Burgundy. John
Stuart, constable of Scotland, and the lord of Estissac had formed the
siege of Crevant, in Burgundy: the earls of Salisbury and Suffolk,
with the count of Toulongeon, were sent to its relief: a fierce and
well-disputed action ensued; the Scots and French were defeated: the
constable of Scotland and the count of Ventadour were taken prisoners;
and above a thousand men, among whom was Sir William Hamilton, were left
on the field of battle.[*] The taking of Gaillon upon the Seine, and of
La Charite upon the Loire, was the fruit of this victory: and as
this latter place opened an entrance into the southern provinces, the
acquisition of it appeared on that account of the greater importance
to the duke of Bedford, and seemed to promise a successful issue to the
war.

* Hall, fol. 86. Monstrelet, vol. ii. p. 8. Holingshed, p.
586., Grafton, p. 500.

{1424.} The more Charles was threatened with an invasion in those
provinces which adhered to him, the more necessary it became that he
should retain possession of every fortress which he still held within
the quarters of the enemy. The duke of Bedford had besieged in person,
during the space of three months, the town of Yvri, in Normandy: and
the brave governor, unable to make any longer defence, was obliged to
capitulate; and he agreed to surrender the town, if, before a certain
term, no relief arrived. Charles, informed of these conditions,
determined to make an attempt for saving the place. He collected, with
some difficulty, an army of fourteen thousand men, of whom one half were
Scots; and he sent them thither under the command of the earl of Buchan,
constable of France; who was attended by the earl of Douglas, his
countryman, the duke of Alencon, the mareschal de la Fayette, the count
of Aumale, and the viscount of Narbonne. When the constable arrived
within a few leagues of Yvri, he found that he was come too late, and
that the place was already surrendered. He immediately turned to the
left, and sat down before Verneuil, which the inhabitants, in spite of
the garrison, delivered up to him.[*] Buchan might now have returned in
safety, and with the glory of making an acquisition no less important
than the place which he was sent to relieve: but hearing of Bedford's
approach, he called a council of war, in order to deliberate concerning
the conduct which he should hold in this emergence.

* Monstrelet, vol. ii. p. 14. Grafton, p. 504.

The w