iers they might come across, to vacate the City and set out on the
king's service before the end of the week on pain of imprisonment.(780)
Success continued to attend Henry's arms. On the 5th September he was able
to inform the citizens, by letter,(781) of the capture of Caen, excepting
only the citadel, and this was to be rendered to him by the 19th day of
the same month at the latest, unless relief should have previously arrived
for the besieged from the King of France, his son the Dauphin, or the
Count of Armagnac, Constable of France. The Duke of Clarence wrote a few
days later to the citizens, notifying the extraordinary success which had
followed the king. So many towns and fortresses had been taken that the
only fear was that there were not sufficient men to keep guard over
them.(782)

(M415) (M416)

In order to keep the English force in Normandy better provided with
victuals, the Duke of Bedford, who had been left behind as the king's
lieutenant, caused the Sheriffs of London to proclaim that all persons
willing and able to ship victuals to France for Henry's use, might do so
without paying custom dues on their giving security that the victuals
should be sent to Caen and not elsewhere.(783) Bedford, who was learning
how to rule a free people--a lesson which, had he been allowed to practice
in after years, might have saved the house of Lancaster from utter
destruction(784)--presided in the parliament, which met in November, 1417.
On the 17th December this parliament granted the king two fifteenths and
two tenths. No time was lost in taking measures for collecting these
supplies, the king's writ appointing commissioners for the City of London
being issued the day following.(785)

(M417)

In Paris matters were going on from bad to worse. Whilst the capital of
France was at the mercy of a mob, Henry proceeded to lay close siege to
Rouen. Frequent proclamation was made in London for reinforcements to join
the king, either at Rouen or elsewhere in Normandy.(786) This was in
April, 1418, or thereabouts. On the 5th July, the Duke of Clarence
informed Richard Merlawe, the mayor, by letter, of the fall of Louviers,
and of the expected surrender of Pont de l'Arche,(787) from which latter
place the duke wrote. On the 10th August Henry himself wrote to the
citizens informing them of his having sat down before Rouen and of the
straits his forces were in for lack of victuals and more especially of
"drink." He begged them t