Henry of Monmouth Volume II Part 10

"On which Feast of his Translation, whilst the struggle between our countrymen and the French was being carried on, as to the hearing of us and our brethren in our last convocation, (p. 196) abundantly and especially, the true report of the inhabitants of that country brought the tidings, that from his tomb sacred oil flowed, drops falling as of sweat, indicative of the divine mercy towards his people, doubtless obtained by the merits of that most holy man.

"Wishing, therefore, in our province to spread an increase of divine worship, and especially to extol further the praise of so great a patron, with the wills, counsel, and a.s.sent of our brethren and the clergy in the said convocation, and no less at the special instance of the said most Christian Prince, we have determined that the memory of that most holy confessor everywhere throughout our province should be exalted with feelings of prayers and devotions [votivis et devotis affectibus]."

Then follows the decree above mentioned.

This ma.s.s of extravagant folly and blind superst.i.tion, this presumptuous sharing of G.o.d's omnipotence and sovereign might with the power of such poor erring fellow-mortals as the corrupt ministers of a corrupt church had presumptuously ranked among the inhabitants of heaven,--thus daring to forestal the judgment of Christ at the last day, and to p.r.o.nounce on the glory of a man whose spiritual state Omniscience alone can know,--it is impossible to contemplate without feelings of grat.i.tude that Heaven's mercy has released us from such perverted use of the Gospel of the Saviour; nor without a prayer that the Spirit of light and truth would guide those of our fellow-creatures who are still walking in the same land of darkness and error, into the clear light of Christian truth.

The Author, to whom the following "Song of Agincourt" has been (p. 197) familiar from his childhood, cannot refrain from inserting it here.

This is that ancient, and, as it is believed, contemporary ballad, which has preserved to our times that golden stanza which appears in the t.i.tle page of these volumes; and every word of which reflects the character of Henry as a hero and a merciful man. The quotation, also, from Burnet's History of Music, and the contemporary song to which he refers, will, it is presumed, be generally acceptable.

SONG OF AGINCOURT.

As our King lay on his bed, All musing at the hour of prime,[148]

He bethought him of the King of France, And tribute due for so long a time.

He called unto him his lovely page, His lovely page then called he; Saying, You must go to the King in France, To the King in France right speedily.

Tell him to send me my tribute home, Ten ton of gold that is due to me; Unless he send me my tribute home, Soon in French land I will him see.

Away then goes this lovely page (p. 198) As fast, as fast as he could hie; And, when he came to the King in France, He fell all down on his bended knee.

My master greets you, sir, and says, Ten ton of gold is due to me; Unless you send me my tribute home, You in French land soon shall see me.

Your master is young, and of tender age, Not fit to come into my degree; I'll send him home some tennis-b.a.l.l.s That with them he may learn for to play.

Away then goes this lovely page, As fast, as fast as he could hie; And, when he came to our gracious King, He fell all down on his bended knee.

What news, what news, my trusty page?

What news, what news dost thou bring to me?

I bring such news from the King of France, That you and he can never agree.

He says you are young, and of tender age, Not fit to come up to his degree; He has sent you home some tennis-b.a.l.l.s, That with them you may learn for to play.

Oh! then bespoke our n.o.ble King, A solemn vow then vowed he; I'll promise him such English b.a.l.l.s As in French land he ne'er did see.

Go! call up Cheshire and Lancashire, (p. 199) And Derby hills that are so free; BUT NEITHER MARRIED MAN, NOR WIDOW'S SON, NO WIDOW'S CURSE SHALL GO WITH ME!

They called up Cheshire and Lancashire, And Derby hills that are so free; But neither married man nor widow's son, Yet they had a right good company.

He called unto him his merry men all, And numbered them by three and three, Until their number it did amount To thirty thousand stout men and three.

Away then marched they into French land, With drums and fifes so merrily; Then out and spoke the King of France, Lo! here comes proud King Henrie!

The first that fired, it was the French, They killed our Englishmen so free; But we killed ten thousand of the French, And the rest of them they did run away.

Then marched they on to Paris gates, With drums and fifes so merrily; Oh! then bespoke the King of France, The Lord have mercy on my men and me!

Oh! I will send him his tribute home, Ten ton of gold that is due from me; And the very best flower that is in all France To the rose of England will I give free.

[Footnote 148: The second line of this song is variously read. Probably the original words are lost. The reading in the text is conjectural.]

"At the coronation of Henry V," observes Dr. Burney, "in 1413, (p. 200) we hear of _no other instruments than harps_;[149] but one of that prince's historians[150] tells us that their number in the hall was prodigious. Henry, however, though a successful hero and a conqueror, did not seem to take the advantage of his claim to praise; and either was so modest or so tasteless as to discourage and even prohibit the poets and musicians from celebrating his victories and singing his valiant deeds. When he entered the city of London, after the battle of Agincourt, the gates and streets were hung with tapestry, representing the history of ancient heroes; and children were placed in temporary turrets to sing verses. But Henry, disgusted at these vanities, commanded, by a formal edict, that for the future no songs should be recited by harpers, or others, in honour of the recent victory.

'_Cantus de suo triumpho fieri, seu per citharistas, vel alios quoscunque, cantari, penitus prohibebat._'

[Footnote 149: Dr. Burney has here fallen into a most extraordinary mistake. In the very page to which he refers, Elmham, in his turgid manner, a.s.sures us that at Henry's coronation the tumultuous clang of so many trumpets made the heavens resound with the roar of thunder. He then describes the sweet strings of the harps soothing the souls of the guests by their soft melody; and the united music of other instruments also, by their dulcet sounds, in which no discord interrupted the harmony, inviting the royal banqueters to full enjoyment of the festival.]

[Footnote 150: Thomas de Elmham, Vit. et Gest. Hen.

V. edit. Hearne, Oxon. 1727, cap. xii. p. 23.]

"It is somewhat extraordinary that, in spite of Henry's edicts and prohibitions, _the only English song of so early a date, that has come to my knowledge, of which the original music has been preserved_, is one that was written on his victory at Agincourt in 1415. It is preserved in the Pepysian Collection, at Magdalen College, Cambridge."[151]

[Footnote 151: Burney's History of Music, vol. ii.

p. 382.]

After some observations upon the general ignorance of the (p. 201) transcribers of ancient music, Dr. Burney proceeds to say, "that the copy in the Pepysian Collection is written upon vellum in Gregorian notes, and can be little less ancient than the event which it recorded;" and that there is with it a paper which shows that an attempt was made in the last century (17th) to give it a modern dress, but that too many liberties had been taken with the melody, and the drone ba.s.s, which had been set to it for the lute, is a mere jargon.

He then presents what he says is a faithful copy of this venerable relic of our nation's prowess and glory.

Owre Kynge went forth to Normandy, With grace, and myght of chyvalry; The G.o.d for hym wrought marv'lusly, Wherefore Englonde may calle and cry,

CHORUS.

Deo gratias, Anglia!

Redde pro Victoria!

He sette a sege, the sothe to say, To Harflue town, with royal array; That toune he wan, and made a fray That Fraunce shall rywe tyl domes-day.

Deo gratias! &c.

Than, for sothe, that Knyght comely In Agincourt feld faught manly; Thorow grace of G.o.d, most myghty, He hath bothe felde and victory.

Deo gratias! &c.

Then went owre Kynge, with all his oste, (p. 202) Thorowe Fraunce, for all the Frenshe boste; He spared[152] for drede of leste ne most, Till he come to Agincourt coste.

Deo gratias! &c.

Ther Dukys and Earlys, Lorde and Barone, Were take and slayne, and that wel sone; And some were ledde into Lundone; With joye, and merth, and grete renone, Deo gratias! &c.

Now gracious G.o.d he save owre Kynge, His peple, and all his well wyllinge; Gef him G.o.de lyfe, and G.o.de endynge, That we with merth may safely synge, Deo gratias, Anglia! redde pro Victoria!

[Footnote 152: For dread neither of least nor of greatest.]

CHAPTER XXIV. (p. 203)

REASONS FOR DELAYING A SECOND CAMPAIGN. -- SIGISMUND UNDERTAKES TO MEDIATE. -- RECEPTION OF SIGISMUND. -- FRENCH SHIPS SCOUR THE SEAS, AND LAY SIEGE TO HARFLEUR. -- HENRY'S VIGOROUS MEASURES THEREUPON. -- THE EMPEROR DECLARES FOR "HENRY AND HIS JUST RIGHTS." -- JOINS WITH HIM IN CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL ON A DAY OF THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH. -- WITH HIM MEETS THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AT CALAIS. -- THE DUKE ALSO DECLARES FOR HENRY. -- SECOND INVASION OF FRANCE. -- SIEGE OF CAEN. -- HENRY'S BULLETIN TO THE MAYOR OF LONDON. -- HOSTILE MOVEMENT OF THE SCOTS.