CHAP. III.
CHARLES THE DAUPHIN IS CROWNED KING OF FRANCE, IN CONSEQUENCE OF HIS FATHER'S DEATH.
AFTER the death of the king of France, his only son Charles the dauphin, by the advice of the nobles of his party, was crowned king, in the town of Poitiers,—and from that day was called King of France by his adherents, as his father had been before him. A short time prior to this, he had narrowly escaped being killed; for while he was holding a council in the town of la Rochelle, part of the chamber in which he was sitting fell in, when John de Bourbon, lord of Prèaux, and some more were killed. The dauphin was slightly wounded; but his attendants hastily extricated him from his danger, and carried him to a place of security, where he soon recovered his health.
In this year, sir Mansart d'Esne was made prisoner in the castle of Vitry, of which he was governor, by la Hire, both of them being adherents to the dauphin, and notwithstanding they had long been intimate friends. Sir Mansart, however, was deprived of all his effects, of his castle, and a high price withal fixed for his ransom, while he was kept in close confinement for a length of time. It was commonly reported, that John Raoullet was a party concerned with la Hire in playing this trick.
When sir John de Luxembourg had collected his men at arms at Peronne, he entered the country of Guise, and having soon subdued the forts of Buissy-sur-Fontaines, Proisy and some others, and conquered that country, he returned homeward, and disbanded his troops, when they all retired to the places they had come from.