France, did not advance in any regular order, but one after the other,
but any way most pleasing to themselves. As soon as the King of France
came in sight of the English, his blood began to boil, and he cried out
to his marshals, "Order the Genoese forward, and begin the battle, in
the name of God and St. Denis."
There were about fifteen thousand Genoese cross-bowmen; but they were
quite fatigued, having marched on foot that day six leagues, completely
armed, and with their cross-bows. They told the Constable they were not
in a fit condition to do any great things that day in battle. The Earl
of Alençon, hearing this, said: "This is what one gets by employing
such scoundrels, who fall off when there is any need for them."
During this time a heavy rain fell, accompanied by thunder, and a
very terrible eclipse of the sun: and before this rain a great flight
of crows hovered in the air over all these battalions, making a loud
noise. Shortly afterwards it cleared up, and the sun shone very bright;
but the Frenchmen had it in their faces, and the English in their
backs.
When the Genoese were somewhat in order, and approached the English,
they set up a loud shout, in order to frighten them; but they remained
quite still, and did not seem to attend to it. They then set up a
second shout, and advanced a little forward, but the English never
moved. They hooted a third time, advancing with their cross-bows
presented, and began to shoot. The English archers then advanced one
step forward, and shot their arrows with such force and quickness that
it seemed as if it snowed.
When the Genoese felt these arrows, which pierced their arms, heads,
and through their armour, some of them cut the strings of their
cross-bows, others flung them on the ground, and all turned about
and retreated, quite discomfited. The French had a large body of
men-at-arms on horseback, richly dressed, to support the Genoese.
The King of France, seeing them thus fall back, cried out, "Kill me
those scoundrels, for they stop up our road, without any reason." You
would then have seen the above-mentioned men-at-arms lay about them,
killing all they could of these runaways.
The English continued shooting as vigorously and quickly as before:
some of their arrows fell among the horsemen, who were sumptuously
equipped, and, killing and wounding many, made them caper and fall
among the Genoese, so that they were in such confusion they could never
rally again. In the English army there were some Cornish and Welshmen
on foot, who had armed themselves with large knives: these, advancing
through the ranks of the men-at-arms and archers, who made way for
them, came upon the French when they were in this danger, and, falling
upon earls, barons, knights, and squires, slew many, at which the King
of England was afterwards much exasperated....
Early in the day, some French, Germans, and Savoyards had broken
through the archers of the [Black] Prince's battalion, and had engaged
with the men-at-arms; upon which the second battalion came to his aid,
and it was time, for otherwise he would have been hard pressed. The
first division, seeing the danger they were in, sent a knight (Sir
Thomas Norwich) in great haste to the King of England, who was posted
upon an eminence, near a windmill. On the knight's arrival, he said:
"Sir, the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Stafford, the Lord Reginald Cobham,
and the others who are about your son, are vigorously attacked by the
French; and they intreat that you would come to their assistance with
your battalion, for, if their numbers should increase, they fear he
will have too much to do."
The King replied: "Is my son dead, unhorsed, or so badly wounded that
he cannot support himself?" "Nothing of the sort, thank God!" rejoined
the knight; "but he is in so hot an engagement, that he has great need
of your help." The King answered: "Now, Sir Thomas, return back to
those that sent you, and tell them from me not to send again for me
this day, or expect that I shall come, let what will happen, as long
as my son has life; and say that I command them to let the boy win his
spurs, for I am determined, if it please God, that all the glory and
honour of this day shall be given to him and to those into whose care I
have entrusted him."
DAVID BRUCE INVADES ENGLAND (OCTOBER, 1346).
SOURCE.--_The Cronykil of Scotland_ in _The Historians of
Scotland_, iii. 470 _et seq._
_Qwhen Kyng David passyt fra hame till[8] the Batell off Durame._
A thowsand and thre hundyr yhere
And sex and fourty to tha clere,
The Kyng off Frawns set hym to ras
And set a sege befor Calays,
And wrate in Scotland till oure Kyng
Specyally be thra[9] praying
To pas on were[10] in till Inglond;
... Oure Kyng Dawy
That wes yhowng, stowt, and rycht joly,
And yharnyd[11] for to see fychtyng,
Grawntyt the Kyng off Frawncys yharnyng
And gaddryd his folk haly bedene.[12]
* * * * *
Qwhat was thare mare? The Kyng Dawy
Gaddryd his ost in full gret hy;[13]
And with thame off the north cuntré
Till Saynt-Jhonystown than come he.
* * * * *
He passyd swne the Scottis Se,
And to the Marchis hym sped he,
Qwhare-in the Pele[14] wes off Lyddale,
His ost till hym assemblyd hale:
Thare-in wes Watter off Selby
On the Inglis mennys party.
That Pele assaylyd thei sa fast,
Qwhill it wes wonnyn at the last;
And all thai slwe, that thai fand then,
To sawff yhowng childyr and women.
Than consalyd Williame off Dowglas,
That off weris mast wys than was,
To turne agayne in thaire cuntré:
* * * * *
The Dowglas thare mycht noucht be herd.
Bot on thaire way all furth thai ferd;
And in the Abbay off Hexhame
All thare folk thai gert[15] aname,
And in till all thare ost thai fand
Off men armyd bot twa thowsande[16]
That wes to fewe a folk to fycht
Agayne off Ingland the mekill mycht.
Efftyr[17] swne thai passyd syne,
And held to Durame, or thai wald fyne;
And in a park well nere thare-by
Thai lugyd[18] thame, and tuk herbry.[19]
Thai had bene in till Ingland
Welle fourteyne dayis traveland,
That thei couth get na wyttyng
Off Inglis mennys gadryng:
The gwethir[20] thai assemblid were
In till a park besyd thame nere,
Fra Trent northwartis all the floure
Off folk, that owcht war off waloure.
* * * * *
Off archeris thare assemblíd wire
Twenty thousand, that rollyd[21] war,
But men off armys, that war thar,
Qwhare-off in abundance had they.
The Scottis men, that in the park than lay,
Wyst rycht nouht off that gadryng,
Made thame gret myrth and solasyng.
* * * * *
[_Here[22] follows an account of the battle._]
Jhon of Copeland there took the King
Of force, noucht yholdyne in that takyng;
The King twa teth owt off his hevyd,
Wyth a dynt off a knyff hym revyd.[23]
FOOTNOTES:
[8] To.
[9] Eager.
[10] War.
[11] Yearned.
[12] Quickly.
[13] Haste.
[14] Fortification.
[15] Made to be.
[16] The English writers compute the Scottish numbers at threescore
thousand, and state that fifteen thousand were left slain (_cf._
Baker's _Chronicle_).
[17] After.
[18] Lodged.
[19] Their station.
[20] Nevertheless.
[21] Enrolled.
[22] pp. 475, 476.
[23] p. 476.
A FIGHTING PRIOR.
SOURCE.--Thomas Walsingham, _Gesta Abbatum_ (Rolls Series), ii.
378.
When he had a small breathing space from his domestic rivalries, a
greater trouble came upon Prior Thomas [of Tynmouth]. For the King of
Scots, "David le Brus" by name, taking courage during the absence of
King Edward (who at that time was fighting Philip, King of France, at
Creçy), and being encouraged also by letters from the said Philip,
gathered an army and entered the country, slaying many, taking others
prisoner, burning the country, destroying the crops, extorting money
for the safety of goods, and doing incalculable damage. But Thomas,
unmoved by these things, stood firm, and so fortified his place with
men and arms, and provisions, and weapons of war, that it would have
been impossible for the enemy to injure his priory without great
difficulty and danger.
At that time, William Douglas, leader of the army, in whom the whole
hope of the Scots was set, being an arrogant man and a mocker, sent,
according to his manner, a messenger to Prior Thomas to tell him to
prepare a meal for him, since after two days he proposed to breakfast
with him; this order he sent hoping to shake his determination.
Nevertheless, he did not break his word, but in truth prophesied,
as once did Caiaphas. For, after two days, he was taken and sent
to Tynmouth for safe custody. The Prior then hastened to meet him,
laughingly saying he had come well to the breakfast he had prepared for
him. And William said, "Indeed this coming is painful to me." "Not at
all," answered the Prior, "you come most opportunely."
At that time, the Scots being overwhelmed, David, the King, was taken
prisoner, by which event the Prior was so much comforted that he
recovered from a heavy infirmity, which his eyes had lately contracted.
In fact, whereas he had not been able to see the light, suddenly, on
hearing the news, he removed the plasters, threw off the bandages, and
was never afterwards troubled by this kind of infirmity.
THE SURRENDER OF CALAIS (AUGUST 3, 1347).
SOURCE.--Froissart's _Chronicle_ (Hafod Press, 1803), i.
365-367.
"Sir Walter [Manny], you will inform the Governor of Calais, that the
only grace he must expect from me is that six of the principal citizens
of Calais march out of the town, with bare heads and feet, with ropes
round their necks and the keys of the town and castle in their hands.
These six persons shall be at my absolute disposal, and the remainder
of the inhabitants pardoned."
Sir Walter returned to the Lord de Vienne, who was waiting for him on
the battlements, and told him all that he had been able to gain from
the King. "I beg of you," replied the Governor, "that you would be so
good as to remain here a little, whilst I go and relate all that has
passed to the townsmen; for, as they have desired me to undertake this,
it is but proper they should know the result of it."
He went to the market-place, and caused the bell to be rung, upon which
all the inhabitants, men and women, assembled in the town-hall. He then
related to them what he had said, and the answers he had received; and
that he could not obtain any conditions more favourable, to which they
must give a short and immediate answer. This information caused the
greatest lamentations and despair, so that the hardest heart would have
had compassion on them; even the Lord de Vienne wept bitterly.
After a short time the most wealthy citizen of the town, by name
Eustace de St. Pierre, rose up and said: "Gentlemen, both high and low,
it would be a very great pity to suffer so many people to die through
famine if any means could be found to prevent it; and it would be
highly meritorious in the eyes of our Saviour if such misery could be
averted. I have such faith and trust in finding grace before God, if I
die to save my townsmen, that I name myself as first of the six."
When Eustace had done speaking, they all rose up and almost worshipped
him: many cast themselves at his feet, with tears and groans. Another
citizen, very rich and respected, rose up and said he would be the
second to his companion, Eustace: his name was John D'Aire. After him
James Wisant, who was very rich in merchandise and lands, offered
himself as companion to his two cousins, as did Peter Wisant, his
brother. Two others then named themselves, which completed the number
demanded by the King of England.
The Lord John de Vienne then mounted a small hackney, for it was with
difficulty that he could walk, and conducted them to the gate. There
was the greatest sorrow and lamentation all over the town; and in such
manner were they attended to the gate, which the Governor ordered to be
opened, and then shut upon him and the six citizens, whom he led to the
barriers, and said to Sir Walter Manny, who was there waiting for him:
"I deliver up to you, as Governor of Calais, with the consent of the
inhabitants, these six citizens: and I swear to you that they were, and
are at this day the most wealthy and respectable inhabitants of Calais.
I beg of you, gentle sir, that you would have the goodness to beseech
the King, that they may not be put to death." "I cannot answer for what
the King will do with them," replied Sir Walter; "but you may depend
that I will do all in my power to save them."
The barriers were opened, when these six citizens advanced towards the
pavilion of the King, and the Lord de Vienne re-entered the town.
When Sir Walter Manny had presented these six citizens to the King,
they fell upon their knees, and, with uplifted hands, said: "Most
gallant King, see before you six citizens of Calais, who have been
capital merchants, and who bring before you the keys of the castle
and of the town. We surrender ourselves to your absolute will and
pleasure, in order to save the remainder of the inhabitants of Calais,
who have suffered much distress and misery. Condescend, therefore, out
of your nobleness of mind, to have mercy and compassion upon us." All
the barons, knights, and squires, that were assembled there in great
numbers, wept at this sight.
The King eyed them with angry looks (for he hated much the people of
Calais, for the great losses he had formerly suffered from them at
sea), and ordered their heads to be stricken off. All present entreated
the King that he would be more merciful to them, but he would not
listen to them. Then Sir Walter Manny said: "Ah, gentle King, let me
beseech you to restrain your anger; you have the reputation of great
nobleness of soul, do not therefore tarnish it by such an act as this,
nor allow anyone to speak in a disgraceful manner of you. In this
instance, all the world will say you have acted cruelly if you put
to death six such respectable persons, who, of their own free will,
have surrendered themselves to your mercy, in order to save their
fellow-citizens." Upon this, the King gave a wink, saying: "Be it so,"
and ordered the headsman to be sent for, for that the Calesians had
done him so much damage, it was proper they should suffer for it.
The Queen of England fell on her knees, and, with tears said: "Ah,
gentle sir, since I have crossed the sea with great danger to see you,
I have never asked of you one favour: now, I most humbly ask as a gift,
for the sake of the Son of the blessed Mary, and for your love to me,
that you will be merciful to these six men." The King looked at her
for some time in silence, and then said: "Ah, lady, I wish you had
been anywhere else than here: you have entreated in such a manner that
I cannot refuse you; I therefore give them to you to do as you please
with them." The Queen conducted the six citizens to her apartments, and
had the halters taken from round their necks, new clothed, and served
them with a plentiful dinner: she then presented each with six nobles,
and had them escorted out of the camp in safety.
PENITENTS AND JEWS (1349).
SOURCE.--Froissart's _Chronicle_ (Hafod Press, 1803), i. 391,
392.
[Addition from two manuscripts in the Hafod Library.]
This year of our Lord 1349 there came from Germany persons who
performed public penitencies by whipping themselves with scourges
having iron hooks, so that their backs and shoulders were torn: they
chaunted also, in a piteous manner, canticles of the nativity and
sufferings of our Saviour, and could not, by their rules, remain
in any town more than one night; they travelled in companies of
more or less in number, and thus journeyed through the country,
performing their penitence for thirty-three days, being the number
of years Jesus Christ remained on earth, and then returned to their
own homes. These penitencies were thus performed, to entreat the
Lord to restrain his anger and withhold his vengeance; for, at this
period, an epidemic malady ravaged the earth, and destroyed a third
part of its inhabitants. They were chiefly done in those countries
the most afflicted, whither scarcely any could travel, but were not
long continued, as the Church set itself against them. None of these
companies entered France, for the King had strictly forbidden them,
by desire of the Pope, who disapproved of such measures, by sound and
sensible reasons, but which I shall pass over. All clerks, or persons
holding livings, that countenanced them were excommunicated, and
several were forced to go to Rome to purge themselves.
About this time the Jews throughout the world were arrested and burnt,
and their fortunes seized by those lords under whose jurisdiction
they had lived, except at Avignon, and the territories of the Church
dependent on the Pope. Each poor Jew, when he was able to hide himself,
and arrived in that country, esteemed himself safe. It was prophesied,
that for one hundred years, people were to come, with iron scourges,
to destroy them; and this would now have been the case had not these
penitents been checked in their mad career, as has been related.
A STATUTE OF LABOURERS (1350).
SOURCE.--Statute, 25 Edward III., Statute I.
_Whereas_ late against the malice of servants which were idle, and
not willing to serve after the pestilence, without taking excessive
wages, it was ordained by our Lord the King, and by assent of the
prelates, earls, barons, and other of his council, (1) That such manner
of servants, as well men as women, should be bound to serve, receiving
salary and wages, accustomed in places where they ought to serve in
the twentieth year of the reign of the King that now is, or five or
six years before; and that the same servants refusing to serve in such
manner should be punished by imprisonment of their bodies, as in the
said statute is more plainly contained; (2) whereupon commissions were
made to divers people in every county to enquire and punish all them
which offend against the same. (3) And now, forasmuch as it is given
the King to understand in this present parliament, by the petition
of the commonalty, that the said servants having no regard to the
said ordinance, but to their ease and singular covetise, do withdraw
themselves to serve great men and other, unless they have livery and
wages to the double or treble of that they were wont to take the said
twentieth year, and before, to the great damage of the great men, and
impoverishing of all the said commonalty, whereof the said commonalty
prayeth remedy: (4) wherefore in the same parliament by the assent
of the said prelates, earls, barons, and other great men of the said
commonalty there assembled, to refrain the malice of the said servants,
ordained and established the things underwritten:
CAP. I.--_The year and day's wages of servants and labourers in
husbandry._
First. That carters, ploughmen ... and all other servants shall take
liveries and wages, accustomed the said twentieth year, or four years
before, so that in the country, where wheat was wont to be given, they
shall take for the bushel ten pence, or wheat at the will of the giver,
till it be otherwise ordained. And that they be allowed to serve by a
whole year, or by other usual terms, and not by the day. And that none
pay in the time of farcling[24] or hay-making but a penny a day. And
a mower of meadows for the acre five pence, or by the day five pence.
And reapers of corn in the first week of August two pence, and the
second three pence, and so till the end of August, and less in the
country where less was wont to be given, without meat or drink or other
courtesy to be demanded, given, or taken. And that all workmen bring
openly in their hands to the merchant towns their instruments, and
there shall be hired in a common place and not privy.
CAP. II.--_How much shall be given for threshing all sorts of corn by
the quarter. None shall depart from the town in summer where he dwelt
in winter._
Item. That none take for the threshing of a quarter of wheat or rye
over ii. d. ob. and the quarter of barley, beans, pease, and oats i.
d. ob. if so much were wont to be given.... And that the same servants
be sworn two times in the year before lords, stewards, bailiffs and
constables of every town, to hold and do these ordinances. And that
none of them go out of the town, where he dwelleth in the winter, to
serve the summer, if he may serve in the same town, taking as before is
said. [Certain exceptions follow] ... And that those who refuse to make
such oath ... shall be put in the stocks by the said lords, stewards,
etc.... by three days or more, or sent to the next gaol, there to
remain, till they will justify themselves. And that stocks be made in
every town by such occasion betwixt this and the Feast of Pentecost.
CAP. III.--_The wages of several sorts of artificers and labourers._
Item. Carpenters, masons, etc.... A master carpenter, iii. d. [a day],
and an other, ii. d. A mason free mason iiii. d. and other masons iii.
d. and their servants i. d. ob.; tylers iii. d. and their knaves i. d.
ob.; plasterers and other workers of mud walls and their knaves, by
the same manner without meat or drink.s. from Easter to St. Michael.
And from that time less, according to the rate and discretion of the
justices which should be thereto assigned....
CAP. IV.--_Shoes &c. shall be sold as in the 20th year of King
Edward III. Artificers sworn to use their crafts as they did in the
20th year of the King._
CAP. V.--_The several punishments of persons offending against this
statute._
Item. [Offenders] to be attached by their body, to be before the
justices to answer of such contempts, so that they make fine and ransom
to the King, in case they be attainted.... And in case that any of
them come against his oath and be thereof attainted, he shall have
imprisonment for forty days. And if he be another time convict, he
shall have imprisonment of a quarter of a year, so that every time he
offendeth and is convict, he shall have double pain....
CAP. VI.--_No sheriff, constable, bailiff, etc., shall exact anything
of the same servants. Their forfeitures shall be employed to the aid of
the dismes and quinzimes granted to the King by the Commons._
CAP. VII.--_The justices shall hold their sessions four times a year,
and at all times needful. Servants which flee from one county to
another shall be committed to prison._
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Carrying.
PROSPERITY OF THE LANDLESS LABOURER.
SOURCE.--William Langland, _Piers the Plowman_, C. Passus ix.,
ll. 330-337.
Laboreres that han no londe . to liven on bot here hands[25]
Deyned noght to dyne a-day . night-old wortes.[26]
May no peny ale hem paye .[27] ne a pece of bacon,
Bote hit be freesh fleesch other fysh . fried other ybake;
And that _chaud_ and _pluschaud_ .[28] for chilling of here mawe.
Bote he be heylich yhyred .[29] elles wol he chide,
That he was a werkman ywroght . waryen the tyme.[30]
* * * * *
And thenne he corseth[31] the king . and alle the kynges Justices,
Suche lawes to lere .[32] laborers to greve.
Ac while Hunger was here mayster . wolde none chide,
Ne stryve agens the statute . he lokede so sturne.
FOOTNOTES:
[25] Have no land to live on, but (work with) their hands.
[26] "No longer deign to dine on the stale vegetables of yesterday."
[27] Penny-ale will not satisfy them.
[28] Hot-and-hotter.
[29] Highly paid.
[30] Bewail the time.
[31] Curseth.
[32] For making such laws.
FIRST STATUTE OF PROVISORS (1350).
SOURCE.--Statute, 25 Edward III., Statute VI.
CAP. III.-- ... That the free election of archbishops, bishops and
of all other dignitaries and benefices elective in England, shall
hold from henceforth in the manner as they were granted by the King's
progenitors, and the ancestors of other lords founders of the said
dignities and other benefices.
That prelates and other people of holy Church which have advowsons of
any benefices ... shall have their collations and presentments freely
to the same in the manner as they were enfeoffed by their donors. And
in case that reservation, collation or provision be made by the Court
of Rome of any archbishopric, bishopric, dignity, or benefice, in
disturbance of free elections, collations, or presentations aforenamed,
that at the same time of voidance ... our Lord the King and his heirs
shall have and enjoy for the same time the collations, etc., which be
of his advowry, such as his progenitors had before that free election
was granted.