The mayor and sheriffs mentioned in the text and in the copy in the Cottonian MS., as having served those offices in the 14th Hen. IV., are in the latter also assigned to the 1st Hen. V.; whilst the mayor and sheriffs stated in the text to have served in the 1st Hen. V., are in the latter attributed to the 2nd year of that monarch’s reign. But there is manifestly much confusion respecting the year of the king’s reign in which the events occurred, in the copy from which the text has been taken, and which will again be alluded to in a future note.
Note DD. [page 96].
The copy in the Cottonian MS. adds, “And were put in his owne sepulture that he made himself, with quene Anne his wiffe.” This is the only circumstance mentioned under the 1st Hen. V. in that MS.: and under the 2nd Hen. V., the transactions concerning Sir John Oldcastle &c., which in the text are stated to have occurred in the preceding year, are related.
Note EE. [page 99].
In the Cottonian MS. under the third year of Hen. V., and when the mayor and sheriffs mentioned in the text as serving in the 2nd Hen. V. are stated to have held those offices, the king’s expedition is properly noticed. This error cannot be explained in any other manner than by attributing it to the transcriber; for it is notorious that Henry quitted England, besieged and captured Harfleur, and fought the battle of Agincourt, in the third year of his reign. The account of that expedition is so differently related from that in the text, that it is here given at length.
“The kyng with alle his hoste seiled over the see with ij ml shippis and mo; and the xvj day of August a litle from Harflete he landid: and the Saturday next after thassumpcion of oure lady he leide siege about Harflete, and contynued the sege unto the Sonday next before the fest of seint Michel, upon which Sonday the towne of Harflete was delyvered to the king, that was the xxij day of Septembre. But it is to wite, that on Tuesday bifore, that was the xvij day of Septembre, at xij of the belle wythynne nyght, the lordes that were capteynes and governours of the towne, that is to sey the lord Gaucourt, the lord Tutvill, and mo other lordes, senten out an haraude of armes unto the duke of Clarence, praiyng him at the reverence of God that he wolde send to the kyng, bisechyng hym that he wolde of his high and gracious lordship, graunt them leve to trete with what persones that the kyng wolde assigne to them. And the kyng at the reverence of God, and at there request, assigned therle of Dorset, the lord Fitz Hugh, and Sr. Thomas of Erpyngham, to here what thei wolde desire. And thei desired that the kyng wold not werre upon them fro that houre at mydnyght, unto the Sonday next after the fest of seint Michel; and but it were so that thei were rescued by bataile of the Frensshe kyng or with the dolphyn by that day, thei to yelde the towne to the kyng, and thei to have theire lives and goodes. And the kyng sent them worde that if thei wolde delyver the towne on the morwe next after the houre of mydnyght aforseid, without any condicion, he wolde accepte it, and in any other wise he bad them seke no trete. And yet the Frensshe lordes praied oure lordes to biseke the kyng at the reverence of God and of oure lady, that he wolde graunte them that same Tuesday nyght, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and the Sonday til an houre after none: and in that meane tyme the lordes that were capitayns of the towne, to come to the kyng with xxij knyghts and squyers with them, of the moost sufficient men withyn the towne, and thei to be sworen openly afore alle the people upon Goddis body. But it so were that the Frensshe kyng or the dolphyn rescued them by that Sonday, by the houre of none or anon after none, thei to delyver the towne to the kyng, and alle there bodies and goodes to done with them whatsoever him list, without eny condicion, with that the kyng wolde suffre them to send to the Frensshe kyng viij persones out of the towne, lettyng him wite in what plite thei stond: and they graunted them. And upon the Wednesday by the morowe these lordes comen out of the towne, and xxij knyghts with them; and come the procession solempnely and stately, with xxiiij copis of a sute before Goddis body, with many worshipful lordes, knyghts, and squyers, and other moch multitude of people fro the kings tent, as solempnely done and as stately as any man saugh ever such a thing done bifore that time; but the kyng was not there present. And the Frenssh lordes there made there othes upon the holy sacrament. And the othes thus done, the Frensshe lordes with theire felauship were brought to the kyngs tents, and there thei eten in the kyngs halle: but in all this tyme thei sawe not the kyng. And when thei had eten, they were departid and delyvered to certen lordes for to in hostage unto the Sonday at the houre after none, as it was accordid whan thei received. And at the houre on Sonday after none, the kyng had a tent pight on an hille bifore the towne, and there he sate in his estate roial, and al his lordis about hym; and than came the Frensshe lordes with iijxx and iiij with them, of the moost sufficient men that were withynne the towne, and to the kyng in his propre persone yelded up the keies of the towne, and there bodies and goodes to the kyngs grace without eny condicion: and this was done the xxij day of Septembre, the yere of oure lord ml iiijc xv. And anon after that, the kyng ostered from thens xxj daies thurgh the realme of Fraunce, fro Harflete toward Caleys; and the Friday, that is to sey the day of the holy seints Crispyn and Crispinian, alle the roial power of Fraunce, excepte the Frenssh kyng, the dolphyn, the duke of Bourgoyne, and the duke of Barre were bifore the kyng in his heigh weie, as he shulde passe to Caleis, faire embatailed in iij batailes, to the nombre of lx ml men of armes, and the fairist armed men that eny man saugh ever in any place. And the kyng seyng wele that thei wolde not suffre hym to passe withouten bataile, seid to his title mayny, ’Sires and felawes, the yonder men letten us of oure wey; and if thei wol com to us, let every man preve hymself a good man this day, and avaunt banere in the best tyme of the yere.’ And he rode furth with his basnet upon his hedde, and all other men of armes went upon theire fete a fast paas in holle arraie, an Englisshe myle er thei assemblid. And thrugh the grace of God the kyng made his heigh wey thrugh the thikkest prees of alle the bataile. And there was slayne the duke of Launson, the duke of Braban, the duke of Bare, vj erles, the constable of Fraunce, the seneschall of Henaude, the maister Arblaster, and of other lordes grete plente. And there was take the duke of Orliaunce, the duke of Burbon, the counte of Richmond, the counte Ewe, the marschal Sir Bursequant, and many other lordes and knyghts. And there were slayne of Frensshemen v ml, and of al estats of Englisshemen passid not xxviij persones. And of estats of thenglisshe, the duke of Yorke, therle of Suffolke, ij knyghts, and Davy Game; and of gentilmen no moo. And the xxiiij day of Novembre the kyng with all his prisoners came to London in good prosparite. Also this same yere bigan the general counsell at Custance.”
Note FF. [page 103].
The arrival of the emperor is differently noticed in the copy in the Cottonian MS.
“This yere [Ao. iv. Hen. V.] the vij day of Maij came themperour of Almayne, Segismundus, to London; and the fest of seint George was deferrid til his comyng, and than solempnely holden at Wyndisore: and at the procession the kyng went on the upper side of themperour, and so alle the masse tyme stode in the higher place, and at mete he sate on the right side of themperour; and the duke of Bedford, and the chaunceller of England, and the bisshop of Develyn, sate on the lefte side of themperour: and the duke of Briga and another duke of themperours compeigny sate upon the kings side; and all these saten on that oon side of the table. And the first sotelte was oure lady armyng seint George, and an angel doyng on his spores; the ijde sotelte was seint George ridyng and fightyng with the dragon, with his spere in his hand; the iijde sotelte was a castel, and seint George, and the kynges doughter ledynge the lambe in at the castel gates. And all these sotelties were served to the emperor and to the kyng, and no ferther: and other lordes were served with other sotelties after theire degrees. And the same tyme duke William of Holand came into England; but he was not at that fest. Also the emperour laye at Westminster the tyme that he abode in England; and the duke of Holand laie at the bisshop of Elies place. And after Midsomer the duke of Holand seilid home ageyne. And after that themperour and the kyng went to Caleys: and than the duke of Burgoyne and the counte Charles his son came to Gravenyng; and the sent thider his brother the duke of Gloucestre, and therle of the March, to abide there in hostage while the duke of Burgoyne come to Caleys. And in the myddis of the river the lordes metten togider; and the dukes son of Burgoyne receyved there oure lords, and led them furth with hym into Flaundres: and the erle of Warwik receyved the duke of Burgoyne and brought him to Caleys, where he spake with the kyng of diverse matiers atwixt them ij. And he toke his leve of the kyng: and the erle of Warwik brought hym agayne to Grevenyng Water; at which tyme also the counte Charlis brought our lordes to the same place, where either of these lordes token live of other. And than the kyng retorned ageyne into England; and themperour seiled into Holand, and so passid furth into Custaunce.”