[A.D.1422.]CHAP. LXXIV.
THE DAUPHINOIS ASSEMBLE TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF D'AIRAINES.—THE BURGUNDIANS AND ENGLISH MARCH TO MEET THEM, AND OFFER THEM BATTLE.
THE DAUPHINOIS ASSEMBLE TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF D'AIRAINES.—THE BURGUNDIANS AND ENGLISH MARCH TO MEET THEM, AND OFFER THEM BATTLE.
Atthe beginning of the year, a party of the Dauphinois assembled near to Compiègne, with the intent of marching to the succour of D'airaines. Their leaders were, the lord de Gamaches, the lord de Moy and Poton de Saintrailles, and their force amounted to from eight hundred to a thousand men. They first advanced to Pierrepont, which belonged to the vidame of Amiens; and although its outworks had strong hedges, and ditches full of water, they formed a lodgement therein, and made an attack on the fortress, but it was too well defended by those on guard.
While they were thus occupied at Pierrepont, news was brought of their proceedings to sir John de Luxembourg, atthe siege of D'airaines. He advised with his principal nobles, and then detached some of the captains, with a thousand combatants, to meet these Dauphinois. The commanders of the detachment were, sir Hugh de Launoy, master of the cross-bows of France, sir Raoul le Bouteiller, an Englishman, le borgne de Fosseux knight, the lord de Saveuses, and others expert in arms.
They lay the first night at Coucy, and on the morrow, very early, advanced to Moreul, where they heard that the Dauphinois were still in Pierrepont. They, in consequence, marched in very handsome array to meet them; but the Dauphinois, having heard of the near approach of their enemies, mounted their horses, and, after setting fire to their quarters, drew up in order of battle above Mondidier. The English and Burgundians traversed the town of Pierrepont as speedily as they could, but were much delayed by the fire, and formed themselves in battle-array fronting the enemy.
On this occasion many new knights were made on the part of the Burgundians,namely, le bègue de Launoy, Anthony de Reubempré, James de Brimeu, Robert Fritel, Gilles de Hardecourt, Matthew de Landas, Philip du Bos, John de Beauvoir, Waleran de Fieses, Framet de la Tramerie, and many more. Much skirmishing took place between them, in which several men at arms were unhorsed and severely wounded or slain: during this the burgundian and english infantry remained inactive, and the Dauphinois galloped away in good order toward Compiègne, forming a rear guard of their ablest men for their security.
The Burgundians, seeing this, dispatched the lord de Saveuses with a certain number of men at arms, to pursue and check them, while the main body kept advancing after them as fast as they could. The Dauphinois, however, were panic-struck, and made their escape with a trifling loss of seven or eight men, who were killed on the first onset: in the number was a gallant man at arms, called Brunet de Gamaches. On the side of the Burgundians, an old man from Auxerre, named Breton d'Ailly, who for a long timehad not followed the wars, was slain, and a few others.
The English and Burgundians now returned to their quarters at Moreul and other villages, and thence to sir John de Luxembourg at the siege of D'airaines. The besieged were informed of the fate of the succour intended them, and that there was no hope of being relieved, which induced them to accede to a treaty, by which they were to surrender the castles, and to have permission to march unhurt, with their baggage, under passports from sir John de Luxembourg, to Compiègne, Crotoy, Gamaches, St Valery, or to any other places within their obedience from the river Seine to Crotoy.
The garrison consisted of about one hundred men at arms, and as many archers, under the command of sir Cocquart de Cambronne and John Sarpe. The two castles, when surrendered, were found full of stores and provision; but sir John de Luxembourg destroyed one of them, namely, that of the lady of D'airaines. The other he strongly regarrisoned, and appointed sir James de Lievin the governor. Whenthe Dauphinois had marched off, sir John returned with his army to his castle of Beaurevoir, where he dismissed his captains, and the others who had followed him.
Shortly after, sir James de Harcourt made an inroad as far as Auxi on the river Authie, and to other towns and villages, whence he returned to Crotoy with many prisoners and much plunder.