THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY INCREASES HIS MEN AT ARMS.—THE MARRIAGE OF THE LORD DE LA TRIMOUILLE.—THE DUKE OF CLARENCE EMBARKS A LARGE ARMY FOR HARFLEUR.
THE duke of Burgundy, when he heard of this edict, so prejudicial and disgraceful to himself and his friends, was more than ever indignant and irritated against those who governed the king. He very much increased the number of his men at arms, and even consented to their quartering themselves on his own territories in the Cambresis, Tierrache, Vermandois, Santerre, and the whole country from the Somme to the sea-coast, toward Montrieul and Crotoy. Justice was now no longer attended to or maintained in those parts; and the powerful nobles cruelly treated churchmen and the poorer ranks. With regard to the provosts, and others of the king's officers of justice, few, if any of them, dared to do their duty. The tradesmen could not venture abroad with their goods out of the fortified towns without paying tribute for passports, under risk of being robbed and murdered.
At this time the widowed duchess of Berry espoused the lord de la Trimouille, who was not beloved by the duke of Burgundy; and because this duchess was in her own right countess of the Boulonois, the duke sent the lord de Fosseux, then governor of Artois, to take possession of the town of Boulogne. This was done, but the lord de Moruel remained governor of it in the king's name, against the English.
At this same period, the duke of Clarence, brother to the king of England, sailed from the port of Sandwich with three hundred vessels full of English, whom he led to Harfleur, and destroyed the french navy under the command of the constable of France, who had for some time besieged that town. Many were killed on board the fleet; but when the duke of Clarence had revictualled it, and supplied his losses, he sailed back to England much rejoiced at his good success.