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and assemble companies of men-at-arms against us and against our realm. This bull could not any way refer, as the simple inspection of it would show, to our said son, uncle, nephew, or cousins, but was applied to them, through wicked counsel, without any authority from our said sovereign father the pope, without any deliberations holden on the subject,—nor was any suit instituted, as was usual in such cases; but without any forms of proceeding that should have been observed, or any preceding admonitions, they were illegally, through force and partiality, condemned as excommunicated, with all their adherents and friends,— which sentence was, in defiance of truth, publicly proclaimed throughout our kingdom.

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They were likewise declared traitors and wicked persons, banished our kingdom, and deprived of all their possessions and offices. On this occasion, many injurious reports were industriously spread abroad against them, and they were themselves treated with the utmost inhumanity. Several of them were put to death without any attention being paid to their souls, like to outlaws and beasts, without administration of the sacraments of the holy church, and then thrown into ditches, or exposed in the fields, like dogs, to be devoured by the birds. Such acts are damnably wicked and cruel, more especially among Christians and true Catholics, and have been done at the instigation of seditious persons, disturbers of the peace, and ill-wishers to our said uncle, nephews, and cousins, by means of their abominable fictions, in order to gain their false and wicked purposes, as we have since been more fully and truly informed.

"We therefore, desirous, as is reasonable, that such false accusations as have been brought against those of our blood and their adherents, should not remain in the state they are now in, to their great disgrace, and earnestly wishing that the real truth should be published, and reparation made for these illegal proceedings, make known that we are fully persuaded, from the information we have received, that our said uncle, son, nephews, cousins, prelates, barons, nobles and others their partisans, have ever had loyal intentions toward our person, and have been good relatives and obedient subjects, such as they ought to be in regard to us, and that all which has been done has been treacherously, and wickedly, and surreptitiously contrived against truth and reason, at the instances and importunities of these aforesaid seditious disturbers of the peace, by whom all letters and edicts, that any way tend to tarnish their honour, have been procured under false pretences.

"We declare, by these presents, that such edicts and letters-patent have been wrongfully and surreptitiously issued, and are of no weight, having been procured by those rebellious disturbers of the peace, authors of the evils that have afflicted our city of Paris, and whom we also declare guilty of high treason. Being desirous that the truth of these crimes should be made public, and that all may be acquainted with the real facts, to prevent any evil consequences that might ensue to us and to our realm, were they to remain in ignorance, as may happen to any prince who has subjects to govern, we therefore make known, and assert it for truth, that we being at our usual residence in Paris, in company with our very dear and well-beloved consort the queen, our very dear and well-beloved son the duke of Aquitaine, our uncle the duke of Berry, with several others of our kindred, and such of our servants and councillors as were accustomed to attend on us,—it happened that on the 27th day of April last past, sir Elion de Jacqueville, Robinet de Mailly, Charles de Recourt, called de Lens, knights, William Bareau, at that time a secretary, a surgeon named Jean de Troyes, and his children, Thomas le Goys and his children, Garnot de Saint Yon, butcher, Symon de Coutelier, skinner of calf-skins, Bau de Bordes, Andrieu Roussel, Denisot de Chaumont, master Eustace de Lactre, master Pierre Canthon, master Diusque François, master Nicolle de Saint Hilaire, master Jean Bon, master Nicolle de Quesnoy, Jean Guerin, Jean Pimorin, Jacques Laban, Guillaume Gente, Jean Parent, Jacques de Saint Laurent, Jacques de Rouen, Martin de Neauville, Martin de Coulonniers, master Toussaints Bangart, master Jean Rapiot, master Hugues de Verdun, master Laurens Calot, Jean de Rouen, son to a tripe-woman of Puys Nôtre Dame, Jean Maillart, an old-clothes-seller, with many others, their accomplices, of divers ranks and conditions, (who had, before this time, held frequent assemblies, and secret conspiracies in many places, both in the day and night-time) appeared in a very large body armed, with displayed standard, by way of hostility, before our said residence of Saint Pol, without our having any knowledge of such their disorderly

intent.

"They proceeded thence to the hotel of our son the duke of Aquitaine, which they would forcibly enter, and broke open the gates of it contrary to the will of our said son, his attendants and servants. Having done this, they entered his apartment in opposition to his expostulations and prohibitions; and when there, they seized by force and violence our cousin-german the duke of Bar, the chancellor of our said son, with many other nobles our chamberlains and counsellors to our son, and carried them away whithersoever they pleased: some of them they confined in close imprisonment, where they detained them so long as they were able. These excesses raised the anger of our son in so violent a degree that he was in danger of suffering a serious disorder from it. The said seditious rebels, persisting in their wicked courses, came to us in our hotel of St. Pol, when they proposed, or caused to be proposed, whatever seemed good to them, positively declaring, however, that they would have certain persons, whose names were written down in a small roll, which they had with them, which persons were then in our company. Among the number were Louis duke of Bavaria, brother to our consort the queen, and many other nobles, our knights, counsellors, the master of our household, with numbers of our servants of different ranks and conditions. These they arrested by force against our will, and carried them to prison, or wherever else they pleased, as they had done to the others. After this, they entered the apartments of the queen our consort, and in her presence, and contrary to her will, they seized many ladies and damsels, several of whom were of our kindred, and carried them away to prison, as they had done to the others. This disloyal and indecent conduct so greatly alarmed our dear consort the queen, that she was in great danger of losing her life from the illness that ensued. "After the imprisonment of these several persons of both sexes, the insurgents proceeded against them, contrary to all law and justice, by very severe tortures, and even put to death many of the nobility in the prisons, afterward publishing that they had killed themselves. Their bodies they hung on gibbets, or flung them into the Seine. Some they beheaded privately while in prison. With regard to the ladies whom they had arrested, they treated them most inhumanly; and although they were urgently pressed to allow the laws to take their course, in regard to these prisoners, and that the court of parliament, as was reasonable, should take cognizance of them, they positively refused every request of the sort, and had letters drawn up as seemed good to them, and to which they had the great seal of our chancery set by force, and, besides, constrained our son to sign all their acts with our sealsmanual, as approving of their deeds. That they might have the chancellor the more under their command, to seal whatever edicts they should please to have proclaimed, they dismissed from that office our well-beloved Arnold de Corbie, who had so long and so faithfully served us, and put in his place master Eustace de Lactre, by whom letters were sealed and issued contrary to all truth, but conformable to the acts of these wicked men. We were deceived by them, from want of able counsellors, and from freedom of speech not being permitted, as has before been noticed.

"All these letters, therefore, and edicts mandatory that have been published to the dishonour of our said uncle, nephews, cousins, and their friends and adherents, we holding a bed of justice in our court of parliament, in the presence of many of our blood-royal, prelates, churchmen, as well members of the university of Paris, our daughter, as from elsewhere, several great barons, and other able persons of our council, and many principal citizens of Paris, do now annul, condemn, and for ever annihilate. And we forbid all our subjects, under pain of incurring our highest indignation, to act, by word or deed, any way hereafter contrary to the strict tenor of this our will and pleasure. Should any of these disgraceful acts be produced in courts of justice, we forbid any faith to be placed in them, and order them to be torn and destroyed wherever they may be found. In consequence whereof, we command our beloved and faithful counsellors of our parliament, our provost of Paris, and all others our bailiffs, seneschals, provosts, and officers of justice, or their lieutenants, each and all of them, to cause this our present edict to be publicly proclaimed by sound of trumpet in the usual places where proclamations are made, that none may plead ignorance of this our will. And we also command, that it be publicly read by all prelates and clergymen, or such as have usually preached to the people, that in time to come they may not again be seduced by similar evil machinations.

"We also order, that as full obedience be paid to all copies of these presents, sealed with our seal, as to the original. In testimony of which, we have set our seal to these presents. Given in our great chamber of the parliament of Paris, at a bed of justice holden the 12th day of September, in the year 1413.

"By the king, holding his bed of justice in his court of parliament." Countersigned, "BAYE."-This ordinance was, consequently, proclaimed in Amiens* on the 15th day of December following.

CHAPTER CVIII.-THE DUKE OF BRITTANY COMES TO PARIS.-THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY HOLDS A COUNCIL AT LILLE. THE ACTIONS OF THE COUNT DE ST. POL, AND OTHER MATTERS THAT HAPPENED AT THIS TIME.

Ar this period, John duke of Brittany, son-in-law to the king, came to Paris, with his brother the count de Richemont. The duke d'Evreux+ and the earl of Rutland arrived there also from England, to treat of the marriage of their king with Catherine daughter to

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JOHN DUKE OF BRITTANY, FROM A STATUE IN THE CATHEDRAL OF NANTES; AND HIS BROTHER,

ARTHUR COUNT DE RICHEMONT.

From the MS. of Berry, engraved in Montfaucon, Vol. III.

the king of France, and to prevent the alliance which the duke of Burgundy was desirous of forming between the king of England and his daughter. These ambassadors, having explained to the king of France and his ministers the cause of their coming, returned to England.

The name of the city of Amiens is inserted in this and in most of the former state-papers merely by way of example. It was probably the nearest bailiwick to Monstrelet's place of residence, and the edicts, &c. which he inspected, were those directed to this particular bailiff.

There was clearly no such person as the duke d'Evreux; but the earl of Rutland himself was also duke of Aumerle; and, both being Norman titles, Monstrelet might have confounded them. But I can find no mention of an embassy in which the earl of Rutland was concerned.

Monstrelet must have mistaken the names of these ambassadors; for in the Fœdera mention is made of a promise from the king of England, by his commissioners, the bishop of Durham, the earl of Warwick, and doctor Ware§, "De non contrahendo, citra certum diem, cum aliqua alia muliere, nisi cum Katerina Francia, matrimonio."-Dated Westminster, 28th January, 1414.

§ This, however, seems to refer to the second embassy mentioned after.

The duke of Burgundy, during this time, was holding a grand council at Lille, which was attended by deputies from Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, the Quatre Mestiers, and by many nobles: among the latter was count Waleran de St. Pol, constable of France, who had just concluded the negotiation with the English at Boulogne and Leulinghen. The envoys from England were the earl of Warwick and the bishop of St. Davids, and others, who were commissioned to treat of a truce between the two kings, which was agreed on to last until the feast of St. John the Baptist next ensuing. The count de St. Pol, when on this business, received letters from the king of France, ordering him to come to Paris and surrender the constable's sword. Finding that it was intended to deprive him of his office, he came to ask advice of the duke of Burgundy, who counselled him not to obey these orders; and in consequence he went to his castle of St. Pol-en-Ternois, where his lady resided, and thence to Amiens, and there tarried four days. From Amiens, he sent to Paris, as ambassadors to the king of France, his nephew the count de Conversen and the vidame of Amiens, attended by master Robert le Jeusne, advocate at Amiens, to harangue the king on the subject of their embassy. On their arrival, the advocate opened his harangue in full council before the king, the chancellor, and the other members of it, saying, that the constable, the count de St. Pol, his lord and master, had never been of any party which had disturbed the realm; that he had never raised any troops, nor had attacked any of the king's castles, as several others had done. When he had finished his speech, he was required to produce those who would vouch for what he had said, as had been done in similar cases; but the ambassadors would not support him, and he was instantly arrested and confined in the prison of the Châtelet, where he remained for two days; and it was with great difficulty that the duke of Bar, brother-in-law to the count de St. Pol, by his entreaties obtained his liberty. On Saturday, the day after the feast of St. Mor*, the count de St. Pol left Amiens, and returned dispirited and melancholy to his own county.

Other royal edicts were now published at Paris and sent to all parts of the kingdom for proclamation, complaining of the great disorders that had been committed in the capital by the Parisians, to the great displeasure of the queen and the duke of Aquitaine.-I shall not particularise these edicts, for the atrocious acts of the Parisians have been already sufficiently declared. Soon after these proclamations, the duke of Orleans, conformably to the articles of the peace, demanded of the king restitution of his castles of Pierrefons and Coucy, which the count de St. Pol had refused to surrender to him. His request was granted, and orders were sent to sir Gasselins du Bos, bailiff of Sens, to go thither and receive the homage due to the king,—and thus they were restored to the duke of Orleans.

On the following Saturday, the count d'Armagnac, and Clugnet de Brabant, knight, came to Paris with a numerous company of men-at-arms, and were received by the king, lords, and barons, with great joy. All, or the greater part of those who had followed the faction of the duke of Orleans, now came to Paris,-and the affairs of the nation were governed according to their good pleasure, for the king and the duke of Aquitaine were at this time under their management. With regard to the Burgundy faction, they were kept at a distance, and could scarcely ever obtain an audience, how high soever their rank might be; insomuch that such as had remained in the town were forced to hold down their heads, and to hear many things that were neither pleasant nor agreeable to them.

CHAPTER CIX. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY HOLDS MANY COUNCILS TO CONSIDER OF HIS SITUATION, FEARING THAT HIS ENEMIES WOULD TURN THE KING AGAINST HIM, WHICH THEY AFTERWARDS DID†.

THE duke of Burgundy, while these things were passing, resided in the town of Lille, where he had assembled many great lords to consult and have their advice respecting the * St. Mor. Q. St. Maur?

At the head of this chapter, in the edition of Monstrelet in Lincoln's-inn Library, (which is the black letter of Anthoine Verard,-I can find no date,) is a curious wood-cut, representing, perhaps, the duke of Burgundy

and his lords in council; but I do not understand what the figures of dead bodies in the back ground are meant for. I should suspect that the print is misplaced, and is meant to describe the bloody entry of the duke into Paris some time after.

situation he was then in. He received almost daily intelligence from Paris, and learnt how his enemies governed the king and the duke of Aquitaine, and were labouring to keep those of his party at a distance from the royal presence, in order to prevent their receiving any marks of favour or benevolence. The duke formed various opinions on this intelligence, and suspected, what indeed afterward happened, that his adversaries would succeed in setting the king and the duke of Aquitaine at variance with him, and in the end making war upon him. He was, however, prepared to meet whatever events might befal him.

At this period, the earl of Warwick, the bishop of St. Davids, and others, waited upon him, to treat of a marriage between the king of England and a daughter of the duke, notwithstanding the embassy that had been sent to the king of France on a similar subject. These ambassadors and the duke of Burgundy could not agree on the terms of alliance, and they consequently returned to England. On the 4th day of October, the lords d'Offemont and de Moy came to St. Pol-en-Ternois, by orders from the king of France, to demand from the count de St. Pol, that he would surrender to them, or send to the king, his constable's sword. The count replied, that he would never willingly, nor without the advice of his friends, comply with such a request, but that he would refer the matter to the counsel of his friends, and would shortly send such an answer that the king should be satisfied therewith. These lords, having heard this, returned to Paris, after having been honourably entertained by the constable, and related to the king and council what they had done, which was not any way agreeable to those who had sent them.

This same day, another royal edict was published against all who should not strictly keep the peace, forbidding every one to spread abroad any evil reports that would tend to create discord and commotion, and to call any one by such sirnames as should engender strife, and renew the mischiefs that had so lately desolated the kingdom. It was proclaimed throughout France, and was of the following tenor.

"Charles, by the grace of God king of France, to the bailiff of Amiens, or to his lieutenant, greeting.

"It has come to our knowledge, that whereas by great and mature deliberation of council, and by the aid and diligence of many of our blood, and other discreet men of our realm, we have, by the grace of God, established a peace between several of our kindred, among whom disputes and discords had arisen and continued for a considerable time. We have first shown all the points of the treaties that had been proposed, after mature counsel, as well to those of our blood and great council, as to the prelates, barons, and knights of our different courts of parliament, and to other officers of justice in the court of the Conciergerie, and also to our well-beloved daughter the university of Paris, the clergy and citizens of our capital, who have been all delighted therewith, and have unanimously supplicated us to complete the peace, which, through the mercy of God, we have done. For the greater security of its observance, our very dear and well-beloved eldest son, nephews, uncle and cousins,—that is to say, Louis duke of Aquitaine, dauphin of Vienne, the dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Orleans, Brittany, Bourbon, and of Bar,-the counts d'Alençon, Vertus, Richemont, d'Eu, Vendosme, and many others of our blood,-have promised and sworn in our presence, on the word of a son to a king and a prince, on part of a piece of the true cross, and upon the holy evangelists of God touched corporally by them, never more in any respect to misbehave toward us, but to pay a due regard to their own honour and rank, and henceforward to act toward each other like to kind relations and friends. This they declare they have done without any fraud, deception, or mental reservation, and promise most faithfully to observe this union, and to deposit in our hands their several letters-patent.

“In like manner have the different ranks of our faithful subjects promised and sworn to the due observance of that affection, loyalty, and service they owe to us, and that they will most strictly keep this aforesaid peace concluded between the princes of our blood,—and that they will, to the utmost of their power, prevent it from being in any way infringed, as is more fully explained in others of our letters-patent. Nevertheless, there are, as we learn, several within your bailiwick full of evil intentions, who, believing that no proceedings will take place against them for any commotions they may excite, and that they may remain unpunished in body or goods, do daily spread abroad reports injurious to the said peace, and

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