of other patrons of holy Church ... be disturbed by such provisors,
so that they may not have possession of their benefices by virtue of
the presentments or collations to them made, or that they which be in
possession of such benefices be impeached upon their said possessions
by such provisors, their procurators, executors and notaries, shall
be attached by their body, and brought in to answer. And if they be
convict they shall abide in prison ... till they have made fine and
ransom to the King ... and before that they be delivered they shall
make full renunciation, and find sufficient surety that they shall not
attempt such things in time to come....
CAP. V.--And that meanwhile the King shall have the profits of such
benefices so occupied by such provisors, except abbeys, priories, etc.,
which have colleges or convents and in such houses the college or
convent shall have the profits.
THE KING OF ENGLAND REFUSES THE FRENCH
KING'S CHALLENGE (1355).
SOURCE.--A. Paulin Paris, _Les Grandes Chroniques de France_,
vi. 18.
In this year '55, the King of England came to Calais at the end of the
month of October and rode to Hesdin; and broke the park and burnt the
houses which were in the park; but he did not enter the castle or the
town. And the King of France, who had made the demand at Amiens, as
soon as he heard of the coming of the said King of England when he was
in the said town of Amiens, went thence with the people who were with
him to go against the said English King. But he did not dare wait,
but returned to Calais as soon as he had heard the news that the King
of France was coming towards him, burning and pillaging the country
through which he passed. The said King of France sent after him to
St. Omer, and challenged him, by the Marshal d'Odenham and many other
knights, to fight with him if he would, either in single combat or
power against power. But the said King of England refused battle, and
crossed back over the sea without doing anything more this time, and
the King of France returned to Paris.
THE BALLIOLS RESIGN TO THE KING OF ENGLAND
THEIR PRETENDED RIGHT (1355-56)
SOURCE.--_The Book of Pluscarden_ in _The Historians of
Scotland_, x. 227.
In the year 1355, on the 1st of February, Edward of Windsor, chafing
at the capture of Berwick, assembled an army and prepared to besiege
the said town. But, when the garrison of the town saw this, they
feared they could not defend the town for many reasons:--first,
because there were few able-bodied men supplied with arms; secondly,
because they had no provisions; thirdly, because they feared the said
king's ungovernable ferocity; fourthly, because they had no hope of
any succour reaching them from their own chiefs. They therefore took
the wisest course, and treated for an agreement for the surrender of
the town, their lives and property being spared and with a free pass
to return to their own country; and they surrendered the town to the
King of England, and went home again, enriched with the wealth of the
English. After this Edward Balliol broke out in the following words
before the King of England, then at Roxburgh, and said: "Most excellent
prince, and most mighty above all mortals of the present day, I do here
before all your chivalry, entirely, fully, altogether and absolutely
resign, yield, give and relinquish to you all my right which I have,
claim, or may hereafter have to the throne of Scotland, to the end that
you may avenge me of mine enemies, those infamous Scots, who ruthlessly
cast me off that I should not reign over them. In proof whereof I will
here with my own hand, in token of the said resignation and gift, hand
over to you, in the presence of all, the royal crown, the sceptre
together with some earth and a stone of the said land of Scotland, in
token of possession and investiture, that you may acquire in perpetuity
the kingdom formerly my due." Upon this it should be remarked first,
that he had no right to it originally, as was seen above; and, if he
had any right, he there publicly renounced and resigned that right,
which, even though he had been the true king, he could by no means
renounce or resign without the consent of the three estates, and that
into the hands of him who should have the power of instituting another,
which the King of England could not have, as he had formerly entirely,
purely, and simply resigned and quitclaimed all his right, pretended or
true, as was seen above; nor, even if he had been the true king, could
he have resigned without the superior's consent. Also several Kings of
England had resigned into the hands of the King of Scotland following
upon discussion and a bond, all their pretended right, as aforesaid.
THE BATTLE OF POITIERS (1356).
SOURCE.--Froissart's _Chronicle_ (Hafod Press, 1803), i.
420-439.
[This passage begins with the report of the French spies.]
"Sir, we have observed accurately the English: they may amount,
according to our estimate, to about two thousand men-at-arms, four
thousand archers, and fifteen hundred footmen. They are in a very
strong position; but we do not imagine they can make more than one
battalion: nevertheless, they have posted themselves with great
judgment, have fortified all the roads along the hedge-side, and lined
the hedges with part of their archers; for, as that is the only road
for an attack, one must pass through the midst of them. This lane has
no other entry; and it is so narrow, that scarcely can four men ride
through it abreast. At the end of this lane, amidst vines and thorns,
where it is impossible to ride or march in any regular order, are
posted the men-at-arms on foot; and they have drawn up before them
their archers, in the manner of an harrow, so that it will be no easy
matter to defeat them."
The King asked in what manner they would advise him to attack them:
"Sir," replied Sir Eustace, "on foot; except three hundred of the most
expert and boldest of your army, who must be well armed and excellently
mounted, in order to break, if possible, this body of archers; and then
your battalions must advance quickly on foot, attack [the] men-at-arms
hand to hand, and combat them valiantly. This is the best advice that I
can give you; and if anyone know a better, let him say it."
The King replied, "Thus shall it be then."
* * * * *
It often happens, that fortune in war and love turns out more
favourable and wonderful than could have been hoped for or expected.
To say the truth, this battle which was fought near Poitiers, in the
plains of Beauvoir and Maupertius, was very bloody and perilous; many
gallant deeds of arms were performed that were never known, and the
combatants on each side suffered much. King John himself did wonders;
he was armed with a battle-axe, with which he fought and defended
himself....
There was much pressing at this time, through eagerness of taking the
King [of France]; and those that were nearest to him, and knew him,
cried out, "Surrender yourself, surrender yourself, or you are a dead
man!" In that part of the field was a young knight from St. Omer, who
was engaged by a salary in the service of the King of England--his name
was Denys de Morbeque--who for five years had attached himself to the
English, on account of having been banished, in his younger days, from
France for a murder committed in an affray at St. Omer. It fortunately
happened for this knight that he was at the time near to the King of
France, when he was so much pulled about; he, by dint of force, for
he was very strong and robust, pushed through the crowd, and said to
the King in good French, "Sire, sire, surrender yourself." The King,
who found himself very disagreeably situated, turning to him, asked,
"To whom shall I surrender myself; to whom? Where is my cousin, the
Prince of Wales? If I could see him, I would speak to him." "Sire,"
replied Sir Denys, "he is not here; but surrender yourself to me, and I
will lead you to him." "Who are you?" said the King. "Sire, I am Denys
de Morbeque, a knight from Artois; but I serve the King of England,
because I cannot belong to France, having forfeited all I possessed
there." The King then gave him his right-hand glove, and said: "I
surrender myself to you." There was much crowding and pushing about,
for everyone was eager to cry out, "I have taken him!" Neither the
King nor his youngest son Philip were able to get forward, and free
themselves from the throng.
The Prince of Wales, who was as courageous as a lion, took great
delight that day to combat his enemies. Sir John Chandos, who was near
his person, and had never quitted it during the whole of the day, nor
stopped to make prisoners, said to him towards the end of the battle:
"Sir, it will be proper for you to halt here, and plant your banner on
the top of this bush, which will serve to rally your forces, that seem
very much scattered; for I do not see any banners or pennons of the
French, nor any considerable bodies able to rally against us; and you
must refresh yourself a little, as I perceive you are much heated."
Upon this, the banner of the Prince was placed on a high bush; the
minstrels began to play, and trumpets and clarions to do their duty.
THE TREATY OF LONDON (1359).
SOURCE.--Froissart's _Chronicle_ (Hafod Press, 1803), i. 518,
519.
The truce [of Bordeaux] having expired the first day of May, 1359, from
that period the English and Navarre garrisons made war for him [King
Edward] as King of France, and continued so to do daily....
At that time also, the King of England and the Prince of Wales came
to Westminster, to meet the King of France and Lord James de Bourbon;
when these four assembled together in counsel, and agreed on a peace,
without any arbitrator between them, upon certain conditions which were
written down, and also a letter was indited to be sent to France to the
Duke of Normandy....
It appeared to the King of Navarre, the Duke of Normandy and his
brothers, as well as to the Council of State, that the conditions
of peace were too hard;[33] and they gave a unanimous answer to the
two lords who had brought them, that "they would much rather endure
the great distress they were in at present, than suffer the Kingdom
of France to be diminished, and that King John must remain longer in
England." ...
The King of England, on receiving their answer, said that since it
was so, before the winter was over, he would enter France with a most
powerful army, and remain there until there was an end of the war by an
honourable and satisfactory peace.
He began by making more splendid preparations than he had ever done
before.
FOOTNOTES:
[33] King John, for whom a ransom of 4,000,000 golden crowns was to be
paid, promised to yield the sovereignty of the empire of Henry II. in
France to Edward, who promised to help King John against Charles of
Navarre, then England's ally. This treaty was not only received with
the liveliest indignation in France, but it resulted in peace between
the Regent of France (Charles of Normandy) and the King of Navarre,
since Edward had abandoned the latter.
THE SIEGE OF PARIS AND THE TREATY OF
CALAIS (1360).
SOURCE.--Henry Knighton's _Chronicon_ (Rolls Series), ii. 110,
111.
In the year of grace, 1360, all laymen, of whatever condition, between
the ages of sixteen and sixty, were arrayed. And the best armed bowmen
of these were sent to the admirals at the sea for the defence of the
kingdom.
One admiral was John Wesnam, Prior of the Hospital, and others
appointed by the King. It was said that a very strong navy of the enemy
was at sea.
The archbishops and bishops conceded great indulgences, throughout
their sees, to all those going over the sea against the enemy in
defence of the kingdom, and that each one should be able to choose for
himself a confessor, according to pleasure. The bishops also, abbots
and priors, rectors, vicars, and chaplains, and all ecclesiastical men
were prepared, just as the abbots had been; some to be armed men, some
to be bowmen, and they were chosen by the mandate of the bishops. And
the beneficed who were not able to give personal service, were ready
to furnish through their goods a complement of other persons, if the
French should enter the land, and the occasion should be opened to them.
Then the admiral, with 160 ships from London, reached the sea by the
Thames. And first he ploughed the high sea as far as Boulogne, thence
to Honfleur, to crush the insolence of the enemy, who had proposed to
attack the land of England. And thus our people did much harm to the
French in this peregrination. When, therefore, the King had lain at
Rheims for seven weeks, he crossed to Chalons, and thence went into
Burgundy. And the Duke of Burgundy came and treated with the King,[34]
and the King conceded to him a truce for three years, for him and his,
for 200,000 motons[35] paid to the King. In the following Lent King
Edward entered into a treaty with the French, and one cardinal and one
legate were present, but nothing came of it. Thus the King moved his
army towards Paris, burning, killing, and devastating everywhere. And
there, near the feast of Easter, he pitched his tents two leagues from
the city.
And on Monday after Easter Day, the King placed his army in three
lines of battle before the city, trumpets and clarionets blaring, and
other musical instruments sounding. The King was in the second line
with his men, the Duke of Lancaster, and the Earls of Northampton
and Salisbury with theirs in the first line. In the third line, the
Prince and the barons with the rest of the people awaiting attack
from those who were in the city of Paris, as before they had promised
them. However, no one came out of the city to meet them. Thereat King
Edward, much displeased, ordered a great part of the suburbs to be
set on fire that they might provoke them to battle. Nevertheless none
came out to resist them. At length thirty soldiers in good order with
their lances advanced straight forward to the gate of the Parisians,
seeking from them military operations according to the law of arms. And
sixty came out of the city with spears, and much brave fighting took
place on both sides; but by the grace of God, which was ever present
with the English in all their undertakings, the English conquered the
French, and caused them to flee back into the city, leaving some dead,
some mortally wounded; but our men, thanks be to God, escaped without
any serious injury. Then the King removed to other parts, and handed
over the custody of the castles which are in the vicinity of Orleans
and Catenesia to the Earl of Lancaster. At that time the Count de
Armenak fought in Gascony with the Count de Foy, an ally of the King of
England. And on the side of the said count were killed 15,000 men and
on our part no one of note, thanks be to God. In this campaign many
English nobles died in France; among them the Earl of March, marshall
of the army, Guy of Warwick, firstborn of the earl, a most famous
soldier, and many other renowned soldiers, knights, and squires. For
in their return from the city of Paris towards the district of Orleans
in Beauce, suddenly a terrible storm arose with severe thunder and
lightning, and killed men without number and more than 6,000 horses,
so that the transport of the army almost failed altogether, and made
it necessary to retire at once towards England, but God turned the
misery of necessity to the honour of the King's majesty. For the Pope
sent solemn messengers with letters to the King of England, to treat
concerning peace and concord. And they deliberated at Morancez near
Chartres, and the discussion was continued to the 5th day of May....
About the Translation of St. Thomas [July 3] John de Valois, King of
France, and other prisoners crossed to Calais and deliberated with
the French princes concerning the final peace between the kingdoms of
England and France.[36]
FOOTNOTES:
[34] The Treaty of Guillon.
[35] Gold coin, so called from having a figure of a sheep impressed on
it.
[36] This was the Treaty of Calais, more commonly known as the Treaty
of Brétigny. As a matter of fact, only the preliminaries were signed at
Brétigny in May, 1360; the definitive treaty was made at Calais in the
following October.
THE FATEFUL FOOTPRINTS OF THE ENGLISH (_c._ 1361).
SOURCE.--Petrarch, _Epistolæ Familiares_, book xxii., ep. 14.
In short there is an hour in which we see the stability of all things
become unstable: faith fails; restfulness becomes unrest. Nor do I bid
you turn your eyes afar, but look at your own country and your own
time. In my youth, the Britons, whom we called Angles or English, were
held to be the most cowardly of all barbarians: now they are a most
warlike people and have laid low the French, who long flourished in
military glory, by a series of victories so numerous and so unforeseen
that those who even lately were inferior to the wretched Scots have
not only brought about the pitiful and ignominious downfall of a high
King, whom I am not able to call to memory without a sigh, but have
so crushed the whole kingdom by fire and sword that I was hardly able
to persuade myself on a recent journey that it was the same kingdom
that I had before seen. Everywhere a woeful solitude, and lamentation
and desolation: everywhere rough uncultivated fields; and ruined and
deserted houses, except some which had escaped destruction, being
surrounded by the walls of fortifications or cities; indeed in every
place were seen the fateful footprints of the English and the fresh and
hateful scars wrought by their swords.
NO SUBSIDY ON WOOL WITHOUT ASSENT OF PARLIAMENT (1362).
SOURCE.--Statute, 36 Edward III., cap. xi.
Item. _The King by the assent aforesaid, having regard to the grant
that the Commons have granted now in this Parliament of wools, leather
and woolfells to be taken for three years_: will and grant that after
the said term passed, nothing be taken nor demanded of the said
Commons, but only the ancient custom of half a mark, nor that this
grant now made, or which hath been made in times past shall not be had
in example nor charge of the said Commons in time to come. And that the
merchants denizens may pass with their wools as well as the foreigns
without being restrained. And that no subsidy, nor other charge, be
set nor granted upon the wools by the merchants nor by none other from
henceforth, without the assent of the Parliament.
REGULATION OF WEARING APPAREL BY STATUTE
(1363).
SOURCE.--Statute, 37 Edward III., caps. viii.-xiv.
CAP. VIII.: _The diet and apparel of servants_.
Item. _For the outrageous and excessive apparel of divers people,
against their estate and degree to the great destruction and
impoverishment of the land_: it is ordained, that grooms, as well
servants of lords, as they of mysteries and artificers, shall be
served to eat and drink once a day of flesh or of fish, and the remnant
of other victuals, as of milk, butter, and cheese, and other such
victuals, according to their estate. And that they have cloths for
their vesture, or hosing, whereof the whole cloth shall not exceed
two marks, and that they wear no cloth of higher price, of their
buying, nor otherwise, nor nothing of gold nor of silver embroidered,
aimeled,[37] nor of silk, nor nothing pertaining to the said things.
And their wives, daughters and children of the same condition in their
clothing and apparel, and they shall wear no veils passing xiid a veil.
CAP. IX.: _The apparel of handicraftsmen and yeomen, and of their wives
and children_.
Item. That people of handicraft and yeomen shall take nor wear cloth of
an higher price for their vesture or hosing than within forty shillings
the whole cloth, by way of buying, nor otherwise, nor stone, nor cloth
of silk, nor of silver, nor girdle, knife, button, ring, garter, nor
owche, ribband, chains, nor no such other things of gold, nor of
silver, nor no manner of apparel embroidered, aimeled, nor of silk by
no way. And that their wives, daughters, and children, be of the same
condition in their vesture and apparel. And that they wear no veil of
silk, but only of yarn made within the realm, nor no manner of furr,
nor of budge,[38] but only lamb, cony, cat, and fox.
CAP. X.: _What apparel gentlemen under the estate of knights, and what
esquires of two hundred mark-land &c may wear, and what their wives and
children_.
Item. That esquires and all manner of gentlemen under the estate of
a knight, which have no land nor rent to the value of an hundred
pounds by year, shall not take nor wear cloth for their clothing or
hosing of an higher price than within the price of four marks and
an half the whole cloth by way of buying, nor otherwise, and that
they wear no cloth of gold, nor silk, nor silver, nor no manner of
clothing imbroidered, ring, buttons, nor owche of gold nor of silver,
nor nothing of stone, nor no manner of furr, and that their wives,
daughters, and children be of the same condition, as to vesture and
apparel, without any turning up or purfle.[39] And that they wear
no manner of apparel of gold, or silver, nor of stone, but that
esquires, which have lands or rent to the value of ii. C. marks by
year and above, may take and wear cloths of the price of v marks the
whole cloth, and cloth of silk and of silver, ribband, girdle and
other apparel reasonably garnished of silver. And that their wives,
daughters, and children may wear furr turned up of miniver, without
ermines or letuse, or any manner of stone, but for their heads.
CAP. XI.: _The apparel of merchants, citizens, burgesses, and
handicraftsmen_.
Item. That merchants citizens and burgesses artificers, people of
handy-craft as well within the city of London, as elsewhere which have
clearly goods and chattels to the value of v. C. pounds and their wives
and children may take and wear in the manner as the esquires and great
men, which have land or rent to the value of C. li. by year. And those
who have goods etc. to value of M. li.... may take and wear in the
manner as esquires and gentlemen which have land and rent to the value
of ii. C. li. by year, and no groom, yeoman, or servant of merchant
artificer or people of handicraft shall wear otherwise in apparel than
is above ordained of yeomen of lords.
CAP. XII.: _The apparel of knights_.
Item. That knights which have land or rent within the value of ii. C.
li. shall take and wear cloth of vi. marks the whole cloth, for their
vesture, and of none higher price. And they that wear not cloth of
gold, nor cloths, mantle nor gold furred with miniver nor of ermins,
nor no apparel broidered of stone, nor otherwise: and that their wives
daughters and children be of the same condition. And that they wear
no turning up of ermine nor of letuses, nor no manner of apparel of
stone, but only for their heads.
_But all knights and ladies which have land or rent over the value of
iv. C. mark by year, to the sum of M. li. shall wear at their pleasure,
except ermins and letuses and apparel of pearl and stone, but only for
their heads._
CAP. XIII.: _The apparel of several sorts of clerks_.
Item. That clerks, which have degree in any church, cathedral,
collegial or schools or clerk of the King, that hath such estate that
requireth furr, shall do and use according to the constitution of the
same. And all other clerks which have ii. C. marks of land by year
shall wear and do as knights of the same rent. And other clerks within
the same rent, shall wear as the esquires of C. li. of rent. And after
all those, as well knights as clerks, which by this ordinance may wear
furr in the winter, in the same manner shall wear linure in the summer.
CAP. XIV.: _The apparel of ploughmen, and others of mean estate; and
the forfeitures of offenders against this ordinance_.
Item. That carters, ploughmen, drivers of the plough, oxherds,
cowherds, etc. and all other people that have not forty shillings of
goods, nor of chattels, shall not take nor wear any manner of cloth,
but blanket, and russett wool of twelve pence, and shall wear the
girdles of linen according to their estate, and that they come to eat
and drink in the manner as pertaineth to them and not excessively. And
it is ordained that if any wear or do contrary to any of the points
aforesaid that he shall forfeit against the King all the apparel that
he hath so worn against the form of this ordinance.
FOOTNOTES:
[37] Enamelled.
[38] Lambskin, with the wool dressed outwards, often worn on the edges
of capes as hoods of Bachelors of Arts are still made.
[39] Trimming or edgings.