THE KING OF FRANCE GOES TO NÔTRE DAME OF HALLE[24].--THE TOWN OF LIEGE
DESTROYED.--THE KING RATIFIES AT PARIS HIS TREATY WITH THE DUKE OF
BURGUNDY.--HE HAS ALL THE GAME ROUND PARIS TAKEN ALIVE, TO SEND TO
THE COUNT DE FOIX, AS A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP.--A GREAT INUNDATION IN
HOLLAND AND ZEALAND.--A PRISONER IN THE CHÂTELET FOR THEFT INFORMS
AGAINST HIS COMPANIONS, WHO ARE ALL HUNG.--MCCCCLXVIII.
At this time, the king of France went on a pilgrimage to our Lady
at Halle, where he did not remain long. Philip de Savoye and others
who had accompanied him made their peace with the king, through the
mediation of the duke of Burgundy. When he had performed his pilgrimage
at Halle, he went to meet the duke of Burgundy at Namur, and determined
to accompany him in his war against Liege, during which he was lodged
for some time in the suburbs of that city. With the king was the
duke of Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the lord of Beaujeu and the
bishop of Liege, all brothers. The bishop had come out of the town,
to endeavour to bring about an accommodation, on the part of the
inhabitants, with the duke of Burgundy.
His offers were, to surrender the town, with all its effects, on
condition that the inhabitants should have liberty to retire whither
they pleased unmolested. The duke not only refused these terms, but
swore that he and his army should perish sooner than not have the town
and its inhabitants at his pleasure to do by as should to him seem
good. He would not suffer the bishop to return, but detained him in his
camp, although he had given his word to come back to Liege and live and
die there.
Soon after the departure of the bishop from their city, and when
they knew that he was prevented from returning, the Liegeois made
several sallies on the king's and duke's quarters,--but when any
of them were taken, they were instantly put to death. In spite,
however, of all their efforts, the duke of Burgundy gave orders for a
general attack on the city between eight and nine in the morning of
the 30th day of October, when the Burgundians and the king's troops
entered the town without resistance; for the better part of the
inhabitants, hearing of the intended attack, had fled, leaving behind
only the populace,--women, children, old men and monks, who were
indiscriminately killed,--and every violence was displayed as usual in
a town taken by storm. Many young women and girls were violated, and
afterwards murdered. Although the king, the dukes of Burgundy and of
Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the bishop of Liege, and the lord of
Beaujeu had entered the city, the greatest and most cruel disorders
were continued,--such as forcing convents, killing of children, and
priests even while officiating at their altars. When they had satisfied
themselves in plundering the churches and houses, they set them on
fire, and threw down the walls into the ditches.
When this business was done, the king returned to Senlis and
Compiègne, whither he summoned his courts of parliament and of the
exchequer, and others of his council, to whom he gave different
instructions; and as he did not intend to stay there long, he ordered
the cardinal of Angers to explain to them the treaty he had concluded
with the duke of Burgundy, consisting of forty-two articles, which the
cardinal specified unto them; telling them from the king, that it was
his royal will that each article in the aforesaid treaty should be most
punctually observed, and that it should be enregistered without delay
or difficulty, under the severest penalties for disobedience.
The king left Compiègne, and stopped at different places near Paris,
without inclining to enter that city. Several of his great lords, such
as the duke of Bourbon, his brothers the archbishop of Lyon, the lord
of Beaujeu, the marquis du Pont, and others, kept him company.
On Saturday, the 19th of November, the treaty concluded with the duke
of Burgundy was publicly proclaimed by sound of trumpets throughout
Paris; and all persons were forbidden to publish any thing abusive of
the said duke, whether by words, writings, signs, paintings, rondels,
ballads, defamatory libels, pantomimic songs, or otherwise, in respect
to past circumstances; for that all who should act contrary to this
prohibition would be most severely punished for their boldness, as was
more particularly explained in the body of the proclamation.
This same day by virtue of a commission from the king addressed to a
youth in Paris, called Henry Perdriel, all the tame magpies, jays,
jackdaws, and other birds, whether in cages or not, were seized and
carried before the king[25]. The places whence they had been taken were
registered, as well as all the words they had been taught to speak,
such as 'thief--lecher--son of a whore--get away--get away--Perette,
give me some drink,' with many other such like expressions.
By another order from the king, addressed to Merlin de Cordeboeuf, he
was empowered to collect all the stags, hinds, cranes, and other game
he could lay hands on, and have them conveyed to Amboise.
The count de Foix arrived at Paris in the month of December following;
and while there fell most desperately in love with a very handsome
woman, Estiennette de Besançon, the wife of a rich merchant, called
Henry of Paris. This dame was much prized and courted by all the
respectable ladies of the town, and was invited to the different
banquets and entertainments then given at Paris, where she entered into
joyous and amorous discourses with the count de Foix. In consequence
of proposals and splendid offers made by him, it was agreed on between
them, that she should quit her husband's house at Paris the 12th day of
that month, and abandon her husband, children, father, mother, brothers
and sisters, her relations and friends. Thus foolishly seduced, she
went away after the count de Foix with some of his attendants that had
been left behind in Paris for the purpose, who conducted her to their
lord, then waiting for her coming, at Blois. Having passed three days
with her at Blois, the count went to Tours, to wait on the king, having
Estiennette in his company. She was well received at Tours by her uncle
Martin Ponchier, a rich burgher; but within a short time she was sent
to her aunt, the prioress of the convent of Fontevral, where she was
long detained.
The king now fixed his residence at Tours, Amboise, and at other places
in that part of his kingdom, waiting for the delivery of the queen, as
it was said she was with child,--but it was not so. During this period,
he appointed a certain number of lances from his establishment, to
march to Arragon, to assist the duke of Calabria in the recovery of his
kingdom. With these lances, eight thousand franc-archers and a large
train of artillery were ordered on the same service,--but none of them
took the field, although such orders had been issued.
In the month of February, ambassadors came to Paris from the
duke of Burgundy, for the completion of the articles of the late
treaty of peace. The king sent instant and pressing orders to the
provosts, sheriffs, and nobles in Paris, to shew every attention, by
entertainments, and otherwise, to these ambassadors, which was done
handsomely and abundantly. The first feast was given by the cardinal
of Angers; the second, by the first president of the parliament; the
third, by master John de Ladriesche, president of the chamber of
accounts and treasurer of France; the fourth, by the lord de Mery;
the fifth and last, by the provost and burghers of the city, which
was plentiful and magnificent. During these entertainments, all their
papers were expedited through the courts of law, according to the
orders before given by the king.
On Thursday, the 16th of February, Charlot le Tonnellier, surnamed
La Hotte, a journeyman hosier living at Paris, was confined in the
Châtelet for divers thefts he was charged with. He denied his guilt,
and was ordered by the provost of Paris, and the crown-officers at
the Châtelet, to be put on his trial. He appealed, and by arrest of
judgement, was remanded by the provost; but as he was passing from his
cell to the chamber of torture, he caught up a knife that lay in his
way and cut out his tongue. He was, therefore, led back again, without
any thing more being done on that day.
At this time, some of the dykes in Holland and Zealand that had
been constructed against the sea broke down, and caused so great an
inundation in the countries of the duke of Burgundy that many towns and
places were utterly destroyed. The damages were said to be much more
considerable than what the duke, in his fury, had inflicted on Liege.
When Charlot le Tonnellier was cured of the wounds he had inflicted
on himself by cutting out his tongue, he was again brought to the
torture-chamber, because he would not confess his guilt. Having been
for some time seated on the stool of torture, he said he would confess
the truth, and then told the whole history of his life, and the
great number of thefts that he had committed. He accused many as his
accomplices, and in the number his own brother surnamed Le Gendarme, a
locksmith, a silversmith, a sergeant fieffé[26] named Pierre Moynet,
and others, who were all immediately arrested, examined, and confronted
with Charlot. Having confessed their guilt, on Tuesday in Passion-week,
La Hotte, his brother, the sergeant, the locksmith, a shearman, and an
old cloaths man called Martin de Coulogne, were ordered to be hanged on
the gibbet at Paris by sentence of the provost of Paris.
They appealed to the parliament against his judgement, and the court
confirmed the sentence in regard to four of them, namely, La Hotte, his
brother, the shearman, and the locksmith, who were on the following day
executed. The two others, namely, the old cloaths man and the sergeant,
were detained in prison until after the feast of Easter, when the old
cloaths man was given up to the provost, and executed on the eve of Low
Sunday.
On Good Friday of this year was much thunder and lightning, which
alarmed many persons, from the old saying, 'that none should say,
Alas! if thunder be not heard in March.'