him in preference to all his other counsellors; but in the end, his
duchess pacified him,--for, according to the reports of the time, she
was not averse to the above deed being done.
CHAP. IX.
THE KING AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY SEND CAPTAINS FOR THE DEFENCE OF
ROUEN.--OF A ROBBER CALLED TABARY.
In these days, several captains were ordered by the king and the duke
of Burgundy to Rouen, to aid the inhabitants in the defence of their
town against the king of England, by whom they daily expected to be
besieged. In their number were the lord de Gapennes, sir John de
Neuf-châtel lord de Montagu, sir Anthony de Toulongeon, sir Andrew des
Roches, Henry de Chaufour, the bastard de Thian, le Grand Jacques, a
native of Lombardy, Guerard bastard de Brimeu, and many others renowned
in arms.
Sir Guy le Bouteiller, a Norman, was captain-general of the town,
having under him Langnon, bastard of Arly. The whole of the men at arms
were selected for their courage, and amounted to about four thousand;
and the citizens, well armed and clothed suitably to their degree,
were full fifteen thousand, ready and eager to defend themselves
against all who might wish to injure them.
They united cheerfully with the men at arms in making every preparation
of defence, in strengthening the gates, bulwarks, walls and ditches
of their town, as well within side as without. They also made many
regulations, distributing to each captain of men at arms certain
portions of the town to defend. The citizens were likewise divided into
constablewicks; and it was proclaimed by sound of trumpet, that all
persons, whatever might be their rank, who intended to remain in the
place, must provide themselves with provision for ten months; and those
who were unable to do this must quit the town, and go whither they
pleased.
In consequence of this proclamation, numbers of poor people departed,
as did several ladies, damsels, and citizens' wives, with churchmen and
others, who could not be of any assistance. After this, the garrison
made frequent sallies on the English, who were hard by, and killed
many, and made prisoners,--at other times they were unfortunate.
There was living in that part of the country near to Pontoise,
l'Isle-Adam, Gisors, and on the borders of Normandy, a captain of a
gang of thieves called Tabary, who had taken part with the Burgundians.
He was of small stature, and lame; but he often collected bodies of
forty or fifty peasants, sometimes more, sometimes less, armed and
dressed in old jackets and haubergeons, with decayed battle-axes, half
lances with mallets at their end, and other poor armour. Some were
mounted on miserable horses; while others on foot formed ambuscades
in the woods, near to the English quarters. Whenever Tabary could lay
hands on any of them he cut their throats, as indeed he did to all the
dauphin's friends. This conduct made him greatly feared by both these
parties.
CHAP. X.
KING HENRY OF ENGLAND, WITH MANY IRISH, BESIEGES ROUEN, WHERE SEVERAL
SKIRMISHES TAKE PLACE.
King Henry of England marched a most powerful army, accompanied by a
large train of artillery and warlike stores, in the month of June,
before the noble and potent town of Rouen, to prevent the inhabitants
and garrison from being supplied with new corn. The van of his army
arrived there at midnight, that the garrison might not make any sally
against them. The king was lodged at the Carthusian convent; the
duke of Glocester was quartered before the gate of St Hilaire; the
duke of Clarence at the gate of Caen; the earl of Warwick at that of
Martinville; the duke of Exeter and earl of Dorset at that of Beauvais:
in front of the gate of the castle were the lord Marshal and Sir John
de Cornwall. At the gate leading to Normandy were posted the earls of
Huntingdon, Salisbury, Kyme, and the lord Neville son to the earl of
Westmoreland. On the hill fronting St Catherine's were others of the
english barons.
Before the English could fortify their quarters, many sallies were
made on them, and several severe skirmishes passed on both sides. But
the English, so soon as they could, dug deep ditches between the town
and them, on the top of which they planted a thick hedge of thorns,
so that they could not otherwise be annoyed than by cannon shot and
arrows. They also built a jette on the banks of the Seine, about a
cannon shot distant from the town, to which they fastened their chains,
one of them half a foot under the water, another level with it, and a
third two feet above the stream, so that no boats could bring provision
to the town, nor could any escape from it that way. They likewise
dug deep galleries of communication from one quarter to another,
which completely sheltered those in them from cannon or other warlike
machines.
The garrison in the fort of St Catherine, at the end of a month,
surrendered it to the English from want of provision, and were allowed
to depart in safety, but without baggage.
The king of England had in his army numbers of Irish, the greater part
of whom were on foot, having only a stocking and shoe on one leg and
foot, with the other quite naked. They had targets, short javelins,
and a strange sort of knives. Those who were on horseback had no
saddles, but rode excellently well on small mountain horses, and were
mounted on such paniers as are used by the carriers of corn in parts of
France. They were, however, miserably accoutred, in comparison with the
English, and without any arms that could much hurt the French whenever
they might meet them.
These Irish made frequent excursions, during the siege, over Normandy,
and did infinite mischiefs, bringing back to their camp large booties.
Those on foot took men, and even children from the cradle, with beds
and furniture, and, placing them on cows, drove all these things before
them; for they were often met thus by the French. By such means was
the country of Normandy wasted, and its poor inhabitants ruined, by
English, Irish, Burgundians and Dauphinois.
The king of England, during this siege of Rouen, had the gates and
walls of the town battered by bombards and other engines to destroy
them; but to relate the whole, and the many sallies that were made,
would occupy too much time. Suffice it to say, that the besieged
behaved with the utmost courage.
While the siege was going on, Langnon bastard d'Arly, one of the
principal captains in the town, and in whom the inhabitants placed
their greatest confidence, had the charge of guarding the gate of Caux.
One day, an English knight, called sir John le Blanc, governor of
Harfleur under the earl of Dorset, came before this gate, and demanded
of Langnon to break three lances with him, which he granted,--and,
having quickly armed himself, sallied out with about thirty companions
on foot. In front of the barriers, they attacked each other gallantly;
but it happened, that at the first thrust, the english knight was run
through the body, and unhorsed: he was then dragged by force into the
town, and soon after died. Langnon received four hundred nobles on
returning the body, and was universally applauded by the townsmen for
the address and valour he had shewn on this occasion.
CHAP. XI.
THE SENTENCE THAT HAD BEEN FORMERLY PASSED ON MASTER JOHN PETIT IS
PUBLICLY REVERSED.--THE CAPTURE OF LAIGNY-SUR-MARNE.--THE ARRIVAL OF
THE DUKE OF BRITTANY,--AND OTHER MATTERS.
In these days, a public procession was made from all the churches in
Paris, and mass was chaunted in that of Nôtre Dame. While mass was
celebrating, a friar minorite, doctor in theology, preached a solemn
sermon in the square before the church,--at which were present the
king's ministers, such as the chancellor and others, the rector and
principal heads of the university, several great lords, the provost
of Paris, and some of the chief citizens. There were also present the
vicars and officials of the bishop of Paris, who, having received an
especial commission for the purpose from the bishop, then very ill at
St Maur des Fossés, reversed, in his name, the sentence which he and
others had formerly pronounced contrary to the honour of the duke of
Burgundy, and against the proposition avowed by this duke through the
organ of master John Petit, as has been before related, and now made
every possible reparation in regard to the honour and loyalty of the
said duke, as the true champion of the crown of France.
The preacher, in his sermon, compared him to the prop that supports the
vine, and explained the legality of the powers granted by the bishop to
his vicars to annul this sentence, at the same time making excuses for
the bishop's absence on account of his illness. In short, every thing
was done to the satisfaction of the duke of Burgundy, and the sentence
was annulled in the middle of the sermon.
At this time news was brought to the duke while at Paris, that the
Dauphinois at Meaux-en-Brie had taken the town of Laigny-sur-Marne, by
the carelessness of the garrison, which was true, and the day they won
it, they committed many outrages. Some of the garrison escaped into a
strong tower, and sent in haste to the duke for help, who instantly
dispatched thither the lord de l'Isle-Adam; and, by means of those in
the tower, he gained admittance to the town, and put the greater part
of the Dauphinois to the sword,--when, having placed therein a strong
garrison, he returned to Paris.
On the morrow, the duke of Burgundy, attended by a large body of men
at arms, went from Paris to the bridge of Charenton, to meet the duke
of Brittany, who was coming to negotiate a peace between him and the
dauphin; but as nothing could be agreed on, the duke of Burgundy
returned to Paris, and the duke of Brittany to his own country.
The reason why they met at Charenton was the epidemical disorder that
then raged in Paris. By accounts from the rectors of the parishes, it
was known that upward of fourscore thousand had died within that town.
Many of the dependants of the duke of Burgundy were carried off by this
pestilence, as were the prince of Orange, the lord de Fosseux, sir
Jenet de Poix, the lord d'Auxois, and numbers of other gentlemen.
Shortly after, the cardinals d'Orsini and di San Marco returned to
Saint Maur des Fossés, to treat of a peace between the dauphin and the
duke of Burgundy; and many notable ambassadors were sent to them from
the king, queen and duke, who at length concluded a treaty by means of
these cardinals with the commissioners sent from the dauphin. It seemed
good, and to the mutual advantage of both parties; but when it was
carried to the dauphin and his advisers, they were dissatisfied with
it, so that the war continued with greater bitterness than before.
CHAP. XII.
THE PARISIANS AGAIN PUT TO DEATH THE PRISONERS.--THE SIEGE OF
MONTLEHERY.--THE CAPTURE OF SOISSONS BY THE LORD DE BOCQUIAUX AND HIS
COMPANIONS.
To add to the tribulations of these times, the Parisians again
assembled in great numbers, as they had before done, and went to all
the prisons in Paris, broke into them, and put to death full three
hundred prisoners, many of whom had been confined there since the last
butchery. In the number of those murdered were sir James de Mommor,
and sir Louis de Corail chamberlain to the king, with many nobles and
churchmen.
They then went to the lower court of the bastille of St Anthony, and
demanded that six prisoners, whom they named, should be given up to
them, or they would attack the place. In fact, they began to pull down
the wall of the gate,--when the duke of Burgundy, who lodged near the
bastille, vexed to the heart at such proceedings, to avoid worse,
ordered the prisoners to be delivered to them, if any of their leaders
would promise that they should be conducted to the Châtelet prison, and
suffered to be punished according to their deserts by the king's court
of justice.
Upon this, they all departed,--and, by way of glossing over their
promise, they led their prisoners near to the Châtelet, when they
put them to death, and stripped them naked. They then divided into
several large companies, and paraded the streets of Paris, entering
the houses of many who had been Armagnacs, plundering and murdering
all without mercy. In like manner as before, when they met any person
they disliked, he was slain instantly; and their principal leader was
Cappeluche, the hangsman of the city of Paris.
The duke of Burgundy, alarmed at these insurrections, sent for some of
the chief citizens, with whom he remonstrated on the consequences these
disturbances might have. The citizens excused themselves from being any
way concerned, and said they were much grieved to witness them: they
added, they were all of the lowest rank, and had thus risen to pillage
the more wealthy; and they required the duke to provide a remedy, by
employing these men in his wars.
It was then proclaimed, in the names of the king and the duke of
Burgundy, under pain of death, that no persons should tumultuously
assemble, nor any more murders or pillage take place, but that such as
had of late risen in insurrection should prepare themselves to march
to the sieges of Montlehery and Marcoussi, now held by the king's
enemies. The commonalty made reply, that they would cheerfully do so,
if they had proper captains appointed to lead them.
Within a few days, to avoid similar tumults in Paris, six thousand of
the populace were sent to Montlehery, under the command of the lord de
Cohen, sir Walter de Ruppes and sir Walter Raillart, with a certain
number of men at arms, and store of cannon and ammunition sufficient
for a siege. These knights led them to Montlehery, where they made a
sharp attack on the Dauphinois within the castle.
The duke of Burgundy, after their departure, arrested several of their
accomplices, and the principal movers of the late insurrection; some of
whom he caused to be beheaded, others to be hanged or drowned in the
Seine: even their leader Cappeluche, the hangsman, was beheaded in the
market-place. When news of this was carried to the Parisians who had
been sent to Montlehery, they marched back to Paris to raise another
rebellion; but the gates were closed against them, so that they were
forced to return to the siege. Within a short time, however, they were
recalled thence,--for negotiators from the two parties were busily
employed to establish peace.
The lord de Château-vilain, at this period, came to wait on the duke
of Burgundy in Paris: he was preceded by a fool, who, riding some
paces before him as he entered the gate of St Anthony, shouted aloud,
'Armagnac for ever!' and was instantly put to death by the guards at
the gate, to the great anger of his lord, but he could not amend it.
The Dauphinois, to the amount of three hundred combatants, under the
command of the lord de Bocquiaux, won by storm at break of day the
city of Soissons from the lord de Longueval, governor of it for the
king and the duke of Burgundy. The lord de Longueval escaped with much
difficulty on foot, in company with Robert de Saveuses and others, by
leaping down from the walls. The city was, in great part, plundered of
every thing.
CHAP. XIII.
THE DAUPHINESS IS SENT TO THE DAUPHIN.--THE SIEGE OF TOURS, IN
TOURAINE.--OF THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED BY THE KING AND THE DUKE OF
BURGUNDY.
With the consent of the king and queen of France, and the duke of
Burgundy, the dauphiness was honourably sent to the dauphin in Anjou:
she had remained in Paris at the time when it was taken: and with her
were sent all her jewels and wardrobe, that the dauphin might be the
more inclined to peace and to return to the king. It was in vain; for
those who governed him would not suffer it, as they knew that in that
case they should be deprived of all their offices and employments.
The young count d'Armagnac now joined the dauphin magnificently
accompanied by men at arms, and made bitter complaints concerning
the murders of his father, the constable of France, and of the other
great lords. The dauphin and his council replied, that speedy and
substantial justice should be done, in proper time and place, on those
who had committed these murders.
The dauphin then marched a powerful army to lay siege to Tours in
Touraine, of which place sir William de Romenil, knight, and Charles
l'Abbe were governors. They in a short time surrendered both town and
castle to the dauphin; and Charles l'Abbe even turned to his party, and
took the oaths of allegiance to him. The men at arms that were under
his command, being unwilling to follow his example, received passports
to go whither they pleased. The dauphin kept his court at Tours for a
considerable space of time.
The duke of Burgundy, on the other hand, who held the king and queen
under his subjection, ordered the government of the kingdom according
to his pleasure; and notwithstanding he had formerly abolished
all subsidies and taxes, he caused the king's ministers to issue
a royal edict to raise certain sums for the relief of the city of
Rouen, which was hard pressed by the English. In addition to this,
the Parisians were required to furnish a loan for the same purpose;
and the municipality lent one hundred thousand francs, on condition
that every tun of wine should pay twelve farthings when brought to
Paris, until the above sum were repaid,--and the municipality were to
receive this duty by their own officers. Large subsidies were likewise
raised throughout those parts of the realm that were under the king's
obedience,--namely, in the bishoprick of Beauvais, in the bailiwicks
of Amiens, of the Vermandois, and elsewhere. Master Robert le Jeune,
advocate in the parliament, was nominated to collect these taxes; and
one of the judges with some of the king's officers were sent to enforce
payment from such as refused.
CHAP. XIV.
THE TOWN OF ROUEN SENDS MESSENGERS TO THE KING TO DEMAND SUCCOUR.--AN
EMBASSY IS SENT TO KING HENRY OF ENGLAND,--AND MANY OTHER MATTERS.
At this period, a priest of a tolerable age, and of clear
understanding, was deputed, by those besieged in Rouen, to the king
of France and his council. On his arrival at Paris, he caused to be
explained by an augustin doctor, named Eustace de la Paville, in
presence of the king and his ministers, the miserable situation of the
besieged. He took for his text, 'Domine quid faciemus?' and harangued
upon it very ably and eloquently. When he had finished, the priest
addressed the king, saying,
'Most excellent prince and lord, I am enjoined by the inhabitants of
Rouen to make loud complaints against you, and against you duke of
Burgundy, who govern the king, for the oppressions they suffer from
the English. They make known to you by me, that if, from want of being
succoured by you, they are forced to become subjects to the king of
England, you will not have in all the world more bitter enemies; and if
they can, they will destroy you and your whole generation.'
With these or with similar words did this priest address the king and
his council. After he had been well received and entertained, and the
duke of Burgundy had promised to provide succours for the town of
Rouen as speedily as possible, he returned the best way he could to
carry this news to the besieged.
Shortly after, the king of France and the duke of Burgundy sent
ambassadors to Pont de l'Arche, to treat of a peace with the king of
England. This embassy consisted of the bishop of Beauvais, master
Philip de Morvilliers, first president of the parliament, master
Regnault de Folleville, knight, sir William de Champdivers, master
Thierry le Roy, and others: they were likewise accompanied by the
cardinal d'Orsini, as a mediator.
The king of England appointed the earl of Warwick, the lord chancellor,
and the archbishop of Canterbury to meet them at Pont de l'Arche, with
others of his council. The negotiations lasted fifteen days,--during
which the cardinal paid a visit to the king of England, at his siege of
Rouen, and was handsomely received by him and the other lords.
The ambassadors from the king of France had brought with them a
portrait of the princess Catherine, daughter to the king, which was
presented to the king of England, who liked it well; but he made too
great demands for her marriage-portion, namely, that with the princess
should be given him a million of crowns of gold, the duchy of Normandy,
of which he had conquered a part, the duchy of Acquitaine, the county
of Ponthieu, with other lordships, the whole to be held independent of
the crown of France.
Nothing therefore was concluded; and the English ambassadors replied
to those from France, that their king was not in a situation to
form any treaty with,--for the dauphin was not made a party, and
it was unbecoming the duke of Burgundy to dispose by treaty of the
inheritances of France. On receiving this answer, the cardinal and
ambassadors returned to the king and queen of France and the duke of
Burgundy, who had lately quitted Paris, and were at Pontoise.
They reported to the council all that had passed at Pont de l'Arche;
and soon after the cardinal went to pope Martin at Avignon, for he
saw clearly that no peace was likely to take effect between the three
parties.
The inhabitants of Rouen knowing well that the negotiation between the
kings of France and England was broken off, and fearing that succour
would be too long delayed, resolved to make a sally, and fight their
way through one of the quarters of king Henry's army, to seek for
succour themselves. On mustering their forces, they found they were
full ten thousand combatants, leaving a sufficiency for the defence of
the town. Orders were given for each man to provide himself with two
days provision. When all were ready, and two thousand of them had made
an attack on the king's quarters, where they had done much damage,
they began their march out of the town; but it happened that the props
which bore the drawbridge had been wickedly and secretly sawed nearly
through, so that when their first ranks advanced thereon it broke, and
very many fell into the ditch and were killed or wounded.
They hastened to another gate to support their men that were engaged
with the English, and ordered them to retreat; but they could not
regain their town without great loss, although they had made their
enemies suffer also.
There were now many murmurings against the honour of sir Guy le
Bouteiller, who was believed to have caused the supporters of the
drawbridge to be sawn.
Not long after this sally, Langnon bastard d'Arly died of sickness,
to the great sorrow of the commonalty, who as I have before said, had
greater confidence in him than in any of the other captains.
At this time sir John de Luxembourg took to wife Joan of Bethune,
daughter and heiress to the viscount de Meaux, who had before espoused
Robert de Bar count de Marle and de Soissons. She had a young daughter,
two years old or thereabout, the heiress of these counties. This
marriage was concluded through favour of the duke of Burgundy and the
count de Charolois; and by it sir John de Luxembourg had the management
of extensive territories. Within a year, the lady brought him a son,
who died young. The duke of Burgundy gave up to him many lordships,
such as Dunkirk, Varmeston and others, which he had holden as being
confiscated,--for the late sir Robert de Bar, during his lifetime, had
been of the opposite party.
CHAP. XV.
A LARGE ARMY IS COLLECTED TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF ROUEN.--THE BESIEGED
SEND ANOTHER EMBASSY.--THE EXCURSION OF SIR JAMES DE HARCOURT.
We must now return to the situation of the king of France, and of the
duke of Burgundy's government. It is true that large bodies of men at
arms had been summoned in the king's name for the relief of the town of
Rouen, from different parts of the kingdom, and ordered to rendezvous
at and near Beauvais. A great many of the lords from Picardy, with a
numerous body of their men accustomed to bear arms, came thither; and
the country suffered much from them wherever they passed.