A.D. 1412. to the town of Guines, and when they approached the town all dismounted; and the constable had sent by another route Sir John de Renty with forty hel mets, for he well knew the approaches, entries, and outlets of the town, and he sent him to show to those who did not know it at what point they might best assault it. This town of Guines was enclosed by good ditches and palisades, and was garrisoned by Hollanders and other mercenaries who remained there. The constable, with six hundred helmets, marched beyond the town to guard a passage which there was between the said Guines and Calais, so that the English from Calais might not come with a great army to succour the people of Guines, and also that the people of Guines might not be able to pass to communicate with the said people of Calais; and at this place the constable placed himself in the midst of his men, where he remained so long as the assault lasted. The foot soldiers detailed for that purpose and those who conducted them came together at daybreak to the said town well ordered and prepared for the assault; and they began very briskly to cross the ditches and break down the palisades, and made so impetuous an assault that they entered the town where they set fire to it, and there were burned, more than forty houses, although the inhabitants defended themselves valiantly; and the English who were within the castle. in garrison cast down stones and drew their crossbows vigorously without ceasing, by which they greatly harassed the assailants. Finally, the people of the castle opened a door in their base-court, through which some of those from the town entered, whereby they escaped being slain or taken; afterwards the retreat was sounded, in which there were a good many wounded as well as in the assault, beside those who died there. The Count of Renty communicated the retreat of the French to the constable, who, this being done, retired with all his army to Boulogne, A.D. 1412. leaving the garrisons to come to terms, who had daily encounters. In this same season on Friday the ninth day of June the King of France and his army laid siege to the city of Bourges, but of what was done there it is not necessary to make much mention, because in the chronicles of France is the history continued at full length. Already there had been many fine skirmishes fought, but at length a treaty was made, whereby the town was surrendered into the obedience of the King of France, and then was renewed the peace made at Chartres between the parties of Orleans and Burgundy with the oaths which each party had broken. After the King of France had received the submission of the city of Bourges the Dukes of Berri and Bourbon, and with them the Lord of Labrech, and the attorneys of the Duke of Orleans and his brothers, in the tent of the Duke of Acquitaine (because the king was then ill of his usual affection), in the presence of many princes and great lords, swore anew on the Holy Gospels to firmly adhere to and loyally keep and observe the peace agreed to by them before Bourges; and they promised him to swear and cause the Duke of Orleans [and his brothers], who were then absent, to swear in the presence of the king, promising to bring them on a certain day, which was appointed to them, before the king in the town of Auxerre. After these oaths and promises the king went to Auxerre, where assembled the Duke of Orleans and his brothers as had been promised, and renewed their oaths and promises. During these treaties, the king being at Auxerre, news came to the king and those of his council which was not pleasant, that is to say, that the English had arrived at La Hogue Saint Vaast in the country of Contentin, and that they had A.D. 1412. landed there, spreading themselves though the country round about, pillaging and taking prisoners; and they were about eight thousand fighting men of whom there were two thousand helmets and the rest archers and varlets, whose leader was Thomas Duke of Clarence, second son of King Henry of England. These English had landed with the intention of arriving in time before Bourges to succour the abovenamed dukes and their allies. And they went to the Counts of Alençon and Richemont, who joyfully received them albeit they came after peace was made; but notwithstanding this they aided them to the utmost of their power in providing them with victuals. And the English immediately increased their army by full six hundred Gascon helmets, who had been at Bourges as mercenaries, and they joined themselves together and began to spoil the country. But the Duke of Berri and those of his party, in order that hereafter they might make use of them if occasion arose, promised the English a great sum of money, amounting to two hundred thousand crowns, for the costs and expenses of their army; these, if they had kept their promise to them, would have returned to England though Acquitaine or Bordelois. But the said lords were never able to find the money to satisfy them, wherefore they destroyed the whole country. At the same time came from England to Calais by sea, the Earls of Warwick and Kyme1 sent by King Henry with two thousand fighting men. Then being arrived, these with the other garrisons overran the country of Boullenois, where they did great damage; they burned the town of Samer-au-bois, took by assault the bridge of Ouessant, pillaged and afterwards destroyed by fire in every direction. The King of France informed of this news sent to Saint Omer, Count 1 Kent in text. The person alluded to appears to have been Umfraville, who assumed the title of Walleran of Saint Pol, his constable, the Lord of A.D. 1412. Rambures, master of the crossbowmen, and the Lord of Hailly with a great number of men-at-arms, who were placed in garrison on the frontier of Boullenois; and thus on all sides was the country greatly despoiled, as well by the English as by the French. At this time the king returned to Paris, where he was greatly congratulated; with him there entered also the Dukes of Acquitaine, Burgundy, and Bourbon, and the Count of Vertus, but the queen, with the Dukes of Berri and Orleans, remained at the wood of Vincennes; soon after, however, the queen, came to Paris escorted by the Duke of Orleans, nearly to the gates, where he took leave of her. And he went outside Paris to his county of Beaumont, and the Duke of Berri remained at the wood of Vincennes. After the Duke of Orleans had remained in his county awhile, he went to the English, that is to say to the Duke of Clarence, who, as has been said, had come over to the country at his request, whom he then satisfied with a payment, and also before. he could levy it, and because he could not then complete the whole sum which might be owed them for their wages, he delivered the Count of Angouleme as surety to the said Duke of Clarence for the completion of the payment, and with him several gentlemen, such as Sir Marsel le Borgne, John de Saveuse, Arquembault de Villers, William Boutillier, John David, and several other attendants, who were all carried off to England together by the said Duke of Clarence. And the said hostages were delivered to him for two hundred and ten thousand francs. And after the Duke of Orleans had thus arranged he went to Blois. And the hostages remained in England for a long time, as shall be hereafter declared. At the same time many secret commotions went on at Paris between the lords of the blood-royal, and all through the U 17967. L A.D. 1412. officers and attendants of the princes, for there was not one who did not desire great governments and profits, some from the party of Orleans and the others from the party of Burgundy, wherefore they could not well agree together, and there was not one who did not wish to rule in his turn, whatever treaty of peace there might be. So there were secretly great envyings and hatreds; but, nevertheless, the Duke of Orleans and those of his party so managed that they completely governed the king and the Duke of Guienne and the Duke of Acquitaine. Then the Duke of Burgundy, seeing things turning out thus, secretly caused his baggage to be prepared, and then one day when the king was going hunting took leave of him, and went into his countries of Flanders and Artois; at which the people of Paris and others his well-wishers were much displeased, and those who had been formerly appointed to various offices after his departure were dismissed, and others put in their places at the desire and request of the Dukes of Berri and Orleans. Thus as you hear matters went on at the time in France, and all through envyings and covert hatreds, whereby the noble king and all his realm were almost destroyed, and they could not help it. Then follows the copy of the letter of alliance which the [BETWEEN] King Henry of England and his children |
