Saturday the 3d of July, a handsome embassy from Spain arrived at Paris, under the care of the bishop of Lombez and the abbot of St Denis, by orders from the king. The provost of marchands, and the sheriffs went out of the town to meet them, accompanied by different ranks of people. Having made their entrance into Paris, they went to St Denis, where they were grandly feasted by the abbot, having been entertained on their passage through Paris by certain of the king's officers. In this year, the duke of Albany came to Paris, having been driven out of Scotland by the king his brother, to seek a refuge with the king of France[91]. Great honours were paid him; and the lord de Gaucourt, as king's lieutenant, with all the professions of Paris, went out to meet him, and accompany him on his entry into Paris, by the gate of St Anthony, on the road leading to Vincennes. He was lodged in the rue St Martin, although he had not more than ten or twelve horse in his company: and the king ordered that Monipenny and Concressault, two Scotsmen of rank in the french service, should attend upon him[92]. In the month of August, the Flemings, who were quartered in the frontier towns of Flanders, took the field with the intent to combat the king's forces, and advanced toward Therouenne. They battered the town much with their artillery; but it was gallantly defended by the lord de St André, lieutenant of a hundred lances under the duke of Bourbon, and other lords and captains of the king's army. While this was passing, the different royal garrisons in Picardy, collected together for the relief of Therouenne; and having taken the field, they came in sight of the flemish army within one league of Therouenne. This army was very numerous, and was said to have consisted of sixty thousand combatants, under the command of the duke of Austria, the count de Romont, and others of that party. A sally was made from Therouenne by the garrison the moment their friends were near, by several companies of lancemen, under the command of the lord des Cordes and other captains; and their attack was so rapid and vigorous that the vanguard of the duke of Austria was defeated, with great slaughter and loss of baggage. While the van of the enemy were pursued, some of the king's franc-archers too busily employed themselves in plundering their baggage; and the count de Romont who had from fourteen to fifteen thousand infantry under his command, fell on them, and slew the greater part. It was said that the loss on both sides, that day, amounted to nearly fifteen thousand men, of which from eleven to twelve thousand were Burgundians. The French likewise made nine hundred or a thousand prisoners; and in the number was the son of the king of Poulaine, and another youth said to be the favourite of the duke of Austria, with many others of good family and large fortunes[93].