chancellor's demand, they replied, by the mouth of the archbishop of Sens, that the king might legally and honourably wage war on the duke of Burgundy, considering the manner in which he had conducted and continued to conduct himself with regard to him. It was then resolved, that the king should raise a large army, and march in person against the duke and his adherents, to subjugate them, and reduce their country to obedience. The queen, the duke of Aquitaine, all the princes, and the whole council, then engaged, and solemnly swore, on their faith and loyalty, that they would never pay attention to any letters or embassy from the said duke, until he and his allies should be destroyed, or at least humbled and reduced to obedience.

When the council broke up, clerks were employed to write letters, which were despatched to divers countries, and throughout France; and the king at this time raised a larger army than he had done during his whole reign,-insomuch, that in a very short time, by the activity of the said princes, and by the king's summons, a very great multitude of men-at-arm were collected round Paris, and in the parts adjacent in the Isle of France. Some of the captains were despatched with a large body of men toward the town of Compiegne, which, as I have before said, was garrisoned by the duke of Burgundy, namely, the lord Charles d'Albreth, constable of France, sir Hector, bastard of Bourbon, Remonnet de la Guerre, the lord de Gaucourt and several others,-who, on their forming the siege, had many and severe skirmishes with those of the town, as they made frequent sallies night and day, and at the beginning did them much damage. They were, however, often driven back by the besiegers into the town, which was under the government of sir Hugh de Launay, the lord de Saint Legier, and his son, the lord Mauroy, Hector Philippe, le bon de Saveusest, the lord de Sorres, knights, Louvelet de Malinghen, and many other notable men-at-arms, by orders of the duke of Burgundy. These captains, to prevent the besiegers from quartering themselves at their ease, were diligent in harassing them, and burnt all the suburbs, with many handsome buildings, as well houses as churches. The besiegers, on their side, were not idle : they threw two bridges over the river Oise, to succour each other should there be occasion, and pointed against the walls and gates two large engines, which annoyed them much.

The king of France on the Saturday in the holy week, the third of April, marched out of Paris in a triumphant manner, and with great state, to the town of Senlis to wait for his army. He there celebrated the feast of the Resurrection of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. The king and the duke of Aquitaine wore, on this expedition, the badge and arms of the count d'Armagnac, laying aside that noble and gallant banner which he and his royal predecessors had hitherto borne, for the plain white cross. Many of the great barons, knights, and other loyal servants of the king and the duke, were much displeased at this, saying, that it was not becoming the excellence of his royal majesty to bear the arms of so poor a lord as the count d'Armagnac, particularly as it was for his own personal quarrel, and within his own realm. This banner, which was now the cause of such rejoicing, had been given to an ancestor of the said count, by the decision of a pope, to be borne for ever by him, and his heirs and successors, as a penalty for certain crimes committed by his predecessors against the church.

CHAPTER CXIX.
FRANCE AT
PIEGNE.

THE DUKE OF AQUITAINE LEAVES PARIS, AND JOINS THE KING OF
SENLIS.-HE MARCHES THENCE TO LAY SIEGE TO THE TOWN OF COM-

[A. D. 1414.]

AT the beginning of this year, namely, on Easter-Monday, the duke of Aquitaine set out from Paris with a noble company, and went to Senlis, to join the king his father. The king then departed from Senlis, attended by many princes and prelates, and a grand assemblage of chivalry, to fix his quarters at Verberiet. The queen and the duchess of Aquitaine, who John, lord of Gaucourt, died in 1393, leaving Raoul who became grand-master of France, and is much distinV. lord of Gaucourt. Eustace, lord of Veri, great-falconer guished hereafter. of France, and John, lord of Maisons-sur-Seine. Raoul V. was chamberlain to the king, and bailiff of Rouen he was killed in the year 1417, and left a son, Raoul VI.,

Saveuse, an ancient house in Picardy. Verberie, a town in Picardy, on the Oise, three leagues from Senlis, four from Compiegne.

The duke of Berry

had come with the duke from Paris, went to lodge at Meaux-in-Brie. remained behind, as governor of Paris and the adjacent country. King Louis of Sicily went to Angiers, and thence returned to Paris, and did not attend the king on this expedition. The king of France, on leaving Verberie, marched toward Compiegne; and when he had approached near, he sent one of his heralds to the gates of the town, to announce to those within that the king was coming, that they might, like loyal subjects, admit him as their lord. The townsmen made answer, that they would very cheerfully admit him and his son, the duke of Aquitaine, with their attendants, but no more. The herald carried this answer

to the king, who had lodged himself in a small house between the town and the forest, and the duke of Aquitaine in the monastery of Roy-au-lieu. The other princes and captains quartered themselves as well as they could; and the king's batteries kept constantly playing against the town, to which they did much damage, while skirmishes frequently happened between the two parties. One of them is deserving of notice. When the month of May was near at hand, sir Hector, bastard of Bourbon, sent to inform the besieged, that on the first of May he would try their courage. On that day, he accordingly mounted his horse, attended by about two hundred able men-at-arms and some foot-soldiers, having all May garlands over their helmets: he led them to the gate of Pierrefons, to present a May garland to the besieged, as he had promised. The besieged made a stout resistance, insomuch that it became very serious, and several were killed and wounded on each side: the bastard of Bourbon had his horse killed under him, and was in great danger of being made prisoner or slain.

While these things were passing, the duke of Burgundy held many conferences with the Flemings, to persuade them to levy a certain number of men, that he might raise the siege of Compiegne; but they refused, alleging that they could not bear arms against the king of France. The duke of Burgundy, to whom his people in Compiegne had sent to know if they might expect succours, advised them to make the best terms they could with the king and the duke of Aquitaine. On hearing this, they offered to open the gates to the king and his army, on condition that the troops of the duke of Burgundy should retire in safety with their effects, they promising, or their captain for them, that they would never again oppose the king, or the duke of Aquitaine, in any town which belonged to them. The king consented to pardon the inhabitants, and to receive them again into favour, without touching their lives or fortunes. Thus on Monday, the 8th day of May, at the same time that the troops of the duke of Burgundy marched out under passports from the king and the duke of Aquitaine to fix their quarters in Artois, the royal army marched into Compiegne.

At this time, Waleran, count de St. Pol, who still called himself constable of France, riding from Amiens to his castle of St. Pol, had a severe fall, and broke his leg: the pain was so great that he was carried to St. Pol; but there was a report current, that he pretended to have been thus sorely hurt in order to be excused from obeying the king's summons, which had been often repeated to him; and also out of regard to the duke of Burgundy, whom he saw much distressed, and was perplexed how to assist him in his quarrel. In like manner, sir James de Châtillon, lord of Dampierre, styling himself admiral of France, remained all this season at his castle of Rolaincourt, pretending to be confined with the gout, which often attacked him, in order to be excused, like the constable, from serving in the king's army, or * joining the duke of Burgundy, of whose success he was very desirous. Their dependants, however, who were accustomed to follow them in arms to war, or at least the greater part of them, joined the duke of Burgundy and his partisans. This war placed many lords in disagreeable situations and perplexities; for they knew not well how to steer, with honour to themselves, between the two parties.

There must be some mistake here in the original. It ought probably to be against instead of or.

CHAPTER CXX. THE KING OF FRANCE MARCHES HIS ARMY FROM COMPIEGNE TO SOISSONS, WHICH HE BESIEGES AND TAKES BY STORM-IT IS PILLAGED AND DESTROYED.

THE king, having reduced the town of Compiegne to his obedience, departed, on the 5th day of May, with his army, to lay siege to the town of Soissons, of which place the brave Enguerrand de Bournouville was governor. The van division had before advanced thither, under the command of the duke of Bar, the count d'Armagnac, Clugnet de Brabant, calling himself admiral of France, the bastard of Bourbon, sir Aymé de Sallebruche, and other able captains. The inhabitants of Soissons, perceiving that they should be besieged, acted like to those of Compiegne, in destroying their suburbs, with many noble buildings, churches and houses. Notwithstanding this, they were, on the arrival of the royal army, very closely besieged. The king, on his coming thither, sent to summon the town to surrender itself to his obedience, otherwise the inhabitants were in the road to destruction; but in defiance of this, they resolved to defend themselves against the king's army, in the hope of receiving reinforcements from their lord and master the duke of Burgundy, who had promised to succour them by a certain day.

The king fixed his quarters in the convent of St. Jean des Vignes of the order of St. Augustin: the dukes of Aquitaine and of Orleans were lodged in the abbey of St. Quentin, and the other princes and lords in the best manner they could. With sir Enguerrand within the town, were sir Collart de Phiennes, Lamon de Launoy, sir Pierre Menau, Gilles du Plessis, the old lord de Menau, full of years and riches, Guyot le Bouteiller, with many more warriors from the Boulonois, Artois, and Picardy. There were also full four hundred English soldiers; but owing to some quarrels, the townsmen and those under the command of Bournouville, were not on good terms together, by which their strength was much weakened. The king's forces were very diligent in their daily attempts to annoy the town, by means of bombards, cannon, bricolles, and other engines of destruction. They were also frequently played off during the night against the walls and gates, which greatly damaged them in several places, and harassed the garrison. At length, on the 21st of May, the place was vigorously stormed on every side; but before this happened, some new knights were created, among whom were Louis duke of Bavaria, the count de Richemont, and the provost of Paris.

The van division posted on the opposite side, under the command of the duke of Bar, the count of Armagnac, and Remonnet de la Guerre, made their attack at the same time; and the princes and leaders urged their men on with such bravery, that in spite of the obstinate resistance of the besieged, the king's forces made an entry by a large breach which had been effected by the engines, and there the combat raged,—for every inch was disputed with lances, battle-axes, and swords, hand to hand. During the storm, the commander of the English forces within the town, having held a parley with some of his countrymen in the king's army, caused a gate leading to the river to be cut down, through which the count d'Armagnac's men rushed, and hoisted, on the highest tower, the banner of their count; and the greater part of the English suddenly turned against the townsmen.

Soon after, the army forced an entrance through the walls, putting all they met to the sword, inhabitants and garrison indiscriminately. During this attack, as Enguerrand de Bournouville was riding through different parts of the town, to encourage his men, he was pursued through a narrow street which had a chain thrown across it by some of the men of Remonnet de la Guerre, who pressed on him so much that he was forced to retreat and attempt to leap over the chain; but, in so doing, his horse could not clear it, and remained suspended, when he was made prisoner and led with great joy to Remonnet. The others, seeing the town was taken, retired to different parts within the gates, and the towers of the walls, whence, parleying with their enemies, they surrendered, on promise of their lives being spared. Those who defended their posts were slain or made prisoners: in short,

--

* Monstrelet mentions in the preceding chapter, that the king of France made his public entry into Compiegne on the 8th day of May.

including the townsmen with the duke's garrison, there were that day full twelve hundred killed or taken.

In regard to the destruction committed by the king's army in Soissons, it cannot be estimated; for, after they had plundered all the inhabitants and their dwellings, they despoiled the churches and monasteries. They even took and robbed the most part of the sacred shrines of many bodies of saints, which they stripped of all the precious stones, gold and silver, together with many other jewels and holy things appertaining to the aforesaid churches. There is not a Christian but would have shuddered at the atrocious excesses committed by this soldiery in Soissons: married women violated before their husbands, young damsels in the presence of their parents and relatives, holy nuns, gentlewomen of all ranks, of whom there were many in the town: all, or the greater part, were violated against their wills, and known carnally by divers nobles and others, who, after having satiated their own brutal passions, delivered them over without mercy to their servants; and there is no remembrance of such disorder and havoc being done by Christians, considering the many persons of high rank that were present, and who made no efforts to check them: there were also many gentlemen in the king's army who had relations in the town, as well secular as churchmen, but the disorder was not the less on that account.

During the storming of the place, several, foreseeing that it must be taken, thought to save themselves by escaping over the walls to the river, and swimming across; but the greater part were drowned, as their bodies were found in divers parts of the stream. Some women

of rank were, however, in this disorder, conducted to the quarters of the king and the duke of Aquitaine by their friends, and thus saved from suffering the like infamy with others who could not escape from the place. During the siege, sir Hector, bastard of Bourbon, as prudent and valiant in arms as any of the king's party, while parleying with Enguerrand de Bournouville, was so grievously wounded in the face by an arrow that he died; and the duke

of Bourbon, who much loved his brother, conceived, on account of this act, which he thought was treacherously done, so violent a hatred against Enguerrand, and some others of the besieged, that he prevailed on the king and council to have him beheaded, his head placed

on a lance, and his body hung by the shoulders on a gibbet. Many princes and captains, notwithstanding Enguerrand had been their enemy, were greatly displeased at his death, and not without cause, for he was at that time renowned as the flower of the warriors of all France. With him were beheaded sir Pierre de Menau, one of the governors of the town,— and of the inhabitants, master Aussiel Bassuel, advocate, and four other gentlemen, whose heads were put on lances, and their bodies hung in the usual manner on the gibbet.

Master John Titet, a wise and learned advocate, by whom all the business of the town had until then been managed, was carried with some others to Laon, and there examined: he was afterwards beheaded, and hung by the shoulders on a gallows. Fifty-one persons were sent to the Châtelet prison in Paris, several of whom were beheaded, such as Gilles du Plessis, knight, and others. Very many of the townsmen, English archers, and soldiers of the garrison were hung on a gibbet without Soissons: others escaped death by ransoming themselves, namely, the old lord de Menau, sir Colart de Phiennes, Lamon de Launoy, Guyot le Bouteiller, and great numbers of gentlemen. Those who had taken them allowed

them their liberty, on their promising to send the amount of their ransoms by a certain day, so that the king's justice might not be inflicted upon them. After some days had passed, the king caused to be restored, by some of the pillagers, the bones of many bodies of saints, and divers relics; but all the gold and jewels that had adorned them were gone; and even in this state, many were forced to buy them back for large sums, when they were replaced in the churches from which they had been stolen.

Thus was this grand and noble city of Soissons, strong from its situation, walls and towers, full of wealth, and embellished with fine churches and holy relics, totally ruined and destroyed by the army of king Charles and of the princes who accompanied him. The king, however, before his departure, gave orders for its rebuilding, and appointed new officers for the defence and support of it,—who, when the army had marched away, recalled as many as possible of the inhabitants who had fled before it was taken. The king also granted a total abolition of taxes, excepting, nevertheless, those who had been principally instrumental in admitting the Burgundians within their town.

CHAPTER CXXI.-THE KING, AFTER THE CAPTURE OF SOISSONS, MARCHES TO ST. QUENTIN, AND THENCE TO PERONNE, TO FACILITATE HIS ENTRANCE INTO ARTOIS.

HAVING done these things at Soissons, the king departed, and went to the town of Laon, where he was magnificently and joyfully received by the clergy, burghers, and inhabitants of that town. Shortly after his arrival, Philip count de Nevers, baron de Donsy of the royal lineage, and brother to the duke of Burgundy, came thither under the protection of a passport from the king, and was lodged by the royal harbingers, in the abbey of Saint Martin des Premonstrés. He had been informed by some of his friends, that the king intended to send into his country of Rethel a large force to seize his person; and for this reason he had come to Laon to surrender into the king's hand the lordships and estates he possessed in France, and to solicit mercy and pardon for all his offences, promising henceforward not to assist his brother, the duke of Burgundy, openly or secretly, in this quarrel against the king his sovereign lord. What he requested was granted; and the lord de Lor with others of his vassals were given as hostages for the faithful observance of these promises. He then departed, with the king's leave, to Mezieres on the Meuse.

While the king remained at Laon, he ordered fresh proclamations to be made throughout his realm, to obtain the aid of his knights and others who were accustomed to bear arms for him. On the 10th day of June he marched to Tierrache, thence to Ribermont and to St. Quentin; at which place, the countess of Hainault, sister to the duke of Burgundy, came to him, with a noble attendance of two hundred horsemen, to endeavour to make peace between the king and the duke of Aquitaine and the duke of Burgundy. But when the king heard what terms she had to propose, there was an end of the business; and, seeing no prospect of success, she took leave of the king, and left Saint Quentin, and went to the duke of Bourbon and Charles d'Albreth, constable of France, the commanders of the rear division of the army.