THE CANONS OF ST GERY IN CAMBRAY QUARREL WITH THE INHABITANTS.—THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, IN CONSEQUENCE, MAKES WAR ON CAMBRAY.
AT this time, there was a great quarrel between the citizens and inhabitants of Cambray and the canons of the chapter of St Gery, within that town. The inhabitants, foreseeing that the present war between England and France might be carried on near their country, determined for the greater security of themselves and their town, to repair and enlarge its walls and bulwarks; and consequently, they demolished, by force or otherwise, many walls of the gardens of the townsmen, which had encroached too near them. They particularly destroyed the gardens belonging to the aforesaid canons, taking a large portion of their land without intending to make them any recompence for what they had done.
The inhabitants also wanted to prevent the canons selling wine from their cellars, although they had for a long time done so from their own vintage. For these several offences and grievances, the canons having frequently demanded, but in vain, redress from the townsmen, made heavy complaints of what they had suffered, and were still suffering, to the duke of Burgundy and his council, because, as earl of Flanders, he was the hereditary guardian and defender of all the churches within Cambray. For this guardianship a certain quantity of corn was annually paid to the duke, as protector of the churches within the Cambresis, and this impost was called the Gavenne[28] of Cambresis.
The duke of Burgundy was very much displeased at this conduct of the Cambresians, and sent solemn messengers to inform them, that if they did not make instant and full satisfaction to the canons who were under his protection, for all the damages they had done them, he should take such measures as would serve for an example to all others. Not receiving an answer which was agreeable to him, and being then in Burgundy, he wrote to his son, Philippe count de Charolois, in Flanders, to order him to secure the canons of St Gery from all oppression and violence, and to constrain the inhabitants of Cambray to make reparation for the wrongs they had done them.
The count of Charolois, knowing the temper of his father, again summoned the townsmen to make satisfaction to the canons; and because they sent evasive answers, he secretly advised the canons to leave Cambray and go to Lille, at which town he would find them a handsome dwelling. The canons, on this, placed the better part of their effects, in safety, and then secretly left Cambray and went to Lille, or at least the greater number of them.
Soon after their departure, the count de Charolois sent his defiance to the town of Cambray by Hector de Saveuses, who had assembled full three hundred combatants. On the feast-day of the exaltation of the holy cross, he suddenly entered the Cambresis, and advanced almost to the gates of Cambray, when, it being market-day, he plundered, killed and wounded very many of the town, and perpetrated other cruel deeds. Hector did not make any long stay, but departed, with an immense booty, to quarter himself near to Braye-sur-Somme, saying, that what he had done was by orders from the count de Charolois.
This attack much astonished those of Cambray, and put them in great fear. They conceived a greater hatred than before against the canons of St Gery, increased every preparation for the defence of their town, and made daily seizures of the effects of these canons, such as wine, corn, wood and other necessaries of life.
The citizens, however, having suffered several inroads, and great losses, and considering that in the end the war must be the destruction of their town, solicited duke William count of Hainault, guardian of Cambray for the king of France, that he would negotiate a peace for them with his nephew the count de Charolois, and that they were willing to make every reasonable restitution to the canons for the losses they might have suffered.
By the interference, therefore, of duke William and others, the dispute was referred to some doctors of civil law, who sentenced the citizens to rebuild all the walls they had destroyed of the canons' gardens, and to bind themselves to pay annually to the said canons one hundred francs of royal money, on condition that the said canons were not to sell any wines from their cellars. The citizens were allowed liberty to buy up this annuity of a hundred francs for a certain sum, whenever they shall have the power and inclination so to do. On these and some other terms was the quarrel appeased, and the canons returned to their church in Cambray.