The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The king aduertised hereof, sent them word, that except they would surrender the towne to him the morow next insuing, without anie condition, they should spend no more time in talke about the mat|ter. But yet at length through the earnest sute of the French lords, the king was contented to grant them truce vntill nine of the clocke the next sundaie, be|ing the two and twentith of September;A fiue daies respit. with condi|tion, that if in the meane time no rescue came, they should yeeld the towne at that houre, with their bo|dies and goods to stand at the kings pleasure. And for assurance thereof, they deliuered into the kings hands thirtie of their best capteins and merchants within that towne as pledges. But other write, that it was couenanted, that they should deliuer but one|lie twelue pledges, and that if the siege were not rai|sed by the French kings power within six daies next following, then should they deliuer the towne into the king of England hands, and thirtie of the chéefest personages within the same, to stand for life or death at his will and pleasure: and as for the residue of the men of warre and townesmen, they should depart whether they would, without carieng foorth either ar|mour, weapon, or goods.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The king neuerthelesse was after content to grant a respit vpon certeine conditions, that the capteins within might haue time to send to the French king for succour (as before ye haue heard) least he intending greater exploits, might lose time in such small matters. When this composition was agreed vpon, the lord Bacqueuill was sent vnto the French king, to declare in what point the towne stood. To whome the Dolphin answered, that the kings power was not yet assembled, in such number as was conuenient to raise so great a siege. This an|swer being brought vnto the capteins within the towne, they rendered it vp to the king of England, after that the third daie was expired, which was on the daie of saint Maurice being the seuen and thirtith daie after the siege was first laid.Harflue yé [...]ded and sac|ked. The souldiors were ransomed, and the towne sacked, to the great gaine of the Englishmen. ¶Some writing of this yeelding vp of Harflue, Abr. Fl. out of Angl. pr [...]. sub Hen. 5. and Polychron. doo in like sort make mention of the distresse whereto the people, then expelled out of their habitations, were driuen: insomuch as parents with their children, yoong maids and old folke went out of the towne gates with heauie harts (God wot) as put to their present shifts to séeke them a new abode. Be|sides that, king Henrie caused proclamation to be made within his owne dominions of England, that whosoeuer (either handicraftesman, merchantmen, gentleman, or plowman) would inhabit in Har|flue, should haue his dwelling giuen him gratis, and his heire after him also inioy the like grace and fa|uour: insomuch that great multitudes flocked to the sea coasts, waiting wind and wether for their trans|portage into Harflue, where being arriued, woonder|full it is to tell, within how short a time the towne was peopled. This doth Anglorum praelia report, saieng (not without good ground, I beléeue) as followeth:

—tum flentes tenera cum prole parentes
Virgineúsque chorus veteres liquêre penates:
Tum populus cunctus de portis Gallicus exit
Moestus, inarmatus, vacuus, miser, aeger, inóps
Vtque nouas sodes quaerat migrare coactus:
Oppidulo belli potiuntur iure Britanni, &c.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 All this doone, the king ordeined capteine to the towne his vncle the duke of Excester, who establi|shed his lieutenant there, one sir Iohn Fastolfe, with fifteene hundred men, or (as some haue) two thousand and thirtie six knights, whereof the baron of Carew, and sir Hugh Lutterell, were two councellors. And bicause manie of his nobles whilest this siege laie be|fore Harflue, fell sicke of the flix and other diseases, diuerse also dead, amongst whom the earle of Staf|ford, the bishop of Norwich, the lords Molins and Burnell were foure (beside others) the king licenced his brother the duke of Clarence, Iohn earle mar|shall, and Iohn earle of Arundell, being infected with that disease, to returne into England.

Previous | Next