KING HENRY OF ENGLAND CONQUERS MANY TOWNS IN NORMANDY.--THE CAPTURE OF THE COUNT DE HARCOURT, IN AUMALE, BY HIS COUSIN SIR JAMES DE HARCOURT. At this season, as has been before noticed, king Henry of England was in great force in Normandy, where he conquered towns and castles at his pleasure; for scarcely any resistance was made against him, owing to the intestine divisions of France. He thus easily gained possession of the towns of Evreux, Fallaise, Bayeux, Lisieux, Coutances, Avranches, St Loth, and many more. Through fear of king Henry, the count de Harcourt had retired within his castle of Aumale, with all his dependants; whither on a certain day, under the appearance of a visit to pay his compliments, came his cousin sir James de Harcourt, attended by about sixty combatants. He purposely dismounted at the gate of the castle, which, on his being recognised, was instantly opened, and every honour was paid him by the officers of the count. Part of his men entered with him, and he went to the count, who joyously received him, saying, 'Fair cousin, you are welcome.' Sir James had ordered the remainder of his men to come to the castle when they had put up their horses in the town; and shortly after some conversation together respecting the wars now going on in France, seeing the opportunity was proper, sir James took the count by the hand, and said, 'My lord, I make you a prisoner in the king's name.' The count, much astonished, replied, 'Fair cousin, what do you mean? I am the king's man, as you know, and have never acted to his prejudice.' However, in spite of his protestations and claims of kindred, or any other excuses, he was detained a prisoner and placed by sir James under a secure guard. On the morrow, after sir James had seized on all the moveables within the castle, and appointed a part of his men for its defence, he departed, and carried the count with him to the castle of Crotoy. Sir James, by these means, got from the count a beautiful chesnut horse, with a short tail, which was afterward famous as a war-horse. After that day, the count remained prisoner to his cousin; but he was frequently transported from one castle to another, and it was commonly reported that he was thus kept prisoner with the consent of his son, John de Harcourt, count of Aumale. CHAP. III. THE CITY OF PARIS IS TAKEN BY THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--THE PARISIANS TURN TO HIS PARTY.--THE CONSEQUENCES THAT FOLLOW.