intrusted so many castles to his custody that he yearly had under his
command three hundred spears (or mounted men-at-arms) with their
attendants. Also in like manner he purveyed yearly for his soldiers a
livery of red and white; and equipments sufficient for any naked man that
was able to do the king and regent service. The good result of this
provision was manifested on a memorable occasion, when the duke of Exeter
was captain of the city of Paris, and Fastolfe captain of the bastille of
St. Anthoine. It happened, in consequence of the arrest of the lord de
Lisle Adam,[15] a favourite with the commons of the city, that they
suddenly took arms, and rebelled against the duke of Exeter, who found it
necessary to repair to the bastille for his defence. {xii} At his coming
the first question he asked of Fastolfe was how far he was furnished with
corn, with wheat, beans, peasen, and aveyn for horse-meat, and with other
vitail. Fastolfe replied, With sufficient for a half-year or more: which
gave the prince great "comfort," or re-assurance. So he made ready his
ordnance, and discharged the great guns amongst the rebels, with mighty
shot of arrows: by which means, and because the French king and queen, who
were in the city, also held against the rebels, the burgesses were in a
short time constrained to submit to the mercy of the duke of Exeter.[16]

At p. 69 occurs a curious chapter in the praise of agriculture, or
"labourage of the londe" as it is there termed, illustrated by a
description of the gardens and herbers of king Cyrus.

But the most important portion of the whole work, in an historical point of
view, is the chapter commencing at p. 71, intended to inforce the wisdom
and necessity of making just pay to soldiers, for eschewing of great
inconveniences that may otherwise insue. It is here admitted that in this
respect there had been more neglect in the English possessions in France
than was elsewhere known[17]: {xiii} that in consequence the people had
suffered great oppression from the soldiers taking their vitail without
payment, and that such abuses had continued unchecked for ten or twelve
years previously to the country being lost. Our author advises that the
chieftains and captains should be duly paid their wages, either monthly, as
had been usual during the time of the regent Bedford, or quarterly, and
that without any reward of courtesy, bribe, defalcation, or abridgment, or
any undue assignation; and that su