1809.] Blondel’s Account of the 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
account of the RE-CONQUEST of NOR- 
MANDY from the ENGLISH,in the REIGN 
of HENRY vi. from MSS. in the na- 
TIONAL LIBRARY Of FRANCE, marked 
6197, 6198, 5964, written by Ro- 
BERT BLONDEL. Now first published 
in England. 
LONDEL commences his narrati- 
on, with the cause whicl: produced 
the breach of the truce, between France 
and England. It was the capture of 
Fougeres, by the English in 1448, from 
the Duke of Brittany, who had been 
“included in the treaty. Francis de Su- 
rienne, an Arragonese, in the service of 
England, bad surprised the place, and 
carried off an enormous boviy. The 
Duke of Brittany and the King of France 
coniplained to Somerset, and demanded 
redress. Somerset gave up Surienne; 
but Blondel affirms, that he was expressly 
authorised by Somerset, in the name of 
the King of England. The council of 
England made the same reply, but not- 
withstanding approved what Somerset 
had done, and engaged to support him, 
The English historyans affirm, on the 
contrary, that they would have avreed 
to the restitution of the place, upon 
condition that the value of the damages 
could have been settled, and the French 
had uot made reprisals. ~ 
These reprisals were the capture of 
Pont del’Arche, in which affair historians 
have not noted, that the chief part was 
played by a tradesman of Louviers, 
named Jean Hovel. Having made his 
agreement with the porter to let him in 
before day, under pretence of bringing 
in some goods, he encumbered the bridge 
with his cart; afterwards having on pur- 
pose let the money fall, which he drew 
from his pocket to pay the sum agreed, 
he killed the guard, as he stooped down 
to pick itup, and afterwards a young in- 
habitant, who ran thither in his shirt to 
raise the draw-bridge. Then Flogues 
and Maren, who were in ambuscade 
with the troops, threw themselves into 
the town and took possession of it. An 
inhabitant escaped over the wall, and 
ran to touen to carry the news to So- 
merser, who came to him in a rage, for 
he was of a very passionate charac- 
ter; and our author gives the following 
trait of it. When Pont de !’Arche was 
taken, the wife of Somerset was sick, 
and had with her a French physician, na- 
med Jean Tiffergne, Hearing her hus- 
band coming into her chamber, furious 
against the French, and knowing of what 
Montuty Mac. No. 131. 
Re-conquest of Normandy. 33 
he was capable, and not doubting but he 
would kill the physician, if he saw him, 
she hid him under the curtains, till So- 
merset was gone out ; she was however 
not less sensible than himself of the loss 
of Pont de Arche, for on hearing of it, 
she jumped out of her bed, running 
and crying, without perceiving that she 
was naked. Blondel, comparing the 
warmth of the husband with the grief of 
the wife, makes this honorable observa- 
tion, concerning the English women : that 
although the men of that nation are of a 
violent temper, which knows no bounds, 
the women are full of sweetness and hu- 
manity. ‘These traits of ancient national 
character, softened without doubt in 
some respects, may still be discovered. 
England demanded the restitution of . 
Pont de l’Arche, France that of Fougeres 
and reparation of damages. They ne- 
gociated, but without success. ‘Then 
the King of France, having held a grand 
council, resolved to recommence the ware 
Our author here gives a long speech, 
made by the chancellor, in which he 
exposes the various grievances, commit- 
ted by the English since the truce. Among 
other things, he says, that they sent out 
their garrison upon the roads from Pa- 
ris to Orleans and Rheims in the mase 
querade disguise of devils, to roband mur- 
der the passengers. 
Blondel here makes a digression 
upon the establishment of the free ar- 
chers by Charles VII. and the advan- 
tage of thatinstitution. He gives it with 
reason, the highest eulogium. Instead 
of companies more devoted to robbery 
than war, and who practised the former 
when the war was ended, evén upon those 
from whom they received their pay; 
troops paid by the people, dreadful to 
the enemy during war, became quiet 
citizens during peace, devoted to com: 
merce, arts, and agriculture. 
The war then recommenced, and 
Verneuil, was taken by stratagem in July 
1449. This event is recounted by the 
well known historians, but the recital of 
Blondel is more detailed, and differs in 
some circumstances, which he appears to 
have learned from persons worthy of 
credit. —Verneuil was surrounded with a 
wall, near which were built mills, turned 
by a rivulet, which fell into the ditch of 
the place. An Englishman of the garri- 
son kept a woman,whom he suspected to 
have a connection with the miller of one 
of the mills, He picked a quarrel against 
the miller, under pretext of the guard 
of the town, due from the citizens, and 
r treated 
