A DECLARATION OF BERNARD DU TROY, A GASCON GENTLEMAN, THAT HE WAS THE
PERSON WHO TOOK KING JOHN OF FRANCE AT THE BATTLE OF POICTIERS.
[_Lat. on vellum. Cottonian MSS. Caligula_ D. III. f. 74.]
In Dei Nomine Amen. Uniu'si nouerint p' p'n'tes q' Anno d'ni mill'imo
ccc^{mo}. sexsagesimo primo die p^{i}ma mens' Julij Indict'one
xiiij^{a} pontificat' s'cissimi in xp'o p'ris et dni. d'ni Innocentij
pp^{e}. sexti anno nono inpresentia not' et testiu' subsc'ptor'
p'sonal'r constitut'. discretus vir Bernardus deu Troy scutifer de
vasconia. licet infirm' corpore mente t'n sanus et intellectu. Corpus
sac^{a}tissimu' ih'u x'p'i. q'd ut fidel' xp'ian' Recip'e volebat p'
ei' Ai'e saluat'one in manu sacerdotis habens p'oc'lis in domo
habitato'is sue London' in Carreria et Rop'ia verba dixit et p'tulit
que sequntur. Carissimi d'ni. q' nil certius morte nec incertius hora
mortis. Et quia tempus p'ic'losum est vt nulli lat'e possit Jus meu'.
et cu'ctis notu' fiat. Dico Ego Bernardus deu troy p'd'cs cor' vob'
om'ib'. q' in p'ic'lo Ai'e mee et p' sac^{m} corpus ih'u x'p'i q'd hic
cor' om'ib' est sac^{a}tum et intendo Recip'e p' saluato'e mee Ai'e
pecat^{i}cis. q' die belli de poitiers Ego cepi Rege' francie. et se
m^{i} Reddidit Rex p'd'cs et meus ver' p^{i}sionarius est et null'
ali' ius habet in eo p'ter me de Jure u'l Rato'ne. Et querelam q^{a}m
cora' d'no n'ro Rege Anglie. Et ei' consilio a d'co bello cit^{a}
p'sequt' sum sup' d'to Rege francie p^{i}sionario meo est bona et in
ea ut Attemptaui et p'sequt' sum volo mori tanq^{a}m bona et iust'
querela. Al' corpus ih'u xp'i sac^{a}tissimu' quod ut sup^{a} dixi ut
fidel' xp'ian' p' salute Ai'e mee volo Recip'e sit ad dampnato'em mea'
q'd deus euertat. Et Rogo d'nm Geraldum de tartasia d'nm de poyana
milite' hic p'ntem Eo casu quo de hac infirmitate decederem q'
querela' mea' aucdacter Recipiat tanq^{a}' bona' cont^{a} d'nm
denisium de morbek milite' et q'mcu'que aliu' Jus meum sup' d'co Rege
francie vero p^{i}sionario meo vsurpar' nitente'. qui cont^{a} deu' et
Justicia'. me et Jus meu' absorbet. et p' falsas suggestiones. et
cautelas vsq' inp'ntem die' impediuit et impedit mi' iuste et d'cam
q'relam p'seq^{a}tur ad fine' et bellu' faciat si Judicet' sup' hoc
sub p'ic'lo Ai'e mee qua' quide' q'rela' d'c's d'ns de poyana ibi p'ns
p'seq'ndam et finiendam ac bellu' si Indicetur aut Indicaret' in se
suscipiendum et faciend' p'misit et fide sua media stipulauit. Eo
Aute' casu quo dict' d'ns de poyana nollet d'cam querelam p'sequi aut
no' posset morte aut impedimento aliquo impedit'. volo Ego Bernardus
deu troy p'd'cs q' peleg^{i}n' deu cause socius me' in Armis d'cam
q'relam p'seqatur et finiat Ac bellu' Recipiat et faciat p' d'ca
q'rela si iudicatu' fuit sub p'ic'lo Anime mee ut p'dixi de comodo
aute' et finantia qd' p'ue'iat ex d'co Rege francie vero p^{i}sionar'
meo sup' quo d'n'm n'r'm Rege' eius Ai'am et conscientia' onero, volo
q' deductis expen' illi' qui p'seq't' si bellu' subseq^{a}tur exinde
bellu' faciens Ecia' p'te, habeat duas alias p'tes inter hered' meos,
peleg^{i}nu' deu canse, et socios qui in Armis erant socij mei d'ca
die, Rat'onab'l'r diuidant' sicut ordinaret' Rat'onab'l'r et
Reperiretur ip'os Jus habere. si aute' bellu' non subseq^{a}tur ex
querela p'd'ca qd' absit. volo q' de comodo qd' p'ue'iat deductis
expen' p'seq'ut' Recipiat ip'e p'sequens iuxta ei' conscientia'.
Residu' ut sup^{a} dc'm est diuidat'. Sup' d'co tamen p'ficus et
emolume'to conscienta' d'ci d'ni n'ri Regis onero ut p'dixi. Rogans et
Req^{i}rens magr^{m} guill'm. de Wolneston'. et magr'm philipu' de
London'. et alios notarios hic p'ntes q' sup' hiis om'ibus faciant et
Recipiant. Vnu' duo v'l pl'a publica instr'a que concessim' agenda in
f---- et testimoniu' p'missor'. Acta sunt hec sub anno indict'one
pontificat' mense die ... sup^{a}d'cis. Test' Nobiles viri d'ni
Oliueri' de Clisson. Guill'm' de mont agut Bartholomeus de borearhs
---- Rob'rt' de holand' thomas de Ros. Joh'n's de br---- Joh'n's ----
ccl' de london' Ber^{dus} de Brotas. ger^{dus} de menta R'ndus se
---- ---- p---- a---- a---- Ber^{dus} de la quinnada petrus de brassas
Ar^{dus} de ----
* * * * *
P. 73. "And at the Tour hill they beheded maistre Simond Sudbury, than
erchebisshop of Caunterbury and chaunceler of Englond; and frere
Robert Hales priour of seynt Jones house, than tresorer of Engelond,"
&c.
The rebellion noticed in the text is so important an event in the
history of England as well as of the Metropolis, that no apology can
be required for the insertion of an inedited document in any degree
connected with it. In the _Foedera_, tom. vii. are several
proclamations on the same subject, and among them one tested at London
on the 15^{th} June 1381, directed to the sheriff of Kent; but the
following, dated at Chelmsford on the 5^{th} of July in that year, has
never, it is believed, been printed. It appears from it that the
rebels had asserted that they were supported by the king's authority;
and His Majesty therefore, not merely denies the fact, but commands
the earl of Warwick and the other persons in that county to whom the
instrument is addressed, to use every possible effort to suppress the
disturbance of the public peace, in places under their jurisdiction.
COPIA PROCLAMATIONIS R. RICARDI II^{di} SUPER INSURRECTIONE JACK STRAW
ET WAT TYLER.
[_Cottonian MS. Caligula_ D. III. _super Membr._ f. 100.]
Ricardus dei gr'a Rex Angl' et Franc' et Dominus Hib'n' dil'cis et
fidelib' suis Thome Comiti Warr' Joh'i Buttourt Joh'i de Bermyngeham
Henr' de Arden' Will'o de Clynton Militib' Rob'to Burgilon' et Joh'i
Catesby: sal't'm Satis vob' et aliis ligeis n'r'is credimus esse
cognitum qualit' q^{a}mplures malef'c'ores iam nouit' cont^{a} pacem
n'ra' in diu'sis Com' regni n'ri Angl' in maximam turbaco'em fideliu'
ligeor' n'ror' in diu'sis congregac'o'ib' et conuenticulis illicitis
quasi hostilit' insurrexerunt ven'abilem p'rem Simonem nup' Archiep'm
Cantuar' tocius Angl' Primatem Cancellar' n'r'm et fr'em Rob'tum de
Hales nup' Priorem Hospitalis s'ci Joh'is Jer'l'm in Angl' Thes' n'r'm
Joh'em Cauendish nup' Capitalem Justic' n'r'm et q^{a}mplures alios
ligeos et s'uientes et fideles n'ros absq' culpa crudelit' occidendo
arsuras incendia p'straco'es et varias alias destrucco'es eccl'iar'
Man'ior' domor' rer' et aliar' possessionu' fideliu' ligeor' n'ror'
enormit' et p'peram p'petrando Quia v'o malef'c'ores p'd'ci falso et
mendacit' asseruerunt et affirmarunt ip'os mala homicidia et dampna
p'd'ca ex n'ris auctoritate et voluntate fecisse et p'petrasse vt ip'i
sic maliciam suam continuare valeant et de p'missis licet indigni
cicius excusent' ad v'ram et alior fideliu' ligeor' n'ror' quor'cumq'
volum' p'uenire noticiam quod p'missa mala homicidia et dampna
quecunq' ex auctoritate et voluntate n'ris minime p'cesserunt neq'
fiunt set exinde vehemencius contristati ea in n'r'm maximu' vitup'iu'
et Corone n're p'iudiciu' et tocius regni n'ri dampnu' et turbac'o'em
non modica redundare sentimus. Et ideo vob' sup' fide et ligeancia
quib' nob' tenemini firmit' munigendo mandamus qd' p'sens mandatum
n'r'm in singulis locis infra Com' Warr' tam infra lib'tates q^{a}m
ext^{a} ubi melius expedire videritis ex p'te n'ra publice p'clamari
et vlt'ius inhiberi fac' ne qui cuiuscumq' status seu condico'is
fu'int infra Com' p'd'c'm seu alibi insurg'e seu congregaco'es vel
conuenticula huiusmodi fac'e vel levare seu quicq^{a}m aliud
attemptare seu p'curare p'sumant seu p'sumat aliquis eor' p' quod pax
n'ra ibidem infringi aut populus n'r inquietari aut turbari pot'it sub
forisf'cura vite et membror' et o'i'm alior' que nob' forisfac'e
pot'unt in futur' Damus eciam vob' et cuil't v'r'm et quibuscumq'
aliis fidelib' n'ris tenore p'senciu' potestatem et mandatum sp'ale
quibuscumq' malef'corib' cont^{a} pacem n'ram et quietem p'p'li n'ri
insurg'e seu huiusmodi congraco'es et conuenticula illicita fac'e
volentib' modis om'ib' quib' melius pot'itis vel sciu'itis eciam si
oporteat manu forti tanq^{a}m rebellib' et inimicis n'ris et tocius
regni n'ri resistendi et que'l't ip'or' iuxta eor' dem'ita et
discreco'es v'ras castigandi et puniendi et insurrecc'o'es et
turbac'o'es quascumq'. si que ibidem quod absit fiant pacificandi et
sedandi et om'ia alia faciendi et exequendi que conseruaco'em pacis
n're et quietem p'p'li n'ri conc'nere pot'unt in Com' p'd'co et p'tib'
eiusdem quibuscumq'. In cuius rei testimoniu' has l'ras n'ras fieri
fecim' patentes T' me ip'o apud Chelmersford' quinto die Julij Anno R'
n' quinto.
p' ip'm Regem.
* * * * *
In pp. 99-102, as well as in pp. 157-159, an account is given of Henry
the Fifth's expedition into France in the year 1415, and of the battle
of Agincourt. In the Harleian MS. N^{o} 565, from which the preceding
Chronicle was transcribed, the following Poem occurs on the same
subject, a correct copy of which has never been published, though at
the end of Hearne's edition of Elmham's Life of Henry the Fifth, a
poem is inserted so very similar to the annexed that it may be
presumed to have been taken from another copy of the same. It is said
to have been transcribed from the Cottonian MS. Vitellius D. XII.,
which is not now extant: but upon collating this piece with the one
printed by Hearne, it appears, after allowing for the various readings
which frequently occur in different copies of an early poem, that many
words were erroneously given by that zealous antiquary.
Notwithstanding that it possesses but little claim to poetical merit,
it is highly curious, from its being nearly if not quite contemporary
with the events which it relates; for there can be no doubt of its
having been a production of the prolific pen of that "drivelling
monk," as he has been severely termed, the monk of Bury, John Lydgate,
several of whose other pieces, from their presenting a faithful but
rude picture of the manners and transactions of the times, are also
inserted in this volume. The garrulous monk, in the article which is
the subject of these remarks, particularly notices every circumstance
in which the Mayor and Citizens of the Metropolis were concerned, and
hence it is an appropriate illustration of a "CHRONICLE OF LONDON." It
is worthy of observation, that the story of the tennis-balls having
been sent as a satirical present from the Dauphin to Henry the Fifth,
and to which Shakspeare alludes, is frequently mentioned in the poem,
and furnishes the writer with several metaphors.
"_Ambass._ He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit,
This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this,
Desires you, let the dukedoms that you claim,
Hear no more of you--This the Dauphin speaks.
_K. Hen._ What treasure, uncle?
_Exeter._ Tennis-balls, my liege.
_K. Hen._ We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us;
His present, and your pains, we thank you for:
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,
We will in France, by God's grace, play a set,
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard:
Tell him, he hath made a match with such a wrangler,
That all the courts of France will be disturb'd
With chaces....
And tell the pleasant prince,--this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun stones;[145] and his soul
Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance
That shall fly with them:"
_Henry the Fifth_, Act I. Scene II.
[Footnote 145: Thus Lydgate, _infra_,
"For they shall play with Harflete,
A game at tynes, as y wene,
Mine engynes that bethe so kene
They shall be sett besyde this hill,
Over all Harflew that they may sene
For to loke if they play well;
Go we to game be Godys grace,
Myne children ben redy everych on
Every greet gonne that there was,
In his mouth he hadde a ston."
But Shakspeare's expressions are still more similar to those of an
inedited Chronicler of the period: "And whan the kyng had hard ther
wordis and the answere of the dolphynne, he was wondre sore agreved
and right evell assayd towarde the Frensshmen, and toward the kyng and
the Dolphynne, and thought to avenge hym upon them as sone as Good
wold send hym grace and myght, and anon lette make tenys ballis for
the Dolpynne in all the hast that they myght be made; _and they were
grete gonne stones for the Dolpynne to play wythall_." _Cottonian
MSS._ _Claudius_ A. viii.]
But besides the historical information with which the poem abounds,
and which is corroborated by the best authorities, it cannot fail to
be considered of much interest, from the description of the
magnificent reception of the king into London, after his return from
France.
A POEM BY JOHN LYDGATE, MONK OF BURY, DESCRIBING THE EXPEDITION OF
HENRY THE FIFTH INTO FRANCE IN 1415, THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT, AND THE
KING'S RECEPTION INTO LONDON ON HIS RETURN.
[_Harl. MSS._ 565.]
God that all this world gan make
And dyed for us on a tre,
Save Ingelond for Mary sake,
Sothfast God in Trinyte;
And kepe oure kyng that is so free,
That is gracious and good with all,
And graunt hym evermore the gree,
Curteys Crist oure kynge ryall.
Oure kyng sente into France ful rathe,
Hys bassatours bothe faire and free;
His owne right for to have,
That is, Gyan and Normande;
He bad delyvre that his schulde be,
All that oughte kyng Edward,
Or ellys tell hym certeynle,
He itt gette with dynt of swerd.
_Wot ye right well that thus it was,
Gloria tibi Trinitas._
And than answerde the dolfyn bold
To oure bassatours sone ageyn,
Me thinke youre kyng he is nought old,
No werrys for to maynteyn;
Grete well youre kyng, he seyde, so yonge
That is bothe gentill and small;
A tonne of tenys ballys I shall hym sende,
For to pleye hym with all.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
A dien Sire, seide oure lordis alle,
For there they wolde no longer lende:
They token there leve, bothe grete and smalle,
And hom to Ingelond they gum wende;
And thanne they sette the tale on ende,
All that the Dolfyn to them gon say;
I schal hym thanke thanne, seyde our kynge,
Be the grace of God if that y may.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The kyng of Fraunce that is so old,
Onto oure kyng he sente on hy,
And prayde trews that he wolde hold
For the love of seynt Mary.
Oure Cherlys of Fraunce gret well, or ye wende,
The Dolfyn prowed withinne his wall,
Swyche tenys ballys I schal hym sende
As schall tere the roof all of his all.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Oure kyng ordeyned with all his myght,
For to amende that is amys,
And that is all for Engelond ryght,
To geten agen that scholde ben his;
That is, al Normandie forsothe y wys,
Be right of eritage he scholde it have,
Therof he seith he wyll nought mys,
Crist kepe his body sounde and save.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Oure kyng at Westmenster he lay,
And his bretheren everych on;
And other many lordes that is no nay,
The kyng to them seyde anon,
To Fraunce y thenke to take the way,
Sires, he seyde, be swete seynt John;
Of good counsaill y will yow pray,
Wat is youre will what y shall don?
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The duk of Clarence, thanne seyd he,
My lord it is my right full will,
And other lordys right manye,
We hold it right reson and skyll,
To Fraunce we wolde yow redy bryng,
With gladder will than we kon say.
Gramercy, sires, seide our kyng,
I schall yow qwyte if that y may.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
I warne yow he seyde bothe olde and yonge,
Make yow redy withoughte delay;
At Southampton to mete youre kynge,
At Lammas on seynt Petrys day;
Be the grace of God ant swete Mary
Over the see y thenke to passe:
The kyng let ordeyn sone in hy,
What y mene ye knowe the casse.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
After anon, with right good chere,
Hyse gret gonnys and engynes stronge,
At London he schipped them alle in fere,
And sone fro Westmenster then sprongye,
With alle hyse lordys, sothe to saye:
The mair was redy and mette hym there,
With all the craftes in good araye,
It is ful soth what nede to swere.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Heyl, comely kyng, the mair gan say,
The grace of God now be with the,
And speed the well in thy jornay,
Almyghti God in Trinite,
And graunt the evermore the degre,
To felle thin enemys bothe nyght and day;
Amen, seyde alle the comunalte,
Graunt mercy, sire, oure kyng gan say.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
To seynt Poulys he held the way;
He offred there full worthyly:
Fro thens to the quen that same day,
And tok his leve ful hendely;
And thorugh out London thanne gan he ryde;
To seynt George he com in hye,
And there he offred that iche tyde,
And other lordys that weren hym bye.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
And fro thens to Suhthampton, unto that strond,
For sothe he wold no longer there dwell:
XV hundryd shippys redy there he fond,
With riche sayles and heye topcastell.
Lordys of this lond, oure kyng gan there sell,
For a milion of gold as y herd say,
Therfore there truayle was quyte them full well,
For they wolde a mad a queynte aray.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Therfore song it was wailaway;
There lyvys they lost anon right in hast:
And oure kyng with riall aray,
To the se he past.
And landyd in Normandye, at the water of Sayn,
At the pyle of Ketecaus, the sothe y yow say,
On oure lady even, the assumpcion, the thirdde yer of hys rayn,
And boldely hys baner there he gan display.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
And to the town of Harflew there he tok the way,
And mustred his meyne faire before the town,
And many other lordys I dar well say,
With baners brighte and many penoun:
And there they pyght there tentys a down,
That were embroudyd with armys gay;
First, the kynges tente with the crown,
And all othere lordes in good aray.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
My brother Clarence, oure kyng gan say,
The tother syde shull ye kepe,
With my doughter and hire maydyns gay,
To wake the Frensshmen of there slepe.
London he seyde shall with here mete,
My gonnys shall lyn upon this grene,
For they shall play with Harflete,
A game at tynes as y wene.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Mine engynes that bethe so kene,
They shull be sett be syde this hill,
Over all Harflewe that they may sene,
For to loke if they play well.
Go we to game be Godys grace,
Myne children ben redy everych on,
Every greet gonne that there was,
In his mouth he hadde a ston.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The Capteyn of Harflewe sone anon
To oure kyne he sente on hy,
To wyte what was his wille to don
That he was come with his navy;
Delivere me this toune, oure kyng gan say;
Nay sire, he seyde, be seynt Denys;
Thanne shall y it gete, if y may,
Be the grace of God and myn devys.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Myne pleyers that y have hedyr brought,
Their ballys beth of stonys round,
Be the helpe of hym that me dere bought,
They shall youre wall have to ground.
The Frensshmen cried 'Amound,' 'Amound;'
This toun, they seyde, us moste kepe.
The kyng, seith he, will nought fro this ground
Or he have yolde this toun Harflete.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Tenys seyde the grete gonne,
How felawes go we to game,
Among the houses of Harflewe roune,
It dide the Frensshmen right gret grame;
Fyftene before, seyd London, tho
His ball wol faire he gan it throwe,
That the stepyll of Harflete and bellys also,
With his breth he dide down blowe.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
XXX^{ti} is myn, seyd Messagere,
And smartly went his way;
Ther wallys that were mad right sure,
He brast them down the sothe to say.
The kynges doughter, seyde here, how thei play,
Herkenyth myne maydenys in this tyde;
Fyve and forty that is no nay,
The wallys wente doun on every syde.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The engynes seide, to longe we abyde,
Let us gon to ben on assent;
Wherevere that the ball gan glyde,
The houses of Harflew they all to rent.
An Englyssh man the bulwerk brent,
Women cryed alas! that they were bore,
The Frensshmen seide now be we shent,
From us this toun now it is lore.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
It is best now that we therfore,
That we beseche the kyng of grace,
That he asayle us now no more,
For to dystroye us in this place;
For but the Dolfyn us reskewe,
This toun to delivere wyl we sikerly,
Messagers thei let make newe,
And to the kyng they come in hy.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The lord Gaucourt certeynly,
For he was capteyn in that place,
And Gilliam Bocher com hym by,
And othere also bothe more and lasse;
To fore the kyng whan they com was,
I wot they sette them on there kne;
Heil comely kyng, thei seyde, in this plas,
The grace of God now is with the.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Of trews we wolde beseche the,
Unto it be Sounday atte non,
And but it thanne reskewyd be,
We shall to yow delyvere this toun:
The kyng thanne seyde to them ful son
I graunte you grace al this tyde,
Somme of yow go forth anon,
The remenaunt with me shall abyde.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The capteyn hied hym with al his myght,
Unto Roon for to ryde,
He wende the Dolfyn have founde there right
But he was goon, durst he nought abyde.
Of helpe the capteyn besowte that tyde,
Harflew from us is lost for ay,
The wallys ben doun on every syde,
We may no longere it kepe, be God verray.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Of good counsaill I wolde yow pray,
What is youre will what shall y don,
Bataill us moste thene be Soneday,
Or ellys delivere hym the toun.
The lordys of Roon togydere gon rown,
And bad he sholde the town up yelde,
The kyng of Ingelond is fers as lyon,
We wil noughte mete hym in the felde.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
The capteyn went agen withoute lettyng,
Before the kyng on kneys gan fall,
Heyl, he seyde, comely kyng,
Most worthy prynce in this world riall,
Here y have brought yow the keyes alle,
Of Harflew that faire toun,
All is youre owne both towr and halle,
At your will Lord and at your croun.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
I thanke God, thann eseyde oure kyng,
And Mary his modir that is so fre;
Myn uncle Dorset withoute lettyng,
Capteyn of Harflewe schall ye be.
And al that is in that toun,
Wot stille shall abyde,
To maken up that is adoun,
That hath ben fellyd on every syde.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Meyne, I now shall with yow ride,
To se the toun there overall,
Wyff no child lett non abyde,
But have them ought bothe grete and small;
And let stuffe the toun overall,
With Englysshmen thereinne to be.
They left no Frenssh blod withinne the wall,
But hadde all oute the comunalte.
_Wot ye right well, &c._
Four hundred women and children men myght se,
Whanne they wenten out sore gon they wepe;
The grete gonnes engynes to the trewle,
They were brought into Harflete,
Oure kyng unto the castell yede,
And restyd hym there as his will was
Sire, he seyde, so God me spede
To Caleys warde I thenke to pas
_Wot ye right well that thus it was,
Gloria tibi Trinitas._