This city of Rouen, now conquered by the king of England, had, with all Normandy, appertained to France, and been under the obedience of her kings for 215 years from the time when king Philip, grandfather to saint Louis, acquired it from king John of England, by judgment of the peers of France, in right of confiscation.
King Henry, the day after his entry, had Alain Blanchart, who had been the leader of the populace, beheaded: the two others escaped punishment by dint of money. The garrison were ordered to march out by the gate leading toward the Seine, and were escorted by the English as far as the bridge of St George, where they were searched by commissaries from the king, who took from them all their money, with every thing valuable, giving them in return only two sols. Some of the gentlemen were even stripped of their handsome robes, made of martin skins, or embroidered with gold, and others of less value given them in return.
This conduct was noticed by those of the garrison who were in the rear; and foreseeing the same would be done to them, they quietly, and unobserved, threw into the Seine many purses full of gold, silver and jewels. Others, to avoid being plundered, had sewed up their money within the waistbands of their breeches. When they had all passed the bridge of St George, they kept together until they came to Pontoise, where they separated, and went to different parts, excepting the nobles, who joined the king of France and the duke of Burgundy at Provins.
Sir Guy le Bouteiller, who had been governor of Rouen, turned to the English, with several of his men, and took the oaths of allegiance to the king of England, deserting his own natural lord the king of France, for which he was much blamed by the French, and even by the English. Sir Guy was a native of Normandy, and not only had his estates restored to him, but was appointed deputy to the duke of Glocester, the new governor of Rouen.
The surrender of this town spread such an alarm and fear of the king of England throughout the whole of Normandy and the adjacent countries, as far as Pontoise, Beauvais and Abbeville, that the greater part of the chief towns and castles submitted to him without offering any resistance, or even striking a blow; such as Caudebec, Monstieriller, Dieppe, Fêcamp, Argues, Neuf-Châtel, Denicourt, Eu, Monchaulx,—and on the other side of the Seine, Vernon, Mantes, Gournay, Honfleur, Pont au de Mer, Château Molineaux, le Treict, Tancarville, Abrechier, Maulevrier, Valmont, Neufville, Bellaucombre, Fontaines le Bourc, Preaulx, Nogondouville, Logempré, St Germain sur Cailly, Baudemont, Bray, Villeterre, Charles Maisnil, les Boules Guillencourt, Ferifontaines, le Becq Crepin, Bacqueville,—and many more, in which the king of England placed his own garrisons.
From that time, the inhabitants of these countries wore a red cross as a badge, and several bore arms for the English; not indeed those of great authority, for it was not then become the custom for gentlemen or nobles to join the English. The inhabitants of Rouen in general took the oath of fidelity before the commissioners, at least all who intended to reside there; and they individually gave security to pay whatever they should be assessed to make up the sum of three hundred and sixty-five golden crowns before mentioned.
None were permitted to go out of the town without a billet from the king; and the same was practised in all the other towns under his obedience. These billets cost four sols each, French money; and by this means large sums were raised, to the advantage of the king and his ministers.
CHAP. XVII.
THE CASTLE OF COUCY IS TAKEN BY THE PRISONERS CONFINED THEREIN, AND THE GOVERNOR, PETER DE SAINT TREILLE, KILLED.—OTHER MATTERS.
About Candlemas in this same year, Peter de Saint Treille, governor of the castle of Coucy for the duke of Orleans, prisoner in England, was betrayed by some of his servants, namely, his taylor and marshal. They had entered into a conspiracy with the Burgundians, numbers of whom were confined in this castle, and had suffered many to escape: they went with others secretly by night to knock at the window of the governor's apartment in the great tower. A varlet who slept in the apartment arose, and, opening the window, demanded what they wanted: upon this, the taylor replied, that he had within his room a piece of his master's robe, which he had just cut out. On the door being opened, six persons with stout staves burst into the apartment, and murdered the governor and his servant.