of the country of Guise, to watch the motions of the enemy, and to be prepared should they attempt any incursions on that side.

Poton de Saintrailles, l'Estandart de Mailly, the lord de Verduisant, with some others expert in arms, made a sally from Guise, near to where the ambuscade had been posted. When they were far enough advanced, sir John, profiting of his advantage, made so vigorous a charge that they were instantly thrown into confusion,-and Poton, the lord de Verduisant, and a few more, were taken prisoners. But l'Estandart de Mailly, on the first shock, pointed his lance against Lyonnel de Vandonne, unhorsed him, and gave him so violent a blow on the shoulder that ever after the said Lyonnel was lame on that side. L'Estandart finding, however, that prowess would avail nothing, and that numbers were against him, wheeled about, and returned as quickly as his horse could carry him to the town of Guise.

Sir John de Luxembourg pursued for a long time the others, who fled different ways. On his return he collected his men together, and, rejoicing at his good fortune, carried the prisoners to his castle of Beaurevoir, where he dismissed his captains until further orders.

CHAPTER XVII.-A LARGE BODY OF ENGLISH ARRIVE AT CALAIS.-SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG BESIEGES THE TOWN OF GUISE.-OTHER MATTERS BRIEFLY SPOKEN OF.

[A.D. 1424.]

Ar the beginning of this year, sixteen hundred combatants or thereabout were landed at Calais from England,—the greater part of whom went to the duke of Bedford at Paris, and the rest to sir John de Luxembourg on the borders of the country of Guise. Sir John consented to treat with Poton de Saintrailles and the other prisoners, on condition that they would, with their men, abandon Guise, and cross the river Loire without harassing the country, and promise never to return unless in company with king Charles. By this treaty, and a considerable sum paid down as ransom, Poton and his companions obtained their liberty, and marched away to the country on the other side of the Loire.

In this year, La Hire, Jean Roullet, and some other of king Charles's captains, assembled a large body of men on the borders of Champagne, whom they led toward the Ardennes and the Rethelois, and besieged Olivier d'Estanevelle in his castle.

About this time, sir John de Luxembourg, by orders from the dukes of Bedford and Burgundy, made great preparations, with men and artillery, to lay siege to the town of Guise in Tierache. When all was ready, he marched thither, accompanied by the lord de Picquigny, the vidame of Amiens, the lords d'Antoing, de Saveuses, sir Colart de Mailly, his brother Ferry de Mailly, sir Daviod de Poix, Maufroy de St. Leger, sir Lyonnel de Bournouville, the bastard de St. Pol, and very many more. Sir Thomas Ramstone, and a certain number of English, were also with him. On commencing their attacks, they met with great resistance from the garrison within the town, who, to prevent the enemy from approaching, had set fire to the suburbs, where many handsome houses were burnt.

But this availed them nothing: for sir John instantly surrounded the place with his men, and had his engines pointed against the walls and gates on the side next the suburbs. Intelligence of this siege was immediately sent to Réné duke of Bar, to the count de Guise*, and to the duke of Lorraine, his father-in-law, by John lord de Proisy, governor of Guise. who informed them of the urgent necessity there was of instant relief being sent him. This news was very displeasing to the two dukes, who held many councils thereon, and assembled men-at-arms, in compliance with the governor's request; but, fearful of incurring war with the young king of England and the duke of Burgundy, they abstained from any open hostilities. The siege continued for a considerable time without any material occurrences, excepting that the garrison made frequent sallies to annoy the enemy,-but it would take too much time to enter into the detail of each.

About St. John Baptist's day in this year, the earl of Salisbury, governor of Champagne and Brie, and very renowned in arms, besieged a good little town called Sodune, in the *This ought to be "Réné, duke of Bar and count of in 1430, in right of his wife Isabel, daughter of duke Guise." He was both, and became also duke of Lorraine Charles the Bold.

county of Vertus, which was taken by storm, by means of a mine, and the greater part of those within were cruelly put to death, to the amount of two hundred at least, and the rest made prisoners. Their effects were pillaged, their women ravished, and the place demolished. The lord de Châtillon was with the earl of Salisbury, and created a knight by the hand of the earl within the mine. The governor of the town was a valiant man atarms called William Marin, who was slain with the others at the storming.

While this was passing, the duke of Bedford caused the castle of Gaillon, a very strong place belonging to the archbishop of Rouen, to be besieged, as it was held by the partisans of king Charles. It was battered so effectually, that the garrison surrendered on having their lives spared, and the place was utterly destroyed.

In the month of June, the duke of Bedford ordered the town and castle of Ivry to be besieged. The first was soon won; but the castle, being strong and well garrisoned, held out for about a month, when the garrison capitulated to deliver up the fort to the English on the night of the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, in case king Charles should not appear before that day with a sufficient force to combat them with success. When the treaty had been signed, and proper hostages given for its performance, the siege was broken up.

The English and Burgundians at this time besieged many places on the borders of Normandy. Neelle in Tardenois submitted to king Henry; and Alardin de Monsay treated with the duke of Bedford for the castle of La Fere, and stipulated that he would not make further war against him if he should be suffered to keep it, unless king Charles should muster forces enough to cross the Seine, and advance to Champagne. The French were at this time much the weakest.

CHAPTER XVIII.-THE LORD DE LONGUEVAL AND MANY OTHER FRENCH LORDS TURN TO THE PARTY OF KING CHARLES.

In this year the lord de Longueval, his brother Reginald, John Blondel, the lord de Saint-Simon, John de Mailly, the lord de Maucourt, and several other knights and gentlemen of the Vermandois, who had always been attached to the Burgundy party, assembled at Roye to consider on the most effectual means of opposing the bodies of men-at-arms who frequently despoiled their towns, and who had likewise very improperly taken possession of their lands on their return from the expeditions of sir John de Luxembourg to conquer the county of Guise.

On their meeting at Roye, many of them formed an alliance to resist these intruders; but others, fearing sir John de Luxembourg, excused themselves, and advised that the meeting should be adjourned to another day. In the mean time, a conciliatory message was sent to sir John de Luxembourg, to know his opinion, and whether it were with his consent that such depredations had been committed on their lands, and if he would order his men away. Nevertheless some among them did not intend that matters should be carried to the lengths they were, and quietly forbore their attendance at similar meetings. However, the lord de Longueval, his brother sir Reginald, John Blondel, the lord de Maucourt, Pierre de Recourt, and several more, continued the business, and in the end determined to turn to the party of king Charles. They placed strong garrisons in many places under their command; but as their intentions were soon made known, they were forced to hide themselves with the utmost care,—for all their towns, castles, and estates were put into the hands of the king of England, and themselves publicly banished.

In consequence, they openly espoused the cause of king Charles, carrying on a warfare night and day against king Henry and the duke of Burgundy, which surprised very many; for the lord de Longueval and others of the aforesaid had long served the duke of Burgundy, and followed his interests. They excused themselves by saying, that they thus acted to revenge the insults they had received, and were daily receiving, from the men of sir John de Luxembourg; and that it was better to risk the loss of everything than be reduced to such subjection, which they had borne as long as they were able. Some of them, for their corduct, were executed, as will be seen hereafter

CHAPTER XIX.-THE DUKE OF BEDFORD MARCHES A LARGE ARMY TO KEEP HIS APPOINTMENT BEFORE IVRY.-THAT TOWN AND CASTLE SURRENDER TO HIM.

HISTORY relates, that about the 8th day of August in this year, the duke of Bedford assembled a considerable force of men-at-arms and archers, under the command of the earls of Salisbury and of Suffolk, the lord Willoughby, and several other captains, as well from Normandy as elsewhere, to the amount of eighteen hundred men-at-arms and eight thousand archers. He marched them to be present at the surrender of Ivry, of which mention has been made, and arrived before that place on the eve of the Assumption of our Lady.

That whole day he remained in battle array, expecting his enemies, who were very numerous, and but three leagues distant, and amounting to eighteen thousand combatants, under the command of the duke d'Alençon, the counts d'Aumale, de Ventadour, de Tonnerre, the earls of Douglas, Buchan, and Murray, the viscount de Narbonne, the lord de la Fayette, and many other lords and princes of great renown. They sent off forty of their most expert and best mounted men, to reconnoitre the enemy,—who, having observed the duke of Bedford's army in such handsome array, hastened back, but not without being closely pursued by the English, to relate what they had seen. The French lords, finding they had not any way the advantage, turned about, and marched in a body to the town of Verneuil in Perche, which was in the possession of the English, and gave the inhabitants to understand that they had completely defeated the English army, and forced the regent to fly with a very few attendants. On hearing this the garrison opened the gates of Verneuil, and showed them all obedience in the name of king Charles. After the surrender of the place, passports were granted, according to the stipulations of the treaty, to the English within it who were sent with their baggage to the duke of Bedford.

Gerard de la Pailliere, governor of Ivry, seeing the hour for his relief was passed, waited on the duke, who was in the front of his army expecting the enemy, and presented to him the keys of the castle, demanding at the same time, in conformity to the articles, passports for himself and his men, which were instantly granted. The duke, in the presence of Gerard, pulled out some letters, and, showing them to him, said, "I perceive that eighteen great barons attached to my lord king Henry, have this day failed in their promises of bringing me succour." Their seals were affixed to these letters; and immediately afterwards, four gentlemen of Gerard's friends were put in confinement as security for them.

The duke of Bedford now ordered that the French should be pursued by a body of men, under the command of the earl of Suffolk, to the amount of sixteen hundred combatants. The earl marched to Damville, and thence to Breteuil in Perche, within two leagues of Verneuil, where the whole of the French force was. The duke went with the remainder of his army to Evreux, whither the earl of Suffolk sent him information that the whole of the French army was in Verneuil. The duke, on hearing this, advanced with his force to join the earl of Suffolk, and offer them combat. Verneuil had belonged to the English,-but, as I have before said, the French gained it by the false information of their having defeated the English. This battle took place on the 16th day of August, in the manner you shall now hear.

CHAPTER XX.-THE DUKE OF BEDFORD COMBATS THE FRENCH BEFORE VERNEUIL.

WHEN the duke of Bedford had gained the town and castle of Ivry, he appointed a knight of Wales, renowned in arms, governor, with a sufficient garrison to defend them. He detached the earl of Suffolk in pursuit of the French, who had advanced to within three leagues for its relief, and went with the rest of his army to Evreux. He there received intelligence that the French had won Verneuil by stratagem, and were with their whole force within it. He instantly dislodged, and marched for Verneuil; but the French, having had information thereof, made all haste to prepare for his reception, and drew their men up in battle array without the town, ready for the combat. They only formed one grand division, without any advanced guard,—and ordered the Lombards, with others, to remain on horseback, under the command of the borgne Cameran, du Rousin, Poton, and La Hire,

to break the ranks of the enemy on their flanks and rear. The grand battalion of the French was on foot,—which being observed by the duke of Bedford, he ordered his army to be formed in the same manner, without any vanguard, and not having any party on horseback. The archers were posted in front, each having a sharp-pointed stake stuck in the ground before him; and the stoutest of these men were placed at the two ends of the battalion, by way of wings. Behind the men-at-arms were the pages, the horses, and such as were unfit for the combat. The archers tied the horses together by their collar pieces and tails, that the enemy might not surprise and carry them off. The duke of Bedford ordered two thousand archers to guard them and the baggage.

Very many new knights were now created on both sides; and when all was ready, these two powerful armies met in battle, about three o'clock in the afternoon, on the 16th day of August. The English, as usual, set up a grand shout as they advanced, which alarmed the French much; and the conflict raged with the utmost violence for three quarters of an hour; and it was not in the memory of man that such armies had been so long and warmly engaged without victory declaring for either of them. That division of the French which had been ordered to remain mounted to attack the rear of the English, while the combat was going on, came to the horses and baggage of the enemy, but could make no impression from the resistance of the guard of archers: they however seized some of the cavalry and baggage, with which they fled, leaving their army fighting on foot. The archers, then, finding themselves thus disembarrassed from the enemy, were fresh to join their companions in the front, which they did with loud shouts.

The French now began to fail; and the English, with great bravery, broke through their ranks in many places, and, taking advantage of their success, obtained the victory, but not without much effusion of blood on both sides; for it was afterward known by the kings-atarms, heralds, poursuivants, and from other persons worthy of belief, that there were slain of the French, and left on the field of battle, from four to five thousand, great part of whom were Scotsmen, and two hundred made prisoners.

On the part of the English sixteen hundred were killed, as well from England as from Normandy, the principal persons of whom were two captains of the name of Dudley and Charleton. The following is a list of those of name who fell on the side of the French :— Jean count d'Aumale, the son of the count de Harcourt, the count de Tonnerre, the count de Ventadour, the earl of Douglas *, sir James Douglas his son, the earl of Buchan, at that time constable to king Charles, the earl of Murray, the lord de Graville the elder, the lord de Montenay, sir Anthony Beausault, Hugh de Beausault his brother, the lord de Belloy+ and his brother, the lord de Mauny, the lord de Combrest, the lord de Fontenay, the lord de Bruneil, the lord de Tumblet, the lord de Poissy. From Dauphiny, the lord de Mathe, the lord de Rambelle. From Languedoc and Scotland, sir Walter Lindsay, sir Gilles de Gamaches, Godfrey de Malestroit, James Douglas, sir Charles de Boin, sir John de Vretasse, sir Gilles Martel, the son of Harpedame, sir Brunet d'Auvergne, sir Raoul de la Treille, Guy de Fourchonivere, sir Pochart de Vienne, sir John de Murat, the lord de Vertois, sir Charles de Gerammes, Dragon de la Salle, the lord de Rambouillet, the bastard de Langlan, the viscount de Narbonne, whose body, when found on the field, was quartered, and hung on a gibbet, because he had been an accomplice in the murder of the late duke of Burgundy; the lord de Guictry §, sir Francis de Gangeaux, sir Robert de Laire, sir Louis de Teyr, the lord de Foregny, Moraut de la Mothe, sir Charles d'Anibal and his brother Robinet d'Anibal, Pierre de Courçeilles, sir Aymery de Gresille, Andrew de Clermont, sir Tristan Coignon, Colinet de Vicomte, Guillaume Remon, sir Louis de Champagne, Peron de Lippes, sir Louis de Bracquemont, the lord de Thionville, the lord de Rochebaron, sir Philip de la Tour, and Anselin de la Tour.

The principal prisoners were, the duke d'Alençon, the bastard d'Alençon, the lord de la

* Archibald, earl of Douglas, father-in-law to the earl of Buchan. Made duke of Touraine, and lieutenantgeneral of France, in order to give him precedence over his son-in-law the constable.

Peter, lord of Bellay, &c., third son of Hugh VII. who was killed at Azincourt.

John de Ronault, lord of Boismenard, father of Joachim de Ronault, marshal Gamaches, and son of Giles, lord of Boismenard, was killed at this battle.

§ Charles de Chaumont en Vexin, son to William lord de Guictry, before mentioned.

Fayette, the lord de Hormit, sir Pierre Herrison, sir Louis de Vaucourt, Roger Brousset, Huchet de St. Mare, and Yvon du Puys; but there were numbers of others whose names I cannot remember. When the duke of Bedford had gained this important victory at Verneuil, he assembled his princes and captains around him, and with great humility, with uplifted hands and eyes, he returned thanks to the Creator for the great success he had given him. The dead were then stripped, and whatever was valuable taken away.

The duke encamped that night round Verneuil, and appointed a strong guard to prevent any surprise from the enemy. On the morrow, the French within the town and castle were summoned to surrender. They were so much terrified by the defeat and carnage of their army that they instantly obeyed, on condition that their lives and fortunes should be spared. The lord de Rambures, governor, was also permitted to depart. After the duke had re-garrisoned Verneuil and its castle, he marched his army into Normandy.

On the very day that this battle took place, a number of knights and esquires from Normandy and the adjacent parts deserted from the duke's army, although they had before sworn loyalty and obedience to him. For this offence, some of them were afterwards severely punished in their bodies by the duke, and all their estates and effects confiscated to the use of king Henry. In the number were, the lord de Choisy and the lord de Longueval. About this time the lord de Maucour was taken, who had been implicated by the lord de Longueval, and others accused before master Robert le Jeune, bailiff of Amiens; he was beheaded by orders from the council of king Henry, in the town of Amiens, his body hung on a gibbet, and his fortune confiscated to the king. In like manner was afterward taken Pierre de Recourt, implicated likewise with the above, by one named Raoul de Gaucourt, who sent him to sir John de Luxembourg; and sir John sent him to Paris, where his body was quartered, and parts of it hung up at the usual places.

Very soon was intelligence of this unfortunate battle carried to king Charles, who was sorely affected at the destruction of his princes and chivalry, and for a long time was mightily grieved, seeing that all his plans were now unsuccessful.

CHAPTER XXI.-THE INHABITANTS OF TOURNAY REBEL AGAINST THEIR MAGISTRATES.

In the beginning of the month of September, the inhabitants of Tournay rose in rebellion, -the burghers against the magistrates and others of rank,-namely, those of the marketplace, and of the old precincts, against those within the walls. This commotion was caused by a blacksmith having fastened a chain during the night about the slaughter-houses, for which he was banished the town. In consequence of this banishment, those within the old precincts, to a large number, put on as badges an upright cross; while those of the marketplace raised the bridges, and erected many bulwarks against them. They began hostilities with courage; but in the end a truce was agreed on, for the sake of their annual procession, --and at last peace was established, without any great harm being done to either party.

CHAPTER XXII.—THE GARRISON OF GUISE CAPITULATE TO SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG AND SIR THOMAS RAMPSTONE.

WHEN sir John de Luxembourg and sir Thomas Rampstone had, with great perseverance, continued their siege of Guise and its castle until the month of September,-the garrison, finding provisions grow short, and losing all hope of relief, offered to capitulate with the two aforesaid lords, on the following terms.

"To all to whom these presents shall come, we, John de Luxembourg lord de Beaurevoir, and Thomas Rampstone knight, chamberlain to the lord-regent, and governors of this district for the king of France and of England, our sovereign lord, by the appointment of my lords the regent and the duke of Burgundy, send health and greeting.-Know ye, that we have this day signed a treaty in the names of our lords aforesaid, with John de Proisy governor and captain of the town and castle of Guise, and with the churchmen, gentlemen, mon-at