permission, collected, at most, eight hundred men to see the Brabanters
decamp. They advanced so near as to be visible to all, although there
were some ditches between the two parties. The count de St Pol drew his
men in array, on the ascent of a mountain, namely, the gentlemen and
archers, and so did the english: and in the mean time some skirmishing
took place between the outposts of each, in which several were killed,
wounded and unhorsed, but in no great numbers. The two parties remained
thus for a considerable time in battle array, each waiting for the
other to depart first. While they were in this position, certain
intelligence was brought to the count de St Pol of the day of combat
having been fixed between the dukes of Burgundy and of Glocester, and
that all warfare was to cease until that was over.
On this being made public, and because evening was coming on, the
English marched away to the duke of Glocester in Soignies, and the
count de St Pol with his men to Halx and that neighbourhood, where they
kept a strict watch.
It is a truth that the greater part of the commonalty of Brabant, who
were in the count's army, had been panic-struck, and deserted in great
confusion, leaving suits of armour, without number, carts, cars and
all their warlike instruments dispersed over the fields, although they
were, as I said before, from thirty to forty thousand men, so that
very few remained with their commander and other captains, and it was
not their fault that they did not on that day receive much loss and
disgrace.
The town and castle of Guise was by treaty to have been surrendered
on the first day of March; but sir John de Luxembourg practised so
successfully with John de Proisy the governor, that they were yielded
up to him on the 26th of February, without waiting for the appointed
day. In like manner he gained possession of the fortress of Irechon.
He was, by this means, obeyed throughout the whole county of Guise, to
the great displeasure of Réné d'Anjou duke of Bar, to whom this county
belonged as its true lord. Those who had assembled to be present at the
surrender on the first of March, as well English as Picards, hearing
what had passed, returned to their quarters. Sir John de Luxembourg
gave liberty to the hostages, and passports for them to go whither they
pleased. He also appointed sir Daviod de Poix governor of Guise.
When the count Philip de St Pol and the Brabant-nobles were returned
to Brussels, and the Picards quartered on the borders of Hainault, the
duke of Glocester retreated with his duchess and army from Soignies to
Mons, where he met the countess-dowager of Hainault. Having conferred
with her and some of the nobility, it was determined that he and his
English should return to England, to prepare himself for the combat
that was to take place with the duke of Burgundy.
When he was on the point of his departure, his mother-in-law, the
countess of Hainault, and the nobles and deputies from the principal
towns, requested that he would leave the duchess Jacquiline, whom
he called his wife, and their lady behind. This he assented to, on
condition that they would solemnly swear to him that they would guard
and defend her against all who might attempt to injure her; and more
especially the burghers and inhabitants of Mons were to take this oath,
as she intended to reside within that town.
The duke and duchess of Glocester now separated with many tears and
lamentations; and he departed with from four to five thousand english
combatants for St Gillart, and thence to Yvins near Bohain, where he
lay the first night: he then continued his route by Vy, and after
some days arrived at Calais; but in all the countries through which
he passed he committed no waste, but paid for all his provision very
peaceably.
He carried with him to England Eleanor de Cobham, whom he had brought
with him as companion to the duchess Jacquiline, and was afterward
married to her.
Toward the end of this year king Charles sent ambassadors to the court
of Rome, the principal of whom was the bishop of Leon in Brittany, who
offered, in the king's name, his submission to pope Martin, the which
was very graciously received.
CHAP. XXXI.
POPE MARTIN SENDS HIS BULL TO DUKE JOHN OF BRABANT.--ITS CONTENTS.
In the beginning of this year, copies of a letter, in the manner of
a bull, from pope Martin to duke John of Brabant, were published
throughout the duke's dominions, the tenour of which was as follows:
'Martin, bishop, and servant to the servants of God, to our dear son
John duke of Brabant health and benediction. Whereas there has lately
come to our knowledge from persons worthy of belief what is very
displeasing to us, namely, that certain papers have been divulged and
publicly read, as coming from us, and in our name, by way of bull, in
divers parts of Hainault, and in the bishopricks of Utrecht, Liége
and Cambray, purporting (as it has been affirmed to us), that we have
confirmed the marriage-contract between our dear son Humphrey duke of
Glocester, and our dear daughter in Jesus Christ Jacquiline, a noble
lady and duchess of Bavaria; and that we have reprobated your marriage
with the said duchess, having judged it invalid.
'Now although such writings have never been issued by us, and have been
published to our great scandal and dishonour, we will that the suit
respecting this said marriage shall be determined according to the
decision of common law.
'And we notify to you, by these presents, that you bear not any
malice nor sorrow in your mind, but firmly hold that the papers thus
scandalously published do not come from us, but from wicked men not
having the fear of God before their eyes, who delight in novelties,
falsehoods and dissentions.
'We will also, that the movers and promoters of such scandal shall, for
the honour of us and of the apostolical chair, be punished in a manner
adequate to the heinousness of the crime they have committed. For this
reason, we have written to our venerable brethren the bishops of
Utrecht, Liége and Cambray, and to each of them, apostolical mandates,
directing them to read this our letter publicly from their pulpits to
the people, to undeceive them relative to the aforesaid scandalous
papers, to excommunicate all who shall henceforth read them in their
presence, or promulgate them, and also to confine them in their persons
until they shall receive further orders on this subject from us.
'Given at Rome, at the church of the holy Apostles, on the ides of
February, in the 8th year of our papacy.'
CHAP. XXXII.
AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE DUKE OF GLOCESTER, A WAR TAKES PLACE IN
HAINAULT.--THE DUCHESS JACQUILINE WRITES TO THE DUKE OF GLOCESTER FOR
ASSISTANCE.--THE CONTENTS OF HER LETTER.
Not long after the duke of Glocester had left Hainault, the men at
arms of duke John of Brabant and the Picards began an open and severe
warfare against the towns in that country under obedience to the duke
of Glocester, as well as on those belonging to the lords of his party,
by which the inhabitants were sorely oppressed and the country ruined.
To remedy these evils, the countess dowager of Hainault had many
conferences with the duke of Burgundy, her nephew, and with the
ambassadors from the duke of Brabant at Douay, Lille and Oudenarde,
when it was concluded that Hainault should be restored to the
government of the duke of Brabant, who was to promise a general amnesty
to the inhabitants. The duchess Jacquiline was also to be put under
the wardship of the duke of Burgundy, who was to receive a certain sum
of money for her establishment, and she was to remain under his guard
until the suit pending at the court of Rome should be determined.
While this treaty was negotiating, many of the principal towns revolted
from their lady, and placed themselves under the obedience of the dukes
of Burgundy and of Brabant, namely, Valenciennes, Condê, Bouchain and
some others, so that there remained to her scarcely more than the bare
town of Mons, which was nearly blockaded by her enemies, and very small
quantities of provision permitted to be carried into the town.
The inhabitants, seeing themselves in great danger, were much
exasperated against their lady, and told her plainly, that if she did
not make peace, they would deliver her into the hands of the duke of
Brabant: at the same time, they imprisoned many of her attendants, some
of whom they judicially put to death, as shall be hereafter told.
The duchess Jacquiline, greatly alarmed at this sudden change, and
fearing the worst, from what she had witnessed, and from what she had
heard from her lady mother, namely, that she was to be put under the
wardship of the duke of Burgundy, and carried to Flanders, sent letters
in haste, describing her situation, to the duke of Glocester; but these
letters were intercepted, and carried to the duke of Burgundy. Their
contents were as follow.
'My very dear and redoubted lord and father, in the most humble of
manners in this world, I recommend myself to your kind favour. May it
please you to know, my very redoubted lord and father, that I address
myself to your glorious power, as the most doleful, most ruined, and
most treacherously-deceived woman living; for, my very dear lord, on
Sunday the 13th of this present month of June, the deputies of your
town of Mons returned, and brought with them a treaty that had been
agreed on between our fair cousin of Burgundy and our fair cousin of
Brabant, which treaty had been made in the absence, and without the
knowledge of my mother, as she herself signifies to me, and confirmed
by her chaplain master Gerard le Grand.
'My mother, most redoubted lord, has written to me letters, certifying
the above treaty having been made; but that, in regard to it, she knew
not how to advise me, for that she was herself doubtful how to act.
She desired me, however, to call an assembly of the principal burghers
of Mons, and learn from them what aid and advice they were willing to
give me.
'Upon this, my sweet lord and father, I went on the morrow to the town
house, and remonstrated with them, that it had been at their request
and earnest entreaties that you had left me under their safeguard, and
on their oaths that they would be true and loyal subjects, and take
especial care of me, so that they should be enabled to give you good
accounts on your return,--and these oaths had been taken on the holy
sacrament at the altar, and on the sacred evangelists.
'To this my harangue, my dear and honoured lord, they simply replied
that they were not sufficiently strong within the town to defend and
guard me; and instantaneously they rose in tumult, saying that my
people wanted to murder them; and, my sweet lord, they carried matters
so far that, in despite of me, they arrested one of your sergeants,
called Maquart, whom they immediately beheaded, and hanged very many
who were of your party, and strongly attached to your interest, such
as Bardoul de la Porte, his brother Colart, Gilet de la Porte, Jean du
Bois, Guillaume de Leur, Sanson your sergeant, Pierre, Baron, Sandart,
Dandre and others, to the number of two hundred and fifty of your
adherents.
'They also wished to seize sir Baldwin the treasurer, sir Louis de
Montfort, Haulnere, Jean Fresne and Estienne d'Estre; but though they
did not succeed, I know not what they intend doing,--for my very dear
lord, they plainly told me, that unless I make peace, they will deliver
me into the hands of the duke of Brabant, and that I shall only remain
eight days longer in their town, when I shall be forced to go into
Flanders, which will be to me the most painful of events; for I very
much fear that unless you shall hasten to free me from the hands I am
now in, I shall never see you more.
'Alas! my most dear and redoubted father, my whole hope is in your
power, seeing, my sweet lord and only delight, that all my sufferings
arise from my love to you. I therefore entreat, in the most humble
manner possible, and for the love of God, that you would be pleased to
have compassion on me and on my affairs; for you must hasten to succour
your most doleful creature, if you do not wish to lose her for ever. I
have hopes that you will do as I beg, for, dear father, I have never
behaved ill to you in my whole life, and so long as I shall live I will
never do any thing to displease you, but I am ready to die for love of
you and your noble person.
'Your government pleases me much, and by my faith, my very redoubted
lord and prince, my sole consolation and hope, I beg you will consider,
by the love of God and of my lord St George, the melancholy situation
of myself and my affairs more maturely than you have hitherto done, for
you seem entirely to have forgotten me.
'Nothing more do I know at present than that I ought sooner have
sent sir Louis de Montfort to you; for he cannot longer remain here,
although he attended me when all the rest deserted me; and he will tell
you more particularly all that has happened than I can do in a letter.
I entreat, therefore, that you will be a kind lord to him, and send me
your good pleasure and commands, which I will most heartily obey. This
is known to the blessed Son of God, whom I pray to grant you a long and
happy life, and that I may have the great joy of seeing you soon.
'Written in the false and traitorous town of Mons, with a doleful
heart, the 6th day of June.' The signature below was, 'Your
sorrowful and well beloved daughter, suffering great grief by your
commands,--your daughter de Quienebourg.'
With the above was found another of the following tenour:
'Very dear and well-beloved cousin I commend myself to you. May it
please you to know, that at this present moment, I am grieved at heart
from having been wickedly and falsely betrayed, and am so overwhelmed
that I cannot write particulars; but if you will have the goodness to
make enquiries from our very dear and redoubted lord, he will tell you
more than you may wish to hear.
'I have nothing more to say, but that you retain in hand what you are
possessed of, in case my dear lord should come. With regard to what you
advise for me to cross the sea, it is now too late. Hasten as fast as
you can, with the greatest force you can raise, to deliver me from the
hands of the Flemings, for within eight days I shall be given up into
their power.
'Very dear and beloved cousin, I pray God to give you a long and happy
life. Written in this false and traitorous town of Mons, the 6th day of
June. Jacquiline de Quienebourg.'
It appears by the above letters, that the duchess was much afraid of
going to Flanders.
When the deputies of Mons were returned from their conference with the
dukes of Burgundy and of Brabant, it was known that many things had
been agreed on contrary to the interest of the countess-dowager of
Hainault, and of the duchess Jacquiline her daughter. And on the 13th
day of June, Jacqueline, having no means of resistance, departed from
the town of Mons accompanied by the prince of Orange, and other lords
commissioned for this purpose by the duke of Burgundy, who conducted
her to the town of Ghent, where she was lodged in, the ducal palace,
and had an establishment suitable to her rank.
Duke John of Brabant, according to the treaty, took on him the
government of Hainault, whence he ordered all the men at arms, and
published a general amnesty for all that had passed.
Thus did the inhabitants of Mons deliver their lady and legal princess
into the hands of the duke of Burgundy against her will, although they
had, a short time before, promised and sworn to the duke of Glocester
that they would guard and defend her against all who should attempt any
way to hurt her.
CHAP. XXXIII.
THE DUKES OF BEDFORD AND OF BURGUNDY MEET IN THE TOWN OF
DOURLENS.--OTHER MATTERS.
On the vigil of the feast of St Peter and St Paul, the duke of
Bedford, the regent, accompanied by his duchess, arrived in the town
of Corbie, escorted by about eight hundred horsemen. There were with
him the bishop of Therouenne, chancellor of France for king Henry, the
president of the parliament, and many other noblemen members of the
council.
Two days after, the duke of Burgundy came thither to see the regent and
his sister, when they gave each other a hearty welcome, particularly
on the part of the duke of Burgundy. Soon after, this duke went to
Luchen, where his cousin-german the count de St Pol resided; and on the
morrow, about four o'clock in the afternoon he returned to Dourlens
with the count de St Pol. He thence conducted the regent and his sister
to his castle of Hesdin, where he lodged them and their attendants, and
entertained them magnificently. They all remained there for six days,
passing the time joyously in feasting, drinking, dancing, hunting, and
in divers other amusements. At the end of six days the duke and duchess
of Bedford departed with their attendants, and went from Hesdin to
Abbeville, where they staid some time.
They thence went to Crotoy, where the duke d'Alençon was prisoner, whom
the regent sent for into his presence, and reasoned long to prevail
on him to take the oath of allegiance to king Henry of Lancaster, as
then he would be released from his confinement, and all his lands and
lordships restored to him, adding, that should he refuse to comply, he
would run much personal danger.
The duke d'Alençon replied, that he was firmly resolved never, during
his life, to take any oath contrary to his loyalty to king Charles of
France, his true and legal lord. On hearing this answer, the regent
ordered him from his presence into confinement, and then, passing
through the country of Caux, returned to Paris.
During the time the regent was at Hesdin, the bastard de St Pol and
Andrew de Humieres appeared there with silver rings on their right
arms, whereon was painted a sun with its rays. They had put them on as
a challenge to the English and their allies, maintaining that duke John
of Brabant had a more just right to the government and possession of
Hainault and the other territories of Jacquiline of Bavaria, his lady,
than the duke of Glocester.
The regent was at first desirous that these rings should be taken from
them by some of his men, for he had been given to understand that their
wearing them was owing to another quarrel, for which they wanted to
fight with the English; but, in the end, he was well satisfied with
them,--and nothing farther was done in the matter.
When the duke of Glocester was returned to London, he was sharply
reprimanded by the council, in presence of the young king Henry, on his
expedition into Hainault, and on the manner in which he had conducted
himself in regard to the duke of Burgundy, the most potent prince of
the blood-royal of France: he was much blamed,--because they said from
such conduct a coolness might arise between the king and the duke, the
alliances between them broken, and all their conquests in France lost.
The duke of Glocester was plainly told, that he would not, in this
business, have any aid of men or money from the king, which very much
dissatisfied him, but, at the moment, he could not remedy it.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE SULTAN OF EGYPT AND SARACENS DETERMINE TO CONQUER THE WHOLE
KINGDOM OF CYPRUS.
When the Saracens, whom we have before mentioned, left Cyprus, they
waited on the Sultan, and, as a sign of their victory, carried with
them the head and spurs of the knight whom they had slain with a lance.
They proclaimed throughout the town of Cairo that it was the head of
the brother to the king of Cyprus, Henry prince of Galilee,--but in
this they lied.
Nevertheless, the sultan and his courtiers were so much puffed up with
this victory, that they resolved to raise so large an army as should
destroy the whole kingdom of Cyprus. There was at this time in the town
of Damascus a great, powerful and rich Saracen, who was considered
throughout Syria as a saint: he was much reverenced by the sultan,
although a cordial friend to the king of Cyprus.
When this holy man heard of the destruction which the six saracen
gallies had done in Cyprus, he went to Cairo, and reproved and blamed
the sultan for having thus commenced a war, insomuch that the sultan
repented of what he had done, and consented that a peace should be
made. To accomplish this purpose the holy Saracen determined to send
his son to Cyprus to treat thereof; but, on his arrival in the island,
the king would not admit him to his presence, but sent his ministers
to inquire into his business. He would not explain the cause of his
coming to them, but said, if he could have a personal interview with
the king, he would engage that an honourable peace should be made with
the sultan. The ministers of the king of Cyprus remonstrated with him
on the folly of the sultan in beginning the war, because he would have
all Christendom against him. The Saracen replied, that the sultan was
perfectly well informed of the state of Christendom; that the king of
France, his most mortal enemy, had now so much on his hands that he no
way feared him.
After this conversation, he returned to his father in Damascus, and
related to him the reception he had met with in Cyprus, and that
the king would not even see or hear him. The holy man was so much
exasperated against the king of Cyprus, that he became, ever after,
his most mortal enemy, and was continually urging the sultan to make
war on Cyprus, declaring there could be no doubt but that he would be
victorious over his enemies.
CHAP. XXXV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MAKES GREAT PREPARATIONS TO COMBAT THE DUKE OF
GLOCESTER.--OTHER MATTERS.
The duke of Burgundy lost no time in making his preparations, as well
in armour as in housings for his horses, to be ready for the day of
combat with the duke of Glocester. The greater part of his armour he
had forged within his castle of Hesdin. He also exercised himself with
all diligence, and was very abstemious, the better to strengthen his
breath; for in truth he was very impatient for the arrival of the day,
that he might combat his enemy, as he well knew that his brother-in-law
the regent and his council were endeavouring, by all means, to procure
a reconciliation, and that measures for the same effect were pursuing
with the duke of Glocester in England.
In the mean time, the regent ordered the earl of Salisbury to besiege
the castle of Rambouillet, in the possession of king Charles's
partisans, who at times made excursions even to the gates of Paris, and
heavily oppressed the people. The castle held out some time, and then
surrendered to the earl, on condition that the garrison should carry
away their effects.
About the feast of St John Baptist, the people of Tournay again
rebelled, and gained the government of the town to rule it as it
had formerly been done by one named Passecarte, with another called
Blarie and others of low degree, who for their misconduct had been
banished the town. The populace, however, with displayed banners and
in arms, brought them back in triumph, and replaced them in their
situations contrary to the will of the higher ranks of burghers and the
magistrates, some of whom were imprisoned and in great danger of their
lives; but all was after some time appeased.
In this year, the sultan of Egypt required the aid of the king of Tunis
to carry on his war against Cyprus, which was granted him. He then
collected the largest possible force of armed vessels from all his
dependancies, which he victualled and filled with men, and sent them,
under the command of one of his admirals, to make a descent on Cyprus,
near to Famagousta, where, having effected a landing, they overran the
country and committed innumerable mischiefs.
At this period, the king of Cyprus lay dangerously ill; for which
reason, he appointed his brother, the prince of Galilee, captain and
commander in chief of his army. The prince collected the whole force of
Cyprus, and advanced to where the Saracens were to offer them combat;
but they, having intelligence of his motions, retreated to their
vessels.
The prince pursued them; but when near to them, he found that the
greater part of his vessels had deserted, which forced him to return to
Nicosia; and the Saracens relanded, behaving worse than they had done
before, so that the country was destroyed wherever they came.
After they had gorged themselves with plunder and rapine, they returned
to Syria with numbers of Christian prisoners. They carried off with
them a gentleman of high renown, called Ragonnet de Picul, who had
been taken in the large tower of Lymissa, and presented him to the
sultan for he had defended himself like a man of valour.