They posted themselves as near to the English as they could, namely the men of the count de Dunois in front of the government-palace, in which were the duke of Somerset and lord Talbot, with twelve hundred English,—the lord de Maulny between the palace and the castle, and the seneschal of Poitou facing the castle. The other captains were encamped in the fields, and posted in the villages on the side toward the countries of Caux and Beauvoisis.
The king's army was a fine sight; for never, in the memory of man, had the king so grand or so numerous an assembly of lords, barons, knights and esquires, with common men, as were now under his orders.
This evening, the English surrendered the bridge, the guard of which was given to the lord de Herunville,—and, on the morrow, the gates of the town were thrown open, for all to enter or go out as they pleased.
The duke of Somerset was afflicted at heart to see the great army the king had brought against him, and demanded a conference with him. On this being told the king, he was well pleased to agree to it. In consequence, the duke of Somerset set out, on the fifth day afterward, from the palace, accompanied by a certain number of persons, and by some of the king's heralds, who escorted him to St Catherine's on the mount of Rouen, where the king received him, attended by the king of Sicily, the count de Dunois, and others of his council and blood: the patriarch of Antioch, the Archbishop of Rouen, and other prelates, were likewise present. After the usual salutations, and when the duke had paid his respects to the king, he requested that his majesty would be pleased to allow him and lord Talbot, with the men under their command, to march away with their baggage in safety, according to the terms of the general amnesty which had been agreed to by the lords of his council.
The king deliberately and prudently replied, that his request was unreasonable, because they had refused to accept or adhere to the terms of the amnesty; but in contempt of it had held, and now did hold, the palace and castle contrary to his will, and had also done every thing in their power to prevent the inhabitants of Rouen from surrendering their town. The amnesty had, therefore, been annulled by their own conduct; and before they were suffered to leave the palace, Honfleur, Harfleur, and all places in the country of Caux, now in the hands of the king of England, must be given up to him.
The duke of Somerset, on receiving this answer, took leave of the king and returned to the palace, and saw every one, in all the streets he passed through, wearing the white cross, which did not tend to raise his spirits. He was escorted back by the counts of Eu and of Clermont.
FOOTNOTES:
[55] St Ouen. I believe there must be some mistake, for there is no St Ouen near to Pont de l'Arche; but a St Ouen seems to be within a league of Elbeuf, which is near to Pont de l'Arche.
CHAP. XIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE BESIEGES THE DUKE OF SOMERSET, LORD TALBOT, AND THEIR MEN, IN THE GOVERNMENT-PALACE OF ROUEN.—THEY SURRENDER, ON CONDITION OF BEING ALLOWED TO MARCH AWAY ON YIELDING UP THE CASTLE OF ARQUES[56], AND OTHER PLACES MENTIONED.