In this same year of 1454, the king of France left Tours, and fixed his residence at the castle of Lusignan; and in the mean time, lord Shrewsbury laid siege to the castle of Fronsac. The governor for king Charles was Joachim Rohault, who was forced to surrender to the English because the king's army was not ready,—but the garrison marched away with arms and baggage.
On the 2d of June, the king departed from Lusignan for St Jean d'Angely[151]; and on the 7th, Challais[152] was besieged by sir John de Chabannes grand master of the king's household, the count de Penthievre, the lords de St Severe and de Boussac. On the 18th, it was won by storm by the above lords and their men, amounting to four or five hundred lances, archers, and some franc archers, although eight score[153] combatants were there in garrison. From sixty to eighty were killed, and the rest retreated to a tower, wherein they held out for a time expecting to be relieved; but as no succours came, they surrendered to the king's pleasure: in consequence, they were all beheaded for having broken their oaths of allegiance. The lord d'Anglades had indeed left Bordeaux for their relief,—but when he heard what had passed, he returned back as speedily as he could.
The French laid siege to Châtillon in Perigord, the 13th day of July: it is situated on the river Dordogne, and was occupied by the English. The lords de Lohéac and de Jalognes, marshals of France, were ordered to conduct the siege, having with them many great barons, knights and esquires, and from sixteen to eighteen hundred men at arms and archers. In the above number are included the men at arms of the count du Maine, under the command of sir Pierre de Beauveau lord de la Bessiere: those of the count de Nevers, commanded by sir Ferry de Grancey: those of the count de Castres, son to the lord de la Marche, under sir Louis du Puy, seneschal of la Marche, Guillaume de Lusac and Jean de Messignac: those of the duke of Brittany having for chief his nephew the count d'Estampes, but commanded by the lord de la Hunodaie and the lord de Montauban, because the count d'Estampes had remained with the king. The royal artillery, both small and great, was also sent thither, under the direction of master John Bureau and his brother Jasper Bureau, master of the artillery. They had with them seven hundred labourers, to work the guns and bombards. The two brothers first ordered the park of artillery to be strongly surrounded with ditches, and made secure against the enemy, before they attended to the siege.
The earl of Shrewsbury, hearing of this, hastily set off from Bordeaux, with eight hundred or a thousand horse, attended by his son lord Lisle, the lord Molyns, and many others, the most valiant of the english captains, as well lords as knights and esquires, from the Bordelois and from England. He was followed by four or six thousand English on foot. The earl and his companions arrived at the siege on the 17th of July, about day-break; and when the French saw him advancing, they retreated into the field wherein the artillery had been placed, and which had been fortified with ditches,—but he fell in with some of the franc archers, who had been unable to effect their retreat, and killed from one hundred to six score of them.
The French made great exertions to retire within the inclosure, for the English were advancing fast on them, thinking that they were flying, having abandoned their siege. The earl, in the mean time, as he was waiting for the infantry, had a pipe of wine set on its end, and drawn off to refresh his men. The French had now nearly all gained the park, and were forming in handsome order: the cannoneers had also brought their guns to the ditches, and pointed them against the English.
Those in Châtillon had found means to send information to lord Shrewsbury at Bordeaux, that if he would hastily march to their relief, the French would fly: he was therefore exceedingly surprised, on his arrival, to see the manner in which the French had intrenched themselves, and how well they had posted their artillery. The commanders to oppose the English were the lords marshals, the grand master of the household, the count de Penthievre, the seneschal of Poitou, the lord de la Bessiere, sir John Bureau, and others having the conduct of the siege, besides several great lords who had taken the field against the king's enemies.
Lord Shrewsbury and his companions advanced boldly to the barriers, thinking to force an entrance into the park; but he found there such valiant opposers, who seemed eager to display their courage, as astonished him, after the intelligence he had received from those in Châtillon. The earl was mounted on a small hackney, and did not dismount on account of his age[154]; but he ordered all others so to do. The English had eight banners displayed, namely, that of the king of England, of St George, of the Trinity, of the earl of Shrewsbury, and others, with the standards of the nobility skilfully arranged.
The attack commenced with great valour, and each party fought manfully, so that the business lasted a full hour,—at the end of which, the men at arms of the duke of Brittany, under the command of the lords de Montauban and de la Hunodaie, were sent for to relieve the French who had been thus long engaged at the barriers. On their arrival, by the aid of God and their own prowess, the English were forced to turn their backs, and were beaten down, with all their banners, by these Bretons. The artillery played so well that the English were constrained to fly, but not without numbers being left dead on the spot. The hackney of lord Shrewsbury was struck down by a culverin-ball, and he was put to death by the French, as he lay under him[155].
Among the slain were the lord l'Isle, sir Hedoual Haul, Thomas Aurigan, the lord de Pingulan, a gascon knight, and thirty of the most valiant knights, as it was said, from England. Lord Molyns was made prisoner. As the French were much fatigued, and on foot, they could not pursue the enemy, so that numbers of English and Gascons escaped; and about eight hundred or a thousand retreated into Châtillon, among whom were the count de Candale, son to the captal de Buch, the lords de Montferrant, de Rosem, and d'Anglades: the lord de l'Esparre escaped also, who had been the principal author of this rebellion. Those who could not enter the town fled by land or water,—but in regard to the last, they were mostly all drowned.
The count de Penthievre, the bailiff of Touraine, and several French, having at length mounted their horses, pursued the runaways as far as the walls of St Emilion[157], killing all they could overtake. When the French were recovered from their fatigues, they buried the dead, consisting of four or five hundred on the side of the English. On the morrow, the french marshals ordered all their artillery to be brought to bear on the walls of Châtillon, to rejoice those within it; but when the townsmen saw these vast preparations, they began to humble themselves, and to lower the pride with which they were filled, by surrendering themselves to the king's will; they were estimated at fifteen hundred combatants: and the chief lords were constituted prisoners to the king.