CHAP. LXXVII.
THE ENGLISH MAKE MANY CONQUESTS.
IN this year the duke of Bedford had the castle of Torcy besieged, which was the best built and strongest in all that part of the country. The command of the besieging army was given to the bastard of Clarence, who by his cannon and other engines, which he kept continually playing against it, greatly damaged the walls. At the end of six months, the besieged seeing no hope of relief, and finding that their provision began to fail, entered into a treaty with the bastard of Clarence for their surrender, on condition that some of the principal inhabitants might depart whither they pleased with their effects; and that from ten to twelve others, who had formerly been of the english party, but who had even aided the French to win the castle, should remain at their pleasure. These were very cruelly put to death, and the castle was then demolished and razed to the ground.
In the month of January of this year, sir Thomas Kiriel, an Englishman, with four hundred combatants, most part of whom were his countrymen, marched from Gournay in Normandy, where they had been in garrison, passing by Beauvais toward Beauvoisis and the county of Clermont. He committed much mischief in those parts, seized many cattle, especially horses, and made several prisoners. He advanced even to the suburbs of Clermont, and then set out on his return to his garrison.
The count de Clermont was then at Beauvais, and hearing of this enterprise of sir Thomas, quickly collected from all the neighbouring garrisons attached to king Charles eight hundred or more combatants. To these were added a multitude of peasants, as well from Beauvais as from the adjacent parts,—and all of them hastened to meet and fight the English.
Sir Thomas had heard from his scouts of their coming, and had drawn up his men in battle-array, about a league off Beauvais, to wait for them. They were on foot, having a wood on their rear, and sharp stakes in front to prevent the horse from charging without great danger to themselves. The French, nevertheless, began the attack, and very severe it was on both sides, but, as they were on horseback, were soon repulsed by the arrows of the archers, and thrown into confusion: the English then, seizing their opportunity, rushed on them with such courage that the enemy were defeated, very many being slain, and upward of a hundred of these peasants made prisoners. They gained the field of battle,—for the horsemen had retreated, very melancholy at their loss, to Beauvais. Sir Thomas, rejoiced at his victory, carried his prisoners and plunder safe to his garrison of Gournay.
The earl of Suffolk, about this time laid siege to the castle of Aumale, of which the lord de Rambures was governor, having under him six score combatants. The castle was surrounded on all sides; and at the end of twenty-four days it was constrained to surrender, on condition that the lord de Rambures and his men should have their lives spared, with the exception of about thirty who were hanged, because they had formerly taken oaths of fidelity to the English and had been of their party. Soon afterward, the lord de Rambures was carried to England, where he remained prisoner five or six years before he could obtain his liberty. The castle was revictualled and regarrisoned. Thus did the English regain, this year, many strong places which the French had won, with scarcely any loss of men.