CHAP. XXVII.
THE BURGUNDIANS, UNDER PRETENCE OF BEING ENGLISH, GAIN THE CASTLE OF LA BOUE, NEAR TO LAON.—OTHER MATTERS.
At this same period, the men of the lord de Ternant, who resided in Rethel, dressed themselves with the red cross, to counterfeit being English, and, on a certain day, won by stratagem the castle of la Boue, within two leagues of Laon. They were under the command of a man at arms called Nicholas Chevalier; and, by means of this capture, those of Laon, and other places under the obedience of king Charles, suffered much.
The reason why they put on the red cross was on account of the truce between king Charles and the duke of Burgundy, which was not then expired. They had always been of the duke's party; and very many mischiefs were done to the poor countrymen by English, French, and Burgundians.
The count de Vaudemont, at this time also, assembled three or four hundred combatants in Picardy, whom he conducted to his town of Vezelize: one of his captains was the bastard de Humieres: and on their arrival, they commenced a severe warfare on the Barrois and Lorrainers, to whom they did much mischief by fire, sword and plunder.
In the month of October, the duke and duchess of Burgundy went to Holland, escorted by about six hundred combatants from Picardy. The duke staid there about a month to examine the country,—and during that time, a treaty was concluded between his counsellors and those of the duchess of Bavaria, by which it was settled that the duke of Burgundy should from the present enjoy all the honours, profits, and emoluments of the countries of Hainault, Holland, Zealand and Frizeland, with their dependancies, as his own hereditary right; but that, should the duke die before the said duchess, all these territories were to return to her as the legal heiress of them.
Many noble lordships and rich estates were at the same time allotted her together with the county of Ostrevant, of which county alone she was now to style herself countess, laying aside all the titles of the above-named places. When these matters had been finally concluded, the duke consented that his cousin the duchess should marry sir François de Borselle, which had been secretly treated of between the parties. The duke of Burgundy henceforward styled himself, in addition to his former titles, Count of Hainault, Holland and Zealand, and lord of Frizeland. On the conclusion of this treaty, he returned to Flanders.