lady, devout and charitable, and much regretted by all who knew her. About the beginning of March, the lady of Bar, wife to the count of St. Pol, deceased *. She left her husband four sons and several daughters. Her eldest son, Louis de Luxembourg, succeeded to the earldom of Marle, the second to that of Brienne, and the third to the lordship of Roussy. She was a very noble lady, and of high birth. At this time also died in Abbeville, a very renowned knight-in-arms, called sir Gauvain Quieret, the most adventurous of all his fraternity in war, and much beloved by his men. In this year, the duchess of Orleans †, niece to the duke of Burgundy, was brought to bed of a fine boy, to whom the king of France stood godfather, and gave him his name of Louis. The queen of England, wife to king Henry, was the godmother, who had come to require aid from her cousin-german, the king, against king Edward, who had deprived her husband of his crown. At this time, and three or four years prior to it, all sorts of crimes were committed in the country of Artois with impunity; such as robberies, thefts, violating of women, even in the great towns, and often under the eyes of officers of justice, who took no notice of the criminals, except, indeed, of some poor persons unacknowledged by any great lord! These crimes were committed in a greater degree within the city of Arras, the capital of Artois, than elsewhere; which was a shocking and infamous example to all the other parts of that country. CHAPTER CIV.-A MORE PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE FUNERAL SERVICES PERFORMED AT PARIS AND ST. DENIS, ON THE DEATH OF KING CHARLES VII. OF FRANCE. ON Magdalen-day, in the year 1461, as I have before mentioned, died king Charles VII. of France, at the castle of Mehun-sur-Yèvre, whose soul may God pardon and receive in mercy! On the following Tuesday, a solemn funeral service was performed for him in the church of St. Denis, such as has been usually performed yearly for Louis-le-Gros, formerly king of France. On the Wednesday, the 5th of August, the body of the said king was brought, at ten o'clock at night, to Paris, but left without the walls, in the church of Notre-Dame-des-Champs. Four lords of the court of parliament held the four corners of the pall, clothed in scarlet mantles: many other lords also supported the pall, dressed in crimson robes. The body was on the morrow put on a litter covered with a very rich cloth of gold, and borne by six-score salt-porters. The duke of Orleans, the count of Angoulême, the count of Eu, and the count of Dunois, were the principal mourners, all four on horseback. They were followed by the car which had brought the body from Mehun, having a black velvet pall thrown across it, which was covered with a white cross of very rich figured velvet. This car was drawn by five horses with trappings of black figured velvet, that reached to the ground, and covered them so completely that their eyes only were to be seen. After the car came six pages in black velvet, with hoods of the same, mounted on horses with trappings similar to those of the car. Before the body was the patriarch, then bishop of Avranches, who performed the services at Notre Dame and at St. Denis, as shall be mentioned hereafter. The clergy of Notre Dame, and of all the other parishes of Paris, led the procession; then came the rector of the university, followed by the members of the chamber of accounts dressed in black; then those of the court of requests, the provost of Paris, the court of the Châtelet, and the burghers of Paris, in regular order. In the front of all were the four orders of mendicant monks. The whole was closed by an innumerable quantity of people from Paris and other parts. There were two hundred wax-tapers, of four pounds weight each, borne by two hundred men dressed in black. The church of Notre Dame was hung with black silk, besprinkled with flowers de luce. The body of the king was placed in the middle of the choir, when a service for the dead * Joan de Bar, only daughter and heir of Robert count of Marle and Soissons. Her children are said by Moreri to have been John count of Marle and Soissons, who was killed in 1476 at the battle of Morat; Peter II. count of St. Pol; Anthony count of Brienne; and Charles bishop and duke of Laon. Mary, daughter of Adolphe duke of Cleves, third wife of Adolphe duke of Orleans. The infant mentioned in the text was afterwards king of France under the title of Louis XII. was performed, and the vigils chaunted. On the morrow, Friday, the 7th day of August, mass was celebrated by the patriarch; and about three o'clock in the afternoon of that day, the lords before-named attended the body, which was carried to La Croix-au-Fiens, which is between La Chapelle-St.-Denis and where the Lendit-fair is holden, when a desperate quarrel arose about carrying the body to the church, and it remained there a long time; at length the burghers of St. Denis took up the bier as it was, and wanted to carry the body to St. Denis, because the salt-porters had left it on the road, by reason of a refusal to pay them the sum of ten livres, which they demanded. The master of the horse to the king having promised payment of this sum, they carried the body into the choir of the church of St. Denis; but it was eight o'clock before it arrived there. At this hour, vespers for the dead only were chaunted for the king, and on the morrow, at six in the morning, matins, namely, Dirige, &c. There were present at St. Denis the duke and duchess of Orleans, the counts of Angoulême and of Dunois, the lords de Brosses and de Château-brun, the master of the horse, the bishop of Paris, the court of parliament, the bishop of Bayeux. The bishops of Troyes and of Chartres performed the service, and the bishop of Orleans the office. The bishops of Angers, of Beziers, of Senlis, of Meaux, the abbots of St. Germain, of St. Magloire, of St. Estienne de Dijon, of St. Victor, attended the mass,-but only one grand mass was celebrated for the king; after which, the body was interred in the chapel of his grandfather, between the body of the latter and that of his father. The choir of the church was all hung with black velvet, —and there was a most sumptuous catafalque in the centre of the choir, under which was placed the body of the late king, surrounded with as many wax tapers as it could hold. The corpse was in a cypress-wood coffin, inclosed in another of lead, and then in another of common wood, having a representation of the said king lying between two sheets on a mattress on the pall. This figure was dressed in a tunic and mantle of velvet, embroidered with flowers-de-luce, lined with ermine, holding in one hand a sceptre of the hand of Justice, and in the other a larger sceptre: it had a crown on the head, under which was a pillow of velvet. The king's officers had borne a canopy over the coffin, on eight lances, as far as the Croixau-Fiens, where they were met by eight of the Benedictine monks from St. Denis, who would have taken their places; but the equerry refused to allow it, as he said that it was not customary, for that the canopy was only borne over the body when passing through towns, but not when in the open country. When the body arrived at the gate of the town of St. Denis, it was set down, when three prayers were chaunted over it, as was done at every place where they halted; and then the canopy was given up to the monks, who bore it over the body, but in such wise that every one could plainly see the figure on the coffin. After the interment, a serious quarrel arose between the master of the horse and the monks of the abbey, respecting the pall that was under the representation of the king, which the master of the horse claimed as his fee; when at last the pall was deposited in the hands of the count de Dunois and the chancellor of France,-when it was determined by them that the pall, which was of very magnificent cloth of gold and crimson, should remain in the abbey of St. Denis, it being declared on behalf of the grand-master that whatever claim he might have to it he gave up to the church of St. Denis. The canopy, with the velvet, wax, and everything else, remained to the church, without any dispute, excepting the velvet and white cross which covered the car: these were carried away. The count de Dunois and the grand-master visited all the chapels wherein were interred any bodies of saints, and presented to each velvet and satin sufficient to cover two altars from top to bottom. In the middle of the high mass, was a sermon preached by master Thomas de Courcelles, doctor in divinity,-at which all the people bewailed and prayed for the defunct, who was then styled "Charles, the Seventh of the Name, most Victorious King of France." When the body was let down into the vault, the heralds shouted, "Long live king Louis! May God have mercy on the soul of Charles the Victorious!" Then the ushers and sergeants broke their rods, and threw them into the grave. The company, after this, went to dinner in the great hall of the abbey, where was an open table for all comers. When dinner was ended, the count de Dunois and de Longueville arose, and said with a loud voice, that he and the other servants had lost their master, and that every one must now provide for himself. This speech made every one sorrowful, and not without cause, more especially the pages, who wept bitterly. CHAPTER CV.-THE DISGRACEFUL DEATH OF JOHN COUSTAIN, MASTER OF THE WARDROBE TO DUKE PHILIP OF BURGUNDY.—THE CAUSE OF IT. THE DEATH OF HIS ACCUSER*. [A. D. 1462.] ON Sunday, the feast of St. James and St. Christopher, in the month of July, in the year 1462, John Coustain, master of the wardrobe to the noble duke Philip of Burgundy, was arrested and carried prisoner to Rupelmonde, for having intended to poison the count de Charolois,—with which crime he was charged by a poor gentleman from Burgundy, called John d'Juy. The said Coustain had bargained with him, for a large sum of money, to go into Piedmont, and buy for him some poison, and had told him the use he intended to make of it. When this John d'Juy was returned from Piedmont to Brussels with the poison, he demanded payment as had been agreed on; but Coustain not only refused to give him the money, but abused him in most coarse language; for this Coustain had not his equal in pride and wickedness. John d'Juy, discontented at such treatment, made his complaints to another gentleman of Burgundy, called Arquembart, and discovered to him the plot. Arquembart, much alarmed, advised him to reveal the whole of it to the count de Charolois, saying, that if he did not instantly do so, he would go and tell it himself. John d'Juy, without further delay, waited on the count, and, casting himself on his knees, humbly besought him to pardon the wickedness he was about to reveal to him, and then told him the whole truth of the intentions of John Coustain. The count was much astonished and troubled, and, hastening to his father the duke, told him all he had just heard, and demanded justice on John Coustain for his disloyalty and treason. The duke said, he should have instant justice, on which the count returned to his apartments, and ordered John d'Juy to go and surrender himself a prisoner at Rupelmonde, and wait for him there, as he would speedily follow him. On the morrow, which was the feast of St. James, as I have said, as the duke was ordering the lord d'Auxi and Philip de Crevecœur to carry John Coustain prisoner to Rupelmonde, he was playing and amusing himself in the duke's park: the duke called to him, and said that he wished he would go to Rupelmonde, with the lord d'Auxi, to answer a gentleman who had made heavy charges against his honour. Coustain answered insolently, according to his custom, that he did not fear any man on earth, and went to boot himself, and mount a fine horse, attended by four others. In this state, he went to the hôtel of the lord d'Auxi, whom he found mounted, together with Philip de Crevecœur, and fifteen or sixteen of the * Heuterus relates the subject of this chapter with some varieties which deserve to be noticed. (6 Coustain," he says, "is reported to have sent his accomplice (whose name is Latinized to Ingiëus) into Savoy to a famous witch, from whom he received certain waxen images of the man whom they designed to destroy, over which various and admirable forms of incantation had been practised." Arquembart, the informer, should be Hacquenbach -"Petrus Haquenbachius, vir nobilis." Heuterus adds that, in making his confession, Coustain did not accuse any of the family of Croy, or other great nobles of Burgundy who were most suspected on the occasion by the count of having instigated the crime; but he says, "The wiser sort, however, had their suspicions with regard to king Louis; and the opinion which they now secretly entertained seemed to be afterwards confirmed, when they learned that he had procured the death of his own brother, merely to avoid giving up to him a small portion of his dominions." This is a very curious passage; for although the alleged murder of the duke of Guienne, Louis's bro ther, is at least a very doubtful point of history, and although, if manifestly proved, it would be a strange piece of sophistry to urge that the perpetration of one crime ought to be admitted as evidence of the intention to perpetrate another wholly unconnected with it either in time or circumstances, yet it sufficiently shows what must, even at the commencement of his reign, have been the character of the king, and the opinion generally entertained of his dissimulation, perfidy, and inhumanity. I imagine, however, that Heuterus is hardly to be credited, when he adds that the suspicion entertained by the duke of Burgundy on this occasion was the immediate cause of his quarrel with the king, whom he suspected; unless it be conjectured that among the secret confessions mentioned in this chapter to have been made by the villain Coustain previous to his execution, he actually accused the king, and supported his accusation by some very pregnant reasons. If this be admitted, it may justify in a great degree the assertion of Heuterus just mentioned. duke's archers. When Coustain saw so many archers, he began to fear the consequences: nevertheless, they all rode together through the town of Brussels,-but when they came into the open country, the lord d'Auxi made John Coustain dismount from his war-horse, and mount a small hackney that he rode; which alarmed Coustain more than before, and instantly the lord d'Auxi put his hand on his shoulder and declared him prisoner to the duke, and then pushed forward, without any stopping, until they came to Rupelmonde. They were scarcely arrived before the count de Charolois came and took possession of the tower in which John Coustain was confined. Shortly after, Anthony bastard of Burgundy, the bishop of Tournay, the lord de Croy, and the lord de Goux, came thither. No one spoke to John Coustain but the above, and in the hearing of the count de Charolois. When they were assembled, John d'Juy was ordered before them, and related, in the presence of John Coustain, how he had bargained with him to purchase poisons, which he had brought to him,-after which, he had refused to pay him the sum agreed on for so doing. To confirm what he had said, he produced, not one, but many letters to this purpose, written and signed by Coustain. Notwithstanding these proofs, Coustain denied the whole of the charge, and loaded d'Juy with many reproaches. At length, however, without being tortured, he acknowledged that all was true,-and added, that he himself had been twice in Piedmont since Christmas in the year 1461, to procure poisons, but without success. For that purpose, he had indeed bargained with John d'Juy, as he had said; but added, at first, that it was not to poison the count de Charolois, but in order that the count might have him in his good graces, and not deprive him of his place, or of anything appertaining to him, should the duke chance to die: at last, he owned that the poisons were intended for the count, and that he had proposed to give them at a banquet, which would take place about the middle of August,—which poisons being taken, he would not live longer than twelve months afterward. When John Coustain had made this confession, he was taken, on the Friday following, to the highest tower of the castle to be beheaded; and while there, he earnestly begged that he might say a few words in private to the count, who, on being informed of it, consented,— and he was some time in conversation with the prisoner alone. None of those present heard what was said; but they saw the count cross himself at almost every word Coustain told him, which caused it to be supposed that he was accusing others in the hope of lessening his own crimes. He entreated the count that his body might not be quartered, but buried in consecrated ground. After this conversation, he was immediately beheaded. John d'Juy was then called; and the count asked him whether, if Coustain had kept his promise of payment, he would have informed against him. On his replying that he would not, the count ordered him to be beheaded also. The fortune of the said Coustain, amounting to more than three hundred thousand francs in the whole, was declared confiscated to the duke; but he, out of his noble and benign nature, gave them back again to the widow and her children. It was afterward commonly reported, that this Coustain had poisoned the good lady of Ravenstein, because she had blamed his wife for her pomp and extravagance, which was equal to that of a princess. CHAPTER CVI.-THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY CAUSES A NUMBER OF ROGUES AND VAGABONDS TO BE EXECUTED IN HIS COUNTRY OF ARTOIS. THE DEATH OF THE ABBOT OF ST. - TAUNTING REPLIES MADE BY THE LORD DE VAAST AT ARRAS. -OTHER EVENTS. THE duke of Burgundy was at length informed of the mischiefs that were doing in his country of Artois by the dependants of different lords, whom the bailiffs, and other officers of the duke, were afraid to arrest or punish, lest they should be ill-treated themselves. In consequence of this, the bailiffs of Amiens, of the Cambresis and of Orchies, entered the town of Arras as secretly as they could, by two and three at a time, having with them about fifty horse of the body-guard of the count d'Estampes, governor of Picardy, and took possession of different inns. They showed their orders from the duke, which commanded them to arrest and execute all those who had acted so criminally, to whatever lord they might belong, even were they dependants of those of his blood. It is, therefore, to be believed, that had the good prince earlier received information of their wickedness, he would sooner have provided a remedy; but he was surrounded by some who wished not that the truth should come to his ears. When the above-mentioned bailiffs were come to Arras, they sallied out in the night to the places where they expected to meet these rogues; some they arrested, but many fled and hid themselves. They then advanced into the country, and laid hands on several of bad fame, whom they hanged on the trees by the road-side, and this time performed a good exploit. On the 15th day of September, in this year, died the abbot John du Clerc, abbot of St. Vaast in Arras, whose death was much bewailed by the poor; for he was exceedingly charitable, and had governed the abbey for thirty-four years more ably than any abbot had done for the two hundred preceding years, as was apparent from the church and different buildings which he had ornamented and restored in many parts, having, on his election, found them in ruins. Among many good deeds, he did one worthy of perpetual remembrance; namely, when corn was so dear in the year 1438, that wheat sold for ten francs the septier, or five francs the mencault of Arras, which prevented the poor from buying any, he opened the granaries of his abbey, that were full of corn, and ordered it to be sold to the poor only, at twenty-eight sols the mencault, and but two bushels to be delivered to any person at a time; so that, if the famine should continue, his corn might last longer. He built the entrance-gate to the abbey, and the nave of the church, and managed the revenues of his abbey better than any abbot had done, and added greatly to them. When he died, he was eighty-six years old. May God pardon and show mercy to his soul! About this period the lord de Chimay returned from France, whither he had been sent by the duke of Burgundy, respecting some differences that had arisen between him and the king of France. The most important was, as it was said, that the king wanted to have it proclaimed through the territories of the duke that no one should afford aid or support, in any way whatever, to king Edward of England; which the duke would not allow to be done, considering that not only a truce existed between him and king Edward, but that he was favourably inclined towards him. King Louis wanted also to introduce the gabelle, or salt duty*, into Burgundy, which had not been done for a very long time; and this the duke likewise refused to permit to be done. For these and other matters, the lord de Chimay had been sent to remonstrate with the king, and to entreat that, out of his love to him, he would desist from pursuing them further; but the lord de Chimay was long before he could obtain an audience, and would perhaps have waited longer, but one day he stood at the king's closet-door until he came out. On seeing the lord de Chimay, he said to him, "What kind of a man is this duke of Burgundy? is he of a different stamp † from the other princes and lords of my realm ?" "Yes, sire,” replied the lord de Chimay (who was of a bold and courageous character), "the duke of Burgundy is indeed of another sort of metal than the other princes of your realm, or of the adjoining realms; for he received and supported you against the will of king Charles, your father, whose soul may God pardon! and contrary to the will of others, whom this his conduct displeased,—and he did that which no other prince would have dared to do!" On hearing these words, the king was silent, and, without making any reply, entered again into his closet. Some said that the count de Dunois then approached the lord of Chimay, and asked how he dared thus speak to the king: when he answered, "If I had been fifty leagues off, and had supposed that the king would have said to me what he has done respecting my lord and master, I would have instantly returned to make him the answer I did." He then set out for Brussels, to make his report to the duke of Burgundy. Heuterus adds, that it was the purpose of the king, with the profits of the gabelle to have redeemed the lands on both sides of the Somme, which were assigned to the duke by the treaty of Arras. The question, as stated by Heuterus, was, "Solidiori e materia boni ne corpus coagimentatum foret, quam ceterorum principum ?" To which Chimay is made to The answer, "Imo: nam nisi id ita foret, quomodo te patris |