CHAP. XXV.
THE KING OF ENGLAND HAS THE FORTRESSES OF CHASTEAU-GAILLARD AND OF LA ROCHE-GUYON BESIEGED.—THEY ARE CONQUERED.—OTHER MATTERS.
The king of England, about this time, ordered the castles of Château Gaillard and of La Roche-Guyon to be besieged, which are the two strongest places in Normandy, and were garrisoned by the party of the dauphin.
At the end of two months, La Roche-Guyon surrendered, with the consent of the lady who was within it, to king Henry, who immediately gave it to sir Guy Bouteiller, and was desirous of giving him also the lady in marriage; but she would not consent, and marched away from that country with all her men.
Château-Gaillard held out for the king of France sixteen months, and then surrendered in consequence of the cords being worn out with which they drew up their water. Sir Olivier de Manny was the governor, having with him six score gentlemen at the utmost; and the siege was carried on by the earls of Huntingdon and Kyme.
While these things were passing, many of the Dauphinois and Burgundians had frequent intercourse with each other since the peace, hoping that it would last for ever, and often assembled in parties to attempt to drive the English, the ancient enemies of France, from their conquests; but dame Fortune provided in such wise that, within a very few days, a more rancorous hatred arose between them than ever, as shall be fully related hereafter.
CHAP. XXVI.
THE DAUPHIN COMES TO MONTEREAU-FAUT-YONNE WITH A POWERFUL ARMY, AND SUMMONS THITHER THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, WHO IS CRUELLY MURDERED.
When Charles duke of Touraine and dauphin had visited his duchies of Berry and Touraine, he marched to Montereau-faut-Yonne with about twenty thousand combatants. Soon after his arrival, he dispatched sir Tanneguy du Châtel, with others of his confidential servants, to Troyes in Champagne, with letters written by himself to the duke of Burgundy. In them he addresses the duke most affectionately on the affairs of the realm, and concludes by desiring that he would come to him at Montereau, where they could more fully discuss what related to public affairs.
The duke for some days deferred giving any answer, saying, that the dauphin ought to come to his father the king, and the queen at Troyes, and often remonstrated with Tanneguy how much more proper it would be for him to come thither to discuss all that related to the good of the realm. Sir Tanneguy, upon this, returned to the dauphin with the answer he had received; but in the end, the dauphin and his ministers resolved to remain at Montereau.