In this ninth yeare of king Richard (though by other writers it should
séeme to be rather in the yeare following) the duke of Lancaster with a
great power of men of warre went into Spaine, and lead with him thither
his wife the ladie Constance, & a daughter which he had by hir named
Katharine, and two other daughters which he had by his former wife. He
had béene about the preparing of an armie, and all furniture necessarie
for this iournie two or thrée yéeres before, and therefore hauing now
seauen gallies and eightéene ships sent to him out of Portingale (which
arriued at Bristow) he caused all such vessels as he had prouided to
resort likewise thither, where making his generall assemblie, when all
his men of warre were come togither, he bestowed them aboord, with all
their |769| horsses and purueiances, and causing sailes to be hoissed
vp, set forward on his long wished iournie. This was in the moneth of
Maie, when the seas were calme, the aire swéet, and the winds pleasant
and agréeable to his purpose. He appointed for admerall of his whole
fléet sir Thomas Percie; and sir Iohn Holland that was after created
earle of Huntington and had married one of his daughters was ordeined
constable of the hoast; and sir Thomas Moreaux hauing married his
bastard daughter was one of his marshals.
There were that attended him in this iournie manie other lords and
knights of honor, as the lord Lucie, the lord Talbot, the lord Basset,
the lord Willoughbie, the lord Fitz Walter, the lord Poinings, the lord
Bradston, the lord of Pōmiers a Gascoigne, the lord Yonne fitz Warren,
Henrie lord Beaumont, William lord Beauchampe, sir Richard Burlie that
was another of the marshals of the armie, sir Hugh Spenser, sir William
Windsore, sir Iohn Daubreticourt, sir Hugh Hastings, sir William
Farrington, sir Thomas Tresham, sir Mauburin de Liniers, sir Thomas
Worcester, sir Iohn Sowtrie, sir Robert Clinton, sir Philip Tirrell,
sir Lewes Rochester, Huguelin Caluerlie, Dauid Holgraue, Thomas Alerie,
Hobequin Beaucester, and diuerse other: they were in all to the number
of fifteene hundred men of armes, whereof a thousand at the least were
knights and esquiers, besides foure thousand archers, and other men
of warre, so perfectlie appointed and arraied, as could be thought
méet and conuenient. Of this chosen companie attendant vpon the duke
of Lancaster, & of this his voiage into Spaine, the said C. Okland
speaketh no lesse trulie & according to the report of our annales, than
honorablie:
[Sidenote: _In Angl. prælij._]
Ocyus instructa pro bello classe futuro,
Milite stipatus generoso traijcit æquor
Fluctisonum, cum vxore pia natísq; duabus, &c.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Henrie Knighton_ canon of Leicester
abbeie.]
¶ Henrie Knighton reporteth of this voiage as followeth, in somewhat
a differing sort from this alreadie laid downe. On Easter daie (saith
he) Iohn the duke of Lancaster with his wife came to the king, to take
their leaue; to the which duke the king gaue a crowne of gold, and the
quéene likewise gaue another crowne of gold to the duchesse. Besides
this, the king commanded his people that they should call him king of
Spaine, and doo him honour in all things. He had with him a power of
20000 chosen men; of which number noted in the marshals bill or scrool,
2000 were men of armes, and 8000 were archers.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._ The duke of Lancaster landeth at Brest and
winneth two bastides from the Frenchmen.
An. Reg. 10.
The duke of Lancaster landeth at Groigne. _Froissard._ Le Groigne
Corone.
_Abr. Fl._ out of _Henrie Knighton_ canon of Leicester abbeie.]
As they passed by Britaine, they landed at Brest, the capteine whereof,
at that time named sir Iohn Rooche, finding himselfe greatlie annoied
by the Frenchmen that were lodged in two bastides erected before the
castell, declared to the duke in what state he stood. Wherevpon he
caused the said bastides to be assailed, which was doone by the lord
Fitz Walter, and others, who bare themselues so manfullie, that the
bastides were woone, broken downe, and a great preie with prisoners
obteined, although not without losse of diuerse valiant personages.
Thus were they within Brest castell deliuered of their vnfreendlie
neighbours by the duke of Lancaster and his people. Who hauing doone
their feat tooke the seas, and sailed foorth till they came on the
coasts of Gallis, where on S. Laurence eeuen, they arriued in the hauen
of Groigne, otherwise called Coron, and there they vnshipped all their
prouisions, determining to inuade the countrie on that side. ¶ Héere,
bicause it is not vnprofitable to know the absolute truth of things
doone, by the collection of writers, I haue translated the beseeging of
Brest, as the same is set downe by Henrie Knighton in his annales, in a
larger and more ample sort, with a fuller certificat of circumstances
than hath hitherto béene declared. At the same time (saith he) the duke
of Britaine had laid siege both by sea and land, to a certeine towne
in Britaine, in old time subiect to the king of England, which was
called Brest, with a great multitude of Frenchmen and Britains. Now on
the twelfth of the kalends of Iulie, he began to build a fort before
the said towne of Brest, of a woonderful bignesse, the walles thereof
being |770| ten foot thicke, and seauen towres about it. A thousand
workmen did worke daie by daie vpon it, and to defend the said workemen
(that they might not be hindered in their businesse by the citizens)
ten thousand fighting men were appointed. So that this fort was begun
and ended in ninetéene daies space, and called the Doouehouse, bicause
a doouehouse stood in the same place before. Furthermore he stored
this fort with all necessaries, as vittels, armour, guns, and other
engins, and he placed therein as capteine of the warriors the lord
Iohn Maletret with a hundred and fiftie armed men, and as manie other
soldiors, the whole number being thrée hundred.
The good duke of Lancaster hauing knowledge hereof, directed his fléet
or nauie towards the hauen of Brest, where when he had arriued, they
all fled from the siege, both by sea and land, those onlie, which were
in the fort, remaining behind. Now the prior of S. Iames in Calis
desired the good duke that he might giue the first assault against the
fort; who taking the repulse with his retinue, he ceased and gaue ouer.
In like sort did manie more giue the assault to the same for the space
of two daies and more: in somuch that some digging vnder the wals, and
vndermining the foundations of one towre, the same fell downe vpon sir
Robert Swinarton a valiant knight of Staffordshire, and manie more,
among whome was Iohn de Bolton a couragious gentleman and an esquier by
degree of Yorkeshire. As for those that were vpon the towre, they also
came tumbling downe, and were presentlie slaine.
[Sidenote: Philip the duke of Lancasters daughter married to the king
of Portingale.]
In the meane time the lord Maletret gardian of the fort, sent word to
the duke of Lancaster, that he would yeeld and surrender the hold into
his hands vpon condition, that he and all his might freelie depart
with such armour, goods, chatels and victuals as they had reposed and
laid vp in store for their necessarie prouision: wherevnto the good
duke (as he was alwaies good) verie gentlie agréed; vpon condition
also, that before their departure, they should ruinate the said fort,
and laie it eeuen with the ground; and should likewise allow and paie
him towards his costs and charges defraied in the siege of the same,
twentie thousand scutes of gold. Then might you sée the people flocking
from all parts of the countrie, some with beires, some with cabbins,
some with carts, and some with crutches to fetch awaie the dead and the
wounded: in so much that there was not one, either slaine outright, or
deadlie maimed, for whome his freends did not mone and lament. Yea,
the lord Maletret himselfe was so mangled and hurt, that he could not
go on his legs, but as he leaned on mens shoulders, and was borne vp
on either side. It was reported, that manie dead bodies were hidden
in heaps of salt, to the end that the Englishmen should not glorie
and triumph in the multitude of the slaine, of whome [in sight] the
number amounted to aboue 150. Thus farre goeth Henrie Knighton, whose
report giueth no small light to the matter vnder hand. After the duke
had remained a moneth at Groigne, he went to Compostella, and there
soiourned for a season, during the which, his constable sir Iohn
Holland woone diuerse townes and fortresses which the enemies kept:
diuerse yeelded to the duke with better will, for that the duchesse
his wife was there with him, whom they knew to be right inheritour to
the realme. ¶ At Mouson a towne on the confines betwixt Spaine and
Portingale, the king of Portingale and the duke of Lancaster met,
where they communed and tooke counsell togither for the more spéedie
proceeding in their enterprise against their aduersaries of Castile.
Also there was a mariage concluded betwixt the said king of Portingale,
and the ladie Philip daughter to the said duke, which marriage shortlie
after was wholie consummated, the said ladie being first married by
procuration at Compostella, and after sent into Portingale right
honorablie accompanied.
[Sidenote: The king of Portingale & the duke of Lancaster ioining their
armies togither inuade Castile.]
The duke continued at Compostella all the winter season, till towards
March, and then (according to appointment taken betwixt him, and the
king of Portingale, at their being togither at Mouson, for their
iournie to be made into Castile) the said king assembled an armie of a
thousand men of armes, and ten thousand other souldiers, with the which
entring the confines of Castile, he first tooke the towne of Feroule,
and after |771| ioining with the duke, who had in the meane while by
his marshall taken the townes of Ruelles, Ville Lopes, Pounceuoide,
Dighos, Baionne in la Maroll, Ribadan, Maures, Basanses, and Orens,
with others in the countrie of Gallis, they marched foorth with their
whole powers both togither, and passing ouer the riuer of Dure, entered
into the countrie de Campo.
[Sidenote: Variance amongst writers.]
¶ Here the English writers make mention of a battell, which the
constable of Castile should giue to the duke, and that the victorie
remained on the dukes side, and the Spaniards chased out of the field.
But Froissard (who liued in those daies, and learned that which he
wrote of those that were with the duke in his iournie) maketh no
remembrance of any such thing, but that contrarilie the king of Castile
folowing the aduise of such Frenchmen as were sent into Spaine to aid
him, caused all the riches of the countrie to be brought into the
walled townes and fortresses, which he stuffed with men of warre, to
defend them from the Englishmen and Portingales; and further to cut
off their vitels, and to kéepe them from hauing forage abroad in the
countrie, vnlesse such as were sent were garded with the greater troops
for their suertie and defense.
[Sidenote: Great death in the English host in Spaine by reason of the
great heat of that countrie.]
Thus bestowing the most part of all such men of warre, both Frenchmen
and Spaniards, as he could make in places most conuenient for that
purpose, he fullie determined not to giue battell till his enimies had
wearied themselues in keeping of the fields, and that a new power was
come to his aid out of France, which he dailie looked for. By which
means it came to passe, that the Englishmen not vsed to such hot aire
as they found in those parts in that season of the yeare (for it was
about Midsummer) fell dailie into manie perillous diseases, whereof no
small number died; and other became so faint, that they were not able
to helpe themselues, that to consider the miserie in which they were,
it would haue rued the harts of their verie foes. Herevpon was the duke
constreined to fall to a communication for a peace, which in the end
was accorded, though not at this instant.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._ The lord Fitz Walter. I thinke that none of
these thrée were barons but onlie the lord Poinings.]
Howbeit a truce was granted, in such wise as it might be at the
Englishmens choise to returne into their countrie, either by sea or by
land, thorough France. Such as passed through Spaine to France, had
safe conducts sealed and signed by the king of Spaine; but scarse the
halfe of those that came out of England with the duke, returned thither
againe, they died so fast, aswell after the breaking vp of their campe,
as before. Amongst other, there died before the breaking vp of the
campe, one of the greatest barons of all the companie, named the lord
Fitz Walter; and afterwards within the towne of Ville Arpent, there
died (as Froissard saith) three great barons of England, and men of
great possessions: sir Richard Burlie a knight of the garter, who had
béene as it were high marshall of the armie, the lord Poinings, and sir
Henrie Percie cousine germane to the earle of Northumberland.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster returneth out of Portingale into
Gascoigne.]
In the towne of Noie deceassed sir Mauburin de Liniers a Poictouin, and
in the towne of Ruelles died the lord Talbot, and so here and there
(saith Froissard) there died in all all twelue great lords, foure score
knights, two hundred esquiers, and of the meaner sort of souldiers
aboue fiue hundred. After that the armie was broken vp, the duke of
Lancaster and the duchesse his wife went into Portingale, and there
remained a season, and then taking the sea, sailed to Baionne in the
marshes of Gascoigne, where he rested a long time after. ¶ In this
meane while, there was communication and offers made for a marriage to
be had betwixt the duke of Berrie, vncle to the French king; and the
ladie Katharine daughter to the duke of Lancaster, and of the duchesse
his wife the ladie Constance.
[Sidenote: A marriage concluded betwéene the prince of Spaine, and the
duke of Lancasters daughters. _Fabian._
_Abr. Fl._ out of _Henrie Knighton_ canon of Leicester abbeie.
_In Angl. prælijs sub Rich. 2._]
When the king of Spaine vnderstood of that treatie, he began to doubt,
least if that marriage tooke place, it might turne to his disaduantage;
and therefore to be at quietnesse with the duke of Lancaster, whose
puissance he doubted, and whose wisdome he perfectlie vnderstood, by
politike meanes and earnest sute, at length concluded a peace with him
on this wise. That his eldest son Henrie should haue in mariage the
ladie Katharine daughter to the duke of Lancaster, begot on his wife
the duchesse Constance, and |772| be intituled price of Austurgus. In
consideration of which marriage to be had, and all claimes to ceasse,
which the duke in right of his wife might chalenge or pretend; it was
agreed, that the said duke should receiue yearelie the summe of ten
thousand marks, to be paid to him, or to his assignes in the citie of
Baionne in Gascoigne, during the terme of the liues of the said duke
and duchesse; and further to haue in hand the summe of two hundreth
thousand nobles. ¶ Henrie Knighton in his relation of this composition
betwéene these persons of great estate, dooth say, that it was told
him by one of the good duke of Lancasters owne houshold, and attendant
vpon him in this voiage into Spaine, that the Spanish king did send
seuen and fortie mules loden with coffers full of gold for the second
paiment wherevpon they were agréed. As touching the first paiment
(saith Knighton) I asked no question of the partie. So that (besides
the annuitie, which mine author reporteth to be 16000 thousand marks,
during the parties liues iointlie, and 12000 marks, if it fortuned that
the dukes daughter should suruiue and outliue hir husband) it should
séeme there were other large allowances, which if they were (as it is
likelie) after this rate, it was a right roiall munificence. And to
this report of Knighton dooth Ch. Okland make a kind of allusion, who
speking of the conditions of peace betweene the duke of Lancaster, and
the king of Spaine, saith:
Causæ diffidens extemplò Hispanus, agebat
De pace, acceptis & conditionibus, offert
Argenti ac auri plaustrorum protinùs octo
Iustum onus, argentíque decem soluenda quotannis
Millia nummorum, &c.
The aforesaid agreement and marriage was not concluded, till about the
thirteenth yeare of king Richards reigne, so that in the meane while
manie incidents chanced in England and in other regions, which in their
time and places shall be touched, as to purpose serueth.
[Sidenote: _Iacob. Meir. Froissard._
A mightie great nauie of French ships at Sluis purposing to inuade
Englād.]
And first it is not to be forgotten, that the Frenchmen neuer shewed
more vanitie than they did this yeare, since the linage of the Capetes
began first to rule in France. All the ships that they could prouide
from the confines of Spaine, vnto the mouth of the Rhene, all alongst
the coast, they assembled at Sluis and thereabouts, and made so great
preparation for the warre, that the like had not béene heard of
(meaning, as they boasted, and made their vants) to passe ouer into
England, and to deuoure the whole countrie, in dooing sacrifice to the
soules of their elders with the bloud of the English people. Howbeit
these words were wind, & to them accorded the prouerbe,
Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.
There were numbred in the moneth of September about Sluis, Dam, and
Blankberke 1287 ships, besides those which were rigged in Britaine by
the constable, who had caused an inclosure of a field to be made of
timber, like railes or barriers, that when they were landed in England,
they might therewith inclose their field, and so lodge more at suertie,
and when they remooued, it was so made with ioints, that they might
take it vp in péeces and easilie conueie it with them.
[Sidenote: The description of the inclosure.
_Thom. Wal._
_Tho. Walsi._ The prouision of y^e Englishmen to resist y^e great power
of Frenchmen.]
This inclosure or wall of wood was twentie foot in height, and
conteined in length or in compasse, when it was set vp, three thousand
pases, and at the end of euerie twelue pases stood a turret able to
receiue ten men, that was higher than the rest of the wall by ten
foot at the least. There were appointed to haue passed ouer in those
ships twentie thousand men of armes, twentie thousand crosbowes, and
twentie thousand other men of warre. To haue séene the great apparell,
furniture and prouision, the shipping, trussing, bearing, and carrieng
to and fro of things needfull for this iournie, a man might haue
maruelled; for suerlie the like hath sildome beene remembred. All
that was doone there on that side of the sea by the Frenchmen, was
notified into England, so that the Frenchmen were not more occupied to
prepare themselues to inuade England, than the Englishmen were to make
themselues readie to defend their countrie from all danger of enimies;
so |773| that euerie hauen towne, especiallie alongst the west south,
and east coasts, were kept and warded with notable numbers of armed men
and archers.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Henrie Knighton_ canon of Leicester
abbeie.]
¶ Notwithstanding the great confidence which the French king reposed
in the fortification which he had imbarked, thinking thereby to haue
wrought great woonders, to the discomfiture of the English: yet
(contrarie to his expectation) it so fortuned, that about Michaelmas,
the lord William Beauchampe capteine of Calis tooke two ships; whereof
one was loden with a péece of the said inclosure or wall of wood, and
in the same ship was the maister carpenter of the inclosure, being
an Englishman borne, but banished his countrie before that time for
some offense. He also tooke another ship, wherein were engins, guns,
gunpowder & other instruments of war. Not long after this, two more
ships were taken likewise, whose burthen was parcels of the foresaid
frame or inclosure: so that three ships were met withall and seized
vpon, each of them loden with one kind of stuffe. Whereof king Richard
hearing, he caused the said inclosure to be reared and set vp about
Winchelsie towne. In the meane while, namelie in September, the
foresaid armie came into Flanders, and arriued at the hauen of Sluis,
intending to make their progresse into England: but by prolonging
of the time there, they were driuen to great distresse and want of
vittels: for it was reported that a loafe of bread, sold in England for
a penie, was sold there for eighteene pence, and a hens eg for a penie:
so that in the end of Nouember they returned to France, missing their
purpose as much as if they had neuer ment it.
[Sidenote: The Londoners speciallie afraid of the Frēch forces.]
There were readie within the realme at that season, in one part and
other 100000 archers, and ten thousand men of armes, besides those that
were gone into Spaine with the duke of Lancaster. All this preparation
lasted for the more part of the summer, euen till the beginning of
winter: and still the French king that was come downe into Flanders,
staied for the comming of his vncle the duke of Berrie: who at length
in the moneth of Nouember came to Sluis, hauing protracted time, of
purpose, that he might by the excuse of winter, cause this iornie to
be put off till another season. Wherein he shewed more wit than all
the councellors which the French king had about him: for if he had
not politikelie shifted off the matter, the king had landed here in
England, to the great danger of his person and losse of his people.
And yet if we shall beléeue writers that liued in those daies, by
reason of the brute that was spred through the realme, of that huge
preparation which the French king made to inuade this land, no small
feare entered into the harts of manie, namelie of the Londoners, who
(as if the enimies had beene alredie landed) bestirred them, in making
what prouision they might for their defense, though it séemed by their
manner of dooings, they stood in doubt least the whole realme had not
béene able to make sufficient resistance.
[Sidenote: Dissention among the noblemen.
_Froissard._
_Tho. Walsin_ A parlement at London.]
In déed diuerse were the more afraid, for that they percieued how the
barons and great lords agreed not in manie points among themselues, and
so being not of one mind, the wiser sort doubted least through their
disagréeing in that troublesome time, some danger might grow to the
state of the whole realme. Notwithstanding, no small number of others
wished nothing more, than that the French king in going forward with
his purpose, might haue come ouer, not doubting but that he should
haue found such a welcome, as would haue beene little to his ease.
About the feast of saint Michaell, a parlement was called and holden
at London, and withall great numbers of men of armes & archers were
appointed to come and lie about London, that they might be readie to
march foorthwith against the enimies whensoeuer it chanced them to
land. Thus all the townes and villages twentie miles in compasse round
about London, were full of men of armes and archers, lieing as it had
beene in campe; and wanting both vittels and monie, they were driuen to
spoile and to take by violence what they might get. At length, after
they had laine thus to small purpose a long season, they were licenced
to depart home, with commandement to be readie to returne againe vpon
the first summons. Manie of them were constreined through necessitie,
to sell their horsses, and armour, and some |774| to spoile and to rob
as they went homewards, not sparing what they might laie their hands
vpon. Although the men of warre were dismissed home, the parlement yet
continued, and the lords still remained at London, hearkening still for
the French kings comming.
[Sidenote: Robert Véer marquesse of Dubline created duke of Ireland.]
The lord Robert Véer earle of Oxenford, whome the king in the last
parlement had made marquesse of Dubline, was now in this parlement
created duke of Ireland: the other lords sore enuieng so high
preferment in a man that so little deserued, as they tooke it. For
by reason of the kings great affection which he bare not onelie to
this noble man, but also to the lord Michael de la Poole, whom he had
latelie created earle of Suffolke, and after aduanced him to the office
of lord chancellor (as before ye haue heard) not onelie the lords,
but also the commons sore grudged at such their high preferrement, in
somuch that in this present parlement, the knights & burgesses in the
lower house, exhibited a bill against the lord chancellor, of diuerse
crimes which they laid to his charge, and so vsed the matter, with the
helpe of the lords, that in the end in some respect they had their
willes against him, contrarie to the kings mind, as after may appeare.
And where the king had demanded a reliefe of monie towards the
maintenance of his estate, and charges of the warres, it was answered,
that he néeded not any tallage of his subiects, sith he might furnish
himselfe with such a summe at the hands of the said earle, that was
iustlie indebted vnto him therein, as they were able well to prooue.
But the king was nothing herewith contented, conceiuing no small
displeasure, aswell against them of the lower house, as against the
lords in the vpper, for fauouring them in the lower, in matters that
went so sore against his mind. Herevpon (as was said, whether trulie or
otherwise, the lord knoweth) by a conspiracie begun betwixt the king &
such as were most in fauour with him, it was deuised, that the duke of
Glocester (as principall) and such other lords as fauored the knights
and burgesses in their sute, against the earle of Suffolke, and were
otherwise against the king in his demand of monie, should be willed to
a supper in London, there to be murthered.
[Sidenote: Richard Exton iustlie cōmended.]
But the duke comming by some meanes to vnderstand of this wicked
practise, had no desire to take part of that supper, where such sharpe
sauce was prouided, and withall gaue warning to the residue, that they
likewise should not come there, but to content themselues with their
owne suppers at their lodgings. It was said, that sir Nicholas Brember,
who had béene maior the yeare before, had promised his assistance in
the execution of this horrible fact: but thorough the commendable
constancie of Richard Exton that was maior this yeare being mooued by
the king for his furtherance therein, and denieng flatlie to consent to
the death of such innocent persons, that heinous practise was omitted.
This matter being brought to light, the hatred and malice which men
bare to such councellors of the king greatlie increased, and the duke
of Glocester and such as withstood the king, dailie grew more and more
into the peoples fauour.
[Sidenote: A subsidie granted and appointed to be spent according to
y^e discretion of the nobilitie.]
Howbeit at length, through the earnest sute of some of the great lords,
there was granted to the king halfe a tenth and halfe a fiftéenth,
which should not be spent at the pleasure of the prince, but by the
order and appointment of the said lords, & so at length the earle of
Arundell was appointed to receiue it, to furnish him with a nauie to
the seas. But before this paiment might be granted, there was much
adoo, & hard hold: for where the said earle of Suffolke then lord
chancellor, at first had demanded of the commons in the kings name,
foure fiftéens (for with lesse (said he) the king could not mainteine
his estate and the warres which he had in hand) the whole bodie of the
parlement made answer thereto, that without the king were present (for
he was then at Eltham) they could make therein no answer at all: and
herewith they tooke occasion at length to say further, that except the
said earle of Suffolke were remooued from the office of chancellorship,
they would meddle no further with any act in this parlement, were it
neuer of so small importance. |775|
[Sidenote: Dissention betwéene the king and the parlement house.
The duke of Glocester and the bishop of Elie sent to y^e K. at Eltham
frō the whole bodie of the parlement.