Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (05 of 12): Henrie the SecondHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (05 of 12): Henrie the Second
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry II, 1154-1189; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
¶ But through this their remisse vsage and loose behauiour, and
forgetting that a temporarie truce is no safe warrant of securitie and
peace, they deriued danger and destruction to themselues; which it had
beene their parts prouidentlie to haue preuented, and not through their
carelesnesse to set open a gap of aduantage to their enimies, who
pursued them with professed hostilitie, notwithstanding they reposed
confidence in the truce that was granted. Héerein they are to be
resembled to the cooks of whome Plautus speaketh verie neatlie, saieng,
---- coquos equidem nimis
Demiror, qui tot vtuntur condimentis, eos eo
Condimento non vtier quod præstat omnibus,
Meaning sobrietie: so these delighting more in their dishes, than
mistrusting their enimies, remembred to take the vse of any pleasure
that the conuenientnesse of this present time might proffer; onelie as
cookes among all their sawces doo mind nothing lesse than sobernesse: so
these in the abundance of their ioies, thought nothing of after claps,
which afterwards made them (like fooles) to sing an vnhappie had I wist.
For the Frenchmen, perceiuing this their negligence, required licence of
the French king to giue assault to the citie, declaring in what state
the matter presentlie stood; who not meaning to violate the reuerence of
that day, and his promised faith, with any such vnlawfull attempt,
commanded his men of warre that made the request in no wise to stirre.
[Sidenote: The Frenchmen assault the citie, without commandement of
their king.] Howbeit the souldiers vpon couetousnesse of the spoile,
raised the ladders to that part of the wall which they iudged to be most
without warders, so that some of them mounting aloft, got vp, and were
about to help vp their fellowes.
[Sidenote: Two préests.] Now it happened (as God would haue it) that two
préests being gone vp into the steeple of the cheefe church, to looke
about them for their pleasures, fortuned to sée where the French men
were about to enter the citie, and streightwaies gaue knowledge to the
citizens beneath. Wherevpon the alarum rose, insomuch that with all
spéed the people ran to the place, [Sidenote: The Frenchmen are
repelled.] and with such violence came vpon their enimies which were
entred vpon the walles, that streightwaies they slue manie of them, and
chased the residue out of the ditches, so that they returned with
bleeding wounds to their campe, repenting them of their vnhappie
enterprise, that turned them to such wo and greeuance.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] The same day a little before night, king Henrie
the father came vnto Rouen, and was receiued into the citie with great
ioy and gladnesse: for he came thither by chance, euen about the time
that the citie had thus like to haue bin surprised & taken at vnwares.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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