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they were much to his profit, and to that of his dependants. Nevertheless, the king's hand is not so closed but that he is well inclined to show great courtesy and favours to the duke of Burgundy, and all others in his service, should there be occasion, and should they perform that duty they are bounden to do. Item, should it be necessary, sir Aubert shall have given to him copies in writing of the answers which the king made to the complaints of the duke of Burgundy, and of the acts that he said had been done to his prejudice, for him to show such answers to the barons, knights, esquires, and others of the nobility who may be attached to, or in the service of the duke of Burgundy.

“Given at Paris, the 2nd day of August, in the year of Grace 1417." Signed by the king: countersigned, "FERREMENT."

Here follows a copy of the answers which the duke of Burgundy made to the articles of the instructions in the name of the king, and given to sir Aubert de Canny, lord de Varennes.

"In the first place, with regard to the astonishment of the king at the conduct which the duke of Burgundy holds in opposition to his majesty, considering how nearly related he is to him by blood, and how very much he has been obliged to him,—the duke replies, that he is in truth his relation and vassal, and bound to serve him before all and against all; and it is from his warm affection and attachment that he is so anxious and pressing to procure a reform in the government of the realm, as well in regard to what personally concerns the king, the queen, and his children, as in the repairs of his palaces, the maintenance of strict justice, and a more equitable management of the public finances, as may be clearly proved by various royal ordinances. These reforms have been solemnly sworn to be pursued by the perseverance of the duke of Burgundy, in the presence of the king holding a bed of justice; but, through the intrigues of those who now surround the throne, and who shall hereafter be named, these measures have not only been interrupted, and then laid aside, but the finances of the king, his realm, and in general of all the resident subjects in the kingdom, have been most shamefully dissipated. They have even attempted to destroy, in body and estate, the duke of Burgundy, his well-wishers, and such of them as they could apprehend; and have employed the arms of the spiritual court against them, to effect the dishonour and damnation of his fair reputation, and of the renown of himself, and posterity; but the duke of Burgundy did obtain from the council of Constance a sentence in his favour, which clearly demonstrates the upright conduct of the duke, and the wickedness and hatred of his enemies.

"Item, with respect to what concerns the subjects of Burgundy, and others who avow their attachment to the duke, making open war on the king's towns and subjects, &c.— the duke of Burgundy replies, that when he perceived those about the king's person were persevering in their rigorous acts, and that they were unwilling to listen to any wholesome reforms for the welfare of the state, and that insult was added to insult upon him, by every violent means, the duke of Burgundy found himself obliged to send notice, by letters-patent, of these harsh proceedings, to many of the principal towns within the realm, signifying, at the same time, his good intentions, and the means he proposed to remedy them; and it was for this purpose he issued his summonses for assembling men-at-arms and archers. Thanks to God, he had now under his command, for the service of the king and the welfare of the kingdom, six thousand knights and esquires, and an army of thirty thousand combatants, all well-wishers to his majesty, his realm, and loyal subjects. During the march of this army, the duke approached several large towns, the inhabitants of which, knowing his good intentions, opened their gates to him. This army has forced many places, full of plunderers, to surrender to him in the king's name, and he has regarrisoned them with good and loyal subjects to the king, who are incapable of committing anything dishonourable to his majesty, themselves, or their country; and this has been done with the full approbation of these towns and the adjoining countries.

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Item, respecting the charge that has been made against the officers of the duke of Burgundy, for having induced several towns to swear obedience to him, and having afterward forbidden them to pay any taxes to the king, &c., the duke of Burgundy replies, that if he has received the oaths of allegiance from any city or town, it has been done that they

might persevere in their loyalty towards the king, and for the good of his realm, to the confusion and disgrace of those who prevent a peace being made, and who are the destroyers of the kingdom. Such as may have joined the duke of Burgundy, and are obedient to him, have been induced so to do from a knowledge of his upright intentions, and a confidence that his love for the king and kingdom exceeds that of all others. It is not true, under respect to the king, that such towns have been forbidden to pay any of the taxes due to the crown; but it may have been that they were ordered not to pay them to those false traitors the present ministers, but to reserve them to be employed for the king's service at proper times and places, and this should be considered as praise-worthy; for of all the immense sums they have received, the greater part have been shamefully mismanaged, and taken from the king to be divided among themselves and the enemies of France, to the irreparable loss of the king, his realm, and chivalry, as is well known to all the world. The duke, however intends, when he shall be admitted to the presence of the king, to propose the abolishing of the most oppressive taxes, and that the good subjects of the realm may again enjoy their ancient rights and privileges in a reasonable manner.

“Item, in regard to the charge made against the duke of Burgundy, that his conduct has been influenced by his friendship for England, and that what he has done has been with a view to support the English in their invasion of France, and that the duke of Burgundy is their sworn ally, the duke replies, that such an imagination could not have been formed in the heart of any honest man. The English have formerly invaded France without opposition, (although the same traitorous ministers governed the king and his realm), and to the great loss of the French chivalry. It is therefore to be supposed that since the English gained such success from the weak administration of his majesty's ministers, they intend to persevere in hopes of further advantages; and they have even taken the town of Harfleur, one of the strongest sea-ports in Normandy. This ought to be treasured up in the memories of all the noble chivalry attached to the duke of Burgundy, whom these wicked traitors wish to denounce as being disinclined to make any resistance to the English; and, with all due respect to the king, those who shall say that the duke of Burgundy is the sworn ally of the English, lie wickedly and damnably.

"Item, respecting the request made to the duke of Burgundy, that he would disband and send to their homes the troops he has assembled, the duke replies, that now the false and disloyal conduct of these traitors is very apparent, for every one knows that they have not raised any powers to oppose the English; and that it is at this moment more necessary than ever to have a sufficient force for the defence of the king and kingdom, especially such faithful and loyal knights and esquires as compose the duke's army, instead of disbanding and dismissing them to their homes; and it is clear that the conduct of the ministry tends more to favour the enemy, and oppress the king and country. Those noble men who compose the duke's army should particularly observe, that these traitors consider them as disloyal to their king, and enemies to their country. The duke also declares, in the most positive manner, for himself and his companions, that he will not disband his army, but will continue to proceed according to the tenor of his public letters declaratory thereof.-Item, with regard to the dishonour and disgrace in which he, the duke of Burgundy, will involve himself and family should he persevere in his present line of conduct, and, according to the remonstrances of sir Aubert de Canny, cover thereby his worthy and valiant father's memory with infamy, who, on his death-bed, strictly enjoined him to be ever obedient to the king and to his commands, the duke replies, that his father, of worthy memory, whose soul may God pardon! was, as it is truly said, ever loyal and faithful to the king; and it was from his knowledge of the weak and wicked government of France at the time of his decease, that he ordered his son faithfully to serve the king and crown of France without sparing his person or fortune; and it has been for this reason that the duke of Burgundy has adopted the present measures, as the sole means for the reformation and reparation of the king's government. These measures have not been adopted by him of a sudden, but deliberately, and after maturely weighing the consequences with his council; and should he now change his conduct, he would be very justly blamed and reproached,—for this reason, therefore, he is resolved to proceed therein.

"Item, with respect to sir Aubert de Canny remonstrating with the lords, barons. knights and esquires attached to the duke of Burgundy, on the above matters, - the duke replies, that the conduct he has hitherto held and proposes to pursue, with God's pleasure, has been with the advice and approbation of his barons, knights, esquires, and other notable persons, and he therefore shall give full liberty for any such remonstrances to be made to them; for the more they shall be conversed with on these matters, the more fully will they be made acquainted with the iniquities of those who prevent a peace, and disturb the good intentions of the duke of Burgundy.-Item, in regard to the polite and gracious manner in which sir Aubert de Canny is ordered to make these remonstrances, and to declare the king's prohibitions to him and to his company, &c.-the duke replies, that not having any consciousness that such commands and prohibitions were proper to be made him, knowing for a certainty that they are not the real sentiments of the king, who on the contrary loves him affectionately, and is very earnest to see him, having often demanded his presence, he is aware that these false and wicked traitors have drawn up these instructions in an underhand manner, and that at this moment, when the enemy have landed in the kingdom, it is not a time to obey such orders and prohibitions; but this force, as well as the aid of all loyal subjects, ought now to be exerted in the defence of the country. Even supposing the enemies had not effected their invasion, the duke of Burgundy would not have suffered such false traitors to hold the government of the kingdom.

"Item, respecting what is said of the duke of Burgundy and of others in his company, that supposing those who have the management of the king should have done acts displeasing to them, and added insults to insults, these were not sufficient reasons to authorise the duke to endeavour to destroy the kingdom, or to afford aid and advice to the English,-the duke replies, that in addition to what he has before said, and other innumerable instances too long to relate, it is notorious that the present ministers, namely, sir Henry de Marle, the bishop of Paris, sir Tanneguy du Châtel, sir Burel de Dammartin, master Stephen de Mauregard, master Philip de Corbie, with several others, have been the principal promoters, and leaders in those iniquitous measures, disturbers of the peace of the realm, and guilty of many other excesses and great crimes, as shall be detailed more at large hereafter. The duke of Burgundy, therefore, has not assembled his forces to destroy the kingdom, or to favour the English, but to drive the present ministers from power, and from about the person of the king; and he will never desist from this praiseworthy intention so long as life may be granted him, for they are not such persons as should have authority, not being worthy by birth, knowledge, experience, or loyalty; and it is become a subject of contempt and laughter that persons of such low estate, and of so small a share of knowledge or experience, should have intrusted to them the expulsion of the English. The barons and principal persons of the realm should weigh this matter well, and not suffer themselves to be thus supplanted by persons of no understanding or birth; for they have shown themselves of weak capacity in daily committing acts of the utmost cruelty on the liege subjects of the king, under pretence of maintaining justice and order.

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Item, in respect to what relates to the king having (at the solicitations of the count de Hainault, whose soul may God pardon!) from a love of peace, granted to the duke of Burgundy and those who had served him, many handsome gifts, but which the duke made light of, the duke replies, that from his anxiety to preserve peace and union in France, which he has ever felt and feels from the bottom of his heart, he waited on my lord the dauphin lately deceased, and my lord of Hainault, to whose souls may God show mercy! and after much conversation relative to a peace, the duke of Burgundy offered them a schedule of his terms for the conclusion thereof, with all who may be desirous of partaking of it, with the exception of king Louis of Sicily, lately deceased, on account of disputes that existed between them: with this proposal, the dauphin and the count de Hainault were perfectly satisfied. For the accomplishment of which, they were to meet at Compiegne, as every despatch would be necessary, the sooner to put an end to the miseries of war. However, those traitors who surround the king, by their intrigues, protracted the business for three months, or thereabout, without coming to any final decision. The count de Hainault at length went to Paris, and, by means of the queen, procured from these traitors

a sort of agreement to the offers of peace, with which he was satisfied; but during these negotiations, he privately learnt, that it was intended to arrest him and the queen, and imprison them, that they might manage the dauphin as they should please; and this information caused the count de Hainault to quit Paris precipitately and return to Compiegne, where soon after the dauphin was carried off from this life in a most wicked and damnable manner *, which has been before related in different letters-patent from the duke of Burgundy.

"After the dauphin's decease, the count de Hainault returned to his own county, whither was addressed the answer of the king's ministers to the proposals for peace, which much displeased him he said, that since the death of the dauphin they had changed their minds, and totally altered and perverted what had before been agreed upon. This answer he sent to the duke of Burgundy, who, having maturely considered it with his council, found it was highly derogatory to the honour and welfare of the king and his realm, as well as to himself the duke of Burgundy, and paid no regard to it. Instigated, however, by such conduct, he despatched into several parts of the kingdom a manifesto declaratory of the ruin of the country were the present ministers continued in power, and his firm resolution to do everything to prevent it, by driving them from about the person of the king. This declaration he presented himself to the count de Hainault during his last illness, who having heard the contents read, was very willing that it should be published throughout his dominions, saying that it was well done of the duke of Burgundy; for the traitors that surrounded the king were worse than imagination could form an idea of, making at the same time an offer of his personal services, should God grant him the grace to recover from his illness; and should sickness detain him, he offered the duke the aid of his vassals, friends, well wishers, and money. He then swore, by a round oath, that if he had not suddenly left Paris, the traitors intended to have arrested the queen and himself, as is now notorious from their subsequent conduct to the queen; for they laid hands on her, and took possession of everything she possessed, to the great disgrace of the king and of all his family.

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It is likewise true, that when the duke of Burgundy was at Lagny, the duke of Brittany ran great risks at Paris, and was forced to depart thence because he was desirous of procuring a peace to France. The count de Hainault also added, with a great oath, that were the English at one of the gates of Paris, and the duke of Burgundy at another, they would permit the English to enter the city rather than the duke of Burgundy. All these things did the count de Hainault say in the presence of madame de Hainault, my lord de Charolois, my lord de St. Pol, the treasurer of Hainault, John the bastard, master Eustace de Lactre, my lord de Champdivers, and several others. It is very clear that the king's ministers have no inclination to promote the good of the realm; for they have lately caused the declaratory letters of the duke of Burgundy to be publicly burned in the courts of the Palace at Paris, in which the duke offered peace to all who were willing to accept of it from him, as has been before related. This act is but a poor revenge on their part, and a pitiful weakness thus to burn a few skins of parchment.

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Item, to conclude; that all persons may know the will and intention of the duke of Burgundy, he thus declares publicly that he shall persist in his present line of conduct until he shall have had a long audience of the king, to remonstrate with him on the enormous abuses committed by the present government, and to lay before him the means of reformation, which are such as must be satisfactory to his majesty and to every honest man in the kingdom, notwithstanding the duke had offered, by his declaratory letters, peace to all, but which the king's ministers would not accept, and have persevered in their wickedness. The duke of Burgundy, desirous of procuring peace to the kingdom, which is in so great want of it, is willing to lay aside all thoughts of revenge for the numerous insults offered him, and again proposes peace on the same terms on which he has before done."

When the duke of Burgundy had, as he thought, fully answered all the charges made against him in the paper of instructions given by the king's order to the lord de Canny, a fair copy was written thereof, and delivered to the lord de Canny, who took leave of the duke and returned to the king at Paris, carrying the above answers with him.

*See chapter 161.

CHAPTER CLXXIII.—THE LORD DE CANNY, ON HIS RETURN FROM HIS EMBASSY TO PARIS, IS ACCUSED BY THE ROYAL COUNCIL.-ORDERS ARE ISSUED AGAINST THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.

PREVIOUSLY to the return of the lord de Canny to Paris, his secretary had given copies of the instructions, and the duke of Burgundy's answer, to many of his friends, insomuch that they made them public long before they were laid before the king and his ministers. In consequence, when the lord de Canny had an audience, to make his report of the embassy, he was told in full council, "Lord de Canny, you have shown yourself very unworthy of the king's confidence by thus distributing copies of the king's instructions and the duke of Burgundy's answer, of which this is one of them, that you have dispersed at Amiens, Paris, and elsewhere, among your friends and acquaintance, with no good intent toward the king's service." The copy was compared with the original, signed by the duke's own hand, and found perfectly similar, to the great confusion of the lord de Canny, who, in excuse, said they must have been distributed by his secretary, who had fled from his service.

The lord de Canny was, notwithstanding, carried prisoner to the bastile of St. Anthony, where he was confined a long space of time, even until the taking of Paris; for the ministers were very much displeased that the duke of Burgundy's answers should have been made public in so many places; and whatever they may have affected, they were greatly alarmed at the duke's power, for they had been informed that the greater part of the principal towns, and the commonalty throughout the kingdom, were favourable to him, as well as many of the principal lords and gentlemen.

When they found from the duke's answers that he was determined to persevere in his enterprise of marching his army to Paris to demand an audience of the king, they were more uneasy at their situation than before; for they knew they would be driven from their places, and many of them criminally punished, should he succeed in his object. To obviate this as much as in them lay, they caused letters to be written in the king's name, and sent to all the chief towns in France, to command them neither to admit within their walls the duke of Burgundy or any of his partisans, nor to pay any obedience to them. They also placed garrisons at all the passes and other important places; and the constable even remanded his men from Normandy for the greater security of Paris.

Thus whilst the king of England was making good his landing in France with an immense army, as has been said, he found no difficulties in adding to his conquests,—and, from the effect of these internal divisions, he met with scarcely any resistance.

CHAPTER CLXXIV.-THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY CONTINUES HIS

MARCH

SEVERAL TOWNS AND FORTS SURRENDER TO HIM, IN WHICH
AND GOVERNORS.

TOWARD PARIS.IE PLACES CAPTAINS

AFTER the duke of Burgundy had remained some days in Amiens, and had delegated the government of his dominions in Picardy to his eldest son the count de Charolois, with an able council to assist him, he departed thence and returned to Corbie, and continued his march to Mondidier. During this time, the lady of the castle of Mouy promised that she would no longer permit her people to make inroads on the territories of the duke. He was accompanied to Mondidier by the young count de St. Pol, sir John de Luxembourg, and many other great barons, such as the lord de Fosseux and his three brothers, sir Philip, sir James, and sir John, sir Jennet de Poix, Hector, Philippe, and le bon de Saveuses, the lord de Rambures, sir Burnel, and Louis de Varigines, and others. He went from Mondidier to Beauvais,-in which place he was received on certain assurances in the name of the duke of Burgundy, in like manner as had been done at Amiens.

To this town the lord de Fosseux had previously marched, and caused the mayor, sheriffs, and commonalty, to be harangued by master Robert le jeune, advocate and counsellor to the

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