ページの画像
PDF
ePub

They proceeded thence to the hotel of our son the duke of Aquitaine, which they would forcibly enter, and broke open the gates of it contrary to the will of our said son, his attendants and servants. Having done this, they entered his apartment in opposition to his expostulations and prohibitions; and when there, they seized by force and violence our cousin-german the duke of Bar, the chancellor of our said son, with many other nobles our chamberlains and counsellors to our son, and carried them away whithersoever they pleased: some of them they confined in close imprisonment, where they detained them so long as they were able. These excesses raised the anger of our son in so violent a degree that he was in danger of suffering a serious disorder from it. The said seditious rebels, persisting in their wicked courses, came to us in our hotel of St. Pol, when they proposed, or caused to be proposed, whatever seemed good to them, positively declaring, however, that they would have certain persons, whose names were written down in a small roll, which they had with them, which persons were then in our company. Among the number were Louis duke of Bavaria, brother to our consort the queen, and many other nobles, our knights, counsellors, the master of our household, with numbers of our servants of different ranks and conditions. These they arrested by force against our will, and carried them to prison, or wherever else they pleased, as they had done to the others. After this, they entered the apartments of the queen our consort, and in her presence, and contrary to her will, they seized many ladies and damsels, several of whom were of our kindred, and carried them away to prison, as they had done to the others. This disloyal and indecent conduct so greatly alarmed our dear consort the queen, that she was in great danger of losing her life from the illness that ensued. "After the imprisonment of these several persons of both sexes, the insurgents proceeded against them, contrary to all law and justice, by very severe tortures, and even put to death many of the nobility in the prisons, afterward publishing that they had killed themselves. Their bodies they hung on gibbets, or flung them into the Seine. Some they beheaded privately while in prison. With regard to the ladies whom they had arrested, they treated them most inhumanly; and although they were urgently pressed to allow the laws to take their course, in regard to these prisoners, and that the court of parliament, as was reasonable, should take cognizance of them, they positively refused every request of the sort, and had letters drawn up as seemed good to them, and to which they had the great seal of our chancery set by force, and, besides, constrained our son to sign all their acts with our sealsmanual, as approving of their deeds. That they might have the chancellor the more under their command, to seal whatever edicts they should please to have proclaimed, they dismissed from that office our well-beloved Arnold de Corbie, who had so long and so faithfully served us, and put in his place master Eustace de Lactre, by whom letters were sealed and issued contrary to all truth, but conformable to the acts of these wicked men. We were deceived by them, from want of able counsellors, and from freedom of speech not being permitted, as has before been noticed.

"All these letters, therefore, and edicts mandatory that have been published to the dishonour of our said uncle, nephews, cousins, and their friends and adherents, we holding a bed of justice in our court of parliament, in the presence of many of our blood-royal, prelates, churchmen, as well members of the university of Paris, our daughter, as from elsewhere, several great barons, and other able persons of our council, and many principal citizens of Paris, do now annul, condemn, and for ever annihilate. And we forbid all our subjects, under pain of incurring our highest indignation, to act, by word or deed, any way hereafter contrary to the strict tenor of this our will and pleasure. Should any of these disgraceful acts be produced in courts of justice, we forbid any faith to be placed in them, and order them to be torn and destroyed wherever they may be found. In consequence whereof, we command our beloved and faithful counsellors of our parliament, our provost of Paris, and all others our bailiffs, seneschals, provosts, and officers of justice, or their lieutenants, each and all of them, to cause this our present edict to be publicly proclaimed by sound of trumpet in the usual places where proclamations are made, that none may plead ignorance of this our will. And we also command, that it be publicly read by all prelates and clergymen, or such as have usually preached to the people, that in time to come they may not again be seduced by similar evil machinations.

"We also order, that as full obedience be paid to all copies of these presents, sealed with our seal, as to the original. In testimony of which, we have set our seal to these presents. Given in our great chamber of the parliament of Paris, at a bed of justice holden the 12th day of September, in the year 1413.

"By the king, holding his bed of justice in his court of parliament." Countersigned, "BAYE."-This ordinance was, consequently, proclaimed in Amiens on the 15th day of December following.

CHAPTER CVIII.-THE DUKE OF BRITTANY COMES TO PARIS.-THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY HOLDS A COUNCIL AT LILLE.-THE ACTIONS OF THE COUNT DE ST. POL, AND OTHER MATTERS THAT HAPPENED AT THIS TIME.

Ar this period, John duke of Brittany, son-in-law to the king, came to Paris, with his brother the count de Richemont. The duke d'Evreux+ and the earl of Rutland arrived there also from England, to treat of the marriage of their king with Catherine daughter to

[graphic]

JOHN DUKE OF BRITTANY, FROM A STATUE IN THE CATHEDRAL OF NANTES; AND HIS BROTHER,
ARTHUR COUNT DE RICHEMONT.

From the MS. of Berry, engraved in Montfaucon, Vol. III.

the king of France, and to prevent the alliance which the duke of Burgundy was desirous of forming between the king of England and his daughter. These ambassadors, having explained to the king of France and his ministers the cause of their coming, returned to England.

The name of the city of Amiens is inserted in this and in most of the former state-papers merely by way of example. It was probably the nearest bailiwick to Monstrelet's place of residence, and the edicts, &c. which he inspected, were those directed to this particular bailiff.

There was clearly no such person as the duke d'Evreux; but the earl of Rutland himself was also duke of Aumerle; and, both being Norman titles, Monstrelet might have confounded them. But I can find no mention cf an embassy in which the earl of Rutland was concerned.

Monstrelet must have mistaken the names of these ambassadors; for in the Fodera mention is made of a promise from the king of England, by his commissioners, the bishop of Durham, the earl of Warwick, and doctor Ware §, "De non contrahendo, citra certum diem, cum aliqua alia muliere, nisi cum Katerina Francia, matrimonio."-Dated Westminster, 28th January, 1414.

§ This, however, seems to refer to the second embassy mentioned after.

The duke of Burgundy, during this time, was holding a grand council at Lille, which was attended by deputies from Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, the Quatre Mestiers, and by many nobles: among the latter was count Waleran de St. Pol, constable of France, who had just concluded the negotiation with the English at Boulogne and Leulinghen. The envoys from England were the earl of Warwick and the bishop of St. Davids, and others, who were commissioned to treat of a truce between the two kings, which was agreed on to last until the feast of St. John the Baptist next ensuing. The count de St. Pol, when on this business, received letters from the king of France, ordering him to come to Paris and surrender the constable's sword. Finding that it was intended to deprive him of his office, he came to ask advice of the duke of Burgundy, who counselled him not to obey these orders; and in consequence he went to his castle of St. Pol-en-Ternois, where his lady resided, and thence to Amiens, and there tarried four days. From Amiens, he sent to Paris, as ambassadors to the king of France, his nephew the count de Conversen and the vidame of Amiens, attended by master Robert le Jeusne, advocate at Amiens, to harangue the king on the subject of their embassy. On their arrival, the advocate opened his harangue in full council before the king, the chancellor, and the other members of it, saying, that the constable, the count de St. Pol, his lord and master, had never been of any party which had disturbed the realm; that he had never raised any troops, nor had attacked any of the king's castles, as several others had done. When he had finished his speech, he was required to produce those who would vouch for what he had said, as had been done in similar cases; but the ambassadors would not support him, and he was instantly arrested and confined in the prison of the Châtelet, where he remained for two days; and it was with great difficulty that the duke of Bar, brother-in-law to the count de St. Pol, by his entreaties obtained his liberty. On Saturday, the day after the feast of St. Mor*, the count de St. Pol left Amiens, and returned dispirited and melancholy to his own county.

Other royal edicts were now published at Paris and sent to all parts of the kingdom for proclamation, complaining of the great disorders that had been committed in the capital by the Parisians, to the great displeasure of the queen and the duke of Aquitaine.-I shall not particularise these edicts, for the atrocious acts of the Parisians have been already sufficiently declared. Soon after these proclamations, the duke of Orleans, conformably to the articles of the peace, demanded of the king restitution of his castles of Pierrefons and Coucy, which the count de St. Pol had refused to surrender to him. His request was granted, and orders were sent to sir Gasselins du Bos, bailiff of Sens, to go thither and receive the homage due to the king, and thus they were restored to the duke of Orleans.

On the following Saturday, the count d'Armagnac, and Clugnet de Brabant, knight, came to Paris with a numerous company of men-at-arms, and were received by the king, lords, and barons, with great joy. All, or the greater part of those who had followed the faction of the duke of Orleans, now came to Paris,—and the affairs of the nation were governed according to their good pleasure, for the king and the duke of Aquitaine were at this time under their management. With regard to the Burgundy faction, they were kept at a distance, and could scarcely ever obtain an audience, how high soever their rank might be; insomuch that such as had remained in the town were forced to hold down their heads. and to hear many things that were neither pleasant nor agreeable to them.

CHAPTER CIX. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY HOLDS MANY COUNCILS TO CONSIDER OF HIS SITUATION, FEARING THAT HIS ENEMIES WOULD TURN THE KING AGAINST HIM, WHICH THEY AFTERWARDS DID†.

THE duke of Burgundy, while these things were passing, resided in the town of Lille, where he had assembled many great lords to consult and have their advice respecting the * St. Mor. Q. St. Maur?

At the head of this chapter, in the edition of Monstrelet in Lincoln's-inn Library, (which is the black letter of Anthoine Verard,—I can find no date,) is a curious wood-cut, representing, perhaps, the duke of Burgundy

and his lords in council; but I do not understand what the figures of dead bodies in the back ground are meant for. I should suspect that the print is misplaced, and is meant to describe the bloody entry of the duke into Paris some time after.

situation he was then in. He received almost daily intelligence from Paris, and learnt how his enemies governed the king and the duke of Aquitaine, and were labouring to keep those of his party at a distance from the royal presence, in order to prevent their receiving any marks of favour or benevolence. The duke formed various opinions on this intelligence, and suspected, what indeed afterward happened, that his adversaries would succeed in setting the king and the duke of Aquitaine at variance with him, and in the end making war upon him. He was, however, prepared to meet whatever events might befal him.

At this period, the earl of Warwick, the bishop of St. Davids, and others, waited upon him, to treat of a marriage between the king of England and a daughter of the duke, notwithstanding the embassy that had been sent to the king of France on a similar subject. These ambassadors and the duke of Burgundy could not agree on the terms of alliance, and they consequently returned to England. On the 4th day of October, the lords d'Offemont and de Moy came to St. Pol-en-Ternois, by orders from the king of France, to demand from the count de St. Pol, that he would surrender to them, or send to the king, his constable's sword. The count replied, that he would never willingly, nor without the advice of his friends, comply with such a request, but that he would refer the matter to the counsel of his friends, and would shortly send such an answer that the king should be satisfied therewith. These lords, having heard this, returned to Paris, after having been honourably entertained by the constable, and related to the king and council what they had done, which was not any way agreeable to those who had sent them.

This same day, another royal edict was published against all who should not strictly keep the peace, forbidding every one to spread abroad any evil reports that would tend to create discord and commotion, and to call any one by such sirnames as should engender strife, and renew the mischiefs that had so lately desolated the kingdom. It was proclaimed throughout France, and was of the following tenor.

"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 whereas by great and mature deliberation of council, and by the aid and diligence of many of our blood, and other discreet men of our realm, we have, by the grace of God, established a peace between several of our kindred, among whom disputes and discords had arisen and continued for a considerable time. We have first shown all the points of the treaties that had been proposed, after mature counsel, as well to those of our blood and great council, as to the prelates, barons, and knights of our different courts of parliament, and to other officers of justice in the court of the Conciergerie, and also to our well-beloved daughter the university of Paris, the clergy and citizens of our capital, who have been all delighted therewith, and have unanimously supplicated us to complete the peace, which, through the mercy of God, we have done. For the greater security of its observance, our very dear and well-beloved eldest son, nephews, uncle and cousins,—that is to say, Louis duke of Aquitaine, dauphin of Vienne, the dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Orleans, Brittany, Bourbon, and of Bar,-the counts d'Alençon, Vertus, Richemont, d'Eu, Vendosme, and many others of our blood,—have promised and sworn in our presence, on the word of a son to a king and a prince, on part of a piece of the true cross, and upon the holy evangelists of God touched corporally by them, never more in any respect to misbehave toward us, but to pay a due regard to their own honour and rank, and henceforward to act toward each other like to kind relations and friends. This they declare they have done without any fraud, deception, or mental reservation, and promise most faithfully to observe this union, and to deposit in our hands their several letters-patent.

"In like manner have the different ranks of our faithful subjects promised and sworn to the due observance of that affection, loyalty, and service they owe to us, and that they will most strictly keep this aforesaid peace concluded between the princes of our blood,—and that they will, to the utmost of their power, prevent it from being in any way infringed, as is more fully explained in others of our letters-patent. Nevertheless, there are, as we learn, several within your bailiwick full of evil intentions, who, believing that no proceedings will take place against them for any commotions they may excite, and that they may remain unpunished in body or goods, do daily spread abroad reports injurious to the said peace, and

by wicked murmurings endeavour to raise discontents against it, and also to make use of such odious sirnames as have been by this peace strictly forbidden, and by other acts and speeches urge on the people to dissentions that may produce fresh warfare; which things are highly, and not without cause, displeasing to us. We will, that the aforesaid peace be most strictly kept, and such is our firm intention, that all means of future dissentions may be put an end to, and that every kind of warfare cease in our kingdom, so that each person may henceforward live in peace and tranquillity. We therefore command, that you do instantly canse these presents to be most solemnly proclaimed by sound of trumpet in every part within your bailiwick wherever any proclamations have been or are usually made.

"Our will and purpose is, to preserve this peace most strictly inviolate, and to observe it in the manner that has been so solemnly sworn to in our presence, without suffering it to be infringed by any person whatever. And we expressly command that you do most attentively regard its preservation, and that you do make very exact inquiries after all who may in any manner attempt its infringement. We rigorously forbid any factious sirnames to be used, and all other words and expressions that have a tendency to revive past dissentions, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of goods. And any such whom you shall find disobeying these our commands you will punish in such wise that he or they be examples to deter others from committing the like,—and see that there be no failure in this through any fault or neglect of your own. For the due fulfilment of these our commands, we give full powers, as well to yourself as to your deputies and under officers, notwithstanding any letters, edicts, prohibitions, oppositions, or appeals to the contrary. Given at Paris, the 6th day of October, 1413."- -Signed by the king in his great council, in the presence of the king of Sicily, the dukes of Berry, Orleans, Bourbon, the counts de la Marche, d'Alençon, d'Eu, Vendosme, Armagnac, the constable, the count de Tancarville, the grand-master of the household, the master of the cross-bows, the admiral, the chancellors of Aquitaine and of Orleans, the lords d'Oyrront,* de Torcy, de Ray de Boyssay, de Bauquille, l'hermite de la Fayette, and many more.-Countersigned, "P. NAUCRON."

This edict was afterwards proclaimed at Amiens, and in that bailiwick, on the 3d day of November in the same year.

CHAPTER CX.-DUKE LOUIS OF BAVARIA MARRIES AT PARIS.-OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN BANISHED ON ACCOUNT OF THE DISCORDS BETWEEN THE DUKES OF ORLEANS AND BURGUNDY,- -AND OF MANY OTHER INCIDENTAL MATTERS.

In these days, duke Louis of Bavaria, brother to the queen of France, espoused, at the hotel of St. Pol, the widow of the lord Peter de Navarre, formerly count de Mortain. At this wedding, the king and many others of the princes tilted, for there were very grand feasts on the occasion. On the morrow, sir Robinet de Mailly, sir Elyon de Jacqueville, les Goys, namely, father and son, master John de Troyes, Denisot de Chaumont, Caboche, and others who have been before mentioned as having suits brought against them in parliament, were for ever banished from Paris. The duke of Burgundy very soon received information of this, as he was at St. Omer, where he had assembled the nobility of Artois, to deliberate on the subject of taxes, and they had granted him one equal to what the king annually levied. He was not well pleased with this intelligence, for the greater part of those who had been banished were then with him; and they daily urged him to march a powerful army to Paris, assuring him, that if he would appear before it, the Parisians would instantly declare for him, and drive his enemies out of the town. The duke, however, being otherwise advised, would not comply with their request.

About this time there was a violent quarrel between the dukes of Orleans and Brittany, on the subject of precedency, insomuch that it came to the ears of the king, who decided for the duke of Orleans. On this, the duke of Brittany left Paris in ill humour; but before he departed, he had some high words with his brother-in-law the count d'Alençon, in

• D'Oyrront. Q. D'Orgemont ?

« 前へ次へ »