After the death of the king of France, his only son Charles the dauphin, by the advice of the nobles of his party, was crowned king, in the town of Poitiers,--and from that day was called King of France by his adherents, as his father had been before him. A short time prior to this, he had narrowly escaped being killed; for while he was holding a council in the town of la Rochelle, part of the chamber in which he was sitting fell in, when John de Bourbon, lord of Prèaux, and some more were killed. The dauphin was slightly wounded; but his attendants hastily extricated him from his danger, and carried him to a place of security, where he soon recovered his health. In this year, sir Mansart d'Esne was made prisoner in the castle of Vitry, of which he was governor, by la Hire, both of them being adherents to the dauphin, and notwithstanding they had long been intimate friends. Sir Mansart, however, was deprived of all his effects, of his castle, and a high price withal fixed for his ransom, while he was kept in close confinement for a length of time. It was commonly reported, that John Raoullet was a party concerned with la Hire in playing this trick. When sir John de Luxembourg had collected his men at arms at Peronne, he entered the country of Guise, and having soon subdued the forts of Buissy-sur-Fontaines, Proisy and some others, and conquered that country, he returned homeward, and disbanded his troops, when they all retired to the places they had come from. CHAP. IV. THE PARISIANS SEND AN EMBASSY TO ENGLAND, TO YOUNG KING HENRY AND TO HIS MINISTERS.--OTHER MATTERS. In this year, the Parisians sent a solemn embassy to king Henry, and to the queen of England, to request they would speedily order a sufficient force to France, to oppose the daily advances of the party of the new king of France, the late dauphin of Vienne. The ambassadors were, the bishop of Terouenne, master John de Mailly, sir Bourdin de Salignies, Michault Lallier, and other persons of note. They took their road through Lille, to have a conference with the duke of Burgundy, and thence to Calais, where they embarked for England. They were joyfully received by the king and queen, and promised effectual and speedy succours by their ministers. Having thus accomplished the object of their embassy, they returned to France. On the 14th of January in this year, the fortress on the bridge of Meulan was surprised by the French under the command of sir John de Grasville. He had with him some able captains and a body of five hundred combatants who slew all the English they found there, and used great diligence to put the place in better repair, and to revictual it; for they intended to defend the town and castle against their enemies.