During this truce, the lord de Croy and his friends were at Paris, and laboured most diligently to make their peace with the count de Charolois: even the king exerted himself greatly in their favour,—but the count would not listen to nor hear talk of it, as the lord de Croy had once accompanied the king to Conflans; but the count de Charolois ordered him not to come thither again. The king made frequent visits there; and several secret conversations passed between him and the count, to whom the king showed the greatest appearance of affection and regard, which the truest friend could show another, frequently sending back to Paris his guards, and remaining with the count with few attendants, saying, that he thought himself fully as safe when in his company as if he were in the city of Paris.

While these things were passing, it happened that the governor of the castle of Boulogne sur mer, in conjunction with a sergeant, sold this castle to the English of Calais and Guines, and was to give them possession thereof on the 28th day of August, while they set fire to the lower town, and during the confusion the English were to be admitted. The sergeant, however, told their plan to a companion of his, who betrayed them, and they were both instantly arrested, and, on the fact being proved, were beheaded, the 2d day of September following, and their bodies hung on a gibbet.

It was these two who had found means to displace the son of the lord de Croy from his command in the castle, and replace him with those attached to the count de Charolois, who, on this account, had given them all the effects of the said de Croy that were in the castle. He had also promised them other great favours: nevertheless, they had betrayed him also.

In the month of August, in this year, king Henry VI. of England was taken prisoner by a party of king Edward's. He was mounted on a small poney, and thus led through the streets of London, when, according to the orders of Edward, no one saluted or did him the least honour,—for it had been forbidden, under pain of death. He was carried to the tower of London, in the front of which was a tree, after the manner of a pillory, round which he was led three times, and then confined in the tower. This proceeding troubled many of the citizens of London,—but they dared not show any signs of it, nor open their mouths on the subject.

Toward the end of September, the Bretons took the town of Pontoise, during the night, by means of the governor and other accomplices. The duke of Bourbon also entered the castle of Rouen with a body of men at arms, under pretence, and in the name of the duke of Berry. He placed therein the widow of the late lord de Varennes, in whom, however, the king had great confidence,—and the principal persons in the town had advised her going thither. Shortly after, the duke went to the town-house, where the commonalty waited on him, and submitted themselves to his obedience, on behalf of the duke of Berry, as their lord and duke of Normandy. The duke then went to the other towns in the duchy, as far as Caen, who all surrendered to him for the duke of Berry.

During this time, a destructive warfare was going forward in the countries of the duke of Burgundy and Liege, which were alternately overrun and plundered, more especially by those of Dinant,—so that it was a pity to see the great mischiefs that ensued. Those from Dinant were one day met by a party of Burgundians, who put them to the rout, with great slaughter, and some little loss on their side. Those that escaped made all haste back to Dinant, and, on their return thither, to revenge themselves, ran to the town-prison, in which were three burgundian prisoners, whom they led out, to hang them on the first tree they should find without the town. One of them offered his vows to St James the apostle, when the cord broke, and he escaped unhurt! Instead of him, they seized a youth from Arras, the son of Martin Corneille, as he was returning from his studies; and if some among them had not remonstrated, that, instead of hanging him, they might force his father to pay a large sum for his safety, he would infallibly have been put to death.

FOOTNOTES:

[44] Dinant,—a town of the bishoprick of Liege, on the Maes, 16 leagues from Liege.