flux, left the king's army, namely, Louis of Bavaria, brother to the
queen, the lord Charles d'Albreth, constable of France, and several
more. Sir Aymé de Sellebruche and an infinite number of others, had
died of this disorder; and it was this sickness that had caused the
king and the princes to listen to terms of peace, that they might
return to France.
When the peace had been signed, the duke of Brabant and the countess of
Hainault presented to the king, in the name of the duke of Burgundy,
the keys of the town of Arras, promising at the same time that all
the towns and castles of the duke within the realm of France should
submit themselves to the obedience of the king. It was ordered by
the king and council, that the count de Vendôme, grand master of the
household, should enter the city of Arras, to receive the homage of
the inhabitants. On his entrance, he had the king's banners placed
over the gates; and having received the oaths of the townsmen, by which
they promised henceforth to be good and loyal subjects to the king, he
appointed the lord de Quesnes, viscount de Poix, governor of the place,
saving and reserving to the duke of Burgundy the revenues, and rights
of administering justice.
The king commanded, by the advice of his council, the duke of Brabant,
the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from the three estates of
Flanders, to appear on a certain day, which had been agreed on, before
him and his council at Senlis, to fulfil the covenants, and ratify the
peace that had been made by them in the name of the duke of Burgundy.
On Wednesday, the 5th day of September, some wicked person set fire to
the tents of the lord d'Alençon, about 12 o'clock at night, and the
flames spread so rapidly that with much difficulty he escaped to the
tents of the king. The count d'Armagnac, seeing the flames, caused
his trumpet to be sounded, and ordered the rear division to stand to
their arms, who, with the duke of Bar, marched out of their quarters
in handsome array, and, having set fire to them, drew up in order
of battle in different detachments; one in front of the gate of St
Michael, another before that of St Nicholas, another in front of the
gate of Haisernes; that the enemy might not take advantage of the fire,
and make a sally--for though a treaty of peace had been concluded, they
had not any great confidence in it.
The fire spread with such violence from quarter to quarter that it
gained that of the king, and other divisions of the army, so that his
majesty and the duke of Acquitaine were forced, within one quarter
of an hour from its commencement, to escape in a disorderly manner,
leaving behind many prisoners, and sick persons, who were burnt to
death. Several warlike engines, tents, military stores, and many tuns
of wine, were all, or the greater part, consumed.
The duke of Bourbon marched away from Vaudemont in a very orderly
manner, with the van division of the army; and that same morning, very
early, several of the lower ranks in the garrison of the town sallied
forth, and seized whatever they could lay hands on, which had belonged
to the army, and even robbed many tradesmen, in spite of the orders
that had been given to the contrary. Those troops who had come from
Burgundy were particularly active, and, quitting the town in large
parties, plundered many of the king's army.
In this manner did Charles king of France march from Arras to Bapaume:
he thence went to Peronne, Noyon, Compiegne and Senlis, where he and
his princes remained the whole of the month of September.
The peace that had been agreed to before Arras, by the interference of
the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from
Flanders, for the duke of Burgundy, was finally concluded at Senlis,
through the means of Louis duke of Acquitaine, who had married the
daughter of the duke of Burgundy, notwithstanding the duke had been the
cause of those riots in Paris, when the duke of Bar and others, his
servants, had been arrested against his will.
The Orleans party had indeed treated him in the same way, by depriving
him of his confidential servants, and doing other things which were
displeasing to him. He was therefore very anxious that every thing
of the sort should be forgotten, and that henceforward the king and
himself should be served and obeyed with unanimity by those of their
blood and lineage, although he was often remonstrated with on the acts
which the duke of Burgundy had committed prior to the king's leaving
Paris; but he frankly replied, that he would put an end to the war, for
he saw plainly, that otherwise the king and kingdom were on the road to
perdition. The peace, therefore, was concluded on the terms recited in
the ensuing chapter.
CHAP. XI.
THE TREATY OF PEACE CONCLUDED AT ARRAS, WHICH WAS THE FIFTH, IS READ
IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE, AND SEVERAL OTHER PRINCES
OF THE BLOOD-ROYAL, AND THE OATHS THAT WERE TAKEN IN CONSEQUENCE.
The articles of the treaty of peace which had been humbly solicited
from the king, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, by the duke of
Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from Flanders,
properly authorised by him, were read in the presence of the duke of
Acquitaine and the members of the king's grand council, and were as
follow.
'Whereas many mischiefs have been, from time to time, committed against
the realm of France, and contrary to the good pleasure and commands of
the king, and of his eldest son, the duke of Acquitaine, the aforesaid
commissioners, duly authorised by the duke of Burgundy, do most humbly
solicit and supplicate, in the name of the said duke, that all things
wherein the duke of Burgundy may have failed, or done wrong since the
peace of Pontois, and in opposition to the will and pleasure of the
king and the duke of Acquitaine, may be pardoned, and that they would,
out of their goodness, receive him again to their graces and favour.
'The said commissioners will deliver to the king, the duke of
Acquitaine, or to any person or persons they may please to nominate,
the keys of the city of Arras, and of all the towns and fortified
places belonging to the said duke of Burgundy within the realm of
France, to which the king or his son may appoint governors, or other
officers, according to their pleasure, and for so long a time as they
may choose, without any way infringing the said peace.
'The duke of Burgundy will surrender to the king, or to his
commissioner, the castle of Crotoy, and replace it in his hands.
'Item, the duke of Burgundy binds himself to dismiss from his family
all who have in any way incurred the indignation of the king or
the duke of Acquitaine, and no longer to support them within his
territories, of which due notice shall be given them in writing.
'Item, all the lands or possessions that may have been seized by the
king from the vassals, subjects, well-wishers, or partisans, of the
duke of Burgundy, of whatever kind they may have been, on account of
this war, shall be faithfully restored to them.
'In like manner, all sentences of banishment that have been issued for
the aforesaid cause shall be annulled; and if the duke of Burgundy have
seized and kept possession of any lands or possessions of the king's
subjects, well-wishers, or of those who may have served the king in
this present year, they shall be wholly and completely restored.
'Item, notwithstanding the duke's commissioners have affirmed to the
king and the duke of Acquitaine that he had not entered into any
confederation or alliance with the English,--that all suspicions may
cease on that head, they now promise for the duke of Burgundy, that he
will not henceforth form any alliance with the English except with the
permission and consent of the king and the duke of Acquitaine.
'Item, in regard to the reparation of the duke of Burgundy's
honour, which the said commissioners think has been much tarnished
by expressions made use of, and published throughout the realm and
elsewhere, in different letters-patent and ordinances,--when the peace
shall be fully established and the king is returned to Paris, he will
consult with his own council, and with such persons as the duke may
think proper to send thither, on the best means of reparation, saving
the king's honour.
Item, the duke of Burgundy shall engage, on his word, that he will not,
by himself or others, persecute or wrong any person who may in this
quarrel have served the king personally, or under different captains,
nor any burghers of Paris, or other inhabitants, by secret or open
means, nor procure it to be done.
'Item, the king wills and ordains, that his subjects remain in such
lawful obedience as they are bound to by the treaty of Chartres, or
other treaties which may have been afterward made; and should such
treaties require any amendment, he orders it to be done, and that they
be faithfully observed without the smallest infringement.
'Item, for the better security of the observance of these articles
by the Duke of Burgundy, the said duke of Brabant, the countess of
Hainault and the aforesaid deputies, shall swear, as well in their own
names and persons as on the part of the prelates, churchmen, nobility
and principal towns of their country; that is to say, the said duke of
Brabant, the countess of Hainault and the aforesaid deputies, shall
swear, in the name of the said duke of Burgundy, for the whole country
of Flanders, that the said duke of Burgundy will strictly observe and
keep for ever this good peace, without doing himself, or procuring to
be done by others, any act contrary to the true meaning and intent of
it. In case the said duke of Burgundy shall, by open or secret means,
do any thing against the tenour of this peace, then the aforesaid
duke of Brabant and countess of Hainault do engage for themselves not
to give him any advice, or assistance of men at arms or money, or in
any manner whatever, seeing that the princes of the royal blood,
the nobles, prelates, and capital towns in the kingdom, have taken a
similar oath.
'The commissioners will also deliver good and sufficient bonds of
security, according to the regulation of the king and his council; and
they will promise, beside, to use their utmost endeavours that the
nobles and others within the town of Arras shall loyally make the same
oath; and likewise that all who may be at this present under the orders
of the duke of Burgundy, or in his garrisons in Burgundy, Artois and
Flanders, shall do the same when required by the king of France.'
When the above articles had been properly drawn up, the different
parties swore to their observance. The duke of Brabant, the countess of
Hainault, and the flemish deputies, as being the friends and allies of
the duke of Burgundy, first took the oath in the presence of the duke
of Acquitaine, several princes of the blood, and the members of the
king's council. The duke of Acquitaine then took a solemn oath to keep
and preserve every article of the said peace: he then called to him
Charles duke of Orleans, his cousin-german, and desired that he would
take this oath; but the duke of Orleans, bowing low, replied,--'My
lord, I am not bound to swear to it; for I only came, as a king's
subject, to serve my lord the king and yourself.' 'Fair cousin, we
beg that you will swear to the observance of this peace.' The duke of
Orleans again said, 'My lord, I have not broken the peace, and ought
not therefore to take the oath: I entreat you will be satisfied.' The
duke of Acquitaine a third time required that he would swear,--and the
duke of Orleans, with much anger, replied, 'My lord, I have not, nor
have any of my council, broken the peace: make those who have broken it
come hither and take the oath, and then I will obey your pleasure.'
The archbishop of Rheims, and others, seeing the duke of Acquitaine
displeased at this last speech, said to the duke of Orleans, 'My lord,
do what my lord of Acquitaine requires of you.' After all this, he did
take the oath to maintain the peace, but it was sorely against his
will, for he thought that it was the duke of Burgundy and his allies
who had broken the last peace made at Pontoise. The duke of Bourbon
was next called on to take the oath, who thought to avoid it, like the
duke of Orleans; but the duke of Acquitaine cut him short by saying,
'Fair cousin, we beg that you will not say more about it.' The duke of
Bourbon, and the other princes, then swore without further objection.
The prelates did the same, excepting the archbishop of Sens, brother
to Montagu, who when called upon to take the oath by the duke of
Acquitaine, said, 'My lord, remember what you swore to us all, on our
departure from Paris, in the presence of the queen.' The duke replied,
'Say no more about it: we will that this peace be kept, and that you
swear to its observances.' 'My lord,' replied the archbishop, 'since it
is your good pleasure, I will do so.'
These were the only three among the lords who attended on this occasion
that made any objections to taking their oaths.
A similar oath was taken in Arras by sir John de Luxembourg and all the
commonalty, and other captains and governors of towns in these parts,
before the king and the princes, when they had marched from before
Arras.
During the residence of the king at Senlis, many nobles and others died
of the flux: among the number were, Reminion d'Albreth and his brother
the lord of Hangiers: and several died from the hardships they had
suffered during the march and at the siege.
When the Parisians heard that a peace had been made by the king and the
princes with the duke of Burgundy, without consulting them, they were
much discontented, and went to the duke of Berry, their governor, to
demand how this peace had been concluded, and what had moved the king
and his council to think of it without making them acquainted with
their intentions, for it was proper that they should have known of it,
and have been made parties to it. The duke of Berry replied,--'This
matter does not any way touch you, nor does it become you to interfere
between our lord the king and us who are of his blood and lineage; for
we may quarrel one with another whenever it shall please us so to do,
and we may also make peace according to our will.' The Parisians, on
hearing this answer, returned home without further reply.
Neither the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, nor the deputies
came to Senlis on the day appointed for the ratification of the
peace, having been advised to send ambassadors and heralds, namely,
the dean of the cathedral church of Liege, William Blondel, esquire,
and others, to appear for them before the king and council as their
representatives, at the place and time that had been fixed on. This
was done, but they could not obtain any answer to their demands and
requests from the grand council, because the king was very ill, and
consequently they returned to their lords without having been able to
conclude any thing.
CHAP. XII.
SIGISMUND OF BOHEMIA IS ELECTED EMPEROR OF GERMANY, AND RECEIVES THE
OATHS OF THE GREATER PART OF THE LORDS OF THAT COUNTRY.
Towards the end of October, Sigismund of Bohemia, king of Hungary,
Croatia and Dalmatia, a valiant man at arms, and a catholic, came with
his queen, the daughter of count Cilley, a Sclavonian, and a grand
retinue, to Aix la Chapelle[12]. Sigismund was first raised by the
electors to be king of the Romans, and then emperor of Germany. On the
eighth day of November, he was consecrated and crowned emperor, by the
archbishop of Cologne, in the church of our Lady at Aix la Chapelle,
as is customary; after which ceremony, he was to be confirmed in his
dignity by the pope of Rome.
He and his empress then received the homage and oaths of allegiance
from the barons of the empire, promising at the same time that he would
attend the general council that was to be holden at Constance for the
good of the whole church. This council was to have commenced in the
month of April in the year 1412, under pope Alexander or his successor,
but it had been hitherto delayed.
This city of Constance is seated on the Rhine, in the circle of Suabia,
and its bishop is a suffragan to the archbishop of Mentz. It was
proclaimed, that the council thus deferred would be held by pope John
XXII. successor to the aforesaid Alexander.
Here follow the names of the dukes, prelates, counts, barons, and
others, who were present at the coronation of the emperor Sigismund at
Aix la Chapelle, on the 8th of November, 1414.
First, duke Louis of Bavaria, count palatine of the Rhine, elector of
Germany; the duke of Saxony, marshal of the empire, another elector
of Germany; Bourgion de Nuremburgh, who performed the office of the
marquis of Brandenburgh, an elector, and other dukes, namely, those of
Lorraine, Gueldres, Juliers, and Tede, duke of Russia: two archbishops,
viz. those of Cologne and Treves, who are also electors of the empire.
Item, John duke of Bavaria, elected prince of Liege, duke of Bouillon
and count of Los.
Item, the council of the king of Bohemia, elector of the empire:
the council of the archbishop of Mentz, another elector of Germany.
Five bishops, namely, those of Viseburg[13], Pussau, de St Prude
d'Aylac in Hungary, de la Cure; the grand master of the german
knights-hospitallers, namely of Prussia, and the count of Cleves.
Item, Accusaire, son to the marquis of Montferrat, de Meurs, and de
Saussebourg; the lord de Haudeshon and de Renuen.
Item, de Dezaine, and three counts de Nassau; the count de Cassuelbonne
and his son; the counts de Rayneck, and Hanyberck de Viectem, de
Mestan, the count de Disby, and with him two other counts; de
Villestam, de Wide, de Blancquehem, de Samecte, and de Viestam; sir
John Chaule, viscount de Milan, the lord de Brimor, de Bestille, the
lord de Bavonne.
Now follow the names of those who came from Hungary:
First, Charles de Nicolay, grand palatine of Hungary, Marcial Nicolay
his son, count de Tenuse, Wart lord de Strebourg, governor of seven
castles, two counts ambassadors from Vallanc[14] of the country of
Servia, Vergufiam, Vaida, Siandrias, Peduricolaus, Lasque Jacobiadis de
Vaida, Lasqudany his brother, the count John de Carnassie, the count
George de Carnassie, Penyemericus, sir Laurens de Ront de Pasto, the
lord Tarte Nicolay, sir Chechy Nicolay, sir Janus Vaida, grand master
of the household of king Sigismund, sir Baufil de Symon, Peron Emerick,
Thomas Perisii, Resquoy Estewan Sywaidu Desno Charpictre, marshal of
Hungary.
Item, the barons of Bohemia that attended at this coronation were,
first, sir William le Haze, sir Vincelan de Douy, sir Suit de Sida, and
three barons of his lineage with him, sir Gaspard de Douy, the lord
d'Illebourg, the lord de Blentenon, sir Andrew Balesqui.
Now follow the names of the barons of lower Germany:
The lord de Hausseberch, the damoiseau d'Ercles, sir John de Namur, the
lords de Hainault, de Lembourg, Vinstghen, de Belay, de Picquebat, and
two other barons with the baron de Bendecte, de Yussebourg, and two
other barons with him, de Berdecte, Hanrech, de Wysebeche, de Toncle,
sir Fulco de Honnestam, Bougraine, de Raynech, the lords de Holloch, de
Vestrebourg, de Connebourg, and two other barons with him, sir Florin
du Bos, the lords de Horne and Derke, sir Fucho de Cologne mareschal
d'Absectes, sir Othe de l'Abecque, the lord de Zenemberghe, the lord de
Marc.
The names of those princes and others who sent ambassadors to this
coronation:
First, the ambassadors from the king of Bohemia, the ambassadors from
the king of England, the ambassadors from the archbishop of Mentz,
from the count of Hainault, from de Posti Romaine, from the count of
Savoy, from the duke of Brabant, from the duke of Luxembourg, from the
abbot of Stabuleuse[15], from the cities of Cambray, Cologne, Toul, and
Verdun, from the abbot of Sainte Corneille de Compiégne.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 12: Sigismund was first married to Mary, heiress of Hungary,
and Secondly to Barbara, countess of Cilley. When emperor, he had John
Huss and Jerome of Prague burnt.]
[Footnote 13: Visebourg. Q. if not Vissegrade.]
[Footnote 14: Vallanc,--probably the Waivodo. I have given over in
despair the making out these names of persons and places.]
CHAP. XIII.
THE DEATH OF LADISLAUS KING OF NAPLES.--HIS RIVAL KING LOUIS SENDS THE
MARSHAL OF FRANCE TO NAPLES,--AND OTHER MATTERS.
In these days, intelligence was brought to the king of France, that
king Ladislaus, the rival to Louis king of Sicily, was dead. The
manner of his death was thus told. He had long had a passion for the
daughter of his physician, who was uncommonly handsome, and had made
frequent proposals to her father, that he might enjoy her; but the
father had as often refused, alledging many sound reasons for it.
At length, he was so much pressed by the king that, finding excuses
would no longer avail, he pretended to consent, though it was against
his will, as the end will shew. He went, in consequence, to his
daughter, to command her to prepare to receive the king, for that he
had granted his consent,--but he would give her a prescription that
should secure her the king's affections for ever; and he presented
her with a box of ointment, with which he ordered her to rub her body
just before the king's arrival. This she faithfully did; but when the
king had cohabited with her, he felt himself as it were all on fire,
and the damsel was in like manner affected,--insomuch that they almost
instantly died in very great torments. After this cruel deed, the
physician fled the country before hands could be laid on him.
Intelligence of the event being made known to king Louis, he issued
summonses for a large force to assemble and accompany him to Naples;
but he sent before him the lord de Longny, marshal of France, with a
considerable body of men.
During the residence of the king at Senlis, the duke of Acquitaine was
appointed by him and the grand council to the whole management of the
finances of the kingdom, which was very displeasing to the duke of
Berry; and in consequence, he assembled the provost of merchants, the
sheriffs, the citizens, the members of the university, of the chambers
of parliament and of accounts, at a certain place in Paris, where he
caused them to be harangued by the bishop of Chartres, and others of
his friends, on the infirmity of the king, and on the youth of his
eldest son, who, from that cause, was as yet incapable of holding
the reins of government; and that from his near connection by blood,
(for he was son, brother, and uncle to kings,) the government of the
kingdom of right appertained to him and to none other; and he therefore
most affectionately solicited those present to aid and support his
pretensions. They replied, that it did not become them to interfere in
such matters, but solely to the king and the grand council, and excused
themselves to the duke for not complying with his request.
At the beginning of September, the king departed from Senlis and came
to St Denis, where he remained until the fourteenth of that month, when
he returned to Paris in great triumph, attended by his son the duke of
Acquitaine.
He was also accompanied by the dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, Bar, duke
Louis of Bavaria, the counts de Vertus, d'Alençon, de Richemont, d'Eu,
d'Armagnac, de la Marche, de Vendôme, de Marle, de Dampmartin, and
numberless other barons, prelates, knights and esquires. The duke went
out of Paris to meet the king, with the provost of merchants, the
sheriffs, members of the parliament and of the university, citizens
and crowds of common people, who kept a continual shouting for joy on
account of his majesty's return to Paris. They made great bonfires in
all the principal streets and squares, during the ensuing night, eating
and drinking, and shouting repeatedly, 'Long live the king, long live
the queen, long live the king and his son the duke of Acquitaine!'
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 15: Stabuleuse,--Stablo, Stabletum, Stabulum, a celebrated
abbey of Benedictines, inclosed within the country of Liege. The abbot
of Stablo is a sovereign, and bears the title of prince of the empire.]
CHAP. XIV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, ON THE KING'S DEPARTURE FROM BEFORE ARRAS,
MARCHES A FORCE INTO BURGUNDY.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AT THAT
PERIOD.