The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 11 [of 13]

THE

CHRONICLES

OF

ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET.

THE

CHRONICLES

OF

ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET;

CONTAINING

AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRUEL CIVIL WARS BETWEEN THE HOUSES OF

ORLEANS AND BURGUNDY;

OF THE POSSESSION OF

PARIS AND NORMANDY BY THE ENGLISH;

THEIR EXPULSION THENCE;

AND OF OTHER

MEMORABLE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE,

AS WELL AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

A HISTORY OF FAIR EXAMPLE, AND OF GREAT PROFIT TO THE FRENCH,

Beginning at the Year MCCCC. where that of Sir JOHN FROISSART finishes, and ending at the Year MCCCCLXVII. and continued by others to the Year MDXVI.

TRANSLATED

BY THOMAS JOHNES, ESQ.

IN THIRTEEN VOLUMES VOL. XI.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATER-NOSTER-ROW; AND J. WHITE AND CO. FLEET-STREET.

1810.

CONTENTS

OF

THE ELEVENTH VOLUME.

HERE BEGINNETH

THE ELEVENTH VOLUME

OF THE

CHRONICLES

OF

ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET.

CHAP. I.

THE KING THANKS THE PARISIANS FOR THEIR LOYALTY AND COURAGE, CONFIRMS THEIR PRIVILEGES, AND OFFERS THEM NEW ONES.—HE RESTORES SIR ROBERT D'ESTOUTEVILLE TO THE PROVOSTSHIP OF PARIS.—HE DISPLACES SOME AND APPOINTS OTHERS TO FILL THEIR OFFICES, AND THEN GOES TO ORLEANS.—CHARLES, THE KING'S BROTHER, IS RECEIVED BY THE NORMANS AS THEIR DUKE.—THE KING GOES INTO NORMANDY.—OTHER EVENTS.

The Monday following, sir Robert d'Estouteville[1], knight, lord of Beyne, who had been provost of Paris during the former reign,—but the king had deprived him of that office, and given it to Jacques de Villiers, lord of l'Isle-Adam,—who was now restored by him to the provostship. He presided this day at the town-house, and the watchword for the night was given to him as provost of Paris.

On the Tuesday, the king supped at the town-hall, where was a handsome service of flesh and fish,—and many of the nobility, with their ladies, were invited to meet him. Before supper, the king addressed some of the heads of the wards, who were come thither for the purpose, and said, that he thanked them all, generally and individually, for their great loyalty, and the services they had done him; that, in return, he was disposed to do every thing possible for them; and that as he had, during the war, remitted several imposts, which some might think was done from the necessity he was then in for their assistance and support, and that after a peace he would renew them, he therefore declared that such was not his intention, for that he had, from his great affection, freely remitted them, never to be renewed,—and that if there were any other things they wished from him, they need only mention them, and he would grant their requests. He added, that he should leave in their town the lord de Beyne as their provost, to whom they would pay the same obedience as to himself, because he had well served him at the affair of Montlehery, and for other causes, which he told to the provost des marchands, and to the sheriffs of the city of Paris. He begged of them to be always true and loyal to him and to the crown of France, without any partiality being found in their town.

This day, the natural daughter to the king was betrothed to the bastard of Bourbon; and, after supper, dancings and other amusements took place: the lord bastard there danced and made good cheer.

On the ensuing Monday, the 7th of November, sir Robert d'Estouteville was conducted to the Châtelet of Paris, by sir Charles de Melun and master John Dauvet first president of the parliament of Toulouse, whom the king had ordered to receive the oaths of office from sir Robert, as he had nominated him provost of Paris in the room of Jacques de Villiers, lord of Isle-Adam, who had received the appointment on his joyous entry into Paris, and to institute sir Robert into the same. When the letters of his patent were read before the court of the Châtelet, sir Robert was instituted into the office of provost, without prejudice to any appeal from the said lord de l'Isle Adam.

When this was done, the king summoned before him the presidents of his court of parliament, and addressed them nearly as follows: 'On my coming to the throne, I constituted sir Helie de Thorettes first president of our court of parliament, who soon after died. Our affections were then fixed to replace him by master John Dauvet, our first president of our parliament of Toulouse, now present; but through the importunities of several, and at the particular solicitation of sir John Bureau, we appointed the president de Nanterre, who has enjoyed the office, until the arrival of some princes of our blood before Paris, who have remonstrated with us on various existing abuses within our realm, and even in our court of parliament; for which, and other causes, we declare the said de Nanterre to be no longer first president of our said court of parliament, but do appoint, in his place, the said master John Dauvet, to hold the same during our good pleasure.'

The next day, Saturday, sir Pierre de Morvilliers, chancellor of France, was dismissed from that office, and sir John Juvenal des Ursins, who had been chancellor at the time of the decease of king Charles, was re-appointed in his stead. At the same time, sir Pierre Puy was displaced from his office of master of requests in ordinary to the king's household, and master Regnault des Dommans succeeded him.

The king set out for Orleans when he had made the above arrangements, and took with him Arnoult L'Huillier, burgher and banker at Paris, charging him expressly always to follow and be near him. He carried also with him master John Longue-Jove, the younger, who had lately married the damsel Genevieve, daughter to master John Baillet, and made him of his great council. Just as he was leaving Paris, he created master Charles d'Orgemont lord of Mery, treasurer of France, Arnoult L'Huillier treasurer of Carcassonne, and master Pierre Ferteil, the husband of Terteau, master of the requests of his household, but without pay or emolument.

On the Monday following, a great comet appeared at Paris, about six in the morning, and so resplendently bright that a man crossing the square of the Greve at that hour, to hear the mass of the Holy Ghost, was so frightened by it that he lost his senses and became mad.

The king's brother, as I have said, was gone into Normandy, and had arrived at St Catherine's on the mount, near to Rouen, where he remained some days, until the preparations making by the townsmen for his entry into Rouen were ready. During this interval, a great quarrel arose between the duke of Brittany and the count de Dammartin, when it was told to the duke of Normandy, that the two said lords intended to arrest and carry him into Brittany. Sir John de Lorraine, hearing of this, went instantly to the town-house in Rouen, when the magistrates ordered the inhabitants under arms; and sir John led a numerous body of them to St Catherine's on the Mount, where admittance was at first refused him,—but sir John, in despite of the duke of Brittany and the count de Dammartin, and without much ceremony, made the new duke mount a horse, that had a saddle, indeed, but no housings, and in this simple state, with only a black velvet robe on, led him through the town of Rouen to the church of our Lady, where 'Te Deum laudamus' was chaunted, and thence to the castle of Rouen.

While the king resided at Orleans, he made many ordinances and regulations for the better government of the realm, and displaced several of his captains. Among the rest, he took from Poncet de Riviere, the command of a hundred lances, but made him bailiff of Montferrant; and he acted thus to many others. Poncet de Riviere, on loosing his command, went on a voyage to Jerusalem, and thence to St Catherine's on mount Sinai. The king re-appointed the lord de Lohéac marshal of France, in the place of the count de Cominges, bastard of Armagnac.

Having done this, the king left Orleans, and marched his whole army, his franc-archers and his artillery, great and small, into Normandy, by way of Argentan, Eynes, Falaise, Caen, and other places, to gain possession of them. At the last town, he met the duke of Brittany, and they were together for some time. The duke of Bourbon, in consequence of the king's orders, had entered another part of Normandy, and came before Evreux, which would not surrender on his first summons; but the garrison afterward capitulated, and the duke and his men were admitted into the town. He thence advanced to Vernon on the Seine, which also demurred at first, but afterwards admitted him. Sir Charles de Melun, grand master of the king's household, took possession of several towns in Normandy, such as Gisors, Gournay, and others: he also overthrew six score Scots, who were marching to the lord de Bueil[2] for the duke of Normandy,—which affair took place at a village, called Cailly, in the bailiwick of Caen.

At this time, the lord d'Esternay was general of Normandy,—but, for fear of the king's anger, he had fled from Rouen, disguised as a cordelier friar, in company with an augustin monk. They were met, however, by some of the men of the grand master at Pont St Pierre, four leagues from Rouen, who taking them prisoners, they were afterwards searched, and much money and other precious effects found on them and seized. The new duke of Normandy had gone from Rouen to Louviers, expecting to meet the duke of Bourbon; but being disappointed, he instantly returned to Rouen,—when the principal persons conducted him to the town-house, and invested him with the duchy, by placing a ring (as was customary) on his finger, and he promised to preserve and defend all their rights and privileges. He, at the same time, reduced the taxes they had paid before his investiture to one-half, and the whole assembly of clergy, nobles, and populace swore obedience to him, and to support him, as his loyal subjects, to the last drop of their blood.

They then caused to be read to him aloud an extract from an old chronicle preserved in the town-house, which contained in substance, that there was formerly a king of France who left two sons on his decease, the eldest of whom succeeded to his throne, and the younger had for his appanage the duchy of Normandy, which his brother wanted to annex to his crown, and great wars ensued. The Normans, however, so successfully supported their duke that the king was forced into exile, and the duke was crowned in his stead.

After this had been read, they told him not to be uneasy at any thing, for that henceforward the townsmen would supply him with so many engines of war, and other means of defence, that no harm should come to him or to their town.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] He had been confined in the bastile by Louis XI.

[2] Lord de Bueil,—Anthony count of Sancerre.

CHAP. II.

THE KING OF FRANCE RECOVERS THE DUCHY OF NORMANDY FROM HIS BROTHER, CHARLES DUKE OF BERRY.—THE LORD D'ESTERNAY IS DROWNED, AND SEVERAL OFFICERS IN NORMANDY ARE EXECUTED OR BANISHED.—THE DUKE OF BERRY LEAVES NORMANDY.—AND SIR JOHN DE LORRAINE, THINKING TO FOLLOW HIM, IS MADE PRISONER AND CARRIED TO THE KING.

On Monday, the last day but one of December, the king of France, returning from lower Normandy, came to Pont Audemer, and thence to la Champagne du Neufbourg, near Conches. He sent the duke of Bourbon to Louviers,—and on the first of January, that town submitted to the duke of Bourbon for the king. This same day the king entered it, in the afternoon when the lord d'Esternay was brought him by the men of the grand master,—and he was immediately after drowned in the river Eure, and the augustin monk with him, by the officer of the provost-marshal. The body of the lord d'Esternay was afterwards taken out of the river, and buried in the church of our Lady at Louviers, where his obsequies were performed.

At this period, very many officers of Normandy, were executed or drowned by the provost-marshal, on account of their having interfered in the dissensions between the king and his brother. On the king's departure from Louviers, he laid siege to the town of Pont de l'Arche, four leagues distant from Rouen; and on the 6th of January it was proclaimed in Paris, that all purveyors, who had been accustomed to supply the army with provisions, should repair thither instantly with forage,—and, also, that the pioneers should make themselves ready to march from Pont de l'Arche on the morrow, under the command of sir Denis Giber, one of the four sheriffs of Paris who had been appointed to conduct them.

On the Wednesday, a detachment of the king's army, that had gone on a foraging party, took four men at arms belonging to the duke of Berry, but who had formerly belonged to the king. One was called le Petit Bailiff, and had been in the company of Joachim Rohault marshal of France, and an accomplice in the betraying Pontoise to the Bretons. When brought before the king, they were ordered to be beheaded instantly; but they offered, on their lives being spared, to cause Pont de l'Arche to be surrendered,—and as the duke of Bourbon and other lords seconded their offer, the king pardoned them.

This same day, the king entered Pont de l'Arche with his army, the garrison having retreated from the town into the castle: among them was master John Hebert, superintendant of the french finances. Three days after, the castle likewise surrendered to the king.

In consequence of these surrenders to the king, the town of Rouen sent a deputation to request a conference,—which deputation laid every thing that had been done amiss to the charge of the dukes of Brittany and Bourbon. Their commissioners at the conference made several requests and remonstrances, insisting, among other things, that the king should declare himself satisfied with them, notwithstanding any acts to the contrary, and that he would not only grant them his full pardon, but similar franchises to those he had lately granted to Paris. They made many other demands, to all of which the king said he would consider on them. While this was going on, several of the king's army passed and repassed into the town without interruption.

The duke of Berry, in the mean time, quitted Rouen, in company with several of his friends, and went to Honnefleur and Caen, where he remained some time. John lord of Lorraine thought also to escape into Flanders; but he was met by a party of the king's army, who made him prisoner, and brought him to the king.

On the departure of the duke of Berry, the town of Rouen surrendered to the king, who, having displaced the greater part of the officers in Normandy, appointed others in their places. He disbanded his franc archers, giving them leave of absence until the first day of the ensuing month of March, and sent back his artillery to Paris: he himself took the road toward lower Normandy, and to St Michael's Mount.

At this time, Anthony de Chabannes, count de Dammartin, (of whom mention has been often made) accompanied the king, and had the command of one hundred lances of the gens d'armes, which sir Charles de Melun had before had. The king also deprived sir Charles of his office of grand master of the household, and gave it to the lord de Craon, although many persons were of opinion that sir Charles had well served the king, and done him many considerable services,—more especially by his great prudence and activity in the guard of Paris, while the king was absent in the Bourbonnois; for it was observed, that had he not been as diligent as he was, the king and kingdom would have suffered much more. While the king was thus employed, he made an exchange with the count de Dammartin for a castle he had in Gascony called Blancaffort; for which he gave him, in sovereignty, all the rights and royalties in the towns of Gonesse, Gournay sur Marne, and Crecy in Brie,—and gave orders for his parliament to annex them, in perpetuity, to his said county of Dammartin.

At this same time, the king commanded that the fortress of Chaumont sur Loire, which belonged to sir Pierre d'Amboise, lord of Chaumont, should be set on fire, and razed to the ground, which was done.

Monday, the 4th of February, Gauvain Manniel, who had been lieutenant-general of the bailiff of Rouen, was arrested in that town, and carried prisoner to Pont de l'Arche,—where, by orders of the marshals, a scaffold had been erected, on which the said Gauvain was beheaded for certain crimes laid to his charge. His head was placed on a lance on the said bridge, and his body thrown into the river Seine. At the same time, the dean of the cathedral of Rouen and six of the canons were expelled the town, and banished out of the duchy of Normandy.

CHAP. III.

THE KING OF FRANCE SETS OUT FROM ROUEN TO ORLEANS.—HE SENDS AMBASSADORS TO ENGLAND.—SEVERAL MALEFACTORS ARE EXECUTED AT PARIS.—THE DIVORCE OF SIR WILLIAM COLOMBEL FROM HIS WIFE.—THE LORD DU LAU IS MADE PRISONER.—THE KING PUBLISHES AN EDICT AT PARIS AGAINST THE ENGLISH.—A TRUCE CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH.—MANY PERSONS LOSE THEIR SENSES AT PARIS, AT THE BEAN-FLOWERING SEASON.

The king now departed from Rouen for Orleans, where the queen was, and remained there a long time, making excursions to Gergeau[3] and in that neighbourhood. While he was at Orleans, many embassies came to him from divers countries, on different matters. He also there determined to send an embassy to England, and selected for this purpose the count de Roussillon, bastard of Bourbon and admiral of France, the lord de la Barde, the duke-bishop of Langres, master John de Poupaincourt, lord of Cercelles, master Olivier le Roy, councellor in the chamber of accounts, and others, who set out for England in April, in the year 1466.

At this time, the officers of justice in Paris, arrested many poor creatures, thieves and other malefactors,—some of whom, for their crimes, were hanged on the gibbet at Montfaucon, and others, less criminal, were whipped at a cart's tail through the streets of Paris.

At this time also, the damsel Isabeau de Cambray, wife to sir William de Colombel, a rich and powerful man, was confined a prisoner in the Conciergerie of the palais-royal at Paris, on the complaint and information of her husband, who charged her with the three following crimes: first, that she had abandoned him, and been faithless to his bed; secondly, that she had robbed him of large sums of money; and, thirdly, that she had compounded divers poisons to compass his death.

In consequence of these charges, she was long detained in prison, and put to the torture, to make her confess her guilt. At length, the court of parliament, having taken full cognizance of the evidence, and her confession, declared that the said Colombel had sufficiently proved his accusations,—and she was sentenced to be deprived of all community of effects, and of her dower. With regard to the poisons, she pleaded an error in the suit, and paid into court six score livres parisis, as her pledge for re-appearing.

The 10th day of May, in this year, sir Anthony de Château-neuf lord du Lau, who had had the king's pardon some time since, on certain conditions, was accidentally met by the lord de Chabesnais, and others, in the plains of Clery, near Orleans; and because that he and his attendants were disguised, they made him a prisoner, and carried him before the king, who ordered him and his people to be confined in a castle near Mehun.[4]

On Wednesday, the eve of the Ascension of our Lord, master John Prevost, notary and secretary to the king, entered the bastile, by the king's direction, in a subtle manner, and took thence one called Mare, who was lieutenant to the lord des Bordes, and lately married to the natural daughter of sir Charles de Melun, son to the lord des Bordes.

On Saturday, the eve of Whitsunday, was proclaimed through all the squares of Paris, with sound of trumpet, a summons from the constable of France, which included one from the king, to declare that he had received information of his ancient enemies the English having raised a very numerous army for the destruction of his kingdom,—and that they had prepared a fleet, accordingly, to invade his coasts; that the king, being resolved to oppose such wicked attempts to the utmost of his power, had ordered his constable to make proclamation thereof in the usual places throughout the realm, that all the noble tenants of the king, as well those of fief as of arriere-fief, of whatever rank, might be properly prepared with arms, horses, and habiliments for war, on the 15th day of June next ensuing, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects. All franc-archers and others were, at the same time, ordered to be ready by the said 15th day of June.

The king displaced, at this time, the lord des Bordes from being governor of the bastile of St. Anthony at Paris, and gave it to the lord de Blot, seneschal of Auvergne, who was said to be a man of an excellent character.

At this period, the lord de Montauban[5], who had been admiral of France, grand master of woods and waters, and the principal cause of the disturbances in Brittany, which were followed by those in France, and who had received immense sums of the public money, died at Tours, and was not much lamented. After his death, the king gave the office of lord high admiral to the lord bastard of Bourbon, who had married his natural daughter,—and the office of grand master of woods and waters to the lord de Châtillon, brother to the marshal of Lohéac.

A truce was now concluded by sea and land with England for twenty-two months, which was every where publicly proclaimed.

At this time, for some particular cause, the king was moved to displace the count du Maine from his government of Languedoc, and give the same to the bastard of Bourbon,—who also received, in consequence of his marriage with Jeanne, the king's natural daughter, the castle and town of Usson[6] in Auvergne, said to be the strongest place in the kingdom, together with the government of Honnefleur, and other places in Normandy.

In the month of June, of this year 1466, the beans were very abundant and good,—nevertheless, very many persons of both sexes lost their senses at this time in Paris. In the number, was a young man named master Marcial d'Auvergne[7], an attorney in the court of parliament, and notary to the Châtelet. He had been married about three weeks to one of the daughters of master Jacques Fournier, king's counsel in the said court of parliament,—and lost his senses in such wise that, about nine in the morning of St. John Baptist's day, his frenzy seized him, and he threw himself out of the window into the street, broke his thigh, and so bruised his body that he was long in the utmost danger, for his frenzy continued a long time; but at length he recovered.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Gergeau, or Jargeau,—an ancient town four leagues from Orleans.

[4] There are three Mehuns,—sur Loire, sur Indre, sur Yevre.

[5] The lord de Montauban—was of the house of Rohan, had followed the king, when dauphin, to Flanders,—was much beloved and regretted by him, but not by the people.

[6] Usson,—four leagues from Brionde.

[7] Marcial d'Auvergne—was the author of the Arresta Amorum, and several pieces now become very scarce.

CHAP. IV.

THE KING SENDS COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE REFORMS AT PARIS.—THEIR PAGES AND THE CLERKS OF THE PALACE QUARREL.—A MURDEROUS WAR BETWEEN THE LIEGEOIS AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—A GREAT MORTALITY IN PARIS AND ITS ENVIRONS.—THE KING APPOINTS CERTAIN LORDS FOR THE GUARD AND DEFENCE OF HIS REALM.—EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AT PARIS IN THIS YEAR MCCCCLXVI.

In the month of July, many prelates, lords, knights, churchmen, and others of the king's council arrived at Paris, by the king's orders, as commissioners to inspect the courts of justice, and to reform whatever they should find irregular, having had very great powers given them for the purpose. They were twenty-one commissioners in all, and the lord John bastard of Orleans, count of Dunois and of Longueville, was their president; but no business could be transacted unless thirteen members were present, the count de Dunois being always one.

They were called 'The Reformers of the Public Welfare,' and opened their sittings on the 16th day of July; and, that their measures might be salutary, they commenced by hearing a fine mass to the Divine Spirit chaunted in the holy chapel in the palace at Paris. This was celebrated by Juvenel des Ursins, archbishop of Rheims, who had been chosen one of the commissioners. This day twelve-month, the king met the count de Charolois at Montlehery.

On the morrow, some of the pages of the counsellors in the court of parliament, while waiting for their masters, sought a quarrel with the pages of these commissioners, and a great riot and noise ensued, because they had refused to pay their welcome-money at the palace. This quarrel was renewed with more earnestness the next day, when their masters returned to the court, and proceeded at length to blows with fists, knives, and stones; so that many were much beaten and bruised, and some even had their eyes knocked out,—and force was employed to separate them. Several said, that this was only done as an anniversary of the battle of Montlehery.

This year was very moist, so that although the corn was good in some parts of France, in others it was spoilt and mildewed. There were many tempests, and storms of thunder and lightning, which did much damage in divers places of the kingdom, more particularly in the Soissonnois, where several houses were destroyed, churches unroofed,—and infinite mischief was done to the vineyards and corn-fields.

A serious war now took place between the Liegeois and the duke of Burgundy, who, on this occasion, resumed his arms, and advanced to his army carried in a litter, attended by his son the count de Charolois, with all his nobles, and the whole of his artillery. He began the campaign, by laying siege to Dinant, as has been amply detailed in the chronicles of Monstrelet.

The heat of the weather in the months of August and September, of this year, was so excessive that it brought on a great mortality in and about Paris, insomuch that more than forty thousand persons of both sexes died. In the number, was master Arnoul, the king's astrologer, a very good kind of man, wise and pleasant. Several physicians, and officers of the king died; and such numbers were buried in the churchyard of the holy Innocents, and the great hospital being full of dead and dying, it was ordered, that in future all buryings should be made in the churchyard of the Holy Trinity, which church was appertaining to the town-house of Paris. This mortality continued until the month of November. Public prayers were offered up to God that it might cease,—and solemn general processions were made by the different parishes, in which were carried holy relics, and the shrines of saints, and even the shrines of our Lady, of Saint Genevieve and Saint Marcel, when the number of deaths decreased some little.

At this period, there were great alarms in Paris, from the number of thieves and housebreakers, who did great mischiefs during the night. Some were arrested and whipped at a cart's tail, and others hanged, for these crimes, on the gibbet at Paris. In this year was hanged at Paris, a large Norman, a native of Coutantin, in Normandy, for having long cohabited with his own daughter, by whom he had several children, whom they put to death as soon as born. He was hanged,—and she was burnt at Maigny, near Pontoise, where they resided on quitting Normandy. The shrines of St Crespin and St Crespinian were now brought to Paris, in the hopes that they would stop the mortality, and also to solicit alms for the new-roofing of their church at Soissons, which had been destroyed in the summer by lightning, as has been mentioned.

During this time, the king and his ministers resided at Orleans, Chartres, Bourges, Mehun, Amboise, and other places, where he received divers embassies from England, Burgundy, and elsewhere. The king now determined to make war on the duke of Burgundy, and on his son the count de Charolois; and for this purpose issued his summons for the assembly of the ban and arriere-ban, in the different towns of his realm. He created a large body of franc-archers beyond their established number, and made several regulations for the more effectual defence of his kingdom. He appointed the marshal de Lohéac his lieutenant for the town of Paris and the Isle of France. To the lord de Châtillon was given the guard of Champagne. The care of Normandy was intrusted to the count de Saint Pol, constable of France, who, a little before, had been the king's enemy, in conjunction with the duke of Burgundy and the count de Charolois.

In the month of February, an embassy came to the king from Brittany, who, having heard what they had to say, received them well. They afterwards pursued their journey into Flanders, to wait on the duke of Burgundy and his son. The report was now current, that the king and his brother had made up their quarrel, to the great joy of the nation. I should have mentioned, that, prior to this, the king had sent master John Hebert and the bishop of Troys, with others, on an embassy to the Liegeois.

It happened, about this time, that three sergeants at mace of the Châtelet, of bad repute, forcibly entered, during the night the chamber of a priest of St Paul's church, while he was quietly asleep, and beat and mutilated him much; but not content with this, they dragged him through the streets, and, having sorely wounded him in many places, went their way. The priest prosecuted them; in consequence of which they were confined in the prisons of the Châtelet, and were sentenced to be banished from France, to have their effects confiscated to the king, and to make an amende honorable. From this sentence, they appealed to the court of parliament, and the king's attorney appealed thither also against the sentence, as being too mild for such an outrage. The court, therefore, confirmed the judgment of the provost at the Châtelet, and condemned them, in addition, to be whipped through all the squares of Paris, which was done.

CHAP. V.

THE KING APPOINTS THE COUNT OF DAMMARTIN GRAND MASTER OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.—HE GOES WITH THE QUEEN TO ROUEN, WHERE HE HAD APPOINTED THE EARL OF WARWICK TO MEET HIM.—THE DEATH OF DUKE PHILIP OF BURGUNDY.—THE KING GOES TO CHARTRES, WHITHER HE SUMMONS SOME OF THE PARISIANS, AND COMMANDS THEM TO HAVE BANNERS MADE ACCORDING TO THE DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS AND TRADES.—A MONK IS MURDERED IN THE TEMPLE.—THE QUEEN MOST HONOURABLY RECEIVED IN PARIS.

On Thursday, the 22d day of April, in this same year, Anthony de Chabannes, count of Dammartin, who had escaped out of the bastile, and had afterward done many mischiefs to the king's subjects in Auvergne and elsewhere, on his arrival before Paris with the confederated princes, was created grand master of the royal household in the room of the lord de Croy,—and letters were granted him by the king, to certify that the said Chabannes had sworn to serve him loyally and faithfully against all the world.

In the month of June, the king set out from Paris for Rouen in Normandy; and during his stay there, he sent for the earl of Warwick, who, for some cause, had been forced to leave England. The earl landed at Harfleur, and thence went in a boat, with his company, to the village of La Bouille on the Seine, five leagues from Rouen. He arrived there on Saturday, the 7th of June, in time for dinner, which he found ready prepared for him; for the king was come thither to receive him, and feasted him and his company very grandly. After dinner, the earl reimbarked in his boat for Rouen, whither the king and his attendants went by land. The inhabitants of the town went out to meet the earl as far as the gate of the Quay St Eloy, where the king had ordered all the parishes to give him a most honourable reception, with banners, crosses, and holy water presented to him by the priests in their copes. He was thus conducted in procession to the cathedral, where he made his offering, and thence went to the lodgings that had been prepared for him at the Jacobins.

The queen and princesses came likewise to Rouen,—and the king remained there with the earl of Warwick the space of twelve days, when the earl returned to England. On his departure, the king sent with him the lord admiral, the bishop of Laon, master John Poupaincourt his minister, master Olivier le Roux, and others. During his stay at Rouen, the king made him many rich presents; such as pieces of gold plate, and a cup of gold ornamented with precious stones: the lord de Bourbon presented him also with a handsome diamond ring,—and the whole of the expenses of himself and his attendants were defrayed by the king, from his landing at Harfleur to his re-embarkation. The king, on his departure returned to Chartres, where he made some stay.

In the month of June, in this year, died Philip duke of Burgundy, in the town of Bruges: his body was afterward carried to Dijon, and interred at the carthusian convent. But this has been fully described in the last chapter of the chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet.

The king while at Chartres, ordered the inhabitants of Paris to have banners made, for their respective professions and trades to range themselves under: each banner to have a leader and a deputy-leader, who were to have the management and care of them; and those enrolled under their governance were to be armed in jackets, brigandines, light helmets, and other sorts of offensive and defensive armour, according to their several stations, as well tradesmen as officers, nobles, merchants, churchmen, and persons of other ranks, which was done.

In this same month of June, the king summoned before him at Mellay, near Chartres, some of the principal persons in Paris, among whom was master John Boulenger, president in the court of parliament, master Henry de Livres, counsellor in the said court, sir John Clerbout, master-general of the mint, Jacques Rabours, procurator of the town of Paris, master Eustache Milet, another counsellor in the aforesaid court, Nicholas Laurens, Guillaume Roger, Jean de Hacqueville, and other principal merchants, whom the king sent to his council at Chartres, where they remained some time.

About this time, two persons, called Robert de la Motte and Jean Raoul, had been long detained prisoners, on the accusation of a monk of Saint Lo, at Rouen, named master Pierre le Marêchal, who had charged them, and others, with being enemies to the king, and with having conspired against his life. These charges he could not however, prove,—and they were found to be nothing but lies; on which the accuser was sentenced to death, and was accordingly drowned the 14th day of July. De la Motte, Raoul, and the others, were acquitted, and sent to their homes.

The king, soon after this, sent an ordinance to be sealed at Paris: it was signed Michel de Ville-Chartre: by which the king villed, for the repeopling of Paris, which had been much depopulated by wars, mortalities, and other events, that people of all nations and countries might come and freely reside in that town, suburbs, and within its jurisdiction, and enjoy all the privileges attached to the citizens of Paris, relative to the crimes of murder, theft, and all others, excepting that of high treason,—and during their residence they were to bear arms for the service of the king, against all his enemies. This was proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, in all the squares of Paris, according to the privileges granted to such as had been exiled to the towns of St Malo and Valenciennes.

This month, the king issued another proclamation, for all nobles holding fiefs or arriere-fiefs, to be ready in arms; and for those in Paris, and in the Isle of France, to be prepared on the 15th day of August to march whithersoever he might be pleased to lead them.

On the 3rd day of August, a melancholy event happened at Paris. One of the monks of the Temple called friar Thomas Lovecte, who was the receiver of his house, had his throat cut by one of his brethren, named friar Henry, in consequence of some dispute that had happened between them. Friar Henry on committing the deed, absented himself, and was not discovered until the 10th of that month, when, about 10 o'clock at night, an examiner at the Châtelet called master John Potin, accompanied by three sergeants at mace, made such diligence that he was found hid in a closet in the hôtel of St Pol at Paris, dressed in a rocquet of white cloth, and a black hat on his head. In this state, he was carried prisoner to the Châtelet, and thence surrendered to the court of parliament, to which he had appealed against his arrest,—alleging, that the place whence he had been taken was a place of sanctuary, and claiming to be returned thither. The monks of the Temple claimed him as a priest of their order,—and he was given up to them and led to their prison. On the 12th of August, in the year 1467, the grand prior of France, attended by many great lords, assembled at the Temple to sit in judgment on friar Henry, when he was condemned to a perpetual imprisonment in a dark dungeon, and had to be fed, so long as he should live, on the bread of pain and water of sorrow.

At this time, the admiral, and those before mentioned, who had accompanied the earl of Warwick to England, returned to France, after having staid there some time and concluded nothing. The king of England sent, however, to the king of France, presents of hunting horns, bottles of leather, and other things, in return for the very rich presents that had been made the earl and his attendants by the king and other lords on his leaving Rouen.

Friday the 18th of August, the king came to Paris about eight o'clock in the evening: he was attended by the duke of Bourbon and many other lords. On Tuesday, the first of September, the queen arrived at Paris by water, and landed near to the church of Nôtre Dame, where she found, in waiting to receive her, all the presidents and counsellors of the court of parliament, the bishop of Paris, and numbers of others of the nobility, handsomely dressed.

Near this landing place, several rich pageants had been prepared by the city of Paris,—and when it was known that she approached the city, a grand procession of boats filled with the principal inhabitants, and decorated with silks and tapestries, went out to meet her. In some of these boats were placed choristers of the holy chapel at Paris, who sang most melodiously certain virelays and pastorals adapted to the occasion. There were also numbers of clarions and a band of instrumental music, that saluted the queen and her ladies, as they entered their boats, with a variety of melodies. The citizens had placed in the queen's barge a beautiful stag of confectionary, having her arms emblazoned hanging on his neck. There were likewise plenty of salvers full of sweetmeats and fresh fruits of all sorts, with a quantity of violets and other sweet smelling flowers scattered about every part of the barge. Wines of different sorts were abundantly distributed to all who pleased to partake of them.

The queen, having performed her prayers in the church of Nôtre Dame, returned to her barge, and was rowed down the river to the gate in front of the church of the Celestins, where she found other pageants. Here she again landed, and, with her ladies, mounted the beautiful hackneys and palfreys that were there, waiting for them, and rode to the king's hôtel at the Tournelles, where, in front of the gate, was another pageant. That night, bonfires were lighted in all the streets, and round tables placed at different squares and open places, where meat and drink was given to all comers.

The Thursday following, the 3rd of September, master Nicholas Balue, brother to the bishop of Evreux was married to the daughter of sir John Bureau, lord of Montglat. The marriage-feast was held at the hôtel de Bourbon, and was abundantly splendid. Great honour was done to this wedding, by the presence of the king, the queen, the duke and duchess of Bourbon, the count de Nevers, madame de Bueil, and all their attendants, who partook of the feast, and made them many and very rich gifts.

The king and queen afterwards accepted of many invitations to entertainments given by several of their courtiers. Among others, on Thursday, the 10th of the same month, the queen, accompanied by her sister, the lady Bona of Savoy, and the duchess of Bourbon, with other ladies of their attendants, supped at the hôtel of master Jean Dauvet, first president of the parliament, where most handsome preparations were made for their reception,—and among other things were four beautiful baths, in the expectation that the queen would bathe; but she declined it from being unwell, and because the season was unfavourable. In one of them, however, the duchess of Bourbon and the lady Bona bathed, as did madame de Montglat and Perrette de Châlons, a Parisian, in the adjoining one, and made good cheer there.

CHAP. VI.

THE KING ORDERS THE BANNERS OF PARIS TO BE MUSTERED.—OF THE WAR WITH LIEGE.—OF THE PRAGMATIC, WHICH A LEGATE FROM THE POPE AND BALUE ATTEMPT TO ABOLISH.—THE KING PARDONS THE DUKE OF ALENÇON AND THE LORD DU LAU.—THE COUNT DE SAINT POL CONCLUDES A TRUCE BETWEEN THE KING AND THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, WITHOUT INCLUDING THE LIEGEOIS.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR MCCCCLXVII.

On the 14th of September, the king ordered all the banners of Paris to be mustered without the walls; and he issued his commands, that on that day all persons, of whatever rank or condition, should appear under their proper banner properly accoutred for war. Nevertheless, should there be any who had not yet prepared their armour, they must make their appearance with defenceable staves, under pain of death.

It was a fine sight to see the different banners march out of Paris, each handsomely arrayed, and without noise or confusion. They amounted to from sixty to eighty thousand helmets, of which full thirty thousand were armed in brigandines, plain armour, and jackets. When they were drawn up in battle-array, the king and queen and their court, came out to see them, which they did with much pleasure,—for never was seen so numerous an army issue out of any town before. There were seventy-seven banners of the different trades, without including the standards and guidons of the court of parliament, of the chamber of accounts, of the treasury, of the mint, of the tax offices, of the Châtelet, and of the Hôtel de Ville, under which were as many, if not more, able-bodied men than under all the other banners.

Several tons of wine had been brought from Paris, and placed at different spots for those under muster to refresh themselves with, as their heads had been taken off. They occupied a very large tract of ground; for their line extended from the dunghills between the gates of St Anthony and the Temple, along the ditches of Paris, and through the vineyards to St Anthony des Champs, and from the walls of St Anthony des Champs to the Grange of Reuilly, and thence as far as Conflans. From Conflans, it returned by the Grange aux Merciers, along the river Seine to the king's bulwark of the tower of Billy, and from thence along the walls as far as the gate of the bastile of St Anthony. It was a marvellous sight to view the great numbers who appeared at this muster,—and several persons maintained, that as many remained in Paris as had come out.

The king set out from Paris on the 22d of September, in the afternoon, on a pilgrimage on foot to St Denis, having with him the bishop of Evreux, the lord de Crussol[8]. Philip L'Huillier, and others. Between Paris and St Denis, he was accosted by three vagabonds, who demanded pardon for having been thieves, robbers on the highways, and murderers, which the king kindly granted them. He remained the rest of the day at St Denis, until vespers on the morrow, when he returned to his hôtel of the Tournelles, and supped that night at the hôtel of sir Denis de Hasselin, his pantler, and assessor of the taxes at Paris, who had lately become brother-gossip to the king, on account of a daughter his wife had lately been brought to bed of, and to whom the king had been godfather by the proxy of the bishop of Evreux: the godmothers were mesdames de Bueil[9] and de Montglat[10]. The king made good cheer at this supper; and three handsome baths had been prepared for him, richly adorned, in the supposition that he would have taken his pleasure; but he declined doing so, because he had a cold, and because the season was not kindly.

At this time, a serious warfare broke out between the Liegeois and the duke of Burgundy, in alliance with the bishop of Liege, cousin to the duke of Burgundy and brother to the duke of Bourbon, whom the Liegeois marched to besiege in the town of Huys[11]; and after having been long before it, they gained it,—but the bishop escaped. The king of France, in the mean time, ordered four hundred of his own lances to march to the aid of the Liegeois, under the command of the count de Dammartin, Salazart, Robert de Coniham[12], and Stevenot de Vignoles, together with six thousand franc-archers, taken from Champagne, the Soissonnois, and other parts of the Isle of France.

The duke of Burgundy, hearing of the success of the Liegeois, in the capture of Huys, and that they had killed many Burgundians, assembled his army, with the determination to destroy the whole country of Liege with fire and sword, and he had it thus notified in his proclamations.

Those who published this notice held in one hand a naked sword, and in the other a burning torch, to signify, that the war about to commence was to be carried on with fire and sword.

In this month of September, the king gave his letters for the abolition of the pragmatic sanction[13] to a legate come from Rome for that purpose: which letters were read and published in the court of the Châtelet of Paris without any opposition. But when master John Balue, on the first of October, carried them, during the vacations, to the court of parliament to do the same, he found there master John de St Romain, the king's attorney-general, who formerly opposed the effect and execution of these letters, which greatly displeased Balue; and he uttered many menaces against St Romain,—telling him, that the king would be much angered at his conduct, and remove him from his office.

M. de St Romain paid no great attention to his menaces, and replied, that as the king had given him his office, he would exercise it during the king's pleasure; and that when he should please he might displace him; but that he was determined to lose every thing sooner than consent to any act that was detrimental to his own conscience, to the crown, or to the public welfare. He told Balue, that he ought to be greatly ashamed for having brought forward and supported such a measure.

In consequence of this, the heads of the university waited on the legate, and appealed against these letters to a general council. They went thence to the court of Châtelet, where they made a similar appeal, and had their opposition enregistered.

The king sent this legate and the bishop of Evreux, who had lately been made cardinal[14] with master John Ladriesche, treasurer of France, and others, to the count de Charolois, to execute some commissions he had charged them with.

On the 8th of October, one called Swestre le Moyne, a native of Auxerre, having been imprisoned at Thiron[15], a long time for certain crimes, was this day drowned in the Seine, near the Grange aux Merciers, according to the sentence of sir Tristan de l'Hermite, provost of the marshals of the king's household.

Sunday the 11th, there was a prodigious storm of thunder and lightning, about eight o'clock at night, and before and after it the most extraordinary heat that had been ever felt at that season, which seemed to all persons very unnatural. The following day, the king went from his hôtel at the Tournelles, to hear vespers at Nôtre Dame,—after which, a procession was made by the bishop and canons of that church, when the king retired to repose himself some time at the hôtel of his first president of the parliament, John Dauvet.

The king did not leave the president's house until dark night, when, looking up, he perceived a bright star over the hôtel, which followed the king until he had entered the hôtel of the Tournelles, when it disappeared, and was not seen again.

News came to the king, on Thursday the 15th of October, that a large body of Bretons, having gained possession of the town and castle of Caen, had thence marched to Bayeux, and held them both against the king, which vexed him much,—and he sent thither instantly the marshal le Lohéac, then with him, to take proper measures respecting these towns as he had under his charge one hundred lances from Brittany.

The duke of Alençon, who had been convicted of high treason during the reign of the late king, at a court of justice held at Vendôme, and of having practised with the English, the ancient enemies of France, had been condemned, in consequence of his confessions, to death, saving the good pleasure of the king. His life had been spared, but he remained a close prisoner in the castle of Loches until the present king's accession, when he was fully pardoned, and all proceedings against him were annulled. It happened, that a lame man had been one of the principal evidences against this duke, and was much afraid of his revenge when set at liberty,—to avoid which, he presented himself before the king, and solicited to be taken under his protection. This the king promised, and personally commanded the duke no way to injure this man, his family or his fortune, as he was under his especial protection. The duke engaged to perform all the king wished; but he soon forgot his promises,—and, having had the lame man seized and brought before him, caused him instantly to be put to death. The wife of the murdered man appeared before the king, to make her loss known, and have redress for her injury; in consequence, the king seized on all the towns and lands of the duke,—but it was not long before they were restored, and he was again pardoned. The duke, to show his gratitude for these repeated marks of favour, offered to give up his towns to the Bretons, and to the duke of Berry, in opposition to the interests of the king.

At this time, sir Anthony de Château-neuf, lord du Lau, grand butler of France, and seneschal of Guienne, who had been chamberlain to the king, and more beloved by him than any other courtier, who had amended his fortune by the king's service, to the amount of three or four hundred thousand golden crowns, had fallen into disgrace, and was confined in the castle of Sully sur Loire[16]; but in the month of October, the king sent sir Tristan de l'Hermite, and master Guillaume Cerisay, lately appointed griffier civil to the parliament, to take the lord du Lau from the prisons at Sully, and to carry him to the castle of Usson[17] in Auvergne. While they were thus transporting him, a report was spread, and long continued, that the lord du Lau was drowned[18].

Tuesday, the 22d of October, the king left Paris to go into Normandy, and this night lay at Villepreux[19], and on the morrow at Mantes. Prior to his departure, he sent off such of his captains as were then near his person to collect the men under their command, and to follow him with them into Normandy or wherever else he might be. He also published an edict, to declare, that henceforth his pleasure was that all officers should remain in peaceable possession of their places, and that there should be no vacation, but by death, resignation, or confiscation; that should he, through importunities, grant any office contrary to this his declaration, he willed, that it should not be valid, but that strict and equal justice should be done to all.

From Mantes, he went to Vernon sur Seine, where he staid some time; during which the constable there joined him, and found means to obtain from the king a truce for six months with the count de Charolois, without including the Liegeois, who had already made war against the count, in the expectation of being supported by the king, according to the promises he had made them, and they now found themselves quite abandoned by him. The constable returned to the duke of Burgundy with the intelligence of the truce being signed.

Soon after this, the cardinal of Evreux, and the others who had been sent by the king to Flanders, came to him at Vernon; and he thence went to Chartres, whither he sent for the greater part of his artillery from Orleans, that it might be transported to Alençon, and the other towns of which he wanted to gain the possession. The king again sent master John Prevost to Flanders, with a copy of the aforesaid truce to the duke of Burgundy.

On the 16th of November, the cardinal, the treasurer Ladriesche, master John Berart, and master Geoffry Alnequin, came to Paris to review their banners, and to execute other commissions given them by the king.

The king left Chartres and went to Orleans, Clery, and other towns thereabouts, and thence to Vendôme and Mont St Michel, having a large train of artillery with him, and a great number of men at arms. During this time, the Bretons issued out in arms from their country, and gained Avranches and other towns in Normandy. They spread over the whole of that part of the country, as far as Caen, Bayeux and Coutances.

The duke of Burgundy, in consequence of the truce with France, wherein the Liegeois were not mentioned, entered that country unmolested,—when, finding that they had been deserted by the king, and that they should be destroyed, they surrendered all their towns to the count de Charolois, on condition of paying him a large sum of money, and having parts of the gates and walls of their towns pulled down.

FOOTNOTES:

[8] Louis lord de Crussol,—grand pantler of France.

[9] De Bueil. Jeanne, natural daughter to the king married to Anthony de Bueil count de Sancerre, son to John admiral of France.

[10] De Montglat. Germaine Hesselin, wife of John Beauveau lord of Montglat.

[11] Huys,—according to modern France, is in the department of the Ourthe, on the Meuse.

[12] Robert de Coniham. Probably an officer, or the commander, of the scots brigade in the service of France, Robert Coningham. He and his men were defeated by sir Charles de Melun, in Normandy, when on their march to aid the duke of Berry.

[13] Pragmatic sanction. A confirmation of a decree made in the council of Basil, whereby (among other things established for the reformation of the ecclesiastical state) the election of prelates, and collation to benefices, during vacancy, as also the decision of suits concerning them, (usurped, some time before, by the court of Rome) was restored unto the canons, priests, or monks of the diocese. This information was published by an edict of Charles VII. in the year 1438.—Cotgrave.—See a former note, vol. x. p. 94.

[14] Cardinal. He was created cardinal 1464, according to Ciaconius.

[15] Thiron,—a small town in Beauce, election of Chartres.

[16] Sully sur Loire,—eight leagues from Orleans.

[17] Usson,—four leagues from Brionde

[18] The lord du Lau did not die until 1483 or 1484.

[19] Villepreux,—two leagues from Versailles.

CHAP. VII.

THE KING SENDS COMMISSARIES TO REVIEW THE PARISIAN BANNERS, OFFICERS AS WELL AS MEN.—THE KING'S ARMY MARCHES BETWEEN MANS AND ALENÇON, TO OPPOSE THAT OF THE BRETONS.—THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY COLLECTS A LARGE ARMY AT SAINT QUENTIN.—THE THREE ESTATES OF FRANCE ASSEMBLE AT TOURS IN MCCCCLXVII.

The cardinal de Balue, and the other commissaries, proceeded in mustering the troops under the parisian banners, in different parts of that town, on the walls, between the gates of the Temple and St Martin within the Temple precincts, on the walls between the tower of wood and the gate of Saint Honoré, in front of the Louvre, and elsewhere.

The king had it proclaimed through Paris, on the 22d of November, that all who had been accustomed to bear arms and had been disbanded without receiving their pay, should appear before certain commissioners whom he had ordered to settle their accounts, and to relist them for his service in the wars. On the 24th, master John Prevost returned to the king from the count de Charolois, to whom he had carried a copy of the truce, with the count's answer.

On the 26th, a general muster was made out of Paris, fronting the church and abbey of St Germain des Près, unto the river Seine, when great numbers appeared well equipped, both horse and foot. There were the treasurers of France, the counsellors and clerks of the exchequer, the masters of the mint, the officers of the treasury and of taxes, the assessors, the whole court of parliament, the practitioners in the court of the Châtelet: in all, a fine and numerous company. With the above companies were a great body of horse and foot under the standard and guidon of the Hôtel de Ville. The bishop, the heads of the university, the abbots, priors, and other churchmen of Paris, appeared there with a certain number of men, well armed and well appointed.

When these musters were over, the cardinal, and the other commissaries, left Paris to wait on the king, who was between Mans and Alençon with a very great army, to oppose the further progress of the Bretons; for he was followed by more than one hundred thousand horse, and twenty thousand foot: he had also his train of artillery to besiege Alençon, or any other place, that should refuse him obedience. Truces were now in agitation, which kept the king's army idle, to the great destruction of the country for more than twenty or thirty leagues round Mans and Alençon, which was foraged by the troops.

The count de Charolois, having had complete success over the Liegeois, returned to St Quentin, and issued his summonses for all his vassals to appear there in arms on the 15th day of December, under heavy penalties. He also issued his orders throughout Burgundy, for all nobles, or others bearing arms, to appear before his commissioners at Montsavion, there to receive their pay, and to march from Montsavion on or before the 20th day of December for St Quentin, to aid him in the support of his very dearly beloved brother the lord Charles of France and the duke of Brittany, against all their enemies and illwishers. Such was the substance of the proclamation. In consequence thereof, those merchants, and others, who had gone into Burgundy on their affairs, returned to Paris as speedily as they could. The count de Charolois issued fresh orders for all his troops to meet him at St Quentin the 4th day of January.

On Sunday, the feast of the holy Innocents, the duke of Bourbon was sent to Paris by the king, to place therein, as well as in other towns, sufficient garrisons to defend them against the Burgundians, and to prevent their making any inroads through the country. The marshal de Lohéac came with him, as it was said, to be lieutenant of Paris; but he departed, two days afterwards, for Rouen, and other towns in Normandy, to put them in a proper state of defence, and remained there some time. The duke of Bourbon staid at Paris, and was feasted by all the chief persons in that town.

At this time, the town of Alençon was surrendered to the king by the count du Perche, son to the duke of Alençon, as he was in possession of the castle, though the Bretons had gained the town. The king, in the mean time, never quitted Mans; and while there, he sent the pope's legate before mentioned, with Anthony de Chabannes, count of Dammartin, the treasurer Ladriesche, and others, to the lord Charles in Brittany, to negotiate an accommodation.

The king, at length, consented to the assembly of the three estates; and the town of Tours was fixed on for their place of meeting, which was appointed for the first day of April.[20] The king now departed from Mans, and went to Montils les-Tours, Amboise, and other places in that neighbourhood, on account of the holding of the three estates at Tours. The king was present at their opening,—when, after much discussion on the matters on account of which they were assembled, they were dissolved at Easter-day, in the year 1468. Each person now returned to his home.

There were present at this meeting, besides the king, the king of Sicily, the duke of Bourbon, the count du Perche, the patriarch of Jerusalem, the cardinal of Angers, and many great barons, archbishops, abbots, and deputies from all the different provinces and towns of France.

The question was agitated at this assembly respecting the appanage for the lord Charles, brother to the king,—and after mature deliberation, it was agreed, that he ought to be satisfied with landed property, having the title of duchy or marquisate, of twelve thousand livres tournois yearly rent; and that the king, in addition, should pay him an annual pension of sixty thousand livres, but without serving as a precedent for other children of France, who should hereafter descend from the crown, to demand a similar establishment, the king having granted so very large a sum as sixty thousand livres from his brotherly affection and his wish for peace; that, in regard to the duchy of Normandy, the lord Charles could not have it, as it was not in the king's power to grant it by dismembering the crown.

Respecting the duke of Brittany, who detained the lord Charles in his duchy, and had taken by force some towns in France, and was suspected of holding intelligence with the English, the ancient enemies of France, it was determined by the three estates that he should be summoned to restore these said towns to the king; and should he refuse to do so, and should the king have certain information of his connexion with the English, he must recover them by force of arms, and attack the duke wherever he might meet him. The three estates promised to support him in these measures, namely, the churchmen with their prayers and temporal effects, and the nobles and commonalty with their lives and fortunes, unto death.

In regard to the want of due justice being administered throughout the realm, the king had a singular desire to accomplish it, and was willing that sufficiently well informed persons should be elected from all ranks, to provide a remedy for any abuses, and establish order and equity. The three estates were of opinion, that the count de Charolois ought, from his near relation to the king of France, and as a peer of the realm, to exert himself manfully in these measures.

The king on the breaking up of the estates, went to Amboise, and thence sent an embassy to those assembled at Cambray, to know their resolutions in consequence of what had passed at the meeting at Tours.

FOOTNOTES:

[20] The estates were held the 6th of April, and ended the 14th of the same month. Petite Chronique.

CHAP. VIII.

TOURNAMENTS AT PARIS AND AT BRUGES.— THE KING GOES TO MEAUX.—THE PRINCE OF PIEDMONT COMES TO PARIS.—THE LORD DU LAU ESCAPES FROM HIS CONFINEMENT IN THE CASTLE OF USSON, WHICH CAUSES MANY TO LOSE THEIR HEADS.—THE BRETONS AND BURGUNDIANS TAKE MERVILLE.—CHARLES DE MELUN BEHEADED.—THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT PASSED BETWEEN THE KING AND THE DUKES OF BERRY AND BRITTANY.—PEACE CONCLUDED WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, IN THE YEAR MCCCCLXVIII.

On Monday, the 5th day of May, the lady Ambroise de Lore, widow of the late sir Robert d'Estouteville, provost of Paris, died about an hour after midnight, and was much lamented; for she was a noble, good, and modest lady,—and all decent, well behaved persons were honourably received at her house. This same day, about nine or ten at night, a mill at Paris, belonging to the prior of St Ladre, took fire, through the carelessness of a scoundrel-servant, who had stuck his candle against the wall near his bed, which fell thereon and burnt the premises; but this servant escaped, and ran away like a fox.

A tournament was held, on the 15th of this month, in front of the king's hôtel at the Tournelles, by four gentlemen belonging to the company of the grand seneschal of Normandy, who had ordered the lists, and prepared the field. They had caused proclamation to be made, that they would there be ready to break three lances against all comers.

Many Parisians appeared at the lists, on the appointed day: the first was Jean Raguier, overseer of the salt-magazines at Soissons, treasurer of the army in Normandy, and son to master Anthony Raguier, counsellor and treasurer of the king's armies. John Raguier arrived in great haste from Rouen, to be ready for this tournament, and came late in the evening of the day to St Ladre, attended by many gentlemen of the company of Joachim Rohault, marshal of France, and others, to the number of twenty horse. He remained secretly, and without noise at St Ladre, until the morrow, when his companions conducted him, with the sound of trumpets and clarions, to the lists. He was attended by four footmen, dressed in liveries, who kept close to the side of the courser he rode, ready to serve him and hold his lance. His companions were all uniformly dressed in handsome hoods, embroidered with great letters of gold.

He made several circuits of the lists before the other champions appeared, and behaved gallantly against them,—for he broke five lances, and would have done more, had the judges of the field permitted it. When he had so honourably performed his courses, he paraded round the lists, thanking the ladies and damsels for their presence, and taking his leave of the judges,—from all of whom he acquired much praise.

He was succeeded by an assessor of Paris, called Marc Senamy, and two sons of sir John Sanguin, who all acquitted themselves with courage and address, but did not gain equal praises with their predecessor. Then came Charles de Louviers, cup-bearer to the king, who carried himself with such gallantry and vigour that he broke several lances, and the prize of the day was adjudged to him. The four champions remained much bruised: two of them carried their arms in scarfs, and another had his hand badly wounded below his gauntlet,—so that the honour of the day belonged to the Parisians.

On the preceding Sunday, the 8th of May, another tournament was performed at Bruges before the duke of Burgundy with great triumph; and there another Parisian, called Jerom of Cambray, attached to the service of the duke, tilted, and carried away the prize[21].

When the tiltings were over at Paris the king left Amboise for that city, bringing with him the lords of Bourbon, of Lyon, of Beaujeu, and other great barons. He made some stay at Lagny sur Marne, Meaux, and other places in that neighbourhood. On the day of Ascension was an earthquake felt at Tours, Amboise, and in divers parts of Touraine. During the king's stay at Lagny and Meaux, he had his summons proclaimed in Paris, for all nobles and others to be prepared on the eighth day, in arms, to march whithersoever they should be ordered, under the severest penalties.

While he remained at Meaux, a man from the Bourbonnois was there beheaded, on the 27th day of June, for having revealed the king's secrets to his ancient enemies the English. Prior to this, the king had sent the prince of Piedmont, son to the duke of Savoy to Paris, to kindle a bonfire at the Greve, and to set at liberty all who were confined in the prisons of the parliament, the Châtelet, and elsewhere.

About this time, Charles de Melun, a man at arms in the company of the lord admiral, having been made governor of the castle of Usson in Auvergne, had the guard of the person of the lord du Lau intrusted to him on pain of his life. But this lord made his escape, to the great vexation of the king, who, in consequence, had Charles de Melun confined in the castle of Loches, and afterwards beheaded there for his negligence. A youth called Remmonet, the son of Melun's wife, was also beheaded at Tours for this escape,—and the king's attorney at Usson suffered a similar fate at Meaux for the same cause. The king, on leaving Meaux, went to Senlis, and thence to Creil.

The Burgundians and Bretons still kept possession of Normandy, and one day took prisoner the lord de Merville—which town of Merville is situated between St Sauveur sur Dive and Caen—and forced him to surrender the place, in which was a body of franc-archers. The instant they entered the town, they murdered all they found, hung the lord de Merville, and, having completely pillaged the houses and castle, set the whole on fire.

The king went from Creil to Compiégne, where he made some stay, and then returned to Senlis. The duke of Burgundy came from Senlis to Paris on the feast of the Assumption of our Lady but the king, before his departure, had sent the lord of Lyon and the lord constable to the duke of Burgundy, to negotiate terms of peace between them.

The king, however, did not fail to order his army into Normandy, under the command of the lord admiral. He was so diligent that in less than a month he drove away the Bretons who had possessed themselves of Bayeux.

On Saturday the 20th of August, sir Charles de Melun lord of Normanville, and lately grand master of the household, who had been imprisoned at the castle of Gaillard[22], under the guard of the count de Dammartin, was tried before the provost of the marshals, for the crimes he was accused of, and was this day taken out of prison, carried to the market-place of Andeli[23], and there publicly beheaded.

The king remained at Noyon, Compiègne, Chauny, and other places thereabout, until the 15th of September, when news was brought him that the lord Charles his brother and the duke of Brittany were become good friends and well-wishers to his person; that the lord Charles was willing to accept of the annual pension of sixty thousand francs, and such an appanage as those lords whom he would fix upon as his arbitrators should agree to. His arbitrators were the duke of Calabria and the constable of France.

The duke of Brittany offered to restore to the king the towns his men held in Normandy, if those the king had possession of in Brittany were given in exchange, which was agreed to by the king. Information of this was sent to the duke of Burgundy then with his army near to Peronne, between Eclusiers and Cappy on the river Somme; but he was unwilling to believe it, until it was confirmed by the lord Charles and the duke of Brittany. And although this reconciliation was afterward certified to him by the herald of the duke of Brittany, he would not disband his army, but marched it to a strong position on the Somme between Eclusiers and Cappy le Doz, which he made stronger by outworks.

During this time, different embassies were sent by the king to the duke of Burgundy by the lord constable, the cardinal of Angers, master Pierre d'Oriole, and others, to negotiate a pacification, which the king was greatly desirous of,—although his captains were of a different opinion, and required of the king to allow them to act, and they would deliver the duke and his whole army into his hands; but this he would never permit,—and even forbade any hostile acts, on pain of death. On the 12th of October, it was publicly known that a truce until the ensuing month of April had been concluded between them, and that the king, in consequence, had determined to go to Creil and Pontoise, whither he had sent his harbingers; but he afterwards changed his mind, and returned in haste from Compiègne to Noyon, which he had just left.

In this interval, Philip de Savoye, Poncet de Riviere, lord Dulsé, the lord du Lau, with others who had joined them, did very great mischiefs to the country they had overrun. In consequence, a proclamation was made in Paris on the 8th day of October, for all the nobles and other vassals within the provostship and viscounty of Paris, to muster in arms at Gonesse on the Monday following, and be ready to march where-ever they should be ordered. This proclamation greatly alarmed the Parisians, for fear the reports of a truce should prove unfounded.

The king hearing that the duke of Burgundy was gone to Peronne, left Noyon in a hurry to meet him there. He was accompanied by few persons, having with him only the cardinal of Angers, some few of his household, the duke of Bourbon, and others. Thus privately did he go to Peronne, to the duke of Burgundy, who received him, as he was bound to do, with much respect. They were long in private conversation, and seemed so perfectly satisfied with each other, notwithstanding what had passed before, that a peace was agreed on between them. The duke of Burgundy swore that henceforward he would never do any thing contrary to the king's will, and that he would remain his faithful servant and subject until death.

In concluding this peace, the king confirmed the treaty of Arras,—and other private articles were agreed on, as the king afterwards advertised his nobles, churchmen, court of parliament at Paris, and populace, for which great rejoicings were made, with general processions, and singing of 'Te Deum laudamus,' and other praises to God. Bonfires were made and tables laid out in all the streets for whoever chose to eat or drink.

While this was passing, news came that the Liegeois had made prisoner and put to death their bishop, with all his officers,—which much angered the king, the dukes of Burgundy and Bourbon, and others of his brothers. This was followed by the intelligence that the duke of Burgundy was preparing to march against them in person to punish them. Immediately different news was brought, namely, that the bishop was neither put to death nor a prisoner, but that the Liegeois had constrained him to chaunt at mass; that ever since they had been well pleased with him, and acknowledged him for their true lord, promising him all obedience in hopes by this conduct to efface from his mind their former behaviour to him.

FOOTNOTES:

[21] Fuller particulars of this tournament may be seen in the Memoirs of Oliver de la Marche. Philip de Comines tilted with Jerom, of Cambray; but it is not said that Jerom, in this tilting, bore off the honour.

[22] Gaillard, Q. Gaillon? on the Seine.

[23] Andeli,—Andeli le petit, a league distant from Gaillon. The count de Dammartin was the greatest enemy to sir Charles de Melun, who once enjoyed the most unbounded power and favour with Louis XI. The executioner failed in his first attempt to behead him; on which sir Charles arose and declared himself innocent of the charges laid against him; but said, that if it was the king's pleasure for him to die, he was contented, and relaid his head on the block very quietly, when it was cut off.

CHAP. IX.

THE KING OF FRANCE GOES TO NÔTRE DAME OF HALLE[24].—THE TOWN OF LIEGE DESTROYED.—THE KING RATIFIES AT PARIS HIS TREATY WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—HE HAS ALL THE GAME ROUND PARIS TAKEN ALIVE, TO SEND TO THE COUNT DE FOIX, AS A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP.—A GREAT INUNDATION IN HOLLAND AND ZEALAND.—A PRISONER IN THE CHÂTELET FOR THEFT INFORMS AGAINST HIS COMPANIONS, WHO ARE ALL HUNG.—MCCCCLXVIII.

At this time, the king of France went on a pilgrimage to our Lady at Halle, where he did not remain long. Philip de Savoye and others who had accompanied him made their peace with the king, through the mediation of the duke of Burgundy. When he had performed his pilgrimage at Halle, he went to meet the duke of Burgundy at Namur, and determined to accompany him in his war against Liege, during which he was lodged for some time in the suburbs of that city. With the king was the duke of Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the lord of Beaujeu and the bishop of Liege, all brothers. The bishop had come out of the town, to endeavour to bring about an accommodation, on the part of the inhabitants, with the duke of Burgundy.

His offers were, to surrender the town, with all its effects, on condition that the inhabitants should have liberty to retire whither they pleased unmolested. The duke not only refused these terms, but swore that he and his army should perish sooner than not have the town and its inhabitants at his pleasure to do by as should to him seem good. He would not suffer the bishop to return, but detained him in his camp, although he had given his word to come back to Liege and live and die there.

Soon after the departure of the bishop from their city, and when they knew that he was prevented from returning, the Liegeois made several sallies on the king's and duke's quarters,—but when any of them were taken, they were instantly put to death. In spite, however, of all their efforts, the duke of Burgundy gave orders for a general attack on the city between eight and nine in the morning of the 30th day of October, when the Burgundians and the king's troops entered the town without resistance; for the better part of the inhabitants, hearing of the intended attack, had fled, leaving behind only the populace,—women, children, old men and monks, who were indiscriminately killed,—and every violence was displayed as usual in a town taken by storm. Many young women and girls were violated, and afterwards murdered. Although the king, the dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the bishop of Liege, and the lord of Beaujeu had entered the city, the greatest and most cruel disorders were continued,—such as forcing convents, killing of children, and priests even while officiating at their altars. When they had satisfied themselves in plundering the churches and houses, they set them on fire, and threw down the walls into the ditches.

When this business was done, the king returned to Senlis and Compiègne, whither he summoned his courts of parliament and of the exchequer, and others of his council, to whom he gave different instructions; and as he did not intend to stay there long, he ordered the cardinal of Angers to explain to them the treaty he had concluded with the duke of Burgundy, consisting of forty-two articles, which the cardinal specified unto them; telling them from the king, that it was his royal will that each article in the aforesaid treaty should be most punctually observed, and that it should be enregistered without delay or difficulty, under the severest penalties for disobedience.

The king left Compiègne, and stopped at different places near Paris, without inclining to enter that city. Several of his great lords, such as the duke of Bourbon, his brothers the archbishop of Lyon, the lord of Beaujeu, the marquis du Pont, and others, kept him company.

On Saturday, the 19th of November, the treaty concluded with the duke of Burgundy was publicly proclaimed by sound of trumpets throughout Paris; and all persons were forbidden to publish any thing abusive of the said duke, whether by words, writings, signs, paintings, rondels, ballads, defamatory libels, pantomimic songs, or otherwise, in respect to past circumstances; for that all who should act contrary to this prohibition would be most severely punished for their boldness, as was more particularly explained in the body of the proclamation.

This same day by virtue of a commission from the king addressed to a youth in Paris, called Henry Perdriel, all the tame magpies, jays, jackdaws, and other birds, whether in cages or not, were seized and carried before the king[25]. The places whence they had been taken were registered, as well as all the words they had been taught to speak, such as 'thief—lecher—son of a whore—get away—get away—Perette, give me some drink,' with many other such like expressions.

By another order from the king, addressed to Merlin de Cordeboeuf, he was empowered to collect all the stags, hinds, cranes, and other game he could lay hands on, and have them conveyed to Amboise.

The count de Foix arrived at Paris in the month of December following; and while there fell most desperately in love with a very handsome woman, Estiennette de Besançon, the wife of a rich merchant, called Henry of Paris. This dame was much prized and courted by all the respectable ladies of the town, and was invited to the different banquets and entertainments then given at Paris, where she entered into joyous and amorous discourses with the count de Foix. In consequence of proposals and splendid offers made by him, it was agreed on between them, that she should quit her husband's house at Paris the 12th day of that month, and abandon her husband, children, father, mother, brothers and sisters, her relations and friends. Thus foolishly seduced, she went away after the count de Foix with some of his attendants that had been left behind in Paris for the purpose, who conducted her to their lord, then waiting for her coming, at Blois. Having passed three days with her at Blois, the count went to Tours, to wait on the king, having Estiennette in his company. She was well received at Tours by her uncle Martin Ponchier, a rich burgher; but within a short time she was sent to her aunt, the prioress of the convent of Fontevral, where she was long detained.

The king now fixed his residence at Tours, Amboise, and at other places in that part of his kingdom, waiting for the delivery of the queen, as it was said she was with child,—but it was not so. During this period, he appointed a certain number of lances from his establishment, to march to Arragon, to assist the duke of Calabria in the recovery of his kingdom. With these lances, eight thousand franc-archers and a large train of artillery were ordered on the same service,—but none of them took the field, although such orders had been issued.

In the month of February, ambassadors came to Paris from the duke of Burgundy, for the completion of the articles of the late treaty of peace. The king sent instant and pressing orders to the provosts, sheriffs, and nobles in Paris, to shew every attention, by entertainments, and otherwise, to these ambassadors, which was done handsomely and abundantly. The first feast was given by the cardinal of Angers; the second, by the first president of the parliament; the third, by master John de Ladriesche, president of the chamber of accounts and treasurer of France; the fourth, by the lord de Mery; the fifth and last, by the provost and burghers of the city, which was plentiful and magnificent. During these entertainments, all their papers were expedited through the courts of law, according to the orders before given by the king.

On Thursday, the 16th of February, Charlot le Tonnellier, surnamed La Hotte, a journeyman hosier living at Paris, was confined in the Châtelet for divers thefts he was charged with. He denied his guilt, and was ordered by the provost of Paris, and the crown-officers at the Châtelet, to be put on his trial. He appealed, and by arrest of judgement, was remanded by the provost; but as he was passing from his cell to the chamber of torture, he caught up a knife that lay in his way and cut out his tongue. He was, therefore, led back again, without any thing more being done on that day.

At this time, some of the dykes in Holland and Zealand that had been constructed against the sea broke down, and caused so great an inundation in the countries of the duke of Burgundy that many towns and places were utterly destroyed. The damages were said to be much more considerable than what the duke, in his fury, had inflicted on Liege.

When Charlot le Tonnellier was cured of the wounds he had inflicted on himself by cutting out his tongue, he was again brought to the torture-chamber, because he would not confess his guilt. Having been for some time seated on the stool of torture, he said he would confess the truth, and then told the whole history of his life, and the great number of thefts that he had committed. He accused many as his accomplices, and in the number his own brother surnamed Le Gendarme, a locksmith, a silversmith, a sergeant fieffé[26] named Pierre Moynet, and others, who were all immediately arrested, examined, and confronted with Charlot. Having confessed their guilt, on Tuesday in Passion-week, La Hotte, his brother, the sergeant, the locksmith, a shearman, and an old cloaths man called Martin de Coulogne, were ordered to be hanged on the gibbet at Paris by sentence of the provost of Paris.

They appealed to the parliament against his judgement, and the court confirmed the sentence in regard to four of them, namely, La Hotte, his brother, the shearman, and the locksmith, who were on the following day executed. The two others, namely, the old cloaths man and the sergeant, were detained in prison until after the feast of Easter, when the old cloaths man was given up to the provost, and executed on the eve of Low Sunday.

On Good Friday of this year was much thunder and lightning, which alarmed many persons, from the old saying, 'that none should say, Alas! if thunder be not heard in March.'

FOOTNOTES:

[24] Halle,—a town three leagues from Brussels.

[25] The cause of the king's ridiculous order to seize all the tame magpies in Paris was owing to many of the Parisians having taught them to cry 'Peronne!' whence he had so narrowly escaped from the duke of Burgundy.

[26] A sergeant fieffé,—Cotgrave says, was an hereditary sergeant employed in the collection of taxes, &c.

[A.D. 1469.]

CHAP. X.

THE TREASON OF THE CARDINAL OF ANGERS, WHO, IN CONSEQUENCE, IS IMPRISONED.—THE KING OF SICILY AND HIS QUEEN WAIT ON THE KING.—PEACE MADE BETWEEN THE KING AND HIS BROTHER, NOW DUKE OF GUIENNE, WHO COMES TO MONTILS-LES-TOURS.—AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN.—THE DUKE OF BRITTANY REFUSES TO WEAR THE KING'S ORDER.—THE BAN AND REAR BAN SUMMONED TO OPPOSE KING EDWARD OF ENGLAND.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR MCCCCLXIX.

The cardinal of Angers, John Balue, who had within a short time received so much wealth and so many honours from the king, by whose recommendation the pope had created him a cardinal, and for whom the king had done more than for any prince of his blood, having unbounded confidence in him,—this cardinal, forgetful of his God, and unmindful of the honour and profit of the king and kingdom, induced the king to go to Peronne, where he was, through intelligence from the cardinal, joined by the duke of Burgundy; and he there established some sort of a peace, which they mutually swore in his hands to observe. He then prevailed on the king to accompany the duke in his attack on Liege, although that city had risen in arms against the duke through the instigations and promises of the king. The consequence was, the slaughter and destruction of the Liegeois, as has been told. But the worst was, that the king, the duke of Bourbon, and his three brothers, with many of the great lords of France, were in the utmost danger of being slain, which would have been the greatest disgrace France could suffer since its becoming a monarchy.

When the king was returning to Tours, the cardinal prevented him from entering his good city of Paris, and made him take a circuit of two miles, thinking to make the king believe that Paris was ill inclined towards him, and thereby to excite the king's anger against it.

During the king's residence at Tours and Angers, he satisfied his brother in respect to his appanage, by giving him the duchy of Guienne, and other things, which greatly pleased him. But the cardinal, observing the good understanding that now subsisted between the brothers, attempted again to throw the kingdom into the same confusion he had done before, and to excite a quarrel between the king and the princes of the blood. For this purpose, he sent an especial messenger to the duke of Burgundy with full accounts of all that had passed between the king and the new duke of Guienne, giving him to understand that their present union was grounded solely on his ruin,—and that, so soon as they could collect a sufficient force, they would invade his territories on all sides. He advised, that in order to be beforehand with them, he should assemble the greatest army he possibly could, and lose no time in declaring war against France. He added a number of other treasonable plans, which he had written and sent by one of his servants to the duke of Burgundy; but his messenger was arrested on the road with all these papers, which were instantly laid before the king.

The moment their contents had been read, the cardinal was arrested and carried prisoner to Montbason[27], where he was left under the guard of monsieur de Torcy and others. All his effects and plate were next seized on for the king, after an inventory had been made of them,—and commissioners were appointed to examine him on the crimes laid to his charge. These were sir Tanneguy du Châtel, governor of Roussillon, sir William Cousinot, the lord de Torcy, and master Pierre d'Oriole, superintendant of the finances, who immediately began to interrogate him on the different charges.

The king made a distribution of the cardinal's effects according to his good pleasure. His plate was sold, and the amount sent to the treasurers of the army for the king's use. His tapestry was given to the governor of Roussillon: his library to master Pierre d'Oriole; and a fine entire piece of cloth of gold, twenty four ells and a quarter in length, well worth twelve hundred crowns, a quantity of sable furs, with a piece of scarlet cloth from Florence, were given to monsieur de Crussol,—and his wardrobe with some of his furniture were sold to defray the expenses of the commission, and of those who had made the inventory.

About this time, the king and queen of Sicily visited the king at Tours and Amboise, where they were very honourably received by him; after which, the king, accompanied by the duke of Bourbon and other lords, went toward Niort, La Rochelle, and divers parts thereabout, where they met the duke of Guienne,—and, through the blessing of God, and the holy Virgin, the two brothers were completely reconciled, to the great joy of the whole realm. Te Deum was sung for this event, in all the churches; bonfires were made in the streets, and tables laid out for passengers in all the great towns.

The king returned to the queen at Amboise, who, like a good and noble lady, had exerted herself much in bringing about this happy reconciliation,—and may the Lord, out of his grace, long preserve it! It was now deliberated and determined on by the king in council, to make a conquest of the county of Armagnac, and to give it to the duke of Guienne. To accomplish this, a large train of artillery men at arms and franc-archers, were ordered to march thither; and the king left Amboise for Orleans, where he remained five or six days, and then returned to Amboise. A short time after, these measures had been resolved on, monsieur de Châtillon, grand master, and inspector general of woods and forests, came to Paris, to muster and review the banners, officers and men, that had been enrolled within that city.

On Saturday, the 4th of November in this year, the peace that had been concluded between the kings of France and Spain was proclaimed in Paris,—and the treaty was publicly read by master John le Cornu, clerk to the provostship of Paris, in the presence of the civil and criminal lieutenants of the said provostship, and the officers of justice attached to the court of the Châtelet. The king after this, resided at Amboise, and other places near, having with him the lord de Bourbon and his usual courtiers, until the 24th of December, when the duke of Guienne arrived at Montils-les-Tours, to wait on the king, attended by a grand company of the nobles of his duchy. The king, queen, and the whole court, were much rejoiced at his arrival, and set off instantly from Amboise, to welcome and entertain the duke at Montils-les-Tours. During this interval, the county of Armagnac was reduced to the king's obedience without any effusion of blood,—and the whole surrendered into the hands of the lord admiral and the count de Dammartin, the commanders in chief of the royal army. The court of France remained with the duke de Guienne at the castle of Montils-les Tours until Christmas, when many feasts and entertainments were given by the king.

The duke of Guienne, having taken leave of the king and court departed for La Rochelle and St Jean d'Angeli to hold his estates, to appoint officers for his duchy, and to regulate the government thereof.

When the king was returned again to Amboise, he sent ambassadors to the duke of Brittany with the collar of an order[28] which he had lately instituted, that he might wear it, and swear to the observance of its laws as a knight-companion, as other princes and barons of the realm had done. But although the king did him this honour, at first he refused to accept or wear it,—owing, as was said, to his having accepted the order of the Golden Fleece, and thus becoming the brother and ally to the duke of Burgundy, which much offended the king, and not without reason[29].

Shortly after, the king issued orders for an army of men at arms, archers and artillery, to be ready to march and make war on the duke of Brittany; but ten days were first allowed the duke, to declare his future intentions, as to his conduct toward the king,—and the 15th of February was the day on which he was to give his positive answer.

On the 14th of that month, a summons from the king, signed 'William de Cerisay,' was published in Paris, by which the king informed the provost, that from certain intelligence he had learnt how king Edward of England had established a peace with all the lords and others who had opposed his government,—and that it had been unanimously resolved in parliament to invade different parts of the French coast, to destroy and conquer the country as they had formerly done: that the king, in consequence, was determined to oppose them by every means in his power, and had ordered his ban and rear ban to be assembled.

He commanded the provost, by these presents, to constrain vigorously, without admittance of excuse, all nobles and others, vassals of the crown, privileged or not, to appear in arms, and sufficiently equipped, on the first day of March next, on pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects. He likewise forbade the provost and all others to receive any excuses, under penalty of losing their offices, with confiscation of effects, any appeals to the contrary notwithstanding. He also declared all such as should fail to make their appearance in arms on the appointed day enemies to his crown, and that their effects should be confiscated, without hopes of pardon.

News was this day brought to Paris, that the duke of Burgundy had been seen, at Ghent, wearing the blue garter[30] on one of his legs, and the red cross on his mantle, the badge of king Edward, which plainly demonstrated his friendship to the English, and that he was a capital enemy to the king of France. The duke, however, sent ambassadors to the king at Tours, who waited there a long time before they were dismissed.—At this time, the viscount of Villars[31], in Poitou, departed this life: he had, while living, left his fortune to the king of France, to be enjoyed by him immediately on his decease. The king, therefore, went into Poitou, to receive possession of Villars and the other property, and on this account remained there the whole month of April.

In this month master Pierre Durand, nephew to the cardinal Balue, who had been long confined in the castle of Mailly, escaped from prison, and went to Paris, where he was discovered by an apothecary called Chambatin. He was again arrested, and confined in the prison of the Conciergerie of the palais-royal, wherein he remained until the 20th day of April, in the ensuing year, and was then delivered into the hands of the sergeants of the provost of the marshals, to be carried whither they had been ordered.

FOOTNOTES:

[27] Montbason,—a town of Touraine, on the Indre, five leagues from Tours.

[28] An order. The order of St Michael.

[29] The duke of Brittany was an ally of the duke of Burgundy, but was not a knight of the Golden Fleece.

[30] The blue garter. The duke was elected knight-companion of the Garter the 13th May, 1463.

[31] Viscount of Villars. Q. if not Thouars?

[A.D. 1470.]

CHAP. XI.

THE EARL OF WARWICK AND THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, DRIVEN OUT OF ENGLAND BY KING EDWARD, COME TO FRANCE.—QUEEN MARGARET AND HER SON ARRIVE THERE ALSO, TO THE DISPLEASURE OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—THE BIRTH OF THE DAUPHIN, CHARLES.—THE EARL OF WARWICK RETURNS TO ENGLAND.—AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE KING OF FRANCE AND KING HENRY OF ENGLAND.—THE FLIGHT OF KING EDWARD.—THE ENTRY OF THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND INTO PARIS.—THE INHABITANTS OF AUXERRE TAKE PART WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—THE KING'S VICTORIES IN THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY AND THE COUNTRIES OF CHAROLOIS AND PICARDY.—OF THE KING'S JOURNEYS, AND OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEAR MCCCCLXX.

In the month of May in this year, the earl of Warwick and the duke of Clarence, whom king Edward had forced to banish themselves, and their families from England, arrived at Honnefleur and Harfleur, with about four score vessels. They found there the lord admiral of France, who received the earl of Warwick, the duke of Clarence, and the count de Vuasanfort[32], and their ladies with every respect. Their vessels were admitted in the harbours; and after a short time, the ladies, with their trains, departed, and went to Valognes, where lodgings had been provided for them.

The duke of Burgundy, hearing of this, wrote to the court of parliament at Paris, to say, that he had received intelligence of the king having admitted the earl of Warwick and his company into some of his towns within the duchy of Normandy contrary to the articles of the treaty of Peronne; and to entreat that the parliament would remonstrate with the king on this subject, to prevent him from favouring the said Warwick and his party, whom he styled his capital enemy, as well as the enemy of the realm of France,—otherwise he would seek him wherever he could find him, in the kingdom of France, to do with him as should seem to him good.

Nevertheless the earl of Warwick remained some time at Honnefleur, namely, the whole of the month of June,—and during this, several of the king's garrisons made frequent sallies on the borders of Normandy and Picardy, and wasted the country.—In this same month two men at arms under the command of the constable waylaid and murdered two young clerks of the treasurer of the army, in the plains of Beauce, to rob them of the money they were carrying to the troops. Shortly after they were taken at Honnefleur, and carried before the constable at Meaux, who had them hanged on two trees that were by the side of two different roads.

The king all this while resided at Tours, Amboise, Vendôme, and at divers places in that country, whither the English came to him, as did queen Margaret and her son the prince of Wales. They had many conferences on the causes of their having left England, and on public affairs,—after which, the English returned to Honnefleur, Valognes, St Lo, and other towns in Normandy. The duke of Burgundy, in the mean time, had all the effects of the french merchants in his countries seized, until his own merchants should have restitution made them for the vessels and goods which these English had captured on their voyage to Harfleur.

On Saturday, the last day of June about two or three in the morning the queen of France was brought to bed in the castle of Amboise, of a fair son, who was then baptised by the name of Charles by the archbishop of Lyon, who was his godfather with the prince of Wales, son to king Henry VI. which latter was then detained a prisoner by Edward, calling himself king of England: his godmother was the princess Jeanne of France, duchess of Bourbon. This event was celebrated by Te Deums sung in most of the churches, by bonfires, and public tables in all the streets of the principal towns.

Not long after this, the king of Sicily, the duke of Guienne, the duke of Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the lord de Beaujeu, and others went to Angers, Saumur, Pont de Cé, and other places near, to negotiate a pacification between the king and the duke of Brittany,—and they remained until it was accomplished. The king having signed the treaty, returned to the queen at Amboise. Ambassadors were, in consequence of this peace, sent by the duke of Brittany to the duke of Burgundy, to deliver up and cancel the alliance that subsisted between them, which greatly vexed the duke of Burgundy, especially on hearing the good understanding and union that reigned between the duke of Brittany and the king.

The duke of Burgundy hearing that the earl of Warwick was preparing to sail for England, instantly ordered a fleet of ships of war, full of artillery, and manned with English, Picards, Burgundians, and others, to cruize in the channel to intercept him. They sailed close to the norman coast in hopes of falling in with the earl, and there remained at anchor a considerable time,—during which the king was gone on a pilgrimage to Mont Saint Michael.

Having performed his devotions, he returned to Avranches, Tombelaine[33], Coutances, Caen and Honnefleur; and while on the coast, he ordered the ships Lord Admiral, the Colon, and others, to be victualled, on board of which the earl of Warwick and the duke of Clarence embarked with their company, and a body of franc-archers and men at arms which the king had given them as an escort, and for their defence. On their embarking, they weighed anchor, and set sail in sight of the Burgundians, who had been at anchor, so long without doing any thing but expend all their provision, which forced them to weigh also, and return to their duke with hungry stomachs. This was matter of joy to the king, for they had lost much time in inactivity,—and the victualling and manning of this fleet had been very expensive.

The wind proving favourable to the french fleet, it soon arrived off the english coast,—and the earl of Warwick and his company landed, during the night at Plymouth and Dartmouth. Warwick, on his landing, instantly dispatched a party of his men ten miles up the country to seize an english baron, who was quietly sleeping in his bed, unsuspicious of this invasion. They brought him to Warwick who ordered him to be immediately beheaded. From Dartmouth, Warwick marched to Bristol, where he was well received,—for it was there he had left his artillery and baggage when he fled to Normandy. When he had remained there about three days, to collect his friends together, he found himself at the head of about sixty thousand men in arms who promised to stand by him until death, and with them he began his march to meet king Edward; but it was more than fifteen days after his landing in England before any intelligence from him reached France.

In this interval, the lord d'Argueil son to the prince of Orange[34], who was of the household of the duke of Burgundy, and one of his nearest relatives, having married the sister of the duke of Bourbon, suddenly quitted the service of the duke of Burgundy, and joined the king, who received him with much distinction. The duke, when he heard of his departure, was ready to burst with grief and vexation; and declared, in the presence of the ambassadors from Brittany, that the lord d'Argueil should have all the property he possessed in his territories confiscated,—and he afterwards had all his castles within his dominions razed to the ground.

The king on the 14th of October, sent letters-patent to Paris, which were read and published in all the squares, in the presence of the lieutenants of the provostship of Paris. They contained information of the treaty of peace which he had concluded with Henry VI. of England, and orders for the admission of all the English of his party into France on their private affairs, or commercial transactions, with or without passports,—but to the exclusion of all who supported the late king Edward IV. his allies and abettors.

This day, news arrived in France, that the duke of Clarence and the earl of Warwick prospered greatly in their enterprises; that they had taken the field in pursuit of Edward,—and that the greater part of the nobles, prelates and gentlemen of England, had joined them, more especially the populace of London, who had gone out to meet Warwick, having turned their backs on Edward; that king Henry, who had been so long detained in confinement by Edward, was fully restored to liberty and to his crown,—that Warwick had been appointed regent of the kingdom,—and that great rejoicings had taken place in London. All the french prisoners were sent home free of ransom; but Warwick had seized on the persons and effects of those who were subjects to the duke of Burgundy. And the intelligence concluded by saying, that Edward, finding himself thus abandoned, had fled the kingdom, to seek an asylum with his brother in law the duke of Burgundy,—but that his wife and family had remained behind.

The king of France, having made a long stay at Tours and Amboise, moved by devotion, went on a pilgrimage to the church of our Lady at Celles, in Poitou,—whence after a few days, he returned to Amboise.

In the month of November, the king sent letters to Paris, to order all the nobles, clergy, and inhabitants of that city, to make processions in praise of God and the virgin Mary, and to continue them, laying aside all other employments whatever, for three days, to return thanks for the great victory which Henry of Lancaster, king of England, had gained over the earl of March, who had, for a long time usurped his throne, by the support of the duke of Burgundy, and, also, for the happy peace and good understanding that now subsisted between him and the king of England. These processions, thus ordered, were executed in all the principal towns of France.

Shortly after, he dispatched other letters to Paris, to say, that he should send thither the queen of England, consort to king Henry, with her son the prince of Wales, his princess, daughter to the earl of Warwick, and her mother the countess of Warwick, the lady Wiltshire, and other ladies and damsels that were with the queen of England.

Queen Margaret came thither as the king had given notice, attended, according to his orders, by the counts d'Eu, de Vendôme, and de Dunois, the lord de Châtillon and other noblemen. When she approached Paris, the bishop, the court of parliament, the university, the provosts of Paris, and the court of Châtelet, by express orders from the king, together with the principal inhabitants, came out to meet her, handsomely dressed, and in very numerous bodies.

She made her entry by the gate of St James,—and all the streets through which she passed from that gate to the palace, where apartments had been handsomely prepared for her, were adorned with hangings of tapestry, and had tents pitched in all the squares. At this time the royal artillery was removed from Tours to the Louvre, wherein it was deposited,—and the king wrote to the provost and sheriffs, that it was his pleasure to hold the feast of his order in their city: having the intention to bring a large company of nobles and knights-companions with him, he willed that lodgings should be provided for them by the inhabitants, according to the choice of his harbingers which was complied with.

In the month of December of this year, sir Arthur de Longueval entered the town of St Quentin, in the name of the king, with the consent of the inhabitants. Afterward, on the 10th day of that month, the constable came thither with two hundred lances and archers; and on the 14th, master John Ladriesche, treasurer of France, master Robert Fessier, master Pierre de Boieuval, and other officers attached to the constable, made a proclamation by sound of trumpet, at the table of marble, in the palace at Paris, to make known the capture of the town of St Quentin, in the Vermandois, by the lord constable, and ordering the public to return thanks to God, praying him to grant prosperity to the king and to the constable, in the recovery of the other pledged towns, which he intended to wrest from the hands of Charles, styling himself duke of Burgundy: such were the words of the proclamation.

The king left Amboise, in the month of January, for Clery and Orleans, and thence went into Beauce. He lay the first night at Puiset[35], and on the morrow at Palaiseau, near Montlehery. The next day, he dined at Seaux, at the house of master John Baillet, master in ordinary of requests of the king's household, and that evening came to his hôtel of the Tournelles at Paris. He was accompanied by the queen, madam de Bourbon, and other ladies and damsels, their attendants, and remained in Paris until the 26th of January, when he set out for Senlis, Compiégne, and other places thereabout, where his army was quartered, in readiness to march against the duke of Burgundy. His artillery was sent after him, by land and water, to Compiégne, Noyon, and other parts of Picardy and Flanders. Proclamation was also made in Paris, that all franc-archers and nobles, in the Isle of France, should make themselves ready, and, properly equipped, to follow the king to the army. In the mean time, great quantities of powder and cannons were made and constructed at Paris.

Before the king joined his army, he sent sir Christopher Paillard, member of the chamber of accounts, and sir James Hesselin, comptroller of the salt magazines at Paris, to the town of Auxerre, to summon the inhabitants to surrender the place to the king, and admit a garrison from him. These commissioners made them an eloquent harangue; but they required time for consulting among themselves, and until the Thursday following to give their answer. To wait their answer, the commissioners went to the town of Joigny, six leagues distant, where they staid until the Thursday, when the townsmen sent them their answer by an inhabitant of Auxerre, said to be a cobbler, who told them, that the inhabitants of Auxerre had garrisoned their town with a steady garrison for the duke of Burgundy, as they were resolved to live and die in his service, and to defend their town for him. The day the duke's garrison was admitted, one of the townsmen, called Guillemin Goutier was killed,—which was a pity, for he suffered from supporting the cause of the king.

On the king's departure from Paris for Senlis, the towns of Amiens, Roye and Mondidier, surrendered to his obedience. The 4th of February, general processions were made at Paris, at which the queen, madame de Bourbon, and the court assisted, to the cathedral church of Nôtre Dame, and thence to our Lady of Recovery at the Carmelites. At both places prayers were offered up for the prosperity of the king and queen.

It was now published, that the three before-mentioned towns had submitted to the king's obedience, to which Abbeville was added,—but this was groundless. Masons, carpenters, and various other workmen, were now collected at Paris, and sent to the towns that had surrendered, under the care of master Henry de la Cloche, king's attorney at the Châtelet, a good and loyal Frenchman, who conducted them to Roye, where they erected strong outworks and bulwarks, as well as at the other towns. These workmen remained in those parts a considerable time, even unto Easter, when the king agreed to a truce with the duke of Burgundy. The duke had been besieged in his encampment between Bapaumes and Amiens, and was in such misery and distress for provision that, had it not been for the truce, the king might have had his whole army at his pleasure.

Since the commencement of this war, the king had been very successful in his different engagements with the Picards and Flemings, as well against the foraging party from the enemy's camp as against others of the burgundian party. Great damages had been done in the duchy of Burgundy, the county of Charolois, and in the Mâconnois, where the royal partisans gained much plunder, made many good prisoners, and slew numbers. The lords count-dauphin of Auvergne, of Comminges, of Combrodes, of Charente, sir William Cousinot, and several others of the nobility, would have conquered the whole country had not the king sent to stop them on account of the truce, which was very displeasing to them as well as to many more who had a regard for the king's honour. On this occasion several libels were written and placed in the churchyard of the holy Innocents at Paris and on the town-house, greatly blaming and abusing many of the lords about the king's person.

During the truce, the king, the duke of Guienne, and others of the nobility fixed their quarters at Ham with the constable, whence there were great goings and comings between the ambassadors of the king and those from the duke of Burgundy. Nothing, for a long time, was concluded on; but at length, a truce for one year was signed,—during which, commissioners were to be appointed on each side, to examine into the matters in dispute between the king and the duke, and between their partisans. The king now left Ham, and every person retired to his home, but the royal army was quartered in the towns he had won prior to the truce.

FOOTNOTES:

[32] Vuasanfort. John de Vere, earl of Oxford.

[33] Tombelaine,—a small rock, or island, between St Malo and Avranches.

[34] John de Châlons, son to William prince of Orange.

[35] Puiset,—a village near Orleans.

[A.D. 1471.]

CHAP. XII.

THE KING OF FRANCE RECEIVES INTELLIGENCE OF THE VICTORY OF KING EDWARD AND THE DEFEAT OF KING HENRY'S ARMY.—THE KING AND THE DUKE OF GUIENNE COME TO PARIS, AND THENCE GO TO ORLEANS, WHERE THE PRINCE OF PIEDMONT DIES.—OF THE DEATH OF THE COUNT D'EU.—THE DUKE OF GUIENNE AND THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC FORM AN ALLIANCE.—OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.

At this time, there were great dissensions in England between Henry of Lancaster, king of that country, his son the prince of Wales, the earl of Warwick, and other nobles of that party, against Edward earl of March, who had usurped the throne. A civil war ensued, which was very bloody and murderous on both sides. This warfare lasted until the month of June in this year, when news was brought to the king of France, at Ham, that Edward had landed in England, with a large army of English, Easterlings, Flemings, Picards, and of other nations, which the duke of Burgundy had sent to his aid, and was on his march to meet the powers of Henry, Warwick, and the other lords of the lancastrian party: that several engagements had taken place, in which many were killed on each side,—but that victory had remained with Edward, as at well from treachery on the part of some of Henry's army as from other causes; that the prince of Wales was slain, which was a pity, for he was a very promising and handsome prince; that Warwick was dead,—which was a great loss, as he was singularly disposed to serve the king and his realm, and the king had been at a very considerable expense in supporting him while in France, and in conveying him back to England. This intelligence was, therefore, most disagreeable to the king.

Having received this bad news, the king departed from Ham, taking with him the duke of Guienne, the count de Dammartin, the president of his chamber of accounts, and several others, to Paris,—where, however, he made no long stay. While he was there, many feasts were given,—and the king himself kindled the bonfire in the place of the Greve, on St John Baptist's day. On leaving Paris, he went to Orleans, where the prince of Piedmont fell so dangerously ill that he died. The king, after this, went to visit the queen and the dauphin at Amboise, and thence to Tours.

The king was much displeased at the defamatory epigrams and libels that had been published against the constable and others; and for the better discovery of their authors, he had it proclaimed throughout Paris, by sound of trumpet, that all persons who had any knowledge of them should instantly appear and give information thereof to commissioners named for this purpose, who would pay three hundred golden crowns to each informer; and that such as should have any knowledge of the authors, and fail to inform against them, would have their heads cut off. A young scholar of Paris, called Pierre le Mercier, son to a spectacle maker in the palace, was confined on suspicion of having written them, but soon after set at liberty, nothing being proved against him. Master Henry Mariette, who had been lieutenant-criminal in the provost's court, was also confined, as well for these libels as for certain words he had used (as was said) against master John Ladriesche, treasurer of France, but was afterward delivered from the prison of the Conciergerie by the court of parliament.

In the month of July died the count d'Eu. It was a pity: for he was a noble, wise, and good lord, who had ever served the king most loyally, to the utmost of his power. The county of Eu reverted to the crown,—and the king gave it to the constable, to the great disappointment of the count de Nevers, the count d'Eu's brother, who expected to have this county after his brother's decease, with his other lands, as being his legal heir.

From the month of July to Christmas, nothing particular happened in France, except that there was frequent intercourse between the ambassadors of the king and those of the duke of Burgundy, to establish a permanent peace. This year, the mortality was very great throughout the kingdom from a severe flux, which carried off numbers of persons of distinction in Paris and elsewhere.

The duke of Guienne returned in the course of this year, after he had come back from Picardy to his duchy, discontented with the court. He sent for the count d'Armagnac, who was an exile, and whose estates the king had given to his brother; and on the count d'Armagnac's coming to him, he restored the greater part of them to him, contrary to the will or inclination of the king. The count d'Armagnac, being joined by the count de Foix, made preparations to carry on a war against France. The king, to prevent any damage being done to his realm, dispatched a large body of franc-archers, artillery, and five hundred lances' to the borders of Guienne, where they were posted some time.

In the mean time, news arrived that the duke of Guienne was dead at Bordeaux,—but it was unfounded. Divers negotiations now took place respecting the truce which expired on the 4th of May; and on the 1st of that month the lord de Craon, master Pierre d'Oriole, and others, were employed on that business.

CHAP. XIII.

POPE PAUL II. SHORTENS THE INTERVALS OF THE JUBILEES.—HE DIES.—POPE SIXTUS IV. ELECTED IN HIS STEAD: HE WAS GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF FRANCISCAN MONKS.—A YOUNG GIRL PRETENDS TO HAVE THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD ON HER HANDS, FEET, AND SIDE.

Pope Paul II. a Venetian, and of a very avaricious character, made a change, this year, in the intervals of the jubilees, which had been before celebrated every fifty years: he now appointed them to be held every twenty-five years. His reasons were, that as iniquities were become more abundant than ever, it was necessary that there should be more frequent opportunities offered to the people to pray for and obtain from our Lord the remission and pardon of their sins. Many expressions were said to have been used by this pope which ought not to be repeated,—for God is the sovereign Judge, and the only scrutinizer of hearts. He had begun to build a magnificent palace near the church of St Mark, at Rome, but died, the 21st of July, while he was busied about it, having reigned with papal dignity seven years.

Almost immediately on his decease, he was succeeded by pope Sixtus IV.[36] The new pope was, prior to his elevation, called Francis of Savona, in the genoese territory. He was a doctor of divinity, of a good reputation, and decent manners. It was for these excellent qualities, that, while general of the Franciscans, he was created a cardinal by Paul II. without his solicitation or knowledge.

Shortly after he arrived at his new dignity, Bernardo Justiniani, ambassador from Venice, harangued him on the rapid advances of the Turk, who had despoiled Christendom of two empires, four kingdoms, twenty provinces, and two hundred cities, with the loss of immense numbers of men, women and children,—and Bernardo exhorted the pope to make every exertion to oppose the enemy of the faith.

Pope Sixtus was very assiduous in the reparations of the city of Rome, and restored a bridge over the Tiber, anciently called Pons Judæus, but since called the Sixtine Bridge. He re-established the hospital of the Holy Ghost, where great alms are daily distributed to sick persons and poor orphans. He was zealous for the salvation of souls, and not sparing of his pardons and indulgences to devout Christians in various parts of the world, and did many acts worthy of remembrance.

During the reign of this pope, a young virgin, called Stine, in the town of Hame[37], in Westphalia, who had lately been converted to the Christian faith, was marked on the hands, feet, and side, with the wounds of our Saviour. About fifteen weeks after her conversion, on the feast of the holy sacrament, (Corpus-Christi-day) she displayed these wounds in the presence of twelve witnesses, and foretold, that within two hours afterward they would be no more seen, which was verified,—for at that precise time the wounds were all perfectly healed.

FOOTNOTES:

[36] Pope Sixtus IV.—Francis Albescola de Rovere was the son of a fisherman of Celles, five leagues from Savona.

[37] Hame. Probably Hamela, in Westphalia, 28 miles south-west from Hanover. Hamela seems to have been the scene of more miracles than one. In 1284, this town was so much infested with rats that every method was tried in vain to extirpate them. One day, a man of prodigious size came thither, dressed in a curiously-coloured robe, and offered, on certain terms, to extirpate them; which being agreed to, he drew out of his sleeve a small flute, and, as he was playing on it, the rats left their holes and followed him to the river Weser, and were all drowned. When he came to receive his recompence, the townsmen laughed at him. On the morrow, while the inhabitants were at church, it being a feast-day, he again played on his flute, and was followed by all the children under fourteen years to the number of one hundred and thirty, to the mountain of Kopferberg, where they all disappeared with him, as was seen by a young girl who had followed and watched them. Martiniere's Geographical Dictionary.

[A.D. 1472.]

CHAP. XIV.

THE KING OF FRANCE OBTAINS INDULGENCES FOR THOSE WHO SHALL SAY AVE MARIA THREE TIMES.—THE DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF PARIS.—OF THE DUKE OF CALABRIA.—THE ROOF OF NÔTRE DAME OF CLERY BURNT.—THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF GUIENNE.—A TRUCE WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—OF THE SIEGE AND ATTACK OF BEAUVAIS.—THE TOWNSMEN OF AUXERRE DEFEATED.—DIFFERENT EDICTS PUBLISHED AT PARIS.—ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST THE CONSTABLE.—PARIS AND ORLEANS SEND SUPPLIES TO BEAUVAIS.

On the first of May, in this year, a general procession was made to the church of Nôtre Dame in Paris, where a solemn sermon was preached by a doctor in divinity, called master Peter Brete, a native of Tours, who declared, among other things, the king's singular confidence in the blessed Virgin; and he entreated his audience, and the inhabitants of Paris, in his majesty's name, that henceforward, when they should hear the great bell of the church toll at midday, they would fall on their knees, and repeat three Ave Marias for the welfare of the kingdom of France.

Not long after this procession, master John Chartier, bishop of Paris, was taken suddenly ill and died the same day. His loss was much regretted, for he was a devout and good man, and very learned. The episcopal palace was crowded with the populace of Paris, to see his body, which lay in state in the great hall, where they piteously lamented him, and prayed for the salvation of his soul; on going away, the greater part kissed his hands and feet, firmly believing him to be a saint and well beloved by God. On the 15th of May, the king sent letters to the provost and sheriffs, to declare, that the bishop, during his life-time, had been his enemy, and kept up an intelligence with the duke of Burgundy and the confederate princes when before Paris, and had practised with the inhabitants to favour them. For these causes, he willed, that an epitaph be placed on his tomb, declaratory of his conduct toward his king, which the aforementioned officers ordered to be written for the purpose of being thereon affixed.