In the month of April following, sir John de Luxembourg assembled his men at arms, and in company with sir Thomas Ramstone, an english knight, went to lay siege to Oysi in Tierrache. Within a few days, le Cadet, the governor, treated conditionally to surrender the place on the 5th of May next, if he were not relieved before that day. Thus the siege was broken up, and the surrender took effect.
Nearly at the same time, sir John de Luxembourg besieged the church of Broissi, which some pillagers of king Charles's party had fortified, and committed great ravages over the country. He also besieged the tower of le Borgne; and at the capture of both places, about fourscore of these marauders were taken, with one of their captains, called le Gros Breton; and they were all hung on trees near to Sery les Maizieres.
In this year, a mischievous fire burnt about six hundred houses in the town of St Amand, with the gates of the lower court of the abbey, and the apartments of two monks of that place: only two small houses were saved within the gates of the town; and the poor inhabitants were in the utmost distress and affliction.
The truces were now broken, that had subsisted for thirteen years, between the sultan of Babylon and the king of Cyprus,—owing to falsities told the sultan by renegado Christians, that the king of Cyprus put to death the sultan's subjects whenever he could lay hands on them.
On this report, the sultan, without any declaration of war, sent six galleys full of Saracens to invade Cyprus and destroy the country with fire and sword. They first burnt and demolished the town of Lymessa, and many other parts. When the king of Cyprus was informed of this, he sent one of his knights, sir Philip Prevost, with a large body of men, to oppose them; but at the first skirmish, he was sorely wounded by an arrow in the face, and fell from his horse,—when the Saracens, advancing, cut off his head, and seizing his golden spurs, carried both with them to their galleys, and made sail for Syria.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG BESIEGES THE CASTLE OF WIEGE.—HE LAYS AN AMBUSH, IN WHICH POTON DE SAINTRAILLES AND HIS COMPANIONS ARE MADE PRISONERS.
Sir John de Luxembourg now besieged the castle of Wiege with a numerous army. The siege lasted for three weeks, during which he continually battered the walls and gates with his engines. At length, the besieged, losing all hope of relief, made a treaty with sir John to surrender the place, on condition they should depart in safety with their effects promising not to bear arms again on that side of the Loire, except when in company with king Charles. On the signing of the treaty they went away for Guise, and the castle was demolished.
One or two days after this, sir John decamped, with some of the most trusty of his men, and formed a plan for taking Poton de Saintrailles, as you shall hear. Sir John on the departure of the garrison, placed an ambuscade behind a small church, on the borders of the country of Guise, to watch the motions of the enemy, and to be prepared should they attempt any incursions on that side.