!

some time, when the count de Nevers was so much restored to the count's good graces that, on his departure, the count de Charolois wrote to the officers of the different towns he was to pass through, to show him the same honours and attention as if he had come himself in person; and this was done in all the towns he came to.

From St. Omer, the count de Charolois went to Boulogne, and thence to Rue, to Abbeville, to Amiens, to Corbie, and to Peronne, in all which places he was most honourably received, although several of these towns were dissatisfied that they no longer belonged to the king of France. During the stay he made at Peronne, he was informed that the king was raising a greater army than he had ever done, and that it was marvellous the quantity of artillery he had cast: he had even taken the bells from some steeples to have them cast into serpentines and other artillery. At the same time, the king was writing the most affectionate letters to the count, as to his dearest friend; but the count did not put too much confidence in these appearances, always suspecting the changeful temper of the king. In consequence, he had it proclaimed through his father's dominions, that every one that had been accustomed to bear arms should be ready to join the king on the 15th day of June, in Normandy, to oppose the landing of the English, who would then attempt it with a considerable army.

This was the report the king had caused to be spread over the realm, and that the English were making great preparations to invade the duchy of Normandy the ensuing summer, although he knew to the contrary; but his projects were pointed at other objects than what was generally imagined. He had sent the bastard of Bourbon to England some time before, and, by means of a large sum of money given to the English, had obtained a truce between the two nations for twelve months. The count, nevertheless, had a conference with the English at St. Omer, whither he sent his bastard-brother of Burgundy, as his representative, to meet the earl of Warwick and other lords from England, to obtain the alliance of the king of England and the English nation, should the king of France make war upon him, as, from his preparations, was too apparent.

CHAPTER CXXXVIII. THE LIEGEOIS IN DINANT BREAK THE PEACE, AND RECOMMENCE THE WAR AGAINST THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.-DINANT IS BESIEGED AND BATTERED WITH CANNON.

[A. D. 1466.]

BETWEEN Easter and the middle of August, in this year, so many marriages took place in the county of Artois, and the adjoining countries, that the like was not heard of in the memory of man.

Early in this year, those of Dinant, tired of the peace which they had obtained by their humble solicitations from the duke of Burgundy, and having their courage puffed up by those more inclined to war than peace, suffered many evil-disposed persons, that had been banished, to return to their town, who were eager for all kinds of mischief. They soon after sallied out of Dinant, and overrun and pillaged many villages in Hainault and Namur, which they afterward burned, violated churches and monasteries, committing, in short, every wickedness. The duke of Burgundy, on hearing this, instantly ordered a greater assembly of men-at-arms than he had ever before made, to be at Namur on the 28th day of July. But, notwithstanding the summons was so pressing, the men-at-arms delayed as much as possible to equip and prepare themselves; nor did they offer to assist in mounting their poorer brethren, being doubtful of the expense, and remembering, that in the preceding campaign, they had been badly paid. The duke was told of this backwardness while at table, the beginning of July, and was so much vexed that in his passion he kicked the table from him, saying, that he saw clearly how much he was governed, and that he was no longer the master; for that he had paid last year for the army upwards of two hundred thousand crowns from his treasury, and he knew not how they had been spent. The more he spoke, the more angry he grew, insomuch that, at last, he dropped to the ground, from rage and apoplexy. It was, for three days, thought that he could never recover, but it happened otherwise.

1

He then issued another summons, commanding all to obey it instantly, on pain of death. While this was passing, the count de Charolois was at Peronne, and had renewed the tax on salt, which he had abolished on his march to France, to the great joy of the people; but this renewal changed their joy to grief, and caused great discontents, because the count had ordered the arrears of this tax, during the year it had been abolished, to be collected. The duke of Burgundy was busily employed in his preparations to march the army against Liege, and had ordered copies of the sentence of excommunication which the pope had given against those of Dinant to be stuck against the doors of all the churches throughout his dominions.-This excommunication had been issued against those of Dinant, their allies, and accomplices, as a punishment for the numerous evils they were daily committing, contrary to the treaty of peace, and for their disobedience to the holy apostolical see.

Ceremony of FIXING A PAPAL BULL to the door of a Church. Designed from contemporary authorities:-The figures: illustrate the general Ecclesiastical Costume of the period.

By this sentence, the pope gave permission to the duke of Burgundy and his allies to punish them, and force their obedience; for the doing of which, they would obtain a full pardon for their sins, as ministers of the church. In this sentence, the pope had forbidden divine service to be performed in the churches of Dinant. Nevertheless, those in Dinant, obstinate in their wills and opinions, and disobedient to the commands of the head of the church, constrained their priests to perform divine service, and to chaunt the mass as before; but, as some priests would not act contrary to the positive interdict of the pope, they drowned them.

Just as the duke's army was ready to march to Dinant, the bastard de St. Pol, lord de Hautbourdin, who, like the others, was fully prepared for this march, was suddenly taken ill, and the disorder became so serious that he died of it, which was a great pity and loss, for he was valiant and prudent, and one of the best warriors the duke had in his army, handsome above all others, and a knight of the Golden Fleece. Toward the beginning of August, the duke of Burgundy's army was ready to march to Namur, according to the orders

he had issued for all who loved him to follow him thither. This was the largest army that had been seen, for it was more than as numerous again as that which had marched to France: indeed, common report said, they were upwards of thirty thousand who received pay. The principal nobles in it were the count de Charolois, the count de St. Pol constable of France, the lord de Ravenstein, the three sons of the count de St. Pol, the two bastards of Burgundy, the count de Nassau, and so many barons, lords, knights and gentlemen, that it would be tiresome to name them all. The marshal of Burgundy was also there, but in his private capacity, for the army of Burgundy had remained at home. The duke of Burgundy would likewise be present, and went from Brussels to Namur on the 14th day of August. The army soon marched from Namur toward Dinant, where a skirmish ensued in the suburbs of that town, between about three hundred of the Burgundians, commanded by the count de Charolcis and the marshal of Burgundy, and the townsmen, who sallied out to the attack. This was renewed twice or thrice, but the townsmen were always repulsed. It was horrible to see the engines that were used in the town, although they killed none, and three or four of the townsmen were slain. The count de St. Pol, sir James his brother, with numbers of other lords, advanced on the other side of the Meuse in all diligence; while the lord de Saveuses was posted at Bovines, a tolerably good town in the county of Namur, about half a league from Dinant.

News was brought to the army, that the Liegeois had mustered their forces, which amounted to full forty thousand combatants, of whom they had sent four thousand to Dinant, and had boasted in Liege, that if Dinant were besieged, they would raise the siege or die in the attempt. On the 18th of August, the whole of the Burgundian army moved toward Dinant, having their baggage in the centre. The lord de Cohen bore the standard of the bastard of Burgundy, who commanded the van, the count de Charolois having the main body under his orders, and the count de Marle, grandly attended, had charge of the rear battalion. On its near approach to Dinant, the garrison briskly played off their artillery, while a detachment made a sally, and set fire to a large farm-house above an abbey; but they were roughly treated on their return: they hastened to the town as quickly as they could, and abandoned their suburbs, so that the duke's men were near entering the town with them. In this manner were the suburbs of Dinant won, although inclosed by a ditch and good walls as strong as those of a town. In these suburbs was a handsome church of the Franciscans, a nunnery, a parish church, and beyond them an abbey of white monks.

In gaining this advantage, the count de Charolois lost not more than five or six men. When these suburbs had been won on the side toward Bovines, those in the town lost no time to set fire to those on the opposite side, before the count de St. Pol could advance thither, and made it impracticable for any lodgement to be made there. On the following night, the count de Charolois fixed his quarters in the abbey of white monks, and had a bombard pointed against the gate of the town; and within the inclosures of the Franciscans a large detachment was posted, who kept up a good guard during the night. This bombard battered the gate so well that it broke it down, but the inhabitants lost no time in walling of it up with stones and bags of earth. In another quarter, the constable, who was quartered on the river side, below the mountain, battered down with his artillery a corner tower that terminated that side of the wall.

CHAPTER CXXXIX.-DINANT IS FORCED TO SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.- -THE TREATMENT IT RECEIVES, FOR A PERPETUAL EXAMPLE TO OTHER TOWNS IN A LIKE SITUATION.

On the ensuing Tuesday, all the walls of the abbey of the Franciscans, and the other inclosures, were thrown down, to erect a battery against the town; and the artillery was briskly played on both sides. Four of the count de Charolois' men were killed by arrows from the walls, and among others the master-cannonier of the bombard, as he was picking

*John de Berghes, lord of Cohan.

up a rod from the ground. The Burgundian army now advanced nearer the walls, and the count de Charolois posted himself at the Cordeliers, only a stone's cast from the gate,and this day the duke his father came from Namur to Bovines. Provision was now so dear in the army that a twopenny loaf sold for twelve pence, and other food in proportion,-and they were forced to go three or four leagues to seek forage for their horses.

The batteries having been completed, the town was summoned to surrender to the duke of Burgundy; but they within replied, that they had no such intention, continuing their abusive language against the duke and his son even more than before. Speaking of the duke, they said, "What has put it in the head of that old dotard, your duke, to come hither to die? Has he lived long enough to come and die here miserably! and your count, little Charley, what! he is come to lay his bones here also? Let him return to Montlehery and combat the king of France, who will come to our succour: do not think that he will fail in the promise he has made us.-Charley is come hither in an unlucky hour: he has too yellow a beak; aud the Liegeois will soon make him dislodge with shame." With such villanous language did the Dinanters address the duke and his son,—and they mado use of many other expressions tiresome to relate, and which they incessantly continued, proceeding from bad to worse. Those of Bovines, as good neighbours, sent letters to Dinant before the siege commenced, to advise them to surrender to the duke, before a siege took place; but, out of spite, they had the messengers who brought these letters publicly beheaded.

Notwithstanding this outrage, those of Bovines, desirous to save them, sent an innocent child with other letters to the magistrates, by which they again admonished them to make their peace with the duke before he approached nearer, to avoid the evil consequences that would inevitably follow their obstinacy. The wicked people, instead of listening to such friendly counsel, put the innocent child to death, from spite to the duke and the townsmen of Bovines. Some say, that, in their rage, they tore the poor child limb from limb. Other outrages and insults they had committed before they were besieged; but when they knew that a siege would commence, once, in particular, they went in a large body to Bovines, and over the town-ditch, which was stinking, and full of all kind of filth and venomous creatures, they threw a plank, on which they seated an effigy of the duke of Burgundy, clothed in his arms, bawling out to those in Bovines, "See! here is the seat of that great toad your duke!" Of this and many other villanous insults on the father and son, they were duly informed, which only served to irritate them the more, and to make them the more eager to take vengeance on such wicked people.

When the batteries began to play on the town, which they did in a most terrible manner, for three or four hours together, neither man nor woman therein knew where to shelter themselves. The smoke was so thick, and the fire so terrible, that it resembled a hell, and very many were killed by the balls. In the mean time, the duke had constructed, at Bovines, two bridges of wood, to throw over the Meuse, to surround and attack them on all sides. On Friday, the walls and towers were so greatly damaged that eight of the principal inhabitants came, under passports, to the army, hoping to negotiate a peace, but they could not succeed. On the Saturday it was ordered that every man should be prepared to storm the town on the morrow, and provide himself with a faggot to fill the ditches. But when the day arrived, the duke would not have it then stormed, but ordered the batteries to continue their fire. This was so severe, that the garrison now despaired of their lives and fled. The inhabitants would now have surrendered, on having their lives spared, but the duke would not grant it! At this moment happened an unfortunate accident, by a spark falling into a barrel of powder, which had been left uncovered. The explosion killed twenty or thirty of the count's men, and burnt or wounded many more; but they afterward recovered.

The bishop of Liege, then resident at Huy*, sent information to the duke his uncle, that thirty or forty thousand men had left Liege, with the intent to raise the siege of Dinant, and advised him to be on his guard. The duke, on this, called a council of war,-and he

*Huy, on the Meuse, twelve miles from Liege.

was advised to storm the town before the Liegeois could come to its relief; and orders were given to this effect, although it was about five o'clock in the afternoon. The townsmen, however, fearful, from the demolition of their walls and towers, that they could not make any defence, if stormed, and that, if they were taken, they would be all put to death, surrendered to the duke, bringing the keys to the bastard of Burgundy, who sent them to the count de Charolois,-but he would not receive them until he had had the consent of his father.

This same night the bastard of Burgundy took possession of the castle of Dinant, which was delivered up to him. The marshal of Burgundy and other lords took possession of the different gates, and with their men, entered the town, which they guarded that night. The count de Charolois would have entered the place on the morrow at mid-day; but he wished first to know the intentions of his father concerning it, and would have waited on him for that purpose; but he was advised to the contrary, as he was told the duke had resolved to destroy it! The count, on hearing this, abandoned the town to plunder, when a scene of the greatest confusion ensued; for each wanted to save the pillage to himself, and to guard it in his respective quarters; but the strongest had the advantage, and murder and every sort of misery were now exhibited throughout the place. Each made his host prisoner, although he had been robbed before of his whole fortune,-and immensely rich was the plunder made, for Dinant was one of the most wealthy and strongest towns in all those parts; and this enormous wealth was the cause of its ruin, for it had filled the inhabitants with pride and insolence, so that they feared not God, nor the church, nor any prince on earth, and this may be supposed to be the cause why God suffered them to be thus punished.

The Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday were wholly employed in plundering the town,-and boat-loads of effects were on the river,-and the streets were crowded with waggons full of goods, and every man was carrying off on his back all that he could bear. Many of the men-at-arms gained riches enough to support them for three or four years. Inquiry was then made after those in the town who had been the most forward in their insulting language to the duke and his son. Some were discovered, who were tied back to back, and thrown into the Meuse, where they perished. The count ordered the chief cannonier of the town to be arrested, and hung on the mountain above the church, and those who had been most culpable in renewing the war to be drowned in the river.

From the moment the town had been given up to pillage, the count de Charolois had it proclaimed, that whoever should violate a woman should be instantly punished with death; but, notwithstanding this, three were arrested, and found guilty of this crime. The count ordered them to be marched thrice along the ranks, that every one might take warning from them, and then they were hanged on a gibbet. He swore, at the same time, that should any others be guilty of the like crime, whether noble or not, they should suffer a similar punishment; which prevented any woman, in future, being forced against her will. The count ordered all the women and children out of the town, and had them escorted as far as the city of Liege; but it was most melancholy to hear and see their pitiful lamentations on being driven from their town, and there was no heart so hardened but had compassion on them.

On Friday, the 28th day of August, when the town was quite emptied of its wealth, and the houses and churches unroofed, and the lead carried away, a fire broke out at the lodgings of the lord de Ravenstein, near to the church of Our Lady, about an hour after midnight; but it was not known whether it had happened accidentally, or had been done on purpose, to force the men-at-arms out of the place, or to burn such as remained. The count, however, ordered it to be extinguished by all who could assist, and great exertions were made to accomplish it; but, in the mean time, it spread to the town house, in which was a magazine full of powder, that caught fire, and exploded with such force as to break through the roof of the church of Our Lady; but as this was arched with stone, the fire did not extend rapidly; and some relics, and the ornaments of the church, were saved: all of them that came to the count's knowledge he had carried to Bovines; for many had been stolen and taken away before he came thither. Great numbers were burnt by this fire; and their