A.D. 1420. " deception, or evil design all the points and articles "contained in the letters and agreements of the said final

peace made and sworn between King Charles our sovereign lord and the aforesaid King Henry, and

you will not go against it either in judgment or out "of judgment, publicly or secretly, through any pretence "that may be, or may occur, but by all possible means whatever, as well of fact as of right, you will resist "all those who shall come or attempt, or shall try to "6 come or attempt, against the articles aforesaid. Which oaths we will, command, and enjoin on all our vassals of whatever condition and dignity or authority, that they swear to the said peace, hold it "and keep it without infringing it; and that to you " and your commissioners or deputies they give letters "patent of this, to wit, of the said oaths which they have made, which we will to be brought to us by (6 you. And also we will that letters from you certifying you to have received the said oaths be given to those who have done this, if it is your "business, and you are requested to do this.

Giving power, authority, and special commandment "to you above named, or to any nine, eight, seven, six, "five, four, or three of you, directing and commanding "all our justices, officers, and subjects that they diligently

obey you and your commissioners and deputies in "this respect, lending you counsel, comfort, and "assistance if it is their business, and they are so required. And because it will be necessary to give "out and publish these present letters in several places we will that full credit may be attached to a vidimus hereof made under the royal seal like "the original.

"Given at our camp before Melun the 23rd day of July, in the year 1420, and the 40th of our reign." With all which instructions Philip, Count of Saint Pol, and the other deputies and commissioners for

putting this in execution, set out from the city of A.D. 1420. Paris and proceeded by some days' journey to Amiens, avoiding the ambuscades of the dauphinists, at which place of Amiens they were kindly received, and after they had shown their authority to its governors and inhabitants they took oaths from them; then they went to Abbeville, Saint Riquier, Boulogne, Montreuil, Hedin, Saint Omer, and other places, where they were everywhere obeyed, and they put in due execution the charge which they had received.

In this year, during the siege of Melun, many incursions were made which it would take long to relate, for so many troubles were then throughout the kingdom of France that it was sad to be therein.

During this same time Philip, Count of Vertus, second brother of Charles, Duke of Orleans, then a prisoner in England, also of the Count of Angoulème, died in the town of Blois. This Count of Vertus governed all the above-named lordships, and through his death the Duke of Touraine, the Dauphin, was greatly weakened as to help and counsel, so were his two brothers who were prisoners, and who were very sad at heart for his death, as was right, and they had much cause, for in their absence he had, while he lived, governed their dependencies and lordships very honourably, wisely, and faithfully.

How the town and castle of Melun were given up to the authority of the Kings of England and France; and of other matters. CHAPTER V.

Now it is time to return to the state of the siege of Melun, which was maintained as you have heard by the Kings of France and England and Duke Philip

A.D. 1420. of Burgundy. During this siege the Lord of Lisle-Adam who was still marshal of France, was sent to Joigny in garrison with a great number of good men-at-arms, there to hold the frontier against the dauphinists, who were treating the surrounding country very severely. This Lord of Lisle-Adam having stayed awhile at the said place of Joigny, and there appointed and settled his men, returned to the said siege of Melun, and he had got made a grey linen gown, in which he went to the King of England about some things touching his office. And he being come before the king, and having made his reverence as was meet, and spoken some words about his business, King Henry asked him in a bantering manner, "How, Lisle-Adam,is this which you wear the costume of a marshal of France?" To which he replied, looking the king boldly in the face, Sire, I put it on to come in the boat across the "river Seine." Then the king said to him again,

"How dare you

thus look a prince in the face when you speak to him?" But the Lord of Lisle-Adam replied, "Sire, it is the custom of France that if one "man speaks to another, of whatever rank, condition, " or authority, with downcast look, he is reputed for a wicked and faithless man, because he dare not "look him to whom he speaks in the face." Then the king answered him, "It is not our way." After these words and some others, the Lord of LisleAdam took leave of the king, for he perceived that he was not much in his favour, as appeared clearly when pretty soon afterwards the office of marshal of France was taken from him, and afterwards there happened to him still worse misfortune, for the said king had him detained as a prisoner, as you shall hear further on.

Moreover during this siege disease broke out in the camp, very contagious indeed, and of this a great number of men died, and many went away to avoid the

danger, amongst whom there went from the Duke of A.D. 1420. Burgundy's division the Prince of Orange and several valiant captains. Seeing himself greatly weakened by this defection, the duke sent in haste to Sir John of Luxembourg, then captain of Picardy for the King of France, desiring him to come to the siege of Melun with as large a number as he could bring of men-at-arms. Then the said Luxembourg, following the instructions of Duke Philip of Burgundy, made diligent preparation, and had his muster round Peronne; and when his people were gathered he set out from that, then crossing the bridge of Saint Maxence he rode towards. the aforesaid camp. When he was approaching Melun he placed his men in order of battle, and the besieged thought that help was coming to them, wherefore they began immediately to ring their bells and mount their walls, crying aloud to those in the camp to saddle their horses, for they would be dislodged; but soon they perceived that it was their enemies, wherefore, with drooping heads, putting a stop to all rejoicing, they came down from the battlements, and from this day forth had no hope of assistance from the dauphin, on whom they depended. Then Sir John of Luxembourg was sent with his people to lodge at Brie-comte-Robert, where he remained till the surrender of the said Melun.

At this time the King of France sent letters to several good towns of the kingdom, requiring especially that each of them should send certain deputies on their behalf to him at Paris, to be there on the fourth of January, in order to deliberate and take counsel with the nobles and ecclesiastics on the improvements and concerns of the whole kingdom.

When the besieged within Melun perceived the great danger they were in they despaired of any help, for already they had sent several times to the dauphin, announcing to him the intolerable pestilence to which

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A.D. 1420. they were reduced by famine, and [how they were] obliged to eat horses and other various meats not fit for the use of human beings, earnestly begging him to relieve them as he had promised, and deliver them from these perils, in which they were placed only for trying to obey him and uphold his quarrel. To which it had been finally answered by the governors of the said dauphin, that at present he had no force great enough to deliver them from the power of his enemies, the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy, and that they must do with them as best they could. On which reply they began to parley and negotiate with the delegates to whom the King of England had committed this matter, among whom were the Earls of Warwick and Cornwall, and some other great lords, who at last, after the said siege had lasted eighteen weeks, to the great trouble and distress of the besieged, came to agreement on the conditions hereafter declared.

First, it was ordered that the said besieged should give up the castle and town of Melun truly and in fact to the Kings of France and England, and should place themselves generally, men-at-arms, burgesses, inhabitants, and all persons whatsoever in the said town. and castle of Melun at the mercy of the said kings.

Item, that these kings should receive them on condition that if there were any of them found guilty of the death of Duke John of Burgundy, justice and right should be done to them.

Item, that all the rest who shall not be in any way inculpated in this, whatever be their rank or condition, shall be in no fear of death, but shall remain prisoners till they shall have given good security that they will never arm themselves against the said two kings.

Item, that those suspected of the said Duke John's death, if they were not proved guilty or consenting shall remain on the above-named conditions; and those