Item, sir James de Harcourt shall in like manner have passports for himself, his children and family, to depart by sea or land, as he may please, and whithersoever he shall choose.
Item, for the due performance of these articles, the said sir James shall deliver as hostages the lord Pierre de Hergicourt, knight, Boort de Fiefiez, Jean Sarpe, and Percival Combiet, esquires, Jean d'Estampes, Gilles le Roi, and Jean de Gonne, burghers of the town of Crotoy. These hostages shall be set at liberty on the surrender of Crotoy; and in case that he who calls himself their king shall, by himself or others, come to their succour, and remain victorious, these said hostages shall have their liberty as before.
On the signing this treaty, and the delivery of the hostages, the siege was broken up. Sir James de Harcourt, had all his stores of provision in Abbeville and elsewhere sold, and ordered his children from Hainault to the castle of Hamesche, whence, on their arrival, he sent them to Monstreul-Bellay.
After sir James had disposed of his stores, he embarked with a part of his people and his immense wealth, leaving sir Choquart de Cambronne his lieutenant in the castle of Crotoy. He sailed for Mont St Michel, where he was received honourably, and thence to visit his children at Monstreul-Bellay, where he deposited the greater part of his wealth.
Some days after, he waited on king Charles, who received him very kindly, and made him kingly presents. He thence took his way to visit the lord de Partenay, uncle to his lady, who was attached to the Burgundy interest. When the lord de Partenay had shewn him much honour and liberal entertainment, sir James required his uncle to give up his castle to his guard, and that he would quit the duke of Burgundy, whose quarrels he had hitherto espoused, and he (sir James) would make his peace with king Charles, so that he should keep up his usual state.
The lord de Partenay replied, that it was his intention to remain lord of his own castle and lands, and that those to whom they would belong after his decease might then do with them as they listed. Upon this, sir James, having formed his plan so that it could not fail, laid hands on the lord de Partenay, and made him prisoner in the name of king Charles. Sir James's people raised the drawbridge of the castle; but in doing so, they made a noise which alarmed the townsmen, who hastened in crowds to enquire what was the matter,—and as the bridge was neither fastened by bolt nor latch, they pulled it down again, and entered the castle so suddenly that they put to death sir James, Jean de Huselames, Jean de Frousieres, Philip de Neufville, and others of his men. Thus did sir James de Harcourt find a sudden and cruel death through somewhat too much covetousness,—although this has been related in various other manners.
SEVERAL EVENTS BRIEFLY TOUCHED UPON.
In these days, the county of Hainault was in great alarm and tribulation for fear of a war between the dukes of Glocester and of Brabant, which now seemed very probable, for both of them had espoused the heiress of these territories; and each styled himself lord of the country as a matter of right.