expedition, a large body of the Parisians and members of the university
waited on him, and earnestly required, in the presence of his council,
that he would not enter into any treaty with his enemies without their
being included and personally named therein. They remonstrated with him
on the necessity for this, as they were hated by his enemies, because
they had loyally served him against them.
The king and council granted their request.--The king then left Paris
in noble array, on Thursday the 5th day of May, and lay the first night
at Vincennes, where the queen resided: he thence went through Corbeil
to Melun, where he remained some days waiting for his men at arms. On
the ensuing Sunday, the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy set out from
Paris to join the king at Melun, to which place large bodies of men at
arms and archers repaired from all parts of the kingdom.
On Saturday, the 14th of May, the king marched his army from Melun,
accompanied by the dukes of Acquitaine, Burgundy and Bar, the counts
de Mortain and de Nevers, with many other great barons, knights and
gentlemen. It had been resolved in council, that the king should not
return to Paris until he had reduced the dukes of Berry, Orleans and
Bourbon, with their adherents, to obedience.
He then advanced to Moret, in the Gatinois, and to
Montereau-Faut-Yonne. At this last place, he was wounded in the leg
by a kick from a horse, but continued his march to Sens, where he
was confined by this accident six days. The queen and the duchess of
Burgundy had hitherto attended him, but they were now sent back by
their lords to reside at Vincennes. The count de Charolois was ordered
by his father to return to Ghent; and, shortly after, the queen went to
Melun, where she held her court.
During this time the English, on the frontiers of the Boulonois,
took by storm the fortress of Banelinghen, situated between Ardres
and Calais, and the inheritance of the lord de Dixcunde[7],
notwithstanding there were sealed truces between the kings of
France and England. It was commonly said that the governor, John
d'Estienbecque, had sold it to the English for a sum of money. The
French were much troubled when they heard of this capture, but they
could not any way amend it, and were forced to be contented. The
governor and his wife resided quietly with the English, which convinced
every one that the place had been sold, and also some of his soldiers,
who had been made prisoners, were ransomed. This conduct of king Henry
surprised many; for he had appeared earnest in his desire to marry his
eldest son with the daughter of the duke of Burgundy,--but he had been
turned from it by the offers and negotiations of the ambassadors before
mentioned, and had now united himself with them.
The king of England wrote the following letter to the towns of Ghent,
Bruges, Ypres and the Franc, which he sent by one of his heralds.
'Henry, by the grace of God, king of England and France, and lord of
Ireland, to our honoured and wise lords the citizens, sheriffs and
magistrates, of the towns of Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, and of the territory
du Franc, our very dear and especial friends, we send health and
greeting. Very dear and respected lords, it has come to our knowledge,
through a very creditable channel, that under the shadow of our
adversary the king of France, the duke of Burgundy, count of Flanders,
is making, or about to make, a speedy march into our country of
Acquitaine, to wage war upon and destroy our subjects, particularly on
our very dear and well beloved cousins the dukes of Berry, Orleans and
Bourbon, and the counts of Alençon, of Armagnac, and the lord d'Albreth.
'Since, therefore, your lord perseveres in his malicious intentions,
you will have the goodness to assure us, on the return of our
messenger, by your letters so soon as possible, whether the Flemings be
willing to conform to the truces lately concluded between us, without
any way assisting their lord in his wicked purposes toward us.
'Understanding, honoured lords, and very dear friends, that if your
town, and the other towns in Flanders, be desirous of continuing the
terms of the truces, to the advantage of Flanders, we are very willing,
on our part, to do the same. Very dear friends, may the Holy Spirit
have you alway in his keeping!--Given under our privy seal, at our
palace of Westminster, the 16th day of May, in the 13th year of our
reign[8].'
The Flemings sent for answer to this letter by the bearer, that they
would no way infringe the truces between the two countries; but that
they should serve and assist the king of France their sovereign lord,
and their count the duke of Burgundy, as heretofore, to the utmost of
their power. This letter and answer were sent to the duke of Burgundy,
who was attending the king in the town of Sens in Burgundy.
At this same time, the duke of Berry, by the advice of the count
d'Armagnac, coined money with the same arms and superscription as that
of the king of France, in the town of Bourges, to pay his troops, which
greatly exasperated the king and his council when they heard thereof.
The coins consisted of golden crowns and others, perfectly similar to
those of the king.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 7: Q. Dixmuyde?]
[Footnote 8: See this letter, and the treaty with the duke of Berry,
&c. in Rymer, A.D. 1412.]
CHAP. VII.
THE TOWN OF VERVINS IS TAKEN BY SIR CLUGNET DE BRABANT, AND AFTERWARD
RETAKEN.--THE CASTLE OF GERSIES IS WON BY SIR SIMON DE CLERMONT.
About this same time, the town of Vervins, which was very strong and
rich, was taken by treachery, by sir Clugnet de Brabant and Thomas de
Lorsies, lord of Boquiaux, and some other gentlemen, to the amount of
six hundred men, from different countries, of the party of the duke of
Orleans. This was said to have been effected by a butcher who had been
for ill conduct banished the town, and in revenge had joined the army
of sir Clugnet de Brabant.
The butcher's wife and family had remained in the town; and one
day, when it was dusk, they hid themselves near the gate, and about
sun-rise, when the guard had quitted the ramparts, and the gate
was opened and the drawbridge let down, they made a signal to the
enemy, who was in ambuscade. Sir Clugnet instantly entered the place,
sounding trumpets, and shouting out, 'The duke of Orleans for ever!'
to the great surprise of the inhabitants, who were far from expecting
such a morning salute.
Very few were made prisoners, but all were robbed; and for three days
the money and plate of the lord de Vervins, who was with the king,
or on his road to join him, as well as every thing of value in the
different houses, were collected, and sent off by sir Clugnet, to
the amount of thousands of florins, to the town of Ardennes[9], that
those of his countrymen who had joined his party, and those who had
accompanied him on this expedition, might be paid.
The neighbouring towns were astonished when they heard of this event,
and collected a large force to enable them to besiege the enemy in
Vervins, and retake the town. The bailiff of the Vermandois, sir
le Brun de Bairins, the lord de Chin, with many other knights and
citizens, hastened thither, to the number of four hundred helmets and
from six to eight thousand infantry very well armed.
The lord de Vervins, who was of high rank and a very expert knight,
no sooner heard of his loss than he hastened to join the besiegers,
and led many brisk attacks on the town. Those who had captured it made
an excellent defence from the walls with bows and cross-bows, so that
the besiegers were twenty-three days before it. On the 26th of June,
the lord de Boquiaux, Thomas de Lorsies, son to the lord de Selebes,
knights, the bastard d'Esne, and those who were with them, considering
that their enemies were daily increasing, and that they had done
much damage to the walls and houses, were afraid of being killed or
taken, and held a council on the best means to escape. They defended
themselves with greater vigour than before, the better to conceal
their intentions; and when the besiegers were at their dinner in their
tents and pavilions, and they had seen their guard posted at one of
the gates, they mounted their horses fully armed,--and, having had the
gates thrown open, all except three, who were asleep or too negligent,
sallied out full gallop, sticking spurs into their horses, and made
with all speed for the forest near the town.
The besiegers were astonished on seeing this, and, pushing aside their
tables, mounted instantly to pursue them, and followed with such haste
that they took about forty of them,--and the rest saved themselves by
dint of speed. The royalists returned to the town with their prisoners,
and found there the three negligent Armagnacs and some other wretches
of their party, who, by the command of the bailiff of the Vermandois,
were sent to prison; and when he had heard their confession, they were
by him sentenced to be beheaded. The bailiff then set out for Laon,
whither he carried the other prisoners, well bound, there to suffer a
similar punishment.
The lord de Vervins remained in his town to put it into repair, and the
lord de Chin and the rest went to their homes.
A few days after, the castle of Gersies, which was very strong, was
taken by some of the army of sir Clugnet de Brabant, namely, by sir
Simon de Clermont, a captain called Millet d'Autre, and others, who
won it one morning by storm. But shortly after, the bailiff of the
Vermandois, with some of the aforesaid lords and a large body of the
commonalty, regained it by assault. Sir Simon and Millet d'Autre,
with their companions, were all made prisoners, carried to Laon, and
beheaded. The castle was new garrisoned for the king.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 9: Q. Ardres?]
CHAP. VIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE RECEIVES CERTAIN INFORMATION THAT HIS ADVERSARIES
HAD FORMED AN ALLIANCE WITH THE KING OF ENGLAND.--THE CONSTABLE MARCHES
INTO THE BOULONOIS.
During the residence of the king of France at Sens in Burgundy, he
received positive intelligence, that the dukes of Berry, Orleans,
Bourbon, and their confederates, had formed an alliance with the king
of England, who had engaged to send a large army to their assistance,
to lay waste his kingdom,--and that part of it had already marched from
Calais and the other castles on the frontiers of the Boulonois, and
commenced the war.
They had carried away much plunder, and had set fire to the town of
Merck on the sea-shore, thus infringing the truces which subsisted
between them.
In consequence of this inroad, the king of France ordered his
constable, the count de St Pol, to march thither, to assemble all the
nobles of Picardy, and to garrison and victual the frontier towns, and
to use every diligence in opposing the further progress of the English;
for the duke of Burgundy had carried with him all the youth, and the
most warlike men, from the countries of the Boulonois, Ponthieu, and
Artois, leaving behind only the superannuated and such as were unable
to bear arms.
The constable, hearing of the mischiefs the English were doing, more of
his own free will than in obedience to the king's, hastened to Paris,
laying all other matters aside, with the borgne de la Heuse and some
other knights whom he left there, at the earnest entreaties of the
Parisians, to carry on the war against Dreux. He went then to Picardy
and to St Pol, to visit his lady; thence he went to St Omer and to
Boulogne, inspecting the whole frontier, and providing necessaries
where wanted. The whole country was now alarmed and in motion, insomuch
that the English retired worsted; but they very soon recommenced their
warfare.
When the constable saw this, and that they did not abstain, he held a
council of his principal officers, such as the lord d'Offemont, the
lord de Canny, the lord de Lovroy, sir Philip de Harcourt and others.
At the conclusion of it, he assembled a body of men at arms, to the
amount of fifteen hundred, whom he put under the command of the lord
de Lovroy and one called Alin Quentin, and ordered them to march
toward the town and castle of Guines. As they approached the place on
foot, the constable sent off, by another road, forty helmets under sir
John de Renty, who was well acquainted with all the avenues to the
town, to make a pretence of attacking it on that side, which was only
inclosed with a palisade and ditch, and garrisoned with Dutchmen and
other soldiers who resided there.--The constable, with six hundred
combatants, advanced between the town and Calais, to guard that road,
and to prevent the English, should they hear of the attack, from
sending any considerable reinforcements. Thus did he remain between
his two battalions so long as the engagement lasted. The infantry, at
day-break, began the storm with courage, and continued it a long time,
until they had succeeded in setting the town on fire, so that upward
of sixty houses were burnt.--Those in the castle defended themselves
valiantly, and much annoyed the assailants with stones and arrows shot
from their cross-bows. Perceiving the distress of the townsmen, they
opened a gate of the castle to receive them,--and thus they escaped
death. By the advice of the said marshal de Renty, his division made a
retreat to where they had commenced the attack, but not without many
being severely wounded: few, however, were killed. The constable,
when informed of their retreat, made it known to the whole army, and
returned to Boulogne, but leaving garrisons along the whole frontier,
who daily had some skirmishes with the English.
CHAP. IX.
THE KING OF FRANCE LAYS SIEGE TO FONTENAY AND TO BOURGES.--THE EVENTS
THAT HAPPENED WHILE HE REMAINED THERE.
The king of France having remained some days at Sens, and having held
many councils on the state of his realm, marched thence to Auxerre,
and to la Charité on the Loire, where he staid five days. He then
advanced toward a strong castle called Fontenay, in the possession of
the Armagnacs, who, on seeing the great force of the king, instantly
surrendered it, on condition of having their lives and fortunes saved.
Several captains, who had commanded on the frontiers against the
Armagnacs, entered it,--and the army of the king was greatly increased
by troops daily arriving from all quarters. In the number of those that
came were the lord de Heilly, Enguerrand de Bournouville, the lord de
Vitry and others.
The king marched from Fontenay to the town of Dun-le-Roi in Berry,
where he encamped, and had it besieged by his army on all sides,
and well battered by his engines. During this siege, Hector,
bastard-brother to the duke of Bourbon, with only three hundred men,
made an attack on a body of the king's army when foraging, and killed
and took many. After this exploit, he hastened back to Bourges, and
told the dukes of Berry and Bourbon of his success.
Dun-le-Roi was so much harrassed by the cannon and engines of the
besiegers that, on the ninth day, the garrison offered to surrender,
on condition of their lives and fortunes being spared, and that sir
Louis de Corail, lately made seneschal of the Boulonois, should return
with his men in safety to the duke of Berry. These terms were accepted,
and the town was delivered up to the king. He remained there for three
days, and then departed with his army, leaving sir Gautier de Rubes,
a burgundy knight, governor of the town. The king and his army were
quartered, on Friday the 10th day of June, three leagues distant from
Dun-le-Roi, at a town near a wood. On the morrow he continued his
march, and came before the city of Bourges, which was strong, very
populous, and full of every sort of provision and wealth. This city
was, in ancient times, the capital of the kingdom of Acquitaine, and
is situated on the river Yeure. Through the town, a small rivulet runs
from Dun-le-Roi.
The lords within this town, namely, the dukes of Berry and Bourbon, the
lord d'Albreth, the count d'Auxerre[10], John brother to the duke of
Bar, with the inhabitants, showed every appearance of making a strong
resistance. There were also in Bourges many who had fled their country,
such as the archbishops of Sens and of Bourges, the bishops of Paris
and of Chartres, the lord de Gaucourt, Barbasan, Aubreticourt, le
borgne Foucault, and fifteen hundred helmets, or thereabout, and four
hundred archers and cross-bowmen.
When the king's army approached, which was estimated and commonly
believed to consist of upward of one hundred thousand horse, some few
sallied out of the town well armed, shouting, 'Long live the king, and
the dukes of Berry and Bourbon!' at the same time falling desperately
on the light troops of the van, so that very many were killed and
wounded on each side; but the main army, advancing, soon forced them to
retreat.
When they had re-entered the town, they set the gates wide open, and
gallantly made preparations for defence. The van of the king's army was
commanded by the grand master of the household, sir Guichard Daulphin,
and the lords de Croy and de Heilly, knights, Aymé de Vitry and
Enguerrand de Bournouville, esquires. The lords de Croy and de Heilly,
in the absence of the marshals of France, Boucicaut and de Longny, were
ordered by the king to exercise the functions of marshals.
The rear division was commanded by the lords d'Arlay, sir John de
Châlon, the lord de Vergy, marshal of Burgundy, the lords de Ront and
de Raisse.
In the king's battalion were the dukes of Acquitaine, Burgundy, and
Bar, the counts de Mortain and de Nevers, the lord Gilles de Bretagne,
and a numerous body of chivalry. When the army arrived on the plain
in front of the city, they were from three to four hours in arranging
their places of encampment, and in dividing the army under the
different commanders. Then, near to a gibbet, were created more than
five hundred knights, who, with many others, had never before displayed
their banners. After this ceremony, the army was advanced nearer to
the town, and encamped on the marshes on the side of the small river
before mentioned, and other flat grounds.--Some tents and pavilions
were pitched among vineyards, and by the ruins of the houses belonging
to the priory of St Martin des Champs, of the order of Cluny, and
others near to part of the suburbs which had been destroyed by the
inhabitants prior to the arrival of the king's army, and among the
large walnut-trees adjoining.
It is true, that some from thirst drank water from wells without the
town; but whoever did so died suddenly, so that the wickedness and
treachery of the besieged were discovered. It was proclaimed by sound
of trumpet, that no one should in future drink any well-water, but
alway make use of spring or running water, for that the wells had been
poisoned. The besieged afterward confessed, Isatis that an herb called
[Greek: Isatis] by the Greeks, and by the Latins _Glastum_, had been
thrown into the wells, to cause the deaths of all who should drink out
of them.
Though the townsmen could not now pass the marches and cross the fords
as usual from fear of the besiegers, they had, by another road, free
communication with the country, so that all manner of provision could
be brought into the town, to the great vexation of the lords in the
king's army.
The besiegers had now approached pretty near to the town, and had
brought their artillery to bear on it, so that, from the continued
cannonading and shooting from cross-bows, they slew many of their
adversaries.
The townsmen frequently insulted them by their abuse, calling them
false burgundian traitors, who had brought the king thither confined
in his tent, as if he was not sound in mind. They called the duke of
Burgundy a treacherous murderer; adding, that they would instantly have
opened their gates to the king if he had not been there.
The Burgundians were not behind hand in their replies, retorting on
the Armagnacs by calling them false and rebellious traitors to their
king, and using various other invectives on each side; but the duke of
Burgundy, who heard all their abuse, made no reply whatever, but only
thought how he might distress them the more.
On Wednesday the 13th of June, a truce was agreed on between the two
parties, at the solicitation of the duke of Berry; but during this
time, some of the king's household, incited by treason, sent to the
besieged,--'Sally forth: now is the time!' well knowing what they would
do. When precisely between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, while
the king was in his tent, and the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy
were reposing, and the greater part of the army disarmed, as not
suspecting any thing, about five hundred chosen men at arms sallied out
of two gates of the town, and marched on as secretly as they could
through vineyards and by-paths to avoid being seen, with the intent of
surprising and taking the king and the duke of Acquitaine, in their
tents, and putting the duke of Burgundy to death.
What they were afraid of happened; for two pages of the lord de Croy,
riding their coursers to exercise and to water, perceived this body
of five hundred marching toward the army, and instantly galloped back
again, bawling out, 'To arms! here are the enemies advancing, who have
sallied out of their town.' On hearing this, every one hastened to
his tent, and armed. The vanguard drew up in array, and soon met the
enemy. The engagement immediately commenced; but the Armagnacs were
overpowered by their adversaries, who increased every moment, so that
they could not withstand them. Six score were soon killed, and about
forty made prisoners: the rest took disgracefully to flight, making all
haste back to Bourges, led on by the lord de Gaucourt.
Among the slain were Guillaume Batiller, who had been taken at the
battle of St Cloud, and set at liberty, and Guillaume de Chailus,
knight, whose bodies, when stripped, were thrown into the wells said
to have been poisoned, to serve them for a grave. In the number of
prisoners were the grand master of the household of the duke of Berry,
an esquire of the lord d'Albreth, and also his principal cook, called
Gastard, who declared in the presence of several, that he would name
those who had urged them to make this attempt.
In consequence, on the morrow were arrested master Geoffry de Bouillon,
secretary to the duke of Acquitaine, and the family of the lord de
Boissay, first maistre d'hôtel to the king,--and afterward one called
Gilles de Toisy, esquire, a native of Beauvais, his servant, and
Enguerrand de Seure, esquire, a Norman, who were all on this account
beheaded before the king's tent; but as the lord de Boissay was only
suspected, and no proof brought to convict him, he was imprisoned, and
made to witness the punishment of the others.
There were a body of English and French in the king's army, consisting
of about three hundred, under the command of Aymé de Vitry, two hundred
of whom one day deserted; but, as they were making for the town, they
were so closely pursued that numbers of them were slain by lances,
swords and arrows, before they could enter the gates. One half of the
garrison of Gien-sur-Loire, consisting of about four hundred helmets,
attempted, on the 19th of June, to enter the city; but, before they
could accomplish it, having been observed by the besiegers, they were
so vigorously attacked that from one hundred to six score were killed.
During the time the king was at this siege of Bourges, the foragers
were almost daily cut off by the ambuscades of the enemy, they
themselves and their horses being slain or taken; and as they were
obliged to seek forage at the distance of six or eight leagues, the
army suffered much from famine. Moreover, the waggons that brought
provision from Burgundy and other parts, were way-laid by the soldiers
of Sancerre, and other places in rebellion against the king, and
plundered: this caused great distress to the besiegers, and very many
were disheartened from want of bread. However it lasted not long, for
by the vigilance of sir Guichard Daulphin, he met the garrison of
Sancerre convoying provision to the town of Bourges, when he attacked
them, and forced them to surrender the town and castle of Sancerre,
which had been more active than any others in preventing forage being
brought to the camp; and thus all dread of famine was removed.