[99] Falaise,—nine leagues from Caen.
[100] Domfront,—twelve leagues from Mayenne, eight from Alençon.
[101] Andrew Troslet. Q. Truslow.
[102] Thomas Cathon. Q. Cawthorn.
CHAP. XXII.
THE DECEASE OF THE DUKE OF BRITTANY,—AND OF THE LORD GILES HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HAD CRUELLY PUT TO DEATH BEFORE HIS DECEASE.—CHERBOURG IS BESIEGED BY SEA AND LAND, AND IS TAKEN BY THE FRENCH.
About the end of July, Francis duke of Brittany, nephew and vassal to the king of France, died of a natural death. He was a great loss to the kingdom; for he was an active prince, prudent and valiant, and had greatly exerted himself, personally and with money, in the service of the king in the conquest of Normandy, as has been related. This prince was naturally attached to the king of France, as was apparent by his making war on those whom he knew to be enemies to his crown. He carried his affection so far that he quarrelled with one of his own brothers, the lord Giles, because, in prejudice to the king of France, and without asking his permission, he had accepted of the order of the Garter, and also the appointment of constable, from the king of England.
When the duke first heard of this, he had his brother arrested and confined in one of his castles, where he was a long time closely guarded. He had been often admonished by the duke and his other relations and friends, wellwishers to France, to abandon the quarrel of the English, whom he supported against all reason, justice and right. When gentle means had been thus used in vain, other measures were resorted to; but he would not, on any account, agree to their proposals. The duke, therefore conceived a mortal hatred against him, and ordered him to be put to death. The duke was frequently summoned, by heralds from the king of England, to deliver up his constable, whom he detained prisoner under the guard of Arthur of Montauban: on his refusal, the english monarch sent him his challenge, which made sir Giles's case worse than before,—and the duke's hatred so much increased that, it was commonly said, he was strangled by two twisted towels. Thus ended the days of sir Giles miserably and pitifully, which will be a great example to all others.
Of this sad transaction, however, there are different accounts in Brittany. Some say, that from a quarrel between de Montauban and his accomplices, it has been discovered that they got him put to death by giving false information to the duke, expecting to gain by his decease; for sir Giles was very willing to renounce his connections with the English, and to act as his brother pleased; but that they sent the duke information quite the reverse, as has been confessed by some of his murderers, and declared to be the truth, for which they have been tried and suffered death: some indeed escaped, and, for very good reasons, dare not again show themselves in that country.
The siege of Cherbourg, having been commenced by the count de Richemont and the other lords before mentioned, was carried on with great vigour; and the garrison was hard pressed by their mines and batteries, when a knight and esquire of Brittany were there killed. The knight was sir Pregent de Coitivy, lord of Rais[103], slain by a cannon ball, to the great loss of the king,—for he was one of the most valorous knights of the realm, renowned for prudence and abilities. The esquire was Tuddual le Bourgeois, bailiff of Troyes, killed by a shot from a culverine,—a man of good reputation, and well acquainted with the art of war. The walls of the town were battered in such wise, from sea and land, as was never before seen; for there were batteries of bombards erected on the shore that threw immense stones, although they were overflowed by the sea at high water,—but as they were covered with greased skins, in which they were wrapped, the water did no damage to the powder they were charged with, and, as soon as the tide turned, the cannoneers took away their coverings and fired into the town, to the great astonishment of the English, who had never seen such an invention.