CHAP. XLV.
THE LORD DE L'ISLE-ADAM, MARSHAL OF FRANCE, IS SENT TO GARRISON JOIGNY.—THE SURRENDER OF THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF MELUN.
THE LORD DE L'ISLE-ADAM, MARSHAL OF FRANCE, IS SENT TO GARRISON JOIGNY.—THE SURRENDER OF THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF MELUN.
Wewill now return to the siege of Melun, at which were present, as you have heard, the kings of France and of England, and the duke of Burgundy. The lord de l'Isle-Adam, though marshal of France, was sent by king Charles with a large force to garrison Joigny, and make head against the Dauphinois, who were committing great depredations in those parts.
When he had remained there some time, and had properly posted his men, he returned to the siege of Melun. He had caused to be made a surcoat of light grey, in which he waited on the king of England relative to some affairs touching his office. When he had made the proper salutations, and had said a few words respecting his business, king Henry, by way of joke, said, 'What, l'Isle-Adam, is this a dress for amarshal of France?' to which he replied, looking the king in the face, 'Sire, I have had it thus made to cross the Seine in the boats.' The king added, 'How dare you thus look a prince full in the face, when you are speaking to him?' 'Sire,' answered l'Isle-Adam, 'such is the custom of us Frenchmen; and if any one addresses another, whatever may be his rank, and looks on the ground, he is thought to have evil designs, and cannot be an honest man, since he dare not look in the face of him to whom he is speaking.' The king replied, 'Such is not our custom.'
After these, and some few more words, the lord de l'Isle-Adam took leave of the king, and departed from his presence,—but he plainly perceived that he was not in his good graces. He was, shortly after, deprived of his office of marshal of France, and another worse event befel him, for he was also detained prisoner by king Henry, as you will see hereafter.
During this siege of Melun, a severe epidemical distemper afflicted the english army, and caused a very great mortality. On the other hand, the prince of Orange,and many others, quitted the army of the duke of Burgundy, which weakened him so much, that he sent in haste orders to sir John de Luxembourg, who commanded for the king in Picardy, to assemble as many men at arms, and archers, as he could, and bring them to the siege of Melun.
Sir John instantly obeyed this order, and, marching his men through Peronne, and over the bridge of St Maixence, advanced toward Melun. The besieged, seeing this body marching in battle array, concluded it was succour coming to their aid, and began to ring all the bells in the town, and to cry from their walls to the besiegers, that they must now hasten to saddle their horses, for they would speedily be forced to decamp. They were soon undeceived, and, with grief, descended from the ramparts, having no longer hopes of assistance from the dauphin, or from any other quarter. Sir John de Luxembourg and his men were quartered at the town of Brie Comte Robert, where they remained until after the surrender of Melun.
In the mean time, the king of Francedispatched letters to many of the principal towns of the kingdom, commanding them to send commissioners to meet him at Paris on the fourth of January, to confer with the nobility and clergy on the state of affairs.
The garrison in Melun were aware how dangerously they were now situated, without hope of succour; for they had frequently made the dauphin acquainted with their situation, and how they had for a long time, from famine, been forced to live on dogs, cats, horses, and other food unbecoming Christians, requiring him, at the same time, to perform his promises of sending them assistance, and to relieve them from the danger they had incurred in his support. At length, the ministers of the dauphin sent them word, that they had not sufficient forces to oppose the king of England and the duke of Burgundy, and advised them to conclude the best treaty they could with them.
On receiving this answer, they opened a parley with the king of England, who sent as his commissioners the earl of Warwick and sir John Cornwall; and, aftereighteen weeks siege, they concluded a treaty on these terms:
First, the besieged were faithfully to surrender to the kings of France and of England the town and castle of Melun; and all the men at arms and inhabitants within the said town were to submit themselves to the will of the two kings.
Secondly, the two kings accepted the terms, on condition that should there be any persons who had committed or been accomplices in the murder of the late duke of Burgundy, they should be given up to the punishment due to their crimes. All others, of whatever rank they may be, not implicated in the aforesaid murder, shall have their lives spared, but remain prisoners until they shall have given sufficient securities never to join in arms with the enemies of the said kings.
Thirdly, should those accused of having been concerned in the murder of the late duke John of Burgundy be found guiltless, they shall remain in the same state as those not implicated therein. Such as are native subjects of France shall be restored to their possessions on giving the security as before mentioned.
All the burghers and inhabitants shall remain at the disposal of the two kings.
The aforesaid burghers, and also the men at arms shall place, or cause to be placed within the castle of Melun, their armour and warlike habiliments in such wise that they may be seen, without damaging or destroying any parts of them. In like manner, they will carry thither all their moveables.
Item, the garrison shall surrender all prisoners they may have taken in war, and acquit them of their engagements, and also such prisoners as they may have made before the commencement of the siege.
Item, for the due performance of these articles, twelve of the most noble men in the place after the governor, and six of the principal inhabitants, shall be given up as hostages.
Item, the lord Fordun, an english or scots knight, and all the English and Scots shall be at the disposal of the king of England.
When this treaty was concluded, the gates of the town and castle were thrown open, and put under the command of thetwo kings; and the government of it was given by them to one called Pierre de Verrault, the ministers of the king of England having the administration of affairs.
The men at arms of the dauphin's party, of whom the principal were, sir Pierre de Bourbon, lord of Prèaulx, Barbasan, and from five to six hundred noblemen and gentle dames, with the most notable inhabitants, were by command of the king of England, regent of France, carried to Paris under a considerable escort, and there imprisoned in the Châtelet, Bastille, the Temple, and other places.
It was strictly commanded by the two kings, that no persons should enter the town or castle of Melun, excepting those who had been ordered so to do, under pain of being beheaded. Among others who suffered this punishment were two monks of Jouy in Brie, namely the cellar-keeper of that convent and Dom Symon, formerly monks of Gart.
While this treaty of peace was carrying on, a gentleman of the household of the king of England, named Bertrand de Chaumont, (who at the battle of Azincourt,had turned from the French to the English because he held his lands in Guyenne under the king of England, and was much beloved by him for his valour,) in an evil hour, and from being badly advised through avarice, aided the escape of Amerian du Lau from the town of Melun, who, as it was said, had been concerned in the murder of the duke of Burgundy. This came to the knowledge of the king of England, who was troubled thereat, and notwithstanding the entreaties of his brother the duke of Clarence, and even of the duke of Burgundy, had him beheaded for this act, telling them not to speak to him on the subject, for that he would have no traitors in his army, and that this punishment was for an example to all others,—although he would willingly have rather given five hundred thousand nobles than Bertrand should have committed so disloyal an act.