11.1. The copie of sir Iohn Winke|fields letters.

The copie of sir Iohn Winke|fields letters.

_MY lord, as touching the newes in these parts, may it please you to vnderstand, that all the earles, barons, baronets, knights, and esquiers, were in helth at the making here|of, and my lord hath not lost either knight or esquier in this voiage, except the lord Iohn Lisle, who was slaine after a strange man|ner with a quarrell, the third day after we were entered into our enimies countries, he died the fiftenth of October. And please it you to vnderstand, that my lord hath rid|den through the countrie of Arminac, and hath taken many fensed townes, and burnt and destroied them, except certeine which he hath fortified. After this, he marched in|to the vicountie of Rouergne, where he tooke a good towne named Pleasance, the chiefest towne of that countrie, which he hath burnt and destroied, with the coun|trie round about the same. This doone, he went into the countie d'Astrike wherin he tooke manie townes, wasted and destroied all the countrie. After this, he entred into the countie of Cominge, and tooke manie townes there, which he caused to be de|stroied & burnt, togither with all the coun|trie abroad. He tooke also the towne of S. Matan, which is the cheefest towne of that countrie, being as large in compasse as Norwich.

Afterward, he entered into the countie of Lisle, and tooke the most part of the fen|sed townes therin, causing diuerse of them to be burnt and destroied as he passed. And after entring into the lordship of Tholouse, we passed the riuer of Girond, and an other a league aboue Tholouse, which is verie great: for our enimies had burnt all the bridges, as well on the one side of Tho|louse, as the other, except the bridges with in Tholouse, for the riuer runneth through the towne. And the constable of France, the marshall Cleremont, and the earle of Arminac, were with a great power with|in the towne the same time. And Tholouse is a great towne, strong, faire, and well walled, and there was none in our host that knew the foord there: but yet by the grace and goodnesse of God we found it. So then we marched through the seignio|rie of Tholouse, & tooke manie good townes inclosed, and burnt and destroied them, and all the countrie about.

Then we entred into the seigniorie of Carcason, and we tooke manie good towns, before we came to Carcason, which towne we also tooke, which is greater, stronger, & fairer than Yorke. And as well this towne as all other townes in the countrie were burnt and destroied. And after we had pas|sed by manie iournies through the coun|trie of Carcason, we came into the seig|niorie of Narbon, and we tooke manie townes, and wasted them, till we came to Narbon, which towne was holden against vs, but it was woone by force, and the said towne is little lesse than London, and is si|tuat vpon the Greekish sea, for that the di|stance from the said towne vnto the Gree|kish sea is not past two leagues,He [...] the [...] sea. and there is an hauen and a place to arriue at, from whence the water cõmeth vp to Narbon. And Narbon is not but eleuen leagues di|stant from Mountpellier, & eighteene from Eguemortz, & thirtie from Auignion. And may it please you to vnderstand, that the holie father sent his messengers to my lord, that were not past seuen leagues frõ him, and they sent a sergeant at armes that was sergeant at armes attendant on the doore of our holie fathers chamber, with their letters to my lord, praieng him to haue a safe conduct to come to declare to his highnesse their message from the holie father, which was to treat betwixt my L. and his aduersaries of France: and the said sergeant was two daies in the host before my lord would see him, or receiue his let|ters. And the reason was, bicause he had vnderstanding, that the power of France was come forth of Tholouse toward Car|cason, so that my lord was driuen to turne backe towards them suddenlie, and so did.

On the third daie when we should haue come vpon them, they had knowlege giuen before day, and so retiring, got them to the mounteins, hasting fast toward Tholouse; and the countrie people that were their guides to lead them that waie, were taken as they should haue passed the water. And bicause the popes sergeant at armes was in my keeping, I caused him to examine the guides that were so taken; and for that the guide which was thus examined, was the constables guide, and his countrieman he might well see and know the countenance of the Frenchmen vpon this examining him. And I said to the same sergeant, that he might well declare to the pope, and to all them of Auignion, that which he had heard or seene. And as touching the answer which my lord made to them that were sent to treat with him, you would be well apaid if you vnderstood all the maner; for he would not suffer in any wise that they shuld come neerer vnto him. But if they came to treat of any matter, he would that they should send to the king his father: for my lord him|selfe would not doo any thing therin, except by commandement from my lord his fa|ther.

And of my lords turning backe to follow after his enimies, and of the passage of the riuer of Garonne, and of the taking of ca|stels and townes in this iournie, and of o|ther things which he hath doone against his enimies in pursuit of them in this iournie, being things right worthie and ho|norable, as manie know verie well, in like EEBO page image 385 maner as sir Richard Stafford, & sir Wil|liam Burton can more plainelie declare, than I to you can write, for it were too much to put in writing. And my lord rode thus abroad in the countrie of his enimies eight whole weekes, and rested not past ele|uen daies in all those places where he came. And know it for certeine, that since this warre began against the French king he had neuer such losse or destruction as he hath had in this iournie: for the countries and good townes which were wasted at this iournie, found to the king of France euerie yeare more to the maintenance of his warre than halfe his realme hath doon beside, except the exchange of his monie which he maketh euerie yeare, and the ad|uantage and custome which he taketh of them of Poictou, as I can shew you by good remembrances, which were found in diuerse townes in the receiuers houses: for Carcason and le Moignes, which is as great as Carcason, and two other townes in the coasts of Carcason, found to the king of France yeerelie wages for a thousand men of armes: and beside that 100000 old crowns to mainteine the war.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And know you, that by the remembran|ces which we found, that the townes in Tholouse which are destroied, and the townes in the countrie of Carcason, and the towne of Narbonne and Narbonnois did find euerie yeare with the sums afore|said, in aid of his war, foure hundred thou|sand old crownes, as the burgesses of the great townes & other people of the coun|trie which ought to know it, haue told vs. And so by Gods assistance if my lord had wherewith to mainteine this warre, and to make the kings profit and his owne ho|nor, he should well inlarge the English marches, and gaine manie faire places: for our enimies are greatlie astonied. And at the making heereof, my lord hath appoin|ted to send all the earles and baronets to abide in certeine places on the marches, to make roads, and to annoie his enimies. Now my lord, at this present I know none other newes to send, but you may by your letters command me as yours to my pow|er. My right honorable lord, God grant you good life, ioy, and health, long to conti|nue. Written at Burdeaux, the tuesdaie next before Christmasse.