seated on his throne richly adorned, and himself dressed in cloth of gold, surrounded by his ministers. They proposed various measures to him, and, in the number, most humbly supplicated that he would be graciously pleased to pursue his ancient enemies the English; for by means of the towns they yet possessed in Normandy they were still enabled to do great mischiefs to the country. To assist him in this measure, they offered their lives and fortunes. The king was well pleased with their proposal, more particularly with their offers of service and of money, and made, by means of the chancellor, a satisfactory answer to all they had proposed. They then took their leave, and retired to their homes. The king staid some time in Rouen to remodel the government of it; during which the English surrendered all the places they had given hostages for, namely, the castle of Arques, Tancarville, Lillebonne, Monstierville* and Caudebec. But although they had engaged to restore Honfleur, it was not done, because the governor refused to obey, in this point, the orders of the duke of Somerset, and, consequently, the lord Talbot with the other hostages remained prisoners to the king of France. Sir Pierre de Brézé, seneschal of Poitou, was appointed governor of Rouen. CHAPTER XXVI. THE CASTLE OF GAILLON SUBMITS TO THE OBEDIENCE OF THE KING OF FRANCE. FOUGERES SURRENDERS TO THE DUKE OF BRITTANY, AND BELLEME† TO THE DUKE OF ALENÇON.—A WELL-FOUGHT BATTLE TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH. On the 23d of November, in this year, the impregnable castle of Gaillon surrendered to the king's forces, after a siege of six weeks. The English garrison amounted to from one hundred to six-score, and marched away on capitulation, to carry with them their effects to Harfleur, or to any other place under their subjection. About the same time, the duke of Brittany gained the town and castle of Fougeres, after a siege of a month. He had battered the walls with his cannons and bombards so that the breaches were nearly wide enough to storm, when the English, seeing their danger, and knowing their provisions were expended, surrendered on capitulation. Their captain was sir Francis de Surienne, called the Arragonian, having under his command from five to six hundred men, and they were allowed to march away with their horses and arms, but each with only a small bundle before him. This sir Francis afterwards turned to the French, and took the oaths of allegiance to the king, notwithstanding that he had taken the town of Fougeres from the duke of Brittany, and thus had broken the truce between the kings of France and England. The duke of Brittany had, at that time, in his army, eight thousand combatants, lords, knights and esquires; but after the surrender of Fougeres they returned home, on account of the great mortality in the army, which carried off very great numbers, and among the rest the son of the viscount de Rohan, which was a great pity. The duke went also into Brittany, after he had placed sufficient garrisons in his conquests. Toward the end of November, the duke of Alençon laid siege to his town and castle of Bellême, then occupied by the English contrary to his will. He had with him about three hundred lances, knights and esquires, and a body of archers, without including the peasantry from the countries of Maine and Vendôme, who were estimated at three thousand fighting men. After several skirmishes and sallies, the English, finding all resistance vain, entered on a treaty with the duke, and engaged to surrender the town and castle on the 20th day of December, unless their friends should appear on that day in sufficient force to give the duke battle and conquer him. The duke, therefore, intrenched his army on the plain to wait the arrival of the English, who were on their march to relieve the place. Two thousand of them had advanced to Torigny +, and, on their departure, had set it on fire, and proceeded to Thury §, where they received certain intelligence of the exact strength of the duke's army, * Monstierville-should be Montivilliers, a town in -Normandy, three leagues from Havre, eight from Fécamp. ↑ Bellême, -a town in Perche, ten leagues from Alençon. Torigny, a small town in Normandy. and in consequence marched back again. On the 20th day of December, the duke of Alençon and the lord de Saintrailles drew their army up in battle array, and waited thus until the hour for the appearance of the enemy was passed. The captain of the English garrison in Bellême, called Matago, having about two hundred combatants with him, then surrendered the place, and marched away in safety with their effects, according to the terms of the capitulation, whither they pleased. About Christmas-day, the English garrison in Vire †, to the number of twelve-score, marched out to seek adventures, but were met by a party of the constable's men in garrison at Gourey, near to the Croix de Vamoux, under the command of sir Geoffry de Couvran, Joachim Rouhault, and others, when a very sharp engagement took place, but the English were discomfited, so many being killed or taken that few escaped. CHAPTER XXVII.-THE KING OF FRANCE LEAVES ROUEN.-HE SENDS HIS LIEUTENANTGENERAL TO BESIEGE HARFLEUR, WHICH SURRENDERS ON CAPITULATION. THE FAIR AGNES IS TAKEN ILL.-HER DEATH, AND HER LAST TESTAMENT. THE king of France, having settled the government of Rouen to his satisfaction, marched thence clothed in a brigandine, having over it a jacket of gold tissue, accompanied by the king of Sicily, and the other princes of his blood, magnificently dressed, more especially the count de St. Pol, whose horse's forehead-piece was valued at thirty thousand francs. Thus attended, the king rode to Caudebec, in which town it was resolved to lay siege to Harfleur; and in consequence, he advanced to Montivilliers, which is but half a league distant from Harfleur, and thence detached his lieutenant-general, the count de Dunois, to open the trenches. The count had with him the counts d'Eu, de Clermont, de Nevers, de Castres, with many men-at-arms, archers and franc-archers, so that his force was estimated at six thousand men, without including the franc-archers, who amounted to three thousand, or the cannoneers, labourers, and followers, or the mariners who blockaded the place with twenty-five large vessels, or those who had besieged the abbey of Graville, amounting in the whole to more than a thousand men. The siege was commenced on the 8th day of December, with many difficulties,-for there were neither houses nor trees near at hand, and the weather was more severe, by reason of frosts and inundations, than had been experienced for some time. The besiegers suffered also greatly from the sea, which at times destroyed their huts, which were composed only of earth covered with juniper branches. Sixteen large bombards were pointed against the walls, which the king came frequently from Montivilliers to see fired. Deep trenches of communication were formed, wherein the king often exposed his person, armed only with a light helmet and covering shield, to witness the effect of this battery against the walls. Covered trenches were carried to the very walls of Harfleur; and these mines and trenches were formed under the directions of master John Bureau, treasurer to the king, in conjunction with his brother Jasper, grand-master of the royal artillery, both very expert and able in the sciences. Thomas Aurmagan§, governor of Harfleur, and the English with him, to the amount of sixteen hundred, receiving pay, witnessing the great preparations of the king of France, opened a treaty with the count de Dunois, on the eve of Christmas-day, for the surrender of the place. On the morrow, the capitulation was signed, and they were to march away with their baggage, and were allowed to transport their effects by land or sea, the term for so doing being limited to the first day of the year. Eight English gentlemen were given as hostages for the due performance of the treaty, who were sent under an escort to Montivilliers. On the first day of January, they were brought back to Harfleur, for the accomplishment of Matago. Q. Matthew Gough? Vire, on the river Vire in Normandy, diocese of Bayeux, generality of Caen. Gourey. Q. if not Gournetz, a village in Normandy. Thomas Aurmagan. Q. Erpingham, captain of Harfleur, in conjunction with Curzon.-STOWE. the treaty. About vespers, Thomas Aurmagan, the governor, presented the keys of the gates and towers to the count de Dunois, with much reverence and kneeling, in the presence of all the English, and even before master Sanice*, who had brought a reinforcement of five hundred English just before the siege. The lieutenant-general, on receiving the keys, sent a party to take possession of the towers, and to lower the English standard, of a red cross on a white field, that was flying on one of them. He afterwards ordered two heralds to replace it with the standard of France, which was done with the shouts and rejoicings of the populace. The count also posted a party of his men in the towers on the side toward Rouen. This day, the greater part of the English departed; but as all could not be ready by the return of the tide, the lieutenant-general listened to their humble supplications, and permitted those who remained to tarry there until the Friday and Saturday at mid-day, and appointed a guard over them that they might not be ill treated. When the English were all gone, the king gave the government of Harfleur to the count de Dunois, who appointed the lord de Moy his lieutenant, with one hundred lances and a proportionate number of archers for its defence, and for that of the country around. Jacques de Clermont, esquire, was made governor of Montivilliers, and he had likewise one hundred spears and archers for its guard, and for the defence of other forts in the neighbourhood. The king, having made these appointments, left Montivilliers on the 5th day of January: he ordered detachments of his army to march through Rouen, Caudebec and Tancarville, to besiege Honfleur, and went himself to the abbey of Jamiegest, on the Seine, five leagues below Rouen, where he remained for some time while preparations were making for the siege of Honfleur. At this abbey, the king met the fair Agnes, who had come thither (as she said) to give the king information that some of his officers intended to deliver him up to his enemies the English. The king, however, paid no attention to the intelligence, but laughed at it. This fair Agnes had been five years in the service of the queen, during which she had enjoyed all the pleasures of life, in wearing rich clothes, furred robes, golden chains, and precious stones; and it was commonly reported that the king often visited her, and maintained her in a state of concubinage, for the people are more inclined to speak ill than well of their superiors. The affection the king showed her was as much for her gaiety of temper, pleasing manners, and agreeable conversation, as for her beauty. She was so beautiful that she was called the Fairest of the Fair, and the Lady of Beauté, as well on account of her personal charms as because the king had given her for life the castle of Beauté, near Paris. She was very charitable, and most liberal in her alms, which she distributed among such churches as were out of repair, and to beggars. It is true that Agnes had a daughter, who lived but a short time, which she said was the king's, and gave it to him as the proper father: but the king always excused himself, as not having any claim to it. She may indeed have called in help, for the matter was variously talked of. At length, she was seized with a bowel complaint, and was a long time ill,—during • Master Sanice. Q. † Jamieges,—a market-town on the Seine, two leagues from Caudebec, six from Rouen. Monstrelet is remarkably tender of the reputation of the "fair Agnes." She had, as all other historians allow, not one only, but three daughters by the king. Margaret, married to Olivier de Coetivy, seneschal of Guyenne; Charlotte, married to James de Brézé, seneschal of Normandy; and Jane, to Antony de Bueil, count de Sancerre. Of these, Charlotte unfortunately followed the example of her mother's incontinence without the excuse of an illustrious lover. Her tragical history will be found recorded in the sequel. By a species of retributive justice, Louis the son of this James de Brézé, submitted voluntarily to the same disgrace which his father thought that blood only could remove. His wife was the famous Diana of Poitiers. In these days, nobody of consequence could die in his bed without the suspicion of poison. The death of Agnes was attributed to that cause, and the dauphin is charged with having been the perpetrator. Of this accusation all that Du Clos says is what follows: "Le peu d'union qu'il y avoit entre Charles sept et le Dauphin, fut cause que celui-ci fut soupçonné d'avoir fait empoisonner Agnès Sorel, qui mourut, regrettée du Roi, de la Cour, et des Peuples. Elle n'abusa jamais de sa faveur, et réunit les rares qualités d'Amante tendre, d'Amie sure, et de bonne Citoyenne." He adds, "I cannot tell why Alain Chartier (the court poet) is so strenuous in defending her chastity, seeing that she died in child-bed." The Dauphin was not the only person charged with this imaginary crime. Jacques Coeur, superintendant of the finances, was also accused of it; but his innocence was established by public trial. which, she was very contrite, and sincerely repented of her sins. She often remembered Mary Magdalen, who had been a great sinner, and devoutly invoked God and the Virgin Mary to her aid. Like a true catholic, after she had received the sacraments, she called for her book of prayers, in which she had written with her own hand the verses of St. Bernard, to repeat them. She then made many gifts (which were put down in writing, that her executors might fulfil them, with the other articles of her will), which, including alms and the payment of her servants, might amount to nearly sixty thousand crowns. Her executors were Jacques Coeur, counsellor and master of the wardrobe to the king; master Robert Poictevin, physician; and master Stephen Chevalier, treasurer to the king, who was to take the lead in the fulfilment of her will, should it be his gracious pleasure. TOMB OF AGNES SOREL IN THE CHAPEL OF THE VIRGIN, ABBEY OF JAMIEGES.-Frodier's Voyage Pittoresque en Normandie. The fair Agnes, perceiving that she was daily growing weaker, said to the lord de la Tremouille, the lady of the seneschal of Poitou, and one of the king's equerries called Gouffier, in the presence of all her damsels, that our fragile life was but a stinking ordure. She then required that her confessor would give her absolution from all her sins and wickedness, conformable to an absolution, which was, as she said, at Loches; which the confessor, on her assurance, complied with. After this, she uttered a loud shriek, and called on the mercy of God, and the support of the blessed Virgin Mary, and gave up the ghost on Monday, the 9th day of February, in the year 1449, about six o'clock in the afternoon. Her body was opened, and her heart interred in the church of the said abbey, to which she had been a most liberal benefactress; and her body was conveyed, with many honours, to Loches, where it was interred in the collegiate church of Our Lady, to which also she had made many handsome donations, and several foundations. May God have mercy on her soul, and admit it into paradise"! CHAPTER XXVIII.-THE COUNT DE FOIX RAISES A LARGE ARMY TO BESIEGE THE CASTLE OF GUISCHEN.-THE ENGLISH ASSEMBLE TO RAISE THE SIEGE, BUT ARE DEFEATED BY THE LORD DE LAUTREC AND THE BASTARD DE FOIX. ABOUT this period, the count de Foix raised a large army, and caused the strong castle of Guischen, situated four leagues from Bayonne, to be besieged by his brother, the lord de Lautrec, and the bastard de Foix. The English, on hearing this, instantly took the field with four thousand combatants, under the command of the constable of Navarre. He had with him the mayor of Bayonne, George Saltviton †, and many other English, who, having embarked their stores on the river that runs through Bayonne, to convey them near to this castle, marched as close to the vessels as they could. News of their intentions was carried to the besiegers, who marched as secretly as possible to meet them, and made so sharp an attack on the English that they were driven from their boats, and lost twelve hundred of their men in killed and taken. When Saltviton witnessed this defeat, fearing it was impossible to recover the boats, he broke gallantly through the French army with only sixty lances, and saved himself for the moment in one of the outworks of the castle. Finding that he could not long maintain himself in his present post, he marched away with his men, thinking to regain Bayonne; but the bastard de Foix, knowing his departure, immediately pursued him, and made him and the greater part of his men prisoners. On the morrow, the castle surrendered, and all the country between Dax and Bayonne; in which were from fifteen to sixteen strong places, that surrendered to the count de Foix. When these forts had been sufficiently garrisoned, the count's army was marched home. The siege of Honfleur was commenced with great courage on the 17th day of January, while the king remained at Jamieges, by his lieutenant general, the count de Dunois, and the other lords before-named. The franc-archers, who had been sent by these lords in advance ten or twelve days before, to skirmish with the English garrison of Honfleur, did their duty well. When the blockade was completed, the king left Jamieges, and fixed his quarters at the abbey of Grestain, two leagues from Honfleur. On his arrival, the approaches and trenches were pushed forward with vigour, and many cannons and bombards were pointed against the walls, to the astonishment of those within the town. The governor of the place was called master Courson‡, having a garrison of three or four hundred English, who exerted themselves valiantly in their defence with cannons and other missile weapons. By their means was killed a gallant Frenchman, named Regnault William, le Bourgognon, then bailiff of Montargis, which was a great loss. At length, the English were so * Agnes Sorel, says Moreri, was one of the handsomest women of her time. She was a native of Promenteau, a village of Touraine, in the diocese of Bourges. King Charles VII. no sooner saw her than he fell in love with her. This prince made her great presents, and gave her the castle of Beauté-sur-Marne. It is said that his affection for her caused him to neglect public business, but that Agnes contrived to excite him with such animosity against the English that he exerted his utmost efforts to drive them out of the kingdom. It is added, that she assured him that an astrologer had foretold to her that she would captivate the affections of the greatest king in the world, but that this prediction had no reference to him, since he neglected to establish his authority in a state which his enemies had usurped, and that, in order to accomplish it, she would be obliged to repair to the court of the king of England. These reproaches roused the king from his lethargy, and he took the field to gratify, at VOL. II. once, his love and his ambition. On this subject it is also "Plus de loüange et d'honneur tu merites, Saltviton. In the MS. of Du Cange, it is Soliton; but this seems as far from the true name as the other. Courson. Q. Curzon ? N |