began to attempt more boldly against his neighbors in such sort that in the end these 120000. crownes grew to 500000. and the number of his men of armes augmented so excessiuely that his subiects were greatly charged for their maintenance To say my fansie of these ordinarie men of armes I thinke vnder a wise Prince they be well imploied but if he be otherwise or happily at his death leaue his children in their minoritie the seruice wherein their gouernors imploy them is not alwaies profitable neither for the King nor for his subiects The hatred betweene the King and the Duke diminished not but still endured Further the Duke of Guienne being returned into his countrie sent often to the Duke of Burgundy following still his sute for his daughters marriage who fed him continually with faire words as he did euery other man that required hir And I thinke verily that he neither was desirous of a sonne 5 neither would haue married his daughter during his life but haue kept hir to intertaine men thereby to obtaine their friendship and aide For he had so many great enterprises in his head that all his life time could not suffice to atchieue them and those aduentures almost impossible to be compassed for halfe Europe would not haue contented him He had courage ynough to attempt any thing his bodie was able to endure as much labour and trauell as was needfull he was furnished both of men and mony but he lacked finenes and cunning sufficient for the managing of his affaires And what Prince soeuer desireth to be great notwithstanding that he be accomplished with all other good parts yet if he lacke an excellent wit all is to no purpose which vndoubtedly proceedeth of the meere grace of God To be short if part of the Dukes vertues and part of the King our masters had been tempered togither they would haue made a perfect Prince for vndoubtedly in wit the King far excelled him as it well appeered in the end The Notes 1 Of this armie he spake somwhat in the Duke of Bourbons aduertisement sent to the Duke of Burgundie mentioned in the first chapter of this booke it was led by the Earle Daulphin d'Auuergne sonne to the Earle of Montpensier Of this discomfiture reade Annal. Burgund pag. 945. 2 The reason was bicause he perceiued the intelligences of the Constable and the rest to be vntrue 3 This assembly was held the 16. of Iune Meyer 4 But this subsidie of 120000. crownes was granted but for three yeeres Meyer pag. 348. and 367. 5 The Duke desired no sonne bicause then his daughters marriage could not haue stood him in such stead as now it did Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. I Must now discourse of Edward King of England bicause Note that from this place til the 7. Chapter all these English affaires fall into the yeeres 1469. 1470. these three great Princes namely our King the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy liued all in one age in the which discourse I will not obserue the Historiographers vsuall order in writing who set downe the certaine yeeres and daies when each thing hapned neither will I vouch examples out of ancient histories for you know them better than my selfe and in so dooing I should but seeme to reason of Diuinitie before a Doctor But I will rudely aduertise you of all that I haue seene knowen or heard of these Princes of whom I write You liue in the selfe same age that all these things hapned wherefore me thinke it needlesse so exactly to note the houres and seasons I haue before rehearsed what occasion mooued the Duke of Burgundy to mary King Edvvards sister and said it was principally to fortifie himselfe against the King otherwise he would neuer haue done it for the great affection he bare to the house of Lancaster whereof he was descended by his mother for she was daughter to the King of Portugall and hir mother daughter to the Duke of Lancaster 1 so that as feruently as he loued the house of Lancaster as extremly hated he the house of Yorke But you shall vnderstand that at the time of this mariage the house of Lancaster was vtterly destroied and the house of Yorke no more spoken of For King Edvvard being both King and Duke of Yorke raigned peaceably During the ciuill wars betweene these two houses were fought in England seauen or eight cruell battels and in them slaine three or fower score Princes and Lords of the blood royall as before is rehearsed in this history The rest that escaped being all yoong Lords whose fathers died in these battels aboue mentioned liued as banished men in the Duke of Burgundies court who receiued them as his kinsmen of the house of Lancaster before his mariage with King Edvvards sister I haue seene them in so great misery before they came to the Dukes knowledge that those that beg from dore to dore were not in poorer estate then they for I once saw a Duke of Excester run on foote bare legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake but he vttered not his name He was the neerest of the house of Lancaster and had maried King Edvvards sister 2 but when he was knowne the Duke gaue him a small pension to maintaine his estate They of the house of Somerset and diuers others were there in like maner who died all afterwards in the wars Their fathers and kinsmen had spoiled and destroied the realme of Fraunce and possessed the greatest part thereof many yeeres and afterwards slew one another and those that remained aliue in England and their children haue died as you haue seene Yet men say that God punisheth not now as he did in the children of Israels time but suffereth euill men and euill Princes to liue vnpunished True it is that he threatneth not now by expresse messengers as he was wont for he hath left examples inough to instruct vs. Notwithstanding you may perceiue by these discourses ioining thereto the great knowledge you haue besides that of euill Princes and such as haue authority in this world and abuse it to cruelty or tiranny few or none escape vnpunished though it happen not by and by after the fault committed neither so soone happily as those that are afflicted desire But to returne to King Edvvard the chiefe man in England that maintained the house of Yorke was the Earle of Warwicke And on the other side the greatest champion of the house of Lancaster was the Duke of Sommerset The said Earle of Warwicke might iustly be called King Edwards father as well for the training of him vp as also for the great seruices he did him for the which the King had also highly aduanced him for besides his owne inheritance which was great he held goodly lands of the Kings gift aswel crowne lands as lands forfeited by attaindor Farther he
was deputy of Calice and had diuers other great offices so that I haue heard his yeerely reuenewes valued at fower score thousand crownes besides his owne inheritance But in the end he fell at variance with the King his master about a yeere as I gesse before the Duke of Burgundies comming before Amiens which breach the said Duke furthered to the vttermost of his power For the Earles great authority in England much discontented him besides that they two were not friends for the Earle had continuall intelligence with the King our master To be short about this present or not long before the Earle of Warwickes force was so great that he seased the King his master into his hands and put to death diuers personages that he highly fauored namely the Lord of Scales the Queenes father 3 and two of his sonnes the third being also in great danger with them diuers other knights He entertained the King his master for a season very honorably and placed new seruants about him supposing that through simplicity he would soone forget the old The Duke of Burgundy being not a little troubled with this aduenture practised secretly how King Edvvard might escape and they two commune togither which enterprise had so good successe that the King escaped indeede and leuied men and defeated certaine of the Earles bands He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at the least nine great battels fighting himselfe on foote in euery one of them The Earle of Warwicke vnable to make resistance aduertised his friends what they should do and embarked at leisure accompanied with the Duke of Clarence who had married his daughter and tooke part with him notwithstanding that he were King Edwards brother They transported with them both wiues and children and a great band of men and sailed straight towards Calais within the which was the Earles lieutenant named the Lord of Vaucler 4 and diuers of the said Earles houshold seruants who in stead of receiuing their Master presented him the canon Further you shall vnderstand that as they lay at anchor before the towne the Duchesse of Clarence daughter to the Earle of Warwicke was deliuered of a sonne and great intreatie was made before Vaucler and the rest of the towne would suffer two flaggons of wine to be brought foorth to hir which was great extremitie of the seruant towards the master For it is to be supposed that the Earle thought himselfe well assured of this place which is they very key of England and the goodliest captainship in mine opinion in the world at the least in Christendome which I dare boldly auow bicause I was there diuers times during these wars and heard also the Maior of the staple report that he would willingly farme yeerely the deputyship of Calais of the King of England for fifteene thousand crownes For the deputie receiueth the profits of all that they haue on this side the sea and of all safe conducts and placeth also the greatest part of the garrison at his pleasure The King of England fauoured highly the Lord of Vaucler for this refusall made to his Captaine and granted him by his letters patents the office of Deputie which the Earle his master before held for he was a wise and an ancient knight and one of the order of the garter The Duke of Burgundie also who then lay at Saint Omer conceiued a maruellous good opinion of him so far foorth that he sent me to him granting him a yeerely pension of a thousand crownes and desiring him to continue a true and faithfull seruant to the King his Master as he had begun which at my comming thither I found him fully determined to do so that he sware in Staple Inne in Calais laying his hand within mine to be faithfull and true to King Edward and to serue him against all men The like oth all the towne and all the garrison sware also Farther I was by the space of two months almost continually resident at Calais at the least posting daiely betweene Calais and Bullen to entertaine the said Vaucler for you shall vnderstand that during these English troubles the Duke of Burgundie came to Bullen where he prepared a great army by sea against the Earle of Warwick who at his departure from Calais tooke many ships of the Dukes subiects which aduanced forward the war betweene the King of Fraunce and vs. For the Earles men sould the bootie in Normandie whereupon the Duke of Burgundie arrested all the French Marchants that came to the Mart at Andwerp Now bicause it is meete to vnderstand as well the cunning and subtill as the iust and vpright dealings of the world not to practise them but to know how to avoide them I will rehearse vnto you a sleight or subtilitie terme it as you list that was cunningly conueighed Farther I would that men should vnderstand the practises as well of our neighbors as our selues to the end it may appeere that in all places are both good and bad When the Earle of Warwick came before Calais thinking to enter into it as his onely refuge the Lord of Vaucler being a very wise gentleman sent him word that if he entred the towne he should cast away himselfe considering that all England the Duke of Burgundie the people of the towne and a great part of the garrison namely the Lord of Duras Marshall there for the King of England and diuers others that had men in the towne were his enimies wherefore his best way should be to retire into Fraunce and as touching the towne of Calais he willed him not to trouble himselfe for he would yeeld him good account thereof when time and occasion should serue He did his Captaine good seruice by giuing him this aduise but shewed himselfe thereby a very Iudas to his Master For vndoubtedly a more traiterous part was neuer plaied considering both that the King of England had made him Deputie of the towne of Calais and the Duke of Burgundy giuen him so large a pension The Notes 1 Philippa daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster was married to Iohn King of Portugale and had issue by him Isabell mother to Duke Charles 2 This was Henry Holland Duke of Exceter whose wife was Anne sister to King Edward the fourth and his grandmother was Elizabeth daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster by his first wife but he died without issue 3 Our chronicles name the Queenes father Earle of Riuers and so doth afterward also our Author lib. 5. cap. 15. 4 This Vaucler was a Gascoine borne How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great greefe who receiued him into his countries Chap. 5. THe Earle of Warwicke followed Vauclers aduise and landed in Normandie where the King honorably receiued him and furnished him largely of mony for his mens expences and appointed also the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce being well accompanied to defend the
Prince of Wales sonne to King Henry attempt to set vp againe the house of Lancaster passe with the said Prince into England discomfited in the field and slaine both he his brethren and kinsfolks and diuers other noble men of England who in times past had done the like to their enimies After all this the children of these when the world turned reuenged themselues and caused in like maner the others to die which plagues we may be assured hapned not but by the wrath of God But as before I said the realme of England hath this speciall grace aboue all other realmes and dominions that in ciuill wars the people is not destroied the towns be not burned nor razed but the lot of fortune falleth vpon the soldiers especially the gentlemen whom the people enuy to too beyond reason for nothing is perfect in this world After King Edvvard was quiet in his realme and receiued yeerely out of Fraunce fifty thousand crownes paid him in the tower of London and was growen so rich that richer he could not be he died suddenly as it were of melancholy bicause of our Kings mariage that now raigneth with the Lady Margaret the Duke of Austriches daughter For so soone as he was aduertised thereof he fell sicke and began then to perceiue how he had been abused touching the mariage of his daughter whom he made to be named the Lady Daulphinesse Then also was the pension which he receiued out of Fraunce taken from him which he called tribute although indeed it were neither the one nor the other as before I haue declared 10 K. Edward left by his wife two goodly sonnes one Prince of Wales the other D. of Yorke and two daughters The D. of Glocester his brother tooke vpon him the gouernment of his nephew the Prince of Wales being about ten yeeres of age and did homage to him as to his soueraigne Lord and lead him to London pretending that he would there crowne him King hoping by that meanes to get the other brother out of the Sanctuary at London where he was with his mother who began already to be iealous of his proceedings To be short by meanes of the Bishop of Bathe who hauing been somtime of K. Edwards Councell fell afterward into his disgrace and was put in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance the D. of Glocester executed this exploit which you shall now heare This Bishop aduertised the Duke that K. Edvvard being in loue with a certaine Lady promised hir mariage vpon condition that he might lie with hir wherunto she consented so far foorth that the said Bishop maried them togither none being present but they two and he himselfe Which matter this Bishop being a iolly courtier neuer disclosed during K. Edvvards life but caused also the said Lady to conceale it so that it was kept secret After this the said King falling againe in loue maried the daughter of an English knight called the Lord Riuers being a widow and mother of two sonnes But after K. Edvvards death this Bishop of Bathe reuealed this matter to the D. of Glocester whereby he egged him forward not a little to the executing of his mischieuous pretended enterprise For the said D. murthered his two nephewes crowned himselfe King by the name of Richard the third proclaimed his brothers two daughters bastards in open parlament tooke from them their armes and put to death all the faithull seruants of the late King his brother at the least as many as he could lay hands on But this cruelty remained not long vnpunished for when the said King Richard thought himselfe safest and liued in greater pride than any King of England did these hundred yeeres hauing put to death the Duke of Buckingham and hauing a great army in a readines God raised vp an enimy against him of no force I meane the Earle of Richmond then prisoner in Britaine but now King of England of the house of Lancaster though not This error of Commines touching K. Henry the 7. you shall finde controuled by the peâ—egree in the end of this booke the neerest to the crowne 11 whatsoeuer men say at the least so far as I can learne The said Earle told me a little before his departure out of this realme that from the fift yeere of his age he had liued continually like a prisoner a banished man And indeed he had been fifteene yeeres or therabout prisoner in Britaine to Duke Frances that last died into whose hands he fell by tempest of the sea as he fled into Fraunce accompanied with the Earle of Pembroke his vncle I my selfe saw them when they arriued for I was come of a message to the D. at the same time The Duke entreated them gently for prisoners after King Edwards death lent the said Earle great force of men a great nauie with the which he sent him hauing intelligence with the Duke of Buckingham who for this cause was afterward put to death to lande in England but the winde was against him and the seas so rough that he was forced to returne to Diepe and from thence by land into Britaine From whence soone after he departed with his band into Fraunce without taking leaue of the Duke partly bicause he feared to ouercharge the Duke for he had with him fiue hundred English men and partly bicause he doubted lest the Duke would agree with King Richard to his preiudice for he knew that King Richard practised with him to that ende Soone after the King that now is appointed three or fower thousand men to waft him ouer onely and deliuered those that accompanied him a good summe of money and certaine peeces of artillerie and thus passed he ouer in a ship of Normandie to land in Wales where he was borne King Richard foorthwith marched against him but a kinght of England called the Lord Stanley who was married to the Earles mother ioined himselfe with the Earle and brought vnto him at the least 26000. men 12 The battell was giuen King Richard slaine and the Earle crowned King in the field with the said Richards crowne Will you saie that this was fortune No no it was the iudgement of God and for further proofe thereof marke this also Immediately after the King had murthered his two nephews he lost his wife whom some say he murthered also Further he had but one onely sonne who died in like maner incontinent after this murther This example would haue serued better heereafter when I shall speake of King Edwards death for he was yet liuing at the time my former Chapter treateth of but I haue rehearsed it heere to continue my discourse which I am fallen into In like maner we haue seene of late the crowne of Spaine altered after the death of Dom Henry that last died For the said Dom Henry had to wife the King of Portugales sister last deceased by whom he had issue a goodly daughter which notwithstanding succeeded not hir father but was
and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates page 40 Chap. 15 How by the diuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy the King recouered the said Duchie which he had giuen his brother page 42 Chap. 16 How the new Duke of Normandy returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed in his enterprise page 43 The second Booke Chap. 1 Of the wars betweene the Burgundians and Liegeois and how the towne of Dinand was taken sacked and rased page 45 Chap. 2 How the Liegeois brake the peace with the Duke of Burgundie then Earle of Charalois and how he discomfited them in battell page 48 Chap. 3 How some of the Citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundy page 52 Chap. 4 How the Duke of Burgundy made his entrie into the towne of Liege and how the citizens of Gaunt where he had beene euill intreated before humbled themselues vnto him page 55 Chap. 5 How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederats and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne page 57 Chap. 6 A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and Noble men page 60 Chap. 7 How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castle of Peronne by the D. of Burgundies commandement page 62 Chap. 8 A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth page 64 Chap. 9 How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castle of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois page 67 Chap. 10 How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates page 69 Chap. 11 How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege page 71 Chap. 12 How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger page 73 Chap. 13 How the city of Liege was assaulted taken and spoiled and the Churches also page 75 Chap. 14 How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont page 77 Chap. 15 How the K. by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment page 80 The third Booke Chap. 1 How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a Purseuant of the Parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris page 82 Chap. 2 How the townes of Saint Quintin and Amiens were yeelded to the King and for what causes the Constable nourished the war between the K. and the Duke of Burgundy page 84 Chap. 3 How the Duke of Burgundy tooke Piquigni and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables griefe page 86 Chap. 4 Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy page 89 Chap. 5 How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great griefe who receiued him into his countries page 92 Chap. 6 How the Earle of Warwicke tooke out of prison King Henry of England page 96 Chap. 7 How king Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwicke and then the Prince of Wales page 99 Chap. 8 How the wars reuiued betweene king Lewis and Charles D. of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine page 101 Chap. 9 How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the king brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other page 105 Chap. 10 How the Duke of Burgundy seeing that he could not take Beaunais before the which he had laid his siege went to Roan page 108 Chap. 11 How the king made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracie that these two Princes made against him page 110 Chap. 12 A discourse very fit for this place of the wisedome of the king and the Constable with good aduertisements to such as are in credite with Princes page 114 The fourth Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundie being seazed of the Duchie of Gueldres sought to encroch further vpon the Almaines and how he laid his siege before Nuz page 116 Chap. 2 How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almaines against the Duke of Burgundie and of other enimies that the king procured the Duke page 120 Chap. 3 How the king wan from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquey the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corby and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederic to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire page 122 Chap. 4 How the Constable began to be had in suspition againe as well of the king as of the Duke of Burgundy page 124 Chap. 5 How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the king of England his confederate sent to defie king Lewis page 126 Chap. 6 Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the king of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death page 129 Chap. 7 How the king clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the king of England in his campe where he receiued a very good answere page 131 Chap. 8 How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made page 133 Chap. 9 How the king feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two kings page 136 Chap. 10 How the two kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the king of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon page 140 Chap. 11 How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the king and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundie page 143 Chap. 12 How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundy and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was
to his heires males till they were redeemed for fower hundred thousand crownes 11 How these matters passed I know not perfectly but true it is that in the D. old age he was so gouerned by the Lords of Croy and Chimay being brethren and others of their house that he agreed to take againe his money restore the said territories to the King greatly to the Earle his sons discontentation for besides that they were the frontier townes of their dominions they lost in them a number of able men for the wars The Earle of Charolois charged the house of Croy with this fact so far foorth that after extreeme age was growne vpon his father whereunto he euen then approched he banished all the said house out of his dominions and confiscated all their lands estates and offices The Notes 1 Commines vvhen he came to the Earle of Charolois seruice vvas 19. yeers of age 2 Charles Earle of Eu Peter of Moruillier and Iohn de Harcour bishop of Narbonne vvere the ambassadors heere mentioned they arriued at Liste the 5. of Nouember Annales Burgundiae 3 VVhether the king ment to haue taken the Earle of Charolois prisoner by this Rubempre reade Annal. Burgund lib. 3. pag. 880. and Meyer lib. 16. fol. 334. vvho flatly charge him vvith it 4 Sir Oliuer de la Marche heere named vvrote a Cronicle of these times 5 The cause vvhy the King sent Rubempre into Holland vvas not as he said to take the Earle of Charolois but the Vicechauncellor of Britaine named in Meyer Iohannes Rociuilla and by our author in the 3. Chapter of this first booke Rouuille vvhom the Duke of Britaine had sent into England to make a league betvveene the realme of England and him and bicause the King supposed this Vicechauncellor vvould visit the Earle of Charolois in his returne he sent this Rubempre into Holland to take him and bring him into Fraunce Annal. Burgund Meyer 6 For the better vnderstanding of the Dukes ansvvere I am forced to passe the bounds of a note VVherefore it is to be vnderstood that in the declination of the Romaine Empire the Burgundians anno 408. being chased out of Almaine vvhere they inhabited the countries novv subiect to the Palsgraue of the Rhyne inuaded Fraunce and conquered the countries novv knovvne by the names of the Countie and Duchie of Burgundy togither vvith Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and the greatest part of Svvitzerland and anno 414. chose them a king named Gondiachus vvith vvhom after diuers battels fought vvith changeable fortune Aetius the Emperour Honorius his lieutenant in Fraunce at the length made peace And Gondiachus remained King of Burgundy and ayded the Romaines against Attila Soone after failed the male line of Gondiachus and by the mariage of Clotilde daughter to Chilperic Gondiachus his sonne vvith Clodoneus King of Fraunce Burgundie fell to Clotarius sonne to the saide Clotilde and Clodoneus and so continued in the house of Fraunce till the yeere 843. vvhen the sonnes of the Emperor Lodouicus Pius vvarring togither Burgundy vvas deuided into Burgundiam Transiuranam and Cisiuranam Transiurana containing Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and Lyonnois remained to Lotharius the Emperor vvith the title of King of Burgundie Cisiurana conteining the Countie and Duchie of Burgundie vvas also dismembred for that part novv knovvne by the name of the Countie of Burgundie fell also to Lotharius share but that part novv knovvne by the name of the Dutchie of Burgundie vvas togither vvith the Realme of Fraunce yeelded to Carolus Caluus But after the death of the Emperor Lotharius his tvvo sonnes Lodouicus and Lotharius made another partition of their part of Burgundie for the realme of Austrasia vvith the Countie of Burgundie fell to Lotharius after vvhose death his vncle Carolus Caluus King of Fraunce ambitiously through violence conquered also that part of Burgundie and ioined it to the crovvne of Fraunce so that the said Carolus Caluus possessed all Burgundie Cisiurana that is both the Countie and Dutchie of Burgundie Loduicus the other sonne of the Emperor Lotharius possessed vvith the Empire all Burgundie Transiurana togither vvith the title of King of Burgundie and left behinde him one onely daughter named Hermingarde maried to Boson brother to Richilde Carolus Caluus his vvife in respect of vvhich mariage the said Caluus gaue to Boson all Burgundie Cisiurana vvhich he the said Caluus then held And thus had Boson all the realme of Burgundie viz. Transiurana in the right of his wife and Cisiurana by his brother in lawes gift Farther the said Caluus being both Emperor and King of France created the aboue named Boson King of Burgundie anno 879. to whom succeeded Lodouicus his sonne from whom Ralph King of Fraunce sonne to Richard that first intituled himselfe Duke of Burgundie wan the greatest part of Burgundy Cisiurana To this Lewis succeeded his sonne Ralph King of Burgundie who not being able to defend his realme gaue it to the Emperor Conradus 2. who notwithstanding obteined the least part thereof for as touching Transiurana Beralde Duke of Saxe had before this gift woon from King Ralph Sauoy and a great peece of Switzerland Daulphine Lyonnois Poruince Guigue le gras the first Daulphine had likewise conquered And as touching Cisiurana by treatie made betweene the Emperour Conradus 2. and Henry King of Fraunce onely the County remained to the Empire and the Dutchie to the crowne of Fraunce This I haue written bicause some hold opinion that the County of Burgundy ought also to be held of the crowne of Fraunce whereas in deede rather the Dutchy with all Transiurana the greatest part whereof the French King at this day possesseth ought to be held of the Empire from whom the said French Kings haue pulled so many prouinces that now as one properly speaketh the Eagle hath lost so many feathers that hardly he can flie 7 Lahaie in our author and in Annal. Burgund where Rubempre should haue taken the Earle of Charolois is named in Meyer Gorkem 8 The pension the Earle of Charalois had of the King with the gouernment of Normandy was 36000. franks Annal. Burgund La Marche Meyer 9 A franke is two shillings and six pence sterling after eight souse to an English shilling so that the carles pension after that rate amounted to fower thousand fiue hundred pound sterling 10 The townes and territories vpon the riuer of Somme engaged to Duke Philip by the treatie of Arras which was in the yeere 1435. are named in the articles of the said treatie rehearsed in Annal. Burgund pag. 760. and 761. and in the first booke of La Marche and in the 16. booke of Meyer and others 11 They were engaged as our author and Annal. Burgund write for 400000. crowns but Meyer saith 450000. but they were redeemed for 400000. anno 1463. La Marche Meyer Annal. Burgund How the Earle of Charolois and diuers noble men of Fraunce leuied an army against king Lewis vnder colour of the weale publique Chap. 2. SOone
the rest of their talke certaine words that passed the Duke of Berry who was yoong and vnacquainted with such exploits were especially marked for he seemed already to be weary of this enterprise alledging the great number of the Earle of Charolois men that he had seene in the towne hurt and maimed of whom to shew that he had pitie and compassion he brake foorth into this speech and said that he had rather the matter had neuer been begun than that so much mischiefe should arise by his occasion and for his cause which words displeased greatly the Earle of Charolois and his men as heerafter you shall heare Notwithstanding they concluded in this assembly to go before Paris to prooue whether the towne would enter into league with them for the benefit of the common wealth which they al pretended to be the onely cause of their assembly being fully perswaded that all the townes in the realm would follow the example thereof The words aboue mentioned vttered by the D. of Berry in this assembly put the Earle of Charolois and his men into such a dumpe that they said thus one to another heard you this man speake he is discouraged for seuen or eight hundred hurt persons that he seeth in the towne who are none of his but meer strangers to him he would be otherwise troubled than if the matter should touch himselfe in any point and easely be won to agree with his brother and leaue vs in the mire and bicause of the long wars that haue been in times past betweene King Charles his father and the D. of Burgundie my father both the parties would soone consent to turne their forces against vs wherefore it is good to prouide vs of friends in time And vpon this suspicion onely VVilliam of Cluny Prenotarie who died Bishop of Poictiers was sent to England to King Edward the 4. then raigning to whom the Earle of Charolois had euer before been mortall enimie supporting the house of Lancaster against him of the which he was issued by his mother 2 And the said Clunies instructions were to treat with King Edward of a mariage betweene the Kings sister called Margaret and the Earle of Charolois not to conculde the matter but onely to put the King in hope thereof for the Earle knowing how greatly the King desired this mariage supposed by this meanes to win him to take his part if he needed his helpe at the least to staie him from attempting ought against him And notwithstanding that he ment nothing lesse then the accomplishment thereof bicause as feruently as he loued the house of Lancaster as extreemly hated he the house of Yorke yet was the matter so labored that many yeeres after the mariage was accomplished 3 and the Earle receaued also the order of the Garter and ware it till his dying day Many a such deed is often done vpon suspicion onely especially among great Princes who are much more suspicious then other men bicause of the doubts and reports that are daily brought vnto them oftentimes by flatterers vpon no occasion The Notes 1 The Britaines army was of 10600. men Anna. Aqui. and the archers here mentioned were all mounted one horsebacke otherwise the men of armes could not arise to sixe thousand 2 Charles D. of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster after this sort Iohn of Gaunt D. of Lancaster had issue by Blaunche his first wife daughter and heire to Henry D. of Darby and Lancaster Philip which married with Iohn King of Portugall bastard of Ferraude by whom she had issue Isabell married to Philip D. of Burgundie by whom she had issue this D. Charles 3 Margaret king Edwards sister arriued in the Lowe countries 25. Iunij Ann. 1468. Meyer How the Earle of Charolois and his confederates with their whole army passed the riuer of Seine vpon a bridge made of botes how Iohn D. of Calabria ioined with them and how they all encamped before Paris Chap. 6. ALl these Princes according to their determination departed from Estampes hauing soiourned there certaine daies and marched to Saint Maturin of Larchant and Moret in Gastinois in the which two little townes the Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Britaine 's lodged but the Earle of Charolois encamped in a great medow vpon the riuer of Seine and made proclamation that euery man should bring a hooke with him to fasten his horse therewith he caried also with him seauen or eight small boates in cartes and great store of pipeboorde meaning therewith to make a bridge ouer the riuer of Seine bicause these Princes had no passage there The Earle of Dunois accompanied him riding in a litter for bicause of the goute he could not sit on horsebacke notwithstanding his ensigne was borne with him When they came to the riuer they launched foorth the boates they brought with them and tooke an Iland in the midst of the streame where certaine of our archers landed and skirmished with a companie of horsemen that defended the passage on the other side vnder the leading of the Marshall Ioachin and Sallezard The place was much to their disaduantage bicause it was high and in a goodly vine country besides that the Burgundians had great store of artillerie vnder the charge of a notable gunner named Master Girald whom they tooke prisoner at the battell of Montl'hery being then in the Kings seruice To be short the aboue mentioned horsemen were forced to abandon the passage and retire to Paris The selfesame night the bridge was made from the side of the riuer where we lay to the Iland where incontinent the Earle of Charolois caused his pauilion to be pitched and lodged there all night with fiftie men of armes of his house by day breake a great number of Coopers were set on work to make casks of the pipe boord we brought with vs who so bestirred themselues that before noon the bridge was made from the Iland to the other side of the riuer Incontinent passed the Earle of Charolois and caused his tents whereof he was well furnished to be pitched ouer the same bridge passed also his whole armie and artillerie and lodged vpon the side of a hill hanging towards the riuer by means whereof his campe made a goodly shew to those that came after It was that whole daies worke to conuey ouer the Earles owne forces but the next morning by day breake passed also the Dukes of Berry and Britaine with their whole armie commending this bridge to be very commodiously and speedily made and marched when they were passed a little beyond the Earle and encamped also vpon the hill When it was darke night we discouered a great number of fires as far from vs as we could well discerne which diuers supposed to be the Kings forces but bofore midnight we were aduertised that it was Iohn Duke of Calabria 1 onely sonne to King Rene of Sicilie 2 with nine hundred men of armes of the Duchie and Countie of Burgundie The said Duke had
strange that all these Princes should thus conspire against the King for zeale of the common wealth if other particular greifes had not more mooued them than the misgouernment of the estate 2 To the ende the reader finde it not strange that Rene is here called King of Sicily sith the house of Arragon possessed the same Realme at that time it is to be vnderstood that the race of the Normans who about the yeere 1060. subdued Sicily Calabria and Apulia and about the yeere 1102. tooke vpon them the title of Kings of Sicily being extinct in Roger the last King of Sicily of that race about the yeere 1195. the said Realme fell to the issue of the Emperor Fridericus Barbarossa by the marriage of Constantia daughter to Roger the first King of Sicill and aunt to Roger the last King of Sicill of this race with Henry the said Barbarossas sonne in which race it continuedtily Manfridus bastard sonne to Fridericus the Emperor sonne to the aboue named Henry obteined the crowne of Sicill Naples by dispossessing Conradinus his nephew the true heir therof Against this Manfridus Pope Vrbanus the 4. called into Italie Charles of Amon brother to S. Lewis King of Fraunce who slew Manfridus in battell and afterward executed also Conradinus the true heire of the crowne being taken in battell comming with an armie to conquer the said realmes of Naples and Sicily as his true inheritance and thus obteined this Charles of Aniou the crowne both of Naples and Sicily till not long after by the comming of Peter king of Arragon who had married Constantia daughter and heire to Manfridus the Sicilians arose suddenly against the French slew them all in one euening and yeelded the Realme of Sicily to the saide Peter whose posteritie euer sithens euen till this day haue continued in possession thereof Notwithstanding the posteritie of Charles of Aniou held still the Realme of Naples with the title of the Realme of Sicily till the time that the later Iane Queene of Naples to fortifie hir selfe against Pope Vrbanus Sextus adopted Alfonse of Arragon sonne to Ferrande King of Arragon which Ferrandes mother named Elenor was daughter to King Peter but after the saide Iane for displeasure conceiued against the saide Alfonse adopted secondarilie Lewis D. of Aniou brother to Charles the 5. King of Fraunce descended of the race of the first Charles King of Sicily against whom and his sonne Lewis Alfonse long warred and in the end after Queene Ianes death chased them both out of Italy and left the Realmes of Arragon and Sicily to Iohn his brother but the Realme of Naples to Ferrande his base sonne with whom Rene heere mentioned brother to Lewis the 2. of that name D. of Aniou and king of Sicily and by him with Ianes consent adopted long vvarred but preuailed not so that Rene had onely the title of Sicily and Naples by the adoption aforesaid but no possession thereof for Sicily the kings of Arragon held euer since the conquest of Peter and the realme of Naples Ferrande the bastard held of his fathers gift from vvhose posterity hovv in the end after many alterations it fell to the house of Arragon that novv possesseth it shall be set dovvne at large in the vvars of Naples made by King Charles the 8. vvho had the house of Anious title vvhereof our author treateth in the 7. and 8. booke of this historie 3 This force led by the Marshall of Burgundie vvas of 4000. men Meyer 4 This Oudet is he that acquainted the Duke of Berry vvith this confederacie and conueighed him into Britaine Meyer La Marche 5 Franck archers were these King Charles the 7. in the yeere 1449. being destitute of footemen appointed that euery threescore houses in his realme should arme a man vvho in time of vvar receiued paie of the King and vvere exempt from all subsidies and payments for the which cause they vvere all called franck that is free but King Lewis the 11. anno 1480. abolished these franck archers and waged Switzers in their place A discourse vpon ambitious hunting after offices and estates by the example of the English men Chap. 7. I Speake of these offices and estates bicause in changes they are so greedily desired and are also cause thereof as appeereth by that which hath happened not onely in this our age but also in the time of King Charles the sixt vnder whom the wars began that endured till the treatie of Arras during the which wars the English men entred into the realme and conquered so far that at the time of the saide treatie which continued 1 the space of two moneths the Duke of Bedford brother to Henry the fift King of England being maried to Duke Philip of Burgundies sister was regent in Fraunce for the English men whose monethly allowance in that office amounted to 20000. crownes at the least At the said treatie were present for the King of Fraunce fower or fiue Dukes or Earles fiue or sixe Prelates and ten or twelue Councellers of the Parliament For Duke Philip likewise diuers Noble men 2 in much greater number for the Pope 2. Cardinals as mediators and for the English men diuers noble personages Duke Philip greatly desired to acquite himselfe honorably towards the English men before he would abandon them bicause of the ancient league that had been betweene them wherefore the Duchies of Normandie and Guien were offered to the King of England with condition that he should do homage for them to the crowne of Fraunce as his predecessors had done and restore all the places he held in the Realme out of the said Duchies which condition the English men bicause of the homage refused but to their great losse for being abandoned of this house of Burgundie their good successe altered and all their intelligences within the realme failed whereby their power daily so diminished that in short space they lost Paris and by little and little all that they held in this realme After their returne into England none of them would diminish his estate but the offices within the realme sufficed not for maintenance of them all wherupon long ciuil wars arose among them in the which King Henry the sixt who had been crowned King of England Fraunce at Paris was proclaimed traitor and imprisoned in the tower of London where he remained the greatest part of his life and in the end was there murthered The Duke of Yorke father to King Edward that last died intituled himselfe right heire to the crowne soone after was slaine in the battell and had his head smitten off as had also the Earle of Warwick 3 that last died whose credit was so great in England and all the rest that were slaine in those wars The said Earle of Warwick led the Earle of Marche afterward named Edward the fourth by sea to Calais with a small companie escaped out of battell 4 for the Earle of Warwick tooke part with the house of Yorke
as the Duke of Sommerset did with the house of Lancaster To be short these wars indured so long that all they of the houses of Warwick and Sommerset were either slaine or beheaded in them King Edward caused afterward his owne brother the Duke of Clarence to be drowned in a Butt of malmesey charging him that he ment to make himselfe King but after King Edwards death his other brother the Duke of Glocester murthered the said Kings two sonnes proclaimed his daughters bastards and vsurped the crowne Immediately after the which cruell deed the Earle of Richmond now King who had been prisoner many yeeres in Britaine passed into England and discomfited and slew in battell this bloody King Richard late murtherer of his two nephewes Thus haue there died in England in these ciuill wars since my remembrance aboue fowerscore persons of the blood Royall part of the which I my selfe knew part vnderstood of by the English men resident with the Duke of Burgundie at the same time that I serued him Wherfore you see it is not at Paris onely nor in Fraunce alone that men fall at variance for worldly goods and honors But sure all Kings and great Princes ought to take heed that they suffer not factions to arise in their courts for thereof kindleth the fire that consumeth their whole countrey in the end Notwithstanding such alterations happen not in mine opinion but by Gods disposition for when Princes and realmes haue long florished in great wealth and prosperitie and forget from whence all these benefits proceede God raiseth vp an enimie against them whom they neuer feared nor stood in doubt of as appeereth by the Kings mentioned in the Bible and by that also which hath hapned and daily doth happen not onely in England and in these countries of Burgundie but in diuers other places also The Notes 1 The last of Iuly arriued the French Kings ambassadors at the treaty of Arras Annal. Burg. so that the treaty began in the beginning of August and the English men departed discontented the 6. of December Annal. Bur. and the treatie ended the 21. of September but De la Marche saith the 10. of December Meyer 11. Calen. Octob. which agreeth with Annal. Burg. 2 At the treatie vvas present Philip D. of Burgundie himselfe La Marche Meyer 3 Our Chronicles report that the Duke of Yorke vvith diuers others slaine in the battell and the Earle of Salisbury father to the Earle of VVarvvick vvho vvas taken prisoner in the battell vvere behedded and their heds sent to Yorke in derision but I remember not that the Earle of VVarvvick vvas behedded after he vvas slaine and I suppose the vnskilfull corrector hath here omitted a vvord or tvvo and that vve must read in place of Luy le Comte de Warwic Luy le pere du Comte de Warwic 4 The Earles of Marche and VVarvvick vvent to Calice before the Duke of Yorke vvas slaine or ouerthrowen in battell for they fled from Ludlovv lying in campe there against the kings force bicause they found themselues too vveake and their counsels betrayed by Andrew Trowlop vvho fled from them to the King How King Lewis entred into Paris while the Princes of Fraunce practised with the citizens Chap. 8. I Haue been long in this discourse and it is now time to returne to the historie After the Princes were come before Paris they began to practise with the citizens promising offices and great rewards to diuers and omitting nothing that might further their purpose At three daies end the citizens assembled togither in the towne hall where when they had long debated these matters and heard the Princes requests demands made openly to them for the benefit of the whole realme as they pretended they determined to send ambassadors to them to treate of peace according to the which determination a great number of the best citizens came to Saint Mor where the Princes lay and Master VVilliam Chartier then Bishop of Paris a notable prelate declared the citizens embassage and for the Princes the Earle of Dunois was appointed to be mouth The Duke of Berry the Kings brother was president of this Councill sitting in a chaire and all the other Princes standing about him On the one side stood the Dukes of Britaine and Calabria and on the other the Earle of Charolois armed at all peeces saue the head peece and vantbrases and wearing vpon his quirage a short cloke maruellous rich for he came from Conflans and Bois-de-Vincennes being well manned was held for the King wherefore it stood him vpon to come armed and well accompanied The Princes request was to enter into Paris to confer with the citizens about the reformation of the state which they said was euill gouerned charging the King with diuers disorders The citizens gaue them very lowly and humble language desiring respite before they could make any resolute answer yet notwithstanding this delay the King was afterward discontented both with the Bishop and the rest that accompanied him Thus returned these ambassadors into the towne continuing still their former practise for euery one of the Princes talked with them apart and I am of opinion that some of them had agreed secretly to suffer the Princes in their owne persons to enter the towne and their men also if they so thought good by small troupes which practise if it had taken effect had not onely been the winning of the towne but the atchieuing of the whole enterprise For the citizens would easily haue been brought for diuers considerations to reuolt to them and so consequently all the other townes in the realme But God put wise counsell into the Kings head which also he executed accordingly being alreadie aduertised of all these practises Before the ambassadors that were returned from the Princes had made their report the King in person entred the towne of Paris accompanied like a prince that commeth to relieue his people for he brought with him into the towne two thousand men of armes all the nobles of Normandie a great number of franke archers and all his owne seruants pensioners and others that vse to accompanie the King in such affaires Thus this practise was broken off and all the people altered their mindes neither durst any of them that had been with vs make farther mention of the Princes demaunds Some of them also sped but euill for that they had alreadie done notwithstanding the King vsed no extremitie towards them 1 but some lost their offices and others were sent to dwell in other places for the which easie reuenge the King vndoubtedly deserued great commendation considering that if this practise begun had taken effect the best that could haue happened to him had been to forsake his realme which also was his resolution For as himselfe hath often told me if he could not haue entred into Paris but had found the towne reuolted he would haue retired to the Switzers or to Francis Duke of Milan whom he accounted
as you see The Notes 1 The Earles meaning was that the King could not redeeme them during the said Earles life bicause they were engaged to Duke Philip and his heires males 2 The Duke of Burgundie allowed the Dolphin being in his countries monethly 3000. florences for his entertainment Meyer 3 King Lewis was crowned anno 1461. Augusti 14. 4 The Kings sister that married the Earle was named Catherine but he had no issue by hir Annal. Burgund Meyer His second wife was Isabell daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon by whom he had issue a daughter named Marie which also was his heire His third wife was Margaret sister to Edward the fourth King of England by whom also he had no issue 5 He meaneth the taking of Roan mentioned in the next chapter How the towne of Roan by practise was put into the Duke of Bourbons hands for the D. of Berry and how the treatie of Conflans was fully concluded Chap. 13. YOu shall now vnderstand what mooued me to discourse so long of the dangers depending vpon these treaties and why I aduised Princes to be wise and circumspect whom they employ in them especially him that hath the woorse end of the staffe For while the commissioners sat to treat of peace by means wherof men met communed togither in steede of treating of peace some practised to yeeld the Duchie of Normandie to the Kings onely brother the Duke of Berry to the end he might there take his partage and restore Berry to the King which enterprise was also executed according for the Lady of Brezey the late Seneschall of Normandies widow and certaine of hir kins folkes and seruants by hir perswasion receiued Iohn Duke of Bourbon into the castell of Roan and finally into the towne the which willingly consented to this mutation as did also all the other townes and places in the countrey a few excepted For the Normans haue euer been and yet are of opinion that it is requisite for them their countrie being so large to haue their Prince resident among them neither desire they any thing more and sure it is a goodly thing and a rich for I my selfe haue knowen the reuenues thereof nine hundred and fiftie thousand frankes 1 and some say they are greater After the towne was reuolted all the inhabitants gaue their oth to the Duke of Bourbon as the Duke of Berries lieutenant saue the bailiffe of the towne named Onaste who had been a groome of the Kings chamber in Flaunders and neere about him and another called VVilliam Piquart afterward generall of Normandie and the high Seneschall of Normandie that now is who also departed to the King against his mothers will who as you haue heard was the chiefe author of the citizens reuolt When the King heard this newes he resolued to make peace seeing he could not vndoo that was already done Wherefore incontinent he sent word to the Earle of Charolois being in his campe that he would gladly speake with him and appointed the hower when he would meete him in the fields by Conflans neere to the said campe at which hower he came accompanied with an hundred horse all in manner Scottish men of his garde The Earle of Charolois met him with a small traine without any ceremonie notwithstanding many of his seruants went after him so that in the end his company was greater than the Kings but he caused them to stay a pretie way off and when the King and he had walked togither a while the King told him that the peace was already made and aduertised him of al that was hapned at Roan whereof the Earle as yet vnderstood nothing adding that notwithstanding he would neuer willingly haue granted his brother so large a partage yet now seeing the Normans themselues had made this mutation he would agree thereunto and passe the treatie in maner and forme as before at diuers meetings was deuised for as touching the other articles they had to agree vpon they were but trifles The Earle of Charolois was glad of these newes for his army lay in great distresse of vittailes but more of money and had not this hapned all these Princes had been forced to depart with great dishonor Notwithstanding to the Earle of Charolois the same day or within two or three daies after came a new releefe both of men and money sent him by Duke Philip his father out of Burgundy vnder the leading of the Lord of Sauenses being six score men of armes and fifteene hundred archers and six score thousand crownes vpon ten sumpter horses with great store of bowes and arrowes which furnished reasonably well the Burgundians army who stood in great doubt that the other Princes would make peace without them This communication of peace pleased so well both the King and the Earle of Charolois and so desirous they were as I haue heard the Earle himselfe say to conclude the treatie that they marked not which way they walked but rode straight toward Paris so far foorth that they entred into a great bulwarke of wood and earth that the King had caused to be made a good way without the towne at the end of a trench by the which laie a way into the towne The Earle was accompanied but with foure or fiue persons who were much abased when they saw themselues within the bullwarck notwithstanding he himselfe set a good face on the matter But when this newes came to the campe the whole army began to mutter and the Earle of S. Paul the marshal of Burgundie the Lord of Contay the Lord of Hault-bourdin diuers others assembled togither blaming greatly both the Earle and those that accompanied with him of this follie and alleadging the inconuenience that hapened to his grandfather at Montereau-faut-Yonne in the presence of King Charles the 7. Wherefore incontinent they commanded all the soldiers that were walking abroad in the fields to retire into their campe And the marshall of Burgundie surnamed Neuf-chastel said thus though this foolish harebrained yoong Prince be gone to cast awaie himselfe yet let vs prouide that his house his fathers estate and we our selues fall not into danger wherefore mine aduise is that euerie man repaire to his lodging and be in a readines banishing al feare whatsoeuer hapen For we are strong inough if we seuer not to retire to the marches of Henaut or Picardie or into Burgundie When he had thus said he and the Earle of Saint Paul mounted on horsebacke and walked out of the campe to see if they coulde descrie any body comming from Paris where after they had stoode a while they discouered forty or fiftie horses being certeine of the Kings seruants as well archers as others that waited backe vpon the Earle of Charolois who so soone as he perceiued these two approch caused the French men to return he stood in awe of the marshall bicause he vsed to giue him verie sharpe language neither feared sometimes to tell him that he was
since the Duke of Albourg In the end these two confederate nations began to scoffe and iest each at other the King of Castile was deformed and the French misliked his apparell wherefore they derided him Our King ware his apparell very short and maruelous vncomely and was clad somtime in very course cloth besides that he ware an old hat differing from all the rest of his company and an image of lead vpon it whereat the Castilians iested saying that this proceeded of misery Thus ended this enterview with such scoffes and taunts that afterward these two Princes neuerloued togither Farther great dissention arose among the King of Castiles seruants which continued till his death and long after in such sort that I haue seene him the poorest Prince that euer raigned and abandoned of all his seruants and subiects The Queene of Arragon departed also discontented for the King pronounced sentence for the King of Castile Wherfore both the King of Arragon hir husband and she hated him euer after And notwithstanding that they vsed his helpe a while in their necessity against the towne of Barcelonne yet endured not their friendship but wars arose betweene them which continued aboue sixteene yeeres and the controuersie remaineth yet vndecided Now to proceed to other examples Duke Charles of Burgundy since the time aboue mentioned by his owne great sute and sollicitation met with the Emperor Fredericke now raigning at Treues 3 where the Duke made great preparation to shew his pompe and magnificency The Emperor and he treated there of many matters and among the rest of their childrens mariage which was afterward accomplished But when they had been togither a certaine space the Emperor to the Dukes great reproch and dishonor departed without leaue taking wherefore they neuer loued after neither themselues nor their subiects The Almains disdained the Dukes pompe and lofty maner of speech saying that it proceeded of pride the Burgundians on the contrary side despised the Emperors small traine and simple attire To be short this iar grew so great that the wars of Nuz sprang thereof I was also at Saint Paul in Artois when the Duke of Burgundy and King Edward of England met there 4 The Duke had maried his sister they were companions of one order and abode there togither two daies The Kings seruants were deuided into two factions and both the parties complained to the Duke who enclining more to the one than the other encreased their hatred and notwithstanding that he aided the King for the recouery of his realme out of the which he was chased by the Earle of Warwick and furnished him both of men money and ships yet after this meeting they neuer loued togither neither could affoord each other a good word I was likewise at Bruxels when the Palszgraue of the Rheine came thither to the Duke of Burgundy where he was honorably receaued sumptuously feasted and lodged in a chamber richly furnished The Dukes men reported the Almains to be slouens and void of ciuility alledging that they threw their mirie bootes vpon their rich and stately beds wherefore they made lesse account of them then before they knew them The Almains on the contrary side like enuious persons misliked this great pompe To conclude after this they neuer loued togither neither sought to pleasure one another I saw also the meeting of the Duke of Burgundy and D. Sigismunde of Austrich 5 who solde vnto the said Duke the County of Ferret bordering vpon the County of Burgundy for a hundred thousand gildons not being able to defend it against the Switzers These two Princes liked not greatly one another Afterward also Duke Sigismunde made peace with the Switzers and tooke againe the said County of Ferret without paying backe the money whereof ensued infinite harmes to the Duke of Burgundy At the selfe same time also came the Earle of Warwick to the Duke who after their meeting were mortall enimies each to other I was also present at the enteruiewe betweene the King our master and King Edvvard of England at Picquigny 6 neere to Amiens whereof I will make mention heereafter more at large All that they did there was but meere dissimulation for they performed no whit of that they promised And notwithstanding that they were neuer after in war togither bicause the sea seuered them yet perfect friendship was there none betweene them Wherefore to conclude this discourse me thinke that two great Princes minding to continue in amity ought neuer to meete togither The occasions of troubles that arise at such assemblies are these their seruants can not refraine from talking of matters past and words will easely be taken in euill part Secondarily it is impossible but that the traine of the one should be in better order then the other where of scoffes arise which they that are scoffed stomacke Thirdly if they be two nations their language and apparell differ and that that pleaseth the one displeaseth the other Last of all it commonly hapneth that the personage of the one Prince is comlier and better to be liked than the other wherefore he is praised and reioiceth and glorieth to heare his owne commendation which cannot be without the dispraise of the other And notwithstanding that three or fower daies peraduenture after the assembly ended these matters be communed of closely couertly in mens eares yet by vse they fall in time in open talke at dinners and suppers and so are reported to both the parties for fewe things in this world can be concealed especially tales and reports Thus you haue heard the reasons and examples that I my selfe haue seene touching this point The Notes 1 The meeting of the King and the King of Castile was anno 1463. 2 The riuer where the two Kings met was named Audaye 3 The meeting betweene the Emperour and the Duke was saith Munster anno 1469. Berlandus saith anno 1472. Meyer 1473. the 28. of September 4 VVhat yeere the meeting of King Edward and the Duke was appeereth afterwards lib. 3. cap. 6. 5 Ferret was engaged to the Duke about midsommer anno 1469. for seuentie thousand crownes Annal. Burgund but Meyer saith anno 1467. for fiftie thousand gildons and other say for 80. thousand gildons 6 VVhen this meeting vvas at Picquigny looke lib. 4. cap. 10. How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castell of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois Chap. 9. NOw to returne after my long discourse to the King who was staied at Peronne as you haue heard the gates remained shut with watch and warde before them two or three daies all the which time the Duke sawe not the King neither entered any French man into the castell but by the wicket and but sew after that sort notwithstanding none of the Kings seruants were forbidden to repaire to him but few or none of the Dukes went to commune with him neither yet into his chamber especially of those that were of any credit with the Duke The first
Englishmen and their ships against the Duke of Burgundies nauie which was so mighty and strong that no man durst stir in these narrow seas for feare of it making war vpon the Kings subiects both by sea land and threatening them euery where All this happened the sommer before the King surprised Saint Quintine and Amiens which was as before you haue heard in the yeere 1470. The Duke of Burgundies nauie aboue mentioned was stronger than the Kings and the Earles ioined togither For he had taken at Sluse many great ships of Spaine Portugall and Genua and diuers hulks of Almaine King Edward was a man of no great forecast but very valiant and the beautifullest Prince that liued in his time He tooke no care for the Earle of Warwicks landing as the Duke of Burgundie did who perceiuing great tumults already arising in England in the Earles fauor aduertised the King often thereof But he made small account of any danger neither seemed to feare his enimy which sure was great follie considering the great preparation he saw made For the King armed all the ships to the sea that he could get and manned them well and prouided furniture also for the English men Besides this he made a mariage betweene the Prince of Wales and the Earle of Warwickes second daughter The said Prince was onely sonne and heire to King Henry of England who liued yet prisoner in the Tower of London This was a strange mariage when the Earle had deposed and imprisoned the Princes father to cause him to mary his daughter and to entertaine also the Duke of Clarence brother to the King of the other faction who had iust cause to feare his owne estate if the house of Lancaster recouered the crowne Thus we see that such enterprises are not atchieued without dissimulation At the selfe same time that this army aboue mentioned lay in a readines to saile into England I was at Calice to entertaine the Lord of Vaucler whose dooble dealing till that very instant I neuer perceiued notwithstanding that it had now continued the space of three months But at that present I desired him bicause of the newes we heard to put all the Earle of Warwicks houshold seruants being to the number of twenty or thirty out of the towne alledging that I was sure the Kings army and the Earles were ready to depart out of Normandy where they lay and if the Earle should happen sodainly to land in England some such tumult might arise in the towne of Calice by meanes of his seruants that he should not be master thereof Wherefore I pressed him earnestly in all haste to put them out of the towne which he alwaies heertofore promised me to do but now he drew me aside saying that he would be master of the town well inough and required me to do this message to the Duke of Burgundy that if he would be a friend to the realme of England he should endeuor himselfe to make peace and not war which words he spake bicause of the nauy the Duke had on the sea against the Earle of Warwick He told me farther that peace might easily be made bicause that day a gentlewoman passed through Calice to go into Fraunce to the Duches of Clarence with certaine ouertures of peace from King Edward And he said true indeed but as he abused others euen so was he himselfe deceiued by this gentlewoman for she went about a great enterprise which also she atchieued to the preiudice of the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction Of this fine practise all other that haue been managed on this side the sea I write the more at large bicause I am well assured that no man is able to make truer report of them then my selfe at the least of those that haue hapned within these twenty yeeres The secret deliuered to this woman was to counsell the Duke of Clarence not to cause the destruction of his owne house by setting vp againe the house of Lancaster but to remember their ancient harred and diuision adding that he might well assure himselfe that the Earle of Warwick hauing maried his daughter to the Prince of Wales and already done homage to him would by all meanes possible seeke to make him King This gentlewoman so wisely executed the charge committed vnto hir that she wan the Duke of Clarence who promised to reuolt to the King his brother immediately after his returne into England Shee was a woman well aduised and of few words and bicause of hir sexe had leaue granted hir to passe to hir Meistres easilier then a man should and as craftie a foxe as this Vaucler was this woman went beyond him and was the onely contriuer of the enterprise whereby the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction were vtterly destroied wherefore it is no shame to be suspicious and to haue an eie vpon those that passe to and fro but great shame it is to be deceiued and vndone through our owne follie Notwithstanding suspicions ought to be grounded vpon some good presumption for to be too suspicious is naught You haue heard already how the Earle of Warwicks army and the Kings ships appointed to wafte him ouer were in a readines to take sea and how the Duke of Burgundies nauie being at Hancy lay prepared to fight with them But it pleased God so to dispose of this voiage that the selfe same night so great a tempest arose that the Dukes nauie was forced to seuer part wherofran vpon the cost of Scotland and part into Holland and not long after the Earle hauing a good gale of winde passed into England without all danger The Duke of Burgundie had aduertised King Edward in what part rhe Earle would land and had sent men purposely to him to sollicite him to looke to himselfe but he litle regarding the danger passed foorth the time in hunting hauing none so neere him as the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marques of Montagu the Earle of Warwicks bretheren who had promised and solemnly sworne to serue him against their brother and all others wereunto he gaue credite Immediatly after the Earles landing great forces ioyned with him wherewith the King being much abashed began then but all too late to looke about him and sent word to the Duke of Burgundy desiring him that his nauie might still keepe the Sea to stop the Earle from retiring againe into Fraunce for vpon the land he would match him well ynough which message pleased no man that heard it for it had beene much better to haue kept him from landing then to be constrained to hazard his estate in battell when he was landed Fiue or sixe daies after the Earles arriuall his power was so great that he encamped within three leagues of King Edward Notwithstanding the Kings force was greater than his if all his men had beene faithfull and true and lay also in campe to fight with him Further you shall vnderstand that the King lodged as himselfe told me in
a strong village at the least a strong house into the which no man could enter but by a draw bridge which was a happy chance for him the rest of his armie lay in other villages round about But as he sat at dinner suddenly one came running in and brought newes that the Marques of Montague the Earles brother and certaine other were mounted on horsebacke and had caused all their men to crie God saue King Henry Which message the King at the first beleeued not but in all haste sent other messengers foorth and armed himselfe and set men also at the barriers of his lodging to defend it He was accompanied with the Lord Hastings Lord Chamberlain of England a wise Knight and of the greatest authoritie about him who was maried to the Earle of Warwicks sister yet notwithstanding was true and faithfull to his Master and had three hundred horse vnder his charge in the Kings armie as himselfe told me With the King was also the Lord of Scales the Queene of Englands brother and diuers other valiant Knights and Esquires who all perceiued that this busines went not well for the messengers brought word that the report was true and that the enimies assembled to assault the King But God so prouided for the King that he lodged hard by the sea side neer a place where a little ship laden with victuals that followed his armie and two hulks of Holland fraughted with merchandise lay at anchor he had no other shift but to run to saue himselfe in one of them 1 The Lord Chamberlaine staied awhile behinde him and talked with the lieutenant of his band and diuers other particular men in the Kings armie willing them to go to the enimies but to beare true and faithfull harts to the King and him which talke ended he went aboord to the rest being ready to depart Now you shall vnderstand that the custome in England is after the victorie obtained neither to kill nor raunsome any man especially of the vulgar sort knowing all men then to be ready to obey them bicause of their good successe Wherfore these soldiers after the Kings departure receiued no harme Notwithstanding K. Edward himself told me that in albattels that he wan so soon as he had obtained victory he vsed to mount on horsebacke and cry too Saue the people and kil the nobles for of them few or none escaped Thus fled King Edward the yeere 1470. with two hulks and a little bote of his owne countrie accompanied with seuen or eight hundred persons hauing none other apparell than they ware in the wars vtterly vnfurnished of mony and hardly knowing whither they went Strange it was to see this poore King for so might he now well be called to flie after this sort pursued by his owne seruants and the rather for that he had by the space of twelue or thirteene yeeres liued in greater pleasures and delicacies than any Prince in his time for he had wholy giuen himselfe to dames hunting hawking and banketting in such sort that he vsed when he went a hunting in the sommer season to cause many pauilions to be pitched to solace himselfe there with the Ladies And to say the truth his personage serued aswel to make court as any mans that euer I knew for he was yong as goodly a gentleman as liued in our age I meane in this time of his aduersitie for afterward he grew maruellous grosse But behold now how he fel into the trobles aduersities of the world He sailed straight towards Holland and at that time the Easterlings were enimies both to the English men and the French and had many ships of war vpon the sea wherefore they were much feared of the English men and not without cause for they were very good soldiers and had done them great harme that yeere and taken many prises These Easterlings discried afar off the ships wherin the King fled and seuen or eight of them began to make saile after him but in vaine for he was far before them and fell vpon the coast of Holland or somwhat lower for he arriued in Freezland by a little towne called Alquemare 2 as neere the which as was possible his mariners cast anchor for bicause it was ebbing water they could not enter the hauen The Easterlings came in like maner and anchored hard by them minding to boord them the next tide Thus we see that one mischiefe neuer commeth without company King Edwards good successe was now cleane altered and his thoughts quite changed for not past fifteene daies before this misfortune he would little haue beleeued him that had told him that the Earle of Warwicke should chase him out of England and subdue the whole country in eleuen daies for in that smal space he brought it to due obedience Further he mocked the Duke of Burgundie for spending his treasure in defending the sea and wished that the Earle were already landed in England But what excuse could he make now for himselfe receiuing so great losse through his owne fault saue this that such a mishap was not to be doubted of which excuse a Prince growen to mans estate ought to be ashamed for it will not serue Wherefore let King Edwards example teach all Princes that thinke it shame to feare their enimies to be wise in time for notwithstanding that the greatest part of their seruants through flatterie vphold their sayings and that themselues also by such words suppose to purchase an opinion of great courage yet sure whatsoeuer is said to their face wise men account such language but meere folly for it is great honor to feare that which is to be feared and to prouide for it accordingly Further a wise man in a Princes companie is a great treasure and iewell if he may be beleeued and haue leaue to speake the truth By chance the Lord of Gruteuse the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in Holland was at that present in the place where King Edward arriued who being aduertised by certaine that the King sent to land both of his arriuall and of the danger he was in of the Easterlings gaue commandement foorthwith to the said Easterlings not to touch him and went also himselfe into the Kings ship to welcome him And thus he landed 3 being accompanied with his brother the Duke of Glocester who afterward named himselfe King Richard and a traine of fifteen hundred persons The King had not one peny about him but gaue the Master of the ship for his passage a goodly gowne furred with martins promising one day to do him a good turne and as touching his traine neuer so poore a company was seen But the Lord of Gruteuse dealt very honorably with them for he gaue much apparel among them defraied the King to La Hay in Holland whither he himselfe also waited vpon him Afterward he aduertised the Duke of Burgundie of this aduenture who was maruellously abashed at the newes and had much rather haue heard of the
Kings death for he feared the Earle of Warwicke who was his mortall enimie and bare now the whole sway in England The said Earle soone after he was landed found infinite numbers of men to take his part For the armie that King Edward left behinde him what for loue what for feare yeelded to him in such sort that euery day his forces encreased And in this estate went he to London where a great number of Knights and Esquires who afterward did King Edward good seruice tooke sanctuarie as also did the Queene his wife who was there deliuered of a sonne in very poore estate The Notes 1 The King embarked at Lyn. 2 Alquemare Meyer nameth Tessela 3 King Edward landed in Holland the 9. of October Meyer How the Earle of Warwick tooke out of prison King Henry of England Chap. 6. THe E. immediatly after his arriuall at London went foorthwith to the tower tooke K. Henry out of prison whom himselfe many yeres before had lead thither crying before him Traitor Traitor but now he called him his soueraigne Lord and conueighed him to his palace at Westminster where he sat him vnder the cloth of estate in the Duke of Clarences presence who litle liked that sight Farther he sent foorthwith three or foure hundred men to Calais to spoile and forray the countrey of Boulenois whom the Lord of Vaucler so often aboue mentioned friendly receiued and made then open declaration of the good will he had alwaies borne the Earle his Master The same day that the Duke receiued newes of the Kings arriuall in Holland I was come from Calais to Bulen where the Duke then lay vnderstanding nothing of this aduenture nor of the Kings flight The Duke was first aduertised that he was dead whereof he forced not greatly for he loued the house of Lancaster much better then the house of Yorke Besides that he had with him the Dukes of Excester and Sommerset and diuers others of King Henries faction by whose meanes he thought himselfe assured of peace with the house of Lancaster But he feared the Earle of Warwicke neither knew he how to entertaine him that was come to him 1 I meane King Edward who was his brother in lawe and of the same order for the King ware the golden Fleese and the Duke the Garter The Duke foorthwith sent me backe againe to Calais accompanied with a gentleman or two of this newe King Henries faction and gaue me instructions how to deale with this new world pressing me earnestly to go bicause it stood him vpon to be well serued in this busines I went as far as Tournehan a castell neere to Guiens and further durst not passe bicause I found the people flying for feare of the English men who were abroad and spoiled all the countrey But I sent foorthwith to the Lord of Vaucler desiring a safe conduct for before I was accustomed to go without any and was alwaies honorably receiued for the English men are verie curteous and honorable in their entertainment Al this seemed strange to me for I neuer had seen such sudden alterations in the world I aduertised the Duke the same night of the danger I should be in if I passed further making no mention of the safe conduct I had sent for bicause I doubted what answer I should receiue thereof The Duke sent me a ring from his finger bidding me go forward and if I were taken prisoner he would redeeme me for he cared not greatly to endanger one of his seruants at his neede But I had prouided well for my selfe for I receiued a safe conduct with very curteous letters from the Lord of Vaucler Wherein he sent me word that I might go and come after my woonted maner Whereupon I went to Guisnes and founde the captaine at the castell gate who offred me a cup of wine without that he led me into the castel as he was accustomed but he feasted and entertained honorably these gentlemen of King Henries faction that accompanied me From thence I went to Calais where no man came foorth to receiue me after their woonted sort but al men ware the Earle of Warwicks liuery Further vpon the gate of my lodging they made aboue an hundred white crosses and rimes signifying that the King of Fraunce and the Earle of Warwick were all one all the which seemed strange to me Soone after my comming to Calais I sent to Graueling being but fiue leagues thence commanding all English merchants and merchandises to be staied bicause the Englishmen had so spoiled the countrey The Lord of Vaucler sent for me to diner being well accompanied and wearing on his cap a white ragged staffe of gold enamiled 2 being the Earles cognisance which all the rest that were with him ware likewise and he that could not haue it of gold had if of cloth It was told me there at diner that within lesse than a quarter of an hower after these newes came out of England euery man ware the said cognisance so speedy and sudden was the change This was the first time that I began to consider how vnstable and vncertaine all worldly things are The said Vaucler gaue me very curteous language and made certaine excuses in the Earle his captaines behalfe rehearsing also what great benefits he had receiued at his hands But as touching the rest that were with him I neuer saw men so far out of frame for those that I tooke to haue bin the Kings trustiest seruants were they that most threatned him some I thinke for feare but others in good earnest Those household seruants of the Earles whom I had required the Lord of Vaucler heeretofore to put out of the towne were now in great credit Notwithstanding they neuer vnderstood that I had mooued the said Vaucler to any such purpose In all communication that passed betweene them and me I euer told them that King Edvvard was dead wherof I said I was well assured notwithstanding that I knew the contrary adding further that though it were not so yet was the league betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the King and realme of England such that this accident could not infringe it for we would account him King whom they did I said moreouer that bicause of the alterations that had hapned in times past these words VVith the King and the Realme were inserted into the league for performance also whereof fower of the best townes in England were in pledge to the Duke The merchants required in any wise to haue me staied bicause their goods were taken at Grauelin by my commandement as they said In the end peace was thus concluded between them me that they should pay for al the cattell they had taken or restore it again for by agreement betweene the house of Burgundy them they might go into certain pastures thereabout and take cattel for the prouision of the towne at a price which they now paide and prisoners they had taken none Thus it was agreed that the
the Earle and his brother with a great number of gentlemen and the slaughter of the poore people was also great For King Edward at his departure out of Flaunders resolued to cry no more to saue the people and kill the nobles but he had conceiued extreeme hatred against the communalty of England both for the great fauor they bare the Earle of Warwick and for other respects also wherefore at this battell he spared them not Of the Kings side died about fifteene hundred and the field was valiantly fought At the time of this battell the Duke of Burgundie lay before Amiens where he receiued letters from the Duches his wife that King Edward hir brother was not a little discontented with him alleaging that the aide he gaue him was giuen in euil sort and with euill will so far foorth that he was almost vtterly forsaken of him and to say the truth the King and he after this neuer loued one an other Notwithstanding the Duke supposing that this victory would greatly further his affaires caused the newes to be published in all places I had forgotten to tell you how King Edward finding King Henry at London lead him with him into the battell aboue mentioned This King Henry was a very simple man and almost an innocent and if I haue not heard a lie incontinent after the battell the Duke of Glocester K. Edwards brother who afterward named himselfe K. Richard slue this holy man K. Henry with his own hands or caused him to be slaine in his presence in some secret place 2 The Prince of Wales was landed in England when this battell aboue mentioned was fought hauing in his company the Dukes of Excester and Sommerset with diuers others of his kinsfolkes and ancient folowers of his house His army was to the number of forty thousand as I haue been informed by diuers that were with him and if the Earle of Warwicke would haue staied for him it is very like the victory would haue been theirs But the Earle feared both the Duke of Sommerset whose father and brother he had slaine and also Queene Margaret the Princes mother wherefore he fought alone and would not tarie for them 3 Marke heere by this example how long ancient factions and partialities endure how much they are to be feared and what great damage ensueth thereof So soone as King Edward had obteined this victory he marched incontinent against the Prince of Wales where another cruell battell was fought for the Princes force was greater than the Kings notwithstanding the lot of victory fell to the King and the Prince was slaine vpon the place 4 with diuers other great Lords and a maruellous number of common soldiers The Duke of Sommerset was taken and the next day beheaded In eleuen daies the Earle of Warwicke subdued the whole realme of England at the least brought it to obedience and in one and twenty King Edvvard recouered it hauing fought two great and cruell battels Thus you see what sudden mutations haue been in England K. Edvvard caused many of the people to be put to death in many places especially such as had made assemblies against him And from that day forward raigned peaceably in England till his death though not without great trouble and vexation of minde I will heere end my discourse of these English affaires till time and occasion serue in some other place only adding this that of all the nations in the world the English men are most desirous to try their quarrels by dint of sword The Notes 1 Our Chronicles report that the Duke turned on the Kings side at Couentrie before the Kings comming to London and they vary also in other circumstances from our author 2 Our histories report otherwise of King Henries death for he was slain in the Tower and not so soone after the battell 3 Our Chronicles report that the Duke of Sommer set was at Barnet field with the Earle of VVarvvicke and repaired afterward to the Queene and was taken in the second battell and then be he aded 4 Our histories write that the Prince was not slaine in the battell but soone after hauing had communication with King Edward How the wars reuiued betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine Chap. 8. I Wil now return to our affairs on this side the sea wherof I haue made no mention since the Duke of Burgundies departure from before Amiens the Kings returne into the country of Touraine and the Duke of Guienne his brother into Guienne The saide Duke of Guienne continued still his sute aboue mentioned for his mariage with the Duke of Burgundies daughter whereunto the said Duke in word euer shewed himselfe willing but in deede meant nothing lesse both bicause he purposed to vse hir as an instrument whereby to entertaine all the world and a marchandise to put euery man in hope of and also for that he stomacked the euill practises they had contriued to constraine him to this mariage perforce The Earle of Saint Paul Constable of Fraunce busied himselfe in this treaty very earnestly desiring that the mariage might seeme to be effected by his onely meanes and procurement On the other side the Duke of Britaine traueled therein to the end the whole honor thereof might redound to him The King was as busie as the best to breake it off though needlesly as well for the two reasons aboue alleaged as also bicause the Duke of Burgundy was not desirous of so great a sonne in lawe wherefore in vaine the King troubled himselfe but he could not see another mans thoughts And sure he had iust cause of feare for if this mariage had taken effect his brother should haue beene so mighty that he and the Duke of Britaine ioined togither might haue put the Kings estate and his childrens in great danger In the meane time about these affaires many ambassadors passed to and fro as well secretly as openly This often passing to and fro of ambassadors is a thing very dangerous for vnder colour thereof many times euill practises are set abroch yet notwithstanding ambassadors must of force both be sent and receiued They that shall reade this historie will aske peraduenture what remedie I can deuise against this inconuenience bicause it seemeth almost remedilesse For answere whereunto I will shew mine aduise notwithstanding that I know a number far better able to discourse heerof than my selfe Ambassadors that come from perfect friends with whom no occasion of quarrell can arise must be well intertained and permitted to come often to the Princes presence I meane if the Prince be wise and of comely personage otherwise the lesse he be seene the better Notwithstanding when he must of necessitie be seene let him be well apparelled and well instructed what to say and vse short speech according to Princes amitie which vsually is but short But if ambassadors be sent openly or secretly betweene Princes that are in continuall
all good counsell and sought all meanes to hurt themselues In the which vale of misery they are still like to continue or if happily they wade out of it for a season like they are to fall into it againe Wherefore I am of a certaine wise mans opinion of my acquaintance that God giueth to subiects Princes according as he will punish or chastise them and likewise towards the Prince disposeth the subiects harts according as he will aduaunce or abase him and euen so dealt he with the subiects of this house of Burgundie For after three great good and sage Princes who gouerned them the space of 120. yeers or more with great wisedome and vertue he gaue them in the end this D. Charles who held them in continuall wars trauell and charges almost as much in winter as sommer so that a great number of rich wealthy men were either slaine in these wars or starued in prison Their great miseries began before Nuz and continued with the losse of three or fower battels till the hower of the Dukes death who in this last battell wasted and consumed the whole force of his countrie and lost all his seruants that could or would haue defended the estate and honor of his house It seemeth therefore as before I said that this aduersity hath counteruailed all the time of their felicitie For as I say that I haue seene him a great mighty and honorable Prince so may I say also of his subiects for I haue trauelled the best part of Europe in mine opinion yet saw I neuer countrey in my life of the like greatnes no nor far greater abound with such wealth riches sumptuous buildings large expences feasts bankets and all kinde of prodigality as these countries of Burgundy did during the time that I was there And if those that knew them not during the time that I speake of thinke my report too large I am sure others that knew them then as well as my selfe will thinke it too little But God with one blowe hath laid flat on the ground this sumptuous building I meane this mighty house that bred and maintained so many woorthy men that was so greatly esteemed both far and neere and obtained greater victories and liued in greater honor during the time it florished than any other which great felicity and grace of God towards them continued the space of a hundred and twenty yeeres During the which time all their neighbors suffered great afflictions namely Fraunce England and Spaine so far foorth that all these at one time or other haue come to craue helpe and succor of this house of Burgundy as you haue seene by experience of the King our Master who in his youth while his father King Charles the seuenth raigned liued in Burgundy the space of sixe yeeres with good Duke Philip who louingly receiued him As touching the Princes of England I haue seene in the Duke of Burgundies court King Edvvards two brethren the Dukes of Clarence and Glocester who afterward named himselfe King Richard the third and on the contrary side of the house of Lancaster that tooke part with King Henry I haue seene in maner all the noble men suing to this house of Burgundy for aide To be short as I haue knowen this house honored of all men so haue I also seene it at one instant fall downe topsie turuy and become the most desolate and miserable house in the world both in respect of the Prince and also of the subiects Such like works hath God brought to passe before we were borne and wil also when we are dead For this we ought certainly to beleeue that the good or euill successe of Princes dependeth wholy vpon his diuine ordinance The Notes 1 Of the deuise of the Fuzill read the chronicles of Flanders pag. 345. Claude Paradin in his deuises heroiques pag. 46. and Annal. Burgund lib. 3. pag. 711. who saith that he gaue the striking iron bicause it is made in the forme of B. which is the first letter of Burgundie Further he giueth the said iron striking against a stone with infinite sparkles flying from them to signifie that the cruell wars betweene the Duke of Burgundie and the realme of Fraunce had set all their neighbours on fire 2 His meaning is that bicause he bestowed vpon euerie man he could not bestow much vpon any one whereby his liberalitie was the lesse apparant 3 He meaneth in hearing their sutes for as touching matters of counsell he hath said before in diuers places that he would neuer vse any mans aduise How the King was aduertised of the Duke of Burgundies last ouerthrow and how he gouerned his affaires after the said Dukes death Chap. 10. BVt to proceede in our historie the King who had now laid posts in his realme for before were neuer any looked howerly for the certaine newes of this battell of Nancy bicause of the occurrents he had alreadie receiued of the Almains arriuall and of all the other circumstances aboue rehearsed and was foorthwith aduertised of the Dukes ouerthrowe Diuers there were that waited diligently to beare him the first newes heerof for alwaies he gaue somwhat to him that first brought him tidings of any good newes withall not forgetting the messengers Further his delight was to talke of them before they came and to promise rewarde to him that could bring him some good newes Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe being togither receiued the first word of the battell of Morat whereof both of vs iointly aduertised the King who gaue to each of vs two hundred marks of siluer Monseur de Lude who lodged without Plessis was the first man that knew of the Courriers arriuall with the letters of this battell of Nancy and commanded the said Courrier to deliuer him his packet who durst not denie it him bicause of the Kings great fauour towards him The next morning by breake of day the said de Lude came rapping at the doore next to the Kings chamber which foorthwith was opened to him and in he went and deliuered these letters sent from the Lord of Cran and diuers others notwithstanding none of them writ any certaintie of the Dukes death but some reported that he was seene flie and was escaped This newes at the first so rauished the King with ioy that he wist not what countenance to shew notwithstanding two doubts there were that troubled him the one least the Almaines if the Duke were taken for greedines of monie whereof the Duke had plentie would not onely raunsome him but also conclude some treatie with him and of his foes become his friends The other if the Duke were escaped thus thrise discomfited whether he should seaze into his hands his seniories of Burgundy or no knowing them easie to be taken bicause in manner all the force of the countrie was slaine in these three battels Touching the which point his resolution whereunto few I thinke but my selfe were priuy was if the Duke were escaped aliue to
the Prince of Wales at the battell of Poictiers paied for his raunsome three millions of franks and yeelded to the English men all Aquitaine at the least all that he held in his hands with a number of other cities townes and places yea in a maner the thirde foote of his realme whereby he brought his realme into such pouertie that manie yeeres after they vsed leather monie with a little stud or naile of siluer in the middest thereof And all this gaue he and his sonne King Charles surnamed the VVise for his raunsome And if they would haue giuen nothing yet would not the English men haue put him to death but his greatest paine had beene imprisonment But admit they had put him to death yet had not that pain been so great by the hundred thousandth part as the least paine in hell Why gaue he then all this great raunsome aboue rehearsed destroying his children and subiects but onely bicause he beleeued that which he saw and perceiued well that he could not otherwise be deliuered But peraduenture when he committed the fault for the which this punishment fell vpon him his children and subiects he beleeued not firmely that the offence he made against God and his commandements should be punished Now to conclude there is no Prince or very few that will restore one towne they withhold from their neighbor for the loue of God or to eschew the paines of hell and yet King Iohn gaue all this to deliuer his bodie out of prison I asked a question before who will search out great mens faults who will informe the Iustice of them and who will be the Iustice to punish them Whereunto I now answer that the information shall be the lamentable crie and plaint of their subiects whom they tyrannize and oppresse so many waies without any compassion the sorrowfull lamentation of widowes and orphans whose husbands and fathers they haue wrongfully put to death by meanes whereof their wiues and children haue euer after liued in affliction and miserie and generally the complaints of all those whom they haue persecuted either in their persons or goods These I say shall giue information against them by their great mourning wailing and pitious teares and shall accuse them before the Lord God who will be the iust iudge thereof and peraduenture will not delay the punishment till the world to come but will also punish them in this world which punishment proceedeth of lacke of faith bicause they had not a firme and stedfast beleefe in Gods commandements We must therefore of necessitie confesse that God is forced to shew such tokens and examples to the end both Princes themselues and all the world may beleeue that these punishments fall vpon them for their misbeleefe and sinnes and that God sheweth his mightie power and iustice vpon them bicause none other in this world but he hath power ouer them At the first happily they amend not their liues for Gods scourges be they neuer so great and long But no misfortune falleth vpon a Prince vpon those that gouerne his affaires or vpon those that rule great commonalties but the issue is hurtfull and dangerous to the subiects When I say misfortunes I meane none but such as cause the subiects to smart for to fall from a horse to breake a leg to be punished with a sharpe ague are no misfortunes to a Prince bicause he may be cured of them and peraduenture they may do him good and teach him wit but I call these misfortunes when God is so displeased with a Prince that he will no longer suffer him to raigne but shew his power and iustice vpon him For then first he weakeneth his wits which is a shrewd blowe for all those that haue to do with him he troubleth his house and suffereth it to fall into diuision and disquietnes and the Prince himselfe is so far in Gods disgrace that he flieth the counsell and companie of the wise and aduaunceth none but yoong fooles voide of wit oppressors flatterers and such as soothe him in all his sayings If he take one penie they bid him take two if he threaten a man they bid hang him and after that sort in all other actions Further they giue him counsell in any wise to cause himselfe to be feared and they also behaue themselues cruelly and proudly trusting by this meanes to hold men in awe of them as though authoritie were their inheritance Those whom such Princes by the aduise of these new Counsellors haue banished and displaced hauing serued many yeeres and being well acquainted and friended in their countrie will storme at this vsage and for their sakes their friends and well willers also and peraduenture such iniurie shall be offered them that they shall be forced either to defend themselues or to flie to some Prince their neighbor who perchance is enimy to him that banisheth and chaseth them and so by inward diuision stangers shall enter into the land Is any plague or miserie so great as wars betwixt friends and acquaintance Is any malice so ranke and deadly As touching forren enimies when the subiects are linked togither they may easily make resistance bicause their enimies haue no intelligence nor acquaintance in the realme Thinke you that an vnwise Prince being accompanied with fooles can smell a far off how great a mischiefe diuision among his subiects is or beleeue that it can hurt him or proceedeth of God he eateth and sleepeth no whit the woorse for it he hath neither fewer horses in his stable nor fewerrobes in his wardrobe but many mo companions For he allureth men vnto him by promises and by parting among them the spoiles and offices of those whom he hath banished he giueth also of his owne to win thereby fame and renowme but when he shall least thinke of it God will raise vp an enimie against him whom peraduenture he neuer mistrusted Then will he waxe pensiue and suspect those whom he hath iniuried yea he will feare such as indeede owe him no euill will yet notwithstanding he will not haue his refuge to God in this extremitie but seeke to redresse this inconuenience by force Haue we not seene in our daies examples heerof euen among our next neighbors Haue we not seene the late King of England Edward the fourth of that name heire of the house of Yorke vtterly destroy the house of Lancaster vnder the which both his father and he had liued many yeeres Further the said King Edward hauing done homage to King Henry the 6. being of the house of Lancaster did he not afterward hold him prisoner many yeeres in the tower of London the chiefe citie of the realme where in the end he was put to death Haue we not also seene the Earle of Warwicke principall gouernor of all the said King Edwards affaires after he had put to death all his enimies especially the Duke of Sommerset in the end become deadly enimy to his Master giue his daughter in mariage to the
England and how the King of England passed the sea and besieged Bolloin and of the peace betweene the King and him and of the surprising of Arras and Saint Omers by the King of Romains men Chap. 7. KIng Edvvard the fourth the same that met with King Levvis the eleuenth at Picquigny dying in the yeere 1483 left behinde him two sonnes being very yoong and diuers daughters the gouernment of the which sonnes togither with the realme was committed to the Duke of Glocester King Edvvaras brother but he most â—nnaturally murthered his two nephewes slewe those of the nobilitie that he thought would impugne his proceeding and vsurped the crowne In the end the Duke of Buckingham who had takerpart with the Duke of Glocester who intituled himselfe King Richard in all his actions fell at variance with him and sollicited Henry Earle of Richmond that had liued many yeeres in Britaine as a banished man to passe ouer into England promising him a great armie to ioine with him so soone as he should be landed The Earle communicated this matter with Peter Landois who wholie at that time gouerned the Duke of Britaine The said Landois hoping that the Earle if by his meanes he obtained the realme of England would giue him aide to reuenge him of his enimies perswaded the Duke of Britaine to succour him in his enterprise who furnished him of three great ships well manned with soldiers which tooke sea and sailed towards England but when they were readie to land the Earle was aduertised that the Duke of Buckingham was beheaded his army defeated and all his faction ouerthrowen and that King Richard lay with a great army vpon the sea coast attending his landing Vpon which news the Earle of Richmond returned thinking to recouer the coast of Britaine from whence he was departed but tempest draue him vpon the coast of Normandy where he was forced to take land The Ladie of Beauieu being aduertised thereof sent vnto him desiring him to come to speake with the King and so he did The King curteously receiued him and entertained him well Afterward he returned to Vannes in Britaine there to remaine as before attending some better opportunitie But Peter Laudois seeing himselfe disappointed of his purpose altered his minde and practised with King Richard to deliuer the Earle of Richmond into his hands who being aduertised thereof vnder colour of going a hauking one morning with ten or twelue horses fled into France to King Charles who not long after furnished the Earle of ships and a good number of soldiers to accompany him into England where by the helpe of the French and of diuers of his owne kinsmen who had called him into England and tooke part with him he slew King Richard in the field was himselfe crowned King in his place This good turne of King Charles togither with the desire the King of England had to liue quietly at home in his countrey and to gather wealth was the cause that King Henry during al the wars and troubles in Britain aboue mentioned had not passed his forces into Fraunce notwithstanding that he had been often earnestly sollicited thereunto both by the Duke of Britaine and the Earle of Dunois and others of that faction For ordinarily when any troubles arise in Fraunce our neighbors especially the Englishmen within a yeere are bidden to the banquet and so was King Henry inuited and had come long ago if the reasons aboue rehearsed togither with some other respects namely feare of domesticall troubles had not staied him at home But notwithstanding the K. of EnglaÌ„ds backwardnes heertofore to inuade France yet in the yeere 1490. partly by the earnest sollicitation of Maximilian who promised 1490. him great aide in his wars and yet performed nothing partly to content his owne people who began to account him as too much affectionate to the French in that he had suffered them to the great preiudice of the realme of England to vnite to the crowne of Fraunce the Duchie of Britaine he passed ouer his armie to Calice and from thence marched and laide his siege before Boloyne whither the Lord of Cordes and the bastard of Cardonne Captaine of Arras with a small army went to make resistance Further the King leuied his forces to succour the place but bicause his armie proceeded but slowlie forward the saide de Cordes and Cardonne tooke vpon them the defence of the tovne The siege was nothing whot for the which cause a heraultsent into the English came to treat of peace from the which King Henry seemed nothing strange as well for the affection that he bare to the King who had aided him to obtaine the realme of England as also for that he feared sedition at home durst not long be absent out of his râ—alme bicause Maximilian had broken promise with him and lastly bicause he hoped by this peace to receiue of the King a great summe of money which he loued as well as any Prince in his time De Cordes finding the King of Englands inclination to peace went and communed with him in his campe his demands were first a great summe of money that he said he had lent the late Duke of Britaine and secondarily that the King should desraie al the charges that he had been at in these wars All the which the King yeelded vnto and order was giuen that the King of England should yeerely receiue a certaine summe of money till all the summes by him demanded were cleerely paid and discharged and thus returned the King of England home In the meane time while de Cordes and Cardonne were at Bolloin treating with the K. of England the citizens of Arras knowing the garrison within the town to be but weake practised to yeeld it into Maximilians hands who sent certaine bands thither the which in great diligence approched neere to the towne When all things were in a readines and the gates being so negligently guarded that the traitors with their counterfaited keies had opened them they began a song whereby they willed the enimies to make haste who presently repaired to the gates and were receiued into the towne Paul Carqueleuant a Briton gouernor of the townein the absence of the bastard of Cardonne at the enimies first entrie retired himselfe with his soldiers into the castel but fearing least it should be taken by assault he soone abandoned it greatly to his reproch for if he had held it but till the next day diuers French bands had come thither to his reliefe The towne was spoiled and many slaine neither were the churches spared nor the traitors houses The author of this treason was a poore smith that dwelled vpon the towne wall and had beene the onely man that was suffered to remaine in the towne by Levvis the eleuenth when he transported the townes men as a colonie into Fraunce Carqueleuant the gouernor when the towne was surprised lay fast a sleepe drowned in drinke and good cheere as it is
purged him fower daies before he died bicause they sawe in his bodie the occasions of his death Euery man ran to the Duke of Orleans who was to succeede him as next heire to the crowne But King Charles his chamberlains caused him to be richlie buried and immediately after his death began solemne seruice for him which continued both day and night for when the canons ended the friers Franciscans began and when they ended the Bons-hommes 1 which was an order founded by himselfe his body remained at Amboise eight daies partly in his chamber which was richly hanged and partly in the church All solemnities belonging to his funerals were more sumptuous than euer were any K. of Fraunce for his chamberlains officers those that were neere about him neuer departed from his body till it was laid in the ground which was about a moneth after his death al the which space this solemne seruice continued so that the charges of his funerals amounted to fiue and fortie thousand franks as diuers of the receit haue informed me I arriued at Amboise two daies after his death and went to say my praiers ouer his body where I abode fiue or sixe howers And to saie the truth I neuer saw so great mourning and lamentation nor that continued so long for any Prince as for him and no maruel for he had bestowed vpon those that were neere about him namely his chamberlaines and ten or twelue gentlemen of his priuie chamber greater offices and gifts than euer did King of Fraunce yea too great to saie the truth Besides that he was the mildest and courteousest Prince that euer liued for I thinke he neuer gaue foule word to any man wherefore in better hower could he not die both to leaue his fame behinde him in histories and to be bewailed of those that serued him And I thinke verily that my selfe am the man whom of all other he vsed roughliest but bicause I knew it to be the fault of his youth and not to proceede of himselfe I could neuer loue him the woorse for it After I had staied one night at Amboise I went to the newe King with whom I had been more familiar than any man and further for his sake had susteined all my troubles and losses which now he seemed little to remember notwithstanding with great wisdome he tooke possession of the crowne for he changed no pensions that yeere though halfe the yeere were yet to come neither displaced many officers but said that he would maintaine euery man in his estate whereby he wan great honor Moreouer with all speede possible he went to his coronation whereat my selfe was present And these that follow represented the peeres of Fraunce The first was the Duke of Alençon who represented the Duke of Burgundie the second the Duke of Bourbon who represented the Duke of Normandie the third the Duke of Lorraine who represented the D of Guienne The first Earle was Philip L. of Rauastaine who represented the Earle of Flaunders the second Engilbert of Cleues who represented the Earle of Champaigne the third the Earle of Foix who represented the Earle of Tholouze And the said King Levvis the twelfth now raigning was crowned at Reims the 27. of Maie the yeere 1498. and is the fourth that hath come to the crowne by collaterall line The two first were Charles Martell or Pepin his sonne and Hugh Capet who were both of them Masters of the pallace or gouernors of those Kings whom they deposed from the crowne which afterwarde themselues vsurped the thirde was King Philip of Valois and the fourth the King that now raigneth but these two latter came to the crowne by iust and lawfull title The first genealogie of the Kings of Fraunce beginneth at Meronee two Kings had raigned in Fraunce before the said Meronee namely Pharamond who was first chosen King of Fraunce for his predecessors were called Dukes or Kings of Gaule and his sonne Claudio The said Pharamond was chosen King the yeere of grace 420. and raigned ten yeeres and his sonne Claudio eighteene so that these two Kings raigned eight and twentie yeeres and Meronee who succeeded next after was not sonne but cosen to the said Claudio Wherefore it seemeth that the right line of the Kings of Fraunce hath failed fiue times notwithstanding as before I said men begin the first line at Meronee who was crowned King in the yeere of our Lord 448. from the which time to the coronation of King Levvis the twelfth are numbred 1050. yeeres But if you reckon from Pharamond you must adde eight and twentie more which make 1078. yeeres since there was first King of Fraunce From Meronee to the raigne of Pepin when the line of the said Meronee failed are numbred 333. yeeres From Pepin to Hugh Capet raigned the true line of the said Pepin and Charlemaine his son the space of 237. yeeres The right line of Hugh Capet raigned 339. yeeres and ended in King Philip of Valois and the right line of the said King Philip of Valois continued till the death of King Charles the eight which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1498. The said King Charles was the last of this line the which had continued 169. yeeres during the which space these seuen Kings raigned in Fraunce Philip of Valois King Iohn Charles the fift Charles the sixt Charles the seuenth Levvis the 11. and Charles the eight in whom the right line of Philip of Valois ended The Notes 1 This vvas an order of religion deuised by the King How Charles Duke of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster as Commines mentioneth lib. 1. cap. 5. and in other places Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster and Darby Philippa m. Iohn the tenth King of Portugale bastard to King Ferrande of Portugale Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundie of whose wars and death this history treateth How Elizabeth wife to King Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 5. Peter of Luxembourg m. Margaret Countesse of Saint Paul Conuersane Briane Lignac c. Petrus Earle of Saint Paul c. m. Margaret daughter to William D. of Andre in Prouence Iaquelna or Iaquette m. Iohn Duke of Bedford m. Richard Wooduile Earle of Riuers Elizabeth m. Sir Iohn Gray Thomas Marques Dorset m. Edward the fourth King of England Edwardus quintus R. Ang. Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul Constable of FrauÌ„ce m. Iane daughter heire to Robert Earle of Marle c. Anthonie Earle of Roussv mentioned by Commines lib. 2. cap. 11. lib. 4. ca. 4. Iohn Earle of Marle slaine at the battell of Morat Peter Earle of Saint Paul and Brienne m. Margaret daughter to Lewis D. of Sauoye Marie Francis m. Marie daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoye Lewis Eaâ—â— of Ligny How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg and Namurs came to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines lib.
4. cap. 13. Brabant Lambourg Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant and Lambourg 1 Lambourg was erected into a Duchie 1172. and Henrie the last Duke thereof who died without issue 1293. solde it to Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant But Henrie Earle of Luxembourg father to Henrie the Emperor the Bishop of Colyn and one called the Earle Ghelric inuaded the Duchie of Lambourg with them Duke Iohn fought neere to the castell of Voronc and tooke the Earle Ghelric who pretended title to Lambourg and the Bishop of Colin prisoners the Earle of Luxembourg with two of his brethren was slaine the castell of Voronc razed since the which time Lambourg hath remained quiet vnder the Dukes of Brabant m. Margaret daughter to Guy Earle of Flaunders Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Margaret daughter to Edward the first King of England Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Marie daughter to Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter died 1397. m. Wenceslaus son to Iohn King of Boheme 2 Wenceslaus succeeded Iohn Duke of Brabant but he died 1383. without issue and after his wife dying anno 1393. left Brabant and Lambourg to Anthonie second sonne to Philip the Hardie the said Ianes grand nephew by Margaret hir yoonger sister after whose death and his two sonnes Iohn and Philip Brabant and Lambourg descended to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines in the place aboue rehearsed died 1383. Margaret m. Lewis Maleaâ—â—â— Earle of Flaundres Margaret m. Philip the hardy Margaret wife to William Earl of Haynault Anthony slaine in the battel of Agincourt m. Iane daughter to Walleran Earle of Saint Paul Ligny the first wife Iohn succeeded his father in Brabant and Lambourg Philip succeeded his brother m. 3 Elizabeth second wife to Anthonie Duke of Brabant was daughter to Iohn Duke of Gorlic brother to the Emperours Wenceslaus and Sigismundus who partly in respect of this marriage partly for money gaue to Duke Anthonie the Duchie of Luxembourg but after his death they and VVilliam Duke of Saxonie who had married Sigismundus daughters daughter sought to dispossesse hir of it but Duke Philip of Burgundie euer defended hir and after hir death succeeded hir as well by hir gift as also as heire to Duke Anthonie his two sonnes being dead who had paid money to VVenceslaus and Sigismundus for it afterward also Charles Duke of Burgundie bought the title of Isabella wife to Cassimirus King of Polonia and neece to the Emperor Sigismund to the Duchie of Luxembourg to hold it without quarrell Elizabeth the second wife Luxembourg Iohn Duke of Burgundie m. Margaret sisteâ— to William Earl of Haynault Holland Namurs Philip Duke of Burgundie 4 As touching Namurs Duke Philip bought it for his money of diuers that pretended title to it especially of Iohn Earle of Namur who sold it to Duke Philip vnder condition to hold it during his life which happened anno 1428. How Holland Hainault and Zeland came to Duke Philip as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. where also the Queenes Maiesties title to the said countries is somwhat touched Holland Hainault Zeland William Earle of Holland Hainault and Zeland m. Iane sister to Philip of Valois after K. of Fraunce Philippa the eldest daughter wife to Edward the third King of England William declared by the Emperor ann 1337. Earle of Holland Zeland Hainault and Lord of Friseland slaine by the Frizons 1345. Margaret daughter as some write to William 1 This Margaret Guicchiardin writeth to haue been daughter to VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault Holland and Zeland but Annales Genealogiques Franciae say that she was sister not daughter to VVilliam as do also other most approoued Authors And if she were but sister then the Queenes Maiestie being descended of Philippa the said VVilliams eldest sister is right heire of all these countries Meyerus lib 12. fol. 140. pag. 2. and fol. 147. pag. 1. saith that Margaret was sister not daughter to Duke VVilliam which also is the more manifestly prooued bicause the wife of this VVilliam was Iane the eldest daughter to Iohn Duke of Brabant who ouerliued hir husband and after married VVenceslaus brother to the Emperor Charles the fourth which woman neuer had issue yet finde we no mention of any other wife that VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault had as others sister m. Lewis of Bauierâ— Emperor William the eldest brother died without issue Albert succeeded his brother m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brida William succeeded his father m. Margaret daughter to Philip the Hardy Iaqueline daughter and heire had fower husbands but died without issue and to hir succeeded Philip D. of Burgundie Margaret m. Iohn Duke of Burgundy sonne to Philip the Hardy Philip Duke of Burgundy succeeded Iaqueline in all these Seniories as heere mentioneth Commines A daughter married to the Duke of Iuliers How Margaret of Flaunders was heire of Flaunders Neuers and Rethel as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. lib. 5. cap. 11. the which Margaret married with Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn King of Fraunce Ottho yoonger sonne to Hugh the fourth of that name Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter heire of Arnulfe Earle of Neuers which Arnulfe died anno 1243. Neuers Yolande Flaunders m. Robert of Bethune the 22. Earle of Flaunders died 1323. Lewis Earle of Neuers Baron of Douzy died before his father ann 1322. Rethel m. Mary daughter and heire of Iames â— of Rethel Lewis Earle of Flaunders Neuers Rethel slain at the battell of Crecy 1346. m. Margaret yoongest daughter to Philip le Longue King of Fraunce Lewis Earle of FlauÌ„ders surnamed of Malain slain by Iohn Duke of Berry brother to Charles the fift anno 1383. m. Margaret daughter to Iohn the 3. Duke of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire heere mentioned married two Dukes of Burgundie as in the next leafe more at large shall appeere m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundy the first husband m. Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn K. of Fraunce How Arthois and the County of Burgundy descended to the said Lady Margaret aboue mentioned and how she married two Dukes of Burgundy and how Philip the Hardy hir second husband obtained the Duchy of Burgundie after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie hir first husband Burgundie Duchie Robert Duke of Burgundy died 1308. m. Agnes daughter to King Saint Lewis Margaret the eldest daughter m. Lewis Huttin King of Fraunce Iane wife to Phillip Earle of Eureux Iane. m. Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce 3 Touching the Duchie of Burgundie note that after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie nephew to Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie King Iohn of Fraunce being sonne to Iane the said Otthos yoonger sister seazed the Duchie of Burgundie into his hands excluding Iane daughter to Margaret the elder sister as suspected of bastardie and after gaue the said Duchie
4 Of the war the king made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the king for peace page 252 Chap. 5 Of the battell of Saint Albin wherein the Duke of Orleans was taken prisoner of the treatie of peace betweene the king and the Duke of Britaine and of the said Duke of Britaines death page 255 Chap. 6 Of the kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Britaine whereby Britaine was vnited to the crowne of Fraunce page 258 Chap. 7 Of the troubles in England and how the king of England passed the sea and besieged Bolloin and of the peace betweene the king and him and of the surprising of Arras and Saint Omers by the king of Romaines men page 259 Chap. 8 Of the restitution of the countries of Roussillon and Parpignan to the king of Spaine of the Emperor Fredericks death of the peace betweene the king of Romaines and the king and of the Duke of Orleans deliuery out of prison page 262 The seuenth Booke The Progloue of the Author containing that which he mindeth to treate of in this historie following page 265 Howe Rene D. of Lorraine came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchie of Bar the Earledome of Prouence which king Charles held and how he failed to enter into the realme of Naples whereunto he pretented title as the king did and what right both of them had thereunto page 266 Chap. 2 How the Prince of Salerne in the realm of Naples came into Fraunce and how Lodouic Sforce surnamed the Moore and he sought to perswade the king to make war vpon the king of Naples and for what cause page 268 Chap. 3 How king Charles the 8 made peace with the king of Romaines and the Archduke of Austriche restoring to them the Lady Margaret of Flaunders before he made his voiage to Naples page 274 Chap. 4 How the king sent to the Venetians to practise with them before he enterpised his voiage to Naples and of the preparation that was made for the said voiage page 275 Chap. 5 How king Charles departed from Vienna in Daulphin to conquer the realme of Naples in person and what his nauie vpon the sea did vnder the leading of the D. of Orleans page 278 Chap. 6 How the king remaining yet in Ast resolued to passe foorth towards Naples at the earnest sute of Lodouic Sforce How Philip de Commines was sent ambassador to Venice of the D. of Milans death after whose decease the said Lodouic seized vpon the Duchy to the preiudice of a sonne the said D. left behinde him page 281 Chap. 7 How Peter of Medicis yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the king and how the king restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient libertie page 284 Chap. 8 How the king departed from Pisa to Florence of the flight ruin of Peter de Medices page 287 Chap. 9 How the king entred into Florence and through what other townes he passed till he came to Rome page 289 Chap. 10 How the king sent the Cardinall Petriad Vincula to Ostie what the Pope did at Rome in the meane time and how the king entred into Rome maugre all his enimies page 291 Chap. 11 How king Alfonse caused his sonne Ferrand to be crowned king and then fled himselfe into Sicilie with a discourse of the euill life that his father the old Ferrand and he had lead page 295 Chap. 12 How the yoong Ferrand after he was crowned king of Naples went and encamped at Saint Germain to resist the kings cōming of the treaty that K. Charles made with the Pope at Rome page 297 Chap. 13 How the King departed from Rome towards Naples what happened in the meane time in diuers partes of the said realme and through what places he passed till he came to Naples page 299 Chap. 14 How King Charles was crowned King of Naples of the faults he committed in the defence of the realme and how an enterprise attempted on his behalfe against the Turke was discouered by the Venetians page 301 Chap. 15 A discourse somwhat out of the course of the history wherin Philip de Commines Author of this present woorke treateth amply of the estate and gouernment of the Seniorie of Venice and of those things that he saw there and were done there during the time of his ambassage to the said Seniorie for the King page 304 The eight Booke Chap. 1 Of the order and prouision the King left in the realme of Naples at his returne into Fraunce page 314 Chap. 2 How the king departed from Naples and passed againe through Rome whereupon the Pope fled to Oruiette of the communication the king had with Monseur d'Argenton at his returne from Venice how he tooke aduise whether he should restore the Florentines places to them or not and of the sermons woorthie of memorie of frier Ierom of Florence page 316 Chap. 3 How the King retained in his hands the town of Pisa and certaine other of the Florentines places and how in the meane time the Duke of Orleans entred on the other side into Nouarre a towne of the Duchie of Milan page 319 Chap. 4 How King Charles passed diuers dangerous straights in the mountaines betweene Pisa and Seriaue how the towne of Pontreme was burned by his Almaines and how the Duke of Orleans behaued himselfe in the meane time at Nouarre page 321 Chap. 5 How the kings great artillery passed the mounts Appenines by the Almaines helpe of the danger the Marshall of Gie was in with his vaward and how the King arriued at Fornoue page 324 Chap. 6 Of the battell of Fornoue wherein the enimies of Fraunce were put to flight and how the Earle of Petillane who the same day brake the Kings prison relied them togither againe page 329 Chap. 7 How the Lord of Argenton went himselfe alone to parle with the enimies when he saw that those that were appointed to go with him would not go and how the King returned safe and sound with his army to the towne of Ast page 336 Chap. 8 How the king sent ships to the sea to succour the castles of Naples why the said castles could not be succoured page 341 Chap. 9 Of the great famine and miserie the D. of Orleans his men were in at Nouarre of the Marchionesse of Montferrats death likewise of Monseur de Vendosmes and how after long deliberation the king inclined to peace to saue those that were besieged page 343 Chap. 10 How the D. of Orleans and his company were deliuered by composition out of their great miserie in Nouarre where they were besieged and of the Swissers arriuall that came to succour the king and the said D. of Orleans page 349 Chap. 11 How the peace was concluded betweene the king and the D. of Orleans on the one side and the enimies on the other and of the conditions and articles thereof page 351 Chap. 12 How the king sent the Lord of Argenton
euen at that very instant they sent ambassadors to the Earle of Charolois desiring him for the honor of the virgin Mary whose euen that was to haue compassion vpon this poore people excusing their fault the best they could Yet this notwithstanding their army made shew as though they desired the battell their behauior seemed cleane contrary to their ambassadors request But after the said ambassadors had passed twise or thrise betweene them and vs they concluded to obserue the treatie made the yeere before and to giue the Duke a certaine sum of money for the performance of the which conditions better than the former they promised to deliuer to the Earle by eight of the clock the next morning three hundred hostages 6 named in a role by their Bishop and certaine of his seruants being in our campe This night our army was in great trouble and feare for our campe was neither fortified nor inclosed besides that we lay scattered heere and there and in a place much for the Liegeois aduantage who were all footemen and knew the countrey better then we Some of them desired to assaile vs and in mine opinion if they had so done they mought easely haue defeated vs but their ambassadors that intreated for peace brake off that enterprise By breake of day our army was come togither and our battailes stoode in very good order our force was great For we were three thousand men of armes good bad and twelue or thirteene thousand archers besides great force of footemen of the countries thereabout We marched straight vpon our enimies with intent either to receaue the hostages or giue them battell if they refused to deliuer them We found them seuered into small bands and in great disorder as a people obedient to no mans commandement None drew neere the hostages being yet vndeliuered Wherefore the Earle of Charolois asked the Marshall of Burgundy there present whether he should assaile them who answered yea alledging that they mought now be discomfited without danger and that no conscience was to be made in the matter seeing the fault was theirs The like aduise gaue also the Lord of Contay adding that he should neuer haue them at such aduantage and shewing him how they went scattering heere and there in small bands wherefore he councelled him without farther delay to inuade them But the Earle of Saint Paul constable of Fraunce being asked his aduise was of the contrary opinion saying that if he assailed them he should do against his honor and promise bicause such a number of people could not so soone agree vpon the deliuery of so many hostages Wherefore he held it best to sende againe to them to know what they would do The Earle of Charolois debated this matter long with himselfe On the one side he saw his ancient and mortall enimies defeated without all danger but on the other he feared the staying of his honor if he should inuade them In the end he sent a trumpeter to them who met with the hostages vpon the way whereupon the wars ended and euery man returned home but the soldiers were much offended with the Constables aduise for they sawe a goodly booty before them Incontinent ambassadors were sent to Liege to confirme the peace 7 but the people being inconstant and wauering vaunted that the Earle durst not fight with them and discharged harquebuses vpon his ambassadors and entreated them very ill But the Earle returned into Flaunders and this sommer died his father 8 for whom he made a great and solemne funeral at Burges and aduertised the King of his death The Notes 1 The peace made the 22. of Ianuary ann 1466. wherof mention is made in the 14. Chap. of the last booke about Iune the same yeere the Liegeois brake as heere is rehearsed and againe they hung vp the image of the Duke and his sonne vvith the most barbarous insolencie that euer vvas heard of Read Annal. Burgund pag. 911. and 912. and Meyer pag. 338. vvhere also their intollerable cruelty is described 2 The Dinandois durst not passe the riuer into the Dukes dominions wherefore they planted their artilery on their owne side of the riuer meaning onely to beate the tovvne not to make any breach 3 Dinand vvas taken in August Annal. Burgund the 25. of August saith Meyer and the Dukes army before the towne vvas thirty thousandmen Meyer 4 The eight hundred drowned before Bouuines vvere those that hanged vp the image of the Duke and his sonne with such reproches Annal. Burgund 5 Others say but fiftie hostages 6 The Liegeois army vvas of forty thousandmen Annal. Burg. but Meyer saith but six and thirty thousand 7 This peace was concluded the 1. of September an 1466. the conditions read in Meyer fo 339. pag. 2. and Annal. Burgund pag. 915. Farther about the middest of September the next yeere being 1467. they brake this peace againe 8 Duke Philip died the 15. of Iune 1467. Annal. Burgund Berlandus De la Marche Meyer saith the 16. of Iuly Gaguin in one place saith Iune and in another the 14. of Iuly he gourned 48. yeeres liued 71. Meyer Farther heere is to be noted that in this place our author beginneth the yeere 1467. for that yeere died the Duke as he saith before in this chapter and these words where he saith And this sommer died his father haue not relation to the same summer Dinand was taken and the peace made with the Liegeois for if the Duke had died that summer he could not haue beene at the taking of Dinand for Dinand was taken in August and then the Duke dying in Iune must haue beene dead before if he had died that summer but these words haue relation to the Earle of Charolois returne into Flanders which was in the beginning of the sommer anno 1467. for the peace was made 1. September 1466. and all that winter to the end he might make all sure at Liege he remained in those countries and in the beginning of the next sommer anno 1467. returned into Flanders and in Iune after died his father Thus much I haue beene forced to saie lest our author by slipping ouer that winter bicause nothing was done in it should seeme to write contrarieties How the Liegeois brake the peace with the Duke of Burgundie then Earle of Charolois and how he discomfited them in battell Chap. 2. DVring these wars and euer after many secret practises were entertained betweene these Princes The King was maruellously offended with the Dukes of Britaine and Burgundie by meanes whereof they could hardly heare one from another for oftentimes their messengers were staied and in time of war forced to go by sea out of Britaine into Flaunders at the least to passe out of Britaine into England and so to trauel by land to Douer and there to crosse ouer to Calice for they could not passe the next way through Fraunce without great danger But during all the space of twenty yeeres or more that these princes were
at variance somtime in open war and somtime in a dissembled truce wherein each party comprehended their confederates God shewed so great fauor to the realme of Fraunce that the ciuill wars in England were not yet fully ended notwithstanding that they began fifteene yeeres before and had continued with cruell and bloodie battels wherein many a good man lost his life For you shall vnderstand that there were in England two houses that claimed the crowne to wit Lancaster and Yorke for the which cause both the parties proclaimed their enimies traitors and the diuision of these two houses was the preseruation of the estate of Fraunce for doubt you not but that this realme had sustained great troubles if the English men had been in such estate then as in times past But to returne againe to our matter the Kings chiefe desire was to conquer Britaine both bicause it seemed easier to be subdued and of lesse defence than this house of Burgundy and also bicause the Britons receiued all his euill willers namely his brother and other his enimies that had intelligence in his realme Wherefore he practised continually with the Duke of Burgundy making him diuers offers if he would forsake the Britons and namely that he would in like maner abandon the Liegeois and all other the Dukes enimies Whereunto the Duke of Burgundy would not agree but made a new voiage against the Liegeois bicause they had againe broken the peace and taken and spoiled a towne called Huy 1 and chased his men out of it notwithstanding the hostages deliuered the yeere before vnder paine of death and the great summe of mony they had bound themselues to forfeit if they brake the said treatie The Duke leuied his armie about Louuain in Brabant and vpon the marches of Liege whither came to him from the King the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce now become altogither French and resident continually with the King accompanied with Cardinall Balne and others who aduertised him that the Liegeois were the Kings confederates and comprehended in the truce wherefore the King would succour them if he inuaded them Notwithstanding they offered if he would abandon the Dukes of Berry and Britaine to the King that the King would then abandon the Liegeois to him Their audience was short and in open court neither staied they aboue one day The Duke excused himselfe and charged the Liegeois with breach of the peace alledging that they had inuaded his dominions wherefore he sawe no reason why he should not be reuenged on them without forsaking his confederates and this was his answer for that time Againe the next day after their arriuall the Duke being ready to take horse tolde them that he humbly besought the King to attempt nothing against the Duke of Britaine whereunto the Constable replied and said sir you choose not but take all for you will make war at your pleasure vpon your friends and constraine vs to lie still and not inuade our enimies as you do yours it may not be so neither will the King endure it Then the Duke taking his leaue said thus again the Liegeois are assembled togither within three d↑ies I looke for the battell if I be ouerthrowne I am sure you will do after your accustomed maner but if the victory fall on my side the Britaines shall liue quietly enough by you Which talke ended he mounted on horsebacke and the ambassadors repaired to their lodgings to make them ready to depart The Duke marched in armes from Louuaine with great force laid his siege before a town called Sainctron his power was maruellous great for all the strength of Burgundy was come to him so that this army was far greater than any other that I had seene with him before A litle before his departure he debated with his counsell whether he should put the Liegeois hostages to death or what he should do with them Some gaue aduise to kill them all especially the Lord of Contay so often aboue mentioned whom I neuer heard speake so cruelly as at that present Wherfore it is necessary for a Prince to haue more than one of his counsell for the wisest erre yea and that often Otherwhiles bicause they are partiall to the matters debated through hatred or loue somtime bicause they seeke to contrary some one that hath spoken before them possible also their bodies may be euill disposed for it is not to be held for counsell that is giuen after dinner But you will say that men subiect to such imperfections are vnfit to be of a Princes councill whereunto I answer that we are all men and that who so will haue no councillors but such as neuer faile to speake wisely nor are more troubled at one time then another must seeke them in heauen for he shall not finde them on earth But for redresse of this inconuenience somtime one of the councell will speake very well and wisely that vseth not often so to do and thus the one supplieth the others defects Now to return to the matter debated in this assembly two or three were of the said Contais opinion mooued thereunto by his great authority wisdome for in such assemblies a great number giue their opinion but as they haue heard some other speake before them not vnderstanding the matters debated but seeking onely to flatter some one being of credit and authority that hath already spoken After this the Lord of Himbercourt a gentleman borne neere to Amiens and one of the wisest knights that euer I knew being asked his aduise said that to the end the Duke might haue God on his side and discharge himselfe of cruelty and desire of reuenge before the world he thought it best to pardon all those hostages considering they came thither with a good intent supposing the treatie should haue been obserued notwithstanding he aduised the Duke at their departure to giue them to vnderstand how great grace and fauor he shewed them and to desire them to do their endeuor in perswading their citizens to peace which if they could not obtain yet at the least they themselues acknowledging his goodnes towards them should neuer after beare armes neither against him nor their bishop there present with him This opinion tooke place and the hostages when they were deliuered promised to do as the Duke required Farther this was told them at their departure that if any of them were herafter taken in armes against the Duke he should die and thus they were dismissed It is not amisse to reherse heere how after Monseur de Contayes cruell sentence pronounced against the hostages part of them which were come thither with a good meaning and vpon verie simplicitie one of the Counsell said thus to me in mine eare Marke well this man his bodie is healthfull ynough though he be old yet dare I laie a good wager he shall not liue a yeere to an end bicause of this cruell sentence he hath giuen and sure so it fell out
league should remaine firme and vnuiolable between vs and the King and the realme of England saue that for Edward we named Henry This appointment pleased well the Duke of Burgundy for the Earle of Warwick was sending fower thousand English men to Calice to make sharp war vpon his dominions neither could the D. pacifie him by any meanes Notwithstanding the rich merchants of London diuers of the which were then at Calice in the end perswaded him to peace bicause their staple of wools is there which is a far goodlier thing than a man would beleeue for it is almost incredible of how great value the wooll is that is transported thither twise a yeere and lieth there till merchants come to buy it The chiefe vent whereof is into Flaunders and Holland which was the principall cause that mooued these merchants to labour so earnestly for peace and for stay of the soldiers the Earle was sending ouer which sure was a happy chance for the Duke of Burgundie for it was euen at the very same instant that the King tooke Amiens and Saint Quintine and if both the realmes had made war vpon him at once vndoubtedly he had been vndone He trauelled to appease the Earle of Warwick by all meanes possible alleging that he would attempt nothing against King Henry seeing he was himselfe of the house of Lancaster and vsing such words as might best serue for his purpose Now to returne to King Edward he came to Saint Paule to the Duke of Burgundy and pressed him earnestly for aide to return home assuring him that he had great intelligence in England and desiring him for Gods loue not to abandon him considering he had maried his sister and that they were brethren of one order The Dukes of Somerset and Excester labored him to the contrary to wit to take part with King Henry The Duke could not tell whom to please and either party he feared to displease But in the end bicause sharpe war was already begun vpon him euen at his very nose 3 he inclined to the Duke of Somerset and others aboue named accepting their promises against the Earle of Warwick their ancient enimy Wherwith King Edvvard there present was woonderfully disquieted But the Dukes seruants alleaged the best reasons they could in excuse herof saying that the Duke vsed this dissimulatiō to auoid war with both the realms at once adding therto that if he should be ouerthrowne he could not after aide him at his ease Notwithstanding the Duke seeing that he could no longer stay the King there but that needs he would returne into England and fearing for diuers considerations altogither to discontent him pretended openly that he would not aide him and made proclamation that no man should go to his seruice but couertly he deliuered him 50000. gildons of the Saint Andrewes crosse and caused three or fower great ships to be armed for him at La Vere in Zeland 4 which is a hauen where all nations are receiued Besides all this he entertained for him secretly fowerteen ships of the Easterlings well appointed who promised to serue him till he were landed in England and fifteen daies after which was great aide considering the time The Notes 1 He meaneth whether he should aide the King or no. 2 Our author reporteth this ragged staffe to be blacke but bicause the Earles of VVarwicke neuer gaue it blacke but the Earles of Kent I haue translated it white no whit doubting but that either the printer hath faulted heere or our authors memory failed him 3 To wit by the Englishmen sent ouer by the Earle of VVarwick 4 La Vere otherwise called Camphere is in the I le of VValkeren in Zeland not in Holland and is the Scottish staple wherefore I haue beene bold to amend the booke How King Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwick and then the Prince of Wales Chap. 7. KIng Edward departed out of Flanders the yeere 1471. at the selfe Heere our English affaires begin the yeere 1471. same instant that the D. of Burgundie went to Amiens against the King The said Duke thought now howsoeuer the world went in England he could not speede amisse bicause he had friends on both sides King Edward immediatly after his landing marched straight towards London bicause three or fower hundred Knights and Esquires of his faction togither with others of the meaner sort to the number of two thousand and better had retired themselues into the Sanctuaries of the citie which was a happy chance for him for if he landed with small force The Earle of Warwick being in the north parts with a great armie hearing these newes made haste to be at London before him rather for other respects than for that he greatly feared the reuolt of the towne notwithstanding the contrarie happened For King Edward was receiued into the citie with great ioy and triumph the tuesday before Easter contrarie to the expectation of most men for all the world accounted him as vtterly vndone And vndoubtedly if they had shut the gates against him he had been past all recouerie for the Earle of Warwicke was but a daies iourney behinde him There were three things especially as I haue heard that caused the towne to reuolt First the gentlemen that were in the sanctuaries and the yoong Prince lately borne The second the great debts that the King owed in the towne in respect whereof the merchants to whom he was indebted thought it their best way to take part with him The third a great many women of honor and rich merchants wiues with whom in times past he had been familiar perswaded their husbands and friends to incline to him He staied not past two or three daies in the towne for vpon Easter euen he departed with all the force he could leuy and marched against the Earle of Warwicke whom he met the next morning being Easter day and as they stood in order of battell the one in face of the other suddenly the D. of Clarence the Kings brother who was reconciled to the King as before you haue heard reuolted to the King with twelue thousand men and better 1 which no lesse astonied the Earle than encouraged the King whose force was not great But all this notwithstanding the battell was cruell and blooddy They were all footemen on both sides of the Kings vaward a great number were slaine then his battell and the Earles met and ioined so fiercely togither that the King himselfe fought in person more valiantly than any man of either army The Earle of Warwick vsed neuer to fight on foote but his maner was when he had led his men to the charge to take horse and if the victory fell on his side to fight among his soldiers otherwise to depart in time But at this battel he was constrained by his brother the Marques of Mountacute a valiant knight to light on foote and send away his horse To conclude in this battell died
that I now write of the D. of Guienne at the least his seruants and the D. of Britaine desired the Duke of Burgundy in no wise to call the Englishmen to his aide for seeing all that they did was for the good and benefite of the realme they would not bring the ancient enimies of the crowne into the realme adding farther that if he would be in a readines they should be strong ynough of themselues aswell bicause of their great forces as also of the good intelligence they had in the realme with diuers Captaines and others And once it was my chance to be present when the Lord of Vrfé had communication with the Duke to this effect and withall pressed him earnestly with all speede to leauy his army The Duke stoode at a window and called me to him and said Heere is my Lord of Vrfé that presseth me earnestly to leauy the greatest force that possible I may alleaging that it shall be greatly for the benefite of the realme what thinke you of this motion if I enter into the realme with my army shall I do any great good there I answered him merily that I thought no then said he I loue the realme of Fraunce better than my Lord of Vrfé weeneth for where it hath one King I would it had six During the treaty of mariage aboue mentioned Edward King of England who thought verily that the mariage should haue bin accomplished wherein he was deceiued as was also the King traueled earnestly with the Duke of Burgundy to breake it off alleaging that the K. had no issue male wherfore if he hapned to die the crown should descend to his brother whereby if this marriage tooke effect the realme of England shuld stand in great danger so many seigniories being vnited to the crown This matter troubled maruellously though needlesly not onely the King of England but also his whole Councell in such sort that they would giue no credite to the Duke of Burgundy what promise soeuer he made to the contrary The saide Duke notwithstanding the request aboue mentioned made vnto him by the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine for not calling in strangers to his aide was very desirous that the King of England should inuade some part of the realme and himselfe would haue pleaded ignorance therein But the Englishmen would not be woon therunto for they so much feared the annexing of the house of Burgundy by this mariage to the crown of Fraunce that they would at that time rather haue aided the King than inuaded him You see heere all these Princes throughly busied and accompanied with a number of wise men who as the sequele well declared foresawe a far of more by the one halfe than in their life time tooke effect for they all through this continuall toile and trauell in short space one after another ended their liues each man reioicing at others death as of a thing most desired Soone after also followed their masters leauing their successors troubles enow all saue the King our master who left his realme to his sonne quiet both from foraine wars and ciuill dissention so that he did more for him than euer he either would or could do for himselfe for I neuer knew him in peace saue onely a litle before his death The Duke of Guienne at this present lay sicke and in danger of death as som said but others affirmed the contrary his men pressed earnestly the Duke of Burgundy to put himselfe into the field bicause the time of the yeere serued fitly for that purpose and aduertised him that the Kings army was abroad and lay at Saint Iohn d' Angelie or at Xainctes or thereabout To be short they labored the Duke so importunately that he went to Arras and there assembled his forces and marched towards the townes of Peronne Roye and Montdidier his army was maruellous great yea the greatest that euer he had before for in it were twelue hundred Launces of his ordinary retinue euery one of them accompanied with three archers well armed and well mounted farther in euery company of these Launces were ten men of armes for a supply besides the lieutenant and ensine bearer The gentlemen of the Dukes dominions were likewise in very good order for they were very well paid and led by valiant knights and esquires And sure at that time these countries were maruellous rich The Notes 1 This Nicolas is named in other histories Marques du Pount 2 The King made war vpon his brother bicause he had restored the Earle of Armignac to all his possessions in Guienne whom the King before had banished Annal. Aquit How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundie and the King brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiens death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other Chap. 9. WHile the Duke was leuying his armie aboue mentioned the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce named Master Peter Doriole came to him twise or thrise from the King and secretly treated with him of a final peace which heertofore could neuer be concluded bicause the Duke required the restitution of Amiens and Saint Quintine whereunto the King would neuer condiscend but now partly bicause of the great preparation he saw made against him and partly in hope to compas certaine purposes whereof heerafter you shall heare he agreed to yeeld them The conditions of this peace were that the King should restore to the Duke Amiens and Saint Quintine and whatsoeuer else was in controuersie betweene them That he should abandon the Earles of Neuers and Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce and permit the Duke to do with them and all their possessions at his pleasure and seize them into his own hands if he could That the Duke in like maner should abandon the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine and permit the King to do with them and their seigniories at his pleasure I was present when the Duke of Burgundie sware this treatie and likewise the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce in the Kings name who also at their departure from the Duke aduised him not to dismisse his armie but to march still forward to the end the King their Master might make the speedier deliuerie of the two places aboue named Further Simon of Quinchy was sent with them to see the King sweare and confirme this treaty which his ambassadors had concluded but the King delaied the confirmation a certaine space and in the meane time happened his brothers death The D. being readie to depart from Arras receiued two seuerall aduertisements one that Nicholas Duke of Calabria and Loraine heire of the house of Aniou and sonne to Iohn Duke of Calabria was comming to him about his daughters marriage whom the Duke honorably receiued and put in great hope of his sute But the next day being the 15. of May 1472. as I remember came letters from Simon of Quinchy the Dukes ambassador to the King wherein he aduertised his Master
vse often when money faileth them to leuy an armie and make shewe as though they would inuade Scotland or Fraunce But after they haue receiued money for a yeere they lie abroad in campe three moneths and then returne home and dismisse their army which practise King Edward was well acquainted with and vsed often It was at the least a yeere before this English army could be in a readines but when it was furnished of all things necessarie the King of England aduertised the Duke of Burgundie die thereof who in the beginning of the sommer went before Nuz trusting in short space to put his Bishop in possession and to retaine certaine places as Nuz and others in his owne hands to what purpose you haue heard before I thinke verily that this proceeded of God who beheld with a pitifull eie this realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly the Duke might shrewdly haue shaken considering that his army was mightie and all of olde soldiers accustomed by the space of many yeeres to enter and spoile this realme without any resistance saue onely by defence of the strong townes True it is that this proceeded of the King who would hazard nothing partly for feare of the Dukes force and partly for doubt of rebellion in his realme if he should receiue an ouerthrow for he knew himselfe not to be beloued of all his subiects especially the nobilitie And if I may vtter all he hath eftsoons told me that he knew his subiects well ynough and should finde them rebellious if his assaires happened to haue hard successe wherefore when the Duke of Burgundie entred into the realme he manned the townes well by the which he passed whereby in short space the Dukes army brake it selfe and the King neuer endangered his estate which vndoubtedly proceeded of great wisedome But all this notwithstanding the Dukes force being so great as it was if the King of Englands army had also entred in the beginning of sommer as assuredly it would had not the Duke so obstinately line before Nuz vndoubtedly the realme had stood in great danger for neuer King of England passed at once with so great force nor so well disposed to fight All the great Lords of England were there none excepted Their men of armes were 1500. at the least which was much for the English men all wel appointed and well accompanied and 14000. archers on horseback besides a great number of foote men that serued in the army and in all their campe was not one Page Further the King of England had in a readines three thousand men to land in Britaine to ioine there with the Duke of Britaines forces I saw my selfe two letters written with the Lord of Vrfés owne hands then seruant to the Duke of Britaine but afterward Master of the horse to King Charles the one addressed to the King of England and the other to the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England 12 The contents whereof among diuers other things were that the Duke of Britaine would do more in Fraunce by intelligence in a moneth than the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie notwithstanding their great forces in halfe a yeere which words I thinke would haue prooued true if the matter had come to execution But God who hath alwaies loued this realme disposed of these affaires as heereafter you shall heare These letters aboue mentioned the King bought of one of the King of Englands Secretaries for three score marks of siluer The Notes 1 This Duke Adolph maried Katherine daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Agnes sister to Philip Duke of Burgundy Meyer 2 Duke Arnold lay in prison sixe yeeres Meyer but he misseth the cushion for other approoued authors and namely Guicciardin agree with Commines 3 The French hath Mambourg or Membourg which is as much as captaine or gouernor looke more heerof in the pedegree of the Dukes of Gueldres 4 Least it seeme strange that this yoong Duke whom our author in this very Chapter reporteth to haue beene well fauored of the Duke of Burgundy should be staied and imprisoned in his dominions you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Burgundy vpon hope to be Duke Arnolds heire himselfe altered his minde and of the yoong Dukes friend became his foe 5 The Emperor stirred not against the Duke of Burgundy for taking by force the Duchy of Gueldres which was held of the Empire bicause the Dukes of Gueldres by the space of thirty yeeres had done no homage to the Empire The Duke subdued Gueldres anno 1473. Meyer 6 It was our author himselfe that gaue the King this aduise Meyer 7 This quarrell began anno 1473. Meyer 8 The Palzgraues name was Robert his Chapter and he were at variance in such sort that they had gotten him excommunicated chosen Harman the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother to gouerne the charge Then the Duke of Burgundy tooke vpon him to place him againe in his Sea which appertained not to him but to the Emperor and the Pope in the end this Robert was taken and died in prison 9 The league betweene the Duke and the Bishop was that these places heere mentioned belonging to the Church of Coulon should haue remained to the Duke for his charges Nuz was besieged the 28. of Iuly 1474. 10 Nuz is beneath Coulon so that if the Duke had held that and three or fower places aboue Coulon the said city of Coulon being on al sides inuironed by him must perforce haue been at his commandement 11 This Lantzgraue was Lodouicus grandfather to Philip that last died 12 The Lord Hastings was indeed but Chamberlaine of the King house How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almains against the Duke of Burgundy and of other enimies that the King procured the Duke Chap. 2. THe Duke of Burgundy as you haue heard was now busied before Nuz and found the enterprise of more difficulty than he supposed The city of Coulon situate vpon the riuer of Rhene fower leagues aboue Nuz spent monethly 1 in the wars 100000. golde gildons for feare of the Duke And they and certaine other townes aboue them had already put fifteene or sixteene thousand footemen into the fielde who encamped on the other side of the riuer directly ouer against the Duke and planted great force of artillery vpon the banke thinking thereby to cut off his victuals that came vp the streame out of Guelderland and to sinke the botes by canon shot Moreouer the Emperor and the Princes Electors of the Empire assembled togither about this busines and concluded to leuy an army wherunto the King sent diuers messengers to sollicite them to whom also they sent a Chanon of Coulon of the house of Bauiere accompanied with another ambassador who brought him a roll of the army the Emperor was resolued to leuy if he for his part would ioine in the enterprise It is not to be doubted but that they receiued a good answer with promise of all they demanded
further the King assured by letters as well the Emperor as diuers Princes and townes that so soon as the Emperor with his army should be come to Coulon he would send twenty thousand men to ioin with him vnder the leading of the Lord of Cran and Sallezarde Thus this Dutch army prepared to march being greater than is almost credible 2 for all the Princes of Almaine as well spirituall as temporall all the Bishops townes and commonalties had men there yea so great numbers euery one of them that as I was informed the Bishop of Munster who is none of the richest Bishops had in this army sixe thousand footemen fourteene hundred horsemen and twelue hundred waggons all couered with greene true it is that his Bishoprick lieth neere to Nuz 3 The Emperor was seuen moneths in leuying this army which time expired he came and encamped within halfe a league of the Duke of Burgundy by diuers of whose men I haue beene aduertised that though the King of Englands army and the Dukes had beene ioined both togither yet should they not haue beene the third part of the Emperors neither in men nor in tents and pauilions Besides the Emperors force was also this other army aboue mentioned which lay directly ouer against the Duke on the other side of the riuer and endamaged greatly his campe and cut off much of his victuals When the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire were come before Nuz they sent to the King a Doctor of great authoritie with them called He seuare afterward a Cardinall who came to sollicite the King to performe his promise and send the forces whereof he had assured the Emperor by letters otherwise to tell him that the Almaines would conclude peace The King put him in good hope that he would so do and gaue him a present of fower hundred crownes and sent with him to the Emperor one called Iohn Tiercelin Lord of Brosse notwithstanding the Doctor departed nothing well contented During this siege maruellous practises were entertained The King trauelled to conclude peace with the Duke of Burgundie at the least to prolong the truce to the end the English men should not passe the seas The King of England on the other side labored to the vttermost of his power to perswade the Duke to depart from Nuz and performe his promise by aiding him to make war in Fraunce alleaging that the sommer was far spent And the Lord of Scalles a curteous Knight nephew to the Constable of Fraunce with diuers others was twise sent ambassador to the Duke to sollicite him thereunto but he was obstinate Whereby it manifestly appeered that God had troubled his wits and vnderstanding for all his life time he had labored the English men to passe into Fraunce and now when they were in a readines and all things prepared for the wars as well in Britaine as elsewhere he lay obstinately before a place impregnable With the Emperor was a legate sent from the Pope who rode daily betweene the two camps to treate of peace The King of Denmarke came also thither and trauelled to pacifie this controuersie being lodged in a little towne hard by both the armies so that the Duke might haue departed to the English men with honorable conditions Notwithstanding he would not but excused himselfe to the King of England vpon his honor which he said should be stained if he leuied his siege with diuers such like slender excuses Heere you must note that these were not those English men that in the time of Duke Philip his father had made war so long in this realme but these were yoong soldiers vtterly vnacquainted with our French affaires Wherefore the Duke proceeded very fondly if he meant to vse their helpe for he should the first sommer haue been continually with them leading them from place to place and instructing them what was to be done While the Duke lay thus obstinately before Nuz war arose against him on two or three sides for the Duke of Lorraine who hitherto had been in peace with him sent to defie him before Nuz by the Lord of Crans perswasion who to further the Kings affaires allured the Duke of Lorraine thereunto assuring him that it would turne greatly to his profit Incontinent the said Duke of Lorraine put himselfe into the field and spoiled all the Duchie of Luxembourg and razed a place there called Pierre-forte two leagues from Nancy Further by the Kings procurement and certaine of his seruants a league was made for ten yeeres betweene the Swissers and certaine townes vpon the riuer of Rhene 4 namely Basill Strasbourg and others which before had beene their enimies Peace was also concluded betweene Duke Sigismond of Austrich and the said Swissers the conditions whereof were that Duke Sigismond should take againe the countie of Ferrette 5 which he had engaged to the Duke of Burgundie for a 100000. florens But this one article remained yet in variance betweene Duke Sigismond and them namely that the Swissers required passage through fower townes of the countie of Ferrette 6 at their pleasure which controuersie was referred to the Kings arbitrament who pronounced sentence for the Swissers Heereby you may perceiue what enimies the King stirred vp couertly against the Duke of Burgundie As the matter was concluded so also was it executed for in a faire moone shine night Peter Archambaut 7 gouernor of the countie of Ferrette for the Duke of Burgundie was taken prisoner accompanied with eight hundred soldiers who were all dismissed safe and sound saue himselfe alone whom they led to Basill 8 and there endited of diuers extortions and outrages committed in the said countie of Ferrette and in the end strake off his head Immediately after his death all the countie of Ferrette yeelded to Duke Sigismond and the Swissers began to make war in Burgundie and tooke Blasmond a towne being the Marshals of Burgundie who was of the house of Neuf-chastell and besieged the castell of Hericourt belonging also to the said house of Neuf-chastel whither the Burgundians went to leuie the siege but were discomfited 9 and a great number slaine The said Swissers maruellously endamaged the countrie and then returned home for that time The Notes 1 The citie of Coulon tooke part with the Chapter against the D. of Burgundies Bishop 2 The Emperor had in pay in this armie 80000. men 3 But his Bishoprick is on the other side the riuer of Rhene 4 These townes were Strasbourg Slecstat Basill Colmar c. 5 Ferrette in Dutch Pfirt 6 The townes the Swissers desired passage through were Reinfeld Loufenberg Neustat and Brissac 7 Others call him Peter Hagenbach but the variance ariseth bicause one nameth him by his surname the other by his seigniorie for he was called Peter Archambaut of Hagenbach 8 Others write that he was beheadded at Brisac a towne neere to Basill 9 The Lord of Blasmond led this armie and in this battell the Burgundians lost 2000. men Annal. Burgund How the King wan
vertous Lady and sister to the Queene of Fraunce so that for hir sake he had found great friendship and fauor in our court The practise begun against him still continued which as you haue heard was almost concluded at the assembly held thereabout at Bouuines after the which the Constable neuer thought himselfe in assurance but mistrusted both the Princes especially the King who seemed to repent the reuoking of his letters there sealed Further the Earle of Dampmartin others whom the Constable feared as his enimies lay with their men of armes neere to Saint Quintins wherefore he held himselfe within the towne and put into it three hundred footemen of his owne tenants hauing but small affiance in his men of armes He liued in great trouble for the King had often sent to him to sollicite him to come foorth to do him seruice in the marches of Henault and to besiege Auennes at the same time that the Admirall with his band went to burne the countrey of Artois as you haue heard which commandement he obeied but with great feare for after he had lien a certaine space before the said towne of Auennes with a continual garde about his person he retired into his owne places and sent the King word by one of his seruants who did his message to me by the Kings commandement that he had raised his siege bicause he was certainly enformed that there were two in the army purposely hired by the King to kill him whereof also he told so many apparant tokens that he seemed indeed to haue some notice thereof so far foorth that one of them was suspected to haue disclosed somwhat to him that he ought to haue kept secret but I will name no man neither speake further heerof The Constable sent often to the Duke of Burgundies campe I suppose to perswade him to relinquish his foolish enterprise aduertising the King also vsually at his mens returne of some such newes as he thought would like him well and withall what was the cause of his sending thither hoping by this means to entertaine him with faire words Somtime also he gaue him to vnderstand that the Dukes affaires had good proceeding thereby to put him in feare Further doubting greatly that the King would inuade him he desired the Duke to send vnto him his brother Master Iames of Saint Paul being at Nuz before he was taken prisoner and the Lord of Fiennes with certaine others of his kinsmen promising to put them and their bands into Saint Quintins but without the Saint Andrews crosse 2 and to keepe the towne for the Duke and restore it him shortly after for performance also wherof he offered to giue him his faith in writing The Duke did as he required and when the said Master Iames the Lord of Fiennes and the rest of the Constables kinsmen were twise come within a league or two of the towne ready to enter the Constable thinking the storme past altered his minde and sent a countermaunde This did he thrise so desirous was he still to liue in dissimulation and swim as it were between two streams fearing maruellously both these Princes Of this matter I haue been enformed by diuers but especially by Master Iames of Saint Paul himselfe who thus reported the circumstance thereof to the King when he was brought prisoner before him where no man was present but my selfe alone The said Master Iames answered frankly and without dissimulation to all the Kings demands whereby he wan greatly his fauor First the King asked him how many men he had with him to enter the towne whereunto he answered that the last time he had three thousand Then the King inquired further if he had entred and had been Master of the towne whether he would haue held it for the King or the Constable Whereunto he likewise answered that the two first times he came but to comfort his brother but the last seeing his dissimulation to his Master and him if he had entred and had been Master of the towne he would haue held it for his Master not offring his brother any outrage nor doing any thing to his preiudice saue onely that he would not haue departed the town at his commandement Soone after the King deliuered the said Iames of Saint Paul out of prison and gaue him charge of a goodly company of men of armes and vsed his seruice till his death of which his preferment his wise answers were the onely cause The Notes 1 This ouerthrow the Duke of Bourbon gaue the Burgundians neere to a place called Grey or Gy not far from Chausteauguion and in the battell was slain the Lord of Conches others say but taken and there were taken prisoners the Earle of Roussy being gouernor of Burgundy the Marshall of Burgundie the Earle of Ioigny the Earle of Saint Martins sonne Monseur de L'Isle Monseur de Longey or Longny the bailife of Ampois and the bailife of Auxerre This battell was fought on tuesday the 20. of Iune 1475. and in it two hundred men of armes Lombards were slaine Meyer About this time also the Prince of Orenge was taken prisoner and by meanes thereof reuolted from the Duke to the King Annal. Burgund 2 The Saint Andrewes crosse is the Burgundians cognisance and if they had entred with this crosse vpon their cotes the Constable could haue no longer temporised with the King of Fraunce but should foorthwith haue been proclaimed traitor How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the King of England his confederate sent to defie King Lewis Chap. 5. I Haue discoursed of diuers affaires since I began with the siege of Nuz bicause they all hapned in that time for the siege indured a whole yeere There were two causes especially that mooued the Duke to leuy his siege one the war the King made in Picardy where he had burned two proper townes and destoied a goodly champaine countrey in Artois and Ponthieu The other the mighty army the King of England leuied at his sute and sollicitation whom till now he could neuer perswade to passe into Fraunce notwithstanding that he had labored him thereunto al the daies of his life The said King of England and all his nobles were maruellously discontented with the Dukes delaies and besides intreaties vsed threatnings and not without cause considering the great charges they had sustained and all to no purpose the sommer being now almost spent The Duke gloried much that this Dutch army being so great that the like hath not been seene in our age nor many yeeres before and in the which were so many Princes Prelates and free cities ioined togither was not able to raise his siege 1 But this glory cost him full deere for he that hath the profit of the war reapeth also the honor thereof Notwithstanding the Legate aboue mentioned who rode continually betweene the two camps made peace in the end betweene the Emperor and the Duke 2 and the towne of Nuz
was put into the said Legats hands to do therewith according to the determination of the Sea Apostolike Now consider in how great distresse the Duke of Burgundy was being on the one side vexed with war by the King and threatned on the other by the King of England his friend so that notwithstanding he knew the towne of Nuz to be brought to such extremitie that within lesse than fifteen daies famine would haue constrained them to yeeld to his mercie yea within ten daies as one of the captaines within the towne who afterward serued the King aduertised me yet for the reasons aboue alleaged he was forced to leuie his siege 3 in the yeere 1475. Let vs now returne to the K. of England who led his armie to Douer there to embarke to crosse the seas to Calice The force that passed with him at this present was the greatest that euer came into France all of them being on horseback in very good order and well armed All the nobles of the realme were there a fewe excepted they were 1500. men of armes very well mounted and the most of them barded and richly trapped after the maner of our wars and well accompanied with horsemen of their retinue They were at the least 15000. archers all mounted and a great number of footemen and others aswell to pitch their tents wherefore they were well furnished as also to attende vpon their artillerie and inclose their campe and in all their army they had not one Page besides these there were three thousand English men appointed to land in Britaine This I haue written before but rehearse it heere againe to the end you may perceiue that God was purposed to trouble the Duke of Burgundies wits and preserue this realme which he hath euer more fauored than any other otherwise it is to be thought that the Duke would so obstinately haue lien before Nuz a place so strong so well defended seeing all his life time till now he could neuer finde the English men disposed to inuade the realme of Fraunce and knew them to be vtterly vnacquainted with our French wars till they be trained therein for if he would haue done any good with them he should neuer haue left them the first sommer but helped them and taught them to order and leade their battels after the maner of our wars for there is no nation so ignorant and rude as the English men at their first landing in Fraunce but in very short space they becom excellent good soldiers hardie and wise But the Duke did cleane contrarie for besides these other his ouersights he made them lose the sommer and as touching him selfe his armie was so broken so poore and in so euill order that he durst not present it before them for he lost before Nuz fower thousand soldiers taking pay some of the which were the best men he had 4 Thus you see how God disposed him in all points to do contrarie both to that his affaires required and also to the arte of war wherein himselfe had been exercised by the space of ten yeeres more than any man liuing When King Edward came to Douer the Duke of Burgundy to further his passage sent fiue hundred botes of Holland and Zealand called Scuts which are flat and low built very commodiously for transporting of horses But notwithstanding all this helpe they had from the Duke and all the King of England could command himselfe he was aboue three weekes in passing betweene Callice and Douer yet are they but seuen leagues distant whereby you may perceiue with how great difficultie a King of England inuadeth Fraunce And if the King our Master had been as well acquainted with the wars by sea as by land King Edward had neuer passed ouer at the least not that sommer But the King vnderstood them not and those that had charge of them much lesse The King of England as I haue said was three weekes in passing one ship of Eu tooke two or three of his small passengers Before King Edward embarked he sent from Douer to the King one herault alone called Garter a Norman borne 5 who brought a letter of defiance from the King of England in verie good language and so excellently well penned that I am verilie perswaded it was neuer of English mans dooing The contents of the letter were that the King should yeelde vnto him the realme of Fraunce being his inheritance to the end he might restore the cleargie and nobilitie to their ancient libertie ease them of the great charges they sustained and deliuer them from the miseries they liued in which if he refused to do he protested what great mischeefes should insue thereof in maner and forme as in such cases is accustomed The King read the letter softly to himselfe and afterward all alone withdrew himselfe into a wardrob and commanded the herault to be brought to his presence to whom he made this answer First that he knew well the King of England was not passed the seas of his owne motion but by the perswasion of the Duke of Burgundie and the commonaltie of England secondarily that the sommer was now almost spent and that the Duke of Burgundie returned from Nuz as a man discomfited and vtterly vnfurnished of all things thirdly as touching the Constable he knew well he said that he had intelligence with the King of England bicause he had married his neece 6 but would deceiue the King his master as he had deceiued him notwithstanding all the great benefites he had receiued of him which he there rehearsed adding thereunto that the said Constable meant to liue in continuall dissimulation and entertaine euery man to make his profite of him last of all he alleaged to the herault diuers other reasons to perswade the King his Master to peace and gaue him with his owne hands three hundred crownes promising him a thousand more if peace were concluded further openly he gaue him for a present a goodly peece of crimosin veluet of thirty ells The herault answered that he would trauell the best he could for peace and thought the King his Master would easily be woon thereunto but that no mention must be made thereof till he were on this side the sea and then he willed the King our Master to send a herault to the English campe to demand a safe conduct for certaine ambassadors that he would send to the King of England and to addresse his letters to the Lord Hovvard or the Lord Stanley and to himselfe also to helpe to conuay his herault A great number there were without in the hall while the King talked with the herault very desirous to heare the Kings answer and to see his countenance at his comming foorth When he had made an end he called me to him bidding me continually to entertaine the herault till some were appointed to beare him companie to the end no man might commune with him and further to giue him a peece of crimosin veluet of thirtie ells
which I did accordingly Then the King began to talke with diuers rehearsing vnto them the contents of these letters of defiance and seuen or eight he called apart causing the said letters to be read and shewing a good and assured countenance void of al feare for he was glad of the comfort the herault had put him in The Notes 1 Melancthon writeth that the Emperor vvould not hazard a battell neither vvith Matthias King of Hungarie nor Duke Charles Quia sibi sciebat Martem in genesi infoeliciter positum esse But Berlandus saith that the Duke fought vvith the Emperor Meyer saith that in a skirmish the Duke ouerthrevv the Marquesse Albert of Brandenbourg and slue 120. of his men and tooke diuers prisoners and another time ouerthrevv the Bishop of Munster slue fiftie tooke sixteene and chased the Bishop hard to the Emperors campe and likevvise another time the Bishops of Mentz Treues Munster and Marquesse Albert and slue a great number of their men And last of all bicause the Emperor and the Duke contended vvhether of them should first depart from before Nuz their footmen ioined and the Duke slue 1500. 2 Peace vvas concluded betvveene the Emperor and the Duke 31. Maij. 1475. 3 The Emperor departed from Nuz 29. Iunij leauing the Duke there vvho vvould not leuie his siege before the Emperors departure bicause of his honor but soone after departed also the Duke Meyer 4 The Duke lost before Nuz 15000. men Annal. Burgund vvherefore Meyer hath small reason to reprooue our author for saying that the Dukes armie vvas in so poore estate that he durst not let the English men see it 5 Hall in his Chronicle reproueth our author for reporting this Garter to be a Norman saying that neuer Norman was King of heraults which notwithstandyng I Know not why we should beleeue for he him selfe confesseth that King Edward the fourth made a Gascoine namely Vaucler Deputie of Calice a much higher and more dangerous office to be in a strangers hand than this 6 How the Queene of England was the Constables neece the pedegree in the ende of this booke will declare Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death Chap. 6. I Must yet speake a word or two more heer of the Constable who was not a little troubled as well for the lewd touch he had plaid the Duke of Burgundy about the restitution of Saint Quintins as also bicause he saw himselfe vtterly disfauored of the King so far foorth that his cheefe seruants namely the Lords of Genly and Mouy had alreadie relinquished him and were in the Kings seruice notwithstanding the said de Mouy resorted still to him sometime Further the King pressed the Constable earnestly to come to him offering to make him such recompence for the countie of Guise as he required and the King had often promised him The Constable was willing to go so that the K. would sweare by the crosse of S. Lou of Angiers to do him no harme nor consent that any other should alleaging that he might as wel sweare therby now as in times past he did to the Lord of Lescute whereunto the King answered that he would neuer giue that oth to any man 1 but any other he would not refuse to sweare You may easily gesse how much both the King and the Constable were troubled for that no day escaped for a certaine space but one or other passed betweene them about this oth Wherefore if we well weigh our estate mans life is very miserie for we toile and trauell our selues to shorten our owne daies saying and writing a number of things cleane contrarie to our thought To conclude if these two were troubled on the one side I warrant you the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie were no lesse troubled on the other At one time in a maner both the King of England landed at Callice 2 and the Duke of Burgundie departed from before Nuz who in great haste rode straight to Callice to the said King with a very small traine for he had sent his armie in such poore estate as you haue heard to spoile the countrie of Barrois and Lorraine to the end they might there make merrie and refresh themselues which he did bicause the Duke of Lorraine had begun war vpon him and defied him before Nuz But this sending of his forces into Lorraine among diuers other his ouersights in his actions with the English men was not the lest for they thought at their landing to haue found him with 2500. men of armes well appointed and great force of other horsemen and footemen for so he had promised thereby to allure them to passe the seas and further that he would haue made war in Fraunce three moneths before their arriuall to the end they might finde the King the wearier and the weaker but God as you haue heard disposed otherwise of this matter The King of England departed from Callice in companie of the Duke of Burgundie and passed through Bolaine and from thence to Peronne where the Duke gaue the English men but cold entertainment for he caused the gates to be straightly garded and would suffer but few to enter so that the greatest part of them lodged in the fields as they might well do for they were well prouided of all things necessarie for that purpose After they were come to Peronne the Constable sent to the Duke of Burgundy one of his seruants called Levvis of Creuille by whom he excused himselfe for the withholding of Saint Quintins alleaging that if he had restored it he could haue stood him in no stead in the realme of Fraunce for he should vtterly haue lost his credit and intelligence there but now seeing the King of England was come ouer in person he promised to do heerafter all that the Duke should command him whereof the better to assure him he sent him a letter of credit directed to the King of England but referring the matter of credit to the declaration of the Duke Further he gaue the Duke his faith in writing to serue and succour him his friends and confederates as well the King of England as others against all men none excepted The Duke deliuered the King of England his letter and withall the matter of credit adding somwhat thereto of his own deuise for he assured the King that the Constable would deliuer into his hands both Saint Quintins and all his other places which the King easily beleeued partly bicause he had maried the Constables neece and partly bicause he saw him in so great feare of the King our Master that he thought he durst not faile of his promise made to the Duke and him and the Duke beleeued it also But the Constable meant nothing lesse for the fear he stood in of the King our Master was not so great that it could force
him so far But he vsed still his woonted dissimulation hoping by these faire messages to content them and shew them so apparant reasons of his dooings that they would not as yet constraine him to declare himselfe Now you shall vnderstand that King Edvvard and his men were nothing acquainted with our affaires but went bluntly to worke so that they could not as yet smell out the cunning vsed heere on this side the sea for naturally the English men that neuer trauelled abroad are very colerick as are also al people of cold coūtries 3 The realme of Fraunce as you see is situate betweene both for it is inuironed with Italy Spaine and Catalonia towards the east 4 and with England Flaunders and Holland towards the west 5 and all along the countrey of Champaigne Almaine bordereth vpon it so that our countrey taketh part both of heate and cold wherfore the French are of two complexions but in mine opinion I neuer saw countrey in my life better seated than the realme of Fraunce The King of England who reioiced maruellously at this message sent by the Constable although happily he had receiued some such promise before but not so large departed from Peronne with the Duke of Burgundy who had no force there for his army was in Barrois and Lorraine towards Saint Quintins whereunto when they approched a great band of Englishmen ran before thinking as I heard it reported a few daies after that the bels should haue rung at their comming that the citizens would haue receiued them with crosse and holy water But when they drew neere the town the artillery shot and the soldiers issued foorth to the skirmish both on horsebacke and foote so that two or three English men were slaine and some taken Further it rained terribly and in this estate returned they in great rage to their campe murmuring against the Constable and calling him traitor The next morning the Duke of Burgundy would haue taken his leaue of the King of England to depart to his army into Barrois promising to do maruels in his fauor But the English men who naturally are suspicious and were strangers in these countries maruelled much at his so sudden departure seeing they had passed the seas at his request and were greatly discontented therwith neither would they beleeue that his army was in a readines Besides that the Duke could by no meanes repaire the Constables former credit with them notwithstanding that he affirmed all his dooings to be to a good end The winter also which drew neere dismaied them so that they seemed by their words desirous rather of peace than war The Notes 1 The King vvould not svveare by the crosse of Saint Lou of Angiers bicause vvho so touched that crosse and for svvare himselfe died miserably within a yeere after 2 The King of England landed at Calais the 4. of Iuly Meyer 3 The reason is Propter crassos humores quibus abundant eorum corpora qui vehementiores excitant affectus innatam caloris vim quae etiam augetur per antiperistasin 4 By the east he meaneth all seas to the great Ocean 5 By the vvest he meaneth all vvest and north seas How the King clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the King of England in his Campe where he receiued a very good answere Chap. 7. IN the meane time euen at the very instant that the D. of Burgundy was taking his leaue the English men tooke prisoner a gentlemans seruant of the Kings house named Iames of Grasse whom foorthwith they led to the King of England and the Duke being togither and from them into a tent where when they had examined him the Duke tooke his leaue to go into Brabant and from thence to Maizieres where part of his army lay The King of England commanded the said seruant to be dismissed bicause he was their first prisoner And at his departure the Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley gaue him a noble saying Do our humble commendations to the K. your Master if you can come to his presence The fellow came in great haste to the King being at Compiegne with these newes who foorthwith began to suspect him as a spie bicause Gilbert of Grasse his Masters brother was then very well entertained in the Duke of Britaines court wherefore he was committed to warde and straightly kept that night Notwithstanding the King commanded diuers to commune with him by whose report his tale seemed voide of all suspicion and feare Wherefore they desired the King to vouchsafe to heare him and according to their request the next morning he himselfe spake with him and when he had heard him his irons were knocked off but he remained still in warde Then the King went to diner debating with himselfe whether he should send to the English men or not And before he sat downe talked three or fower words thereof with me For you know my Lord of Vienna that oftentimes he communed very familiarly with those that were neere about him as I was then and others after loued to talke in a mans eare he called then to minde the herault of Englands aduise which was that he should not faile to send to the King of England so soone as he was landed to demaund a safe conduct for certaine ambassadors that he would send to him and further to adresse his herault to the aboue named Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley After the King was set to diner and had mused a while as you know his maner was which seemed strange to those that knew him not for vnlesse a man had beenwel acquainted with his behauior he would haue iudged him of no great wisdome notwithstanding that his dooings sufficiently declared the contrary he bad me in mine eare to arise and dine in my chamber and send for a certaine seruant of the Lord of Halles son to Merichon of Rochell and to commune with him to know whether he durst aduenture to go to the K. of Englands campe in a heraults cote which his commandement I executed foorthwith maruelling much when I saw the said seruant for he seemed to me neither of personage nor behauior fit for such an enterprise notwithstanding he had a good wit and a very pleasant toong as I afterward perceiued the King had neuer spoken with him before but once The said seruant was maruellously astonished with my message fell downe before me on his knees as one accounting himselfe a dead man but I comforted confirmed him the best I could promising him an office in the I le of Ré a summe of money to cheere him the better tolde him that this proceeded of the English men themselues Then I made him dine with me none being present but we two and one of my seruants and by little and little perswaded him to do as he was required After I had been at diner a while the King sent for me and I told
haue the Duchy of Guienne for hir maintenance or 50000. crownes yeerely to be paied in the Tower of London by the space of nine yeeres which terme expired the King that now is and his wife should peaceably enioy the reuenues of the whole Duchie of Guienne and then the King our Master to be cleerely discharged of all paiments to the King of England Diuers other trifling articles there were touching matter of trafike which I ouerpasse Lastlie this truce was to endure nine yeeres betweene the two realmes all the confederates of both parties being comprehended therin and namely on the King of Englands behalfe the Dukes of Burgundie and Britaine if they themselues would Further the King of England made a maruellous strange offer which was to name in writing certaine noble men who he said were traitors to the King and his crowne The King reioiced maruellously at the report that his Commissioners made at their returne sat in counsell about these ouertures of peace where among others I my selfe was present Some supposed all this treatie to be meere deceit and cunning of the English men but the King was of a contrarie opinion for he alleaged first the time of the yeere saying that winter now approched and that they had not one place to lodge in secondarily he declared the euill turns the Duke of Burgundie had done them who was also departed from them And as touching the Constable he did in maner assure himselfe that he would put no places into their hands bicause he sent howerly to him to entertaine him to asswage his malice and to keepe him from doing harme lastly he alleaged the King of Englands disposition whom he knew well to be a Prince wholy giuen to his pleasures delights Wherfore he seemed to discourse wiselier than any man of the companie and better to vnderstand than any other the matters there debated He concluded therefore with all speed to pay this summe of mony and deuised order how to leuie it and in the end commanded that euery man should lend a portion the sooner to furnish it for the King cared not what he did to rid the King of England out of his realme saue onely that he would in no wise consent to put any places into the English mens hands for rather than he would suffer that he was fully determined to hazard all The Constable who began to smel these practises was stricken with sudden feare bicause he had offended all the three Princes Further he doubted much the treatie almost concluded against him at Bouuines Wherefore he sent often to the King and euen at this present arriued at the Court one of his gentlemen named Levvis of Creuille with one of his Secretaries called Iohn Richer who are both yet liuing They deliuered their message to the Lord of Bouchage and me before they spake with the King as his pleasure was they should The newes they brought liked the King well bicause he meant to vse them to good purpose as you shall heare The Lord of Contay seruant to the Duke of Burgundie lately taken prisoner before Arras as you haue heard went to and fro vpon his word betweene the Duke and the King and the King had promised to release him his raunsome and to giue him a great summe of money if he could perswade his Master to peace By chance he returned to the King the selfesame day that these two seruants of the Constables arriued Wherefore the King made him and me to stand in a great old presse in his chamber to the end he might heare and make report to his Master of the language the Constable and his seruants vsed of him We being there placed the King sate downe on a forme hard by the presse to the end we might the better heare Lewis of Creuilles and his companions message Who began thus that of late being by their Masters commandement with the Duke of Burgundie to perswade him to depart from the English mens friendship they found him in such a rage against the King of England that they had almost woon him not onely to abandon the English men but also to helpe to spoile and destroy them in their returne home And in vttering these words the better to please the King the said Lewis of Creuille counterfetting the Duke of Burgundies gesture by stamping vpon the ground and swearing Saint George rehearsed many reprochfull speeches that as they said the Duke vsed of the King of England To be short they vttered as many scofs and mocks of the D. as was possible The King made great sport with this matter bad the said Lewis of Creuille to speake alowd faining himselfe to be growen somwhat deafe and to tel him this tale againe which the other making no bones thereat did with a good will The said Contay who stood with me in the presse was maruellously astonished at this talke neither would haue beleeued it vnlesse himselfe had heard it The Constables mens conclusion was this They counselled the King for auoiding of all these great dangers he sawe hang ouer his head to conclude a truce for the which the said Constable offered to trauell to the vttermost of his power and to put into the English mens hands the better to content them some small towne or two to lodge them in this winter saying that were they neuer so bad yet the English men would holde themselues contented with them And it seemed by their talke though they named no place that they ment Eu and Saint Valery By this meanes the Constable trusted to recouer the King of Englands fauor which he had lost bicause of the refusall made him of his places But the King who thought it sufficient to haue plaied his part by bringing the Lord of Contay to heare what language the Constable and his men vsed of the Duke his Master gaue them no euill answer but said that he would send to his brother 2 to aduertise him of such newes as he knew and so licensed them to depart Notwithstanding one of them before his departure sware to reueale vnto him whatsoeuer he could learne touching him or his estate The King had much adoo to dissemble any longer when he heard them counsell him to put townes into the English mens hands Notwithstanding he gaue them no such answer whereby they might gather their counsell to be taken in euill part bicause he feared that would the more increase the Constables malice but sent one backe with them to their Master it was not far betweene him and vs for a man might go and come in very short space When the others were departed the L. of Contay I came out of the presse the K. laughed maruellously and was very mery with this pageant But the said Contay was so far out of patience to heare such petit companions thus flout and scoffe his Master especially the Constable pretending so great friendship to his Master and treating with him of so many matters that
he thought euery hower ten til he were on horsebacke to aduertise the Duke his Master thereof Wherefore he was dispatched with all speede and wrote his instructions himselfe he caried also with him a letter of credit written with the Kings owne hand and so departed The peace with the English men was already concluded as aboue is mentioned and all these practises were abroch in one instant The Kings Commissioners had made report of their negotiation as you haue heard and the King of Englands were also returned to him Further it was concluded and agreed on both sides by the ambassadors that passed betweene them that the two Princes should meete togither and after they had seene one another and sworne the treaty the King of England should returne home into his countrey hauing first receiued the sum aboue mentioned of 720000. crownes and leauing in hostage behinde him till he were passed the seas the Lord Hovvard and the Master of his horse called sir Iohn Cheinie Lastly a pension of 16000. crownes was promised to be diuided among the King of Englands principall seruants of the which sum the Lord Hastings had two thousand The rest had the Lord Howard the Master of the horse Master Chalanger Master Montgomerie and others besides this great sums of money and goodly presents of siluer plate were giuen to King Edvvards seruants The Duke of Burgundy hearing these newes came in great haste from Luxembourg where he lay to the King of England accompanied onely with sixteene horse The King being much astonished at this his so sudden arriuall asked him what winde draue him thither perceiuing by his countenance that he was displeased The Duke answered that he was come to talke with him The King demanded whether he would speake with him priuately or publikely Then said the Duke haue you concluded peace I haue quoth the King made truce for nine yeeres wherein both you and the Duke of Britaine are comprehended and I pray you agree thereunto But the Duke grew maruellous hot and spake in English for he could the language rehearsing what noble acts diuers Kings of England had done in Fraunce and what great trauell they had sustained to purchase honor and renowme Afterward he inueighed vehemently against this truce saying that he had not desired the English men to passe the seas for any neede he had of their helpe but to the end they might recouer their owne right And to the intent they might perceiue that he stood in no need of their comming he protested that he would not make truce with the King till the King of England had been three moneths at home in his realme which talke ended he departed and returned from whence he came The King of England and his Councell tooke these words in euill part but they that misliked the peace commended much the Dukes speech The Notes 1 Meyer saith thus Quinquaginta millia aureorum pro tributo Aquitaniae Septuaginta quinque millia praeterea soluta prae manibus Edwardo à Gallorum Rege Annal. Aquit say 65000. our chronicles and Gaguin 75000. But the truce saith Gaguin vvas concluded but for seuen yeeres Introduction de la Marche saith 60000. crovvnes the yeerely tribut but in the second booke cap. 1. the same author saith but 36000. 2 The King calleth the Constable brother bicause the King and he had married tvvo sisters as our author maketh mention in this booke cap. 4. How the King feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two Kings Chap. 9. THe King of England to the end the peace might be fully concluded came and encamped within halfe a league of Amiens The King was at the gate from whence he might behold the English men a far off as they came To say the truth they seemed but yong soldiers for they rode in very euill order The King sent to the King of England 300. carts laden with the best wines that might be gotten the which carriage seemed a far off almost as great as the King of Englands armie Many English men bicause of the truce repaired to the towne where they behaued themselues very vndiscreetly and without all regard of their Princes honor They came all in armes and in great troupes and if the King our Master would haue dealt falsly with them so great a number might neuer so easily haue beene destroied Notwithstanding he meant nothing lesse but studied to make them good cheere and to conclude a sure peace with them for his time He had caused to be set at the entrie of the towne gate two long tables on each side of the street one furnished with all kindes of delicate meats that prouoke drinke and with the best wines that might be gotten and men to wait vpon them of water there was no mention At each of these tables he had placed fiue or sixe great fat gentlemen of good houses thereby the better to content those that desired to drinke The gentlemens names were these Monseur de Cran de Briqueber de Bresmes de Villiers and others So soone as the English men drew neere the gate they might behold this good cheere Besides this men purposely appointed tooke their horses by the bridles saying that they would breake a staffe with them and so led them to the table where they were feasted according to the varietie of the meats which they tooke in very good part After they were within the towne what house soeuer they entred into they paid nothing Further nine or ten tauerns were well furnished at the Kings charge of all things necessarie whither they went to eate and drinke and called for what they would but the King defraied all and this cheere endured three or fower daies You haue heard how the Duke of Burgundie misliked the peace which howsoeuer it displeased him troubled the Constable much more bicause he saw he had failed of his enterprise and purchased himselfe hatred on all sides wherefore he sent his Confessor to the King of England with a letter of credit desiring him for Gods loue to haue no affiance in the Kings words and promises but to accept the townes of Eu and S. Valerie and there to lodge himselfe part of the winter adding that within two moneths he would finde meanes to lodge him more commodiously Other assurance heerof gaue he him none for his onely meaning was to feede him foorth with these faire words Last of all to the end he should not conclude a dishonorable treatie for greedines of a little money he promised to lend him fiftie thousand crownes with diuers other large offers But the King had already caused the two places aboue mentioned to be burned bicause he knew the King of England had intelligence that the Constable had perswaded him to put them into the English mens hands King Edwards answer was that the truce was alreadie concluded and that he would alter nothing therein but if he had performed his promises he
came on the one side of the bridge and the Duke on the other being both accompanied with a great number of men of armes especially the Duke They fell in communication togither vpon the bridge at the which were present on the Dukes side onely three or fower 5 But after they had talked a while the Duke either through earnest sollicitation of those that were with the King or of a desire he had to humble himselfe before him vnboulted the wicket on his side and the others on theirs Three of the Dukes men went through before him and then himselfe passed being the fourth and was immediately slaine 6 and they also that accompanied him wherefore ensued great miseries and calamities to this realme 7 as all the world can witnes This historie was before my time wherefore I forbeare further to speake therof but thus the King rehearsed it to me word for word at the same time that this enteruiew with King Edvvard was appointed saying that if there had beene no wicket no occasion had beene to desire the Duke to passe through the grate and then that great misfortune had not happened The authors whereof were certaine of the Duke of Orleans seruants that was slaine who were then in great credit with King Charles The Notes 1 The King vpon a super slition kept holy twelue daies in the yeere viz. euerie moneth one in remembrance of the Innocents day and the day heere mentioned was one of them 2 These eleuen yeeres was in the text but one yeere the Printer for onze ans auoit hauing printed vn an auoit For the Duke of Orleans was slaine ann 1407. the 22. of Nouember and the King of England laid his siege before Roan 1418. the last of Iuly but Meyer saith in Iune and it was yeelded to him the 19. or 16. as some write of Ianuarie 1419. which was eleuen yeeres and somwhat more after the Duke of Orleans death 3 All authors report that not onely Roan but tall Normandie was taken before D. Iohn of Burgundie was slaine for Roan was yeelded to the English 1419. the 19. of Ianuarie and the Duke slaine the same yeere in Nouember September or August for authors so diuersly report the time but Commines maner as himselfe writeth is not to stand so exactly vpon times Further authors agree not among themselues about this matter Lastly this place may be vnderstood that when Duke Iohn leuied his armie his meaning was to raise the siege before Roan though he could not come time ynongh to execute his enterprise Of the Dukes death reade Meyer lib. 15. fol. 255. 256. Chron. Fland. fol. 281. Annal. Burgund c. 4 Note that this notwithstanding he was not King yet but Daulphin 5 The French writers say each of them hauing ten Knights 6 The French to excuse the Daulphin say that Tanneguy du Chastell somtime seruant to the Duke of Orleans that was slaine slue Duke Iohn with one blowe of a battell axe bicause of certaine arrogant words vsed at that time to the Daulphin wheras Commines and Meyer report that too great humilitie was cause of his death Tanneguy du Chastell Oliuer Layet Peter Frotier and William Batilier slue Duke Iohn and the Lord of Nouaille with him who drew his sword in the Dukes defence Annal. Burgund Introduct de la Marche Meyer 7 For Duke Philip of Burgundie to reuenge his fathers death entred into league with the English men How the two Kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the King of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon Chap. 10. OVr grate being finished as you haue heard the next day the two Kings came thither in the yeeere 1475. the 29. of August 1 The K. had with him about eight hundred men of armes and arriued first at the grate on the King of Englands side stood all his armie in order of battell which vndoubtedly was great both of horsemen and footemen yet could not we discouer his whole force We on our side seemed but a handfull to them and no maruell for the fourth part of the Kings armie was not there It was appointed that each of the Kings should be accompanied at the grate with twelue persons which were alreadie named of the noblest personages and such as were neerest about them Moreouer on our side were fower of the King of Englands seruants to view what we did and as many of ours on their side The King as I told you arriued first at the grate and twelue of vs waited vpon him among whom were the late Duke Iohn of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother It pleased him that I should weare that day a sute of apparell like his owne for he had vsed of long time and that verie often to command one or other to be apparelled like himselfe The King of England came along vpon the causey aboue mentioned with a maruellous goodly traine as was conuenient for the maiestie of a Prince he was accompanied with the Duke of Clarence his brother the Earle of Northumberland and diuers other noble men namely the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine his Chauncellor and others But there were not past three or fower besides himselfe apparelled in cloth of golde Further he ware on his head a black veluet cap with a maruellous rich iewell being a Flower de luce set with stones He was a goodly tall Prince but inclined now to be somewhat grosse I had seene him before much beautifuller than at this present for sure when the Earle of Warwicke chased him out of England he was the goodliest gentleman that euer I set mine eie on When he came within fiue foote of the grate he tooke off his cap and bowed downe within halfe a foote of the ground the King in like maner who was leaning vpon the grate vsed great reuerence towards him when they came to embrace each other through the grate the King of England againe made low obeisance Then the King began the talke and said Cosin you are most hartily welcom there is no man in the world whom I haue so much desired to see as you and praised be God that we are met heere to so good a purpose heereunto the King of England answered in good French This talke ended the Chancellor of England who was a Prelate and Bishop of Elie began his oration with a prophesie whereof the English men are neuer vnfurnished 2 which said that in this place of Picquigny an honorable peace should be concluded betweene the realmes of Fraunce and England The Bishops oration being ended the letters were opened that the King had deliuered to the King of England touching the conclusion of the treatie and the said Chancellor asked the King whether they were written by his commandement and whether he auowed them whereunto the King answered yea Then the Bishop asked him againe if he held himselfe contented in like maner with those letters and
writings that were deliuered him on the King of Englands behalfe whereunto the King answered as before Then was the missall brought foorth and opened vpon the which each of the Kings laide one of their hands and the other vpon the true holie crosse and sware both of them to keepe and obserue the articles concluded betweene them namely the truce for nine yeeres wherein the confederats of both parties were comprehended and the marriage of their children to be accomplished in maner and forme as was comprehended in the treatie After they had both sworne the King who had his words at commandement began to enter into pleasant talke with the K. of England saying that he should come to Paris to solace himselfe there with the Ladies and that he would giue him the Cardinall of Bourbon for his confessor who would easilie assoile him of that sinne if any were committed The King of England tooke great pleasure in this talke and answered with a merry countenanee for he knew the Cardinall to be a good fellow After some such like speeches passed betweene them the King to shew that he had authority among his men commanded those that were with him to withdraw themselues saying that he would commune with the King of England in secret which they that accompanied the King of England seeing retired without commandement After the two Kings had communed awhile togither the King called me to him and asked the King of England if he knew me who answered that he knew me well and named the places where he had seene me adding that in times past I had taken paines to do him seruice in Calais during the time I was with the Duke of Burgundy Then the King inquired of him if the Duke of Burgundy would not be comprehended in the truce as it was to be presumed bicause of his froward answer that he would not what it would please him that he should do The King of England said that he would offer it him yet once more and if he refused to accept it that then they two should do as they thought good Afterward the King fell in talke of the Duke of Britaine which was the onely end why he mooued this question asked him in like maner of him The King of England desired him earnestly to attempt nothing against the D. of Britain saying that in his necessity he neuer found so faithfull a friend whereupon the King ended this communication and then calling the company togither againe with the most curteous and gratious language that might be tooke his leaue of the King of England giuing very good words in like maner to euery one of his seruants And so the two Princes in a maner both at one instant departed from the grate and tooke horse The King returned to Amiens and the King of England to his campe whither we sent from the court all kinde of prouision necessary for him so far foorth that torches and lights were not forgotten At this enteruiewe the Duke of Glocester King Edwards brother and certaine others were not present bicause they misliked the peace Notwithstanding afterward they were well ynough perswaded to allow of it so far foorth that the said Duke of Glocester came to Amiens to the King who gaue him many goodly presents of siluer plate and horses with all kinde of furniture After the King was returned from this meeting vpon the way he debated two points with me the one he found the King of England so willing to come to Paris that it liked him neuer a whit For he is quoth he a goodly Prince and much giuen to loue he may peraduenture meete with some dainty dame at Paris that will entertaine him with so many sugred words that she may happily make him desirous to returne thither againe But his predecessors haue soiourned too long both at Paris and in Normandy I like not his company on this side the sea but so long as he keepeth home I wish to haue him my good friend and louing brother The other point was this he was sory that he found the King of England somwhat hard when he made mention of the D. of Britaine for the King was so desirous to perswade him to suffer war to be made in Britaine that afterward he sollicited this matter anew by the Lords of Bouchage and Saint Pierre But the King of England seeing himselfe thus earnestly pressed answered in fewe words that who so should make war vpon the Duke of Britaine he would passe the seas yet once againe in his defence which answer being heard the matter was no further mentioned After the K. was returned to Amiens euen as he was going to supper arriued three or fower noble men of England such as had furthered the peace and the Lord Hovvard who was one of them began to talke with the King in his eare saying that if it pleased him he would finde meanes to bring his Master to Amiens and peraduenture to Paris to make merry with him which offer though the King liked neuer a whit yet made he shew of great good liking thereof and began to wash not answering much to that point but tolde me softly in mine eare that the thing he most feared was hapned meaning this offer After supper they fell againe in communication of the selfesame matter but with wise words the enterprise was broken off for the King said that with all speede he must depart to go against the Duke of Burgundy Although these affaires were of great importance and sagely ordered on both sides yet you see merry toies hapned also among them which are not to be forgotten But as touching the K. who will maruell considering the great harmes the English men haue done in Fraunce but of late yeeres if he trauelled his body and spent his money to rid them friendly out of the realme to the intent heereafter he might keepe them his friends at the least not haue them his foes The next day after this meeting a great number of English men repaired to Amiens some of them affirming that the holy Ghost had made this peace for they grounded all on prophesies The reason that mooued them so to say was for that a white pigeon sate vpon the King of Englands pauilion the day of the enteruiew and would not remooue thence notwithstanding any noise made in the camp The cause whereof as some men iudged was for that it had rained a little and afterward the sunne shining very hot the pigeon lighted vpon this pauilion being higher than the rest to drie hir selfe which reason was giuen by a gentleman of Gascoine seruant to the King of England named Lewis of Bretailles who was not a little offended with the peace And bicause he and I were of old acquaintance he talked familiarly with me saying that we would deride the King of England for this treatie I asked him how many battel 's the said King had woon he told me nine in the which himselfe had beene in
person Then I demanded of him againe how many he had lost and he answered neuer but one which was this we now bereaued him of adding that he receiued greater dishonor by returning home after this sort than he had obtained honor in winning the other nine Of this communication I aduertised the King who said he was a dangerous knaue and that some meanes must be found to stop his mouth whereupon he sent for him and made him dine at his owne table offering him verie large offers and goodly offices if he would tarry in Fraunce But seeing he would by no meanes be woon thereunto he gaue him a thousand crownes in money promising also a good turne to his brethren that were on this side the sea and I gaue him a watchword in his eare to employ his credit to continue the friendship and amity begun betweene the two Princes The King feared especially aboue all things least some word should escape him at vnawares whereby the English men might gather that he derided them And by chaunce the next morning after this meeting as he was in his closet and not past three or fower of vs with him he spake a merrie word touching the wines and presents sent to the English campe and as he turned about espied a merchant of Gascoine that dwelt in England who was come to mooue a sute to him for a licence to ship certaine Gascoine wines into England without impost which was a sute that might much benefit the said merchant if he could obtaine it The King woondered when he saw him how he was gotten in thither and asked him of what towne he was in Guienne and whether he were a merchant and married in England The merchant answered yea but that his wealth was not great Incontinent before his departure thence the K. appointed one to accompanie him to Bordeaux and I communed with him by his commandement Further a good office in the towne where he was borne was giuen him the licence for the wines which he demanded was granted him and besides this 1000. franks were deliuered him for his wiues charges vpon the way and he sent a brother of his into England for hir but went not himselfe Thus the King condemned himselfe in this penaltie for his ouer large speech The Notes 1 The old copie saith the 19. day Meyer the 31. day Gaguin the 28. of October 2 The like reparteth Iouius of the French How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the King and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 11. THe selfesame day aboue mentioned being the next day after the enteruiew the Constable sent letters to the King by a seruant of his named Rapine who was a trustie seruant to his Master and whom also the King preferred afterwarde Monseur de Lude and my selfe were commanded to heare his message Now you shall vnderstand that Monseur de Contay was already returned from the Duke of Burgundie to the Court about the practise aboue mentioned deuised against the Constable so that the said Constable knew not to what Saint he should vow himself but remained in vtter despaire Rapines message was very humble tending to excuse his Master of the sundry euill reports that he knew had been made of him to the King for that the end sufficiently declared that he neuer meant to do otherwise than dutie required And to the intent he might the better assure the King of his true dealing he promised so to practise with the Duke of Burgundy that he would perswade him to helpe to destroy the King of England and his whole army if it so pleased the King And it seemed by his speech that his Master was in vtter despaire We told him that we were in perfect amity with the English men and would no war But Monseur de Lude who was with me aduentured to aske him if he knew where his Masters treasure lay I maruelled to heare such a word passe him for seeing this Rapine was a very trustie seruant to his Master this speech was sufficient to haue caused the Constable to flie and to vnderstand in what estate he was and what was a brewing for him especially seeing the danger he had been in not past a yeere before But I neuer knew man in my life neither heere nor elsewhere that could dislodge in time and shun the danger hanging ouer his head some bicause they thinke they shall not be receiued nor be in safetie in strange countries and other some bicause they are too much affectionate to their goods wiues and children which two reasons haue been the cause of many a good mans vndooing After we had made report to the King of Rapines message he called for one of his Secretaries none being with him but the Lord Hovvard the King of Englands seruant who vnderstood nothing of this practise against the Constable the Lord of Contay who was returned from the Duke of Burgundy and we two that had talked with the said Rapine Then he indited a letter to the Constable wherein he aduertised him of all that was done the day before namely the treaty of peace Further he senâ—â—â—â— word that he was busied with diuers affaires of great importance and had neede of such a head as his which word was no sooner vttered but he turned to the Englishmen and the Lord of Contay saying softly to them I meane not that we should haue the body but the head without the body This letter was deliuered to Rapine who liked it maruellous well especially those words that the King had need of such a head as his Masters but he vnderstood not the mystery thereof The King of England also sent the King the two letters of credit that the Constable had written to him and disclosed all the messages that he had sent him whereby you may perceiue how the Constable had behaued himselfe towards these three great Princes and in what estate he was euery one of the three desiring his death The King of England vpon the receit of his money departed and marched in great haste towards Callice fearing the D. of Burgundies malice his subiects and not without cause for whensoeuer his men scattered singled themselues some of them came short home At his departure he left for hostages with the King till his returne into England according to his promise the Lord Hovvard and the Master of his horse called Sir Iohn Cheiny You haue heard before at the entrance into these English affaires that K. Edward had no great deuotion to this voyage into Fraunce for being come to Douer before he embarked he began to practise with vs. But there were two causes that mooued him to passe the seas one the desire his whole realme had according to their natural humor to make war in Fraunce and the rather at this present bicause the Duke of Burgundy pressed the war so
earnestly the other the hope he had to reserue to himselfe a great part of the subsidie leuied in England for this voiage for as before I haue said the Kings of England receiue onely the bare reuenues of their lands saue when they leuie money to make war in Fraunce Further K. Edward had deuised this subtiltie to appease his subiects he had brought with him ten or 12. great fat paunches as well of the citie of London as of other townes in England who were the wealthiestmen of the commonaltie and had been the chiefest instruments both in perswading the King to passe into Fraunce and also in leuying this mightie army The King caused them to be lodged in good tents but that was not the life they were accustomed to lead wherefore they soone waxed wearie of it At their first arriuall they looked for the battell within three daies after their landing But the King of England alleaged many doubts vnto them and endeuored to put them in feare of the battell and to perswade them to allow of the peace to the ende they might aide him at their returne into England to pacifie the murmuring and grudging of the people that happily might arise bicause of his returne for neuer King of England since King Arthur passed at one time with so great force and so many noble personages into Fraunce But after the peace was concluded the King of England repaired homeward with speed reseruing to himselfe a great summe of monie leuied in England for the paiment of his soldiers so that he obtained in effect all his purposes His bodie could not away with such labor as a King of England must endure that mindeth to atchieue any great enterprise in Fraunce Further the King our Master had made great preparation for resistance though to say the truth he could not well haue prouided defence sufficient against all his enimies for he had too manie Lastly the King of England had a maruellous great desire to accomplish the marriage of his daughter with King Charles the 8. now raigning which caused him to winke at a number of inconueniences that turned after to the King our Masters great profit After all the English men were returned home sauing the hostages the King tooke his iourney towards Laon and lodged in a little towne vpon the maâ—â—â—es of Henault called Veruins and to Auennes in Henault came the Chauncelloâ— oâ— Burgundie with the Lord of Contay and other ambassadors from the Duke The King was very desirous at this time to conclude a finall peace for this mightie English armie had put him in feare and no maruell for he had seene in his time of their doings in this realme and would in no wise their returne The said Chauncellor writ to the King desiring that it would please him to send his Commissioners for the peace to a certaine bridge in the midway betweene Auennes and Veruins saying that he and his colleagues would meet them there The King sent him answer that he would come thither himselfe and notwithstanding that diuers whose aduise he asked in this matter perswaded him to the contrarie yet thither he went leading also with him the English hostages who were present when he receiued the Dukes ambassadors the which came very well accompanied with archers and men of war At this first meeting they did but salute the King then went to dinner One of the English men began to repent him that the treatie was concluded and said to me at a window that if they had seene many such men with the Duke of Burgundie peraduenture they would not haue made peace Which words the Vicount of Narbonne 1 now Lord of Fouez hearing said Were you so simple to thinke that the Duke of Burgundie had not great force of such men he had sent them onely to refresh themselues but you were so desirous to returne home that sixe hundred pipes of wine and a pension the King giueth you blew you quickly backe into England The English man in a great furie answered I perceiue now their sayings to prooue true that told vs you would deride vs for making peace Call you the money the King giueth vs a pension it is tribute and by Saint George you may babble so much that you may soone make vs to returne But I brake off their talke and turned it to a iest notwithstanding the Englishman was discontented and cast out a word thereof to the King who was maruellously offended with the Lord of Narbonne for his speech The King communed not long at this first meeting with the Chancellor and the other ambassadors for it was agreed that they should go with him to Veruines where when they arriued he coÌ„manded M. Tanneguy du Chastell and M. Peter Doriole Chancellor of Fraunce and others to negotiate with them much ado there was betweene them many reasons alleaged and many demands made on each side The Kings Commissioners made report to him that the Burgundians vsed fierce and stout language but that they had paid them with the like and withall tolde him what their answers were Which he much misliked saying that the like answers had been made diuers times before and that they treated not of a finall peace but onely of truce wherefore he would haue no more such language vsed but would himselfe commune with them and thereupon caused the said Chauncellor and the 〈◊〉 â—â—bassadors to come into his chamber out of the which all men were commanded to auoid saue the late L. Admirall called the bastard of Burbon Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe There the King concluded truce for nine yeeres wherein it was agreed that euery man shuld be restored to his former estate But the ambassadors besought the King that the truce might not yet be proclaimed to saue the D. their Masters oth who had sworne not to make truce before the King of England had been a certaine space in his realme least he should thinke their Master had accepted his truce But the King of England who thought great scorne that the Duke would not be comprehended in his truce being aduertised that he treated with the King of an other sent ouer into Fraunce a knight neere about him called Sir Thomas Montgomery who came to Veruins at the very same instant that the King treated with the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors of this truce aboue mentioned The said Sir Thomas required the King in the King his Masters name to make no other truce with the Duke of Burgundy than that which was already concluded betweene them two Further desiring him not to deliuer Saint Quintins into the Dukes hands offering that if he would continue war with the Duke his Master would be content the next sommer to passe the seas againe for him and in his aide with these conditions First that the King should recompence the losse the King of England should sustaine by the wooll custome of Calice amounting yeerely to 50000. crownes which if the war opened with
Flaunders were cleerely lost And secondarily that the King should pay the one halfe of the English army and the King of England the other The King yeelded great thanks to the King of England for this curteous message and gaue a goodly present of siluer plate to the said Sir Thomas Notwithstansting as touching the war he excused himselfe saying that the truce was already concluded being the very same that the King of England and he had made for the terme of nine yeeres saue that the Duke would haue his letters apart Thus to content the ambassador he excused the matter the best he could and the said Sir Thomas returned into England and the hostages with him The King maruelled much at the King of Englands offers at the report whereof I onely was present But it seemed to him a dangerous thing to cause the King of England to passe the seas againe both bicause euery trifle would breede quarrels betweene the French and English being in campe togither and also bicause it was to be feared that the Burgundians and they would easily concile themselues wherefore he was so much the more desirous to conclude the truce with the Duke of Burgundy The Notes 1 The French hauing onely Monseur de Narbonne made Sleidan translate it the Bishop of Narbonne whereas in deed he was Vicount of Narbonne not Bishop as other authors affirme and these words Qui an iourd'huy s'appele Monseur de Fouez plainly prooue wherefore for auoiding of Sleidans error I haue put this word Vicount into the text though it be not in the French How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was staied and deliuered to the King and after put to death Chap. 12. THe truce being concluded the old practise against the Constable was reuiued and to the end the processe thereof should be short they ratified all that was done before at Bouuines and the writings there made as before you haue heard were againe interchangablie deliuered In the said writings the King promised the Duke Saint Quintins Han Bohain and all the lands that the Constable held of the Duke and all his moouables wheresoeuer they were found 1 Further the maner how to besiege him in Han where he lay was deuised It was also agreed that whether of the two Princes could first take him should either put him to death within eight daies or deliuer him to the other All men incontinent began to feare this confederacie so far foorth that the Constables principall seruants forsooke him namely Monseur de Genly and diuers others Further he being aduertised that King Edward had deliuered his letters to the King and discouered all that he knew of him and seeing also that his enimies had made truce fell into great feare and sent to the Duke of Burgundie humbly beseeching him to giue him a safe conduct to come and speake with him about certaine affaires that greatly imported him The Duke at the first made dainty to grant a safe conduct but in the end sent him one This mighty noble man had oft debated whither he should flie to saue himselfe for he was informed of all that was done and had seene the writings deuised against him at Bouuines Sometime he consulted with certaine of his seruants being Lorrains determining to flie with them into Almain carying a great sum of money with him for the way was very safe therewith to buy som place vpon the riuer of Rhene to remaine in till he were reconciled to one of the two Princes Somtime he resolued to put himselfe into his strong castel of Han which had cost him so much money and which he had fortified to serue him at such a pinch and furnished of al things as well as any castell that euer I knew But he could not finde men to his minde to put into the place bicause all his seruants were borne vnder the Dominions of one of the two Princes And peraduenture his feare was so great that he durst not wholy discouer himselfe and his estate to them for I thinke a great many of them would not haue forsaken him neither was it so dangerous for him to be besieged of both the Princes as of one for it had been impossible for the two armies to agree But in the end he concluded to go to the Duke of Burgundy vnder this safe conduct being accompanied onely with fifteene or twenty horse and rode to Montz in Hainault where the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault and his especial friend lay With him he soiourned a certaine space attending newes from the Duke of Burgundy who had lately begun war vpon the Duke of Lorraine bicause he had defied him when he lay at the siege before Nuz and done much harme in the countrey of Luxembourg The King being aduertised of the Constables departure purposed so to order the matter that he should neuer recouer the Duke of Burgundies fauor for he leuied seauen or eight hundred men of armes and rode with them in all haste to Saint Quintins knowing well what force was within the towne neere to the which when he approched certaine of the Citizens came foorth to receiue him The King commanded me to enter the towne and appoint euery captaine to his quarter and so I did First the soldiers entred and then the King who was very honorably receiued of the townes men whereupon certaine of the Constables seruants retired into Hainault The King immediately aduertised the Duke by a letter of his own hand of the taking of Saint Quintins thereby to put him vtterly out of hope to recouer it by the Constables meanes Which newes when the Duke vnderstood he sent word to the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault to garde the towne of Montz in such sort that the Constable could not depart and farther to commaund him to keepe his lodging which commandement the bailife executed accordingly for he durst do no lesse Notwithstanding the garde was not strong enough for such a personage if he had been disposed to escape What shall we say heere of Fortune This noble man dwelt vpon the frontiers of both these Princes dominions being enimies hauing strong townes in his hands and fower hundred men of armes well paied of the which he was Comptroller himselfe and placed whom it pleased him and had been their Captain the space of twelue yeeres He was a wise and a valiant knight and of great experience and had great treasure in ready coine yet notwithstanding at this last pinch his courage so failed him that he wist not what shift to make We may well say that fickle Fortune behelde him with a frowning countenance or rather if we will speake like good Christians we must say that such great miseries depend not vpon Fortune for Fortune is buâ—â— phantasticall fiction of Poetrie Wherefore we must thinke if we will well weigh both
the reasons aboue alleaged and diuers others heere vnrehearsed that God had vtterly forsaken him and giuen him ouer And if it were lawfull for man to iudge as I know it is not especially for me I would say that in mine opinion all this misery fell vpon him bicause he trauelled continually to the vttermost of his power to nourish the war betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundy knowing his great authority and estate to depend therupon although to say the truth the matter needed no great labor for there was a naturall antipathy between them Who is so rude or ignorant to thinke that Fortune or any other like chance was able to cast so wise a man into the disgrace of both these Princes at once who in their liues neuer agreed in any thing saue onely this especially into the King of Englands disgrace who had maried his neece and loued entirely all his wiues kinsmen especially those of this house of Saint Paul It is like therefore yea it is most certaine that God had withdrawne his grace from him in that he had purchased himselfe such hatred of all these three Princes and had not one friend in the world that durst giue him a nights lodging Neither was it fained Fortune that strake this stroke but God alone The like whereof hath hapned and shall happen to diuers others who after great and long prosperity fall into great aduersity and trouble After the Constable was arrested in Hainault by the Duke of Burgundies commandement the King sent word to the Duke either to deliuer him into his hands or execute him according to the tenure of the writings aboue mentioned The Duke answered that he would so do and commanded the Constable to be led to Peronne and there straightly kept Further you shall vnderstand that the Duke had already taken diuers places in Lorraine and Barrois and at this present helde the siege before Nancy which was valiantly defended The King had great force of men of armes in Champaigne which held the Duke in feare for the King was not bound by the truce to suffer him to destroy the Duke of Lorraine who was retired into Fraunce The Lord of Bouchage and diuers other ambassadors sent by the King pressed the Duke earnestly to performe his promise oth and he answered euer that he would so do but yet delaid it more than a moneth ouer and aboue the eight daies wherin he should either haue deliuered the Constable or put him to death Notwithstanding in the end seeing the matter so earnestly pressed and fearing that the King would hinder his enterprise in Lorraine which he so much desired to atchieue to the end he might haue the passage open from Luxembourg into Burgundy and ioine all these Seniories togither for this little Duchy of Lorraine being his he might come vpon his owne dominions from Holland almost as far as Lions 2 For these considerations I say he wrote to his Chancellor and the Lord of Himbercourt so often already mentioned which two had absolute authority in his absence and were both of them the Constables enimies and euill willers to go to Peronne and deliuer the Constable at a day by him prefixed to those that the King should there appoint to receiue him sending word withall to the Lord Desmeriez to deliuer him to the said Chancellor and Himbercourt The Duke of Burgundy in the meane time beat continually the towne of Nancy but there were good soldiers within it which valiantly defended it Further one of the Dukes owne Captaines called the Earle of Campobache a Neapolitane born but banished thence for the house of Anious faction was lately entred into intelligence with the Duke of Lorraine heire apparant of the house of Aniou after the death of King Rene his mothers father This Earle of Campobache promised to prolong the siege and finde meanes that such things should be lacking as were necessary for the taking of the towne 3 Which his promise he was very well able to performe being then the greatest man in the Dukes army but a false traitor to his Master as heerafter you shall heare more at large This was a preparatiue as it were of all those euils and miseries that fell afterward vpon the Duke of Burgundy The said Duke meant as I suppose if he had taken the towne before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery not to deliuer him at all And on the otherside I thinke if the King had had him he would haue done more in the Duke of Lorraines fauor than he did for he was aduertised of the Earle of Campobaches traiterous practises but medled not with them yet was he not bound to let the Duke of Burgundy do what him listed in Lorraine notwithstanding for diuers respects he thought it best so to do besides this he had great forces vpon the frontiers of the said countrey of Lorraine The Duke could not take Nancy before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery 4 which being come the two aboue mentioned executed willingly their Masters commandement 5 and deliuered him at the gate of Peronne to the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce and to Monseur de Saint Pierre who led him to Paris Diuers haue told me that within three howers after his departure messengers came in poste from the Duke with a countermaund to wit that he should not be deliuered before Nancy were taken but it was too late At Paris the Constables proces was made and the Duke deliuered all his letters that were in his hands and all such euidence as serued for the proces The King pressed the Court earnestly and Iustices were appointed for the hearing of his cause who seeing the euidence that both the King of England and the Duke gaue against him condemned him to die 6 and confiscated all his goods The Notes 1 Vnderstand this as wel of the moouables he had in the Kings dominions as vnder the Duke 2 The Duke desired Lorraine not onely for the cause heere alleaged by our author but also to proclaime himselfe vnder that colour King of Sicile and Hierusalem 3 This Campobache as some report wrought this treason for that the Duke had once in his rage giuen him a blow Meyer 4 He tooke Nancy about the 19. of Nouember but la Marche saith in the ende of Nouember Meyer 28. Nouemb. 1475. and the Constable was deliuered the 30. of Nouember 5 The Chancellor and Hymbercourt deliuered him with such speede through euill will whereas they ought to haue staide till the second message had come from the Duke for as saith Meyer Ferebat consuetudo exiure militari ciuilique desumpta vt in talibus grauibus rebus secundam semper praetores ministrique expectarent iussionem at hoc isti duo odio grauissimo deflagrantes in comitem stabuli gratúmque volentes facere regi mirum in modum sanguinem illius sitienti non obseruauerunt Si obseruassent vt debeant fortassis virum ipsum ducem Dominum
of captiuitie apprehended their Senators being to the number of sixe and twenty and put them all or the greatest part to death pretending that they did it bicause the said Senators the day before had commanded one to be beheaded though not without desert yet without authority as they said their commission being determined with the Dukes death by whom they were chosen into that office They slew also diuers honest men of the towne that had beene the Dukes freinds amongst whom were some that when I serued him disswaded him in my presence from destroying a great parte of the towne of Gaunt which he was fullie resolued to haue done Further they constrained their Princes to confirm al their ancient priuileges both those they lost in the time of Duke Philip by the treatie of Gauures those also that Duke Charles tooke from them The said priuileges serued them onely for firebrands of rebellion against their Princes whom aboue all things they desire to see weake and feeble Moreouer during their Princes minoritie and before they begin to gouerne they are maruellous tender ouer them but when they are come to the gouernment they cannot away with them as appeereth by this Ladie whom they loued deerely and much tendered before hir comming to the state Further you shall vnderstand that if after the Dukes death these men of Gaunt had raised no troubles but had sought to defend the countrey they might easily haue put men into Arras and peraduenture into Peronne but they minded onely these domesticall broiles Notwithstanding while the King laie before the towne of Arras certaine ambassadors came to him from the three estates of the said Ladies countries For at Gaunt were certaine deputies for the three estates but they of the towne ordered all at their pleasure bicause they held their Princesse in their hands The King gaue these ambassadors audience who among other things said that they made no ouerture of peace but with consent of their Princesse who was determined in all matters to follow the aduise and counsell of the three estates of hir countrie Further they required the King to end his war in Burgundie and Artois and to appoint a day when they might meete to treate friendly togither of peace and in the meane time that he would cause a surcease of armes The King had now in a maner obtained all he desired and hoped well of the rest For he was certainly informed that most of the men of war in the countrie were dead and slaine and knew well that a great manie others had forsaken the said Ladies seruice especiallie Monseur de Cordes of whom he made great reckoning and not without cause for he could not haue taken by force in long time that which by his intelligence he obtained in few daies as before you haue heard wherefore he made small account of these ambassadors demaunds Further he perceiued these men of Gaunt to be such seditious persons and so inclined to trouble the state of their countrie that his enimies by meanes thereof should not be able to aduise nor giue order how to resist him For of those that were wise and had been in credit with their former Princes none were called to the debating of any matter of state but persecuted and in danger of death especially the Burgundians whom they hated extremely bicause of their great authoritie in times past Moreouer the King who sawe further into these affaires than any man in his realme knew well what affection the citizens of Gaunt had euer borne to their Princes and how much they desired to see them affeebled so that they in their countrie felt no smart thereof Wherefore he thought it best to nourish their domesticall contentions and to set them further by the eares togither which was soone done for these whom he had to do with were but beasts most part of them townes men vnacquainted with those subtill practises wherein he had been trained vp and could vse for his purpose better than any man liuing The King laide hold vpon these words of the ambassadors that their Princesse would do nothing without the consent and aduise of the three estates of their countrie and answered that they were euill informed of hir pleasure and of certaine particular men about hir for he knew very perfectly that she meant to gouerne all hir affaires by the aduise of certaine particular persons who desired nothing lesse than peace and as touching them and their actions he was well assured they should be disaduowed Whereunto the ambassadors being not a little mooued as men vnacquainted with great affaires made a hot answer that they were well assured of that they said and would shew their instructions if neede so required Whereunto answer was made that they should see a letter if it so pleased the King written by parties woorthie of credit wherein the King was aduertised that the said Lady would gouerne hir affaires by fower persons onely Whereunto the others replied that they were sure of the contrarie Then the King commanded a letter to be brought foorth which the Chauncellor of Burgundie and the Lord of Himbercourt deliuered him at their last being with him at Peronne The said letter was written partly with the yoong Ladies owne hand partly by the Dowager of Burgundie Duke Charles his widow and sister to King Edward of England and partly by the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues and the said yoong Ladies neerest kinsman so that it was written with three seuerall hands but signed with the name of the yoong Lady alone for the other twaine set to their hands onely to giue it the greater credit The contents of the letter were to desire the King to giue credit to those things whereof the Chauncellor and Himbercourt should aduertise him And further it was therein signified vnto him that she was resolued to gouerne all hir affaires by fower persons namely the Dowager hir mother in law the Lord of Rauastain the aboue named Chauncellor and Himbercourt by whom onely and none others she humbly besought him to negotiate with hir bicause vpon them she would repose the whole gouernment of hir affaires When these citizens of Gaunt and the other ambassadors had seene this letter it heated them throughly and I warrant you those that negotiated with them failed not to blowe the fire In the end the letter was deliuered them and no other dispatch of importance had they neither passed they greatly of any other for they thought onely vpon their domesticall diuisions and how to make a new world neuer looking further into this busines notwithstanding that the losse of Arras ought to haue greeued them much more than this letter but they were townes men as I said before vnacquainted with these affaires They returned straight to Gaunt where they found their Princesse accompanied with the Duke of Cleues hir neerest kinsman and of hir blood by his mother 1 he was an ancient man brought vp continually in
raigning for notwithstanding that the said King Edward were a most valiant Prince and had woon in England eight or nine battels wherein he fought alwaies himselfe on foote greatly to his renowme yet were these troubles but by fits so that his head was not continually busied in matters of state for immediately after the victorie obtained he returned to his former sports and pleasures till another storme arose For you shall vnderstand that when war beginneth in England in ten daies or lesse the one or the other getteth the garland But our affaires in Fraunce passed not after that sort for besides the war it selfe the K. was forced to haue an eie continually vpon diuers places as well of his owne realme as of his neighbors but especially by all means possible to content the King of England and to entertain him by ambassadors presents and smooth words to the end he should not entermeddle with our affaires For the K. knew well the English men as well Nobles and Commons as the Cleargie to be naturally inclined to make war vpon this realme aswell vnder colour of the title they pretende thereunto as also in hope of gaine For they trust to haue euer such successe heere as their predecessors haue had whom God permitted to obtaine in this realme many great victories and large dominion both in Normandie and in Guienne the which they had possessed by the space of three hundred and fiftie yeeres 2 when King Charles the seuenth first recouered it During the which time they inriched the realme of England with great spoiles and much treasure that they got aswell of the Princes and noble men of Fraunce a great number of whom they tooke prisoners as also of the townes and places which they subdued Notwithstanding they should hardly haue had such successe in the King our Masters time for he would neuer haue indangered his estate in battell as King Charles the sixt did at Agincourt where all the nobility of Fraunce lighted on foote to fight with the English men but would haue proceeded more warily if the matter had come to execution as you may perceiue by the course he held in sending King Edvvard home Wherefore the King well perceiued that he must in any wise keepe the King of England and his principall seruants his friends whom he sawe altogither inclined to quietnes and very greedy of his money for the which cause he paid duly at London the pension of fiftie thousand crownes which they called tribute And further gaue yeerely sixteene thousand crownes to the said Kings principall seruants whose names were these the Lord Chauncellor the Master of the Rols who now is Chauncellor the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine a man of singular wisdome and vertue and in great authority with his Master and not without cause for he euer serued him faithfully Sir Thomas Montgomery the Lord Hovvard afterward Duke of Norfolke partaker with the wicked King Richard the Master of the Horse called Master Cheiny Master Challenger and the Marques Dorset the Queene of Englands sonne by hir first husband Further he gaue goodly presents to all the ambassadors that came to him were their messages neuer so sharpe and bitter and sent them home with such goodly words Princely rewards that they returned well contented And notwithstanding that some of them vnderstood that he did all this onely to win time the better to atchieue his enterprise in the conquest of the Duke of Burgundies dominions yet winked they at it bicause of the great riches they receiued at his hands To all these aboue named he gaue besides their pensions many goodly presents so largely that the Lord Hovvard ouer and aboue his pension receiued of him in lesse then two yeeres space in money and plate fower and twentie thousand crownes To the Lord Hastings also L. great Chamberlaine of England he gaue at one time a present of plate to the value of ten thousand marks The acquittances of all which great personages are yet to be seene in the chamber of accounts at Paris saue of the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England which is an high office for there is neuer but one alone in it This L. Chamberlaine was long labored before he would become the Kings pensioner my selfe being the onely man that perswaded him thereunto For I wan him first to Charles Duke of Burgundies friendship during the time I serued him who gaue him yeerly a pension of a thousand crownes whereof when I had aduertised the King he would in like maner that I should be a meanes to make him his friend and pensioner for in times past during Duke Charles his life and after his death also in fauor of the Lady of Burgundy he had alwaies beene the Kings extreme enimy and trauelled once to perswade the King of England to aide the said Lady against the King our Master I began this friendship by letters and the King gaue him a pension of two thousand crownes which was double the summe he receiued of the Duke Further the King sent to him one of the stewards of his house called Peter Cleret charging him to bring with him the said Lord Chamberlains acquittance to the end heereafter it might appeere that the great Chamberlaine Chauncellor Admirall and Master of the Horse of England besides diuers others had beene the French Kings pensioners The said Peter Cleret was a wise fellow and communed priuily alone with the Lord Chamberlaine at his lodging in London where after he had declared his message from the King he presented him his two thousand crownes in golde for the King neuer gaue but gold to strangers which money when the Lord Chamberlaine had receiued Peter Cleret humbly besought him for his discharge to giue him an acquittance wherein the said Lord Chamberlaine made difficultie Then Cleret desired him to giue him onely a letter of three lines to the King to testifie the receit of the money least the King being a suspitious Prince should thinke that he had conuerted it to his owne vse Which reasonable demand the Lord Chamberlaine hearing answered thus Sir you require but reason but this gift proceedeth of the King your Masters liberality not of my request if it please you that I shall receiue it put it heere into my sleeue and other letter or testimoniall get you none of me For I will not for my part that any man shall say that the Lord great Chamberlaine of England hath beene pensioner to the French King nor that my acquittances be found in his chamber of accounts Whereunto the said Cleret replied not but departed leauing the money behinde him and at his returne made report thereof to the King who was not a little displeased with him for that he brought no acquittance but as touching the said Chamberlaine he commended and esteemed him more than all the King of Englands other seruants and his pension was euer after paied without acquittance After this sort liued the King with
was great wisedome in so simple a man He builded in the place where he liued two Churches and neuer ate since the time he entred into this strait kinde of life either fish flesh egs any kinde of whitmeate or of fat I neuer saw in my time a man of so holy life nor by whose mouth the holy Ghost seemed rather to speake for he neuer had been scholler but was vtterly vnlearned true it is that his Italian toong caused somwhat the greater admiration of him This heremite passed through Naples being honored and receiued as if he had been a great Legate sent from the Sea Apostolike both by the King and by his children with whom he communed of the affaires of the Court as if he had beene a Courtier all the daies of his life From thence he went to Rome where he was visited by al the Cardinals and had audience giuen him thrise of the Pope communing with him alone and sitting each time hard by him in a goodly chaire three or fower howers togither which was great honor to so simple a person His answers were so wise that all men woondered at them so far foorth that our holy Father gaue him leaue to erect a new order called the heremites of Saint Francis From thence he came to the King who honored him as if he had been the Pope himselfe falling downe before him and desiring him to prolong his life whereunto he answered as a wise man should I haue often heard him talke with the King that now is in presence of all the nobilitie of the realme and that within these two moneths and sure he seemed by his words to be inspired with the holy Ghost otherwise he could neuer haue communed of such matters as he did He is yet liuing and may change either to better or woorse wherefore I will speake no further of him Some mocked at this heremites comming whom they called the holy man but they knew not the deepe cogitations of this wise King neither had seene the occasions that mooued him to send for him The King lay in his castle of Plessis accompanied with few besides the archers of his gard and troubled with these suspitions aboue rehearsed Notwithstanding he had giuen good order for this inconuenience for he left none of those whom he suspected either in towne or countrey but made his archers to cause them to depart and to conueigh them away No man debated any matter with him vnlesse it were of some great importance that concerned himselfe he seemed rather a dead corps then a liuing creature for he was leaner then a man would beleeue he appare lled himselfe sumptuously yea more sumptuously then in all his life before for he ware no gowne but of crimsin sattin furred with good marterns he gaue gifts to whom it pleased him without any sute for no man durst mooue any sute to him nor debate any matter with him he punished faults sharpely to the end he might be feared and not lose his authoritie as himselfe tould me he changed officers cassed companies of men of armes diminished pensions or tooke them cleane away and told me but a few daies before his death that he passed away the time in making vndoing of men To be short he caused himselfe to be more spoken of within his realme then euer was any King and all for feare lest men should thinke him dead For as I said few saw him but when they hard of his doings all men stood in feare of him so far foorth that they hardly beleeued him to be sicke Out of the realme he had men in all places as for example in England he had some to feede K. Edward still with hope of his daughters marriage he paied truely both him and his seruants all that was due vnto them Out of Spaine he receiued goodly words and faire promises of perfect freindship and amitie and great presents from all places he made a good horse or a good mule to be bought for him whatsoeuer it cost but this he did not in this realme but in some strange countrey to perswade men that he was in health Dogs he sent for round about into Spaine for a kinde of Spanish greyhound called in French Allans into Britaine for little beagles greyhounds and spaniels which he paied deere for into Valence for little rugged dogs which he made to be bought aboue the owners own price into Sicily he sēt for good mules especially to some officer of the countrey for the which he paied double the value to Naples for horses for diuers strange beasts into diuers countries as into Barbarie for a kind of little lions no greater then litle foxes which he called Adites into Denmarke and Sweden for two kinde of strange beasts one of the which were called Helles 1 being of shape like a Hart and of the greatnes of a buffe with horns short and thicke the other Rengiers 2 being of the bignes and colour of a bucke saue that their hornes be much greater for each of the which two beasts he gaue to the merchants that solde them 4500. guildons But when all these strange things were brought him he made no account of them no very seldome spake with those that brought them To be short he did so many such like strange things that he was more feared now both of his neighbors and subiects than euer before which was his onely desire for to that end did he all this The Notes 1 Gesnerus de Quadrupedibus lib. 1. fol. 1. and Munster in the third booke of his Cosmographie in his treatise of Prussia where this beast is found name this beast in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alces in Dutch Elch Ellend Hellend and Ellent which is not far from the name heere giuen The Moscouites name it Lozzos 2 This beast saith Munster Cosmog lib. 4. is found in Lapponia or Lappenland a countrie in Sweden The Lapponians call it Reen as he writeth in the same place and Gesner also de Quadrup lib. 1. fol. 950. The Romans saith Gesner name it Rangiferus the Germans Rein and Reinen saith Munster Reiner Rainger Renschieron the French men Rangier as he is heere named or Ranglier How the marriage betweene the Daulphin and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward King of England died for sorrow Chap. 9. BVt to returne to the principall matter namely the perfect conclusion of this our historie of King Lewis and of the affaires of all those great Princes that liued in his time we must shew how the treatie of marriage was concluded betweene the King that now is then Daulphin and the daughter of the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to the King of Englands great greefe who then well perceiued the hope to be frustrate which he had conceiued of the marriage betweene his daughter and the said Daulphin now King of Fraunce which he
and the Queene his wife had so greatly desired that they would neuer credit any man that aduertised them to the contrarie were he English man or stranger For the Councell of England had debated this matter with him at the same time that the King conquered that part of Picardie that ioineth to Calice alleaging that after he had subdued that he might easily attempt to take Calice and Guisnes The like was also told him by the ambassadors resident in England for the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche and by the Britons and diuers others but he beleeued no whit of all this which incredulitie turned much to his losse Notwithstanding I suppose it proceeded rather of couetousnes than ignorance for he feared the losse of the fiftie thousand crownes the King paid him besides that he was loth to leaue his ease and pleasures whereunto he was maruellously addicted About the conclusion of this marriage an assembly was held at Halots in Flaunders whereat the Duke of Austriche now King of Romans was present togither with certaine deputies for the three estates of Flaunders Brabant and the other countries belonging to the saide Duke and his children The citizens of Gaunt did many things there contrarie to the Dukes minde for some they banished and some they remooued from about his sonne in the end they told him how great desire they had to see this marriage accomplished therby to obtaine peace forced him to consent therunto The Duke was very yoong and accompanied with few noble men for all the subiects of this house of Burgundie very few excepted I meane of great personages that could haue giuen him counsell or aide in these affaires were as you haue heard either dead or reuolted to the King As touching himselfe he was come thither very slenderly accompanied and now hauing lost his wife being Lady of the countrie he durst not giue them so stout language as before he was accustomed To be short the King being aduertised of all these actions by Monseur de Cordes reioiced much thereat and a day was appointed when this Lady should be brought to Hedin Not long before the conclusion of this marriage to wit in the yeere 1481. the towne of Ayre was yeelded for a summe of monie to Monseur de Cordes by the Lord of Croy of the countrie of Artois who held it for the Duke of Austriche and the Lord of Beures his captaine The towne is very strong situate in the countrie of Artois and the deliuerie thereof increased the Flemmings desire to further this marriage bicause it standeth vpon the very entrance into Flaunders For notwithstanding that they wished the weakening of their Prince yet were they not willing to haue the King so neere a neighbor to their frontiers After these matters aboue mentioned were fully concluded ambassadors came to the King out of Flaunders and Brabant but all depended vpon them of Gaunt both bicause of their force bicause the children were in their hands and for that they were alwaies the ringleaders of all tumults There came also from the King of Romanes for the pacifying of his dominions certaine Knights yoong men like himselfe and of small experience whose names were Master Iohn de Bergues and Master Baudouin de Launoy and certaine Secretaries The King was brought maruellous low with sicknes so that hardly he suffered himselfe to be seene and made great difficultie to sweare the treatie bicause he was loth to come abrode in sight notwithstanding in the end he sware it It was very auantageous for him for in all assemblies that had beene held heeretofore about this marriage he neuer required but the countie of Artois or Burgundie one of the two but now the Lords of Gaunt as he termed them caused them both to be yeelded vnto him togither with the counties of Masconnois Charolois and Auxerrois yea and if it had lien in them to haue put into his hands Hainault and Namur and all the seniories of this house of Burgundie being of the French language they would willingly haue done it thereby to affeeble their Prince The King our Master being a wise Prince vnderstood well that no account was to be made of Flaunders nor the Earle thereof without he had the countrie of Artois which lying betweene the King of Fraunce and the Flemmings is as it were a bridle to them For in the countrie of Artois are leuied very good soldiers to scourge the Flemmings when they play the fooles Wherefore by taking away from the Earle of Flaunders the countrie of Artois he left him the poorest Prince in the world and without all obedience of his subiects saue onely at the pleasure of them of Gaunt After this ambassage was returned home the said Lady was led to Hedin and deliuered into the hands of Monseur de Cordes in the yeere 1483. She was conueied thither by the Lady of Rauastain bastard daughter to Duke Philip of Burgundie and was receiued there by the Duke and Duchesse of Bourbon that now are and by the Lord of Albret and diuers others sent thither by the King who led hir to Amboise where the Daulphin lay If the Duke of Austriche could haue rescued hir before she was passed out of his dominions from them that conueied hir he would willingly haue done it but they of Gaunt had sent hir well accompanied And as touching the said Duke all his subiects began to disobey him so far foorth that a great number tooke part with them of Gaunt bicause they had his sonne in their hands and remooued from him and placed about him such as pleased them and among the rest that were resident at Gaunt was the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues principall gouernor of the said yoong infant called Duke Philip who is yet liuing and like to be a great Prince if God spare him life Whosoeuer reioiced at this marriage the King of England was highly displeased therewith for he accounted it great reproch and dishonor to be thus deluded and feared both the losse of the pension the King paid him which the English men called Tribute and also that the contempt heereof would stir his subiects to rebellion against him bicause he would giue no eare to good aduice Further he saw the King with great force neere to his dominions for the which causes he conceiued such inward griefe when he heard these newes that soone after he ended his life some say of a catarrhe But whatsoeuer his disease were the report goeth that the sorrow conceiued of this marriage caused the disease whereof he died soone after in the moneth of Aprill anno 1483. It is a foule fault in a Prince to trust more to his owne braine than to the aduice of a great number for it causeth oftentimes both great sorrow and also losse irrecouerable Immediately after King Edvvards death the King our Master was aduertised therof and seemed nothing ioifull of the newes but soone after receiued letters from the D. of
to his yoongest sonne Philip the hardie for his aduancement in marriage with the Ladie Margaret of Flaunders Philip the hardie second husband to the Ladie Margaret Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie m. Iane the eldest daughter Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Burgundie Countie Othelin Earle of Burgundie died 1303. Arthois m. Maude daughter to Robert Earle of Arthois 1 Touching the title of Arthois this is to be obserued that Robert Earle of Arthois father to Maude had a sonne named Philip who died before his father and left behinde him a sonne named Robert Earle of Beumont who after his grandfathers death demanded the Countrey of Arthois but this Maude by fauor of the French King obtained it bicause she was adiudged neerer heire to the Earle Robert being his daughter than the Earle of Beumont being his sonnes sonne for spite whereof the Earle of Beumont reuolted to the King of England of him are descended the Earles of Eu. Iane succeeded hir mother in hir widowhood and was poisoned immediately after hir mothers death m. Philip the long King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter m. Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Margaret 2 This Margaret being in hir widdowhood succeeded in Arthois and the Countie of Burgundie of Philip hir sister Ianes sonnes sonne and husband to Margaret hir sonnes daughter to whom after hir death the said Seigniories descended m. Lewis Earle of Flaunders Lewis of Malain Earle of Flaunders m. Margaret daughter to Iohn D. of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. Blaunch m. Charles le bel K. of Fraunce How the King of Portugale was cosin germane to the Duke of Burgundy as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 7. Ferdinand the ninth King of Portugale Iohn a bastard but King of Portugale m. Philippa daughter to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundy Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles m. Maximilian Emperor Edward King of Portugale m. Iane sister to Alfonse King of Arragon Naples and Sicile Leonora m. Frideric the third Emperor Maximilian Emperor m. Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles Alfonsus King of Portugale the same that came into Fraunce for succours How the Duke of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 16. Iohn Duke of Burgundy m. Margaret sister to William Earle of Hainault and Holland Mary m. Adolf the first D. of Cleues Adolfe Lord of Rauastain m. Betrice daughter to Iohn Duke of Cuymbria in Portugale Philip Lord of Rauastain mentioned in many places of this historie m. Mary base daughter to Philip Duke of Burgundy Iohn Duke of Cleues the D. heere mentioned m. Isabella daughter to Iohn E. of Neuers Iohn duke of Cleues the Dukes sonne for whom the marriage with the Lady Mary should haue beene made Philip Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Iohn K. of Portugale Charles Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon Mary Duchesse of Austrich so often mentioeed in this historie m. Maximilian Emperor How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster contrary to Commines who affirmeth the contrary Lib. 5. cap. 18. togither with the excuse of Commines error Edward the third King of England Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire to Henry D. of Lancaster Iohn Duke of Bedford Henry the 4. Rex Angliae Henry the 5. Rex Angliae Henry the 6. Rex Angliae Edward Prince of Wales Thomas D. of ClareÌ„ce Humfrey Duke of Glocester m. Katharine the third wife Iohn Earle of Sommerset Iohn Duke of Sommerset the eldest sonne Margaret countesse of Richmond Henry the 7 Edmund made D of Sommerset bicause his brother died without issue male Henry Duke of Sommerset beheaded by K Edward the fourth Edmund Duke of Sommerset beheaded also by K. Edward the fourth A daughter maried Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn slaine at the battell of Teukesbury The excuse of Commines error The line of Henry the fourth being failed in Prince Edward the right of the house of Lancaster came to the house of Sommerset as heere is set foorth but after the dâ—â—th of Iohn Duke of Sommerset who died without heire male Edmund his brother was made Duke of Sommerset Wherefore Commines knowing Henry the 7. to claime the right of the house of Lancaster as heire of the house of Sommerset and seeing others to be Dukes of Sommerset and not him supposed them to be of the elder house to him yet notwithstanding was Henry the 7. neerer heire than they being by his mother descended of the elder brother though they being of the male line obtained the title of Sommerset before him But this in my fansie bred Commines error and thus much in his excuse The title the Duke of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie countie of Prouence and Duchy of Bar mentioned by Commines Lib. 7. cap. 1. and the Kings title thereto togither with the whole quarrell betweene the house of Arragon and Aniou and why the house of Aniou had the best title as mentioneth Commines Lib. 8. Cap. 16. Naples Charles Earle of Aniou and Main brother to King S. Lewis King of Naples and Sicilie Prouence m. Betrice heire of Prouence 2 Charles surnamed the Boiteux King of Naples Hungarie m. Mary daughter heire to Stephen King of Hungary Charles Martell King of Hungarie the eldest brother Cornumbert King of Hungarie Lewis King of Hungarie Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife 4 m. Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather 3 Robert King of Naples the yoonger brother Charles sans terre died before his father 4 Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather m. Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife Mary Boccace his Conc. Margaret 5 m. Charles King of Naples and Hungarie 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Lewis D. of Durazzo Charles of Durazzo executed by Lewis King of Hungarie 5 Charles King of Naples and Hungarie m. Margaret 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Clementia m. Charles Earle of Valois Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce Lewis of Aniou adopted by Q. Iane the first slaine an 1385. Lewis of Aniou troubled K. Ladislaus died anno 1417. Bar. Yoland heire of Bar by Yoland hir mother Marie m. Charles the 7 K. of France Lewis