Publications of the Navy Records Society Volume X
Publications of the Navy Records Society Volume X is in Publications of the Navy Records Society.
The War with France 1512-1513
Victorian Books, Publications of the Navy Records Society Volume X, 74 W Sabyn to WoIsey
W Sabyn to Wolsey.
Under sail : 30 April [1513].
[Sabyn showed the King’s letter of credence to the admiral. The strength of the French is too great in Brittany. There are places on the coast or islands that can be destroyed. The attack on Pregent’s galleys was imprudent. Convicts should be sent for the galleys.]
Right honorabill and my singuler good mayster, I reco[mm]end myself to youre good maysterchyppe, besechyng Jhesu to preserve you to God’s p[lesur.]
As so that accordyng to the Kyng’s commandement and yours, I scho[yd to] mylorde Admyrall all soche credens as I was commandyd by the Ky[ng and] you, and sins hys departyng, I have schoyd yt to mylorde Fer[rers and] other off hys Consell to se yff yt had byn possybyll to a destroyd [owre] sovereyn lord’s enmys. Sir, I cannot se be them nor yt by my pore r[eson] that the Kyng’s Grras can have eny vantage off hys enymys [nor] we be abyll to londe, for they be in ther gret strenght apon [yt] with ther ordennas and gret nomber off pepoull, and make ever gret provysyon. Wherfor, Sir, by my sympyll reson and as me thyn[ks, if] the kyng’s
Grras wyl not sende men to londe, yt wyl be hard to d[o them] dysplesur. Also ther be other places to do dysplesur, and men wyll p[ovt them]selfe to it, besydes the Trade, for me thynks to ly alwey in on betyng and remove not to sum other places, we shall do [no more] good, bot only to kepe in owr enymys, and as long as we [are on this] coste off Breton, they wyll never comm to the coste off Yngland, [unless] that we schold porsew them. Sir, ther is in the maine lo[nde of] Breton places to lande in, yf we wyll, and owre enymy sch ... We wylle not venter so far with the army, and to us more avan[tage]. Also ther be places in France lyke wyse to londe in, yff men w[yll] do ther dylygens and do the kyng’s Grras good servys, and l[et] not spende the Kyng’s money and vetellys, bot that we [wyll] do hym some servys for yt. Also besides the mayne londe off Fra[nce], ther be serten hylands pertenyng to France that may be destro[yd at] owre plesur.
And, Sir, whereas yowre maysterschippe gaff me commandement to scho my pore advyse, I have don yt, and I do yt to the utterest off my power. And whereas yt wyll p[lease] yowre good maysterschyppe that he so be owre hed and governor, [and if] he wyll accept my pore advise, I schall never gyff hym [one] but that schal be to the honer off my soveren lord the Kyng, and I schal be ever the fryste man be londe and be wa[ter] myselfe in the fryste danger in any soche consell [to] gyff, yff I se yt may be don with reson, and I beseche you [to be so good] mayster, unto me that he so be owr Admyrall that I m ...
Sir, as for the enterprys on the galles, had not been don aft[er the] manor, yff I myght have had my mynde, God knowi[th. My]lorde Admyrall had skyrmyshyd with the galles afore I ca[m]. Whan I se them ly in so gret a strenght be w[ater and] londe, I comm unto mylorde Admyrall and schoyd hym [credens] and myne advyse. The wyche he was so sore set apon [me] be a Spanyarde1 that I cowde not torne hys mynde. [The] Spannyarde poot hym in so gret comfort and sayd th[at there] were nothyng in manor that my lorde dred noth[yng]. More pyty yt was, howbeit he dyed lyke a vallyent [knyght]. And he was informyd by the same Spannyarde he ... Jhesu have mersi, for now we be bodys withowte a hed [to the] dyscomforte off us all.
Note 1. Charran, captain of a carrack, apparently the Gabriel Royal (Brewer, i. 3762): 15/. i6.r. 1 id. for the hire of the ship from Spain to England (8 Feb. 1513). Cf. p. 77, note 3; p. 80, note 1.
Sir, I movyd mylorde Admyrall [last] Crystemmes to scho the kyng’s Grras, for soche enterprys as [he wold] have to do, ther be many tall men in Y ngland in convyct[yon] and that be worthy for to dy be the Kyng’s lawys, as fe[lons] and other, that myght better be loste than other m[en],1 they wolde by my reson rather to venter ther lyvys then [have] ony schamfull dethe, and yff they dyd well, to have ther gawardon therafter. Sir, he that intends the warrys m[ust] ymagin that thyng to destroy hys ennymys as they m[ust] lyke wyse unto us, for, yff we schold make a raffe, thes scholcle stonde us in good stede, for the flete off France wy[ll a]lway resorte into the chamber off Breste, and ther yt ys [not] possybyll to be don by owre londyng and be the menys the raff. And whereas other men wyll m ..., thies men wyll make lytyll danger for savyng off [ther lyvys].
Note 1. ‘En icelles gallères,’ says the Chancellor of Brittany, ‘y a continuite de exercice auquel gueres de gens ne se veullent constituer de franc vouloir’ (Arch. Loire Inferieure , reg. xxi. fol. 26).
In those galleys, there is a continuity of exercise to which hardly anyone wants to commit willingly.
I pray God we may do well in tyme to comm and to [do] that my be to the honer of owre soveren lord. He [schold] preserve hys ryall astate and preserve yowre good maysterschippe. [Pleasijthe beseche you to pardon me, for I am a pore secr[etar]y.
Wryttin under sayle, the laste day off Apprylle by yowre trew b[ounden servant]
Wyllyam Sabyn.
[Endorsed :] To hys moste honorabyll maister Armoner to the kyng’s Grras, be thys letter delyveryd in haste possybyll — -William Sabyn.
(Brit. Mus., MSS. Calig. E. i. ij. iij., fob i.)
Victorian Books, Publications of the Navy Records Society Volume X, 75 Roberto Acciajuoli to Florence
Blois: 3 May, 1513.1
[Attack on Pregent’s galleys. Death of Admiral Howard, whose body has been found with a golden whistle round the neck. 50 English killed.]
Note 1. That letter was read in the Council, at Venice, on 20 May (Sanuto, xvi. 274).
I have already said in my other letter how the English fleet was in Brittany and how it encountered Pregianni, who with the help of land had retreated safely. Then the said fleet positioned itself between the French fleet that is in Brest and Pregianni, to prevent Pregianni from joining with the other French, and it held him besieged for several days, and finally with the large ships they had positioned themselves in front of the French ships, and with the small ones they had gone to find Pregianni's thin galleys, and observing the ebb and flow they had closed in on him in such a way that he was in great danger. Finally, having placed certain cannons on land and having behaved virtuously, he defended himself until now. And finally, wanting to tighten the noose, one of the English ships approached so boldly to enter between him and the land that it put him in great danger, and it took just one shot to perhaps 50 men, who were there, to come to blows with him: and in the end they were all dead, and in such a number, according to many reports, there was the admiral of the said fleet [Edward Howard], a man of great condition, because they say the enemies had instantly demanded if they had among the prisoners such a one, dressed in such clothes, which showed he was a man they greatly valued. And for this reason, having Pregianni retrieve the dead, they found one dressed in that form with a gold whistle around his neck, half a palm long, and by this coincidence they judge him to be the admiral or a fortunate man.
Dixi per l' altra mia come l' armata Inghilese era in Brettagna et come si era ricontra in Pregianni, el quale con l' ajuto di terra si era ritracto salvo. Dipoi decta armata si è messa intra l' armata Franzese che si truova a Brest et Pregianni, per impedire che Pregianni non si unisca con l' altra Franzese, et l' ha tenuto più giorni come obsediato, et ultimamente con le nave grosse si eron parati avanti alle nave Franzese, et con le piccole erono andati a trovare le galee sottili di Pregianni, et observando il fluxo et refluxo lo haveron serrato in modo che è suto a gran pericolo. Tandem, con lo havere messi cierti cannoni in terra et con lo essersi portato virtuosamente si è insino a hora difeso. Et ultimamente volendolo strignere, una delle nave Ingnilesi si accostò tanto animosamente per intrare tra lui et la terra che lo mise in gran pericolo, et bastò l' ammo a forse 50 homini, che vi erono su venire alle mane con lui: e’ quali alia fine furon tutti morti, et in tale numero per molti riscontri che vi sono essere suto lo Amiraglio di decta armata huomo di gran conditione, perche dicono li nimici havere facto demandare instantamente se havessino tra prigioni un tale, vestito con tale habiti, el che monstrava essere huomo di che tenessino gran conto. Et per tale cagione havendo Pregianni facto ripescare e' morti, ne hanno trovato uno vestito in quella forma con uno fischio d’ oro a collo, lungo un mezo palmo, et per tale riscontro giudicono che sia l' Amiraglio o homo di buona sorte.1
Cf. Sanuto, xvi. 242, 248, 269.
Victorian Books, Publications of the Navy Records Society Volume X, 76 Edward Echyngham to Wolsey
Hampton : 5 May, 1513.
[Pregent broke through the English fleet (22 April). Landing near Conquet (24). Attack on the French galleys and death of the Admiral (25). Cheyne, Cornwall and Wallop go on shore to ascertain the death. Bernardin at Bordeaux. Sickness. Return to Plymouth (30 April). Necessity of galleyconvicts. Narrative of Echyngham’s journey, from 13 to 19 April, with the victuallers.]
Sir, for to write unto you the newes of theis par¬ ties, they be so dolorous that vnneth I cane write them for sorrow ; how be it I have founde you soe good maister unto me that [it] heth pleasit you to cause the kynges most noble Grace to write unto me which hathe encoraged me for to send you in writyng of those thynges that I have sene.
Upon Ffrydaye, the which was the 22 day of Aprill, 6 galyes and 4 foysts came through parte oi the Kynges navie, and there they sanke the ship that was maister Compton’s, and strake t roug oone of the Kynges new barkes, the which sir Stephyn Bull is capiteyn of, in 7 placys, that they that was within the ship hade much payne to hold her above the watre. Then the ship bootes toke oon of the ffoystes, and the residew of the ga lyes and ffoystes went into Whitsonbaye, besyde Conkett, and there thaye laye Satterdaye all daye.
Upon Sondaye, mylord Amirall appoynted 6000 men for to land betwene Whitsondbaye and Conkett, and so to come vnto the backside of the galyes. And as we were landing, mylorde Admyrall espyede Sabyn commyng under sayle. An than that purp[ose] was loste, for euerye capiteyn hade put his men into vyttellers, and mylorde Ad my rail sende Mr Ffythwilliam unto all theym that ware capiteyns of the greate shypes for to retorne into the Treade where as the greate shipes lay before the havyn of Brest, and soo for to abide still before the haven of Brest th[at the] armye of Ffraunce shuld not come oute, whillist that the small shippes s[hould run] upon the galyes. And the small shippes and the greate laye 4 myles ...
Upon Saynt Markes daye, the which was the 25 daye of Aprill, mylord Admyrall appoynted 4 capiteyns and hymself for to borde the. [galyes. A]t 4 of the clok in the afternone, my saide lorde. went into [one of the galeys] hymself with 80 men with hym, and in thother [mylord] Ferris, with suche companye as hym semyd best, and ... with 2 small crayres, in oon of the crayres w[ent] Wal[lop], and in thother went sir Henry S[herburne] and William Sidnaye. And theise were they that enterprysed for to wyn [the] ffrenche galyes, with helpe °f the bootes for there couth no ship comme LtoJ theyme.for lack of water, for the said frenche galyes laye in a baye [betwene] rockes, and on both sides of the galyes was made bulwerkes [where] laye full of ordynaunce, that no boote nor vessell couth comme unto them, but that they must comme betwene the bulwarkes, the which [were] soo thick with gonnes and crosbowis that the quarrelles and the gonstons came together as thick as it hade be haylestones.
Ffor all this Mylorde wold needes borde the galyes his owen p[ers]on for there couth no man counsayle hym the contrary, and at the owre above wreten he bordit the galye that Preyer John was in. And as sone as he was aborde of Pryer J ohns o-alye, he le[ped] oute of his owne galye unto the fore casteli of Pryer Johns galye, and Charran, the Spanyart with hym, with 16 other persones. S[ir, by] advice of mylorde Admyrall and Charran, thay hade cast theyre ancre in to ... of the french galye, and fastened the cabull unto the capsten, for this con¬ sideration] yf it happened ... any of the galyes to have bene on fyre, that they myght have vered the cabull and have fallen of. But, Sir, how so ever it fo ... the Frenchmen did hew asondr the cabull, or els somme of our [said] maryners in our galye lete slip the cable, when mylorde Admyrell [went] into the frenche galye, and all for fere of thordynaunce that w[as on] the galyes and from the lande, and so they lefte this [poor Admerall in the] handes of his enymyes, wheras by divers mens say[ing] the Morris, pickes. Sir, ther was a maryner that ... the which is woundit in 18 placys ..., the whiche by adventure recouered unto the boye of the galye, and soo the bote of the galye toke hym up, and he saythe that he sawe my lord Admyrall thras[ted] up agaynst the rayls of the galy with Morris pikes.1 Also" Charran’s boye tellith a tale in like maner, for when his maister and mylorde Admyrall were entert the galye, Charran bade his boye fetche hym his hande gonne and when he came up with the hande gonne to delyuer to his maister the oone galye was o-one of from thother, and he saith he see my lord Admirall wayvyng with his handes and cryeng to the galye : ‘Comme aborde agayne! Comme aborde agayne!' And when mylord (age 37) saw the galye couth not comme to hym agayne, the boy saide he sawe hym take his whistill from aboute his neck, and wrap it together, and hurlid it in to the see, and thus he lost the sight of my saide lorde Admyrall (age 37).
Sir, for to knowe the more suretie whither he ware alyve or not, we sende in a bote to the shore a standart of peax, and in the bote went Thomas Cheyne, Richard Cornewale and Wallop, for to have knolege whither they hade takyn any English men prysoners or not. And whan they came to the shore, there came unto them 2 gentilmen of Ffraunce, and askid theym what they wold h[ave], and they saide they came to speke with th’Admyrall of Ffraunce.2 And then these 2 gentilmen bade theym comme on lande, [and they woul]d warraunt theym for thaym and thayres, but thay [would] not without they hade 4 gentilmen of Ffraunce ... And so theise 2 gentilmen torned agayne, a ... men and send theym in to the bote. And ... Cheyne and his companye came oute and went unto londe where the Admyrall of Ffraunce was. And there Thomas Cheyne mett with ... acquayntance of the quene of Ffraunce court. And, thus, as they [were] talkyng and makyng chere yche to other, came Preter John, ridyng [on] horsbak. And soo they askid if they hade takyn any prisoners english or not, for Thomas Cheyne saide he hade a kynsman that [was] outher takyn or slayne among theym, and if they hade hym, [that] they wold assigne hym to his ransom and he wold paye it, or [else] that he myght be well kept and they shuld be richly rewardid [for] his kepyng, And then Pryer lohn stept forthe hymself and [said] to them : ‘ Sirs, I ensure you I have no prysoners english within [my] galye but one, and he is a maryner, but there was oon that lep[t] into my galye with a gilt targett on his arme, the which I caste ouer borde with Morris pikes, and the maryner that I have prysoner told me that that same man was your Admyrall.’
Sir [I have] forgoten to write you of the galye that my lord Fferris was in [with the] other companye. Sir, there came in my lord Fferris with his galye ... fell among the other galyes, and there he shott all his ordynance both pouder and stone that he hade within borde, and he shott 200 sheif of arrois among theym in the galyes ... was my lord Fferris had none of his owne f ... but there was many in the same galye slayne and ... When he sawe that the galye that my ... of and all his own ordynaunce ..., then the lesser rowbarge came unto likewise, and at her commyng her master was slayne, and than came Thomas Chayne and Wallop in theyre crayre and they shott theyre ordy¬ naunce such as they hade. And then came sir Henry Sherborne and sir William Sidnaye, and they russhid aborde of Pryer Johns galye and brake parte of his oris on the one side. And so when they saw euery gone of from theym, and they last alone wenyng to theym that mylord Admyrall hade be still in the english galye, they came of foloyng our galye, and so they retorned all into the Treade, whereas the greate ships laye without any more doyng, for they knew not perfitely where mylord Admirall was.
Sir, when the holl armye knew that mylord Admirall was outher takyn or slayne, I trow there was neuer men more full of sorrow then all we ware, ffor there was neuer noble man so ill lost as he was, that was of so greate courage and hade so many vertues, and that rowled so greate an armye so well as he did and kept so good order and trew justice. Sir, I assure you as for now there is in this armye but small regarde takyn to any man of th'armye, [if it] shall please the kynges most noble capiteyn Grace to admytt an Admyrall or generall over us, the which may be somme noble may be discrete, wise and sadd, and also man ... feared and loved, for there was that he may . We have at this tyme never armye that hade . for to kepe good order and