them intelligence of the mighty preparations their lord was making to subjugate them, in which he would have the aid of Ghent. For these and other reasons, they found means to send ambassadors to the duke at Arras, to endeavour to conclude a peace. The business was discussed at length, and occupied much time,—during which, those of Bruges relaxed in their excursions, and ceased harassing the country as they had hitherto done.

CHAPTER CCXXI.-THE LORD D'AUXY AND SIR FLORIMONT DE BRIMEU, SENESCHAL OF PONTHIEU AND OF ABBEVILLE, MARCH TO LAY SIEGE TO CROTOY.

ABOUT the middle of October, in this year, the lord d'Auxy, commander-in-chief on the frontiers of Ponthieu and Abbeville, together with sir Florimont de Brimeu, seneschal of the same, and a bold and hardy knight of Rhodes, called sir John de Foix, assembled a certain number of combatants. These they marched before the castle of Crotoy, held by the English, with the hope of conquering and putting it under the obedience of the duke of Burgundy within a short time, from the intelligence of a peasant,-who had lately, as he said, been in the castle, and the garrison had so wasted their corn and flour, that he gave them to understand they would not be able to hold out, from famine, more than one month.

On this report, which was afterward found to be untrue, they fixed their quarters in front of the castle, within the old inclosure of the town. They demanded assistance from different lords, who sent them some men-at-arms. They were also much aided with provisions and money from Abbeville, the inhabitants of which were very desirous that Crotoy should be conquered, for the garrison had frequently done them great mischief. They sent intelligence of what they were about to the duke of Burgundy, and required his support. The duke despatched some of his household to examine into the matter, and they reported to him, that unless the place were blockaded by sea, it would be impossible to reduce it by famine. Upon this, the duke wrote letters to the governors of Dieppe, St. Valery, and of the adjoining seaports, to hire as many vessels as they could to blockade the entrance to the river Somme; and went himself to the castle of Hêdin, whither he sent for sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, who had been formerly governor of Crotoy, to ask his opinion as to the probability of its being conquered.

The duke ordered sir John to join the lord d'Auxy and his companions, with a body of men-at-arms, and to take the chief command of the siege. He went thither also himself, with few attendants, to examine into the state of the business, but made no long stay. That his men might be undisturbed by the English in their quarters, either by sea or land, from Crotoy, he ordered a large blockhouse to be erected, wherein they might be more securely lodged. It was very substantially built, and surrounded with ditches, under the directions of a knight called sir Baudo de Noyelle. When this was done, other works were erected, and the whole provided with a sufficiency of all sorts of stores and provision. In the interim, several skirmishes passed,-and in one of them the lieutenant-governor of Crotoy was taken prisoner by the lord d'Auxy.

Intelligence of these preparations of the duke of Burgundy was carried to king Henry of England and his council, who were not well pleased thereat; for they were sensible of the great advantage of Crotoy to facilitate their landing a force in Picardy. It was therefore resolved to provide a speedy remedy against them; and letters were instantly despatched to the governor of Rouen, ordering him to collect as large a body of men-at-arms as he could in Normandy, and to march to the relief of Crotoy. This order was immediately published, and four thousand combatants, as well horse as infantry, speedily assembled, under the command of lord Talbot, lord Faulconbridge, sir Thomas Kiriel, and others. They advanced to the abbey of St. Valery, where they quartered themselves, having brought provision with them.

While this army was collecting, the duke of Burgundy, having had information of the intentions of the English, had previously summoned from Picardy and his other dominions the greater part of his nobility and men-at-arms, who might amount to eight hundred or a

thousand fighting men. They marched from Hêdin, and had arrived at Abbeville the day before the English came to the abbey of St. Valery. The duke of Burgundy was attended on this expedition by the count d'Estampes, his nephew of Cleves, the count de St. Pol, and other nobles. Sir John de Luxembourg had also, in obedience to his summons, joined him at Hêdin,—but he excused himself to the duke for not bearing arms, because he had not then sent back his oath of alliance with the English, and could not therefore with honour then take part against them: but this excuse, as I was informed, was not well received by the duke of Burgundy, who remonstrated with him on the occasion,-how he was bound by his oath to serve him, as his vassal; that he wore his order, and had always been attached to his party; for all these reasons, therefore, he could not honourably refuse to serve him, more especially as it was to repulse his enemies, who had invaded several parts of his dominions. Notwithstanding the duke's arguments, sir John de Luxembourg returned home with his permission, and obtained from the duke letters of remission to this effect. When the duke, on his arrival at Abbeville, was assured of the coming of the English, he reinforced that town with all sorts of stores and provision, and there might be with him from eight hundred to a thousand expert and well-tried men-at-arms. When the duke asked them if they thought they could hold out the place against the enemy, they replied, that they had no doubt of so doing. The duke determined not to make any engagement of fighting the English on an appointed day, and to avoid a general action; to guard all the defiles and fords, and to attack them in their quarters, or wherever they should meet them to their disadvantage, and to endeavour to cut off their supplies. These plans were not, however, carried into execution.

The English, having fixed their quarters in the abbey of Saint Valery, immediately crossed the river at a ford above Crotoy, to the number of three or four hundred, and foraged the whole of the country round the blockhouse, and even as far as the town of Rue. They made prisoners of some men-at-arms, with their horses and baggage, without meeting with any to oppose them. The whole army marched on the morrow very early, and crossed the river in good order: about two thousand of the infantry had the water above their middle and drew up in battle-array on an eminence above the town, and in sight of those within the blockhouse, who were expecting an attack every moment, and in consequence made preparation for their defence. On this occasion, the following were created knights in the blockhouse: James de Craon, lord of Dommart in Ponthieu, Aymon de Moucy, lord of Massy, Eustache d'Inchy, the tall bastard of Renty, Anthony d'Ardentin, lord of Bouchanes, Harpin de Richammes, Gilles de Fay, and some others.

The English, who had been unmolested on their march, advanced to Forest-monstier*, two leagues distant, and there quartered themselves.-Two days after they took the field, and halted at a large village called La Broye†, on the river Authie, which was full of all kinds of provision: they remained at this village four or five days, whence parties of a hundred or six score went daily foraging all the villages within half a league of their quarters. While they remained at la Broye, a party went to set fire to a considerable village called Angien, close to Hêdin, although the duke had detached a large body of menat-arms to Hêdin for the defence of that place and the surrounding country; but, to say the truth, the English did little mischief. On their departure from la Broye, they burned it down, and advanced to Auxi, where they staid three days, making thence excursions in small parties to forage all the country round, and without the smallest hindrance on the part of their adversaries, of whom it is necessary now to speak.

The duke of Burgundy remained in Abbeville, but had detached the greater part of his men to garrison and defend the principal towns and castles in that part of his territories. He one day sent the lord de Croy and Jean de Brimeu, bailiff of Amiens, to inspect the blockhouse at Crotoy, and to learn if those within were firmly resolved to defend it.—On their arrival, they soon discovered that the greater number would gladly be out of it, could they do it with honour. It was therefore concluded by the duke and his ministers, on hearing this report, that to avoid worse happening, all the artillery and stores should be packed up, and the men-at-arms retreat with them to the town of Rue, after they should Broye, bailiwick of Hêdin.

Forest-monstier,-clection of Dourlens, near Abbeville.

have set fire to the blockhouse. The garrison, however, did not make so honourable a retreat,—for without any reasonable cause, nor seeing the enemy near them, great part mutinied, and sallied out of the blockhouse in the utmost confusion and disorder, leaving behind the artillery, the most part of their armour, and much other baggage, and thus they marched to Rue. Some of their captains took great pains to rally and bring them back, but in vain. Fire had been secretly set to the outworks, which soon communicated with the blockhouse and consumed it. The English made a sally from the castle, shouting after them as they would have done to a ribald mob.

The

Shortly after, the captains, who were (as may be supposed) the most valiant and renowned belonging to the duke of Burgundy, left the place, ashamed of the conduct of their men, and went to Rue, and thence to other places under their obedience. principal among them were, sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, sir Florimont de Brimeu, sir Jacques de Brimeu, sir Baudo de Noyelle all four bearing the order of the Golden Fleece; sir Waleran de Moreul, the lord d'Auxi, sir Galois de Renty, the lord de Fremesen, sir Robert de Saveuses, sir Jacques de Craon, sir Jean d'Arly, with a great number of knights and esquires from Picardy, who were much blamed for this dishonourable retreat. They excused themselves by throwing the fault on the archers, whom they said they could not restrain.

The English heard of this event the day it happened, and were greatly rejoiced. In consequence, they resolved to recross the Somme and return to the places they had come from, and burned down the town of Auxi, which was a fair and considerable place. They took the road to Crotoy, and lodged at Nonnion*: on the morrow, they recrossed the Somme at the place where they had crossed it before, and quartered themselves at the abbey of St. Valery, and thence returned to Rouen and other parts under their command, carrying with them many prisoners, horses, cattle, and all the plunder they had made. They had done great damage to the country by burning seven or eight towns and villages, without meeting with any opposition from their adversaries, who had hanged only thirty or forty foragers that had straggled at too great a distance from the main body.

When the English were departed, the duke of Burgundy retired to Hêdin, where he dismissed all his men-at-arms excepting those appointed to guard the frontiers.

CHAPTER CCXXII.-A

LARGE BODY OF MEN-AT-ARMS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF SEVERAL FRENCH CAPTAINS, HARASS THE COUNTRY OF HAINAULT. - THEY ARE NICKNAMED SKINNERS.

WHEN king Charles had resided some time in Paris, he departed for Tours in Touraine. After he was gone, several of his captains set out for the frontiers of Normandy, as they found great difficulty to maintain themselves,-namely, Anthony de Chabannes, Blanchefort, Gaultin de Bron, Floquet, Pierre, Regnault Chapelle, Mathelin d'Escouvet, and others. On assembling together, they mustered about two thousand horse, and took the road through the country of Vimeu, to cross the Somme at Blanchetaque, and quarter themselves in the country of Ponthieu. Thence they advanced toward Dourlens, and stationed themselves at Orville, and in the villages round, belonging to the count de St. Pol. They went next toward Braye, and recrossed the Somme at Cappy, to lodge at Libons in Santerre, committing great mischiefs wherever they passed. They were not satisfied with seizing on provision, but ransomed all they could lay hands on, peasants and cattle. They even attacked the castle of Lions; but it was well defended by sir Waleran de Moreul and his men within it.

After remaining there some time, and committing the greatest disorders and waste, they advanced toward the lands of sir John de Luxembourg count de Ligny, in the Cambresis, who had not yet taken the oaths of allegiance to king Charles. Nevertheless, they did him no mischief, because he was always well provided with men-at-arms, and they mutually exchanged sealed agreements not to molest each other. The French, however, committed *Nonnion. Q.

much waste in other parts of the Cambresis, and thence went to fix their quarters at Solesmes, in Hainault.

Sir John de Croy, at that time bailiff of Hainault, assembled the nobles of Hainault, and sent to the principal towns for reinforcements to defend the country against these French, who, in the vulgar tongue, were called Skinners. The reason why this name had been given them was, that whoever was met by them, whether French, Burgundian or English, he was indiscriminately stripped of all his clothes to his shirt; and when he, thus naked, returned to his home, he was told that he had been in the hands of the Skinners, and much laughed at for his misfortune. This name was in vogue a long time; and thus the name of Armagnac was forgotten, which had lasted so long.

While these Skinners were quartered at Solesmes and in the adjoining villages, a party of them advanced farther into Hainault, beyond Quênoy, to seek for pillage. In the course of this expedition they accidentally met the bailiff of Lessines named Colart de Sennieres, with three or four hundred men whom he had assembled in his village, and was marching them toward Quênoy-le-Comte, in obedience to the summons of the countess-dowager and of the before-mentioned bailiff of Hainault, who was there collecting all his forces together. It was very early in the morning when the French fell in with these men, and instantly charged them most courageously. The Hainaulters were much surprised at the suddenness of the attack, and although some of them made a resistance and prepared for the combat, they were very soon defeated, and the greater part made prisoners or cruelly put to death. Colart was killed on the field, with about eight score of his men. The prisoners were ransomed as if they had been enemies to France: the rest escaped by the nimbleness of their heels.

The nobles of Hainault were greatly alarmed at this defeat, insomuch that the bailiff sent information of what had happened to the duke of Burgundy requiring from him aid, when the duke sent him a strong reinforcement of men-at-arms. The bailiff again assembled a greater force than before in Quênoy, as well from Valenciennes, as from the other great towns, to pursue and combat these Skinners; but they, hearing of it, quitted the country and made for Guise, and thence proceeded toward Champagne, committing waste wherever they passed. Before they left Hainault, they gave up several prisoners without ransoms, in consequence of the duke of Burgundy's writing to request it. He had also sent to them a gentleman of his household, called Meliades, who was a Breton, and much beloved by these French captains.

CHAPTER CCXXIII.-A GREAT FAMINE IN FRANCE.

In this year of 1437, wheat and all sorts of corn were so extravagantly dear throughout all France and several other countries in Christendom, that what had usually being sold for four sols French money was now sold for upwards of forty. This dearth created a famine, so that very many poor died of want,—and it was a pitiful sight to witness the multitudes in the large towns dying in heaps on dunghills. Some towns drove the poor out of them, while others received all, and administered to their wants as long as they were able. The foremost in this act of mercy was the city of Cambray. This dearth lasted until the year 1439, and was the cause of many strict regulations respecting corn, which by many lords and towns was forbidden to be carried out of their jurisdictions under the most severe penalties.

A proclamation was made in Ghent ordering a stop to be put to the brewing of beer, and other liquors, from corn, and all the dogs of poor people to be killed, and that no one should keep a bitch-dog unless spayed. Such and other like ordinances were issued in several parts, that the poor, and beggars, might be supplied with a sufficiency to support nature.

Solesmes, a village of Hainault, under the government of Quesnoy.

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CHAPTER CCXXIV. THE POPULACE OF GHENT AGAIN TAKE UP ARMS, EXCITED THERETO BY THE ARTISANS..

At this time the Ghent men, in great numbers, rose in arms, through the instigations of the artisans. The reason they gave for this was, that the garrison of Sluys had plundered the flat country round,—the inhabitants of which had made their complaints to them, at the same time requesting them to punish the pillagers. They had also taken up arms against Bruges, to know whether they would peaceably separate from those of the Franc*, and allow them to become one of the four departments of Ghent. They wanted likewise to march against Sluys, and carry away the posts that had been placed in the bed of the river Lieve, to prevent merchandise from passing up or down. They had further designs of visiting all Flanders, to see who were their friends and willing to support them in the maintenance of peace in the country, that the poor might have work in all the towns. Should the sheriffs and inhabitants of Ghent refuse to co-operate with them, they had resolved to undertake the matter themselves, with the aid of their allies. They declared, they would not lay down their arms until they should have accomplished their undertaking. The deacon of these artisans, at this time, was one Pierre Hemubloc. The sheriffs explained the whole of this business to the townsmen, to the deacon of the weavers, and to those of the other trades, at the usual place, before the town-house, that they might fully consider it, each with their brother-tradesmen, and lay the whole of their deliberations, on the morrow, before the magisEach trade, in consequence, had a meeting at their different halls; and the deacons waited on the magistrates on the 9th day of October.

tracy.

After many debates, the demands of the artisans were acceded to, owing to their own importunities, and those of their supporters, but not without great murmurings on the part of the principal inhabitants, because Bruges was at that time treating for peace with the duke of Burgundy at Lille, whither Ghent had sent ambassadors, and because they thought that this was only a pretext to seize the properties of the rich. The artisans, having carried their point, immediately hastened to the corn-market, with displayed banners, and were instantly joined by the tailors, old-clothes-sellers, and all the inferior tradesmen. They were followed by the twenty-seven banners of weavers, the bailiff with the magistracy, preceded by the banner of Flanders, and crowds of common people, so that, in the whole there were eighty-two banners. The magistrates soon departed, and the other banners after them in the usual procession; but the artisans and their friends withdrew to the Friday market-place, in front of the hall of appeals, where they remained all night, in the resolution of taking the field on the morrow.

The better part of the weavers, however, and the more substantial inhabitants, were of a contrary opinion, and left the artisans, being averse to go to war. Upon this, a quarrel arose between them, which nearly caused a battle; the artisans retired to one side of the market-place from the others, telling those to follow them who were of the same opinion. Several joined them, and they then all marched away in handsome array for Marienkirk, on the road to Bruges, where they encamped under tents and pavilions. At this time also, there were great riots in several places, on account of the debasements of the new coinage of 1433 as well as the old coinage, and for the heavy taxes which had been imposed for the expedition to Calais.

No English wool was now exported to Flanders, which threw very many out of work and bread: more especially the town of Ypres suffered from this, as their principal manufacture was working up these wools into cloth. On the other hand, corn and every necessary of life were extravagantly dear; and provision became more scarce in Flanders from the war carrying on by those of Bruges: moreover, the townsmen of Sluys had fixed stakes in the bed of the Lieve, so that a stop was put to the transport of merchandise on that river. The rich took every care of their money, for they perceived that the poorer sort, now having arms, would probably live by plunder, and that few of them would return to their trades or

* Franc, a part of the Low Countries, comprehending was thus called from being exempted from the jurisdiction the castlewicks of Bergues, Bourbourg, and Furnes. It of Bruges, on which it formerly depended.