This year the Neapolitans rebelled against king James count de la Marche, and would have made him prisoner, had he not been informed in time of their intentions. They confined the queen, and made a bitter war against him and his supporters. The constable and the lord de St Maurice, his father-in-law, were imprisoned. The king, for his greater security, embarked on board a brigantine for the castle del Ovo, leaving a good garrison in Castel Nuovo.
This war lasted until the 27th day of October in the same year, when peace was made on condition that all the French who held any offices in the kingdom should depart and return to their own country, excepting the very few employed personally to serve the king.
On the conclusion of the peace, the king and queen returned to Castel Nuovo, when all persons renewed their oaths of allegiance, promising to consider him as their king during his life, but that he was no way to interfere in the government of the kingdom. His establishment of guards, attendants and horses, were all arranged according to the pleasure of the Neapolitans.
On the day the king returned to Castel Nuovo, there were great rejoicings throughout the town, with bonfires, and illuminations on the terraces of the houses; and on the morrow there was a grand ball at the castle. But on the third day, the king was so strictly watched that none were allowed to speak to him but in the presence of those who had seized the government; and the French gentlemen were not permitted to take leave of him on their departure. The rulers of the kingdom soon after obliged the queen to join their party, lest the two when united might be over much for them: however, in conformity to their oaths, they shewed the king and queen all outward respect, but governed the country as they willed.
The chief of these usurpers was one of the greatest and richest families, called Hannequin Mournil, one in whom the king had placed most confidence of all the Italians. The king was, for a long time, kept under this restraint: at length he escaped, and fled by sea to Tarentum, which had been given to him as a principality,—but he was, soon after, driven out of the kingdom. The duke of Anjou, son to king Louis, went thither on his expulsion, and was well received in the city of Aversa; but it was not long before he was forced out of the realm by the king of Arragon.
In regard to king James, besides the rebellion of his subjects, the queen likewise, old and capricious, was much displeased and jealous of his being a lover to young ladies of the country and neglecting her. This was also the cause why the nobles whom he had brought from France with him were generally hated.
[CHAP. XLVIII.]
THE EARL OF DORSET, GOVERNOR OF HARFLEUR, MAKES AN INCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY OF CAUX, AND IS COMBATED BY THE FRENCH.—THE EMPEROR CREATES THE COUNT OF SAVOY A DUKE.
At this same time, the earl of Dorset, who commanded in Harfleur, one day marched three thousand english combatants toward Rouen, and thence made a circuit through the country of Caux, where he remained three days, doing great mischief with fire and sword. In the mean time, the garrisons and nobles of those parts collected together under the lord de Villequier, to the amount of three thousand men also, and met the English near to Valmont, who instantly attacked them; but the French defended themselves so valiantly, the English were defeated, and eight hundred left on the field of battle. The remainder retreated with the earl into a garden, surrounded by a strong hedge of thorns, and therein continued the rest of the day, without the French being able to gain further advantage over them, although they took much pains.