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which appeared strange enough. And it was declared A.D. 1417. by the whole audience that they would prefer to live and die together fighting their enemies at any risk, rather than voluntarily place themselves at their disposal in this cowardly manner. This day they separated without concluding anything; but next day a great multitude gathered again, and after much conference they at length agreed to support part of a broken wall on props of wood before the town, then arm themselves, and after setting fire to the town in many places, they would knock down the said part of the wall into the trenches, and all together, men, women and children would rush through the gap and out by the nearest gate; then go where God might lead them. So this council separated with the intention of putting their design in execution on the morning of next day.

Now it came to pass, that during that night the King of England was warned of their determination; and inasmuch as he greatly desired to have this town in its entirety under his authority, he made feigned excuses for inviting the ambassadors back, through the Archbishop of Canterbury, with whom and others. of this commission there was so much negotiated, that they agreed in the manner now to be set forth.

First, it was settled that the King of England should receive from all the burgesses and residents of the said town of Rouen the sum of three hundred and fortyfive thousand crowns in gold, of the coinage of France; and three men, who were named, should be given up to his disposal; namely, Maitre Robert de Luyot, vicargeneral of the Archbishop of Rouen, who had behaved very prudently during the siege; the second was a burgess named Sir John Jourdain, who had had charge of the cannonading; the third was named Allain Blanchard, captain of the common people. And besides all this, the inhabitants should universally swear to the

A.D. 1417. king, and his successors the Kings of England, to yield service, loyalty, and entire obedience, while he promised them to guard and defend them against those who might seek to do them violence; also he would protect them in the privileges, franchises, and liberties which they possessed in the time of the good King St. Louis. Further, it was decided that all those who wish to depart from the said town should go freely, clothed in some of their garments only, and the rest [of their property] should remain confiscated to the king. And afterwards it was also settled that all the men-at-arms of the garrison should bring all their goods generally to certain places indicated; and after they should have made oath to the King of England not to take up arms for a year against the King of England he would cause them to be safely conducted beyond his jurisdiction; each one wearing his ordinary clothes, all on foot, and staff in hand.

A.D. 1418.

After these conditions were granted and accepted, and the king had received hostages to secure the things above mentioned, a sufficient number of the townspeople went to the king's camp to obtain provisions, which there were in great abundance, and the whole flesh of a sheep was worth only six Parisian sous. This treaty was completed on the 16th day of January, in the year one thousand four hundred and eighteen; and on the Thursday following, the 19th day of the month, King Henry entered the said town of Rouen, accompanied by the princes of his blood and other nobles in very great numbers. And the king had a page behind him on a very handsome courser, carrying a lance to which near the blade he had tied a fox's tail after the manner of a pennon, on which many wise people made remarks.

At his entrance, which was about two hours after noon, all the bells of the town were rung; and to

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meet him went all the ecclesiastics, arrayed in sacred A.D. 1418. vestments, the mitred abbots carrying handsome reliquaries; and all singing led him to the cathedral church of Notre Dame, before the portal of which he alighted from his horse, and with head uncovered entered within, and went down on his knees before the great altar, where he made his prayer and offering. Then he went to sleep within the castle, and the rest each were he best could.

The town of Rouen was thus conquered by the King of England, and consequently the whole duchy of Normandy, which had been subject to the Kings of France for the space of two hundred and fifteen years, ever since King Philip, grandfather of King St. Louis, had obtained it from John of England as confiscated, by the judgment of the peers of France, in default of payment of the relief.

Next day he ordered Allain Blanchard [the captain]1 of the common people to be beheaded; but the other two, who had been similarly surrendered to his will, were respited, and afterwards set free for large

ransoms.

This done, Henry made the French garrison go forth by the bridge gate. They were conducted on foot, as has been said, to the bridge of St. George, by which they were made to cross the Seine, and there, by the servants of the King of England they were examined and rifled, and there was taken from them all the gold, silver, and jewels which they had about them; and each of them was allowed only two sous. Even some gentlemen were stripped of robes. furred with sable or loaded with gold embroidery, and there were given to them others of less value. Therefore some of those of the garrison who were coming behind, seeing their companions thus robbed, threw many well filled purses and valuable jewels quietly

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A.D. 1418. into the river; and there were some who had before had their aiguilettes tipped with gold in order to carry it secretly. After they had gone over the St. George bridge, they went all together as far as Pontoise; and thence everyone went where it seemed good to him.

But the lords went to the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy at Prouvins, where they were staying; except Sir Guy-le-Boutillier, formerly captain of Rouen, who became English, and swore allegiance to the King of England, for which he was much blamed by the King of France. To this Sir Guy, a native of Normandy, his lands were restored, and he was appointed lieutenant to the Duke of Gloucester, the new captain of the. city of Rouen.

Because of this surrender, the fear of King Henry became so great in these districts, as far as Pontoise, Beauvais, and Abbeville, that afterwards most of the fortresses surrendered without striking a blow; that is to say, Caudebec, Montivillers, Dieppe, Fescamp, Arques, Dencourt, Eu, Monceaux; and on the other side of the Seine, and elsewhere, Vernon, Mantes, Gournay, Honfleur, Pont-audemer, Chasteau - Molineaux, Le Troit, Archaville, Abrechier, Maleurier, Vallée, Fontaines-le- Bonoch, Prayaulx, Monion, Domville, Longuempre, Saint-Germain-sur- Cailly, Brandemont, Bray, Vileterre, Carlemanny, Le Boulle, Guilmecourt, Sery, Le Bec-Crespin, Blanqueville, and many others; within which the King of England placed garrisons. So from that day forward they bore the red cross, and generally every where took oath to the King of England or his delegates. And the dwellers in Rouen were compelled to give security, for everyone to pay the amount, in which he might be assessed, to furnish the sum of 316,000 crowns in gold, of which mention has been made above. And they were obliged not to go forth outside their town without having

each a pass from the king; and the same was required A.D. 1418. of all others in the country which was under the rule of the King of England. And each pass cost four sous of Flanders, because of which large sums were raised throughout the country, to the profit of the king and his governors.

In this year the castle of Coucy, which held out for the dauphin, was taken by the Burgundians; and the captain, named Pothon de Saintrailles, was killed.

During the same season the King of France sent a great multitude of armed men into the castles and fortresses forming frontier to the English, who were overrunning and devastating all the country as far as Pontoise, Clermont, Beauvais, Mondidier, Breteuil, Amiens, Abbeville, and Saint Wallery, by fire and sword, carrying off great spoil; for they were joined by several Normans, who wore the red cross and who knew the ground where they could obtain spoil. And on the other hand, the dauphin party did the like in their quarter, and also the men-at-arms of the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy were not idle about doing mischief enough. Thus the whole of the noble kingdom of France was sorely disquieted and oppressed by the three parties; and neither the clergy nor the common people had any defender, or other refuge where to complain and place reliance except in God their Creator waiting for his mercy.

Of a conference that was held between the two Kings of France and England and their Councils. CHAPTER XXV.

DURING the same season the King of France, the queen, and the Duke of Burgundy, being at Prouvins,

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