[43] Roussi,—Anthony of Luxembourg count of Roucy, son to the constable of St Pol.
[44] Lectoure,—a city in Armagnac, the capital of Lomagne.
[45] Cardinal of Arras. John Joffroy, then bishop of Alby.
[A.D. 1473.]
CHAP. XVI.
THE SIEGE OF PERPIGNAN.—THE DUKE OF ALENÇON DETAINED PRISONER IN THE LOUVRE.—THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF CALABRIA.—THE EXECUTION OF JOHN HARDY FOR INTENDING TO POISON THE KING.—EDICTS FROM THE KING RESPECTING THE GENS D'ARMES AND THE COIN.—AN EMBASSY FROM THE KING OF ARRAGON.—OTHER EVENTS IN THIS YEAR.
About the end of April, in the year 1473, the king of Arragon made an attack on the town of Perpignan, and gained it from the lord du Lau, who had the guard of it; but the castle remained unconquered,—and the garrison held it for the king of France a long time after the capture of the town.
When Lectoure had been destroyed, the king ordered the army to Perpignan, in which were besieged the king of Arragon and his son. With the nobles and captains of this army was the cardinal of Alby who behaved himself most prudently and courageously. This siege lasted long, even until the month of June,—when the king, to hasten it, sent thither a reinforcement of four hundred lances from Amiens and the adjacent towns, together with a large train of artillery and cannoniers.
The duke of Alençon, who had been confined in the castle of Loches, was brought to Paris, and arrived at the castle of the Louvre between nine and ten at night, the 16th day of June. He disembarked from the boats that had brought him from Corbeil, under the guard of the lord de Gaucourt and the lord de la Chaloterie, master of the household to the king, having with them fifty archers of the guards, and twenty-four gentlemen of the household. When they had left him in the castle of the Louvre, they all returned to the king, except the lord de la Chaloterie, who had the care of him,—and he was guarded by the archers of the town of Paris. The first night, he was lodged at the Silver Lion, in the street of St Honoré: and the following day, which was Corpus-Christi-day, he was brought back to the Louvre at the same hour, between nine and ten in the evening.
During this long siege of Perpignan, the king's troops had suffered greatly from the excessive heats, and from want of provisions,—which made them agree to a truce, for a short time, with the besieged, when each party was supplied as to their greatest wants. In this interval the king sent another reinforcement of men at arms, artillery and provisions, under the command of the lord de Gaucourt. He also ordered master John Bouvré and the banker of the treasury to buy up all the provisions they could lay hands on, and send them to Perpignan.