The pheasant was presented to each of the great lords present, who all made vows to the same effect, but under different conditions. To relate the whole would take up too much time,—so I shall pass them over, and say, that the banquet was succeeded by dancings and mummeries, after which every one retired to his home[150].
FOOTNOTES:
[150] For further particulars of this banquet, I refer the reader to a note in the Travels of Bertrandon de la Brocquiere.
CHAP. LIII.
CHARLES COUNT DE CHAROLOIS, SON TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, IS BETROTHED TO HIS COUSIN-GERMAN THE LADY ISABELLA OF BOURBON.—THE DUKE GOES INTO GERMANY,—AND SOON AFTER HIS RETURN, THE COUNT MARRIES HIS COUSIN-GERMAN.
About eight days after this banquet, and in the first week of March, in the same year, the count de Charolois was betrothed, by order of his father the duke of Burgundy, to his cousin-german the lady Isabella of Bourbon, daughter to the duke of Bourbon,—and the duke sent to Rome for the dispensations necessary for their marriage. After this, he dismissed his household for twelve months, as he intended to remain so long in Germany.
On the 15th of March, the duke left Lille privately attended, and passed through Burgundy on his road to Germany, where he was to meet the Emperor Frederic and other princes of Germany, to learn whether they would join him in a war against the Turk, or suffer his army to pass through their territories without molestation or hinderance.
He was grandly feasted by many of the german princes,—but the emperor, who loved ease more than exertion, and preferred peace to war, pretended to be ill, and sent word to the duke that it would not be worth his while to proceed farther in the country, giving him hopes that at the end of six months he would meet him to conclude the business he was so urgent upon. The duke was now forced to abandon his expedition,—and he returned to his country of Burgundy, where he staid some time.
CHAP. LIV.
THE KING OF FRANCE GOES TO HIS CASTLE OF LUSIGNAN.—THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY TAKES FRONSAC.—THE FRENCH BESIEGE CHASTILLON.—LORD SHREWSBURY ASSEMBLES A LARGE FORCE TO RAISE THIS SIEGE.—HE IS THERE SLAIN.