Nearly at the same time, he heard from his army in Arragon, that they had taken a place near Perpignan, called Gonne, in which were several gentlemen, inhabitants of Perpignan, whom they would have put to death, had they not promised to cause the town of Perpignan to be surrendered to the king's arms within a certain time by them named. But as they failed in their promise, some of them were beheaded: in the number was one called Bernard de Douys. Soon after, an agreement was made between the king and the Arragonians, by which Roussillon was again restored to him.
In the month of January, some burgundian adventurers collected together, and made several inroads on France, even so far as Compiégne, plundering or killing all they met. They attempted to build themselves a place of security at Arson, near Roye, whither they had brought a number of pioneers. When the king heard of this, he sent orders for the garrisons of Amiens, Beauvais, and other places, to assemble with the company of the grand master, the cross-bows and archers of Paris, and to put themselves under the command of sir Robert d'Estouteville, provost of Paris, and destroy these Burgundians and their strong hold. But the Burgundians no sooner heard of these orders than they packed up their plunder, and ran away, like thieves as they were.
This same month, a franc-archer of Meudon was confined in the prisons of the Châtelet, in Paris, for divers robberies, and even sacrilege in the church of Meudon. He was condemned, for these crimes, to be hanged at Montfaucon,—but he appealed to the court of parliament, whither he was led for trial. That court dismissed his appeal, and confirmed the sentence of the provost of Paris, to whom he was remanded for execution; but the surgeons and physicians of Paris petitioned the king, that as a variety of persons were afflicted with the stone and other internal disorders, and that as this franc-archer had complaints similar to those of which the lord de Bouchage[50] now lay dangerously ill, it was requisite that the internal parts of a living man should be examined, and that no better subject could have offered than this franc-archer under sentence of death. The physicians and surgeons, in consequence of the king's permission, opened his body,—and having examined his bowels, replaced them, and sewed up the body. By the king's orders, every care was taken of him; and within fifteen days, he was perfectly cured, and was not only pardoned for his crimes but had a sum of money given to him.
On the 28th of January, the king, having a particular affection and reverence for the exalted and devout virtues of St Charlemagne, ordered, that henceforward his feast should on that day be celebrated, which was done in the city of Paris like unto a Sunday, and continued on every succeeding 28th of January.
The town of Nuys was revictualled by the Germans from Cologne, and other places under the obedience of the emperor, notwithstanding the duke of Burgundy had been so long before it, and had placed a considerable fleet on the Rhine to hinder any reinforcements, or stores, from entering the town. The duke's fleet was destroyed, and from six to seven thousand persons, that were on board of it, were killed or drowned. The Burgundians, before this, had suffered great losses in the army that was besieging Nuys.
In the month of March, the king ordered four hundred lances from the garrisons of Amiens, Beauvais, and other parts, to make an inroad on the territories of the duke of Burgundy, to retaliate the damages done by his partisans on the country round Roye, Peronne, and Mondidier, in contempt of the truce. The royalists, in consequence, invaded Artois, and advanced even to the suburbs of Arras, in which they lodged one whole night. By means of flails, and portable windmills, they thrashed and ground all the corn they could find in the barns throughout Artois and Picardy; which, together with great numbers of cattle, prisoners, and utensils, were carried off by Salazart and the other captains to Amiens, and their different garrisons.
During this, the king never stirred from Paris, but kept his Lent there, making good cheer, and, as he said, being healthy and well satisfied. In this month, a youth, son to a brigandine maker, who had been partly brought up by a fresh-water fisherman of Paris, named Jean Pensart, knowing that this fisherman had acquired a large sum of money by the sale of his fish during Lent, which he gained by purchasing from different lords the produce of the ponds by wholesale, and being instigated by the devil, entered the house of this fisherman, and seeing where he kept his money, opened the door of the house after midnight to three Scotsmen, in order that they might rob the said Pensart. One was called Mortimer, surnamed the Esquire, and the name of another was Thomas Clark. By the assistance of this youth, they carried off the money, amounting to two thousand five hundred livres tournois.
The fisherman made such diligence to recover his money that, on the same day the youth was found within sanctuary at the Carmelites in Paris. He was instantly dragged thence, and carried to the prisons of the Châtelet, for the weight of his irons prevented his walking,—and he there confessed that the Scotsmen had taken all the money. Great activity was used in seeking them; and Mortimer was seized, and would have been carried to prison, by orders of master Philip du Four, had not two of the scots guards attacked him and his sergeants, and effected the rescue of Mortimer. Thomas Clark was afterward discovered, having taken sanctuary in the church of St Catherine-du-Val-des-ėcoliers, and was made prisoner,—but not before he had courageously defended himself against the officers of the provost of Paris, having wounded several. At length he was over-powered, and confessed, at the prison, that he was guilty of this robbery,—and great part of the money was restored, which he had hidden near St Estienne des Gres.
For this and other offences, the provost condemned him to the gallows; but he appealed from this sentence to the parliament,—which appeal was dismissed, and he was sent back to the provost, who was ordered to execute his sentence, which was done on the 16th of March, on the gibbet of Paris, in the presence of sir Denis Hesselin and master Jean de Ruel, as commissioners for the lieutenant-criminal La Dehors, on account of a severe illness that prevented his personal attendance.
At this time, the town of Perpignan surrendered to the king's obedience; when the inhabitants were permitted to go whither they pleased with their effects,—but the artillery, which was very handsome and of great value, was detained.