pleasure; but the coffers are empty, for he has dissipated their
contents,--and under shadow of this office, immense sums have been
wasted, as shall be spoken of in proper time and place.

'The manner in which you, the queen and the duke of Acquitaine, are
pillaged, is easily shown; for when you have need of a speedy sum of
money for the war, or for any other urgent necessity, application
must be made to certain money-lenders, who, for usury, make a traffic
of money, and supply your wants on having your plate and jewels in
pawn, and at an exorbitant loss in the interest paid for these loans,
insomuch that what may be worth ten thousand francs costs you fifteen
or sixteen; and thus your losses are annually very great from these
usurious practices and pretended exchanges. You may readily suppose
that your officers must be accomplices in this traffic, and that this
alone will occasion such an empty treasury. Your inferior servants are
much distressed and ill treated; and in this manner are not only your
own affairs but those of the princes of your blood managed, without any
exception.

'Item, it is proper that you should be made acquainted with the tricks
and deceit of those officers called Generals, in the receipt of your
finances. When any receiver shall have lent you a sum amounting to five
or six thousand crowns over and above his receipt, he is dismissed from
his office, to prevent him from reimbursing himself, and another put in
his place, who will receive the whole of the taxes in that department.
When, therefore, there shall be little or nothing to receive, he that
was dismissed will be replaced in his office, provided he has made
sufficient presents to his superior officers. By this means, the
aforesaid receiver can neither be paid nor pay what he owes; and thus
they ride one on another, to the ruin of your finances,--and you drink
your wine sour.

'Item, when there is an ambassador to be sent, or even a simple canon
to be dispatched to a foreign country, money for their expenses must be
borrowed from usurers; and it frequently happens that the aforesaid
ambassador cannot depart for want of money, which renders the embassy
useless, and the kingdom suffers greatly from it.

'Item, it is also necessary that you should know what is become of all
the money that for these last two years has been raised, as well from
the domains of the crown as from the very numerous and heavy taxes and
impositions of all sorts, of which the provost of Paris has, as is
notorious, taken on himself the management, and styled himself Director
and General Superintendant of the Finances.

'Item, it should likewise be remembered, that other great officers,
as well as the provost, have held many offices of importance, which
they have sold, and pocketed the amount, to your great disadvantage
and contrary to your royal edicts, and also to the prejudice of the
kingdom,--for, by this system, ignorant and improper persons are put
into the said offices.

'Item, the provost of Paris, who had held for some time the office of
grand master of waters and forests, has now resigned it to the lord de
Jury, for which six thousand francs have been levied. But beside the
provostship of Paris, he holds the government of the town of Cherbourg
and its dependancies, which brings him an annual rent of six thousand
francs, with the government of Nemours, amounting to two thousand
more. Your income is also ruined by another mode, namely, by the
immense number of receivers, treasurers, clerks, comptrollers and other
officers, who swallow enormous sums by way of fees, over and above
the regular fees of office, of which the provost and his dependants
have the greater share, and which they regard as their own personal
property, to your great loss, and to the delay of payments to many of
your faithful servants, knights, and counsellors of state. It is daily
witnessed, that when a young man has been appointed to any of the above
offices, however poor his situation may have been before, or how little
versed he may be in the management of public affairs, he soon becomes
rich, keeps a grand establishment, and purchases large estates and
manors, all at your expense.

'There are great frauds committed by your treasurers of the war
department, who are accustomed to take from your knights and esquires
blank receipts sealed by them, of which they make a very bad use,
as they know to their cost: but they can more fully inform you on
this head than we can. It is melancholy to hear their complaints of
the delays in the payment of their salaries, which are always much
curtailed, at least to the greater part of them. It is consequently now
become a rule among your men at arms, when their salary is in arrear,
to pay themselves from the countries they are quartered in, saying,
that, since they cannot obtain their pay, they must live by their
service.

'Item, whenever these directors or superintendants of your finances are
called upon, they make answer, that they are ready to produce their
accounts, as if that were sufficient, and even go so far as to desire
commissioners may be appointed to inspect and examine them; but, under
correction, this answer is futile,--and if the real culprits are to be
discovered, let their original state, and what substance they possessed
before they entered into office, be inquired into,--what the amount
of their salaries and fees, how much their reasonable expenditure,
and then what is their present income, what estates they possess, and
what buildings they have erected. It is notorious, that the superior
officers are rich and magnificent, but that they were indigent before
their appointments to office, and that some of them have purchased
houses of great value, namely, master Jean Chastegnier, Guillaume
Luce, and Nicaise Bouses. To say the truth, every loyal subject must
be astonished and grieved at heart when he witnesses such management,
that you, their lawful prince and sovereign, should be thus robbed, and
that all your finances should be lodged in such beggarly purses, by the
aforesaid, whose purses are swollen out, and by those who have preceded
them, without any regard to your own wants, or to those of the state.

'Item, since mention has been made of the grand state in which many
live, it seems to your daughter, that such a style of living is too
generally adopted throughout your kingdom; and she fears, from the
evils that daily result from it, lest God may be angered against his
people.

'Item, in regard to the great councils, they are not held in the
manner they ought to be; for generally almost every one is admitted,
whereas none but wise and discreet men, such as knights and clerks,
should be suffered to enter, to a competent number receiving pay and
salaries from you, and from none other,--and these should always
have an attentive eye to your personal profit and honour, and to
the strengthening of your crown and kingdom. It frequently happens,
from the numbers admitted, that business of every sort is neglected
or delayed, and that when any good resolution has been made, as now
and then will be the case, it remains unexecuted, However nearly it
may affect your interests.--Foreign ambassadors should have their
negotiations terminated, and our own should be dispatched; and whenever
any thing conclusive has, by mature deliberation, been settled, it
ought not to be broken off by a few persons afterward, as has often
happened.

'Item, it is very distressing to hear such loud complaints of the
debility of your government in protracting business. We even see the
lord de Mouberon, the viscount de Murat, and those of la Rochelle,
complaining of the delays of your council, although they are employed
for the service of your kingdom, and declaring, that if more energy is
not exerted, they must necessarily make peace with your enemies,--and
thus you may lose many of your faithful vassals.

'In regard to the administration of justice in the realm, your court of
parliament, which is the most eminent, is not governed as it is wont
to have been. Formerly it was composed of excellent lawyers, as well
secular as ecclesiastical, of a mature age and learned in the laws; and
from its great fame for learning and justice, without partiality to any
one, was resorted to, not only by Christians of all nations, but even
by Saracens, who have applied to it for judgment.

'For some short time past, through favour of friends, relations, or
other means, many young men have been admitted who are ignorant of
the laws and unworthy of such honour, by which the authority and fair
reputation of this court is greatly lessened. There are also other
inconveniences attending these indiscriminate admissions: for instance,
there are in this court many sons, brothers, nephews and relations
sitting together, and many others who are lineally connected, as
is the case with the family of the first president,--and from this
circumstance great injustice may ensue in the decisions of the court.

'Item, there are now before the parliament several causes between poor
persons, that are, as it were, dead; for the members do not use such
expedition in deciding upon them as they in reason should.

'Item, respecting the chamber of accounts, nothing is done, for all
causes are there buried; for although some new members have been
lately admitted, no progress seems to be made. Among the new ones is
Alexander Boursier, who has several times been receiver-general of
taxes, and whose accounts are said not yet to have been closed. You
may, consequently, be a great loser in this business; for he who ought
to be narrowly examined himself, is appointed to examine and reduce the
accounts of others.

'Item, the better to effectuate his own business, this Alexander has
so well practised that he has got Jean Vautier, who was his clerk,
appointed to succeed him in the office of receiver-general; and
notwithstanding the royal ordinances, and the oaths which receivers,
and other officers in the receipt of taxes, take on entering their
offices, to make the proper payments in regard to alms, they avoid, as
it is said, by dissimulation and fraud, these distributions of alms,
and frequently infringe the aforesaid ordinances.

'Item, respecting the administering of justice on those guilty of
crimes against the revenue laws, it appears to us that the great
multiplicity of officers is useless in this general dissipation of the
substance of the kingdom, as well as the numbers of inferior officers,
who, from their salaries and the presents they receive, devour the
wealth of the country; for the greater part of these aforesaid officers
are intruded on this court by the influence of friends.

'We must also notice the many presidents of the criminal court.
During the reign of king Charles, there was but one, or two at the
utmost,--whereas at present there are seven, who receive each annually
one hundred livres, not including the notaries. Were we to enter
into any detail respecting the masters of requests of the king's
household, God knows how far it would lead us. In former times,
ancient men, experienced in the laws and customs of the realm, were
appointed to such places, who replied to all the petitions presented
to them, and signed such as they judged expedient, so that the matter
was speedily decided in chancery; but now raw and inexperienced
youths are appointed, who expedite nothing but by orders from the
chancellor,--and this occasions supernumerary officers to be named, to
supply their defects, whose pay is very great, and of course to your
loss.

'Item, in respect to your chancery, it is well known, that your
chancellor of France undergoes great labour, and is very deserving
of a large salary, but without prejudice to your realm. Although his
salary should not amount to more than two thousand livres parisis, he
has nevertheless, for these last twenty years, taken, besides these two
thousand livres and the gift of two thousand livres for the profits
of the great seal, fines on remissions and registerings, of twenty
sols parisis, which in the course of a year amount to a very large
sum of money. He has also received other two thousand francs from the
taxes levied for the support of the war. Item, he receives annually
for his robes two hundred francs; and also from the treasury, for the
use of his chancery, five or six hundred livres parisis. He receives
likewise, in addition to the above gifts, to a very large amount, on
the different taxes and impositions. He has likewise signed and sealed
with too great facility letters patent for large sums, without making
any opposition: the particulars of them may be found in the accounts
of Michel de Sabulon and Alexander Boursier, and in the accounts of
several others, who have not failed to make advantage of them. To speak
more plainly in regard to this article, there will be found in the
above accounts grants, to the amount of six thousand francs, to private
persons, sealed by the chancellor, although he well knew that this
money was appropriated for carrying on the war.--These grants bring
considerable emolument to the chancery, whose finances are managed by
master Henry Machalie and master Buder, comptroller of the seal of
chancery. They charge double fees on the king's dues, namely, those of
notary and secretary, and receive exorbitant salaries and presents; and
in such wise is your chancery governed that no great profit comes to
you, although the emoluments of it are immense. In regard to the fees
of notaries, as they connect themselves with whomever they please, we
shall enter more fully into their detail when occasion offers.

'Item, there are several offices in the kingdom which are incompatible,
and yet are held by the same persons, who serve them by proxy, and thus
in different ways pillage your subjects of their money. The debasement
of your coin must not be forgotten,--and its weight and value have been
lately so much diminished that a crown is now of less worth than two
sols were formerly. The penny and twopenny pieces are scarcely worth as
many farthings, which is very prejudicial to your people; and thus the
good money is carried off,--for the Lombards in their exchanges collect
all the good, and make payment in the new coin.

'You ought to know by whose advice this debasement of the value of
your coin has been made, for it is commonly said to have been thus
lowered in value by the provost of Paris, the provost of the merchants,
and Michel Lallier, who have taken upon themselves the management of
your mint; and although they may have allowed you some profit on this
diminution of the coin, the loss that you and the queen will ultimately
suffer is incomparably greater, as you may learn from those who are
competent to give you information.

'Although your daughter and others of your subjects have now briefly
laid before you the guilt of the aforesaid, this is not enough, nor
will several days suffice, to enter into a full detail of all the
wickedness and disgraceful conduct of your ministers and their
adherents. Very many others, beside those we have named, are equally
guilty, but we now pass them over, in the expectation of more amply
speaking of them hereafter, for the welfare of yourself and of your
kingdom.

'In regard to the aid, advice and support, most sovereign lord, which
you demand from your aforesaid daughter, and other loyal subjects,
whom you have summoned for the purpose, they pray to God that he would
be pleased, out of his grace, to comfort and advise you, for we are
willing to expose our lives and fortunes in your service and support:
indeed, we are bounden so to do by the solemn resolutions entered into
at our last congregation, feeling ourselves greatly obliged to your
royal majesty for the innumerable acts of kindness shown to us.

'The first advice we shall give regards your finances, that they
may be put under a better administration as speedily as may be. We
therefore recommend it as expedient for you to shut the hands of all
your treasurers, directors and receivers, without any exception, and to
dismiss them from their offices, taking, at the same time, possession
of all their fortunes, moveable and immoveable, and having their
persons secured, until they shall have rendered you a just account of
their administration.

'Item, we think it necessary that you should annul all assignments
of grants and extraordinary pensions. We advise, that you instantly
command, under pain of death and confiscation of goods, all receivers,
treasurers, and other officers in the country, as well of your domain
as of other taxes, to bring you the whole sums they may have in their
hands, and that they make no payment whatever, by way of assignation,
to any one, however great his rank, excepting to such as yourself shall
then order; that, at the same time, they bring you their books, and all
papers concerning their receipt, and that, on their arrival, they have
no communication whatever with the aforesaid directors, under pain of
the above punishments.

'Item, in order the more effectually to establish order in your
finances, seeing the great waste and misapplication of the large sums
that have been raised for your personal defence, and in support of the
war, you will order the whole of the receipt of taxes to be produced
before you, as is your right, that henceforth they may be applied
according to the true intent of raising them, and as the urgency
of events may require. When the great need of such an ordinance is
considered, no one ought to be dissatisfied; and on this subject have
the goodness to keep in remembrance the prudent conduct of your father
king Charles, whose soul may God receive! who nobly employed his taxes
in driving the English out of his kingdom, and by this means made
himself master of fortresses that were not before under his subjection:
his officers and army were, at the same time, well paid; and there
remained to him an overplus, which served him to purchase many precious
jewels.

'Item, should these means not be sufficient for your immediate wants,
it seems to us that as you have treasuries in different parts, you may
justly take from them, for they are alike your own. There are also a
number of very rich persons, to the number of sixteen hundred, who
can at any time be named to you: these ought to assist in the support
of the poor,--for one third of them do not pay, one with another, one
hundred francs, which certainly cannot oppress them; but repayments
may be made them when the treasury shall be better filled, according to
the most advised plan.

'Item, we recommend that you nominate for receivers of your finances,
as well from your demesne, as from the taxes, prudent persons, fearing
God, without avarice, and who were never employed in any such offices,
with reasonable salaries, but without any extraordinary presents, by
whom your finances will be distributed according to the wants of the
state, and the overplus paid into your private treasury. When such are
appointed, all deputy-receivers, and tax-collectors, should be ordered
to produce their papers and books to them.

'Item, we recommend that all the schedules of the common expenses of
yourself, the queen and the duke of Acquitaine, be carefully examined,
so that the annual amount may be exactly known, which we believe does
not exceed two hundred thousand francs; for the treasurers do not
receive more than that sum from the demesne or taxes.

'Item, in regard to the court of parliament, it is necessary that
all inefficient members be dismissed, and replaced by others better
informed, who shall adhere to ancient usages. The presidents of
finances, of the civil and criminal courts, with the greffiers,
treasurers and clerks, must be handsomely provided for, but reduced to
a competent number.

'Item, the chamber of accounts must undergo similar regulations; and
the members of it should consist of men of a prudent age, who may
inform you of any mismanagement in the finance-department.

'Item, in regard to the minor officers, and deputy-receivers of
finance, we think that if the whole of this business was put under the
management of the presidents, you would gain considerably, whereas
these minor officers swallow up great sums in salaries and fees.

'Item, it appears to us that you ought to select certain wise men, that
they may be solely your council, in conjunction with the princes of
your blood, and that they may loyally advise you for the real good of
yourself and state, having their attention directed to nothing else,
and that, when so doing, they should be strenuously supported by you in
such wise that whatever they may propose for the welfare of the state
may be instantly put into execution, without any opposition whatever.
They should take such oaths as are usually taken, or any more solemn
ones, such as you shall think proper.

'Item, we recommend that the defence of the frontiers of Picardy,
of Acquitaine, and of other parts, be sufficiently provided for,
by allotting adequate sums of money for the payment of men at arms
and repairs of castles, so that all danger of invasion, and other
inconveniences, may be prevented.

'Item, to check as much as possible the daily oppression of the lower
orders, by provosts and other inferior officers, it will be necessary
to nominate honest and discreet persons, with moderate salaries, to
overlook their conduct, and see that these men do not surcharge the
poor by exorbitant fines.

'Item, there are several other oppressive grievances that have lasted
for a considerable time, and which cannot be immediately remedied. Your
daughter and aforesaid dutiful subjects promise to apply themselves
diligently concerning them; and they most humbly and earnestly
supplicate you to reform the abuses they have stated to you, and
more especially those that relate to your treasury, which has been
exceedingly wasted, and that without any cause. They also beg of
you to appoint a commission of the princes of your blood, with other
well-informed persons, no way connected or related to those who have
had the management of your finances, that they may reform and punish
all who have been culpable, let their rank be what it may.

'Item, we also entreat that you would order the prelates and chief
citizens in the different provinces, to impeach those who in their
districts have been guilty of any peculations in your finances. All
these things, most redoubted lord, have your aforesaid daughter and
dutiful subjects laid before you, as being anxiously interested in your
honour and welfare, and in the preservation of your crown and kingdom.
Your aforesaid daughter has not done this through any expectation of
worldly profit, but simply as her duty; for it is well known she has
not been accustomed to hold offices, nor to seek for such profits, but
solely to attend to her studies, and to remonstrate with you on what
touches your honour and welfare whenever the case may require it.

'But although she has several times presented herself before you, to
remonstrate on some of the before-mentioned grievances, no remedy has
been hitherto applied, by which your kingdom is in the utmost possible
danger. Your faithful and loyal subjects again acquit themselves of
their duty; and, that the reformation may now be entered upon in
earnest, your aforesaid daughter requires the aid of your eldest son
the duke of Acquitaine, and of the duke of Burgundy, by whom a reform
was some time since begun, with heart and hand, without sparing any
one, with whom your daughter joined, considering such reformation was
so much wanted.

'However, from the great opposition made by those who were interested
in checking it, no great progress was made, for they were afraid the
consequences would have been fatal to them. They urged every objection
to it, as well as those now in power. We demand also the assistance of
our much-honoured lords of Nevers, of Vertus, of Charolois, of Bar,
and of Lorraine, of the constable and marshal of France, of the grand
master of Rhodes, of the admiral, of the master of the cross-bows,
and in general of all the chivalry and esquiredom in the realm, whose
peculiar duty is to watch for the preservation of your crown, and also
of your counsellors and all other your subjects, who, according to
their several situations, may wish to acquit themselves toward your
majesty.

'It has been publicly said by some, that your aforesaid daughter has
made this exposition to your majesty, through hatred to particular
persons, and from the reports of five or six. May it please you to
know, that she has never been accustomed to gain information by such
means, but has learnt the existence of the before-stated grievances
from their public notoriety; and there is no man so ignorant as
not to be fully sensible of the truths we have asserted, and of
the culpability of those we have impeached. She has also received
informations from many who are attached to your person, who have not
indeed been gainers by it; but in further regard to them, she will be
silent, unless you shall order otherwise in a private audience.

'Your daughter, therefore, concludes by begging your majesty to pursue
diligently, and without delay, an examination and reform of the
above grievances, in which she will join without the least personal
disrespect to your royal person, otherwise your daughter would not
acquit herself properly in regard to your royal majesty.'

After this conclusion, the university demanded of the princes,
prelates, and lords, then present, that they would avow that what they
had declared would be for the honour of the king and the welfare of
the kingdom, which they complied with; adding, that they were ready to
assist in carrying the aforesaid reforms into execution to the utmost
of their power.

The king's ministers, more especially those of the finances, were
thunderstruck, and fearful of an immediate arrest. Among them, master
Henry de Marle, chancellor of France, seeing that he was accused with
the others, found means of admission to the king, and by his fair
promises, and by engaging to pay a very large sum of ready money within
a few days, he contrived to gain his favour.

On the following Saturday, the 2d day of March, Andrew Guiffart, one
of the treasurers, was arrested and confined in the Châtelet: his
associate, John Guerin, took refuge in a church,--and thither also fled
sir Peter des Essars, provost of Paris, who lately had great command in
the expedition to Bourges. The duke of Burgundy had hitherto supported
him, but his affection was cooled, for the provost had lately shown
himself more attached to the party of Orleans.

Having formed the resolution of quitting Paris, sir Peter des Essars
sent Thomelin de Brie with five other men at arms to gain possession
of the bridge at Charenton, that his passage over it might be secured;
but they were made prisoners by the inhabitants of Charenton, who had
received information of their coming, and carried back to the tower of
the Louvre, wherein they were confined. The provost, learning this,
took another road, and escaped to Cherbourg, of which place he was
the governor, and remained there for some time. Shortly afterward,
Baudrin de la Heuse was appointed provost of Paris, for the king
had now relapsed into his former disorder. The duke of Acquitaine,
however, took the whole government of the kingdom into his own hands;
and many of the king's ministers, particularly those in the treasury,
were ordered to be put under arrest, until they should have rendered a
faithful account of all their receipts.

CHAP. XVI.

THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE IS DISPLEASED WITH HIS CHANCELLOR.--JEALOUSIES
ARISE AMONG THE GREAT LORDS,--AND OTHER MATTERS.

In these days, at a full council, of which the duke of Acquitaine was
president, high words passed between the chancellor of France and the
lord d'Ollehaing[12] chancellor of Acquitaine, insomuch that the latter
told the chancellor his words were not gospel; and the other madly
replied, that he lied in his throat.--Several other abusive expressions
were used by him, and so often that the chancellor of France said,
'You abuse me, who am chancellor of France, and have often done so:
nevertheless, I have always borne it patiently, from respect to my lord
of Acquitaine, who is now present, and shall even still suffer it.'

But the duke of Acquitaine, hearing these words, arose in a
passion, and, taking his chancellor by the shoulders, thrust him
out of the council-chamber, saying, 'You are a wicked and proud
vagabond, for having thus abused the chancellor of my lord the king
in my presence,--and I have no further need of your services.' In
consequence, the lord d'Ollehaing resigned the seals, which were given
to master John de Vailly, advocate in the parliament, who was appointed
chancellor of Acquitaine in his stead.

The queen attempted, but in vain, to appease her son, as did the duke
of Burgundy, who had recommended the late chancellor to him; for he now
took the whole government into his hands, and insisted that every thing
should be done according to his pleasure. Some of his confidential
servants encouraged him in this conduct, as the welfare of the kingdom
concerned him more than any one else; and since, as he was now of a
proper age to govern, it was absolutely necessary for him to take the
reins, considering the melancholy state of the king his father.

Among those who thus encouraged him were the duke of Bar, duke Louis of
Bavaria, the count de Vertus, and others of that faction then at Paris,
who visited him often, and desired nothing more than that he would
take the government of the kingdom upon himself.

The duke of Burgundy was duly informed of all these intrigues, and saw
clearly that their object was to drive him from the administration,
which very much displeased him. He formed different plans, and
remembered that the duke of Acquitaine had told him, when before
Bourges, that he would put an end to the war, and was sensible that the
treaty of peace then concluded was contrary to the engagements sworn to
be observed at the royal council held at Paris previous to their march
from the capital. Nevertheless, he did not openly show that he was hurt
by what was passing.

At this time, the county of Poitou was given to John de Touraine[13],
at the instance of duke William of Hainault, whose daughter he had
married. The Poitevins made all the opposition they could, as they
preferred being vassals to the king; but it was taken possession of
in the name of the duke of Touraine, by the lords d'Andregines and de
Mouchas, members of duke William's household, who brought with them the
king's grant of this county, which was proclaimed in the usual manner.

At the same period, namely, about Mid Lent, some of the inhabitants
of Soissons rose suddenly in rebellion, and, advancing to the castle,
broke down all the out-walls as well as those which surrounded their
city, to open a free entrance on all sides. They also demolished the
bridge over the river that gave access to the castle, so that none
could gain admittance but by means of boats, which might formerly
have been done without their leave. This castle belonged to the duke
of Orleans, who was much exasperated by their conduct, although at
the moment he could not obtain any reparation, notwithstanding he had
remonstrated with the king's ministers on the subject.

At the request of the duke of Acquitaine, the head and body of sir
Mansart du Bos, who had been beheaded at Paris, were restored to his
widow and children. At ten o'clock at night, his head was taken down
from the market-place, and his body from Montfaucon: they were united
together in a coffin, and carried to the town of Rainsseval, in the
diocese of Amiens, where his remains were honourably interred near the
bodies of his father and ancestors.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 12: _Sir John de Neele_ in the original, and so before. Was
sir J. de Neele lord of Ollehaing? It appears so from p. 156.]

[Footnote 13: Second son of the king.]

CHAP. XVII.

HENRY OF LANCASTER, KING OF ENGLAND, WHO HAD BEEN A VALIANT KNIGHT,
DIES IN THIS YEAR.--OF THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN HIM AND THE FRENCH PRINCES.

Toward the end of this year, died, Henry of Lancaster, king of England.
He had in his time been a valiant knight, eager and subtile against
his enemies, as is recorded in history, which also has enregistered
the strange and disgraceful manner of his obtaining the crown of
England, by dethroning his cousin-german Richard, after he had reigned
peacefully for twenty-two years. He was before his death sorely
oppressed with leprosy, which pitifully put an end to him, and he was
royally and honourably interred among his ancestors in Westminster
Abbey.

This king left behind him four sons,--namely, Henry prince of Wales,
who succeeded to the throne, Thomas duke of Clarence, John duke of
Bedford, and Humphry duke of Glocester,--and a daughter married to
Philip Barbatus, duke of Bavaria[14].

All the four sons were handsome, well made, and versed in the different
sciences,--and in process of time each had great commands, of which
mention shall be hereafter made. But we must not omit reporting a
conversation that passed between the king and his eldest son at his
last moments. He was so sorely oppressed at the latter end of his
sickness that those who attended him, not perceiving him breathe,
concluded he was dead, and covered his face with a cloth. It was the
custom in that country, whenever the king was ill, to place the royal
crown on a cushion beside his bed, and for his successor to take it
on his death. The prince of Wales, being informed by the attendants
that his father was dead, had carried away the crown; but, shortly
after, the king uttered a groan, and his face was uncovered,--when, on
looking for the crown, he asked what was become of it? His attendants
replied, that 'my lord the prince had taken it away.' He bade them
send for the prince; and on his entrance, the king asked him why he
had carried away the crown? 'My lord,' answered the prince, 'your
attendants, here present, affirmed to me that you were dead; and as
your crown and kingdom belong to me as your eldest son, after your
decease, I had taken it away.'

The king gave a deep sigh, and said, 'My fair son, what right have you
to it? for you well know I had none.' 'My lord,' replied the prince,
'as you have held it by right of your sword, it is my intent to hold
and defend it the same during my life.' The king answered, 'Well, act
as you see best; I leave all things to God, and pray that he would have
mercy on me!' Shortly after, without uttering another word, he departed
this life.

After the king's interment, the prince of Wales was most honourably
crowned king, in the presence of the nobles and prelates of England, no
one appearing to contest his right.--When the duke of Clarence and the
English in the duchy of Acquitaine, heard of king Henry's death, they
returned as speedily as they could to England, for at that moment there
was a truce between the two countries. But, notwithstanding this truce,
the English on the frontiers of Calais continued to make inroads on,
and to harrass, the Boulonois, insomuch that the constable was obliged
to reinforce the garrisons of Ardres, Gravelines, and other places in
the french interest.

Here follows a copy of the treaty concluded by king Henry IV. and his
children, on the one part, and the dukes of Berry, of Orleans, of
Bourbon, the counts d'Alençon, d'Armagnac, and the lord d'Albreth on
the other, on the 8th day of May, in the year 1412.

It was first agreed to by the above lords, or by their commissioners,
that they would expose their lives and fortunes in the service of the
king of England, his heirs and successors, whenever they should be
required so to do, in all their just quarrels,--in which they include
the king of England's warfare in Guienne as a just quarrel, and
maintain that the duchy of Guienne and its dependencies belong to him
by right of succession, and that by such declaration and assistance
they shall no way act contrary to their loyalty.

'Item, the aforesaid lords make offer, by themselves or their delegates
sufficiently authorised, of their sons, daughters, nephews, nieces,
relations, in short, of all their subjects, to contract such marriages
as shall be agreeable to the aforesaid king of England.

'Item, they likewise make offer of all their towns, castles, treasures,
and in general all belonging to them for the assistance of the said
king and his heirs in all their lawful quarrels, saving their loyalty,
which they have more fully explained in other acts passed between them.

'Item, they also make offer of all their friends and adherents, to
support the said king in the recovery of his duchy of Guienne.

'Item, the aforesaid lords are willing, without any fraud or deceit, to
acknowledge at the altar, or in any sacred place, the said king's right
to the duchy of Guienne, in as full a manner as any of his predecessors
ever possessed it.

'Item, the aforesaid lords acknowledge, by themselves or their
delegates, that all the towns, castles, and possessions they may have
in Guienne, they hold under the king of England, as the true duke of
Guienne, promising every service due from their homage, to be performed
in the best possible manner by them.

'Item, they also engage to deliver up to the king of England, as far as
lies in their power, all towns and castles, said to have belonged to
the king of England, to the number of twenty, as well castles as towns,
which are fully detailed in the treaty[15].

'In regard to the other towns and fortresses that are not under their
obedience, they will gain them, or assist the king of England or his
heirs to gain them, at their expense and with a sufficient number of
men.

'Item, as is more fully detailed in the treaty, that it shall be
agreeable to the king of England that the duke of Berry, his loyal
uncle, subject and vassal, that the duke of Orleans, his subject and
vassal, and in like manner the count d'Armagnac, do hold under him the
following lands by fealty and homage. The duke of Berry shall possess
the county of Poitou during his life: the duke of Orleans shall hold
the county of Angoulême for his life, and the county of Perigord in
perpetuity: the count d'Armagnac shall hold four castles specified in
the treaty, upon the terms and conditions therein declared.

'Item, among the engagements entered into by the king of England as
duke of Guienne, he was to guarantee them safe possession of the above
places, and to defend them against all enemies whatever, and afford
them the assistance due from their true and superior lord,--and he
was also to aid them in bringing the duke of Burgundy to exemplary
punishment.

'And the said king was not to make or enter into any treaties with the
duke of Burgundy, his children, brother, or with any of his adherents,
without the previous consent of the aforesaid princes.

'Item, the king of England promises to assist the aforesaid lords as
his loyal vassals in all their just wars, and to enforce recompense to
them by the duke of Burgundy for all the damages he may have done to
them.

'Item, the king of England will instantly send them eight thousand
combatants to their aid against the duke of Burgundy, who has excited
the king of France to march against them with the whole force of his
realm.'

This treaty of alliance was signed and sealed by the parties on the 8th
day of May, in this year 1412. The aforesaid princes, however, agreed
to pay the men at arms, whom the king of England should send to them,
and gave sufficient securities for so doing.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 14: Monstrelet has forgotten Philippa of Lancaster, Henry's
younger daughter, married to Eric king of Denmark, and died without
issue. His elder daughter outliving the duke of Bavaria, and her second
husband the king of Arragon, was married to the duke of Bar, but had no
issue by any of them.]

[Footnote 15: See the original treaty in the Foedera. It is dated the
18th of May, and not the 8th as in Monstrelet.]

[A.D. 1413.]

CHAP. XVIII.

THE KING'S MINISTERS ARE GREATLY ALARMED AT THE ARREST OF SIR PETER DES
ESSARS AND OF THE DUKE OF BAR.--OTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE PARISIANS.

At the beginning of this year, the king's ministers, that is to say,
those who had had the management of the finances under their care for
twenty years past, were much pressed to give in their accounts. Several
public and private accusations were made against them, which caused
the greater part to fear that they should not escape with honour.
Many had been arrested, and others had fled, whose fortunes had been
sequestrated by the king.

They sought, therefore, by divers means, to obtain the protection of
those princes who governed the king; and sir Peter des Essars, who had
fled to Cherbourg, through the interest of the duke of Acquitaine, was
remanded to Paris. He secretly entered the bastille with his brother
sir Anthony, but not so privately as to prevent its being known to some
of the Parisians, who disliked him, and who instantly acquainted the
duke of Burgundy and his people with it, by whom he was equally hated.
A party of the commonalty was soon collected; and headed by sir Elion
de Jacqueville, then governor of Paris, and some others of the duke of
Burgundy's friends, they marched to the bastille, and made prisoners of
sir Peter des Essars and his brother, whom they first led to the castle
of the Louvre and then to the prison of the palace. When this was done,
they again assembled, to the amount of six thousand, under the standard
of the aforesaid Jacqueville, who was joined by sir Robert de Mailly,
sir Charles de Lens, and several other men at arms of the household of
the duke of Burgundy,--and about ten o'clock in the morning they drew
up before the hôtel of the duke of Acquitaine.

The principal instigators of this insurrection of the commonalty were,
Jeannot Caboche, a skinner of the slaughter-house of Saint James,
master John de Troyes, a surgeon at Paris, and Denisot de Chaumont,
who, having forcibly entered the apartment of the duke, addressed him
as follows: 'Our most redoubted lord, here are the Parisians, but not
all in arms, who on behalf of your good town of Paris, and for the
welfare of your father and yourself, require that you cause to be
delivered up to them certain traitors who are now in your hôtel.'

The duke, in a fury, replied, that such affairs did not belong to
them, and that there were no traitors in his hôtel. They answered,
that if he were willing to give them up, well and good,--otherwise
they would take them before his face, and punish them according to
their deserts. During this conversation, the dukes of Burgundy and of
Lorraine arrived; and several of the Parisians at the same time entered
the hôtel, and instantly seized master Jean de Vailly, the duke's new
chancellor, Edward duke of Bar, cousin-german to the king, sir James de
la Riviere, the two sons of the lord de Boissay, Michel de Vitry and
his brother, the two sons of sir Reginald de Guiennes, the two brothers
de Maisnel, the two de Geremmes, and Peter de Naisson.

The duke of Acquitaine, witnessing this outrage committed
before his eyes, turned to the duke of Burgundy, and angrily
said,--'Father-in-law, this insurrection has been caused by your
advice: you cannot deny it, for those of your household are the leaders
of it. Know, therefore, that you shall one day repent of this; and the
state shall not alway be governed according to your will and pleasure.'

The duke of Burgundy replied, by way of excusing himself, 'My lord,
you will inform yourself better, when your passion shall be somewhat
cooled.' But, notwithstanding this, those who had been seized were
carried off, and confined in different prisons.

They afterward made search for master Raoul Bridoul, the king's
secretary, who, as they were carrying him away, was struck by one that
hated him with a battle-axe on the head, and thrown dead into the
Seine. They also murdered a very rich upholsterer, who was an eloquent
man, called Martin d'Aue, and a cannon-founder, an excellent workman,
but who had been of the Orleans-party, whose bodies they left naked two
whole days in the square of St Catherine.

They compelled the duke of Acquitaine to reside with the king his
father, in the hôtel de St Pol, and carefully guarded the gates that
he might not quit Paris. Some said this was done for his amendment, as
he was very young, and impatient of contradiction, but others assigned
different reasons: among them was one, that he had intended to have
tilted on May-day in the forest of Vincennes, and that he had ordered
sir Peter des Essars to meet him there with six hundred helmets, and to
pay them for one month, and that this order had been executed. It was
added, that the duke of Orleans and those of his party were collecting
large bodies of men at arms to join the duke of Acquitaine in the
forest of Vincennes, which had greatly displeased the duke of Burgundy
and the Parisians.

It was melancholy to behold this reign of the mob, and the manner in
which they conducted themselves in Paris, as well toward the king as
toward the other lords. They also wrote letters to the different towns
to inform them that what they had done was for the welfare of the king
and kingdom, and required of them to give them all aid and advice
should there be any necessity for it, and to remain obedient in their
fidelity to the king and his eldest son.

Afterward, that no assembly of men at arms might be made by any lord,
the king, at the request of these same Parisians, published an edict,
addressed to all the seneschals and bailiffs in the realm, of the
following tenour.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to the bailiff of
Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

'Whereas, in the divisions and disputes that so lately harrassed our
kingdom, we, and our very dear eldest son the duke of Acquitaine,
dauphin of Viennois, have so successfully laboured, that, through
God's grace, we have established a solid peace in our realm, for the
observance of which the greater part of our liege subjects have given
security, and have promised, on their oaths, to keep and preserve it,
and not to issue any summons, or to raise any men, without our express
permission.

'Notwithstanding this, we have heard that some of our blood, and
others, are making preparation to raise men, by way of companies, in
different parts of our kingdom, which may not only be very expensive to
the country, but cause other great inconveniences, unless an immediate
remedy be provided.

'These, therefore, are to enjoin you to cause this our prohibition to
be most publicly proclaimed in the usual places within your bailiwick,
and to forbid any person, under penalty of death and confiscation of
goods, whether baron, knight or others, to obey any summons from their
superior lord, unless so ordered by us, our son, or our well-beloved
cousin the count de St Pol, constable of France, or others so
commissioned by us. That no doubts may arise in regard to these our
intentions, we send you this sealed with our great seal. You will
likewise inform all our vassals, that whenever and wherever we, or our
son, may send for them, they must obey.

'And because our very dear uncle and cousin the dukes of Berry and of
Lorraine are continually in our service, our intention is not that
their vassals or subjects should be prevented going to them whenever
they are sent for, or whenever they may employ them in our service; and
should any in your bailiwick act contrary to the premises, we will and
order that you constrain them to do their duty, by arrest and seizure
of goods.

'Given at Paris the 9th day of May in the year 1413, and of our reign
the 33d.' It was thus signed by the king, on the report made to him of
the council held by the dukes of Acquitaine, Berry and Lorraine, and
others, by J. Millet. It was then sent off, and proclaimed throughout
the kingdom in the usual places.

The Parisians in those days wore an uniform dress with white hoods,
to distinguish all who were of their party. They even made many of
the nobles and prelates wear it; and what was more, the king himself
afterward put it on, which seemed to many discreet persons very
ridiculous, considering the abominable and detestable manner of the
Parisians, and their cruelties, which were almost beyond bearing;
but they were so powerful, and obstinate in their wickedness, that
the princes knew not well how to provide a remedy. They were also
strengthened in it from the belief that they should be supported by the
duke of Burgundy and his party, should there be occasion for it.

CHAP. XIX.

THE PARISIANS PROPOSE WHATEVER MEASURES THEY PLEASE, IN THE PRESENCE OF
THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE AND THE OTHER PRINCES.--CRUELTIES COMMITTED BY
THEM.

On Thursday the 11th of May, the Parisians held a great assembly, and
made various propositions, in the presence of the dukes of Acquitaine,
Berry, Burgundy and Lorraine, the counts of Nevers, Charolois, and
many nobles and prelates, with others, wearing white hoods by way of
uniform, who were said to exceed twelve thousand in number. Toward the
conclusion, they presented a roll to the duke of Acquitaine, which he
would have refused to accept; but they constrained him not only to take
it, but to read its contents publicly. Sixty persons, as well absent
as present, were charged in this roll as traitors: twenty of whom were
instantly arrested, and confined in prison. In this number were the
lord de Boissay, master of the household to the king, Michel Lallier,
and others to the number above mentioned. The absent that had been thus
accused were summoned by sound of trumpet, in all the squares of Paris,
to appear within a few days, under penalty, in case of disobedience, of
having their properties confiscated to the king's use.

On the 18th day of this same month, the king recovered his health, and
went from his hôtel of St Pol to the church of Nôtre Dame, wearing a
white hood like the other princes. When he had finished his prayers, he
returned home accompanied by a vast multitude of people. On the Monday
following, the Parisians had their city surrounded by numbers of men at
arms, so that no person might leave it without permission: the gates
were closely shut, and the bridges drawn up and watched by a numerous
guard at each, armed with all sorts of weapons. They also appointed
armed divisions of tens in all the streets; and when this was done, the
provost of the merchants, the sheriffs, and other leaders marched a
large body of armed men to the hôtel of St Pol, which they surrounded
with a line three deep; and having given their orders how they were
to act, they waited on the king, the queen, and the dauphin, who were
perfectly ignorant of their proceedings.

There was at this time a grand assembly of nobles in Paris, namely,
the dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Lorraine, and duke Louis of Bavaria,
brother to the queen, who was on the morrow to marry, at the hôtel de
St Pol, the sister of the count d'Alençon, the widow of the lord Peter
de Navarre, count de Mortain. The counts de Nevers, de Charolois, de
St Pol, constable of France, and many more great barons and prelates,
were likewise present. They there ordered a carmelite friar, called
friar Eustache, to harangue the king, who, having taken for his text
'Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem suam, frustra vigilat qui custodit
eam,' discoursed well and long upon it, and made some mention of the
prisoners, of the bad state of the government of the kingdom, and of
the crimes that were committed.

When he had ended his speech, the chancellor of France bade him say who
were his protectors, when instantly the provost of merchants and the
sheriffs acknowledged him. But as there were but few people present,
and as they did not speak loud enough, according to the will of the
chancellor, some of them descended to the court to call those of the
greatest birth and weight that had remained armed below.

The principal leaders returned with them to the king's apartment,
and with bended knees avowed that what father Eustache had said was
conformable to their sentiments; that they had the sincerest love for
him and for his family, and that their sole wish was to serve his royal
majesty with clean and pure hearts; that every thing they had done had
been for the welfare of himself and his kingdom, as well as for the
preservation of his person and family.

While this was passing, the duke of Burgundy, noticing the line of
armed men that were drawn up three deep, and surrounding the king's
hôtel, went down and earnestly entreated of them to retire, demanding
of them what they wanted, and why they were thus come armed; for that
it was neither decent nor expedient that the king, who was so lately
recovered from his illness, should thus see them drawn up, as it
were, in battle-array. They replied, they were not assembled with
an ill intent, but for the good of the king and his kingdom: they
concluded by giving him a roll, and said, they were on no account to
depart thence until those whose names were therein inscribed should be
delivered up to them, namely, Louis of Bavaria, brother to the queen,
and the following knights: Charles de Villers, Courard Bayer, Jean de
Neelle lord d'Ollehaing, the archbishop of Bourges, master William
Boisratier, confessor to the queen, Jean Vincent, Colin de Pieul,
Jeannet de Cousteville, Mainfroy, treasurer to the duke of Acquitaine,
and a courier of the duke of Orleans, who happened accidentally to be
in Paris, having brought letters from his master to the king; the lady
Bona d'Armagnac, lady of Montauban[16], la dame du Quesnoy, la dame
d'Avelays, la dame de Noyon, la dame du Chastel, and four other damsels.

When the duke of Burgundy found that every thing he could say was
vain, he went to the queen, and showed her the list they had given to
him, telling her what they required. She was much troubled thereat,
and, calling her son the dauphin, bade him return with the duke of
Burgundy, and entreat them most affectionately in her name to desist
for only eight days from their present demands, and that on the eighth
day she would without fail deliver up her brother, or suffer them to
arrest him, and carry him a prisoner to the Louvre, to the palace, or
whithersoever they should please.

The duke of Acquitaine, hearing these words from his mother, retired
to a private chamber and wept bitterly,--but was followed by the duke
of Burgundy, who exhorted him not to weep, which he complied with, and
wiped away his tears. They descended to the Parisians, and the duke of
Burgundy explained in a few words the request of the queen; but they
positively refused to grant it, and declared they would go up to the
queen's apartment,--and should those contained in the list be refused
to be given up, they would take them by force, even in the king's
presence, and carry them away prisoners.

The two dukes, hearing this answer, went back to the queen, whom they
found in conversation with her brother and the king. They reported
their reception from the Parisians,--when the duke of Bavaria, seeing
he could not escape, full of bitterness and distress, descended down to
them, and desired that he alone might be taken into custody; that if he
were found guilty, he might be punished without mercy,--otherwise that
he might instantly have his liberty, and go to Bavaria, never more to
return to France.

The others also, with the ladies and damsels, were forced to surrender
themselves, but it was not without great lamentations and effusion of
tears. They were directly put two and two on horseback, each horse
escorted by four men at arms, and carried, some prisoners to the
Louvre, and others to the palace, followed by a large body of the
Parisians under arms. When this was done, the king went to his dinner,
and the queen with her son retired in great grief to their apartments.

Within a short time, the courier was set at liberty,--and so was the
lord d'Ollehaing, who was reinstated in the office of chancellor of
Acquitaine, from which he had been dismissed.

The duke of Burgundy had under his guard his cousin-german the duke
of Bar, sir Peter and sir Anthony des Essars, with other prisoners
confined in the Louvre, whom he caused to be attended by his servants,
and for whose security he had pledged himself. But he acted quite
contrary, and returned them to the Parisians, who imprisoned them
closely, and caused twelve knights to be nominated by the king as
commissaries, and six examiners, to inquire into their offences, and to
condemn and punish them according to the heinousness of their crimes
and the exigence of the case.

In consequence of this, a statement was drawn up by directions of the
duke of Berry, uncle to the duke of Bar, the countess de St Pol, and
others his friends, and given to the Parisians, who sent it to the
university of Paris for their advice and approbation of what they had
done. The university replied, that they would no way intermeddle nor
advise in the business; and they moreover declared, in full council
before the king, that so far from having advised the arrest of the duke
of Bar and the other prisoners, they were much displeased that it had
taken place.

The Parisians, therefore, seeing that the university was disunited
from them, and fearing that their conduct would, in after times, be
examined into, obtained from the king and his council a royal edict, as
an indemnity and excuse for their actions, the tenour of which was as
follows.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to all to whom
these presents shall come, greeting, on the part of our dear and
well-beloved, the provost, sheriffs, citizens and inhabitants of this
good town of Paris.

'We make known, that for our urgent profit and welfare, and also for
that of our very dear son the duke of Acquitaine, dauphin of Viennois,
and for the public welfare, for the security of our good town of
Paris, and to obviate inconveniences that might have arisen from the
malversation of some of our ministers, as well those of justice as
others, and in order to prevent such malversations from increasing,
certain arrests have lately taken place on divers men and women, as
well of our blood and household as of those of our very well beloved
consort the queen, of our son, and our very dear daughter the duchess
of Acquitaine, and countess of Charolois, for the effecting of which
arrests a large assemblage of men at arms was thought expedient,
considering the rank and power of those to be arrested, who are now
confined in our prisons of the Louvre, of our palace, and in different
prisons in our good town of Paris.

'The crimes alledged against them are for treasonable practices
committed against us, our said son, the welfare of the kingdom and that
of our good city of Paris, and also concerning the government of our
person, of our son, and of the police of our said town and kingdom, for
all of which sufficient judges have been appointed, who will examine
into their various delinquencies, and punish in such wise as the public
good may require, so that our good city of Paris, which is the head of
our realm, may not again suffer any alarms through their fault, or that
of their accomplices, who, fearing the consequences, have escaped out
of the city.

'For these causes, and from the great love and loyalty they bear to
us, who are their sovereign and natural lord, as well as to our said
eldest son, the aforesaid provost, sheriffs, and citizens of Paris,
have requested these presents, in order that good government may be
restored, the security and welfare of our person and state be provided
for, and that such arrests and imprisonments may be considered as
solely done out of the purity of their loyal intentions towards us, our
family, and the public good of the realm.

'We will, therefore, that such arrests and imprisonments be so
considered, and that they be regarded as done for the true honour and
profit of us and of our crown; and that all who have been abettors or
aiding in the above arrests and imprisonments, noble or not noble,
shall be deemed praiseworthy; and by the advice of some of our kindred,
as well as by that of our great council, we do approve of and avow such
acts.

'By the tenour of these presents we acknowledge and hold them for
agreeable, and forbid that for these causes, or for any others that may
be connected with them, those who have thus acted be any way harrassed
or molested in body or estate, or any suit be preferred against them in
our courts of justice, by any means or pretext whatever, but that they
shall be held acquitted in perpetuity.

'We give this, therefore, in command to all our beloved and faithful
counsellors, who now hold or shall hereafter hold our courts of
parliament at Paris, all masters of requests in our household, and
those holding similar situations in our royal palace, all officers
in our exchequer, and all commissaries named to inspect our finance
and domain, as well as those lately appointed to examine into the
charges brought against the prisoners in our castle of the Louvre, and
elsewhere in our prisons in Paris, to the provost of Paris, to all our
seneschals, bailiffs, provosts, judges and other officers of justice
at present and in times to come, and to each as in duty bound, that
they do proclaim these presents in the accustomed public places, and
that they do see that the commands herein contained be not infringed
or disobeyed, so that the engagements we have entered into with the
parties demanding these presents may be punctually observed.

'And as the parties may wish hereafter to renew the publicity of these
presents, we will that there be exact copies made of them under the
seal of the Châtelet, or other royal seals, to make them as authentic
as the original, and that they may be of equal efficacy. Given at Paris
the 24th day of May, in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign the
33d.'

It was thus signed by the king in council; at which were present the
dukes of Berry and Burgundy, the constable of France, the archbishop
of Bourges, the bishop of Evreux, the bishop of Tournay, the grand
master of the household, the lord de la Trimouille governor to the
dauphin, sir Anthony de Craon, sir Philippe de Poitiers, the chancellor
of Burgundy, the abbot of St Jean, master Eustace de la Chere, the
lords de Viefville, de Mont-Beron[17], de la Rochefoucault[18], the
provost of Paris, sir Charles de Savoisy, the hermit de Faye, Jean de
Courcelles, the lord d'Allegrez[19], master Mille d'Orgemont, Raoul le
Saige, Mille d'Angeul, Jean de Longneux, and many others. 'P. Naucron.'

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 16: Bona, eldest daughter of the constable d'Armagnac,
afterwards married to Charles duke of Orleans.]

[Footnote 17: Called before 'Mouberon;' but Montberon is right. James,
son of Imbert lord of Montberon in Angoumois, was made mareschal of
France in 1422, in the place of John de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam.]

[Footnote 18: Guy VIII. lord of la Rochefoucault, was one of the first
lords of Guienne who did homage to the crown of France after the peace
of Bretigny. Froissart mentions a duel which took place in 1380 between
this nobleman and William lord of Montferrand, at which he was attended
by two hundred gentlemen of his own family. He married Margaret de
Craon, lady of Marsillac and Montbazon, by whom he had two sons,
Foulcault III. lord of la Rochefoucault, mentioned hereafter, and Aymar
lord of Montbazon and Sainte Maure.]

[Footnote 19: Called 'Allaigre' in the original. Alegre is the name of
a noble and ancient family of Auvergue.]

CHAP. XX.

THE COUNT DE VERTUS AND SEVERAL OF THE NOBILITY LEAVE PARIS.--OTHER
REGULATIONS AND EDICTS OBTAINED FROM THE KING BY THE PARISIANS.

During these melancholy times, the count de Vertus, indignant at the
arrest of the duke of Bar and other nobles, secretly left Paris,
attended by two persons only, without the knowledge of the king or the
duke of Burgundy, and hastened to his brother the duke of Orleans, at
Blois, to whom he related all the extraordinary events that had passed
in Paris, as well in the hôtel of the king as in that of the dauphin,
and elsewhere, to the great displeasure of the duke of Orleans.

The duke of Burgundy was much vexed at the departure of the count de
Vertus, for he had hopes to accomplish the marriage that had been for
some time agreed on between him and his daughter. Many other noblemen
quitted Paris from fear of the changes that were taking place, namely,
sir James de Chastillon, eldest son to the lord de Dampierre, the
lords de Croy and de Roubaix, Coppin de la Viefville, master Raoul,
head provost of St Donas at Bruges, Pierre Genstiere, who had lately
been provost of merchants, and many more. Several were particularly
remanded by the duke of Burgundy, who returned in great alarm, and not
without cause; for of those who had been imprisoned, many were daily,
without regard to sex, drowned in the Seine, or miserably put to death,
without any form of law or justice.

On the 26th day of May, the king went to the parliament, and, at the
instance of the duke of Burgundy and the Parisians, held a royal
sitting, and caused several edicts to be published respecting the
reformation of abuses. These, and other regulations for the government
of the kingdom, were sent to the different bailiwicks, and other usual
places, for proclamation. One of them was directed against sir Clugnet
de Brabant, who in company with other captains had assembled in great
force on the river Loire, to be ready to march to Paris,--the tenour of
which was as follows.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to the bailiff of
Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.--Whereas it has come to our
knowledge, that notwithstanding the very great oppressions which
our subjects have suffered in various parts of our realm from the
assembling of large bodies of men at arms, which the princes of our
blood, and other barons, have thought proper, at different periods, to
raise on their own authority,--there are still several who now continue
such practices, to the great grievance of our faithful subjects. We
have caused to be published and proclaimed throughout our realm, as
well by messages as by sealed letters, our strict prohibition of such
acts, under very heavy penalties; and we have ordered, that none, of
whatever rank he may be, subject or foreigner, shall have the boldness
to raise any men in future on their own sole authority, whether by way
of companies or otherwise, without our special orders, or in obedience
to our summons to come to serve us.

'Several of our kindred, however, contrary to these our orders, and in
opposition to the treaty of peace lately concluded at Auxerre by us,
to put an end to dissentions which had arisen in our family, and which
they solemnly swore to observe, are now preparing to assemble large
bodies of men at arms without any authority or licence from us, and to
unite them with a numerous army of English and foreigners, to carry
into effect their damnable purposes, which they have plotted against us
and our government, according to the information we have received.

'We have been repeatedly assured that they are favoured and supported
by many in an underhand manner; and to force others to join them, they
harrass and despoil all who have served us, more especially those who
assisted us in our late expedition to Bourges, when we considered
them as enemies of the state, and marched thither with the intent of
correcting them sufficiently for their outrageous conduct.

'They at this moment, as we have had sufficient information, commit
every sort of violence, by killing our subjects, violating damsels,
setting fire to houses and villages, and despoiling churches, and many
other atrocious crimes, such as the bitterest enemies of the country
would commit, and which are such bad examples that they must not longer
be suffered.

'In consequence, therefore, of the lamentations and heavy complaints
that have been made to us, we are resolved to remedy these grievances,
which are so highly displeasing to us, in the most effectual manner:
we therefore most expressly enjoin and command you, by these presents,
that you instantly make public proclamation, by sound of trumpet, of
this our prohibition, for any knight, esquire, or others accustomed
to bear arms, of whatever rank they may be,--and we order them, on
pain of our severest anger, and on the loyalty they owe us, not to
arm themselves, nor to join any bodies that may have assembled in
arms within our kingdom without our especial authority, nor to obey
the summons of any one related to our person or not, on any occasion
whatever, unless they be particularly ordered by us to join them for
the good of our service.

'All whom you shall hear of having such intentions, you will command,
in our name, to desist, and peaceably to return to their dwellings, or
whither else they may please, without doing any harm to our subjects.
Should they refuse to obey your orders, and persist in their wicked
intentions, you will instantly take possession, in our name, of all
their castles, dwellings and possessions, causing an exact inventory to
be made out, of the real and annual value, which you will place in the
hands of safe persons to administer such estates, to render us an exact
account of their amount, and to relinquish them whenever we may see
good. You will also proceed against them as rebels; for we abandon them
to you to imprison and punish according as you shall judge expedient.

'You will likewise, should they have quitted their dwellings, pursue
them by every means in your power, shutting them out from all towns,
and depriving them of provisions, and harrassing them in every way
deserving of their disobedience, and to serve as an example to others.

'It is not, however, our intention that such of the princes of
our blood as are now near our person, and in our service, should
be prevented from ordering their vassals to come to them, or from
employing them for our welfare, as they shall specify in their summons;
but they must not, on their march, live on the country, or despoil
the inhabitants. Should any of them do the contrary, we command you to
proceed against them as against the aforesaid; and you will inflict on
them such punishments as their demerits require, without paying regard
to any letters of protection they may show to you.

'To enable you to execute these our orders, we give you full authority
to call upon and assemble all our vassals and subjects to your aid, and
as many as you shall think necessary for the occasion, and to lead them
to any parts of your bailiwick where you shall hear of any robberies
or other rebellious acts being done. And we strictly enjoin, by these
presents, all our vassals and subjects, on the faith and loyalty they
owe us, and under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of
goods, to obey your orders, and to assist you heartily to accomplish
the above commands.

'That no one may pretend ignorance of them, you will cause these
presents to be proclaimed in all the different parts of your
bailiwick, or wherever else you shall judge proper. We also command
all our officers of justice, and others having authority under us,
and we entreat all our friends and wellwishers, to aid and support
you on this service, and diligently to keep up a good understanding
with you thereon, and to show you every favour, even allowing their
dwellings to be turned into prisons, should the exigency of any case
require it,--for we delegate to you full and complete authority,
notwithstanding any opposition or appeal made to the contrary. Given at
Paris the 6th day of June, in the year of Grace 1413, and of our reign
the 33d.'

Then signed by the king, on the report of his council,--at which were
present my lords of Berry, Burgundy, the constable, the chancellor of
Burgundy, Charles de Savoisy, Anthony de Craon, the lords de Viefville,
de Montberon, Cambrilach, d'Allegrez, and many others.--'P. Naucron.'

This edict was sent to the different bailiwicks and seneschalships in
the kingdom of France, and proclaimed in the usual places.

CHAP. XXI.

KING LADISLAUS OF NAPLES ENTERS ROME WITH A POWERFUL ARMY.--THE DEATH
OF SIR JAMES DE LA RIVIERE.--THE DISMISSION OF THE CHANCELLOR,--AND
OTHER MATTERS.

This year, Ladislaus king of Naples and Sicily, at the instigation of
some false and disloyal traitors, marched a very large army to Rome,
which he entered without resistance, and began to pillage the whole
of it,--at the same time making prisoners the most powerful and rich
citizens, who were forced to ransom themselves by paying heavy sums of
money.

Pope John and his cardinals, witnessing these transactions, took flight
in the utmost fear, and escaped from castle to castle, until they at
length reached Bologna, where the pope fixed his court. The greater
part of their estates were despoiled by this army of Ladislaus, who
for a long time reigned in Rome; and when, in consequence of certain
accommodations, he departed, he carried away many precious jewels from
the churches and palaces.

Sir James de la Riviere, brother to the count de Dampmartin, was taken
prisoner with the duke of Bar, in the hôtel of the duke of Acquitaine,
and carried to the palace-prison, where it was reported, that from
indignation at this treatment, he had struck himself so roughly with a
pewter-pot on the head as to beat his brains out. His body was thence
carried in a cart to the market-place of Paris, and beheaded.

But the truth was otherwise; for sir Elion de Jacqueville, knight to
the duke of Burgundy, visiting him in prison, high words passed between
them, and he called him a false traitor. Sir James replied, that he
lied, for that he was none such,--when Jacqueville, enraged, struck him
so severe a blow on the head with a light battle-axe which he had in
his hand that he killed him. He then spread abroad this rumour of his
having put an end to his life himself by means of a pewter pot, which
was propagated by others through the town, and believed by very many.

Shortly after this event, Mesnil Berry, carver to the duke of
Acquitaine, and a native of Normandy, was led to the market-place,
and there beheaded. His head and that of sir James de la Riviere were
affixed to two lances, and their bodies hung by the shoulders on the
gibbet of Montfaucon.

On the Thursday in Whitsun-week, Thomelin de Brie, who had been page to
the king, was, with two others, taken from the prison of the Châtelet
to the market-place, and beheaded: their heads were fixed on three
spears, and their bodies hung at Montfaucon by the shoulders. These
executions took place at the request of the Parisians.

And because sir Reginald[20] de Corbie, a native of Beauvais, though an
old and discreet man, was not agreeable to them, he was dismissed from
his office of chancellor of France, and sir Eustache de Lactre[21], at
the solicitation of the duke of Burgundy, appointed to succeed him.

On Tuesday, the 20th of June, Philip count de Nevers espoused, at the
castle of Beaumont, the sister of the count d'Eu, in the presence of
the duchess of Bourbon, her mother, and the damsel of Dreux, who had
been principally instrumental in forming this marriage.

After the festivities of the wedding, the new-married couple were
conducted by the duchess of Bourbon and the damsel of Dreux to
Maizieres, on the Meuse, which belonged to the count de Nevers. The
count d'Eu, who had been of the party, soon after returned to his
county, where he collected a large body of men at arms, to the amount
of two thousand combatants, under the pretext of making war on the lord
de Croy, in revenge for an attack made upon him some time since, as has
been mentioned, by his eldest son sir John de Croy; but it was not so,
for he marched his army across the Seine at Pont-de-l'Arche, and thence
to Verneuil in Perche, where were assembled king Louis of Sicily, the
dukes of Orleans, Brittany, and Bourbon, the counts de Vertus and
d'Alençon, with many other great barons, lords, and knights, not only
on account of the imprisonment of the dukes of Bar and of Bavaria,
or of the other prisoners, but for the deliverance of the duke of
Acquitaine, who had informed them by letters, which had been confirmed
by the count de Vertus, that he himself, the king, and the queen were
kept as prisoners under the control of the Parisians, and that they
were not allowed any liberty, which was highly displeasing to them, and
disgraceful to royalty.

This had caused so large an assembly of these great lords, who, after
mature consideration, wrote letters to the king, to his great council,
and to the Parisians, desiring them to allow the duke of Acquitaine to
go whithersoever he pleased, and to set at liberty the dukes of Bar and
of Bavaria, and all other prisoners. Should they refuse to comply, they
declared war against the town of Paris, which they would destroy to the
utmost of their power, and all within it, except the king and such of
his royal blood as may have therein remained. With regard to those that
had been murdered, they said nothing of them; for as they were dead,
they could not have them back.

These letters were laid before the king in council, where it was
determined to send ambassadors to these lords to negotiate a peace, who
were kindly received by them.

On Saturday, the 1st day of July, after his trial had been concluded,
sir Peter des Essars, lately provost of Paris, and son to the late
Philippe des Essars, a citizen of that town, was beheaded in the
market-place, his head fixed on the market-house, and his body hung
at Montfaucon in the usual manner. His brother, sir Anthony, was in
great danger of being also executed; but through the activity of some
friends, a delay of his trial was procured, and he afterward obtained
his full liberty.

In these days, as the king was in good health, he went to the cathedral
of Paris to say his prayers and hear mass. When it was over, he visited
the holy relics: he departed and returned to his hôtel, accompanied
by the duke of Burgundy and the constable of France, and followed by
crowds of people who had assembled to see him.

On the morrow, the 6th of July, it was ordered in the king's council,
presided by the duke of Acquitaine, that John de Moreul, knight to
the duke of Burgundy, should be the bearer of letters and royal
summons to the two bailiwicks of Amiens and of Vermandois, and to all
the provostships within them. He was commanded to assemble all the
prelates, counsellors and magistrates of these districts, and then, in
full meeting, to read aloud these letters from the king, sealed with
his great seal, and dated this 6th day of July. Countersigned, 'John
Millet,' according to the resolution of council, at which had been
present the duke of Burgundy, the constable of France, the chancellor
of Acquitaine, the chancellor of Burgundy, and several others.

These letters contained, in substance, an exhortation that they would
remain steady and loyal in their duty to the king, and be ready to
serve him or the dauphin whenever and wherever they should be summoned
to march against the enemies of the kingdom and the public weal; that
they should place confidence in his knight, counsellor and chamberlain,
sir John de Moreul, according to the instructions given him under the
king's privy seal, which he was to show and give them to read.

When he had visited many towns and provostships in these bailiwicks,
he came on Monday, the 16th day of July, from Dourlens to Amiens,
and there, in the presence of the nobles, prelates, and principal
inhabitants of the great towns within the district, he read his letters
and instructions with a clear and loud voice, for he was a man of
great eloquence. He explained how much the peace and union of the
kingdom had been and was troubled; how the trials of those who had been
beheaded at Paris were carried on before a sufficient number of able
and honest men, as well knights as advocates of the parliament, and
other lords and discreet men, who had been nominated for this purpose
by the king; and how sir James de la Riviere, in despair, had killed
himself with a pewter pot in which he had had wine, as well as the
manner in which he had done it.

The charges which were brought against those who had been beheaded
occupied each sixty sheets of paper,--and he assured them, that good
and impartial justice had been administered to all who had been
executed, without favour or hatred having any concern in their just
sentences. He asserted, that the duke of Acquitaine had never written
such letters to the princes of the Orleans-party as they had published;
and he concluded,--'Know then, all ye present, that what I have just
been saying are notorious truths.'

After this, he asked whether they were loyal and obedient to the king,
and desired they would tell him their intentions. The nobles and
prelates, and the rest of the assembly, instantly replied, that they
had always been obedient to the king, and were ready to serve him,
believing that he had told them the truth. In confirmation of this, he
required letters from the provost, with which he returned to Paris.

In like manner were other knights sent, in the king's name, with
similar letters and instructions to the different bailiwicks and
seneschalships within the realm, who, being equally successful,
returned with letters of the same import.

While these things were passing, the English appeared off the coast
of Normandy with a large fleet of ships, and landed at the town of
Treport, where having plundered all they could find, and made some
prisoners, they set fire to it, and burnt the town and monastery, and
also some of the adjoining villages. When they had remained about
twenty-two hours on shore, they re-embarked and made sail for England
with their booty.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 20: Called 'Ernault' a little after, which agrees with
Moreri's Arnold.--See _ante_, p. 14, note.]

[Footnote 21: In Moreri's list, Henry de Marle succeeds Arnauld de
Corbie in 1413, and is succeeded by Eustache de _Laitre_ in 1418.]

CHAP. XXII.

THE AMBASSADORS FROM THE KING OF FRANCE RETURN WITH THOSE FROM THE
PRINCES TO PARIS.--THEY ARE JOINED BY OTHERS, WHO NEGOTIATE A FOURTH
PEACE AT PONTOISE.

On Wednesday, the 12th day of July, the ambassadors whom the king
and the dukes of Acquitaine, Berry, and Burgundy, had sent to the
princes of the blood, namely, the bishop of Tournay, the grand master
of Rhodes, the lords d'Offemont and de la Viefville, master Peter de
Marigny, and some others, returned from their embassy. The answer
they had brought having been soon after considered in council, the
king ordered the dukes of Berry and Burgundy to go with the aforesaid
ambassadors to Pontoise, when the king of Sicily, the dukes of Orleans
and of Bourbon, the counts d'Alençon and d'Eu came to Vernon, and
thence sent their ambassadors to Pontoise, to explain to the dukes of
Berry and Burgundy, and the other ambassadors, the causes of their
griefs, and the great miseries that must ensue should the war take
place that was on the point of breaking out.

One of their ambassadors harangued well in clear and good French on
the above subjects: the substance of what he said was as follows. 'To
explain what has been intrusted to us by our lords, namely, the king
of Sicily, the dukes of Orleans and of Bourbon, the counts d'Alençon
and d'Eu, to you, my very redoubted lords of Berry and Burgundy, and
to the gentlemen of the great council of the king and of my lord of
Acquitaine, now in their company, since it becomes me to speak the
words of peace, trusting in Him who is the sole Author of peace, and
in the good will of my hearers, I shall take my text from the 33d
Psalm, 'Oculi mei semper ad Dominum;' that is to say, My eyes are
always turned to the Lord; and continue my discourse from what the wise
Plato says, among other notable things, that all princes or others
intrusted with the affairs of government should obey the commands of
their sovereign in all they shall do for the public welfare, laying
aside every private consideration for their own advantage, and regard
themselves as part of a whole, the smallest member of which being
wounded, the effect is felt by the head or chief lord.

'I consider, therefore, the kingdom of France as a body, of which our
sovereign lord the king is the head, and his subjects the members.
But in what degree shall I place my lords the princes who have sent
us hither, or you, my lords, who hear me? for we know of no other
head but our sovereign lord.--I can neither liken you to the head nor
to the aforementioned members, on account of your rank; but I think
I may compare you to the members nearest to the head, for among them
may be counted the eyes, which are of the greatest use to it. I shall
consequently compare you to the eyes, and for three singularly good
reasons.

'First, the eyes ought to be well placed and formed alike; for should
one be placed differently from the other, half closed or awry, the
whole person is disgraced and acquires the name of Blind or Squinter.
Now, it seems to me, that as my lords who have sent us, and you, my
lords, who hear me, have persons handsomely made, you ought to be of
one mind, and tending towards good; for you have eyes of a clear
understanding, and of real affection, 'Oculi sapientis in capite ejus.'

'Secondly, the eyes are the most striking parts of the human body, and
have a full view over every part of it, as the prophet Ezekiel says, in
his 33d chapter, 'Speculatorem dedi te domui Israel.' Just so are our
princes of the blood, for from their singular and strong affection to
their sovereign lord and his kingdom, they constantly watch over and
guard him.

'Thirdly, from the nobleness of the eye, which is of a circular form,
and of such sensibility that when any other member of the body is hurt,
or struck with grief, it weeps, as the prophet Jeremiah says in the
19th chapter, 'Plorans, plorabit, et educet oculus meus lachrimam quia
captus est grex Domini.' In like manner Valerius Maximus relates, in
his 8th book, that when Marcellus the tyrant saw his city despoiled
by the enemy, who had taken it by storm, he could not refrain from
weeping, which was becoming a real eye. Certainly it ought to bewail
the pain of its members, as Codrus, duke of Athens, did, who caused
himself to be slain to gain a victory over his enemies, as is related
by Julius Frontinus, and this same Valerius Maximus in his 8th book.
And because all our lords are and ought to be of the same stamp, I have
compared them thereto by saying, 'Oculi mei semper ad Dominum.'

'As for me, being the spokesman of those who have been charged to come
hither by our lords, we do not think of comparing ourselves to eyes,
but solely to the very humble servants of the eye, being no greater
parts of the members than the nail on the little finger, ready at the
calls of our superiors; and from their commands have we been led to
speak of such high concerns, which was matter of great grievance to us;
but it is for the sake of peace, and in obedience to the eye, 'Oculi
mei semper ad Dominum;' for in all times, every one should obey his
lord, more especially when he is in adversity,--as Tully says in his
treatise on Friendship,--Come to thy friend in prosperity, when he
calls thee; but when he shall be in adversity, wait not to be called.
I apply this to all landholders who are not the immediate ministers of
a king, or of the Lord, according to the apostle St Peter, who says in
his second chapter, 'Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for
the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme,' &c. And again,
'Be obedient in the fear of our Lord, not only to the good and just but
to the ignorant.' Thus may every one repeat the text I have chosen,
'Oculi mei semper ad Dominum.'

'Notwithstanding my lords who have sent us hither having the eyes of
clear understanding, and affected with a true love to their sovereign
as the head of the whole body of this Christian kingdom, are fearful
that what Isaiah says in his 8th chapter may be applied to them;
'Speculatores ejus cæci omnes;' and that they may be said to resemble
the hog who devours the fruit that falls from the tree, without ever
looking up to the tree whence it falls. Nevertheless, they having
considered the events that have lately taken place in Paris, are full
of grief lest the whole body of the kingdom should consequently suffer
such destruction as, from its continuation, may be mortal to it, which
God, out of his gracious mercy, avert!

'In the first place, they have heard of the arrests and executions of
the servants of the king, queen and duke of Acquitaine, to whom alone
belongs the cognizance of any offences committed by them, and to none
others. They have also been informed that the same conduct has been
followed in regard to the ladies and damsels of the queen and the
duchess of Acquitaine, which things, from honour to the queen their
mistress, as well as for the respect due to the female sex and to
modesty, ought not to have been done.

'The laws declare and command, under heavy penalties, that modest women
shall not be publicly handled; and the honour of their families would
seem to assure them of not being so treated, for which they make loud
lamentations.

'Notwithstanding that the cognizance of any crime committed by a prince
of the royal blood belongs solely to the king, the duke of Bar has been
imprisoned, who is cousin-german to the king our lord, which causes
much sorrow to our lords, more particularly to the king and queen of
Sicily (who is his niece), who loudly cry out for his deliverance, as
well as for that of duke Louis of Bavaria, brother to the queen. They
are more hurt at the form and manner in which they were arrested; for,
according to what has been told them, they were seized by those who
were not king's officers, nor had any authority for so doing from
him, but merely by a mob of common people, who forcibly broke down the
doors of the king's and the duke of Acquitaine's apartments, saying to
the latter many rude and impudent things, which, as is reported, have
greatly displeased him; and they are particularly anxious to know why
such disgraceful acts were done, as they are ignorant what could have
caused them.

'Could any just reasons be alledged, they would not be so much
astonished as they now are. But to continue: it has been told them that
my lord is even deprived of his liberty, and that he cannot leave his
hôtel, or at least that he is not suffered to go out of Paris; and that
no one of his kindred, or of any high rank, are suffered to converse
with him, but only those who guard him, as is done to common prisoners
in many cases. This is matter of as serious grief to him and to my
said lords, thus to be deprived of the conversation and sight of their
sovereign lord on earth, as it would be to be debarred the vision of
God in another life.

'Item, they complain, that since these events letters have been sent
by the town of Paris to the aforesaid lords, and to others, and also
to the chief towns in the kingdom, to declare that these arrests,
imprisonments and executions, have taken place with the approbation
of the duke of Acquitaine. They therefore lament such letters being
sent, for none but the princes of the blood ought to be made acquainted
with the acts of government, or with such charges as are made against
different lords. There was, beside, no pretence for these letters,
for no one had ever interfered with the government of the duke of
Acquitaine; and it should seem to have been done solely with a view to
inflame and instigate the people to some acts prejudicial to the king,
to my lord of Acquitaine, his whole family, and even against these
lords now present.

'They also complain, that through the importunity of these same
Parisians, orders have been sent to their barons, knights, esquires
and vassals, not to obey any summons they may receive from them, but
to remain at home until the constable, or some other of the lords
within Paris, shall send for them; and at this grievance they feel very
indignant, for they have never done any thing, or had intentions of so
acting, as to deserve to be deprived of the service of their vassals;
and when the king should have occasion for them, they should have
served in their company, &c.

'Item, they likewise complain of many expressions, and other orders, by
which several officers take possession of castles and forts, and place
in them new governors, dismissing very able captains, noble and valiant
knights, who have loyally served their whole life without reproach, and
still intend to serve the king.

'These things are very unusual and extraordinary, and create much
uneasiness, by the bad example they afford as well to the head as the
other members, to the producing of subversion and total ruin. This good
kingdom has long been prosperously governed, chiefly by its regular
police and strict justice, which are founded on three things, and have
caused it to excel all other kingdoms.

'First, by its great learning, by which the Christian faith has been
defended, and justice and equity maintained.

'Secondly, by its noble and gallant chivalry, by which not only this
kingdom, but the whole of the faith has been supported and encouraged.

'Thirdly, by the numbers of loyal subjects, who, by their subordination
and obedience, have given strength to the government.

'But now these three things, by the present perverse mode of acting,
will be completely overturned; for all seems running to disorder, and
one fills an office suited to another, so that the feet which ought
to support the body, head and arms, now want to take the place of
the head, and thus every thing will fall into confusion, and all the
members quit the situations they were naturally designed for, as the
civil law says, 'Rerum commixtione turbantur officia.'

'For these reasons, my lords have sent us to supplicate the king, the
queen, and my lord of Acquitaine, and to request of you, our very dear
and redoubted lords, and of you gentlemen of the great council of the
king and the duke of Acquitaine now present, that each of you would,
according to the exigence of the case, apply a sufficient remedy.
It seems to my lords, that, according to the opinion of physicians,
abstinence is the grand preservative of the body natural from sickness:
we therefore pray you, that all such acts as have lately taken place
may be put an end to, and that all extraordinary commissions may
cease, that honour and justice may have due attention paid to them, and
that liberty and the accustomed prerogatives be restored to the king
and the duke of Acquitaine, as to the eyes of justice; and that they
may be preserved from all offence from churchmen, nobility, and people,
as the body, the arms, and the legs are bound to guard and defend the
head,--for this will be the only and secure means of establishing
peace, and as the Psalmist says, 'Quia justicia et pax osculatæ sunt.'

'St Augustin declares, that every one wishes for Peace in his house;
but Justice, who is her sister, lodges in the house of another; and all
who wish for true Peace must have also her sister Justice. Should any
one say, that abstinence would be dangerous from fear of two different
things, such as war and rigorous justice, we reply, in the name of our
lords, that they will eschew both to the utmost of their power, and
will employ themselves heartily in following this abstinence, and in
the expulsion of all such men at arms as shall injure the country by
every means they can use.

'In regard to rigorous justice, they intend to follow in this the
manner of all princes, keeping in mind the sentence of Plato, that when
a prince is cruel to the commonwealth, he resembles the guardian who
unwisely chastises his ward, whom he had undertaken to watch over and
defend. They will carefully imitate the conduct of their predecessors
of the most noble house of France, who have been accustomed to show
nothing but good humour and kindness, laying aside all rancour against
the good city of Paris, and all other towns that may have been guilty
of improper acts; and they supplicate the king, the queen, and my lord
of Acquitaine, that an entire oblivion may be passed over what may have
been done on one side as well as on the other.

'My lords are particularly desirous that the king, the queen, and the
duke of Acquitaine should have full liberty to make their residence at
Rouen, Chartres, Melun, Montargis, or at any other place more suitable
than Paris, for their loyal subjects to have access to them; not
through any malevolence toward this town, or against its inhabitants,
but to avoid any sort of riot that might take place between their
servants and some of the citizens.

'And I beg the lords now present to consider on the most secure means
for the meeting of my lords with their majesties and the duke of
Acquitaine, and to obviate all pretence of suspicion or alarm, when
my lords shall attend at any proper place to provide for the better
government of the kingdom, and for the establishment of a solid peace.
Let this matter be well weighed, for our lords and ourselves are
perfectly well inclined to attend to the honour and advantage of the
head and of all its members.

'Should I have said too little, my lords and companions will be eager
to amend it; and should I have said too much, or any thing that may
have angered any of my lords here present, they will be pleased
to attribute it to my simplicity and ignorance, and to the strong
affection I bear to the king, and my earnestness that a firm and
lasting peace may be concluded. I am naturally bound to this by my oath
of fidelity, and also from the anxiety my lord the king of Sicily has
to promote this desirable end. Should I therefore have said more than
was necessary, you will not of course attribute it to any rashness, or
disaffection that I may feel; for such has never entered my thoughts,
or those of my lord of Sicily or his companions.'

After this, several propositions for peace were made on each side, that
tranquillity might be restored to the kingdom, and an end put to the
present disorders. Some articles were drawn up, of the following tenour.

'First, there shall be perfect union and love between the princes
of the blood, which they will keep, and swear to observe, like
affectionate relatives and friends, and shall mutually interchange
letters to this purpose; and, for a greater confirmation of the above,
the principal officers and servants of each lord shall do the same.

'Item, the princes of the blood who have sent ambassadors will cease
from all acts of warfare, and will not summon any more men at arms; and
if any summonses should have been issued, they will instantly annul
them.

'Item, they will do every thing in their power to recal those who form
the companies of Clugnet, Louis Bourdon, and others their adherents, by
every possible means. Should these companies refuse to comply, these
lords would then unite themselves with the king's forces, and compel
them to obedience, or destroy them, and all others the king's enemies,
who might wage war against him or his kingdom.

'Item, they will promise that they will not bear any malice or revenge
for whatever things may have been done in the city of Paris, nor do by
themselves or others any mischief to that town, or its inhabitants,
under pretext of justice, or any other cause whatever; and should any
security be required for the observance of this article, they shall
suffer it to be given, and even afford every assistance thereto to the
utmost of their power.

'Item, these princes will make oath upon the true cross of God, on the
holy evangelists, and on the word of honour of a prince, that they
will strictly observe every article of this treaty, without any fraud
or subterfuge, and will give to the king letters containing the above
oath, signed with their seals.

'Item, on the accomplishment of the above, the ambassadors from the
aforesaid princes require, that the king would be pleased to annul
and revoke all his summonses for assembling men at arms, and order
all warfare to cease in the realm, except against the above mentioned
companies.

'Item, he will also revoke all orders lately issued, to take possession
of different castles and forts, and to dismiss from them the governors
appointed by the princes, placing others in their room; and all such
castles and forts shall be delivered up in the same state in which
they were taken possession of; and, after a certain time, all who for
any act by them committed, in opposition to the king's ministers,
may have been imprisoned or banished, shall have their liberties,
and be recalled home; and this shall take place in the course of the
king's ordinary justice, without any commissioners being appointed, or
interfering therein.

'Item, when all these things shall have been done, the king, the
queen, and my lord of Acquitaine shall, on an appointed day, come out
of Paris to a fixed place of meeting, where the princes of either
party shall meet, to confirm the good union among them, and to advise
on the necessary business for the welfare of the king and his realm;
and should any one suspect that these princes, or any of their party,
have the intention of instigating the king, the queen, or my lord of
Acquitaine, to take vengeance on the town of Paris, or, in revenge to
any of its inhabitants, seize on the government, or to carry off the
king and my lord of Acquitaine, or that this meeting was proposed with
any evil design, they are willing to give whatever security may be
thought advisable.'

These propositions having been reduced, to writing, and agreed to by
the different lords who had been commissioned for that purpose, each
party returned to the places they had come from. The dukes of Berry and
Burgundy, with their companions, reported to the king the points of
their embassy, as contained in the memorial which had been drawn up for
the good of the kingdom.

When this matter had been well considered, in a council to which the
members of the university and of the municipality of Paris had been
admitted, it was agreed on by the king and the duke of Acquitaine,
that what had been settled by the commissioners on each side should
be confirmed. In consequence, various ordinances were drawn up, to
be transmitted to the bailiwicks and seneschalships in the realm, in
order to their promulgation at the usual places, of which copies follow
underneath.

During this melancholy time, Clugnet de Brabant, sir Louis de Bourdon,
and other captains of that party, advanced with sixteen thousand
combatants, wasting and despoiling the country of the Gâtinois, and
giving out that they were on their march to make war on the Parisians.
These latter were much angered thereat, and dispatched sir Elyon de
Jacqueville with sixteen hundred helmets, and a large body of other
combatants, to meet them as far as Montereau-faut-Yonne; but the two
armies did not meet,--and that of the Parisians was disbanded without
fighting.

At this time, the constable and admiral of France were, with the
bishop of Tournay, sent by the king to Boulogne-sur-mer, to meet
ambassadors from the king of England, namely, the earl of Warwick, the
bishop of St Davids and others, who had arrived at Calais. They met at
Leulinghen, and, after some negotiations, agreed on a truce between the
two kingdoms, to last until the ensuing Easter, which was proclaimed
throughout both realms.

Here follows a copy of those royal ordinances before mentioned.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to the bailiff of
Amiens, and to each of the inhabitants of that town, greeting.--We make
known to you, that on account of the improper and unjust imprisonment
of our very dear and well beloved cousin and brother in law, the dukes
of Bar and of Bavaria, with other of our officers, as well as of the
households of our dear companion the queen, and of our well beloved
son the duke of Acquitaine, and other ladies and damsels attached
to them; our very dear cousin and nephew, the king of Sicily, the
duke of Bourbon, the counts of Alençon and of Eu, have made heavy
complaints, as well respecting the manner in which these imprisonments
were made, as likewise regarding the disgust which these events, and
others that have taken place in our good town of Paris, have caused to
our very dear son; and on this occasion the disaffected princes have
lately come to the town of Verneuil, whither we sent, on our part,
properly-instructed ambassadors, and also with them our very dear
uncles the dukes of Berry and of Burgundy.

'Some of the inhabitants of Paris went by our orders to Pontoise;
and our aforesaid cousin and nephews the king of Sicily, the dukes
of Orleans, of Bourbon, and the counts d'Alençon and d'Eu, came to
the town of Vernon, and thence sent their ambassadors to explain and
signify to our aforesaid uncle and cousin the dukes of Berry and of
Burgundy, and to our ambassadors, the cause of their complaints, and to
remonstrate on the perils of the war that would speedily ensue unless
their grievances were redressed.

'These matters having been fully discussed, proposals of peace and
union between all parties were brought forward to avoid the miseries of
a civil war. Many articles were agreed on: the first was, that a solid
peace should be established between the princes of the blood royal,
which they were solemnly to swear to observe, and mutually to exchange
deeds to this effect; but every one was to have the same liberty as
before of declaring his opinion.

'The whole of the articles seemed very reasonable to the members of
the university of Paris and of our court of parliament, as well as
to many of the good citizens of our town of Paris, who were ready to
examine them more fully, and report their opinion to us on the Thursday
following.

'But notwithstanding this approbation, there were some of low degree
and narrow minds, who by their own authority had seized on the
government of the city of Paris, and who have been the cause of the
war continuing so long, in order the better to keep their authority.
These persons excited some of the princes of the blood and others to
war by their false machinations, with the hope that their murders
and robberies would remain unpunished, and that they should escape
the vengeance due to their crimes. In consequence, by persevering
in their wickedness, they practised so effectually that the meeting
which had been appointed for Thursday was put off to Saturday the 5th
of the month, in the expectation that they should before that day be
enabled, by their base intrigues, to prevent peace from being agreed
to,--the truth of which, under the pleasure of God, shall shortly be
made public. But through the grace of God, the university of Paris,
our chambers of parliament and of accounts, the different religious
orders, and the principal inhabitants of Paris assembled,--and having
many fears of the ill-intentioned preventing that peace which they most
earnestly wished for, by every attempt to obstruct so great a blessing
as peace and union throughout the kingdom, came to us at our hôtel
of St Pol in the afternoon, and desired an audience for the purpose
of remonstrating on the happy effects that would ensue from the
establishment of peace.

'They demonstrated the blessings of peace and the evils of war, and the
necessity there was for proceeding instantly to the completion of the
articles that had been agreed to by the ambassadors on each side,--and
demanded, that the Saturday which had been fixed on should be
anticipated, by naming the ensuing Friday, and that proper regulations
should be made for the security of the city.

'On the Friday, those who were desirous of peace went to the town-house
in the Greve, thinking to meet their friends, and come with them to us
in our hôtel of St Pol; but they were prevented by those ill inclined
to peace, who, though of low degree, had before come to our said hôtel,
and with them some varlets, all armed under authority of the government
which they had usurped over the city of Paris.--On this account,
therefore, these prudent wellwishers to peace assembled in the square
of St Germain de l'Auxerrois in Paris, and in other places, in great
numbers and with firm courage; and though the others did every thing in
their power to throw obstacles in their way, in all their attempts they
were baffled.

'This assembly, on breaking up, left St Germain in regular order, as
they had determined on; and on appearing in our presence, as well
as in the presence of our son, our uncle and cousins, the dukes of
Acquitaine, Berry, and Burgundy, with others of our council, a peace
was agreed on, and the articles ordered to be carried into execution.
Punishment was at the same time, to the great joy of the sober
citizens, ordered to be inflicted, according to reason and justice, on
all who had any way attempted to prevent a peace being made.

'Immediately after this had been done, and our will declared, our son,
our uncle and our cousin aforesaid, mounted their horses, and went to
set at liberty our cousin and brother-in-law the dukes of Bar and of
Bavaria, who had for a long time been confined in the Louvre, and also
many other knights and officers of our own and our son's households,
who had been imprisoned for some time in the dungeons of the palace
and of the Châtelet, by force of the aforesaid evil minded and low
persons, who, now perceiving that good government was likely to be
restored, according to reason and justice, hid themselves like foxes,
or fled,--and since that time, it has not been known where they may be
found or arrested.

'This inclines us to fear that they may seduce others to follow their
wicked example, by their dangerous and false lies, as they have before
done, and that events more pernicious may ensue than what we have
lately experienced, and which it concerns every one, through the grace
of God, to prevent with all diligence.

'This peace is considered as so advantageous to all parties that the
king of Sicily, the dukes of Orleans, of Bourbon, and the counts of
Alençon and of Eu, have since sent their ambassadors to Paris, who
daily attend to the due execution of all the articles of it, having
fully approved of it and of every thing that has been done by us; and
the rupture of this peace at this moment would cause the destruction of
us, our kingdom, and of all our faithful and good subjects.

'For this cause, we expressly enjoin and command you not to give
credence to any thing you may hear to the contrary,--for what we have
assured you above is the real truth,--by any of these evil-minded
persons who are inimical to the peace, nor to show them any manner of
favour,--but, on the contrary, to throw them into prison, and send them
to us, that we may inflict such punishment on them as the heinousness
of the case may require.

'And you, bailiff, will cause the above to be proclaimed in all the
considerable towns and villages within your jurisdiction; and you will
also require from the clergy of the different churches, collegiate and
others, within your bailiwick, that they do make processions, and offer
up devout prayers to Heaven, for the effecting of the above peace, and
that our Lord, through his grace, would incline to make it perpetual.
You will also personally be careful that there be no failing on your
part in the due execution of this our will and pleasure.

'Given at Paris the 12th day of August, in the year of Grace 1413, and
of our reign the 33d.' Signed by the king and his council, present the
dukes of Acquitaine, of Berry, and of Burgundy, the marshal Longny.
'Ferron.'

Another edict was published by the king against men at arms and other
warriors, and to secure the people against their inroads, which was
sent to all the bailiwicks and seneschalships in the kingdom, of the
following tenour.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to the bailiff of
Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

'It has come to our knowledge, that within a short time many men at
arms, archers and cross-bowmen, and other warriors, without any licence
from us given, either by written orders or otherwise, have unlawfully
assembled, and continue so to do, in very many places and towns of our
kingdom, with the intent of marching toward our good city of Paris, and
pillaging and murdering our poor subjects, and committing other ruinous
acts and excesses, by which our faithful subjects are sorely oppressed,
in addition to what they had before suffered, as well from the effects
of the late war as from the epidemic disorder and mortality which
ensued in consequence, causing the country to be deserted, whence great
and irreparable evils may fall on us and our kingdom, if not speedily
prevented.

'We therefore, desirous of guarding and preserving, to the utmost of
our power, our people from such like plunderings and ill treatment,
as we are bounden so to do,--and beside seeing a probability that the
discords which have taken place between several of our blood and
kindred are likely to be put an end to,--shall use (with God's good
pleasure) every means in our power to have it accomplished.

'We therefore command and strictly enjoin you, that on the receipt of
this letter, you lay aside all other business whatever, and instantly
cause our commands to be publicly proclaimed with a loud voice, and
with sound of trumpet, in such places where proclamations have been
usually made. You will also make this our pleasure known to all
our captains, governors, and men at arms within any fort, castle,
or forming any garrisons within your said bailiwick; and you will
strictly enjoin, that no person shall dare to assemble in arms without
our especial licence first had and obtained, under pain of corporal
punishment and confiscation of goods. And should any such assemblies
have taken place within your bailiwick, they must, on hearing the
proclamation of this our pleasure, instantly disperse, and return to
their homes.

'Should any bodies of men at arms have taken possession of a town or
fortress within your district, you will command them, in our name,
instantly to surrender it to you, and depart thence; and you will renew
the garrison with such persons as you shall judge expedient, and take
the command of such town or fort yourself, until you shall receive
further orders. Should they refuse to surrender themselves to you, you
will make them your prisoners, and execute such justice upon them as
their case may require; and should it seem necessary, you will employ
force against them to reduce them to obedience, and summon to your aid
all the nobles resident within your bailiwick, taking care to have a
superior force to those you are about to attack, and keeping it up so
long as you shall judge it right for the maintaining tranquillity in
the country. And we order all our nobles, on the fealty they owe to us,
to obey your orders whenever the case shall require it.

'Should it happen, that during any engagements that may take place
between you and our rebellious subjects, any of them be killed or
wounded, we will not that such murders be prejudicial to any one
employed under your orders, but that they be acquitted and freed
from all pursuits for the same hereafter, as we grant them our full
pardon. We will likewise, that all arms, horses, or baggage that may be
taken from any of our rebellious subjects, shall be converted toward
paying the expenses of those who shall have taken and imprisoned such
disobedient rebels.

'We therefore give full licence and authority to all our subjects,
should they be constrained to employ force against these rebels, to
seize and hold possession of any parts of their territories without
ever being called to account hereafter for so doing. And we especially
command all our civil officers and subjects to afford you every aid in
their power, and to obey your commands.

'We also direct, that our well-beloved members of the courts of
justice, all masters of requests, as well of our hôtel as of the
parliament, all bailiffs and sergeants, and every other dependant
on the courts of law, do suspend all processes that may have been
proceeding against any of the nobles employed in executing our orders,
from the day they shall have set out until fifteen days after their
return, without their suffering any thing prejudicial to themselves or
their possessions, or to those who may have been securities for them.
Should any such acts have taken place, you will order every thing to
be replaced on the same ground as before the nobles had set out on the
expedition; for such is our pleasure, according to the tenour of this
present letter,--a copy of which, under our royal seal, we shall send
you, because the original cannot be exhibited in all places where
there may be occasion for it; and to this copy you will give equal
credence as to the original letter.

'Given at Paris, the 5th day of August, in the year of Grace 1413, and
of our reign the 33d.' It was signed by the king in council,--present
the dukes of Acquitaine, Berry, Burgundy, Bar, the duke Louis of
Bavaria, and others. Countersigned, 'Ferron.' These two edicts were
carried to Amiens, and proclaimed the 20th day of the same month.

CHAP. XXIII.

THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE ORDERS THE PRISONERS TO BE LIBERATED.--THE DUKE
OF BURGUNDY LEAVES PARIS.--SEVERAL PRINCES ARRIVE THERE.--THEIR ACTIONS.

On the 4th day of September, the duke of Acquitaine, in consequence
of the king's commands, caused all the prisoners confined within the
palace to be set at liberty; and, shortly after, the whole of the
furniture of John de Troyes, then keeper of the palace, and who had
gone abroad for some private affairs, was carried out of the same, in
pursuance of the orders of the duke of Acquitaine, by those Parisians
who had usually accompanied him. His office of keeper of the palace
was taken away, and restored to him who had before holden it. In like
manner were several offices in Paris restored to their former holders,
namely, to Anthony des Essars, to the two dukes of Bar and of Bavaria;
the former being reinstated in his government of the Louvre, and the
other in that of the bastille.

When the prisoners had been set at liberty, the duke of Acquitaine
ordered all the bells of the churches to ring together, and two days
and nights were passed in the utmost joy and revelling throughout the
town, for the re-establishment of peace, which was a delightful sight.

The lord de Viefville and sir Charles de Lens, brother to the châtelain
de Lens, were arrested in the hôtel of the duke of Burgundy; but sir
Robinet de Mailly, for fear of being taken, fled,--and the lord de
Viefville, at the entreaty of the duke of Burgundy and his daughter,
the duchess of Acquitaine, obtained his liberty. Sir Charles was
confined in the prisons of the Châtelet,--and the other, who had fled,
was banished the realm.

The lord de Jacqueville, during his absence, was deprived of
his government of Paris; and, hearing of this while he was at
Montereau-faut-Yonne with some of his principal supporters among the
butchers, they all fled to Burgundy: at the same time, Jean Caboche,
master Jean de Troyes and his children, with many others of the
Parisians, hastened into Flanders. Master Eustace de Lactre, the new
chancellor of France, fled like the rest from Paris,--and in his place
was appointed master Arnold de Corbie, who had before been chancellor
of France, but, at his own request, on account of his age, had been
deprived of it, when the first president of the parliament of Paris was
nominated in his stead. Master John Jouemel, king's advocate, was made
chancellor of Acquitaine.

Very many knights, particularly those who had been appointed
commissioners to try the late prisoners, quitted Paris; and the duke
of Burgundy, observing the conduct of his son-in-law the duke of
Acquitaine, began to be apprehensive that he was not well pleased
with his former conduct, and that he would remember the outrages
which had been committed personally against him, as well in his
hôtel as elsewhere, as has been before related, and would have him
arrested. He daily saw the most faithful of his adherents quit Paris
privately, and without taking leave of him: some of them were even made
prisoners,--and he was told that there had been guards placed round his
hôtel of Artois, and that great numbers of those who had been enemies
to the duke of Acquitaine were now reconciled to him.

To prevent any dangerous consequences, and to avoid the perils that
might ensue, he prevailed on the king to hunt in the forest of
Ville-neuve. The lord de St George accompanied him,--and when he found
the opportunity favourable, he took leave of the king, saying, that
he had received such intelligence from Flanders as would force him to
return thither instantly, on account of the important business which he
would have to transact. On saying this, he set off, and passed the wood
of Bondis in much fear: he continued his road without stopping, and
attended by a small company, to St Maixence, where he lay that night.
On the morrow, very early, the lord de Ront came thither to meet him,
with two hundred men at arms, and thence escorted him in a few days to
Lille in Flanders.

When his departure was known, the Parisians and others attached to the
Orleans party began loudly to murmur against him, saying that he had
fled for fear of being arrested. Those of his party who had remained in
Paris were in great alarm; for daily some of them were imprisoned, and
summary justice done upon them. Even the two nephews of Jean Caboche
were executed, after having been for some time dragged through the
streets; and the host of the hôtel of the 'huis de fer,' named Jean de
Troyes, cousin-german to master Jean de Troyes, the surgeon, of whom
mention has been made, suffered in like manner.

In respect to the queen, the dukes of Acquitaine, Berry, Bar and
Bavaria, they were perfectly pleased and happy that the duke of
Burgundy had quitted Paris, as were many of the great lords: in short,
the whole town was now turned against him both in words and deeds.

It was not long before the dukes of Orleans and of Bourbon, the
counts d'Alençon, de Vertus, d'Eu, de Vaudemont and de Dammartin, the
archbishop of Sens, friar Jacques le Grand, and the borgne Foucault,
came in handsome array to Paris; and the dukes of Berry, Bar and
Bavaria, the bishop of Paris, with many nobles and citizens, went out
on horseback to meet them, and escorted them, with every sign of joy,
to the palace, where the king, the queen, and the duke of Acquitaine
were waiting to receive them.

Their reception by the royal family was very gracious, and they all
supped at the palace, after which they retired to their different
hôtels in the town. On the morrow, the lord Charles d'Albreth came to
Paris, when the office of constable was instantly restored to him.
On the 8th day of September following, the king, at the instance of
the aforesaid lords, held a grand council in the usual chamber of
parliament, and issued the following edict, which was proclaimed
throughout his realm.

'Charles, by the grace of God, king of France, to all to whom these
presents shall come, greeting.

'Whereas, during the discords and dissensions that took place between
several of our blood and kindred, many damnable falsehoods have been
reported to us; under pretext of which our council have been very much
constrained, and our city of Paris did not enjoy its usual freedom, and
ourself was not advised so loyally as we ought to have been for the
honour and general welfare of the public, as it has since appeared, for
several acts have been done that were partial and irregular. Others of
our subjects were under the greatest alarm (and this happened to some
of tried courage), for they saw that those were in danger of losing
every thing dear to them who should utter the truth. In fact, several
of our prelates, nobles, and members of our council were wrongfully
arrested, robbed of their wealth, and forced to pay ransoms for their
liberty, which caused many of our well wishers to absent themselves
from our council, and even to fly from Paris.

'Many letters patent were unjustly and damnably obtained in our name,
sealed with our seal, and sent to our sovereign father, the head of
Christian princes, at the holy college of Rome, and to other monarchs,
declaring that these letters were sent with our full knowledge and
approbation.

'We have lately been well informed from papers that have been
discovered, and laid before us in council, of a fact of which indeed we
had our suspicions, that envy and malice were the grounds on which our
uncle John de Berry, our nephews Charles of Orleans and his brothers,
John de Bourbon, John d'Alençon, Charles d'Albreth, our cousins, and
Bernard d'Armagnac, with their accomplices and supporters, were charged
with the wicked and treasonable design of depriving us and all our
descendants of our royal authority, and expelling us our kingdom, which
God forbid! and also with the design of making a new king of France,
which is an abominable thing to hear of, and must be painful even
in the recital to the hearts of all our loyal subjects. In regard,
therefore, to such charges, those who have made them are guilty of
iniquitously imposing upon us, and are culpable of enormous crimes as
well treasonable as otherwise.

'Very many defamatory libels have been written and affixed to the doors
of churches, as well as distributed to several persons, and published
in different places, to the great dishonour and contempt of some of
the highest of our blood, such as our very dear and well-beloved son,
our well-beloved nephews and cousins, the dukes of Orleans and of
Bourbon, the counts de Vertus, d'Alençon, d'Armagnac, and d'Albreth,
constable of France, and against other nobles and barons, our
wellwishers, consequently against ourself and our government.

'We, therefore, for these causes, do by these letters patent give
permission to our said uncle, nephews, cousins, and to their adherents,
to seize on and destroy the lands and property of all who may have been
guilty of the aforesaid acts, declaring them to have forfeited to us
both their bodies and estates.

'We the more readily consent to their being thus sorely oppressed,
because they, under pretence of an ancient bull which had been issued
against the free companies forty years ago, without any permission and
authority, did raise and assemble companies of men at arms against
us and against our realm. This bull could not any way refer, as the
simple inspection of it would show, to our said son, uncle, nephew,
or cousins, but was applied to them, through wicked counsel, without
any authority from our said sovereign father the pope, without any
deliberations holden on the subject,--nor was any suit instituted,
as was usual in such cases; but without any forms of proceeding that
should have been observed, or any preceding admonitions, they were
illegally, through force and partiality, condemned as excommunicated,
with all their adherents and friends,--which sentence was, in defiance
of truth, publicly proclaimed throughout our kingdom.

'They were likewise declared traitors and wicked persons, banished
our kingdom, and deprived of all their possessions and offices. On
this occasion, many injurious reports were industriously spread
abroad against them, and they were themselves treated with the utmost
inhumanity. Several of them were put to death without any attention
being paid to their souls, like to outlaws and beasts, without