CHAP. X.
THE KING OF SICILY WAITS ON THE KING OF FRANCE AT LOUVIERS.—FRESNOY[48] SURRENDERS TO THE DUKE OF ALENÇON.—GISORS[49] CAPITULATES.—THE CASTLE OF GALLON[50] IS BESIEGED.
At this season, the king of Sicily came to the king of France at Louviers, where he was very joyfully received. He had with him his brother the count du Maine, and a long train of nobles, knights and esquires, whose names it would be tedious to relate, to the number of more than two hundred lances, and archers, without including those from the army of the duke d'Alençon, the duke of Brittany, the count de Dunois lieutenant-general, the count de Clermont, nor those of the count d'Eu, or of the count de St Pol, who all had with them very many men of note.
The king, seeing such a numerous and well appointed body of chivalry, resolved to pursue with vigour the conquest of the whole duchy of Normandy, and began his operations by ordering siege to be laid to the castle of Gallon. This castle was very strong, and impregnable but by famine,—for it was seated on a rock near to the Seine, out of cannon-shot, and could not any way be won, so long as provision for the garrison should last. The command of the siege was given to the seneschal of Poitou and others, who pushed their approaches toward it with great activity. The king went thither in person.
In the mean while, the duke of Alençon laid siege to the town and castle of Fresnoy, wherein were many English; but they made no opposition to the prosperity of the king's affairs, and surrendered on capitulation.
During the siege of Gallon, and about three or four days before its surrender, sir Richard de Merbury, an english knight and governor of Gisors, agreed to terms of capitulation with the brother of his wife, for its surrender on the 17th day of October following. In fact, the governor turned to the french interest, and took the oaths of allegiance, on condition that two of his sons, John and Hemond, who had been made prisoners at the capture of Pont-Audemer, should be restored to him without ransom; and also that he should enjoy unmolested the lands of his wife, which were now held by the French, whether by gift from the king or otherwise. At the solicitations of his wife's relations, the king granted his requests,—and, in expectation of the services that he looked to from him and his children, he also made him governor of St Germain en Laye, and gave him, for his life only, all the profits and emoluments arising from this government.
The king appointed, as governor of Gisors, the lord de Gaucourt, who had long laboured in his majesty's service: and considering his great age, of four score years and upwards, he had lately acquired very great honour.