222 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



Britain. But before this formal ambassage arrived, 

 the party of the duke had received a great blow, and 

 grew to manifest declination. For near the town of 

 St. Alban in Britain, a battle had been given, where 

 the Britons were overthrown, and the Duke of Or 

 leans and the Prince of Orange taken prisoners, 

 there being slain on the Britains part six thousand 

 men, and amongst them the Lord Woodville, and 

 almost all his soldiers, valiantly fighting. And of 

 the French part, one thousand two hundred, with 

 their leader James Galeot, a great commander. 



When the news of this battle came over into 

 England, it was time for the king, who now had no 

 subterfuge to continue further treaty, and saw before 

 his eyes that Britain went so speedily for lost, con 

 trary to his hopes : knowing also that with his people, 

 and foreigners both, he sustained no small envy and 

 disreputation for his former delays, to dispatch with 

 all possible speed his succours into Britain ; which he 

 did under the conduct of Robert, Lord Brooke, to the 

 number of eight thousand choice men and well armed; 

 who having a fair wind, in few hours landed in Bri 

 tain, and joined themselves forthwith to those Briton 

 forces that remained after the defeat, and marched 

 straight on to find the enemy, and encamped fast by 

 them. The French wisely husbanding the posses 

 sion of a victory, and well acquainted with the 

 courage of the English, especially when they are 

 fresh, kept themselves within their trenches, being 

 strongly lodged, and resolved not to give battle. 

 But meanwhile, to harass and weary the English, 



