Hall's Chronicle 1528
Hall's Chronicle 1528 is in Hall's Chronicle.
The King kept the day of Saint George with the companions of the order of the Garter with great solemnity at his manor of Richmond, where to him came tidings from the army of the Lord Lawtrick in Italy, which letters showed that the Lord Lawtrick had sent the Lord Peter de Nauarro the third day of Marche last past to a great town called Melsse with two thousand Frenchmen, and within the town were eight hundred Spaniards good men of war, the lord Peter de Nauarro besieged the town, and after gave to the same a great assault, but the Spaniards so defended them with ordinance and resistance that they slew five or six thousand Frenchmen and caused them to retreat. The Lord Lautrick hearing this came in person with a great number to the town of Smel and marvellously beat the town with ordnance and then gave to it a great and fierce assault, and so sore that the Spaniards were put back, yet they defended them, so that it was miracle to behold, for they slew and destroyed four thousand Frenchmen. The French army entered the town on all sides, and yet the Spaniards kept the market with their ordnance as long as they might, but at the last being oppressed with multitude they all were slain without mercy, so cruel were the Frenchmen. In this town was taken the prince of Melif a noble man pertaining to the Emperor. Thus was the town of Mersse taken and spoiled, not greatly to the Frenchmen’s profit, for they lost almost ten thousand men which sore diminished their power.
01 May 1528. Although that this season was an abstinence of war taken between the King of England and the Lady Margaret so that the Dutch nation might safely come and go into England and the Englishmen might safely repair thither, yet between the Frenchmen and the Flemings was hot war on the frontiers, and many a prisoner was taken, and many men slain, and likewise the one part took the other on the seas, and sometime the Frenchmen would spoil English ships, saying that they had Flemings goods or Spaniards goods, and likewise the Flemings would enter the English ships, and say they had Frenchmen’s goods, so the Englishmen lost till the King sent ships to keep the sea: But for a truth the Spaniards were strong on the sea, and to the Frenchmen did much harm. The King perceiving there was nothing concluded between the Emperor and him, thought not to be behind hand, wherefore he ordained that the Lord Sudes should pass to Guînes with a thousand soldiers that was five hundred archers and five hundred horsemen, and that the Duke of Suffolk should pass one after with a great army to invade Flanders. These Lords made much preparation and mustered their men at the Mantels beside Saint Jones and was ready to depart, but the Emperor's ambassador and the ambassador of Flanders so much did with the King and his counsel (and the French King also assented) that truce was taken between England, Flanders, and the countries of Picardy on this side the water of Somme for eight months, the peace to begin the first day of May, and to endure to the last day of February. This peace was proclaimed in London the nineteenth day of June, so that now all Englishmen might lawfully passe into the Low Countries but not into Spain, which sore grieved merchants that haunted [?] that parts. In the same proclamation was further contained, that if a final peace were not fully agreed between the said three princes within the said eight months, that then all merchants should have two months after to passe into their own countries with their wares and merchandise in safety. The Emperor soon inclined to this peace, for he saw that by the March many of his friends in high Dutchland and other places took great profile and especially his own low countries, wherefore he thought not to hurt his friends for the displeasure he bare to his enemies of France, and also to show himself loving lo the King of England he was content to take this peace.
In this season the duke Charles of Guelders perceiving the Emperor was at war with France raised a great power of horsemen and came to a great town of Holland called the Hague where the law and justice is kept for that country, by reason whereof the town was very rich and suddenly he entered the town without resistance and spoiled and robbed the town and slew divers persons and with much riches laded their wagons and so departed and carved with him divers rich prisoners. The Lady Margaret governess of the Low Countries hearing of this raised a great power under the conduct of the Lord Isylsteinge [?], which lord with a great puissance entered Gelderland and got the town of Hatton, the castle of Howting, and forayed and destroyed the country: lastly on Whitsunday being the last day May the Guelders gave battle to the lord Isylsteinge and fought valiantly as any men could do but yet by fortune of war they were overcome and fled and were chased a great way and many slain. This chance was while the treaty of peace was in England.
Jun 1528. In the very end of May began in the City of London the sickness called the sweating-sickness, and afterward went all the realm almost of the which many died within five or six hours. By reason of this sickness the term was adjourned and the circuits of Assize also. The king was sore troubled with this plague, for divers died in the court, of who one was Sir Francis Poyntz (age 43) which was Ambassador in Spain, and other, so that the King for a space removed almost every day, till at the last be came to Tyttenhanger [Map] a place of the abbot of saint Albans, and there he with a few determined to bide the chance that God would send him, which place was so purged daily with fires and other preservatives, that neither he nor the queen nor none of their company was infected of the disease, such was the pleasure of God. In this great plague dyed Sir William Compton (age 46) knight and William Carey (age 28) esquire which were of the Kings privy chamber, and whom the King highly favoured and many other worshipful men and women in England.
By reason of this plague the watches which were wont to be kept yearly in London on Saint John’s eve at Midsummer and Saint Peters eve were by the King and his counsel commanded to be left for that year, wherefore the Armourers made great suit to the King and declared their great hinderance, which was not so much considered as the mischief that might have ensued if that so great a number should have assembled together in that whole time and the plague of sweating reigning. Now let us leave England all this summer season troubled and vexed with this sweating sickness, and let us return to the affairs of Italy.