at Paris, sir John de Luxembourg, the lord de St George, and other
able counsellors, to explain fully the cause of his coming, and to
request that he and his men might be admitted peaceably into Paris for
the security of his royal person. No other reply was made to this, but
that the king would shortly send an answer to their lord the duke of
Burgundy. John de Vailly, president of the parliament, with others of
the council were dispatched to the duke; but after various embassies
and conferences, he could not prevail on the king or the Parisians to
admit him into the capital. They told him, that if he would consent to
enter Paris simply as the duke of Burgundy, with his usual attendants,
the king and council would not object to it; but this the duke would
not do, for he knew that those who governed the king were his mortal
enemies, and he would not trust his person with them.
CHAP. XXXVI.
THE PARISIANS AND MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS WAIT ON THE DUKE
OF ACQUITAINE TO PROPOSE CERTAIN MEASURES OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE DEATH
OF THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE.--THE ARRIVAL OF THE CONSTABLE IN PARIS.
The Parisians, and principally those of the university, seeing the
discords and quarrels daily increase between the princes of the blood,
to the ruin and the overturning of the kingdom, and the destruction
of the people, went one day in a body to the duke of Acquitaine; and
in the presence of the duke of Berry, the count de Penthievre, and
several nobles and prelates, demanded an audience, and liberty to state
their grievances. Having obtained this, the first president of the
parliament began an oration, choosing for his text, 'Domine salva, nos
perimus,' from the gospel of St Matthew: 'Lord save us, or we perish.'
He very clearly and eloquently pointed out the various grievances the
nation was labouring under, and named several evil doers, who were
endeavouring to throw the kingdom into confusion by harrassing and
oppressing the people.
When he had ended, the duke of Acquitaine instantly swore, on the
word of a king's son, that henceforth all evil doers, whatever might
be their rank, should be indiscriminately punished according to their
crimes; that justice should be impartially administered, and the clergy
and people be maintained in peace.
On this, they departed, perfectly satisfied with the answer of the
duke of Acquitaine; but he had not time to carry his intentions into
execution, for a few days after he was seized with a fever, and died on
the 18th of December, in the hôtel de Bourbon.
His death occasioned many tears and lamentations among numbers of the
nobility, and his servants; and it was reported to have been caused by
poison,--for which reason, his body was kept in a leaden coffin four
days at the above hôtel. The different orders of clergy came thither to
pray beside it; after which, it was carried to St Denis, and interred
near to his royal ancestors.
Eight days afterward, the count d'Armagnac, who had been sent for
by the council, arrived at Paris to receive the investiture of his
constableship, by receiving from the king the sword of constable, and
taking the usual solemn oaths. He thanked the king for the high honour
he had conferred on him.
The new constable had now a force of six thousand combatants at least,
including those whom he found in Paris, and very shortly dispatched
Raymonnet de la Guerre with four hundred helmets to garrison St
Denis, and defend it against any attack from the duke of Burgundy. He
strengthened in like manner other towns on the Seine, and had all the
bridges and ferries destroyed.
The king, at this period, filled up the vacant offices caused by the
misfortune at Azincourt, and appointed Jean de Corssay, a native of
Berry, master of the cross-bows of France; sir Thomas de Lersies,
bailiff of the Vermandois, and the lord de Humbercourt, bailiff of
Amiens; the lord d'Aunay, a native of la Rochelle, to the same office
at Senlis; sir Mansart d'Asne, bailiff of Vitry, and sir Brunet de Bans
to the same at Tournay, with very many others.
CHAP. XXXVII.
THE DUKE OF BRITTANY ARRIVES AT PARIS. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY LEAVES
LAGNY SUR MARNE.--THE CAPTURE OF SIR MARTELET DU MESNIL AND FERRY DE
MAILLY.
The duke of Brittany at this time came to Paris to treat with the king,
that the duke of Burgundy with his army might march into Brittany, but
he was unsuccessful. Before he departed from Paris, he was violently
enraged against sir Taneguy du Châtel, provost of Paris, and abused him
much, because he had imprisoned in the Châtelet the minister of the
Mathurins, a doctor of theology, for having, in his presence, harangued
the populace in favour of the duke of Burgundy. In a few days, however,
he gave him his free liberty.
When the duke of Burgundy had remained at Lagny sur Marne six weeks
without having been able to prevail on the king and his council to
permit him to enter Paris any otherwise than in his simple state,
he marched away to Dampmartin, thence toward Rheims, and through the
Laonnois, Tierrache and Cambresis, to the town of Douay, and thence to
Lille. He was, all the time, accompanied by a strong body of men at
arms, who much oppressed the poor people on their march.
On his departure from Lagny, some of the king's soldiers advanced to
Pont à Vaire, and slew and made prisoners many of his men, at which he
was highly displeased. From his long residence at Lagny, the Parisians,
and others attached to the king, called him, in common conversation,
Jean de Lagny. After some short stay at Lille, he went to visit his
nephews in Brabant, namely, John and Philip, sons to the late duke
Anthony of Brabant, taking with him Philippe Maisne, by whom he
governed that country. He appointed officers to those places in the
counties of Ligny and St Pol, that had been formerly held by count
Waleran de St Pol, maternal grandfather to these children.
When he was returned to Flanders, he ordered the lord de Fosseux,
governor of Picardy, to cause his captains and their men at arms to
retire from his territories of Artois and the adjoining lands; and, as
many of these captains harrassed the king's subjects, Remonnet de la
Guerre, the provost of Compiegne and the lord de Bocquiaux, the king's
governor of the Valois, secretly assembled, on the night of the 24th
of January, a number of men at arms, and surprised the quarters of sir
Martelet du Mesnil and Ferry de Mailly, in the country of Santerre[45],
where they had posted full six hundred men among the villages, who
made havoc on all the country round about. Excepting such as escaped
by flight, they were all slain or made prisoners: among the last were
the two captains, sir Martelet du Mesnil and Ferry de Mailly, who were
carried to Compiegne.
On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, the said sir
Martelet and four other gentlemen, after having been tortured by
the king's officers, were hung on the gibbet of Compiegne; but Ferry
de Mailly, through the intercession of friends, obtained his free
deliverance.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 45: Santerre,--a small territory, of which Mondidier is the
capital.]
CHAP. XXXVIII.
THE BISHOP OF ARRAS CAUSES THE SENTENCE THAT HAD BEEN PRONOUNCED
AGAINST MASTER JEAN PETIT TO BE REVOKED.--THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY COMES
TO PARIS.
In this same year, by the exertions of Martin Poree, doctor in
theology, and bishop of Arras, and some other ambassadors from the duke
of Burgundy, having sufficient authorities from him, the following
judgement was obtained from the council of Constance.
'By the advice of the clergy, in whose name we issue the following
sentence. We pronounce and declare, that the suits, judgments,
burnings, prohibitions and executions, ordered by the bishop of Paris,
against master Jean Petit, and all consequences that may therefrom
have ensued, are null and void, and we now do annul and revoke the
same. In regard to the costs that legally attach to this cause, we
shall leave them to be taxed on sufficient grounds. In which sentence,
I Jourdan bishop of Alba, I Anthony cardinal of Aquileia, I Francis
cardinal of Florence, do heartily acquiesce.'
Thus the sentence of the bishop of Paris, against master Jean Petit,
was reversed and condemned by the council of Constance, the 15th day of
January 1415.
Not long after this, two knights arrived at Paris from the emperor
Sigismund, to prepare the lodgings he was to have in that city, and lay
in his purveyances. The castle of the Louvre was given to them for this
purpose; and on the following Sunday, being Shrove Sunday, the emperor
arrived at Paris, attended by about eight hundred horse.
The duke of Berry, the cardinal de Bar, the constable, the chancellor,
the provosts of Paris and of the merchants, the sheriffs, and a noble
company of the citizens in handsome state, went to meet him, and he
was by them conducted to the Louvre. Some days afterward, he explained
to the king and council the cause of his coming, which was to establish
union in the whole church: he also made many offers of service to the
king and his realm. A doctor of divinity, named master Guerrard Machet,
then harangued him in the name of the king of France, with which he was
much pleased.
Charles king of France was very sensible of the honour of this visit,
and the two monarchs eat frequently together. On the first Sunday in
Lent, the king of Sicily and his son-in-law, the count de Ponthieu came
to visit the emperor at Paris; and during the emperor's stay there, the
highest honour and distinctions were paid him by the king and princes.
When many conferences had been holden on the state of the universal
church, and on other matters, he set out from Paris on the Wednesday
before Palm Sunday, and was accompanied by the king of France as far
as la Chappelle, between Paris and St Denis, where they separated.
The king of Sicily, the duke of Berry, and the cardinal de Bar,
attended him to St Denis, where he was most honourably received by the
abbot and his clergy. He thence rode to Beauvais: the bishop of the
place and the inhabitants had come out to meet him, and the bishop
conducted him to his palace, where he was lodged.
The emperor there celebrated Easter, in company with the duke of Milan,
uncle to the duke of Orleans, the archbishop of Rheims, and others,
ambassadors from the king of France to his adversary the king of
England. Leaving Beauvais, he crossed the bridge at St Remy, and went
to St Riquier, because the townsmen of Abbeville would not admit his
people, although he was in company with ambassadors going to England.
From St Riquier he went on a pilgrimage to St Josse, where the abbot
and the whole convent came out in procession to meet him, in the same
state they would have done had he been king of France. After offering
up his prayers, he made no present to the glorious friend of God saint
Josse.
The emperor was clad in armour, having on the pummel of his saddle
a montauban hat, and over his armour a robe, on the front and back
part of which was an ash-coloured upright cross, with a latin motto
round it,--'O how merciful God is!' Most of his attendants were armed,
and well mounted; and from St Josse, by way of Estaples, he went to
Boulogne, but the townsfolk would not permit him to enter, at which he
was so indignant that he would not accept the presents the inhabitants
sent to him.
After dining in the suburbs of Boulogne, he went to lie at Calais,
whence the governor, the earl of Warwick, had come to meet him,
accompanied by men at arms and archers. He was there most honourably
entertained, at the expense of the king of England, until the ensuing
Wednesday, when he embarked for England.
During the time the emperor was at Paris, he one day went to the
court of parliament, where the presidents and counsellors shewed him
every honour, and seated him, as was right, on the royal throne. The
advocates then began to plead such causes as were before the court;
and among others, was one of a languedocian knight, called William
Segnot, respecting the seneschalship of Beaucaire. It was claimed by
two persons in right of the king's gift; but sir William proved, that
no one could hold that office unless he were a knight. The emperor,
hearing this, asked the esquire in latin, if he wished to be a knight;
and on his replying in the affirmative, the emperor called for a sword,
which being given him, he instantly dubbed the esquire a knight,
who by this means obtained the office by sentence of the judges of
the parliament. The king and his council, however, when they heard
of this, were greatly angered against the judges of the court for
having suffered it; for it seemed that this act had been done by the
emperor, as having superior authority to the king of France, who, had
he been present, would not on any account have permitted it. It was
nevertheless passed over in silence, and no notice taken of it to the
emperor.
CHAP. XXXIX.
A HEAVY TAX IS LAID ON THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT, TO
THE GREAT DISCONTENT OF THE PARISIANS.--EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN
CONSEQUENCE OF IT.
When the emperor had left Paris, a very heavy impost was laid on all
France, by those who governed the king, namely, the queen, the king of
Sicily, the duke of Berry and others. The populace, more especially
such as were attached to the duke of Burgundy, were very clamorous
against these lords; for many of the duke's friends had remained
in the city, who were day and night practising on the means of his
restoration to the king's favour, and to the government of the realm.
To accomplish this, they had advised him to send secretly to Paris
some well-informed and prudent persons, to whom they might resort and
have advice in case of need.
In compliance with their request, he sent thither sir Jennet de Poix,
Jacques de Fosseux, the lord de St Leger, and Binet d'Auffeu, who
brought credential letters, signed by the duke, to those whom he knew
to be attached to his party.
The Parisians, having thus entered into a conspiracy under pretence of
the severity of the new tax, swore to rise in a body in the afternoon
of Good Friday, and make prisoners of all that should oppose them.
Their first object was to seize the provost of Paris, and, if he
refused to sanction their conduct, they intended to kill him and then
seize and confine the king. They were afterward to put to death the
queen, the chancellor of France and numberless others, with the queen
of Sicily; and after dressing the king of Sicily and the duke of Berry
in some old cloaths of the king, and shaving their heads, to carry them
through Paris on two lean bullocks, and then put them to death. The
day of action was however put off by some of the conspirators, who said
that many of their intended victims might escape on Good Friday, from
being at their devotions in and out of Paris, or at confession in the
churches, or on pilgrimages, which would prevent them being found at
their houses,--and that it would be better to defer the matter until
Easter-Day, when they all promised to meet for the above purposes.
This conspiracy was revealed by the wife of Michel Lallier, who sent
letters to her lover, Bureau de Dampmartin, advising him to fly
instantly from Paris. This he did; but, before his departure, sent
information of it to the chancellor, as he was at dinner, who lost no
time in hastening to the Louvre, to advise the queen and princes of
the blood to save themselves by flight. His council was followed by
all except the provost of Paris, who, arming himself and his men, to
the number of fifty, suddenly took possession of the market-place, and
seized some of the conspirators before they had armed themselves, in
their houses, and imprisoned them in the Châtelet, which so confounded
the other conspirators that an end was put to their project.
The provost, being reinforced with men at arms, forced different houses
in which he found many gentlemen hidden, who were armed for this
massacre. In the number, he seized sir Almeric d'Orgemont, archdeacon
of Amiens, dean of Tours and canon of Paris, with one of the presidents
of the chamber of accounts and some masters of requests, Robert de
Belloy, a very rich draper, the host of the hôtel of the Bear, at the
Porte Baudet, and many other considerable persons.
The chancellor sent information of this conspiracy to the constable
and marshal of France, then on the confines of Harfleur, who, without
delay, dispatched Remonnet de la Guerre, with eight hundred men, to
the assistance of the princes in Paris, and concluded a truce with the
English in Harfleur, from the 5th day of May to the 2nd day of June.
On Saturday, the 2nd of May, the above-mentioned prisoners were
brought to the market-place and beheaded as traitors; but sir Almeric
d'Orgemont, being an ecclesiastic, was, by orders from the council,
delivered by the provost of Paris to the dean and chapter of Nôtre
Dame, for them to try him: this was soon done; and he was sentenced to
perpetual imprisonment on bread and water.
The constable, on the conclusion of the truce, came to Paris, with
three hundred men at arms, and, being attended by the provost with
a very strong force, detached the iron chains from the streets, and
sent them to the bastille, at the same time taking away all armour and
offensive weapons from the Parisians.
Louis Bourdon came also to Paris with two hundred men at arms, and was
followed by Clugnet de Brabant and the lord de Bosquiaux, governor of
Valois, with another considerable body of men at arms. Those in Paris
who were friendly to the duke of Burgundy were now in much perplexity,
especially such as had been concerned in the late conspiracy; for they
were punished without mercy, some publicly beheaded, others drowned in
the Seine. The gentlemen whom the duke of Burgundy had sent to Paris
escaped as secretly as they could, and were neither taken nor stopped.
When this business was over, numbers of men at arms were collected in
the name of the king, by his ministers, throughout France; and in like
manner did the duke of Burgundy, or permitted it to be done by those
under him, so that the clergy and poorer sorts of people suffered
greatly in various parts of the kingdom,--for there were few who
defended them,--and they had no other support but their earnest prayers
to God their Creator to take vengeance on their oppressors.
[A.D. 1416.]
CHAP. XL.
THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY ARRIVES IN LONDON.--THE BROTHER TO THE KING
OF CYPRUS COMES TO PARIS.--THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BERRY.--MANY
EMBASSIES TAKE PLACE BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND.
In the beginning of this year, the emperor of Germany arrived at
London; and the king, accompanied by his princes, nobles, great
multitudes of the clergy and citizens, went out to meet him. During
his stay, every honour was paid to him, and he was treated with great
magnificence.
A few days after his arrival, duke William of Hainault came thither
also, attended by six hundred horse, to endeavour to make a peace
between England and France. Ambassadors likewise arrived at London from
various countries, and in the number were one hundred persons from the
duke of Burgundy.
At this same time, the brother to the king of Cyprus, who was count of
three cities, came to visit the king of France in Paris. The constable,
Charles son to the duke of Bourbon, the provost of Paris, and many more
went to meet him; and they escorted him to the presence of the king and
queen, who received him most graciously.
On the 16th day of May, Jennet de Poix, Jacques de Fosseux, the lord de
St Leger, Binet d'Auffeu, Hue de Sailly, master Philippe de Morvillier,
Guillaume Sanguin, and others of the Burgundy faction, were publicly
banished at Amiens from the kingdom of France, on suspicion of having
been concerned in the late plot against the royal family.
In these days, the duke of Berry, who was now at a very advanced age,
was taken ill at his hôtel de Neele in Paris, and was frequently
visited by the king his nephew, at that time in perfect health, and by
other princes of the blood. Notwithstanding the care of his physicians,
he departed this life on the 13th day of June, without leaving a male
heir,--so that the duchy of Berry and county of Poiteu reverted to the
crown, and the king gave them to John de Touraine, his eldest son, and
godson to the defunct.
The heart of the duke of Berry was interred at St Denis, his bowels
in the church of St Pierre-des-Degrez, and his body was carried
to Bourges, and there buried in the cathedral church. He left two
daughters; the eldest was countess d'Armagnac, mother to Amadeus duke
of Savoy, and the youngest was duchess of Bourbon. The duke of Berry
had, during his lifetime, given to his nephew and godson John duke of
Burgundy, the county of Estampes, on certain conditions. On the duke of
Berry's decease, the king appointed his youngest son Charles, afterward
Dauphin, to the government of Paris, under the management of his father
in law the king of Sicily, and likewise gave him the duchy of Touraine.
The ambassadors from France, who had accompanied the emperor of Germany
to England, namely the archbishop of Rheims, the lord de Gaucourt
and others, now returned to the king; but, at the instance of the
emperor, the bishop of Norwich and sir Thomas Erpingham, a knight of
great renown, grand master of the king's household, attended by seventy
horsemen, went with him to Calais, as ambassadors from king Henry. At
Calais they received passports from the king of France, and went to
Montrieul, thence to Abbeville and Beauvais, where commissioners from
the king met and honourably received them. A negociation was opened
for a truce to take place between the two kings for a certain time,
and also respecting the ransoms of some prisoners who had been carried
to England in consequence of the victories of king Henry; but nothing
was concluded, because the constable had besieged Harfleur by sea,
and would not break up the siege, in consequence of which the English
ambassadors returned home.
Soon afterward the king of England sent the earl of Warwick and others,
as ambassadors to the duke of Burgundy at Lille, who concluded a
truce between England and the duke, from St John Baptist's day in
this year to Michaelmas day in 1417, but only for the counties of
Flanders, Artois and the adjacent parts. The duke of Burgundy caused
this truce to be publicly proclaimed at the usual places, to the great
astonishment of many who were surprised that such a truce should have
been concluded independantly of France.
CHAP. XLI.
JENNET DE POIX AND OTHERS, BY COMMAND OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, MARCH
SECRETLY TO SAINT DENIS, AND MAKE INROADS ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF FRANCE.
In the month of June, sir Jennet de Poix, with the approbation of the
duke of Burgundy his lord, collected four hundred men, who, hiding
their arms in casks, divided themselves into companies, and went by
different roads, disguised as merchants, to the frank fair of St
Denis. As the king was at St Germain-en-Laye, and the constable in
Normandy, many hid themselves on the road-side, and others entered the
town as merchants, chiefly with the intention of seizing the chancellor
and Tanneguy du Châtel provost of Paris. But while they were eating and
drinking, the chancellor and Tanneguy passed unmolested through the
town and returned to Paris.
When they heard of this, they hastened back in confusion to Picardy,
carrying with them some prisoners, and spoils from the king's
territories, which greatly incensed the people.
On the other hand, Ferry de Mailly, with many men at arms, invaded the
towns of Quesnel and Hangest, in Santerre, where he and sir Martelet
had been made prisoners, and carried off a large booty with many
captives, whom, after they had miserably tortured them, they set at
liberty for heavy ransoms.
In like manner, sir Mauroy de St Leger crossed the Seine, and during
the night, formed an ambuscade near to the castle of Chaulnes[46]; and
in the morning when the draw-bridge was lowered, his men rushed into
the castle, and made themselves masters thereof, which was full of rich
effects. Soon afterward, the peasants of Lihons[47], and from other
villages who had therein deposited their goods, entered into a treaty
with sir Mauroy; and, for a considerable sum of money paid him and his
people, he surrendered the castle to the lady-dowager, and marched away.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 46: Chaulnes,--a town of Picardy, election of Peronne.]
[Footnote 47: Lihons,--a town of Picardy, election of Peronne.]
CHAP. XLII.
LIHONS, IN SANTERRE, PILLAGED BY MANY CAPTAINS WHO HAD TAKEN UP
ARMS.--THE CAPTURE OF THE CASTLE OF BEAUMONT.--THE STORMING THE CASTLE
OF NEELE.--AND OTHER MATTERS.
Sir Mauroy de St Leger, soon after his last expedition to Chaulnes,
made another, in conjunction with Jean d'Aubigny, to Lihons, in
Santerre, which with the priory they completely plundered, ransoming
the inhabitants for large sums, all of which they carried with them
into Artois.