[A. D. 1430.]
CHAP. LXXXIII.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY QUARTERS HIS ARMY AT GOURNAY SUR ARONDE.
AT the commencement of this year, the duke of Burgundy marched his army from Mondidier, and fixed his quarters at Gournay sur Aronde, in front of the castle, which belonged to Charles de Bourbon count de Clermont, his brother-in-law. He summoned Tristan de Maguillers, the governor, to surrender, or he would storm it. Tristan, seeing he could no way hold out against the duke's forces, concluded a treaty, by which he engaged to yield it up on the first day of next August, if he was not before relieved by king Charles or his party: he also promised, that neither he himself nor his garrison would, during that time, make war on any of the duke's partisans,—and by this means Tristan remained in peace.
This compromise had been hastily concluded, because the duke and sir John de Luxembourg had received intelligence to be depended upon, that the damoiseau de Commercy, Yvon du Puys and other captains, with a very large force, had besieged the castle of Montagu. Commercy, to whom this castle belonged, had marched thither secretly a great number of combatants, with bombards, veuglaires and other warlike engines, intending, by an unexpected and sharp assault, to recover the place; but it was well defended by those whom sir John de Luxembourg had placed therein. The principal leaders of the garrison were two notable men at arms, one of whom was an englishman, and the other Georges de la Croix.
They were frequently summoned to surrender, but would not listen to the summons, for they had not a doubt but that they should be very shortly succoured. At length, the besiegers having learnt that the duke of Burgundy was marching against them, and that they must stand the chance of a battle, were panic-struck, and so great was their fear that they marched away about midnight for their own garrisons, leaving their cannon, bombards, and all their stores behind. Information of this was instantly dispatched to the duke and sir John de Luxembourg, who made all diligence to attack them, and the duke marched his whole army to Noyon.
In these days sir John de Luxembourg advanced against Beauvais, and on the countries of the enemy, particularly against sir Louis de Vaucourt and his men, who had remained there for a considerable time during the winter, and set fire to a castle which they had repaired. The enemy retired within the town of Beauvais; and sir John encamped before the castle of Prouveulieu, which some Englishmen had refortified, and, by their excursions from thence, frequently oppressed the town of Mondidier, and the territories of the duke of Burgundy. They were soon forced to submit to sir John, who had the greater part executed and the rest sent to different prisons: having done this, he returned to the duke of Burgundy at Noyon.