THE WAR WITH FRANCE (_continued_)
When Henry V was crowned King, he desired much to revive the glories of
Crécy and so he summoned his nobles to war. Then he built a great fleet
to carry them to France, cutting down the oak trees in the Forest of
Epping for that purpose.
He was much loved by all his soldiers, "for in wrestling, leaping and
running, no man could compare with him. In casting of great iron bars
and heavy stones, he excelled all men, never shrinking at cold, nor
slothful for heat; and when he most laboured, his head commonly
uncovered; no more weariness of light armour than a light coat, very
valiantly abiding at need both hunger and thirst, so manful of mind as
never to seem to quinch at a wound or to smart at the pain."
When he came into the realm of France, he laid siege to the strong city
of Harfleur. It was summer time and many of the soldiers fell sick.
Though the town was captured, Henry could but turn his back on Paris
and march homeward on the old road to Calais, as his great-grandfather
Edward III had done in like case.
"The English were brought into some distress in this journey, by reason
of their victuals in manner spent and no hope to get more: for the
enemies had destroyed all the corn before they came. Rest could they
none take, for their enemies with alarms did ever so infest them; daily
it rained and nightly it freezed; of fuel there was great scarcity;
money enough, but wares for their relief to bestow it on had they none.
Yet, in this great necessity, the poor people of the country were not
spoiled nor anything taken of them without payment, nor any offence
done by Englishmen."
In the French camp, there was much strife and discontent, yet when the
news of the English King's distress reached them, and they sent after
him their herald to demand ransom, the King answered with scorn. So
Mountjoy, King-at-arms, was sent to the King of England to defy him as
the enemy of France and to tell him that he should shortly have battle.
King Henry advisedly answered, "Mine intent is to do as it pleaseth
God. I will not seek your master at this time, but if he or his seek me
I will meet them, God willing." When he had thus answered the herald,
he gave him a princely reward and licence to depart.
Then the French, coming to the field of Agincourt, and seeing how small
an army stood before them, sent the herald once again to seek a ransom.
Henry answered that he would never pay such ransom. "When the messenger
was come back to the French host, the men of war put on their helmets
and caused their trumpets to blow to the battle."
As the English soldiers looked at the great host before them, there
were some who sighed for the thousands lying idle in England. Henry,
hearing them, answered, "I would not have a single man more. If God
give us the victory it will be plain that we owe it to His grace. If
not, the fewer we are, the less the loss for England." "What time is it
now?" he asked. "The bells are ringing prime [six o'clock], my lord,"
answered the Bishop. "Now it is good time," said the King. "England
prayeth for us, let us be of good cheer. Banners advance!"
Then these Frenchmen came pricking down, as they would have over-ridden
all our company. But God and our archers made them soon to stumble, for
our archers shot never arrow amiss that did not pierce and bring to
ground horse and man. And our King fought like a man, with his own
hands. So were the French put to rout, though they indeed had been
strong in their pride.
Then the King passed into England and "in this passage the seas were so
rough and troublous" that two ships were driven ashore, and the French
prisoners said they would rather fight in another battle than cross the
seas again. As they came in sight of the shore, the townsmen of Dover
came out to meet them, wading waist-deep in the water, so great was
their joy at the news. Bonfires were lit and bells were rung and money
was freely given to the soldier King.
"The mayor of London and aldermen, apparelled in orient grained
scarlet, and four hundred commoners, clad in beautiful mulberry cloth,
well-mounted and trimly horsed, with rich collars and great chains met
the King on Blackheath, rejoicing at his return, and the clergy of
London, with rich crosses, sumptuous copes and massy censors, received
him at S. Thomas of Waterways [on the Old Kent Road] with solemn
procession."
It was not long before he set out again to win back Normandy, lost by
John long ago. He laid siege to its chief city, where there was much
suffering, of which the King had pity.
Of the people to tell the truth
It was a sight of mickle ruth;
Much of the folk that was therein
They were but bones and the bare skin
With hollow eyes and face a-peak,
They scarce had strength to breathe or speak.
When the city surrendered, the King, "clothed in black damask, mounted
on a black horse, with a squire behind him, bearing a fox-brush on a
spear, for a banner, rode to the minster to give thanks for his
victory."
Then Henry marched on towards Paris, for "he had such knowledge in
ordering and guiding an army with such a gift to encourage his people
that the Frenchmen had constant opinion he would never be vanquished in
battle." The Dauphin of France was idle and the old French King ill, so
it befell that Henry married the French Princess and ruled Northern
France.
To the sorrow of all men he died soon after, and his son when he grew
up had many troubles; for in those days, a soldier was held more in
honour than a poet and a dreamer.
Some years after Henry's death, Joan of Arc appeared to rescue her land
from the enemy, for there was no hope either in the Dauphin who should
have been its King or among the French lords who had lost their honour.
Joan described how it happened to her in these words, "At the age of
thirteen, I had a voice from God to guide me, and the first time I was
very frightened; this voice came at the hour of noon in summer time, in
my father's garden; it was on a fast day, I heard the voice on the
right side where the church is. I saw at the time a great light."
Then the Archangel Michael addressed her desiring that she should "have
pity on the fair realm of France." She answered him, "Messire, I am but
a poor maiden; I know not how to ride to the wars or to lead
men-at-arms." But the voices were ever in her ear.
When her friends desired her not to go, she answered them, "I had far
rather rest and spin by my mother's side; for this is no work of my
choosing, but I must go and do it, for my Lord wills it." "And who is
your Lord?" they asked. "He is God," she said.
When she had come with much danger and trouble to the place where the
Dauphin lay, she desired to see him, but those that stood round mocked
her.
Coming into the presence, she said, "Gentle Dauphin, my name is Jeanne
the Maid. The Heavenly King sends me to tell you that you shall be
anointed and crowned in the town of Reims and you shall be lieutenant
of the Heavenly King, who is the King of France."
After many weary days, the Dauphin considered her message and he gave
to her some of his armed men that she might prove that God was on her
side. He bade her go to get back the good city of Orleans, which was in
dire need by reason of the great armies of the English encamped round
about it.
Then was the might of the maid proved, for no sooner had her standard
touched the walls of the city than the town was saved. Soldiers, who
had scoffed or stood aside, now joined her. Thus was she able to march
through the land in triumph to the city of Reims, where it was the
custom to crown the Kings of France, and in the host there marched the
Dauphin.
In that city, she crowned the King, and the English fell back at the
terror of her name. Then kneeling before the King, she said, "O gentle
King, the pleasure of God is done, would it were His pleasure that I
might go and keep sheep once more with my sisters and my brothers. They
would be rejoiced to see me again."
The King dared not let her go, yet she had many enemies, for the lords
of France did not care to think that she had led their armies. To their
bitter shame, they made little effort to save her from the English and
she was burnt as a witch. From that day, the English gradually lost all
France save Calais.
So the victories of Henry V were of no avail and there was much poverty
in England and murmuring against the rulers.