_+GUISNES.+_ Lord GREY, Governor at Guisnes. _Letter to Queen_ _MARY, 4 January 1558; 7 a.m._ 203 T. CHURCHYARD. _Share in, and Account of, the_ _siege of Guisnes, 11-22 January 1558_ 205 +GEORGE FERRERS+, the Poet. _General Narrative of the Recapture._ [GRAFTON'S _Chronicle_. 1569.] JOHN STOW, in his _Annals_, _p._ 1070, _Ed._ 1600, referring to this recapture, says, "Whereof Master GEORGE FERRERS hath written at large: for he collected the whole history of _Queen MARY_, as the same is set down, under the name of RICHARD GRAFTON." It is clear from UNDERHILL's narrative at _p._ 90, that his friend FERRERS, who had been Lord of Misrule under EDWARD VI., was a Protestant. * * * * * For if ought were won by the having of St. Quentin, England got nothing at all; for the gain thereof came only to King PHILIP: but the loss of Calais, Hammes, and Guisnes, with all the country on that side of the sea, which followed soon after, was such a buffet to England as [had] not happened in more than an hundred years before; and a dishonour wherewith this realm shall be blotted until GOD shall give power to redubbe it with some like requital to the French. At this time, although open hostility and war were between England and France, yet, contrary to the ancient custom afore used, the town of Calais and the forts thereabouts were not supplied with any new accrues [_reinforcements_] of soldiers; which negligence was not unknown to the enemy, who, long before, had practised [_plotted_] the winning of the said town and country. The French King therefore (being sharply nettled with the late loss of St. Quentin and a great piece of his country adjoining, and desirous of revenge) thought it not meet to let slip this occasion; and having presently a full army in a readiness to employ where most advantage should appear, determined to put in proof, with all speed, the enterprise of Calais; which long, and many times before, was purposed upon. This practice [_design_] was not so secret but that the Deputies of Calais and Guisnes had some intelligence thereof; and informed the Queen [MARY] and her Council accordingly: nevertheless, either by wilful negligence there, or lack of credit by the Queen's Council here, this great case was so slenderly regarded as no provision of defence was made until it was somewhat too late.