Among them was the lord de Gamaches, who treated for the surrender of the town of Compiègne, of which he was governor, and for the fortresses of Remy, Gournay sur Aronde, Mortemer, Neufville in Hez, Tressousart, and others in that district. He also gave hostages to deliver them up to such commissaries as the two kings should appoint, on the 18th day of June following.
Sir Louis de Thiembronne made a similar treaty for the garrison of the town of Gamaches, on condition of their having passports to retire whithersoever they pleased with their arms and baggage, and that the inhabitants were to remain in peace, on taking the oaths of allegiance.
Through the management of Pierron de Luppel, the strong castle of Montagu surrendered to the two kings, which fortress had kept a large tract of country under subjection from its strength; and its garrison had done much mischief to the towns of Rheims and Laon, and the adjacent parts.
On the other hand, those in the castle of Moy, hearing of all these conquests, and fearing lest sir John de Luxembourg and the English should unexpectedly besiege them, set fire to it, and withdrew to Guise. In like manner were the castles of Montescourt and Brissy destroyed.
CHAP. LXXVII.
THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND RETURNS TO FRANCE IN GRAND STATE.—AN ASSEMBLY OF THE THREE ESTATES IS HELD IN PARIS.—OTHER MATTERS.
On the 21st day of May in this year 1422, Catherine queen of England, who had been some time recovered of her lying-in of her first-born child Henry, arrived at Harfleur in grand state, attended by ladies without number, and escorted by a large fleet filled with men at arms and archers under the command of the duke of Bedford, brother to the king.
On landing, she went to Rouen, and thence to the castle of Vincennes, to meet the king. Queen Catherine travelled in royal state, alway accompanied by the duke of Bedford and the men at arms.
King Henry departed from Meaux with his princes to meet her, and she was received by them as if she had been an angel from heaven. Great rejoicings were made by the king and queen of France for the happy arrival of their son-in-law and their daughter; and on the 30th day of May, Whitsun-eve, the kings of France and of England, accompanied by their queens, left Vincennes, and entered Paris with much pomp. The king and queen of France were lodged at the hôtel of St Pol, and the king of England and his company at the Louvre. In each of these places, the two kings solemnly celebrated the feast of Pentecost, which fell on the day after their arrival.
On this day, the king and queen of England were seated at table gorgeously apparelled, having crowns on their heads. The English princes, dukes, knights, and prelates were partakers of the feast, each seated according to his rank, and the tables were covered with the rarest viands and choicest wines. The king and queen this day held a grand court, which was attended by all the English at Paris; and the Parisians went to the castle of the Louvre to see the king and queen at table crowned with their most precious diadems; but as no meat or drink was offered to the populace by the attendants, they went away much discontented; for in former times, when the kings of France kept open court, meat and drink was distributed abundantly to all comers by the king's servants.