When the ambassadors from king Henry had quitted the city of Arras, without agreeing to any preliminaries for a peace, the two remaining parties, of the king of France and duke of Burgundy, met for some few days at the accustomed place, when, by the exhortations and interference of the cardinals de Santa Croce and of Cyprus, and other prelates and nobles, a peace was finally concluded between them on the following terms.
'We Philip, by the grace of God, duke of Burgundy, Austria, Brabant and Limbourg, count of Flanders, Artois, Burgundy, palatine of Hainault, Holland, Zealand and Namur, marquis of the holy empire, lord of Frizeland, Salins and Mechlin, make known to all to whom these presents shall come, that many assemblies and conventions have been holden for the procuring of a general peace, as well in the cities of Auxerre and Corbeil as latterly in our city of Arras for this desirable purpose.
'To this place our very-redoubted lord, king Charles, has sent our most dear and well beloved brothers and cousins, the duke of Bourbon and Auvergne, the count de Richemont, constable of France, the count de Vendôme, grand master of the household, the very reverend father in God the archbishop and duke of Rheims, chancellor of France, Christopher de Harcourt, Gilbert lord de la Fayette, marshal of France, master Adam de Cambray, first president of the parliament, master John Tudart, dean of Paris and master of requests of the king's household, William Charetier, Stephen Moreau, counsellors of the parliament, John Chastignier and Robert Marlier, secretaries to the said king, as his ambassadors.
'On the part of our very dear lord and cousin, the king of England, there came the most reverend fathers in God the cardinal of Winchester and the archbishop of York, our well beloved cousins the earls of Huntingdon and Suffolk, the reverend fathers in God the bishops of Norwich, St David's, and Lisieux, and many other churchmen, as his ambassadors.
'We also came thither in person, attended by many of our blood, and great numbers of our faithful and loyal subjects. Our holy father the pope sent also to this convention the most reverend father in God, and our especial friend, the cardinal de Santa Croce, invested with sufficient powers from him. In like manner, the sacred council at Basil sent thither, as its ambassadors, the most reverend father in God, our dear and well beloved cousin the cardinal of Cyprus, the very reverend fathers in God the bishops of Verona, of Alby, Nicholas provost of Cracovia, Hugh archdeacon of Metz.
'In the presence of the above ambassadors from our holy father the pope, and from the sacred council at Basil, we, as well as the ambassadors from France and England, have appeared as often as it was thought expedient, and have mutually made overtures and presents to each other. And although the ambassadors from the king of France made great and handsome proposals for the conclusion of a general peace, and such as were thought by the cardinals and prelates to be just and reasonable, and which ought not to have been refused,—and although the cardinals de Santa Croce and of Cyprus, together with the other envoys from the pope and council, even pressed the English ambassadors to accede to these terms, remonstrating with them, that in case they would not listen to the conclusion of a general peace, they had been charged by their holy father, and by the sacred council, to summon us to conclude a private peace with our lord the king, in so far as the whole of our personal interests were concerned.
'Nevertheless, the English ambassadors, continuing obstinate, in refusing the terms offered them, quitted our city of Arras without coming to any conclusion, or fixing any period for their return thither. For this cause, the cardinal legates, and the other ministers from the pope and council, exhorted and required of us to conclude a private peace with our said lord the king, provided that satisfactory proposals should be made touching the death of our very dear lord and father, whose soul may God pardon! by the ambassadors from him, and in his name, so that we should be contented therewith.
'The following proposals from our said lord the king were delivered in a written roll to the said cardinal legates, and other ambassadors from our holy father the pope and sacred council, and by them given to us.
'These are the offers made by us Charles duke of Bourbon and of Auvergne, Arthur count de Richemont constable of France, Louis de Bourbon count de Vendôme, Regnault de Chartres archbishop and duke of Rheims, great chancellor of France, Gilbert lord de la Fayette marshal of France, Adam de Cambrai first president of the parliament, John Tudart dean of Paris, counsellor and master of the requests of the king's household, William Chartier and Stephen Moreau counsellors, John Chastignier and Robert Morlier secretaries, ambassadors from Charles king of France, now in the city of Arras, for and in the name of our sovereign lord king Charles, to my lord the duke of Burgundy and Brabant, respecting the death of the late lord John duke of Burgundy, his father, and likewise touching other matters, that a treaty of peace and concord may be concluded between them.
'In the first place, the king will declare, or others sufficiently authorised by him shall declare, to the said lord the duke of Burgundy, that the death of the late lord John duke of Burgundy, his father, (whose soul may God pardon!) was iniquitously and treacherously caused by those who perpetrated the deed, and through wicked counsel, which was alway displeasing to him, and continues to be so in the sincerity of his heart. That if he had been aware of the consequences, and of an age to have judged of them, he would have prevented it; but at the time he was very young, having little knowledge, and inconsiderately did not prevent it. He shall entreat my lord the duke of Burgundy that what hatred and rancour he may have conceived against him for this cause may cease, and that henceforward good faith and peace may exist between them,—express mention of which shall be made in the articles that shall be drawn up in consequence.