I to their mercy had surrender'd me,

When lo! I heard the dreadful cry of death.
Not as amid the fray, when man met man,
And in fair combat gave the mortal blow;
Here the poor captives, weaponless and bound,
Saw their stern victors draw again the sword,
And groan'd and strove in vain to free
hands,

And bade them think upon their plighted faith,
And pray'd for mercy in the name of God,
In vain: the King had bade them massacre,
And in their helpless prisoners' naked breasts

their

They drove the weapon. Then I look'd for death,
And at that moment death was terrible,..

For the heat of fight was over; of my home

I thought, and of my wife and little ones

In bitterness of heart. But the brave man,

To whom the chance of war had made me thrall,
Had pity, loosed my hands, and bade me fly.
It was the will of Heaven that I should live
Childless and old to think upon the past,
And wish that I had perish'd!"

The old man

Wept as he spake. "Ye may perhaps have heard
Of the hard siege that Roan so long endur'd.
I dwelt there, strangers; I had then a wife,
And I had children tenderly beloved,

Who I did hope should cheer me in old age

at Hesdin. Others were carried by their servants, some to their own countries, and others to different churches. All who were recognised were taken away, and buried in the

churches of their manors.

"So by Heaven preserved,
From the disastrous plain of Agincourt!
I speeded homewards, and abode in peace.
Henry, as wise as brave, had back to England 2
Led his victorious army; well aware
That France was mighty, that her warlike sons,
Impatient of a foreigner's command,
Might rise impetuous, and with multitudes
Tread down the invaders. Wisely he return'd,
For our proud barons in their private broils
Wasted the strength of France. I dwelt at home,
And with the little I possess'd content,
Lived happily. A pleasant sight it was
To see my children, as at eve I sat

Beneath the vine, come clustering round my knee,
That they might hear again the oft-told tale
Of the dangers I had past; their little eyes
Would with such anxious eagerness attend
The tale of life preserved, as made me feel
Life's value. My poor children! a hard fate
Had they! But oft and bitterly I wish
That God had to his mercy taken me

Ah, helpless monarch! whose enervate hands
And wavering counsels dare no high emprize,
Thy hapless reign will cause our tears to flow,
And fill the land with beggars, well we trow.

When Philippe count de Charolois heard of the unforJohnes's Monstrelet, vol. iv. p. 195. tamate and melancholy disaster of the French, he was in great According to Plerre de Fenin, the English did not bury grief; more especially for the death of his two uncles, the their own dead; but their loss was so small that this is very dake of Brabant and count de Nevers. Moved by compas- unlikely. He says, " Après cette doloureuse journée, et que pon, be caused all that had remained exposed on the field of toutes les deux parties se furent retirées, Louys de Luxem| battle to be interred, and commissioned the abbot de Rous-bourg, qui estoit Evesque de Teroüane, fit faire en la place anville and the bailiff of Aire to have it done. They mea. red out a square of twenty-five yards, wherein were dug three trenches twelve feet wide, in which were buried, by an account kept, five thousand eight hundred men. It was not known how many had been carried away by their friends, nor what number of the wounded had died in hospitals, towns, villages, and even in the adjacent woods; but, as I have before said, it must have been very great.

This square was consecrated as a burying-ground by the
bishop of Guines, at the command and as procurator of Louis
de Luxembourg, bishop of Therounne. It was surrounded
by a strong edge of thorns, to prevent wolves or dogs from
entering it, and tearing up and devouring the bodies.
In consequence of this sad event, soine learned clerk of the
realm made the following verses:

A chief by dolorous mischance oppress'd,
A prince who rules by arbitrary will,
A royal house by discord sore distress'd,
A council prejudiced and partial still,
Subjects by prodigality brought low,
Will fill the land with beggars, well we trow.
Nobles made noble in dame Nature's spite,
A timorous clergy fear, and truth conceal;
While humble commoners forego their right,
And the harsh yoke of proud oppression feel:
Thus, while the people mourn, the public woe
Will fill the land with beggars, well we trow.
Ah feeble woe! whose impotent commands
The very vassals boldly dare despise:

où la bataille avoit esté donnée plusieurs charniers, où il fit assembler tous les morts d'un coste et d'autre, et là les fit enterrer: puis il bénit la place, et la fit enclore de fortes hayes tout autour, pour la garantir du bestial."

After the battle of Agincourt Henry lodged at Maisoncelle ; "le lendemain au matin il en deslogea, et alla passer tout au milieu des morts qui avoient esté tuez en ce combat; là il s'arresta grand espace de temps, et tirèrent ses gens encor des prisonniers hors du nombre des morts, qu'ils emmenèrent avec eux."-Coll. des Mémoires, t. v. p. 384.

Perhaps one consequence of the victory at Agincourt is not generally known. Immediately on his return Henry sent his legates to the council of Constance: "At this

councell, by the assent of all nations there present, it was

authorised and ordained, that England should obtaine the name of a nation, and should be said one of the five nations that owe their devotion to the church of Rome, which thing untill that time men of other nations, for envy, had delayed and letted."-Stowe, Elmham.

2 Henry judged, that by fomenting the troubles of France, he should procure more certain and lasting advantages than by means of his arms. The truth is, by pushing the French vigorously, he ran the risk of uniting them all against him; in which case, his advantages, probably, would have been inconsiderable; but by granting them some respite, he gave them opportunity to destroy one another: therefore, contrary to every one's expectation, he laid aside his military affairs for near eighteen months, and betook himself entirely to negotiation, which afforded him the prospect of less doubtful advantages. Rapin.

In childhood, for it is a heavy lot
To linger out old age in loneliness!

"Ah me! when war the masters of mankind,
Woe to the poor man! if he sow his field,
He shall not reap the harvest; if he see
His offspring rise around, his boding heart
Aches at the thought that they are multiplied
To the sword! Again from England the fierce foe
Came on our ravaged coasts. In battle bold,
Merciless in conquest, their victorious King
Swept like the desolating tempest round.
Dambieres submits; on Caen's subjected wall
The flag of England waved. Roan still remain'd,
Embattled Roan, bulwark of Normandy;
Nor unresisted round her massy walls

Before the God of Hosts we made the vow:
And we had baffled the besieging power,
Had not the patient enemy drawn around
His wide intrenchments. From the watch-tower's top
In vain with fearful hearts along the Seine
We strain'd the eye, and every distant wave
Which in the sun-beam glitter'd, fondly thought
The white sail of supply. Alas! no more
The white sail rose upon our aching sight;
For guarded was the Seine, and our stern foe
Had made a league with Famine.3 How my heart
Sunk in me when at night I carried home
The scanty pittance of to-morrow's meal!
You know not, strangers, what it is to see
The asking eye of hunger!
"Still we strove,

Pitch'd they their camp. I need not tell, Sir Knight, Expecting aid; nor longer force to force,

How oft and boldly on the invading host
We burst with fierce assault impetuous forth,
For many were the warlike sons of Roan.
One gallant Citizen was famed o'er all
For daring hardihood pre-eminent,
Blanchard. He, gathering round his countrymen,
With his own courage kindling every breast,
Had made them vow before Almighty God 2
Never to yield them to the usurping foe.

"Yet although the armie was strong without, there lacked not within both hardie capteins and manfull soldiers, and as for people, they had more than inough for as it is written by some that had good cause to know the truth, and no occasion to erre from the same, there were in the citie at the time of the siege 210,000 persons. Dailie were issues made out of the citie at diverse gates, sometime to the losse of the one partie and sometimes of the other, as chances of warre in such adventures happen."- Holinshed, 566.

2 "The Frenchmen indeed preferring fame before worldlie riches, and despising pleasure (the enemy to warlike prowesse), sware ech to other never to render or deliver the citie, while they might either hold sword in hand or speare in rest." Holinshed, 566.

3 "The king of England advertised of their hautie courages, determined to conquer them by famine which would not be tamed by weapon. Wherefore he stopped all the passages, both by water and land, that no vittels could be conveied to the citie. He cast trenches round about the walls, and set them full of stakes, and defended them with archers, so that there was left neither waie for them within to issue out, nor for anie that were abroad to enter in without his license. The king's coosine germane and alie (the king of Portugale), sent a great navie of well-appointed ships unto the mouth of the river of Seine, to stop that no French vessel should enter the river and passe up the same, to the aid of them within Rouen.

"Thus was the faire citie of Rouen compassed about with enemies, both by water and land, having neither comfort nor aid of king, dolphin, or duke. — Holinshed, 566.

King Henry of England marched a most powerful army, accompanied by a large train of artillery and warlike stores, in the month of June, before the noble and potent town of Rouen, to prevent the inhabitants and garrison from being supplied with new corn. The van of his army arrived there at midnight, that the garrison might not make any sally against them. The king was lodged at the Carthusian convent; the duke of Gloucester was quartered before the gate of St. Hilaire; the duke of Clarence at the gate of Caen; the earl of Warwick at that of Martinville; the duke of Exeter and earl of Dorset at that of Beauvais : in front of the gate of the castle were the lord marshall and Sir John de Cornwall. At the gate leading to Normandy were posted the

Valour to valour, in the fight opposed,
But to the exasperate patience of the foe,
Desperate endurance. Though with Christian zeal
Ursino would have pour'd the balm of peace
Into our wounds, Ambition's ear, best pleased
With the war's clamour and the groan of death,
Was deaf to prayer. Day after day pass'd on;
We heard no voice of comfort. From the walls
Could we behold their savage Irish Kerns,5

earls of Huntingdon, Salisbury, Kyme, and the lord Neville, son to the earl of Westmoreland. On the hill fronting St. Catherine's were others of the English barons. Before the English could fortify their quarters, many sallies were made on them, and several severe skirmishes passed on both sides. But the English, so soon as they could, dug deep ditches between the town and them, on the top of which they planted a thick edge of thorns, so that they could not otherwise be annoyed than by cannon shot and arrows. They also built a jette on the banks of the Seine, about a cannon shot distant from the town, to which they fastened their chains, one of them half a foot under the water, another level with it, and a third two feet above the stream, so that no boats could bring provision to the town, nor could any escape from it that way. They likewise dug deep galleries of communication from one quarter to another, which completely sheltered those in them from cannon or other warlike machines.”— Monstrelet, vol. v. p. 40.

4"After he had prosecuted the siege of this place for some time, the cardinal Ursino repaired to his camp, and endeavoured to persuade him to moderate his terms, and agree to an equitable peace; but the king's reply plainly evinced his determination of availing himself of the present situation of public affairs; Do you not see,' said he, that God has brought me hither, as it were by the hand? The throne of France may be said to be vacant; I have a good title to that crown; the whole kingdom is involved in the utmost disorder and confusion; few are willing, and still fewer are able, to resist me. Can I have a more convincing proof of the interposition of heaven in my favour, and that the Supreme Ruler of all things has decreed that I should ascend the throne of France?'" Hist. of England, by Hugh Clarendon.

--

5 "With the English sixteen hundred Irish Kernes were enrolled from the prior of Kilmainham; able men, but almost naked; their arms were targets, darts, and swords; their horses little, and bare no saddle, yet nevertheless nimble, on which upon every advantage they plaied with the French, in spoiling the country, rifeling the houses, and carrying away children with their baggage upon their cowes backs."Speed, p. 638.

The king of England had in his army numbers of Irish, the greater part of whom were on foot, having only a stocking

Ruffians half-clothed half-human, half-baptized, 1
Come with their spoil, mingling their hideous shouts
With moan of weary flocks, and piteous low
Of kine sore-laden, in the mirthful camp
Scattering abundance; while the loathliest food
We prized above all price; while in our streets
The dying groan of hunger, and the cries
Of famishing infants echoed . . and we heard,
With the strange selfishness of misery,

We heard, and heeded not.

Leaves deep impress'd the horrors of that hour.
Then as our widow-wives clung round our necks,
And the deep sob of anguish interrupted
The prayer of parting, even the pious priest
As he implored his God to strengthen us,
And told us we should meet again in Heaven,
He groan'd and curs'd in bitterness of heart 5
That merciless King. The wretched crowd pass'd on;
My wife.. my children. . through the gates they
pass'd,

"Thou wouldst have deem'd Then the gates closed.. Would I were in my grave Roan must have fallen an easy sacrifice, That I might lose remembrance !

Young warrior! hadst thou seen our meagre limbs
And pale and shrunken cheeks, and hollow eyes;
Yet still we struggled bravely! Blanchard still
Spake of the obdurate temper of the foe,
Of Harfleur's wretched people driven out?
Houseless and destitute, while that stern King
Knelt at the altar 3, and with impious prayer
Gave God the glory, even while the blood
That he had shed was reeking up to Heaven.
He bade us think what mercy they had found
Who yielded on the plain of Agincourt,
And what the gallant sons of Caen, by him,
In cold blood slaughter'd 4: then his scanty food
Sharing with the most wretched, he would bid us
Bear with our miseries manfully.

"Thus press'd,
Lest all should perish thus, our chiefs decreed
Women and children, the infirm and old,
All who were useless in the work of war,
Should forth and take their fortune. Age, that makes
The joys and sorrows of the distant years
Like a half-remember'd dream, yet on my heart

and shoe on one leg and foot, with the other quite naked. They had targets, short javelins, and a strange sort of knives. Those who were on horseback had no saddles, but rode excellently well on small mountain horses, and were mounted on such paniers as are used by the carriers of corn in parts of France. They were, however, miserably accoutred in comparison with the English, and without any arms that could much hurt the French whenever they might meet them.

“These Irish made frequent excursions during the siege ever Normandy, and did infinite mischiefs, carrying back to their camps large booties. Those on foot took men, and even children from the cradle, with beds and furniture, and placing them on cows, drove all these things before them, for they were often met thus by the French."- Monstreket, v.

p.42.

"What is man
That he can hear the groan of wretchedness
And feel no fleshly pang! Why did the All-Good
Create these warrior scourges of mankind,
These who delight in slaughter? I did think
There was not on this earth a heart so hard
Could hear a famish'd woman ask for food,
And feel no pity. As the outcast train
Drew near, relentless Henry bade his troops
Drive back the miserable multitude. 6

They drove them to the walls; . . . it was the depth
Of winter,... we had no relief to grant.
The aged ones groan'd to our foe in vain,
The mother pleaded for her dying child,
And they felt no remorse!

The mission'd Maid
Rose from her seat,. . " The old and the infirm,
The mother and her babes!.. and yet no lightning
Blasted this man!"

"Ay, Lady," Bertram cried, "And when we sent the herald to implore His mercy 7 on the helpless, his stern face

"This

might people the town with English inhabitants.
doth Anglorum prælia report, saieing (not without good
ground I believe), as followeth :

Tum flentes tenera cum prole parentes
Virgineusque chorus veteres liquère penates:
Tum populus cunctus de portis Gallicus exit
Moestus, inarmatus, vacuus, miser, æger, inopsque,
Utque novas sedes quærat migrare coactus :

Oppidulo belli potiuntur jure Britanni!'"- Holinshed. There is a way of telling truth so as to convey falsehood. After the capture of Harfleur, Stowe says, "all the soldiers and inhabitants, both of the towne and towers, were suffered to go freely, unharmed, whither they would." 348. Henry's conduct was the same at Caen: he "commanded all women

and children to bee avoyded out of the towne, and so the towne was inhabited of new possessors." — Stowe.

3 Before Henry took possession of Harfleur, he went bare

footed to the church to give God thanks. - De Serres.

4 Henry, not satisfied with the reduction of Caen, put several of the inhabitants to death, who had signalized their

valour in the defence of their liberty.-H. Clarendon.

5 After the capture of the city "Luca Italico, the vicar

generall of the archbishoprike of Rouen, for denouncing the king accursed, was delivered to him and deteined in prison

till he died."— Holinshed. Titus Livius.

6 "A great number of poore sillie creatures were put out of

the gates, which were by the Englishmen that kept the

trenches beaten and driven back again to the same gates, which they found closed and shut against them, and so they

laie betweene the wals of the citie and the trenches of the enemies, still crieing for help and releefe for lack whereof great numbers of them dailie died."- Holinshed.

7 At this period, a priest of a tolerable age, and of clear un

C

1