4. C. 1452 nowned Talbot earl of Shrewsbury, who had lately returned from a voyage to Italy. Though he was now fourfcore years of age, he engaged in the fervice with his ufual alacrity, and immediately embarked. with feven hundred men at arms, leaving the reft of the troops deftined for that expedition, to follow with the first opportunity. He landed near Bourdeaux on the twenty-firft day of October; and next day, being introduced into that city by the burghers, surprised and took the greater part of the French garrifon. Being joined in a few days by the rest of the troops from England, he took the field at the head of feven thousand men, and reduced Fronfac and Caftillon, together with fome other places, before he was obliged to put his

Pere Daniel. troops into winter-quarters.

is defeated

the battle of Caftillon.

A. C. 1453 Charles was at Lyons when he received the difThe earl of agreeable news of Talbot's arrival and progrefs; Shrewsbury and immediately altered his refolution with regard and flain in to the dauphin, that he might unite all his endeavours for the prefervation of Guienne. He approved of the match between his fon and Yolante; and beftowed one of his own daughters on the prince of Piedmont. He refolved to fend all his forces into Guienne in the fpring; and in the mean time detached a body of ten thousand men, under the command of Chabanes and the count de Penthievre, who, arriving in Saintonge, invefted Chalain and Caftillon, while the count de Clermont followed with the rest of the army. Chabanes having reduced Chalain in the beginning of June, joined Penthievre before Caftillon, which continued to make a vigorous defence; and the dread of Talbot's valour and experience induced them to fortify their camp with lines, palifadoes, and artillery.

The earl of Shrewsbury remained in the neighbourhood of Bourdeaux with fix or feven thousand men, and wavered in his refolutions. He ardently

6

wifhed

25

wifhed to relieve the place, but was apprehenfive of A. C, 1453" finding it impracticable, confidering the ftrength of the French camp, and the fuperiority of their number. On the other hand, knowing that the count of Clermont was on his march, he thought there was a neceffity for ftriking fome defperate blow before the arrival of that general, otherwife he should never have an opportunity of acting with any prospect or fuccefs against their united efforts. This confideration determined him to hazard an attack against the two officers employed in the fiege of Caftillon; and he forthwith began his march for this purpose. He at once defeated a body of four thousand men, commanded by Chabanes on the outfide of the intrenchments; and, in fpite of the cannon of the enemy, which deftroyed the English in heaps, he charged the lines with fuch amazing impetuofity, that they would certainly have been forced, had not a body of cavalry quitted the intrenchments at a different place, and fallen upon the rear of the Englifh, who now found themselves furrounded on all fides, and expofed to the fire of a very numerous train of artillery. Shrewsbury, though overwhelmed with old age, behaved with all the vigour and activity of youth; and his fon the lord L'ifle approved himself worthy of fuch a valiant father; but all their efforts proved ineffectual, and the earl, seeing his defeat inevitable, fcorned to outlive his disgrace. He conjured his fon to retire while yet there was a poffibility of escaping, that he might referve his courage for the occafions of his country; but that gallant youth difdained the thoughts of leaving his father in the power of his enemies, and declared, that as they had fought, they should fall together. They accordingly rushed into the thickeft of the battle; where the earl's horfe being killed by a cannon-ball, he fell to the ground, and as he lay was transfixed by a bayonet, while the lord L'Ine

loft

A. C. 1453 loft his own life, in attempting to fave that of his parent. The English were fo difcouraged by the fate of this renowned chief, that they betook them. felves to flight, leaving twelve hundred of their fellow-foldiers dead on the field of battle; and the lord Molins, with about two hundred officers and foldiers, were taken prifoners. This defeat was attended with the furrender of Caftillon, and the arrival of the count de Clermont with the rest of the army'; then Charles, repairing to the camp, divided his forces into four different bodies, which at the fame time invefted Cadillac, Libourne, Fronfac, and Bourdeaux. All these places were taken with very little difficulty, except the laft, which held out till the feventeenth day of October, when the garrifon capitulated, and were allowed to return to England. Thus the English were again expelled from Guienne; and of all the conquefts made by Edward III. in France, nothing remained but the Hift. de Ch. towns of Calais and Guifnes, which Charles was not yet able to reduce.

VII.

Proceedings

in parlia

ment,

A parliament had met on the fixth day of March, when the first news of Talbot's fuccefs arrived in England; and the members were fo well pleafed with his conduct, that they granted confiderable fubfidies for the profecution of the war in Guienne. They voted twenty thousand archers, leaving the nomination of the officers to the king; but feven thousand of these were afterwards remitted, and the whole levy suspended, until the king should be in a condition to go over and head them in perfon. Befides these fupplies, the duke of Somerlet obtained a grant of nine thousand three hundred pounds for repairing the fortifications of Calais ; and provifion was made for the prompt payment of the garrifon. Edmund of Hadham, and Jafper of Hatfield, fons of queen Catherine by Owen Tudor, were declared uterine brothers of the king; the first

was

was created earl of Richmond, and the other earl A. C. 1453. of Pembroke, with right of precedence, above all earls in council and parliament. In this feffion Thomas Yonge, citizen of Bristol and barrister at law, moved in the houfe of commons, that, as king Henry had no iffue, the duke of York might be declared heir apparent of the crown; but he was committed to the Tower for this motion, which was the more unfeasonable as queen Margaret was fome months advanced in her pregnancy, and on the thirteenth day of October delivered of a fon called Edward, who was created prince of Wales and earl of Chefter. Thefe titles were confirmed by this parlia ment, which, though frequently prorogued, was not diffolved till the following year. Mean while Henry Rot. Parl was feized with a violent diftemper, which affected his mind as well as his body, and ferved to confirm reports to the prejudice of the queen's character. Some people were bold enough to fay that the young prince was not begotten by Henry, who, was impotent and infirm; others alledged that the child was altogether fuppofititious though many, who were well-wishers, to their country, not only acquitted the queen of all imputation, but conceived happy omens from the birth of this fon, who they hoped would attach the mother more warmly than ever to the intereft of England.

i

committed

The clamour against the queen and miniftry was The duke of encouraged by the friends and emiffaries of Richard Somerset is duke of York, who, far from thinking himself to the bound by the oath which had been extorted from Tower. him during his confinement, perfifted in his refolution to affert his pretenfions to the crown, with the first convenient opportunity: but, as he did not think it would be politic to divulge his real defign, until he should have fecured a majority in the council, he refolved to renew his perfecution against the duke of Somerfet, who was either hated or envied

by

A. C. 1453

by the whole nation: but even this aim he carefully concealed at the present juncture. The parliament had been adjourned to Reading, and afterwards to Westminster, for the fourteenth day of February, the king having fuffered a dangerous relapfe. In this interval, the fecret friends of the duke of York, who ftill maintained the appearance of attachment to the court-party, infinuated to the queen and Somerfet, that, confidering the prefent ferment of the nation, they had very little reafon to expect the parliament would be agreeable to their views; that while the king enjoyed a good state of health the orders iffued in his name were fuppofed to be dictated according to his will and direction; but that, during the prevalence of his diftemper, their adminiftration would want the fanction of his authority; and in all probability the parliament, in compliance with the fenfe of the nation, would appoint a new ministry. In order to prevent this misfortune, they obferved that it would be neceffary to admit into the council the duke of York, the earls of Salifbury and Warwick, and some other popular noblemen, to convince the public that they had no intention to govern by defpotic authority. This advice appeared fo plaufible, that the queen and her favourite ran headlong into the fnare; those noblemen were dreated members of the council before the meeting of parliament. They no fooner gained footing in this new station, than they fuperfeded the credit of their adverfaries, and even ventured to arreft the duke of Somerfet in the queen's chamber. .C.1454 He was immediately committed prifoner to the

Tower; and the parliament was again prorogued to the fifteenth day of March, that the duke of York and his adherents might have time to tamper with the members. Mean while the council expedited a commiffion to the duke, empowering him to hold the feffion as the king's representative; and

the