SIR CLUGNET DE BRABANT IS NEAR TAKING RETHEL.—HE OVERRUNS THE COUNTRY OF BURGUNDY.—OTHER TRIBULATIONS ARE NOTICED.
SIR Clugnet de Brabant, who always styled himself admiral of France, one day assembled two thousand combatants, or thereabout, whom he marched as speedily as he could from their different garrisons, to the country of the Rethelois, having with them scaling ladders and other warlike machines. They arrived at the ditches of the town of Rethel about sun-rise, and instantly made a very sharp assault, thinking to surprise the garrison and plunder the town. The inhabitants, however, had received timely notice of their intentions, and had prepared themselves for resistance as speedily as they could.—Nevertheless, the assault lasted a considerable time with much vigour on both sides, insomuch that many were killed and wounded of each party.
Among the latter was sir Clugnet de Brabant, who, judging from the defence which was made, that he could not gain the place, ordered the retreat to be sounded; and his men marched into the plain, carrying with them the dead and wounded. He then divided them into two companies; the one of which marched through the country of the Laonnois to Coucy and Chauni, plundering what they could lay hands on, and making all prisoners whom they met on their retreat.
The other company marched through part of the empire, by the county of Guise, passing through the Cambresis, and driving before them, like the others, all they could find, especially great numbers of cattle, and thus returned to the town of Ham sur Somme and to their different garrisons.
When they had reposed themselves for eight days, they again took the field with six thousand combatants, and marched for the county of Artois. They came before the town of Bapaume, belonging to the duke of Burgundy, and, on their arrival, won the barriers, and advanced to the gates, where there was a severe skirmish. But the lord de Heilly, sir Hugh de Busse, the lord d’Ancuelles and other valiant men at arms, who had been stationed there by the duke of Burgundy, made a sally, and drove them beyond the barriers,—when many gallant deeds were done, and several killed and wounded on both sides; but the Burgundians were forced to retire within the town, for their enemies were too numerous for them to attempt any effectual resistance. The Orleans-party now retreated, and collected much plunder in the adjacent country, which they carried with them to their town of Ham.
During this time, sir James de Chastillon71, and the other ambassadors from the king of France, negotiated a truce at Leulinghen, in the Boulonois, with the english ambassadors, to last for one year on sea and land.
While these things were passing, the duke of Berry came with the queen of France from Melun to Corbeil, and thence sent Louis of Bavaria to the duke of Acquitaine in Paris, and to those who governed the king, and also to the butchers, to request that they would be pleased to allow him to attend the queen to Paris, and to reside in his hôtel of Neele, near to the king his nephew, since he was determined no way to interfere in the war between the dukes of Orleans and Burgundy.
But his request was refused, chiefly owing to the butchers of Paris, and others of the commonalty, who had great weight; and that he might give over all thoughts of coming, they broke every door and window of his hôtel de Neele, and committed other great damages. They sent back the queen’s brother with a message to her, to come and reside with her lord at Paris, without delay, but not to bring the duke of Berry with her.
The Parisians, fearful that the king and the duke of Acquitaine might be carried off from the hôtel of St Pol, made them reside at the Louvre, where they kept constant guard day and night, to prevent any attempts of the Orleans-party to carry them away.
The queen, on receiving the message by her brother from the Parisians, and suspecting the consequences of their commotions, set out from Corbeil, and returned to Melun with him and the duke of Berry. A few days after, the Parisians took up arms, marched in a large body to Corbeil, took the town, and placed a garrison therein. They then broke down all the bridges over the Seine, between Charenton and Melun, that the Armagnacs might not pass the river and enter the island of France.
While the queen and the duke of Berry were at Melun, with the count Waleran de St Pol, whom the marshal Boucicaut had sent thither, the master of the cross-bows and the grand master of the household came to them with few attendants. The duke of Bourbon and the count d’Alençon, on their road from the Vermandois and Beauvoisis, to join the duke of Orleans, who was assembling his troops in the Gâtinois, called on the queen and the duke of Berry, to require their aid and support against the duke of Burgundy, which was not granted,—because the king in full council, presided by the duke of Acquitaine, had just published an edict in very strong terms, and had caused it to be sent to all the bailiwicks and seneschalships of the kingdom, ordering all nobles, and others that were accustomed to bear arms, to make themselves ready to serve the king, in company with John duke of Burgundy, and to aid him in driving out of his realm all traitorous and disobedient subjects, commanding them to obey the duke of Burgundy the same as himself, and ordering all towns and passes to be opened to him, and to supply him with every necessary provision and store, the same as if he were there in person. On this proclamation being issued, very many made preparations to serve under the duke of Burgundy with all diligence. In addition, the duke of Acquitaine wrote the duke letters in his own hand, by which he ordered all the men at arms dependant on the crown to serve personally against his cousin-german, the duke of Orleans, and his allies, who, as he said, were wasting the kingdom in many different parts, desiring him to advance as speedily as he could toward Senlis and the island of France.