John de Ashton

Who is John de Ashton?

Sir John de Ashton, was a military commander.

Ashton was the son of Thomas de Ashton, who had distinguished himself at the battle of Nevill's Cross. The dates of his birth and death are unknown, but in 1370 he figured as the hero of one of those picturesque incidents which Froissart delighted to describe. Lord Berners has thus translated the passage:

The lande of the Lord of Coucy abode in peace, for ther was nother man nor woman that had any hurt, the value of a penny, yf they sayd they belonged to the lorde of Coucy. And so at last the englysshmen came before the cyte of Noyon, the whiche was well furnished with men of warre; ther the englysshmen taryed, and aproched as near as they might, and aduysed to se yf any maner of assaut might preuayle them or not, and there they sawe that the towne was well aparelled for defence. And sir Robert Canoll was loged in the abbey of Dolkens, and his people about him; and on a day he came before the cyte, raynged in maner of batayle, to se yf they of the garyson and comontie of the towne wolde yssue out and fight or not; but they had no wyll so to do.