SIR PHILIP DE SERVOLLES, BAILIFF OF VITRY, LAYS SIEGE TO THE CASTLE OF MOYENNES.——OTHER PLACES ARE BY THE KING’S OFFICERS REDUCED TO HIS OBEDIENCE.
IN regard to the county of Vertus, the moment sir Philip de Servolles came before the town of that name, it surrendered to the king,—and in like manner all the other places in that county, excepting the castle of Moyennes. In this castle were sir Clugnet de Brabant, his brother John of Brabant, sir Thomas de Lorsies, and many more, who would not on any account submit to the king.
The bailiff of Vitry consequently laid siege to it, and made every preparation to conquer it by force. It was, however, in vain; for the garrison were well provided with provision, artillery and stores of all kinds, so that they little feared the besiegers, and very frequently cut off their detachments.
The siege lasted for upwards of three months; and at the end of this time, sir Clugnet and sir Thomas de Lorsies, mounted on strong and active coursers, followed by two pages, set out from the castle,—and, galloping through the besieging army with their lances in their rests, passed safely, striking down all opposers, escaped to Luxembourg, and went to sir Aymé de Sarrebruche to seek for succour. But they did not return with any assistance; for a few days after, John of Brabant was made prisoner in a sally from the castle, and, by order of the king and council, beheaded in the town of Vitry. After this event, the remainder of the garrison surrendered themselves to the king’s obedience, on stipulating with the bailiff that they were to have their lives and fortunes spared. He instantly new-garrisoned the castle.
Thus was that whole country reduced to the king’s obedience; and that of Clermont followed the example, by surrendering to the vidame of Amiens without making any resistance. The garrisons in the different towns and castles that had done great mischief to the surrounding country withdrew with all their baggage, under the protection of passports, to the Bourbonois, and were replaced by the king’s troops.
The bailiff of Amiens was equally successful at Boulogne-sur-mer, which, with all the adjacent places, surrendered, excepting the castle of Boulogne,—the seneschal of which, by name sir Louis de Corail, a native of Auvergne, would not yield it without the permission of his lord, the duke of Berry, who had intrusted it to his guard. The bailiff, however, with his men, destroyed the drawbridge, and filled up the ditches, so that no one could enter or come out of the castle. A parley took place between the governor and bailiff, when the first was allowed to send to his lord, the duke of Berry, to know if he would consent that the castle should be given up to the king, and hold him discharged for so doing.
The duke, in answer, bade him surrender the castle to the king’s officers, and come to him at Bourges, which was done. In like manner, all the places in the county of Eu, and in the territory of Gamaches, were surrendered to the king; and the officers who had been placed in them by their lords were dismissed, and others of the king’s servants put in their room.
During this time, very large sums of money were raised in Paris and elsewhere, to pay the english troops who had come to serve the duke of Burgundy by permission of the king of England. On receiving their payment, the earl of Arundel, with his men, returned to England by way of Calais; but the earl of Kent79 and his troops remained in the service of the duke of Burgundy.
At this moment, the Orleans-party were in great distress, and knew not where to save themselves; for the instant any of them were discovered, whether secular or ecclesiastic, they were arrested and imprisoned, and some executed,—others heavily fined. Two monks were arrested at this time, namely, master Peter Fresnel, bishop of Noyon, who was taken by sir Anthony de Craon, and carried from Noyon to the castle of Crotoy; the other, the abbot of Foresmoustier, was made prisoner by the lord de Dampierre, admiral of France. They were soon delivered on paying a large ransom, when each returned to his bishoprick and monastery.
The lord de Hangest, still calling himself grand master of the french cross-bows, being attached to the Orleans-party, had, after the retreat from St Denis, secretly retired to the castle of Soissons. Having a desire to attempt regaining the king’s favour, he sent a poursuivant to demand a safe conduct from Troullart de Moncaurel, bailiff and governor of Senlis, for him to come and reside in that town. The safe conduct was sent to him, and he came to Senlis; but, because there was no mention of his return in this permission, Troullart made him and fifteen other gentlemen prisoners in the king’s name. Shortly after, they were carried to the Châtelet in Paris, to his great displeasure, but he could not prevent it.
The count de Roussy also had retired, after the retreat from St Denis, to his castle of Pont á Arsy sur Aine; but it was instantly surrounded by the peasants of the Laonnois, who increased to about fifteen hundred, and made most terrible assaults on the castle,—and, in spite of its deep moat and thick walls, they damaged it very much. These peasants called themselves the king’s children. Sir Brun de Barins, knight, bailiff of the Vermandois, and the provost of Laon, came to assist and to command them,—when the count, perceiving the danger he was in, to avoid falling into the hands of these peasants, surrendered himself and his castle to the bailiff of the Vermandois, on condition that his own life, and the lives of all within it, should be spared. The bailiff accepted the terms, and, having re-garrisoned it with the king’s troops, carried the count and his men prisoners to Laon, where they remained a long time; but at length, on paying a heavy ransom, they obtained their liberty.
The archdeacon of Brie was, in like manner, taken in the tower of Andely by these peasants. He was natural son to the king of Armenia. Sir William de Coussy, who was of the Orleans-party, retired to his brother in Lorraine, who was bishop of Metz.