the lord Talbot (who had with him not past six thousand men) néere
vnto a village in Beausse called Pataie: at which battell the charge
was giuen by the French so vpon a sudden, that the Englishmen had not
leisure to put themselues in arraie, after they had put vp their stakes
before their archers, so that there was no remedie but to fight at
aduenture. This battell continued by the space of thrée long houres;
for the Englishmen, though they were ouerpressed with multitude of
their enimies, yet they neuer fled backe one foot, till their capteine
the lord Talbot was sore wounded at the backe, and so taken.
[Sidenote: Great losse on the English side. The lords Talbot, Scales,
and Hungerford taken.]
Then their hearts began to faint, and they fled, in which flight were
slaine aboue twelue hundred, and fortie taken, of whome the lord
Talbot, the lord Scales, the lord Hungerford, & sir Thomas Rampston
were chéefe. Diuerse archers, after they had shot all their arrowes,
hauing onelie their swords, defended themselues, and with helpe of some
of their horsmen came safe to Mehun. This ouerthrow, and speciallie the
taking of the lord Talbot, did not so much reioise the Frenchmen; but
it did as much abash the Englishmen: so that immediatlie therevpon,
the townes of Ienuile, Mehun, Fort, and diuerse other, returned from
the English part, and became French. From this battell departed
without anie stroke striken sir Iohn Fastolfe, the same yeare for his
valiantnesse elected into the order of the garter. But for doubt of
misdealing at this brunt, the duke of Bedford tooke from him the image
of saint George, and his garter; though afterward by meanes of fréends,
and apparant causes of good excuse, the same were to him againe
deliuered against the mind of the lord Talbot.
[Sidenote: The French king crowned.]
Charles the Dolphin that called himselfe French K. perceiuing fortune
to smile thus vpon him, assembled a great power, and determined to
conquer the citie of Reimes, that he might be there sacred, crowned,
and annointed, according to the custome of his progenitours, that all
men might iudge that he was by all lawes and decrées a iust and lawfull
king. In his waie thitherwards he besieged the citie of Auxerre, the
citizens whereof compounded with him to yéeld, if they were not rescued
within certeine daies. From thence he came before Trois, and after
twelue daies siege had that citie deliuered vnto him, by composition,
that the capteine sir Philip Hall (with his people and mooueables)
might depart in safetie. After that Trois was yéelded, the communaltie
of Chaalons rebelled against sir Iohn Aubemond their capteine, and
constreined him to deliuer the towne vpon like composition. In
semblable manner did they of Reimes, desiring him to giue safe conduct
to all the Englishmen safelie to depart. When Reimes was thus become
French, the foresaid Charles the Dolphin in the presence of the dukes
of Lorraine and Barré, and of all the noble men of his faction, was
sacred there king of France by the name of Charles the seauenth, with
all rites and ceremonies thereto belonging. They of Auxerre, when the
terme of their appointment was expired, submitted themselues to him;
and so likewise did all the cities and townes adioining.
[Sidenote: Ione taken to be a witch.]
The duke of Bedford aduertised of all these dooings, assembled his
power about him, and hauing togither ten thousand good Englishmen
(beside Normans) departed out of Paris in warlike fashion, and passing
thorough Brie to Monstreau fault Yonne, sent by his herald Bedford,
letters to the French king, signifieng to him; that where he had
(contrarie to the finall conclusion accorded betwéene his noble brother
K. Henrie the fift, & king Charles the sixt, father to him that was
the vsurper) by allurement of a deuelish witch, taken vpon him the
name, title, & dignitie of the king of France; and further had by
murther, stealing, craft, and deceitfull meanes, violentlie gotten,
and wrongfullie kept diuerse cities and townes belonging to the king
of England his nephue; for proofe thereof he was come downe from Paris
with his armie, into the countrie of Brie, by dint of sword and stroke
of battell to prooue his writing and cause true, willing his enimie to
choose the place, and in the same he would giue him battell.
The new French king being come from Reimes to Dampmartine, studieng
how to compasse them of Paris, was halfe abashed at this message. But
yet to set a good countenance on the matter, he answered the herald,
that he would sooner séeke his maister, than his maister should néed to
pursue him. The duke of Bedford hearing this answer, marched toward the
king, and pitched his field in a strong place. The French king, though
at the first he meant to haue abidden battell; yet when he vnderstood
that the duke was equall to him in number of people, he changed his
purpose, and turned with his armie a little out of the waie. The duke
of Bedford, perceiuing his faint courage, followed him by the hils and
dales, till he came to a town not far from Senlis, where he found the
French king and his armie lodged; wherefore he ordered his battels
like an expert chéefteine in martiall science, setting the archers
before, and himselfe with the noblemen in the maine battell, and put
the Normans on both sides for wings. The French king also ordered his
battels with the aduise of his capteins.
[Sidenote: The French armie fled in the night.]
[Sidenote: Boheme.]
Thus these two armies laie two daies and two nights either in sight of
other, without anie great dooing, except a few skirmishes, wherein the
dukes light horssemen did verie valiantlie. At length in the dead of
the night (as priuilie as might be) the French king brake vp his campe,
and fled to Braie. The duke of Bedford had much adoo to staie his
people in the morning from pursuit of the French armie: but for that he
mistrusted the Parisiens, he would not depart farre from that citie,
and so returned thither againe. ¶ In this season pope Martin the fift
of that name, meaning to subdue the Bohemers that dissented from the
church of Rome in matters of religion, appointed Henrie Beaufort Bishop
of Winchester & cardinall of saint Eusebie, to be his legat in an armie
that should inuade the kingdome of Boheme, and to bring a power of
men with him out of England. And because the warre touched religion,
he licenced the cardinall to take the tenth part of euerie spirituall
dignitie, benefice, and promotion.
This matter was opened in the parlement house, and assented to:
wherevpon the bishop gathered the monie, and assembled foure thousand
men & aboue, not without great grudge of the people, which dailie
were with tallages and aids wearied and sore burdened. As this bishop
was come to Douer readie to passe the seas ouer into Flanders, the
duke of Glocester hauing receiued letters from the duke of Bedford,
conteining an earnest request to reléeue him with some spéedie aid of
men of warre, was constreined to write vnto the bishop of Winchester,
willing him in time of such néed, when all stood vpon losse or gaine,
to passe with all his armie toward the duke of Bedford, to assist him
against his aduersaries; which thing doone, and to his honour atchiued,
he might performe his iournie against the vngratious Bohemers. The
cardinall (though not well contented with this countermand) yet least
he should run into the note of infamie, if he refused to aid the regent
of France in so great a cause, passed ouer with his power, and brought
the same vnto his coosine to the citie of Paris.
About the same season, the French king, in hope to be receiued into
the townes of Campaigne and Beauuois (by reason of the fauour and good
will which the inhabitants bare towards him) was come with an armie
towards Campaigne. Whereof the duke of Bedford being aduertised, and
hauing now his host augmented with the new supplie, which the cardinall
had of late brought vnto him, marched forward with great spéed toward
the place where he vnderstood the French king was lodged: and comming
to Senlis, he perceiued how his enimies were incamped vpon the mount
Pilioll, betwéene Senlis and Campaigne.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8.]
Here might either armie behold the other: wherevpon for the auoiding
of dangers that might insue, the campes were trenched, and the battels
pitched, and the fields ordered as though they should haue tried the
matter by battell: but nothing was doone except with skirmishes, in
the which the Normans sore vexed the Frenchmen; and therefore receiued
great commendations and praises of the lord regent: who vndoubtedlie
determined to haue giuen battell to his enimies if they would haue
abidden it. But after the armies had thus lien ether in sight of other,
for the space of two daies together, the French king not determining
to aduenture in an open battell the whole chance of the game, least
he might thereby receiue a perpetuall checkemate, in the night season
remooued his campe, and fled to Crespie, though his number was double
to the English armie. The duke of Bedford, séeing that the French king
was thus cowardlie recoiled with all his power and armie, returned
againe to Paris, euer suspecting the deceitfull faith of the Parisiens.
[Sidenote: Boheme.]
[Sidenote: The pope did vnlegat the cardinall of Winchester.]
[Sidenote: K. Henries coronation at Westminster.]
The bishop of Winchester, after that the French king was retreated
backe, went into Boheme, and there did somewhat, though shortlie after
without anie great praise or gaine he returned into England, more
glad of his comming backe than of his aduancing forward. Anon after
the pope vnlegated him, and set an other in his place, wherewith he
was nothing contented. On the sixt daie of Nouember, being the daie
of saint Leonard, king Henrie in the eight yeare of his reigne was at
Westminster with all pompe and honour crowned king of this realme of
England. In the same yere the French king was receiued into the towne
of Campaigne, and shortlie after were the townes of Senlis and Beauuois
rendered to him. And the lord Longueall tooke by stelth the castell of
Aumarle, and slue all the Englishmen within it.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
Also about the same time, the Frenchmen recouered castell Gaillard
foorth of the Englishmens hands, where the lord Barbason was found
in a dungeon, inclosed within a great grate of iron like to a little
chamber, and foorthwith they brake open the grate: but Barbason would
not come foorth, because he had giuen his faith and promise to one
Kingston that was capteine of that fortresse for the king of England,
to be true prisoner, vntill the Frenchmen had sent to the same Kingston
(that was departed vpon such couenants as they were agréed vpon at
the deliuerie of that fortresse) willing him to come backe againe
vpon safe conduct. Which at their earnest request he did, and withall
discharged the lord Barbason of his oth; and so then he came foorth,
and remained at his libertie, to the great reioising of the Frenchmen,
which iudged that he had béene rather dead than aliue all that time of
his imprisonment.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Rone called by the duke of Bedford.]
About the same time also the French king sought by all meanes possible
to breake the amitie betwixt the realme of England, and the house of
Burgognie. Whereof the duke of Bedford hauing intelligence, thought it
stood him vpon the more earnestlie to looke to his charge; and namelie
as it were an anchorhold, he determined to prouide that he might defend
and safelie kéepe the duchie of Normandie, and therefore appointing the
bishop of Terrowen and Elie, named Lewes of Lutzenburgh, chancellor
for king Henrie of the realme of France, to remaine at Paris vpon the
defense of that citie, with a conuenient number of Englishmen, he
departed into Normandie, and comming to Rone, called a parlement there
of the thrée estates of the duchie, in the which he declared manie
things vnto them, touching the happie life, and great fréedome which
they might be assured to inioy, so long as they continued vnder the
English obeisance: and therefore he exhorted them to abide constant
in their allegiance, faith, and promise made and sworne to his noble
brother king Henrie the fift.
[Sidenote: The French got saint Denis.]
[Sidenote: Ione had a hurt in the leg and a fall, drawen all durtie out
of the mire.]
Whilest the duke of Bedford was busie to reteine the Normans in their
due obedience, the French king departed from Senlis; and comming to the
towne of saint Denis, found it in maner desolate, so that he entered
there without resistance, and lodged his armie at Mount Martyr and
Amberuilliers, néere vnto the citie of Paris; and from thence sent
Iohn duke of Alanson, and his sorceresse Ione la Pusell, with thrée
thousand light horssemen to asssault the citie, and followed himselfe,
in hope to get it, either by force or treatie. But the English
capteins euerie one kéeping his ward and place assigned, so manfullie
defended themselues, their walles and towers with the assistance of
the Parisiens, that they repelled the Frenchmen, and threw downe Ione
their great goddesse into the bottome of the towne ditch, where she lay
behind the backe of an asse sore hurt in the leg, till the time that
she (all filthie with mire and durt) was drawne out by Guischard of
Thienbrone, seruant to the duke of Alanson.
The French king, perceiuing that he could not preuaile in this
enterprise, left the dead bodies behind him, and taking with him the
wounded capteins, returned into Berrie. But in the meane waie, the
inhabitants of Laignie submitted themselues vnto him. The duke of
Bedford being in Normandie, hearing of this sudden attempt, with all
hast possible came to Paris, where he gaue manie great thanks, with
high commendations vnto the capteins, souldiers and citizens for their
assured fidelitie, great hardinesse & manlie dooing. Which his gentle
words so incouraged the harts of the Parisiens, that they sware,
promised and concluded, to be fréends for euer to the king of England,
and his fréends, and enimies alwaies to his foes and aduersaries,
making proclamation by this stile: "Fréends to K. Henrie, fréends to
the Parisiens; Enimies to England, enimies to Paris." Marie whether
this was vttered from their harts, it is hard so to saie, for the
sequeale of their acts séemed to proue the contrarie.
[Sidenote: Saint Denis by vs recouered againe.]
Soone after these dooings, came to Paris with a great companie Philip
duke of Burgognie, and then vpon long consultation had for the
recouerie of their losses, it was agréed that the duke of Bedford
should raise an armie, & that the duke of Burgognie should be his
deputie, and tarie at Paris for the defense of the citie. The duke of
Bedford then without any great resistance recouered againe the towne
of saint Denis, with diuerse other fortresses. And after this he sent
the bastard of Clarence to laie siege to the castell of Torsie, the
which (notwithstanding the great strength therof) after six moneths
siege, was rendred vp into his hands. During the siege of this castell,
sir Thomas Kiriell knight, with foure hundred Englishmen departed from
Gourneie in Normandie, and rode by Beauuois, spoiling and wasting the
countrie to the suburbes of Cleremont. Whereof the earle of that towne
hauing aduertisement, assembled all the men of warre of the garrisons
adioining, and with the same set forward to fight with the Englishmen,
whom he found in a streict place néere to Beauuois.
[Sidenote: La Hire.]
[Sidenote: Laignie besieged by the Englishmen.]
[Sidenote: _Le Rosier._]
The earle of Cleremont, perceiuing that he could not hurt them with
his men of armes, by reason of the strength, came downe on foot with
all his companie, and fiercelie set on the Englishmen: but by the
terrible shot of the English archers, the Frenchmen in the end were
constreined to flée; and the Englishmen perceiuing the matter, streight
leapt on horssebacke and followed the chase. In the which were taken
two hundred prisoners, and thrise as manie slaine. The earle escaped
by the swiftnesse of his horsse. At the same season the earle of
Suffolke besieging the towne of Aumarle (whereof was capteine the lord
of Rambures) after foure and twentie great assaults, had the towne
and castell simplie to him rendred. Thus by little and little the
Englishmen recouered manie townes which before they had lost. Howbeit
about the verie same time, the Frenchmen stale the towne of Lauall, by
treason wrought by a miller, which kéeping a mill that ioined to the
wall, suffered the French to passe through his mill into the towne.
Shortlie after also sir Steuen de Vignoilles, surnamed la Hire, tooke
by scaling the towne of Louiers in Normandie. The Englishmen in the
cold moneth of December besieged the towne of Laignie in the which was
the Pusell, and diuerse other good capteins.
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
[Sidenote: 1430]
[In the moneth of Maie 1430, with a valiant man in feats of armes
on the duke of Burgognions side, one Franquet and his band of thrée
hundred souldiers, making all towards the maintenance of the siege, the
Pusell Ione and a foure hundred with hir did méet. In great courage and
force did she and hir people sundrie times assaile him, but he with his
(though much vnder in number) by meanes of his archers in good order
set, did so hardilie withstand them, that for the first and second
push she rather lost than wan? Wherat this captinesse striken into a
fretting chafe, called out in all hast the garrison of Laignie, and
from other the forts thereabout, who thicke and thréefold came downe
with might and maine, in armour and number so far excéeding Franquets,
that though they had doone hir much hurt in hir horsemen; yet by the
verie multitude were they oppressed, most in hir furie put to the
sword; & as for to Franquet that worthie capteine himselfe, hir rage
not appeased, till out of hand she had his head stroken off: contrarie
to all manhood (but she was a woman, if she were that) & contrarie to
common right & law of armes. The man for his merits was verie much
lamented, and she by hir malice then found of what spirit she was.]
[Sidenote: Campiegne besieged.]
After this the duke of Bourgognie accompanied with the earles of
Arundell, and Suffolke, and the lord Iohn of Lutzenburgh besieged
the towne of Campiegne with a great puissance. This towne was well
walled, manned and vittelled, so that the besiegers were constreined
to cast trenches, and make mines, for otherwise they saw not how to
compasse their purpose. In the meane time it happened in the night of
the Ascension of our lord, that Poiton de Saintreiles, Ione la Pusell,
and fiue or six hundred men of armes issued out by the bridge toward
Mondedier, intending to set fire in the tents and lodgings of the lord
Bawdo de Noielle.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Gesnero._]
[Sidenote: Richard Fleming bishop of Lincolne.]
[Sidenote: The books that he wrote.]
¶ In this yeare of our Lord, among diuerse notable men of learning and
knowledge, one Richard Fleming, English borne, a doctor of diuinitie
professed in Oxford, did flourish: who by the prouidence of God grew
in such fauour with this king Henrie the sixt, & the nobles néere &
about him, that he was preferred to the bishops sée of Lincolne. This
man founded Lincolne college in Oxford, in which vniuersitie he had
béene a profitable student. Diuerse bookes he wrote (as the vniuersitie
librarie dooth beare witnesse) whereof these following haue béene
séene vnder their names and titles; to wit: A protestation against the
Spaniards, the Frenchmen, and the Scots, made in the generall councell
holden at Sens: one booke of the Etymologie of England; besides diuerse
other treatises, as Gesner reporteth Ex bibliotheca Oxonii, aforesaid.
[Sidenote: Ione the Pusell taken.]
At the verie same time that Campeigne was besieged (as before is said)
sir Iohn of Lutzenburgh, with eight other gentlemen, chanced to be
néere vnto the lodging of the said lord Bawdo, where they espied the
Frenchmen, which began to cut downe tents, ouerthrow pauilions, & kill
men in their beds: wherevpon they with all spéed assembled a great
number of men, as well English as Burgognions, and couragiouslie set
on the Frenchmen, and in the end beat them backe into the towne, so
that they fled so fast that one letted another, as they would haue
entered. In the chase and pursute was the Pusell taken, with diuerse
other, besides those that were slaine, which were no small number.
Diuerse were hurt also on both parts. Among the Englishmen, sir Iohn
Montgomerie had his arme broken, and sir Iohn Steward was shot into the
thigh with a quarell.
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
[Sidenote: _Chroniques de Britaigne._]
[As before ye haue heard somewhat of this damsels strange beginning
and procéedings, so sith the ending of all such miraclemongers dooth
(for the most part) plainelie decipher the vertue and power that they
worke, by hir shall ye be aduertised what at last became of hir; cast
your opinions as ye haue cause. Of hir louers (the Frenchmen) reporteth
one, how in Campeigne thus besieged, Guillamne de Flauie the capteine
hauing sold hir aforehand to the lord of Lutzenburgh, vnder colour of
hasting hir with a band out of the towne towards their king, for him
with spéed to come and leauie the siege there, so gotten hir foorth
he shut the gates after hir, when anon by the Burgognians set vpon
and ouermatcht in the conflict she was taken: marie yet (all things
accounted) to no small maruell how it could come so to passe, had she
béene of any deuotion or of true beléefe, and no false miscreant,
but all holie as she made it. For earlie that morning she gat hir to
saint Iameses church, confessed hir, and receiued hir maker (as the
booke termes it) and after setting hir selfe to a piller, manie of the
townesmen that with a fiue or six score of their children stood about
there to sée hir, vnto them "(quod she) Good children and my déere
fréends, I tell you plaine one hath sold me. I am betraied and shortlie
shall be deliuered to death; I beséech you praie to God for me, for I
shall neuer haue more power to doo seruice either to the king or to the
realme of France againe."
[Sidenote: _Le Rosier._]
[Sidenote: _In la vie du Charles septiesme._]
[Sidenote: Fiue thousand pounds fr[=e]ch crowns in monie.]
[Sidenote: An hundred and fiftie crownes rent.]
Saith another booke, she was intrapt by a Picard capteine of Soissons,
who sold that citie to the duke of Burgognie, and he then put it ouer
into the hands of the lord of Lutzenburgh, so by that meanes the
Burgognians approched and besieged Campeigne, for succour whereof
as damsell Ione with hir capteins from Laignie was thither come,
and dailie to the English gaue manie a hot skirmish, so happened it
one a daie in an outsallie that she made by a Picard of the lord of
Lutzenburghs band, in the fiercest of hir fight she was taken, and by
him by and by to his lord presented, who sold hir ouer againe to the
English, who for witchcraft and sorcerie burnt hir at Rone. Tillet
telleth it thus, that she was caught at Campeigne by one of the earle
of Ligneis soldiers, from him had to Beaureuoir castell, where kept a
thrée months, she was after for ten thousand pounds in monie and thrée
hundred pounds rent (all Turnois) sold into the English hands.
In which for hir pranks so vncouth and suspicious, the lord regent by
Peter Chauchon bishop of Beauuois (in whose diocesse she was taken)
caused hir life and beléefe, after order of law to be inquired vpon
and examined. Wherein found though a virgin, yet first shamefullie
reiecting hir sex abominablie in acts and apparell to haue counterfeit
mankind, and then all damnablie faithlesse, to be a pernicious
instrument to hostilitie and bloudshed in diuelish witchcraft and
sorcerie, sentence accordinglie was pronounced against hir. Howbeit
vpon humble confession of hir iniquities with a counterfeit contrition
pretending a carefull sorow for the same, execution spared and all
mollified into this, that from thencefoorth she should cast off hir
vnnaturall wearing of mans abilliments, and kéepe hir to garments
of hir owne kind, abiure hir pernicious practises of sorcerie and
witcherie, and haue life and leasure in perpetuall prison to bewaile
hir misdéeds. Which to performe (according to the maner of abiuration)
a solemne oth verie gladlie she tooke.