_August_ 25, _Friday_.--The Kynge of Englande and the French Kynge have
ordayned all the business of a batayle. I shall watch it and chronycle
it from a hill, which shall not be too farre away to see and not too
neare to adventure my lyfe.
_August_ 26.--I rode to a windmill but mistooke the way, as a great
rayne fell, then the eyre waxed clere and I saw a great many Englyssh
erls and Frenche knyghtes, riding in contrarie directions, in hast. Then
many Genowayse went by, and the Englysshmen began to shote feersly with
their crossbowes and their arowes fell so hotly that I rode to a lytell
hut, and finding shelter there I wayted till the snowe of arowes should
have passed. Then I clymbed to the top of the hill but I could see
lytell but dyverse men riding here and there. When I went out again,
aboute evensong, I could see no one aboute, dyverse knyghtes and squyers
rode by looking for their maisters, and then it was sayd the Kynge had
fought a batayle, and had rode to the castell of Broye, and thence to
Amyense.
_August_ 30.--The chronyclers have been ordayned to go to Calys, whereat
they are well pleased save for a feare of a siege. The chronyclers have
writ the chronycle of the Day of Saturday, August 26. It was a great
batayle, ryght cruell, and it is named the batayle of Cressey.
Some of the chronyclers say the Englysshmen discomfyted the French;
others that the King discomfyted the Englysshe; but the Englysshmen
repute themselves to have the victorie; but all this shall be told in my
chronycle, which I shall write when I am once more in the fayre cytie of
Parys. It was a great batayle and the Frenche and the Englysshe Lordes
are both well pleased at the feats of arms, and the Frenche Kynge,
though the day was not as he wolde have had it, has wonne hygh renowne
and is ryght pleased--likewise the Englysshe Kynge, and his son; but
both Kynges have ordayned the chronyclers to make no boast of their good
adventure.
_August_ 30.--The Kynge of Englande has layd siege to Calys and has sayd
he will take the towne by famysshing. When worde of this was brought to
the chronyclers they were displeased. It is well that I have hyd in a
safe place some wyne and other thynges necessarie.
_Later_.--All thynges to eat are solde at a great pryce. A mouse costs a
croune.
_August_ 31.--All the poore and mean people were constrained by the
capture of Calys to yssue out of the town, men, women, and children, and
to pass through the Englysshe host, and with them the poore chronyclers.
And the Kynge of Englande gave them and the chronyclers mete and drinke
to dyner, and every person ii d. sterlying in alms.
And the chronyclers have added to the lyst of their costs which their
patrons curtesly pay: To loss of honour at receiving alms from an
Englysshe Kynge, a thousand crounes.
V
FROM THE DIARY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
WRITTEN WHEN A SCHOOLBOY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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