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CHAPTER

CXLVIII.-ON

VISIT

THE DEPARTURE OF THE ENGLISH, MANY FRENCHMEN
THE FIELD OF BATTLE TO SEEK THEIR FRIENDS, WHOM THEY BURY, AND OTHER
MATTERS.

WHEN the king of England had on this Saturday begun his march towards Calais, many of the French returned to the field of battle, where the bodies had been turned over more than once, some to seek for their lords, and carry them to their own countries for burial, others to pillage what the English had left. King Henry's army had only taken gold, silver, rich dresses, helmets, and what was of value; for which reason the greater part of the armour was untouched and on the dead bodies; but it did not long remain thus, for it was very soon stripped off, and even the shirts, and all other parts of their dress were carried away by the peasants of the adjoining villages. The bodies were left exposed as naked as when they came into the world. On the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the corpses of many princes were well washed and raised, namely, the dukes of Brabant, Bar, and Alençon, the counts de Nevers, de Blaumont, de Vaudemont, de Fauquemberg, the lord de Dampierre, admiral, sir Charles d' Albreth, constable, and buried in the church of the Friars Minors at Hesdin. Others were carried by their servants, some to their own countries, and others to different churches. All who were recognised were taken away, and buried in the churches of their manors.

When Philippe count de Charolois heard of the unfortunate and melancholy disaster of the French, he was in great grief, more especially for the death of his two uncles, the duke of Brabant and count de Nevers. Moved by compassion, he caused all that had remained exposed on the field of battle to be interred, and commissioned the abbot de Roussianville and the bailiff of Aire to have it done. They measured out a square of twenty-five yards, wherein were dug three trenches twelve feet wide, in which were buried, by an account kept, five thousand eight hundred men. It was not known how many had been carried away by their friends, nor what number of the wounded had died in hospitals, towns, villages, and even in the adjacent woods; but, as I have before said, it must have been very great. This square was consecrated as a burying-ground by the bishop of Guines, at the command and as procurator of Louis de Luxembourg, bishop of Therounne. It was surrounded by a strong hedge of thorns, to prevent wolves or dogs from entering it, and tearing up and devouring the bodies.

In consequence of this sad event, some learned clerks of the realm made the following

verses:

"A chief, by dolorous mischance oppress'd,

A prince who rules by arbitrary will,

A royal house by discord sore distress'd,

A council, prejudiced and partial still,
Subjects by prodigality brought low,
Will fill the land with beggars, well we trow.

Nobles made noble in dame Nature's spite,
A tim'rous clergy fear, and truth conceal,
While humble commoners forego their right
And the harsh yoke of proud oppression feel:
Thus, while the people mourn, the public woe
Will fill the land with beggars, well we trow.

Ah feeble woe! whose impotent commands
Thy very vassals boldly dare despise :
Ah helpless monarch! whose enervate hands
And wavering counsels dare no high emprize:
Thy hapless reign will cause our tears to flow,
And fill the land with beggars, well we trow*.”

I shall here add the names of such principal persons as escaped death or imprisonment in consequence of this battle.

First, the count de Dampmartin, lord de la Riviere, sir Clugnet de Brabant, styling himself admiral of France, sir Louis Bourdon, sir Galiot de Gaules, sir John d'Engennes.

I am obliged to my friend, the Rev. W. Shepherd, for the translation of these verses.

CHAPTER

CXLIX.- KING

HENRY

EMBARKS AT CALAIS FOR ENGLAND, WHERE HE IS

JOYFULLY RECEIVED ON HIS LATE SUCCESSES.-THE COUNT DE LA MARCHE GOES TO ITALY.

On the 6th day of November, when king Henry had refreshed his army in Calais, and when those prisoners who at Harfleur had promised to meet him there were arrived, he embarked for Dover. The sea on his passage was very rough, so that two vessels full of sir John de Cornewall's men were in great danger; and some of the fleet were driven to different parts in Zealand, but none of them were lost. The king of England, on his return home from such a victory, and his conquest of Harfleur, was most joyfully received by the nobles, clergy, and all ranks of men: he proceeded to London, accompanied by the French princes his prisoners. A little before this unfortunate battle, sir James de Bourbon, count de la Marche, had gone to Italy, magnificently attended, and had married queen Johanna of Naples, and thus acquired the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples: indeed, he for some time held quiet possession of them. He appointed sir Lourdin de Salligny his constable; and one of his captains was sir Here de Bruneul, lord de Thiembronne.

CHAPTER CL.-THE KING OF FRANCE AND HIS PRINCES ARE MUCH GRIEVED ON HEARING THE MELANCHOLY EVENT OF THE BATTLE OF AZINCOURT.-OF THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, AND OTHER MATTERS.

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WHEN news was brought to Rouen of the unfortunate loss of the battle of Azincourt, and the deaths of so many noble persons, the king of France and the princes with him were in the utmost consternation and grief. Nevertheless, within a very few days, at a council held in the presence of the king, the dukes of Aquitaine, Berry, and Brittany, the count de Ponthieu his youngest son, and some of his ministers, the count d'Armagnac was nominated constable of France, and orders were despatched to him in Languedoc, for him instantly to come to the king.

Duke John of Burgundy was in that duchy when he heard of the defeat and loss of the French. He, like the others, was much grieved thereat, particularly for the death of his two brothers, the duke of Brabant and the count de Nevers. Notwithstanding his sorrow, he made preparation to march a large force of men-at-arms to Paris without delay; but as the report of his intentions had reached the king at Rouen, he, with the princes, hastened to return thither before the duke should arrive, and came there on the eve of St. Catherine's day. In company with the duke of Burgundy were the duke of Lorrain and ten thousand

men.

The Parisians, suspecting the object of the duke in this expedition, sent a solemn embassy to the queen of France at Melun, where she lay dangerously ill; but, in consequence of the information she received, she caused herself to be carried in a litter to Paris, where she was lodged in the hôtel d'Orleans with the duchess of Aquitaine, daughter to the duke of Burgundy. True it is, that the Parisians, and some of the king's ministers who had been favourable to the Orleans faction, against that of Burgundy, were very much alarmed, because the duke had in his company many who had been banished France, such as sir Helion de Jacqueville, sir Robinet de Mailly, master Eustace de Lactre, master John de Troyes, Caboche, Denisot de Chaumont, Garnot de Sanction and several more. They therefore prevailed on the king and the duke of Aquitaine to order sir Clugnet de Brabant, the lord de Barbasan* and the lord de Bocquiaux, to hasten to Paris with a sufficient body of men-at-arms for its defence, and for the security of the duke of Aquitaine. The count

*Arnaud-Guilhem, baron of Barbazan in Bigorre, first, chamberlain to Charles VII., afterwards governor of Champagne and the Laonnois, &c. The king gave him the title of "Chevalier sans reproche," and permitted him

to take the fleurs-de-lys for his arms.
He was seven
years prisoner at Chasteau Gaillard, till delivered in 1430
by La Hire. He was killed at Belleville, ncar Nancy, in
1432, and buried with the highest honours.

d'Armagnac was again commanded to push forward to Paris as speedily as possible, and with as many men-at-arms as he could raise.

The duke of Burgundy, on his march thither, passed through Troyes and Provins, to Meaux in Brie, where he was refused admittance by orders from the duke of Aquitaine and the council, who had written to the governor on no account to suffer him to enter the town, which displeased him much. Upon this he proceeded to Lagny-sur-Marne, and quartered himself in the town, and his men in the country around, which suffered severely from them. On the other hand, many captains had raised their forces in Picardy, namely, sir Martelet de Mesnil, Ferry de Mailly, the brothers Hector and Philip de Saveuses, sir Mauroy de St. Leger, sir Payen de Beaufort, Louis de Varigines, and others. They despoiled all the country they marched through by Pont St. Mard to Lagny, whither the duke of Burgundy had summoned them. His army was so much increased that it now amounted to twenty thousand horse.

The king of Sicily, knowing that he was not beloved by the duke of Burgundy for having sent back his daughter, left Paris in an ill state of health, and went to Angers; but before his departure he was desirous of submitting their differences to the king and his council, provided he should be heard in his defence. The duke of Burgundy would not listen to his proposal, and returned for answer, to those who had brought the offer, that for the wrongs and disgrace the king of Sicily had done to him and his daughter, he would have his revenge when time and opportunity should serve. While he remained at Lagny-sur-Marne, he sent to the king and council at Paris, sir John de Luxembourg, the lord de St. George, and other able counsellors, to explain fully the cause of his coming, and to request that he and his men might be admitted peaceably into Paris for the security of his royal person. No other reply was made to this, but that the king would shortly send an answer to their lord the duke of Burgundy. John de Vailly, president of the parliament, with others of the council, were despatched to the duke; but after various embassies and conferences, he could not prevail on the king or the Parisians to admit him into the capital. They told him, that if he would consent to enter Paris simply as the duke of Burgundy, with his usual attendants, the king and council would not object to it; but this the duke would not do, for he knew that those who governed the king were his mortal enemies, and he would not trust his person with them.

CHAPTER CLI.-THE PARISIANS AND MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS WAIT ON THE DUKE OF AQUITAINE TO PROPOSE CERTAIN MEASURES OF PUBLIC SAFETY.-THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF AQUITAINE.—THE ARRIVAL OF THE CONSTABLE IN PARIS.

THE Parisians, and principally those of the university, seeing the discords and quarrels daily increase between the princes of the blood, to the ruin and the overturning of the kingdom, and the destruction of the people, went one day in a body to the duke of Aquitaine, and, in the presence of the duke of Berry, the count de Penthievre, and several nobles and prelates, demanded an audience, and liberty to state their grievances. Having obtained this, the first president of the parliament began an oration, choosing for his text, "Domine salva, nos perimus," from the gospel of St. Matthew, "Lord save us, or we perish." He very clearly and eloquently pointed out the various grievances the nation was labouring under, and named several evil-doers, who were endeavouring to throw the kingdom into confusion by harassing and oppressing the people. When he had ended, the duke of Aquitaine instantly swore, on the word of a king's son, that henceforth all evil-doers, whatever might be their rank, should be indiscriminately punished according to their crimes; that justice should be impartially administered, and the clergy and people be maintained in peace. On this, they departed, perfectly satisfied with the answer of the duke of Aquitaine; but he had not time to carry his intentions into execution, for a few days after he was seized with a fever, and died on the 18th of December, in the hôtel de Bourbon. His death occasioned many tears and lamentations among numbers of the nobility, and his servants; and it was reported to have been caused by poison,--for which reason, his body was kept in a leaden coffin four days at the above hotel. The different orders of clergy came thither to

pray beside it; after which, it was carried to St. Denis, and interred near to his royal

ancestors.

Eight days afterward, the count d'Armagnac, who had been sent for by the council, arrived at Paris to receive the investiture of his constableship, by receiving from the king the sword of constable, and taking the usual solemn oaths. He thanked the king for the high honour he had conferred on him. The new constable had now a force of six thousand combatants at least, including those whom he found in Paris, and very shortly despatched Raymonnet de la Guerre, with four hundred helmets, to garrison St. Denis, and defend it against any attack from the duke of Burgundy. He strengthened in like manner other towns on the Seine, and had all the bridges and ferries destroyed.

The king, at this period, filled up the vacant offices caused by the misfortune at Azincourt, and appointed Jean de Corssay, a native of Berry, master of the cross-bows of France; sir Thomas de Lersies, bailiff of the Vermandois, and the lord de Humbercourt, bailiff of Amiens; the lord d'Aunay, a native of la Rochelle, to the same office at Senlis; sir Mansart d'Asne, bailiff of Vitry, and sir Brunet de Bans to the same at Tournay, with very many others.

CHAPTER CLII.-THE DUKE OF BRITTANY ARRIVES AT PARIS.-THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY LEAVES LAGNY-SUR-MARNE. THE CAPTURE OF SIR MARTELET DU MESNIL AND FERRY DE MAILLY.

THE duke of Brittany at this time came to Paris to treat with the king, that the duke of Burgundy with his army might march into Brittany, but he was unsuccessful. Before he departed from Paris, he was violently enraged against sir Tanneguy du Châtel, provost of Paris, and abused him much, because he had imprisoned in the Châtelet the minister of the Mathurins, a doctor of theology, for having, in his presence, harangued the populace in favour of the duke of Burgundy. In a few days, however, he gave him his free liberty.

When the duke of Burgundy had remained at Lagny-sur-Marne six weeks, without having been able to prevail on the king and his council to permit him to enter Paris any otherwise than in his simple state, he marched away to Dampmartin, thence toward Rheims, and through the Laonnois, Tierrache, and Cambresis, to the town of Douay, and thence to Lille. He was, all the time, accompanied by a strong body of men-at-arms, who much oppressed the poor people on their march. On his departure from Lagny, some of the king's soldiers advanced to Pont à Vaire, and slew and made prisoners many of his men, at which he was highly displeased. From his long residence at Lagny, the Parisians, and others attached to the king, called him, in common conversation, Jean de Lagny. After some short stay at Lille, he went to visit his nephews in Brabant, namely John and Philip, sons to the late duke Anthony of Brabant, taking with him Philippe Maisne, by whom he governed that country. He appointed officers to those places in the counties of Ligny and St. Pol, that had been formerly held by count Waleran de St. Pol, maternal grandfather to these children.

When he was returned to Flanders, he ordered the lord de Fosseux, governor of Picardy, to cause his captains and their men-at-arms to retire from his territories of Artois and the adjoining lands; and, as many of these captains harassed the king's subjects, Remonnet de la Guerre, the provost of Compiegne and the lord de Bocquiaux, the king's governor of the Valois, secretly assembled, on the night of the 24th of January, a number of men-at-arms, and surprised the quarters of sir Martelet du Mesnil and Ferry de Mailly, in the country of Santerre *, where they had posted full six hundred men among the villages, who made havoc on all the country round about. Excepting such as escaped by flight, they were all slain or made prisoners: among the last were the two captains, sir Martelet du Mesnil and Ferry de Mailly, who were carried to Compiegne. On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, the said sir Martelet and four other gentlemen, after having been tortured by the king's officers, were hung on the gibbet of Compiegne; but Ferry de Mailly, through the intercession of friends, obtained his free deliverance.

* Santerre, a small territory, of which Mondidier is the capital.

CHAPTER CLIII.-THE BISHOP OF ARRAS CAUSES THE SENTENCE THAT HAD BEEN PRONOUNCED AGAINST MASTER JEAN PETIT TO BE REVOKED. THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY COMES TO PARIS.

In this same year, by the exertions of Martin Poree, doctor in theology, and bishop of Arras, and some other ambassadors from the duke of Burgundy, having sufficient authorities from him, the following judgment was obtained from the council of Constance.

"By the advice of the clergy, in whose name we issue the following sentence. We pronounce and declare, that the suits, judgments, burnings, prohibitions and executions, ordered by the bishop of Paris, against master Jean Petit, and all consequences that may therefrom have ensued, are null and void, and we now do annul and revoke the same. In regard to the costs that legally attach to this cause, we shall leave them to be taxed on sufficient grounds. In which sentence, I, Jourdan bishop of Alba, I, Anthony cardinal of Aquileia, I, Francis cardinal of Florence, do heartily acquiesce."

Thus the sentence of the bishop of Paris against master Jean Petit, was reversed and condemned by the council of Constance, the 15th day of January, 1415.

Not long after this, two knights arrived at Paris from the emperor Sigismund, to prepare the lodgings he was to have in that city, and lay in his purveyances. The castle of the Louvre was given to them for this purpose; and on the following Sunday, being Shrove Sunday, the emperor arrived at Paris, attended by about eight hundred horse. The duke of Berry, the cardinal de Bar, the constable, the chancellor, the provost of Paris and of the merchants, the sheriffs, and a noble company of the citizens in handsome state, went to meet him, and he was by them conducted to the Louvre. Some days afterward, he explained to the king and council the cause of his coming, which was to establish union in the whole church he also made many offers of service to the king and his realm. A doctor of divinity, named master Guerrard Machet, then harangued him in the name of the king of France, with which he was much pleased.

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Charles, king of France, was very sensible of the honour of this visit, and the two monarchs ate frequently together. On the first Sunday in Lent, the king of Sicily and his son-in-w, the count de Ponthieu, came to visit the emperor at Paris; and during the emperor's tay there, the highest honour and distinctions were paid him by the king and princes. When many conferences had been holden on the state of the universal church, and on other matters, he set out from Paris on the Wednesday before Palm Sunday, and was accompanied by the king of France as far as La Chappelle, between Paris and St. Denis, where they separated. The king of Sicily, the duke of Berry, and the cardinal de Bar, attended him to St. Denis, where he was most honourably received by the abbot and his clergy. He thence rode to Beauvais : the bishop of the place and the inhabitants had come out to meet him, and the bishop conducted him to his palace, where he was lodged.

The emperor there celebrated Easter, in company with the duke of Milan, uncle to the duke of Orleans, the archbishop of Rheims, and others, ambassadors from the king of France to his adversary the king of England. Leaving Beauvais, he crossed the bridge at St. Remy, and went to St. Riquier, because the townsmen of Abbeville would not admit his people, although he was in company with ambassadors going to England. From St. Riquier he went on a pilgrimage to St. Josse, where the abbot and the whole convent came out in procession to meet him, in the same state they would have done had he been king of France. After offering up his prayers, he made no present to the glorious friend of God, saint Josse. The emperor was clad in armour, having on the pummel of his saddle a Montauban hat, and over his armour a robe, on the front and back part of which was an ash-coloured upright cross, with a Latin motto round it," O how merciful God is!" Most of his attendants were armed, and well mounted; and from St. Josse, by way of Estaples, he went to Boulogne, but the townsfolk would not permit him to enter, at which he was so indignant that he would not accept the presents the inhabitants sent to him. After dining in the suburbs of Boulogne, he went to lie at Calais, whence the governor, the earl of Warwick, had come to meet him, accompanied by men-at-arms and archers. He was there most honourably

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