After the destruction of the castle of Escaudoure, duke John of Normandy retired to Cambray, dismissed the greater part of his army, and sent the rest to the castle of Douay, and to the other fortresses in the neighbourhood. This week the garrison of Douay, in conjunction of those with Lisle, made a sally, in number about three hundred lances; they were commanded by sir Lewis of Savoy, the earl of Geneva, the earl of Villars, sir Gallois de la Baume, the lord of Waurain, and the lord of Vasiers: they burnt in Hainault all that fine country of Ostrevant; so that nothing remained but the fortresses. - When those of Bouchain saw all this fire and smoke around them, they were in a violent rage; the more so, as they were unable to prevent it: but they sent messengers to Valenciennes, to let them know what was going forwards, and to inform them, that if in the night-time they would sally out with five or six hundred lances, they might attack the French with great advantage, who were lying at their ease in the flat country. But those of Valenciennes were not of the same opinion, and refused to leave their town; so the French made a great booty, and burnt the town of Anich, one half of Escoux, Escaudaing, Erin, Montigny, Santain, Varlain, Vargny, Ambreticourt, Laurche, Sauch, Roelt, Neufville, Lieu St. Amand, and all the villages that were in that country. They carried off with them immense wealth. When this detachment had retreated to Douay, those of Bouchain marched out, and burned the other half of Escoux, which belonged to the French, and the French villages, even to the gates of Douay, and the town of Esquerchin.
I have before mentioned, that all the towns on the frontiers were well garrisoned; so that there were frequent skirminshings between the two parties, and many gallant deeds performed. It chanced, about this time, that there were some German soldiers, that the bishop of Cambray had stationed at Male-maison, two leagues distant from Chateau-Cambresis, and bordering on the other side of Landrecy, where the lord of Potrelles, a Hainaulter, commanded; for the earl of Blois, although lord of it, had surrendered it to the earl of Hainault at the time he was attached to the French interest, and the earl had kept possession of it. There were frequent quarrels between the Germans at Male-maison and those of Landrecy, who often came well mounted and armed up to the walls of the town. One day, as they sallied forth to make an excursion and collect pillage, news of it was brought to the lord of Potrelles, in Landrecy, who immediately armed himself and his companions, and mounted his horse to recapture the booty. The lord of Potrelles was followed by his men as fast as they could. He fixed his spear in the rest, and cried out to the French to turn about, as it was a disgrace to them to run away. Among them was a gallant esquire, named Albert of Cologne, who, being ashamed of this flight, instantly turned back, and couching his lance, spurred his horse violently against the lord of Potrelles, who struck him such a blow on his shield, that his lance was shivered to pieces: but the German esquire hit him so firmly with a strong spear, which broke not, but pierced through the plates of his shield, and even his armour, passing straight to his heart, that he knocked him off his horse, wounded to death; which when his brother Hainaulters, the lord of Bansiers, sir Gerard and sir John Mastin, saw, and the rest who had come out of Landrecy with him, they attacked the French so roughly, in revenge for the loss of their captain, that they disconfited them. Few escaped death, or being made prisoner. The pillage was recovered and brought back with the prisoners to Landrecy, as was the dead body of the lord of Potrelles.
After the death of the lord of Potrelles, the lord of Floron commanded in Landrecy and its dependencies for a long time. He made frequent excursions upon those of Male-maison, Chateau-Cambresis, and other places on the frontiers. The Hainaulters did so one day, and the French returned the compliment the next; of course many mortal combats happened. The country of Cambresis was in great tribulation, for one half of it was burnt or destroyed; the duke of Normandy was still on the frontiers, and it was not known what his next intentions were; nor had they any news of the earl of Hainault. True it was that he had been in England, where he was most honourably entertained by the king and barons, and had made a strong alliance with the king. He had left England, and gone to Germany, to the emperor Lewis of Bavaria, which was the reason of his long absence. On the other hand, the lord sir John of Hainault was in Brabant and Flanders, and had remonstrated with the duke and Jacob von Artaveld, upon the destruction of Hainault, and entreated them, on the part of his countrymen, that they would give them aid and advice. They replied, that the absence of the earl could not be much longer; and the moment he returned, they would be ready equipped to follow him, wherever he should choose to lead them.