The siege began on 6 October , with Henry dividing his twenty-five hundred men into four divisions, which communicated with one ano the r via a bridge of boats across the Marne. Because of dauphinist raiders, supplies had to be brought from Paris, necessitating the detailing of troops to protect English convoys.
Inside the town, the garrison was led by the Bastard of Vaurus, an experienced soldier with a reputation for brutality, and contained a large number of Scots and some English and Irish deserters, all of whom understood that the y would receive no mercy if the town fell.
English attempts to bombard Meaux into surrendering failed, and, in December, heavy rains caused the Marne to overflow its banks and flood the English siege lines. Dysentery appeared in the cold, wet English camps, which were now even more difficult to supply, the king being obliged to send away most of his horses for lack of forage. As the siege dragged on, demoralization and doubt began to afflict the English soldiery.
With much travail, the English brought up the ir artillery and repaired the connecting bridge, which had been destroyed by the garrison during its retreat. Realizing that the y could expect no help from the dauphin, the garrison decided to negotiate. With no alternative, the garrison accepted the se terms on 2 May The Bastard of Vaurus was hanged and four o the r men, including the unfortunate horn blower, were also executed.
The o the r prisoners were carried to Paris and the n to confinement in England. Nor the rn France was now free of dauphinist garrisons, but, in June, the king, perhaps affected by his exertions at Meaux, fell ill. His condition deteriorated steadily over the following weeks until he died at Vincennes on 31 August. Fur the r Reading: Allmand, Christopher. Henry V.
