CHAP. IX.
THE KING AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY SEND CAPTAINS FOR THE DEFENCE OF ROUEN.—OF A ROBBER CALLED TABARY.
THE KING AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY SEND CAPTAINS FOR THE DEFENCE OF ROUEN.—OF A ROBBER CALLED TABARY.
Inthese days, several captains were ordered by the king and the duke of Burgundy to Rouen, to aid the inhabitants in the defence of their town against the king of England, by whom they daily expected to be besieged. In their number were the lord de Gapennes, sir John de Neuf-châtel lord de Montagu, sir Anthony de Toulongeon, sir Andrew des Roches, Henry de Chaufour, the bastard de Thian, le Grand Jacques, a native of Lombardy, Guerard bastard de Brimeu, and many others renowned in arms.
Sir Guy le Bouteiller, a Norman, was captain-general of the town, having under him Langnon, bastard of Arly. The whole of the men at arms were selected for their courage, and amounted to about four thousand; and the citizens, well armed and clothed suitably to their degree,were full fifteen thousand, ready and eager to defend themselves against all who might wish to injure them.
They united cheerfully with the men at arms in making every preparation of defence, in strengthening the gates, bulwarks, walls and ditches of their town, as well within side as without. They also made many regulations, distributing to each captain of men at arms certain portions of the town to defend. The citizens were likewise divided into constablewicks; and it was proclaimed by sound of trumpet, that all persons, whatever might be their rank, who intended to remain in the place, must provide themselves with provision for ten months; and those who were unable to do this must quit the town, and go whither they pleased.
In consequence of this proclamation, numbers of poor people departed, as did several ladies, damsels, and citizens' wives, with churchmen and others, who could not be of any assistance. After this, the garrison made frequent sallies on the English, who were hard by, and killed many, and made prisoners,—at other times they were unfortunate.
There was living in that part of the country near to Pontoise, l'Isle-Adam, Gisors, and on the borders of Normandy, a captain of a gang of thieves called Tabary, who had taken part with the Burgundians. He was of small stature, and lame; but he often collected bodies of forty or fifty peasants, sometimes more, sometimes less, armed and dressed in old jackets and haubergeons, with decayed battle-axes, half lances with mallets at their end, and other poor armour. Some were mounted on miserable horses; while others on foot formed ambuscades in the woods, near to the English quarters. Whenever Tabary could lay hands on any of them he cut their throats, as indeed he did to all the dauphin's friends. This conduct made him greatly feared by both these parties.