court, it was determined, in the presence of many of his council, that in future no one should have guards,—when I joined in opinion with the others, and said, that I would not summon any, if the rest would do the same. On this, I departed from Lille; but observing some time after that several had their guards, I did the like, but did not suppose that my lord could be angered by my so doing, or that he wished to keep me in greater servitude than others. My lord even wrote me several letters with his own hand, and signed by him, on this subject, as did my lady duchess, assenting to my having these guards. It should seem, therefore, that my lord was not then displeased with my conduct.

"In regard to Riflart de Neufville, who is said to have been killed on account of this business, and the lord des Bosquets, who was driven out of his house and grossly injured,— although I had many reasons to be displeased with both, yet when my lord shall be completely informed of the whole truth of these matters, I shall expect that the tales he has heard will be found lying and falsely wicked. As for the disobedience alleged against my officers and commissaries to the bailiff of Amiens, to the king's officers, and to those of the duke, whom they will not permit to execute any warrants, saying and maintaining that I have not taken any oaths of allegiance but to the king of England,-I have never before heard any mention made of this, nor do I know what private wrongs may have been done, nor to whom. Of course, I am unable to make any reply to this charge. I should have expected that the bailiff of Amiens, whom I consider as my particular friend, would have informed me of any misconduct in my people, for had he done so I should have exerted myself in such wise that my lord should have been satisfied. In regard to the provost of Peronne, who has charged my officers with waylaying and chasing him into the town of Cambray with the intention of ill-treating and perhaps of killing him,-I have inquired of my officers, and they tell me, that when they were amusing themselves twenty leagues from Cambray, they were informed, that the said provost had vauntingly declared, that if he could lay hands on them he would hang them by the necks; on which they suddenly pursued him, to know if what they had heard were true,—and learning that he had not said any such things, they had quietly left him.

"As for the threats which my said officers have held out to the abbot of St. Aubert of Cambray, they beg to be held excused. With regard to the complaints of the receivergeneral of Peronne, that he cannot exercise his office, nor the toll-gatherers at Bapaume, from the hinderance of my officers, my lord will cause further informations to be made on this subject, and will then write to me fully thereon, according to his pleasure, when I shall make such answers as ought to be satisfactory.

"In respect to master Ador Caperel, who has told my lord that I have caused him to be waylaid, to abuse and ill-treat him, I assure you that this is not true, and I beg that further information may be had thereon. Should it clearly appear, after I have been heard, that I have caused him to be waylaid, I am willing to receive such punishment as justice shall order; but should the contrary be proved, I entreat that you will beg my said lord to lay hands on the said Caperel and others, who have been guilty of such lying reports, that they may be severely punished, for an example to all others, to prevent them from doing the like, and that it may be publicly known that my said lord, and the members of his council, will not suffer such scandalous reports to be made against me, or others of his servants, with impunity.

"As for you, my very dear brothers and companions, whose prudence, valour, and wisdom I am acquainted with, you would not that one of your brethren should be unjustly accused, and in this confidence I have written thus fully, for your information, of the charges alleged against me, entreating you fraternally, at the same time, that you would exert yourselves toward my said lord, to induce him to withdraw his indignation from me, and be satisfied with the explanations and excuses contained in this letter, and no longer give faith to any reports made against any one without that person being first heard in his exculpation, that it may be proved on which side the fault shall be. In truth, if I am not assisted by you, and if proceedings shall be carried on against me without my being heard in my defence, I know not to whom to apply, nor have I any hope of being treated with justice, which must cause me to suffer the utmost grief. I refer you for all other particulars

VOL. II.

G

to the bearers of this letter, the before mentioned Taillemonde and Huet, either of whom can relate to you the details of every charge.

"Very dear brothers and companions, if there be anything you would wish me to do, let me be made acquainted therewith, and I will perform it most willingly, as the Lord knows, to whose holy keeping I commend you.

"Written at my hôtel at Bohain on Candlemas-day."

Such were the contents of the letters sir John de Luxembourg sent to the different knights-companions of the order of the Golden Fleece, the greater part of whom were very desirous to mediate with the duke of Burgundy, that sir John might remain in his good graces. They daily remonstrated with the duke on this subject, and that he ought not to be so much displeased; but new matters of quarrel arose between them, and various tales were continually carried to the duke against him.

It happened, at this time, that in the provostship of Peronne a heavy tax was ordered to be collected, and, among others, some villages within the lordships of Ham and Neel, then in the possession of sir John de Luxembourg, were taxed, who was very much discontented that such levies should be raised on his subjects; but, as the deed was done, he made an appeal against the officers of the duke of Burgundy who had laid the tax, and wanted to collect it. The duke, dissatisfied on his part that this right should be questioned, sent a body of archers to support his officers in collecting the tax, who, on their arrival, carried the edict very rigorously into execution, by seizing all they could lay hands on,-insomuch that the sufferers went to Ham to make complaint to Jacotin de Bethune* then in garrison.

On hearing what had passed, he instantly ordered his men to mount, and go and see what could be meant by it, while he followed soon after. They advanced to where the duke's archers were, and, without further inquiry, beat them soundly: a sergeant from Mondidier was wounded in many places; but when Jacotin came up, and saw that they belonged to the duke of Burgundy, he put an end to the affray, and made excuses for what had happened, saying, that he had taken them for a party of the Skinners attached to king Charles. They were, however, very ill-treated, and speedily returned to the duke their lord, to whom they made heavy complaints about what had passed. The duke was so indignant with sir John de Luxembourg for this, that he resolved to force him to make amends for it, cost what it would. He wrote shortly after to sir John to order him to send to him Jacotin de Bethune and the others who had committed this offence; but sir John refused, excusing himself, by saying, that he did not think that his people should be meddled with. Thus was their quarrel mutually increased.

Not long after this, Jacotin overthrew with the garrisons under his charge a body of men belonging to the counts de Nevers and d'Estampes; when a gentleman, called La Perriere, was killed, together with others, at which the above named lords were greatly vexed. Sir John de Luxembourg was, however, much feared, because he was possessed of some very strong places, such as, Coussy+, Beaulieu, Ham sur Somme §, Neel ||, La Ferté¶, St. Goubain **, Marlett, Arsy ++, Montaigu §§, Guise, Herison ¶¶, Bouchain ***, Beaurevoir +++, Honnecourt ‡‡‡, Oisy §§§, and others, all of which had numerous garrisons. He had not as yet broken off his connexions with the English: on the contrary, he depended much on their support, for which reason many who were inclined to injure him, were afraid to attack any parts of his territories, lest he should fill his towns and castles with English, which would be the total ruin of the country. For fear of this, all who hated him dissembled their feelings; nevertheless, he did not slacken in providing means of

James, third son of John I. de Bethune, lord of Moreuil, was nicknamed Jacotin. From him, according to Du Cange, the lords of Belfour in Scotland were descended, their family name being corrupted to Beatoun. + Coussy. Q. Courcelles? a town in Picardy.

Beaulieu, a town in Picardy.

S Ham sur Somme, a town in Picardy.

Neel, a village in Picardy.

La Ferté. Q. La Ferté-Milon? a town in Picardy. **St. Goubain. Q. St. Gobin? a town in Picardy,

tt Marle, a town in Picardy.

Arsy. Q. A town in Picardy.

§§ Montagu,-Montaigu, a town in Picardy.
Guise, a town in Picardy.

¶¶ Herison, a town in Picardy.
***Bouchain. Q. Bohain, a town in Picardy.
ttt Beaurevoir,-a town in Picardy.

‡‡‡ Honnecourt,-a town in Picardy.

§§§ Oisy, a village in Picardy.

defence, but retained in his different towns and castles men-at-arms, ready to oppose all who should wage war against him, as well French as Burgundians. These warriors, however, harassed the country much, more especially the Cambresis.

The English garrisons of Creil* and of other places, under pretence of being his men, made frequent excursions, taking many prisoners, and collecting all they could find, which they drove away to places under their obedience. Several of sir John's captains were connected with the English; one in particular, called Perrinet Quatre-Yeux, who was from near Beauvais in the Cambresis, who had served them as a guide to make prisoners and ransom some rich men in those parts: but it happened that, in the course of these wicked pursuits, he had come to a farm near Oisy, called Gourgouche; which being told to sir John de Luxembourg, then in the castle of Oisy, he instantly sent thither his archers, who put him to death, and buried him in a diteh,-and sir John gained great praise from all the country for so doing.

CHAPTER CCXXXIX.—THE COUNT DE RICHEMONT, CONSTABLE

OF FRANCE, GAINS THE

TOWN OF MEAUX IN BRIE FROM THE ENGLISH.

WHILE these things were passing, Arthur of Brittany, count de Richemont and constable of France, collected about four thousand combatants, under the command of La Hire, Floquet, the lord de Torcy, sir Giles de Saint Simon, and other French captains, as well from Champagne as from other parts, whom he marched about the beginning of July before the town of Meaux in Brie, then in the possession of the English. He first fixed his quarters at Champ-communt, which is a very large village, and, shortly after, erected a blockhouse, fronting the gate of Saint Remy at Meaux, and lodged his men in the convent of the Cordeliers at St. Faron-les-Meaux, and in other places near. He erected another blockhouse on the island opposite the town,-and one was placed by sir Denis de Chailly at the gate of Cormillon, leading toward Brie. Five others were afterwards erected on two islands near the court of Supletes, and opposite to the market-place, all of which were filled with men-at-arms.

Several large engines were also pointed against the gates and walls, which damaged them greatly. Having continued these attacks on the place for about three weeks, the constable consulted his officers and determined to storm the town, for which the men were very eager, -and it was won with but little loss to the assailants. The bastard de Thian was made prisoner in the town, who was instantly beheaded, together with another gentleman called Carbonnel de Haule, and some others. The besieged lost about sixty men,-and from forty to fifty were made prisoners on their retreat to the market-place. The constable now quartered himself and the greater part of his army in the town of Meaux, leaving, however, very strong garrisons in the blockhouses. The chief commanders for the English in the marketplace of Meaux were sir William Chamberlain, sir John Ripley, and others, with about five hundred combatants. Prior to the siege, they had sent information to the government at Rouen of the intentions of the French to besiege them, and required to be reinforced as speedily as possible.

The earl of Cambridge, at that time governor of the duchy of Normandy for the king of England, accompanied by sir John Talbot, the lord Falconbridge, sir Richard Woodville, and other English captains, with about four thousand fighting men, began their march from Rouen to raise this siege, and arrived before the town of Meaux. The constable, hearing of their intentions, had, however, withdrawn into the town, before they came, all his men and stores; and lucky it was, for had they remained in the field great mischiefs must have happened on both sides,—for the English desired nothing more than to fight the French. They made many proposals to the constable to this effect, but he refused to listen to them, or consent to a general action. Several skirmishes, however, took place, in one of which the

* Creil, situated on the Oise, ten leagues from Paris. † Champ-commun-in the MS. corrections in M. du Cange's copy of Monstrelet in the imperial library at

Paris; it is Chant conin from the life of the constable; but I cannot find either of these names in the Gazetteer nor in Cassini's large map of France.

English gained from the French twenty boats laden with provision; and in another quarter a blockhouse, under the command of the lord de Moy, was abandoned.

The English attacked and took one of the blockhouses, on the island opposite to the market-place, in which from a hundred to six-score French were slain, and the rest made prisoners. After various attempts, finding the French unwilling to combat them, and that it was impossible to hurt them in their present situation, they made preparations to return to Normandy the same way they had come, after having revictualled their countrymen in the castle of the market-place. When they were departed, the constable renewed his attacks on the market-place with greater vigour, and with so many engines, that after three weeks sir William Chamberlain capitulated to surrender the place, on having the lives and fortunes of the garrison spared. When this treaty was concluded, the English marched to Rouen, under passports; but on their arrival, their commander was much reproached for his surrender of Meaux, which was so well provided with stores and provision, and was one of the strongest places of France: he was committed to prison in the castle of Rouen,-but, after some time, he found means of excusing himself to the lords of his party, who set him at liberty. At this period, a gentleman named Jean de la Fange, attached to the constable, was beheaded and quartered, on being convicted of holding communications with the English, to the prejudice of the king of France and his realm. A sergeant of the Châtelet was also quartered with this Jean de la Fange.

CHAPTER CCXL.-SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG SENDS LETTERS TO EXCULPATE HIMSELF, TO THE GREAT COUNCIL OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY. THEIR CONTENTS.

SIR John de Luxembourg, count de Ligny and de Guise, was duly informed how much the duke of Burgundy was displeased with him, and chiefly for the offence committed by Jacotin de Bethune against his archers, as has been before mentioned. In order, therefore, to exculpate himself as well as the said Jacotin, he wrote letters to the grand council of the duke, of the following tenor.

"Most reverend fathers in God, very dear and beloved cousins, and my most especial friends, I believe it is within your knowledge that a sudden quarrel has accidentally arisen between some archers of my most redoubted lord the duke of Burgundy and the men of Jacotin de Bethune, in my town of Ham. This has raised the indignation of my most redoubted lord against me,- for which I am more grieved than I can express. I shall therefore explain the matter fully to you, that you may be made acquainted with the whole, and exculpate me from any blame.

"Prior to this quarrel with the archers, the officers of my most redoubted lord imposed a tax on the land, without calling together a competent number of the three estates to authorise it, and this tax they wanted to raise on my possessions. Some of my officers made an appeal against this conduct, and matters remained in this state,—when a body of those called Skinners, from the Valois, and other men-at-arms, showed a disposition to make war on me. These appearances obliged me to reinforce my strong places with men-at-arms,— and I sent Jacotin de Bethune to guard my town of Ham. Some time afterward, certain persons on horseback made an inroad on my villages near to Ham, and carried away horses, cows, and whatever they could lay hands on: in consequence many women hastened to Ham and complained of these outrages,-upon which Jacotin concluded they must be the Skinners, and instantly sent a party after them, when a scuffle ensued. But as Jacotin followed his men, finding that they belonged to the duke of Burgundy, he immediately put an end to the affray, and was exceedingly distressed that it had happened, for he could never have supposed that they had belonged to my most redoubted lord, considering that an appeal was then lying in his courts against this tax being laid.

"They had shown great mockery as they had passed by Ham, and had also declared, prior to this, that they had not been ordered to insult my territories; from which it plainly appears, that the dispute was sudden and unpremeditated, although my most redoubted lord summons me on this account to deliver up to him Jacotin de Bethune and his men. I

have, consequently, had the matter legally examined into, in the presence of the king's notary-public, and have had the result laid before my most redoubted lord, by which it appears that the said Jacotin and his men have not been so blameable as my lord duke has been told, but that the fault lies with these archers, and other officers of justice, for having acted illegally. At the same time, I entreated him, in consideration of this body of evidence, to withdraw his anger, and to suffer the affair to be treated judicially; adding that he might send whomsoever he pleased to take fresh examinations,—and that if I should be found guilty of having done any thing wrong, after having been heard in my own defence, I would make such amends as should be judged proper, or ask his pardon. I have also, for greater humiliation, and to take away all suspicions he may have conceived against me, (who have never done him wrong,) frankly made offer to ask his mercy, which offer he has not been pleased to accept, but has seized on the lands I and my wife possess in Flanders and in Brabant. This I think extremely hard, considering that I am no way culpable in the above affair, and have, besides, proposed to refer the whole to a court of justice: should I be found guilty, (which cannot be the case,) there can be no reasonable ground for the confiscation of my lands, even according to the laws and usages of those countries.

All these things I have fully declared to the lord de Santois, who, of his courtesy, has come to visit me; and I have entreated of him to remonstrate with my lord duke, beseeching him that he would, out of his good grace, refer the whole matter to a court of justice, for that I was ready to appear in my defence before my said lord the duke of Burgundy, my lords companions of his order, and in the presence of his council, or before the three estates of Flanders and Brabant,- or before the judges within whose jurisdictions my lands lie. I supplicated at the same time my most redoubted lord, that he would accede to one of these proposals, and set my lands at liberty; for I am unwilling to fly from the justice of my said lord, or to seek other princes and judges than those to whom I have already offered to submit myself.

"It seems to me that, under God, justice, and nobility, what I demand ought not to be refused me; for I do not think I can offer fairer terms, or show greater duty, than to submit myself to be judged by my said lord, who is a prince of such high renown, by my lords companions of his order, who are his brethren, relations, or friends, or persons selected for their valour and wisdom, or by his council, and by the three estates and judges of his countries of Flanders and Brabant, who are persons of consummate learning and prudence; offering, at the same time, to present myself and beg pardon of my said renowned lord the duke, notwithstanding that I have never, in any one instance, done him wrong, as I have said before. Nevertheless, I have heard from some, who have purposely come to me, that the duke will not receive my offers until I shall have given up to his pleasures Jacotin de Bethune, which is a thing impossible for me to do, as he is not within my power: and it is not to be supposed that any person who knew that he had incurred the anger of so powerful a prince as my most redoubted lord would suffer himself to be arrested, when certain martyrdom would be the consequence.

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Now, very dear and especial friends, I have stated to you the whole truth of the case, that you may be fully acquainted therewith, and consequently exert yourselves to procure my justification,—for you must now see how undeserving I am of blame,--and I entreat you most humbly to remonstrate with my said lord that I may be restored to his favour, and that he would take away his officers from my lands. I must beg that you would obtain me the means of exculpating myself in a court of justice, considering that during my youth I loyally served my late lord, duke John, whose soul may God pardon! and that I never failed, as is known to every one, in my services to my present lord, in assisting him to guard and defend his countries, for he wrongfully detains my possessions without even attempting to demonstrate the legality of such confiscation, which, in fact, is due to all who demand it by every lover of justice.

"I pray you, therefore, to have in remembrance the duties I have performed and the offers I have made, which I have more amply detailed in the former part of this letter. Reverend fathers in God, very dear and beloved cousins and most especial friends, if there be anything you would wish me to do, acquaint me therewith,-and, as the blessed Son of God