Saracens could not
have done worse.[1601] City dames had been seen making sacks in which
Burgundians were to be sewn up and thrown into the Aisne.[1602]

[Footnote 1600: _Ordonnances des rois de France_, vol. ix, p. 71. H.
Martin and Lacroix, _Histoire de la ville de Soissons_, Soissons,
1837, in 8vo, ii, pp. 283 _et seq._]

[Footnote 1601: _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, p. 53, _passim_.]

[Footnote 1602: _Ibid._, p. 103.]

King Charles made his entry into the city on Saturday the 23rd, in the
morning.[1603] The red caps went into hiding. The bells pealed, the folk
cried "Noel," and the burgesses proffered the King two barbels, six
sheep and six gallons of "_bon suret_,"[1604] begging the King to forgive
its being so little, but the war had ruined them.[1605] They, like the
people of Troyes, refused to open their gates to the men-at-arms, by
virtue of their privileges, and because they had not food enough for
their support. The army encamped in the plain of Ambleny.[1606]

[Footnote 1603: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 323, 324. Perceval de
Cagny, p. 160. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 339.]

[Footnote 1604: _Suret_ is sour wine (W.S.).]

[Footnote 1605: C. Dormay, _Histoire de la ville de Soissons_, Soissons,
1664, vol. ii, pp. 382 _et seq._ H. Martin and Lacroix, _Histoire de
Soissons_, vol. ii, p. 319. Pecheur, _Annales du diocese de Soissons_,
vol. iv, p. 513. Felix Brun, _Jeanne d'Arc et le capitaine de Soissons
en 1430_, Soissons, 1904, p. 34.]

[Footnote 1606: Berry, in _Trial_, vol. iv, pp. 49, 50. Le P. Daniel,
_Histoire de la milice francaise_, vol. i, p. 356. Felix Brun, _Jeanne
d'Arc et le capitaine de Soissons_, pp. 26, 39.]

It would seem that at that time the leaders of the royal army had the
intention of marching on Compiegne. Indeed it was important to capture
this town from Duke Philip, for it was the key to l'Ile-de-France and
ought to be taken before the Duke had time to bring up an army. But
throughout this campaign the King of France was resolved to recapture
his towns rather by diplomacy and persuasion than by force. Between
the 22nd and the 25th of July he three times summoned the inhabitants
of Compiegne to surrender. Being desirous to gain time and to have the
air of being constrained, they entered into negotiations.[1607]

[Footnote 1607: De l'Epinois, _Notes extraites des archives communales de
Compiegne_, in _Bibliotheque de l'Ecole des Chartes_, vol. xxix, p.
483. Sorel, _Prise de J