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main army. On the morrow morning, the 28th, came the lieutenant-general, attended by the counts de St. Pol and d'Eu, the lord seneschal of Poitou, and several other captains, with a large body of franc-archers, (an institution lately established in France) attacked, and instantly gained possession of a small island, on which they raised a battery of cannon, although they did not fire them, but some sharp skirmishings took place between the archers; and the English lost the bridge, when their governor was pierced through both his cheeks with an arrow, to their great dismay. Seeing, therefore, the great force that was brought against them, and that numbers of towns and castles had of late surrendered, they, in conjunction with the inhabitants, demanded from the count de Dunois passports for four or six persons to hold a parley respecting the summons that had been sent them.

This was agreed to; and the following persons were selected by the governor and inhabitants to wait on the count de Dunois, namely, John Abaron*, an Englishman, captain of the troops in the town, master Guillaume d'Aguenet, a most determined partisan of the English, Regnault de Bordeaux and others, and d'Aguenet was appointed spokesman. Having made the usual salutations to the lieutenant-general, he thus addressed him: "My lord, you have summoned us to surrender the town of Vernon to the king your lord: tell us on what grounds you have made this demand." The count de Dunois, with coolness and dignity becoming the representative of a king, answered most eloquently, (for he was one of the most eloquent men in all France) that the said town of Vernon, and its dependencies, belonged to the king his lord by rightful inheritance; that it had been taken from him more by violence than otherwise, with great part of his kingdom, during the life of the late king his father; and he then recited, in a style that would have done credit to a doctor, a history of the war between the kings of France and England, and the innumerable evils that had resulted from it: that the king of France, moved by his great charity, had consented to certain truces, in the hope that, during their continuance, means might be found to establish a permanent peace; but that the English had, through their disorderly love of conquest, in the interval, gained by force the town of Fougeres from the duke of Brittany, a relative and subject of the king, and especially named in the said truces. He then related all the conferences that had taken place on the occasion, and their result, which have been already mentioned. "The king, therefore, having maturely considered this conduct with his council, captains and allies, and witnessing the infidelity of the English, has raised a sufficient army to regain all that legally belongs to him, and has appointed me his lieutenant-general to carry his intentions into execution: I therefore have summoned, and do now summon, you to restore this town to its rightful lord, to avoid the perils you will run into from your rebellion and disobedience, and that you may not attribute the evils that will ensue from your refusal to your lawful lord and mine, whose benign grace is willing to receive you again as his subjects."

At the close of this speech, the English and the other deputies withdrew to consult how they should act. In the discussion, great disputes arose; for the French, considering king Charles as their lawful king, and feeling that what the lieutenant had said was founded in reason, wanted to surrender, but the English would not. After much altercation, the townsmen declared that they would surrender, whether the English would or no, if a fair treaty were offered for the tower, in which the English should be included if they were agreeable to it. The English, perceiving they could not resist the will of the inhabitants, so plainly discovered, demanded letters under the town-seal, declaratory that the surrender was agreed to without their consent, which were given them.

The deputies returned to the count de Dunois, who concluded a treaty with the assent of the lords in his company, by which the town and castle of Vernon were surrendered,—in which were twelve score English, under the command of the son of the earl of Ormond. They marched away in safety with their baggage, and the inhabitants remained peaceably in the town, without losing an article of their effects. The king afterwards gave this town and castle to the count de Dunois, for the great services he had rendered him, and in the expectation that he would do more in conquering Normandy, or wherever else he might be employed.

* John Abaron. Q.

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CHAPTER XVII.-THE KING OF FRANCE COMES TO THE TOWN OF EVREUX, WHERE HE IS HANDSOMELY RECEIVED, AND GOES THENCE TO LOUVIERS.-THE CASTLE OF ANJOU SUBMITS TO THE KING.-GOURNAY SURRENDERS ALSO.-JOHN HOWEL YIELDS UP THE CASTLE OF LA ROCHE-GUYON TO ITS LORD, AND TURNS TO THE FRENCH.

ABOUT the end of August, the king departed from Verneuil, and made his entry into the city of Evreux with great pomp. He was sumptuously received by the inhabitants, who went out in procession to meet him, made bonfires, sang carols, and hung all the streets with tapestry through which he passed. He slept one night only in Evreux, and on the morrow went to Louviers, where he was equally well received. He was accompanied by the count du Maine, brother to the king of Sicily and the queen of France, the count de Clermont, eldest son to the duke of Bourbon, the viscount de Lomagne, eldest son to the count d'Armagnac, the count de Castres, son to the count de la Marche, the youngest son of the house of Albreth, John lord of Lorraine, many other great lords and barons, and knights and esquires without number. The king had two hundred lances for his body-guard, and his usual archers, without including four armies he had in the field,-namely, the army of the duke of Brittany, another under the command of the count de Dunois lieutenant-general, the army of the counts d'Eu and de St. Pol, and that of the duke d'Alençon. The king was very active in supplying these armies with everything they might want, as well with money as bombards, artillery, and all kinds of stores; and couriers were constantly passing and repassing between him and them, to convey orders and intelligence.

During this time, William de Chance, governor of Pontoise, marched a body of men before the castle of Anjou, and summoned Portugal, the governor, to surrender it to the king of France. Portugal, hearing how the whole country, with its towns and castles, was submitting daily to king Charles, and knowing the impossibility of any effectual resistance, capitulated for its surrender,-when de Chance was appointed, by the king of France, the governor. Sir Louis de Luxembourg, count de St. Pol, marched, on a Sunday, from Vernon, to lay siege to Gournay. On his march he was met by some of the townsmen, who came to make an offer to yield up the place, which was under the guard of William Harper, lieutenant to William Coram, an Englishman. The lieutenant, fearful of the event of a siege, and knowing also how the tide of war was turned, and that all the towns and castles were surrendering to the French,-having also in mind that prudent maxim, "Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum," went out with one of the inhabitants, called Raoullet Pailleavoine, and some others, to the count de St. Pol, on his arrival before the place, and confirmed the treaty that had been made at Longueville. It was articled that the town and castle should be surrendered to the count de St. Pol, notwithstanding that the lord de Moy and William de Chance, ignorant of the count's enterprise, had attempted to take it by storm, and had opened batteries against its walls. The moment they were informed of the count's intentions, they abandoned their enterprise, and the king of France gave it to the count, with all its dependencies, for his life. He appointed, therefore, as governor of the castle and town, sir George de Croix, lord of Blainsel.

While this treaty was carrying on, the count d'Eu remained at Andeli-sur-Seine*, and thence went to quarter himself and his forces at Pont Saint Pierref, where he staid three days, when he crossed the Seine to besiege Harcourt. On Monday, the 29th of August, all the lords who had been at the surrender of Vernon joined the king at Louviers, to arrange their plans for further conquests. During their assembly, the lord de Jalognes, marshal of France, and the lord of Roche-Guyon, marched a large body of men-at-arms to conquer the castle of La Roche-Guyon§. To effect this, they detached about thirty men by water, well supplied with cannon and ammunition, who approached the place as if intending to besiege

*Andeli-sur-Seine,-three leagues from Mantes. † Pont St. Pierre,-four leagues from Andeli.

Harcourt,-ten leagues from Rouen, near Brionne. La Roche-Guyon,-a market-town in Normandy, three leagues from Mantes. The lord of Roche-Guyon

mentioned above was Guy VII., son of Guy VI., who was killed at Azincourt, and of Perette de la Riviere. He died in 1460, leaving issue one daughter only, who by marriage conveyed Roche-Guyon to the house of Silli.

it, making as much noise as though they had been two hundred, and remained before it for three days, constantly skirmishing with the garrison; but although this garrison did not consist of more than sixteen men, the French gained no advantage over them.

On Thursday the 3rd of September, the lords de Jalognes and de la Roche-Guyon appeared before it with their forces; and when John Howel, the English governor, saw so numerous a body that it would be vain for him to oppose it, at the same time fearing the event of a siege, and considering the right the king had to reconquer his kingdom, entered into a treaty with these lords conditionally to surrender the castle, unless he should be relieved by the king of England, or his lieutenant in Normandy, within fifteen days; and that he and his men should have free liberty to march away with their baggage whither they pleased. Intelligence of this was sent to the duke of Somerset, lieutenant of Normandy, in Rouen, who tampered with the messenger to introduce four-and-twenty English into the castle, and put Howel to death. On his return, he attempted to gain over some of the garrison to his purpose, of admitting the twenty-four Englishmen to execute his damnable design; but knowledge of this plan coming secretly to the ears of Howel, he sent in haste for the lord de la Roche-Guyon, who had withdrawn himself and his forces until the fifteenth day should arrive, to whom he surrendered the place. The garrison marched away, under passports, with their effects; but Howel was so indignant at the plot formed against his life that he became a Frenchman, and took the oaths of allegiance, on condition that he should enjoy the landed property of his wife, who was a native of France,—and the lord de la Roche-Guyon continued him in the government of his castle.

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CHAPTER XVIII.-THE COUNTS OF EU AND OF ST. POL TAKE BY STORM THE NEW CASTLE
*
OF NICORPS -THE CASTLE SURRENDERS ON TERMS.-THE COUNT DE DUNOIS GAINS
THE CASTLE OF HARCOURT.

ABOUT the middle of September it was resolved, in the councils held at Louviers, that, considering the great body of French chivalry, it would be necessary to form two divisions: the one under the command of Charles d'Artois count of Eu, Louis de Luxembourg count of St. Pol, and other captains, having with them from three to four thousand combatants, were ordered to besiege the new castle of Nicorps, which was held by the captain, Adam Illetont, an Englishman. The French army came before it on Tuesday the 12th day of September, and took the town by storm on the following Thursday. The castle was then besieged, and surrendered on capitulation fifteen days afterward. The other division was under the command of the count de Dunois, lieutenant-general, having with him the counts de Clermont and de Nevers, with four thousand veteran soldiers. On leaving Louviers, they marched to lay siege to the castle of Chambrais ‡ on the 18th of September, of which an Englishman, called William Crinton §, was governor, and had under him two hundred men for its defence. After seven days' siege it surrendered on capitulation with the count de Clermont, and thus was it restored to the obedience of the king of France.

Without losing time, the lieutenant-general marched his army before the castle of Harcourt, which is handsome and strong. It was governed by sir Richard Frongueval ||, an Englishman, having under him about eight score of his countrymen. The siege lasted about fifteen days, with daily skirmishes with the garrison. Great advances were made, in which a very valiant man-at-arms from the garrison of Louviers was killed by a cannonshot,—and an Englishman lost his life by the shot of a culverine, on the portal of the lower A mutiny now took place in the garrison, when the governor was disgraced, and hung by his feet under the gate,-when the French, taking advantage of it, played their cannon so well that they greatly damaged the walls of the lower court. The English,

court.

* Nicorps, a village in Normandy, diocese and election of Coutances.

+Adam Illeton. Q. Elton or Hilson ?

Chambrais, a market-town in Normandy, thirteen leagues from Evreux.

§ W. Crinton. Q. Clinton?
Sir Richard Frongueval.

Q. Freschevill ? Sir Ralph Freschevill, who served under John of Gaunt in the wars of Edward III., left descendants.

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fearful of consequences, entered into a capitulation to surrender, if they should not, on the ensuing Friday, be in force to meet them in the field, and gave hostages for the performance. When the day arrived, not receiving any succours, they yielded up the place.

While these armies were thus employed, the English garrison of the town and castle of Essay made an excursion to fish a pond at some distance, which coming to the knowledge of the duke d'Alençon, he instantly ordered his men to mount, and marched, as secretly as he could, to cut off their retreat. He succeeded in making the whole prisoners, and, carrying them to Essay, forced them to deliver up the town and castle, on pain of losing their heads. The French garrison in Dieppe, knowing that there was but a small garrison in Fécamp, which is a sea-port, marched thither secretly, and won it by storm. Shortly after, arrived a vessel from England, and having on board ninety-seven soldiers to garrison the abbey, supposing it still to belong to king Henry, whom the French suffered to land without opposition, but instantly afterwards took them all prisoners.

THE DUKE OF BRITTANY AND THE CONSTABLE OF FRANCE ENTER NORMANDY WITH A GREAT ARMY, AND LAY SIEGE TO ST. LOT, WHICH SURRENDERS TO THEM, AS DO MANY OTHER SMALL PLACES. THE TOWN OF CARENTAN +

SURRENDERS ALSO.

+

ABOUT the same period of this year, the duke of Brittany, his brother the count de Richemont, constable of France, with other nobles and men-at-arms from his duchy, amounting to a thousand or twelve hundred lances, entered lower Normandy, to restore it to the obedience of the king of France from the dominion of the English (the ancient enemies of the realm,) who had usurped the government of it for nearly thirty-two years. They first advanced to the town of Mont St. Michel §; and the nobles and men-at-arms were quartered in the villages of upper and lower Les Pas ||, Courtis T, St. George en Gaine, Postulbanch, and thereabouts. The duke, on quitting Brittany, had left his brother, the lord Peter, on the frontiers, near to Fougeres and Avranches, for their defence, with three hundred lances. On the morrow, the duke and the constable formed their van-guard under the command of sir James de Luxembourg lieutenant to the constable, the marshal and admiral of France, of five hundred spears, who that day marched to Coutances **, and lay before it, while the duke and the main army, consisting of five or six hundred lances, remained that night in and about Granville ++. On the morrow, the constable advanced the main army toward Coutances, and halted opposite to the hospital; but they were not there a day before the English in the town marched away, and the inhabitants continued in the same peaceful state as before this renewal of war.

The duke of Brittany next marched to lay siege to St. Lo, and ordered his van to advance and take up their quarters on one side of the town,-while he followed with the army on the next day, and posted himself on the opposite side. Sir William de Poitou commanded in the place, with a garrison of two hundred men,-but, notwithstanding these numbers, he made no resistance, but capitulated with the duke for its surrender, on being allowed to march away with his men whither he should please. The duke and the constable, during their stay at St. Lo, won the following towns, villages, and castles, namely, le Hommet ++, Neufville §§, Torigny, Beuseville ¶¶, Hambie ***, La Motte l'Evêque +++, la Haye-du-Puy‡‡‡,

Essay, a market-town in Normandy, five leagues from Alençon, two from Sees.

St. Lo, a city of Normandy, on the Vire. Carentan, a town in Normandy, three leagues from the sea-coast.

§ Mont St. Michel,-a strong town in Normandy, built on a rock, and surrounded by the sea at high water. Les Pas, a village in Normandy, diocese of Avran. ches.

Les Courtis, a village in Normandy, diocese of Avranches.

**Coutances,-capital of the Coutantin, two leagues from the sea.

tt Granville, a sea-port in Normandy, six leagues from Coutances.

Le Hommet, a small town near St. Lo. § Neufville, -a village near Alençon. Torigny, three leagues from Coutances.

¶¶ Beuseville,-a village in Normandy. *** Hambie,-a market-town near Coutances. ttt La Motte-l'Evêque,-a barony and castle near St. Lo.

La Haye-du-Puy,-a market-town near Coutances.

M

Chanteloup*, L'Aunay†, and many other small places round St. Lo, in which city, as well as in those captured places, strong garrisons were posted. The van was now detached to the town of Carentan, and followed by the main body; but the garrison held out only three days before they surrendered, and then marched away with staves in their hands,— and those in the town were reinstated in their possessions.

The marshal and the admiral of France now separated from the duke and the constable, and came before Pont d'Oue‡, which having taken by storm, they overran all the country of Coutantin, without meeting any resistance. The government of it and Carentan was given to Joachim Rohault. From Carentan, the above lords returned to Coutances, and thence, in the month of October, detached a party to Gavrey §. On the morrow, the duke and the constable came to Coutances, where the duke staid that day, and before the constable could arrive at Gavrey, the bulwark had been won by storm; and on the morrow, sir Geoffrey de Couvren, who directed the siege, having made great approaches by his mines,' attacked the castle with such vigour that the English garrison, of about six score men, demanded a parley, and concluded a treaty with the constable for its surrender, on being allowed to march away in safety with their effects.

**

CHAPTER XX.—THE DUKE OF ALENÇON CONQUERS HIS TOWN OF ALENÇON ||.—THE COUNT DE FOIX GAINS THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF MAULEON ¶.- -THE COUNT DE DUNOIS TAKES ARGENTAN .-THE ENGLISH RETIRE INTO THE KEEP OF THE CASTLE, AND, ON SURRENDERING IT, MARCH AWAY WITH ONLY STAVES IN THEIR HANDS. THE duke of Alençon, in consequence of intelligence with friends in Alençon, advanced thither by day-break, and by their means was admitted into the town. The English garrison retreated to the castle, which was instantly surrounded by the duke, who had with him eight hundred lances besides archers. There were numbers of English in the place,but their hearts failed them, for they made little resistance, and surrendered the town to the duke, whose inheritance it was. Sir Louis de Beaumont, governor of Mans, had come to his assistance with sixty lances, and archers in proportion. During this time, the king of France was at Louviers.

++

About this same period, namely, the latter end of September, the count de Foix, accompanied by the counts de Commingest, d'Estract ‡‡, the viscount de Lautrec §§ his brother, and many other knights, barons, and esquires from the counties of Foix, Comminges, Estract, Bigorre and Béarn, to the amount of five or six hundred lances and two thousand cross-bows, marched from his country of Béarn through that of the Basques ||||, until he came before the town of Mauléon de Soule, to which he laid siege. The inhabitants, perceiving such numbers, were afraid of the consequences, should the siege be pushed to extremities, and capitulated to surrender, on condition that no harm should be done to them. Upon this the English garrison retreated into the castle, which is the strongest in all the duchy of Guienne, and is seated on a high rock. But the count de Foix, learning that it was badly provided with stores and provisions, surrounded it with his troops on all sides; *Chanteloup, a village near Coutances.

† L'Aunay, a village.

Pont d'Oue. Q. Pont d'Ouilly ? a market-town in Normandy, on the Vire.

§ Gavrey, a town on tho Seine, four leagues from Coutances.

|| Alençon, a handsome city in lower Normandy, forty-seven leagues from Paris.

Mauléon. Q. Mauléon do Soule ? a town in Gascony, eight leagues from Pau.

**Argentan,-seven leagues and a half from Alençon. †† Matthieu, count of Comminges, one of the uncles to the count de Foix.

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country, and one of Edward the Third's great captains. He is frequently mentioned by Froissart.

§§ Peter lord of Lautrec, brother to the count of Foix, married Catherine daughter to John II. lord d'Estarac (or Astarac), by whom he had one son, John, afterwards lord de Lautrec. The house of Astarac is derived from GarciaSanches, duke of the Gascons, who lived in the tenth century, from whose youngest son, Arnoud the unborn, (so called by a quibble similar to that of the witches respecting Macduff), they trace eighteen descents to Martha the heiress of the family, who married Gaston II. count of Candale (or Kendal), in whose house the title after, wards remained.

Basques, a small country near the Pyrenees, sur◄ rounded by Spain, the ocean, Béarn and the river Adour.

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