inflicted on great offenders, who were led through the streets
barefooted and bareheaded (with a burning link in their hands)
unto the seat of justice, or some public place, and there to
confess their offences, and ask forgiveness of the party they had
wronged.'----Cotgrave.]
[A.D. 1454.]
CHAP. LIX.
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF SPAIN.--HE BUILDS
TWO CASTLES AT BORDEAUX TO KEEP THE INHABITANTS IN SUBJECTION.--THE
DUKE OF YORK IMPRISONS THE DUKES OF SOMERSET AND GLOCESTER.--OTHER
EVENTS.
In the year 1454, the reverend father in God master John Bernard,
archbishop of Tours, and sir Guillot Destan, knight, seneschal of
Rouergue, set out on an embassy from the king of France to the king of
Castille, to confirm the alliances between France and Spain.
In this same year, the king of France sent a large body of men at arms
and franc archers to Bordeaux, with orders to erect two castles to keep
that people under better subjection: one was placed on the bank of the
river, and the other at the opposite end of the town toward Béarn.
The count de Clermont, the lord de Saintrailles bailiff of Lyon, the
governor of la Rochelle, sir John Bureau mayor of Bordeaux, and sir
Guichart le Boursier, were appointed to superintend the erection of
these castles. They exerted great diligence to complete them,--and
they were so strong that they were thought impregnable, so that the
inhabitants were kept in more subjection than they had ever before been.
At this time, the duke of York seized the government of England, and
imprisoned the dukes of Somerset and Glocester[183],--the first in the
tower of London, and Glocester in Pomfret-castle.
In this year also, the count de Charolois, son to the duke of Burgundy
married the daughter of duke Charles of Bourbon.
The king of Spain deceased, at the age of fifty years. It was a pity,
for he was a good, wise, and handsome prince.
In this same year died pope Nicholas, who was but in his prime[184];
and it was found, when the physicians opened his body, that he had been
poisoned. Pope Calixtus was chosen in his stead.[185]
The king of England called a meeting of some of his lords in the month
of February, and remonstrated with them on the imprisonment of the
dukes of Somerset and Glocester, his relatives, and wished that, if
they were not too heavily charged with high treason, they might be
released. They consented to this; and the mayor of London even said,
that he would instantly deliver them from prison, on receiving good
security for their re-appearance. Soon after, these lords appeared
before the tower in great force, and took therefrom the duke of
Somerset, who soon after gained the complete government of the king.
The duke of York, seeing this, and dreading the effects of Somerset's
anger, left the court as secretly as he could, and retired into his
duchy.
About this time, the lord de l'Esparre was arrested, for having,
contrary to his oath, gone to England, and induced king Henry to send
over troops to reconquer the Bordelois. Although his treason had been
manifest, nevertheless the king, at the last capture of Bordeaux,
being alway full of mercy, had pardoned him, on condition of his being
banished Guienne and the Bordelois. However, by the instigation of the
devil in hell, he had attempted, under colour of a passport, to restore
those countries to the English, as a more false and wicked traitor than
before. But as the Scripture says, that every thing wicked, however
secretly done, is at length discovered and punished, so this came to
the king's knowledge, and, as I have said, he was arrested and carried
prisoner to Poitiers, where, on being tortured, he confessed his guilt,
and was judicially condemned. He was then delivered to the executioner,
who smote off his head and quartered his body, which was hung up at
different places, as is usual in such cases, to serve for an example to
all others.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 183: There must be a mistake here: the duke of York did
imprison Somerset, but Glocester was a Yorkist.]
[Footnote 184: Pope Nicholas was said to have died of grief for the
capture of Constantinople. He had reigned eight years nineteen days.]
[Footnote 185: Alfonso Borgio, cardinal-bishop of Valencia in Spain,
his native country. He took the title of Calixtus III.]
CHAP. LX.
THE MARRIAGE OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS WITH THE LADY ISABELLA OF
BOURBON.--THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY RETURNS FROM GERMANY, AND IS MOST
HONOURABLY RECEIVED IN THE TOWNS OF LILLE AND ARRAS.
On the last day of October, in this same year, and when the duke of
Burgundy was returned from Germany, his son, the count de Charolois,
espoused, in the town of Lille, his cousin-german the lady Isabella of
Bourbon, by dispensations from the holy church, on account of their
nearness of kindred. The duke, being in Burgundy, was not present at
the wedding, but the duchess was. The marriage was so sudden that many
said the count knew nothing of it until the preceding day: his father
would have it so, and strictly ordered him to comply, which he did like
a good and obedient son. Some said, that it was against his conscience
to marry so near a relative; but others, that he would rather have
married the daughter of the duke of York, and, by this alliance with
England, have some claim to that crown.
Whatever truth may be in these reports, he married to please his
father, and behaved to his cousin in so honourable a manner that no
married couple could behave better; and it was currently said, that
after his marriage, he knew not any other woman.
During the absence of his father in Germany, he had the regency of
his states, and governed them with equity: he was only too prompt to
believe the first reports that were made to him, which is a misfortune
generally attached to great lords.
About the middle of February, the noble duke of Burgundy came to Lille,
where he was received by his subjects with every honour. On the 24th
of the same month, he went to Arras, where he was likewise honourably
and joyfully received,--for he had been long absent, and God had now
permitted him to return from Germany in good health, and without any
hinderance.
CHAP. LXI.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY LAYS HEAVY TAXES ON HIS ESTATES, TO DEFRAY HIS
EXPEDITION AGAINST THE TURKS.
Five days after the arrival of the duke in Arras, and when the feasts
of his coming were over, he assembled the three estates of Artois, and
declared to them the vow he had made of undertaking a war against the
Turks, and of marching thither in person with his whole force, provided
the king his lord would promise to keep and guard for him his estates
during his absence. To accomplish this vow, he said, that it would be
necessary for him to call for the aid of his good vassals and subjects;
and he required that they would grant him supplies, amounting, in the
whole, to the sum of fifty-six thousand francs, royal money.
The three estates having consulted together, agreed to grant him three
aides, instead of four, which he had demanded, amounting to forty-two
thousand francs,--but on condition, that if this expedition was not
undertaken, they should not be paid. The good duke replied, that in
truth, if the expedition failed, he should not want any thing.
The duke then visited Flanders, Hainault, and Brabant, where he made
similar requests; and those countries granted him very great supplies
to carry on the war against the infidels.
[A.D. 1455.]
CHAP. LXII.
THE BISHOP OF UTRECHT DIES.--THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY GOES TO HOLLAND TO
PROCURE THE ELECTION TO THE BISHOPRICK FOR HIS BASTARD SON DAVID, THEN
BISHOP OF THEROUENNE.
In the year 1455, died the bishop of Utrecht, which is in Holland,
bordering on Germany. Duke Philip of Burgundy had for a long time
thought of obtaining this bishoprick for his bastard son David, then
bishop of Therouenne, and had even during the life-time of the late
bishop solicited the canons to elect this his son on the first vacancy.
They, however, paid no attention to his solicitations, but elected the
provost of their church, brother to the lord de Brederode, a great
baron in Holland, and a relative to duke Philip.
The duke was much dissatisfied at this conduct, and sent to Rome, and
managed so well with the pope that he gave this bishoprick to his
bastard son: he had even promised him the succession before the death
of the last bishop. The duke went, therefore, to the Hague in Holland,
where he endeavoured, but in vain, to gain over to his interest the
chapter of Utrecht by every kind means, that they might receive his son
for their bishop; and for this purpose he remained in Holland from the
feast of St Remy[186], in the year 1455, until St John Baptist's day in
the ensuing year.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 186: St Remy. This feast is on the first day of October, and
St John's the 24th June.]
CHAP. LXIII.
THE COUNT DE CLERMONT, THE LORD DE LOHÉAC MARSHAL OF FRANCE, AND
OTHER CAPTAINS, ARREST THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC, AND DELIVER HIM UP TO
THE KING.--THEY PUT THE ARCHBISHOP OF AUCH IN POSSESSION OF HIS
ARCHBISHOPRIC.--OTHER EVENTS.
In the month of May of this year, the king of France sent the count de
Clermont, the lord de Lohéac marshal of France, and other captains,
into the county of Armagnac; and likewise the count de Dammartin, the
bailiff of Evreux, and several others, against the count d'Armagnac,
into Rouergue, because he had refused to put the archbishop of Auch in
possession of his archbishopric, to which he had been duly elected, and
had received his bulls from the pope. The count had wished, contrary
to all right, to place therein one called de l'Estin, and had given
him admittance into the city, and possession of the archbishopric,
contrary to the will and orders of the king.
The king, much angered at de l'Estin having been installed by the count
by force, ordered his men at arms to besiege his city of Lectoure[187],
whither the before-named captains had marched, as well as into other
parts of his possessions in Armagnac and Rouergue. Thus did the count
lose all his territories for his rebellion against the king; for, as
the Scripture saith, it is hard to kick against the pricks. When this
was done, these captains returned to the king according to his orders.
In this same year, king Henry of England, by the advice of the duke of
Somerset, summoned a parliament of his great lords, to consider the
present state of affairs. For this purpose, very many came to London;
and the duke of York thought it would be advisable for him to make
his appearance also,--and in fact he set out, accompanied by about a
thousand armed retainers. He was, however, joined on his road by four
or five thousand more, of which the king and the duke of Somerset were
ignorant, they having knowledge of the duke being attended by only one
thousand men. The king and the duke of Somerset held a council with the
earl of Northumberland, and other lords, and determined to collect as
large a force as they could in and about London, and march out to meet
the duke of York, in the expectation of defeating him, as they were
astonished he should come in arms to attend the parliament.
The two armies soon met, and instantly came to blows, when numbers
were slain,--but victory remained with the duke of York. Among the
slain were the duke of Somerset, the earl of Northumberland, and many
other lords, and from four to five hundred common men. The king was
wounded by an arrow in the neck, and was for some time in great danger.
The duke of York made many prisoners, nobles and others, whom he led
to London with the king,--where some were set at liberty, and others
punished according to their deserts. The late government was entirely
overthrown, and the whole power remained with the duke of York as
regent of the king and kingdom.
At this time, the count d'Armagnac, having lost all his possessions,
retired into the kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 187: Lectoure,--a city in Armagnac, of which Auch is the
capital, ten leagues from Auch.]
[A.D. 1456.]
CHAP. LXIV.
THE KING OF FRANCE IS DISCONTENTED WITH THE DAUPHIN, FOR GOING TO THE
DUKE OF BURGUNDY WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.--POPE CALIXTUS MAKES REGULATIONS
RESPECTING THE CROISADE AGAINST THE TURKS.
In the year 1456, the king of France, learning that his eldest son had
left Dauphiny, and gone to the territories of the duke of Burgundy
to consult with him, was very much displeased that he should have
done this without previously informing him thereof. And because he
doubted his being led away by bad advice, and acting imprudently, he
determined to take possession of Dauphiny, to avoid the inconveniences
that might ensue, and also to reduce him to that obedience a son owes a
father.
In consequence, he marched a powerful army into Dauphiny, and took full
possession of all its rents and revenues, together with the castles and
strong holds, to prevent his son from receiving any advantages from
them, and to induce him the more speedily to return. The king sent also
men at arms to guard the passages at Pontoise, Compiègne, in Brie, and
other parts, and forbade the great towns to admit the dauphin or any of
his partisans, unless they should be forced thereto. He did all this,
from his opinion how headstrong and obstinate the dauphin was: as a
convincing proof of which, when he left the king, he had asked leave to
be absent only four months, and had remained nearly ten years, to the
great vexation of his father.
About this time, pope Calixtus III. made certain regulations respecting
a croisade, and issued indulgences to all who should carry into
execution the contents of the bulls that had been published by him, and
had been promulgated by different preachers throughout Christendom.
Certain proposals were now sent by the duke of Burgundy to the king of
France respecting the dauphin, and were laid before him by the duke's
ambassadors.
In this season, the Hungarians made a great destruction of the infidels
in Hungary, by the counsel of sir John Capestrian[188], an ancient
disciple of St Bernard, in conjunction with the aid of a wise and
valiant knight called sir Guillaume Blanc[189]. By their means, the
Turks, who were very numerous in Belgrade, were driven out of that
city, and more than fifteen thousand were slain: indeed, none escaped
being put to death. On the morrow, great armies of Turks advanced, and
were valiantly fought with by the Christians, who again gained the
victory, and slew one hundred thousand Turks between sunrise and sunset.
The soldan of Persia[190], commander in chief of the Turks, was there
in person; and seeing the discomfiture of his army, he fled with a few
of his men to a city called Boibe[191], and thence into Greece. The
chevalier Blanc pursued him, and won the city of Boibe, putting to
death two thousand Turks; and by the aid of God, following up their
success, the Christians won very many towns and strong castles, namely,
the city of Bastiliance, Ulgaria, Fastigia, Emere, and a very handsome
town called Angasta[192]: in the latter, fifteen thousand Turks were
destroyed. The Christians lost, at this last attack, five thousand
men, whom may God receive in paradise! 'Quia dignus operarius mercede
sua.'
The Christians afterwards gained St Vincent[193], and the town and
castle of Valence[194]; and as they proceeded, the inhabitants were
converted to the Christian faith. They continued successful, and won
the town and castle of Flagis and Gaunaldalo, and Porrus, Stavengier
and Chastouen[195], where four thousand Turks were put to death, with
the loss of one hundred Christians, whose souls may God pardon! The
Christians now entered Greece with a large army, and conquered a great
city called Glotuase[196], where they slew ten thousand infidels.
They then left behind them all walled towns, and advanced to the
province of Culdée[197], which is near to Constantinople, having gained
possession of the greater part of the lands in Greece, and to the
westward of it, and also of the cities of Latheris and Glamus[198],
with many other castles and towns.
The Turks that had been slain in these different battles were estimated
at two hundred thousand, with the loss of eight score cities and
walled towns, four hundred castles, great and small. These victories
have been thus detailed for insertion in the chronicles of the times,
and asserted for truth on the holy evangelists, on the oath of their
priesthood, by the following venerable persons, namely, sir John
Valate, priest, sir Patrick Tournaille, priest also, and Andrew Valate,
a layman,--all three inhabiting the diocese of Umblanum in Dacia.
The chevalier Blanc was grievously wounded by a lance in the last
battle, so that he was constrained to retire into the city of Angasta,
where he died. God have mercy on his soul! he being well deserving
thereof. In like manner was the Turk severely wounded, and forced to
withdraw to Constantinople, where he remained for a long time very ill.
These three persons having been interrogated by the chronicler of
France on their oaths, how they knew what they had told to be true,
deposed, that they had been personally present in arms at all these
battles and sieges, and had fought at them, and, in consideration
of the very great perils they had escaped from, had vowed to make
pilgrimages to the shrine of St Denis, and to other places, which they
intended to fulfil before they returned to their own country. They
appeared to be well affected to the Christian faith. They said, that
the Turk, when recovered, left Constantinople for Asia.
On Saturday, the 4th day of December in this year, and about three
hours before day, such an earthquake happened at Naples, in Puglia,
and Calabria, as the oldest persons did not remember to have seen,
from which great and numberless evils ensued,--a few of which shall be
mentioned. In the first place, the small city of Ariano[199], in the
kingdom of Naples, was so completely destroyed that eight thousand
persons perished. Another city called Padula[200] was destroyed, with
its three thousand inhabitants, for not one escaped. Item, another
town, called Bouchery[201], was overwhelmed,--and no one who had not
seen these places before this unfortunate event would have supposed
they could have existed, so thoroughly changed was the whole face of
the country.
One half of the town of Troia[202] was thrown down, and many people
perished. The greater part of the castle of Canosa[203] fell, with some
of the town. The cities of Ascoli[204] and Santa Agatha[205] shared the
same fate, as did the castle of Arpi[206] and several others.
In the country of Molise[207], the cities of Campo Basso[208],
Laurentino[209], the castle of St Julian[210], Macona[211], the castles
of St Lou[212], Castine[213], and La Rippe[214], were swallowed up by
the earthquake, and many lands near to Altavilla[215], when upwards of
twenty-eight thousand persons perished. The city of Naples suffered
some damage, but more in the churches than in the other buildings. The
earthquake lasted for three days, and in some places more, namely, from
the 4th of the month until the 7th inclusive; when, as reported by men
of truth, more than one hundred thousand persons of both sexes were
destroyed.
This earthquake ruined in one night the castles of Sanguine[216],
Presole[217], and la Roche Capoa[218], where neither walls nor houses
were left standing. One half of the city of Sermone[219] and the castle
of Oliveto[220] were destroyed: in which last five hundred persons were
killed, and in the castle of Pesolo[221] six hundred. In like manner,
when the castle of Thoco[222] was overthrown, its lord and all within
perished. This accident ruined also part of the port of Ancona, and
such damages were done to the buildings of Capua[223], Aversa[224], and
Benevento[225], and to the castle of Lusano[226], as would have been
incredible but to those who saw it.
The account of this unfortunate disaster was sent in writing to the
marquis of Ferrara by his brother Hercules[227], then in the kingdom
of Naples with the king of Arragon, and written at Rougia[228], the 7th
day of December, in the year 1456.
On the first day of this same year, while the king of France was at St
Prier, near to Lyon, Otho Castellan, a Florentine and treasurer of the
king's household, was arrested on the bridge at Lyon by the provost
of the palace, from informations the king had received that the said
Otho had formed certain devices prejudicial to his personal safety.
He had made certain images that, by diabolical arts, would assure him
the government of the king, and cause him to do whatever the said Otho
should please. Guillaume Gouffier was his accomplice, and was long
detained in prison to obtain from him the truth of these charges. Otho
was carried prisoner before the parliament of Tholouse, where he had
long acted as the king's treasurer; and Gouffier was sent to Tours. In
the ensuing year, Otho was condemned by the chancellor to banishment
and confiscation of his effects; but the king pardoned him, so that he
only lost the places he had held, and was banished to twenty leagues
distant from wherever the king should be, and was compelled to pay a
fine of a thousand crowns for the expenses of his suit. But Otho was
then accused of sodomy, and brought back to Tours for trial, and thence
sent to Paris, as it was said that he had appealed to the parliament;
but I cannot say how this matter ended, for he was transported from one
prison to another, so that I am ignorant of the conclusion.
This was a great year of rain. The duke and duchess of Savoy came this
year to the king of France and the prince of Piedmont, eldest son to
the duke, was married to Yolande, daughter to the king of France.
An embassy now arrived in France from Spain, to confirm the alliances
between the two kingdoms; and at the same time, the prince of Navarre
came to demand from the king the duchy of Nemours,--and also the
cardinal of Avignon from Brittany, on his return from canonising St
Vincent at Vannes. Shortly after, the cardinal waited on the king, to
require a tenth from the clergy of his realm, to carry on the war, as
he said, against the Turks.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 188: Sir John Capestrian. John Capistrian, a celebrated
franciscan monk. Nicholas V. made him apostolic commissary in Hungary.
He was greatly successful in assembling the army, which, under the
command of the great Huniades, raised the siege of Belgrade in 1456.
He died three months after. He was canonised, in 1690, by Alexander
VIII.--See Aikin's General Biography, Moreri, &c.]
[Footnote 189: Sir Guillaume Blanc. I should suppose this must be meant
for John Corvin Huniades,--the greatest captain of the age, and the
bitterest enemy of the Turks. See more of him in the biographical works
above mentioned.]
[Footnote 190: The soldan of Persia. A mistake. It was Mohammed II. who
was wounded at this battle.]
[Footnote 191: Boibe. Q.]
[Footnote 192: Bastiliance, Ulgaria, Fastigia, Emere, Angasta. Q.]
[Footnote 193: St Vincent. Q.]
[Footnote 194: Valence. Q.]
[Footnote 195: Flagis, Gaunaldalo, Porrus, Stavengier, Chastouen. Q.]
[Footnote 196: Glotuase. Q.]
[Footnote 197: Culdée. Q.]
[Footnote 198: Latheris, Glamus. Q.]
[Footnote 199: Ariano,--in the Principato Ultra of Naples. It never
recovered the desolation caused by an earthquake 1456. Another more
destructive happened in 1732.----_Crutwell's Gazetteer._]
[Footnote 200: Padula,--a town of Naples, in the Principato Citra.]
[Footnote 201: Bouchery. Q. Bocchianico? a town of Naples in Abruzzo
Citra.]
[Footnote 202: Troia,--a town of Naples in the Capitinata.]
[Footnote 203: Canosa,--a town in the country of Bari. It was destroyed
by an earthquake in 1694.]
[Footnote 204: Ascoli,--in the Capitinata.]
[Footnote 205: Santa Agatha,--in the Principato Ultra.]
[Footnote 206: Arpi,--in the Capitinata.]
[Footnote 207: Molise,--a country of Naples.]
[Footnote 208: Campo Basso is the capital.]
[Footnote 209: Laurentino. Q.]
[Footnote 210: St Julian. St Guiliano in Molise.]
[Footnote 211: Macona. Q. Ancona?]
[Footnote 212: St Lou. St Lotiero in the Principato Ultra.]
[Footnote 213: Castine,--Castigluini, Principato Ultra.]
[Footnote 214: La Rippe. Ripa Limasara in Molise.]
[Footnote 215: Altavilla,--in the Principato Citra, 17 miles from
Salerno.]
[Footnote 216: Sanguine. Q.]
[Footnote 217: Presole. Q. Presciano. Principato Citra.]