On the morrow, the duke of Burgundy went to the head-quarters of the Flemings, where, having assembled their captains and the nobles of Flanders, he caused them to be harangued by master Gilles de la Voustine, his counsellor in the courts of Ghent, on the challenge he had received from the duke of Glocester, by his herald, and the reply he had made,—on which account, he requested them, as his dear friends, to remain with him and assist him in the defence of his honour. Those present immediately promised to comply with his demand in the most liberal manner,—as did those from Bruges and the other towns of Flanders.
It was also determined at this meeting to erect a high block-house on an eminence near Calais, to enable them to view from it the proceedings of those in the town. It was instantly begun with oak and other wood,—and some cannon were placed thereon, to fire into Calais, and a strong guard ordered for its defence. The English were not well pleased at this, for they were afraid lest their sallies should be cut off: to obviate which, they made an immediate attack on it with a large body of men; but it was well defended by the Flemings, under the conduct of some able warriors (le bon de Saveuses was one) who had gone thither; and as numerous reinforcements to the Flemings were continually pouring in, the English retreated to Calais without effecting any thing, and leaving some dead behind them.
On the morrow and following days, there was much skirmishing at the palisades of the town. In one of them, a half-witted knight, the lord de Plateaux, was made prisoner: notwithstanding his folly, he was a determined and brave man at arms. On Thursday, the 25th of July, the fleet, which had been so anxiously expected, was discovered at sea. The duke of Burgundy mounted his horse, and, attended by many lords and others, rode to the sea-shore. When a barge having advanced as near as the surf would permit, a man jumped out, and, coming to the duke, informed him that the fleet in sight was his own. This spread universal joy throughout the army, and several ran to the downs to see it,—but their captains made as many return to the camp as they could.
The following evening-tide commissioners, appointed for this purpose, quitted the fleet, and sunk four vessels in the mouth of the harbour of Calais, that were filled with immense stones, well worked together and cramped with lead, in order to choak up the entrance, and prevent any supplies from entering the harbour from England. The fleet kept up, in the mean time, a constant fire against the vessels in harbour, and sunk one. The next day two other vessels, filled with stones like the others, were also sunk at the mouth of the port. But, to say the truth, all these sunken vessels were so improperly placed that when the tide was out many remained on the sand, scarcely covered with water.
The English hastened from the town at ebb tide, as well women as men, and with strong efforts, pulled them to pieces, and what wood they could not convey into the town they burnt and destroyed, notwithstanding a continual fire from the fleet, to the great astonishment of the duke and his admirals.
Sir John de Hornes, seneschal of Brabant, the commander de la Morée, and other lords from Holland, set sail with the fleet on the morrow, and were soon out of sight, on their return to whence they had come; for indeed they could not with safety remain long before Calais, on account of danger from sea, which sailors say is more imminent between Calais and England than elsewhere. They had also received information that a fleet was on the point of sailing from England, against which they would be unable to make head.
The Flemings were much discontented at their sailing away, and murmured among themselves, saying they were betrayed by the ministers of their prince,—for they had been promised, on leaving Flanders, that Calais should at the same time be besieged by sea and land,—so that their leaders had difficulty enough to pacify them.
In the mean time, the duke of Burgundy had sent to summon men at arms from all parts of his dominions, and was impatiently expecting their arrival to assist him in opposing the troops that were coming from England. He ordered the ground to be examined by such as were well acquainted with those parts, for a spot whereon he might best offer battle to his enemies on their arrival; and to be better prepared for every event, he summoned a grand council of his advisers, together with the principal leaders of the commonalty, on the 27th of July, and laid before them the whole of his intended operations, with which they were perfectly satisfied.
But these were wholly deranged, a few days afterward, by the commonalty from Ghent; for on the day the council was held, the English made a grand sally from Calais, both horse and foot, and advanced unexpectedly to the block-house before mentioned: the cavalry were posted between the camp and the block-house, so that no immediate aid could be sent thither. There were from three to four hundred Flemings in the block-house,—and the cries of 'To arms!' were re-echoed through the army, which caused great confusion and alarm. Multitudes rushed from all sides to relieve the block-house, and even the duke of Burgundy himself went thither on foot. But the English made a most vigorous attack, and the defence was but indifferent, so that the block-house was won before assistance could arrive.—About eight score Flemings were killed, and the greater part of the rest made prisoners,—and full half of them were put to death before the gates of Calais, because the Flemings had slain an English knight whom the Picards had taken prisoner while on horseback at this rencounter. The capture of the block-house and its consequences were grievous to the duke of Burgundy,—and the Flemings retreated to their camp disconsolate and vexed at the death and capture of their friends and companions.
This same day, they collected together in different parts, and said among themselves that they were betrayed, for that not one of the promises which had been made them were kept; that they daily had some of their number killed, without their nobles attending to it, or endeavouring to prevent it. In short, they worked upon themselves so much by this kind of conversation that they determined, in spite of every remonstrance, to decamp and return home; and some of them wanted even to put to death several of the duke's ministers.