Thus drawn up across the fields on both sides and three bow shots, or
thereabouts, distant from each other, each army awaited the movements
of the other, but neither advanced against the other for some time.
Yet the French cavalry, advancing a little into the field, were by the
King's command forced to retreat hastily, through certain of the royal
archers, on to their army. Also certain French barons, by their own
wishes, came into the King's presence, and without being able to find
out anything the King proposed to do, were soon ordered to return to
their own army. Now King Henry, when he considered that a great part of
the short day was already passed, and readily believing that the French
were not disposed to move from their position, consulted the nobles and
experts as to what they should do, viz., whether he should advance with
his army, in the order in which it stood, against the enemy who refused
to move against him. They, having fully considered the circumstances of
so important a matter, decided that the King should advance with his
army towards the enemy, and mightily charge them in the name of God....
Without delay both men-at-arms, unheeding their heavy arms, and the
archers, leaving behind in the field their sharp stakes which they had
previously prepared to meet the French cavalry, all having bowed the
knee and taken lumps of earth in their mouths,[6] with a warlike shout
piercing the heavens and with wonderful dash, flew fiercely along the
plain, and their outward bearing shewed how much courage fired their
hearts. And when they had approached within twenty paces of the ranks
of the enemy, not far from Agincourt, and the sounds of the trumpets
rending the air had stirred the spirits of the warriors to battle, the
enemy, now for the first time moving, advanced to meet the English.
Immediately the battle commenced with such fury that at the first
attack of such brave warriors, by the dire shock of lances and the
violent blows of swords the joints of their strong armour were broken,
and the first rank on both sides dealt deadly wounds. But, on the other
side, the warlike band of archers, with their strong and numerous
volleys, darkened the air, shedding, like a cloud laden with rain, an
unbearable multitude of piercing arrows, and, inflicting wounds on
the horses, either threw to the ground the French cavalry who were
drawn up to charge them, or forced them to retreat.... In this deadly
conflict be it remembered among other things that that bright shining
Titan of Kings so much exposed the precious treasure of his person to
every chance of war that he thundered upon his enemies swift terrors
and intolerable attacks.... After a while all the King's battalions,
foremost and hindmost, were victorious, each wing having overthrown the
enemy.... And, by divine mercy, having gained so glorious a triumph,
the magnanimous King ... was gratefully minded to return thanks most
devoutly for so great a victory. And, because so great a victory was
vouchsafed to him on the feast of St. Crispin and Crispinian, every day
throughout his life he heard mention of them in one of his masses.
[6] As a sign of their desire and an acknowledgment of their
unworthiness to receive the Sacrament.
BOROUGH CUSTOMS (_circa_ 1416).
=Source.=--"Customs of Hereford," in the _Journal of the British
Archæological Association_, vol. xxvii., pp. 460 _et seq._ (London:
1871.)
[The customs of Hereford were placed on record in the reign of Henry
V., and rewritten in 1486. Many of the customs were of much older date;
even in 1486 some were of a duration from "time immemorial."]
_Election of Bailiff._--First of all we use at the Feast of St. Michael
to choose unto us a bailiff of our fellow-citizens, by the whole
consent of the city, who is powerful to labour and discreet to judge,
holding some tenements or hereditaments in the fee of our Lord the
King; and he to be our head next under the King, whom we ought, in all
things touching our King or the state of our city, to obey chiefly in
three things,--first, when we are sent for, by day or by night, to
consult of those things which appertain to the King or the state of
the city; secondly, to answer if we offend in any point contrary to our
oath, or to our fellow-citizens; thirdly, to perform the affairs of our
city at our own charges, if so be they may be finished sooner or better
than by any other of our citizens.... And this shall be the oath of the
bailiff when he is chosen. He shall not have respect to anyone's person
who hath been heretofore elected.
_The Mayor's Oath._--First, that he shall be true to our Lord the King
in all things; secondly, that as much as in him lies, as well by day
as by night, he shall faithfully defend and keep the city of Hereford,
the city of our Lord the King; thirdly, he shall defend and maintain
the laws and customs of the city during his time;... fourthly, that he
shall administer justice and judgement to every one, not having respect
to any one's person; fifthly, that he shall not hold or keep the office
of his mayoralty but for one year after his election; sixthly, if so be
that he be a layman, he shall do all things belonging to his office by
the counsel of his faithful citizens....
_Concerning our courts_, we use to keep them on a Tuesday, from the
fifteenth day until fifteen days; unto which courts all citizens of
our Lord the King ought to come, and chiefly all those which hold any
tenement of our Lord the King; and especially to the two first courts
holden after the feasts of Michaelmas and Easter, at which two courts
the assize of bread and beer shall be ordained, and keepers to keep the
same assize; and unto the said courts and other courts [shall come] all
others who complain of any trespasses committed, or any other thing
touching the state of the city or themselves, and they ought to speak
the truth upon their own peril, not bringing with them any stranger ...
because we do not use that strangers shall come and implead amongst us,
and know the secrets of the courts, for divers dangers that thereby may
ensue....
_Night-Walkers._--And it shall be commanded ... that, among other
things, it shall be proclaimed that no vagabond or night-walker be
within our city, nor in the suburbs, after the ringing of our common
bell; and if anyone be taken after the ringing of the bell, let him
be brought unto the gaol of our Lord the King, and there he shall
stay until the morrow.... Concerning our bell, we use to have it in
a public place, where our chief bailiff may come, as well by day as
by night, to give warning to all men living within the said city and
suburbs. And we do not say that it ought to ring unless it be for some
terrible fire burning any row of houses within the said city, or for
any common contention whereby the city might be terribly moved, or for
any enemies drawing near unto the city, or if the city be besieged,
or any sedition shall be between any, and notice thereof given by any
unto our chief bailiff.... Also we use that if any one of our citizens
hath any tenements situate in the High Street of the city, or having
over part of the pavement, and it be ruinous, so that danger may happen
to us or to our children, or to others going along the city; and
especially if the Lord our King, or any of his, should happen to pass
along that street ... in such case our chief bailiff shall cause them to
be warned that have such tenements, that they amend them in more safer
manner within three days; and unless they do so, let three days more be
given them, in the behalf of our Lord the King and the commonalty; and
unless it be then done, our chief bailiff, taking with him the power
of the city, if it be needful, shall go to such a tenement, and in his
presence let it be thrown down at the costs of him to whom the tenement
belongeth, or if needful, at the costs of the commonalty;...
_Brewers to the Cucking-Stools._--... And if any brewer hath brewed and
broken the assize of our Lord the King, allowed and publicly proclaimed
in the said city, she ought by the bailiff to be amerced the first and
the second time; and if she break the assize the third time, she ought
to be taken by the bailiff and to be led to the judgement which is
called the Gongestole....
_Scolds._--Also it was agreed upon concerning scolding women, that
by them many evils do arise in the city viz. by wrangling, fighting,
defaming, troubling by night those which are at rest, and often times
moving schisms between their neighbours, and by contradicting the
bailiff and ministers and others; and in their prison, by speaking ill
or cursing them,... wherefore, at all times when they shall be taken
and convicted, they shall have their judgement, without any redemption
to be made; and there they shall stand, with their feet bare, and their
hair hanging about their ears, by so much time as they may be seen of
all those which pass by that way ... and afterwards, the judgement being
finished, let her (the scold) be brought to the gaol of our Lord the
King, and there stay until she hath made redemption at the will of the
bailiff. And if she will not be amended by such punishment, let her be
cast out of the city.