Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 18.djvu/242

 activity was not lessened on the death of Henry V. In January 1422 he was grand master of the household of Bedford, the regent of France, and seneschal of Normandy. He played a conspicuous part in the recapture of Meulan, which he had helped to capture two years before, although the French had since recaptured it. In 1423 he was constituted lieutenant for the king and regent in Normandy, and governor of Anjou and Maine. In the same year he seized Pacy and Coursay, and captured Guillaume Reymond, governor of the former city. The honour of a banneret was conferred on him. At the battle of Verneuil (1424) he took prisoner John II, duke of Alençon, son of the duke who was slain at Agincourt. But Alençon was ransomed three years later, and Fastolf complained that he was deprived of his proper share of the money. It was largely owing to Fastolf's efforts that in the following year the subjection of Maine was completed. On 15 July 1425 he met Salisbury under the walls of Mons. On 2 Aug. the fortress surrendered, and Fastolf was made lieutenant of the town under the Earl of Suffolk (10 Aug. 1425). In September 1425 he took the castle of Silly-Guillem, ‘from which he was dignified with the title of baron.’ In February 1426 he was installed, while still in France, knight of the Garter. Sir Henry Inghouse and Sir William Breton acted as his deputies at the ceremony. But in the same year John, lord Talbot, superseded him as governor of Anjou and Maine. The supersession caused Fastolf much irritation. On 27 Nov. Bedford and Fastolf signed indentures, pledging the latter to continue in the duke's service (, ii. 44–5). In 1427 he was chosen M.P. for Yarmouth.

During the season of Lent 1429 Fastolf performed his chief exploit. Orleans was under siege by the English, and their camp was in great need of provisions. Fastolf was directed to bring in supplies. He reached Paris safely, and returned with the necessary stores, but when approaching the camp outside Orleans was attacked at Rouvray by a French army under the Comte de Clermont far exceeding his own in number (12 Feb.). His victory was, however, complete. For purposes of defence he used the barrels of herrings which he was convoying, whence the battle obtained its popular name, ‘the Battle of the Herrings.’ But after Joan of Arc's successes Fastolf was unable to resist the proposal to raise the siege of Orleans (8 May). The tide had turned against the English, and the French under their new leader were pushing their victories home. Beaugenci was in danger of falling before Joan of Arc's forces. They had laid siege to it, and the arrival of two English companies led by Talbot and Fastolf did not avert its fall. The English generals marched towards Paris, but Joan ordered a pursuit. On 18 June 1429 the French came up with the English army at Patay. Talbot behaved with foolhardy courage. A manœuvre on the part of Fastolf was misunderstood by his own men; panic seized them, and Fastolf's endeavour to recall them to their senses proved ineffectual. It was only when the day was irretrievably lost and his life was in immediate danger that he beat a retreat. Talbot with Lord Hungerford and others was taken prisoner. This is the version of the engagement given by an eye-witness, Jean de Wavrin (, Chronicques Anchiennes, ed. Dupont, i. 279–94, Société de l'Histoire de France). According to Monstrelet, Fastolf behaved with much cowardice in running away, and by way of defending his action recommended at a council of war held soon after the battle a temporary abstention from hostilities till further succours arrived from England. Talbot and Bedford are reported to have received this suggestion with much displeasure, and Fastolf, we are told, was not only reprimanded by the Duke of Bedford, but degraded from the order of the Garter (, ed. Douët-D'Arcq, iv. 329 et seq., Soc. de l'Hist. de France;, Hist. des Règnes de Charles VII et Louis XI, ed. Quicherat, i. 74, Soc. de l'Hist. de France; , Hist. de Charles VII, 1863, ii. 84 et seq.) Anstis, the historian of the order of the Garter, doubts whether it would have been in the duke's power to subject Fastolf to this indignity. Monstrelet's damaging imputation has been adopted by the later English chroniclers. In the ‘First Part of Henry VI,’ printed in Shakespeare's works, Fastolf is portrayed as a contemptible craven in the presence of Joan of Arc's forces, and is publicly stripped of his Garter by Lord Talbot (act iii. 2, 104–9; act iv. 1, 9–47). Monstrelet admits that Fastolf was quickly restored to his honours, ‘though against the mind of Lord Talbot.’ There can be no doubt that Fastolf was employed after the battle of Patay in as responsible offices as before. Monstrelet's story when compared with Wavrin's account of Fastolf's conduct resolves itself into the statement that at Talbot's request Bedford held an inquiry into a charge of cowardice brought against Fastolf after Patay, and came to the conclusion that the accusation was unfounded.

In 1430 Fastolf became lieutenant of Caen; in 1431 he raised the siege of Vaudemont, taking prisoner the Duc de Bar, and in 1432 was nominated English ambassador to the council of Basle, after a visit to England. He