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for a time very indignant against him, from reports often brought to him, yet matters were not pushed to open hostilities, and he had recovered the good graces of the duke. The French, and particularly the captains of these marauding parties, feared him greatly; for they knew how personally valiant he was, and that he had always a sufficiency of men-atarms ready to resist all who meant to harass his lands. They also knew, that if he could meet them unawares, on any part of his territories, he would destroy them without mercy. For these reasons, therefore, whenever they approached any of his possessions they were glad to give assurances, under their seals, not to commit any damage to his vassals or country. This they had frequently done,—and he was contented to leave them unmolested. A short time, however, before his death, king Charles had determined in council to give him no farther respite from taking the oaths, and to raise a large army to conquer him, or at least to force him to take the oaths prescribed at the peace of Arras; but God, the creator of all things, provided a remedy, before it could be known what would have been the event of such proceedings.

Thus ended the life of sir John de Luxembourg, who was a valiant and enterprising knight, and much feared in all places where he was personally known; and he might be about fifty years of age when he died.

Shortly after his decease, one called Leurin de Moucy, to whom he had given in guard the castle of Coucy, surrendered it to the duke of Orleans, in consideration of a certain sum of money which he received, and refused to put it into the hands of the count de St. Pol, nephew and heir to sir John de Luxembourg. The townsmen of Neel and Beaulieu, in the Vermandois, expelled their governor, Lionel de Wandonne and all the friends of sir John de Luxembourg, and admitted the vassals of the lord de Mongaignier*. But the rest of the towns and castles were placed under the obedience of the count de St. Pol, by those who had the government of them.

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CHAPTER CCLIII. THE KING OF FRANCE GOES TO TROYES IN CHAMPAGNE.
TOWNS AND FORTS SUBMIT TO HIS OBEDIENCE.-OTHER MATTERS.

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KING CHARLES of France now assembled a very large body of men from different provinces of his realm, and ordered those captains of whom I have spoken as Skinners, to join him instantly with their troops. When all were collected on the banks of the Loire, the king departed from Bourges in Berry, attended by the dauphin, the constable of France, the lord Charles d'Anjou, and lords without number. He marched to Troyes in Champagne, and remained there about three weeks. His men were quartered in the towns and villages in the open country round; but the greater part were sent to Auxerre, Tonnerre, and to the borders of Burgundy, where they harassed the country much. During his stay at Troyes, many towns and castles, which had formerly waged a severe warfare against him, submitted to his obedience. He also put an end to the quarrels between the house of Bar and Lorraine, and that of Vaudemont, and received into favour the heir of Commercy, and several lords on the borders of Burgundy, who had incurred his indignation.

Having finished these matters, the king went to his town of Bar-sur-Aube, whither came the bastard of Bourbon†, with a large train of men-at-arms, whom he had long maintained in the field. On his arrival, he was instantly accused of treasonable practices against the king; and, after the affair had been examined into, he was tried, and condemned to be sewed in a sack, and thrown into the river and drowned, which sentence was executed. His body, when dead, was taken out of the river, and buried in holy ground. It was currently reported that this execution had taken place because that, during the quarrel between the king and the dauphin, he had joined his brother the duke of Bourbon with a large force, and had been the principal actor in separating the dauphin from his father. It

*Mongaignier. Q. Montgaugier? John II. de Sainte Maure, lord of Montgaugier and Nesle, married Louise de Rochechouart, daughter to John lord Mortemart, and died 1463.

† Alexander, a natural son of John I., duke of Bourbon, and brother of Charles I., the then duke.

was also said, that on the failure of the expedition to raise the siege of Harfleur, where he had served under the count d'Eu, he had gone to St. Omer, and offered his services to the duke of Burgundy, should he at any time have occasion for them, in compliment to the duke's brother-in-law the duke of Bourbon. This execution gave great alarm to many of the captains, who had for a long time been under arms, on pretence of forming part of the king s army, lest they should in like manner be punished for their wicked deeds.

*

CHAPTER CCLIV. THE ENGLISH IN THE CASTLE OF FOLLEVILLE DO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE COUNTRY ROUND AMIENS. THEY DEFEAT SOME PICARD LORDS AND THEIR MEN.

THE English garrison in the castle of Folleville did at this time much mischief to the countries, round Amiens, Corbie, and in Santois, where they alarmed the town of Mondidier. They were about one hundred warriors, who kept the neighbourhood in such awe, that most of the towns were forced to pay them monthly a certain sum as protection-money, and a stipulated quantity of wheat, to the great oppression of the poor farmerst. They even made an attack one day on the town of Dours on the Somme. In the castle was the lord of the town; but, not having a sufficient force to resist them, he hastily mounted his horse and rode to Amiens, to demand succour. He found there the Lord de Saveuses, the governor of Amiens, and many gentlemen and warriors, who unanimously agreed to accompany him in the pursuit of the English. They overtook the English near to Folleville, whither they were retreating in handsome array, carrying with them the immense plunder they had taken.

It was ordered that the lord de Saveuses should lead the infantry, and the lord de Dours §, the lord de Contay ||, and the lord de Tilloye, Guichart de Fiennes, and other gentlemen, should gallop up to the English, and cry out to them to halt and fight with their enemies on horse and on foot; but these orders were not observed; for those on horseback, eager to engage their adversaries, made a full charge without waiting the coming up of the infantry, which turned out very unfortunately for them. The English seeing the enemy approach, and being more numerous, formed two divisions, placing their horses in the rear, that they might not be attacked on that quarter, and defended themselves so valiantly that most part of the French were slain. In this number were the lord de Dours, Guichart de Fiennes, John de Beaulieu, and other noble gentlemen. The principal among the prisoners was sir Martel d'Antoch, lord of Tilloye. The remainder escaped by flight; not, however, without having some of their horses wounded and killed from fatigue.

The lord de Saveuses, seeing the unfortunate issue of the day, kept the infantry under his command together as well as he could, and rallied some of the horse who were flying homeward. He marched them back to Amiens, very much afflicted at their ill-fortune. Shortly after, by a treaty with the English, they obtained the naked bodies of the dead, to inter them in their own sepultures. Some of the relations and friends of the slain would have thrown the blame of this defeat on the lord de Saveuses, saying that he did not advance fast enough with the infantry to support the cavalry when engaged. He answered this charge by declaring, that as the infantry had been put under his command by the unanimous consent of the captains then present, he could not advance faster than he did without leaving his troops behind him.

* Folleville, a village in Picardy near to Bretueil. This protection-money was well known on the borders of England and Scotland, under the name of Black Mail.

De Dours. Q. Dourcha? which, in Bleau's Atlas, is on the Somme; but I cannot find Dours, or Douroha, in the Gazetteer of France.

§ Q. Peter lord of Douars, youngest son to Guy V.,

lord of la Tremouille, and uncle to George count of Guisnes, left issue a son, John lord of Douars, in whose son, John, this branch of the house terminated.

Q. Conti? Ferry de Mailly (often before mentioned) was lord of Conti by descent from Isabel the heiress of that house, who married Colard de Mailly, surnamed "Le Jeune."

CHAPTER CCLV.-SOME OF THE GARRISONS OF THE COUNT DE ST. POL ROB THE KING OF FRANCE'S SERVANTS AS THEY WERE CONDUCTING WARLIKE STORES FROM THE CITY OF TOURNAY.-THE REPARATION THE COUNT DE ST. POL MAKES FOR THIS CONDUCT.

DURING the stay the king of France made in Champagne, he had ordered some of his most confidential servants to go to the town of Tournay, and to Flanders, to purchase artillery and warlike stores, which they were to convey to Paris, to be ready in case they should be wanted. Those whom he had intrusted with this commission executed it faithfully; and having laden carts and waggons with the artillery and stores, conducted them without any hindrance through the territories of the duke of Burgundy, from the city of Tournay, until they came to a town called Ribemont*, where they were stopped by the garrison in that place for the count de St. Pol. The chiefs of the garrison were, John lord of Thorante, Guyot de Bethune, Hoste de Neufville, with several others, as well men-at-arms as archers. They robbed these servants of the king of France, carrying into the town of Ribemont the contents of the carts and waggons, which they there divided among themselves and wasted; but the whole of this conduct was without the knowledge or consent of the count de St. Pol, who was much displeased thereat.

When intelligence of this robbery came to the king of France, he was very indignant, and swore that he would have ample amends for it; and that he would wage war on the count de St. Pol, unless he made full restitution for the things stolen, and did homage to him for the lands he held within his realm. During the king's residence in the town of Bar-sur-Aube, gentlemen came daily to offer their services to him; and having staid there some time, he departed, through Châlons and Rheims, to the city of Laon. Wherever he passed, he was received most honourably, and in the manner in which obedient subjects usually show to their sovereign lord. From Laon he despatched the greater part of his captains with their men; namely, La Hire, Anthony de Chabannes, Joachim Rohault,-to make war on the towns and castles dependent on the count de St. Pol. The count had heard of this plan, and consequently had reinforced his different places as strongly as he could, and had retired to the castle of Guise, in Tierrache, to be ready to succour such as might stand most in need of it.

It happened, that those of the garrison of Ribemont, whom I have before named, on hearing of the near approach of the king's army, were so much frightened, from dread of the French, that they suddenly left the town in the utmost disorder, and without waiting for each other, abandoning the command of it and the castle to the common people. This caused great confusion; and they mostly withdrew to Guise and other fortified places of the count, who was much enraged at their cowardice, more especially with those to whom he had intrusted its defence.

On this same day, or on the morrow, the French came before Ribemont, to whom, in the name of king Charles, was the town surrendered, and admittance given them. They found it full of wealth, and helped themselves to it at their pleasure; and Joachim Rohault + entered with the rest, as governor of the place. Shortly after, the French advanced to the town of Marle‡, which they surrounded on all sides with their whole force. The governor in the town for the count de St. Pol was a gentleman diligent and expert in war, called George de Croix, having with him sixty combatants, including those of the town. He was regularly and often summoned to surrender the place to the king of France; but he always replied, that without the knowledge and consent of the count de St. Pol, he would not yield it up.

The besiegers, in consequence, sent on their heavy artillery, and pointed many cannon against the walls and gates, which damaged them so much that they intended very soon to

* Ribemont, a town in Picardy, four leagues from St. Quentin.

✦ Joachim de Rouault, lord of Boisemenard, Gamaches, &c. marshal of France in 1461. The son of John lord of Gamaches, &c. who was killed at the battle of

Verneuil in 1424, and of Jane du Bellay. He was distinguished in all the great actions of his time, was made constable of Bordeaux, and died in 1478. He was usually styled the marshal de Gamaches.

‡ Marle, a town in Picardy, five leagues from Guise.

storm it. In the mean time, the count de St. Pol, considering that it would be impossible for him to hold out against the power of France, especially as he had been told that he must not look for aid from the duke of Burgundy, began to turn his thoughts to the best means of appeasing the king, particularly as the principal gentlemen about him advised him, by all means, to negotiate a peace and remain in the quiet possession of his estates. The countess-dowager, his mother, first opened the business, with others of his friends, who had a little before gone to wait on the king at Laon. The count went also thither himself, and was graciously received by the king and the dauphin, and by the lords of the court. He shortly after requested and obtained from the king a suspension of arms between the army before Marle and the garrison, until a fixed day, when a treaty should be opened to accommodate the business.

A treaty was concluded, after the king had holden several councils, and after the count de St. Pol had been heard in his defence. It was agreed, that the count should remain in the good graces of the king, on consideration that he did immediate homage for the lands he held in France, and also for those of the countess of Marle and of Soissons, his lady, in the usual manner in which homage was done by other vassals. He was likewise to place the town of Marle under the king's obedience, and deliver it to such commissioners as should be appointed, sending those now within it away. He was beside to give certain declaratory letters, signed and sealed by him, the contents of which shall be specified farther on. When this matter had been finished, the king sent commissioners to take possession of the town of Marle they carried with them passports for George de Croix and his men, who, on their departure, marched to La Ferté-sur-Oise, by orders from the count de St. Pol. The commissioners on entering Marle received the obedience of the inhabitants; and having executed all they had been commanded, the town was, soon after, restored to the count de St. Pol, with the king's approbation, on the same terms on which he had before held it.

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The army now dislodged, and advanced further into the Vermandois, Hainault and Cambresis, greatly oppressing the poor people. The count de St. Pol, after the conclusion of the peace, increased much in favour with the king and the dauphin: he was particularly beloved by the latter, whom he promised to serve faithfully, henceforth, in all his wars with the English. The count remained at Laon a considerable time; and before he quitted it, delivered to the council the declaratory letter before mentioned, the tenor of which was as follows.

"Louis de Luxembourg, count de St. Pol, de Ligny, de Conversan, de Braine and de Guise, lord of Anghien and of Beaurevoir, and Castellan of Lille, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Be it known that I have promised, and by these presents do promise, on my faith and corporal oath, and under penalty of confiscation of all my effects, full and entire obedience to the king our lord, and to all his officers, as well legal as civil, touching his finances, taxes, and other matters respecting his royal domains, and to put an entire end to all bonds of alliance in opposition to him that I may have contracted within these last twenty years. I also promise, by these presents, to make restitution to the king, or to whomsoever he may appoint, of what remains of the artillery, and other stores, that were taken from the king's servants, by the garrison of Ribemont, and what may remain of the king's horses and carts taken by those of Marle. I likewise promise to make answer in the court of parliament to whatever the king's attorney shall maintain and require from me, touching the succession of my late lord, the count de Ligny, my uncle, whose soul may God pardon! as well in regard to the personal effects of my said uncle, on the day of his death, as to the inheritances which have fallen to me as his heir in the countries of Ligny, Guise, and elsewhere; and I hold myself bounden to obey whatever judgment that court shall pronounce. I have, in consequence, fixed on the 15th day of July, at which time I hold myself adjourned to appear before the said court of parliament, to make my reply to the king's attorney, that he may instantly proceed thereon.

"I do promise generally, by these presents, to conduct myself toward the king my sovereign lord, in a manner becoming a loyal subject; and that I will not suffer the smallest damage to be done, by any of my garrisons, to any of the king's vassals, or to his territories.

I also promise faithfully to restore all I may hold that belongs to others on account of the war; and in regard to Montaigu, my full powers shall be exerted for its restoration. All these things I promise most strictly to perform, without the infringement of any one article. In testimony whereof, I have signed these presents with my own hand, and sealed them with the seal of my arms, this 20th day of April, in the year 1441."

CHAPTER CCLVI.-THE DUCHESS OF BURGUNDY WAITS ON THE KING OF FRANCE AT LAON, TO MAKE SOME REQUESTS TO HIM.-OTHER MATTERS.

In the month of April, in this year, the duchess of Burgundy, daughter to the king of Portugal, waited on king Charles at Laon, honourably attended by knights, ladies, and damsels. As her health was but indifferent, she was carried in a litter. The constable, who had married a sister of the duke of Burgundy, came out a league from Laon to meet her, and conducted her to the town, and to the king, who, as well as the dauphin and courtiers, received her with every attention. After this ceremony, she retired to the abbey of St. Martin, where she was lodged. She had several interviews with the king, respecting a general peace, and also respecting the duke of Orleans.

At this time the castle of Montaigu was held by Villemet de Hainault, and others that had belonged to the late sir John de Luxembourg, who had boasted that they would not surrender it to the king's commissioners without the consent of the duke of Burgundy. In consequence of this refusal, a large detachment had been ordered thither to reduce it to obedience, and, if necessary, to besiege it. This had, however, been delayed, in the expectation that an accommodation would have been brought about before the duchess should leave Laon,-who indeed had made many requests to the king, but few, if any, were granted her. Nevertheless, she celebrated Easter there, kept great state, and was visited by the nobles and other persons of note in the king's household.

In like manner was the king visited, while at Laon, by Jeanne de Bethune*, countess of Ligny and viscountess of Meaux, who did him homage for her lands. The king was well pleased at her coming, and received her most kindly. She concluded a treaty, through her commissioners, respecting the personal effects which her late husband had left her, which it was said were confiscated because he had died while an enemy to the king, and paid down for their release a sum of money by this means she remained unmolested, and received letters patent confirming the agreement. During the time she staid at Laon, she was strongly urged to remarry with the count d'Eu,-but she excused herself from compliance. Soon after she had finished her business she departed for her castle of Beaurevoir, and thence to Cambray.

During this time, persons came daily to do homage to the king, and to offer him their services, whom he retained, promising to be very liberal toward them; for he was then occupied with a plan of raising a very large army to combat his ancient enemies the English. In this year, one of the esquires of the stables, named Dunot, was charged before the duke of Orleans with an attempt to poison him, at the instigation, as it was said, of some of the great lords of the king of France's household. He was closely examined and severely tortured, and afterward drowned by night in the river Loire. Little, however, was made public of the reality of the charges against those who had been suspected.

About this period, eight-score pillagers from the household of king Charles went to a town in Hainault called Haussy†, which had a fair castle, wherein they quartered themselves for three days. Many of the adjacent towns and villages, as well in Hainault as in the Cambresis, paid them protection-money to a large amount. While this was passing, sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, assembled some men-at-arms in Quênoy, and advanced to attack them. Part of them instantly retired within the castle, which was directly stormed,-in the doing bourg count de Ligny, of whom such frequent mention has been made.

* Daughter and heir of Robert I. (viscount of Meaux in right of his mother Jane, heiress of the great house of Coucy); she married, first, Robert de Bar, count of Soissons, formerly mentioned, and secondly, John de Luxem

+ Haussy, near Quênoy.

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