13 - The Crecy Campaign and Calais (1342–1347)

Summary

The year 1342 marked a nadir in Edward III’s relationship with the mariners. Their desertion of his cause in Brittany could have left him in grave danger. His first instinct was to blame the admirals. Montgomery was moved to other duties after the first wave of desertions in October. Morley was also dismissed at the end of the year. Unfortunately the navy’s problems were too grave to be remedied by such a simple solution. The events of 1342 proved that threatening mariners did not work, as little could be done if they deserted en masse. Many were able to evade local bailiffs looking for deserters by trading in ports where their vessels were unknown. In December orders were issued to arrest two Dartmouth vessels, one belonging to the pirate William Smale, which were trading in London after deserting the fleet. However the sheriffs of London were unusually vigilant. Those trading illegally in smaller ports could expect to remain anonymous.

The problem was that mariners were being routinely ill-treated. The Taret investigation had proven particularly damaging, especially as the men of Great Yarmouth, Edward’s most loyal servants at sea, had been targeted, and many innocent mariners forced to buy pardons with service at sea. Although the attack on the mariners had been initiated by the government, Morley himself was blamed and resented by the mariners. On 24 June 1343, the third anniversary of the Battle of Sluys, Morley held a grand tournament in Smithfield. Morley’s games were attended by the Prince of Wales, and a multitude of knights and spectators. His star was obviously in the ascendant, but this was just an additional goad to the mariners whose vessels had supplied his victories. Shortly after his tournament, Morley’s ships were looted in Lowestoft. The perpetrators were the admiral’s immediate peers. Great Yarmouth’s town bailiffs, including Morley’s own deputy Thomas Drayton, led the attack. John of Norwich and John Perbroun’s sons were involved, along with the main Yarmouth shipowning families, the Fastolfs, Sads and Elyses. The admiral’s goods were wrecked, causing £5,000 worth of damage. Shortly after the débâcle at Lowestoft, Trussel took over from Morley as admiral, but the admiralty itself was by now highly unpopular, and the office was one to be avoided. Edward’s candidate to replace Montgomery was scarcely enthusiastic.