I must not forget, among other circumstances, to relate, that the Parisians, to the amount of three thousand, as well those of the garrison as others, sallied out of Paris, and went to the palace of Winchester (Bicêtre), a very handsome mansion of the duke of Berry, where, from hatred to the duke, they destroyed and plundered the whole, leaving the walls only standing.—When they had done this, they went and destroyed another house, where the duke kept his horses, situated on the river Seine, not far from the hôtel de Neelle.
The duke was much enraged when he was told of the insult and mischief that had been done to him, and said aloud, that a time would come when these Parisians should pay dearly for it.
Affairs daily grew worse; and at length, the duke of Berry, the duke of Orleans and his brothers, the duke of Bourbon, the counts d’Alençon and d’Armagnac, the lord d’Albreth, were personally banished the realm by the king, with all their adherents, of whatever rank they might be, by sound of trumpet in all the squares of Paris, and forbidden to remain or set foot within it until they should be recalled.
They were not only banished the kingdom of France, but, by virtue of a bull of pope Urban V. of happy memory, (preserved in the Trésor des Chartres of the king’s privileges in the holy chapel at Paris), they were publicly excommunicated and anathematised in all the churches of the city of Paris, by bell, book, and candle. Many of their party were much troubled at these sentences, but, nevertheless, continued the same conduct, and made a more bitter war than before.
CHAP. XXXVI.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY MARCHES A LARGE ARMY FROM PONTOISE TO PARIS, THROUGH MELUN.—THE SITUATION AND CONDUCT OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.
I have mentioned, that during the stay of the duke of Burgundy at Pontoise, he received great reinforcements of men at arms from all parts: among others, the count de Penthievre, his son-in-law, joined him with a noble company. Having remained there for about fifteen days, and made diligent inquiry into the state of his adversaries, on the 22d day of October, he marched his whole army thence about two o’clock in the afternoon. As the royal road from that place to Paris was occupied by the enemy, he quitted it for that through Melun sur Seine, where he crossed the river with full fifteen thousand horse, and, marching all night, arrived on the morrow morning at the gate of St Jacques at Paris. Great multitudes went out of the town to meet him; among whom were the butchers of Paris, well armed and arrayed, conducted by the provosts of the Châtelet and of the merchants, under the command of the count de Nevers, brother to the duke of Burgundy, who was attended by several princes, noble lords and captains: even the great council of state went out upwards of a league to meet him, and to do him honour. Indeed, they all showed him as much deference and respect as they could have done to the king of France, on his return from a long journey.
With regard to the people of Paris, they made great rejoicings on his arrival, and sang carols in all the streets through which he passed; and because his entry was made late in the day, and it was dusk, the streets were illuminated with great quantities of torches, bonfires and lanthorns.
On his approach to the Louvre, the duke of Acquitaine, who had married his daughter, advanced to meet him, and received him with joy and respect. He led him into the Louvre, and presented him to the king and queen, who received him most graciously.