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retired to our countries of Flanders and Artois, and to our very dear brother the count of Hainault, to explain to our well-beloved nephew, my lord the dauphin, lately deceased, whose soul may God receive! the honesty of our intentions, and the bad consequences that would infallibly ensue if the present public measures were continued. We did not expect

to have done this immediately, because our foresaid lord and nephew was in Holland, and could not instantly come to us in Hainault, from the dangers of the sea: nevertheless, on his arrival at Valenciennes we waited on him, and explained fully many matters, and our desire for a general peace with all so inclined, excepting king Louis of Sicily, with whom we had cause for quarrel that greatly affected our honour and estate with these explanations he was very well satisfied, as was our aforesaid brother. For the more effectually accomplishing this peace, and for the better considering of other public affairs, they went from Valenciennes to St. Quentin, in the Vermandois, and thence to Compiegne; but these wicked ministers, by their deceits, attempted to detain our brother in Paris, when he was about to proceed on his journey toward Compiegne, with an earnest desire of attending to the before-mentioned business, not supposing that any attempt would be made against his person while he was endeavouring to conclude measures of such interesting importance. They would, however, have succeeded in their attempt, had not his good sense provided a timely remedy, by hastily leaving Paris with few attendants. He arrived at Compiegne early in the day, although the distance from Paris is twenty leagues. Soon after his arrival, a grievous misfortune befel us; for about vespers of that same day, our very dear lord and nephew was taken so dangerously ill that he shortly after expired, having his checks, tongue, and lips greatly swelled, and his eyes starting out of his head,-in such wise that it was a most melancholy sight, considering that such are the usual appearances of those who die by poison. These aforesaid rapacious ministers poisoned him, as they had done our very redoubted lord and son his brother, which we now relate with grief, believing firmly that all the honest and good men of the kingdom will be sorely displeased when they shall hear of these deaths.

"In this state remained public affairs while these infamous poisoners, who governed the realm, would not listen to our terms of peace, nor take pity on the poor people of France, destroyed through their quarrels. In truth, the tempers of these men must be wretched, who are only desirous of evil, and who have broken or infringed six treaties, solemnly sworn to, namely, those of Chartres, Bicêtre, Auxerre, Pontoise, Paris, and of Rouvres in Burgundy. We shall not detail, at this moment, how these treaties have been broken,— for it would take too much time, and it is notorious to every one. We only mention the circumstance, that you may be thoroughly acquainted with the wickedness of these false, disloyal and perjured traitors, who add murder, rapine and poison to their crimes, who are without faith, and made up of treasons and cruelty. We also make known to you, that we, in former times, bore patiently, as became us, all the insults and persecutions that were heaped on our person,-having in our memory, what is to be found in history both sacred and profane, that it was usual for the friends of God and of the public good to be bitterly persecuted for their virtuous actions.

"Nevertheless, it is our fixed intention to follow up our measures, with the aid of our Creator, and our whole force, with that of our relations, friends, vassals, and well-wishers to the king and crown of France; and to prosecute to conviction those who are guilty of these poisonings, their accomplices and adherents, so long as God shall grant us life. At the same time also, we shall urge on those reforms of grievances already begun by us, that press so heavily on the poor people under the names of gabelles, tithes and other exactions; and we have determined to employ every force we can collect to obtain so desirable an object. "To this end, we entreat and summon you, on the faith and obedience you owe to my aforesaid lord, and on your love of the public weal, to eschew the crime of high treason,— and require that you, and each of you, do aid, counsel and assist in the punishment of these destroyers of the noble house of France, who are guilty of murders, treasons and poisonings, as you are bounden to do by every law natural and divine. By your conduct, we shall know whether you possess charity, loyalty, virtue, and the fear of God,-and whether you be desirous of repressing cruelty, disloyalty, vanity and avarice. This can alone save the

kingdom of France from ruin. By this alone, my lord the king will recover his power, and be obeyed and honoured, which is the utmost extent of our wishes in this world, and which it seems to us you should be most desirous of also. Thus the kingdom will be at peace, the churches supported, the wicked punished, and the injuries done to the people will cease. Surely these are objects more worthy and fit to occupy your attention than seeking the favour of these false and infamous traitors in contempt of the grace of God.

"Doubt not of our intention to revenge the insults that have been shown us; for we promise, on the faith and loyalty we owe to God, to our aforesaid lord, and to the public welfare of his realm, that our sole bent and will is to prevent, to the utmost of our power, my aforesaid lord and his kingdom from being completely destroyed, which these disloyal traitors are compassing to accomplish,—and that satisfactory justice be done on them, according to the advice and opinions of those who shall assist us in these our intentions. For this end, we offer peace to all who shall be inclined to accept of it from us, excepting Louis, king of Sicily, for the better prosecution of our intentions to support the king and his realm,-being resolved to persist in these loyal measures until death, without offering any conciliatory terms to these profligate traitors and poisoners. This business has been too long delayed; for it may be clearly seen that the aforesaid traitors are determined on the total ruin of the royal house of France and the whole of the nobility, and that they are resolved to deliver up the kingdom to foreigners; but we have firm reliance and hope in God, who knows the secrets of every heart! that we shall obtain a happy issue to our enterprise by means of the good and faithful subjects of the realm, whom in this case we will support to the utmost of our power, and maintain for ever in the fullest enjoyment of their liberties and franchises. We will also exert ourselves that in future no taxes, impositions and gabelles, may be ever again paid in France; and we will proceed against all who shall say or act to the contrary by fire and sword, whether they be universities, corporations, chapters, colleges, nobles, or any others, of whatever condition they may be.

"In testimony whereof, we have signed these presents with our own hand and our privy seal, in the absence of the great seal, in our castle of Hesdin, the 24th day of April, 1417, after Easter."

These letters were sent to the towns of Montreuil, St. Riquier, Abbeville, Dourlens, Amiens, Corbie, St. Quentin, Roye, Mondidier, Beauvais, and to many other places; and by their means several principal towns and corporations were strongly excited against those who then governed the king.

CHAPTER CLXVI.-SIR LOUIS BOURDON, KNIGHT, IS ARRESTED AND EXECUTED.—THE QUEEN OF FRANCE IS BANISHED TO BLOIS, AND THENCE TO TOURS.

ABOUT this time, while the queen of France resided with her court at the castle of Vincennes, she was visited by the king her lord. On his return to Paris in the evening, he met sir Louis Bourdon, knight, coming thence, and going to Vincennes, who, on passing very near the king, made a slight inclination of his head as he rode by, and gaily pursued his road. The king instantly ordered the provost of Paris to follow and arrest him, and to take especial care to give a good account of him. The provost performed his duty inobeying this command, and confined sir Louis in the Châtelet of Paris, where he was, by command of the king, very severely tortured, and then drowned in the Seine.*

Some few days after, by orders from the king, the dauphin, and those who governed in Paris, the queen, accompanied by her sister-in-law the duchess of Bavaria, was banished to Blois, and thence to reside at Tours in Touraine, with a very private establishment. She was placed under the guard of master William Torel, master John Picard, and master

*The count of Armagnac had persuaded the king to believe that Sir Louis de Bourdon had been guilty of certain gallantries with the queen. It is uncertain whether there was any foundation for the report, but the former behaviour of Isabella towards the duke of Orleans cer

tainly laid her open to suspicion. From this moment she did not hesitate to intrigue with the duke of Burgundy, even against the dauphin, being willing to sacrifice her own son, to revenge herself upon her enemies.

Laurence du Puys, without whose consent she could not do anything, not even write a letter, however pressing the occasion. She thus lived a considerable time very unpleasantly, expecting, however, daily to receive worse treatment. The dauphin, by the advice of his ministers, took possession of the immense sums of money the queen had placed in different hands in Paris. The three above-mentioned warders of the queen had been appointed by those who governed the king and the dauphin, to prevent her from intriguing or plotting anything to their prejudice.

CHAPTER

CLXVII. THE COMMONALTY

OF ROUEN PUT ΤΟ DEATH THEIR BAILIFF, SIR RAOUL DE GAUCOURT.-THEY SEIZE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN.-THE ARRIVAL OF THE DAUPHIN AT ROUEN.

In these days, by the instigation of the partisans of the duke of Burgundy, some wicked persons of the lower ranks in the town of Rouen rose in rebellion. The leader was one Alain Blanchart, who was afterward governor of the town. They first went armed, and with staves, to the house of the king's bailiff, sir Raoul de Gaucourt*, knight, at whose door they knocked loudly, and said to those within (although it was about ten o'clock at night), "We want to speak to my lord the bailiff, to deliver up to him a traitor whom we have just arrested in the town;" the servants bade them detain their prisoner in safe custody until the morrow: however, in consequence of their importunity and violence, the door was opened to them. The bailiff instantly arose from his bed, and, having wrapped himself up in a large cloak, came to speak to them; but he had no sooner made his appearance, than some of the party, who had disguised their faces, cruelly murdered him. They then left the house, and went to that of his lieutenant, John Leger, whom they also put to death, and thence to different parts of the town, and killed ten other persons; but many of the municipal officers, such as the viscount and receiver-general, having had information of what was passing, fled to the castle, into which they were admitted by sir James de Bourbon the governor.

On the morrow morning, the commonalty again assembled in great numbers, and marched in arms to the castle, with the intent of forcing an entrance, but were prevented by the governor, who had under his command one hundred of the king's troops to defend it. At length, after many parleys, it was agreed that sixteen of the most notable citizens should be admitted, to remonstrate with the governor on some matters that much concerned him. Upon their admittance, they offered many excuses for the murder of the bailiff and of the others, declaring that the whole commonalty of the town would be rejoiced if the perpetrators could be discovered and punished. They were greatly alarmed as to the conduct of the king and the dauphin when they should hear of these deaths, and requested the governor would permit them to have the guard of the castle, but it was refused. They then required that the gate which led to the country should be shut up, which was also refused. Upon this they declared, that should the king and the dauphin attempt to enter their town with an army, admittance should be denied,—at the same time beseeching the governor to apologise for them to the king and the dauphin. The governor replied, that he would make excuses for them in proper time and place, provided they did not refuse to admit them into the town should they come thither.

After this conversation, the citizens returned home; and, a few days after, what they dreaded came to pass,-for the dauphin marched two thousand men out of Paris to Pont-del'Arche, whence he sent the archbishop of Rouen, brother to the count de Harcourt, to that town, to exhort the inhabitants to a due sense of obedience.

On the archbishop's arrival at Rouen, he found several of the canons of the cathedral church under arms, and intermixed with the citizens, to whom he displayed the proclamation of the dauphin. They in answer said, that it had been unanimously decreed that he should not enter the town with his army; but that if he would come with few attendants, and engage to pay his expenses, they would agree to it, but not otherwise. The archbishop, *Raoul V., lord de Gaucourt. His son, Raoul VI., was grand-master of France.

seeing he could not conclude anything satisfactory, returned to the dauphin, and related all he had seen and heard. Upon this the dauphin sent for sir James de Bourbon, and fixed his quarters at St. Catherine's on the hill. On the arrival on sir James he said, "Cousin, return to your castle, and admit by the gate leading to the country two hundred men-atarms, and as many archers, whom we will send thither." The townsmen were greatly

[graphic]

CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE-DAME, ROUEN.-Murder of the Bailiff.-From an original drawing.

enraged on hearing of this reinforcement being admitted into the castle; however, within three days, the dauphin, by negotiation, entered Rouen with his whole army; he rode straight to the cathedral to offer up his prayers, and thence to the castle, where he was lodged.

In the course of eight days, a treaty was made with the townsmen, which confirmed them in their obedience,-for all that had passed was pardoned, with the exception of the actual murderers of the bailiff. The dauphin, having paid his expenses, departed for Paris with his army, where he appointed the lord de Gamaches *, bailiff of Rouen, with orders to inflict exemplary punishment on such of the murderers as should be duly convicted. Some of them were punished; but Alain Blanchart absented himself for some time; and when he returned to the town he enjoyed great authority and power, as shall hereafter be related.

John de Roualt, lord of Gamache and Boismenard.

CXLVIII.-THE

DEATH OF LOUIS KING OF SICILY.-THE CONDUCT OF THE LEADERS OF
OVERTHROW OF RAYMONNET DE LA GUERRE. THE DESTRUCTION

COMPANIES.-THE

OF THE TOWN OF AUMALE.

In these days, king Louis, father-in-law to the dauphin, died, leaving three sons and two daughters, Louis*, who succeeded to his crown, René, afterward duke of Bart, and Charles. One of his daughters was married to the dauphin §, and the other, named Yolande, was but two years old. By his death the dauphin lost an able counsellor and friend; the more to be lamented, as the greatest confusion now reigned in many parts of France, and justice was trampled under foot.

The foreigners also that were attached to the party of the duke of Burgundy, such as Gastellimas Quigny, and others before-named, robbed and plundered all the countries they marched through, and every person, noble or not, even such as were of the same party as themselves. Infinite mischiefs were done by them to poor countrymen, who were grievously oppressed. These foreign companies bent their march toward the Boulonois, intending to treat it as they had done other districts; but some of the inhabitants assembled during the night, under the command of Butor, bastard of Croy, and made an attack on the quarters of the lieutenant of John de Clau, named Laurens Rose, whom they put to death, with several of his men: the rest were robbed of all they had. In revenge for this insult, the bastard de Thian, one of the captains of these companies, seized a very proper gentleman called Gadifer de Collehaut, whom he hanged on a tree. However, these strangers, seeing they were likely to be strongly opposed, speedily retreated from the Boulonois, and, shortly after took the town and castle of Davencourt belonging to the heirs of the lord de Hangest. When they had rifled it of its furniture, they set it on fire, so that it was totally destroyed, and thence marched to lay siege to Neuf-châtel sur Eusne.

Sir Raymonnet de la Guerre, and sir Thomas de Lersies bailiff of the Vermandois, collected a considerable force in the king's name to raise the siege, and to overpower these foreigners; but as their intentions were known, the besiegers marched to meet them, and in the end completely put them to the rout, taking and killing full eight-score: the remainder, with Raymonnet and sir Thomas de Lersies, saved themselves by flight, and took refuge in such of the strong towns belonging to the king as they could first gain. After this defeat, those of Neuf-châtel surrendered the town, which the foreigners, having plundered it of its valuables, set on fire, and then departed for the Cambresis, where they did infinite mischiefs. At this same period, but in another part of the kingdom, John de Fosseux¶, Daviod de Poix, Ferry de Mailly, sir Louis de Thiembronne, Louis de Varigines, Guerrard bastard de Brimeu, and some other captains of companies attached to the duke of Burgundy, crossed the Somme near to Blanchetaque, with full twelve hundred combatants, and, passing through Oisemont, went to Aumale, belonging to the count de Harcourt. They quartered themselves in the town, and then made a sharp assault on the castle; but it was so well defended by the garrison, that very many of the assailants were dreadfully wounded. When they were retreating, and during the night, they, through mischief or otherwise, set fire to the town, which, with the church, was completely burnt. It was a great pity, for it was a town that carried on a very considerable commerce. John de Fosseux and his accomplices then marched away to quarter themselves in the town of Hornoy, and in the adjacent villages in the county of Vimeu, which district they totally plundered; and after three days, they || Yoland, married to Francis, duke of Bretagne, in 1431.

*Louis III., eldest son of Louis II., king of Sicily, &c., by Yoland, daughter of John I., king of Arragon and Yoland de Bar. Louis III. was born in 1403; adopted by Jane II., queen of Naples; married Margaret of Savoy; and died in 1434, without issue.

† René, born in 1408, duke of Lorraine, in right of his wife Isabel, daughter of Charles the Bold; and of Bar, in right of his grandmother, Yoland of Arragon.

Charles, count of Maine, &c., born in 1414.

Although the reader would, from the manner in which Monstrelet relates the actions of these captains, be led to believe that they were acting solely on their own account, as was too often the custom of the "Free Companics," yet there can be little doubt that they were acting under the orders of the duke of Burgundy, since we find that John de Fosseux was very shortly after employed by

§ Mary, married to Charles, dauphin of France, in him as his ambassador to the French towns.-ED. 1422.

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