God of his grace gave unto thy kindred
The palm of conquest, the laurel of victory;
They lovéd God and worshipped him indeed,
Wherefore their names he hath put in memory,
Made them to reign for virtue in his glory;
And since thou art born of their lineage,
Before all things that be transitory
Love God and dread, and so 'gin thy passage.
And that thou mayst be resemblable found,
Heretics and Lollards for to oppress,
Like the emperor, worthy Sigismund;
And as thy father, flower of high prowess,
At the 'ginning of his royal nobless,
Voided all cokil[11] far out of Sion,
And Christes Spouse sat there in stableness,
Outraging foreigns that came from Babylon.
Prince excellent, be faithfull, true and stable;
Dread God, do law, chastize extortion;
Be liberal of courage, unmutable;
Cherish the church with holy affection;
Love thy lieges of either region;
Prefer the peace, eschew war and debate;
And God shall send thee from the heaven down
Grace and good hap to thy royal estate.
[11] Cokil = weeds in corn.
BATTLE OF HERRINGS (1429).
Source.—Monstrelet's Chronicles, translated by Johnes, vol. ii., pp. 495, 496. (Hafod Press, 1809.)
The regent duke of Bedford, while at Paris, had collected about five hundred carts and cars from the borders of Normandy and from the Isle of France, which different merchants were ordered to load with provisions, stores and other things, and to have conveyed to the English army before Orleans.... This armament left Paris on Ash Wednesday, under the command of Sir John Falstaff, who conducted the convoy with his forces in good order, by short marches, until he came near the village of Rouvroi in Beauce, situated between Genville and Orleans. Many French captains, having long before heard of his coming, were there assembled to wait his arrival, namely Charles duke of Bourbon, the two marshals of France, the constable of Scotland and his son ... and others of the nobility, having with them from three to four thousand men. The English had been informed of this force being assembled from different garrisons which they had in those parts, and lost no time in forming a square with their carts and carriages, leaving but two openings, in which square they enclosed themselves, posting their archers as guards to these entrances, and the men-at-arms hard by to support them. On the strongest side of this enclosure were the merchants, pages, carters, and those incapable of defending themselves, with their horses. The English, thus situated, waited two hours for the coming of the enemy, who at length arrived with much noise, and drew up out of bowshot in front of the enclosure. It seemed to them that, considering their superior numbers, the state of the convoy, and that there were not more than six hundred real Englishmen, the rest being composed of all nations, they could not escape falling into their hands, and must be speedily conquered. Others, however, had their fears of the contrary happening, for the French captains did not well agree together as to their mode of fighting, for the Scots would combat on foot, and the others on horseback.... In the meantime the constable of Scotland, his son and all their men, dismounted and advanced to attack their adversaries, by whom they were received with great courage. The English archers, under the shelter of their carriages, shot so well and stiffly that all on horseback within their reach were glad to retreat with their men-at-arms. The constable of Scotland and his men attacked one of the entrances of the enclosure, but they were soon slain on the spot.... The other French captains retreated with their men to the places whence they had come. The English, on their departure, refreshed themselves and then marched away in haste for their town of Rouvroi, where they halted for the night. On the morrow they departed in handsome array with their convoy and artillery, and in a few days arrived before Orleans, very much rejoiced at their good fortune in the late attack from the French, and at having so successfully brought provision to their countrymen.