THE DEATHS OF THE LADY JANE OF FRANCE, DUCHESS OF BOURBON, AND OF THE
COUNTESS OF FLANDERS,--AND ALSO OF SEVERAL PERSONS AT PARIS.--EVENTS
THAT HAPPENED THERE.--THE KING RETURNS FROM HIS PILGRIMAGE TO ST
CLAUDE, TO NÔTRE DAME OF CLERY, AND TO OTHER PLACES.--AMBASSADORS
ARRIVE FROM FLANDERS.--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE TOWN OF AIRE.--OF THE
ASSASSINATION OF THE LORD LOUIS OF BOURBON, BISHOP OF LIEGE.--OTHER
EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THE ABOVE YEAR.
On Thursday the 4th of May, between four and five in the afternoon,
that noble example of good morals and virtue, the lady Jane of France,
wife to John duke of the Bourbonnois and Auvergne, departed this life,
in her castle of Moulins in the Bourbonnois, in consequence of a fever
which the art of medicine could not subdue. She was buried in the
church of our Lady at that town, and was greatly lamented by her lord,
her servants, and indeed by all in France who were any way acquainted
with her virtues and the many excellent qualities she was endowed with.
Some little time prior to this event died the countess of Flanders and
of Artois, sole child to the late Charles duke of Burgundy, wife to
the duke of Austria, and niece to the duke of Bourbon. She left issue
two children, a son and a daughter, who remained at Ghent under the
guardianship of the Flemings.
In this same year of 1482, many noble persons of both sexes died
of fevers and other incurable disorders. In the number were the
archbishops of Narbonne and Bourges, the bishop of Lisieux, master
John le Boulenger, first president of the parliament, sir Charles de
Gaucourt, lieutenant for the king in the town of Paris, who was much
regretted,--for he was a handsome frank knight, a prudent man and
very learned. Several counsellors and advocates of the parliament
died also: among others, master Nicolle Bataille, who was said to be
the greatest lawyer in all France, a good and pleasant companion,
and was, not without reason, much lamented. It was said that he died
of indignation and grief at the conduct of his wife the daughter of
the late master Nicolle Erlaut, who had been treasurer of Dauphiny.
Notwithstanding that she had enjoyed all possible pleasure with her
husband, had brought him twelve children, and he was not more than
forty-four years of age when he died, yet she conducted herself most
wantonly, and like a common strumpet, with several rakish fellows
during her marriage. In the number, she was particularly attached to
a young lad called Regnault la Pie, son to a woman who sold sea-fish
in the Paris-market. He had been formerly in great confidence with the
king, as his valet de chambre, but had been dismissed for some faults
and irregularities, of which Olivier le Diable, called Le Daim, his
companion, and barber to the king, had accused him.
This woman became passionately fond of him, and for his support sold
or pawned her jewels, and the plate of her husband,--and even robbed
her husband of money to give to her lover. Of all this, the husband was
informed: and anger and grief thereat caused his death, which was a
great loss. May his soul rest in repose in the kingdom of Heaven!
The king returned from St Claude to the abbey of our Lady at Clery very
ill. He performed nine days devotion there; and by the grace of the
blessed Virgin, in whom he had singular faith, he went away greatly
recovered and eased of his complaints. During his stay at Clery, there
was great mortality in his household: among others, died a doctor of
divinity, whom he had lately appointed his counsellor and almoner: he
was the son of a butcher, a native of Tours, and his name was doctor
Martin Magistri. The king on leaving Clery went to Mehun sur Loire,
and to St Laurens des Eaux, and remained thereabouts until the middle
of August, when he returned to Clery to celebrate the feast of the
Virgin. While at Clery, an handsome embassy came to him from Flanders,
who explained to his ministers that the cause of their coming was to
endeavour to obtain a conference to be holden,--for that the sole wish
of the country of Flanders was to have a lasting peace with the king.
These ambassadors were well received by him,--and he gave such answers
as satisfied them. On their return to Flanders, they were, by the
king's orders, conducted by the lord de St Pierre to Paris, and well
feasted by the provost of marchands and sheriffs: thence they set out
for Ghent, and the other towns in Flanders whence they had come.
After the return of the Flemish ambassadors, the king ordered the
troops that were in garrison in Picardy to take the field under the
command of the lord des Cordes. This army made a fine appearance,
consisting of fourteen hundred well furnished lances, six thousand
Swiss, and eight thousand pikes. They marched triumphantly, but without
noise, to lay siege to the town of Aire, which is a considerable place
between St Omer and Therouenne, and was garrisoned by a party from the
duke of Austria. The French soon opened their batteries and frightened
the inhabitants; but some of the captains of the garrison, having a
good understanding with the lord des Cordes, concluded a capitulation
for the surrender of the place to him. It was managed by a knight
called the lord des Contrans[101], who was of Picardy, and governor of
the town for the duke of Austria. On his surrendering the place, he
took the oaths of allegiance to serve the king faithfully,--and the
king, as a recompence, gave him the command of a hundred lances. He
also received thirty thousand golden crowns in ready money.
In the months of August and September of this year, sir William de
la Mark, surnamed the Wild Boar of the Ardennes, conspired to levy
a bloody war against that noble prince, and reverend father in God,
the lord Louis de Bourbon, bishop of Liege, by whom he had been
brought up and educated. His object was to assassinate the bishop,
that his brother might succeed him in the bishoprick. To assist him
in his abominable enterprise, the king of France supplied him with
men; and he collected in and about Paris a body of three thousand
good-for-nothing fellows, whom he clothed in scarlet jackets, having
on their left sleeve the figure of a boar's head. They were lightly
armed; and in this state he led them into the country of Liege, where,
on his arrival, having intelligence with some traitors in the city, he
urged them to excite the bishop to march out of the town, that he might
accomplish his ends on him.
Under pretence, therefore, of attachment to his person, they advised
him strongly to march against the enemy at the gates, and assured him
that they would all follow him in arms, and support and defend him to
the last drop of their blood, and there was not the smallest doubt but
the wild boar would be defeated with disgrace. The bishop complied
with their advice, sallied cut of Liege, and advanced to where La Mark
was posted. La Mark, observing this, quitted his ambush, and marched
strait to the bishop; and the traitors of Liege, now finding their
bishop in the hands of his enemy, fled back to their town without
striking a blow. The bishop was greatly dismayed at this,--for he had
now no one with him but his servants and vassals, while La Mark came
up to him, and without saying a word, gave him a severe cut across the
face, and then killed him with his own hand. This done, La Mark had
the body stripped and placed naked in front of the cathedral church of
St Lambert in Liege, where he was shown dead to all the inhabitants
who wished to see him. Almost immediately after his death, the duke of
Austria, the prince of Orange, and the count de Romont arrived with
troops to succour him; but on hearing of his unfortunate fate, they
marched away without doing any thing.