CHAP. XIV.
THE TOWN OF ROUEN SENDS MESSENGERS TO THE KING TO DEMAND SUCCOUR.—AN EMBASSY IS SENT TO KING HENRY OF ENGLAND,—AND MANY OTHER MATTERS.
THE TOWN OF ROUEN SENDS MESSENGERS TO THE KING TO DEMAND SUCCOUR.—AN EMBASSY IS SENT TO KING HENRY OF ENGLAND,—AND MANY OTHER MATTERS.
Atthis period, a priest of a tolerable age, and of clear understanding, was deputed,by those besieged in Rouen, to the king of France and his council. On his arrival at Paris, he caused to be explained by an augustin doctor, named Eustace de la Paville, in presence of the king and his ministers, the miserable situation of the besieged. He took for his text, 'Domine quid faciemus?' and harangued upon it very ably and eloquently. When he had finished, the priest addressed the king, saying,
'Most excellent prince and lord, I am enjoined by the inhabitants of Rouen to make loud complaints against you, and against you duke of Burgundy, who govern the king, for the oppressions they suffer from the English. They make known to you by me, that if, from want of being succoured by you, they are forced to become subjects to the king of England, you will not have in all the world more bitter enemies; and if they can, they will destroy you and your whole generation.'
With these or with similar words did this priest address the king and his council. After he had been well received and entertained, and the duke of Burgundy had promised to provide succours for the townof Rouen as speedily as possible, he returned the best way he could to carry this news to the besieged.
Shortly after, the king of France and the duke of Burgundy sent ambassadors to Pont de l'Arche, to treat of a peace with the king of England. This embassy consisted of the bishop of Beauvais, master Philip de Morvilliers, first president of the parliament, master Regnault de Folleville, knight, sir William de Champdivers, master Thierry le Roy, and others: they were likewise accompanied by the cardinal d'Orsini, as a mediator.
The king of England appointed the earl of Warwick, the lord chancellor, and the archbishop of Canterbury to meet them at Pont de l'Arche, with others of his council. The negotiations lasted fifteen days,—during which the cardinal paid a visit to the king of England, at his siege of Rouen, and was handsomely received by him and the other lords.
The ambassadors from the king of France had brought with them a portrait of the princess Catherine, daughter to the king, which was presented to the king ofEngland, who liked it well; but he made too great demands for her marriage-portion, namely, that with the princess should be given him a million of crowns of gold, the duchy of Normandy, of which he had conquered a part, the duchy of Acquitaine, the county of Ponthieu, with other lordships, the whole to be held independent of the crown of France.
Nothing therefore was concluded; and the English ambassadors replied to those from France, that their king was not in a situation to form any treaty with,—for the dauphin was not made a party, and it was unbecoming the duke of Burgundy to dispose by treaty of the inheritances of France. On receiving this answer, the cardinal and ambassadors returned to the king and queen of France and the duke of Burgundy, who had lately quitted Paris, and were at Pontoise.
They reported to the council all that had passed at Pont de l'Arche; and soon after the cardinal went to pope Martin at Avignon, for he saw clearly that no peace was likely to take effect between the three parties.
The inhabitants of Rouen knowing well that the negotiation between the kings of France and England was broken off, and fearing that succour would be too long delayed, resolved to make a sally, and fight their way through one of the quarters of king Henry's army, to seek for succour themselves. On mustering their forces, they found they were full ten thousand combatants, leaving a sufficiency for the defence of the town. Orders were given for each man to provide himself with two days provision. When all were ready, and two thousand of them had made an attack on the king's quarters, where they had done much damage, they began their march out of the town; but it happened that the props which bore the drawbridge had been wickedly and secretly sawed nearly through, so that when their first ranks advanced thereon it broke, and very many fell into the ditch and were killed or wounded.
They hastened to another gate to support their men that were engaged with the English, and ordered them to retreat; but they could not regain their town withoutgreat loss, although they had made their enemies suffer also.
There were now many murmurings against the honour of sir Guy le Bouteiller, who was believed to have caused the supporters of the drawbridge to be sawn.
Not long after this sally, Langnon bastard d'Arly died of sickness, to the great sorrow of the commonalty, who as I have before said, had greater confidence in him than in any of the other captains.
At this time sir John de Luxembourg took to wife Joan of Bethune, daughter and heiress to the viscount de Meaux, who had before espoused Robert de Bar count de Marle and de Soissons. She had a young daughter, two years old or thereabout, the heiress of these counties. This marriage was concluded through favour of the duke of Burgundy and the count de Charolois; and by it sir John de Luxembourg had the management of extensive territories. Within a year, the lady brought him a son, who died young. The duke of Burgundy gave up to him many lordships, such as Dunkirk, Varmeston andothers, which he had holden as being confiscated,—for the late sir Robert de Bar, during his lifetime, had been of the opposite party.