THE KING OF FRANCE RECEIVES INTELLIGENCE OF THE VICTORY OF KING EDWARD
AND THE DEFEAT OF KING HENRY'S ARMY.--THE KING AND THE DUKE OF GUIENNE
COME TO PARIS, AND THENCE GO TO ORLEANS, WHERE THE PRINCE OF PIEDMONT
DIES.--OF THE DEATH OF THE COUNT D'EU.--THE DUKE OF GUIENNE AND THE
COUNT D'ARMAGNAC FORM AN ALLIANCE.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE
COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
At this time, there were great dissensions in England between Henry
of Lancaster, king of that country, his son the prince of Wales, the
earl of Warwick, and other nobles of that party, against Edward earl
of March, who had usurped the throne. A civil war ensued, which was
very bloody and murderous on both sides. This warfare lasted until
the month of June in this year, when news was brought to the king of
France, at Ham, that Edward had landed in England, with a large army of
English, Easterlings, Flemings, Picards, and of other nations, which
the duke of Burgundy had sent to his aid, and was on his march to meet
the powers of Henry, Warwick, and the other lords of the lancastrian
party: that several engagements had taken place, in which many were
killed on each side,--but that victory had remained with Edward, as at
well from treachery on the part of some of Henry's army as from other
causes; that the prince of Wales was slain, which was a pity, for he
was a very promising and handsome prince; that Warwick was dead,--which
was a great loss, as he was singularly disposed to serve the king and
his realm, and the king had been at a very considerable expense in
supporting him while in France, and in conveying him back to England.
This intelligence was, therefore, most disagreeable to the king.
Having received this bad news, the king departed from Ham, taking with
him the duke of Guienne, the count de Dammartin, the president of his
chamber of accounts, and several others, to Paris,--where, however, he
made no long stay. While he was there, many feasts were given,--and the
king himself kindled the bonfire in the place of the Greve, on St John
Baptist's day. On leaving Paris, he went to Orleans, where the prince
of Piedmont fell so dangerously ill that he died. The king, after this,
went to visit the queen and the dauphin at Amboise, and thence to Tours.
The king was much displeased at the defamatory epigrams and libels that
had been published against the constable and others; and for the better
discovery of their authors, he had it proclaimed throughout Paris, by
sound of trumpet, that all persons who had any knowledge of them should
instantly appear and give information thereof to commissioners named
for this purpose, who would pay three hundred golden crowns to each
informer; and that such as should have any knowledge of the authors,
and fail to inform against them, would have their heads cut off. A
young scholar of Paris, called Pierre le Mercier, son to a spectacle
maker in the palace, was confined on suspicion of having written them,
but soon after set at liberty, nothing being proved against him. Master
Henry Mariette, who had been lieutenant-criminal in the provost's
court, was also confined, as well for these libels as for certain words
he had used (as was said) against master John Ladriesche, treasurer of
France, but was afterward delivered from the prison of the Conciergerie
by the court of parliament.
In the month of July died the count d'Eu. It was a pity: for he was
a noble, wise, and good lord, who had ever served the king most
loyally, to the utmost of his power. The county of Eu reverted to
the crown,--and the king gave it to the constable, to the great
disappointment of the count de Nevers, the count d'Eu's brother, who
expected to have this county after his brother's decease, with his
other lands, as being his legal heir.
From the month of July to Christmas, nothing particular happened
in France, except that there was frequent intercourse between the
ambassadors of the king and those of the duke of Burgundy, to establish
a permanent peace. This year, the mortality was very great throughout
the kingdom from a severe flux, which carried off numbers of persons of
distinction in Paris and elsewhere.
The duke of Guienne returned in the course of this year, after he had
come back from Picardy to his duchy, discontented with the court. He
sent for the count d'Armagnac, who was an exile, and whose estates the
king had given to his brother; and on the count d'Armagnac's coming to
him, he restored the greater part of them to him, contrary to the will
or inclination of the king. The count d'Armagnac, being joined by the
count de Foix, made preparations to carry on a war against France. The
king, to prevent any damage being done to his realm, dispatched a large
body of franc-archers, artillery, and five hundred lances' to the
borders of Guienne, where they were posted some time.
In the mean time, news arrived that the duke of Guienne was dead at
Bordeaux,--but it was unfounded. Divers negotiations now took place
respecting the truce which expired on the 4th of May; and on the 1st of
that month the lord de Craon, master Pierre d'Oriole, and others, were
employed on that business.