Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 2

Our King fully hastily to his ship yede, And all other Lords of every degree: Every ship weighed his anchor in deed, With the tide to haste them to the sea.

They hoisted their sails, sailed aloft: A goodly sight it was to see.

The wind was good, and blew but soft: And forth they went in the name of the Trinity.[10]

Their course they took toward Normandy, And pa.s.sed over in a day and a night.

So in the second morning early, Of that country they had a sight: And ever [as] they drew near the coast, Of the day glad were they all; And when they were at the sh.o.r.e almost, Every ship his anchor let fall, With their tackles they launched many a long boat And over ha[t]ch threw them into the stream; A thousand shortly they saw afloat.

With men of arms that light did leme.

=THE GUNS PLAY TENNIS WITH HARFLEUR.=

Our king landed at Cottaunses [_Coutances_] without delay,[11]

On our Lady's Even [of] the a.s.sumption;[12]

And to Harflete [_Harfleur_] they took the way And mustered fair before the town.

Our King his banner there did 'splay, With standards bright and many [a] pennon: And there he pitched his tent adown; Full well broidered with armory gay.

First our comely King's tent with the crown, And all other Lords in good array.

"My brother CLARENCE," the King did say, "The towers of the town will I keep With her daughters and her maidens gay, To wake the Frenchmen of their sleep."

"'London'," he said, "shall with him meet; And my guns that lieth fair upon the green; For they shall play with Harflete A game of tennis as I ween.

Go we to game, for G.o.d's grace!

My children be ready everych one."

For every great gun that there was, In his mouth he had a stone.

The Captain of Harflete soon anon Unto our King he sent hastily To know what his will was to be done, For to come thither with such a meiny?

"Deliver me the town!" the King said.

"Nay!" said the Captain, "by G.o.d and St DENIS!"

"Then shall I win it," said our King, "By the grace of G.o.d and his goodness, Some hard tennis b.a.l.l.s I have hither brought Of marble and iron made full round.

I swear, by JESU that me dear bought, They shall beat the walls to the ground."

=KING HENRY GRANTS A TRUCE.=

Then said the great gun, "Hold fellows, we go to game!"

Thanked be MARY and JESU her son, They did the Frenchmen much shame.

"Fifteen afore," said "London" then; Her b.a.l.l.s full fair she gan outthrow.

"Thirty" said the second gun, "I will win and I may."

There as the wall was most sure, They bare it down without nay.

The "King's Daughter" said "Hearken this play!

Hearken Maidens now this tide!

Five and forty we have, it is no nay."

They beat down the walls on every side.

The Normands said, "Let us not abide!

But go we in haste, by one a.s.sent!

Wheresoever the gunstones do glide, Our houses in Harfleet are all to rent: The Englishmen our bulwarks have brent"

And women cried, "Alas that ever they were born!"

The Frenchmen said, "Now be we shent!

By us now the town is forlorn: It is best now therefore That we beseech this English King of grace, For to a.s.sail us no more; Lest he destroy us in this place.

Then will we bid the Dolphin make him ready, Or else this town delivered must be."

Messengers went forth by and bye,[13]

And to our King came they: The Lord CORGRAUNT certainly,[14]

For he was Captain of the place, And GELAM BOWSER with him did hie, With other Lords more and less.

And when they to our King come where, Full lowly set them on their knee: "Hail, comely King!" gan they say "CHRIST save thee from adversity!

Of truce we will beseech thee Until that it be Sunday noon:[15]

And if we may not recovered be, We will deliver the town."

=THE FRENCH SURRENDER HARFLEUR.=

Then said our King full soon, "I grant you grace in this tide; One of you shall forth anon, And the remnant shall with me abide!"

Their Captain took his next way, And to Rouen fast gan he ride.

The Dolphin he had thought there to find But he was gone; he durst not abide.

For help the Captain besought that tide "Harflete is lost for ever and aye; The walls be beaten down on every side, That we no longer keep it may."

Of counsel all he did them pray.

"What is your will that I may do?

We must ordain the King battle by Sunday, Or else deliver him the town!"

The Lords of Rouen together did rown; And bade the town should openly yield.

The King of England fareth as a lion: We will not meet with him in the field!

The Captain would then no longer abide, And towards Harflete came he right; For so fast did he ride That he was there the same night.

And when he to our King did come,[16]

Lowly he set him on his knee: "Hail, comely Prince!" then did he say, "The grace of G.o.d is with thee!

Here have I brought the keys all Of Harflete that is so royal a city.

All is yours, both chamber and hall; And at your will for to be."

=21,000 FRENCH SENT OUT OF HARFLEUR.=

"Thanked be JESU!" said our King, "And MARY his mother truly!

My uncle DORSET, without letting, Captain of Harflete shall he be.

And all that is within the city Awhile yet they shall abide, To amend the walls in every degree That are beaten down on every side: And after that, they shall out ride To other towns over all.

Wife nor child shall not there abide: But have them forth, both great and small!"

One and twenty thousand, men might see, When they went out, full sore did weep.

The great guns and ordnance truly Were brought into Harflete.

Great sickness among our host was, in good fay, Which killed many of our Englishmen: There died beyond seven score upon a day; Alive there was left but thousands ten.

Our King himself into the Castle yede, And rest him there as long as his will was: At the last he said, "Lords, so G.o.d me speed!

Towards Calais I think to pa.s.s."

After that Harflete was gotten, that royal city, Through the grace of G.o.d omnipotent; Our comely King made him ready soon, And towards Calais forth he went.

"My brother GLOUCESTER _veramente_ Here will we no longer abide!

And Cousin of YORK, this is our intent: With us forth ye shall, this tide!

My Cousin HUNTINGDON with us shall ride; And the Earl of OXENFORD with you three!

The Duke of SOUTHFOLK [_SUFFOLK_] by our side He shall come forth with his meiny!

And the Earl of DEVONSHIRE sikerly!

Sir THOMAS HARPING[17] that never did fail; The Lord BROKE that came heartily And Sir JOHN of CORNWALL: Sir GILBERT UMFREY[18] that would us avail; And the Lord CLIFFORD, so G.o.d me speed!

Sir WILLIAM BOWSER[19], that will not fail; For all they will help, if it be need."

=ENGLISHMEN TO BE SOLD SIX FOR A PENNY.=