[The tenor of the duke of Yorks submission to king Henrie, vnder his oth.]
I Richard duke of Yorke confesse and beknow, that I am & ought to be humble subiect and liegeman to you my souereigne lord king Henrie the sixt, and owe therefore to beare you faith and truth, as to my souereigne liege lord, and shall doo all daies vnto my liues end; and shall not at anie time will or assent, that any thing attempted or doone against your most noble person: but where so euer I shall haue knowledge of anie such thing imagined or purposed, I shall with all spéed and diligence possible to me, make that your highnesse shall haue knowledge thereof: and ouer that, doo all that shall be possible to me, to the withstanding and let thereof, to the vttermost of my life. I shall not anie thing take vpon against your roiall estate or obeisance that is due thereto, nor suffer anie other man to doo, as farre foorth as it shall be in my power to let it: and also shall come at your commandement when so euer I shall be called by the same, in humble and obeisant wise: but if I be letted by anie sickenesse or impotence of my person, or by such other cause as shall be thought by you my souereigne lord reasonable. I shall neuer hereafter take vpon me to gather anie rout, nor to make anie assemblie of your people, without your commandement or licence, or in my lawfull defense. In interpretation or declaration of the which my lawful defence, I shall report me at all times to your highnesse, and if the case require, to my péeres; nor any thing attempt against anie of your subjects, of what estate, degrée, or condition that they be. But when so euer I find my selfe wronged and agréeued, I shall sue humblie for remedie to your highnesse: and procéed after the course of your lawes, and in none otherwise: sauing in mine owne lawfull defense in maner aboue said, and otherwise haue to your highnesse as an humble and true subiect ought to haue him to his souereigne lord.
All these things aboue said I promise you trulie to obserue and kéepe, by the holie euangelists conteined in the booke that I laie my hand herevpon, and by the holie crosse I here touch, and by the blessed sacrament of our Lords bodie, that I shall now with his mercie receiue. And ouer I agrée me and will, that if I anie time hereafter, as by the grace of our Lord God I neuer shall, anie thing attempt by waie of feat or otherwise against your roiall maiestie, and obeisance that I owe therto, or anie thing take vpon me otherwise than is aboue expressed, I from that time foorth be vnabled, held, and taken as an vntrue and openlie forsworne man, and vnable to all maner of worship, estate, and degrée, be it such as I now occupie, or anie other that might in anie wise grow vnto me hereafter. And this I haue here promised and sworne, procéedeth of mine owne desire and frée voluntée, and by no constraining or coaction. In witnesse of all the which things aboue written, I Richard duke of Yorke (aboue named) subscribe with mine owne hand and seale.
An Reg. 31.
1453.
The councell not forgetting the offer of the Gascoignes, and that they might now haue the citie of Burdeaux, with the countrie round about, by request of the inhabitants, appointed the valiant capteine Iohn lord Talbot earle of Shrewesburie, to go thither with an armie: who arriuing in the Isle of Madre, passed foorth with his power, being scant thrée thousand men, and tooke the strong towne of Fronsacke, and diuerse other townes & fortresses. The inhabitants of Burdeaux, hearing of the earles arriual, sent to him messengers in the darke night, requiring him with all spéed to come and receiue the citie. The earle lost not one houre, but hasted foorth, & came before that citie, yer the Frenchmen within vnderstood anie thing of the citizens purpose. When they were aduertised that there was a gate set open for the Englishmen to enter, they thought to haue escaped secretlie by a posterne: but they were pursued, slaine, and taken by the lord de Lespar, and other of the English armie.
The French people soone wearie of the French gouernment.
After the regaining of Burdeaux, there arriued at Blaie the bastard of Summerset, sir Iohn Talbot, lord Lisle by his wife, sonne to the said erle of Shrewesburie, the lord Molins, the lord Harington, the lord Camois, sir Iohn Howard, sir Iohn Montgomerie, sir Iohn Vernon, with two and twentie hundred men, with vittels and munitions. When the earle was thus (according to his intent) of all things furnished, first he fortified Burdeaux with Englishmen, and store of vittels; and after that he rode into the countrie abroad, where he obteined cities, and got townes without stroke or dint of sword, for the people alreadie wearied of the French seruitude, and longing sore to return to the English libertie, séemed to desire nothing more than to haue the earle to receiue them into the English obeisance. Amongst other townes, the towne and castell of Chastillon in Perigort was to him deliuered, the which he fortified with men and ordinance verie stronglie.