180 THE WAR FINANCES OF HENRY V April as long as they were on duty in their fortresses. If they too were summoned to the royal standard they came under the financial jurisdiction of the treasurer of war and were paid like other captains. 1 In further considering the question of war finance we find that the war itself proved profitable, and that the English king early took steps to make the conquered country contribute towards the expenses of his campaigns. From the sale of all prizes taken at sea the king was entitled to a fourth, besides a share of the captured cargoes. 2 By agreement with his captains the king received a third of their ' gains of war ', that is, booty and ran- soms. 3 These ' gains ' were no inconsiderable item in the profit- ableness of the war to the individual captains. 4 Agincourt had demonstrated what enormous profits could be got from captives of high rank. Prisoners of royal blood were reserved for the king, but others, distinguished or not, were bought and sold on speculation. 5 In these transactions the king participated, but the income derived does not appear to be recorded. 6 In addition the king had the indemnities exacted from conquered towns in punishment for their resistance. Louviers was the first to suffer, the sum of 8,000 ecus being imposed 5 July 1418, half to be collected on 1 August and half on 1 November. 7 On the surrender of Rouen 300,000 ecus were demanded from the citizens, of which the first payment of 133,333 ecus 10 sols was made to the royal ' coffrier ' on 21 July 1419. 8 This amount was not obtained until steps had been taken to coerce the citizens, 9 and subsequent 1 This is clearly illustrated by a passage in Surreau's account in regard to ' pluseurs parties de deniers qui avoient este paiez par Jehan Barton, Tresorier de l'ostel de monsgr le Regent . . . aux cappitaines . . . pour alez devant Compiengne ', the captains mentioned being the ' bailli ' of Rouen and the captain of Gisors (Bib. Nat., Fonds Francais, 4485, fo. 129). 2 Exchequer Accts. 48/14, &. 2, 3 ; 187/14, fo. 13 v . 3 See an indenture of 1415 in Rymer, ix. 232 ; Hardy, p. 219 ; and Calendar of the Norman Rolls in Forty-second Report of the Deputy Keeper, p. 315. In Surreau's account it appears that these were charged on the captain's wages (Bib. Nat., Fonds Francais, 4485, ff. 204, 207, 209, and passim). 4 For numerous safe-conducts of prisoners going to seek their ransoms see Hardy, Gal. of Norm. Rolls, and Cal. of French Rolls , passim. See above, p. 175, n. 1. 5 Chronique du Religieux de St. Denis, ed. Bellaguet, v. 568. 6 Hardy, p. 160 ; Exchequer Accts. 187/14, fo. 13 v . 7 Roles Normands et Francais et autres Pieces tirees des Archives de Londres par Brequigny en 1764, 1765, et 1766 (Mem. de la Soc. des Antiq. de Norm, xxiii), no. 1004. 8 Cheruel, Histoire de Rouen sous la Domination Anglaise au Quinzieme Siecle, pp. 41, 55-6, notes. In 1421 Sir William Philip valued the ' ecu ' from Rouen at 25,?. sterling (Foreign Accts. 69 F T ). At this rate the Louviers ransom was worth £10,000, the Rouen ransom £375,000, and the first payment thereof £166,666, considerably more than the total receipts of the English Exchequer for any year following 1416. 9 On the collection of the ransom see Cheruel, pp. 57-61, notes ; Roles de Brequigny, 600, 691; L. Fallue, Histoire Politique et Religieuse de VEglise Metropolitaine et du Diocese de Rouen, ii. 340.
