A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483 Part 34

"My moost doubtid lord, I recomaunde unto you asmoch and as mykely as I may. And please it you to wete my moost doubtid lorde, that this day, the xxiij day of Maij, about vj at after none, your adversaries and myn, that were with grete power in the towne of Compeigne, afore which towne I am loggid with my folke, and with those that ye senten undre governaunce of S^{r}. John Mountgomery and S^{r}. John Steward, came out with grete puyssaunce upon the van warde which was next them; and with them came she that thei calle the Pucelle, with many of there chief chiefteynes: and ageine them anone came my cosyn S^{r}. John Luxenburgh, and other of your folkes and of myn, which made right grete and sharp resistence: and I came thider in myn owne persone, and founde that the seid adversaries were put abak, and by the pleasaunce of our blessid Creatour it fil so; and G.o.d yaf me such grace, that she that thei calle the Pucelle was taken, and with many hire capitaynes, knyghts, and squyers, and other taken, and drowned, and dedde, whose names I knowe not yet."

This letter is succeeded by an account of the "Journeis that were done after the kyng was landid at Caleis."

"The first Journey was at Pountnake: the Pucelle with a grete power was put to flight.

"The second Journey was in a wodde biside Compeigne: the Pucelles mayny ij^{c} were discounfeited of x.x.x Englisshemen, and there were xij Armynaks prisoners.

"The iij^{d} Journey the Pucelle was taken at Compeigne, and many of her mayny slayne and drowned.

"The iiij^{th} Journey the lord was, the lord Wilby brent a chirch and vj^{xx} men and boies therynne.

"The v^{th} Journey the lorde Scales toke and slough of the dukes men of Launson, iij^{c}.

"The vj^{th} Journey the kyngs householde mayny, biside Parys, an Englisshe mile out of Boys, seint Vyncent token a strong abbeie with tretis.

"The vij^{th} Journey the lord Chamberleyne distressid La Here, and slough and toke of his meyny into iij^{c}: and at the same Journey was slayne S^{r}. Symon Filbrigges sone and his heire.

"The viij^{th} Journey therle of Huntyngdon toke gonnes, quarrells, and crosbowes, comyng toward Compeigne the nombre of an c and xx men of armes, and vileyns many.

"The ix^{th} Journey the seid erle of Huntyngdon and his compeigny token vj strengthes and chirches, and brent many; and he gate a grete towne callid Crepynaloys. And thei praied hym that thei myght stand in the same forme that thei of Compeigne shulde, and therto thei sent hym ij m^{l} salves of golde for expenses.

"The x^{th} Journey the seid erle of Huntyngdon made a rode frome the duke of Burgoyne, and met with a compeigny of Scotts, distressid them, and toke there capitayne.

"The xj^{th} Journey ij^{c} Englisshemen of the kyngs house were bifore seint Lis, and token bestes and lx prisoners, whose capitayne was called Arnold Gilias of Alafeert Baynarde, the whiche as men wende myght paie a m^{l} marc of golde, and another was La Heres brother.

"The xij^{th} Journey the duke of Norfolk met with Lumbards vj^{xx} speres, distressid them and toke their capiteyne, and many moo chirches, abbeis, and castells that were strong viij or ix, and hangid them that were therynne, and breke downe castells and chirches that were right strong.

"The xiij^{th} Journey Castel Gailard was wonne.

"The xiiij^{th} Journey therle of Stafford gate Arlmarle, and therynne vj^{xx} and vj men; of the which v^{xx} were hangid, and the remenaunt in the kings wille.

"The xv^{th} Journey Sir Raffe Butler gate a pile and brake it downe.

"The xvj^{th} Journey the first day of July, there were comyng towards Compeigny of Scotts and of Armynakes to the nombre of iiij m^{l}. and in theire comyng thiderward therle of Huntyngdon met them, and there toke the capiteyne of the Scotts and iiij^{xx} other gret capiteyns: and there were slayne and taken xv^{c} of Scottis and Armynakes.

"The xvij^{th} Journey the duke of Norfolk gate Dammartyn and twoo other grete townes: and the dolphyn was that tyme at Jargowe, v leges biyonde Orliaunce."

NOTE XX. page 119.

A^{o}. xj. Hen VI.--The only event noticed under this year in the Cottonian MS. is "that the meyre, aldermen, and shireves in scarlet, with comoens of London in grene, rodde to the Blak heth to receyve my lord of Bedford."

NOTE YY. page 120.

A^{o}. xij. Hen. VI.--No other circ.u.mstance is mentioned in the Cottonian MS. than that "this yere was a Text writer brent at the Tour hille for heresie."

NOTE ZZ. page 120.

A^{o}. xiij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere was a grete frost that enduryd from seint Katerines day unto seint Valentynes day after, wherfore the vyntage myght not come to London but by carte over Shoters hille frome Gravesende, Northflete, Greneheth, and other places both on Kent side and Ess.e.x."

NOTE AAA. page 121.

A^{o}. xv. Hen. VI.--"This yere was another grete frost enduryng xj weks. Also this yere was openly knowen that the duke of Burgoyne was falsely forsworne to the crowne of England; for he laied sege to Caleis, and did make a strong bastelle; to the which bastel Englisshemen made strong a.s.saute ij tymes, and the iij^{d} tyme thei gate it, and token certeyn persons, and slough alle the remenaunt, and brent the bastelle; and than my lordes the dukes of Gloucestre, and of Northfolke, therle of Huntyngdon, therle of Stafford, and therle of Warwik, with many other lordes and barons, knyghts, and squiers, were apointed for to gone over and fight with the seid duke of Burgoyne; but the sege was broken er thei came there; for at that time alle the shyppes of England were arrestid, and went a werr fare half a yere, to for er these lordes went over the see: and thei did moche harme to our enymys; for thei toke Spaynardes, Britons, Flemyngs, Scotts, and other nacions of diverse contreis, and a galey chargid with diverse merchaundise. And than thei were countermandid to diverse havons of England for to have over the seid lordes; and at that tyme every lord found a certen of men of theire owne cost, and every feed man went with his lord: and every abbeie and house of religion founde certen men to gone over the see. Also at that tyme London found a certen of sowdiers to Caleis; and also gave unto the werres m^{l} li: and many other townes of this land found men to gone over the see: and my lord of Gloucestre toke his ship at Wynchelsee, and many other lordes with hym, and went furth to Caleis with alle his hoste, and the shippes aweytyng upon the hoste by the costes of Flaundres, the Munday next after seint Laurence day, in the yere of our lord m^{l} iiij^{c} x.x.xvij, and lay that night in the felde at a place callid Sparkes place, bisides Oye: and upon the morowe he pa.s.sid the water of Gravenyng, at x of the belle, with l men nombrid a myle byneth the towne; and there he made knyghts, and pa.s.sid to a village callid Meerdike; and that thei brent, and alle the townes as thei went. And also thei brent a good open towne callid Popryng, and many other villages; and a towne was callid Belle and so furth, West Flaundres; and our shippes brent an ile callid Cagent."

NOTE BBB. page 123.

A^{o}. xv. Hen. VI.--"In this yere the toure at the gate on London brigge, and ij arches with alle the housyng therupon fil downe into Thamyse, which no man cowde let to grete hurt. And this yere died quene Kateryne at Bermonsey, and was buried at Westminster in seint Marie chapel withynne thabbeie. And in this yere the kyng of Scotts was slayne in Scotland, of a knyght of the same land callid Sir Robert Grame."

NOTE CCC. page 123.

A^{o}. xvij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere the duke of Orliaunce went over the see to Caleis with certein lordes of this land, and so was delyvered by composicion made. And in this yere therle of Huntyngdon was sent into Gascoyne and Guyen. And wheat was at xvj^{d} a bussh.e.l.l alle that yere: and yet there was moch wheat brought out of Pruyte.

And that yere was ordeyned that strumpettes shuld were rede hoddes and white roddes in there handes."

NOTE DDD. page 125.

A^{o}. xviij. Hen. VI.--"In this yere was ordeyned by parliament that al strangers shuld goo to oost. And this yere ij men were hangid in Thamys, at the last hille beyond seint Katerynes; for thei had robbid and murdred vitailers in the water. And in this yere Sir Richard Wiche sometyme vicarie of Depford, and another secular man were dampned for heretiks, and brent at Tour hille, in a mornyng at vij of the belle."

[_The following article is prefixed to the copy of the preceding Chronicle, in the Harleian MS._ 565.]

COPIA TABULE PENDENTIS AD COLUMPNAM IUXTA TUMULUM DUCIS LANCASTR' IN ECCLESIA SANCTI PAULI LONDON'.

Ecclesia sancti Pauli London' continet infra limites suos tres acras terre et dimidiam. unam rodam et dimidiam et s.e.x virgas constratas.

Longitudo eiusdem ecclesie continet dclx.x.xx pedes. Lat.i.tudo eiusdem ecclesie continet cx.x.x pedes. Alt.i.tudo occidentalis testudinis continet ab ara cij pedes. Alt.i.tudo testudinis nove fabrice continet ab ara lx.x.xviij pedes. c.u.mulus ecclesie continet in Alt.i.tudine cl pedes c.u.m cruce. Alt.i.tudo fabrice lapidie campanilis eiusdem ecclesie continet a plana terra cclx pedes. Alt.i.tudo fabrice lignee eiusdem campanilis continet cclxxiiij pedes. Attamen in toto non excedit quingentos et xx^{ti} pedes. Item pomellum eiusdem campanilis potest continere in sua concauitate si fuerit vacuum decem bussell' bladi cuius rotunditas dyametri continet x.x.xvj vncias. que faciunt tres pedes cuius circ.u.mferencia continet cxiij vncias que faciunt nouem pedes et dimid. cuius superficies si sit circ.u.mrotunda debet continere quatuor milia lxviij vncias que faciunt xxviij pedes quadratas et quartam partem vnius pedis quadrati. Hasta crucis eiusdem campanilis continet in alt.i.tudine xv pedes cuius transversorium continet s.e.x pedes. In qua Cruce Anno Domini Millesimo ccc^{mo} x.x.xix^{o} xj^{mo} kl. Augusti videlicet in festo sancte Marie Magdalene multe preciose reliquie plurimorum sanctorum ad Salvacionem eiusdem et tocius edificii sibi subiecti c.u.m magna processionis Solempnitate collate fuerunt vt Deus omnipotens per merita gloriosa omnium sanctorum quorum reliquie in illa Cruce continentur ab tempestate et periculo in sua proteccione conservare dignetur. De cuius misericordia omnibus fabrice huius ecclesie auxilium procurantibus xxvij Anni Cl. dies omni tempore anni conceduntur preter Staciones Romane que sunt xliiij^{or} anni et quam plura alia beneficia.

COPIA ALTERIUS TABULE PENDENTIS AD MEDIAM COLUMPNAM. IBIDEM INTER DICTUM TUMULUM DICTI DUCIS ET TUMULUM SANCTI ROGERI NUPER EPISCOPI LONDON'.

[Sidenote: Inuencio imaginis crusifixi.]

Anno Domini C^{mo} xl^{o}. Invencio ymaginis crucifixi ad hostium Boriale sancti Pauli London'. in magno fluuio Thamisie. per Lucium primum Regem Anglie Christianum. Anno Domini Millesimo lx.x.xvij^{o} [Sidenote: Ecclesia sancti Pauli combusta.]

mensis Julii die septimo Ecclesia sancti Pauli London' et omnia que in ea erant c.u.m magna parte Civitatis igne erant consumpta. tempore Mauricii Episcopi London' regnante primo Rege Normannorum Willielmo Conquestore qui fundavit Monasteria de Bello in Suss.e.x ubi ipse pugnaverat et Bermondesey iuxta London'. Anno Domini Millesimo C^{mo} [Sidenote: Londini maxima pars combusta.]

x.x.xij^{do} Idus Aprilis combusta erat Civitas London in maxima parte ex igne Gilberti Beget. Anno Domini Millesimo C^{mo} x.x.xvij^{o} [Sidenote: Templum Pauli iterum combustum.]

combusta erat ecclesia sancti Pauli London' per ignem ad pontem London' accensum et inde processit ad ecclesiam extra Barras noui [Sidenote: Nota.]

templi London'. Anno Millesimo C^{mo} l^{mo} tam valida erat glacies quod Thamisia potuit per equestres pertransiri. Anno Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno iiij^{to} Regis Johannis.]

ccij^{do} tante pluuie tonitrua et grandines ceciderunt ut lapides quadranguli ad quant.i.tatem ovorum mixti c.u.m pluuia de celo descenderunt ex quibus arbores vinee et segetes multum erant destructe homines erant contriti et aves per aiera volantes Visi sunt carbones ignitos in rostris deferre et domos incendere. Anno Domini Millesimo [Sidenote: Eodem Anno.]

[Sidenote: Anno vj^{to} regis Johannis.]

CC^{mo} iiij^{to} Incepit ordo fratrum predicatorum in Tholosanis [Sidenote: Eodem anno.]

partibus sub Duce Dominico. Eodem anno yemps asperima a circ.u.mcisione domini vsque ad Annunciacionem perduravit. Anno Domini Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno vij^{o} regis H. iij^{cii}.]

cc^{mo} xiiij^{o} Sanctus Franciscus incepit ordinem fratrum Minorum iuxta a.s.sisum. Et Anno Millesimo cc^{mo} xxiiij^{to} venerunt primo in Angliam per biennium ante obitum sancti Francisci. Anno Millesimo [Sidenote: Anno v^{to} regis H. tertij.]

cc^{mo} xxj^{o} In festo sancte Luce Euangeliste irruit ventus vehemens a septentrione quaciens domos et pomeria nemora et turres ecclesiarum. Visi que sunt dracones ignei et maligni spiritus in [Sidenote: Anno xliij^{o} regis H. iij.]