FOOTNOTES:
[20] For particulars of this embassy, &c. see the Fœdera.
[CHAP. XIX.]
THREE PORTUGUESE PERFORM A DEED OF ARMS AGAINST THREE FRENCHMEN, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.—THE PORTUGUESE ARE VANQUISHED.
At this period, there was a combat between three Portuguese and three Frenchmen, performed at the king's palace of St Ouen near to Paris. The names of the Portuguese were the lord d'Alenton, sir Jean Cousaille knight, and sir Peter Cousaille. The three Frenchmen were sir François de Grignaulx, Marigon, and la Rocque.
The Portuguese, as the challengers, were first introduced into the lists by the earl of Dorset and the other english lords. The French were conducted by Clugnet de Brabant, admiral of France, John brother to the duke de Bar, and several more.
After the accustomed proclamations had been made, in the king's name, the combat began, and was hard fought, but at length the Portuguese surrendered themselves as vanquished, to save their lives, to the great indignation and displeasure of the English, who had conducted them to the lists. The Portuguese were, by the king's command, put out of the lists, and the French honourably escorted home very much rejoiced at their victory.
When the business of the peace had been concluded, the countess of Hainault left Senlis, and returned to her country and to her lord duke William. The English, about the same time, departed from Paris, after having been magnificently feasted and honoured by the king and his princes, and having likewise been presented with rich gifts. They did not, however, succeed in the object of their mission, namely, the marriage of their king with the lady Catherine of France, because their demands for her portion were unreasonable and excessive, such as the duchy of Normandy, the county of Ponthieu, with the duchy of Acquitaine, to be held as inheritances for ever. The king of France, in reply, told them that he would shortly send ambassadors to England with his final answer to the request they had made.
[CHAP. XX.]
THE PEACE OF ARRAS SOLEMNLY SWORN TO IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.—IT IS AFTERWARDS SWORN TO IN DIVERS OTHER PLACES.
On the 13th day of March, in this year, the duke of Brabant, the bishop of Tournay, the lord de Ront, sir William Bouvier, governor of Arras, counsellors and ambassadors from the duke of Burgundy, and the deputies from the three estates of Flanders, having full powers from the duke of Burgundy for this purpose, swore in the name of the said duke, and in his behalf in the presence of the king of France, on the true cross and holy evangelists of God; and in like manner the duke of Brabant and the others above mentioned, for themselves in their own private capacities, swore to the full observance and preservation of all the articles of the peace first treated of before Arras and confirmed at Paris.
The dukes of Berry, Orleans, Alençon and Bourbon, the counts d'Eu, de Vendôme, grand master of the household, the lord de Prayaux, the chancellor of France, the archbishops of Sens, Bourges, Rouen, the bishops of Laon, Lisieuz, Paris, Chartres, the chancellor of Acquitaine, the count de Tancarville and others, took the same oath in the presence of the king and the grand council.
Commissioners were then sent by the king from Paris, namely, the master of the cross-bows of France, the lord de Rambures, and master Jean de Vailly, first president of the parliament, to Tournay, where they arrived in the month of March. The duke of Brabant, the countess of Hainault, Philip of Burgundy count of Charolois, the nobles and prelates of Ghent, and other great towns in Flanders, there met them. When the king's letter had been read, the count de Charolois, and all present, took the oath required, in the hands of the said commissioners, and in the presence of the duke of Brabant and the countess of Hainault, promising on their own behalf to keep the said peace, and to pay attention to the contents of the king's letter. In like manner did the prelates, nobility, and others of the town of Tournay and the adjacent countries, make oath, delivering their certificates signed and sealed by them, as the count de Charolois and the Flemings had done to the commissioners, to be carried to Estienne Mauregard, the master of the rolls, at Paris.
The count de Charolois, after the holy week, convoked, at Arras, all the nobility, clergy, and inhabitants of the country of Artois and its dependancies, who all swore, and delivered in certificates, as those of Tournay had done. Commissioners were afterward sent into Burgundy, to receive the oaths of the duke and of the estates of the duchy and its dependancies. These commissioners were the lord de Tynouville and master Symon de Vanterre, president, of the parliament, who received the oaths and certificates, and sent them to the master of the rolls at Paris; but the duke himself refused to swear, and said he must speak to the king and the duke of Acquitaine before he made oath to keep the peace, on certain causes that affected him.
[A.D. 1415.]