CHAP. XVI.
TWO MASTERS OF ARTS ARE SENT TO TOURNAY TO ADMONISH THE PEOPLE, AND TO KEEP ALIVE THEIR AFFECTION TO KING CHARLES.
IN this year, two masters of arts were sent to Tournay by king Charles, to admonish the burghers and commonalty, and to press them to continue in the loyalty they had for some time borne to him, promising, on the word of a king, that should he, through the grace of God, succeed in regaining his kingdom, he would most handsomely reward them.
These ambassadors were received by the nobles and commonalty with every honour and respect; rich presents were made them, and their expenses were most liberally paid by the municipality. When they had staid some time in Tournay, one of them departed for Berry; but the other remained behind, and made many harangues to induce the inhabitants to keep steady to the interests of king Charles,—but at length his establishment was lessened, and those in Tournay were cooled in their attachment to him, and began to repent having made him such large presents on his first arrival.
In the month of April following, sir John de Luxembourg assembled his men at arms, and in company with sir Thomas Ramstone, an english knight, went to lay siege to Oysi in Tierrache. Within a few days, le Cadet, the governor, treated conditionally to surrender the place on the 5th of May next, if he were not relieved before that day. Thus the siege was broken up, and the surrender took effect.
Nearly at the same time, sir John de Luxembourg besieged the church of Broissi, which some pillagers of king Charles's party had fortified, and committed great ravages over the country. He also besieged the tower of le Borgne; and at the capture of both places, about fourscore of these marauders were taken, with one of their captains, called le Gros Breton; and they were all hung on trees near to Sery les Maizieres.
In this year, a mischievous fire burnt about six hundred houses in the town of St Amand, with the gates of the lower court of the abbey, and the apartments of two monks of that place: only two small houses were saved within the gates of the town; and the poor inhabitants were in the utmost distress and affliction.
The truces were now broken, that had subsisted for thirteen years, between the sultan of Babylon and the king of Cyprus,—owing to falsities told the sultan by renegado Christians, that the king of Cyprus put to death the sultan's subjects whenever he could lay hands on them.
On this report, the sultan, without any declaration of war, sent six galleys full of Saracens to invade Cyprus and destroy the country with fire and sword. They first burnt and demolished the town of Lymessa, and many other parts. When the king of Cyprus was informed of this, he sent one of his knights, sir Philip Prevost, with a large body of men, to oppose them; but at the first skirmish, he was sorely wounded by an arrow in the face, and fell from his horse,—when the Saracens, advancing, cut off his head, and seizing his golden spurs, carried both with them to their galleys, and made sail for Syria.