made a knight by the duke of Bourbon, who commanded the van division, and had arrived before Bapaume at break of day. The king also created, with his own hand, the count d'Alençon a knight, as well as some others. The lords de Boissay and de Gaucourt at this time exercised the functions of Boucicaut and de Longny, the two marshals of France. On the king's arrival, he was lodged at a handsome nunnery without the walls, and his army around the place, so that it was soon encompassed on all sides. This town is on an elevated situation, without spring or running water; and as the season was very dry, the soldiers were forced to fetch their water from a rivulet near to Miraumont in bottles, casks, and suchlike vessels, which they transported on cars or otherwise the best way they could, so that they and their horses suffered more from thirst than famine. This caused many to sink wells, and in a few days more than fifty were opened, and the water was so abundant that a horse could be watered for four farthings.

It happened, that on a certain day the duke of Acquitaine sent for the chief cap

tains in the town and castle of Bapaume, such as Ferry de Hangest, sir de John de Jumont, and Alain d'Anetus, who on their arrival, being asked by the duke why they did not make some overtures to the king for the surrender of the town and castle to their sovereign lord, replied most humbly, that they guarded it for the king and for himself, the king's eldest son, by the orders of the duke of Burgundy.

They requested the duke of Acquitaine to grant them an armistice until the following Tuesday, that they might send to the duke of Burgundy for his final orders respecting their conduct, as to surrendering the town and castle. This was granted, and confirmed by the king. They therefore sent to the duke of Burgundy, to inform him of the force that was surrounding the town, and the small provision they had for themselves and their horses. The duke, on hearing this, agreed to their surrendering the place to the king and the duke of Acquitaine, on condition that their lives and fortunes should be spared. This being assented to, they marched out of Bapaume with all their baggage, and were in number

about five hundred helmets and three hundred archers. They took the road toward Lille, to join their lord; but, as they were on their departure, the varlet Caboche, who bore the duke's standard, and two merchants of Paris were arrested; one of them was named Martin Coulommiers; and all three beheaded. Martellet du Mesnil and Galiffre de Jumelles were likewise arrested, for having formed part of the garrison in Compiegne, but were afterward set at liberty.

In these days, it was proclaimed by sound of trumpet, that every one, whatever might be his rank, merchant or otherwise, who should repair to the king's army, should wear the upright cross as a badge, under pain of confiscation of goods and corporal punishment. At this period, also, ambassadors were sent to Cambray, the principal of whom were the lord of Ivry, and the lord de Ligny, a native of Hainault, at that time keeper of the king's privy seal, attended by many knights and others, to the amount of two hundred helmets. On their arrival at Cambray, they had a conference with the duke of Brabant and the

countess of Hainault, but could not agree on any terms for a peace, on which the ambassadors returned to the king's army, and the duke of Brabant and the lady of Hainault went back to the duke of Bur gundy at Lille, to signify to him that they had not been able to come to any terms with the king of France.

THE townsmen of Arras, daily expecting to be besieged by the army of the king of France, made great preparations to defend themselves against all adversaries. They erected bulwarks without the walls, and formed barriers of large oak-trees placed one on the other, with deep ditches, so that the walls could not be approached without first having gained these outworks. They planted cannons and veuglaires (veuglaria), with

other offensive engines on the walls and towers, to annoy the enemy; and, as I have before said, sir John de Luxembourg was governor-general of the place, having under him many very expert captains, whom I have mentioned, and who were always unanimous in their opinions.

They resolved to wait for the attack of the king and the princes, and to resist it to the best of their ability; but in the mean time sir John de Luxembourg caused proclamation to be made by sound of trumpets throughout the town, that all persons who had wives or families should lose no time in having them and their effects conveyed to other strong places or territories of the duke of Burgundy, and that whosoever had not collected necessaries for some months must leave the place.

In consequence of these proclamations, many of the inhabitants carried their wives, families and fortunes to the towns of Douay, Lille, Bethune, Aire, and other places, according to their pleasure. The governor demolished many handsome buildings and churches that were around the town, namely, the abbey of Tieulloy, the