CHAP. XX.
THE ENGLISH CONQUER THE BULWARK AT LAGNY-SUR-MARNE.
During the month of March of this year, the duke of Bedford, in conjunction with the council of king Henry then at Paris, ordered a body of men at arms to march and subject to the king's obedience some castles held by the French on the borders of the Isle of France, such as Mongay, Gournay, and others. They were also commanded to destroy the bridge of Lagny sur Marne.
The chief commanders of this force were the earl of Arundel, the eldest son of the earl of Warwick, the lord de l'Isle-Adam, marshal of France to king Henry, sir John bastard de St Pol, sir Galois d'Aunay lord d'Orville, and others. When they left Paris, they were about twelve hundred fighting men, having with them abundance of carts and carriages, with cannon and other artillery. In a few days, they came before the above mentioned castles, which were soon constrained to submit. Some of the garrisons marched away in safety, and with part of their baggage; while others remained at the discretion of the English,—many of whom were executed, and others ransomed.
After these surrenders, the English took the road toward Lagny sur Marne; and on their arrival before it, the earl of Arundel had a large bombard pointed against the arch of the drawbridge leading to the town, which broke it down at the first discharge, so that all communication with the bulwark at the opposite end of the bridge was cut off.
The earl now made a fierce attack on this bulwark, and won it, notwithstanding the few within defended it with much courage and obstinacy. John of Luxembourg, one of the bastards of St Pol, was killed at this attack, and others wounded. The English broke down the bridge in many places, and, having set the bulwark on fire, retired to their quarters.
The English having determined to make an attempt, within a few days, on the town of Lagny on different parts at the same time, the earl of Arundel remained with a certain number of men for that purpose. When the day arrived, and as the marshal and the other captains were marching to the assault, sir John de Luxembourg bastard of St Pol, who bore for his device, and on his banner, a brilliant sun, said aloud, in the hearing of many, that he made a vow to God, that if the sun entered the town, he would do the same,—which expression was diversely construed by those who heard it.
They advanced gallantly to storm the place; but by the vigilance and intrepidity of Huçon Queue, a Scotsman, sir John Foucault, and the other captains in the town, they were boldly received, and very many of the assailants were killed or severely wounded. They lost also four or five of their banners and pennons, which were, by force of arms, drawn into the town by their two ends: one was the banner of the lord de l'Isle-Adam, and another, having the sun on it, that of the bastard de St Pol, who had vowed to enter the place if the sun did. They were forced to retreat to their quarters with shame and disgrace.
At the end of three days, the greater part of the men disbanded without leave of their captains,—saying that they were losing their time by a longer stay, for that they ran a greater risk of loss than gain,—and returned to the duke of Bedford at Paris. These English and Burgundians had been eight days before Lagny, battering the walls with their artillery, before they made this attack.