duke of Burgundy had his Burgundians quartered in the country of the
Cambresis, and in Tierrache, and went himself to the city of Cambray.
Thither his brother, the duke of Brabant, came to meet him, when,
after holding a conference with him on the state of his affairs, and
giving proper orders concerning them, he took the road toward Burgundy,
having with him sir Robinet de Mailly, master Eustace de Lactre, the
late chancellor of France, John Legois, master John de Troyes surgeon,
Denisot de Chaumont, and several others who had been formerly banished,
with their wives and children, from France.
He collected all his Burgundians, who, with some Picards and others,
amounted to about twenty thousand horse, to march them into Burgundy,
following the road through Tierrache, where he halted. He thence went
to Mezieres on the Meuse, in the county of Rethel, with his whole army.
At this place he remained a short time with his brother Philippe, and
thence made for Châlons where he intended to lodge; but the townsmen
shut their gates against him, in consequence of orders from the king
not to admit him or his people into their town. This was displeasing
to the duke of Burgundy, for he had made his dispositions to cross
the Marne at that city. He then marched to Vitry, where he was again
disappointed, in consequence of the same orders that had been sent to
Châlons.
He was forced to continue his march to St Dizier, where he crossed the
river; and on the vigil of All-saints, he arrived at Dijon, and was
received with the utmost joy by all his subjects as their lord and
sovereign.
During this time, the epidemical flux continued in Picardy, which
carried off great numbers of persons, nobles and others. The duke of
Burgundy before he left Picardy disbanded the army of his captains
of that country, such as sir John de Luxembourg, the lords de Croy,
de Beau, Vergier, de Fosseux, de Jumont, de Ront, de Beaufort, de
Noyelle, de Hymbercourt, Hector and Philippe de Saveuses, Louis de
Warigines, and other leaders; but these lords remained as guards to the
country. He appointed on his departure, his only son, Philippe count de
Charolois, sole governor of Flanders until his return.
On his arrival in Burgundy, he had attacked and taken the castle of
Tonnerre, which was pillaged and destroyed by his people. The count de
Tonnerre had fled from the castle with his men at arms, not daring to
wait the arrival of the duke's forces, who were commanded by sir Elion
de Jacqueville, Fierebourg, and some others.
Shortly after, the duke of Burgundy sent letters to the king of France,
to inform him of the route he had taken from Flanders to Burgundy, at
what places he had paid his expenses, and where not, with his reasons
for not paying. At the same time, he made him acquainted with the
destruction of the castle of Tonnerre, and that he had destroyed it,
because the count, his vassal, had frequently rebelled against him,
had defied him, and had made enterprises on his territories, whence he
had carried away much booty. This he had explained, lest it might be
thought he was breaking the peace lately made before Arras, which he
was firmly resolved to keep.
The duke had besieged also Château-Belin, in the county of Burgundy,
which likewise belonged to the count de Tonnerre; and although it was
very strong, it was won by the great length of the siege. This castle
he gave to his son, the count de Charolois, who during the lifetime of
his father, styled himself count de Charolois and lord of Château-Belin.
A council was now held at Constance, by many cardinals, patriarchs,
bishops, archbishops, prelates and ambassadors from different kings
and princes. There was a great schism in the church from the refusal
of Pietro della Luna, entitled Pope Benedict to resign this dignity,
although, for many reasons, the greater part of Christendom had
withdrawn itself from his obedience. He had no power but in Spain and
Arragon, in which last kingdom he resided, in a strong town on the
sea-shore.
In this year, the emperor of Germany caused the cardinal of Bologna,
called pope John, to be arrested, and confined in prison in the duchy
of Bavaria, for various crimes alledged against him. To restore peace
to the church, the emperor had caused this council to be holden in
Constance: it continued for the space of two years, before any persons
came to attend it from Spain or Arragon. In the month of August, in the
year 1416, a noble company of prelates and knights being assembled,
the election of a true pope was proceeded upon. In the year 1417, the
choice fell on the cardinal de Colonna, a Roman, who assumed the name
of Pope Martin.
CHAP. XV.
COUNT WALERAN DE ST POL MARCHES ABOUT SIX HUNDRED COMBATANTS INTO THE
DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG.--THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE GOES TO MEHUN-SUR-YEVRE.
At this period, Waleran count de St Pol, still calling himself
constable of France, left his county of St Pol with about six hundred
combatants, men at arms and archers, of whom sixty at least were
English.
He marched them from his town of Bohain to that of Laon, but the gates
were closed against him. He was much displeased thereat, and fixed
his quarters below it. He thence marched by Rheims and Châlons to his
town of Ligny in Barrois, whither his countess, sister to the duke de
Bar, speedily followed him; and they there solemnised the feast of
All-Saints.
Shortly after, leaving his countess in the castle of Ligny, he advanced
through Luxembourg, to Thionville, and to others of the principal towns
in that duchy, of which he had been appointed governor, as well as of
the county of Chigny, by duke Anthony of Brabant, his son-in-law, then
sovereign of it, by right of the duchess his mother. After visiting the
chief towns and fortresses in that country, he made preparations, about
St Andrew's day, to lay siege to the town of Neufville on the Meuse, in
which were some vainglorious and overbearing persons, posted there by
John d'Authe, lord of Orchimont, who were constantly making inroads and
plundering the duchy of Luxembourg and the county of Chigny. They were
consequently besieged by the count, who had in his company some notable
warriors, namely, Garnot de Bournouville, sir Colart de Fiennes, Allain
de Vaudonne, and several others. However, although the besieged were
sorely harrassed by the engines of the count, and their bulwark had
been taken by storm, they refused to surrender, and he remained for six
weeks before the place.
Other matters demanding his presence elsewhere, he fortified a church,
within cross-bow shot of the castle, in which he posted a certain
number of soldiers, under the command of a gentleman of that country,
called Vatier Disque, in conjunction with Robinet Ogier; and they were
for another six weeks skirmishing and fighting with their enemies, who
at the end of that time submitted themselves to the obedience of the
count de St de Pol.
The count, on quitting the siege of Neufville, went to
Dampvilliers[16], and thence to Yvoix[17], where he passed the whole
of Lent with his nephew, sir John de Luxembourg, who had come a little
before to visit him at the siege. When sir John had remained about
a month, he took leave of his uncle, who never saw him afterwards,
and went to Avignon, to visit and pay reverence to the holy Peter of
Luxembourg, his uncle, who had formerly been a cardinal.
At this period, the duke of Acquitaine, leaving Paris, travelled
through Melun, and Montargis in Berry, to Bourges, where he arrived on
the night of All-Saints, and was magnificently received and feasted by
the burghers and inhabitants of that town in the palace of the duke
of Berry. On the morrow he departed, unknown to the inhabitants, and
went to the castle of Mehun-sur-Yevre[18], which the duke of Berry had
given to him at Paris, and was the cause of his journey into Berry. The
castle pleased him very much, and, having taken possession of it, he
did not return to Paris until near the feast of St Nicholas.
This sudden expedition of the duke of Acquitaine, with only seven
persons, surprised many; but he was instantly overtaken by the counts
de Vertus and de Richemont, who accompanied him as he went and returned.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 16: Dampvilliers,--a town in Luxembourg, diocese of Verdun.]
[Footnote 17: Yvoix,--now called Carignan, a town in Luxembourg.]
[Footnote 18: Mehun-sur-Yevre,--four leagues from Bourges.]
CHAP. XVI.
THE EARL OF WARWICK AND OTHERS FROM ENGLAND ATTEND THE COUNCIL OF
CONSTANCE.--THE KING OF FRANCE HAS SOLEMN OBSEQUIES PERFORMED FOR HIS
BROTHER, THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.
The earl of Warwick, three bishops, four abbots, and other noble
knights, clerks and doctors in theology, to the number of about eight
hundred, travelled from Calais, through Flanders, with a handsome
retinue, as commissioners from the king of England, his realm, and
the university of Oxford, to the council of Constance. They were well
received by the new emperor, whose coronation some of them had attended
as ambassadors from the king of England, the pope and the whole council.
As the day was drawing near when the countess of Hainault and her
brother, the duke of Brabant, with the deputies from Flanders, were to
meet to ratify the late peace at Senlis, between the duke of Burgundy
and the king of France; and as the grand council was then very much
engaged in business, Louis duke of Bavaria, sir Colart de Calville and
others were sent as ambassadors from the king to prolong the day.
On Saturday, the eve of the Epiphany, the king ordered a solemn service
to be performed in the cathedral church of Nôtre Dame in Paris, for
his late brother the duke of Orleans, which had not been as yet done.
It was celebrated with a multitude of wax lights and torches, and
attended by the duke of Orleans and the count de Vertus, the dukes
of Berry, of Bourbon, Louis of Bavaria, the counts d'Alençon, de
Richemont, d'Eu, de la Marche, and many more, all dressed in deep
mourning. The duke of Acquitaine was not present, he had gone the
preceding day to visit the queen his mother, and his sister the duchess
of Brittany at Melun.
At these obsequies the sermon was preached by the chancellor of the
cathedral, doctor John Gerson, much renowned for his theological
learning; and it was so strong and bold that many doctors and others
present were astonished thereat. When he praised the manners of the
deceased duke and his government of the realm, he declared that it had
been by far better administered by him than it had ever been since
his death. He seemed, in this discourse, more desirous of exciting
a war against the duke of Burgundy than of appeasing it; for he
said, he did not recommend the death of the duke of Burgundy, or his
destruction, but that he ought to be humiliated, to make him sensible
of the wickedness he had committed, that by a sufficient atonement
he might save his soul. He added, that the burning, last Lent, of the
propositions advanced by the duke's advocate, John Petit, against
the duke of Orleans, before the gates of the cathedral, as wicked
doctrines, had been well done; but that all that was necessary had not
yet been executed. He concluded by declaring, that he was ready to
maintain and defend what he had said against the whole world.
The king was present, but not in mourning, in an oratory on the right
hand of the altar; and near him was the duke of Orleans, who took
precedence of all others, on account of this service that was performed
for his late father; then the duke of Berry, the count de Vertus, and
several princes seated according to their rank, listening to the words
of the preacher. Two cardinals, namely, those of Rheims and of Pisa,
many bishops, and such crowds of clergy, knights and common people
assisted, that the church could scarcely contain them. When the sermon
was ended, the dukes of Orleans and Berry, and the count de Vertus,
recommended the preacher to the king's notice.
On the ensuing Monday, the king had similar obsequies performed for the
late duke of Orleans, in the church of the Celestins in Paris, where
he had been buried. They were attended by all who had assisted at the
former ceremony. Master John Courbecuisse, doctor of divinity, preached
the sermon, and pursued the same course of arguments as doctor Gerson.
The king likewise had vigils, funeral orations and masses, said for
his late brother, in the chapel of the college of Navarre in Paris, at
which he and the other relations of the deceased assisted.
CHAP. XVII.
THE KING AND HIS GRAND COUNCIL SEND FORCES TO ATTACK THE
BURGUNDIANS.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED.
True it is, that after the destruction of the castle of Tonnerre, as
has been mentioned, many men at arms and archers, who had been there
employed, formed themselves into a company of full seven thousand
horse, and committed much mischief on the country around, as well on
the territories of the king in the Auxerrois as elsewhere.
In consequence, the king and council ordered the lord de Gaucourt, and
Gassilin du Bos, to march against and conquer them. They obeyed, and so
vigorously pursued them that from two to three hundred were killed or
made prisoners. These last were carried to Paris, and confined in the
prisons of the Châtelet, whence, after a short time, they were brought
to trial, and some of them executed, but not before the king had paid
their ransoms to those who had taken them.
The commanders of these marauders were Jacqueville, Fierbourg, and some
others, who, when they heard that the king was sending a force against
them, retired into the duchy of Burgundy.
Not long after, Sir Jeninet de Pois, nephew to sir James de Châtillon,
lord de Dampierre, and admiral of France, going to the duke of
Burgundy, attended by only two hundred lances or thereabout, was
attacked, killed and robbed of every thing. Only one man, named
Tambullan, of his whole company, escaped, and he saved himself
by flight: all the rest were slain or taken. This action was very
displeasing to the duke of Burgundy.
In like manner Hector de Saveuses, who had made a successful war on the
king's forces, when before Arras, was captured when on a pilgrimage
to Liance[19], and carried to Paris: had it not been for the earnest
solicitations of the countess of Hainault, he would have been executed.
Philip de Saveuses, his brother, had also made prisoners of Henry de
Boissy, lord de Chaulle, and Eustace Dayne, lord de Sarton, who had
warm friends among the king's ministers; and they exerted themselves so
effectually for their liberty, that Hector was given in exchange for
them.
These, and many similar facts, shewed that, notwithstanding the
peace of Arras, there was very little security in the kingdom for
travellers or others: for the Orleans party had so surrounded the
persons of the king and the duke of Acquitaine, that those attached
to the duke of Burgundy or his allies were deprived of all share in
the government, and treated very harshly. This treatment, however,
was but a retaliation for what the Orleans party had suffered when the
Burgundians were in power.
Peace was somehow or other preserved; and the countess of Hainault
came, with a noble attendance, through the Vermandois, Noyon and
Compiegne to Senlis: the deputies from Flanders followed her,
handsomely escorted; and last came the duke of Brabant, with the chief
ministers of the duke of Burgundy, namely, the bishop of Tournay, the
lord de Ront, sir William Bouvier, governor of Arras, master Thierry du
Roy, and some others.
The council of the king of France requested them to proceed to Paris,
for the purpose of more conveniently discussing the subject, which was
complied with by all except the countess of Hainault, who had been
forbidden by her lord and husband to go farther than Senlis, where she
had been very honourably received by the dukes of Acquitaine and Berry,
who had come from Paris to meet her. She was visited by other princes
of the blood, and even by the duchess of Bourbon, who with the consent
of her duke, had come from Clermont to entertain her, and remained in
her company until she quitted Senlis.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 19: Q. if not Liannes, a village in Picardy.]
CHAP. XVIII.
AMBASSADORS ARRIVE AT PARIS FROM ENGLAND.--THE KING OF FRANCE HOLDS A
GRAND FESTIVAL.--THE PEACE IS EVERY WHERE PRESERVED.
At this period, there came to Paris the earl of Dorset, uncle to
the king of England, the lord Guy, admiral of England, the bishops
of Durham and Norwich, and others, amounting, in the whole, to six
hundred horse, as ambassadors to treat of a marriage between the
king of France's daughter and the king of England[20]. They were
lodged on their arrival at the Temple, and they carried themselves
so magnificently, as well at home as when they rode abroad, that the
French, and particularly the Parisians, were very much astonished.
On the 10th day of February, the king of France gave at Paris a very
grand festival of eating, drinking, tilting and dancing, at which
the english ambassadors were present. The king tilted with the duke
d'Alençon, whom he had lately raised to that dignity. The duke of
Brabant tilted in great cordiality with the duke of Orleans; and during
this festival, which lasted three days, the princes of the blood
conducted themselves kindly and honourably toward each other. The queen
of France, the duchess of Acquitaine, and many other noble ladies and
damsels, assisted at the feast.
On the 24th day of February, after many conferences with the duke of
Brabant and the countess of Hainault, as well at Paris as at Senlis,
and with the ministers of the duke of Burgundy, the peace was finally
concluded, and proclaimed with sound of trumpet through Paris,
according to royal letters of the following tenor:
'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to all present and to
come. Whereas many acts have been done since the conclusion of the
peace at Pontoise, to our very great displeasure, and damage to our
subjects and kingdom; for which cause we have held our beloved cousin,
the duke of Burgundy in our indignation and disfavour, and have marched
a considerable body of men at arms and archers against the town of
Arras. During the time, we lay before that town, our well-beloved
and dear cousins the duke of Brabant and countess of Hainault came
thither, accompanied by our dearly-beloved the deputies from the three
estates of Flanders, as commissioners, and having full powers to treat
on the part of our said cousin of Burgundy, with so much humility and
obedience that we were contented therewith.
'In confirmation of the duke of Burgundy's willingness to submit
himself to our obedience, they offered on the part of the town of Arras
to display our banner on the walls and towers thereof, and also to
place under our subjection all the towns and castles which our said
cousin of Burgundy held from us. We therefore, in our abundance of
affection, have received him back into our good graces.
'Our said cousins the duke of Brabant and the countess of Hainault,
and the deputies from Flanders, engaged to deliver to us, or to any
person whom we might depute, the castle of Crotoy, as well as the
castle of Chinon; and that they would, to the utmost of their power,
see that they were fully restored to us, or to any person whom we
should commission to receive them. Many other matters relative to
the restoring of peace were then discussed, and, in consequence, we
ourselves withdrew with our army from before Arras. For the further
consolidation of this agreement for peace, our said cousins of Brabant,
Hainault, and the deputies from Flanders have again come to us, as
ambassadors from our cousin of Burgundy, with whom, in the presence of
our dearly beloved son the duke of Acquitaine, dauphin of Vienne, the
preliminaries before mentioned have been confirmed.
'Know ye, that from the pity and compassion which we must feel for all
who have suffered oppressions and vexations which ever ensue during
a state of warfare, and which our faithful and beloved subjects have
lately undergone; and that they may cease, so that tranquillity,
justice, and legal government may take place within our realm; that
labourers may do their work, and tradesfolk travel throughout the
kingdom unmolested wherever they shall judge proper, without let
or hindrance whatever. Considering also the value of peace, which
is inestimable, and the great evils that ensue from war, of which
we have lately had such bitter experience; and that all creatures
may have better opportunities to amend their lives and turn toward
their Creator, we of our own knowledge, and with full power and
royal authority, by the advice of our council, and after the mature
consideration of our eldest son, of many of the princes of our blood,
prelates, barons and knights of our council and courts of parliament,
so will, order and command, that a firm peace be established within our
realm, between our subjects, and that all rancour and malice cease,
forbidding all persons, whatever may be their rank or condition, under
pain of our highest displeasure, to bear arms or to proceed against any
one otherwise than by legal means.
'For the better preservation of this peace, and out of reverence to
God, wishing to prefer mercy to rigorous justice, we from the plenitude
of our power and by our full royal authority, do grant a general and
free amnesty to all persons whether natives or foreigners, of whatever
rank or condition they be, who shall have aided, abetted, counselled
or supported our said cousin, the duke of Burgundy, contrary to our
royal will and pleasure, since the said peace of Pontois until this
day,--excepting, however, from this amnesty five persons, who are not
noble, nor subjects nor vassals to our said cousin of Burgundy, and
whose names shall be given to our cousins of Brabant and Hainault
before the feast of the nativity of St John the Baptist next ensuing.
We likewise except from this general pardon all who may have been
banished by our courts of justice by legal processes, with the usual
ceremonies and solemnities.
'For the further preservation of this peace, and to avoid all causes
of sedition and dispute hereafter, we will and ordain that all persons
who may have quitted their dwellings in Paris for the space of two
years, shall not return nearer than within four or five leagues of
our said town of Paris, reserving to ourself any favours which we may
be inclined to show to the contrary. We will, however, that the said
absentees may go any where throughout our realm, excepting to our town
of Paris, without any molestation whatever, either in body or goods.
'To maintain our subjects in peace and to obviate any disputes of
office, which, having formerly happened, may do so again, we will and
order, that all offices given by us since the said peace of Pontoise,
shall remain in our full disposition and power, without those who
may have been deprived of them having any claim or pretence of being
restored to them. With regard to the prisoners, we will do strict
justice; for it is our pleasure that no lord, baron, knight, esquire,
or other persons, under pretence of services not performed to us, or
for services done to our said cousin of Burgundy, shall be prosecuted
or molested in body or goods, but that all lands, castles, or any
territories whatever, that may have been taken possession of, and held
by our officers for us, on account of the late war, shall be fully
and completely restored to their true and lawful owners, without any
fees or charges claimed in regard to us; and we now impose silence on
our attorney-general, although the different cases be not specified
particularly by us, in order more effectually to put an end to all
disputes and suits at law that may have arisen from the events of the
late war.