THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS PASSES THE RIVER OISE, ADVANCES TO SAINT DENIS, AND DRAWS UP HIS ARMY IN BATTLE-ARRAY BEFORE PARIS.—THE COUNT DE SAINT POL GAINS POSSESSION OF THE BRIDGE OF SAINT CLOUD, AND CROSSES THE SEINE WITH HIS DIVISION OF THE COUNT'S ARMY.
When the count de Charolois heard that his van were in possession of Pont St Maixence, he advanced the remainder of the army thither, in order to cross the Oise. The inhabitants paid him every obedience, as lieutenant-general to the duke of Berry; and the count had it proclaimed in the name of the duke of Berry, whose lieutenant-general he styled himself, that he abolished all taxes, impositions and subsidies whatever, as he had before done at Mondidier, and in the other towns he passed through, to the great joy of the people.
The count entered the town of Pont St Maixence on the feast-day of St Peter and St Paul, and remained there for some days. He thence marched to St Denis, where he was joyfully received, as well in the name of the duke of Berry as in his own, for they could not make any resistance to him. He waited there, and between St Denis and Paris, with his whole army, the remainder of the month of June, for the arrival of the dukes of Berry, of Brittany, of Calabria, of Nemours, of Bourbon, and the other lords, who had mutually promised each other to meet there. The count, finding that none came, and that the time was elapsed for the meeting, and that his Burgundians, whom he daily expected, had not joined him, because the king's army kept them constantly in check, on the 8th day of July assembled his army, and marched in battle-array so near to Paris that they were plainly seen from the walls. To say the truth, considering the smallness of their numbers, it was the proudest army that could be seen.
Joachim Rohault left Paris to examine it the nearer, having kept on its flanks all the way from Beaulieu and other parts, to make an attack if he should espy a favourable opportunity, but found them always so well prepared that he dared not venture to attack them; and he was now forced to make a hasty retreat, to escape the light troops of the count,—for he would have been completely surrounded by them, had he not so speedily re-entered Paris. Instantly after his entrance, the count fired off two or three serpentines over the town which exceedingly frightened the inhabitants.
The count then, placing himself at the head of the three divisions of his army, halted near a windmill close by the town, which made those within Paris suppose an attack was about to commence; but it was not so, for, in like manner as he had done to other towns, he informed them, that his only object was the good of the kingdom,—that he had come thither at the prayer and request of the duke of Berry, who had promised to join him very shortly, and that his speedy arrival showed his eagerness to serve him. He added, that whatever the duke of Berry should do would be solely for the general welfare, and then summoned them to surrender to him as lieutenant-general to the duke of Berry,—but they would no way comply.
When Joachim Rohault had entered Paris, he met in the streets a canon from Amiens, called Jacques de Villiers, who, having finished his business there, was desirous to return. Joachim asked him whence he came, and whither he wanted to go: he replied, that he was from Amiens, and wanted to go back. Joachim then made him swear, that he would tell the count de Charolois, that he, Joachim, had lately received letters from the king of France, to signify to him for certain, that within four days the king would be returned to Paris, and would advance to meet the count, when it would be seen which was the stronger.
The canon kept his promise, and told the count, word for word, what Joachim had ordered him, while he halted at the windmill. The count replied, that he put no belief in what Joachim said, for before this he had told him things that were untrue.