Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum xviii.

IN the fourth yere, the same nyght that the mayer of London Johan Coventre had taken his charge, was a grete watche in London, for affraye that was bytwene the bisshop of Wynchestre and the duc of Gloucetre, protectour. For the mayer with the peple of the cyte wold abyde by the duc of Gloucetre as pro|tectoure of the royamme, but by labour of lordes that wente bytwene, and in especial by the labour of the prynce of Portyngale, ther was appoyntement taken that there was no harme don. And after the bataylle of Vernoyll in Perche, the Duc of Bedforde cam over in to Englond. And on Whitson|daye this yere, at Leyceter, he dubbed kynge Harry knyght; And forthwith the sayd Harry dubbed alle these knyghtes whoos

names folowe, that is to wete: Rychard duc of York, also the sone and heyr of the duc of Norfolk, therle of Oxenford, therle of Westmerlond, the sone and heyr of therle of Northumber|lond, the sonne and heyr of therle of Urmond, The lord Roes, Syr Iames Buteler, the lord Matravas, Syr Harry Gray of Tan|kervyle, Syr William Nevyl lorde Fauconbrydge, Syr George Nevyl lord Latymer, the lord Wellys, the lord Barkley, the sonne and heyr of the lord Talbot, Sir Rauf Gray of Werk, Syr Robert Veer, Syr Rychard Gray, Sir Edmond Hongerford, Syr Robert Wynkefeld, Syre Iohan Boteller, Syr Raynold Cobham, Syr Iohan Passhely, Syre Thomas Tunstal, Syr Iohan Chydyock, Syre Rauf Langford, Syre William Drury, Syre William Ap|thomas, Syre Rychard Carbonel, Syre Rychard Wydenvylle, Sire Iohan Shyrdelowe, Syr Nychol Blonket, Syre Rauf Ratte|clyf, Syre Edmond Trafford, Syre William Cheyne, Syre William Babyngton, Syre Iohan Iune, Syr Gilbert Beauchamp. Item, In the fyfthe yere the duc of Bedford with the duchesse his wyf wente over see to Calays, and a lytel to fore wente over Harry Bisshop of Wynchestre. And on our Lady day Annun|ciation in our lady chirche at Calays, the Bisshop of Wynchestre, whanne he had songe masse, was made Cardynal. And he knelyng to fore the hye auter, the duc of Bedford sette the hatte on his heede, and ther were his bulles redde, as wel of his charge as the reioysyng of his benefyces spirituel and temporel. Also this yere was greete habundaunce of rayn, that the sub|stance of heye and corne was destroyed, for it rayned almoost every other day. This yere the goode erle of Salesbury, Syre Thomas Montagu, leyd syege vnto Orleaunce. At which syege he was slayne with a gonne whiche cam oute of the toune. On whoos sowle God have mercy, Amen. For syth that he was slayne Englisshmen never gate ne prevayled in Fraunce, but ever after beganne to lese lytel and lytel tyl all was loste. Also this same yere a Breton murthred a good wydowe in her bedde withoute Algate, whiche wedowe fonde hym for almesse, and he bare awey al that she hadde. And after this he toke the gryth of hooly chirche at seynt Georges in Southwerke, and there toke the crosse and forswore this lond. And as he wente it happened that he cam by the place where he dyde this cursyd dede in the subarbys of London. And the women of the same paryssh cam oute with stones & canel dunge, and slewe and made an ende of hym, notwithstandynge the conestables and many other men beyng there present to kepe hym, for ther were many women, and had noo pyte. Also this yere the duck of Norfolk, with many gentilmen and yomen, toke his barge the eyght day of Novembre, at saynt Mary Overayes, for to have goon thurgh London brydge; and thurgh mysguydyng of the barge it ouerthrewe on the pyles, and many men drowned; but the duc hym self with twoo or thre leepe vpon

the pyles, and soo were saved with helpe of men that were above the brydge, which cast doune Ropes by which they saved hem self. This yere, on saynt Leonards daye. kynge Harry, be|ynge seven yere of age, was crowned at Westmynstre; at whos Coronacion were made syx and thyrtty knyghtes. This yere, on saynt Georges day, he passyd over see to Calays toward Fraunce. Aboute this tyme and afore, the Royamme beynge in grete myserye and trybulacion, the Dolphyn with his partye beganne to make warre and gete certayne places and make destrusses vpon Englysshmen, by the mene of his capytaynes, that is to wete, La Heer and Poton de Sentraylles, And in especial a mayde which they named La Pucelle de Dieu: this mayde roode lyke a man, and was a valyaunt capytayne among them, and toke vpon her many and grete enterpryses, in soo moche that they had a byleve to have recoverd al theyr losses by her. Notwithstandyng at last, after many grete feates, by helpe and prowesse of sir Iohan Luxemburgh, whiche was a noble capytayne of the dukes of Burgoyne, and many En|glysshmen, Pycardys and Bourgoygnons whiche were of oure partye, byfore the toune of Compyne, the thre and twentyest daye of Maye, the sayd Pucelle was taken in the felde armed lyke a man, and many other capytayns with her, and all brought to Roan, and there she was putte in prysonne, and there she was iuged by the lawe to be brente. And then she sayd that she was with childe, wherby she was respyted a whyle; but in conclusion it was founde that she was not with childe, and thenne she was brente in Roan. And the other capytaynes were putte to raunsonne, and entreated as men of warre ben acustommed. This same yere, aboute Candelmasse, Rychard Hounden, a wolle packer, was dampned for an heretyke, and brente at Tourhylle. And aboute Midlente Syr Thomas Baggely, preeste and vycary of Mavenden in Estsex besydes Walden, was disgrated and dampned for an heretyke, and brente in Smythfeld. Also in this yere, while the kyng was in Fraunce, ther were many heretykes and Lollars that hadde purposed to have made a rysyng, and caste bylles in many places: but blessyd be God, the capytayne of hem was taken, whoos name was William Mandevyle, a wevar of Abendon and bayly of the same toune, whiche named hym self Iak Sharp of Wygmorysland in Wales. And afterward he was byheded at Abendon, in the Whitson weke, on the Tewisdaye.

This yere, the seuenth day of December, kynge Harry the syxthe was crowned kyng of Fraunce at Parys, in the chirche of our Lady, with grete solempnyte, there beyng present the Cardynal of Englonde, the Duc of Bedforde, and many other lordes of Fraunce and of Englonde. And after this Coro|nacion and grete feste holden at Parys, the kyng retourned from thens to Roan, and soo towarde Calays, And the

nynthe daye of Feverer londed at Douer, whome alle the Comyns of Kente mette at Beramdoun, bytwene Caunterbury and Dover, alle in reede hoodes, and soo cam forth till he cam to Blackheth, where he was mette with the mayer Iohan Wellys with alle the craftys of London cladde alle in whyte. And soo they brought hym to London the one and twentyest daye of the same moneth. This yere was a restraynt of the wollys at Calays made by the sowdyours, by cause they were not payed of their wages, wherfor the duc of Bedford, regente of Fraunce, being thenne capitayn, cam to Caleis the Tewsday in the Esterweke, & on the morne after many sowdiours of the toun were arested and putte in warde. And in the same weke he roode to Terewyn, And by the mene of the bisshop of Terewyn he wedded therles doughter of saint Poul, and cam ageine to Caleis. And the enlevenst daye of Iuin, on saint Barnabes daye, there were foure soudyours of Calays, that were chyef causers of the restraynt, byheded, that is to wete, Iohan Maddeley, Iohan Landaye, Thomas Palmer, and Thomas Talbot, And an CX. banysshed the toune that same tyme, And byfore were banysshed sixe score soudyours. And on mydsomer even after cam the lord Regent and his wyf to London.