CHAP. LXXII.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG CONQUERS, THIS CAMPAIGN, THE FORTRESSES OF QUESNOY, LOUVROY AND HERICOURT.—OTHER MATTERS.
SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG CONQUERS, THIS CAMPAIGN, THE FORTRESSES OF QUESNOY, LOUVROY AND HERICOURT.—OTHER MATTERS.
Wemust now speak of what sir John de Luxembourg, with some of the picard lords, did this year, by orders from the kings of France and England. Sir Hugh de Launoy, the newly-appointed grand master of the cross-bows, the vidame of Amiens, the lord de Longueval, the lord de Saveuses, the lord de Humbercourt, and a great number of knights and esquires, mustered their forces, in the month of March, in the town of Eure. When this was done, few people knew whither sir John intended to lead them: at length he directed their march toward Amiens, to a miserable castle called le Quesnoy, belonging to John d'Arly, in which about forty pillagers of the dauphin's party had quartered themselves, and, in conjunction with those in D'araines, had greatly harrassed the whole country of Vimeu,and down the river Somme from Amiens to Abbeville.
The vidame of Amiens and the lord de Saveuses had advanced their men thither the preceding day to prevent their escape. On sir John de Luxembourg's arrival, having arranged his quarters, he caused his artillery to be pointed against the walls, which shortly made large breaches in them, and in such numbers, that the besieged, finding all resistance vain, offered to capitulate.
The following terms were soon agreed on between them and the lord de Saveuses, who had been commissioned for that purpose by sir John de Luxembourg, namely, that they should surrender the castle and every thing within it to sir John de Luxembourg; and the greater number of these pillagers were to be given up to his will. Waleran de St Germain, their leader, in fact betrayed them, giving them to understand that their lives would be spared,—but he only bargained for himself to depart freely, with sufficient passports.
On the conclusion of this treaty, the castle-gates were thrown open, and thosewithin carried to a house in the town, when part of them were shortly after hanged, and the others sent to the bailiff of Amiens, who had them gibbetted: in the latter number was a gentleman, named Lienard de Picquigny, who said he was distantly related to the vidame of Amiens. This castle was razed to the ground, after the wood-work had been burnt.
Sir John then marched his forces toward Gamaches, where he was joined by three hundred english combatants under the command of sir Raoul le Bouteiller; and he subjected to the obedience of the kings of France and of England certain fortresses in Vimeu, as Louvroy[10], Hericourt, and others. In the mean time, the men of the lord de Gamaches who were posted at Compiègne, took by storm the castle of Mortemer near Mondidier, belonging to Conherrard de Brimeu, then absent with the army of sir John de Luxembourg in Vimeu. They placed a strong garrison within it, which much oppressed the country round. In another part, a company ofDauphinois quartered at Marcoussy, to the amount of two hundred combatants, with their captain, secretly marched by night to the bridge of Meulan, to which they did great mischief. Their plan was to establish a garrison there to defend it; but the king of England sent thither the count de Conversan, with a number of men at arms, who having besieged them, they soon surrendered on having their lives and fortunes spared.