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From Chronicles of England, France and Spain and the Surrounding Countries, by Sir John Froissart, Translated from the French Editions with Variations and Additions from Many Celebrated MSS, by Thomas Johnes, Esq; London: William Smith, 1848. pp. 192-203.
CHAPTER CL. — THE BATTLE OF CALAIS, BETWEEN THE KING OF ENGLAND, UNDER THE BANNER OF SIR WALTER MANNY, WITH SIR GEOFFRY DE CHARGNY AND THE FRENCH.
WHEN the king of England was informed of this, and knew that the day was for a certainty fixed, he set out from England with three hundred men at arms and six hundred archers. He embarked at Dover, and came so privately to Calais, that no one knew of his being there. He placed his men in ambuscade in the rooms and towers of the castle, and said to sir Walter Manny, “Sir Walter, I will that you be chief of this enterprise; and I and my son will fight under your banner.” Sir Geoffry de Chargny had left St. Omer the latter end of 193 December, with all the forces he had collected, and arrived near to Calais about midnight, the last day of the month. He halted there for his rear to come up, and sent forward two of his squires, who found sir Aymery waiting for them; they asked, if it were time for sir Geoffry to advance? the Lombard answered, that it was. The two squires upon this returned to sir Geoffry, who marched his men in battle array over the bridge of Nieullet: he then sent forward twelve of his knights, with one hundred men at arms, to take possession of the castle of Calais; for he thought, if he had possession of the castle, he should soon be master of the town, considering what strength he had with him; and, in a few days’ time, he could have as much more, should there be occasion. He gave orders for twenty thousand crowns to be delivered to sir Odoart de Renty, who was in this expedition, for him to pay the Lombard; and sir Geoffry remained in the plain in silence, his banner displayed before him, with the rest of his army; for his intention was to enter the town by one of its gates, otherwise he would not enter it at all.
The Lombard had let down the draw-bridge of the castle, and opened one of the gates, through which his detachment entered unmolested; and sir Odoart had given him the twenty thousand crowns in a bag, who said, “he supposed they were all there; for he had not time to count them, as it would be day immediately.” He flung the bag of crowns into a room, which he locked, and told the French he would conduct them to the great tower, that they might the sooner be masters of the castle: in saying this, he advanced on, and pushing back the bolt, the door flew open. In this tower was the king of England with two hundred lances, who sallied forth, with swords and battle-axes in their hands, crying out, “Manny! Manny! to the rescue: what, do these Frenchmen think to conquer the castle of Calais with such a handful of men!” The French saw that no defence could save them, so they surrendered themselves prisoners; and scarcely any of them were wounded. They were made to enter this tower, whence the English had sallied, and there shut in. The English quitted the castle, and, forming themselves in array, mounted their horses, for they knew the French were mounted, and made for the gate leading to Boulogne. Sir Geoffry was there with his banner displayed; his arms were three escutcheons argent on a field gules, and he was very impatient to be the first that should enter Calais. He said to those knights who were near him, that “if this Lombard delayed opening the gate, they should all die with cold.” “In God’s name,” replied sir Pepin de Werre, “these Lombards are a malicious sort of people; perhaps he is examining your florins, lest there should be any false ones, and to see if they be right in number.” During this conversation, the king of England and his son advanced, under the banner of sir Walter Manny. There were many other banners also there, such as the earl of Suffolk’s the lord Stafford’s, lord John Mountacute’s, brother to the earl of Salisbury, the lord John Beauchamp’s, the lord Berkeley’s, the lord de la Waae1: all these were barons having banners: and no more than these were in this expedition.
The great gates were soon opened, and they all sallied out: when the French saw this, and heard the cries of “Manny to the rescue!” they found they had been betrayed; and sir Geoffry said to those around them, “Gentlemen, if we fly, we shall lose all: it will be more advantageous for us to fight valiantly, in the hopes that the day may be ours.” “By St. George,” said some of the English, who were near enough to hear it, “you speak truth: evil befal him who thinks of flying.” They then retreated a little, and dismounted, driving their horses away, to avoid being trampled on. When the king of England saw this, he halted the banner under which he was, and said, “I would have the men drawn up here in order of battle; and let a good detachment be sent towards the bridge of Nieullet; for I have heard that there is posted a large body of French, on horseback and on foot.” Six banners and three hundred archers left his army, and made for the bridge of Nieullet; where they found the lord Moreau de Fiennes, and the lord of Crequi, who guarded it. There was also posted, between the bridge and Calais, the cross-bowmen from St. Omer and Aire, who had that day sharp work: more than six hundred were slain or drowned; for they were immediately discomfited, and pursued to the river: it was then scarcely day-break. The knights of Picardy maintained this post some time; and many gallant actions were performed; but the English kept increasing from the town, when, on the contrary, the 194 French fell off, so that when they found they could not longer keep the bridge, those that had horses mounted them, and betook themselves to flight. The English immediately pursued them, and many were overthrown: but those that were well-mounted escaped; among them were the lords de Fiennes, de Crequi, de Sempy, de Lonchinleich, and the lord of Namur. Many were taken through their own hardiness, who might otherwise have saved themselves. When it was broad day-light, that each could see the other, some knights and squires collected themselves together, and vigorously attacked the English, insomuch that several of the French made good prisoners, that brought them much profit.*
BATTLE OF CALAIS, between the King of England (under Sir Walter de Manny) and the French. — From an MS. Froissart, of the 15th Century.
We will now speak of the king of England, who was there incognito, under sir Walter Manny’s banner. He advanced with his men on foot, to meet the enemy, who were formed in close order with their pikes, shortened to five feet, planted out before them. The first attack was very sharp and severe. The king singled out sir Eustace de Ribeaumont, who was a strong and hardy knight: he fought a long time marvellously well with the king, so that it was a pleasure to see them; but, by the confusion of the engagement, they were separated; for two large bodies met, where they were fighting, and forced them to break off their combat. On the side of the French, there was excellent fighting by sir Geoffry de Chargny, sir John de Landas, sir Hector and sir Gavin Ballieul, and others; but they were all surpassed by sir Eustace de Ribeaumont, who that day struck the king twice down on his knees: at last, however, he was obliged to surrender his sword to the king, saying, “Sir 195 knight, I surrender myself your prisoner, for the honour of the day must fall to the English.” All that belonged to sir Geoffry de Chargny were either slain or captured: among the first were sir Henry du Bois, and sir Pepin de Werre: sir Geoffry and the rest were taken prisoners. The last that was taken, and who in that day had excelled all, was sir Eustace de Ribeaumont. This business was finished under the walls of Calais, the last day of December, towards morning, in the year of grace 1348.
* Both honour and profit. — Lord Berners.
1 de la Waae — Query if this is supposed to be de la Warre, Roger de la Warre was known to be in the French wars, and his name is used properly elsewhere. No other use of Waae is in this volume. — Elf.Ed.
WHEN the engagement was over, the king returned to the castle in Calais, and ordered all the prisoners to be brought before him. The French then knew for the first time that the king of England had been there in person, under the banner of sir Walter Manny. The king said he would, this evening of the new year, entertain them all at supper, in the castle. When the hour for supper was come, the tables spread, and the king and his knights dressed in new robes, as well as the French, who, notwithstanding they were prisoners, made good cheer (for the king wished it should be so): the king seated himself at table, and made those knights do the same around him, in a most honourable manner. The gallant prince of Wales, and the knights of England, served up the first course, and waited on their guests. At the second course, they went and seated themselves at another table, where they were served and attended on very quietly.
When supper was over, and the tables removed, the king remained in the hall, among the English and French knights, bareheaded, except a chaplet of fine pearls, which was round his head. He conversed with all of them: but, when he came to sir Geoffry de Chargny, his countenance altered, and looking at him askance, he said, “Sir Geoffry, I have but little reason to love you, when you wished to seize from me by stealth, last night, what had given me so much trouble to acquire, and has cost me such sums of money. I am, however, rejoiced, to have caught you thus in attempting it. You were desirous of gaining it cheaper than I did, and thought you could purchase it for twenty thousand crowns; but, through God’s assistance, you have been disappointed.” He then passed on, and left Geoffry standing, without having a word to say for himself. When he came to sir Eustace de Ribeaumont, he assumed a cheerful look, and said, with a smile; “Sir Eustace, you are the most valiant knight in Christendom, that I ever saw attack his enemy, or defend himself. I never yet found any one in battle, who, body to body, had given me so much to do as you have done this day. I adjudge to you the prize of valour above all the knights of my court, as what is justly due to you.” The king then took off the chaplet, which was very rich and handsome, and placing it on the head of sir Eustace, said; “Sir Eustace, I present you with this chaplet, as being the best combatant this day, either within or without doors; and I beg of you to wear it this year for love of me. I know that you are lively and amorous, and love the company of ladies and damsels; therefore, say wherever you go, that I gave it to you. I also give you your liberty, free of ransom; and you may set out to-morrow, if you please, and go whither you will.”*
In this same year, 1349, king Philip of France married his second wife, at Brie-comte-Robert†, on Tuesday the 29th of January. She was the lady Blanche, daughter of 196 Philip king of Navarre, who had died in Spain, was very well beloved, and about eighteen years old. On the 19th of the following February, which was Shrovetide, the duke of Normandy, eldest son of the king of France, was married at St. Genevieve, near St. Germain-en-Laye, to his second wife, Jane countess of Boulogne: she was the widow of the lord Philip, son of the duke of Burgundy, who died before Aiguillon, 1346. The countess was the daughter of earl William of Boulogne, by the daughter of Louis earl of Evreux, and held in her own right the duchy of Burgundy, the counties of Artois, Boulogne and Auvergne, with many others.
* Mr. Johnes seems to have missed the exact sense of this passage; the proclaiming the giver of the chaplet, was the condition on which the knight’s liberty was granted. The passage in Lord Berners is as follows “Than the kynge came to Syr Eustace of Rybamont and iously to hym he sayd, Sir Eustace ye are the knyght in the worlde that I have sene most valyant assayle his ennemyes and defende himself, nor I never founde knyght that euer gaue me so moche ado, body to body, as ye haue done this day; wherefore I gyue you the price aboue all the knightes of my court by right sentence. Than the kyng toke the chapelet that was upon his heed beyng both fayre goodly and ryche, and sayd, Sir Eustace, I gyue you this chapelet for the best doar in armes in this journey past of eyther party, and I desyre you to bere it this yere for the loue of me. I knowe well ye be fresshe and amourouse, and often tymes be among ladyes and damoselles; Say whersoever ye come that I dyd gyue it you and I quyte you your prison and ransome, and ye shall depart tomorrowe if it please you.” — ED.
† A market-town of Brie-Française, diocese and election of Paris, seven leagues from Paris.
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YOU have heard related how the young earl Lewis of Flanders had been betrothed to the lady Isabella, daughter of king Edward of England, and that afterwards he had escaped from Flanders into France, where he was joyfully received by the king and his barons, who told him he had acted wisely, for that such forced marriages were of no avail: and the king added, that he would otherwise ally him more to his honour and profit. Things remained in this state for about a year. Duke John of Brabant was not much displeased at this; for he was desirous of marrying the young count of Flanders to his second daughter, the eldest being countess of Hainault. He sent ambassadors to king Philip, to intreat he would consent to the match between the count of Flanders and his daughter; that, if he consented, he would in future be his good neighbour, and that neither he nor any of his children would ever bear arms again for the king of England.
The king of France, who knew the duke of Brabant to be a powerful lord, that could hurt or assist him according to his pleasure, listened to his proposal in preference to any other, and let the duke know, that if he could prevail on the states of Flanders to consent to this marriage, he would be agreeable to it, and would press it on the earl. The duke in his answer, engaged for the consent of the states. He instantly sent able commissioners to the principal towns, to negotiate with them this marriage: he treated, as I may say, sword in hand; for he gave them to understand, that if they married the young earl otherwise, he would instantly declare war against them; and, on the contrary, if they complied with his desire, he would unite himself strongly with them, and defend them against any other lords. The councils of the principal towns heard with attention the proposals and promises the duke of Brabant, their neighbour, made them. They knew their young lord was not within their power, but under the direction of the king of France and the lady his mother, and that his heart was entirely French. Upon mature consideration, therefore, they thought, that as the duke of Brabant was a very powerful prince, and of great enterprise, it would be much more advantageous to conclude a match with him than with any one else; for by it they would enjoy peace, and have their lord again among them, which they very much desired. The business was so well arranged that the young earl of Flanders was brought to the city of Arras, whither the duke of Brabant sent his eldest son, the lord Godfrey earl of Mons, the earl of Los, and all his council. The principal towns of Flanders sent thither also their magistrates. Many conferences were held; and the young earl and his countrymen engaged for his marriage with the daughter of the duke of Brabant, provided it were agreeable to the church. This had been already secured, and the dispensation from the pope was arrived. Not long after this, the young earl came to Flanders, where all due homage was paid him; and greater powers were granted to him than even his father, or any of his predecessors, had enjoyed. The earl married the duke’s daughter; and, by the marriage-articles, the towns of Mechlin and Antwerp were to revert to the earl of Flanders, after the death of the duke; but this treaty was so secretly managed, that few heard of it. The duke gave so much to his daughter, that great wars were the consequence between Flanders and Brabant in after times, as you shall hear: but, as this is not as yet the subject-matter of my history, I shall briefly state, that the king of England was sorely vexed with all parties for this marriage: 197 with the duke of Brabant, because he was his cousin-german, and had carried off from his daughter the heir of Flanders, to whom she had been betrothed; with the earl, because he had broken his engagement with him, respecting his daughter. The duke sent, however, very prudent and handsome apologies; as did afterwards the earl of Flanders.
ABOUT this period, there was much ill will between the king of England and the Spaniards, on account of some infractions and pillages committed at sea by the latter. It happened at this season, that the Spaniards who had been in Flanders with their merchandize, were informed they would not be able to return home, without meeting the English fleet. The Spaniards did not pay much attention to this intelligence: however, after they had disposed of their goods, they amply provided their ships from Sluys with arms and artillery, and all such archers, cross-bowmen and soldiers as were willing to receive pay. The king of England hated these Spaniards greatly, and said publicly: “We have for a long time spared these people; for which they have done us much harm; without amending their conduct: on the contrary, they grow more arrogant; for which reason they must be chastised as they repass our coasts.” His lords readily assented to this proposal, and were eager to engage the Spaniards. The king therefore issued a special summons to all gentlemen who at that time might be in England, and left London. He went to the coast of Sussex, between Southampton and Dover, which lies opposite to Ponthieu and Dieppe, and kept his court in a monastery, whither the queen also came. At this time and place, that gallant knight, lord Robert de Namur, who was lately returned from beyond sea, joined the king: he came just in time to be one of this armament; and the king was exceedingly pleased at his arrival. On finding that he was not too late to meet the Spaniards on their return, the king, with his nobles and knights, embarked on board his fleet; and he was never attended by so numerous a company in any of his former expeditions at sea.
This same year the king created his cousin, Henry earl of Derby, duke of Lancaster, and the baron of Stafford an earl, who were now both with him. The prince of Wales and John earl of Richmond were likewise on board the fleet: the last was too young to bear arms, but he had him on board because he much loved him. There were also in this fleet, the earls of Arundel, Northampton, Hereford, Suffolk, and Warwick, the lord Reginald Cobham, sir Walter Manny, sir Thomas Holland, sir Lewis Beauchamp, sir James Audley, sir Bartholomew Burghersh, the lords Percy, Mowbray, Neville, Roos, de Difort, de Gastrode, de Berder, and many others. There were four hundred knights; nor was he ever attended by a larger company of great lords. The king kept the sea with his vessels ready prepared for action, and to wait for the enemy, who was not long before he appeared. He kept cruising for three days between Dover and Calais.
WHEN the Spaniards had completed their cargoes, and laden their vessels with linen cloths, and whatever they imagined would be profitable in their own country, they embarked on board their fleet at Sluys. They knew they should meet the English, but were indifferent about it; for they had marvellously provided themselves with all sorts of warlike ammunition; such as bolts for cross-bows, cannon, and bars of forged iron to throw on the enemy, in hopes, with the assistance of great stones, to sink him. When they weighed anchor, the wind was favourable for them: there were forty large vessels of such a size, and so beautiful, it was a fine sight to see them under sail. Near the top of their masts were small castles, full of flints and stones, and a soldier to guard them; and there also was the flag-staff, from whence fluttered their streamers in the wind, that it was pleasant to look at them. If the English had a great desire to meet them, it seemed as if the Spaniards were still more eager for it, as will hereafter appear. The Spaniards were full ten thousand men, including all sorts of soldiers they had enlisted when in Flanders: this made them feel sufficient courage not to fear the combat with the king of England, and whatever force he might have at sea. Intending to engage the English fleet, they advanced with a favourable wind until they came opposite to Calais. The king of England being at sea, had very distinctly explained to all his knights the order of battle he would have them follow: he had appointed the lord Robert 198 de Namur to the command of a ship called Le Salle du Roi, on board of which was all his household. The king posted himself in the fore part of his own ship: he was dressed in a black velvet jacket, and wore on his head a small hat of beaver, which became him much. He was that day, as I was told by those who were present, as joyous as he ever was in his life, and ordered his minstrels to play before him a German dance which sir John Chandos had lately introduced. For his amusement, he made the same knight sing with his minstrels, which delighted him greatly. From time to time he looked up to the castle on his mast, where he had placed a watch to inform him when the Spaniards were in sight. Whilst the king was thus amusing himself with his knights, who were happy in seeing him so gay, the watch, who had observed a fleet, cried out, “Ho, I spy a ship, and it appears to me to be a Spaniard.” The minstrels were silenced; and he was asked if there were more than one: soon after he replied, “Yes, I see two, three, four, and so many that, God help me, I cannot count them.” The king and his knights then knew they must be the Spaniards. The trumpets were ordered to sound and the ships to form a line of battle for the combat; as they were aware that, since the enemy came in such force, it could not be avoided. It was, however, rather late, about the hour of vespers. The king ordered wine to be brought, which he and his knights drank; when each fixed their helmets on their heads. The Spaniards now drew near; they might easily have refused the battle, if they had chosen it, for they were well freighted, in large ships, and had the wind in their favour. They could have avoided speaking with the English, if they had willed, but their pride and presumption made them act otherwise. They disdained to sail by, but bore instantly down on them, and commenced the battle.
WHEN the king of England saw from his ship their order of battle, he ordered the person who managed his vessel, saying, “Lay me alongside the Spaniard who is bearing down on us; for I will have a tilt with him.” The master dared not disobey the king’s order, but laid his ship ready for the Spaniard, who was coming full sail. The king’s ship was large and stiff; otherwise she would have been sunk, for that of the enemy was a great one, and the shock of their meeting was more like the crash of a torrent or tempest; the rebound caused the castle in the king’s ship to encounter that of the Spaniard: so that the mast of the latter was broken, and all in the castle fell with it into the sea, when they were drowned. The English vessel, however, suffered, and let in water, which the knights cleared, and stopped the leak, without telling the king any thing of the matter. Upon examining the vessel he had engaged lying before him, he said; “Grapple my ship with that; for I will have possession of her.” His knights replied; “Let her go her way: you shall have better than her.” That vessel sailed on, and another large ship bore down, and grappled with chains and hooks to that of the king. The fight now began in earnest, and the archers and cross-bows on each side were eager to shoot and defend themselves. The battle was not in one place, but in ten or twelve at a time. Whenever either party found themselves equal to the enemy, or superior, they instantly grappled, when grand deeds of arms were performed. The English had not any advantage; and the Spanish ships were much larger and higher than their opponents, which gave them a great superiority in shooting and casting stones and iron bars on board their enemy, which annoyed them exceedingly. The knights on board the king’s ship were in danger of sinking, for the leak still admitted water: this made them more eager to conquer the vessel they were grappled to: many gallant deeds were done; and at last they gained the ship, and flung all they found in it overboard, having quitted their own ship. They continued the combat against the Spaniards, who fought valiantly, and whose cross-bowmen shot such bolts of iron as greatly distressed the English.
THIS sea-fight, between the English and Spaniards, was well and hardly fought: but, as night was coming on, the English exerted themselves to do their duty well, and discomfit their enemies. The Spaniards, who are used to the sea, and were in large ships, acquitted themselves to the utmost of their power. The young prince of Wales and his division were engaged apart: his ship was grappled by a great Spaniard, when he and his knights suffered much; for she had so many holes, that the water came in very abundantly, and they could 199 not by any means stop the leaks, which gave the crew fears of her sinking, they therefore did all they could to conquer the enemy’s ship, but in vain; for she was very large, and excellently well defended. During this danger of the prince, the duke of Lancaster came near, and, as he approached, saw he had the worst of the engagement, and that his crew had too much on their hands, for they were baling out water: he therefore fell on the other side of the Spanish vessel, with which he grappled, shouting, “Derby to the rescue!” The engagement was now very warm, but did not last long, for the ship was taken, and all the crew thrown overboard, not one being saved. The prince, with his men, instantly embarked on board the Spaniard; and scarcely had they done so when his own vessel sunk, which convinced them of the imminent danger they had been in.
THE engagement was in other parts well contested by the English knights, who exerted themselves, and need there was of it, for they found those who feared them not. Late in the evening, the Salle du Roi, commanded by lord Robert de Namur, was grappled by a large Spaniard, and the fight was very severe. The Spaniards were determined to gain this ship; and, the more effectually to succeed in carrying her off, they set all their sails, took advantage of the wind, and in spite of what lord Robert and his crew could do, towed her out of the battle: for the Spaniard was of a more considerable size than the lord Robert’s ship, therefore she more easily conquered. As they were thus towed, they passed near the king’s ship, to whom they cried out, “Rescue the Salle du Roi,” but were not heard; for it was dark; and, if they were heard, they were not rescued. The Spaniards would have carried away with ease this prize, if it had not been for a gallant act of one Hanequin, a servant to the lord Robert, who, with his drawn sword on his wrist, leaped on board the enemy, ran to the mast, and cut the large cable which held the main sail, by which it became unmanageable; and with great agility, he cut four other principal ropes, so that the sails fell on the deck, and the course of the ship was stopped. Lord Robert seeing this, advanced with his men, and, boarding the Spaniard sword in hand, attacked the crew so vigorously, that all were slain or thrown overboard, and the vessel won.
I CANNOT speak of every particular circumstance of this engagement. It lasted a considerable time; and the Spaniards gave the king of England and his fleet enough to do. However, at last, victory declared for the English: the Spaniards lost fourteen ships; the others saved themselves by flight*. When it was completely over, and the king saw he had none to fight with, he ordered his trumpets to sound a retreat, and made for England. They anchored at Rye and Winchelsea a little after nightfall, when the king, the prince of Wales, the duke of Lancaster, the earl of Richmond and other barons, disembarked, took horses in the town, and rode to the mansion where the queen was, scarcely two English leagues distant. The queen was mightily rejoiced on seeing her lord and children: she had suffered that day great afflictions from her doubts of success; for her attendants had seen from the hills of the coast the whole of the battle, as the weather was fine and clear, and had told the queen, who was very anxious to learn the number of the enemy, that the Spaniards had forty large ships: she was therefore much comforted by their safe return. The king, with those knights who had attended him, passed the night in revelry with the ladies, conversing of arms and amours. On the morrow, the greater part of his barons who had been in this engagement, came to him: he greatly thanked them all for the services they had done him, before he dismissed them, when they took their leave, and returned every man to his home.
200YOU have before heard how Aymery de Pavie had plotted to surrender the town and castle of Calais, for a sum of florins to the French, and how it befel them: that sir Geoffry de Chargny and the knights with him were made prisoners, and carried to England, whence they ransomed themselves as soon as they could pay the money, and returned to France. It happened, that, during the time he was at St. Omer by order of the king of France, he heard that Aymery de Pavie was at a castle in the country near Calais, called Fretun, which the king of England had given him. The Italian lived there at his ease with a beautiful English woman whom he had brought thither as his mistress; and he fancied the French had forgotten his courtesy to them: but that was not the case, as you shall hear. As soon as sir Geoffry received this information, he secretly inquired from those of the country who knew this castle, if it could be easily be taken: they assured him it might; for that sir Aymery lived there without any suspicion, and without guards or watch, thinking himself as safe as if he were in London or Calais. Sir Geoffry did not let the matter sleep, but, collecting privately a band of men at arms, left St. Omer in an evening, taking with him the cross-bows that were quartered there, and marched all night, when, at day-break, he arrived at the castle of Fretun. They instantly surrounded the castle, as it was not of any size, and having entered the ditch, passed through. The servants, awakened by the noise, ran to their master, who was asleep, and said, “My lord, rise instantly; for the castle is surrounded by a large body of men at arms, who are forcing their way into it.” Aymery was much alarmed, and rose as speedily as he could; but notwithstanding his haste, he could not arm himself before his court-yard was filled with soldiers. He was thus made prisoner with his mistress; but nothing was pillaged in the castle, on account of the existing truce between France and England; and besides sir Geoffry only wanted to take Aymery. He was greatly pleased with his success, and carried sir Aymery to St. Omer, where he did not suffer him to languish in prison, but had him put to death, with much cruelty, in the market-place of St. Omer, in the presence of the knights and common people of the country, who had been sent for thither. Thus died sir Aymery de Pavie; but his mistress escaped, for his death freed her, and she afterwards attached herself to a squire of France.
THIS year of our Lord 1349, there came from Germany, persons who performed public penitencies by whipping themselves with scourges, having iron hooks, so that their backs and shoulders were torn: they chaunted also, in a piteous manner, canticles of the nativity and suffering of our Saviour, and could not, by their rules, remain in any town more than one night: they travelled in companies of more or less in number, and thus journeyed through the country performing their penitence for thirty-three days, being the number of years JESUS CHRIST remained on earth, and then returned to their own homes. These penitencies were thus performed, to intreat the Lord to restrain his anger, and withhold his vengeance: for, at this period, an epidemic malady ravaged the earth, and destroyed a third part of its inhabitants. They were chiefly done in those countries the most afflicted, whither scarcely any could travel, but were not long continued, as the church set itself against them. None of these companies entered France: for the king had strictly forbidden them by desire of the pope, who disapproved of such measures, by sound and sensible reasons, but which I shall pass over. All clerks or persons holding livings, that countenanced them, were excommunicated, and several were forced to go to Rome to purge themselves.
About this time, the Jews throughout the world were arrested and burnt, and their fortunes seized by those lords under whose jurisdictions they had lived, except at Avignon, and the territories of the church dependent on the pope. Each poor Jew, when he was able to hide himself, and arrive in that country, esteemed himself safe. It was prophesied, that for one hundred years people were to come, with iron scourges, to destroy them: and this would now have been the case, had not these penitents been checked in their mad career, as has been related†.
* “Anno Gratiæ millesimo trecentissimo quinquagessimo, qui est annus regui regis Edwardi à cenquestu tertii vicesimus quartus, commissum est bellum navale inter Anglicos et Hispanos quarto calendas Septembris. Edwardus nempe rex Angliæ cum paucis navibus obviavit navigio Hispaniæ, viris bellicosis refertissimo juxta Winchelsee. Et facto atrocissimo conflictu, multi læsi sunt ex utraque parte. Nam tam fervens erat bellum, tam crebra vulnera inflicta ex omni parte, quod ab illo prælio vix aliquis evasit illæsus. Demum (Deo volente) victoria cessit Anglis. Captæ sunt ibi igitur 26 naves magnæ, reliquis submersis, vel in fugam versis. In hoc conflictu dum Hispani timidi et superbi, atque fidentes in robore suo et strenuitate, dedignantur se reddere jussu regis Edwardi, omnes miserabiliter perierunt, alii ferro cæsi, alii aquis submersi.” — Thomas Walsingham, Hist. Angliæ, p. 169.
Stowe says, that Edward returned triumphant, but bewailing the loss of sir Richard Goldesborough. — Page 250.
† Here end the additions. I cannot help supposing there must have been more; for Froissart would certainly have particularly mentioned this sad calamity of the plague, that afflicted all Europe, and he scarcely notices it.
It began in the spring of the year 1348, and came from Asia. It destroyed in some parts the fourth, in others the third of their population: sometimes it left not the tenth part. It carried off in Paris from 40 to 50,000, and in the little town of St. Denis, 1600. There were sometimes, at Paris, 800 burials in a day: and in the single church-yard of the Charter-house, London, were buried 200 daily. It broke every bond of attachment asunder: servants fled from their masters, wives from their husbands, and children from their parents. There were no laws in force: the greatest excesses were committed; and, when the contagion was at an end, morals were found more corrupted.
I refer my readers to the different chronicles of the times, for more particular information. Lord Hailes dates its ravages in 1349, and says; “The great pestilence, which had long desolated the continent, reached Scotland. The historians of all countries speak with horror of this pestilence. It took a wider range, and proved more destructive than any calamity of that nature known in the annals of mankind. Barnes, pp. 428 — 441, has collected the accounts given of this pestilence by many historians; and hence he has, unknowingly, furnished materials for a curious inquiry into the populousness of Europe in the fourteenth century.”
“The same cause which brought on this corruption of manners produced a new species of fanaticism. There appeared in Germany, England, and Flanders, numerous confraternities, of penitents, who, naked to the girdle, dirty and filthy to look, at, flogged themselves in the public squares, chaunting a ridiculous canticle. Underneath are two stanzas of their canticle, consisting of nineteen in the whole. It is entire in a chronicle belonging to M. Brequigny, which is the only one supposed to express it:1
“Or avant, entre nous tuit frere,
Battons nos charoignes bien fort,
En remembrant la grand misere
De Dieu, et sa piteuse mort,
Qui fut pris de la gent amere,
Et venduz, et traiz à tort,
Et battu sa char vierge et claire;
On nom de ce, battons plus fort.
O Roiz des roiz, char precieuse,
Dieux Pere, Filz, Sains Esperis,
Vos saintisme char glorieuse,
Fut pendue en crois par Juis
Et la fut grief et doloreuse:
Quar vo douz saint sanc beneic
Fit la croix vermeille et hideuse,
Loons Dieu et battons nos pis.”
M. LEVESQUE, tom. i. pp. 530, 531.
1 For a longer discussion of the Flagellants, on this site, see Chapter IX. — Formation of the Public Processions of Flagellants. Different success they met with in different countries from History of Flagellation Among Different Nations; New York: Medical Publishing Co., 1930: pp. 86-98. — Elf.Ed.
IN the beginning of August, in the year 1350, Raoul de Cahours*, and many other knights and squires, to the number of one hundred and twenty men at arms, or thereabouts, combated with the commander for the king of England in Brittany, called sir Thomas Daggeworth, before the castle of Aurai. Sir Thomas† and all his men were slain, to the amount of about one hundred men at arms. On the 22nd of August, in the same year, 202 king Philip of France departed this life at Nogent-le-Roi‡, and was carried to Nôtre-Dame in Paris. On the Thursday following, his body was buried at St. Denis, on the left hand of the great altar: his bowels were interred at the Jacobins at Paris, and his heart at the convent of the Carthusians at Bourgfontaines in Valois. The 26th day of September ensuing, John, eldest son of king Philip, was crowned king, on a Sunday, at Rheims. His wife, Queen Jane, was also crowned at the same time. The king, on this occasion, made many knights: Estampes; the lord John d’Artois; Philip duke of Orleans, brother to the king; the duke of Burgundy, son of the Queen by her first marriage with the lord Philip of Burgundy; the earl of Dammartin, and many others. The king set out from Rheims on the Monday, and returned to Paris, by way of Laon, Soissons and Senlis. The king and queen made their public entry into Paris on a Sunday, the 17th of October. There were great feasts, which lasted the whole week. The king remained at Paris at the hôtel de Nesle, or at the palace, until near Martinmas, when he assembled his parliament.
On Tuesday, the 16th day of November following, Raoul, earl of Eu and Guignes, constable of France, who was but lately returned from his prison in England, was arrested, by orders from the king, in the hôtel de Nesle§, where king John resided, by the provost of Paris, and was detained in confinement in his hôtel, until the next Thursday; when, about the hour of matins, he was there beheaded, in the presence of the duke of Bourbon, the earl of Armagnac, the earl of Montfort, the lord John of Boulogne, the earl of Rueil, and many other knights, who attended the execution by command of the king, at that time in his palace. He was thus executed, for great treasons, of which he had confessed himself guilty to the duke of Athens, and some others. His body was buried in the Augustins at Paris, within the walls of the monastery, by permission of the king, out of respect to the friends of the constable¶. In the month of the ensuing January, Charles of Spain, to whom the king had given the earldom of Angoulême, was appointed by him constable of France. The lord Guy de Nesle, marshal of France, had an engagement, on the first of April, in Saintonge, with the English and Gascons: the army of the marshal was defeated: he himself was taken prisoner, with his brother the lord William, lord Arnold d’Anreghen, and many others. On Palm Sunday, which was the 10th of April, 1351, Giles Rigault de Rouffy, who was abbot of St. Denis and lately made a cardinal, was presented with the red hat, in presence of king John in his palace, by the bishops of Laon and of Paris. This had never been done before; but the pope had directed it to be so, by a bull addressed to these bishops.
In the following September, the French recovered the town of St. Jean d’Angely, of which the English had kept possession for five years. It was surrendered by the garrison without striking a blow, and merely through want of provisions. In the month of October, the fraternity of the noble house of St. Ouen¥, near Paris, was established by order of the king. All those who were of this order wore a star on their hoods, and another on the front of their mantles**. This year, there was the greatest scarcity of provisions all over the kingdom 203 of France ever known in the memory of man. Wheat was sold at Paris for eight livres parisis†† the septier‡‡: a septier of oats for forty sols parisis, and a boisseau§§ of peas eight sols, and other grains according to their value. In this month of October, on the day of the celebration of the fraternity of St. Ouen, the English took the town of Guignes, notwithstanding the truce: and in this year, the constable of France was married to the daughter of the lord Charles of Blois.
* Raoul de Cahours was of the English party, but gained over by the magnificent promises of king John. He first changed his side at this battle, when he fought with the commander in Brittany, who had only one hundred men, and might have gained the day, if he had not been too rash. King John, as a recompense, gave him 24,000 livres, and allowed him the possession of the lands of Beauvoir, the island of Chauvet, and other estates which he had seized from Jane de Belleville. Cahours engaged, in return to deliver into the king’s hands Vannes, Guerrande, Brest, Hennebon, &c. — Hist. de Bretagne.
Raoul de Cahours was made commander in Poitou, by writ of privy seal, dated Eltham, 17th January, 1347. — Rymer.
The 4th July, 1348, the king grants him £1000 a-year, in Poitou, besides other advantages. — Idem.
† Dugdale, in his Baronage, says he was slain through the treachery of the French.
‡ A town in Beauce, on the river Eure, five leagues from Chartres.
§ The hôtel de Nesle is now demolished; and its situation would be unknown, were it not for a curious memoir respecting it, in the xxiiid vol. of the Memoires de l’Académie, by M. Bonamy, to which I refer the reader.
¶ De Dolo Regis Franciæ Johannis, &c.
“Comes de Ewe, constabularius Franciæ, qui in conflictu inter Anglicos & Normanos, anno Domini millesimo. cccmo. XLVito. apud Cadamum habito, captus fuit, & tunc missus in Angliam, per III. annos & amplius ibidem remanserat sub carcerali custodia mancipatus, circiter festum Sancti Michaèlis, anno Domini millesimo. cccmo. LImo. licenciatus per regem Anglorum loca sua in partibus Franciæ visitare, Parisios venit ad novum Franciæ regem Johannem, utique statura magnum & discretum, minus tamen graciosum, & fama publica refernete libidine plenum, ab uxore propria divertentem, fornicarisque tam secularibus quam religiosis etiam incetuose turpiter adhærentem, à paucis suis magnatibus vel plebeis dilectum. Tunc idem rex, se amicum ipsius comitis simulans, & pacifice sibi loquens, convivavit eundem. Sed statim nocte sequenti, misso spiculatore cum quibusdam satellitibus ad hospicium dicti comitis, ipsum comitem fecit subito decollari.” — Avesbury, p. 187.
¥ St. Ouen is a small town in the Isle of France, diocese and election of Paris.
** Barnes says, that on the 8th September, 1351, king John revived the almost obsolete order of the Star, in imitation of the Garter; and the first chapter of it was held at his palace of St. Ouen. At first there were but eighteen knights; the rest were added at different chapters.
They wore a bright star on the crest of their helmets, and one pendent at their necks; and the same was embroidered on their mantles.
The day fixed for the annual celebration of this order was the Epiphany, and the star chosen for the emblem.
The eighteen first knights were:
John king of France, sovereign.
Philip Duke of Orleans, his only brother.
Charles of France, dauphin of Vienne, — Louis duke of Anjou, — John duke of Berry, — Philip duke of Touraine, — king John’s sons.
Charles king of Navarre.
Peter duke of Bourbon, — James Bourbon count de la Marche, — brothers.
Charles de la Cerda of Spain, earl of Angoulême.
Arnold d’Andreghen, — John de Clermont, — marshals of France.
Geoffry count de Chargny, great chamberlain of France.
Charles earl of Tancarville.
William de Brenne, duke of Athens, master of the horse.
John of Artois, earl of Eu, — Charles of Artois, count de Longueville, — John viscount de Melun, sons of Robert d’Artois.
For more particulars, see Favine’s Théâtre d’Honneur.
†† Cotgrave says, that a livre parisis is 2s. 6d, and that ten sols parisis is equal to one shilling.
‡‡ A septier of wheat, according to Cotgrave, weighs 240 pounds.
§§ A boisseau of wheat weights 20 pounds.
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