'Item, during this truce, neither of the parties shall attempt to gain any city or town by force or stratagem, by sale or seduction, or under any colour or manner whatever; and our said redoubted lord and sovereign will order all captures of persons, whatever may be their rank and ransoms, to cease, (excepting, however, the ransoms of such as may have been made prisoners prior to the signing of the truce) together with all plunderings, robberies, and every misery attendant on war. Those who have borne arms on one side ought not to intermix with such as have borne arms on the other, nor seek the doing of mischief.
'Item, should it happen that the men at arms of either party take possession of any city, town, or castle, that party shall be bounden to yield it back again fully repaired, should any damage have been done to it; and in case those who have thus taken it shall refuse to give it back unless forced thereto, the party to whom they belong shall be bounden to recover the same by force of arms, and at their expense; and supposing there may not be time sufficient during the existence of the truce to finish all the repairs, the party that had taken it shall be bounden to complete it wholly.
'Item, during the truce, the subjects of either shall have free liberty to pass to and from each country with their merchandise (excepting always military stores) freely and securely,—and to transact their business in whatever manner they shall choose, without any let or molestation whatever, free from arrest for any debt or obligations contracted prior to this truce, on paying duly all the accustomed tolls through the different provinces or jurisdictions they may pass: provided always that none of the subjects of either party, noble or men at arms, shall enter any castle, inclosed town or fort, without having previously demanded leave from the governor or his lieutenant of all such places, and then without arms and in small parties. In respect to real pilgrims, they may travel in small or large parties, according to the usual mode of pilgrims going on pilgrimages to the accustomed shrines. In regard to merchants and common people, it will be enough for them to demand leave of entrance from the porters at the gates of any towns or castles.
'Item, whereas several of the subjects of our said redoubted lord and sovereign possess lands under the obedience of his said nephew, the revenues of which, or in part, they have enjoyed by the hands of farmers or otherwise, they may now again enjoy the same during the truce in the manner and form as before.
'Item, in regard to the contributions which have been customarily levied by each party, the conservators of the truce and others commissioned from the two kings shall regulate them according to their pleasure.
'Item, should any attempts be made to infringe the truce, which God forbid! it shall not be broken, nor shall war be declared on either side, but the truce shall remain in full force, as if nothing had been done contrary to the meaning and purpose of these articles. Such attempts shall have due reparation made for them by those who committed them, and be punished corporally by the aforesaid conservators of the truce.
'Item, if, during the truce, any dispute or quarrel shall arise between one of the parties and the subjects or allies of the other, the latter party shall not form any alliances for his support with those who have commenced the dispute.
'All the above articles, and each of them, we duke of Orleans, and the other commissioners for our said lord the king, have solemnly promised on oath to observe, and do solemnly promise and swear for, and in the name of, our said lord the king to observe, and to make these said articles agreeable to our most potent and redoubted sovereign,—and we will, according as the case shall require, send ratifications of the same to the person who may have the government of the town of Rouen, on or before the 15th day of July next ensuing, provided that the same be done within the aforesaid term by the most potent and noble prince the nephew of our said lord and sovereign.
'In testimony whereof, we, each of us, having signed these articles with our hands, and sealed them with our own seals.—Given at Tours, the 20th day of May, in the year 1444.'
While this treaty was going on, several other matters were introduced, and a treaty of marriage was proposed between king Henry of England and the daughter of Réné king of Sicily, duke of Lorraine and Bar, which was afterwards concluded, as shall be noticed in the ensuing chapter.