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
"Azincour is a commune or parish consisting of a
most uninteresting collection of farmers'
residences and cottages, once however distinguished
by a castle, of which nothing now remains but the
foundation. The scene of the contest lies between
this commune and the adjoining one of Tramecour, in
a wood belonging to which latter the King concealed
those archers whose prowess and vigour contributed
so eminently to the glorious result. Part of the
wood still remains; though, if I remember rightly,
at the time of our visit, the corner into which the
bowmen were thrown had been materially thinned, if,
indeed, the original timber had not been entirely
cut down, and its place been scantily supplied by
brush or underwood. Some of the trees, however, in
the wood of Tramecour were very old in 1816.
"The road above mentioned is the great post-road;
the old road, now degenerated into a mere
cart-track, from Abbeville to the once celebrated
city of Therouanne, passes over the scene of
action, and must have been that by which the French
army reached the ground before the English, who had
been compelled to make a great circuit."--Vol. i.
part ii. p. 57.]
Henry, naturally anxious to hasten with his troops beyond the reach of
his enemies, and to arrive at Calais before they could recover (p. 188)
from their present overwhelming distress, removed from his quarters,
passing through the field of battle early on the next day, taking his
prisoners with him. Many vague expressions occur in some writers,
which might be wrested to imply wanton cruelty in the English after
the battle; but no direct charge of the sort is brought against (p. 189)
them; and we may reasonably hope that there was no more of human
suffering than of necessity followed so tremendous a conflict: whilst
all writers agree in recording and extolling the kindness, and
compassion, and courtesy shown by Henry to his prisoners, especially
to the Duke of Orleans; endeavouring by all means in his power to
cheer and console them. Just as after the battle of Grosmont, (p. 190)
when he was only seventeen years old, so now in the prime of manhood,
on the field of Agincourt, we find in him the same kind and
warm-hearted conqueror: "In battle a lion; but, duty appeased, in
mercy a lamb!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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