possession of any city, town, or castle, that party shall be bounden to
yield it back again fully repaired, should any damage have been done
to it; and in case those who have thus taken it shall refuse to give
it back unless forced thereto, the party to whom they belong shall be
bounden to recover the same by force of arms, and at their expense; and
supposing there may not be time sufficient during the existence of the
truce to finish all the repairs, the party that had taken it shall be
bounden to complete it wholly.
'Item, during the truce, the subjects of either shall have free liberty
to pass to and from each country with their merchandise (excepting
always military stores) freely and securely,--and to transact their
business in whatever manner they shall choose, without any let or
molestation whatever, free from arrest for any debt or obligations
contracted prior to this truce, on paying duly all the accustomed
tolls through the different provinces or jurisdictions they may pass:
provided always that none of the subjects of either party, noble or men
at arms, shall enter any castle, inclosed town or fort, without having
previously demanded leave from the governor or his lieutenant of all
such places, and then without arms and in small parties. In respect
to real pilgrims, they may travel in small or large parties, according
to the usual mode of pilgrims going on pilgrimages to the accustomed
shrines. In regard to merchants and common people, it will be enough
for them to demand leave of entrance from the porters at the gates of
any towns or castles.
'Item, whereas several of the subjects of our said redoubted lord
and sovereign possess lands under the obedience of his said nephew,
the revenues of which, or in part, they have enjoyed by the hands of
farmers or otherwise, they may now again enjoy the same during the
truce in the manner and form as before.
'Item, in regard to the contributions which have been customarily
levied by each party, the conservators of the truce and others
commissioned from the two kings shall regulate them according to their
pleasure.
'Item, should any attempts be made to infringe the truce, which God
forbid! it shall not be broken, nor shall war be declared on either
side, but the truce shall remain in full force, as if nothing had
been done contrary to the meaning and purpose of these articles. Such
attempts shall have due reparation made for them by those who committed
them, and be punished corporally by the aforesaid conservators of the
truce.
'Item, if, during the truce, any dispute or quarrel shall arise between
one of the parties and the subjects or allies of the other, the latter
party shall not form any alliances for his support with those who have
commenced the dispute.
'All the above articles, and each of them, we duke of Orleans, and the
other commissioners for our said lord the king, have solemnly promised
on oath to observe, and do solemnly promise and swear for, and in the
name of, our said lord the king to observe, and to make these said
articles agreeable to our most potent and redoubted sovereign,--and we
will, according as the case shall require, send ratifications of the
same to the person who may have the government of the town of Rouen, on
or before the 15th day of July next ensuing, provided that the same be
done within the aforesaid term by the most potent and noble prince the
nephew of our said lord and sovereign.
'In testimony whereof, we, each of us, having signed these articles
with our hands, and sealed them with our own seals.--Given at Tours,
the 20th day of May, in the year 1444.'
While this treaty was going on, several other matters were introduced,
and a treaty of marriage was proposed between king Henry of England and
the daughter of Réné king of Sicily, duke of Lorraine and Bar, which
was afterwards concluded, as shall be noticed in the ensuing chapter.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 122: Page 53. vol. xi. of the Fœdera, contains the warrant
for their wages for three months. The _others_ were master Richard
Andrews, king's secretary and doctor of laws, and John Wenlok, esquire.]
[Footnote 123: Sir Thomas Hors--must be a mistake; for only the four
mentioned in the preceding note are contained in the warrant in the
Fœdera.]
[A.D. 1444.]
CHAP. LXVI.
THE ENGLISH PROLONG THE TRUCE FOR EIGHT MONTHS.--THE KING OF ENGLAND
IS BETROTHED TO THE DAUGHTER OF RÉNÉ KING OF SICILY. THE KING OF
SICILY DEMANDS SUCCOURS FROM THE KING OF FRANCE.
Toward the end of April, and after Easter, in the year 1444, the
English prolonged the truces for eight months, and at the same time
betrothed the daughter of Réné king of Sicily to king Henry of England,
in the hope that this measure would establish peace between the two
kingdoms. The english ambassadors then returned to England, to report
to their king and parliament what they had done, and to accelerate a
peace.
In this state of affairs, the king of France determined with his
ministers to send his men at arms, as well french as foreigners, to
take up their quarters in Germany during the truce, under the command
of the dauphin. In consequence the dauphin marched from Troyes in
the month of July, and, by short marches, came before the town of
Montbelliart in Germany, bordering on the country of Burgundy, which he
laid siege to, because the bailiff of that place had made an inroad as
far as the city of Langres in France, had carried away men and cattle,
and done many other mischiefs, which had greatly displeased the king.
The town and castle of Montbelliart surrendered on capitulation.
The king shortly after, followed the dauphin with a large army, by slow
marches, to the city of Langres, whence he detached his van to a castle
called Arlay, on the borders of Lorraine, held by the bastard of Vergy,
who had done from thence, and others of his forts, great damages to the
country of Champagne. All these castles the bastard yielded up to the
king except that of Arlay, which he said he possessed as a pledge for
money advanced to Réné king of Sicily: it was very strong, in excellent
repair, and well victualled.
The king advanced his army to a town called Espinal, on the frontiers
of Lorraine and Germany, which was held by the bishop of Metz, and the
castle by the commonalty: both surrendered to the king on his appearing
before them. He thence marched to Nancy. While he was there, Réné king
of Sicily earnestly entreated that he would assist him to conquer the
city of Metz and other towns in Lorraine, which, although his own
personal domain, were in rebellion against him. The king, in compliance
with his request, sent to summon Metz to surrender, otherwise he would
march his army to besiege it.
The inhabitants having remonstrated on this, and declared that they
were independant of the king of Sicily and of any other lord, they
were closely besieged for the space of five months or more, when
they concluded a treaty with the king, and the blockade was raised.
During this siege, a great lord from Germany, called the lord
Bourgalemoine[124], came thither, having been sent by the emperor to
the dauphin, as his guide to the countries round Basil, Montbelliart,
Coulombaria[125], Selestat[126], Strasbourg, Hagenau, in the district
of Aussays[127], to conquer the Swiss and Germans, who had thrown off
their dependance on the emperor.
The dauphin, accompanied by many lords and captains, advanced as far
as Basil; but when he had come within a league of that place he was
met by about eight hundred Swiss, who took possession of an hospital
and garden, where, considering the smallness of their numbers, they
made a gallant defence, and killed the german nobleman whom the emperor
had sent as a guide to the dauphin, with several others, although they
lost the greater part of their own men. The dauphin now approached
Basil, and the townsmen thinking his army must be fatigued, sallied
out against him; but at this affair upward of a thousand Germans were
slain, and from two to three hundred made prisoners: the rest took to
flight.
The dauphin next marched to the town of St Hipolyte[128] to take it by
storm, but it capitulated, as did that of Vau-du-Lieure. The army began
now to pillage and commit great devastations on the country round,
insomuch that the Swiss and Germans rose in large bodies and killed
numbers of the men. Their captains, perceiving that the whole country
was rising against them, and that their leader, who was acquainted with
all the passes, was dead, returned with the army to the king of France
at Nancy.
With the king were Réné king of Sicily, and numbers of great lords
and knights, the queens of France and Sicily, the dauphiness, and
the daughter of king Réné, whom the earl of Suffolk had come with
a splendid embassy to demand in marriage for the king of England.
After a few discussions, every thing was agreed on; but before their
departure with the new queen a magnificent tournament was held, in
which the kings of France and Sicily, the lord Charles d'Anjou, the
counts de Foix, and de St Pol, the lord Ferry de Lorraine, and several
other great lords, tilted. These feasts lasted eight days,--and the
ladies were most splendidly dressed.
The kings of France and of Sicily escorted the queen of England two
leagues from Nancy, where the king took leave of his niece with many
tears, and recommended her to the protection of God: their grief was so
great that they could not speak. The king returned to Nancy,--but her
father, the king of Sicily, accompanied her as far as Bar-le-Duc, where
he and her mother took their leave of her, with floods of tears, and
prayers for her welfare.
Soon after the return of the dauphin, the Germans, in contempt of their
oaths, gained the towns of St Hipolyte and Vau-du-Lieure, by force, and
set fire to both of them. At this moment, the archbishop of Treves,
elector of the holy roman empire, and the count de Blancquemain[129],
came to the king of France from the Germans, to propose a perpetual
peace and alliance[130].
I had forgotten to say, that during the long siege of Metz many
vigorous sallies were made by the garrison, but courageously repulsed
by the besiegers. Several small castles were won by the king's troops
without interrupting the business of the siege. One belonged to a
gentleman called William Chance, governor of Harfleur. Two or three
were held by the duke of Burgundy's men, but no attempts were made on
them, because they had been given by the king of Sicily to the duke
of Burgundy, as pledges for the payment of his ransom which was still
owing to the duke.
The governor of Metz was a very cruel man, called John Vitout, who,
during the siege, rode a small courser, having at his tail a bell which
made a great noise. He did this that all might hear and know when he
was riding about the town. This governor was very severe on all women
who left the town to ransom their husbands that had been made prisoners
by the French; for on their return, he had them drowned, because they
had supplied the enemy with money. He put to death, without mercy,
all french prisoners, and would not hear of a ransom or exchange.
Nevertheless, the king was so benign a prince that he wished not his
death nor that of his accomplices, but granted them most handsome terms
of surrender. The heavy articles of the capitulation were a handsome
present of gilt plate, two hundred thousand crowns for the expenses
of the siege, and the acquittance of one hundred thousand florins of
gold which king Réné and his predecessors had borrowed from them.
On these terms they preserved all their rights and privileges from
any innovation; and their quarrel with the king of Sicily remained
undetermined, nor were any further measures taken towards bringing it
to a conclusion.
When this matter had been settled, and during the stay of the king at
Nancy, he ordered a general muster of all the troops who had marched
into Germany, and of those who had served at the siege of Metz, from
whom five[131] hundred of the best-appointed lances and four thousand
archers were to be selected. The remainder of his army he disbanded
and sent to their homes, at the same time breaking the greater part of
their captains, retaining only fifteen of the most experienced,--to
each of whom he gave the command of one hundred lances, and a
proportionate number of archers. This was intended for a permanent
establishment, to be quartered in different towns in the kingdom, and
to be fed and paid in so ample a manner that for the future no soldier
was to be suffered to plunder at his pleasure the country farmers or
villages, as had formerly been done.
When this ordinance had been carried into effect, the king and his
court went to Châlons, and there remained some time.
At this period, the king of Poland and the cardinal of St Angelo, the
pope's legate, conquered, with the aid of a body of Christians, who had
joined them, all Greece and Wallachia, driving the Saracens thence to
the Black Sea. But shortly afterward, the sultan and great Turk raised
a large army of Saracens, crossed the sea, came up with the Christians,
who at that moment were but few in number, and completely defeated
them. Among the dead, were slain and killed alive, the king of Poland
and the cardinal, who, please God, are now martyrs in Paradise,--for
they were killed while endeavouring to extend the doctrines of JESUS
CHRIST[132].
On the return of the dauphin's army from Germany, the English left him,
with their leader Mutago, who marched them back, for subsistence, to
Normandy, then in the possession of king Henry of England.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 124: Bourgalemoine. Du Cange MS. has Belleforest.
Bourgumoine? Q.]
[Footnote 125: Coulombaria,--Columbaria, the latin name for Colmar.]
[Footnote 126: Selestat,--or Schlestadt, a town in Lower Alsace, about
four miles from Strasburg.]
[Footnote 127: Aussays. Q. Aussois?]
[Footnote 128: St Hippolyte,--a town formerly of Germany, now of the
duchy of Lorraine, a few leagues distant from Schlestadt.]
[Footnote 129: Blancquemaine. Blanquevau.--MS. Du Cange.]
[Footnote 130: 'To keep the disbanded soldiers out of mischief, (during
the truce) the dauphin leads twenty thousand of them, of whom eight
thousand were English, to assist the duke of Lorraine and the town
of Zuric against the Switzers. Near Basil, they attack four thousand
men, who had come to assist that town. The dauphin, after an obstinate
resistance, slays them all but sixteen; nay, some say one, and that he,
on returning to his canton, had his head cut off for cowardice. The
French retreat, and abandon the war in that district. They then besiege
Metz,--and raise vast contributions from the towns around to buy their
absence. With this money the dauphin pays his soldiers, and discharges
all but fifteen hundred.'--_Andrews_ from _Mezeray_.]
[Footnote 131: _Five._ Q. If it should not be _fifteen_ from what
follows?
This is the origin of a standing army in France.]
[Footnote 132: In the 'Art de Verifier les Dates,' the account of this
event is as follows.
'A peace was concluded with the Turks and Christians for ten years, and
signed about the middle of June, 1444, but almost immediately violated
by the Christians, on the representations of the cardinal Julien
Césarini, who had been present at the treaty. A battle was fought on
the 10th November 1444, near Varna, in Lower Mesia, between Ladislaus,
at the head of eighteen thousand men, and Amurath, who had upward of
sixty thousand. The victory, long disputed, was at length gained by
the infidels. Ladislaus, after performing prodigies of valour, was
killed. He was but twenty years old. The cardinal Julien was among the
dead,--but the manner of his death is variously related.']
[A.D. 1445.]
CHAP. LXVII.
THE KING OF SICILY MEETS THE KING OF FRANCE AT CHÂLONS TO TREAT WITH
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY RESPECTING HIS RANSOM.--THE DUCHESS OF BURGUNDY
COMES THITHER.--AFTER THE DEATHS OF THE QUEENS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL,
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AN EMBASSY TO THE COURT OF ENGLAND.
In the year 1445, during the residence of the king of France at
Châlons, the king of Sicily came thither to treat of his ransom with
the duke of Burgundy, whose prisoner he was. He had not money enough
when taken, and had therefore turned over to him, as pledges for the
payment, the towns and castles of Neufchâtel in Lorraine, of Beaumont
in Argonne, and Gaudricourt[133], and in all of them the duke of
Burgundy had placed garrisons, paid by the king of Sicily; but when
they wanted money, from neglect of due payments they made incursions
over the duchies of Bar and Lorraine, and committed all sorts of
outrages.
The duchess of Burgundy came to meet the king at Châlons, to make a
treaty with the king of Sicily; and it was agreed that the above-named
towns should be restored to him, on condition he would settle in
perpetuity, on the duke of Burgundy and his heirs, the town and
castlewick of Cassel in Flanders[134]. Many grand feasts were made on
the arrival of the duchess of Burgundy at Châlons.
At this time, the queens of Spain and Portugal departed this life: they
were sisters to the kings of Arragon and Navarre. The queen of Scotland
died also this year, as did the dauphiness of France at Châlons,
daughter to the king of Scotland by his late queen. She was buried in
the cathedral church at Châlons,--and her loss caused great sorrow to
all who knew her, for she was a handsome and good lady[135].
The king of France sent from Châlons, on an embassy to England his
cousin the count de Vendôme, grand master of the household, the
archbishop of Rheims, first ecclesiastical peer of France, with others,
to endeavour to bring about a general peace between the two kingdoms.
The king of Castille, brother at arms and ally to the king of France,
the king of Sicily, the dukes of Brittany, Burgundy, and Alençon, sent
likewise ambassadors thither, to confirm whatever should be proposed by
those of the king.
This embassy was graciously received by the king of England, his nobles
and prelates, but only concluded a prolongation of the truce from the
month of April until the ensuing November, in the year 1446. In the
mean time, a meeting was fixed for the two kings between Rouen and
Chartres, or between Rouen and Paris; and, for a further accommodation
the king of England sent master Adam de Mouleyns, keeper of his privy
seal, and, bishop of Exeter[136] elect, to king Charles, to prolong the
truce from November 1446 to the following April, that there might be
sufficient time allowed for the full discussion of the various articles
incidental to a treaty of peace. The king of France sent in return,
to his nephew, master Guillaume Causinot, councellor and master of
requests of his household, and Jean de Havart, his esquire-carver, to
signify his acceptance of this prolongation of the truce.
When they went back, king Henry sent Garter king at arms with them,
charged with letters to the king of France in which he promised, on the
word of a king to come to France before the ensuing month of November.
Garter brought back to the king of England similar letters which were
proclaimed throughout the two realms.
At this time, duke Francis of Brittany did homage to the king, in
the castle of Chinon, for that duchy, and likewise for the county of
Montfort.
About the same time, two daughters of the king of Scotland arrived in
France, expecting to find their sister the dauphiness alive; for she
had desired them to come to her, that she might marry them. They first
learnt the account of the dauphiness's decease at Châlons, on their
landing in Flanders, and were exceedingly affected by it. On their
arrival at the court of France, the king ordered them to be waited on
by the servants of the late dauphiness, and appointed them a similar
establishment, at his expense, until other arrangements should be made
or they should be married.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 133: Gaudricourt,--Gondrecourt, a village in Champagne, near
Bar-sur-Aube.]
[Footnote 134: Réné became possessed of Cassel and its lordships by
virtue of a gift of the cardinal Louis de Bar, his uncle, who died
1430.]
[Footnote 135: It was this dauphiness who made the celebrated answer
for giving Alain Chartier a kiss when he was asleep.]
[Footnote 136: Exeter. Glocester.--MS. Du Cange. See Fœdera.]
CHAP. LXVIII.
IN THE YEAR MCCCCXLVI. WHEN THE KING OF FRANCE RETURNED FROM HEARING
MASS, HE FOUND ON HIS BED THE FOLLOWING DITTY.
Bad payments, evil counsellors,
The discord of our warriors,
Gabelles, and burdensome taxation
Again torment this hapless nation.
With wars, which, till our state be mended,
We ne'er shall see or check'd or ended:
For multitudes, with trait'rous arts,
Serve France's king with english hearts;
And service wrought against the will
Can ne'er turn out to aught but ill.
True is the maxim of the sage,
Which saith, The broils of civil rage
Surely befal that wretched state
Whose king his subjects view with hate.
War too delights the ravening train
Who still the royal treasure drain:
Who, midst the strife, with greedy hands,
Seieze gold and silver, house and lands;
Who, aye the first to seize the prey,
Are aye the last their dues to pay.
But, dukes and kings, to me attend:
If thus your warfare know no end,
Be sure at length you'll rue the cost,
When all your lands are waste and lost;
For friends by ready pay are won,
While tardy payers are undone.
No more within your castle's walls
Court libbard ease while honour calls,
But quit your forests and your streams,
And haste where many a banner gleams.
Alas! for France so meek and tame,
No glory dwells upon thy name!
To thee, O duke! to thee, O king!
With honest grief this plaint I bring.
CHAP. LXIX.
THE DUKE OF BRITTANY PUTS HIS BROTHER, THE LORD GILES, TO DEATH.--THE
GENOESE SEND AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF FRANCE, TO OFFER HIM THEIR
SOVEREIGNTY.--THE EVENT.
In the year 1446, the lord Giles of Brittany was arrested in the castle
of Guilledon[137], by order of his brother the duke, who suspected him
of intending to favour an invasion of the English on his coasts. This
arrest was made by four hundred of the king's lances, under the command
of sir Regent de Coetivy admiral of France, sir Regnault de Dresnay
bailiff of Sens, and sir Pierre de Brésé seneschal of Poitou. They
delivered their prisoner to the duke of Brittany, to do with him as he
should please,--and he soon after had him murdered in his prison.
In the month of September, the bishop of Exeter, keeper of the king
of England's privy seal, and the lord Dudley[138], waited on the king
of France on an embassy, at a house in Touraine called Rassilé, near
to Chinon; and on their departure, king Charles sent to his nephew of
England master Guillaume Cousinot and Jean Havart, to prolong the truce
for a year.
In this year, the families of Doria and Fregoso sent a fleet of
five vessels to Marseilles from Genoa with ambassadors, to offer
the sovereignty of their country to the king of France, if it were
agreeable to him to accept of it. The king dispatched as ambassadors
the archbishop of Rheims and others, to examine into the matter, and
to proceed accordingly, who went to Marseilles to practice for the
reduction of Genoa. At this time, John Fregoso had gained possession
of Genoa, Pisa, and other places, in the king's name, having many
family-connexions in the first town. He in consequence of a concerted
plan, came before Genoa in a single galley, with no more than four
hundred men; and on his landing, he raised the king's banner, when
he was instantly surrounded by his friends in arms, and marching to
the palace, was proclaimed doge of Genoa. Bernabo Adorné fled on his
approach, who, a little before, had been raised to the same dignity.
Fregoso had been accompanied by one of the king's esquires, called the
bastard of Poitiers, who had assisted him in gaining Genoa, thinking
he would restore it to the king; but no sooner had Fregoso succeeded
than he put the esquire out of the town. When news of this reached the
archbishop of Rheims and the others, they embarked on board a galley
at Villa-franca, near Nice, and came to Genoa, where they remonstrated
with Fregoso on his treachery, and summoned him to restore the place
to the king of France as he and his friends had promised under their
hands and seals. Fregoso replied, that as he had conquered the town by
his sword, by his sword he would keep it[139]. On hearing this, the
archbishop and his companions returned to Marseilles, and thence went
to the king at Bourges.
In the month of February following, pope Eugenius died,--and on the
28th instant, Nicholas V. was elected pope[140]
[A.D. 1447.]
CHAP. LXX.