CHAP. XLIV.
PHILIP COUNT DE ST POL GOES TO BRUSSELS, AND ARRESTS THE MINISTERS OF THE DUKE OF BRABANT.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THESE TIMES.
PHILIP COUNT DE ST POL GOES TO BRUSSELS, AND ARRESTS THE MINISTERS OF THE DUKE OF BRABANT.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THESE TIMES.
Thecount de St Pol, soon after his return from Picardy, was sent for in haste by the greater part of the nobility and principal towns in Brabant, and also by the countess of Hainault, wife to the duke of Brabant. Laying aside all other matters, he instantlycomplied; and on his arrival in that country, he was immediately declared governor of the whole duchy by those who had sent for him, instead of his brother, whose conduct had been so disagreeable that they would not longer obey him as their duke.
The count kept his state in Brussels, and began to make many new regulations to the great displeasure of those who governed the duke of Brabant, who was at that time absent from Brussels. His ministers, however, brought him back with a large force of men at arms; but the inhabitants would not open their gates to him until he had promised his brother the count de St Pol, that he would maintain peace with them. He was scarcely entered when those who managed him would not permit his brother, or the principal nobles, to approach him but with difficulty and with suspicion. This conduct irritated them so much that they, in conjunction with the count de St Pol, resolved to provide a remedy; and, assembling in numbers, they arrested all the duke's ministers, the principal of whom was the damoiseau de Hainsbercq.
The most part of these prisoners were beheaded, namely, sir John de Condemberch, John Scoccard, Everard le Duc, Henry le Duc, sir Henry Hutun, master William Hutun, sir John Hutun, sir William Pipepoye, sir William Moieux, the youth William Asche, John du Vert, sir Everard Sherchos, John Clautin Grolier, and some others. The duke was put under the government of the nobles of Brabant, with the approbation of his brother the count de St Pol, and the three estates of the country; and ever after unanimity and peace reigned among them.
In these days the Dauphinois, quartered at Guise in Tierrache, and the adjoining parts, assembled a body of about five hundred combatants, and suddenly marched to the town of Beaurevoir, belonging to sir John de Luxembourg, wherein he resided, and to the villages near, whence they carried off many of the peasants, and some booty, with which they speedily returned to their own quarters.
Sir John was very indignant at this conduct, and having collected a large body of men at arms and archers from variousparts, he conducted them to the county of Guise, and overran the whole of it, seizing or destroying all they found in the open country, in revenge for the insult of the Dauphinois. They made a rich plunder of peasants, cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, and of all that had not been secured in castles, which they brought off, and then separated to their different homes.
During these tribulations, Philip count de Vertus, brother to the duke of Orleans, a prisoner in England, and also to the count d'Angoulême, died at Blois: he had the government of all the estates of his brother in France: and the dauphin was much weakened in aid and advice by his death. His two brothers bitterly lamented his loss, as well from fraternal affection as because he faithfully managed their concerns in France during their imprisonment.