The siege was commenced on the 8th day of December, with many difficulties,—for there were neither houses nor trees near at hand, and the weather was more severe, by reason of frosts and inundations, than had been experienced for some time. The besiegers suffered also greatly from the sea, which at times destroyed their huts, which were composed only of earth covered with juniper branches.
Sixteen large bombards were pointed against the walls, which the king came frequently from Montivilliers to see fired. Deep trenches of communication were formed, wherein the king often exposed his person, armed only with a light helmet and covering shield, to witness the effect of this battery against the walls. Covered trenches were carried to the very walls of Harfleur; and these mines and trenches were formed under the directions of master John Bureau, treasurer to the king, in conjunction with his brother Jasper, grand master of the royal artillery, both very expert and able in the sciences.
Thomas Aurmagan[66], governor of Harfleur, and the English with him, to the amount of sixteen hundred, receiving pay, witnessing the great preparations of the king of France, opened a treaty with the count de Dunois, on the eve of Christmas-day, for the surrender of the place. On the morrow, the capitulation was signed,—and they were to march away with their baggage, and were allowed to transport their effects by land or sea, the term for so doing being limited to the first day of the year. Eight english gentlemen were given as hostages for the due performance of the treaty, who were sent under an escort to Montivilliers. On the first day of January, they were brought back to Harfleur, for the accomplishment of the treaty. About vespers, Thomas Aurmagan, the governor, presented the keys of the gates and towers to the count de Dunois, with much reverence and kneeling, in the presence of all the English, and even before master Sanice[67], who had brought a reinforcement of five hundred English just before the siege.
The lieutenant-general, on receiving the keys, sent a party to take possession of the towers, and to lower the english standard, of a red cross on a white field, that was flying on one of them. He afterwards ordered two heralds to replace it with the standard of France, which was done with the shouts and rejoicings of the populace. The count also posted a party of his men in the towers on the side toward Rouen. This day, the greater part of the English departed; but as all could not be ready by the return of the tide, the lieutenant-general listened to their humble supplications, and permitted those who remained to tarry there until the Friday and Saturday at midday, and appointed a guard over them that they might not be ill treated. When the English were all gone, the king gave the government of Harfleur to the count de Dunois, who appointed the lord de Moy his lieutenant, with one hundred lances and a proportionate number of archers for its defence, and for that of the country around.
Jacques de Clermont, esquire, was made governor of Montivilliers,—and he had likewise one hundred spears and archers for its guard, and for the defence of other forts in the neighbourhood. The king, having made these appointments, left Montivilliers on the 5th day of January: he ordered detachments of his army to march through Rouen, Caudebec and Tancarville, to besiege Honfleur, and went himself to the abbey of Jamieges[68], on the Seine, five leagues below Rouen, where he remained for some time, while preparations were making for the siege of Honfleur.
At this abbey, the king met the fair Agnes, who had come thither (as she said) to give the king information that some of his officers intended to deliver him up to his enemies the English. The king, however, paid no attention to the intelligence, but laughed at it. This fair Agnes had been five years in the service of the queen, during which she had enjoyed all the pleasures of life, in wearing rich clothes, furred robes, golden chains, and precious stones; and it was commonly reported that the king often visited her, and maintained her in a state of concubinage,—for the people are more inclined to speak ill than well of their superiors.
The affection the king showed her was as much for her gaiety of temper, pleasing manners, and agreeable conversation, as for her beauty. She was so beautiful that she was called the Fairest of the Fair, and the Lady of Beauté, as well on account of her personal charms as because the king had given her for life the castle of Beauté, near Paris. She was very charitable, and most liberal in her alms, which she distributed among such churches as were out of repair, and to beggars.
It is true, that Agnes had a daughter, who lived but a short time, which she said was the king's, and gave it to him as the proper father: but the king always excused himself, as not having any claim to it. She may indeed have called in help, for the matter was variously talked of.
At length, she was seized with a bowel-complaint, and was a long time ill,—during which, she was very contrite, and sincerely repented of her sins. She often remembered Mary Magdalen, who had been a great sinner, and devoutly invoked God and the virgin Mary to her aid. Like a true catholic, after she had received the sacraments, she called for her book of prayers, in which she had written with her own hand the verses of St Bernard, to repeat them. She then made many gifts (which were put down in writing, that her executors might fulfil them, with the other articles of her will), which, including alms and the payment of her servants, might amount to nearly sixty thousand crowns. Her executors were Jacques Coeur, counsellor and master of the wardrobe to the king, master Robert Poictevin, physician, and master Stephen Chevalier, treasurer to the king, who was to take the lead in the fulfilment of her will, should it be his gracious pleasure.
The fair Agnes, perceiving that she was daily growing weaker, said to the lord de la Trimouille, the lady of the seneschal of Poitou, and one of the king's equerries called Gouffier, in the presence of all her damsels, that our fragile life was but a stinking ordure. She then required that her confessor would give her absolution from all her sins and wickedness, conformable to an absolution, which was, as she said, at Loches, which the confessor, on her assurance, complied with. After this, she uttered a loud shriek, and called on the mercy of God, and the support of the blessed virgin Mary, and gave up the ghost on Monday, the 9th day of February, in the year 1449, about six o'clock in the afternoon. Her body was opened, and her heart interred in the church of the said abbey, to which she had been a most liberal benefactress; and her body was conveyed, with many honours, to Loches, where it was interred in the collegiate church of our Lady, to which also she had made many handsome donations, and several foundations. May God have mercy on her soul, and admit it into paradise![69]