Pictures of the old French court

by Mrs. Bearne

{1394}

In honour of her the King changed into “Porte Ste. Michelle” the name of the “Porte de l’Enfer” so called on account of the haunted convent of the Chartreux of Vauvert just outside it, with its weird tales of moving lights, unearthly sounds, and phantoms, spoken of in the former volume treating of the Valois Queens.

The Hundred Years’ War with England still dragged on, and brigands again began to infest the country, and great distress prevailed; to the alleviation of which Charles now turned his attention for a short time. For Dr. Fréron, either finding that the treatment ordered by his predecessor had been carried much too far, or else because he thought quiet, and rational occupation with the affairs of the State would do the King more good than the ceaseless, reckless, dissipation,[156] which was the original cause of his illness, ordered him a tranquil life, occupation for his mind, rest, and various other changes which certainly appeared to succeed; for the King was quite restored under his care, and as well as he had been before his first seizure. No one could now say that he was not capable of giving proper orders, nor dispute the validity of those he gave, as the Duke of Burgundy had done when the King had granted some permissions to hunt in the royal forests.

Charles went several pilgrimages and, his own sufferings having made him more compassionate to others, he recalled fugitives chased away by the tyranny of his uncles, exempted them from taxation for six years, and, abolishing the games of chance in the villages, he established practice in shooting with the bow and crossbow, in order that the peasants should be able to help defend the country which now was obliged to hire mercenaries to oppose the English archers. The people were delighted at this, and already, says M. Sismondi, becoming so skilful that the nobles in alarm took the first opportunity of putting a stop to the archery and re-opening the gambling houses. The remembrance of the Jacquerie was naturally in the minds of the French gentlemen as was that of their tyranny in the hearts of the people. That unfortunate class hatred between the upper and lower ranks which, as was remarked in our former volume, had caused the disgrace and downfall of France, was still growing and establishing itself as time passed on, while other nations were slowly becoming stronger and more closely united to their own countrymen as they advanced in civilisation.

{1395}

The King went on very well until about the middle of the summer of 1395, by which time he had grown very tired of the restraints imposed on him by Dr. Fréron, the trouble of attending to serious affairs, and the comparative dulness of his court. Also it is probable that the symptoms of the terrible malady so long kept at bay by the skill of the great doctor were making themselves felt and deprived him of the little self-control and sense he had ever had. At any rate he dismissed Dr. Fréron, who retired with his property to Cambrai,[157] and when he had gone the frenzy returned and Charles was again mad.

It had been a bad summer, with violent winds, doing much damage. Misfortunes and troubles seemed to be gathering again over France. The deepest disappointment was felt by high and low at the relapse of the King, confusion and misgovernment began again, the air was full of evil rumours and terrors as it had been in the years before the battles of Crécy and Poitiers. It was reported that in Languedoc had been seen a great star, followed by five little ones which seemed to attack it for about the space of half an hour, while voices and dreadful cries were heard in the heavens; and there appeared the gigantic form of a man who shone like copper, transfixed the great star with a spear and vanished.

In Guyenne unearthly voices were heard in the air, accompanied by the clang of armour and the tramp of combatants.[158]

The court was rent by the quarrels of the Queen and Duchesse d’Orléans with the Duchess of Burgundy, whom neither of them could bear, and whose interference Isabeau was now roused up to resist. In fact, the arrogance and encroachments of the Burgundian party had become alike intolerable and alarming. The state of the King from this time grew gradually worse. He was not always mad, but his attacks grew more frequent, lasted longer, and took different forms on different occasions. Sometimes even in the middle of them he would have lucid intervals in which his commands were absolutely obeyed. After a period of sanity and health, he could tell by the symptoms when the attack was coming on again, and would desire that all arms, knives, &c., should be taken out of his reach, and sometimes that he should be forcibly restrained lest he should hurt any one. He begged every one he knew, if they had bewitched him, as some said, to have pity upon him and reverse the spell. The whole state of things was heartbreaking, and when he was mad he did not know the Queen, it was not safe for her to go near him, he struck at her and ran after her so that she fled in terror. Sometimes he knew every one except the Queen and her children, but one person he always knew, and that was the Duchesse d’Orléans.

He was always calling for her. She would go to him without the least fear and sit with him for hours. Her voice seemed to have a strange fascination for him, and he would do anything she wished. There is not the slightest idea that between Charles and Valentine there was ever any such love as between Louis and Isabeau, but they had always been fond of each other as brother and sister. The populace, however, chose to attribute her influence to magic; they said she came from Lombardy, where it was practised to a great extent; that her father himself was a magician, and that it was from no devotional reasons that the Duc d’Orléans went so often to the Céléstins, but to see one of the brotherhood, a certain Philippe de Mezière, looked upon with suspicion on account of his studies, who had been a great friend of the late King. Louis d’Orléans would sit up half the night talking with him about books, music, or metaphysical subjects. He was a strange mixture of the most opposite qualities and vices, and he added to the inconsistencies of his character that of being extremely devotional. In all intellectual tastes he and Valentine suited each other very well; as to Isabeau, she knew nothing about such matters. There is a record of an historical manuscript which the Duke of Burgundy gave her, probably with the hope of inducing her to take more interest in literary subjects, but it was of no use.[159]