Louvre to dinner, when he most graciously received the earl of Arundel,
and caused him to be seated at his table next to the duke of Burgundy.
Many councils were held at Paris respecting this war, and on the
measures the king should now adopt. It was at length determined, that
on account of the winter, neither the king nor the princes should
attempt any thing more until the ensuing summer, but only have some
able captains with a sufficient force on the frontiers, to harrass
and pursue the enemy, and keep him in check. In consequence, the lord
Boucicaut marshal of France, the lord de Heilly marshal of Acquitaine,
Enguerrand de Bournouville, Aymé de Vitry, the lord de Miraumont and
others, were ordered on this service with a very considerable force.
They marched toward Estampes and Bonneval, and those parts, having with
them the lord de Ront.
Bonneval, on the first summons from the above captains, surrendered to
the king’s obedience, and the greater part of them were lodged in the
town, and in an adjoining abbey of some strength. Those of Estampes
refused to surrender, for it was garrisoned by the duke of Berry, and
began to make war on the troops of the king and the duke of Burgundy,
by the instigation of the lord Louis de Bourbon, governor of Dourdan,
who resided there.
At this period, with the consent of the duke of Burgundy, sir John de
Croy, eldest son to the lord de Croy, still detained prisoner by the
duke of Orleans, marched from Paris, with eight hundred combatants, for
the castle of Monchas, in the county of Eu, in which were the duke of
Bourbon’s children and his lady-duchess, namely, one son about three
years old, and a daughter by her first husband nine years old, with
their nurses and other attendants. The son of sir Mansart du Bos, and
the lord de Foulleuses, knight, were also there. The castle and the
whole of its inhabitants were taken by sir John de Croy; and he carried
them, and all he found within it, to the castle of Renty, where he held
them prisoners, until his father, the lord de Croy, was released. When
this misfortune was told to the duke of Bourbon, he was much afflicted;
but the duchess took it so sensibly to heart that very soon after she
died of grief[77].
CHAP. XXXVIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS THE COUNT DE SAINT POL TO THE VALOIS,
AND TO COUCY, AND OTHER CAPTAINS TO DIFFERENT PARTS AGAINST THE
ARMAGNACS.
Conformable to the resolutions of the aforesaid council, count Waleran
de St Pol was sent into the Valois, to reduce the whole of that country
to the king’s obedience, and then to march to Coucy with a large body
of men at arms, archers, and cross-bows.
Sir Philip de Servolles, bailiff of Vitry en Pertois, was also ordered
into the country of Vertus, with a considerable force, to subdue the
whole of it. The vidame of Amiens was sent into the county of Clermont.
Ferry d’Hangest, bailiff of Amiens, was ordered, for the above purpose,
into the counties of Boulogne, Eu, and Gamaches.
The inhabitants of Crespy, the principal town of the Valois, no sooner
learnt the intentions of the count de St Pol than they surrendered it
to him, and received him handsomely. He thence advanced to the castle
of Pierrefons, which was very strong, and well provided with all
warlike stores and provision. On coming before it, he held a parley
with the lord de Boquiaux the governor, who concluded a treaty with
him for its surrender, on condition that the count would pay him, in
the king’s name, two thousand golden crowns for his expenses, and that
the garrison should carry away all they had with them. The lady of
Gaucourt, who was in the castle, retired to the castle of Coucy, where
she was honourably received by sir Robert d’Esne, the governor.
The count de St Pol marched from Pierrefons to la Ferté-Milon, a very
strong castle, and to Villers-Cotterêts, both belonging to the duke of
Orleans; when not only these two but all the other places in Valois,
hearing of the surrender of so strong a castle as Pierrefons without
making any resistance, surrendered, and returned to their obedience to
the king. The Count placed good garrisons in each, and then marched
for Coucy, in the Soissonois, where, as I have before said, sir
Robert d’Esne was governor of the castle. He had with him Rigault des
Fontaines, and others attached to the party of the duke of Orleans.
The governor of the town of Coucy was sir Enguerrand des Fontaines,
and within it were many noblemen, who, holding a council, resolved to
surrender the place, and to leave it with all their baggage.
The count quartered himself and his men at arms in the town and
suburbs, and then summoned sir Robert d’Esne, in the king’s name, to
surrender the castle. This sir Robert refused to do, saying, that the
duke of Orleans had given him orders, when he appointed him governor,
never to surrender it without his consent or knowledge, and these
orders he had sworn to obey; that it was well provided with all kinds
of stores, and plenty of provision, so that he did not fear its being
taken by force; and he hoped, that before he should be induced to
yield it, means would be found to restore his lord and master to the
good graces of the king.----The count, on hearing this answer, ordered
the castle to be surrounded, and quartered his men as near to it as
possible, keeping up at the same time a brisk cannonade. Among other
expedients, the count employed a body of miners, to undermine the gate
of the lower court, called la Porte Maistre Odon, which was as handsome
an edifice as could be seen for twenty leagues round; and he employed
companies of miners to work at the other large towers, who were so
successful that, in a short time, the mines were ready to be set fire
to.
The governor was again summoned to surrender, but again refused. Upon
which, the count ordered his men under arms, to be prepared for the
storm should it be necessary; and when all was ready, fire was set to
the combustibles within the mines, so that when the supporters were
burnt, the whole of the tower and gate fell flat down, but, fortunately
for the besieged, the inside wall remained entire, so that the
besiegers were not greatly benefited. Several were killed and wounded
on both sides by the fall of the towers: one of them at the corner was
prevented from falling to the ground by the wall supporting it; and one
of the men at arms remained on this inclined tower, where he had been
posted to guard it, and was in great peril of his life, but was saved
by the exertions of the garrison.
At length, when the count de St Pol had been before this castle of
Coucy about three months, a treaty was entered into between him and sir
Robert, that he would surrender the castle on condition that he and his
garrison should depart unmolested whither they pleased, with all they
could carry with them, and should receive, for their expenses, twelve
hundred crowns, or thereabout. When this was concluded, the governor
marched off with about fifty combatants, the principal of whom were
his son, le Baudrain de Fur, knight, Rigault des Fontaines, before
mentioned, and Gaucher de Baissu. The lady de Gaucourt departed also
in their company. Sir Robert and the greater part of his men went and
fixed their residence at Creve-coeur and in the castle of Cambresis.
The count de St Pol, on the surrender of the castle, appointed sir
Gerard de Herbannes governor, with a sufficient garrison. There were
with him on this expedition his nephew John of Luxembourg, the vidame
of Amiens, the lord de Houcourt, and many other nobles and esquires
from Picardy, especially such as were his vassals. Having finished
this business so successfully, he returned to the king at Paris, who,
in consideration of his good qualities, and as a remuneration for his
services, nominated him constable of France. The sword of office was
delivered to him, and he took the usual oaths, in the room of the lord
d’Albreth, who had been dismissed therefrom, being judged unworthy to
hold it any longer.
In like manner, the lord de Rambures was appointed master of the
cross-bows of France, in the place of the lord de Hangest, who had been
dismissed by the king. The lord de Longny, a native of Brittany, was
made marshal of France, on the resignation, and with the consent, of
the lord de Rieux[78], who was superannuated.
CHAP. XXXIX.
SIR PHILIP DE SERVOLLES, BAILIFF OF VITRY, LAYS SIEGE TO THE
CASTLE OF MOYENNES.----OTHER PLACES ARE BY THE KING’S OFFICERS
REDUCED TO HIS OBEDIENCE.
In regard to the county of Vertus, the moment sir Philip de Servolles
came before the town of that name, it surrendered to the king,--and in
like manner all the other places in that county, excepting the castle
of Moyennes. In this castle were sir Clugnet de Brabant, his brother
John of Brabant, sir Thomas de Lorsies, and many more, who would not on
any account submit to the king.
The bailiff of Vitry consequently laid siege to it, and made every
preparation to conquer it by force. It was, however, in vain; for the
garrison were well provided with provision, artillery and stores of all
kinds, so that they little feared the besiegers, and very frequently
cut off their detachments.
The siege lasted for upwards of three months; and at the end of this
time, sir Clugnet and sir Thomas de Lorsies, mounted on strong and
active coursers, followed by two pages, set out from the castle,--and,
galloping through the besieging army with their lances in their rests,
passed safely, striking down all opposers, escaped to Luxembourg, and
went to sir Aymé de Sarrebruche to seek for succour. But they did not
return with any assistance; for a few days after, John of Brabant was
made prisoner in a sally from the castle, and, by order of the king and
council, beheaded in the town of Vitry. After this event, the remainder
of the garrison surrendered themselves to the king’s obedience, on
stipulating with the bailiff that they were to have their lives and
fortunes spared. He instantly new-garrisoned the castle.
Thus was that whole country reduced to the king’s obedience; and that
of Clermont followed the example, by surrendering to the vidame of
Amiens without making any resistance. The garrisons in the different
towns and castles that had done great mischief to the surrounding
country withdrew with all their baggage, under the protection of
passports, to the Bourbonois, and were replaced by the king’s troops.
The bailiff of Amiens was equally successful at Boulogne-sur-mer,
which, with all the adjacent places, surrendered, excepting the castle
of Boulogne,--the seneschal of which, by name sir Louis de Corail,
a native of Auvergne, would not yield it without the permission of
his lord, the duke of Berry, who had intrusted it to his guard. The
bailiff, however, with his men, destroyed the drawbridge, and filled
up the ditches, so that no one could enter or come out of the castle.
A parley took place between the governor and bailiff, when the first
was allowed to send to his lord, the duke of Berry, to know if he would
consent that the castle should be given up to the king, and hold him
discharged for so doing.
The duke, in answer, bade him surrender the castle to the king’s
officers, and come to him at Bourges, which was done. In like manner,
all the places in the county of Eu, and in the territory of Gamaches,
were surrendered to the king; and the officers who had been placed in
them by their lords were dismissed, and others of the king’s servants
put in their room.
During this time, very large sums of money were raised in Paris and
elsewhere, to pay the english troops who had come to serve the duke
of Burgundy by permission of the king of England. On receiving their
payment, the earl of Arundel, with his men, returned to England by
way of Calais; but the earl of Kent[79] and his troops remained in the
service of the duke of Burgundy.
At this moment, the Orleans-party were in great distress, and knew not
where to save themselves; for the instant any of them were discovered,
whether secular or ecclesiastic, they were arrested and imprisoned, and
some executed,--others heavily fined. Two monks were arrested at this
time, namely, master Peter Fresnel, bishop of Noyon, who was taken by
sir Anthony de Craon, and carried from Noyon to the castle of Crotoy;
the other, the abbot of Foresmoustier, was made prisoner by the lord
de Dampierre, admiral of France. They were soon delivered on paying a
large ransom, when each returned to his bishoprick and monastery.
The lord de Hangest, still calling himself grand master of the french
cross-bows, being attached to the Orleans-party, had, after the retreat
from St Denis, secretly retired to the castle of Soissons. Having a
desire to attempt regaining the king’s favour, he sent a poursuivant
to demand a safe conduct from Troullart de Moncaurel, bailiff and
governor of Senlis, for him to come and reside in that town. The safe
conduct was sent to him, and he came to Senlis; but, because there was
no mention of his return in this permission, Troullart made him and
fifteen other gentlemen prisoners in the king’s name. Shortly after,
they were carried to the Châtelet in Paris, to his great displeasure,
but he could not prevent it.
The count de Roussy also had retired, after the retreat from St Denis,
to his castle of Pont á Arsy sur Aine; but it was instantly surrounded
by the peasants of the Laonnois, who increased to about fifteen
hundred, and made most terrible assaults on the castle,--and, in spite
of its deep moat and thick walls, they damaged it very much. These
peasants called themselves the king’s children. Sir Brun de Barins,
knight, bailiff of the Vermandois, and the provost of Laon, came to
assist and to command them,--when the count, perceiving the danger he
was in, to avoid falling into the hands of these peasants, surrendered
himself and his castle to the bailiff of the Vermandois, on condition
that his own life, and the lives of all within it, should be spared.
The bailiff accepted the terms, and, having re-garrisoned it with the
king’s troops, carried the count and his men prisoners to Laon, where
they remained a long time; but at length, on paying a heavy ransom,
they obtained their liberty.
The archdeacon of Brie was, in like manner, taken in the tower of
Andely by these peasants. He was natural son to the king of Armenia.
Sir William de Coussy, who was of the Orleans-party, retired to his
brother in Lorraine, who was bishop of Metz.
CHAP. XL.
THE DUKES OF ACQUITAINE AND BURGUNDY MARCH TO CONQUER ESTAMPES
AND DOURDAN.----THE EXECUTION OF SIR MANSART DU BOS AND OTHER
PRISONERS.
During these tribulations, there were so many grievous complaints made
to the king and the princes at Paris, of the mischiefs done to the
country by the garrisons of Estampes and Dourdan, that notwithstanding
it had been determined in council that neither the king nor the duke
of Acquitaine should take the field until the winter should be passed,
this resolution was overruled by circumstances.
On the 23d day of November, the duke of Acquitaine, accompanied by the
duke of Burgundy, the counts of Nevers, de la Marche, de Penthievre,
de Vaudemont, and the marshal de Boucicaut, with others of rank, and a
great multitude of the Parisians on foot, marched out of Paris, with
the intent to reduce to the king’s obedience the garrisons of Estampes
and Dourdan, and some others, who continued the war on the part of the
duke of Orleans and his adherents.
He halted at Corbeil to wait for the whole of his forces,--and thence,
with an immense quantity of warlike stores and bombards, with other
artillery, marched his army toward Estampes, wherein was sir Louis
de Bourdon, who instantly withdrew into the castle. The townsmen
immediately returned to their former obedience, and were kindly
received by the duke of Acquitaine, in consideration of his uncle the
duke of Berry. Sir Louis de Bourdon, however, refused to surrender,
although he was summoned many times, when the castle was besieged on
all sides. The lord de Ront was at this time prisoner there,--for he
had been taken by sir Louis not long before the arrival of the duke of
Acquitaine.
Many engines were now pointed against the walls, which they damaged in
several places; and in addition, miners were employed to underwork the
towers. The siege was carried on with such vigour that the garrison,
thinking it probable they should be taken by storm, opened a parley,
and, by means of the lord de Ront, surrendered themselves to the duke
of Acquitaine. Sir Louis de Bourdon, with some other gentlemen, his
confederates, were sent to the Châtelet at Paris. Great part of the
wealth of Bourdon, with a most excellent courser of his, were given to
the lord de Ront, to make amends for the losses which he sustained when
he was made prisoner.
The dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy re-garrisoned this place, and
then returned with their army to Paris; for in truth, they could not,
from the severity of the winter, make any further progress. A few days
after, by order of the duke of Burgundy, many noble prisoners were
carried from Paris to the castle of Lille; among whom were the lord de
Hangest, sir Louis de Bourdon, the lords de Gerennes, des Fontaines,
sir John d’Amboise and others, who had been arrested for supporting the
party of the duke of Orleans. They suffered a long confinement, but
were set at liberty on paying a heavy fine.
At this period, sir Mansart du Bos was beheaded in the market-place
of Paris, his body hung by the shoulders on the gibbet at Montfaucon,
and his head affixed to the spike on the top of the market-house.
This execution took place at the instance of the duke of Burgundy,
because sir Mansart was his liege man, nevertheless he had sent him his
challenge at the same time with the brothers of Orleans, as has been
before noticed. Not all the solicitations of his friends could save
him, and he had many of weight with the duke, who endeavoured earnestly
to obtain his pardon; but it was in vain, for the duke had resolved
upon his death.
There were in the prisons of the Châtelet, and in other prisons of
Paris, very many of the Orleans-party who perished miserably through
cold, famine, and neglect. When dead, they were inhumanly dragged
out of the town, and thrown into the ditches a prey to dogs, birds,
and wild beasts. The reason of such cruel conduct was their having
been several times denounced from the pulpits, and proclaimed from
the squares, as excommunicated persons. It seemed, however, to many
discreet men, as well noble as of the church, that it was a great
scandal thus to treat those who were Christians and acknowledged the
laws of JESUS CHRIST.
The same rigorous conduct being persevered in, a short time after,
a valiant knight, called sir Peter de Famechon, was beheaded in the
market-place of Paris: he was of the household and family of the duke
of Bourbon,--and his head was affixed to a lance like the others. The
duke of Bourbon was much exasperated at his death, especially when he
was informed of the disgraceful circumstances that had attended it. At
this time, therefore, all who sided with the Armagnacs, and were taken,
ran great risk of their lives; for there were few that dared speak in
their favour, however near their connexions might be.
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
AT THE HAFOD PRESS,
BY JA. HENDERSON.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Of one of the most noble houses in Picardy.
Matthew II. lord de Roye and d’Aunoy, grand master of the cross-bows,
mentioned by Froissart, had issue,
1. John III. lord of Roye, &c.
2. _Guy, archbishop of Rheims._
3. Matthew Tristan, lord of Busancy, &c.
4. John Saudran de Cangy.
5. Drogo, counsellor and chamberlain, grand master of waters
and forests in Languedoc, killed at Nicopolis.
6. Raoul, abbot of Corbie.
7. Reginald, who went to Hungary with his brother Drogo.
8. Beatrix-John de Châtillon, vidame of the Laonnois.
[2] Probably a mistake for Guichard.
[3] ‘Bachines.’ Q. Is not this rather _lances_? the more usual term.
[4] Before called Pieruels: rightly Parwis.
[5] John III. de Vergy, lord of Champlite, seneschal, mareschal, and
governor, of Burgundy.
[6] Salmes. Q. Salines?
[7] This battle was fought on the plains of Eichtfeld, near Tongres.
[8] The lord d’Agimont, son to the lord of Rochefort, and the lord de
Saraing, according to Placentius.
[9] There seems to have been some pretext, on the score of retaliation,
for the commission of these barbarities, the insurgents, during the
time of their power, having exercised many similar enormities against
those of the government faction.
[10] John, third son of Louis I. and brother of Louis II. de Châlons,
counts of Auxerre.
[11] Mentioned in p. 23.
[12] Amblard I. lord of La Baûme, had issue, Peter, Perceval, _John_,
William, and Louis. John was a monk at Ambronnai; but Perceval, who
continued the line, had issue, Amblard II. and William, surnamed
Morelet, who was grand butler of Burgundy in 1430. Perhaps he is the
_great lord_ here meant.
[13] Mentioned in vol. i. p. 135.
[14] John III. lord of Crequy and Canaples, is mentioned by Froissart.
He had issue, John IV. lord of Crequy, &c. _Reginald_, killed at
Agincourt, and others.
[15] Escoquehen. Q. Stocheim?
[16] Heusden,--a town between Gorcum and Bois-le-Duc.
[17] Oliver count of Penthievre, mentioned before.
[18] Frederic, or Ferry, count of Vaudemont.
[19] Catherine of Lancaster, wife of Henry III. and mother of John II.
kings of Castile. I do not find a queen of Portugal in the catalogue
of her children; but this event seems to be here strangely misplaced.
Turquet says, ‘L’an suyvant, 1418, décéda la royne D. Catherine, aagèe
de cinquante ans, de mort soudaine, et fût enterrèe à Tolede, en la
chapelle des roys derniers.’
[20] Brooke calls him _John_. He married Philippa, daughter to king
Henry of England by Eleanora his second wife.
_Eric_ X. king of Denmark, &c. son of Wratislaus duke of Pomerania by
Mary of Mecklenburg, niece to Margaret, _the Semiramis of the north_.
His great aunt, Margaret, was still alive.
[21] See before, vol. i. p. 57.
[22] Margaret of Bavaria, sister to the emperor Robert, married Charles
the bold, duke of Lorraine.
[23] Margaret, heiress of Vaudemont, married Frederick, brother of
Charles duke of Lorraine.
[24] Q. Who was this?
[25] John le Maingre, second of the name, count of Beaufort and
viscount of Turenne. He was the son of mareschal Boucicaut the elder,
mentioned by Froissart, who died in 1371. He was himself made a
mareschal of France in 1391, having been knighted, nine years before,
at the battle of Rosebec in Flanders. He went into Hungary and was
present at the battle of Nicopolis, and made prisoner with John count
of Nevers. He was again appointed to the relief of the emperor of
Constantinople in 1399. In 1401, he was made governor of Genoa,--and
he took the city of Famagousta in Cyprus for the Genoese. He was made
prisoner at Agincourt, and died in England 1421. He was a poet as well
as warrior, and composed many rondeaux and virelays. In his epitaph, he
is called Constable to the emperor of Constantinople.
[26] See Shepherd’s Life of Poggio, p. 42.
[27] Robert Hallam, cardinal, and chancellor of the university of
Oxford.
[28] Brandac. Q. Brunswic?
[29] Marquis of Brandenbourg and Moravia. See vol i. p. 63.
[30] Ladislaus, or Lancelot, son of Charles of Durazzo, and brother to
Joan II. who succeeded to the crown of Naples on his death in 1412.
He took up arms on behalf of Gregory, and invaded the florentine
territories in the year 1409, at the head of a large body of forces.
The proceedings of the council were in fact detrimental to him, as
by its decree he was deposed, and the neapolitan crown vested in his
competitor, the duke of Anjou. He had also seized many towns in the
patrimony of St Peter, and among the rest on Rome itself.--See _Poggio_
_Hist. Florent._ p. 178. et seq.
[31] Flisque. Q. Fiesco?
[32] Elizabeth, daughter of John duke of Luxembourg, brother of
Wenceslaus king of Bohemia, and _ci-devant_ emperor. See vol. i. p. 63.
[33] John lord of Puisaye, fifth son to the duke of Bar.
[34] Bona, third daughter of the duke of Bar, married to Waleran count
of St Pol.
[35] Charles de Montagu, to whom the confiscated honours of the vidame
du Laonnois and lord of Marcoussy were restored after the death of his
father. There was no issue of this marriage with Catherine d’Albret.