These commanders, having collected their men, marched off in haste, and arrived at Pontoise on the 17th of April, when they resolved to proceed during the night of the morrow for Senlis. Their army might amount to about eight thousand combatants, who gallantly took the field at the appointed time. A body of light troops were ordered to advance to different places on the road, toward Senlis, to gain intelligence of the enemy.
With sir John de Luxembourg and the lord de Fosseux were le veau de Bar bailiff of Auxois, the lord de l'Isle-Adam, sir Emond de Bonberch, the lord d'Auxois, Hector and Philip de Saveuses, Ferry de Mailly, Louis de Varigines, sir Philip de Fosseux, James and John de Fosseux, the lord de Cohen, sir Janet de Poix, the lord de Longueval, the lord de Miraumont, and in general all the nobles and gentlemen of Picardy, who made a handsome appearance with vanguard, rearguard and main battalion, and thus marched to within a league of Senlis.
The lord d'Armagnac, constable of France, was closely besieging the town of Senlis, when he received intelligence from his scouts that the nobles of Picardy were approaching with a large army to to offer him battle: in consequence he commanded his men to arm without delay, and advance in battle-array to the plain, that he might avoid being attacked in his camp. The besieged, observing about day-break great bustle and confusion in the enemy's camp, with good order and courage made a sally from the town, set fire to the tents and quarters of the constable, killed numbers of the sick, and others, whom they found in the camp, and returned to the town with a large booty in sight of their enemies.
The constable, vexed at this, sent them a summons to surrender the town according to their promise, but on their answering that the time was not yet expired, he caused the heads of four of the hostages to be cut off, their bodies to be quartered, and hung on a gibbet. Of these four, two were gentlemen, namely Guillaume Mauchelier and Boudart de Vingles: the two others were citizens, named Guillaume Escallot and master John Beaufort, king's advocate in the town. The remaining two (for there were six in all), sir John Durant priest and a monk of St Vincent, were carried prisoners to Paris.
In revenge, the besieged beheaded sixteen of the constable's men: two were hanged and two women were drowned. The count d'Armagnac then marched his army in battle-array to the Pas-de-Larron between Criel and Gouvieux, to wait for the enemy; and dispatched some of his captains to seek the king at Criel and make him take the road toward Paris.
Sir John de Luxembourg and the lord de Fosseux had advanced so rapidly with their army that they were rather before hand with the king, and halted at a place called l'Estoing, where the king and his army must pass. Soon after, the van of the constable made its appearance, and the light troops of both sides began a sharp skirmish, when many lances were broken, and men at arms unhorsed, slain or terribly wounded.
Upon this, the king and the constable sent two heralds to these lords, to know who they were, and what they wanted. The lord de Luxembourg made answer, 'I am John of Luxembourg, having with me the lord de Fosseux and many other noble men, sent hither by the duke of Burgundy to serve the king, and to succour the good town of Senlis against the count d'Armagnac, whom, and his abettors alone, we are ready to to combat, if he be willing to afford us an opportunity, but not against the king; for we are ready to serve him as his loyal vassals and subjects.'
The heralds returned with this answer to the king and the constable, when the latter said aloud, 'Since neither the duke of Burgundy nor his son be with their army, we cannot gain much by battle: I therefore advise that we retreat, for these are soldiers only anxious for plunder, who have not themselves much to lose.' The constable had already heard that Charlot de Dueilly and other captains were in great force toward Dammartin: therefore he made the king and his army retreat, in order of battle toward Paris, ordering a sufficient number of his ablest combatants to his rear, to prevent the enemy from giving them any disturbance.
Thus, without halting at any place did king Charles and his constable, the count d'Armagnac, march back to Paris, to the great vexation of many of the Parisians, who murmured loudly against the constable.
Sir John de Luxembourg and the lord de Fosseux returned with their army to Pontoise, very much rejoiced to have accomplished their object without any considerable loss or inconvenience. It would take up too much time were I to detail all the skirmishes that took place: suffice it to say, that very many on both sides behaved gallantly. The lord de Miraumont commanded the picard archers, and, according to his orders, kept them in handsome array. When these lords had refreshed themselves at Pontoise, they all went to their different homes.