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Published March 2025. The Deeds of King Henry V, or in Latin Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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Ponthieu is in Picardy.
942 Assassination of William "Longsword"
1338 French Raid on Southampton
In 1064 King Harold II of England (age 42) shipwrecked at Ponthieu [Map]. He was captured by Bishop Guy Ponthieu (age 37) and imprisoned in Beaurain Castle, Beaurainville.
On 18 May 1302 Matilda Somery (age 65) died at Ponthieu [Map].
Froissart Book 1 Chapter 37. 05 Oct 1338. Upon king Philip's (age 44) receiving the challenges from king Edward (age 25) and his allies, he collected men at arms and soldiers from all quarters; he sent the lord Gallois de la Bausme, a good knight from Savoy, to the city of Cambray [Map], and made him governor thereof, in conjunction with sir Thibault de Marneil and the lord of Roye: they might be, including Spaniards and French, full two hundred lances. The king seized the county of Ponthieu [Map], which the king of England had before held by right of his mother (age 43); and he also sent and entreated some lords of the empire, such as the count of Hainault his nephew (age 31), the duke of Lorrain (age 18), the Count of Bar (age 23), the bishop of Metz, the bishop of Liege, not to commit any hostile acts against him or his kingdom. The greater part of them answered as he could have wished; but the count of Hainault, in a very civil reply, said that although he should be at all times ready to assist him or his realm against any one, yet as the king of England made war in behalf of the empire, as vicar and lieutenant of it, he could not refuse him aid and assistance in his country, as he held lands under the empire. The king of France appeared satisfied with this answer, not however laying much stress on it, as he felt himself in sufficient strength to oppose his enemies.
As soon as sir Hugh Quiriel, sir Peter Bahucet, and Barbenoire, were informed that hostilities had commenced, they landed one Sunday morning in the harbour at Southampton, Hampshire [Map], whilst the inhabitants were at church: Normans, Picards, and Spaniards entered the town, pillaged it, killed many, deflowered maidens and forced wives; and having loaded their vessels with the booty, they fell down with the tide, and made sail for the coast of Normandy. They landed at Dieppe, and there divided the plunder.
Around 1583 Bridget Copley (age 48) died in Ponthieu [Map]
Continents, Europe, France, Picardy, Ponthieu, Abbeville [Map]
In 1512 John de Bruges 2nd Earl of Winchester (age 54) died at Abbeville [Map].
On 09 Oct 1514 Louis XII King France (age 52) and Mary Tudor Queen Consort France (age 18) were married at Abbeville [Map], Somme. She by marriage Queen Consort France. Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 37), Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West (age 57), Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 44) and his son George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham (age 17), Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 42) and Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset (age 27) attended. The difference in their ages was 33 years. She the daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England. He the son of Charles Valois Duke Orléans and Mary La Marck Duchess Orléans. They were second cousin twice removed.
Wriothesley's Chronicle. 09 Oct 1514. A peace betwene the King (age 23) and French King (age 52) duringe both their lives; and the Ladie Marie (age 18), sister to the King, married to the French King,d at Abireld [Map],e in Picardye, in October.f
Note d. The Princess Mary was in her seventeenth year, and her husband Louis XII, to whom she was third wife, in his fifty-fourth year.
Note e. At Abbeville [Map], in Picardy. From which place Mary, three days after her marriage, wrote letters to her brother and Wolsey.
Note f. The marriage ceremony had been preriously celebrated at Greenwich by proxy, but was not consummated till October 9th. For fuller particulars, see Ellis's Original Letters, First and Second Series.
Ellis' Letters. 12 Oct 1514. Mary Queen of France (age 18) to King Henry the Eighth (age 23).
[MS. COTTON. CALIG. D. vi. fol. 253. Orig.]
MY good Brother as hertly as I can I recomaund me unto your Grace, mervelynge moch that I never herd from you syns ... re depertynge, so often as I have sent and wrytten to you. And now am I left post a lone in effect; for on the morn next after . . e maryage my chambirlayn with all other men servants wer dischargd and in lyke wyse my mother Guldeford (age 51) with other my women and maydyns, except such as never had experiens nor knowlech how to advertyse or gyfe me counsell yn any tyme of nede, which is to be fered more schortly then your Grace thought at the tyme of my depertynge, as my mother Guldeford can more playnly schew your Grace then I cann wryt; to whom I beseche you to gyve credens. And yf hit may be by eny meane possible, I humbly requyr you to cause my seyd mother Guldeford to repayr hither once agayn. For ells if any chauns happe other then weale I schall not knowe wher nor of whom to aske any good counsell to your pleasur, nor yet to myn own proffit. I merveill moche that my Lord of Northfolke (age 41) wold at all tymes so lyghtly graunt every thynge at ther reqwests here. I am weale assured that when ze know the trouth of every thyng as my mother Guideford can schew you, ze wold full lyttyll have thowght I schold have ben thus intreated: that wold God my Lord of Zorke (age 41) had com with me yn the rome of Northfolke: for then am I sure I schuld have bene left moch more at my herti .... then I am now.
And thus I byd your Grace fare weale with .... as ever had Prince; and more herds ease then I have now ... a Abvile [Map] the xijth . day of October.
.... gef gredens to my mowder Geldeford.
your lowyng syster MARY QUENE OF FRANCE.
Note a. From Henry the Eighth and his Court accompanied the young Queen to Dover, whence on the second of October she sailed to Boulogne. She reached Abbeville on the 8th and was married on the 9th of that month. The original List of the persons who went in her retinue, signed by Louis himself, is still preserved among the Cottonian Manuscriptsb; though strange as it may seem, almost the whole were dismissed the morning after her marriage. "The Tewesdaye, being the x. daye of October," says Hall, "all th'Englishmen except a fewe that were officers with the sayde Quene, were discharged; whiche was a great sorowe for theim, for some had served her long in hope of prefermente, and some, that had honest romes, lefte them to serve her; and now they were with out service; which caused them to take thought, in so much that some dyed by the way returning, and some fell mad; but ther was no remedy." The Queen's own account of this Transaction will be found in this, and the following Letter. Mother Guldeford who is so particularly mentioned in these Letters, was apparently the Governess, or, as she was sometimes called, the Mother to the Maids of Honor.
Note b. It was as follows:
"Premierement
Mons. le Conte de Nrushere.
Maistre docteur Denton aumosmer.
Messe. Richard Blounte escuyer de scuierie.
Enffans d'onneur: Le filz de Mons. Roos, Le filz de Mons. Cobham, Le filz de Messe. Seymor,
Evrard frere du Marquis.
Arthus Polle (age 12), frere de Monsr. de Montagu.
Le Poulayn.
Francoye Buddis, huissier de Chambre.
Maistre Guille, Medicin.
Henry Calays varler des robes.
Robert Wast.
Madamoyselle Grey, seur du Marquis. [Note. Possibly Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare (age 17)]
Madamoyselle Marie finis fille de Monsr. Dacres. [Note. Possibly Mary Dacre (age 12)]
Madamoyselle Elizabet seur de Monsr. Grey.
Madamoyselle BOLEYNE. [Note. A reference to Mary Boleyn (age 15) rather than Queen Anne Boleyn of England (age 13) since her father Thomas wrote to Margaret of Austria on the 14th of October 1514 requesting the return of Anne - see Manuscripts of J Eliot Hodgkin].
Maistres Anne Jenyngham (age 10). femme de Chambre.
Johanue Daruossc, chamberiere."
John Evelyn's Diary. 12 Nov 1643. The next morning, in some danger of parties [Spanish] surprising us, we came to Montreuil [Map], built on the summit of a most conspicuous hill, environed with fair and ample meadows; but all the suburbs had been from time to time ruined, and were now lately burnt by the Spanish inroads. This town is fortified with two very deep dry ditches; the walls about the bastions and citadel are a noble piece of masonry. The church is more glorious without than within; the market place large; but the inhabitants are miserably poor. The next day, we came to Abbeville [Map], having passed all this way in continual expectation of the volunteers, as they call them. This town affords a good aspect toward the hill from whence we descended: nor does it deceive us; for it is handsomely built, and has many pleasant and useful streams passing through it, the main river being the Somme, which discharges itself into the sea at St. Valery, almost in view of the town. The principal church is a very handsome piece of Gothic architecture, and the ports and ramparts sweetly planted for defense and ornament. In the morning, they brought us choice of guns and pistols to sell at reasonable rates, and neatly made, being here a merchandise of great account, the town abounding in gunsmiths.
John Evelyn's Diary. 27 Jun 1650. I made my will, and, taking leave of my wife (age 15) and other friends, took horse for England, paying the messenger eight pistoles for me and my servant to Calais [Map], setting out with seventeen in company well-armed, some Portuguese, Swiss, and French, whereof six were captains and officers. We came the first night to Beaumont; next day, to Beauvais, and lay at Pois, and the next, without dining, reached Abbeville [Map]; next, dined at Montreuil, and proceeding met a company on foot (being now within the inroads of the parties which dangerously infest this day's journey from St. Omers and the frontiers), which we drew very near to, ready and resolute to charge through, and accordingly were ordered and led by a captain of our train; but, as we were on the speed, they called out, and proved to be Scotchmen, newly raised and landed, and few among them armed. This night, we were well treated at Boulogne. The next day, we marched in good order, the passage being now exceeding dangerous, and got to Calais by a little after two. The sun so scorched my face, that it made the skin peel off.
John Evelyn's Diary. 01 Feb 1652. I dined at Abbeville [Map]; 2nd, dined at Montreuil [Map], lay at Boulogne; 3rd, came to Calais [Map], by eleven in the morning; I thought to have embarked in the evening, but, for fear of pirates plying near the coast, I dared not trust our small vessel, and stayed till Monday following, when two or three lusty vessels were to depart.
Continents, Europe, France, Picardy, Ponthieu, Peronne
Continents, Europe, France, Picardy, Ponthieu, Peronne Communal Cemetery
On 01 Apr 1917 Second Lieutenant Robert Bosse (age 27) died from wounds received at the Battle of the Somme. He was buried at Tempeux-la-Fosse and subsequently buried at Peronne Communal Cemetery. Memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall [Map].
Second Lieutenant Robert Bosse: On 19 May 1889 he was born at Eccleshall, Staffordshire.
Continents, Europe, France, Picardy, Ponthieu, Peronne, Tempeux-la-Fosse
On 01 Apr 1917 Second Lieutenant Robert Bosse (age 27) died from wounds received at the Battle of the Somme. He was buried at Tempeux-la-Fosse and subsequently buried at Peronne Communal Cemetery. Memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall [Map].
Second Lieutenant Robert Bosse: On 19 May 1889 he was born at Eccleshall, Staffordshire.
Continents, Europe, France, Picardy, Ponthieu, Picquigny
On 17 Dec 942 William "Longsword" Normandy I Duke Normandy (age 49) was assassinated at Picquigny by the followers of Arnulf "Great" I Count Flanders (age 52) with whom he was attending a peace conference. He was buried at Rouen Cathedral, Rouen. His son Richard (age 10) succeeded I Duke Normandy. Gunnora Countess Ponthieu by marriage Countess Ponthieu.
