THE
CHRONICLES
OF
ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET;
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRUEL CIVIL WARS BETWEEN THE HOUSES OF
ORLEANS AND BURGUNDY;
OF THE POSSESSION OF
PARIS AND NORMANDY BY THE ENGLISH;
THEIR EXPULSION THENCE;
AND OF OTHER
MEMORABLE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE,
AS WELL AS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
A HISTORY OF FAIR EXAMPLE, AND OF GREAT PROFIT TO THE
FRENCH,
Beginning at the Year MCCCC. where that of Sir JOHN FROISSART finishes, and ending at the Year MCCCCLXVII. and continued by others to the Year MDXVI.
TRANSLATED
BY THOMAS JOHNES, ESQ.
IN THIRTEEN VOLUMES.... VOL. III.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW; AND J. WHITE AND CO. FLEET-STREET.
1810.
CONTENTS
OF
THE THIRD VOLUME.
| [CHAP. I.] | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
The king of France sends different captainswith troops to harrass the Armagnacs onthe frontiers. The defeat of the count dela Marche | 1 |
| [CHAP. II.] | |
The king of France sends ambassadors toEngland. The lord de Croy and the dukeof Bourbon's children obtain their liberty.Of count Waleran de St Pol | 9 |
| [CHAP. III.] | |
The dukes of Berry and of Orleans, withothers of their adherents, send an embassyto the king of England. The consequencesof it | 13 |
| [CHAP. IV.] | |
Duke Louis of Bavaria is driven out of Parisby the Parisians, and his people robbed.Of the cardinal de Cambray, and theprohibition of the king of England | 24 |
| [CHAP. V.] | |
The king of Sicily leaves Paris. The siegeof Domfront. The battle of St Remy duPlain. The siege of Bellesme, and otherevents of the year | 28 |
| [CHAP. VI.] | |
Charles king of France, attended by otherprinces, marches a large force from Paristo Bourges. Letters from the king ofEngland, and other matters | 39 |
| [CHAP. VII.] | |
The town of Vervins is taken by sir Clugnetde Brabant, and afterward retaken. Thecastle of Gersies is won by sir Simon deClermont | 45 |
| [CHAP. VIII.] | |
The king of France receives certain informationthat his adversaries had formed an alliancewith the king of England. The constable marches into the Boulonois | 49 |
| [CHAP. IX.] | |
The king of France lays siege to Fontenay andto Bourges. The events that happenedwhile he remained there | 52 |
| [CHAP. X.] | |
The king of France decamps, and lays siegeto Bourges on the opposite side. A treatyis concluded between the two parties | 65 |
| [CHAP. XI.] | |
The princes and lords within the city of Bourgeswait on the king and the duke of Acquitaine,and afterward at Auxerre | 73 |
| [CHAP. XII.] | |
The king of France orders his edict respectingthe peace to be sent to his different officersfor proclamation in the usual places, andother matters | 85 |
| [CHAP. XIII.] | |
The war continues in the Boulonois. Theking returns to Paris. The duke of Orleanssatisfies the English, and other matters | 91 |
| [CHAP. XIV.] | |
The duke of Berry is dangerously ill. He isvisited by his daughter the duchess ofBourbon, and by the duke of Burgundy.Notice of other matters | 95 |
| [CHAP. XV.] | |
The king of France holds a grand assembly atParis on the reformation of abuses in thegovernment. Other matters | 98 |
| [CHAP. XVI.] | |
The duke of Acquitaine is displeased with hischancellor. Jealousies arise among the greatlords, and other matters | 133 |
| [CHAP. XVII.] | |
Henry of Lancaster, king of England, whohad been a valiant knight, dies in thisyear. Of the alliance between him andthe french princes | 137 |
| [CHAP. XVIII.] | |
The king's ministers are greatly alarmed atthe arrest of sir Peter des Essars and ofthe duke of Bar. Other proceedings ofthe Parisians | 144 |
| [CHAP. XIX.] | |
The Parisians propose whatever measuresthey please in the presence of the dukeof Acquitaine and the other princes.Cruelties committed by them | 152 |
| [CHAP. XX.] | |
The count de Vertus and several of thenobility leave Paris. Other regulationsand edicts obtained from the king by theParisians | 165 |
| [CHAP. XXI.] | |
King Ladislaus of Naples enters Rome witha powerful army. The death of sir Jamesde la Riviere. The dismission of thechancellor, and other matters | 173 |
| [CHAP. XXII.] | |
The ambassadors from the king of Francereturn with those from the princes toParis. They are joined by others, whonegotiate a fourth peace at Pontoise | 182 |
| [CHAP. XXIII.] | |
The duke of Acquitaine orders the prisonersto be liberated. The duke of Burgundyleaves Paris. Several princes arrive there.Their actions | 212 |
| [CHAP. XXIV.] | |
The duke of Brittany comes to Paris. Theduke of Burgundy holds a council atLille. The actions of the count de SaintPol, and other matters that happened atthis time | 229 |
| [CHAP. XXV.] | |
The duke of Burgundy holds many councilsto consider of his situation, fearing that hisenemies would turn the king against him,which they afterwards did | 234 |
| [CHAP. XXVI.] | |
Duke Louis of Bavaria marries at Paris. Ofthose who had been banished on account ofthe discords between the dukes of Orleansand Burgundy, and of many other incidentalmatters | 241 |
| [CHAP. XXVII.] | |
The king of France, fearing the peace wouldbe broken, publishes other edicts for itspreservation throughout the realm, andalso respecting the coin | 247 |
| [CHAP. XXVIII.] | |
The king of Sicily sends back the daughter ofthe duke of Burgundy. The duke writesletters to the king of France, containingremonstrances, and other matters | 264 |
| [CHAP. XXIX.] | |
The duke of Burgundy goes to Antwerp.The arrest of sir John de Croy, and otherremarkable events that happened about thisperiod | 283 |
| [CHAP. XXX.] | |
The duke of Burgundy marches a large forcetoward Paris. He fixes his quarters atSaint Denis. The events that happenedduring this march, and in consequenceof it | 299 |
| [CHAP. XXXI.] | |
On the retreat of the duke of Burgundy fromSt Denis, the king of France issues ordersthroughout his kingdom to raise forces tomarch against him | 324 |
HERE BEGINNETH
THE THIRD VOLUME
OF THE
CHRONICLES
OF
ENGUERRAND DE MONSTRELET.
[CHAP. I.]
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS DIFFERENT CAPTAINS WITH TROOPS TO HARRASS THE ARMAGNACS ON THE FRONTIERS.—THE DEFEAT OF THE COUNT DE LA MARCHE.
Many of the nobles and captains were now sent by the king to the countries of such as were confederates with the duke of Orleans and his party. In the number, the count de la Marche was ordered into the Orleanois, to subject it to the king's obedience, in company with the lord de Hambre.
Aymé de Vitry, Fierbourd, and others were sent against the duke of Bourbon, who had done much mischief to the country of Charolois; and having a large force with them, they despoiled the Bourbonois and Beaujolois. They advanced with displayed banners before the town of Villefranche, in which was the duke of Bourbon and his bastard-brother, sir Hector, a very valiant knight and renowned in war. There was with them a large company of knights and esquires, vassals to the duke, who, seeing the enemy thus boldly advancing, drew up in handsome array and sallied forth to meet them, and the duke himself joined them in their intent to offer battle. A severe skirmish ensued, in which many gallant deeds were done on each side. The bastard of Bourbon distinguished himself much in the command of the light troops, and fought most chivalrously. He was, however, so far intermixed with the enemy that the duke was fearful of his being slain or taken, and, sticking spurs into his horse, cried out to his people, 'Push forward! for my brother will be made prisoner unless speedily succoured.' Great part of his battalion followed him on the gallop toward the enemy, and the battle was renewed with more energy: many men at arms were unhorsed, wounded and slain: at length, the van of the Burgundians, under the command of Aymé de Vitry, was forced to fall back on the main army, which was at a short distance off. The bastard, who had been struck down, was remounted, and returned to the duke. Before that day, no one person had ever heard the duke call him brother.
About forty were slain on both sides, but very many were wounded.
When the skirmish was ended, each party retreated without attempting more,—the duke and his men into Villefranche, and the others toward the country of Charolois, destroying every thing on their march.
Other parties were sent to Languedoc, Acquitaine and Poitou, to despoil the countries of the duke of Berry, the count d'Armagnac, and the lord d'Albreth. Sir Guichard Daulphin, master of the king's household, commanded one division; and the two others were under the lord de Heilly, marshal of Acquitaine, and Enguerrand de Bournouville.
They did infinite damage to the lands of the aforesaid lords; but one day, as the lord de Heilly was lodged in a large village called Linieres, he was attacked at day-break by a party of the duke of Berry, who defeated and plundered great part of his men of their horses and baggage: a few were killed and taken,—but he and the majority of his army saved themselves by retreating within the castle, which held out for the king.
I must say something of the count de la Marche and the lord de Hambre, who, as I have said, were ordered into the Orleanois. It is true, they might have under their command from five to six thousand combatants, whom they conducted, destroying all the country on their line of march, as far as Yeure-la-Ville and Yeure-le-Chastel. The count de la Marche was quartered in the village of Puchet, and the lord de Hambre in another town.
The moment their arrival at Yeure-la-Ville was known in Orleans, where were considerable numbers of men at arms for the guard of the country, about six hundred of them were assembled under the command of Barbasan de Gaucourt, sir Galliet de Gaulles, and a knight from Lombardy, together with three hundred archers. They marched all night as secretly as they could to Yeure-la-Ville, to the amount of about a thousand men, under the guidance of such as knew the country well, and where the count was lodged. The count was, however, somehow informed of their intentions, and, having armed his men, posted the greater part of them in and about his lodgings: the others he ordered to keep in a body, and sent to the lord de Hambre to acquaint him with the intelligence he had received, that he might be prepared to come to his assistance, should there be any necessity for it. The count and his men were under arms, waiting for the enemy, the whole of the night; but when day appeared, and no news or the enemy arrived, he was advised to repose himself, and to order his men to their quarters.
Soon after sun-rise, one of the adversary's scouts rode into the town, and, seeing that no watch was kept, hastened back to inform his friends, whom he met near the place, of this neglect. They instantly entered the town, shouting, 'Vive le roi!' but soon after, crying out 'Vive Orleans!' made a general attack on the houses. The greater part hastened to the lodgings of the count, who was preparing to hear mass,—and the tumult became very great, for the count and his people fought gallantly: nevertheless, he was conquered and made prisoner. The whole quarter was carried, and all taken or slain. After this defeat, the count and his men were conducted hastily to Orleans.
In the mean time, as the lord de Hambre was coming to their assistance, he was misled by a man whom he had chosen for his guide, and, on his arrival, found the whole town destroyed, and the count with his men carried off. Notwithstanding his grief for this event, he pursued the enemy with all speed, and, by his activity, overtook the rear, upon which he fell manfully, and defeated part of it. He rescued some of the prisoners,—but the count, with about four score (as it was told him), were sent forward as fast as horses could carry them, and were to be confined in the prisons of Orleans. The lord de Hambre was much troubled that he could not rescue him. There were slain in these two affairs from three to four hundred men on both sides, but the greater part were Armagnacs. Among others of the party of the count de Vendôme that were mortally wounded was Guoit le Gois, eldest son to Thomas le Gois, a capital citizen of Paris, which caused great sorrow to the Parisians.
After this affair, the lord de Hambre assembled, by the king's orders, a larger force than before, and made a very severe war on the duchy of Orleans and all attached to that party, which caused the country to suffer greatly.
King Louis of Sicily arrived at this time at Paris from Provence, attended by three hundred men at arms well equipped, and was lodged in his own hôtel of Anjou. He was grandly received by the king, the duke of Acquitaine and the other princes, and united himself with the king and the duke of Burgundy, promising to join their party against the family of Orleans and their adherents.
The duchess of Burgundy and her daughter came, nearly at the same time, from Burgundy to the Bois de Vincennes, where the queen and the duchess of Acquitaine resided, who received her with much pleasure. Thence they went to visit the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy,—and very gay and magnificent feasts were made on their arrival. They remained for a long time with the queen, living at the expense of the king.
At this period, the king of France sent the lord de Dampierre, admiral of France, with other lords, to Boulogne-sur-mer, to meet the english ambassadors who were arrived at Calais. They went together to Leulinghen, where they agreed on a truce between the two crowns for one year,—after which the admiral and his companions returned to the king at Paris, where he was holding a grand assembly of prelates and ecclesiastics for the general reformation of the church. The particular object of this assembly was to select proper delegates to send to the holy father the pope, to request that a convenient place might be appointed for the holding of a general council. But in truth very little was done, for they could not agree on one single point: another meeting was therefore fixed upon, when a greater number of churchmen should be summoned to attend it.
The Parisians, having loyally served the king and the duke of Acquitaine in the late wars, obtained, through the means of the duke of Burgundy, that the power of the shrievalty, with all its franchises, of which the city of Paris had been deprived by royal authority in the month of January, in the year 1382, should be restored to it fully and freely by letters patent from the king. This created very great rejoicings, and much increased the popularity of the duke of Burgundy.
[CHAP. II.]
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AMBASSADORS TO ENGLAND.—THE LORD DE CROY AND THE DUKE OF BOURBON'S CHILDREN OBTAIN THEIR LIBERTY.—OF COUNT WALERAN DE SAINT POL.
At the beginning of the month of May, the duke of Burgundy, with the approbation of the king of France, sent ambassadors to England, namely, the bishop of Arras, the provost of Saint Donas de Bruges, and the provost of Viefville, to treat of a marriage between one of the duke's daughters and the prince of Wales, a matter which had been talked of before[1]. They found the king of England at Rochester, who honourably entertained them, as did the other princes; but the prince of Wales was particularly attentive, as their mission more immediately concerned him.
In the course of a few days, the bishop had fully explained the object of his coming to the king, his sons, and council; and having received a favourable answer, with very handsome presents to himself and his colleagues, they returned by way of Dover to Calais, and shortly after arrived at Paris.
The ambassadors related, in the presence of the kings of France and Sicily, the dukes of Acquitaine, Burgundy and Bar, and other great lords of the council, a full detail of their proceedings, and that the king of England and his family were well pleased with their proposals. Upon this, the duke of Burgundy sent orders to his son the count de Charolois, then at Ghent, to repair to Paris, to be present at the festivals of Easter.
At this time, by the intercession of the duchess of Bourbon, daughter to the duke of Berry, with the duke of Orleans and others of that party, the lord de Croy obtained his liberty from the prison in which he had for a considerable time been confined, and was escorted safely to Paris. On his departure, he promised by his faith to make such earnest applications to his lord, the duke of Burgundy, that the duke of Bourbon's children should be delivered.
On his arrival at Paris, he was received with joy by the dukes of Acquitaine and Burgundy, especially by the latter; and a few days after he made the request he had promised, and so successfully that the king and the other lords gave the duke of Bourbon's children their liberty. They were sent for to Paris from the castle of Renty, where they were confined; and they and their attendants were delivered without any ransom to the care of sir John de Croy, who escorted them to the territories of the duke of Berry. The son of sir Mansart du Bos, who had been taken with them, remained prisoner in the castle of Renty.
The lord de Croy was nominated governor of the county of Boulogne and captain of the castle of Braye sur Somme, by the king, with the approbation of the duke of Berry and the aforesaid duchess. He also obtained, through the recommendation of the duke of Burgundy, the office of grand butler of France. To sir Peter des Essars, provost of Paris, was given the office of grand master or waters and forests, which had been held by count Waleran de St Pol, who was contented to yield it up.
The count de Saint Pol, now constable of France, ordered a large body of men at arms to assemble at Vernon sur Seine. In consequence, full two thousand armed with helmets came thither, with the design of making war on the inhabitants of Dreux, and on the count d'Alençon and his people, who had overrun parts of Normandy, near to Rouen, where they had plundered every thing they could lay their hands on.
To provide for the payment of this force, as well as for others in different parts of the country which the king had employed under various captains, a heavy tax was imposed on the whole kingdom, to be paid at two instalments,—the first on the Sunday before Easter, and the second at the end of June following. This affected the poor people very much; and in addition, the pope had granted to the king a full tenth to be levied, through France and Dauphiny, on all the clergy, payable also at two terms,—the one on St John the Baptist's day, and the other on All-saints following. The clergy were greatly discontented,—but it was not on that account the less rigorously levied,—and commissioners were appointed to receive it from them.
The constable set out in the holy week from Paris for Vernon, to take the command of the men at arms, and to lead them against the king's enemies.