CHAP. XIII.
SIR JAMES DE HARCOURT HOLDS A CONFERENCE WITH SIR RAOUL LE BOUTEILLER FOR THE SURRENDER OF CROTOY.
SIR Raoul le Bouteiller having continued the siege of Crotoy by sea and land until the month of October, then held a parley with sir James de Harcourt, when each of them appointed commissioners to draw up a treaty, truces having been agreed on for the intermediate time.
After a short delay, the following were the terms proposed by their commissioners, and ratified by them.
Articles of a treaty concluded between sir Raoul le Bouteiller, knight, and William Miners, esquire, as deputies for that most excellent prince John duke of Bedford, regent of France, on the one part, and sir James de Harcourt, knight, lieutenant-general of Picardy for king Charles,—he the said sir James answering for the clergy, nobles and inhabitants of the town and castle of Crotoy on the other part.
In the first place, my lord regent, or his deputies, shall, on the first day of March next, appear in arms in the plain between Crotoy and Rue, and for three successive days, from sun-rise until three o'clock in the afternoon; when if they should not be combated by the said sir James so powerfully that the field of battle shall remain to the said sir James de Harcourt, he, the said sir James, engages loyally to deliver up the town and castle of Crotoy to the said lord regent, or to whomever else he may appoint. This is to be accomplished at three o'clock in the afternoon of the said ensuing third day of March.
Item, the said sir James de Harcourt and all such as may please shall have full liberty to depart from the town and castle of Crotoy, on the day of its surrender, excepting those who may have been implicated in the death of the late duke of Burgundy, should any such be there, who are to remain at the discretion of the lord regent.
Item, sir James shall leave within the castle all the powder, cross-bows and bolts, without any way injuring or damaging them, with the exception of nine veuglaires, two kegs of powder, twenty three cross-bows, and nine boxes of bolts. His men to be allowed to carry with them their armour, clothes and other effects.
Item, in case any of the men at arms, or inhabitants of the said town and castle shall wish to take the oaths of allegiance to the lord regent, all their effects, moveable and immoveable, shall be preserved to them, and sufficient certificates given them thereof.
Item, the said sir James shall have the use of part of the fleet before Crotoy, namely, the great hulk and the barge, Colin l'Anglois, Plumeterre, Balenier, Jacquese and Martinet,—and he shall leave behind all other vessels. The boats of the fishermen shall remain to their owners, on condition that they take the oaths of allegiance.
Item, sir James shall deliver up all the prisoners whom he may have at this moment in the town and castle of Crotoy, and, in return, sir Raoul le Bouteiller will give up one of his men, whom he has captured.
Item, during the whole intermediate time henceforth to the first day of March, all those within the said town and castle shall abstain from making war either secretly or openly, saving that sir James de Harcourt may carry on the war wheresoever he pleases on the other side of the Seine.
Item, it is strictly forbidden any persons that belong to the lord regent to make any inroads, or to plunder the lands appertaining to the said town and castle, or on the lands of any of their allies, during this said space of time.
Item, from henceforward to the first day of March, the inhabitants of Crotoy may carry on commerce with the towns of Rue, Abbeville and Saint Valery, provided they obtain leave from the governors of these towns, but not otherwise. They shall also have liberty to traffic by sea, and to bring wines and other provision for sale, but not in sufficient quantities to revictual the town or castle, but solely for their daily supply during the aforesaid term.
Item, all persons attached to the lord regent shall have liberty to enter the town of Crotoy on business, provided they first obtain leave from the governor.
Item, should it happen, that during this intermediate time, any armed vessel, or other having men at arms on board, appear before Crotoy, such shall not be admitted into the harbour, nor receive any succour from the vessels then within the port. Sir James de Harcourt shall not, during this aforesaid term, in any way strengthen or demolish the said town and castle.
Item, the lord regent, or his commissioners, shall, at the time of surrender, grant passports to all within the town and castle to go whithersoever they may please to join their party, and carry with them all their effects,—for the moving of which they shall be allowed fifteen days, and passports to continue for fifteen days more.
Item, sir James de Harcourt shall in like manner have passports for himself, his children and family, to depart by sea or land, as he may please, and whithersoever he shall choose.
Item, for the due performance of these articles, the said sir James shall deliver as hostages the lord Pierre de Hergicourt, knight, Boort de Fiefiez, Jean Sarpe, and Percival Combiet, esquires, Jean d'Estampes, Gilles le Roi, and Jean de Gonne, burghers of the town of Crotoy. These hostages shall be set at liberty on the surrender of Crotoy; and in case that he who calls himself their king shall, by himself or others, come to their succour, and remain victorious, these said hostages shall have their liberty as before.
On the signing this treaty, and the delivery of the hostages, the siege was broken up. Sir James de Harcourt, had all his stores of provision in Abbeville and elsewhere sold, and ordered his children from Hainault to the castle of Hamesche, whence, on their arrival, he sent them to Monstreul-Bellay.
After sir James had disposed of his stores, he embarked with a part of his people and his immense wealth, leaving sir Choquart de Cambronne his lieutenant in the castle of Crotoy. He sailed for Mont St Michel, where he was received honourably, and thence to visit his children at Monstreul-Bellay, where he deposited the greater part of his wealth.
Some days after, he waited on king Charles, who received him very kindly, and made him kingly presents. He thence took his way to visit the lord de Partenay, uncle to his lady, who was attached to the Burgundy interest. When the lord de Partenay had shewn him much honour and liberal entertainment, sir James required his uncle to give up his castle to his guard, and that he would quit the duke of Burgundy, whose quarrels he had hitherto espoused, and he (sir James) would make his peace with king Charles, so that he should keep up his usual state.
The lord de Partenay replied, that it was his intention to remain lord of his own castle and lands, and that those to whom they would belong after his decease might then do with them as they listed. Upon this, sir James, having formed his plan so that it could not fail, laid hands on the lord de Partenay, and made him prisoner in the name of king Charles. Sir James's people raised the drawbridge of the castle; but in doing so, they made a noise which alarmed the townsmen, who hastened in crowds to enquire what was the matter,—and as the bridge was neither fastened by bolt nor latch, they pulled it down again, and entered the castle so suddenly that they put to death sir James, Jean de Huselames, Jean de Frousieres, Philip de Neufville, and others of his men. Thus did sir James de Harcourt find a sudden and cruel death through somewhat too much covetousness,—although this has been related in various other manners.