and felony of your said father, thinking to succeed in the aforesaid
damnable attempts, we have received your challenge with great gladness
of heart. But in regard to the charges therein made against us, we
declare ye have falsely and wickedly lied, like disloyal traitors as
ye are; and with the assistance of our sovereign, who is perfectly
well acquainted and satisfied with our loyalty and honour, and for the
welfare of his people, we will inflict that punishment on you as such
abandoned traitors and wicked rebels are deserving of. In witness of
which, we have had this letter sealed with our seal. Given at our town
of Douay, the 14th day of August, in the year 1411.’
This answer, as I have before said, was carried by one of the duke of
Burgundy’s officers at arms to Blois, and there delivered to the duke
of Orleans and his brothers, who were very indignant at the expressions
contained therein. He nevertheless entertained the bearer well, and,
having maturely considered the matter, exerted himself to the utmost in
collecting men at arms to wage war on the duke of Burgundy.
CHAP. XXX.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY IS DISCONTENTED WITH SIR MANSART DU
BOS.--HE SENDS LETTERS TO REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DUKE OF
BOURBON.
When the duke of Burgundy was convinced that he could not avoid war
with the family of Orleans and their adherents, for several of them had
challenged him by letters and otherwise, he vigorously applied himself
to collect forces to resist them. Among those who had sent him letters
of defiance, he was more displeased with sir Mansart du Bos, a knight
of Picardy, than with any of the rest; but of him, and his end, more
shall be said hereafter.
He wrote a letter to the duke of Bourbon, which he sent by Flanders
king at arms, the contents of which were as follow:
‘Very dear and well-beloved cousin, duke of Bourbon and count of
Clermont,--John duke of Burgundy, count of Artois, Flanders and
Burgundy, hopes he remains well in your good memory. In the year 1405,
you and he formed certain alliances, which, three years ago, were,
at your request, renewed and again sworn to, in the presence of many
knights and of other persons well deserving credit. In consequence, you
were to remain my good and true friend during your life, to promote to
the utmost my welfare and honour, and to ward off any evil from me, as
a sincere relation is bound to do; and likewise, whenever any thing
should affect my own honour, or that of my friends, you were bound
to assist them or me, to the utmost of your abilities, in council or
in arms, and to aid me with money and vassals against all the world,
excepting only the persons of my lord the king and of my lord of
Acquitaine, or whoever may succeed to the throne of France, and of my
late fair cousin, the duke of Bourbon, your father.
‘Should it have happened that a war took place between me and any
enemy, whose side the late duke of Bourbon embraced, in that case you
might have joined your late father, but only during the course of
his life, without any way derogating from the articles of our said
alliance. Now, as we both have most solemnly sworn to the observance
of this alliance on the holy evangelists of God, and on sacred relics
touched by us, to the damnation of our souls in case of failure, I
inform you, very dear and well-beloved cousin, that Charles, who calls
himself duke of Orleans, in conjunction with Philip and John, his
brothers, have sent me a challenge, and intend to wage war on me to the
utmost of their power; but I hope, through the will of God, and the
assistance of my friends and allies, in council and in arms, and with
the aid of my subjects and vassals, to make a successful defence of my
honour against their attempts.
‘And since, very dear and well-beloved cousin, you have so solemnly
bound yourself to assist me on every lawful occasion, I now,
therefore, in virtue of this alliance, require and summon you to come
personally to my aid, attended by as many of your friends and men
at arms as you can collect, in opposition to the aforesaid Charles,
Philip and John, and thus honourably acquit yourself of your oaths and
promises,--knowing, at the same time, that on a similar occasion I
would accomplish every article of my oaths, without any fraud whatever.
And this I hope you will do.--Have the goodness to write to me by the
return of the bearer, to inform me of your pleasure and intentions, as
the necessity of the case requires it.
‘Given at my town of Douay, and sealed with my great seal appendant to
these presents, the 14th day of August, in the year 1411.’
This letter was delivered by the aforesaid herald to the duke of
Bourbon, who, having fully read and considered its contents, replied
to the herald, that he would speedily send his answer to the duke of
Burgundy. This he did; for in a few days he returned the articles of
confederation, which he had formed with the duke of Burgundy, declaring
them annulled, and strictly united himself to the duke of Orleans and
his brothers, to the great displeasure of the duke of Burgundy, but
who at that time could not redress it.
CHAP. XXXI.
A ROYAL PROCLAMATION IS ISSUED, THAT NO PERSON WHATEVER BEAR
ARMS FOR EITHER OF THE PARTIES OF THE DUKES OF ORLEANS OR OF
BURGUNDY.--THE LATTER WRITES TO THE BAILIFF OF AMIENS.
The duke of Burgundy, fearful that many of his friends would desert
him, in obedience of the royal proclamation which had been made in
every town and bailiwick through France, strictly commanding all
persons whatever not to interfere, or in any manner to assist the
dukes of Orleans and Burgundy in their quarrels with each other, wrote
letters to the bailiff of Amiens, to his lieutenant, and the mayor and
sheriffs of that place, and to each of them, the contents of which were
as follows:
‘Very dear and well-beloved,--we have heard from several of the
declaration of my lord the king, by which you are forbidden, as well
as all his other subjects, to arm in our defence, or in that of our
adversaries. This proclamation has been issued by our lord the king,
because he was very desirous of establishing peace and concord between
us and our enemies; and for this purpose he had many times sent his
ambassadors as well to them as to us, to which we have alway replied
like a true and loyal subject and servant; and, through God’s mercy,
all our answers have tended to a good end, and to peace and union,
which has made them perfectly agreeable to our lord the king. But our
adversaries having persisted in the same damnable and wicked purposes,
which they have ever followed against the peace of my lord the king,
his noble family, and the public welfare, by continuing to tread in
the footsteps of their father, who, for a long time, persevered in
his intentions of destroying my lord the king and his family, have
acted quite contrariwise, and sent answers full of dissimulation and
treachery, with the sole design of gaining time.
‘Whilst our much-redoubted lady the queen of France, our very dear
lord and uncle the duke of Berry, and our very dear brother the duke
of Brittany, were endeavouring, according to the king’s orders, to
negotiate a peace between us and our adversaries, these false and
disloyal traitors, and disobedient subjects, Charles, who calls himself
duke of Orleans, and his brothers, sent to us their challenges, and,
before that time, have often scandalously, and in violation of their
oaths, defamed our person and character as they had before done. This,
however, under God’s pleasure, will fail in having any effect, for he
who knows all hearts is acquainted with the steady love and attachment
we bear, and shall bear so long as we live, to our lord the king and
to his family, and to the welfare of his kingdom; and we shall ever
support the same with all the worldly possessions and powers that God
has bestowed upon us.
‘With these views we have done and commanded such acts as have been
done, without paying regard to the scandalous defamations that have
been thrown out against us, or any way fearing a diminution of honour
by such false, wicked, and disobedient traitors to our lord the king,
as the aforesaid Charles and his brothers, the issue of that infamous
traitor, their father, so notorious throughout the realm.
‘In truth, we hold it not to have been the intention of our lord the
king to prevent any of our relatives, friends, allies, subjects, and
well-inclined vassals, from joining us, in the defence of our honour,
against our enemies, and to defend our countries from invasion.
‘We therefore entreat of you, and require most affectionately, that
you will please to allow such as may be inclined to serve us, who live
within your bailiwick, and all others of our friends who may travel
through it, to pass freely without any molestation whatever; for you
may be assured, that what we shall do will be for the welfare and
security of my lord the king, his family, and the whole kingdom, to the
confusion of all disloyal traitors.
‘Should there be any thing that we could do to give you pleasure,
you have but to signify it to us, and we will do it with our whole
heart.--Very dear and good friends, may the Holy Spirit have you under
his care! Written in our town of Douay, the 13th day of August.’
These letters were very agreeable to Ferry de Hangest, then bailiff of
Amiens, and to the others to whom they had been addressed, for they
were well inclined to favour the duke of Burgundy.
CHAP. XXXII.
THE PARISIANS TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE ARMAGNACS.--A CIVIL WAR
BREAKS OUT IN SEVERAL PARTS OF FRANCE.
At this time the king of France, who had for a considerable time
enjoyed good health, relapsed into his former disorder; on which
account, and by reason of the discontents that prevailed throughout
the kingdom, (the seat of government had been transferred to Melon,)
the butchers of Paris, who have greater power and privileges than any
other trade, suspecting that the government of the realm, through
the intrigues of the queen and the provost of merchants, named
Charles Cudane, would be given to the dukes of Berry and Brittany, in
preference to the duke of Acquitaine, the king’s eldest son, waited
upon the latter, and exhorted him, notwithstanding his youth, to assume
the government for the good of the king and kingdom, promising him
their most loyal aid until death. The duke of Acquitaine inclined to
their request, and granted them their wishes.
This done, they ordered it to be proclaimed by sound of trumpet in all
the squares of Paris, that the provost of merchants, and others in
Paris, who were numerous, and whom they suspected of being favourable
to the dukes of Berry, Bourbon, and Brittany, and to their parties,
must quit the town before a fixed day, under pain of suffering death.
In consequence of this proclamation, twelve persons, men and women,
without including the domestics of the above lords, left Paris; and
shortly after, the duke of Brittany, hearing of these commotions, took
leave of the queen at Melun and retired into his duchy.
The butchers, and those who lived near the market-places, with the
greater part of the Parisians, were strong partisans of the duke of
Burgundy, and very desirous that only he, or those that were of his
party, should govern the kingdom; and, to say the truth, it was now
become dangerous for the nobility, of whatever party they might be, to
dwell in Paris, for the common people had great sway in its government.
In the mean time, the duke of Orleans and his allies were strengthening
themselves, by every means in their power, with men at arms. The duke
of Bourbon and the count d’Alençon came in these days with a numerous
body before the town of Roye in the Vermandois, which belongs to the
king of France, and entered it about mid-day, more through fraud than
by force of arms, for the townsmen did not suspect any warfare. When
they had dined, they sent for the principal inhabitants, and ordered
them, whether it were pleasing to them or otherwise, to receive a
garrison from them. They then rode to Nesle, in the Vermandois,
belonging to the count de Dammartin, wherein they also placed a
garrison.
Thence they dispatched sir Clugnet de Brabant, who had joined them, sir
Manessier Guieret, and other captains well attended, to the town of
Ham in the Vermandois, belonging to the duke of Orleans: they returned
by Chauni sur Oise, where they also left a garrison, and in many other
places, as well belonging to themselves as to others attached to their
party.
The duke of Bourbon, on his arrival from this expedition at his town
of Clermont, strengthened it, and all his other towns in that country,
with fortifications. When the garrisons had been properly posted,
the war suddenly broke out between the two parties of Armagnacs and
Burgundians.
The duke of Burgundy had not been idle in fortifying his towns with
garrisons, and in collecting men at arms to resist his adversaries: he
himself was in Flanders making preparations to march an army to offer
them battle. The army of the Armagnacs had already made incursions into
Artois, and had done much mischief to friend and foe, by carrying off
prisoners and great plunder to the garrisons whence they had come. The
Burgundians were not slow in making reprisals, and frequently invaded
the county of Clermont and other parts.
When by chance the two parties met, the one shouted ‘Orleans!’ and
the other ‘Burgundy!’ and thus from this accursed war, carried on in
different parts, the country suffered great tribulation.
The duke of Burgundy, however, had the king on his side, and those also
who governed him: he resided in his hôtel of St Pol in Paris, and the
greater part of its inhabitants were likewise attached to the duke of
Burgundy.
At that time, the governors of Paris were Waleran count de St Pol and
John of Luxembourg[70], his nephew, who was very young, Enguerrand
de Bournouville, and other captains. They frequently made sallies,
well accompanied by men at arms, on the Armagnacs, who at times even
advanced to the gates of Paris. They were particularly careful in
guarding the person of the king, to prevent him from being seduced by
the Orleans-party, and carried out of the town.
CHAP. XXXIII.
SIR CLUGNET DE BRABANT IS NEAR TAKING RETHEL.--HE OVERRUNS THE
COUNTRY OF BURGUNDY.--OTHER TRIBULATIONS ARE NOTICED.
Sir Clugnet de Brabant, who always styled himself admiral of France,
one day assembled two thousand combatants, or thereabout, whom he
marched as speedily as he could from their different garrisons, to the
country of the Rethelois, having with them scaling ladders and other
warlike machines. They arrived at the ditches of the town of Rethel
about sun-rise, and instantly made a very sharp assault, thinking to
surprise the garrison and plunder the town. The inhabitants, however,
had received timely notice of their intentions, and had prepared
themselves for resistance as speedily as they could.--Nevertheless,
the assault lasted a considerable time with much vigour on both sides,
insomuch that many were killed and wounded of each party.
Among the latter was sir Clugnet de Brabant, who, judging from the
defence which was made, that he could not gain the place, ordered
the retreat to be sounded; and his men marched into the plain,
carrying with them the dead and wounded. He then divided them into two
companies; the one of which marched through the country of the Laonnois
to Coucy and Chauni, plundering what they could lay hands on, and
making all prisoners whom they met on their retreat.
The other company marched through part of the empire, by the county of
Guise, passing through the Cambresis, and driving before them, like
the others, all they could find, especially great numbers of cattle,
and thus returned to the town of Ham sur Somme and to their different
garrisons.
When they had reposed themselves for eight days, they again took the
field with six thousand combatants, and marched for the county of
Artois. They came before the town of Bapaume, belonging to the duke of
Burgundy, and, on their arrival, won the barriers, and advanced to the
gates, where there was a severe skirmish. But the lord de Heilly, sir
Hugh de Busse, the lord d’Ancuelles and other valiant men at arms, who
had been stationed there by the duke of Burgundy, made a sally, and
drove them beyond the barriers,--when many gallant deeds were done,
and several killed and wounded on both sides; but the Burgundians were
forced to retire within the town, for their enemies were too numerous
for them to attempt any effectual resistance. The Orleans-party now
retreated, and collected much plunder in the adjacent country, which
they carried with them to their town of Ham.
During this time, sir James de Chastillon[71], and the other
ambassadors from the king of France, negotiated a truce at Leulinghen,
in the Boulonois, with the english ambassadors, to last for one year on
sea and land.
While these things were passing, the duke of Berry came with the queen
of France from Melun to Corbeil, and thence sent Louis of Bavaria to
the duke of Acquitaine in Paris, and to those who governed the king,
and also to the butchers, to request that they would be pleased to
allow him to attend the queen to Paris, and to reside in his hôtel of
Neele, near to the king his nephew, since he was determined no way to
interfere in the war between the dukes of Orleans and Burgundy.
But his request was refused, chiefly owing to the butchers of Paris,
and others of the commonalty, who had great weight; and that he might
give over all thoughts of coming, they broke every door and window of
his hôtel de Neele, and committed other great damages. They sent back
the queen’s brother with a message to her, to come and reside with her
lord at Paris, without delay, but not to bring the duke of Berry with
her.
The Parisians, fearful that the king and the duke of Acquitaine might
be carried off from the hôtel of St Pol, made them reside at the
Louvre, where they kept constant guard day and night, to prevent any
attempts of the Orleans-party to carry them away.
The queen, on receiving the message by her brother from the Parisians,
and suspecting the consequences of their commotions, set out from
Corbeil, and returned to Melun with him and the duke of Berry. A few
days after, the Parisians took up arms, marched in a large body to
Corbeil, took the town, and placed a garrison therein. They then broke
down all the bridges over the Seine, between Charenton and Melun, that
the Armagnacs might not pass the river and enter the island of France.
While the queen and the duke of Berry were at Melun, with the count
Waleran de St Pol, whom the marshal Boucicaut had sent thither, the
master of the cross-bows and the grand master of the household came to
them with few attendants. The duke of Bourbon and the count d’Alençon,
on their road from the Vermandois and Beauvoisis, to join the duke of
Orleans, who was assembling his troops in the Gâtinois, called on the
queen and the duke of Berry, to require their aid and support against
the duke of Burgundy, which was not granted,--because the king in
full council, presided by the duke of Acquitaine, had just published
an edict in very strong terms, and had caused it to be sent to all the
bailiwicks and seneschalships of the kingdom, ordering all nobles, and
others that were accustomed to bear arms, to make themselves ready to
serve the king, in company with John duke of Burgundy, and to aid him
in driving out of his realm all traitorous and disobedient subjects,
commanding them to obey the duke of Burgundy the same as himself,
and ordering all towns and passes to be opened to him, and to supply
him with every necessary provision and store, the same as if he were
there in person. On this proclamation being issued, very many made
preparations to serve under the duke of Burgundy with all diligence.
In addition, the duke of Acquitaine wrote the duke letters in his own
hand, by which he ordered all the men at arms dependant on the crown to
serve personally against his cousin-german, the duke of Orleans, and
his allies, who, as he said, were wasting the kingdom in many different
parts, desiring him to advance as speedily as he could toward Senlis
and the island of France.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY ASSEMBLES A LARGE ARMY TO LAY SIEGE TO THE
TOWN OF HAM, AND LEADS THITHER HIS FLEMINGS.
The duke of Burgundy, being now assured that the duke of Orleans and
his allies were raising a large force to invade his countries, and that
they had already placed garrisons in towns and fortresses belonging
to him or his allies, whence they had made frequent inroads to the
despoiling of his country, was highly discontented. To oppose them, he
had sent his summons to all his territories in Burgundy, Artois and
Flanders, and elsewhere, for all nobles, and others accustomed to bear
arms in his behalf, to prepare themselves to join him with all speed,
well accoutred and armed, in obedience to the king’s commands, and to
oppose his and the king’s enemies.
He also solicited the assistance of his good towns in Flanders, and
requested that they would powerfully exert themselves in his favour,
to which they readily and liberally assented. They raised a body of
forty or fifty thousand combatants, well armed and provided with
staves according to the custom of the country. They had twelve thousand
carriages, as well carts as cars, to convey their armour, baggage and
artillery, and a number of very large cross-bows, called ribaudequins,
placed on two wheels, each having a horse to draw it. They had also
machines for the attack of towns, behind which were long iron spits, to
be used toward the close of a battle,--and on each of them was mounted
one or two pieces of artillery.
The duke of Burgundy had also summoned to his assistance the duke of
Brabant, his brother, who attended him with a handsome company; as
did likewise a valiant english knight, named sir William Baldock,
lieutenant of Calais, with about three hundred english combatants.
Their places of rendezvous were at the towns of Douay and Arras, and
the adjacent country. The duke of Burgundy, on quitting Douay with his
brother of Brabant and great multitudes of men of rank, advanced to
Sluys, belonging to the count de la Marche, where he lodged. On the
morrow, the first day of September, he marched away early, and fixed
his quarters on the plain near to Marcouin, where he had his tents
and pavilions pitched, and waited there two days for the arrival of
his whole army, and particularly for his Flemings, who came in grand
parade, and drew up to their quarters in handsome array.--So numerous
were their tents that their encampments looked like large towns; and
in truth, when all were assembled, they amounted to sixty thousand
fighting men, without including the varlets, and such like, who were
numberless,--and the whole country resounded with the noises they made.
With regard to the Flemings, they thought that no towns or fortresses
could withstand them; and the duke of Burgundy was obliged, on their
setting off, to abandon to them whatever they might conquer; and when
they went from one quarter to another, they were commonly all fully
armed, and in companies, according to the different towns and the
custom of Flanders,--and even when they marched on foot, the greater
part wore leg-armour.
As to their mode of marching through a country, whatever they could
lay hands on was seized, and, if portable, thrown into their carts;
and they were so proud, on account of their great numbers, that they
paid not any attention to noble men, however high their rank; and when
the army was to be quartered, or when they were on a foraging party,
they rudely drove away other men at arms, especially if they were not
their countrymen, taking from them whatever provision they might have
collected, or any thing else that pleased them. This conduct created
great disturbances and quarrels, more especially among the Picards, who
would not patiently endure their rudeness, insomuch that the duke of
Burgundy and his captains had great difficulty in keeping any kind of
peace between them.
The duke, after waiting some days for the whole of his army, saw it
arrive; and then he marched off triumphantly, and in handsome array,
and fixed his quarters on the river Scheldt, near to the town of
Marcouin.
On the morrow, he advanced to Mouchi la Garhe, between Peronne and Ham,
and halted there. At this place, a Fleming was hanged for stealing a
chalice and other valuables from a church. He thence marched toward the
town of Ham sur Somme, where his enemies were.