XIV. Item, it is recorded that within this truce be included the Spaniards,

Catalonians, Genevese, Proven^ons, the bishop and chapter, the town and castle, and all the inhabitants of Cambray, and the lords of Bret, Fronsac, Gascony, Lisle, Tenbon, Vervin, and Royes.
In witness whereof, we John, by the grace of God king of Bohemia and earl of Luxcmburgh, Adulph, bishop of Liege, Radulph, duke of Lorraine, Ayemes, earl of Savoy, and John, earl of Armagnac, on the one party ; and John, duke of Brabant, Kcnaud, duke of Gueldre, William, marquis of Juliers, and Sir John of Heinault, lord Beaumont, on the other party, betwixt the high and puissant princes of France and England, have sealed this instmment of truce and respite, and delivered the same accordingly in the church of Esplechin, on Monday the twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of grace 1340.'
KinK This truce thus finished, king Edward brake up liis camp, removing-
J^ur^neth ^^^^ sicgc from Toumay, and came again to Glient ; from whence, ToiTrn.i ^^^y *^^^'y ^^ ^^'^ morning, lie, with a small company, took shipping [Novim- and by long seas came to the Tower of London, very few or none Veceu^A '''"^vi'ig understanding thereof. And being greatly displeased with divers i.> his of his council and high officers, for that through their default he was constrained against his will, not having money to maintain his wars, to condescend unto the aforesaid truce, he commanded to be appre- hended and brought unto him to the Tower the lord John Stonehore, chief justice of England, and Sir John SU Paul, with divers others.
(1) Revised and ami)lified from the original in Rymer and Avcsbury. — Ed.
THE archbishop's LETTER TO THE KING. 681
And the next morning lie sent for the lord Robert, bishop of Clii- Edward Chester, the lord AVake, the lord treasurer, and divers other such ^'^' that were in authority and office, and commanded them all to be hcpt A. D. as prisoners in the said Tower, only the said bishop excepted .; whom, ^^'^^- for fear of the constitution of pope Clement, which commandcth that Noi>isiiop no bishop should be by the king imprisoned, he set at liberty and imprL-on- sufFered him to go his way, and in his jilace he substituted Sir Roger pope's"** Boucher, knight, as lord chancellor of England. ^''^•
The history intreating of this matter reporteth thus : that the covetous king had this time under him evil substitutes and covetous officers, ''® who, attending more to their own gain than to the public honour and commodity of the realm, left the king destitute and naked of money. With which crime also John Stratford, archbishop then of Canterbury, John was vehemently noted and suspected ; whether of his true deserving, arch-'^"'^'^' or by the setting on of other, hereafter shall more appear ; insomuch ^''''^°p °^ that the king, ardently incensed against him, charged him with great bury, falsehood used against his person. The archbishop subtilely and featly excuseth himself to the king of the aforesaid objections, and cunningly handleth the matter in Avords by his letter directed to the king, as followeth : —
Letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the King.' Very sweet Sire, may it please you to consider, tliat the most sovereign thing for keeping kings and princes in the love of God and a prosperous condition is good and wise counsel. And therefore the wise man saith, " In the Good words of counsellors " (that is good counsellors) "there is safetj'." [Prov. xi.l4; counsel- xxiv. G.] And therefore it is written in the Book of Kings, that Solomon, the ^°^^ "^" wisest king that ever was, chose the most ancient and wise persons of his realm about a to stand hefore him, hy whose advice, tempered with his own judgment, he '''"S- always kept the land of Israel in peace and quiet ; and besides that, all the kings round about him were at his will. And after his death his son Kehoboam reigned, who, neglecting the good counsel of his father and of the ancient and wise men who had stood before his father, did after the counsel of young men who sought to please him but had little understanding ; whereby he lost the whole land of Israel except the twelfth part. In like manner, manj' kings of Israel and of other countries have been brought to harm through evil counsel. And, Sire, let it not displease you to be reminded of the events of your own time : for it was through evil counsel that our Sire, your father (whom God assoil), caused peers and others of his realm to be apprehended contrarv to the law of his realm and the Magna Charta, and put some of them to a villa- nous death, of some he caused their goods and all they had to be seized, some he put to ransom ; and you know, Sire, what haj)pened to him in consequence. And then, to come to your own time, Sire, you have had some counsellors through whom you nearly lost the hearts of your people, from whom God was graciously pleased to deliver you. And from that time to the present, through good advice of the prelates, peers, great men, and wise counsellors of the realm, your affairs have been managed in such manner, that you entirely possess the hearts of all your subjects, as well clergy as laity, as much or more than any king of England ever did. So that, what with your good counsel, the aid of }^our people, and the favour of God toward you, you have gained the victory over your enemies in Scotland and France and everywhere : so that )-ou are this day (glory be to God!) accounted the most noble prince in Christendom.
But now, set on by the evil counsels of some persons in the realm who are not so wise as could be wished, and of others who desire more their own profit than your honour or the country's welfare, you are beginning to issue writs of appre- hension against clerks, peers, and other persons of the realm, and to institute improper processes contrary to the law of the land, to the keeping and main- tenance whereof you are bound by your coronation oath ; also contrary to the Great Charter, whereof all contraveners are excommunicated by all the (1) Newly translated from the French in Avesbury. Sec Appendix. — Ed.
6S2
Tin: KINGS I.KTTKU TO THK IJKAM AND CHArXEU OF ST. PAUL S.
y-hiard III.
A.D. 1341.
Kx com- munica- tion ill liis own private cause abused.
jirelntes of England, according to a sentence confirmed by papal bull, which we have by us: whicli things are done with the great peril ot your soul and
" the disparagement of your lionour. And albeit, Sire, tliose who now assume to be your guides and counsellors, more than their condition entitleth them, give
. you to understand tliat your present doings are and will be acceptable to your people, know, Sire, for certain (and if you go on as you have begun you will find it so, and that, Sire, for a long time to come, except God interpose a remedy), know, I s.iy, that if you pursue the course now begun you will lose the hearts of your people, as also your good and rightful enterprise, and will embroil yourself thereby in such a manner that you will be unable to accomplish your enterprise, and will rather force your enemies to destroy you and deprive you (which God forbid) of your fair fame and your kingdom.
Wherefore, Sire, as you value your honour and your kingdom, and would successfully maintain your cnlerjirise, be pleased to take to you the noble and wise men of your realm, and to avail yourself in your affairs of them and their counsels, as hath been heretofore customary ; for without their aid and counsel you can neither maintain your enterprise, nor govern well at home.
And forsomuch as some who are about you falsely surmise of us treason and unfaithfulness (who are there-for excommunicate, and for such we hold them, and as your spiritual adviser pray you also to hold them for such) ; while of others they say openly that they have basely and falsely served you, and that by their means you have lost Tournay and much honour else which you might there have gained — be pleased, Sire, to assemble the prelates, nobles, and peers of the land, at some convenient place whither we and other people may resort securely, and let there be (if you please) an investigation and inquiry made, into whose hands have come the wools, monies, and other things granted you in aid of your war, from the commencement thereof to this present day, and by whom they have been expended, and by whose default it was that you so departed from Toiunay; and, as a good lord, let those who shall be found in any point guilty towards you be well punished according to the law. And as for ourselves, we will abide in all points the judgment of our peers, saving always (as heretofore we have done) the status of holy church, of ourselves, and of our order. And for God's sake, Sire, do not believe of us or of your good people otherwise than well, before you have ascertained the truth ; for if men are to be punished without being permitted to answer for themselves, there is an end of all discrimination between the good and the bad.
And, Sire, be pleased to consider well the greatness of your enterprise, and the strong friendship which for this cause you have need of, also your enemies in Scotland, and the great peril of your realm thereby. For if your prelates and nobles and all the wise men of j-our realm were day and night of one mind, with- out any division among them, to deal with the multiplied business attendant on such a vast concern, there would be enough for them to think about in order to maintain your enterprise, the honour of your person, and the well-being of your realm. And be pleased. Sire, not to take it amiss, that we have in so liomely a manner sent you the truth: for the great affection we ever did and shall bear you, the desire of preserving your honour and realm, and a sense of our duty as primate (however unworthy) of all England and your spiritual father, incite us to speak and even command, where your own soul and your kingdom and estate are all at stake. The Holy Spirit preserve you, body and soul, and grant you grace to hear and believe good counsel, and then — victory over your enemies.
Written at Canterbury, the first day of January, by your chaplain the arch- bishop of Canterbury.
Albeit the king, this yet notAvitlistandinfr, directeth his letters abroad against the said archbishop, and amongst others to the dean and chapter of Paid's, whereof the tenor here folio weth : —
The King's Letter to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's.' Edward, by the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of
Ireland, to his well-beloved in Christ, the Dean and Chapter of the Church
of St. Paul in London, greeting in the Lord :
It is manifest by authentic histories, but more clearly appears by what is (1) Newly translated from tliu Lalin in Rymcr, Avesbuiy, and Wah.ingham. See Appendix.— En.
THE AUCIIBISIIOP OF CANTERBURY'S ALLKGKU DECEIT. 6(S3
daily practised, that many men, abusing in their pride the favour of princes Kdimrd and the honour conferred upon them, do sometimes maliciously endeavour to ^M deprave the laudable undertakings of kings. And that what we say may be . .^ rendered more manifest to all our liege subjects, we suppose that neither you ' nor they have forgotten, how we, being formerly exalted to the regal throne in '
the years of our tender youth, and desiring at our first undertaking that royal charge to be directed by wholesome counsels, did call unto us John, then bishop of Winchester but now archbishop of Canterbury, because we supposed him to excel others in loyalty and discretion, and made use both of his spiritual advice in matters concerning the health of our soul, and also of his temjjoral in afiairs relating to the aggrandisement and conservation of our kingdom. Nay, he was by us received into such familiarity, and experienced so much of our favour towards him, that he was called our Father, and honoured of all men next unto the king.
Now afterwards, when by right of succession the kingdom of France had devolved unto us and by the lord Philip de Valois was manifestly usurped, the said archbishop by his importunities persuaded us to make a league with the princes of Almain against the said Philip, and so to expose ourselves and ours to the expenses of war ; ])romising anij afhrming that he would see us abun- dantly supplied with the necessary funds out of the profit of our lands and from other sources ; adding, moreover, that we slioidd only take care to provide men of courage and skill sufficient for the war, for that he himself would efi'ectually procure such sums of money as should both answer our necessities and the soldiers' pay. Whereupon having passed the seas, we set our hand to great undertakings, and made an immense outlay (as it behoved us) in providing for tlie war, and bound ourselves in very large siuns of money to our confederates, in confidence of the aid promised us as aforesaid. But alas ! since we put our confidence " in the staff of a broken reed, whereon " (according to the Prophet) " if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it," being defrauded of the expected subsidy, of mere necessity we were compelled under very heavy usury to contract an insupportable load of debt.and so our expedition being staid, we were obliged to desist for that time from our enterprises so valiantly begun against our enemies, and to return into England: where having laid before the said archbishop our manifold vexations and misfortunes aforesaid, and thereupon calling a parliament, the prelates, barons, and other liege subjects of our king- dom gave us (besides a tenth granted us by the clergy) a subsidy of the ninth of their corn, lambs, and wool ; which subsidy, had it been faithfully collected and obtained in due time, had not a little availed, nay would probably (in the opinion of many) have been quite sufficient for expediting the said war, for the payment of our debts, and the confusion of our enemies. The said archbishop, meanwhile, promised us zealously to do his part toward tiie collecting the said subsidy,and in procuring other things necessary for us. Whereupon, relying on his promises, having recruited our forces, with a navy collected for the pui-pose we set sail for Flanders, and upon the way had a fierce encounter at sea with our enemies, who had combined to the destruction of us and of our whole English nation ; but by the merciful kindness of Him, who ruleth both the winds and the sea, and not for our own merits, we obtained over the whole multitude of those enemies a victory and triumph. Which done, passing forward with a very great army for the recovery of our rights, we encamped near the very strong city of Tournay ; in the siege whereof after we had been for some time busily occupied, and were wearied with continual toils and charges, yet silently waiting for the promised aid, we hoped every day by means of the said archbishop to be relieved in our many and great necessities. At length being frustrated of our conceived hope, though by many messengers and divers letters we fully signified to the said archbishop, and other our counsellors joined in commission with him, our necessities and the sundry dangers we were exposed to for want of the aforesaid promised subsidy, as also the advantage and honour which we saw we might easily obtain by a seasonable supply of money, yet we could get no help from them ; because, minding their own business, and wholly neglecting ours, and studying only their ov.n interests, they palliated their own idleness (not to say fraud or wickedness) with frivolous excuses and a false parade of words; like those mockers, who (as Isaiah saitli) deridingly scoff, saying, " Precept upon precept, precept vipon precept ; line upon line, line upon line ; here a little, and there a little." Whence (alas, for
G84 IIK DKNir.TU TO COMK TO TlIK KIXG.
Edward sorrow !) it came to pass, tliat just when the hope of triumphing over our
III- enemies most praciously smiled upon ns, we were by absohitc want constrained
A I), opiainst onr will to consent to a truce, to the shameful stoppage of our cxpedi-
i;511. ", i'"d tl>c "o smixW joy of our adversaries. Returning thereupon info
— '■ '— Flanders, void of monev, and loaded with debt, with nothing left in our own
purses nor our friends' purses, to supply our own necessities and to pay the soldiers in our service, wc were compelled to plunge into the gulf of usury, and to submit our shoulders to a fresh load of debt. At last our faithful friends, (he companions of ourcxpedition and partakers of our troubles, came round us, with whom we soriouslv consulted for some remedy, whereby we might get free from such a tempest of misfortunes and recover ourselves. It appeared to Arrh- tiieni all that the sad circumstance of our late stoppage, and the manifold incon- ranie'r"' veuiences ])roceeding from our want of supply, happened all through the fault i.i'iry false or idleness (not to say wickedness) of the aforesaid archbishop, on whose discre- ''.' ""^ tion, with that of others whom we placed in conjunction with him over the '"''' aftairs of the realm, the whole disposal of our kingdom seemed to depend; and vehemently wondering, and secretly murnniring at us, for that our royal gen- tleness would so long leave unpunished the insolence of the said archbishop and tlie (>ther oflicials, they publicly protested that, unless we would speedily ajiply a fit remedy to these evils, they must of necessity withdraw from our service, and go back from their alliance made with us : and tliis certainly would redound to the subversion of our kingdom, our own perpetual infamy, and the lasting reproach of the English nation ; wliich God our most merciful Father, on whom the anchor of our hope is immovably fixed, of his goodness forbid should happen in our time. Kvii \Vhereu])on, addressing ourselves to the due correction of our said officers,
offiiiTs some of them, whom for good reasons we suspected guilty of mal-adminis-
(lisnliiced . , ' . ,■ ■ .• • c ■ - » 1 -1 1
iiy the tration, subversion ot justice, oppression oi our suojects, bribery and cor-
l to be removed from their offices : others also of inferior degree, but culpable in the premises, we caused to be detained in safe custody, lest if they enjoyed their wonted liberty, the execution of justice should by their craftiness be prevented, and the inquisition of the truth cunningly eluded. And since we believed that we should elicit that truth more certainly and fully from the said archbishop than from any one else — (because it was reasonably to be expected, that nothing which could be important for our information herein would be unknown to him, seeing wc had thought fit for a long time past to commit to him the administration of our whole common-weal, and the chief conduct of affairs), — therefore by our trusty Nicholas de Cantilupe we sent him our com- mands without delay to come to us at London, as we wished to have the pleasure of a personal interview with him. But he like himself, as timid in adversity as tumid in prosperity, fearing where no fear was, did untruly allege that he would be in imminent peril of his life, which was menaced and threatened by certain about our person, should he leave the church of Canterbury : whereas (God and our pure conscience are witnesses) no such matter ever entered into our mind, nor (as 1 believe) into the mind of any of our servants. Yet we suppose, he glanced Arch- herein at our cousin the earl of Derby ; though not only to him, but to all bishop of others,' as well of the clergy as laity, he had become deservedly odious through bury li's malignant character. But we, who desire that all our subjects who wish to odious to have access to our ])erson, especially when sent for by our letters or messengers, clergy. should be able to come with a feeling of ])erfect security, to confute his malicious suggestion, sent unto him our trustv and well-beloved Ralph de Stafford, high- steward of our household, to offer and give him safe conduct: nevertheless, over and above that, we caused our royal letters patent, signed with our royal seal, to be presented unto him, again commanding him personally to appear before us, to give information about the affairs of our realm, which he had Denicth conducted for a long time past, as aforesaid. Yet he, setting at nought our toUir^ gentle requests and commands, answered disdainfully, that he would by no liiiig. means come either to our sight or speech except in full parliament, which for good reasons it is inexpedient should be called at this time.
Thus this archbishop, whom our royal bounty hath enriched with magnificent preferments and honours, and admitted to the most intimate familiarity, even
(1) "The foreRoinp part of this clause is omitted liy Anti.i. Brit, and Walsingham. Only Mr. Foxe'B copy hath it." Barnes's Life of Edward III.— Ed.
CHARGES AGAINST THE ARCHUISHOP OF CANTERHURY. 685
to the cordiality of friendship and the confidence of sworn companions ; upon Edward ■whom, as on a dear fatlier, our whole spirit and soul did repose ; who also, while •'^^■'^• we acquiesced altogether in his wishes, put on toward us a face of seeming ~7~TJ affection, cloaked with a false show of benevolence, as though he were a loving ,0,1* father — even this man is cruelly turned to be an oppressive and severe step-father, and wholly forgetful of the benefits he hath received, with tumid arrogance pur- Charged sueth his benefactor, and rcquiteth us just as (according to the proverb) " a mouse ^nibHM ' in a bag, a serpent in the lap, and fire in the bosom," requite their entertainers, and in- For, albeit ever since we were by divine grace and hereditary right raised to S^atitudf the throne it hath been (as it ever will be) hateful to us to abuse the greatness of our power, and we are most desirous in the government of our subjects to blend justice with mercy and gentleness, so that we may enjoy that peace which is desired of all men — yet notwithstanding, this man goeth about to defame our A defa- innocence, and the fidelity and diligence of our counsellors and officers who meroithe are pursuing only justice ; publicly preaching, and by his letters patent ordering "'^' it to be declared in divers parts, " that in these latter times the laity are unjustly oppressed by the royal power, the clergy confounded, and holy church over- burthened with exactions, levies, and talhages." And whereas he is craftily endeavouring to gain tlie name (which he hath never yet earned) of a good shepherd,when in reality he is, both after the common opinion and even on his own public confession (as is said), no better than a hireling, he cloaketh his fox-craft with a feigned zeal for the liberties of the church ; and yet if she hath experienced any vexations in our time, either in her property or clergy, they are really to be ascribed to the carelessness, and the cunning inventions, and the false counsels, of the aforesaid archbishop. And in order to damage the king's popularity, to defame his ministers aforesaid, traitorously to stir up sedition among the people committed to our charge, and to withdraw from our royal person the attachment of our earls, lords, and barons of the realm, he wickedly pretendeth that he hath by him certain sentences of excommunication lately p.Tssed against the violators generally of the chm-ch's liberty and the Magna Charta ; and he hath by his letters commanded certain articles, in divers eminent places of resort to be published, besides and contrary to the usual means in such case provided in a px-ovincial council.
Wherefore we, wishing (as we ought) to take heed to the integrity of our fame, to obviate the malicious designs of the said archbishop, and to avoid the snares he hath laid for us and ours, have taken measures, beside those things above rehearsed, to bring into public notice some other of his many perverse doings, forbearing to enlarge on them at present. In particular, when we were in our minority, it was by his imprudent counsel and persuasion, that we made so many prodigal donations, unlawful alienations, and excessive largesses, that our treasure was wholly exhausted thereby, and our revenues enormously diminished: and we find that lie, being corrupted with bribes, without good reason forgave certain persons large sums of money which were owing to us, when neither ne- cessity, nor any prospect of advantage, so required ; and also that he hath applied to the use of himself and his friends, and other ill-deserving persons, many of our rents and revenues, which ought to have been kept for our own use and necessity. Moreover, being an accepter of persons as well as of bribes, contrary to our wish and his oath of fidelity made to us, he hath admitted to public office in our dominions persons altogether unworthy, neglecting and putting back the deserving : and many other things out of a refractory mind he hath rashly presumed to take in hand, to the detriment of our state, the hurt of our royal dignity, and the no small damage and grievance of our subjects ; abusing the Thearrii- authority and office committed to him. All which, if he shall still persist in bishop his proud obstinacy and his stout and continued rebellion, we will hereafter hjs'omce. at convenient time and place manifestly prove ; in the mean while, enjoining and commanding you to publish the same, and cause it by others to be published, openly and distinctly in those places where you shall think it expedient; setting forth at the same time, as it shall seem best to your godly wisdoms, our pious resolution of redressing grievances, and promoting the comforts and advantages of our subjects ; so behaving yourselves herein, that we may have just cause to commend your care and prudence. Witness myself at Westminster the twelfth day of February, in the fifteenth year of our reign over England, and our second over France.
686 A TRl'CE FOR 0\K YKAR MOEE BETWEEN THE TWO KIXGS.
jidward By these aforcsiiitl objections and accusations of the king, premised ^'^- and laid a-ainst tlic arch'bisliop of Canterbury, what is to be thought of A.l). the doings of the said archbishop, I leave it to thy judgment, gentle 1:M1. reader (as I said before), to be conjected ; forsomuch as our histories, somewhat bearing with the said archbishop, seem cither to be uncer- tain of the truth of the matter, or else covertly to dissemble some part of that they knew. And especially of Polydore Virgil I marvel, who, havino- so good occasion to touch the matter, doth so slightly pass it over without any word mentioning. In which matter, if probable conjecture, besides history, might here be heard, it is not unlike but that some old practice of prelates hath herein been put in use, through some crafty conspiracy between the pope and the archbishop ; and the rather to be gathered, for that as the pope was enemy unto the king in this his challenge to the crown of France, so the arch- bishop against his prince (as for the most part always they liave been) was a friend, as no man need to doubt thereof, unto the pope. AVhich thing also more probably may be supposed, because of the coming down of the two cardinals the same time, from the pope to the king of England, about the matter of further truce. This is certain, 'that the archbishop, nothing abashed, replied again to the king's letters aforesaid, calling them an infamous libel, and wishing for "the king's honour they had not been written or published.' Rotum of And thus stood the case between the archbishop of Canterbury Lrmy "^'* and the king, who coming thus (as is said) in secret wise into England ff'"" from the siege of Tournay, his army in the mean while by ships was ^°"'""^' conveyed to Brctagne. *0f whom a great number, through unsea- sonable and inconvenient meats and drinks, was there consumed ; to whom also no less danger happened, by the seas coming out of Brctagne into England, by tempest, thunder, and liglitning, stirred up (as was thought) by the necromancers of the French king. A.D.nii. Tlie year following, a.d. 1341, were sent from the pope two other ^""iffor cardinals to treat with king Edward for one year's truce to be con- one7ea7 cludcd morc with the French king, besides the former truce taken iTctwcei. before ; and all by the pope's means. For here is to be under- Edward stand, that as it was not for the pope's purpose to have the king of and the England to reign over so many countries, so his privy supportation k.'ng!"' lacked not by all means possible, both by his archbishops and cardinals, and also by the emperor, to maintain the state of the French king, and to establish him in his possession.^
In the said histories where these things be mentioned it is also noted, that the same year such plenty there was here in the realm of victuals, that a quarter of wheat was sold for two shillings, a fat ox for a noble, and (as some say) a sheep for four-pence. And thus far endurcth the history of Ranulphus Cestrensis, called * Polychronicon."'
The same year, a.d. 134-1, Louis of Bavaria, the emperor, who before had showed great courtesy to king Edward as in his first viage over, insomuch that he made him his vicar or vicegerent general, and ofTcrcd him also aid against the French king; now (either turned by inconstancy, or seduced by the pope) writclh to him contrary letters, wherein he rcvoketh the viccgerentship granted to him, and scckcth
(I) Sof Arr
CORRESPONDENCE OF KING EDWARD AND THE EMPEROR. 687
all means in fovour of the French king, and against king Edward ; as Edward by his letters here under written may better appear.
Letter of the Emperor to the King of England.
Louis, by the grace of God emperor of the Romans, always Augustus, &c. To Edward king of England, his beloved brother, greeting and unfeigned love. Although great and urgent business of our own do oppress us, and about the same our weighty affairs we ai-e daily encumbered, yet with the discwd and variance between your kingly dignity and the renowned Philip, the king of France our cousin, for your sake, we are not a little troubled. And the rather, the great charges which may hereafter grow both to you and to your kingdom thereby considered, both of men and money, unless the same be taken up, doth more easily provoke us to give ourself to the careful study of your affairs. Wherefore we give you to imdei-stand that the aforesaid Philip, at our request, hath given unto us, by his letters, authority and power to treat and conclude a peace between you, touching the variance begun : which peace (all the state diligently considered both of yourself, your kingdom, and subjects) we take and believe to be right expedient for you ; moving therewithal your charity, and earnestly desiring you, that to this also you will give your consent, whereby we may bring you both to concord and unity, and establish between you a firm peace to endure ; whereunto with willing mind we would apply ourself, and bestow our painful labour in prosecuting the same. And herein if you will condescend and agree unto our counsel, as we trust you will, it may please you by your letters to give unto us the like authority as is above said, to treat of peace or for the ordering of a truce for one year or two at least to continue. Neither let it move you, that between us and the said Philip of France a truce is taken ; for, seeing that you without our consent took truce with him, we, by the advice of our princes who know the bonds, deeds, and covenants betwixt us, who also thought no less but that, saving yom- honour, we might do the same, have also made a league with the said Philip king of France ; and for certain causes do revoke and call back the lieutenantship which we assigned unto you by our letters. Nevertheless, giving you for certain to understand that in our said treaties and peace concluded, we have so brotherly considered you, that, if you will agree and condescend unto our counsel, your cause, by our mean and help, shall be brought to good pass and effect; about which things further to confer with your brotherhood herein, we have sent a devout and religious man, friar Everard, reader of the order of the Eremites of St. Au- gustine and cliaplain of our court; whom about the premises we desire with speedy expedition to be sent unto us again.
Given at Frankfort, the twenty-fifth day of June, in the twenty-sixth year of our reign, and the fourteenth of our empire.
Answer of the King of England to the Emperor.
To the most serene Prince Lord Louis, by the grace of God Emperor of the Romans, always Augustus, Edward, by the same grace King of France and England, and Lord of Ireland, health and prosperous success.
We have reverently received your highness' letters, amongst other things containing, that the noble Philip de Valois, to the intent a peace and concord between us and him might be concluded, hath given unto you, by his letters, full power and authority thereunto at your highness' request ; and that if the same might content us to do in like sort, yom- highness would travail to bring the concord to pass ; and that it would not move us any whit at all, that your highness and the said Philip are in league together : forasmuch as we, without your assent and consent, you say, took truce with the said Philip, you have also done the like with liim (which thing you might well do saving yoiu: honour, bv the counsel of all your nobles and i3rinces), and for cert«in causes you revoke again the lieutenantship which you committed unto us. Doubtless the zeal and good will you have to make tliis concord and agreement, we much connnend; letting you to understand that we always have been desirous, and still are, to have a reasonable peace with the said Philip ; which peace as nnich
A.D. 1311.
688 THE KING DlSAXNULLl Til THE POPES I'UOVISIOXr,.
Kdward as to US (our liouour saved) appertained, we liave in justice and by law pro- lll. secuted ; and in very deed, it should be to us acceptable, and as we would
~T~7r~ wish, if by sucli a mediator as your highness is, it miglit be brought to p;iss. y^Tcy' IJut, foras'nuicli as we understand the same our riglit and title to tlie kingdom of France to be nianifest and clear enough, we i)urpose not to commit the sajnc bv any of our letters to doubtful arbitrement : but while we well consider and revolve witli ourselves, how, upon circumspect consideration (you mani- fi'stlv l)eliol(ling our just and rightful doing, and tiie strait dealing and obstinate purjlose and injury of the said I'hilip), your gracious highness made a special iiaiiiie with us, and in oiu" behalf, against the said Pliilip, adopting us of your great and l)ountiful love towards oiu- person to bo one of your sons ; wherefore, that you siiould thus again alter and break the same, we cannot sutlicicntly marvel, seeing your invincible highness, being instituted of God to the la\id and com- mendation of good men, and revenge of evil and wicked doers, hath made a league against us with the said Philip de Valois, our notorious and injurious enemy. And as touching that which you say, that without your assignment and consent we took a truce, or days of respite, with the said Philip, which we ought not to have done ; if your grace well consider the circumstance of the matter, we have done l)ut as we might tlierein ; for when we laid our siege to Tournay, it was requisite that we should follow their advice, whose aid and socictj- therein we had. Besides, the sudden and inunincnt necessity whicli we there stood in, and the distance of the place betwixt yoiu- highness and us further- more was such, as that by no means we might attain tlie same, nor use your assent therein. Yea and further, if your grace well remember yourself, j-our grant unto us was such, that whensoever opportunity thereunto should serve, we might treat of any peace, and grant what time we thought meet thereunto, without your consent therein ; so tliat to conclude any final peace with the said Pliilip de Valois, without either your consent, or otherwise making your higli- ness j)rivy tlierevmto, it might not be lawful for us ; which thing, without your said counsel, consent and advice, we never minded nor purjiosed to do, but have in all our doings done that which us beseemed, so far as by any means our power would stretch ; hoping likewise that your brotherly benevolence for a time would have more lovingly supported us. It is thought also by some, tliat the revoking back again, or restraint of your aforesaid lieutcnantship, was I)rematin-e or done all out of time ; when, according to your promise made to us lierein by your letters imperial, you ought not so to have done, before the realm and kingdom of France, or at the least the greatest part thereof, were of us obtained and quietly in peaceable wise enjoyed. These things premised, tlierefore, we desire you, according to your nobility, duly to consider, and here- after to do, that whicli shall be thought both meet and convenient; because tliat fCiod willing) we mean to recompense and gratify both you and yours, accord- ing to the measure of your benevolence bestowed upon us. The Most High grant unto your highness so much felicity as your heart desireth.
Given at London the 14th day of July, in the second year of the reign of our kingdom of France, and of England the fifteenth, [a.d. 1341.]
The following year died pope Benedict XII., mentioned a little [May before; after whom succeeded in that room pope Clement VI. Of A 1)! whom it is reported in stories, that he was very liberal and bountiful ■'^■' to his cardinals of Kome, enriching and lieaping them with goods and possessions not of his own, but with the ecclesiastical dignities and preferments of the churches of England;* for so recordcth the author, that he bestowed upon his cardinals the livings and promo- tions, such as were or should be vacant in churches of England, and went about to set up new titles for his cardinals here within this .nl'amjuf ''^^'"'- -^^'^ ^^'^ '^'"S lacing offended therewith, made void and frus- irtii ihe Irate all those aforesaid jtrovisions of the pope ; charging moreover priTi- ""^^ commanding no ])erson whatsoever to busy himself willi any such (irovisidns, under pain of prisonment and of losing his life ; which law was made the ne.xt year following (a.p. 13*3). Whereupon the nobles
(1) Ex Cliron. Albanensi. [See Appendix. — Kd.]
tions
A LETTEIl OF THE KING AXU XOIiI.E.S TO THE I'OI'E. G89
and commons addressed a letter to the pope. The argument and Edunni tenor of which letter out of French we have caused to be translated ^"' into English, as ensueth : — A.D.
i;m;}. The Letter of the Nobles of England and Commons of the same to
the Pope, against the Reservations and Provisions which he had
in England.'
To the most holy father in God lord Clement, by divine providence of the lioly church of Rome and of the universal church sovereign bisliop, his humble and devout sons the princes, dukes, earls, barons, knights, citizens, burgesses, and all the commonalty of the realm of P^ngland, assembled at the parliament holden at Westminster the Quindime of Easter- [April 28th] last past, devout kissings of his most holy feet, with all reverence and humility. Most holy father ! the holy discretion, government, and equity, which manifest themselves in you, and ought to reign in so high and holy a prelate, the head of holy church, by whom holy church and the people of God ought to be, as by a sun, illumined, give us strong hope that the just petitions, to the honour of Jesus Christ and holy church and of your holiness also, by us exhibited, will be of you graciously heard, and that all errors and iniquities will be taken away and removed, and that some fruitful amendment and remedy thereof (through the grace of the Holy Spirit, which you to so high a degree have received) will be by you graciously ordained. Wherefore, most holy father ! all we upon full delibe- ration with common assent declare to your holiness, that the noble kings of Eng- land, the progenitors of his majesty that now is, and our ancestors, and ourselves, according to the grace of the Holy Spirit to them and us given, have, every one according to his devotion, established, founded, and endowed within the Misap- realm of England cathedrals, colleges, abbeys, priories, and divers other houses pr"pria- of religion ; and have settled thereon, and given to the prelates and governors ec'desias- of the said places, lands, possessions, patrimonies, franchises, advowsons, and tical pro- patronages of dignities, prebends, offices, churches, and many and divers other P'^i'v"' benefices unto them given ; whereby the service of God and the Christian faith ers. " might be honoured, increased, and beautified, hospitality and alms-giving prac- tised, all the sacred edifices honestly kept and maintained, devout prayers offered in the said places for tlie founders, and the poor parishioners aided and comforted : and such only ought to have the cure thereof, as are able to hear con- fessions in the native tongue, and are otherwise fully informed and instructed for their office. And forsomuch as, most holy father ! you cannot well have knowledge of errors and defaults, nor yet understand the condition of places, so far oft', un- less you be informed ; we, having full and certain knowledge of the errors and defaults of the places and persons above mentioned within the said realm, have thought meet to signify unto your holiness, that — in consequence of divers reser- vations, provisions, and collations granted by your predecessors apostolic of Rome, and by yourself, most holy father ! in your own time (and that, more largely than they were wont to be granted), unto divers persons, not merely strangers and foreigners, but some of them even our enemies, having no knowledge of the language and conditions of those of whom they ought to have the govern- ment and cure — beside other sad consequences hereof, the souls of the pa- rishioners are in peril, the service of God is destroyed, alms-giving is restrained, and hospitality perished, the churches with their appurtenances decayed, pecayof charity withdrawn, the honest persons of the realm unadvanced, the cure 'h« and government of souls neglected, the devotion of the people restrained, many ^f £,',,!. ])oor scholars unadvanced, and the treasure of the realm carried away, and all land by this against the intent of the founders. The which errors, defaults, and scandals, '''*^ ''"'^^ most holy father ! we neither can nor ought to sufier or endure. W^e, therefore, most humbly require of your holiness, that the scandals, errors, and defaults, which may thus happen, being with due discretion considered, you would be pleased totally to forbid such reservations, provisions, and collations, and ordain that from henceforth they be no more practised ; and to take such order and remedy therein, that the said benefices and edifices, with their rights and appurtenances, may be (to the honour of God) by our own countrymen ad- ministered, defended, and governed. And may it further please your holiness by your letters to signify unto us without delay, what your intention is touch- (I) R,evised from the French in Avesbury.— Ed. (2) See infrd, p. "81. — Ed.
VOL. II. Y Y
690
TIIK KOr\D TAPLE AT WINDSOR BUILT.
Kdwnrd III.
A.D.
1314.
Tho
Iiope's
procura-
torK
driven
out ur
Kngluiii).
The pope's message to tlie king.
The
king's atijwtr.
The
castle in Windsor enlarged, and the round- table bullded.
First jirince of Wales, [May 12th.] Tenths granted to the king by the clergy fur three yi-ars.
ing this our request ; but know for certain, that we shall on no account cease to apply our best etl'orts, to obtain a remedy for the redress of the matters above mentioned. In witness wliereof, unto these letters patent we have set our seals. Given in the full parliament at Westminster, the 18th day of May, in the year of grace 1343.
It followed then, that the said pope Clement again began to make new provisions for two of his cardinals of benefices and churches that should be next vacant, besides bishoprics and abbotships, to the extent of two thousand marks ; whereupon the procurators of tlie said cardinals were sent down for the same. But the king and nobility of the realm, not suffering that, under pain of imprisonment caused the said procurators forthwith to depart the realm ; whereupon the pope writcth to the king, complaining thereof; but the king shortly after writeth a fruitful epistle to the pope, for the maintenance of the liberties of the English church ; whereunto, as saith the author, the pope and the cardinals were not able to answer/
In the meantime, king Edward, to repel certain aggressions of the French king, had sailed over into Bretagne, and laid siege to Vanncs, &c. ; but by the mediation of the pope a truce was concluded at Males- troit this year, February 2()th, to last till the following Michaelmas and for three years afterwards.^
After these things thus passed over, the king shortly after sent over his procurators, the earl of Lancaster and Derby, Hugh le De- spencer, lord Ralph Stafford, with the bishop of Exeter, and divers other, to the pope's court, to discuss and plead about the right of his title to France before the pope : unto whom the said pope Clement VI., not long after, sent down this message. How that Louis, duke of Bavaria, the emperor, whom the pope had before deposed, had submitted himself to him in all things, and therefore deserved at his hands the benefit of absolution ; and how the pope therefore had con- ferred and restored unto him, justly and graciously, the empire, which he before unjustly did hold, &c. This message when the king did hear, being therewith moved to anger, he answered saying, that if he did agree and compound also with the French king, he was ready to fight with them both, &c.^
Within the time of this year, the castle of Windsor, where the king was born, began to be repaired ; and in the same the house called the round-table was situate, the diameter whereof, from the one side to the other, contained two hundred feet; to the expenses of which house weekly was allowed a hundred pound for the maintaining of the king''s chivalry, till at length, by the occasion of the French wars, it came down to nine pound a week. By the example whereof the French king being provoked, began also the like round-table in France for the maintaining of his kni king, moreover, gave free liberty through his realm to fell down trees for making of ships and maintaining of his navy, whereby the realm of England was not a little damnified.
About this present time, at the setting up of the round-table, the king made prince Edward, his eldest son, the first prince of Wales.
In the year following, Avhich was a.d. leS44, pence, halfpence, and farthings, began to be coined in the Tower.*
During the same year the clergy of England granted to the king
(I) See Appendix. (2) See Appendix. (3) Ex. Chron. Albanensi. [See Appendix.— Eu.]
(4) See A|>pendix.
Edward's letter of defiance to philip de valois. GDI
tentlis for three years ; for the which the king in reconqiense again Edw„rd
granted to them liis charter, containing these privileges : That no 1_
archbishop nor bishop should be arraigned before his justices "sive A.I), ad sectam suam, sive partis," if the said clerk do submit and claim ^'^'^'^- his clergy, professing himself to be a member of holy church ; who, so By tins, it doing, shall not be bound to come to his answer before the justices, that '' And if it shall be laid unto them to have married two wives, or to f,"^"* have married a widow, the justices shall have no power to proceed wives, against them, to inquire for the matter ; so that the cause shall be reserved to the spiritual court, &c.
All this while yet continued the truce between the two kings, albeit it is likely to be thought that the French king gave many attempts to infringe the same. Now,^ for the more evidence of the matter concerning the fallinsr of the French king from the league, and other his wrongs and untrue dealing, it shall better in the king's letter appear ; who, hearing word that the lord Philip de Valois, contrary to the form of truce taken at Vanncs,^ had apprehended certain of his nobles of England, and had brought them to Paris to be imprisoned and put to death ; besides other slaughters and spoil- ings made in Bretagne, Gascony, and other places more — he therefore, seeing the truce to be broken of the French king's part, and being thereto of necessity compelled, in the year of our Lord 1345, the fourteenth of the month of June, did publish and send abroad his letters of defiance, containing this effect : —
The King's Letters of Defiance against the French King.'
o o o
To all and singular, to whom these presents shall come, greeting. We doubt not it is publicly known, that after the decease of Charles late king of France, of famous memory, brother to the most serene lady Isabel queen of England, our mother, the realm of France having inalienably fallen unto us as the next heir male of the said king then living, nevertheless the lord Philip de Valois, being but only son to the uncle of the aforesaid king Charles, and therefore in degree of consanguinity further off removed from the same, did, we being in our minority, by force and power, contrary to God and justice, usurp and occupy, and doth yet occupy, the same; invading further and spoiling our lands in the duke- dom of Aquitaine, and joining himself with our rebellious enemies the Scots, seek- ing our subversion both by land and by sea, to the uttermost of his endeavour. And although we, to prevent the incalculable damages which might rise by war, offered to the said Pliilip divers friendly ways of peace to our own disadvantage, to the intent we might better intend our purposed war against Christ's enemies the Turks ; yet he, driving us off by crafty dissimidation, would do nothing effectual, but while pretended negotiations were kept pending added injury to injury. AVhereupon we, not neglecting the grace and gift of God, but wishing to defend the right of our inheritance and to repulse the injuries of our enemy, did not refuse by force of arms (since we could do nothing by peaceable means) to enter Bretagne, preferring rather to sally out for the succour of our adherents and encounter with him in open field, than tamely await at home the dangers which threatened us. And so we being occupied in our wars, there repaired unto us tlie reverend fathers Peter and Anibald, cardinal-bishops of Paloestrine and Frascati, from pope Clement VI., to propose a truce and ultimately a peace be- tween us ; at whose request we consented to such conditions of truce as then were taken between us,^ sending moreover our ambassadors to tlie court of Rome, spe- cially to treat of a peace. And thus, while some hope of peace seemed between us to appear, news suddenly came unto us in England whicli not a little astonished our mind, of the death of certain nobles our adherents, whom the said Philip con- trary to the said truce had seized in Bretagne, and had commanded to be executed
(1) See Appendix. (2) At Malestrijit: see bifore, p. C90.— Fd.
(3) Heviseii from the Latin in Avesbury. — Ed.
Y Y 2
692 THE LIBERAL IIEAUT OK A WOKTHY CAl'TAIK.
F.Jicard at Paris ; besides the wasting and spoiling our lands and subjects in Bretagne, ^'t- Gascony, and other places ; with secret intrigues to withdraw our subjects and "" .~y~ confederates from us, and innumerable wrongs and injuries, deceitfully intended j„', ■ against us, both by sea and land. By reason whereof the truce on his part being ' notoriously broken, it is most manifest that it had been lawful for us forthwith
to have r('-n])ened tlie war upon him. Yet notwithstanding, to avoid those incommodities that come by war, we thought first to ])rove, whether by any gentle means some reformation niiglit be had touching the premises. And therefore sundry times we sent ambassadors to the pope's presence for a treaty of peace and for reformation to be had in those aforesaid excesses ; and several times fixed for the tractation thereof certain terms of time, always reserving to our- selves, notwithstanding, the liberty to resume war at our pleasure, wliich the doings of the said Piiiiip had clearly given us. And now, forsomuch as the aforesaid terms be already expired, and yet no reasonable offer of peace appeareth, neither hath the said Philip reformed his doings, notwithstanding his being recpiircd and admonished tliereunto by the pope's letter (as the pope by his letter hath written unto us), but is always multiplying his conspiracies and The fetches, to our utter ruin; — to say nothing of the excesses of the pope's nuncio,
pope's le- ^.\^Q being sent lately by the bishop of Rome into Bretagne for the keeping of fe'th up' t'le truce, and whose part had been rather to have quenched the discord, but war. instead thereof stirred up our enemy more eagerly against us ; neither did the
Like le- bishop of Rome (saving his reverence) provide any remedy herein, albeit he pope." " ^'^^^ required of us so to do (as he ought to have done) — these things, I say, being so, we ought to be excused both before God and man, if, in the defect of other remedy to be had, we proceed to repel such wrongs and injuries, especially having so righteous a cause as is notorious to all. Deeming therefore the aforesaid truce broken (as it really is) for reasons which we know and can prove to be true, and ourselves to be released from the observance of the same, we defy the aforesaid Philip, as the violator of the truce and the unjust invader of our king- dom : protesting, that this we do, not for any offence to the bishop of Rome or to the apostolic see, but only for the reasonable prosecution of our rights, and in defence of us and ours ; intending always rather to have peace, if by any reasonable way it might Ije had. And thus much, for the stopping of slander- ous fame and the mouths of backbiters, we thought good to signify, first to the high bishop of Rome, and the aforesaid cardinals ; that by them, as persons indifferent, the same may be intimated to the contrary part; recommending unto you all our own innocency, and the common cause of justice. Given at Westminster the fourteenth day of June, the nineteenth year of our reign in England, and of France the si.xth. [a.d. 1345.]
And thus much for the king''s letters, showing how the French A.D.1345. king began first to infringe the truce taken. Whereupon Henry, carl iicnry, of Lancaster, ■with si.x hundred men of arms, and as many archers,
earl, after ^ , , i- i • • i i i
made was scnt ovcr to (jrascony, who there so valiantly is said to behave Lancas- himsclf, that he subdued fifty-five townships unto the king ; twenty- ovrMo* tl'^^c noble men he took prisoners, encountering with the Frenchmen uascony. at Aubcrochc. So courteously and liberally he dealt with his soldiers, that it was a joy to them and a preferment to fight underneath him. His manner was, in winning any town, little or nothing to reserve to iiimself, but to sparse the whole spoil to his soldiers. One example in the author whom I follow is touched ; how the aforesaid earl at the winning of the town of Bergerac, where he had granted to every soldier for his booty the house, with all the implements therein, which lie by victory should obtain, among his other soldiers, to one named Reh fell a certain house with the implements thereof, wherein were contained the mint and money coined for that country, to the value of a great substance ; which when the soldier had found, in breaking up a house where first the gross metal was not yet perfectly wrought, he came to the earl, declaring to him the treasure, to know what was his pleasure therein. To whom the carl answered, that the
KING KDWARd's second VIAGE INTO ERAXCE. G93
lionse was his, and whatsoever he found therein. Afterward the soldier, Edward
finding a whole mint of pure silver ready coined, signified the same to
the earl, forsomuch as he thought such treasure to be too great for his A. I). ])ortion ; to whom the said earl again answering declared, that he had ^'^'^^' once given him the whole house, and that he had once given he The iibe- would not call back again, as children use to play, and therefore and con- bade him enjoy that which was granted to him ; and if the money voice or were thrice as much, it should be his own.^ Which story, whether ja!)^'^;',''^ it were true or otherwise in those days, I have not to affirm. But certes, if in these our covetous wretched days now present any author should report the like act to be practised, I would hardly believe it to be true.
As the earl of Lancaster was thus occupied in Gascony, the Scots The Scots were as busy here in England, wasting and spoiling without mercy ; fj^an Jl- who were thou
~ ^ '^ *' ^ truce
and therefore he was judged both by that, and by divers other ways, to have broken tlie covenants of truce between him and the king of England. Wherefore, the next year ensuing (a. d. 1346) king a.d.i34c. Edward, first sending his letters to the court of Rome, and therein conVvi- complaining to the pope of Philip de Valois, how he had transgressed ??« "f and broken the truce between them made, which by evident proba- ward into tions he there made manifest, about the month of July made his viage into Normandy, in such secret wise, that no man well knew whither he intended. Where first he entered the town of la Hogue, and from thence proceeded unto Caen : where, about the twenty- seventh of July, by the river Orne, which flows by Caen, he had a strong battle with the Normans and other Frenchmen, who, to stop his The passage, defended the bridge ; at which battle were taken of the lords caen!^* of France, the earls of Eu and Tankerville ; and of knights with other men of arms, to the number of one hundred ; of footmen six hundred ; and the town and suburbs were beaten down to the hard walls, and all that could be borne away was transported to the ships. Concerning the passage of the king, with the order of his acts achieved in the same, from the winning of Caen unto the town of Poissy, is sufficiently described by the king's confessor, a Dominic friar, being an eye-witness, who writeth thereof as followeth :^ —
A Letter of the King's Confessor touching his Acts-doing from Caen
to Poissy.^
Great cause we have to bless the God of heaven, and worthily to confess him before all living, for that he hath so wrought his mercy toward us. For after the conflict had at Caen, in the which very many were slain, and the town taken and sacked even to the bare walls, the city of Baieux immediately yielded itself of its own accord, fearing lest they should suffer the like. After this our lord the king directed his march towards Rouen ; who being at the city of Lisieux, there came certain cardinals to him, greatly exhorting him to peace ; which The car- cardinals being courteously entertained of the king for tlie reverence of the dinais pope's see and holy church, it was answered to ihcm again, that the king being ^^^"fl"' always desirous of peace, liad sought it by all reasonable ways and means he peace, coidd think of; and had offered manifold ways of peace (such was liis desire The to obtain it) to tlie no small ])rejudice of his own cause ; and was ready still ^j"^^^'*,^^"' to admit any reasonable offer of peace. With this answer the cardinals having tTe carJi- gone to the French king, our king's adversary, to persuade with him in like naU.
(1) Ex Chron Albanensi. (2) Sec Appendix.
(3) Revised from the Latin in Avesbury.— Ed.
GDI KING KUWAUu's I'ROC.UF.SS THROUGH FRAXCli.
EdHHird manner, returned to king Edward, otlering him in the French king's name the
■'^^- dukedom of Aquitaine, on tlie same tenure as liis father hefore him had held it;
. .. besides furtiicr liope also of obtaining more through matrimonial alliance, if
,„■, ■ treaty of peace might be obtained. But forsomuch as that proposal contented
i. not the king's mind, neitlier did the cardinals find tlie French king at all tract-
The able, the cardinals returned in despair to Avignon, leaving the matter as they
l-'rcnch found it. And so the king, speeding forward, won all the large towns by which
ki'i'dwcih he passed, without any resistance of the inhabitants, who all fled away. For
no careful God SO a"itated them, that they seemed quite to have lost heart. In the same
ftiidy of y\ngc^ the king also subdued castles and munitions very strong, and that with
little stress. His enemy assembled at the same time a great army at Rouen ;
who, notwithstanding his being well manned, ever kept on the other side of the
river Seine, breaking down all the bridges, that we sliould not come over to him.
And although the country round about was continually spoiled and with fire
consumed by the circuit of twcntj' miles round about, to within the space of
only one mile of iiim ; yet the French king either would not, or else durst not
(when he might easily have passed over the river), make any resistance for
The defence of his cumitry and people. And so our king, journeying forward, came
*""•• to Poissy, where likewise he found the bridge broken down, and the enemy
PoTsy. keeping on the other side of the river would rest in no place.
After the king's coming to Poissy, a certain clerk, named Micliacl Northburgli, an able man and one of the king's council, who accom- panied him all through his jonrney, describing the king's viage and the acts of the Englishmen from the town of Poissy to his coming to Calais, in his letters writeth in this wise :' —
A Letter of Michael Northburgh, the King's Councillor, describing the King''s Viage through France.
Sahitations premised, we give you to understand, that our lord the king came [AiiR. to the town of Poissy on the eve of the Assumption of our Lady, where was a mil.] bridge over the water of Seine which had been broken down by the enemy : but the king tarried there till that the bridge was repaired ; and while the bridge was in repairing, there came a great number of men of arms, and of the conmions of the country and burghers of Amiens well armed, to hinder the same ; but the earl of Northampton issued out against them and slew of them more than five hundred (thanks be to God) ; the rest fled away. At another time our men passed the water, and slew a groat number of the commons of France and of the city of Paris and country adjoining, being part of the French king's armj', and thoroughly well appointed; so that our people have now made other good bridges upon our enemies (thanks be to God) without any great loss of our people. On the morrow after the Assumption of our Lady the king passed the water of Seine, and marched toward Pontoise, which is a strong town, and surrounded with walls, and a very strong castle within the same, which our enemies kept ; and when our vanguard and second guard were passed the town, our rear-guard gave an assault thereunto, and took the same, where were slain more than three hundred men of arms on our enemies' part. The next day following, the earl of Suflblk and Sir Hugh le Despencer marched forth upon the commons of the country who were assembled and well armed, and discomfited them, and slew of them more than two hundred, and took above sixty gentlemen prisoners. After that, the king marched toward Grand Villers, and winle he was there encamped, the king's vanguard was descried by the men of arms of the king of Bohemia ; whereupon our men issued out in great liaste, and joined battle with them, but were overthrown. Notwithstanding, (thanks be to God) the earl of Northampton issued out, and rescued the knights with the other soldiers, so that none of them were either taken or slain except only Thomas Talbot, and he had the enemy in chase to within two lea:;ucs of Amiens, of whom he took eight, and slew twelve of their men of arms: the rest, being well horsed, took to the town of Amiens. After this, the king of England marched toward Ponthieu on St. Bartholomew's day, and came
(I) Ste Appendix. The following translation is revised from llic French in Avesbury. — F-n.
HE DEFEATS THE FRENCH KING AT CllESSY. 695
unto the water of Somme, which floweth by Abbeville to the sea, wliore the Edward French king iiad laid five hundred men of arms, and three tliousand armed m- commons, to keep the passage; but (thanks be to God) the king of England ^ y^ and his host took the said water of Sonmie, where never man passed before, ^.j jj."
without the loss of any of our men, and encountered with the enemy, and slew _! L
of them more than two thousand men of arms, chasing the rest to the gate of Abbeville, in which chase were taken many knights, squires, and men of arms. 'I'he same day Sir Hugh le Despcncer took the town of Crotoy, where he and his soldiers slew four hundred men of arms, and kept the town, where they found great plenty of victuals. The same night encamped the king of England in the forest of Cressy upon the same water, "for that the French king's host arrived from the other side of the town [Abbeville] after our passage; however, he would not take the water upon us, but returned toward Abbeville. \]\w\\ the Friday following, the king lay still encamped in the said forest of Cressy. On the Saturday morning he moved toward Cressy, when our scurriers descried the French knig, who marched toward us in four great battalions; and having then understanding of our enemies (as God's will was), a little before the hour of vespers we drew unto the plain field, and set our battels in array ; and immedi- ately the fight began, which was very sore, and endured long, for our enemies behaved themselves right nobly. But (God be praised) our enemies were discomfited and the king, our adversary, was put to flight ; where also were slain the king of Bohemia, the duke of Lorraine, the earl of Alen9on, the earl of P'landers, the earl of Blois, the earl of Harcourt with his two sons ; tlie carl of Aumale, the earl of Neversand his brother, the lord of Tronard, tlie archbishop of Nismes, the archbishop of Sens, the high prior of the Hospital of France, the earl of Savoy, the lord of Morles, the lord de Guise, the lord de St. Venant, the lord de Rosinburgh, with six earls of Almain, and divers other earls, barons, knights, and squires, whose names are unknown. Philip de Valois himself, with the marquis, who is called king elect of the Romans, escaped from the battle. The number of the men of arms who were foimd dead in the field, besides the common soldiers and footmen, was one thousand five hundred and forty-two. All that night the king of England, with his host, remained under arms in the field where' the battle was fought. On the morrow, before the sun rose, there marched toward us another great and strong host of the Frenchmen; luit the earl of Northampton and the earls of Suffolk and Warwick » issued out against them, and them in like wise they discomfited ; where they took of knights and squires a great number, and slew above two thousand, pursuing the chase three leagues from the place where the battle was fought. The same night also the kin°g encamped at Cressy, and on the morrow marched toward Boulogne, and by tlie way he took the town of Etaples ; and from thence he marched toward Calais, where he intendeth fas I have heard) to plant his siege, and lay his battery to the same ; and therefore our sovereign lord the king willeth and conmiandcth you, in all that ever you may, to send to the said siege victuals convenient ; for, since the time of our departing from Caen, we have travelled through the country with great toil and loss of our people, but yet always had of victuals plenty, thanks be to God there-for ! But now, as the case standeth, we partly need your help to be refreshed with victuals. Thus fare you well.
Written before the town of Calais, the fourth day of September.
After the battle and victory of Cressy, the twenty-sixth day of siege of August, A.D. 1346, the king directed his passage unto Calais, as by ^''''"'' the tenor of this letter you hear, and besieged thesanic;^ which siege he continued from the third of September in the year aforesaid, till the third day of August the year next following, upon the which day it was rendered up unto the said king Edward III., and subdued unto the crown of England ; as after, the Lord willing, shall more appear.
In the mean time, during the siege of Calais, David the Scottish king, at the request of the French king, with a great army brast into the north parts of England ; and first besieging the town of Liddcll,
(1) See Appt-iulix. (2) IbiU.
Eilu-nrd III.
A. I). I.il7.
Tlie Scots
nvcr-
thrown[iit
Neville's
C'rosi.J
TliP Scot- ti!>li king Inken -prisoner.
I.LTTKIl OK Tin: I'DPK TO THE KING OF KXGI.AXD.
williin six davs obtained tlio nrrcatcst ])art of tlic town ; and there taking all that lie could find, with Sir Walter Salbv, a valiant knight, who was the keeper of the hold, he caused him iincourteously to be put to the sword ; and so from thence he proceeded further into England, till at length being met withal by William Surch, arch- bisliop of York, and the lord Percy, and the lord Nevil, Avith other nobles of those parts (calling and gathering their men together) in the plain near to Durham, the seventeenth day of October in the year above mentioned, through the gracious hand of Christ, there they were subdued and conquered. In that conflict, the c and Stratheni, with the flower of all the chivalry, and the principal warriors of Scotland, were slain. Also the aforesaid king David, with the earls of Mcntife and Fife, and other lords, and W^illiam Douglas Masklime a Fleming, and William Douglas, and many more men at arms were taken prisoners ; and so the mischief which they mtended to others, fell upon their owti heads.
Moreover, during the said siege of Calais, the aforesaid pope Clement VI., writing to the king of England, went about under the pretence of peace to stop his proceedings ; whose letters here follow.
an.l Trance
Letter of the Pope to the King of England, in the behalf of the Frenclunen.
The pope Clement the bishop, servant of God's servants, to his well-beloved son in rccom- Christ, Edward tlie puissant king of England, salut place* If yon dili";ently consider, dear son ! as ought a catholic ])nnce to do, the between slaughter of such an innumerable sort, bought with the precious blood of Christ Ensland qj„. Kcdeenier ; the loss of their substance and souls, and tlie lamentable perils which tlie dissensions and wars stiiTed up between you and our well-beloved son Philip, the noble king of France, have bi-ought upon us, and yet daily do without intermission ; and also the bewailing of so many poor people, crying out of or])Iians and pupils, lamentation of widows, and other miserable people who be robbed and spoiled, and almost famislied; what exclamation they midvc with tears running down their cheeks, 3elling and crying unto God for help ; as also the destruction of churches, monasteries, and holy places, holy vessels, and other ornaments unto God's service dedicated ; the sacrilegious robberies, sackings, and imprlsonings, the spoiling of holy churches, and religious persons, with many other such innumerable, detestable, execrable miscliicfs, offending the eyes of the Divine INIajesty ; all which, if your princely heart would consider and well remember, with this also, that catliolic faith (es})ecially in the east parts) and the Christians there abiding, by means of the same dissensions and wars, destitute of the helps of such catholic men as are in the west parts, are so afflicted of the infidels; soeing the other parts of Christendom so troubled with cniel persecutions, yea, and more cruel than ever it hath been (although in these times to amjilify this oiu" faith in the said east parts is cruel persecution sliowcd, more than hath ])een of many years ])ast), doubtless we believe it would pity your heart. And to tlie end that such and so great evils should no further proceed ; nor yet that so gi-eat good as might be done by dilating of our afore- said faith, in these times, should be let and hindered, we desire you that you would ai)])ly your mind to make some agreement and peace with the aforesaid king. For iif, my well-beloved son ! God Iiatli given unto you prospci-ous success and fortune, ye ought rather to humble than to extol yourself; and be so much the more ready to incline to his peace, and to endeavour yourself to please (iod, who lovcth peace, and delighteth in peaceable men ; and to eschew the aforesaid evils, which witliout doubt do grievously offend him. Fuitlier- moro, wo marvel greatly, that unto our reverend brother Anibald, bishop of Frascali, and our beloved sun Stephen, priest-cardinal of the apostolical see, by the title of St. John and St. Faid, being sent as legates by us and the
TIIK ANSWER OF THE KING. 697
same see apostolic, to entreat a peace, who diligently and faithfully labouring Edward for the same, as lovers of verity, justice and equity, and therewithal regarders Jtt- of your honoiu", could not be sutiered, touching the entreaty of the same peace, "I'V)"" to come unto your grace's presence. 1'547
Wherefore we desire your kingly highness more earnestly, and, for the mercy — !^ — 1. of God, with more vehemency we require the same, that you, taking up the aforesaid horrible evils, and preventing the sweetness of piety and com])assion, may escape the vengeance of God's indignation, which were to be feared, if you should persevere in j'our former evils ; as God forbid ! And as touching tlie entreaty for peace, for which our aforesaid cardinals were sent unto you (how- beit secretly, lest it should be any derogation to your honour), we desire you to condescend thereunto, and that with all your affection you will incline your mind to the same, so pleasant imto God, so desired of the world ; as also to you, the aforesaid king, and unto the catholic faith, profitable. And that the same peace by God's help and grace established and made perfect, you might essay your puissant sti'engfh about God's business in the aforesaid east parts (such good occasion ser\'ing, as before is said, in these our times), being such apt advancements of your honour, and happy increasing of your princely name ; for we have heard it of you reported, that you behave yourself fervently in all your attempts. Thus we doubt not but that you will wTite unto us again touching the premises, and the pirrjjose of yovrr intention touching the same. Given at Avignon, the fifteenth day of January, and the fifth year of our papacy, [a.d. 1347.]
Answer of the King of England, to the aforesaid Letter of the
Pope.
Most holy father ! we understand by the letters of the reverend fathers in God, the bishop of Frascati, and Stephen of the title of St. John, priest, cardinals, and legates of the court of Rome, as also by the letters of your holiness sent unto us, that ye marvel greatly for that your said legates were of purpose sent unto us, and commanded to treat of a peace between our adver- sary of France and us, that we would not suffer them secretly to talk with us, for the safeguard of our honour, the intention of your heart being to make the aforesaid peace ; complaining and bewailing therein the death of christian men, the loss of their goods, the peril of their souls, the lamentable wailings of the poor, of oi-phans, of widows, and the destruction of other pitifid persons, the pillage and robberies of churches, and other mischiefs innumerable ; and especially, the diminishing of christian faith in the east parts, which, by the war between our adversary of France and us, is sore decayed, as the said letters plainly do import. And that forasmuch as God hath given us triumphant fortune, so much the more we ought to abase and humble our heart, and to be the readier to make and incline to a peace. As touching these things, holy KinR father! we give your holiness to understand, that as well unto jom- aforesaid Kdward legates, as other messengers sent from you unto us, we have offered unto every ^^["j.'' one of them reasonable ways of peace, and every day declare the same, and that himself not secretly, but openly. For we doubt not to let om* purjiose be understood ; for he that is the high Judge both of him and us, in whose disposition all things lie, hath given unto us the crown of P'rance to our right and proper heritage ; the which right our aforesaid adversary hath, by force, of long time detained from us, we seeking to obtain the same in peaceable w^ise ; and yet do, if we might obtain the same in any good manner, rather for the benefit of christian men, and that the aforesaid evils might cease, which by his wrongftil means only have increased and grown. Yet notwithstanding, as before this time you know, we assented to a truce, with certain articles containe writing; all this he hath infringed; neither doth the wrong suffice him which he offereth us in our aforesaid heritage, but he endcavoureth himself, during the said ti-uce, to invade our realm of FiUgland, and our other lands; and ftntlier- more, maintaineth the Scots, and aideth them to the utter dcstniction of us, our people and lands aforesaid ; wherein we were enforced, for the safeguard of our people and lands, by such lawful means as we may, to defend ourselves, and put him from his wicked purpose. And furthermore for the same, our quarrel being in the hands of God, have we come against him to conquer our inlierit- ance of France ; over whom God hath given us divers victories, as we have
g:)8
THE DAUrillX DISCOMFITED AT CASSEL
Eiiwnrd III.
A. D.
i;j46.
Tlie kiiiK appvaleth ftom the pope to God.
OfTers made to tlie men of Flan- ders to forsake king Ed- ward.
trusted he would, by his right wise judgment and power : which thing he hath showed upon us (all chance of fortune set apart), in respect of our rightful title therein, and without our deserts; wherefore, with all humility of heart we give him thanks always tlierefore, most devoutly night and day praising his lioly name ; for we acknowledge the same cometh not by our strength and force Wherefore, most holy father ! we desire your holiness, and, so much as in us lieth, require the same, that you that supply the place of the Son of God on earth, and have the government of the soids of all christian men, and ought to be upright and equal towards all men, witliout exception of persons, that ye, I sav, will receive good information and true, of the objections above said, and will put to your holy heljjing hand, as much as in j'ou is, that our said adver- sary of France may acknowledge his wrong which he hath done to us herein, aiul that it may be by your aid redi-essed; and that he, in this his wrong, Imve no maintenance and aid at your hand. For if it be so, we then appeal unto the Judge of judges, who suffereth wrongs to be done for a time, for the sinful default of man, but in the end redresseth the same, leaving no good deed luirewarded, nor evil unpunished; most humbly requiring him to be to us a true and ujiright judge of all our controversies, for his mercies' sake, as in the mean time we repose our f\ill trust and confidence in him. The Holy Spirit of God, &c.
Moreover, during the siege of Calais, tlic Frencli king had sent certain offers to tlie men of Flanders, that if they Avould relinquish the king of England, and adhere to him :