After this defeat, Pierre de Regnault returned with his prisoners and booty, unmolested, to his castle of Mailly, and ransomed his prisoners as if they had been Englishmen. He made, during this year, frequent excursions on the territories of the duke of Burgundy, who was very much displeased thereat, and in consequence sent information thereof to king Charles, and complained that those of his party were daily robbing and pillaging his country and subjects, and committing such devastations as were not to be endured, considering that peace had been concluded between them. The king made answer, that he was equally vexed at such misconduct, and offered many excuses; adding, that he would provide as speedy a remedy for it as he could,--but that he should be no way displeased at the duke if he could arrest any of these marauders and put them to death, or punish them by any other method he might choose. Notwithstanding this, the same inroads and plundering were continued, to the ruin of the poorer ranks of people. At the same time, La Hire's companions, who resided in the castle of Bonne near Laon, began to make inroads on Hainault, the Cambresis, and other places dependant on the lord de St Pol, who, dissatisfied with their proceedings, placed a strong garrison in the town of Marle[72] to oppose them. This garrison one day marched toward Rheims,--and, to secure a passage over the river, took the fort of Bac-a-Bery[73], of no great value, but possessed by La Hire's men. They left about thirty combatants to guard it, under the command of a captain; but within a few days the men of La Hire returned, having been joined by some from the garrisons in the Valois, who had been lately beaten by sir John de Luxembourg, amounting in the whole to full three hundred fighting men. They instantly attacked the fort, which was soon won, and all within it put to the sword, or forced into the river and drowned,--after which, the French left a stronger garrison in the fort. Within sixteen days, the vassals of the count de St Pol, and of his uncle sir John de Luxembourg, again assembled in great numbers, with the intent of attacking this garrison in the fort of Bac-a-Bery; but they, having had notice of their coming, abandoned the place before they arrived. The fort was now demolished and razed to the ground. Thus were the countries about Rheims, Laon, and other parts, sorely oppressed by the inroads of both parties; and this was done by one side, as it has been said, because sir John de Luxembourg would not take the oaths of allegiance to king Charles, and had kept all his garrisons on a war establishment, to prevent them being insulted. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 69: Yancourt,--in Picardy, near Peronne.] [Footnote 70: Vaucourt. Jaucourt.--MS. Du Cange.] [Footnote 71: Gourle. De Gourlay.--MS. Du Cange.] [Footnote 72: Marle,--a town in Picardy, five leagues from Laon.] [Footnote 73: Bac-a-Berry. Q. Berru? a village in Champagne, diocese of Rheims.] CHAP. XL.