the realme of England, displaied their banners, and set foorth their
armies, and in short space got (by yéelding) Constance, Gisors, castell
Galliard, Ponteau de Mere, saint Lo, Festampe, Newcastell, Tonque,
Mauleon, Argenton, Lisieux, and diuerse other townes and places
within the countrie of Normandie. Likewise in Guien was the towne of
Maulisson rendered to the earle of Fois. These townes were not yéelded
voluntarilie by the English souldiers: but they were compelled thereto
by the inhabitants of the townes, which hauing intelligence of the
féeble estate of the realme of England, rose against the capteins,
opened the gates to the enimies, or constreined them to render vpon
composition. By which inforcement was the rich citie of Rone deliuered:
for suerlie the duke of Summerset and the earle of Shrewesburie
had well kept that citie, if they had béene no more vexed with the
citizens, than they were with their enimies.
[Sidenote: Harflue besieged.]
[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Curson.]
For after that the French king had giuen summons to the citie, the
inhabitants streightwaies did not onelie deuise which waie they might
betraie the citie, but also put on armor, and rebelled openlie against
their capteins: who perceiuing the vntruth of them, and their owne
danger, retired into the castell or palace, where (for a certeine
space) with arrowes & handguns they sore molested the vntrue citizens.
But at length, vnderstanding the great puissance of the French king
at hand, and despairing of all aid and succour, they yéelded vpon
condition; that with all their goods and armour they should safelie
depart to Caen, and that certeine townes should be deliuered by a day.
And till the same townes were rendred, the earle of Shrewesburie and
the lord Butler, sonne to the earle of Ormond, were left behind as
pledges, which were sent to the castell of Eureux, bicause they sore
feared the malice of the citizens of Rone.
[Sidenote: Harflue yéelded to the French.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 28.]
The Frenchmen, following the successe in hand, came to Harflue, and
fiercelie assaulted the walles: but by the high prowesse and vndanted
valiancie of the capteine, sir Thomas Curson, they were to their great
losse manfullie by him repelled, and beaten. The Frenchmen learning wit
by this great perill, left their scaling, and deuised dailie how to
batter the walles, & make the breaches reasonable for them to enter.
This siege long continued to the great losse of both parties. When
sir Thomas Curson saw no likelihood of gaine, but great appéerance
of present losse, he fell at composition with the enimies, and so
departed with all his goods. After which towne rendered, the fortresse
of Hunflue was vpon like composition yéelded. And beside these townes
surrendred in Normandie, the duke of Britaine recouered againe
Fougiers, saint Iames de Beuuron, and diuerse other.
[Sidenote: 1450]
[Sidenote: Sir Thomas Kiriell with a new band into France.]
In the meane season the king of England sent into Normandie (with a
new supplie of a thousand fiue hundred men) a right valiant capteine
called sir Thomas Kiriell, who ioining himselfe with other English
capteins recouered the townes of Lisieux and Valongnes, and hauing with
him power sufficient (as he tooke it) to kéepe the fields, he departed
the twelfe of Aprill from Valongnes, meaning to passe towards Baieux,
and after to Caen. But the eightéenth daie of the same moneth, he was
incountred at a place called Formignie betwixt Carenten and Baieux,
by the earle of Cleremont, & other Frenchmen with Scots. At the first
onset, the Englishmen receiued their enimies with such manhood, that
the Frenchmen were driuen backe, and the Englishmen tooke from them two
culuerings.
[Sidenote: The Englishmen ouerthrowne at Formigne.]
But yet in the end, by the comming of the constable of France, Arthur
de Britaine earle of Richmond, who brought two hundred or twelue
score men of armes, and an eight hundred archers or demilances, the
Englishmen were discomfited, put to flight, and slaine to the number of
thrée thousand, seauen hundred, thrée score and thirtéene as Enguerant
noteth, beside prisoners, of whome there were diuerse personages of
accompt, as the said sir Thomas Kiriell himselfe, sir Henrie Norberie,
sir Thomas Drew, sir Thomas Kirklie, Christopher Auberton, Arpell,
Helice, Alengour, Iennequin, Vacquier, Gobart, Caleuille, and sundrie
other. Sir Robert Véer, and sir Matthew [19]Gough that valiant
Welshman, and manie other escaped so well as they might, some to
Baieux, some to Caen, and other to other places as best they could.
[19] Or rather Goche.
[Sidenote: Caen besieged and yéelded to the French.]
After this ouerthrow obteined, the French king assembled an armie
roiall, and comming before Caen, besieged it on all sides: and after
making his approches, fiercelie assaulted the walles. But the duke of
Summerset, and the other capteins within the towne, manfullie withstood
their enimies, shewing both force and great policie in defending and
beating backe the assailants. The French king, perceiuing he could not
preuaile that waie, sent for all his great ordinance to Paris, which
being brought, he dailie shot at the wals, and did some hurt: but to
the castell which stood on a rocke, and in it a dungeon vnable to be
beaten downe, he did no harme at all.
Though the duke of Summerset was the kings lieutenant, yet sir Dauid
Hall, as capteine of this towne for his maister the duke of Yorke owner
therof, tooke vpon him the chéefe charge. Sir Robert Véer was capteine
of the castell, and sir Henrie Radford capteine of the dungeon. Dailie
the shot was great, but more terrible than hurtfull: sauing on a daie a
stone shot into the towne, fell betwéene the duchesse of Summerset, and
hir children, which being amazed with this chance, besought hir husband
knéeling on hir knées, to haue mercie and compassion of his small
infants, and that they might be deliuered out of the towne in safegard.
Which intretie made with teares and submission, what eare could but
listen to, what heart but yerne at; vnlessse both eare and heart were
made of flint or marble, or hewen out of a hard rocke, and so void of
all passions, of all remorse, of all affections belonging to humanitie?
[Sidenote: The irreconciliable hate betwéene the two dukes.]
The duke pitifull, mooued with the sorrow of his wife, and loue of his
children, rendered the towne against the mind of sir Dauid Hall, whose
counsell and faithfull diligence (in acquiring himselfe to answer the
trust committed to him by his maister) if others had followed; the
French had susteined more trauell and losse, yer they should haue so
easilie atteined their purpose. The conditions of the surrender were,
that the duke of Summerset and his might depart in safegard with all
their goods and substance. Sir Dauid Hall with diuerse of his trustie
fréends departed to Chierburgh, and from thence sailed into Ireland to
the duke of Yorke, making relation to him of all these dooings, which
thing kindled so great a rancor in the dukes heart and stomach, that he
neuer left persecuting the duke of Summerset, vntill he had brought him
to his fatall end & confusion. Such is the nature of rancor and malice,
of wrath and anger, which furthereth the hands euen of weaklings, on
them to wreake their téene, with whome they are offended and pricked to
reuengment, as the poet saith:
Quaslibet infirmas adiuuat ira manus.
After the obteining of Caen, the earle of Cleremont besieged the citie
of Lisieux, whereof was capteine Matthew [20]Gough with thrée hundred
Englishmen, who in the end deliuered that towne, vpon condition,
that he and his people might depart to Chierburgh. Then was Falais
besieged, whereof were capteins for the earle of Shrewesburie (that
was the owner) Andrew Trollop, and Thomas Cotton esquiers, who being
in despaire of all succors, agréed to deliuer it vpon two conditions.
The one was, that the earle their maister, which remained in pledge for
the performance of certeine appointments, concluded at the deliuerie of
Rone (as ye haue hard) should be set at libertie. The other, that if
they were not rescued within twelue daies, that then they and theirs
should depart with armor, and all their goods mooueable, whither it
pleased them.
[20] Goche.
[Sidenote: All Normandie lost.]
At the daie appointed, the towne was rendered, and so likewise was
the towne of Dampfront vpon the semblable agréement. Now rested
onelie English the towne of Chierburgh, whereof was capteine one
Thomas Conuille, which suerlie as long as vittels and munition
serued, defended the towne right manfullie: but without hope of
repaire, consumed, and he els destitute of all comfort and aid, vpon
a reasonable composition, yéelded the towne, and went to Calis, where
the duke of Summerset and manie other Englishmen then soiorned. Thus
was Normandie lost cléerelie out of the Englishmens hands, after it
had continued in their possession the space of thirtie yeares by the
conquest of Henrie the fift.
[Sidenote: The state of it.]
[Sidenote: The causes of the losse.]
[Sidenote: The mortall mischéefe of malice and diuision in a realme.]
In this duchie were an hundred strong townes and fortresses, able to
be kept and holden, beside them which were destroied by the warres;
and in the same is one archbishoprike, and six bishopriks. Some saie
that the Englishmen were not of puissance either to man the townes, as
they should haue béene; or to inhabit the countrie, which was the cause
they could not kéepe it. Other saie, that the duke of Summerset for
his owne peculiar lucre, kept not halfe the number of souldiours for
which he was appointed and allowed, but put the wages in his purse. But
the chéefe and onelie cause vndoubtedlie, was the diuision within the
realme, euerie great man desiring rather to be reuenged on his foe at
home, than on the common enimie abroad, as by that which followeth you
may plainelie perceiue.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 29.]
[Sidenote: _W. P._]
[For whilest the French thus triumphed in Normandie, thrée cruell
enimies among manie (as by ciuill warre and sedition insuing appeared)
sore vrged the vtter ruine of this realme at home. One was presumption
in gouernance, by some that were most vnméet to rule, as the quéene
with hir priuie counsellors and minions; then the deadlie malice and
pride, with insatiable couetise in the states both spirituall and
temporall: and lastlie the generall grudge of the people, for the
vniuersall smart that through misgouernment euerie where they suffered;
who thus forweried with the peise of burthens too heauie for them anie
longer to beare.
[Sidenote: The comm[=o]s exclame against the duke of Suffolke.]
Héerewith perceiuing how (through want of prouident wisedome in the
gouernour) all things went to wracke, as well within the realme as
without; they began to make exclamation against the duke of Suffolke,
charging him to be the onelie cause of the deliuerie of Aniou, and
Maine, the chéefe procuror of the duke of Glocesters death, the verie
occasion of losse of Normandie, the swallower vp of the kings treasure,
the remoouer of good and vertuous councellours from about the prince,
and the aduancer of vicious persons, and of such as by their dooings
shewed themselues apparant aduersaries to the common-wealth.
[Sidenote: The parlem[=e]t adiourned fr[=o] London to Leicester, and
from thence to Westminister.]
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
The quéene hereat doubting not onelie the dukes destruction, but
also hir owne confusion, caused the parlement before begun at the
Blackfriers, to be adiourned to Leicester, thinking there, by force and
rigor of law, to suppresse and subdue all the malice and euill will
conceiued against the duke & hir. At which place few of the nobilitie
would appeare: wherefore it was againe adiourned to Westminster, where
was a full appearance. In the which session the commons of the nether
house put vp to the king and the lords manie articles of treason,
misprision, and euill demeanor, against the duke of Suffolke: the
effect whereof with his answers héere insueth.
Articles proponed by the commons against the duke of Suffolke.
1 First they alleged that he had traitorouslie excited, prouoked, and
councelled Iohn earle of Dunois bastard of Orleance, Bertram lord
Presignie, William Cosinet, enimies to the king, and fréends and
ambassadours to Charles, calling himselfe French king, to enter into
this realme; and to leauie warre against the king and his people, to
the intent to destroie the king and his fréends, and to make Iohn his
sonne king of this realme, marieng him to Margaret, sole heire to
Iohn duke of Summerset, pretending and declaring hir to be next heire
inheritable to the crowne, for lacke of issue, of the kings bodie
lawfullie begotten.
2 Item, the said duke, being of the kings priuie and néere councell,
allured by great rewards and faire promises, made by the said earle of
Dunois, caused the king to deliuer and set at libertie, Charles duke
of Orleance, enimie to the king, and the kings noble father: which
deliuerance was prohibited by expresse words, in the last will of the
kings most victorious father.
3 Item, that before the departing of the said duke of Orleance, the
aforenamed duke of Suffolke traitorouslie fast cleauing to Charles
called the French king, counselled, prouoked, and intised the said duke
of Orleance, to mooue the same king to make warre against England, both
in France and Normandie. According to which procurement & counsell, the
said French king hath recouered the whole realme of France, and all the
duchie of Normandie, and taken prisoners the earle of Shrewesburie,
the lord Fauconbridge, and manie other valiant capteins. ¶ These thrée
articles afornamed he denied, either for fact or thought.]
4 Further it was alleged, that he being ambassadour to the king of
England, to Charles calling himselfe the French king, promised to
Reiner king of Sicill, and to Charles d'Angiers his brother, enimies
to the king, the release of Aniou, with the deliuerance of the countie
of Maine, and the city of Maunt or Mans, without the knowledge of
the other ambassadours with him accompanied. Which promise, after
his returne, he caused to be performed, to the kings disinheritance
and loss irrecouerable, and to the strength of his enimies, and
féeblishment of the duchie of Normandie. ¶ To this article he answered,
that his commission was to conclude, and doo all things according
to his discretion, for the obteining of a peace: & bicause without
deliuerie of those countries, he perceiued that the truce could not be
obteined, he agréed to the release and deliuerance of them.
5 Also they had great cause to iudge by the sequele, that the said
duke being in France in the kings seruice, and one of the priuiest of
his councell there, traitorouslie declared and opened to the capteins
and conductors of warre, apperteining to the kings enimies, the kings
counsell, purueiance of his armies, furniture of his townes, & all
other ordinances, whereby the kings enimies (instructed aforehand by
his traitorous information) haue gotten townes and fortresses, and the
king by that meanes depriued of his inheritance.
6 Item, the said duke declared to the earle of Dunois, to the lord
Presignie, and William Cosinet ambassadours for the French king lieng
in London, the priuities of the kings councell, both for the prouision
of further warre, and also for the defense of the duchie of Normandie:
by the disclosing whereof, the Frenchmen knowing the king secrets,
defeated the kings appointments, and they obteined their purpose.
7 Item, that the said duke, at such time as the king sent ambassadours
to the French king, for the intreating of peace, traitorouslie before
their comming to the French court, certified king Charles of their
commission, authoritie, and instructions: by reason whereof, neither
peace nor amitie succéeded, and the kings inheritance lost, and by his
enimies possessed.
8 Item, the said duke said openlie in the Star-chamber before the lords
of the councell, that he had as high a place in the councell-house of
the French king, as he had there: and was as well trusted there as
here, and could remooue from the French king the priuiest man of his
councell, if he would.
9 Item, when armies haue béene prepared, and souldiers readie waged to
passe ouer the sea, to deale with the kings enimies: the said duke,
corrupted by rewards of the French king, hath restreined & staid the
said armies to passe any further.
10 Item, the said duke being ambassadour for the king, comprised
not in the league (as the kings alies) neither the king of Aragon,
neither the duke of Britaine: but suffered them to be comprised on the
contrarie part. By reason whereof, the old amitie of the k. of Aragon
is estranged from this realme, and the duke of Britaine became enimie
to the same: Giles his brother, the kings sure fréend, cast in strong
prison, and there lie to end his dais.
* * * * *
All these obiections he vtterlie denied, or faintlie auoided: but
none fullie excused. Diuerse other crimes were laid to his charge, as
inriching himselfe with the kings goods and lands, gathering togither
and making a monopolie of offices, fées, wards, and farmes, by reason
whereof, the kings estate was greatlie diminished and decaied, and he
and his kin highlie exalted & inriched: with manie other points, which
bicause they be not notable nor of great force or strength, I omit and
ouerpasse.
[Sidenote: The duke of Suffolke c[=o]mitted to the Tower.]
[Sidenote: Blewbeard capteine of the rebels.]
The quéene, which intierlie loued the duke, doubting some commotion and
trouble to arise, if he were let go vnpunished, caused him for a colour
to be committed to the Tower: where he remained not past a moneth,
but was againe deliuered and restored to the kings fauour, as much as
euer he was before. This dooing so much displeased the people, that
if politike prouision had not béene, great mischéefe had immediatlie
insued. For the commons in sundrie places of the realme assembled
togither in great companies, and chose to them a capteine, whom they
called Blewbeard: but yer they had attempted anie enterprise, their
leaders were apprehended; & so the matter pacified without anie hurt
committed.
After this outrage thus asswaged, the parlement was adiourned to
Leicester, whither came the king and quéene in great estate, and with
them the duke of Suffolke as chéefe councellour. The commons of the
lower house, not forgetting their old grudge, besought the king, that
such persons as assented to the release of Aniou, and deliuerance of
Maine, might be dulie punished. And to be priuie to that fact, they
accused as principall, the duke of Suffolke, with Iohn bishop of
Salisburie, and sir Iames Fines, lord Saie, and diuerse others. When
the king perceiued that there was no remedie to appease the peoples
furie by anie colourable waies, shortlie to pacifie so long an hatred,
he first sequestred the lord Saie being treasuror of England, and
other the dukes adherents from their offices and roomes, and after
banished the duke of Suffolke, as the abhorred tode and common noiance
of the whole realme, for tearme of fiue yeares, meaning by this exile
to appease the malice of the people for the time, and after (when the
matter should be forgotten) to reuoke him home againe.
[Sidenote: The wretched death of the duke of Suffolke.]
But Gods iustice would not that so vngratious a person should so
escape: for when he shipped in Suffolke, intending to transport
himselfe ouer into France, he was incountered with a ship of warre,
apperteining to the duke of Excester, constable of the Tower of London,
called the Nicholas of the Tower. The capteine of that barke with small
fight entered into the dukes ship, and perceiuing his person present,
brought him to Douer road, and there on the one side of a cocke bote
caused his head to be striken off, and left his bodie with the head
lieng there on the sands. Which corps being there found by a chapleine
of his, was conueied to Wingfield college in Suffolke, and there
buried. This end had William de la Poole duke of Suffolke, as men iudge
by Gods prouidence; for that he had procured the death of that good
duke of Glocester, as before is partlie touched.
[Sidenote: Iacke Cades rebellion in Kent.]
Soone after an other disquiet befell here. Those that fauoured the
duke of Yorke, and wished the crowne vpon his head, for that (as they
iudged) he had more right thereto than he that ware it, procured a
commotion in Kent on this manner. A certeine yoong man of a goodlie
stature and right pregnant of wit, was intised to take vpon him the
name of Iohn Mortimer coosine to the duke of Yorke (although his
name was Iohn Cade, or (of some) Iohn Mend-all) [an Irishman as
Polychronicon saith] and not for a small policie, thinking by that
surname, that those which fauoured the house of the earle of March
would be assistant to him. And so in déed it came to passe (as in such
cases there is no bréeder of a broile but he shall find adherents
enow, no lesse forward to further his pernicious enterprise by their
foolehardines, than himselfe was in the plot of his deuise) though in
fine (as it is the vnluckie lot of such tumults) their attempts were
withstood, and their offense dulie rewarded, as in processe of the
storie shall more at large appeare; according to the wisemans sentence:
Sæpe in magistrum scelera redeunt sua.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S._ 653.]
This capteine assembling a great companie of tall personages, assured
them, that the enterprise which he tooke in hand, was both honourable
to God and the king, and profitable to the whole realme. For if either
by force or policie they might get the king and quéene into their
hands, he would cause them to be honourablie vsed, and take such order
for the punishing and reforming of the misdemeanours of their bad
councellours, that neither fiftéens should hereafter be demanded, nor
once anie impositions or taxes be spoken of. The Kentish people mooued
at these persuasions & other faire promises of reformation, in good
order of battell (though not in great number) came with their capteine
vnto the plaine of Blackeheath, betwéene Eltham and Gréenewich, and
there kept the field more than a month, pilling the countrie about;
to whome the citie of London at that time was verie fauourable. ¶ And
the said capteine (as I find recorded saith Iohn Stow) sent for such
citizens of London as it pleased him to command to repaire vnto him,
vnder letters of safe conduct, as followeth.
The safegard and signe manuell of the capteine of Kent, sent to Thomas
Cocke draper of London, by the capteine of the great assemblie in Kent.
By this our writing insealed, we grant & will permit trulie, that
Thomas Cocke of London draper, shall come in good suertie and in
safegard to our presence, without anie hurt of his person, and so auoid
from vs againe at his pleasure, with all other persons assigned at his
denomination with him comming in likewise.
The commandement by the capteine of Kent, sent vnto Thomas Cocke aboue
said.
For your instruction, first ye shall charge all Lumbards and strangers,
being merchants, Genowais, Venetians, Florentines, and others, this
daie to draw them togither, and to ordeine for vs the capteine, twelue
harnesses complet of the best fashion, foure & twentie brigandins,
twelue battel axes, twelue glaues, six horsses with sadle and bridle
completlie harnessed, and a thousand markes of readie monie. And if
this our demand be not obserued & doone, we shall haue the heads of as
manie as we can get of them.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S._ 654, 655, 656, 657, &c.]