elegantly made, from which two small angels descended, by machinery,
right over the king as he passed, and placed a crown on his head; which
done, they re-ascended into the ship. In the street of St Denis was a
fountain that ran wine and hippocras for all who chose to drink. At
the corner of a street leading to the market was a butcher of Paris,
who, on seeing the duke of Burgundy, cried with a loud voice, 'Frank
and noble duke of Burgundy, you are welcome to Paris: it is a long time
since you have been here, although you have been much wished for.'
At the entrance of the Châtelet was a representation of the capture of
the castle of Dieppe from the English, which had been taken by king
Louis while dauphin. In other parts were pageants of the crucifixion
of our Lord, and of divers subjects from history. The streets were
so crowded with people that with difficulty the procession went
forward, although it had been proclaimed by sound of trumpet that no
one should be in those streets through which the king was to pass;
but the anxious desire thus to see all the nobility of France caused
the proclamation to be little regarded,--for the whole of the nobles
were there excepting king Réné of Sicily and his brother the count
du Maine, who were with the widowed queen their sister.--Neither the
duke of Brittany, the duke of Alençon, nor the count d'Armagnac were
present, for the late king had banished the two last his kingdom, and
confiscated their fortunes. However, soon after, namely, on the 18th
day of September, the duke d'Alençon came to the new king at Paris,
who received him most kindly, and granted him a free pardon: he then
waited on the duke of Burgundy, who gave him a very kind reception.
On the king's arrival at Paris, he went straight to the church of Nôtre
Dame, where he paid his devotions, and then took the usual oath which
the kings of France take on their first entrance into Paris,--and while
in the church, he created four new knights. He then remounted his
horse, and went to the palace, which had been highly ornamented for his
reception, where he held open court and supped: the peers of France,
and those of his blood, sat at the royal table. On the morrow, he fixed
his residence at the Tournelles.
The duke of Burgundy was lodged at his hôtel of Artois, which was hung
with the richest tapestries the Parisians had seen: and his table
was the most splendid any prince ever kept, so that all the world
went to see it, and marvelled at its magnificence. Even when he rode
through the streets or went to pay his devotions at church, crowds
followed to see him, because every day he wore some new dress or jewel
of price,--and he was always accompanied by seven or eight dukes or
counts, and twenty or thirty of his archers on foot, having in their
hands hunting spears or battle-axes.
In the dining hall of his hôtel was placed a square sideboard, with
four steps to each side, which, at dinner-time, was covered with
the richest gold and silver plate: at the corners were unicorns, so
handsome and finely done that they were surprising to behold. In this
garden was pitched a superb tent, covered on the outside with fine
velvet, embroidered with fusils in gold, and powdered over with gold
sparkles. The fusils were the arms of all his countries and lordships,
and were very richly worked. In short, whether the duke remained in his
hôtel or came abroad, every one pressed to see him, on account of his
noble appearance and great riches.
CHAP. XIV.
THE KING AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY TAKE LEAVE OF EACH OTHER, AND DEPART
FROM PARIS.--EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN DIVERS PARTS.
The king, during his stay at Paris, dismissed some of his officers
from their places, and nominated others to fill them. He then made
preparations to leave Paris, for Amboise, to visit the queen his
mother, who there resided. The day before his departure, he went to
the hôtel of Artois, to take leave of his uncle of Burgundy, who was
then sitting at dinner; but he rose from table the moment he heard
the king was coming, and went out far in the street, and, on meeting
him, knelt down to salute him. The king instantly dismounted, and they
walked together in the hôtel; and then, in the hearing of the whole
company, the king thanked the duke for all the honours and services
he had done him, acknowledging that he was indebted to him for every
thing he possessed,--for had it not been for his friendship, he would
not, perhaps, have been now alive. He then took leave of the duke,
and returned to the palace of the Tournelles,--and on the morrow,
the 24th of September, set out from Paris, escorted by the duke and
all the lords of his company, very far on the road, notwithstanding
they had taken leave of each other the preceding day. The king then
again thanked him for his friendship and services,--and the duke most
honourably offered him his life and fortune whenever called upon.
The king continued his road toward Amboise; and the duke returned to
Paris with his noble company, where he remained until the last day of
September, and then went to St Denis, staying there two days with his
niece the duchess of Orleans. He had a magnificent funeral service
performed in the church of St Denis, as well for the soul of the late
king Charles as for the souls of all the kings who had been there
interred, and from whom he was descended. He gave dinners and banquets
to the lords and ladies who had accompanied him thither from Paris.
From St Denis the duke returned by Compiègne, and the places of the
count de St Pol, who grandly feasted him, to the town of Cambray; for
the king of France, while at Paris, had made up the quarrel between
the count and the duke of Burgundy. Peace was also made between the
count de St Pol and the lord de Croy, who before hated each other
most mortally. At length, the duke arrived at his city of Brussels in
Brabant.
His son the count de Charolois took his leave at St Denis, and, with
the duke's approbation, went into Burgundy, where he was grandly
feasted, for he had never before been in that country, having been
brought up in the town of Ghent. Before he left Burgundy, he went to
visit the shrine of St Claude[22], on the confines of that country,
and thence took the road to wait on the king at Tours.
In this year, the summer was very fine and dry: the wines and corn were
good, and the last very cheap. However after August, there were many
fevers and other disorders, which, although not mortal, lasted a long
time.
About the feast of St Remy, all the gabelles and taxes throughout the
realm were proclaimed to be let to the highest bidder. It happened
that the populace in Rheims rose against those who had taken them, and
killed several; they then seized their books and papers, wherein their
engagements were written, and burnt them in the open streets. The king
on hearing this, ordered thither a large body of troops, who, dressing
themselves as labourers, entered the gates by two and three at a time,
so that, soon being assembled in sufficient force, they threw open the
gates for the remainder of the army, under the command of the lord de
Moy, who instantly arrested from four score to a hundred of those who
were the most guilty of this outrage, and had them beheaded,--which so
intimidated the rest that they dared not longer oppose the will of the
king.
In this year died at Bordeaux, Poton de Saintrailles, seneschal of
the Bordelois, who had been in his time wise, prudent, and valiant in
arms, and together with another great captain, called La Hire, who died
before him, had aided the late king Charles so ably and gallantly, to
reconquer his kingdom from the English, that it was said his success
was more owing to them than to any others in his realm.
On the 11th of October, in this year the church and town of Encre[23]
were almost entirely destroyed by fire in less than half an hour, which
was a sad misfortune to the poor inhabitants.
Between September and the 1st of November, marvellous signs were seen
in the air like to lighted torches, four fathoms long and a foot
thick, where they remained fixed for half a quarter of an hour,--and
they were thus seen at two different times. Some said they had observed
in the night the appearance of battles in the air, and had heard great
noises and reports.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 22: St Claude, or St Oyen,--a city in Franche-comté: it owes
its origin to a celebrated abbey, founded in the fifth century, so
called after St Claude archbishop of Besançon.]
[Footnote 23: Encre. Q. Ancre or Abbert? a town in Picardy, seven
leagues from Peronne.]
CHAP. XV.
THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS WAITS ON THE KING OF FRANCE AT TOURS, WHERE
HE IS MAGNIFICENTLY ENTERTAINED.--HE LOSES HIMSELF WHILE AT THE
CHASE.--HE RETURNS TO ARTOIS THROUGH NORMANDY, OF WHICH THE KING HAD
MADE HIM HIS LIEUTENANT.
After the count de Charolois had performed his pilgrimage to Saint
Claude, he took the road to Tours, where king Louis resided at that
time. The count was accompanied by a number of great lords and nobles,
and about three hundred and fifty horsemen.
When the king knew that he was near to Tours, he sent out to meet him
the greatest lords of his household, who gave him a joyful reception,
and, by the king's commands, led him to dismount at the palace, where
he was met by the king and received most honourably by him and his
whole court. The king took him for his amusement to all the handsome
places around,--and he was grandly feasted at each of them. The king
one day took him to hunt a red deer, which showed much sport, but ran
so long, the count pursuing him, that when night came, he knew not
where he was, and had but four other persons with him. They, however,
proceeded, although it was dark night, until they stumbled on a good
inn, wherein they were lodged.
The king, on his return from the chase, not hearing any thing of the
count, no one being able to give him the least intelligence what
was become of him, was exceedingly vexed and alarmed, and instantly
dispatched people to all the adjacent villages, and had lighted torches
fixed to the church steeples, that, should the count see them, he
might find his road back again to Tours: those who were sent into the
forests carried lighted brands or torches.
The king was so troubled, for fear of some accident happening to the
count, that he swore he would not drink until he should hear something
of him. In the mean time, the count, doubting that the king would be
uneasy at his absence, and learning from his host that he was but
two leagues from Tours, wrote him an account where he was by one his
servants, whom he sent under the guidance of a peasant, and desired him
not to be uneasy at his absence, for that he had only lost his way. The
king, on the receipt of this letter, was much rejoiced and sent for him
very early the next morning.
The duke of Somerset was at this time with the king of France, having
been banished England by king Edward, whose enemy he was, and against
whom he had made war, in support of queen Margaret's quarrel. He had
fled to France to take refuge under king Charles, but, on his arrival,
had found him dead. He had been arrested by the officers of the new
king, and carried to his hôtel; but at the request of the count de
Charolois, the king gave him not only his liberty but handsome presents
of gold and silver, for he was a great favourite with the count,
because he was his relative, and also because he preferred the party
of king Henry to that of king Edward, although he knew well that his
father the duke of Burgundy, was of a contrary way of thinking. The
duke of Somerset was desirous of retiring into Scotland; but as he
was informed that king Edward had put spies to watch his conduct, he
withdrew to Bruges, where he remained in private a considerable time.
The count de Charolois, having staid nearly a month with the king, was
desirous to take his leave, which the king granted, together with an
annual pension of thirty-six thousand francs, and appointed him his
lieutenant general of Normandy. The count returned by Blois, where he
was handsomely entertained by the duke of Orleans, and thence proceeded
through Normandy. He was met by processions from all the principal
towns through which he passed, and received as many honours as if he
had been the king himself,--for the king had so ordered, by commands
which he had sent to the different towns. At Rouen, in particular,
he was magnificently received. He passed through Abbeville and Hêdin
without stopping any where, until he came to Aire, where his countess
was: from Aire he soon after departed, to wait on his father the duke
of Burgundy then at Brussels.
About this time, John bishop of Arras, through the instigation of
the pope, prevailed on the king of France to abolish the pragmatic
sanction[24], which had been established in France for upward of
thirty years. In return for having done this, the pope sent him the red
hat, and made him a cardinal, under title of Cardinal of Arras. While
this pragmatic sanction was in force, the benefices of the kingdom
were disposed of at the nomination of the universities, whence arose
innumerable law suits,--and this practice was greatly prejudicial to
the court of Rome.
At this period died Flocquet, one of the king's commanders, valiant
and subtile in war. By his subtilty he won Pont de l'Arche from the
English, and was the first cause of the total loss of Normandy to the
English.
At this time also died master Nicholas Raullin, at Autun in Burgundy.
He had first been an advocate in the parliament, then chancellor
to duke Philip, whom he governed very wisely in many difficult
affairs during the whole time he held this office, and was a great
favourite with the duke; but while he managed his lord's business
so well, he was not neglectful of his own,--for he acquired, during
his service, upwards of forty thousand francs of landed revenue and
many lordships,--so that his sons were rich and great lords, and his
daughters married very nobly.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 24: The title of the Pragmatic Sanction was given to an
assembly of the French clergy at Bourges, called by Charles VII. where
in the presence of the princes of the blood, and of the chief nobility
of the kingdom the canons of the council of Basil were examined and
being found, for the most part, to be very wise and just, and perfectly
calculated to extinguish the capital grievances that had been so long
complained of, they were compiled into a law for the benefit of the
gallican church. The power of nominating to ecclesiastical dignities
was taken from the see of Rome; and those branches of the papal
prerogatives which were not abolished were so curtailed as to be less
injurious to the people and detrimental to the monarchy.]
CHAP. XVI.
DUKE PHILIP OF BURGUNDY DANGEROUSLY ILL, BUT RECOVERS.--OTHER MATTERS
WHICH HAPPENED AT THIS PERIOD.
About Candlemas, in this year 1461, the duke of Burgundy was taken
so dangerously ill, in the city of Brussels, that the physicians
despaired of his life; and the duke, in consequence, sent in haste
to his son, then at Quesnoy, who instantly came to him. The count de
Charolois, seeing the duke in so great danger, issued orders throughout
his father's dominions for the priests and monks of all churches and
abbeys to offer up ardent and devout prayers to God, that he would be
pleased to restore his father to health. Processions were, therefore,
made, and prayers offered up with so much affection that God, full of
pity and mercy, restored the duke to health,--for he was beloved by his
subjects as much as prince ever was.
His son the count de Charolois, who had no legitimate children, showed
his affection in another manner; for he never quitted his bedside,
and was always at hand to administer to him whatever was prescribed
in his illness. He was three or four nights and days without taking
any rest, which rather displeased his father,--and he ordered him
frequently to take some repose, because it was better to lose one than
both. In short, the prayers for the good duke were so effectual, and
his physicians so attentive, that he recovered his health, excepting
a debility that always remained, which inclines to a belief that, had
it not been for the prayers of some religious and good persons, he had
never recovered.
At this time, died the lady of Ravenstein, niece to the duchess of
Burgundy,--a very good lady, devout and charitable, and much regretted
by all who knew her.
About the beginning of March, the lady of Bar, wife to the count of St
Pol, deceased. She left her husband four sons and several daughters.
Her eldest son, Louis de Luxembourg, succeeded to the earldom of
Marle, the second to that of Brienne, and the third to the lordship of
Roussy.--She was a very noble lady, and of high birth.
At this time also died, in Abbeville, a very renowned knight in arms,
called sir Gauvain Quieret, the most adventurous of all his fraternity
in war, and much beloved by his men.
In this year, the duchess of Orleans, niece to the duke of Burgundy,
was brought to bed of a fine boy, to whom the king of France stood
godfather, and gave him his name of Louis. The queen of England, wife
to king Henry, was the godmother, who had come to require aid from her
cousin-german, the king, against king Edward, who had deprived her
husband of his crown.
At this time, and three or four years prior to it, all sorts of crimes
were committed in the country of Artois with impunity,--such as
robberies, thefts, violating of women, even in the great towns, and
often under the eyes of officers of justice, who took no notice of the
criminals, except, indeed, of some poor persons unacknowledged by any
great lord! These crimes were committed in a greater degree within
the city of Arras, the capital of Artois, than elsewhere, which was a
shocking and infamous example to all the other parts of that country.
CHAP. XVII.
A MORE PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE FUNERAL SERVICES PERFORMED AT PARIS
AND ST DENIS, ON THE DEATH OF KING CHARLES VII. OF FRANCE.
On Magdalen-day, in the year 1461, as I have before mentioned, died
king Charles VII. of France, at the castle of Mehun sur Yevre, whose
soul may God pardon and receive in mercy!
On the following Tuesday, a solemn funeral service was performed for
him in the church of St Denis, such as has been usually performed
yearly for Louis le gros, formerly king of France.
On the Wednesday, the 5th of August, the body of the said king was
brought, at ten o'clock at night, to Paris, but left, without the
walls, in the church of Nôtre Dame des Champs. Four lords of the court
of parliament held the four corners of the pall, clothed in scarlet
mantles: many other lords also supported the pall, dressed in crimson
robes.
The body was, on the morrow, put on a litter covered with a very
rich cloth of gold, and borne by six score salt porters. The duke of
Orleans, the count of Angoulême, the count of Eu, and the count of
Dunois, were the principal mourners, all four on horseback. They were
followed by the car which had brought the body from Mehun, having a
black velvet pall thrown across it, which was covered with a white
cross of very rich figured velvet. This car was drawn by five horses
with trappings of black figured velvet that reached to the ground, and
covered them so completely that their eyes only were to be seen. After
the car came six pages in black velvet, with hoods of the same, mounted
on horses with trappings similar to those of the car. Before the body
was the patriarch, then bishop of Avranches, who performed the services
at Nôtre Dame and at St Denis, as shall be mentioned hereafter. The
clergy of Nôtre Dame, and of all the other parishes of Paris, led the
procession; then came the rector of the university, followed by the
members of the chamber of accounts dressed in black; then those of the
court of requests, the provost of Paris, the court of the Châtelet, and
the burghers of Paris, in regular order. In the front of all were the
four orders of mendicant monks. The whole was closed by an innumerable
quantity of people from Paris and other parts.
There were two hundred wax tapers, of four pounds weight each, borne
by two hundred men dressed in black. The church of Nôtre Dame was hung
with black silk, besprinkled with flowers de luce.
The body of the king was placed in the middle of the choir, when a
service for the dead was performed, and the vigils chaunted. On the
morrow, Friday, the 7th day of August, mass was celebrated by the
patriarch; and about three o'clock in the afternoon of that day,
the lords before named attended the body, which was carried to La
Croix-ou-Fiens, which is between La Chappelle-St-Denis and where the
Lendit-fair is holden, when a desperate quarrel arose about carrying
the body to the church, and it remained there a long time; at length
the burghers of St Denis took up the bier as it was, and wanted to
carry the body to Saint Denis, because the salt-porters had left it on
the road, by reason of a refusal to pay them the sum of ten livres,
which they demanded. The master of the horse to the king having
promised payment of this sum, they carried the body into the choir of
the church of St Denis,--but it was eight o'clock before it arrived
there. At this hour, vespers for the dead only were chaunted for
the king, and on the morrow, at six in the morning, matins, namely,
_Dirige_, &c.
There were present at St Denis the duke and duchess of Orleans,
the counts of Angoulême and of Dunois, the lords de Brosses and de
Château-brun, the master of the horse, the bishop of Paris, the
court of parliament, the bishop of Bayeux. The bishops of Troyes and
of Chartres performed the service, and the bishop of Orleans the
office. The bishops of Angers, of Beziers, of Senlis, of Meaux, the
abbots of St Germain, of St Magloire, of St Estienne de Dijon, of St
Victor, attended the mass,--but only one grand mass was celebrated
for the king; after which, the body was interred in the chapel of his
grandfather, between the body of the latter and that of his father.
The choir of the church was all hung with black velvet,--and there
was a most sumptuous catafalque in the center of the choir, under
which was placed the body of the late king, surrounded with as many
wax tapers as it could hold. The corpse was in a cyprus-wood coffin,
inclosed in another of lead, and then in another of common wood,
having a representation of the said king lying between two sheets on
a mattress on the pall. This figure was dressed in a tunic and mantle
of velvet, embroidered with flowers de luce, lined with ermine, holding
in one hand a sceptre of the hand of Justice, and in the other a larger
sceptre: it had a crown on the head, under which was a pillow of velvet.
The king's officers had borne a canopy over the coffin, on eight
lances, as far as the Croix-ou-Fiens, where they were met by eight
of the benedictine monks from St Denis, who would have taken their
places; but the equerry refused to allow it, as he said that it was
not customary,--for that the canopy was only borne over the body when
passing through towns, but not when in the open country.
When the body arrived at the gate of the town of St Denis, it was set
down, when three prayers were chaunted over it, as was done at every
place where they halted, and then the canopy was given up to the monks,
who bore it over the body, but in such wise that every one could
plainly see the figure on the coffin.
After the interment, a serious quarrel arose between the master of the
horse and the monks of the abbey, respecting the pall that was under
the representation of the king, which the master of the horse claimed
as his fee; when at last the pall was deposited in the hands of the
count de Dunois and the chancellor of France,--when it was determined
by them, that the pall, which was of very magnificent cloth of gold and
crimson, should remain in the abbey of St Denis, it being declared on
behalf of the grand master, that whatever claim he might have to it he
gave up to the church of St Denis.
The canopy, with the velvet, wax, and every thing else remained to the
church, without any dispute, excepting the velvet and white cross which
covered the car: these were carried away.
The count de Dunois and the grand master visited all the chapels
wherein were interred any bodies of saints, and presented to each
velvet and satin sufficient to cover two altars from top to bottom.
In the middle of the high mass, was a sermon preached by master Thomas
de Courcelles, doctor in divinity,--at which all the people bewailed
and prayed for the defunct, who was then styled, 'Charles, the Seventh
of the Name, most Victorious King of France.'
When the body was let down into the vault, the heralds shouted,
'Long live king Louis! May God have mercy on the soul of Charles the
Victorious!' Then the ushers and sergeants broke their rods, and threw
them into the grave.