In the blockhouse before Lormond were posted the lord de Lohéac marshal of France, with many other lords, knights, and captains, to the amount of fifteen or sixteen hundred spears, archers, and artillery,—and near to it were anchored the king's fleet of victuallers from Brittany, Poitou, Spain, Holland, Zealand and Flanders, which remained in the river Gironde, until Bordeaux surrendered to the king.
In like manner had victuallers been sent from England; and on their arrival the lord Cameise[162] had ordered their sails and stores to be landed and secured in the town, that they might not depart hospite insalutato; that is to say, without taking leave of their hosts. The English also constructed another blockhouse opposite to and higher than that of the French, although it profited them little, notwithstanding so many in the town were attached to the king of England, namely, the lord Cameise, the lord Clinton, the bastard of Somerset, the lord de l'Esparre, the lord de Rosem, and from three to four thousand English, and as many or more Gascons, one half of whom were quartered in the town, and the other half in the blockhouse, to guard their fleet.
Thus were these powers employed on the same duty in their separate blockhouses from the first day of August until the 17th of October, annoying each other by every possible means. Provision began at length to fail in Bordeaux, to the great alarm of the English, as was natural; and as they daily heard of towns in all directions submitting, by force of arms, to the king, they made offers of a surrender on a fair capitulation. The king consented, for two reasons: first, because he was ready to render good for evil: secondly, considering the mortality that was to be dreaded, if matters were pushed to extremities, he was glad to compound for the departure of the English on the following terms.
The city of Bordeaux was to be yielded up to him, and the inhabitants were to remain his true and loyal subjects,—they taking an oath never to rebel again, but to acknowledge the king of France as their true and legal lord. The English were to be allowed to transport themselves in their own vessels to England, or to Calais, as they should please. But because some of the lords of that country and city had maliciously and traitorously sought the alliance of England, and had gone thither for that purpose, contrary to their oaths and declarations made to the king in the preceding year, who, at a very great expense and loss of men, had conquered them, the king would reserve to himself the power of banishing from the country of Bordelois twenty persons, according to his pleasure, such as had gone to England to seek the aid of the English, and particularly the lord de Duras, the lord de l'Esparre, and others. This capitulation was signed on the 17th day of October, in the year 1453.
In truth, the king laboured greatly in these matters, both in body and mind; for, after the aid of God, he was indebted for the peaceable recovery of this country to his own prudent conduct, and to the gracious manner with which he received those who returned to their obedience. He was also supported by his vassals and subjects with the same earnestness as if the recovery of his kingdom had personally concerned themselves.
Sir Pierre de Beauveau, lord de la Bessiere, died of his wounds three days after the taking of Châtillon, which was a great loss. Sir James de Chabannes, grand master of the household, was likewise slain there: he was much lamented, as he was a most valorous knight.
The country being thus recovered, the king determined on going to Tours, after leaving, for its defence, the count de Clermont his lieutenant general, sir Theaulde de Valpergue, and sir John de Bureau, treasurer of France and mayor of the city of Bordeaux, with a sufficient force of men at arms, archers, and cross-bows. This was become absolutely necessary by reason of their late treacherous conduct, for, according to a maxim of law, 'Semul malus, semper præsumitur malus.' It was therefore expedient to keep a heavy hand on them, that they might be under greater subjection and prevented from rebelling again.
FOOTNOTES:
[158] Blanquefort,—a town in Guienne near Bordeaux.
[159] Cadillac en Fransadois,—seven leagues from Bordeaux.