118 ORIGINAL LETTERS. Of the immense number of ORIGINAL LETTERS that exist in public and private libraries, there are many which, though of great interest, are either of too isolated a nature to have been used by historians and biographers, or have escaped their attention: nor have many of them yet found a place in collections of similar documents. To print the most valuable of such as are inedited, with illustrative notes, forms one part of our plan; and if we are sometimes mistaken in the belief that an article given in our pages is for the first time published, we must hope for that indulgence which those who are best acquainted with the extreme difficulty of ascertaining whether a particular letter has been before published will be the most ready to bestow. In some cases, however, articles of this kind, if of importance, will be purposely introduced from printed books; because numerous royal and other letters have from time to time been added in appendixes to volumes of a nature so wholly unconnected with the objects to which they relate, that they are no less unknown than if they had remained in manuscript; as an example of which the practice of the indefatigable Hearne may be cited. Thus, it is our intention to bring interesting documents to the notice of the public wherever they may be found; and although those which are inedited will be preferred, we shall not confine ourselves to MSS., when they occur in publications where they would never be sought. This remark applies merely to detached letters; for " Collections" of them will be reviewed from time to time among the criticisms of other works of a retrospective nature. The following letters are, it is believed, for the first time published; and each is of some interest. The first is from King Edward the Third, to William le Zouche, Archbishop of York, dated the 30th of July, 1346, informing him of his progress from the time of his landing in Normandy; and of the capture of Caen. The invasion of France on that occasion is so well known to every historical reader, that it is not requisite to say much in illustration of the king's letter, which is chiefly valuable from its presenting a more detailed and accurate account of his proceedings than occurs in Froissart, or any other chronicler of the period, with the exception of Robert de Avesbury. In that writer's 'Historia de Mirabilibus Gestis Edwardi Tertii," he has inserted a very curious letter relating to the same events; and of which a translation is here given, because it singularly corroborates his majesty's statements, and minutely describes many circumstances which are either passed over or merely alluded to in the royal 66 despatch. Edward's letter has been taken from a copy of the "Chronicle of Lanercost," in the British Museum, where it is prefaced by the following words: "In the month of July, 1346, Edward, the famous and illustrious king of England, undertook an expedition against the king of France, to recover his inheritance, due to him in right of his grandfather and uncle, and embarked at Portsmouth with a thousand five hundred ships, and a great multitude of fighting men. On the twelfth day of the same month he disembarked at Hogges, in Normandy, from which he went to the city of Caen, and having killed and taken a great multitude of knights and men-at-arms, he plundered it to the bare walls ;" and in the margin the chronicler adds, "the king's expedition is described in this letter." Froissart informs us, that Edward's army consisted of 4,000 men-at-arms, and 10,000 archers, besides the Welsh and Irish, who served on foot: he states that the king intended to land in Gascony; but, as the wind became adverse, he was persuaded by Sir Godfrey Harcourt to steer for Normandy. A few remarks from Froissart are inserted as notes to the letter which is translated from Robert de Avesbury; hence, it will only be observed, that on the 26th of the following August, Edward gained the battle of Cressy. There are, it is presumed, other copies of his majesty's letter relative to the capture of Caen extant; and many instances occur of despatches being sent to bishops, as well as to the mayor of London, from Edward the Third, and the Black Prince, with accounts of the success of their forces'. The letter in Robert de Avesbury's" Historia" is very interesting, from the comparison which the writer draws between the different towns he mentions and those in England; from the account of Caen; and of the ships which were taken by the English fleet. The original is in French, and was reprinted by Mr. Johnes ; but the translation here given has been compared with a contemporary MS. of the "Historia," in the Museum: such words as are of doubtful import, or admit of a different interpretation than that which has been here given to them, are inserted in the notes. In the quarto edition of Johnes's Froissart there is a plate representing the siege of Caen; but it does not appear in what manuscript the illumination from which it was engraved occurs. KING EDWARD THE THIRD TO WILLIAM LE ZOUCH, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK. Edward par la grace de Dieu Roy Dengleterre et de France et seigneur Dirland, A Lonurable Pere en Dieu W. par la mesme grace 'Archæologia, vol. i. p. 213, and Illustrations of the "Chronicle of London," p. 202. 2 Harl. MS. 200, fol. 99. 1 Ercevesqe Deverwyke, Primat Dengleterre, salutz. Pur ceo qe nous savoms bien qe vous orretz volunters bones novelles de nous, vous fesons assavoir qe nous arrivams a la Hoge prest Barfluz le xij. iour de Juyll' darreyn passe ovesqe toutz noz gentz seyns et saufs, loetz en soit Dieux: et illeoqes demurasmes sur le descippere de nos gentz et chivaux, et le vitaler de noz gentz tank' le Marsdi procheyn ensuant, qen iour nous movasmes od n're host devers Valonges, et preims le chastel et la ville; et puys sur n're chymyn fesoms faire le pount de Ove qestoit debruse par noz enemys; et le passams, et preyms le Chastell et la ville de Carentene. Et de illeokes nous tenysmes le droit chymyn devers la vile de Seynt Leo et trovasmes le pount Herbert prest cele vile rumpu pur aver desturbe n're passage; et nous le feismes maintenaunt refaire: et lendemayn preismes la vile; et nous adresceasmes droitment a Caen, sanz nulle iour soiournir del houre qe nous departismes del Hoge tank' a n're venu illeoqes, et mayntenaunt sur nostre herbergere a Caen nos gentz comencerent de doner assaunt a la vile qestoit mout afforce et estuffe de gentz darmes environ Mill' et sis centz, et comunes armes et defensables et eismes de xxx Mill, qe se defenderent moult bien et apertement si qe le melle fuyit trefort et longe durant, mes loietz ensoit Dieux la vile estoit pris par force au derreine, saunz perde de noz gentz. Y furent pris le Count de Eu, Conestable de Fraunce; le Chamberleyne Tankervill', qestoit a la iourne escriez Mareschal' de Fraunce, et des autres Banerettes et Chivalers enveron cent et qaraunt, et des Esquiers de' riches Burges grant foison et sont mors tou pleyn de nobles Chivalers et gentils hommes, et de communes grant noumbre. Et n're navye qest demurre devers nous ad ars et destrutz tout la couste de la miere de Barfluz iesqes a la fosse de Collevill' prest Caen ; et si ount y ars la ville de Chirbrut' et les neefs de la havene; et sount ars de grant neefs, et autres vesseals des enemys, qe par nous qe par noz gentz, C. ou plus. Par qay nous prioms qe vous regraciez Dieu devotement del exploit qe il nous ad issint done, et luy priez assiduelment qe il nous voille doner bone continuauncz; et qe vous escrives a les prelatz et clergee de v're province qils le facent en mesme le maner, et qe vous notyfiez cest chose a n're poeple en voz partiez en confort de eux ; et qe vous mettes peiniblement v're diligence de resistere a noz ennemys Descoce en sauete de n're people devers voz parties par totes les voies qe vous purretz, sicome nous asseurons enterement de vous, qare nous avoms ia parmy lassent de totes noz grantez qe se monstrount de boen entre et de une volunte pris certeyn purpose de nous hastier devers n're adversarie en qen part qil soit de iour en autre tank' come purromes et esperoms ferment en Dieu qil nous durra bone et honurable de n're enprise; et qe vous deynz bref orretz bone novelles et plesauntz de nous. Done south n're prive seal a Caen le xxx. iour de Juyl' lan de n're Reigne Dengleterre vyntysme. [TRANSLATION.] Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and of France, and Lord of Ireland, to the Honourable Father in God, W, by the same grace Archbishop of York, Primate of England, health. As we it know well that you are desirous to hear good news of us, we inform you, that we arrived at the Hogue, near Barfleur, the 12th day of July last past, with all our forces well and safe, praise be to God; and remained there to disembark our forces and horses, and the provisions of our forces until the Tuesday next following, on which day we removed with our host towards Valonges, and took the castle and town; and then on our route we rebuilt the bridge of Ove, which was broken by our enemies, and passed it, and took the castle and town of Carentene: and from thence we kept the direct route towards the town of Saint Lo, and found the bridge Herbert, near that town, broken, to prevent our passage, and we caused it to be rebuilt, and the next morning took the town; and we proceeded direct to Caen without stopping one day from the time of our departure from the Hogue until our arrival there; and then on our taking up our quarters at Caen our people began to besiege the town, which was strongly garrisoned, and filled with about one thousand six hundred men at arms, and more than thirty thousand armed commoners, who defended very well and ably; so that the fight was very severe, and continued long, but, thanks be to God, the town was at last taken by assault, without loss of our people. There were taken, the Count of Eu, Constable of France, the Chamberlain Tankerville, who was for the time styled Marshal of France, and about one hundred and forty other bannerets and knights, and a great number of esquires and rich burgesses; and several nobles, knights, and gentlemen, and a great number of the commons, were slain. And our fleet, which remained near us, to burn and destroy all the sea coast from Barfleur to the "foss" of Coleville1, near Caen, and have burnt the town of Chirbourgh and the ships in the harbour, and of the enemy's large ships and other vessels above one hundred or more have been burnt either by us or by our people. Therefore, we pray you devoutly to render thanks to God, for the success which he has thus granted us, and earnestly entreat him to give us a good continuance of it; and that you write to the prelates and clergy of your province, that they do the same, and that you signify this circumstance to our people in your neighbourhood to their comfort; and that you laboriously exert yourself to oppose our enemies, the Scots, for the security of our people in your vicinity, by all the means in your power, so that we rely entirely on you: "for, with the consent of all our nobles who evinced a great and unanimous desire that we should do so, we have already resolved"" to hasten towards our adversary, wherever he may be, from one day to another as well as we can; and we trust firmly in God that he will protect us well and honourably in our undertaking, and that in a short time you will hear good and agreeable news of us. Given under our Privy Seal, at Caen, the xxxth day of July, in the twentieth year of our reign in England [Anno 1346]. 1 Colevile is a small port near the entrance of the river Orne. 2 The translation of this passage is submitted with much diffidence. TRANSLATION OF THE LETTER IN ROBERT DE AVESBURY'S HISTORIA DE Be it remembered, that our Lord the King and his Host landed at Hogue de St. Vaal the xiith day of July1, and remained there until the Tuesday next following, to disembark his horses, to rest himself and his men, and to provide provisions3: He found at the Hogue eleven ships, of which eight had castles before and behind, the which were burnt. And on the Friday, whilst the King remained there, some troops went to Barfleur and expected to have found many people, but they saw none; and they found there nine ships with castles before and behind, ij good craiers, and other smaller vessels; the which were also burnt: and the town was as good and as large a town as the town of Sandwich; and after the said troops were gone, the sailors burnt the town, and many good towns and houses in the neighbourhood were burnt. And the Tuesday that the King left he went to Valoignes 1o, and remained there the whole night, and found ' Wednesday." When the fleet of England were all safely arrived at la Hogue the king leaped on shore first; but, by accident, he fell, and with such violence that the blood gushed out at his nose. The knights that were near him said, 'Dear Sir, let us entreat you to return to your ship, and not think of landing to-day, for this is an unfortunate omen. The king instantly replied, For why? I look upon it as very favourable, and a sign that the land is desirous of me."" Johnes's Froissart, chap. cxx. 2 July 18th. Et fourner payn. 6 July 14th.-This account differs much from Froissart's narrative. After describing how Edward had divided his army, he says, "Both the armies of sea and land went forward until they came to a strong town called Barfleur ;" and adds, "which they soon gained, the inhabitants having surrendered immediately for fear of losing their lives; but that did not prevent the town from being pillaged and robbed of gold, silver, and every thing precious that could be found therein. There was so much wealth that the boys of the army set no value on gowns trimmed with fur. They made all the townsmen quit the place, and embarked them on board the fleet."-Johnes's Froissart, chap. cxx. 5 Gentz. • Ove chastiels devant et derere. It is scarcely necessary to state, that the ships of war in the fourteenth century had elevated places in the bow and stern, called castles, which contained the fighting men. "Fore-castle" is still used to describe the fore part of a ship. 7 A craier, or crayer, was a sort of small ship, but whether for war or merchandize does not exactly appear, but most probably_the latter. See Ducange. "Volumus quod centum naves vocatæ Pessoneræ et Creyeris et aliæ minutiæ naves," &c. 8 Manoirs. 9 July 18th. 10 Froissart confounds the operations of Edward's fleet with those of the army. It will be seen from the letters in the text, that whilst |