La Chapelle to meet him, attended by the citizens, cross-bows, and
archers of the town, dressed in robes similar to those of the peers.
When they met the king, the provost presented him with the keys of
Paris, which the king delivered to the care of the constable. The
provost and sheriffs, then expanded a blue canopy, studded with flowers
de luce of gold, over the king's head, and thus supported it as he
proceeded.
He was next met by the governor of Paris, attended by his common
sergeants, having each of them a hood half green and half crimson.
After the sergeants came the notaries, attornies, advocates and
commissaries of the Chastelet. Then came persons representing the
seven virtues and the seven deadly sins, dressed in character, and on
horseback: they were followed by the judges of the parliament, of the
court of requests, the presidents and by crowds of people.
Thus nobly accompanied did the king make his entry into the city of
Paris by the gate of St Denis. Three angels supported a shield bearing
the arms of France over the gate above which were placed angels singing
and underneath was written in large characters,
'Most excellent and noble king,
The burghers of this loyal town
To you their grateful offering bring,
And bow before your royal crown.'
At the little bridge was a fountain, over which was a pot having a
flower de luce, whence spouted good hippocras, wine and water: two
dolphins were playing in the fountain,--and above the whole was a
terrace, vaulted with flowers de luce, which exhibited a representation
of St John Baptist pointing to the Agnus Dei, surrounded with angels
singing melodiously.
In front of Trinity-church was a pageant of the passion of our Lord,
and how Judas hanged himself. Those who exhibited this did not speak,
but acted as in a pantomime. The acting was good, and very affecting.
At the second gate were the figures of St Thomas, St Denis, St Maurice,
St Louis of France, and Ste Genevieve in the middle. There was likewise
a representation of the holy sepulchre, of the resurrection of JESUS
CHRIST, and of his meeting Mary Magdalen.
Item, at St Catherine's, in the street of St Denis, was a
representation of the descent of the holy Ghost on the Apostles. Before
the Châtelet was the annunciation of the angel to the shepherds,
singing, 'Glory be to God on high,' &c. Suspended below the gate
were represented the attributes of justice with divine law, the law
of nature, and the law of man. On the opposite side, against the
slaughter-houses, were exhibited the last judgement, paradise, and
hell: in the centre was St Michael weighing souls in a balance.
Item, at the foot of the great bridge, behind the Châtelet, was
represented the baptism of our Lord, and St Margaret issuing out of the
mouth of a dragon.
When the king came to the front of the church of Nôtre Dame, he
dismounted, and was shortly harangued by the members of the
university. The following prelates were waiting for his arrival before
the great door: the archbishop of Toulouse and of Sens, the bishops
of Paris, of Clermont, of St Mangon, near Montpellier, the abbots and
superior clergy of St Denis, of St Maur, of St Germain near Paris, of
Sainte Magloire and of Sainte Genevieve.
The king made the usual oaths in the hands of the bishop of Paris, and
then entered the church,--where had been erected three arches, like to
those at Amiens the last day of the year, covered with tapers and wax
lights.
When the king had offered up his prayers, he went to the palace, where
he lay that night. He was escorted on his entrance by about eight
hundred archers, well equipped and in handsome array, under the command
of the count of Angoulême.
The king and the dauphin were dressed in plain armour, all but
their heads: on that of the king was a tourmole[10] covered with
silversmith's work. His horse's housing was of dark blue velvet,
richly embroidered with large flowers de luce in gold, which reached to
the ground. The head-piece was of polished steel, bearing a handsome
plume of feathers. He was preceded a few paces by Poton de Saintraille,
carrying the royal helmet on a staff supported by his thigh, having a
rich crown on the top, and in the centre was a double flower de luce.
His horse was led by a gentleman on foot, named Jean d'Olon,--and the
canopy was all the while borne over his head. The king was followed by
his pages, very richly dressed, and ornamented with silversmith's work,
as well as their horses.
A little before Poton rode the constable of France, the counts de
Vendôme and de Tancarville, and others of the high nobility, handsomely
mounted and richly dressed. At a short distance behind the king was the
dauphin, his armour covered over with silversmith's work, as well as
his horse, and his pages and their horses also. He was accompanied by
his uncle the lord Charles d'Anjou, the counts de Perdiac and de la
Marche, and followed by the bastard of Orleans in plain armour,--but
his horse's accoutrements were highly ornamented. He had on a rich
scarf of gold, which fell down on the back of his horse. He commanded
the king's battalion consisting of about a thousand lances, the flower
of the men at arms, most handsomely dressed out, themselves and horses.
With regard to the other knights, esquires, and gentlemen present at
this ceremony, they were very numerous, and richly equipped at all
points, and their horses loaded with silversmith's work. Among these,
but after the princes, sir James de Chabannes and the lord de Restelant
had the reputation of being most handsomely dressed, themselves their
attendants and horses.
The crowd of common people was so great that it was difficult to walk
the streets; and they sang carols in all the squares, and other places,
as loud as they could, for the welcome return of their natural lord and
king, with his son the dauphin. Many even wept for joy at this happy
event.
The king and the dauphin, as I have said, when the ceremonies were
over, went to the palace, where they were lodged,--and the lords,
knights, and others in different houses in Paris as well as they could.
It was proclaimed in the king's name, by sound of trumpet, that no one,
whatever his rank, should ill treat the Parisians in body or effects,
on pain of instant death.
On the morrow, the king displayed to the populace, in the holy chapel,
the relics of the true-cross of our Saviour, and the lance which had
pierced his side while on the cross: after which, he mounted his horse,
and went to lodge at the new hotel, near the bastille,--and the dauphin
did the same at the Tournelles.
They remained for a considerable time in Paris,--during which, many
new regulations were made for the better government of the realm: and
several new offices were created at Paris, as well as in the court of
parliament as elsewhere.
Some days after the king's entry into Paris, the counts de la Marche
and de Perdiac (sons to Bernard count d'Armagnac, formerly constable
of France, who had been basely murdered by the Parisians) went to
the spot where their father had been buried, attended by many lords,
as well spiritual as temporal, and had the body taken up, put into a
leaden coffin, and carried to the church of St Martin des Champs, where
a solemn service, attended by the members of the greater part of the
colleges and university of Paris, was performed for his soul. On the
morrow, the coffin was placed on a car covered with black, and conveyed
out of the town with much solemnity, and thence conducted by his two
said sons, and a numerous company of friends and attendants, to the
county of Armagnac.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 10: Tourmole. Q. Not in any of my dictionaries.]
CHAP. X.
THE COMMONALTY OF BRUGES BECOME MORE MODERATE IN THEIR PROCEEDINGS,
AND SEND AMBASSADORS TO THE DUKE OR BURGUNDY TO SUE FOR PEACE.
The men of Bruges now began to feel that they had greatly offended
their prince the duke of Burgundy, and were much alarmed; for, as none
of the great towns in Flanders would afford them support or assistance,
they could not long withstand the duke.
They knew also, that they were not in great favour with the ghent men;
and each day brought them intelligence of the mighty preparations
their lord was making to subjugate them, in which he would have the
aid of Ghent. For these and other reasons, they found means to send
ambassadors to the duke at Arras, to endeavour to conclude a peace.
The business was discussed at length, and occupied much time,--during
which, those of Bruges relaxed in their excursions, and ceased
harrassing the country as they had hitherto done.
CHAP. XI.
THE LORD D'AUXY AND SIR FLORIMONT DE BRIMEU, SENESCHAL OF PONTHIEU AND
OF ABBEVILLE, MARCH TO LAY SIEGE TO CROTOY.
About the middle of October, in this year, the lord d'Auxy, commander
in chief, on the frontiers of Ponthieu and Abbeville, together with sir
Florimont de Brimeu, seneschal of the same, and a bold and hardy knight
of Rhodes, called sir John de Foix, assembled a certain number of
combatants. These they marched before the castle of Crotoy, held by the
English, with the hope of conquering and putting it under the obedience
of the duke of Burgundy within a short time, from the intelligence
of a peasant,--who had lately, as he said, been in the castle, and
the garrison had so wasted their corn and flour that he gave them to
understand they would not be able to hold out, from famine, more than
one month.
On this report, which was afterward found to be untrue, they fixed
their quarters in front of the castle, within the old inclosure of the
town. They demanded assistance from different lords, who sent them some
men at arms. They were also much aided with provisions and money from
Abbeville, the inhabitants of which were very desirous that Crotoy
should be conquered, for the garrison had frequently done them great
mischief. They sent intelligence of what they were about to the duke
of Burgundy, and required his support. The duke dispatched some of
his household to examine into the matter, and they reported to him,
that unless the place were blockaded by sea, it would be impossible to
reduce it by famine. Upon this, the duke wrote letters to the governors
of Dieppe, St Valery, and of the adjoining sea-ports, to hire as many
vessels as they could to blockade the entrance of the river Somme; and
went himself to the castle of Hêdin, whither he sent for sir John de
Croy, bailiff of Hainault, who had been formerly governor of Crotoy, to
ask his opinion as to the probability of its being conquered.
The duke ordered sir John to join the lord d'Auxy and his companions,
with a body of men at arms, and to take the chief command of the siege.
He went thither also himself, with few attendants, to examine into the
state of the business, but made no long stay. That his men might be
undisturbed by the English in their quarters, either by sea or land,
from Crotoy, he ordered a large blockhouse to be erected, wherein they
might be more securely lodged. It was very substantially built, and
surrounded with ditches, under the directions of a knight called sir
Baudo de Noyelle. When this was done, other works were erected, and the
whole provided with a sufficiency of all sorts of stores and provision.
In the interim, several skirmishes passed,--and in one of them the
lieutenant governor of Crotoy was taken prisoner by the lord d'Auxy.
Intelligence of these preparations of the duke of Burgundy was carried
to king Henry of England and his council, who were not well pleased
thereat; for they were sensible of the great advantage of Crotoy to
facilitate their landing a force in Picardy. It was therefore resolved
to provide a speedy remedy against them; and letters were instantly
dispatched to the governor of Rouen, ordering him to collect as large a
body of men at arms as he could in Normandy, and to march to the relief
of Crotoy. This order was immediately published, and four thousand
combatants, as well horse as infantry, speedily assembled, under the
command of lord Talbot, lord Faulconbridge, sir Thomas Kiriel and
others. They advanced to the abbey of St Valery, where they quartered
themselves, having brought provision with them.
While this army was collecting, the duke of Burgundy, having had
information of the intentions of the English, had previously summoned
from Picardy and his other dominions the greater part of his nobility
and men at arms, who might amount to eight hundred or a thousand
fighting men. They marched from Hêdin, and had arrived at Abbeville the
day before the English came to the abbey of St Valery.
The duke of Burgundy was attended on this expedition by the count
d'Estampes, his nephew of Cleves, the count de St Pol, and other
nobles. Sir John de Luxembourg had also, in obedience to his summons,
joined him at Hêdin,--but he excused himself to the duke for not
bearing arms, because he had not then sent back his oath of alliance
with the English, and could not therefore with honour then take
part against them: but this excuse, as I was informed, was not well
received by the duke of Burgundy, who remonstrated with him on the
occasion,--how he was bound by his oath to serve him, as his vassal;
that he wore his order, and had always been attached to his party; for
all these reasons, therefore, he could not honourably refuse to serve
him, more especially as it was to repulse his enemies, who had invaded
several parts of his dominions. Notwithstanding the duke's arguments,
sir John de Luxembourg returned home with his permission, and obtained
from the duke letters of remission to this effect. When the duke, on
his arrival at Abbeville, was assured of the coming of the English, he
reinforced that town with all sorts of stores and provision, and there
might be with him from eight hundred to a thousand expert and well
tried men at arms. When the duke asked them if they thought they could
hold out the place against the enemy, they replied, that they had no
doubt of so doing.
The duke determined not to make any engagement of fighting the English
on an appointed day, and to avoid a general action; to guard all the
defiles and fords, and to attack them in their quarters, or wherever
they should meet them to their disadvantage, and to endeavour to
cut off their supplies. These plans were not, however, carried into
execution.
The English, having fixed their quarters in the abbey of Saint Valery,
immediately crossed the river at a ford above Crotoy, to the number of
three or four hundred, and foraged the whole of the country round the
blockhouse, and even as far as the town of Rue. They made prisoners of
some men at arms, with their horses and baggage, without meeting with
any to oppose them.
The whole army marched on the morrow very early, and crossed the river
in good order: about two thousand of the infantry had the water above
their middle and drew up in battle-array on an eminence above the
town, and in sight of those within the blockhouse, who were expecting
an attack every moment, and in consequence made preparation for their
defence. On this occasion, the following were created knights in the
blockhouse: James de Craon lord of Dommart in Ponthieu, Aymon de Moucy
lord of Massy, Eustache d'Inchy, the tall bastard of Renty, Anthony
d'Ardentin lord of Bouchanes, Harpin de Richammes, Gilles de Fay, and
some others.
The English, who had been unmolested on their march, advanced to
Forest-monstier[11], two leagues distant, and there quartered
themselves.--Two days after they took the field, and halted at a large
village called La Broye[12], on the river Authie, which was full of all
kinds of provision: they remained at this village four or five days,
whence parties of a hundred or six score went daily foraging all the
villages within half a league of their quarters. While they remained
at la Broye, a party went to set fire to a considerable village called
Angien, close to Hêdin, although the duke had detached a large body of
men at arms to Hêdin for the defence of that place and the surrounding
country; but, to say the truth, the English did little mischief. On
their departure from la Broye, they burnt it down, and advanced to
Auxi, where they staid three days, making thence excursions in small
parties to forage all the country round, and without the smallest
hinderance on the part of their adversaries of whom it is necessary now
to speak.
The duke of Burgundy remained in Abbeville, but had detached the
greater part of his men to garrison and defend the principal towns
and castles in that part of his territories. He one day sent the
lord de Croy and Jean de Brimeu, bailiff of Amiens, to inspect the
blockhouse at Crotoy, and to learn if those within were firmly resolved
to defend it.--On their arrival, they soon discovered that the greater
number would gladly be out of it, could they do it with honour. It was
therefore concluded by the duke and his ministers, on hearing this
report, that to avoid worse happening, all the artillery and stores
should be packed up, and the men at arms retreat with them to the town
of Rue, after they should have set fire to the blockhouse.
The garrison, however, did not make so honourable a retreat,--for
without any reasonable cause, nor seeing the enemy near them, great
part mutinied, and sallied out of the blockhouse in the utmost
confusion and disorder, leaving behind the artillery, the most part of
their armour, and much other baggage, and thus they marched to Rue.
Some of their captains took great pains to rally and bring them back,
but in vain. Fire had been secretly set to the outworks, which soon
communicated with the blockhouse and consumed it. The English made a
sally from the castle, shouting after them as they would have done to a
ribald mob.
Shortly after, the captains, who were (as may be supposed) the most
valiant and renowned belonging to the duke of Burgundy, left the place,
ashamed of the conduct of their men, and went to Rue, and thence to
other places under their obedience. The principal among them were,
sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, sir Florimont de Brimeu, sir
Jacques de Brimeu, sir Baudo de Noyelle--all four bearing the order of
the Golden Fleece; sir Waleran de Moreul, the lord d'Auxi, sir Galois
de Renty, the lord de Fremesen, sir Robert de Saveuses, sir Jacques de
Craon, sir Jean d'Arly, with a great number of knights and esquires
from Picardy who were much blamed for this dishonourable retreat.--They
excused themselves by throwing the fault on the archers, whom they said
they could not restrain.
The English heard of this event the day it happened, and were greatly
rejoiced. In consequence, they resolved to recross the Somme and return
to the places they had come from, and burnt down the town of Auxi,
which was a fair and considerable place.
They took the road to Crotoy, and lodged at Nonnion[13]: on the morrow,
they recrossed the Somme at the place where they had crossed it before,
and quartered themselves at the abbey of St Valery, and thence returned
to Rouen and other parts under their command, carrying with them many
prisoners, horses, cattle, and all the plunder they had made. They had
done great damage to the country by burning seven or eight towns and
villages, without meeting with any opposition from their adversaries,
who had hanged only thirty or forty foragers that had straggled at too
great a distance from the main body.
When the English were departed, the duke of Burgundy retired to Hêdin,
where he dismissed all his men at arms excepting those appointed to
guard the frontiers.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 11: Forest-monstier,--election of Dourlens, near Abbeville.]
[Footnote 12: Broye,--bailiwick of Hêdin.]
[Footnote 13: Nonnion. Q.]
CHAP. XII.
A LARGE BODY OF MEN AT ARMS, UNDER THE COMMAND OF SEVERAL FRENCH
CAPTAINS, HARRASS THE COUNTRY OF HAINAULT.--THEY ARE NICKNAMED
SKINNERS.
When king Charles had resided some time in Paris, he departed for Tours
in Touraine. After he was gone, several of his captains set out for
the frontiers of Normandy, as they found great difficulty to maintain
themselves,--namely, Anthony de Chabannes, Blanchefort, Gaultin de
Bron, Floquet, Pierre, Regnault Chapelle, Mathelin d'Escouvet, and
others. On assembling together, they mustered about two thousand horse,
and took the road through the country of Vimeu, to cross the Somme
at Blanchetaque, and quarter themselves in the country of Ponthieu.
Thence they advanced toward Dourlens, and stationed themselves at
Orville, and in the villages round, belonging to the count de St Pol.
They went next toward Braye, and recrossed the Somme at Cappy, to lodge
at Lihons in Santerre, committing great mischiefs wherever they passed.
They were not satisfied with seizing on provision but ransomed all they
could lay hands on, peasants and cattle. They even attacked the castle
of Lihons; but it was well defended by sir Waleran de Moreul and his
men within it.
After remaining there some time, and committing the greatest disorders
and waste, they advanced toward the lands of sir John de Luxembourg
count de Ligny, in the Cambresis, who had not yet taken the oaths of
allegiance to king Charles. Nevertheless, they did him no mischief,
because he was always well provided with men at arms,--and they
mutually exchanged sealed agreements not to molest each other. The
French, however, committed much waste in other parts of the Cambresis,
and thence went to fix their quarters at Solesmes[14], in Hainault.
Sir John de Croy, at that time bailiff of Hainault, assembled the
nobles of Hainault, and sent to the principal towns for reinforcements
to defend the country against these French, who, in the vulgar tongue,
were called Skinners. The reason why this name had been given them was,
that whoever was met by them, whether French, Burgundian or English,
he was indiscriminately stripped of all his clothes to his shirt; and
when he, thus naked, returned to his home, he was told that he had been
in the hands of the Skinners, and much laughed at for his misfortune.
This name was in vogue a long time,--and thus the name of Armagnac was
forgotten which had lasted so long.
While these Skinners were quartered at Solesmes, and in the adjoining
villages a party of them advanced farther into Hainault, beyond
Quênoy, to seek for pillage. In the course of this expedition they
accidentally met the bailiff of Lessines named Colart de Sennieres,
with three or four hundred men whom he had assembled in his village,
and was marching them toward Quênoy le Comte, in obedience to the
summons of the countess-dowager and of the before mentioned bailiff of
Hainault, who was there collecting all his forces together.
It was very early in the morning when the French fell in with these
men, and instantly charged them most courageously. The Hainaulters were
much surprised at the suddenness of the attack, and although some of
them made a resistance and prepared for the combat, they were very soon
defeated, and the greater part made prisoners or cruelly put to death.
Colart was killed on the field, with about eight score of his men. The
prisoners were ransomed as if they had been enemies to France: the rest
escaped by the nimbleness of their heels.
The nobles of Hainault were greatly alarmed at this defeat, in so much
that the bailiff sent information of what had happened to the duke
of Burgundy requiring from him aid, when the duke sent him a strong
reinforcement of men at arms. The bailiff again assembled a greater
force than before in Quênoy, as well from Valenciennes, as from the
other great towns, to pursue and combat these Skinners; but they,
hearing of it, quitted the country and made for Guise, and thence
proceeded toward Champagne, committing waste wherever they passed.
Before they left Hainault, they gave up several prisoners without
ransoms, in consequence of the duke of Burgundy's writing to request
it. He had also sent to them a gentleman of his household, called
Meliades, who was a Breton, and much beloved by these french captains.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 14: Solesmes,--a village of Hainault under the government of
Quesnoy.]
CHAP. XIII.
A GREAT FAMINE IN FRANCE.
In this year of 1437, wheat and all sorts of corn were so extravagantly
dear throughout all France and several other countries in Christendom,
that what had usually been sold for four sols french money was now
sold for upwards of forty. This dearth created a famine, so that very
many poor died of want,--and it was a pitiful sight to witness the
multitudes in the large towns dying in heaps on dunghills.