On this the cardinals left Burgundy, and, passing through Troyes, went to Bray and Montereau, where they were handsomely received by the ambassadors from each party. Thence the cardinal di San Marco went to Paris, and in the presence of the king, his constable and ministers, explained the object of his mission, and the infinite advantages that would result from a peace. After he had been much honoured by the lords of the court, he returned to the ambassadors at Montereau, where he and the cardinal d'Orsini remained the whole time of the negotiations, going daily to the church of La Tombe, wherein the conferences were held.
They laboured so diligently in this business that a treaty was drawn up and sworn to by the ambassadors, in the presence of the cardinals, on condition that the ambassadors should carry copies of it to their respective lords; and if the terms were not approved of by them, each party was to remain in the same state as before any negotiations were begun. Thus some of them went to Paris, to wait on the king and constable; and others to Troyes, to the queen and the council of the duke of Burgundy.
These last, on being shewn the treaty, very much approved of it, and sent it to the duke for his approbation,—who, having examined it with his ministers, returned for answer, that he accepted it wholly without exception; that he would cheerfully swear to its observance, and cause all of his party to do the same.
In like manner, the ambassadors from the king and the constable, on their arrival at Paris, laid a copy of the treaty before the king, the dauphin, some of the principal ministers, and most leading citizens, who were well satisfied that the king should sign it. But when it was shewn to the count d'Armagnac, to the chancellor, the provost of Paris, and Raymonnet de la Guerre, they were highly indignant thereat, and said plainly, that they would never remain in the room where the king should sign it as it then was. The chancellor even declared, that the king might seal it himself, for that he never would.
The bishop of Paris, many of the citizens, and several of the ministers of the king and dauphin, who were very desirous of peace, were thunderstruck on hearing these declarations, and advised the dauphin to call a meeting at the Louvre on this matter. He did so; but the constable would not attend, saying, that those who had agreed to such a peace, and those who advised the king to consent to it, were traitors.
By these means the peace was prevented: all negotiations were broken off, and both parties remained in the state they were in before, without peace or truce. This, however, created very great hatred among the Parisians to the constable, who nevertheless ordered detachments against the castles of Montlehery and Marcoussy, possessed by the Burgundians, but who were obliged to surrender them to the king's forces. The constable regarrisoned them for the king.
CHAP. II.
KING HENRY OF ENGLAND CONQUERS MANY TOWNS IN NORMANDY.—THE CAPTURE OF THE COUNT DE HARCOURT, IN AUMALE, BY HIS COUSIN SIR JAMES DE HARCOURT.
At this season, as has been before noticed, king Henry of England was in great force in Normandy, where he conquered towns and castles at his pleasure; for scarcely any resistance was made against him, owing to the intestine divisions of France. He thus easily gained possession of the towns of Evreux, Fallaise, Bayeux, Lisieux, Coutances, Avranches, St Loth, and many more.
Through fear of king Henry, the count de Harcourt had retired within his castle of Aumale, with all his dependants; whither on a certain day, under the appearance of a visit to pay his compliments, came his cousin sir James de Harcourt, attended by about sixty combatants. He purposely dismounted at the gate of the castle, which, on his being recognised, was instantly opened, and every honour was paid him by the officers of the count. Part of his men entered with him, and he went to the count, who joyously received him, saying, 'Fair cousin, you are welcome.' Sir James had ordered the remainder of his men to come to the castle when they had put up their horses in the town; and shortly after some conversation together respecting the wars now going on in France, seeing the opportunity was proper, sir James took the count by the hand, and said, 'My lord, I make you a prisoner in the king's name.'