In consequence of these surrenders to the king, the town of Rouen sent a deputation to request a conference,—which deputation laid every thing that had been done amiss to the charge of the dukes of Brittany and Bourbon. Their commissioners at the conference made several requests and remonstrances, insisting, among other things, that the king should declare himself satisfied with them, notwithstanding any acts to the contrary, and that he would not only grant them his full pardon, but similar franchises to those he had lately granted to Paris. They made many other demands, to all of which the king said he would consider on them. While this was going on, several of the king's army passed and repassed into the town without interruption.
The duke of Berry, in the mean time, quitted Rouen, in company with several of his friends, and went to Honnefleur and Caen, where he remained some time. John lord of Lorraine thought also to escape into Flanders; but he was met by a party of the king's army, who made him prisoner, and brought him to the king.
On the departure of the duke of Berry, the town of Rouen surrendered to the king, who, having displaced the greater part of the officers in Normandy, appointed others in their places. He disbanded his franc archers, giving them leave of absence until the first day of the ensuing month of March, and sent back his artillery to Paris: he himself took the road toward lower Normandy, and to St Michael's Mount.
At this time, Anthony de Chabannes, count de Dammartin, (of whom mention has been often made) accompanied the king, and had the command of one hundred lances of the gens d'armes, which sir Charles de Melun had before had. The king also deprived sir Charles of his office of grand master of the household, and gave it to the lord de Craon, although many persons were of opinion that sir Charles had well served the king, and done him many considerable services,—more especially by his great prudence and activity in the guard of Paris, while the king was absent in the Bourbonnois; for it was observed, that had he not been as diligent as he was, the king and kingdom would have suffered much more. While the king was thus employed, he made an exchange with the count de Dammartin for a castle he had in Gascony called Blancaffort; for which he gave him, in sovereignty, all the rights and royalties in the towns of Gonesse, Gournay sur Marne, and Crecy in Brie,—and gave orders for his parliament to annex them, in perpetuity, to his said county of Dammartin.
At this same time, the king commanded that the fortress of Chaumont sur Loire, which belonged to sir Pierre d'Amboise, lord of Chaumont, should be set on fire, and razed to the ground, which was done.
Monday, the 4th of February, Gauvain Manniel, who had been lieutenant-general of the bailiff of Rouen, was arrested in that town, and carried prisoner to Pont de l'Arche,—where, by orders of the marshals, a scaffold had been erected, on which the said Gauvain was beheaded for certain crimes laid to his charge. His head was placed on a lance on the said bridge, and his body thrown into the river Seine. At the same time, the dean of the cathedral of Rouen and six of the canons were expelled the town, and banished out of the duchy of Normandy.
CHAP. III.
THE KING OF FRANCE SETS OUT FROM ROUEN TO ORLEANS.—HE SENDS AMBASSADORS TO ENGLAND.—SEVERAL MALEFACTORS ARE EXECUTED AT PARIS.—THE DIVORCE OF SIR WILLIAM COLOMBEL FROM HIS WIFE.—THE LORD DU LAU IS MADE PRISONER.—THE KING PUBLISHES AN EDICT AT PARIS AGAINST THE ENGLISH.—A TRUCE CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH.—MANY PERSONS LOSE THEIR SENSES AT PARIS, AT THE BEAN-FLOWERING SEASON.
The king now departed from Rouen for Orleans, where the queen was, and remained there a long time, making excursions to Gergeau[3] and in that neighbourhood. While he was at Orleans, many embassies came to him from divers countries, on different matters. He also there determined to send an embassy to England, and selected for this purpose the count de Roussillon, bastard of Bourbon and admiral of France, the lord de la Barde, the duke-bishop of Langres, master John de Poupaincourt, lord of Cercelles, master Olivier le Roy, councellor in the chamber of accounts, and others, who set out for England in April, in the year 1466.
At this time, the officers of justice in Paris, arrested many poor creatures, thieves and other malefactors,—some of whom, for their crimes, were hanged on the gibbet at Montfaucon, and others, less criminal, were whipped at a cart's tail through the streets of Paris.