Chapter LXXI: The Sea-Fight Off Sluys. (from the Manuscript in the Hafod Library.)

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 merchandise 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, crossbow-men, 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.

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 crossbows, 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 favorable 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 flagstaff, 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 favorable 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 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 forepart 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. While 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 favor. 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 crossbows 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 crossbow-men 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 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 bailing 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, and 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 mainsail, by which it became unmanageable; and with great agility he cut other four 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 affliction 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 for all the services they had done him, before he dismissed them; when they took their leave, and returned every man to his home.