CHAP. X.
THE EARL OF SALISBURY BESIEGES THE CASTLE OF MONT-AQUILON, WHICH SURRENDERS TO HIM.—OTHER MATTERS.
AT this period, the earl of Salisbury, by orders from the duke of Bedford, who called himself regent of France, laid siege to the castle of Mont Aquilon in Champagne. Lord Salisbury was then governor of the countries of Champagne and of Brie.
This siege, notwithstanding the many attacks that were made, and the warlike engines employed, lasted for six months, or thereabout. The garrison consisted of full six score combatants, under the command of the lords de la Bourbe, de Cotigny, and a man at arms named Bourghenon. Very many of these six score left the place, so that toward the end no more than about thirty remained, who were so much distressed that they were forced to eat their horses.
At length, the earl of Salisbury accepted their surrender, on condition that they paid twenty-two thousand saluts of gold for their lives being spared; and for the payment of which, they were to give four of the principal men at arms as pledges. The garrison now departed in their bare pourpoints, under safe escorts, excepting those who had sworn to the observance of the last peace between the kings of France and England; and then the castle was demolished and razed to the ground.
About this same time sir Mauriod de St Leger was arrested in Arras, by command of the duke of Burgundy, many complaints having been made against him to the duke, and particularly for having plundered his town of Auchin. He was carried prisoner to the castle of Chavetignes, where he remained a whole year and was delivered therefrom by the solicitations of his friends.
The duke of Bedford now caused the strong castle of Orsay, between Paris and Montlehery, to be besieged by his English. It held out for about six weeks and then was unconditionally surrendered. The garrison were led to Paris bareheaded, in their under doublets, some with cords round their necks, and others with the points of their swords turned to their bosoms. In this manner they were brought before the duke and duchess of Bedford, at the hôtel des Tournelles, when the duke commanded them to be carried instantly to the Châtelet; but the duchess, moved by pity, pressed the duke so urgently for mercy that they were all set at liberty, without any other punishment, and went whithersoever they pleased. Some joined the English, and others returned to their own party.
In the month of May, seven hundred English marched from Rouen and the territory of Caux, under the command of the bailiff of Caux, through Abbeville, to besiege the castle of Noëlle on the sea side, belonging to sir James de Harcourt. Those within the castle being doubtful of succour, after a few days, surrendered it, on condition that their lives and fortunes should be spared.
Sir James de Harcourt, on hearing this, hastily remanded his men from Rue, and abandoned that town, without any defence, to his enemies. The English lost no time in taking possession of it, and much harrassed the poor inhabitants who had remained. They made it a frontier-town, to oppose that of Crotoy, as you will hear.
In this month of May, a severe battle was fought near to Naples, between Alphonso king of Aragon and the great captains of Italy, who had revolted from him. The defeat was so complete that Alphonso was forced to fly with a few attendants, or he would have been slain or made prisoner by his enemies.
About St John Baptist's day following, the English besieged Crotoy by sea and land, under the command of sir Raoul le Bouteiller, who having posted his men very advantageously, had his camp strongly fortified. Sir James de Harcourt prepared for an obstinate defence, and pointed many cannon and other warlike engines to annoy the enemy, and to prevent their nearer approach. The country people round were very much rejoiced at this siege.