CHAPTER LXX.-THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF SPAIN.-HE BUILDS TWO CASTLES AT BORDEAUX TO KEEP THE INHABITANTS IN SUBJECTION.THE DUKE OF YORK IMI RISONS THE DUKES OF SOMERSET AND GLOUCESTER.-OTHER EVENTS. [A. D. 1454.] IN the year 1454, the reverend father in God, master John Bernard, archbishop of Tours, and sir Guillot Destan*, knight, seneschal of Rouergue, set out on an embassy from the king of France to the king of Castille, to confirm the alliances between France and Spain. In this same year, the king of France sent a large body of men-at-arms and franc-archers to Bordeaux, with orders to erect two castles to keep that people under better subjection : one was placed on the bank of the river, and the other at the opposite end of the town toward Béarn. The count de Clermont, the lord de Saintrailles bailiff of Lyon, the governor of la Rochelle, sir John Bureau mayor of Bordeaux, and sir Guichart le Boursier, were appointed to superintend the erection of these castles. They exerted great diligence to complete them, and they were so strong that they were thought impregnable, so that the inhabitants were kept in more subjection than they had ever before been. At this time, the duke of York seized the government of England, and imprisoned the dukes of Somerset and Gloucester †,-the first in the Tower of London, and Gloucester in Pomfretcastle. In this year also, the count de Charolois, son to the duke of Burgundy, married the daughter of duke Charles of Bourbon‡. The king of Spain deceased, at the age of fifty years. It was a pity, for he was a good, wise, and handsome prince§. In this same year died pope Nicholas, who was but in his prime ||; and it was found, when the physicians opened his body, that he had been poisoned. Pope Calixtus was chosen in his stead¶. The king of England called a meeting of some of his lords in the month of February, and remonstrated with them on the imprisonment of the dukes of Somerset and Gloucester, his relatives, and wished that, if they were not too heavily charged with high-treason, they might be released. They consented to this; and the mayor of London even said, that he would instantly deliver them from prison, on receiving good security for their re-appearance. Soon after, these lords appeared before the Tower in great force, and took therefrom the duke of Somerset, who soon after gained the complete government of the king. The duke of York, seeing this, and dreading the effects of Somerset's anger, left the court as secretly as he could, and retired into his duchy **. About this time, the lord de l'Esparre was arrested, for having, contrary to his oath, *This should be d'Esteing or d'Estaign, the name of a very ancient and noble family in Rouergue. William the second son of John I. viscount d'Esteing et de Cheilane, was distinguished in the English wars, and rewarded by the posts of counsellor and chamberlain to King Charles VII. His will bears date 1471. His grandson, William d'Estaing, succeeded to the possessions of the elder branch of the family about A.D. 1500, and became ancestor of the counts d'Estaing of later date. There must be a mistake here; the duke of York did imprison Somerset, but Gloucester was a Yorkist. There was no duke of Gloucester at this time; for Humphrey duke of Gloucester, the king's uncle, died under arrest, in the year 1447, and Richard, third son of the duke of York, was not created till the 1st of Edward IV. Stowe, in ann. 1454 "The duke of Yorke with his friends wrought so effectually, and handled his business so politikly, that the duke of Somerset was arrested in the Queene's great chamber and sent to the Tower, where he kept his Christmas without great solemnity, against whom in open Parliament were laid divers articles." On the 13th of November. She was already his firstcousin, being daughter of duke Charles, by Agnes, sister of Philip the Good. Her name was Isabella. § John II. king of Castile, &c. succeeded his father Henry III. in the year 1406, and died 1454. By his first wife, Mary of Arragon, he had one son, Henry IV. his successor. By his second marriage, with Isabella of Portugal, he had a son Alphonso, who died without issue, and a daughter Isabella, who succeeded her half-brother Henry, and by her marriage with Ferdinand of Arragon united the two principal crowns of Spain. Pope Nicholas was said to have died of grief for the capture of Constantinople. He had reigned eight years and nineteen days. ¶ Alfonso Borgio, cardinal-bishop of Valencia in Spain, his native country. He took the title of Calixtus III. ** "Whilest King Henry lay sick, Ric. d. of Yorke bare all the rule, and governed as regent, and did now discover the sparkes of his hatred hid under dissimulation, against the duke of Somerset; but when the king had recovered his strength again, and resumed to him his princely government, he caused the duke of Somerset to be sett at libertye and preferred him to be captain of Calais, wherewith not only the commons, but many of the nobility, favorers of Richard duke of Yorke, were greatly grieved and offended, saying that he had lost Normandy, and would lose also Calais."-STOWE. gone to England, and induced king Henry to send over troops to reconquer the Bordelois. Although his treason had been manifest, nevertheless the king, at the last capture of Bordeaux, being alway full of mercy, had pardoned him, on condition of his being banished Guienne and the Bordelois. However, by the instigation of the devil in hell, he had attempted, under colour of a passport, to restore those countries to the English, as a more false and wicked traitor than before. But as the Scripture says, that everything wicked, however secretly done, is at length discovered and punished, so this came to the king's knowledge, and, as I have said, he was arrested and carried prisoner to Poitiers, where, on being tortured, he confessed his guilt, and was judicially condemned. He was then delivered to the executioner, who smote off his head, and quartered his body, which was hung up at different places, as is usual in such cases, to serve for an example to all others. CHAPTER LXXI.-THE MARRIAGE OF THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS WITH THE LADY ISABELLA OF BOURBON. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY RETURNS FROM GERMANY, AND IS MOST HONOURABLY RECEIVED IN THE TOWNS OF LILLE AND ARRAS. On the last day of October in this same year, and when the duke of Burgundy was returned from Germany, his son the count de Charolois espoused, in the town of Lille, his cousin-german the lady Isabella of Bourbon, by dispensations from the holy church, on account of their nearness of kindred. The duke, being in Burgundy, was not present at the wedding, but the duchess was. The marriage was so sudden, that many said the count knew nothing of it until the preceding day; his father would have it so, and strictly ordered him to comply, which he did like a good and obedient son. Some said, that it was against his conscience to marry so near a relative; but others, that he would rather have married the daughter of the duke of York, and, by this alliance with England, have some claim to that crown. Whatever truth may be in these reports, he married to please his father, and behaved to his cousin in so honourable a manner that no married couple could behave better; and it was currently said, that after his marriage he knew not any other woman. During the absence of his father in Germany, he had the regency of his states, and governed them with equity: he was only too prompt to believe the first reports that were made to him, which is a misfortune generally attached to great lords. About the middle of February the noble duke of Burgundy came to Lille, where he was received by his subjects with every honour. On the 24th of the same month he went to Arras, where he was likewise honourably and joyfully received, for he had been long absent, and God had now permitted him to return froin Germany in good health and without any hindrance. CHAPTER LXXII.—THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY LAYS HEAVY TAXES ON HIS ESTATES, TO DEFRAY HIS EXPEDITION AGAINST THE TURKS. FIVE days after the arrival of the duke in Arras, and when the feasts of his coming were over, he assembled the three estates of Artois, and declared to them the vow he had made of undertaking a war against the Turks, and of marching thither in person with his whole force, provided the king his lord would promise to keep and guard for him his estates during his absence. To accomplish this vow, he said that it would be necessary for him to call for the aid of his good vassals and subjects; and he required that they would grant him supplies amounting in the whole to the sum of fifty-six thousand francs, royal money. The three estates having consulted together, agreed to grant him three aides instead of four, which he had demanded, amounting to forty-two thousand francs,-but on condition that if this expedition was not undertaken they should not be paid. The good duke replied, that in truth if the expedition failed he should not want anything. The duke then visited Flanders, Hainault, and Brabant, where he made similar requests; and those countries granted him very great supplies to carry on the war against the infidels. CHAPTER LXXIII. HOLLAND TO THE BISHOP OF UTRECHT DIES. - THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY GOES TO DAVID, THEN BISHOP OF THEROUENNE. [A. D. 1455.] In the year 1455 died the bishop of Utrecht, which is in Holland, bordering on Germany. Duke Philip of Burgundy had for a long time thought of obtaining this bishopric for his bastard son David, then bishop of Therouenne, and had even during the lifetime of the late bishop solicited the canons to elect this his son on the first vacancy. They, however, paid no attention to his solicitations, but elected the provost of their church, brother to the lord de Brederode, a great baron in Holland, and a relative to duke Philip. The duke was much dissatisfied at this conduct, and sent to Rome, and managed so well with the pope that he gave this bishopric to his bastard son: he had even promised him the succession before the death of the last bishop. The duke went, therefore, to the Hague in Holland, where he endeavoured, but in vain, to gain over to his interest the chapter of Utrecht by every kind means, that they might receive his son for their bishop; and for this purpose he remained in Holland from the feast of St. Remy†, in the year 1455, until St. John Baptist's day in the ensuing year. CHAPTER LXXIV. THE COUNT DE CLERMONT, THE LORD DE LOHEAC, MARSHAL OF FRANCE, AND OTHER CAPTAINS, ARREST THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC AND DELIVER HIM UP TO THE KING. THEY PUT THE ARCHBISHOP OF AUCH IN POSSESSION OF HIS ARCHBISHOPRIC.— OTHER EVENTS. In the month of May of this year, the king of France sent the count de Clermont, the lord de Lohéac, marshal of France, and other captains, into the county of Armagnac, and likewise the count de Dammartin, the bailiff of Evreux, and several others. against the count d'Armagnac, into Rouergue, because he had refused to put the archbishop of Auch in possession of his archbishopric, to which he had been duly elected, and had received his bulls from the pope. The count had wished, contrary to all right, to place therein one called De l'Estin, and had given him admittance into the city and possession of the archbishopric, contrary to the will and orders of the king. The king, much angered at De l'Estin having been installed by the count by force, ordered his men-at-arms to besiege his city of Lectoure ‡, whither the before-named captains had marched, as well as into other parts of his possessions, in Armagnac and Rouergue. Thus did the count lose all his territories for his rebellion against the king; for, as the Scripture saith, it is hard to kick against the pricks. When this was done, these captains returned to the king according to his orders. In this same year, king Henry of England, by the advice of the duke of Somerset, summoned a parliament of his great lords to consider the present state of affairs. For this purpose very many came to London; and the duke of York thought it would be advisable for him to make his appearance also,-and in fact he set out, accompanied by about a thousand armed retainers. He was, however, joined on his road by four or five thousand more, of which the king and the duke of Somerset were ignorant, they having knowledge of the duke being attended by only one thousand men. The king and the duke of Somerset held a council with the earl of Northumberland, and other lords, and determined to collect as large a force as they could in and about London, and march out to meet the duke of York, in the expectation of defeating him, as they were astonished he should come in arms to * Adolphus of Diepenholt. Upon his death, the electors being solicited on one side by this duke for his son David, and on the other by the duke of Gueldres, for Stephen of Bavaria, in order to offend neither exasperated both, by choosing Guisbert, a brother of Reginald, lord of Brederode, for their bishop. But upon endeavouring to get their election confirmed by the pope, they found themselves anticipated by the duke, who had already obtained the papal sanction in favour of his son. The matter was afterwards compromised as related in chap. 76, and David held the bishopric of Utrecht for forty years.-HEUTERUS + St. Remy. This feast is on the first day of October, and St. John's the 24th June. Lectoure, a city in Armagnac, of which Auch is the capital, ten leagues from Auch. attend the parliament. The two armies soon met, and instantly came to blows, when numbers were slain,—but victory remained with the duke of York. Among the slain were the duke of Somerset, the earl of Northumberland, and many other lords, and from four to five hundred common men. The king was wounded by an arrow in the neck, and was for some time in great danger. The duke of York made many prisoners, nobles and others, whom he led to London with the king,-where some were set at liberty, and others punished according to their deserts. The late government was entirely overthrown, and the whole power remained with the duke of York, as regent of the king and kingdom *. At this time the count d'Armagnac, having lost all his possessions, retired into the kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon. CHAPTER LXXV.—THE KING OF FRANCE IS DISCONTENTED WITH THE DAUPHIN FOR GOING TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.-POPE CALIXTUS MAKES REGULATIONS RESPECTING THE CRUSADE AGAINST THE TURKS. [A. D. 1456.] In the year 1456, the king of France, learning that his eldest son had left Dauphiny and gone to the territories of the duke of Burgundy to consult with him, was very much displeased that he should have done this without previously informing him thereof. And because he doubted his being led away by bad advice and acting imprudently, he determined to take possession of Dauphiny, to avoid the inconveniences that might ensue, and also to reduce him to that obedience a son owes to a father. In consequence, he marched a powerful army into Dauphiny, and took full possession of all its rents and revenues, together with the castles and strongholds, to prevent his son from receiving any advantages from them, and to induce him the more speedily to return. The king sent also men-at-arms to guard the passages at Pontoise, Compiègne, in Brie, and other parts, and forbade the great towns to admit the dauphin or any of his partisans, unless they should be forced thereto. He did all this, from his opinion how headstrong and obstinate the dauphin was; as a convincing proof of which, when he left the king he had asked leave to be absent only four months, and had remained nearly ten years, to the great vexation of his father. About this time, pope Calixtus III. made certain regulations respecting a crusade, and issued indulgences to all who should carry into execution the contents of the bulls that had been published by him, and had been promulgated by different preachers throughout Christendom. Certain proposals were now sent by the duke of Burgundy to the king of France respecting the dauphin, and were laid before him by the duke's ambassadors. In this season †, the Hungarians made a great destruction of the infidels in Hungary, by the counsel of sir John Capestrian ‡, an ancient disciple of St. Bernard, in conjunction with This battle is called by the English historians the first battle of St. Albans, and was fought on the 22d of May, 1455. Besides Edmund Beaufort, duke of Somerset, and Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland, there were slain on the king's side two lords, five knights, and many gentlemen of good account. Humphrey duke of Buckingham, and his son Humphrey earl of Stafford, were wounded beside the king. The victory, as appears by the text, was decisive in favour of opposition. The duke of Somerset left issue (by his wife Eleanor, daughter of Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick), Henry duke of Somerset, beheaded in May 1464; Edward duke of Somerset after the death of his brother, also beheaded 1472; and John, killed at Tewkesbury: but none of these left any legitimate descendants.. Henry alone left an illegitimate son, Charles Somerset, who was afterwards created earl of Worcester, and is the ancestor of the present duke of Beaufort. The relation which follows is evidently that of the famous siege of Belgrade, at which Hunniades commanded, and Capistranus acted as his lieutenant. The soldan of Persia "Sir John Capestrian." John Capistrian, a celebrated Franciscan monk. Nicholas V. made him apostolic commissary in Hungary. He was greatly successful in the aid of a wise and valiant knight called sir Guillaume Blanc *. By their means, the Turks, who were very numerous in Belgrade, were driven out of that city, and more than fifteen thousand were slain; indeed, none escaped being put to death. On the morrow, great armies of Turks advanced, and were valiantly fought with by the Christians, who again gained the victory, and slew one hundred thousand Turks between sunrise and sunset. The soldan of Persia +, commander-in-chief of the Turks, was there in person; and seeing the discomfiture of his army, he fled with a few of his men to a city called Boibe ‡, and thence into Greece. The chevalier Blanc pursued him, and won the city of Boibe, putting to death two thousand Turks; and by the aid of God, following up their success, the Christians won very many towns and strong castles, namely, the city of Bastiliance, Ulgaria, Fastigia, Emere, and a very handsome town called Angasta §: in the latter, fifteen thousand Turks were destroyed. The Christians lost, at this last attack, five thousand men, whom may God receive in paradise! " Quia dignus operarius mercede sua." The Christians afterwards gained St. Vincent ||, and the town and castle of Valence ¶ ; and as they proceeded, the inhabitants were converted to the Christian faith. They continued successful, and won the town and castle of Flagis and Gaunaldalo, and Porrus, Stavengier and Chastouen **, where four thousand Turks were put to death, with the loss of one hundred Christians, whose souls may God pardon! The Christians now entered Greece with a large army, and conquered a great city called Glotuase ++, where they slew ten thousand infidels. They then left behind them all walled towns, and advanced to the province of Culdée ‡‡, which is near to Constantinople, having gained possession of the greater part of the lands in Greece, and to the westward of it, and also of the cities of Latheris and Glamus §§, with many other castles and towns. The Turks that had been slain in these different battles were estimated at two hundred thousand, with the loss of eight-score cities and walled towns, four hundred castles, great and small. These victories have been thus detailed for insertion in the chronicles of the times, and asserted for truth on the Holy Evangelists, on the oath of their priesthood, by the following venerable persons: namely, sir John Valate, priest, sir Patrick Tournaille, priest also, and Andrew Valate, a layman; all three inhabiting the diocese of Umblanum in Dacia. The chevalier Blanc was grievously wounded by a lance in the last battle ||||; so that he was constrained to retire into the city of Angasta, where he died. God have mercy on his soul! he being well deserving thereof. In like manner was the Turk severely wounded, and forced to withdraw to Constantinople, where he remained for a long time very ill. These three persons having been interrogated by the chronicler of France on their oaths, how they knew what they had told to be true, deposed that they had been personally present in arms at all these battles and sieges, and had fought at them, and, in consideration of the very great perils they had escaped from, had vowed to make pilgrimages to the shrine of St. Denis, and to other places, which they intended to fulfil before they returned to their own country. They appeared to be well affected to the Christian faith. They said, that the Turk, when recovered, left Constantinople for Asia. On Saturday, the 4th day of December in this year, and about three hours before day, such an earthquake happened at Naples, in Puglia, and Calabria, as the oldest persons did not remember to have seen, from which great and numberless evils ensued, a few of which shall be mentioned. In the first place, the small city of Ariano ¶¶, in the kingdom of Naples, was so completely destroyed that eight thousand persons perished. Another city, called |