While the count de Charolois was at Conflans, he received several letters from the duke of Burgundy, to send him five or six thousand combatants to join those whom he was collecting to march against the Liegeois; for that his intention was to command them in person, and offer the Liegeois battle, which made the count the more anxious to leave France, to assist his father and revenge himself on those of Dinant, who had insulted him so grossly, as has been before mentioned.
In consequence of the treaty of Conflans, several of the lords of his army had left him and disbanded their men; but he issued his summons throughout the dominions of his father the duke, for those who had been with him in France, and all others accustomed to bear arms, to John him at Mezieres, on the Meuse,[50] the 15th day of November next, in arms, and as well mounted as possible, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects, whither the count marched with the remainder of those who had accompanied him to France. On the day appointed, the gens d'armes of the states of the duke of Burgundy appeared round Mezieres; but several came thither much against their wills, for they had been badly paid for their expedition to France: of the twenty-two weeks they had there served, they were only paid for seventeen; but they dared not complain, so much was the count redoubted and feared.
There was now in and about Mezieres a larger and better appointed army than had ever been in France; for the large towns under the dependance of the duke sent thither archers and cross-bowmen,—and there repaired thither several knights and esquires of those countries that had been redeemed from the crown of France, and other warriors who had not been of the late expedition, and even some who had been in the late quarrels of the king's party against the count de Charolois.
FOOTNOTES:
[48] Conflans—is on the Seine, six leagues from Paris.
[49] Villiers-le-bel. Q. Villiers-le-basele? in the Isle of France, near Paris.
[50] Mezieres, on the Meuse,—a strong city in Champagne, five leagues from Charleville.