THE CONDUCT OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AFTER THE VICTORY HE HAD GAINED OVER THE KING OF FRANCE.—THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT IN DIVERS PLACES.
The count de Charolois remained with his army all night on the field of battle, thinking the king was in Montlehery, and that he would renew the battle the ensuing day. It was not until sunrise that he heard of the king's departure, when he entered the village with his army, and found the cellars filled with dead bodies, which the royalists had thrown therein, that the numbers of their dead might not be known.
Before the commencement of the battle, the king had sent three heralds to Paris, who, on their arrival there about mid day, summoned the people to arms throughout the city,—and ordered every person capable of bearing arms to march without delay to Montlehery to assist the king, who was engaged in battle with the count de Charolois. Notwithstanding this proclamation, very few marched out, but Joachim Rohault, marshal of France, who was then in Paris, with five or six hundred men at arms. They indeed sallied out on horseback, and advanced to St Cloud, which they found defenceless; for those who had been posted there by the count de Charolois had fled on seeing the lords de Haplaincourt and d'Aymeries, with others in great numbers, who told them that the count had been defeated. The marshal, therefore, took possession of the place without resistance, and made prisoners all who fled that way from the battle, and carried them to Paris. The burgundian lords above mentioned thought to have crossed the Oise at the Pont de St Maixence; but they found there the lord de Mouy, governor of Compiègne, with the garrisons of Creil, Senlis, Clermont, Crespy, and other places, in great numbers, who had assembled there on hearing that the king had gained the victory, and had besieged the bridge on the side leading to Montlehery.
The inhabitants of Pont St Maixence firmly believing that the king was victorious, from the flight of the above-named lords who had gained the town, surrendered, on having their lives spared, at the very first attack. The lords d'Aymeries, d'Inchy, and several more, were taken in the town: the lord de Haplaincourt was made prisoner in the open country, and carried to Paris,—and no man of note who had fled escaped death or imprisonment: only some poor adventurers were so lucky as to get off without either happening to them, but in very miserable conditions. Of those that were carried to Paris, several were executed, or drowned in the Seine.
At the attack on St Maixence, a gentleman of the king's party, called Jeannet de Grouches, whose brother was with the count de Charolois, was killed by a ball from a cannon.
When the count de Charolois was assured that the king had retreated to Corbeil, he caused proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet, that if any one required a renewal of the battle, he was ready to accommodate him: he then had the dead buried,—and had the bodies of sir Philip de Lalain, the lord de Harnes, the lord de Varennes, and others, interred in a chapel near to Montlehery; but, soon afterward, some persons came from Paris with passports, to demand of the count the body of the lord de Varennes, and, with his permission, carried it to Paris, where it was handsomely interred in the church of the Franciscans. He was very much lamented by all who were acquainted with his many excellent qualities.
After the king had remained a day or two at Corbeil, he went to Paris, on the 18th of July,—and he came thither by the side of the river, near to St Denis, attended by a small company, not consisting of more than about one hundred horse; but soon after, and daily, there came to him, in Paris, the count du Maine, admiral of France, and his other captains, with men at arms in such abundance that the town and the fields on the river side were full of them. The count de Nevers came to the king at Paris, but staid a very short time, and then returned to Peronne.