where was an open table for all comers. When dinner was ended, the
count de Dunois and de Longueville arose, and said with a loud voice,
that he and the other servants had lost their master, and that every
one must now provide for himself. This speech made every one sorrowful,
and not without cause, more especially the pages, who wept bitterly.
[A.D. 1462.]
CHAP. XVIII.
THE DISGRACEFUL DEATH OF JOHN COUSTAIN, MASTER OF THE WARDROBE TO DUKE
PHILIP OF BURGUNDY.--THE CAUSE OF IT.--THE DEATH OF HIS ACCUSER.
On Sunday, the feast of St James and St Christopher, in the month of
July, in the year 1462, John Coustain, master of the wardrobe to the
noble duke Philip of Burgundy, was arrested and carried prisoner to
Rupelmonde, for having intended to poison the count de Charolois,--with
which crime he was charged by a poor gentleman from Burgundy, called
John d'Juy. The said Coustain had bargained with him, for a large sum
of money, to go into Piedmont, and buy for him some poison, and had
told him the use he intended to make of it.
When this John d'Juy was returned from Piedmont to Brussels with the
poison, he demanded payment as had been agreed on; but Coustain not
only refused to give him the money but abused him, in most coarse
language,--for this Coustain had not his equal in pride and wickedness.
John d'Juy, discontented at such treatment, made his complaints to
another gentleman of Burgundy, called Arquembart, and discovered to him
the plot. Arquembart, much alarmed, advised him to reveal the whole of
it to the count de Charolois, saying, that if he did not instantly do
so, he would go and tell it himself.
John d'Juy, without further delay, waited on the count, and, casting
himself on his knees, humbly besought him to pardon the wickedness
he was about to reveal to him, and then told him the whole truth of
the intentions of John Coustain. The count was much astonished and
troubled, and, hastening to his father the duke, told him all he had
just heard, and demanded justice on John Coustain for his disloyalty
and treason. The duke said, he should have instant justice,--on which
the count returned to his apartments, and ordered John d'Juy to go and
surrender himself a prisoner at Rupelmonde, and wait for him there, as
he would speedily follow him.
On the morrow, which was the feast of St James, as I have said, as
the duke was ordering the lord d'Auxi and Philip de Crevecoeur to
carry John Coustain prisoner to Rupelmonde, he was playing and amusing
himself in the duke's park: the duke called to him, and said that he
wished he would go to Rupelmonde, with the lord d'Auxi, to answer a
gentleman who had made heavy charges against his honour. Coustain
answered insolently, according to his custom, that he did not fear
any man on earth, and went to boot himself, and mount a fine horse,
attended by four others. In this state, he went to the hôtel of the
lord d'Auxi, whom he found mounted, together with Philip de Crevecoeur,
and fifteen or sixteen of the duke's archers.
When Coustain saw so many archers, he began to fear the consequences:
nevertheless, they all rode together through the town of Brussels,--but
when they came into the open country, the lord d'Auxi made John
Coustain dismount from His war-horse, and mount a small hackney that
he rode, which alarmed Coustain more than before; and instantly the
lord d'Auxi put his hand on his shoulder, and declared him prisoner to
the duke, and then pushed forward, without any stopping, until they
came to Rupelmonde. They were scarcely arrived before the count de
Charolois came, and took possession of the tower in which John Coustain
was confined.
Shortly after, Anthony bastard of Burgundy, the bishop of Tournay, the
lord de Croy, and the lord de Goux came thither. No one spoke to John
Coustain but the above, and in the hearing of the count de Charolois.
When they were assembled, John d'Juy was ordered before them, and
related, in the presence of John Coustain, how he had bargained with
him to purchase poisons, which he had brought to him,--after which, he
had refused to pay him the sum agreed on for so doing. To confirm what
he had said, he produced, not one, but many letters to this purpose,
written and signed by Coustain.
Notwithstanding these proofs, Coustain denied the whole of the charge,
and loaded d'Juy with many reproaches. At length, however, without
being tortured, he acknowledged that all was true,--and added, that he
himself had been twice in Piedmont since Christmas in the year 1461, to
procure poisons, but without success. For that purpose, he had indeed
bargained with John d'Juy as he had said, but added, at first, that it
was not to poison the count de Charolois, but in order that the count
might have him in his good graces, and not deprive him of his place,
or of any thing appertaining to him, should the duke chance to die: at
last, he owned that the poisons were intended for the count, and that
he had proposed to give them at a banquet, which would take place about
the middle of August,--which poisons being taken, he would not live
longer than twelve months afterward.
When John Coustain had made this confession, he was taken, on the
Friday following, to the highest tower of the castle to be beheaded;
and while there, he earnestly begged that he might say a few words in
private to the count, who, on being informed of it, consented,--and he
was some time in conversation with the prisoner alone. None of those
present heard what was said; but they saw the count cross himself at
almost every word Coustain told him, which caused it to be supposed
that he was accusing others in the hope of lessening his own crimes. He
entreated the count that his body might not be quartered, but buried
in consecrated ground. After this conversation, he was immediately
beheaded.
John d'Juy was then called; and the count asked him whether, if
Coustain had kept his promise of payment, he would have informed
against him. On his replying, that he would not, the count ordered him
to be beheaded also.
The fortune of the said Coustain, amounting to more than three hundred
thousand francs in the whole, was declared confiscated to the duke;
but he, out of his noble and benign nature, gave them back again to
the widow and her children. It was afterward commonly reported, that
this Coustain had poisoned the good lady of Ravenstein, because she had
blamed his wife for her pomp and extravagance, which was equal to that
of a princess.
CHAP. XIX.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY CAUSES A NUMBER OF ROGUES AND VAGABONDS TO BE
EXECUTED IN HIS COUNTRY OF ARTOIS.--THE DEATH OF THE ABBOT OF ST VAAST
AT ARRAS.--OTHER EVENTS.--TAUNTING REPLIES MADE BY THE LORD DE CHIMAY
TO THE KING OF FRANCE.
The duke of Burgundy was at length informed of the mischiefs that were
doing in his country of Artois by the dependants of different lords,
whom the bailiffs, and other officers of the duke, were afraid to
arrest or punish, lest they should be ill treated themselves.
In consequence of this, the bailiffs of Amiens, of the Cambresis,
and of Orchies, entered the town of Arras as secretly as they could,
by two and three at a time, having with them about fifty horse of
the body-guard of the count d'Estampes, governor of Picardy, and
took possession of different inns. They showed their orders from
the duke, which commanded them to arrest and execute all those who
had acted so criminally, to whatever lord they might belong, even
were they dependants of those of his blood. It is, therefore, to be
believed, that had the good prince earlier received information of
their wickedness, he would sooner have provided a remedy; but he was
surrounded by some who wished not that the truth should come to his
ears.
When the above-mentioned bailiffs were come to Arras, they sallied out
in the night to the places where they expected to meet these rogues;
some they arrested, but many fled and hid themselves. They then
advanced into the country, and laid hands on several of bad fame, whom
they hanged on the trees by the road side, and this time performed a
good exploit.
On the 15th day of September, in this year, died the abbot John du
Clerc, abbot of St Vaast in Arras, whose death was much bewailed by the
poor; for he was exceedingly charitable, and had governed the abbey
for thirty-four years more ably than any abbot had done for the two
hundred preceding years, as was apparent from the church and different
buildings which he had ornamented and restored in many parts, having,
on his election, found them in ruins. Among many good deeds, he did one
worthy of perpetual remembrance, namely, when corn was so dear, in the
year 1438, that wheat sold for ten francs the septier, or five francs
the mencault of Arras, which prevented the poor from buying any, he
opened the granaries of his abbey, that were full of corn, and ordered
it to be sold to the poor only, at twenty-eight sols the mencault, and
but two bushels to be delivered to any person at a time,--so that, if
the famine should continue, his corn might last longer. He built the
entrance-gate to the abbey, and the nave of the church, and managed the
revenues of his abbey better than any abbot had done, and added greatly
to them. When he died, he was eighty-six years old. May God pardon and
show mercy to his soul!
About this period, the lord de Chimay returned from France, whither he
had been sent by the duke of Burgundy, respecting some differences that
had arisen between him and the king of France. The most important was,
as it was said, that the king granted to have it proclaimed through
the territories of the duke that no one should afford aid or support,
in any way whatever, to king Edward of England, which the duke would
not allow to be done, considering that not only a truce existed between
him and king Edward but that he was favourably inclined towards him.
King Louis wanted also to introduce the gabelle, or salt duty, into
Burgundy, which had not been done for a very long time,--and this the
duke likewise refused to permit to be done.
For these and other matters, the lord de Chimay had been sent to
remonstrate with the king, and to entreat that, out of his love to him,
he would desist from pursuing them further; but the lord de Chimay was
long before he could obtain an audience, and would perhaps have waited
longer, but one day he stood at the king's closet door until he came
out. On seeing the lord de Chimay, he said to him, 'What kind of a man
is this duke of Burgundy? is he of a different stamp from the other
princes and lords of my realm?' 'Yes, sire,' replied the lord de Chimay
(who was of a bold and courageous character), 'the duke of Burgundy is
indeed of another sort of metal than the other princes of your realm,
or of the adjoining realms; for he received and supported you against
the will of king Charles, your father, whose soul may God pardon! and
contrary to the will of others, whom this his conduct displeased,--and
he did that which no other prince would have dared to do!'
On hearing these words, the king was silent, and, without making any
reply, entered again into his closet. Some said, that the count de
Dunois then approached the lord of Chimay, and asked how he dared thus
speak to the king: when he answered, 'If I had been fifty leagues off,
and had supposed that the king would have said to me what he has done
respecting my lord and master, I would have instantly returned to make
him the answer I did.' He then set out for Brussels, to make his report
to the duke of Burgundy.
CHAP. XX.
THE DUCHESS OF BOURBON COMES TO RESIDE WITH HER BROTHER THE DUKE
OF BURGUNDY.--THE KING OF FRANCE GRANTS SUCCOURS TO THE QUEEN OF
ENGLAND.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN DIVERS PARTS.
At this time, the widowed duchess of Bourbon came to visit the noble
duke of Burgundy, accompanied by three or four of her sons and two of
her daughters,--for she had had by her late husband six boys and five
girls. The eldest son, John, succeeded his father in the dukedom; the
second was married to a daughter of the king of Cyprus, but died of
leprosy before he went thither; the third, Charles, was archbishop of
Lyons, on the Rhône, and abbot of St Vaast at Arras; the fourth, named
Louis, was bishop of Liege; the fifth was lord of Beaujeu, and married
to a daughter of the duke of Orleans; the sixth, James, died when young.
Of the daughters, one was married to the duke of Calabria, by whom
she had a fair son, but died shortly after: the second married her
cousin-german, the count de Charolois, and had only a daughter,
when the good lady died: the third espoused the duke of Gueldres,
nephew to the duke of Burgundy: another was afterward married to the
lord d'Arquel,--and another was then to be married; for the duke
of Burgundy, their uncle, had always very earnestly promoted the
advancement of his friends and relatives.
About this period, the king of France sent two thousand combatants to
England, to the aid of queen Margaret, under the command of the lord de
Varennes, high seneschal of Normandy, who, under the late king's reign,
had governed every thing, and it was reported that king Louis had given
him this command for the chance of his being slain: nevertheless, he
bore himself well, and conquered several places, in the expectation of
being joined by the duke of Somerset, who had promised to come to him
with a large body of Scots and others; but he failed,--for he had found
means to make his peace with king Edward, who had restored to him his
estates and honours.
The French were now besieged in the places they had won by the earl
of Warwick, and were glad to return to France with their lives
spared.--All were not so fortunate, for many were slain or captured in
the different skirmishes that had passed between them.[25]
The duke of Burgundy now sent one hundred men at arms and four hundred
archers to the aid of the bishop of Mentz, who was engaged in a
destructive warfare with one of the princes of Germany, insomuch that
the extent of three or four days journey of the flat country was burnt
and totally ruined.
On the 21st day of November, in this year, was an eclipse of the sun;
and shortly after there were tiltings and other entertainments at
Brussels, in honour of the arrival of the duchess of Bourbon, and of
her children, whom she had brought with her. To these feasts the duke
of Burgundy came with great pomp, and most superbly dressed.
About the same time, the count de Charolois had three men and an
apothecary imprisoned at Brussels,--which three men had caused the
apothecary to make three images of wax, of the form of men and women;
three of each for some sort of sorcery, and even, as it was said,
touching the said count de Charolois. This was found out from the
apothecary telling some of the count's servants what he had made, and
that those who had ordered them would do wonders with them; that they
would make these images talk and walk, which would be miraculous: in
short, so much was said, that it came at length to the ears of the
count, who ordered the three men to be arrested, who belonged to the
count d'Estampes. The apothecary was also arrested, but soon set at
liberty, because he was ignorant for what purposes these images had
been made. A gentleman of the household of the count d'Estampes
fled, but was retaken, and carried prisoner to Quesnoy-le-Comte in
Hainault: his name was Charles de Noyers. It was rumoured, that these
four persons had been closely interrogated, and had confessed wonderful
things; but they were kept so secret that few knew what to say about
them. The prisoners, however, remained very long in confinement.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 25: Henry says, that the French fleet appeared off Tinmouth;
that many of their ships were driven on shore near Bamborough in a
storm; that the French took shelter in Holy Island, where they were
attacked and beaten by a superior force; that sir Pierre de Brézé,
their commander, and the rest, saved themselves in Berwick.--_Hist. of
England_, A.D. 1461.]
[A.D. 1463.]
CHAP. XXI.
OF THE MANY DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE COURSE OF THE
ABOVE YEAR.--OF THE HARD FORTUNE OF MARGARET QUEEN OF ENGLAND.
On the 19th of April, this year, after Easter, died master Robert le
Jeune, governor of Arras, aged ninety-two years. He began life as
an advocate at Amiens, and was afterward retained of the counsel of
king Henry V. of England, who made him a knight, and gave him great
riches. After the death of king Henry, the duke of Burgundy made him
bailiff of Amiens, in which office, he governed so partially, towards
the duke and the English, that he put to death, by hanging, drowning,
or beheading, upwards of nineteen hundred persons,--and many more of
the French party, called Armagnacs, than of the other,--for which the
populace of Amiens so much detested him that he dared not longer abide
there, but went to Arras, of which place the duke of Burgundy made him
governor! In whatever place he resided, he managed so well for his own
interest that his two sons became great and rich lords. One of them
was bishop of Amiens, and afterward bishop and cardinal of Therouenne,
the richest of all the cardinals, but he died when only forty years
old,--and it was said that his death was hastened by poison. The other
son was a knight at arms, and a considerable landholder, who had the
greater share of the government of the duchess of Burgundy's household,
and afterward of that of her son the count de Charolois. The daughter
of sir Robert le Jeune was nobly and richly married.
The 6th day of July, the duke of Burgundy came from Bruges to Lille,
where he had not been since his severe illness the preceding year. The
townsmen received him with greater honours than at any former time; for
a procession of upwards of four hundred of them went out of the town
to meet him, with lighted torches in their hands, not to mention the
principal burghers who went out in numbers. The streets were all hung,
and illuminated so brilliantly that it appeared like noon-day, and many
pageants and mysteries were exhibited, although it was late, and the
night very dark. In this state was the duke escorted to his hôtel.
Duke Philip, ever anxious to fulfil the vow which he had made in the
town of Lille, in the year 1454, to attack the grand Turk, and drive
him back to his own territories beyond the Straits of St George, would
most cheerfully have gone thither in person, had he not feared that,
during his absence, the king of France would attack and perhaps conquer
his country. For this reason, therefore, he sent a notable embassy to
pope Pius, the principal of which were the bishop of Tournay, the lord
de Montigny, and the lord de Forestel, knights, to learn the will of
the pope respecting his vow, which, as has been said, he was unable to
accomplish, making offer, in lieu thereof, to send six thousand good
combatants at his own costs and charges against the Turk, in any way
the pope might be pleased to order.
I must mention here a singular adventure which befel the queen of
England. She in company with the lord de Varennes and her son, having
lost their way in a forest of Hainault, were met by some banditti,
who robbed them of all they had. It is probable the banditti would
have murdered them, had they not quarrelled about the division of the
spoil, insomuch that from words they came to blows; and, while they
were fighting, she caught her son in her arms and fled to the thickest
part of the forest, where, weary with fatigue, she was forced to stop.
At this moment, she met another robber, to whom she instantly gave her
son, and said,--'Take him, friend, and save the son of a king.'
The robber received him willingly, and conducted them in safety toward
the seashore, where they arrived at Sluys, and thence the queen and her
son went to Bruges, where they were received most honourably. During
this time, king Henry, her husband, had retired into the strongest
parts of Wales.
The queen left prince Edward at Bruges, and went to the count de
Charolois at Lille, who feasted her grandly, whence she set out for
Bethune, to hold a conference with the duke of Burgundy. The duke,
hearing that large reinforcements of English were landed at Calais,
sent a body of his archers to escort her from Bethune to St Pol,
where he went to meet her, notwithstanding he knew well that she had
never loved him; but, according to his noble nature, he received her
with much honour, and made her rich presents. Some said, that he gave
her two thousand crowns of gold, and to the lord de Varennes one
thousand, and to each of the ladies that attended on the queen one
hundred crowns: he had her also escorted to the country of Bai, which
appertained to her brother the duke of Calabria. The queen repented
much, and thought herself unfortunate, that she had not sooner thrown
herself on the protection of the noble duke of Burgundy, as her affairs
would probably have prospered better!
CHAP. XXII.
THE KING OF FRANCE GIVES THE COUNTY OF GUISNES TO THE LORD DE
CROY.--THE COUNT D'ESTAMPES QUITS HIS ATTACHMENT TO THE HOUSE OF
BURGUNDY.--OTHER EVENTS.
During this year of 1463, king Louis of France made a progress through
his kingdom, to examine into the state of it. On his return to Paris,
he caused proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet, that he had
given to the lord de Croy the county and lordship of Guisnes, having,
before this, made him grand master of his household. The lord de Croy
had, at this time, left the house of Burgundy, and resided with the
king, which seemed to many very strange,--for the lord de Croy had
been brought up and educated by the duke and his family, and had
been better provided for than any others, being first chamberlain and
principal minister to the duke, and had acquired by his services from
forty to fifty thousand francs of landed rent, besides the advancement
of all his friends, so that there was no one like to him in that whole
country. If he had been in the good graces of the duke, he enjoyed the
same favour with the king, who refused him nothing that he asked for
himself or his friends. The common report was, that he was so much
beloved by the king because he had drawn up the plan for the repurchase
of the lands and towns on the Somme, from the duke of Burgundy, for
four hundred and fifty thousand crowns, and because he had induced the
duke to accede to this bargain,--for he listened to him in council more
than to any others. The lord de Croy having made some stay at the court
of France, returned to that of Burgundy, and exercised his charges the
same as before.
During the king's progress through Guienne and the Bordelois, he made
up the quarrel between the king of Spain and the count de Foix, which
had risen to a great height, although they had married two sisters,
daughters to the king of Navarre.
At this time, John of Burgundy count d'Estampes, quitted the house of
Burgundy, and attached himself to the king of France,--to which he was
instigated, according to report, by his being in disgrace with the
duke, and still more with the count de Charolois, on account of those
waxen images before mentioned; for it was said the count de Charolois
was suspicious of being in his company, for fear of sorcery,--and he
now kept the count de St Pol constantly with him, and gave him the
principal management of himself and his household. Some said, that
this was the reason why the count d'Estampes and the lord de Croy had
quitted the noble house of Burgundy,--for it was well known that the
count de St Pol loved neither of them.
About this time, the queen of France, Isabella of Savoy, came to
the king at Senlis, with but few attendants; for the king was then
as saving as possible, in order to amass a sufficient sum for the
repayment of the money for which the towns on the Somme had been
pledged. His expenses were chiefly for his amusements of hunting and
hawking, of which he was immoderately fond,--and he was liberal enough
to huntsmen and falconers, but to none others. He was very careless in
his dress, and was generally clothed meanly, in second-priced cloth and
fustian pourpoints, much unbecoming a person of his rank,--and he was
pleased that all who came to him on business should be plainly dressed.
He did not diminish any of the taxes, but, on the contrary, added to
them, which greatly oppressed his people.