brother and cousin, that we will cause to be frankly and freely
delivered up, as far as in us lies, and we restore, from this instant,
the castles, towns, castlewicks and provostships, of Peronne, Mondidier
and Roye, with all their dependances, discharged of whatever debts
or mortgages may have attached to them, in the same full manner as
they were given to our said uncle by our father, in consequence of
the treaty of Arras, to enjoy the same in like manner as they were
enjoyed before, according to that article in the said treaty; and we
will procure that our very dear and well beloved cousin the count de
Nevers, shall surrender to our said brother and cousin the right he
lays claim to respecting these towns, castles, &c. and that he shall
give possession of the same into the hands of our said brother and
cousin, or to any commissioners appointed by them. In addition, we have
likewise conveyed to our said brother and cousin the county of Guines,
as a perpetual inheritance for them, their heirs and successors, to
hold and enjoy all rights, taxes, and other emoluments within the same,
as and in like manner with the preceding. In respect to any claim on
this county made by the lord de Croy, or others who may pretend to
such, we engage to satisfy the said lord de Croy and the others, on
this head, and to assure to our said brother and cousin the possession
of the said county, free from all let or hinderance on the part of the
lord de Croy and all others.
'All the above articles we have promised, and do now promise,
punctually to perform, on our royal word,' &c.
This ordinance was published at Paris, on the 5th of October, in the
year 1465, under the great seal of France, and registered by the
parliament on the 11th of the same month.
At the end of this ordinance, the king commands all his judges and
other officers to see that these engagements and conveyances are
carried into full and speedy effect,--and at the beginning of it were
stated the causes and reasons which had moved the king to make such
concessions to the count de Charolois.
First, to recompense him for the very great expenses he had been at to
raise so great an army to join his brother, the duke of Berry, for the
welfare of the kingdom.
Secondly, to appease the discords and divisions then existing between
the king and the princes of his realm, in which the count de Charolois
had greatly exerted himself.
Thirdly, because, in consequence of these divisions, the Liegeois had
raised a considerable force, and had invaded the dominions of the duke
of Burgundy, and had done great mischiefs.
Fourthly, respecting the repurchase of the towns and lands on the
Somme, that had been mortgaged to the duke of Burgundy, who considered
himself entitled to the enjoyment of this country, notwithstanding the
repurchase, and that the king had taken immediate possession of the
same.
And, lastly, to recompense the count de Charolois for the pension of
thirty-six thousand francs, which the king had given him and afterward
taken from him.
From all these considerations, the king had made such great concessions
to the count de Charolois by the treaty of Conflans; and, in
addition, at the request of the said count, the king had increased
the jurisdictions of the provostships of Vimeu, of Beauvoisis, and of
Fouilloy,[46] to avoid any disputes that might arise between the king's
officers and those of the count, as these provostships are included
within the bailiwick of Amiens, for the count and his heirs to enjoy
on similar terms with those before specified, by letters under the
great seal, dated Paris, the 14th day of the same month of October, and
enregistered by the parliament on the 16th.
Thus were the quarrels between the king and the princes appeased.[47]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 46: Fouilloy,--a village in Picardy, near Corbie.]
[Footnote 47: When Louis XI. was asked, how he could make such
concessions, and sign a treaty so prejudicial to the interest of the
crown, he replied, 'that it was in consideration of the youth of my
brother of Berry,--of the prudence of my fair cousin of Calabria,--of
the sense of my brother-in law of Bourbon,--of the malice of the count
d'Armagnac,--of the great pride of my fair cousin of Brittany,--and of
the invincible army of my fair brother of Charolois.'
_Proofs to Comines_, No. 65.
The chamber of accounts protested against this treaty of Conflans.
There are many very curious papers respecting the history of this
period in the Proofs to the Memoires de Comines.]
CHAP. XLVII.
THE KING IS PRESENT AT A REVIEW OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS' ARMY.--THE
COUNT TAKES LEAVE OF THE KING, AND MARCHES HIS ARMY AGAINST THE
LIEGEOIS.--THE DUKE OF BERRY DOES HOMAGE TO THE KING FOR THE DUCHY OF
NORMANDY.
When this treaty was concluded between the king and the princes of
France, they one day assembled together in the castle of Vincennes,
wherein the lord de Saveuses was, for that day, lodged by orders
from the count de Charolois, when Charles, the newly-created duke of
Normandy, did homage to the king for that duchy; after which the other
princes did homage for what each had individually obtained from him in
lands or honours,--after which they took their leave of the king, and
of each other, to return to their homes.
When these ceremonies were over, the count de Charolois made a review
of his men at arms and other troops, as the king wished to see
them,-and for this purpose they were drawn up between Conflans[48] and
Paris. The king, on seeing them, was astonished, and could not refrain
from saying, that he did not imagine the count de Charolois had been so
powerful, or had such handsome and well-appointed men at arms.
The review being over, the count took leave of the king and the other
princes, and departed from Conflans, the last day of October, with
his whole army; but the king would accompany him, in spite of his
entreaties to return, as far as Villiers-le-bel.[49] The king had very
few attendants; but what was more, they remained together in this
village three or four days, making good cheer, and discoursing secretly
on their private affairs. The king showed the utmost possible affection
for the count, and it was with difficulty that he parted from him.
At length the king returned, and the count proceeded to Senlis, wherein
he was most honourably received, and thence to Compiègne and Noyon,
where, and in all the other towns of France he passed through, the same
honours were shown him,--for such had been the king's orders, and he
was to be admitted with whatever company he pleased. He did enter with
such a large body that he was superior to any of their garrisons; but
his men paid regularly for every thing they wanted, without doing the
smallest damage,--for such were the count's commands, on pain of death
to all who should act to the contrary.
While the count de Charolois was at Conflans, he received several
letters from the duke of Burgundy, to send him five or six thousand
combatants to join those whom he was collecting to march against the
Liegeois; for that his intention was to command them in person, and
offer the Liegeois battle, which made the count the more anxious to
leave France, to assist his father and revenge himself on those of
Dinant, who had insulted him so grossly, as has been before mentioned.
In consequence of the treaty of Conflans, several of the lords of his
army had left him and disbanded their men; but he issued his summons
throughout the dominions of his father the duke, for those who had been
with him in France, and all others accustomed to bear arms, to John him
at Mezieres, on the Meuse,[50] the 15th day of November next, in arms,
and as well mounted as possible, under pain of corporal punishment and
confiscation of effects, whither the count marched with the remainder
of those who had accompanied him to France. On the day appointed,
the gens d'armes of the states of the duke of Burgundy appeared round
Mezieres; but several came thither much against their wills, for they
had been badly paid for their expedition to France: of the twenty-two
weeks they had there served, they were only paid for seventeen; but
they dared not complain, so much was the count redoubted and feared.
There was now in and about Mezieres a larger and better appointed army
than had ever been in France; for the large towns under the dependance
of the duke sent thither archers and cross-bowmen,--and there repaired
thither several knights and esquires of those countries that had been
redeemed from the crown of France, and other warriors who had not been
of the late expedition, and even some who had been in the late quarrels
of the king's party against the count de Charolois.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 48: Conflans--is on the Seine, six leagues from Paris.]
[Footnote 49: Villiers-le-bel. Q. Villiers-le-basele? in the Isle of
France, near Paris.]
[Footnote 50: Mezieres, on the Meuse,--a strong city in Champagne, five
leagues from Charleville.]
CHAP. XLVIII.
THE ENTRY OF THE DUKE OF BERRY INTO ROUEN.--THE KING OF FRANCE GOES
INTO NORMANDY AND RETAKES POSSESSION OF THAT DUCHY.--HE CAUSES SOME
OF THE LORDS OF THAT COUNTRY, WHO HAD SUPPORTED HIS BROTHER, TO BE
EXECUTED AND DROWNED.
When the confederated princes had separated at Conflans, Charles the
new duke of Normandy, accompanied by the duke of Brittany, the count
de Dunois, and other lords, set out to visit his duchy of Normandy,
and went first to Mont St Catherine, above Rouen; for the whole of
the country, as has been said, had submitted to his obedience. He
was advised to make his public entry into Rouen on the feast of St
Catherine,--and the inhabitants had made great preparations for his
reception.
The duke of Brittany, however, for some private reasons, had the entry
deferred, which much displeased the inhabitants of that town; and
finding that the duke had not given any orders for so doing, they
assembled in arms, and went to their new duke in a numerous body, to
request that he would instantly make his entry into their town. The
count de Harcourt, then his principal adviser and favourite, urged
him to comply with their request without farther delay; which he
assented to, whether the duke of Brittany would or not, and followed
the townsmen into Rouen, where he was grandly feasted, to the great
vexation of the duke of Brittany, who could not at that time prevent
it,--for he had not then his men at arms with him, and was forced to
dissemble. He was so much enraged that he departed for Brittany with
those he had with him; and, on going away, they carried off the bedding
and sheets of the good people where they had been lodged, as if they
had been in an enemy's country.
They seized also some of the towns in Normandy, wherein the duke left a
party of his men to guard them,--and among others, he took possession
of the town and castle of Caen, where he placed a larger force to guard
and defend the castle.
On these things coming to the king's knowledge, he hastily assembled
as many men as he could, and marched first to Caen, which was
surrendered to him by the duke of Brittany; and shortly after, all
the other towns in Normandy surrendered to the king, excepting Rouen,
Louviers, Pont de l'Arche, and some castles. The new duke resided at
Rouen, where those who had received him as their lord had promised to
stand by him until death; but the duke perceived clearly that they
would not long keep their promises; and for that reason he quitted the
town of Rouen, and sought an asylum with the duke of Brittany, who
received him with kindness.
Soon after the departure of the duke, those of Rouen surrendered to the
king,--and their example was followed by Pont de l'Arche and Louviers;
so that the whole of the duchy of Normandy was repossessed by the king,
notwithstanding the promises he had made to his brother in the treaty
of Conflans.
The king recalled to his person the duke of Bourbon, and attended
more to his opinion than to that of any other prince. As soon as he
found himself master of Normandy, he began to persecute such as had
been of the party of his brother, and had supported him: among others
was the lord d'Esternay, whom he caused to be arrested and drowned.
This lord had been, during the late reign, general of Normandy, and
was exceedingly beloved for his wisdom and moderation,--and he had
not his equal in the whole country for devotion. Many other lords
the king caused to be executed or drowned, so that several quitted
their country, abandoning their houses and estates for fear of his
tyranny,--and the king was greatly blamed for these measures by all who
heard of them.
CHAP. XLIX.
THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS ENTERS THE COUNTRY OF LIEGE WITH HIS ARMY.--THE
LIEGEOIS DEMAND AND OBTAIN A TRUCE,--BUT, ALTHOUGH A PEACE IS MADE, IT
DOES NOT LAST LONG.
The Liegeois, hearing of the peace concluded between king Louis and the
count de Charolois, imagined that they were included in the treaty;
but when they learnt the contrary, and that the count was marching an
immense army against them, they sent a grand embassy to the duke of
Burgundy at Brussels, offering to make great reparations for what they
had done. They supplicated, in all humility, for peace with him and the
count de Charolois, and were so urgent that they obtained from the good
duke a truce for fifteen days.
At this moment, the count de Charolois was at St Tron,[51] a large town
belonging to Liege, which surrendered to him as soon as he came before
it. On receiving information of this truce, he caused proclamation to
be made throughout his army, that no one should do any damage to the
territories of Liege, on pain of death, notwithstanding that his men
had not received their pay: they were, therefore, obliged to forage
the country of the duke of Burgundy that lay nearest at hand, and it
suffered very much from it. They even spread as far as Lorraine and
other distant countries, to seek provisions,--for so large an army
could not otherwise have existed without money.
On the expiration of the fifteen days, the truce was prolonged for
eight more, then for another eight days, and at last to the 12th day
of January; which caused the adjoining country to be sorely pillaged
and devoured, for it was daily overrun for so long a space of time.
The count de Charolois, perceiving that the Liegeois were only seeking
delays, and did not perform what they had promised, collected his army,
and entered the territory of Liege, and wrote to the duke his father to
send him as many reinforcements as he could, for that he now intended
to combat the Liegeois.
The duke instantly sent back to him the lord de Saveuses with all his
men, and wrote him word, that he would shortly join him in person, and
that he desired he would not give battle until he should arrive. As the
duke was preparing to set out for the army, notwithstanding the severe
illness from which he had scarcely recovered, his son wrote him word,
that the Liegeois had come to him with a treaty, such as he approved
of, sealed with their city-seal,--that they implored his mercy, and
begged he would be satisfied with them,--that he had accepted the
treaty, provided it were his good pleasure to ratify it. The duke, on
receiving this news, remained quiet at Brussels.
On the 20th of January, the Liegeois, knowing that the count de
Charolois had entered their country with his army, and that his van,
under the command of the count de St Pol, was far advanced, sent from
four score to a hundred of the principal persons of the country to
wait on the count de Charolois, well mounted and well armed for fear
of several who had been banished their city, and other evil-disposed
persons, who only wished for war, and hindered the completion of a
peace. They met the count between St Tron and Tongres,[52] two good
towns belonging to the Liegeois, and presented to him the treaty such
as had been agreed to by the city of Liege, and sealed with their seal:
the deputation offered, at the same time, to answer with their lives
for the consent of the other towns to this treaty.
The terms of this treaty were precisely what the duke of Burgundy
and his son had insisted upon,--and the deputies, on their knees,
besought the count's mercy and pardon, promising, that henceforward the
inhabitants of the whole country would be his faithful servants and
good neighbours.
The count, having examined the treaty, accepted it on consideration
of the great sums they were to pay by way of recompensing the damages
done, and forgave them. The sum for damages was six hundred thousand
florins of the Rhine, which they were to pay the duke in the course
of six years; and the duke of Brabant and all future dukes of Brabant
were to be their mainbrugs, or governors of the whole country of Liege,
with a yearly salary of two thousand florins of the Rhine. The Liegeois
were not in future to undertake any measures of weight, without having
first obtained the consent of their mainbrug. Many other articles were
inserted in the treaty, which I omit for the sake of brevity; but,
notwithstanding, they soon after broke this treaty, without keeping any
one article of it.
The count de Charolois having acceded to the requests of the deputies,
peace was proclaimed throughout his army,--and the whole was ordered
to appear before him, on the morrow, near to Tongres. This was done
that the deputation might see his army in battle-array, to inspire them
with fear of his power, and thereby check any future rebellion. The
army, when drawn up on the following day, delighted and astonished the
ambassadors and those who had come from St Tron, Tongres, and other
towns to see it, for they never could have imagined that the count
would have been able to raise such a force at once. In truth, according
to common report, this army consisted of upwards of twenty-eight
thousand horse, not including the infantry, which was very numerous,
although many had returned home with leave, and without leave, in
default of being regularly paid.
When the army was thus drawn up, the count rode along the line,
thanking most courteously all the captains and men at arms, begging
they would hold him excused for having so badly paid them, for that
he could not now have avoided it,--but he would make them full amends
at another time by more regular payments, so that every one should be
satisfied.
Addressing himself to the poorer cavaliers, he asked if any of them had
been banished the countries of the duke his father, and desired such to
come to him at Brussels, when he would make representations of their
case to his father, and they should be allowed to return. Saying this,
he took his leave of them, and went from St Tron to Hasbain,--and the
troops were dismissed to their several homes.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 51: St Tron,--on the lower Meuse, fourteen miles north west
from Liege, the capital of the country of Hasbain.]
[Footnote 52: Tongres,--in the bishoprick of Liege, on the lower Meuse.]
CHAP. L.
AFTER THE TREATY CONCLUDED AT SAINT TRON, THE INHABITANTS ATTEMPT TO
MURDER THE MEN OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS, BUT ARE OVERPOWERED.--THE
COUNT RETURNS TO HIS FATHER AT BRUSSELS.--THE KING OF FRANCE RAISES
A LARGE ARMY,--IN CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH, THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS PUTS
HIMSELF ON HIS GUARD.
One Sunday after peace had been made with the Liegeois, and while the
count de Charolois was in St Tron, detachments of his army were passing
through that town on their road homewards; when the inhabitants,
thinking the whole were passed, sought a quarrel with a body of the
men at arms attached to the bastard of Burgundy, and killed two of
them. Having done this, they closed the gate by which these detachments
entered from Tongres, and guarded the others. This conduct seemed as
if they intended to put to death all of those who were in the town;
but the gens d'armes forced the gate, and marched straight to the
market-place, where they formed themselves in order, to resist the mob
of the town, who had there assembled with a great noise. They soon
drove this mob before them, who fled for safety,--not, however, without
having had nineteen or twenty of their companions killed.
Had not the count been timely informed of what was passing, and
given proper orders for checking his men, they would probably have
destroyed all the inhabitants, and plundered the town; for they were
then beginning to break down doors and windows, and enter the houses:
however, they lodged themselves wherever they pleased, and took
whatever provisions they found within them.
Some of the townsmen, who had begun this riot, had retreated into a
kind of fortified house, wherein they were besieged, and at length
taken, when the riot ceased. This happened on the 22d day of January,
in the year 1465.
The count de Charolois, on leaving St Tron, went strait to Brussels,
where he was received by the duke his father with as much joy as ever
father received a son. When they had remained some days together,
the count set out on a pilgrimage to Boulogne, which he had vowed to
perform on foot; and on his return to Brussels, he went to Ghent,
Bruges and Saint Omer,--and in all of these towns he was received with
the greatest honours. While he was at St Omer, the count de Nevers
came to him, and asked his pardon for whatever he might have done to
offend him, which was fully granted; and they remained together some
time, when the count de Nevers was so much restored to the count's good
graces that, on his departure, the count de Charolois wrote to the
officers of the different towns he was to pass through, to show him the
same honours and attention as if he had come himself in person,--and
this was done in all the towns he came to.
From St Omer, the count de Charolois went to Boulogne, and thence to
Rue, to Abbeville, to Amiens, to Corbie and to Peronne,--in all which
places he was most honourably received, although several of these
towns were dissatisfied that they no longer belonged to the king of
France.--During the stay he made at Peronne, he was informed that the
king was raising a greater army than he had ever done, and that it was
marvellous the quantity of artillery he had cast: he had even taken the
bells from some steeples to have them cast into serpentines and other
artillery. At the same time, the king was writing the most affectionate
letters to the count, as to his dearest friend; but the count did not
put too much confidence in these appearances, always suspecting the
changeful temper of the king. In consequence, he had it proclaimed
through his father's dominions, that every one that had been accustomed
to bear arms should be ready to join the king on the 15th day of June,
in Normandy, to oppose the landing of the English, who would then
attempt it with a considerable army.
This was the report the king had caused to be spread over the realm,
and that the English were making great preparations to invade the duchy
of Normandy the ensuing summer, although he knew to the contrary; but
his projects were pointed at other objects than what was generally
imagined. He had sent the bastard of Bourbon to England some time
before, and, by means of a large sum of money given to the English, had
obtained a truce between the two nations for twelve months.
The count, nevertheless, had a conference with the English at St Omer,
whither he sent his bastard-brother of Burgundy, as his representative,
to meet the earl of Warwick and other lords from England, to obtain
the alliance of the king of England and the english nation, should the
king of France make war upon him, as, from his preparations, was too
apparent.
[A.D. 1466.]
CHAP. LI.
THE LIEGEOIS IN DINANT BREAK THE PEACE, AND RECOMMENCE THE WAR AGAINST
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--DINANT IS BESIEGED AND BATTERED WITH CANNON.
Between Easter and the middle of August, in this year, so many
marriages took place in the county of Artois, and the adjoining
countries, that the like was not heard of in the memory of man.
Early in this year, those of Dinant, tired of the peace which they
had obtained by their humble solicitations from the duke of Burgundy,
and having their courage puffed up by those more inclined to war than
peace, suffered many evil-disposed persons, that had been banished,
to return to their town, who were eager for all kinds of mischief.
They soon after sallied out of Dinant, and overrun and pillaged many
villages in Hainault and Namur, which they afterward burnt, violated
churches and monasteries, committing, in short, every wickedness.