The count de Vaudemont was lavish in his thanks and praises to the marshal of Burgundy and the other lords and gentlemen who had so essentially aided him. He then returned to his country, and the marshal, with his Burgundians and Picards, to Burgundy, carrying with him the duke of Bar, whom he placed under a good guard at Dijon.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG ASSEMBLES MEN AT ARMS AND MARCHES INTO CHAMPAGNE AGAINST THE FRENCH, FROM WHOM HE CONQUERS SEVERAL CASTLES.—OTHER MATTERS.
In the month of July, of this year, sir John de Luxembourg, count de Ligny, assembled, by orders from king Henry and the duke of Burgundy, about a thousand combatants, whom he led into the countries of Champagne and the Rethelois, to conquer some castles held by the troops of king Charles, which had much harrassed those parts.
Sir John was accompanied by the lord de Ternant and the Rethelois; and his first attack was on the castle of Guetron, in which were from sixty to four score of king Charles's men, who, perceiving the superiority of the enemy, were so much frightened that they permitted them to gain the lower court without offering any resistance; and, shortly after, they opened a parley, and proposed to surrender the place on having their lives and fortunes spared. This offer was refused,—and they were told they must surrender at discretion. In the end, however, it was agreed to by the governor, that from four to six of his men should be spared by sir John.
When this agreement had been settled, and pledges given for its performance, the governor re-entered the castle, and was careful not to tell his companions the whole that had passed at the conference,—giving them to understand in general, that they were to march away in safety; but when the castle was surrendered, all within it were made prisoners. On the morrow, by orders from sir John de Luxembourg, they were all strangled, and hung on trees hard by, except the four or six before mentioned,—one of their companions serving for the executioner.
An accident befel one of them, which is worth relating. The hangman was in such haste that the cord, as he was turned off the ladder, hitched under his chin, and thus suspended him, while the executioner went on to complete the sentence on others. Some of the gentlemen standing by took compassion on him,—and one of them, with a guisarme, cut the cord: he fell to the ground and soon recovered his senses. The spectators then entreated sir John to have pity on him for the love of God, and to spare his life, which request was at length complied with,—and he went away in safety.
Sir John de Luxembourg, having executed justice on these marauders, marched away with his army, but not before he had demolished the castle of Guetron, to the castle of Tours en Porcien.[6] He remained before it some days, during which the captain capitulated to deliver it up, with the exception of the cannon, on being allowed to march off unmolested, but without any baggage. Some, who had formerly taken the oaths to king Henry, were hung, and the castle was razed to the ground.