[A.D.1420.]CHAP. XXXVII.
THE COUNT DE CONVERSAN, WITH HIS BROTHER SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG, THE LORD DE CROY, AND OTHER CAPTAINS, LAY SIEGE TO ALIBAUDIERES.—THE CONSEQUENCES THEREOF.
THE COUNT DE CONVERSAN, WITH HIS BROTHER SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG, THE LORD DE CROY, AND OTHER CAPTAINS, LAY SIEGE TO ALIBAUDIERES.—THE CONSEQUENCES THEREOF.
Atthe beginning of this year, the duke of Burgundy ordered Pierre de Luxembourg count de Conversan and de Brienne,sir John de Luxembourg his brother, and several of his captains, such as the marshal de l'Isle-Adam, the vidame of Amiens, Anthony lord of Croy, Hector de Saveuses, sir Mauroy de St Leger, the bastard de Thian, and a number of others, to lay siege to the castle of Alibaudieres, mentioned in the preceding chapter.
The garrison of this castle had repaired the bulwark which sir John de Luxembourg had destroyed, so that it was in a better state of defence than before. The burgundian leaders, on their arrival, ordered their men, before they encamped, to arm themselves and prepare ladders, thinking to win the bulwark as easily as formerly; but the attack and defence were for a long time sharply continued, and with great courage. Some of the ladders were placed against it, and on them Hector de Saveuses, Henry de Chauffour, and others expert in arms, combated a considerable time; but Henry de Chauffour, much renowned in war, while on one of these ladders, and armed in plate armour, was pierced by a lance through the hollow of the armour, under the ham of his leg, and died of the wound a few days afterward.
During the attack, sir John de Luxembourg, who was very near the bulwark, and posted between two oaks, had raised the vizor of his helmet, to observe the countenance of the enemy; but he was perceived from the walls, and struck near the eye with a lance, (whether pointed or not with iron I am ignorant) and so severely wounded, that in the end he lost his eye, and was led by his people to repose himself in his tent. Shortly after, his banner was taken, and cut off close to the end of the lance to which it was fastened, which still more enraged sir John de Luxembourg. These events, and the obstinate resistance of the besieged, put an end to the attack, but not before great numbers of the assailants had been killed and wounded.
The count de Conversan, and the other captains encamped round the castle, had ordered several large bombards to be pointed against the gates and walls, to destroy them; but sir John de Luxembourg, in consequence of his severe wound, was carried back to Troyes, where he was attended by the most able doctors. His brother, the count de Conversan, now remained commanderin chief of the siege, and by his engines so greatly damaged the castle that some of the towers and gates were half battered down. This alarmed the besieged, and they demanded a parley with the count, which was consented to; but they could not at the first conference agree on terms,—so that, when the deputies had re-entered the castle, the besiegers armed themselves, and made so vigorous an attack on it that sixty men at arms gained possession of two of its towers,—but in truth they could not proceed further by reason of the new fortifications that had been erected during the siege. This action was very severe indeed, and lasted nearly five hours, during which numbers of each side were killed and wounded; but in the end, those who had gained the two towers were driven by the besieged from them; they even made prisoner, and dragged into the castle, a trumpeter who had armed himself like a man at arms.
On the morrow, the besieged, fearing the attack would be renewed, demanded another parley, when it was agreed, that they should depart with their lives only,and on foot, with the exception of a few who were to be allowed small horses,—and in this state they were to go to Moynes. The castle was totally destroyed and burnt, and the effects within were all plundered by those men at arms who could first force an entrance, contrary to the positive orders of their captains, who soon after led their men back to Troyes and to the adjacent villages.