THE KING OF FRANCE ASSEMBLES A LARGE ARMY TO MARCH INTO NORMANDY.--THE EARL OF SOMERSET[113] MAKES SOME CONQUESTS FROM THE FRENCH IN ANJOU AND ELSEWHERE. At the beginning of this year, the king of France assembled a numerous body of men at arms, with the intent of marching them into Normandy the ensuing summer to relieve Dieppe, which was hardly pressed by a very strong blockhouse the English had raised against it. The king meant, under escort of this succour, to revictual the town; and consequently the men at arms conducted thither numbers of cattle and other stores, which they drove forcibly into the town, notwithstanding the severe skirmishes that took place, when many were killed and wounded on both sides. About this time, the earl of Somerset had collected a body of six thousand combatants, or thereabout, and marched them into the province of Anjou, committing great waste with fire and sword; after which, he advanced toward Brittany, and took by storm La Guerche[114], belonging to the duke of Alençon, which town was plundered by the English. He thence advanced to Ponsay[115], where he remained upwards of two months, but detached parties of men, who overran the countries of Anjou, Touraine, and near to Chartres, where at times they were attacked and defeated by peasants. The marshal de Lohéac had the defence of this part of the kingdom intrusted to him by king Charles, and to oppose the English with the men of the duke of Alençon. They formed a plan to attack the English camp by night; but the earl of Somerset, having had intelligence thereof, advanced to meet them, and fell on them unawares. The French were thrown into confusion, and from twenty to thirty were killed or taken: the rest saved themselves by flight as well as they could. Among the prisoners were the lord d'Assigny, Louis de Beuil, and many other gentlemen. The earl of Somerset now dislodged from before Pouencé, and took the castle of Beaumont le Vicomte[116]. Having posted garrisons along the frontier, he returned to Rouen. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 113: John earl of Somerset succeeded to the earldom of Somerset in 1443: he was created duke of Somerset and earl of Kendal, &c. in the 21st year of Henry VI. Dying without male issue, he was succeeded by his brother Edmund, earl of Mortain, in Normandy, and marquis of Dorset. He was slain at the battle of St Alban's. See Collins' Peerage,--Scudamore Beaufort,--and also sir William Paston's letters, wherein are many curious particulars relating to him. Sir William married into that family.] [Footnote 114: La Guerche,--a town in Brittany, near Vitré.] [Footnote 115: Ponsay, Pouencé.--Du Cange.] [Footnote 116: Beaumont-le-Vicomte,--a town in Maine, near Fresnay.] CHAP. LIX. SOME KNIGHTS AND GENTLEMEN OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY'S COURT HOLD A TOURNAMENT NEAR TO DIJON.