Chapter VII: Part 7

The first entertainment was given by the cardinal of Foix, in the hôtel d'Estampes, near the bastile,--and the second, by the lord cardinal of Bourbon, at his hôtel, where he gave a grand supper on Wednesday the last day in March. At this supper, there was the greatest plenty of every delicacy that could be procured, with music and singing, mummeries, farces, and other gallant amusements. This supper was served up in the gilt gallery, where all the guests attended but madame de Narbonne,--who, on account of her being far gone with child, and to be more at her ease, supped with her husband and seven more, in the lower apartments of the said hôtel, belonging to John Roye, secretary to the duke of Bourbon, who had the care of his hôtel.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 84: The earl of Warwick was killed at the battle of Barnet,--and the prince of Wales was ungenerously murdered after the fatal battle of Tewkesbury, for a spirited answer to an insolent demand from Edward IV.]

[Footnote 85: Never was the proverb of 'like master like man'--'tel mâitre, tel valet,' so truly exemplified as in Louis XI. and Olivier le Diable, Olivier le Mauvais, or, as the king ordered him to be called in his letters of nobility, Olivier le Daim. I copy from the 222d number of Proofs to Comines what M. Godefroy said of this infamous character.

'Philip de Comines cries out justly against the choice the king made of a man of such a character as his ambassador to the princess of Burgundy. Master Olivier (for thus he was called in the low countries, where, to this day, the masters of any trade are called by their Christian names only) was born in the little town of Thielt, a dependancy on the castlewick of Courtray in Flanders. He went to France and became barber to the king, whose confidence he gained by his intrigues.

'Having acquired great riches, the desire of appearing with eclat in the country of his birth, which is the usual presumption of persons suddenly raised from the dregs of the people to high rank, blinded him so much that he accepted of an embassy, which he naturally should have refused, if he had not been devoured with pride.

'The magnificence of his equipage only served to make him more despised by his countrymen--and the barber was plainly seen under the dress of a prince. The ghent men would have made his time pass unpleasantly, and, if he had not avoided it by a precipitate retreat, would have suffered what he afterward could not escape from.

'He was one of the most profligate and unprincipled men in the world.'

Here follows what a french author, named Boitel, relates of the latter end of his life, in the 321st page 'des intentions morales, civiles, et militaires d'Antoine le Pipre,' printed at Antwerp in the year 1625.

'You must know that Louis XI. king of France, bewitched with friendship for Olivier le Daim, (whose first trade was that of barber) made him governor of the castle of Loches, which was and is at this moment, a handsome establishment, appointed him to the government of St Quentin, in Picardy, and made him one of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber. He had purchased considerable lordships from the great riches he possessed, and plunged into all kinds of luxuries, as well during the king's life as after his death.

'It happened one day that a young gentleman committed a crime, for which the provost of the king's household had him confined. His wife, fearing the consequences might be fatal to her husband, solicited every one whom she thought had credit with king Charles VIII. Thinking that Olivier le Daim might enjoy the same favour as with the late king, from seeing him richly dressed, followed by many of the courtiers, and having admittance to the king's apartments when he pleased, she addressed herself to him, and entreated that he would obtain her husband's liberty. Olivier observing that the suitress was young, handsome, and elegantly made, promised the deliverance of her husband, provided she would yield to his desires, which after many difficulties, she consented to.

'To perform his promise, he went to the provost and desired that he would not criminate the gentleman, which he refused. He then begged that he would allow him to escape, as if he had forced his way out of prison; but this he more obstinately refused. Master Olivier, seeing himself thus disappointed, began to reproach the provost for his ingratitude,--for he had given him his place, and had also obtained for him, from Louis XI. many rich presents; and when that king was much irritated against him for bad management in his office, he had appeased the king's anger. In short, these reproaches had such an effect on the provost that he told him to consider on some means for the prisoner to escape, provided that he were not brought into trouble, nor implicated,--for those who had caused him to be confined had great power. Master Olivier replied, that the most secure method would be to strangle him in his dungeon, and to throw the body into the river; for then his enemies would be satisfied, and his wife, by avoiding the infamy of a public execution, would likewise be contented,--and this would be the means of gratifying all parties.

'Having fixed on their plan, master Olivier solicited the lady to come that night to his lodgings, which she complied with, assuring herself that on the morrow she should obtain her husband's liberty; but she was deceived; for while master Olivier, was caressing her in bed, his valet de chambre Daniel, with another called Oyac, strangled the miserable gentleman in the provost's prison, and then dragged the body to the Seine. The corpse floated on the water, as they were unable to sink it. The boatmen drew it to the bank, where it lay the whole day, and was viewed by numbers, who immediately recognised it for the body of such a gentleman. The wife, who had risen early in the expectation of meeting her husband, was told that he had been drowned, and was then lying on the bank of the river. Thither she hastened and found the report but too true.

'This unfortunate lady flung herself on the corpse, and, with bitter tears, cursed Olivier le Daim, who had deceived her, and ravished her honour, under promise of procuring her husband's liberty. Her lamentations excited the pity of the populace in so great a decree that they informed the officers of justice of what had happened. On this, master Olivier was arrested, and sentenced to the torture; but without suffering much, he confessed the fact, imagining his judges would not dare to condemn him, and, if they should, he trusted to his favour with the king. He was, however, completely mistaken; for, being hated for his abuse of authority under Louis XI. he was sentenced to be hanged and strangled. His servant Daniel was condemned to make a pecuniary restitution to the widow.

'With regard to Oyac, he was not hanged, because it had appeared on the trial that he would not assist to strangle the gentleman in prison, although he had aided to throw him into the river; for which he was condemned to have his ears cut off, his tongue pierced, and to be banished the realm.

'Master Olivier was pitied by none: and it may be shown, from an infinity of examples, that a disgraceful or an unfortunate death is commonly the lot of such as put their trust in the favour of princes, abuse their authority, and only make use of their great riches in the commission of the most enormous crimes. God becomes tired of their iniquities, and commences even in this world to punish them for their wickednesses.'

This crime may be nearly matched by that of another monster in our own country. Colonel Kirke, when pursuing the duke of Monmouth's partisans at Taunton, was guilty of an act attended with rather more insulting cruelty; and to him likewise may be applied the motto, 'Tel mâitre, tel valet.'

There is also a similar story told in 491. of the Spectator; but it is not mentioned by Comines, or by any other historian of that period that I am acquainted with.]

CHAP. XXVI.

THE KING OF FRANCE'S SOLDIERS SEIZE THE MONEY THAT WAS SENT TO PAY THE FLEMISH TROOPS, AND GAIN ALSO THE TOWN OF CONDÉ FROM THEM.--A CORDELIER FRIER, NAMED ANTHONY FRADIN PREACHES AT PARIS, AND IS AFTERWARDS BANISHED.--THE POPE SENDS A LEGATE TO THE KING OF FRANCE AND TO THE DUKE OF AUSTRIA.--THE DECEIT OF THE LAST TOWARD THE KING.--A TREATY CONCLUDED BETWEEN THEM.--SIR CHARLES D'AMBOISE REGAINS MANY TOWNS FOR THE KING IN THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY.

In the month of April, Guerin le Groin bailiff of St Pierre-le-Monstier, and Robinet du Quesnoy, who had each the command of one hundred lances for the king, received information, while cantoned in Picardy, that the Flemings were sending a large sum of money to Douay for the pay of their troops and the support of the town. These captains took the field to intercept this money, which they did, killing many, and making prisoners of others of the escort. Intelligence of this was instantly carried to the garrisons in Lille and Douay, who made all haste to recover the money and prisoners; but although they were in great numbers the French not only saved themselves but slew four score, or better, and carried off the money in safety,--their loss not amounting to more than twenty-six or twenty-seven men.

The king arrived in Picardy during the month of May,--but nothing of consequence passed except gaining from the Burgundians the little town of Condé, which was inconveniently situated for sending provisions and stores to Tournay. A garrison for the duke of Austria was in the place, who defended it for a short time; but when they saw the great army that was advancing to besiege it, they surrendered the town and castle to the king, on being allowed to march away in safety with their arms and baggage.

In this year, a cordelier friar, a native of Ville-Franche, in the Beaujolois, came to preach against the profligate manners of the times at Paris. He preached long and strongly on the vices which blemished the creatures of God, and with such good effect that many women, who had abandoned themselves to carnal pleasures, and other debaucheries, changed their course of life. Some gave themselves up to religious pursuits, abandoning those pleasures they had of late so wildly followed. He blamed all ranks, and preached on the justice and government of the king, the princes, and great lords of the realm; adding, that the king was ill served,--that he had about his person servants who were traitors,--and that, if he did not discard them, they would destroy him and the kingdom also. The king when told of this, ordered that the friar should be forbidden to preach; and for this purpose, master Olivier le Daim, the king's barber, came to Paris to see that he was put under an interdict. This was very displeasing to several of both sexes, who were much inclined to follow him, for the sake of his sermons; and for fear any insult should be offered him, they had him watched, night and day, in the convent of the Cordeliers in Paris. It was said that numbers of women went to him secretly, by day and night, with knives and staves hidden under their clothes, to spike such as should endeavour to hurt him, or hinder him from preaching: telling him not to be afraid for that they would perish sooner than any mischief should befal him.

During this time, a legate from the pope came to the king in Picardy, to remonstrate with him on the enormous evils the infidels were doing to Christendom, and to exhort him to make peace with the duke of Austria, and unite in opposing the further progress of the Turks. By this means the war against the Burgundians was somewhat relaxed, in the hope of establishing a peace; but although the war ceased on the part of the king it was still continued by the enemy in the county and duchy of Burgundy, where several towns were recovered from the king, and numbers of his troops killed.

On Tuesday the 26th day of May, a public proclamation was made by sound of trumpet, which was the ancient custom, in all the squares of Paris, to forbid all persons, whatever might be their rank, to cause any assemblies of the people in Paris without the express leave and licence of the king,--for that, of late, many persons had assembled, under pretence of hearing certain sermons preached in the said town by friar Anthony Fradin, of the order of Cordeliers; and that numbers had also assembled at the convent of the Cordeliers to guard the said friar, to whom no insult whatever had been offered by the officers of his majesty's justice, but to whom some of the king's counsellors had been sent, to interrogate him on certain secret matters of which the king was desirous to know the truth: that persons had remained for nights in the said convent, under pretext of guarding, as they said, the above friar, which was matter of great scandal.

In consequence thereof, and by the advice of the court of parliament, and of the provost of Paris, all persons, of whatever rank or condition, were henceforward forbidden to hold such assemblies in the convent of the Cordeliers, or elsewhere, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects. In regard to those who might at that time be assembled at the Cordeliers, they were ordered instantly, on this proclamation being made, to depart thence to their own homes, under pain of the aforesaid penalties. All husbands were strictly charged to forbid their wives going thither, and to hold similar assemblies in future.

When this proclamation was read, many of the auditors, by way of derision, said that it was all nonsense; that the king was ignorant of the business, and that it was very ill judged to issue so foolish a proclamation.

Monday, the 2d of June, the first president of the parliament and others, who said they were so charged by the king, declared to friar Anthony Fradin that he was banished the kingdom of France ordering him instantly to quit the realm. This he did on the following day; but when he left his convent great crowds of the populace sighed and cried on account of his departure. They were so much angered thereat that, in their rage, they uttered many marvellous and scandalous things. Numbers of both sexes followed him far beyond Paris, and then returned.

The king remained in Picardy, with the intent of reducing to his obedience such towns and places as the duke of Burgundy was possessed of at the time of his death, and which he had acquired by his rebellious conduct. For this purpose, he had with him the handsomest train of artillery, and finest body of men at arms, franc-archers, and other soldiers, that had been seen in France. He was long inactive, in the expectation of receiving some propositions from the Flemings and Maximilian duke of Austria, who, by his marriage with the princess Mary of Burgundy, was their lord.

Ambassadors at length came from the duke of Austria to the king, while at Arras and at Cambray, who proposed to restore peaceably to the king the counties of Artois and of Bologne, with the towns of Lille, Douay, Orchies, St Omer and others, together with the entire duchy of Burgundy. In return for these, the king was to give up the possession of Cambray, Quesnoy le Comte, Bouchain, and some other towns. For the more ready communication on the above matters, the duke of Austria marched his army, which was said to consist of twenty thousand combatants, between Douay and Arras, where he encamped. Under pretence of these exchanges, the duke amused the king with fine promises until the end of June, when the king did not gain any one thing that had been promised, although he had liberally restored to Maximilian all the towns on his part, thinking that the duke would as liberally keep the engagements on his side,--but he had been completely deceived throughout.

The army which the king had sent to upper Burgundy, to recover the towns in that district, under the command of sir Charles d'Amboise[86], governor of Champagne, had been very successful. He reduced to the king's obedience the towns of Verdun, Monsavion, and Semur-en-Auxois, by assault or capitulation. He laid siege to the town of Beaune, which lasted some time; but in the month of July, its inhabitants surrendered on condition that they should have their lives and fortunes spared, on payment of a fine of forty thousand crowns for their rebellion. They were also condemned to make restitution to the merchants of Paris and other towns in the kingdom for all wines sold, but not delivered, and for all the sums of money they had borrowed. The garrison were allowed to march, with their baggage, whithersoever they pleased.

In the month of July, a grand embassy came to the king, in Arras, from duke Maximilian of Austria, and the chief towns in Flanders. They were heard by the king in council,--and, after mature deliberation, a truce was agreed on, to last for one whole year, during which a free intercourse was to be allowed to the merchants of France and Flanders with their merchandise. When this was settled the king departed for Paris,--but did not enter the town, as he was told that an epidemical disorder carried off numbers of the inhabitants. He went, therefore, to Vendôme, where he staid some time, and thence went to Behuart, and to other places of pilgrimage[87].

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 86: Sir Charles d'Amboise,--lord of Chaumont.]

[Footnote 87: This year, Louis XI. went to Boulogne-sur-mer, to make homage of his kingdom to the holy Virgin.]

CHAP. XXVII.

THE KING OF FRANCE PRESENTS RICH GIFTS TO SEVERAL CHURCHES.--A COUNCIL HELD AT ORLEANS ON THE PRAGMATIC SANCTION.--AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE KINGS OF FRANCE AND OF CASTILLE.--A TAME LION ESCAPES IN AUVERGNE, AND DOES MUCH MISCHIEF.--THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF ARTOIS BEHEADED AT TOURS.--A NEW BOMBARD ON TRIAL BURSTS, AND KILLS MANY PEOPLE AT PARIS.--A GASCON CAPTAIN, NAMED ORIOLE, AND HIS LIEUTENANT BEHEADED AT TOURS.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR MCCCCLXXVIII.

The king, on his return from Picardy, made many rich presents to divers churches and saints. When he was at the abbey of Nôtre Dame de la Victoire, near Senlis he gave two thousand francs to be employed in procuring silver lamps to hang before the altar of the Virgin. He covered the shrine of St Fiacre with silver, which amounted to the weight of seven or eight score marcs. From his great and singular faith in St Martin, he ordered a handsome trellis of silver to be made round his shrine, in his church at Tours,--which was done, and weighed from sixteen to seventeen thousand marcs, and cost, when finished and put up, full two hundred thousand francs. It should be known, that to furnish silver sufficient for all these great works, commissioners were appointed to seize on all the plate they could find in Paris and other towns, which was reasonably well paid for; but notwithstanding this, great quantities were hidden and no longer seen in those places where they were used to be visible,--and henceforward, on this account, when any weddings or other feasts took place, where much silver plate was wont to be exhibited, nothing was seen but handsome cups of glass and dishes of earthen ware.

About this period, the king held a grand council of prelates, churchmen, and learned men, as well from the universities of Paris and Montpellier as elsewhere, in the town of Orleans, to consult on the best means of recovering the pragmatic sanction, and of preventing the money for the vacant benefices being sent out of the kingdom to Rome. At this assembly the lord de Beaujeu presided, as representative for the king,--and the lord chancellor, with other lords of the council, attended.

The lord chancellor, in the presence of the lord de Beaujeu and the rest, opened the meeting, by declaring the cause of this assembly being held at Orleans, and the reasons which had moved the king to call them together. He was replied to by master John Hue, dean of the faculty of theology, in the name of the university of Paris, who made many remonstrances on the subject, and spoke loudly and boldly, because he was supported by the university. Another learned clerk spoke also, as representative of the university of Montpellier. When this assembly had continued some time, the king came to pay his devotions to our Lady at Clery[88], and thence came to Orleans, where he only staid half a day. The assembly now broke up, without having concluded any thing,--and it was adjourned to Lyon, to be there holden on the first day of May following.

While the king was in Touraine, he sent sealed letters to his good citizens of Paris, to make known to them, that having sent ambassadors to the king of Castille and Leon, respecting some differences that had arisen between them, they had reported, on their return, that the king of Castille was perfectly satisfied with what the ambassadors had said from the king, and had promised and sworn to observe a strict alliance with him. For this the king was desirous that public thanksgivings should be offered up to God and to the blessed Virgin; that a general procession should be made at Paris, with bonfires in all the streets. A procession was, consequently, made from the church of Nôtre Dame to that of St Genevieve, where a sermon was preached by the prior of the carmelite friars, in which he detailed at length the honourable intentions of the king, and the contents of his letter.

A gentleman in Auvergne having kept a tame lion, he, after some time, escaped, and was the terror of the country,--for he devoured men, women, and children, whenever he chanced to meet them. The country people rose against him, to kill him, and his master accompanied them. On meeting the lion, he recognised his master, and came up to him, when he was instantly put to death. Another extraordinary event happened also in Auvergne, by a spring bursting forth where no water had been before, which event was preceded by an earthquake.

In the month of November of this year, Simon Courtois, whom the king had made his attorney-general for the county of Artois, taking advantage of the truce, left Arras, under pretence of looking after his concerns in Flanders; instead of which, he went to the princess of Flanders, consort to Maximilian of Austria, and, unmindful of the honour the king had just conferred on him, by making him his attorney-general, told the princess that he was her very humble servant, as all his family had been. He added, that if she would accept of his allegiance, and make him her attorney-general, Artois should be restored to her,--for he would rather that it was in her hands than in the king's. This was told to the king's governor in Arras, who had Simon Courtois arrested and sent to Tours, where, having confessed the above, he was beheaded.

A great bombard, that had been cast at Tours, was brought to Paris the Monday before Epiphany to be proved, and was, for this purpose, drawn out into the fields in front of the bastile of St Anthony. It was pointed toward Charenton, and when first fired threw the ball as far as the gallows on the bridge of Charenton; but as those present did not think it had discharged all the powder that had been put into the chamber, they ordered it to be recharged, and the chamber perfectly cleaned of all that remained within it, which was done, and an iron ball, weighing five hundred weight, put into its mouth, before which stood John Maugué the founder of it. As the ball rolled down the bombard, by some unknown accident the powder in the chamber took fire before the match was put to it, and by its discharge tore in pieces John Maugué and fourteen other persons, whose heads, legs, arms and bodies, were blown into the air. The ball killed a poor innocent bird-catcher that was attending his nets in the fields; and the bursting of the bombard maimed fifteen or sixteen others, several of whom died; so that by this accident twenty-two or twenty-three persons lost their lives. The remains of John Maugué were collected, put on a bier, and carried to St Merry for interment; and proclamation was made through the streets of Paris, that all people should pray for the soul of John Maugué, who had lost his life in the king's service.

The 22d of May, the body of Laurence Garnier, of the town of Provins[89], which, by sentence of the court of parliament, had been hanged on the gibbet a year and half, for his having murdered a receiver of taxes in the town of Provins (but for which a pardon had been granted, though not confirmed by the court,) was taken down, at the request of his brother, by Henry Cousin, the executioner at Paris. The body was put on a bier, covered with a pall, and from the gibbet carried into Paris by the gate of St Denis; four of the town-criers preceded the body, ringing their bells, and having the arms of Garnier emblazoned on their breasts. Round the bier were four wax-tapers, and eight lighted torches, borne by men in mourning, having on their breasts similar arms to the criers. In this state was the body carried through Paris to the gate of St Anthony, when it was placed on a mourning car, to be conveyed for interment at Provins. One of the before named criers went first, crying aloud, 'Good people, say your Pater-nosters for the soul of Laurence Garnier, who, while living, resided at Provins, and whose body has been lately found dead under an oak, that God may have mercy on his soul!'

On the 18th of March, a gentleman of Gascony, named Oriole, was brought prisoner to Tours. He had commanded a company of one hundred lances for the king: but his company having been lately broken with some others, he was disgusted,--and it was reported to the king that he had used threatening language, and that he was plotting with his lieutenant to quit the service and attach himself to the duke of Austria. He was convicted of high treason, and, for this and other offences, was beheaded at Tours, in company with his lieutenant. After the execution, master Henry Cousin, who had beheaded them, carried their heads and part of their members to be fastened to the gates of Bethune and Arras.

The lord de Mauves, whose company of a hundred lances had been broken, was also confined a prisoner in Paris. He was arrested at the hôtel du Cornet, near to St Jean en Gréve, by Philip L'Huillier, governor of the bastile, and was afterward carried by him or others to the king at Tours, where he was set at liberty, as innocent of the crimes laid to his charge.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 88: Clery--is two or three leagues from Orleans.]

[Footnote 89: Provins,--an ancient town in Brie, diocese of Sens.]

[A.D. 1479.]

CHAP. XXVIII.

OF THE KING'S PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.--THE FLEMINGS ARE ADMITTED INTO CAMBRAY.--SEVERAL TOWNS IN BURGUNDY REDUCED TO THE KING'S OBEDIENCE, WHO OFTEN VISITS CHAMPAGNE IN CONSEQUENCE.--AMBASSADORS ARRIVE FROM SPAIN.--THE DUKE OF ALBANY COMES TO PARIS.--THE DUKE OF AUSTRIA DEFEATED NEAR THEROUENNE, AND THE SON OF THE KING OF POULAINE TAKEN PRISONER.--THE KING'S TROOPS ARE AGAIN SUCCESSFUL, AND GAIN SEVENTEEN TOWNS.--FOUR SCORE FLEMISH VESSELS ARE CAPTURED, BY COULON AND OTHER ADVENTURERS FROM THE COASTS OF NORMANDY, IN THE COURSE OF THE ABOVE YEAR.

The king of France, immediately after Easter, made preparations for a renewal of the war, as the truce with Maximilian was nearly expired, and as no ambassadors had arrived from Austria to propose a prolongation of the truce, or to conclude a definitive peace, as had been hinted during the last conference.

In the month of May following, although the truce was not expired, the inhabitants of Cambray admitted into their town Flemings, Picards, and other enemies to the king, of the party of the duke of Austria, who drove out the royalist garrisons of the town and castle, notwithstanding the king had given the guard of it to the lord de Fiennes. Soon after, three or four hundred lances, Flemings, and Picards, appeared before Bouchain, in which were only sixteen lances as garrison for the king. They instantly retired into the castle, observing that the townsmen were determined to admit their enemies as soon as they should appear. The Flemings had no sooner gained possession of the town than they attacked the king's lances, whom they took, and put all to death, except one, who escaped by hiding himself in a chamber, and then dropping down, through one of the privies, into the ditch. The king was very indignant at this conduct, and not without reason, for the truce had been violated without the smallest blame attaching to him or his subjects.

He lost no time in sending large trains of artillery to the duchy and franche comté of Burgundy, and great reinforcements of men at arms and franc-archers to the governor of Champagne, whose appointment of lieutenant-general he had renewed. The governor exerted himself diligently, and took by storm the castle of Rochefort, killing all within it, and plundering it of its effects. He thence proceeded to Dole[90], which, after battering it some time, he also won by storm, when many of the chief merchants were slain, and the town was razed to the ground.

In the month of June, sir Robert d'Estouteville, lord of Beyne, departed this life, at Paris, having been provost of the same for forty-three years. He was succeeded in this office by Jacques d'Estouteville, son to the deceased, in recompense, as the king said, for his loyal services at the battle of Montlehery, and in other affairs. While the king was at Montargis, he was much rejoiced at the good news that was there brought him from sir Charles d'Amboise, and set out for the abbey of Nôtre Dame des Victoires, near Senlis, and make his offerings and thanksgivings. He thence came to the castle of Vincennes, where he only staid a night, and set out for Provins, on his road to Champagne, Langres and other places.

In the mean time, great stores of artillery, powder, saltpetre, and particularly sixteen very large bombards, were embarked on the Seine, to be transported to Châlons, Champagne and Bar le Duc, to attempt the conquest of Luxembourg,--but that expedition did not take place.

Saturday the 3d of July, a handsome embassy from Spain arrived at Paris, under the care of the bishop of Lombez and the abbot of St Denis, by orders from the king. The provost of marchands, and the sheriffs went out of the town to meet them, accompanied by different ranks of people. Having made their entrance into Paris, they went to St Denis, where they were grandly feasted by the abbot, having been entertained on their passage through Paris by certain of the king's officers.

In this year, the duke of Albany came to Paris, having been driven out of Scotland by the king his brother, to seek a refuge with the king of France[91]. Great honours were paid him; and the lord de Gaucourt, as king's lieutenant, with all the professions of Paris, went out to meet him, and accompany him on his entry into Paris, by the gate of St Anthony, on the road leading to Vincennes. He was lodged in the rue St Martin, although he had not more than ten or twelve horse in his company: and the king ordered that Monipenny and Concressault, two Scotsmen of rank in the french service, should attend upon him[92].

In the month of August, the Flemings, who were quartered in the frontier towns of Flanders, took the field with the intent to combat the king's forces, and advanced toward Therouenne. They battered the town much with their artillery; but it was gallantly defended by the lord de St André, lieutenant of a hundred lances under the duke of Bourbon, and other lords and captains of the king's army. While this was passing, the different royal garrisons in Picardy, collected together for the relief of Therouenne; and having taken the field, they came in sight of the flemish army within one league of Therouenne. This army was very numerous, and was said to have consisted of sixty thousand combatants, under the command of the duke of Austria, the count de Romont, and others of that party. A sally was made from Therouenne by the garrison the moment their friends were near, by several companies of lancemen, under the command of the lord des Cordes and other captains; and their attack was so rapid and vigorous that the vanguard of the duke of Austria was defeated, with great slaughter and loss of baggage.

While the van of the enemy were pursued, some of the king's franc-archers too busily employed themselves in plundering their baggage; and the count de Romont who had from fourteen to fifteen thousand infantry under his command, fell on them, and slew the greater part. It was said that the loss on both sides, that day, amounted to nearly fifteen thousand men, of which from eleven to twelve thousand were Burgundians. The French likewise made nine hundred or a thousand prisoners; and in the number was the son of the king of Poulaine, and another youth said to be the favourite of the duke of Austria, with many others of good family and large fortunes[93].

On the king's side, the captain Beavoisien, and Vaast de Mompedon, bailiff of Rouen, were killed, and about three hundred of the franc-archers. After this defeat, the duke of Austria, the count de Romont, and others of their captains, having rallied their men, marched to a place, called Malaunoy, in which was a gascon captain, called le Cadet Remonnet, having with him seven or eight score gascon cross-bows. The Burgundians attacked the place, which was for some time well defended by the Gascons; but at length it was stormed and the greater part of the garrison put to death: the rest saved themselves by leaping into the ditches. With regard to Remonnet he was made prisoner, and, on assurance of his life, carried to the duke of Austria, who, regardless of the assurance that had been given, had him hanged, three days afterward, in cold blood. The king of France was so enraged at this that he ordered fifty of the principal prisoners that had been taken to be hanged by the provost marshal, by way of revenge. Seven of the chief prisoners were hanged on the spot where Remonnet had been executed,--ten before Douay, ten before St Omer, ten before Arras, and ten before Lille. The provost was escorted, to perform these executions, by eight hundred lances and six thousand franc-archers, who afterwards advanced into the country of Guines and Flanders, where they took seventeen towns or strong holds, burning and destroying the country, and carrying off cattle, sheep, horses, and every thing portable, to their different garrisons.

At this time, Coulon and other adventurers at sea from the coasts of Normandy captured four score flemish vessels, which were on their voyage to fetch rye from Prussia, to victual their country, and the produce of the herring fishery for that year. It was the greatest loss that had befallen the Flemings at sea for upwards of an hundred years, and they suffered much from it.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 90: Dole,--on the river Doux, in Franche Comté.]

[Footnote 91: It is singular that the three contemporary monarchs, Edward IV. of England--James III. of Scotland--Louis XI. of France, should have each murdered his brother.]

[Footnote 92: For further particulars relative to the duke of Albany, I refer to Pinkerton's History of Scotland. In a note to the Cronique Scandaleuse by the abbé Lenglet du Fresnoy, he says,--'Alexander Stuart, brother to James III. king of Scotland, died at Paris 1483, and was buried in the convent of the Celestins. But by Pinkerton he was alive in 1484, and was accidentally killed, when a spectator at a tournament between the duke of Orleans and another knight, by a splinter from a lance. His son John was duke of Albany, and regent of Scotland during the minority of James V.]

[Footnote 93: This battle of Guinegate decided nothing; for though Maximilian was beaten, he remained master of the field,--and Comines says, that had he attempted Therouenne or Arras, he would have found both towns empty.]

[A.D. 1480.]

CHAP. XXIX.

AN EMBASSY ARRIVES FROM THE KING OF ENGLAND TO THE KING OF FRANCE.--THE KING ISSUES A COMMISSION AGAINST THE DUKE OF BOURBON.--THE CARDINAL OF ST PIETRO AD VINCULA COMES TO FRANCE AS LEGATE.--THE KING SETS THE CARDINAL BALLUE AT LIBERTY.--A BODY OF SWISS TROOPS SUBSIDISED INSTEAD OF THE FRANC-ARCHERS.--A VERY SEVERE WINTER.--TRUCES ARE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE FLEMINGS AND THE ENGLISH.

At the commencement of this year, the lord Howard, a prothonotary, and other ambassadors from England, crossed the channel to wait on the king of France respecting the maintaining of the truce. They were handsomely received, and magnificently feasted by the king, who, on their return, made them rich presents in money and in silver plate.

In this year, the king issued a commission to master John Avais, counsellor in his court of parliament, and to John Doyac of the town of Cusset[94], in Auvergne, to examine into different charges that had been made against the duke of Bourbon his towns, officers, and subjects. These two men accepted their commission with pleasure, in the hope of destroying the duke of Bourbon, against all truth and justice, but in order to gain the good graces of the king, and to force the duke into banishment. In obedience to the commission, they summoned all the principal officers of the duke, such as his chancellor, his attorney-general, the captain of his guard, and others, to appear personally before the court of parliament on an appointed day, when they were severally interrogated by commissaries, and detained long in Paris. Master Francis Hasle, the king's advocate, pleaded against them, and wanted stronger measures to be pursued,--but they were all set at liberty by the court, and returned to their homes.

Master John Hebert, bishop of Constance, was next summoned to appear before the parliament, to answer to certain crimes of which he was accused. On his appearance, he was examined, and, by orders of the court, was committed as a prisoner to the prisons of the Conciergerie,--and all his temporal effects were confiscated to the king's use.

In the month of August, a truce was concluded with the duke of Austria for seven months: during three of them a free intercourse was to be allowed for merchants and merchandise to pass and repass from each country: three others were to be void of all warfare,--and the seventh for consideration as to war or peace.

Monday the 4th of September, the cardinal of St Pietro ad vincula[95], legate from the pope, arrived at Paris, and was most honourably received there by all ranks of people, who went out to meet him by the gate of St Jacques. All the streets through which he passed to the church of Nôtre Dame, where he made his devotions, were hung with tapestry. When these were finished he proceeded to the lodgings that had been prepared for him at the college of St Denis near the Augustins, accompanied by the cardinal of Bourbon.

On the Tuesday master Olivier le Diable, called le Daim, the king's barber, feasted the legate, the cardinal of Bourbon, and many other prelates and nobles, as grandly as possible. When dinner was over, he carried them to the park of Vincennes, to amuse themselves in hunting deer; after which, they returned to their different homes.

On Thursday and Friday, the vigil and feast of the nativity of the blessed Virgin, the legate attended vespers in the church of Nôtre Dame; and great crowds were there to see the ceremonies observed on the occasion, which were solemn and magnificent.

On Sunday the legate dined and supped with the cardinal of Bourbon at his hôtel. There were present, at these entertainments, many archbishops, bishops, and nobles of high rank; such as the archbishops of Besançon and Sens, the bishops of Chartres, Nevers, Therouenne, Amiens, Aleth[96], and others; the lord de Curton, Moireau, master of the household to the king, and many more.

Monday the 14th, the legate went to St Denis, where he was feasted by the abbot, and thence into Picardy and Flanders, to attempt bringing about a peace between the king and the duke of Austria. He staid some time at Peronne, thinking he should have an easy access into Flanders, whither the king sent master Francis Hasle, the provost of Paris, and others, who returned without having done any thing.

The legate came back to Paris on the 21st of December, and went to the hôtel of Bourbon, where he was entertained by the cardinal at supper, and lay there that night. On the morrow he left the hôtel of Bourbon by the golden gate, and crossed the river to the hôtel of Neelle, where he mounted his horse, which was waiting for him, and proceeded, with his attendants, to Orleans, and there remained until the king had set at liberty the cardinal Ballue, who came to the legate at Orleans.

The king had remained almost the whole of the winter in Touraine. About the Epiphany he went to Poitiers, and other places, and returned to Tours, and to Forges[97], the end of January. It was about this time that the king reduced the whole body of franc-archers in France, and substituted, in their place, the Swiss with their pikes; and he caused a prodigious quantity of pikes, halberds, and large daggers, to be made, by all the cutlers in his kingdom.

The winter, this year, began late: there was no frost until St Stephen's day, and it lasted only until the 8th of February. But, if it began late, it was most severe; for the oldest persons did not remember the frost so sharp: the river Seine, Yonne, Marne, and all that fell into the Seine, were so hard frozen that all kinds of carriages passed over, as on dry land. Great mischiefs were done to several bridges by the thaw: some were quite ruined, and carried away on the before-named rivers,--and large pieces of ice drove many boats against the bridges of Nôtre Dame and Saint Michel at Paris. They, however, for some hours, formed a rampart, and perhaps saved these bridges; but the danger was thought so great that all who lived upon them carried away every thing of value out of their houses. The ice broke seven of the large piles at the Temple-mill. During this hard weather, no floats of wood came down the river,--which raised the price excessively, insomuch that the billet cost seven or eight sols parisis. To relieve the poorer sorts, the country people of the neighbouring villages daily brought green wood in carts or on horses' backs to Paris. The wood would have been dearer if the astrologers had told truth, for they predicted that this frost would last until the 8th of March: the thaw, however, began three weeks sooner than they had foretold,--but the weather continued extremely cold until May was far advanced, which destroyed all the buds of the early vines, and the fruit-blossoms were cut off.

In the course of the winter, and even during the month of April, when the truce with the Flemings expired, no hostilities took place; for the duke of Austria, had sent an embassy to the king, at Tours, and a prolongation of the truce was agreed on for one year, in the expectation that in the interval means might be found for a general peace. Another embassy came likewise from England respecting the truce; and the king took the trouble of going as far as Château Regnault[98], to meet the ambassadors and hear their business. This being settled, they returned to king Edward,--and on their departure, it was publicly said, that the truce between France and England had been renewed for a very long time.

In the month of March, the king was suddenly taken ill while at Plessis le Parc, near Tours, and was for some time in very great danger; but, by the grace of God, his health was restored, and he was soon perfectly recovered.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 94: Cusset,--a town in the Bourbonnois, near St Gerand.]

[Footnote 95: Julian de la Rovere, afterwards pope Julius II.]

[Footnote 96: Aleth,--a small city in upper Languedoc.]

[Footnote 97: Forges. There are several towns of this name one in Aunis, near la Rochelle, which I should suppose to be the one in the text,--another in Normandy, famous for its mineral waters.]

[Footnote 98: Château Regnault,--a town in Touraine, near Tours.]

[A.D. 1481.]

CHAP. XXX.

THE KING OF FRANCE FORMS A CAMP BETWEEN PONT DE L'ARCHE AND PONT DE ST PIERRE.--ARMOUR WHICH THE DUKE OF BRITTANY HAD ORDERED FROM MILAN IS INTERCEPTED.--THE KING TAKEN ILL AT TOURS.--DURING CERTAIN PILGRIMAGES HE MAKES, HE VISITS THE DAUPHIN AT AMBOISE, AND GOES THENCE TO ST CLAUDE.--A GREAT FAMINE THIS YEAR.

Early in this year the king ordered an inclosed camp, which he had caused to be made of wood, to be erected on a large plain near Pont de l'Arche, to be ready when he should take the field against his enemies, and went thither to see it. Within were posted a numerous body of men armed with pikes and halberds, according to his new regulations. The command of these troops was given to sir Philip de Crevecoeur, lord des Cordes, and to master William Picard, bailiff of Rouen. The king ordered the men to remain in this camp the space of a month, to see how it would answer, and what sorts of provision would be the most suitable to them.

This camp was ordered to be ready on the 15th of June; and the king on his way thither, celebrated the feast of Whitsuntide at the church of our Lady in Chartres. Thence he came to Pont de l'Arche, and to this large inclosure, which was formed between Pont de l'Arche and Pont de Saint Pierre. One side of the inclosure had a ditch on the outside,--and within were pitched tents and pavilions, with the artillery and all requisite stores. The king judged from its proportions what quantity of provision would be necessary were the space completely filled with all he intended to send. When he had visited and fully examined it, he departed, very well satisfied for Chartres, Selome, Vendôme, and Tours, having ordered the troops that had been encamped to march back to their former quarters.

The duke of Brittany had sent, in the course of this year, to purchase armour at Milan; such as cuirasses, salades, &c. which were packed up with cotton to prevent their rattling, and like bales of silks. These packages were put on mules, and arrived in safety until they came to the mountains of Auvergne, when the officers of John Doyac[99] seized them and sent instant information thereof to the king, who, by way of recompense, gave the armour to John Doyac and his servants.

The vines almost universally failed this year throughout France,--and the wines of the preceding year, though of little worth, were sold, in consequence, at an extravagant price: what at the beginning of the year was sold for four deniers the bottle at taverns now rose to twelve. Some merchants of Paris, who had preserved their wines at Champigny sur Marne and other places, sold it by retail very dear, viz. at not less than two sols parisis the bottle, which was at the rate of thirty-six livres the hogshead. The scarcity was so great that the wine-merchants were obliged to fetch wine from the farther parts of Spain, which was brought to Paris.

The garrisons on the frontiers of Picardy and Flanders, regardless of the truce, made constant inroads on each other, carrying on a deadly warfare; for whatever prisoners were made, they were unmercifully hanged by both parties, without ever accepting of ransoms.

The king, when recovering from his late illness, set out from Tours for Thouars, where he had a relapse, and was in great danger of dying. To obtain better health, he sent great offerings, and large sums of money, to divers churches, and made many religious foundations. Among others, he founded in the holy chapel at Paris, a perpetual mass, to be daily chaunted at seven o'clock in the morning, in honour of St John, by eight choiristers from Provence, who had belonged to the chapel of the late Réné king of Sicily, and on his decease had been taken into the service of the king of France. He established one thousand livres parisis as the fund for this mass, to be received annually from the receipt of taxes on all sea-fish sold in the markets at Paris.

The king had also vowed to make a pilgrimage to St Claude[100], which he undertook, but went first to make his offerings to our Lady of Clery, and thence departed for St Claude. For the security of his person, he was escorted by eight hundred lances, and a large force of infantry, amounting, in all, to six thousand combatants. Before he set out from Touraine, he went to Amboise to see his son the dauphin, whom he had but little noticed, gave him his blessing, and put him under the care of the lord de Beaujeu, whom he made lieutenant-general of the kingdom during his absence. The king declared to the dauphin that he must obey the lord de Beaujeu in whatever he should order him, the same as if he himself were present and gave the orders.

Corn was exceedingly dear this year throughout France, more especially in the Lyonnois, Bourbonnois, and in Auvergne, insomuch that great numbers of people died of famine; and had it not been for the profuse alms and succours from such as had corn, the mortality would have been more than doubled. Crowds of poor people left the above-named provinces, and came to Paris and other great towns. They were lodged in the barn and convent of St Catherine-du-Val-des-ėcoliers, whither the good citizens of both sexes came from Paris to relieve and nurse them. They were at length carried to the great hospital, where the most part of them died; for when they attempted to eat they could not, having fasted so long that their stomachs were ruined.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 99: John Doyac--was governor of the province of Auvergne.]

[Footnote 100: St Claude,--in Franche Comté, six leagues from Geneva.]

[A.D. 1482.]

CHAP. XXXI.

THE DEATHS OF THE LADY JANE OF FRANCE, DUCHESS OF BOURBON, AND OF THE COUNTESS OF FLANDERS,--AND ALSO OF SEVERAL PERSONS AT PARIS.--EVENTS THAT HAPPENED THERE.--THE KING RETURNS FROM HIS PILGRIMAGE TO ST CLAUDE, TO NÔTRE DAME OF CLERY, AND TO OTHER PLACES.--AMBASSADORS ARRIVE FROM FLANDERS.--OF THE CAPTURE OF THE TOWN OF AIRE.--OF THE ASSASSINATION OF THE LORD LOUIS OF BOURBON, BISHOP OF LIEGE.--OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF THE ABOVE YEAR.

On Thursday the 4th of May, between four and five in the afternoon, that noble example of good morals and virtue, the lady Jane of France, wife to John duke of the Bourbonnois and Auvergne, departed this life, in her castle of Moulins in the Bourbonnois, in consequence of a fever which the art of medicine could not subdue. She was buried in the church of our Lady at that town, and was greatly lamented by her lord, her servants, and indeed by all in France who were any way acquainted with her virtues and the many excellent qualities she was endowed with.

Some little time prior to this event died the countess of Flanders and of Artois, sole child to the late Charles duke of Burgundy, wife to the duke of Austria, and niece to the duke of Bourbon. She left issue two children, a son and a daughter, who remained at Ghent under the guardianship of the Flemings.