do forbear, by himself or others for him, to disturb or any way molest,
either by open or secret means, such of our subjects and vassals of
every degree, as shall have served us in our warfare against him; and
such of his subjects and vassals as, through fear of offending us, have
not served him in conformity to the different ordinances issued by
us; and that he be particularly cautious, under pain of incurring our
displeasure, that this article be truly attended to, for we positively
forbid our said cousin of Burgundy to take any cognizance whatever of
the above acts.
'We likewise forbid all others of our blood and lineage to commit, or
cause to be committed by others for them, any acts of hostility against
our said vassals and subjects, as well as against those of our said
cousin the duke of Burgundy; for we strictly ordain, that they do not
take any cognizance of offences that may have been caused by the late
warfare.
'We will and command, that our said cousin the duke of Burgundy do
punctually restore all castles, lands, or fiefs that he may have taken
from our vassals and subjects, as well as from his own, on account of
services performed to us or neglected to have been done to him, and
that he order away from him all who may be inclined to disturb the
lawful owner in the possession of them.
'We in like manner enjoin all those of our blood and lineage who may
have possessed themselves of any castles, lands, or other effects of
any lord, baron, knight, esquire, or others, under cover of the late
warfare, to restore them instantly to their proper owners, without
further molestation, or making them pay any fees or charges for their
restitution, in order that this said peace may be faithfully and
religiously maintained.
'We likewise will and command, that all the articles of the peace
concluded at Chartres, and of others which have since been made, be
most particularly observed; and we strictly enjoin all those of our
blood and lineage, that they do not, on any pretence whatever, form
any alliances with the English, or with others, to our prejudice or
to the prejudice of this peace; and should any such have been formed,
we positively command that all treaties be returned and annulled, and
that any person who may have concluded them do deliver to us sufficient
security for the due performance of these our orders.
'And we further enjoin, for the better security of this peace, that our
said cousin of Brabant, the ambassadors from our cousin of Burgundy,
and the deputies before named from Flanders, in the name of themselves,
the three estates in that country, and in behalf of our said cousin
of Burgundy, our very dear and well-beloved cousins the counts de
Charolois and de Nevers, do each of them swear and promise,--those
who are now present in our hands, and those absent in the hands of
our deputies,--on their faith and oath, and on the cross and holy
evangelists of God, that they will loyally and honestly observe this
peace, and all the articles of it; and that they will not, by open
or other means any way violate or infringe the same, under pain of
incurring our highest displeasure and indignation.
'And should it happen that any person, whether noble or not, do
interrupt this peace, or act contrary thereto, they shall promise not
to give them any encouragement, aid or advice, but shall endeavour to
stifle all such attempts before they gain any head.
'Copies of these oaths and engagements shall be delivered into our
chancery, signed by each party, and sealed with their seals, that a
perfect remembrance may be had of this transaction.
'Similar oaths and promises shall be taken and made, under the like
penalty, by our very dear and well-beloved cousins, uncle, son and
nephew, the cardinal de Bar, the king of Sicily, the dukes of Berry,
de Tours, d'Orleans, de Bretagne, de Bourbon, d'Alençon, and de Bar;
the counts de Vertus, d'Eu, Richemont, de Dreux constable of France,
de la Marche, de Vendôme grand master of the household, de Marle, le
Bouteiller de France, d'Armagnac, de St Pol, de Penthievre, and de
Tancarville, with all others of our blood and lineage, and the members
of the three estates in their countries. Those present will take the
oath in our hands, and the absent in the hands of our deputies: they
will each deliver into our chancery copies of their oath and promise,
signed and sealed by them, that the remembrance of it may endure for
ever.
'We also ordain, that the aforesaid oath and engagement shall be taken
before our commissioners, under pain of the above-mentioned penalties,
by all prelates, knights, barons, captains, bailiffs, seneschals,
provosts, and others our officers, vassals and subjects of all ranks,
ecclesiastical and secular, noble and not noble, who shall each of
them sign and seal his separate engagement, which shall be transmitted
to our chancery for the aforesaid purpose.
'Item, our said cousin of Burgundy, and all the afore-mentioned princes
of our blood, shall send letters to their subjects and vassals,
requiring them to take their oaths in like manner. And for the better
security of this peace, our said cousin of Brabant, the countess of
Hainault, and the deputies aforesaid, shall exert their utmost power
to prevail on our very dear and well-beloved cousins duke William of
Bavaria, count of Hainault, the duke of Lorraine, the count of Savoy,
the bishop of Liege, the count of Namur, and such others as they think
proper, to take a similar oath and promise to observe all the articles
of the peace.
'We also will and command, that should any excesses be committed which
might endanger the aforesaid peace, it shall not therefore be broken;
but the party who shall feel himself injured shall appeal to our courts
of justice, when such reparation shall be made him as the case may
legally require.
'We consequently, give it strictly in charge to our dear and loyal the
constable, the chancellor, the members of our courts of parliament, the
marshals of France, the master of the cross-bows, the high admiral, the
provost of Paris, to all our seneschals, bailiffs, governors, mayors,
sheriffs, and all others our officers whatever, to each and to all of
them, that they do pay attention to the articles of of the said peace,
and that they do not suffer the smallest of them to be in any wise
violated or infringed; and should any thing be done contrary to their
true tenour and meaning, they will cause such persons to be instantly
arrested as disturbers of the public peace, and punish them as guilty
of high treason toward us and toward the state, so that they may serve
for examples to all others who may be inclined to act in the same way.
'We ordain that these presents be proclaimed in the most public manner
in the usual places, that no one may pretend ignorance thereof; and we
enjoin all persons who may hear or know of any one that shall utter
words in public or otherwise against the honour of the aforesaid
persons of our blood and lineage, or to the disgrace of this said
peace, that they do denounce him or them to our officers of justice,
that punishment may ensue according to the exigence of the case, and
that they may be proceeded against as rebels to our commands and
ordinances.
'That these presents may have their due weight, we have hereunto set
our seal. Given at Paris in the month of February in the year of
Grace 1414, and of our reign the 35th.' Signed by the king and his
grand council. Countersigned, 'Estienne Mauregard.' As this peace was
proclaimed throughout Paris, so was it published in divers parts of the
kingdom of France.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 20: For particulars of this embassy, &c. see the Foedera.]
CHAP. XIX.
THREE PORTUGUESE PERFORM A DEED OF ARMS AGAINST THREE FRENCHMEN, IN
THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.--THE PORTUGUESE ARE VANQUISHED.
At this period, there was a combat between three Portuguese and three
Frenchmen, performed at the king's palace of St Ouen near to Paris. The
names of the Portuguese were the lord d'Alenton, sir Jean Cousaille
knight, and sir Peter Cousaille. The three Frenchmen were sir François
de Grignaulx, Marigon, and la Rocque.
The Portuguese, as the challengers, were first introduced into the
lists by the earl of Dorset and the other english lords. The French
were conducted by Clugnet de Brabant, admiral of France, John brother
to the duke de Bar, and several more.
After the accustomed proclamations had been made, in the king's name,
the combat began, and was hard fought, but at length the Portuguese
surrendered themselves as vanquished, to save their lives, to the
great indignation and displeasure of the English, who had conducted
them to the lists. The Portuguese were, by the king's command, put
out of the lists, and the French honourably escorted home very much
rejoiced at their victory.
When the business of the peace had been concluded, the countess of
Hainault left Senlis, and returned to her country and to her lord
duke William. The English, about the same time, departed from Paris,
after having been magnificently feasted and honoured by the king and
his princes, and having likewise been presented with rich gifts. They
did not, however, succeed in the object of their mission, namely, the
marriage of their king with the lady Catherine of France, because
their demands for her portion were unreasonable and excessive, such
as the duchy of Normandy, the county of Ponthieu, with the duchy of
Acquitaine, to be held as inheritances for ever. The king of France, in
reply, told them that he would shortly send ambassadors to England with
his final answer to the request they had made.
CHAP. XX.
THE PEACE OF ARRAS SOLEMNLY SWORN TO IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF
FRANCE.--IT IS AFTERWARDS SWORN TO IN DIVERS OTHER PLACES.
On the 13th day of March, in this year, the duke of Brabant, the bishop
of Tournay, the lord de Ront, sir William Bouvier, governor of Arras,
counsellors and ambassadors from the duke of Burgundy, and the deputies
from the three estates of Flanders, having full powers from the duke of
Burgundy for this purpose, swore in the name of the said duke, and in
his behalf in the presence of the king of France, on the true cross and
holy evangelists of God; and in like manner the duke of Brabant and the
others above mentioned, for themselves in their own private capacities,
swore to the full observance and preservation of all the articles of
the peace first treated of before Arras and confirmed at Paris.
The dukes of Berry, Orleans, Alençon and Bourbon, the counts d'Eu,
de Vendôme, grand master of the household, the lord de Prayaux,
the chancellor of France, the archbishops of Sens, Bourges, Rouen,
the bishops of Laon, Lisieuz, Paris, Chartres, the chancellor of
Acquitaine, the count de Tancarville and others, took the same oath in
the presence of the king and the grand council.
Commissioners were then sent by the king from Paris, namely, the
master of the cross-bows of France, the lord de Rambures, and master
Jean de Vailly, first president of the parliament, to Tournay, where
they arrived in the month of March. The duke of Brabant, the countess
of Hainault, Philip of Burgundy count of Charolois, the nobles and
prelates of Ghent, and other great towns in Flanders, there met
them. When the king's letter had been read, the count de Charolois,
and all present, took the oath required, in the hands of the said
commissioners, and in the presence of the duke of Brabant and the
countess of Hainault, promising on their own behalf to keep the said
peace, and to pay attention to the contents of the king's letter.
In like manner did the prelates, nobility, and others of the town
of Tournay and the adjacent countries, make oath, delivering their
certificates signed and sealed by them, as the count de Charolois and
the Flemings had done to the commissioners, to be carried to Estienne
Mauregard, the master of the rolls, at Paris.
The count de Charolois, after the holy week, convoked, at Arras, all
the nobility, clergy, and inhabitants of the country of Artois and its
dependancies, who all swore, and delivered in certificates, as those
of Tournay had done. Commissioners were afterward sent into Burgundy,
to receive the oaths of the duke and of the estates of the duchy and
its dependancies. These commissioners were the lord de Tynouville and
master Symon de Vanterre, president, of the parliament, who received
the oaths and certificates, and sent them to the master of the rolls at
Paris; but the duke himself refused to swear, and said he must speak
to the king and the duke of Acquitaine before he made oath to keep the
peace, on certain causes that affected him.
[A.D. 1415.]
CHAP. XXI.
THE COMMONALTY AND CLERGY OF AMIENS ARE ASSEMBLED TO SWEAR TO THE
OBSERVANCE OF THE PEACE OF ARRAS.
At the beginning of this year, those of Amiens wrote such letters as
follow.
'The mayor, sheriffs, and commonalty of Amiens make known, that on
the 18th day of the month of April, in the year 1415, by orders from
master John de Vailly, president of the parliament and commissioner
in these parts in the name of the king, the inhabitants of this town
were collected in the market-place by sound of bell from house to
house, when we being present, with the principal inhabitants, this
said president caused to be read to us letters from the king of the
following purport: 'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France,' &c.
(and similar to what I have before detailed),--which being ended, we,
and all the people assembled, made oath, and faithfully promised on
the cross and holy evangelists of God, and we now by these presents
do swear and promise punctually to observe and keep all the articles
of the peace lately ratified, as far as it shall concern us, and
conformably to the will and pleasure of the king our lord, as contained
in these his said letters. In testimony whereof, we have to these
presents affixed the common seal of the town of Amiens. Given on the
day and year before mentioned.'
The substance of the above was copied by two apostolical notaries,
who certified that the aforesaid ordinance had been published, and
the colleges assembled in the chapter-house of the cathedral of Nôtre
Dame of Amiens, who had sworn to the same. These were sealed with
the seal of the bishop of Amiens, of the chapter, and of the other
chapters and colleges, and given to the bailiff of Amiens to carry to
master Estienne Mauregard, master of the rolls in Paris. The bailiff
caused the king's proclamation to be published every where within his
jurisdiction, except within the lands of the duke of Burgundy: he
received the oaths of all ranks of persons to the due observance of the
same, and the proper certificates from each prelate, noble, and others
resident within his baliwick.
Thus were these ordinances respecting the peace proclaimed throughout
all the bailiwicks and seneschalships in the realm, at the usual
places; and then oaths and certificates were demanded by the
commissioners from the clergy, nobles, and chief towns, and delivered
at Paris in the same manner as the others had been.
CHAP. XXII.
THE COUNT WALERAN DE ST POL DIES AT YVOIX, IN THE COUNTY OF CHINY IN
LUXEMBOURG.--THE PRINCES OF THE BLOOD GO TO MELUN, BY ORDERS FROM THE
QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE.
On the 9th day of April, in this same year 1415, Waleran count de
Saint Pol and de Ligny, calling himself constable of France, fell ill
in the castle of Yvoix, in the county of Chiny. His disorder, as it
was reported, was occasioned by his physician having administered to
him too strong a clyster; and about twelve days after, he departed
this life, and was buried in front of the great altar in the
principal church in Yvoix, amidst the tears and lamentations of his
attendants,--although he had ordered, by a will made in his lifetime,
that his body should be carried to the abbey of Cercamp, of which his
ancestors the counts de St Pol had been the founders.
In the course of his illness, he had sent for his countess, the sister
to the duke of Bar, having an earnest desire to converse with her
before his last hour; but, notwithstanding the diligence she made to
comply with his request, she did not arrive, accompanied by a niece
of the count's, sister to sir John Luxembourg, until about two hours
after his decease, although they had rode a straddle, on hard-trotting
horses, to make the more speed. They were much shocked on hearing
of his death. When the countess had remained at Yvoix about eight
hours, and disbanded the men at arms of her late lord, she returned to
Ligny-en-Barrois, where she had the obsequies of the count celebrated
in the cathedral church.
She publicly renounced, by her attorney, all the debts and estates of
her late lord excepting her dower, by placing on his tomb his belt and
purse, of which act she demanded from the public notaries present to
have certificates drawn up. The count's heirs were the two sons of the
duke of Brabant by the daughter of his first wife.
In this same month, the princes of the blood then at Paris went to
Melun, by command of the queen and the duke of Acquitaine, who were
there resident. While they were occupied on business with the queen,
the duke of Acquitaine set off for Paris with few attendants; and
thence he sent the princes word that they were not to return to Paris
until ordered by the king or himself, and commanded them to retire to
their estates, and to attend to their own affairs.
After this, the duke knowing that the queen his mother had deposited
large sums in the hands of three persons in Paris, who were her
confidents, namely, Michault de l'Allier, Guillaume Sanguin and Picquit
de la Haye, suddenly entered their houses with his people, and seized
all the money found therein and carried it to his hotel. He then
summoned the provosts of Paris, the university, and the principal
inhabitants to come to him at the Louvre, where he caused to be laid
before them, by the bishop of Chartres, his chancellor, article by
article, the whole history of the government of the kingdom, from the
coronation of the king his father until that moment, showing how the
duke of Anjou had seized the treasures of king Charles his grandfather,
and wasted them in Italy, as well as the portions of the dukes of Berry
and Burgundy, last deceased; then mentioning the death of the late duke
of Orleans and his government, and concluding with the administration
of the present duke of Burgundy, who had consumed the whole of the
finances, and despoiled the kingdom. He then declared, that as duke
of Acquitaine, dauphin of Vienne, and presumptive heir to the crown,
he would no longer suffer such waste to be committed on the public
revenues, or on his father's demesnes.
To this end, therefore, and for the security and welfare of the king
and realm, he had thus assembled them, to make known to them, and all
the world, his resolution of taking on himself the government of the
kingdom, with a firm determination to provide a remedy against such
abuses in future.
When the above had been eloquently and elaborately explained to the
assembly, it broke up, and every one returned to his home.
The princes of the blood, on receiving the orders from the duke
of Acquitaine, took their leave of the queen, and separated from
each other. The duke of Berry went to Dourdan[21], in his county of
Estampes, the duke of Orleans to Orleans, and the duke of Bourbon to
his duchy of Bourbon. The duke of Burgundy was before, as has been
mentioned, in his duchy of Burgundy.
The king was very ill at his hotel of St Pol at Paris. The next step of
the duke of Acquitaine was to take away his duchess from the company
of the queen, which he did in person, accompanied by the count de
Richemont, and had her placed at St Germain-en-Laye.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 21: Dourdan,--a town in Beauce, on the river Orge, four
leagues from Estampes.]
CHAP. XXIII.
THE KING OF ENGLAND ASSEMBLES A LARGE ARMY TO INVADE
FRANCE.--AMBASSADORS SENT HIM FROM THAT COUNTRY.--THE ANSWERS THEY
RECEIVE.
When the english ambassadors were returned to England, and had reported
to the king their ill success, the king, princes, and country were much
displeased thereat. After many councils had been holden, it was at
length resolved, that the king should raise the greatest possible force
to invade France, and so sorely despoil that kingdom that the present
king and his successors should be driven from it.
To provide a sufficient fleet for the transport of his army, he sent
commissioners[22] into Holland and Zealand, who, on proper security
for good payment, made contracts for the number of vessels that would
be wanted. The king of England had prepared all manner of stores and
provisions necessary for war; and in regard to the payment of the
forces, adequate sums were raised: indeed, there remained an overplus
of five hundred thousand nobles, in money or plate. It was determined,
that the king himself, attended by the princes and the whole army,
should embark to invade France as early as possible.
Intelligence of this was speedily carried to France. The duke of
Acquitaine, who now governed the realm in behalf and in the name of the
king his father, in consequence, held many councils, and remanded to
Paris the duke of Berry, and some other lords, with whom he had several
consultations to know how he should act on this occasion, for the king
was then confined by his disorder. It was determined, that men at arms
and archers should be assembled in various parts of France ready to
march against the English the moment it should be known they were
landed; that garrisons should be placed in every town and castle on the
coast, and that as large sums of money as possible should be raised
with all speed.
It was likewise resolved to send a solemn embassy to the king of
England, to make him other offers, in answer to the demands of his
last ambassadors. Those appointed for this business were the count
de Vendôme, master William Bouratier, archbishop of Bourges, master
Peter Fennel, bishop of Lisieuz, the lords of Ivry and Bracquemont,
master Gautier Col, secretary to the king, master John Andrieu, and
some others of the great council[23]. Taking advantage of the existing
truce, they set out from Paris, and travelling through Amiens,
Montrieul and Boulogne, to Calais, they there crossed the sea to Dover.
They were in all three hundred and fifty horsemen, and continued their
journey from Dover to Canterbury, where they were met by the king's
harbingers, who conducted them through Rochester to London, and thence
to Winchester, where the king was.
The archbishop of Bourges explained to the king, in the hall of the
bishop of Winchester, and in the presence of the dukes of Clarence,
Bedford and Gloucester, brothers to the king, and of the lords of the
council, clergy, chivalry and populace, the object of his embassy. The
archbishop spoke first in Latin, and then in the Walloon language,
so eloquently and wisely, that both the English and French who heard
him were greatly surprised. At the conclusion of his harangue he made
offers to the king of a great extent of country in France, with a
large sum of ready money on his marriage with the princess Catherine,
but on condition that he would disband the army he had collected at
Southampton, and at the adjacent sea ports to invade France; and that
by these means an eternal peace would be established between the two
kingdoms.
The assembly broke up, when the archbishop had ended his speech; and
the french ambassadors were kindly entertained at dinner by the king,
who then appointed a day for them to receive his answer to their
propositions, by the mouth of the archbishop of Canterbury.
In the course of the archbishop's speech, in which he replied, article
by article, to what the archbishop of Bourges had offered, he added
to some, and passed over others of them, so that he was sharply
interrupted by the archbishop of Bourges, who exclaimed, 'I did not say
so, but such were my words.' The conclusion, however, was, that unless
the king of France would give, as a marriage-portion with his daughter,
the duchies of Acquitaine, of Normandy, of Anjou, of Tours, the
counties of Ponthieu, Mans and Poitou, and every other part that had
formerly belonged to the english monarchs, the king would not desist
from his intended invasion of France, but would despoil the whole of
that kingdom, which had been unjustly detained from him,--and that he
should depend on his sword for the accomplishment of the above, and for
depriving king Charles of his crown.