The Boke of Noblesse, compiled to the most hyghe and myghety prince Kynge Edward the iiijthefor the avauncyng and preferryng the comyn publique of the Royaumes of England and of Fraunce.First, in the worship of the holy Trinite, bring to mynde to calle, in the begynnyng of every good work, for grace. And sithe this litille epistle is wrote and entitled to courage and comfort noble men in armes to be in perpetuite of remembraunce for here noble dedis, as right convenient is soo to bee. And as it is specified by auctorite of the noble cenatoure of Rome Kayus son, in these termes foloweng: "Hoc igitur summum est nobilitatis genus, posse majorum suorum egregia facta dicere, posse eorum beneficiis petere honores publicos, posse gloriam rei publicæ hereditario quodam jure vendicare, posse insuper sese eorum partes vocare, et clarissimas in suis vultibus ymagines ostendere. Quos enim appellat vulgus nisi quod nobilissimi parentes genuere."De remedio casus Reipublicæ.Here folowethe the evident Examples and the Resons of comfort for a reformacion to be had uppon the piteous complaintes and dolorous lamentacions made for the right grete outragious and mostgrevous losse of the Royaume of Fraunce, Ducheeȝ of Normandie, of Gascoyne, and Guyen, and also the noble Counte of Mayne and the Erledom of Pontife. And for relevyng and geting ayen the said Reaume, dukedoms, [and earldoms,] undre correccion of amendement ben shewed the exortacions and mocions, be auctorite, exampleAnglorum nacio originem sumpsit ex nacione Trojanorum.Nota jo. quod lingua Britonum adhuc usitatur in Wallia et Cornibea, que lingua vocabatur corrupta Greca.of actis in armes, bothe by experience and otherwise purposid, meoved and declarid, to corage and comfort the hertis of [the] Englisshe nacion, havyng theire first originalle of the nacion of the noble auncient bloode of Troy more than Ml. yere before the birthe of Crist; in token and profe wherof the auncient langage of the Brutes bloode at this day remayneth[84]bothe in the Princedome of Walis and in the auncient provynce and Dukedom of Cornewale, whiche was at tho daies called corrupt Greke.ijo. lingua Saxonum alias lingua Germanorum.Dux Cerdicius applicuit in Britania tempore Regis Arthuri, et sic per favorem regis inhabitavit, et . . ex natione Grecorum.And next after the mighty Saxons' bloode, otherwise called a provynce in Germayne, that the vaileaunt Duke Cerdicius arrived in this reaume, with whom[85]Arthur, king of the Breton bloode, made mighty werre, and suffred hym to inhabit here. And the Saxons, as it is writen in Berthilmew in his booke of Propreteis, also were decendid of the nacion of Grekis.iijo. Lingua Danorum ex nacione Grecorum. Rex Danorum Knott conquestum fecit.And next after came the feers manly Danysh nacion, also of Grekis bene descendid, that the gret justicer king Knowt this land subdued and the Saxons' bloode.And sithen the noble Normannes, also of the Danys nacion, descendid be William Conquerour, of whome ye ben lyniallie descendid, subdued this lande.And, last of alle, the victorius bloode of Angevyns, by mariage of that puissaunt Erle Geffry Plantagenet, the son and heire of Fouke king of Jherusalem, be mariage of Dame Maude, Emperes, soule doughter and heire to the king of grete renoune, Henry the first of Inglond, and into this day lineally descendid in most prowes.And whiche said Englisshe nacion ben sore astonyed and dulledfor the repairing and wynnyng ayen, uppon a new conquest to be hadde for youre verray right and true title in the inheritaunce of the saide Reaume of Fraunce and the Duche of Normandie. Of whiche Duchie, we have in the yere of oure Lorde Ml.iiijcl., lost, as bethyn the space of xv monithes be put out wrongfullie, tho roughe subtile wirkingis conspired and wroughte be the Frenshe partie undre the umbre and coloure of trewis late taken betwyxt youre antecessoure king Harry the sext then named king, and youre grete adversarie of Fraunce Charles the vijthe.And where as the saide piteous complaintes [and] dolorous lamentacions of youre verray true obeisaunt subjectis for lesing of the said countreis may not be tendrid ne herde, [they] many daies have had but litille comfort, nether the anguisshes, troubles, and divisions here late before in this reaume be cyvyle batailes to be had, may not prevaile them to the repairing and wynnyng of any soche manere outrageous losses to this Reaume, whiche hathe thoroughe sodein and variable chaunces of unstedfast fortune so be revaled and overthrow; the tyme of relief and comfort wolde not be despendid ne occupied so: namely with theym whiche that have necessite of relief and socoure of a grettir avauntage and a more profitable remedie for theire avauncement to a new conquest: or by a good tretie of a finalle peace for the recovere of the same: but to folow the counceile of the noble cenatoure of Rome Boicius in the second prose of his first booke of consolacion seiengSed medicine(inquid)tempus est,quàm querele.Therfor, alle ye lovyng liege men, bothe youre noble alliaunces and frendis, levithe suche idille lamentacions, put away thoughte and gret pensifnes of suche lamentable passions and besinesse, and put ye hem to foryetefulnesse. And doo not away the recordacion of actis and dedis in armes of so many famous and victorious Kingis, Princes, Dukis, Erles, Barounes, and noble Knightis, as of fulle many other worshipfulle men haunting armes, whiche as verray trew martirs and blissid souls have taken theire last ende by werre;some woundid and taken prisonneres in so just a title and conquest uppon youre enheritaunce in Fraunce and Normandie, Gasquyn and Guyen; and also by the famous King and mighty Prince king Edward the thrid, first heriter to the said Royaume of Fraunce, and by Prince Edwarde his eldist son, and alle his noble bretherin, [who] pursued his title and righte be force of armes, as was of late tyme sithe the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxv. done, and made a new conquest in conquering bothe the saide Reaume of Fraunce and Duche of Normaundie by the Prince of blissid memorie king Harry the vthe. Also be the eide of tho thre noble prynces his bretherne and be other of his puissant Dukes and lordis, being lieutenauntȝ for the werre in that parties, as it is notorily knowen thoroughe alle Cristen nacyons, to the gret renomme and[86]worship of this Reaume.How every good man of [worshyp yn[87]] armes shulde in the werre be resembled to the condicion of a lion.And therfor, in conclusion, every man in hym silf let the passions of dolours be turned and empressid into vyfnes of here spiritis, of egre courages, of manlinesse and feersnesse, after the condicion of the lion resembled in condicions unto; for as ire, egrenesse, and feersnesse is holden for a vertu in the lion, so in like manere the said condicions is taken for a vertue and renomme of worship to alle tho that haunten armes: that so usithe to be egre, feers uppon his advers partie, and not to be lamentable and sorroufulle after a wrong shewed unto theym. And thus withe coragious hertis putting forthe theire prowes in dedis of armes, so that alle worshipfulle men, whiche oughte to be stedfast and holde togider, may be of one intencion, wille, and comon assent to vapour, sprede out, according to the flour delice, and avaunce hem forthe be feernesse of strenght and power to the verray effect and dede ayenst the untrew reproches of oure auncien adversaries halding uppon the Frenshe partie, whiche of late tyme by unjust dissimilacions, undre the umbreand coloure of trewis and abstinence of werre late hadde and sacred at the cite of Tairs the .xxviij. day of Maij, the yere of Crist of Ml.iiijcxliiijto. have by intrusion of soche subtile dissimilacion wonne uppon us bethyn v yeres next foloweng withyn the tyme of [the last[88]] trieux the said Reaume and duchees, so that in the meane tyme and sethe contynued forthe the saide trewes from yere to yere, to this land grete charge and cost, till they had conspired and wrought theire avauntage, as it approvethe dailie of experience. And under this they bring assailours uppon this lande and begynneris of the trewis breking.How the Frenshe partie began firste to offende and brake the Trewis.Tempore Regis H. vjth.First by taking of youre shippis and marchaundises upon the see, keping men of noble birthe undre youre predecessoure obedience and divers other true lieges men prisoneris under arest, as that noble and trew knight ser Gilis the Duke is son of Bretaine, whiche for his grete trouthe and love he hadde to this youre Royaume warde, ayenst all manhode ungoodely entretid, died in prison. And also before the taking of Fugiers ser Simon Morhier knight, the provost of Paris, a lorde also of youre partie and chief of the Kingis counceile, take prisoner by Deepe and paieng a grete raunson or he was deliverid. And sone after one Mauncelle a squier, comyng fro Rone, with .xx. parsones in his company, to Deepe, pesibly in the monythe of Januarij next before the taking of Fugiers, were in Deepe taken prisoneris wrongfullie undre the umbre of trewis. And sithen the lord Faucomberge take prisoner by subtile undew meanys of a cautel taken under safconduct of youre adversarie at Pountelarge the xv day of Maij, the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxlix. And also the said forteresse of Pountlarge take the said day be right undew meanys taken uppon the said lorde Faucomberge contrarie to the said trewis,forging here colourable matieris in so detestable unjust quarellis. For reformacion of whiche gret injuries conspired, shewed, and doone, alle ye put to youre handis to this paast and matier. Comythe therfor and approchen bothe kyn, affinitees, frendis, subgectis, allies, and alle wellewilleris. Now at erst the irnesse be brennyng hote in the fire thoroughe goode courage, the worke is overmoche kindelid and begonne, thoroughe oure dulnesse and sleuthe slommering many day, for be the sheding of the bloode of good cristen people as hathe be done in youre predecessours conquest that now is lost: is said be the wordis of Job: Criethe and bewailethe in the feelde, frendis and kyn, take heede pitously to your bloode.A question of grete charge and wighte,[89]meoved first to be determyned, whethir for to make werre uppon Cristen bloode is laufulle.But first ther wolde be meoved a question, whiche dame Cristyn makithe mencion of in the seconde chapitre of the Tree of Batailles: whethir that werres and batailes meintenyng and using ben laufulle according to justice or no. And the oppinion of many one wolde undrestond that haunting of armes and werre making is not lefull, ne just thing, for asmoche in haunting and using of werre be many infinite[90]damages and extorsions done, as mourdre, slaugheter, bloode-sheding, depopulacion of contrees, castelles, citees, and townes brennyng, and many suche infinite damages. Wherfor it shulde seme that[91]meintenyng of werre is a cursid deede: not dew to be meyntened. As to this question it[92]may be answerd that entrepruises and werris taken and founded uppon a just cause and a trew title is suffred of God, for dame Cristen seiethe and moevithe, in the first booke of the Arbre of Bataile, how it is for to have in consideracion why that princes shuld maynteyne werre and use bataile; and the saide dame Cristin saiethe v. causes principalle: thre of them1: pabene of righte: and the other tweyne of vallente. The first cause2: ijdais to susteyne right and justice; the second is to withestande alle soche mysdoers the whiche wolde do foule[93]greif and oppresse the peple of the contre that the kyng or prince is gouvernoure of; the3: iijdthrid is for to recuver landes, seignories and goodes [that] be other unrightfully ravisshed, taken away be force, or usurped, whiche shulde apperteine to the kyng and prince of the same seignorie, or ellis to whome his subgettys shuld apparteine [and] be meinteined under. And the other tweyne be but of violence, as for to be venged for dammage or griefe done by another; the othir to conquere straunge countrees bethout[94]any title of righte, as king Alexandre conquerid uppon the Romayne: whiche tweine last causes, though[95]the conquest or victorie by violence or by roialle power sownethe worshipfulle in dede of armes, yet ther ought no cristen prince use them. And yet in the first thre causes, before a prince to take an entreprise, it most be done be a just cause, and havyng righte gret deliberacion, by the conduyt and counceile of the most sage approuved men of a reaume or countre that the prince is of: and so for to use it in a just quarelle as[96]the righte execution of justice requirithe, whiche is one of the principalle iiij. cardinall virtues. And if that using of armes and haunting of werre be doone rather for magnificence, pride, and wilfulnesse, to destroie Roiaumes and countreis by roialle gret power, as whan tho that wolde avenge have noo title, but seyVive le plus fort, [that] is to sey, Let the grettest maistrie have the feelde,—[In this place the following insertion is made by a second hand in the margin:]Lyke as when the duc off Burgoyn by cyvyle bataylle by maisterdom expelled the duc of Orlyance partie and hys frendis owt of Parys cytee the yere of Christ Ml.iiijcxij, and slow many thowsands and[97]hondredes bethout title of justice, but to revenge a synguler querel betwen both prynces for the dethe of the duc off Orlyans,slayn yn the vigille of Seynt Clement by Raulyn Actovyle of Normandie, yn the yeer of Crist Ml.iiijcvijo. And the bataylle of Seynt-clow besyde Parys, by the duc of Burgoyn with help of capteyns of England owt of England, waged by the seyd duc, was myghtly foughten and had the fielde ayenste theyr adverse partye. Albeyt the duc of Orlyance waged another armee sone aftyr owt of England to relyeve the ovyrthrow he had at Seyntclowe. And the dyvysyon betwene the duc of Orlyance and the duc of Burgoyn dured yn Fraunce continuelly by .xj. yeerday, as to the yeere of Crist Mliiijcxviij, yn wyche yeere Phelip duc of Burgoyn, a greet frende to the land, was pyteousely slayn at Motreaw, and the cyte of Parys ayen taken by the Burgonons; lord Lyseladam pryncipalle capteyn and the erle of Armonak conestable sleyn by the comyns the seyd yere. (End of the insertion.)in soche undew enterprises theire can be thought no grettir tiranny, extorcion, ne cruelte [by dyvysyons[98]].How seint Lowes exorted and counceiled his sonne to moeve no werre ayenst Cristen peple.Seynt Lowys. 1270.And the blissid king of Fraunce seint Lowes exhortid and comaunded in his testament writen of his owne hand, that he made the tyme of his passing of this worlde the year of Crist Ml.cclxx to his sonne Philip that reigned after hym, that he shulde kepe hym welle, to meove no werre ayenst no christen man, but if he had grevously done ayenst him. And if he seke waies of peace, of grace and mercie, thou oughtest pardon hym, and take soche amendis of hym as God may be pleasid. But as for this blessid kingis counceile, it is notorily and openly knowen thoroughe alle Cristen Royaumes that oure[99]adverse party hathe meoved [and] excited werre and batailes bothe by lond and see ayenst this noble Royaume bethout any justice [or] title, and bethout waies of pease shewed; and as fortodefende them assailours uppon youre true title may be bethout note of tiranye, to put yow in youre devoire to conquere youre rightfulle enheritaunce, without that a bettir moyene be had.A exortacion of a courageous disposicion for a reformation of a wrong done.Exclamacio.O then, ye worshipfulle men of the Englisshe nacion, which bene descendid of the noble Brutis bloode of Troy, suffre ye not than youre highe auncien couragis to be revalid ne desceived by youre said adversaries of Fraunce at this tyme, neither in tyme to come; ne in this maner to be rebuked and put abak, to youre uttermost deshonoure and reproche in the sighte of straunge nacions, without that it may be in goodely hast remedied [as youre hyghnesse now entendyth,[100]] whiche ye have be conquerours of, as ye[101]to be yolden and overcomen, in deffaute of goode and hasty remedie, thoroughe lak of provision of men of armes, tresour, and finaunce of suffisaunt nombre of goodes, in season and tyme convenable to wage and reliefe them. For were ye not sometyme tho that thoroughe youre gret [prowesse,[102]] corages, feersnes, manlinesse, and of strenght overleid and put in subgeccion the gret myghte and power of the feers and puissaunt figheters of alle straunge nacions that presumed to set ayenst this lande?How many worthi kinges of this lande have made gret conquestis in ferre contrees in the Holy Lande, and also for the defence and right of this lande, and for the duche of Normandie.Arthur.And for an example and witnes of King Arthur, whiche discomfit and sleine was undre his banere the Emperoure of Rome in bataile, and conquerid the gret part of the regions be west of Rome. And many othre conquestis hathe be made before the daies of the saidBrenus.Arthur be many worthi kinges of this roiaume, as Brenus, king Belynus' brother, a puissaunt chosen duke, that was before the Incarnacion, wanne and conquerid to Rome, except the capitoile of Rome. And sithen of other victorious kinges and princes,Edmondus Ironside.as Edmonde Irensede had many gret batailes [and] desconfited the Danes to safe Englond. And what victorious dedisWillelmus Conquestor.William Conqueroure did gret actis in bataile uppon the Frenshe partie [many conquestys[103]]. And also his son [kyng[103]]Henricus primus fundator plurimorum castrorum.Harry after hym defendid Normandie, bilded and fortified many a strong castelle in his londe, to defende his dukedom ayenst the Frenshe partie. And how victoriouslie his brotherRobertus frater Henrici primi, electus Rex de Jherusalem, sed renuit.Roberd did armes uppon the conquest of the holy londe, that for his gret prowesse there was elect to be king of Jherusalem, and refusid it for a singuler covetice to be duke of Normandie, returned home, and never had grace of victorie after. And to bring to mynde how the noble worriourFulco comes de Angeu, Rex Jerusalem.Fouke erle of Angew, father to Geffrey Plantagenet youre noble auncetour, left his erledom to his sonne, and made werre upon the Sarasynes in the holy land, and for his noble dedis was made king of1131.Jherusalem, anno Christi Ml.cxxxi. As how kingDe Ricardo Rege primo in terra sancta.Richarde the first, clepid Cuer de lion, whiche in a croiserie went in to the holy londe, and BaldewyneArchiepiscopus Cant', Robertus Clare comes Glouc', comes Cestr'.archebisshop of Caunterburie, Hubert bisshop of Salisburie, Randolfe the erle of Chestre, Robert Clare erle of Gloucestre, and werreied uppon the hethen paynemys in the company ofPhilippus Rex Francie, vocatus Deo datus, in terra sancta.king Philip Dieu-donné of Fraunce, whiche king Richard conquerid and wanne by roiall power uppon the Sarrasyns in the yere of Crist Ml.c.iiijxxvijo. and toke the King of Cipres and many other gret prisonneris. Also put the londe of Surie in subjeccion, the isle of Cipres, and the gret cite of Damask wanne be assaut, slow the king of Spayne clepid Ferranus. And the said king Richard kept and defendid frome his adversarie Philip Dieu-donné king of Fraunce, be mighty werre made to hym, the duchees of Normandie, Gascoigne, Gyen, the counteeȝ of Anjou and Mayne, Tourayne,Pontyve, Auverne, and Champaigne, of alle whiche he was king, duke, erle, and lorde as his enheritaunce, and as his predecessoursEdwardus Rex primus.before hym did. Also in like wise king Edward first after the Conquest, being Prince, in about the yere of Crist Ml.ijc.lxx, put hym in gret laboure and aventure amonges the Sarrasins in the countye of Aufrik, was at the conquest of the gret cite of the roiaume ofSanctus Lodowicus rex Francorum obiit in viagio antequam pervenit ad terram sanctam.Thunes. [Yn whiche cuntree that tyme and yeere seynt Lowys kyng of Fraunce dyed, and the croyserye grete revaled by hys trespasseinte, had not the seyd prince Edward ys armee be redye there to performe that holy voyage to Jerusalem, as he dyd wyth many noble lordes off England.[104]] Also fulle noblie ententid about the defence and saufegarde of the gret cite of Acres in the londe of Sirie, that had be lost and yolden to the Sarrazins had not [hys armee and[104]] his power bee, and by an hole yere osteyng and abiding there in tyme of gret pestilence and mortalite reigning there, and by whiche his peple were gretly wastid, where he was be treason of a untrew messaunger Sarrasin wounded hym in his chambre almost to dethe, that the souldone of Babiloyne had waged hym to doo it, becaus of sharpe and cruelle werre the seide Edwarde made uppon the Sarrasines, of gret fere and doubte he had of the said prince Edward and of his power; whiche processe ye may more groundly see in the actis of the said prince Edwarde is laboure. And his father king Harry thrid decesid while his son was in the holy londe warring uppon the Sarasines. And how worshipfullieRicardus Imperator Alemannie et comes Cornewayle.Richard emperoure of Almaine and brother to the said king Henry did gret actis of armes in the holy londe uppon the Sarasynes andEdwardus primus rex.in the yere of Crist Ml.ijc.xl. And overmore the said king Edwarde first kept under subjeccion bothe Irelond, Walis, and Scotlond, whiche were rebellis and wilde peple of condicion. And also protectid and defendid the duchees of Gascoigne and Guyen, his rightefull enheritaunce.How King Edward [the] thrid had the victorie at the bataile of Scluse, and gate Cane by assaute, and havyng the victorie at the batelle of Cressye [and wanne Calix by sege.[105]]T. Regis E. iijciiet ejus filiorum.And sithen, over that, how that the most noble famous knighte of renomme, king Edwarde the thrid, the whiche, with his roialle power, the yere of Christ Ml.ccc.xl. wanne [the day of seynt John baptiste[105]] the gret bataile uppon the see at Scluse ayenst Philip de Valoys callyng hym the Frenshe King and his power, and alle his gret navye of shippis destroied, to the nombre of .xxv.Ml. men and CCxxxti. shippis and barges. And also after that, in the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.xlvj. the said king Philip purposid to have entred into Englond and had waged a gret noumbre of Genues shippis and other navyes. And the said king Edward thrid thought rather to werre withe hym in that countre rather: tooke his vyage to Cane withe xijc. shippis, passed into Normandie by the Hagge,[106]wynnyng the contrees of Constantine [from Chyrburgh[105]] tylle he came to Cane, and by grete assautes entred and gate the towne, and fought withe theComes de Ew captus. Comes Tankervyle captus.capitaine and burgeises fro midday till night; where the erle of Eu, connestable of Fraunce, the erle of Tancarville, and others knightes and squiers were take prisoneris: but the castelle and donjoune held still, where the bisshop of Baieux and othre kept hem; and than the king departid thens, for he wolde not lese his peple [by segyng yt.[105]] And after that the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.xlvj descomfit the said king Philip and wanne the feelde uppon hym at the dolorousCressye.and gret bataile of Cressy in Picardie the .xxvj. day of August the said yere, where the king of Beame was slayne the son of Henry the Emperoure, and alle the gret part of the noble bloode of Fraunce of dukes, erlis, and barons, as the erle of Alaunson king of Fraunce is brother, the duke of Lorraine, the erle of Bloys, the erle of Flaundres, the erle of Harecourt, the erle of Sancerre, the erle of Fennes, to the nombre of .l. knightis sleyne, as well as to othre gretnombre of his liege peple, as in the .39. chapitre of the Actis of the said King Philip more plainly is historied. And also the full nobleComes Derbye.erle of Darby, havyng rule under the said king Edwarde in the duchie of Guyen, hostied the said tyme and yere, and put in subjeccion fro the towne of saint Johan Evangelist unto the citee of Peyters, whiche he wanne also, be the said erle of Derbye is entreprises.How David King of Scottis was take prisoner.David Rex Scotorum captus est apud Doraham.And in the said king Edward tyme David king of Scottis was take prisoner, as I have undrestond, at the bataile beside Deram upon the marchis of Scotlond.And also the said king kept Bretaine in gret subjeccion, had the victorie uppon Charles de Bloys duke of Breteine, and leid a siege in Breteine to a strong forteresse clepid Roche daryon, and kept be his true subjectis. After many assautes and grete escarmisshes and aKarolus dux Britanniæ captus est per E. iijm.bataile manly foughten, the said duke was take, and havyng .vij. woundes was presentid to the said king Edward. And he alsoCalicia capta est eodem tempore per Edwardum iijm.wanne Calix after, by a long and puissaunt sieges keping[107]by see and be londe; and they enfamyned couthe have no socoure of kingCalicia reddita est in manus Regis Edwardi iij.Philip, and so for faute of vitaile yeldid Calix up to king Edwarde the .iiij. day of August in the yere of Crist Ml.ccc.xlvij. And also put Normandie gret part of it in subgeccion. And therto in his daies his eldist sonne Edward prince of Walis the .xix. day of Septembre the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lvj had a gret discomfiture afore the cite of Peyters uppon John calling hym King of Fraunce, where the saidEdwardus princeps cepit Johannem vocantem se Regem Franciæ ao, d'ni Mocccolvjo.king was taken prisoner, and in whiche bataile was slaine the duke of Bourbon, the duke of Athenes, the lord Clermont, ser Geffrey Channy that bare the baner of the oriflamble, and also take withe king Johan ser Philip duc [le hardye[108]] of Bourgoine his yongist sonne, and for whois raunson and othres certaine lordesEdwardus Rex Angliæ iijusretribuit xx.Ml.li. Edwardo principi filio suo.king Edwarde rewarded the Prince xx.Ml.li. sterlinges. AlsoKarolus filius Regis Johannis Fraunciæ ac nominando se pro duce Normandiæ captus est.taken that day ser Jaques de Bourbon erle of Pontieu [and] Charles his brother erle of Longville, the kingis cosins germains, ser John Meloun erle of Tancarvile, ser William Meleum archebisshop of Sens, the erle Dampmartyn, the erle Vendosme, the erle Vaudemont, the erle Salebruce, the erle Nanson, ser Arnolde of Doneham mareshalle of Fraunce, and many other knightis and gentiles to the nombre of Ml.vijc. prisonneris, of whiche were taken and sleine .lij. knightis banerettis. And the kingis eldist sonne Charlis calling hym duc of Normandie, the duc of Orliauns the kingis brother, the duc of Anjou, the erle of Peiters that after was clepid [Johan[109]] the duc of Berrie, the erle of Flaundris, withe a few other lordis, withdrewe hem and escapid from the seide bataile. And sone after, theEdwardus princeps navim ascendit cum Johanne nominando se pro rege Franciæ et applicuerunt prope Dover iiijo. die Maij, aod'ni Ml. &c.yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lvij. the .xvj. day of Aprill the said prince Edward with king Johan tooke the see at Burdeux to Englond, and londed the .iiij. day of Maij and came to London the .xxiiij. day of Maij, the said king Edwarde his father meeting withe king Johan in the feelde, doing hym gret honoure and reverence. And after in theDe redempcione Johannis dicentis [se] Regem Franciæ.yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lxvij the month of Maij the said king Johan was put to finaunce and raunson of thre millions of scutis of golde, that two of them be worth .j. noble, of whiche was paied sex hondred thousand scutis be the said king Johan comyng to Calix, and in certein yeris after was obliged under gret seurtees, as it is declared in the articulis of the pease finalle made betwene both kingis, to be paied 400,000 till the said thre hondred Mlcrones[110]were fullie paied, whiche as it is said was not parfourmed. And, after that, the said prince Edwarde and Harry that noble duke of Lancastre had theDe bello de Nazar.bataile of Nazar in Spaine withe king Peter ayenst the bastarde Henry callinge hym King of Spain, haveng lxiij Ml. fighting men in his host, and hym descomfit, voided the feelde, and many a noble knighte of Englonde and of Gascoigne and Guyen withe many othre worshipfulle gentiles quite hem righte manlie, and amongisChandos.many goode men of chevalrie ser John Chandos avaunced hym chief in that bataile [havyng the avauntgard[111]], for he had in his retenuBeauchamp comes.Ml.ijcpenons armed and x.Ml. horsmen; and ser William BeauchampeD'n's Hastyngys.D'n's Nevyle.the erle of Warwik is sonne, lorde Hue Hastinges, lord Nevyle,D'n's Rays.lorde Rais a Breton lorde of Aubterré, withe many Gascoignes thereRad's Hastyngys ch'l'r.Tho's Felton.Robertus Knolles.also: ser Raufe Hastingis, ser Thomas Felton, ser Roberd Knolles, withe many other notable of the chevalrie of Inglonde, passed the streit high monteyns of Pirone by Runcyvale in the contre of Pampilon, going from the cite of Burdeux into Spaine, and serCourteneyes. Tryvett.Matheu Gournay.Et quam plures alii milites hic nimis diu ad inscribendum.Bertl's Clekyn, locum tenens adversæ partis, captus est prisonarius.Hughe Courtney, ser Philip Courtnay, ser John Tryvet, [Matheu Gournay de comitatu Somerset[111]]. And there was take ser Barthilmew Clekyn the Frenshe kingis lieutenaunt for the werre prisoner, also the Mareshalle of Fraunce, the Besque, with many othre notable lordis. Whiche bataile of Nazar was in the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lxvj. the thrid day of Aprille.How King Henry the v. conquerid [Normandy and Fraunce[111]].De Henrico quinto.And sithe now late the noble prince[112]Henry the vte. how in his daies, withyn the space of .vij. yere and .xv. daies, thoroughe sieges lieng,Nota quomodo Rex Henricus Vte. obtinuit Harefleet.[[113]wan the towne of Harflete bethyn .xl. days, made Thomas Beauford then erle Dorset hys oncle capteyn of yt. And the seyd erle made ser John Fastolfe chevaler his lieutenaunt wyth Ml.vcsoudeours, and the baron of Carew, wyth .xxxiij. knyghtys, contynuelly defended the seyd toune ayenst the myghty power of Fraunce by the space of one yere and half aftyr the seyd prince Herry. vte. departed fromDe extrema defensione ville Harflue contra potestatem Franciæ et de fame ibidem.Hareflue. And the seyd towne was beseged by the Frenshe partye by lond and also by see, wyth a grete navye of carekys, galeyes, and shyppis off Spayne, tille that yn the meene tyme Johan duc of Bedfor(d), the erle of Marche your moste noble antecessour, accompanyed wyth many other nobles, wyth a puissaunt armee of shypps, fought wyth the carrekys and shypps lyeng at Seyn hede before Hareflue, weretaken and many one sleyn and drowned; and so vyttailled Harflue yn grete famyn, that a wreched cowys hede was solde for vj s. viij d. sterling, and the tong for xl d., and dyed of Englysh soudeours mo then vc. yn defaut of sustenaunce. And the second voyage after wythynne the tyme before seyd Johan erle of Hontyndon was made cheif admyralle of a new armee to rescue Harflue, beseged of the new wyth a grete navy of shyppys and carekys of the Frenshe partye, [which] were foughten wyth and ovyrcom throw myghty fyghtyng; and of the new vitailled Hareflue, the seyd erle Dorset then beyng yn England at the Emperour comyng hedre, called Sygemondus. I briefly title thys incident to th'entent not to be foryete how suche tweyn myghety batailles were foughten uppon the see bethyn one yere and half, and how the seyd toune of Hareflue was deffended and kept ayenst the puyssaunt power of Fraunce beseged as yt were by the seyd tyme; and as for wache and ward yn the wynter nyghtys I herd the seyd ser Johan Fastolfe sey that every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a lyes, to berke and warne yff ony adverse partye were commyng to the dykes or to aproche the towne for to scale yt. And the seyd prince Herry vthe,[114]] albeit that it consumed gretlie his peple, and also by batailes yeveng, conquerid [the towne of Harflete[114]], and wanne bothe the saide Duchie of Normandie first and after the Roiaume of Fraunce, conquerid and broughte in subjeccion and wanne be his gret manhode, withe the noble power of his lordis and helpe of his comonys, and so overleid the myghtie roialle power of Fraunce be the seide sieges lieng, first in his first viage at Harflete, and in the secondNota, qualiter per civitates et mare obtinuit.viage he made manly besegid Cane, the cite of Rone, Falleise, Argenten, Maunt, Vernonsurseyne, Melun, Meulx, Enbrie, and at many other castellis, forteressis, citeis, and townes to long to rehers. AlsoBellum supermare et leȝ carrikes.had gret batailes on the see ayenst many grete carekkis and gret shippes that beseiged Hareflue after it was Englisshe. And had a gretNota de bello apud Agincourt.discomfiture at the bataile of Agincourt in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxv.at his first viage, where many dukes, erlis, lordis, and knightis were slaine and take prisoneris that bene in remembraunce at this day ofHenricus Rex duxit in uxorem filiam Regis Fraunciæ.men yet livyng. And after allied hym to the Frenshe king Charlis .vj.teis doughter, because of whiche alliaunce gret part of the roiaume of Fraunce were yolden unto hym his obeisaunce. And now also in the said noble conquest hathe be kepte undre the obediaunce of Englisshe nacion from the begynnyng of the said late conquest by .xxxv. yeris be continued and kept by roialle power, as first be the noble and famous prince Johan duke of Bedforde, regent and governoure of the roiaume of Fraunce by .xiij. yeris, with the eide and power of the noble lordis of this lande, bothe youre said royaume of Fraunce and duchie of Normandie was kept and the ennemies kept ferre of in gret subjeccion.Joh'es dux Bedforde.How that in Johan duke of Bedforde tyme be his lieutenaunt erle of Salisburie had the victorie at the batelle of Cravant.In profe wherof how and in the first yere of the reigne of king Harry the sixt, at whiche tyme his seide uncle toke uppon hym the charge and the name of Regent of the roiaume of Fraunce, that hadBellum de Cravant.the victorie at the bateile of Cravant, where as at that tyme ThomasThomas Montagu comes Sarum.Will's Pole comes Suff'.Montagu the noble erle of Salisburie, the erle of Suffolke, theDominus Willughby.marchalle of Bourgoine, the lord Willoughebie, withe a gret power of Phelip the duke of Bourgoine is host, holding the partie of the said Johan regent of Fraunce, duc of Bedford, withe the eide and help of the trew subgettis of this lande, had the overhande of the ennemies assembled to the nombre of .ix. Ml. Frenshemen and Scottis at the said bataile of Cravant in the duchie of Bourgoine, where there were slayne of the ennemies to the nombre of .iiij. Ml., beside .ij. Ml. prisonneris take, of whiche gret part of them were Scottis, the erle Bougham being chief capitein over them;[115]which late before were the cause of the male-infortuned journey at Bougée, where the famousand victorious knight Thomas duc of Claraunce, youre nere cousyn,Vindicatio mortis ducis Clarenciæ.for the right of Fraunce, withe a smale company of his side, withe the Scottis to a grete nombre there assembled among hem in the feelde, was slayn, withe many a noble lorde, baron, knightis, squyers of Englond, that never so gret an overthrow of lordes and noble bloode was seene in no mannys daies as it was then. Aboute the nombre of .ijc. l. cote-armes slaine and take prisoneris as yt was seyd, be the saide Scottis holding withe youre adverse party of Fraunce, whiche God of his infinite goodenes sone after at the saide batelle [of] Cravant, and after at the bateile of Vernell, was sent aSecunda vice punicio mortis ducis Clarenciæ.chastisement upon the saide Scottis for theire cruelltie vengeable and mortelle dethe of the said victorious prince, duke of Claraunce, and of other of his noble lordis and knightis.How Johan duke of Bedforde had yn his owne parsone the batelle of Vernelle.1423.Batelle of Cravant.Also in the said daies, sone after the saide batelle of Cravant, in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijc.xxiij., the .iij. yere of King Harry the sext, the .xvij. day of August, the said Johan duke of Bedford had a gret discomfiture and the victorie upon your adversaries of Fraunce and ofBatelle of Vernoyle.1424.Scottis at the batelle of Vernelle in Perche, where as Johan cleping hym duc of Alaunson, lieutenaunt for the Frenshe partie, was take prisoner that day, and the said erle Bougham of Scotlonde, marchalle of Fraunce, whiche was cause of that noble prince Thomas duke of Claraunce dethe, was in the said bataile overthrow and sleyne, and the erle Douglas made duc of Tourayne, aswelle as his sonne and heire that was in the feelde at Shrewisburie ayenst king Henry the .iiijthe, and another tyme being ayenst the said Johan duc of Bedford at Homeldonhille in Scotlond, was also slaine at the said batelle, withe many other grete lordis of the Frenshe partie slayne and taken prisoneris at the said bataile.How that the grettir part of the counte of Mayne, the cite of Mauns, withe many other castellis, were yolden.Mayn.And, overmore, not long after, youre auncien enheritaunce in the counté of Mayne, the cite of Maunce, conquerid and brought be the said regent duc of Bedforde, withe the power of his lordis and helpers, in subgeccion, [by the erle of Salysbery, lord Scalys, ser John Fastalf, ser John Popham, ser N. Mongomery, ser Wylliam Oldhalle, chevalers, and many othyr noble men of worshyppe.[116]] And whiche counté of Mayne was accustomed sithen to be in value yerely to the eide and helpe of the werres of Fraunce, and to the releve of the kyng ys subgettis obeisauntes lyvyng uppon the werre for the furtheraunce of that conquest, .x. Ml. li. sterlinges. Also the said regent of Fraunce, with the power of youre noble bloode and lordes, wanne the feeld at the forseid grete bataile of Vernelle in Perche ayenst the power of the Frenshe adverse party of Fraunce, being assembled to the nombre of .xl. Ml. fighters of the Frenshe partie; andRedempcio Joh'is dicentis [se] ducem de Allunson pro .clx. Ml. salux bene solutis ultra alia onera suarum expensarum.there Johan cleping hymsilf duke of Alaunson, lieutenaunt to Charles the .vij. calling hym Frenshe king, taken prisonner, withe many other lordis, barons, and knightes, and noble men of worship, whiche paied to the said regent duc of Bedforde for his raunson and finaunce allone .clx. M. salux, beside his other grete costis and charges, whiche was a gret relief and socoure to the eide of the conquest, whiche bataile was in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijc.xxiiij., the seyd .iijd. yere of the reigne of king Henry sext.
The Boke of Noblesse, compiled to the most hyghe and myghety prince Kynge Edward the iiijthefor the avauncyng and preferryng the comyn publique of the Royaumes of England and of Fraunce.
The Boke of Noblesse, compiled to the most hyghe and myghety prince Kynge Edward the iiijthefor the avauncyng and preferryng the comyn publique of the Royaumes of England and of Fraunce.
First, in the worship of the holy Trinite, bring to mynde to calle, in the begynnyng of every good work, for grace. And sithe this litille epistle is wrote and entitled to courage and comfort noble men in armes to be in perpetuite of remembraunce for here noble dedis, as right convenient is soo to bee. And as it is specified by auctorite of the noble cenatoure of Rome Kayus son, in these termes foloweng: "Hoc igitur summum est nobilitatis genus, posse majorum suorum egregia facta dicere, posse eorum beneficiis petere honores publicos, posse gloriam rei publicæ hereditario quodam jure vendicare, posse insuper sese eorum partes vocare, et clarissimas in suis vultibus ymagines ostendere. Quos enim appellat vulgus nisi quod nobilissimi parentes genuere."
De remedio casus Reipublicæ.
Here folowethe the evident Examples and the Resons of comfort for a reformacion to be had uppon the piteous complaintes and dolorous lamentacions made for the right grete outragious and mostgrevous losse of the Royaume of Fraunce, Ducheeȝ of Normandie, of Gascoyne, and Guyen, and also the noble Counte of Mayne and the Erledom of Pontife. And for relevyng and geting ayen the said Reaume, dukedoms, [and earldoms,] undre correccion of amendement ben shewed the exortacions and mocions, be auctorite, exampleAnglorum nacio originem sumpsit ex nacione Trojanorum.Nota jo. quod lingua Britonum adhuc usitatur in Wallia et Cornibea, que lingua vocabatur corrupta Greca.of actis in armes, bothe by experience and otherwise purposid, meoved and declarid, to corage and comfort the hertis of [the] Englisshe nacion, havyng theire first originalle of the nacion of the noble auncient bloode of Troy more than Ml. yere before the birthe of Crist; in token and profe wherof the auncient langage of the Brutes bloode at this day remayneth[84]bothe in the Princedome of Walis and in the auncient provynce and Dukedom of Cornewale, whiche was at tho daies called corrupt Greke.
ijo. lingua Saxonum alias lingua Germanorum.
Dux Cerdicius applicuit in Britania tempore Regis Arthuri, et sic per favorem regis inhabitavit, et . . ex natione Grecorum.
And next after the mighty Saxons' bloode, otherwise called a provynce in Germayne, that the vaileaunt Duke Cerdicius arrived in this reaume, with whom[85]Arthur, king of the Breton bloode, made mighty werre, and suffred hym to inhabit here. And the Saxons, as it is writen in Berthilmew in his booke of Propreteis, also were decendid of the nacion of Grekis.
iijo. Lingua Danorum ex nacione Grecorum. Rex Danorum Knott conquestum fecit.
And next after came the feers manly Danysh nacion, also of Grekis bene descendid, that the gret justicer king Knowt this land subdued and the Saxons' bloode.
And sithen the noble Normannes, also of the Danys nacion, descendid be William Conquerour, of whome ye ben lyniallie descendid, subdued this lande.
And, last of alle, the victorius bloode of Angevyns, by mariage of that puissaunt Erle Geffry Plantagenet, the son and heire of Fouke king of Jherusalem, be mariage of Dame Maude, Emperes, soule doughter and heire to the king of grete renoune, Henry the first of Inglond, and into this day lineally descendid in most prowes.
And whiche said Englisshe nacion ben sore astonyed and dulledfor the repairing and wynnyng ayen, uppon a new conquest to be hadde for youre verray right and true title in the inheritaunce of the saide Reaume of Fraunce and the Duche of Normandie. Of whiche Duchie, we have in the yere of oure Lorde Ml.iiijcl., lost, as bethyn the space of xv monithes be put out wrongfullie, tho roughe subtile wirkingis conspired and wroughte be the Frenshe partie undre the umbre and coloure of trewis late taken betwyxt youre antecessoure king Harry the sext then named king, and youre grete adversarie of Fraunce Charles the vijthe.
And where as the saide piteous complaintes [and] dolorous lamentacions of youre verray true obeisaunt subjectis for lesing of the said countreis may not be tendrid ne herde, [they] many daies have had but litille comfort, nether the anguisshes, troubles, and divisions here late before in this reaume be cyvyle batailes to be had, may not prevaile them to the repairing and wynnyng of any soche manere outrageous losses to this Reaume, whiche hathe thoroughe sodein and variable chaunces of unstedfast fortune so be revaled and overthrow; the tyme of relief and comfort wolde not be despendid ne occupied so: namely with theym whiche that have necessite of relief and socoure of a grettir avauntage and a more profitable remedie for theire avauncement to a new conquest: or by a good tretie of a finalle peace for the recovere of the same: but to folow the counceile of the noble cenatoure of Rome Boicius in the second prose of his first booke of consolacion seiengSed medicine(inquid)tempus est,quàm querele.
Therfor, alle ye lovyng liege men, bothe youre noble alliaunces and frendis, levithe suche idille lamentacions, put away thoughte and gret pensifnes of suche lamentable passions and besinesse, and put ye hem to foryetefulnesse. And doo not away the recordacion of actis and dedis in armes of so many famous and victorious Kingis, Princes, Dukis, Erles, Barounes, and noble Knightis, as of fulle many other worshipfulle men haunting armes, whiche as verray trew martirs and blissid souls have taken theire last ende by werre;some woundid and taken prisonneres in so just a title and conquest uppon youre enheritaunce in Fraunce and Normandie, Gasquyn and Guyen; and also by the famous King and mighty Prince king Edward the thrid, first heriter to the said Royaume of Fraunce, and by Prince Edwarde his eldist son, and alle his noble bretherin, [who] pursued his title and righte be force of armes, as was of late tyme sithe the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxv. done, and made a new conquest in conquering bothe the saide Reaume of Fraunce and Duche of Normaundie by the Prince of blissid memorie king Harry the vthe. Also be the eide of tho thre noble prynces his bretherne and be other of his puissant Dukes and lordis, being lieutenauntȝ for the werre in that parties, as it is notorily knowen thoroughe alle Cristen nacyons, to the gret renomme and[86]worship of this Reaume.
How every good man of [worshyp yn[87]] armes shulde in the werre be resembled to the condicion of a lion.
And therfor, in conclusion, every man in hym silf let the passions of dolours be turned and empressid into vyfnes of here spiritis, of egre courages, of manlinesse and feersnesse, after the condicion of the lion resembled in condicions unto; for as ire, egrenesse, and feersnesse is holden for a vertu in the lion, so in like manere the said condicions is taken for a vertue and renomme of worship to alle tho that haunten armes: that so usithe to be egre, feers uppon his advers partie, and not to be lamentable and sorroufulle after a wrong shewed unto theym. And thus withe coragious hertis putting forthe theire prowes in dedis of armes, so that alle worshipfulle men, whiche oughte to be stedfast and holde togider, may be of one intencion, wille, and comon assent to vapour, sprede out, according to the flour delice, and avaunce hem forthe be feernesse of strenght and power to the verray effect and dede ayenst the untrew reproches of oure auncien adversaries halding uppon the Frenshe partie, whiche of late tyme by unjust dissimilacions, undre the umbreand coloure of trewis and abstinence of werre late hadde and sacred at the cite of Tairs the .xxviij. day of Maij, the yere of Crist of Ml.iiijcxliiijto. have by intrusion of soche subtile dissimilacion wonne uppon us bethyn v yeres next foloweng withyn the tyme of [the last[88]] trieux the said Reaume and duchees, so that in the meane tyme and sethe contynued forthe the saide trewes from yere to yere, to this land grete charge and cost, till they had conspired and wrought theire avauntage, as it approvethe dailie of experience. And under this they bring assailours uppon this lande and begynneris of the trewis breking.
How the Frenshe partie began firste to offende and brake the Trewis.
Tempore Regis H. vjth.
First by taking of youre shippis and marchaundises upon the see, keping men of noble birthe undre youre predecessoure obedience and divers other true lieges men prisoneris under arest, as that noble and trew knight ser Gilis the Duke is son of Bretaine, whiche for his grete trouthe and love he hadde to this youre Royaume warde, ayenst all manhode ungoodely entretid, died in prison. And also before the taking of Fugiers ser Simon Morhier knight, the provost of Paris, a lorde also of youre partie and chief of the Kingis counceile, take prisoner by Deepe and paieng a grete raunson or he was deliverid. And sone after one Mauncelle a squier, comyng fro Rone, with .xx. parsones in his company, to Deepe, pesibly in the monythe of Januarij next before the taking of Fugiers, were in Deepe taken prisoneris wrongfullie undre the umbre of trewis. And sithen the lord Faucomberge take prisoner by subtile undew meanys of a cautel taken under safconduct of youre adversarie at Pountelarge the xv day of Maij, the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxlix. And also the said forteresse of Pountlarge take the said day be right undew meanys taken uppon the said lorde Faucomberge contrarie to the said trewis,forging here colourable matieris in so detestable unjust quarellis. For reformacion of whiche gret injuries conspired, shewed, and doone, alle ye put to youre handis to this paast and matier. Comythe therfor and approchen bothe kyn, affinitees, frendis, subgectis, allies, and alle wellewilleris. Now at erst the irnesse be brennyng hote in the fire thoroughe goode courage, the worke is overmoche kindelid and begonne, thoroughe oure dulnesse and sleuthe slommering many day, for be the sheding of the bloode of good cristen people as hathe be done in youre predecessours conquest that now is lost: is said be the wordis of Job: Criethe and bewailethe in the feelde, frendis and kyn, take heede pitously to your bloode.
A question of grete charge and wighte,[89]meoved first to be determyned, whethir for to make werre uppon Cristen bloode is laufulle.
But first ther wolde be meoved a question, whiche dame Cristyn makithe mencion of in the seconde chapitre of the Tree of Batailles: whethir that werres and batailes meintenyng and using ben laufulle according to justice or no. And the oppinion of many one wolde undrestond that haunting of armes and werre making is not lefull, ne just thing, for asmoche in haunting and using of werre be many infinite[90]damages and extorsions done, as mourdre, slaugheter, bloode-sheding, depopulacion of contrees, castelles, citees, and townes brennyng, and many suche infinite damages. Wherfor it shulde seme that[91]meintenyng of werre is a cursid deede: not dew to be meyntened. As to this question it[92]may be answerd that entrepruises and werris taken and founded uppon a just cause and a trew title is suffred of God, for dame Cristen seiethe and moevithe, in the first booke of the Arbre of Bataile, how it is for to have in consideracion why that princes shuld maynteyne werre and use bataile; and the saide dame Cristin saiethe v. causes principalle: thre of them1: pabene of righte: and the other tweyne of vallente. The first cause2: ijdais to susteyne right and justice; the second is to withestande alle soche mysdoers the whiche wolde do foule[93]greif and oppresse the peple of the contre that the kyng or prince is gouvernoure of; the3: iijdthrid is for to recuver landes, seignories and goodes [that] be other unrightfully ravisshed, taken away be force, or usurped, whiche shulde apperteine to the kyng and prince of the same seignorie, or ellis to whome his subgettys shuld apparteine [and] be meinteined under. And the other tweyne be but of violence, as for to be venged for dammage or griefe done by another; the othir to conquere straunge countrees bethout[94]any title of righte, as king Alexandre conquerid uppon the Romayne: whiche tweine last causes, though[95]the conquest or victorie by violence or by roialle power sownethe worshipfulle in dede of armes, yet ther ought no cristen prince use them. And yet in the first thre causes, before a prince to take an entreprise, it most be done be a just cause, and havyng righte gret deliberacion, by the conduyt and counceile of the most sage approuved men of a reaume or countre that the prince is of: and so for to use it in a just quarelle as[96]the righte execution of justice requirithe, whiche is one of the principalle iiij. cardinall virtues. And if that using of armes and haunting of werre be doone rather for magnificence, pride, and wilfulnesse, to destroie Roiaumes and countreis by roialle gret power, as whan tho that wolde avenge have noo title, but seyVive le plus fort, [that] is to sey, Let the grettest maistrie have the feelde,—
[In this place the following insertion is made by a second hand in the margin:]
[In this place the following insertion is made by a second hand in the margin:]
Lyke as when the duc off Burgoyn by cyvyle bataylle by maisterdom expelled the duc of Orlyance partie and hys frendis owt of Parys cytee the yere of Christ Ml.iiijcxij, and slow many thowsands and[97]hondredes bethout title of justice, but to revenge a synguler querel betwen both prynces for the dethe of the duc off Orlyans,slayn yn the vigille of Seynt Clement by Raulyn Actovyle of Normandie, yn the yeer of Crist Ml.iiijcvijo. And the bataylle of Seynt-clow besyde Parys, by the duc of Burgoyn with help of capteyns of England owt of England, waged by the seyd duc, was myghtly foughten and had the fielde ayenste theyr adverse partye. Albeyt the duc of Orlyance waged another armee sone aftyr owt of England to relyeve the ovyrthrow he had at Seyntclowe. And the dyvysyon betwene the duc of Orlyance and the duc of Burgoyn dured yn Fraunce continuelly by .xj. yeerday, as to the yeere of Crist Mliiijcxviij, yn wyche yeere Phelip duc of Burgoyn, a greet frende to the land, was pyteousely slayn at Motreaw, and the cyte of Parys ayen taken by the Burgonons; lord Lyseladam pryncipalle capteyn and the erle of Armonak conestable sleyn by the comyns the seyd yere. (End of the insertion.)
in soche undew enterprises theire can be thought no grettir tiranny, extorcion, ne cruelte [by dyvysyons[98]].
How seint Lowes exorted and counceiled his sonne to moeve no werre ayenst Cristen peple.
Seynt Lowys. 1270.
And the blissid king of Fraunce seint Lowes exhortid and comaunded in his testament writen of his owne hand, that he made the tyme of his passing of this worlde the year of Crist Ml.cclxx to his sonne Philip that reigned after hym, that he shulde kepe hym welle, to meove no werre ayenst no christen man, but if he had grevously done ayenst him. And if he seke waies of peace, of grace and mercie, thou oughtest pardon hym, and take soche amendis of hym as God may be pleasid. But as for this blessid kingis counceile, it is notorily and openly knowen thoroughe alle Cristen Royaumes that oure[99]adverse party hathe meoved [and] excited werre and batailes bothe by lond and see ayenst this noble Royaume bethout any justice [or] title, and bethout waies of pease shewed; and as fortodefende them assailours uppon youre true title may be bethout note of tiranye, to put yow in youre devoire to conquere youre rightfulle enheritaunce, without that a bettir moyene be had.
A exortacion of a courageous disposicion for a reformation of a wrong done.
Exclamacio.
O then, ye worshipfulle men of the Englisshe nacion, which bene descendid of the noble Brutis bloode of Troy, suffre ye not than youre highe auncien couragis to be revalid ne desceived by youre said adversaries of Fraunce at this tyme, neither in tyme to come; ne in this maner to be rebuked and put abak, to youre uttermost deshonoure and reproche in the sighte of straunge nacions, without that it may be in goodely hast remedied [as youre hyghnesse now entendyth,[100]] whiche ye have be conquerours of, as ye[101]to be yolden and overcomen, in deffaute of goode and hasty remedie, thoroughe lak of provision of men of armes, tresour, and finaunce of suffisaunt nombre of goodes, in season and tyme convenable to wage and reliefe them. For were ye not sometyme tho that thoroughe youre gret [prowesse,[102]] corages, feersnes, manlinesse, and of strenght overleid and put in subgeccion the gret myghte and power of the feers and puissaunt figheters of alle straunge nacions that presumed to set ayenst this lande?
How many worthi kinges of this lande have made gret conquestis in ferre contrees in the Holy Lande, and also for the defence and right of this lande, and for the duche of Normandie.
Arthur.
And for an example and witnes of King Arthur, whiche discomfit and sleine was undre his banere the Emperoure of Rome in bataile, and conquerid the gret part of the regions be west of Rome. And many othre conquestis hathe be made before the daies of the saidBrenus.Arthur be many worthi kinges of this roiaume, as Brenus, king Belynus' brother, a puissaunt chosen duke, that was before the Incarnacion, wanne and conquerid to Rome, except the capitoile of Rome. And sithen of other victorious kinges and princes,Edmondus Ironside.as Edmonde Irensede had many gret batailes [and] desconfited the Danes to safe Englond. And what victorious dedisWillelmus Conquestor.William Conqueroure did gret actis in bataile uppon the Frenshe partie [many conquestys[103]]. And also his son [kyng[103]]Henricus primus fundator plurimorum castrorum.Harry after hym defendid Normandie, bilded and fortified many a strong castelle in his londe, to defende his dukedom ayenst the Frenshe partie. And how victoriouslie his brotherRobertus frater Henrici primi, electus Rex de Jherusalem, sed renuit.Roberd did armes uppon the conquest of the holy londe, that for his gret prowesse there was elect to be king of Jherusalem, and refusid it for a singuler covetice to be duke of Normandie, returned home, and never had grace of victorie after. And to bring to mynde how the noble worriourFulco comes de Angeu, Rex Jerusalem.Fouke erle of Angew, father to Geffrey Plantagenet youre noble auncetour, left his erledom to his sonne, and made werre upon the Sarasynes in the holy land, and for his noble dedis was made king of1131.Jherusalem, anno Christi Ml.cxxxi. As how kingDe Ricardo Rege primo in terra sancta.Richarde the first, clepid Cuer de lion, whiche in a croiserie went in to the holy londe, and BaldewyneArchiepiscopus Cant', Robertus Clare comes Glouc', comes Cestr'.archebisshop of Caunterburie, Hubert bisshop of Salisburie, Randolfe the erle of Chestre, Robert Clare erle of Gloucestre, and werreied uppon the hethen paynemys in the company ofPhilippus Rex Francie, vocatus Deo datus, in terra sancta.king Philip Dieu-donné of Fraunce, whiche king Richard conquerid and wanne by roiall power uppon the Sarrasyns in the yere of Crist Ml.c.iiijxxvijo. and toke the King of Cipres and many other gret prisonneris. Also put the londe of Surie in subjeccion, the isle of Cipres, and the gret cite of Damask wanne be assaut, slow the king of Spayne clepid Ferranus. And the said king Richard kept and defendid frome his adversarie Philip Dieu-donné king of Fraunce, be mighty werre made to hym, the duchees of Normandie, Gascoigne, Gyen, the counteeȝ of Anjou and Mayne, Tourayne,Pontyve, Auverne, and Champaigne, of alle whiche he was king, duke, erle, and lorde as his enheritaunce, and as his predecessoursEdwardus Rex primus.before hym did. Also in like wise king Edward first after the Conquest, being Prince, in about the yere of Crist Ml.ijc.lxx, put hym in gret laboure and aventure amonges the Sarrasins in the countye of Aufrik, was at the conquest of the gret cite of the roiaume ofSanctus Lodowicus rex Francorum obiit in viagio antequam pervenit ad terram sanctam.Thunes. [Yn whiche cuntree that tyme and yeere seynt Lowys kyng of Fraunce dyed, and the croyserye grete revaled by hys trespasseinte, had not the seyd prince Edward ys armee be redye there to performe that holy voyage to Jerusalem, as he dyd wyth many noble lordes off England.[104]] Also fulle noblie ententid about the defence and saufegarde of the gret cite of Acres in the londe of Sirie, that had be lost and yolden to the Sarrazins had not [hys armee and[104]] his power bee, and by an hole yere osteyng and abiding there in tyme of gret pestilence and mortalite reigning there, and by whiche his peple were gretly wastid, where he was be treason of a untrew messaunger Sarrasin wounded hym in his chambre almost to dethe, that the souldone of Babiloyne had waged hym to doo it, becaus of sharpe and cruelle werre the seide Edwarde made uppon the Sarrasines, of gret fere and doubte he had of the said prince Edward and of his power; whiche processe ye may more groundly see in the actis of the said prince Edwarde is laboure. And his father king Harry thrid decesid while his son was in the holy londe warring uppon the Sarasines. And how worshipfullieRicardus Imperator Alemannie et comes Cornewayle.Richard emperoure of Almaine and brother to the said king Henry did gret actis of armes in the holy londe uppon the Sarasynes andEdwardus primus rex.in the yere of Crist Ml.ijc.xl. And overmore the said king Edwarde first kept under subjeccion bothe Irelond, Walis, and Scotlond, whiche were rebellis and wilde peple of condicion. And also protectid and defendid the duchees of Gascoigne and Guyen, his rightefull enheritaunce.
How King Edward [the] thrid had the victorie at the bataile of Scluse, and gate Cane by assaute, and havyng the victorie at the batelle of Cressye [and wanne Calix by sege.[105]]
T. Regis E. iijciiet ejus filiorum.
And sithen, over that, how that the most noble famous knighte of renomme, king Edwarde the thrid, the whiche, with his roialle power, the yere of Christ Ml.ccc.xl. wanne [the day of seynt John baptiste[105]] the gret bataile uppon the see at Scluse ayenst Philip de Valoys callyng hym the Frenshe King and his power, and alle his gret navye of shippis destroied, to the nombre of .xxv.Ml. men and CCxxxti. shippis and barges. And also after that, in the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.xlvj. the said king Philip purposid to have entred into Englond and had waged a gret noumbre of Genues shippis and other navyes. And the said king Edward thrid thought rather to werre withe hym in that countre rather: tooke his vyage to Cane withe xijc. shippis, passed into Normandie by the Hagge,[106]wynnyng the contrees of Constantine [from Chyrburgh[105]] tylle he came to Cane, and by grete assautes entred and gate the towne, and fought withe theComes de Ew captus. Comes Tankervyle captus.capitaine and burgeises fro midday till night; where the erle of Eu, connestable of Fraunce, the erle of Tancarville, and others knightes and squiers were take prisoneris: but the castelle and donjoune held still, where the bisshop of Baieux and othre kept hem; and than the king departid thens, for he wolde not lese his peple [by segyng yt.[105]] And after that the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.xlvj descomfit the said king Philip and wanne the feelde uppon hym at the dolorousCressye.and gret bataile of Cressy in Picardie the .xxvj. day of August the said yere, where the king of Beame was slayne the son of Henry the Emperoure, and alle the gret part of the noble bloode of Fraunce of dukes, erlis, and barons, as the erle of Alaunson king of Fraunce is brother, the duke of Lorraine, the erle of Bloys, the erle of Flaundres, the erle of Harecourt, the erle of Sancerre, the erle of Fennes, to the nombre of .l. knightis sleyne, as well as to othre gretnombre of his liege peple, as in the .39. chapitre of the Actis of the said King Philip more plainly is historied. And also the full nobleComes Derbye.erle of Darby, havyng rule under the said king Edwarde in the duchie of Guyen, hostied the said tyme and yere, and put in subjeccion fro the towne of saint Johan Evangelist unto the citee of Peyters, whiche he wanne also, be the said erle of Derbye is entreprises.
How David King of Scottis was take prisoner.
David Rex Scotorum captus est apud Doraham.
And in the said king Edward tyme David king of Scottis was take prisoner, as I have undrestond, at the bataile beside Deram upon the marchis of Scotlond.
And also the said king kept Bretaine in gret subjeccion, had the victorie uppon Charles de Bloys duke of Breteine, and leid a siege in Breteine to a strong forteresse clepid Roche daryon, and kept be his true subjectis. After many assautes and grete escarmisshes and aKarolus dux Britanniæ captus est per E. iijm.bataile manly foughten, the said duke was take, and havyng .vij. woundes was presentid to the said king Edward. And he alsoCalicia capta est eodem tempore per Edwardum iijm.wanne Calix after, by a long and puissaunt sieges keping[107]by see and be londe; and they enfamyned couthe have no socoure of kingCalicia reddita est in manus Regis Edwardi iij.Philip, and so for faute of vitaile yeldid Calix up to king Edwarde the .iiij. day of August in the yere of Crist Ml.ccc.xlvij. And also put Normandie gret part of it in subgeccion. And therto in his daies his eldist sonne Edward prince of Walis the .xix. day of Septembre the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lvj had a gret discomfiture afore the cite of Peyters uppon John calling hym King of Fraunce, where the saidEdwardus princeps cepit Johannem vocantem se Regem Franciæ ao, d'ni Mocccolvjo.king was taken prisoner, and in whiche bataile was slaine the duke of Bourbon, the duke of Athenes, the lord Clermont, ser Geffrey Channy that bare the baner of the oriflamble, and also take withe king Johan ser Philip duc [le hardye[108]] of Bourgoine his yongist sonne, and for whois raunson and othres certaine lordesEdwardus Rex Angliæ iijusretribuit xx.Ml.li. Edwardo principi filio suo.king Edwarde rewarded the Prince xx.Ml.li. sterlinges. AlsoKarolus filius Regis Johannis Fraunciæ ac nominando se pro duce Normandiæ captus est.taken that day ser Jaques de Bourbon erle of Pontieu [and] Charles his brother erle of Longville, the kingis cosins germains, ser John Meloun erle of Tancarvile, ser William Meleum archebisshop of Sens, the erle Dampmartyn, the erle Vendosme, the erle Vaudemont, the erle Salebruce, the erle Nanson, ser Arnolde of Doneham mareshalle of Fraunce, and many other knightis and gentiles to the nombre of Ml.vijc. prisonneris, of whiche were taken and sleine .lij. knightis banerettis. And the kingis eldist sonne Charlis calling hym duc of Normandie, the duc of Orliauns the kingis brother, the duc of Anjou, the erle of Peiters that after was clepid [Johan[109]] the duc of Berrie, the erle of Flaundris, withe a few other lordis, withdrewe hem and escapid from the seide bataile. And sone after, theEdwardus princeps navim ascendit cum Johanne nominando se pro rege Franciæ et applicuerunt prope Dover iiijo. die Maij, aod'ni Ml. &c.yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lvij. the .xvj. day of Aprill the said prince Edward with king Johan tooke the see at Burdeux to Englond, and londed the .iiij. day of Maij and came to London the .xxiiij. day of Maij, the said king Edwarde his father meeting withe king Johan in the feelde, doing hym gret honoure and reverence. And after in theDe redempcione Johannis dicentis [se] Regem Franciæ.yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lxvij the month of Maij the said king Johan was put to finaunce and raunson of thre millions of scutis of golde, that two of them be worth .j. noble, of whiche was paied sex hondred thousand scutis be the said king Johan comyng to Calix, and in certein yeris after was obliged under gret seurtees, as it is declared in the articulis of the pease finalle made betwene both kingis, to be paied 400,000 till the said thre hondred Mlcrones[110]were fullie paied, whiche as it is said was not parfourmed. And, after that, the said prince Edwarde and Harry that noble duke of Lancastre had theDe bello de Nazar.bataile of Nazar in Spaine withe king Peter ayenst the bastarde Henry callinge hym King of Spain, haveng lxiij Ml. fighting men in his host, and hym descomfit, voided the feelde, and many a noble knighte of Englonde and of Gascoigne and Guyen withe many othre worshipfulle gentiles quite hem righte manlie, and amongisChandos.many goode men of chevalrie ser John Chandos avaunced hym chief in that bataile [havyng the avauntgard[111]], for he had in his retenuBeauchamp comes.Ml.ijcpenons armed and x.Ml. horsmen; and ser William BeauchampeD'n's Hastyngys.D'n's Nevyle.the erle of Warwik is sonne, lorde Hue Hastinges, lord Nevyle,D'n's Rays.lorde Rais a Breton lorde of Aubterré, withe many Gascoignes thereRad's Hastyngys ch'l'r.Tho's Felton.Robertus Knolles.also: ser Raufe Hastingis, ser Thomas Felton, ser Roberd Knolles, withe many other notable of the chevalrie of Inglonde, passed the streit high monteyns of Pirone by Runcyvale in the contre of Pampilon, going from the cite of Burdeux into Spaine, and serCourteneyes. Tryvett.Matheu Gournay.Et quam plures alii milites hic nimis diu ad inscribendum.Bertl's Clekyn, locum tenens adversæ partis, captus est prisonarius.Hughe Courtney, ser Philip Courtnay, ser John Tryvet, [Matheu Gournay de comitatu Somerset[111]]. And there was take ser Barthilmew Clekyn the Frenshe kingis lieutenaunt for the werre prisoner, also the Mareshalle of Fraunce, the Besque, with many othre notable lordis. Whiche bataile of Nazar was in the yere of Crist Ml.iijc.lxvj. the thrid day of Aprille.
How King Henry the v. conquerid [Normandy and Fraunce[111]].
De Henrico quinto.
And sithe now late the noble prince[112]Henry the vte. how in his daies, withyn the space of .vij. yere and .xv. daies, thoroughe sieges lieng,Nota quomodo Rex Henricus Vte. obtinuit Harefleet.[[113]wan the towne of Harflete bethyn .xl. days, made Thomas Beauford then erle Dorset hys oncle capteyn of yt. And the seyd erle made ser John Fastolfe chevaler his lieutenaunt wyth Ml.vcsoudeours, and the baron of Carew, wyth .xxxiij. knyghtys, contynuelly defended the seyd toune ayenst the myghty power of Fraunce by the space of one yere and half aftyr the seyd prince Herry. vte. departed fromDe extrema defensione ville Harflue contra potestatem Franciæ et de fame ibidem.Hareflue. And the seyd towne was beseged by the Frenshe partye by lond and also by see, wyth a grete navye of carekys, galeyes, and shyppis off Spayne, tille that yn the meene tyme Johan duc of Bedfor(d), the erle of Marche your moste noble antecessour, accompanyed wyth many other nobles, wyth a puissaunt armee of shypps, fought wyth the carrekys and shypps lyeng at Seyn hede before Hareflue, weretaken and many one sleyn and drowned; and so vyttailled Harflue yn grete famyn, that a wreched cowys hede was solde for vj s. viij d. sterling, and the tong for xl d., and dyed of Englysh soudeours mo then vc. yn defaut of sustenaunce. And the second voyage after wythynne the tyme before seyd Johan erle of Hontyndon was made cheif admyralle of a new armee to rescue Harflue, beseged of the new wyth a grete navy of shyppys and carekys of the Frenshe partye, [which] were foughten wyth and ovyrcom throw myghty fyghtyng; and of the new vitailled Hareflue, the seyd erle Dorset then beyng yn England at the Emperour comyng hedre, called Sygemondus. I briefly title thys incident to th'entent not to be foryete how suche tweyn myghety batailles were foughten uppon the see bethyn one yere and half, and how the seyd toune of Hareflue was deffended and kept ayenst the puyssaunt power of Fraunce beseged as yt were by the seyd tyme; and as for wache and ward yn the wynter nyghtys I herd the seyd ser Johan Fastolfe sey that every man kepyng the scout wache had a masty hound at a lyes, to berke and warne yff ony adverse partye were commyng to the dykes or to aproche the towne for to scale yt. And the seyd prince Herry vthe,[114]] albeit that it consumed gretlie his peple, and also by batailes yeveng, conquerid [the towne of Harflete[114]], and wanne bothe the saide Duchie of Normandie first and after the Roiaume of Fraunce, conquerid and broughte in subjeccion and wanne be his gret manhode, withe the noble power of his lordis and helpe of his comonys, and so overleid the myghtie roialle power of Fraunce be the seide sieges lieng, first in his first viage at Harflete, and in the secondNota, qualiter per civitates et mare obtinuit.viage he made manly besegid Cane, the cite of Rone, Falleise, Argenten, Maunt, Vernonsurseyne, Melun, Meulx, Enbrie, and at many other castellis, forteressis, citeis, and townes to long to rehers. AlsoBellum supermare et leȝ carrikes.had gret batailes on the see ayenst many grete carekkis and gret shippes that beseiged Hareflue after it was Englisshe. And had a gretNota de bello apud Agincourt.discomfiture at the bataile of Agincourt in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijcxv.at his first viage, where many dukes, erlis, lordis, and knightis were slaine and take prisoneris that bene in remembraunce at this day ofHenricus Rex duxit in uxorem filiam Regis Fraunciæ.men yet livyng. And after allied hym to the Frenshe king Charlis .vj.teis doughter, because of whiche alliaunce gret part of the roiaume of Fraunce were yolden unto hym his obeisaunce. And now also in the said noble conquest hathe be kepte undre the obediaunce of Englisshe nacion from the begynnyng of the said late conquest by .xxxv. yeris be continued and kept by roialle power, as first be the noble and famous prince Johan duke of Bedforde, regent and governoure of the roiaume of Fraunce by .xiij. yeris, with the eide and power of the noble lordis of this lande, bothe youre said royaume of Fraunce and duchie of Normandie was kept and the ennemies kept ferre of in gret subjeccion.
Joh'es dux Bedforde.
How that in Johan duke of Bedforde tyme be his lieutenaunt erle of Salisburie had the victorie at the batelle of Cravant.
In profe wherof how and in the first yere of the reigne of king Harry the sixt, at whiche tyme his seide uncle toke uppon hym the charge and the name of Regent of the roiaume of Fraunce, that hadBellum de Cravant.the victorie at the bateile of Cravant, where as at that tyme ThomasThomas Montagu comes Sarum.Will's Pole comes Suff'.Montagu the noble erle of Salisburie, the erle of Suffolke, theDominus Willughby.marchalle of Bourgoine, the lord Willoughebie, withe a gret power of Phelip the duke of Bourgoine is host, holding the partie of the said Johan regent of Fraunce, duc of Bedford, withe the eide and help of the trew subgettis of this lande, had the overhande of the ennemies assembled to the nombre of .ix. Ml. Frenshemen and Scottis at the said bataile of Cravant in the duchie of Bourgoine, where there were slayne of the ennemies to the nombre of .iiij. Ml., beside .ij. Ml. prisonneris take, of whiche gret part of them were Scottis, the erle Bougham being chief capitein over them;[115]which late before were the cause of the male-infortuned journey at Bougée, where the famousand victorious knight Thomas duc of Claraunce, youre nere cousyn,Vindicatio mortis ducis Clarenciæ.for the right of Fraunce, withe a smale company of his side, withe the Scottis to a grete nombre there assembled among hem in the feelde, was slayn, withe many a noble lorde, baron, knightis, squyers of Englond, that never so gret an overthrow of lordes and noble bloode was seene in no mannys daies as it was then. Aboute the nombre of .ijc. l. cote-armes slaine and take prisoneris as yt was seyd, be the saide Scottis holding withe youre adverse party of Fraunce, whiche God of his infinite goodenes sone after at the saide batelle [of] Cravant, and after at the bateile of Vernell, was sent aSecunda vice punicio mortis ducis Clarenciæ.chastisement upon the saide Scottis for theire cruelltie vengeable and mortelle dethe of the said victorious prince, duke of Claraunce, and of other of his noble lordis and knightis.
How Johan duke of Bedforde had yn his owne parsone the batelle of Vernelle.
1423.
Batelle of Cravant.
Also in the said daies, sone after the saide batelle of Cravant, in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijc.xxiij., the .iij. yere of King Harry the sext, the .xvij. day of August, the said Johan duke of Bedford had a gret discomfiture and the victorie upon your adversaries of Fraunce and ofBatelle of Vernoyle.1424.Scottis at the batelle of Vernelle in Perche, where as Johan cleping hym duc of Alaunson, lieutenaunt for the Frenshe partie, was take prisoner that day, and the said erle Bougham of Scotlonde, marchalle of Fraunce, whiche was cause of that noble prince Thomas duke of Claraunce dethe, was in the said bataile overthrow and sleyne, and the erle Douglas made duc of Tourayne, aswelle as his sonne and heire that was in the feelde at Shrewisburie ayenst king Henry the .iiijthe, and another tyme being ayenst the said Johan duc of Bedford at Homeldonhille in Scotlond, was also slaine at the said batelle, withe many other grete lordis of the Frenshe partie slayne and taken prisoneris at the said bataile.
How that the grettir part of the counte of Mayne, the cite of Mauns, withe many other castellis, were yolden.
Mayn.
And, overmore, not long after, youre auncien enheritaunce in the counté of Mayne, the cite of Maunce, conquerid and brought be the said regent duc of Bedforde, withe the power of his lordis and helpers, in subgeccion, [by the erle of Salysbery, lord Scalys, ser John Fastalf, ser John Popham, ser N. Mongomery, ser Wylliam Oldhalle, chevalers, and many othyr noble men of worshyppe.[116]] And whiche counté of Mayne was accustomed sithen to be in value yerely to the eide and helpe of the werres of Fraunce, and to the releve of the kyng ys subgettis obeisauntes lyvyng uppon the werre for the furtheraunce of that conquest, .x. Ml. li. sterlinges. Also the said regent of Fraunce, with the power of youre noble bloode and lordes, wanne the feeld at the forseid grete bataile of Vernelle in Perche ayenst the power of the Frenshe adverse party of Fraunce, being assembled to the nombre of .xl. Ml. fighters of the Frenshe partie; andRedempcio Joh'is dicentis [se] ducem de Allunson pro .clx. Ml. salux bene solutis ultra alia onera suarum expensarum.there Johan cleping hymsilf duke of Alaunson, lieutenaunt to Charles the .vij. calling hym Frenshe king, taken prisonner, withe many other lordis, barons, and knightes, and noble men of worship, whiche paied to the said regent duc of Bedforde for his raunson and finaunce allone .clx. M. salux, beside his other grete costis and charges, whiche was a gret relief and socoure to the eide of the conquest, whiche bataile was in the yere of Crist Ml.iiijc.xxiiij., the seyd .iijd. yere of the reigne of king Henry sext.