In this yeare fell great abundance of raine in the time of haie haruest, so that much corne and haie was lost. ¶ There was also such fighting amongst sparrowes in that season, that they were found dead on the ground in great numbers. Also, there followed great mortalitie of people, the sicknesse being so sharpe and vehement, that manie being in perfect health ouer night when they went to bed, were found dead in the morning. Also, manie died of the small pocks, both men, women, and children. ¶ Moreouer this yeare, Simon Islep archbishop of Canturburie departed this life, and Simon Langham bishop of Elie succéeded in his place. This yeare at Burdeaux, was borne the second sonne of prince Edward named Richard, on the third daie of Aprill: his godfather at the fontstone was Iames K. of Maiorke. ¶ Peter the king of Spaine, who (as yée haue heard) was expelled out of his realme by his bastard brother, made such earnest sute to the prince of Wales for aid to be restored home, that finallie the prince aduertising his father king Edward of the whole matter, by aduise from him, determined to bring home the said king Peter, and to restore him againe to his kingdome, by force of armes, in despite of all his aduersaries.
The prince indéed was verie desirous to take this enterprise vpon him, both of a certeine pitifull affection to relieue the miserable state of king Peter, and also of an ardent desire which he had to purchase a glorious fame thorough martiall déeds, and noble acts of chiualrie. Therfore hauing this occasion to imploie his time in such exercises, and now commanded thereto of his father, he was excéedinglie glad in his mind, and with all spéed that might be, made his prouision both of a sufficient armie of men of warre, and also of all other things necessarie for the furniture of such an enterprise: but first, he tooke good assurance of king Peter, for the paiment of the soldiers wages: so the king left at Baionne thrée of his daughters, Beatrice, Constance, and Isabell as pledges, for performance of all the couenants agréed betwixt him and the prince.
Thus when the prince, by the aduise and counsell of sir Iohn Chandois, and sir Robert Knols (by whome he was much ruled) had taken direction in his businesse, for that his iournie into Spaine, in each condition as was thought behoouefull, he with the king of Spaine in his companie, passed foorth with a puissant armie, and came to the streicts of Ronceualle, at the entrie into Nauarre, and obteining so much fréendship of the king of Nauarre, as to haue the passages of his countrie opened, they entered into his realme through the same, as fréends, without finding any resistance. In this meane time, Henrie king of Spaine, hauing knowledge that the prince of Wales was thus comming against him, to restore his brother king Peter to his former degrée, by aduise of sir Berthram de Cleaquin, got a great number of soldiers out of France, by whose aid he might the better defend himselfe against his enimies.
Now it chanced, that whilest the prince of Wales was passing thorough Nauarre, toward the entrie of Spaine, certeine of those Frenchmen, vnder the leading of sir Oliuer Mannie, tooke the king of Nauarre prisoner, as he was riding from one towne to an other. Manie maruelled at that chance, and some there were that thought he suffered himselfe to be taken for a cautele, bicause he would not aid the prince of Wales any further, nor conduct him through his realme, as he had promised to doo. But the prince nothing dismaid herewith, passed forward, by the guiding of a knight of Nauarre, called sir Martin de Care, and finallie came to the confines of Spaine, and lodged at Victoria, not far from his enimies. For king Henrie of Spaine, vnderstanding which waie the prince drew, came forward to incounter him, and pight downe his field, not far from the borders of his realme, at a place called saint Muchaule: and thus were both the hosts lodged within a small distance the one against the other.
King Henrie had sent to the prince an herauld of armes with a letter, requiring to know of him for what cause he moued warre against him, sith he had neuer offended him. The prince taking deliberation for answer of this letter, kept the messenger with him, and perceiuing that king Henrie came not forward, but laie still at saint Muchaule, stronglie incamped, he remooued from Victoria, and came to a towne called Viana, where he staied two daies to refresh his people, and after went forward, and passed the riuer which diuideth the realmes of Castile and Nauarre, at the bridge of Groigne. King Henrie aduertised hereof, departed from saint Muchaule, and came before the towne of Nauarret, situat on the same riuer. Not manie daies before the prince passed the riuer at Groigne, king Henrie had sent foorth two of his brethren, the earle Dom Teille, and the lord Sanches, with six hundred horssemen, to view the princes host.
They chanced to incounter two hundred English horssemen, whom after long and sharpe fight they distressed, & slue sir William Felton, one of the chiefe leaders of those Englishmen, and tooke sir Thomas Felton his brother, sir Hugh Hastings, and diuerse other, both knights and esquiers. Whether that king Henrie was greatlie incouraged by this good lucke in the beginning, or that he trusted through the great multitude of his people, which he had there with him, to haue the vpper hand of his enimies, true it is, that he coueted sore to giue them battell; and although he might haue wearied the prince, and constreined him for want of vittels to haue returned, or to haue fought with him at some great aduantage, if he had deferred the battell, as the marshall of France Dandrehen gaue counsell, yet he would néeds fight in all the hast, and therefore did thus approch his enimies.
The prince perceiuing that his aduersarie came forward to incounter him, dispatched the herauld with an answer to the letter which he had of him receiued, containing in effect, that for great considerations, he had taken vpon him to aid the rightfull K. of Spaine, chased out of his realm by violent wrong, and that if it might be, he would gladlie make an agréement betwixt them; conditionallie, that king Henrie of necessitie must then forsake the administration, and all the title of the kingdome of Spaine, which by no rightfull meane he could inioy, and therefore if he refused thus to doo, he was for his part resolued how to procéed. The herauld departed with this answer, and came therewith vnto king Henrie, and deliuered it vnto him, as then lodged with his puissant armie at Nauarre, so that then both parties prepared themselues to battell.
The prince hauing with him thirtie thousand men of Englishmen, Gascoignes, and other strangers, ordeined thrée battels, of the which, the first was led by the duke of Lancaster, and with him was sir Iohn Chandois constable of Guien, sir William Beauchampe son to the earle of Warwike, the lord Dalbret, sir Richard Dangle, and sir Stephan Coosenton, marshals of Guien, & diuerse other. The middle ward was gouerned by the prince, and with him was the foresaid Peter king of Spaine, and diuerse other lords and knights of England, Poictou, and other countries, as the vicounts of Chatelareault and Rochcort, the lords of Partnie, Pinan, Taneboton, and others, sir Richard Pontchardon, sir Thomas Spenser, sir Iohn Grendon, and a great sort more, whose names it would be too long to rehearse. The rereward was vnder the gouerance of the king of Malorques, & with him were associat the earls of Arminacke, Dalbreth, Piergort, Gominges, the capitoll of Buefz, sir Robert Knols, and manie other valiant lords, knights, and esquiers.
On the second day of Aprill, the prince with his battell thus ordered, remoued from Groigne, and marching that day two leagues forward, came before Nauarret, and there tooke his lodging, within a small distance from his enemies, so that both parties prepared to giue battell the next day in the morning, commanding that euerie man at the sounding of the first trumpet, should apparell themselues, that they might be readie vpon the next sound to be set in order of battell, and to go against their enemies. The Spaniards very earlie in the morning drew into the field, and ordeined thrée battels in this wise. The first was led by sir Berthram de Cleaquin, wherein were all the Frenchmen and other strangers, to the number of foure thousand knights and esquires, well armed and appointed, after the manner of France. In the second battell was the earle Dom Tielle, with his brother the lord Sanches, hauing with them fiftéene thousand men on foot, and on horssebacke. The third battell and the greatest of all was gouerned by king Henrie himselfe, hauing in that battell seuen thousand horssemen, and thréescore thousand footmen, with crossebowes, darts, speares, lances, and other abillements of war: so in all thrée battels he had fourescore and six thousand men on horssebacke and on foot.
The prince of Wales, at the breaking of the daie was readie in the field with his people arranged in order of battell, and aduanced forward with them toward his enimies, an hosting pace; and as they passed a little hill, they might sée as they were descending downe the same, their enemies comming likewise towards them, in good order of battell. When they were approached néere togither, and readie to ioine, the duke of Lancasters battell incountered with the battell of sir Berthram de Cleaquin, which two battels verie eagerlie assailed each other so that there was betwixt them a sore conflict, and well continued. The erle Dom Teille, and his brother the lord Sanches, upon the first approach of the princes battell towards them, fled out of the field, and with them two thousand speares, so that the residue of their battell were shortlie after discomfited, for the capitall of Buz otherwise Beuf, and the lord Clisson, came vpon them on foot, and slue and hurt manie of them, so that they brake their arraie, and fled to saue themselues.
This chance discomforted the hearts of the Spaniards right sore, but yet king Henrie like a valiant gentleman came forward, and incouraged his men all that he might, so that there was a cruell battell, and well foughten a long time. For the Spaniards with slings cast stones in such fierce manner, that they claue therewith manie an helmet and bassenet, hurt manie, and ouerthrew them to the earth. On the other part, the English archers shot freshlie at their enemies, galled and slue the Spaniards, and brought them to great confusion: yet king Henrie nothing abashed herewith, wheresoeuer he perceiued his men to shrinke, thither he resorted, calling upon them, and exhorting them to remember their estimations and duties, so that by his diligence and manfull incouragement, thrise that daie did he staie his people, being at point to giue ouer; and set them in the faces of his enemies againe. Neither did the souldiers alone manfullie behaue themselues, but the capteins also stoutlie laid about them. King Peter like a lion pressed forward, coueting to méet with his brother Henrie, that he might séeke his reuenge on him with his owne hands. Cruell was the fight, and tried throughlie with most eger and fierce minds.
At length, when the Spaniards were no longer able to susteine the force and violence of the Englishmen, Gascoignes, & other which were there against them, they brake their arraie, and fled; so that neither the authoritie nor bold exhortation of king Henrie, could cause them to tarrie anie longer: wherevpon, when he saw himselfe forsaken of his people, and that few abode with him to resist his enemies, he also to saue himselfe fled out of the field, being fullie persuaded, that if he had béene taken, no ransome should haue saued his life. The battell that was best fought, and longest held togither, was that of the strangers, which sir Berthram de Cleuquin led. For if the Spaniards had doone halfe their parts as well as the Frenchmen, & other in this battell, the matter had gone harder against the Englishmen than it did: yet finally, by the noble courage of the duke of Lancaster, and the valiant prowesse of sir John Chandois, sir Hugh Caluerlie, & others, the Frenchmen were put to flight, and their battell quite discomfited. The slaughter in this battell was great, both of them that were slaine in the field, and of those that were drowned in the riuer that runneth by the towne of Nauarret.
After that the battell was ended, and that such as had followed the chase were returned, the prince caused the fields to be searched, to vnderstand what number had béene slaine in the battell: they that were appointed to take the view, vpon their returne reported, that there was dead of men of armes five hundred and thréescore, and of commons about seauen thousand, and five hundred of the English part: there were slaine of men of name, but foure knights, two Gascoignes, one Almaine, and the fourth an Englishman, and of other meane souldiers, not past fortie (as Froissard saith). But others affirme, that there were slaine of the princes part about sixtéene hundred; which should séeme to be more like a truth, if the battell was fought so sore and fiercelie, as Froissard himselfe dooth make report. Howbeit, there be that write, how the duke of Lancaster wan the field by great fortune and valiancie, yet the prince came néere to his enimies. But howsoeuer it was, the Englishmen obtained the victorie in this battell, fought on a saturdaie being the third of Aprill, in the yeare 1367. There were taken prisoners, to the number of two thousand, and amongst them the erle of Dene, sir Berthram de Cleaquin, the marshall Dandrehen or Odenhen, and manie other men of name.
After the battell, king Peter went to Burgus, and was receiued into the citie, and shortlie after, that is to say, on the Wednesdaie folowing, the prince came thither, and there held his Easter with king Peter, and tarried there aboue thrée wéekes. In the mean time, they of Asturgus, Toledo, Lisbone, Cordoua, Galice, Siuill, and of all other places of the kingdome of Spaine, came in, and homage vnto king Peter, promising him to be true to him euer after: for they saw that resistance would not auaile so long as the prince should be in the countrie. After this, the prince was in hand with king Peter, for the souldiers wages, by whose aid he was thus restored into his former estate. King Peter went vnto Siuill, to makeshift for monie accordinglie, promising to returne againe, within a few wéekes, and to sée euerie man paid, according as he had couenanted. For when he was driuen out of his realme, and came to Burdeaux to craue aid of the prince, he promised, that so soone as he should be restored to his kingdome, he would sée the souldiers contented of their wages, and bound himselfe thereto, both by his oth and writing giuen vnder his seale. But when he obteined his purpose, he forgat all fréendlie dutie, and was so farre from performing his promise, that he cloaked his ill meaning with a feigned tale, and sent the prince a message spiced with hypocrisie and vnthankfulnesse, two foule faults in a priuat man, much more odious in a prince and great state, as the poet wiselie and trulie saith in this distichon:
The prince tarried for the returne of king Peter, both wéekes and moneths, but could not heare anie tidings of him. He therefore sent vnto him, to vnderstand the cause of the staie: his answer was, that he had prouided monie, and sent it by certeine of his men toward the prince, but the companions that serued vnder the prince, had met with it by the way, and taken it from them that had the conueiance of it: he therefore required the prince to rid the realme of those snaphances, and to leaue behind him some of his officers, to whome in name of him he would make paiment of such monie as was due. This answer pleased not the prince, but there was no remedie, for other at that present he could not haue, for anie likeliehood he saw: and therefore, taking order with king Peter how the paiment should be made, he prepared to returne into Gascoigne. The order therefore taken betwixt them, was this. Within foure moneths next insuing, king Peter should paie the one halfe of the wages due to the soldiers for this iournie, vnto such as the prince should leaue behind him to receiue the same, and the other halfe within one yeare.
The prince was compelled to breake his plate, and to make monie thereof to paie his soldiers, namelie, the companions, which he had called forth of France, so that he left himselfe bare of all riches, to kéepe touch with them, although king Dampeter failed in his promise each waie foorth. For where the prince should haue had in recompense towards his charges, the countie of Algezara, and other lands, by the said Dampeters assignment, so that he sent one of his knights to take seizine of the same lands, he was neuertheles disappointed, for he could not come by any peaceable possession of those lands, and so returned greatlie impouerished, hauing spent in this iournie all that he could make. In the meane time the bastard Henrie, hauing escaped out of the field by flight, got him into France, and there through fauor of the duke of Aniou, so purchased for himselfe, that he got togither a certeine number of Britains and other soldiers, & comming to the frontiers of the princes land in Gascoigne, got a towne in Bigore, called Bannieres, and made war upon the princes subjects.
The prince obteining passage for himselfe and his men, of the kings of Aragon and Nauarre, returned to Burdeaux, and then did the bastard Henrie forsake his garrison at Bannieres, and went into Arragon, and there got the king of Arragons assistance: & finallie, in the yeare 1369, returning into Spaine, recouered the kingdome, and slue his brother king Peter, as in the historie of Spaine it may appeare, which for that it apperteineth not to this historic of England, I doo here passe ouer. This yeare, in the moneth of March, appeared a blasing starre, betwixt the north and west, whose beames stretched towards France as was then marked, threatning (as might bethought) that within a small time after it should againe be wrapped and set on fire with new troubles of warre, and euen then, that countrie was not in quiet, but harried in diuerse parts, by such soldiers as had béene with the prince in Spaine, & were now out of wages. The leaders of which people were for the more part Englishmen and Gascoignes, as sir Robert Briquet, sir John Tresmelle, Robert Cenie, sir Gaollard Vigier, the bourge of Bertueill, the bourge Camois of Cominges, as Denise Sauage thinketh, the bourge of Lespare, Nandon or Nawdon of Bargerant, Bernard de la Salle, Ortigo, Lamut, and manie other.
In this 42 yeare of king Edwards reigne, his second son the lord Lionell duke of Clarence and earle of Vlster passed the sea, with a noble companie of lords, knights, and gentlemen, and went thorough France into Lombardie, there to marrie the ladie Violant, daughter to the duke of Millane. He was honorablie receiued in all places where he came, and speciallie at Paris, by the dukes of Berrie and Burgognie, the lord Coucie and other, the which brought him to the court, where he dined and supped with the king, and lodged within the palace. On the next day he was had to a place where the quéene lodged, and dined with hir, and after was conueied to the court againe, and supped that night with the king, and on the morrow following, he tooke his leaue of the king and quéene the which gaue to him great gifts, and likewise to the noble men of England that came ouer with him, to the value of twentie thousand florens and aboue: he was conueied from place to place, with certeine of the French nobilitie, till he came to the borders of the realme and then entring into Sauoy, he came to Chamberie, where the earle of Sauoy was readie to receiue him, and there he remained foure daies, being highlie feasted amongst the ladies and damosels: and then he departed, and the earle of Sauoy brought him to Millane, to doo him the more honor, for his sister was mother to the bride, which the duke should marrie.
To speake of the honorable receiuing of him into the citie of Millane, and of the great feast, triumph, and banketting, and what an assemblie there was in Millane of high states, at the solemnizing of the mariage betwixt him and the said ladie Violant, it were too long a processe to remember. The gifts that the father of the bride, the lord Galeas gaue vnto such honorable personages as were there present, amounted in value to an inestimable summe. ¶ The writers of the Millane histories affirme, that this marriage was celebrated on the fiftéenth daie of Iune, in the yeare 1367, which being true, the same chanced in the 41 yeare of this kings reigne, and not in this 42 yeare, though other authors agrée, that it was in the yeare 1368. But to returne to other dooings where we left.
Ye haue heard how the Prince of Wales could get no monie of the king of Spaine, for the wages of his men of warre, which he had reteined to serue him in the reducing the said king home into his countrie, wherefore the prince hauing béene at great charges in that iournie, was neither able to satisfie them, nor mainteine his owne estate, without some great aid of his subiects, and therefore he was counselled to raise a subsidie called a fuage, through all the countrie of Aquitaine, to run onelie for the space of fiue yeares. To this paiment, euerie chimnie or fire must haue béene contributorie, paieng yearely one franke, the rich to haue borne out the poore. And to haue this paiment granted, all the states of the countrie were called togither at Niort. The Poictouins, and they of Xainctonge, Limosin, Rouergne, and of Rochell, agréed to the princes request, with condition, that he should kéepe the course of his coine stable, for the terme of seuen yeares.
But diuerse of the other parts of Guien refused that ordinance, as the earles of Arminake, and Gominges, the vicount of Carmaigne, the lords Dalbret, de la Barde, Cande, Pincornet, and diuerse other great barons: but yet to depart quietlie from the assemblie, they required a time to take better aduise, and so they repairing into their countries, determined neither to returne againe according to their promises, nor to suffer any fuage to run amongest them at all, and were so much offended with the motion, that they sought occasion forthwith to reuolt from the English obeisance and submission, knowing that
And therefore diuerse lords of them went to the French king, and there exhibited into the chamber of the péeres of France, their complaints of the grieuous impositions & wrongs, which the prince went about to laie vpon them, affirming that their resort ought of speciall duty to be to the crowne of France, and to the king there, as to their lord Peramount. The French king, who would not séeme to breake the peace betwéene him and the king of England, dissembled the matter, and told them that he would peruse the tenor of the charters and letters of the peace, and so far foorth as he might by permission of the same, he would be glad to doo them good. The earles of Arminake, Perigourd, Gominges, and the lord Dalbret, with other that were come thither about this matter, were contented with this answer, and so staied in France, till they might vnderstand further, both of the French kings mind, and of the princes dooings. ¶ This yéere in October, was Simon Langham archbishop of Canturburie elected to the dignitie of a cardinall, and then William Witleslie, bishop of Worcester, was remooued vnto the sée of Canturburie.
About the same time, the earle of saint Paule, one of the hostages in England, stale from hence, without taking anie leaue, or saieng farewell. At his comming into France, he greatlie furthered the sute of the lords of Gascoigne, & finallie so much was doone on their behalfe, that the French king was contented that the prince of Wales should be appealed, and summoned to appeare before the French king as iudge in that point, for reformation of the wrongs which he offered to them that had made their resort vnto him, as reason was they should. This appeale was written and dulie examined.
Charles by the grace of God king of France, to our nephue the prince of Wales and Aquitaine, send gréeting. So it is, that diuerse prelats, barons, knights, vniuersities, communalties, and colledges of the marches and limits of the countrie of Gascoigne, and the dwellers and inhabitants in the bounds of our realme, besides diuerse other of the duchie of Aquitaine, are resorted and come to our court, to haue right of certeine gréefes, and vnlawfull troubles, which you, by vnaduised counsell, and simple information, haue purposed to doo vnto them, whereof we greatlie maruell. Therfore, to withstand, and to redresse such things, we are so conioined to them that we haue thought good, by our roiall power, to command you to repaire to our citie of Paris, in proper person, and there to shew and present your selfe before vs, in the chamber of our péeres, that you may be constreined to doo right to your people, concerning the gréefes which they alledge that you are about to oppresse them with, who claime to haue their resort into our court: and that you faile not thus to doo, in as spéedie manner as yée can, immediatlie vpon the sight and hearing of these present letters. In witnesse whereof, we haue to the same set our seale. Yeuen at Paris, the fiue and twentith daie of Ianuarie.
These letters were giuen to a knight and a clerke, to beare and present to the prince, which according to that they had in charge, went to Burdeaux, and there getting licence to come before his presence, they read the letters, wherewith he was not a little chafed, and openlie told them for a plaine answer, that he meant to accomplish the French kings request, for his comming to Paris, but that should be with his helmet on his head, and thréescore thousand armed men, to beare witnesse of his appearance. The messengers perceiuing the prince to be sore offended with their message, got them awaie, without taking their leaue: but before they were passed the limits of the English dominion, they were staied by commandement of the prince, and committed to prison, within the citie of Agen.
About the same time, the duke of Berrie returned into France, hauing licence of king Edward for an whole yeare; but he bare himselfe so wiselie, that he returned not againe at all: for he excused himselfe, till time that the warre was open. In like manner, the more part of all the other hostages, by one meane or other were returned into France, and some indéed were deliuered vpon their ransomes, or other considerations, so that the French king being deliuered of that obstacle, was the more readie to breake with the king of England, and therefore vpon knowledge had of the princes answer, to those that he sent with the appeale, by such of the messengers seruants as were returned, and declared how their maisters were delt with, he couertlie prepared for the warre. The lord Iohn Chandois, and other of the princes counsell foresaw what would insue of leauieng the fuage, and therefore counselled the prince, not to procéed any further in it. But he hauing onlie regard to the reléefe of his souldiers and men of warre, would néeds go forward with it. ¶ Indéed, if he might haue brought it to passe, as it was denied, that euerie housholder should haue paid a franke for chimniage, the summe would haue growne to twelue hundred thousand frankes by the yeare, which had béene a great reléefe, and that made him the more earnest, bicause he might haue béene able so to haue paid his debts.
Now, when it was perceiued certeinlie that open rebellion would therof insue, and that king Edward was certified of the whole state of the matter, and how diuerse of the lords of Aquitaine were withdrawne vnto the court of France, in manner as before yée haue heard, he deuised a letter, which he caused to be published through all the parts of Aquitaine the effect whereof was this; That were the people of that countrie found themselues gréeued for such exactions as were demanded of them, he meant therefore vpon examination of their iust complaints, to sée their wrongs redressed. And further, he was contented to pardon all such as were withdrawne to the French king, so that within a moneths space they would returne home; requiring them that in no wise they should stirre anie seditious tumult, but to remember their oths of allegiance, and to continue in the same, according to their bounden duties; and as for him, he would be readie to sée them eased, that would shew by plaine proofe how they had béene otherwise gréeued than reason might beare. This was his meaning and this was the aduise of all his councellours.
But this courteous letter little auailed, for dailie the Gascoignes reuolted from the prince, and turned to the French part. Moreouer, another occasion of grudge chanced to renew the malice betwixt the K. of England, and the French king. For whereas yée haue heard, that the earle of Flanders had affianced his daughter and heire to the lord Edmund of Langlie, earle of Cambridge, a shift was made, namelie by the earles mother the countesse of Arthois, who was all French, that notwithstanding the same affiance, she was married to Philip duke of Burgognie, who was surnamed the Hardie, by this occasion, as I. Meir saith. It chanced, that whilest he was prisoner in England with his father, he was vpon a time appointed to wait at the table, where his father and the king of England sat togither at meat. And bicause a noble man of England that was appointed likewise to attend at the same table, serued first the king of England before the king of France, this Philip vp with his fist, and tooke the English lord a blow on the eare, saieng: "Wilt thou serue the king of England first, where the French king sitteth at the same table?" The Englishman out with his dagger, & would haue striken the said Philip, but the king of England streictlie charged him to the contrarie, and praising the déed of the yoong stripling, said vnto him, "Vous estes Philip le hardie," Thou art (said he) the hardie Philip. And so from that daie he bare that name euer after. There be other that saie, how he tooke that surname, bicause in the batell of Poictiers he abode still with his father till the end of the battell, without shewing any token of feare, or faintnes of courage.
The earles of Arminacke and Perigord, with the other lords of Gascoigne, that had made their appeale (as ye haue heard) to the chamber of the péeres of France, when they vnderstood that the prince had imprisoned the messengers, that brought to him the French kings letters, began to make warre on the princes lands. The first enterprise they made, was the discomfiting of the lord Thomas Wake seneshall of Rouergne, as he was riding from Agen vnto the citie of Rodais, with thréescore spears, and two hundred archers in his companie. Also the French king being now prouided for the war, and vnderstanding the minds of the people within certeine towns vnder the dominion of the Englishmen, in his high court of parlement holden at Paris, procéeded in iudgement vpon the appellation before made by the earles of Arminacke, Perigord, and others, against prince Edward. And moreover he sent ouer into England the earle of Salisbruch, and a knight called sir William Dorman, to signifie to the king of England, how he thought himselfe not honorablie vsed, & that the king of England did but slenderlie kéepe the couenants of the peace, considering that he did not find meanes to reforme such of his subiects Englishmen and Gascoignes, as dailie robbed and wasted the countries & lands belonging to the crowne of France.
These ambassadors were staied for the space of two moneths, & still they complained of the wrongs that the Englishmen had doone contrarie to the couenants of the peace, but the king made small account thereof, bicause he perceiued it was a forged matter that they alledged, and so in the end sent them awaie. At Douer being vpon their returne, met them a Britaine that was comming with letters of defiance to the king of England from the French king, and as he had in commandement, he declared to them the effect of his message, whervpon with all spéed they passed ouer to Bullongne, and were glad they had so escaped. The Britaine came to the court, and deliuered the defiance to the king, according to the instructions which he had receiued. When the king had heard the letters read, and perceiued by good view taken of the seale and signet, that the same were of authoritie, he licenced the messenger to depart, and fell in councell with the péeres of his realme, what he should doo in so weigthie a matter. Wherevpon it was thought necessarie by them, that he should assemble his court of parlement, and so he did. In the which (vpon declaration made how iniuriouslie the French king after manie wrongfull dealings had now broken the peace, and sent his defiance vnto the king in so despitefull wise as might be) there was granted towards the maintenance of the warre thus begun, thrée fiftéens of the temporaltie, and thrée dismes of the spiritualtie, to be paied in thrée yeares.
At the selfe same time that the defiance was made to the king here in England, the earle of S. Paule, and Guie de Chatillon master of the crosbowes in France, entered into the countie of Ponthieu, tooke Abuile, and an English knight called sir Nicholas Louaigne seneshall of that countrie vnder the king of England, as then being within it. They tooke also saint Valerie, Crotoie, Rue, Pont saint Renie, and to be short, reduced the whole countrie of Ponthieu vnder the French obeisance, which had remained in possession of the Englishmen for the space of a hundred and twelue yeares, euer since Edward the first had the same assigned to him in name of a dowrie, with his wife quéene Elianor, sister to Alfonse K. of Castile. And yet were the people of that countrie readie now to reuolt to the French dominion, not withstanding their former long continued obeisance to the Englishmen: for otherwise could not the Frenchmen so easilie haue come to their purpose, but that the people were couenanted before to receiue them, and betraie those few Englishmen that were amongst them.
About the same time also, it fell so ill for the Englishmen, that the prince of Wales was troubled with a sore sickenesse, that had continued long with him, euer since his being in Spaine, by reason whereof his enimies were the more bold to make attempts against him, and dailie went about to allure and intise his subiects of the marches of Guien to reuolt from him, in somuch that the citie of Cahors, and diuerse other townes thereabout turned to the French part. Thus was the peace which had béene so suerlie made, and with so manie solemne oths confirmed, violated and broken, and the parties fallen togither by the eares againe in sundrie places, and namelie in Aquitaine, where sundrie armies were abroad in the fields, diuers sieges laid, manie townes taken, often incounters and skirmishes made, sometime to the losse of the one part, and sometime of the other, and the countries in the meane time harried and spoiled, that maruill it is to consider, and too long a processe it should be to rehearse the tenth part of such chances as dailie happened amongst them, so that it might well haue béene said of that sore & tumultuous time:
King Edward sent ouer into Gascoigne the earls of Cambridge and Penbroke, with a certeine number of men of armes and archers, the which arriuing in Britaine, passed through that countrie by licence of the Duke, and came to the prince as then lieng at Angolesme in Poictou, by whom they were sent to ouerrun the earle of Perigords lands, and so they did, and after laid siege to Burdille, hauing with them about thrée thousand men one and other. There came with them foorth of England foure hundred men of armes, foure hundred archers, and (as Froissard saith) beside their capteins, these earles which he nameth, to wit, the lord of Tabestone (or rather Bradstone as I take it) sir Brian Stapleton, sir Thomas Balaster, and sir Iohn Triuet: Whilest the said earles went thus to make warre against the earle of Perigord, sir Hugh Caluerlie with two thousand men of warre was sent also to ouerrun the lands of the earle of Arminacke, and of the lord Dalbret; sir Iohn Chandois laie in the marches of Tholouse at Mountaubon, & afterwards besieged Terrieres, and in the end wan it; and so likewise did the earles of Cambridge and Penbroke win Burdille, by reason of a saillie that they within made foorth, and passed so far from their fortresse, that the Englishmen got betwixt them and home.
Sir Robert Knols came from such lands as he had in Britaine, to serue the prince now in these warres of Gascoigne, and was by him made chéefe gouernor of all his men of warre, who bare himselfe right worthilie in that charge. The first iournie which he made at that time, was into Quercie, hauing with him beside his owne bands, certeine knights of the princes retinue, as sir Richard Ponchardon, sir Stephan Gousenton, sir Noell Loring, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Iohn Triuet, sir Thomas Spenser, sir Thomas Balaster, sir Nicholas Bond, sir William le Moine seneschall of Aigenois, sir Baldwin de Freuille, and others. At their comming into Quercie, they besieged a strong fortresse called Durmell, within the which were diuerse capteins of the companions, as Aimon d'Ortigo, the little Mechin, Iaques de Bray, Perot de Sauoie, and Arnaudon de Pons, the which so valiantlie defended the place, that although the lord Chandois, accompanied with sir Thomas Felton, the capitall of Beuf, sir Iohn de Pommiers, sir Thomas Percie, sir Eustace Daubreticourt, and others came with their retinues from Montaubon, to réenforce that siege, yet could they not obteine their purpose, but raising from thence after fiue wéekes siege (constreined thereto through want of vittels) they marched streight to a towne called Domme, which they besieged, hauing in their armie fiftéene hundred men at armes, beside two thousand archers and brigands, so called in those daies, of an armor which they ware named brigandines, vsed then by footmen, that bare also targets, or pauoises, and certeine darts or iauelines to throw at their enimies.
The towne and castell of Domme were so strong of themselues, and so well prouided of men of warre that were appointed to the gard of the same, with the lord thereof called sir Robert de Domme, that after the English capteins perceiued they should but lose time to linger about the winning of that towne, they raised their siege, and marching further into the countrie, wan Gauaches Freins, Rochmador, and Ville Franche, vpon the marches of Toulouzain, greatlie to the displeasure of the duke of Aniou that lay at the same time in the citie of Toulouze, & could not remedie the matter. ¶ But to recite euerie particular enterprise, as the same was atchiued by the English capteins and men of warre in that season, it should be more than the purpose of this volume might permit, and therefore I passe ouer diuerse things, which I find registred by Froissard and other writers, onelie aduertising you, that as the Englishmen thus made sore warres against their aduersaries abroad in those quarters: so the Frenchmen on the other part had assembled great numbers of men of warre, not onelie to defend their frontiers, but also by inuasions to win from the Englishmen towns and castels, and to wast such countries as would not turne to their side. Thus were all those countries in troubles of warre.