Chapter III: Part 3

They appealed to the parliament against his judgement, and the court confirmed the sentence in regard to four of them, namely, La Hotte, his brother, the shearman, and the locksmith, who were on the following day executed. The two others, namely, the old cloaths man and the sergeant, were detained in prison until after the feast of Easter, when the old cloaths man was given up to the provost, and executed on the eve of Low Sunday.

On Good Friday of this year was much thunder and lightning, which alarmed many persons, from the old saying, 'that none should say, Alas! if thunder be not heard in March.'

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 24: Halle,--a town three leagues from Brussels.]

[Footnote 25: The cause of the king's ridiculous order to seize all the tame magpies in Paris was owing to many of the Parisians having taught them to cry 'Peronne!' whence he had so narrowly escaped from the duke of Burgundy.]

[Footnote 26: A sergeant fieffé,--Cotgrave says, was an hereditary sergeant employed in the collection of taxes, &c.]

[A.D. 1469.]

CHAP. X.

THE TREASON OF THE CARDINAL OF ANGERS, WHO, IN CONSEQUENCE, IS IMPRISONED.--THE KING OF SICILY AND HIS QUEEN WAIT ON THE KING.--PEACE MADE BETWEEN THE KING AND HIS BROTHER, NOW DUKE OF GUIENNE, WHO COMES TO MONTILS-LES-TOURS.--AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN.--THE DUKE OF BRITTANY REFUSES TO WEAR THE KING'S ORDER.--THE BAN AND REAR BAN SUMMONED TO OPPOSE KING EDWARD OF ENGLAND.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR MCCCCLXIX.

The cardinal of Angers, John Balue, who had within a short time received so much wealth and so many honours from the king, by whose recommendation the pope had created him a cardinal, and for whom the king had done more than for any prince of his blood, having unbounded confidence in him,--this cardinal, forgetful of his God, and unmindful of the honour and profit of the king and kingdom, induced the king to go to Peronne, where he was, through intelligence from the cardinal, joined by the duke of Burgundy; and he there established some sort of a peace, which they mutually swore in his hands to observe. He then prevailed on the king to accompany the duke in his attack on Liege, although that city had risen in arms against the duke through the instigations and promises of the king. The consequence was, the slaughter and destruction of the Liegeois, as has been told. But the worst was, that the king, the duke of Bourbon, and his three brothers, with many of the great lords of France, were in the utmost danger of being slain, which would have been the greatest disgrace France could suffer since its becoming a monarchy.

When the king was returning to Tours, the cardinal prevented him from entering his good city of Paris, and made him take a circuit of two miles, thinking to make the king believe that Paris was ill inclined towards him, and thereby to excite the king's anger against it.

During the king's residence at Tours and Angers, he satisfied his brother in respect to his appanage, by giving him the duchy of Guienne, and other things, which greatly pleased him. But the cardinal, observing the good understanding that now subsisted between the brothers, attempted again to throw the kingdom into the same confusion he had done before, and to excite a quarrel between the king and the princes of the blood. For this purpose, he sent an especial messenger to the duke of Burgundy with full accounts of all that had passed between the king and the new duke of Guienne, giving him to understand that their present union was grounded solely on his ruin,--and that, so soon as they could collect a sufficient force, they would invade his territories on all sides. He advised, that in order to be beforehand with them, he should assemble the greatest army he possibly could, and lose no time in declaring war against France. He added a number of other treasonable plans, which he had written and sent by one of his servants to the duke of Burgundy; but his messenger was arrested on the road with all these papers, which were instantly laid before the king.

The moment their contents had been read, the cardinal was arrested and carried prisoner to Montbason[27], where he was left under the guard of monsieur de Torcy and others. All his effects and plate were next seized on for the king, after an inventory had been made of them,--and commissioners were appointed to examine him on the crimes laid to his charge. These were sir Tanneguy du Châtel, governor of Roussillon, sir William Cousinot, the lord de Torcy, and master Pierre d'Oriole, superintendant of the finances, who immediately began to interrogate him on the different charges.

The king made a distribution of the cardinal's effects according to his good pleasure. His plate was sold, and the amount sent to the treasurers of the army for the king's use. His tapestry was given to the governor of Roussillon: his library to master Pierre d'Oriole; and a fine entire piece of cloth of gold, twenty four ells and a quarter in length, well worth twelve hundred crowns, a quantity of sable furs, with a piece of scarlet cloth from Florence, were given to monsieur de Crussol,--and his wardrobe with some of his furniture were sold to defray the expenses of the commission, and of those who had made the inventory.

About this time, the king and queen of Sicily visited the king at Tours and Amboise, where they were very honourably received by him; after which, the king, accompanied by the duke of Bourbon and other lords, went toward Niort, La Rochelle, and divers parts thereabout, where they met the duke of Guienne,--and, through the blessing of God, and the holy Virgin, the two brothers were completely reconciled, to the great joy of the whole realm. Te Deum was sung for this event, in all the churches; bonfires were made in the streets, and tables laid out for passengers in all the great towns.

The king returned to the queen at Amboise, who, like a good and noble lady, had exerted herself much in bringing about this happy reconciliation,--and may the Lord, out of his grace, long preserve it! It was now deliberated and determined on by the king in council, to make a conquest of the county of Armagnac, and to give it to the duke of Guienne. To accomplish this, a large train of artillery men at arms and franc-archers, were ordered to march thither; and the king left Amboise for Orleans, where he remained five or six days, and then returned to Amboise. A short time after, these measures had been resolved on, monsieur de Châtillon, grand master, and inspector general of woods and forests, came to Paris, to muster and review the banners, officers and men, that had been enrolled within that city.

On Saturday, the 4th of November in this year, the peace that had been concluded between the kings of France and Spain was proclaimed in Paris,--and the treaty was publicly read by master John le Cornu, clerk to the provostship of Paris, in the presence of the civil and criminal lieutenants of the said provostship, and the officers of justice attached to the court of the Châtelet. The king after this, resided at Amboise, and other places near, having with him the lord de Bourbon and his usual courtiers, until the 24th of December, when the duke of Guienne arrived at Montils-les-Tours, to wait on the king, attended by a grand company of the nobles of his duchy. The king, queen, and the whole court, were much rejoiced at his arrival, and set off instantly from Amboise, to welcome and entertain the duke at Montils-les-Tours. During this interval, the county of Armagnac was reduced to the king's obedience without any effusion of blood,--and the whole surrendered into the hands of the lord admiral and the count de Dammartin, the commanders in chief of the royal army. The court of France remained with the duke de Guienne at the castle of Montils-les Tours until Christmas, when many feasts and entertainments were given by the king.

The duke of Guienne, having taken leave of the king and court departed for La Rochelle and St Jean d'Angeli to hold his estates, to appoint officers for his duchy, and to regulate the government thereof.

When the king was returned again to Amboise, he sent ambassadors to the duke of Brittany with the collar of an order[28] which he had lately instituted, that he might wear it, and swear to the observance of its laws as a knight-companion, as other princes and barons of the realm had done. But although the king did him this honour, at first he refused to accept or wear it,--owing, as was said, to his having accepted the order of the Golden Fleece, and thus becoming the brother and ally to the duke of Burgundy, which much offended the king, and not without reason[29].

Shortly after, the king issued orders for an army of men at arms, archers and artillery, to be ready to march and make war on the duke of Brittany; but ten days were first allowed the duke, to declare his future intentions, as to his conduct toward the king,--and the 15th of February was the day on which he was to give his positive answer.

On the 14th of that month, a summons from the king, signed 'William de Cerisay,' was published in Paris, by which the king informed the provost, that from certain intelligence he had learnt how king Edward of England had established a peace with all the lords and others who had opposed his government,--and that it had been unanimously resolved in parliament to invade different parts of the French coast, to destroy and conquer the country as they had formerly done: that the king, in consequence, was determined to oppose them by every means in his power, and had ordered his ban and rear ban to be assembled.

He commanded the provost, by these presents, to constrain vigorously, without admittance of excuse, all nobles and others, vassals of the crown, privileged or not, to appear in arms, and sufficiently equipped, on the first day of March next, on pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects. He likewise forbade the provost and all others to receive any excuses, under penalty of losing their offices, with confiscation of effects, any appeals to the contrary notwithstanding. He also declared all such as should fail to make their appearance in arms on the appointed day enemies to his crown, and that their effects should be confiscated, without hopes of pardon.

News was this day brought to Paris, that the duke of Burgundy had been seen, at Ghent, wearing the blue garter[30] on one of his legs, and the red cross on his mantle, the badge of king Edward, which plainly demonstrated his friendship to the English, and that he was a capital enemy to the king of France. The duke, however, sent ambassadors to the king at Tours, who waited there a long time before they were dismissed.--At this time, the viscount of Villars[31], in Poitou, departed this life: he had, while living, left his fortune to the king of France, to be enjoyed by him immediately on his decease. The king, therefore, went into Poitou, to receive possession of Villars and the other property, and on this account remained there the whole month of April.

In this month master Pierre Durand, nephew to the cardinal Balue, who had been long confined in the castle of Mailly, escaped from prison, and went to Paris, where he was discovered by an apothecary called Chambatin. He was again arrested, and confined in the prison of the Conciergerie of the palais-royal, wherein he remained until the 20th day of April, in the ensuing year, and was then delivered into the hands of the sergeants of the provost of the marshals, to be carried whither they had been ordered.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 27: Montbason,--a town of Touraine, on the Indre, five leagues from Tours.]

[Footnote 28: An order. The order of St Michael.]

[Footnote 29: The duke of Brittany was an ally of the duke of Burgundy, but was not a knight of the Golden Fleece.]

[Footnote 30: The blue garter. The duke was elected knight-companion of the Garter the 13th May, 1463.]

[Footnote 31: Viscount of Villars. Q. if not Thouars?]

[A.D. 1470.]

CHAP. XI.

THE EARL OF WARWICK AND THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, DRIVEN OUT OF ENGLAND BY KING EDWARD, COME TO FRANCE.--QUEEN MARGARET AND HER SON ARRIVE THERE ALSO, TO THE DISPLEASURE OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--THE BIRTH OF THE DAUPHIN, CHARLES.--THE EARL OF WARWICK RETURNS TO ENGLAND.--AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE KING OF FRANCE AND KING HENRY OF ENGLAND.--THE FLIGHT OF KING EDWARD.--THE ENTRY OF THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND INTO PARIS.--THE INHABITANTS OF AUXERRE TAKE PART WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--THE KING'S VICTORIES IN THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY AND THE COUNTRIES OF CHAROLOIS AND PICARDY.--OF THE KING'S JOURNEYS, AND OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEAR MCCCCLXX.

In the month of May in this year, the earl of Warwick and the duke of Clarence, whom king Edward had forced to banish themselves, and their families from England, arrived at Honnefleur and Harfleur, with about four score vessels. They found there the lord admiral of France, who received the earl of Warwick, the duke of Clarence, and the count de Vuasanfort[32], and their ladies with every respect. Their vessels were admitted in the harbours; and after a short time, the ladies, with their trains, departed, and went to Valognes, where lodgings had been provided for them.

The duke of Burgundy, hearing of this, wrote to the court of parliament at Paris, to say, that he had received intelligence of the king having admitted the earl of Warwick and his company into some of his towns within the duchy of Normandy contrary to the articles of the treaty of Peronne; and to entreat that the parliament would remonstrate with the king on this subject, to prevent him from favouring the said Warwick and his party, whom he styled his capital enemy, as well as the enemy of the realm of France,--otherwise he would seek him wherever he could find him, in the kingdom of France, to do with him as should seem to him good.

Nevertheless the earl of Warwick remained some time at Honnefleur, namely, the whole of the month of June,--and during this, several of the king's garrisons made frequent sallies on the borders of Normandy and Picardy, and wasted the country.--In this same month two men at arms under the command of the constable waylaid and murdered two young clerks of the treasurer of the army, in the plains of Beauce, to rob them of the money they were carrying to the troops. Shortly after they were taken at Honnefleur, and carried before the constable at Meaux, who had them hanged on two trees that were by the side of two different roads.

The king all this while resided at Tours, Amboise, Vendôme, and at divers places in that country, whither the English came to him, as did queen Margaret and her son the prince of Wales. They had many conferences on the causes of their having left England, and on public affairs,--after which, the English returned to Honnefleur, Valognes, St Lo, and other towns in Normandy. The duke of Burgundy, in the mean time, had all the effects of the french merchants in his countries seized, until his own merchants should have restitution made them for the vessels and goods which these English had captured on their voyage to Harfleur.

On Saturday, the last day of June about two or three in the morning the queen of France was brought to bed in the castle of Amboise, of a fair son, who was then baptised by the name of Charles by the archbishop of Lyon, who was his godfather with the prince of Wales, son to king Henry VI. which latter was then detained a prisoner by Edward, calling himself king of England: his godmother was the princess Jeanne of France, duchess of Bourbon. This event was celebrated by Te Deums sung in most of the churches, by bonfires, and public tables in all the streets of the principal towns.

Not long after this, the king of Sicily, the duke of Guienne, the duke of Bourbon, the archbishop of Lyon, the lord de Beaujeu, and others went to Angers, Saumur, Pont de Cé, and other places near, to negotiate a pacification between the king and the duke of Brittany,--and they remained until it was accomplished. The king having signed the treaty, returned to the queen at Amboise. Ambassadors were, in consequence of this peace, sent by the duke of Brittany to the duke of Burgundy, to deliver up and cancel the alliance that subsisted between them, which greatly vexed the duke of Burgundy, especially on hearing the good understanding and union that reigned between the duke of Brittany and the king.

The duke of Burgundy hearing that the earl of Warwick was preparing to sail for England, instantly ordered a fleet of ships of war, full of artillery, and manned with English, Picards, Burgundians, and others, to cruize in the channel to intercept him. They sailed close to the norman coast in hopes of falling in with the earl, and there remained at anchor a considerable time,--during which the king was gone on a pilgrimage to Mont Saint Michael.

Having performed his devotions, he returned to Avranches, Tombelaine[33], Coutances, Caen and Honnefleur; and while on the coast, he ordered the ships Lord Admiral, the Colon, and others, to be victualled, on board of which the earl of Warwick and the duke of Clarence embarked with their company, and a body of franc-archers and men at arms which the king had given them as an escort, and for their defence. On their embarking, they weighed anchor, and set sail in sight of the Burgundians, who had been at anchor, so long without doing any thing but expend all their provision, which forced them to weigh also, and return to their duke with hungry stomachs. This was matter of joy to the king, for they had lost much time in inactivity,--and the victualling and manning of this fleet had been very expensive.

The wind proving favourable to the french fleet, it soon arrived off the english coast,--and the earl of Warwick and his company landed, during the night at Plymouth and Dartmouth. Warwick, on his landing, instantly dispatched a party of his men ten miles up the country to seize an english baron, who was quietly sleeping in his bed, unsuspicious of this invasion. They brought him to Warwick who ordered him to be immediately beheaded. From Dartmouth, Warwick marched to Bristol, where he was well received,--for it was there he had left his artillery and baggage when he fled to Normandy. When he had remained there about three days, to collect his friends together, he found himself at the head of about sixty thousand men in arms who promised to stand by him until death, and with them he began his march to meet king Edward; but it was more than fifteen days after his landing in England before any intelligence from him reached France.

In this interval, the lord d'Argueil son to the prince of Orange[34], who was of the household of the duke of Burgundy, and one of his nearest relatives, having married the sister of the duke of Bourbon, suddenly quitted the service of the duke of Burgundy, and joined the king, who received him with much distinction. The duke, when he heard of his departure, was ready to burst with grief and vexation; and declared, in the presence of the ambassadors from Brittany, that the lord d'Argueil should have all the property he possessed in his territories confiscated,--and he afterwards had all his castles within his dominions razed to the ground.

The king on the 14th of October, sent letters-patent to Paris, which were read and published in all the squares, in the presence of the lieutenants of the provostship of Paris. They contained information of the treaty of peace which he had concluded with Henry VI. of England, and orders for the admission of all the English of his party into France on their private affairs, or commercial transactions, with or without passports,--but to the exclusion of all who supported the late king Edward IV. his allies and abettors.

This day, news arrived in France, that the duke of Clarence and the earl of Warwick prospered greatly in their enterprises; that they had taken the field in pursuit of Edward,--and that the greater part of the nobles, prelates and gentlemen of England, had joined them, more especially the populace of London, who had gone out to meet Warwick, having turned their backs on Edward; that king Henry, who had been so long detained in confinement by Edward, was fully restored to liberty and to his crown,--that Warwick had been appointed regent of the kingdom,--and that great rejoicings had taken place in London. All the french prisoners were sent home free of ransom; but Warwick had seized on the persons and effects of those who were subjects to the duke of Burgundy. And the intelligence concluded by saying, that Edward, finding himself thus abandoned, had fled the kingdom, to seek an asylum with his brother in law the duke of Burgundy,--but that his wife and family had remained behind.

The king of France, having made a long stay at Tours and Amboise, moved by devotion, went on a pilgrimage to the church of our Lady at Celles, in Poitou,--whence after a few days, he returned to Amboise.

In the month of November, the king sent letters to Paris, to order all the nobles, clergy, and inhabitants of that city, to make processions in praise of God and the virgin Mary, and to continue them, laying aside all other employments whatever, for three days, to return thanks for the great victory which Henry of Lancaster, king of England, had gained over the earl of March, who had, for a long time usurped his throne, by the support of the duke of Burgundy, and, also, for the happy peace and good understanding that now subsisted between him and the king of England. These processions, thus ordered, were executed in all the principal towns of France.

Shortly after, he dispatched other letters to Paris, to say, that he should send thither the queen of England, consort to king Henry, with her son the prince of Wales, his princess, daughter to the earl of Warwick, and her mother the countess of Warwick, the lady Wiltshire, and other ladies and damsels that were with the queen of England.

Queen Margaret came thither as the king had given notice, attended, according to his orders, by the counts d'Eu, de Vendôme, and de Dunois, the lord de Châtillon and other noblemen. When she approached Paris, the bishop, the court of parliament, the university, the provosts of Paris, and the court of Châtelet, by express orders from the king, together with the principal inhabitants, came out to meet her, handsomely dressed, and in very numerous bodies.

She made her entry by the gate of St James,--and all the streets through which she passed from that gate to the palace, where apartments had been handsomely prepared for her, were adorned with hangings of tapestry, and had tents pitched in all the squares. At this time the royal artillery was removed from Tours to the Louvre, wherein it was deposited,--and the king wrote to the provost and sheriffs, that it was his pleasure to hold the feast of his order in their city: having the intention to bring a large company of nobles and knights-companions with him, he willed that lodgings should be provided for them by the inhabitants, according to the choice of his harbingers which was complied with.

In the month of December of this year, sir Arthur de Longueval entered the town of St Quentin, in the name of the king, with the consent of the inhabitants. Afterward, on the 10th day of that month, the constable came thither with two hundred lances and archers; and on the 14th, master John Ladriesche, treasurer of France, master Robert Fessier, master Pierre de Boieuval, and other officers attached to the constable, made a proclamation by sound of trumpet, at the table of marble, in the palace at Paris, to make known the capture of the town of St Quentin, in the Vermandois, by the lord constable, and ordering the public to return thanks to God, praying him to grant prosperity to the king and to the constable, in the recovery of the other pledged towns, which he intended to wrest from the hands of Charles, styling himself duke of Burgundy: such were the words of the proclamation.

The king left Amboise, in the month of January, for Clery and Orleans, and thence went into Beauce. He lay the first night at Puiset[35], and on the morrow at Palaiseau, near Montlehery. The next day, he dined at Seaux, at the house of master John Baillet, master in ordinary of requests of the king's household, and that evening came to his hôtel of the Tournelles at Paris. He was accompanied by the queen, madam de Bourbon, and other ladies and damsels, their attendants, and remained in Paris until the 26th of January, when he set out for Senlis, Compiégne, and other places thereabout, where his army was quartered, in readiness to march against the duke of Burgundy. His artillery was sent after him, by land and water, to Compiégne, Noyon, and other parts of Picardy and Flanders. Proclamation was also made in Paris, that all franc-archers and nobles, in the Isle of France, should make themselves ready, and, properly equipped, to follow the king to the army. In the mean time, great quantities of powder and cannons were made and constructed at Paris.

Before the king joined his army, he sent sir Christopher Paillard, member of the chamber of accounts, and sir James Hesselin, comptroller of the salt magazines at Paris, to the town of Auxerre, to summon the inhabitants to surrender the place to the king, and admit a garrison from him. These commissioners made them an eloquent harangue; but they required time for consulting among themselves, and until the Thursday following to give their answer. To wait their answer, the commissioners went to the town of Joigny, six leagues distant, where they staid until the Thursday, when the townsmen sent them their answer by an inhabitant of Auxerre, said to be a cobbler, who told them, that the inhabitants of Auxerre had garrisoned their town with a steady garrison for the duke of Burgundy, as they were resolved to live and die in his service, and to defend their town for him. The day the duke's garrison was admitted, one of the townsmen, called Guillemin Goutier was killed,--which was a pity, for he suffered from supporting the cause of the king.

On the king's departure from Paris for Senlis, the towns of Amiens, Roye and Mondidier, surrendered to his obedience. The 4th of February, general processions were made at Paris, at which the queen, madame de Bourbon, and the court assisted, to the cathedral church of Nôtre Dame, and thence to our Lady of Recovery at the Carmelites. At both places prayers were offered up for the prosperity of the king and queen.

It was now published, that the three before-mentioned towns had submitted to the king's obedience, to which Abbeville was added,--but this was groundless. Masons, carpenters, and various other workmen, were now collected at Paris, and sent to the towns that had surrendered, under the care of master Henry de la Cloche, king's attorney at the Châtelet, a good and loyal Frenchman, who conducted them to Roye, where they erected strong outworks and bulwarks, as well as at the other towns. These workmen remained in those parts a considerable time, even unto Easter, when the king agreed to a truce with the duke of Burgundy. The duke had been besieged in his encampment between Bapaumes and Amiens, and was in such misery and distress for provision that, had it not been for the truce, the king might have had his whole army at his pleasure.

Since the commencement of this war, the king had been very successful in his different engagements with the Picards and Flemings, as well against the foraging party from the enemy's camp as against others of the burgundian party. Great damages had been done in the duchy of Burgundy, the county of Charolois, and in the Mâconnois, where the royal partisans gained much plunder, made many good prisoners, and slew numbers. The lords count-dauphin of Auvergne, of Comminges, of Combrodes, of Charente, sir William Cousinot, and several others of the nobility, would have conquered the whole country had not the king sent to stop them on account of the truce, which was very displeasing to them as well as to many more who had a regard for the king's honour. On this occasion several libels were written and placed in the churchyard of the holy Innocents at Paris and on the town-house, greatly blaming and abusing many of the lords about the king's person.

During the truce, the king, the duke of Guienne, and others of the nobility fixed their quarters at Ham with the constable, whence there were great goings and comings between the ambassadors of the king and those from the duke of Burgundy. Nothing, for a long time, was concluded on; but at length, a truce for one year was signed,--during which, commissioners were to be appointed on each side, to examine into the matters in dispute between the king and the duke, and between their partisans. The king now left Ham, and every person retired to his home, but the royal army was quartered in the towns he had won prior to the truce.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 32: Vuasanfort. John de Vere, earl of Oxford.]

[Footnote 33: Tombelaine,--a small rock, or island, between St Malo and Avranches.]

[Footnote 34: John de Châlons, son to William prince of Orange.]

[Footnote 35: Puiset,--a village near Orleans.]

[A.D. 1471.]

CHAP. XII.

THE KING OF FRANCE RECEIVES INTELLIGENCE OF THE VICTORY OF KING EDWARD AND THE DEFEAT OF KING HENRY'S ARMY.--THE KING AND THE DUKE OF GUIENNE COME TO PARIS, AND THENCE GO TO ORLEANS, WHERE THE PRINCE OF PIEDMONT DIES.--OF THE DEATH OF THE COUNT D'EU.--THE DUKE OF GUIENNE AND THE COUNT D'ARMAGNAC FORM AN ALLIANCE.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.

At this time, there were great dissensions in England between Henry of Lancaster, king of that country, his son the prince of Wales, the earl of Warwick, and other nobles of that party, against Edward earl of March, who had usurped the throne. A civil war ensued, which was very bloody and murderous on both sides. This warfare lasted until the month of June in this year, when news was brought to the king of France, at Ham, that Edward had landed in England, with a large army of English, Easterlings, Flemings, Picards, and of other nations, which the duke of Burgundy had sent to his aid, and was on his march to meet the powers of Henry, Warwick, and the other lords of the lancastrian party: that several engagements had taken place, in which many were killed on each side,--but that victory had remained with Edward, as at well from treachery on the part of some of Henry's army as from other causes; that the prince of Wales was slain, which was a pity, for he was a very promising and handsome prince; that Warwick was dead,--which was a great loss, as he was singularly disposed to serve the king and his realm, and the king had been at a very considerable expense in supporting him while in France, and in conveying him back to England. This intelligence was, therefore, most disagreeable to the king.

Having received this bad news, the king departed from Ham, taking with him the duke of Guienne, the count de Dammartin, the president of his chamber of accounts, and several others, to Paris,--where, however, he made no long stay. While he was there, many feasts were given,--and the king himself kindled the bonfire in the place of the Greve, on St John Baptist's day. On leaving Paris, he went to Orleans, where the prince of Piedmont fell so dangerously ill that he died. The king, after this, went to visit the queen and the dauphin at Amboise, and thence to Tours.

The king was much displeased at the defamatory epigrams and libels that had been published against the constable and others; and for the better discovery of their authors, he had it proclaimed throughout Paris, by sound of trumpet, that all persons who had any knowledge of them should instantly appear and give information thereof to commissioners named for this purpose, who would pay three hundred golden crowns to each informer; and that such as should have any knowledge of the authors, and fail to inform against them, would have their heads cut off. A young scholar of Paris, called Pierre le Mercier, son to a spectacle maker in the palace, was confined on suspicion of having written them, but soon after set at liberty, nothing being proved against him. Master Henry Mariette, who had been lieutenant-criminal in the provost's court, was also confined, as well for these libels as for certain words he had used (as was said) against master John Ladriesche, treasurer of France, but was afterward delivered from the prison of the Conciergerie by the court of parliament.

In the month of July died the count d'Eu. It was a pity: for he was a noble, wise, and good lord, who had ever served the king most loyally, to the utmost of his power. The county of Eu reverted to the crown,--and the king gave it to the constable, to the great disappointment of the count de Nevers, the count d'Eu's brother, who expected to have this county after his brother's decease, with his other lands, as being his legal heir.

From the month of July to Christmas, nothing particular happened in France, except that there was frequent intercourse between the ambassadors of the king and those of the duke of Burgundy, to establish a permanent peace. This year, the mortality was very great throughout the kingdom from a severe flux, which carried off numbers of persons of distinction in Paris and elsewhere.

The duke of Guienne returned in the course of this year, after he had come back from Picardy to his duchy, discontented with the court. He sent for the count d'Armagnac, who was an exile, and whose estates the king had given to his brother; and on the count d'Armagnac's coming to him, he restored the greater part of them to him, contrary to the will or inclination of the king. The count d'Armagnac, being joined by the count de Foix, made preparations to carry on a war against France. The king, to prevent any damage being done to his realm, dispatched a large body of franc-archers, artillery, and five hundred lances' to the borders of Guienne, where they were posted some time.

In the mean time, news arrived that the duke of Guienne was dead at Bordeaux,--but it was unfounded. Divers negotiations now took place respecting the truce which expired on the 4th of May; and on the 1st of that month the lord de Craon, master Pierre d'Oriole, and others, were employed on that business.

CHAP. XIII.

POPE PAUL II. SHORTENS THE INTERVALS OF THE JUBILEES.--HE DIES.--POPE SIXTUS IV. ELECTED IN HIS STEAD: HE WAS GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF FRANCISCAN MONKS.--A YOUNG GIRL PRETENDS TO HAVE THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD ON HER HANDS, FEET, AND SIDE.

Pope Paul II. a Venetian, and of a very avaricious character, made a change, this year, in the intervals of the jubilees, which had been before celebrated every fifty years: he now appointed them to be held every twenty-five years. His reasons were, that as iniquities were become more abundant than ever, it was necessary that there should be more frequent opportunities offered to the people to pray for and obtain from our Lord the remission and pardon of their sins. Many expressions were said to have been used by this pope which ought not to be repeated,--for God is the sovereign Judge, and the only scrutinizer of hearts. He had begun to build a magnificent palace near the church of St Mark, at Rome, but died, the 21st of July, while he was busied about it, having reigned with papal dignity seven years.

Almost immediately on his decease, he was succeeded by pope Sixtus IV.[36] The new pope was, prior to his elevation, called Francis of Savona, in the genoese territory. He was a doctor of divinity, of a good reputation, and decent manners. It was for these excellent qualities, that, while general of the Franciscans, he was created a cardinal by Paul II. without his solicitation or knowledge.

Shortly after he arrived at his new dignity, Bernardo Justiniani, ambassador from Venice, harangued him on the rapid advances of the Turk, who had despoiled Christendom of two empires, four kingdoms, twenty provinces, and two hundred cities, with the loss of immense numbers of men, women and children,--and Bernardo exhorted the pope to make every exertion to oppose the enemy of the faith.

Pope Sixtus was very assiduous in the reparations of the city of Rome, and restored a bridge over the Tiber, anciently called Pons Judæus, but since called the Sixtine Bridge. He re-established the hospital of the Holy Ghost, where great alms are daily distributed to sick persons and poor orphans. He was zealous for the salvation of souls, and not sparing of his pardons and indulgences to devout Christians in various parts of the world, and did many acts worthy of remembrance.

During the reign of this pope, a young virgin, called Stine, in the town of Hame[37], in Westphalia, who had lately been converted to the Christian faith, was marked on the hands, feet, and side, with the wounds of our Saviour. About fifteen weeks after her conversion, on the feast of the holy sacrament, (Corpus-Christi-day) she displayed these wounds in the presence of twelve witnesses, and foretold, that within two hours afterward they would be no more seen, which was verified,--for at that precise time the wounds were all perfectly healed.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 36: Pope Sixtus IV.--Francis Albescola de Rovere was the son of a fisherman of Celles, five leagues from Savona.]

[Footnote 37: Hame. Probably Hamela, in Westphalia, 28 miles south-west from Hanover. Hamela seems to have been the scene of more miracles than one. In 1284, this town was so much infested with rats that every method was tried in vain to extirpate them. One day, a man of prodigious size came thither, dressed in a curiously-coloured robe, and offered, on certain terms, to extirpate them; which being agreed to, he drew out of his sleeve a small flute, and, as he was playing on it, the rats left their holes and followed him to the river Weser, and were all drowned. When he came to receive his recompence, the townsmen laughed at him. On the morrow, while the inhabitants were at church, it being a feast-day, he again played on his flute, and was followed by all the children under fourteen years to the number of one hundred and thirty, to the mountain of Kopferberg, where they all disappeared with him, as was seen by a young girl who had followed and watched them. _Martiniere's Geographical Dictionary._]

[A.D. 1472.]

CHAP. XIV.

THE KING OF FRANCE OBTAINS INDULGENCES FOR THOSE WHO SHALL SAY AVE MARIA THREE TIMES.--THE DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF PARIS.--OF THE DUKE OF CALABRIA.--THE ROOF OF NÔTRE DAME OF CLERY BURNT.--THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF GUIENNE.--A TRUCE WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.--OF THE SIEGE AND ATTACK OF BEAUVAIS.--THE TOWNSMEN OF AUXERRE DEFEATED.--DIFFERENT EDICTS PUBLISHED AT PARIS.--ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST THE CONSTABLE.--PARIS AND ORLEANS SEND SUPPLIES TO BEAUVAIS.

On the first of May, in this year, a general procession was made to the church of Nôtre Dame in Paris, where a solemn sermon was preached by a doctor in divinity, called master Peter Brete, a native of Tours, who declared, among other things, the king's singular confidence in the blessed Virgin; and he entreated his audience, and the inhabitants of Paris, in his majesty's name, that henceforward, when they should hear the great bell of the church toll at midday, they would fall on their knees, and repeat three Ave Marias for the welfare of the kingdom of France.

Not long after this procession, master John Chartier, bishop of Paris, was taken suddenly ill and died the same day. His loss was much regretted, for he was a devout and good man, and very learned. The episcopal palace was crowded with the populace of Paris, to see his body, which lay in state in the great hall, where they piteously lamented him, and prayed for the salvation of his soul; on going away, the greater part kissed his hands and feet, firmly believing him to be a saint and well beloved by God. On the 15th of May, the king sent letters to the provost and sheriffs, to declare, that the bishop, during his life-time, had been his enemy, and kept up an intelligence with the duke of Burgundy and the confederate princes when before Paris, and had practised with the inhabitants to favour them. For these causes, he willed, that an epitaph be placed on his tomb, declaratory of his conduct toward his king, which the aforementioned officers ordered to be written for the purpose of being thereon affixed.

The truce between France and Burgundy, which would have expired on the 4th of May, was prolonged until the 15th of the ensuing month of June. In the month of May, the duke of Calabria, nephew to the king of Jerusalem and Sicily, whom the king had honoured by promising him his eldest daughter in marriage, went from his duchy of Lorraine to the duke of Burgundy, to treat of a marriage with the duke's daughter, thus leaving the daughter of the king,--which astonished every one, that he should thus falsify his faith by neglecting a princess of France, to seek to unite himself with a daughter of Burgundy, a subject and vassal to the king of France. Prior to this, the duke of Burgundy had made a severe war on France, in favour of the duke of Guienne, and under pretence of giving him his daughter in marriage,--which he never accomplished, but acted quite contrary, and abused many others, under shadow of giving them his daughter.

On the 14th of May, an unfortunate accident happened to the church of Nôtre Dame of Clery, near Orleans, which the king had lately rebuilt, and covered with a handsome roof of carpentry, slates, and lead. A plumber at work on the roof had inadvertently come down leaving a fire, which had served to heat his soldering irons, unextinguished, which being blown by the wind, set the wood on fire, and the whole was burnt to the ground.

The king received, this day, certain intelligence by the lord de Malicorne, a confidential servant to the duke of Guienne, that his brother was dead, at Bordeaux. The lord de Craon, master Pierre d'Oriole, master Olivier le Roux, with other ambassadors to the duke of Burgundy, now returned, to inform the king what they had done, and of the truce they had prolonged to the 15th of June. During the truce, the duke, nevertheless, took the field with his army, and posted his park of artillery between Arras and Bapaumes, at a place called Hubuterne, in Artois.

The king, in consequence of the death of his brother being confirmed, departed from Plessis, near Tours, and proceeded toward Guienne, and appointed new officers in La Rochelle, St Jean d'Angeli, Bordeaux, and other places. He made the lord de Beaujeu, brother to the duke of Bourbon, governor of the duchy of Guienne.

The duke of Burgundy, still persevering in his wickedness, and mad attempts against France, sent his army before the town of Nesle[38], in which was captain for the king one called the Petit Picard, having under him five hundred franc-archers from the Isle of France. They endeavoured to gain it by storm, and make several furious attacks, but were gallantly opposed by Picard and his companions. The next day, about five in the morning, Picard, in company with the countess of Nesle, issued out of the town to meet the bastard of Burgundy, who commanded the army, and endeavoured to conclude a treaty.

But the bastard would only consent to the following terms of capitulation,--namely, that Picard and his men should be allowed to march away in safety, on surrendering the place, but leaving behind their arms and baggage. On Picard's return to Nesle, he told the franc-archers of the terms he had obtained; but though their lives were spared, they were to leave their horses, arms and baggage; when some of them immediately pulled off their armour, even before the terms were signed,--and, in this interval, the townsmen admitted the Burgundians, who notwithstanding the capitulation, charged these disarmed archers, and murdered all they could. A party fled for safety to the church of Nesle, but were followed by the Burgundians, and barbarously put to death. When this slaughter had been completed, the duke of Burgundy arrived, on horseback, and entered the church, which was half a foot deep of blood, from the poor creatures who there lay naked and dead. On looking around, he said, it was a fine sight! and he was glad to have with him such excellent butchers!!

The ensuing day, Saturday the 13th, the petit Picard and others that had been made prisoners, were ordered by the duke to be hanged,--and the town was razed and set on fire. On the morrow, the burgundian army marched from before Nesle to Roye, wherein were fourteen hundred of the company, and under the command of Pierre Aubert, bailiff of Melun and Nugnon. There were also other captains, such as Loiset de Belagny governor of Beauvais, the lord de Mouy, the lord de Rubempré, having full two hundred lances, well appointed. But notwithstanding the fortifications had lately been repaired and strengthened by the king, and the town well victualled, with plenty of artillery on the walls, they surrendered on the 16th, with the loss of all their horses, armour, baggage and artillery, to the detriment of the king of more than one hundred thousand golden crowns. They were obliged to march out naked all but their purpoints, with wands in their hands,--and the duke remained there a long time.

The duke marched from Roye, to lay siege to Beauvais, and arrived before it on the 27th of June, when he instantly began to attack it. In the course of that night, Guillaume de la Vallée, lieutenant to the seneschal of Normandy, entered the town with two hundred lances, which greatly succoured the garrison and inhabitants, for he arrived very opportunely as the Burgundians were recommencing their attack,--when, mounting the walls, they made them to retreat. On the morrow, there arrived, the lord de Crussol, Joachim Rohault, the company of the lord de Bueil, Guevin le Groing, the lord de Torcy, and other nobles from Normandy, to the amount of more than three hundred lances. They made a vigorous defence, and were strongly supported by the city of Paris, who sent thither a body of pioneers, with pickaxes, shovels, flour, wine, gunpowder, and plenty of all sorts of stores, which were of great relief to those in the town. Several sallies and skirmishes took place before the town, in which many Burgundians were killed and wounded.

At this time, a number of the inhabitants of Auxerre sallied out of their town on a foraging party, to collect cattle and whatever else they should find in the countries attached to the king, for the victualling of Auxerre, and advanced as far as Joigny, and Seignelay[39]. The bastard of Seignelay, the lord de Plancy, and others, to the number of three hundred, took the field to fight them,--and they no sooner came in sight than these gentlemen charged them so vigorously that eight score were killed, and four score made prisoners; the rest escaped by flight, or were drowned.

As the Burgundians had approached so near to Paris as Beauvais[40], sir Denis Hesselin, pantler to the king and provost of the merchants, made great preparations against them,--such as repairing the walls and the battlements, cutting deep and wide trenches, having the chains to barricade the streets in good order, walling up some of the gates, strengthening others, and causing abundance of cannon to be prepared.

On the 2d of July, the lord de Rubempré, arrived at Paris from Beauvais, with letters from the captains in that town to the lord de Gaucourt, lieutenant for the king in Paris, and to the provosts and sheriffs, to inform them, that there was such scarcity in the burgundian camp that a loaf of bread, worth two farthings in Beauvais, was of the value of three sols parisis to the enemy; and that the duke of Burgundy was in such despair that he had determined to gain the town or lose the greater part of his army. They therefore desired that there might be sent them, without delay, small artillery, cross-bows, and provision,--all of which was done, under the conduct of the bastard de Rochechouart, lord of Meru, who carried thither sixty cross-bowmen, cross-bows, artillery and provisions, from Paris.

About seven in the morning of the 9th of July, after the duke of Burgundy had kept up a brisk fire, from his artillery, against the walls of Beauvais, at the gate of the general hospital, a large detachment entered the ditches with faggots, and other materials, to fill them, and erected their ladders against the wall near the hospital-gate, which they vigorously attacked. The guard of this gate was intrusted to the care of sir Robert d'Estouteville lord of Beine, and provost of Paris, who with his company behaved themselves most gallantly. This attack lasted from seven in the morning until near eleven in the forenoon; and the Burgundians were so roughly treated that, including those thrown down from the walls, killed and wounded, their loss amounted from fifteen to sixteen hundred men: it would have been much more considerable, if the besieged could have made a sally; but all the gates on the side of the enemy's camp were walled up.

This was a great vexation to those nobles, and valiant captains, in the town,--such as the count de Dammartin, Joachim Rohault, marshal of France, Salazart, Guillaume de la Valleé, Mery de Coué, Guerin le Groing, the lord de Beine, the brothers de Torcy, and several more, who had under their command from fourteen to fifteen thousand combatants.

During this attack, through the mercy of God, only three or four of the royalists were slain, and it was said that this was owing to their own rashness. And although the burgundian artillery kept up a continued fire until the 9th of July, not more than four persons were killed by it. On the day succeeding this attack, sir Denis Hesselin sent from Paris to Beauvais, by daybreak, a fresh supply of arrows, cross-bows, gunpowder, and surgeons to attend the wounded.

Saturday the 21st day of July, a messenger of the king's household was confined in the prison of the Châtelet for having published in several parts of Paris, that the constable had drawn out of Beauvais the principal captains, under pretence of holding a council to consider on the means of defending that town, during which the burgundian army had been well victualled, which would not have happened if these captains had been left in Beauvais. This charge was highly offensive to the constable; and on his complaining thereof, the messenger was, by the king's orders, delivered into the hands of master Miles, usher of the household to the constable, and conducted to him, to make good his accusations against him.

The besieged in Beauvais made a deep trench, on the day after the late attack, to enable them to sally out undiscovered,--by which means, Salazart and others of his company, one morning at daybreak, entered the enemy's camp, and killed all they met. They burnt three tents, and all within them. In one were slain two persons of rank, although they offered a large sum for their ransoms. The alarm being now spread, and the shouting of 'Salazart for ever!' having roused the Burgundians, it was necessary for him to retreat toward Beauvais; but in doing so, he carried off some handsome artillery, particularly some mortars that had done much mischief to the town,--and as they were heavy, they threw them into the ditch. They brought into the town two fine serpentines and a large brass cannon, called One of the Twelve Peers, which the king had lost at the battle of Montlehery.