friendship where so much chivalry abounds as in the kingdom of England,
although I have come from so distant a country, and prosecuted my
request for nearly two years; and that I must necessarily return to my
own country without making any acquaintance with you, for which I have a
great desire, as is clear from the tenor of all my letters. Should I
thus depart from you without effecting my object, I shall have few
thanks to give you, considering the pain I am suffering, and have
suffered for so long a time. If I do not receive an answer from you
within fifteen days after the date of this present letter, my intention
is, under the good pleasure of GOD, of our Lady, of my lords St Michael
and St George, to return to my much-redoubted and sovereign lord the
king of Arragon. Should you, within fifteen days, have any thing to
write to me, I shall be found at the hôtel of my lord the provost of
Paris.
‘I have nothing more to add, but to entreat you will have me in your
remembrance, and recollect the pain I am suffering. To add confidence to
this letter, I have signed it with my sign manual, and sealed it with
the seal of my arms. I have also caused copies to be made of our
correspondence, marked A, B, C, one of which I have retained. Written at
Paris, the 10th day of May, 1403.’
In consequence of this letter, Perrin de Loharent, sergeant at arms to
the king of England, calling himself a proxy in this business for the
english knight, sent an answer to the esquire of Arragon, conceived in
such terms as these:
‘To the most noble esquire, Michel d’Orris. I signify to you, on the
part of my lord John Prendergast, that if you will promptly pay him all
the costs and charges he has been at to deliver you by deeds of arms,
according to the proposals in your letter, which deeds have not been
accomplished from your own fault, he will cheerfully comply with your
request; otherwise know, that he will not take any further steps towards
it, nor suffer any knight or esquire, on this side of the sea, to
deliver you, or send you any answer to your letter. If, however, you
send him five hundred marcs sterling for his expenses, which he declares
they have amounted to, I certify that you shall not wait any length of
time before you be delivered by the deeds of arms offered in your
challenge.
‘I therefore advise you as a gentleman, that should you not think proper
to remit the amount of the expenses, you be careful not to speak
slightingly of the english chivalry, nor repeat that you could not find
an english knight to accept of your offer of combat, as you have said in
your last letter; for should that expression be again used, I inform
you, on the part of sir John Prendergast, that he will be always ready
to maintain the contrary in the defence of his own honour, which you
have handled somewhat too roughly, according to the opinion of our lords
acquainted with the truth, who think sir John has acted like a prudent
and honourable man. You will send your answer to this letter, and what
may be your future intentions, by Châlons the herald, the bearer of
these presents; and that you may have full confidence in their contents,
I have signed and sealed them myself at Paris in the year 1404.’
This affair, notwithstanding the letters that have been reported, never
came to any other conclusion.
CHAP. III.
GREAT PARDONS[21] GRANTED AT ROME.
During this year, the court of Rome granted many pardons, whither an
infinity of persons went from all parts of Christendom to receive them.
An universal mortality took place about the time, which caused the
deaths of multitudes; and in the number, very many of the pilgrims
suffered from it at Rome.
[A. D. 1401.]
CHAP. IV.
JOHN OF MONTFORT, DUKE OF BRITTANY, DIES.—THE EMPEROR
DEPARTS FROM PARIS.—ISABELLA QUEEN OF ENGLAND RETURNS TO
FRANCE.
At the beginning of this year, John of Montfort, duke of Brittany, died,
and was succeeded by his eldest son John, married to a daughter of the
king of France, and who had several brothers and sisters[22]. About the
same time, the emperor of Constantinople[23], who had made a long stay
at Paris, at the charges of the king of France, set out, with all his
attendants, for England, where he was very honourably received by king
Henry and his princes; thence he returned to his own country[24].
Many able ambassadors had, at various times, been sent from France to
England, and from England to France, chiefly to negotiate with the king
of England for the return of queen Isabella, daughter to the king of
France and widow of king Richard II. with liberty to enjoy the dower
that had been settled upon her by the articles of marriage. The
ambassadors at length brought the matter to a conclusion, and the queen
was conducted to France by the lord Thomas Percy, constable of England,
having with him many knights, esquires, ladies and damsels, to accompany
her.
She was escorted to the town of Leulinghem, between Boulogne and Calais,
and there delivered to Waleran count of Saint Pol[25], governor of
Picardy, with whom were the bishop of Chartres and the lord de
Heugueville to receive her. The damsel of Montpensier, sister to the
count de la Marche, and the damsel of Luxembourg, sister to the count de
St Pol, with other ladies and damsels sent by the queen of France, were
likewise present. When both parties had taken leave of each other, the
count de St Pol conducted the queen and her attendants to the dukes of
Burgundy and Bourbon, who with a large company were waiting for them on
an eminence hard by.
She was received by them with every honour, and thence escorted to
Boulogne, and to Abbeville, where the duke of Burgundy, to celebrate her
return to France, made a grand banquet, and then, taking his leave of
her, he went back to Artois. The duke of Bourbon and the rest who had
been at this feast conducted her to the king and queen, her parents, at
Paris. She was most kindly received by them; but although it was said
that she was honourably sent back, yet there was not any dower or
revenue assigned her from England, which caused many of the french
princes to be dissatisfied with the king of England, and pressing with
the king of France to declare war against him.
CHAP. V.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, BY ORDERS FROM THE KING OF FRANCE,
GOES INTO BRITTANY, AND THE DUKE OF ORLEANS TO
LUXEMBOURG.—A QUARREL ENSUES BETWEEN THEM.
This same year, the duke of Burgundy went to Brittany to take possession
of it in the king’s name for the young duke. The country soon submitted
to him, and he continued his journey to Nantes to visit the
duchess-dowager, sister to the king of Navarre[26], who had entered into
engagements speedily to marry Henry IV. of England.
The duke was her uncle, and treated with her successfully for the
surrender of her dower lands to her children, on condition that she
received annually a certain sum of money in compensation. When this had
been concluded, and the duke had placed garrisons in the king’s name in
some of the strong places of the country, he returned to Paris, carrying
with him the young duke and his two brothers, who were graciously
received by the king and queen.
The duke of Orleans had at this time gone to take possession of the
duchy of Luxembourg[27], with the consent of the king of Bohemia, to
whom it belonged, and with whom he had concluded some private agreement.
Having placed his own garrisons in many of the towns and castles of this
duchy, he returned to France,—when shortly after a great quarrel took
place between the duke of Orleans and his uncle the duke of Burgundy;
and it rose to such a height that each collected a numerous body of men
at arms round Paris. At length, by the mediation of the queen and the
dukes of Berry and Bourbon, peace was restored, and the men at arms were
sent back to the places whence they had come.
CHAP. VI.
CLEMENT DUKE OF BAVARIA IS ELECTED EMPEROR OF GERMANY,
AND AFTERWARD CONDUCTED WITH A NUMEROUS RETINUE TO
FRANKFORT.
This year, Clement duke of Bavaria[28] was elected emperor of Germany,
after the electors had censured and deposed the king of Bohemia. Clement
was conducted by them to Frankfort, with an escort of forty thousand
armed men, and laid siege to the town because it had been contrary to
his interests. He remained before it forty days, during which time an
epidemical disorder raged in his army, and carried off fifteen thousand
of his men. A treaty was begun at the expiration of the forty days, when
the town submitted to the emperor.
The towns of Cologne, Aix, and several more followed this example, and
gave him letters of assurance that his election had been legally and
properly made. He was after this crowned by the bishop of Mentz; and at
his coronation many princes and lords of the country made splendid
feasts, with tournaments and other amusements.
When these were over, the emperor sent his cousin-german the duke of
Bavaria, father to the queen of France, to Paris, to renew and confirm
the peace between him and the king of France. Duke Stephen was joyfully
received on his arrival at Paris by the queen and princes of the
blood,—but the king was at that time confined by illness.
When he had made his proposals, a day was fixed on to give him an
answer; and the princes told him, that in good truth they could not
conclude a peace to the prejudice of their fair cousin the king of
Bohemia, who had been duly elected and crowned emperor of Germany. When
the duke of Bavaria had received this answer, he returned through
Hainault to the new emperor. He related to him all that had passed in
France, and the answer he had received, with which he was not well
pleased, but he could not amend it.
The emperor, soon after this, proposed marching a powerful army, under
his own command, to Lombardy, to gain possession of the passes, and sent
a detachment before him for this purpose, but his troops were met by an
army from the duke of Milan[29], who slew many, and took numbers
prisoners. Among the latter was sir Girard, lord of Heraucourt, marshal
to the duke of Austria, and several other persons of distinction. This
check broke up the intended expedition of the emperor.
CHAP. VII.
HENRY OF LANCASTER, KING OF ENGLAND, COMBATS THE PERCIES AND
WELSHMEN, WHO HAD INVADED HIS KINGDOM, AND DEFEATS THEM.
About the month of March, in this year, great dissensions arose between
Henry, king of England, and the family of Percy and the Welsh, in which
some of the Scots took part, and entered Northumberland with a
considerable force. King Henry had raised a large army to oppose them,
and had marched thither to give them battle; but, at the first attack,
his vanguard was discomfited. This prevented the second division from
advancing, and it being told the king, who commanded the rear, he was
animated with more than usual courage, from perceiving his men to
hesitate, and charged the enemy with great vigour. His conduct was so
gallant and decisive that many of the nobles of both parties declared he
that day slew, with his own hand, thirty-six men at arms.
He was thrice unhorsed by the earl of Douglas’s spear, and would have
been taken or killed by the earl, had he not been defended and rescued
by his own men. The lord Thomas Percy was there slain, and his nephew
Henry made prisoner, whom the king ordered instantly to be put to death
before his face. The earl of Douglas was also taken, and many others.
After this victory, king Henry departed from the field of battle, joyful
at the successful event of the day. He sent a body of his men at arms to
Wales, to besiege a town of that country which was favourable to the
Percies[30].
[A. D. 1402.]
CHAP. VIII.
JOHN DE VERCHIN, A KNIGHT OF GREAT RENOWN, AND SENESCHAL OF
HAINAULT, SENDS, BY HIS HERALD, A CHALLENGE INTO DIVERS
COUNTRIES, PROPOSING A DEED OF ARMS.
At the beginning of this year, John de Verchin[31], a knight of high
renown and seneschal of Hainault, sent letters, by his herald, to the
knights and esquires of different countries, to invite them to a trial
of skill in arms, which he had vowed to hold, the contents of which
letters were as follows:
‘To all knights and esquires, gentlemen of name and arms, without
reproach, I Jean de Verchin, seneschal of Hainault, make known, that
with the aid of GOD, of our Lady, of my lord St George, and of the lady
of my affections, I intend being at Coucy the first Sunday of August
next ensuing, unless prevented by lawful and urgent business, ready on
the morrow to make trial of the arms hereafter mentioned, in the
presence of my most redoubted lord the duke of Orleans, who has granted
me permission to hold the meeting at the above place.
‘If any gentleman, such as above described, shall come to this town to
deliver me from my vow, we will perform our enterprise mounted on
horseback, on war saddles without girths. Each may wear what armour he
pleases, but the targets must be without covering or lining of iron or
steel. The arms to be spears of war, without fastening or covering, and
swords. The attack to be with spears in or out of their rests; and each
shall lay aside his target, and draw his sword without assistance.
Twenty strokes of the sword to be given without intermission, and we
may, if we please, seize each other by the body.
‘From respect to the gentleman, and to afford him more pleasure, for
having had the goodness to accept my invitation, I promise to engage him
promptly on foot, unless bodily prevented, without either of us taking
off any part of the armour which we had worn in our assaults on
horseback: we may, however, change our vizors, and lengthen the plates
of our armour, according to the number of strokes with the sword and
dagger, as may be thought proper, when my companion shall have
determined to accomplish my deliverance by all these deeds of arms,
provided, however, that the number of strokes may be gone through during
the day, at such intermissions as I shall point out.
‘In like manner, the number of strokes with battle-axes shall be agreed
on; but, in regard to this combat, each may wear the armour he pleases.
Should it happen (as I hope it will not), that in the performance of
these deeds of arms, one of us be wounded, insomuch that during the day
he shall be unable to complete the combat with the arms then in use, the
adverse party shall not make any account of it, but shall consider it as
if nothing had passed.
‘When I shall have completed these courses, or when the day shall be
ended, with the aid of GOD, of our Lady, of my lord St George, and of my
lady, I shall set out from the said town, unless bodily prevented, on a
pilgrimage to my lord St James at Compostella. Whatever gentleman of
rank I may meet going to Galicia, or returning to the aforesaid town of
Coucy, that may incline to do me the honour and grace to deliver me with
the same arms as above, and appoint an honourable judge, without taking
me more than twenty leagues from my strait road, or obliging me to
return, and giving me assurance from the judge, that the combat, with
the aforesaid arms, shall take place within five days from my arrival in
the town appointed for it,—I promise, with the aid of GOD and my lady,
if not prevented by bodily infirmity, to deliver them promptly on foot,
as soon as they shall have completed the enterprise, according to the
manner specified, with such a number of strokes with the sword, dagger
and battle-axe, as may be thought proper to fix upon.
‘Should it happen, after having agreed with a gentleman to perform these
deeds of arms, as we are proceeding toward the judge he had fixed upon,
that I should meet another gentleman willing to deliver me, who should
name a judge nearer my direct road than the first, I would in that case
perform my trial in arms with him whose judge was the nearest; and when
I had acquitted myself to him, I would then return to accomplish my
engagement with the first, unless prevented by any bodily infirmity.
Such will be my conduct during the journey, and I shall hold myself
acquitted to perform before each judge my deeds of arms; and no
gentleman can enter the lists with me more than once,—and the staves of
our arms shall be of equal lengths, which I will provide and distribute
when required. All the blows must be given from the bottom of the
plate-armour to the head: none others will be allowed as legal.
‘That all gentlemen who may incline to deliver me from my vow may know
the road I propose to follow, I inform them, that under the will of God,
I mean to travel through France to Bordeaux,—thence to the country of
Foix, to the kingdoms of Navarre and Castille, to the shrine of my lord
St James at Compostella. On my return, if it please God, I will pass
through the kingdom of Portugal,—thence to Valencia, Arragon, Catalonia,
and Avignon, and recross the kingdom of France, having it understood if
I may be permitted to travel through all these countries in security, to
perform my vow, excepting the kingdom of France and county of Hainault.
‘That this proposal may have the fullest assurance, I have put my seal
to this letter, and signed it with my own hand, in the year of the
incarnation of our Lord, the 1st day of June, 1402.’
The seneschal, in consequence of this challenge, went to Coucy, where he
was received very graciously by the duke of Orleans; but no one appeared
to enter the lists with him on the appointed day. In a few days, he set
out on his pilgrimage to the shrine of St James, during which he
performed his deeds of arms in seven places, during seven days, and
behaved himself so gallantly that those princes who were appointed
judges of the field were greatly satisfied with him.
CHAP. IX.
THE DUKE OF ORLEANS, BROTHER TO THE KING OF FRANCE, SENDS A
CHALLENGE TO THE KING OF ENGLAND.—THE ANSWER HE
RECEIVES.
In the year 1402, Louis duke of Orleans, brother to the king of France,
sent a letter to the king of England, proposing a combat between them,
of the following tenor:
‘I Louis, by the grace of God, son and brother to the kings of France,
duke of Orleans, write and make known to you, that with the aid of God
and the blessed Trinity, in the desire which I have to gain renown, and
which you in like manner should feel, considering idleness as the bane
of lords of high birth who do not employ themselves in arms, and
thinking I can no way better seek renown than by proposing to you to
meet me at an appointed place, each of us accompanied with one hundred
knights and esquires, of name and arms without reproach, there to combat
together until one of the parties shall surrender; and he to whom God
shall grant the victory shall do with his prisoners as it may please
him. We will not employ any incantations that are forbidden by the
church, but make every use of the bodily strength granted us by God,
having armour as may be most agreeable to every one for the security of
his person, and with the usual arms; that is to say, lance, battle-axe,
sword and dagger, and each to employ them as he shall think most to his
advantage, without aiding himself by any bodkins, hooks, bearded darts,
poisoned needles or razors, as may be done by persons unless they be
positively ordered to the contrary.
‘To accomplish this enterprise, I make known to you, that if GOD permit,
and under the good pleasure of our Lady and my lord St Michael, I
propose (after knowing your intentions) to be at my town of Angoulême,
accompanied by the aforesaid number of knights and esquires. Now, if
your courage be such as I think it is, for the fulfilment of this deed
of arms, you may come to Bordeaux, when we may depute properly-qualified
persons to fix on a spot for the combat, giving to them full power to
act therein as if we ourselves were personally present.
‘Most potent and noble prince, let me know your will in regard to this
proposal, and have the goodness to send me as speedy an answer as may
be; for in all affairs of arms, the shortest determination is the best,
especially for the kings of France and great lords and princes; and as
many delays may arise from business of importance, which must be
attended to, as well as doubts respecting the veracity of our letters,
that you may know I am resolved, with God’s help, on the accomplishment
of this deed of arms, I have signed this letter with my own hand, and
sealed it with the seal of my arms. Written at my castle of Coucy[32],
the 7th day of August 1402.’
THE ANSWER OF KING HENRY TO THE LETTER OF THE DUKE OF
ORLEANS.
‘Henry, by the grace of God, king of England and France, and lord of
Ireland, to the high and mighty prince Louis, duke of Orleans.
‘We write to inform you, that we have seen your letter, containing a
request to perform a deed of arms; and, from the expressions contained
therein, we perceive that it is addressed to us, which has caused us no
small surprise, for the following reasons.
‘First, on account of the truce agreed on, and sworn to, between our
very dear lord and cousin king Richard, our predecessor, whom God
pardon! and your lord and brother,—in which treaty, you are yourself a
party. Secondly, on account of the alliance that was made between us at
Paris,—for the due observance of which you made oath, in the hands of
our well-beloved knights and esquires, sir Thomas de Spinguchen[33], sir
Thomas Ramson, and John Morbury, and likewise gave to them letters
signed with your great seal, reciting this treaty of alliance, which I
shall hereafter more fully state.
‘Since you have thought proper, without any cause, to act contrary to
this treaty, we shall reply as follows, being desirous that God, and all
the world, should know it has never been our intention to act any way
contradictory to what we have promised. We therefore inform you, that we
have annulled the letter of alliance received from you, and throw aside
henceforward all love and affection toward you; for it seems to us that
no prince, lord, knight, or any person whatever, ought to demand a
combat from him with whom a treaty of friendship exists.
‘In reply to your letter, we add, that considering the very high rank in
which it has pleased God to place us, we are not bound to answer any
such demands unless made by persons of equal rank with ourselves. With
regard to what you say, that we ought to accept your proposal to avoid
idleness,—it is true we are not so much employed in arms and honourable
exploits as our noble predecessors have been; but the all-powerful God
may, when he pleases, make us follow their steps, and we, through the
indulgence of his grace, have not been so idle but that we have been
enabled to defend our honour.
‘With regard to the proposal of meeting you at a fixed place with one
hundred knights and esquires of name and arms, and without reproach, we
answer, that until this moment none of our royal progenitors have been
thus challenged by persons of less rank than themselves, nor have they
ever employed their arms with one hundred or more persons in such a
cause; for it seems to us that a royal prince ought only to do such
things as may redound to the honour of God, and to the profit of all
Christendom and his own kingdom, and not through vain glory nor selfish
advantage. We are determined to preserve the state God has intrusted to
us,—and whenever we may think it convenient we shall visit our
possessions on your side of the sea, accompanied by such numbers of
persons as we may please; at which time, if you shall think proper, you
may assemble as many persons as you may judge expedient to acquire
honour in the accomplishment of all your courageous desires,—and should
it please GOD, our Lady, and my lord St George, you shall not depart
until your request be so fully complied with that you shall find
yourself satisfied by a combat between us two personally so long as it
may please God to suffer it, which mode I shall prefer to prevent any
greater effusion of Christian blood. God knows, we will that no one
should be ignorant that this our answer does not proceed from pride or
presumption of heart, which every wise man who holds his honour dear
should avoid, but solely to abase that haughtiness and over presumption
of any one, whosoever he may be, that prevents him from knowing himself.
Should you wish that those of your party be without reproach, be more
cautious in future of your letters, your promises and your seal, than
you have hitherto been. That you may know this is our own proper answer,
formed from our knowledge of you, and that we will maintain our right
whenever God pleases, we have sealed with our arms this present letter.
Given at our court of London, the 5th day of December, in the year of
Grace 1402, and in the 4th of our reign.’
THE LETTER OF ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE DUKE OF ORLEANS AND THE
DUKE OF LANCASTER.