The king kept his Christmasse at Killingworth, and the morrow after Christmasse daie were certeine writings cast abroad, in great mens houses, and almost in euerie inne within the townes of S. Albons, Northampton, and Reading, conteining sharpe reproofes against all estates of the church, and it could not be knowne from whence those writings came, nor who was the author of them. The king verie earnestlie procured all things to be made readie for the warre, meaning to passe the next summer ouer into France, to recouer his right by force, which by no other meane he saw how to obteine. ¶ In this meane while had the Frenchmen hired a great number of Genowaies and Italians, with certeine carickes and gallies well appointed, the which being ioined with the French fléet, laie at the mouth of the riuer of Seine, and vp within the same riuer, both to stop all succour by sea that should come to them within Harflue, and also to waft abroad, and doo what damage they could vnto the English, as occasion serued. [Sidenote: A great exploit by sea doone by the earle of Huntington.] [Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._] The king therefore yer he passed ouer himselfe, sent the erle of Huntington to search and scowre the seas. This lustie earle, called Iohn Holland (sonne to the earle of Huntington, otherwise called duke of Excester, beheaded at Circester, in the time of king Henrie the fourth, and cousine to the king) with a great nauie of ships searched the sea, from the one coast to the other, and in conclusion incountred with nine of those great carickes of Genes (the which the lord Iaques the bastard of Burbon had reteined to serue the French king) and set on them sharplie. The conflict was great, and the fight long (continuing the more part of a summers daie) but in conclusion, the Frenchmen and Italians were ouercome and fled. Thrée of the greatest caricks with their patrons, and monsieur Iaques de Burbon their admerall were taken, with as much monie as should haue paid the soldiers of the whole fléet for halfe a yeare, and thrée other caricks were bowged. [Sidenote: _Tit. Liuius._] The earle returning backe with this good lucke, found the king at Hampton, who receiued him with thankes, as he had well deserued. Shortlie after, vpon the thrée and twentith of Iulie, the king tooke his ship at Portesmouth, accompanied with the dukes of Clarence and Glocester; the earls of Huntington, Marshall, Warwike, Deuonshire, Salisburie, Suffolke, and Summerset; the lords Rosse, Willoughbie, Fitz Hugh, Clinton, Scroope, Matreuers, Burchier, Ferreis of Grobie, and Ferreis of Chartleie, Fanhope, Graie of Codnore, sir Gilbert Umfreuile, sir Gilbert Talbot, and diuerse other; and so hauing wind and weather to his desire, the first daie of August he landed in Normandie, néere to a castell called Touque, where he consulted with his capteins, what waie was best for him to take concerning his high enterprise. [Sidenote: The number of the armie 16400, of his owne purueiance.]