CHAP. LXIV.
THE LORD WILLOUGHBY AND MATHAGON LAY SIEGE TO ST SEVERIN, WHERE THE ENGLISH ARE AT FIRST VICTORIOUS, BUT ARE AFTERWARDS DEFEATED BY THE FRENCH.
In this same year of 1434, the lord Willoughby, accompanied by Mathagon and some other captains, and from eight hundred to a thousand combatants, laid siege to a very strong place in the country of Maine called St Severin, about two leagues distant from Alençon, which was held by the French. The governor was a gallant knight, named sir Anthony de Loreuil, who, on the arrival of the enemy, made a vigorous defence: nevertheless, the English surrounded the place on all sides, and remained there about six weeks.
While this was going forward, the lord de Bueil, sir William Blesset, the lord de la Varenne, and other French captains, assembled about fourteen hundred fighting men, with the intent to force the enemy to raise their siege. They remained for some days at Beaumont le Vicomte, where part of them were quartered, and the remainder at Vivien, four leagues distant from St Severin. While at Beaumont, they called a council of all the chief captains, to consider how they should act; when, after much noise and debating, they considered themselves not strong enough to fight the English in their present situation, and determined to attempt withdrawing the besieged the back way out of the town.
The captains now returned to their different quarters, and established good guards around them during the night, both of horse and foot. The lord de Bueil was, on this expedition, lieutenant for the lord Charles d'Anjou, and had the charge of his banner.
This same night, a detachment of the English, having had intelligence of the advance of the French, took the field, and marched in silence until they came near to the town of Vivien, whither they sent scouts to reconnoitre the state of the French, who, having twice entered Vivien, brought word they were in tolerable good order. The English then made an attack on their quarters about day-break, and easily defeated them without much loss. Many were taken and killed: among the last was a valiant man from Amiens, but originally from Auvergne, called John de Belley.
When the business was over, the English took the field with their prisoners; but the lords de Bueil and de la Varenne, who were in Beaumont, hearing of this discomfiture from the runaways, made instant preparations to pursue the English, who no sooner saw them than they rejoiced, thinking to defeat them as they had done the others,—and each party met gallantly. Many valorous acts were done on both sides; but, in the end, the English lost the day, partly from the prisoners whom they had taken at Vivien joining the French. A valiant knight named Arthur, was slain, and Mathagon made prisoner,—but the bastard of Salisbury fled. Four hundred, or more, of the English were killed or taken, and the French left masters of the field, very joyful for their victory. When the English who had remained at the siege of St Severin heard of the ill success of their companions, they raised the siege, and retreated to the garrisons whence they had come.