raged at Auxerre, the king and princes departed, and went by Sens
to Melun, where great feasts and entertainments, with justings and
dancings, were held by the queen and her court, for joy of the happy
reconciliation that had taken place between the princes of the
blood royal. In truth, while the king resided at Melun, he recovered
his health, and then, at the entreaties of the queen, his daughter,
the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy, and of the king of Sicily, he
approved of and ratified the treaty of peace that had been made. In
consequence, he delivered up all the castles, towns and lands, which
he had seized on account of the rebellion of his nephews and other
lords, as well secular as ecclesiastic, and restored them to their free
possession. Thus they re-entered their towns and castles, but without
any restitution for the damages which had been done to them: several of
them had been nearly destroyed; and the vineyards, forests and other
lands, had suffered greatly, with various mischiefs that had been done
to the farms. That this peace might be publicly known, and that no one
might plead ignorance, but that it should remain for ever inviolate,
the king issued the following edict.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 11: Charles d'Artois, count of Eu, son to the constable d'Eu
(who died in Turkey 1397) and to Mary daughter of the duke of Berry. He
married twice, but had no issue, and in him ended the royal branch of
Artois, commencing in Robert the good count d'Artois, who was killed in
Egypt in the year 1250, when accompanying his brother St Louis.]
CHAP. XII.
THE KING OF FRANCE ORDERS HIS EDICT RESPECTING THE PEACE TO BE SENT TO
HIS DIFFERENT OFFICERS FOR PROCLAMATION IN THE USUAL PLACES,--AND OTHER
MATTERS.
'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to the bailiff of
Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.--Among the heavy and continued
anxieties which we always feel for the preservation of our crown and
kingdom, the warmest wish we have is to nourish love and affection
among our subjects, and to guard them from all oppressions and other
inconveniences which are consequent on civil commotions, that they
may live under us in perfect tranquillity. Whereas many very serious
discords and divisions have arisen within our realm between several
of the princes of our royal blood, their adherents and allies, which
have caused great mischiefs to ensue, to the detriment of our faithful
subjects; and others still more disastrous might have followed, had we
not provided a sufficient remedy. These discords have occasioned to us
the utmost grief of heart; and for this reason we make known to thee,
that, through the grace of the sovereign King of kings, our Creator and
Saviour, and the Giver of all peace; and through the diligent exertions
of our very dear and well-beloved son the duke of Acquitaine, dauphin
of Vienne, and others who have laboured with him, we have concluded
a sound peace with the aforesaid princes, our kindred, and their
confederates, in the manner and form expressed In the treaty drawn up
for this purpose.
'By this treaty all rancour and malevolence between one party and
another are extinguished, and the princes aforesaid have solemnly
sworn on the holy evangelists, in the presence of our very dear son,
many prelates and other persons, that they will strictly observe every
article of it, and no way infringe it, according to the oaths which
they had before taken on a similar occasion.
'For this reason, we therefore enjoin, and most strictly command, thee
to proclaim this peace in all the squares and public places of Amiens,
by sound of trumpet, and then to make proclamation of the same in all
the villages and other places within thy bailiwick, particularly
ordering all our subjects most faithfully to keep this peace, under
pain of our highest displeasure, and of being criminally guilty towards
our royal person, forbidding any person, whatever may be their rank, in
our name, in any wise to offend against any of its articles, on pain of
being corporally punished, with confiscation of property.
'We, moreover, enjoin thee, that thou do punish most severely and
publicly, according to the exigency of the case, any who shall be found
violating this peace in any degree whatever, either by word or deed,
who may be regularly accused before thee, so that it may serve as an
example to all others.
'Given at Melun, in the year of Grace 1412, and in the 32d of our
reign.'--Signed by the king from the report made to him by the council
held by my lords the dukes of Acquitaine, Berry, Burgundy, Orleans and
Bourbon, the counts of Vertus and Alençon, and John de Bar, with others
present at it. Countersigned, 'Emau, inspector.'
The English, during this time, had advanced, from the Coutantin, into
the countries of Maine and Touraine, despoiling the districts they
marched through with fire and sword. A grand council was held on this
subject at Melun, presided by the duke of Acquitaine as the king's
_locum tenens_, and at which were present the king of Sicily, the dukes
of Berry, Burgundy, Orleans and Bourbon, the count de Vertus, the
chancellors of France, Acquitaine, and of Orleans, the lords de Torsy,
d'Offemont, with others, the provost of the merchants, the sheriffs
and council of Paris,--when it was ordered, that all persons capable
of bearing arms, noble or not, should assemble, properly equipped at
Chartres, on the 8th day of October ensuing; at which time and place,
they should receive pay for the defence of the realm, and to drive the
ancient enemies of France out of the kingdom. This edict was copied,
and sent to the principal seneschalships and bailiwicks of France
sealed with the royal seal, by the aforesaid princes, that a sufficient
force might be provided against the 8th day of October.
The Parisians, as being more nearly affected, hastened to raise their
levies of men at arms and archers at Paris or at Melun,--and others in
the adjacent countries. Every one, on the receipt of the king's edict,
assembled his quota. Had the duke of Berry and those of his party
kept the engagements they had made with the English, and paid them the
large sum of two hundred thousand crowns, according to their promises,
they were ready to return to England, either through Acquitaine or
Bourdeaux; but from the melancholy state of the country, they were
unable to raise this sum by any means they could offer,--and thus
their terms not being fulfilled, the English thought they might pay
themselves.
The king of Sicily returned, however, to Anjou, to raise men for the
defence of his territories, whither the English were fast advancing.
In these days, the duke of Acquitaine reinstated the eldest son of the
late grand master Montagu in his office of chamberlain, and obtained,
through his entreaties with the king, that all his estates should be
restored, which ought to have descended to him by right of inheritance,
so that, with the exception of some trifling confiscations, he regained
all the patrimony he would have inherited from his father and mother.
He obtained likewise the head of his father; and one evening, about
vespers, the provost of Paris, with his executioner, attended by
twelve guards, or thereabout, holding lighted torches and carrying
a ladder, followed by a priest dressed in his robes, came to the
market-place, when the executioner mounted the ladder to where the
head of the late grand master had been fixed to the end of a lance,
and, taking it off, delivered it to the priest, who received it in a
handsome napkin. Thus wrapped up, he placed it on his shoulder, and
carried it, attended by these lighted torches, to the hôtel of the late
Montagu, grand master of the king's household.
The body was in like manner taken down from the gibbet at Montfaucon,
in the presence of the provost, by his hangman, and brought to Paris.
It was there joined to the head, placed in a handsome coffin, and
carried in great state, attended by his children, and a numerous party
of friends, with priests chaunting, and a vast number of lighted
torches, to the church of the Celestins at Marcoussy, which he had
founded and endowed in his lifetime and made a convent of monks, and
there honourably interred. Among other gifts which he had made when
alive was the great bell, called St Catherine, to the church of Nôtre
Dame at Paris, as appears from his arms and crest that are upon it.
CHAP. XIII.
THE WAR CONTINUES IN THE BOULONOIS.--THE KING RETURNS TO PARIS.--THE
DUKE OF ORLEANS SATISFIES THE ENGLISH,--AND OTHER MATTERS.
During this time, king Henry of England sent the earls of Warwick and
Kyme, with two thousand combatants, to Calais, whence, with other
garrisons, they invaded the Boulonois, and did much mischief. They
burnt the town of Saumer-au-Bois, took by storm the fort of Ruissault,
pillaging, robbing, and setting fire to every place they came to.
To oppose them, the king ordered to St Omer count Waleran his
constable, the lord de Rambures, master of the cross-bows, and the lord
de Heilly, with a large body of men at arms, who were posted in the
various garrisons,--and thus was the country harrassed on all sides.
At this period, the king of France returned to Paris, and was lodged
in his hôtel of Saint Pol, to the great joy of the Parisians, who
sang carols in all the streets, lighted bonfires, and had great
illuminations, shouting out all night, 'God save the king!' There were,
likewise, very magnificent feasts and other entertainments. The king
was attended, on his entry into Paris, by the dukes of Acquitaine,
Burgundy, Bourbon, and the count de Vertus. The queen, with the dukes
of Berry and Orleans, had remained at the castle of Vincennes, and
thence, on the Sunday following, made her entry into Paris, and was
lodged with the king at the hôtel de St Pol. The duke of Orleans had
accompanied her part of the way; but, when he approached Paris, he
separated from her, and took the road for his county of Beaumont. The
duke of Berry staid at Vincennes.
Although the town of Chauny had been surrendered to the king in
perpetuity, he restored it to the duke of Orleans, and, at the same
time, granted him permission to raise from his vassals the sum of sixty
thousand florins of gold, by way of tax, for his own private use. But
he could never succeed in the attempts which he made to regain his two
castles of Coucy and Pierrefons. When he had been at Beaumont a few
days, he departed, and went to meet the English under the command of
the duke of Clarence, who had landed, as has been said, at his request,
and satisfied him fully, as to the pay of his men, so far as was in
his power; but as he could not then advance the whole that was due for
their pay, the duke of Orleans gave, as a pledge for the due fulfilment
of his engagement, his youngest brother, the count of Angoulême, with
many other gentlemen, namely, sir Marcel le Borgne, Jean de Saveuses,
Archambault de Villiers, Guillaume le Boutillier, Jean David, and
others of his dependants. They were all carried away by the duke of
Clarence, who retired with his English to Guienne.
The count of Angoulême was pledged for the sum of two hundred and nine
thousand francs french money. When the duke of Orleans had concluded
this, he returned to Blois; but these bondsmen remained in England a
long time, as shall be told hereafter. The duke of Orleans sent some
of his most able knights to prevail on the king to restore to him his
castles of Coucy and Pierrefons, which were held by the constable; but
although the king granted his letters for the surrender of them, the
constable refused to obey, giving for answer, that until he should be
repaid the money he had advanced to his men at arms for the conquest
of them, he would retain them,--adding, that the king had made him a
promise of them, and had nominated sir Gerard de Herbannes governor
of Coucy, and of Pierrefons sir Collard de Fiennes. The castle of
Pierrefons, which was a very strong and handsome edifice, was one night
burnt to the ground, to the great displeasure of the duke,--but as he
could not obtain any redress, he was forced to endure it.
The duke of Burgundy, who resided at Paris, to be near the king, about
this time caused sir Bourdin de Salligny to be arrested, and carried
prisoner to Flanders, where he was confined some time, and then set at
liberty. Sir Bourdin had been the particular and confidential friend
of the duke; and it was reported, that he was inclined to change sides
and turn to that of Orleans, and had even betrayed some of the duke's
secrets.
In these days also, some very sharp words passed between the bastard
of Bourbon and a butcher of Paris, called Denisot de Chaumont, when
the bastard said to him, 'Peace! hold thy tongue: I shall find thee
again another time.' Shortly after, Denisot, who had great weight among
his brethren of the trade, collected a large body, and, with other
Parisians, they barricaded the streets with chains,--but they were at
length appeased by the duke of Burgundy.
John duke of Bourbon, the count d'Armagnac and the lord d'Albreth
were ordered by the king and council into Languedoc, to oppose the
enterprises of the duke of Clarence and the English, who had fixed
their quarters in Acquitaine, and sorely oppressed all who defended the
french interest on the frontiers.
CHAP. XIV.
THE DUKE OF BERRY IS DANGEROUSLY ILL.--HE IS VISITED BY HIS DAUGHTER
THE DUCHESS OF BOURBON, AND BY THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--NOTICE OF OTHER
MATTERS.
The duke of Berry, who had come to Paris to attend the king his nephew,
and a grand council about to be holden, was taken dangerously ill at
his hôtel of Neele; but by the care and affection of his daughter the
duchess of Bourbon, who, on hearing of his illness, had come to see
him, and by her nursing, he was soon restored to health. He was also
very frequently visited by his nephew the duke of Burgundy.
While the duchess of Bourbon was at Paris, she obtained from the king,
and from the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy, that the body of Binet
d'Espineuse, formerly the knight of her lord the duke of Bourbon,
should be taken down from the gibbet of Montfaucon, and his head from
the market-house, where it had been placed some time since by the
king's officers of justice. She had it escorted by many of his friends
to the town of Espineuse, in the county of Clermont, where it was
honourably interred.
The duke of Burgundy at this time had the sole government of the
kingdom, for nothing was done but by his advice or that of his friends.
Notwithstanding it had been promised at the peace of Auxerre, by the
king and the princes of the blood, that every one, of whatever party
he might have been, should be reinstated in his property in such
offices as had been held by them, very many could not profit of this
royal favour; for with all their diligence in suing for reinstatement,
they met with nothing but delays, more especially those who had been
attached to the Orleans-party. This caused much silent bitterness and
discontent; and both sides were busily employed underhand on the means
of securing the support of the king and the duke of Acquitaine,--one
party making secret attempts to gain the former, the other the latter.
Thus, therefore, there was not any sincere love between them; and the
war was daily expected to recommence with greater fury than before, as
shall be more fully explained.
I shall hereafter, towards the end of this year 1412, lay before you
all the letters and treaties that passed between king Henry of England
and his children, and other princes, on the one part, and the dukes of
Berry, Orleans, Bourbon, the counts d'Alençon, d'Armagnac, the lord
d'Albreth, and their adherents, on the other part, and their mutual
engagements to each other.
CHAP. XV.
THE KING OF FRANCE HOLDS A GRAND ASSEMBLY AT PARIS ON THE REFORMATION
OF ABUSES IN THE GOVERNMENT.--OTHER MATTERS.
The king of France, by the advice of the duke of Burgundy, summoned
the greater part of the princes, prelates, heads of universities,
and principal citizens of the great towns, to Paris, to consider on
several matters of great importance to the kingdom in general, and more
especially respecting the reformation of his ministers, who had for a
long time very ill governed the realm.
When this assembly had held many consultations on the subjects laid
before it, its members determined that the university of Paris should
make their report in the name of all,--which report was delivered to
the king, at his hôtel of St Pol, in manner following.
'To our most high and most excellent prince, our sovereign lord and
father. Your most humble and devoted daughter the university of
Paris, your very submissive and obedient subjects the provost of the
merchants, the sheriffs and citizens of your good town of Paris, lay
before you their opinions and advice, as required by you, for the
welfare and happiness of yourself and kingdom.
'In the first place, respecting the peace that has been lately
concluded between certain princes of your royal blood, according to
the terms your majesty has been pleased to lay before us, we say, that
all who have sworn solemnly to keep this peace, and have hitherto
observed it, ought to continue this same conduct, in pursuance of their
intentions sworn to before God: but we think that you should summon
certain others of the lords of your blood, and of their principal
servants, to swear personally before you to keep the peace; and that
for many reasons,--first, because they never yet have taken the said
oaths,--secondly, because many among them do not keep the peace.
'It is a notorious fact, that although the English are in your kingdom,
and in conjunction with other companies, as well natives as foreigners,
daily commit waste on the country, scarcely any attempts have been made
to oppose their further progress, and petitions and clamours arise
throughout the realm.
'Item, the count d'Armagnac, who is your subject, pays no regard to the
peace; and, so far from observing it, is constantly making war on your
more faithful subjects.
'Item, for the better observance of this peace, we recommend that
your majesty should cause letters to be drawn up, in which all the
articles of the treaty shall be incorporated, and sent to the different
officers, or to whomsoever else you may please, with orders to make
known all transgressors of them, that they may be punished accordingly.
'With regard to the second point on which you, our sovereign lord,
demand our advice, having fully considered all that concerns your own
honour and welfare, with every thing that may tend to the prosperity
of the kingdom, we feel ourselves obliged to make known to you what we
perceive to be defects in your government. We must begin by the bad
administration of the public finances, to which you, as king, ought
to have caused more faithful attention to be paid. We recommend, in
the first place, that the revenues of the royal demesne be divided
into four parts: one to be distributed in alms, another to defray the
expenses of your majesty, those of the queen, the duke of Acquitaine,
and your household; another to pay the salaries of your officers and
servants; another to be applied to the repairs of bridges, roads,
mills, castles, causeways, or other public works,--and the overplus to
be paid into the king's treasury, as was formerly done.
'Item, it clearly appears, that the finances are not at this present
time so regulated, which, is the fault of your treasurers, who have the
administration of them. The religious of both sexes, as well belonging
to convents as to hospitals, are frequently forced to expend their own
money on the repairs of their churches, without deriving any assistance
from the royal treasury, to their great detriment, to the loss of their
personal comforts, the ruin of the churches, and the failure of divine
service, to the prejudice of the souls of your predecessors, and to the
oppression of your own conscience.
'In regard to alms, it is well known that scarcely any thing is
paid; and as to the expenses of yourself, the queen, and the duke of
Acquitaine, which are regulated by sir Pierre de Fontenay, and paid
by Raymond Ragnier and Jean Pie, clerks of the exchequer, they are
found to amount to four hundred and fifty thousand francs, as well
received from the royal demesnes as from other sources; whereas in
former times only ninety-two thousand francs were received for this
purpose, and your predecessors kept up a royal state, and the tradesmen
were regularly paid, notwithstanding the smallness of the sum: but at
present this is far from being the case, for the tradesmen are not
only unpaid, but your household and those of the queen and the duke of
Acquitaine are frequently broken up.
'Even so lately as Thursday last, this disgrace happened to the
household of the queen,--whence it appears, that these sums are not
employed for your expenses, but wasted at the will of your ministers,
and among their favourites, as we shall more fully explain at a proper
time and place.
'In former days, the sum raised for the expenses of the queen's
household was but thirty-six thousand francs; but at present, one
hundred and forty thousand are raised on this account, from taxes
independant of the revenues of her demesnes. This difference proceeds
from the fault of the administrators of this department, the principal
of whom is Raymond Ragnier, the treasurer; and he has so managed
this money destined for the use of the queen that he has purchased
large estates, and built fine houses, as may be seen both in town and
country. The management of this part of the finances should be examined
into; for beside the regular receipt, other sums are demanded by way of
extraordinaries.
'Item, there are also great abuses in the offices of the master of
your wardrobe, and of the treasury; for those who have the direction
receive very large sums of money, and dispose of them otherwise than in
the payment of your debts or to your advantage: the salaries of your
officers and servants are consequently in arrear, and those who have
supplied your table with provision and wine cannot get their money.
Of course, these sums must be applied to their own use, as is very
apparent from the great state they live in, from the number of their
horses and other luxuries,--as in the instance of Raymond Ragnier, who,
in purchasing and building, has expended, as it is said, upward of
thirty thousand francs.
'Charlot Poupart, master of the wardrobe, and master William Budé,
storekeeper, have also made great acquisitions of property, and live
at an immense expense, which cannot be done from the salaries of their
office, nor from their estates before they had these offices given to
them.
'There are likewise great defects in the management of your stables,
which is an office of very great receipt, and the prodigious sums that
are there expended are not for your honour nor profit.
'Item, in regard to the salaries of the officers of your household,
they are very ill paid at the treasury; nor are their payments any way
regular, so that they suffer very great poverty, and are unable to
appear before you so decently dressed as they would wish. There are,
however, some favourites among them that are very well paid.
'With respect to the repairs of your castles, mills and other public
works, they are all going to ruin; and as for the overplus that should
remain to be paid into your private treasury, there is not at this
moment one penny,--although in the days of king Philip, king John, and
king Charles, when the receipt was not any thing like what it is now,
there were savings, but the treasury was then far better managed.
'We must likewise observe, that this kind of management of the finances
has been continued for nearly thirty years,--and that those who have
had the administration of them have no way attended to your honour or
profit, or to the good of the kingdom, but solely to their own private
emolument.