them to wait until the morrow, when they should pack up their baggage, and march away in good order, with their arms, that they might not be harassed by the enemy, and that he would escort them as far as the river of Gravelines. They returned for answer, that they would comply with this order; but the greater number said, they were in sufficient force not to need any escort.

Several of the ringleaders of this mutiny were anxious to go to the duke's quarters, to put to death the lord de Croy, sir Baudo de Noyelle, Jean de Brimeu bailiff of Amiens, and others of the ministers, saying, that it was by their advice that this enterprise had been undertaken, which was not possible, as they affirmed, to be achieved, considering the manner in which the business had been carried on. These three lords, hearing of the mutiny of the Flemings and the plots against their lives, left the army privately, with few attendants, and hastened to the quarters of sir John de Croy before Guines.

The Flemings began on the Saturday and Sunday to strike their tents, and to load their baggage for the march. The Ghent men were the principals in the mutiny,-and after their example, the whole of the army and its followers packed up their baggage; but from the suddenness of the departure, a very great quantity of provision and wine were left behind,— and it was necessary to stave many pipes of wine, and of other liquors, to the great loss of the merchants.

Several large engines of war and other stores belonging to the duke of Burgundy were lost, because there were not enough of carts or waggons to carry them away; and for the like cause, a number of things belonging to the Flemings remained behind. They broke up their camp with loud shoutings, bawling together, "We are betrayed! Gauwe, Gauwe!” which words signified nearly, "Let us return to our own country." Having set fire to their huts, they began their march toward Gravelines in a most disorderly manner. The duke, overwhelmed with sorrow, put himself and his men-at-arms in battle-array to cover the retreat of the Flemings, and kept on their rear until they were at a sufficient distance, to prevent them from being attacked by the English in Calais sallying out against them. He formed his men-at-arms into a rear-guard, and thus followed the army, which was already advanced as far as the castle of Marque.

The Flemings then marched, in a more orderly manner, to quarter themselves near to Gravelines, on the same spot they had occupied before. The men of Bruges were, however, very much displeased at this shameful retreat, and from not having horses to carry their large cannon and other engines of war which they had brought with them, they put them on carts, and had them drawn by men to their former encampment near to Gravelines. This day the duke sent orders to sir John de Croy to break up his siege of the castle of Guines, and join him with his men-at-arms without delay. Sir John, on receiving this order, and hearing of what had passed in the main army, made instant preparations to obey it, and marched off in good array, but was forced to leave behind many large engines, and a quantity of other things, from want of means to convey them off.

The garrison of Guines were very much rejoiced at their departure, for they were hardly pressed, and would have been obliged to surrender in a few days had the Burgundians remained. They made a sally when the enemy was marching away, shouting after them. The garrison of Calais were likewise well pleased at their departure, and issued out of the town to collect what had been left behind, and made a considerable booty. They also sent messengers to England with information of this event.

The duke of Burgundy was lodged in Gravelines, very much mortified at what had happened, and complained bitterly of the disgrace the Flemings had put on him to those of his lords who had accompanied him. They consoled him as well as they could, and advised him to bear it patiently, as it was the chance of fortune in this world. At the same time, they recommended him to reinforce all his towns on the frontier with steady men-at-arms, stores and provisions, as soon as possible, to resist his enemies, who were daily expected from England, and who would, as he might suppose, make every attempt to injure him, in return for what he had done to them; and that he himself should retire to one of the towns in the interior.

The duke of Burgundy issued summonses for all bearing arms to be ready prepared to

defend such parts of his dominions as should need it. He then entreated some of the nobles present that they would remain in the town of Gravelines, which, unless well guarded, would, if taken, be very prejudicial to the whole country, promising them, on his honour, that should they want assistance, or be besieged, he himself would come to their succour, cost what it would. The lord de Crequi, the lord de Saveuses, sir Simon de Lalain, his brother sir Sausse, Philibert de Vaury, and other valiant men-at-arms, complied with his request, and remained in Gravelines. On the other hand, sir Louis de Thiembrune with his brother Guichart were sent to Ardres, and others into the Boulonnois, where the towns and castles were garrisoned according to their strength and importance. Some lords of the council were present at this meeting who had advised the expedition to Calais, but greatly hurt at its unfortunate termination, which they could not help: they were, nevertheless, forced to hear many severe observations made thereon.

When the council broke up, and the above dispositions for the defence of the country had been arranged, the duke again solicited the Flemings to wait a few days longer for the arrival of the enemy,—but they refused to remain from the fear they now had of the English; and some of their captains waited on the duke the last day of July, to demand leave to return to their own country. The duke, seeing that he could no way detain them, gave permission for their departure; for he was satisfied they would never act well against the enemy from want of courage. They marched from Gravelines, by short days' marches, to their different towns; but those from Ghent refused to enter their town unless each man had a robe given him at the expense of the magistrates. This was an ancient usage on the return of the townsmen from war; but now the magistrates refused compliance, because it seemed to them that they had behaved very ill. On receiving this answer, they did enter the town, but much discontented and with murmuring. On marching from before Calais, they had set fire to and destroyed the forts of Balinghen* and of Sangate.

The duke of Burgundy, on leaving Gravelines, went to Lille, and thence issued a proclamation for every person who had been accustomed to bear arms to hold himself ready to march whithersoever he might please to order, to oppose his adversaries the English, who were about to disembark at Calais. In truth, the duke of Gloucester arrived with his army before Calais just after the Burgundian army had decamped.

CHAPTER CCVI.-SIR FLORIMONT DE BRIMEU, SENESCHAL OF PONTHIEU, CONQUERS THE TOWN OF CROTOY.

WHILE the duke of Burgundy was employed on the expedition against Calais, sir Florimont de Brimeu, seneschal of Ponthieu, Richard de Richaumes, governor of the town of Rue, Robert du Quesnoy, governor of St. Valery, and others in the neighbourhood of Crotoy, collected together about four hundred combatants, and marched them by night to an ambuscade on the shore near the town and castle of Crotoy. Robert du Quesnoy ordered about thirty of his men to embark very early in a boat and row towards the town, to induce the English to pursue them This they executed,—and when they thought that they were within sight of the enemy, they made pretence as if their boat were aground, and that they could neither advance nor retire, notwithstanding the efforts ten or twelve of the crew pretended to make to get her afloat.

The English, observing this from the ramparts, thought to take advantage of their situation, and made a sally, in hopes of taking them prisoners; but they were immediately surrounded by those in ambush, who attacked them with vigour, killing on the spot more than sixty-four, and making prisoners from thirty to forty. The party of the seneschal lost several. Thus was the garrison of Crotoy much weakened,—and when the seneschal learnt from his prisoners that but few men-at-arms were in the town, he collected a reinforcement of men from the adjoining parts, and within a few days made an attack on Crotoy, which he took by storm with little loss of men. The townsmen retreated to the castle,- before which the seneschal fixed his quarters, and pointed his engines against it, but without doing any * Balinghen-is called before Vauclingen.

damage, for it was wondrous strong. When the seneschal had remained before it some length of time, finding his attempts to conquer it vain, he dislodged, after he had destroyed the fortifications of the town, and marched back his men to the places they had come from, carrying with them all the plunder they had gained in Crotoy.

The English had afterward at Crotoy two boats, called “Gabarres *," with which they much harassed the town of Abbeville, and especially the fishermen. In consequence, the inhabitants of Abbeville sent by night a party toward Crotoy in a boat, whence some of the crew by swimming fastened grappling-irons to each of these gabarres,-the cords of which being fixed to the Abbeville boat, they towed them to Abbeville, to the vexation of the English.

CHAPTER CCVII.-HUMPHRY DUKE OF GLOUCESTER ARRIVES AT CALAIS WITH A LARGE ARMAMENT.-HE ENTERS FLANDERS, ARTOIS, AND OTHER TERRITORIES OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, AND DOES MUCH DAMAGE TO THEM.

A FEW days after the decampment of the duke of Burgundy and the Flemings, the duke of Gloucester arrived at Calais with about ten thousand fighting men to combat the duke of Burgundy, had he waited for him. Since that it was otherwise, he followed the duke to Gravelines, and thence marched into Flanders, and through several towns and large villages, namely, Poperingues, Bailleul, and others, whose suburbs he burnt and destroyed, for no one opposed him,—but the people fled on all sides, and none of the Flemings dared wait his coming. He drove, therefore, away great numbers of cattle, with little or no loss of men,— but they suffered much from want of bread. He passed le Neuf-châtel, and burnt Rimesture and Valon-Chapelle. Having entered Artois, he advanced to Arquest and Blandêquest, where some skirmishing passed,—and he set fire to every town and village that lay in his way. Marching through the jurisdiction of St. Omer, he committed great waste on all sides; and when near to Tournehem, Esprelecques, and Bredenarde §, some skirmishes took place between him and the different governors: Cavart and other companions of de Langle were wounded. Many captains were expelled by force from their castles; and there were more killed and wounded near to Ardres than had been in all Flanders.

The duke of Gloucester now retreated toward Guines and Calais, on account of sickness in the army, occasioned from want of bread, of which they had not a sufficiency; and many good women saved their houses by giving bread, and even got in return cattle, of which the army had plenty, and which they were driving from Flanders. They were rather embarrassed with them; for, not finding water to give them, they wandered abroad and were lost, and those who went in search of them were very frequently surprised by the enemy when at a distance from their vanguard.

While these things were passing in Artois and Flanders, sir Thomas Kiriel and lord Faulconbridge assembled at Neuf-châtel d'Incourt about a thousand combatants, whom they led across the Somme at Blanchetaque, and quartered at Forest-montier; thence they advanced to Broye, on the river Authie, where they remained four days, and took the castle by storm, which, however, was not very strong, nor of much value,-but it belonged to the vidame of Amiens. Part of the garrison were slain, and from five to six of the English. This capture created great alarm in the country round, for they feared the enemy would keep possession, as at the time there were but few men-at-arms in those parts. The English having found in this and in other towns much wealth, and made many prisoners, they returned by way of Blanchetaque, the same road they had come, to their different garrisons, without any loss worth mentioning; but they committed very great waste on the lands of their enemies.

* Gabarre is a flat-bottomed boat, used in Holland and on canals.

t Arques, diocese of St. Omer.

Blandêques, diocese of St. Omer.

§ Bredenarde, diocese of St. Omcr.

CHAPTER CCVIII.-THE FLEMINGS AGAIN TAKE UP ARMS, AFTER THEIR RETREAT FROM CALAIS TO THEIR TOWNS.

Not long after the Flemings were returned home, news was brought them that a large fleet of English ships was off the Flemish coast, near to Biervliet, with intent, as was supposed, of invading the country. The principal towns remanded the men who had been disbanded, and instantly marched with a powerful army and artillery toward Biervliet, and encamped near the sea to wait for the English, who were off the coast. This fleet, however, was not stationed there for the purpose of covering an invasion, but merely to alarm the Flemings, and prevent them from opposing the duke of Gloucester, who was with his army in the neighbourhood of Poperingues and Bailleul. It had on board no men-at-arms, but only mariners to manage and defend it, which made them no way anxious to enter any of the enemy's ports; and, after hovering along the coast for a few days, it made sail for Calais.

When the fleet was gone, each company of Flemings marched back to its town, excepting those from Ghent, who being discontented at the blame thrown on them, for being the principal cause of the retreat from Calais, would not lay down their arms, and wanted to introduce many reforms, and were in so mutinous a state that it was necessary for their prince to go thither. On the duke of Burgundy's arrival in Ghent, he ordered their remonstrances to be laid before him. Some contained demands why Calais had not been besieged by sea as well as by land, according to a promise made,—and why the English fleet had not been burnt, as had been determined on.

To these demands the duke ordered answers to be given, that it was impossible, as every seaman knew, to besiege Calais on the sea-side, by reason of the danger of the vessels being driven on shore and captured by the enemy. Add to this, that the Hollanders had not kept their promise of assisting him in this business with their shipping. With respect to burning the English fleet, the men and vessels ordered on this service at Sluys had been constantly wind-bound in that harbour, during the whole time. In regard to their other demands, namely, to order three governors of Ghent to make a procession through the country, with a sufficient force to re-garrison all their towns with native Flemings, and to put an end to the quarrels between Bruges and Sluys, and several other points insisted on by them, the duke made such satisfactory answers that they were contented with them; and each laid down his arms, and retired to his home, although they had shown great signs of violence at the beginning. They caused the duke's archers to lay aside their staves, saying that they were strong enough to guard him.

Sir Roland de Hautekirque, sir Collart de Comines, sir Gilles de la Voustine, Enguerrand Auviel, and John Daudain, were afterward banished Ghent, because they had declined to appear with the other citizens to remonstrate; and the Ghent men wrote to their castlewicks, that whoever would arrest any one of the above persons, and deliver him into their hands, should receive three hundred livres tournois as a reward, besides all reasonable expenses.

Many ordinances were published for the more effectual guard and defence of the country; and several governors were appointed, under the chief command of the lord d'Estrenhuse, such as the lord de Comines at Ghent, sir Gerard de Tournay at Oudenarde, and sir Gerard de Guystelles at Courtray. Other nobles and men-at-arms were posted in different towns, according to their rank, as well on the frontier toward Calais as elsewhere, and on board of their fleet. It was also proclaimed that no person should, on account of the war, quit the country, under a heavy penalty,—and that every one should provide himself with arms suitable to his rank; that all the principal towns and forts should be repaired, and well supplied with provision and warlike stores; and likewise that the ditches and ramparts should be examined, and, where weak, strengthened and rebuilt at the charge of the country, or of those who were bounden to keep them in proper repair. It was at last necessary, in order to keep the commonalty in good-humour, that the duke should say publicly to them, that he was perfectly satisfied with their departure from before Calais, and that they had returned by his permission and by his orders. They were most anxious to have this disgrace wiped away from them, because they knew full well that all cried shame on them for it.

When all things had been restored to order, the duke of Burgundy returned to Lille, whither came to him the lord de Chargny with other noble and valiant men, bringing with them from near Boulogne about four hundred combatants, who were dispersed in the garrisons on that frontier. Shortly after, the lords d'Ansy and de Warembon came thither with three or four hundred men, who did much mischief to the countries of Artois and Cambresis, near to Tournay. The lord de Warembon led them afterwards to garrison Pontoise, where they remained for a considerable time.

Throughout all France the poor people and the church were sorely oppressed by this war, for they had no defenders; and notwithstanding the peace concluded at Arras, the French and Burgundians in the countries of Beauvoisis, Vermandois, Santois, Laonnois, Champagne, and in the Rethelois, made frequent wars on each other on the most unreasonable pretences, by which the country was wasted and destroyed, and the inhabitants suffered more than before this peace was made. The poor labourers had no other resource than pitifully to cry out to God, their Creator, for vengeance on their oppressors. But the worst was, when they had obtained letters of favour from any of the captains, they were frequently not attended to by others, even though of the same party.

About this time sir John de Hornes, seneschal of Brabant, who had had, with the lord de la Morée, the command of the duke of Burgundy's fleet before Calais, was met near the sea-coast, by a party of Flemings, where he was attending his private affairs, and accompanied by a few servants, who put him to death, to the great sorrow of the duke of Burgundy.

When the duke had appeased the disaffected Flemings, as has been told, and when he thought all was harmony among them, the men of Bruges suddenly rose in arms, and marched with a large body to besiege Sluys, near to which place they remained a long time. They began by murdering one of the officers of their prince, called Vaustre d'Estembourg, because he would not join the commonalty in arms before Sluys, where they remained upwards of six weeks. Their leaders were Peter de Bourgrane and Christopher Myneer; and one among them, named George Vauderberques, made the duchess of Burgundy and her son quit their carriage, in order that they might search it,—when they arrested the lady of sir John de Hornes, which much troubled the duchess, although the lady did not suffer anything further. Sir William and sir Simon de Lalain were with these ladies,-but by some negotiation between them and the duke, they returned to their homes, and were pardoned for this and other offences, because he thought that he should want their services hereafter.

CHAPTER CCIX.-LA HIRE CONQUERS THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF SOISSONS.— OTHER MATTERS.

LA HIRE about this period won the town and castle of Soissons by storm, from the governor, Guy de Roye, on the part of sir John de Luxembourg, who, not having taken the oaths to king Charles as the other Burgundian captains had done, conformable to the peace at Arras, was considered by the French as an enemy. The king, however, had granted him a delay for a certain time, to consider of it, and had during that period forbidden his captains to make war on sir John, provided he and his party should abstain from war also. When news of this event reached sir John de Luxembourg, he was much angered,—for the greater part of Soissons and its dependencies appertained by legal descent to his daughter-in-law, Jane de Bar, countess of St. Pol. He reinforced all his other castles with men and stores, to prevent any similar accident from befalling them. On the other hand, Guy de Roye, who held the castle of Maicampre, between Chargny and Noyon, placed a strong garrison within it, and carried on a severe warfare against La Hire, in the Soissonnois, Laonnois, and other parts attached to king Charles. Similar reprisals were made by La Hire and the king's friends on those of sir John de Luxembourg,-and thus was the country oppressed and ruined, as well by one party as by the other.

After the duke of York had gained the town of Fécamp, by the surrender of John d'Estouteville, it was reconquered by the French from the English,-and nearly at the same