ページの画像
PDF
ePub

he went to lodge at St. Riquier, near which town A.D. 1421. was a fortress named La Frete, where there were sixty warriors of Sir Jacques de Harcourt's people, of whom the captain was the Bastard of Belloy. He surrendered the place wholly on being summoned, and a gentleman of the country, named Nicaise de Boufflers, was put in on the part of the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy; but shortly afterwards he gave it up as before into the hands of the dauphinists.

From St. Riquier the King of England rode to Abbeville, where he was honourably received through the good management of the said Duke of Burgundy and many handsome presents were made to him, and all his men passed through the town in peace, with waggons, carts, sumpter horses, engines, and other baggage of what kind soever belonging to the king and his army. Next day, after all expenses incurred in the town had been paid, he set out with his army, and allowed the Duke of Burgundy to leave him, on condition that he promised soon to return to him with his army. Then he rode by Beauvais to Gisors, and thence to the forest of Vincennes, where were the King and Queen of France, whom he saluted respectfully, and in like manner was joyfully received by them. And there came to him there the Duke of Exeter and several councillors of the King of France, among whom several consultations were held touching the affairs of the kingdom, and it was at length decided and ordered that the flourettes, royal coins worth six deniers, should be lowered to four deniers. Which thing was soon published throughout the kingdom in the bailliwicks and seneschal districts, and the commonalty of Paris and of the other places began loudly to murmur against the governors of the kingdom about this reduction; but they could do nothing else, rather there came yet worse, to their great

A.D. 1421. loss and displeasure, for the said flourettes were soon reduced again from four deniers to two.

These things being done the King of England collected a great number of the French men-at-arms, with whom and those whom he had brought he went to Mantes to fight the Dauphin, who had already been three weeks before Chartrès; and he sent word the Duke of Burgundy to come to him with all the people he could procure to be at the battle. The duke quickly prepared himself to go, and proceeded to the town of Amiens with 3,000 good warriors, the flower of the people. So he went by Beauvais and Gisors towards the said town of Mantes; but leaving his men at a large village, he went with his private retinue only to the King of England, who was much pleased at his arrival and the diligence he had used.

But meanwhile the Dauphin, and those who were with him, being warned of the force and muster above-mentioned, departed from before Chartres and retired towards Tours in Touraine. And therefore after the Duke of Burgundy had had some conversation with the king his brother-in-law, and they had heard certain news of the Dauphin having broken up his camp before the town of Chartres, it was ordered by the said King of England that the Duke of Burgundy should return into [that part of] his own country nearest to Picardy, there to subdue the dauphinists, who daily strove to commit outrages by means of Sir Jacques de Harcourt.

Here it makes mention how the Duke of Burgundy
laid siege to St. Riquier. CHAPTER XIV.
DURING the journey which the Duke of Burgundy
took to join the King of England, as you may have
heard in the preceeding chapter, the Lord of Offe-
mont, Pothon de Sainte Treille, and others were

gathered together by the influence of Sir Jacques de A.D. 1421. Harcourt to the number of twelve hundred horse. These all entered within St. Riquier, and they had likewise the castle of Drugy, belonging to the abbot of Saint Riquier, and as soon as they found themselves lodged they began to overrun the country, and commit innumerable evils. They captured the fortress of Dourier situated in a very strong place on the river Authie, by which capture the town of Monterau and the surrounding districts were greatly troubled. The Duke of Burgundy was informed of these things in the town of Croissy, where he was quartered with all his army, to wit, how the Lord of Offemont, Pothon de Sainte Treille, and their followers were lodged within Saint Riquier, and how they were committing innumerable evils in the surrounding country. Upon which tidings, the duke assembled his council, in which it was determined to go quickly and lay siege to St. Riquier. To furnish this undertaking he summoned a great many men-atarms, archers, and cross-bowmen, both in his own territories, and in the countries of France which held with his party; also he sent to Amiens and other towns to get provisions.

After the decisions and appointments thus made, the duke came to Amiens; then when he saw his army was ready he set out, and came to quarters on the river Authie three leagues from Saint Riquier, at which place he was joined by Sir John of Luxembourg. The next day the duke went to lodge at Pont Remy, which he took by force, and from which Sir John of Luxembourg went with a hundred chosen men-at-arms on a raid to St. Riquier where some of the men engaged bravely in single combats.

Then after the taking of Pont Remy the Duke of Burgundy went to lodge at Abbeville, and most of his men in the suburbs; from thence at the end of

A.D. 1421. July he went to encamp round Saint Riquier. So Sir John of Luxembourg had his quarters before the gate of St. John on the bank towards Aussi, the Lord of Croy encamped before the gate St. Nicholas on the side towards Abbeville, and at the gate of Heron above towards Le Crotoy there was no encampment, wherefore the people of the town could go out every day during the siege on foot or on horseback as they pleased.

Soon after the Duke of Burgundy was thus as you hear encamped before Saint Riquier, there came to him great assistance from his own country, so they began to make approaches and set up engines and other instruments to annoy the town and their enemies. Duke Philip might have in his following from five to six thousand warriors, and the people in the town, with the Lord of Offemont and Pothon de Sainte Treille had about from twelve to fourteen hundred; these were all of one mind to defend themselves against their enemies, and to distress and injure them as much as they could. As for the sallies which the besieged made against the camp they achieved more gain than loss, for they took and carried prisoners into the town some of the Duke of Burgundy's people. He with his bombards and cannons greatly damaged the town, but on the other hand, the said besieged projected their stones also from engines among the host of the duke, where they sometimes wounded and killed one here and another there. Sir Jacques de Harcourt pretty often sent some of his men to the people of the town, begging them to hold out, and saying that they would shortly have help to raise the siege, for he had already sent messengers to the various places from which he expected to have assistance, and men were coming to him in large numbers. The duke was informed of this, and that his enemies intended to fight him; on which intelligence he gathered his council, in which

it was determined to raise the siege and go to meet A.D. 1421. his enemies and fight them before they could join Sir Jacques de Harcourt. These resolutions being taken, Sir Philip de Vallois, Duke of Burgundy, one Friday, the 29th day of August, raised his siege before Saint Riquier, and about sunset made Philip of Saveuse and the Lord of Creveceur go forth from his army with six score fighting men to find out the dauphinists, commanding them to inform him by a trusty messenger of whatever they could learn; which thing they promised to do. Then they left the army, and took the road towards the country of Vimeu. During this time the duke, as secretly as he could, got all sorts of baggage packed up, and put into the waggons and carts, then when all were drawn into the fields he set fire to all the encampment, and this being done he took his way to Abbeville, where some remained on horseback to eat and drink, so as to be ready the sooner in case any news should come from those who, as it has been told, had been sent forward. These riding in Vimea towards Oysemon, between the dawn and sunrise, perceived the dauphinists, who in good order were making briskly for the ford of Blanche Tache, and Philip of Saveuse's men made prisoners of some straggling horsemen, by whom the secret of their design was wholly made known and disclosed. Upon which they quickly sent to the duke, who was at Abbeville, as we have said, to announce to him the approach of his enemies, and hasten him that he might be able to meet them before they should have crossed the river. The Duke of Burgundy, who desired nothing more than to find the dauphinists, was greatly rejoiced on hearing this news, so he quickly drew out his men to the fields, and rode vigorously and in good order to meet the enemy; but he left all his baggage and infantry at Abbeville.

« 前へ次へ »