by his two brothers, Louis[41] and Jean[42], with twelve hundred knights
and esquires, were sent, by orders from the king of France, to the port
of Brest in Brittany,—thence to embark for Wales, to the succour of the
Welsh against the English. They found there a fleet of transports ready
provided with all necessaries, on board of which they embarked,
intending to land at Dartmouth, but the wind proved contrary. Having
noticed seven sail of merchantmen coming out of this harbour, fully
laden, making sail for Plymouth, they chaced them so successfully that
their sailors abandoned their ships, and, taking to their boats, made
their escape as well as they could. The count de la Marche took
possession of the vessels and all they contained, and then entered
Plymouth harbour, which they destroyed with fire and sword.
Thence he sailed to a small island, called Sallemue[43]; and having
treated it in the same manner as Plymouth, he created some new
knights,—among whom were his two brothers, Louis count de Vendôme, and
Jean de Bourbon his youngest brother, and many of their companions. When
the count de la Marche had tarried there for three days, suspecting that
the English would collect a superior force to offer him battle, he set
sail for France; but shortly after a tempest arose that lasted for three
days, in which twelve of his ships and all on board perished. With much
difficulty, the count reached the port of St Malo with the remainder,
and thence went to Paris to wait on the king of France.
This same year, duke Philip of Burgundy made grand feasts for the
solemnization of the marriage of his second son Anthony, count of
Rethel, who was afterwards duke of Brabant, with the only daughter of
Waleran count of St Pol,—which daughter he had by the countess Maud, his
first wife, sister to king Richard of England. These feasts were very
magnificent, and well attended by many princes and princesses, with a
noble chivalry, and they were all supported at the sole expense of the
duke of Burgundy.
[A. D. 1403.]
CHAP. XII.
THE ADMIRAL OF BRITTANY, WITH OTHER LORDS, FIGHTS THE
ENGLISH AT SEA.—GILBERT DE FRETUN MAKES WAR AGAINST KING
HENRY.
In the beginning of this year, the admiral of Brittany, the lord de
Penhors, the lord du Chastel[44], the lord du Boys, with many other
knights and esquires of Brittany, to the amount of twelve hundred men at
arms, assembled at Morlens[45], and embarked on board thirty vessels at
a port called Chastel-Pol[46], to engage the English, who had a large
fleet at sea on the look-out for merchantmen like pirates. On the
following Wednesday, as the English were cruising before a port called
St Matthieu[47], the Bretons came up with them, and chaced them until
sun-rise the ensuing morning, when they engaged in battle. It lasted for
three hours; but the Bretons at last gained the victory, and took two
thousand prisoners, with forty vessels with sails, and a carrack. The
greater part of the prisoners were thrown overboard and drowned, but
some escaped by promising punctual payment of their ransom.
About this same time, an esquire, named Gilbert de Fretun, a native of
the country of Guines, sent his challenge to the king of England, to
avoid paying him his homage; and in consequence, this Gilbert collected
many men at arms, and made such exertions that he provided himself with
two vessels well equipped, and carried on a destructive war against the
king as long as the truces between the kings of France and England were
broken, from which event great evils ensued.
CHAP. XIII.
THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS QUARRELS WITH SIR CHARLES DE SAVOISY
AND WITH THE PROVOST OF PARIS.
At this period, when the university of Paris was making its annual
processions, much dissention arose between some of its members, as they
were near to St Catherine du Val des Escoliers, and the grooms of sir
Charles de Savoisy, chamberlain[48] to the king of France, who were
leading their horses to drink in the river Seine. The cause of the
quarrel was owing to some of the grooms riding their horses against the
procession, and wounding some of the scholars,—who, displeased at such
conduct, attacked them with stones, and knocked some of the riders off
their horses.
The grooms, on this, returned to the hôtel de Savoisy, but soon came
back armed with bows and arrows, and accompanied by others of their
fellow-servants, when they renewed the attack against the scholars,
wounding many with their arrows and staves even when in the church. This
caused a great riot. In the end, however, the great number of scholars
overpowered them, and drove them back, after several of them had been
soundly beaten and badly wounded.
When the procession was concluded, the members of the university waited
on the king, to make complaints of the insult offered them, and
demanded, by the mouth of their rector, that instant reparation should
be made them for the offence which had been committed, such as the case
required,—declaring, at the same time, that if it were not done, they
would all quit the town of Paris, and fix their residence in some other
place, where they might be in safety.
The king made answer, that such punishment should be inflicted on the
offenders as that they should be satisfied therewith. In short, after
many conferences, in which the members of the university urged their
complaints to the king, as well as to the princes of the blood who
composed his council, it was ordered by the king, to appease them, that
the lord Charles de Savoisy, in reparation for the offence committed by
his servants, should be banished from the king’s household, and from
those of the princes of the blood, and should be deprived of all his
offices. His hôtel was demolished, and razed to the ground; and he was
besides condemned to found two chapelries of one hundred livres each,
which were to be in the gift of the university.
After this sentence had been executed, sir Charles de Savoisy quitted
France, and lived for some time greatly dispirited in foreign countries,
where, however, he conducted himself so temperately and honourably[49],
that at length principally, through the queen of France and some great
lords, he made his peace with the university, and, with their
approbation, returned again to the king’s household.
Not long after this event, sir William de Tigouville[50], provost of
Paris, caused two clerks of the university to be executed: the one named
Legier de Montthilier, a Norman, and the other Olivier Bourgeois, a
Breton, accused of having committed divers felonies. For this reason,
notwithstanding they were clerks, they were led to execution, and,
although they loudly claimed their privileges, as of the clergy, in
hopes of being rescued, they were hung on the gibbet. The university,
however, caused the provost to be deprived of his office, and to be
sentenced to erect a large and high cross of free stone, near the gibbet
on the road leading to Paris, on which the figures of the two clerks
were carved. They caused him also to have their bodies taken down from
the gibbet, and placed in a cart, covered with black cloth; and thus
accompanied by him and his sergeants, with others bearing lighted
torches of wax, were they carried to the church of St Mathurin, and
there delivered by the provost to the rector of the university, who had
them honourably interred in the cloisters of this church; and an epitaph
was placed over them, to their perpetual remembrance.
CHAP. XIV.
THE SENESCHAL OF HAINAULT PERFORMS A DEED OF ARMS WITH THREE
OTHERS, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF ARRAGON.—THE
ADMIRAL OF BRITTANY UNDERTAKES AN EXPEDITION AGAINST
ENGLAND.
In this same year, an enterprise of arms was undertaken by the gallant
seneschal of Hainault, in the presence of the king of Arragon[51].
The combatants were to be four against four, and their arms battle-axes,
swords and daggers: the combat was to be for life or death, subject,
however, to the will of the judge of the field.
The companions of the seneschal were, sir James de Montenay, a knight of
Normandy, sir Tanneguy du Chastel, from the duchy of Brittany, and a
notable esquire called Jean Carmen[52]. Their adversaries were from the
kingdom of Arragon,—and their chief was named Tollemache de Sainte
Coulonne, of the king of Arragon’s household, and much beloved by him:
the second, sir Pierre de Monstarde[53]: the third, Proton de Sainte
Coulonne; and the fourth, Bernard de Buef.
When the appointed day approached, the king had the lists magnificently
prepared near to his palace in the town of Valencia. The king came to
the seat allotted for him, attended by the duke de Caudie[54], and the
counts de Sardonne[55] and d’Aviemie[56], and a numerous train of his
nobility. All round the lists scaffolds were erected, on which were
seated the nobles of the country, the ladies and damsels, as well as the
principal citizens of both sexes. Forty men at arms, richly dressed,
were ordered by the king to keep the lists clear; and between their
barriers was the constable of Arragon, with a large company of men at
arms, brilliantly equipped, according to the custom of the country.
Within the field of combat were two small pavilions for the champions,
who were much adorned with the emblazonry of their arms, to repose in,
and shelter themselves from the heat or the sun. On the arrival of the
king, he made known to the seneschal, by one of his knights, that he and
his companions should advance first into the field, since it had been so
ordered, as the Arragonians were the appellants. The seneschal and his
companions, on receiving this summons, instantly armed themselves, and
mounted their coursers, which were all alike ornamented with crimson
silk trappings that swept the ground, over which were besprinkled many
escutcheons of their arms. Thus nobly equipped, they left their
lodgings, and advanced toward the barriers of the lists. The before
named esquire marched first, followed by sir Tanneguy and sir James de
Montenay; and last of all, the seneschal, conducted by the seneschal du
Chut; when, having entered the lists, they made their reverences on
horseback to king Martin of Arragon, who paid them great honour.
They then retired to their tents, and waited an hour and a half for
their opponents, who arrived, like the others, in a body on horseback.
Their horses’ trappings were of white silk, ornamented with escutcheons
of their arms. When they had made their reverences to the king, they
retired also to their tents, which were pitched on the right, where they
all remained for full five hours thus armed. The cause of this delay was
owing to the king and his council wishing to accommodate the matter and
prevent the combat. To effectuate this, many messages were sent from the
king to the seneschal, proposing that he should not proceed farther; but
he prudently made answer, that this enterprise had been undertaken at
the request of Tollemache, and that he and his companions had come from
a far country, and at great trouble and expense, to gratify his wish,
which he and his companions were determined upon doing.
At length, after much discussion on each side, it was concluded that the
combat should take place. The usual proclamations were then made in the
king’s name; and the king at arms of Arragon cried out loudly and
clearly, that the champions must do their duty. Both parties instantly
issued forth of their tents, holding their battle-axes in their hands,
and marched proudly towards each other.
The Arragonians had settled among themselves that two of them should
fall on the seneschal, in the hope of striking him down: both parties
were on foot, and they expected he would be at one of the ends of the
lists above the others, but he was in the middle part. When they
approached, the seneschal stepped forward three or four paces before his
companions, and attacked Tollemache, who had that day been made a knight
by the king’s hand, and gave him so severe a blow with his battle-axe on
the side of his helmet as made him reel and turn half round. The others
made a gallant fight with their opponents; but sir James de Montenay,
throwing down his battle-axe, seized sir James[57] de Monstarde with one
of his hands under his legs, and, raising him up with his dagger in the
other, was prepared to stab him; but, as the affair on all sides seemed
to be carried on in earnest, the king put an end to the combat.
According to appearances, the Arragonians would have had the worst of it
had the combat been carried to extremities; for the seneschal and those
with him were all four very powerful in bodily strength, well
experienced in all warlike exercises, and equal to the accomplishment of
any enterprise in arms that might be demanded from them.
When the champions were retired to their tents, the king descended from
his seat into the list, and requested of the seneschal and Tollemache,
in a kind manner, that the remaining deeds of arms might be referred to
him and his council, and he would so act that they should all be
satisfied.
The seneschal, then falling on one knee, humbly entreated the king that
he would consent that the challenge should be completed according to the
request of Tollemache. The king replied, by again requiring that the
completion of the combat should be referred to his judgment; which being
granted, he took the seneschal by the hand, and placed him above
himself, and Tollemache on the other side. He thus led them out of the
lists, when each returned to his hôtel and disarmed. The king sent his
principal knights to seek the seneschal and his companions, whom, for
three days, he entertained at his palace, and paid them as much honour
as if they had been his own brothers. When he had reconciled them with
their opponents, he made them fresh presents; and they departed thence
on their return to France, and the seneschal to Hainault.
About this time the admiral of Brittany, the lord du Chastel, and many
other knights and esquires of Brittany and Normandy, to the amount of
twelve hundred or more, embarked on board several vessels at St Malo,
and put to sea, intending to land at Dartmouth. Notwithstanding the
admiral and some others were adverse to going ashore there, the lords du
Chastel and some others made their landing good, thinking they would be
followed by the rest, which was not the case. They attacked the English,
who were assembled in a large body; but, though the combat lasted some
time, the Bretons and Normans were defeated, and the lord du Chastel
slain,—with him two brothers, sir John Martiel, a norman knight, and
many more. About one hundred prisoners were made,—among whom was the
lord de Bacqueville, who afterward ransomed himself by dint of money.
The admiral and those that had remained with him, or were wounded,
returned to their country, afflicted and disconsolate at their loss[58].
CHAP. XV.
THE MARSHAL OF FRANCE AND THE MASTER OF THE CROSS-BOWS, BY
ORDERS FROM THE KING OF FRANCE, GO TO ENGLAND, TO THE
ASSISTANCE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.
Nearly at this time, the marshal of France and the master of the
cross-bows[59], by orders from the king of France and at his expense,
collected twelve hundred fighting men. They marched to Brest in
Brittany, to embark them, for the assistance of the Welsh against the
English, on board of six score vessels with sails which were lying
there. As the wind was contrary, they there remained fifteen days; but
when it became favourable, they steered for the port of
Haverfordwest,—which place they took, slaying all the inhabitants but
such as had fled. They wasted the country round, and then advanced to
the castle of Haverford, wherein was the earl of Arundel, with many
other men at arms and soldiers.
Having burnt the town and suburbs under the castle, they marched away,
destroying the whole country with fire and sword. They came to a town
called Tenby, situated eighteen miles off, where they found the prince
of Wales[60], with ten thousand combatants, waiting for them, and thence
marched together to Carmarthen, twelve miles from Tenby.
Thence they marched into the country of Linorquie[61], went to the Round
Table[62], which is a noble abbey, and then took the road to Worcester,
where they burnt the suburbs and adjoining country. Three leagues beyond
Worcester, they met the king of England, who was marching a large army
against them.
Each party drew up in order of battle on two eminences, having a valley
between them, and each waiting for the attack of its opponent. This
contest, who should commence the battle, lasted for eight days; and they
were regularly every morning drawn up in battle-array, and remained in
this state until evening,—during which time, there were many skirmishes
between the two parties, when upwards of two hundred of either side were
slain, and more wounded.
On the side of France, three knights were slain, namely, sir Patroullars
de Tries, brother to the marshal of France[63], the lord de Martelonne,
and the lord de la Valle. The French and Welsh were also much oppressed
by famine and other inconveniencies,—for with great difficulty could
they gain any provision, as the English had strongly guarded all the
passes.
At length, on the eighth day that these two armies had been looking at
each other, the king of England, seeing the enemy were not afraid of
him, retreated in the evening to Worcester, but was pursued by some
French and Welsh, who seized on eighteen carts laden with provision and
other baggage; upon which the French and Welsh then marched back to
Wales. While these things were passing, the french fleet was at sea,
having on board some men at arms to defend it, and made for a port which
had been pointed out to them, where they were found by their countrymen
on their retreat from England.
The marshal de Tries and the master of the cross-bows, having embarked
with their men on board this fleet, put to sea, and made sail for the
coast of France, and arrived at St Pol de Leon without any accident.
However, when they were disembarked, and had visited their men, they
found they had lost upwards of sixty men, of whom the three knights
before mentioned were the principal. They thence departed, each man to
his home, excepting the two commanders, who went to wait on the king and
the princes of the blood at Paris, by whom they were received with much
joy.
CHAP. XVI.
A POWERFUL INFIDEL, CALLED TAMERLANE, INVADES THE KINGDOM OF
THE KING BAJAZET, WHO MARCHES AGAINST AND FIGHTS WITH
HIM.
In this year, a great and powerful prince of the region of Tartary,
called Tamerlane, invaded Turkey, belonging to king Bajazet, with two
hundred thousand combatants and twenty-six elephants. Bajazet was very
powerful, and had been one of the principal chiefs who had conquered and
made prisoner the count de Nevers in Hungary, as is fully described in
the Chronicles of master John Froissart.
When Bajazet heard that Tamerlane had thus invaded his territory, and
was wasting it with fire and sword, he issued a special summons
throughout his country, so that within fifteen days he had assembled an
army of three hundred thousand fighting men, but had only ten elephants.
These elephants of each party had small castles on their backs, in which
were many men at arms, who grievously annoyed the enemy. Bajazet marched
this force against Tamerlane, and found him encamped on a high mountain
to the westward, called Appady, having already destroyed or burnt very
many good towns, and the greater part of the country.
When the two chiefs were in sight of each other, they drew up their
armies in battle-array[64]. The combat soon began, and lasted full six
hours; but at last Bajazet and his army were defeated, and he himself
made prisoner. Forty thousand Turks were slain, and ten thousand of
their enemies. After this success, Tamerlane sent larger detachments of
his army to the principal towns in Turkey,—all of which, or the greater
part, surrendered to him,—so that Tamerlane, in one campaign, conquered
nearly the whole of Turkey.
CHAP. XVII.
CHARLES KING OF NAVARRE NEGOTIATES WITH THE KING OF FRANCE,
AND OBTAINS THE DUCHY OF NEMOURS.—DUKE PHILIP OF
BURGUNDY MAKES A JOURNEY TO BAR-LE-DUC AND TO BRUSSELS.
At this same season, Charles[65] king of Navarre came to Paris to wait
on the king. He negotiated so successfully with the king and his privy
council that he obtained a gift of the castle of Nemours, with some of
its dependant castlewicks, which territory was made a duchy. He
instantly did homage for it, and at the same time surrendered to the
king the castle of Cherbourg, the county of Evreux[66], and all other
lordships he possessed within the kingdom of France, renouncing all
claim or profit in them to the king and to his successors, on
consideration, that with this duchy of Nemours the king of France
engaged to pay him two hundred thousand gold crowns of the coin of the
king our lord.
When this was done, duke Philip of Burgundy left Paris to go to
Bar-le-Duc, to attend the funeral of his sister the duchess of Bar[67],
who had died there. After this ceremony, he went to his town of Arras,
where the duchess was, and there celebrated the feast of Easter. He then
went to Brussels in Brabant, to the duchess’s, grandmother[68] to his
wife, who had sent for him, to resign into his hands the government of
the country; but he was there seized with an alarming illness, and
caused himself to be carried to Halle, as will be more fully shewn
hereafter.
[A. D. 1404.]
CHAP. XVIII.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY DIES IN THE TOWN OF HALLE, IN
HAINAULT.—HIS BODY IS CARRIED TO THE CARTHUSIAN CONVENT
AT DIJON, IN BURGUNDY.
At the beginning of this year, the good duke of Burgundy, Philip, son to
king John, and brother to Charles the rich, caused himself to be carried
in a litter from the town of Brussels, in Brabant, to Halle, in
Hainault. That the horses which carried him might travel more safely,
and he be less shaken, labourers advanced before the litter, with spades
and pick-axes to repair and smooth the roads.
When at Halle, he fixed his lodgings near to the church of our Lady, at
an hôtel bearing the sign of the Stag; and, finding his disorder
increase, he sent for his three sons, namely, John count de Nevers,
Anthony and Philip. On their arrival, he entreated and commanded them to
be loyal and obedient, during their lives, to king Charles of France and
to his successors, and made them promise obedience on their love to him.
This engagement the three princes readily granted to their lord and
father, who then assigned to each such lordships and estates as they
were to hold after his decease, and specified the manner in which he
intended they should enjoy them. All these, and various other
arrangements, were wisely ordered by the duke in a manner becoming such
a prince, who had a good memory in his last moments. When he had
finished these matters, he died in this hôtel. His body was then opened,
and his bowels interred in the church of our Lady at Halle; but his body
being well embalmed, was placed in a leaden coffin, and carried to the
towns of Douay and Arras, magnificently attended, and in a manner
suitable to his rank.
At Arras the corpse was placed in his chapel, where a solemn service was
performed. The duchess Margaret[69] there renounced her claim to his
moveables, from fear of the debts being too great, by placing her girdle
with her purse and keys on the coffin, as is the usual custom in such
cases,—and demanded that this act should be put into writing by a public
notary there present.
The body was afterward conveyed to Burgundy, and interred in the church
of the Carthusians near Dijon, which church he had founded and
ornamented at his own expense. His heart was carried to the church of
Saint Denis, and placed near to his royal ancestors, from whom he was
descended.
The duke, in addition to the three before mentioned sons, had three
daughters, namely, the archduchess of Austria[70], the countess of
Holland[71], wife to William count of Hainault, and the duchess of
Savoy[72].