In the month of June of this year, about six score houses were burnt in the town of Ardres; and it was commonly said, that it had been done through the wickedness of persons sent thither by the chancellor or others of the party of the king of France, and who were to attempt the like throughout the dominions of the duke of Burgundy. Some of these incendiaries were taken at St Omer, but the rest escaped out of the country.
It was full fifteen days after the battle of Montlehery, before the duke of Burgundy received a true account of the event; for no one dared to mention the reports until the event was certainly known, lest he should have a relapse of his late illness, from which he was not perfectly recovered. When, therefore, he was fully ascertained of the truth, he sent a large sum of money to his son for the pay of his troops, under the escort of the lord de Saveuses, accompanied by all his men, as well cavalry as infantry. He brought it very safe to the count at Conflans, in company with the lord de Hautbourdin, who had been sent with a strong force, for greater security, to meet him at Mondidier,—for the French had intended to attack and plunder him; but on their junction, they durst not meet them.
The lord de Saveuses, on approaching Conflans, drew up his men in order of battle, and thus waited on the count, who received him most joyfully, and took great pleasure in seeing the old warrior so well and so handsomely armed,—telling him, that he would have given forty thousand crowns if he had been with him at the battle of Montlehery.
THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF DINANT[44] INSULT THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS WITH MOCKERIES.—THE KING OF FRANCE MEETS THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS AT CONFLANS.—THE DUKE OF BOURBON TAKES THE TOWN OF ROUEN.
In the mean time, the inhabitants of Dinant, mortally hating the duke of Burgundy and his son, trusting to the strength of their town, and to their riches, and calling to remembrance, that, although they had been besieged seventeen times by kings and emperors, the place had never been taken, but that they had for a long time pillaged and robbed their neighbours, more particularly the subjects of the duke of Burgundy, and had increased their wealth daily by the riches they brought into the town; foolishly believing in the first news brought them of the defeat of the count de Charolois, determined in their folly to show their old envenomed hatred to the house of Burgundy, by dressing up a resemblance of the count de Charolois in his armour, and carrying it to the town of Bovines hard by, which belonged to the duke of Burgundy as parcel of the county of Namur. They were in great numbers, and in arms, and when they were near to the walls of Bovines, they erected a gibbet, and hung thereon this figure of the count de Charolois; shouting out to those in the town, 'See here, the son of your duke! that false traitor the count de Charolois, whom the king of France will have hanged as you see his representative hanging here. He called himself the son of your duke: he lied,—for he was a mean bastard, changed in his infancy for the son of our bishop, the lord de Haisenberghe, who thought to conquer the king of France.' Many other villainous expressions did they use against the duke of Burgundy and his son, menacing their countries with fire and sword.
By this outrageous and childish conduct, they greatly offended the good duchess of Burgundy, mother to the count de Charolois, who was alway reputed to be the most modest and chaste woman that was in the land of Portugal. When, therefore, these things were told to the duke and the count de Charolois, they were much angered,—and the son swore, that he would make them dearly pay for it, as indeed happened very shortly after.
While the confederated princes were surrounding Paris, the king left the city in a boat, accompanied by about twenty persons, and rowed down to Conflans, where the count de Charolois was posted. The count, on hearing of the king's approach, went to meet him, when they embraced each other like old and loving friends. A conversation ensued between them; but I know not what passed, except that, shortly after, the count wrote to his father, to say that the king had been to see him, and had used very kind expressions in conversation. The king, on his departure, told the count, that if he would come to Paris he would give him a handsome reception; but the count replied, that he had made a vow not to enter any great town until he was on his march home. He then escorted the king back, attended by his archers, to whom the king gave fifty golden crowns to drink together.