The canon kept his promise, and told the count, word for word, what Joachim had ordered him, while he halted at the windmill. The count replied that he put no faith in what Joachim said, for before this he had told him things that were untrue.

Having displayed his force before Paris, the count marched his army to where the fair of the Lendit had been held, the booths of which were still standing, and had it surrounded by his baggage-waggons, of which he had an immense number, as well for the service of his artillery as that belonging to the other lords who had accompanied him. While the army was thus posted, the count de St. Pol, commander of the van, saw a large boat-full of hay going to Paris, which having taken, and emptied of the hay, he entered it, with the whole of his men, and passed over to gain possession of the bridge of St. Cloud, which was surrendered by those who guarded it, on having their lives and fortunes spared.

The count de Charolois, on hearing this, ordered the whole of his army to advance thither, cross the Seine, and march for Estampes, in the hope of meeting there the dukes of Berry and of Brittany, who could not pass the Seine by reason of the king's army that was following them. The count crossed the Seine on the 15th of July; and, this same day, the count de St. Pol advanced the whole of the van to Montlehery, where he fixed his quarters. Montlehery had a good castle, in which were a party of the royal army; but neither party seemed inclined to attack the other. The count de Charolois remained with his, that night, within one league of Montlehery; and the bastard of Burgundy, who had the command of the rear division, was quartered in the rear of the count, two leagues from Montlehery.

The count de St. Pol sent off scouts from Montlehery, as far as Chastres, three leagues on the road to Estampes, who met messengers from the king to the Parisians, ordering them to be prepared on the morrow to assist him in battle against the count de Charolois. These messengers were brought to the count de St. Pol, and assured him that the king and his whole army were at this hour (eleven o'clock at night) at or near to Chastres. On hearing this, the count dislodged from Montlehery, and posted his division lower down, in a valley more toward Paris, and sent information of what the messengers had related to the count de Charolois, that he might instantly advance, or send him orders how to act, for that the king would certainly give him battle the next morning at daybreak. The count, having called a council, immediately after decamped to join the count de St. Pol, and sent orders for Sir Anthony of Burgundy to hasten the advance of the rear as much as possible, which he did, so that the count de Charolois, and his brother the bastard of Burgundy, formed a junction with the count de St. Pol on the 16th day of July, in the valley below Montlehery, by sunrise, and there drew up in battle array, to wait the arrival of the king of France.

The king, who had been engaged in the Bourbonnois, where he had taken several places, and destroyed much of the country, was informed, while there, of the conduct of the princes in raising forces, and held an army in readiness to oppose them. He was fearful lest the army from Brittany should join that of Burgundy, and thus become too strong and dangerous to combat; in consequence, he called the principal captains of his army to a council of war, to ask their opinion, whether he should first offer battle to his brother and the Bretons, or to the count de Charolois. Although their opinions were divided, the majority were for fighting the count de Charolois first; for if he succeeded in overpowering his army, he could with ease conquer his brother and the Bretons at any time, and even all the other lords of the confederacy; and it was the more advisable to fight now before the count was joined by the Burgundian army, that had been kept in cheek, by a detached force from the army of the king. Notwithstanding the majority were for fighting the count de Charolois, the lord de Varennes, seneschal of Normandy, declared loudly against it. He said that he was of a contrary opinion, because he knew that the count de Charolois was not of a character to retreat, nor give up any point; and that he was so much beloved by the Picards, and the others who formed his army, and who had been accustomed to war, that they would never desert him while they were alive he was, therefore, for fighting the duke of Berry first, because he had with him some of the great captains who had served the late king Charles VII., and who, when they saw the king advancing in person, would not have the heart to combat against him, but most probably would

turn to his side, and the remainder would be at his mercy. The seneschal was told, that his advice was the effect of fear; but he replied, that it was not; and he would show plainly, if a battle took place, that he was not afraid, and that what he had said was purely from loyalty in advising the king to the best of his abilities.

CHAPTER CXXVI.-THE KING DETERMINES

ΤΟ COMBAT THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS.-A

BATTLE TAKES PLACE BELOW MONTLEHEry.—the evENT OF IT.

WHEN the king had heard the opinions of his commanders, although they were various, he eagerly determined to combat the count de Charolois, and ordered all, under pain of death, to follow him. He made such diligence that, on the 14th of July, he marched his army, as well by day as by night, twenty-four leagues, and lay at Estampes. On the morrow, he advanced to Chastres, three leagues from Montlehery. On his march, he passed within seven or eight leagues of the army of the dukes of Berry and of Brittany, ignorant that his messengers, whom he had sent to Paris, were made prisoners, or that the count de Charolois was so near him. The king dislodged from Chastres on the 16th, before sunrise, and soon arrived near to Montlehery, whence he saw the enemy drawn up in battle array below in the valley. The king instantly formed his army into three divisions: the van was given to the command of the seneschal of Normandy, the son of the lord de Norenton, the lord de Barbasan, Malortie, Flocquet, Salazar *, and other captains: the main body was commanded by the king in person, attended by many of his great lords: and the rear division, consisting of seven or eight hundred men at arms, was given to the count du Maine: so that the king had in his three divisions, as was commonly reported, two thousand two hundred men-at-arms, or lances, the best appointed that ever men-at-arms were, for they consisted of the flower of the king of France's forces. There were also great bodies of archers and infantry, besides many that were ill-mounted, and on foot, who had remained behind, but who always followed the train of the king.

The count de Charolois, observing the manner in which the royal army had been drawn up, formed his own into three divisions also. The first was under the count de St. Pol; the second he reserved to himself; and the bastard, his brother, commanded the third: but he ordered them all into the line, closing his rear with the baggage-waggons, and pointing his artillery in their front. He ordered his archers to plant a sharp stake before them, to check the charge of the cavalry, if they should attempt to break their line; and in this state they waited the attack of the king. This was not, however, the case; for the two armies remained, without moving, in their different positions for four hours, excepting some slight skirmishes of the light troops, who were within cross-bow shot of each other. As part of the count's army was too distant from the artillery, it was proposed by some to make their horses fall back, keeping their fronts to the enemy; but the lord de Hautbourdin disapproved of this manoeuvre, and said, that were he to retire one step from the place where he was, it would be dangerous and disgraceful to him, and give the enemy courage to advance. In the meantime, different pieces of artillery were played off on both sides, to the destruction of numbers.

At length the count de Charolois, fearful of the Parisians suddenly appearing to aid the king, and, by falling on his rear, attack him on all sides, and that if he delayed the combat, his men would be starved from want of provision, consulted his principal officers, and resolved to begin the attack. They began their march in excellent order: one division by the side of a wood, the other by the village, and the centre having the wood on its rear. The French, seeing this movement, made part of their army advance also, in front of the count's division, and crossed a ditch near the village; but the count's archers attacked them

*Robert Floquet was bailiff of Evreux. John de Salazar, surnamed "le grand chevalier," lord of St. Just, &c., chamberlain to Charles VII., and further recompensed for his great services by the lordship of Issoudun, died in 1479, at Troyes, in Champagne. He married Margaret

de la Tremouille. daughter of George, count of Guisnes, and had by her Hector, lord of St. Just; Galeas, lord of Lez; Lancelot, lord of Marcilly, all celebrated warriors, and Tristan, bishop of Meaux, who in 1471 was promoted to the archbishopric of Sens.

so fiercely with their arrows that they were glad to recross it, the count pursuing them into the village for some distance, having his banner beside him, which was borne that day by the lord du Boys.

While this was passing, and the count had appointed a large body of archers, with a certain number of men-at-arms to defend them, and to guard the passage against three or four hundred fresh lances, who were stationed at a breach waiting for an opportunity to break through the archers and attack the count's artillery, it happened that the men-at-arms, observing the French were repulsed, and that the count was pursuing them even into the village, left their guard and galloped after the count, when the French seeing the archers without any to support them, and neglectful of their stakes, charged them like lightning, and killed or wounded the greater part, which was the severest loss the count suffered on that day. Having routed these archers, the French advanced toward the baggage and artillery, and killed some more, and also made several prisoners; but those who guarded the baggage, armed with leaden mallets, rallied as soon as they could, and turning the carriages round, inclosed these French within them, so that they could not issue out; and the greater part were knocked on the head with these leaden mallets. Those that did escape having made for the village, met the count and his men returning from it, who instantly charged them, and put the remainder to death; so that all these French were slain, either by the baggageguard or by the count's party, notwithstanding that a body of French had followed the count and had gallantly fought with him.

At his return from the village, Philippe d'Oignies * was slain by the side of the count, who was wounded himself in the face, and in great danger of having his throat cut in the confusion of the fight; for when the count had driven the French through the village, the whole rear-guard of the king's army, under the command of the count du Maine and the admiral of France, fled, together with others, to the amount of seven or eight hundred lances; and they had fled with such haste that they left behind them baggage and armour, although no one was pursuing them. The lord du Boys, observing this, had eagerly advanced with the count's banner, beyond the village, thinking that he was following him, and was made prisoner; for the count had returned, as has been said, from the village. On the other hand, when those from Busse had overcome the count's archers, more than a fourth part of his army took to their heels, namely, the lord de Haplaincourt, the lord d'Aymeries, the lord d'Inchy, the lord de Robodenghes, and several more; but when this last had fled about two leagues, he met a herald, who told him that the count had the best of the battle; upon which he returned, and made a great many others do the same, who joined the count very opportunely, for he was incessantly rallying his men, and fighting more valiantly than any other knight in the field, encouraging his people by telling them that he would conquer or die; so that, by his valour and exhortations, the van of the king's army was routed and the rear put to flight.

In this conflict, and at its very commencement, were slain on the king's side, the high seneschal of Normandy, Flocquet, Geoffroy La Hire, and other valiant men-at-arms, to the number of three or four hundred lances. On the part of the count were slain, the lord de Hames, sir Philip de Lalain, and a few more men-at-arms, but very many archers; and there were prisoners made on each side. The king encouraged his men to the utmost of his power, and showed great personal courage; but when he saw his men repulsed, he retreated to the village, while the count remained on the field, rallying his men, and forming them in proper array, for he was expecting every moment that the king would renew the combat. But this he did not do, and remained in the village from eight o'clock, when the battle ended, until sunset, more vexed than can well be imagined, making inquiries after such as had remained with him, and after those who had run off; when, on summing up their numbers, he found that those who had fled greatly exceeded those who had staid with him. Very many of the count's men had hidden themselves in the hedges and wood, but

*Philippe d'Oignies. "Some call him Gilles. He was lord of Brouay and of Chaunes, son to Anthony and Jane de Brimeu, and grandson to Baudouin d'Oignies governor of Lille, Douay and Orchies, and of Peronne. VOL. II.

He married Antoinette de Beaufort, by whom he had Philippe d'Oignies, father to Louis, knight of the king's orders, and count de Charnes."-Godefroy.

Y

returned by two and three at a time, and joined their army, which had kept together, expecting the battle would be renewed. In truth, this battle was very hazardous to both parties, and we must allow that it was through the mercy of God that the count de Charolois obtained the victory *, for his army was not nearly so numerous as that of the king; and had none ran away on either side, the event would have been more disastrous and mortal; but God, of his goodness, would not suffer it, for which may his name be praised!

In a very melancholy state did the king of France remain in the village until sunset, and thence went for Corbeil, six leagues distant, and arrived there at ten o'clock at night with few attendants, for the greater part of them had fled; and although no pursuit was made after them, many fled as far as Amboise, saying, in every place through which they passed, that the king was killed, and his army totally defeated.

CHAPTER CXXVII.-THE CONDUCT OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AFTER THE VICTORY HE MAD GAINED OVER THE KING OF FRANCE. THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT IN DIVERS PLACES.

THE Count de Charolois remained with his army all night on the field of battle, thinking the king was in Montlehery, and that he would renew the battle the ensuing day. It was not until sunrise that he heard of the king's departure, when he entered the village with his army, and found the cellars filled with dead bodies, which the royalists had thrown therein, that the numbers of their dead might not be known.

Before the commencement of the battle, the king had sent three heralds to Paris, who, on their arrival there about mid-day, summoned the people to arms throughout the city; and ordered every person capable of bearing arms to march without delay to Montlehery to assist the king, who was engaged in battle with the count de Charolois. Notwithstanding this proclamation, very few marched out but Joachim Rohault, marshal of France, who was then in Paris, with five or six hundred men-at-arms. They indeed sallied out on horseback, and advanced to St. Cloud, which they found defenceless; for those who had been posted there by the count de Charolois had fled on seeing the lords de Haplaincourt and d'Aymeries, with others in great numbers, who told them that the count had been defeated. The marshal, therefore, took possession of the place without resistance, and made prisoners all who fled that way from the battle, and carried them to Paris. The Burgundian lords above mentioned thought to have crossed the Oise at the Pont de St. Maixence; but they found there the lord de Mouy, governor of Compiègne, with the garrisons of Creil, Senlis, Clermont, Crespy, and other places, in great numbers, who had assembled there on hearing that the king had gained the victory, and had besieged the bridge on the side leading to Montlehery.

The inhabitants of Pont St. Maixence firmly believing that the king was victorious, from the flight of the above-named lords who had gained the town, surrendered, on having their lives spared, at the very first attack. The lords d'Aymeries, d'Inchy, and several more, were taken in the town: the lord de Haplaincourt was made prisoner in the open country, and carried to Paris,—and no man of note who had fled escaped death or imprisonment : only some poor adventurers were so lucky as to get off without either happening to them, but in very miserable conditions. Of those that were carried to Paris, several were executed, or drowned in the Seine. At the attack on St. Maixence, a gentleman of the king's party,

*There has seldom been a battle fought with so much loss on both sides, and so indecisive in the result. The count de Charolois was so far from carrying off the undisputed honours of victory, that many writers of the time ascribe it to the king; and even between the relations of two who were present during the engagement, and both in the count's army, there is so wide a difference in this respect, as would be unaccountable were it not for the peculiar circumstances that attended this engagement. The cause of this uncertainty and contradiction is to be found in the frequent changes of fortune which took place during the important struggle. Victory had no sooner appeared

to declare herself in one part of the field, but in another part all was terror, dismay, and rout on the victorious side. "Both parties believed or affected to believe that the victory rested with them, but disorder and confusion reigned on every side; and this is the reason of the difference to be found in the various relations of the affair." However, as the business turned out ultimately to be of some advantage to the king's affairs, and the count could not possibly lay claim to any benefit whatever from the event of the day, the former seems, upon the whole, to have had the best right to boast of success.-See Du Clos.

called Jeannet de Grouches, whose brother was with the count de Charolois, was killed by a ball from a cannon.

When the count de Charolois was assured that the king had retreated to Corbeil, he caused proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet, that if any one required a renewal of the battle, he was ready to accommodate him; he then had the dead buried,—and had the bodies of sir Philip de Lalain, the lord de Hames, the lord de Varennes, and others, interred in a chapel near to Montlehery; but, soon afterward, some persons came from Paris with passports, to demand of the count the body of the lord de Varennes, and, with his permission, carried it to Paris, where it was handsomely interred in the church of the Franciscans. He was very much lamented by all who were acquainted with his many excellent qualities. After the king had remained a day or two at Corbeil, he went to Paris on the 18th of July,—and he came thither by the side of the river, near to St. Denis, attended by a small company, not consisting of more than about one hundred horse; but soon after, and daily, there came to him, in Paris, the count du Maine *, admiral of France, and his other captains, with men-at-arms in such abundance that the town and the fields on the river side were full of them. The count de Nevers came to the king at Paris, but staid a very short time, and then returned to Peronne.

When the king had sojourned some time in Paris, he sent the bishop of Paris, a wise and prudent prelate, to the count de Charolois, to negotiate a peace between the king and the princes. On the bishop's appearing before the count he said, that the king had sent to know what had moved him to enter his kingdom with so large an army; and that the king informed him, that when he went into the countries of his father, he was not accompanied by a great army, but by very few attendants. The count instantly replied to the bishop, and said, that two things had moved him thus to enter the kingdom; first, to keep the engagement made under his seal with the other princes of the blood-royal, namely, to meet together with their forces near Paris, for the general welfare of the kingdom, on St. John Baptist's day last past. Secondly, to secure the bodies of two men who were supported in the kingdom, and that he had brought so large an army with him for the safety of his person, which, in his proper country, as heir to his father, had been attempted by poison, by the sword, and by endeavouring to carry him off to a foreign country: he therefore had determined to come with a sufficient guard for his safety. In answer to what the king had said, that, when he visited his father, he did not come with a large army, he replied, that at that time he had not the power to come with such a force; and that he had been received nobly, magnificently, and peaceably, in those countries, where no attempts had been permitted to be made against his life or personal liberty, although such had been intended.

The count added, that he had not entered France with any design of mischief, but for its general welfare, and had strictly enjoined his men to pay for whatever they might want, without aggrieving any one. "In regard," continued he, "to the force I have brought with me, I wish it to be known to all, that I am a man able and desirous to punish my enemies, and to assist my friends." The bishop, having received this answer, returned to the king at Paris.

CHAPTER CXXVIII.-THE DUKES OF BERRY AND OF BRITTANY MEET THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AT ESTAMPES, WHERE THEY ARE ALSO JOINED BY THE DUKES OF BOURBON, OF CALABRIA, AND OF NEMOURS, WITH THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC AND OTHERS OF THEIR CONFEDERATION. THE KING OF FRANCE LEAVES PARIS FOR ROUEN.

THE Count de Charolois, having remained on the field of battle, and in Montlehery, so long as he pleased, marched his army toward Estampes, to wait for the dukes of Berry and of Brittany, who arrived there the 21st of July, with ten thousand combatants and others