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While the court resided at Beauvais, four gentlemen and four citizens of Rouen were sent to lay before the king and council their miserable state: they told them that thousands of persons were already dead with hunger within their town; and that from the beginning of October, they had been forced to live on horses, dogs, cats, mice and rats, and other things unfit for human creatures. They had nevertheless driven full twelve thousand poor people, men, women and children, out of the place, the greater part of whom had perished wretchedly in the ditches of the town. That it had been frequently necessary to draw up in baskets new born children from mothers who had been brought to bed in these ditches, to have them baptized, and they were afterwards returned to their mothers; many, however, had perished without christening - all which things were grievous and pitiful to be related. They then added, "To you our lord and king, and to you noble duke of Burgundy, the loyal inhabitants of Rouen have before made known their distress: they now again inform you how much they are suffering for you, to which you have not yet provided any remedy according to your promises. We are sent to you for the last time, to announce to you, on the part of the besieged, that if within a few days they are not relieved, they shall surrender themselves and their town to the English king, and thenceforward renounce all allegiance, faith, and service, which they have sworn to you." The king, duke, and council, courteously replied, that the king's forces were not as yet adequate to raise the siege, which they were exceedingly sorry for; but, with God's pleasure, they should very soon be relieved. The deputies asked by what time; the duke answered, before the fourth day after Christmas. They then returned to their town with difficulty, from the great danger of being. taken by the besiegers, and related all that had passed.

The besieged now suffered the greatest distress; and it is impossible to recount the miseries of the common people from famine it was afterward known that upwards of fifty thousand had perished of hunger. Some, when they saw meat carried through the street, in despair, ran to seize it, and so doing,

allowed themselves to be severely beaten, and even wounded. During the space of three months no provisions were seen in the markets, but every thing was sold secretly; and what before the siege was worth a farthing, was sold for twenty, thirty, or even forty; but those prices were too high for the common people, and hence the great mortality I have mentioned. Monstrelet, vol. v. p. 61.

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The names of our Edwards and Henries are usually cited together, but it is disgracing the Black Prince and his father to mention them with Henry of Monmouth. He was a hardhearted man. We have seen what was his conduct to the famished fugitives from Roan. The same circumstance occurred at the siege of Calais, and the difference between the monarchs cannot be better exemplified than in the difference of their conduct upon the same occasion. "When sir John de Vienne perceived that king Edward intended to lie long there, he thought to rid the town of as many useless mouths as he could; and so on a Wednesday, being the 13th of September, he forced out of the town more than seventeen hundred of the poorest and least necessary people, old men, women, and children, and shut the gates upon them: who being demanded, wherefore they came out of the town, answered with great lamentation, that it was because they had nothing to live on. Then king Edward, who was so fierce in battle, showed a truly royal disposition by considering the sad condition of these forlorn wretches; for he not only would not force them back again into the town, whereby they might help to consume the victuals, but he gave them all a dinner and two pence a-piece, and leave to pass through the army without the least molestation: whereby he so wrought upon the hearts of these poor creatures, that many of them prayed to God for his prosperity." -Joshua Barnes.

Page 29. line 274. ·

Nor when the traitor yielded up our town.

Roan was betrayed by its Burgundian governor Bouthellier. During the siege fifty thousand men perished through fatigue, want, and the use of unwholesome provisions.

Page 29. line 279.

The gallant Blanchard died.

Roy d'Angleterre fist coupper la teste à Allain Blanchart cappitaine du commип. Monstrellet, ff. excvii.

Page 30. line 285.—There where the wicked cease.

There the wicked cease from troubling; and the weary be at rest. - Job, iii. 17.

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Cent drapeaux funèbres

Etaloient en plein jour de pompeuses ténèbres.

Le Moyne. St. Louis. Liv. xvi.

Page 30. line 307.—In the mid-day sun a dim and gloomy light.

"When all things necessary were prepared for the conveyance of the dead king into England, his body was laid in a chariot, which was drawn by four great horses: and above the dead corpse, they laid a figure made of boiled hides, or leather representing his person, as near to the semblance of him as could be devised, painted curiously to the similitude of a living creature; upon whose head was set an imperial diademe of gold and precious stones, on his body a purple robe furred with ermine, and in his right hand he held a sceptre royal, and in his left hand a ball of gold, with a cross fixed thereon. And in this manner adorned, was this figure laid in a bed in the said chariot, with his visage uncovered towards the heaven: and the coverture of his bed was red silke beaten with gold; and besides that, when the body should passe through any

value was borne In this manner,

good towne, a canopy of marvellous great over the chariot by men of great worship. accompanied of the king of Scots and of all princes, lords, and knights of his house, he was brought from Roane to Abville, where the corpse was set in the church of Saint Ulfrane. From Abville he was brought to Hedin, and from thence to Monstrueil, so to Bulloigne, and so to Calice. In all this journey were many men about the chariot clothed all in white, which bare in their hands torches burning: after whome followed all the household servants in blacke, and after them came the princes, lords, and estates of the king's blood, adorned in vestures of mourning; and after all this, from the said corpse the distance of two English myles, followed the queene of England right honourably accompanyed. In this manner they entered Calice."- Stowe.

At about a league distant followed the queen, with a numerous attendance. From Calais they embarked for Dover, and passing through Canterbury and Rochester, arrived at London on Martinmas-day.

When the funeral approached London, fifteen bishops dressed in pontificalibus, several mitred abbots and churchmen, with a multitude of persons of all ranks, came out to meet it. The churchmen chaunted the service for the dead as it passed over London-bridge, through Lombard-street, to St. Paul's cathedral. Near the car were the relations of the late king, uttering loud lamentations. On the collar of the first horse that drew the car were emblazoned the ancient arms of England; on that of the second, the arms of France and England quartered the same as he bore during his lifetime; on that of the third, the arms of France simply; on that of the fourth horse were painted the arms of the noble king Arthur, whom no one could conquer: they were three crowns or, on a shield azure.

When the funeral service had been royally performed in the cathedral, the body was carried to be interred at Westminster abbey with his ancestors. At this funeral, and in regard to every thing concerning it, greater pomp and expence were

made than had been done for two hundred years at the interment of any king of England; and even now as much honour and reverence is daily paid to his tomb, as if it were certain he was a saint in Paradise.

Thus ended the life of king Henry in the flower of his age, for when he died he was but forty years old. He was very wise and able in every business he undertook, and of a determined character. During the seven or eight years he ruled in France, he made greater conquests than any of his predecessors had done it is true he was so feared by his princes and captains, that none dared to disobey his orders, however nearly related to him, more especially his English subjects. In this state of obedience were his subjects of France and England in general; and the principal cause was, that if any person transgressed his ordinances, he had him instantly punished without favour or mercy.— Monstrelet, vol. v. p. 375.

A noble knight of Picardy used a joking expression to his herald respecting king Henry, which was afterwards often repeated. Sir Sarrasin d'Arly, uncle to the Vidame of Amiens, who might be about sixty years of age, resided in the castle of Achere, which he had had with his wife, sister to the lord d'Offemont, near to Pas in Artois. He was laid up with the gout, but very eager in his inquiries after news of what was going on. One day his poursuivant, named Haurenas, of the same age as himself, and who had long served him, returned from making the usual inquiries; and on sir Sarrasin questioning him and asking him if he had heard any particulars of the death of the king of England, he said that he had, and had even seen his corpse at Abbeville, in the church of St. Ulfran; and then related how he was attired, nearly as has been before described. The knight then asked him on his faith if he had diligently observed him? On his answering that he had, "Now, on thy oath, tell me," added sir Sarrasin, "if he had his boots on?" "No, my lord, by my faith he had not." The knight then cried out, "Haurenas, my good friend, never believe me if he has not left them in France !"

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