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 bastard of Orleance and the Hire were appointed to sée the walles
and watches kept, and the bishop saw that the inhabitants within the
citie were put in good order, and that vittels were not vainelie
spent. In the tower that was taken at the bridge end (as before you
haue heard) there was an high chamber, hauing a grate full of barres
of iron, by the which a man might looke all the length of the bridge
into the citie; at which grate manie of the chéefe capteins stood manie
times, viewing the citie, and deuising in what place it was best to
giue the assault. They within the citie well perceiued this tooting
hole, and laid a péece of ordinance directlie against the window.
[Sidenote: The earle of Salisburie slaine.]
It so chanced, that the nine and fiftith daie after the siege was laid,
the earle of Salisburie, sir Thomas Gargraue, and William Glasdale,
with diuerse other went into the said tower, and so into the high
chamber, and looked out at the grate, and within a short space, the
sonne of the maister-gunner, perceiuing men looking out at the window,
tooke his match (as his father had taught him who was gone downe to
dinner), and fired the gun; the shot whereof brake, and shiuered the
iron barres of the grate, so that one of the same bars strake the earle
so violentlie on the head, that it stroke awaie one of his eies, and
the side of his chéeke. Sir Thomas Gargraue was likewise striken, and
died within two daies.
The earle was conueied to Meun on Loire, where after eight daies he
likewise departed this world, whose bodie was conueied into England
with all funerall appointment, and buried at Bissam by his progenitors,
leauing behind him an onelie daughter named Alice, married to Richard
Neuill, sonne to Rafe earle of Westmerland, of whome more shall be said
héereafter. The damage that the realme of England receiued by the losse
of this noble man, manifestlie appeared; in that immediatlie after
his death, the prosperous good lucke, which had followed the English
nation, began to decline, and the glorie of their victories gotten in
the parties beyond the sea fell in decaie.
Though all men were sorowfull for his death, yet the duke of Bedford
was most striken with heauinesse, as he that had lost his onelie right
hand, and chéefe aid in time of necessitie. But sith that dead men
cannot helpe the chances of men that be liuing, he like a prudent
gouernour appointed the earle of Suffolke to be his lieutenant and
capteine of the siege, and ioined with him the lord Scales, the lord
Talbot, sir Iohn Fastolfe, and diuerse other right valiant capteins.
These persons caused bastilles to be made round about the citie, and
left nothing vnattempted, that might aduance their purpose, which to
bring to wished effect there was not anie want, as of no cautelous
policie, so of no valiant enterprise, tending to the enimies ouerthrow.
[Sidenote: 1429.]
[Sidenote: _Enguerant._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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