Henry of Monmouth, Volume 2: Or, Memoirs of the Life and Character of Henry the Fifth, as Prince of Wales and King of EnglandTyler, James Endell
History
Henry of Monmouth, Volume 2: Or, Memoirs of the Life and Character of Henry the Fifth, as Prince of Wales and King of England
Tyler, James Endell
Henry V, King of England, 1387-1422
[Footnote 130: In the "History of Agincourt," the
translator of the Chaplain's Memoir (Sloane 1776)
has given a far more faint representation than the
original will warrant of the sufferings to which
the English troops were exposed through this night
of present fatigue and discomfort, and of anxious
preparation for so tremendous a struggle as awaited
them on the morrow. The ecclesiastic, who was
himself among the sufferers, and who has furnished
a very graphic description of the whole affair,
says, "The King turned aside to a small village,
where we had houses, but very few indeed, and
gardens and orchards to rest in." "Ubi habuimus
domos sed paucissimas, hortosque et pomaria pro
requiescione nostra." This the translator renders,
"Where we had houses to rest in, but very scanty
gardens and orchards." The scanty supply was not of
gardens and orchards, but of houses to rest in.
Consequently, except such as those very few houses
could accommodate, the English soldiers were all
compelled to bivouac, exposed to the drenching
rains which fell through the night. Of orchards and
gardens there was doubtless an abundant supply, but
they afforded little shelter from the weather, and
no means to the troops of taking refreshing rest.]
At day-break, on Friday, October 25, the French drew up in order of
battle, in three lines, on the plain of Agincourt, through which was
the route to Calais. Of their numbers the accounts both of (p. 166)
English and French writers vary exceedingly, and it is impossible to
fix upon any amount with confidence; probably, however, at the very
lowest calculation they were more than fifty thousand men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account