At the second gate were the figures of St. Thomas, St. Denis, St. Maurice, St. Louis of France, and Ste. Genevieve in the middle. There was likewise a representation of the holy sepulchre, of the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, and of his meeting Mary Magdalen. Item, at St. Catherine's, in the street of St. Denis, was a representation of the descent of the Holy

ENTRY OF CHARLES VII. INTO PARIS.-From the Colbert MS. of Monstrelet, engraved in Montfaucon's Monarchie Française, iii. 39.

Ghost on the Apostles. Before the Châtelet was the annunciation of the angel to the shepherds, singing, "Glory be to God on high," &c. Suspended below the gate were represented the attributes of justice, with divine law, the law of nature, and the law of man. On the opposite side, against the slaughter-houses, were exhibited the last judgment, paradise, and hell in the centre was St. Michael weighing souls in a balance. Item, at the foot of the Great Bridge, behind the Châtelet, was represented the baptism of our Lord, and St. Margaret issuing out of the mouth of a dragon.

When the king came to the front of the church of Notre Dame, he dismounted, and was shortly harangued by the members of the university. The following prelates were waiting for his arrival before the great door: the archbishop of Toulouse and of Sens, the bishops of Paris, of Clermont, of St. Mangon, near Montpellier, the abbots and superior clergy of St. Denis, of St. Maur, of St. Germain near Paris, of Sainte Magloire, and of Sainte Genevieve. The king made the usual oaths in the hands of the bishop of Paris, and then entered the church, where had been erected three arches, like to those at Amiens thre last day of the year, covered with tapers and wax lights.

When the king had offered up his prayers, he went to the palace, where he lay that night. He was escorted on his entrance by about eight hundred archers, well equipped and in handsome array, under the command of the count of Angoulême. The king and the dauphin were dressed in plain armour, all but their heads: on that of the king was a tourmole

Tourmole. Q. Not in any of my dictionaries.

covered with silversmith's-work. His horse's housing was of dark blue velvet, richly embroidered with large flowers-de-luce in gold, which reached to the ground. The headpiece was of polished steel, bearing a handsome plume of feathers. He was preceded a few paces by Poton de Saintrailles, carrying the royal helmet on a staff supported by his thigh, having a rich crown on the top, and in the centre was a double flower-de-luce. His horse was led by a gentleman on foot, named Jean d'Olon,—and the canopy was all the while borne over his head. The king was followed by his pages, very richly dressed, and ornamented with silversmith's-work, as well as their horses.

A little before Poton rode the constable of France, the counts de Vendôme and de Tancarville, and others of the high nobility, handsomely mounted and richly dressed. At a short distance behind the king was the dauphin, his armour covered over with silversmith's-work, as well as his horse, and his pages and their horses also. He was accompanied by his uncle the lord Charles d'Anjou, the counts de Perdiac and de la Marche, and followed by the bastard of Orleans in plain armour,—but his horse's accoutrements were highly ornamented. He had on a rich scarf of gold, which fell down on the back of his horse. He commanded the king's battalion consisting of about a thousand lances, the flower of the men-at-arms, most handsomely dressed out, themselves and horses.

With regard to the other knights, esquires, and gentlemen present at this ceremony, they were very numerous, and richly equipped at all points, and their horses loaded with silversmith's work. Among these, but after the princes, sir James de Chabannes and the lord de Restelant had the reputation of being most handsomely dressed, themselves, their attendants, and horses. The crowd of common people was so great that it was difficult to walk the streets; and they sang carols in all the squares, and other places, as loud as they could, for the welcome return of their natural lord and king, with his son the dauphin. Many even wept for joy at this happy event.

The king and the dauphin, as I have said, when the ceremonies were over, went to the Palace, where they were lodged, and the lords, knights, and others in different houses in Paris as well as they could. It was proclaimed in the king's name, by sound of trumpet, that no one, whatever his rank, should ill treat the Parisians in body or effects, on pain of instant death.

On the morrow, the king displayed to the populace, in the Holy Chapel, the relics of the true cross of our Saviour, and the lance which had pierced his side while on the cross: after which he mounted his horse, and went to lodge at the New Hotel, near the Bastilie,—and the dauphin did the same at the Tournelles. They remained for a considerable time in Paris, during which, many new regulations were made for the better government of the realm: and several new offices were created at Paris, as well in the court of parliament as elsewhere.

Some days after the king's entry into Paris, the counts de la Marche and de Perdiac (sons to Bernard count d'Armagnac, formerly constable of France, who had been basely murdered by the Parisians) went to the spot where their father had been buried, attended by many lords, as well spiritual as temporal, and had the body taken up, put into a leaden coffin, and carried to the church of St. Martin-des-Champs, where a solemn service, attended by the members of the greater part of the colleges and university of Paris, was performed for his soul. On the morrow, the coffin was placed on a car covered with black, and conveyed out of the town with much solemnity, and thence conducted by his two said sons, and a numerous company of friends and attendants, to the county of Armagnac.

CHAPTER CCXX.-THE COMMONALTY OF BRUGES BECOME MORE MODERATE IN THEIR PROCEEDINGS, AND SEND AMBASSADORS TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY TO SUE FOR PEACE.

THE men of Bruges now began to feel that they had greatly offended their prince the duke of Burgundy, and were much alarmed; for, as none of the great towns in Flanders would afford them support or assistance, they could not long withstand the duke. They knew also, that they were not in great favour with the Ghent men; and each day brought

them intelligence of the mighty preparations their lord was making to subjugate them, in which he would have the aid of Ghent. For these and other reasons, they found means to send ambassadors to the duke at Arras, to endeavour to conclude a peace. The business was discussed at length, and occupied much time,—during which, those of Bruges relaxed in their excursions, and ceased harassing the country as they had hitherto done.

CHAPTER CCXXI.- THE LORD D'AUXY AND SIR

FLORIMONT DE BRIMEU, SENESCHAL OF

PONTHIEU AND OF ABBEVILLE, MARCH TO LAY SIEGE TO CROTOY.

ABOUT the middle of October, in this year, the lord d'Auxy, commander-in-chief on the frontiers of Ponthieu and Abbeville, together with sir Florimont de Brimeu, seneschal of the same, and a bold and hardy knight of Rhodes, called sir John de Foix, assembled a certain number of combatants. These they marched before the castle of Crotoy, held by the English, with the hope of conquering and putting it under the obedience of the duke of Burgundy within a short time, from the intelligence of a peasant,-who had lately, as he said, been in the castle, and the garrison had so wasted their corn and flour, that he gave them to understand they would not be able to hold out, from famine, more than one month.

On this report, which was afterward found to be untrue, they fixed their quarters in front of the castle, within the old inclosure of the town. They demanded assistance from different lords, who sent them some men-at-arms. They were also much aided with provisions and money from Abbeville, the inhabitants of which were very desirous that Crotoy should be conquered, for the garrison had frequently done them great mischief. They sent intelligence of what they were about to the duke of Burgundy, and required his support. The duke despatched some of his household to examine into the matter, and they reported to him, that unless the place were blockaded by sea, it would be impossible to reduce it by famine. Upon this, the duke wrote letters to the governors of Dieppe, St. Valery, and of the adjoining seaports, to hire as many vessels as they could to blockade the entrance to the river Somme; and went himself to the castle of Hêdin, whither he sent for sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, who had been formerly governor of Crotoy, to ask his opinion as to the probability of its being conquered.

The duke ordered sir John to join the lord d'Auxy and his companions, with a body of men-at-arms, and to take the chief command of the siege. He went thither also himself, with few attendants, to examine into the state of the business, but made no long stay. That his men might be undisturbed by the English in their quarters, either by sea or land, from Crotoy, he ordered a large blockhouse to be erected, wherein they might be more securely lodged. It was very substantially built, and surrounded with ditches, under the directions of a knight called sir Baudo de Noyelle. When this was done, other works were erected, and the whole provided with a sufficiency of all sorts of stores and provision. In the interim, several skirmishes passed,-and in one of them the lieutenant-governor of Crotoy was taken prisoner by the lord d'Auxy.

Intelligence of these preparations of the duke of Burgundy was carried to king Henry of England and his council, who were not well pleased thereat; for they were sensible of the great advantage of Crotoy to facilitate their landing a force in Picardy. It was therefore resolved to provide a speedy remedy against them; and letters were instantly despatched to the governor of Rouen, ordering him to collect as large a body of men-at-arms as he could in Normandy, and to march to the relief of Crotoy. This order was immediately published, and four thousand combatants, as well horse as infantry, speedily assembled, under the command of lord Talbot, lord Faulconbridge, sir Thomas Kiriel, and others. They advanced to the abbey of St. Valery, where they quartered themselves, having brought provision with them.

While this army was collecting, the duke of Burgundy, having had information of the intentions of the English, had previously summoned from Picardy and his other dominions the greater part of his nobility and men-at-arms, who might amount to eight hundred or a

9

thousand fighting men. They marched from Hêdin, and had arrived at Abbeville the day before the English came to the abbey of St. Valery. The duke of Burgundy was attended on this expedition by the count d'Estampes, his nephew of Cleves, the count de St. Pol, and other nobles. Sir John de Luxembourg had also, in obedience to his summons, joined him at Hêdin, but he excused himself to the duke for not bearing arms, because he had not then sent back his oath of alliance with the English, and could not therefore with honour then take part against them: but this excuse, as I was informed, was not well received by the duke of Burgundy, who remonstrated with him on the occasion,-how he was bound by his oath to serve him, as his vassal; that he wore his order, and had always been attached to his party; for all these reasons, therefore, he could not honourably refuse to serve him, more especially as it was to repulse his enemies, who had invaded several parts of his dominions. Notwithstanding the duke's arguments, sir John de Luxembourg returned home with his permission, and obtained from the duke letters of remission to this effect. When the duke, on his arrival at Abbeville, was assured of the coming of the English, he reinforced that town with all sorts of stores and provision, and there might be with him from eight hundred to a thousand expert and well-tried men-at-arms. When the duke asked them if they thought they could hold out the place against the enemy, they replied, that they had no doubt of so doing. The duke determined not to make any engagement of fighting the English on an appointed day, and to avoid a general action; to guard all the defiles and fords, and to attack them in their quarters, or wherever they should meet them to their disadvantage, and to endeavour to cut off their supplies. These plans were not, however, carried into execution.

The English, having fixed their quarters in the abbey of Saint Valery, immediately crossed the river at a ford above Crotoy, to the number of three or four hundred, and foraged the whole of the country round the blockhouse, and even as far as the town of Rue. They made prisoners of some men-at-arms, with their horses and baggage, without meeting with any to oppose them. The whole army marched on the morrow very early, and crossed the river in good order: about two thousand of the infantry had the water above their middle and drew up in battle-array on an eminence above the town, and in sight of those within the blockhouse, who were expecting an attack every moment, and in consequence made preparation for their defence. On this occasion, the following were created knights in the blockhouse: James de Craon, lord of Dommart in Ponthieu, Aymon de Moucy, lord of Massy, Eustache d'Inchy, the tall bastard of Renty, Anthony d'Ardentin, lord of Bouchanes, Harpin de Richammes, Gilles de Fay, and some others.

The English, who had been unmolested on their march, advanced to Forest-monstier*, two leagues distant, and there quartered themselves.-Two days after they took the field, and halted at a large village called La Broyet, on the river Authie, which was full of all kinds of provision: they remained at this village four or five days, whence parties of a hundred or six score went daily foraging all the villages within half a league of their quarters. While they remained at la Broye, a party went to set fire to a considerable village called Angien, close to Hêdin, although the duke had detached a large body of menat-arms to Hêdin for the defence of that place and the surrounding country; but, to say the truth, the English did little mischief. On their departure from la Broye, they burned it down, and advanced to Auxi, where they staid three days, making thence excursions in small parties to forage all the country round, and without the smallest hindrance on the part of their adversaries, of whom it is necessary now to speak.

The duke of Burgundy remained in Abbeville, but had detached the greater part of his men to garrison and defend the principal towns and castles in that part of his territories. He one day sent the lord de Croy and Jean de Brimeu, bailiff of Amiens, to inspect the blockhouse at Crotoy, and to learn if those within were firmly resolved to defend it.-On their arrival, they soon discovered that the greater number would gladly be out of it, could they do it with honour. It was therefore concluded by the duke and his ministers, on hearing this report, that to avoid worse happening, all the artillery and stores should be packed up, and the men-at-arms retreat with them to the town of Rue, after they should Broye, bailiwick of Hedin.

* Forest-monstier,-election of Dourlens, near Abbeville.

have set fire to the blockhouse. The garrison, however, did not make so honourable a retreat,for without any reasonable cause, nor seeing the enemy near them, great part mutinied, and sallied out of the blockhouse in the utmost confusion and disorder, leaving behind the artillery, the most part of their armour, and much other baggage, and thus they marched to Rue. Some of their captains took great pains to rally and bring them back, but in vain. Fire had been secretly set to the outworks, which soon communicated with the blockhouse and consumed it. The English made a sally from the castle, shouting after them as they would have done to a ribald mob.

Shortly after, the captains, who were (as may be supposed) the most valiant and renowned belonging to the duke of Burgundy, left the place, ashamed of the conduct of their men, and went to Rue, and thence to other places under their obedience. The principal among them were, sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, sir Florimont de Brimeu, sir Jacques de Brimeu, sir Baudo de Noyelle-all four bearing the order of the Golden Fleece; sir Waleran de Moreul, the lord d'Auxi, sir Galois de Renty, the lord de Fremesen, sir Robert de Saveuses, sir Jacques de Craon, sir Jean d'Arly, with a great number of knights and esquires from Picardy, who were much blamed for this dishonourable retreat. They excused themselves by throwing the fault on the archers, whom they said they could not restrain.

The English heard of this event the day it happened, and were greatly rejoiced. In consequence, they resolved to recross the Somme and return to the places they had come from, and burned down the town of Auxi, which was a fair and considerable place. They took the road to Crotoy, and lodged at Nonnion on the morrow, they recrossed the Somme at the place where they had crossed it before, and quartered themselves at the abbey of St. Valery, and thence returned to Rouen and other parts under their command, carrying with them many prisoners, horses, cattle, and all the plunder they had made. They had done great damage to the country by burning seven or eight towns and villages, without meeting with any opposition from their adversaries, who had hanged only thirty or forty foragers that had straggled at too great a distance from the main body.

When the English were departed, the duke of Burgundy retired to Hedin, where he dismissed all his men-at-arms excepting those appointed to guard the frontiers.

CHAPTER CCXXII.-A

LARGE BODY OF MEN-AT-ARMS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF SEVERAL FRENCH CAPTAINS, HARASS THE COUNTRY OF HAINAULT. THEY ARE NICKNAMED SKINNERS.

WHEN King Charles had resided some time in Paris, he departed for Tours in Touraine. After he was gone, several of his captains set out for the frontiers of Normandy, as they found great difficulty to maintain themselves,—namely, Anthony de Chabannes, Blanchefort, Gaultin de Bron, Floquet, Pierre, Regnault Chapelle, Mathelin d'Escouvet, and others. On assembling together, they mustered about two thousand horse, and took the road through the country of Vimeu, to cross the Somme at Blanchetaque, and quarter themselves in the country of Ponthieu. Thence they advanced toward Dourlens, and stationed themselves at Orville, and in the villages round, belonging to the count de St. Pol. They went next toward Braye, and recrossed the Somme at Cappy, to lodge at Lihons in Santerre, committing great mischiefs wherever they passed. They were not satisfied with seizing on provision, but ransomed all they could lay hands on, peasants and cattle. They even attacked the castle of Lihons; but it was well defended by sir Waleran de Moreul and his men within it.

After remaining there some time, and committing the greatest disorders and waste, they advanced toward the lands of sir John de Luxembourg count de Ligny, in the Cambresis, who had not yet taken the oaths of allegiance to king Charles. Nevertheless, they did him no mischief, because he was always well provided with men-at-arms, and they mutually exchanged sealed agreements not to molest each other. The French, however, committed * Nonnion. Q.