which they were to surrender the place on the 20th of August, in case
they were not succoured by their lord the dauphin before that day, and
gave good hostages for the due performance of it. The dauphin sent
them no assistance, so that king Henry obtained possession of Dreux,
which he strongly regarrisoned with his own men. The Dauphinois, in
number about eight hundred, retired with their baggage, after they had
promised not to bear arms against the English, or their allies, for one
whole year.
When this was done, the king marched toward the river Loire, in pursuit
of the dauphin, whom he was very desirous to meet, to revenge the death
of his brother the duke of Clarence, and the loss of the English who
had fallen at the battle of Baugey. On his march, he reduced to the
obedience of the king of France and of himself, the town of Beaugençy
on the Loire and some other castles.
Finding that the dauphin would not wait to give him battle, he returned
toward Beauce. He had noticed that for some days fifty or sixty
Dauphinois, very well mounted, had followed his army to observe his
motions: on their one day coming nearer to him than usual, he ordered
them to be pursued, when they fled to the castle of Rougemont in
Beauce, which the king commanded to be instantly attacked; and this was
attended with such success that it was won, and all within taken, with
the loss of only one Englishman. King Henry, however, in revenge for
this death, caused them all to be drowned in the Loire.
He thence marched to besiege Villeneuve-le-Roi, which soon submitted,
on the garrison being allowed to march away with their baggage. It Was
regarrisoned by Englishmen. Toward the end of September, he fixed his
head-quarters at Lagny-sur-Marne, and his army was dispersed in the
adjoining villages. At this town, he ordered many wooden engines to
be constructed, and other necessary machines to lay siege to Meaux in
Brie. He dispatched in haste his uncle the duke of Exeter, with four
thousand combatants, to gain possession of the suburbs of Meaux, that
the inhabitants might not set them on fire.
When king Henry had completed his machines in the town of Lagny, he
marched his army thence, consisting of twenty thousand combatants at
the least, and on the 6th day of October encamped before Meaux. A few
days after, he had his camp surrounded with strong hedges and ditches,
to prevent any surprise from the enemy, and at the same time had his
engines pointed to batter the walls and gates, which they continued to
do with great activity.
The defence of the town of Meaux was intrusted by the dauphin to the
bastard de Vaurus, captain-general of the place, Denys de Vaurus his
brother, Pierron de Luppel, Guichard de Sisay, sir Philip Mallet, sir
Louis Gast, the borgne de Caucun, John d'Aunay, Tromagon, Bernard
de Meureville, Philip de Gamaches, and others, to the amount of one
thousand picked combatants, tried in arms, without including the
burghers and commonalty.
They made an obstinate defence against the attacks of the king of
England, and continued it for a long time, as you shall hear.
In these days, it was enacted by the royal council at Paris, that the
florettes, which were current for four deniers, should be reduced to
two deniers; and that the gold crowns, current for nineteen sols,
should now pass for eighteen only. These continued lowerings of the
coin gave great cause of discontent among all ranks, seeing that their
money-property was diminished an eighth part in value. To keep up a
supply of coin, saluts[8] of gold were issued, which were current for
twenty-five sols tournois the piece: two crown-pieces were also coined,
one of France and the other of England. In regard to smaller money,
doubles were coined that were current for two deniers tournois: these
last were in the vulgar tongue called Nicquety, but were not current
for more than three years.
CHAP. LXVI.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY ENTERS INTO A TREATY WITH HIS PRISONERS FOR THE
SURRENDER OF ST RIQUIER, TO WHICH THE LORD D'OFFEMONT, GOVERNOR OF THE
PLACE, AGREES.
The duke of Burgundy was very desirous to get rid of the Dauphinois
from the town of St Riquier, as they committed much mischief on the
country round about; and during the month of November, he had frequent
conversations on this subject with the principal prisoners whom he had
made at the affair of Mons in Vimeu. At length, a treaty was concluded
between the duke, on the one part, and the lord d'Offemont, governor of
St Riquier, and the leaders of his garrison, on the other,--by which it
was agreed, that the duke should set at liberty all prisoners whom he
or his army had taken since he had first come before St Riquier, free
of ransoms; and in return sir Hemon de Bomber, sir John de Blondel,
Ferry de Mailly, John de Beaurevoir, John de Crevecoeur and some
others, were to be delivered from their confinement, and also the town
and castle of St Riquier were to be put in possession of the duke.
Not long after the conclusion of this treaty, sir Hemon de Bomber died
in St Riquier of a lingering disorder, which so angered the duke that
he would have violated the treaty, if his counsellors had not persuaded
him to the contrary. At last, he sent his prisoners under an escort
from Lille to Hesdin, and thence with passports they were conducted to
the lord d'Offemont, who delivered up the prisoners he had promised,
and the town and castle of St Riquier into the hands of the lords de
Roubaix and de Croy, who had been commissioned for that purpose by the
duke.
The lord d'Offemont, on his departure from St Riquier, crossed the
Somme at Blanchetaque, and returned through Vimeu to Pierrefons, Crespy
in the Valois, and to other places under his obedience. The lords de
Roubaix and de Croy, after examining the town and castle, and receiving
the oaths of allegiance from the inhabitants, nominated governors
thereof le borgne de Fosseaux knight, master Nicholas Mailly, and his
brother Ferry de Mailly, Nycaise de Boufflers, John Doncuerre, with
others, and their men, to keep the field against sir James de Harcourt.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 8: Saluts,--an old French crown, of the value of five
shillings sterling.--_Cotgrave._]
CHAP. LXVII.
THE BURGUNDIAN LORDS ASSEMBLE IN ARMS TO CONDUCT THITHER THEIR DUKE
FROM PICARDY.--OTHER MATTERS.
About this time, in consequence of summonses from the duke and duchess
dowager of Burgundy, the nobles of that duchy assembled in arms, and
went to the duke in Picardy, to escort him thither, where his presence
was much desired by the duchess, to consult on public affairs that were
very pressing.
They amounted to six thousand horse, and began their march under the
command of the prince of Orange, the lords de St George and de Château
Vilain, sir John de Coquebrune marshal of Burgundy, and other lords and
captains, through Champagne, to near Lille in Flanders. The principal
lords left their men in the adjacent villages, and waited on the duke
in Lille, who received them with joy.
As the duke was not quite ready to set out, they were requested by sir
John de Luxembourg to join him, and make an attack on the lords de Moy
and de Chin, who were Dauphinois, and had greatly destroyed his own
estates, as well as those of his daughter-in-law the countess of Marle.
They agreed to his proposal; and, as he had assembled about eight
hundred combatants, they advanced to St Quentin, where they lay the
first night, and then continued their march. When they approached the
castle of Moy, the usual residence of the lord of that name, they were
told that he was absent, but had left it well provided with men, stores
and provisions: he had also burnt the lower court, and several houses
of the town that joined the castle.
The Burgundians, foreseeing that the castle could not be won without
a long siege, and great loss of men, concluded among themselves,
notwithstanding the entreaties of sir John de Luxembourg, to return to
Douay and Lille. They did great mischiefs to all the countries they
passed through, as well going as returning, and during their stay, of
which heavy complaints were made to the duke by churchmen and others,
more particularly from Picardy: to all these clamours he replied, that
he would very shortly deliver them from their oppressors, by remanding
them to Burgundy.
Sir John de Luxembourg, vexed and cast down by the burgundian lords
leaving him, disbanded his own forces, and retired to his castle of
Beaurevoir.
On the 16th day of December, the duke and duchess of Burgundy arrived
at Arras with count Philip de St Pol and a grand suite of chivalry.
Soon after, sir John de Luxembourg came thither, and the burgundian
lords; and on the third after his arrival the duke went to visit his
aunt the countess of Hainault at Douay, and conducted her and her
household to Arras, where she was honourably received by the duchess
and the lords and ladies of her court. She remained there three or four
days, during which many grand entertainments were made for her. Having
held some conferences with her nephew, she returned to Quesnoy le Comte
in Hainault, where she generally resided.
CHAP. LXVIII.
SIR JAMES DE HARCOURT MEETS A PARTY OF ENGLISH, AND IS DEFEATED WITH
LOSS.--A HEAVY TAX LAID FOR A COINAGE TO SUPPLY THE TOWNS WITH CURRENT
CASH.
About this period, sir James de Harcourt, making an excursion with six
or seven hundred combatants, was met by a party of English, who had
accidentally assembled from Harques, Neuf-châtel, and the adjoining
parts, to seek adventures on their enemies the Dauphinois. An obstinate
battle ensued; but in the end the English gained the victory, and sir
James lost from two to three hundred men in killed and prisoners:
he himself and the greater part of the knights and esquires saved
themselves by the fleetness of their horses. Among the prisoners was
the lord de Verduisant, at that time one of the governors of St Valery
for the dauphin. The English were joyful at their success, and returned
to the places they had come from with their prisoners.
At this time there was imposed through many parts of the kingdom, and
rigorously exacted, especially in the bailiwick of Amiens, a heavy tax,
which had been granted by the three estates, at the request of the
kings of France and of England. The object of this tax was to gather
as much silver as possible, that a new coinage might be issued, to
afford currency to the great towns; and it was collected from persons
of all ranks, churchmen, knights, esquires, ladies, damsels, burghers,
and from every one who were supposed to have wherewithal, according
to the discretion and pleasure of the collectors, and whether they
would or not. This gained them great hatred from every one whom they
forced to pay. Among others, the bailiff of Amiens was much hated in
his bailiwick, from a suspicion which had gone abroad, that he was the
author of this heavy impost.
CHAP. LXIX.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND THE COUNT DE ST POL DEPART FROM ARRAS, AND
WAIT ON THE KINGS OF FRANCE AND OF ENGLAND.--OTHER MATTERS.
When the duke and duchess of Burgundy had solemnly celebrated the feast
of the Nativity at Arras, they separated from each other a few days
after, but not without much grief at heart and many tears, especially
on the part of the duchess; and they never saw each other again, as you
shall hear.
The duke went to the castle of the count de St Pol at Luchen, where he
lay one night, and on the morrow went to Amiens, and was lodged at the
house of the bailiff. He had sent his men at arms forward to wait for
him between Amiens and Beauvais.
He lay one night at Amiens, and thence departed with displayed banner
and a large body of men at arms in noble array, having a van and rear
guard. He was quartered that night at Franc-Châtel, and thence, taking
the road to Beauvais and through Beaumont, arrived at Paris.
His lady-duchess, on quitting Arras, went with her household to Lille,
and thence to Ghent. The duke entered Paris, attended by the count de
St Pol and all his chivalry, and was most respectfully received by the
Parisians. The king and queen of France were at that time at Vincennes,
whither the duke went to visit them.
Having remained some days at Paris, he went to Lagny sur Marne, to wait
on the king of England, who was employed in the siege of Meaux. He was
most honourably received by the king, and they held many councils on
the affairs of the realm.
The prince of Orange, and a considerable number of the burgundian
lords and gentlemen, quitted the duke just before he left Paris; and
the reason commonly given for this was, that they were unwilling to
accompany him to Lagny, lest king Henry should require of them oaths of
allegiance, as he had demanded from the lord de St George, who, a short
time before, had waited on him, humbly to solicit the deliverance of
his nephew, the lord de Château-vilain, who, by command of king Henry,
had been long detained prisoner in Paris, but was soon after delivered,
in consequence of the application of the lord de St George.
The duke returned in a few days to Paris, and thence, passing through
Troyes, went to wait on his mother, the duchess-dowager, and his
sisters, in Burgundy, who received him with the utmost joy. The usual
oaths from his burgundian vassals were made him, and, having finished
his business, he went to see his uncle in Savoy, who was much rejoiced,
and, to do him the more honour, had justs and other entertainments
for his amusement. When these were over, he returned to his duchy of
Burgundy, where he remained a considerable time.
CHAP. LXX.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG WAITS ON KING HENRY, TO SOLICIT THE LIBERTY OF
THE COUNT DE CONVERSAN, HIS BROTHER,--AND OTHER EVENTS.
About this time, sir John de Luxembourg, attended by a few persons,
came to king Henry at the siege of Meaux, to treat for the deliverance
of his brother the count de Conversan, who had been long a prisoner,
and was confined in that town by Pierron de Luppel. By the assistance
of the English king, he obtained his brother's liberty, on consenting
to pay Pierron de Luppel a large sum of money by instalments at certain
periods agreed on between them. On regaining his liberty, the count de
Conversan remained in the service of king Henry during the siege of
Meaux; and sir John de Luxembourg returned to Picardy, of which he was
governor-general. He was accompanied by sir Hugh de Launoy, who had
been lately appointed grand master of the cross-bows of France by the
two kings of France and of England.
This year, Catherine queen of England was brought to bed of a son and
heir to the kingdom, who, by orders from his father, was baptised
Henry: his sponsors were Jacqueline duchess of Bavaria, at that time in
England, and others nominated for that purpose.[9]
King Henry felt the utmost pleasure at this event, and there were
greater rejoicings throughout England than had been ever seen before on
the birth of any prince. During this time, the Dauphinois took the town
of Avranches by storm, and killed or made prisoners from two to three
hundred English, to the great vexation of their king. On receiving this
intelligence, he sent off, from the siege of Meaux, a strong detachment
to the earl of Salisbury, governor of Normandy, who made such good use
of his reinforcement that he retook Avranches, and put to death, or
made prisoners, many of the Dauphinois.
At this same time, Arthur count de Richemont was delivered by a certain
treaty from his imprisonment in England, and came to the siege of
Meaux with a large body of men at arms to serve king Henry, in whose
service he remained during the life of that king.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 9: See for them in Rymer, &c.]
CHAP. LXXI.
THE LORD D'OFFEMONT ATTEMPTING TO ENTER MEAUX, IS MADE PRISONER BY THE
ENGLISH.--THE BESIEGERS TAKE THE TOWN BY STORM.
The lord d'Offemont assembled about forty combatants, the most expert
and determined he could find, and led them near to the town of Meaux,
which the king of England was besieging in person, with the intent to
enter it secretly, as the inhabitants had sent him frequent messages to
come and be their governor, and knowing of his arrival were prepared
to receive him. They had placed a ladder on the outside of the wall,
by which the lord d'Offemont and his people were to gain admittance;
and on the appointed day, when the lord d'Offemont approached, to
accomplish his enterprise, he met a party of the English guard, whom
he soon put to death. He then led his men to the bank of the ditch, and
they began to ascend the ladder; but he himself, who had staid to see
his men mount before him, stepping on an old plank that had been thrown
over the ditch, it broke under him, and he fell, fully armed, into it,
whence he could not be raised, although they gave him two spears, which
remained in his hands.
In the mean time, the besiegers, hearing a noise, came in numbers to
the spot, and made them prisoners. The lord d'Offemont was cruelly
wounded in the face, and his men were also wounded,--and thus were they
carried to the king of England, who was well pleased at the capture
which his men had made. Having questioned the lord d'Offemont on many
subjects, he put him under a good guard, to whom he gave strict orders
to be careful of his person.
On the morrow, the besieged, sorrowful at heart for their
disappointment in the loss of their looked-for governor, and thinking
the town could not hold out much longer, began to carry their most
valuable articles into the market-place. This was observed by the men
of John de Guigny, a Savoyard, who was at the siege, and he instantly
made an attack on that side of the town. The onset likewise commenced
on the opposite quarter, and was continued with such vigour that the
place was won with little loss to the besiegers.
The garrison then retreated into the market-place, not, however,
without some being slain or taken, but in no great numbers. The king
and very many of his men were lodged in the town, and, soon after,
they gained a small island, on which they planted some bombards
that terribly annoyed the buildings. Those who had retired into the
market-place were sorely oppressed, for king Henry had caused several
bulwarks to be erected against the walls, and they were hourly
expecting to be stormed,--for all hopes of succour had fled, since the
time appointed by the dauphin to send them aid was passed. The English,
pushing matters forward, increased their distress by the capture of the
corn-mill of the market-place, so that no corn could be ground without
infinite danger.
CHAP. LXXII.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG CONQUERS, THIS CAMPAIGN, THE FORTRESSES OF
QUESNOY, LOUVROY AND HERICOURT.--OTHER MATTERS.
We must now speak of what sir John de Luxembourg, with some of the
picard lords, did this year, by orders from the kings of France and
England. Sir Hugh de Launoy, the newly-appointed grand master of the
cross-bows, the vidame of Amiens, the lord de Longueval, the lord de
Saveuses, the lord de Humbercourt, and a great number of knights and
esquires, mustered their forces, in the month of March, in the town of
Eure. When this was done, few people knew whither sir John intended
to lead them: at length he directed their march toward Amiens, to a
miserable castle called le Quesnoy, belonging to John d'Arly, in which
about forty pillagers of the dauphin's party had quartered themselves,
and, in conjunction with those in D'araines, had greatly harrassed
the whole country of Vimeu, and down the river Somme from Amiens to
Abbeville.
The vidame of Amiens and the lord de Saveuses had advanced their men
thither the preceding day to prevent their escape. On sir John de
Luxembourg's arrival, having arranged his quarters, he caused his
artillery to be pointed against the walls, which shortly made large
breaches in them, and in such numbers, that the besieged, finding all
resistance vain, offered to capitulate.
The following terms were soon agreed on between them and the lord de
Saveuses, who had been commissioned for that purpose by sir John de
Luxembourg, namely, that they should surrender the castle and every
thing within it to sir John de Luxembourg; and the greater number of
these pillagers were to be given up to his will. Waleran de St Germain,
their leader, in fact betrayed them, giving them to understand that
their lives would be spared,--but he only bargained for himself to
depart freely, with sufficient passports.
On the conclusion of this treaty, the castle-gates were thrown open,
and those within carried to a house in the town, when part of them
were shortly after hanged, and the others sent to the bailiff of
Amiens, who had them gibbetted: in the latter number was a gentleman,
named Lienard de Picquigny, who said he was distantly related to the
vidame of Amiens. This castle was razed to the ground, after the
wood-work had been burnt.
Sir John then marched his forces toward Gamaches, where he was joined
by three hundred english combatants under the command of sir Raoul le
Bouteiller; and he subjected to the obedience of the kings of France
and of England certain fortresses in Vimeu, as Louvroy[10], Hericourt,
and others. In the mean time, the men of the lord de Gamaches who
were posted at Compiègne, took by storm the castle of Mortemer near
Mondidier, belonging to Conherrard de Brimeu, then absent with the
army of sir John de Luxembourg in Vimeu. They placed a strong garrison
within it, which much oppressed the country round. In another part, a
company of Dauphinois quartered at Marcoussy, to the amount of two
hundred combatants, with their captain, secretly marched by night to
the bridge of Meulan, to which they did great mischief. Their plan was
to establish a garrison there to defend it; but the king of England
sent thither the count de Conversan, with a number of men at arms, who
having besieged them, they soon surrendered on having their lives and
fortunes spared.
CHAP. LXXIII.
THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY RAISES THIS YEAR AN ARMY AGAINST THE HERETICS
OF PRAGUE.--SIMILAR HERESIES ARE DISCOVERED NEAR TO DOUAY.--THE SIEGE
OF D'AIRAINES.
In this year, the emperor of Germany assembled a large body of men at
arms from all parts of Christendom, to combat and oppose the false and
stinking heretics that had arisen within the city of Prague and in
the adjoining country from two to three days journey around it. This
armament was composed of many princes, prelates, knights, esquires,
and others, as well on foot as on horseback, from parts of Germany,
Liege, Holland, Zealand, Hainault and elsewhere. Their numbers were
so great they could scarcely be counted; but the heretics defended
themselves courageously in Prague that they could not do much harm to
them, except in some skirmishes, when many were put to death. They were
firmly united, and the country so strong, that the Christians were
forced to retreat for want of provisions; and these accursed people
were obstinate in their errors, and not afraid of any punishments which
might be inflicted on them: they even armed their women, who were very
devils in cruelty,--for several, dressed as men, were found among the
slain in different engagements.
Similar heretics of both sexes were also discovered near to Douay, who
held their meetings at the village of Sains, and were carried prisoners
to the court of the bishop of Arras. Some of them recanted, and were
pardoned; but the rest, having been preached to by the bishop and
inquisitor, were publicly burnt at Douay, Arras and Valenciennes.
Sir John de Luxembourg returned with his captains and his whole army,
on Easter-night, before the two castles of D'airaines, and surrounded
them on all sides. He had his artillery pointed against the walls,
which made breaches in several places; but the besieged made a good
defence with their cannon, and some sallies, by which indeed they did
not gain much: however, as they were well supplied with stores and
provision, they held out a considerable time, in the expectation of
being powerfully succoured according to the promises that had been
given them by some of the dauphin's partisans.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 10: Louvroy. In du Cange's MS. notes, it is called Hornox.]
[A.D. 1422.]
CHAP. LXXIV.
THE DAUPHINOIS ASSEMBLE TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF D'AIRAINES.--THE
BURGUNDIANS AND ENGLISH MARCH TO MEET THEM, AND OFFER THEM BATTLE.