CHAP. LXX.
THE COMMON PEOPLE OF NORMANDY ASSEMBLE IN LARGE BODIES BEFORE CAEN.
The commonalty of Normandy had not forgotten the ungenerous conduct of the English when they had last risen in rebellion. They again assembled by the exhortations of the lord de Merville and other gentlemen, who offered to lead them to battle, to the amount of about twelve thousand, in the country near to Bayeux,—whence their leaders marched them toward Caen, with the intent of taking that town by surprise, but it was well defended by the garrison and inhabitants.
When they found they could not succeed, they departed thence, making great mockeries of their enemies, and marched to Avranches, before which place they remained eight days, in hopes that the duke of Alençon would come to their support with a strong force of men at arms,—but in this they were disappointed.
The English, in the mean time, collected numbers of men to offer them battle; but their intention being known to the leaders of this commonalty, they marched away toward Brittany and Fougeres,—and soon after they separated without having done any thing worthy of notice. For this conduct, their captains were banished, and their estates and effects confiscated, together with those of all their accomplices and adherents: but afterward some exceptions were made in regard to several of the commonalty.
About this time, William Coraon, the English governor of Meure, made an excursion as far as Yvis, in the country of Ligny, with only three hundred combatants,—and was followed by Jean de Beaurain, with a company of six hundred, to give him battle, when he was defeated, and the greater part of his men taken or slain.
La Hire now took by storm the old fort of Amiens, wherein he remained eight or ten days. When he had pillaged it of all it contained, he returned to Breteuil, whence he had come.