sturs in England, made therof his foundation, hoping to get into his
hands and possession the duchie of Aquitaine: and therevpon sent
the earles of Pontheieuure and Perigort to laie siege to the towne
of Bergerat, situate vpon the riuer of Dourdon, of which towne was
capteine Iohn Gedding, who vpon reasonable conditions rendred the
towne. But yet the lord Camois, sir George Seimor, and sir Iohn
Arundell, with diuers other valiant capteins hauing gouernance of
the countrie, manned townes, gathered people, and recomforted the
fainting harts of the Gascoignes in all that they could, and withall
sent letters ouer into England, certifieng to the kings maiestie, that
without spéedie aid and readie succours, the whole countrie was like to
be conquered and woone out of the Englishmens possession.
Manie letters were sent, and manie faire answers were brought; but
reléefe neither appeared, nor one man of warre was thither shipped:
by reason whereof the Frenchmen pursuing the victorie, got the
fortresses of Iansacke, and S. Foie, with diuerse other péeces of
importance thereabouts. Also, about the same time, the lord Doruall,
third sonne to the lord de la Breth, with a great number of men, as
well on horssebacke as on foot, departed from Basas, to conquer and
destroie the Ile of Medoc. Wherevpon the maior of Burdeaux issuing
out, and incountring with his enimies, was vanquished, losing six
hundred Englishmen and Gascoignes: albeit the Frenchmen gained not this
victorie with cléere hands, for there were slaine of them to the number
of eight hundred persons.
[Sidenote: 1451]
[Sidenote: The earle of Arminack an open enimie.]
After this, the bastard of Orleance, with his brother Iohn earle of
Angolesme, which had béene long prisoner in England, and manie other
valiant capteins, besieged the castell of Montguion, which to them was
rendered. Afterwards, they besieged the towne of Blaie, standing on the
riuer of Garonne, the which in conclusion by verie force was conquered
and woone. The bastard of Kendall, capteine of the castell, séeing the
towne lost, vpon certeine reasonable conditions deliuered his fortresse
to the bastard of Orleance, the French kings lieutenant. After this,
the townes of Burgh and Liborne, after fiue wéekes siege, were likewise
yéelded to the Frenchmen. Then was the citie of Acques besieged by
the erle of Fois, and the vicount de Lawtrec his brother, and other
noble men. So likewise was the strong towne of Rion by the earle of
Arminacke, extreame enimie to the realme of England, for breach of the
mariage concluded betwéene king Henrie and his daughter. The earle
of Ponthieuure laid siege to Chatillon in Perigort, and the earle of
Dunois inuironned with great puissance the towne of Fronsacke.
The Englishmen perceiuing in what state they stood within the towne,
couenanted with the said earle, that if the towne were not succoured,
and the Frenchmen fought with before the feast of the natiuitie of
saint Iohn Baptist next insuing; that then the towne of Fronsacke
should be yéelded to them, which was the strongest fortresse in all
that countrie, and the verie keie of Guien. Héereof were pledges
deliuered, and writings made & sealed. Which agréement once blowne
through the countrie, the citie of Burdeaux, and all other townes
(except Baion) made the like agréement. So did all the noble men and
gentlemen which were subiects and vassels to the crowne of England.
Euerie daie was looking for aid, but none came.
[Sidenote: Through dissention at home, all lost abroad.]
And whie? Euen bicause the diuelish diuision that reigned in England,
so incombred the heads of the noble men there, that the honor of
the realme was cléerelie forgotten, so that (to conclude) the daie
appointed came, but succour looked for came not. By reason whereof,
all the townes of Aquitaine (except Baion) deliuered their keies, and
became vassals to the French nation; yet the citizens of Burdeaux,
in hope of rescue, required a longer daie of battell, which was
granted. But at the daie appointed, when no reléefe came, they rendred
themselues and the citie to their aduersaries, their liues and goods
saued, with licence and safe conduct to all persons which would depart
and saile into England. Then finallie was the citie of Baion besieged,
and with mines and batterie constreined to yéeld it selfe into the
Frenchmens hands.
Beside the agréements taken and made with the townes, diuerse noble
men made seuerall compositions, as Gaston de Fois, & Capdaw de Buef,
whome king Henrie the fift made earle of Longeuile, and knight of the
garter; whose ancestors were euer true to England. Which agréed, that
he and his sonne Iohn de Fois, whome king Henrie the sixt made earle
of Kendale, and also knight of the garter, should enioy all their
lands in Aquitaine, giuen to them by the kings of England, or by the
dukes of Aquitaine. And sith their intent was still to serue the king
of England, they agréed to deliuer into the custodie of the earle of
Fois, the sonne and heire of the said earle of Kendale, being of the
age of thrée yeares; to the intent that if he at his full age denied to
become subiect to the French king, or before that time deceassed; that
then (after the death of his father and grandfather) all the said lands
should wholie remaine to the next heire of their bloud, either male or
female, being vnder the obeisance of the French king or his heires.
[Sidenote: All lost in France.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Anglorum prætijs sub Henr._ 6.]
Manie other noble men, whose hearts were good English, made like
compositions, and some came into England, and others went to Calis, and
bare great offices there: as the lord Duras, which was marshall of that
towne; and monsieur Vauclere, which was deputie there vnder the earle
of Warwike. Thus were the Englishmen cléerelie displaced and lost the
possession of all the countries, townes, castels, and places within the
realme of France; so that onelie Calis, Hammes and Guines, with the
marches thereof remained in their hands, of all those their dominions
and seigniories which they sometime held in the parties beyond the
seas. Whereby England suffered a partile but not a totall eclipse of
hir glorie, in continuall loosing & nothing gaining of the enimie. ¶
Which recouerie was of great facilitie to the French, for that where
they came, they found litle or no resistance, but rather a voluntarie
submission & yéelding as it were with holding vp of hands, yer they
came to hanidstroks. So that in such victories and conquests consisted
small renowme, sith without slaughter & bloudshed hardie enterprises
are not atchiued. Notablie therefore speaketh Anglorum prælia of these
bloudlesse and sweatlesse victories, saieng:
Delphinus totos (nullo prohibente) per agros
Francorum transit, priùs expugnata receptans
Oppida: perfacile est populum domüisse volentem,
Tendentemq; manus vltrò; nec clarior ornat
Gloria vincentem fuso sine sanguine regna.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 30.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn Hooker, alias Vowell._]
[Sidenote: The king receiued into Excester.]
[This yeare the king made a generall progresse and came to the citie of
Excester, on mondaie the sixtéenth of Iulie at after noone, being the
feast daie of saint Kenelme; and was receiued from place to place verie
honorablie through the whole countrie. Before he came to this citie, he
was met by all the cleargie in their degrées, some thrée miles, some
two miles, and some at the citie, all in their copes, censing all the
waies as they went. As soone as he came to this citie, he was first
conducted to the cathedral church in all most honourable order. When
he had doone his oblations, he was conueied and lodged in the bishops
house. During his abode here, there was a sessions kept before the duke
of Summerset, and certeine men condemned to die for treason, and had
iudgement to be executed to death.
[Sidenote: The bishop & his cleargie against the K. and the duke of
Summerset, &c. in defense of their ecclesiasticall priuilege.]
The bishop and his clergie vnderstanding hereof, with open mouth
complained vnto the king, that he caused a sessions to be kept within
his sanctuarie, contrarie to the priuilege of his church: and that
all their dooings (being doone against law) were of no effect. And
notwithstanding the king and his councell had discoursed vnto them the
iust and orderlie procéeding, the heinousnesse of the offendors, and
the necessitie of their punishment: yet all could not auaile, for holie
church nor the sanctuarie might be prophaned (as they said) with the
deciding of temporall matters. Wherevpon the king in the end yéelding
to their exclaimes, released a couple of arrant traitors, and reuersed
all his former lawfull procéedings, and so vpon the wednesdaie he
departed and returned towards London.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke maketh claime to the crowne.]
[Sidenote: Iohn Stow.]
The duke of Yorke pretending (as yée haue heard) a right to the crowne,
as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence, came this yeare out of Ireland
vnto London, in the parlement time, there to consult with his speciall
fréends: as Iohn duke of Northfolke, Richard earle of Salisburie, and
the lord Richard his sonne, which after was earle of Warwike; Thomas
Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, and Edward Brooke lord Cobham. After
long deliberation and aduise taken, it was thought expedient, to kéepe
their chéefe purpose secret; and that the duke should raise an armie of
men, vnder a pretext to remooue diuerse councellors about the king, and
to reuenge the manifest iniuries doone to the common-wealth by the same
rulers. Of the which as principall, the duke of Summerset was namelie
accused, both for that he was greatlie hated of the commons for the
losse of Normandie: and for that it was well knowne, that he would be
altogither against the duke of Yorke in his chalenge to be made (when
time serued) to the crowne; insomuch that his goods by the commons were
foulie despoiled and borne awaie from the Blacke friers. After which
riot, on the next morrow proclamation was made through the citie, that
no man should spoile or rob, on paine of death. But on the same daie at
the standard in Cheape was a man beheaded for dooing contrarie to the
proclamation.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke raiseth a power, for recouerie of his
right to the crowne.]
Therefore when the duke of Yorke had thus, by aduise of his speciall
fréends, framed the foundation of his long intended enterprise, he
assembled a great hoast, to the number of ten thousand able men, in
the marches of Wales; publishing openlie, that the cause of this his
gathering of people, was for the publike wealth of the realme. The
king much astonied at the matter, by aduise of his councell raised a
great power, and marched forward toward the duke. But he being thereof
aduertised, turned out of that way, which by espials he vnderstood that
the king held, and made streight toward London: and hauing knowledge
that he might not be suffered to passe through the citie, he crossed
ouer the Thames at Kingston bridge, and so kept on towards Kent,
where he knew that he had both fréends & well-willers, and there on
Burnt heath, a mile from Dertford, and twelue miles from London, he
imbatelled, and incamped himselfe verie stronglie, inuironing his field
with artillerie and trenches. The king hereof aduertised, brought his
armie with all diligence vnto Blackeheath, and there pight his tents.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The dukes answer to the kings message.]
Whilest both these armies laie thus imbattelled, the king sent the
bishop of Winchester, and Thomas Bourchier, bishop of Elie, Richard
Wooduile, lord Riuers, & Richard Andrew, the kéeper of his priuie
seale, to the duke: both to know the cause of so great a commotion,
and also to make a concord; if the requests of the duke and his
companie séemed consonant to reason. The duke hearing the message of
the bishops, answered; that his comming was neither to damnifie the
king in honour, nor in person, neither yet anie good man: but his
intent was, to remooue from him certeine euill disposed persons of his
councell, bloud-succours of the nobilitie, pollers of the cleargie, and
oppressours of the poore people.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 666, 667, in Quart._]
Amongst these, he chéeflie named Edmund duke of Summerset, whome if
the king would commit to ward, to answer such articles as against him
in open parlement should be both proponed and proued, he promised
not onelie to dissolue his armie; but also offered himselfe (like an
obedient subiect) to come to the kings presence, and to doo him true
and faithfull seruice, according to his loiall and bounden dutie. ¶
But a further vnderstanding of the dukes meaning by this his forceable
entering of the realme (as himselfe pretended) maie appeare by certeine
letters by him written to the king, and also the kings answers vnto
the same: both which I thinke good here to set downe, as I find them
recorded.
Richard duke of Yorke his letter to king Henrie.
Please it your highnesse to conceiue, that since my departing out of
this your realme, by your commandement, and being in your seruice in
your land of Ireland, I haue béene informed, that diuerse language hath
béene said of me to your most excellent estate, which should sound to
my dishonour and reproch, and charge of my person: howbeit, that I
haue béene, and euer will be, your true liegeman and seruant. And if
there be anie man that will or dare saie the contrarie, or charge me
otherwise; I beséech your rightwisenesse to call him before your high
presence, and I will declare me for my discharge as a true knight ought
to doo. And if I doo not, as I doubt not but I shall, I beséech you to
punish me as the poorest man of your land. And if he be found vntrue in
his suggestion and information, I beséech you of your highnesse that he
be punished after his desert, in example of all other.
Please it your excellencie to know, that as well before my departing
out of this your realme, for to go into your land of Ireland, in your
full noble seruice, as since, certeine persons haue lien in wait for
to hearken vpon me, as sir Iohn Talbot knight at the castell of Holt;
sir Thomas Standleie knight in Cheshire; Pulford at Chester; Elton at
Worcester; Brooke at Glocester; and Richard, groome of your chamber at
Beaumaris: which had in charge (as I am informed) to take me and put me
into your castell of Conwaie, and to strike off the head of sir William
Oldhall knight, and to haue put in prison sir William Deuereux knight,
& sir Edmund Malso knight, withouten inlarging, vntill the time that
your highnesse had appointed their deliuerance.
Item, at such time as I was purposed for to haue arriued at your hauen
of Beaumaris, for to haue come to your noble presence to declare me
your true man and subiect, as my dutie is, my landing was stopped and
forebarred by Henrie Norice, Thomas Norice, William Buckleie, William
Grust, and Bartholomew Bould, your officers in Northwales, that I
should not land there, nor haue vittels nor refreshing for me and my
fellowship, as I haue written to your excellencie here before. So farre
foorth that Henrie Norice, deputie to the chamberlaine of Northwales,
said vnto me, that he had in commandement that I should in no wise haue
landing, refreshing, nor lodging, for men nor horsse, nor other thing
that might turne to my worship or ease: putting the blame vpon William
Saie vsher of your chamber, saieng and affirming that I am against your
intent, and as a traitor, as I am informed. And moreouer, certeine
letters were made and deliuered vnto Chester, Shrewesburie, and to
other places for to let mine entrie into the same.
Item, aboue all wrongs and iniuries aboue said doone vnto me of malice,
without anie cause, I being in your land of Ireland, in your honourable
seruice, certeine commissions were made and directed vnto diuerse
persons; which for the execution of the same, sat in certeine places,
and the iuries impanelled and charged. Vnto the which iuries certeine
persons laboured instantlie to haue me indicted of treason, to the
intent for to haue vndoone me and mine issue, and corrupted my bloud,
as it is openlie published. Beséeching your maiestie roiall, of your
righteousnesse, to doo examine these matters, and therevpon to doo
such iustice in his behalfe as the cause requireth: for mine intent is
fullie to pursue to your highnesse for the conclusion these matters.
The answer of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
Coosine, we haue séene the bill that ye tooke vs late, and also
vnderstand the good humble obedience that ye in your selfe shew vnto
us, as well in word as in déed: wherefore our intent is, the more
hastilie to ease you of such things as were in your said bill. Howbeit,
that at our more leasure we might answer you to your said bill, yet we
let you wit, that for the causes aforesaid, we will declare you now our
intent in these matters: sith it is that a long time among the people
hath béene vpon you many strange language, and in especiall anon after
your disordinate and vnlawful slaieng of the bishop of Chester, diuerse
and manie of the vntrue shipmen and other said (in their maner) words
against our estate, making manace to our owne person by your saiengs,
that ye should be fetched with manie thousands, and ye should take vpon
you that, which ye neither ought, nor as we doubt not, ye will not
attempt: so farre foorth that it was said to our person by diuerse, &
especiallie we remember of one Wasnes, which had like words to vs.
And also there were diuerse of such false people, that went on and
had like language in diuerse of our townes of our land, which by our
subiects were taken and dulie executed. Wherefore we sent to diuerse of
our courts and places, to hearken and to take héed if anie such maner
comming were; and if there had béene, for to resist it: but comming
into our land our true subiect as ye did, our intent was not that ye,
nor lesse of estate of our subiects, nor none of your seruants, should
not haue béene letted nor warned, but in goodlie wise receiued; howbeit
that peraduenture your sudden comming, without certeine warning, caused
our seruants to doo as they did, considering the causes aboue said. And
as to the indictement that ye spoke of, we thinke verilie, and hold for
certeine, that there was none such. And if ye may trulie prooue that
anie person was thereabouts, the matter shall be demeaned as the case
shall require: so that he shall know it is to our great displeasure.
Vpon this, for the easing of your heart in all such matters, we
declare, repute, and admit you as our true and faithful subiect, and as
our faithfull coosine.
Richard duke of Yorke to king Henrie againe.
Please it your highnesse tenderlie to consider, that great murmur and
grudging is vniuersallie in this your realme, in that iustice is not
dulie ministred to such as trespasse and offend against your lawes,
and in especiall of them that be indicted of treason, and other being
openlie noised of the same; whereby great incoueniencies haue fallen,
and great is like to fall hereafter in your said realme, which God
defend: but if by your highnesse prouision conuenable be made for
due reformation and punishment in this behalfe. Wherefore I your
humble subiect and true liegeman, Richard duke of Yorke, willing as
effectuallie as I can, and desiring the suertie and prosperitie of
your most roiall person, and the welfare of this your noble realme,
counsell and aduertise your excellencie, for the conseruation of good
tranquillitie and peaceable rule among all other subiects, for to
ordeine and prouide, that true iustice be had, against all such that
so be indicted, or openlie named: wherein I offer my selfe, and will
put my indeuour for to execute your commandement in the premises, for
the punishing of such offenders, and redresse of the said misrules, to
my might and power. And for the hastie execution hereof, like it your
highnesse, to addresse these letters of priuie seale and writs to your
officers and ministers, to doo, take, and arrest, all such persons so
noised and indicted, of what estate, degrée, or condition soeuer they
be, and them to commit to the Tower of London, and to other of your
prisons, there to abide without baile or maineprise, vntill the time
they be vtterlie tried, and determined after the course of your lawes.
The answer of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
Coosine, as touching your bill last put vp to vs, we vnderstand well
that ye (of good heart) counsell and aduertise vs to the setting vp
of iustice, and to the spéedie punishing of some persons indicted or
noised, offering your seruice to be readie at commandement in the same,
sith it is that for manie causes moouing vs to haue determined in our
soule, to stablish a sad, and a substantiall councell, giuing them more
ample authoritie and power than euer we did before this, in the which
we haue appointed you to be one. But sith it is not accustomed, sure,
nor expedient, to take a conclusion & conduct by aduise or counsell of
one person by himselfe for the conseruation, it is obserued that the
greatest and the best, the rich and the poore, in libertie, vertue, and
effect of your voices be equall. We haue therfore determined within our
selfe to send for our chancellour of England, and for other lords of
our councell, yea and all other, togither within short time ripelie to
common of these and other our great matters. In which communication,
such conclusion (by the grace of God) shall be taken, as shall sound
to his pleasure, the weale of vs and our land, as well in these matters
as in anie other.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorks reconciliation to the king.]
After all this adoo, it was so agréed vpon by aduise, for the auoiding
of bloudshed, and pacifieng of the duke and his people, that the duke
of Summerset was committed to ward, as some say; or else commanded
to kéepe himselfe priuie in his owne house for a time. But it should
séeme by that which some haue written, that the duke of Yorke was
deceiued of the hope which he had, to be aided of the Kentishmen;
insomuch that when he saw himselfe ouermatched by the king in number
of people, who had got togither thrice as manie men as the duke had
there with him, the duke was the more easie to be dealt with. And so
comming to the king, and submitting himselfe by mediation of certeine
of the nobilitie, he obteined pardon of that his former presumptuous
enterprise. And within a few daies after his comming to London with the
king, he openlie in the church of S. Paule (the king being present)
receiued a solemne oth, that from thenceforth, he should no more commit
any such offence, nor attempt anie thing, either against the king,
or any other of his liege people, contrarie to the order of law and
iustice.
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke accuseth the duke of S[=u]merset.]
[Sidenote: A mutuall charge betwéene the two dukes, Yorke and Summerset
of his treason.]
Howsoeuer the matter went, truth it is, that the duke of Yorke, the
first of March, dissolued his armie, brake vp his campe, & came to the
king's tent, where contrarie to his expectation, & against promise
made by the king (as other write) he found the duke of Summerset going
at large and set at libertie, whome the duke of Yorke boldlie accused
of treason, briberie, oppression, and manie other crimes. The duke of
Summerset not onelie made answer to the dukes obiections, but also
accused him of high treason, affirming, that he with his fautors and
complices had consulted togither, how to come by the scepter and regall
crowne of this realme. By meanes of which words the king remooued
streight to London, and the duke of Yorke (as prisoner) rode before
him, and so was kept a while.
The king assembled togither a great councell at Westminster to heare
the accusations of the two dukes, the one obiecting to the other manie
heinous and gréeuous crimes. But the duke of Summerset, which now
conceiued in his mind the thing that shortlie followed, incessantlie
exhorted the councell, that the duke of Yorke, by compulsion or
otherwise, might be driuen to confesse his offence, that so being
attainted of treason, he might suffer execution, and his children to
be taken as aduersaries to their natiue countrie; to the intent that
by the extinction of him and his sequeale, all ciuill warre and inward
diuision might ceasse and be repressed: beséeching almightie God,
that so great an enimie to the king and his bloud, might neuer escape
punishment, nor continue long in life.
[Sidenote: Destinie cannot be auoided.]