Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (3 of 9): Henrie the Sixt, Sonne and Heire to Henrie the FiftHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (3 of 9): Henrie the Sixt, Sonne and Heire to Henrie the Fift
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry VI, 1422-1461; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
The French king foorthwith sent his caruer Iohn Hauart, and Iohn
Cosinet one of the maisters of his requests to the king of England: and
to the duke of Summerset he dispatched Peter de Fonteins the maister
of his horsse. To which messengers answer was made aswell by the king
as the duke, that the fact was doone without their knowledge. And for
the truce to be kept, and not onelie restitution, but also amends to be
made to the duke of Britaine, a daie of diet was appointed to be kept
at Louuiers, where the commissioners on both parts being assembled, the
Frenchmen demanded amends, with no small recompense. The Englishmen
answered, that without offense, nothing by iustice ought to be
satisfied; affirming the dooing of sir Francis Sureinnes to be onelie
his act, without consent either of the king of England, or of the duke
of Summerset his lieutenant and regent.
[Sidenote: P[=o]t de Larch taken by the Fr[=e]chmen by a subtill
sleight.]
But whiles with long delaie they talked of this matter at Louuiers,
certeine French men by aduertisement of a wagoner of Louuiers,
vnderstanding that the towne of Pont de Larch was but slenderlie
manned; the wagoner laded his wagon and passed forward, hauing in his
companie two strong varlets clad like carpentars, with great axes
on their shoulders. And hereto le seineur de Bresse with a chosen
companie of men of armes, lodged himselfe in ambushment néere to the
gate of S. Andrew, and capteine Floquet, accompanied with sir Iames
de Cleremont, and another great companie priuilie lurked vnder a wood
toward Louuiers. When all things were appointed for the purpose, earlie
in a morning about the beginning of October, the wagoner came to the
gate, and called the porter by name, praieng him to open the gate, that
he might passe to Rone, and returne againe the same night.
The porter (which well knew the voice of his customer) tooke little
héed to the other two companions, and so opened the one gate, and sent
another fellow of his to open the formost gate. When the chariot was
on the draw-bridge betwéene both the gates, the chariot-maister gaue
the porter monie, and for the nonce let one péece fall on the ground:
and while the porter stooped to take it vp, the wagoner with his dagger
stroke him in at his throat, so that he cried for no helpe, and the
two great lubbers slue the other porters, and with their axes cut the
axeltrée of the wagon, so that the draw-bridge could not be shortlie
drawen vp. This doone they made a signe to capteine Floquet, which with
all spéed entered the towne, slue and tooke all the Englishmen: and
amongst other, the lord Fauconbridge capteine of the said towne was
taken prisoner. The losse of this place was of no small importance,
being the verie keie and passage ouer the riuer of Seine, from France
into Normandie, being distant from Rone onelie foure leagues.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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