than he was before. So was it with this king Henry ; for presently after his Coronation, he called before him all his old Companions, who had been fr • tres in malo with him; strictly charging them, not to pre • ume to come within ten miles of his Court, until such time as they had given good proof of their amendment in manners; and least any of them should pretend want of maintenance to be any cause of their taking ill courses, he gave to everyone of them a competent means whereby to subsist. And knowing (as he did) the fashion of the Scots and Welch ; that in times of change they would commonly take adva • tage, to make Inroades upon the Borders; he therefore ca • sed Forts and Bulwarks in fit places to be erected, and placed Garrisons in them, for preventing or repelling any such incu • sions. Immediately after this, he called a Parliament, where a Subsidy was granted without asking: and in this Parl • ament the Commons began to harp upon their old string, of taking away the Temporalties of the Clergy; and the Bishops fearing how it might take in the kings ears, thought it best to divert him, by striking upon another string, which they knew would be more pleasing to him; which was, to show him the great right he had to the Crown of France. And hereupon Chicheley Archbishop of C • nterbury, in a long narration, deduced the kings Right from Is • bel Daughter to Philip the fourth, married to king Edward the second; from whom it descended by direct line to his Majesty, and no hindrance of enjoying it, bu • pretension of the Sal • que laws; which (said he) was neither according to the law of God, nor yet intended at first to that Nation; and though his Predecessors, by reason of other incumbrances forbore to prosecute their Claime, yet he being free from all such incumbrances, had no less power, than right to do it. This indeed struck upon the right string of the kings inclination; for as he affected nothing more than true glory, so in nothing more than in Warlike actions. Hereupon, nothing was now thought of, but the Conquest of France. First there • ore he begins to alter in his Arms the bearing of Semy-de-Luces, and quarters the three Flower Deluces, as the Kings of Fra • ce then bare them; and that he might not be thought to steal advantage, but to do it fairly, he sent Ambassadors to Charles the sixth then king of France, requiring in peaceable manner, the surrender of the Crown of Fra • ce ; which if he would yield unto, then King Henry would take to Wife his Daughter Katherine ; but if he refused to do it, then King Henry would with fire and sword enforce it from him, or lose his life. The Ambassador • sent, were the Duke of Exeter, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Lord Gray, the Lord High Admiral, and the Bishop of Norwich, with five hundred horse: who coming to the Court of F • ance, were at first received and feasted, with all the honor and show of kindness that •• ght be; but as soon as their message was delivered, and that it was known what they c • me about, the copy of their entertainment was altered, and they were sent away with as little complement, as they wer • before received with honor; only told, that the king would speedily make Answer to the King their Master, by his own Ambassadors: and speedily indeed he did it; for the Earl of Vendosme, William B ••• tier Archbishop of Bourges, Peter Fresnel Bishop of Lysea • x, with others, were arrived in England, as soon almost as the E • glish were returned • But being come, the Archbishop of Bourges made a long Oration in the praise of Peace, concluding with the tender of the Lady K • theri • e, and 50000 Crowns with her in Dower, besides some Towns of no great importance: To which King H ••• y, by the Archbishop of Ca • terbury made Answer; That these offers were trifles, and that without yielding to his demands, he would never desist from that he intended: and with this Answer, the French Ambassadors were dismissed. It is said, that about this time, the D • lphi • (who in the King of France his sickness, managed the State) sent to King Henry a Tonne of Tennis Balls, in derision of his youth, as fitter to play with them, then to manage Arm • ; which king He • ry took in such scorn, that he promised with an oath, it should not be long ere he would toss such iron b • lls amongst them, that the best arms in France should not be able to hold a Racket to r • tur • e th • m. And now all things are prepared and in a readiness for the kings journey into France, his men shipped, and himself ready to go on shipb •• rd; when suddenly a Treason was discovered against his Person, plotted by Richard Earl of Cambridge, H ••• y Lord Scroope of Masham, Lord Treasurer, and Thomas Grey Earl of N •• thu • berl •• d, and plotted and procured by the French Agents. These being appreh •• ded, and upon examination confessing the Treason, and the money (which was said to be a Million of Gold) by them for that end received; were all of them immediately put to death. From this Richard Earl of Cambridge, second Son of Edmund of L •• gle • , did Richard afterward Duke of York claim and recover the Crown from the La • castrian Family. This execution done, and the wind blowing fair, king Henry weighs Anchor; and with a Fleet of 1200 Sayle, ( Grafton saith, but 140 ships) but Enguerant saith, 1600, attended with six thousand spears, and 24000 Foo • , besides Engineers and laborers; he puts to Sea, and on our Lady Eve landeth at Caux ; where he made Proclamation, that no man upon pain of death, should rob any Church, or offer violence to any that were found • narmed; and from thence passing on, he besieged Har • lew ; which when no succor came within certain days agreed upon, the Town was surrendered and sacked. Of this Town he made the Duke of Exeter Captain, who left there for his Lievetenant, Sir John F • lstoffe, with a Garrison of 1500 men. It is said that when king Henry entered H • r • lew, he passed along the streets bare foot, until he came to the Church of St. Martin ; where, with great devotion, he gave most humble thanks to God, for this his first achieved Enterprize. From thence he marched forward, and coming to the River of Soame, he found all the Bridges broken; whereupon he passed on to the bridge of Sr. Maxenae, where 30000 French appearing, he pitched his Campe, expecting to be fought with; and the more to encourage his men, he gave the • rder of knighthood to John Lord Ferrers of Groby, Reynold Graystocke, Percy Temp • s • , Christopher Morisby, Thomas Pickering, William Huddleston, Henry Mortimer, John • Hosbalton, Philip Hall, but not perceiving the Fre • ch to have any mind to figh • he marched by the Town of A • yens to Bow • s, and there stayed two days, expec •• ing battle, and from thence marched to Corby ; where the Peasants of the Coun • ry, with certain men of Arms sent from the Dolphi • , charged the right wing of the English, which was led by Hugh Stafford Lord Bo • rchier, and won away his Standard, but was recovered again by John Bromeley of Bromeley, a Commander in the Lo •• Staffords Regiment, who with his own hand slew him that had taken the Colo •••• and then taking them up, displayed the same; with sight whereof, the English were so encouraged, that they presently ro • ted the Fre • ch, and put them to flight: which valiant exploit, the Lord Stafford recompensed, by giving to Bromeley an A ••• ity of fifty pounds a year out of his lands in Staffordshire. After this, the king marched towards Calais, so strictly observing his Proclamation against Church robbing • that when one was complained of for having taken a silver Pyxe • ut of a Church, he not only caused the same to be restored, but the soldier also to be hanged: which point of Discipline, both • ept the re •• from offending in that kind, and drew the people of the Country, under hand to relieve his men with all things necessary. The French king hearing that king He • ry had passed the River of S • ame ; by advice of his Council (who yet were divided in opinion) sent Montjoy the French king at Arms to defye king Henry, and to let him know he should be fought with; which king Henr • , though his Army was much infected with Fevers, whereof the Earl of Stafford, the Bishop of Norwich, the Lord's Molines and Burnell, were lately dead • yet he willingly heard, and rewarded the Herald for his me •• age: and first having cleared a passage over a bridge, where of necessity he was to pass, on the 22 of October he passed over with his Army: At which time the Duke of York that led the Rearward, had discovered the Enemy to come on • pace, whereof he sent word to the king; who thereupon made a stand, and appointing his Officers what course to hold, and encouraging his Soldiers, they all attended when the battle should begin. The French Army was divided into three battles; in the first were placed eight thousand men at Arms, four thousand Archers, and fifteen hundred Cross-bows, the wings consisting of two thousand two hundred men at Arms; this battle, was led by the Constable of France himself, the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon, the Earls of Ewe, Richmond, and Va • dosme, the Lord Dempier, the Lord Admiral of France, the Marshall Bouciquale, and others. The middle Battle, wherein were more men at Arms, was commanded by the Dukes of Barre, and Al •• so • , and by the Earls of V •• mon • , Salings, Blamont Grantpee, and Rusey. In the Rearward, we • e all the remainder of the French forces, guided by the Earls of M • rle, Dampmartin, Fauco • bridge, and the Lord Lo • rey, Captain of Ardy. The Frenchmen thus ordered, being six times, some say ten times as many as the English, (who were not above nine thousand) thought of nothing, but of the booty they should get: In the mean time king Henry having made choice of a piece of grou • d half fen • ed on his back with the Village, wherein they had rested the night before, on both sides having strong hedges and ditches, begun there to order his battle; but first he appointed an ambush of two hundred Archers, which upon a watchword given, should discharge their whole flight upon the flanke of the Enemies horse: The Vauntguard consisting of Archers only, was conducted by the Duke of York ; who out of an heroic courage made su • e for that place, with whom were joined the Lord's Beaumont, Willoughby, and F •• hope. The main Battle was led by the king himself, which consisted of Bill-men, and some Bow-men; with him were the Duke of Gloucester his Brother, the Earl Marshall, Oxford, and Suff • lke. The Rearward was led by Thomas Duke of Exeter, the kings Uncle, consisting of all sorts of weapons; the horsemen as wings guarded the companies on both sides. The king to prevent the fury of the French Cavallery, by the direction of the Duke of York, appointed divers stakes studded with iron at both ends, of six foot long, to be pitched behind the Archers, and appointed Pyoners to attend to remove them, as they should be directed: These things thus ordered, public Prayers were humbly made, and the on-set was presently given by the French horsemen; whereupon Sir Walter Orpington, according to direction, caused the Bow-men behind the •• dges, to let fly their arrows; which so galled the French horses, that either they cast their Riders, or through their unruliness so opened their Ranks, that the right wing of the English horse had way to come in upon the French foot; & withal, the French horse disorderly retiring, they were miserably trodden down & disranked by their own company. Upon which, the King with his Main-battle came on with such 〈◊〉 , that himself in person charged the Duke of Ala • son, by whom he was well near unhorsed; but afterward, having first slain two of the Dukes men, he ch •• ged the Duke again, and with his sword beat him from his horse; whom the Kings Guard, notwithstanding the King cried out to the contrary, slew outright: and with his fall, the main-battle of the French first gave ground, then turned their backs, and lastly cast away their weapons and fled. But then certain of the French-horsemen that first ran away, led on by Robert Bondile and the Captain of Agincourt, meaning to wipe away the blot of running away from soldiers, by fighting with boys, set upon the Pages and Laundresses that were left in the Campe; who gave such a lamentable shreeke, that king Henry verily thought some fresh forces had been come: whereupon he caused all the arrows that were sticking in the field, to be g •• hered, and the stakes to be plucked up, and made ready to be again used; amongst which the Duke of Yorks body was found, miserably hacked and defaced: the fight whereof, together with danger of a second Charge, made king Henry give o • der, the Prisoners should be all slain, except only some principal men, whom • e caused to be bound back to back, and so left. For which fact, though done in cold blood, yet the King could not justly be taxed with cruelty, seeing the number of the prisoners was more than of his own soldiers; and nothing could give assurance of safety, but their slaughter. But all was not yet done: for the Earls of Marle and F •• co • bridge, with six hundred men at Arms, who had stood still all day, began now to stir, and gave a brave Charge upon King Henries Army: but being but few, and their horses galled with the stakes, they had only the honor to die bravely; and indeed, they slew more of the English, than the whole Army had done before. And now at last, the King being satisfied by the Scouts, that no Enemy was more to be seen, he asked what the place was called? and being told, Agincourt ; Well then (said he) this shall be from henceforth called the Battle of Agincourt: and presently he c •• sed the whole Army, in their array as they were, to give God thanks; causing the Clergy there present, to sing the Psalm of David, In exitu Israel de Aegypto ; and made Proclamation, that everyone, at the verse, Non nobis Domine, sed nomini tu • d • gloriam, should kneel down, and the horse-men bow their bodies: and then singing Te Deum and other holy Hymns, they marched to the Enemies Camp, where the soldiers had liberty given them to take the spoil.
A great Victory no doubt, but yet a Victory by which the English gained not one foot of ground in France, more then they had before; and which • o • shelet attributeth not so much to the valor of the English, as to the indiscretion of the French, who had so straightened the vantguard of their Army, and pent them up so close together, that they had not room to draw out their swords; so true is that saying, Quos Deus vult perdere, dementat. The next day after the Battayle French He •• uld • came to ask leave to bury their dead, and had it; and the English Hera • lds, appointed to make search, made return that there were slain of the French above ten thousand, whereof a hundred twenty six were of the Nobility bearing 〈◊〉 ; of Knights and Gentlemen of Coat-Armor, seven thousand eight hundred seventy four, whereof five hundred were knigh • ed the night before the Battle: & of common soldiers, about sixteen hundred. Amongst the slain of the Nobility, were Charles le Brets High Constable, Iaques of Chatillon Admir 〈…〉 , the great Master of France, the Master of the Crossebowes, the Dukes o • •• a • son, Bra •••• , and Barre ; the Earls of Nevers, Marle, Vaudemont, Beaumont, Gra ••• ee, Rousey, F • uconbridge, F • ys, and Lestreuck: There was taken Prisoners, Charles Duke of Orleans, John Duke of Bourbon, the Lord's Danvert, Fosseux, Humiers, Roy, C • wn • , ••• court, No • ll, Bonciqualt ; to the number in all of fifteen hundred. On the English part were slain, Edward Duke of York, and the Earl of Suffolk, and not full six hundred in all; but (saith C • xt • n ) not above six and twenty in all; and Paulu • Aemilius saith, besides the two Lord's, only two Knights, and but ten private soldiers in all: a Miracle rather then a Victory. But not only K. Henry was the death of the French Lord's before-named, in the field with his sword; but of another great Prince, at home, with his Victory; for Lewis the Dolphin, eldest son of Ch • rles the sixth, king of France, presently upon it, without any other cause apparent, fell sick and died. Yet king He • ry, to make his enemies the better contented with their overthrow, and to take away the envy of his Victory; at his return into England with his Prisoners, which was on the sixth of November following, he presently gave straight order, that no Ballad or Song should be made or sung, more then of Thanksgiving to God for his happy Victory and safe Return; but without words of either disgracing the Fre • ch, or extolling the English. At his entrance into London, the City presented him with a thousand pounds, and two Basons of Gold worth five hundred pounds more. The bodies of the Duke of York and the Earl of Suffolk were brought into England, and the Dukes buried at Fodringhey in Northamptonshire, the Earls at New-Elm • in Oxfordshire.
About this time, the Emperor Sigismond Cosin-german to king Henry, having been first in France, came accompanid with the Archbishop of Reims, Ambassador from the French king, into England ; for whom there were thirty great ships sent from the King to waft him over: but approaching to land at Dover, the Duke of Gloucester, with a company of Gentlemen, having their swords drawn, s • ept up to the knees in water, saying to him, That if he came as the Kings friend, he should be welcome; but if as claiming any jurisdiction, they would resist him: whereupon the Emperor renounceth all Imperial Authority; and is thereupon admitted to land, and received with as much honor as could be done him; and afterward, together with Albert D • ke of Holland, who was lately likewise arrived at Winchester, is elected Companion of the Order of the Garter, and sa • e in their Cells at the solemnity of the Feast. A principal cause of the Emperors coming, was to mediate a Peace between England and France ; wherein he had brought king Henry to a good degree of inclination; till news came of the besieging of Harflew by the French, and of the Earl of Armi • iacks setting upon the Duke of Exceter, being Governor there: and then he presently grew so averse from Peace, that he would hearken no more to any Treaty of it; Not that he misliked they should treat of Peace with their swords in their hands, as all wise men would do; but that to treat of Peace, and in the time of the Treaty to do • acts of Hostility, was an affront to all honesty, and not to be tolerated with any patience.
And now the Earl of Arminiack having set down before the Town, the Vice-Admiral of France brought up the whole Navy of the French, with intent whilst the Earl should assail it by land, to have entered the Town by the waters side: but of this purpose, the valor and diligence of the Duke of Exce • er prevented them. A •• oone as king Henry had intelligence hereof, he would presently have gone himself; but being dissuaded by the Emperor, he sent his brother the Duke of Bedford, with the Earls of March, Oxford, Huntingdon, Warwick, Arundell, Salisbury, De ••• shire, and divers others, with two hundred Saile, to the rescue of Harflew ; who upon the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, came to the mouth of the River Seyne: whereupon, Norbo • the French Admiral set forward, and got the mouth of the Haven: and here began a Fight, which was resolutely maintained on both sides, until the English having sunk five hundred Vessels one and other of the French, and taken three great Carricks of Genoua, won the harbor, and at last, though with some opposition made by their Gallies, relieved Har • lew, and made the Earl of Arminiack glad to raise his Siege. Upon the news hereof, the Emperor desisted from mediating any further for Peace with France ; and entering into a League defensive and offensive with king Henry, wherein only the Pope was excepted, on the 19 of October he departed towards Germany, whom king Henry accompanied to Calais ; whither the Duke of Burgundy came, to confirm the League concluded on before by the Earl of Warwick and him, concerning Flanders and Arthois only. In the mean time the French had hired divers Carracks and other great ships of the Geno • aes and Italians, which joining with the french-fleet, lay at the mouth of the River of Seyne, under the command of Iaques Bastard of Bourbon, to hinder all succors from coming to Har • lew ; but John Earl of Huntingdon (son to the Duke of Exeter beheaded at Cicester ) being sent to s • our the coasts, encountered with him, and after a long fight took him Prisoner, and three of his great Carricks, with all the money for the half years pay of the fleet, and sinking three other of his Carricks, and dispersing the rest, cleared the mouth of the River and then returned to the king at Southampton. And now upon the twenty third of July, in the • ourth year of his Reign, the king himself, with the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, the Earls of Huntingdon, Warwick, Devo • shire, Salisbury, Suffolk and Somerset, the Lord's Ross, Willoughby, Fits-hugh, Clynton, Scroope, Matrevers, Bourch • er, Ferrers of Groby, Ferrers of Chartley, Fa • hope, Grey of Codnor, Sir Gilbert Vmphrevile, Sir Gylbert Talbot, and an Army consisting of twenty five thousand five hundred twenty eight fighting men, besides a thousand Artificers and Pyoners, took shipping at Portsmouth, and upon the first of August landed in Normandy near to the Castle of Tonque, which he presently besieged, and upon the ninth of August had it yielded to him, at which time the Earl of Salisbury took the Castle of Albervilliers which the king gave him, to him and his heirs, being the first land given by the king in France.
At the winning of Tonque, the king made eight and twenty Knights; and from thence marched with his Army to Caen ; where to prevent the Citizens from sallying out, he cast up a Mount; and then making many assaults, but finding them to do little good, he caused his Pyoners to undermine the walls: which being done, upon the fourth of September he offered the Besieged their lives, if they would submit: which they refusing, he thereupon made a show of a general assault, whilst many of his men entered the City under the foundation, of whom the Duke of Clarence with his Company was the first: and they coming upon the backs of those that defended the walls, easily overcame them; and then the whole Army entered without resistance. The next day, the King caused all the principal men of the Town to come before him at their Senate house; where some of them, for their stubborn refusing the grace he had offered them, were adjudged to death, and the rest fined: the spoil of the Town was distributed amongst the soldiers. The Captain of the Castle stood out a while; but being advertised that the king had sworn to show no mercy, if he did not surrender; he gave twelve Hostages, that if it were not relieved before the twentieth of September, he would then give it up; which not coming, he performed: and so the king had possession both of C • en and the Castle.
And now Charles the new Dolphin, being but seventeen years of age and bare of money, had got into his possession all the jewels, plate and money of the Queen his mother; which so incensed her against him, that to do him a spite, she placed the Duke of Burgundy in chief authority about the king, who by reason of his infirmity was u • able himself to manage the State; and the Duke having now the sword in his hands, meant first • o repress the growing boldness of the Dolphyn, and afterward to repel the common Enemy: and the Dolphyn likewise, envying the Dukes advancement above him, meant first to take down his swelling greatness, and afterward to fall upon the foreign adversary; and thus while private respects were preferred before public, whilst the Duke and the Dolphyn had their first intentions against one another, not looking afte • king Henry, but in the second place, after their own turns served, an easy way was left for king Henries proceedings, and he went on at his pleasure with small opposition. He sent the Duke of Clarence, who took in the City of Bayeux, as likewise the Duke of Glo • cester the City of Lyse • x ; whilst himself remaining still at Caen, put out of the city the natives that were impotent or young infants to the number of fifteen hundred, & in their places put English people, and finding a great mass of money and plate, deposited by the Citizens in the Castle, • e caused the same, upon proof, to be respectively delivered to the right owners • upon condition they would acknowledge him for their Sovereign; which moderate and just dealing won him more hearts then the force of his Arms had won him knees, specially with the Normans, who are easier to be drawn with gentleness and love, then forced by violence and compulsion. From hence the king marched the first of October to Corfye Castle, which within three days yielded. The fourth of October he came to Argenton, which not relieved by a day agreed upon, was likewise surrendered. The Town of Al • nson endured eight days siege, but in the end did as other their neighbor Towns had done. From Alanson the Earl of S • lisbury was sent to Faleys, to view the strength thereof, whom the king presently followed, where the besieged concluded, if it were not relieved before the second of January, then to yield up the Town: No relief coming, the Town was yielded up, and soon after upon the like terms, the Castle. From hence the king returned to Caen, to put in execution a Proclamation he had formerly made; That if the inhabitants of Normandy that were fled, returned not by a day assigned, he would then grant their Lands to his soldiers: and thereupon he gave to the duke of Clarence during life, the Vicounties of A • ge, Or • er and Pon • i •• , with all the Lands of those that were not returned according to the Proclamation. All the Lent the king lay at Bayeux, whilst his Navy still kept the Seas, and daily took many French ships, but upon the sixteenth of July such a Tempest took them, that they were driven to fall in with Southampton ; and yet, with all their diligence, could not so save themselves, but that two Ballingers, and two great Carricks laden with merchandize, were in the very Haven drowned. In the mean time the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Talbot besieged the strong Castle of D • mfront : The Duke of Cl • rence took Court • n and Burney ; and many other being taken, as Cha • bois, Bechelouyn, H • rcourt, Fantgernon, Cre • en • r, Anvyll • ers, B • gles, in all of them he placed Captains and Garrisons, and particularly in Fres • y, Sir Robert Brent, lately made Viscount. The Duke of Glo • cester also, with the Earl of March, and the Lord of Codnor, took in all the Isle of Co • st •• ti • e, except Chereburg, and then returned to the king, but was sent back to take in that City also: which after some time, when no relief came, was, together with the Castle, likewise surrendered; although by this time the Duke of Burg •• di • and the Dolphyn, by mediation of the Pope, were reconciled, and began to join thei • Forces to make resistance. And now the Duke of Exeter the kings Uncle, with a supply of fifteen thousand men out of England, came to the king, who presently took in the City of Eureux ; and the Earl of Ryme, the strong Cast • e of Mill • y le Vesco.
The next thing attempted, was the siege of Ro •• , a City strongly fortified, both with walls and di • ches, and to which there was no convenient passage, but by the City of Lovie • ; to this City therefore he first lays • iege, which when no relief came within a time agreed on, was surrendered; and yet there was another impediment to be removed, a stone-bridge, which hindered the approach to Roan, being exceeding strongly guarded: For this, King Henry devised floats of wicke • , covered with be • sts hides, by which the Duke of Cl • rence with his quarter passed the River, • nd then laid siege to the Town on • hat side; and for the other side, he had other devises made with hogsheads and pipes, fastened to • irrepoles and Barges, with which he passed his men over at pleasure; and in the mean time he caused divers of his Soldiers that could swim, to make show of passing the River three miles off another way; with which the French-men being deluded, drew all their forces thither, • nd by this means the Fort being left unfurnished of sufficient guard, was presently forced to surrender, and the Soldiers were taken to the Kings grace; The bridge being thus gained, the Duke of Exeter was sent, and with him Windsor the Herald, to summon the Citizens to surrender the Town; who not only gave proud answers, but also made a sallye forth, though with the loss of thirty of their men. Upon this obstinacy of theirs, the King presently orders his siege; his own quarter was the Ch • rteux, the Duke of Clar • nce at St. Gervays, the Duke of Exeter at Port St. Dennis, and every great Commander had his quarter assigned, so as the City was begirt round, and a great chain of iron set upon piles, and a strong wooden bridge for passage from one Campe to the other, was made over the River. At this time the Earl of Kilmayne with sixteen hundred Irish came to the King, and had their quarter assigned them, who behaved themselves with great valor: The Kings Cosen Germane the King of Portugal, sent likewise a Navy of Ships to the mouth of the River of Seyne, which stopped all passage of succor to Roan ; many policies and practices were used against the City, but none prevailed, till famine forced it; for there being in Roan 210000 persons at the beginning of the Siege, and the Siege continuing long, it grew to that extremity, that the Citizens drank nothing but vinegar and water, and had little to eat, but Rats and Mice, Cats and dogs, and such like: Great numbers of the poorer sort were thrust out of the City, who not suffered to pass the English Army, miserably perished; only • pon Christmas-day, in honor of Christ's birth, the King relieved and suffered to pass as many as were at first put out, but not others that were put out the second time, but suffered them to perish.
In this distress, a Parley is required by the Citizens; who notwithstanding their misery, yet stood upon such high terms, that nothing was concluded, only a truce for eight days was granted them; the eight days ended, and nothing yet agreed upon amongst themselves, they crave one day longer, and neither in that day could anything be agreed on; then they crave four days more, in which the multitude and common people so pressed the Magistrates and Governors of the City, that on the fourth day, being about the nineteenth of January, the City was surrendered, and the Inhabitants themselves, and all their goods were yielded to the Kings mercy; the Duke of Exeter was appointed to take possession, who accordingly entered with his Soldiers. The next day after, being Friday the twentieth of January, the King himself made his entry, with four Dukes, ten Earls, eight Bishops, sixteen Barons, and others, and was by the Clergy conducted to our Lady Church; where after public thanksgiving, he took Homage and fealty of the Burgesses and Inhabitants; making Proclamation, that all that would come and acknowledge him to be their Sovereign, should enjoy the benefit of his Protection, and retain their possessions, whereupon many came in, and many Towns were surrendered. In this time of the Kings lying at Roan, the Earl of Salisbury took in Hunflew, Munster de Villiers, Ewe, and Newcastle ; the Duke of Clarence took Vernon, and Naunt ; and the Earl of Warwick la Roche Guyon.
And now the Duke of Burgundy seeing the great successes of King Henry, could think of no better way for his own safety, then to make a reconciliation between the two Kings; to which end, Ambassadors are sent to procure their meeting; at which time, King Henry for their service already performed, and in hope of more here • fter, made the valiant Gascoigne Captain le Beuff, Earl of Longuevyle, Sir John Gra • Earl of T • nkevyle, and the Lord Bo • rch • er Earl of E •• . Upon the l • st of M • y, King Henry accompanied with the Dukes of Clarence, Gloucester, and Exeter, his Uncle Beaufort, the Bishop of Winchester, with the Earls of March, and Salisb • ry, and a thousand men at Arms, entered the place appointed for the meeting of the two Kings. The French Queen (her Husband being taken with hi • 〈◊〉 ) with the Duke of Burg • igne, and the Earl of St. Paul, and a company of Ladies • amongst whom, as a bait to entangle the Kings affection, was the kings D • ughter, the beautiful Lady Katherine ; with whose sight, though the King was marvelously taken, yet he made no show thereof, till other things should be agreed upon; but the Dolphin having made means to the Duke of Burgoigne to hinder all agreement, nothing was effected; whereupon at their parting, the King told the Duke, that he would have both the Lady, and all his other Demands, or else drive the King of France out of his kingdom, and him out of his Dukedom: Upon thi • , the Duke thought it best to agree with the Dolphin, and upon the sixth of July, Articles of their reconcilement are signed and sealed; In the mean time, the Ea • le of Long •• vile surprised the Town of Ponthoyse, but had scarce been able to make good the surprise, if the Duke of Clarence had not co • e to his • uc •• ur; 〈◊〉 thence the Duke marched to Paris, and there stayed two days, but pe • ceivi •• no show of sallye to be made, he returned to Ponth • yse, whither the King himself came; and from thence marching on, took in the Castle of Vanyon Villeirs ; and on the last of August, the Castles of Gysors, and Galyard, and Dumall ; so that now all Normandy ( Mou • t St. Michael only excepted) was reduced to the possession of the King of England, which had been wrongfully detained from him, ever since the year 1207.
The Dolphin all this while, though having outwardly made a reconcilement with the Duke of Burgoigne, yet inwardly bearing a spleen against him, intended nothing so much as his destruction; which to e •• ect, he procured a meeting between the Duke and him, and all the Peers of the Realm at Mountstrew ; where the Duke though humbling himself in reverence to the Dolphin on his knee, was most barbarously murdered; which act, was so much the less to be pitied in the Duke, by how much he in the like kind, upon the like enterview, had caused Lewis the Duke of Orleans to be murdered. But though this barbarous act might justly incens • Philip Earl of Carolois the Duke of Burgoig • es heir to seek revenge; yet as a wise and and political Prince, he forbore for the present to make show of choller or distemperature, and considering with himself, that difference between the Dolphin and him, would but give King He • ry the greater advantage, he endeavored to propose an overture of peace between the two Kings; And to that end Ambassadors are sent from the King of France, and the young Duke of Burgoig •• , whom the King kindly entertained, but seemed to intimate unto them, that he could give no great credit to their propositions, unless the Lady Katherine would join in them, whose innocence he knew would never abuse him. Whilest these things are in agitation, the Earl of Salisbury took in Fres •• y, and the Earls Marshall and Huntingdon entered into Mayn, who approaching Ments, were encountered by the forces of the Dolphin, whereof they slew five thousand, and took two hundred prisoners; for which, news being brought to Roan, whither King Henry was come to solemnize the Feast of Christ's Birth, thanksgiving to God were publicly made; and in the instant thereof, arrived other Ambassadors from the King and Queen of France, and a letter from the Lady Katherine to King Henry, was secretly by the Bishop of Arr • s delivered; The conclusion of all was, that the king of England should speed himself to Troyes, there to be Espoused to the Lady Ka • herine, and to have assurance of the Crown of France, after the decease of the present king Charles : Whereupon, with a Guard of fifteen thousand choice Soldiers, accompanied with the Duke of Clare • ce and Gloucester, the Earls of Warwick, Salisbury, Huntingdon, Lo • g • evile, Tankervile and Ewe ; the king of England came to Troyes in Champaign, upon the eighteenth day of May, where he was met by the Duke of Burgoign • , and divers of the French Nobility, who attended him to the Palace, where the Queen with her Daughters, the Duchess of Burgoigne, and the Lady Katherine gave him Princely entertainment; and after some intercourse of complement between the Princes and the Ladies, K. Henry tendered to the Lady Katherine a Ring of great value, which she (not without some blushing) received; and afterward, upon the twentieth day of May, she was affianced to him in St. Peters Church, and on the third of June following, the marriage was solemnized; and therewithal king Henry was published to be the only Regent of the Realm, and Heir apparent to the Crown of France ; the Articles whereof, with all convenient expedition were Proclaimed both in England and in France, and the two kings, and all their Nobles, and other Subjects of account, were sworn to observe them; and in particular the Duke of Burgoigne.
And thus was the Salique Law violated, and the heir Male put by his Sucession in the Crown, which the Genius of France will not long endure, a while it must; and therefore the main endeavor of both kings now is, to keep him down, whom they had put down; and thereupon, on the fourth day of June, king Henry with the French king, James king of Scots, who was newly arrived, the Duke of Burgoig • e • the Prince of Orenge, one and twenty Earls, five and forty Barons, with many Knights and Gentlemen, and an Army consisting of French, English, Scottish, Irish, and Dutch, to the number of six hundred thousand, marched towards the Dolphin; and upon the seventh day, laid siege to the Town of Se •• s, which sided with the Dolphin, which after four days siege was yielded up. From thence they removed, having the Duke of Bedford in their company, who was newly come out of E • gla • d, with large supplies of men and money to Monst •••• , which was taken by Escalado, only the Castle held out still; during the siege whereof, king Henry cre •• ed an Officer of Arms, to be king of Heralds over the Englishmen, and intitled him Garter ; whom he sent with offers of mercy to the Castle, but was by the Captain thereof reproachfully upbraided: for punishment of which his presumption, • Gibbet was erected, and in view of Monsieur Guitry the said Captain, twelve of his friends were executed: whereupon those of the Castle treated for peace; but the king, in eight days together, would not grant so much as a parley • so that after six weeks siege, they were enforced (their lives saved) simply to yield. From thence the king marched to Melun upon Sein, and besieged it the thirtieth of July ; the Captain whereof was Barbason a Gascoigne, no less politick than valiant, who countermined some, and stopped other Mines made by the English, and fo • ght hand to hand in the Barriers with king Henry ; yet at last, through Famine and Pestilence was forced to yield; but being suspected to have had a hand in the murder of the Duke of Burgoigne, he was sent prisoner to Paris ; and presently thereupon, both the kings with their Queens, the Duke of Burgoigne and his Duchess, with a Royal Traine came thither; where the French king was lodged in the House of S. Paul, and the king of England in the Castle of Lo • ure. And here the three States of France anew under their hands and Seals in most a • thenticke manner Ratified the former Articles of king Henries Succession in the Crown of France ; the Instruments whereof were delivered to the king of England, who sent them to be kept in his Treasury at Westminster.
And now King Henry began to exercise his Regency, and as a badge of his Authority; he caused a new Coyne which was called a Salute, to be made, whereon the Arms of France and England were quarterly stamped; he placed and displaced divers Officers, and appointed the Duke of Exeter with five hundred men, to the Guard of Paris : He awarded out Processe against the Dolphin, to appear at the Marble-Table at Paris, which he not obeying, Sentence was denounced against him, as guilty of the murder of the Duke of Burgoigne ; and by the sentence of the Parliament, he was banished the Realm.
After this, the King making Thomas Duke of Clarence his Lievetenant General of Fra • ce and Normandy ; on the 6 th of January, with his beloved Queen Katherine he left Pari • , and went to Amyens, and from thence to Calli • , and thence landing at Dover, came to Canterbury, and afterward through Lo • do • to Westminster ; where the Queen upon St. Matthews day, the fourth of Febru • ry was Crowned; the King of Scots sitting at dinner in his State, but on the left hand of the Queen, the Archbishop of Ca • terbury, and the Kings Uncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand, All were served with covered messes of silver, but all the Feast was Fish, in observation of the Lent season.
After this, the king took his Progress through the Land, hearing the complaints of his poor Subjects, and taking order for the administering of Justice to high and low; and then met the Queen at Leicester, where they kept their Easter.
In the mean time, the Duke of Clarence making a Road into A • jo • , came to the City of Ampers, where he knighted Sir William Ross, Sir Henry G • d • ard, Sir Rowla • d Vyder, Sir Thomas Beauford his natural Son; and returning home laden with prey, was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage; whereupon, he sent the Scout-master, Andrew Fogosa • Lombard, to discover the face of the Enemy; who being corrupted, brought report that their number was but small, and those but ill ordered, that if he presently charged, there could be no resistance. The Dukes credulity caused him to draw all his horses together, and leaving his bows and bill • behind which were his chief • st strength, with his 〈◊〉 only he makes towards the Enemy; but the Traitor leading to a straight, where by his appointment an ambush was laid, tha • the Duke could neither retreat, nor flee; he soon perceived the Trea • chery, but finding no remedy, he manfully set sp •• to his horse, and charged upon the Enemy; but over-laid with multitude, and wearied with fight, was himself, with the Earl of Ta • kervile, the Lord Ross, the Ea • le of Angus, Sir John 〈◊〉 , and Sir John Vere • d, and above two thousand English slain; The Earls of S •• erset, Suffolk and Pearch, Sir John Berkl • y, Sir Ralph Nevill, Sir Willi •• B • wes, and 60 Gentlemen were taken prisoners: The body of the Duke of Cl • rence, was by Sir John Beauford his base Son, (the D. dying without other issue) conveyed to England, and buried at Canterbury besides his Father: and this disaster happened upon • aster-Eve. The King was at Beverley when he heard of his brothers death, and presently thereupon, dispatched away Edmund Earl of M • rt •• gne into Nor ••• dy, making hi • Lieutenant thereof; and then calls his high Court of Parliament to Westminster, requiring aid by money to revenge his br • thers death, which was readily granted; and the king thus provided, sent his brother the Duke of Bedford with an Army to C • lli • , consisting of four thousand men at Arms, and four and twenty thousand Archers, whom about the middle of May he followeth himself, and saf • lie a • riving at C • lli • , hasted to relieve Charters, which the Dolphin with seven thousand men had besieged; but hearing of the kings coming, was retired to Tours. The king of Scots, with the Duke of Gloucester, about the eighth of July besieged Dreux ; which agreed, if it were not relieved by the twentieth of that month, then to surrender it; no relief coming, it was surrendered. The king pursu • d the Dolphin from place to place, but could not overtake him, but in the way, surprised the Town of B • wg •• cy, where all that craved it, he • ooke to mercy, as likewise he did at Ro • gemo • t ; from thence he went to Orleans, and from thence to Vigne • St. To • , and from thence to Paris ; where having fitted himself with supplies, he went and sat down before Menixe in Brye, which after some opposition, he also took; and thereby had possession of all the Fortresses in the Isle of France, in 〈◊〉 , in • rye, and in Champaigne.
Upon St. Nicholas day, in the year 1422, Queen Katherine was brought to bed of a Son at Windsor, who was by the Duke of Bedford, and Henry Bishop of Winchester, and the Countess of Holland Christened by the name of Henry ; whereof, when the king had notice, out of a Propheticke rapture he said; Good Lord, I Henry of Monmouth shall small time Reign and much get, and Henry borne at Windsor, shall long time Reign and lose all, but God's will be done.
About this time the Dolphin laid siege to Cosney, which the king was intentive to relieve, as being a Town of the Duke of Burgoignes ; and therefore tendredit more than if it had been hi • own; and making over-hasty journeys, he over-heat himself with travel; and coming to S •• lys, found himself so ill at ease, that he was forced to remain there, and to send his brother the Duke of Bedford to prosecute his design, which the Duke performed, and the Dolphin upon his approach, retired into Berry ; whereof, in mockage he was after called the king of Berry. But the kings Feaver and fl •• increasing, he was removed to Boys de Vincens ; where growing worse and worse, within a few days he died. But somewhat before his departure, he had made his Brother the Duke of Bedford Lievetenant General of Nor ••• dy, and Regent of the kingdom of France, and his Brother the Duke of Gloucester, he had made Protector of England, and of his Sons Person: Exhorting all to be true and faithful to the Duke of • urgo • g • e, to be at unity amongst themselves, to be loyal to their young Prince, to be serviceable to his dearly beloved Queen, to hold a • d preserve what he by his valor, and God's assistance had won; and never to conclude contract of amity with the Dolphin, or Duke of Alanson, until they had submitted themselves to the kings Grac • . And so giving God thanks for all his favors and blessings bestowed upon him, in the midst of saying a Psalm of David, he departed this life; who might justly have prayed God with David, Take me • ot away in the midst of my days, for he died about the age of five or six and thirty years, which in David's account is the midst of the number of the days of man's life: but though he died in the midst of his days, yet he died in the fullness of his Glory; and of whom it may he said,— I am{que} arce potitus, Ridet anhel •• tes dur • ad fastig •• montis. When he had Reigned nine years and five months.
Of his Taxations.
IN his first year an incredible sum of money was given him by the Clergy, to di • ert him from a motion propounded to take away their Temporalties. And in the same year a Subsidy was granted him both by the Clergy and the Laity. In his fourth year was granted him, towards his wars in France, two whole Tenths of the Clergy, and a fifteenth of the Laity; which being far too short to defray his great charge, he was forced to pawn his Crown to the Bishop of Beauford his Uncle for a great sum of money, as also certain Jewels to the Lord Major of London, for ten thousand marks. In his ninth year in a Parliament at We •• minster, for revenge of the Duke of Clarence death, two tenths of the Clergy, and one fifteenth by the Laity, which because the haste of the business could not stay the usual course of collection, the Bishop of Winchester brought in presently twenty thousand pounds, to receive it again when the Subsidy should be gathered. The same year also, the Duke of Bedford in the kings absence called a Parliament, wherein was granted towards his wars, one fifteenth to be paid in such money as was at that time current. These are all the Subsidies that were given him, notwithstanding his many and great achievements, by which it appears what great matters a moderate Prince may do, and yet not grieve his subjects with Taxations.
Of Laws and Ordinances made by him, or in his • ime.
HE ordained the king of Heralds over the English, which is called G • rter.
In his ninth year, in a Parliament holden at Westminster, It was ordained, that no man should offer Gold in payment, unless it were weight; and thereupon were appointed balances and weights.
An act made in the thirteenth year of king Richard the Second, which disabled the Alien Religious to enjoy any B • nefices within England, was in the beginning of this kings Reign put in execution: and further, this king excluded also the French from all preferments Ecclesiastical; and those Priors Aliens Conventuall, who had institution and induction, were bound to put in security, not to disclose or cause to be disclosed, the Counsel and secre • s of the Realm.
Affaires of the Church in his ti • e.
IN the beginning of his Reign, the Wycliffe’s increased greatly, of whom Sir John Oldcastle was a Chief; who by marriage of a kinswoman of the Lord Cobham • of C •• ling in Kent, obtained that Title: This knight, being very valorous, and in great favor with the king, was in a Synod at London accused for maintaining of Wycliffe • doctrine: whereof the king being informed, sent for him, and instantly dealt with him to submit himself to the censure of the Church: But Sir John Oldcastle told the King, that he owed his subjection only to his Majesty; and as for others, he would stand for the truth against them, to the uttermost of his life. Upon this, he was served by Processe, to appear in the Archbishops Court; and not appea • ing, was condemned of Contumacy, and afterwards in a Synod at Rochester, was by the Archbishop pronounced to be an Heretic; who then enacted that Decree, That the Holy Scriptures ought not to be translated into the English tongue: But mark the judgment that fell upon his own tongue, who • e roots and blade shortly after (as is recorded) grew so big in his mouth and throat, that he could neither speak, nor swallow down meat, but in horror lay languishing, till at last •••• ved by famine, he so died. In the mean time, Sir John Oldcastle wrote his Beliefe, and presented it himself to the King; which the King would in no wise receive, but suffered him, in his presence, and Privy chamber, to be summoned; who appearing before the Archbishop, after divers examinations, he was condemned of Heresy, and committed to the Tower of London, from whence shortly after he escaped, and got into Wales. The king, by his Proclamation, promised a thousand Marks to any that should bring him in: but so much was his doctrine generally favored, that the kings offer was not much regarded, but he continued four years after undiscovered: At last he was taken in the borders of Wales, within a Lordship belonging to the Lord Powes, who brought him to London, before the Duke of Bedford Regent of the Realm; where in the end he was condemned, and finally was drawn from the Tower to S. Giles field, and there hanged in a chain by the middle, and after consumed with fire, the gallows and all. At the time of his first conviction, four years before, it was rumour'd, that twenty thousand men in arms were assembled in S. Giles field: whereupon, the king, at midnight, himself in person went thither, where he found many indeed, who upon examination confessed, that they came to meet their Captain Sir John Oldcastle, but without any intent against the king: yet was Sir Roger Acto • , and eight and twenty others of them apprehended, and executed in Smithfield ; and all the Prisons in and about London were filled with them.
In his third year, the order of Church service throughout England, was changed from the use of Paul's to the use of S • lisbury, to the great disliking of many in those days.
In his fourth year, a Council was holden at Constance, whither he sent Ambassadors, the Earl of Warwick, the Bishops of Salisbury, Bath, and Hereford ; the Abbot of Westminster, and the Prior of Worcester: In which Council it was decreed, that England should have the title of the English Nation, and should be accounted one of the five principal Nations in rank before Spain ; which often before had been moved, but never granted till then. And herein were all Wycliffe’s positions condemned: also John Hus, and Jerome of Prague (notwithstanding the Emperors safe-conduct) were both of them burned. In this Council, the Schism of Anti-popes, which had continued the space of nine and twenty years, was reformed: • e • edict the 13. had been elected by the Spaniard; Gregory the 1 • . by the French; John the 24. by the Italians: And now in this Council, begun in February 1414, and continued above three yea • es; wherein were assembled, besides the Emperor, the Pope, and the Palsgrave of R •• ime, four Patriarchs, twenty seven Cardinals, seven and forty Archbishops, one hundred and threescore Bishop • , Princes and Barons with their attendants, above thirty thousand; The foresaid elected Popes were all put down, or else resigned; and in the place, as legitimate Pope, was elected Otho Lolo • na, by the name of Marti • the fifth.
In this year also, fell out an Accident, which shows the strict observance of Ecclesiastical censures in those days. The wives of the Lord Strange, and Sir John Trussell of War • ington in Cheshire, striving for place at a Sermon in S. Dunst •• s Church in the East, their husbands being present, fell themselves to striving in their wives behalf • , and great part-taking there was on both sides, some slain, and many wounded: The delinquents were committed to the Counter, the Church suspended, and upon examination, the Lord Strange being found guilty, was by the Archbishop of Canterbury adjudged to this Penance, which was accordingly performed: The Parson of S. Dunst •• s went before, after whom followed all the Lord's servants in their shirts; after them went the Lord himself, bare-headed, with a wax taper in his hand; then followed the Lady, bare-footed; and then last came the Archdeacon Reynold R ••• ood: in which order they went from Paul's where the sentence was given, to S. Dunst •• s Church; where at the rehallowing thereof, the Lady filled all the Vessels with water, and according to the sentence, offered to the Altaran ornament of the value of ten pounds; and the Lord, a Pixe of silver, of five pounds A Penance, no doubt, which the Lord and the Lady would have redeemed with a great deal of money, if the discipline of the Church had in those days allowed it: but it seems, the commutation of Penance was not as yet come in use.
In his ninth year, in a Parliament at Leicester, a hundred and ten Priories alient were suppressed, because they spoke ill of his Conquests in France ; and their possessions were given to the King: but by him, and King Henry the sixth, were afterward given to other Monasteries, and Colleges o • learned men.
Works of Piety by him, or others in his time.
THis King re-edified his Royal Manor, which was then called Sheene, now Richmond, and founded two Monasteries not far from it; the one of Carthusians, which he named Bethlehem ; the other of Religious men and women of the Order of S. Bridget, which he named Zion : He also founded the Brotherhood of Saint Giles without Cripplegate in London. In the second year of his Reign, Mooregate near to Colemanstreet was first made, by Thomas Fawkener Major of London, who caused also the ditches of the City to be cleansed, and a common Privy that was on the Moore without the wall, to be taken down, and another to be made within the City upon Wallbrooke, into the which brook he caused the water of the City to be turned by grates of iron in divers places. In his sixth year, William of Sevenoak Major of London, founded in the Town of Sevenoak a Free school and thirteen Almshouses. This man was found at Sevenoak in Kent, anew-borne infant of unknown Parents, but by charitable people was Christened and brought up, bound prentise in London, and came at last to be Major of the City. Also Robert Chic • ely Major of London gave liberally to the Almshouses founded by his brother Henry Chiche •• y Archbishop of Canterbury, at Higham-Ferrers in Northamptonshire, where they were born. But Henry Chicheley the Archbishop founded two Colleges in Oxford ; one called Bernard College, renewed by Sir Thomas White, and named S. John's College; the other called All-Souls, which continueth at this day as he left it. Also John Kempe Archbishop of Canterbur • , converted the Parish-Church of Wye in Kent where he was borne, into a College of Secular Priests.
Casualties happening in his time.
IN the fifth year of his Reign a great part of the City of Norwich was burnt, with all the house of the Friers Preachers, and two fryers of that Order. In his third year, on the feast of the Purification, seven Dolphins came up the River of Th • mes, whereof four were taken.
Of his Wife and issue.
HE married Catherine the daughter of king Charles the sixth of France, who was his Queen two years and about three months, married at Troyes in Champaigne the third day of June 1420. and afterward February the fourteenth crowned at Westminster: She surviving king Henry, was re-married to Owen Teu ••• an Esquire of Wales, who pretended to be descended from Cadwallade • the antien • king of Wales, though some write him to be the son of a Brewer, whose meanness of estate was recompensed by the delicacy of his personage; so absolute in all the lineaments of his body, that the only contemplation of it might well make her forget all other circumstances; by him she had three sons, Edmond, I • sper, and Owen, and a daughter that lived but a while. Her son Owen took the habit of Religion at Westminster, the other two were by king Henry the sixth (their half brother) advanced in honor: Edmond was created Earl of Richmond, and marrying the sole heir of John Beaufort Duke of Somerset, was Father, by her, unto Henry the s • aventh, king of England, the only heir of the house of Lancaster. Jasper her second son was first created Earl of Pembroke, and after Duke of Bedford, but died without lawful issue. This Queen • , either for devotion or her own safety, • oke into the Monastery of Bermo • dsey in Southwarke, who dying the second o • January 1436. she was buried in our Ladies Chapel within St. Peters Church at Westminster, whose corps taken up in the Reign of king Henry the s • aventh, her Grand-child (when he laid the foundation of that admirable structure) and her Coffin placed by king Henry her husbands Tomb, hath ever since so remained, and never since re-buried, where it standeth (the cover being loose) to be seen and handled of any that will. By her king Henry had only one son, named Henry, who succeeded him in the Kingdom.
Of his Personage and Conditions.
HE was tall of stature, lean of body, and his bones small but strongly made, somewhat long necked, black haired, and very beautiful of face, swift in running, so as he with two of his Lord's, without bow or other engine, would take a wild Buck or Do in a large Park: He delighted in songs and musical Instruments, insomuch that in his Chapel amongst his private prayers, he used certain Psalms of D • vid, translated into English meeter by John Lydgate Monk of Bury. And indeed it may be truly said of him as was said of Aenae • s: Quo justior alter; Nec pi • tate fuit, nec bello major & ar • i • , for he seldom fought ba •• ell where he got not the victory, and never got victory whereof he gave not the glory to God, with public Thanksgiving. He was a better man, a King then a Subject; for till then he was not in his right Orbe, and therefore no marvel if he were something exorbitant. He was of a merciful disposition, but not to the prejudice of wisdom; as thinking wise cruelty to be better then foolish pity. He was no less politick then valian • , for he never fought battle, nor won Town, wherein he prevailed not as much by stratagem as by force. He was so temperate in his diet, and so free from vain-glory, that we may truly say, he had something in him of Caesar which Alexander the Gre •• had not, that he would not be drunk; and some • hing of Alexander the Great, which Caesar had not, that he would not be flattered. He was indeed a great affector of Glory, but not of glory the bl • st of men's mouths, but of the Glory that fills the sails of Time. He died of full years, though not full of years: if he had lived longer he might have gone over the same again, but could not have gone further. If his love were great to Military men, it was not small to Clergy men, insomuch as by many he was called the Prince of Priests.
Of his Death and Burial.
SOme say he was poisoned, which Polydore Virgil saith was much suspected: The Scots write that he died of the disease called St. Fi • cre, which is a Palsy and a Crampe: E • guerant saith that he died of St. Anthony's fire: But Peter Basset Esquire, who at the time of his death was his Chamberlain, affirmeth that he died of a Pleurisy, which at that time was a sickness strange and but little known. Being dead his body was embalmed and closed in lead; and laid in a Chariot-Royal richly appareled in clothe of Gold, was conveyed from Boys de Vin •• n • es to Paris, and so to Roa • , to A • bevyle, to C • llys, to D • ver, and from thence through London to Westminster, where it was interred next beneath King Edward the Confessor; upon whose Tomb Queen Katherine caused a Royal picture to be laid, covered all over with silver plate gilt, but the head thereof altogether of massy silver; all which at that Abbeys suppression were sacrilegiously broken off and transferred to p • ophaner uses. He died the last day of August, in the year one thousand four hundred twenty two, when he had reigned nine years and five Moneths, lived eight and thirty years.
Of men of Note in his time.
MEN of valor in his time were so frequent, that we may know it to be a true saying, Regis ad exemplu • ; and men of learning likewise in such numbers, that we may know the Prince to have been their Patron. First Alayn de Lyn, a Carmelite Frier in that Town, who wrote many Treatises; Then Thomas Otterborne a Franciscan frier who wrote an History of England ; Then John Seguerd, who kept a School in Norwich, and wrote sundry Treatises, reproving as well the Monks and Priests as Poets for writing of filthy verses. Robert Ros • a Carmelite frier in Norwich ; who writing many Treatises, yet said nothing against the Wickle • ists. Richard C • yster borne • o Nofolke, a man of great holiness of life, favoring (though secretly) the doctrine of Wycliffe • ; William Wallis a Black frier in Li • , who made a book of Moralizations upon Ovid's Metamorphosis • William Taylor a Priest and a Master of Art in Oxford, a steadfast follower of Wycliffe's doctrine, and burnt for the same at Smithfield in London the last year of this • ings reign. Bartholomew Florarius, called so of a Treatise which he wrote called Florarium, who writ also another Treatise of Abstinence, wherein he reproveth the corrupt manners of the Clergy, and the p • ofession of the Friers Men • icants. Als • Titus Livi •• de Fo •• L • vis • is an It • lian born • , but seeing he • as r • siant here, and w • ote the life of this King, it is not unfit to make mention of him in this place: also many others.
THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH.
T Here had been a Race of Princes, of which for three generations together, it might be rightly said; Pulcherrima proles; Magnanimi Heroes nati melioribus Annis. For King Edward the Third had many Sons, not inferior in valor to the many Sons of King Pri ••• s, not excepting his valiant Son Hector, having so equal a match for him, as Edward the black Prince, who wanted but an Homer, to have been an Achilles. Then John of G • un • likewise had divers Sons, men as valorous as any that Age afforded. Then Henry the Fourth had four Sons, o • so heroical disposition all, that you might know them all to be his Sons, only King He • ry the Fifth to be his eldest. And now that in him the heroical nature was come to the height, it degenerated again in King Henry the Sixth, which must needs be attributed to the mothers side; who though in her self she were a Princesse of a noble spirit, yet being the issue of a crazy father, what marvel, if she proved the mother of a crazy issue! and yet even this issue of hers, a Prince no doubt, of excellent parts in their kind, though not of parts kindly for a Princ • ; in a private man praise-worthy enough, but the sword of a King required a harder metal than the soft temper of King Henry the sixth was made of: and in him we may see the fulfilling of the Text; Vae genti cujus Rex est pure; Woe to that Nation whose King is a Child ; for he was not above eight months old, when he succeeded his father in the Kingdom; although that Text perhaps is not meant so much of a child in years, for which there may be helps by good Protectors; as of a child in abilities of ruling, whereof, though possibly there may, yet probably there can be no sufficient supply, of which, in this King we have a pregnant example; for as long as he continued a child in years, so long his Kingdoms were kept flourishing by the Providence of his careful Uncles; but as soon as he left being a Child in years, and yet continued a child in ability of Ruling, then presently began all things I • pejus ruere, & retro sublapsa referri, all things went to wrack both in France and England. And thus much was necessary to be said by way of a Preface to that great fall as it were of Nile, in King Henry the Sixth.
Henry called of Windsor, because borne there, the only child of King Henry the Fifth, as yet scarce nine months old, succeeded his Father, and was Proclaimed King of England on the last of August, in the year 1422; by reason of whose infancy, King Henry his Father had before by his Will appointed, and now the Lord's by their consent confirmed, the Regency of France to John Duke of Bedford, the Government of England, to Humphry Duke of Gloucester, the Guard of his Person to Thomas Duke of Exeter, and H • nry Beauford Bishop of Winchester, and Lord Chancellor, wherein it was wisely provided that one man should not rule all, lest it should prove a spurr to aspiring; and withal stay them from envying one another, when many were alike placed in the highest form of authori • y: and indeed they all carried themselves so uprightly and carefully in their places, that it well appeared the trust reposed in them by the dying King, had made a strong impression of love and loyalty towards his Son.
The Duke of Bedford Regent of France, was to keep that by the sword, which King Henry the Fifth by his sword had gotten, wherein he had many and great assistants, specially the two terrors of France, Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury, and John Lord Talbot ; and amongst the French themselves, the Duke of Burgoigne, a friend no less powerful, than firm unto him. The Dolphin also (now crowned king at Poytiers, and called Charles the seventh of France, his father being newly dead, within little more than a month after king Henry ) had likewise great assistants, the Duke of Alanson, and many other Peers of France, and of the Sco • s many, and some perhaps of the English that took part with him; by means whereof, the game of Fortune was a long time played between them with great variety. The first act of the Duke of Bedford's Regency, was an Oration which he made to the French in Paris, which wrought this good effect; that king Henry is Proclaimed king of England and of France, and such French Lord's as were present did their Homages, and took their oaths to be true unto him. The first act of hostility was performed by the new king of France, who sends the Lord Granvile to Pont Meulan, who surprised it, putting all the English Soldiers to the sword; but the Regent sending thither Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury, so strongly beleaguered it, that the Lord Granvile not only surrendered it, but swore allegiance (though he kept it not) to the king of England, From thence the Earl marched to Seyne, which he took by assault, and put all the Soldiers (except the Captain Sir William Maryn ) to the sword.
At this time the Regent, the Duke of Burgoigne, John Duke of Britain, and his brother in law the Earl of R • chmond, (who revolted afterward to the new king of France, and was by him made Constable of France ) met at Amyens ; and there not only renewed the old League, but further enlarged it; to be offensive and defensive respectively: and to make the friendship the more firm, the Regent married Anne the Sister of the Duke of Burgoigne at Troys. In this mean time the Parisians taking advantage of the Regents absence, conspired to have let in the new king into Paris ; but the day before the night appointed for his admission, the Regent with his power entered, apprehended the Conspirators, and put them to public execution. That done, he furnished all the Forts and places of strength with Englishmen, and sent Sir John Falstaffe, who took in Pacye, and Coursay, two strong Castles; whilst himself with his forces took in Tray • else, and Br • y upon Seyne.
The Constable of France the mean while with the new kings forces, laid siege to Cravant in Burgoigne ; but the Regent sent thither the Earl of Salisbury, who set upon the French, and after a long fight, putting them to flight, slew about 1800 knights and gentlemen of note • and three thousand common Soldiers, Scots, and French, took prisoners the Constable himself, the Earl of Ventadour, Sir Alex •• der Alerdyn, Sir Lewis Ferignye, and two and twenty hundred Gentlemen. Of the English part, were slain Sir John Gray, Sir William Hall, Sir Gilbert Halsall, Richard • p Maddocke, and one and twenty hundred Soldiers. From thence the E • rle led his forces to Montaguillon, and sat down before it, which after five months Siege he took, whilst the Duke of Suffolk took in the two strong Castles of Cowcye, and le Roche.
Whilst these things are done in France ; in England the Protectour Ransomed and enlarged the young king of Scots, James the first; (who by the space of eighteen years had been kept a Prisoner) which he did out of opinion, th • t he might withdraw the Scots out of France, taking Hom • ge and fealty of him for the Crown of Scotland, in these words; I • ames S • eward, King of Scot • , shall be true and faithful to you Lord Henry, King of England and France, the Superior Lord of Scotland • and to you I make my fidelity for the said Kingdom, which I hold and claim of you, and shall do you service for the same, so God me help, and these holy Evangelists ; and therewithal, with consent of all the Nobility, the Protector gave him to Wife, Jane Daughter to the deceased Duke of Somerset, and Cosen Germane to the King, with a large Dowry, and married them at St. Mary-Overys in Southwarke ; yet all this courtesy could not keep him afterward from being unfaithful, and unthankful.
And now the Protector sent over to the Regent ten thousand well furnished Soldiers, with which fresh succor he won many Towns and places of strength; which the French seeing, and finding themselves too weak by plain force to withstand the English, they sought by subtlety to compass their ends; and first, they work upon the inconstancy of the Duke of Britain, and his brother Arthur, by King Henry the fifth created Earl of Yewry, whom by gifts and promises they suborned, perfidiously to deliver over into their possession, the Castles of Crotoye, and Yerney ; but the English before the French Garrisons were settled, fell upon Crotoye and recovered it; and that done, the Regent besieged Yerney, and by secret mining, and violent Batteries so shook the Walls, that they agreed to yield it up, if not relieved by a certain time: whereupon the Duke of Ala • son, with sixteen thousand French came to the rescue, but perceiving the English to be prepared to receive them, he wheeled about to Ver • oil, and swore to the Townsmen that he had put the Regent to flight, and rescued Yerney ; which they believing, rendr • d up Vernoyle to him: but the Regent followed him thither, when by the encouragement of some fresh Companies of Scots come to his succor, he came to a battle in the field, where the English, with the loss of two thousand one hundred common Soldiers, and two of the Nobility, the Lord Dudley, and the Lord Charleton ; got the honor of the day, and slew of their enemies, five Earls, two Viscounts, twenty Barons, and above seven thousand other of the French, besides two thousand seven hundred Scots lately arrived, and took Prisoners the Duke of Alanson himself, the Lord of Her • ys, and divers other French, and Sir John Tour •• ull, and two hundred Gentlemen, besides common Soldiers. This battle was fought the eight and twentieth day of August, in the year 14 • 4, and thereupon Vernoyle was presently redelivered. After this, the Earl of Salisbury with ten thousand men, taketh in the strong Town of M ••• ts, the Town of St. Susan, the Fort S • . Bernard, and others; from thence he went to A • jou, where he performed such heroic Acts, that his very name grew terrible in all France ; as for instance, the new High-Constable perfidious Richmond, with forty thousand men laid Siege to the good Town of St. James in Benyo • , the Garrison whereof consisted but of six hundred English, who being driven to some extremity, sallied forth, crying Sa • nt George, a Salisbury ; which word of Salisbury so frighted the French, thinking he had been come to rescue them, that casting away their weapons, they ran all away, saving some few that yielded themselves prisoners, leaving all their Tents, fourteen Peeces of Ordnance, forty Barrels of Powder, three hundred Pipes of Wine, much Armor, and some treasure behind them. After which, other Castles, as that of Beam •• t, of Viscount, Tenney, Gilly, Osce, Rusey, Vasicke, and many more were taken in by Sir John Mon • gomery, and Sir John Falstaffe ; so as once again the French are glad to betake themselves to their old course of fraud; they compounded with a Gascoigne Captain for delivery of Al •• son to them; whereof the Regent having notice, he sent the Lord Willoughby, and Sir John Falstaffe to prevent it, who encountering with Charles de Villiers, that with two hundred horse, and three hundred foot, was come to the place appointed for entry, took and slew them all, except some few horse, which saved themselves by flying. After which, the Earl of Salisbury took in and demolished above forty Castles and strong Piles, for which there was public thanksgiving to God in London.
Whilst these things were done in France, an unkind variance fell out between the Protector, and his brother the Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor: for appeasing whereof, the Regent having substituted the Earl of Warwick Lieutenant General in his absence, came into England, where in a Parliament he compounded all differences between them: in honor whereof, king Henry kept a solemn feast; at which time the Regent dubbed the King knight, not yet above four years old; and then the King presently invested with that dignity many of his servants: and Edmund Mortimer the last Earl of March, at this time dying, his Inheritance descended to Richard Plantagenet son and heir to Richard Earl of Cambridge beheaded at Southampton, who was now created Duke of York, & was afterward father to king Edward the fou • h: and at this time also, John Mowbray son and heir to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, banished before by king Richard the second, was restored to the Title of Duke of Norfolk. And now, all things peaceably settled in England, the Regent, with the Bishop of Winchester, returned into France ; where, at the intercession of the Duke of Burgoigne, the Duke of Alanson was ransomed, for two hundred thousand Crowns: and the Bishop of Winchester returned to Calais, where he was invested with the dignity and Hat of a Cardinal, which his brother the Regent put upon his head.
About this time, the Duke of Gloucester, Protector, took some blemish in his honor, by marrying another man's wife, I • queline Countess of Haynoult, Holland and Zealand, who was married before to John Duke of Brabant yet living, and had lived with him ten months as his lawful wife, but at that time upon some discontent gone from him, intending to be divorced: at which injury offered to the Duke of Braba • t, the Duke of Burgoigne, being his Cosin, took so great offense, that first by friendly letters he admonished the Duke of Gloucester of it, and that not prevailing, they grew to terms of challenge, and a Combat between them was appointed; but in the mean time, the Lady betrayed, was carried to the Duke of Burgoigne, who conveyed her to Gaunt ; from whence, by friendship of a Burgonian knight, in man's apparel she escaped into Holland, and there made a defensive war against her husband the Duke of Brabant, and the Duke of Burgoigne. To her aid, the Duke of Gloucester sent the Lord Fitzwater, with a Power of a thousand men: but she being discomfited by the Duke of Brabant, and the Pope also pronouncing the first marriage legal, the Duke of Gloucester deserted her, and then took for a second wife Eleanor daughter of the Lord Cobham of Sterborough, his old mistress: and the Lady Iaqueline, after the death of John Duke of Brabant, married a mean Gentleman; whom the Duke of Burgoigne imprisoned, and brought herself to live in much trouble.
And now in France, the Constable with forty thousand men besieged the Town of S. James de Benuron ; and having made a breach fit for assault, whilst his Captains stood streining of courtesy, which of them should first enter, Sir Nicolas Burdet with all his forces sallied forth, crying aloud, A Salisbury, a Suffolk ; whose names struck such a terror into the besiegers, that they stood like men amazed, of whom six hundred were slain, two hundred drowned in the ditches, fifty taken prisoners, with eighteen Standards, and the Constable was glad to quit the place, and give over the Siege.
At the same time also, the Earl of Warwick and the L. Scales, with seven thousand besieged Ponterson many weeks together; but Pov • sion waxing scant, the Lord Scales with three thousand men went a forraging into the Enemies Country; and in his return with plenty of provision, was encountered with six thousand French, of whom he slew many hundreds, took above a thousand prisoners, and then returned safe into the Campe.
About this time also, Sir John Falstaffe besieged the strong Town of Gravile, which after twelve days, offered to render it self by a day, if it were not relieved. The offer was taken, and Pledges delivered: but before the day came, they within • he Town had victualled and manned the place, and thereupon neglecting their Pledges, refused to render the Castle according to agreement: whereupon the Pledges were brought before the sight of them within the Castle, and there openly put to death.
And now a conspiracy of the Clergy and Magistrates in Maunts so prevailed, that the Marshals of France with five hundred men, about midnight came to the Townwalls; where the Guard of the English, by those that seemed their friends, were suddenly massac • ed, and setting open the Gates, made way for the Enemy to enter: whereupon, the Alarum given, the Earl of Suffolk with the surviving English withdrew to the Castle, wherein they were sharply assailed by the French, who yet had more mind to ransack houses, and to make good cheer: whereof the Lord T • lbot having intelligence by Captain Goffe, whom he had sent to discover the state of the French, he secretly gave notice to the Earl of Suffolk, who thereupon sallied forth of the Castle at a time when the Lord T • lbot was ready with his Troopes, and on both sides crying, St. George, a T • lbot, they fell upon the careless French, who lost four hundred of their best men, the rest were all taken, the Town re-gained, and the Conspiratours, thirty Citizens, twenty Priests, and fifteen Friers, condemned and put to execution.
Whilst these things went on prosperously in France, a great disaster fell out in England ; for the right Noble Thomas Beauford (son of John of G • u • t, and Katherine Swi • ford ) Duke of Exeter, and Guardian of the King, makes king Henry his heir, and at East-Greenwich in Kent ended his life; whose place was presently supplied by the Earl of Warwick, and the Earls place in France, by the Earl of Salisbury ; who thereupon with five thousand men came to Orlea • ce, and besieged the City, and won from the French the great fort. But here happened another great disaster: for from an high tower in this fort, the Besiegers observed the passages of the Townsmen; when the Noble Earl of Salisbury, intending to inform himself of the state of the Town, unfortunately looking out at a window of the fort, with Sir Th •••• G • rgrave ; a great shot from the Town striking the bars of the window, the splinters thereof were driven into his head and face; of which wounds, within eight days he died. This was now a second weakening to the English party: but in his place the Earl of Suffolk succeeded; to whom the Regent sendeth Sir John Fals ••••• with fresh supplies, whom the Lord de la Brets, nine thousand strong, endeavors to intercept: but Sir John resolving to abide the charge, placeth his carriages behind, the horse next, and the foot before, lining his bows with bill-men, and pitching stakes behind the Archers, who having discharged their first volley, retired behind the stakes: on which the French, forgetting their former defeats by that course, ran and gored their horses; by which their Vaward being disordered, the Battle made a stand: which Sir John perceiving, crieth out, St. George! They •• ie! at which words they fled indeed, and lost two thousand five hundred of their men, with the Lord's de la Brets, and William Steward ; eleven hundred were taken Prisoners: with whom, and a rich booty, they came to the Campe before Orleans. Hereof the besieged having notice, they offered to submit themselves to the Duke of Burg • igne, who was contented to receive them, so as the Regent would consent: But the Regent consented not; and therefore in the mean time, the besieged made means to the Duke of Al •• so • , who furnished the Town with fresh Forces and Provision; which put such spirits into the Citizens, that they made a sally out, slew six hundred English, and adventured upon the Bastile, where the Lord T • lbot commanded, who repelled them with great slaughter of their men; but yet the next day the Earl of Suffolk gave over his siege, and dispersed his Army into their Garrisons.
And now the wheel of Fortune began to turn to the French against the English, which once set a going, was not easy to be stayed. And first, the Duke of Al •• so • took by assault the Town of Iargeux, and in it the Earl of Suffolk and one of his brothers, and slew Sir Alexander Pole another of his brothers, and many other Prisoners in cold blood, by reason of a contention amongst the French, to whom the Prisoners should belong. Presently upon this, • nother great blow was given the English: for the Lord's Talbot, Scale • , and Hungerford, going to fo • tifie the Town of S. Meu • , were encountered by the said Duke of Al •• son, and Arthur of Britain, with three and twenty thousand men: with whom the English Lord's interchanged some blows; but oppressed with multitude, were all three taken prisoners, all sore wounded, twelve hundred of their company slain, and the rest hardly escaping to Me •• , where they fortified themselves the best they could against future assaults.
These were great blows given to the English fortune in France; Salisbury slain, and now Talbot taken prisoner: which though they made her a little to totter, yet there must be greater blows given before she will fall. And indeed, these disasters were seconded by the perfidous surrender of many Towns and strong Holds to the French king; who now encouraged by these successes, marcheth into Champaigne, where by composition he took Troyes the chief City of that Province; Chalto • s rebelleth, and enforceth their Captain to yield it up: by whose example the Citizens of Reims do the like, where the French king is anew Proclaimed, and with accustomed ceremonies Anointed and Crowned; whereupon many Towns submit themselves to him, and revolt from the English. Upon this, the Duke of Bedford (to make the French know, that all the English strength consisted not in only Salisbury and Talbot ) with ten thousand English, besides Normans, marched out of Pa • is, and sent letters of defiance to the French king, affirming, that deceitfully and by unjust means he had stolen many Cities and places of importance belonging to the Crown of England ; which he was come to justify by battle, if he would appoint a time and place. To which the King of France making a slight answer, the Regent marcheth apace towards him, and as fast the King of France marcheth away: The Regent followed him, but could not overtake him, till he came near Se • lys: there both the Armies encamped and embattelled, yet only some light skirmishes p ••• ed between them; and a night or two after, the French king fled with his Army to Br • y: which the Duke thinking to be but a plot to draw him further off from Paris, of whose fidelity he had no great assurance, followed him no further, but returned thither. At which time, the Regents brother the Cardinal, having prepared forces to assist Pope Martin in Bohemia, the Regent borrowed them of him for a present expedition, and with them marched into Champaigne, where he found the French king encamped upon the Mount Pihall ; whose number being twice as many as the Regents, yet by no provocations could he be drawn to battle, but secretly fled to Crispis ; whereupon the Regent also returned to Paris.
Whil • st these things are done in France, In England, upon St. Leonards day the 6. of November 1429, King Henry not yet eight years old, was with great solemnity Crowned at Westminster: at whose Coronation were made six and thirty Knights of the Bathe, and after the solemnity, a feast; and if any man desire to know so much Cookery, he may read in Fabian, all the dishes of meat that were served at that feast.
About this time, in France, a strange Impostor ariseth; a maid called la Pucelle, taking upon her to be sent from God, for the good of France, and to expel the English: and some good indeed she did; for by her subtle working, the King was received into Champaigne, and many Towns were rendered to him; whilst the Lord L • nguevile took by surprise the Castle of Aumarle, and slew all the English that were in it. But all these were but petty acquests to the king of France: there is a knot of friendship between the Dukes of Bedford and Burgoigne, which must be broken, or he will never be able to compass his designs. He therefore labors by all means possible to disunite them; wherein he so little prevailed, that the Duke of Burg • ig • e acquaints the Regent with all the practices; who thereupon, with many thanks, exhorteth him to continue fi • me, of which he should never have cause to repent him: And because Normandy was a principal part of the English strength in France, he goeth thither, and by many reasons persuades them, as their Ancestors had always been, to be faithful to the Crown of England.
In this time of the Regents absence from Paris, the King of France drew all his forces thither, using all means possible, by Escalado, Battery, and burning the gates, to enter the City; but was so withstood by the vigilancy of the Citizens, that he was glad to sound Retreat, leaving his slain and maimed soldiers behind him, all but the Pucelle, who being hurt in the leg, and almost stifled with mire in the ditch, was by a servant of the Duke of Alanson drawn up, and conveyed after the King to Berry, who by the way received the submission of the Inhabitants of L • ig • ye. Some other services were performed on both sides, by the Duke of Suffolk and Sir Thomas Kyriell, for the English; by the Bastard of Orleans and Sir Stephe • le Hye, for the French; but of no great importance: till at last, the Pucelle (who a little before had caused an English Captains head to be cut off, because he would not humble himself to her upon his knee) was by Sir John of Lu • zemburgh taken, and presented to the Duke of Burgoigne, who sent her to the Regent, and he to the Bishop of the Diocese, who judicially proceeding against her as a Sorceresse, and deceiver of the King and his subjects, she was (after many delays of promise to discover secret practices, and lastly of her feigning to be with child) publicly burnt at Roan.
And now, the Regent finding how much the Crowning of the French king had furthered his designs, he made account the like effect would follow the Crowning of King Henry in France: whereupon he is sent for to come over; and coming to Paris, was, by his Uncle the Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of Eusebius, not yet above nine years old, with all usual ceremonies Crowned King of France, receiving the oaths of Homage and Fealty of all the French Nobility that were present, and of all the Inhabitants of Paris, and of the places adjacent. Upon this, Pope Eugenius labored a Reconcilement between the two Kings, but could effect nothing, but only a Truce for six years: which agreed upon, King Henry re • urn • into England, and landeth at Dover, the eleventh of February. But the six-years • Truce was scarce openly Proclaimed, when the French had cunningly possessed themselves of divers Castles and places of strength, justifying their actions, affirming • That what was politically obtained without blows, was no infringement of the Truce: and afterwards they perfidiously conveyed two hundred men into the Castle of Roan, with intent to have surprised it; but being discovered, they were all taken, and either ransomed, or put to execution. Upon this, the Regent (whose wife, the Sister of the Duke of Burgoig • e, being lately dead, and he married again to Iaquelin • the Earl of S. Paul's daughter, with whom he went over into England ) returned again to Paris ; to whom the Lord Talbot, having now paid his ransom, cometh, bringing with him seven hundred tried soldiers; and with them the Regent takes the field, where the French Army lay; but the French slun • away in the dark, as not daring to abide the hazard of a battle.
About this time, the Duke of Bourbon, taken at the battle of Agincourt, after eighteen years imprisonment, paying eighteen thousand pounds for his Ransom, the same day he was enlarged, died at London.
And now a very great effect was produced out of a very small cause: There had been sparks of unkindness between the two great Dukes of Bedford and Burgoig •• , which brake out into a flame upon this occasion: A time and place was appointed, where they should meet to compound some differences that were between them; The place agreed upon, was St. Omers, a Town in Burgoigne: When the time came, they stood upon this nice point, Which of them should first come to the place; as thinking that he which did so, should thereby acknowledge himself to be the meaner person. The Duke of Bedford thought he had no reason to do it, seeing he was Regent of France, and therefore superior to any subject in the Kingdom: And the Duke of Burgoigne thought he had no reason to do it, seeing it was to be done in his own Dominions, where he was himself the Sovereign Lord. Upon this nice point they parted without meeting; and the unkindness grew afterward to so great hatred, that the Duke of Burgoigne chose rather to be friends with him th • t had murdered his father, than ever to have anymore commerce with the Duke of Bedford. Thus was one great branch of assistance lopped off from the English, which had been a great means before to make it flourish: and it was not so much, that the assista • ce was taken from the English, as that it was added to the French; for after this, the Duke of Burgoig • e brought more assistance to the new king of France, than ever he had done before to the King of England. By which we may see, when the Divine Providence hath a work to effect, what slight occasions it oftentimes takes to effect the work.
Great blows had been given before in France, to the English fortune by the enemy, but now a blow was given to it by Destiny, which made the Enemyes blows the more incurable; for now the wise, valiant, faithful Regent of France, Duke of ••• ford, Anjou, and Alans • n, Earl of Mayne, Harcourt, Drieux, Richmond, and Carlisle, and Viscount Be • mont ; upon the fourteenth of September 1435, ended his life at P • ris, which was in a manner the ending the life of the English fortune in France: all former blows had been upon inferior members, but this was a blow upon the head, and therefore mortal, and indeed the English fortune in France, never 〈◊〉 li •• ed up its head, but very weakly. He was buried in our Ladies Church at 〈◊〉 , whereat the Nobility of Normandy much repined, who would have had thei • own Territory honored with his Sepulcher: yet see the levity of these men, who a few years after, in the Reign of Lewis the Son of Charles, would have had his Monument to have been demolished, as being dishonorable, such an Arch enemy to France, should be Interred in the Metropolitan City of that Province: But 〈◊〉 answered, God forbid, I should give way to so dishonorable an act, to disquiet his dead bones, who living would have disquieted us all, and it savors of too much baseness to insult upon a dead Lyon.
But yet in these disasters, there might have been some reparation by a good Succe •• or, had not Envy and Ambition bred disturbance; the Duke of Somerset desired the Succession, but the Duke of York obtained it; which bred such an envy in the Duke of Somerset towards him, that he labored nothing so much as to cross his designs, and was a means to hinder the Duke of Yorkes going to his charge so long, th •• the P • risians had time to think of freeing themselves from the English servi •• de; and thereupon the City after it had remained seventeen years in the posses •••• o • the English, yields to the Constable, and upon composition expels all the English; and which was worse, many other Towns followed this example of Paris, for what Town would not willingly do as Paris did, the epitome as it were of all France ? and which they stick not to call Le Monde de Paris, as though there were upon earth no o • h • r world but Paris. Even the Normans, who had always been most firm to the English, y •• had run the • ame course, if the Lord Talbot had not kept them in awe, with the • laughter of five thousand of them that way inclined. And now after thes • great losses, we must be content to play smaller game, cast at Castles and Forts, and some small Towns, like the struggling of dying men, doing acts of life, till there be no more life remaining; And this was now our case in France. The new Regent with eight thousand Soldiers arrived at Harfl • w, and from thence marcheth to 〈◊〉 , where he won the reputation of justice and uprightness, notwithstanding all the calumniations of the Duke of Somerset : when the revolted Duke of 〈◊〉 pretending title to the Town of Calais, approacheth it with an Army of forty thousand men, takes the poor •• style of Oy • , and slaughters and hangs many of the •• fendants. The •• xards besieged the Castle of St. Mark • , took it, and demolished it • from thence they begirt Calais with a • iege, but were repelled: Then the Duke of B • rgoig • e sent the Lord Croy to besiege the Castle of Guysnes • but were repelled th • r • also: In the mean time Pembroke the Herald brought a defiance to the Duke of • urgoigne from the Duke of Gloucester the Protector, that he would give him battle if he would abide it; to whom the Duke of Burgoigne answered, he should be 〈◊〉 to find him where he now was: Whereupon he calleth a Council, and whilst they are debating what is best to be done, the Calliciens make a sallye, take the Ba ••••• which they had built, by force, and slew eight score of the Burgoig • ians, which so terrified them, that they upbraid the Duke of Burgoigne, and make both him, • nd the Lord Croy to quit their quarters, and in such haste to be gone, that they left • • reat part of their best Ordnance, and all their Provision for the relief and help of the besieged; and it seems they had reason so to do, for the next day being the s • ven and twentieth of July, the Duke of Gloucester landed at Calais, with five and twenty thousand good fighting men, who finding the enemy recolled, forraged all the Country thereabout, and for the space of six weeks • arrowed all th • parts of Fl •• ders, Arthol • , and Hainault ; and then returning by St. Omers, Arde, and G •• s • es, arrived at Calais.
And now we must look a little home, for the D. of York returning into • E • gl • n • finds the Castle of Roksborough be • ieged by the King of Scots, with thirty th • usand men; but he hearing of the Earl of Northumberlands app • o • ch, and the Dukes return, incontinently fled. And now again to France, where the Town of H • rflew was sold to the French, but the Duke of Somerset, and the Lord Talbot besetting it both by sea and land; though the Earl of Ewe, and the Bastard of Orleans and Bourbon, wi • h four thousand men came to relieve it, yet upon composition, it was surrendered.
And here we may have leave to speak of a private matter; for about this time the Duchess of Bedford married Sir Richard Woodvile, a gallant young Gentleman, but of small means, which though it offended her friends, yet it seems offended not God, who made her mother of many children by him; and amongst the rest, of the Lady Elizabeth, afterwards married to King Edward the fourth. Also about this time James King of Scots, who before had been eighteen years Prisoner in England, and afterward released, with a wife of a noble house, a great Dowre, and many honorable Presents, yet proved ungrateful, was murdered in his bed-chamber by night, whose murderers being found out, were cruelly tortured. And now again to France ; when the Duke of Burgoigne could neither by force nor policy take C • llice, he attempted a ridiculous practice, to cut a ditch that should drow • both the Town and Country; but after much labor and expense, his design like a vapor vanished into air. The Lord Talbot besieged Tankervile, and after four months siege, hath it rendered to him: In revenge whereof, the French King in his own person lays siege to Monstreau ; which whilst the Duke of York was providing to rescue, he was discharged of his office, done of purpose by his enemies, to lay a blot upon him: A lamentable thing in a State, when private envy shall be suffered to undermine the public safety; and by this means Sir Thomas G • rard had the more opportunity to sell the Town, for which, if he were a gainer in money, he was yet a loser in reputation, and hated both of French and English, in much discontent died. Arthur Constable of France, and John Duke of Alanson besieged the Town of Auranc • es, but were with dishonor repelled by the Lord Talbot : After this, Le Hyre sent Letters to them, that he had a promise from divers Burgers of Ro •• to let them in at any time appointed, against which time they came to R • ze, within four leagues of Roan ; but the Lord Talbot having notice hereof, marched covertly to Roa • , and from thence before day to Ryze, where he surpriseth the French, takes the Lord Fountaines, Sir Allan Geron, and many others, and with a rich booty returneth to Roan. The sixth day of November, in the sixteenth year of the Kings Reign, the Earl of Warwick having oftentimes been aboord, and still beaten back by tempest, landed at Harfl • w with a thousand fresh Soldiers, and from thence came to Roa • ; but in the mean time the Duke of Burgoigne seeing no new Regent yet come, besieg • th the Town of Cro •• y, to the relief whereof, the new Regent now come, sent the Lord Talbot with five thousand men, whose approach the Duke not enduring, retired to Ab • evyle, leaving only four hundred, with whom he had manned the •• style by him there erected, which was soon gained, and all the soldiers either taken or slain. And here the valiant Talbot sent word to the Duke, that if he would save his Country from vastation, he should come to a battle; but the Duke not liking the match, conveys himself to A • ye • s : Twenty days together did the Lord Talbo • with fire and sword pass through Piccardie, and Artho • s without opposition, and then returned: Sir Th • m •• Kyriell seized upon the Dukes Carriages and Ordnance; and having left in Crotoy victual enough for six hundred men for a whole year, he brought the rest to the Earl of Warwick. And now Henry Earl of Mortaig • e, Son to Edmund Duke of Somerset, arrived with two hundred Archers, and three hundred Spears, took the Castle of St. A • yo • , wherein were three hundred Scots and French; the Scots he flew all, and hanged the French, because they had sworn fealty to England, and broke it; he took likewise the Castle of Algarche, and by means of an ambush, taketh the Lord Camerois, coming to the rescue thereof. On the other side, the Towns of Neux in Brye, and Susan were sold and delivered to the French by the treacherous Burgers. In June, the Earl of Huntingt •• with two thousand Archers, and four thousand Speares was sent into Gascoigne, whither the Earl of Danois was lately come to buy Towns and Castles, but the Earl of Huntingdon upon his coming thither, changed all the Captains and Officers, whereby he prevented all such bargains; and so far had bribery spread it self at this time, that even in Normandy, the English Captains • ad but small confidence in the Natives, and not much in some of their own Nation; whereupon Sir Richard Woe • dvile, Sir William Chamberlain, and sir William Pe • o were sent thither to stop the current of that corruption.
At this time, the Council of France procured a reconcilement between the king and the Dolphin, who had been long in jealousies and dissention; which if • t had not been done, the kingdom had been torn with Factions, and never been able to subsist.
And now in a great frost and snow, the English under the conduct of Sir John Clifford, having covered their Armor with white shirts, and their heads with white Alm •• skulls, came to Ponthois by night, and undiscovered past the ditches, scaled the walls, slew the Guards, and took the Town; but this good luck was accompanied with a bad of more importance, for presently upon it, the Earl of Warwick died in the Castle of Roan, and conveyed into England, was buried in his Castle of W • rwicke. To reduce Pont • ois, the French King in person layeth siege unto it; when Richard Duke of York being the second time made Regent, having with him the Earl of Oxford, and the Earl of Ewe, levyes a power to raise the Siege; and arriving there, sends word to the King, that the next morning he would give him battle; but the King liked not his bidding, but leaving his Ordnance, at midnight stole away to Poyssy ; thither also the Regent follows him, but with no provocations could draw him to fight.
About this time, a treaty for Peace between the two Kings is appointed to be held at Calais, by the mediation of the Duchess of Burgoigne, a Portugal Lady; Commissioners meet of both sides, but nothing concluded, only the Duke of Orleans who had been prisoner to the English five and twenty years, is by the Duchess med • ation, ransomed with three hundred thousand Crowns of the Duke of Burgoignes money. The Lord Willoughby besiegeth Deepe, which the Dolphin with sixteen thousand men cometh to raise; and there young Talbot is taken prisoner, with Sir John • Peto, and sir John Repley, but are shortly after redeemed by exchange. And now another weakening happened to the English party, the Earl of St. Paul forsakes them, and is reconciled to the King of France. The English lay siege to Tartus, for the raising whereof, the French King marcheth thither with 60000 men, relieveth the Town, and then marcheth to Saveryne, which he taketh in, and in it, Sir John Rampston ; after which, he took in Arques, but then the English cutting off all convoyes of victuals from coming to him, he is forced to return; after whose departure, the English recover all that he had taken; and to boot, take his Lie • tenant prisoner, slaying or hanging all his Soldiers. In this mean while the Lord Talbot taketh in Conquet, and driveth the Bastard of Orleans from the siege of Gagli • rd • ; but the French in the Castle of Cornhill detained many English prisoners • for redeeming of whom, Sir Francis the Aragonist used this stratagem; he appareled half a dozen lusty fellows like Peasants • carrying baskets with corn and victuals, and sends them to the Castle, while he with his company lies in ambush, in a Valley near the Castle; the six unsuspected are admitted, and coming to the Captains chamber, seize upon him, and withal give the sign to the ambush, who coming readily on, entered the Castle, put the Soldiers to the sword, set the prisoners at liberty, burnt down the Castle, and with the booty and Captain of the Castle, returned to Roan.
Whilst these alternations passed in France, a more unnatural passed in Eng • and, the Uncle riseth against the Nephew, the Nephew against the Uncle; The Duke of Gloucester Articles against the Cardinal, charging him with affecting Preeminence, to the derogation of the Kings Prerogative, and contempt of his Laws; which Articles are delivered to the King, and by him to his Council, who being most of the Clergy, durst not meddle in them, for offending • he Cardinal. On the other side, the Cardinal finding nothing whereof directly to accuse the Duke of Gloucester himself, accuseth his or her self, the Lady Eleanor Cotham • he Dukes wife, of Treason, for attempting by sorcery and witchcraft the death of the King, and advancement of her husband to the Crown: for which, though acqui • ed of the Treason, she is adjudged to open Penance, namely, to go with a wax taper in her hand, hoodlesse (save a kerchiffe) through London, divers days together, and after to remain in perpetual imprisonment in the Isle of Man. The crime objected against her, was procuring Thomas Southwell, John Hunne Priests, Roger Bollingbrock • a supposed Necromancer, and Margery Iourdan called the Witch of Eye in Suffolk • to devise a picture of wax in proportion of the king, in such sort by sorcery, that as the picture consumed, so the kings body should consume: for which they were all condemned; the witch was burnt in Smithfield; Bollingbrooke was hanged, constantly affirming upon his death, that neither the Duchess, nor any other from her did ever require more of him, than only to know by his art, how long the king should live: John Hunne had his pardon; and Southwell died the night before he shou • d have been executed.
About this time, the Countess of Cominges being dead, the king of France and the Earl of Arminiack are Competitors for the Inheritance: The Earl takes possession; but fearing the King of France his greatness, makes offer of his daughter in marriage to the King of England, with a large portion in money, and besides, to deliver full possession of all such Towns and Castles as were by him or his Ancestors detained in Aquitaine, and had been formerly by the Progenitors of the King of England, conquered. The Ambassadors for this business, were by King Henry graciously heard, and honorably returned: after whom were sent Sir Edward Hall, Sir Robert Rose and others, to conclude all things, and the young Lady is by Proxy affianced to king Henry. But the king of France not liking the proceeding of the match, send • h the Dolphin with a puissant Army, who took the Earl, with his youngest son, and both his daughters, and gained the Counties of Arminiack, Louverne, Rouergue, Moulessenois, with the Cities of Sever • e and Cadeack, chasing the Bastard of Arminiack out of • he Country; by means whereof, the marriage was then deferred, and left in suspense.
In this distraction of Christendom, many Princes, the kings of Spain, Denmark, and Hungary, became Mediators for a Peace between the two kings of France and England: Ambassadors of both sides are sent, many meetings were had, many motions made, but in conclusion, only a Truce for eighteen months is agreed upon. In the mean time, the Earl of Suffolk one of the Commissioners for the Peace, takes upon him beyond his Commssion, and without acquainting his fellows, to treat of a marriage between the king of England, and a kinswoman of the king of France, Niece to the French Queen, daughter to Rayn • r Duke of Anjou, styling him • else king of Sicily and Naples : In which business he was so intentive, that it brought an aspersion upon him of being bribed: but howsoever, an Enterview betwixt the two kings is appointed, without any warrant of king Henries part, to be between Charter • and Roan. The Commissioners return; the Earl of Suffolk sets forth the beauty of the proposed Bride, and the great benefits that would redound to the kingdom by this match. The king was easily induced to credit the relation; but divers of the kings Council, especially the Duke of Gloucester, opposed it; partly for the meanness of the match, her father being only a Titular Prince, and withal but poor, unable to give any portion at all; and partly, for the wrong which should hereby be offered to the Duke of Arminiacks daughter, to whom the king had been in solemn manner publicly affianced. But Reasons could not prevail against favor: the Earl of Suffolks affirmation must not be undervalued. And hereupon, a new creation of Lord's first made; ( John Beaufort Earl of Somerset, made Duke of Somerset; John Lord Talbot made Earl of Shrewsbury; John Holland Earl of Huntingdon, made Duke of Exeter; Humphrey Earl of Stafford, made Duke of Buckingham; Henry 〈◊〉 Earl of Warwick, made Duke of Warwick; Edmund Beaufo • t Earl of Dorset, made Marquess Dorset ; and William de la Poole Earl of Suffolk, made Marquess of Suffolk :) this new Marquess honorably accompanied, is sent into Fra • ce to fetch the Lady Margaret the proposed Bride; who shortly after is married at Southwick in Hampshire, and crowned Queen of England at Westminster, on the 30 day of May 1444, in the three and twentieth year of king Henries Reign. And now instead of benefits by this marriage, there presently followed great inconveniences: for first, in exchange of her person, the Duchy of Anjou, the City of 〈◊〉 , with the whole County of Mayne, (the best props of the Duchy of Normandy ) are agreed to be surrendered into the hands of the French: and then the Duke of Arminiack, to revenge the injury offered to his daughter, is a means to expel the English • ut of all Aquitaine.
At this time, the Duke of Somersets spleen against the Duke of York, not only is revived, but is grown stronger; for the Duke of York, who was now after the death of the Earl of Warwick, made the second time Regent of France, is so undermined by him, through assistance of the new Marquess of Suffolk, who bore now all the sway with the King and Queen; that not only he supplanted him in his place, but planted himself in it, to the great heart-burning of the Duke of York and his friends; but he wisely dissembled his anger, and for the present passed it ove • . And now is no man in grace, but the new Marquess of Suffolk ; all favors from the King and Queen must pass by him, and the extent of his power over-r • acheth all the Council: He gets of the King the wardship of the body and lands of the Countess of Warwick, and of the Lady Margaret, sole daughter and heir of John Duke of Somerset, afterward mother to king Henry the seventh. And now, the kings weakness in judgment grows every day more apparent then other, whilst governed by no counsel, but of his Queen; and she by no counsel but her own will, and the new Marquess of Suffolk. King Henry is himself the least part of the king, and serves but to countenance the devices of others, whereof he little understands the drifts; and which, proving ill, the blame must be his; if well, the benefit and honor, others. For by instigation of the Queen, he suffers the Duke of Gloucester, for his care of the Common-wealth called the good Duke, to be excluded not only from Command, but from the Counsel-Table; and permits Informers, s • t on by the Marquess of Suffolk, the Duke of Buckingham, the Cardinal Bishop of Winchester, and the Archbishop of York, to come against him; who lay to his charge, that he had caused divers persons to be executed contrary to Law: wherein though he justified himself, yet no justification would be heard; but to avoid tumultuary part-taking, it was concluded, he should be privately convicted and condemned: and to this end, a Parliament by the procurement of his enemies, unwitting to the king, is called at Bury ; to which the Duke of Gloucester resorting, is, on the second day of the Session, by the Lord Beamont L. High Constable (abetted by the Duke of Buckingham ) arrested and put in Ward, all his followers sequestered from him, whereof two and thirty are committed to several prisons; and the next day after his imprisonment, he is found in his bed, murdered; yet shown the same day, as though he had died of an Imposthume; though all that saw his body, saw plainly that he died of a violent and unnatural cause: some say, strangled; some, that a hot spit was put up at his fundament; and some, that he was stifled between two featherbeds. His corps the same day was conveyed to St. Albans, and there buried. Five of his meniall servants, Sir Roger Chamberlain knight, Middleton, Herbert, Arizis, Esquires, and John Needham Gentleman, were condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered; and hanged they were at Tiburne, let down quick, stripped naked, marked with a knife to be quartered; but then the Marquess of Suffolk, to make a show as though he had no hand in the business, brought their Pardon, and delivered it at the place of Execution, and so their lives were saved. It is no unmemorable thing which Sir Thomas Moore writes of the pregnancy of this Duke of Gloucester: It happened, the King coming one time in Progress to St. Albans, a Beggar borne blind, as he said, at the Shrine of St. Alban obtained his sight: which miracle being noised in the Town, the Duke of Gloucester being there with the King, d • sired to see him, whom being brought unto him, he asked if he were borne blind, who told him, yes truly; and can you now see (saith the Earl) yes I thank God, and St. Albon, saith the beggar; then tell me saith the Earl, what color is my gown? the beggar readily told him the color; and what color saith the Earl is such a man's gown? the beggar likewise told him presently, and so of divers others. Then saith the Earl, go you counterfeit knave, if you had been borne blind, and could never see till now, how come you so suddenly to know this difference of colors? and thereupon, instead of an Alms, caused him to be set in the Stocks. But in the death of this Duke, the Queen who had a special hand in it, was either not so intelligent, or no • so provident as she might have been; for as long as he had lived, his Primogeniture would have kept back the Duke of Yorkes claim to the Crown, being but descended from the fifth Son of Edward the third, where this Duke Humphrey was descended from the fourth. And here were the first seeds sown between the two houses of La • caster, whose badge was the Red-rose, and York, whose badge was the White-rose. And now upon the death of this Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of York began amongst his familiars privily to whisper his right and title to the Crown; but so politically carried his intent, that all things were provided to further his project, before his purpose was any whit discovered.
And in this time the rich Cardinal and Bishop of Winchester dies, who lying on his death bed, as Doctor John Baker his privy Counselor and his Chaplain writeth, used such like words; why should I die, saith he, having so much riches? If the whole Realm would save my life, I am able either by policy to get it, or by money to buy it: Fie, will not death be hired? will money do nothing? and other words to such purpose. But he being dead, there succeeded in his Bishopric a more deserving Prelate; William Wa •• le • e, called so of the place in Lincolneshire where he was borne, though his name was Pattern, of the worshipful family whereof he was descended. And now to the end the Marquess of Suffolk might not come behind them in dignity, whom he went before in power, he is about this time made Duke of Suffolk.
In France about this time a victory was gotten, which proved no better than an overthrow; Before the Truce was expired, Sir Francis Sur • ens an Aragonois, a man thought worthy to be admitted into the honorable Order of the • arter; taking advantage of the security of the French Garrisons, suddenly surpriseth a Frontier Town called Fougiers, belonging to the Duke of Britain ; the Duke advertiseth the French King thereof, who by his Ambassadors complains both to the King of England, and to the Duke of Somerset then Regent in France : Answer was made, it was the fault of the Aragonois, who did it without warrant from either the King, or the Council; nevertheless Commissioners are appointed to meet at Louviers, to treat of some course for satisfaction; but in the time of the Treaty, news is brought to the Regent, that the French by a stratagem of a Carter that with a load of Hey coming over the Draw-bridge, caused the Axletree to break; and whilst the Porter was ready to help the Carter, the Porters brains were beaten out, the Town of Ardes surprised, and the Lord Fawco • bridg • Captain thereof was taken prisoner. Restitution being required by the English, answer is made them in their own language, it was done without warrant from either the French King, or any of his Council, so it was but one for another; and from thence forward the Truce is broken of both sides, and all things grow worse and worse. The French King by composition taketh Louviers, Gerbury, and Ver • oil, whilst the Regent stands demurring what were best to be done; If he command, not obeyed, If he counsel, not followed, as it happens to men once blemished in Reputation, to have an ill construction made of all their actions; by which means the French go on without resistance, get Con •••• ce, Guisard, Gatiard, St. Loe, Festampe, and many other pieces in Normandy ; upon notice whereof, Maulesson in Guyen surrenders to the Earl of Foi • , and by their example the City of Ro • n it self takes composition to surrender, where the E. of Shr • wsbury, and the Lord Butler, heir to the E. of Ormond, were kept pledges till it was performed. It is true, succors were provided to be sent out of England, under the conduct of the Duke of York ; but a Rebellion happening in Ireland, which was thought of more importance to be speedily suppressed, diverted him and his forces thither, where not only he suppressed the Rebels, but so won the hearts of that people, that it was no small furtherance to his proceedings afterward. A fresh supply indeed of fif • eene hundred men, under the command of sir Thom • s Kyriell is sent over; but what could a handful of men do against such multitudes as opposed them? for he marching with the rest of the Army towards Baugeux, was encountered by the Earl of Clermont, with seven thousand French and Scots, whom yet at first he made to recoil, till the Constable of France with four hundred men at Arms, and eight hundred Archers came to the rescue, and then fresh men coming upon them that were already tired, the English lost three thousand and above seven hundred, besides divers that were taken prisoners. After this loss of men, follows presently a loss of Towns; Harflew is assaulted, and though valiantly for a while defended by Sir Robert Curson, yet surrendered at last upon composition: Then the French King with an Army royal besiegeth Caen in Normandy, a Town belonging to the Duke of York, defended in his absence by his Lieutenant Sir David Hall ; but the Duke of Somerset being Regent, in commiseration of his Duchess being in the Town, notwithstanding the s • out opposition of Sir David Hall, surrenders it upon composition to the French; whereof Sir David giving notice to the Duke of York, it bred such a deadly quarrel between the two Dukes, that they were never after thoroughly reconciled. And thus is all Normandy recovered from the English, after it had been in their possession a hundred years; and finally, all France is reduced to the obedience of Charles the French King.
And now hereafter there will be little to do abroad, but there will be the more to do at home, and more blood will be shed in England by civil dissensions, then was shed before in all the Wars of France. This loss of Normandy and other parts in France, is imputed much to the Duke of Somerset, at that time Regent; but the Duke of Suffolk must bear a great part of the blame, partly for having been the cause of the surrender of Anjou and Mayne, and the chief procurer of the Duke of Glocesters death, and partly for having willfully wasted the Kings treasure, and been a means to remove the ablest men from the Council Boord; of all which aspersions the Queen takes notice, and knowing how far they trenched upon the Dukes destruction, and her own; She so wrought, that the Parliament assembled at the Black-Friers, is adjourned to Leicester, and from thence to Westminster ; but though all means were used to stop these accusations against the Duke, yet the lower House would not be taken off, but exhibited their Bill of Grievances against him: That he had traitorously incited the Bastard of Orleans, the Lord Presigny and others to levy war against the King, to the end that thereby the King might be destroyed; and his Son John, who had married Margaret Daughter and sole Heir of Io • n Duke of So ••• set, whose title to the Crown the said Duke had often declared, in case king Henry should die without issue, might come to be King; That through his treachery the French King had gotten possession of the Dutchie of Normandy, and had taken prisoners the valiant Earl of Shrewsbury, the Lord Fawc •• bridge and others: but to these accus