addressed him, saying, that the inhabitants of the town of Ghent were
come out to meet him,--and he entreated that he would hear what they
had to say. The chief magistrate of the town then stept forth, and
made the following harangue: 'My most redoubted lord, behold your
subjects of Ghent, who request and supplicate (here they all fell on
their knees, with uplifted hands,) that you would be pleased to forget
and forgive all their former outrages and ill conduct, for they are
ready and willing to obey you in all things, to remain your faithful
servants, and, should need be, to die for you.' He added other words
nearly to the same purport.
With the duke were the count d'Estampes, the lord de Ravenstein, and
others, to the number of three hundred knights. When this harangue was
finished, the duke advanced to the town, the procession that had come
out to meet him taking the lead, and the duke following, preceded by
his heralds and trumpets in their tabards of arms. He was surrounded by
fifty archers of his body-guard, clothed in their jackets, each having
a hunting spear in his hand. When the duke approached the gates, he
found them open, for they had been thrown into the fields; and as he
passed, a virgin descended by machinery, who saluted him, and said,
'Inveni quem diligit anima mea.'
From this gate to the ducal palace, all the streets were hung with
rich cloths; and at the windows of the houses were numberless lighted
torches, and the people crying for joy at seeing their lord, and
conducting themselves with the utmost humility.
At each of the squares on his way were temporary stages erected,
whereon very magnificent historical pantomimes were acted, and great
bonfires were made in every street. So many fine shows were exhibited
that the whole seemed like a dream; and the duke was two hours before
he arrived at his palace, from the pleasure he took in looking at such
beautiful pageants.
At the entrance of his palace was a man dressed in skins to represent a
lion, who took his horse by the bridle and led him into the court-yard.
On the morrow, the town repeated these rejoicings, and placed tables
covered with all sorts of refreshments in the streets, for all to
partake of who would, showing the greatest joy and humility on the
occasion.
CHAP. LXXV.
THE DEATH OF THE KING OF ARRAGON.--HIS BASTARD FERNANDO SUCCEEDS TO
THE THRONE OF NAPLES.--OF POPE PIUS, AND THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED
ABOUT THAT TIME; SUCH AS THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BRITTANY, AND THE
EMBASSY FROM ENGLAND TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.
About St John Baptist's day, in this year, Alphonso king of Arragon,
Naples and Sicily, departed this life in the city of Naples. He had
been in his time very powerful, redoubted, and rich, as was apparent
after his death; for it was commonly reported that he had left to his
bastard son Fernando, besides the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, six
millions of florins in coin, and his chapel, which was marvellously
rich, together with all his jewels, estimated at more than a million
of gold. He had formed the largest ship that had ever been seen at
sea, which returned to the port of Naples the very day of his decease.
It happened that in so doing she struck on a bank of gravel with such
force that she was dismasted, and the mainmast falling on the deck
split it into a thousand pieces, and the vessel sunk. The mast was so
thick that five men could not encircle it with their united arms,--and
the noise of its fall was horrible to hear.
Eight days after his death, a very richly gilt and painted tabernacle,
that was placed over the seat he usually sat on in his hall, fell down
just at the same hour that the king deceased.
King Alphonso had been brother in arms to the duke of Burgundy; and
although they had never seen each other, they were so strongly attached
that they wore their different orders.
Pope Calixtus, then on the papal throne, hearing that the kingdom of
Naples had escheated to him from the late king's dying without legal
heirs, claimed that kingdom from Fernando the bastard, and, because
he would not give it up, excommunicated him and all his adherents.
However, on the death of Calixtus, which happened soon after, his
successor, pope Pius, restored the kingdom to Fernando. It was
currently said, that Fernando had given to Pius a very large sum of
money for his absolution, and to remain peaceably king of Naples.
When pope Calixtus had held the papacy about four years, he departed
this life: the cardinal of Sienna, called Æneas[238], was elected
in his room. He had been secretary to the emperor Frederic, was an
eloquent man, and took the name of Pius II.
The summer of this year was so dry that it scarcely rained at all
from the month of April to the middle of October,--and never, in the
memory of man, was seen so dry a season. The wines of this year were
very good, and corn at a low price; yet, notwithstanding this, a fatal
pestilence reigned in many places, such as Paris, Abbeville, and in
other great towns.
About Martinmas of this year, an embassy from England to the duke of
Burgundy came to him at Mons in Hainault. It was reported, that the
object was to propose a treaty of alliance by a marriage, and that the
duke had replied, he could not agree to it, according to the articles
of the treaty of Arras, without the knowledge and consent of the king
of France, who was equally debarred from making any treaty with England
without the consent of the duke. After this answer, they went to the
king of France.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 238: Æneas. Æneas Silvius Piccolomini.]
CHAP. LXXVI.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MAKES HIS ENTRY INTO GHENT, AND IS MAGNIFICENTLY
ENTERTAINED BY THE TOWN.--THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS TO SUMMON THE DUKE
OF BURGUNDY TO ATTEND THE TRIAL OF THE DUKE D'ALENÇON.
The most excellent and potent prince the duke of Burgundy made his
public entry into Ghent on Sunday after Easter, the 23d day of April,
in the year 1458, about four or five o'clock in the afternoon. It was
grandly conducted, and in the following order.
First, the churchmen led a procession out of the town, after paying
each their devotions in their respective churches. Then the bailiff
and sheriffs, with some of the burghers on horseback, clothed in
black, went out to meet their lord, and received him with the greatest
humility,--the other sheriffs remaining at the gate of the town. At
each place they paid him every reverence by kneeling on the ground,
offering him at the same time their persons and effects. Then the deans
of the guilds came forth in handsome array, each with a torch in his
hand, and a deputation from the different trades, amounting to upwards
of two hundred, clad in sky-coloured mantles, and as many in white
mantles, sweeping the ground. Without the gate, and on both sides of
the street on the other side of the river, were figures representing
the prophets: the one that looked toward the duke displayed a roll,
on which was written in large letters, _Ecce nomen Domini venit de
longinquo_, Isaiah xxx. The other figure pointed to the trumpets over
the gate, and on his roll was written, _Canite turba pariter omnes_,
&c. Near to the gate was a sort of orchard or garden, in which was a
young girl about ten years old, with her hair hanging down, and simply
dressed in a damask mantle: on the duke's approach, she flung herself
on her knees, and displayed a roll with uplifted hands, on which was
written, _Inveni quem diligit anima mea_, Cantic. iii. The portal and
inside of the gate were hung with black, grey, and crimson cloths: on
the cloth over the portal at the barrier, the following was written
in letters of gold, _Venit nobis pacificus Dominus, utere servitio
nostro sicut placuerit tibi_, Judic. iii. On the cloth over the great
gateway were the arms of the duke, emblazoned with helmet and crest.
The streets, from the gate to the palace of the duke, were hung on each
side with cloths of the before-mentioned colours, namely, black, grey,
and crimson. On the black was written, in letters of silver, _Venit
nobis pacificus Dominus_: on the grey, _Utere servitio nostro_,--and
on the crimson, _Sicut placuerit tibi_. Above these cloths were five
or six hundred torches, including those in the front of the houses, so
that, comprehending all that were illuminated in the streets and in
the boats on the river, there were from fifteen to sixteen thousand
torches.
Near the gate of entrance, and within the city, was a pageant
representing the prodigal son after he had been forgiven by his
father; and on a roll over it was written, _Pater peccavi in cœlum
et coram te_, Luc. xv. Not far distant was the figure of a prophet
holding a roll, on which was written, _Lex clementiæ in lingua
ejus_, Proverb. xxxi. A little farther was a scaffold, on which was
acted a representation of the emperor Caius in the midst of twelve
senators,--and before him stood Marcus Tullius, who harangued the
emperor on his clemency, in liberating many prisoners on his capture
of Rome, beginning, _Diuturni silentii_, &c. In this oration is the
following expression, among others, _Nulla de virtutibus tuis major
clementia est_. These words were written on the folds of the robes of
the figure.
The next pageant represented a black lion holding in his paw the banner
of the arms of the duke: before him was a white lioness humbly couched
on the ground, and between them lay three young lion cubs half dead;
but on the roaring of the lion, they recovered strength, life, and
activity. There was a roll over them, with these words, _Quasi leo
rugiens, et formidabunt filii ejus_, Hosea xi. Further on was another
prophet, displaying a roll with these words written thereon, _Ecce
venit desideratus cunctis gentibus et replebitur gloria ejus domus
Domini_, Haggai ii.
Near to this last pageant was a representation of David's indignation
against Nabal, which was appeased by Nabal's wife,--and over it was
written, _Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel quoniam te misit_, Sam. xx.
The second gate was hung with black and grey cloth, on which were
the arms of the duke properly emblazoned, with the arms of all the
knights-companions of the Golden Fleece. A scaffold was erected close
to this gate, having in the center a fountain, and surrounded by a
representation of the triumphant state of the church, with the figure
of a shepherd having recovered his lost sheep: he displayed a roll,
which had written on it, _Congratulamini mihi quia inveni ovem quam
perdideram_, Luc. xv.
Near the bridge was the figure of Pompey, governor of Rome, after
having made the king of Armenia prisoner for his rebellions against the
Romans; but, seeing his great submission and humility, he had restored
him to liberty, which showed that he thought he gained as much glory
by pardoning as by conquest. Over him was written, _Æque pulchrum est
vincere reges_, &c. Valerius, v. c. There was the representation of
another prophet near the bridge, pointing with one hand to the water,
and holding a roll in the other, whereon was written, _Respice Domine
in servos tuos_, Psalm. lxxxix.
In the river were the figures of six apostles, among whom was St John,
who addressed St Peter in writing, _Dominus est_, Matt. xiv. St Peter,
seeing our Lord walking to him on the water, and fearing to be drowned,
said also in the roll which he extended, _Domine salvum me fac_, Matt.
xiv. Our Saviour held out to him a roll, whereon was written, _Modice
fidei quare dubitasti?_ Matt. xiv. On this same river was a very large
boat full of burning torches, and adjoining it another figure as a
prophet, with a roll in his hand, pointing also to a large figure:
it was written on the roll, _Exultabunt omnia ligna silvarum a facie
Domini quoniam venit_, Psalm. xv.
Facing this last prophet was a large platform, on which was erected
a fortress with two small towers, on the battlements of which were
suspended shields, having emblazoned on them the arms of all the
countries under the dependance of the duke of Burgundy. At the gate of
this castle was the personage of a giant, called Mars, and surnamed
the Victorious, having a lion by his side. In front of this castle was
a wood, in which were dragons, wolves, foxes, and all sorts of wild
beasts, that attempted to enter the gate and gain the castle, but were
always repulsed. In the center of the gate was a man who represented
the three conditions of men in the states of the duke, and was dressed,
as to his head, like a priest: his right side was clothed with a long
robe of cloth of silk for the gentry, and the left side was attired as
the labourers in the field: there was written above him, _Diligam te
Domine fortitudo mea. Et nisi custodieris civitatem frustra vigilat
qui custodit eam_, Psalm. xxv. On each side were the figures of king
Solomon and the queen of Sheba, over whom was written, _Major est
gloria tua quam rumor quem audivi_, Reg. l. c. x.
On another part of the platform was a representation of Gideon after
he had obtained the victory, and the Israelites humbly addressing him
with these words, _Dominare nostri tu, hic est filius tuus et filii tui
quia liberasti nos_, Judic. viii. Not far off was an elephant bearing a
castle, in which were two men and four children who sang melodiously a
new song, the words of which were as follows.
'Long live the valiant Burgundy!
With heart and voice we loudly cry.
Henceforth no other lord we own;
But place our trust in him alone.
Long live the valiant Burgundy!
Who now from sorrow sets us free;
Whilst on his entrance thus we cry,
Long live the valiant Burgundy!'
This entry was more grand and magnificent than ever prince made before;
for by the side of the duke on horseback, with his hood thrown on his
shoulder, was the bastard d'Armagnac, marshal to the lord dauphin,--and
he was preceded by the ushers at arms, his first master of the horse
bearing his sword. Immediately before him, his kings at arms, heralds,
and pursuivants, clothed in their tabards of arms, were in great
numbers; and before these heralds were from twelve to fourteen clarions
and trumpets, who followed the count d'Estampes and sir Thibault de
Neufchâtel lord de Blancmont, marshal of Burgundy. These were preceded
by the lords and gentlemen of the dauphin, the two sons of the lord de
Croy, and the two sons of the marshal of Burgundy. Before them rode
the lord Adolphus of Cleves, the lord bastard of Burgundy and sir
Philip Pol, all richly dressed, themselves and their heralds: they
were preceded by the great lords of the court,--and before them other
lords and gentlemen, two and two, without varlet or page: before these
gentlemen were the principal burghers and gentlemen of the town in
great numbers, dressed in black.
Immediately after the duke were fifty archers of his body-guard on
foot, dressed in their jackets, each having a hunting spear in his
hand: behind the duke were fifteen pages and numbers of gentlemen. The
horses that were at this entry were estimated at more than two hundred,
without including those of the pages, varlets and other attendants,
which were already in the town. In short, it was the most triumphant
entry that ever lord made into a town for these five hundred years past.
The illuminations were continued on the following night; and the
townsmen acted many mysteries in the town-house, expressive of the
praise of their lord, and of their own ill conduct. They did the same
on the Tuesday evening, but without illuminations,--for it was said
that the duke had desired they might not be longer continued. One
of the burghers had covered the outside of his house with gold and
silver, and had placed a great number of torches and lanthorns before
it. In like manner did many others in the different streets ornament
their houses with rich hangings and splendid illuminations, at a great
expense, during the two days the feast lasted.
On the Tuesday, the municipal officers, and principal burghers, waited
on the duke at his palace, to thank him humbly for having come to his
good town of Ghent, and to make offer of their lives and fortunes,
for which he expressed his obligations. Then, on their knees, they
supplicated him that he would be pleased to sup with them, in the
manner of a banquet, at the town on the following Sunday, the last day
of April, which he granted.
It was rumoured that this banquet would be free to all comers, like an
open court, and that it would cost more than ten thousand crowns of
gold. On the morrow, the managers of the feast dispatched purveyors
nine leagues round Ghent, to collect every delicacy they could lay
hands on, so that a small chicken was sold for two patars[239].
Toward the end of April, the king of France sent ambassadors to the
duke of Burgundy, to signify to him that he intended to give judgement
on the duke of Alençon on the 10th of the ensuing month of June, in the
town of Montargis, and to summon him to attend at the above place and
time with the peers of France, of whom he was one, and dean of the said
peers, and also to consider on other matters touching the welfare of
the realm.
The duke instantly replied to these ambassadors,--'Although my lord
the king, by the treaty of Arras, has no right to command me in any
thing, and notwithstanding I am personally exempted from my dependance
on him, nevertheless, I will, if it please God, be personally present
at the time and place he has fixed on, to give sentence on the duke of
Alençon, and respecting the matters touching the welfare of the kingdom
of France.'
When the ambassadors, on receiving this answer, were departed, the
duke sent Golden Fleece, the king at arms of his order, to king
Charles, to deliver a certain message he charged him with. He then
had it proclaimed in all his great towns, that all who had been
accustomed to bear arms, and by their fiefs and oaths were bounden to
serve him, should prepare themselves to be in readiness to accompany
him, the first day of June, on his journey to the king of France at
Montargis, whither he had been by him summoned to attend; and it was
his intention, if it pleased God, to appear there with the greatest
possible force he could raise.
On the other hand, the king of France had ordered the arriere ban of
his realm to hold themselves in readiness the first of June,--which
made many suppose that a renewal of war was about to take place; and it
was currently reported in France that these preparations were made to
oppose the English, who were intending to invade France.
During this interval, those of Utrecht rebelled against their bishop,
which caused the duke of Burgundy, his father, to send sir Anthony
his bastard to Holland, with eight score lances, and from seven to
eight hundred archers. But the rebels, hearing of this, made up their
quarrel, and returned to their obedience to the bishop as before; and
this armament marched back to the duke of Burgundy.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 239: Patart,--a low-country coin, worth about one penny
English.----_Cotgrave._]
END OF VOL. IX.
H. Bryer, Printer, Bridge-street,
Blackfriars, London.
NOTES AND EMENDATIONS.
Page 5. line 7. from the bottom. _Household._] Charles lord de Culant
and Chateauneuf, elder brother of the marshal de Jaloignes, mentioned
p. 335, was appointed grandmaster of France in 1449.
Page 5. line 8. from the bottom. _Combatants._] Florent, lord d'Illiers
d'Entragues, was distinguished for valour, and for his great retinue
at the siege of Orleans, and on several subsequent occasions. His
father Geoffrey lord d'Illiers was grandson of Philip one of the sons
of Bouchard lord of Vendôme, who married the heiress of the antient
house of Illiers, and assumed his wife's family name on account of a
stipulation in the marriage contract.
Page 18. last line. _Sir Thomas Hos._] _Q._ Hoo. Sir Thomas Hoo,
knight, in 1436 suppressed a rebellion in the Pays de Caux. In 1442
he obtained a grant of revenue from the crown in consideration of his
great services in war. In 1448 he was created lord Hoo and Hastings,
and knight of the Garter, and was summoned to parliament from 26 H.
6 to 31 H. 6 inclusive. Thomas, his only son, died in his life time
without issue.
Page 28. line 10. _Viscount de Longmaigne._] Should be Lomagne.
Page 28. line 13. _John lord of Lorraine._] John lord of Lorraine. Qu.
Page 31. line 12. _Roche-Guyon._] Guy VII, lord de la Roche-Guyon, son
of Guy VI, who was killed at Agincourt, and of Perette de la Riviere
died in 1460, leaving issue one daughter only, who by marriage,
conveyed Roche-Guyon to the house of Silli.
Page 35. last line. _Sir Richard Frongueval._] _Q._ Freschevill; Sir
Ralph Freschvill, who served under John of Gaunt in the wars of Edward
III. left descendants.
Page 43. line 10. _Counts de Comminges._] Matthiew, count of Comminges,
one of the uncles to the count de Foix. (See note to page 334. vol.
viii.)
Page 43. line 11. _Viscount de Lautrec._] Peter lord of Lautrec,
brother to the count of Foix (See note to vol. viii. p. 335.) married
Catherine daughter to John II. lord d'Estarac (or Astarac) by whom he
had one son, John afterwards lord de Lautrec. The house of Astarac is
derived from Garcia-Sanches, duke of the Gascons, who lived in the 10th
century, from whose youngest son, Arnaud _the unborn_ (so called by a
quibble similar to that of the witches respecting Macduff) they trace
18 descents to Martha the heiress of the family who married Gaston
II, count of Candale (or Kendal) in whose house the title afterwards
remained.
Page 43. line 4. from the bottom. _Froissart._] D'Estract. D'Estarac.
See above.
Page 46. line 12. from the bottom. _Lord de Luce._] Luxe is the name
of a sovereign county in lower Navarre, which passed in 1593 into the
house of Montmorency Fosseux. It was Francois de Montmorency, count
of Luxe, of whom the court of Louis XIII. judged it proper to make
a memorable example by way of preventive to the epidemical rage for
duelling then prevalent. He was beheaded in 1627 for the honourable
murders of the count de Thorigny and the marquis de Bussy in two
successive rencontres.
Page 74. line 4. from the bottom. _Thomas Courson._] Thomas Curzon,
esq. captain of Harfleur. Stowe.
Page 77. line 13. _Chancellor of France._] Afterwards also viscount
of Troyes. He was chancellor from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1465 to
1472, when he died.
Page 94. line 10. _Thomas Aurmagan._] Sir Thomas Auringham (qu.
Erpingham?) Stowe. Captain of Harfleur in conjunction with Curzon.
Page 98. line 1. from the bottom. _Daughter._] Monstrelet is remarkably
tender of the reputation of the "fair Agnes." She had, as all other
historians allow, not _one_ only, but _three_ daughters by the king.
Margaret, married to Olivier de Coetivy, seneschal of Guyenne;
Charlotte, married to James de Brezè, seneschal of Normandy, and
Jane, to Antony de Bueil, count de Sancerre. Of these, Charlotte
unfortunately followed the example of her mother's incontinence without
the excuse of an illustrious lover. Her tragical history will be found
recorded in the next volume.
By a species of retributive justice, Louis the son of this James de
Brezè, submitted voluntarily to the same disgrace which his father
thought that blood only could remove. _His_ wife was the famous Diana
of Poîtiers. In these days, nobody of consequence could die in his bed
without the suspicion of poison. The death of Agnes was attributed
to that cause, and the dauphin is charged with having been the
perpetrator. Of this accusation all that Du Clos says is what follows:
"Le peu d'union qu'il y avoit entre Charles sept et le Dauphin, fut
cause que celui-ci fut soupconné d'avoir fait empoisonner Agnés Sorel
qui mourut, regrettée du Roi, de la Cour, et des Peuples. Elle n'abusa
jamais de sa faveur, et réunit les rares qualitès d'Amante tendre,
d'Amie sure, et de bonne Citoyenne." He adds, "I can't tell why Alain
Chartier (the court poet) is so strenuous in defending her chastity,
seeing that she died in child-bed." The dauphin was not the only person
charged with this imaginary crime. Jacques Coeur, superintendant of the
finances, was also accused of it; but his innocence was established by
public trial. See note to page 196. vol. ix.
Page 113. line 7. from the bottom. _Godfrey de Boulogne._] Lord of
Montgascon.
Page 113. line 4. from the bottom. _Lord de St Severe._] John de
Brosse, lord of St Severe, afterwards count of Penthievre, &c., son of
the marshal de Boussac. See before page 2.