generally by the greater part of the lords of France and of his own
countries; for he had prudently and ably governed the affairs of France,
in conjunction with his elder brother the duke of Berry, by whom he was
much regretted.
After his decease, John count of Nevers, his eldest son, took possession
of the county and duchy of Burgundy: his second son, Anthony, was
declared heir to the duchy of Brabant, after the death of his great aunt
the duchess, who immediately resigned to him the duchy of Limbourg[73].
Philip, his third son, inherited the county of Nevers and barony of
Draxi, but not to enjoy them during the life of his mother. The three
brothers began to govern their territories with a high hand, and held
many councils together, and with their most confidential advisers, on
the manner in which they should conduct themselves towards the king
their sovereign lord.
CHAP. XIX.
WALERAN COUNT DE ST POL LANDS A LARGE FORCE ON THE ISLE OF
WIGHT, TO MAKE WAR AGAINST ENGLAND, BUT RETURNS WITHOUT
HAVING PERFORMED ANY GREAT DEEDS.
In this year, Waleran count de St Pol assembled at Abbeville, in
Ponthieu, about sixteen hundred fighting men,—among whom were numbers of
the nobility, who had made great provision of salted meats, biscuit,
wines, brandy, butter, flour, and other things necessary on board of
ships. From Abbeville the count led them to the port of Harfleur, where
they found vessels of all descriptions to receive them.
When they had remained there some few days to arrange their matters, and
to recommend themselves to the protection of St Nicholas, they embarked
on board these vessels, and sailed for the Isle of Wight, which lies
opposite to the harbour of Southampton. They landed on the island,
making a bold countenance to face their enemies, of whom indeed they had
seen but little on their landing,—for all, or at least the greater part
of the islanders, had retreated to the woods and fortresses.
Several new knights were created by the count, namely, Philippe de
Harcourt, Jean de Fosseux, the lord de Guiency and others, who went to
burn some miserable villages, and set fire to a few other places. During
this, a sensible priest of the island came to the count to treat for the
ransom and security of the island, for which he gave the count to
understand a very large sum of money would be paid to him and his
captains. He too readily listened to this proposal; for it was a
deception on the part of the priest to delay their operations, and amuse
them with words, until the English should arrive to fight with them.
Count Waleran was at length informed of this plan, and, in consequence,
re-embarked with his men on board the vessels; and they returned to the
place whence they had come, without doing any thing more. Many of the
nobles were much displeased at this conduct, because they had expended
large sums in laying in their purveyances. The countries through which
his men at arms returned were greatly harrassed by them,—and this caused
much murmuring against the count, but no redress could be obtained.
CHAP. XX.
LOUIS DUKE OF ORLEANS IS SENT BY THE KING TO THE POPE AT
MARSEILLES.—THE DUKE OF BOURBON IS ORDERED INTO
LANGUEDOC, AND THE CONSTABLE INTO ACQUITAINE.
The king of France, with the advice of his great council, sent Louis
duke of Orleans, accompanied by about six hundred knights, to pope
Gregory, to remonstrate with him on the necessity of establishing an
union in the church. He travelled through Champagne and Burgundy to
Lyon, and thence to Marseilles, where the pope and his court then were.
He received the duke most honourably and magnificently, and, after he
had heard the object of his mission, gave him his apostolical letters,
containing certain conditions, preparatory to the attempt of an union.
The duke, on receiving them, took leave of the pope, and returned to
Paris to the king, who had near his person the dukes of Berry, Burgundy,
Brittany and Bourbon, and many other great lords, secular and
ecclesiastical. In their presence, he delivered the apostolical letters
which contained, among other things, an offer from the pope to procure
the union of the whole church; and, should it be necessary, to obtain so
desirable an object, his holiness was willing to resign the papacy, and
to act in whatever way touching this matter his council should judge
expedient, and conformable to reason and justice.
The king, his council, the lords present and the university, were well
satisfied, when they had heard the contents of the pope’s letter.
About this time, John[74] count of Clermont, son and heir to the duke of
Bourbon, was ordered by the king and council into Languedoc, and thence
to carry on a war against the English in Gascony, who were very active
in harrassing the frontiers. He appointed Saint Flour in Auvergne as the
place of rendezvous for his troops, which consisted of five hundred men
at arms, and the same number of cross-bows and archers. The next in
command to the count de Clermont was the viscount de Châteaubon, son to
the count de Foix[75]. They carried on a severe warfare, and put several
forts under the king’s obedience,—such as the castles of St Pierre, St
Mary, Châteauneuf, and many more. After he had left these forts well
garrisoned, he concluded the campaign, and returned to the king at
Paris, by whom he was most graciously received.
Shortly afterward, the lord Charles d’Albreth[76], constable of France,
was sent into the duchy of Acquitaine, accompanied by Harpedane, a
knight of great renown in arms. They laid siege to the castle of
Carlefin[77], the garrison of which had done much mischief to the king’s
subjects, and laid the whole adjoining country under contribution. The
siege lasted for six weeks, when a treaty was concluded with the
garrison by the constable, which allowed them to march out in safety
with all their wealth; and he agreed also to pay them a certain sum of
money, which was raised on the inhabitants of the country adjoining the
castle. When the constable had garrisoned the castle with his own men,
he returned to king Charles at Paris.
CHAP. XXI.
THE DEATH OF DUKE ALBERT, COUNT OF HAINAULT,—AND OF MARGARET
DUCHESS OF BURGUNDY, DAUGHTER TO LOUIS EARL OF FLANDERS.
This year died duke Albert, count of Hainault, Holland and Zealand. He
was son to Louis of Bavaria, formerly emperor of Germany, and left issue
two sons and a daughter,—namely, William, the eldest, and John, surnamed
‘sans pitié,’ who was promoted to the bishoprick of Liege,
notwithstanding he was not then consecrated. The daughter was married to
John duke of Burgundy[78]. Duke Albert was interred in the collegiate
church of the Hague, in Holland.
In this year also died Margaret duchess of Burgundy, widow of the late
duke Philip, at her dower-house in Arras. Her illness was very short,
and she departed this life on the Friday before mid-lent Sunday. Her
three sons, John duke of Burgundy, Anthony duke of Limbourg, and her
youngest son Philip, were in the utmost grief at this event in the town
of Lille, where she was buried in the collegiate church of St Peter,
near to her father the earl Louis of Flanders.
After her decease, John duke of Burgundy succeeded to the counties of
Flanders and Artois, and Philip to the county of Nevers, according to
the arrangements before mentioned. Shortly after, through the management
of the duke of Burgundy, the two following marriages took place: Louis
duke of Acquitaine, dauphin, and son to the king of France, with
Margaret, eldest daughter to the duke of Burgundy,—and Philip count de
Charolois, only son and heir to the above duke, with Michelle daughter
to the king of France. These matches had been talked of during the life
of the late duke Philip, and were very agreeable to the king, the queen,
and the princes of the blood, excepting the duke of Orleans, whom they
displeased. From that time, and indeed somewhat before, there were
appearances of jealousy and dislike between these two princes of Orleans
and Burgundy; and whatever seeming affection they may have shown to each
other, there was no sincere love. These jealousies were fomented in
great measure by the various reports which were carried to each, by
their different dependants.
The above-mentioned marriages, however, were agreed on, and proper acts
drawn up, signed and mutually interchanged, for the security of them,
between all the parties.
A very heavy tax was about this time imposed on all the inhabitants
throughout France, by the king and his council at Paris; but the duke of
Burgundy would not consent that it should be levied,—which conduct
gained him universal popularity throughout the kingdom.
[A. D. 1405.]
CHAP. XXII.
JOHN DUKE OF BURGUNDY, AFTER THE DEATH OF THE DUCHESS
MARGARET, IS RECEIVED BY THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS IN FLANDERS
AS THEIR LORD.
At the commencement of this year, the duke of Burgundy, having paid his
duty to the king of France at Paris, set out for Flanders, attended by
his brothers and a large company of the nobles of that country. He was
most honourably and kindly received every where by his subjects, who
made him handsome presents, more especially those of Ghent, Bruges,
Ypres, and other great towns.
They took the usual oaths of fidelity to him, promising to serve him
faithfully, as they were bound to do. He then forbade all his subjects
to pay the tax last imposed at Paris by the king and his council, as has
been mentioned. This conduct greatly increased the hatred the duke of
Orleans bore him,—for at that time the public affairs were governed
according to his pleasure, insomuch that a stop was put to the marriages
before mentioned, between the children of the king and the duke of
Burgundy; and the duke of Orleans was desirous to find out some other
match for his nephew, the duke of Acquitaine, which highly displeased
the duke of Burgundy when it came to his knowledge.
The duke instantly sent his ambassadors to the king, the queen, and the
great council,—but they had no very agreeable answer to bring back to
their master, by reason of which they returned as speedily as they could
to Flanders. Having heard their account, he consulted his most
confidential ministers as to the manner in which he should act. They
advised him to set out immediately for Paris,—for that, being on the
spot, he could pursue his business with the king and council with more
urgency, and greater expectation of success, than by ambassadors. He
assented to this advice, and made his preparations to go thither as
speedily as he could.
At this period, pope Benedict XIII.[79], who resided and kept his court
in the county of Provence, imposed a tax of a tenth on his clergy. This
tax was intended to hasten the union of our holy mother church, and was
to be paid at two terms, namely, at Easter, and on the feast of St Remy.
CHAP. XXIII.
DUKE WILLIAM COUNT OF HAINAULT PRESIDES AT A COMBAT FOR LIFE
OR DEATH, IN HIS TOWN OF QUESNOY, IN WHICH ONE OF THE
CHAMPIONS IS SLAIN.
A mortal combat was this year fought in the town of Quesnoy, in the
presence of duke William count of Hainault, judge of the field, between
a gentleman named Bournecte, of the county of Hainault, appellant, and
another gentleman called Sohier Bunaige, of the county of Flanders. The
cause of quarrel was, that Bournecte declared and maintained that Sohier
had killed and murdered one of his near relations; and in this case,
duke William had ordered lists to be prepared at his expense, as was
usual in such like instances.
The duke had in vain attempted several times to reconcile them,—but
finding them unwilling to consent, he ordered them to appear before him
at a certain time and place, to decide their difference by combat. On
the appointed day, the appellant entered the lists, accompanied by some
of his nearest kindred, and was soon followed by the defendant.
Proclamation was then made in the duke’s name, by a herald, that no one
should dare to give any hindrance to the combatants, under pain of
death,—and then the champions were told to do their duty. After this
last proclamation, the appellant first left his pavilion, and advanced
to meet the defendant. When they had thrown each their lances without
effect, they drew their swords, and fought for a short time; but
Bournecte soon overcame his adversary, and made him publicly avow the
truth of the charge he had made against him, and for which he called him
to the combat. The vanquished man was speedily condemned by the duke to
be beheaded;—which sentence was instantly executed, and the conqueror
led in triumph to his hôtel. He was greatly honoured and respected by
all the nobility,—and it was reported that the duke of Orleans had been
present at this combat in disguise.
CHAP. XXIV.
THE COUNT DE SAINT POL MARCHES AN ARMY BEFORE THE CASTLE OF
MERCQ, WHERE THE ENGLISH FROM CALAIS MEET AND DISCOMFIT
HIM.
In the month of May of this year, Waleran de Luxembourg, count de Ligny
and de St Pol, governor for the king of France in Picardy, assembled in
that country and in the Boulonois from four to five hundred men at arms,
five hundred genoese cross-bows, and about one thousand Flemings on
foot, from the country about Gravelines. He marched them from St Omer to
Tournehen, and thence advanced to lay siege to a castle called Mercq, in
the possession of the English, who from that place, and other garrisons,
had greatly harrassed the Boulonois and the adjacent countries.
The count caused many engines to be erected against this castle, which
much annoyed the garrison, who defended themselves courageously. The
count saw he could not gain the place by storm without great difficulty
and loss of men, and in consequence lodged his army in the houses of the
town that were surrounded by old ditches, which he had repaired to
secure himself against his enemies, as well from Calais as from other
garrisons. On the morrow, he made an attack on the lower court of the
castle, which was carried by storm; and the assailants gained great
numbers of horses, cows, sheep and mares. At this attack, sir Robert de
Birengueville, knight, was wounded so that he died shortly after.
On this same day, about one hundred men at arms sallied out from Calais,
and having viewed the French at their ease, returned to their town, and
instantly sent a herald to the count de St Pol to say, that on the
morrow they would dine with him, if he would have the goodness to wait
for them. The herald returned with the answer, that if they would come,
they should be received, and find the dinner ready.
On the morrow, very early, two hundred men at arms, two hundred archers,
and about three hundred men on foot, lightly armed, marched out of
Calais. They carried with them ten or twelve carts laden with wines and
provision. The whole were under the command of an english knight named
Richards, lieutenant governor of Calais under the earl of Somerset,
brother to Henry of Lancaster, at that time king of England[80].
They advanced in good array until they were near the enemy, who, though
advised of their coming by their spies, made no preparations, nor did
they draw themselves up in battle without their quarters to meet them,
as they should have done. They remained so long in their ditches that
the English kept up a terrible discharge of arrows, by which numbers
were killed and wounded, without the French being enabled to make any
effectual resistance.
The Flemings, and the greater part of the infantry, shortly began to
give way, and take to flight from fear of the arrows,—and the men at
arms soon followed their example. The genoese cross-bows also, having,
in the preceding assault on the outer court of the castle, expended all
their bolts, had not provided themselves with a fresh supply, so that at
this time of need they made a very poor defence.
By these means, the English, without any great loss on their side, soon
discomfited the French, and remained victors oh the field. The count de
St Pol, with others of his companions, made off without any regard to
his honour, and, passing through St Omer, returned to Therouenne.
In general, all those of his party who remained were killed, or made
prisoners. The slain were about sixty in number,—and among them were the
principal of the french commanders, namely, the lord de Querecqs, sir
Morlet de Savences, sir Courbet de Rempeupret, sir Martel de Vaulhuon,
sir Guy d’Juergny, and the lord de Fayel.
Among the prisoners were the lord de Hangestez[81], governor of
Boulogne, the lord de Dampierre[82], seneschal of Ponthieu, the lord de
Rambures[83], George la Personne, the lord de Givenchy, with several
other noble knights and esquires, to the amount of sixty or eighty.
When the battle was concluded, and the English had taken possession of
all the carts and engines of war which the enemy had brought thither,
and had stript the dead, they returned to their town of Calais with
their prisoners, rejoicing in their victory.
On the contrary, count Waleran and those who had escaped with him were
overwhelmed with despair, and not without cause. On the third day after
this defeat, the English marched out of Calais with the numerous cannons
and other artillery they had taken from the French before Mercq, for the
town of Ardres. They amounted to about five hundred combatants; and as
they had marched all night, thinking to surprise it, and that it was
weakly garrisoned, they began their attack at the break of day, by
placing ladders against its walls, and setting fire to different parts
of it.
But through the vigilance and courage of two notable and valiant knights
who were in the town, sir Mansart de Boz and the lord de Lignes, the
English were repulsed. At this attack and retreat, there were from forty
to fifty English slain, whom their companions carried to a large house
without the walls, and set fire to it, that the enemy might be ignorant
of their loss.
Confounded and dejected with their repulse and loss, they returned to
Calais, where, some of those who had been at the affair of Mercq having
died of the wounds which they had received from the genoese cross-bows,
they wanted to put the genoese prisoners to death, saying that their
bolts and arrows had been poisoned.
The count de St Pol, who had retreated to Therouenne, sent an especial
summons throughout Picardy for another assembly of men at arms, in the
hopes of retrieving his honour. The lord de Dampierre, sir John de
Craon, lord de Dompinart[84], sir Morlet de Querecqs, the lord de
Fosseux, the lord de Chin, the lord de Houcourt, and many other nobles,
came to him numerously attended. The count held many councils with them;
and it was determined to march to the frontiers of the enemy’s country,
and to harrass them by every possible means.
As they were preparing to put their intentions into execution, the king
of France sent orders to the count and the other nobles not to proceed
further in this business, for that he had provided other commanders. In
truth, he sent the marquis du Pont, son to the duke de Bar, the count de
Dammartin[85], and Harpedanne, a knight of high renown, with four
hundred men at arms and five hundred others, to quarter themselves at
Boulogne, and other places on the frontiers of the Boulonois. The count
de St Pol was not well pleased at this; but he was forced to suffer,
whether willingly or not, the talk of the public, as there was no other
remedy than to let the public talk on.
John duke of Burgundy was in his county of Flanders when he heard of the
great defeat of the count de St Pol before Mercq. He was much vexed
thereat, and sent sir John de la Vallée, knight, in haste to Gravelines,
and other places on that frontier, with men at arms and cross-bows, to
prevent the English from doing any injury to them. The guard of this
country was also intrusted by the king of France to sir Lyonnet
d’Arummes, who, night and day, most diligently attended to it.
King Henry of England, having learnt from his commander at Calais the
brilliant success he had obtained over the French before Mercq, ordered
an army of four or five thousand combatants to be instantly raised. He
embarked this force on board the vessels prepared for it, and ordered
them to cruise off Dunkirk and Neuport, and to disembark the army at
Sluys.
About three thousand were landed on the strand, and marched along it
about the distance of a league to attack the castle of Sluys; but the
garrison, in conjunction with the inhabitants of the country, who were
greatly frightened, defended it very valiantly, and, what with cannons
and other offensive weapons, repulsed their enemies, killing about
sixty,—among whom was the earl of Pembroke, one of their leaders[86].
News was brought to the English, that the duke of Burgundy was marching
a great force against them; on which they returned to their ships, and
then to England.
The duke of Burgundy, however, was not long before he ordered a number
of men at arms to be collected under the command of the lord de
Croy[87], and others his captains, to defend his country against the
invasions of the English. They assembled on the frontiers of Flanders to
oppose the English, should they again return to his coasts.
The duke also sent an embassy to the duke of Orleans and the great
council at Paris, to demand men and money to enable him to lay siege to
Calais, for he was very desirous of it; but he received a negative to
the request made by his ambassadors. The duke of Burgundy, on receiving
this answer, made preparations for waiting personally on the king at
Paris, the better to expedite this business; and for this purpose he
went to Arras, where he held many consultations with different great
lords, his vassals and dependants.
CHAP. XXV.
JOHN DUKE OF BURGUNDY GOES TO PARIS, AND CAUSES THE DAUPHIN
AND QUEEN TO RETURN THITHER, WHOM THE DUKE OF ORLEANS
WAS CARRYING OFF,—WITH OTHER MATTERS.
When the duke of Burgundy had concluded his business at Arras, he set
out on the vigil of the Assumption of the Virgin towards Paris,
accompanied by a body of men, to the amount of eight hundred combatants,
secretly armed. He stopped some days at the town of Louvres, in the Isle
of France, where letters were brought him, to say, that the king had
recovered his health from his late illness, and that the queen and the
duke of Orleans were gone to Melun, and thence to Chartres, carrying
with them the duke of Acquitaine, dauphin of Vienne.
Having considered the contents of these letters, he went to bed and
slept, but ordered his trumpet to sound very early, and left the town
with all his men, and hastened to Paris to prevent the dauphin from
leaving it. On his arrival, he was told by the Parisians, that he was
already departed after his mother, which was true; upon which the duke,
without dismounting or making any delay, trotted through Paris with his
troops as fast as he could in pursuit of the dauphin. He overtook him
between Ville-Juive and Corbeil, where the queen and the duke of Orleans
were waiting dinner for him. With the dauphin were his uncle by the
mother’s side, Louis of Bavaria, the marquis du Pont, son to the duke of
Bar, the count Dammartin, Montagu, grand master of the king’s
household[88], with many other lords to attend upon him. There was in
the litter with him his sister de Priaux, wife to sir James de Bourbon.
When the duke of Burgundy approached the dauphin, he made him the most
respectful obeisances, and supplicated him to return and live in Paris,
where, he said, he would be better than in any other part of France;
adding, that he was desirous of conversing with him on many points which
touched him personally.
After this conversation, Louis of Bavaria, seeing the dauphin was
inclined to comply with the request of the duke, said, ‘My lord duke of
Burgundy, suffer my nephew the dauphin to follow the queen his mother
and the duke of Orleans, as he has had the consent of his father for so
doing.’
Notwithstanding this speech, and many others that were urged on the same
subject, which for the sake of brevity I omit, the duke of Burgundy
caused the litter of the dauphin to be turned about, and brought him and
all his attendants back to Paris, excepting the marquis du Pont, the
count Dammartin, and many more of the household of the duke of Orleans.