960-962 plenière mercy, and Lothaire would regain all that his 954-987 luckless grandsire Charles had lost. Joyed and overjoyed was Lothaire. He had fully learned to comport himself as King: and, issuing his precepts under seal, all the Lieges of France and Burgundy were convened to his Cour Plenière at Laôn. Lothaire, before the assembly, impeached Richard Cour as a Felon; the Duke would neither obey him by Lothaire as a Liege Lord, nor answer him as a Liege Lord. He had summoned them to repair the wrongs of France: let them support their King and the rights of the Crown, and Normandy should be as had it been, scarce fifteen years since, absolutely in their power. Ce qui à France doit servir Ne li laisser issi tollir Ramenez à ce les Normanz Ou ils erent n'a pas quinze ans. summoned at Laôn. Commonplace arguments these,-trivial modes of persuasion,-yet valuable as testifying how appeals could be made to French national spirit, and French exertions stimulated by the enhancement of French national glory. The Nobles went entirely with their King. Lothaire took the command of the army, and, having summoned a large force of his own, he was joined by Thibaut. The opening of the war was singularly successful. A sudden assault from without, and Evreux the co-operation of disloyal Gilbert Machel, Thibaut. or Meschrel, from within, very speedily reduced Evreux, and the city was transferred reduced by Lothaire and 960-962 954-987 into the possession of Thibaut. Imperfect as we know the means of intercommunication to have been in those times, it is often startling to find how each country was self-contained, and men unacquainted with the movements, whether pacific or hostile, of their near neighbours. 962 Richard Pays Char train. Richard had not surmised any practical result from the Cour Plenière at Laôn, still less was he prepared to frustrate the expedition against Evreux. His elastic alacrity remedied the negligence. The Banner of Saint Michael raised, Normans and Bretons joined him by hundreds and thousands. Lothaire dared not face the defenders of their country, and retreated. Richard blew the invades the counterblast. The Normans burst into Thibaut's dominions, extending themselves over the Pays Chartrain, mercilessly devastating the country, plundering and pillaging. No opposition made by the peasantry,-not even in self-defence;dispersed, they were indiscriminately slaughtered. The active Normans were pursuing the chase for their own profit and gain: bevies of prisoners taken and bound, and more than two hundred thousand marks did they vaunt as the amount of ransom money and plunder.-Hilarious indeed was the grand settling day at Rouen, and Richard disbanded his troops, supposing that he had ended the war. Thibaut retaliates by invading Normandy. But now it was Thibaut's turn. Richard had shamed him, and he would shame Richard. The manner in which this warfare was conducted exhibits a singular contrast between the consis tent views of the parties, and their desultory 954-987 modes of action. Richard, however, had now 960-962 supplied all deficiencies. Seven hundred chosen Companions constituted the kernel of the garrison. A rumour had reached Richard that Thibaut was on his march; nay, he had entered Normandy, supported by the power of France. The rumour became a certainty, though the intelligence did not define the fulness of the danger. Anticipating the season of enterprise, Richard had knighted a young warrior, his namesake, so young that he was fondly called Richardet"little Richard."-And Richardet, clever and brave, was sent forward to ascertain the numbers and intentions of the enemy. The Chartrain army advanced rapidly, ruining the unprotected country in their progress, and were drawing very nigh to Rouen. Richardet fell in with a hostile party. He was surrounded and handled so roughly that though lance and sword delivered him from the assailants, it was with difficulty that he escaped alive. However, he did escape; and when he came before Richard, the battered helmet, the broken sword, and the blood clotted on his visage told the story. But Thibaut's movements were masterly; Rapid adand whilst Richardet was informing Richard of Chartrain his adventure, the Chartrain forces, burning and Hermondedestroying as they pressed onwards, had actually entered Hermondeville, nay, had come quite close up to the bridge of Rouen. vance of the troops, who encamp at ville, opposite Rouen. 954-987 Hermondeville, afterwards the great Fau960-962 bourg of Saint Sever, now studded with the tall steaming shafts which capitalize the land and stain the sky, was then a straggling hamlet; the scanty dwellings planted here and there amongst pastures, woodlands, and marshes. No defence could be made, and the Chartrains encamped in a position which gave them a commanding station upon the river bank, covering also a considerable breadth of country. Site of Thibaut's tradition. So forcible was the impression made by this by continued invasion upon the Normans, that the particulars of the exact locality occupied by the enemy, have been marked out to this day by continued tradition. But the ruins of the consecrated structures erected in subsequent ages upon the site, have been buried so deeply, or eradicated so thoroughly, that the diligent archæological topographer alone, can designate or dream, where they once arose, generations of buildings, so to speak, having risen and fallen upon the ground. Within the memory of some very few survivors who remember the Cap of liberty, the Monks of famous Bonnes-nouvelles, founded by the Conqueror's bounty, and boasting the more than dubious tomb of the Empress Maude, could point out to their visitors, how and where the invaders had pitched their tents on the site of the monastery, and the adjoining grounds. At the commencement of the present century the lofty walls surrounding the Convent and vast gardens of the Emmurés, the first recluses ever beheld at Rouen, were still standing, and the 954-987 Nuns might beguile their winter evenings by 960-962 relating to the novices how in the old time. Thibaut's savage soldiery had revelled within the secluded precinct, and throughout the wide extent of their Barony. The small craftsmen, and mean burgesses, inhabiting the long-shore street, grotesquely known by the appellation of "Claque-dent," or "Chatter-grinders," fully knew that their line of timbered dwellings marked out a portion of the river frontage occupied by Thibaut's camp. Whilst "le Clos des Gallées," a Wharf upon the Seine, adjoining the bridge head, and commanding it, constituted the Leaguer's termination. cleverness of the Chartrain encampment. Such was the very advantageous position Speed and selected by strategic Thibaut. No impediment could be offered against his Troops, and their immediate proceedings evidenced their proud determination. They came as if they intended to colonise. In the course of the one day, they raised their bivouacs, pitched their tents and pavilions, put up their camp kitchens, cooked their food, and, when evening drew on, they were ready to settle for the night with entire comfort. And yet, whilst the business of the encampment was in progress, they had not desisted from active war, for their parties foraging and ranging, were ravaging the country and firing more and more cottages and barns. A sad humiliation this for Richard, that the Enemy should thus be bearding him in his own |