THE DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, SISTER TO THE COUNT DE ST POL, RE-MARRIES OF HER OWN FREE WILL.—THE KING OF SICILY NEGOTIATES WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY FOR HIS LIBERTY.—THE ENGLISH RECOVER THE TOWN OF PONTOISE.
In this year, the duchess of Bedford, sister to the count de Saint Pol, married, from inclination, an English knight called sir Richard Woodville, a young man, very handsome and well made, but, in regard to birth, inferior to her first husband, the regent, and to herself. Louis de Luxembourg, archbishop of Rouen, and her other relations, were very angry at this match, but they could not prevent it.[53]
About the end of the following November, Jacquilina of Bavaria, who had married Franche de Borselline, died, after a long and lingering illness. She was succeeded by the duke of Burgundy in all her possessions.
The king of Sicily, duke of Anjou, the duke of Bourbon, the constable of France, the chancellor, and many other noble princes and great lords, visited the duke of Burgundy, about St Andrew's day, at Lille, where he held his court. He received them most honourably. During their stay, a treaty was proposed for the liberty of the king of Sicily, for he was still a prisoner to the duke of Burgundy, as has been before mentioned,—and some of his children were hostages for him in Burgundy.
This treaty was concluded, on condition that the king of Sicily would engage to pay a certain sum of money for his ransom, for the security of which he was to pledge four of his towns and castles in his duchies of Lorraine and Bar, namely, Neuf-châtel in Lorraine, Clermont in Argonne, Princhy[54] and Louye,[55] which were to be given up to the duke when demanded. The duke of Burgundy, shortly after, placed his own garrisons and captains in these towns and castles.
Thus did the king of Sicily recover his liberty and his children; but he had only the two eldest sent to him at first, with a promise that the two others should follow, provided there was not any default of payment. In order that no delays might arise, sir Colard de Saussy and John de Chambly bound themselves, with the king of Sicily, for the due performance of all the articles of the treaty.
When this business was over, the constable of France treated with sir John de Luxembourg, who was then at Lille, that all matters in dispute between him and La Hire, on the subject of the capture of Soissons, should be referred to arbitrators, and that an end should be put to the warfare now raging between them. The term for taking the oaths of allegiance to the king of France, or for declaring for one or other of the parties, was prolonged for sir John de Luxembourg until St John Baptist's day ensuing, on his promising to abstain from all hostilities during that time.
During these feasts, William de Flavy, who had been driven out of Compiégne by the constable of France, found means to re-enter it, with a large body of men at arms, and kept possession a long time; in which at length he was confirmed by king Charles, in spite of all the attempts of the constable to reconquer it.
At this period also, the English regained by storm the town of Pontoise. The attack commenced at day-break, when great part of the garrison, consisting of about four hundred combatants of the lord de l'Isle-Adam and de Warembon's men, saved themselves by flight, leaving their baggage and effects behind them: which conquest was very hurtful to the country of the Isle de France and the adjoining parts, for the English placed a very strong garrison in Pontoise, whence detachments made excursions, and frequently to the very gates of Paris.
END OF VOL. VII.