Anthony de Chabannes lord de Dammartin, who, after the death of king
Charles, had fled for fear of his successor; but a year afterward he
had sought the king's mercy, and put himself into his hands. The king
sent him prisoner to the Conciergerie of the palace, and ordered the
parliament to bring him to trial; which being done, he was convicted
of high treason against king Louis, and sentenced to death, and his
effects confiscated to the crown.
The king, nevertheless, granted him a pardon, on condition that he
would transport himself to the island of Rhodes, and remain there for
his life; but he was to give security for the performing of this, which
not being able to do, he was confined in the bastile of St Anthony.
At this time, king Louis, from his will and pleasure, ordered all nets
and engines, to take and destroy the game, to be burnt throughout the
Isle of France. No one was spared, whether of noble or peasant, except
in some warrens that belonged to the princes. It was said that he did
this that no one might hawk or hunt but himself, and that there might
be a greater plenty of game,--for his whole delight was in hunting and
hawking.
CHAP. XXIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE REPURCHASES THE TOWNS AND LANDS ON THE RIVER SOMME
THAT HAD BEEN PLEDGED TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--HE MEETS THE DUKE AT
HÊDIN.--OTHER MATTERS.
The king of France, having determined to repurchase the towns on the
Somme from the duke of Burgundy, made such diligence that he collected
a sufficiency of cash; for there was not an abbey or canonry, or any
rich merchant in France, who did not lend or give him some sums of
money. When he had amassed the amount, he sent it as far as Abbeville
to the duke, who had it transported thence to Hêdin, where he then
resided.
Shortly after, the king came to Hêdin,--and the duke went out to meet
him, received him most honourably, as he well knew how to do, and
lodged him in his own proper apartments in his castle. The king then
promised the duke, that he would punctually fulfil all the articles of
the treaty of Arras, which promise he did not so punctually perform.
While the king and the duke were at the castle of Hêdin, a grand
embassy arrived there from England,--the chief of which was a
bishop[26], brother to the earl of Warwick, and from three to four
hundred horsemen handsomely dressed and equipped.
Before they departed from Hêdin, the duke had sent repeated messages to
his son, the count de Charolois, then in Holland, for him to come and
pay his respects to the king,--but he refused, saying, that so long as
the count d'Estampes and the lord de Croy were with the king (as they
then were), he would never appear before him. He knew in what great
favour they were with the king; and it was currently reported, that it
had been through the counsels of the lord de Croy that the duke had
consented to the reimbursement for the towns on the Somme, which was
contrary to the will of the count de Charolois, and very prejudicial to
his future interests.
It was also said, that the king, during his residence at the castle
of Hêdin, had well considered its situation and strength, as the key
of the county of Artois, and had demanded it from the duke, offering,
in exchange, the towns of Tournay and Mortagne[27], with some other
places; but the duke would not listen to it, thinking such offers were
made more to his hurt than otherwise.
When the king departed from Hêdin, on the 19th of October, the duke
attended him to a considerable distance; and it was said, that the
duke, on quitting him, made several requests, and, among others,
entreated that he would not turn out his officers from the places to
which he had appointed them, in the several towns that were now become
the king's,--all of which the king granted, but did not fulfil; for
he instantly removed some of the officers in Abbeville, and made the
inhabitants and gentlemen in the neighbourhood renew their oaths to
him, although many of them had served the duke of Burgundy from their
youth; but the king made them swear to serve him against all other men
whatever.
He deprived the lord de Saveuses of his government of the cities and
towns of Amiens, Arras, and Dourlens, and gave it to the lord de
Launoy, nephew to the lord de Croy, who was then governor, for the duke
of Burgundy, of Lille, Douay, and Orchies. The king also gave him the
government of Mortagne, dismissing from it the lord de Hautbourdin,
bastard de St Pol, and made him bailiff of Amiens, instead of the lord
de Crevecoeur. In addition to all these places, the king settled on
him a yearly pension of two thousand livres. All these favours heaped
on the lord de Launoy astonished every one; for he had commenced his
career of fortune under the house of Burgundy, and had never done any
services to king Louis of France.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 26: A bishop. George Neville, bishop of Exeter, and
afterwards archbishop of York.]
[Footnote 27: Mortagne,--in Flanders, on the conflux of the Scarpe and
Scheld, three leagues from Tournay.]
CHAP. XXIV.
THE DEATH OF THE DOWAGER QUEEN OF FRANCE.--THE KING SUMMONS THE
COUNT DE SAINT POL AND THE LORD DE GENLY TO APPEAR PERSONALLY BEFORE
HIM.--THE MARRIAGE OF THE SON OF THE DUKE OF GUELDRES.--THE ABOLITION
OF THE PRAGMATIC SANCTION.
About this time, the lady Mary of Anjou, queen of France, mother to
king Louis now on the throne, departed this life. She was renowned
for being a very good and devout lady, very charitable, and full of
patience.
The king of France had now summoned the count de St. Pol and the lord
de Genly to appear in person before him, on the 15th day of November
ensuing, wherever he might then be. The reason of this was currently
said to be the different journies the lord de Genly had been remarked
to make to the duke of Brittany, to conclude certain treaties between
that duke and the count de Charolois, to oppose the king of France
should he attempt hostilities against them; for they were in his ill
favour, as was apparent from the duke of Brittany having all his places
fortified, and his army ready prepared to resist an invasion of his
country.
It was likewise said, that the duke of Bourbon and some other princes
of France were in alliance with them against the king, on account of
the strange manner in which he had treated them.
On the 15th of October, a blaze of light was seen in the heavens,--and
it seemed that the clouds opened to show this blaze, for the space of
time in which an Ave-Maria could be repeated, and then closed again: it
ended with a long flaming tail before it vanished.
The bishop of Tournay returned, at this period, from the embassy
on which the duke of Burgundy had sent him to pope Pius at Rome.
He reported to the duke, that the pontiff depended on having forty
thousand combatants to march against the Turk, which he would lead in
person, and put on the cross against the infidels, in case the duke
would accompany him with six thousand fighting men, and act under him
as his general.
The duke was much rejoiced at this intelligence, and dispatched his
letters to all those who had made the vow of going to Turkey, and to
all his knights and vassals, to prepare themselves, and assemble at
Bruges on the ensuing 15th day of December. On their arrival at Bruges,
he had them informed, that it was his intention to march in person
against the Turks and infidels, and to be at Aiquesmortes about the
middle of next May to embark for the east,--but that he would assemble
them again before his departure, to inform them in what manner he
should settle the government of his country during his absence on this
expedition.
On the 18th of December in this year, the marriage of the eldest son
of the duke of Gueldres with a princess of Bourbon, sister to the
countess of Charolois, was celebrated in the city of Bruges. They were
both equally related to the duke of Burgundy: the bridegroom was the
son of a daughter of the duke's sister, the duchess of Cleves, who had
deceased about two months before,--and the bride a daughter of his
sister, the duchess of Bourbon.
Many lords of the court tilted after the wedding dinner,--among whom
the lord de Renty tilted with a young esquire of Picardy, called John,
only son to David de Fremessent, who met with a sad misfortune, for he
was hit by a splinter of a lance so severely on the head that he died.
On the same day, two other men lost their lives, from the great
crowding at this tournament, which must be attributed to their own
folly in not taking more care.
About this period, Godfrey, bishop of Alby and cardinal of Arras,
waited on the king of France, whom, some little time before, it was
said the king did not love: nevertheless, he now received him most
handsomely. It was he who, a short time prior to this, had persuaded
the king to abolish the pragmatic sanction, which had been established
in France by the council of Basil. In return for this, the cardinal
had promised the king certain things,--which, however, he failed to
perform, and it is not known how he pacified the king. He had promised
that the pope should send a legate to France to dispose of the
benefices when vacant; that the money for fees should not be sent to
Rome, nor carried out of the kingdom; but when the pope had gotten
possession of the act for the abolition of the pragmatic sanction, he
never thought more of sending a legate to France. The pope had this act
of abolition dragged through the streets of Rome, to please the Romans,
and published every where, that the Pragmatic was done away.
The report was, that the bishop of Alby had the red hat given him,
and had been created cardinal for the pains he had taken to procure
this abolition of the pragmatic sanction, which, in truth, was very
detrimental to poor clerks and scholars; for it gave rise to numberless
questions and examinations before any benefice could be obtained,--and
the rich gained benefices from their being able to support the expenses
of the suits, which the poorer clerks lost, whatever nominations they
might have obtained.
CHAP. XXV.
A COOLNESS TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND HIS SON THE
COUNT DE CHAROLOIS.--THE COUNT MAKES HEAVY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE LORD
DE CROY TO THE DEPUTIES OF THE THREE ESTATES ASSEMBLED BY THE DUKE HIS
FATHER.
The duke of Burgundy now resided at Bruges, and summoned the three
estates of his country to assemble there, in his presence, on the 9th
day of January. The count de Charolois was at this time in disgrace
with his father, and he summoned the estates to meet him at Antwerp,
on the 3d of the same month, to lay before them the reasons of his
father's anger, that they might employ their means to bring about a
reconciliation. But the duke, hearing of this, forbade any of the
members of the estates to go near his son: however, some were already
gone to him,--but others, who were on their road to Antwerp, did not go
thither.
On the 9th day of January, there was a grand assembly of the estates at
Bruges, consisting of three bishops, sixty abbots, a great number of
nobles, and deputies from all the principal towns. When they appeared
before the duke, he returned them his thanks for their diligence and
obedience, by the mouth of the bishop of Tournay, adding, that he had
received such intelligence concerning his son, that he was too much
troubled to say more to them at that time. The duke, nevertheless,
could not help telling them, that he was angered against his son,
because he suffered himself to be governed by persons whom the duke
did not approve of, and because he would not obey his will. He then
gave a paper to one of his secretaries, ordering him to read it to the
assembly, saying, that it was what his son had written to him, and it
was proper they all should hear it.
The paper contained in substance, that the count de Charolois was in
the utmost sorrow that his lord and father was angered against him, and
entreated that he would no longer be displeased that he had not come
when he had sent for him, and would hold him excused for disobeying his
orders; for he could not appear before him so long as he was surrounded
by those whom he suspected of intending to poison him, and who were
daily seeking his death, of which he had received certain knowledge.
The count thought that the anger of his father had its origin in three
things: first, because the count did not love the lord de Croy, for
reasons which he had before declared to the duke his father, in the
presence of the said lord de Croy; and that he had now less cause to
love him than before, for through him and his friends he had procured
that the king of France should regain the country and towns that had
been mortgaged on the Somme, to the great prejudice of himself and his
heirs after him,--which, besides, ought not to have been done, as the
king had not fulfilled various articles of the treaty of Arras.
The second reason might, perhaps, be his having retained in his
household the archdeacon of Avalon[28], after he had left the service
of the count d'Estampes, which ought not to have troubled his father
if he were acquainted with the cause, which he was ready to tell him
whenever he should be pleased to hear it.
The third was, as the count imagined, because when the duke's archers
had been sent into Holland to seek master Anthony Michel, he had him
rescued out of their hands, but without the knowledge of the said
count, who, if he knew where the said master Anthony was, would send
him a prisoner to the duke.
The three estates having listened to the above, the duke gave
them permission to retire home until he should summon them again,
which would be very shortly after. The greater part returned home;
but several remained in Bruges to attempt the bringing about a
reconciliation between the father and the son,--and in this number was
a very noble clerk, who was exceedingly anxious to succeed in it, the
abbot of Citeaux[29].
On the re-assembling of the estates at
Bruges, the count de Charolois came to Ghent, and was, soon after,
waited on by a deputation from them, with the bishop of Tournay and
other counsellors of the duke. The abbot of Citeaux addressed him as
the spokesman of the deputation, and having quoted many texts from the
Scriptures to prove the obedience a son owes a father, supplicated him
to submit in all humility to his father's will, and to dismiss certain
persons from his service, the better to please him. When the abbot had
ceased speaking, the bishop of Tournay cast himself on his knees before
the count, and eloquently pressed him to comply with the proposals of
the abbot,--saying, that he was not come to him as the servant of his
father, but as bishop of Tournay, to bring about a reconciliation,
if possible, and to prevent the many and grievous evils that might
arise from their discord. The count here interrupted him, and said,
that if he had not been the servant of the lord his father, he would
never have risen to his present rank. Then turning to the deputies, he
told them, that in their propositions they had only touched on master
Anthony Michel, but now they were changing their ground; and he did
not believe that the abbot de Citeaux had been commissioned by them
to make him such requests. But the deputies avowed what the abbot had
said, declaring he had been so charged by them, and that in obedience
to his pleasure they were thus come to the town of Ghent. The count
then pulled off his cap, bowed to them, and said, he was very happy
they were come, and thanked them, as his most faithful friends, for the
pain, trouble, and affection they had thus shown him, which he should
never forget, but would loudly acknowledge it in all the countries
whence the deputies were come.
In return for the warm affection they had shown him, he would not
conceal his mind from them, but truly inform them of all the crimes and
artifices that had been committed and practised by the lord de Croy
and his adherents. In the first place, he said, that when he was last
with the lord his father (the countess of Charolois, his lady, being
then very ill), the lord de Croy had said, that if he were not afraid
of vexing her, he would make him his prisoner, and place him in such
security that he should be disabled from doing him or any one else
mischief.
Item, the lord de Croy had told a worthy gentleman of the name of Pius,
that he cared not for him (the count de Charolois), for that he had
nine hundred knights and esquires, who had sworn to serve him until
death.
Item, the lord de Croy had said publicly, on seeing the count return to
court, 'Here is this great devil coming! so long as he lives, we shall
not succeed at court.'
Item, the lord de Croy had declared, on his (the count's) retreat to
Holland, that he was much afraid of him,--but that, when he should be
inclined to hurt him, he would not be safer in Holland than elsewhere,
for that he was like a gaufre between two irons.
Item, the lord de Croy had boasted, that, should a struggle arise
between him and the count, he was sure of being assisted by all in
Artois, as the whole country was at his command,--adding, 'What does
my lord de Charolois mean to do? Whence does he expect aid? Does he
expect it from the Flemings, or the Brabanters? if he does, he will
find himself mistaken,--for they will abandon him, as they have before
abandoned their lord.' 'This I do not believe,' said the count, 'for I
consider them as my true and loyal friends,--nor have I the least doubt
of the affections of those in Artois and Picardy.'
Item, that the lord de Croy had sent to the provost of Watten[30] the
horoscope of his nativity, and that the provost, on examination, had
given it as his opinion, that the person to whom it belonged would be
miserably unfortunate, and that the greatest misfortunes would befal
him,--all of which he had related to the duke, his father, to incense
him more against him.
Item, he had also desired the provost of Watten to manage so that the
duke his father might always hate him, and keep at a distance from his
person.
Item, that he had sufficient evidence that the lord de Croy sought
his death by sorcery and other wicked means; that he had caused to be
made six images--three in the form of men, and three in the form of
women--on which were written the name of the devil called Belial, and
the name of him whom they were pointed at, with some other names: these
images were to serve three purposes; first, to obtain favour from him
to whom the image was addressed; secondly, to cause him to be hated
by whomsoever they should please; and thirdly, to keep the person
addressed in a languishing state of health so long as they chose: that
these images had been baptised by a bishop, prior of Morocq[31] in
Burgundy; and that the makers of these images had been two or three
servants of the count d'Estampes,--one of whom was his physician, whom
the count d'Estampes had sent prisoner to him, as his justification,
and to exculpate himself. Then the count concluded by saying to the
deputies, 'My friends, do not think that I have any distrust of you,
if I name not all the accomplices of those who have sought my death:
I abstain from doing so merely to save their honours, and from the
horror you would feel were I to name them. I again thank you for
your diligent affection, and beg that you would consult together and
advise me how to act; for I am sure you would be displeased, should
any misfortune happen unto me by my throwing myself into the hands of
my enemies. By them I will not be governed, but by good and faithful
servants. I entreat, therefore, that you will deliberate maturely on
what I have said, for I will not depart hence until I shall have had
your answer. May God grant that it may be as satisfactory as I have
confidence in you!'
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 28: Avalon,--a town in Burgundy, 11 leagues from Auxerre.]
[Footnote 29: Citeaux,--an abbey in the diocese of Châlous-sur-Saone,
near Nuits.]
[Footnote 30: Watten,--a town in Flanders, near St Omer.]
[Footnote 31: Morocq. Q.]
CHAP. XXVI.
THE ANSWER OF THE DEPUTIES OF THE ESTATES OF FLANDERS TO THE COUNT
DE CHAROLOIS.--PEACE RESTORED BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FATHER THE DUKE OF
BURGUNDY.--THE KING OF FRANCE COMES TO ARRAS AND TO TOURNAY.
When the count de Charolois had thus spoken to the deputies from the
three estates, they retired together into a chamber apart, and there
concluded on the answer they should make him. They then returned to
his presence, and cast themselves on their knees, but he made them
instantly arise; and the abbot de Citeaux spoke for the rest, and
said, that they had fully considered all he had stated to them, and
were unanimously of opinion to request him most humbly to regain the
good graces and favour of his lord and father, by returning instantly
to him, to avoid the evils that would ensue upon their discords. With
regard to those he thought his enemies, God had hitherto preserved him
from their snares, and would still do so, in consequence of the earnest
prayers that all his future subjects would offer up to him for the
purpose; and that when his father should see him return, his joy would
be so great that he would sufficiently guard him against them. They
entreated that, at this time, he would leave certain of his attendants
behind, without formally dismissing them, which they thought would
be an effectual method of regaining his father's good opinion: they
offered, likewise, to exert their utmost power to obtain this desirable
end.
The count, in reply, thanked them all, and said, that from love to
God, to my lord his father, and themselves, he would comply with their
request, and follow their advice,--desiring them, at the same time, to
accompany him when he presented himself to his father, and that they
would entreat him to restore his servants to his favour. This they
willingly promised.
On the Monday following, the count de Charolois, accompanied by a great
number of knights, esquires, and these deputies, set out from Ghent for
Bruges,--and the principal persons of the duke's household, together
with the magistracy of the town, and burghers, came out to meet him.
He dismounted at the palace of the duke, and advanced to the presence
chamber, where, on seeing the duke, he made three genuflections, and,
at the third, said, 'My most redoubted lord and father, I have been
told that you are displeased with me for three things, (and then stated
these as he had done to the deputies, and made similar excuses):
however, if in any of these things I have vexed or angered you, I crave
your pardon.'
The duke answered, 'Of all your excuses, I know full well the grounds:
say no more on the subject; but, since you are come to seek our mercy,
be a good son, and I will be a good father:' he then took him by the
hand, and granted him his full pardon. The deputies now retired,
greatly rejoiced at the reconciliation that had taken place; and the
duke then dismissed them, with orders to re-assemble on the 8th of the
ensuing March.
On the day of this reconciliation, the lord de Croy set out very early
in the morning from Bruges for Tournay, where king Louis of France then
resided.
In this and the following year, corn and all other grain were so cheap
in the country of Artois that the oldest persons never remembered them
at such low prices.
On the 24th of January, king Louis of France came to the city of
Arras[32], where he was most honourably received by the clergy and
inhabitants. He dismounted at the gate, and walked on foot to the
church of our Lady, where he paid his devotions, and then took up
his lodgings at the house of the official, which was a good but small
house,--and refused to go to the bishop's palace, although large and
convenient; but it was the king's custom to prefer small lodgings to
greater.
There were with the king his brother the duke of Berry, the count of
Eu, the prince of Piedmont, and some few other nobles. He would not
permit any of them to lodge in the town, because the inhabitants would
not suffer his harbingers to mark any lodgings until all the inns
were filled,--and these inns could hold from four to five thousand
horse,--which behaviour was displeasing to the king; and he remained
in the city from the Monday to Saturday, without entering the town of
Arras until he had seen and had examined the privileges of this town of
Arras.