Azincourt is a historical novel written by Bernard
Cornwell. The book relates the events leading to the Battle of
Agincourt, through its protagonist Nicholas Hook. In the United
States, it was published under the title
Agincourt.
Azincourt by
Bernard Cornwell
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Plot
Nicholas Hook, a forester and archer, feuds with Tom and
Robert Perrill and their father, the priest Father Martin. He is
compelled to participate in the hanging and burning of a
community of Lollard heretics. One of them, an archer himself,
asks Hook to protect his granddaughter after he (the condemned
man) is gone. But Father Martin decides to take the girl for
himself, and in an unsuccessful attempt to shield her, Hook
attacks the priest. Hook is then held for trial and anticipated
execution. Father Martin and Tom Perrill rape and murder the
girl, and Hook's guilt at failing to save her haunts him
throughout the story.
Hook escapes and joins an expedition to Soissons, in
Burgundy, as a mercenary archer. Burgundy and France are in
bitter conflict and the French attack, win easily, sack the
town, and torture and kill the English archers. Hook manages to
conceal himself in a house and save a girl, Melisande, from
rape. Hook believes he is guided in their escape by the voices
of Saints Crispin and Crispinian. Melisande becomes Hook's
companion and lover. Later, he discovers she is the bastard
child of the powerful French Lord Ghillebert, seigneur de
Lanferelle (called the "Lord of Hell").
By returning alive from Soissons, and reporting the treachery
of the English man-at-arms Sir Roger Pallaire, who conspired
with the French and sacrificed his own archers, Hook earns good
stead with King Henry V and his new lord, Sir John Cornewaille.
Hook returns to France with the royal army to win Henry the
crown of France. The campaign starts horrendously with the siege
of Harfleur. Capturing Harfleur takes too many weeks, and
disease decimates Henry's army. During a failed attack, Hook
kills Robert Perrill by thrusting a crossbow bolt through the
man's eye.
Henry, against the advice of his Lords, decides to march his
ragged army along the coast of France to Calais as an insult.
The Hook - Perrill feud reignites during the march as Tom
Perrill frames Hook's brother Michael for stealing a religious
pyx. Henry hangs Michael in public for the crime. To reach
Calais, the English army must cross the River Somme. But the far
larger French army blocks the fords and the two opposing armies
meet at Agincourt. Torrential rain soaks the newly ploughed
land, turning it into a treacherous morass, especially for the
French knights in full plate armour. The French foolishly allow
the English to advance within range of the English longbows. The
archers launch volleys as the French begin a difficult advance
toward the English.
The first attack is driven back by the English. During the
mayhem, Father Martin attempts to rape Melisande. Melisande
kills Martin using her crossbow. The English repel the second
attack through a combination of the remaining arrows and the
surprising skill of the archers in hand-to-hand combat. The
French are unwilling to launch a third attack and they retire,
leaving thousands of French dead, and many French lords in
captivity. Hook takes Lanferelle prisoner, and Lanferelle kills
Tom Perrill. The English claim a famous victory, and Hook
returns to England with Melisande, a promotion, and the feud
ended.
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