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CHAPTER CXXV.-THE DUKE OF BRABANT AND THE COUNTESS OF HAINAULT VISIT THE KING OF FRANCE WHEN BEFORE ARRAS, AND NEGOTIATE A PEACE FOR THEIR BROTHER THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY AND HIS ALLIES.

On the morrow of St. John the Baptist's day, the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and some deputies from the three estates of Flanders, came to the king to negotiate a peace between him and the duke of Aquitaine, and their brother and lord the duke of Burgundy. They arrived about two o'clock in the morning, and were graciously received by the king, the duke of Aquitaine, and others. Prior to the negotiation, an armistice was agreed on between the besiegers and besieged, which lasted until the treaty was concluded. This treaty of peace was publicly proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, in front of the king's tent, at eight o'clock in the evening of Tuesday the 4th day of September; and it was strictly ordered, that all persons, under heavy penalties, should lay aside their badges, whether of the party of the king or of the duke of Burgundy, who had worn a St. Andrew's cross, which was instantly done.

On the conclusion of the peace, some lords, who were suffering under a flux, left the king's army, namely, Louis of Bavaria, brother to the queen, the lord Charles d'Albreth, constable of France, and several more. Sir Aymé de Sellebruche, and an infinite number of others, had died of this disorder; and it was this sickness that had caused the king and the princes to listen to terms of peace, that they might return to France.

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When the peace had been signed, the duke of Brabant and the countess of Hainault presented to the king, in the name of the duke of Burgundy, the keys of the town of Arras,

promising at the same time that all the towns and castles of the duke within the realm of France should submit themselves to the obedience of the king. It was ordered.by the king and council, that the count de Vendôme, grand-master of the household, should enter the city of Arras, to receive the homage of the inhabitants. On his entrance, he had the king's banners placed over the gates; and having received the oaths of the townsmen, by which they promised henceforth to be good and loyal subjects to the king, he appointed the lord de Quesnes, viscount de Poix *, governor of the place, saving and reserving to the duke of Burgundy the revenues, and rights of administering justice. The king commanded, by the advice of his council, the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from the three estates of Flanders, to appear on a certain day, which had been agreed on, before him and his council at Senlis, to fulfil the covenants and ratify the peace that had been made by them in the name of the duke of Burgundy.

On Wednesday the 5th day of September, some wicked person set fire to the tents of the lord d'Alençon, about twelve o'clock at night, and the flames spread so rapidly that with much difficulty he escaped to the tents of the king. The count d'Armagnac, seeing the flames, caused his trumpet to be sounded, and ordered the rear division to stand to their arms, who, with the duke of Bar, marched out of their quarters in handsome array, and, having set fire to them, drew up in order of battle in different detachments; one in front of the gate of St. Michael, another before that of St. Nicholas, another in front of the gate of Haisernes, that the enemy might not take advantage of the fire and make a sally-for though a treaty of peace had been concluded, they had not any great confidence in it. The fire spread with such violence from quarter to quarter that it gained that of the king, and other divisions of the army, so that his majesty and the duke of Aquitaine were forced, within one quarter of an hour from its commencement, to escape in a disorderly manner, leaving behind many prisoners and sick persons, who were burnt to death. Several warlike engines, tents, military stores, and many tuns of wine, were all, or the greater part, consumed. The duke of Bourbon marched away from Vaudemont in a very orderly manner, with the van division of the army; and that same morning, very early, several of the lower ranks in the garrison of the town sallied forth, and seized whatever they could lay hands on which had belonged to the army, and even robbed many tradesmen, in spite of the orders that had been given to the contrary. Those troops who had come from Burgundy were particularly active, and, quitting the town in large parties, plundered many of the king's army. In this manner did Charles king of France march from Arras to Bapaume: he thence went to Peronne, Noyon, Compiegne, and Senlis, where he and his princes remained the whole of the month of September.

The peace that had been agreed to before Arras, by the interference of the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from Flanders, for the duke of Burgundy, was finally concluded at Senlis, through the means of Louis duke of Aquitaine, who had married the daughter of the duke of Burgundy, notwithstanding the duke had been the cause of those riots in Paris, when the duke of Bar and others, his servants, had been arrested against his will. The Orleans party had indeed treated him in the same way, by depriving him of his confidential servants, and doing other things which were displeasing to him. He was therefore very anxious that everything of the sort should be forgotten, and that henceforward the king and himself should be served and obeyed with unanimity by those of their blood and lineage, although he was often remonstrated with on the acts which the duke of Burgundy had committed prior to the king's leaving Paris; but he frankly replied that he would put an end to the war, for he saw plainly, that otherwise the king and kingdom were on the road to perdition. The peace, therefore, was concluded on the terms recited in the

ensuing chapter.

John

*This nobleman was a descendant of Walter Tyrrel, who killed William Rufus in the New Forest. Tyrrel, third of the name, lord of Poix and Mareuil, married Margaret de Châtillon, daughter to the lord de Dampierre. John IV., his eldest son, married Jane des

Quesnes. He died in 1400, and left one son, John V., the viscount de Poix here mentioned. He was a counsellor and chamberlain of the king, and was killed at Azincourt.

CHAPTER CXXVI.—THE TREATY OF PEACE CONCLUDED AT ARRAS, WHICH WAS THE FIFTH, IS READ IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DUKE OF AQUITAINE AND SEVERAL OTHER PRINCES OF THE BLOOD ROYAL, AND THE OATHS THAT WERE TAKEN IN CONSEQUENCE.

THE articles of the treaty of peace which had been humbly solicited from the king, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, by the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the deputies from Flanders, properly authorised by him, were read in the presence of the duke of Aquitaine and the members of the king's grand council, and were as follow.

"Whereas many mischiefs have been, from time to time, committed against the realm of France, and contrary to the good pleasure and commands of the king, and of his eldest son, the duke of Aquitaine, the aforesaid commissioners, duly authorised by the duke of Burgundy, do most humbly solicit and supplicate, in the name of the said duke, that all things wherein the duke of Burgundy may have failed, or done wrong since the peace of Pontoise, and in opposition to the will and pleasure of the king and the duke of Aquitaine, may be pardoned, and that they would, out of their goodness, receive him again to their graces and favour. The said commissioners will deliver to the king, the duke of Aquitaine, or to any person or persons they may please to nominate, the keys of the city of Arras, and of all the towns and fortified places belonging to the said duke of Burgundy within the realm of France, to which the king or his son may appoint governors, or other officers, according to their pleasure, and for so long a time as they may choose, without any way infringing the said peace. The duke of Burgundy will, surrender to the king, or to his commissioner, the castle of Crotoy, and replace it in his hands.

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Item, the duke of Burgundy binds himself to dismiss from his family all who have in any way incurred the indignation of the king or the duke of Aquitaine, and no longer to support them within his territories; of which due notice shall be given them in writing. -Item, all the lands or possessions that may have been seized by the king from the vassals, subjects, well-wishers, or partisans, of the duke of Burgundy, of whatever kind they may have been, on account of this war, shall be faithfully restored to them. In like manner, all sentences of banishment that have been issued for the aforesaid cause shall be annulled; and if the duke of Burgundy have seized and kept possession of any lands or possessions of the king's subjects, well-wishers, or of those who may have served the king in this present year, they shall be wholly and completely restored.—Item, notwithstanding the duke's commissioners have affirmed to the king and the duke of Aquitaine that he had not entered into any confederation or alliance with the English,—that all suspicions may cease on that head, they now promise for the duke of Burgundy, that he will not henceforth form any alliance with the English except with the permission and consent of the king and the duke of Aquitaine.

"Item, in regard to the reparation of the duke of Burgundy's honour, which the said commissioners think has been much tarnished by expressions made use of, and published throughout the realm and elsewhere, in different letters-patent and ordinances,-when the peace shall be fully established and the king is returned to Paris he will consult with his own council, and with such persons as the duke may think proper to send thither, on the best means of reparation, saving the king's honour.-Item, the duke of Burgundy shall engage, on his word, that he will not, by himself or others, prosecute or wrong any person who may in this quarrel have served the king personally, or under different captains, nor any burghers of Paris, or other inhabitants, by secret or open means, nor procure it to be done.-Item, the king wills and ordains, that his subjects remain in such lawful obedience as they are bound to by the treaty of Chartres, or other treaties which may have been afterwards made; and should such treaties require any amendment, he orders it to be done, and that they be faithfully observed without the smallest infringement.

"Item, for the better security of the observance of these articles by the duke of Burgundy, the said duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault and the aforesaid deputies, shall swear, as well in their own names and persons as on the part of the prelates, churchmen, nobility,

and principal towns of their country; that is to say, the said duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault and the aforesaid deputies, shall swear, in the name of the said duke of Burgundy, for the whole country of Flanders, that the said duke of Burgundy will strictly observe and keep for ever this good peace, without doing himself, or procuring to be done by others, any act contrary to the true meaning and intent of it. In case the said duke of Burgundy shall, by open or secret means, do anything against the tenour of this peace, then the aforesaid duke of Brabant and countess of Hainault do engage for themselves not to give him any advice, or assistance of men-at-arms or money, or in any manner whatever, seeing that the princes of the royal blood, the nobles, prelates, and capital towns in the kingdom, have taken a similar oath. The commissioners will also deliver good and sufficient bonds of security, according to the regulation of the king and his council; and they will promise, beside, to use their utmost endeavours that the nobles and others within the town of Arras shall loyally make the same oath; and likewise that all who may be at this present under the orders of the duke of Burgundy, or in his garrisons in Burgundy, Artois, and Flanders, shall do the same when required by the king of France."

When the above articles had been properly drawn up, the different parties swore to their observance. The duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, and the Flemish deputies, as being the friends and allies of the duke of Burgundy, first took the oath in the presence of the duke of Aquitaine, several princes of the blood, and the members of the king's council. The duke of Aquitaine then took a solemn oath to keep and preserve every article of the said peace: he then called to him Charles duke of Orleans, his cousin-german, and desired that he would take this oath; but the duke of Orleans, bowing low, replied,-" My lord, I am not bound to swear to it; for I only came, as a king's subject, to serve my lord, the king, and yourself." "Fair cousin, we beg that you will swear to the observance of this peace." The duke of Orleans again said, "My lord, I have not broken the peace, and ought not therefore to take the oath I entreat you will be satisfied." The duke of Aquitaine a third time required that he would swear,—and the duke of Orleans, with much anger, replied, " My lord, I have not, nor have any of my council, broken the peace: make those who have broken it come hither and take the oath, and then I will obey your pleasure." The archbishop of Rheims, and others, seeing the duke of Aquitaine displeased at this last speech, said to the duke of Orleans, "My lord, do what my lord of Aquitaine requires of you." After all this, he did take the oath to maintain the peace, but it was sorely against his will, for he thought'that it was the duke of Burgundy and his allies who had broken the last peace made at Pontoise. The duke of Bourbon was next called on to take the oath, who thought to avoid it, like the duke of Orleans; but the duke of Aquitaine cut him short by saying, "Fair cousin, we beg that you will not say more about it." The duke of Bourbon and the other princes then swore without further objection. The prelates did the same, excepting the archbishop of Sens, brother to Montagu, who, when called upon to take the oath by the duke of Aquitaine, said, “My lord, remember what you swore to us all, on our departure from Paris, in the presence of the queen." The duke replied, "Say no more about it: we will that this peace be kept, and that you swear to its observances." My lord," replied the archbishop, "since it is your good pleasure, I will do so." These were the only three among the lords who attended on this occasion that made any objections to taking their oaths.

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A similar oath was taken in Arras by sir John de Luxembourg and all the commonalty, and other captains and governors of towns in these parts, before the king and the princes, when they had marched from before Arras.

During the residence of the king at Senlis, many nobles and others died of the flux: among the number were Reminion d'Albreth and his brother the lord of Hangiers; and several died from the hardships they had suffered during the march and at the siege. When the Parisians heard that a peace had been made by the king and the princes with the duke of Burgundy, without consulting them, they were much discontented, and went to the duke of Berry, their governor, to demand how this peace had been concluded, and what had moved the king and his council to think of it without making them acquainted with their intentions, for it was proper that they should have known of it, and have been made parties to it. The duke of Berry replied; "This matter does not any way touch you, nor does it become you

to interfere between our lord the king and us who are of his blood and lineage; for we may quarrel one with another whenever it shall please us so to do, and we may also make peace according to our will." The Parisians, on hearing this answer, returned home without further reply.

Neither the duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, nor the deputies, came to Senlis on the day appointed for the ratification of the peace, having been advised to send ambassadors and heralds, namely, the dean of the cathedral church of Liege, William Blondel, esquire, and others, to appear for them before the king and council as their representatives, at the place and time that had been fixed on. This was done, but they could not obtain any answer to their demands and requests from the grand council, because the king was very ill, and consequently they returned to their lords without having been able to conclude anything.

CHAPTER CXXVII. SIGISMUND OF BOHEMIA IS ELECTED EMPEROR OF GERMANY, AND RECEIVES THE OATHS OF THE GREATER PART OF THE LORDS OF THAT COUNTRY.

TOWARDS the end of October, Sigismund of Bohemia, king of Hungary, Croatia, and Dalmatia, a valiant man-at-arms, and a catholic, came with his queen, the daughter of count Cilley, a Sclavonian, and a grand retinue, to Aix-la-Chapelle *. Sigismund was first raised by the electors to be king of the Romans, and then emperor of Germany. On the eighth day of November, he was consecrated and crowned emperor, by the archbishop of Cologne, in the church of Our Lady at Aix-la-Chapelle, as is customary; after which ceremony, he was to be confirmed in his dignity by the pope of Rome. He and his empress then received the homage and oaths of allegiance from the barons of the empire, promising at the same time that he would attend the general council that was to be holden at Constance for the good of the whole church. This council was to have commenced in the month of April, in the year 1412, under pope Alexander or his successor, but it had been hitherto delayed. This city of Constance is seated on the Rhine, in the circle of Suabia, and its bishop is a suffragan to the archbishop of Mentz. It was proclaimed, that the council thus deferred would be held by pope John XXIII., successor to the aforesaid Alexander.

Here follow the names of the dukes, prelates, counts, barons, and others, who were present at the coronation of the emperor Sigismund at Aix-la-Chapelle, on the 8th of November, 1414. -First, duke Louis of Bavaria, count palatine of the Rhine, elector of Germany; the duke of Saxony, marshal of the empire, another elector of Germany; Bourgion de Nuremburg +, who performed the office of the marquis of Brandenburgh, an elector, and other dukes, namely, those of Lorraine +, Gueldres, Juliers, and Tede §, duke of Russia; two archbishops, viz. those of Cologne and Treves ||, who are also electors of the empire.—Item, John duke of Bavaria¶, elected prince of Liege, duke of Bouillon and count of Los.-Item, the council of the king of Bohemia, elector of the empire: the council of the archbishop of Mentz, another elector of Germany. Five bishops, namely, those of Visebourg**, Pussau, de St. Prude d'Aylac in Hungary, de la Cure; the grand master of the German knights-hospitallers, namely, of Prussiatt, and the count of Cleves ++.-Item, Acusaire §§, son to the marquis of Montferrat, de Meurs, and de Saussebourg ||; the lord de Haudeshon and de Renuen.—Item, *Sigismund was first married to Mary, heiress of 1414. Werner, count of Konigstein, archbishop of Hungary, and secondly to Barbara, countess of Cilley. Treves, 1388. When emperor, he had John Huss and Jerome of Prague burnt.

† Probably Frederick of Hohenzollern, burgrave of Nuremburg, to whom the emperor Sigismund gave the electorate of Brandenburg in 1417, and from whom are descended the present royal family of Prussia.

Charles the Bold, duke of Lorraine, Reginald IV., duke of Gueldres and Juliers. (The duchies were at this time united.)

§ George Demetrow is named as grand duke of Prussia at this period. The meaning of Tede I cannot

discover.

Theodoric, count of Meurs, archbishop of Cologne,

¶John, brother of duke William, count of Hainault, often mentioned before.

** Visebourg. Q. if not Vissegrade (a). + Michael Kuckenmeister de Hemberg, grand-master of the Teutonic order, 1413.

Adolphus VI, count of Marck and Cleves.

§§ Theodore Palæologus was Marquis of Montferrat. Who his son Acusaire can be, it is very difficult to say. Saussenburg.

(a) Q. If not rather Wurtzburg? Pussau is probably Passau; and the words "in Hungary" refer only to the last-named place.

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