Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 44.djvu/442

Percy same time received two annuities of one hundred marks from the king and the Prince of Wales for his services in Guyenne. On 1 Dec. 1376 he was appointed constable of Roxburgh Castle, a post which he held till 1 May 1381 (, iii. 715; cf. Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland, iv. 250, 290), and on 16 July 1377 was joint-warden of the eastern marches. In the previous February he had been employed, together with Geoffrey Chaucer the poet, in a mission to Flanders, receiving fifty marks for his expenses (, Life of Chaucer, i. 21). At the coronation of Richard II, on 16 July, Percy was in attendance on his brother as marshal. On 22 Oct. 1378 Percy was a guardian of the truce, and one of the commissioners to treat with Scotland (, iii. 715). On 5 Nov. he was appointed admiral of the fleet north of the Thames, Sir Hugh Calveley [q. v.] being the admiral of the south. When the Earl of Buckingham put to sea, Percy remained behind to fit out his fleet, and so escaped the storm. Afterwards he sailed in December with a great ship, two barks and smaller vessels, and, falling in with a fleet of forty Spanish and Flemish merchantmen, captured two-and-twenty of them (, i. 364–5). In the following year Percy and Calveley cruised with success in the Channel. On 4 March they were appointed joint captains of Brest, and on 9 July were commissioners to confirm the alliance with Brittany (Fœdera, iv. 58, 67, Record edit.) In the autumn he sailed with his fleet to escort the duke—Jean de Montfort—back to Brittany (, pp. 11, 12). While still at sea, in December, he fell in with a Spanish ship, and, though weakened by the effects of his long cruise, captured and brought it into Brest. His fleet escaped the disaster which overtook that under Sir John Arundel of Lanherne (d. 1379) [q. v.], perhaps through the good discipline which he and Calveley maintained; for while so many of Arundel's ships were wrecked, they lost no men, and not even any horses (, i. 425–6; the, p. 17, ascribes their better fortune to their superior piety in paying their debts when in port).

In 1380 Percy took part in the great expedition of Thomas of Woodstock, earl of Buckingham, for which he was retained with two hundred men-at-arms and two hundred archers (, vol. ix. p. c n., ed. Reynaud). The English landed at Calais in July, and marched through northern France to Brittany. Percy was sent from Rennes with Sir Robert Knolles to bring the Duke of Brittany to the English camp. At the subsequent siege of Nantes he was posted with Knolles at St. Nicholas Gate, and in December was employed on a fresh mission to the duke. He took part in the skirmish before Nantes on 24 Dec., and after the siege was raised, on 2 Jan. 1381, was stationed with William, lord Latimer [q. v.], and Sir Thomas Trivet at Hennebon. When, on 11 April, Buckingham was on the point of sailing from Vannes, Jean de Montfort begged for an interview. Percy was sent to him, and had a three hours' conference; but Buckingham refused to delay, and set sail that same night, Percy no doubt returning with him to England (, vii. 382–429, ed. Buchon). Percy is mentioned as keeper of Brest Castle on 30 June (, Issues of Exchequer, p. 216). But in July he was employed under the Earl of Buckingham to suppress Jack Straw's rebellion in Essex, and was afterwards sent to St. Albans to protect the abbey (, Gesta Abbatum, iii. 323, 342, and Hist. Angl. ii. 18, 28). On 3 Aug. 1383 he is named as joint warden of the eastern marches towards Scotland. On 4 Oct. he was appointed one of the commissioners to treat with Flanders, and on 4 Nov. to treat with France, for which purpose he crossed over to Calais (Fœdera, vii. 412, 414, orig. edit.;, ix. 4, ed. Buchon). On 26 Jan. 1384 he was named one of the conservators of the consequent truce in Brittany, and appointed by the council on 8 Feb. (Fœdera, vii. 420–1). On 23 April directions were given that he should be employed in the Scottish marches in support of his brother (ib. vii. 425). In the following year it was intended to send Percy with John of Gaunt to Bordeaux; but fears of a French invasion through Scotland prevented the expedition (, ix. 77, ed. Buchon). Percy was again employed as admiral of the north, but did not repeat the successes of six years previously, and incurred unfavourable comment for letting the French cruise undisturbed (, Hist. Angl. ii. 127). In 1386 Percy took part in the expedition of John of Gaunt to Spain. Before his departure he gave evidence in the Scrope and Grosvenor controversy at Plymouth, on 16 June, in support of Scrope (Scrope and Grosvenor Roll, p. 50). The expedition, of which Percy was admiral, sailed from Plymouth on 7 July, and landed at Corunna on 9 Aug. Percy took part in the reconnaissance and skirmish before Ribadavira, escorted Philippa of Lancaster to Oporto to be married to King John of Portugal, and returned in time to join in the march to Betanços. He fought with Barrois des Barres before Ferrol, and in 1387 was present at