Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (4 of 9): Edward the Fourth, Earle of March, Sonne and Heire to Richard Duke of YorkeHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (4 of 9): Edward the Fourth, Earle of March, Sonne and Heire to Richard Duke of Yorke
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Edward IV, 1461-1483; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
But the duke of Glocester & others, whose swords thirsted for French
bloud, cried out on this peace; saieng that all their trauell, paines,
& expenses were to their shame lost and cast awaie, and nothing
gained but a continuall mocke [and dailie derision of the French king
and all his minions. This imagination tooke effect without delaie.
For a gentleman of the French kings chamber, after the peace was
concluded, did demand of an Englishman, how manie battels king Edward
had vanquisht? He answered, nine: wherein he himselfe personallie had
béene. "A great honoure" said the Frenchman. "But I praie you (quoth
he smiling) how manie hath he lost?" The Englishman perceiuing what
he meant, said: "one, which you by policie, and by no strength, haue
caused him to loose."
"Well" said the Frenchman, "you maie ponder in a paire of balance, the
gaine of nine gotten battels, and the rebuke of this one in this maner
lost: for I tell you, that we haue this saieng; the force of England
hath and dooth surmount the force of France: but the ingenious wits of
the Frenchmen excell the dull braines of Englishmen. For in all battels
you haue béene the gainers, but in leagues and treaties our wits haue
made you loosers: so that you maie content your selues with the losse
in treaties, for the spoile that you gat in warres and battels." This
communication was reported to the French king, who priuilie sent for
the Englishman to supper, and not onlie made him good cheere, but
also gaue him a thousand crownes, to praise the peace and to helpe to
mainteine the same. Yet neuerthelesse, he being not a little mooued
with these brags, declared all the communication to the duke of
Glocester; who sware, that he would neuer haue set foot out of England,
if he had not thought to haue made the Frenchmen once to assaie the
strength & puissance of the Englishmen: but what so euer he thought,
all things were transferred vnto an other end than he could imagine.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie commeth in hast to the king of
England.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall. fol._ Ccxxxj.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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