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From Chronicles of England, France and Spain and the Surrounding Countries, by Sir John Froissart, Translated from the French Editions with Variations and Additions from Many Celebrated MSS, by Thomas Johnes, Esq; London: William Smith, 1848. pp. 181-192.
MANY barons and knights, from Flanders, Hainault, Brabant, and Germany, came to pay their respects to the king and queen, whilst they were besieging Calais; and none returned without considerable presents. About this time, the lord Robert de Namur was newly returned into the county of Namur, from an expedition to the Holy Land†, where he had been knighted by the lord Despentin. He was very young, and had not been solicited for his assistance by either of the two kings. He set out with a rich and numerous attendance, and came to Calais, accompanied by many knights and squires, where he was kindly received by the king, queen, and all the barons. He gained their favour and esteem, from bearing the same name as his uncle, the lord Robert d’Artois, who had been formerly so well beloved by them, and from whose counsels they had reaped so much benefit. Lord Robert de Namur from this time became a loyal servant to the king of England, who granted him a pension of three hundred pounds sterling a-year, and assigned the payment of it on his chest at Bruges. He remained with the king at the siege of Calais, until the town was won, as you will hear related.
* Lord Robert de Namur was Froissart’s great patron; and to him we are indebted for this history, as he himself mentions in his preface. He was created a knight of the garter, in Richard II.’s reign, and is the 85th knight of that order. — See Ashmole’s History of the Order of the Garter.
† Lord Berners says “at the holy sepulcre.” — ED.
I HAVE abstained a long time from speaking of the lord Charles of Bois, at that time duke of Brittany, and of the countess of Montfort; but it has been occasioned by the truce agreed to before Vannes, which was strictly observed: each party, during that time, kept peaceably all they had gained. As soon as the truce was expired, the war was renewed with vigour. The king of England had sent into Brittany sir Thomas Daggeworth† and sir John Hartwell; and they had quitted the siege of Calais with two hundred men at arms and four hundred archers. The countess of Montfort remained in the town of Hennebon; and she had with her sir Taneguy du Châtel, a knight from lower Brittany. The English and Bretons made frequent attacks upon the lord Charles’s party, and with various success; but the country was completely ruined and destroyed by these men at arms, and the poor people paid dearly for it.
Three knights one day set out to besiege a town called la Roche-d’errien: they had collected a number of men at arms on horseback, and foot soldiers, and made some violent attacks upon the town; but it was so well defended, that the English could not gain any advantage. The captain of the garrison for lord Charles was Tassart de Guines‡, but three parts of the inhabitants were more attached to the English than to the French; so they arrested sir Tassart, and declared they would murder him, if he would not join them in surrendering the place to the English. Upon this, he said he would comply with whatever they wished: they then let him go, and advanced towards the English army, whom they admitted into their town. Sir Tassart was continued as before, governor of it. When the English returned to Hennebon, they left with him a sufficiency of men at arms and archers, to defend the town and castle. Lord Charles when he heard this, swore things should not go on thus. He summoned all his partisans in Brittany and Normandy, and assembled in the city of Nantes sixteen hundred men in armour, and twelve thousand foot soldiers. There might be four hundred knights and twenty-three bannerets, who all came to lay siege to la Roche-d’errien. They brought with them large engines, which threw stones into the town day and night, and much annoyed the inhabitants. The townsmen sent off messengers, to inform the countess what was going forwards; as she had promised them assistance, if they should be besieged. Upon this, the countess sent everywhere that she could think likely to procure men, and in a short time collected a thousand men in armour, and eight thousand foot soldiers, which she put under the command of the three§ knights before mentioned. These knights declared that they would either raise the siege of la Roche-d’errien, or perish in the attempt; and, taking the field, they advanced very near to the army of lord Charles: they took up their quarters on the banks of a river, with the intention of fighting the next day. About midnight sir Thomas Dagworth and sir John Hartwell armed one half of their people, and, setting off in silence, fell upon one of the wings of lord Charles’s army, and slew a great number of his men. They remained in this action so long that the whole army was roused and armed; they could not therefore retreat, without encountering the whole of the lord Charles’s force. They were surrounded, and so sharply dealt with that they could not withstand the powers of the French. Sir Thomas Dagworth was taken prisoner, after having been severely wounded. Sir John Hartwell escaped as well as he was able, with all that he could bring off with him, by making for the river. He related to sir Taneguy du Châtel the ill success of their attack; and they held a council, whether they ought not to return to Hennebon¶.
* A town in Brittany, about two leagues from Treguier, near Guingamp.
† Sir Thomas Daggeworth was appointed commander in Brittany, by writ of privy seal, dated Reading, January 10, 1347 — FŒDERA.
‡ The historian of Brittany seems to think this person should be Richard Toussaint.
§ From what follows, one may suppose these three knights were, — sir Thomas Dagworth, — sir John Hartwell, sir Taneguy du Châtel.
¶ Our historians relate this affair differently. See Dugdale’s Baronage. Sir Thomas Dagworth was not made prisoner, nor wounded; he was the person who advised the second attack, not the lord of Cadoudal, as Froissart relates. The king, for his good conduct, made him his lieutenant-general of the duchy of Brittany; and the ensuing year he was called up to the house of peers.
A confusing note. There is no mention of the lord of Cadoudal, but it occcurs in the next chapter. — Elf.Ed.
In the Histoire de Bretagne, so often quoted, the account of these engagements is very different, and in part not very much to the honour of sir Thomas Dagworth, if the facts be true. Vol. i. pp. 276, 277.
AH the time they were holding this council, whether to decamp or not, there came to them a knight from the countess, called Garnier, lord of Cadoudal, with a hundred men at arms who had been prevented from coming sooner. When he was informed of the resolution they were about to take of returning, “Oh come,” said he, “arm yourselves quickly, and mount your horses; and he that has no horse, let him follow on foot; for we will go and look once more at our enemies, who are now so elated that we shall be sure to conquer them.” Those that had horses soon got themselves in readiness, and set out; and the foot followed them; so that, about sun-rise, they came upon the army of the lord Charles, which they found wrapped up in sleep, for they did not imagine they should have any more disturbance. The English and Bretons began immediately to cut down and destroy tents and pavilions, and to slay all those whom they had thus surprised; for they had thought themselves so secure, they had not set any watch. Thus were those of the party of lord Charles defeated, and all the barons of Normandy and Brittany that were with him taken prisoners that night. The siege of la Roche-d’errien was raised, and lord Charles conducted to Hennebon. Nevertheless the towns and fortresses that he had before gained, still held out for him; for his wife, who called herself duchess of Brittany, undertook most cheerfully to continue the war.
COMBAT OF LA ROCHE-D’ERRIEN. Lord Charles of Blois taken prisoner. — Engraved from a MS. Froissart of the 15th Century.
KING PHILIP of France, who felt that his subjects in Calais must be severely oppressed, commanded all the knights and squires of his realm to rendezvous at Amiens, or near that town, on the feast of Whitsuntide. No one dared to disobey this order, but all were punctual in being there at the appointed time. King Philip kept a solemn court at Amiens, at which were present the duke of Normandy his eldest son, the duke of Orleans his youngest son, Eudes duke of Burgundy, the duke of Bourbon, the earl of Foix, the lord Lewis of Savoy, the lord John of Hainault, the earls of Armagnac, Valentinois, Forêts, and a great many other earls, barons, and knights. When all these noblemen were assembled in Amiens, they held many councils. The king of France was very anxious to have a free passage through Flanders, that he might send through it a part of his army by way of Gravelines, to reinforce the garrison of Calais, and to attack and fight with the English on that side of the town. He sent, therefore, a very magnificent embassy into Flanders, to treat with the Flemings on this subject: but the king of England had so many friends there, that they would not grant him his request. The king upon this said, he would then advance as far as Boulogne.
The king of England, who found he could not conquer Calais but by famine, ordered a large castle to be constructed of strong timbers, in order to shut up the communication with the sea; and he directed it to be built and embattled in such a manner that it could not be destroyed. He placed it between the town and the sea, and fortified it with all sorts of war-like instruments*, and garrisoned it with forty men at arms and two hundred archers, who guarded the harbour and port of Calais so closely, that nothing could come out or go into the town, without being sunk or taken. By this means he more sorely aggrieved the Calesians, than by anything he had hitherto done, and sooner brought famine among them. About this time, the king of England was so active among the Flemings (with whom as you have just heard the king of France wanted to make a treaty) that they, to the amount of a hundred thousand men, marched out of Flanders, and laid siege to the town of Aire†: they burnt all the country round it, as far as St. Venant, Mourville la Gorge, Estelly le Ventre, and a tract of country round Loo, and even as far as the gates of St. Omer‡ and Terouenne§.
The king of France took up his quarters at Arras¶. He sent a large body of men to strengthen his garrisons in Artois, and in particular sir Charles d’Espagne, his constable, to St. Omer; for the earl of Eu and of Guines, who had been constable, was a prisoner, as I have before related, in England. The Flemings kept advancing into the country, and gave the French employment enough before they retreated. When the Flemings were returned, after having made themselves well acquainted with the parts about Loo¥, the king of France and his army left Arras, and came to Hesdin**: the army and baggage occupied three leagues of country. When the king had rested one day at Hesdin, he advanced the next day to Blangy††, where he halted, in order to consider whither he should march next. He was advised to make for that part of the country called la Belune, and accordingly began his march thither, his army following, which amounted, including men of all descriptions, to two hundred thousand. The king and his army passed through the country of Faukenberg‡‡, and came straight to the hill of Sangate§§, between Calais and Wissant: they marched armed, with banners flying, by moon-light; so that it was a beautiful sight to see their gallant army. When those in Calais perceived them from the walls, pitching their tents, they thought it had been a new siege.
* “Springalles, bombardes, bowes and other artillary.” — Lord Berners.
† A strong town in Artois, generality of Amiens, fourteen leagues from Calais.
‡ A strong town in Artois, ten leagues from Calais.
§ An ancient town in Artois, destroyed by Charles V. 1553.
¶ A strong city in Artois, twenty-seven leagues from Calais.
¥ Loo, — a town to the south of Furnes.
** A strong town in Artois, diocese of Arras, thirteen leagues distant from it.
†† Village in Artois, bailiwick of St. Pol.
‡‡ A village in Artois, bailiwick of Aire.
§§ A village in Picardy, government of Calais.
I WILL now relate what the king of England had done, and was doing, when he saw with what a prodigious force the king of France was come to raise the siege of Calais, which had cost him so much money and labour. He knew that the town was so nearly famished, that it could hold out but a very short time: therefore it would have sorely hurt him to have been forced at that time to raise it. He considered, that the French could neither approach his army nor the town of Calais but by two roads; the one by the downs along the sea-shore; the other higher up the country, which however was full of ditches and bogs; and there was but one bridge, called the bridge of Nieullet, by which they could be crossed. He posted, therefore, his fleet along the shore as near as he could to the downs, and provided it with plenty of every warlike engine*; so that the French could not pass that way. He sent the earl of Derby, with a sufficient force of men at arms and archers, to guard the bridge of Nieullet. The French, therefore, were prevented from advancing thither, unless they attempted crossing the marshes between Sangate and the sea, which were impassable. There was also, nearer to Calais, a high tower, which was guarded by thirty archers from England; and they had fortified it with double ditches, as a stronger defence of the passage over the downs. When the French had taken up their quarters on the hill of Sangate, those from Tournay, who might amount to about fifteen hundred men, advanced towards this tower: the garrison shot at them, and wounded some; but the men of Tournay crossed the ditches, and reached the foot of the tower with pick-axes and bars. The engagement was then very sharp, and many of the Tournaymen were killed and wounded; but, in the end, the tower was taken and thrown down, and all that were within it put to the sword.
The king of France sent his two marshals, the lord of Beaujeu and the lord of St. Venant, to examine the country, and see where the army could pass, in order to fight with the English; but, after they had well examined all the passes, they returned and told the king there was not any possibility of doing it, but with infinite loss of men. Things remained in this state that day and the following night; but on the morrow, after the king of France had heard mass, he sent to the king of England the lord Geoffry de Chargny, the lord Eustace de Ribeaumont, sir Guy de Nesle, and the lord of Beaujeu, who, as they rode along, observed how strongly all the passes were guarded: they were allowed to proceed freely, for so the king of England had ordered, and praised very much the dispositions of the earl of Derby, who was posted at the bridge of Nieullet, over which they passed. They rode on until they came where the king was, whom they found surrounded by his barons and knights: they all four dismounted, and advanced towards the king, with many reverences; then the lord Eustace de Ribeaumont said, “Sir, the king of France informs you through us, that he is come to the hill of Sangate, in order to give you battle; but he cannot find any means of approaching you: he therefore wishes you would assemble your council, and he will send some of his, that they might confer together, and fix upon a spot where a general combat may take place.” The king of England was advised to make his answer as follows: “Gentlemen, I perfectly understand the request you have made me from my adversary, who wrongfully keeps possession of my inheritance, which weighs much upon me. You will therefore tell him from me, if you please, that I have been on this spot near a twelvemonth: this he was well informed of, and, had he chosen it, might have come here sooner; but he has allowed me to remain so long, that I have expended very large sums of money, and have done so much that I must be master of Calais in a very short time: I am not therefore inclined, in the smallest degree, to comply with his request, or to gratify his convenience, or to abandon what I have gained, or what I have been so anxious to conquer. If, therefore, neither he nor his army can pass this way, he must seek out some other road†.” The four noblemen then returned, and were escorted as far as the bridge of Nieullet, and related to the king of France the king of England’s answer.
186Whilst the king of France was devising means to fight with the English, two cardinals, from Pope Clement, arrived as ambassadors in the camp. Immediately on their arrival, they visited each army, and exerted themselves so much that they procured a sort of truce; during which time, four lords of each party were to meet, and endeavour to form a peace. On the part of the king of France were
La France sous les cinq Premiers Valois, par M. Levesque, pp. 518, &c.
THUS had the strong town of Calais been besieged by king Edward of England, as you have heard, about St. John’s day, in August in the year 1346, and surrendered about the end of August 1347. The king, after he had presented these six citizens to the queen, called to him sir Walter Manny, and his two marshals, the earls of Warwick and Stafford, and said to them, “My lords, here are the keys of the town and castle of Calais: go and take possession of them. You will put into prison the knights you may find there: but you will send out of the town all the other inhabitants, and all soldiers that may have come there to serve for pay; as I am resolved to re-people the town with English alone.” These three noblemen, with only one hundred men, went and took possession of Calais, and from the gates sent to prison the lord John de Surie, the lord John de Vienne, the lord John de Bellebourne, and other knights. They then ordered every sort of arms to be brought and piled in a heap in the market-place. They sent out of the town all ranks of people, retaining only one priest, and two other old men, that were well acquainted with the customs and usages of Calais, in order to point out the different properties, and gave directions for the castle to be prepared for lodging the king and queen, and different hôtels for their attendants. When this had been done, the king and queen mounted their steeds, and rode towards the town, which they entered at the sound of trumpets, drums, and all sorts of warlike instruments*. The king remained in it until the queen was brought to bed of a daughter, called Margaret†.
The king gave to sir Walter Manny, lord Stafford, lord Warwick, sir Bartholomew Burghersh, and other knights, very handsome houses in Calais, that they might re-people it: and his intentions were, to send thither, on his return to England, thirty-six substantial citizens, with all their wealth, and to exert himself in such a manner that the inhabitants of the town should be wholly English: which he afterwards accomplished. The new town and fortifications, which had been built before Calais, were destroyed, as well as the castle upon the harbour, and the great boom which was thrown across was brought into the town. The king posted different persons to guard the gates, walls, and towers of the town; and what had been damaged he got repaired, which however was not soon done. The lord John de Vienne and his companions were sent to England; they remained in London about half a year, and then were ransomed. In my opinion, it was a melancholy thing for the inhabitants of both sexes of the town of Calais, thus to be sent abroad, with their children, from their inheritances, leaving every thing behind; for they were not allowed to carry off any of their furniture or wealth; and they received no assistance from the king of France, for whom they had lost their all. They did, however, as well as they were able; and the greater part went to St. Omer‡.
The cardinal Guy de Boulogne, who was come into France as ambassador, and was with his cousin king Philip in the city of Amiens, laboured so earnestly, that he obtained a truce between the two kings and their adherents, which was to last for two years. This truce was agreed to by all parties except the rivals for the duchy of Brittany; but there the two ladies carried on the war against each other. The king and queen returned to England; and sir Aymery de Pavie was appointed governor of the castle of Calais: he was a native of Lombardy, and had been much promoted by the king§. The king sent the thirty-six substantial citizens with their wives and families to Calais: their number increased daily; 190 for he multiplied and enlarged their privileges so much, that many were eager to go there, in order to gain fortunes¶.
About this time the lord Charles of Blois, who called himself duke of Brittany, was brought prisoner to London. He was sent to the Tower, but not as a close prisoner, where the king of Scotland and the earl of Moray were also confined. He did not, however, long remain there, but at the entreaties of the queen of England, to whom he was cousin german, was set at liberty on his parole, and rode all over London wherever he pleased; but he was not permitted to lie a night out of the tower, except it was in such places where the royal family were¥. The earl of Eu and of Guines was also in London a prisoner: he was a very gallant knight, and so amiable that he was always well received by the king, queen, barons, and ladies of the court.
* “Trumpets, tabours, nakquayres and hornes.” — Lord Berners.
† Margaret of Calais was married to the lord John Hastings, earl of Pembroke, but died before her husband, without issue. — Barnes.
‡ We subjoin Lord Berners’ version of this passage; it is much more striking and affecting. “We thynke it was great pyte of the burgesses and other men of the towne of Calys and women and chyldren, whan they were fayne to forsake their houses, herytages, and goodes, and to bere away nothing; and they had no restorement of the french kyng for whose sake they lost all. The most part of them went to Saynt Omers.” — ED.
§ Sir John Montgomery was appointed governor of the town of Calais, the 8th October 1347, by the king at Calais; sir John Gattesden was at the same time nominated marshal of the town. — Rymer.
¶ An ancient manuscript gives the annexed establishment of the army of king Edward III. in Normandy and before Calais, in the 20th year of his reign, with their several stipends:
At per diem.
£. s. d.
My lord the prince 1 0 0
Bishop of Durham 0 6 8
13 earls, each 0 6 8
44 barons and bannerets 0 4 0
1046 knights 0 2 0
4022 esquires, constables, centenary, and
leaders 0 1 0
5104 vintenars and archers on horseback 0 0 6
335 pauncenars
500 hobblers
15,480 foot archers 0 0 3
314 masons, carpenter, smiths, engineers,
tent-makers, miners, armourers, gun-
ners, and artillerymen,—some at 12d.,
10d., 6d., and 3d. per diem
4474 Welsh foot, of whom 200 vintenars at 0 0 4
The rest at 0 0 2
700 master, constables, mariners, and pages
900 ships, barges, balingers, and victuallers
Sum total for the aforesaid men, besides lords, 31,294l.; and for some men from Germany and France, who each receive for their wages 15 florins per month.
The sum total of the wages of war, with the wages of the mariners, from the 4th day of June, in the 20th of the said king Edward, to the 12th day of October in the 21st of the same king, for one year, 131 days, as appears from the book of particular accounts of Walter Wentwaght, then treasurer of the household, entitled, “Wages of War in Normandy, France, and before Calais,” was 127,201l. 2s. 9½d. — Grose’s Military Antiquities, vol. i. p. 330.
¥ George de Lesnen, physician to Charles de Blois, and Oliver de Bignon, his valet de chambre, affirm their master was closely confined for two years; that he was shut up every night in the tower, from whence he only came out to walk in the court of the castle, where the English soldiers insulted him; and that he never mounted a horse during these two years. — Hist. de Bretagne, p. 278.
ALL this year of the truce, the two kings remained at peace. But lord William Douglas, and the Scots, who had taken refuge in the forest of Jedworth, carried on the war against the English, wherever they could meet with them. Those in Gascony, Poitou, and Saintonge, as well French as English, did not observe the truce any better, but conquered towns and castles from each other, by force or intrigue, and ruined and destroyed the country day and night. There were frequently gallant deeds of arms performed, with alternate success.
Poor rogues took advantage of such times, and robbed both towns and castles; so that some of them, becoming rich, constituted themselves captains of bands of thieves: there were among them those worth forty thousand crowns. Their method was, to mark out particular towns or castles, a day or two’s journey from each other: they then collected twenty or thirty robbers, and, travelling through by-roads in the night-time, entered the town or castle they had fixed on about day-break, and set one of the houses on fire. When the inhabitants perceived it, they thought it had been a body of forces sent to destroy them, and took to their heels as fast as they could*. The town of Donzere† was treated in this manner; and many other towns and castles were taken, and afterwards ransomed. Among other robbers in Languedoc, one had marked out the strong castle of Cobourne in Limosin, which is situated in a very strong country. He set off in the night-time with thirty companions, took and destroyed it. He seized also the lord of Cobourne, whom he imprisoned in his own castle, and put all his household to death. He kept him in prison until he 191 ransomed himself for twenty-four thousand crowns paid down. The robber kept possession of the castle and its dependencies, which he furnished with provisions, and thence made war upon all the country round about. The king of France, shortly afterwards, was desirous of having him near his person: he purchased the castle of him for twenty thousand crowns, appointed him his usher at arms, and heaped on him many other honours. The name of this robber was Bacon, and he was always mounted on handsome horses of a deep roan colour, or on large palfreys, apparelled like an earl, and very richly armed; and this state he maintained as long as he lived.
* Lord Berners here adds, “and thanne these brigant wolde breke up cofers and houses and robbe and take what they lyste, and flye awaye whan they had done.” — ED.
† A town of Dauphiné, on the Rhône, election of Montelimart.
THERE were similar disorders in Brittany; and robbers carried on the like method of seizing and pillaging different towns and castles, and then selling them back again to the country at a dear rate: by which means many of their leaders became very rich. Among others, there was one of the name of Croquart, who was originally but a poor boy, and had been page to the lord d’Ercle in Holland. When this Croquart arrived at manhood, he had his discharge, and went to the wars in Brittany, where he attached himself to a man at arms, and behaved very well. It happened, that in some skirmish his master was taken and slain; when, in recompense for his prowess, his companions elected him their leader in the place of his late master: he then made such profit by ransoms, and the taking of towns and castles, that he was said to be worth full forty thousand crowns, not including his horses, of which he had twenty or thirty, very handsome and strong, and of a deep roan colour. He had the reputation of being the most expert man at arms of the country, was chosen to be one of the thirty that engaged against a similar number, and was the most active combatant on the side of the English*. King John of France made him the offer of knighting him, and 192 marrying him very richly, if he would quit the English party, and promised to give him two thousand livres a year; but Croquart would never listen to it. It chanced one day, as he was riding a young horse, which he had just purchased for three hundred crowns, and was putting him to his full speed, that the horse ran away with him, and in leaping a ditch, stumbled into it, and broke his master’s neck. Such was the end of Croquart.
* I have been much surprised that Froissart, who in general is so very minute in relating every transaction should have omitted an account of this extraordinary engagement. The relation of it which follows is taken from the Histoire de Bretagne, vol. i. p. 280.
After the death of sir Thomas Daggeworth, the king appointed sir Walter Bently commander in Brittany. The English being much irritated at the death of Daggeworth, and not being able to revenge themselves on those who slew him, did so on the whole country by burning and destroying it. The marshal de Beaumanoir, desirous of putting a stop to this, sent to Bembro, who commanded in Ploërmel, for a passport, to hold a conference with him. The marshal reprobated the conduct of the English, and high words passed between them; for Bembro had been the companion in arms to Daggeworth. At last one of them proposed a combat of thirty on each side: the place appointed for it was at the halfway oak-tree between Josselin and Ploërmel; and the day was fixed for the 27th March, the fourth Sunday in Lent, 1351. Beaumanoir chose nine knights and twenty-one squires: the first were, the lord de Tinteniac, Guy de Rochefort, Yves Charruel, Robin Raguenel, Huon de St. Yvon, Caro de Bodegat, Olivier Arrel, Geoffry du Bois, John Rousselet, &c. Bembro could not find a sufficient number of English in his garrison; there were but twenty, the remainder were Germans and Bretons. Among them were, sir Robert Knolles, Croquart, Hervé de Lexualen, John Plesanton, Richard and Hugh le Gaillart, Jannequin Taillart, Ressefort, Richard de la Lande, Thomelin Billefort, Hugh Calverly, Robinet Melipars, Yfrai or Isannai, John Russel, Dagorne, and a soldier, named Hulbitée, of a very large size, and of great strength, &c. Bembro first entered the field of battle, and drew up his troop. Beaumanoir did the same. Each made a short harangue to his men, exhorting them to support their own honour and that of their nation. Bembro added, there was an old prophecy of Merlin, which promised victory to the English. As they were on the point of engaging, Bembro made a sign to Beaumanoir he wished to speak to him, and represented he had engaged in this matter rather imprudently; for such combats ought first to have had the permission of their respective princes. Beaumanoir replied he had been somewhat late in discovering this; and the nobility of Brittany would not return without having proved by battle who had the fairest mistresses. The signal was given for the attack. Their arms were not similar; for each was to choose such as he liked. Billefort fought with a mallet 25lbs. weight, and others with what arms they chose. The advantage, at first, was for the English; as the Bretons had lost five of their men. Beaumanoir exhorted them not to mind this, as they stopped to take breath; when, each party having had some refreshments, the combat was renewed. Bembro was killed. On seeing this, Croquart cried out, “Companions, don’t let us think of the prophecies of Merlin, but depend on our courage and arms; keep yourselves close together, be firm, and fight as I do.” Beaumanoir, being wounded, was quitting the field to quench his thirst, when Geoffry du Bois cried out, “Beaumanoir, drink thy blood, and thy thirst will go off.” This made him ashamed, and return to the battle. The Bretons at last gained the day, by one of their party breaking on horseback the ranks of the English; the greater part of whom were killed. Knolles, Calverly, and Croquart, were made prisoners, and carried to the castle of Josselin. Tinteniac, on the side of the Bretons, and Croquart, on the English, obtained the prize of valour. Such was the issue of this famous combat of Thirty, so glorious to the Bretons, but which decided nothing as to the possession of the duchy of Brittany.
AT this time sir Geoffry de Chargny was stationed at St. Omer, to defend the frontier; and, in every thing touching war, he acted as if he had been king. He bethought himself, that as Lombards are very poor*, and by nature avaricious, he would attempt to recover the town of Calais, by means of Aymery de Pavie the governor: and as, from the terms of the truce, the inhabitants of the towns of St. Omer and Calais might go to each place to sell their different merchandises, sir Geoffry entered into a secret treaty with sir Aymery, and succeeded so far that he promised to deliver up the town, on receiving twenty thousand crowns. The king of England, however, got intelligence of it, and sent to Aymery the Lombard, orders to cross the sea immediately, and come to him at Westminster. He obeyed; for he could not imagine that the king knew of his treason, it had been so secretly carried on. When the king saw the Lombard, he took him aside, and said, “Thou knowest that I have intrusted to thee what I hold dearest in this world, except my wife and children, I mean the town and castle of Calais, which thou hast sold to the French; and for which thou deservest death.” The Lombard flung himself on his knees, and said, “Ah, gentle king, have mercy on me, for God’s sake. All that you have said is very true; but there is yet time to break the bargain, for hitherto I have not received one penny.” The king had brought up this Lombard from a child, and much loved him: he replied, “Aymery, it is my wish that you continue on this treaty: you will inform me of the day that you are to deliver up Calais; and on these conditions I promise you my pardon.” The Lombard then returned to Calais, and kept every thing secret. In the mean time, sir Geoffry de Chargny thought himself sure of having Calais, and issued out privately his summons for five hundred lances: the greater part were ignorant where he intended to lead them; for it was only known to a few barons. I do not believe he had even informed the king of France of his plan, as he would have dissuaded him from it, on account of the truce. The Lombard had consented to deliver up the town to him, the last night of the year, with which he made the king of England acquainted by means of his brother†.
* Poverty was not the general characteristic of the Lombards, however justly they may be charged with avarice; Lord Berners and D. Sauvage’s ed. allude only to the latter. — ED.
† Sir Aymery de Pavie was appointed commander of the galleys of the king, dated Westminster, 24th April 1348. — Sir Aymery does not seem to have forfeited Edward’s confidence: I therefore think, with M. Levesque, that Avesbury’s account is more probable. “Dictus vero genuensis nolens prodere regem Anglorum dominum suum. . . . . . . . . Aurum tamen sibi promissum cupiens imbursare, cum eodem domino Galfrido pacifice loquens, in dolo suis suasionibus callidis adquievit.” — Avesbury, p. 180.
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