Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Part 9

[251] _Paston Letters_, i. 10.

[252] This place is called 'Noo' in _Gesta_, 120, and is taken by the editor of that chronicle to be Pont Douve, now called Pont d'Ouilly. In Elmham, _Vita_, 142, and Livius, 50, it is called 'Nehoo.' Pont Douve was captured by Gloucester (Rymer, IV. iii. 44; _Cal. of Norman Rolls_, Rep. 41, App. I. 746), but it is not the same place as this, which is obviously Nehou, a place situated four kilometers from St. Sauveur le Vicomte. I cannot locate Pont Douve, but should gather from the date of surrender that it was near Carentan on the Douve, for it fell on March 17, the day after Carentan. This is the date given in the _Norman Rolls_ and in the text of the _Foedera_, though in the margin Rymer calls it March 27 and is followed by Hardy in his syllabus of the _Foedera_, without any reason being a.s.signed.

[253] For whole campaign see Elmham, _Vita_, 141, 142; Livius, 50; _Gesta_, 120, 121.

[254] Gregory, 121, who, however, gives the number of castles as twenty-four. The higher estimate is to be found in a record of the _Parlimentary Rolls_ in the year 1428. _Rot. Parl._, IV. 320.

[255] Stow, 356.

[256] Walsingham, _Ipodigma Neustriae_, 486; Gregory, 120.

[257] Livius, 51; Elmham, _Vita_, 148.

[258] Elmham, _Vita_, 148, 149; Livius, 52.

[259] Waurin, ii. 244; Monstrelet, 426.

[260] Even at the end of the siege there was abundance of corn and wine in the city. Elmham, _Vita_, 163.

[261] Walsingham, _Ipodigma Neustriae_, 486; Gregory, 120.

[262] Elmham, _Vita_, 148; Livius, 52.

[263] Elmham, _Vita_, 150; Holkham MS., p. 17.

[264] Elmham, _Vita_, 151; Livius, 52.

[265] _Ibid._

[266] Elmham, _Vita_, 152, 153; Livius, 53.

[267] Elmham, _Vita_, 153; Livius, 53.

[268] They had been brought over to France by the Earl of March, Harleian MS., 2256, f. 182vo.

[269] _Cal. of Norman Rolls_, Rep. 41, App. I. 693; Carte, i. 265.

[270] Elmham, _Vita_, 153; Livius, 54.

[271] When Gloucester reached the King before Rouen at the end of this campaign, he had 3000 men under his command (_Chron.

Norm._, 241). However, he had then been reinforced by another force of some 2000 men sent over from England (see p. 67 below). Whether these last reinforcements followed him to Rouen, or whether, when their work was done, they returned to England, we cannot tell, but they were certainly over and above the numbers he commanded at this present time. If they became a definite part of his following and took part in the rest of this year's campaign, as seems most probable, they would help to fill the gaps in Humphrey's ranks caused later by casualties before Harfleur, which must have been severe, and by the garrison left to hold that town. Perhaps with these deductions they might have increased his force by some thousand men or more, which would compel us to conclude that before the siege of Cherbourg Humphrey had at his disposal some 2000 men. This is confirmed by taking a list of men serving under the Duke in the Cotentin. It is compiled from the statements of the chroniclers and from the official records which give the names of those who acted for Gloucester in the matter of signing terms with the various towns. The retinues are taken from the muster-roll of Henry's army printed in the Appendix to the _Gesta_ (pp. 265-272). The list, of course, cannot be taken as exhaustive, as many who are not mentioned may have taken part in the campaign.

Lances. Archers.

Gloucester's own retinue captained by--Reginald Cobham, 45 114 William Beauchamp, 45 152 The Earl of March, 93 302 The Earl of Suffolk, 31 90 Lord Grey of Codnor, 51 174 Sir Walter Hungerford, 91 276 John, Lord Clifford, 50 150 Sir Gerard Ufflete, 20 67 John de Robsart, 1 3

Total:--427 Lances and 1328 Archers.

This list includes the names of captains who appear before Cherbourg as well as earlier in the campaign. Charles de Beaumont, Marshal of Navarre, was also with Gloucester, and probably had a contingent under his command. The total number of 1755 men approximates to our 2000 estimate, whilst at the same time allowance can be made for possible contingents which, though in the field, are not mentioned. _Chron.

Norm._, 230, tells us that at the beginning of the campaign Talbot was sent into the Cotentin with 500 or 600 men, and Gloucester went to open up the road to Rouen. This may be a mere mistake of names, and so Humphrey may have only had a small force, little in excess of his own retinue, when he started out on his expedition, though this is not likely, if the men who served under him brought their whole contingents.

[272] Elmham, _Vita_, 154, 155; Livius, 54.

[273] Elmham, _Vita_, 155-158; Livius, 54.

[274] Rymer, iv. iii. 64; _Cal. of Norm. Rolls_, Rep. 41, App. I.

746.

[275] Waurin, ii. 244; Monstrelet, 426.

[276] Elmham, _Vita_, 159; Livius, 55.

[277] Elmham, _Vita_, 160, 161, 162; Livius, 55, 56.

[278] Holkham MS., p. 17.

[279] List of captains printed in Appendix to _Gesta_, 276.

[280] Walsingham, _Hist. Angl._, ii. 329; John Page, 6; Elmham, _Vita_, 179; _Gesta_, 123.

[281] Des Ursins, 539, 545.

[282] _Ibid._, 540-542.

[283] Delpit, _Doc. Fr._, 222.

[284] _Chronique de Normandie_, 230, says that Gloucester arrived on St. Catharine's Day (November 25), but his men were 'arrayed'

at Rouen on November 6; _Cal. of Norman Rolls_, Rep. 41, App.

I. 718. Cf. Livius, 64.

[285] _Cal. of Norman Rolls_, Rep. 41, App. I. 746.

[286] _Paston Letters_, 10; _Gesta_, 123, 124; Elmham, _Vita_, 180, 181; Livius, 61 John Page, 6-8; _Chronique de Normandie_, 238; Harleian MS., 2256, f. 185, 185vo.

[287] Elmham, _Vita_, 191; Livius, 64. _Chronique de Normandie_, 241, says that Gloucester brought with him some three thousand men.

[288] John Page, 11; Cotton MS., Claudius, A. VIII. f. 8vo; Harleian MS., 2256, f. 186.

[289] John Page, 16.

[290] Delpit, _Doc. Fr._, 224, 225.

[291] Elmham, _Vita_, 182; Livius, 62.

[292] Waurin, ii. 247; St. Remy, 431.

[293] Waurin, ii. 249.

[294] John Page, 20; Waurin, ii. 253; Elmham, _Vita_, 192; St. Remy, 432. St. Remy says that Henry fired on these people, and both he and Waurin say that they were ultimately taken back into the town.