Sir John de Luxembourg returned with his captains and his whole army, on Easter-night, before the two castles of D'airaines, and surrounded them on all sides. He had his artillery pointed against the walls, which made breaches in several places; but the besieged made a good defence with their cannon, and some sallies, by which indeed they did not gain much: however, as they were well supplied with stores and provision, they held out a considerable time, in the expectation of being powerfully succoured according to the promises that had been given them by some of the dauphin's partisans. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 10: Louvroy. In du Cange's MS. notes, it is called Hornox.] [A.D. 1422.] CHAP. LXXIV. THE DAUPHINOIS ASSEMBLE TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF D'AIRAINES.--THE BURGUNDIANS AND ENGLISH MARCH TO MEET THEM, AND OFFER THEM BATTLE. At the beginning of the year, a party of the Dauphinois assembled near to Compiègne, with the intent of marching to the succour of D'airaines. Their leaders were, the lord de Gamaches, the lord de Moy and Poton de Saintrailles, and their force amounted to from eight hundred to a thousand men. They first advanced to Pierrepont, which belonged to the vidame of Amiens; and although its outworks had strong hedges, and ditches full of water, they formed a lodgement therein, and made an attack on the fortress, but it was too well defended by those on guard. While they were thus occupied at Pierrepont, news was brought of their proceedings to sir John de Luxembourg, at the siege of D'airaines. He advised with his principal nobles, and then detached some of the captains, with a thousand combatants, to meet these Dauphinois. The commanders of the detachment were, sir Hugh de Launoy, master of the cross-bows of France, sir Raoul le Bouteiller, an Englishman, le borgne de Fosseux knight, the lord de Saveuses, and others expert in arms. They lay the first night at Coucy, and on the morrow, very early, advanced to Moreul, where they heard that the Dauphinois were still in Pierrepont. They, in consequence, marched in very handsome array to meet them; but the Dauphinois, having heard of the near approach of their enemies, mounted their horses, and, after setting fire to their quarters, drew up in order of battle above Mondidier. The English and Burgundians traversed the town of Pierrepont as speedily as they could, but were much delayed by the fire, and formed themselves in battle-array fronting the enemy.