THE ENGLISH POLICY 



Another incident of keeping of the see, in the 

 time of the marveilous werriour and vic- 

 torious Prince, King Henrie the fifth, and 

 of his great shippes. 



ANd if I should conclude all by the King 

 Henrie the fift, what was his purposing, 

 Whan at Hampton he made the great dromons, 

 Which passed other great ships of all the commons ; 

 The Trinitie, the Grace de Dieu, the holy Ghost, 

 And other moe, which as nowe bee lost. 

 What hope ye was the kings great intent 

 Of thoo shippes, and what in minde hee meant ? 

 It was not ellis, but that hee cast to bee 

 Lorde round about environ of the see. 

 And when Harflew had her siege about, 

 There came caracks horrible great and stoute 

 In the narrow see willing to abide, 

 To stoppe us there with multitude of pride. 

 My Lord of Bedford came on and had the cure, 

 Destroyed they were by that discomfiture. 

 This was after the king Harflew had wonne, 

 Whan our enemies to siege had begonne ; 

 That all was slaine or take, by true relation, 

 To his worshippe, and of his English nation. 

 There was present the kings chamberlaine 

 At both battailes ; which knoweth this in certaine ; 

 He can it tell otherwise then I : 

 Aske him, and witte ; I passe foorth hastily. 

 What had this king of his magnificence, 

 Of great courage, of wisedome, and prudence ? 

 Provision, forewitte, audacitee, 

 Of fortitude, justice, and agilitee, 

 Discretion, subtile avisednesse, 

 Attemperance, Noblesse, and worthinesse : 

 Science, prowesse, devotion, equitie, 

 Of most estate, with his magnanimitie 



i43 



A.D. 



c 1437- 



The great 

 ships of Henry 

 the fifty made 

 at Hampton. 



Great caracks 

 of Genua 

 taken by the 

 Duke of Bed- 

 ford. 



141 6. 



The French 

 navie thus 

 overthrozuen 

 was of five 

 hundred saile. 



[I. 206.] 



