FOOTNOTES:
[30] Mondidier,—a town in Picardy, nine leagues from Amiens, twenty-three from Paris.
[CHAP. XXX.]
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MARCHES A LARGE FORCE TOWARD PARIS.—HE FIXES HIS QUARTERS AT ST DENIS.—THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THIS MARCH, AND IN CONSEQUENCE OF IT.
The duke of Burgundy, to accomplish his expedition to Paris, on leaving Arras, made for Peronne, intending to enter France; but the inhabitants, who had before received the king's orders not to let him pass, sent to him the lord de Longueval, their governor, to excuse them for denying him entrance into their town. Although the duke was far from being pleased, he, however, pretended indifference to their conduct, marched his forces beside the town, and crossed the Somme at Esclusieu[31], and went to Roye in the Vermandois. He thence sent forward his brother the count de Nevers, who had joined him with a handsome company, to Compiegne.
The count treated so successfully with the townsmen of Compiegne that, notwithstanding the commands of the king, they consented to permit him to pass. The principal reasons for their assenting were the copies of the correspondence between the duke of Acquitaine and the duke of Burgundy, which were shown to them, and which contained the express wishes of the duke of Acquitaine for the duke of Burgundy to come to his aid.
The tenour of the above and of the certificate was as follows.
'To all who these presents shall see, Jean Clabault, esquire-keeper for the king of the seal of the bailiwick of Vermandois established at Roye, greeting.
'Know ye, that on the 23d day of February, of the present year 1413, the most puissant and noble prince my lord duke of Burgundy has exhibited to us, and shown three letters sealed and signed by the most excellent and puissant prince the duke of Acquitaine, which we have held, seen, and read, word by word,—the contents of which are as follow.