The French king being aduertised, that king Henrie was arrived on that coast, sent in all hast the lord de la Breth constable of France, the seneshall of France, the lord Bouciqualt marshall of France, the seneshall of Henault, the lord Lignie with other, which fortified townes with men, victuals, and artillerie on all those frontiers towards the sea. And hearing that Harflue was besieged, they came to the castell of Caudebecke, being not farre from Harflue, to the intent they might succor their fréends which were besieged, by some policie or meanes: but the Englishmen, notwithstanding all the damage that the Frenchmen could worke against them, forraied the countrie, spoiled the villages, bringing manie a rich preie to the campe before Harflue. And dailie was the towne assaulted: for the duke of Glocester, to whome the order of the siege was committed, made thrée mines vnder the ground, and approching to the wals with his engins and ordinance, would not suffer them within to take anie rest.
Titus Liuius.
For although they with their countermining somwhat disappointed the Englishmen, & came to fight with them hand to hand within the mines, so that they went no further forward with that worke; yet they were so inclosed on ech side, as well by water as land, that succour they saw could none come to them: for the king lieng with his battell on the hill side on the one partie, and the duke of Clarence beyond the riuer that passeth by the towne, and runneth into Saine on the other partie, beside other lords and capteins that were lodged with their retinues for their most aduantage: none could be suffered to go in, or come foorth, without their licence; insomuch that such pouder as was sent to haue béene conueied into the towne by water, was taken by the English ships that watched the riuer.
Harding.
Thos. Walsi.
The seuentéenth of September they within Harflue praie parlée.
The capteins within the towne, perceiuing that they were not able long to resist the continuall assaults of the Englishmen, knowing that their wals were vndermined, and like to be ouerthrowne (as one of their bulwarks was alredie, where the earles of Huntington and Kent had set vp their banners) sent an officer at armes foorth about midnight after the feast daie of saint Lambert, which fell that yeare vpon the tuesdaie, to beséech the king of England to appoint some certeine persons as commissioners from him, with whome they within might treat about some agréement. The duke of Clarence, to whome this messenger first declared his errand, aduertised the king of their request, who granting thereto, appointed the duke of Excester, with the lord Fitz Hugh, and sir Thomas Erpingham, to vnderstand their minds, who at the first requested a truce vntill sundaie next following the feast of saint Michaell, in which meane time if no succour came to remooue the siege, they would vndertake to deliuer the towne into the kings hands, their liues and goods saued.
A fiue daies respit.
The king aduertised hereof, sent them word, that except they would surrender the towne to him the morow next insuing, without anie condition, they should spend no more time in talke about the matter. But yet at length through the earnest sute of the French lords, the king was contented to grant them truce vntill nine of the clocke the next sundaie, being the two and twentith of September; with condition, that if in the meane time no rescue came, they should yéeld the towne at that houre, with their bodies and goods to stand at the kings pleasure. And for assurance thereof, they deliuered into the kings hands thirtie of their best capteins and merchants within that towne as pledges. But other write, that it was couenanted, that they should deliuer onelie twelue pledges, and that if the siege were not raised by the French kings power within six daies next following, then should they deliuer the towne into the king of England hands, and thirtie of the chéefest personages within the same, to stand for life or death at his will and pleasure: and as for the residue of the men of warre and townesmen, they should depart whether they would, without carieng foorth either armour, weapon, or goods.
Harflue yéelded and sacked.