archers, with a certain number of men at arms to defend them, and
to guard the passage against three or four hundred french lances,
who were stationed at a breach waiting for an opportunity to break
through the archers and attack the count's artillery, it happened
that the men at arms, observing the French were repulsed, and that
the count was pursuing them even into the village, left their guard
and galloped after the count, when the French seeing the archers
without any to support them, and neglectful of their stakes, charged
them like lightning, and killed or wounded the greater part, which
was the severest loss the count suffered on that day. Having routed
these archers, the French advanced toward the baggage and artillery,
and killed some more, and also made several prisoners; but those who
guarded the baggage, armed with leaden mallets, rallied as soon as they
could, and turning the carriages round, inclosed these French within
them, so that they could not issue out,--and the greater part were
knocked on the head with these leaden mallets. Those that did escape
having made for the village, met the count and his men returning from
it, who instantly charged them, and put the remainder to death,--so
that all these French were slain, either by the baggage-guard or by the
count's party, notwithstanding that a body of French had followed the
count, and had gallantly fought with him.
At this return from the village, Philippe d'Oignies[42] was slain by
the side of the count, who was wounded himself in the face, and in
great danger of having his throat cut in the confusion of the fight;
for when the count had driven the French through the village, the whole
rear-guard of the king's army, under the command of the count du Maine
and the admiral of France, fled, together with others, to the amount
of seven or eight hundred lances,--and they had fled with such haste
that they left behind them baggage and armour, although no one was
pursuing them. The lord du Boys, observing this, had eagerly advanced
with the count's banner, beyond the village, thinking that he was
following him, and was made prisoner,--for the count had returned, as
has been said, from the village.
On the other hand, when those from Busse had overcome the count's
archers, more than a fourth part of his army took to their heels,
namely, the lord de Haplaincourt, the lord d'Aymeries, the lord
d'Inchy, the lord de Robodenghes, and several more; but when this last
had fled about two leagues, he met a herald, who told him that the
count had the best of the battle,--upon which, he returned, and made a
great many others do the same, who joined the count very opportunely,
for he was incessantly rallying his men, and fighting more valiantly
than any other knight in the field, encouraging his people by telling
them that he would conquer or die--so that, by his valour and
exhortations, the van of the king's army was routed and the rear put to
flight.
In this conflict, and at its very commencement, were slain on the
king's side, the high seneschal of Normandy, Flocquet, Geoffroy La
Hire, and other valiant men at arms, to the number of three or four
hundred lances. On the part of the count were slain, the lord de
Hames, sir Philip de Lalain, and a few more men at arms, but very many
archers,--and there were prisoners made on each side.
The king encouraged his men to the utmost of his power, and showed
great personal courage; but when he saw his men repulsed, he retreated
to the village,--while the count remained on the field, rallying his
men, and forming them in proper array, for he was expecting every
moment that the king would renew the combat. But this he did not do,
and remained in the village from eight o'clock, when the battle ended,
until sunset, more vexed than can well be imagined, making inquiries
after such as had remained with him, and after those who had run
off,--when, on summing up their numbers, he found that those who had
fled greatly exceeded those who had staid with him.
Very many of the count's men had hidden themselves in the hedges and
wood, but returned, by two and three at a time, and joined their army,
which had kept together, expecting the battle would be renewed. In
truth, this battle was very hazardous to both parties,--and we must
allow, that it was through the mercy of God that the count de Charolois
obtained the victory, for his army was not nearly so numerous as that
of the king; and had none ran away on either side, the event would have
been more disastrous and mortal,--but God, of his goodness, would not
suffer it, for which may his Name be praised!
In a very melancholy state did the king of France remain in the village
until sunset, and thence went for Corbeil, six leagues distant, and
arrived there at ten o'clock at night with few attendants, for the
greater part of them had fled; and although no pursuit was made after
them, many fled as far as Amboise, saying, in every place through
which they passed, that the king was killed, and his army totally
defeated.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 42: Philippe d'Oignies. 'Some call him Gilles. He was lord of
Brouay and of Chaunes, son to Anthony and Jane de Brimeu, and grandson
to Baudouin d'Oignies, governor of Lille, Douay and Orchies, and of
Peronne. He married Antoinette de Beaufort, by whom he had Philippe
d'Oignies, father to Louis, knight of the king's orders, and count de
Charnes.'--_Godefroy._]
CHAP. XL.
THE CONDUCT OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AFTER THE VICTORY HE HAD GAINED
OVER THE KING OF FRANCE.--THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT IN DIVERS PLACES.
The count de Charolois remained with his army all night on the field of
battle, thinking the king was in Montlehery, and that he would renew
the battle the ensuing day. It was not until sunrise that he heard of
the king's departure, when he entered the village with his army, and
found the cellars filled with dead bodies, which the royalists had
thrown therein, that the numbers of their dead might not be known.
Before the commencement of the battle, the king had sent three heralds
to Paris, who, on their arrival there about mid day, summoned the
people to arms throughout the city,--and ordered every person capable
of bearing arms to march without delay to Montlehery to assist
the king, who was engaged in battle with the count de Charolois.
Notwithstanding this proclamation, very few marched out, but Joachim
Rohault, marshal of France, who was then in Paris, with five or six
hundred men at arms. They indeed sallied out on horseback, and advanced
to St Cloud, which they found defenceless; for those who had been
posted there by the count de Charolois had fled on seeing the lords
de Haplaincourt and d'Aymeries, with others in great numbers, who
told them that the count had been defeated. The marshal, therefore,
took possession of the place without resistance, and made prisoners
all who fled that way from the battle, and carried them to Paris. The
burgundian lords above mentioned thought to have crossed the Oise
at the Pont de St Maixence; but they found there the lord de Mouy,
governor of Compiègne, with the garrisons of Creil, Senlis, Clermont,
Crespy, and other places, in great numbers, who had assembled there
on hearing that the king had gained the victory, and had besieged the
bridge on the side leading to Montlehery.
The inhabitants of Pont St Maixence firmly believing that the king was
victorious, from the flight of the above-named lords who had gained
the town, surrendered, on having their lives spared, at the very first
attack. The lords d'Aymeries, d'Inchy, and several more, were taken
in the town: the lord de Haplaincourt was made prisoner in the open
country, and carried to Paris,--and no man of note who had fled escaped
death or imprisonment: only some poor adventurers were so lucky as
to get off without either happening to them, but in very miserable
conditions. Of those that were carried to Paris, several were executed,
or drowned in the Seine.
At the attack on St Maixence, a gentleman of the king's party, called
Jeannet de Grouches, whose brother was with the count de Charolois, was
killed by a ball from a cannon.
When the count de Charolois was assured that the king had retreated
to Corbeil, he caused proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet,
that if any one required a renewal of the battle, he was ready to
accommodate him: he then had the dead buried,--and had the bodies of
sir Philip de Lalain, the lord de Harnes, the lord de Varennes, and
others, interred in a chapel near to Montlehery; but, soon afterward,
some persons came from Paris with passports, to demand of the count
the body of the lord de Varennes, and, with his permission, carried
it to Paris, where it was handsomely interred in the church of the
Franciscans. He was very much lamented by all who were acquainted with
his many excellent qualities.
After the king had remained a day or two at Corbeil, he went to Paris,
on the 18th of July,--and he came thither by the side of the river,
near to St Denis, attended by a small company, not consisting of more
than about one hundred horse; but soon after, and daily, there came to
him, in Paris, the count du Maine, admiral of France, and his other
captains, with men at arms in such abundance that the town and the
fields on the river side were full of them. The count de Nevers came to
the king at Paris, but staid a very short time, and then returned to
Peronne.
When the king had sojourned some time in Paris, he sent the bishop
of Paris, a wise and prudent prelate, to the count de Charolois, to
negotiate a peace between the king and the princes. On the bishop's
appearing before the count, he said, that the king had sent to know
what had moved him to enter his kingdom with so large an army; and
that the king informed him, that when he went into the countries of
his father, he was not accompanied by a great army, but by very few
attendants. The count instantly replied to the bishop, and said, that
two things had moved him thus to enter the kingdom: first, to keep
the engagement made under his seal with the other princes of the
blood-royal, namely, to meet together with their forces near Paris,
for the general welfare of the kingdom, on St John Baptist's day last
past. Secondly, to secure the bodies of two men who were supported in
the kingdom,--and that he had brought so large an army with him for
the safety of his person, which, in his proper country, as heir to his
father, had been attempted by poison, by the sword, and by endeavouring
to carry him off to a foreign country: he therefore had determined to
come with a sufficient guard for his safety. In answer to what the king
had said, that, when he visited his father, he did not come with a
large army, he replied, that at that time he had not the power to come
with such a force; and that he had been received nobly, magnificently,
and peaceably in those countries, where no attempts had been permitted
to be made against his life or personal liberty, although such had been
intended.
The count added, that he had not entered France with any design of
mischief, but for its general welfare, and had strictly enjoined his
men to pay for whatever they might want, without aggrieving any one.
'In regard,' continued he, 'to the force I have brought with me, I wish
it to be known to all, that I am a man able and desirous to punish my
enemies, and to assist my friends.'
The bishop, having received this answer, returned to the king at Paris.
CHAP. XLI.
THE DUKES OF BERRY AND OF BRITTANY MEET THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AT
ESTAMPES, WHERE THEY ARE ALSO JOINED BY THE DUKES OF BOURBON, OF
CALABRIA, AND OF NEMOURS, WITH THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC AND OTHERS OF
THEIR CONFEDERATION.--THE KING OF FRANCE LEAVES PARIS FOR ROUEN.
The count de Charolois, having remained on the field of battle, and in
Montlehery, so long as he pleased, marched his army toward Estampes, to
wait for the dukes of Berry and of Brittany, who arrived there the 21st
of July, with ten thousand combatants and others well appointed. The
count de Charolois advanced to meet them, and great joy was there on
this event. They afterward entered Estampes together.
While these things were passing, the count de Charny, who had left
Burgundy with fifty lances to aid the count de Charolois, would not
put himself under the orders of the marshal of Burgundy, commander
in chief of that army, and took a route for himself. He was watched
by a detachment from the king's army, and made prisoner,--but his men
escaped, and saved themselves as well as they could.
About eight days after the arrival of the dukes of Berry and Brittany
at Estampes, the dukes of Bourbon and Nemours, with the count
d'Armagnac came thither with a fine army,--and were soon after followed
by the duke of Calabria with a handsome company, among whom were some
Suisses, unarmed, but bold and enterprising. At length, the marshal of
Burgundy arrived with six hundred burgundian lances, many dagger-men,
but few archers. All these lords would have come sooner, had they been
able; but they were so closely followed by the king's army that they
were afraid to hazard the event: it must likewise be supposed that
they were now more emboldened to attempt a junction, as the count de
Charolois had opened a passage for them.
They now took the road toward the provinces of Beauce and Gâtinois, for
the more easy procuring forage,--and all the towns through which they
passed opened their gates to the duke of Berry. On the other hand, the
king went from Paris to Rouen, to recruit his army, and to put under
arms all his vassals, and every sort of person capable of assisting him
against the rebellious princes.
After the confederates had refreshed themselves in Beauce and in
Gâtinois, they were daily hoping the king would advance and offer them
battle; but finding that he was gone to Rouen, they made a bridge at
Moret,[43] and crossed the Seine,--then, marching through Brie, passed
the Marne by the bridge of Charenton, and quartered themselves near
to Paris. The dukes of Berry and Brittany were lodged at Charenton;
the count de Charolois in the castle of the count de St Pol at
Conflans,--and the van division was posted between Conflans and Paris,
while the bastard of Burgundy was quartered with the rear division
between Conflans and Charenton.
The dukes of Berry and Brittany afterwards moved their quarters from
Charenton to St Maur and Beauté, and round the wood of Vincennes, on
the side next the river. The duke of Calabria, with the others, namely,
the Burgundians, the Armagnacs and the Nemours, remained in Brie, on
the opposite side of the river,--and they might amount to about five
thousand combatants.
During these movements, the count de Charolois regained possession of
the bridge of St Cloud, which the royalists had abandoned immediately
after the battle of Montlehery. He then caused Lagny sur Marne to
be taken, and bridges thrown over the river, for the more easy
communication of the two divisions of the army, and to besiege Paris,
in which was the count du Maine and other captains; but their men were
so numerous that they were quartered in the villages on the other side
of the Seine, and in blockhouses and small forts which they had erected
for quarters.
On these bridges being completed, a detachment of the princes' army
crossed the river, and advanced so near to Paris that there was but a
ditch between them and the royalists, when frequent skirmishes took
place, in which many on each side were often killed, wounded, or made
prisoners. Among others was slain the son of sir Simon de Lalain, much
regretted by the count de Charolois's army.
One day, the princes summoned the town of Paris to surrender, and open
its gates to the duke of Berry, regent of France, otherwise they would
destroy all their vineyards, houses, and villages, round about, and
then attack the town with their whole force. The Parisians required
a short delay to give their answer; during which, they sent off
intelligence of this summons to the king at Rouen, and to signify to
him, that, unless he would come to their relief, they would be obliged
to surrender.
The king, on receiving this news, collected as many men as he hastily
could, and made such diligence that he entered Paris the 28th of
August. Three days after, he sent the bishop of Paris, with others of
his council, and great lords, to the princes, who procured from them
a truce for some days; during which, a place was appointed between
Paris and Conflans to hold a conference,--and a handsome tent was
there pitched for the reception of the deputies on each side, that
they might consider on the best means to bring forward a treaty to the
satisfaction of all parties.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 43: Moret,--a town of Gâtinois, on the river Loing, about a
league from the Seine.]
CHAP. XLII.
THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE BATTLE OF MONTLEHERY THAT
WERE REPORTED IN DIVERS PLACES.
Of those who fled from the battle of Montlehery at the beginning of the
engagement, and could not know the event, some crossed the river Oise,
and proclaimed that the count de Charolois had been totally routed:
others passed by Compiègne, one of whom told the count de Nevers, that
indeed the van of the royal army had been thrown into confusion at the
beginning, but that the king was victorious,--and that the count de
St Pol and the lord de Hautbourdin were slain. He said, that he was
ignorant whether the count de Charolois or his brother, the bastard,
were killed or taken.
This news was immediately written to the duke of Burgundy, by the
governor of Mondidier; and as the messenger passed through Arras,
the intelligence of the count's defeat was soon spread all over the
country, which caused much sorrow and lamentation,--for they were
ignorant how to act.
When the lord de Saveuses heard it at Corbie, he set out for Bray
sur Somme, and told the lord de Roubais, the governor, to guard it
well,--and, if he had not a sufficient garrison, he would send him
men enough. He then departed for Bapaumes, attended by about twenty
archers; but at first he was refused admittance, which so irritated him
that he said, if they did not instantly open the gate, he would enter
by force. On hearing this, they admitted him. This refusal surprised
many, for Bapaumes legally belonged to the duke of Burgundy, as part of
the county of Artois.
From Bapaumes, the lord de Saveuses went to Arras, where he assembled
the inhabitants, and remonstrated with them on the necessity there
was for the well guarding the town, and to raise men for the defence
of the country, and succour their lord with the utmost possible
diligence,--offering, that if they would lend him twenty thousand
francs on the security of his lands, he would immediately employ them
to subsidize troops for the assistance of the count de Charolois, and
for the security of the country. Notwithstanding this generous offer,
he could not find any one that would lend him money on these or on
other terms: he, however, assembled as many men as he could,--so that
they amounted to four or five hundred, horse and foot, well equipped.
For these exertions, the duke of Burgundy sent him letters-patent,
appointing him governor general of all Artois, and ordered the whole
of the towns within the castlewick of Lille to send to him every man
capable of bearing arms,--by which means, in less than fifteen days, he
had with him more than two thousand combatants, but the greater part
were infantry.
The lords de Roubais, de Fosseux, and others who had the guard of Bray,
having heard of the proceedings of the lord de Saveuses, abandoned
Bray, and joined him, who blamed them much for having quitted their
garrison, so that several of them returned thither in less than eight
days, when different intelligence was brought them.
The governor of Compiègne no sooner heard of the defeat of the count
de Charolois than he assembled a body of troops, and took the town of
Sainte Maixence, and thence went to attack Roye; but the lord du Fay,
the governor, defended it so valiantly that they made no impression,
and lost many of their men,--but on their marching off, they said they
would soon return again with a larger force. This caused the garrisons
of Roye and of Mondidier to send in haste to the duke of Burgundy for
succour,--when the lord de Saveuses sent them as many men as he could
spare, having detachments at Bray and elsewhere.
While these things were passing, the rivers Seine and Oise were so
strictly guarded by the French that no one could cross them with
letters or baggage without being stopped and plundered by them,--so
that by this means no true intelligence of the battle of Montlehery was
known until some carmelite monks and preaching friars had passed these
rivers in a boat, and brought the real history of the event of this
engagement, by publishing that the count de Charolois had gained the
honour and victory!
CHAP. XLIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE FORMS AN ALLIANCE WITH THE LIEGEOIS, TO MAKE WAR
ON THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS.--THEY BESIEGE THE
TOWN OF LUXEMBOURG.
A little before the battle of Montlehery, namely, in the month of June,
the king of France sent an embassy to the Liegeois, the ancient enemies
of the house of Burgundy, to conclude an alliance with them, that
they might make war on the duke of Burgundy and on his son the count
de Charolois. The terms of the treaty were, that, between the feasts
of Saint James and Saint Christopher, the Liegeois were to enter the
countries of Brabant and Namur, belonging to the duke of Burgundy, and
to do all the mischief they possibly could, as in times of war. The
king, on his part, was to assist them with two hundred men at arms,
each having three horses at the least, and invade Hainault,--promising
them, at the same time, never to make peace with the duke or his allies
without their assent, and without their being comprehended in the
treaty: for the fulfilment of this, it was commonly reported that the
king had given his engagement under his hand and seal.
Of all these negotiations the duke of Burgundy was fully informed; and
about the 22d day of August, as the duke was mounting his horse in the
city of Brussels to go a-hunting, a herald delivered to him letters
from the Liegeois, containing, in substance, that they defied his son
the count de Charolois with fire and sword, and waited an answer. The
duke, after perusing the letters, gave them back to the messenger, and
bade him carry them to his son.
Hearing this answer, the herald returned to Liege, and, shortly after,
came back with defiances from the Liegeois to the duke and to all
his allies. They were not long before they marched from Liege and
entered the duke's territories, committing every sort of mischief,
and advanced to lay siege to the town of Luxembourg. The duke, when
informed of these proceedings, sent in haste to his friends and allies,
namely, the dukes of Cleves and of Gueldres, his nephews, the count
of Nassau, the marquis of Rothelin, the count of Horne, and to others
bordering on the territories of Liege, who raised a large army, and the
duke himself would have gone personally to command it; but when the
Liegeois saw the power of the duke so great, notwithstanding the army
his son had in France, and that the king had failed in his engagement
to send two hundred lances to invade Hainault, they broke up their
siege, and marched back to Liege.
During this time, the duchess of Cleves, daughter to the count de
Nevers, came to the duke of Burgundy at Brussels,--but three days
passed before he would see her. She was then admitted to his presence,
and, falling on her knees, with tears, most humbly implored him to take
pity on her father and on herself; for that, if her father was ruined,
she must also suffer, as well as her three fine sons by the duke of
Cleves; acknowledging, at the same time, that every thing her father
and herself possessed came from his bounty, who had educated and raised
them so high that it was notorious to every one.