of Clarence into France, with whom he performed CHAP. I. many gallant actions. At the siege of Caen he was the first person who mounted the breach, pressing eagerly forwards, he shouted "a Clarence! a Clarence!" and planting the English banner upon the walls, the town thus valiantly assaulted surrendered to the Duke. Warwick also won Mount St. Michael, and as a reward for these signal services the king created him Earl of Aumerle, and at the siege of Rouen permitted him to erect his tent next to the royal pavilion.

Henry at his death manifested the estimation in which he held the Earl of Warwick, and his entire confidence in his wisdom, by appointing him in his will the tutor of his only child; the dying monarch doubtless trusted that under so renowned a warrior his infant heir would be early trained to deeds of arms and feats of chivalry, but Warwick though so capable of teaching his pupil every martial and knightly exercise, chose rather to adopt the suggestions of the council and to quench the first sparks of a generous spirit which flamed up in the breast of the youthful king. He applied for an extension of his power and authority, and for permission to use coercive measures in support of his commands:* his request was granted, and Henry though represented at the age of ten years as grown in years, in stature of his person and in conceit and knowledge of his high authority," and giving his attendants reason to suppose that he would "more and more gruge with chastising and lothe it,"t yet emerged from the tutelage of the most accomplished hero of the age, + Fenn,

"as

• Parliament Rolls

CHAP. I. a cowed and lowly-minded anchoret, more fitted for a hermitage than a throne, meek, amiable, and pious, but destitute of every qualification requisite for the government of those hardy spirits with whom he was surrounded.

At the death of the Duke of Bedford Warwick: succeeded that illustrious prince in the command in France. Nothing could surpass the splendour of the appointments which he prepared for this honour. able mission. He was attended by a particular officer at arms called Warwick herald, who received a grant from him of an annuity of ten marks sterling. "The state and lustre of the earl's equipage," says Dugdale, "may in some sort be discerned by his painter's bill." This curious document which the diligent antiquary has preserved in his History of Warwickshire, gives a description and the price of the several gorgeous articles which it enumerates; among the items are, "One coat for my lord's body beat with fine gold. Two pavices for my lord, the one with a griffin standing on my lord's colour, red, white, and russet, the other painted with black and a ragged staff beat with silver occupying all the field. Two coats for heralds beat with demmy gold. Four banners for trumpets beat with demmy gold. A great streamer for a ship, forty yards in length and eight in breadth, with a great bear and griffin holding a ragged staff, poudred full of ragged staffs. Three pennons of satten entertailed with ragged staffs, besides standards, spear-shafts, coat-armor, &c. &c. Upon the passage to France the earl was exposed to imminent danger from the fury of a

tempest, apprehending the total loss of the ship he CHAP. I. bound himself with his wife and son to the mainmast, in order that in the event of their perishing at sea, and their bodies being found, their name and rank might be discovered by "his cote of arms," and fitting burial afforded to the partners of his misfortune.

The earl survived his command in France only four years, his corpse was brought to England and interred with great magnificence at Warwick, his monument being one of the most splendid of the sepulchral remains which time and the more destructive hand of man has spared to our ancient churches; and it is particularly curious on account of an inscription, which instead of being pointed in the usual manner, has in place of commas or other stops, the bear and the ragged staff, the famous badges of the family, inserted to mark the different pauses in each sentence. Amid the legacies of this potent earl are an image of our lady of pure gold to the collegiate church at Warwick; four images of gold to be made "like unto himself in his coat of arms, holding an anker betwixt his hands," to be offered in his name at the shrines of four churches. To Isabel, his second wife, he gave "all the silver vessels, bedding, and household stuff that he had with her, and over and above all that, and whatsoever else she had since her marriage, two dozen of silver dishes, twelve chargers of silver, twelve saucers of silver, a pair of basins covered, silver and gilt, four other basins of silver of one sort, with his arms enameled on the bottom of them. Likewise the great paytren bought of the Countess of

CHAP. I. Suffolk, sometime belonging to the Earl of Salisbury, and to his son Henry, the cup of gold with the dance of men and women." Warwick manifested his anxiety respecting his welfare in a future state, by desiring that first, and in all possible haste after his decease, there should be said five thousand masses for his soul, and deeply impressed with the illusive conviction of the continual supremacy of the Roman Catholic faith in England, directed also that three masses should be sung every day for his soul's repose," as long as the world might endure." A confident provision for futurity not uncommon in the wills of this age, in which we read of sums of money appropriated for masses, "to be sung for ever."

Thomas Montacute, the celebrated commander in the French wars, was the eldest son of John Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, beheaded for his attempt to replace Richard II. upon the throne: although by the generosity of Henry IV. he became repossessed of a part of the confiscated estates seized by the crown at the failure of that unfortunate enterprize, it does not appear that he was ever formally restored to the title forfeited upon his father's attainder.* In the parliament held in the second year of the reign of Henry V., he endeavoured to obtain a reversal of the judgment pronounced against the late Earl, but was unsuccessful, and Dugdale in making mention of his will, says, that he "styled himself Earl of Salisbury." The title seems always to have been granted to this gallant soldier by courtesy, but at his death his honours were conferred upon the husband of his • Dugdale.

only daughter; a Nevill, son of the Earl of Westmore- CHAP. I. land; to the exclusion of the next male heir of the family who vainly strove to assert his right to the earldom.* Henry V. early appreciated Salisbury's heroic qualities; in the fourth year of his reign he retained him by indenture in his service, and rewarded his valorous conduct at the siege of Caen by a grant to himself and to the heirs male of his body, of the castle and lordship of Danvillers, and all other castles, lands, and lordships of Sir Thomas Tournebu, knight. Salisbury also received a grant of the earldom of Perch in Normandy, from the same munificent hand, part of the possessions of Sir Lewis de Longny, knight, paying yearly to the king, his heirs and successors," two ousles at the castle of Roan on the first day of August." After the death of Henry, the splendour of whose fame eclipsed that of all his contemporaries, Salisbury's deeds acquired a brighter and more dazzling lustre; so high was his reputation, that when a strong body of French soldiers attacked a town garrisoned only by six hundred men, the besieged being hardly pressed made a bold sally, shouting St. George! a Salisbury! and the foe supposing that the gallant earl had in reality flown to the rescue of the fortress, instantly abandoned the enterprize, and flinging down their weapons in despair, betook themselves to flight, leaving their camp equipage, ordnance, military stores, and some treasure behind them.

The harmony which had so happily existed between the Burgundians and the English, was threatened with disturbance from the displeasure excited

Dugdale.