CHAP. LX.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MARCHES TO PONT DE SAINT REMY, AND CONQUERS IT.—THE DEEDS OF ARMS THAT WERE PERFORMED BEFORE SAINT RIQUIER.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MARCHES TO PONT DE SAINT REMY, AND CONQUERS IT.—THE DEEDS OF ARMS THAT WERE PERFORMED BEFORE SAINT RIQUIER.
Theduke of Burgundy advanced his whole army from Auxi to a large village called Viurens, within a league from St Riquier. On the morrow, he marched by this last town, and quartered himself and his army at Pont de St Remy, on the night of the feast of the Magdalen. Some of his men were lodged in large houses near the bridge; but the Dauphinois, who were in the castle and island, discharged rockets into them, and set them on fire, which forced the Burgundians to retire, and fix their quarters further off.
Two days after their arrival, the cross-bows from Amiens, and a body of men at arms who escorted them, descended the Somme in twelve boats, ready to attack the castle and island. But the Dauphinois, on learning that they were near at hand,took fright, and, packing up their baggage, fled to the castle of D'airaines, leaving Pont de St Remy without any guard. Some women, who had remained in the island, lowered the drawbridge on the side where the Burgundians lay, who instantly entered the place, and plundered all that the Dauphinois had left.
This same day, by orders from the duke of Burgundy, the castle and town were burnt, wherein were many handsome houses. In like manner, on this and on the following day, were destroyed the castles of Marveil and Jaucourt, which the Dauphinois had deserted from fear of the duke.
While the duke of Burgundy was thus employed at Pont de St Remy, sir John de Luxembourg went to the town of St Riquier, under proper passports from the lord d'Offemont, with one hundred picked men at arms, as an escort to six knights, well mounted and accoutred, who were to perform a deed of arms against six champions of the Dauphinois, under the lord d'Offemont.
This combat had been previously settled by messages which had passed betweenthe parties. The burgundian champions were Henry l'Allemant, the bastard de Robaix, Lyonnet de Bournouville and three others. The Dauphinois were the lord de Verduysant, Guillaume d'Aubigny and four others, whose names I have forgotten. On the parties meeting, the justings commenced; but, at the onset, the two Dauphinois killed the horses of their opponents: the others broke several lances gallantly enough; but from the shortness of the time two on each side could not just,—and there was no one wounded on either side. The parties took a friendly leave; and sir John de Luxembourg returned with his company to the Pont de St Remy, and the lord d'Offemont re-entered St Riquier.
Sir John de Luxembourg had been accompanied for his security, by one hundred of the most expert men at arms in the burgundian army: he had also formed an ambuscade of three hundred men in a wood to succour him, should there be occasion. When on his road to St Riquier, having placed this ambuscade, he halted on an eminence to observe if his orders were obeyed, and to his surprise saw that thosein ambush were wandering about and the horses grazing. In a great rage, he seized a lance and galloped back to reduce them to proper order; but his men, perceiving him coming, mounted their horses and fled as fast as spurs could make them. Nevertheless, he overtook a man at arms, named Aloyer, whom he pierced through the thigh and unhorsed, and to many others he gave severe blows. When he had restored order, and severely reprimanded the leaders, he continued his march to witness the deed of arms already related.