The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 09 [of 13]

by Enguerrand de Monstrelet

CHAP. XIX.

THE DUKE OF BRITTANY BESIEGES AVRANCHES, WITH HIS WHOLE FORCE.—IT SURRENDERS TO HIM.—HE TAKES TOMBELAINE[86].—BAYEUX IS WON.—THE CONSTABLE GAINS BRICQUEBEC[87], VALOGNES[88], ST SAUVEUR LE VICOMTE[89],—OTHER INCIDENTS.

When the duke of Brittany's army was returned to him, and had taken some rest, he mustered his men, and without delay began his march, well attended by artillery, to besiege the town of Avranches, which was garrisoned by four or five hundred English under the command of a captain called Lampet[90]. The duke displayed great ability and courage in forming the siege, during which many skirmishes took place between the parties.

This siege lasted three weeks, when the walls were so battered that the captain and garrison were reduced to surrender; but although they proposed different terms of capitulation, they could only obtain permission to march away in safety, but without arms or baggage; so that, when the place was given up, they departed with staves in their hands. On the reduction of Avranches, the duke of Brittany advanced with his army to Tombelaine, which is impregnable, so long as provision and stores last; for it is seated on a rock in the sea, near to St Michael's Mount. There was in it an english garrison of from four score to one hundred men,—but they no sooner perceived the great force that was brought against them than they capitulated to surrender the place, on being permitted to march to Cherbourg in safety with their baggage and effects.

On the 16th day of May, the king of France ordered the counts de Dunois, de Nevers, d'Eu, and several other knights and esquires, to lay siege to Bayeux. In consequence, they encamped near to the town, and pushed forward the siege with such vigour, by mines and battering cannon, that many breaches were made in the wall, wide enough to be stormed; but the commanders were averse to this, to avoid the effusion of blood and the numberless other evils that would ensue. However, notwithstanding this laudable resolution, the ardour and avarice of soldiers to become rich induced part of the army, without orders, to storm the town twice in the same day, when many gallant deeds were done on both sides, and several were killed by arrow and culverine shots. The French were forced to retreat without success, for the storm had been only made on one side: had this measure been carried on under the direction of their officers, it must undoubtedly have succeeded.

Matago, the governor of Bayeux, surprised at the valour he had seen displayed by the French at this attack, for they had slain some of the stoutest of the English, opened a treaty with the count de Dunois for its surrender; but after many parleys, he could only obtain permission for his men to march away without arms or baggage and with staves in their hands. Thus marched away, by the castle-gate for Cherbourg, all the English, to the amount of nine hundred, esteemed the most valiant of their party; but in honour of nobility, horses were given to carry their damsels and gentle ladies,—and carts were also supplied to convey the most respectable of the women who followed their husbands. It was a pitiful sight thus to see from three to four hundred women, (without including children, who were very numerous,) some carrying their infants in cradles on their heads, others swinging them round their necks or in rolls of cloth round their bodies and in a variety of other ways.

On the restoration of Bayeux to the obedience of the king of France, the count de Dunois appointed a captain, and other officers, to govern the city, and then crossed the Orne[91], with the count de Clermont,—and there cantoned the army, to live on the country until the arrival of the count de Richemont, constable of France. He had left all his artillery at Bayeux to be ready for laying siege to Caen.

In the mean time, the constable, and those in his company,—namely, the troops of the lord de Laval, the marshal de Lohéac, the troops of the admiral and of the lord de Touteville,—gained the town of Bricquebosq for the king of France, on permitting those within it to march away with their baggage and effects. The constable then besieged Valognes, that had lately been captured by the English; but it was not long before it surrendered, for the lieutenant-governor for the king of England had turned to the french interest. He, however, obtained from the constable that the english garrison, amounting to six score men, should march in safety, with arms and baggage, to Cherbourg.

On the departure of the duke of Brittany, the constable came to Bayeux, and thence sent sir James de Luxembourg his lieutenant, and Odet Dadic, with about thirty lances, to commence the siege of St Sauveur le Vicomte, which is a handsome town, and one of the strongest in Normandy. They remained before it three days, waiting for the marshals of France and of Brittany, the lords de Touteville, de Boussac and others.

The lord Robersart, a baron of Hainault, was the governor, having with him two hundred english combatants,—and on the arrival of the marshals the place was besieged in earnest. During the opening of the trenches, a valiant esquire from Berry, called John de Blanchefort, was killed by a cannon-shot, whose loss was much lamented. The garrison witnessing the approaches of the French, although unhurt by their batteries, offered to surrender, on condition that they should depart in safety with their arms, baggage and effects, and be allowed eight days for clearing the place. Thus was St Sauveur le Vicomte restored to the king of France; and the marshals rode to a village called Ceaux[92], within two leagues of Caen, where the constable and his company were quartered, carrying with them the english hostages for the performance of the treaty,—and at the end of eight days, when the place was cleared, they were set at liberty.