The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 04 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countriesMonstrelet, Enguerrand de
History
The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 04 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countries
Monstrelet, Enguerrand de
Europe -- History -- 476-1492 -- Sources; France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
The count de Marle, the count de Fauquembergh, the lords de Louvroy
and du Chin, had with some difficulty retained about six hundred men
at arms, with whom they made a gallant charge on the English; but it
availed nothing, for they were all killed or made prisoners. There were
other small bodies of French on different parts of the plain; but they
were soon routed, slain or taken.
The conclusion was a complete victory on the part of the king of
England, who only lost about sixteen hundred men of all ranks: among
the slain was the duke of York, uncle to the king. On the eve of this
battle, and the following morning, before it began, there were upwards
of five hundred knights made by the French.
When the king of England found himself master of the field of battle,
and that the French, excepting such as had been killed or taken, were
flying in all directions, he made the circuit of the plain, attended
by his princes; and while his men were employed in stripping the dead,
he called to him the french herald Montjoye king at arms, and with him
many other french and English heralds, and said to them, 'It is not we
who have made this great slaughter, but the omnipotent God, and, as we
believe, for a punishment of the sins of the French.'
He then asked Montjoye, to whom the victory belonged: to him, or to the
king of France. Montjoye replied, that the victory was his, and could
not be claimed by the king of France. The king then asked the name
of the castle he saw near him: he was told, it was called Azincourt.
'Well then,' added he, 'since all battles should bear the names of the
fortress nearest to the spot where they were fought, this battle shall
from henceforth bear the ever-durable name of Azincourt.'
The English remained a considerable time on the field, and seeing they
were delivered from their enemies, and that night was approaching,
they retreated in a body to Maisoncelles, where they had lodged the
preceding night: they again fixed their quarters there, carrying with
them many of their wounded. After they had quitted the field of battle,
several of the French, half dead and wounded, crawled away into an
adjoining wood, or to some villages, as well as they could, where many
expired.
On the morrow, very early, king Henry dislodged with his army from
Maisoncelles, and returned to the field of battle: all the French
they found there alive were put to death or made prisoners. Then,
pursuing their road toward the sea-coast, they marched away: three
parts of the army were on foot sorely fatigued with their efforts in
the late battle, and greatly distressed by famine and other wants. In
this manner did the king of England return, without any hindrance,
to Calais, rejoicing at his great victory, and leaving the French in
the utmost distress and consternation at the enormous loss they had
suffered.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 41: Tramecourt,--a village of Artois, bailiwick of St Pol.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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