When it was about five o'clock in the afternoon, the French, perceiving no end to skirmishing from the numbers of the enemy constantly increasing, and that their own men were greatly fatigued from their sufferings at sea, as the weather had been against them, determined on making a retreat; for they thought they should be unable to continue the engagement during the night, considering that they had many killed and wounded, that their men had little or no refreshments during the whole day, and that the English were hourly receiving reinforcements. In this retreat, the French suffered no other loss than that of a boat, in which were twelve men at arms, that sunk, and nine of them were drowned: it was a pity, for they had that day well done their duty. May God grant them his pardon, and show mercy to all the others who fell!
If it had not been for the great quantity of wine in Sandwich, of which many archers took more than was necessary, the seneschal would have tarried there with his whole company that night. They, however, carried off much wealth, and numbers of vessels, of different sizes, that were in the harbour: in the number were three large ships of war, which cast anchor in the road, two leagues from Sandwich, and remained there until the Wednesday following: the English all the time were drawn up in battle-array, about a cannon-shot distant one division from another. The seneschal departed with his fleet on the Thursday, with numbers of prisoners and much wealth. On his arrival at Honfleur, the prisoners were ransomed, and the plunder divided.
This was a year of great scarcity in France, and of great mortality in other places.
FOOTNOTES:
[234] I have said 'a waggon hung on springs,' as it is in the original chariot branlant.
[235] The commencement of the year seems now to take place seven days after Christmas.
CHAP. LXX.
DUKE PHILIP OF BURGUNDY CARRIES THE DAUPHIN TO BRUGES, WHERE HE IS JOYFULLY RECEIVED WITH MANY HONOURS.—OTHER EVENTS MENTIONED AND REPEATED.
Soon after Easter in this year, the duke of Burgundy, accompanied by the dauphin, set out from Brussels for Bruges, passing through the towns of Oudenarde and Courtray. In both these towns, the dauphin was received most honourably. Thence they proceeded to Bruges,—and the principal inhabitants, to the amount of eight hundred, very richly dressed, came out to meet them, with a great concourse of common people, to do honour to the dauphin, and to please their lord.
On the first day of July, in this year, a meeting was held between St Omer and Gravelines, by the count d'Estampes and the bastard of Burgundy, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, and the earl of Warwick for the king of England, to repress and check the enterprises of the English on several parts of the duke's territories. The matter was so well managed that a truce was settled between them for eight years.