They made many proposals to the constable to this effect,--but he refused to listen to them, or consent to a general action. Several skirmishes, however, took place, in one of which the English gained from the French twenty boats laden with provision; and in another quarter a blockhouse, under the command of the lord de Moy, was abandoned. The English attacked and took one of the blockhouses, on the island opposite to the market-place, in which from a hundred to six score French were slain, and the rest made prisoners. After various attempts, finding the French unwilling to combat them, and that it was impossible to hurt them in their present situation, they made preparations to return to Normandy the same way they had come, after having revictualled their countrymen in the castle of the market-place. When they were departed, the constable renewed his attacks on the market-place with greater vigour, and with so many engines that after three weeks sir William Chamberlain capitulated to surrender the place, on having the lives and fortunes of the garrison spared. When this treaty was concluded, the English marched to Rouen, under passports; but on their arrival, their commander was much reproached for his surrender of Meaux which was so well provided with stores and provision, and was one of the strongest places of France: he was committed to prison in the castle of Rouen,--but, after some time, he found means of excusing himself to the lords of his party, who set him at liberty. At this period, a gentleman named Jean de la Fange attached to the constable, was beheaded and quartered, on being convicted of holding communications with the English, to the prejudice of the king of France and his realm. A sergeant of the Châtelet was also quartered with this Jean de la Fange. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 42: Champ-commun--in the MS. corrections in M. du Cange's copy of Monstrelet in the imperial library at Paris: it is Chant-conin from the life of the constable; but I cannot find either of these names in the Gazetteer nor in Cassini's large map of France.] CHAP. XXX. SIR JOHN DE LUXEMBOURG SENDS LETTERS TO EXCULPATE HIMSELF, TO THE GREAT COUNCIL OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY. THEIR CONTENTS. Sir John de Luxembourg, count de Ligny and de Guise was duly informed how much the duke of Burgundy was displeased with him, and chiefly for the offence committed by Jacotin de Bethune against his archers, as has been before mentioned. In order, therefore, to exculpate himself as well as the said Jacotin, he wrote letters to the grand council of the duke, of the following tenour. 'Most reverend fathers in God, very dear and beloved cousins, and my most especial friends,--I believe it is within your knowledge that a sudden quarrel has accidentally arisen between some archers of my most redoubted lord the duke of Burgundy and the men of Jacotin de Bethune, in my town of Ham.