About this time, the duke of Burgundy prepared to march with his whole power to king Charles at Troyes in Champagne. He issued a strict summons throughout his dominions for all who had been accustomed to bear arms to make ready to attend him on this journey. From Ghent, where he resided, he came with his lady the duchess to Arras, and appointed master John de Torsy, bishop of Tournay, his chancellor.
He there assembled, by virtue of his summons, a very large body of men at arms; and on the Saturday after the Epiphany, the truces between the kings of France and of England were proclaimed in all the countries under the subjection of the king and the duke of Burgundy from Paris to Boulogne sur mer, and to Troyes in Champagne: they were to last until the middle of March following, or until a final peace should be concluded between the two kings.
During this time, the English, in great force, under the command of the earl of Huntingdon and sir John de Cornwall, marched to the castle of Clermont, which they valiantly attacked, but it was as vigorously defended. The English, having had many killed and wounded, set fire to and burnt the village of St Andrieu, wherein were several handsome mansions, and substantial houses. They then overran the whole county of Clermont, and gained much plunder, with which they returned to the duchy of Normandy.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY DEPARTS FROM ARRAS, AND MARCHES A LARGE ARMY TO LAY SIEGE TO THE TOWN OF CRESPY IN THE LAONNOIS, AND THENCE TO WAIT ON THE KING OF FRANCE AT TROYES IN CHAMPAGNE.
When the duke of Burgundy had celebrated the feast of the Purification in Arras, he departed, leaving his duchess there, for his castle of Bapaumes, and thence he went to Oisy in the Cambresis, to visit his aunt the countess of Hainault, with whom he had a conference, and proceeded to Peronne. Thither many of his captains and vassals came, and with them he marched to St Quentin, where he tarried some time, to wait the arrival of the whole of his forces.
Ambassadors from king Henry there joined him, having with them about five hundred combatants, under the command of the earls of Warwick and Kyme, the lord Roos, marshal of England, and sir Louis de Robesart, a native of Hainault, who accompanied the duke to Troyes.
There also came to him while at St Quentin a deputation from the town of Laon, who, with the inhabitants of St Quentin, earnestly besought the duke of Burgundy that he would besiege the town of Crespy, which held for the dauphin, as that garrison had done very great injuries to the whole country. The duke, in compliance with their remonstrances, consented, and advanced to Cressy sur Serre, where he was lodged: he thence sent forward sir John de Luxembourg, with Hector and Philip de Saveuses, and other captains, to quarter themselves in a village near to Crespy, by way of vanguard.
Shortly after, the duke, with his whole army, invested Crespy, in which place might be about five hundred Dauphinois men at arms, under the command of La Hire, Poton de Saintrailles, Dandonet, and other adventurers, who with great courage defended the town against the besiegers, notwithstanding they had approached very near, and had pointed their artillery against the walls and gates.
There were with the duke many captains who had served under duke John his father, namely, sir John de Luxembourg, the lords de l'Isle-Adam and de Chastellus, both marshals of France, sir Robinet de Mailly great butler of France, le veau de Bar bailiff of Auxois, the vidame of Amiens, Anthony lord de Croy, sir Philip de Fosseux and his brother John, the lord de Longueval, Hector and Philip de Saveuses, the lord de Humieres, who commanded the men at arms of the lord d'Antoing, the lord de Humbercourt, sir Mauroy de St Leger, the lord de Stenhuse sovereign bailiff of Flanders, the lords de Comines, de Haluin, the bastard of Harcourt, and all the vassals of his uncle sir James de Harcourt, with numbers of other notable knights and esquires from the different parts of the duke's dominions.