The boy's Froissart

by Jean Froissart

Thus the good city of Tournay remained unhurt; but it had a narrow escape, for there were no more provisions in it than would have been sufficient for three or four days.

CHAPTER XXXI.
King Edward institutes the Order of St. George, at Windsor.

ABOUT this time the King of England resolved to rebuild and embellish the great castle of Windsor, which King Arthur had first founded in time past, and where he had erected and established that noble Round Table from which so many gallant knights had issued forth, and displayed the valiant prowess of their deeds at arms over the world. King Edward therefore determined to establish an order of knighthood, consisting of himself, his children, and the most gallant knights in Christendom, to the number of forty. He ordered it to be denominated “knights of the blue garter,” and that the feast should be celebrated every year at Windsor, upon St. George’s Day. He summoned, therefore, all the earls, barons, and knights of his realm, to inform them of his intentions. They heard it with great pleasure; for it appeared to them highly honorable, and capable of increasing love and friendship. Forty knights were then elected, according to report and estimation the bravest in Christendom, who sealed and swore to maintain and keep the feast and the statutes which had been made. The king founded a chapel at Windsor, in honor of St. George, and established canons there to serve God, with a handsome endowment. He then issued his proclamation for this feast by his heralds, whom he sent to France, Scotland, Burgundy, Hainault, Flanders, Brabant, and the empire of Germany; and offered to all knights and squires that might come to this ceremony passports to last for fifteen days after it was over. The celebration of this order was fixed for St. George’s Day next ensuing, to be held at Windsor, 1344; and the queen was to be present, accompanied by three hundred ladies and damsels, all of high birth, and richly dressed in similar robes.

CHAPTER XXXII.
The King of England sets at Liberty Sir Hervé de Léon.

WHILE the King of England was employed in making preparations for the reception of the lords and ladies whom he expected at this feast, news was brought him of the death of the Lord of Clisson and the other knights. He was so much enraged at it, that he had determined to retaliate upon the body of Sir Hervé de Léon, who was his prisoner; and would surely have executed it, if the Earl of Derby, his cousin, had not remonstrated, and showed in council such good reasons, as, for the sake of his own personal honor, induced him to refrain from this revenge. He added, “My lord, if that King Philip has, through rashness, had the villany to put to death such valiant knights as these were, do not suffer your courage to be tainted by it; for in truth, if you will but consider a little, your prisoner has nothing to do with this outrage: have a goodness, therefore, to give him his liberty at a reasonable ransom.” The king ordered the captive knight to be brought before him, and said, “Ha, Sir Hervé, Sir Hervé! my adversary Philip de Valois has shown his treachery in too cruel a manner, when he put to death so many knights. It has given me much displeasure, and it appears as it were done in despite of us. If I were to take his conduct for my example, I ought to do the like to you, for you have done me more harm in Brittany than any other; but I shall endure it, and let him act according to his own will. I will preserve my own honor unspotted, and shall allow you your liberty at a trifling ransom, out of my love for the Earl of Derby, who has requested it; but upon condition that you perform what I am going to ask of you.” The knight replied, “Dear sir, I will do, to the best of my power, whatever you shall command.” The king said, “I know, Sir Hervé, that you are one of the richest knights in Brittany; and, if I were to press you, you would pay me thirty or forty thousand crowns for your ransom. But you will go to King Philip de Valois, my adversary, and tell him from me, that, by putting so many knights to death in so dishonorable a manner, he has sore displeased me; and I say and maintain, that he has by this means broken and infringed the truce which we had agreed to, and that from this moment I consider it as broken, and send him by you my defiance. In consideration of your carrying this message, I will let you off for ten thousand crowns, which you will pay, or send to Bruges, in five days after you shall have crossed the sea. You will also inform all such knights and squires as wish to attend my feast (for we shall be right glad to see them) not to desist on this account, for they shall have passports for their safe return, to last for fifteen days after it be over.”—“Sir,” answered the knight, “I will perform your message to the best of my abilities; and God reward you and my Lord of Derby for your kindness to me!”

Sir Hervé de Léon did not after this remain long in prison, but, having taken leave of the king, went to Southampton, and embarked on board a vessel, with the intention of landing at Harfleur. A violent storm, however, which lasted fifteen days, prevented it. He lost his horses, as well as those of his servants, which were thrown overboard; and he himself was so ill by it, that he never after enjoyed good health. At last the mariners, with much danger, landed at Crotoy, from whence Sir Hervé and his suite went on foot to Abbeville, where they procured horses; but Sir Hervé was so ill, he could not bear the motion of the horse. He was therefore put in a litter, and came to Paris, to King Philip, to whom he delivered his message word for word. But he did not live long. He died in returning to his own country, in the city of Angers. God have mercy on his soul!

CHAPTER XXXIII.
The King of England sends the Earl of Derby to make War in Gascony.

ST. GEORGE’S DAY drew near, when the grand feast was to be celebrated at the castle of Windsor. The king had made great preparations for it; and there were earls, barons, ladies, and damsels most nobly entertained. The festivities and tilts lasted a fortnight. Many knights came to them from beyond sea, from Flanders, Hainault, and Brabant, but not one from France. During the holding of these feasts the king received intelligence from different countries, particularly from Gascony. The Lord de l’Esparre, the Lord de Chaumont, the Lord de Mucident, were sent thence by the other barons and knights who at that time were dependent on the King of England; such as the Lord d’Albret, the Lord de Pumiers, the Lord de Montferrant, the Lord of Duras, the Lord of Craton, the Lord of Grailley, and many others; and some were likewise sent by the cities of Bordeaux and Bayonne. These ambassadors were most courteously entertained and received by the king and his council; to whom they explained the weakness of the country of Gascony, and that his good friends in that country and the loyal city of Bordeaux wanted aid: they therefore entreated that he would send thither such a captain and force of men at arms as he might think able to make head against the French, who kept the field in opposition to all that were sent to meet them. The king soon afterwards appointed his cousin the Earl of Derby leader of this expedition, and nominated those knights that he had fixed upon to be under him: first the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Oxford, the Lord Stafford, Sir Walter Manny, Sir Frank van Halle, Sir Henry Eam of Brabant, Sir Richard Fitzsimon, Sir Hugh Hastings, Sir Stephen Tombey, Sir Richard Haydon, Sir John Norwich, Sir Richard Radcliffe, Sir Robert Oxendon, and several more. They were fully three hundred knights and squires, six hundred men at arms, and two thousand archers. The king advised the earl his cousin to take plenty of gold and silver with him, and to bestow it liberally among the knights and squires, in order to acquire their good opinion and affection.

The king also, during the time of these festivals, sent Sir Thomas Dagworth into Brittany to re-enforce the Countess of Montfort, and assist her in preserving that country; for, notwithstanding the truce, he doubted not but that King Philip would begin the war on account of the message he had sent to him by Sir Hervé de Léon. He therefore despatched thither one hundred men at arms, and two hundred archers under the command of Sir Thomas. He likewise ordered the Earl of Salisbury into the county of D’ulnestre; for the Scots had rebelled against him, had burnt much in Cornwall, and had advanced as far as Bristol, and besieged the town of D’ulnestre. However, the Earl of Salisbury marched thither, with three hundred men at arms and six hundred archers well appointed. Thus the king sent forth his people, and directed his treasurers to deliver out to the commanding officers a sufficiency of money for their own expenses, and to pay their fellow-soldiers; and each set out according to the orders he had received.

We will speak first of the Earl of Derby, as he had the greatest charge, which he conducted to Southampton, and, embarking on board the fleet stationed there for him, made sail for Bayonne. It was a handsome city, and had always held out for the English. He arrived there, without accident, on the sixth day of June, 1344, when he disembarked, and landed his stores. They were joyfully received by the inhabitants, and he remained there seven days to refresh himself and his horses. The Earl of Derby and his army left Bayonne the eighth day after his arrival, and set out for Bordeaux, where a grand procession came out to receive him. The earl was lodged in the Abbey of St. Andrew, and his people within the city. When the Count de Lisle was informed of the arrival of the English, he sent for the Count de Comminges, the Count de Perigord, the Count de Carmain, the Viscount de Villemur, the Count Duras, the Count de Valentinois, the Count de Mirande, the Lord of Mirade, the Lord de la Barde, the Lord of Pincornet, the Viscount de Châtillon, the Lord of Chateauneuf, the Lord de Lescun, the Abbot of St. Savin, and for all the other lords who were attached to the King of France. As soon as they were all assembled, he demanded their counsel on the arrival of the Earl of Derby. The lords in reply said they were sufficiently strong to defend the passage of the river Dordogne, at Bergerac, against the English. This answer mightily pleased the Count de Lisle, who was at that time like a king in Gascony, and had been so since the commencement of the wars between the two kings. He had taken the field, captured towns and castles, and waged war upon all who were of the English army. These lords sent immediately to assemble their dependants on all sides, and advanced to Bergerac, where they entered the suburbs, which are large, strong, and partly surrounded by the Dordogne. They had all their purveyances brought to them there in safety.