was undre his banere the Emperoure of Rome in bataile, and conquerid the
gret part of the regions be west of Rome. And many othre conquestis hathe
be made before the daies of the said {10} Arthur be many worthi kinges of
this roiaume, as Brenus, king Belynus' brother, a puissaunt chosen duke,
that was before the Incarnacion, wanne and conquerid to Rome, except the
capitoile of Rome. And sithen of other victorious kinges and princes, as
Edmonde Irensede had many gret batailes [and] desconfited the Danes to safe
Englond. And what victorious dedis William Conqueroure did gret actis in
bataile uppon the Frenshe partie [many conquestys [103]]. And also his son
[kyng[103]] Harry after hym defendid Normandie, bilded and fortified many a
strong castelle in his londe, to defende his dukedom ayenst the Frenshe
partie. And how victoriouslie his brother Roberd did armes uppon the
conquest of the holy londe, that for his gret prowesse there was elect to
be king of Jherusalem, and refusid it for a singuler covetice to be duke of
Normandie, returned home, and never had grace of victorie after. And to
bring to mynde how the noble worriour Fouke erle of Angew, father to
Geffrey Plantagenet youre noble auncetour, left his erledom to his sonne,
and made werre upon the Sarasynes in the holy land, and for his noble dedis
was made king of Jherusalem, anno Christi M^l.cxxxi. As how king Richarde
the first, clepid Cuer de lion, whiche in a croiserie went in to the holy
londe, and Baldewyne archebisshop of Caunterburie, Hubert bisshop of
Salisburie, Randolfe the erle of Chestre, Robert Clare erle of Gloucestre,
and werreied uppon the hethen paynemys in the company of king Philip
Dieu-donne of Fraunce, whiche king Richard conquerid and wanne by roiall
power uppon the Sarrasyns in the yere of Crist M^l.c.iiij^{xx}vij^o. and
toke the King of Cipres and many other gret prisonneris. Also put the londe
of Surie in subjeccion, the isle of Cipres, and the gret cite of Damask
wanne be assaut, slow the king of Spayne clepid Ferranus. And the said king
Richard kept and defendid frome his adversarie Philip Dieu-donne king of
Fraunce, be mighty werre made to hym, the duchees of Normandie, Gascoigne,
Gyen, the countee[gh] of Anjou and Mayne, Tourayne, {11} Pontyve, Auverne,
and Champaigne, of alle whiche he was king, duke, erle, and lorde as his
enheritaunce, and as his predecessours before hym did. Also in like wise
king Edward first after the Conquest, being Prince, in about the yere of
Crist M^l.ij^c.lxx, put hym in gret laboure and aventure amonges the
Sarrasins in the countye of Aufrik, was at the conquest of the gret cite of
the roiaume of Thunes. [Yn whiche cuntree that tyme and yeere seynt Lowys
kyng of Fraunce dyed, and the croyserye grete revaled by hys trespasseinte,
had not the seyd prince Edward ys armee be redye there to performe that
holy voyage to Jerusalem, as he dyd wyth many noble lordes off
England.[104]] Also fulle noblie ententid about the defence and saufegarde
of the gret cite of Acres in the londe of Sirie, that had be lost and
yolden to the Sarrazins had not [hys armee and[104]] his power bee, and by
an hole yere osteyng and abiding there in tyme of gret pestilence and
mortalite reigning there, and by whiche his peple were gretly wastid, where
he was be treason of a untrew messaunger Sarrasin wounded hym in his
chambre almost to dethe, that the souldone of Babiloyne had waged hym to
doo it, becaus of sharpe and cruelle werre the seide Edwarde made uppon the
Sarrasines, of gret fere and doubte he had of the said prince Edward and of
his power; whiche processe ye may more groundly see in the actis of the
said prince Edwarde is laboure. And his father king Harry thrid decesid
while his son was in the holy londe warring uppon the Sarasines. And how
worshipfullie Richard emperoure of Almaine and brother to the said king
Henry did gret actis of armes in the holy londe uppon the Sarasynes and in
the yere of Crist M^l.ij^c.xl. And overmore the said king Edwarde first
kept under subjeccion bothe Irelond, Walis, and Scotlond, whiche were
rebellis and wilde peple of condicion. And also protectid and defendid the
duchees of Gascoigne and Guyen, his rightefull enheritaunce.
{12}
How King Edward [the] thrid had the victorie at the bataile of Scluse, and
gate Cane by assaute, and havyng the victorie at the batelle of Cressye
[and wanne Calix by sege.[105]]
[Sidenote: T. Regis E. iij^{cii} et ejus filiorum.]
[Sidenote: Comes de Ew captus. Comes Tankervyle captus.]
[Sidenote: Cressye.]
[Sidenote: Comes Derbye.]
And sithen, over that, how that the most noble famous knighte of renomme,
king Edwarde the thrid, the whiche, with his roialle power, the yere of
Christ M^l.ccc.xl. wanne [the day of seynt John baptiste[105]] the gret
bataile uppon the see at Scluse ayenst Philip de Valoys callyng hym the
Frenshe King and his power, and alle his gret navye of shippis destroied,
to the nombre of .xxv.M^l. men and CCxxx^{ti}. shippis and barges. And also
after that, in the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.xlvj. the said king Philip
purposid to have entred into Englond and had waged a gret noumbre of Genues
shippis and other navyes. And the said king Edward thrid thought rather to
werre withe hym in that countre rather: tooke his vyage to Cane withe
xij^c. shippis, passed into Normandie by the Hagge,[106] wynnyng the
contrees of Constantine [from Chyrburgh[105]] tylle he came to Cane, and by
grete assautes entred and gate the towne, and fought withe the capitaine
and burgeises fro midday till night; where the erle of Eu, connestable of
Fraunce, the erle of Tancarville, and others knightes and squiers were take
prisoneris: but the castelle and donjoune held still, where the bisshop of
Baieux and othre kept hem; and than the king departid thens, for he wolde
not lese his peple [by segyng yt.[105]] And after that the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.xlvj descomfit the said king Philip and wanne the feelde uppon
hym at the dolorous and gret bataile of Cressy in Picardie the .xxvj. day
of August the said yere, where the king of Beame was slayne the son of
Henry the Emperoure, and alle the gret part of the noble bloode of Fraunce
of dukes, erlis, and barons, as the erle of Alaunson king of Fraunce is
brother, the duke of Lorraine, the erle of Bloys, the erle of Flaundres,
the erle of Harecourt, the erle of Sancerre, the erle of Fennes, to the
nombre of .l. knightis sleyne, as well as to othre gret {13} nombre of his
liege peple, as in the .39. chapitre of the Actis of the said King Philip
more plainly is historied. And also the full noble erle of Darby, havyng
rule under the said king Edwarde in the duchie of Guyen, hostied the said
tyme and yere, and put in subjeccion fro the towne of saint Johan
Evangelist unto the citee of Peyters, whiche he wanne also, be the said
erle of Derbye is entreprises.
How David King of Scottis was take prisoner.
[Sidenote: David Rex Scotorum captus est apud Doraham.]
And in the said king Edward tyme David king of Scottis was take prisoner,
as I have undrestond, at the bataile beside Deram upon the marchis of
Scotlond.
[Sidenote: Karolus dux Britanniae captus est per E. iij^{m}.]
[Sidenote: Calicia capta est eodem tempore per Edwardum iij^{m}.]
[Sidenote: Calicia reddita est in manus Regis Edwardi iij.]
[Sidenote: Edwardus princeps cepit Johannem vocantem se Regem Franciae
a^{o}, d'ni M^{o}ccc^{o}lvj^{o}.]
[Sidenote: Edwardus Rex Angliae iij^{us} retribuit xx.M^{l}.li. Edwardo
principi filio suo.]
[Sidenote: Karolus filius Regis Johannis Fraunciae ac nominando se pro duce
Normandiae captus est.]
[Sidenote: Edwardus princeps navim ascendit cum Johanne nominando se pro
rege Franciae et applicuerunt prope Dover iiij^{o}. die Maij, a^{o} d'ni
M^{l}. &c.]
[Sidenote: De redempcione Johannis dicentis [se] Regem Franciae.]
[Sidenote: De bello de Nazar.]
[Sidenote: Chandos.]
[Sidenote: Beauchamp comes.]
[Sidenote: D'n's Hastyngys.]
[Sidenote: D'n's Nevyle.]
[Sidenote: D'n's Rays.]
[Sidenote: Rad's Hastyngys ch'l'r.]
[Sidenote: Tho's Felton.]
[Sidenote: Robertus Knolles.]
[Sidenote: Courteneyes. Tryvett.]
[Sidenote: Matheu Gournay.]
[Sidenote: Et quam plures alii milites hic nimis diu ad inscribendum.]
[Sidenote: Bertl's Clekyn, locum tenens adversae partis, captus est
prisonarius.]
And also the said king kept Bretaine in gret subjeccion, had the victorie
uppon Charles de Bloys duke of Breteine, and leid a siege in Breteine to a
strong forteresse clepid Roche daryon, and kept be his true subjectis.
After many assautes and grete escarmisshes and a bataile manly foughten,
the said duke was take, and havyng .vij. woundes was presentid to the said
king Edward. And he also wanne Calix after, by a long and puissaunt sieges
keping[107] by see and be londe; and they enfamyned couthe have no socoure
of king Philip, and so for faute of vitaile yeldid Calix up to king Edwarde
the .iiij. day of August in the yere of Crist M^l.ccc.xlvij. And also put
Normandie gret part of it in subgeccion. And therto in his daies his eldist
sonne Edward prince of Walis the .xix. day of Septembre the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.lvj had a gret discomfiture afore the cite of Peyters uppon John
calling hym King of Fraunce, where the said king was taken prisoner, and in
whiche bataile was slaine the duke of Bourbon, the duke of Athenes, the
lord Clermont, ser Geffrey Channy that bare the baner of the oriflamble,
and also take withe king Johan ser Philip duc [le hardye[108]] of Bourgoine
his yongist sonne, and for whois raunson and othres certaine lordes {14}
king Edwarde rewarded the Prince xx.M^l.li. sterlinges. Also taken that day
ser Jaques de Bourbon erle of Pontieu [and] Charles his brother erle of
Longville, the kingis cosins germains, ser John Meloun erle of Tancarvile,
ser William Meleum archebisshop of Sens, the erle Dampmartyn, the erle
Vendosme, the erle Vaudemont, the erle Salebruce, the erle Nanson, ser
Arnolde of Doneham mareshalle of Fraunce, and many other knightis and
gentiles to the nombre of M^l.vij^c. prisonneris, of whiche were taken and
sleine .lij. knightis banerettis. And the kingis eldist sonne Charlis
calling hym duc of Normandie, the duc of Orliauns the kingis brother, the
duc of Anjou, the erle of Peiters that after was clepid [Johan[109]] the
duc of Berrie, the erle of Flaundris, withe a few other lordis, withdrewe
hem and escapid from the seide bataile. And sone after, the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.lvij. the .xvj. day of Aprill the said prince Edward with king
Johan tooke the see at Burdeux to Englond, and londed the .iiij. day of
Maij and came to London the .xxiiij. day of Maij, the said king Edwarde his
father meeting withe king Johan in the feelde, doing hym gret honoure and
reverence. And after in the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.lxvij the month of Maij
the said king Johan was put to finaunce and raunson of thre millions of
scutis of golde, that two of them be worth .j. noble, of whiche was paied
sex hondred thousand scutis be the said king Johan comyng to Calix, and in
certein yeris after was obliged under gret seurtees, as it is declared in
the articulis of the pease finalle made betwene both kingis, to be paied
400,000 till the said thre hondred M^l crones[110] were fullie paied,
whiche as it is said was not parfourmed. And, after that, the said prince
Edwarde and Harry that noble duke of Lancastre had the bataile of Nazar in
Spaine withe king Peter ayenst the bastarde Henry callinge hym King of
Spain, haveng lxiij M^l. fighting men in his host, and hym descomfit,
voided the feelde, and many a noble knighte of Englonde and of Gascoigne
and Guyen withe many othre worshipfulle gentiles quite hem righte manlie,
and amongis {15} many goode men of chevalrie ser John Chandos avaunced hym
chief in that bataile [havyng the avauntgard[111]], for he had in his
retenu M^l.ij^c penons armed and x.M^l. horsmen; and ser William Beauchampe
the erle of Warwik is sonne, lorde Hue Hastinges, lord Nevyle, lorde Rais a
Breton lorde of Aubterre, withe many Gascoignes there also: ser Raufe
Hastingis, ser Thomas Felton, ser Roberd Knolles, withe many other notable
of the chevalrie of Inglonde, passed the streit high monteyns of Pirone by
Runcyvale in the contre of Pampilon, going from the cite of Burdeux into
Spaine, and ser Hughe Courtney, ser Philip Courtnay, ser John Tryvet,
[Matheu Gournay de comitatu Somerset[111]]. And there was take ser
Barthilmew Clekyn the Frenshe kingis lieutenaunt for the werre prisoner,
also the Mareshalle of Fraunce, the Besque, with many othre notable lordis.
Whiche bataile of Nazar was in the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.lxvj. the thrid
day of Aprille.
How King Henry the v. conquerid [Normandy and Fraunce[111]].
[Sidenote: De Henrico quinto.]
[Sidenote: Nota quomodo Rex Henricus V^{te}. obtinuit Harefleet.]
[Sidenote: De extrema defensione ville Harflue contra potestatem Franciae et
de fame ibidem.]
[Sidenote: Nota, qualiter per civitates et mare obtinuit.]
[Sidenote: Bellum supermare et le[gh] carrikes.]
[Sidenote: Nota de bello apud Agincourt.]
[Sidenote: Henricus Rex duxit in uxorem filiam Regis Fraunciae.]
And sithe now late the noble prince[112] Henry the v^{te}. how in his
daies, withyn the space of .vij. yere and .xv. daies, thoroughe sieges
lieng, [[113] wan the towne of Harflete bethyn .xl. days, made Thomas
Beauford then erle Dorset hys oncle capteyn of yt. And the seyd erle made
ser John Fastolfe chevaler his lieutenaunt wyth M^l.v^c soudeours, and the
baron of Carew, wyth .xxxiij. knyghtys, contynuelly defended the seyd toune
ayenst the myghty power of Fraunce by the space of one yere and half aftyr
the seyd prince Herry. v^{te}. departed from Hareflue. And the seyd towne
was beseged by the Frenshe partye by lond and also by see, wyth a grete
navye of carekys, galeyes, and shyppis off Spayne, tille that yn the meene
tyme Johan duc of Bedfor(d), the erle of Marche your moste noble
antecessour, accompanyed wyth many other nobles, wyth a puissaunt armee of
shypps, fought wyth the carrekys and shypps lyeng at Seyn hede before
Hareflue, were {16} taken and many one sleyn and drowned; and so vyttailled
Harflue yn grete famyn, that a wreched cowys hede was solde for vj s. viij
d. sterling, and the tong for xl d., and dyed of Englysh soudeours mo then
v^c. yn defaut of sustenaunce. And the second voyage after wythynne the
tyme before seyd Johan erle of Hontyndon was made cheif admyralle of a new
armee to rescue Harflue, beseged of the new wyth a grete navy of shyppys
and carekys of the Frenshe partye, [which] were foughten wyth and ovyrcom
throw myghty fyghtyng; and of the new vitailled Hareflue, the seyd erle
Dorset then beyng yn England at the Emperour comyng hedre, called
Sygemondus. I briefly title thys incident to th'entent not to be foryete
how suche tweyn myghety batailles were foughten uppon the see bethyn one
yere and half, and how the seyd toune of Hareflue was deffended and kept
ayenst the puyssaunt power of Fraunce beseged as yt were by the seyd tyme;
and as for wache and ward yn the wynter nyghtys I herd the seyd ser Johan
Fastolfe sey that every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a
lyes, to berke and warne yff ony adverse partye were commyng to the dykes
or to aproche the towne for to scale yt. And the seyd prince Herry
v^{the},[114]] albeit that it consumed gretlie his peple, and also by
batailes yeveng, conquerid [the towne of Harflete[114]], and wanne bothe
the saide Duchie of Normandie first and after the Roiaume of Fraunce,
conquerid and broughte in subjeccion and wanne be his gret manhode, withe
the noble power of his lordis and helpe of his comonys, and so overleid the
myghtie roialle power of Fraunce be the seide sieges lieng, first in his
first viage at Harflete, and in the second viage he made manly besegid
Cane, the cite of Rone, Falleise, Argenten, Maunt, Vernonsurseyne, Melun,
Meulx, Enbrie, and at many other castellis, forteressis, citeis, and townes
to long to rehers. Also had gret batailes on the see ayenst many grete
carekkis and gret shippes that beseiged Hareflue after it was Englisshe.
And had a gret discomfiture at the bataile of Agincourt in the yere of
Crist M^l.iiij^cxv. {17} at his first viage, where many dukes, erlis,
lordis, and knightis were slaine and take prisoneris that bene in
remembraunce at this day of men yet livyng. And after allied hym to the
Frenshe king Charlis .vj.^{te} is doughter, because of whiche alliaunce
gret part of the roiaume of Fraunce were yolden unto hym his obeisaunce.
And now also in the said noble conquest hathe be kepte undre the obediaunce
of Englisshe nacion from the begynnyng of the said late conquest by .xxxv.
yeris be continued and kept by roialle power, as first be the noble and
famous prince Johan duke of Bedforde, regent and governoure of the roiaume
of Fraunce by .xiij. yeris, with the eide and power of the noble lordis of
this lande, bothe youre said royaume of Fraunce and duchie of Normandie was
kept and the ennemies kept ferre of in gret subjeccion.
[Sidenote: Joh'es dux Bedforde.]
How that in Johan duke of Bedforde tyme be his lieutenaunt erle of
Salisburie had the victorie at the batelle of Cravant.
[Sidenote: Bellum de Cravant.]
[Sidenote: Thomas Montagu comes Sarum.]
[Sidenote: Will's Pole comes Suff'.]
[Sidenote: Dominus Willughby.]
[Sidenote: Vindicatio mortis ducis Clarenciae.]
[Sidenote: Secunda vice punicio mortis ducis Clarenciae.]
In profe wherof how and in the first yere of the reigne of king Harry the
sixt, at whiche tyme his seide uncle toke uppon hym the charge and the name
of Regent of the roiaume of Fraunce, that had the victorie at the bateile
of Cravant, where as at that tyme Thomas Montagu the noble erle of
Salisburie, the erle of Suffolke, the marchalle of Bourgoine, the lord
Willoughebie, withe a gret power of Phelip the duke of Bourgoine is host,
holding the partie of the said Johan regent of Fraunce, duc of Bedford,
withe the eide and help of the trew subgettis of this lande, had the
overhande of the ennemies assembled to the nombre of .ix. M^l. Frenshemen
and Scottis at the said bataile of Cravant in the duchie of Bourgoine,
where there were slayne of the ennemies to the nombre of .iiij. M^l.,
beside .ij. M^l. prisonneris take, of whiche gret part of them were
Scottis, the erle Bougham being chief capitein over them;[115] which late
before were the cause of the male-infortuned journey at Bougee, where the
famous {18} and victorious knight Thomas duc of Claraunce, youre nere
cousyn, for the right of Fraunce, withe a smale company of his side, withe
the Scottis to a grete nombre there assembled among hem in the feelde, was
slayn, withe many a noble lorde, baron, knightis, squyers of Englond, that
never so gret an overthrow of lordes and noble bloode was seene in no
mannys daies as it was then. Aboute the nombre of .ij^c. l. cote-armes
slaine and take prisoneris as yt was seyd, be the saide Scottis holding
withe youre adverse party of Fraunce, whiche God of his infinite goodenes
sone after at the saide batelle [of] Cravant, and after at the bateile of
Vernell, was sent a chastisement upon the saide Scottis for theire
cruelltie vengeable and mortelle dethe of the said victorious prince, duke
of Claraunce, and of other of his noble lordis and knightis.
How Johan duke of Bedforde had yn his owne parsone the batelle of Vernelle.
[Sidenote: 1423.]
[Sidenote: Batelle of Cravant.]
[Sidenote: Batelle of Vernoyle.]
[Sidenote: 1424.]
Also in the said daies, sone after the saide batelle of Cravant, in the
yere of Crist M^l.iiij^c.xxiij., the .iij. yere of King Harry the sext, the
.xvij. day of August, the said Johan duke of Bedford had a gret
discomfiture and the victorie upon your adversaries of Fraunce and of
Scottis at the batelle of Vernelle in Perche, where as Johan cleping hym
duc of Alaunson, lieutenaunt for the Frenshe partie, was take prisoner that
day, and the said erle Bougham of Scotlonde, marchalle of Fraunce, whiche
was cause of that noble prince Thomas duke of Claraunce dethe, was in the
said bataile overthrow and sleyne, and the erle Douglas made duc of
Tourayne, aswelle as his sonne and heire that was in the feelde at
Shrewisburie ayenst king Henry the .iiij^{the}, and another tyme being
ayenst the said Johan duc of Bedford at Homeldonhille in Scotlond, was also
slaine at the said batelle, withe many other grete lordis of the Frenshe
partie slayne and taken prisoneris at the said bataile. {19}
How that the grettir part of the counte of Mayne, the cite of Mauns, withe
many other castellis, were yolden.
[Sidenote: Mayn.]
[Sidenote: Redempcio Joh'is dicentis [se] ducem de Allunson pro .clx.
M^{l}. salux bene solutis ultra alia onera suarum expensarum.]
And, overmore, not long after, youre auncien enheritaunce in the counte of
Mayne, the cite of Maunce, conquerid and brought be the said regent duc of
Bedforde, withe the power of his lordis and helpers, in subgeccion, [by the
erle of Salysbery, lord Scalys, ser John Fastalf, ser John Popham, ser N.
Mongomery, ser Wylliam Oldhalle, chevalers, and many othyr noble men of
worshyppe.[116]] And whiche counte of Mayne was accustomed sithen to be in
value yerely to the eide and helpe of the werres of Fraunce, and to the
releve of the kyng ys subgettis obeisauntes lyvyng uppon the werre for the
furtheraunce of that conquest, .x. M^l. li. sterlinges. Also the said
regent of Fraunce, with the power of youre noble bloode and lordes, wanne
the feeld at the forseid grete bataile of Vernelle in Perche ayenst the
power of the Frenshe adverse party of Fraunce, being assembled to the
nombre of .xl. M^l. fighters of the Frenshe partie; and there Johan cleping
hymsilf duke of Alaunson, lieutenaunt to Charles the .vij. calling hym
Frenshe king, taken prisonner, withe many other lordis, barons, and
knightes, and noble men of worship, whiche paied to the said regent duc of
Bedforde for his raunson and finaunce allone .clx. M. salux, beside his
other grete costis and charges, whiche was a gret relief and socoure to the
eide of the conquest, whiche bataile was in the yere of Crist
M^l.iiij^c.xxiiij., the seyd .iij^d. yere of the reigne of king Henry sext.
[Sidenote: Nota bene pro titulo Regis Henrici sexti.]
How that Henry the sext was crouned king be the might of grete lordes.
[Sidenote: Coronatio Regis Henrici sexti.]
[Sidenote: De magna fama regni Angliae tempore regis Hen. vi^{th}]
And he also, for a gret act of remembraunce to be had in writing, was
crouned king of Fraunce in the noble citee of Paris, in the yere of Crist
M^l.iiij^c.xxix., the .ix. yere of his reigne, withe right gret solennyte
amongis the lordis spirituelle and temporelle, and be the gret mighte and
power, as well in goodes and richesse, of his graunt {20} oncle Henry
cardinalle of Englande, byshop of Wynchester, and by the gret mighte and
power of his uncle Johan regent of the roiaum of Fraunce, duc of Bedforde,
being present at that tyme to their grettist charge and cost to resist
theire gret adversarie of Fraunce calling hym Dolphin. For sethen the
roiaume of Englonde first began to be inhabite withe peple was never so
worshipfulle an act of entreprise done in suche a case, the renoume of
which coronacion spradde thoroughe alle cristen kingis roiaumes.
[Sidenote: A courageous recomfortyng.]
[Sidenote: Exortacio militaris.]
O then ye most noble and cristen prince, for notwithestanding gret
conquestis and batailes had in the said roiaume be the famous knight king
Edwarde the thrid, he never atteyned to that souvraine honoure but by
valiauntnes of Englishe men, whiche have in prowes avaunced hem, and
governed so nobly as is before briefly historied and specified, be youre
saide noble, puissaunt, and vailaunt progenitours in divers regions, and
inespecialle in Fraunce and Normandie, and in the duchie of Gascoigne and
Guyen, that this sodenly wern put oute of by usurpacion ayenst alle trouthe
and knyghthode. Now therfore, in repairing this undew intrusion uppon yow,
mantelle, fortifie, and make yow strong ayenst the power of youre said
adversaries of Fraunce. For now it is tyme to clothe you in armoure of
defense ayenst youre ennemies, withe the cotes of armes of youre auncien
feernesse, haveng in remembraunce the victorious conquestis of youre noble
predecessours, the whiche clothing many histories, cronicles, and writinges
witnessithe moo than myn simple entendement can not suffice to reherse in
this brief epistle.
Of the noblesse of Ectour and other mighty kinges of Grece.
[Sidenote: Nota de exemplis aliorum nobilium.]
[Sidenote: Hector.]
[Sidenote: Agamemnon.]
[Sidenote: Ulixes.]
[Sidenote: Hercules.]
[Sidenote: 1. j.]
[Sidenote: 2. ij.]
[Sidenote: 3. iij.]
And also let be brought to mynde to folow the steppis in conceitis of noble
courage of the mighty dedis in armes of the vaillaunt knight Hector of
Troy, whiche bene enacted in the siege of Troy for a perpetuelle
remembraunce of chevalrie [that your noblesse ys decended of[117]]. Also of
the dedis in armes of Agamemnon the {21} puissaunt king of Greece, that
thoroughe cruell and egre werre ayenst the Trojens bethin .x. yere day
conquerid the gret cite of Troie. In like wise of the famous knight Ulixes,
that alle his daies dispendid in marciall causis. And of the .xij.
puissaunt entreprinses and aventurous dedis that Hercules, as it is figured
and made mencion in the vij^{the} metre of the .v. booke of Boecius, toke
uppon hym, putting himself frome voluptuouse delites and lustis, being
subget to grete laboure, wynnyng renomme and worship; whiche .xij.
entreprinses of Hercules, albeit it be thought [but a poesye[118]]
impossible to any mortalle man to doo or take uppon hym, as for to bereffe
the skyn of the rampant lion, wrestlid withe Antheus and Poliphemus, the
gret giauntes, and hym overthrew, he slow the serpent clepit Ydra, made
tame the proude beestis clepid Centaurus, that be of halfe man and halfe
best, and many soche wonderfulle entreprises as is wreten that Hercules
did, whiche is writen in figure of a poesy for to courage and comfort alle
othre noble men of birthe to be victorious in entreprinses of armes. And
how, in conclusion, that there is no power, puissaunce, ne strenght, who so
lust manly [wyth prudens[118]] put forthe hymsilf may resist and
withestande ayenst such gret entreprises.
How a conquerour shulde use in especialle thre thinges.
[Sidenote: A conqueroure shuld use iij thinges.]
[Sidenote: j.]
[Sidenote: ij.]
And, as Vegecius in his booke of Chevalrie counceilithe that a conquerour
shulde use thre thinges in especialle whiche the Romains used, and alle
that tyme they had the victorie of here ennemies, that is to wete, The
first was science, that is forto undrestonde prudence, to seene before the
remedies of bonchief, or the contrarie; The second was exercitacion and
usage in dedis of armes, that they might be apte and redie to bataille whan
necessite fille; the thrid was naturalle love that a prince shulde have to
his peple, as doing his trew diligence to doo that may be to the comon wele
of his peple, whiche is to be undrestonde in the executing of justice
egallie. And for to kepe them in tranquillite and pece within hemsilfe.
{22}
[Sidenote: Menne of noblenesse shuld lefe sensualites and delites.]
How men of noblesse ought lefe sensualitees and delites.