duke of Alençon laid siege to his town and castle of Bellême, then occupied by the English contrary to his will. He had with him about three hundred lances, knights and esquires, and a body of archers, without including the peasantry from the countries of Maine and Vendôme, who were estimated at three thousand fighting men, After several skirmishes and sallies, the English, finding all resistance vain, entered on a treaty with the duke, and engaged to surrender the town and castle on the 20th day of December, unless their friends should appear on that day in sufficient force to give the duke battle and conquer him. The duke, therefore, intrenched his army on the plain to wait the arrival of the English, who were on their march to relieve the place. Two thousand of them had advanced to Torigny*, and, on their departure, had set it on fire, and proceeded to Thury, where they received certain intelligence of the exact strength of the duke's army, and in consequence marched back again. On the 20th day of Decem * Torigny, a small town in Normandy. ber, the duke of Alençon and the lord de Saintrailles drew their army up in battlearray, and waited thus until the hour for the appearance of the enemy was passed. The captain of the english garrison in Bellême, called Matago*, having about two hundred combatants with him, then surrendered the place, and marched away in safety with their effects, according to the terms of the capitulation, whither they pleased. About Christmas-day, the english garrison in Viret, to the number of twelve score, marched out to seek adventures, but were met by a party of the constable's men in garrison at Gourey‡, near to the Croix de Vamoux, under the command of sir Geoffry de Couvran, Joachim Rouhault, and others, when a very sharp engagement took place, but the English were discomfited, so many being killed or taken that few escaped. * Matago. Q. Matthew Gough? + Vire, on the river Vire in Normandy, diocese of Bayeux, generality of Caen. Gourey. Q if not Gournetz, a village in Normandy. CHAP. XVI. THE KING OF FRANCE LEAVES ROUEN.-HE SENDS HIS LIEUTENANT-GENERAL TO BESIEGE HARFLEUR, WHICH SURRENDERS ON CAPITULATION. THE FAIR AGNES IS TAKEN ILL.-HER DEATH, AND HER LAST TESTAMENT. THE king of France, having settled the government of Rouen to his satisfaction, marched thence clothed in a brigandine, having over it a jacket of gold tissue, accompanied by the king of Sicily, and the other princes of his blood, magnificently dressed, more especially the count de St Pol, whose horse's forehead-piece was valued at thirty thousand francs. Thus attended, the king rode to Caudebec,-in which town it was resolved to lay siege to Harfleur; and in consequence, he advanced to Montivilliers, which is but half a league distant from Harfleur, and thence detached his lieutenant-general, the count de Dunois, to open the trenches. The count had with him the counts d'Eu, de Clermont, de Nevers, de Castres, with many men at arms, archers and franc archers, so that his force was estimated at six thousand men, without including the franc archers, who amounted to three thousand, or the cannoneers, labourers, and followers, or the mariners who blockaded the place with twenty-five large vessels, or those who had besieged the abbey of Graville, amounting, in the whole, to more than a thousand men. The siege was commenced on the 8th day of December, with many difficulties, -for there were neither houses nor trees near at hand, and the weather was more severe, by reason of frosts and inundations, than had been experienced for some time. The besiegers suffered also greatly from the sea, which at times destroyed their huts, which were composed only of earth covered with juniper branches. Sixteen large bombards were pointed against the walls, which the king came frequently from Montivilliers to see fired. Deep trenches of communication were formed, wherein the king often exposed his person, armed only with a light helmet and covering shield, to witness the effect of this battery against the walls. Covered trenches were carried to the very walls of Harfleur; and these mines and trenches were formed under the directions of master John Bureau, treasurer to the king, in conjunction with his brother Jasper, grand master of the royal artillery, both very expert and able in the sciences. Thomas Aurmagan*, governor of Harfleur, and the English with him, to the amount of sixteen hundred, receiving pay, witnessing the great preparations of the king of France, opened a treaty with the count de Dunois, on the eve of Christmasday, for the surrender of the place. On the morrow, the capitulation was signed, -and they were to march away with their baggage, and were allowed to transport their effects by land or sea, the term for so doing being limited to the first day of the year. Eight english gentlemen were given as hostages for the due performance of the treaty, who were sent under an escort to Montivilliers. On the first day of January, Thomas Aurmagan. Q. |