The History of England

140 Fathers and Sons

In his final years, Henry faced a new challenge - from his ambitious son Henry. Ill and tired, For a while he loses control to the young bucks, the new generation, the men of his son. 

 

140 Fathers and Sons

 

The coming men 

Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester

Chief of Prince Hal's men was Henry Beaufort. the second of four illegitimate children of John of Gauntand Katherine Swynford. He seems to have been marked out for a clerical career from the start, going to Peterhouse, Cambridge and Queen's College, Oxford. Advancements and positions came quickly, and in 1397 he was chancellor of Oxford University, and by 1398 Bishop of Lincoln. A liaison with Alice Fitzalan, Archbishop Arundel's niece. In the autumn of 1402 he was appointed to the king's council, and in 1403, he was appointed chancellor of England for two years. By 1404 he had progressed to the richest see in Europe - Winchester.  

When in January 1410, Henry, prince of Wales, displaced Arundel as head of the council, Bishop Beaufort and his brother Thomas headed the administration. Thomas became chancellor while Bishop Henry opened parliament. For the two years of the prince's administration, until November 1411, Beaufort followed a policy of fiscal solvency and friendship with Burgundy.

In March 1410 his elder brother John died, leaving his widow, Margaret, with three young children. Thomas of Lancaster  the king's second son then managed to marry the widow, therefore enjoying the lands that formed the greater part of the young Beauforts' inheritance. Bishop Henry tried to impede the marriage, and refused to surrender to Thomas his brother's treasure for a while but in the end was forced to give way. 

In November 1411 Henry IVth asserted himself one last time, and Beaufort was out on his ear. But after his death in 1413, Beauforth was back, made Chancellor and he was back in power. Beaufort would remain as the leading political figure unmtil his death in 1447, the most staunch and relentless supporter of the Lancastrian dynasty. 

Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick (1382-1439)

The Beauchamp family was almost destroyed by Richard II in 1397–9 and saved only by the accession of Henry IV. His father had died in April 1401, leaving his lands concentrated principally in the west midland counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Over the years, he rebuilt the fortunes of the family, participating in the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, after which he was made a knight of the Garter. From 1408 to 1410 he travelled abroad, visiting Rome and the Holy Land and returning via eastern Europe and was a renowned jouster. In May 1410 he was named a royal councillor but in November 1411 he suffered the same fate as Beaufort when Henry IVth re=-asserted himself. 

 

 

134 Golden Child Made King

The reputation of Henry IVth has changed through history - where he's remembered at all! So we look at that - we are left with those that think Henry was inadequate, and those that he did the best job possible in the circumstances. And then we deal with the first challenge of Henry's reign - the Epiphany Rising. 

134 The Golden Child Made King

Images of Henry IVth

The famous image of Henry is this one. It hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in London, and to all intents and purposes it looks as though we are now into the period of authentic likeness, which started with Richard II; prior to Richard all the images we have of kings are 'identikit', stylised images of how a king should look. BUT it turns out that this image is also fake. It was created as part of a series in late Tudor times - 1590-1610 ish. Now by this time, the concept of true likeness was still important; so they made great efforts to find some true likeness they could copy. However in the case of Henry IVth we might suspect that they didn't manage it; but what they seem to have done is make sure at least that his dress is as authentic as possible - in this case it looks very similar, apparently, to contemporary images of Charles VIth of France. 

 

So we should probably be relying more on this image, which his tomb at Canterbury Cathedral. It is pretty much contemporary - 1420-30, by a Derbyshire firm, created in Alabaster. 

Having said that, I'm not sure he looks as good - a bit like a small town bank manager, could be in Dad's Army or such like. His figure on the tomb has the interlinked S's of the house of Lancaster - ancestry was important to them. 

As it happens, the tomb was opened in 1832. Apparently Henry's features were very well preserved including a deep, and full beard, of a deep Russet colour. 

130 Usurpation

In 1399 Bolingbroke and Richard were locked in a struggle - who would rule England and how. 

 

130 Usurpation

 

The traditional picture of Bolingbroke is a much later creation, not contemporary. But here's Bolingbroke claiming the throne. 

 

129 Dominion

At last in 1397 Richard would have felt that he had put his past humiliation from the Appellants behind him. But he was no happier or secure. He gathered his private army of Cheshire Archers around him and looked out at the world outside the court with mistrustful eyes.

129 Dominion and Destruction

 

128 The Narcisist

In 1397, Richard finally saw the chance to try to get his revenge on the Appellants - Gloucester, Arundel and Warwick. So the parliament  of September 1397 was momentus.

128 The Narcissist

The Fate of the Apellants - the Parliament of 1397

In 1397 , Richard finally moved on the men who had humiliated him back in 1388. After 9 years of reasoonably reasonable rule this was odd. The theory is thast Richard was a narcisist - depply egocentric, convinced of his own perfection and importance - yet deeply insecure. And so his reactions were extreme. It also became clear that he had never forgotten, nor forgiven the events of 1388.

In 1397 he moved. Two of the Appelannts - Bolingbroke and Mowbray he subborned to his side. The Senior Appellants were his target. Gloucester was arrested and taken to Calais into the care of Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham. Warwick was invited to supper and arrested afterwards. Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, was talked out of his castle by his brother, Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury. 

At the Parliament of 1397, Thomas Arundel was banished. Gloucester was secretly killed in Calais - the blood royal could not be put on trial. Warwick was put on trial, weeped and wailed and was banished. Richard Of Arundel was a fighter. The transcript of his trial below, with John of Gaunt as the Accuser and John Bussy as the Speaker of hte House, is largely the words of contemporary chroniclers, with a bit of tweaking here and there. 

 

Arundel	For what reasons am I standing here accused? I have been pardoned twice by the king
Gaunt	Those pardons have been revoked, traitor!
Arundel	Truly, you lie. I was never traitor
Gaunt	Then why did you seek a pardon?
Arundel	To silence the tongues of my enemies, of whom you are one. And to be sure, when it comes to treason, you are in greater need of a pardon than I am
Richard	Answer the appeal!
Arundel	I see it clearly now. All you who accuse me of treason, you are all liars! Never was I traitor! I still claim the full benefit of my pardon, which you, within these last six years, when you were of full age and free to act as you wished, granted to me of your own volition.
Richard	I granted it provided it were not to my prejudice
Gaunt	Therefore the grant is worthless
Arundel	In truth, I was as ignorant about that pardon as you were – and you were abroad at the time – until it was willingly granted to me by the king.
Bussy	That pardon has already been revoked by the king, the lords and us – the faithful commons.
	At this point Arundel looked around at the Commons assembled in the hall. He might well have noticed that there were very few familiar faces; the Composition of the commons this time around was of almost entirely new men
Arundel	Where are those faithful commons? You are not here to act faithfully. You are here to shed my blood. If the faithful commons were here they would without doubt be on my side, trying to help mefrom falling into your clutches. They, I know, are grieving greatly for me while you, I know, have always been false.
Bussy	Look, lord king, how this traitor is trying to stir up dissent  between us and the commons who stayed at home!
Arundel	Liars, all of you! I am no traitor!
Bolingbroke	Did you not say to me at Huntingdon, when we first gathered in revolt, that before doing anything else it would be better to seize the king?
Arundel	You henry, Earl of Derby, you lie in your teeth. I never said anything to you or to anyone else about my lord king, except what was to his welfare and honour.
Richard	Did you not say to me at the time of your parliament, in the bath behind the White Hall, that Simon Burley was worthy of death? And I replied that I neither knew nor could discover any reason for his death. And even the Queen, my wife, and I interceded tirelessly on his behalf, yet you and your accomplices, ignoring our pleas, traitorously put him to death.
Richard	Pass judgement on him
Gaunt	Lord Arundel, you are found a foul traitor. You will be drawn to the gallows at Tyburn, here to be hanged from the neck, cut down before dead, beheaded and quartered.
Richard	In consideration of your rank, though you scarce deserve it, Lord Arundel, the sentence is commuted to beheading only.

127 The Model of Chivalry

Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, son of the most powerful magnate in England, was a golden child blessed with every advantage. While Richard tried to get his royal feet under the throne, Bolingbroke left the wife to bring up the children and headed out to fulfil the image of the perfect medieval knight

127 A Model of Chivalry

 

The Tournament at St Inglevert

 In a fever of excitement, Henry and many famous companions - Thomas Mowbray among them - travelled to Calais and thence to St Inglevert. There 3 French knights - Boucicaut, Jean de Saimpy, and Reginald de Roye held the field against all comers. After they fought they ate, drank, danced and celebrated. For the original text, and a slightly nerdy analysis of he action, you can follow this link to Tales from Froissart. 

The Baltic Crusades

The Baltic Crusades are of course far less well known than those of the Holy Land, but by the 14th century they were the only remaining crusades where Christian actually fought non-Christian. They lacked the glamour in many ways - being cold and wet was one notable feature. But Henry Bolingbroke went twice, though the second time, to his horror he found every one was living in peace.  And so he travelled to the Holy Land as a pilgrim - via Preague, Vienna and Venice

 

 

 

 

 

126 An Uneasy Calm

Between the Appellants crisis of 1388 and 1397, Richard ruled with increasingly confidence. He was hardly the most impressive English king but he appeared to have cast off the wildness of his early days, and accepted the need to rule together with his leading magnates, and distribute patronage carefully. This week, we look at those years. 

126 An Uneasy Calm

 

 

 

The Ballad of Chevy Chase

Here it is as a pdf...

Download The Ballad of Chevy Chase

 

125 Accusatio

By 1387, it was becoming clear that the Wonderful Parliament of 1385 had not solved the problem. Pressure had been building, and Gloucester, Warwick and Arundel were far from satisfied - and felt far from safe. The showdown came at the Merciless Parliament of 1388.

125 Accusatio

The military confrontation - the battle of Radcot Bridge

Richard tried to strike first - ordering Percy, the Earl of Northumberland, to arrest Arundel. He failed. At Waltham Cross, Gloucester, Warwick and Arundel, gathered their men and accused  (or Appealed - hence Appelants) 5 close councillors of the king as traitors and usurpers of Royal power. These were: 

• Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland and Earl of Oxford
• Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk
• Judge Robert Tresilian
• Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York
• Nicholas Brembre, Merchant

Most (except Brembre) ran. But de Vere ran for Chester - not for safety, but to raise an army of Cheshire bowmen to rescue the king. He came south with 3-4,000 men - but facing desertions all the way, when he met the forces of Henry Bolingbroke at Radcot Bridge his forces melted away. Oxford escaped to Bruges. Richard was forced to call parliamenty to listen to the accusations against his friends. 

The political confrontation - the Merciless Parliament

The Apellants were now 5: 

• Duke of Gloucester: Thomas of Woodstock, son of Edward III
• Earl of Warwick: Thomas Beauchamp
• Earl of Arundel: Richard Fitzalan
• Henry Bolingbroke: Earl of Derby son of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster
• Thomas Mowbray: Earl of Nottingham

They entered the parliament arms linked, and over the next few months brutally followed through on their threats. Brembre, though clearly innocent, was beheaded; Treslian was found spying on proceedings and despite his terrified pleas was also beheaded. And despite Richard's desperate pleas and those of his wife, Anne, his mentor Simon Burley also  went to his death. 

By the end of the parliament, it looked as comprehensive and vindictive a victory as any in the history of England so far. But Richard would not forget. 

124 The Character of a King

From the end of the Peasant's Revolt in 1381, England continues to be managed by the Council, but the young Richard began to have more and more influence. And despite his youth and lack of sole control, what he does manages to raise concern rather than to re-assure. As the war with France goes from bad to worse, by the time 1387 comes around there are more than a few murmurs of discontent around. 

124 The Character of a King

Military adventures and military failure

The war with France went poorly during Richard's reign. The way of Spain, invasions into Portugal, Navarre and Castile all proved futile. Meanwhile the French and Castillians dominated the narrow seas and England stood at constant threat of invasion. 

Trouble with Gaunt

Richard did not appreciate the support that John of Gaunt gave him. He resented the fact that gaunt's authority and reputation was so important to him, and Gaunt himself was arrogant and rude - but he was also loyal. On campaign in Scotland in 1385, none the less, Richard accused Gaunt of self interest and anting the royal campaign to fail. When the Mad Monk, a Carmelite Friar, accused John of plotting to kill the king he was believed - John was forced to flee the King's paranoia, and return wearing his armour t lecture and harangue the young king. Eventually in 1386, Gauint was pleased to leave to pursue his wife's claim to the throne of Castile. Richard would have been every bit as pleased. But in fact, it left him weaker. 

The Wonderful Parliament, 1386

Fed up Gloucester and his chum, Richard FitzAlan the Earl of Arundel, took the normal approach of attacking the king's council as a proxy for attacking the king. Michael de la Pole was impeached, using this wonderful new method Peter de la Mare had given the people in the Good Parliament of 1377. De La Pole was removed, and a Continual Council put in place manage Richard's affairs for a year. Richard was livid - but helpless to resist. 

Preparing to fight back. 

Through the year, Richard showed he could be patient - he played the game, toured the midlands and outwardly seemed to be obeying the rules. Secretly, though he got his justices together, and got them to rule that the Wonderful parliament had acted illegally, against the right so of the Crown, than those who had done it were traitors.  Inevitably, the news got out about Richard's query - and Gloucester knew trouble was heading his way. In 1387, England found out how Gloucester, Arundel and Warwick would react. 

 

123 Wycliffe and the Lollards

With the arrival of the 1380s, a reaction was in train in Oxford. The  new Chancellor, William Barton was an old friend of Wycliffe - but friend he was no longer. Wycliffe spent the last few years of his life in exile in Lutterworth, and by 1384 he was dead.

123 Wycliffe and the Lollards

Lollardy

The tradition source of the word Lollard is from the Dutch to mumble. Wherever it came from it probably wasn't complimentary. But despite Wycliff's lack of interest in starting a new religion, a reformed religion did appear. It's profile basically followed the success of local preachers. The map below from Wikipedia shows how it spread. 

 By and large before 1400 supression was slightly piecemeal. But Archbishop Courtenay and Oxford Chancellor Barton at least made sure Academic debate was expelled from Oxford. In the new century, Archbishop Arundel was to be more thorough. 

The Wycliffe Bible

Was translated from the Latin Vulgate version, rather than the original hebrew; some of its wording, especially the Early Version is clumsy, since it translates word for word. It has therefore had less attention than Tyndale's Bible, but its popularity was enormous, and over 250 copies remain to this day. 

The use of English

The determination to use an English version of the bible reflected the resurgence of English. It was nw the only language everyone had in common, and French was learned as a second language by the children of the nobility. And so Langland, Gower, Chaucer - all wrote in English becuase they would that way attract the greatest audience.

The same applies to the poet of the Pearl - which can be found in the original and translation here.  

122 John Wycliffe - and a University Education

Wycliffe's writings were to prove controversial and proved an interesting early echo of the Reformation. They heavily influenced the view of Jan Hus and the movement in Bohemia. And his ability to develop and present those views owed a lot to Oxford University, and its desire to protect intellectual debate and investigation. 

122 Wycliff and the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford

By the 14th Century, Oxford had become rather like a Guild - the Chancellor at the top; the Doctors  and Masters of Arts as it's Masters; the Bachelors of Arts as it's Journey men, and undergraduates as Apprentices. Into this world Wycliffe walked at the age of 12 or 14 - for the 7 years that made up the Bachelor of Arts 'Degree'. Degree referred to the stages one should take to become a Doctor - a series of stages - Bachelor, Master, Doctor. 

Oxford was a chaotic place. Every student found themselves their own Regent Masters to teach them. They found their own lodgings, or maybe joined on eof the new Academic Halls. There were serious troubles with eh locals, such as the St Scholastica Day riots which led to open warfare on the streets. 

John Wycliffe and his career

Wycliffe was born around 1330 in Yorkshire, to a reasonably up and coming family. He would have been taken to Oxford by a bringer. He became a Bachelor, Master, and then finally in 1372/3, a Doctor of Theology. For a while in the 1370's he had friends. John of Gaunt because of where he came from, and his helpfully anticlerical writings. The Black Prince and his wife Joan, because of his helpfully anticlerical writings. he acquired a living in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. But as he became more controversial, that support died away in the face of persecution from the church. By the 1380's he retired to Lutterworth, and died in 1384. 

Why was he controversial? 

Wycliffe considered himself a good Christian. He considered that his writings were based on the opinions and teachings of the fathers. But of course the Church were unlikely to enjoy his conclusions about their wordly wealth and privilege. Wycliffe's main conclusions were: 

• The Church had forfeited its rights to its wealth and power, through its corruption. The Crown should take them back
• There is no support in the scriptures for all these bishops, and the bloated infrastructure on the medieval church. It should all go.
• The Pope should model himself on Christ and live according to his model if he wanted to have the moral authority.
• The principle of transubstantiation as taught by the church was deeply hooky.
• The Bible is the only reliable reference point for Christians, since it’s the word of God. Priests cannot know if they are saved, and therefore have no special powers or moral authority. 

Evaluating Wycliffe

You pays your money, and you takes your choice. Here are 3 interpretations: 

• He's a religious prophet and reformer transforming our relationship with God and establishing an early Protestant reformation
• He's nothing but a disappointed careerist, embittered by his world failure, venting his frustration on the hierarchy that had turned their back on him
• Wycliffe was just an Academic. In the atmosphere of Oxford he argued and studied and wrote; he had a powerful but inflexible mind, sensitive to criticism like many academics, since it’s not an easy world, and before he knew it he was a religious radical. There’s no evidence whatsoever that he ever tried to create a movement behind his argument – he was just telling the truth as he saw it, inconvenient or not. 

121 Counter Revolution

After Richard had broken the revolt in London at Smithfield it was time to tackle the chaos outside London. The Counter Revolution took something between 1,500-7,000 judicial executions, and did nothing to solve the breaches in a divided society. Also this week, a look at the state of the nation of the medieval English church, as we approach the story of John Wyclif and the Lollards. 

 

121 Counter Revolution

The Peasants' Revolt - Counter Revolution

By July 1381, the Peasants' Revolt was over. Richard proved not to be a keen captain of the peasants as he'd promised at Smithfield, taking a hard line on the peasants; aspirations: 

‘You wretches, detestable on land and sea; you who seek equality with lords are unworthy to live. Give this message to your colleagues: rustics you were, rustics you are still. You will remain in bondage, not as before, but incomparably harsher. For as long as you live we will strive to suppress you, and your misery will be an example in the eyes of prosterity. However, we will spare your lives if you remain faithful and loyal. Choose now which course you want to follow’

 

 

 

120 ... Who was then the Gentleman?

In June 1381 the revolt came to London. Before long, London was in flames, and the qualities of the young king Richard, and his advisers, were tested to the limit as they were made prisoners in their own castle. 

120 ...who was then the Gentleman

London in the 14th Century

The map shows London in 1300. in 1381, the topography would have been very similar, though the population had fallen from something like 100,000 to 40,000. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13th June 1381: The rebels gain access to the City and go on the rampage

The Mayor was an experienced, resolute Merchant called William Walworth. But even he realised that his city militia sympathised with the rebels more than with him. So the gates were opened. The rebels swarmed into the city, ransacked Gaunt's place on Strand and started to take revenge. That day, 18 men were beheaded in Cheapside. The mob ended up at the Tower of London where Richard and his council sat in earnest debate. Mayor Walworth wanted to fight, but Archbishop Sudbury and Treasurer Hales persuaded Richard to seem to give in to the Rebels' demands

Mile End and Smithfield

Richard met with the rebel leaders at Mile End. He agreed to their demands - freedom for all, and a top limit rent of 4d. Everyone was happy - until he agreed that the rebels could root out traitors in his name. So the rebels were admitted to the Tower, found the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sudbury, and the Treasurer Hales - beheaded both of them and stuck their heads on poles. 

So Richard turned to Walworth, and his more aggressive plan. They invited Tyler and the rebels to Smithfiield - a wide open space, but with pinchpoints where the king's smaller forces could minimise their disadvantage over the more numerous but lightly armed rebels. 

Tyler made his demands to Richard; but Mayor Walworth was having none of it ran him through  with a sword, and hurried off to find his forces. The rebels were confused - they'd seen their leader fall but didn't know what had happened. But they prepared to fight.

Famously at that point the young Richard came forward and said

‘Sirs, what more do you want? You have no other captain but me. I am your king, behave peaceably’ 

Leaderless, and used to thinking that the King was their friend, the rebels followed Richard. When Walworth returned with his armed men and Tyler's head on a pole, they realised they had lost this fight; and allowed Richard to persuade them to return to their homes. 

119 When Adam delved and Eve Span...

On a hill outside Blackheath, just to the south of London, a hedge priest called John Ball is preaching to a massive crowd of peasants. When Adam delved and Eve span, he asked, who was then the Gentleman? What a great question. So why are there thousands of peasants sitting on a hill outside London?

 

119 When Adam Delved and Eve Span

The Great Revolt, 1381

The Peasants Revolt, or Great Revolt, probably had many causes, large and small; but two stand out. The first go back to the Black Death, and impact that had on England's social fabric - a dearth of unskilled labour that gave much greater economic power to the peasants. And yet in many areas the social elite, including Edward III, used their poer to repress and block that changes as much as they could. The Peasants Revolt was at least partly a symptom of those social and economic changes. The other was simple - an unfair and over exacting Poll Tax, 3 groats per person, with no allowance made for the poor. 

In May 1381, the whole thing started with the refusal of the villagers of Fobbing to accept the Poll Tax. From there it spread through Essex and Kent, until two leaders emerged - Wat Tyler and John Ball. John Ball was a social and religious revolutionary. Like many social and religious revolutionaries, it's unlikely his tory is going to have a good ending. But he popularised an immortal couplet: 

When Adam delved and Eve span

Who was then the gentleman?

By 'eck, that packs a punch. And in 1381 on a hill at Blackheath, it roused a crowd of peasants 10,000 or more strong as they waited for the king, 14 year old Richard II, to meet them. 

Blackheath, 13th June 1381

The rebels had a code - they were the true commons, not those who called themselves the commons in Parliament. And Richard, the king, would save them from servitude. 

Richard came to meet the rebels. He had no choice - all the military strength of the nation was all over the place - John of Gaunt in Scotland, Thomas of Woodstock in France, Edmund of Langley at Plymouth. But the rebels demands were hideous - Archbishop Sudbury, Treasurer Robert Hales, John of Gaunt - they were traitors and must be executed, before all the English peasants were freed. 

The showdown at London Bridge

Richard couldn't accept - and turned his barge around and returned to the Tower. The rebels were enraged - and swept into Southwark, sacked the place, then marched onto London Bridge to get access to London. The Mayor of London, William Walworth, and his militia was all that stood in the way. 

Related articles

John Ball - a man of rhyme and plenty 

118 Introducing Richard II

Richard arrived with the expectation of a nation on his shoulders - the son of the illustrious hero Edward the Black Prince. So what was Richard like, and how has history treated him? 

118 Introducing Richard II

 

The images of Kingship

Richard's attitude to kingship would define his role. And we have two very famous images from his reign. 

The first is the Wilton Diptych. This portable pair of panels were used to focus the worshipper's prayers. The Diptych shows Richard kneeling, receiving the blessing of Christ for his kingdom. 

 

 

The second is probably from later in the reign, but shows the young Richard at his coronation. It is full frontal - very unusual. Previously, only images of Christ had been full frontal.

 

 

117a The Poet and the Mistress by Carrie Palmer

This week, a guest episode by Carrie Palmer - on Chaucer and Katherine Swynford

Sadly, after this there is something of a gap to come - works has happened. So it'll be March 16th until I return. 

Sorry!

 

117a The Poet and the Mistress by Carrie Palmer

 

116 The Good Parliament and a Bad Death

There were now unusual expecations for the parliament of 1376. But in fact a revolt from the Commons was brewing, dismayed by the failures of the war. The Good Parliament set a number of precedents but John of Gaunt did not allow it to stand for long. And by June 1377 both the King and his son the Black Prince were dead. 

116 A Good Parliament and A Bad Death

The Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminister was a proper palace, not, like today, a custom built government building designed for the needs of parliament. 

You can find a very nice animation of how the Palace of Westminister grew over the ages by following this link to the Armchair Travel Company. 

 You can still see what the Great Hall looks like today...

Thhe Painted Chamber and the Lesser hall (or White Hall) have now gone, but here's what the Painted Chamber looked like in 1799.

 

 And finally for a chronicler's text about the events you can go to the Luminarum Encyclopedie Project, where you can also find loads of other great stuff. 

 

115 The Rotten Apple

From 1371 to 1375 the army went from bad to worse. An English fleet was destroyed at La Rochelle and Poitou and the Saintonge fell to the French. The great counter attack by Gaunt in 1373 was a disaster. And in 1374 the end of English rule in Gascony looked on the cards. The truce of Bruges in 1375 saved the English position - but it all looked very temporary. And back at home, Alice Perrers tightened her grip. 

115 The Rotten Apple

 

 

114 The Worm in the Apple

On the face of it, the 1360's were a continuation and celebration of the great victories of the 40's and 50's. In 1364, Charles of Blois was defeated and killed at Auray. In 1364 John II died, to be replaced by Charles Vth, and in 1367 the Black Prince won a brilliant victory at Najera. But in fact the English apple had the worm of decay in its centre. 

114 The Worm in the Apple

 

 

The Death of King John

In 1364, John died in London - a bad thing for England. Now Edward no longer had the French king in his control, and a French king with a personal commitment  to abide by the rules as defined in the Treaty of Bretigny. He was replaced by the Dauphin - now called Charles Vth, and to prove of a much cannier opponent than his father. 

Victory in Brittany, 1364

At the Battle of Auray in 1364, Charles of Blois was killed, and Bertrand du Guesclin captured. Charles Vth now had no choice but to accept John de Montfort as the Duke of Brittany. On the face of it, this is great news. But in fact it meant that John was now much more equivocal in his support for the English; and the great men of Charles's court never really accepted Montfort. It was not the end of Brittany's agonies. 

The Disastrous victory - Najera, 1367

The Najera campaign seemed to the Black Prince to be a simple matter of continuing the glories of Crecy and Poitiers. In the Spanish kingdom of Castile, the English 'ally' Pedro the Cruel was thrown out by Henry of Trastamara, supported by the French. Together with the Gascon lords, the Black Prince led an army into Castile to put Pedro back on the thrown. Pedro promised to pay, plus there'd be all those ransoms. 

Campaign was initially a complete success. The French leader, Bertrand du Guesclin, was unable to persuade henry Trastamara to offer battle near the town of Najera; for his part Trastamara felt he needed to show that he was a worthy king. The battle was a tour de force by the Black Prince. Before dawn, he led his troops on a flanking movement which creating chaos in the French-Spanish ranks.

But the aftermaths was a disaster. Pedro could not pay. Ransoms were far and few between. Returning to Aquitaine, the Black Prince now faced a bunch of unhappy Gascon lord demanding compensation, and soon he would realise he'd backed a loser, as Trastamara kicked Pedro out. Worst of all, the Black Prince picked up dysentery - and from here on was to be a shadow of his former self. 

Resumption of the war and the sack of Limoges, 1370. 

Charles Vth of France engineered the resumption of war with the Armagnac and Albret Gascon familes. They appealed to Charles as overlord to resolve a tax dispute with the Black Prince. By accepting the challenge, Charles Vth signalled the end of the treaty of Bretigny. 

In 1369, Edward resumed his title as King of France. But the war went badly. No more would Charles and Guseclin fight on English terms. In the east of Aquitaine provinces such as the Rougerue, Quercy and Agenais quickly switched to the French. In the north, English raids went poorly, although the French were forced to abandon a planned invasion of England.

In 1370, the Black Prince made his last effort to fight back and mounted a campaign into Poitou which had so far stayed loyal. The Bishop of Limoges had switched his allegiance to Charles, but as the Black Prince advanced the French fell back, determined not to offer battle. The Black Prince sacked Limoges. 

Froissart's chronicle accused the Black Prince of indiscriminate slaughter of Limoges's citizens.
In fact, it seems to have been all according to the normal rules of war - Limoges after all, refused to surrender. But Froissart himself seemed to be recognising the horror of war at least counterbalanced the stories of honour and chivalry, and had more sympathy for their victims. 

The Prince...entered the city on foot with their companies…all of them were equipped for evil and ready to spread out across the city killing men, women and children as they had been ordered to do. It was heart rending to see the inhabitants throwing themselves on the ground before the prince as he passed, crying out ‘mercy, noble lord, mercy’. He was so enraged he heard them not. No one listened to their appeals as the invaders ran through with their swords everyone they found in their way. These people had nothing to do with the city’s treason but paid a dearer price than the great figures who had really been responsible.

112 On the Crest of a Wave

After the victory at Poitiers and capture of the French King, the English seemed to hold all the cards, and the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 for a while maintained this illusion. Edward basked in his glories, and made sure he had provided for his thre eldest sons - Edward, Lionel and John. 

112 On The Crest of a Wave

The treaty of Bretigny, 1360

With the consistent refusal by the Dauphin to ratify the treaties of London drawn up by John and Edward, in 1360, Edward launched his last major invasion of France. He planned to crown himself king of France in the ancient city of Rheims. 

The campaign was not a success - it rained and rained, the walls of Rheims were too strong for Edward to overcome, and he was reduced to an extended raid. Equally, the Dauphin Charles was impotent in the face of the supremacy of English arms, and could do nothing to remove him. 

The map below comes from a nice website called the Chateau Sainte Claire - well worth a look. 

 

 

 

 

111 Poitiers

1356 saw one of the greatest exchange of arms of the war. Early in the year, the Duke of Lancaster attacked into Normandy and with lightening marches ran rings round the French King. Then in the south the Black Prince attacked into the Poitou, seeking to link up with Lancaster on a march towards Paris. The campaign would end of the field of Poitiers as once again an English army faced a much bigger French opponent. 

111 Poitiers

The Campaign of Poitiers

Below is a slide show of the Black Prince's camapign of 1356, starting in Bordeaux and ending on a field outside Poitiers. (further below is a slide show of the battle itself!). You can let this animation run at it's own speed, or click pause and then move the show on as you wish with the 'next' and 'prev' buttons. Enormous thanks to Andy Flaster and Jonathan Crowther for making this look good and all the technology stuff.

The Poitiers Campaign

First « Prev Next » Pause Resume

 

The Battle of Poitiers

And here's the slideshow of the battle itself...You can again let this animation run at it's own speed, or click pause and then move the show on as you wish with the 'next' and 'prev' buttons. Enormous thanks to Andy Flaster and Jonathan Crowther for all the technology stuff.

The Battle of Poitiers 

First « Prev Next » Pause Resume

 

 

110 Fire and Sword

In 1354 - 1355 Edward and his court wavered between optimism that a negotiated settlement was within their grasp - and determination to continue to prosecute the war. The Treaty of Guines looked to have given Edward more than he could have hoped for - Aquitaine, Anjou and Calais in return for peace and the renunciation of his claims. But in the end it was to be war again. The Black Prince started things off with the Great Chevaucee. 

110 Fire and Sword

 

 

The Great Chevaucee

The Black Prince gained his first independent command, appointed by his father to the province of Gascony. He was to spend much of his life there, and his son and heir would be born in Bordeaux. His first campaign showed that the early promise of Crecy was to be fulfilled - a daring raid across southern France right across to the Mediterranean, while the French watched incapable of stopping him. 

The chevaucee gained no territory. But it exposed the weakness of French arms, it took the wealth of the south away from king John while they rebuilt their defences, and established a fearsome reputation for the Prince.  

109 The War between the Wars

The period between 1347 and 1353 was one of low level war and violence; punctuated by more or less effective truces. But even the truces don't stop the low level local violence that saw a creeping chaos in areas of France. Meanwhile at home, Edward's parliaments of 1351-3 introduced a range of legislation and saw the Commons become a more unified coherent unit. 

 

109 Between the Wars

 

The Statute of Treason 1352

It is faintly odd that this staute should have been introduced by a man who was far more forgiving and successful at avoiding treason trials that his grandfather, father or indeed grandson. It may have been the long delayed trial of some of the murderers of Edward II that prompted Edward to bring the statute forward. The first half of the statute, concerning High Treason remains in force. The second part about Petty Treason of a man against his lord, was repealed in 1828. 

Item, whereas divers opinions have been before this time in what cases treason shall be said, and in what not; the King, at the request of the Lords and of the Commons, hath made a Declaration in the manner as hereafter followeth, that is to say:

When a man doth compass or imagine the death of our Lord the King, or of our lady his Queen or of their eldest son and heir; or if a man do violate the King’s wife or the King’s eldest daughter unmarried, or the wife of the King’s eldest son and heir; or if a man do levy war against our Lord the King in his realm, or be adherent to the King’s enemies in his realm, giving to them aid and comfort in the realm, or elsewhere, and thereof be attainted of open deed by men of their rank; and if a man counterfeit the king’s great or privy seal or his money; and if a man slay the Chancellor, Treasurer, or the King’s Justices of the one Bench or the other, Justices in Eyre, or Justices of Assize, and all other Justices assigned to hear and determine, being in their Places, doing their Offices. And it is to be understood, that in the Cases above rehearsed, anything ought to be judged Treason which extends to our Lord the King, and his Royal Majesty. An of such treason the forfeiture of the escheats belongs to our sovereign lord the king.

And moreover there is another kind of treason, that is to say when a servant slays his master, or a wife her husband, or when a secular cleric or a religious kills his prelate, to whom he owes faith and obedience; and in such kinds of treason the escheats ought to pertain to every lord of his own fee.

And as many other similar cases of treason may happen in time to come, which a man cannot think nor declare at the present time, it is agreed that if any other case, supposed treason, which is not specified above, should come before any justices, the justices shall wait, without passing sentence of treason, till the case be shown and declared before the king and his parliament, whether it ought to be judged treason or some other felony. 

108 What has the Black Death ever done for you?

The theory runs that the Black Death transformed medieval society. With a dramatic shortage of labour, the English peasant was able to demand whatever wages and terms they wanted - liberating the English from serfdom. Is this true? And what other impacts did the Black Death have on the medieval mind? 

108 What has the Black Death ever done for you

 

Population in Europe

The only thing we can be sure of when looking at medieval population is that no one knows the answer. But the table here gives a rough range form the estimates I've been able to find. As you can see, England is a tiddler. 

 

 The Stature of Labourers, 1351

Medieval England was a structured and traditional society that valued stability far more than change. The statute was the barefaced attempt by the powers that be to keep everythiung exactly as it was. Here's the text of most of the Statute. 

 Whereas late against the malice of servants, which were idle, and not willing to serve after the pestilence, without taking excessive wages, it was ordained by our lord the king, and by the assent of the prelates, nobles, and other of his council, that such manner of servants, as well men as women, should be bound to serve, receiving salary and wages, accustomed in places where they ought to serve in the twentieth year of the reign of the king that now is, or five or six years before; and that the same servants refusing to serve in such manner should be punished by imprisonment of their bodies, as in the said statute is more plainly contained: whereupon commissions were made to divers people in every county to inquire and punish all them which offend against the same: and now forasmuch as it is given the king to understand in this present parliament, by the petition of the commonalty, that the said servants having no regard to the said ordinance, but to their ease and singular covetise, do withdraw themselves to serve great men and other, unless they have livery and wages to the double or treble of that they were wont to take the said twentieth year, and before, to the great damage of the great men, and impoverishing of all the said commonalty, whereof the said commonalty prayeth remedy: wherefore in the said parliament, by the assent of the said prelates, earls, barons, and other great men, and of the same commonalty there assembled, to refrain the malice of the said servants, be ordained and established the things underwritten:

First, that carters, ploughmen, drivers of the plough, shepherds, swineherds, deies [dairy maids], and all other servants, shall take liveries and wages, accustomed the said twentieth year, or four years before; so that in the country where wheat was wont to be given, they shall take for the bushel ten pence, or wheat at the will of the giver, till it be otherwise ordained. And that they be allowed to serve by a whole year, or by other usual terms, and not by the day; and that none pay in the time of sarcling [hoeing] or hay-making but a penny the day; and a mower of meadows for the acre five pence, or by the day five pence; and reapers of corn in the first week of August two pence, and the second three pence, and so till the end of August, and less in the country where less was wont to be given, without meat or drink, or other courtesy to be demanded, given, or taken; and that such workmen bring openly in their hands to the merchant-towns their instruments, and there shall be hired in a common place and not privy.

Item, that none take for the threshing of a quarter of wheat or rye over 2 d. ob. [2 1/2 d.] and the quarter of barley, beans, pease, and oats, 1 d. ob. if so much were wont to be given; and in the country where it is used to reap tby certain sheaves, and to thresh by certain bushels, they shall take no more nor in other manner than was wont the said twentieth year and before; and that the same servants be sworn two times in the year before lords, stewards, bailiffs, and constables of every town, to hold and do these ordinances; and that none of them go out of the town, where he dwelleth in the winter, to serve the summer, if he may serve in the same town, taking as before is said. Saving that the people of the counties of Stafford, Lancaster and Derby, and people of Craven, and of the marches of Wales and Scotland, and other places, may come in time of August, and labor in other counties, and safely return, as they were wont to do before this time: and that those, which refuse to take such oath or to perform that that they be sworn to, or have taken upon them, shall be put in the stocks by the said lords, stewards, bailiffs, and constables of the towns by three days or more, or sent to the next gaol, there to remain, till they will justify themselves. And that stocks be made in every town for such occasion betwixt this and the feast of Pentecost.

Item, that carpenters, masons, and tilers, and other workmen of houses, shall not take by the day for their work, but in manner as they were wont, that is to say: a master carpenter 3 d. and another 2 d.; and master free-stone mason 4 d. and other masons 3 d. and their servants 1 d. ob.; tilers 3 d. and their knaves 1 d. ob.; and other coverers of fern and straw 3 d. and their knaves 1 d. ob.; plasterers and other workers of mudwalls, and their knaves, by the same manner, without meat or drink, 1 s. from Easter to Saint Michael; and from that time less, according to the rate and discretion of the justices, which should be thereto assigned: and that they that make carriage by land or by water, shall take no more for such carriage to be made, than they were wont the said twentieth year, and four years before.

Item, that cordwainers and shoemakers shall not sell boots nor shoes, nor none other thing touching their mystery, in any other manner than they were wont the said twentieth year: item, that goldsmiths, saddlers, horsemsiths, spurriers, tanners, curriers, tawers of leather, tailors, and other workmen, artificers, and laborers, and all other servants here not specified, shall be sworn before the justices, to do and use their crafts and offices in the manner they were wont to do the said twentieth year, and in time before, without refusing the same because of this ordinance; and if any of the said servants, laborers, workmen, or artificers, after such oath made, come against this ordinance, he shall be punished by fine and ransom, and imprisonment after the discretion of the justices.

Item, that the said stewards, bailiffs, and constables of the said towns, be sworn before the same justices, to inquire diligently by all the good ways they may, of all them that come against this ordinance, and to certify the same justices of their names at all times, when they shall come into the country to make their sessions; so that the same justices on certificate of the same stewards, bailiffs, and constables, of the names of the rebels, shall do them to be attached by their body, to be before the said justices, to answer of such contempts, so that they make fine and ransom to the king, in case they be attainted; and moreover to be commanded to prison, there to remain till they have found surety, to serve, and take, and do their work, and to sell things vendible in the manner aforesaid; and in case that any of them come against his oath, and be thereof attainted, he shall have imprisonment of forty days; and if he be another time convict, he shall have imprisonment of a quarter of a year, so that at every time that he offendeth and is convict, he shall have double pain: and that the same justices, at every time that they come [into the country], shall inquire of the said stewards, bailiffs, and constables, if they have made a good and lawful certificate, or any conceal for gift, procurement, or affinity, and punish them by fine and ransom, if they be found guilty: and that the same justices have power to inquire and make due punishment of the said ministers, laborers, workmen, and other servants; and also of hostelers, harbergers [those who provide lodging], and of those that sell victual by retail, or other things here not specified, as well at the suit of the party, as by presentment, and to hear and determine, and put the things in execution by the exigend after the first capias, if need be, and to depute other under them, as many and such as they shall see best for the keeping of the same ordinance; and that they which will sue against such servants, workmen, laborers, [and artificers], for excess taken of them and they be thereof attainted at their suit, they shall have again such excess. And in case that none will sue, to have again such excess, then it shall be levied of the said servants, laborers, workmen, and artificers, and delivered to the collectors of the Quintzime [the tax known as the "Fifteenth"], in alleviation of the towns where such excesses were taken.

 

---

This text was taken from: 
Fordham university, Medieval sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/seth/statute-labourers.asp
White, Albert Beebe and Wallace Notestein, eds. Source Problems in English History. New York: Harper and Brother Publishers, 1915.

 

 

107 The Death of Joan

In 1348 a 14 year old royal princess, Joan, set out from Portsmouth to marry Pedro of Castile. Her route went by Bordeaux, and with the massive trousseau she carried - enough to fill an entire ship - she would have expected a comfortable journey. But Joan never arrived. 

107 The Death of Joan

The Black Death

I think there has been so much written about the Black Death that I am not going to repeat it all here. As ever, Wikipedia is as good an account as any, so go the the Black Death page. 

The most famous descriptions of the plague come from Italy. Below is a quote that famously communicates a little part of its horror.

The mortality in Siena began in May. It was a cruel and horrible thing. . . . It seemed that almost everyone became stupefied seeing the pain. It is impossible for the human tongue to recount the awful truth. … Father abandoned child, wife husband, one brother another; for this illness seemed to strike through breath and sight. And so they died. None could be found to bury the dead for money or friendship. And as soon as ditches were filled, more were dug. I, Agnolo di Tura called the Fat buried my five children with my own hands. . . . And so many died that all believed it was the end of the world

Below is a map showing the spread of the plague through Europe

http://qed.princeton.edu/main/Image:Spread_of_the_Black_Death

Joan Plantagenet

Joan was one of the first victims of the plague. As she traveled to Castile to marry Pedro, the king of Castile's son and heir, she caught the plague in Bordeaux and died in a little village called Loremo. When Edward heard, he wrote to the king of Castile: 

"…your Magnificence knows how…we sent our…daughter to Bordeaux, en route for your territories in Spain. But see, with what intense bitterness of heart we have to tell you this, destructive Death (who seizes young and old alike, sparing no one and reducing rich and poor to the same level) has lamentably snatched from both of us our dearest daughter, whom we loved best of all, as her virtues demanded"

"No fellow human being could be surprised if we were inwardly desolated by the sting of this bitter grief, for we are humans too. But we, who have placed our trust in God and our Life between his hands, where he has held it closely through many great dangers, we give thanks to him that one of our own family, free of all stain, whom we have loved with our life, has been sent ahead to Heaven to reign among the choirs of virgins, where she can gladly intercede for our offenses before God Himself"