The city of Rouen makes too considerable a figure in the foregoing pages,
and its history, as connected with our own country in the earlier part of
the fifteenth century, is too interesting, to require any thing in the
shape of apology for the matter which the Reader is about to peruse. This
"matter" is necessarily incidental to the _present_ edition of the "Tour;"
as it is only recently made public. An "_Old English Poem_" on our Henry
the Fifth's "_Siege of Rouen_" is a theme likely to excite the attention of
the literary Antiquary on _either_ side of the Channel.
The late erudite, and ever to be lamented Rev. J.J. Conybeare, successively
Professor of the Saxon language, and of English Poetry in the University of
Oxford, discovered, in the exhaustless treasures of the Bodleian Library, a
portion of the Old English Poem in question: but it was a portion only. In
the 21st. vol. of the Archæologia, Mr. Conybeare gave an account of this
fortunate discovery, and subjoined the poetical fragment. Mr. Frederick
Madden, one of the Librarians attached to the MS. department in the British
Museum, was perhaps yet more fortunate in the discovery of the portion
which was lost: and in the 22d. vol. of the _Archæologia_, just published,
(pp. 350-398), he has annexed an abstract of the remaining fragment, with
copious and learned notes. This fragment had found its way, in a prose
attire, into the well-known English MS. Chronicle, called the
BRUTE:--usually (but most absurdly) attributed to Caxton. It is not however
to be found in _all_ the copies of this Chronicle. On the contrary, Mr.
Madden, after an examination of several copies of this MS. has found the
poem only in four of them: namely, in two among the Harleian MSS. (Nos.
753; 2256--from which _his_ transcript and collation have been made) in one
belonging to Mr. Coke of Holkham, and in a fourth belonging to the _Cotton_
Collection:--Galba E. viii. This latter MS. has a very close correspondence
with the _second_ Harl. MS. but is often faulty from errors of the Scribe,
See _Gentleman's Magazine, May_, 1829.
So much for the history of the discovery of this precious old English
Poem--which is allowed to be a contemporaneous production of the time of
the Siege--namely, A.D. 1418. A word as to its intrinsic worth--from the
testimony of the Critic most competent to appreciate it. "It will be
admitted, I believe, (says Mr. Madden) by all who will take the trouble
to compare the various contemporary narratives of the Siege of Rouen,
that in point of simplicity, clearness, and minuteness of detail, there
is NO existing document which can COMPARE with the Poem before us. Its
authenticity is sufficiently established, from the fact of the Author's
having been an EYEWITNESS of the whole. If we review the names of those
Historians who lived at the same period, we shall have abundant reason
to rejoice at so valuable an accession to our present stock of
information on the subject." _Archæologia_, vol. xxii. p. 353. The
reader shall be no longer detained from a specimen or two of the poem
itself, which should seem fully to justify the eulogy of the Critic.
"On the day after the return of the twelve delegates sent by the City of
Rouen to treat with Henry, the Poet proceeds to inform us, that the King
caused two tents to be pitched, one for the English Commissioners, and the
other for the French. On the English side were appointed the Earl of
Warwick, the Earl of Salisbury, the Lord Fitzhugh, and Sir Walter
Hungerford, and on the French side, twelve discreet persons were chosen to
meet them. Then says the writer,
'It was a sight of solempnity,
For to behold both party;
To see the rich in their array,
And on the walls the people that lay,
And on our people that were without,
How thick that they walked about;
And the heraudis seemly to seene,
How that they went ay between;
The king's heraudis and pursuivants,
In coats of arms _amyantis_.
The English a beast, the French a flower,
Of Portyngale both castle and tower,
And other coats of diversity,
As lords bearen in their degree.'
"As a striking contrast to this display of pomp and splendour is described
the deplorable condition of those unfortunate inhabitants who lay starving
in the ditches without the walls of the City, deprived both of food and
clothing. The affecting and simple relation of our Poet, who was an
eye-witness, is written with that display of feeling such a scene must
naturally have excited, and affords perhaps one of the most favourable
passages in the Poem to compare with the studied narratives of Elmham or
Livius. In the first instance we behold misery literally in rags, and
hiding herself in silence and obscurity, whilst in the other she is
ostentatiously paraded before our eyes:
'There men might see a great pity,
A child of two year or three
Go about, and bid his bread,
For Father and mother both lay dead,
And under them the water stood,
And yet they lay crying after food.
Some _storven_ to the death,
And some stopped both eyen and breath,
And some crooked in the knees,
And as lean as any trees,
And women holding in their arm
A dead child, and nothing warm,
And children sucking on the pap
Within a dead woman's lap.'
On Friday the 20th of January, King Henry V. made his public entry into
Rouen. His personal appearance is thus described:
'He rode upon a brown steed,
Of black damask was his weed,
A _Peytrelle_ of gold full bright
About his neck hung down right,
And a pendant behind him did honge
Unto the earth, it was so long.
And they that never before him did see,
They knew by the cheer which was he.'
"With the accustomed, but mistaken, piety for which Henry was ever
distinguished, he first proceeded to the monastery, where he alighted from
his charger, and was met by the chaplains of his household, who walked
before him, chanting _Quis est magnus Dominus?_ After the celebration of
mass, the king repaired to the Castle, where he took up his abode. By this
termination of a siege, which, for its duration and the horrors it
produced, is perhaps without a parallel in ancient or modern times, the
city was again plentifully supplied with provisions, and recovered the
shock so tedious and afflicting a contest had occasioned:
'And thus our gracious liege
Made an end of his siege;
And all that have heard this reading,
To his bliss Christ you bring,
That for us died upon a tree,
Amen say we all, _pur charite!_'
The Duke of Exeter is appointed Governor of the City, and ordered by Henry
to take possession of it the same night. The Duke mounts his horse, and
rides strait to the Port de Bevesyne or Beauvais, attended by a retinue, to
carry the commands of his sovereign into execution. His Entré, and the
truly miserable condition of the besieged, together with the imposing
appearance of Henry, shall now be described in the language of the poet.
Thanne the duke of Excestre withoute bode
Toke his hors and forth he rode,
To bevesyne[E] that porte so stronge,
That he hadde ley bifore so longe,
To that gate sone he kam,[F]
And with hym many a worthy[G] manne.
There was neying of many a stede,
And schynyng of many a gay wede,
There was many a getoun[H] gay,
With mychille[I] and grete aray.
And whanne the gate was openyd there,
And thay weren[J] redy into fare,
Trumpis[K] blewgh her bemys[L] of bras,
Pipis and clarionys forsothe ther was,
And as thay entrid thay gaf a schowte
With her[M] voyce that was fulle stowte,
'Seint George! seint George!' thay criden[N] on height,
And seide, 'welcome oure kynges righte.'
The Frensshe pepulle of that Cite
Were gederid by thousandes, hem to see.
Thay criden[N] alle welcome in fere,
'In siche tyme mote ye entre here,
Plesyng to God that it may be,
And to vs pees and vnyte.'
And of that pepulle, to telle the trewthe,
It was a sighte of fulle grete ruthe.
Mykelle of that folke therynne
Thay weren[O] but verrey bonys and skynne.
With eyen holowgh and[P] nose scharpe,
Vnnethe thay myght brethe or carpe,
For her colowris was[Q] wan as lede,
Not like to lyue but sone ben dede.
Disfigurid pateronys[R] and quaynte,
And as[S] a dede kyng thay weren paynte.
There men myght see an[T] exampleyre,
How fode makith the pepulle faire.[U]
In euery strete summe lay dede,
And hundriddis krying aftir brede.
And aftir long many a day,
Thay deyde as[V] faste as[W] they myght be lad away.
Into[X] that way God hem wisse,
That thay may come to his blisse! amen.
Now[Y] wille y more spelle,
And of the duke of exestre to[Z] telle.
To that Castelle firste he rode,
And sythen[AA] the Cite alle abrode;
Lengthe and brede he it mette,
And rich baneris he[AB] vp sette.
Vpon the porte seint Hillare
A Baner of the Trynyte.
And at[AC] the port Kaux he sette evene
A baner of the quene of heven.
And at[AD] port martvile he vppyght Of seint George a baner bryght.
He sette vpon the Castelle to[AE] stonde
The armys of Fr[a]unce and Englond.
And on the Friday in the mornynge
Into that Cite come oure kynge.
And alle the Bisshoppis in her aray,
And vij. abbottis with Crucchis[AF] gay;
xlij.[AG] crossis ther were of Religioune[AH],
And seculere, and alle thay went a precessioun,
Agens that prince withoute the toune,
And euery Cros as thay stode
He blessid hem with milde mode,
And holy water with her hande
Thay gaf the prince of oure lande.
And at[AI] the porte Kaux so wide
He in passid withoute[AJ] pride;
Withoute pipe or bemys blaste,
Our kyng worthyly he in paste.
And as a conquerour in his righte
Thankyng[AK] euer god almyghte;
And alle the pepulle in that Citie
'Wilcome our[AL] lorde,' thay seide, 'so fre!
Wilcome into[AM] thyne owne righte,
As it is the[AN] wille of[AO] god almyght.'
With that thay kryde alle _'nowelle!_'
Os[AP] heighe as thay myght yelle.
He rode vpon a browne stede,
Of blak damaske was his wede.
A peytrelle[AQ] of golde fulle bryght
Aboute his necke hynge[AR] doun right,
And a pendaunte behynd him dide[AS] honge
Vnto the erthe, it was so longe,
And thay that neuer before hym dide[AT] see,
Thay knew by chere[u] wiche was he.
To the mynster dide he fare,
And of his horse he lighte there.
His chapelle[AU] mette hym at[AV] the dore there,
And wente bifore[AW] hym alle in fere,
And songe a response[AX] fulle glorivs,
_Quis est magnus dominus_.
Messe he hirde and offrid thoo,
And thanne to the Castelle dide he goo.
That is a place of rialte,
And a paleis of grete beaute.
There he hym[AY] loggid in the Toune,
With rialle and grete renoune.
And the[AZ] cite dide faste encrece
Of brede and wyne, fisshe, and fflesshe.[BA]
And thus oure gracious liege
Made an ende of his seege.
And alle that[BB] haue hirde this redynge[BC]
To his[BD] blisse criste you brynge,
That for vs deide vpon[BE] a tre,
Amen sey[BF] we alle, pur cherite!
_There was many a getoun gay_.] The following particulars relative to the
_getoun_ appear in MS. Harl. 838. "Euery baronet euery estat aboue hym shal
have hys baner displeyd in y'e field yf he be chyef capteyn, euery knyght
his penoun, euery squier or gentleman hys _getoun_ or standard." "Item, y'e
meyst lawfully fle fro y'e standard and _getoun_, but not fro y'e baner ne
penon.". "Nota, a stremer shal stand in a top of a schyp or in y'e
fore-castel: a stremer shal be slyt and so shal a standard as welle as a
_getoun_: a _getoun_ shal berr y'e length of ij yardes, a standard of iii
or 4 yardes, and a stremer of xii. xx. xl. or lx. yardes longe."
This account is confirmed by MS. Harl. 2258, and Lansd. 225. f. 431. as
quoted by Mr. Nicholas, in the Retrosp. Rev. vol. i. N.S. The former of
these MSS. states: Euery standard and _Guydhome_ [whence the etymology of
the word is obvious] to have in the chief the crosse of St. George, to be
slitte at the ende, and to conteyne the creste or supporter, with the
posey, worde, and devise of the owner." It adds, that "a guydhome must be
two yardes and a halfe, or three yardes longe." This rule may sometimes
have been neglected, at least by artists, for in a bill of expences for the
Earl of Warwick, dated July 1437, and printed by Dugdale, (Warw. p. 327.)
we find the following entry; "Item, a _gyton_ for the shippe of viij.
yerdis long, poudrid full of raggid staves, for the lymnyng and
workmanship, ijs." The Grant of a _guydon_ made in 1491 to Hugh Vaughan, is
preserved in the College of Arms. It contains his crest placed
longitudinally. _Retrospective Review, New Series_, vol. i. p. 511.
[E] _bewesyns_.
[F] _came_.
[G] _worthy_ deest.
[H] A species of banner or streamer. See Note.
[I] _noble_.
[J] _were_.
[K] Trumpeters.
[L] Trumpets.
[M] _that_.
[N] cryed.
[O] _were_.
[P] _with nose_.
[Q] _were_.
[R] _patrons_.--Workmens' models or figures. _Patrone_, forme to
werke by. _Prompt. Parvul_. MS. Harl. 221. There is probably here
an allusion to the waxen or wooden effigies placed on the hearse of
distinguished personages.
[S] _as dede thyng they were peynte_.
[T] _in_.
[U] _to fare_.
[V] as _deest_.
[W] _as cartes led awey_.
[X] _Vnto_.
[Y] In MS. Harl. 753, a break is here made, and a large capital letter
introduced.
[Z] _to_ deest.
[AA] _sithe_.
[AB] _vp he_.
[AC] _atte porte kauxoz_.
[AD] _atte_ porte.
[AE] _that stounde_.
[AF] Crosses.
[AG] xliiij.
[AH] _religiouns_.
[AI] _atte porte hauxoz_.
[AJ] The remainder, of this, and the two following lines are omitted.
[AK] _Thanked_.
[AL] _they seyde our lord so free_.
[AM] _vnto_.
[AN] _the_ deest.
[AO] _to_.
[AP] _As_.
[AQ] Poitrell, breast plate.
[AR] _hangyng_.
[AS] _dide_ deest.
[AT] _the_ chere.
[AU] The chaplains of his household. Lat. _capella_.
[AV] _atte_ dore, _there_ deest.
[AW] _afore_.
[AX] _respon._
[AY] _logged hym._
[AZ] _his cite fast encrest_.
[BA] _beste_.
[BB] _that_ deest.
[BC] _tydyng_.
[BD] _his_ deest.
[BE] on.
[BF] _seyde all for charitee_.
BRONZE GILT ANTIQUE STATUE AT LILLEBONNE, p. 127-8.
This Statue, as the above reference will testify, is now in the possession
of Mr. Samuel Woodburn, of St. Martin's Lane. When the note relating to it
was written, I could, not place my hand upon a Brochure (in my possession)
published at Rouen in 1823,[176] containing an archaeological description
of this Statue by M. Revet, and a scientific account of its component
parts, by M. Houton La Billardière, Professor of Chemistry at Rouen. The
former embodied his remarks in two letters addressed to the Prefect of the
Lower Seine. A print of the figure in its then extremely mutilated state,
is prefixed; but its omission would have been no great drawback to the
publication--which, in its details, appears to be ingenious, learned, and
satisfactory. The highest praise is given to the Statue, as a work of art
of the second century.[177] Its _identity_ seems to be yet a subject of
disputation:--but M. Revet considers it as "the representation of some
idolatrous divinity." The opinion of its being a representation of Bacchus,
or of Apollo, or of a Constellation, he thinks might be regulated by a
discovery of some emblem, or attribute, found in the vicinity of the
Statue. Two other plates--lithographised--relating to explanations of the
pieces of the Statue, close this interesting performance.
[176] "_Description de la, Statue Fruste, en Bronze Doré, trouvée a
Lillebonne &c. Suivie de l'Analyse du Métal, avec le dessein de la
Statue, et les Tracés de quelques particularités relatives à la
Confection de cette Antique." Rouen,_ 1823. pp. 56.
[177] Other details induce me to fix the period of its completion towards
the end of the second century: and after the unheard of difficulties
which the artist had to overcome, one would scarcely be believed if
one said that every thing is executed in a high state of perfection."
p. 34.