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
The Author gives this passage as he finds it,
without having attempted to verify the statement as
to David Gamme's descent or history. Certainly the
testimony which Sir Samuel Meyrick makes Sir Walter
Raleigh bear to his "bravery and exploits on the
field of Agincourt," cannot be fairly extracted
from Sir Walter's own words: "But if Hannibal
himself had been sent forth by Mago to view the
Romans, he could not have returned with a more
gallant report in his mouth than Captain Gamme made
unto King Henry the Fifth, saying, 'That of the
Frenchmen there were enow to be killed, enow to be
taken prisoners, and enow to run away!'" We have no
doubt of Captain Gamme's gallant bearing at
Agincourt; but Raleigh refers to nothing beyond his
report of the numbers of the enemy.--Raleigh, book
v. sect. 8.]
The last-mentioned person is that David Gamme who was ransomed (p. 185)
from Owyn Glendowr, and who is reported to have replied, when
questioned as to the number of the enemy, "My liege, there are enough
to be slain, enough to be taken prisoners, and enough to run away!"
This gallant speech of David Gamme immediately before the battle, (p. 186)
has been delivered down from father to son among his Cambrian
compatriots with feelings of exultation and pride. A circumstance of a
very opposite character and tendency (which has never, it is believed,
hitherto appeared in our histories,) must not be suppressed here.
Among those who swelled the enormous host which on that day gave
battle to the King of England, were found natives of his own
Principality. During the dreadful devastations caused by Owyn
Glyndowr, great numbers left their mansions and estates a prey to his
fury, and saved themselves from personal violence by taking refuge in
England, or beyond the seas. Many, too, of those who had made
themselves notorious as Owyn's partisans, fled from Wales when his
cause began to falter, and avoided the penalty of perseverance in
their rebellion, or the humiliating alternative of submission to one
whom they deemed a tyrant and usurper. Quitting their native soil in
the enjoyment of health and strength, not a few of these inhabitants
of the Principality enlisted under the standard of foreign powers;
especially (as it is reasonable to conclude) of the King of France,
who had espoused the cause for which they were expatriated. How large
or how small a number of Welshmen fell in the ranks of the French on
that day, or how many escaped, we have no means of ascertaining. Our
attention is drawn to the subject by the record of a fact too (p. 187)
specific, and too well authenticated, to be doubted or evaded.[142]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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