The Boke of Noblesse Part 8

[Sidenote: M^{l}.cx.x.xvij.]

[Sidenote: Alienora et Aliciae filiae et heredes Will'mi ducis Guion.]

[Sidenote: Nota, divortio facta inter regem Franciae et Alienoram.]

[Sidenote: Henricus ij^{d'} Angliae rex superduxit Alienoram filiam et heredem Willielmi ducis de Guien circa M.cxlvj^{ad}]

[Sidenote: Nota pro t.i.tulo Henrici ij.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene, Karolus vij rex Fraunciae primo intrusionem fecit in ducatum Normanniae, Gascon, Guion, etc. circa annum M^{l}iiij^clj.]

And than for to be put in remembraunce of youre auncien enheritaunce, verray right and t.i.tle in youre duchies of Gascoigne and Guien, withe the countrees, baronnyees and seignouries therto belonging. It is in like fourme knowen of highe recorde, enacted in divers cronicles, as amongis many other historialle bookis of auctorite, that aboute the yere of Crist .M^l.cx.x.xvij. William the duke of Guien died bethout heire masle, uppon his voiage he made to seint James, havyng .ij. doughters and heires, called Alienore, the second Alice, and king Lowes of Fraunce in his yong age, by the agrement of Lowys le gros his father, spoused the said Alienor, to whome the said duchie was hole enheriter. And after the said king Lowes came to yeris of discretion, the archebisshoppis of Sens, of Rayns, of Rone, and of Burdeux, withe others barouns, made relacion to the said king Lowes that the saide Alienor was so neere of his blode that he might not laufullie be the chirche kepe her to wiffe, so be theire counceile they bothe were departed laufully, and the said king Lowes maried after that Constance the king of Spayne doughter. And the said Alienor the d.u.c.h.es of Gascoigne and Guien went to Burdeux. Than came the forsaid king Harry the seconde of Englande, that was the Erle of Anjou is sonne and heire, and wedded the said Alienor about the yere of Crist M^l.cxlvj. by whome he was duke of Gascoigne and Guien, and his heires after hym, of whom ye bene descended and come right downe. And the said king Henry the seconde bare in armes frome that day forthe the saide libarde of golde withe the other two libardis of the same that is borne for Duke of Normandie. So in conclusion he was, be right of his moder dame Maude, the empresse, king of Englonde and duke of Normandie, and, be right of his father Geffry Plantagenest, erle of Anjou and of Mayne and Torayne; be right of his wiffe dame Alienor, duke of Guien; of whiche duchie of Gascoigne and Guien your n.o.ble {25} progenitours have continually be possessid and seased of, this .iij^c.xxviij. yere complete, tille that by intrusion of youre said adversarie Charlis the vij^{the}. of Fraunce have disscasid yow in or about the monithe of June the yere of Crist M^l.iiij^c.lj., as he hathe late done of youre enheritaunce of Fraunce and Normandie and of the counte of Mayne, thoroughe umbre of the said fenied colour of trewes, ayenst alle honoure and trouthe of knighthode.

How the historier procedithe in his matier of exhortacion.

[Sidenote: Nota bonum concilium.]

[Sidenote: Magister Ala.n.u.s de Auriga dicit.]

And for to think to alle cristen nacions for to fight in bataile if the cas require it soo, that youre said enheritaunce can not be recuverid by none other due meane of pease, bothe for youre defens for the recuverey of youre roiaume of Fraunce, duchie of Normandie, and sithen sone after the duchie of Gascoigne, that alle cristen princes opynly may know it is youre verray true enheritaunce, and for salvacion of youre enheritaunce by undew menys lost; for that yt ys wryten by [maister Aleyn Chareter, _id est_ de Auriga, in hys boke of Quadrilogue, secretaire to Charlys le bien amee, the yere of Crist .1422. yn thys termys: "Ayenst Herry the .v^{th}., named kyng," yn provokyng the adverse partye to werre ayenst the seyd king Herry. How[120]]

the famous clerke of eloquence Tullius seithe in his booke of retherique that, like as a man recevethe his lyving in a region or in a countree, so is he of naturall reason bounde to defende it; and law of nature, as welle as law imperiall whiche is auctorised by popis and emperours, wol condescend and agre to the same. Also Caton affirmithe withe the said Tullie. Therfor late not this gret and importune losses now by infortune and of over grete favoure and trust put to youre adversaries, fallen ayenst this lande undre the umbre and coloure of trewes and abstinence of werre late hadde and taken at Towris atwixen Charlis the .vij^{th}. youre adversaire of Fraunce and your predecessour {26} Harry the s.e.xt, and now uppon the exercise and usaige of bataile and left by so little a tyme, forto discomfort or fere to a new recovere. Not so: G.o.d defende that! for the famous poet Ovide seiethe that who so levithe the pursute and foloweing of good fortune for one mysaventure, it shalle never come to hym. And namely the said Water Malexander agreithe hym to the same saieng, and affermyng that good courages of hertis be not mynissed, broken, ne lessid for disusage and levyng armes for a litille season, nether for sodeyn recountres and hasty comyng on, be force of whiche one mysadventure may folow.

[Sidenote: Nota quod pro defectu excercicii armorum mala sequentur exercitui Romanorum.]

How for the defaute of exercise of armes the gret nombre of Romains were scomfited by men of Cartage.

[Sidenote: Syr Ala.n.u.s de Auriga.]

[Sidenote: Notand' est.]

[Sidenote: Nota de cede Romanorum.]

[Sidenote: Nota de annulis inventis super digitos Romanorum occisorum.]

A, mercifulle G.o.d! what was the losses of the Romayns, whiche in defaute and by negligence lost by a litille tyme left the exercise of armes was fulle gret ayenst the doughty men of Cartage, whan alle the puissaunce of the Romains were a.s.sembled in bataile, where that were so many n.o.ble men and coragious peple, the whiche were innumerable, a.s.sembled and joyned in bataile, that men say was betwene Camos and Hanibal prince of Cartage, the whiche discomfit before duke Camos in Puylle be suche power that the ringis of golde take frome the fingers of ded bodies of the said Romains, whiche were men of price and renomme, and t.i.tus Livius seiethe in his booke of Romayne batailes were extendid and mesurid to the quant.i.te of mesure of .xij. quarters or more, whiche Hanibal brought withe hym to his countre of Cartage in signe of victorie.

[Sidenote: Nota de experiencia armorum ex parte Romanorum.]

How after the seide gret descomfiture that a few nombre of Romans expert in werre (_unfinished_)

But the worthy Romains, for alle that, left not the hope and trust of recovering on another day, whan G.o.d l.u.s.t, onnere and fortune, theyme so exercised daily armes, [and] after accustumyng hem ayene {27} to werre, were by experience lerned and enhardid, that, as by the exorting and comforting of one of theire princes, he a.s.sembled another time in bataile ayenst the litille residue that were left of the said Romayns, and by subtile craft of wise policie and good conduyt in actis of werre they fille and tooke uppon theym and charged theym so moche that by unware of theire purveiaunce met withe the said Haniballe at certen streightes and narow places fille into the handis of Romains, to the gret discomfiture and destruccion of Haniballe his gret oost of Cartage.

[Sidenote: Exercitium armorum excedit divicias.]

How men of armes welle lerned and excercised is of a grettir tresoure then any precious stones or riche tresour.

Dame Cristen saiethe in the first booke of the Tree of Batailes that there is none erthely thing more forto be allowed than a countre or region whiche be furnisshed and stored withe good men of armes well lerned and exercited; for golde, silver, ne precious stones surmountethe not ne conquerithe not ennemies, nother in time of pease wardithe the peple to be in rest, the whiche thing a puissaunt man in armes dothe.

How a few nombre of the Romains that were expert and connyng in the werre descomfited .c.iiij^{xx}.M^l. of Frenshemen that the prince of hem tolde and set right litille by.

[Sidenote: Magister Ala.n.u.s de Auriga. Id est compilam de libro suo.]

[Sidenote: In mult.i.tudine gencium non consist.i.t victoria, ut infra. Nota bene.]

[Sidenote: Averaunces. D'n's Talbot. D'n's Fauconberge. Harflete.]

[Sidenote: J. dux Som', Ed's Dors'. Cane.]

[Sidenote: Fastolf. Harynton.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene et applica.]

Also ye may consider by example of king Bituitus of the countre of Gaule clepid Fraunce, the whiche went ayenst the Romains withe an hondred and fourescore thousande men of armes; and he saw so few a companie of the Romains comyng that he despraised hem, and seid of gret pride that there were not inoughe of the Romains for to fede the doggis of his oost: neverthelesse, that few company were so welle excersised and lerned in armes that there were ynoughe whiche overcome and destroied the said king of Gaule and alle his gret {28} oost; whiche storie may be verified in every bataile or journay atwix youre adversarie of Fraunce and youre predecessoures entreprises this .x.x.xv. yeres that continued in possession frome king [named[121]] Henry the .v. is conquest till it was lost: for at the bataile of Agincourt descomfited by seid king Henry the .v.^{th} [wyth a few nomber.[121]] And at the bataile of the see ayenst the carrakes descomfited by Johan duke of Bedforde and the erle of the Marche being princ.i.p.alle cheveteins also in that bataile [wyth a few nombre yn comparison of the grete Frensh navye.[121]] Also at the journay of Kedecause descomfited be Thomas Beauforde erle Dorset after was duke of Eccestre; [the erle of Armonak conestable of Fraunce beyng aboute x.M^l fyghtyng men ayenst aboute .ix^c. accompanyed wyth the erle Dorset.[121]]

Also at the bataile of Cravaunt descomfited by [Johan duc of Bedford as by hys lieutenaunt[121]] Thomas Montague the erle of Salisbury and Roberd [lord[121]] Willugheby chiefeteynes. And at the bataile of Vernelle fought and descomfited by Johan regent duke of Bedforde, the said erle of Salisbury and the erle of Suffolke, [lord Wyllughby, lord Pownynnys, ser John Fastolf, and many other n.o.ble men yn armys.[121]] Also at the bataylle of Roveraye foughte [ayenst the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Burbon, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Orlyance,[121]] be ser Johan Fastolfe, ser Thomas Rempstone, chiefteins, upon the vitailing the siege of Orliaunce. Also at the rescue of the cite [of] Averaunces fought by Edmonde duke of Somerset and the erle of Shrewisburie and lorde Fauconberge chiefeteins. And at the second wynnyng of Hareflete fought [beseged[121]] by Johan duke of Somerset, by Edmund erle of Dorset, and the erle of Shrewisbury, at the rescue of Cane fought by ser Johan Fastolfe and ser Richarde Harington, and his felous.h.i.+p, [ayenst .x.x.x.M^l. men.[121]] And so in many other [sodeyn jorneys and[121]]

sharpe recountres sodenly met and foughten, to long to write here. And also for the gret part at any maner bataile, journey, enterprise, [seges,[121]]

and rescuse of places, it hathe bene alway seen that the power of Fraunce have be in nombre of peple a.s.sembled ayenst youre power {29} by double so many, or by the thrid part, yet youre right and t.i.tle have bene so goode and fortunat, and men so well lernid and exercised in armes, that withe few peple have descomfited the gret mult.i.tude of your adverse partie.

How Vegesse in his Booke of Chevalrie also gretly recomendithe exercise in men of armes.

[Sidenote: Vegescius de re militari.]

O then, seith Vegecius in his Booke of Chevalrie, therbe none that knowethe the gret merveilles and straunge aventures of armes and knighthode, the whiche be comprehendid and nombred in dedis of armes, to tho that be exercised in suche labouris of armes, that withe wise conduyt prudently can aventure and hardely take uppon theym such sodein entreprinses on hande.

[Sidenote: Animacio.]

[Sidenote: Concideracio.]

O then, ye n.o.ble Englisshe chevalrie, late it no mervaile be to yow, in lessing youre courage ne abating of your hardiesse, they that ye renew youre coragious hertis to take armes and entreprinses, seeing so many good examples before yow of so many victorius dedis in armes done by youre n.o.ble progenitoures, and that it hathe be a thing to moche left discorage you not; for, thoughe that ye were in renomme accepted alleway withe the most worthi as in dede of armes, but now at this time ye ben take and accepted in suche marcialle causes that concernithe werre on the left hande, as withe the simplest of price and of reputacion. And it is to suppose that it is rather in defaute of exercising of armes left this .xxiiij. yere day that the londes were lost, thoroughe the said coloure of trewes, and for lak of good provisions bothe of artillery and ordenaunce for the werre and soudeyng to be made in dew season, and for singuler covetice reignyng among some peple endowed with worldly goodes, that can not depart but easily withe finaunce [wagyng[122]] and soulde theim in tyme of nede, then for defaut of good corage and manhode, whiche is to deme werre never feerser ne corageouser to dedis of armes, so they may be cherished and avaunced therafter, as ben at this day.

{30}

How dame Cristen counceilithe to make true paimentis to sowdieris.

[Sidenote: Hic nota optime pro solucione soldariorum.]

[Sidenote: Nota concilium.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene, ne forte.]

For ye shalle rede in the first part of the Arbre of Batailes, where dame Cristen exhort.i.the and counceilithe that every chieftein and capiteyne of men of armes ought to have goode paimentis and sewre for a.s.signacion of paiment for his sowdieris for so long tyme that he trust.i.the to endure and be souded in that voiage and armes; for to that singlerly before thing alle chieveteyns shulde have regarde, by as moche as it is the princ.i.p.alle and chief cause of the good spede and conduit of here entreprise, and the undoing and mischief of it [the contrarye[123]], if the paimentis be not duely made to the soudeours; for late it be put in certein that no cheveteyn can not have ne kepe long tyme good men of armes eville paied or long delaied, but discoragethe them as sone as paiment failethe, and takethe theire congie and licence of theire prince, if they can have licence, orellis they departethe bethout licence. And also of overmoche trust and avauntage gyven to your adversaries be this dissimiled trewes as otherwise. And also when that the cheveteins take more kepe to good than to wors.h.i.+p [and] using justice. And as welle as in defaute of largesse to youre obeissauntes, not rewarding ne cheriss.h.i.+ng youre obeissauntes subgettis yolden and sworne stedfastly abiding under your obeissaunce, but suffring them to be oppressid and charged unduely in divers wises, as well by over gret taskis and tailis rered uppon them, and therto they finding bothe horsmete and mannysmete to youre soudeours riding be the contre without contenting or agreing hem, becaus of nompower of youre said men ben not paide of here wages and soude, by lak of simple payment [caused the rather the ducdom of Normandy to be lost.[123]]

[Sidenote: Nota peroptimum concilium istud.]

[Sidenote: Inquiratur pro libro illo, bonum est.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene, ne forte.]

[Sidenote: Nota bene.]