A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



defenders of their country, were roughly handled at Ipswich by Sir Thomas 

 de Holebroke and his followers, who rescued the attached ' rebels.' l Suffolk, 

 admiral of the coast, reported the impossibility of getting men and ships, 

 and resort was had to convicted pirates, who were offered the alternatives, 

 gaol and confiscation or service in Brittany and Gascony. The wages paid to 

 soldiers and leaders were good enough to tempt anyone ; still, though many 

 crossed the sea, it was not until i 345 that the whole county was ordered out 

 and went. The county was full of wrangling over the value of the one-ninth 

 which was paid direct to the Italian merchants, the Bardi and Peruzzi, on 

 whose failure Sir 3 William Tollemache of Gaisle, merchant of England, 

 advanced money to the king. 



Suffolk was used to the departure of men to seek their fortunes in 

 Gascony. 3 Sir Guy de Ferre, of Benhall and Farnham, had been lieutenant 

 in Guyenne in 1298 and seneschal in Gascony in 1307 ; Sir Gilbert Peeche 

 had held the latter office in 1316— 17; Sir John de Wysham in 1324; 

 Sir John de Haustede (who certainly held lands in the county) in 1330 and 

 1342; Sir Oliver de Ingham of Weybread in 1334. In 1331 John de 

 Sancto Philiberto of Lackford was mayor of Bordeaux, an office second 

 only to that of seneschal. Criketot and Dagworth were also familiar names 

 in the duchy. The French possessions were looked upon much in the same 

 light as the colonies of the present day. Active young men might there 

 push their fortunes. The fiscal burden entailed by this war was what made 

 it so unpopular. The wages of men were paid in beasts, and further com- 

 plications arose in converting the sheep or fleeces into a more portable form 

 of exchange. 



In October, 1344, 4 Sir Thomas de Holebroke, Nicholas de Playford 

 and Thomas de Enges were ordered to find by inquisition and certify to the 

 king by the Epiphany the names of all persons other than religious men 

 holding of the fee of the church, having iooj., £10, or £25, and so on 

 up to £1,000 yearly in land or rent. On this inquisition the county was 

 assessed next year, and all barons, bannerets, knights, and esquires were ordered 

 to prepare themselves to set out for Gascony and Brittany. Sir Thomas 

 Dagworth, of the family of Dagworth and Thrandeston, was made king's 

 lieutenant and captain in Brittany. Ships were impressed at all the ports. 

 On Palm Sunday the county levies, including those from the towns of Bury, 

 Ipswich, and Sudbury were inspected at Ipswich and the archers led to 

 Portsmouth by Oliver de Stretton and Thomas de Wachesham. Few of the 

 gentry seem to have remained at home save those incapacitated by age or 

 infirmity. The county poured across to La Hogue. Suffolk landowners 

 fought in the first division at Crecy under the Prince of Wales. 5 Among 

 his bannerets were Sir William de Kerdiston, Sir Edmund de Thorpe, 

 Sir Thomas de Barnardiston, Sir William de Tendring, Sir Richard Playce. 

 In the second division were Sir William Tollemache, Sir John Shardelowe, 

 Sir Robert de Tudenham. The king's division held the earl of Suffolk, 

 Sir John de Botetout, Sir John de Huntingfeld, Sir John de Wingfeld, 



1 Cal. of Pat. 1338-40, p. 273. ' Ibid. 403. 



3 Thos. Carte, Cal. Gascon Rolls, i, 35, 50 ; C. Bemont, Roles Gascons, passim. 



' Cal. of Pat. 1343-54, P- 4>4- 



5 Wrottesley, Crecy and Calais. From the Public Records (William Salt, Arch. Soc), 3 1 et seq. 



172 



