approach, they gathered togither a great number of men of warre,
minding to defend the passage against him, appointing an other band
of men (if they failed) to kéepe the further side of the bridge; and
to watch, that neither by boate nor vessell he should come ouer the
riuer by anie maner of meanes. At his comming néere to the towne, he
perceiued that it was not possible to passe by the bridge without great
losse of his people, and therfore he retired almost a mile backeward,
where, in a pleasant and commodious place by the riuer side he pitched
his campe, and in the night season, what with boates and barges, and
what with hogsheads and pipes, he conueied ouer the broad riuer of
Seine a great companie of his soldiers, without anie resistance made by
his enimies. For they which were on the hither side of Seine, thinking
that the Englishmen had gone to winne some other place, followed them
not, but studied how to defend their towne, which was inough for them
to doo.
[Sidenote: A good policie.]
And to put the French men in doubt, least the Englishmen should séeke
passage somewhere else, the king appointed certeine of the soldiers
which had skill in swimming, to go to a place thrée miles from the
siege by the riuer side, and there to enter into the water, making
great clamor and noise, as though they had meant to haue passed; but
they had in commandement not to trauerse past halfe the riuer, so
to procure the Frenchmen to make thitherwards, whilest the king in
one place, and his brother the duke of Clarence in another, got ouer
their men, and that in such number, before the Frenchmen had anie
vnderstanding thereof, that when they made towards them, and perceiued
that they were not able to incounter them, they fled backe, and durst
not abide the English footmen, which would faine haue béene dooing with
them.
[Sidenote: Pont de larch rendred vp to the Englishm[=e].]
When the king saw that his men were on the other side of the water, he
(the next daie earlie) returned to the towne, & assaulted it on both
sides. When the inhabitants therefore saw themselues compassed on both
sides, contrarie to their expectation, with humble heart and small
ioy they rendered vp the towne vnto the kings hands. After this, the
king hauing no let nor impediment, determined foorthwith to besiege
the citie of Rone, and first sent before him his vncle the duke of
Excester, with a great companie of horssemen & archers to view the
place, & thervpon with banner displaied came before the citie, and sent
Windsore an herauld at armes to the capteins within, willing them to
deliuer the citie vnto the king his maister, or else he would pursue
them with fire and sword. To whome they proudlie answered, that none
they receiued of him, nor anie they would deliuer him, except by fine
force they were therevnto compelled: and herewith there issued out of
the towne a great band of men of armes, and incountered fiercelie with
the Englishmen, the which receiuing them with like manhood, and great
force, draue the Frenchmen into the towne againe to their losse, for
they lett thirtie of their fellowes behind prisoners and dead in the
field.
[Sidenote: Rone besieged by K. Henrie.]
The duke returned with this good spéed and proud answer of the
Frenchmen vnto the king, who remained yet at Pont de Larch, and had
giuen the towne of Louiers to his brother the duke of Clarence, which
made there his deputie sir Iohn Godard knight. After that the duke of
Excester was returned to Pont Larch, the French capteins within Rone
set fire on the suburbs, beat downe churches, cut downe trées, shred
the bushes, destroied the vines round about the citie, to the intent
that the Englishmen should haue no reléefe nor comfort either of
lodging or fewell. When the king heard of these despitefull dooings,
he with his whole armie remooued from Pont Larch, and the last daie
of Iulie came before the citie of Rone, and compassed it round about
with a strong siege. This citie was verie rich in gold, siluer, and
other pretious things, in so much that when the same was taken and
seized vpon by the English, the spoile was verie great and excéeding
aduantagable: which the compiler of Anglorum prælia hath verie well
noted, in a few lines, but pithie; saieng
[Sidenote: _Angl. præl. sub._]
[Sidenote: Hen. 5.]
Vltima Rothomagus restat, quæ mercibus, auro,
Argento, vasis pretiosis diues abundat:
Rothomagus capitur, iámq; Anglus adeptus opimas
Prædas, in patriam perpulchra trophæa remittit.
[Sidenote: Before Pont S. Hiliarie.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: The order of the siege.]
[Sidenote: Before the gate called Markeuile.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: Salisburie & Huntington on the other side of the riuer of
Seine.]
The king laie with a great puissance at the Chartreux house, on the
east side of the citie, and the duke of Clarence lodged at S. Geruais
before the port of Caux on the west part. The duke of Excester tooke
his place on the north side: at port S. Denis, betwéene the dukes of
Excester and Clarence, was appointed the earle marshall, euen before
the gate of the castell; to whome were ioined the earle of Ormond,
and the lords Harington and Talbot, vpon his comming from Dampfront:
and from the duke of Excester toward the king were incamped the lords
Ros, Willoughbie, Fits Hugh, and sir William Porter, with a great band
of northerne men, euen before the port of saint Hilarie. The earles
of Mortaigne and Salisburie were assigned to lodge about the abbie
of saint Katharine. Sir Iohn Greie was lodged directlie against the
chappell called mount S. Michaell: sir Philip Léech treasurer of the
warres kept the hill next the abbeie, and the baron of Carew kept the
passage on the riuer of Seine, and to him was ioined that valiant
esquier Ienico Dartois.
[Sidenote: The lord Talbot.]
[Sidenote: W. P.]
On the further side of the riuer were lodged the earles of Warren and
Huntington, the lords Neuill and Ferrers, sir[2] Gilbert Umfreuile with
a well furnished companie of warlike soldiers directlie before the gate
called Port de Pont. And to the intent that no aid should passe by
the riuer toward the citie, there was a great chaine of iron deuised
at Pont Larch, set on piles from the one side of the water to the
other: and beside that chaine, there was set vp a new forced bridge,
sufficient both for cariage and passage, to passe the riuer from one
campe to another. The erle of Warwike that had latelie woone Dampfront,
was sent to besiege Cawdebecke, a towne standing on the riuer side,
betwéene the sea and the citie of Rone. A memorable feat in seruice
néere to that place was doone at that time by a well minded man then
noted soone after in writing: which matter vnable to be better reported
than by him that had so well marked it, nor like to be more trulie
expressed than by the ancient simplicitie (and yet effectuall) of the
selfe same words wherein they were written, therefore thought méetest
to haue them rehearsed as they were in order, thus.
[2] Umfreuile.
The truth of the said memorable feat as it was reported in writing.
[Sidenote: A conflict néere to Cawdebecke.]
[Sidenote: The L. of Estrisles slaine.]
[Sidenote: George Umfreuile slaine.]
[Sidenote: Walter Audeley sore wo[=u]ded.]
MEMORANDUM, that my lord the earle of Warwike did send out my cosin sir
Iohn Bromley and my cosin George Umfreuile with an hundred archers,
and about two hundred soldiers a strett, to kéepe at a little castell
called the Stroo néere to Cawdebeke, where they wearen met with aboue
eight hundred Frenchmen & the fraie betwéene them long yfought, and
the Englishmen in great dread and perill: till at length by the might
of God and saint George, the féeld did fall to our Englishmen, and
the Frenchmen wearen put to flizt, and thear wearen yslaine aboue two
hundred Frenchmen, and as manie ytaken prisoners, and their capteine
who was ycalled the lord of Estrisles was thear also yslaine, and thear
wearen yslaine of our Englishmen my said cosin George Umfreuile and
about twentie mo: on whose solles Iesus haue mercie, and thear wearen
hurt in the face my said cosin sir Iohn Bromley & my cosin Walter
Audeley sore wounded and maimed in the right arme of his bodie, he then
being but of the age of eightéene yeares. But thankes be giuen to the
blessed Trinitée, thear wearen manie noble victories ywoon by the said
noble erle of Warwike and his folke, as in his officiall booke (written
by maister Iohn le Tucke then present with the said noble earle) is
amply recorded. My said cosin Walter Audeley died at Warwike the
seauentéenth daie of Iulie[3] anno Domini one thousand foure hundred
and twentie, and was buried at Acton in Cheshire, néere the bodie of my
said cosin sir Iohn Bromley: on whose solles Iesus haue mercie. By me
sir Richard Braie, chapleine to my ladie the old countesse of Warwike;
Iesus Maria, Amen, Pater noster, Aue Maria.
[3] And this sir Iohn Bromley departed from this life the fourth day
of Sept. 1419, which was in anno reg. 7, as by the office tak[=e]
after his death remaining of record in the castell of Chester dooth
manifestlie appeare.
After this conflict, this towne was so hardlie handled with fierce
and continuall assaults, that the capteins within offered to suffer
the English nauie to passe by their towne without impeachment, vp to
the citie of Rone. And also if Rone yéelded, they promised to render
the towne without delaie. Héerevpon the English nauie, to the number
of an hundred sailes, passed by Cawdebecke, and came to Rone, and so
besieged it on the water side. There came also to this siege the duke
of Glocester, with the earle of Suffolke, and the lord Aburgauennie,
which had taken (as before yée haue heard) the towne of Chierburgh, &
lodged before the port of S. Hilarie, néerer to their enimies by fortie
rodes than any other person of the armie.
[Sidenote: The lord of Kilmaine capteine of the Irishmen.]
[Sidenote: The good seruice of the Irishmen at this siege.]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: The king of Portingale sendeth aid to king Henrie.]
During this siege also, there arriued at Harflue the lord of Kilmaine
in Ireland, a band of sixtéene hundred Irishmen, in maile, with darts
and skains after the maner of their countrie, all of them being tall,
quicke and nimble persons, which came and presented themselues before
the king lieng still at the siege, of whom they were not onelie
gentlie receiued & welcomed; but also because it was thought that the
French king and the duke of Burgognie would shortlie come, and either
attempt to raise the siege, or vittell and man the towne by the north
gate, they were appointed to kéepe the north side of the armie, and
speciallie the waie that commeth from the forest of Lions. Which charge
the lord of Kilmaine and his companie ioifullie accepted, and did so
their deuoir therein, that no men were more praised, nor did more
damage to their enimies than they did: for suerlie their quicknesse
& swiftnesse of foot did more preiudice to their enimies, than their
barded horsses did hurt or damage to the nimble Irishmen. Also the
kings coosine germane and alie (the king of Portingale) sent a great
nauie of well appointed ships vnto the mouth of the riuer of Seine, to
stop that no French vessels should enter the riuer, and passe vp the
same, to the aid of them within Rone.
[Sidenote: The number within Rone.]
Thus was the faire citie of Rone compassed about with enimies, both by
water and land, hauing neither comfort nor aid of King, Dolphin, or
Duke. And yet although the armie was strong without, there lacked not
within both hardie capteins and manfull souldiers. And as for people,
they had more than inough: for as it is written by some that had
good cause to know the truth, and no occasion to erre from the same,
there were in the citie at the time of the siege, two hundred and ten
thousand persons. Dailie were issues made out of the citie at diuerse
gates, sometime to the losse of the one partie, and sometime of the
other, as chances of warre in such aduentures happen. The Frenchmen in
déed preferring fame before worldlie riches, and despising pleasure
(the enimie to warlike prowesse) sware ech to other neuer to render or
deliuer the citie, while they might either hold sword in hand or speare
in rest.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
The king of England aduertised of their haultie courages, determined to
conquer them by famine, which would not be tamed with weapon. Wherefore
he stopped all the passages, both by water and land, that no vittels
could be conueied to the citie: he cast trenches round about the wals,
and set them full of stakes, and defended with archers, so that there
was left neither waie for them within to issue out, nor for anie that
were abroad to enter in without his licence. To rehearse the great
paines, trauell and diligence, which the king tooke vpon him in his
owne person at this siege, a man might woonder. And because diuerse of
the souldiers had lodged themselues for their more ease, in places so
farre distant one from an other, that they might easilie haue béene
surprised by their enimies, yer anie of their fellowes could haue come
to their succors; he caused proclamation to be made, that no man vpon
paine of death should lodge without the precinct appointed them, nor go
further abroad from the campe than such bounds as were assigned.
[Sidenote: King Henrie his iustice.]
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: Thrée great victories on the English side within a short
time togither.]
Now as it chanced, the king in going about the campe, to surueie and
view the warders, he espied two souldiers that were walking abroad
without the limits assigned, whom he caused straightwaies to be
apprehended and hanged vpon a trée of great height, for a terrour to
others, that none should be so hardie to breake such orders as he
commanded them to obserue. Whilest the king laie thus with his power
about the mightie citie of Rone, the Frenchmen sought to indamage as
well those that were at that siege, as other of the Englishmen that
laie in garrisons within the townes that were alreadie in the king
of Englands possession, insomuch that (as some haue written) within
the octaues of the Assumption, thrée notable victories chanced to the
Englishmen in thrée seuerall places. First an hundred Englishmen at
Kilbeuf tooke thrée great lords of the Frenchmen, besides fourescore
other persons, and put thrée hundred to flight.
Also vpon the thursdaie within the same octaues, foure hundred
Frenchmen that were entered within the suburbes of Eureux were repelled
by eleuen Englishmen, that tooke foure of those Frenchmen prisoners,
slue twelue of them, and tooke fortie horsses. On the saturdaie
following, the Frenchmen tooke in hand to steale vpon them that laie
in garrison within Louiers, in hope to surprise the towne earlie in
the morning: but the capteine perceiuing their purpose, sallied foorth
with a hundred of his men, and putting the Frenchmen to flight, being a
thousand, tooke an hundred and fourescore of them being all gentlemen.
But to returne to them before Rone. The siege thus continuing from
Lammas, almost to Christmas, diuerse enterprises were attempted,
and diuerse policies practised, how euerie part might indamage his
aduersaries; no parte greatlie reioised of their gaine. But in the
meane time vittels began sore to faile them within, that onelie vinegar
and water serued for drinke.
[Sidenote: Extreme famine within Rone.]
If I should rehearse (according to the report of diuerse writers) how
déerelie dogs, rats, mise, and cats were sold within the towne, and
how gréedilie they were by the poore people eaten and deuoured, and
how the people dailie died for fault of food, and yoong infants laie
sucking in the stréets on their moothers breasts lieng dead, starued
for hunger; the reader might lament their extreme miseries. A great
number of poore sillie creaturs were put out at the gates, which were
by the Englishmen that kept the trenches beaten and driuen backe againe
to the same gates, which they found closed and shut against them. And
so they laie betwéene the wals of the citie and the trenches of the
enimies, still crieng for helpe and reléefe, for lacke whereof great
numbers of them dailie died.
[Sidenote: A vertuous and Charitable prince.]
Howbeit, king Henrie mooued with pitie, vpon Christmasse daie, in
the honor of Christes Natiuitie, refreshed all the poore people with
vittels, to their great comfort and his high praise: yet if the duke
of Burgognies letters had not béene conueied into the citie, it was
thought they within would neuer haue made resistance so long time as
they did; for by those letters they were assured of rescue to come.
Diuerse lords of France hauing written to them to the like effect,
they were put in such comfort herewith, that immediatlie, to expresse
their great reioising, all the bels in the citie were roong foorth
chéerefullie, which during all the time of the siege till that present
had kept silence. In déed by reason of a faint kind of agréement
procured betwixt the Dolphin and the duke of Burgognie, it was thought
verelie that a power should haue béene raised for preseruation of that
noble citie, the loosing or sauing thereof being a matter of such
importance.
[Sidenote: _Chron. S. Alb._]
[Sidenote: A large tr[=e]ch without the campe.]
The king of England, to preuent the enimies purpose, caused a large
trench to be, cast without his campe, which was pight full of sharpe
stakes, with a great rampire fensed with bulworks, and turnepikes, in
as defensible wise as might be deuised. Sir Robert Bapthorpe, knight,
was appointed comptroller, to sée this worke performed, which he did
with all diligence accomplish; in like case as he had doone, when the
other trench and rampire stronglie staked and hedged was made at the
first betwixt the campe and the citie, to restreine such as in the
begining of the siege rested not to pricke foorth of the gates on
horsse backe. And so by this meanes was the armie defended both behind
and before.
[Sidenote: 1419]
Finallie, the whole number of the Frenchmen within the citie were
brought to such an extremitie for want of vittels, that they were in
danger all to haue starued. Wherevpon being now past hope of reléefe,
they determined to treat with the king of England, and so vpon
Newyeares euen there came to the wals such as they had chosen amongst
them for commissioners, which made a signe to the Englishmen lieng
without the gate of the bridge, to speake with some gentleman, or other
person of authoritie. The earle of Huntington, which kept that part,
sent to them sir Gilbert Umfreuile; vnto whom they declared, that if
they might haue a safe conduct, they would gladlie come foorth to
speake with the king. Sir Gilbert reparing to the duke of Clarence, and
other of the kings councell, aduertised them of this request.
[Sidenote: They within Rone demand parlée.]
Herevpon the duke of Clarence with the other councellors resorted
to the kings lodging, to informe him of the matter, and to know his
pleasure therein; who after good aduisement and deliberation taken,
willed sir Gilbert to aduertise them, that he was content to heare
twelue of them, which should be safelie conueied into his presence.
This answer being brought to the Frenchmen by the said sir Gilbert, on
the next daie in the morning, foure knights, foure learned men, and
foure sage burgesses, all clothed in blacke, came foorth of the citie,
and were receiued at the port saint Hilarie by sir Gilbert Umfreuile,
accompanied with diuerse gentlemen and yeomen of the kings houshold,
commonlie called yeomen of the crowne, by whome they were conueied
to the kings lodging, whome they found at masse, which being ended,
the king came out of his trauerse, sternelie, and princelie beholding
the French messengers, and passed by them into his chamber. And
incontinentlie after he commanded that they should be brought in before
his presence, to heare what they had to say.
[Sidenote: A presumptuous orator.]
One of them séene in the ciuill lawes, was appointed to declare the
message in all their names, who shewing himselfe more rash than wise,
more arrogant than learned, first tooke vpon him to shew wherin the
glorie of victorie consisted, aduising the king not to shew his manhood
in famishing a multitude of poore, simple, and innocent people, but
rather suffer such miserable wretches as laie betwixt the wals of the
citie, and the trenches of his siege, to passe through the campe, that
they might get their liuing in other places, and then if he durst
manfullie assault the citie, and by force subdue it, he should win both
worldlie fame and merit great méed at the hands of almightie God, for
hauing compassion of the poore, néedie, and indigent people.
[Sidenote: The kings answer to this proud message.]
When this orator had said, the king who no request lesse suspected,
than that which was thus desired, began a while to muse; and after
he had well considered the craftie cautell of his enimies, with a
fierce countenance, and bold spirit he reprooued them, both for their
subtill dealing with him, and their malapert presumption, in that they
should séeme to go about to teach him what belonged to the dutie of a
conquerour. "And therefore since it appeared that the same was vnknowne
vnto them, he declared that the goddesse of battell called Bellona, had
thrée handmaidens, euer of necessitie attending vpon hir, as blood,
fire, and famine. And whereas it laie in his choise to vse them all
thrée; yea, two, or one of them at his pleasure, he had appointed
onelie the méekest maid of those thrée damsels to punish them of that
citie, till they were brought to reason.
"And whereas the gaine of a capteine atteined by anie of the said thrée
handmaidens, was both glorious, honourable, and woorthie of triumph:
yet of all the thrée, the yoongest maid, which he meant to vse at
that time was most profitable and commodious. And as for the poore
people lieng in the ditches, if they died through famine, the fault
was theirs, that like cruell tyrants had put them out of the towne, to
the intent he should slaie them; and yet had he saued their liues, so
that if anie lacke of charitie was, it rested in them, and not in him.
But to their cloked request, he meant not to gratifie them within so
much, but they should kéepe them still to helpe to spend their vittels.
And as to assault the towne, he told them that he would they should
know, he was both able and willing thereto, as he should sée occasion:
but the choise was in his hand, to tame them either with blood, fire,
or famine, or with them all, whereof he would take the choice at his
pleasure, and not at theirs."
[Sidenote: A truce for eight daies.]
This answer put the French ambassadors in a great studie, musing much
at his excellent wit and hawtinesse of courage. Now after they had
dined (as his commandement was they should) with his officers, they
vpon consultation had togither, required once againe to haue accesse
to his roiall presence, which being granted, they humbling themselues
on their knées, besought him to take a truce for eight daies, during
the which they might by their commissioners take some end and good
conclusion with him and his councell. The king like a mercifull
prince granted to them their asking, with which answer they ioifullie
returned. After their departure were appointed and set vp thrée tents,
the one for the lords of England, the second for the commissioners of
the citie, and the third for both parties to assemble in, and to treat
of the matter.
[Sidenote: C[=o]missioners appointed.]
The commissioners for the English part were the earles of Warwike and
Salisburie, the lord Fitz Hugh, sir Walter Hungerford, sir Gilbert
Umfreuile, sir Iohn Robsert, and Iohn de Vasques de Almada. And for the
French part were appointed, sir Guie de Butteler, and six others. These
commissioners met euery daie, arguing and reasoning about a conclusion,
but nothing was doone the space of eight daies nor so much as one
article concluded: wherfore the Englishmen tooke downe the tents, & the
Frenchmen tooke their leaue: but at their departing they remembering
themselues, required the English lords (for the loue of God) that the
truce might indure till the sunne rising the next daie, to the which
the lords assented.