THE KING SENDS COMMISSARIES TO REVIEW THE PARISIAN BANNERS, OFFICERS
AS WELL AS MEN.--THE KING'S ARMY MARCHES BETWEEN MANS AND ALENÇON, TO
OPPOSE THAT OF THE BRETONS.--THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY COLLECTS A LARGE
ARMY AT SAINT QUENTIN.--THE THREE ESTATES OF FRANCE ASSEMBLE AT TOURS
IN MCCCCLXVII.
The cardinal de Balue, and the other commissaries, proceeded in
mustering the troops under the parisian banners, in different parts of
that town, on the walls, between the gates of the Temple and St Martin
within the Temple precincts, on the walls between the tower of wood and
the gate of Saint Honoré, in front of the Louvre, and elsewhere.
The king had it proclaimed through Paris, on the 22d of November, that
all who had been accustomed to bear arms and had been disbanded without
receiving their pay, should appear before certain commissioners whom
he had ordered to settle their accounts, and to relist them for his
service in the wars. On the 24th, master John Prevost returned to the
king from the count de Charolois, to whom he had carried a copy of the
truce, with the count's answer.
On the 26th, a general muster was made out of Paris, fronting the
church and abbey of St Germain des Près, unto the river Seine, when
great numbers appeared well equipped, both horse and foot. There were
the treasurers of France, the counsellors and clerks of the exchequer,
the masters of the mint, the officers of the treasury and of taxes,
the assessors, the whole court of parliament, the practitioners in
the court of the Châtelet: in all, a fine and numerous company. With
the above companies were a great body of horse and foot under the
standard and guidon of the Hôtel de Ville. The bishop, the heads of the
university, the abbots, priors, and other churchmen of Paris, appeared
there with a certain number of men, well armed and well appointed.
When these musters were over, the cardinal, and the other
commissaries, left Paris to wait on the king, who was between Mans and
Alençon with a very great army, to oppose the further progress of the
Bretons; for he was followed by more than one hundred thousand horse,
and twenty thousand foot: he had also his train of artillery to besiege
Alençon, or any other place, that should refuse him obedience. Truces
were now in agitation, which kept the king's army idle, to the great
destruction of the country for more than twenty or thirty leagues round
Mans and Alençon, which was foraged by the troops.
The count de Charolois, having had complete success over the Liegeois,
returned to St Quentin, and issued his summonses for all his vassals
to appear there in arms on the 15th day of December, under heavy
penalties. He also issued his orders throughout Burgundy, for all
nobles, or others bearing arms, to appear before his commissioners at
Montsavion, there to receive their pay, and to march from Montsavion
on or before the 20th day of December for St Quentin, to aid him
in the support of his very dearly beloved brother the lord Charles
of France and the duke of Brittany, against all their enemies and
illwishers. Such was the substance of the proclamation. In consequence
thereof, those merchants, and others, who had gone into Burgundy on
their affairs, returned to Paris as speedily as they could. The count
de Charolois issued fresh orders for all his troops to meet him at St
Quentin the 4th day of January.
On Sunday, the feast of the holy Innocents, the duke of Bourbon was
sent to Paris by the king, to place therein, as well as in other towns,
sufficient garrisons to defend them against the Burgundians, and to
prevent their making any inroads through the country. The marshal de
Lohéac came with him, as it was said, to be lieutenant of Paris; but he
departed, two days afterwards, for Rouen, and other towns in Normandy,
to put them in a proper state of defence, and remained there some time.
The duke of Bourbon staid at Paris, and was feasted by all the chief
persons in that town.
At this time, the town of Alençon was surrendered to the king by the
count du Perche, son to the duke of Alençon, as he was in possession
of the castle, though the Bretons had gained the town. The king, in
the mean time, never quitted Mans; and while there, he sent the pope's
legate before mentioned, with Anthony de Chabannes, count of Dammartin,
the treasurer Ladriesche, and others, to the lord Charles in Brittany,
to negotiate an accommodation.
The king, at length, consented to the assembly of the three estates;
and the town of Tours was fixed on for their place of meeting, which
was appointed for the first day of April.[20] The king now departed
from Mans, and went to Montils les-Tours, Amboise, and other places
in that neighbourhood, on account of the holding of the three estates
at Tours. The king was present at their opening,--when, after much
discussion on the matters on account of which they were assembled,
they were dissolved at Easter-day, in the year 1468. Each person now
returned to his home.
There were present at this meeting, besides the king, the king of
Sicily, the duke of Bourbon, the count du Perche, the patriarch of
Jerusalem, the cardinal of Angers, and many great barons, archbishops,
abbots, and deputies from all the different provinces and towns of
France.
The question was agitated at this assembly respecting the appanage for
the lord Charles, brother to the king,--and after mature deliberation,
it was agreed, that he ought to be satisfied with landed property,
having the title of duchy or marquisate, of twelve thousand livres
tournois yearly rent; and that the king, in addition, should pay
him an annual pension of sixty thousand livres, but without serving
as a precedent for other children of France, who should hereafter
descend from the crown, to demand a similar establishment, the king
having granted so very large a sum as sixty thousand livres from his
brotherly affection and his wish for peace; that, in regard to the
duchy of Normandy, the lord Charles could not have it, as it was not in
the king's power to grant it by dismembering the crown.
Respecting the duke of Brittany, who detained the lord Charles in his
duchy, and had taken by force some towns in France, and was suspected
of holding intelligence with the English, the ancient enemies of
France, it was determined by the three estates that he should be
summoned to restore these said towns to the king; and should he refuse
to do so, and should the king have certain information of his connexion
with the English, he must recover them by force of arms, and attack the
duke wherever he might meet him. The three estates promised to support
him in these measures, namely, the churchmen with their prayers and
temporal effects, and the nobles and commonalty with their lives and
fortunes, unto death.
In regard to the want of due justice being administered throughout
the realm, the king had a singular desire to accomplish it, and was
willing that sufficiently well informed persons should be elected from
all ranks, to provide a remedy for any abuses, and establish order and
equity. The three estates were of opinion, that the count de Charolois
ought, from his near relation to the king of France, and as a peer of
the realm, to exert himself manfully in these measures.
The king on the breaking up of the estates, went to Amboise, and
thence sent an embassy to those assembled at Cambray, to know their
resolutions in consequence of what had passed at the meeting at Tours.