History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

1 90 HISTORY OF THE
raine, which lie gave to him his heirs for ever, having only
engaged it before to his son, upon reversion, and moreover
made him Marshal of France.
This hath been, in all appearance, in the year 14-23 at most,
yet we do not find any memorable thing done by them, or a-
gainst them, until the battle of Vernoil, which, if we read our
histories, one would think it had been fought immediately
upon their landing, though it be clew that it was not till after
the death of King Henry V. and in the second year of his
son's reign, in the year of God 1424: the occasion whereof
was this: the Earl of Bedford having besieged Yvry, the Dau-
phin, to relieve it, sendeth the army under the conduct of
the Duke of Touraine, whom the French call Marshal Dou-
glas, of the constable Buchan the Earl of Narbonne, and o-
thers. They not being able to force Bedford's camp, when
they were come within two miles, of him, returned towards
Vernoil in Perch, which belonged to the King of England,
and sent word to the garrison there, that they had discomfit-
ed the English army, and that Bedford with a small number
hid saved himself by flight. The garrison giving credit there-
to, did open the gates, and received them with the whole ar-
my, into the town, where having left a part of their army,
they came and encamped in the fields near the town.
Bedford having got Yvry by^composition or surrender, follow-
eth them and sent word to the Duke of Touraine by a trum-
pet, that he would come 2nd dine with him. The Duke bade
him come, he should be very welcome, for all was ready: nev-
ertheless, when the point came to consultation, his opinion
was, that they should not fight at that time, because he thought
it net fit to hazard a battle but in case of necessity, and that
they had no necessity to fight at that time, in respect that they
had Vernoil in their hands, and other two good towns besides,
whereby they might be plentifully furnished with provisions,
which the English could not have, and thereby would be con-
strained to retire: but the Earl of Narbonne was earnest to
have them fight, and said, the nobility of France should not
receive such a bravade from the enemies, and if none would.