deliuer vnto the king of England the realme and crowne of France, with the entier duchies of Aquiteine, Normandie and Aniou, with the countries of Poictiou and Maine. Manie other requests they made: and this offered withall, that if the French king would without warre and effusion of christian bloud, render to the king their maister his verie right & lawfull inheritance, that he would be content to take in mariage the ladie Katharine, daughter to the French king, and to indow hir with all the duchies and countries before rehearsed; and if he would not so doo, then the king of England did expresse and signifie to him, that with the aid of God, and helpe of his people, he would recouer his right and inheritance wrongfullie withholden from him, with mortall warre, and dint of sword. ¶ This in effect dooth our English poet comprise in his report of the occasion, which Henrie the fift tooke to arrere battell against the French king: putting into the mouthes of the said king of Englands ambassadors an imagined spéech, the conclusion whereof he maketh to be either restitution of that which the French had taken and deteined from the English, or else fire and sword. His words are these,

The Frenchmen being not a little abashed at these demands, thought not to make anie absolute answer in so weightie a cause, till they had further breathed; and therefore praied the English ambassadors to saie to the king their maister, that they now hauing no opportunitie to conclude in so high a matter, would shortlie send ambassadors into England, which should certifie & declare to the king their whole mind, purpose, and intent. The English ambassadors returned with this answer, making relation of euerie thing that was said or doone. King Henrie after the returne of his ambassadors, determined fullie to make warre in France, conceiuing a good and perfect hope to haue fortunate successe, sith victorie for the most part followeth where right leadeth, being aduanced forward by iustice, and set foorth by equitie.

And bicause manie Frenchmen were promoted to ecclesiasticall dignities, as some to benefices, and some to abbeies and priories within the realme, and sent dailie innumerable summes of monie into France for the reléefe of their naturall countrimen and kinsfolke, he therefore in fauour of the publike wealth of his realme and subjects, in a councell called at London, about Michaelmas, caused to be ordeined, that no stranger hereafter should be promoted to anie spirituall dignitie or degrée within this realme, without his especiall licence, and roiall consent; and all they that should be admitted, should find sufficient suerties, not to disclose the secrets of this realme to anie forren person, nor to minister aid or succour to anie of them with monie, or by anie other meanes. This was confirmed in a conuocation called at the same time by the new archbishop of Canturburie.

Moreouer, such as were to go vnto the generall councell holden at Constance, were named and appointed to make them readie: for the king hauing knowledge from the emperor Sigismund, of the assembling of that councell, thought it not conuenient to sit still as an hearer, and no partaker in so high a cause, which touched the whole state of the christian common-wealth, as then troubled by reason of the schisme that yet continued. Wherefore he sent thither Richard earle of Warwike, the bishops of Salisburie, Bath, and Hereford, the abbat of Westminster, and the prior of Worcester, with diuerse other doctors and learned men of the spiritualtie; besides knights and esquiers. They were in number eight hundred horsses, so well appointed and furnished, as well the men as horsses, that all nations maruelled to sée such an honorable companie come from a countrie so far distant.

Diuerse other things were concluded at that present: for the king had caused not onelie the lords of the spiritualtie, but also of the temporaltie to assemble here at London the same time, to treat speciallie of his iournie that he purposed to make shortlie into France: and herevpon meanes was made for the gathering of monie; which was granted with so good a will both of the spiritualtie and temporaltie, that there was leuied the summe of thrée hundred thousand markes English: and herewith order was giuen to gather a great hoast of men, thorough all his dominions. And for the more increasing of his nauie, he sent into Holland, Zeland, and Frizeland, to conduct and hire ships for the transporting and conueieng ouer of his men and munitions of war, and finallie prouided for armour, victuals, monie, artillerie, cariage, boates to passe ouer riuers couered with leather, tents, and all other things requisite for so high an enterprise.

The Frenchmen hauing knowledge hereof, the Dolphin, who had the gouernance of the realme, bicause his father was fallen into his old disease of frensie, sent for the dukes of Berrie and Alanson, and all the other lords of the councell of France: by whose aduise it was determined, that they should not onelie prepare a sufficient armie to resist the king of England, when so euer he arriued to inuade France, but also to stuffe and furnish the townes on the frontiers and sea coasts with conuenient garrisons of men: and further to send to the king of England a solemne ambassage, to make to him some offers according to the demands before rehearsed. The charge of this ambassage was committed to the earle of Vandosme, to maister William Bouratier archbishop of Burges, and to maister Peter Fremell bishop of Liseur, to the lords of Yvry and Braquemont, and to maister Gaultier Cole the kings secretarie, and diuerse others.

These ambassadors accompanied with 350 horsses, passed the sea at Calis, and landed at Douer, before whose arriuall the king was departed from Windsore to Winchester, intending to haue gone to Hampton, there to haue surueied his nauie; but hearing of the ambassadors approching, he tarried still at Winchester, where the said French lords shewed themselues verie honorablie before the king and his nobilitie. At time prefixed, before the kings presence, sitting in his throne imperiall, the archbishop of Burges made an eloquent and a long oration, dissuading warre, and praising peace; offering to the king of England a great summe of monie, with diuerse countries, being in verie déed but base and poore, as a dowrie with the ladie Catharine in mariage, so that he would dissolue his armie, and dismisse his soldiers, which he had gathered and put in a readinesse.

When his oration was ended, the king caused the ambassadors to be highlie feasted, and set them at his owne table. And after a daie assigned in the foresaid hall, the archbishop of Canturburie to their oration made a notable answer, the effect whereof was, that if the French king would not giue with his daughter in mariage the duches of Aquiteine, Aniou, and all other seigniories and dominions sometimes apperteining to the noble progenitors of the king of England, he would in no wise retire his armie, nor breake his iournie; but would with all diligence enter into France, and destroie the people, waste the countrie, and subuert the townes with blood, sword, and fire,