CHAP. XXVII.
THE CONDUCT OF THE DAUPHIN, AND OF THOSE WITH HIM, AFTER THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY.—HE SENDS LETTERS TO DIFFERENT TOWNS.
When the duke of Burgundy had been thus cruelly murdered, the dauphin's people stripped him of his tabard, his coat of mail, his rings, and of every thing except his doublet and drawers; and in this state he remained on the ground until midnight, when he was carried on a table to a mill near the bridge, and, on the morrow-morning, was interred in front of the altar of St Louis, in the church of our Lady at Montereau, in his doublet and drawers, with his bonnet drawn over his face, and twelve masses were hastily said for him.
At this moment, there were several noble persons with the dauphin, who had been kept in ignorance of the plot against the duke, many of whom were highly displeased at what had happened, considering the great evils that would probably result from it, as well to the kingdom in general as to the person of their lord the dauphin. In this number were John de Harcourt, count d'Aumalle, and the lord de Barbasan: the last loudly reproached those who had contrived this murder, saying, that they had ruined their master in honour and reputation; and that he had rather have been dead than present at that day, although perfectly ignorant of what was intended to be done.
The dauphin, however, on his return to his lodgings after the murder, ordered, by the advice of his ministers, two hundred men at arms to march to the castle and demand its surrender. On their arrival, admittance was denied them, for those within had posted a party over the drawbridge, and another party in the tower facing the suburbs of the town, where they remained the whole of the night.
The detachment from the dauphin walled up the gate leading to the town, and continued inactive until the ensuing morning, when they opened a battery of cannons against one of the gates, and, shortly after, some four or five knights went from the dauphin to signify that the castle must be surrendered, otherwise they would win it by storm, and those that should then be found therein would have their heads cut off.
The lords de Joinville and de Montagu made answer, that my lord of Burgundy, their commander, to whom the dauphin had delivered this castle, had intrusted them with the guard thereof, and that they would not surrender it but upon some tokens sent them from their lord. The knights on this went back to the town, and soon returned with sir Anthony du Vergy, who calling to the two aforesaid lords, they replied, by asking after his health. He made no answer to this, but said, 'Brothers, my lord the dauphin bids me tell you, that if you do not yield the castle to him, and you should be taken within it by storm, he will have you beheaded; but that if you will surrender it, and join his party, he will shew you every kindness, and divide between you very liberally the different offices in the realm.'
On hearing this speech, the two lords asked sir Anthony if he knew any thing of their lord the duke. To which he made no other reply than by pointing his finger to the ground, and then said, 'I would advise you to surrender the castle to my lord the dauphin;' but they repeated as before, that until they should have some certain intelligence of their lord the duke, who had intrusted them with its defence, they would not surrender.
The knights of the dauphin now advanced, and said, 'Put on paper what terms you expect, and you shall have an answer.' Both parties withdrew, and those in the castle wrote down as follows:
In the first place, they demanded to restore the castle into the hands of the duke, who had confided to them the guard of it, or to have a discharge from the same, signed by the duke.