CHAP. XXIII.
THE GARRISON OF GUISE CAPITULATE TO SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG AND SIR THOMAS RAMPSTONE.
WHEN sir John de Luxembourg and sir Thomas Rampstone had, with great perseverance, continued their siege of Guise and its castle until the month of September,—the garrison finding provisions grow short, and losing all hope of relief offered to capitulate with the two aforesaid lords, on the following terms.
'To all to whom these presents shall come, we John de Luxembourg lord de Beaurevoir, and Thomas Rampstone knight, chamberlain to the lord regent, and governors of this district for the king of France and of England, our sovereign lord, by the appointment of my lords the regent and the duke of Burgundy, send health and greeting.
'Know ye, that we have this day signed a treaty in the names of our lords aforesaid, with John de Proisy governor and captain of the town and castle of Guise, and with the churchmen, gentlemen, men at arms, and the burghers of the said town, according to the terms and articles hereafter to be declared.
'First, the governor and the persons aforesaid, residing within the town and castle of Guise, do promise truly and faithfully to surrender the said town and castle to one of us, or to such other person or persons as the king of France and England may depute for that purpose, on the first day of March next ensuing, provided that on or before that day they be not relieved by the princes or others of the same party as themselves, by combating us between the town of Sains and the house of Fouquausuins, which spot we have fixed on, in conjunction with the garrison of Guise, for the field of battle.
'Should those of the party of king Charles be defeated in fair combat, by the forces of the king of France and England, or put to flight, the garrison of Guise shall hold themselves bounden to deliver up the town and castle. In case the contrary should happen, and we of the party of the king of France and of England be beaten, or afraid to appear on the appointed day, we shall be bounden to return without ransom the hostages which shall have been given to us for the due observance of this treaty.
'Item, my lord the regent, and my lord of Burgundy, or those commissioned by them, shall be bound to appear with such force as they may please on the first day of March, to hold the wager of battle namely, from sun-rise of that day until sunset; and if they shall not then be fought with nor defeated, the garrison shall, without fail, or any fraud whatever, surrender the town and castle immediately after sunset, on receiving back the hostages whom they had given.
'Item, during the term of this treaty, and within one month afterward, the governor and all others within the said town and castle, of whatever rank they may be, shall have free liberty to depart singly or in companies across the river Seine, to such places as are held by their party, and carry with them, or have carried, their armour, horses, baggage and all their effects; and for their greater security we promise to deliver to them sufficient passports in the name of my lord the regent, if so required, that shall include not more than twenty in a company. Should any of them wish to go out of the kingdom, even to Hainault, they must do so at their peril.
'Item, should any now resident within Guise be inclined to remain there, or elsewhere, under the dominion of our lord the king, or of our lords the regent and the duke of Burgundy, they shall have full liberty, on taking the oaths of allegiance, and on swearing to preserve the last-made peace between the kingdoms of France and England, with the free enjoyment of all their effects and inheritances that may not before have been disposed of. Should they wish to depart, they shall not carry with them any of their moveables.
'Item, the inhabitants of Guise having passports from the conservators of the articles of this treaty, who are bounden to give them, may go to such towns as we have notified, and enter the same with the permission of their captains or governors, namely, St Quentin, Riblemont, Laon, Bruyeres, Crespy, Marle, Aubenton, Vertus and the adjacent villages, to procure provision and other necessaries for money, so that the quantities be not more than sufficient for their sustenance, until the capitulation be expired.
'Item, the inhabitants of Guise may pursue their lawful and just debts before the said conservators, who will take cognisance thereof and do justice between the parties, on hearing each side.
'Item, if during the terms of this treaty, any of the king's party shall take by scalado, or otherwise, the town and castle of Guise, we will exert ourselves to the utmost of our loyal power to force them to evacuate the same,—and we will replace them in their former state for we will neither attempt to take them ourselves, nor suffer others to do so during the said term.
'Item, in like manner those within Guise shall not, during the same term, gain openly or secretly any places dependant on the king or his allies, nor carry on any manner of warfare against his or their vassals.
'Item, a general pardon shall take place with regard to all persons indiscriminately within Guise, excepting, however, those who may have been implicated in the murder of the late duke of Burgundy, whose soul may God pardon! those who have sworn to observe the articles of the last peace concluded between France and England; those guilty of treason on the person of the duke of Brittany; all English and Irish who may be in the said town or castle; all of whom must be delivered up to justice. For the better knowledge of the aforesaid persons, the governor of Guise shall give to us in writing the names and surnames of all men at arms now within that town and castle.
'Item, should any violences be committed, contrary to the above articles, by either party, during the said term, this treaty shall not thereby be infringed nor violated; but the conservators shall have full powers to arrest and punish those, guilty of any violence, and to make restitution of whatever things may have been unlawfully plundered.
'Item, the garrison of Guise shall not, during the said term, although they have possession of the castle and town, carry on any warfare, nor give aid or support to any of their party that may be so inclined. Should it happen that any persons acting hostilely be pursued by the king's party, and chaced visibly into the said town or castle, the governor shall cause them to be delivered up to those who had thus pursued them, to be dealt with like prisoners.
'Item, the inhabitants of Guise shall not, during the said term, demolish any part of the fortifications or outworks of the said town and castle,—nor shall they in any way add to their strength.
'Item, so soon as we shall have withdrawn all our cannon, artillery, stores and engines of war, to a place of security, we will raise the siege, and depart from before the said town and castle, to go whithersoever we shall please.
'Item, the governor, the gentlemen and burghers within the said town, to the number of twenty-four persons, shall solemnly swear punctually to observe all the above articles, and promise faithfully not to infringe any one of them in the smallest degree, and those who may have a seal shall seal these articles with their seal.
'Item, for the better observance of these articles, eight persons shall be given as hostages, namely, Jean de Regnault, du Hamel, Jean de Cadeville, Jean de Beauvoir, Jean de St Germain, the elder Wautier, sir Walerant du Mont, and Jean Flangin de Noulles. In case any of the above shall die, or make their escape, during the time aforesaid, those of Guise shall be bounden alway to find eight sufficient hostages, on demand of the besiegers.
'Item, the inhabitants of Guise, in conjunction with us, have unanimously appointed as conservators of this treaty sir Daviod de Poix knight, and Collart de Proisy, or his deputy. To this sir Daviod de Poix, or to his deputy, we have given full powers and authority to grant to the said inhabitants of Guise good and sufficient passports, and to determine all suits at law that may be brought before him from either party, according to what has been before mentioned.
'Item, we have promised and sworn and do by these presents promise and swear to fulfil all things contained in these said articles, most loyally and honourably, to the utmost of our powers, and that we will have them faithfully observed and maintained by all subjects and vassals under the obedience of our lord the king, of our lord the regent, and of our lord of Burgundy.
'Item, for the greater security of the above, we will have these articles confirmed by our said lord the regent, in manner hereafter to be declared. In testimony of which, we have affixed our seals to these presents. Given at our camp before the town and castle of Guise, the 18th day of September, in the year 1424.'
When the treaty had been signed, and the hostages delivered, the siege of Guise was broken up. Sir John de Luxembourg returned to his castle of Beaurevoir, and dismissed his captains; and sir Thomas Rampstone went with the English to wait on the duke of Bedford, at Paris, by whom he was most graciously received.
About this time, the lord de Montagu, a Burgundian, concluded a treaty with Estienne de Vignolles, called La Hire, of the opposite party, that Vitry en Pertois, and other fortresses held by La Hire, should be surrendered to the lord de Montagu on the first Sunday in Lent, in case they were not relieved on or before that time by king Charles. No succour arrived, and in consequence they were yielded up according to the agreement.
In these days, sir Manfroy de St Leger and the bastard de St Pol assembled from four to five hundred combatants, and led them into Barrois, where they committed infinite mischiefs, and gathered much riches, with which they returned in safety, and without opposition to their own country.
In the month of October, the duke of Glocester and Jacqueline of Bavaria, countess of Hainault, of Holland and of Zealand, (whom the duke of Glocester had married some time before in England, although duke John of Brabant, her first husband, was still alive,) disembarked at Calais with five thousand english combatants, intending to make a powerful invasion on Hainault, and gain the government thereof, as belonging of right to the said Jacqueline. The earl marshal of England was commander in chief of these men at arms.