The Chronicles of Sir John Froissart

Chapter LXVII

The earl of Montfort takes the town and castle of Hennebon¹

The earl entered the town of Rennes in great trumph; and he quartered his army in the fields round about it. He made up the quarrel between the inhabitants, and then established bailiffs, provosts, sheriffs, sergeants, and other officers. He remained in the city three days, to repose himself and army, and to consider upon what steps he should next take. The fourth day he decamped, and marched to one of the best fortified castles, and the strongest town, without comparison, in all Brittany, called Hennebon. It is situated near the sea, and a river runs round about it in deep trenches. When sir Henry de Spinefort was informed of his intentions, he began to be alarmed lest some mischance should befall his brother, who was governor of that place, and, taking the earl aside, said to him, “Sir, you have admitted me to the honour of your council, and I have sworn fealty to you. I perceive that you mean to sit down before Hennebon: I think it, therefore, my duty to inform you, that the town and castle are so strongly fortified, that it will not be so easily won as you may think. You may lie before it a whole year, and never conquer it by dint of force: 91 but if you will put your confidence in me, I will point out a method by which you may gain it. It is proper to use artifice when strength is of no avail. You will give me, if you please, five hundred men at arms, for me to act with as I shall think proper: I will advance them half a league before your army, with the banner of Brittany displayed. As soon as my brother, who is commandant of the town and castle, shall see the banner of Brittany, and distinguish me, I am sure he will open the gates, which I will enter and seize, as well as the town and castle, and arrest my brother, whom I will give up to your will, if he will not follow my advice, under your promise of honour that you will not do him any bodily harm.” “No, by my head, I will not,” replied the earl, “and you have hit upon a lucky expedient. I love you more than before for it, and shall be charmed with you, if you can bring it about that I may be master of the town and castle.”

Sir Henry de Spinefort, and his party, amounting to full five hundred armed men, took leave of the earl, and, in the evening, came before Hennebon. As soon as Oliver de Spinefort knew of his arrival, he permitted him and his forces to enter the gates, and went down the street to meet him. When sir Henry saw him approach, he stepped forward, and taking hold of him said, “Oliver, you are my prisoner.” “How is this?” replied Oliver: “I trusted in you, and thought you were come here to help and assist me in defending this town and castle.” “Sweet sir,” said sir Henry, “things do not go on in that manner. I take possession of this place for the earl of Montfort, who at this moment is the duke of Brittany; to whom I, as well as the greater part of the country, have sworn fealty and homage; and you will, I am sure, do the same, for it will be more agreeable to do it out of love than through compulsion, and my lord the earl will think himself the more obliged to you for it.” Oliver was so much pressed and entreated by his brother, that he consented to his proposals, and confirmed it to the earl, who entered the town triumphantly, which is a large place, and a good seaport. After having taken possesssion of the town and strong castle, he placed in both, men at arms, for their garrisons. He then advanced towards Vannes, and was so active in treating with the inhabitants, that they surrendered it, and swore fealty and homage, as to their true lord. He established in that town all manner of municipal officers, and tarried there three whole days. When he departed, he marched to besiege a very strong castle, called La Roche Perion, the governor of which was the lord Oliver de Clisson, cousin-german to the lord of Clisson².

The earl remained before it more than ten days, without being able to find out any means to gain this castle, it was so strong, nor obtain any parley or conference with the governor, so that he might attempt to gain him to his obedience, either by promises or threats. He therefore left it until he should have a greater force, and went to besiege another castle, ten leagues off, called the castle of Aurai. Sir Geoffrey de Malestroit was governor of it, and he had for his companion sir Yves de Trisiguidi. The earl made two assaults upon it, but he saw he should lose more than he could gain: he consented to a truce, and a day of parley, through the earnest solicitations of sir Hervé de Léon³, who at that time was with him. The parley was so managed, that every thing was amicably adjusted, and the two knights swore fealty and homage to the earl, who immediately departed, after having appointed them as his governors of the castle, and of the surrounding country, and went toward a strong castle in that neighbourhood, called Goy la Forest. He who was governor of it, perceiving that the earl had a strong force, and that all the country was submitting itself to him, by the advice and remonstrances of sir Hervé de Léon (with whom he had formerly been companion at arms in Prussia, Grenada, and in many other foreign countries) yielded it up to the earl, and swore fealty and homage to him, who continued him as governor of the place. He then went to Carhaix, a good town, with a strong castle. The lord of it was a bishop, who at the time was there: he was uncle to sir Hervé de Léon, and by his advice and affection for him, he surrendered it to the earl, acknowledging him as his lord, until some other should come, and show a more just title to the dukedom of Brittany⁴.

Notes:

1: Situated upon the river Biavet, in the diocese of Vannes, thirty-seven leagues from Nantes.

2: The Histoire de la Bretagne, by sir Père Morice, a Benedictine monk, says, that Oliver de Clisson was the true lord de Clisson.

3: Called Henry de Leon in chapter 64. Both Lord Berners and D. Sauvage’s edition read Henry throughout. — ED.

4: It was the bishop of Quimper, Alain le Gal, who was probably on his visitation round his diocese. The author of the History of Brittany before quoted, seems to doubt the relationship between the bishop and sir Hervé de Léon.



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