HOW KYNG HARRY THE SYXTH REGNED, BEYNGE A CHILDE NOT ONE YERE OF AGE, AND OF THE BATAYLLE OF VERNOYL IN PERCHE.

Capitulum 17.

AFTER kyng Harry the fyfthe regned Harry his sonne, a childe, and not fully a yere old, whoos regne began the fyrst daye of September the yere of our Lord a thousand four honderd and two and twenty. This kyng beyng in his Cradel, was moche doubted and dradde by cause of the grete Conquest of his fader, and also the wysedome and guydynge of his vncles, the duck of Bedford and the duc of Gloucetre. This yere the xxj. day of Octobre; deyde Charles kyng of Fraunce, and lyeth buryed at saynt Denys; and thenne was the duc of Bedford made regent of Fraunce, and the duc of Gloucetre was made pro|tectour and defendour of Englond. And the fyrst day of Marche after was Syr Wylliam Tayllour, preest, degraded of his preesthode, and on the morne after he was brente in Smythfeld for heresye. This yere Syre Iames Styward, kynge of Scottes, maryed dame Iane, the duchesse doughter of Clarence, of her fyrst husbond therle of Somersete, at saynt Mary Overays. Also this yere, the sevententh day of August, was the bataylle of Vernayl in Perche, bytwene the duc of Bedford, regent of Fraunce, and the Duc of Alaunson, whiche was a greete bataylle. The duc of Bedford hadde on his syde with hym therle of Salesbury Mountagu, the lord Talbotte, and alle the power that they coude make in Normandy, the garnysons kepte, and also many Capytayns with moche peple of the duc of Burgoyns. And on that other syde was the Duc of Alaunson, the duc of Turon that was therle Douglas, therle of Bougham, with many lerdes of Fraunce, and greete companye of Scottes and Army|nakes. And thenne therle Douglas callyd the duc of Bedford Iohan with the leden swerde, and he sente hym worde ageyne that he shold fynde that daye that his swerde was of stele. And soo the bataylle ioyned on bothe sydes, and fought longe, that ther wyst no man who shold have the better a grete whyle; but at last, as God wold, the vyctory fyll on thenglysshe partye. For ther were slayne therle Douglas, whiche a lytel byfore was made duc of Turone, therle of Bowhayn, therle of Almarre, the erle of Tonnar, therle of Vauntedore, and the vysecounte of Nerbonne, whiche was one of them that slewe duk Iohan of Burgoyne knelyng to fore the Dolphyn, and many mo vnto the nombre of ten thousand and moo. And ther was taken pry|sonner Page  559, vol.8 the duc of Alaunson and many other lordes and gentyls of Fraunce; but Scottys that day were slayne doune ryght the substaunce of them alle. In the thyrde yere of kyng Harry the syxth the duke of Gloucetre maryed the duchesse of Holond, and wente over see with her in to Henawde for to take possession of his wyves enherytaunce, where he was honorably receyvyd, and taken for lord of the lond. But soone after he was fayne to retorne hoome ageyne, and lefte his wyf and his tresour that he brought with hym in a toune callyd Mounse in Henawd, whiche promysed for to be trewe to hym. Not with|standyng they delivered the lady to the duc of Burgoyne, whiche sente her to Gaunt. And from thens she escaped in a mannes arraye, and came into Zeland to a toune of her owne callyd Zierixee; And from thens she wente to a toune in Holond called the Ghowde, and there she was stronge ynough, and wythstode the sayd Duc of Burgoyne, and sone after this the duc of Gloucetre sente over in to Zeland the lord Fytzwater, with certayne men of warre and archers, for to helpe and socour the sayd duchesse of Holond, whiche londed at a place in Zeland callid Brewers haven, where the lordes of the countre cam doune and fought with hym, and in conclusion was fayne to withdrawe hym and his meyne to the see ageyne, but yet he slewe and hurte divers lordes and moche peple of the countreye, and soo retorned home ageyne and prevayled noo thyng. Also this same yere therle of Salysbury, therle of Suffolke, the lord Wylby and the lord Scalys, with theyr retenue, leyd syege to the Cyte of Mauns, the whiche Cyte was yolden to them in shorte tyme, with many other stronge townes and Castels to the nombre of syx and thyrtty. This tyme all Normandye and a grete parte of Fraunce vnto Orleaunce was vnder thobeysaunce of the kynge of Englond. And alle the remenaunt of Fraunce was in grete trybulacion and meschyef.