CHAP. CVIII.
HUMPHRY DUKE OF GLOCESTER ARRIVES AT CALAIS WITH A LARGE ARMAMENT.—HE ENTERS FLANDERS, ARTOIS, AND OTHER TERRITORIES OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, AND DOES MUCH DAMAGE TO THEM.
A few days after the decampment of the duke of Burgundy and the Flemings, the duke of Glocester arrived at Calais with about ten thousand fighting men to combat the duke of Burgundy, had he waited for him. Since that it was otherwise, he followed the duke to Gravelines, and thence marched into Flanders, and through several towns and large villages, namely, Poperingues, Bailleul and others, whose suburbs he burnt and destroyed, for no one opposed him,—but the people fled on all sides, and none of the Flemings dared wait his coming. He drove, therefore, away great numbers of cattle, with little or no loss of men,—but they suffered much from want of bread.
He passed le Neuf-châtel, and burnt Rimesture and Valon-Chapelle. Having entered Artois, he advanced to Arques[43] and Blandêques,[44] where some skirmishing passed,—and he set fire to every town and village that lay in his way. Marching through the jurisdiction of St Omer, he committed great waste on all sides; and when near to Tournehem, Esprelecques and Bredenarde,[45] some skirmishes took place between him and the different governors: Cavart and other companions of de Langle were wounded. Many captains were expelled by force from their castles; and there were more killed and wounded near to Ardres than had been in all Flanders.
The duke of Glocester now retreated toward Guines and Calais, on account of sickness in the army, occasioned from want of bread, of which they had not a sufficiency; and many good women saved their houses by giving bread, and even got in return cattle, of which the army had plenty, and which they were driving from Flanders. They were rather embarrassed with them; for, not finding water to give them, they wandered abroad and were lost,—and those who went in search of them were very frequently surprised by the enemy when at a distance from their vanguard.
While these things were passing in Artois and Flanders, sir Thomas Kiriel and lord Faulconbridge assembled at Neuf-châtel d'Incourt about a thousand combatants, whom they led across the Somme at Blanchetaque, and quartered at Forest-montier; thence they advanced to Broye, on the river Authie, where they remained four days, and took the castle by storm, which, however, was not very strong, nor of much value,—but it belonged to the vidame of Amiens. Part of the garrison were slain, and from five to six of the English. This capture created great alarm in the country round; for they feared the enemy would keep possession, as at the time there were but few men at arms in those parts.
The English having found in this and in other towns much wealth, and made many prisoners, they returned, by way of Blanchetaque, the same road they had come, to their different garrisons, without any loss worth mentioning; but they committed very great waste on the lands of their enemies.