CHAPTER III.-IN THE YEAR MCCCCXLVI. WHEN THE KING OF FRANCE RETURNED FROM HEARING MASS, HE FOUND ON HIS BED THE FOLLOWING DITTY.

BAD payments, evil counsellors,
The discord of our warriors,

Gabelles and burdensome taxation,
Again torment this hapless nation;

With wars, which, till our state be mended,
We ne'er shall see or check'd or ended:
For multitudes, with trait'rous arts,
Serve France's king with English hearts;
And service wrought against the will
Can ne'er turn out to aught but ill.
True is the maxim of the sage,
Which saith, The broils of civil rage
Surely befal that wretched state
Whose king his subjects view with hate.
War, too, delights the ravening train
Who still the royal treasure drain :
Who, 'midst the strife, with greedy hands,
Seize gold and silver, house and lands;

Who, aye the first to seize the prey,
Are aye the last their dues to pay.
But, dukes and kings, to me attend:
If thus your warfare know no end,
Be sure at length you'll rue the cost,
When all your lands are waste and lost;
For friends by ready pay are won,
While tardy payers are undone.
No more within your castle's walls
Court libbard ease while honour calls,
But quit your forests and your streams,
And haste where many a banner gleams.
Alas! for France so meek and tame,
No glory dwells upon thy name!
To thee, O duke! to thee, O king!
With honest grief this plaint I bring.

CHAPTER IV. THE DUKE OF BRITTANY PUTS HIS BROTHER, THE LORD GILES, TO DEATH.THE GENOESE SEND AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF FRANCE, TO OFFER HIM THEIR SOVEREIGNTY.-THE EVENT.

In the year 1446, the lord Giles of Brittany was arrested in the castle of Guilledon*, by order of his brother the duke, who suspected him of intending to favour an invasion of the

GENOESE AMBASSADORS ON THEIR VOYAGE TO MARSEILLES.-Composed from Contemporary Authorities.

English on his coasts. This arrest was made by four hundred of the king's lancers, under the command of sir Pregent de Coetivy, admiral of France; sir Regnault de Dresnay bailiff

of Sens; and sir Pierre de Brésé, seneschal of Poitou. They delivered their prisoner to the duke of Brittany, to do with him as he should please,—and he soon after had him murdered in his prison.

In the month of September, the bishop of Exeter, keeper of the king of England's privy seal, and the lord Dudley*, waited on the king of France on an embassy, at a house in Touraine called Rassilé, near to Chinon; and on their departure, king Charles sent to his nephew of England master Guillaume Cousinot and Jean Havart, to prolong the truce for a year.

In this year, the families of Doria and Fregoso sent a fleet of five vessels to Marseilles from Genoa with ambassadors, to offer the sovereignty of their country to the king of France, if it were agreeable to him to accept of it. The king despatched as ambassadors the archbishop of Rheims and others, to examine into the matter, and to proceed accordingly, who went to Marseilles to practise for the reduction of Genoa. At this time, John Fregoso had gained possession of Genoa, Pisa, and other places, in the king's name, having many family connexions in the first town. He, in consequence of a concerted plan, came before Genoa in a single galley, with no more than four hundred men; and on his landing, he raised the king's banner, when he was instantly surrounded by his friends in arms, and marching to the palace, was proclaimed doge of Genoa. Bernabo Adorni fled on his approach, who, a little before, had been raised to the same dignity.

Fregoso had been accompanied by one of the king's esquires, called the Bastard of Poitiers, who had assisted him in gaining Genoa, thinking he would restore it to the king; but no sooner had Fregoso succeeded than he put the esquire out of the town. When news of this reached the archbishop of Rheims and the others, they embarked on board a galley at Villafranca, near Nice, and came to Genoa, where they remonstrated with Fregoso on his treachery, and summoned him to restore the place to the king of France as he and his friends had promised under their hands and seals. Fregoso replied, that as he had conquered the town by his sword, by his sword he would keep it †. On hearing this, the archbishop and his companions returned to Marseilles, and thence went to the king at Bourges.

In the month of February following, pope Eugenius died; and on the 28th instant, Nicholas V. was elected pope ‡.

CHAPTER V.-THE KING OF FRANCE, ON THE DEATH OF POPE EUGENIUS, HAS A GRAND COUNCIL HELD AT LYONS, WHITHER CAME MANY AMBASSADORS FROM GERMANY, ENGLAND, AND OTHER PARTS, TO RESTORE UNION IN THE CHURCH AND PUT AN END TO ALL SCHISMS.

[A. D. 1447.]

On the first of April, in the year 1447, the truces between the kings of France and England expired, but were prolonged until the first of April in 1449, and thence until the first day of June ensuing, in the hope that a general peace might be concluded in the mean time.

Great differences had existed during the late papacy between pope Eugenius and the council of Basil; which council the pope declared was at an end, for that he had transferred it to Ferrara, and afterward to Florence and to Rome. The council at Basil maintained that the pope could not thus transfer them without their consent-and had proceeded against inhabitants, and the principal forts were delivered up to The duke was soon after besieged in Genoa by the Adorni, and others of the discontented in league with Alphonso. An Arragonian fleet blockaded Genoa, but the death of Alphonso put an end to the siege.

*Dudley. Audley.-MS. Du Cange.

In the "Art de Vérifier les Dates" is a short account of the factions which prevailed in Genoa. In 1448, Luigi Fregoso was elected doge : deposed in 1450. Peter Fregoso succeeded him. The Adorni, and other families whom he had exiled, made repeated attempts, with the aid of Alphonso king of Arragon, to re-enter their country and depose him. Fregoso, nearly overpowered, prevailed on the Genoese, in 1458, to submit themselves to the government of the king of France. Ambassadors were sent to negotiate this affair, which terminated happily.

John duke of Lorraine was sent by the king of France to Genoa, and took possession of the town the 11th of May, 1458. He received the oath of allegiance from the

him.

This extract will sufficiently show the inexactness of Monstrelet's account as to dates and names.

Thomas de Sarzana, cardinal-bishop of Bologna, was elected pope 6th March, 1447, and took the name of Nicholas V. The king of France sent him a magnificent embassy, with many propositions respecting the general peace of the church. I cannot find that any council was held at Lyons this year: one was held at Lausanne in 1449.

him, with the authority of a general council, to suspend him from all power in the church, and to depose him from all authority. They afterwards elected pope the lord Amadeus of Savoy, who led the life of a monk at Ripaille, and took the name of Felix V.*

Several anathemas and excommunications were issued, as well by pope Eugenius as by pope Felix, which created many wounds and schisms in the church. When the king of France heard of these differences, being anxious to restore union and greatly hurt at the measures now passing, he sent several embassies to Basil, to Rome, and to Savoy, to put an end to such shameful disputes. In like manner did duke Louis of Savoy, son to Amadeus now pope Felix, send several times to the king of France at Tours, to endeavour to bring about a reconciliation.

The king of France, in the month of November in the year 1447, seeing there was no end to these disputes, deliberated with his council on the shortest means to stop this schism, and resolved that all the anathemas and censures that had been published respectively by each pope against the other should be considered as null and void; that pope Eugenius should be acknowledged as the true pope, as had been done before the commencement of these disputes; and that the lord Amadeus of Savoy, who had been styled Felix V. should remain with dignity and honour in the holy church; that those of his party in the council of Basil should be recommended to ecclesiastical dignities and honours, that peace might be universally restored, and a general council called for the strengthening of the union of our holy church, which could not take place until an end was put to these discords, nor could any solid judgments be given until such a happy pacification should take effect.

King Charles sent these resolutions, which had been concluded by himself and his council, to pope Eugenius by the archbishop of Aix in Provence, who was going to Rome on other matters. He sent likewise copies of them to Savoy and Basil, by master Helye de Pompadourt, archdeacon of Carcassonne, who was afterward bishop of Alet in Languedoc. It happened unfortunately, that before the king could receive an answer from eight of the parties, pope Eugenius died, namely, in the month of February following, and the archbishop found him dead on his arrival at Rome. Almost instantly on his decease, Thomas de Sarzana, bishop of Bologna, was elected pope, and took the name of Nicholas V. At his election, every accustomed ceremony was observed.

Duke Louis of Savoy sent also to the king at Bourges, to urge him to cause pope Nicholas to be acknowledged, and to desire that he would in the first place have a general council assembled. In the mean time, the king, having received bulls from pope Nicholas to make him acquainted with his election, determined, after some deliberations in council, to acknowledge him in the same manner as he had done pope Eugenius, but not to desist from the measures he was taking for the general union of the church. The king, in consequence, sent commissioners to Lyons, and told the ambassadors from the duke of Savoy, that he wished their lord to do the same, and that the members of the council of Basil should also meet them, in order that there might be a numerous assembly, to consider on the means of restoring peace to the church.

In the ensuing month of July, the king's commissioners arrived at Lyons, where they met the archbishop of Treves, and ministers from the archbishop of Cologne, from the duke of Saxony, one of the electors of the empire, who had waited on the king, respecting this matter of union. Thither came also the cardinal of Arles, the provost of Montieu, and many others, as well from the duke of Savoy as from the council at Basil.

After several conferences, it was the opinion of those who came from Basil, that the king's commissioners should go to Geneva, where pope Felix resided, to have a personal interview with him, who would gladly see them. While this matter was under discussion, the count de Dunois came to Lyons, sent thither by the king to escort the ambassadors from England. These ambassadors agreeing in the said proposal, they all set out together for Geneva, in

For a very particular history of the quarrel which took place between Eugenius and the council of Basil, see Shepherd's Life of Poggio Bracciolini.

One of the sons of John I., lord of Pompadour, and of Margaret de Ventadour his wife, and mother of Golfier, lord of Pompadour, who died in 1441, leaving John II. VOL. II.

his son and successor, a counsellor and chamberlain of the king Louis XI. This Helie de Pompadour, entering into the church, became bishop of Alet in 1448, and of Pamiers in 1454.

Cardinal of Arles. Sce his life in Moreri.

L

i.

the month of November, accompanied by the archbishop of Embrun, the lord de Malicorne, the bishop of Marseilles, the ambassador from the king of Sicily, who had come to Lyons to assist in promoting a general union of the church. The ambassadors from the duke of Saxony went also with them to Geneva; but the archbishop of Treves had returned home, and the commissioners from the archbishop of Cologne had gone to Rome.

When they were all arrived at Geneva, they held many conferences with pope Felix, his cardinals and counsellors, and concluded on certain articles for a pacification, on condition that pope Nicholas would also agree to them. When this was done, the French commissioners returned with these articles to the king at Tours, and reported to him all that had passed. He approved of what had been done as a probable ground-work for a union of the church, and sent ambassadors to pope Nicholas to request that he would also approve of these articles, or otherwise arrange matters for a general pacification.

CHAPTER VI.-THE DUKE OF ORLEANS RECEIVES FROM THE HANDS OF THE DUKE OF MILAN HIS UNCLE, THE COUNTY OF ASTI IN PIEDMONT.-THE KING OF FRANCE BESIEGES THE CITY OF MANS, WHICH SURRENDERS BY CAPITULATION.

In this year, the duke of Milan yielded up to the duke of Orleans, his nephew, the county of Asti,-and shortly after, the duke of Milan departed this life*.

The king of France, at this period, laid siege to the city of Mans, because the king of England, on his marriage with the daughter of the king of Sicily, had promised instantly to surrender that town, with all the other places he held in the county of Maine; and he had been deceived for three months by the specious promises of the English commissioners, who had not only refused to give it back but had introduced about fifteen hundred English into that town. The king, therefore, on being informed of this circumstance, ordered it to be besieged, and sent thither a great force of men-at-arms and archers, to the amount of six or seven thousand combatants, under the command of the count de Dunois. The siege was pushed forward with such vigour that those in the town found resistance would be vain, as they had not sufficient forces to oppose their enemies on that side of the sea. It would have been taken by storm had not the bishop of Gloucester, keeper of the privy seal, remonstrated with the king of France on the risk of the truces being broken between the two kingdoms were this to take place, and obtained a capitulation for them, by which they were to yield up the town, and march away in safety with their baggage and effects.

The king of France then resided at Lavardin, near to Vendôme, attended by some of the princes of the blood-royal, and a large company of men-at-arms to support, should there be occasion, the besieging army of Mans. After its surrender, the king went to celebrate his Easter in the city of Tours, and those before Mans returned to their quarters and garrisons; while, on the other hand, the English that had been in Mans retreated to Normandy.

CHAPTER VII.-THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AMBASSADORS TO POPE NICHOLAS V.-THE
TOWN OF FINAL IS BESIEGED BY THE GENOESE.-IT IS REVICTUALLED BY SEA.—
THE DUKE OF ORLEANS MAKES PREPARATIONS TO RAISE THIS SIEGE BY LAND.
[A. D. 1448.]

In the year 1448, the king of France celebrated the feast of Easter in the city of Tours,— and immediately after, his ambassadors to pope Nicholas departed on their embassy. Some of them went by sea on board of vessels belonging to Jacques Cœur, master of the wardrobe to the king, and embarked at Marseilles. At the same time, a fleet of victuallers sailed from Marseilles, to the relief of the town and castle of Final, near to Genoa, then besieged

* Philip Maria, last duke of Milan of the house of Visconti, died in 1448, leaving no issue by either of his wives, Beatrix de Tende, (the widow of the famous Facino Cane), and Mary, daughter of the duke of Savoy. His

natural daughter, Bianca Maria, was married to Francis Sforza, who, in her pretended right, succeeded to the duchy, and transmitted it to his descendants.

† Final,-a town on the western coast of Genoa.

by the Genoese. It was defended for the king by sir Galiot du Garet*, lord of the place, who had made war on the Genoese, and they in return had besieged him. Notwithstanding their opposition, the town and castle were revictualled, and the vessels returned to Marseilles. When this was done, Tanneguy and the master of the wardrobe, with three galleys, sailed for a port near Rome called Finette Vielle†, where they arrived in safety, although pursued closely by a numerous fleet of the Genoese.

The duke of Orleans was at this time in his town of Asti, and having heard of the relief thrown into Final collected a large body of men to raise the siege; but when the Genoese learned his intentions, they quitted their siege and marched away.

The French ambassadors met, by appointment, in the city of Sienna; and, being all assembled, they set out for Rome, where they arrived on the 10th day of July in such grand magnificence that the like had not been seen or heard of before; with the king of France's ambassadors were those from the king of Sicily, and the dauphin. The English ambassadors had arrived at Rome long before them, and had laid before the pope the articles that had been agreed to at Geneva; but he had replied, that they were unworthy of his attention, and that he would not by any means consent to them. These ambassadors had on this left Rome for Viterbo, where they met the French embassy, to whom they related what had passed, and said that they would stay a short time at Viterbo, to learn from them whether it would be expedient for them to return to Rome,—as in fact they did, from the intelligence they received from the French ambassadors.

On the 12th day of July, the ambassadors from the kings of France, of Sicily, and from the dauphin, had an audience of the pope on the matters they were come upon,-when the archbishop of Rheims, having declared the solemn obedience of their princes to the pope, explained the articles that had been agreed on as a ground-work for a general union of the church, reserving to himself to discuss them hereafter more fully in detail. The pope made them a solemn answer, and from that day treated them with greater kindness and attention than ever any former embassy had experienced. They had several conferences with the pope and the cardinals on the articles of union,-to some of which the pope agreed, to others not.

When they had obtained all they could from the pope, they departed, and went to Lausanne, where pope Felix resided. Having explained to him all they had done at Rome, and what pope Nicholas was willing to agree to, they persuaded him to give peace to the church by renouncing his claims to the papacy. Pope Felix replied, that he would consult with the duke of Savoy his son who was on his road to Lausanne, and his principal counsellors, how he should act, and requested the ambassadors to wait the return of those he intended to send to the king of France in the city of Geneva, which, for the furtherance of peace, they assented to. They also, in compliance with the wishes of pope Felix, desired the lord de Tollette, ambassador from pope Nicholas, to come to Lausanne from Lyons, where he was waiting the effect of their conferences with pope Felix, with the bulls, to publish them, in case he should agree to the articles as settled at Rome.

Pope Felix, and his son the duke of Savoy, lost no time in despatching ambassadors to king Charles, to solicit his interference with pope Nicholas, that he would consent to more of the original articles than he had done. The king, on this, assembled his council, and, after mature deliberation, it was resolved to send other ambassadors with those from Savoy, to assist the archbishop of Rheims in the procuring a peace. He had with him the patriarch of Antioch, the bishop of Poictiers and the bishop of Alet, who, with sir John le Boursier, were to proceed to Rome to obtain certain letters, the form of which they were to draw up, for the more speedy accomplishment of union in the church. After many persuasions, the above-mentioned letters were obtained from pope Nicholas, and the ambassadors returned with them to Lausanne, when pope Felix V. relinquished all right or claim he might have to the papacy. He was after this made perpetual legate of all Savoy. Those who had assembled at Lausanne, pretending to be the general council transferred from Basil, declared their submission to pope Nicholas as the true father of the church, and dissolved their assembly as a council.

• Sir Galiot du Garet. De Caretto.-MS. DU CANGE. † Finette Vielle. Q. Civita Vecchia ?