Chapter II: Part 2

_Night-Walkers._--And it shall be commanded ... that, among other things, it shall be proclaimed that no vagabond or night-walker be within our city, nor in the suburbs, after the ringing of our common bell; and if anyone be taken after the ringing of the bell, let him be brought unto the gaol of our Lord the King, and there he shall stay until the morrow.... Concerning our bell, we use to have it in a public place, where our chief bailiff may come, as well by day as by night, to give warning to all men living within the said city and suburbs. And we do not say that it ought to ring unless it be for some terrible fire burning any row of houses within the said city, or for any common contention whereby the city might be terribly moved, or for any enemies drawing near unto the city, or if the city be besieged, or any sedition shall be between any, and notice thereof given by any unto our chief bailiff.... Also we use that if any one of our citizens hath any tenements situate in the High Street of the city, or having over part of the pavement, and it be ruinous, so that danger may happen to us or to our children, or to others going along the city; and especially if the Lord our King, or any of his, should happen to pass along that street ... in such case our chief bailiff shall cause them to be warned that have such tenements, that they amend them in more safer manner within three days; and unless they do so, let three days more be given them, in the behalf of our Lord the King and the commonalty; and unless it be then done, our chief bailiff, taking with him the power of the city, if it be needful, shall go to such a tenement, and in his presence let it be thrown down at the costs of him to whom the tenement belongeth, or if needful, at the costs of the commonalty;...

_Brewers to the Cucking-Stools._--... And if any brewer hath brewed and broken the assize of our Lord the King, allowed and publicly proclaimed in the said city, she ought by the bailiff to be amerced the first and the second time; and if she break the assize the third time, she ought to be taken by the bailiff and to be led to the judgement which is called the Gongestole....

_Scolds._--Also it was agreed upon concerning scolding women, that by them many evils do arise in the city viz. by wrangling, fighting, defaming, troubling by night those which are at rest, and often times moving schisms between their neighbours, and by contradicting the bailiff and ministers and others; and in their prison, by speaking ill or cursing them,... wherefore, at all times when they shall be taken and convicted, they shall have their judgement, without any redemption to be made; and there they shall stand, with their feet bare, and their hair hanging about their ears, by so much time as they may be seen of all those which pass by that way ... and afterwards, the judgement being finished, let her (the scold) be brought to the gaol of our Lord the King, and there stay until she hath made redemption at the will of the bailiff. And if she will not be amended by such punishment, let her be cast out of the city.

THE EXECUTION OF SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE (1417).

=Source.=--_Brief Chronicle of Sir John Oldcastle._ ("Harleian Miscellany," vol. ii., pp. 276, 277.)

And upon the day appointed he was brought out of the Tower with his arms bound behind him, having a very cheerful countenance. Then was he laid upon an hurdle, as though he had been a most heinous traitor to the Crown, and so drawn forth into Saint Giles Field, where they had set up a new pair of gallows. As he was come to the place of execution, and was taken from the hurdle, he fell down devoutly on his knees, desiring Almighty God to forgive his enemies. Then stood he up and beheld the multitude, exhorting them, in most goodly manner, to follow the laws of God written in the Scriptures and in any wise to beware of such teachers as they see contrary to Christ in their conversation and living; with many other special counsels. Then was he hanged up there by the middle in chains of iron, and so consumed alive in the fire; praising the name of God so long as his life lasted. In the end he commended his soul into the hands of God, and so departed hence most christianly, his body resolved into ashes.

THE SIEGE OF ROUEN (1418).

=Source.=--John Page's "Poem on the Siege of Rouen" in the _Collections of a London Citizen_. (Camden Society.)

+The Sufferings of the Inhabitants.+

Meat and drink and other victual
In that city began to fail.
Save clean water they had enow,
And vinegar to put thereto,
Their bread was full nigh gone
And flesh, save horse, had they none.
They ate dogs, and they ate cats
They ate mice, horses and rats.

* * * * *

Then to die they did begin,
All that rich city within
They died faster every day
Than men might them in earth lay.
There as was pride in ray before,
Then was it put in sorrow full sore.
There as was meat, drink and song,
Then was sorrow and hunger strong.
If the child should be dead,
The mother would not give it bread.

+The Surrender.+

On the feast of St. Wulstan it fell,
That was upon a Thursday.
Our king then in rich array,
And royally in his estate
As a conqueror there he sate,
Within a house of Charity.
To him the keys of that city
Delivered unto him in fee.

* * * * *

There was neighing of many a steed,
There was shewing of many a weed,
There was many a jetton[7] gay,
Much royalty and rich array.
When the gates were opened there
And they were ready in for to fare,
Trumpetters blew their horns of brass,
Pipes and clarions both there was,
And as they entered they gave a shout
With a voice, and that a stout,
"St. George! St. George!" they cried on height,
"Welcome to Rouen, our king's own right."

[7] Jetton = a piece of metal or ivory bearing an inscription or device.

THE TREATY OF TROYES (1420).

=Source.=--Rymer's _Fœdera_, vol. ix., pp. 916-920. (London: 1709.)

Henry by the grace of God, King of England, Heir and Regent of France, and Lord of Ireland to perpetual mind, to all Christian people, and to all that be under our obedience we notify and declare that ... we have taken a treaty with our aforesaid father [Charles of France], in the which treaty it is concluded and accorded after the manner that followeth:

First, it is accorded between our aforesaid father and us that: for as much as, by the bond of matrimony between us and our most dear and most beloved Catherine, the daughter of our said father and of our most dear mother, Isabel his wife, the same Charles and Isabel having been made our father and mother, we shall have and worship, as it fitteth such and so worthy a Prince and Princess for to be worshipped, principally before all other temporal persons of this world.

Also, we shall not disturb, disseize nor let our said father, but that he hold and possess, as long as he liveth, as he holdeth and possesseth at this time, the Crown and dignity royal of France, and rents, fruits, and profits of the same....

Also, that the aforesaid Catherine shall take and have dower in our Realm of England, as Queen of England, towards her wont for to take and have--that is to say the sum of forty thousands scutes the year.

* * * * *

Also, that, after the death of our said father, and from thenceforward the Crown and realm of France, with all their rights and appurtenances, shall remainder and abide and be of us and of our heirs for evermore. Also, forasmuch as our said father is holden with divers sickness, in such manner as he may not attend in his own person for to dispose for the needs of the aforesaid realm of France, therefore, during the life of our said father, the faculty and exercise of the governance and disposition of the public good and common profit of the said realm of France, with the counsel of the nobles and wise men of the same realm,... shall be and abide to us....

Also that we, to our power, shall defend and keep all and every peers, nobles, cities, towns, commonalties and singulars[8] now or in time coming, subject to our said father, in his rights, customs, privileges, freedoms and franchises.

[8] Singulars = individuals as opposed to corporations.

* * * * *

Also, that we, to our power and as soon as it may commodiously be done, shall strive so to put into obedience of our said father all manner of cities, towns, castles, places, countries and persons with the realm of France, inobedient and rebel to our said father, holding the party being, or have been, of that party commonly called Dauphin or Armagnac.

* * * * *

Also, by God's help, when it happeneth us to come to the Crown of France, the duchy of Normandy and also all other places conquered by us in the said realm of France, shall be under the commandment, obedience and monarchy of the crown of France.

* * * * *

Also, that henceforward perpetually shall be still, rest and all manner of wise shall cease all manner of dissensions, hates, rancours, enemities and wars between the said realms of France and England....

THE DEATH OF HENRY V. (1422).

=Source.=--Monstrelet's _Chronicles_, translated by Johnes, vol. ii., pp. 371-372. (Hafod Press, 1809.)

King Henry, finding himself mortally ill, called to him his brother the Duke of Bedford, his uncle of Exeter, the earl of Warwick, sir Louis de Robesart and others, to the number of six or eight of those in whom he had the greatest confidence, and said that he saw with grief it was the pleasure of his Creator that he should quit this world. He then addressed the Duke of Bedford:--"John, my good brother, I beseech you, on the loyalty and love you have ever expressed for me, that you show the same loyalty and affection to my son Henry, your nephew, and that, so long as you shall live, you do not suffer him to conclude any treaty with our adversary Charles, and that on no account whatever the duchy of Normandy be wholly restored to him. Should our good brother of Burgundy be desirous of the regency of the Kingdom of France, I would advise that you let him have it; but should he refuse, then take it yourself. My good uncle of Exeter, I nominate you sole regent of the Kingdom of England, for that you well know how to govern it; and I entreat that you do not, on any pretence whatever, return to France; and I likewise nominate you as guardian to my son,--and I insist, on your love to me, that you do very often personally visit and see him. My dear cousin of Warwick, I will that you be his governor, and that you teach him all things becoming his rank, for I cannot provide a fitter person for the purpose. I entreat you all as earnestly as I can, that you avoid all quarrels and dissensions with our fair brother of Burgundy; and this I particularly recommend to the consideration of my fair brother Humphrey,--for should any coolness subsist between you, which God forbid, the affairs of this realm, which are now in a very promising state, would soon be ruined." ... The King then sent for his physicians, and earnestly demanded of them how long they thought he had to live. They delayed answering the question directly; but, not to discourage hope, they said that it depended solely on the will of God whether he would be restored to health. He was dissatisfied with this answer, and repeated his request, begging of them to tell him the truth. Upon this they consulted together, and one of them, as spokesman, falling on his knees, said, "Sire, you must think on your soul; for, unless it be the will of God to decree otherwise, it is impossible that you should live more than two hours." The King, hearing this, sent for his confessor, some of his household and his chaplains, whom he ordered to chant the seven penitential psalms. When they came to "_Benigne fac Domine_" where mention is made "_Muri Hierusalem_,"[9] he stopped them, and said aloud, that he had fully intended, after he had wholly subdued the realm of France to his obedience, and restored it to peace, to have gone to conquer the Kingdom of Jerusalem, if it had pleased his Creator to have granted him a longer life. Having said this, he allowed the priests to proceed, and shortly after, according to the prediction of his physicians, gave up the ghost.

[9] "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls
of Jerusalem" (Ps. li. 18). The king's words were: "Good Lord, thou
knewest that my mind was to re-edify the walls of Hierusalem" (Leland's
_Collectanea_, ii., 489).

A BEGGING LETTER TO HENRY VI. (1422).

=Source.=--Ellis's _Original Letters_, second series, vol. i., pp. 95-96. (London: 1827.)

_To the King our Sovereign Lord._

Beseecheth meekly your poor liegeman and humble orator Thomas Hostell, that in consideration of his service done to your noble progenitors of full blessed memory, King Henry IV. and King Henry V., whose souls God assoil; being at the Siege of Harfleur, there smitten with a dart through the head, losing one eye and his cheek-bone broken; also at the battle of Agincourt, and after, at the taking of the Carracks[10] on the sea, there with a rod of iron his plates smitten in sunder, and sore hurt, maimed and wounded; by means whereof he being sore enfeebled and bruised, now fallen to great age and poverty; greatly in debt, and may not help himself; having not wherewith to be sustained nor relieved but of men's gracious alms; and being for his said service never yet recompensed nor rewarded:--it please your high and excellent Grace, the premises tenderly considered, of your benign pity and grace, to relieve and refresh your said poor orator, as it shall please you, with your most gracious alms at the reverence of God and in work of charity; and he shall devoutly pray for the souls of your said noble progenitors and for your most noble and high estate.

[10] Carracks = ships. The event took place at the siege of Harfleur,
1416. "After a long fight the victory fell to the Englishmen, and they
took and sunk almost the whole navy of France, in which there were many
ships, hulks, and carracks, to the number of five hundred, of which
three great carracks were sent to England" (Hall's _Chronicle_).

THE BATTLE OF VERNEUIL (1424).

=Source.=--Waurin's _Chronicles_, 1422-1431, pp. 73-78. (Rolls Series.)

The Duke of Bedford, the regent, took the field in very fair array, and rode on until he had passed the woods near Verneuil; and when he found himself in the plain he beheld the town and all the force of the French arranged and set in order of battle, which was a very fair thing to see; for without doubt I, the author of this work, had never seen a fairer company, nor one where there were so many of the nobility as there were there, nor set in better order, nor showing greater appearance of a desire to fight; I saw the assembly at Azincourt, where there were many more princes and troops, and also that at Crevant, which was a very fine affair, but certainly that at Verneuil was of all the most formidable and the best fought.... At the onset there was a great noise and great shouting with tumultuous sounds of the trumpets and clarions; the one side cried "Saint Denis!" and the others "Saint George!" And so horrible was the shouting that there was no man so brave or confident that he was not in fear of death; they began to strike with axes and to thrust with lances, then they put their hands to their swords, with which they gave each other great blows and deadly strokes; the archers of England and the Scots, who were with the French, began to shoot one against the other so murderously that it was a horror to look upon them, for they carried death to those whom they struck with full force. After the shooting, the opponents attacked each other very furiously, hand to hand; and this battle was on a Thursday, the seventeenth day of August, commencing about two hours after noon.... Many a capture and many a rescue was made there, and many a drop of blood shed, which was a great horror and irreparable pity to see Christian people so destroy one another, for during this pitiable and deadly battle mercy had no place there, so much did the parties hate each other; the blood of the slain stretched upon the ground, and that of the wounded ran in great streams about the field. This battle lasted about three-quarters of an hour, very terrible and sanguinary, and it was not then in the memory of man to have seen two parties so mighty for such a space of time in like manner fight without being able to perceive to whom the loss or victory would turn.... Elsewhere, the duke of Bedford, as I hear related, for I could not see or comprehend the whole since I was sufficiently occupied in defending myself, did that day wonderful feats of arms, and killed many a man, for with an axe which he held in his two hands he reached no one whom he did not punish, since he was large in body and stout in limb, wise and brave in arms; but he was very greatly harassed by the Scots, especially by the earl of Douglas and his troop, insomuch that one knew not what to think nor to imagine how the affair would terminate, for the French, who had more men by one-half than the English, fought only to conquer....

Then the French began to be dismayed, losing altogether the hope of victory which a little while before they thought was in their hands, but each one of them sought a place where he could save himself, taking flight as best he might, and abandoning the rest; some drew towards the town and others took the fields....

Finally, the English pursued the French so, that they obtained the complete victory on that day and gained the battle, but not without great effusion of their own blood.

TO KING HENRY VI. ON HIS CORONATION (1429).

=Source.=--Wright's _Political Poems_, pp. 141, 145. (Rolls Series.)

Most noble prince of christian princes all,
Flowering in youth and virtuous innocence,
Whom God above list of his grace call
This day to estate of knightly excellence,
And to be crownéd with due reverence,
To great gladness of all this region,
Laud and honour to thy magnificence,
And good fortune unto thy high renown.

* * * * *

God of his grace gave unto thy kindred
The palm of conquest, the laurel of victory;
They lovéd God and worshipped him indeed,
Wherefore their names he hath put in memory,
Made them to reign for virtue in his glory;
And since thou art born of their lineage,
Before all things that be transitory
Love God and dread, and so 'gin thy passage.

* * * * *

And that thou mayst be resemblable found,
Heretics and Lollards for to oppress,
Like the emperor, worthy Sigismund;
And as thy father, flower of high prowess,
At the 'ginning of his royal nobless,
Voided all cokil[11] far out of Sion,
And Christes Spouse sat there in stableness,
Outraging foreigns that came from Babylon.

* * * * *

Prince excellent, be faithfull, true and stable;
Dread God, do law, chastize extortion;
Be liberal of courage, unmutable;
Cherish the church with holy affection;
Love thy lieges of either region;
Prefer the peace, eschew war and debate;
And God shall send thee from the heaven down
Grace and good hap to thy royal estate.

[11] Cokil = weeds in corn.

BATTLE OF HERRINGS (1429).

=Source.=--Monstrelet's _Chronicles_, translated by Johnes, vol. ii., pp. 495, 496. (Hafod Press, 1809.)

The regent duke of Bedford, while at Paris, had collected about five hundred carts and cars from the borders of Normandy and from the Isle of France, which different merchants were ordered to load with provisions, stores and other things, and to have conveyed to the English army before Orleans.... This armament left Paris on Ash Wednesday, under the command of Sir John Falstaff, who conducted the convoy with his forces in good order, by short marches, until he came near the village of Rouvroi in Beauce, situated between Genville and Orleans. Many French captains, having long before heard of his coming, were there assembled to wait his arrival, namely Charles duke of Bourbon, the two marshals of France, the constable of Scotland and his son ... and others of the nobility, having with them from three to four thousand men. The English had been informed of this force being assembled from different garrisons which they had in those parts, and lost no time in forming a square with their carts and carriages, leaving but two openings, in which square they enclosed themselves, posting their archers as guards to these entrances, and the men-at-arms hard by to support them. On the strongest side of this enclosure were the merchants, pages, carters, and those incapable of defending themselves, with their horses. The English, thus situated, waited two hours for the coming of the enemy, who at length arrived with much noise, and drew up out of bowshot in front of the enclosure. It seemed to them that, considering their superior numbers, the state of the convoy, and that there were not more than six hundred real Englishmen, the rest being composed of all nations, they could not escape falling into their hands, and must be speedily conquered. Others, however, had their fears of the contrary happening, for the French captains did not well agree together as to their mode of fighting, for the Scots would combat on foot, and the others on horseback.... In the meantime the constable of Scotland, his son and all their men, dismounted and advanced to attack their adversaries, by whom they were received with great courage. The English archers, under the shelter of their carriages, shot so well and stiffly that all on horseback within their reach were glad to retreat with their men-at-arms. The constable of Scotland and his men attacked one of the entrances of the enclosure, but they were soon slain on the spot.... The other French captains retreated with their men to the places whence they had come. The English, on their departure, refreshed themselves and then marched away in haste for their town of Rouvroi, where they halted for the night. On the morrow they departed in handsome array with their convoy and artillery, and in a few days arrived before Orleans, very much rejoiced at their good fortune in the late attack from the French, and at having so successfully brought provision to their countrymen.

This battle was ever afterward called the Battle of Herrings, because great part of the convoy consisted of herrings and other articles of food suitable to Lent.

JOAN OF ARC RAISES THE SIEGE OF ORLEANS (1429).

=Source.=--Waurin's _Chronicles_, 1422-1431, pp. 171,172. (Rolls Series.)

... The troops in Orleans then seeing that they were very strongly pressed by the diligence of the besiegers, both by their engines and by the towers which they had made around the town, to the number of twenty-two, and that by the continuance thereof they were in danger of being placed in servitude and obedience to their enemies the English, prepared themselves for all risks and decided to resist with all their power and in all the ways that they well could, so that, the better to help, they sent to King Charles to obtain aid in men and provisions; and there were then sent to them from four to five hundred combatants, and soon after fully seven thousand were sent to them, and some boats loaded with provisions coming down the river under the guidance and protection of these men-at-arms, in which company was the maid Joan, who had not yet done anything for which she was held in much esteem.

Then the English captains holding the siege, knowing of the coming of the said boats and of those who convoyed them, at once and in haste endeavoured to resist by force in order to prevent them from landing in the town of Orleans, and on the other hand the French exerted themselves to bring them in by force of arms. On the vessels coming up to pass there was many a lance broken, many an arrow shot, and many a bolt shot by the engines, and so great a noise was made both by the besieged and by the besiegers, both by defenders and assailants, that it was horrible to hear them; but whatever force or resistance the English could make there, the French in spite of them brought their boats in safety into the town, at which the said English were much troubled and the French joyful at their good fortune, so they also entered the said town, where they were welcomed as well for the provisions they had brought as for the maid whom they had taken back with them, great rejoicings being made everywhere for the good succour King Charles sent them, whence they plainly perceived the good will that he had towards them, at which the inhabitants of the city rejoiced greatly, making such a clamour that they were heard quite plainly by the besiegers.

Then when the next day came, which was Thursday, when every one was refreshed, the maid Joan, rising early in the morning, spoke in council to some captains and chiefs of squadrons, to whom she showed by forcible arguments how they had come there on purpose to defend that city against the ancient enemies of the kingdom of France, who were greatly oppressing it, and to such a degree that she saw that it was in great danger if good provision were not speedily made for it; so she admonished them to go and arm themselves, and effected so much by her words that she induced them to do so, and said to them that if they would follow her she doubted not that she would cause such damage that it would ever be remembered, and that the enemy would curse the hour of her coming.

The maid preached so well to them that they all went to arm themselves with her; then they sallied out of the town in very fair array, and setting out she said to the captains: "Lords, take courage and good hope; before four days have passed your enemies will be vanquished." And the captains and men-of-war who were there could not wonder sufficiently at her words.

So they marched forward and came very fiercely to attack one of the towers of their enemies that was called the tower of Saint Leu, which was very strong, and therein were from three to four hundred combatants, who in a very short time were overcome, captured, or slain, and the tower burnt and demolished; then, this done, the maid and her people returned joyfully into the city of Orleans where she was generally honoured and praised by all kinds of people. Again the next day, which was Friday she and her men sallied from the town, and she went to attack the second tower which was also taken by a fine assault, and those within all slain or captured; and after she had caused the said tower to be broken down, set on fire, and entirely annihilated, she withdrew into the town, where she was honoured and exalted more than before by all the inhabitants thereof. The Saturday following, the maid sallied forth again and went to attack the tower at the end of the bridge, which was marvellously large and strong, and besides occupied by a great number of the best and most tried combatants among the besiegers, who long and valiantly defended themselves, but it availed them nothing, for at last, like the others, they were discomfited, taken, and slain; among whom died there the lord of Molines, Glacedale, a very valiant esquire, the bailly of Evreux and many other noble men of high rank.

After this brilliant conquest the French returned joyfully into the town.

THE FORTY-SHILLING FRANCHISE (1430).

=Source.=--_Statutes of the Realm_, 8 Henry VI., c. vii.

Item, Whereas the Elections of Knights of the shires to come to the Parliaments of our Lord the King, in many counties of England have now of late been made by very great, outrageous and excessive number of people dwelling within the same Counties, of the which the most part was of people of small substance and of no value, whereof every of them pretended a voice equivalent, as to such elections to be made, with the most worthy Knights and Esquires dwelling within the same Counties; whereby manslaughters, riots, batteries and diversions among the gentlemen and other people of the same counties shall very likely rise and be, unless convenient remedy be provided in this behalf: Our Lord the King, considering the premises, hath provided ordained and established, by the authority of this present Parliament, that the Knights of the Shires to be chosen within the same realm of England to come to the Parliaments, shall be chosen in every County by people dwelling and resident in the same, whereof every one of them shall have free land or tenement to the value of forty shillings by the year, at the least, above all charges; and that they which shall be so chosen shall be dwelling and resident within the same Counties.... And every sheriff of England shall have power to examine upon the Evangelists every such chosen, how much he may expend by the year.

THE CONDEMNATION OF THE MAID JOAN (1431).

=Source.=--Waurin's _Chronicles_, 1422-1431, pp. 239-244. (Rolls Series.)

... "It is a sufficiently common report already spread abroad, as it were everywhere, how this woman who caused herself to be called Joan the maid, a false soothsayer, for two years or more, against the divine law and the condition of her female sex, has clothed and conducted herself in the dress and manner of man, a thing displeasing and abominable to God, and in such condition was carried before our capital enemy and yours, to whom and to those of his party she often gave it out, and even to churchmen, nobles, and people, that she was sent by God, presumptuously boasting herself that she often had personal and visible communication with Saint Michael and a great multitude of other angels and saints of Paradise, with Saint Katherine and Saint Margaret; by which false givings-out, and by the hope of future victories which she promised, she turned away the hearts of many men and women from the truth, and turned them towards fables and lies: she also clothed herself with armour suitable for knights and esquires, raised a standard, and with too great excess, pride, and presumption demanded to have the very excellent arms of France, which in part she obtained, and bore them in many expeditions and assaults, that is to say, a shield with two fleurs-de-lis of gold on a field azure, and a sword with the point fixed upwards in a crown; and in this condition she has taken the field, with the leadership of men at arms and archers, in armies and great companies, to do and perpetrate inhuman cruelties, wickedly shedding human blood, and causing also commotions and seditions of the people, inciting them to perjuries, rebellions, superstitions, and false beliefs, perturbing all good peace and renewing mortal war, suffering herself to be revered and adored by many persons as a sanctified soul, and otherwise acting damnably in many other matters too long to express, which nevertheless have been well enough known in many places, whereby nearly all Christendom has been greatly scandalized. But the Divine Power having pity on His loyal people, whom He has not long left in peril, nor suffered them to remain in the vain, perilous, and novel cruelties into which they had thoughtlessly thrown themselves, has been pleased to permit it in His great mercy and clemency that the said shameful woman has been taken in your army and siege which you were then maintaining on our behalf before Compiègne, and put by your good help into our obedience and governance. And because we were afterwards requested by the bishop in whose diocese she had been taken that this Joan, branded and charged with crimes of high treason against God, we would cause to be delivered to him as to her ordinary ecclesiastical judge, as well for reverence of our mother holy church, whose sacred ordinances we desire to prefer to our own deeds and wishes as is right, as also for the honour and exaltation of our true faith, we caused the said Joan to be given up in order that he might try her, without wishing that any vengeance or punishment should be inflicted upon her by our secular officers of justice, as it was reasonably lawful for us to do, considering the great damages and inconveniences, the horrible homicides and detestable cruelties and evils, as it were innumerable, that she had committed against our seignory and our loyal and obedient people. This bishop, the inquisitor of errors and heresies being associated with him, and a great and notable number of famous masters and doctors of theology and canon law being summoned with them, commenced with great solemnity and due gravity the trial of this Joan, and after he and the said inquisitor, judges in this behalf, had on many different days questioned the said Joan, they caused her confessions and assertions to be maturely examined by the masters and doctors, and generally by all the faculties of learning of our very dear and much loved daughter the University of Paris, before which the said assertions and confessions were sent, according to whose opinion and deliberation the said judges found this Joan superstitious, a soothsayer by means of devils, a blasphemer of God and of the saints, a schismatic, and erring many times from the law of Jesus Christ. And to bring her back into the union and communion of our holy mother the church, to cleanse her from such horrible and pernicious crimes and sins, and to keep and preserve her soul from perpetual torment and damnation, she was often, during a long time, very lovingly and gently admonished that all her errors being rejected by her should be put away, and that she should humbly return into the way and straight path of truth, or otherwise she would put herself in great peril of soul and body; but the very perilous and mad spirit of pride and outrageous presumption, which is always exerting itself to try to impede and disturb the path and way of loyal Christians, so seized upon and detained in its bonds this Joan and her heart, that for no holy doctrine, good counsels or exhortation that could be administered to her, would her hardened and obstinate heart humble or soften itself, but she often again boasted that all things that she had done were well done, and she had done them at the commandment of God through the angels and the said holy virgins who visibly appeared to her: and what is worse, she recognized not, nor would recognize, any upon earth save God only and the saints of Paradise, rejecting the authority of our holy father the pope, the general council and the universal church militant. And then the ecclesiastical judges, seeing her said disposition pertinaciously, and for so long a space, remain hardened and obstinate, caused her to be brought before the clergy and people there assembled in very great multitude, in whose presence her case, crimes, and errors were preached, made known, and declared by a notable master and doctor of theology, for the exaltation of our faith, the extirpation of errors, the edification and amendment of Christian people. And there, again, she was lovingly admonished to return to the union of holy church, correcting her faults and errors, in which she still remained pertinacious and obstinate. This the judges aforesaid seeing and considering, they proceeded further and pronounced against her the sentence in such case by law prescribed and ordained; but before the said sentence was read through she began seemingly to change her disposition, saying that she wished to return to holy church, which willingly and joyfully heard the aforesaid judges and clergy, who thereto received her affectionately, hoping that her soul and body were redeemed from perdition and torment. Then she submitted herself entirely to the ordinance of the Church, and orally revoked and publicly abjured her errors and detestable crimes, signing with her own hand the schedule of the said revocation and abjuration; and so our pitiful mother holy church rejoicing over the sinner showing penitence, desiring to bring back to the shepherd, with the others, the returned and recovered sheep which had wandered and gone astray in the desert, condemned this Joan to prison to do salutary penance; but she was hardly there any time before the fire of her pride, which seemed to be extinguished, rekindled in her with pestilential flames by the breathings of the enemy, and the said unhappy woman immediately fell back into the errors and false extravagances which she had before uttered and afterwards revoked and abjured, as has been said. For which causes, according to what the judgements and institutions of holy church ordain, in order that henceforward she might not contaminate the poor members of Jesus Christ, she was again publicly preached to, and as she had fallen back into the crimes and faults she was accustomed, left to secular justice, which immediately condemned her to be burned. And then she, seeing her end drawing near, recognized clearly that the spirits which she had said had appeared to her many times before were wicked and lying spirits, and that the promises which these spirits had formerly made to her of delivering her were false, and so she confessed it to have been a mockery and deceit; and she was taken by the said lay justice to the old market-place in the town of Rouen, and was there publicly burnt in the sight of all the people."

THE EDUCATION OF HENRY VI. (November 9, 1432).

=Source.=--_Paston Letters_, vol. i., No. 18.

For the good rule, demising and surety of the King's person, and draught of him to virtue and cunning, and eschewing of anything that might give hindrance or let thereto, or cause any charge, default, or blame to be laid upon the Earl of Warwick at any time without his desert, he, considering that peril and business of his charge about the King's person groweth so that that authority and power given to him before sufficeth him not without more thereto, desireth therefore these things that follow.

First, that considering that the charge of the rule, demising and governance, and also of nurture of the King's person resteth upon the said Earl while it shall like the King, and the peril, danger, and blame if any lack or default were in any of these, the which lack or default might be caused by ungodly or unvirtuous men, if any such were about his person; he desireth therefore, for the good of the King, and for his own surety, to have power and authority to name, ordain, and assign, and for that cause that shall be thought to him reasonable, to remove those that shall be about the King's person, of what estate or condition that they be, not intending to comprehend in this desire the Steward, Chamberlain, Treasurer, Controller, nor Serjeant of offices, save such as serve the King's person and for his mouth.

_Responsio._--As toward the naming, ordinance, and assignation beforesaid, it is agreed, so that he take in none of the four knights nor squires for the body without the advice of my Lord of Bedford, him being in England, and him being out, of my Lord of Gloucester, and of the remnant of the King's Council.

Item, the said Earl desireth that where he shall have any person in his discretion suspect of misgovernance, and not behoveful nor expedient to be about the King, except the estates of the house, that he may put them from exercise and occupation of the King's service, till that he shall more have speech with my Lords of Bedford or of Gloucester, and with the other Lords of the King's Council, to that end that, the default of any such person known unto him, [they] shall more ordain thereupon as them shall think expedient and behoveful.

_Responsio._--It is agreed as it is desired....

Item, that considering how, blessed be God, the King is growing in years, in stature of his person, and also in conceit and knowledge of his high and royal authority and estate, the which naturally causing him, and from day to day as he groweth shall cause him, more and more to grudge with chastising, and to loath it, so that it may reasonably be doubted lest he would conceive against the said Earl, or any other that would take upon him to chastise him for his defaults, displeasure, or indignation therefore, the which, without due assistance, is not easy to be borne. It like, therefore, to my Lord of Gloucester, and to all the Lords of the King's Council, to promise to the said Earl, and assure him, that they shall firmly and truly assist him in the exercise of the charge and occupation that he hath about the King's person, namely in chastising of him for his defaults, and support the said Earl therein; and if the King at any time would conceive indignation against the said Earl, my said Lord of Gloucester, and Lords, shall do all their true diligence and power to remove the King therefrom.

_Responsio._--It is agreed as it is desired.

Item, the said Earl desireth that forasmuch as it shall be necessary to remove the King's person at divers times into sundry places, as the cases may require, that he may have power and authority to remove the King, by his discretion, into what place he thinketh necessary for the health of his body and surety of his person.

_Responsio._--It is agreed as it is desired....

Item, forasmuch as the said Earl hath knowledge that in speech that hath been had unto the King at part and in privy, not in the hearing of the said Earl nor any of the knights set about his person, nor assigned by the said Earl, he hath been stirred by some from his learning, and spoken to of divers matters not behoveful, the said Earl doubting the harm that might fall to the King, and the inconvenience that might ensue of such speech at part as if it were suffered; desireth that in all speech to be had with the King, he or one of the four knights, or some person to be assigned by the said Earl, be present and privy to it.

_Responsio._--This article is agreed, excepting such persons as for nighness of blood, and for their estate, owe of reason to be suffered to speak with the King.

Item, to the intent that it may be known to the King that it proceedeth of the assent, advice and agreement of my Lord of Gloucester, and all my Lords of the King's Council, that the King be chastised for his defaults or trespasses, and that for awe thereof he forbear the more to do amiss, and intend the more busily to virtue and to learning, the said Earl desireth that my Lord of Gloucester, and my said other Lords of the Council, or great part of them, that is to say, the Chancellor and Treasurer, and of every estate in the Council, spiritual and temporal, some come to the King's presence, and there to make to be declared to him their agreement in that behalf.

_Responsio._--When the King cometh next to London, all his Council shall come to his presence, and there this shall be declared to him.

Item, the said Earl, that all his days hath, above all other earthy things, desired, and ever shall to keep his truth and worship unblemished and unhurt, and may not for all that let [prevent] malicious and untrue men to make informations of his person, such as they may not, nor dare not, stand by, nor be not true, beseecheth therefore my Lord of Gloucester and all my said Lords of the Council, that if they, or any of them, have been informed of anything that may be laid to his charge or default, and namely in his occupation and rule about the King's person, that the said Earl may have knowledge thereof, to the intent that he may answer thereto, and not dwell in heavy or sinister conceit or opinion, without his desert and without answer.

_Responsio._--It is agreed.

+Cromwell.+
+J. Ebor.+
+W. Lincoln+
+Suffolk.+
+J. Huntington.+
+H. Gloucester.+
+P. Elien.+
+J. Bathon. Canc.+
+J. Roffen.+
+H. Stafford.+

PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT THE KING AGAINST INFECTION (1439).

=Source.=--_Rotuli Parliamentorum_, vol. v., p. 31. (Record Commission.)

To the King our Sovereign Lord; Shewen meekly your true liege people, here by your authority royal in this present Parliament for the Commons of this your noble realm assembled; how that a sickness called the Pestilence, universally through this your realm runneth more commonly than hath been usual before this time, the which is an infirmity most infective; and the presence of such so infect most to be eschewed, as by noble physicians and wise philosophers before this time plainly it hath been determined and as experience daily sheweth. Wherefore we your poor liege people, above all earthly thing tendering and desiring the health and welfare of your most noble person, beseech your most noble grace, in conserving of your most noble person and in comfort of us all, in eschewing of any such infection to you to fall, which God defend, graciously to conceive how where that any of your said Commons, holding of you by Knight's service, oweth in doing you homage, by your gracious sufferance, to kiss you, to ordain and grant by the authority of this present Parliament, that every of your said lieges, in doing of their said homage, may omit the said kissing of you....

A NOBLEMAN REQUESTS A LICENCE FOR A SHIP TO CARRY PILGRIMS (1445).

=Source.=--Ellis's _Original Letters_, Second Series, vol. i., pp. 110, 111.

+To the King our Sovereign Lord.+

Please it unto your Royal Majesty of your grace especially to grant unto John Earl of Oxford, owner under God of a ship called the _Jesus of Orwell_, that the said ship, without any fine or fee to be paid unto you, may have licence, in the worship of God and of St. James, to make the first voyage unto St. James[12] with as many persons as therein would thitherward take their passage. Considering that by cause of the loss of another ship ... the said Earl hath done upon the said ship great cost to make it the more able to do you service and to withstand your enemies in time of need.

_Endorsed_--Donné à n're Palais de Westm. le xxviij jour de Feverer, l'an etc xxiij. [February 28, 1445.]

[12] The shrine of St. James of Compostella.

THE DISCOMFORTS OF PILGRIMS AT SEA (_circa_ 1445).

=Source.=--_Early Naval Ballads_, vol. ii., pp. 1-4. (Percy Society.)

Man may leve all gamys,
That saylen to Seynt Jamys;
For many a man hit gramys,[13]
When they begyn to sayle.
For when they have take the sea,
At Sandwyche or at Wynchylsee,
At Brystow,[14] or where that hit bee,
Theyr herts begyn to fayle.

Anone the mastyr commaundeth fast
To hys shyp-men in all the hast,
To dresse hem soon about the mast
Theyr takeling to make.
With "howe! hissa!" then they cry,
"What, howte! mate, thou stondyst too ny,
Thy fellow may not hale the by;"
Thus they begyn to crake.

* * * * *

Thus menewhyle the pylgryms ly,
And have theyr bowls fast theym by,
And cry after hot malvesy,
"Thow helpe for to restore."

And some wold have a saltyd tost,
For they myght ete neyther sode ne rost;
A man myght soon pay for theyr cost,
As for one day or twayne.
Some layde theyr bookys on theyr knee,
And read so long they myght nat see,
"Allas! myne head woll cleve in three!"
Thus seyth another certayne.

Then commeth owre owner lyke a lorde,
And speketh many a royall worde,
And dresseth hym to the hygh borde,
To see all things be well
Anone he calleth a carpentere
And biddeth hym bryng his gere,
To make cabans here and there
With many a fabyl cell.

A sak of straw were there ryght good,
For some must lyg them in theyr hood;
I had as lefe be in the wood,
Without mete or drynk,
For when that we shall go to bedde,
The pump was nygh our bedde hede,
A man were as good to be dede,
As smell thereof the stynk.

[13] Troubles.

[14] Bristol.

CONCERNING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (1445).

=Source.=--_Statutes of the Realm_, 23 Henry VI., c. 14.

_The statute recites 1 Henry V. c. 1 (see p. 13), and 8 Henry VI. c. 7 (see p. 35), then proceeds_:

... By force of which statutes elections of knights to come to Parliament sometimes have been duly made and lawfully returned until now of late that divers sheriffs, for their singular avail and lucre, have not made due elections of knights, nor in convenient time, nor good men and true returned, and sometime no return of the knights, citizens and burgesses lawfully chosen to come to the Parliaments; but such knights, citizens, and burgesses have been returned which were never duly chosen, and other citizens and burgesses than those which by the mayors and bailiffs were to the said sheriffs returned; and sometimes the sheriffs have not returned the writs which they had to make elections of knights to come to the Parliaments, but the said writs have imbesiled, and moreover made no precept to the mayor and bailiffs, or to the bailiffs or bailiff, where no mayor is, of cities and boroughs, for the elections of citizens and burgesses to come to the Parliaments, by colour of these words contained in the same writs--"_Quod in pleno comitatu tuo eligi facias pro comitatu tuo duos milites, et pro qualibet civitate in comitatu tuo duos cives et pro quolibet burgo in comitatu tuo duos burgenses_;" and also because sufficient penalty and convenient remedy for the party in such case grieved is not ordained in the said statutes against the sheriffs, mayors, and bailiffs, which do contrary to the form of the said statutes: The King considering the premises hath ordained by Authority aforesaid, that the said statutes shall be duly kept in all points: and moreover that every sheriff, after the delivery of any such writs to him made, shall make and deliver without fraud a sufficient Precept under his seal to every mayor and bailiff, or to bailiffs or bailiff where no mayor is, of the cities and boroughs within his county, reciting the said writ, commanding them by the same precept, if it be a city, to choose by citizens of the same city, citizens; and in the same manner and form, if it be a borough, by burgesses of the same to come to the Parliament. And that the same mayor and bailiffs, or bailiffs or bailiff where no mayor is, shall return lawfully the precept to the same sheriffs by indenture betwixt the same sheriffs, and them to be made of the said elections, and of the names of the said citizens and burgesses by them so chosen; and thereupon every sheriff shall make a good and rightful return of every such writ, and of every return by the mayors and bailiffs, or bailiffs or bailiff where no mayor is, to him made.

HENRY VI. REFORMS THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS OF LONDON (1446).

=Source.=--_Excerpta Historica_, p. 5. (London: 1833.)