The boy's Froissart : $b being Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of adventures, battle, and custom in England, France, Spain, etc.Froissart, Jean
History
The boy's Froissart : $b being Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of adventures, battle, and custom in England, France, Spain, etc.
Froissart, Jean
France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Great Britain -- History -- 14th century; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
THE KING OF ENGLAND RE-PEOPLES CALAIS.
The king, after he had presented these six citizens to the queen, called
to him Sir Walter Manny, and his two marshals,--the Earls of Warwick and
Stafford,--and said to them, “My lords, here are the keys of the town
and castle of Calais: go and take possession of them. You will put into
prison the knights you may find there, but you will send out of the
town all the other inhabitants, and all soldiers that may have come
there to serve for pay; as I am resolved to re-people the town with
English alone.” These three noblemen, with only one hundred men, went
and took possession of Calais, and from the gates sent to prison the
Lord John de Surie, the Lord John de Vienne, the Lord John de
Bellebourne, and other knights. They then ordered every sort of arms to
be brought, and piled in a heap in the market-place. They sent out of
the town all ranks of people, retaining only one priest, and two other
old men, that were well acquainted with the customs and usages of
Calais, in order to point out the different properties; and gave
directions for the castle to be prepared for lodging the king and queen,
and different hotels for their attendants. When this had been done, the
king and queen mounted their steeds, and rode toward the town, which
they entered at the sound of trumpets, drums, and all sorts of warlike
instruments.
The king gave to Sir Walter Manny, Lord Stafford, Lord Warwick, Sir
Bartholomew Burghersh, and other knights, very handsome houses in
Calais, that they might re-people it; and his intentions were, to send
thither, on his return to England, thirty-six substantial citizens, with
all their wealth, and to exert himself in such a manner that the
inhabitants of the town should be wholly English: which he afterwards
accomplished. The new town and fortifications, which had been built
before Calais, were destroyed, as well as the castle upon the harbor;
and the great boom which was thrown across was brought into the town.
The king posted different persons to guard the gates, walls, and towers
of the town; and what had been damaged he got repaired, which, however,
was not soon done. The Lord John de Vienne and his companions were sent
to England: they remained in London about half a year, and then were
ransomed. In my opinion, it was a melancholy thing for the inhabitants
of both sexes, of the town of Calais, thus to be sent abroad, with their
children, from their inheritances, leaving every thing behind: for they
were not allowed to carry off any of their furniture or wealth; and they
received no assistance from the King of France, for whom they had lost
their all. They did, however, as well as they were able; and the greater
part went to St. Omer.
The Cardinal Guy de Boulogne, who was come into France as ambassador,
and was with his cousin King Philip in the city of Amiens, labored so
earnestly, that he obtained a truce between the two kings and their
adherents, which was to last for two years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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