A detachment of the Dauphinois now advanced to the gate, which they opened to admit the remainder of their forces, and their horses, into the town. Perceval le Grand, governor of the place for the duke of Burgundy, having been awakened like the others, and perceiving that no resistance could be made, escaped as well as he could from the town, leaving behind his wife, children, and great part of his wealth. He hastened to Lyhons, and very dolefully related to his commander, sir John de Luxembourg, the news of the capture of Roye.
Sir John instantly ordered his trumpets to sound for the assembling of his men at arms, and led them toward Roye, sending forward a party of scouts to the town, to gain intelligence, who found the scaling ladders still reared against the walls by which the enemy had entered. They were no sooner observed, than the Dauphinois made preparations for defence, and gave a sharp discharge of cannons, cross-bows, and bows on them, and on some men at arms, who had joined the scouts. However, notwithstanding their defence, one of the suburbs was taken, and in the conflict several were wounded on each side. On that of sir John de Luxembourg was a valiant man at arms named Robert de Rebretanges, and who, in consequence of this wound, died shortly after.
After sir John had posted his men in the different suburbs and houses round the town, he fixed his own quarters at a village about half a league distant. He then sent the lord de Humbercourt, bailiff of Amiens, to that place, and to Corbie, to require that they would send him cross-bowmen, cannons, and other implements of war, to enable him to subdue the Dauphinois in Roye, which request was complied with in the most ample manner. With the same eagerness were the cross-bowmen of Douay, Arras, Peronne, St Quentin, Mondidier, Noyon, and other places under the dependance of the king, sent to Roye in great numbers.
On the arrival of these reinforcements, sir John invested the town on all sides, and made some vigorous assaults: he also had some bombards, and other engines, pointed against the walls and gates, which greatly harrassed the besieged. They made, however, a handsome defence, and some sallies; but in these they did not gain much.
At length, the besieged seeing all their efforts vain, and hopeless of succour, concluded a treaty with sir John, by his commissioners, on the 18th day of January, to surrender the place, on condition that they should depart in safety, with their baggage, and with a part of what they had gained in the town. When this treaty was ratified, the Dauphinois marched away under passports from sir John de Luxembourg, who appointed Hector de Saveuses to escort them; and, when out of the town, they took the road to Compiegne, marching with great speed.
Very soon after their departure, about two thousand English came to Roye, under the command of the earl of Huntingdon, and his father-in law sir John de Cornwall,[4] to assist the Burgundians; for, as I have said, there was a truce between the English and them, expecting that this truce would shortly be (as it happened) turned into a solid peace. The English, hearing of the departure of the Dauphinois, hastily set out in pursuit of them, and overtook them about four leagues from Roye. The moment they came near, without any words, they attacked them lance in hand, although they were few in number; for, having rode so hard, three parts of their men were behind.
The English were accompanied by many of the men at arms of sir John de Luxembourg, the principal of whom were Butor bastard of Croy, Aubellet de Folleville, the bailiff de Foquesolle, the bastard Dunon and several other gentlemen. The Dauphinois made no great resistance, and were therefore soon routed, very many were killed, taken or robbed; but a few escaped as well as they could, by flying to the woods and other places.
Hector de Saveuses, observing this, made sir Karados de Quesnes his prisoner, in order to save him and restore him to liberty; but sir John de Cornwall took him from him, saying that he had not any right to make him his prisoner, since he had a passport from his captain; and because Hector would not release him at the first word, Cornwall smote him severely on the arm with his gauntlet, which incensed Hector much,—but he could not help himself; as the English were too numerous.
Sir Karados, the lord of Flavy, and the most part of the men at arms were made prisoners by the English; but those taken by the Picards were put to death by them, for they were afraid to bring them to their quarters on account of the passports that had been granted them. However, Harbonniers, who was prisoner to Aubellet de Folleville, was carried to Noyon, and there beheaded.
The English, after this affair, returned with their prisoners to a village within two leagues of Roye, where they quartered themselves. Hector de Saveuses made what haste he could to sir John de Luxembourg, to relate all that had passed, who was greatly enraged that his passports should have been treated with such contempt, especially by those of his own army and under his command. He therefore dispatched an angry message to Anthony lord of Croy, to order him to send Butor de Croy, his bastard-brother, and some others of his people, who had infringed his passports, that he might punish them accordingly. He sent a similar order to the lord de Longueval for the bastard Dunon, brother to his wife, to be brought before him, but neither of these lords would obey his commands.