treatie was in hand at Touque, for a finall peace, but it came to
none effect. From Alanson the king set forward towards the towne and
castell of Faleis, meaning to besiege the same, where the Frenchmen
appointed to the kéeping of it, had fortified the towne by all meanes
possible, and prepared themselues to defend it to the vttermost. The
earle of Salisburie was first sent thither before with certeine bands
of souldiers to inclose the enimies within the towne, & to view the
strength thereof. After him came the king with his whole armie, about
the first of December, and then was the towne besieged on ech side. The
king lodged before the gate that leadeth to Caen, the duke of Clarence
before the castell that standeth on a rocke and the duke of Glocester
laie on the kings right hand, and other lords & noble men were assigned
to their places as was thought expedient. And to be sure from taking
damage by anie sudden inuasion of the enimies, there were great
trenches and rampiers cast and made about their seuerall campes, for
defense of the same.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Oldcastell taken.]
The Frenchmen notwithstanding this siege, valiantlie defended their
wals, and sometimes made issues foorth, but small to their gaine:
and still the Englishmen with their guns and great ordinance made
batterie to the wals and bulworks. The winter season was verie cold,
with sharpe frost, & hard weather; but the Englishmen made such shift
for prouision of all things necessarie to serue their turns, that they
were sufficientlie prouided, both against hunger and cold: so that in
the end, the Frenchmen perceiuing they could not long indure against
them, offered to talke, and agréed to giue ouer the towne, if no rescue
came by a certeine daie appointed. About the same season was sir Iohn
Oldcastell, lord Cobham taken, in the countrie of Powes land, in the
borders of Wales, within a lordship belonging to the lord Powes, not
without danger and hurts of some that were at the taking of him: for
they could not take him, till he was wounded himselfe.
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Oldcastell executed.]
At the same time, the states of the realme were assembled at London,
for the leuieng of monie, to furnish the kings great charges, which he
was at about the maintenance of his wars in France: it was therefore
determined, that the said sir Iohn Oldcastell should be brought, and
put to his triall, yer the assemblie brake vp. The lord Powes therefore
was sent to fetch him, who brought him to London in a litter, wounded
as he was: herewith, being first laid fast in the Tower, shortlie after
he was brought before the duke of Bedford, regent of the realme, and
the other estates, where in the end he was condemned; and finallie was
drawen from the Tower vnto saint Giles field, and there hanged in a
chaine by the middle, and after consumed with fire, the gallowes and
all.
[Sidenote: 1418]
[Sidenote: Faleis rendered vp to king Henrie.]
When the daie was come, on the which it was couenanted that the towne
of Faleis should deliuered, to wit, the second of Ianuarie, because no
succours appeared, the towne was yéelded to the king: but the castell
held out still, into the which the capteine and gouernour both of the
towne and castell had withdrawne themselues, with all the souldiers;
and being streictlie besieged, the capteine defended himselfe and the
place right stoutlie, although he was sore laid to, vntill at length,
perceiuing his people wearied with continuall assaults, and such
approches as were made to and within the verie wals, he was driuen
to compound with the king, that if he were not succoured by the sixt
of Februarie, then should he yéeld himselfe prisoner, and deliuer
the castell; so that the souldiers should haue licence to depart,
with their liues onelie saued. When the daie came, the couenants were
performed, and the castell rendered to the kings hands, for no aid
came to the rescue of them within. The capteine named Oliuer de Mannie
was kept as prisoner, till the castell was repared at his costs and
charges, because the same, through his obstinat wilfulnesse, was sore
beaten and defaced, with vnderminings and batterie. Capteine there, by
the king, was appointed sir Henrie Fitz Hugh.
[Sidenote: _Histoir des ducs de Normandie._]
[Sidenote: _Tho. Walsin. Titus Liuius._]
After this, king Henrie returned to Caen, and by reason of a
proclamation which he had caused to be made for the people of
Normandie, that had withdrawne themselues foorth of the baliwicks of
Caen and Faleis, he granted awaie to his owne people the lands of those
that came not in vpon that proclamation, and in speciall, he gaue to
the duke of Clarence, during his life, the vicounties of Auge, Orbec,
and Ponteau de Mer, with all the lands of those that were withdrawne
foorth of the same vicounties. This gift was made the sixtéenth of
Februarie, in this fift yeare of this kings reigne. All the Lent
season, the king laie at Baieux with part of his armie, but the residue
were sent abroad, for the atchiuing of certeine enterprises, because
they should not lie idle.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Fabian_ pag. 397 and _Iohn Stow._ pag.
598.]
[Sidenote: Slaughter and bloudshed in S. Dunstans church on Easter day.]
[Sidenote: Women full of mischéefe.]
¶ In this yeare 1418, and in the first yeare of the reigne of this
victorious king, Henrie the fift, on Easter daie in the after noone
(a time which required deuotion) at a sermon in saint Dunstans in
the east of London, a great fraie happened in the said church, where
through manie people were sore wounded, and one Thomas Petwarden
fishmonger that dwelt at Sprots keie was slame outright; as they
(vpon a good intent) did what they could (to their owne perill as
vnfortunatlie it befell) to appease the turmoile, and to procure the
kéeping of the kings peace. Herevpon the church was suspended, and the
beginners of the broile, namelie the lord Strange and sir Iohn Trussell
knight (betwéene whome such coles of vnkindnesse were kindled (at the
instigation of their wiues, gentlewomen of euill disposition and at
curssed hatred one with another) that their husbands ment at their
méeting in the said church to haue slaine one another) were committed
to the counter in the Pultrie. Two wise gentlemen (I wisse) and well
aduised (no doubt) who without regard of day, place, people, preacher,
or perill that might insue; were so forward to become the instrument of
their mischieuous wiues malice; the fulfilling wherof they would haue
forborne, if with discretion they had pondered the verdict of the poet
concerning the said sex:
Foemina lætalis, foemina plena malis.
[Sidenote: _Record. Cant._]
[Sidenote: The principall offendors punishment.]
The archbishop of Canturburie, when he had intelligence giuen of this
outragious prophanation of the church, caused the offendors to be
excommunicat, as well at Paules, as in all other parish churches of
London. Shortlie after, to wit on the one and twentith of Aprill, the
said archbishop sat at saint Magnus, vpon inquisition for the authors
of the said disorder, and found the fault to consist speciallie in the
lord Strange and his wife. So that vpon the first daie of Maie next
following in Paules church, before the said archbishop, the maior of
London, and others, the said offendors submitted themselues to doo
penance, and sware to doo it in such sort as to them it was inioined;
namelie, as followeth. That immediatlie all their seruants should (in
their shirts) go before the parson of saint Dunstans, from Paules to
the said saint Dunstans church; and the lord Strange bare headed, with
his ladie barefooted; Reignold Kenwood archdeacon of London following
them. Also it was appointed them, that at the consecrating or hallowing
of the said church (which they had prophaned) the ladie should fill all
the vessels with [1] water, and offer likewise to the altar an ornament
of ten pounds; and the lord hir husband a pix of siluer of fiue pounds.
Which doone by waie of a satisfactorie expiation, it is likelie they
were absolued: but the lord Strange had first made the wife of the said
Petwarden slaine in the fraie, large amends: as Fabian saith, though in
what sort he maketh no mention.
[1] Not teares of hir c[=o]plaint (I trust) for sorrow of hir sinne.
[Sidenote: A sore t[=e]pest.]
[Sidenote: A violent tempest of wind.]
Whilest the king of England wan thus in Normandie, his nauie lost
nothing on the sea, but so scowred the streames, that neither Frenchmen
nor Britons durst once appeare; howbeit, on a daie there arose such a
storme and hideous tempest, that if the earles of March and Huntington
had not taken the hauen of Southampton, the whole nauie had perished;
& yet the safegard was strange, for in the same hauen, two balingers,
and two great carickes, laden with merchandize were drowned, and the
broken mast of another caricke was blowen ouer the wall of the towne.
When the furie of this outragious wind and weather was asswaged, and
the sea waxed calme, the earles of March and Huntington passed ouer
with all their companie, and landing in Normandie, they marched through
the countrie, destroieng the French villages, and taking preies on each
hand, till they came to the king where he then was.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.]
[Sidenote: Townes in Normandie yéelded to K. Henrie.]
In the sixt yeare of king Henries reigne, he sent the earle of Warwike,
and the lord Talbot, to besiege the strong castell of Dampfront. The
duke of Clarence was also sent to besiege and subdue other townes, vnto
whome, at one time and other, we find, that these townes vnderwritten
were yéelded, wherein he put capteins as followeth. In Courton Iohn
Aubin, in Barney William Houghton, in Chambis Iames Neuill, in
Bechelouin the earle Marshall, in Harecourt Richard Wooduill esquier,
in Fangernon Iohn S. Albon, in Creuener sir Iohn Kirbie to whom it was
giuen, in Anuilliers Robert Hornebie, in Bagles sir Iohn Arthur, in
Fresnie le vicont sir Robert Brent.
The duke of Glocester the same time, accompanied with the earle of
March, the lord Greie of Codner, and other was sent to subdue the
townes in the Ile of Constantine, vnto whome these townes hereafter
mentioned were yéelded, where he appointed capteins as followeth. At
Carentine the lord Botreux, at Saint Lo Reginald West, at Valoignes
Thomas Burgh, at Pont Done Dauie Howell, at the Haie de Pais sir Iohn
Aston, at saint Sauieur le vicont sir Iohn Robsert, at Pontorson sir
Robert Gargraue, at Hamberie the earle of Suffolke lord of that place
by gift, at Briqueuill the said earle also by gift, at Auranches sir
Philip Hall bailiffe of Alanson, at Vire the lord Matreuers, at S.
Iames de Beumeron the same lord.
[Sidenote: Chierburgh besieged by the English.]
After that the duke had subdued to the kings dominion, the most part
of all the townes in that Ile of Constantine, Chierburgh excepted,
he returned to the king, and forthwith was sent thither againe to
besiege that strong fortresse, which was fenced with men, munition,
vittels, and strong walles, towers, and turrets, in most defensible
wise, by reason whereof it was holden against him the space of fiue
moneths, although he vsed all waies and meanes possible to annoie them
within, so that manie fierce assaults, skirmishes, issues, and other
exploits of warre were atchieued, betwixt the Frenchmen within, and the
Englishmen without: yet at length, the Frenchmen were so constreined by
power of baterie, mines, and other forceable waies of approchings, that
they were glad to compound to deliuer the place, if no rescue came to
raise the siege, either from the Dolphin, that then was retired into
Aquitane, or from the duke of Burgognie that then laie at Paris, within
the terme of thrée score and two daies (for so long respit the duke
granted) but they trusting further vpon his lenitie and gentlenesse
hoped to get a far longer terme.
Now were the Dolphin and the duke of Burgognie growen to a certeine
agréement, by mediation of cardinals sent from the pope, so that the
Englishmen suerlie thought that they would leauie a power, and come
downe to rescue Chierburg. The duke of Glocester therefore caused his
camps to be stronglie intrenched, and manie defensible blockehouses
of timber to be raised, like to small turrets, that the same might be
a safegard to his people, and to conclude, left nothing vnforeséene
nor vndoone, that was auailable for the defense of his armie. The
king doubting least some power should be sent downe, to the danger of
his brother, and those that were with him at this siege, caused two
thousand men to be imbarked in thirtie ships of the west countrie, by
order sent vnto certeine lords there.
[Sidenote: Chierburgh yéelded to the Englishmen.]
[Sidenote: The castell of Dampfront yéelded.]
[Sidenote: W. P.]
The Frenchmen within the towne, perceiuing those succors to approch
néere to the towne, thought verelie that there had béene a power of
Frenchmen comming to their aid: but when they saw them receiued as
fréends into the English campe, their comfort was soone quailed; and
so when the daie appointed came, being the ninetéenth of October,
or rather about the later end of Nouember (as the historic of the
dukes of Normandie hath) they rendred vp both the towne and castell,
according to the couenants. The lord Greie of Codnore was made the
kings lieutenant there, and after his deceasse, sir Walter Hungerford.
About the same time, or rather before, as Titus Liuius writeth, to
wit, the two and twentith of Iune, the strong castell of Dampfront
was yéelded into the hands of the earle of Warwike, to the kings vse.
But the historie writen of the dukes of Normandie affirmeth, that it
was surrendred the two and twentith of September, after the siege had
c[=o]tinued about it from Aprill last. The king by honorable report of
other, and of his owne speciall knowledge, so rightlie ascerteined of
the great valure that (for feats at armes and policie in warre) was
alwaies found in the person of that Iohn Bromley esquier (spoken of a
little here before) for which his maiestie so sundrie waies roiallie
rewarded him againe; some specialtie yet of the gentlemans merits
togither with the souereignes bountie to him among other, séemes here
(at mention of this Dampfront, whereof shortlie after he was capteine)
verie well to deserue a place: and to that purpose as the king in Iulie
went ouer againe, and this Iohn Bromley in Iune the same yeare, with
conduct of charge was sent afore, imploieng himselfe still in venturous
actiuitie with great annoie to the enimie: his highnesse for good
liking of the same, and for hartening and example to other (in Aprill
next following) gaue fourtie pounds land to him and his heires males by
letters patents in words as followeth, and remaining yet of record in
the Tower of London.
A copie of the said letters patents.
HENRICUS Dei gratiâ rex Angliæ & Franciæ & dominus Hiberniæ, omnibus
ad quos præsentes litteræ peruenerint salutem. Sciatis quòd de gratiâ
nostra speciali & pro bono seruitio quod dilectus seruiens noster
Iohannes Bromley nobis impendit & impendet in futurum: dedimus &
concessimus ei hospitium de Molay Bacon, infra comitatum nostrum
de Baieux, ac omnes terras, tenementa, redditus, hæreditates, &
possessiones infra ducatum nostrum Normandiæ, quæ fuerunt Alani de
Beaumont nobis rebellis, vt dicitur. Habendum & tenendum præfato
Iohanni & hæredibus suis masculis de corpore suo procreatis, hospitium,
terras, & tenementa, redditus, hæreditates, & possessiones supradictas,
vna cum omnimodis franchesijs, priulegijs, iurisdictionibus, wardis,
maritagijs, releuijs, eschetis, forisfacturis, feodis militum,
aduocationibus ecclesiarum, & aliorum beneficiorum ecclesiasticor[=u]
quorumcúnq; terris, pratis, pasturis, boscis, war[=e]nis, chaseis,
aquis, vijs, stagnis, mol[=e]dinis, viuarijs, moris, mariscis, ac alijs
c[=o]moditatibus quibuscúnq; dictis hospitio, terris, tenementis,
redditibus, hæreditatibus, & possessionibus pertinentibus siue
spectantibus, ad valorem quadraginta librarum sterlingorum per annum,
tenendis de nobis & hæredibus nostris per homagium, &c.: ac reddendo
nobis, & eisdem hæredibus nostris apud castrum nostrum de Baieux
vnam zonam pro lorica, ad festum Natuitatis sancti Iohannis Baptistæ
singulis annis: nec non faciendo alia seruitia, &c. Reseruato, &c.
Prouiso semper, &c. Castro seu ciuitati nostro de Baieux, &c. Qudóq;
prædictum hospitium, &c. In cuius rei, &c. Teste me ipso apud dictam
ciutatem nostram de Baieux, 18 die Aprilis, anno regni nostri sexto,
per ipsum regem.
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Bromley made capteine of Dampfr[=o]t.]
Yet héereat the noble prince not staieng his bountie, but rather
regarding euer how iustlie new merits doo deserue new dignities, and
peraduenture the more mooued somewhat to reare vp the degrée of this
esquire, toward the state of his stocke, who a long time before had
béene indued with knighthood, and also bicause that vnto the duke of
Buckingham he was of bloud, which his behauiour alwaies had from staine
so farre preserued, as rather brought to it some increase of glorie,
did (in the most worthie wise which to that order belongeth) dub him
knight of warfare in field, made him also capteine generall of this
strong castell of Dampfront, seneshall and great constable of Bosseuile
le Rosse, with other offices and titles of worship, as partlie may
appeare by a déed, in which this knight taking patterne at his princes
benignitie had giuen an annuitie of twentie pounds to his kinsman
Walter Audeley.
A copie of that writing sundrie waies so well seruing to the truth of
the storie was thought right necessarie héere to be added, thus.
Omnibus ad quos hoc præsens scriptum peruenerit, Ioh[=a]nes de
Bromley miles, capitaneus generalis de Dampfront, senescallus &
magnus constabularius de Bosseuile le Rosse & March ibidem, salutem.
Sciatis quòd pro bono & fideli seruitio quod dilectus consanguineus
meus Gualterus de Audeley mihi fecerit, tam infra regnum Angliæ
quàm extra, & præcipuè contra Francos: dedisse & concessisse, & hac
præsenti charta mea confirmasse eidem Gualtero vnum annualem redditum
viginti librarum, exeuntem de manerio meo de Bromley, & omnibus alijs
terris & tenementis meis infra regnum Angliæ, vna cum herbagio pro
quatuor equis habendo infra boscos meos de Bromley & Willoughbridge,
& octo carucatis foeni capiendis infra prata mea de Shurlebrooke &
Foordsmedo annuatim, durante tota vita prædicti Gualteri, in festo
sancti Iacobi apostoli. Et si contingat prædictum annualem redditum, a
retrò fore in aliquo festo, durante termino prædicto; tunc bene licebit
eidem Gualtero, in manerio meo, & omnibus alijs terris meis prædictis
distringere, & districtiones inde captas penes se retinere, quousq; de
redditu prædicto, vna cum arreragijs (si quæ fuerint) plenariè fuerit
persolutum & satisfactum. Et vlteriùs volo, quòd prædictus Gualterus
habebit liberum egressum & regressum cum equis suis prædictis, & ad
asportandum foenum predict[=u], quandocunq; voluerit, per omnes semitas
& vias, sine aliqua contradictione mei prædicti Iohannis, aut hæredum
meorum aliquali. Reddendo inde mihi ipsi Gualtero annuatim in festo
sancti Georgij martyris, si tunc fuerim infra regnum Angliæ, vnum
par calcarium deauratorum, pro omnibus. Et etiam volo & concedo quòd
prædictus Gualterus liber sit, durante tota vita sua, ad volandum,
venandum, piscandum, & alias commoditates percipiendum, tam infra
manerium meum de Bromley quàm in omnibus alijs manerijs, terris, &
tenementis meis infra regnum Angliæ, sine aliqua contradictione vel
impedimento mei præfati Iohannis de Bromley militis, hæredum, aut
assignatorum meorum aliquali. Et vt fidele testimonium præsentibus
habeatur, sigillum meum apposui: hijs testibus Roberto de Bruyn milite,
Iohanne de Holland, Gulihelmo de Brereton, Richardo le Greuill, Iohanne
de Egerton, Richardo le Beston, Thoma le Creu, & alijs. Datum apud
Dampfront prædicto, 12 die mensis Augusti, anno regni regis Henrici
quinti post conquestum sexto.
The old armes of the house of Bromley being quarterlie gules and ore
per fesse indented, had in the seale to this déed, an inscutchen
charged with a griffin surgiant; his creast, out of a crowne, a
demilion supporting a standard charged with a lion passant gardant;
about the shield was ingrauen, Sigillum Iohannis de Bromley militis.
That inscutchen and creast (as like is) giuen him in laudable
remembrance for his valiant recouerie of the standard at the sharpe and
bloodie skirmish by Corbie. The earle of Warwike, and the lord Talbot,
after the winning of this fortresse, made spéed to come vnto the siege
of Rone, where they were imploied, as after shall appeare. And in
like manner, the duke of Glocester, hauing once got the possession of
Chierburgh, hasted towards the same siege: for the better furnishing
of which enterprise, he had first caused an armie of fiftéene thousand
men to be brought ouer to him vnder the leading of his vncle the duke
of Excester, who imbarking with the same, about the feast of the holie
Trinitie, was appointed by the king to besiege the citie of Eureux, as
the earle of Angus, otherwise called earle of Kime, was sent to win the
castell of Millie Leuesche. These townes being deliuered to the kings
vse, the duke ordeined capteine of Eureux sir Gilbert Halsall knight.
The king now determining with all spéed to besiege Rone, prepared all
things necessarie for his purpose. Into this citie the Normans had
conueied out of euerie part their monie, iewels, and houshold stuffe,
as into the most sure and strongest place of the whole duchie. For
since his arriuall, they had not onlie walled that citie, and fortified
it with rampiers and strong bulworks, but also furnished it with
valiant capteins, and hardie soldiers, to the number of foure thousand,
beside such of the citizens as were appointed for the warre, according
to their estates, of the which there were at the least fiftéene
thousand readie to serue in defense of the citie, as soldiers, and men
of warre in all places where they should be assigned. King Henrie to
haue the countrie frée, before he would besiege this citie, thought
good first to win such townes as laie in his waie, and therefore
departing from Caen (where he had kept the feast of saint George) the
ninth daie of Iune, he marched streight vnto the towne of Louiers, and
laid his siege about the same.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: Louiers besieged.]
[Sidenote: Louiers yéelded vp.]
They within the towne, being well furnished of all things necessarie
for the defending of a siege, manfullie resisted the Englishmens
inforcements, which spared not to deuise all waies and means how to
approch the walles, and to batter the same with their great artillerie,
till at length they brought the Frenchme[=n] to that extremitie, that
they were contented to yéeld the towne on these conditions; that if by
the thrée and twentith of Iune there came no succour from the French
king to raise the siege, the towne should be deliuered into the kings
hands, the soldiers of the garrison should serue vnder the king for a
time, and the townesmen should remaine in their dwellings as they did
before, as subiects to the king: but the gunners that had discharged
anie péece against the Englishmen should suffer death. When the daie
came, and no aid appeared, the couenants were performed accordinglie.
From thence went the king with all spéed vnto Point de Larch, standing
vpon the riuer of Seine, eight miles aboue Rone towards Paris: he came
thither about the seauen and twentith of Iune.
[Sidenote: The English armie passeth the riuer of Seine.]