joined the French. and was sent to sea by them with three thousand men. Sailing from Harfleur, he landed in Guernsey, defeated the Governor, Edmund Rose, and, having besieged him in Cornet Castle, would probably have taken him, had not the force been recalled to take part in the blockade of La Rochelle.[1]
Edward seems to have felt it imperatively necessary to attempt some bold stroke by way of reprisals; and he equipped and took command of a fleet for the relief of Thouars, which, if not reinforced. had greed to surrender on September 29th. The king embarked at Sandwich in the Grace de Dieu, on August 30th with a large force, but, delayed by contrary winds beyond the day for the appointed surrender, he returned ingloriously to England, landing at Winchelsea about October 6th. No sooner had he arrived than the wind became fair; but it was too late; and the £900,000 said to have been spent in the fitting out of the armament was wasted.[2]
The Welshman, Evan, joined a Spanish force under Admiral Roderigo dc Rosas, and the combined squadron, consisting of forty ships, eight galleys, and thirteen barges, blockaded La Rochelle until it fell.[3] It is astonishing that, instead of returning tamely to England, Edward did not endeavour to save or recover the place; but he seems at this period of his career to have been completely demoralised.
Parliament, which met in November, renewed its remonstrances on the state of the navy and prayed for a remedy. The king's reply was that it was his pleasure that the navy should be maintained and kept with the greatest case and advantage that could be.[4] Very little, however. was done to remove the causes which had led to so much loss and disgrace. But the the fleet had shortly before been reinforced by some Genoese galleys under Peter de Campo Fregoso, and Jacob Pronan.[5]
At the beginning of 1373 there were fresh fears of an invasion, an immense Franco-Spanish force under Evan, Roderigo de Rosas, the Count of Narbonne,[6] Jean de Raix,[7] and Jean de Vienne,[8] being
- ↑ Froissart, i. 640, 641.
- ↑ 'Fœdera.' iii. 961, 962; Anon. Hist. Edw. III., ii. 399; 400; Froissart, i. 638; Walsingham, 182.
- ↑ Froissart, i. 647, 654.
- ↑ Parl. Rolls, ii. 311.
- ↑ 'Fœdera,' iii. 965, 970.
- ↑ Then Admiral of France.
- ↑ or De Roye.
- ↑ Of Jean de Vienne's naval career there is a good though brief account in Laughton's 'Studies in Naval History.' See also 'Jean de Vienne,' by the Marquis Terrier de Loray (Paris, 1877). John de Vienne was born in 1341. and fell at the battle of Nicopolis on September 28th 1390.
