About the beginning of March in this tenth yeere, Richard earle of
Arundell, being appointed lord admerall, & Thomas Mowbraie earle of
Notingham, the earle of Deuonshire, and the bishop of Norwich (as
Froissard saith) went to the sea with a warlike power of men of armes
and archers, so well trimmed and appointed as was possible. For the
lord admerall vnderstanding that the duke of Glocester, and manie other
noblemen would sée the muster of his men, vsed all diligence, and
spared for no costs, to haue the most choisest and pikedst fellowes
that might be gotten, not following the euill example of others in
times past, which receiued tag and rag to fill vp their numbers, whom
they hired for small wages, and reserued the residue to their pursses.
And when to the aduancement of the realms commoditie they should haue
incountered the enimies, they shifted off all occasions thereto, and
onelie prolonged time, without atchiuing any enterprise auaileable, to
the end they might receiue the whole wages, and kéepe themselues from
danger, which they should hardlie haue auoided, when they had not about
them such able men as were like to match the enimies: but the earle of
Arundell contrarilie got the ablest men he might, not sparing his owne
pursse, to the end that by their seruice he might atchiue some worthie
enterprise, to redound vnto the commoditie of his countrie.
[Sidenote: A good policie.
A great victorie of the English nauie against the Flemish fléet, _Ia.
Meir._ _Tho. Walsi._]
After the duke of Glocester had beheld so faire and chosen a power
of men of warre, they were streightwaies appointed to get them on
shipbrood, & so being imbarked, the whole nauie passed foorth to the
Thams mouth, where they staied to watch for the fléet of Flanders,
that was readie to come from Rochell with wines. At length, vpon a
sundaie, being the euen of the Annuntiation of our ladie, the Flemish
fleet was discouered a good way off, by one that was mounted into one
of the tops of a ship of the English fléet. The earle of Arundell
greatlie reioising at those newes, foorthwith with his whole fléet made
to the sea. When the Flemings approched neere to our nauie, they made
saile, as if they would set vpon the same; and our men of purpose made
countenance as if they would haue retired, as mistrusting themselues to
be able to match their aduersaries, who coueting rather a safe passage
than battell, passed by: but the Englishmen hauing once got the wind
fit for their purpose, suddenlie set vpon the Flemish ships, and fought
with them right fiercelie: at length, after a sore conflict which
indured foure houres, the victorie fell to the Englishmen.
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._ _Thom. Wals._]
There were taken fourescore ships, with diuerse capteins and men of
armes, namelie their chiefe admerall, named Iohn Buicke, a perfect
good seaman, and one that had aforetime doone much hurt to the English
nation. Diuerse of their ships were bouged, and some escaped from the
battell. But the earle of Arundell pursued them so egerlie for the
space of two daies togither, that at length he tooke them, and brought
them backe to his nauie, so that what in the battell and in the chase,
there were taken of great and small, to the number of an hundred
vessels, all fraught with wines, so that there was found aboord the
same nine thousand tuns, or rather (as other saie) ninetéene thousand,
which togither with the vessels were streight sent vnto Orwell hauen,
and to other hauens abroad in the realme, beside that which fell to
the kings share, as due to him by his prerogatiue. Part of the Flemish
fléet escaping (as before ye haue heard) was pursued vnto the hauen of
Sluis and Blankerke.
[Sidenote: The liberalitie of the earle of Arundell.]
The citizens of Middleburgh came to the earle, and requested him that
they might buie those wines of him, and paie for the same after the
rate of an hundred shillings the tunne, alledging how they were the
kings fréends, and stood in néed of wines: but the earle of Arundell,
thinking it more reason that those which had borne the charges of his
iournie, |779| to wit, the commons of the realme of England should
haue the commoditie thereof than any other, he denied their sute. But
yet to shew them some pleasure as his fréends, he gaue them twentie
tuns to make merrie with. As for that which fell to the earles share,
he vsed such bountifulnesse in bestowing it among his fréends, that
he left not to himselfe so much as one tunne. He wan therefore no
small praise, that forbearing his owne commoditie, which he might haue
reaped in selling those wines to strangers, he had more regard to
the profit of the commons, whereby they might vnderstand, that that
which they had laid foorth towards the setting forward of his iournie,
was not altogither lost nor cast awaie. By this meanes (besides the
commendation which he drew to himselfe) he also wan the harts &
good will of the people, whose freendship is purchased by gifts and
good déeds, sith they make profit the metrod of amitie, & bound in
beneuolence with receiued benefits, as the poet saith,
Vulgus amicitias vtilitate probat.
[Sidenote: Diuers rodes made into Flanders by the Englishmen, & great
spoile doone.
Wine sold for thirtéene shillings foure pence the tun.