SIR ELYON DE JACQUEVILLE IS DRAGGED OUT OF THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY IN CHARTRES BY HECTOR DE SAVEUSES AND HIS ACCOMPLICES, WHO PUT HIM TO DEATH.
AT the time when the duke of Burgundy resided in Chartres at his hôtel behind the church of our Lady, so serious a quarrel arose between sir Elyon de Jacqueville, knight, and Hector de Saveuses, that high words passed between them in the presence of the duke. Within a few days after, Hector collected from twelve to sixteen of his friends, determined men; and in this number were his cousin-german the lord de Crevecoeur, his brother le bon de Saveuses, Hue de Bours, and an arrogant fellow called John de Vaulx, on whose account this quarrel had arisen between them,—for, a short time before, Jacqueville had robbed this de Vaulx, who was related to Hector. These, with some others to the number before stated, one day, with a premeditated design, entered the church of our Lady, and met Jacqueville returning from the hôtel of the duke of Burgundy: Hector and his friend instantly addressed him, saying, 'Jacqueville, thou hast formerly injured and angered me, for which thou shalt be punished,' when, at the moment, he was seized by him and his accomplices, and dragged out of the church, and most inhumanly hacked to pieces; during which he most pitifully cried to Hector for mercy, and offered a large sum of money for his life, but all in vain, for they never left him until they thought he was dead.
They quitted the town of Chartres without delay, and went to a village two leagues off, where Hector's men were quartered. After their departure, Jacqueville caused himself to be carried in the melancholy state he was in to the duke of Burgundy, and made bitter complaints of the cruel usage he had met with; adding, that it was in consequence of the loyalty and truth with which he had served him.
The duke, on seeing him thus, was greatly affected, insomuch that he immediately armed himself, and, mounting his horse, rode through the streets with few attendants, thinking to find Hector and his accomplices, but he was soon informed that they had left the town. Many of the nobles now waited on the duke, and appeased his anger as well as they could, such as sir John de Luxembourg, the lord de Fosseux, the marshal of Burgundy and several more. However, he ordered the baggage and horses of Hector to be seized, and then returned to his hôtel, whence he sent the most expert physicians to visit Jacqueville; but they were of no avail, for within three days he died.
Numbers were convinced, that could the duke have laid hands on Hector and his accomplices, he would have had them put to an ignominious death, for he declared he would never, during his life pardon them: nevertheless, within a few days, Hector, somehow or other, made up his quarrel with the duke, who consented to it on account of the important affairs he had now on his hands.