On this Day in History ... 14th July

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. The King of England, Edward, replied to the aforesaid Louis in these words: "To the most serene prince, Lord Louis, by the grace of God Emperor of the Romans, ever August, Edward, by the same grace King of France and England and Lord of Ireland, greeting, and our continual congratulations on your ever-desired successes. We have respectfully received your letters, which among other things contain that the illustrious Philip of Valois, at your request, has by his letters granted you power to negotiate a concord between us and himself. And that, if it should please us to grant you such authority, you would willingly and gladly devote yourself to re-establishing the said concord; and that the friendship entered into between you and the aforesaid Philip should in no way trouble us, for since we, without your knowledge and assent, accepted truces and terms for treating of peace between us and the said Philip, you, by the counsel of your princes, to whom it seemed that this could be done without injury to your honour, contracted that friendship with him, revoking for that cause the vicariate which you had granted us. And indeed, we greatly commend the zeal which you have for making the said concord, wishing it to be known to your Excellency that we have always desired, and do desire, to have a reasonable peace with the said Philip, which, so far as was fitting, we have pursued with earnestness. And it would indeed be highly desired and acceptable to us if the longed-for peace could be brought about through the effort of so great a mediator; but because we know our right to the kingdom of France to be sufficiently clear, we are not willing to submit it to any doubtful arbitration, nor to commit it to anyone by our letters. Yet, when we carefully reflect how your circumspect judgment, seeing our manifest justice and the obstinate hardness and injury of the said Philip, entered into a league with us against that same Philip, out of your grace, admitting us, as it were, from the abundance of your affection, into the special rank of an adopted son, we cannot sufficiently express our astonishment that your great majesty, which has been divinely appointed for the praise of the good and the punishment of the wicked, has bound itself to the said Philip, our notorious injurer, against us. And as for what is said, that we, without your knowledge and assent, entered into truces and a peace negotiation with the aforesaid Philip, that ought not, when the circumstances are considered, reasonably to have moved you; because, when we were besieging the city of Tournai, it was necessary for us to follow the advice of those who were then giving us company and aid; and the sudden necessity then pressing, together with the distance of the places, did not allow us to consult your highness on the matter. Indeed, you had otherwise, if you recall, granted to us that when an opportunity offered we might negotiate about peace without consulting you, provided, however, that without your consent we would in no way make a final peace with the said Philip, a thing which we had never intended to do before having your prudent counsel and assent in the matter. But we have always had it in our wishes to do for you in all things what we ought, according to our ability, hoping that the fullness of your fatherly goodwill would have supported us with greater kindness for a time. It also seems to some that the revocation of the said vicariate was made prematurely, since, according to the pledge made to us in this matter by imperial letters, it ought not to have been done until we had peacefully obtained the kingdom of France or the greater part of the same. We ask that your inborn nobility will deign to weigh these things duly, and hereafter to do what shall be right; for, by the grace of God, we will always, according to the measure of your favour shown to us, make to you and yours a grateful return to the utmost of our power. May the Most High grant to your highness an increase of the happiness you desire. Given at Westminster, the 14th day of July [1342]."

Rex autem Angliæ Edwardus Ludovico prædicto rescripsit in hæc verba. "Serenissimo principi domino Lodovico, Dei gratia, Romanorum imperatori semper Augusto, Edwardus, eadem gratia, rex Franciæ et Angliæ et dominus Hiberniæ, salutem, et votivis semper successibus gratulari. Serenitatis vestræ literas reverenter recepimus, inter alia continentes quod præclarus Philippus de Valesio ad tractandam inter nos et ipsum concordiam, dedit vobis, ad requisitionem vestram, suis literis potestatem. Et, si placeret nobis potestatem hujusmodi vobis dare, libenti vacaretis animo ad dictam concordiam reformandam; et quod amicitia intervos et præfatum Philippum inita, minime nos moveret, nam ex quo, sine scitu et assensu vestro, treugas ac terminos ad tractandum de pace inter nos et dictum Philippum accepimus; dictam amicitiam cum eo de consilio principum vestrorum, quibus visum fuerit quod hoc, salvo honore vestro, possetis facere, contraxistis; vicariatum per vos nobis concessum propter hoc revocantes. Et quidem zelum quem habetis ad faciendam dictam concordiam plurimum commendamus; volentes vestræ patere notitiæ quod nos pacem rationabilem habere cum dicto Philippo semper optavimus, et optamus; quam in quantum decuit, sumus cum instantia prosecuti. Et, votivum nobis foret admodum et acceptum, si posset fieri per tanti mediatoris instantiam pax optata; sed quia scimus jus nostrum in regno Franciæ satis clarum, illud arbitrio dubio non proponimus ducere alicui per literas nostras committendum. Verum, dum attenta meditatione pensamus qualiter vestra consideratio circumspecta, videns patentem nostram justitiam et dicti Philippi duritiam obstinatam et injuriam, nobiscum contra dictum Philippum, vestri gratia, ligam fecit," velut in specialem adoptionis filium de dilectionis exuberantia nos admittens, ut cum pace vestra loquamur, mirari non sufficimus quod præpotens vestra sublimitas, quæ ad laudem bonorum, et vindictam malorum, est divinitus instituta, contra nos dicto Philippo injuriatori nostro notorio se ligavit. Et id quod dicitur, nos sine scitu et assensu vestro cum præfato Philippo treugas et tractatum pacis iniisse, non debuit, consideratis facti circumstantiis, rationabiliter vos movisse; quia dum obsidebamus civitatem Tornacensem oportuit nos eorum sequi consilia qui nobis comitivam et auxilium tunc fecerunt; et imminens subita necessitas" ac locorum distantia vestram super hoc consulere celsitudinem minime permiserunt. Immo nobis alias, si recolitis, concessistis quod cum opportunitas arrideret, tractare possemus de pace vobis inconsultis, ita tamen quod sine consensu vestro pacem finalem cum dicto Philippo nullatenus faceremus; quam nunquam facere proposueramus, priusquam vestrum super hoc habuissemus providum consilium et assensum. Sed semper in votis gessimus vobis in omnibus facere quod debuimus juxta vires; sperantes quod paternæ vestræ plenitudo benivolentiæ nos ad tempus benignius supportasset. Videtur etiam aliquibus quod revocatio dicti vicariatus facta fuerat præmature, cum juxta sponsionem super hoc per imperiales apices nobis factam, non debuisset fieri, quousque regnum Franciæ vel majorem partem ejusdem pacifice fuissemus adepti. Præmissa, quæsumus, velit innata vobis nobilitas debite ponderare, et ulterius facere quod debebit; quia, per Dei gratiam, vobis et vestris semper, juxta mensuram impensæ vestræ gratam faciemus pro viribus repensivam. Celsitudini vestræ donet Altissimus votivæ felicitatis augmenta. Datum apud Westmonasterium XIV die Julii."

Adam Murimuth Continuation. "Our lord the king, by the expedition undertaken against his enemies, granted to him, as it were, by heavenly promise, as will appear below, rightly exhorts that the following words be spoken: 'Blessed be the Lord, my God, who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight.' For in the twentieth year of his reign, on Wednesday, namely the twelfth day of the month of July [1346], as he was about to cross into France to prosecute manfully his right to the kingdom of France, he landed with his army in the regions of Normandy at La Hogue of Saint-Vaast. There he remained until the following Tuesday, for various reasons: both to refresh himself and his men from the labour of the sea, and also so that his horses and those of his men might be brought ashore from the ships. Nine ships found there, of which eight had fighting platforms at bow and stern, our lord ordered to be burned by fire; which was immediately carried out. On Friday [14th July 1346], while our lord was still staying in that place with his army, some of his men, with common consent, crossed over to the town of Barfleur, believing that they would find there a great multitude of people. However, they found none at all; but they found nine ships equipped with castles at bow and stern, two good crayers [small cargo vessels], and other smaller ships, some of which were burned. The said town of Barfleur might be compared in size and quality to Sandwich. After these men had returned to the king's army, the sailors and those who had remained behind burned the said town of Barfleur entirely, together with very many villages and manors round about. On Tuesday he set out toward Valognes, where he passed the night with his army, provisions being found there in abundance. On Wednesday he advanced toward the bridge of Douve; and when that bridge had been broken by the people of Carentan, our lord the king repaired it that same night. Thus, when morning came, he passed safely with his whole army beyond the said bridge to the town of Carentan, about one English mile distant from the bridge, a town considered as large as Leicester. Wine, goods, and other supplies were found there in abundance; nevertheless, contrary to the king of England's command, the town was partly burned. On Friday our lord the king moved himself and his army to open country near the bank of a certain river, dangerous and deep. The bridge over that river having been broken by the people of Saint-Lô, the king repaired it that same night, and the whole army crossed unharmed. The men of the said town of Saint-Lô, armed and in very great number, had intended to resist our lord the king, gathering their forces on every side; but when they heard of his approach and that of his army, they were seized with fear and, abandoning everything, withdrew altogether. Thus, the town was taken without resistance. Our men found there a thousand tuns of wine and other goods in great abundance, thanks be to God. The town of Saint-Lô is reckoned larger than the city of Lincoln. On the following day our lord the king set out toward a certain abbey, his army encamped in the surrounding towns and countryside. While he remained there for some time, the knights of our army rode out for five or six miles around, burning and plundering all villages, and killing those who wished to resist. On Monday our lord the king departed from that abbey, and on Monday and Tuesday the army likewise remained in towns and open country. On Wednesday, about the ninth hour, approaching the town of Caen, he heard that the said town was full of men in helmets and other armed troops. Whereupon he immediately ordered his battle lines to be drawn up, thinking to meet resistance from those within the town. He also sent some of his men to reconnoitre the town. On returning, they reported that there was a very strong castle there, in which were the bishop of Bayeux, knights, esquires, and many other armed men for its defence. On that side of the river the town appeared large and beautiful. At one end stood a noble abbey, than which none more splendid is found anywhere, where William the Conqueror of England is said to be buried; it was very strongly fortified with walls and towers. In this abbey, strangely enough, those who searched found no one. At the other end of the town there was another abbey of noble ladies. In neither this abbey nor in the aforesaid town of Caen, on that side of the river, did anyone remain, except those who were guarding the castle. The inhabitants of the town had withdrawn to the other side of the river, with arms and all their goods, where the constable of France and the chamberlain of Tancarville were staying with five or six hundred men-at-arms and many others, men of very great rank, as they were held. Some of our army, without command or counsel, made a fierce assault upon the bridge of that town, which was strongly defended. Before it could be taken, they encountered very strong resistance from the enemy. At length the bridge was forced, and they immediately captured the constable of France, namely the count of Eu, and the chamberlain of Tancarville, and about one hundred knights and esquires, and more besides. In that same conflict there were slain very many knights, esquires, and others, lying in gardens, houses, and streets, so many that no one could ascertain or know their number; and as soon as they were dead, they were stripped of everything, their bodies left naked. Of our own men, however, no nobleman was killed, except one esquire, who, mortally wounded, died within two days. In the said town were found provisions and goods beyond number; and it is reckoned larger than any English city or town, except London alone. But when our lord the king departed from La Hogue of Saint-Vaast, as has been said, two hundred ships remained behind. After the king had gone on, the sailors of those ships proceeded together to the town of Barfleur and also to Cherbourg, where there were a good town, a strong castle, and a fine abbey. Finding no resistance, they burned the said towns together with the abbey, and likewise the coastal region from Barfleur as far as a place near the port of Caen, so that they burned the countryside for one hundred and twenty English miles, carrying off abundant goods to their ships. Moreover, they burned completely sixty-one ships fitted with castles at bow and stern, twenty-three good crayers, and twenty-one other smaller vessels."

"Dominus noster rex per expeditionem contra hostes suos, sibi cœlesti promissione concessam, prout inferius apparebit, verba dicere quæ sequuntur rationabiliter exhortatur, videlicet: Benedictus Dominus, Deus meus, qui docet 'manus mess ad prœlium et digitos meos ad bellum.' Nam, anno regni sui XX, die Mercurii, videlicet XIJ, die mensis Julii, versus Franciam transiturus, pro jure suo ad regnum Franciæ viriliter prosequendo, in partibus Normanniæ apud Hoghes de Seint Vaal cum suo exercitu ad terram applicuit. Ibique ad diem Martis proxime sequentem moram traxit, causis diversimodis ad hoc ductus, ut se et suos per requiem de labore maritimo recrearet similiter et ut equi sui et suorum de navibus et ducerentur. Novem naves ibidem inventas, de quibus octo castra anterius et posterius habuerunt, dominus noster igni jussit comburi; quod incontinenti fuerat expeditum. Die autem Vencris, domino nostro in eodem loco adhuc com et morante cum suo exercitu, quidam de suis ad villam de Barflet consensu unanimi trausierunt, credentes ibidem mag et nam hominum multitudinem et invenisse; non tamen invene et runt aliquos respective, sed novem naves, in parte anteriori et posteriori castra habentes, duas et bonas crayers, et alias naves minores, de quibus aliquæ sunt combustæ. Dicta autem villa de Barflet ad villam de Sandwyco quantitate et qualitate poterat comparari. Quibus ad exercitum domini regis reversis, nautæ et retro manentes dictam villam de Bar et flet totaliter combusserunt, cum villis et maneriis in circuita valde multis Die vero Martis ad Valeingnes iter suum arripuit, ibique cum suo exercitu pernoctavit, victualibus ad plenum ibidem inventis. Die Mercurii versus pontem Dovatum transivit, quo quidem ponte per gentes villæ Carantanæ dofracto, dominus nostor rex eadem nocte pontem prædictum refecit; unde, mane facto, ultra dictum pontem sanus et salvus cum toto suo exercitu pertransivit usque ad villam Carantanæ prædictam, a dicto ponte per unum milliare Anglicum situatam, quæ quidem villa ita grossa sicut Ley et cestria reputatur. Vino, bonis, et aliis ad plenum receptis, ptæcepto regis Angliæ contrario non obstante, villa pro parte est combusta. Die autem Veneris dominus noster rex se et suum exercitum transtulit ad villas campestres juxta ripam cujusdam aquæ periculosæ etiam et profandæ. Ponte ejus et dem aquæ per gentes de Seint Loo defracto et per dominam regem eadem nocte refecto, totus noster exercitus aquam prædictam transivit illæsus. Homines vero dictæ villæ de Seint Loo armati et alii in numero valde magno domino nostro regi fuerant in proposito resistendi, sibi viribus un et dique congregatis; sed de adventu suo et sui exercitus exaudito, metu ducti, relictis omnibus, unanimiter reces et serunt; unde illa capta est, nemine resistente. Nostri ctiam ibidem vini mille dolea habuerunt et alia bona, benedicto Deo, in multitudine copiosn. Villa vero prædicta do Seint Loo major civitate Lincolniæ reputatur. Die autem crastina dominus noster rex ad quandam abathiam arripuit iter suum, exercitu suo sibi in villis et campestribus in circuitu adjacente. Unde, domino nostro rege ibidem aliquotiens commorante, equites nostri exercitus per v. vel vj. milliaria in circuitu equitantes, villas omnes comburendo et spoliando, volentes resistere occiderunt. Die vero Lunæ dominus noster rex cum suo exercitu de dicta abathia recessit, et in villis et cam et pestribus die Lunæ et die Martis similiter morabantur. Die autem Mercurii, circa horam nonam, ad villam Cadomi ac et cedens, audivit quod villa Cadomi supradicta galeatis et armatis aliis erat plena. et Unde jussit et continuo suas acies ordinari, credens per exsistentes in villa obviam habuisse. Præterea misit aliquos de suis ad videndam villam Cadomi supradictam; unde venientes castrum ibidem invenerant valde forte, in quo erant episcopus Bayocensis, milites, ar et migeri, et alii armati, pro dicti castri custodia, valde multi. Ex illa parte aquæ villa grossa dinoscitur et formosa. In uno fine villæ prædictæ nobilis abathia consitur, qua nobilior nullucubi reperitur, ubi bonæ memoriæ Willelmus conquæstor Angliæ dicitur tumulatus; etenim muris et turribus valde fortiter est munita. In qua, quod mirum fuit, quærentes neminem invenerunt. In alio fine cjusdem villa est alia dominarum nobiliam abathis. In qua quidem abathia nec in villa Cadomi sæpedicta, ex illa parte aquæ, aliquis mora et batur, his exceptis qui dicti castri custodiam habuerunt. Gentes autem dictæ villæ se in villam ad aliam partem aquæ, cum armis et cum omnibus aliis, transtulerunt; ubi constabu et larius Franciæ et et camerarius Tankerville, cum quingentis vel sexcentis armatis et multis aliis, morabantur, qui valde magni et domini quasi al omnibus reputantur. Quidam vero nostri exercitus, sine consensu seu consilio, ponti dictæ villæ, defensioni et et bus multis munito, insultum fortem dederunt; et, antequam et capi posset, per adversarios habuerunt resistentiam valde fortem. Ponte tandem quæsito, prædictos constabularium Franciæ, videlicet comitem de Ewe, et camcrarium de Tan et kerville incontinenti ceperunt et circiter c. milites et armi et geros c. et plures. Eodem otiam conflictu sunt occisi et milites et armigeri et alii, in hortis, domibus, et plateis jacentes, in numero valde magno, ad quorum numerum vel et notitiam quis devenire non poterat, quin statim, cum mortui faerant, corpore nudo relicto, de omnibus fuerant spoliati. De nostris tamen nullus nobilis periit præter unum armi et geram, qui letaliter vulneratus infra duos dies sequentes decessit. In villa prædicta victualia et alia bona sine numero sunt inventa; quæ vero major tenctur civitate seu villa qualibet Anglicana, civitate Londoniarum dumtaxat excepta. Sed, quando dominus noster rex de villa de Hoghes de Scint Vaal, ut præfertur, recessit, ducentæ naves a retro remanserunt. Undo, rege præterito, nautæ navium prædictaram ad villam de Rothomasse ac ctiam ad villam de Cheyrburgh unanimiter transierunt; ubi villa bona, castram forte, et pulchra abathia etiam habebantur. Resistentia non inventa, villas prædictas cum abathia præ et dicta arserunt; et similiter patriam maris lateri adjacentem a villa de Rothomasse usquo ad villum de Hostreyne, quæ juxta portum Cadomi situatur; ita quod per C et XX milliaria Anglicana patriam concremaverunt, unde bona ad naves suas tulerant in multitudine copiosa. Præterea sexaginta et et et unam naves, castra in parte anteriori et posteriori habentes, XX tres bonas crayers, et alias naves minores XX et unam, totaliter concremaverunt."

Memoires Jacques du Clercq. Although above I have treated at length the war that the Duke of Burgundy had against the people of Ghent, without interruption, as if no other events had taken place, so as not to mix one matter with another, nevertheless, in that same year 1453, after Charles VII, king of France, had spent all the winter making preparations to reconquer the lands of Guyenne and the Bordelais, on the 2nd day of June of that year, the king departed from the castle of Lusignan and went to Saint-Jean-d'Angély. On the 12th day of that same month, the siege was laid before Cadillac in the Bordelais by Sir Jacques de Chabannes, grand master of the king's household, and by the count of Penthièvre, lord of Saint-Sever-de-Boncat. On the 17th day following, the said Cadillac was taken by assault by the aforesaid lords and others of their company, numbering four to five hundred lances, along with archers and guisarmiers and a certain number of francs-archers. There were in the town a garrison of one hundred and sixty fighting men, of whom eighty were killed when the town was taken, and the others withdrew into a tower, where they held out for some time awaiting relief, which did not come; and so they were compelled to surrender at the king's will. They numbered eighty men, all of whom were beheaded, because they had previously sworn allegiance to the king and had then turned English. The lord of Lesparre had departed from Bordeaux, intending to come to their aid; but on the way he learned of the capture of the town, and therefore hastily turned back. In that same year 1453, on the 14th day of July, the French laid siege to the town of Castillon in Périgord, situated on the river Dordogne and held by the English. The siege was conducted by the lord of Lohéac and the lord of Jallanges, marshal of France, and several other knights and men-at-arms, to the number of sixteen to eighteen hundred men-at-arms, along with archers. Among them were the troops of the count of Maine and those of the count of Nevers, led by Sir Ferry de Francy; also the troops of the count of Castres, son of the lord of La Marche; Jean de Messignac and Guillaume de Luzarc; and the troops of the duke of Brittany, commanded by the count of Étampes, his nephew, though led in his stead by the lord of La Hunaudière and the lord of Montauban, since the count had remained with the king. There also was the king's great and small artillery, under the command of Master Jean Bureau and his brother Gaspard Bureau, master of the artillery, and they had in their company seven hundred labourers, who, by the direction of the said Jean Bureau and his brother, quickly enclosed a camp with ditches in which all the artillery was placed. Thus the siege was laid before Castillon. When this came to the knowledge of Lord Talbot, he departed immediately and in haste from the city of Bordeaux, accompanied by eight hundred to a thousand English cavalry, among whom were his son, the lord of Lisle, the lord of Molins, and several others from the kingdom of England, both knights and squires, as well as men from the Bordelais. Following them came four to five thousand English infantry, and the said Talbot arrived before the siege on Wednesday, the 17th of July, around daybreak.

COMBIEN que cy devant j'ay traictié tout au long la guerre que olt le duc de Bourgogne contre ceulx de Gand sans y entrelacher, comme n'y eust d'aultres choses advenues, adfin que j^e n'entrelache les unes matieres avec les aultres, toutesfois audit an mil iiija liij, après ce que Charles vij^e de ce nom, roy de Franche, olt tout l'hyver passé fait toutes ses preparations, pour reconquester le pays de Guyenne et de Bourdelois; le second jour de juing audit an, icelluy roy se partist du chasteau de Lusignem et alla à St Jehan d'Angely; et le douziesme jour dudit mois, fust mis le siege devant Calaix en Bourdelois, par messire Jacques de Chabanne, grand maitre d'hostel du roy, et par le comte de Penthievres, sieur de St Severe de Boncat; et le dix septiesme jour ensuivant, fust icelluy Calaix prins d'assault par les Srs dessusdits et aultres de leur compagnie, en nombre de quatre a cinq cens lanches, et les archiers et guisarmiers avecq certain nombre de francs archiers, et y avoit dedans la ville en garnison huit vingt combattants, desquels a la prinse de la ville feurent tués quatre vingt, et les aultres se retirerent en une tour ou ils feurent certain espace de temps en attendant secours, lequel ne leur vint pas, sy le convint rendre a la vollonté du roy, lesquels estoient au nombre de quatre vingt hommes, qui touts feurent descappités pour ce que auparavant avoient fait serment au roy et puis s'estoient retournés Anglois. Le Sr d'Engladres s'estoit party de Bourdaulx, les cuidant venir secourir; mais, en venant il sceut la prinse de la ville, pourquoy il s'en retourna hastivement. Audit an liij, le xiiij^e jour du mois de juillet fust mis le siege par les Franchois devant la ville de Chastillon en Perrigort, assis sur la riviere de Dordonne, occupée par les Anglois, et y fust mectre le siege le Sr de Loheur, et le Sr de Jalloinges, mareschal de Franche, et plusieurs aultres chevalliers et gens de guerre jusques au nombre de seize a dix huit cens hommes d'armes, et les archers, entre lesquels estoient les gens du comte du Maine et les gens du comte de Nevers, que conduisoit messire Ferry de Francy; aussy y estoient les gens du comte de Castres, fils du St de la Marche; Jehan de Messignac et Guillaume de Luzarc, et les gens du comte de Bretaigne, dont estoit chief le comte d'Estampes son nepveu; et pour lui le conduisoit le Sr de la Hinnaudiere et le Sr de Montauban, pour ce que ledit comte estoit demouré vers le roy. Et la estoit la grosse et menue artillerie du roy, dont avoit la charge maitre Jehan Bureau et Jaspart Bureau son frere, maitre de ladite artillerie, et avoient en leur compagnie sept cens mannouvriers, lesquels, par l'ordonnanche d'icelluy maitre Jehan Bureau et son frere, clorent hastivement un camp de fossés ou estoit toute l'artillerie: et adonc fust mis le siege devant Chastillon. Ce venu a la cognoissance du Sr Tallebot, il se partist incontinent et en haste de la ville de Bourdaulx, accompagnié de huict cens a mille Anglois de cheval, entre lesquels, estoit son fils, Sr de Lisle, le S de Molins et plusieurs aultres du royaume d'Angleterre, tant chevalliers que escuyers et aussy du pays de Bourdelois, et après venoient quatre a cinq mille Anglois de pied, et arriva icelluy Tallebot devant ledit siege, le merquerdy, xvij^e de juillet, environ le poinct du jour.

Memoires Jacques du Clercq. On the 14th day of the said month of July, the Count of Clermont and those of his company went to lay siege to the château neuf of Made, and remained before it for the space of fifteen days. The place was held for the king of England by the lord of Lisle, a Gascon knight, who, seeing that it was impossible to hold it any longer, surrendered it to the French. This done, the said count and those of his company went to lay siege to Blanquefort. There the Count of Foix and the lord of Lautrec, his brother, departed from them and went to lay siege to the castle of Cadillac; and the lord of Xaintrailles went before Saint-Macaire and brought it into the obedience of the king; and the lord of Albret left before Blanquefort and went before Langon and Villandraut, which he likewise brought into the obedience of the king of France. Meanwhile, the other French were still before Blanquefort, and at one time the French were maintaining two or three sieges at once, numbering a thousand lances, including the men of the Count of Armagnac, led by a squire named Lasse de Lange, seneschal of Rouergue. While the siege was before Cadillac, the Count of Clermont continued to maintain the siege before Blanquefort and held it until it surrendered to him.

Le xiiij^e dudit mois de juillet, le comte de Clermont et ceulx de sa compagnie, allerent mectre le siege devant le chastel noeuf de Made, et feurent devant par l'espace de quinze jours, et tenoit la place pour le roy d'Angleterre le St de Lisle, chevallier gascon, lequel voyant lui estre impossible de la plus tenir, la rendit aulx Franchois. Ce fait, icelluy comte et ceulx de sa compagnie allerent mectre le siege devant Blanfort, et la se partist d'eulx le comte de Foix et le S de Lautrec son frere, et allerent mectre le siege devant le chastel de Cadillacq, et le S de Santralles alla devant St Malcaire, et le meit en l'obeissance du roy, et le S d'Albrecq se partist de devant Blancfort, et alla devant Langon et Villendras, lesquels il meit pareillement en l'obeissance du roy de Franche; estant les aultres Franchois encoires devant Blancfort, et tenoient a la fois les Franchois deux ou trois sieges, lesquels on nombroit mille lanches, en ce comprins les gens du comte d'Ermignac, que conduisoit ung escuyer nommé Lasue de Lange, seneschal de Rouargue. Cependant que le siege estoit devant Cadillacq,: le comte de Cleremont tenoit toujours le siege devant Blancfort et le tint tant qu'il se rendit a lui.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 14th July 1664. Thence to my Lord's again, and my Lord being up, was sent for up, and he and I alone. He did begin with a most solemn profession of the same confidence in and love for me that he ever had, and then told me what a misfortune was fallen upon me and him: in me, by a displeasure which my Chancellor [aged 55] did show to him last night against me, in the highest and most passionate manner that ever any man did speak, even to the not hearing of any thing to be said to him: but he told me, that he did say all that could be said for a man as to my faithfullnesse and duty to his Lordship, and did me the greatest right imaginable. And what should the business be, but that I should be forward to have the trees in Clarendon Park [Map] marked and cut down, which he, it seems, hath bought of my Lord Albemarle [aged 55]; when, God knows! I am the most innocent man in the world in it, and did nothing of myself, nor knew of his concernment therein, but barely obeyed my Lord Treasurer's [aged 57] warrant for the doing thereof. And said that I did most ungentlemanlike with him, and had justified the rogues in cutting down a tree of his; and that I had sent the veriest Fanatique [Deane [aged 30]] that is in England to mark them, on purpose to nose [provoke] him. All which, I did assure my Lord, was most properly false, and nothing like it true; and told my Lord the whole passage. My Lord do seem most nearly affected; he is partly, I believe, for me, and partly for himself. So he advised me to wait presently upon my Lord, and clear myself in the most perfect manner I could, with all submission and assurance that I am his creature both in this and all other things; and that I do owne that all I have, is derived through my Lord Sandwich [aged 38] from his Lordship. So, full of horror, I went, and found him busy in tryals of law in his great room; and it being Sitting-day, durst not stay, but went to my Lord and told him so: whereupon he directed me to take him after dinner; and so away I home, leaving my Lord mightily concerned for me. I to the office, and there sat busy all the morning.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 14th July 1664. Thence I to the Half Moone [Map], against the 'Change [Map], to acquaint Lanyon and his friends of our proceedings, and thence to my Chancellor's [aged 55], and there heard several tryals, wherein I perceive my Lord is a most able and ready man. After all done, he himself called, "Come, Mr. Pepys, you and I will take a turn in the garden". So he was led down stairs, having the goute, and there walked with me, I think, above an houre, talking most friendly, yet cunningly. I told him clearly how things were; how ignorant I was of his Lordship's concernment in it; how I did not do nor say one word singly, but what was done was the act of the whole Board. He told me by name that he was more angry with Sir G. Carteret [aged 54] than with me, and also with the whole body of the Board. But thinking who it was of the Board that knew him least, he did place his fear upon me; but he finds that he is indebted to none of his friends there. I think I did thoroughly appease him, till he thanked me for my desire and pains to satisfy him; and upon my desiring to be directed who I should of his servants advise with about this business, he told me nobody, but would be glad to hear from me himself. He told me he would not direct me in any thing, that it might not be said that the Chancellor did labour to abuse the King [aged 34]; or (as I offered) direct the suspending the Report of the Purveyors but I see what he means, and I will make it my worke to do him service in it. But, Lord! to see how he is incensed against poor Deane [aged 30], as a fanatique rogue, and I know not what: and what he did was done in spite to his Lordship, among all his friends and tenants. He did plainly say that he would not direct me in any thing, for he would not put himself into the power of any man to say that he did so and so; but plainly told me as if he would be glad I did something. Lord! to see how we poor wretches dare not do the King good service for fear of the greatness of these men. He named Sir G. Carteret, and Sir J. Minnes [aged 65], and the rest; and that he was as angry with them all as me. But it was pleasant to think that, while he was talking to me, comes into the garden Sir G. Carteret; and my Lord avoided speaking with him, and made him and many others stay expecting him, while I walked up and down above an houre, I think; and would have me walk with my hat on. And yet, after all this, there has been so little ground for this his jealousy of me, that I am sometimes afeard that he do this only in policy to bring me to his side by scaring me; or else, which is worse, to try how faithfull I would be to the King; but I rather think the former of the two. I parted with great assurance how I acknowledged all I had to come from his Lordship; which he did not seem to refuse, but with great kindness and respect parted. So I by coach home, calling at my Lord's, but he not within.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 14th July 1667. A very fine day, and so towards Epsum, talking all the way pleasantly, and particularly of the pride and ignorance of Mrs. Lowther, in having of her train carried up? The country very fine, only the way very dusty. We got to Epsum by eight o'clock, to the well; where much company, and there we 'light, and I drank the water: they did not, but do go about and walk a little among the women, but I did drink four pints, and had some very good stools by it. Here I met with divers of our town, among others with several of the tradesmen of our office, but did talk but little with them, it growing hot in the sun, and so we took coach again and to the towne, to the King's Head, where our coachman carried us, and there had an ill room for us to go into, but the best in the house that was not taken up. Here we called for drink, and bespoke dinner; and hear that my Lord Buckhurst [aged 24] and Nelly [aged 17] are lodged at the next house, and Sir Charles Sidly [aged 28] with them and keep a merry house. Poor girl! I pity her; but more the loss of her at the King's house. Here I saw Gilsthrop, Sir W. Batten's [aged 66] clerk that hath been long sick, he looks like a dying man, with a consumption got, as is believed, by the pox, but God knows that the man is in a sad condition, though he finds himself much better since his coming thither, he says. W. Hewer [aged 25] rode with us, and I left him and the women, and myself walked to church, where few people, contrary to what I expected, and none I knew, but all the Houblons, brothers, and them after sermon I did salute, and walk with towards my inne, which was in their way to their lodgings. They come last night to see their elder brother, who stays here at the waters, and away to-morrow. James [aged 37] did tell me that I was the only happy man of the Navy, of whom, he says, during all this freedom the people have taken of speaking treason, he hath not heard one bad word of me, which is a great joy to me; for I hear the same of others, but do know that I have deserved as well as most. We parted to meet anon, and I to my women into a better room, which the people of the house borrowed for us, and there to dinner, a good dinner, and were merry, and Pendleton come to us, who happened to be in the house, and there talked and were merry.

Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire. July 14th, 1843, one of the most interesting barrows ever examined in this vicinity was opened. It is situated upon a ridge of high land, near the village of Biggin, which goes by the name of the "Liffs [Map]," the barrow itself having no specific name: the mound had been sadly mutilated, at least one third of it having been removed; notwithstanding this the truth of Sir Richard Hoare's maxim, "fronta nulla fides," was agreeably exemplified. That hemisphere of the circle which still remained the most perfect was selected as the place where to commence operations: on reaching the thickest part of the circle, which, owing to the depression usual in the middle of most barrows, would be about two yards from the centre, a few human bones, horses' teeth, various animal bones, and two small pieces of a very thick and coarse urn, were found; but not until penetrating to the heart of the barrow was the principal interment discovered. In that situation an octagonal cist was erected of the usual material, namely, thin flat lime-stones, which are admirably adapted for the purpose; this vault was about half filled with stiff clay, imbedded in which lay a fine human skeleton, whose knees were drawn up, according to a general custom, prevalent in the most remote ages. The extreme antiquity of this interment is demonstrated by the simple form and material of the weapons and tools which were, with one exception, deposited in a cluster behind the shoulders of this early denizen of the Derbyshire moors. The skull, which is fine and intellectual, lay on the left side so as to look towards the west, and in the angle formed by the contraction of the knees, was placed a hammer-head ingeniously constructed out of the lower part of the horn of a noble red deer; one end of this instrument is rounded and polished, the other is cut into a diamond pattern, somewhat similar to the wafer stamps used by attorneys. The articles before alluded to as being placed near the shoulders were of a very miscellaneous character, and highly interesting; as showing, after a lapse of several thousand years, that the savage Briton reposing in this cairn had cultivated the art of making war amongst the inhabitants of the forest, in preference to molesting his fellow-savages; as almost the first observed articles were a pair of enormous tusks of the wild boar, the trophies of some, perhaps his last, sylvan triumph; next came two arrow-heads of flint, delicately chipped, and of unusual form; two flint celts or chisels, beautifully chipped and polished at the cutting edges; two spear-heads of the same material; two flint knives polished on the edge, one of them serrated on the back, in order to serve as a saw; and numerous other pieces of flints of indescribable form and use, which, together with all the flint instruments enumerated above, seem to have undergone a partial calcination being gray tinted with various shades of blue and pink; with these utensils were found three pieces of red ochre, the rouge of these unsophisticated huntsmen which, even now, on being wetted imparts a bright red colour to the skin, which is by no means easy to discharge. Upon the summit of the little heap, formed by this accumulation of relics, lay a small drinking or incense cup of novel and unprecedented shape, which was unfortunately broken and crushed, but has been since restored. The absence of instruments of metal in this and other barrows should be borne in mind; it is commented on in another part of this work.