arrived at the town of St Denis, on a Friday, the 5th day of July,
in this same year, and attempted to cross the bridge of St Cloud (as
Monstrelet says), but were this time repulsed by the gallant resistance
of the nobles and other valiant French. The Burgundians then made an
attempt on the following Sunday, the 7th of July, to alarm Paris,--but
they gained nothing, for some of their men were slain by the artillery
on the walls, and the rest returned in haste to St Denis. The next day
they appeared again before the walls of Paris, and some with all their
artillery; but before they displayed the whole of their force, they
sent four heralds to the four different gates. Over the gate of St
Denis, as commanders for the day, were master Pierre l'Orfevre, lord of
Ermenonville, and master Jean de Poppincourt, lord of Cercelles, from
whom the heralds required provision for their army, and permission for
it to march through Paris. These demands they made with haughtiness
and menaces; and while the captains were listening to them, and before
they could give any answers, the Burgundians (thinking to surprise the
parisian guard, and those who were posted at the gates and barriers,)
advanced with a great body of men at arms as far as St Ladre and even
farther, intending to gain the newly-erected barriers in the suburbs,
and in front of that gate,--firing at the same cannons, serpentines,
and other artillery; but they were so valiantly resisted by the
inhabitants of Paris, and others resident therein, that they were
repulsed. Joachim Rohault came in person with his men to this conflict,
in which many of the Burgundians were slain and wounded, which caused
them to make a precipitate retreat without attempting any thing more.
They were afterward drawn up in battle-array before Paris, as has been
already related by Enguerrand de Monstrelet.
CHAP. LVIII.
A TRUE ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE REIGNS OF
KING CHARLES VII. AND HIS SON LOUIS XI. WHICH HAVE BEEN OMITTED, OR
SLIGHTLY MENTIONED, IN THE CHRONICLE OF ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET.
In order to make a regular report of many events that happened in
France and in the adjoining countries, I shall begin at the year 1460,
during the reign of king Charles VII. of France. At the commencement
of this year, the rivers Seine and Marne were greatly swelled; and the
Marne, near to St Maur des Fossés, rose in one night the height of a
man, and did very great damage to all the country round.
This river caused such an inundation at the village of Claye[66] that
it swept away a mansion of the bishop of Meaux, which had lately had
two handsome towers added to it, with fair apartments, having glass
windows and mats, and richly furnished with beds, tapestry, and
wainscotting,--all of which the river destroyed and carried away.
An unfortunate accident happened at the same time to the steeple of the
church of the abbey of Fêcamp, in Normandy, by lightning striking it
and setting it on fire, so that all the bells were completely melted
into one mass, which was a heavy loss to that abbey.
At this same time, all France was wondering at the intelligence of a
young girl about eighteen years old, doing many wonderful things in the
town of Mans. It was said, that she was tormented by the devil, and
from this cause she leapt high in the air, screamed, and foamed at the
mouth, with many other astonishing gestures, by which she deceived all
who came to see her. At length, it was discovered to be a trick of a
wicked mad girl, instigated to these follies and devilments by certain
officers of the bishop of Mans, who maintained her, and did with her as
they pleased, which they wished to conceal, by means of those tricks
which they had induced her to play.
I have found, towards the latter end of the chronicle of king Charles
VII. by the aforesaid Robert Gaguin, that in consequence of outrages
offered to king Henry of England by Richard duke of York and the earl
of Warwick, the duke of York was, shortly afterward, put to death
on the plains of Saint Alban's, by the duke of Somerset, cousin and
friend to the said king Henry, accompanied by others of his relatives
and party, (as has been more fully related by Monstrelet) and for this
cause the most victorious king Charles VII. had proclaimed, by sound
of trumpet, on the 3d of February, in this same year, at Rouen, and
throughout the towns on the seacoast of Normandy, his will and pleasure
that all Englishmen, of whatever rank, dress, or numbers, of the party
of king Henry of England and of queen Margaret, should be suffered to
land without any molestation or hinderance, without the necessity of
their having any passports from him, and that they should be allowed
thenceforward to remain peaceably in his kingdom so long as they should
please.
This conduct shows the great courtesy and liberality of Charles VII.;
for he offered the free entrance into his kingdom to that king Henry,
and to his adherents, who had oftentimes done all in his power to annoy
him, as his most mortal enemy.
On Tuesday the 21st day of July, in the year 1461, and on the day
preceding the death of king Charles VII. a very bright comet was seen
traversing the firmament, which, according to some, was a sign of the
death of so great a prince, and of other great events that were to
happen.
Wednesday the 22d, the feast of the glorious virgin Mary, king Charles
departed this life, about two hours after mid-day, at the town of Mehun
sur Yevre. I pray, therefore, devoutly to God, that his soul may repose
in the blessed regions of Heaven; for he had ever been a prudent and
valiant prince, and left his kingdom, free from all external enemies,
in peace, with justice restored to his subjects.
But his death, and noble interment in the church of St Denis, has been
already described by Enguerrand de Monstrelet, who also speaks of the
coronation of king Louis XI. at Rheims, and of his joyous entry into
Paris, and the feasts celebrated on the occasion.
But I find in another chronicle of king Louis what has been omitted by
Monstrelet, that the said king when making his entry, on the last day
of August, passed over the Pont-aux-Changes, whereon were represented
many pageants,--and it was hung all over. At the moment the king
passed, two hundred dozen of birds, of all descriptions, were let
fly, which the bird-catchers of Paris are bounden by charter to do on
such occasions; for it is on this bridge that on feast-days they have
their market for the sale of all sorts of singing birds, and others,
according to their pleasure.
All the streets through which the new king passed were hung with
tapestries. He went to the church of Nôtre Dame, to perform his
devotions, and thence returned to sup and lodge at his royal palace, as
is customary, and which has been before related.
On the morrow, the first of September, the king quitted the palace,
and fixed his lodgings at his hôtel of the Tournelles, where he
resided for some time. While there, he made many new regulations for
the better government of his kingdom, and displaced several from their
offices,--such as the chancellor Juvenal des Ursins, the marshal and
admiral of France, the first president of the parliament of Paris,
the provost of Paris, and many others,--and in their places appointed
others. He also dismissed some of the masters of requests, secretaries,
counsellors, and clerks of the treasury, of the court of parliament, of
the chamber of accounts, and from the treasury and mint, replacing them
with new ones.
The 3d of September in this year, king Louis, with some of his nobles
and gentlemen of his household, supped at the hôtel of master William
Corbie, then counsellor in his court of parliament, but whom he created
first president of his parliament of Dauphiny. At this entertainment
were present many notable damsels and citizens' wives of Paris.
During the king's stay at Paris, he partook of several entertainments,
in divers hôtels of that city, with the utmost good humour. Having
taken handsome leave of that town, he departed for Amboise, as has
been already told in the chronicles of Monstrelet, who speaks at great
length of the actions of Philip duke of Burgundy and of his son the
count de Charolois.
In the year 1460, nothing memorable happened, that deserved being
noticed in any of the chronicles. The ensuing year was, I find, very
productive in wines of a good quality in different countries: as for
other matters relating to princes, they have been fully detailed in the
chronicles before mentioned.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 66: Claye,--a village in Brie, between Paris and Meaux, four
leagues from Meaux.]
CHAP. LIX.
THE KING OF FRANCE COMES TO PARIS, AND RETURNS TO ROUEN.--THE
BASTARD DE REUBEMPRÉ IS ARRESTED ON THE COAST OF HOLLAND.--THE
KING GOES TO TOURS AND OTHER PLACES, AND THEN TO POITIERS, WHITHER
THE PARISIANS SEND HIM A DEPUTATION RESPECTING CERTAIN OF THEIR
FRANCHISES.--AMBASSADORS ARRIVE THERE FROM THE DUKE OF BRITTANY, WHO
CARRY OFF THE DUKE OF BERRY.--THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.--THE
DUKE OF BOURBON MAKES WAR ON THE KING OF FRANCE,--AND OTHER EVENTS
THAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR MCCCCLXIV. OMITTED BY MONSTRELET,--AND SOME
FACTS RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF THE GOOD POPE PIUS II. AND CONCERNING
POPE PAUL II. MORE THAN IS CONTAINED IN THE SAID CHRONICLES.
On the 7th day of May, in the year 1464, the king of France came to
Paris from Nogent le Roi,[67] where his queen had been delivered of
a fair daughter. The king supped that night at the hôtel of master
Charles d'Orgemont, lord of Mery, and discussed some public affairs.
He left Paris for the borders of Picardy, expecting to meet there
the ambassadors from king Edward of England, who did not keep their
appointment: finding they did not come, the king departed thence for
Rouen and other places in Normandy.
At this time, a bylander was taken off the coast of Holland, by some
flemish vessels,--which bylander had on board the bastard of Reubempré,
with others, who were all made prisoners. The Flemings and Picards,
after this capture, published every where, that the king of France had
sent the bastard de Reubempré, with an armed force to seize and carry
off the count de Charolois, of which there were no proofs.
The king soon left Normandy on his return to Nogent le Roi, and thence
went to Tours, Chinon, and Poitiers. At this last place, a deputation
from Paris waited on him, respecting certain of their privileges; but
they obtained little or nothing, except a remission of the tax on
fairs, which was a trifle,--and even that they did not enjoy, although
a donation had been made them of it, because the court of accounts,
to whom the orders for the remission had been addressed, would not
expedite the proper powers.
Nearly at the same time, ambassadors from the duke of Brittany arrived
at Poitiers, with some propositions to the king, who, having heard what
they had to say, assented to the greater part of their demands. On
this being done, the ambassadors promised that the duke should come to
Poitiers, or elsewhere, according to the good pleasure of the king, to
ratify and confirm what had been agreed on and granted by his majesty.
The ambassadors then took their humble leave of the king, and, on
their departure, pretended to return home; but their intentions were
otherwise,--for, on setting out from Poitiers on a Saturday, they only
went four leagues, and remained there until the Monday, when the duke
of Berry left Poitiers secretly, during the absence of his brother the
king, and joined them. The ambassadors received him with joy, and made
all haste to carry him with them to Brittany, fearing they would be
pursued the moment the king should learn his brother's escape.
After the departure of the duke of Berry from Poitiers, many others
went into Brittany; among the rest, the duke of Orleans left Poitiers;
but he was, shortly after, seized with so dangerous an illness, at
Châtelherault, that it proved fatal to him, and he was buried in the
church of St Sauveur, in the castle of Blois.
The duke of Bourbon now declared war against the king of France
and his country, and seized all the finances belonging to the king
in the Bourbonnois. The duke made a pretence of arresting the lord
de Crussel, who was much in the king's confidence, for passing
through his territories with his wife, family and effects, without
first having demanded permission. A little afterwards, the lord de
Trainel,[68] late chancellor of France, and master Pierre d'Oriole,
superintendant-general of the king's finances, were arrested, and
detained a long time prisoner in the town of Moulins, but at length
were given up by the duke to the king.
On the 15th day of May, sir Charles de Melun, lieutenant for the
king, master John Balue, elected bishop of Evreux, and master John le
Prevot, notary and secretary to the king, came to Paris, and read to
the magistrates, assembled in the town-house, some regulations with
which the king had charged them; which being done, they gave several
orders, subject to the king's pleasure, for the better defence of the
town,--such as the increasing of the nightly watch, additional guards
at some of the gates, and walling up others, and likewise for the
preparation of chains to be thrown across each street, should there
be any occasion for them. Other orders were issued, but it would be
tiresome to detail them all.
About this time, an inventory was made of all the effects belonging to
Pierre Merin at Paris, which were seized on by the king, because the
said Merin, then treasurer to the duke of Berry, held for his lord the
town and tower of Bourges against the king. For this reason, the king
gave to James Tête-Clerc the office of usher to the treasury, which
Merin had held.
In consequence of Anthony de Chabannes count de Dammartin's escape
from the bastile of St Anthony at Paris, wherein he had been confined
prisoner, as is related by Monstrelet, he found means to get possession
from Geoffroy Cœur, son to the late Jacques Cœur, of the towns of St
Forgeiul and St Maurice, and made Geoffroy himself his prisoner, laying
hands also on all his effects, which he found in these two places.
The king of France advanced toward Angers and the Pont de Cé, to learn
the intentions of such as had absented themselves to join his brother
in Brittany. He was attended by the king of Sicily duke of Anjou,
and the count du Maine, followed by a considerable body of troops,
estimated at twenty or thirty thousand combatants. The king, perceiving
that much was not to be gained in that quarter, turned his march toward
Berry, and to the towns of Issoudun, Vierzon, Déols, and others in
that district, having with him a strong detachment from his army and
artillery.
Here the two brothers, the king of Sicily and the count du Maine,
uncles to the king by the mother's side, left him, and hastened,
with a large force, to prevent the dukes of Berry and Brittany from
entering Normandy, or from doing mischief to any other part of the
kingdom. The king remained some time in Berry, and then departed for
the Bourbonnois; but he would not enter Bourges, because it was well
provided with a garrison of men at arms, under the command of the
bastard of Bourbon for the duke of Berry.
The 14th or 15th of August, of this year 1464, pope Pius II. departed
this life, as is noted by Monstrelet. He was elected pope in the year
1458; and his name was Æneas Silvius, of the city of Sienna,[69] an
eloquent man, a great orator, and poet laureat. He had been ambassador
and secretary to the great emperor Sigismond, and has written a notable
treatise in the support of the authority of the council of Basil, with
several other fine books, of good doctrine. He canonised St Catherine
of Sienna, of the order of Franciscans, in the year 1461, and wrote
several elegant latin epistles to many of the Christian princes, to
urge them to a croisade against the infidels, as may now be seen in
his book of letters. He was, in consequence, surrounded by princes and
lords from divers countries, having with them large armies of men at
arms, and galleys and other vessels to transport them; so, when thus
assembled, they advanced with the pope as far as Ancona, where he was
met by the king of Hungary and a great army. But in the midst of these
grand and salutary preparations, the good pope Pius died at Ancona,
the day and year above mentioned.
In the same year, Paul II. was elected his successor. Paul was a
Venetian, and gave his instant approbation for the celebration of the
feast of the said glorious virgin St Catherine of Sienna. He loved
justice, and was desirous of amassing wealth. He commenced the building
of a grand palace beside the church of St Mark at Rome.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 67: Nogent le Roi,--a town in Beauce, near Maintenon.]
[Footnote 68: Lord de Trainel. Juvenel des Ursins.]
[Footnote 69: City of Sienna. Æneas Silvius Piccalomini was born 1405,
at Corfini, in the Siennois, which name he changed to Pienza.
When he came to the pontificate, he changed the opinions he had
published in defence of the supreme authority of councils, and desired
that Æneas Silvius should be condemned, and the doctrines of pope Pius
II. followed. 'Honores mutant mores.'
There are many editions of his epistles and works. The oldest copy of
the first, in my library, is a beautiful folio, printed by Zarothus,
Milan, the 31st May, 1481.]
CHAP. LX.
THE KING OF FRANCE ENTERS THE BOURBONNOIS, AND TAKES MANY TOWNS AND
CASTLES.--EVENTS AT PARIS AND ELSEWHERE.--THE KING BESIEGES RIOMS, IN
AUVERGNE.--OTHER INCIDENTS UP TO THE PERIOD OF THE WAR OF MONTLEHERY,
OMITTED BY MONSTRELET.
The king of France now hastened to march into the Bourbonnois,--and
about Ascension-day, in the year 1405, the town of St Amand[70] was
taken by storm; and shortly after, the town and castle of Montluçon
surrendered on terms, in which were James de Bourbon and thirty-five
lances, who marched away in safety, with their baggage, having sworn
never more to bear arms against the king.
At this period, arrived at Paris, the late chancellor de Trainel,
master Estienne, knight, Nicholas de Louviers, and master John des
Moulins, by whom the king wrote letters to his good inhabitants of
Paris, thanking them for their loyalty, and exhorting them to continue
and further persevere therein. He added, that he should send his queen
to be brought to bed of the child of which she was now big in his city
of Paris, as the town he loved in preference to all others.
It happened, that as John de la Hure, a merchant of Sens, his nephew,
and others in his company, were lodging, on the last day but one of May
in this year, at an inn near to a windmill at Moret in the Gâtinois,
called Moulin Basset, they were attacked by a band of twenty or thirty
horsemen from St Forgeiul and St Maurice, and carried away prisoners,
with all their merchandise and other effects.
On the 6th day of June, a bonnet-maker called Jean Marceau, an elderly
man, hung himself in his house, opposite to the sign of the Golden
Beard, in the rue de St Denis. He was, when discovered, quite dead, was
cut down, and carried to the Châtelet for examination,--which being
over, he was carried and hung on the common gibbet at Paris. At the
same time, a labourer of Aignancourt, named John Petit, cut his wife's
throat.
At this period, the bastard and marshal of Burgundy won the towns of
Roye and Mondidier, as mentioned by Monstrelet.
On the Sunday following, the 9th of June, was a general procession made
in Paris, which was very handsome, having the shrines of the blessed St
Marcel, and of the glorious virgin St Genevieve, with other holy relics
from different churches. It moved with grand solemnity to the church of
Nôtre Dame, where high mass was celebrated to the virgin Mary,--after
which, a sermon was preached to the people by master John de l'Olive,
doctor in divinity, who declared the cause of this procession was for
the health and prosperity of the king and queen, and the fruit of her
womb, and likewise for peace and good union between the king and the
princes of the blood, and for the welfare of the realm.
While the king was in the Bourbonnois, he went to St Pourçain,[71]
whither his sister, the duchess of Bourbon, came to confer with him,
and to endeavour to bring about an accommodation between him and her
husband, whose quarrels had much vexed her,--but at this time she
failed. While this was passing, the duke of Bourbon quitted Moulins,
and went to Riom in Auvergne.
The government in Paris ordered the gates of St Martin, Montmartre, the
Temple, St Germain des Près, St Victor and St Michel, to be walled up,
and the drawbridges taken away, and a good guard to be kept during the
night on the walls.
The town of St Maurice, now occupied by the count de Dammartin, was
ordered to be besieged, by the bailiff of Sens, sir Charles de Melun,
with a large body of the commonalty. Sir Anthony, bailiff of Melun, was
sent to reinforce him with a body of archers and cross-bows from the
town of Paris.
About this time, an unfortunate accident happened to master Louis de
Tilliers, notary and secretary to the king, treasurer of Carcassonne,
and comptroller of salt in Berry, and attached to sir Anthony de
Châteauneuf lord de Lau. An archer was trying the strength of his
bow against a door, just as master Louis was opening it to come out,
and the arrow passed through his body. He was laid on a couch in his
chamber, where he soon after expired, and rendered up his soul to God.
On St John Baptist's day, the 24th of June, as some youths were bathing
themselves in the Seine, they were drowned; which caused a proclamation
to be made in all the quarters of Paris, to forbid any one in future
to bathe in the river,--and to order all persons to have daily before
their doors a tub full of water, under pain of imprisonment, and a fine
of sixty sols parisis, for each omission or neglect.
Orders were issued, on the morrow, for the chains to be taken down
from across the streets, and to remain on the ground,--but care was to
be taken to have them in a proper state for being replaced, in case
of necessity, under heavy penalties for neglect. It was also ordered,
that every person in Paris should provide himself with sufficient
armour, according to his station in life, for the defence of the town,
and should hold himself in constant readiness to oppose any attack.
These orders were delivered in writing to every one of the principal
inhabitants.
In this year, a large army of Burgundians, Picards, and others, under
the command of the count de Charolois, son to duke Philip of Burgundy,
excited by malice and ambition, marched into France, and gained the
town of Pont St Maixence, through the means of one called Mardé,[72]
governor of it for master Peter l'Orfevre lord of Ermenonville,
who delivered it up to them for a sum of money which he received
from the count de Charolois. They thence advanced into the Isle of
France, under pretence that they were come for the public good, but
it was not so. They marched to Saint Denis, to the walls of Paris,
and to Montlehery, where a great battle was fought, as described by
Monstrelet. As I have, in my first chapter, recapitulated this affair,
I shall not further touch on it, but relate some events that preceded
it.
The king of France now laid siege to Riom in Auvergne,--in which town
were the dukes of Bourbon and Nemours, the count d'Armagnac, the lord
d'Albret and others. The king's army was as handsome and well appointed
as could be seen, for he had with him several renowned captains,--and
the whole was estimated at twenty-four thousand combatants. During this
siege, the Parisians, hearing of the rapid marches of the Burgundians
towards Paris, established a numerous horse-patrole, which nightly went
round the walls, from midnight until day the next morning, having for
their captains, each night, men of approved valour.
On Monday, the 2d of July, master John Balue, bishop of Evreux,
commanded the nightly guard in Paris: he took with him the company of
Joachim Rohault, and went his rounds on the walls with trumpets and
clarions sounding, which had never in those times been before done by
the city-watch.
Wednesday, the 4th of July, the king of France, while he was besieging
Riom, sent letters by sir Charles de Charlay,[73] his knight of the
Paris-watch, addressed to sir Charles de Melun, his lieutenant in
Paris, and to Joachim Rohault, thanking the good citizens for their
loyalty towards him, and begging them to persevere with courage in
their good intentions for the welfare of his kingdom, for that within
fifteen days he would be with his whole army at Paris. He likewise sent
them verbal information by the mouth of the said de Charlay, of the
treaty he had concluded with the dukes of Bourbon and Nemours, and the
lords d'Armagnac and d'Albret, who had each of them promised loyally
to serve, and live and die for him. These lords had also promised
to exert themselves to the utmost of their power to bring about a
reconciliation with the other princes, and a peace between them and the
king.