Quotation from: A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3

Written by: Francois Pierre Guillaume Guizot


Whilst this marriage was being celebrated, the war with England, and her
new king, Richard II., was going on, but slackly and without result.
Charles VI. and his uncle of Burgundy, still full of the proud confidence
inspired by their success against the Flemish and Parisian communes,
resolved to strike England a heavy blow, and to go and land there with a
powerful army. Immense preparations were made in France for this
expedition. In September, 1386, there were collected in the port of
Ecluse (Sluys) and at sea, between Sluys and Blankenberg, thirteen
hundred and eighty-seven vessels, according to some, and according to
others only nine hundred, large and small; and Oliver de Clisson had
caused to be built at Trdguier, in Brittany, a wooden town which was to
be transported to England and rebuilt after landing, "in such sort," says
Froissart, "that the lords might lodge therein and retire at night, so as
to be in safety from sudden awakenings, and sleep in greater security."
Equal care was taken in the matter of supplies. "Whoever had been at
that time at Bruges, or the Dam, or the Sluys would have seen how ships
and vessels were being laden by torchlight, with hay in casks, biscuits
in sacks, onions, peas, beans, barley, oats, candles, gaiters, shoes,
boots, spurs, iron, nails, culinary utensils, and all things that can be
used for the service of man." Search was made everywhere for the various
supplies, and they were very dear. "If you want us and our service,"
said the Hollanders, "pay us on the nail; otherwise we will be neutral."
To the intelligent foresight shown in these preparations was added
useless magnificence. "On the masts was nothing to be seen but paintings
and gildings; everything was emblazoned and covered with armorial
bearings. But nothing came up to the Duke of Burgundy's ship; it was
painted all over outside with blue and gold, and there were five huge
banners with the arms of the duchy of Burgundy and the countships of
Flanders, Artois, Rethel, and Burgundy, and everywhere the duke's device,
'I'm a-longing.'" The young king, too, displayed great anxiety to enter
on the campaign. He liked to go aboard his ship, saying, "I am very
eager to be off; I think I shall be a good sailor, for the sea does me no
harm." But everybody was not so impatient as the king, who was waiting
for his uncle, the Duke of Berry, and writing to him letter after letter,
urging him to come. The duke, who had no liking for the expedition,
contented himself with making an answer bidding him "not to take any
trouble, but to amuse himself, for the matter would probably terminate
otherwise than was imagined." The Duke of Berry at last arrived at Sluys
on the 14th of October, 1386. "If it hadn't been for you, uncle," said
the king to him, "we should have been by this time in England." Three
months had gone by; the fine season was past; the winds were becoming
violent and contrary; the vessels come from Treguier with the constable
to join the fleet had suffered much on the passage; and deliberations
were recommencing touching the opportuneness, and even the feasibility,
of the expedition thus thrown back. "If anybody goes to England, I will,"
said the king. But nobody went. "One day when it was calm," says the monk
of St. Denis, "the king, completely armed, went with his uncles aboard of
the royal vessel; but the wind did not permit them to get more than two
miles out to sea, and drove them back, in spite of the sailors' efforts,
to the shore they had just left. The king, who saw with deep displeasure
his hopes thus frustrated, had orders given to his troops to go back,
and, at his departure, left, by the advice of his barons, some men-of-war
to unload the fleet, and place it in a place of safety as soon as
possible. But the enemy gave them no time to execute the order. As soon
as the calm allowed the English to set sail, they bore down on the
French, burned or took in tow to their own ports the most part of the
fleet, carried off the supplies, and found two thousand casks full of
wine, which sufficed a long while for the wants of England."

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