The duke crossed the ditches, and valiantly fought in person with his enemies, who defended themselves with the utmost courage, regardless of their lives. In this attack the lord de Voydanquin, a valiant and powerful knight, who had with him some very expert warriors, was slain. The good lord de Saveuses was also wounded, and so badly, that he was obliged to be carried from the field, with many more in the same condition. The duke, seeing the loss he was suffering, took council, and ordered the retreat to be sounded, which was done, and they lodged themselves near to the town, where they were badly off that night for all sorts of necessaries. On the morrow, the duke marched away in another direction. The town of Utrecht had now joined the party of the duchess Jacquiline, and the dukes of Gueldres and of Cleves that of Burgundy, by which means war and misery were daily increased throughout that country. At this time, about five hundred combatants, as well men at arms as archers, were assembled on the confines of Picardy, and, by orders from the duke of Burgundy (at the request of a knight called sir Phillebert Andrinet,) were conducted by sir Charles de Moyencourt, Matthieu d'Hermieres, John de Longueval and other gentlemen, to the aid of Amé duke of Savoy, uncle to the duke of Burgundy, then at war with the duke of Milan. This body of men at arms, after many days marches, arrived in Savoy, and were joyfully received by the duke. They were thence ordered to the borders of Lombardy, where they committed numberless mischiefs, insomuch that, through fear of them, and from compassion to the poor natives, these two princes concluded a peace. When this was done, duke Amé of Savoy gave orders for the Picards to return home, thanking them greatly for their effective services, and presenting to some of the principal captains pieces of damask and other precious ornaments. The Picards were now marched home again. The origin of this war was owing to the duke of Milan having forcibly taken Novara and the city of Vercelli from the duke of Savoy, which were restored to him. After the duke of Burgundy had visited many parts of Holland, and placed garrisons on the frontiers of Gouda, where the duchess Jacquiline resided, leaving some of his most expert captains for the defence of the country, such as the lord de l'Isle-Adam, sir Lyonnel de Bournouville, and others, he returned to Flanders. In this year, there were great earthquakes in Spain, Catalonia and Languedoc, which overthrew many towns and handsome edifices; and the people remained for a long time in the utmost trouble and dismay. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 12: Hermontfort. Q. if not Herenthuls?] CHAP. XLVI. THE SULTAN OF BABYLON WRITES LETTERS TO THE PRINCES IN CHRISTENDOM.--THE TENOUR OF THESE LETTERS. In these days, the sultan of Babylon sent letters to all the kings and princes in Christendom, of the following tenour: