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princes readily granted to their lord and father, who then assigned to each such lordships and estates as they were to hold after his decease, and specified the manner in which he intended they should enjoy them. All these, and various other arrangements, were wisely ordered by the duke in a manner becoming such a prince, who had a good memory in his

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last moments. When he had finished these matters, he died in this hôtel. His body was then opened, and his bowels interred in the church of our Lady at Halle; but his body being well embalmed, was placed in a leaden coffin, and carried to the towns of Douay and Arras, magnificently attended, and in a manner suitable to his rank. At Arras the corpse was placed in his chapel, where a solemn service was performed. The duchess Margaret there renounced her claim to his moveables, from fear of the debts being too great, by placing her girdle with her purse and keys on the coffin, as is the usual custom in such cases,-and demanded that this act should be put into writing by a public notary there present. The body was afterward conveyed to Burgundy, and interred in the church of the Carthusians near Dijon, which church he had founded and ornamented at his own expense. His heart was carried to the church of Saint Denis, and placed near to his royal ancestors, from whom he was descended.

The duke, in addition to the three before-mentioned sons, had three daughters, namely, the archduchess of Austria †, the countess of Holland †, wife to William count of Hainault, and the duchess of Savoy §. There were great lamentations at his death, not only by his children, but generally by the greater part of the lords of France and of his own countries; for he had prudently and ably governed the affairs of France, in conjunction with his elder brother the duke of Berry, by whom he was much regretted.

After his decease, John count of Nevers, his eldest son, took possession of the county and duchy of Burgundy: his second son, Anthony, was declared heir to the duchy of Brabant, after the death of his great aunt the duchess, who immediately resigned to him the duchy of The heiress of Flanders, mentioned in the preceding

page.

† Catherine, married to Leopold the Proud, duke of Austria.

Margaret, married to William of Bavaria, (VI. of the name), count of Holland and Hainault.

§ Mary, married to Amadeus VIII. first duke of Savoy, afterwards pope by the name of Felix V.

Limbourg*. Philip, his third son, inherited the county of Nevers and barony of Draxi, but not to enjoy them during the life of his mother. The three brothers began to govern their territories with a high hand, and held many councils together, and with their most confidential advisers, on the manner in which they should conduct themselves towards the king their sovereign lord.

CHAPTER XIX.-WALERAN COUNT DE ST. POL LANDS A LARGE FORCE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT, TO MAKE WAR AGAINST ENGLAND, BUT RETURNS WITHOUT HAVING PERFORMED ANY GREAT DEEDS.

In this year, Waleran count de St. Pol assembled at Abbeville, in Ponthieu, about sixteen hundred fighting men,-among whom were numbers of the nobility, who had made great provision of salted meats, biscuit, wines, brandy, butter, flour, and other things necessary on board of ships. From Abbeville the count led them to the port of Harfleur, where they found vessels of all descriptions to receive them. When they had remained there some few days to arrange their matters, and to recommend themselves to the protection of St. Nicholas, they embarked on board these vessels, and sailed for the Isle of Wight, which lies opposite to the harbour of Southampton. They landed on the island, making a bold countenance to face their enemies, of whom indeed they had seen but little on their landing,—for all, or at least the greater part of the islanders, had retreated to the woods and fortresses.

Several new knights were created by the count, namely, Philippe de Harcourt, Jean de Fosseux, the lord de Guiency, and others, who went to burn some miserable villages, and set fire to a few other places. During this a sensible priest of the island came to the count to treat for the ransom and security of the island, for which he gave the count to understand a very large sum of money would be paid to him and his captains. him and his captains. He too readily listened to this proposal; for it was a deception on the part of the priest to delay their operations, and amuse them with words, until the English should arrive to fight with them. Count Waleran was at length informed of this plan, and, in consequence, re embarked with his men on board the vessels; and they returned to the place whence they had come, without doing anything more. Many of the nobles were much displeased at this conduct, because they had expended large sums in laying in their purveyances. The countries through which his men at arms returned were greatly harassed by them,--and this caused much murmuring against the count, but no redress could be obtained.

CHAPTER XX.-LOUIS DUKE OF ORLEANS IS SENT BY THE KING TO THE POPE AT MARSEILLES. THE DUKE OF BOURBON IS ORDERED INTO LANGUEDOC, AND THE CONSTABLE INTO AQUITAINE.

THE king of France, with the advice of his great council, sent Louis duke of Orleans, accompanied by about six hundred knights, to pope Gregory, to remonstrate with him on the necessity of establishing a union in the church. He travelled through Champagne and Burgundy to Lyon, and thence to Marseilles, where the pope and his court then were. He received the duke most honourably and magnificently, and, after he had heard the object of his mission, gave him his apostolical letters, containing certain conditions, preparatory to the attempt of a union. The duke, on receiving them, took leave of the pope, and returned to Paris to the king, who had near his person the dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Brittany, and Bourbon, and many other great lords, secular and ecclesiastical. In their presence, he delivered the apostolical letters, which contained, among other things, an offer from the pope to procure the union of the whole church; and, should it be necessary, to obtain so desirable an object, his holiness was willing to resign the papacy, and to act in whatever way touching this matter his council should judge expedient, and

Limbourg, on the death of its last duke, Henry, about 1300, was purchased, by John duke of Brabant, of Adolphe count of Mons. Reginald, duke of Gueldres, claimed the

conformable to reason and justice. The king,

succession; and his pretensions gave rise to the bloody war detailed by Froissart, which ended with the battle of Wareng.

his council, the lords present, and the university, were well satisfied, when they had heard the contents of the pope's letter.

About this time, John count of Clermont, son and heir to the duke of Bourbon, was ordered by the king and council into Languedoc, and thence to carry on a war against the English in Gascony, who were very active in harassing the frontiers. He appointed Saint Flour in Auvergne as the place of rendezvous for his troops, which consisted of five hundred men at arms, and the same number of cross-bows and archers. The next in command to the count de Clermont was the viscount de Châteaubon, son to the count de Foix+. They carried on a severe warfare, and put several forts under the king's obedience,—such as the castles of St. Pierre, St. Mary, Châteauneuf, and many more. After he had left these forts well garrisoned, he concluded the campaign, and returned to the king at Paris, by whom he was most graciously received. Shortly afterward, the lord Charles d'Albret, constable of France, was sent into the duchy of Acquitaine, accompanied by Harpedane, a knight of great renown in arms. They laid siege to the castle of Carlefin §, the garrison of which had done much mischief to the king's subjects, and laid the whole adjoining country under contribution. The siege lasted for six weeks, when a treaty was concluded with the garrison by the constable, which allowed them to march out in safety with all their wealth; and he also agreed to pay them a certain sum of money, which was raised on the inhabitants of the country adjoining the castle. When the constable had garrisoned the castle with his own men, he returned to king Charles at Paris.

CHAPTER XXI.—THE DEATH OF DUKE ALBERT, COUNT OF HAINAULT, AND OF MARGARET DUCHESS OF BURGUNDY, DAUGHTER TO LOUIS EARL OF FLANDERS.

THIS year died duke Albert, count of Hainault, Holland, and Zealand. He was son to Louis of Bavaria, formerly emperor of Germany, and left issue two sons and a daughter,— namely, William, the eldest, and John, surnamed " sans pitié," who was promoted to the bishopric of Liege, notwithstanding he was not then consecrated. The daughter was married to John duke of Burgundy ||. Duke Albert was interred in the collegiate church of the Hague, in Holland. In this year also died Margaret duchess of Burgundy, widow of the late duke Philip, at her dower-house, in Arras. Her illness was very short, and she departed this life on the Friday before Midlent Sunday. Her three sons, John duke of Burgundy, Anthony duke of Limbourg, and her youngest son Philip, were in the utmost grief at this event in the town of Lille, where she was buried in the collegiate church of St. Peter, near to her father the earl Louis of Flanders.

After her decease, John duke of Burgundy succeeded to the counties of Flanders and Artois, and Philip to the county of Nevers, according to the arrangements before mentioned. Shortly after, through the management of the duke of Burgundy, the two following marriages took place: Louis duke of Aquitaine, dauphin, and son to the king of France, with Margaret, eldest daughter to the duke of Burgundy,-and Philip count de Charolois, only son and heir to the above duke, with Michelle daughter to the king of France. These matches had been talked of during the life of the late duke Philip, and were very agreeable

John, son of Louis the Good, duke of Bourbon, so celebrated in the Chronicles of Froissart. The family was descended from Robert, count of Clermont, son of St. Louis, who married the heiress of the ancient lords of the Bourbonnois. Louis, son of Robert, had two sons, Peter, the eldest (father of duke Louis the Good,) through whom descended the first line of Bourbon and that of Montpensier, both of which became extinct in the persons of Susannah, duchess of Bourbon, and Charles, count of Montpensier, her husband, the famous constable of France, killed at the siege of Rome. James, the younger son of Louis I., was founder of the second line of Bourbon. John, count of la Marche, his son, became count of Vendôme in right of his wife, the heiress of that county. Anthony, fifth in lineal descent, became king of Navarre, in right also of his wife,

VOL. I.

and is well known as father of Henry IV. king of France.

Matthew, count of Foix, the unsuccessful competitor for the crown of Arragon, was succeeded by his sister Isabel, the wife of Archambaud de Greilly, son of the famous captal de Buch, who became count of Foix in her right. His son John, here called viscount de Châteaubon, was his successor.

Charles d'Albret, count of Dreux and viscount of Tartas, constable, lineal ancestor of John, king of Navarre. § Carlefin. Q. Carlat ?

Duke Albert had four other children not mentioned in this history, viz. Albert, who died young; Catherine, married to the duke of Gueldres; Anne, wife of the emperor Wenceslaus; and Jane, married to Albert IV., duke of Austria, surnamed the Wonder of the World.

D

to the king, the queen, and the princes of the blood, excepting the duke of Orleans, whom they displeased. From that time, and indeed somewhat before, there were appearances of jealousy and dislike between these two princes of Orleans and Burgundy; and whatever seeming affection they may have shown to each other, there was no sincere love. These jealousies were fomented in great measure by the various reports which were carried to each, by their different dependants. The above-mentioned marriages, however, were agreed on, and proper acts drawn up, signed and mutually interchanged, for the security of them, between all the parties.

A very heavy tax was about this time imposed on all the inhabitants throughout France, by the king and his council at Paris; but the duke of Burgundy would not consent that it should be levied,—which conduct gained him universal popularity throughout the kingdom.

CHAPTER XXII.—JOHN DUKE oF BURGUNDY, AFTER THE DEATH OF THE DUCHESS MARGARET, IS RECEIVED BY THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS IN FLANDERS AS THEIR LORD. [A. D. 1405.]

Ar the commencement of this year, the duke of Burgundy, having paid his duty to the king of France at Paris, set out for Flanders, attended by his brothers and a large company of the nobles of that country. He was most honourably and kindly received everywhere by his subjects, who made him handsome presents, more especially those of Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, and other great towns. They took the usual oaths of fidelity to him, promising to serve him faithfully, as they were bound to do. He then forbade all his subjects to pay the tax last imposed at Paris by the king and his council, as has been mentioned. This conduct greatly increased the hatred the duke of Orleans bore him,--for at that time the public affairs were governed according to his pleasure, insomuch that a stop was put to the marriages before mentioned, between the children of the king and the duke of Burgundy; and the duke of Orleans was desirous to find out some other match for his nephew, the duke of Aquitaine, which highly displeased the duke of Burgundy when it came to his knowledge.

The duke instantly sent his ambassadors to the king, the queen, and the great council,but they had no very agreeable answer to bring back to their master, by reason of which they returned as speedily as they could to Flanders. Having heard their account, he consulted his most confidential ministers as to the manner in which he should act. They advised him to set out immediately for Paris, for that, being on the spot, he could pursue his business with the king and council with more urgency, and greater expectation of success, than by ambassadors. He assented to this advice, and made his preparations to go thither as speedily as he could.

At this period, pope Benedict XIII.*, who resided and kept his court in the county of Provence, imposed a tax of a tenth on his clergy. This tax was intended to hasten the union of our holy mother church, and was to be paid at two terms, namely, at Easter, and on the feast of St. Remy.

CHAPTER XXIII.-DUKE WILLIAM

COUNT OF HAINAULT PRESIDES AT A COMBAT FOR LIFE

OR DEATH, IN HIS TOWN OF QUESNOY, IN WHICH ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS IS SLAIN.

A MORTAL Combat was this year fought in the town of Quesnoy, in the presence of duke William count of Hainault, judge of the field, between a gentleman named Bournecte, of the county of Hainault, appellant, and another gentleman called Sohier Bunaige, of the county of Flanders. The cause of quarrel was, that Bournecte declared and maintained that Sohier had killed and murdered one of his near relations; and in this case, duke William had ordered lists to be prepared at his expense, as was usual in such like instances. The duke had in vain attempted several times to reconcile them,—but finding them unwilling to consent, he ordered them to appear before him at a certain time and place, to decide their difference by combat.

* Peter de Luna, antipope of Avignon, elected after the death of Clement VIL

On the appointed day, the appellant entered the lists, accompanied by some of his nearest kindred, and was soon followed by the defendant. Proclamation was then made in the duke's name, by a herald, that no one should dare to give any hindrance to the combatants, under pain of death,—and then the champions were told to do their duty. After this last proclamation, the appellant first left his pavilion, and advanced to meet the defendant. When they had thrown each their lances without effect, they drew their swords, and fought for a short time; but Bournecte soon overcame his adversary, and made him publicly avow the truth of the charge he had made against him, and for which he had called him to the combat. The vanquished man was speedily condemned by the duke to be beheaded; which sentence was instantly executed, and the conqueror led in triumph to his hôtel. He was greatly honoured and respected by all the nobility,—and it was reported that the duke of Orleans had been present at this combat in disguise.

CHAPTER XXIV.THE COUNT DE SAINT POL MARCHES AN ARMY BEFORE THE CASTLE OF MERCQ, WHERE THE ENGLISH FROM CALAIS MEET AND DISCOMFIT HIM.

In the month of May of this year, Waleran de Luxembourg, count de Ligny and de St. Pol, governor for the king of France in Picardy, assembled in that country and in the Boulonois from four to five hundred men at arms, five hundred Genoese cross-bows, and about one thousand Flemings on foot, from the country about Gravelines. He marched them from St. Omer to Tournehem, and thence advanced to lay siege to a castle called Mercq, in the possession of the English, who from that place, and other garrisons, had greatly harassed the Boulonois and the adjacent countries. The count caused many engines to be erected against this castle, which much annoyed the garrison, who defended themselves courageously. The count saw he could not gain the place by storm without great difficulty and loss of men, and in consequence lodged his army in the houses of the town that were surrounded by old ditches, which he had repaired to secure himself against his enemies, as well from Calais as from other garrisons. On the morrow, he made an attack on the lower court of the castle, which was carried by storm; and the assailants gained great numbers of horses, cows, sheep, and mares. At this attack, sir Robert de Birengueville, knight, was wounded so that he died shortly after.

On this same day, about one hundred men at arms sallied out from Calais, and having viewed the French at their ease, returned to their town, and instantly sent a herald to the count de St. Pol to say, that on the morrow they would dine with him, if he would have the goodness to wait for them. The herald returned with the answer, that if they would come, they should be received, and find the dinner ready. On the morrow, very early, two hundred men at arms, two hundred archers, and about three hundred men on foot, lightly armed, marched out of Calais. They carried with them ten or twelve carts laden with wines and provision. The whole were under the command of an English knight named Richards, lieutenant-governor of Calais under the earl of Somerset, brother to Henry of Lancaster, at that time king of England†.

They advanced in good array until they were near the enemy, who, though advised of their coming by their spies, made no preparations, nor did they draw themselves up in battle without their quarters to meet them, as they should have done. They remained so long in their ditches that the English kept up a terrible discharge of arrows, by which numbers were killed and wounded, without the French being enabled to make any effectual resistance. The Flemings, and the greater part of the infantry, shortly began to give way, and take to flight from fear of the arrows,-and the men at arms soon followed their example.

*This use of the lance does not appear to have been common; no instance of the kind is related in Froissart, and indeed it is difficult to conceive how a javelin, although projected from a powerful hand, could make any impression on plate armour: it must rebound. It is indeed possible that in this case, the combatants were not fully armed, and being only esquires, the combat on horseback was not al

lowed to them.-ED.

The

† Hollingshed says, sir Phillip Hall was governor of the castle of Mercq, "having with him four score archers and four-and-twenty other soldiers." The troops from Calais were commanded by sir Richard Aston, knight, "lieutenant of the English pale for the earl of Somerset, captaingeneral of those marches."

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