Philip von Artaveld was surrounded, wounded by spears, and beaten down, with numbers of the Ghent men, who were his guards. When Philip’s page saw the ill success of his countrymen, being well mounted on his courser, he set off, and left his master, for he could not give him any assistance, and returned toward Courtray, on his way to Ghent. When the Flemings found themselves enclosed on two sides, there was an end to the business, for they could not assist each other. The king’s battalion, which had been somewhat disordered at the beginning, now recovered. The men at arms knocked down the Flemings with all their might. They had well-sharpened battle-axes, with which they cut through helmets, and disbrained heads: others gave such blows with leaden maces, that nothing could withstand them. Scarcely were the Flemings overthrown before the pillagers advanced, who, mixing with the men at arms, made use of the long knives they carried, and finished slaying whoever fell into their hands, without more mercy than if they had been so many dogs. The clattering on the helmets, by the axes and leaden maces, was so loud, that nothing else could be heard for the noise. I was told, that if all the armorers of Paris and Bruxelles had been there working at their trade, they could not have made a greater noise than these combatants did on the helmets of their enemies; for they struck with all their force, and set to their work with the greatest good-will. Some, indeed, pressed too forward into the crowd, and were surrounded and slain: in particular, Sir Louis de Gousalz, a knight from Berry, and Sir Fleton de Reniel. There were several more, which was a great pity; but in such a battle as this, where such numbers are engaged, it is not possible for victory to be obtained without being dearly bought; for young knights and squires, eager to gain renown, willingly run into perils in hopes of honor.
The crowd was now so great, and so dangerous for those enclosed in it, that the men at arms, if not instantly assisted, could not raise themselves when once down. By this were several of the French killed and smothered; but they were not many, for, when in danger, they helped each other. There was a large and high amount of the Flemings who were slain; and never was there seen so little blood spilt at so great a battle, where such numbers were killed. When those in the rear saw the front fail, and that they were defeated, they were greatly astonished, and began to throw away their staves and armor, to disband, and fly toward Courtray and other places, not having any care but to save themselves if possible. The Bretons and French pursued them into ditches, alder-groves, and heaths, where they fought with and slew them. Numbers were killed in the pursuit, between the field of battle and Courtray, whither they were flying in their way to Ghent.
This battle on Mont d’Or took place the twenty-seventh day of November, on the Thursday before Advent, in the year of grace 1382; and at that time the King of France was fourteen years of age.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Number of Slain at the Battle of Rosebecque, and Pursuit afterwards.—Philip von Artaveld is hanged after he was dead.
Thus were the Flemings defeated on Mont d’Or, their pride humbled, and Philip von Artaveld slain; and with him nine thousand men from Ghent and its dependencies (according to the report of the heralds) on the spot, not including those killed in the pursuit, which amounted to twenty-five thousand more. This battle, from the beginning to the defeat, did not last more than half an hour.
When the King of France arrived at his camp, where his magnificent pavilion of red silk had been pitched, and when he had been disarmed, his uncles, and many barons of France, came, as was right, to attend him. Philip von Artaveld then came into his mind, and he said, “If Philip is dead or alive, I should like to see him.” They replied, they would have a search made for him. It was proclaimed through the army, that whoever should discover the body of Philip von Artaveld should receive one hundred francs. Upon this the varlets examined the dead, who were all stripped, or nearly so; and Philip through avarice was so strictly sought after, that he was found by a varlet, who had formerly served him some time, and who knew him perfectly. He was dragged before the king’s pavilion. The king looked at him for some time, as did the other lords. He was turned over and over to see if he had died of wounds, but they found none that could have caused his death. He had been squeezed in the crowd, and, falling into a ditch, numbers of Ghent men fell upon him, who died in his company. When they had sufficiently viewed him, he was taken from thence, and hanged on a tree. Such was the end of Philip von Artaveld.
BOOK III.[31]
CHAPTER I.
Froissart sets out on Journey to Béarn, to seek Admission to the Household of the Count de Foix.
IN order to know the truth of distant transactions, without sending upon the inquiry any other in place of myself, I took an opportunity of visiting that high and redoubted prince Gaston Phœbus, Count de Foix and de Béarn; for I well knew, that if I were so fortunate as to be admitted into his household, and to remain there in quiet, I could not choose a situation more proper to learn the truth of every event, as numbers of foreign knights and squires assembled there from all countries, attracted by his high birth and gentility. It fell out just as I had imagined.