declared, prior to this, that they had not been ordered to insult my
territories; from which it plainly appears, that the dispute was sudden
and unpremeditated, although my most redoubted lord summons me on this
account to deliver up to him Jacotin de Bethune and his men. I have,
consequently, had the matter legally examined into, in the presence of
the king's notary-public, and have had the result laid before my most
redoubted lord, by which it appears that the said Jacotin and his men
have not been so blameable as my lord duke has been told,--but that
the fault lies with these archers, and other officers of justice, for
having acted illegally.
'At the same time, I entreated him, in consideration of this body of
evidence to withdraw his anger, and to suffer the affair to be treated
judicially; adding that he might send whomsoever he pleased to take
fresh examinations,--and that if I should be found guilty of having
done any thing wrong, after having been heard in my own defence, I
would make such amends as should be judged proper, or ask his pardon.
'I have also, for greater humiliation, and to take away all suspicions
he may have conceived against me, (who have never done him wrong)
frankly made offer to ask his mercy, which offer he has not been
pleased to accept, but has seized on the lands I and my wife possess in
Flanders and in Brabant. This I think extremely hard, considering that
I am no way culpable in the above affair, and have, besides, proposed
to refer the whole to a court of justice: should I be found guilty,
(which cannot be the case) there can be no reasonable ground for the
confiscation of my lands, even according to the laws and usages of
those countries.
'All these things I have fully declared to the lord de Santhois, who,
of his courtesy, has come to visit me; and I have entreated of him
to remonstrate with my lord duke, beseeching him that he would, out
of his good grace, refer the whole matter to a court of justice, for
that I was ready to appear in my defence before my said lord the duke
of Burgundy, my lords companions of his order, and in the presence of
his council,--or before the three estates of Flanders and Brabant,--or
before the judges within whose jurisdictions my lands lie.
'I supplicated at the same time my most redoubted lord, that he would
accede to one of these proposals, and set my lands at liberty; for I
am unwilling to fly from the justice of my said lord, or to seek other
princes and judges than those to whom I have already offered to submit
myself.
'It seems to me that, under God, justice, and nobility, what I demand,
ought not to be refused me; for I do not think I can offer fairer
terms, or show greater duty, than to submit myself to be judged by my
said lord, who is a prince of such high renown, by my lords companions
of his order, who are his brethren, relations or friends, or persons
selected for their valour and wisdom, or by his council, and by the
three estates and judges of his countries of Flanders and Brabant, who
are persons of consummate learning and prudence; offering, at the same
time, to present myself and beg pardon of my said renowned lord the
duke, notwithstanding that I have never, in any one instance, done him
wrong, as I have said before.
'Nevertheless, I have heard from some, who have purposely come to me,
that the duke will not receive my offers until I shall have given up
to his pleasures Jacotin de Bethune,--which is a thing impossible for
me to do, as he is not within my power: and it is not to be supposed
that any person who knew that he had incurred the anger of so powerful
a prince as my most redoubted lord would suffer himself to be arrested,
when certain martyrdom would be the consequence.
'Now, very dear and especial friends, I have stated to you the whole
truth of the case, that you may be fully acquainted therewith, and
consequently exert yourselves to procure my justification,--for you
must now see how undeserving I am of blame,--and I entreat you most
humbly to remonstrate with my said lord that I may be restored to his
favour, and that he would take away his officers from my lands.
'I must beg that you would obtain me the means of exculpating myself
in a court of justice, considering that during my youth I loyally
served my late lord, duke John, whose soul may God pardon! and that I
never failed, as is known to every one, in my services to my present
lord, in assisting him to guard and defend his countries,--for
he wrongfully detains my possessions without even attempting to
demonstrate the legality of such confiscation, which, in fact, is due
to all who demand it by every lover of justice.
'I pray you, therefore, to have in remembrance the duties I have
performed and the offers I have made, which I have more amply detailed
in the former part of this letter. Reverend fathers in God, very dear
and beloved cousins and most especial friends, if there be any thing
you would wish me to do, acquaint me therewith,--and, as the blessed
Son of God knows, it shall be done with a hearty good will,--and to his
holy keeping I now leave you. Written in my castle of Vendeuil[43],
this 13th day of April.'
The direction was, 'To my very dear and very beloved cousins and
especial friends, the members of the great council of my most redoubted
lord, my lord the duke of Burgundy.'
When these lords had received their letters, they met together to
consult on the best mode of proceeding relative thereto,--particularly
the knights of the order of the Golden Fleece, of which order sir John
de Luxembourg was one. They were very anxious to reconcile him with
his lord; for they were afraid, should hostilities commence, very
great inconveniences would arise to the territories of the duke. They
also knew that he was a man of determined courage and enterprise,
well provided with strong towns and castles, that would enable him
to protract the war to a great length of time. He was likewise still
connected with the English, who had promised to supply him with men and
stores as often and in what quantities he should require.
They considered the valuable services he had done the duke and his
country for a very long period,--and, on the other hand, that the
French were daily making encroachments on the territories of the duke,
and according to their opinion, very ill observed the articles of the
treaty concluded at Arras. Weighing all these circumstances, they
thought it would be much better that sir John should be received into
favour on making the satisfaction he had proposed than otherwise.
After this matter had been debated several times, they determined to
wait on the duke in a body, and endeavour to bring it to the conclusion
they had agreed on. They addressed him at length pointing out the
necessity for a reconciliation, more particularly sir Hugh de Launoy
lord of Santois, who had the business much at heart, as well as some
others.
Nevertheless, at first they found the duke very shy and cold in his
replies, for he was indignant at sir John's conduct, more especially
respecting the attack on his archers, which seemed to have angered him
more than all the rest. The counts de Nevers and d'Estampes were also
highly displeased with Jacotin de Bethune for slaying their men, and
not indeed without cause.
These lords, however, by persevering, brought the matter to this issue,
that no objection would be made to hearing sir John and the others
in their defence, in consideration of the proposals made by him. At
length, a day was fixed on for bringing the two parties together in the
city of Cambray.
Thither came, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, the bishop of
Tournay, master Nicholas Raoulin, lord of Authun[44] his chancellor,
sir Hugh de Launoy, the lord de Saveuses, and other persons of rank.
Sir John de Luxembourg was there, accompanied by many noble persons, as
well knights as esquires and counsellors at law,--and even Jacotin de
Bethune was there also.
Within a few days after their arrival, the business was entered upon
relative to the insults which were said to have been offered to the
duke of Burgundy by sir John de Luxembourg, and others of his party.
On the charges being declared, sir John made his reply, and exculpated
himself from the greater part of them, offering likewise, by himself
and council, to make whatever advances should be deemed proper.
After a long discussion, it was agreed to put down in writing such
articles as should be thought reasonable to be complied with by each
party, for the conclusion of peace. They were shown to sir John de
Luxembourg, who corrected some of the articles that displeased him,
and were then laid before the chancellor, and the other members of the
council, who likewise made alterations. On their being brought back to
sir John, he was so indignant thereat that, in his rage, he tore the
paper into pieces, and said aloud, that the bishop of Tournay and the
chancellor should not manage him at their pleasure. However, through
the interference of the other lords on each side, his heat was shortly
after calmed, and matters were brought to an amicable conclusion,
provided it met the approbation of the duke, to whom they were to carry
the treaty.
Among other articles, Jacotin de Bethune was to surrender himself,
in one of the public prisons, to the duke's mercy,--but the lords at
Cambray, on the part of the duke, promised him to insist with their
lord that he should be pardoned, and received into favour. When these
matters had been thus concluded, the members of the council were
grandly feasted, with the rest of the lords, at the hôtel of sir John
de Luxembourg. All the adjoining countries were greatly rejoiced when
they heard of this peace being concluded.
Soon afterwards, both parties left Cambray; and the commissioners from
the duke of Burgundy laid before him what they had done, with which he
was satisfied. Within a certain time, Jacotin de Bethune waited on
the duke, in his town of Hèdin, and surrendered himself to his mercy,
requesting that, if he bore any anger against him, he would be pleased
to pardon him,--but the duke sent him away a prisoner. It was not long,
however, before he obtained his liberty, on certain conditions, that
were granted him through the pressing intercessions of some lords of
high rank, and of great weight in the duke's council.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 43: Vendeuil,--a village in Picardy, near to Mondidier.]
[Footnote 44: Authun. He was lord d'Ainneries and a native of Authun,
and thus he styled himself, _Du Cange._]
CHAP. XXXI.
KING CHARLES OF FRANCE SENDS THE PRINCESS CATHERINE, HIS DAUGHTER, TO
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, CONFORMABLY TO THE TREATY OF MARRIAGE AGREED ON
WITH THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS HIS SON.
In the month of June, of this year, king Charles of France sent from
his palace the lady Catherine, his daughter, to the duke of Burgundy,
having consented to her marriage with his son the count de Charolois.
She was grandly and honourably accompanied by the archbishops of Rheims
and of Narbonne, the counts de Vendôme, de Tonnerre, and de Dunois,
the young son of the duke of Bourbon, called the lord de Beaujeu, the
lord de Dampierre, and other noble personages, knights and esquires,
together with an escort of about three hundred horsemen. She was
attended by the lady of Rochefort, and several noble dames and damsels.
On their arrival at Cambray, they tarried in that city three days, and
were grandly feasted by the clergy, the magistrates and inhabitants.
The counts de Nevers and d'Estampes, the chancellor of Burgundy
and numbers of the nobility, were at Cambray ready to receive her,
together with the countess of Namur, the lady of Crevecœur, the lady
of Hautbourdin, and many other ladies of birth. Very great honours and
attentions were shown by each of the parties respectively. The young
princess, who was but ten years old, was carried on a rich and highly
ornamented litter,--and in all the towns through which she passed, of
France as well as Burgundy, the greatest honours were shown her. At the
gates of the great towns, ten or twelve of the principal gentlemen were
commonly in waiting to receive her, and kept their hands on the litter
until she descended from it at the hôtel prepared for her.
On leaving Cambray, she arrived, after some days travelling, at
Saint Omer, where the duke of Burgundy was holding his court. On
her approach, he advanced out of the town grandly attended by his
knights, and paid her every respect when they met, as did all who had
accompanied him. He then led her into the town of St Omer where the
marriage was fully confirmed.
Very great feasts took place in consequence, with tournaments, balls,
music, and every other amusement. The lord de Crequy was tenant of the
lists, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, against all comers.
They remained a considerable time at St Omer, on account of a
conference that was about to be holden by ambassadors from the kings
of France and of England, between Gravelines and Calais, of which I
shall shortly make mention.
CHAP. XXXII.
THE BASTARD OF BOURBON TAKES THE TOWN OF LA MOTHE IN LORRAINE.
In this year, the bastard of Bourbon left Jargeaux with about four
hundred combatants, whom he marched by many days journeys to La
Mothe[45] in Lorraine, and took it by storm. Every thing portable
was seized on by his men,--and he remained there for a month, making
excursions and pillaging all the country round. He even attempted the
town of St Nicholas de Varengeville, which for a long time had not been
attacked by any men at arms of either party.
Upon this, the governors of Lorraine, foreseeing the total ruin of that
country, treated with the bastard of Bourbon to surrender the town of
La Mothe and quit those parts, on receiving a large sum of money.
When the money was paid, the bastard departed, and set out, with all
his men, to return to the place whence they had come; but as he was
marching near to Langres[46], he was pursued and overtaken by sir John
du Vergy, Anthony de Gelet, Philippot de Sainginis, who attacked and
conquered him, and won from him all his plunder. Upwards of six score
remained dead on the field; the rest, or the greater part of them, were
made prisoners.
Thus those who had been robbed were in some measure avenged on
their marauders,--but they did not recover what had been taken from
them.--With regard to the said bastard, he was neither killed nor made
prisoner.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 45: La Mothe,--four leagues NNW. from La Marche.]
[Footnote 46: Langres,--a large city in Champegne, the capital of
Bassigny-françois.]
CHAP. XXXIII.
MANY NOBLE AMBASSADORS FROM THE KINGS OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND MEET
BETWEEN GRAVELINES AND CALAIS, TO HOLD A CONFERENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF
PEACE.
In this year, many noble ambassadors were assembled at the same place
where, the preceding year, a conference had been holden on the parts of
the kings of France and England and the duke of Burgundy. Among others,
there came, on the part of the king of France, the archbishop of Rheims
high chancellor, the archbishop of Narbonne, the bishop of Châlons, the
counts de Vendôme and de Dunois, the lord de Dampierre, sir Regnault
Girard, governor of la Rochelle, master Robert Mailliere, and Andry le
Boeuf.
On the part of the duke and duchess of Burgundy came the bishop of
Tournay, master Nicholas Raoulin his chancellor, the lord de Crevecœur,
the lord de Santois, master Pierre Bourdin, master Philip de Nanterre,
and others.
From the king of England came the cardinal of Winchester, the
archbishop of York, the bishop of Norwich, the bishop of St David's,
the bishop of Lisieux, the dean of Salisbury, the duke of Norfolk, the
earl of Stafford and his brother, the lord de Bressuire, the earl of
Oxford, sir Thomas Kiriel, with several others of the nobility.
They held several meetings to consider if they could not bring about
a general peace between the two kings and their allies, and also
respecting the deliverance of the duke of Orleans, who had remained a
prisoner in England since the battle of Azincourt. But they could not
agree on any conclusion worth speaking of; for the English refused to
treat with the king of France unless the duchy of Normandy, together
with all their other conquests, remained to them independant of the
crown of France.
Another meeting was appointed for the ensuing year, and the conference
was broken up, when they all separated without doing any thing
further. The English had come thither in great pomp, and magnificently
dressed; but the cardinal of Winchester outshone all in the splendour
of his tents and pavilions, and the richness of his gold and silver
plate, and in all other necessaries and luxuries. He nobly feasted the
duchess of Burgundy, his fair niece, before they all separated, and
returned to the places they had come from, without transacting any
other business.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE ENGLISH MAKE AN EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY OF SANTOIS[47], WHERE
THEY GAIN THE CASTLE OF FOLLEVILLE[48], AND COMMIT MANY RAVAGES AND
CRUELTIES.
About the beginning of Lent, in this year, the earl of Somerset,
the lord Talbot and other captains, collected about two thousand
combatants, as well horse as foot, in the country of Normandy, near
to Rouen, whom they marched, with all their baggage, provision and
stores, toward the country of Santois. Having crossed the Somme near
the town of Montrieul[49], they quartered themselves before the castle
of Folleville, then under the government of Bon de Saveuses, in right
of the lady-dowager, whom he had married.
In consequence of the garrison making a sally, and killing a particular
favourite of the earl of Somerset, whom he much loved, he swore a great
oath that he would not march away until he should have conquered the
castle, and reduced all within to his power.
He ordered an excellent small bombard, with other engines, to be
pointed against it,--and their first discharge killed the governor. He
continued his attacks with such courage that the garrison were glad
to surrender the place and every thing it contained, and to pay a
large sum as ransom for their lives. The earl had the castle repaired,
and regarrisoned it with his men, who did great mischiefs to all the
country round.
On the morrow of the surrender of this castle, the earl of Somerset
departed with the remainder of his forces, and followed the lord
Talbot, who was already far advanced into the country of Santois.
They fixed their quarters at Lihons[50], wherein they found abundance
of every thing, as well as in the surrounding country,--for the
inhabitants, not suspecting their coming, had not driven away their
cattle and flocks to places of security.
At Lihons, there was a small fort and large church wherein the
inhabitants had retired, on perceiving the English near the town. The
earl summoned those in the church to surrender, or he would order an
assault. They refused to comply, and, in consequence, on the morrow,
a very severe attack commenced; but the English, finding from its
continuance that they could not otherwise obtain their end, set the
church on fire, which was wholly burnt with all it contained,--and
upwards of three hundred persons, men, women and children, were thus
pitilessly destroyed, for very few escaped who had therein taken refuge.
Those who had fled to the fort, witnessing the cruel manner in which
their poor brethren had been treated, entered into capitulation with
the commissaries of the earl, and saved their lives and the town from
being destroyed, by paying a larger sum of money. They gave many
hostages, women as well as men, for the due payment of their ransom,
who were long prisoners at Rouen and elsewhere, from the delays in
the payment. One of these hostages was a gentleman called Noiseux de
Sailly, who died in prison.
While the English remained at Lihons, they made frequent inroads on
the adjoining countries, whence they brought large booties to their
quarters. They took also the castle of Harbonnieres[51], and the lord
within it,--who, to ransom himself and his vassals, and to prevent
the castle from being destroyed as others had been, agreed to pay one
thousand golden saluts[52].
During this time, the English met with no opposition,--but the count
d'Estampes had arrived at Peronne, and instantly sent summonses to the
principal persons in Picardy, Hainault, and the adjacent countries,
to hasten to him with as many men as they could collect. They joined
him in great numbers,--among whom were the lord de Croy, the lord de
Humieres, the lord de Saveuses and his brothers, Waleran de Moreul,
Jean de Brimeu, at that time bailiff of Amiens, sir Jean de Croy,
bailiff of Hainault, the lord de Hautbourdin, the lord de Barbenson,
sir Simon de Lalain, and very many more from the countries aforesaid,
who, when they were assembled in Peronne and the towns round about,
amounted to full three thousand well-tried combatants.
These lords held a council, to consider how they should act. Many
wanted to fight the English without more loss of time; but others were
of a contrary opinion, and gave good reasons, why they ought not to
fight them. At length, it was determined to take the field during the
night, and form an ambuscade near to Lihons in Santois, while some
of the captains were to beat up the quarters of the English, and set
fire to the outskirts of the town,--when they would consider, from the
movements of the enemy, how it would be most expedient for the main
body in ambush to act.
After this determination, every one was ordered to be ready to mount
instantly after midnight,--and this order was obeyed. The count
d'Estampes issued, immediately after, out of Peronne,--but they had
scarcely advanced half a league from that town, when it became so very
dark that they had difficulty to keep their road; they were, therefore,
forced to move about until it was lighter, so that their enterprise
failed, and they returned back to Peronne. On this same day, about
twelve o'clock, the count d'Estampes received certain intelligence that
the English had dislodged from Lihons, and were on their march back to
Normandy by the same road they had come.
When the English had remained for about ten days in Lihons, ransoming
and despoiling the country as I have said, they marched back to
Normandy, without meeting with any opposition worth mentioning,
carrying with them much plunder, and hostages for payment of the
composition-money. On repassing Folleville, they reinforced the
garrison with a strong body of men.
During the stay of the English in Santois, and when they were quartered
in Lihons, those attached to, and dependant on, sir John de Luxembourg
went backward and forward, and had much communication with them, to the
great astonishment of the count d'Estampes, who as well as the other
lords with him were not very well pleased,--but they could not prevent
it at that time. On the departure of the English for Normandy, the men
at arms who had obeyed the summons of the count d'Estampes began to
retire, each to the place he had come from.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 47: Santois,--a small fruitful country of Picardy, to the
south of the Somme and Peronne. Mondidier is the capital.--_Gazetteer._]
[Footnote 48: Folleville,--a village in Picardy, election of
Mondidier.--_Gazetteer._]
[Footnote 49: Montrieul. This must be a mistake, for Montrieul is not
on the Somme, and is quite out of their line of march.]
[Footnote 50: Lihons,--a town in Picardy, near Peronne.--_Gazetteer._]
[Footnote 51: Harbonnieres,--a town in Picardy, near
Corbie.--_Gazetteer._]
[Footnote 52: Saluts,--old french crowns, of the value of five
shillings sterling.--_Cotgrave._]
[A.D. 1440.]
CHAP. XXXV.
THE DAUPHIN, THE DUKE OF BOURBON, AND MANY OF THE GREAT LORDS QUIT IN
DISGUST THE COURT OF KING CHARLES[53].
At the commencement of this year, the king of France assembled a
large body of nobles and men at arms to march into the Bourbonnois,
and conquer the duke of Bourbon and destroy his territories; because
he had, to his great vexation, seduced and carried off his son the
dauphin, who had, until then, been lodged in the castle of Loches[54].
The count de la Marche was governor of the castle of Loches, and was in
the town at the time the dauphin went away, unsuspicious that he would
do so without first speaking to him. The bastard of Bourbon, however,
with Anthony de Chabannes and other captains, with a large body of men
at arms, entered the castle, and, with the dauphin's consent, carried
him away to the town of Moulins[55] in the Bourbonnois.