The Chronicles of Sir John Froissart

Chapter LXXII

The earl of Montfort taken prisoner at Nantes,
and the manner of his death

It came to pass, as I have heard it related, that the burgesses, seeing their property destroyed both within and without the town, and their children and friends thrown into prison, were fearful lest worse might happen to them: they therefore assembled privately, and, in their meetings, came to a determination to treat in an underhand manner, with the lords of France, about obtaining a peace, securing their property, and delivering their children and friends out of prison. Their proposals were acceded to; and their friends were to be set at liberty, upon condition that they would allow them to pass through one of the gates of the town, to attack the castle, and seize the earl of Montfort, without doing hurt, either to the city or to any of the inhabitants. There were some people who seemed to say, that this treaty was brought about through the solicitation of sir Hervé de Léon (who had formerly been one of the earl’s chief advisers), out of revenge for having been menaced and blamed by him, as before related. By this means they entered the city, accompanied by as many as they chose, went straight to the castle, broke down the gates, and took the earl of Montfort, whom they carried off to their camp, without injuring house or inhabitant in the city. This event took place in the year of grace 1341, about All-Saints day. The lords of France entered the city in great triumph; when all the burgesses and inhabitants did homage and fealty to the lord Charles de Blois, as to their true lord. They continued in the city for three days, keeping great feasts1: they advised the lord Charles to remain there, and in its neighbourhood, until another season, and to employ the soldiers of the garrisons from the places he had won in the most advantageous manner. These lords then took their leave and departed, and rode on till they came to Paris, where the king was, to whom they delivered up the earl of Montfort, as his prisoner. The king confined him in the tower of the Louvre at Paris, where he remained for a length of time, and at last died there, as it has been told me for a truth.2

I wish now to return to the countess of Montfort, who possessed the courage of a man, and the heart of a lion. She was in the city of Rennes when she heard of the seizure of her lord; and, notwithstanding the great grief she had at heart, she did all she could to comfort and reanimate her friends and soldiers: showing them a young child, called John, after his father, she said, “Oh, gentlemen, do not be cast down by what we have suffered through the loss of my lord: he was but one man. Look at my little child, here: if it please God, he shall be his restorer, and shall do you much service. I have plenty of wealth, which I will distribute among you, and will seek out for such a leader, as may give you a proper confidence.” When the countess had, by these means, encouraged her friends and soldiers at Rennes, she visited all the other towns and fortresses, taking her young son John with her. She addressed and encouraged them in the same manner as she had done at Rennes. She strengthened her garrisons both with men and provisions, paid handsomely for every thing, and gave largely wherever she thought it would have a good effect. She then went to Hennebon, near the sea, where she and her son remained all that winter; frequently visiting her garrisons, whom she encouraged, and paid liberally.

Notes:

1: The French remained at Nantes until the 18th December; and the earl of Montfort surrendered the town himself to the duke of Normandy, on learning what were the real dispositions of the townsmen, and knowing he could not longer depend on them. It is said, he was deceived by the fine speeches of the duke, who promised, on oath, to deliver to him again the town of Nantes, in the same state he received it, and granted him passports, &c. — Hist. of Brittany.

2: Froissart has been misinformed. “It was about this time (1345) that the earl of Montfort found means to escape from the tower of the Louvre, where he had been confined upwards of three years. Some persons, touched with compassion, disguised him as a merchant, and assisted him in his escape. He went directly to England, and found king Edward at Westminster, who had just written to the pope, to complain of the infractions Philip de Valois was making on the truce concluded at Malestroit, and to explain the reasons he had for declaring war against him. He was solely occupied with the great armament he was preparing against France, and on the war he intended to carry on in Gascony. Nevertheless, he thought proper to grant some troops to the earl of Montfort, to support him against Charles de Blois; the command of which he gave to William Bohun, earl of Northampton, whom he had nominated his lieutenant-general, as well in Brittany as in France.

“The earl of Montfort, before he quitted England, paid homage liege to the king, for the duchy of Brittany, at Lambeth, in the apartment of the archbishop, in presence of the earl of Northampton, and several other lords.

é “He embarked with the troops for his duchy — made an unsuccessful attack on Quimper, which he did not long survive. He died the 26th September, 1345, in the castle of Hennebon, and was first buried in the church of the Holy Cross at Kimperlé, but was afterwards transferred to the church of the Dominicans, in the same town. Before his death he made a will, and appointed the king of England guardian to his son John of Britany,” — Hist. de Bretagne.


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