fcôbie kingdom was fo grievoufly opprefied, it did not know which way to turn itfelf. But above all, fir Euftace d'Ambreticourt was the raoft aftive : his quarters were at Cheny fuf Aifne, where he had a ftrong garrifon of foldiers and men at arms, who overran, pillaged and ran* fomed the good county of Rethel, from Donchery to Mezieres, and as far as Chefne le Pouilleux and Stenay *, in the county of Bay f. They quartered themfelves wherever they chofe in all that country, for two or three nights, without oppofition froift any one, and then returned unmolefted to their garrifon at Cheny, to refrefh and recruit themfelves. It is true indeed, that all the neighbouring lords, knights and fquires threatened them much : they met together, and appointed different days for their , affembling, to take the field and befiege fir Euftace fa' his caftle of Cheny ; but nothing in fa& was done* It happened that thefe adventurers (whofe whole • thoughts, night and day, were occupied on the beft means of taking towns, and in what parts of the country they fhould find molt to pillage) came one night to a good town with a ftrong caftle, fituated m the Laonois J, tolerably near to Montagu §, and in a very deep marfhy country, the name of which * Stenay.—in the diocefe of Treves, on the Meufe. f I cannot find, in any dictionary, the county of Bay. It is Buy in Denys Sauvage. Stenay is in the diocefe of Treves : but even the connection of names is fo wide, I cannot fuppofe It to be a miftake for Treves. I Laonois,—in Picardy. § Montagu,—in Picardy, diocefe of Laon* 8 . was 3*