Many sports and pastimes of wrestling and other amusements took place during the fortnight the duke staid with the king, who was in high spirits and health. He had with him the count de Richemont his constable, and many barons, knights and esquires, to the number of from four to five hundred horses.
In the same year, according to the chronicles of Arras, Philip, then aged about fifty-four years, duke of Burgundy, Lotriche[117], Brabant, Limbourg and Luxembourg, count of Flanders, Artois, Burgundy, Hainault, Holland, Zealand and Namur, marquis of the holy roman empire, lord of Frizeland, Salins and Mechlin, required from the states of Flanders (whom he had assembled for this purpose) that they would allow him to lay a tax of twenty-four groats, flemish money, on each sack of salt that should be used in that country; promising, in return, that, during his life, he would not lay any additional impositions, by taxes on land or otherwise.
The deputies from Ghent, having heard this proposal, demanded time to consider of it. These deputies took the lead; and having fully weighed the matter, and considering that the principal food of the commonalty was salted meats and fish, absolutely refused their consent; adding, that they would never, while alive, suffer such a tax to be laid on their country. The deputies from Bruges, Ypres, and the Franc, in conformity to what the ghent men had said, declared that they would act in unison with Ghent, and refused their assent.
FOOTNOTES:
[114] Bazas,—a city of Gascony, on a rock, two leagues from the Garonne, capital of the Bazadois, 12 leagues from Bordeaux.
[115] Medoc,—a country of Guienne, near the sea, in the Bordelois: it is not fertile. Esparre is the capital.
[116] Montbazon,—in Touraine, five leagues from Tours.
[117] Lotriche. Q. Does this mean Austria? 'de l'Autriche.'
[A.D. 1451.]
CHAP. XXV.