Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/631

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1543.]
THE FRENCH WAR.
611

'At night, after our camp was lodged, I sent a letter to the captain, and the effect of my letter was that, seeing he would send out no greater number to skirmish with us, if he had any gentlemen under his charge that would break any staves for their ladies' sakes, I would the next morning appoint six gentlemen to meet with them. Whereunto, early in the morning, he sent me a letter that he had appointed six gentlemen to meet me by the way at nine o'clock, with certain conditions, which I kept and observed accordingly. And those I sent to run against them, by their own requests, were Mr Howard, Peter Carew,[1] Markham, Chelley of Calais, with two of mine own men, Calverley and Hall: and by report of those that did behold them, they did run well, and made very fair courses. Mr Howard at his first course brake his staff in the midst of the Frenchman's cuirass galiardly. Markham strake another upon the headpiece like to have overthrown him. Peter Carew also brake his staff very well, and had another broken on him. Calverley, my man, was praised to make the fairest course of them all; yet, by the evil running of a Frenchman's horse, that fled out, strake him under the armpit through the body, and pierced his harness in the back, so that he is sore hurt, and in great danger, not able to be brought back to our camp, but carried to Terouenne, where he is well intreated. This morning, having heard from them, I have some hopes of his life.'[2]

  1. The story is told less circumstantially in Hooker's Life of Sir Peter Carew.—Archæologia, vol. xxviii.
  2. Sir John Wallop to the Privy Council: State Papers, vol. ix. p. 457.