I have found, towards the latter end of the chronicle of king Charles VII. by the aforesaid Robert Gaguin, that in consequence of outrages offered to king Henry of England by Richard duke of York and the earl of Warwick, the duke of York was, shortly afterward, put to death on the plains of Saint Alban's, by the duke of Somerset, cousin and friend to the said king Henry, accompanied by others of his relatives and party, (as has been more fully related by Monstrelet) and for this cause the most victorious king Charles VII. had proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, on the 3d of February, in this same year, at Rouen, and throughout the towns on the seacoast of Normandy, his will and pleasure that all Englishmen, of whatever rank, dress, or numbers, of the party of king Henry of England and of queen Margaret, should be suffered to land without any molestation or hinderance, without the necessity of their having any passports from him, and that they should be allowed thenceforward to remain peaceably in his kingdom so long as they should please.
This conduct shows the great courtesy and liberality of Charles VII.; for he offered the free entrance into his kingdom to that king Henry, and to his adherents, who had oftentimes done all in his power to annoy him, as his most mortal enemy.
On Tuesday the 21st day of July, in the year 1461, and on the day preceding the death of king Charles VII. a very bright comet was seen traversing the firmament, which, according to some, was a sign of the death of so great a prince, and of other great events that were to happen.
Wednesday the 22d, the feast of the glorious virgin Mary, king Charles departed this life, about two hours after mid-day, at the town of Mehun sur Yevre. I pray, therefore, devoutly to God, that his soul may repose in the blessed regions of Heaven; for he had ever been a prudent and valiant prince, and left his kingdom, free from all external enemies, in peace, with justice restored to his subjects.
But his death, and noble interment in the church of St Denis, has been already described by Enguerrand de Monstrelet, who also speaks of the coronation of king Louis XI. at Rheims, and of his joyous entry into Paris, and the feasts celebrated on the occasion.
But I find in another chronicle of king Louis what has been omitted by Monstrelet, that the said king when making his entry, on the last day of August, passed over the Pont-aux-Changes, whereon were represented many pageants,—and it was hung all over. At the moment the king passed, two hundred dozen of birds, of all descriptions, were let fly, which the bird-catchers of Paris are bounden by charter to do on such occasions; for it is on this bridge that on feast-days they have their market for the sale of all sorts of singing birds, and others, according to their pleasure.
All the streets through which the new king passed were hung with tapestries. He went to the church of Nôtre Dame, to perform his devotions, and thence returned to sup and lodge at his royal palace, as is customary, and which has been before related.
On the morrow, the first of September, the king quitted the palace, and fixed his lodgings at his hôtel of the Tournelles, where he resided for some time. While there, he made many new regulations for the better government of his kingdom, and displaced several from their offices,—such as the chancellor Juvenal des Ursins, the marshal and admiral of France, the first president of the parliament of Paris, the provost of Paris, and many others,—and in their places appointed others. He also dismissed some of the masters of requests, secretaries, counsellors, and clerks of the treasury, of the court of parliament, of the chamber of accounts, and from the treasury and mint, replacing them with new ones.
The 3d of September in this year, king Louis, with some of his nobles and gentlemen of his household, supped at the hôtel of master William Corbie, then counsellor in his court of parliament, but whom he created first president of his parliament of Dauphiny. At this entertainment were present many notable damsels and citizens' wives of Paris.
During the king's stay at Paris, he partook of several entertainments, in divers hôtels of that city, with the utmost good humour. Having taken handsome leave of that town, he departed for Amboise, as has been already told in the chronicles of Monstrelet, who speaks at great length of the actions of Philip duke of Burgundy and of his son the count de Charolois.