Those of Mondidier surrendered their town, two or three days after, to the count de Charolois, in which was Hugh de Mailly lord de Boullencourt, a valiant and hardy knight, who had always been attached to the house of Burgundy, and he remained governor of the place with the approbation of the inhabitants,--for this town had ever been of the Burgundy-party. While these towns were surrendering to the count de Charolois, the count de Nevers, fearing he should be besieged in Peronne, departed thence with Joachim Rohault marshal of France, the lord de Moy, and about two thousand combatants, thinking to enter the city of Noyon; but that was not so soon effected, nor until they had promised that their whole troop should not enter, and that they would not do, or suffer any mischief to be done to the inhabitants. Nevertheless, they all entered, and did mischief enough. It happened, that as some of the townsmen were lowering down the portcullis of the gate, it fell on a man at arms and killed him. About the 15th of June, the count de Charolois left Roye, to besiege the castle of Beaulieu, a strong place belonging to the lord de Neelle. In the castle was a good garrison, who burnt the best part of the town round the castle, which was a pity, for the castle was afterward so battered by cannon that the garrison were glad to surrender on St John Baptist's day, on having their lives and baggage spared. During this siege, the lord de Hautbourdin found means to cross the Oise with a body of men in boats, and entered the town of Pont St Maixence before the inhabitants knew any thing of his coming. This body was part of the van of the count's army, under the command of the count de St Pol. The count de Charolois was with the main body,--and the bastard of Burgundy commanded the rear. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 38: Neelle,--a town of Picardy, three leagues from Roye.] [Footnote 39: Roye,--a strong town, seven leagues from Peronne.] [Footnote 40: Mondidier,--nine leagues from Amiens.] [Footnote 41: Beaulieu,--near Noyon, in Picardy.] CHAP. XXXVIII. THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS PASSES THE RIVER OISE, ADVANCES TO SAINT DENIS, AND DRAWS UP HIS ARMY IN BATTLE-ARRAY BEFORE PARIS.--THE COUNT DE SAINT POL GAINS POSSESSION OF THE BRIDGE OF SAINT CLOUD, AND CROSSES THE SEINE WITH HIS DIVISION OF THE COUNT'S ARMY. When the count de Charolois heard that his van were in possession of Pont St Maixence, he advanced the remainder of the army thither, in order to cross the Oise. The inhabitants paid him every obedience, as lieutenant-general to the duke of Berry; and the count had it proclaimed in the name of the duke of Berry, whose lieutenant-general he styled himself, that he abolished all taxes, impositions and subsidies whatever, as he had before done at Mondidier, and in the other towns he passed through, to the great joy of the people.