the counts of Angoulême, of Vendôme, of Armagnac, of Castres, the
chancellor, and several others, dismounted. The archbishop of Bordeaux
met them at the gate of the church, clad in his pontificial robes,
and attended by the canons of the cathedral. The archbishop, having
sanctified the count with incense, and presented him with some relics
and the cross, took him by the hand, and led him through the choir to
the great altar, to perform his prayers. With the lieutenant-general,
two of the king's heralds entered the church, dressed in tabards of the
royal arms. All the nobles then followed,--and they left the king's
banners in the church.
When the count and the other lords had ended their devotions, the
archbishop took a missal, and made them swear, that the king would
faithfully preserve and maintain them in their ancient rights and
privileges. Having taken this oath, the count de Dunois made the
archbishop swear that the count de l'Esparre, and the other lords
having authority within the town, would behave always loyally and
submissively to the king of France and to his government. In this oath
he made all the commonalty present join, which they did, by extending
their hands toward heaven, as is usual in such cases.
From this oath the captal of Buch was excepted, as he was then a
knight-companion of the Garter, the order of the king of England.
When the lieutenant-general had devoutly heard mass, which was
celebrated by the archbishop, and the 'Veni Creator,' &c. and 'Te Deum
laudamus,' &c. that preceded it, to the ringing of all the bells at the
different churches, he retired to his lodgings (as did the other lords
to theirs) to partake of some refreshments, excepting the chancellor
of France, the grand master of the household, and the chancellor de
la Marche, who remained, to administer the oath to sir Olivier de
Coictivy, seneschal of Guienne. The seneschal made a grand appearance,
as he was attended by many of the king's officers, the barons and
knights of Guienne, and the burghers of Bordeaux. He presented his
commission to the chancellor of France, who, after reading it, made him
swear that he would strictly administer justice, without partiality to
poor or rich, as well in the said city of Bordeaux as throughout the
whole duchy of Guienne. When this was done, the chancellor commanded
all persons to obey the seneschal, in all things respecting his office,
as they would the king in person.
When the lieutenant-general had regarrisoned Fronsac, he had the king's
banner displayed on the castle,--and another was placed on the highest
towers of the said town. He then issued a proclamation in the king's
name, and in his own, to forbid any persons from taking the smallest
article from the inhabitants without paying its full value, prior to
the quartering of his troops, which was then done by persons appointed
for that purpose. Scarcely was the dinner hour passed, when great
murmurings were heard in the city against one of the king's troopers
who had transgressed the proclamation. He was soon arrested and brought
before a court of law to be examined; and when the lieutenant-general
heard of it, and that he had confessed himself guilty, he ordered him
instantly to be hanged. This act of justice gave great pleasure to the
inhabitants of Bordeaux and the country round.
The count de Dunois had also a new gallows erected, to hang thereon
five troopers, who, instigated by William de Flavy, had wounded sir
Pierre de Louvain while on the king's service. They had watched him
several days with the intent to murder him, in consequence of a quarrel
that had taken place between the said Louvain and Flavy. Thus did the
lieutenant-general deal strict justice to all,--and the execution
of these malefactors was a good example, of great comfort to the
burghers; for during the time they were under the English, they were
kept so much in awe that they only received blows when they complained
against any of them.
The count de Dunois remained in Bordeaux fifteen days, to regulate its
future government; and those whom he appointed for the purpose acted
with such prudence and moderation that not the smallest extortion or
mischief was done to the city. Thus was the whole duchy of Guienne
subdued, with the exception of the city of Bayonne. During this
conquest, the count and all his officers, military and civil, showed
the utmost activity and courage.
The count de Clermont was made governor of Bordeaux, and sir Olivier de
Coictivy his lieutenant, who commanded the men at arms of his brother,
Pregent de Coictivy, then admiral of France.
On the reduction of Bordeaux, the counts de Nevers, de Clermont, and de
Castres were ordered to wait on the king at the castle of Taillebourg,
and then to march to the cantonments that had been assigned them. The
counts d'Armagnac, d'Angoulême, and de Penthievre were to return with
their men to their own countries. The franc archers were also ordered
home,--so that of the whole of this army, estimated at twenty thousand
combatants, which had conquered Guienne, there only remained a small
part in the duchy for the king's service.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 123: Fronsac,--on the Dordogne, six leagues from Bordeaux.]
[Footnote 124: Libourne,--a city of Guienne on the Dordogne, 10 leagues
from Bordeaux.]
[Footnote 125: Chambre royalle,--Cotgrave says, is a court for
the examination and inquiry into the conduct of financiers and
exchequer-men.]
[Footnote 126: Rions,--a town in Guienne, three leagues from Bordeaux.]
[Footnote 127: Aleth,--a small city in upper Languedoc.]
[Footnote 128: Langres,--a large city of Champagne, and one of the six
ecclesiastical peerages of France.]
CHAP. XXVII.
THE CITY OF BAYONNE IS BESIEGED BY THE COUNTS DE FOIX AND DE DUNOIS,
LIEUTENANTS-GENERAL TO THE KING.--IT SURRENDERS.--THE REGULATIONS
MADE IN CONSEQUENCE.--POPE NICHOLAS MARRIES THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY TO
THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF PORTUGAL.--THE EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN
ENGLAND.
At this period, the king determined in council to lay siege to Bayonne,
which was still held by the English, and for this purpose issued his
orders from the castle of Taillebourg[129] to his lieutenants-general,
the counts de Foix and de Dunois, to march thither with a large body
of lances, archers and guisarmes. Of these, four hundred lances were
supplied by the king, and four hundred were attached to the count
de Foix and his vassals: it was a fine sight to see their handsome
equipment in horses, armour, and splendid helmets. The count had also
with him two thousand cross-bows and targeteers from his own country.
When the count de Foix had commenced the siege, he created several
knights; such as the son to the master of the king's household, the
lord de Tessac, brother to the lord de Noailles, Bertrand de l'Espagne,
seneschal of Foix, Roger de l'Espagne, the lord de Benac, and others,
to the number of fifteen. About the middle of this day, the count de
Dunois and de Longueville arrived, and posted his men on the side
toward Béarn, between the rivers Adour and Nive, which are so wide that
the two divisions could not succour each other. The count de Dunois
had under him six hundred lances, archers, and guisarmes, who commenced
the siege gallantly.
On the morrow, which was the 6th day of the month, the garrison of
Bayonne destroyed the suburbs of St Léon, on the side opposite to the
count de Foix, which were very strongly fortified with ditches and
mounds of earth; but the continued fire from the batteries of French
made them abandon them,--not, however, before they had set fire to the
houses and churches, especially when they saw that the besiegers were
advancing to attack them. The French gained this suburb, and pursued
them so closely that had there been one hundred men with scaling
ladders, the town would have been won, as they would have entered the
gates with the enemy; but the ditches were deep, and they could not
mount the walls from want of ladders.
The besiegers took possession of this suburb, having extinguished the
fires. The count de Foix fixed his quarters in the convent of the
Augustins, for it had been little burnt. Six days afterward, the count
d'Albreth and the viscount de Tartas, his son, came from Bordeaux,
and quartered themselves at St Esprit[130], at the end of the wooden
bridge, which was broken down the following night by the men of the
lord d'Albreth, who had in his company two hundred lances, and three
thousand archers and cross-bows. The next day the besieged made a sally
by a bulwark on the sea-side, intending to fall on the enemy unawares.
At this same moment, sir Bernard de Béarn led his men to skirmish
almost within the town; but when returning he was struck by a ball from
a culverin, which pierced his shield, and entered his leg between the
two bones: it was extracted, and, by the care of the surgeons, he was
soon out of danger.
The next morning, a church was won that was strongly fortified with
ditches and palisadoes, by this same sir Bernard. When those within
found they could not hold out, they retreated to the town, with the
loss of five or six in killed and wounded: a garrison was posted in
this church,--and the town was blockaded on all sides.
The count de Dunois pushed forward his approaches with vigour, to bring
his batteries to bear on the walls, without waiting for the heavy
artillery: had he waited for its arrival, the place must have been
won by storm, considering the numbers and eagerness of the besieging
army. The garrison, understanding that the battering train was near at
hand, proposed a parley which took effect on the 26th day of August.
The counts de Foix and de Dunois, with some of the king's counsellors,
met the deputation from the city; and after several adjournments, the
following articles were agreed to,--namely, that the governor, don
John de Beaumont, brother to the constable of Navarre, of the order of
St John of Jerusalem, should be delivered up to the king, and remain
his prisoner, together with all the men at arms, so long as it might
please him, and that the inhabitants should submit themselves to the
king's will; and for their disobedience in not complying with his
former summons, they should pay forty thousand golden crowns. The
same day, they gave up their governor, who, in the presence of all the
commissioners and many of the inhabitants, took the oaths of allegiance
in the hands of the grand master of the king's household.
Thus was a treaty concluded with the city of Bayonne. While the siege
lasted, the king's army was amply supplied with all sorts of provision
from Biscay, for the king had written to the inhabitants for this
purpose. Some provisions came from Béarn and Navarre,--but it was with
difficulty, from the numbers of robbers that infested those parts. The
army, however, was never in any want for man or horse. The Biscayners
equipped a fleet of twelve vessels, called pinnaces, and a large ship
manned with six hundred combatants, which they stationed half a league
from Bayonne, to cut off the escape of the garrison by sea.
On Friday the 20th day of August[131] (a little before sunrise, the
sky bright and clear), a white cross was seen in the heavens by the
king's army, and even by the English in Bayonne, for half an hour.
Those in the town, who were desirous of returning to the French, took
the red crosses from their banners and pennons, saying, that since it
pleased God they should become Frenchmen, they would all wear white
crosses. This cross in the heavens was seen on a Friday, the day our
Lord and Saviour was crucified. On the same day, at ten o'clock, the
lord de la Bessiere entered the town, accompanied by the bishop, to
take possession of the town and castle. The king's banners were hoisted
on the citadel by his heralds, to the great joy of the people; and the
fleet of Biscayners at the same time entered the harbour of Bayonne,
which was a fine spectacle.
On Saturday, the 21st of August, the lieutenants-general made their
public entry into Bayonne accompanied by the grand master of the
household, the count de Lautrec, brother to the count de Foix, the lord
de Noailles, the lord de la Bessiere, and others, in the following
procession: first, a thousand archers, who had manned the pinnaces
from Biscay; then two heralds, followed by others bearing their
coats of arms; sir Bertrand de l'Espagne, seneschal of Foix, in full
armour, bearing the king's banner, mounted on a horse covered with
crimson-velvet housings. The count de Foix came next, completely
armed, and mounted on a horse very richly caparisoned: he had near
him his seneschal of Béarn, as splendidly dressed and mounted: the
head-piece of his horse was steel, ornamented with gold and precious
stones, estimated at fifteen thousand crowns. A number of attendants
followed,--and then six hundred lances on foot closed the march.
The count de Dunois entered from another quarter, preceded by twelve
hundred archers,--then two of the king's heralds, and others, bearing
different banners of arms. After them came sir Jeannet de Saveuses,
mounted on a courser bearing one of the king's banners. At this entry,
the count de Dunois created the said Jeannet a knight, together with
the lord de Mont-Guyon, Jean de Montmorin, and the lord de Boussey.
After the royal banner came the count de Dunois in complete armour, and
his horse covered with crimson velvet; then the lord de Lohéac marshal
of France, the lord d'Orval, and many more great lords: the whole
procession closed by six hundred lances.
Both parties met at the great portal of the church, where the bishop
and his clergy, dressed in their pontificals and copes, were waiting to
receive them. The lords dismounted; and having kissed the holy relics,
which the clergy had brought for that purpose, they offered up their
prayers at the great altar, and thence returned to their lodgings. The
count de Foix sent the trappings of his horse, which were of golden
tissue, and valued at four hundred golden crowns, to the church of our
Lady in Bayonne, to make copes of for the priests.
On the morrow, which was Sunday, these lords, accompanied by the lord
d'Albreth, who had entered the town on Saturday evening, heard mass in
the same church, and afterwards received the oaths of the inhabitants.
Sir John le Boursier, general of France, was appointed the mayor, and
sir Martin Gracien captain, who remained in Bayonne for its government
and defence. On the ensuing day, the troops were dismissed to the
countries assigned them for cantonments; and the barons, knights, and
principal burghers of the three estates, as well from Bordeaux, the
Bordelois, Bayonne, Bazadois, and the countries round, went to the king
at Taillebourg, to receive the ratification of the articles of the
treaties that had been agreed on by his commissioners, and to do homage
to the king for their lordships.
The king, at the request of those from Bayonne, remitted one half
of their fine of forty thousand crowns, on which they returned very
well pleased with the king and his ministers. The king was attended
at Taillebourg by the counts of Maine, of Nevers, of Clermont, of
Vendôme, of Castres, of Tancarville, and very many other lords. Thither
came also the counts of Foix and of Dunois, the lord d'Albreth, the
lord of Lohéac, and other barons, who shortly after returned to their
winter-quarters, and the king went to pass his winter in Touraine.
Thus, by the grace of God, was the whole of Guienne and Normandy
reduced to the obedience of the king of France, and all the
possessions the English had in that realm, excepting the town of
Calais, which still remains in their hands; but God grant that it may
soon share a similar fate, and then will the saying be accomplished,
'Melior est obedientia quam sacrificium.'
In this same year, the emperor Frederick, duke of Austria, was crowned,
and married at Rome, by pope Nicholas, to the daughter of the king of
Portugal,--and the feasts and entertainments were suitable to the rank
of the parties. Shortly after, the emperor returned to Germany with his
empress, where they were most honourably received, according to the
customs of that country.
In this year also, there were great discords in England between the
dukes of York and Somerset, for the government of the kingdom. The
king supported the latter, who raised a large army, and took the
field in handsome array. The duke of York did the same, and a general
engagement was expected; but the prelates and great lords, dreading the
consequences, interfered and brought about an accommodation,--when
the duke of York promised never to arm again or collect forces in
opposition to his king,[132]--and each army separated to the places
they had come from.
In this same year, the cardinal de Touteville was sent by pope Nicholas
to the king of France, as his legate, and to require that he would
make peace with England,--for the continuation of the war was of
great prejudice to the catholic faith. The legate pressed as speedy a
conclusion as possible between the two kingdoms, for the infidels were
daily making conquests from the Christians.
When the cardinal had explained the object of his mission, the king
replied, that he was as desirous as ever to prevent further effusion
of blood, and to promote the general welfare of Christendom: that he
was ready to listen to any reasonable proposals, and had frequently
made offers to that effect in vain: that he was willing to agree to any
proper terms, and to employ his arms and finances, as much as should
be in his power, to repulse the Saracens.
While the legate was employed on this business in France, the pope,
having the matter much at heart, sent the archbishop of Ravenna, of the
Ursini-family at Rome, to England, to make similar remonstrances with
king Henry, and to press him earnestly to conclude a peace with France,
for the reasons stated by the legate,--and that a further prolongation
of the war would probably entail contempt on Christendom, as the
infidels had already made great conquests in Hungary and Germany. The
king's ministers made answer to the archbishop, that when they should
have reconquered from the king of France what he had won from them, it
would be time enough to talk of these matters. This answer was a bad
precedent; and the cardinal and archbishop returned to pope Nicholas
without having done any thing, in regard to the mission he had sent
them on.
According to the chronicles of Arras, the inhabitants of Ghent, at
this season, finding their lord was indignant against them for the
opposition which their deputies had made to his laying a tax on salt,
began to murmur,--and, puffed up with pride, they rose in rebellion
against his authority, and seized many of the duke's officers, whom
they beheaded without mercy. They chose from among themselves three
leaders, called in their language Hoguemens, whom they appointed to the
government. The principal was called Lieuvin Seve, a poor mason, and
the other two were of low degree.
When news of this was brought to the duke, he instantly issued his
summons, throughout Picardy and Hainault, for the assembling a body of
men at arms; and sent a valiant knight, a gentleman born in Hainault,
called sir Simon de Lalain, as governor of Oudenarde, and with him
another knight, named the lord des Cornets. In the holy week of this
same year, three of the states of Flanders, namely, Brussels, Ypres,
and the Franc, sent a deputation to the duke of Burgundy at Brussels,
accompanied by a Carthusian of the convent at Ghent. They were admitted
to an audience on Good Friday, and, by the mouth of the Carthusian,
entreated him, on their knees, and with the utmost humility, to pardon
the people of Ghent for their ill conduct,--and to have pity on his
country of Flanders for the love of God, and in respect to the sacred
day on which they made their petition. They offered, on the part of the
men of Ghent, that if he would pardon them, they would make whatever
reparation his ministers should think expedient.
The good prince replied, that from his reverence to God and respect to
the day, he would grant their request, provided the men of Ghent would
abide by the decision of his ministers as to the reparation they were
to make for their bad conduct.
It happened, in the mean time, that some of the peasantry and farmers
had placed their effects in the town of Oudenarde, as a security
against the war which they thought was about to commence; and they
assembled, in number about twelve hundred, and came to the gates of
Oudenarde, to demand back their effects; but when sir Simon de Lalain
was informed of their numbers, he refused them admittance, or to
restore their goods, until he should have informed their prince. The
peasants, dissatisfied with this answer, went to make their complaints
at Ghent, and to supplicate their assistance in the recovery of their
goods from Oudenarde,--when, without considering the consequences,
the Hoguemens instantly displayed their banners, and marched fifteen
thousand men of all sorts out of the town.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 129: Taillebourg,--a town of Saintonge, on the Charante,
three leagues from Saintes.]
[Footnote 130: St Esprit,--a town on the Nive, opposite to Bayonne, to
which it is considered as a suburb.]
[Footnote 131: Twentieth day of August. There seems a confusion of
dates here.]
[Footnote 132: Monstrelet, or his continuator, seems to have been
miserably informed respecting these quarrels in England.]
[A.D. 1452.]
CHAP. XXVIII.
JACQUES COEUR IS ARRESTED AND CONFINED.--THE REASONS OF IT.--THE KING
OF FRANCE DECLARES WAR AGAINST THE DUKE OF SAVOY,--BUT PEACE IS MADE,
BY THE MEDIATION OF THE CARDINAL DE TOUTEVILLE.--LORD SHREWSBURY
REGAINS BORDEAUX FROM THE FRENCH.
In the year 1452, Jacques Coeur was arrested by the king's orders, and
confined close prisoner. He was charged with various acts contrary to
the catholic faith, with high treason, and with having sent armour and
all sorts of military stores to the Saracens, enemies to the Christian
faith,--and likewise with providing them with workmen to teach them
the art of fabricating arms, to the prejudice of all Christendom. He
was confined for having, by the instigations of the enemy of mankind,
through avarice or other irregular passions, sent back by force a
Christian prisoner who had escaped from the hands of the Saracens,
(with whom he had long suffered martyrdom for the love of JESUS
CHRIST), in contempt of the faith of our Redeemer. He was likewise
charged with very many extortions in different parts of the realm, and
of having pillaged immense sums from the king's finances, of which
he had the management. The said extortions had caused several of the
inhabitants of those parts to quit the country, to the great loss of
the king and the realm.
The damsel de Mortaigne was at the same time imprisoned for certain
offences against the king, and for having charged Jacques Coeur and
others, through malice, with crimes of which they were innocent. She
was therefore confined for thus lying, to receive the punishment that
those whom she had accused would have suffered, had they been found
guilty, unless pardoned by the king's mercy.
In the month of May of this year, the king of France left Tours,
and went to the castle of Tuché[133], to celebrate the feast of
Whitsunside, where he staid until July following, and thence went
to Mehun sur Yevre[134]. He there declared war against the duke of
Savoy, for certain acts done by him to the prejudice of his crown and
kingdom. In the month of August, the king departed from Mehun with a
large army, and a noble company of knights and men at arms, until he
came to the country of Forez[135], intending to invade Savoy; but the
cardinal de Touteville, hearing of this on his road to Rome, moved by
charity, returned to the duke of Savoy,--and, having learnt the cause
of offence, he thence went to the king, and managed the matter so well
that the duke waited on the king, and promised to make every amends for
what had given offence, according to the king's good pleasure. Peace
being restored, the french army retreated to Feurs[136] in Forez, and
the cardinal continued his road to Rome[137].