1422.—At the siege of St. Valery, by the English, under the Earl of Warwick, they “commencerent à abattre la dicte ville de leurs pierres et engins sans cesser, jettans contre les murs d’icelle en les derompant en plusieurs lieux.”—Same, fo. 317.
Same year.—At the siege of Meulan, by the Duke of Bedford, he “là feit dresser contres les portes et murailles grans engins pour icelle confondre et abattre;” and in the Articles of Capitulation, it is provided that the fortress shall be given up, “fortiffiée et garnie de canons pouldres et arbalestres,” &c.—Same, vol. ii. fo. 2.
1427.—The French and Bretons, on raising the siege of St. James de Beuron, defended by the English:—“delaissant audit siege grand foison de bombardes vivres et autres artilleries.”—Monstrelet, vol. ii. fo. 35.
1428, March.—Indenture, in 6th Henry VI., containing the terms on which Thomas de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, engaged to serve in France, with an army, by which it was stipulated that he was to be paid 1000 marks:—“pour convertir et employer en cannons, pierres, charretes, pincees de feer, chasbles, et autres choses necessaires, pour iceulx canons,” &c.; and which also stipulates for the earl’s including in the number of men-at-arms, “quatre Maistres Cannoniers;” each of whom was to be considered as equal to a man-at-arms at 20 deniers Easterlings per day, and that the earl should have, at the King’s expense, “Escipeson pour les canons, pierres, et aultres choses, touchans et regardans le fait de l’artillerie.”—10 Fædera, fo. 392.
Same year, 25th March.—Warrant in 6th Henry VI., for payment, amongst other matters, to John Parker, of Cheshunt, of 1000 marks:—“Pour converter et employer en canons, pierres, en charretes, chariottz, pinces de feer, chasbles, et autres choses necessaires pour icelz canons,” &c.—Same, fo. 395.
Same year, 28th April.—Warrant in 6th Henry VI., to John Parker, to seize and provide carriages for the conveyance of “canones, petras,” &c. &c.—Same, fo. 397.
Same year.—At the siege of Orleans, Thomas de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, was mortally wounded by the splinters of a stone, shot from a cannon (“veuglaire”), whilst reconnoitering there. The besieged defended themselves “en faisans plusieurs saillies en tirant de canons coulevrines et autres artilleries.”
The Duke of Bedford, Regent of France, is mentioned as sending, under the charge of Sir John Fastolf [228] (of Norfolk), to the English, at this siege, “de quatre à cinq cēs que chars que charrettes,” loaded with “vivres, artilleries, et autres marchandizes;” and after an engagement with the French (called by them the “Battle of the Herrings”), the English proceeded in good order, “à tout leur charroy, et leur artillerie, comme brigandines, heaulmes, arbalestres, bastons à feu, et plusieurs autres armeures qu’il fault a gens de guerre par aucuns pou de jours devant la dictè ville,” &c.—Monstrelet, vol. ii. fos. 38, 40, 41.
1430.—At the siege of Compeigne by the English (under the Earl of Huntingdon) and the Burgundians, the unsuccessful result of an attack by the French upon part of the works of the besiegers, is ascribed to “la grande déffence de ceux de dedans qui estoient en une grosse compaignie de combattans et bien pourveuz d’artillerie.” In raising the siege, there were left behind of the Burgundian ordnance, “tres grand nombre de grosses bombardes, canons, veuglaires, serpētines, coulevrines, et autres artilleries avec plusieurs engins,” &c.—Same, vol. ii. fo. 64.
1431.—The French, after a temporary success against the castle of Rouen, were compelled to give it up again to the English, on account of the want of provisions, and being “combattus de plusieurs gros engins que les dits Anglois feirent asseoir contre la grosse tour.”—Same, fo. 78.