parlement, that it might be granted to him, to haue euerie yeare in
which he held no parlement a tenth of the cleargie, [Sidenote: A long
parlement.] and a fifteenth of the laitie; but the estates would not
agrée therevnto, by reason whereof, [Sidenote: A fiftéenth granted.] the
parlement continued till almost the middle of Maie. At length they
granted to giue him a fiftéenth, [Sidenote: Earle of Surrie deceasseth.]
not without murmuring and grudging of the commonaltie. About this season
died the lord Thomas Beauford earle of Surrie. The eleuenth of April or
therabouts, the towne of saint Omers was burnt by casuall fire togither
with the abbeie, [Sidenote: Preparation made to win Calis. _Thom.
Walsi._] in which towne was such strange and maruellous prouision of
engines, and all manner of furniture and preparation for the winning of
Calis, as the like had neuer béene séene nor heard of. Some write, that
they of Calis standing in doubt of such purueiance, & great preparation
deuised to annoie them, procured a yoong man to kindle a fire, whereby
all that dreadfull prouision was consumed to ashes, and so they within
Calis deliuered of a great great deale of care and feare which they had
thereof.
¶ But Tho. Walsingham maketh a full & complet declaration, both
concerning the dukes deuise, & also of the Calesians deliuerance from
the danger of the same; which because it perfecteth the report of this
present matter, [Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Thom. Wals._ _Hypod._ pag.
175.] I haue thought good to set downe word for word as I find it in his
Hypodigme. About the ninth of April (saith he) the towne of saint
Andomaire was burned with the abbeie, wherein was hidden and laid vp the
execrable prouision of the duke of Burgognie, who had vowed either to
destroie the towne of Calis, [Sidenote: The engines of the duke of
Burgognie against Calis that shot out barrels of poison.] or else to
subdue it to the will and pleasure of the French. There a great manie
engines to this daie no where seene, there an excéeding sort of vessels
conteining poison in them were kept in store, which he had aforehand
prouided to cast out to the destruction of the said towne. For he had
gathered togither serpents, scorpions, todes, and other kinds of
venemous things, which he had closed and shut vp in little barrels, that
when the flesh or substance of those noisome creatures was rotten, and
dissolued into filthie matter, he might laie siege to Calis, and cast
the said barrels let out of engines into the towne; which with the
violence of the throw being dasht in péeces, might choke them that were
within, poison the harnessed men touched therewith, & with their
scattered venem infect all the stréets, lanes, & passages of the towne.
In the meane time, a certeine yoong man allured with couetousnesse of
gold, or lead with affection and loue towards the kings towne, asked of
the gouernours what reward he should deserue, that would discharge and
set frée the towne from so great a feare, and would burne all the
prouision which they suspected. Herevpon they leuied a summe of that
yellow metall (namelie gold) wherewith the yoong man contented, went his
waie, and with fire readie made for the purpose, did not onelie burne
the said venemous matter and infected stuffe, but also togither with the
monasterie almost the whole towne.
[Sidenote: Sir Robert Umfreuill viceadmerall.] [Sidenote: _Harding._]
[Sidenote: His exploit in Scotland.] Moreouer this yeare sir Robert
Umfreuill vice-admeral of England, annoied the countries on the sea
coasts of Scotland: for comming into the Forth with ten ships of warre,
and lieng there fourtéene daies togither, he landed euerie daie on the
one side of the riuer or the other, taking preies, spoiles & prisoners;
notwithstanding the duke of Albanie, and the earle Dowglas were readie
there, with a great power to resist him: he burnt the galliot of
Scotland (being a ship of great account) with manie other vessels lieng
the same time at the Blackenesh ouer against Lieth. At his returne from
thence, he brought with him fourtéene good ships, and manie other great
prises of cloathes, both woollen, and linnen, pitch, tarre, woad,
flower, meale, wheat and rie, [Sidenote: His surname Robert Mendmarket.]
which being sold abroad, the markets were well holpen thereby, so that
his surname of Robert Mendmarket séemed verie well to agrée with his
qualities, which name he got by this occasion.
About foure years before this, he burnt the towne of Peples on the
market daie, causing his men to meat the cloathes which they got there
with their bowes, [Sidenote: By what occasion he came by that surname.]
& so to sell them awaie, wherevpon the Scots named him Robert
Mendmarket. Shortlie after his returne from the sea now in this eleuenth
yeare of king Henries reigne, he made a road into Scotland by land,
[Sidenote: The earle of Angus Umfreuill cõmonlie called erle of Kime.]
hauing with him his nephue yoong Gilbert Umfreuill earle of Angus
(commonlie called earle of Kime) being then but fourtéene yeares of age,
and this was the first time that the said earle spread his banner. They
burnt at that time Iedwoorth, and the most part of Tiuidale. [Sidenote:
1411.] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 12.] [Sidenote: A great death by the flix.]
This yeare there died of the bloudie flix in the citie of Burdeaux
fourtéene thousand persons, and so sore raged that disease in Gascoigne
and Guien, that there wanted people to dresse their vines, and presse
their grapes. [Sidenote: John Prendergest and William Long.] Iohn
Prendergest knight, & William Long scowred the seas, as no pirat durst
appeare, but that merchants & passengers might passe to & fro in
safetie. But yet through disdaine of some that enuied their good
successe, the same Prendergest and Long were accused of robberies which
they should practise, in spoling such ships as they met with, of diuerse
things against the owners wils. Prendergest was driuen to take
sanctuarie at Westminster, and could not be suffered to lodge in anie
mans house for feare of the kings displeasure, commanding, that none
should receiue him, and so was constreined to set vp a tent within the
porch of saint Peters church there, and to haue his seruants to watch
nightlie about him for doubt to be murthered of his aduersaries: but his
associat William Long laie still at the sea, till the lord admerall
hauing prepared certeine vessels went to the sea himselfe in person to
fetch him: but yet he could not catch him vntill he had promised him
pardon, [Sidenote: Long committed to the Tower.] and vndertaken vpon his
fidelitie that he should haue no harme: but notwithstanding all
promises, [Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie not suffred to visit
the vniuersitie of Oxenford.] vpon his comming in he was shut vp fast in
the Tower, and so for a time remained in durance. The archbishop of
Canturburie minding in this season to visit the vniuersitie of Oxenford,
could not be suffered, in consideration of priuileges which they
pretended to haue.
[Sidenote: 1412.] The realme of France in this meane while was
disquieted, [Sidenote: France disquieted with two factions.] with the
two factions of Burgognie and Orleance, in most miserable wise, as in
the French histories it maie further appeare. Neither could the king,
being a lunatike person, and féeble of braine, take any full order for
reforming of such mischéefs, so that the whole state of the kingdome was
maruellouslie brought in decaie: [Sidenote: The duke of Orleance
murthered.] neither tooke those troubles end by the death of the duke of
Orleance (murthered at length through the practise of the duke of
Burgognie) but rather more perilouslie increased. For the yoong duke of
Orleance Charles, sonne to duke Lewes thus murthered, alied himselfe
with the dukes of Berrie and Burbon, and with the earles of Alanson &
Arminacke, whereby he was so stronglie banded against the duke of
Burgognie, whome he defied as his mortall fo and enimie, that the duke
of Burgognie fearing the sequele of the matter, thought good (because
there was a motion of mariage betwixt the prince of Wales & his
daughter) to require aid of king Henrie, who foreséeing that this ciuill
discord in France (as it after hapned) might turne his realme to honor
and profit, sent to the duke of Burgognie, [Sidenote: The earles of
Arundell and Angus with others sent to aid the duke of Burgognie.]
Thomas earle of Arundell, Gilbert Umfreuill earle of Angus (commonlie
called the earle of Kime) sir Robert Umfreuill, vncle to the same
Gilbert, sir Iohn Oldcastell lord Cobham, sir Iohn Greie, and William
Porter, with twelue hundred archers.
They tooke shipping at Douer, & landed at Sluis, from whence with
speedie iournies in the latter end of this twelfth yeare of king Henries
reigne they came to Arras, where they found the duke of Burgognie, of
whom they were ioifullie receiued, & from thence he appointed them to go
vnto Peron, where he assembled a power also of his owne subiects, and
remoouing from thence, he marched through the countrie, by Roie,
Bretueill, Beauois, and Gisors, till he came with his armie vnto
Pontois, where he remained about the space of thrée wéeks. [Sidenote:
An. Reg. 13.] From Pontois the two and twentith of October, the duke of
Burgognie marched towards Paris, and passing the riuer of Saine at Pont
Meulene, he staid not till he came to Paris, into the which he entred
the 23 of October, late in the euening. The duke of Orleance laie at the
same time at saint Denis, with the more part of his armie, & the residue
kept the towne of S. Clou, where a bridge laie ouer the riuer of Saine.
On the 9 of Nouember, [Sidenote: Saint Clou taken by the helpe of the
Englishmen.] with hard & sharpe fight the Englishmen gat the towne of
saint Clou, with the bridge, slue & drowned nine hundred souldiors that
were set there to defend that passage, besides 400 that were taken
prisoners. They tooke also aboue 12 hundred horsses, which they found in
the towne, with great riches, whereof the men of warre made their
profit.
[Sidenote: Sir Manserd de Bos put to death.] Among other prisoners, sir
Manserd de Bos a valiant capteine was taken, and shortlie after put to
death, as diuerse other were which the Burgognians bought of the
Englishmen that had taken them prisoners. The tower that stood at the
end of the bridge could not be woon. [Sidenote: _Harding._] At an other
bickering also, it chanced that the Englishmen, vnder the leading of the
earle of Angus or Kime, had the vpper hand, and tooke manie prisoners,
whom the duke of Burgognie would that they should haue béene likewise
put to death as traitors to their countrie, but the said earle of Angus
answered for himselfe, and the residue of the Englishmen, that they
would rather die all in the place, than suffer their prisoners to be
vsed otherwise than as men of war ought to be, that is, to haue their
liues saued, and to be ransomed according as the law of armes required,
and by that meanes they were preserued. The duke of Burgognie hauing the
world at will (for the duke of Orleance immediatlie after the losse of
saint Clou, departing from saint Denis, got him into the high countries)
sent home the Englishmen with hartie thanks, and great rewards.
[Sidenote: _Recor. Turris._ Creations of noblemen.] This yeare, the king
created his brother Thomas Beauford earle of Dorset; [Sidenote: _Hall._]
and his sonne the lord Thomas of Lancaster, that was lord steward of
England, and earle of Aubemarle, he created duke of Clarence. Iohn duke
of Burgognie, [Sidenote: The Orleantiall factiõ sueth to the K. of
England for aid.] hauing now the gouernance both of the French king and
his relme, so persecuted the duke of Orleance and his complices, that
finallie they for their last refuge required aid of king Henrie, sending
ouer vnto him certeine persons as their lawfull procurators (of the
which one was called Albert Aubemont, a man of great wit, learning, &
audacitie) to offer in name of the confederates vnto the said king
Henrie and to his sonnes, certeine conditions, [Sidenote: The
confederates of the Orleantiall faction.] which were made and concluded
the yeare of our lord 1412, the eight of Maie. The names of the chiefe
confederats were these, Iohn duke of Berrie and earle of Poictou,
Charles duke of Orleance, and Valois erle of Blois, and Beaumont lord of
Coucie and Ach, Iohn duke of Bourbon, and Auuergne earle of Clearmont
forest, and Lisle lord of Beaulieu, and Casteau Chinon, Iohn duke of
Alanson, Barnard earle of Arminacke, and others. The effect of the
articles which these confederats were agréed vpon touching their offer
to the king of England, were as followeth.
The articles of couenants which they offered to the king of England.
1 First, they offered their bodies, finances, and lands, to serue the
king of England, his heires, and successors, in all iust causes and
actions, sauing alwaies their allegiance, knowing that he would not
further inquire of them.
2 Secondlie, they offered their sonnes and daughters, néeces and
nephues, and all other their kinsfolks to be bestowed in marriages
accordingly to the pleasure of the king of England.
3 Thirdlie, they offered their castels, townes, treasures, & all their
other goods, to serue the forsaid king.
4 Fourthlie, they offered their fréends, alies, and well-willers to
serue him, being the most part of all the nobles of France, churchmen,
clearkes, and honest citizens, as it should well appeare.
5 Fiftlie, they offered to put him in possession of the duchie of Guien,
which they were readie to protest to belong vnto the king of England, in
like and semblable wise, in libertie and franchises, as any other king
of England his predecessor had held and inioied the same.
6 Sixtlie, that they would be readie to recognise the lands which they
possessed within that duchie, to hold the same of the king of England,
as of the verie true duke of Guien, promising all seruices and homages
after the best maner that might be.
7 Seuenthlie, they promised to deliuer vnto the king, as much as laie in
them, all townes and castels appertaining to the roialtie and seigniorie
of the king of England, which are in number twentie townes and castels:
and as to the regard of other townes & fortresses which were not in
their hands, they would to the vttermost of their powers, helpe the king
of England and his heires to win them out of his aduersaries hands.
8 Eightlie, that the duke of Berrie, as vassall to the king of England;
and likewise the duke of Orleance his subiect and vassall, should hold
of him by homage and fealtie, the lands and seigniories hereafter
following, that is to saie; the duke of Berrie to hold onelie the
countie of Ponthieu during his life, and the duke of Orleance to hold
the countie of Angulesme during his life, and the countie of Perigourt
for euer, and the earle of Arminacke to hold foure castels vpon certeine
suerties and conditions, as by indenture should be appointed. For the
which offers, couenants and agreements, they requested of the king of
England to condescend vnto these conditions insuing.
The conditions which they requested of the king of England.
1 First, that the king of England, as duke of Guien should defend and
succor them as he ought to doo, against all men, as their verie lord and
souereigne, and speciallie vntill they had executed iustice fullie vpon
the duke of Burgognie, for the crime which he committed vpon the person
of the duke of Orleance.
2 Secondlie, that he should assist them against the said duke of
Burgognie and his fautors; to recouer againe their goods, which by
occasion of the said duke and his fréends they had lost and béene
depriued of.
3 Thirdlie, that he should likewise aid them in all iust quarels, for
recouering of damages doone to their fréends, vassals and subiects.
4 Fourthlie, to helpe and assist them for the concluding and
establishing of a firme peace betwixt both the realmes, so far as was
possible. ¶ And further they besought the king of England to send vnto
them eight thousand men, to aid them against the duke of Burgognie and
his complices, which dailie procured the French king to make war vpon
them séeking by all waies & meanes how to destroie them.
The king of England louinglie interteined the messengers, and vpon
consideration had of their offers, as well for that he detested the
shamefull murther of the duke of Orleance (which remained vnpunished by
support of such as mainteined the duke of Burgognie, who (as it
appeared) would keepe promise no longer than serued his owne turne) as
also for that the same offers seemed to make greatlie both for his honor
and profit, thought that by the office of a king he was bound in dutie
to succour them that cried for iustice, and could not haue it; and
namelie sith in right they were his subiects and vassals, [Sidenote: The
king of England taketh vpõ him to defend the Orleantiall faction.] he
ought to defend them in maintenance of his superioritie and seigniorie.
Herevpon as duke of Guien, he tooke vpon him to succor and defend them
against all men, as their verie lord and souereigne, and so sending
awaie the messengers, promised to send them aid verie shortlie.
This feat was not so secretlie wrought, but that it was knowne
streightwaies in France. [Sidenote: The earle of saint Paule assaulteth
the castell of Guisnes.] Wherefore the French kings councell sent the
earle of saint Paule downe into Picardie, with fiftéene hundred
horssemen, and a great number of footmen, who approching to Guisnes,
attempted to assault the castell, but was repelled and beaten backe,
[Sidenote: His fortune against Englishmen.] so that he retired to the
towne of saint Quintines, as one that neuer wan gaine at the Englishmens
hands, but euer departed from them with losse and dishonor. In this
meane season the French king being led by the duke of Burgognie, pursued
them that tooke part with the duke of Orleance, commonlie called
Arminacks, and after the winning of diuerse townes he besieged the citie
of Burges in Berrie, comming before it vpon saturdaie the eleuenth of
Iune, with a right huge armie. Within this citie were the dukes of
Berrie and Burbon, the earle of Auxerre, the lord Dalbret, the
archbishops of Sens and Burges, the bishops of Paris and Chartres,
hauing with them fifteene hundred armed men, and foure hundred archers
and arcubalisters.
There were with the king at this siege, his sonne the duke of Aquitane,
otherwise called the Dolphin, the dukes of Burgognie and Bar, and a
great number of other earles, lords, knights, and gentlemen; so that the
citie was besieged euen till within the Faux burges of that side towards
Dun le Roie. The siege continued, till at length through mediation of
Philibert de Lignac, lord great maister of the Rhodes, and the marshall
of Sauoie, that were both in the kings campe, trauelling betwixt the
parties, there were appointed commissioners on both sides to treat for
peace, to wit the master of the crosbowes, and the seneshall of Heinalt,
and certeine other for the king; and the archbishop of Burges,
[Sidenote: A peace concluded betwixt the two factions of Burgognie &
Orleance.] with the lord of Gaucourt & others for the Orlientiall side.
These cõming togither on a fridaie, the fifteenth of Iulie in the
Dolphins tent, vsed the matter with such discretion, that they concluded
a peace, & so on the wednesdaie next following, the campe brake vp, &
the king returned.
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales accused to his father.] Whilest these
things were a dooing in France, the lord Henrie prince of Wales,
[Sidenote: _Iohn Stow._] eldest sonne to king Henrie, got knowledge that
certeine of his fathers seruants were busie to giue informations against
him whereby discord might arise betwixt him and his father: for they put
into the kings head, not onelie what euill rule (according to the course
of youth) the prince kept to the offense of manie: but also what great
resort of people came to his house, [Sidenote: The suspicious gelousie
of the king toward his son.] so that the court was nothing furnished
with such a traine as dailie followed the prince. These tales brought no
small suspicion into the kings head, least his sonne would presume to
vsurpe the crowne, he being yet aliue, through which suspicious
gelousie, it was perceiued that he fauoured not his sonne, as in times
past he had doone.
The Prince sore offended with such persons, as by slanderous reports,
sought not onelie to spot his good name abrode in the realme, but to
sowe discord also betwixt him and his father, wrote his letters into
euerie part of the realme, to reprooue all such slanderous deuises of
those that sought his discredit. And to cleare himselfe the better, that
the world might vnderstand what wrong he had to be slandered in such
wise: [Sidenote: The prince goeth to the court with a great traine.]
about the feast of Peter and Paule, to wit, the nine and twentith daie
of Iune, he came to the court with such a number of noble men and other
his freends that wished him well, [Sidenote: His strange apparell.] as
the like traine had béene sildome seene repairing to the court at any
one time in those daies. He was apparelled in a gowne of blew satten,
full of small oilet holes, at euerie hole the néedle hanging by a silke
thred with which it was sewed. About his arme he ware an hounds collar
set full of S S of gold, and the tirets likewise being of the same
metall.
The court was then at Westminster, where he being entred into the hall,
not one of his companie durst once aduance himselfe further than the
fire in the same hall, notwithstanding they were earnestlie requested by
the lords to come higher: but they regarding what they had in
commandement of the prince, would not presume to doo in any thing
contrarie there vnto. He himself onelie accompanied with those of the
kings house, was streight admitted to the presence of the king his
father, who being at that time gréeuouslie diseased, [Sidenote: The
prince cõmeth to the kings pres[=e]ce.] yet caused himselfe in his chaire
to be borne into his priuie chamber, where in the presence of thrée or
foure persons, in whome he had most confidence, he commanded the prince
to shew what he had to saie concerning the cause of his comming.
[Sidenote: His words to his father.] The prince knéeling downe before
his father said: "Most redoubted and souereigne lord and father, I am at
this time come to your presence as your liege man, and as your naturall
sonne, in all things to be at your commandement. And where I vnderstand
you haue in suspicion my demeanour against your grace, you know verie
well, that if I knew any man within this realme, of whome you should
stand in feare, my duetie were to punish that person, thereby to remooue
that greefe from your heart. Then how much more ought I to suffer death,
to ease your grace of that gréefe which you haue of me, being your
naturall sonne and liege man: and to that end I haue this daie made my
selfe readie by confession and receiuing of the sacrament. And therefore
I beseech you most redoubted lord and deare father, for the honour of
God, to ease your heart of all such suspicion as you haue of me, and to
dispatch me héere before your knees, with this same dagger" [and withall
he deliuered vnto the king his dagger, in all humble reuerence; adding
further, that his life was not so deare to him, that he wished to liue
one daie with his displeasure] "and therefore in thus ridding me out of
life, and your selfe from all suspicion, here in presence of these
lords, and before God at the daie of the generall iudgement, I
faithfullie protest clearlie to forgiue you."