CHAP. LXXXIV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY LAYS SIEGE TO THE CASTLE OF CHOISY, WHICH HE CONQUERS IN A FEW DAYS.
WHEN the duke of Burgundy had remained for about eight days in Noyon, he departed, to lay siege to the castle of Choisy sur Oise, in which was Louis de Flavy, holding it for sir William de Flavy. The duke's engines did so much mischief to the walls of the castle that the garrison capitulated, on being allowed to march away with their baggage in safety. So soon as they had quitted the castle, it was demolished and razed to the ground.
The duke built a bridge over the Oise, to enable himself and his army to cross toward Compiègne on the side of Mondidier. During this time, the lord de Saveuses and John de Brimeu had been appointed to guard the suburbs of Noyon, with their men, and those of the lord Montgomery and of other English captains quartered at Pont l'Evêque, to prevent the garrison of Compiègne from cutting of the supplies from the duke's army.
It happened on a certain day, that those in Compiègne, namely, Joan the Maid, sir James de Chabannes, sir Theolde de Valperghue, sir Regnault de Fontaines, Poton de Saintrailles, and others of the French captains, accompanied by about two thousand combatants, came to Pont l'Evêque between day-break and sun-rise, and attacked the quarters of the English with great courage. A sharp conflict took place; and the lord de Saveuses with John de Brimeu, with their men, hastened to their support, which renewed the vigour of the English; they together repulsed the French, who had made good progress in their quarters. About thirty were killed on each side,—and the French retreated to Compiègne, whence they had come. The English from that day strengthened their position on all sides, to avoid a similar attack.
Shortly afterward, John de Brimeu going to the duke of Burgundy with about one hundred combatants, was suddenly attacked by a party of French in the forest of Crespy in the Valois, who had come from Attichy for this purpose, and to seek adventures, and without much defence made prisoner. The reason of his being thus taken was because his men followed in a file, and were unable to form into battle-array until the attack had commenced. He was put into the hands of Poton de Saintrailles, who, in the end, gave him his liberty on paying a heavy ransom.
When the duke of Burgundy had demolished the castle of Choisy, he quartered himself in the fortress of Coudun, within a league of Compiègne, and sir John de Luxembourg was lodged in Claroi. Sir Baudo de Noielle was ordered to post himself with a certain number of men at arms on the causeway of Marigny, and the lord Montgomery and his men were quartered along the meadows of La Venette. The duke was joined by some reinforcements from his different countries, having the intention to besiege the town of Compiègne, and reduce it to the obedience of king Henry of England.