CHAP. XXXV.
A WAR TAKES PLACE BETWEEN SIR JOHN AND SIR ANTHONY DU VERGY AND THE LORD DE CHASTEAU-VILAIN.
In this same year, a great discord arose between sir John and sir Anthony du Vergy, burgundian knights, and the lord de Château-Vilain, which ended in an open war. The lord de Château-Vilain, the more to annoy his enemies, turned to the party of the king of France, together with sir Legier d'Estouteville, Jean de Verpelleurs, and some other gentlemen, who had long been his allies and wellwishers. By this conduct they broke their oaths to the duke of Burgundy, their natural lord, with whom the lord de Château-Vilain had been on the most intimate terms.
This lord also returned the badge of the duke of Bedford which he had long worn, which made the duke very indignant; and he blamed him greatly in the presence of the person who had brought the badge, saying that he had thus falsified the oath he had made him.
The duke of Burgundy was likewise very much displeased when it came to his knowledge, and he sent pressing orders to all his captains in Burgundy to exert themselves to the utmost in harrassing the lord de Château-Vilain. In obeying these orders, the country of Burgundy suffered much,—for the lord de Château-Vilain had many castles in different parts of it, which he garrisoned with his friends.
By the forces of the duke, assisted by the lords du Vergy and others of the nobles of Burgundy, he was so hardly pushed that the greater part of his castles were conquered and demolished, namely, Graussy, Flongy, Challancy, Villiers le Magnet, Nully, the castle of St Urban, Blaise, Saint Vorge, Esclaron, Varville, Cussay, Romay, Vaudemont, and Lasoncourt.
The siege of Graussy lasted more than three months under the command of Jean du Vergy, the principal in this quarrel, having with him sir William de Baufremont, William de Vienne, sir Charles du Vergy, and twelve hundred combatants. The lord de Château-Vilain, with the heir of Commercy and Robert de Vaudricourt, and sixteen hundred fighting men, marched to raise the siege, when a grand skirmish took place, but only one man was killed.
The lord de Château-Vilain, however, finding that he could not attempt to raise the siege without very great danger from the strength of his enemies, retreated to the place whence he had come; and shortly after, sir Denis de Sainct-Flour, who commanded within the castle, capitulated to surrender the place, on the garrison being allowed to march away in safety with their lives and baggage.
Having concluded this treaty, sir Denis went to the king of France, who had him beheaded for several charges that had been made against him, and also for having put his wife to death.
At this time, some captains of the duke of Burgundy took by storm and by scalado the town of Epernai, belonging to Charles duke of Orleans, a prisoner in England, in which every disorder was committed as in a conquered town.