THE KING, AFTER THE CAPTURE OF SOISSONS, MARCHES TO ST QUENTIN, AND THENCE TO PERONNE, TO FACILITATE HIS ENTRANCE INTO ARTOIS.

Having done these things at Soissons, the king departed, and went to the town of Laon, where he was magnificently and joyfully received by the clergy, burghers and inhabitants of that town. Shortly after his arrival, Philip count de Nevers, baron de Donsy of the royal lineage, and brother to the duke of Burgundy, came thither under the protection of a passport from the king, and was lodged by the royal harbingers, in the abbey of Saint Martin des PremonstrÉs. He had been informed by some of his friends, that the king intended to send into his county of Rethel a large force to seize his person; and for this reason he had come to Laon to surrender into the king's hand the lordships and estates he possessed in France, and to solicit mercy and pardon for all his offences, promising henceforward not to assist his brother, the duke of Burgundy, openly or secretly, in this quarrel against the king his sovereign lord. What he requested was granted; and the lord de Lor with others of his vassals were given as hostages for the faithful observance of these promises. He then departed, with the king's leave, to Mezieres on the Meuse.

While the king remained at Laon, he ordered fresh proclamations to be made throughout his realm, to obtain the aid of his knights and others who were accustomed to bear arms for him.

On the 10th day of June he marched to Tierrache, thence to Ribermont and to St Quentin; at which place, the countess of Hainault, sister to the duke of Burgundy, came to him, with a noble attendance of two hundred horsemen, to endeavour to make peace between the king and the duke of Acquitaine and the duke of Burgundy. But when the king heard what terms she had to propose, there was an end of the business; and, seeing no prospect of success, she took leave of the king, and left Saint Quentin, and went to the duke of Bourbon and Charles d'Albreth, constable of France, the commanders of the rear division of the army.

Four of the king's knights escorted her until she met two hundred burgundian men at arms. This body of troops was under the command of sir Gaultier de Ruppes, the lords de Montagu and de Toulongeon, Sir Guillaume de Champ-divers, le Veau de Bar, bailiff of Auxois[3], and others, quartered at Marle[4], who were on their road towards Hainault.

The moment the king of France's knights perceived them, they returned with all speed to give information that they had seen the Burgundians, in order that they might be encountered. The duke of Bourbon, the constable, and many others, instantly made themselves ready, to the amount of four thousand combatants, and galloped away as fast as their horses could carry them, through la Chapelle in Tierrache, to overtake the Burgundians. They continued their pursuit as far as the bridge of Verberie over the Sambre, near to Beaumont, when they came up with the baggage, and killed or made prisoners several of the escort: among the last was Veau de Bar, bailiff of Auxois. They still pursued the Burgundians until they came near to NÔtre Dame de Halle, but they had then secured themselves within the suburbs of Brussels. Finding that all hopes of overtaking them were vain, the french knights retreated through Hainault, plundered many of its inhabitants, who little suspected it, and arrived at Guise in Tierrache, where they met the king and his whole army, who had returned thither to combat his enemies.

Duke William count of Hainault was highly displeased with this expedition, because his country had been overrun and pillaged. Soon after, the king marched back to St Quentin, and the Burgundians, who were before Oudenarde, went to Douay, where they met the duke of Burgundy, who received them as cordially as if they had been his brethren. The lady of Hainault, his sister, came thither also, who had endeavoured, as has been said, with all her power, to conclude a peace between the king of France and the duke of Burgundy, but hitherto she had been unsuccessful.

The king and the princes advanced from St Quentin to Peronne,—and his majesty was lodged in the castle. He devoutly celebrated the feast of St Peter and St Paul, in the church of St Quentin; and on the morrow of this feast the countess of Hainault returned, with her brother the duke of Brabant, to renew her propositions for peace. They were royally and magnificently entertained, after which the king inquired the cause of their coming. On the following Sunday, the first day of July, the duke of Guienne gave the lady and her brother a magnificent dinner, when they were solemnly feasted.

This countess was also accompanied by some of the chief citizens of the Quatre Mestiers, as deputies from the three estates of Flanders to the king who graciously received them,—and, on their departure, properly distributed among them presents, of one hundred marcs of silver in gilt plate, which pleased them mightily.

But neither the lady nor her brother, the duke of Brabant, could at this time obtain peace for the duke of Burgundy; on which account, they returned to him at Douay dejected and sorrowful. The duke hearing of their ill success, concluded bargains with his captains for their support of him against all his enemies, excepting the persons of the king of France and the duke of Acquitaine. After this, the duke departed into his country of Flanders.