When the duke of Burgundy had remained for eight days on Mont-Rouge, he decamped with his army, and advanced a league nearer to Paris, to a hill whereon was a withered tree, on which he fixed his standard, and thence was this encampment called 'the camp of the withered tree.' He remained here also for eight days; and as many of his men were quartered in the villages close to Paris, several skirmishes took place between them and the Parisians, although no great losses ensued on either side. The foragers from the duke's army scoured the country for eight leagues round, and brought to the camp great booties of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs, to the ruin of the poor peasantry.
[CHAP. LXI.]
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY SENDS HIS HERALD TO THE KING OF FRANCE IN PARIS.—THE ANSWER HE RECEIVES.—THE SIEGE OF MONTLEHERY,—AND OTHER MATTERS.
During the time when the duke of Burgundy was encamped at the withered tree on Mont-Chastillon, before Paris, he sent one of his heralds called Palis, who was afterward Flanders king at arms, with letters to the king and the dauphin of France. On his arrival at the gates of Paris, he was led to the count d'Armagnac and the king's ministers, who bade him address the dauphin, and give to him his letters, for that he could not be admitted to the presence of the king,—which he did, shortly detailing the object of his mission from the duke of Burgundy.
The dauphin, who had been well instructed what answer he was to make, replied in a great rage, 'Herald, contrary to the will of my lord the king and of us, thy lord of Burgundy has already destroyed several parts of the kingdom, and, by his persevering in his conduct, he plainly shews that he is not our wellwisher as he signs himself. If he be anxious that my lord and ourself should consider him as our relative, loyal vassal and subject, let him march to combat and conquer the king of England, the ancient enemy of this realm, and then return to the king, when he shall be well received. Let him no longer say that my lord the king and ourself are kept in servitude at Paris, for we both of us enjoy our full liberty and authority; and do thou be careful that thou repeat what we have just said, aloud to the duke of Burgundy, and in the presence of his army.'
After this speech, the herald returned to his lord, and repeated to him what the dauphin had said, which made no great impression on the duke, for he considered it as the speech of those who governed the king.
When the duke perceived that he could not gain admittance to Paris, and that his partisans in that city were unable to perform what they had promised him, he decamped from Mont-Chastillon, with his whole army, to lay siege to Montlehery. The inhabitants, knowing the power of the duke, and thinking they should not be supported, entered into a treaty to surrender the castle, if within eight days they were not succoured by the king or the constable. They sent information of this treaty to the constable, but it was of no avail, for no succours were sent,—and they delivered up the castle conformably to their agreement.
In like manner were reduced to the obedience of the duke of Burgundy the castles of Marcoussy, Dourdan, Palaiseau, and some other forts in the neighbourhood. During the siege of Montlehery, the duke detached a part of his army to the castle of Doursay, who lodged themselves in the town, in front of the castle, and there pointed some cannons to batter the walls and conquer it; but a large body of the constable's men attacked their quarters at break of day, and slew the greater part of them. Those who escaped fled to the quarters of the duke of Burgundy, crying, 'To arms! for that the enemy were marching in great force against them.'
The duke instantly drew up his army in battle-array on the plain, as if the enemy had been in sight. The leaders of the detachment sent to Doursay were the lord de Salines, the lord de Toulongeon, and some other captains from Burgundy; and at this surprise were made prisoners sir Geoffroy de Villers, a knight from the Rethelois, with fifty other gentlemen.