Part 10
The king went on a pilgrimage to the church of our Lady of Ecouis[52], and thence to a house called Gaillarbois[53], belonging to Colon, lieutenant to the lord admiral, where he made some stay; and while he was there, he received intelligence from the constable of the arrival and landing of the English at Calais,--and that the duke of Burgundy had raised the siege of Nuys. It had been reported that the duke had gained possession of that town with the consent of the emperor, and that they had united their forces to make war on the king of France, which was afterward found to be exactly the reverse of truth.
In this interval, an english herald, called Scales, was made prisoner, and many letters found on him, addressed to different persons. These letters the king saw; and the herald assured him, that a large body of English had disembarked at Calais,--and that king Edward was to be there in person on the 22d of June, at the head of twelve or thirteen thousand combatants. He besides assured him, that the duke of Burgundy had made his peace with the emperor, and was returned to Brussels, the whole of which turned out to be falsehoods. The king was also informed, while at Ecouis, that the constable had sent to the duke of Bourbon his sealed engagement, to attempt to suborn and induce him to take arms against the king, and unite himself with the duke of Burgundy, all of which greatly surprised him. He instantly sent for the duke of Bourbon, and repeated his summons to come to him by the bishop of Mende, by whom the duke of Bourbon had sent the first intelligence of this treason, with the constable's sealed proposals.
The king heard, nearly at the same time, that the duke of Bourbon, whom he had appointed his lieutenant-general against the Burgundians, had, with his army, fallen in with the enemy at Guy, near to Château Chinon[54], and had defeated them with very great loss in killed and prisoners. Two hundred lances from Lombardy were slain,--and among the dead were the lord de Conches and several others. The prisoners were the count de Roussy, the marshal of Burgundy, the lord de Longy, the bailiff of Auxerre, the lord de L'Isle, the banner-bearer of the lord de Beauchamp, the son of the count de St Martin, sir Louis de Montmartin, sir John de Digoigne, the lord de Rugny, the lord de Cheligny, the two sons of the lord de Vitaulx, one of whom was count de Joigny, and others. This defeat happened on Tuesday the 20th of June.
In contradiction to the intelligence the king had received from the constable, the king heard from the emperor, that he had revictualled and reinforced the town of Nuys for one year; that he had taken thence all the sick and wounded, and replaced them with fresh troops; and that he had reduced the duke of Burgundy to a nonplus, having taken from him great part of his artillery, his service of plate, and other baggage.
On the 27th of June, the lord admiral, who had been ordered by the king to invade and lay waste Picardy and Flanders with fire and sword, advanced thither with his troops, and put to death all he met, ravaging, at the same time, the whole of the country. He one day posted some ambushes near to Arras, and then dispatched about forty lances to appear before the walls, who were no sooner espied by the garrison than a grand sally was eagerly made, in the expectation of discomfiting them. The forty lances, on being attacked, retreated toward the ambuscades, so that the men from Arras were surrounded and put to flight, leaving on the field from twelve to fifteen hundred dead. The horse of the lord de Romont, son to the count of Savoy, and brother to the queen of France, was killed, but he himself escaped. The governor of Arras, sir James de St Pol, with other lords of name and renown, were made prisoners, whom the lord admiral caused to be led before the walls of Arras, and summoned the inhabitants to surrender the town to the king's obedience, otherwise he would order his prisoners to be beheaded in their sight.
The king had held the prince of Orange some time his prisoner, whose ransom was set at thirty thousand crowns: but in the month of June the king restored him to his liberty without ransom: in gratitude for which, he became the king's vassal, and did him homage for his principality of Orange. The king sent him home at his own expense, with powers to coin money of gold and silver, of the same alloy as the coin of Dauphiny, and to grant pardons and remissions of all offences excepting heresy and treason. The king presented to the nobleman who had made the prince prisoner ten thousand crowns in ready money.
In the month of June, the king sent orders to the provost of Paris to cause public notice to be given of the arrival of the English at Calais, and to command all the vassals of the crown to hold themselves in readiness on the 3rd of July, and to assemble on that day between Paris and Vincennes, to march whithersoever they should be ordered, notwithstanding any privileges to the contrary, which, on this occasion, must be waived. In consequence of this proclamation, the Parisians sent a large body of men at arms, well mounted and equipped, to join their provost in the Soissonnois.
The king passed some time in Normandy, at Nôtre Dame de Ecouis and Gaillarbois, whence he departed from Nôtre Dame de la Victoire, and after a short stay went to Beauvais. In this month of July, the duke of Burgundy, who had been before Nuys for twelve months, decamped by night, and in disgrace, without having gained any advantages. He returned to his own country with great losses in men and baggage, to meet his brother-in-law king Edward of England, whom he had prevailed on to come thither, in pursuance of his wicked designs against the king of France and his kingdom.
At this time, the countries of the duke of Burgundy suffered much from the destruction caused by the French, in burning towns and laying waste every part they passed through. The king had sent repeatedly for the duke of Bourbon, who at length came to him while he was at Nôtre Dame de la Victoire. The duke arrived at Paris in the month of August, triumphantly accompanied by nobles and gentlemen, to the amount of five hundred horse, and departed thence on the 14th to wait on the king. Having staid some time with him, he set out for Senlis, on his way to Clermont.
The king received, in the month of August, an embassy from the king of England, whose ambassadors were lodged at Lihons in Santerre; and after some conferences had been held with the king, he sent his chancellor, and the minister of his finances, to Paris, to borrow a sum of money under promise of repayment on All-saints-day. The sum lent by the town was seventy-five thousand crowns of gold, which was given to the english ambassadors, in consideration of a treaty which they had concluded with the king. The town of Paris sent him, at the same time, a large body of men at arms well dressed and mounted, and paid by the town.
On the 29th of August, the king in company with the archbishop of Lyon, the duke of Bourbon, and a great body of his nobility and men at arms, to the number, as estimated, of one hundred thousand horse, set out from Amiens to Pecquigny[55], to meet king Edward of England, who came thither, attended by his van and rear battalions (the main army remained behind in battle-array), to hold a conference. Two sheds of wood had been erected for the purpose, by the king's orders, on the bridge of Pecquigny, fronting each other, but divided, from top to bottom, by a trellis of wood-work, through which the two kings might thrust their hands. The king of France came to his shed the first; and instantly an english baron, there in waiting, set off to inform the king of England, who was in his camp, a good league distant from Pecquigny, where were twenty thousand English, well furnished with artillery.
King Edward soon arrived and entered his shed having twenty-two lancemen that had followed him, posted in the river, beside the bridge, the whole time the two kings were in conference. During this, a very heavy fall of rain came on, to the great vexation of the french lords, who had dressed themselves and their horses in their richest habiliments, in honour to king Edward. The king of England, on approaching the king of France, put one knee on the ground twice; and the king of France received him kindly, and made him rise[56]. A general conversation now ensued between the kings, the archbishop of Lyon, the duke of Bourbon, the minister of the finances, and others, to the number of a hundred persons, whom the king of France had with him. After this general conversation, the company retired, and the two kings remained alone for some time in private conference. On their parting, it was published, that a treaty had been concluded on the following terms:--A truce was agreed to for seven years, to commence the 29th day of August, 1475, and to expire on the same day in the year 1482. By this truce, all Englishmen were allowed to enter France, whether armed or not, provided there were not more than one hundred persons in any one company. The truce was proclaimed at Paris, Amiens, and in other parts of the realm. The king of England then acknowledged the receipt of seventy-five thousand golden crowns; and the king made very liberal presents to all the courtiers of Edward, to the heralds and trumpets, who made great rejoicings for the same, crying out, '_Largesse au très noble et puissant roy de France! Largesse, Largesse!_' The king of France, moreover, promised to pay king Edward an annual pension of fifty thousand crowns[57] for these seven years.
The king of France paid great court to the duke of Clarence, brother to the king of England, and made him many rich gifts. Edward now collected the troops he had sent to Abbeville, Peronne, and elsewhere, and, having packed up bag and baggage, marched back to Calais, to cross the sea to England. He was escorted to Calais by master Hesberge, bishop of Evreux. King Edward left with the king of France two of his barons the lord Howard, and his master of the horse[58] until certain things that Edward was to send him from England should arrive. These two barons were the confidential servants of Edward, and had been greatly instrumental in negotiating the truce and other treaties between the two kings, and were in consequence much feasted at Paris.
The king of France and his lords before mentioned now left Amiens for Senlis, where he made some stay. While he was there, he ordered the officers of his household, and particularly sir Denis Hesselin, to show these two barons all the curiosities in Paris, of which he acquitted himself so as to deserve the king's thanks. They remained in Paris eight days, during which they were daily feasted, and carried to the forest of Vincennes for their amusement. Among other entertainments, a grand one was given them at the king's palace of the Tournelles, to which were invited many ladies, damsels, and citizens' wives and daughters, to add to its brilliancy. These two barons now left Paris, to wait on the king at the abbey de la Victoire near Senlis.
This month the king departed from the abbey de la Victoire for the Soissonnois, and stopped at the abbey of Nôtre Dame de Liesse. During this journey, he took possession of the town of St Quentin, which the constable had seized by driving out the royal garrison; for the constable had now deserted the king, and joined the duke of Burgundy. But what was worse, he had written letters to king Edward, after he had crossed the sea to England, in which he called him a coward, a pitiful and poor sovereign, for having made a treaty with a king who would not keep one of his promises, and that in the end he would find himself completely duped. King Edward, on the receipt of these letters, discovered the treachery of the constable to his sovereign.
The king gave his permission for the lord Howard and the master of the horse to return to England, and presented them, on their departure, with many valuable gifts, as well in money as in gold and silver plate. He caused proclamation to be made in Paris, that they were at liberty to carry away with them as much wine as they pleased, on paying for it.
The king passed the month of October at Verdun, and other places on the borders of Lorraine, and then returned to Senlis and to the abbey de la Victoire, where ambassadors met him from Brittany, who concluded a peace between him and their duke, on his renouncing all the engagements and alliances he had formed against the king. The duke of Burgundy accepted of a truce similar to that which had been concluded with the English.
On the 16th of October, this truce was proclaimed by sound of trumpet throughout Paris. It was to commence the 14th of the preceding month, and to continue for nine years; and the merchandise of both countries was to have a free passage and entrance in and throughout each of them,--and during this period, every one had liberty to repossess his landed property.
The king returned to St Denis, and thence to Sauvigny near Montlehery, to Malesherbes, to Orleans, Tours and Amboise.
On the 20th of November, a gentleman called Regnault de Valoux, a native of Poitou, and greatly in the confidence of the count du Maine, was, by sentence of the court of parliament, brought to Paris to be executed and quartered, for having made many journies to divers great lords of the realm, to induce them to form conspiracies against the king, and to the prejudice of the kingdom and the public welfare. By orders of the court, great attention was paid to the future salvation of the soul of Regnault; for the curate of the Magdalen-church at Paris a very able divine, and two learned clerks, cordelier friars, were allowed him. His members were hung on four of the gates at Paris, and his body on the gibbet.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 51: Tronquoy,--a village in Picardy, near Mondidier.]
[Footnote 52: Ecouis,--a market-town in Vexin Norman, eight leagues from Rouen.]
[Footnote 53: Gaillarbois.--near Ecouis.]
[Footnote 54: Château Chinon,--in the Nivernois, capital of Morvaut.]
[Footnote 55: Pecquigny,--three leagues from Amiens, on the road from Calais to Paris.]
[Footnote 56: Comines says, that they saluted each other most respectfully,--and that, during the stay of Edward, Louis was very anxious to avoid showing any appearance of ridiculing the English.]
[Footnote 57: 'A.D. 1475. With fifteen hundred nobles and gentlemen, and fourteen thousand archers on horseback, besides a numerous body on foot, did Edward (IV.) invade the dominions of France from Calais. Had the king been steady, his allies faithful, and his courtiers honest, nothing but a miracle could have saved the dastardly detested Louis (XI.) But the admirable policy of that king, never displayed before or since (on so honest an occasion), the want of conduct in Burgundy and sincerity in St Pol, together with the atrocious corruption of the english nobles and indolence of Edward, combined to rescue the monarchy of France from utter ruin. Louis most wisely abandoned every punctilio, suffered with patience the insolence of the invaders, bribed judiciously with an unsparing hand, consented to an immediate payment of 75,000 crowns, and an annual tribute of 50,000,--and at length sent his enemies, defeated of their expectations and covered with ridicule, to wait the effect of promises which were never meant to be performed.'
_Andrews' Hist. of England._]
[Footnote 58: Comines calls him sir John Cheam and Chaney.]
CHAP. XX.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY DELIVERS THE CONSTABLE, LOUIS DE LUXEMBOURG, INTO THE HANDS OF THE KING'S OFFICERS, BY WHOM HE IS CARRIED PRISONER TO THE BASTILLE? AT PARIS.--THE COUNT DE ROUSSY IS CONDUCTED A PRISONER FROM BURGES TO MONTILS LES TOURS.--THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE KING AND HIM.--THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF THE CONSTABLE AT PARIS.--SOME OF THE OFFICERS IN THAT CITY ARE DISPLACED.--THE DUKE D'ALENÇON DELIVERED FROM THE LOUVRE.--A COUNCIL ORDERED BY THE KING.--THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY DEFEATED BY THE SWISS AT GRANSON.--THE DUKE OF NEMOURS MADE PRISONER AT CARLAT, IN THE KING'S NAME, BY THE LORD DE BEAUJEU.--OTHER EVENTS IN THIS YEAR OF MCCCCLXXV.
In one of the articles of the truce, between the king of France and the duke of Burgundy, was a stipulation for the delivery of the constable de St Pol into the hands of the king's officers. This was complied with by the duke; and the constable was given in charge to the lord admiral bastard of Bourbon, the lord de St Pierre, the lord de Bouchaige, master Guillaume de Cerisay, and others, by whom he was carried prisoner to Paris. They led him on the outside of the walls to the entrance of the bastile from the fields; but as that gate was closed, they took him to the gate of St Anthony, and thence through part of the town to that fortress.
The constable had on a short cloak of camlet, lined with black velvet, in which he was wrapped up, and mounted on a small courser in fine condition. When he dismounted, he was met in the court of the bastile by the lord chancellor, the first president of the court of parliament, and all the other presidents and councellors of that court; there was also sir Denis Hesselin, master of the king's household, to receive him. Those who escorted him delivered him over to the care of Philip L'Huillier, governor of the bastile: but the lord admiral, before their departure, addressed the chancellor and the presidents, in the presence of the constable, nearly in the following words: 'My lords who are here present, behold the lord de Saint Pol, whom the king ordered me to demand from the duke of Burgundy, in consequence of an article in the last truce concluded between them, and who performed his promise by delivering him into my hands. I have taken every care of him, and now surrender him up to you, for you to proceed on his trial with as much diligence as may be,--for this the king has charged me to say to you.' After which, the lord admiral quitted the bastile.
The constable being thus left in the hands of his judges, they lost no time in proceeding to his trial, and examined him on the various charges laid against him. To the interrogatories he made verbal answers, as to the different points of his imputed crimes, which were all put down in writing, copied out fair, and sent to the king.
On the 4th of December, one of the king's heralds, called Montjoye, a native of Picardy, and who had resided mostly with the count de St Pol, while constable, came to Paris with his son, to wait on master John de Ladriesche, president of the chamber of accounts, and treasurer of France, who was from the country of Brabant. He brought to him letters from the count de Marle, his wife and children, to induce him to aid, with all his interest, the constable, father to the count de Marle.
The president refused to receive the letters brought by the herald, except in presence of the lord chancellor and the other ministers of the king,--and, for this reason, carried the herald to the chancellor, that the letters might be opened and examined. But as John de Ladriesche remained long in conference with the chancellor, the herald and his son returned to their lodgings, and, mounting their horses, set out for Bourget[59]; although they told their host to say, if any one should inquire after them, that they were gone to sleep at Bourg la Reine. When John de Ladriesche had quitted the chancellor, he sought Montjoye, to have the letters, and, not finding him, sent for him to Bourg la Reine, where he had never been; but two archers of Paris discovered him at Bourget, and brought him and his son back to Paris. They were carried to the town-hall, and examined separately by some of the king's council, and their depositions were reduced to writing by sir Denis Hesselin. They were then delivered over to the care of Denis Baudart, an archer of Paris, in whose house they were confined twenty-five days, and strictly guarded by three archers of Paris.
At the beginning of December, the count de Roussy[60] was conducted, as a prisoner of war from the great tower in Bourges to Plessis du Parc, formerly called Montils les Tours, where the king then resided. The king remonstrated sharply with him on the foolish conduct he had long persevered in, and the great and manifold outrages he had done to his country and subjects as marshal of Burgundy for the duke, and how disgracefully he had been made prisoner, while bearing arms against his sovereign, by the duke of Bourbon. The count had pledged his word to the lord de Combronde, from whom the duke of Burgundy had purchased him for twenty-two thousand golden crowns. Of all this the king reminded him,--and frightened him so effectually that the count's blood ran cold.
At length, however, the king agreed to his ransom, for forty thousand crowns,--but only two months were allowed him for the payment; and he was assured, that on his failure he would be put to death.
The trial of the constable now proceeded rapidly before the chancellor, presidents, and councellors of the court of parliament, the lord de St Pierre, and others nominated for the purpose. It was ordered that on Tuesday the 19th of December, the constable should appear before the parliament, to hear his sentence read. On Tuesday morning, the lord de St Pierre, who had the care of him, came into his chamber, in the prison of the bastile, and said, 'My lord, what are you about? are you asleep?' The constable replied, 'Oh no! It is long since I have slept; but I am amusing myself with thinking, and other fancies.' St Pierre then said, that he must rise to appear before the court of parliament to answer some questions which the members wanted to put to him, and which could not be well done out of court. In saying this, St Pierre added, that it had been ordered that he should accompany him, as well as sir Robert d'Estouteville, the provost of Paris. This somewhat alarmed the constable for two reasons, which he then declared.
First, because he thought it was intended by this measure to take him from under the guard of Philip L'Huillier, governor of the bastile, by whom he had been attentively treated, and place him in the hands of d'Estouteville, whom he reputed his enemy, and who, he thought, would use him harshly; and, secondly, he was afraid of being insulted, should he pass through the populace of Paris.