The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 10 [of 13]

by Enguerrand de Monstrelet

THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS ENTERS THE COUNTRY OF LIEGE WITH HIS ARMY.—THE LIEGEOIS DEMAND AND OBTAIN A TRUCE,—BUT, ALTHOUGH A PEACE IS MADE, IT DOES NOT LAST LONG.

The Liegeois, hearing of the peace concluded between king Louis and the count de Charolois, imagined that they were included in the treaty; but when they learnt the contrary, and that the count was marching an immense army against them, they sent a grand embassy to the duke of Burgundy at Brussels, offering to make great reparations for what they had done. They supplicated, in all humility, for peace with him and the count de Charolois, and were so urgent that they obtained from the good duke a truce for fifteen days.

At this moment, the count de Charolois was at St Tron,[51] a large town belonging to Liege, which surrendered to him as soon as he came before it. On receiving information of this truce, he caused proclamation to be made throughout his army, that no one should do any damage to the territories of Liege, on pain of death, notwithstanding that his men had not received their pay: they were, therefore, obliged to forage the country of the duke of Burgundy that lay nearest at hand, and it suffered very much from it. They even spread as far as Lorraine and other distant countries, to seek provisions,—for so large an army could not otherwise have existed without money.

On the expiration of the fifteen days, the truce was prolonged for eight more, then for another eight days, and at last to the 12th day of January; which caused the adjoining country to be sorely pillaged and devoured, for it was daily overrun for so long a space of time. The count de Charolois, perceiving that the Liegeois were only seeking delays, and did not perform what they had promised, collected his army, and entered the territory of Liege, and wrote to the duke his father to send him as many reinforcements as he could, for that he now intended to combat the Liegeois.

The duke instantly sent back to him the lord de Saveuses with all his men, and wrote him word, that he would shortly join him in person, and that he desired he would not give battle until he should arrive. As the duke was preparing to set out for the army, notwithstanding the severe illness from which he had scarcely recovered, his son wrote him word, that the Liegeois had come to him with a treaty, such as he approved of, sealed with their city-seal,—that they implored his mercy, and begged he would be satisfied with them,—that he had accepted the treaty, provided it were his good pleasure to ratify it. The duke, on receiving this news, remained quiet at Brussels.

On the 20th of January, the Liegeois, knowing that the count de Charolois had entered their country with his army, and that his van, under the command of the count de St Pol, was far advanced, sent from four score to a hundred of the principal persons of the country to wait on the count de Charolois, well mounted and well armed for fear of several who had been banished their city, and other evil-disposed persons, who only wished for war, and hindered the completion of a peace. They met the count between St Tron and Tongres,[52] two good towns belonging to the Liegeois, and presented to him the treaty such as had been agreed to by the city of Liege, and sealed with their seal: the deputation offered, at the same time, to answer with their lives for the consent of the other towns to this treaty.

The terms of this treaty were precisely what the duke of Burgundy and his son had insisted upon,—and the deputies, on their knees, besought the count's mercy and pardon, promising, that henceforward the inhabitants of the whole country would be his faithful servants and good neighbours.

The count, having examined the treaty, accepted it on consideration of the great sums they were to pay by way of recompensing the damages done, and forgave them. The sum for damages was six hundred thousand florins of the Rhine, which they were to pay the duke in the course of six years; and the duke of Brabant and all future dukes of Brabant were to be their mainbrugs, or governors of the whole country of Liege, with a yearly salary of two thousand florins of the Rhine. The Liegeois were not in future to undertake any measures of weight, without having first obtained the consent of their mainbrug. Many other articles were inserted in the treaty, which I omit for the sake of brevity; but, notwithstanding, they soon after broke this treaty, without keeping any one article of it.

The count de Charolois having acceded to the requests of the deputies, peace was proclaimed throughout his army,—and the whole was ordered to appear before him, on the morrow, near to Tongres. This was done that the deputation might see his army in battle-array, to inspire them with fear of his power, and thereby check any future rebellion. The army, when drawn up on the following day, delighted and astonished the ambassadors and those who had come from St Tron, Tongres, and other towns to see it, for they never could have imagined that the count would have been able to raise such a force at once. In truth, according to common report, this army consisted of upwards of twenty-eight thousand horse, not including the infantry, which was very numerous, although many had returned home with leave, and without leave, in default of being regularly paid.

When the army was thus drawn up, the count rode along the line, thanking most courteously all the captains and men at arms, begging they would hold him excused for having so badly paid them, for that he could not now have avoided it,—but he would make them full amends at another time by more regular payments, so that every one should be satisfied.