After he had kept his Easter at Leicester, he with the quéene remooued
and went northward, till they came to Yorke, where they were receiued
with great ioy of the citizens, and other the nobles and gentlemen of
the countrie. The king went vnto Beuerlie, to visit the shrine of saint
Iohn, and immediatlie vpon his departure from thence, the sorowfull
newes of his brother the duke of Clarences death, came to him, for
which he was right pensife. But sith mourning would not auaile, he
called to remembrance what he had to doo, and therevpon without delaie,
sent Edmund earle of Mortaigne, brother to the earle of Summerset into
Normandie, giuing to him like authoritie and preheminence, as his
brother the late deceassed duke of Clarence had before enioied.
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: The bishop of Winchester lent the king 20000.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie saileth into France againe.]
After this, he called his high court of parlement, in the which he
declared with such great wisedome & grauitie, the acts which had béene
doone in France, the state of the time present, and what was necessary
to be prouided for the time to come (if they would looke to haue that
iewell and high kingdome, for the which had so long laboured and
sought) that the communaltie gladlie granted a fiftéenth, & the clergie
beneuolentlie offred a double disme. And bicause no delaie should be
in the kings affaires for lacke of paiment, the bishop of Winchester
the kings vncle lent vnto him twentie thousand pounds, to be paid him
againe of the same dismes. When all things necessarie for this iournie
were readie and prepared, he sent his brother the duke of Bedford
before him to Calis with all his armie, being (as some write) foure
thousand men of armes, and twentie thousand archers and others; though
some haue written, that the whole armie passed not twelue thousand of
one and other.
[Sidenote: He tooke sea at Douer the fourth of Iune, as _Titus Liuius_
saith, and so saie the chronicles of Flanders.]
The king himselfe shortlie after, about the middle of Maie, passed
the seas to Calis, and so from thence he marched through the countrie
vnto Boies de Vincennes, where the French king and the quéene as
then soiourned. The duke of Burgognie also that had receiued him at
Monstruell, attended him to Dowast in Ponthieu, and there hauing taking
leaue of him for six daies, returned now againe to him, according to
his promise. Then did they consult togither about their affaires, and
appointed in all hast to fight with the Dolphin, and to raise the
siege of Chartres which he had there planted. Herevpon, the king of
England with all his puissance, came to the towne of Mante, and thither
repaired the duke of Burgognie; but yer they departed from thence, they
had knowledge, that the Dolphin hearing of the puissant armie of the
king of England approching towards him, was recoiled with his people
towards Towers in Touraine.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots serueth king Henrie. Dreux besieged &
rendred to the Englishmen.]
Herevpon the king of England incontinentlie, did not onelie send
backe the duke of Burgognie into Picardie, to resist the attempts
of sir Iaques de Harecourt, which made war in that countrie for the
Dolphin; but also appointed the king of Scots, with the duke of
Glocester, to besiege the towne of Dreux. They comming thither about
the eightéenth of Iulie, planted siege on euerie side, both of the
towne and castell; and what with power of batrie, and other forcible
meanes, so constreined them within, that on the eight daie of August
they compounded, that if no sufficient rescue came to raise the siege,
before the end of twelue daies next insuing, both the towne and
castell should be deliuered to the king of Englands vse, so as the
soldiers might depart with their goods whither they would, except one
Englishman, which was knowen to be amongst them, being fled for treason
out of the kings dominions.
On the twentith daie of August, which was the day of the appointment,
the king of Scots receiued the towne and castell to the behoofe of
his souereigne lord the king of England, who (during all the time of
the siege) laie at Moraumall. The townesmen that would remaine still
in their houses, were sworne to be true subiects to the king; and the
other which refused, departed with the souldiers. The Englishman that
was excepted, was deliuered according to the couenants; and after
executed, as he had deserued. The earle of Worcester was made capteine
of Dreux, and sir Henrie Mortimer bailiffe there. This doone, the king
hearing that the Dolphin should be at Baugencie, assembling his power,
hasted thitherwards: but at his comming into those parties, he found no
appearance of enimies in the field, and so he remained there fiftéene
daies.
[Sidenote: King Henrie pursueth the Dolphin.]
[Sidenote: The Dolphin, why called king of Berrie.]
In which meane while, the earle of Suffolke was sent foorth to discouer
the countrie, and the king wan by assault the towne of Baugencie, and
after when vittels began to faile, he marched forward, meaning to
pursue the Dolphin. But the Dolphin douting the English puissance,
conueied all the vittels foorth of those quarters, and retired himselfe
to Burges in Berrie, choosing that place as his first refuge, &
therefore determined there to remaine, till fortune turning hir whéele
shuld looke on them with a more fauorable countenance, hereof in scorne
was he commonlie called king of Berrie. The king of England followed,
till vittels and forrage began sore to faile on all sides, and then
returning, passed towards Orleance, taking the castell of Rouge Mont by
assault.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: _Les histories des ducz de Normandie._]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
He staied thrée daies before Orleance, and from thence, for want of
vittels, marched through Gastinois, till he came to Vignie sur Yonne,
where he remained for a season, to refresh his people that were sore
trauelled, in that painefull passed iournie: in which the king lost
not onelie manie of his men for lacke of vittels, but also a great
number of horsses and carriages. Some haue written, that about the same
time, he should win the citie of Sens, otherwise called the kings new
towne by surrender; but after he had remained for a time at Vignie,
we find that he remoued to Paris, where he was honorablie receiued. ¶
For he came among them as one hauing empire and dominion in his hand,
so that to him they were no lesse forward in submission for feare of
his indignation, than readie to giue him all the interteinement that
they could deuise for the kéeping of his fauour: the lacke whereof they
knew stood with the hazard of their safetie, as the contrarie tended to
their welfare.
[Sidenote: The strong towne of Meaux besieged by the Englishmen.]
Shortlie after, considering with himselfe that the towne of Meaux in
Brie, being replenished with enimies, was not to be suffered to remaine
in that state, in the middes of his new gotten subiects; he determined
to take awaie the open scruple that might poison and infect the
members, dwelling hard by: wherefore with a great number of earles and
barons in his companie, he came to besiege it. This towne was no lesse
well vittelled than manned, and no better manned than fortified; so
that the king could neither haue it to him deliuered at his pleasure,
nor gaine it by assault, without the great losse of his people: yet
neuerthelesse, he determined not to depart till he had got it by one
meane or other. The riuer of Marne diuided this towne into two parts,
so that there was no enterie from the one into the other, but by a
bridge, raised vp, and made ouer the riuer, susteined with manie
arches. The one part is called the citie, and the other la March being
the strongest and best fortified. The king first lodged a mile off in a
castell, and sent the duke of Excester to begin the siege, which he did
according to his instructions, vpon the sixt of October.
[Sidenote: A parlement called by the duke of Bedford, the king being in
France.]
Shortlie after, the king himselfe came, and lodged in the abbeie of
Pharon, the duke of Excester in the abbeie de Chage, the earle of March
at the greie friers, and the earle of Warwike directlie against that
part that is called la March. They within defended themselues right
valiantlie, so that the Englishmen were not all at their ease, but
specialie through lacke of vittels manie died, and manie fell sicke, by
reason whereof, no small number returned home into England; wherein the
meane time, on the first of December, a parlement was called and holden
at Westminster, by the duke of Bedford, gouernour of the realme in the
kings absence. ¶ In this parlement, a fiftéenth was granted to the king
towards the maintenance of the warres, the one moitie to be paid at
Candlemasse, and the other at Martinmasse, of such monie as at the time
of the grant was currant.
[Sidenote: Windsore. The birth of king Henrie the sixt.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie prophesieth of his sonne.]
This yeare at Windsore on the daie of saint Nicholas in December, the
quéene was deliuered of a sonne named Henrie, whose godfathers were
Iohn duke of Bedford, and Henrie bishop of Winchester, and Iaquet, or
(as the Frenchmen called hir) Iaqueline of Bauier, countesse of Holland
was his godmother. The king being certified hereof as he laie at siege
before Meaux, gaue God thanks, in that it had pleased his diuine
prouideuce to send him a sonne, which might succéed in his crowne and
scepter. But when he heard reported the place of his natiuitie; were
it that he warned by some prophesie, or had some foreknowledge, or
else iudged himselfe of his sonnes fortune, he said vnto the lord Fitz
Hugh his trustie chamberleine these words; "My lord, I Henrie borne
at Monmouth, shall small time reigne, & much get; and Henrie borne at
Windsore, shall long reigne, and all loose: but as God will, so be it."
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: 1422]
The king held his Christmasse at the siege before Meaux, for he would
not giue ouer that siege, although his armie was greatlie diminished,
by reason of lacke of vittels, extreame cold, foule weather, and other
discommodities that bred great store of diseases and sickenesse among
his people; notwithstanding, all the helps and means that might be,
he deuised to remedie the same: so that beside such as died, as well
of sickenesse as by the enimies hand, manie returned home into their
countries. But yet he ceassed not to continue the siege, beating the
walles with his ordinance, and casting downe bulworkes and rampiers
on ech side the towne, made approches as well by water as land, with
mightie engines deuised of boords to defend the Englishmen, as they
approched the walles, and gaue assaults. The walles also were in
diuerse places vndermined.
After this, the Englishmen found meanes, by bridges made of boats, to
passe the riuer; but yet the souldiers and other within defended their
rampiers and breaches most stoutlie, and with guns and quarrels still
shot at the Englishmen, of whome they slue manie; and among other the
earle of Worcester was slaine, with a bullet of the great artillerie,
& the lord Clifford with a quarrell of a crossebow; yet the Englishmen
still wan ground, and got néerer and néerer to the walles. They also
woone the chiefest part of a bridge from the enimies, and kept watch
and ward vpon and about the same. The earle of Warwike had also taken a
Vaumure from them of the market place, built on the southside thereof,
able to receiue and lodge a good number of men, which seruing to good
purpose, for the better brideling of them within, he caused to be kept,
and thus were they within Meaux sore oppressed on euerie side.
[Sidenote: Meaux taken by assault.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 10.]
[Sidenote: Quéene Katharine saileth into France.]
Herevpon in Februarie, the capteins doubting least the citie could
not be defended long, caused all the vittels and goods to be conueied
into the market place, and retired all the men of warre into the same,
leauing none in the other part of the citie, but the commons, and such
as were not able to doo any auaileable seruice in the warre. The king
aduertised hereof commanded in all hast to assault the citie, which
was quicklie doone; so that the citie by fine force was within thrée
houres taken and spoiled; and the same daie the market place besieged
round about, and a mill woone adioining vnto the same. In Aprill, the
quéene passed ouer into France, with a faire retinue of men, vnder the
conduct of the duke of Bedford, the duke of Glocester remaining lord
gouernour of the realme in his place. At hir comming thither, she was
so welcommed and honorablie receiued, first of hir husband, and after
of hir father and mother, that she appeared to be no lesse loued of hir
noble husband, than of hir déere and naturall parents.
[Sidenote: Oliuer Mannie.]
Whilest the siege still continued before Meaux, Oliuer Mannie a valiant
man of warre of the Dolphins part (which before was capteine of Faleis,
and yéelding it, sware neuer to beare armour against the king of
England) assembled a great number of men of warre, as well Britaines as
Frenchmen, that is to saie, the lord Monthorchier, the lord of Coinon,
the lord of Chatelgiron, the lord Tintignace, the lord de la Howssaie,
and diuerse other, which entered into the countrie of Constantine in
Normandie, and robbed and killed the Englishmen, where they might
either espie or take them at their due aduantage. But the earle of
Suffolke kéeper of the marches, hearing of their dooings, sent for the
lord Scales, sir Iohn Aston bailiffe of Constantine, sir William Hall,
sir Iohn Banaster, and many other, out of the garrisons within that
territorie, the which incountred with their enimies at a place called
Le parke leuesque, in English, The bishops parke.
[Sidenote: A sore conflict.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
There was a sore fight and a long betwixt them, but finallie the
Frenchmen were put to flight, so that in the conflict and chace were
slaine, the lord of Coinon, the lord of Chatellgiron, and thrée hundred
other: and there were taken prisoners, the lord de la Howssaie, and sir
Oliuer Mannie, with thréescore others. The king pardoned sir Oliuer
Mannie his life, though he ill deserued so great a benefit, for that
he had broken his oth and promise, but he was sent into England, there
to learne to speake English, and so being brought to London, shortlie
after died, being as then a verie aged man, & was buried in the white
friers. ¶ But here note (by the waie) the roiall hart of this king, who
as he tempered all his actions with singular circumspection; so with a
pitifull mind he pondered the miserie of his enimies; so that when he
might (Iure belli, by the law of armes) haue spoiled them of goods and
life, he diuerse times spared both; with clemencie c[=o]monlie making
conquest of them, who séemed by open hostilitie scarse conquerable.
The king lieng still before the market place at Meaux in Brie (as ye
haue heard) sore beat the wals with his ordinance, and cast downe
bulworkes and rampiers on euerie side the towne, so that he had made an
open breach for his people to enter. Wherof the lord of Offemont being
aduertised, with a companie of chosen persons sent by the Dolphin,
assaied in the night season to enter the towne, to the succours of
them within. But though diuerse of his people got ouer the walles, by
helpe of ladders which they had set vp; yet such was his chance, that
as he passed a planke, to haue come to the walles, he fell into a déepe
ditch; and in the meane time, the Englishmen perceiuing by the noise
what the matter meant, came running to the ditch, tooke the lord of
Offemont, and slue diuerse of his companie that stood in defense.
[Sidenote: _Continuation de la chronicles de Flanders._]
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: The conditions of the surrender of Meaux into the kings
hands.]
The capteins within, perceiuing in what case they stood, by reason
their succours were thus intercepted, and doubting to be taken by
assault, for that they wanted munition and weapon, began to treat
with the king of England, who appointed the earle of Warwike, and the
lord Hungerford, to commune with them; and in conclusion an accord
was taken, and so the towne and market place with all the goods were
deliuered into the king of Englands hands, the tenth daie of Maie, in
the yeare 1422. The appointment taken with them of this towne was this,
that they should yéeld themselues simplie vnto the kings pleasure,
their liues onlie saued: and herevpon manie of them were sent ouer into
England, amongst whome was the bishop of that towne, which shortlie
after his arriuall here fell sicke and died.
There were also foure persons excepted, against whome the king might
by order of law and iustice procéed as he saw cause, for their faults
and trespasses committed. As first, the capteine of the towne, named
the bastard of Vaureu, the which had doone manie gréeuous oppressions
to the people of the countrie thereabouts, in spoiling them of their
goods and ransoming them at his pleasure. He had also put diuerse to
death most cruellie, when they were not able to paie such finance and
ransomes as he demanded. Wherevpon, being now put to death himselfe,
his bodie was hanged vpon a trée that stood on an hill without the
towne, on the which he had caused both husbandmen and townesmen, with
other prisoners, to be hanged before time. His standard also, which was
woont to be borne before him in battell, was set vp in the same trée.
The bailiife also of the towne, and two of the chéefest burgesses that
had béene of counsell with him in his vnlawfull dooings, were likewise
executed. Also beside these, there were found in this towne diuerse
that were accused to be guiltie of the duke of Burgognies death,
wherefore they were put to their triall, in the parlement at Paris, and
some of them being found guiltie, were executed.
[Sidenote: The roiall port of the K. of England.]
When the deliuerie of the strong towne of Meaux was published thorough
out the countrie, all the townes and fortresses in the Ile of France,
in Lannois, in Brie, & in Champaigne, yéelded themselues to the king
of England, which appointed in the same valiant capteins, and hardie
soldiers. After that he had thus got possession of Meaux, and the
other fortresses, he returned againe to Bois de Vincennes, and being
there receiued of the king and quéene of France, and of the quéene his
wife the thirtith daie of Maie, being Whitsun éeuen, they remooued all
togither vnto Paris, where the king of England lodged in the castell of
Loure, and the French king in the house of saint Paule. These two kings
kept great estate with their quéenes, at this high feast of Pentecost,
but the king of Englands court greatlie excéeded, so that all the
resort was thither. The Parisiens that beheld his princelie port & high
magnificence, iudged him rather an emperour then a king, and their
owne king to be in respect of him like a duke or marquesse.
[Sidenote: Cosneie besieged by the Dolphin.]
[Sidenote: The king falleth sicke.]
[Sidenote: Cosneie rescued by the duke of Bedford.]
The Dolphin hauing knowledge by espials where the king of England and
his power laie, came with all his puissance ouer the riuer of Loire,
and besieged Cosneie, a towne situate vpon that riuer, a six score
miles distant from Paris, and appointed part of his armie to waste
and destroie the confines of the duchie of Burgognie, to the intent
to diuide the power of the king of England, from the strength of the
duke of Burgognie, supposing (as it came to passe indéed) that the duke
would make hast towards Burgognie, to defend his owne lands. In the
meane time they within Cosneie were so hard handled, that they promised
to render their towne to the Dolphin, if they were not rescued by the
king of England within ten daies. King Henrie hearing these newes
would not send anie one creature, but determined to go himselfe to the
raising of that siege, and so with all diligence came to the towne
of Corbeill, and so to Senlis, where (whether it were with heat of
the aire, or that he with his dailie labour were féebled or weakened)
he began to wax sicke, yea and so sicke, that he was constreined to
tarrie, and send his brother the duke of Bedford to rescue them of
Cosneie, which he did to his high honor. For the Dolphin hearing that
the duke of Bedford was comming to raise his siege departed thence into
Berrie, to his great dishonor, and lesse gaine.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Britaine sendeth ambassadors to the K. of
England.]
[Sidenote: The king of England is brought sicke to Bois de Vincennes.]
About the same time, the duke of Britaine sent his echancellor
the bishop of Maunts, with the bishop of Vannes, and others of
his councell, as ambassadors from him vnto king Henrie, with full
commission, to ratifie and allow for him and his people the peace
concluded at Troies: but by reason of the kings gréeuous sicknesse,
nothing was then doone in that matter. Neuerthelesse, the duke himselfe
in person came afterwards to Amiens, and there performed that which he
had appointed his ambassadors at this time, in his name, to haue doone
and accomplished. In the meane season, king Henrie waxed sicker and
sicker, and so in an horsselitter was conueied to Bois de Vincennes, to
whome shortlie after repaired the dukes of Bedford and Glocester, & the
earles of Salisburie and Warwike, whome the king louinglie welcomed,
and séemed glad of their presence.
[Sidenote: His aduise vpon his death bed.]
Now, when he saw them pensife for his sicknesse, and great danger
of life wherein he presentlie laie, he with manie graue, courteous,
and pithie words, recomforted them the best he could, and therewith
exhorted them to be trustie and faithfull vnto his sonne, and to sée
that he might be well and vertuouslie brought vp. And as concerning
the rule and gouernance of his realms, during the minoritie and yoong
yeares of his said sonne, he willed them to ioine togither in fréendlie
loue and concord, kéeping continuall peace and amitie with the duke of
Burgognie, and neuer to make treatie with Charles that called himselfe
Dolphin of Vienne, by the which anie part either of the crowne of
France, or of the duches of Normandie and Guien may be lessened or
diminished; and further, that the duke of Orleance, and the other
princes should still remaine prisoners, till his sonne came to lawfull
age, least returning home againe, they might kindle more fire in one
daie than might be quenched in thrée.
[Sidenote: _Titus Liuius._]
[Sidenote: Chéeflie Chichelie archb. of Cantur. for dashing the bill
against the cleargie, as appeares before, pag. 65.]
He further aduised them, that if they thought it necessarie, that it
should be good to haue his brother Humfreie duke of Glocester to be
protector of England, during the nonage of his sonne, and his brother
the duke of Bedford, with the helpe of the duke of Burgognie to
rule and to be regent of France, eommanding him with fire and sword
to persecute the Dolphin, till he had either brought him to reason
and obeisance, or else to driue and expell him out of the realme of
France. And herewith he protested vnto them, that neither the ambitious
desire to inlarge his dominions, neither to purchase vaine renowme and
worldlie fame, nor anie other consideration had mooued him to take the
warres in hand; but onelie that in prosecuting his iust title, he might
in the end atteine to a perfect peace, and come to enioie those péeces
of his inheritance, which to him of right belonged: and that before
the beginning of the same warres, he was fullie persuaded by men both
wise and of great holinesse of life, that vpon such intent he might and
ought both begin the same warres, and follow them, till he had brought
them to an end iustlie and rightlie, and that without all danger of
Gods displeasure or perill of soule.
[Sidenote: He departed this life the last of August 1422.]
[Sidenote: The comm[=e]dation of king Henrie the fift as is expressed
by maist.]
[Sidenote: _Hall._]