ordered Jacques de la Bamme to place himself with all A.D. 1419. his men-at-arms at the entrance of the gate towards the town for the safety of his person, and also to protect the convention. And the same hour came to him Sir Taneguy Du Chastel, who told him that the dauphin was quite ready, and was waiting for him; to which the duke replied that he was going. Then he called those who had been named to go with him, expressly forbidding that any others should go but the said named ones, ten in number, namely:-Charles of Bourbon; the Lord of Nouailles; the Lord of Fribourg; the Lord of St. George; the Lord of Montagu; Sir Antony de Vergy; the Lord of Durem; Sir Guy de Pontaillier; Sir Charles de Lens; Sir Jacques de Gyac; and a secretary named Maitre John Seguinac. And thus went the duke to the first barrier of the bridge; at which place there came to meet him the people of the dauphin, who there again renewed the promises and oaths before made and sworn between the two parties; and this being done, they said to him, "Come to Monseigneur, "who is waiting for you on the bridge." Then they left him, and he asked his people if it seemed to them that he could safely go to the dauphin on the assurances and promises which they knew and had heard to be between them both; and they all, having good and loyal intentions, made answer that surely he might go, considering the promises made by so many distinguished persons on both sides; and they said they surely would dare to take the chances of going with him. On this reply, the duke set himself on the way, making some of his people go before him, and he entered within the first barrier, where again he found the dauphin's people, who said to him, "Come to Monseigneur, he is waiting for you;" and he said, "I am going to him immediately." So he passed the second barrier, which was locked directly by those employed to do this; and in proceeding he met Sir Taneguy

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A.D. 1419. Du Chastel, on whose shoulder he very lovingly placed his hand, saying to the Lord of Saint George and the rest of his followers, "See here him whom I trust," and thus he passed onward to quite near the dauphin, who was fully armed, with his sword girded, and was leaning on a barrier. Duke John bent one knee before him to do him reverence, saluting him most humbly; and the dauphin replied without in any way manifesting any appearance of affection, reproaching him that he had badly kept his promise, and had not made his people evacuate the garrisons as he had promised. Meanwhile Sir Robert de Loire took him by the arm saying, "Rise, you are only too respectful;" and the duke, who was on one knee as has been said, had his sword girded and it had got too much behind to please him when he knelt down; so he put his hand to it, to bring it more conveniently forward. Then the said Sir Robert said to him, "How? Do you lay your "hand on your sword before Monseigneur the dauphin?" During these words Sir Taneguy Du Chastel approached on the other side, and gave a sign; and saying, "It is time," he struck the duke so severely on the face with a small axe which he held in his hand, that with this blow he struck down his chin, and he sank on his knees. When the duke felt himself thus struck, he put his hand to his sword to draw it, thinking to rise and defend himself; but immediately he received many heavy blows from the said Taneguy as well as others, and was struck to the ground as dead.

Then immediately, one Oliver Layet, in the service of Pierre de Frotier, thrust a sword under his coat of mail quite into his bowels. While this was going on the Lord of Nouaille half drew his sword thinking to defend the duke, but the Viscount of Nerbonne held a dagger in his hand with which he meant to stab him; and the said Lord of Nouaille seeing this, rushed on the viscount and wrenched the dagger

from his hand, but in doing this he was stabbed from A.D. 1419. behind with a dagger, and received a blow on the head from an axe, of which he died soon afterwards.

While these things were going on, the dauphin, who was leaning on the barrier as you have heard, seeing this marvellous cruelty, drew back as if quite frightened, and was led by his people to his hotel.

There were on the spot some of the duke's knights, who wished to assume the defensive, and of whom some were wounded; but this availed them little, for they were all taken prisoners, except the Lord of Montagu, who was very expert and with naked sword in hand rushed out of the barriers and went to the castle where those of the duke's party were. Then those who had horses mounted them in great haste and departed, manifesting much sorrow; and the others to whom the duke at his departure had committed the duty of guarding the castle were much surprised at seeing that there were no provisions in the place, nor appurtenances of war, except what themselves had brought there, for before their arrival it had been quite stripped of provisions and artillery. In the end they made the best terms they could with the dauphin and his delegates, and departed, safe in their persons and property. So they went straight to Troyes, where they found the King of France, the queen, and many great lords, to whom they reported the sad death of Duke John of Burgundy, at which the whole court was distressed; and when the tidings were spread through the kingdom of France, many a heart was sorrowful and wrathful; some saying that a case like it had never occurred in France, nor greater dishonour to the crown, and that through this the kingdom would some day come to destruction.

On the other hand, when the King of England was informed of this, that is a day after the thing had happened, "A great pity," said he, "it is about

A.D. 1419." the Duke of Burgundy; he was a good and true knight, and an honourable prince, but through his death, by the help of God and St. George, we have "attained our desire, and in spite of all Frenchmen "we shall have Lady Catherine, whom we have so "much wished for." Thus, as you hear, the King of England talked to his barons and knights about the death of Duke John, at which the English nevertheless were greatly rejoiced, because they thought their affairs would get on the better for it.

Some after this event had thus occurred, the dauphin's people took the body of the duke, and undressed it, leaving on only his doublet, his hose, and the cap on his head; then they placed him in a mill which was close at hand, and where he remained all night. Next morning he was buried in the church of Notre Dame, before the altar of St. Louis, just as he was, and there were said for him only some [low]1 masses.

At this time there were in the company of the dauphin many distinguished men who had known nothing of the secret of this matter, and there were among them several that were greatly displeased, considering the trouble, reproach, and mischief that might arise out of it in time to come, both to the kingdom of France, and to the person of their lord the Duke of Touraine. Among others this base act was greatly displeasing to John de Harcourt, Count of Ammarle, and the Lord of Babasan, so that they often reproached those who had devised it, saying they would rather have died than been implicated in it, and that if they had known they would have prevented it, for there never had in their recollection happened such cruelty or disgrace to the blood-royal. Then on Monday, the 11th of September, the dauphin, after he had held several consultations about his affairs, caused letters to be written to the people

of the good towns attached to his party, and in A.D. 1419. many other places, even in Paris, Rheims, and Chalons, thinking to shelter and excuse himself as not having broken the peace. But whatever writing was made it was not believed, for all these who heard it told how under the pretence of peace this piteous murder had been perpetrated on the person of Duke John of Burgundy were highly displeased at it, for he was much beloved in France by the populace and the good towns.

When the intelligence of the treacherous death of Duke John came to the Parisians, they were SO sorrowful and confused that they could do nothing. However next morning as early as possible the Count of Saint Pol, lieutenant of the king, the chancellor of France, the provosts of the town of Paris, the merchants, and generally all the officers of the king that were in the city assembled; and with them were a great many nobles, burgesses, and a multitude of the populace, all of whom, after the manner of the piteous death of the very noble Duke John of Burgundy had been set forth, made oath to the said Count of St. Pol to serve and obey him, to be and continue with him with all their power for the preservation and defence of the good city of Paris and its inhabitants, and generally for the preservation of the whole kingdom, resisting with their persons and goods the damnable designs of wicked seducers, breakers of the peace and union of this kingdom; moreover to prosecute with all their power vengeance and retribution against those who conspired and consented to the treacherous death of the good Duke of Burgundy; and for ever to keep by the party of the King of France and the Count of Charolois, only son and successor of the said Duke of Burgundy deceased; by whom they should be helped and assisted as they required. Thus, as you hear, the people of Paris made oath to the