knows, it shall be done with a hearty good will,—and to his holy keeping I now leave you. Written in my castle of Vendeuil*, this 13th day of April.”

The direction was, "To my very dear and very beloved cousins and especial friends, the members of the great council of my most redoubted lord, my lord the duke of Burgundy." When these lords had received their letters, they met together to consult on the best mode of proceeding relative thereto,-particularly the knights of the order of the Golden Fleece, of which order sir John de Luxembourg was one. They were very anxious to reconcile him with his lord; for they were afraid, should hostilities commence, very great inconveniences would arise to the territories of the duke. They also knew that he was a man of determined courage and enterprise, well provided with strong towns and castles, that would enable him to protract the war to a great length of time. He was likewise still connected with the English, who had promised to supply him with men and stores as often and in what quantities he should require. They considered the valuable services he had done the duke and his country for a very long period,-and, on the other hand, that the French were daily making encroachments on the territories of the duke, and according to their opinion, very ill observed the articles of the treaty concluded at Arras. Weighing all these circumstances, they thought it would be much better that sir John should be received into favour on making the satisfaction he had proposed than otherwise.

After this matter had been debated several times, they determined to wait on the duke in a body, and endeavour to bring it to the conclusion they had agreed on. They addressed him at length, pointing out the necessity for a reconciliation, more particularly sir Hugh de Launoy lord of Santois, who had the business much at heart, as well as some others. Nevertheless, at first they found the duke very shy and cold in his replies, for he was indignant at sir John's conduct, more especially respecting the attack on his archers, which seemed to have angered him more than all the rest. The counts de Nevers and d'Estampes were also highly displeased with Jacotin de Bethune for slaying their men, and not indeed without cause. These lords, however, by persevering, brought the matter to this issue, that no objection would be made to hearing sir John and the others in their defence, in consideration of the proposals made by him. At length, a day was fixed on for bringing the two parties together in the city of Cambray.

Thither came, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, the bishop of Tournay, master Nicholas Raoulin, lord of Authun+ his chancellor, sir Hugh de Launoy, the lord de Saveuses, and other persons of rank. Sir John de Luxembourg was there, accompanied by many noble persons, as well knights as esquires and counsellors at law,-and even Jacotin de Bethune was there also. Within a few days after their arrival, the business was entered upon relative to the insults which were said to have been offered to the duke of Burgundy by sir John de Luxembourg, and others of his party. On the charges being declared, sir John made his reply, and exculpated himself from the greater part of them, offering likewise, by himself and council, to make whatever advances should be deemed proper.

After a long discussion, it was agreed to put down in writing such articles as should be thought reasonable to be complied with by each party, for the conclusion of peace. They were shown to sir John de Luxembourg, who corrected some of the articles that displeased him, and were then laid before the chancellor, and the other members of the council, who likewise made alterations. On their being brought back to sir John, he was so indignant thereat that, in his rage, he tore the paper into pieces, and said aloud, that the bishop of Tournay and the chancellor should not manage him at their pleasure. However, through the interference of the other lords on each side, his heat was shortly after calmed, and matters were brought to an amicable conclusion, provided it met the approbation of the duke, to whom they were to carry the treaty. Among other articles, Jacotin de Bethune was to surrender himself, in one of the public prisons, to the duke's mercy,—but the lords at Cambray, on the part of the duke, promised him to insist with their lord that he should be pardoned, and received into favour. When these matters had been thus concluded, the members of the council were grandly feasted, with the rest of the lords, at the hôtel of sir John de Vendeuil, a village in Picardy, near to Mondidier.

+ Authun. He was lord d'Ainneries and a native of Authun, and thus he styled himself.-Du Cange.

Luxembourg. All the adjoining countries were greatly rejoiced when they heard of this peace being concluded.

Soon afterwards, both parties left Cambray; and the commissioners from the duke of Burgundy laid before him what they had done, with which he was satisfied. Within a certain time, Jacotin de Bethune waited on the duke, in his town of Hèdin, and surrendered himself to his mercy, requesting that, if he bore any anger against him, he would be pleased to pardon him, but the duke sent him away a prisoner. It was not long, however, before he obtained his liberty, on certain conditions, that were granted him through the pressing intercessions of some lords of high rank, and of great weight in the duke's council.

CHAPTER CCXLI.-KING CHARLES OF FRANCE SENDS THE PRINCESS CATHERINE, HIS DAUGHTER, TO THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, CONFORMABLY TO THE TREATY OF MARRIAGE AGREED ON WITH THE COUNT DE CHAROLOIS HIS SON.

In the month of June, of this year, king Charles of France sent from his palace the lady Catherine, his daughter, to the duke of Burgundy, having consented to her marriage with his son the count de Charolois. She was grandly and honourably accompanied by the archbishops of Rheims and of Narbonne, the counts de Vendôme, de Tonnerre, and de Dunois, the young son of the duke of Bourbon, called the lord de Beaujeu*; the lord de Dampierre, and other noble personages, knights, and esquires, together with an escort of about three hundred horsemen. She was attended by the lady of Rochefort, and several noble dames and damsels.

On their arrival at Cambray, they tarried in that city three days, and were grandly feasted by the clergy, the magistrates, and inhabitants. The counts de Nevers and d'Estampes, the chancellor of Burgundy, and numbers of the nobility, were at Cambray, ready to receive her, together with the countess of Namur, the lady of Crevecœur, the lady of Hautbourdin, and many other ladies of birth. Very great honours and attentions were shown by each of the parties respectively. The young princess, who was but ten years old, was carried on a rich and highly ornamented litter, and in all the towns through which she passed, of France as well as Burgundy, the greatest honours were shown her. At the gates of the great towns, ten or twelve of the principal gentlemen were commonly in waiting to receive her, and kept their hands on the litter until she descended from it at the hôtel prepared for her.

On leaving Cambray, she arrived, after some days travelling, at Saint Omer, where the duke of Burgundy was holding his court. On her approach, he advanced out of the town grandly attended by his knights, and paid her every respect when they met, as did all who had accompanied him. He then led her into the town of St. Omer where the marriage was fully confirmed. Very great feasts took place in consequence, with tournaments, balls, music, and every other amusement. The lord de Crequy was tenant of the lists, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, against all comers. They remained a considerable time at St. Omer, on account of a conference that was about to be holden by ambassadors from the kings of France and of England, between Gravelines and Calais, of which I shall shortly make mention.

Philip, second son of Charles II., duke of Bourbon, was called lord of Beaujeu, and died young. The title then passed to the fourth son, Peter, who married Anne,

daughter of Louis XI., the celebrated duke de Beaujeu, regent of France.

CHAPTER CCXLII.-THE BASTARD OF BOURBON TAKES THE TOWN OF LA MOTHE IN

LORRAINE.

In this year, the bastard of Bourbon* left Jargeaux with about four hundred combatants, whom he marched by many days' journeys to La Mothe† in Lorraine, and took it by storm. Everything portable was seized on by his men,—and he remained there for a month, making excursions and pillaging all the country round. He even attempted the town of St. Nicholas de Varengeville, which for a long time had not been attacked by any men-at-arms of either party. Upon this, the governors of Lorraine, foreseeing the total ruin of that country, treated with the bastard of Bourbon to surrender the town of La Mothe and quit those parts, on receiving a large sum of money. When the money was paid, the bastard departed, and set out, with all his men, to return to the place whence they had come; but as he was marching near to Langres‡, he was pursued and overtaken by sir John du Vergy, Anthony de Gelet, Philippot de Sainginis, who attacked and conquered him, and won from him all his plunder. Upwards of six-score remained dead on the field; the rest, or the greater part of them, were made prisoners.

Thus those who had been robbed were in some measure avenged on their marauders,— but they did not recover what had been taken from them.-With regard to the said bastard, he was neither killed nor made prisoner.

CHAPTER CCXLIII.-MANY NOBLE AMBASSADORS FROM THE KINGS OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND MEET BETWEEN GRAVELINES AND CALAIS, TO HOLD A CONFERENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF PEACE.

In this year, many noble ambassadors were assembled at the same place where, the preceding year, a conference had been holden on the parts of the kings of France and England and the duke of Burgundy. Among others, there came, on the part of the king of France, the archbishop of Rheims high chancellor, the archbishop of Narbonne, the bishop of Châlons, the counts de Vendôme and de Dunois, the lord de Dampierre, sir Regnault Girard, governor of la Rochelle, master Robert Mailliere, and Andry le Boeuf.

On the part of the duke and duchess of Burgundy came the bishop of Tournay, master Nicholas Raoulin his chancellor, the lord de Crevecœur, the lord de Santois, master Pierre Bourdin, master Philip de Nanterre, and others.

From the king of England came the cardinal of Winchester, the archbishop of York, the bishop of Norwich, the bishop of St. David's, the bishop of Lisieux, the dean of Salisbury, the duke of Norfolk, the earl of Stafford and his brother, the lord de Bressuire, the earl of Oxford, sir Thomas Kiriel, with several others of the nobility.

They held several meetings to consider if they could not bring about a general peace between the two kings and their allies, and also respecting the deliverance of the duke of Orleans, who had remained a prisoner in England since the battle of Azincourt. But they could not agree on any conclusion worth speaking of; for the English refused to treat with the king of France unless the duchy of Normandy, together with all their other conquests, remained to them independent of the crown of France. Another meeting was appointed for the ensuing year, and the conference was broken up, when they all separated without doing anything further. The English had come thither in great pomp, and magnificently dressed; but the cardinal of Winchester outshone all in the splendour of his tents and pavilions, and the richness of his gold and silver plate, and in all other necessaries and luxuries. He nobly feasted the duchess of Burgundy, his fair niece, before they all separated, and returned to the places they had come from, without transacting any other business.

* Alexander, son of the duke. See the account of his

death, p. 47.

La Mothe,-four leagues NNW. from La Marche.

Langres -a large city in Champagne, the capital of Bassigny-François.

CHAPTER CCXLIV.—THE ENGLISH MAKE AN EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY OF SANTOIS *, WHERE THEY GAIN THE CASTLE OF FOLLEVILLE†, AND COMMIT MANY RAVAGES AND

CRUELTIES.

ABOUT the beginning of Lent, in this year, the earl of Somerset, the lord Talbot, and other captains, collected about two thousand combatants, as well horse as foot, in the country of Normandy, near to Rouen, whom they marched, with all their baggage, provision, and stores, toward the country of Santois. Having crossed the Somme near the town of Montrieul ‡, they quartered themselves before the castle of Folleville, then under the government of Bon de Saveuses, in right of the lady-dowager, whom he had married.

In consequence of the garrison making a sally, and killing a particular favourite of the earl of Somerset, whom he much loved, he swore a great oath that he would not march away until he should have conquered the castle, and reduced all within to his power. He ordered an excellent small bombard, with other engines, to be pointed against it, and their first discharge killed the governor. He continued his attacks with such courage that the garrison were glad to surrender the place and everything it contained, and to pay a large sum as ransom for their lives. The earl had the castle repaired, and regarrisoned it with his men, who did great mischiefs to all the country round. On the morrow of the surrender of this castle, the earl of Somerset departed with the remainder of his forces, and followed the lord Talbot, who was already far advanced into the country of Santois. They fixed their quarters at Lihons§, wherein they found abundance of everything, as well as in the surrounding country, for the inhabitants, not suspecting their coming, had not driven away their cattle and flocks to places of security.

At Lihons, there was a small fort and large church wherein the inhabitants had retired, on perceiving the English near the town. The earl summoned those in the church to surrender, or he would order an assault. They refused to comply, and, in consequence, on the morrow, a very severe attack commenced; but the English, finding from its continuance that they could not otherwise obtain their end, set the church on fire, which was wholly burned with all it contained,—and upwards of three hundred persons, men, women and children, were thus pitilessly destroyed, for very few escaped who had therein taken refuge. Those who had fled to the fort, witnessing the cruel manner in which their poor brethren had been treated, entered into capitulation with the commissaries of the earl, and saved their lives and the town from being destroyed, by paying a large sum of money. They gave many hostages, women as well as men, for the due payment of their ransom, who were long prisoners at Rouen and elsewhere, from the delays in the payment. One of these hostages was a gentleman called Noiseux de Sailly, who died in prison.

While the English remained at Lihons, they made frequent inroads on the adjoining countries, whence they brought large booties to their quarters. They took also the castle of Harbonnieres, and the lord within it,-who, to ransom himself and his vassals, and to prevent the castle from being destroyed as others had been, agreed to pay one thousand golden saluts. During this time, the English met with no opposition,-but the count d'Estampes had arrived at Peronne, and instantly sent summonses to the principal persons in Picardy, Hainault, and the adjacent countries, to hasten to him with as many men as they could collect. They joined him in great numbers,-among whom were the lord de Croy, the lord de Humieres, the lord de Saveuses and his brothers, Waleran de Moreul, Jean de Brimeu, at that time bailiff of Amiens, sir Jean de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, the lord de Hautbourdin, the lord de Barbenson, sir Simon de Lalain, and very many more from the countries aforesaid,

who, when they were assembled in Peronne and the towns round about, amounted to full three thousand well-tried combatants.

These lords held a council, to consider how they should act. Many wanted to fight the English without more loss of time; but others were of a contrary opinion, and gave good reasons why they ought not to fight them. At length, it was determined to take the field during the night, and form an ambuscade near to Lihons in Santois, while some of the captains were to beat up the quarters of the English, and set fire to the outskirts of the town,-when they would consider, from the movements of the enemy, how it would be most expedient for the main body in ambush to act. After this determination, every one was ordered to be ready to mount instantly after midnight, and this order was obeyed. The count d'Estampes issued, immediately after, out of Peronne; but they had scarcely advanced half a league from that town, when it became so very dark that they had difficulty to keep their road; they were, therefore, forced to move about until it was lighter, so that their enterprise failed, and they returned back to Peronne. On this same day, about twelve o'clock, the count d'Estampes received certain intelligence that the English had dislodged from Lilions, and were on their march back to Normandy by the same road they had come. When the English had remained for about ten days in Lihons, ransoming and despoiling the country as I have said, they marched back to Normandy, without meeting with any opposition worth mentioning, carrying with them much plunder, and hostages for payment of the composition-money. On repassing Folleville, they reinforced the garrison with a strong body of men. During the stay of the English in Santois, and when they were quartered in Lihons, those attached to, and dependent on sir John de Luxembourg, went backward and forward, and had much communication with them, to the great astonishment of the count d'Estampes, who as well as the other lords with him were not very well pleased; but they could not prevent it at that time. On the departure of the English for Normandy, the menat-arms who had obeyed the summons of the count d'Estampes began to retire, each to the place he had come from.

CHAPTER CCXLV.-THE DAUPHIN, THE DUKE OF BOURBON, AND MANY OF THE GREAT LORDS, QUIT IN DISGUST THE COURT OF KING CHARLES *.

[A. D. 1440.]

Ar the commencement of this year, the king of France assembled a large body of nobles and men-at-arms to march into the Bourbonnois, and conquer the duke of Bourbon and destroy his territories; because he had, to his great vexation, seduced and carried off his son the dauphin, who had, until then, been lodged in the castle of Loches+.

The count de la Marche was governor of the castle of Loches, and was in the town at the time the dauphin went away, unsuspicious that he would do so without first speaking to him. The bastard of Bourbon, however, with Anthony de Chabannes and other captains, with a large body of men-at-arms, entered the castle, and, with the dauphin's consent, carried him away to the town of Moulins in the Bourbonnois. Thither followed the duke of Bourbon, the duke d'Alençon, the count de Vendôme, the lords de la Trémouille, de Chaumont §, de Prie||, and other nobles and great lords, whose intentions were to invest the

*This quarrel was caused by reforms which the king wanted to make in his army, that devoured the country, and was very displeasing to the nobles, who fattened on the misery of the people. The commotion was called La Praguerie. The dukes of Alençon, Bourbon, Vendôme, and even the bastard of Orleans, the count de Dunois, entered into it. They complained that the king intrusted the government of the realm only to two or three private persons, and formed a league against the miListers. The duke of Alençon seduced the dauphin, then only sixteen years of age,-but whose turbulent disposition readily inclined him to make part of the conspiracy, in order to get rid of the count de Perdriac, his tutor. Me zeray.-[The horrors perpetrated by the Hussites at

Prague, gave occasion to the dread of similar consequences from the civil war kindled in France, and gave this faction the name of La Praguerie. Du Clos, Hist. de Louis XI. ED.]

Loches, a town in Touraine, on the Indre, ten leagues from Tours.

Moulins, capital of the Bourbonnois, forty-three leagues from Lyons.

§ William V., lord and count of Chaumont, who died in 1445, leaving by his wife Jane de Mello, lady of Rigni le Feron, only one surviving son, Anthony lord of Chaumont.

Antoine de Prie, lord of Bucençais, &c. was Grand Queux in 1431, and married Magdalen, daughter of Hugh d'Amboise lord of Chaumont.