CHAP. LXX.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG WAITS ON KING HENRY, TO SOLICIT THE LIBERTY OF THE COUNT DE CONVERSAN, HIS BROTHER,—AND OTHER EVENTS.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG WAITS ON KING HENRY, TO SOLICIT THE LIBERTY OF THE COUNT DE CONVERSAN, HIS BROTHER,—AND OTHER EVENTS.
Aboutthis time, sir John de Luxembourg, attended by a few persons, came to king Henry at the siege of Meaux, to treat for the deliverance of his brother the count de Conversan, who had been long a prisoner, and was confined in that town by Pierron de Luppel. By the assistance of the English king, he obtained his brother's liberty, on consenting to pay Pierron de Luppel a large sum of money by instalments at certain periods agreed on between them. On regaining his liberty, the count de Conversan remained in the service of king Henry during the siege of Meaux; and sir John de Luxembourg returned to Picardy, of which he was governor-general. He was accompanied by sir Hugh de Launoy, who had been lately appointed grand master of the cross-bows of France by the two kings of France and of England.
This year, Catherine queen of England was brought to bed of a son and heir to the kingdom, who, by orders from his father, was baptised Henry: his sponsors were Jacqueline duchess of Bavaria, at that time in England, and others nominated for that purpose.[9]
King Henry felt the utmost pleasure at this event, and there were greater rejoicings throughout England than had been ever seen before on the birth of any prince. During this time, the Dauphinois took the town of Avranches by storm, and killed or made prisoners from two to three hundred English, to the great vexation of their king. On receiving this intelligence, he sent off, from the siege of Meaux, a strong detachment to the earl of Salisbury, governor of Normandy, who made such good use of his reinforcement that he retook Avranches, and put to death, or made prisoners, many of the Dauphinois.
At this same time, Arthur count de Richemont was delivered by a certain treaty from his imprisonment in England,and came to the siege of Meaux with a large body of men at arms to serve king Henry, in whose service he remained during the life of that king.
FOOTNOTES:[9]See for them in Rymer, &c.
[9]See for them in Rymer, &c.
[9]See for them in Rymer, &c.