At this period, the lord de Longny marshal of France, as I have said, was hastening, with six hundred men at arms attached to the king of Sicily, to join the French, and was within one league of them, when he met many wounded and more running away, who bade him return, for that the lords of France were all slain or made prisoners by the English. In consequence, Longny, with grief at heart and in despair, went to the king of France at Rouen.
It was supposed, that about fifteen hundred knights and gentlemen were this day made prisoners: the names of the principal are, Charles duke of Orleans, the duke of Bourbon, the count d'Eu, the count de Vendôme, the count de Richemont, sir James de Harcourt, sir John de Craon lord of Dommart, the lord de Humieres, the lord de Roye, the lord de Cauny, sir Boors Quieret lord of Heuchin, sir Peter Quieret lord of Hamecourt, the lord de Ligne in Hainault, the lord de Noyelle, surnamed le Chevalier Blanc, Baudo his son, the young lord of Inchy, sir John de Vaucourt, sir Actis de Brimeu, sir Jennet de Poix, the eldest son and heir to the lord de Ligne, sir Gilbert de Launoy, the lord d'Ancob in Ternois.
[CHAP. XXXIII.]
ON THE DEPARTURE OF THE ENGLISH, MANY FRENCHMEN VISIT THE FIELD OF BATTLE TO SEEK THEIR FRIENDS, WHOM THEY BURY,—AND OTHER MATTERS.
When the king of England had on this Saturday begun his march toward Calais, many of the French returned to the field of battle, where the bodies had been turned over more than once, some to seek for their lords, and carry them to their own countries for burial,—others to pillage what the English had left. King Henry's army had only taken gold, silver, rich dresses, helmets, and what was of value; for which reason, the greater part of the armour was untouched and on the dead bodies; but it did not long remain thus, for it was very soon stripped off, and even the shirts, and all other parts of their dress were carried away by the peasants of the adjoining villages.
The bodies were left exposed as naked as when they came into the world. On the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the corpses of many princes were well washed and raised, namely, the dukes of Brabant, Bar and Alençon, the counts de Nevers, de Blaumont, de Vaudemont, de Faulquemberge the lord de Dampierre, admiral, sir Charles d'Albreth, constable, and buried in the church of the Friars Minors at Hesdin. Others were carried by their servants, some to their own countries, and others to different churches. All who were recognised were taken away, and buried in the churches of their manors.
When Philippe count de Charolois heard of the unfortunate and melancholy disaster of the French, he was in great grief, more especially for the death of his two uncles, the duke of Brabant and count de Nevers. Moved by compassion, he caused all that had remained exposed on the field of battle to be interred, and commissioned the abbot de Roussianville and the bailiff of Aire to have it done. They measured out a square of twenty-five yards, wherein were dug three trenches twelve feet wide in which were buried, by an account kept, five thousand eight hundred men. It was not known how many had been carried away by their friends, nor what number of the wounded had died in hospitals, towns, villages, and even in the adjacent woods; but, as I have before said, it must have been very great.
This square was consecrated as a burying ground by the bishop of Guines, at the command and as procurator of Louis de Luxembourg, bishop of Therounne. It was surrounded by a strong hedge of thorns, to prevent wolves or dogs from entering it, and tearing up and devouring the bodies.
In consequence of this sad event, some learned clerks of the realm made the following verses: