THE ATTACK ON BRIGHTHELMSTON BY THE FRENCH, IN 1545.
Henry the Eighth having ravaged Artois and Picardy, by the superiority of
his forces, and made himself master of Boulogne, the French king to
retaliate the wanton desolations, sent Admiral D'Annehault with a
considerable fleet to devastate the country on the southern coast of the
island. The invasion is thus described by Holinshead:--
"In 37 Hen. 8th, 1545, July the 18th, the admiral of France, Mons.
Donebatte, hoisted up sails, and with his whole navy (which consisted
of 200 ships and 26 gallies,) came forth into the seas, and arrived
on the coast of Sussex, before Bright Hampstead, and set certain of
his soldiers on land to burn and spoil the country: but the beacons
were fired and the inhabitants thereabouts came down so thick, that
the Frenchmen were driven to their ships with loss of diverse of
their numbers, so that they did little hurt there. Immediately
hereupon they made to the Isle of Wight, when about two thousand of
their men landed, and one of their chief captains, named Chevalier
Daux, a Provenois, being slain with many others, the residue, with
loss and shame, were driven back again to their gallies. And having
knowledge by certain fishermen whom they took, that the king was
present on the coast, (Portsmouth) and a huge power ready to resist
them, they disanctioned (disanchored) and drew along the coast of
Sussex, of whom few returned to their ships; for divers gentlemen of
the country, as Sir Nicholas Pelham and others, with such power as
was raised upon the sudden, took them up by the way and quickly
distressed them. When they had searched every where by the coast,
and saw men still ready to receive them with battle, they turned
stern, and so got them home again without any act achieved worthy to
be mentioned. The number of the Frenchmen was great, so that diverse
of them who were taken prisoners in the Isle of Wight and in Sussex,
did report they were three score thousand."
A curious Picture Map of this attack is engraved in the 24th vol. of the
"Archologia" of 1832, from the original in the Cottonian Library. A
copy of this map is in the possession of the compiler of this history.
It bears date, "1545, July, 37 Henry VIII." The number of ships
attacking the town is twenty-two; and the largest, probably the
Admiral's, lying nearest the shore, has four masts; seven have three
masts, three two masts, and eleven are galleys with one mast and numerous
oars. Eight of the latter are on shore, and the armed men from them have
disembarked on the beach, the place where they landed being
inscribed,--"here landed the galleys." On the shore also, high and dry,
are six large boats of the inhabitants, and several smaller ones. On the
beach, likewise, at Hove, are five small boats. On the sea, towards the
west side, is inscribed,--"Shippes may ride all somer tem in a myle the
town in V fathome water;" and on the east,--"Thesse grete shippes rydeng
hard abode shore by shoting into the hille and wallies on the towne, so
sore oppresse the towne that the countrey dare not adventure to rescue
it." The ships are pierced for guns, and the prows and sterns are raised
three or four stages. Numerous pennons and streamers adorn each ship,
some bearing a _fleur-de-lys_, and others a cross. On shore the houses
under the cliffe are on fire; from the upper town also flames are issuing
from almost every house. There are five rows of houses running from
north to south; and at the extreme north a row of houses runs from east
to west. A square space in the centre is marked,--"A felde in the middle
of the town." A road to the east of the town, about the spot now
occupied by the Old Steine, and going in the north-east direction is
inscribed,--"the valey comyng from Lewes town to Brighthampston." On this
road and on the hill adjacent bodies of armed men are marching towards
the town. On the cliffe, eastward of this road, is an erection from
which is suspended a frame containing some burning substance, and is
inscribed,--"the towne fyre cage." This is at about the spot where the
offices and auction room of Messrs. Parsons and Son now are. From
thence, eastward, is inscribed,--"The East pte of brighthampston riseng
onelye on cleves high." North of the town is the church, about which
persons, some armed, appear in the attitude of prayer. Beyond the church
are two mills, marked,--the "wynde mylles;" and still farther a blazing
construction on a pole, marked,--"the bekon of the towne." A road from
this spot is continued to the sea, about midway between the church and
Hove Church, marked,--"hoove Churche." This road, along which armed men
are coming towards the town, is inscribed,--"the valey comyng from pouynge
(Poynings) betwixt brighthampston and the vilage, hove." As this road
approaches the beach it is inscribed,--"Upon this west pt may lond CM
psones (100,000 persons) unletted by any pvision there." At the back of
the town is inscribed,--"The towne of brighthampston," and immediately to
the east of the town is a body of armed men. Hove,--two rows of
houses,--is marked, "hove village," and the road running westward from
thence, "the west parte of brithampston lowe all daungerous and wout
cleves (without cliffs.)"
The next attempt of the French was on Newhaven, where they landed to a
considerable number, and proceeded to pillage the town and environs; but
the gentry and yeomen of the coast having been collected on the
neighbouring hills to oppose the expected descent, attacked the invaders
so vigorously that many were slain in attempting to recover their
galleys.