sentence or sentences passed on them, be adjudged to ourself. And we further will that this our edict be published throughout the realm, that all diligence may be used to discover such traitors as are seditiously active in disturbing the peace, so that punishment may be inflicted upon them according to the heinousness of their offences, as violators of the peace, and to serve for an example to others. We will that full credit be given to the copies of these presents, the same as if they were the original.

"We therefore give it in command to our bailiff of Amiens, or to his lieutenant, and to all others our officers and subjects within our realm, each as it may behove him, to see that the above ordinance be duly and diligently put into execution, and that it be no way neglected. In witness whereof, we have to these presents affixed our seal.

"Given at Paris the last day but one of October, in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign the 33d." Signed by the king in his great council,-present the king of Sicily, the dukes of Berry, of Orleans, the counts de Vertus, d'Eu, de Richemont, de Vendosme, the constable of France, the archbishop of Sens, and several others. Countersigned, “GONTIER.” This edict was proclaimed in Amiens the 15th day of December, in the same year.

The king was at this period busied in making some regulations respecting the coin, and in consequence issued an edict, which he ordered to be promulgated throughout the kingdom: the tenor of it was as follows:

"Charles, by the grace of God king of France, to the bailiff of Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

"Know ye, that in order to provide for the security of the public welfare of our kingdom, and to obviate the great varieties of coins that for some time have had currency in our realm, we do ordain, after mature deliberation with our council, that a coin be struck of the form of deniers, called Gros, which shall be current for twenty deniers tournois, and of five sols to five deniers, the fourth part of a denier of the poids de marc of Paris,—and coins of half a gros, and half a quarter of a gros, twenty sols six deniers tournois being the value of each,— also small crowns, of the value of fifteen sols tournois each. Those gros, half gros, quarter gros, which have been formerly coined, and blancs of ten deniers, and of five deniers, shall have currency with the new money. We therefore command and enjoin you to make this our will, respecting the regulation of our coin as public as possible, so that no one may plead ignorance of it, and you will cause this edict to be proclaimed in all the usual places of your bailiwick. You will observe its regulations without favour or affection to any one, and punish such as may act contrary thereto, that they may be examples to others. "Given at Paris, the 13th day of November in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign the 33d." It was thus signed by the king on the report of the council held in the chamber of accounts, present the archbishop of Bourges, the bishop of Noyon, the members of the chamber of accounts, the officers of the treasury, the master and monoyers of the mint, and countersigned, "LE BEGUE."

It is true, that the king was fearful beyond measure of the peace being interrupted; and, anxiously desirous of preventing it from being infringed, he issued another edict much stronger than the preceding ones, to all the bailiffs and seneschals in his kingdom.

"Charles by the grace of God king of France, to the bailiff of Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

"Whereas during the time we were last at Auxerre, through the Divine Providence, and great deliberation of council, we succeeded in the establishment of peace between some of the princes of our blood, and between our subjects, which was afterward confirmed in our good town of Paris. Our princes then faithfully promised to keep this peace without any way infringing it, or suffering it to be infringed by others. We, considering that peace is advantageous to us, our realm, and our subjects, and reflecting upon the manifold and numberless evils that would result should it be broken, are desirous to preserve it with our whole heart, and to prevent it from being in the smallest degree infringed.

"For these and other considerations that move us, we strictly charge you to have these presents publicly proclaimed with sound of trumpet in all the accustomed places within your bailiwick; and that you forbid all persons to obey any summons or proclamations that may have been issued by any of the princes of our blood, in their own or in our

name, of whatever rank or condition he may be, or whether any such shall be issued under pretext of serving us, or on any colour or pretence whatever. And you will strictly charge all vassals not to obey any such summons, or to bear arms accordingly, under pain of forfeiture of body and estate to us, and of suffering such punishment as may be adjudged for their disobedience to us and to our crown. Should any vassals be already set out to join their respective lords, or about to do so, you will command them to return instantly to their homes, and not to depart thence until they shall receive our letterspatent, under our great seal, to that purpose, signed in our great council subsequent to the date of these presents. You will also make proclamation, that for this occasion only we do exempt all our loyal subjects, vassals to any lord, from obeying his summons; and we will that for this their disobedience they do not suffer in body or estate, or be pursued in any courts of justice: but our intention is to guard and preserve them from all oppression by every legal means, or, should it be necessary, by force of arms.

"You will hasten to all places within your jurisdiction where you shall know there are any assemblies of men-at-arms, and forbid them to proceed any further, commanding them to return to their homes, under the penalties aforesaid. Should they refuse to obey you, and become rebellious to your commands, you will force them to obedience by every means in your power; by placing within their mansions, and on their estates, men who shall destroy and waste them, by uncovering their houses, or by any the most rigorous means, even by force of arms, should there be occasion, calling to your aid our good and faithful subjects, so that you may have sufficient power to make yourself obeyed; and we command all our subjects to pay due respect to your orders, so that the end proposed may be obtained. Should any who disobey you be killed or wounded in the conflict, we will that no legal steps be pursued against you or your supporters; and should any horses, baggage, or other effects, be taken from these rebellious subjects, we will that they remain in full possession to the captors, or to those who shall have assisted you. In regard to such as you shall have had due information of being disobedient to these our commands, you will arrest them anywhere but in places of sanctuary, and have them conveyed, under sufficient escorts, to our prison of the Châtelet in Paris. Should you not find them out of sanctuary, you will leave a process of citation at such of their houses as may be within your jurisdiction; otherwise you will summon them with a loud voice, and with sound of trumpet, at the places in which they usually assemble, to appear before us on a certain day at our court of parliament in Paris. Should it happen to be the vacation of parliament, when there are not any pleadings, they must appear at the next sittings, under pain of confiscation of their goods, their fiefs and tenements, for having committed treason against us, and of being proceeded against by our attorney-general in suchwise as he in his judgment shall think fit. You will take possession of all the effects, moveable and immoveable, of such as you shall have served processes upon, making out a just inventory of the same, and placing them in such safe hands, that, should it be judged expedient, they may be faithfully restored, notwithstanding any opposition or appeals to the contrary, until our faithful counsellors, holding our courts of parliament, shall have determined on what you have done, according to the report which you shall deliver to them under your seal. We shall order these our counsellors, after having heard the parties, not to delay doing strict justice on such as shall have been disobedient to our commands, and to use such diligence that you may not suffer; for should there be any neglect on your part in the execution of these our commands, we shall have you punished for the same, that you may serve for an example to others.

"We have noticed that you have not been active in carrying into effect different orders which we have sent to you on this subject since the peace concluded at Auxerre, from which many inconveniences have arisen, which have given us, and not without cause, much displeasure against you. We therefore command you to report to us what you shall have done in the execution of these our orders, the days and places where you shall have proclaimed them, that we may have due information of the measures which you shall take; and you will likewise report to us whether any princes of our blood, or others, are assembling men-at-arms, and at what places. Instantly on such intelligence coming to our knowledge, we will give you further orders, and full powers to carry them into effect; and we shall command all our

officers of justice, in the most express manner, to obey and assist you therein to the utmost of their power. They will give you counsel, aid, and the use of their prisons, should need be, and should you call on them for assistance; for such is our pleasure, and thus we order it, notwithstanding any letters and ordinances surreptitiously obtained to the contrary.

"Given at Paris, the 11th day of November, in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign the 33d." Signed by the king in his great council; present, the king of Sicily, the dukes of Berry and Orleans, the counts d'Alençon, de Vertus, the duke of Bar, Louis of Bavaria, the counts d'Eu, Vendosme, and de Richemont, the constable, the chancellor of Aquitaine, and several more.

This edict was proclaimed in Amiens the 13th day of December, in the same year.

Here follows another edict of the king of France, to forbid knights or esquires to obey the summons of any lord, under certain penalties.

"Charles, by the grace of God king of France, to the bailiff of Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

"It has come to our knowledge, that although the restoration of peace has put an end to all those assemblies of men-at-arms, and obviated the great inconveniences that usually ensued from them; and that although we have caused it to be proclaimed in our good town of Paris, and elsewhere throughout the realm, that no persons whatever should in future hold such assemblies, but that all persons should retire to their own homes under pain of incurring our displeasure, and forfeiting life and estate, yet our subjects, whether in Picardy or in other parts, instead of showing due obedience to this our command, have assembled in arms without our licence in the aforesaid country, and elsewhere in the kingdom, as we have had information, disturbing and infringing the peace, and thus acting expressly contrary to our positive commands, to the injury of our subjects and kingdom; and greater would ensue, were we not provided with a suitable remedy.

"We therefore, after due deliberation of council, do most strictly order and enjoin you, by these presents, that you positively forbid, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of goods, all nobles or others within your bailiwick, of whatever condition or rank they may be, to arm themselves or to attend any congregations of men-at-arms, under pretence of serving us, or in consequence of summons from others, without our especial order and licence so to do, by letters from our council of a subsequent date to these presents. Should any such assemblies have actually taken place, you will order them instantly to depart in peace, without injuring the country, and return to their homes.

"In case any one should prove rebellious, and refuse compliance with your orders, you will instantly arrest him, and take possession in our name of all his goods, estates, fiefs, and every article of his property, making out an exact inventory of all, which you will intrust to the care of persons sufficiently responsible, so that the whole may be restored, should we see occasion for the same. You will place in their fortresses and castles such persons as shall be wealthy enough to keep them in a proper state, until the matter shall be decided by our great council. You will arrest, imprison, and punish all who shall act contrary to these our commands; and that you may have sufficient force to effect this, you will call to your aid all our loyal subjects and our faithful allies, as well within as without your jurisdiction, and in such numbers as you shall judge expedient.

"We therefore command all our vassals, on their faith and loyalty, and under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects, that they do instantly obey your summons, and arm themselves to support you in the carrying these presents into complete execution. You will be careful that there be no failure on your part, for we shall call you severely to account for any neglect. To accomplish this our purpose, we delegate to you full power and authority, and we command all our officers of justice, and others our allies and wellwishers, to attend diligently to your orders, and to afford you every assistance of which you may be in need. We also enjoin all our well-beloved counsellors of our parliament, masters of requests in our household, those employed in the courts of request of our palace in Paris, the provost of Paris, you bailiff, and you lieutenant, and all other officers of justice within our realm and their lieutenants, and each of them as the case may happen, that you do withhold all legal proceedings for quarrels, debts, or other suits that may any way attach such

persons, noble or otherwise, as may be in your company for the better executing these presents, for the space of fifteen days after their return home from assisting you, and that you keep an exact account of the time, without suffering any injury to be offered to them or their sureties; and should anything prejudicial to them be attempted, you will see that all things be replaced precisely in the state they were in at the time he or they came to your aid, for such is our pleasure according to the tenor of these presents,-to the copy of which (for the original cannot be carried everywhere), under our royal signet, we will that the same credence be given as if it were the original.

"Given at Paris the 14th day of November, in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign. the 33d." Signed by the king in his great council,-present the king of Sicily, the dukes of Berry, of Orleans, and of Bar, the counts d'Alençon, de Vertus, d'Eu, de Vendosme, de Tancarville, the constable, the chancellor of Aquitaine, with others. Countersigned, "P. NAUCRON." It was proclaimed in Amiens, the 13th day of December of the same year.

CHAPTER CXII. THE KING OF SICILY SENDS BACK THE DAUGHTER OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.-THE DUKE WRITES LETTERS TO THE KING OF FRANCE, CONTAINING REMONSTRANCES, AND OTHER MATTERS.

On the the 20th day of November, in this year, the king of Sicily sent back to the city of Beauvais, Catherine daughter to John duke of Burgundy, who had been betrothed to Louis, the king of Sicily's eldest son, according to treaties that had been entered into between the two parties, and in consequence of which the duke had caused her to be most honourably escorted to Angers. But the king afterwards sent her back, attended by the lord de Longny, marshal of France, and others, to the amount of six score horse, knights, esquires, ladies, and damsels, belonging to the duke of Burgundy, who had sent them for that purpose. By them she was conducted in great sorrow to Amiens, and thence to her father at Lille, who was much vexed on the occasion, and conceived thereat a mortal hatred to the king of Sicily, which lasted all their lives.

Shortly after this, lady Catherine of Burgundy, who was, for her tender years, a very gracious lady, died in Ghent, without ever having been married.

In this same month, the duke of Burgundy sent letters to the king of France at Paris, containing his respectful salutations, his complaints, and his accusations against his enemies, the contents of which were as follow.

"John duke of Burgundy, count of Flanders, of Artois, and palatine of Burgundy: my most-redoubted and dear lord, I recommend myself most humbly to you, being perpetually desirous, as is right, to hear of the good estate of your health,—and may God, in his gracious pleasure, continue it to you in the best possible manner, according to your good desire and wishes! I most earnestly supplicate you, my most-redoubted and beloved lord, that I may as often as possible be ascertained of this from yourself, for God knows how much I wish your prosperity; and I cannot have greater joy in this world than to hear satisfactory news of you,—and may God, out of his holy grace, grant that I may always hear such as may be agreeable to you, and such as I may wish for myself! Should it please you, my most redoubted and dear lord, to know how I am, I was in excellent health on the departure of these letters, thanks to God,—and may he always continue you in the same! Most dear and redoubted lord, I presume that it is in your good remembrance, that by your proclamation, issued by advice of my most redoubted lord the duke of Aquitaine, your son, and by my advice also, and by that of many lords of your blood, and of your grand council, and at the earnest and humble request of your daughter the university of Paris, and of the clergy of the said city, of the provost of merchants and the sheriffs, and in general of other good people of your said city, were notified certain ordinances, as well of your grand council aforesaid, as of many other great lords and counsellors, of myself, of the university aforesaid, and of the clergy of the aforesaid city of Paris, for the effecting of peace and union among the lords of your blood, as the only means for the reparation of the miseries the whole kingdom suffered under, which was in thorough desolation, and must have been destroyed if

VOL. I.

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God had not inspired you with a desire of peace. By these means, each loyal subject of your realm may have the hope of sleeping in peace and tranquillity, as was most notably said and explained in your presence, and before many of the princes of your blood and others, by a very able knight, counsellor to my very dear lord and cousin the king of Sicily.

"Nevertheless, my most redoubted lord, although I had sworn to observe this peace in your presence, with a loyal faith and the most upright intentions, as several who attended might have noticed; and notwithstanding, because I did suspect that after my departure some persons might imagine various strange matters, tending to the infraction of the peace, I sent to you, as soon as I could, letters, to assure you of my cordial intentions of maintaining the object of your ordinance,-and in greater confirmation, I sent to you some of my confidential servants, principally on this account, as it may please you to remember; yet notwithstanding this, my most dear lord, and that I have not committed any act to infringe your ordinance, whatever accusations have been brought against me by some people, who (saving the honour and reverence always due to you) have spoken contrary to truth: many things have, in like manner, been done against the sense of your ordinance, to the contempt, prejudice, and scandal of myself and mine, who have been pointed out in the aforesaid ordinance. I am, therefore, the less bound to proceed according to your will and that of your very dear son, my redoubted lord, and of the princes of your blood, and members of your grand council; but I am pressed thereto from the instigations and extraordinary importunities of some who have for a long time been contentious, and are still the same, in very strange manner, whom may God, out of his holy grace, reclaim, and bring to a proper sense of duty, as there is great need, and which I most earnestly desire.

"For a fuller declaration of the above, it is true, my most redoubted lord, that at the instigation of some persons, shortly after I had sworn to the observance of the peace, several skirmishes with armed men were made in Paris, near to my hôtel, which seemed to have been conducted and done in contempt of me, to the prejudice of my character and of the persons of my adherents; for since I quitted Paris, no such things have taken place, nor have any congregations of armed men been heard of; but what is worse, if I were to believe what some have told me, it was intended to lay hands on my person before I departed from Paris, which is no sign of good peace or union. It is a fact, that before and since I left Paris, several of your good and faithful servants, and some of mine, have been arrested and imprisoned without having done anything to deserve such treatment, and others have been obliged, by force and treacherous conduct, to quit Paris. It is also known, that all who had shown any affection or attachment to me were deprived of their offices, honours, and estates, without anything being proved to their prejudice, excepting that they were too good Burgundians, and this is now daily continued. Should they declare, that such things were done by me during the time I was at Paris in the service of your majesty, and that I was constantly in the habit of making such changes, to this a good and true answer may be given; for supposing this were so, if the terms of your ordinance be considered, they will appear founded particularly on peace, union, and affection; and these late changes that have taken place have been caused by a spirit of revenge, which is the reverse of love and peace, and a strong mark of division. It would therefore have been more conformable to the meaning of your ordinance, and more to the advantage of your realm, if such offices had been filled by persons fairly selected, and not through any spirit of revenge. By reason of this same spirit, scarcely any of your servants, my most redoubted lord, or those of my lady the queen, or the princes of your blood, or the university, could venture to speak with those known to be attached to my person and honour, for fear of being severely punished.

"There have also been many assemblies holden, in which harangues have been made highly prejudicial to my honour and contrary to truth, (saving the honour and respect due to you,) and in which expressions have been uttered as having been said by me, but too confusedly for their meaning to be well understood, and positively contradictory to the peace made at Chartres as well as at Auxerre, and against the terms so lately sworn to, which may be of very bad example, and contrary to the doctrine of Cato, tending to provoke dissentions and warfare, which may ultimately, which God forbid, prove of the greatest detriment and destruction to your kingdom. Many letters have been published in various