11. Jean de Carrouges endured further slights from Count Pierre in 1382
Jean de Carrouges’ father, Jean de Carrouges III, died in the late winter of 1382. His death vacated the office of command of the castle at Belleme, a position which had been assumed by the younger Jean to be hereditary. Count Pierre did not agree, asserting it was his right to assign the command of the castle to whomever he wished. The count, still resentful of the lawsuit initiated by Carrouges over the estate, ignored Jeans claims to the command and awarded it to another follower, whom he considered to be more loyal. Jean de Carrouges viewed the removal of the command from his family’s house as an insult, and again initiated a lawsuit to claim what he felt was his. Once again, Count Pierre’s influence overwhelmed Carrouges’ legal arguments, and the rancorous suit further deepened the rift between Carrouges and the count to whom he was pledged to serve.
In early spring of 1383, Carrouges attempted to obtain, through purchase, two estates from Jean de Vauloger. Both estates were within the realm of Count Pierre, whose approval of the sale was thus required. Although the cash exchanged hands between Vauloger and Carrouges, Count Pierre refused to sanction the sale. The count demanded Carrouges turn the estates over to him, though he did offer the knight a payment which matched that made to Vauloger in the purchase agreement. Carrouges was not interested in the money, he wanted the expanded lands for the rents it would add to his income. Nonetheless, the law and customs forced him to honor the count’s decision. He remained isolated from the court and society, a situation which he had maintained since 1380, convinced that Jacques Le Gris had sabotaged his position with Count Pierre.