THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MARCHES A LARGE ARMY FROM PONTOISE TO PARIS, THROUGH MELUN.—THE SITUATION AND CONDUCT OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.
I HAVE mentioned, that during the stay of the duke of Burgundy at Pontoise, he received great reinforcements of men at arms from all parts: among others, the count de Penthievre, his son-in-law, joined him with a noble company. Having remained there for about fifteen days, and made diligent inquiry into the state of his adversaries, on the 22d day of October, he marched his whole army thence about two o’clock in the afternoon. As the royal road from that place to Paris was occupied by the enemy, he quitted it for that through Melun sur Seine, where he crossed the river with full fifteen thousand horse, and, marching all night, arrived on the morrow morning at the gate of St Jacques at Paris. Great multitudes went out of the town to meet him; among whom were the butchers of Paris, well armed and arrayed, conducted by the provosts of the Châtelet and of the merchants, under the command of the count de Nevers, brother to the duke of Burgundy, who was attended by several princes, noble lords and captains: even the great council of state went out upwards of a league to meet him, and to do him honour. Indeed, they all showed him as much deference and respect as they could have done to the king of France, on his return from a long journey.
With regard to the people of Paris, they made great rejoicings on his arrival, and sang carols in all the streets through which he passed; and because his entry was made late in the day, and it was dusk, the streets were illuminated with great quantities of torches, bonfires and lanthorns.
On his approach to the Louvre, the duke of Acquitaine, who had married his daughter, advanced to meet him, and received him with joy and respect. He led him into the Louvre, and presented him to the king and queen, who received him most graciously.
Having paid his due respects, he withdrew, and went to lodge at the hôtel de Bourbon. The earl of Arundel was quartered, with his attendants, at the priory of St Martin des Champs, and his Englishmen near to him in the adjoining houses. The rest quartered themselves as well as they could in the city.
On the morrow, which was a Sunday, Enguerrand de Bournouville, with many valiant men at arms and archers, as well Picards as English, made a sally as far as La Chapelle, which the Armagnacs had fortified, and quartered themselves within it. On seeing their adversaries advancing, they mounted their horses, and a sharp skirmish ensued, in which many were unhorsed. Among those who behaved well, sir Enguerrand was pre-eminent. Near his side was John of Luxembourg, nephew to the count de St Pol, but very young. Many were wounded, but few killed. The English, with their bows and arrows, were very active in this affair.
While this action was fought, the Armagnacs quartered at St Denis, Montmartre, and other villages, hearing the bustle, mounted their horses, and hastened to cut off the retreat of Enguerrand. He was informed of this in time, and, collecting his men, retreated toward Paris; but as the enemy were superior in numbers, they pressed hard on his rear, and killed and made prisoners several of his men.
The duke of Orleans and the princes of his party, on hearing of the arrival of the duke of Burgundy with so large an army in Paris, ordered their men at arms, and others that were lodged in the villages round, to unite and quarter themselves at St Denis. To provide forage, sir Clugnet de Brabant was sent with a body of men at arms into the Valois and Soissonois, where there was abundance. Sir Clugnet acquitted himself well of his command, and brought a sufficient quantity to St Denis; for at this time there was great plenty of corn and other provision in France.
The Armagnacs were, therefore, well supplied; and as they were the strongest on that side of Paris, they daily made excursions of different parties as far as the rivers Marne and Oise, and throughout the isle of France. In like manner, the army of the king and the duke of Burgundy scoured the country on the other side of the Seine, as far as Montlehery, Meulan and Corbeil; and thus was the noble kingdom of France torn to pieces.
There were frequent and severe rencounters between the men at arms of each side; and a continued skirmish was going forward between those in Paris and in St Denis, when the honour of the day was alternately won.
Among other places where these skirmishes took place was a mill, situated on an eminence, and of some strength. In this mill, two or three hundred of the Orleans-party sometimes posted themselves, when the Parisians and Burgundians made an attack on them, which lasted even until night forced them to retreat.—At other times, the Burgundians posted themselves in the mill, to wait for the assault of their adversaries.
The duke of Orleans had with him an english knight, called the lord de Clifford, who had, some time before, joined him with one hundred men at arms and two hundred archers, from the country of the Bourdelois. Having heard that the king of England had sent the earl of Arundel, with several other lords, to the duke of Burgundy, he waited on the duke of Orleans to request that he would permit him to depart, for that he was afraid his sovereign would be displeased with him should he remain any longer. The duke of Orleans having for a while considered his request granted it, but on condition that neither he himself nor his men should bear arms against him during the war. The knight made him this promise, and then returned to England.
On the 6th day of November, Troullart de Moncaurel, governor and bailiff of Senlis, having marched about six score combatants of his garrison to the country of Valois, was met by seven score of the Armagnacs, who vigorously attacked him; but, after many gallant deeds were done, Troullart remained victorious. From sixty to eighty of the Armagnacs were taken or slain; and among the prisoners was sir William de Saveuse, who had followed the Orleans-party, when his two brothers, Hector and Philip, were in arms with the duke of Burgundy. Thus, in this abominable warfare, were brothers engaged against brothers, and sons against fathers. After this defeat, Troullart de Moncaurel and Peter Quieriet, who had accompanied him, returned with their booty to Senlis, when, shortly after, by the exertions of the old lord de Saveuse and the two brothers, Hector and Philip, sir William obtained his liberty.