[186] St Remy. This feast is on the first day of October, and St John's the 24th June.
CHAP. LXIII.
THE COUNT DE CLERMONT, THE LORD DE LOHÉAC MARSHAL OF FRANCE, AND OTHER CAPTAINS, ARREST THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC, AND DELIVER HIM UP TO THE KING.—THEY PUT THE ARCHBISHOP OF AUCH IN POSSESSION OF HIS ARCHBISHOPRIC.—OTHER EVENTS.
In the month of May of this year, the king of France sent the count de Clermont, the lord de Lohéac marshal of France, and other captains, into the county of Armagnac; and likewise the count de Dammartin, the bailiff of Evreux, and several others, against the count d'Armagnac, into Rouergue, because he had refused to put the archbishop of Auch in possession of his archbishopric, to which he had been duly elected, and had received his bulls from the pope. The count had wished, contrary to all right, to place therein one called de l'Estin, and had given him admittance into the city, and possession of the archbishopric, contrary to the will and orders of the king.
The king, much angered at de l'Estin having been installed by the count by force, ordered his men at arms to besiege his city of Lectoure[187], whither the before-named captains had marched, as well as into other parts of his possessions in Armagnac and Rouergue. Thus did the count lose all his territories for his rebellion against the king; for, as the Scripture saith, it is hard to kick against the pricks. When this was done, these captains returned to the king according to his orders.
In this same year, king Henry of England, by the advice of the duke of Somerset, summoned a parliament of his great lords, to consider the present state of affairs. For this purpose, very many came to London; and the duke of York thought it would be advisable for him to make his appearance also,—and in fact he set out, accompanied by about a thousand armed retainers. He was, however, joined on his road by four or five thousand more, of which the king and the duke of Somerset were ignorant, they having knowledge of the duke being attended by only one thousand men. The king and the duke of Somerset held a council with the earl of Northumberland, and other lords, and determined to collect as large a force as they could in and about London, and march out to meet the duke of York, in the expectation of defeating him, as they were astonished he should come in arms to attend the parliament.
The two armies soon met, and instantly came to blows, when numbers were slain,—but victory remained with the duke of York. Among the slain were the duke of Somerset, the earl of Northumberland, and many other lords, and from four to five hundred common men. The king was wounded by an arrow in the neck, and was for some time in great danger. The duke of York made many prisoners, nobles and others, whom he led to London with the king,—where some were set at liberty, and others punished according to their deserts. The late government was entirely overthrown, and the whole power remained with the duke of York as regent of the king and kingdom.
At this time, the count d'Armagnac, having lost all his possessions, retired into the kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon.
FOOTNOTES:
[187] Lectoure,—a city in Armagnac, of which Auch is the capital, ten leagues from Auch.