were in great distress and dismay on hearing of these proclamations,-but they carefully guarded their town, and remained a considerable time in this situation. However, at length a treaty was entered into between them, by which the duke received a very large sum of money, and the magistrates recovered his good graces.

CHAPTER CLXXIV.-THE FRENCH CONQUER THE TOWN OF ST. DENIS FROM THE ENGLISH.

WHILE these things were passing in Brabant, the French won the town of St. Denis from the English by storm. They were about twelve hundred combatants, under the command of sir John Foulcault, sir Louis de Vaucourt, sir Regnault de St. Jean, and other captains, who put to death some of the English whom they found in the town. The Parisians began to be alarmed by this conquest, as it was so near, and would probably cut off all provision coming to Paris,—for the French made frequent excursions to their walls. To prevent any supplies being delayed from Normandy, they sent deputations to the duke of Bedford at Rouen, and to Louis de Luxembourg, bishop of Therouenne and chancellor of France for king Henry, to request that a sufficiency of men-at-arms might be ordered to Paris, to defend them against the enemy.

By the advice of the chancellor, sir John bastard of St. Pol, Louis his brother, Waleran de Moreul, sir Ferry de Mailly, Robert de Neuf-ville, and some other gentlemen, with five hundred men, were sent to them from the frontiers of Picardy. They took the road from Rouen, and safely arrived in Paris, where they were most joyously received; and, with the counsels and aid of the lord de l'Isle-Adam, governor of Paris for king Henry, they commenced a sharp warfare with the French in St. Denis.

The French, notwithstanding the resistance they experienced, frequently advanced near to Paris; and many severe conflicts took place between that town and Saint Denis. They also gained the castle of Escouen, near Montmorency, from the English, and put to death about thirty whom they found in it. They then marched to the castle of Orville, near to Louvres, belonging to Anglois d'Aunay, knight, attached to the party of Henry of Lancaster. When they had been before it two days, a treaty was concluded for its surrender on a certain day, unless the English should appear there in force to offer the French battle. Before the term expired, the lords Talbot, Scales, and Warwick, with George de Richammes, the bastard de Thian, sir François l'Arragonois, and others, to the amount of three thousand combatants, assembled, and marched to join the lord de l'Isle-Adam in Paris; and, when united, they all came to the castle of Orville to keep the appointment made with the French for its surrender; but the French neither appeared nor sent any message, so that this castle remained in the peaceful possession of its lord. Henceforward, the English were superior in the field to their enemies in the Isle de France, and subjected the whole of the open country to their obedience, reconquering several castles held by the French.

CHAPTER CLXXV.-THE FRENCH, AFTER HAVING AGREED TO A TRUCE WITH THE BURGUNDIANS ON THE FRONTIERS OF THE BEAUVOISIS, OVERRUN THE BOULONOIS AND OTHER PARTS.

At this time, a truce was concluded by the partisans of the duke of Burgundy on the frontiers of Santerre and Mondidier, with La Hire and his men. The last engaged, for a large sum of money paid down, to demolish the strong castle of Bretueil, in the Beauvoisis, which was done. On the conclusion of this truce, the great and little Blanchefort*, Poton the Burgundian, and about six hundred combatants, marched away from the country of Beauvais to the town of Rue. They had not been long there, when they made an excursion, together with the garrison, into the country of the Boulonnois. They marched silently by the town of Estaples, not to alarm it, and advanced to Deure, and thence to Sameraux-bois.

Little Blanchefort is said to have been made prisoner, in the 171st chapter.

The inhabitants of this part of the country were totally unsuspecting of any attack likely to be made on them, and were therefore a defenceless prey to the enemy, who made prisoners of the greater part, bound them, and carried them away, with all their most valuable furniture and stock. They ransomed the town of Samer for a considerable sum of money; and on their return, spread themselves over the country, destroying everything with fire and sword without meeting any opposition. Having burnt many houses in the town of Fresnes, and done unnumbered mischiefs to the Boulonnois, they returned with a multitude of prisoners to Estaples, where they halted and refreshed themselves for some time; and because the inhabitants had retreated within the castle, and would not ransom their town, they set it on fire, and committed every damage on their departure, which was a grievous loss, for it was well built and very populous. They made their retreat good to the town of Rue, notwithstanding that sir John de Croy, the lord de Crequi, the lord de Humieres, and others of the country, had assembled, to the amount of three hundred combatants, in the hopes of cutting off their retreat: it was in vain, for the French rode in such compact order that no advantage could be taken of them; and they arrived safely at the places whence they had come.

When the French had remained some days at Rue, and divided their plunder, they made another excursion toward Dourlens and Hêdin, burning and destroying the countries they traversed, and bringing home many prisoners and great pillage of everything that was portable. They returned by La Broi, and made an attack on the castle; but it was so well defended by those whom the vidame of Amiens had placed therein, that several of the assailants were wounded. Perceiving that they were losing time, they retreated to Rue with their plunder. They continued these inroads on the territories of the duke of Burgundy; but, in one of them, Harpin de Richammes made prisoner sir John de Bressay near Montreuil. At another time, the little Blanchefort was taken by one of the bastards of Renty. In this manner did the French destroy those parts that were near to Rue: they even burnt the town of Cressi on the Authie, which was part of the proper domain of the king.