CHAP. CX.
LA HIRE CONQUERS THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF SOISSONS.—OTHER MATTERS.
La Hire about this period won the town and castle of Soissons by storm, from the governor, Guy de Roye, on the part of sir John de Luxembourg, who, not having taken the oaths to king Charles as the other burgundian captains had done, conformable to the peace at Arras, was considered by the French as an enemy. The king, however, had granted him a delay for a certain time, to consider of it, and had during that period forbidden his captains to make war on sir John, provided he and his party should abstain from war also.
When news of this event reached sir John de Luxembourg, he was much angered,—for the greater part of Soissons and its dependances appertained by legal descent to his daughter-in-law, Jane de Bar, countess of St Pol. He reinforced all his other castles with men and stores, to prevent any similar accident from befalling them. On the other hand, Guy de Roye, who held the castle of Maicampre, between Chargny and Noyon, placed a strong garrison within it, and carried on a severe warfare against La Hire, in the Soissonnois, Laonnois, and other parts attached to king Charles.
Similar reprisals were made by La Hire and the king's friends on those of sir John de Luxembourg,—and thus was the country oppressed and ruined, as well by one party as by the other.
After the duke of York had gained the town of Fécamp, by the surrender of John d'Estouteville, it was reconquered by the French from the English,—and nearly at the same time the duke of York gained, after a long siege, St Germain sur Cailly[46], when about twelve of the French were hanged. In like manner were the towns of Fontaines sur Préaux[47], Bourg,[48] Blainville,[49] Préaux,[50] Lillebonne,[51] Tancarville,[52] and other strong places reconquered, and the greater part destroyed by the English. After this, they continued to waste all the corn countries round Harfleur, with the intent of laying siege to it as speedily and as completely as they could.