Milan King Iohn of Arragon were all dead a fewe yeeres before him but betweene the death of the said Duches of Austrich of King Edvvard and of him there was no space to speake of In all these Princes there was both good and euill for they were all men but to speake vprightly there were in him many mo vertues ornaments appertaining to the office of a King than in any of the rest I haue seene them in maner all and knew what was in them and therefore I speake not at randon The Notes 1 It was Reims in the French but that vndoubtedly was false the old copie hath Rhine or Rhine others Rins the Italian Ries 2 King Lewis dranke childrens blood to recouer his health Gaguin How King Lewis the 11. caused Charles the Daulphin his sonne to come to him a little before his death and of the commandements and precepts he gaue both him and certaine others Chap. 11. IN this yeere 1483. the King desired to see the Daulphine his sonne whom he had not seene of long time for he kept him close and permitted no man to come to him both bicause of the childes health and also for feare least he should be taken from the place where he remained and vnder colour of him some rebellion arise in the realme For so had certaine noble men in times past by meanes of himselfe made an assembly against King Charles the seuenth his father he being then but eleuen yeeres of age 1 which war was called la Praguerie but it soone ended for it was rather a broile of court than a warre Aboue all things he recommended vnto his said sonne the Daulphine certaine of his seruants and commanded him expressely not to change certaine officers rehearsing to him how after King Charles his fathers death he comming to the State put out of office all the valiant and woorthie knights of this realme that had serued his father in the conquest of Normandy and Guienne in chasing the English men out of Fraunce and restoring the realme to peace and quietnes for himselfe found it both quiet and rich which his hard dealing with the said knights turned greatly to his preiudice for thereof sprang the war called THE WEALE PVBLIKE in this storie aboue mentioned which had almost set him besides his crowne Soone after his communication with the Daulphine his sonne and the accomplishment of this marriage aboue mentioned he fell vpon a monday into the disease whereof he died his sicknes endured til the saturday after being the 30. of August in the yeer 1483. And bicause I was present at his death I minde to speake somwhat thereof When this disease tooke him he lost his speech as before which being recouered he felt his body weaker than euer it was notwithstanding that he were so lowe brought before that he could hardly lift his hand to his mouth and looked so poorely and miserably that it pitied euery mans hart that sawe him he accounted himselfe now as dead Wherefore he sent incontinent for the Lord of Beauieu now Duke of Bourbon his sonne in law commanding him to go to Amboise to the King his son for so he termed him he recommended also vnto him diuers of his seruants and gaue him the whole charge and gouernment of the yoong King and commanded expressely that certaine whom he named should not come neere his sonne alleaging diuers good reasons on that behalfe And if the said Lord of Beauieu had obserued his commandements at the least part of them for some were vnreasonable and not to be obserued I thinke he should thereby haue benefited both the realme and himselfe considering what hath hapned since in Fraunce Soone after he sent also the Chauncellor and all the officers of the law to the said King his sonne and in like maner part of the archers of his guarde and his Captaines and all his haukes and hounds with all that appertained thereunto Further as many as came to visit him he commanded to go to Amboise to the King for so he termed him desiring them to serue him faithfully and by euery one of them he sent him some message or other but especially by Steuen de Vers who brought vp the said yoong King and was the first groome of his chamber and already aduanced to the bailiwicke of Meaux by the King our Master His speech neuer failed him after he recouered it neither were his wits so fresh at any time as then for he purged continually by meanes whereof all fumes voided that troubled his head In all the time of his sicknesse he neuer complained as other men do when they feele paine at the least I my selfe am of that nature and so haue I knowne diuers others and men say that complaining asswageth greefe The Notes 1 Others write that he was 16. yeeres olde this was was anno 1439. and King Lewis was borne anno 1423. so that he was 16. yeeres old when the Praguerie began and so vndoubtedly it should be read heere A comparison betweene the sorrowes and troubles that King Lewis suffered and those he caused diuers others to suffer with a rehearsall of all that he did and all that was done to him till his death Chap. 12. HE discoursed continually of some matter or other and that very grauely and his disease endured from monday till saturday night Wherefore I will now make comparison betweene the troubles and sorrowes he caused others to suffer and those he suffered himselfe before his death bicause I trust they haue caried him into paradise and been part of his purgatorie For notwithstanding that they were not so grieuous neither endured so long as those which he caused diuers others to suffer yet bicause his vocation in this world was higher then theirs by meanes whereof he had neuer beene contraried but so well obeied that he seemed a Prince able to haue gouerned all Europe this little trouble that he endured contrarie to his accostomed nature was to him a great torment He hoped euer in this good heremite that was at Plessis whom he had caused to come to him out of Calabria and continually sent to him saying that if it pleased him he could prolong his life For notwithstanding all these commandements giuen to those whom he sent to the Daulphine his sonne yet came his spirits againe to him in such sort that he was in hope to recouer and if it had so happened he would easily haue disparckled the assembly sent to this new King But bicause of the vaine hope he had in this heremite a Doctor of diuinitie and certaine others thought good to aduertise him that his onely hope must be in the mercie of God and they deuised that Master Iames Cothier his Phisition in whom he had reposed his whole confidence and to whom he gaue monethly ten thousand crownes in hope he would prolong his life should be present when this speech should be vsed to him This was Master Oliuer his barbars deuise to the end he might
Testament which I my selfe haue seene wherin he made conscience of a subsidie lately leuied vpon his subiects if the said Testament be true Let Christian Princes then weigh well what they ought to do considering that they haue no authoritie in right and reason to leuy any thing vpon their subiects without their permission and consent The conclusion of the Author YOw see heere a great number of great personages dead in short space who trauelled so mightily and indured so many anguishes and sorrowes to purchase honor and renoume whereby they abridged their liues yea and peraduenture charged their soules I speake not this of the Turke for I make account he is lodged with his predecessors but our King and the rest I trust God hath taken to his mercy Now to speake of this point as a man vnlearned but hauing some experience had it not been better both for these great Princes themselues and all their subiects that liued vnder them and shall liue vnder their successors to haue held a meane in all things that is to say to haue attempted fewer enterprises to haue feared more to offend God and persecute their subiects and neighbors so many sundry waies aboue rehearsed and to haue vsed honest pleasures and recreation Yes sure For by that meanes their liues should haue been prolonged diseases should not so soone haue assailed them their death should haue been more lamented and lesse desired yea and they should haue had lesse cause to feare death What goodlier examples can we finde to teach vs that man is but a shadowe that our life is miserable and short and that we are nothing neither great nor small For immediately after our death all men abhorre and loath our bodies and so soone as the soule is seuered from the body it goeth to receiue iudgement yea vndoubtedly at the very instant that the soule and body part the iudgement of God is giuen according to our merits and deserts which is the particular iudgement of God The Notes 1 For ought I can reade in any historie this Frederike should be Henry and so appeereth by our author himselfe lib. 5. cap. 7. cap. 18. 2 Asin Britaine Sauoye and Prouence vnder King Rene. 3 Others write that he was but 14. yeeres olde when he married hir which was in the yeere 1437. and she died ann 1445. 4 This Ladies name was Margaret she was sister to Iames the second King of Scotland she was of a lothsome complexion and had an vnsauorie breth wherefore the King loued hir not 5 This is agreeable with Pompeies saying to Sylla that the Romanes did Orientem potius quà m occidentem solem venerari 6 The Earle of VVarwicks father was Richard Neuill Earle of Salisburie who was not slaine at the battell of VVakefield with Richard Duke of Yorke but taken and within a day or two after beheaded and his head sent to Yorke as the said Dukes had beene 7 Commines saith heere that King Edward had liued sixteene yeeres in delicacies when the Earle of VVarwicke chased him out of his realme yet before lib. 3. he saith twelue or thirteene yeeres somwhat neerer to the truth for indeede he was chased the 10. yeere of his raigne 8 This white knight is named Iohannes Huniades Coruinus his fathers name was Buth of the countrie of Valachie corruptly printed in the French Vallagine 9 To wit 20. and fought in one day against Amurathes and his Bashaes sixe great battels and obtained victorie in them all 10 Sclauonie is the countrie of Illyria 11 Some write that this Launcelot called in Latin stories Ladislaus came to full yeeres before Huniades death and gaue him in recompence of his seruice the Earledome of Bristrich and yet afterward sought to kill him by the perswasion of Vlrich Earle of Cilie the said Ladislaus vncle but Huniades valiantly defended himselfe and soone after died But indeede the truth is that Ladislaus was borne the 21. of February 1440. and Huniades died the 10. of September 1456. so that at Huniades death Ladislaus was almost 17. yeeres of age and by the perswasion of this Earle Vlrich had taken the gouernment vpon himselfe 12 The elder brothers name was Ladislaus The cause of his death was for that in defence of himselfe he had slaine the Earle Vlrich who assaulted him as before he had done his father and continually sought both his blood and his brothers VVherefore the King caused both the brethren deceitfully to be taken and beheaded the elder being fiue or sixe and twenty yeeres of age It is written that the hangman gaue him three strokes with the sword before he could pearse his skin 13 King Ladislaus died of poison the 21. of Nouember 1457. 14 Other histories varie much in this point from Commines for they make no mention of Mathias deliuerie by his mothers meanes but say that King Ladislaus being hated in Hungarie for Huniades elder sonnes death departedinto Bohemia leading Mathias with him as prisoner where soone after this Ladislaus died of poison as heere befoâââention is made After his death George Boiebrac vsurped the realme of Bohemia this Mathias being still prisoner at Prague but the nobles of Hungarie bicause of his fathers great seruices chose him their King and sent to the said Boiebrac requiring his deliuerie who not onely accomplished their request on that behalfe but also gaue the said Mathias his daughter in mariage and sent him into Hungarie nobly accompanied 15 This place is maruellously corrupted for King Mathias was borne the 24. of Februarie 1443. and died the fift of Aprill at Vienna of an Apoplexie the yeere 1490. or as our author saith 1491. so that by this computation he liued about 48. yeeres and so vndoubtedly this 28. must be read 48. 16 This Turke is Mahomet the second 17 Others write that Amurathes the third Emperor of Turkie wan Adrianople and it may be that the name deceiued our author for this Turks fathers name was also Amurathes but this was Amurathes the second and he that wan Adrianople Amurathes the first 18 Constantinople vvas taken ann 1453. the 29. of May. 19 This Emperor vvas named Constantinus Paleologus but as others vvrite he vvas not slaine at the breach but thronged to death in the gate as he would haue fled 20 Hovv he conquered Trapezonde Syria Armenia appeereth after in the figure 25 21 It is corruptly in the French Bressanne This realme of Bosne he conquered ouer Stephen King of that countrie ann 1463. but Mathias King of Hungarie soone after recouered it againe 22 Morea vvas in times past Peloponnesus 23 This Archipell is Mare Aegeum in the vvhich the yles called Cyclades lie 24 Nigrepont in times past vvas Euboea 25 The French bookes haue some of them the Carnian some the Carmanian and some bicause they vvill be sure not to erre nothing But vndoubtedly it is to be read as I haue heere translated it For further declaration vvhereof vve must vnderstand that about the yeere 1250. fovver
noble houses came out of Persia vvith their captaines and armies the Otthomans Assembecs Scandelors or Candelors and the Caramans All these fovver houses subdued euery one of them some region the Otthomans vvan Bithynia Phrygia Galatia The Assembecs Syria Armenia Cappadocia Paphlagonia The Scandelors held the greatest part of Pontus and the Caramans Cilicia Lycia Lycaonia Pamphylia But the house of Otthoman in the end deuoured all the other three The Assembecs vvere vanquished by this Mahomet ann 1459. For you shall vnderstand that Vsumcassanes King of the Assembecs fought three great battels vvith this Mahomet In the tvvo first he ouerthrevv him but in the third he vvas vtterly ouerthrovven by reason that Mahomet had great artillerie in his campe vvhich noueltie vnknovven before to the easterly nations discomfited Vsumcassanes armie vvho in this battell lost also his sonne Zeinalde After this battell Mahomet vvan all Cappadocia Paphlagonia and tooke Trapezonde the seate of the Assembecs empire vvith the greatest part of Armenia and Syria as mention is heere made Further after this battell Mahomet tooke from Pyramitus Prince of the Caramans the greatest part of Cilicia and after this Mahomets death Baiazet his sonne slue in battell Abraham the last Prince of the Caramans and vtterly destroied that house As touching the Scandelors after the Assembecs and Caramans vvere destroied the Prince of the Scandelors yeelded his countrie to Baiazet and in exchange thereof had certaine reuenues giuen him in Natolia And thus vvere all the three houses subdued by the house of Otthoman vvhich discourse for the better vnderstanding of this place I haue been forced to vvrite somvvhat at large 26 Others vvrite 58. and others 56. but sure our author reporteth his age truliâââ for he vvas borne ann 1430. the 24. of March and died of the collicke 1481. the thirde of May so that he vvas entred into his tvvo and fiftith yeere A SVPPLY OF THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE COMMINES FROM THE death of King LEWIS the II. till the beginning of the wars of Naples to wit from 1483. till 1493. of all the vvhich time Commines vvriteth nothing Of King Charles his comming to the crowne of the death of Oliuer King Lewis his Barber and others and of the reuoking of King Lewis his superfluous gifts Chap. 1. AFter the death of Lewis the eleuenth Charles the 8. his onely sonne being 13. yeeres of age and two moneths succeeded to the crowne notwithstanding his coronation was deferred till the moneth of Iune in the next yeere to the end he might be full fowerteen when he should be crowned The King his father had brought him vp at Amboise in such solitarines that none besides his ordinarie seruants could haue accesse vnto him neither permitted he him to learne any more Latine than this one sentence He that cannot dissemble cannot raigne which he did not for that he hated learning but bicause he feared that studie would hurt the tender and delicate complexion of the childe Notwithstanding King Charles after he was come to the crowne grew verie studious of learning aod gaue himseife to the reading of stories and bookes of humanitie written in the French toong and attempted to vnderstand Latine Before the Kings coronation the Princes of the blood and the nobles of the realme who so often had beene iniuried in the late King Levvis his time by Oliuer le Dain his barber by Daniell a Flemming the said Oliuers seruant and by Iohn D'oyac which three had wholie gouerned the said King Levvis caused informations secretly to be exhibited against them for diuers murthers rapines and other heinous crimes that they had committed in King Levvis his time yea and some of them by his commandement the which informations being seene by the court Parlament they were foorthwith apprehended their processe made and in the end all three condemned and the next yeere being 1484. the said Oliuer and Daniell his man were hanged at Paris and D'oyac had his eares cut off and his toong bored through with a hot iron One of the crimes committed by Oliuer and Daniell for the which they were executed was this A gentleman was committed to prison by King Levvis his commandement whose wife being yoong and beutifull was contented to abandon hir selfe to the lust of this Oliuer vpon promise that he should deliuer hir husband out of prison to hir but the next day he caused Daniell his man to put him into a sacke and to throwe him into the riuer where he was miserably drowned This Oliuer was a Flemming borne and had been barber to King Levvis and of greater credit with him than any man in all Fraunce which his credit grew by vile and slauish offices that he did about the King so far foorth that he ordinarily sucked the Kings hemorrhoides wherewith he was often troubled which base seruice he did not for good will that he bare the King but onely for couetousnes and to maintaine his credit which ended soone after the King his Masters death as you haue heard notwithstanding the great charge that the King vpon his death-bed had giuen his sonne to loue the said Oliuer and not to suffer him to be spoiled of that which he had bestowed vpon him bicause his seruice had long preserued his life But howsoeuer Princes maintaine such lewd ministers in their liues and how ready soeuer such seruants be to execute their Masters vnlawfull and wilfull commandements supposing that they shall neuer be called to account therefore yet in the end they finde that credit in Court is no inheritance and that God who leaueth nothing vnpunished findeth a time to reward them according to their deserts Further soone after King Lewis his death consultation was had of the superfluous superstitious gifts made by him in his life all the which were reuoked and all that was giuen reunited to the crowne Of the assemblie of the States held at Touars of the Duke of Orleance pursute for the regencie of the mad war raised by him and of his departure into Britaine Chap. 2. THe King in the moneth of Iuly after his coronation being the yeere 1484. held a generall and free assembly of the States of 1484 his realme at Touars far otherwise than had beene vsed in his fathers daies for none came to these generall assemblies in his time but such as were of his owne denomination neither durst any man speake his minde freely but was forced in all matters to yeeld to the Kings will which was for the most part vnreasonable and violent But at this assemblie the presence was great the voices free the complaints lamentable the Nobilitie Commons and Clergie euery one of them presented their griefes complaining of the burdens that the late King contrary to the lawes of the realme and customes of their ancestors had laid vpon them In this assembly it was enacted that there should be no Regent in Fraunce but that Anne Lady of Beauieu the Kings eldest sister should haue the
in writing to the posteritie of all those yeeres THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE COMMINES TREATING OF THE PRINCIPALL ACTES OF KING CHARLES THE EIGHT SONNE TO LEWIS THE ELEVENTH THE PROLOGVE OF THE AVTHOR containing that which he mindeth to treate of in this historie following TO continue the Historie written by me Philip de Commines of the reigne of King Lewis the eleuenth whom God assoile I wil now declare the occasion that mooued King Charles the eight his sonne to make his voiage into Italie wherat my selfe was present The said King departed from Vienna in Daulphine the 23. of August the yeere 1494. and returned into his realme about October the yeere 1495. Before the enterprise was fully resolued on the matter was often debated whether he should go or not for the voiage seemed very dangerous to all men of wisdome and experience neither did any allow therof but the King himselfe and one Stephen de Vers borne in Languedoc a man of meane parentage and vtterly vnacquainted with the wars and all things thereunto appertaining One other also being of the receit was a furtherer thereof till his hart failed him namely the generall Brissonnet who afterward by occasion of this voiage was preferred to many goodly dignities and spirituall promotions and created a Cardinall The former had already gotten goodly possessions for he was Seneschall of Beaucaire and president of the Comptes at Paris he had serued the King in his youth very faithfully being a groome of his chamber and by his meanes the generall was woon to fauor this voiage so that they two were the onely authors thereof for the which fewe commended but many blamed them for all things necessarie for so great an enterprise were wanting The King was yoong a weake body wedded to his owne will slenderly accompanied with wise men or good captaines and so vtterly vnfurnished of money that before his departure he borrowed of the banke of Soly at Genua a hundred thousand franks vpon great enterest from Mart to Marte 1 In diuers other places also he borrowed money as heereafter you shall heare His army was vnprouided of tents and pauillions and winter was begun when he entred into Lombardy One onely good thing he had to wit a couragious company of yoong gentlemen yet not in such obedience as was requisite Wherefore we must of necessitie conclude that this voiage was gouerned by God alone both at our going foorth and our returne home for the wisdome of the authors thereof aboue mentioned serued to no great purpose notwithstanding they might iustly vaunt themselues to be the occasion of the great honor and renowme their Master wan thereby The Notes 1 The interest of this money as he saith in the end of the fourth Chapter amounted in fovver moneths to fovverteene thousand franks Further there are at Genua certaine Marts in the yeere from the one of the vvhich to the other they let out their money it is betvveene euery Marte fovver moneths How René Duke of Lorrain came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchie of Bar and the Earledome of Prouence which King Charles held and how he failed to enter into the realme of Naples whereunto he pretended title as the King did and what right both of them had thereunto Chap. 1. THe yeere of the Kings coronation 1 being the 14. or 15. of his age the Duke of Lorraine came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchy of Bar which King Levvis the eleuenth had withholden from him and likewise the Earledome of Prouence left to the said King Levvis by the last will and Testament of King Charles of Aniou his cosen germaine 2 who died without issue The Duke of Lorraine pretended title to it as sonne and heire to the daughter of Rene King of Sicilie Duke of Aniou and Earle of Prouence alleaging that the said King Rene had done him wrong 3 in preferring King Charles of Aniou being but his brother the Earle of Maines sonne before him being his daughters sonne 4 The other answered that by their ancestors testaments Prouence could not descend to the female In the end Bar was yeelded to him for the which the King demanded onely a summe of money Further bicause the said Duke of Lorrain was highly fauored and friended by diuers of great authoritie in Fraunce especially by Iohn Duke of Bourbon who was old and desirous to marrie his sister it was agreed that during the space of fower yeeres in the which his title to the Earledome of Prouence should be examined his estate should be wholy defraied by the King and that he should haue charge of an hundred launces togither with a yeerely pension of sixe and thirtie thousand franks during the said fower yeeres I my selfe was present at the debating and ending of all these controuersies being one of the commissioners purposely chosen for the determination thereof both by the Kings neerest kinsmen and by the three estates of his realme so was also Stephen de Vers aboue mentioned who bicause he had gotten certaine possessions in Prouence caused the King as yoong as he was in the presence of his sister the Duchesse of Bourbon to say to Monseur de Comminges and to Monseur de Lau who were both also in the commission and to my selfe that we should do our endeuor that he might not lose the Earledome of Prouence which words he vttered before the agreement aboue mentioned was made Before the fower yeeres expired certaine Lawyeres of Prouence brought foorth the testaments of King Charles the first brother to Saint Levvis and of other Kings of Sicilie 5 of the house of Fraunce These Lawyeres among other proofes alleaged that not onely the Earledome of Prouence but also the realme of Sicilie with all the house of Anious other possessions appertained of right to the King and that the Duke of Lorrain had no right thereto notwithstanding others maintained the contrary All these Lawyers depended wholy vpon Stephen de Vers who nourished his Master in this language that King Charles Earle of Prouence last deceased sonne to Charles of Aniou Earle of Maine and nephew 6 to King Rene left Prouence to King Lewis by his last will and Testament and that King Rene before his death made the said Charles his heire preferring him before the Duke of Lorraine his daughters sonne bicause of the testaments of King Charles the first and his wife Countesse of Prouence wherein they had willed that the realme 7 and the countie of Prouence should not be seuered nor descend to the heire female so long as there was issue male remaining The like Testaments they alleaged also to haue beene made by their next successors in the said realme namely by Charles the second During these fower yeeres space those that gouerned the King that is to saie the Duke and Dutchesse of Bourbon and certaine of the Kings chamber namely Monseur de Grauille 8 and others who at that time bare great sway in Fraunce called to the
with the Florentines for the said Peter was by his mother of the house of Vrsins and both his father and he had euer giuen entertainment to certaine of them but immediately after they heard the people crie Libertie libertie and sawe them come towards his house in armes Whereupon following good aduice by the helpe of Paule Vrsin he departed the towne which was a miserable departure to him for in power and wealth both he and his ancestors since the time of Cosmus de Medicis the first of that house had been in maner equall with great Princes and this day fortune began to frowne vpon him so that he lost both honor and riches At this present my selfe was at Venice and by the ambassador of Florence there resident vnderstood of all these newes which greatly displeased me for I had loued his father well If the said Peter had followed mine aduice all this had neuer happened for immediately after my arriuall at Venice I wrote vnto him offering to make his peace with the King for I had commission by mouth both from the Seneschall of Beaucaire and the Generall so to do and I am well assured the King would haue held himselfe contented with passage through their countrie at the most with Ligorne and that being obtained haue agreed to all the said Peters demaunds But he by the perswasion of the aboue named Peter Capon answered me in maner with scoffes The said ambassador the next day deliuered a letter to the Senate of Venice the contents whereof were that the said Peter was banished the towne bicause he sought to make himselfe Lord thereof by aide of the house of Arragon and the Vrsins and diuers other matters they charged him with that were vntrue But such be the chaunces and changes of this world that he that is in aduersitie hath not onely his enimies to pursue him but his friends also become his foes as appeered by this ambassador named Paule Anthony Sonderin one of the wisest men in Italie who but the day before talked with me of this Peter as if he had been his soueraigne Lord yet now declared himselfe his enimie True it is that it was by the Seniories commandement for of himselfe particularly he made no declaration The next day I was aduertised that the said Peter came to Venice and that the King in great triumph was entred into Florence Moreouer the Senate of Florence commanded their ambassador to take his leaue of the Seniorie of Venice and returne home with all speede The letter himselfe shewed me and then departed Two daies after his departure arriued Peter de Medicis in his doublet and his hose or in one of his seruants clokes The Venetians stood in great doubt to receiue him so much feared they the Kings displeasure And notwithstanding that they could not of their honor refuse him yet made they him stay two daies without the towne being very desirous to vnderstand of me how the King would take it if they receiued him I for my part desired to do him good and the King had written nothing to me against him wherefore I answered them that I thought he was fled for feare of the people not of the King Whereupon he entred the towne and the next day after he had been with the Seniorie I went to visit him They lodged him well and permitted both himselfe and fifteene or twenty of his seruants that accompanied him to weare their weapons in the towne 3 And notwithstanding that Cosmus aboue mentioned had stopped them in times past from taking of Milan yet vsed they him very well and reuerenced him for the honor of his house which had beene of so great estimation and renowme through all Christendome When I sawe him me thought he seemed a man of no great stuffe he discoursed to me at large of all his misfortunes and I as well as I could comforted him Among other things he told me that he had lost all and that aboue all his other mishaps this most grieued him that a factor of his in the towne had refused to giue him credit for cloth but to the value of 100. ducats to apparell his brother and himselfe which was a strange thing considering his estate and authoritie for by the space of threescore yeeres the estimation of his house had been so great that greater it could not be Soone after by meanes of the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoye the said Peter receiued good newes for the King wrote vnto him willing him to repaire to his presence Notwithstanding the King was first departed from Florence as now you shall heare but somwhat I was forced by the way to speake of this Peter de Medicis The Notes 1 This is ironicè spoken bicause the King brake this second treatie also mentioned in the very next chapter notwithstanding that he vnderstood it well ynough 2 It stood them in such steede bicause it was strong and the key of their countrie and standeth neere the sea very commodiously for their traffick 3 For through the Venetians dominions no man may weare his weapon without leaue How the King entred into Florence and through what other townes he passed till he came to Rome Chap. 9. THe next daie the King entered into Florence where the said Peter had prepared his owne house to receiue him but the Lord of Ballassat who was sent thither before to make the Kings lodging vnderstanding of the saide Peters departure fell to spoile all that he found in his house pretending that his banke at Lyons ought him a great summe of money Among other things he tooke one whole Vnicornes horne valued at sixe or seauen thousand ducats and two great peeces of another with a number of other goodly things which others seeing did the like Into another house in the towne the said Peter had conueied all his goodliest stuffe but the people spoiled that also The Seniorie had part of his richest iewels twenty thousand ducats in coine that lay in his banke in the towne diuers faire pots of Agate and such a number of goodly Camayeux excellently well cut all the which my selfe once saw as is woonderfull togither with three thousand medales of gold siluer weying 40. pound weight the number and goodnes wherof I thinke all Italy could not match All that he lost that day in the citie amounted to a hundred thousand crownes and better The King being in Florence as you haue heard made a treatie with the citizens to their great good liking as I suppose The conditions were these They gaue him sixe score thousand ducats whereof they paied him fiftie thousand presently and the rest at two paiments very shortly after they lent him all the places aboue mentioned they changed their armes being the red flower deluce and gaue the Kings armes And he for his part receiued them into his safegarde and protection and promised sware vpon the altar of Saint Iohn to restore their places vnto them within fower moneths after
he should be entred into Naples or sooner if sooner he returned into Fraunce But the matter fell otherwise out as heereafter you shall heare The King staied not long at Florence but went to Senes where he was honorably receiued and from thence to Viterbe where Dom Ferrand who as you haue heard retired towards Rome was once minded to haue lodged fortified his campe and to haue fought if he had seene his aduantage as I was aduertised both by King Alphonses ambassador and also by the Popes legate being at Venice And sure I looked euer when King Alphonse being accounted a valiant Prince should haue come thither in person leauing his sonne in his realme for in mine opinion the place had beene greatly for his aduantage considering he should haue had his owne realme the dition of the church and the places and territories of the Vrsins on his backe Wherefore I was maruellously astonished when I receiued letters from the King that he was entred the towne of Viterbe and likewise the castle which soone after his entrie into the towne a commander yeelded vnto him 1 by meanes of the Cardinall Petri ad Vincula who was gouernor thereof and of the Colonnois And then began I to my selfe that God was fully purposed to accomplish this enterprise so far foorth that I repented me that in my letters I had aduised the King not to refuse an honorable composition for they offered him ynough But to proceede Aquependant Monteflascon and all the places round about yeelded before Viterbe as I was aduertised both by the Kings and also the Seniories letters who were daily informed by their ambassadors of all that hapned diuers of the which they shewed me or caused one of their secretaries to report vnto me From thence the K. marched to Rome through the Vrsins territories which were all yeelded to him by the Lord Charles Vrsin who said that he had commandement from his father 2 notwithstanding that he were then in K. Alphonses seruice so to do that so long as Dom Ferrand should haue passage granted him through the dominions of the Church and should be in the said dominions so long he would accompanie him and no longer Thus liue they in Italy both Princes and captaines in continuall practise with their enimies and turning euer as they see fortune encline Further the King was receiued into Brachane the said Virgile Vrsins principall castle which was faire strong and so well furnished of victuals that I haue heard the King oftentimes commend both the place and the good entertainment he found there For his army was in such extremity and penurie of victuals that in greater it could not be To be short who so shall consider how often this army was vpon the point to returne home since the time it first arriued at Vienna in Daulphine and by what means and ouuertures the iourney was still continued I thinke he will confesse that God was the leader thereof The Notes 1 Vn commandeur is one that hauing Ecclesiasticall liuings may not marrie and yet is not compelled to be a priest as the Grandeprior in Fraunce and all the Knights of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem 2 His father vvas Virgile Vrsine of vvhom heerafter more mention is made How the King sent the Cardinall Petri ad Vincula to Ostie what the Pope did at Rome in the meane time and how the King entred into Rome maugre all his enimies Chap. 10. FRom Brachane the King sent the Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula to Ostie wherof he was Bishop the place was of great importance and held by the Colonnois who lately had recouered it from the Pope whose forces not long before had taken it from the said Cardinall It was of no defence notwithstanding it hath since held Rome in great subiection a long time by the said Cardinals aide 1 being great friend to the Colonnois who ioined at that time with vs partly by meanes of the Cardinall Ascanio brother to the D. of Milan and Vicechancellor and partly in hatred of the Vrsins whose enimies they be and euer haue been These two factions breed great troubles in the Church dominions as do in Fraunce the factions of Luce and Grandmont and in Holland of Houc and Caballan 2 but were it not for this diuision the said dominions were the best countrie for the subiects in the world for they pay no subsidies and other duties but few Further they are alwaies well gouerned for the Popes are euer wise themselues and haue wise men about them but bicause of these factions many great and cruell murthers are often committed as within these fower yeeres we haue seene a number on both sides For since the time I now write of the Coulonnois became our enimies though to their great dishonor for they possessed of the Kings gift in the realme of Naples namely in the Earledome of Taillecouse and other places which the Vrsins had held before 20000. ducats and better of yeerely reuenues 3 Further all their other demands were granted them as well charge of men of armes as pensions Wherefore they fell from vs very traiterouslie and vpon no occasion But you shall vnderstand that they had euer been partakers with the house of Arragon other enimies of Fraunce bicause they were Gibelins and the Vrsins had euer been friends to Fraunce bicause they were Guelphes To Ostie the King sent with Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula Peron de la Basche steward of his house who landed but three daies before at Plombin and brought with him by sea twentie thousand ducats parcell of that money the Duke of Milan lent the King Vpon the sea with the Kings army being very small remained the Prince of Salerne and one called the Lord of Sernon in Prouence whom tempest draue into Corsique 4 with their nauie all to rent and torne where they staied so long in repairing it that it did no seruice notwithstanding the great treasure emploied thereon for before it arriued at Naples the King was entred the towne At Ostie with the said Cardinall were fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand Swissers led by the Earle of Ligny the Kings cosin germaine by the mother the Lord of Alegre and diuers others who thought to haue passed the riuer of Tybre there to haue inclosed Dom Ferrand within Rome by aide of the Coulonnois the principall of the which house were at that time Prospere and Fabrice Coulonne and the Cardinall Coulonne accompanied with two thousand footemen whom the King paied by the hands of the aboue named Basche The said footemen they had leuied at their owne pleasure and mustred at Sannesonne a towne of their owne You shall vnderstand that many matters concur heere and of euery one somwhat is to be said Before the King entred into Viterbe he had sent to Rome Monseur de la Trimoille his chamberlaine the president Ganay keeper of the seale and the generall Bidaut to enter into intelligence with the Pope
I saw no other thing that could greatly trouble the King Thus much I haue written to the end it may yet more manifestly appeere that this voiage was in deed a meere miracle of God The Notes 1 He departed from Naples the 20. of May. Annal. Franc. Guicciar 2 The King departed Naples with 800. French launces two hundred gentlemen of his garde a hundred launces vnder Triuulce three thousand footmen Swissers a thousand French and a thousand Gascoines Guicciar 3 He arriued at Rome the first of Iune and a bode there two daies Annal. Franc. 4 For Parma it is better to reade Creme or Bergame for the Venetians dominions lay not neere to Parma besides that the riuer Olio is not neere Parma for the Pau runneth betweene Parma and it so that the Venetians must haue passed the Pau after they had passed Olie before they could haue come to Parma 5 The French Corrector readeth it Montvieil called in Italian Monte Vechio which is a certaine treasure the Venetians haue to pay the interests due vnto the ancientest creditors of their commonwealth as appeereth in the booke of Donato Giannotti 6 VVhat these Estradiottes were looke after Cap. 5. 7 They had giuen the King 120000. ducats as mention is made Cap. 9. lib. 7. 8 The people of Sene were diuided against the order of Montenoue which held a gard of soldiers in the palace The citizens promised de Ligny 20000. ducats a yeere to protect them against the said Montenoue but foorthwith after the Kings departure the faction of Montenoue chased Ligny and his men out of the towne Guicciar 9 This Friers surname was Sauanarola who hath written many goodly homilies and sermons he was borne at Ferrara How the King retained in his hands the towne 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 Chap. 3. AFter the King was entred into Pisa as you haue heard all the Pisans both men and women besought their guests for Gods loue to make intercession to the King that they might no more returne vnder the Florentines tyrannie who in truth handled them extremely but diuers cities in Italy that be in subiection to others are as euill intreated as they besides that the Pisans and Florentines had been in wars togither the space of three hundred yeeres before the Florentines subdued them These lamentable words before mentioned ioined with teares mooued our men to pitie and caused them so far foorth to forget the Kings promise and oth made vpon the aultar of Saint Iohn at Florence that all sorts of men busied themselues in this matter euen the poore archers and the Swissers who also threatned those that they thought perswaded the King to performe his promise namely the Cardinall Saint Malo so often before named generall of Languedoc whom I my selfe heard an archer threaten There were in like maner that gaue very rough language to the Marshall of Gié The president Gannay by the space of three daies and more durst not lie in his lodging But the Earle of Ligny aboue all the rest fauored the Pisans cause who came in troupes weeping and lamenting to the King in such sort that we all pitied them and would willingly haue releeued them if it had lien in vs so to do One day after dinner fortie or fiftic gentlemen of the Kings house assembled themselues togither and went with their partisans into the Kings chamber where he was playing at tables with Monseur de Pienncs accompanied onely with two groomes of his chamber One of these gentlemen sonne to Sallezard the elder spake as mouth of the rest to the King desiring him to be gratious Lord to the Pisans and accusing certaine of those lately named as traitors to him But the King with so stout language commanded them to depart that after the like neuer hapned The King spent sixe or seuen daies needlesly in the towne of Pisa and then changed the garrison and made captaine of the Citadelle one Entragues a man of lewd conditions seruant to the D. of Orleans whom he thus preferred by Monseur de Lignis sute and left with him in the said Citadelle certaine footemen of the Duchie of Berrie Further the said Entragues procured such friendship I suppose by his money that he was also made captaine of Petrosancte and of another place neere to it called Mortron 1 and in like maner of Librefacto which is neere to Lugues The castle of Serzane being very strong was put at the request of the said Earle of Ligny into the hands of a bastard of Roussi and an other place called Serzanelle into the hands of another being both his owne seruants In these places the King left a great part of his forces notwithstanding that he shall neuer haue such need of men as he had at that time Moreouer he refused the Florentines aid and offers aboue mentioned and draue them into vtter despaire Yet was he aduertised before his departure from Sene that the Duke of Orleans whom he had left behind him in Ast 2 had taken the city of Nauarre in the Duchie of Milan and therefore was well assured that the Venetians would declare themselues his enimies for they sent him word that if he inuaded the Duke of Milan they would aide the Duke with their whole force according to their league lately made and their force was great and in a readines Now you shall vnderstand that presently vpon the conclusion of their league the Duke of Milan thought to haue surprised Ast supposing to finde it vtterly vnmanned but my letters had hastened the forces that the Duke of Bourbon sent thither and the first that arriued were about fortie launces of the Marshall of Gies companie which had tarried behinde in Fraunce and came thither in good time Soone after them arriued also fiue hundred footmen sent thither by the Marques of Saluce The comming of the which staied the Duke of Milans forces led by Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin who hearing these newes retired to Nom a castle of the Duchie of Milan two miles from Ast In the necke of these arriued also three hundred and fiftie men of armes and certaine gentlemen of Daulphine and two thousand Swissers with certain franke archers of the said countrey of Daulphine so that their whole number was 7500. men taking paie But they lingred so long vpon the way that they serued not to the purpose they were sent for For the K. sent for them to come succor him but instead of aiding him he was forced to aid them The K. had also giuen commandement to the D. of Orleans his captaines not to attempte any thing against the Duke of Milan but onely to defend the towne of Ast to meete him at the riuer of Thesin to helpe to conuey him ouer it for that was the onely riuer to trouble him But notwithstanding all
there were also of the countrie of Vaulx in Senonie 7 and some of Gelderland These were to the number of eight hundred newly sent thither with two moneths pay the which being spent before they came thither and at their arriuall there no new pay being found they seeing themselues in this distresse declared that they bare vs no such good will as the Swissers do for they practised with our enimies and turned to King Ferrande for the which cause partly and partly for the diuision that was among our captaines our men made a shamefull appointment with their enimies the which King Ferrande sware to keepe and obserue being forced so to do by the Marquesse of Mantua who thought thereby to assure the person of his brother in lawe Monseur de Montpensier yet notwithstanding the said Ferrande brake the treatie as afterward mention shall be made more at large By the said composition they yeelded both themselues and all the Kings artillerie to their enimies promising further to cause to be rendred all the places that the King held in the realme as well in Calabria where Monseur d'Aubigny was as in L'Abruzzo where Master Gracian des Guerres was togither with the townes of Caietta and Tarente vnder this condition that King Ferrande should send them by sea into Prouence with bag and baggage which was not much woorth but notwithstanding the composition King Ferrande commanded them all to be led to Naples being to the number of fiue or sixe thousand persons or more So shamefull a composition hath not beene made in our time neither do I remember that euer I read of the like saue that which the two consuls of Rome made as rehearseth Titus Liuius 8 with the Samnites whom I suppose to be those of Beneuent at a place called then Furculae Caudinae which is a certaine straight in the mountaines notwithstanding the Romanes would not agree to the composition but sent the two Consuls prisoners to their enimies If our force had fought and beene discomfited yet should not their losse haue been so great as by this composition for two parts of them died either of famine or of the plague in their ships in the yle of Prusse 9 whither they were sent from Naples by King Ferrande and namely there died Monseur de Montpensier himselfe some say of poyson others of an ague which I rather beleeue And I thinke verily that of all this companie neuer returned fifteene hundred for of the Swissers which were thirteene hundred returned but three hundred and fifty all extreme sicke Their faith and loyaltie was greatly to be commended for they all chose rather to die than to serue King Ferrande and so a number of them died in the said yle of Prusse some of heate some of sicknes and some of famine for they were held there a long time in their ships in such penurie and lacke of victuals as is almost incredible I saw them all that returned especially the Swissers who brought backe with theâ all their ensignes and sure it well appeered that they had endured great miserie for they were all so extreme sicke that when they came foorth of their ships to take the aire they were faine to be staied vp from falling It was also agreed by the said composition that the Lord Virgill Vrsin should returne home to his countrie in safetie and his son all the Italians that serued the King yet notwithstanding the enimies detained him still and his said legitimate sonne also for he had but one and as touching his base sonne called the Lord Charles who was a very valiant gentleman certaine Italians of their companie spoiled him as he repaired homeward If this miserie had fallen but vpon them onely that made this composition they had notbeen greatly to be moned Immediately after King Ferrande had receiued this honor aboue mentioned and married King Ferrande his grandfathers daughter being a yoong maide of thirteene or fowerteene yeeres of age begotten of the King of Castiles sister that now raigneth so that his wife was sister to his owne father King Alfonse he fell into a continuall ague whereof soone after he died and the crowne of the realme descended to King Frederick the said King Ferrandes vncle now presently raigning It abhorreth me to write of such a marriage as this notwithstanding diuers such haue beene contracted in this house of Arragon within these thirtie yeeres King Ferrande died immediately after the composition aboue mentioned made in the towne of Ateââe the yeere of our Lord 1496. The said Ferrande during his life and Dom Frederick also after he came to the crowne excused the breach of this composition bicause Monseur de Montpensier had not performed the conditions thereof nor rendred the places promised which he could not to say the truth Caietta and diuers others being out of his power For notwithstanding that he were the Kings lieutenant yet were not they that held these places for the King bound to yeeld them at his commandement Although all things well considered the King should haue sustained no great losse if they had then beene yeelded for he spent afterward great treasure in defending and victualling them and yet lost them in the end I my selfe was present three or fower times at the dispatch of those that were sent to victuall and succour first the castels of Naples and thrise after the towne of Caietta And I thinke I should not lie if I said that these fower voiages cost the King aboue three hundred thousand franks and yet all to no purpose The Notes 1 Before cap. 8. he named him de la Chappelle d'Aniou but if Loudonnois be in Aniou the places be reconciled 2 The Venetians paid the monie for the Pisans were not able to redeeme it but after the Citadelle deliuered the Pisans put themselues into the Venetians protection who razed the Citadelle Guicciar 3 This bastards name was de Bienne Guicciar 4 Mutron was also sold to the Luquois Guicciar 5 Librefacto was sold to the Pisans but the Venetians paid the monie Guicciar 6 This Virgill Vrsin is he aboue mentioned who after the Coulonnois reuolt from King Charles turned to him and of his foe became his friend and seruant 7 The French corrector readeth it Sionnie meaning the countrie called in Latin Valesia Sedusiorum whereof Sedunum called in French Sion is the chiefe towne or else he supposeth it should be Vaulx in Sauoy whereof our author maketh mention lib. 5. cap. 1. 8 Decad. 1. lib. 9. 9 Procida it is named by Colleuntius other Italians name it Ponze I suppose it to be that which Plinie lib. 3. cap. 6. calleth Proclita or Prochita saying that it lieth in Sinu Puteolano not far from Naples nor from the yle of Ischia Boccace also Decame 2 nouell 6. reporteth both Procida and Ponze to be neere to Naples Guicciar hath Pozzuole How certaine practises entertained by diuers noble men of Italy on the Kings behalfe as well for the conquest
staied deliuered to the king and after put to death page 147 Chap. 13 A discourse of the fault the Duke of Burgundie committed in deliuering the Constable to the king contrary to his safe conduct and what ensued thereof page 150 The fift Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundy making war vpon the Swissers was ouerthrowen at the straights of the mountaines neere to Granson page 153 Chap. 2 How after the ouerthrow of Granson the Duke of Milan king Rene of Sicilie the Duchesse of Sauoy and others departed from their league with the Duke of Burgundy page 156 Chap. 3 How the Swissers vanquished the D. of Burgundy in battell neere to the towne of Morat page 159 Chap. 4 How after the battell of Morat the Duke of Burgundy tooke the Duchesse of Sauoy how she was deliuered and sent home into hir countrey by the kings meanes page 161 Chap. 5 How the D. of Burgundy liued as it were solitary the space of certaine weekes during the which time the D. of Lorraine recouered his towne of Nancy page 163 Chap. 6 Of the Earle of Campobaches great treasons and how he kept the D. of Burgundy from hearing a gentleman that would haue reuealed them to him before he was put to death and how the said D. made no account of the aduertisements the king gaue him page 166 Chap. 7 How the Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with good force of Almains came to the towne of Saint Nicholas during the siege of Nancy and how the king of Portugale who was in Fraunce came to see the Duke of Burgundy during the said siege page 169 Chap. 8 How the D. of Burgundy refusing the good counsell of diuers of his men was discomfited slaine in the battell fought betweene him and the D. of Lorraine neere to Nancy page 171 Chap. 9 A discourse vpon certaine vertues of the D. of Burgundie and of the time his house florished in prosperitie page 173 Chap. 10 How the king was aduertised of the Duke of Burgundies last ouerthrow and how he gouerned his affaires after the said Dukes death page 175 Chap. 11 How the king after the Duke of Burgundies death seazed into his hands the towne of Abbeuille and of the answere they of Arras gaue him page 177 Chap. 12 A discourse not appertaining to the principall matters of the great ioy the king was in to see himselfe deliuered of so many enimies and of the error he committed touching the reducing of these countries of Burgundy to his obedience page 178 Chap. 13 How Han Bohain Saint Quintin and Perronne were yeelded to the king and how he sent Master Oliuer his barber to practise with them of Gaunt page 179 Chap. 14 How Master Oliuer the kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the kings forces into Tournay page 182 Chap. 15 Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the king and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the city of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras it selfe were yeelded to the king page 184 Chap. 16 How the citizens of Gaunt hauing vsurped authority ouer their Princesse after hir fathers death came in ambassage to the king as from the three estates of their countrey page 187 Chap. 17 How they of Gaunt after their ambassadors returne put to death the Chauncellor Hugonet the Lord of Himbercourt against their Princesses will and how they and other Flemmings were discomfited before Tournay and their generall the Duke of Gueldres slaine page 190 Chap. 18 A discourse vpon this point that wars and diuisions are permitted of God for the chastisement ââ Princes and euill people with diuers good reasons and examples for the instruction of Princes wââââ happened in the Authors time ãâã The sixt Booke Chap. 1 How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King page 205 Chap. 2 How the king entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundy to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions page 206 Chap. 3 How the marriage betweene the Lady of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterward Emperor was concluded and accomplished page 209 Chap. 4 How king Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundy which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him page 214 Chap. 5 How Monseur d'Argenton during these wars of the conquest of Burgundie was sent to Florence and how he receiued homage of the Duke of Milan in the kings name for the Duchy of Genua page 217 Chap. 6 Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate page 219 Chap. 7 How king Lewis being visited with sicknes lost his wits and lay speechlesse sometime recouering and eft soones falling into his disease againe and how he behaued himselfe in the castell of Plessis les Tours page 222 Chap. 8 How the king caused the holy man of Calabria to come to Tours thinking that he could heale him and what strange things the said king did to maintaine his authoritie during his sicknes page 226 Chap. 9 How the marriage betweene the Daulphine and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward king of England died for sorrow page 228 Chap. 10 How the king behaued himselfe towards his neighbors and subiects during the time of his sicknes and how diuers things were sent him from diuers places for the recouerie of his health page 231 Chap. 11 How king Lewis the 11. caused Charles the Daulphin his sonne to come to him a little before his death and of the commandements and precepts he gaue both him and certaine others page 232 Chap. 12 A comparison betweene the sorrowes and troubles that king Lewis suffered and those he caused diuers others to suffer with a rehearsal of all that he did al that was done to him til his death page 234 Chap. 13 A discourse vpon the miserie of mans life by the examples of those Princes that liued in the authors time and first of king Lewis page 238 The conclusion of the Author page 243 A supplie of the historie of Philip de Commines from the death of king Lewis the eleuenth till the beginning of the wars of Naples to wit from 1483. till 1493. of all the which time Commines writeth nothing page 247 Chap. 1 Of king Charles his comming to the crowne of the death of Oliuer king Lewis his Barber and others and of the reuoking of king Lewis his superfluous gifts ibid. Chap. 2 Of the assembly of the states held at Tours of the Duke of Orleans pursute for the regencie of the madwar raised by him and of his departure into Britaine page 248 Chap. 3 Of the troubles that hapned in Britaine betweene the Duke and his nobles and of Peter Landois death page 250 Chap.
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
coasted continually along by the Earles campe but could not endamage him for his force was so small that when the Earle drew neare to Paris he retired thither All the way as the Earle passed he made no war but what his men took they paid for wherfore the towns vpon the riuer of Somme all other townes that he passed by receiued his men in small troupes and sold them for their money whatsoeuer they would buy as men resting in suspence whether the king or the princes should haue the vpper hand 8 So far marched the Earle that he came to S. Dennis neare to Paris where all the Lords of the realme had promised to meete him but none came notwithstanding that the Vicechauncellor of Britaine the D. and Ambassadorresident in the Earles campe forged newes of their comming from time to time at his owne pleasure vpon certaine blanks that he had signed with his masters hand he was a Norman borne and a very wise and sufficient man and so it behooued him to be for the whole campe murmured against him The Earle of Charolois shewed himselfe before Paris 9 where was a hot skirmish hard at the towne gates but to the Citizens disaduantage Men of war within the towne were none saue onely the Marshall Ioachin with his companie and the Lord of Nantoillet afterward Lord great Master who did the King as good seruice in these wars as euer did subiect King of Fraunce at his neede and yet in the ende was euill recompensed rather by his enimies malice than the Kings fault though neither of both are cleerely to be excused The poore people of the citie were in so great feare the day of the skirmish that they cried often as I was afterwards credibly enformed that we were entred the towne but without cause Notwithstanding the L. of Hault-bourdin aboue mentioned who had been brought vp in the towne when it was nothing so strong as now it is gaue aduise to assault it and the soldiers desired nothing more contemning the townes men bicause the skirmishes were hard at their gates yet the contrary opinion tooke place whereupon the Earle retired to S. Denis The next day in the morning he debated with his Councill whether he should go to meet with the Dukes of Berry and Britaine or not who were at hand as the Vicechauncellor of Britaine said shewing also their letters testifying the same but he had forged them vpon his blanks and other newes knew he none In the end the Earle resolued to passe the riuer of Seine notwithstanding that the most part of his Councill gaue aduise to returne home seeing the rest of the confederates had broken day alledging it to be sufficient to haue passed the riuers of Somme and Marne and more than needed to passe this riuer of Seine Some also put foorth great doubts bicause we had no places on our backe to retire into if we should be distressed But all this notwithstanding the Earle passed the riuer and encamped at Pont S. Clou 10 wherefore the whole army murmured much against the Earle of S. Paule and this Vicechauncellor who were the principall perswaders of him thereunto The next day after his arriuall there he receiued letters from a Lady of this land written with hir owne hand wherein she aduertised him that the King was departed out of Bourbonnois and came downe with all speede to fight with him I must heere declare the occasion of the Kings voyage into Bourbonnois which was this So soone as he vnderstood that all the princes of his realme had conspired against him at the least against his gouernment he determined to preuent them and before they were assembled to inuade the D. of Bourbon who was the first that openly discouered himselfe to be of the confederacie 11 and bicause his countrey was weake he hoped soone to subdue it as in deede diuers places he tooke and would easily haue taken all had not succours come thither out of Burgundie vnder the leading of the L. Coulches the Marquesse of Rottelin the L. of Montague and others with whom Master VVilliam of Rochefort Chauncellor of Fraunce a man at this day of great estimation was also in armes This force was leuied in Burgundie by the sollicitation of the Earle of Beauieu and the Gardinall of Bourbon 12 brethren to D. Iohn of Bourbon and by them receiued into Molines Aide came also of another side to the D. of Bourbon vnder the leading of the D. of Nemours the Earle of Armignac and the L. of Albert being accompanied with a great band of soldiers some of the which were good men of armes of their countries who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and put themselus into their seruice But the greatest part of their men were vtterly vnfurnished of all things and forced for lacke of pay to liue vpon the poore people The King notwithstanding these their great forces gaue themynough to do wherefore in the end they fell to treate of peace especially the D. of Nemours who solemnly promised and sware to take part with him and yet did afterwards the contrary whereupon the King conceiued so great displeasure against him that afterward he could neuer brooke him as eftsoones he hath told me To be short the King perceiuing that he could not atchieue his enterprise in Bourbonnois so speedily as at the first he hoped and fearing if the Earle of Charolois forces which approched neare to Paris and the forces of the Duke of Berry his owne brother and of the D. of Britaine which were comming out of Britaine should ioine togither that the Parisians would receiue them into their towne bicause they all pretended the common wealth for colour of their enterprise knowing also that as the towne of Paris did so all the other townes in his realme would follow for these causes I say he resolued with all speed possible to put himselfe into Paris meaning to keepe these two great armies asunder but his purpose was not to fight as he hath himselfe diuers times told me in communing of these affaires The Notes 1. The Earle of S. Paul had betrothed his daughter to the L. of Croys sonne but seeing the Earle of Charalois hatred against the said Croy he would haue broken off the mariage againe but Croy in whose house the said daughter remained contrarie to hir fathers wil made vp the match for the which cause the Earle of S. Paul hated the said Croy to the death Annal. Burgund 2. The Earle of Charolois besides this matter heere alleaged charged Iohn L. of Croy that he had called him great diuell threatned him and sought to poison him Meyer 3. Euery French man of armes is allowed three men to accompanie him in the wars one to beare his headpeece called in Latin Ferentarius and two archers La Marche but the Burgundians had heere some 5. some 6. 4 These archers were bow-men mounted on horsebacke as harquebusiers on horsebacke are now 5 He that maketh such offer of
himselfe secketh pray not seruice wherefore this reiecting of so many was done according to the rules of the art of war 6 Of the excesse of this house of Burgundie Annal. Burgund write thus lib. 3. pa. 917. and 918. All fashions of apparell were growne in vse among the subiects of this house of Burgundie and those so indecent and dissolute that none could be more The Ladies and gentle women ware vpon their head a strange kinde of attire fashioned in pyramidal form the top thereof halfe an ell good from the crowne of their head and thereupon a carchef of lawne or some other fine linnen hanging downe to the very ground a fond attire and vvoorthy to be derided The men disguised themselues no lesse than the vvomen some vvare their clothes so short that they hardly couered those parts that nature hir selfe shameth to discouer their haire vvas curled and of such length that it hindred their sight vpon their heads they ware felt-hats copletanked a quarter of an ell high or more they stuffed their dublets about the shouldens and brest maruellous full of bombast to the end they might seeme square and broad brested a thing greatly displeasing God their clokes were not so short but their gownes were as long for they trained after them vpon the ground To be short the whole world could not deuise stranger kinds of disguising than they had and that was woorst of all is this that euery rascall and euery woman in beggers estate would be apparelled princelike and imitate the fashion of Court without regarde either of cost or calling Compare this with the excesse of England at these daies and we shall see in a glasse our owne vanities and haue iust cause to looke for the same miseries that fell vpon this house of Burgundy after this excesse 7 The 15. of May saith Meyer but the 25. Annal. Burgund the Earle departed from his father 8 The Earle of Charolois as he passed named himselfe the Duke of Berries lieutenant for the which cause the townes heere mentioned the willinglyer receiued him Annales Burgund 9 The Earles armie shewed it selfe before Paris about the 12. or 13. of Iuly at which time all the princes should haue met him there Meyer 10 The Earle of S. Paule tooke a great bote vpon the riuer of Seine in the which he passed the riuer and tooke Pont S. Clou. Annal. Burgund 11 Reade a letter written by the King to the Duke of Bourbon and his answere therunto Annal. Burgund pag. 889. 12 This Cardinall of Bourbon was Archbishop of Lyons and brother to the Duke of Bourbon Annal. Burgund for the which cause I thinke it best in the French to reade freres for frere bicause the Earle of Beauieu and this Cardinall were both brethren to the Duke of Bourbon How the Earle of Charolois encamped neere to Montl'hery and of the battell fought there betweene the King of Fraunce and him Chap. 3. THe Earle of Charolois supposing that the King being departed out of Burbonnois as before you haue heard came downe purposely to fight with him resolued likewise to set forward against the King and then read openly the contents of the letter sent him by the Lady aboue mentioned not vttering hir name and required his soldiers to play the men saying that he was fullie resolued to hazard the battell wherefore he marched and encamped at a village neere to Paris called Longiumeau and the Earle of S. Paule with the vawarde lodged at Montl'hery two leagues beyond Longiumeau from whence he sent foreriders and scoutes abroad to vnderstand of the Kings comming and what way he tooke farther in the presence of the Earle of S. Paule the Lord of Hault-bourdin and the Lord of Contay Longiumeau was assigned for the place of the battell and thither it was agreed that the Earle of S. Paule should retire with the vawarde if the King hapned to come Now you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Maine with seuen or eight hundred men of armes lay continually in face of the Dukes of Berry and Britaine who were accompanied with a number of wise and valiant knights that King Lewis had put out of pension at his first comming to the state notwithstanding the great seruices that they had done his father in the recouering and pacifying of the realme wherof afterward full often he repented him Among these knights was the Earle of Dunois a man of great experience in al matters 1 the marshall of Loheac the Earle of Dampmartin the Lord of Bueil and diuers others accompanied with the number of fiue hundred men of armes who lately had forsaken the Kings paie and retired themselues to the Duke of Britaine of whose onely subiects this whole force consisted The Earle of Maine who lay continually in face of the two Dukes campe as you haue heard finding himselfe too weake to encounter with them dislodged continually before them approching neerer and neerer to the King in like maner the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine endeuored to ioine with the Burgundians Some haue helde opinion that the Earle of Maine had secret intelligence with the Princes but I could neuer vnderstand any such thing neither do I beleeue it 2 The Earle of Charolois lying in campe at Longiumeau as you haue heard and his vawarde at Montl'hery was aduertised by a prisoner that the Earle of Maine with his whole force all the men of armes of the Kings ordinary retinue being to the number of two an twenty hundreth and the arriereban 3 of Daulphine togither with fortie or fiftie gentlemen of Sauoy excellent good soldiers were al ioined with the King The King in the meane time consulted with the Earle of Maine the high Seneschall of Normandie called De Brezey the Admiral of Fraunce who was of the house of Montauban and others what was to be don in the end whatsoeuer was said or aduised to the contrary resolued not to fight neither approch neere to the Burgundians campe but onely to enter into Paris 4 which in mine opinion was the best safest course He stood in great doubt of his high Seneschall of Normandy and therfore desired him to tell him truely whether he had giuen his faith in writing to the Princes that came against him whereunto the Seneschall answered after his merrie ieasting maner that he had that the writing should remaine with him but the bodie should serue him which his answere the King tooke in good part gaue him the leading of his vaward and put also vnder his charge the guides whose help he vsed bicause he ment to shun the battle as you haue heard But the Seneschall being wedded to his owne will saide priuily to certaine of his familiar friends that he would that day ioine the two armies so nere togither that he had need to be a good man of war that should seuer them without battel which his promise he performed though to his owne cost for the first man that was slaine was himselfe
with him few footmen but was well accompanied with horsemen and those in so good order that for their number I neuer sawe a goodlier company nor a more warlike for he had with him six score men of armes barded all Italians or trained vp in the Italian wars among whom were Iames Galiot the Earle of Campobache the L. of Baudricourt now gouernor of Burgundie and diuers others his men of armes were very expert soldiers and to say the truth the flower of our armie I meane number for number With him were also fower hundred crossebow men that the Palsgraue had lent him all very well mounted and very good soldiers Besides whom he had also in pay fiue hundred Switzers footemen which were the first that euer came into this realme and these so valiantly behaued themselues in all places where they came that they purchased great renowme to their whole nation which their countreymen that haue serned heere since haue well maintained This companie the next morning approached neer to vs and passed that day ouer our bridge which a man may boldly say conuaied ouer all the power of Fraunce saue onely the Kings armie And I assure you the force was so great of valiant men well appointed and in very good order that I wish all the friends and welwillers of the realme had seen it and likewise the enimies for by that meanes the former would haue esteemed of the realme as it deserueth and the later euer after the more haue feared it The Burgundians that accompanied the Duke of Calabria were led by the L. of Neuf-chastell Marshall of Burgundie who had with him his brother the L. of Montagu the Marquesse of Rotelin and a great number of knights and esquiers some of the which had been in Bourbonnois as I haue made mention in the beginning of this historie 3 but they all ioined for their more safetie with the Duke of Calabria who shewed himselfe to be as noble a Prince and as good a soldier as any in the companie whereupon great loue and amitie grew betweene him and the Earle of Charolois After this whole force being as I suppose to the number of an hundred thousand horse good bad was passed the riuer the Princes determined to shew themselues before Paris wherfore they put all their vawards togither The Burgundians vaward was led by the Earle of S. Paule and the vaward of the Dukes of Berry and Britaine by Oudet of Rie 4 afterward Earle of Comminges and the Marshall Loheac as I remember and in this order marched they but all the Princes remained in the battell The Earle of Charolois and the Duke of Calabria were very diligent in commanding and giuing good order in the armie and rode very well armed and shewed that they meant to do their dutie but the Dukes of Berry and Britaine were mounted vpon small ambling nags and armed with slight brigandines light and thin yea and some said they were not plated but studded onely with a few gilt nailes vpon the sattin for the lesse waight but I will not affirme it for a truth Thus marched this armie to Pont de Charenton two little leagues from Paris which was taken incontinent notwithstanding the resistance of certaine franke archers 5 that were within it ouer the said bridge of Charenton passed the whole force The Earle of Charolois lodged in his owne house called Conflans situate vpon the riuer not far from thence and inclosed a great peece of ground with his cariage and artillerie and lodged his campe within it and with him lay the Duke of Calabria but the Dukes of Berry and Britaine with part of their forces lodged at S. Mor-des-fosses and the rest they sent to S. Denis being also two leagues from Paris in the which places this whole companie lay eleuen weekes during the which space these things happened that now I will rehearse The next day in the morning began the skirmishes hard at Paris gates within the towne was the Lord of Nantoillet L. great Master of Fraunce who did the King good seruice there as before I haue said and the Marshal Ioachin The poore people of the towne were in great feare but of the better sort some wished the Burgundians and the other Princes within the towne bicause this enterprise seemed vnto them good and profitable for the realme others there were borne in the said Princes dominions wherefore they furthered their affaires hoping by their meanes to obtaine some good offices in the towne which are more hunted after there than in any other place and no maruell for those that are in office make of their offices what they can not what they ought which is the cause that some offices in the towne of no fee at all are sold for eight hundred crownes and other some of very small fee for more than the fee will amount to in fifteene yeeres Seldome is any man put out of office for the Court of parlament alloweth these sales of offices as lawfull the reason whereof is bicause it is a generall case Among the Councillors are alwaies a number both of vertuous and woorthy personages and also of lewd and euill conditioned persons as are also in all other estates The Notes 1 It is requisite that I should here set downe the particular quarrell that euery one of these princes had to the King some are mentioned by our author and others in other authors The D. of Berries quarell was for a larger partage The Earle of Charaloys demanded the restitution of the territories vpon the riuer of Somme The D. of Britaine had cause to be offended and afearde because the King had picked a quarell to him by demanding of him three things neuer before demanded of any D. of Britaine The first that he should no more write in his stile Dei gratia Britanniae Dux The second that he should pay to the King a yeerly tribute The third that all the spirituall liuings in Britaine should be left to the Kings disposing For these causes the D. of Britaine ioyned with the princes the D. of Calabria had cause of offence because being entred into Italy to recouer the Realme of Naples and the King hauing promised him aide after the said D. of Calabria was ouerthrowne at Troia in Apulia the King refused to send him the aide promised so that he was forced vtterly to abandon his enterprise The D. of Bourbon had maried the Kings sister and could not get hir mariage monie the Duke of Nemours Earles of Dunois Dalebret and the rest of the noble men and gentlemen were against the King some bicause they were put out of pension and office many bicause the King sought to depriue them of the roialties they had in their seniories touching Hunting and Hawking and sought to draw all to himselfe but all in generall were offended because he contemned his nobility and entertained none but men of base estate about him Thus much I have set downe bicause it might otherwise seeme
his especiall friend and so also the Duke shewed himselfe as well by the aide he sent him being fiue hundred men of armes and three thousand footemen vnder the leading of his eldest sonne Galeas afterward Duke of Milan who came as far as the countrey of Forrestz in Auuergne where he made war vpon the Duke of Bourbon and afterward returned home bicause of his fathers death as also by the counsell he gaue him at the treatie of peace held at Conflans where he sent him word to refuse no condition of peace but to seuer his companie and retain his owne forces still about him We had hardly been three daies before Paris when the King entred the towne immediately after whose arriuall sharpe war was made vpon vs especially vpon our forragers whom we were constrained to garde with great forces bicause they went far from our campe Now to speake somwhat of the towne of Paris we must needes confesse that it is maruellous well situate in the I le of Fraunce seeing the countrey about it was able to victuall two such huge armies for as touching vs we neuer lacked and they within the towne found nothing enhaunced saue onely a denier 2 vpon euery loafe of bread the reason wherof was bicause we held not the riuers aboue the towne being these three Marne Yonne and Seine besides diuers small streames that run into them Wherefore all things considered this towne is situate in the best and fruitfullest soile that euer I sawe yea it is almost incredible how great the prouision is that commeth thither I my selfe was resident there since the time I now write of halfe a yeere togither with K. Levvis being lodged at the Tournelles and ordinarily eating and lodging in the court Since his death also by the space of twentie moneths full sore against my will I was held prisoner in his pallace where I saw daily out of my windowe the prouision that came vp the streame out of Normandie and likewise downe the streame which was so great that I would neuer haue beleeued it had I not seene it Diuers bands as you haue heard issued daily out of Paris the skirmishes were great our watch being of fiftie launces stood neere to la Grange aux Merciers but our escouts rode as neere Paris as was possible the which were often beaten backe to our watch and eftsoones the enimie on their backe as far as our cariage retirng somtime a softpace and somtime a fast trot Then vsed we to renforce them with new supplies which beat backe the enimies hard to the towne gates and this was daily and howerly done for within the towne were aboue 2500. men of armes in verie good order and a great number of gentlemen of Normandy and franke archers besides that they sawe daily their Ladies which encouraged them to put foorth themselues Our force was also verie great but in horsemen we were not so strong as they for we had with vs onely the Burgundians being about two thousand launces good and bad nothing so well armed as they within Paris bicause of the long peace wherein they had liued as before is mentioned of the which number also two hundred men of armes were at Laigny with the Duke of Calabria but of footemen we had great force and those very good The Britains armie laie at Saint Denys making war on that side the towne of Paris all the waies they could and the other noblemen were disparkled some heere some there to make prouision of victuals In the end the Duke of Nemours the Earle of Armignac the Lord of Albret came to vs but their forces lodged a good way from our campe bicause they had no pay and should haue famished our armie if they had taken ought without money This I am sure of that the Earle of Charolois gaue them fiue or sixe thousand franckes and tooke order that they should come no neerer vs. They were at the least fiue or sixe thousand horse that did maruellous much harme in the countrey The Notes 1 Yet Meyer vvriteth that the King aftervvard poisoned the Bishop but Meyers vvords are no Gospell 2 A Denier is the tvvelfth part of threehalfepence starling How the Earle of Charolois artillerie and the Kings artillerie shot the one against the other neere to Charenton and how the Earle of Charolois caused another bridge to be built vpon boates ouer the riuer of Seine Chap. 9. NOw to returne to the campe before Paris you may be sure that no day passed without losse on both sides but no great exploit was done for the King would suffer no great force to issue out of the towne neither ment to hazard the battel but desired peace and wisely to disparkle this assemblie Notwithstanding one morning very early 4000. archers came and encamped along by the riuer side vpon the very banke directly ouer against Conflans The gentlemen of Normandie and certaine of the Kings ordinarie men of armes laie in a village but a quarter of a league from them and betweene them and their footemen was onely a faire plaine The riuer of Seine ran betweene them and vs and they began to dig a trench hard by Charenton which ran in length to the very end of our campe directly ouer against the which the riuer being betweene vs and them as you haue heard they built a bulwarke of wood and earth and thereon mounted greatstore of artilirie which at the verie first shot chased the Duke of Calabrias men out of the village of Charenton and forced them in great haste to come and lodge with vs with losse both of men and horses But the Duke of Calabria himselfe laie in a litle house betweene the riuer and the Earle of Charolois lodging directly ouer against the enimies This artilerie shot also into our campe and put the whole armie in great feare for the verie first shot slew certaine of our men and twise it strake through the Earle of Charolois chamber as he sat at dinner and slew a trumpetter vpon the staires bearing vp a dish of meate Wherefore after dinner the Earle remooued into a low parlor resoluing not to depart thence The next morning the Princes met at his lodging to consult what was to be done for they euer sate in counsell there and at their rising dined also there togither The Dukes of Berry and Britaine sate next to the wall vpon the bench and the Earle of Charolois and the Duke of Calabria ouer against them The said Earle placed euery one of them aboue himselfe as reason was he should some of them yea all of them seeing they were in his lodging There they deuised to countermount all the artillerie in their armie against the Kings wherof the Earle of Charolois had great store as had also the Dukes of Calabria Britaine for accomplishment of which their purpose they pearced the wals along the riuer side behinde Conflans and there mounted all the best peeces of their artillery saue the
their lacke of experience cause them either to conclude some dishonorable treaty or put their master in greater feare at their returne than there is cause why Farther a Prince ought to commit such affaires rather to those that haue receaued benefit at his hands than to such as neuer were benefited by him but especially to wise men for he shall neuer make profit by imploying a foole Besides this such treaties ought to be held rather far from his campe than neere vnto it and when the Commissioners returne the Prince must giue them audience himselfe alone or in presence of verie fewe to the end that if their newes be discomfortable they may be instructed how to answer those that will be inquisitiue for all men will desire to vnderstand newes of them yea and some of their familiars will thinke that they wil hide nothing from them notwithstanding if they be such men as I haue heere described and know their master to be wise they will reueale nothing to any man whosoeuer The Notes 1 Couperoit in the French is vndoubtedly to be read Coupleroit as I haue heere translated it for to read it Couperoit is senselesse for the better vnderstanding of this place peruse Valturius de re militari lib. 11. pag. 313. where you shall se the right description of this bridge 2 This Chastel Guyon Chasteau Guyen and Chasteau Guyon as our author also afterward nameth him was the Prince of Orenges sonne La Marche 3 The old copie saith he was slaine at Morat but De la Marche who was at the battell sayeth at Granson but heere is to be noted that the Chasteau Guyon mentioned by our author lib. 5. cap. 2. and by Annal. Burgund that went into Piemont after the battell of Granson was not this but sonne or brother to this which is prooued by Commines owne vvords for in that place he calleth him Mounseor De Chasteau Guyon qui est de present and vvhether this Chasteau Guyon vvere slaine at Granson or Morat he cold not be aliue in Charles the 8 time vvhen our author writ Thus much I haue said lest Commines should seeme to vary from La Marche or rather from himselfe A discourse vpon certaine vices and vertues of King Lewis the 11. Chap. 10. I Am entred into this discourse bicause I haue seene much falsehood in the world and many seruants deceaue their masters oftentimes through their masters owne fault for this I dare boldly auowe that proud and disdainfull Princes and such as will giue audience but to fewe are oftner abused then those that are curteous and readie to giue eare to euery man wherein sure King Levvis our master surmounted far all the Princes of his time for he was the wisest Prince in winding himselfe out of trouble and aduersitie the humblest in words the plainest in apparell and the greatest traueller to win a man that might do him seruice or harme that euer I knew Neither vsed he to relinquish his sute for the first refusal but labored the party continually by large promises and liberall gifts as well of great sums of money as also of such estates and offices as he knew would content him And as touching those whom he had banished and withdrawne his fauor from in peace and prosperitie he bought them deerely againe when he needed them and imploied them in his seruice cleane forgetting all offences passed He loued naturally men of meane estate and was enimie to all such as needed not to depende vpon him neuer Prince gaue audience to so many men neuer Prince was inquisitiue of so many matters nor desirous to be acquainted with so many strangers as he whereby he knew aswell all that were in authoritie and estimation in England Spaine Portugale Italie and the Seniories of Burgundie and Britaine as his owne subiects And by these vertues preserued he his estate which stood in great danger at his first comming to the crowne bicause of the enimies himselfe had procured to himselfe But his great liberalitie especially serued him to good purpose for as in aduersitie he wisely behaued himselfe so contrariwise in time of peace or truce he lightlie fell out with his seruants by picking trifling quarels to them and such was his disposition that he could hardly away with peace or quietnes In his talke he spared no man neither absent nor present saue such as he feared which were many for naturally he was very fearfull Farther when his talke had either turned him to displeasure or was like so to do he would endeuor himselfe to amend the matter by vsing these or such like words to the partie offended I know well that my toong hath wrought me much displeasure but it hath also oftentimes stood me in great stead notwithstanding reason it is that I should repaire the iniurie done and when he vsed this familiar speech he euer gaue withall some great present to the partie greeued Sure the knowledge of good and euill is a great gift of God to a Prince I meane when the good surmounteth the euill as it did in the King our Master who in mine opinion was much bettered by the trouble he sustained in his youth when he fled from his father and soiourned with Duke Philip of Burgundy the space of sixe yeeres 1 for he was constrained there to frame himselfe to the humor of those whom he stood in neede of which singular vertue aduersitie taught him But after his fathers death when he came first to the state he thought onely vpon reuenge but soone felt the smart thereof and therefore foorthwith changed his minde acknowledged his error repaired the harmes done and sought to recouer by large benefits those whom he had offended as heerafter you shall perceiue And I thinke verily he should neuer haue wound himselfe out of those troubles had not his education been better than noble mens commonly is in this realme who are brought vp altogither in wantonnes and dissolutenes as well in apparell as in talke they are vtterly vnlearned there is not one wise man about them they haue gouernors that dispose of all their affaires but they themselues do nothing yea some noble men there are hardly of fower nobles rent that glorie in saying Speake to my seruants thinking thereby to imitate great Princes But I haue oftentimes seene their seruants so make their profit of them that their folly hath thereby appeered to the whole world And if any of them happen at the length to looke about him and to attend to his owne busines it is so late that it seemeth almost to no purpose for all those that haue been great or done great things began in their tender age which vertue proceedeth either of their bringing vp or of the grace of God The Notes 1 King Lewis departed from his father into Daulphin anno 1447. and there remained till the yeere 1456. at the which time bicause of the force his father sent thither against him he was constrained to flie to
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
fol. 314. and others 3 Yet the citizens of Gaunt anno 1338. constrained Lodouicus Niuernensis Earle of Flanders to flie for the safety of his life into a castell in Gaunt called Petra Comitis where they also besieged him Againe anno 1346. they constrained Lodouicus Maleanus perforce to go with them to Bergen and against his will to giue his faith to Isabell daughter to King Edward the third they set a gard also about his person but he escaped and fled into Fraunce Meyer How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederates and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne Chap. 5. THese troubles being thus ended the Duke went to Gaunt where he was receiued with great pompe and triumph for he entred in armes and the citizens made a posterne into the fields by the which he putmen in and out at his pleasure manie messengers ran betweene him and the King and likewise betweene the Duke of Britaine and him and thus passed this winter The King traueilled continually with the Duke of Burgundie to suffer him to inuade Britaine at his pleasure making him diuers offers in consideration thereof whereunto the Duke would not condescend for the which cause partly and partly for the ouerthrow giuen to the Liegeois his confederates the Kings displeasure was so kindled that longer he could not forbeare but in the very beginning of sommer entred into Britaine at the least his forces for him and tooke two small castels the one called Chantosse the other Anseny whereof the Duke of Burgundy was incontinent aduertised and earnestly pressed by the Dukes of Normandy and Britaine with all speede to leuie his armie for their aide whereupon he wrote to the King humbly beseeching him to relinquish his enterprise seeing these two Dukes were comprehended in the truce as his confederates but receiuing such answer as liked him not he encamped with great force neere to Peronne The Kings army was still in Britaine but the Court lay at Compiegne from whence the King sent Cardinall Balue to the Duke within three daies after his arriuall at Peronne who staied not long with him but made certaine ouertures of peace aduertising him also that they in Britaine could make their composition welll ynough without him for the Kings drift was to seuer them The Cardinall was honorably receiued well feasted and soone dispatched and returned with this answere that the Duke was not come forth into the field to endammage the King in any respect but onely to succour his confederates so the messages that passed betweene them were very courteous on both sides Immediately after the Cardinals departure a heralt called Bretaigne arriued at the Duke of Burgundies campe with letters from the Dukes of Normandie and Britain wherin they aduertised him that they had made peace with the King and renounced all leagues and confederacies and namely their league with him and farther that the Duke of Normandie had surrendred Normandie lately giuen him for his partage to the King and should receiue in recompence thereof and of all other partages the yeerely reuenues of three score thousand franks which conditions though neuer so vnreasonable necessitie forced the Lord Charles of Fraunce to accept The Duke of Burgundie was woonderfully abashed at these newes for he had put himselfe into the field onely to aide the said Dukes And sure the heralt was in great danger for bicause he passed by the Court the Duke suspected that the King had forged these letters notwithstanding he receiued immediately after the like aduertisement from other places The King thought now his enterprise halfe woon and that he should easily perswade the Duke of Burgundie to forsake these two Dukes as they had him whereupon secret messengers ran betweene them and the King gaue the Duke sixe score thousand crownes whereof he paid the one halfe presently the better to content the said Duke who had consumed great summes in leuying this armie Farther the Duke sent to the King a groome of his chamber very neere about him named Iohn Vobrisset whereupon the King conceiued great hope of his enterprise and seemed desirous to commune with the Duke in person trusting to obtaine of him all that he required both bicause of the two foresaid Dukes ingratitude towards him and also bicause of the great summe of monie he had giuen him Wherefore he aduertised the Duke of certaine matters by the said Vobrisset and sent backe with him Cardinall Balue and Master Tanneguy du Chastell gouernor of Roussillon who gaue the Duke to vnderstand by their words that the King desired greatly that they two might commune togither in person They found the Duke at Peronne who seemed to haue no great deuotion to this meeting bicause the Liegeois made shew as though they would rebell anew being sollicited thereunto by two ambassadors sent thither by the King for that purpose before the truce was made which he and the Duke concluded for certaine daies betweene them and their confederates But Cardinall Balue and the other ambassadors put this doubt out of his head alleaging that the Liegeois durst attempt no such thing considering he had vanquished them rased but their wals the yeer before and farther if they had any such desire yet when they should see this amitie betweene him and the King they would soone alter their mindes Thus in the end it was concluded that the King should come to Peronne seeing it pleased him so to do and the Duke sent him a letter written with his owne hand containing sufficient suretie to come and go at his pleasure And thus departed the ambassadors and returned to the King being then at Noyon But the Duke minding to make all sure in the countrie of Liege sent thither their Bishop for whose quarrell all the wars aboue mentioned first began and in his company the Lord of Hymbercourt the Dukes lieutenant in those parts with certaine bands of men You haue heard how it was concluded that the King should come to Peronne according to the which determination thither he came without his garde for his pleasure was wholy to put himselfe vnder the garde and suretie of the Duke and that Monseur de Cordes who then serued the Duke should conuay him thither with the said Dukes archers which was done accordingly The Kings traine was very small notwithstanding he came accompanied with diuers noble personages namely the Duke of Bourbon the Cardinall his brother and the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce who had not busied himselfe about this meeting but much misliked it For he was now waxed proud and high minded and behaued not himselfe to the Duke of Burgundie with such lowlines and humilitie as he was accustomed wherefore there was no good will betweene them twaine Thither came also Cardinall Balue the gouernor of Roussillon and diuers others And when the King drew neere to Peronne the Duke with a goodly traine issued foorth
great as was thought neither any man of name slaine but a knight of Flaunders named Monseur de Sergine notwithstanding they sent him word that the valiant gentlemen and soldiers of his vaward were vtterly wearied and in great trouble and distresse for all that night they had stoode vpright in the mire by the towne gate Farther they told him that certaine of the footemen that fled were returned so discouraged that they seemed vnfit for any great exploit Wherefore they desired him for Gods loue to make haste to the end the citizens might be forced to retire euery man to the defence of his owne quarter and that it would please him to sende them some vittails for they had not one morsell of meat The D. foorthwith commanded two or three hundred to ride thither as fast as their horses could gallop to coÌfort his soldiers and sent after them al the vittails he could come by and so was it high time for by the space of two daies almost and a night they had neither eaten nor drunke vnlesse it were some one that caried a draught of wine in a bottell Besides that the weather was maruelous foule neither could they possibly enter the town on that side they lay vnlesse the Duke embusied the enimie on the other side A great number of them were hurt and among the rest the Prince of Orenge whom I had forgotten to name before who behaued himselfe that day like a couragious gentleman for he neuer mooued foote off the place he first possessed The Lords of Lau and Vrfé did also very valiantly but the number of the footmen that fled the night of the skirmish was at the least ten thousand It was almost darke night when the Duke receaued this newes but after he had dispatched all his busines he returned to his ensigne and rehearsed the whole order of the skirmish to the King who reioiced to heare that all was so wel for the contrary might haue turned to his preiudice When they approched neere the towne a great number of gentlemen and men of armes lighted on foote with the archers to take the suburbes which were easely won and there the bastard of Burgundy who had great charge in this army vnder the Duke the Lord of Rauastaine the earle of Roucy the Constables sonne and diuers other gentlemen lodged euen hard by the gate which the enimies had also repaired as the former The Duke lodged in the midst of the suburbes but the King lay that night in a great grange a quarter of a league from the town where was very good lodging being accompanied with a great number of men as well of his owne as of ours This towne is situate vpon mountaines and vallies and in a maruellous fruitfull soile 1 the riuer of Maz runneth through it it is about the greatnes of Roan and was at that time a maruellous populous citie From the gate where we lodged to the other where our vaward lay the way was short through the towne but without it was at the least three leagues going so crooked and foule are the waies especially in winter in the midst whereof we came thither Their wals were all rased so that they might saly foorth where best liked them and their defence was onely a little rampire of earth for the towne was neuer ditched bicause the foundation is hard and sharpe rock The first night of the Dukes arriuall our vaward was much refreshed and eased for the force within the towne was then diuided into two parts About midnight they gaue vs a hot alarme whereupon the Duke issued foorthwith into the street and soone after arriued also the King and the Constable with great speede considering how far off they lay Some cried they saly out at such a gate others spake diuers discomfortable words the darke and rainie weather increased also their feare The Duke lacked no courage but failed somtime in good order giuing and to say the truth at this time he behaued not himselfe so aduisedly as many wished bicause of the Kings presence Wherefore the King tooke vpon him authoritie to command and said to the Constable Leade your men into such a quarter for if they salie that is their way and sure both his words and behauiour shewed him to be a Prince of great vertue and wisedome and well acquainted with such exploits notwithstanding this great alarme prooued nothing whereupon the King and the Duke returned to their lodging The next morning came the King and lodged also in the suburbs in a little house hard by the Dukes lodging accompanied with an hundred Scottish men of his garde and his men of armes lying in a little village hard by him which bred great suspicion in the Duke that he would either enter the citie or escape before it were taken 2 or peraduenture worke him some displeasure lying so neere him Wherefore he put into a great grange iust betweene their two lodgings three hundred men of armes being all the flower of his house who brake downe the panes of the wals to saly foorth the more speedily if neede so required and these had their eies continually vpon the Kings lodging which was hard by them The siege continued eight daies during which space neither the Duke nor any of the company vnarmed themselues But the euening before the towne was taken the Duke determined to assault it the next morning being Sonday the 30. of October the yeere 1468. and the token giuen to our vaward was this that when they heard one bombard and two great serpentines discharged one incontinent after another without more shot they should then couragiously go to the assault and the Duke on his side would do the like Farther the hower appointed for the enterprise was eight of the clocke in the morning the same night the assault was thus concluded the Duke vnarmed himselfe which since the beginning of the siege he had not done and commanded the whole armie especially those that lodged in the grange betweene his lodging and the Kings to do the like to the end they might refresh themselues but the selfesame night the citizens as though they had beene aduertised of this determination concluded to make a salie out of the towne on this side as they had before on the other The Notes 1 Of the seate of this towne read Guicci pag. 370. 2 Basinus vvriteth that the Duke for diuers considerations had rather haue lacked the Kings companie then haue had it but that the King to blinde the Duke vvith a pretence of good vvill offered himselfe to go vvith him which report all the circumstances considered seemeth vtterly repugnant to truth How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger Chap. 12. I Will now rehearse an example whereby you shall perceiue how easely euen a few enimies may worke a great Prince displeasure and how much it importeth Princes throughly to waie their enterprises
should do no good vnlesse he wan those that were in credit with his brother fell in communication of this matter with Oudet of Rie Lord of Lescut afterwards Earle of Comminges who was borne and maried in the countrey of Guienne desiring him to perswade his master to accept this partage being much better than that he demanded that they mought be friends and liue togither like brethren adding also that this partage should be much more beneficiall both for his brother and his seruants especially for the saide Oudet than the other and farther assuring him that without faile he would deliuer his brother quiet possession of the said countrey By this means was the Lord Charles won to accept this partage of Guienne to the Duke of Burgundies great discontentation and his ambassadors there present And the cause why cardinall Balue bishop of Angiers 1 and the bishop of Verdun were imprisoned was for that the said Cardinal writ to the Lord Charles aduising him to accept none other partage than that the Duke of Burgundy had procured him by the treaty of Peronne which also the King had sworne and promised laying his hand within the said Cardinals to deliuer him alledging withall such reasons to perswade him thereunto as he thought necessary wherein he did cleane contrary to the Kings purpose Thus the Lord Charles was made Duke of Guienne the yeere 1469. and the possession of the countrey togither with the gouernment of Rochell deliuered him and than the King and he sawe one another and were togither a long time The Notes 1 The Cardinals imprisonment was bicause he perswaded the King to go to Peronne and aduised the Duke of Guienne to beware of poison and not to take the partage of Guienne Meyer and for disclosing the Kings secrets by letters to the Duke of Burgundie Gaguin But if the Duke of Guienne had been wise he would of himselfe without perswasion haue refused this partage For when a mans enimie offereth him that that hath an apparance of good let him euer refuse it nam latet anguis in herba as the sequele of this matter well declared for the accepting of this partage which the King alleaged and that truly to be better than the other the Duke demanded cost the Duke of Guienne his life as heer after shall appeere THE THIRD BOOKE 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 Chap. 1. THe yeere 1470. the King determined to be reuenged of the Duke of Burgundie supposing he had now found a time conuenient so to do for he priuily sollicited and caused also others to sollicite the towns situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Amiens Saint Quintine and Abbeuille to rebell against the Duke and to send for succours into France and to receiue them into their towns 1 For all great Princes if they be wise will seeke euer some collour for their doings And to the ende you may perceiue what cunnig is vsed in Fraunce I will shew you how this matter was managed for the King and the Duke were both abused whereof arose whot and sharpe war which endured thirteen or foureteen yeeres The King desired greatly to mooue these townes aboue named to rebellion pretending to the end he might haue the better means to practise with them that the Duke aduanced his limits farther then the treatie would beare whereupon ambassadors ran to and fro who vnder colour of their ambassage practised continually as they passed through these townes to the end aboue mentioned In the said townes were no garrisons but all was quiet both in the realme in Burgundie and in Britaine And the Duke of Guien liued to all mens iudgments in great amitie with the King his brother Notwithstanding when the King first mooued this war his meaning was not to take one or two of these towns onely but sought to stir all the Duke of Burgundies subiects to rebellion trusting to atchieue his enterprise by this means Diuers to obtaine his fauor entertained these practises and reported their intelligence to be far greater then it was for one promised to take this towne an other that and yet indeed all was nothing Wherefore notwithstanding that the King had iust cause to be displeased for his euill vsage at Peronne yet if he had thought this enterprise would haue fallen none otherwise out then it did he would not haue broken the treatie nor mooued war for he had made the peace to be proclaimed at Paris three months after his returne into his realme and began this war with some feare but the great hope he had conceiued of it pricked him forward and marke I pray you what cunning was vsed to further it The Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce a very wise man and certaine of the Duke of Guien his seruants with diuers others desired rather war then peace betweene these two great Princes for two respects The one they feared least their great offices and pensions should be diminished if peace continued For you shal vnderstand that the Constable had vnder his charge 4. hundred men of armes or launces paied by his owne hands euery muster without controuler farther besides the fee and profits of his office he had a yeerely pension of thirty thousand frankes and better and receiued also the reuenews of many goodly places that he kept The other respect was this they sought to perswade the King and talked also to the like purpose among themselues that his disposition was such that his head could neuer be idle wherefore vnlesse he were busied with great Princes abroad he would be in hand with his seruants and officers at home For these two reasons therefore they sought to intangle him with wars whereunto the better to perswade him the Constable promised to take Saint Quintine at all times when him listed bicause his lands lay round about it vaunting further that he had great intelligence in Flanders and Brabant so far foorth that he would make a number of townes to reuolt from the Duke The Duke of Guienne also being there present and all their principall seruants offered very earnestly and promised very faithfully to serue the King in this quarrell and to leade with them fower or fiue hundred men of armes that the said Duke held in ordinary pay but their drift was other than the King supposed as heerafter you shall heare The King bicause he would seeme to proceede with due aduise and deepe consideration called a Parlament of the three estates of his realme at Tours in the moneths of March and Aprill in the yeere 1470. which was the first and last Parlament that euer he assembled But to this Parlament came onely such as were purposely named and such as the King knew would not gainsay him in any point There he caused diuers enterprises to be discouered that the Duke of Burgundie had attempted against the crowne
him against the King and to shew himselfe a friend to the Duke of Burgundie as he had shewed himselfe to him by the treatie of Peronne The next day the Duke of Burgundie approched neere to a towne vpon the riuer of Somme called Piquigny the seat whereof was meruellous strong There he determined to make a bridge to passe the said riuer but fower or fiue hundred franke archers and certaine gentlemen who by chance lodged at that present in the towne seeing the Duke passe by salied out to the skirmish vpon a long causey and issued foorth so far from the place that thereby they gaue the Dukes men occasion to pursue them who folowed them so speedily that they slue a great number of them before they could retire into the towne and tooke the suburbes into the which the causey lead Then fower or fiue peeces of artilery were bent against the towne notwithstaÌding that it were impregnable on that side for that the riuer ran between the towne and the Dukes battery But these franke archers fearing bicause they saw the bridge in hand to be besieged also on the other side abandoned the place and fled The castle held two or three daies and than yeelded also by composition and the soldiers departed in their doblets and their hose The good successe of this small exploit so much encouraged the Duke that he led his army before Amiens where he built two or three lodgings saying that he would keepe the field to see if the King durst come to fight with him and in the end approched with his artillerie so neer the towne that it shot at randon ouer and into it in the which estate he laie there at the least six weeks Within the towne was the Constable and al the great officers of the realme namely the Lord great Master Admirall Marshall Seneshals and others accompanied with foureteene hundred men of armes and foure thousand francke archers The King in the meane time lying at Beauuais made a great muster being accompanied with the Duke of Guienne his brother and Nicolas Duke of Calabria sonne and heire to Iohn Duke of Calabria and Lorraine and onely heire of the house of Aniou Farther all the nobles of the realme subiect to the Arriereban were come thither to him who trauelled earnestly as I haue beene since informed to vnderstand the bottome of this enterprise for they saw the troubles so farre from pacification that the King was now more busied with wars then euer They within Amiens determined to assaile the Duke of Burgundie and his army if the King would send his forces being at Beauuais to ioine with them But the King being aduertised of this enterprise sent foorthwith to countermand it for notwithstanding that in all apparance the successe thereof was like to be good yet was it not altogither voide of danger especially for those that should haue salied for considering that they must all haue issued foorthwith on foote and at two gates one of the which was hard by the Dukes campe if happily they had beene repulsed they should haue put both the towne and themselues in great hazard In the meane time the Duke sent one of his Pages to the King called Simon of Quincy afterward Bailife of Troy with a letter of sixe lines written with his owne hand wherein he humbled himselfe to him saying that he was very sorie he had thus inuaded him for other mens pleasures which he supposed he would not haue done if he had beene well informed of their practises The Kings army sent into Burgundy 1 had defeated all the force of the countrie in battell and taken many prisoners The number of the dead was not great but the discomfiture was great in such sort that the Kings forces had already taken some places and besieged other some wherewith the Duke was somwhat abashed notwithstanding he made the contrary to be bruted in his campe saying that his army had obtained the victorie When the King had read the Dukes letter aboue mentioned he reioiced much thereat both bicause of the reason aboue alleaged 2 and also for that he soon waxed wearie of all long enterprises Wherefore he gaue him a speedy answer and directed a commission to certaine in Amiens authorising them thereby to treate of truce Whereupon diuers truces were concluded one after another for fower and fiue daies and in the end one so far as I remember for a yeere to the Constables great discontentation for vndoubtedly whatsoeuer men haue thought or can thinke to the contrarie he was then mortal enimie to the Duke and many hauty words passed betweene them in such sort that after this they neuer were friends as the sequele well declared True it is that they sent afterward one to another but all for practise sake and each to make his profit by the other For all that the Duke did was onely to recouer Saint Quintine which the Constable euer when he stood in feare of the King promised to restore and some of these treaties betweene them I haue knowen so far aduanced that the Dukes men vpon the Constables promise to be receiued haue come within two or three leagues of the towne But when the matter should be executed he euer continued in his accustomed dissimulation and sent a countermaund which his double dealing cost him deere in the end He thought bicause of the seate of the towne the great number of men he had vnder his charge paid out of the Kings cofers and the variance betweene these two Princes which himselfe nourished to hold them both in feare but his enterprise was too too dangerous for they were both too great too strong and too subtile When these armies were dismissed the King returned into the countrie of Touraine the Duke of Guienne into his owne countrie and the Duke of Burgundy into his in the which estate these affaires remained awhile The said Duke of Burgundy assembled all the estates of his dominions 3 and declared vnto them what damage he had receiued by not hauing soldiers in ordinarie pay as the King had alleaging that if there had beene but fiue hundred men in a readines to defend the frontires the King would neuer haue mooued this war but they should haue liued in peace He shewed further what great dangers they were like to fall into if this inconuenience were not speedily redressed and pressed them earnestly for the paiment of eight hundred light horse In the end they agreed to giue him a subsidie of sixe score thousand crowns 4 ouer and aboue all other duties they yeerly paid him in the which subsidie Burgundie was not comprehended But his said subiects for diuers respects feared to put themselues into such subiection and slauerie as they saw the realme of Fraunce in by reason of these men of armes which their feare was not without cause for after the Duke had obtained fiue or sixe hundred men of armes in ordinarie he sought continually to encrease the number and
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
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
of the Duke of Guiennes death and that the K. had alreadie recouered a great part of his countrie The like aduertisements receiued he also incontinent from others but reporting diuersly of the said Dukes death Soone after returned Simon of Quinchy from the King with a cold answer for he refused to sweare the treatie which the Duke tooke very disdainfully as a matter tending to his contempt and dishonor His men also in time of war as well for this as other causes spake very villanous and opprobrious words of the King and I warrant you the French requited them with the like The Duke of Burgundie being almost out of his wits bicause of these newes by the perswasion of certaine no lesse sorie for this accident than himselfe writ letters to diuers townes of the realme charging the King with his brothers death but little it auailed for no man stirred 1 Notwithstanding if the Duke of Guienne had liued vndoubtedly the King should haue had ynough to do for the Britons were in a readines to inuade him hauing greater intelligences in the realme than euer before all the which failed by the Dukes death The Duke of Burgundy in this fury put himselfe into the field and marched towards Nesle in Vermandois making foule and cruell war contrary to his accustomed maner for he spoiled and burned all the countrey as he passed His vaward marched before him and besieged the said towne of Nesle being of no force but the Duke himselfe lodged three leagues from it Within the towne were certaine franke archers that slew a herald of the Dukes comming to summon them Further their captaine came foorth to parle vnder surety thinking to bring the matter to composition but could not and as he returned into the towne the truce yet continuing bicause of his saly they within the towne notwithstanding that themselues stood open vpon the wall no man seeking to hurt them slew yet two other of the Dukes men wherfore the truce was disauowed word sent to the Lady of Nesle being within the towne to come foorth with all hir household stuffe which she did accordingly and immediately after the place was assaulted and taken and the greatest part of them that were within it slaine all that were taken aliue were hanged saue a few whom the soldiers for very pity let go a number also had their hands cut off It lotheth me to make mention of this cruelty but bicause I was present somewhat I am forced to write therof And sure either the Duke was maruellously passioned in that he committed so cruell an act or some great caused mooued him thereunto He alleaged two the one the Duke of Guiennes death wherof he spake very strangely vpon other mens report the other the griefe he had conceiued for the losse of Amiens and Saint Quintin aboue rehearsed Some that shall read this that foloweth will thinke happily that there was small faith in these two Princes or that I misreport them I would be loth to misreport either of them And to the King our Master how much I am bound all the world knoweth But to continue my history right reuerend father in God in such sort as you haue required I am forced to vtter that I know howsoeuer it passed And I doubt not but these two being compared with other Princes shall seeme noble woorthy and honorable and the King our Master wise aboue all the rest who left his realme enlarged and in peace with all his enimies Wherefore let vs now consider whether of these two Princes sought to deceiue the other to the end that if heereafter this history happen to fall into the hands of some yoong Prince that hath to negotiate in such like affaires he may by reading thereof be the better instructed how to looke to himselfe For notwithstanding that neither Princes nor enimies be alwaies alike nor deale alike in like affaires yet is it good to know the histories of times past To speake therefore vprightly I thinke both these Princes were fully bent each to deceiue other and tended both to one end as you shall heare Both of them had their armies abroad in a readines The King had already taken diuers places and during the treaty made sharpe war vpon his brother whom the Lords of Courton Patris Foucart and diuers others had already relinquished were receiued into the Kings seruice Further his army lay about Rochell hauing great intelligence in the towne for the citizens practised continually as well bicause of the rumor of this treaty as also bicause of the Dukes sicknes And I thinke the Kings resolution was if he could atchieue his enterprise there or his brother hapned to die not to sweare the treaty but if he found great resistance to sweare it and performe his promise thereby to auoid all danger And sure he lost no time but vsed great diligence delaying also very cunningly Simon of Quingy the space of eight daies during the which delay his brother died further he knew well the Duke of Burgundy so greatly to desire the restitution of these two townes aboue named that he durst not flatly fall out with him Wherefore he meant to delay him and feed him foorth with faire words fifteen or twenty daies as he did accordingly to see in the meane time what would happen Now that I haue spoken of the King and shewed how he was purposed to deale with the Duke it is fit I should also declare how the Duke was minded towards him and thought to delude him had not the Duke of Guiennes death happened Simon of Quinchy by the Kings request had a commission from the Duke his Master commanding him immediately after the treatie sworne and writings deliuered for the confirmation thereof to go into Britaine to informe the Duke of Britaine of the conditions of the peace and in like maner the Duke of Guiennes ambassadors resident in Britaine to the end they might aduertise their Master thereof at Bordeaux whereby the King meant to put the Britons into the greater feare when they should see themselues abandoned of him that was their chiefe anchor hold Now you shall vnderstand that Simon of Quinchy had in his company a rider of the Dukes Escuirie called Henry a Parisian borne a wise fellow and of good experience who had a letter of credit to the said Simon written with the Dukes owne hand but his commission was not to deliuer it till the said Simons departure from the King and his arriuall to the Duke of Britaine at Nantes where his charge was to deliuer him the letter and this message withall That he should will the Duke of Britaine not to thinke that his Master would abandon the Duke of Guienne and him for he would succour them both with body and goods and that he had concluded this treatie to none other end but to auoid war and recouer the townes of Saint Quintine and Amiens which the King in time of peace contrary to his promise
had taken from him And further to aduertise the said Duke that the Duke his Master would send an honorable ambassage to the King so soone as he should be seized of that he demanded humbly to beseech him to end this war and relinquish his enterprise against the said two Dukes and not to giue credite to the oth he had sworne which he was no more determined to obserue than the King had obserued the treaty âade before Paris called the treatie of Conflans and the treatie which he had sworne at Peronne and long after confirmed also Further desiring him to call to remembrance that he tooke these townes against his faith and promise in time of peace wherefore he must hold himselfe contented if he recouered them after the same sort And as touching the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce and the Earle of Neuers whom the King had permitted him to vse at his pleasure he would protest that notwithstanding he hated them as he had iust cause to do yet would he forgiue all their offences and let them liue in quiet desiring the King to grant these two Dukes the like and that it would please him to suffer all men to liue in peace and safetie in such maner and forme as he had sworne at Conflans when they were all there assembled togither which if he refused to do he would then succour his confederates And it was determined that the Duke should be in campe when this ambassage should be sent to the King But God disposed otherwise of these purposes for death which departeth all things and changeth all determinations set them otherwise a worke as partly you haue vnderstood already and shall heerafter perceiue more at large for the King restored not these two townes and yet had the Duchie of Guienne by his brothers death as reason was The Notes 1 The Duke of Guienne died the 12. of May but Meyer saith the 24. Annal. Aquit the 11. Of his death reade Annal. Burgund lib. 3. fol. 946. Meyer lib. 17. fol. 353. writeth thus of it Rex fratri venenum miscet per Iordanum Abbatem Diui Ioannis beenedictini nominis where reade also what Thomas Basinus Bishop of Lisieux writeth of the Dukes death who compareth King Lewis to Cain Atreus Thiestes Polinices and Eteocles Hollandiae scriptor saith thus Rex ille inquit idem fecit quod Cain qui vnicum fratrem suum Abel interfecit Dedit enim Rex mortiferuÌ Carolo fratri venenum quo noÌ statim extinctus est sed mensibus aliquot miserabiliter afflictus Gaguin a French historiographer saith thus The King was aduertised of his brother D. Charles his death who died at Bordeaux poisoned by a certaine Abbot but not without the Kings consent as the report went Annal. Aquit written by a French man seeme to make King Lewis accessorie to his brothers death The Duke was poisoned as he sat at the table with the Lady of Mount soreau whom he entertained and who was also poisoned with him The King commanded the Abbots processe to cease and the rest which were suspected whereby he plainly bewraied his owne guiltie conscience How the Duke of Burgundy seeing that he could not take Beauuais before the which he had laid his siege went to Roan Chap. 10. NOw to returne to the war you haue heard how certaine poore franke archers were handled at the taking of Nesle thence the D. departed and went before Roye within the which were 1500. franke archers and certaine men of armes of the Arriereban The Dukes force was neuer so great as at that present The next day after his arriuall these franke archers fearing their liues leapt downe the wals and yeelded themselues to him and the third day they that yet remained within rendered themselues and the towne by composition leauing behinde them both horse and harnesse saue that euery man of armes brought foorth a trauelling nag The Duke left men in the towne and went to Mondidier which he began to raze meaning vtterly to destroy it lay it desolate but bicause of the good wil he perceiued the people of those parts 1 to beare him he caused it to be repaired and left a garrison in it From thence he departed meaning to march straight into Normandie but as he passed hard by Beauuais the L. of Cordes who led his vaward rode to the towne and at his first arriuall the suburbs before the Bishops palace were taken by a couetous Burgundian named Master Iames of Montmartin who had vnder his charge one hundred launces and three hundred archers of the Dukes ordinarie retinue The Lord of Cordes scaled the towne on the other side but he lacked ladders and those few he had were too short He had two canons which shot twise at the towne gate and brake downe a peece thereof and if he had been furnished to haue continued the shot vndoubtedly he had entred the towne but he was vnprouided bicause he came not for any such exploite At his first arriuall none were in the towne but the citizens themselues and the captaine of the towne called Loyset of Bailligny with certaine soldiers of the Arriereban but not ynow to defend the place Notwithstanding it pleased God miraculously to preserue it as he manifestly declared For the Burgundians that were with the Lord of Cordes fought hand to hand with the French at the breach made in the gate whereupon the said Lord of Cordes sent word diuers times to the Duke of Burgundie to make haste thither assuring him that the towne was his owne But in the meane time while the Duke was vpon the way one within deuised to throwe flaming fagots in their faces that were about to breake downe the gate whereof they threw so great plentie that the gate and the porch tooke fire in such sort that the Burgundians were forced to retire till the fire ceased Soone after arriued the Duke himselfe who in like maner held the towne as taken the fire being once quenched which was very great for all the porch was on fire And vndoubtedly if he had lodged part of his army on the other side of the towne towards Paris no man could haue entred to releeue it But it pleased God he should make doubt where none was for bicause of a little brooke that was to passe he made difficultie so to do then and yet afterward when a great number of men were entred the towne he would haue done it and was hardly disswaded from it notwithstanding that thereby he should then haue endangered his whole army All this happened the eight twentith of Iune in the yeere 1472. The fire aboue mentioned continued all day and in the euening ten launces onely of the Kings ordinarie retinue entred the towne as I was afterward informed for I serued yet the Duke of Burgundie but we saw them not enter both bicause euery man was busied in making his lodging and also bicause we had no force on that side the towne By
was their onely man of wisdome and experience in the countrey besides that generally the Britaines desire nothing more than peace with Fraunce bicause continually a great number of them haue good entertainment and be in good estimation in this realme not vnwoorthily for sure in times past they haue done great seruice heere Wherefore me thinke the King did very wisely in concluding this treaty notwithstanding that some not considering so deepely thereof as himselfe did thought otherwise of it He had a very good opinion of the Lord of Lescute knew there was no danger in putting those offices and places of charge that he did into his hands bicause he was a man of honor would neuer during these diuisions haue any intelligence with the English men nor consent that the townes in Normandie 2 should be yeelded to them but had beene the onely stay thereof which was the cause of all his preferment When the King had well debated this matter he commanded Sousplenuille to put in writing all that his Master required as well for the Duke as himselfe which done the King granted him all his demands being these A pension of 80000. franks for the Duke for his master the Lord of Lescute a pension of 6000. franks the gouernment of Guienne the two Seneschalships of Launes and Bordelois the captainship of one of the castels of Bordeaux the captainship of Blaye and of the two castels of Bayonne of Dax and of Saint Seuer 24000. crownes in ready mony the Kings order and the Earldome of Comminges All the which the King granted and agreed vnto saue that the Dukes pension was diminished by the one halfe and continued but two yeeres Further the King gaue the said Sousplenuille 6000. crownes which with the other 24. thousand giuen to his Master were to be paid in fower yeeres a pension of 1200. franks the Mayraltie of Bayonne the Bailywick of Montargis and certaine other small offices in Guienne All the which aboue rehearsed estates his Master and he enioied till the Kings death Philip d'Essars likewise was made Bailife of Meaux and lieutenant of the waters and forrests throughout the realme of Fraunce and had also a pension granted him of 1200. franks and 4000. crownes in ready money all the which offices and estates from that day till the King our Master his death they quietly enioied and the Lord of Comminges continued during his life his trustie and faithfull seruant The King hauing pacified all matters in Britaine marched straight toward Picardie for he and the Duke of Burgundie vsed alwaies when winter approched to make truce for sixe moneths or a yeere and some time more After the which their woonted maner they made truce at this present which the Chancellor of Burgundie with certaine others came to the King to conclude There the Kings Commissioners read the finall peace made with the Duke of Britaine whereby the said Duke renounced the league he was entred into with the English men and the D. of Burgundie wherfore the King required the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors not to comprehend the Duke of Britaine in the truce as their confederate whereunto they would not condiscend but agreed that the Duke of Britaine should be at his choise to declare himselfe within the time accustomed either the Kings confederate or theirs alleaging that heertofore also the said Duke had abandoned them by writing yet had not departed from their friendship Further adding that though he were a Prince wholy led and gouerned by others and doing little of himselfe yet in the end he euer yeelded to that which was best and most necessary for his estate All this was done in the yeere 1473. During this treatie they murmured on both sides against the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce for the King and those that were neerest about him had conceiued maruellous hatred against him And the Duke of Burgundy hated him woorse than they as he had iust cause to do for I know the reasons that mooued them both to beare him ill will The Duke had not yet forgotten that he was the onely occasion of the losse of Amiens and Saint Quintin and perceiued well that he nourished this war betweene the King and him For in time of truce he spake him as faire as was possible but so soone as the war opened he shewed himselfe his mortall foe Further the Earle had sought to constraine him by force to marrie his daughter to the Duke of Guienne as before ãâã ââue heard Besides all this there was yet another grudge for while the Duke lay before Amiens the Constable made a road into Henault and among other cruell exploits burned the castell of Seure belonging to a Knight named Master Baudouin of Launay before the which time they vsed on neither side to fire any place But in reuenge thereof the Duke this last sommer burned the countrie all the way his armie passed as before you haue heard Thus they began to practise the Constables destruction for the accomplishment whereof diuers of the Kings men conferred with such of the Dukes seruants as they knew to be his mortall enimies for the French had him in as great iealousie as the Duke of Burgundie had and accused him as the onely occasion of the war wherefore all his treaties and practises with both parties were ripped vp and discouered and they both sought his death Some man may peraduenture aske heerafter if the King alone were not of power sufficient to put him to death whereunto I answer that he was not For his lands lay iust in the middest betweene the King and the Duke further he held Saint Quintin a great and strong towne in Vermandois and of his owne Han Bohain and other very strong places neere to the said Saint Quintin the which he might man at all times with any nation at his owne pleasure He had charge vnder the King of fower hundred men of armes well paied of the which companie himselfe was controller and tooke the muster which was no small profit to him for his companies were not complete Besides all this he had a yeerely pension of 45000. franks and of euerie tunne of wine that passed through his countrie into Flaunders or Henault he receiued a crowne for impost He had also goodly seigniories and possessions of his owne inheritance and great intelligence as well in Fraunce as in the Dukes dominions where he had many kinsfolks and allies The truce betweene the King and the Duke continued a whole yeere all the which space this practise endured and the Kings men addressed themselues wholie to the Lord of Hymbercourt so often before named who of long time had beene the Constables enimy besides that their hatred was lately increased For in an assembly held at Roye where the Constable and others were commissioners for the King and the Chancellor of Burgundy and the Lord of Hymbercourt with diuers others for the Duke as they conferred togither of their affaires the
the King and him he caused it foorthwith to be opened and passed to our side of the riuer where vndoubtedly he was in great danger This his dooing peraduenture himselfe and his familiar friends accounted a woorthy exploit supposing the King to stand in feare of him whom also they reputed a timorous Prince And true it is that he was so at times when there was cause why but not alwaies when the world so iudged of him For you shall vnderstand that the ciuill wars with the Princes of his realme out of the which he had wound himselfe by large gifts and promises had beaten this lesson into his head not to put any thing in aduenture if he could compasse his purposes by any other means which caused a number of men to suppose all his dooings to proceede of feare But diuers that vpon this imagination attempted foolish enterprises against him found themselues much deceiued namely the Earle of Armignack and others whom their fond attempts cost full deere For the King knew when it was time to feare and not to feare Sure this praise I dare boldly giue him which though happily I haue written before yet deserueth againe to be spoken that he was the wisest man in aduersity that euer I knew But to returne to my discourse of the Constable who desired peraduenture to hold the King in feare at the least I suppose so for I will not charge him with it but write this onely for an aduertisement to those that are in Princes seruice and vnderstand not all alike the affaires of this world for mine owne part if I had a friend I would aduise him to endeuor himselfe that his Master might loue him not feare him for I neuer knew man whose authority depended of the feare his Master had of him that sped not euill in the end and that by his Masters consent Examples ynow haue been seene heerof in our time or not long before In this realm of the Lord of Trimouille and others In England of the Earle of Warwick and his faction I could name some also in Spaine and in other countries But those that shal reade this discourse may peraduenture be able to say more therin than my selfe This their presumption oftentimes proceedeth of their good seruice for they thinke their experience so great that they cannot be spared and their deserts such that their Masters ought to beare all things at their hands But Princes on the contrarie side both say and thinke that men are bound to do them seruice and desire nothing more than to be rid of such malapart fellowes Touching the which point I must needes speake somewhat of the King our Master for once he told me in talking of those that do their Prince great seruice naming withall his author from whom he receiued this opinion that good seruice sometime vndooeth men and is recompensed with great ingratitude not alwaies by the Masters forgetfulnes but many times through the seruants owne fault who presuming vpon their good seruice behaue themselues arrogantly either towards their Masters or their fellowes Further as touching those that come to preferment in Court this was his opinion that he is happier that receiueth a benefit of the Prince he serueth without great desert whereby he standeth bound to his Prince than he that hath done so great seruice that his Prince seemeth in debted to him adding that he for his part loued those better that were bound to him than those to whom he was bound Thus you see how hard it is to liue in this world in any estate wherfore greatly are they bound to God whom he hath indued with vnderstanding how to gouerne theÌselues in their vocation This enteruiew between the King the Constable was in the yeere 1474. THE FOVRTH BOOKE How the Duke of Burgundy being seazed of the Duchie of Gueldres sought to encroch farther vpon the Almaines and how he laied his siege before Nuz Chap. 1. THe same sommer as I remember that the King and the Constable met the Duke of Burgundy went to conquer the Duchy of Gueldres vpon a title woorthy to be declared to the end we may therby consider the wonderfull iudgements and power of God There was a yoong Duke of Gueldres named Adolph who maried his wife being of the house of Bourbon and sister to Peter Duke of Bourbon 1 now liuing in the Duke of Burgundies court for the which cause he was wel fauored there This Duke Adolph committed an horrible fact for one euening he tooke his father named Duke Arnold prisoner as he was going to bed and led him fiue dutch miles on foote bare legged in a maruellous colde night and laid him in a deepe dungeon the space of six moneths 2 where he sawe no light but through a little hole Wherfore the Duke of Cleues whose sister the old Duke being prisoner had maried made sharpe war vpon this yoong Duke Adolph The Duke of Burgundy sought diuers meanes to agree them but no good could be done Wherefore in the end the Pope and the Emperor began to stir in this matter so far foorth that the D. of Burgundy vnder great curses was commanded to take the old Duke out of prison which he did accordingly for the yoong Duke durst not withstand him both bicause he saw so many good men against him and also bicause of the Dukes great force I haue often seene them both togither in the Duke of Burgundies chamber pleading their cause before a great assembly and once I saw the good old man present the combat to his sonne The Duke of Burgundy was very desirous to agree them and offered the yoong Duke whom he fauored the title of Gouernor 3 of Guelderland with all the reuenues thereof saue of one little towne neere to Brabant called Graue which should remaine to the father with the reuenues of three thousand florens a yeerely pension of as much and the title of Duke as was but reason I with others wiser than my self were appointed to make report of these conditions to the yoong Duke who answered vs that he had rather throw his father headlong into a Well and himselfe after than agree to such an appointment alleaging that his father had been Duke forty fower yeeres and that it was now time for him to gouerne Notwithstanding he said that he would willingly agree to giue him a yeerely pension of three thousand florens with condition that he should depart the countrey as a banished man neuer to return diuers other such like lewd speeches he vsed This hapned at the very same instant that the King wan Amiens from the Duke of Burgundy who was then with these two Dukes at Dourlans whence bicause of the wars he departed in haste to Hedin forgetting this matter This yoong Duke put on French apparell 4 and departed with one onely seruant to repaire home into his countrey But as he ferried ouer a water neere to Namur he paied a gildon for his passage whereupon a
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
from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquoy the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corbie and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederick to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire Chap. 3. ABout this time the truce ended between the King and the Duke to the Kings great griefe who gladly would haue prolonged it but seeing no remedie he went and besieged a little castel called Tronquoy in the yeere 1475. in the very beginning of sommer the pleasantest time of the yeere The castell in short space was taken by assault The next day the K. sent me to parle with them that were within Montdidier who yeelded the place departed with bag baggage Thence I went the third day being accompanied with the Admiral of Fraunce bastard of Bourbon to parle with them that were within Roye who in like maner yeelded the piece bicause they were vtterly in despaire of succors which sure if the Duke had been in the countrie they would not haue done Notwithstanding both these townes were burned contrarie to our promise Thence the King departed and laid his campe before Corbie which abode the siege Goodly approches were made to the towne and the Kings artillerie bet it three daies within it was the Lord of Contay 1 and diuers others who yeelded the place and departed with bag and baggage two daies after this poore town was also sacked and burned as the two former Then the King thought to repaire home with his armie trusting to perswade the Duke of Burgundie to make truce considering the distresse he was in But a certaine Lady whom I know well yet will not name bicause she is still liuing writ him a letter willing him to leade his armie to Arras and into those parts whereunto the King agreed for she was a woman of honor I commend hir not in thus doing for she was in no respect bound to the King The King sent thither the Lord Admirall bastard of Bourbon with a great band of men which burned many townes in those quarters and spoiled all the countrie betweene Abbeuille and Arras whereupon the citizens of Arras who were puffed vp with pride bicause of their long prosperity compelled the garrison of the towne to issue foorth But being too weake to encounter with the Kings forces they were put to flight and pursued so speedily that many of them were slaine and taken togither with all their captaines namely Master Iames of Saint Paule 2 the Constables brother the Lord of Contay the Lord of Carency and diuers others some of the which were neere kinsmen to the Lady hir selfe that caused this enterprise so that she receiued great dammage by the ouerthrow but the King for hir sake repaired all in time The King sent to the Emperor as you haue heard Iohn Tiercelin Lord of Brosse partly to sollicite him not to make peace with the Duke of Burgundy and partly to make his excuse for not sending his forces according to his promise and further to assure him that he would shortly send them and would also continue to spoile and endamage the Dukes dominions as well in the marches of Burgundy 3 as also in Picardy Lastly he made him a new ouuerture which was that they should sweare each to other not to make peace the one without the other and that the Emperor should seaze into his hands all the seigniories that the Duke held and ought to hold of the Empire and proclaime them forfaited to him and he would do the like with all those that were held of the crowne of Fraunce namely Flaunders Artois Burgundy and the rest The Emperor though all his life time he had made small shew of any valor yet was he wise and of great experience bicause of his ancient yeeres Further these practises between vs and him had continued so long that he waxed weary of the wars notwithstanding that they cost him neuer a grote For all the Princes of Almaine lay there vpon their owne charge as their maner is when the war concerneth the state of the empire The Emperor answered the Kings ambassadors after this sort There was somtime neere to a certaine city in Germany a great Beare that much endamaged the countrie three good fellowes of the which city being tauerne haunters came to a tauerne where they were indebted desiring their host yet once more to giue them credit promising him within two daies paiment of the whole debt for they would take this Beare that did so much harme in the countrey whose skin was woorth a great sum of money besides the presents that good folkes would giue them whereunto their host agreed and when they had dined foorth they went toward this beasts caue neere to the which when they approched they met with the Beare vnlooked for and being stricken with sudden feare fled one got vp into a tree the other fled towards the towne but the third the Beare tooke and ouerthrew and foiled vnder hir feete holding hir mussell hard to his eare The poore soule lay flat vpon the ground as though he had been dead Now you shall vnderstand that the nature of a Beare is such that whatsoeuer she holdeth in hir clawes man or beast so soon as she seeth it leaue stirring she foorthwith forsaketh it supposing it to be dead as also this Beare left this poore fellow not doing him any great harme and returned to hir den Then he seeing the danger past arose and went towards the towne But his fellow that stood in the tree hauing beheld all this pageant came downe and ran crying after him to stay and when he had ouertaken him desired him to tell him faithfully what counsell the Beare gaue him in his eare whereto she held hir mussell so long whereunto his fellow answered that she bad him neuer to sell the Beares skin till the Beare were slaine And with this fable paid the Emperor our King not giuing his ambassadors any further answer as though he should haue said come hither according to your promise and let vs take this Duke if we can and then make partition of his goods The Notes 1 This Contay is successor to him mentioned in the wars against the Liegeois 2 This Iames is named in other histories Lord of Richebourg 3 For in the marches of Burgundy the Duke of Bourbon had giuen the Burgundians a great ouerthrow as our author in the next chapter maketh mention How the Constable began to be had in suspicion againe as well of the King as of the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. YOu haue heard how Master Iames of Saint Paule and others were taken prisoners before Arras Their captiuity was to the Constables great greefe for the said Master Iames was a louing and naturall brother to him But this was not the onely misfortune that fell vpon him for at this very instant was also taken the Earle of Roussy his sonne gouernor of Burgundy for the Duke 1 and likewise his wife died which was a
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
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
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 senââââ 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 maâââes 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 coÌmanded 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 ãâã ââbassadors 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
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
Fraunce into Sauoy and that the Duke hir sonne and his little brother togither with the places which the King held should be restored to hir and further that he would helpe to maintaine hir authoritie in Sauoy and she for hir part would forsake all confederacies and enter into league with him All the which hir requests the King granted and immediately sent a man purposely to the said Lord of Chaumont about this enterprise the which was well deuised and executed accordingly For the said Lord of Chaumont went himselfe peaceably through the country with a good band of men to Rouure from whence he led the Duchesse of Sauoy and all hir traine to the next place of the Kings dominions Before the dispatch of the Duchesses last messenger the King was departed from Lyons where he had lien halfe a yeere to ouerthrow couertly the Duke of Burgundies enterprises without breaking the truce But if a man consider well the Dukes estate the King made sharper war vpon him by letting him run himselfe out of breth and priuily stirring vp enimies against him than if he had openly proclaimed war For immediately vpon the proclamation the Duke would haue relinquished his enterprise and then all these mishaps had neuer fallen vpon him The King being departed from Lions continued still his iourney and from Rouuenne went downe the riuer of Loire to Tours where at his arriuall he receiued newes of his sisters liberty whereat he reioiced not a little and sent for hir with all speed to come to him and gaue order for hir charges vpon the way Moreouer when she drew neere he sent a great company of gentlemen to wait vpon hir and went himselfe to receiue hir as far as the gate of Plessis du Parc where at their first meeting with a mery countenaunce he said vnto hir Lady of Burgundy you are hartely welcome Then she knowing by his countenance that he did but sport made him a wise answer saying Sir I am a true French woman and ready to obey you in all you shall command The King led hir to hir chamber where she was very honorably entertained True it is that he desired to send hir home as speedily as might be whereof she was no lesse desirous than he for she was a very wise woman and they were well acquainted the one with the others conditions The whole charge of this matter was committed to me first to prouide money to defray hir in hir returne secondarily to seeke silkes and veluets for hir and lastly to put in writing the articles of their new league and amity Moreouer the King indeuored to disswade hir from the mariage of hir two daughters aboue mentioned but she made hir excuse by the daughters themselues who were obstinate therein which when the King perceiued he yeelded vnto them and in mine opinion they were well bestowed After the Duches had soiourned at Plessis seauen or eight daies the King and she sware thence foorth to be friends each to other and writings touching their amitie were interchangably deliuered betweene them which done the Duches tooke hir leaue of the King who caused hir safely to be conueighed into hir owne countrey and restored vnto hir hir children all the places that were in his hands all hir iewels and all that belonged to hir They were both glad of their departure and liued euer after as brother and sister euen till their death The Notes 1 I suppose yea I assure my self that the Printer hath heere made a great fault and that these three weekes must be read three moneths For the battell of Granson was fought the 2. of March or Aprill and this battell the 22. of Iune which is much more then three weekes and agreeth well with three moneths and so also Annales Burgundiae report the time 2 The French hath Vn Commandeur de Rhodes what this Commandeur is looke in the notes of the 9. Chapter of the 7. booke How the Duke of Burgundie liued as it were solitarilie the space of certaine weekes during the which time the Duke of Lorraine recouered his towne of Nancy Chap. 5. BVt to proceed in this history I must now returne to the Duke of Burgundy who after the battel of Morat which was in the yeer 1476. fled to the frontiers of Burgundy and kept himselfe close in a towne called La Riuiere where he lay more than six weeks with intent to leuy yet another army wherein notwithstanding he proceeded but slowly for he liued as it were solitarily in such sort that all his dooings seemed as you shall heereafter perceiue rather to proceed of obstinacy than any reason For the greefe he had conceiued of the first ouerthrow at Granson so inwardly vexed him that he fell into a dangerous sicknes which so altered his complexion that whereas before his choler and naturall heate was so great that he dranke no wine but Tysan euery morning ordinarily and ate conserue of roses to refresh him now this sorow and greefe had so much weakned his spirits that he was forced to drinke the strongest wine without water that could be gotten And further to reduce the blood to the hart his Phisitions were faine to put burning flaxe into boxing glasses and so to set them on his brest neere to the hart Of this his sicknes my Lord of Vienna you can better write than my selfe bicause all the time thereof you were continually with him to assist him with your aduise caused him also to shaue his beard which before he ware long But in mine opinion after this sicknes his wits were neuer so fresh as before but much weakned and decaied Such are the passions of those that being fallen into great misfortunes seeke not the true remedies especially of proud and disdainfull Princes For in such a case the best and soueraignest remedy is to haue recourse to God to bethinke our selues if we haue in any point offended him to humble our selues before him and to acknowledge our faults for he it is that determineth these causes and to him no man may impute any error The second remedy in such a case is to conferre with some familiar friend to reueale boldly vnto him all our passions and not to be ashamed to vtter our greefe to our deere friend for that easeth and comforteth the minde and by talking thus in counsell with a faithfull friend the spirits recouer their former vertue and strength The third remedy in such a case is to fall to some exercise bodily labor for seeing we are men such pensiuenes greefe can not be passed ouer without great passions either publike or priuate 1 But the Duke tooke the cleane contrary course for he hid himselfe kept himselfe solitary wheras he should haue put to flight al such melancholike austerity Further bicause he was a terrible Prince to his seruants none durst presume to giue him counsell or comfort but suffered him to follow his owne sense fearing if they had gone about to perswade
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
some of the which I spake who soone after became his faithfull seruants accordingly These countries were in marruellous feare and astonishment and not without cause for I thinke that in eight daies they could not haue leuied eight men of armes Further in all those quarters were not aboue 1500. soldiers horsemen and footmen which lay towards Namur in Henault were of those that escaped out of the battel where the Duke was slain Their woonted termes and maner of speech were now cleane altered for they spake lowly and humbly which I write not to accuse them as though in times past their words had been more arrogant than became them but the truth is when I was there they thought so well of themselues that they vsed not such reuerent language neither to the King nor of the King as they haue done sithence Wherefore if men were wise they would vse such faire speech in time of prosperitie that in aduersitie they should not neede to change their termes I returned to the Admirall to make report of my negotiation immediately whereupon we were aduertised that the King was at hand for he set foorth soone after vs and commanded letters to be written both in his owne name and diuers of his seruants names to cause certaine to repaire to him by whose meanes he trusted to bring all these seniories vnder his obedience The Notes 1 The pedegree in the end of this worke will shew how all these titles descended to this Lady Margaret A discourse not appertaining to the principall matters of the greatioie the King was in to see himselfe deliuered of so many enimies and of the error he committed touching the reducing of these countries of Burgundy to his obedience Chap. 12. THe King reioiced not a little to see himselfe thus deliuered of all those whom he hated and were his principall enimies of some of the which he had taken the reuenge himselfe namely the Constable of Fraunce the Duke of Nemours and diuers others his brother the Duke of Guyenne was dead whose inheritance was fallen to him In like maner all they of the house of Aniou were dead namely King Rene of Sicilie the Dukes of Calabria Iohn and Nicholas and their cosin the Earle of Maine and afterward of Prouence the Earle of Armignac was slaine at Lestore and all their lands and goods fallen to the King But bicause this house of Burgundie was greater and mightier than the rest and had made sharpe war with the English mens aide vpon his father K. Charles the seuenth thirtie two yeers without truce and had their dominions bordring vpon his and their subiects alwaies desirous to make war vpon him and his realme therefore he reioiced more at their Princes death than at the death of all the rest Further he now fully perswaded himselfe that during his life no man neither within his realme nor in the countries bordering vpon it would once lift vp his finger against him For he was in peace as you haue heard with the English men the which he trauelled to the vttermost of his power to continue But although he were thus void of all feare yet did not God permit him to take the wisest course for the atchieuing of this his enterprise being of so great importance And sure it appeereth both by that God shewed then and hath shewed since that he meant sharply to punish this house of Burgundy as wel in the person of the Prince as of the subiects and of those that liued amongst them For if the King our Master had taken the best course the wars that haue consumed them since had neuer hapned For if he had done as he ought to haue done he should haue sought to ioine to the crowne all those great Seniories whereunto he could pretend no title either by mariage or by courteous dealing with the subiects which thing he might then easily haue accomplished seeing the great feare miserie and distresse these countries were in at that time And if he had thus done he should both haue rid them of many troubles inlarged and enriched his owne realme through long peace which by this meanes had beene easily obtained He might also heereby haue eased his realme diuers waies especially of the charge of men of armes who continually rode vp and down from one corner of the realme to another oftentimes vpon small occasion While the Duke of Burgundy yet liued he eftsoones debated with me what were best to be done if the said Duke hapned to die And then he discoursed maruellous wisely thereof saying that he would trauell to make a mariage betweene the King his sonne now raigning and the Dukes daughter afterward Duches of Austrich which if she refused bicause of the Daulphin his sons yoong age then he would attempt to win hir to mary some yoong Lord of this realme to obtaine thereby hir friendship and hir subiects and recouer without blowes that he claimed to be his in the which minde he continued till eight daies before he vnderstood of the Dukes death But this wise deliberation he began somwhat to alter the selfe same day he receiued newes therof and the very instant that he dispatched the Admirall and me Notwithstanding he discouered not his purpose therein but made promise to diuers of lands and lordships that had been in the Dukes possession How Han Bohain Saint Quintin and Peronne were yeelded to the King and how he sent Master Oliuer his barber to practise with them of Gaunt Chap. 13. THe King being on the way comming after vs receiued good newes from all parts for the castels of Han and Bohain were yeelded vnto him and the citizens of Saint Quintins of their own accord receiued Monseur de Mouy their neighbor into the towne for him Further he assured himselfe of Peronne which VVilliam of Bische held and was put in hope both by vs and others that Monseur de Cordes would reuolt to him Further he had sent his barber called Master Oliuer to Gaunt in a village neere to the which he was borne and had dispatched diuers others into other places being in great hope of them all but the most part of them serued him rather with words then deedes When he drew neer to Peronne I went to meet him and found him in a village whither M. VVilliam of Bische and certain others came presented him the keies of the town wherof he was right glad The King abode there that day and I dined with him after mine accustomed maner for his pleasure was that seuen or eight at the least somtimes more should ordinarily sit at his owne table But after dinner he withdrew himselfe and seemed to be discontented with the small exploit the Admirall and I had done saying that he had sent Master Oliuer his barber to Gaunt to bring that towne to his obedience and Robinet Dodenfort to Saint Omers who was well friended there and those he commended as fit men to receiue the keies of a towne
himselfe the said de Lude at the first meeting asked him what the townes would giue him to commend their cause to the King I thinke verily that this refusall the King made to these knights proceeded also of God for since that time he would haue made good account of them if he could haue drawne them to his seruice But peraduenture God would not accomplish his desire in all points either bicause of the reasons aboue alleaged or for that he would not suffer him to vsurpe this countrey of Hainault which is held of the Empire both bicause he had no title thereunto and also bicause of the ancient league betweene the Emperors and the Kings of Fraunce whereof the King himselfe also seemed afterward to take notice For he held Cambray le Quesnoy and Boissi 1 in Hainault whereof Boissi he yeelded againe and restored Cambray being an Imperiall towne to neutralitie as it was before Athough I my selfe were not present at these actions yet was I informed how they passed for I had good meanes to vnderstand of them bicause I was acquainted and had been brought vp in both these Princes dominions and haue since also communed with diuers that were the principall managers of these affaires on both sides The Notes 1 This Boissi libr. 6. cap. 3. he calleth Bouchain and so out of doubt it should be read heere How Master Oliuer the Kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the Kings forces into Tournay Chap. 14. MAster Oliuer as you haue heard was gone to Gaunt and carried letters of credit to the Ladie of Burgundie Duke Charles his daughter hauing also commission to perswade with hir apart to put hir selfe into the Kings gouernment 1 But this was not his principall charge for he doubted that he should not obtaine leaue to commune with hir apart and though he did yet supposed he that he should not frame hir to his request But his hope was to raise some great tumult in this towne of Gaunt which hath euer been inclined to rebellion and was the easier to be mooued thereunto at this present bicause vnder Duke Philip and Duke Charles they had liued in great awe and lost diuers priuileges by the treatie made with the said Duke Philip after their wars with him ended Duke Charles also had taken one priuilege from them concerning the election of their Senate for an offence made the first day he entred into the towne as Duke whereof bicause I haue made mention before I will heere write no further All these reasons encouraged Master Oliuer the Kings barber to proceede in his enterprise so far foorth that he discouered his purpose to some such of the citizens as he thought would giue eare vnto him offering besides diuers other promises to cause the King to restore them their priuileges that they had lost But notwithstanding that he were not in their Towne-house to speake publikely to their Senate bicause he meant first to assay if he could do any good with this yoong Princesse yet was his enterprise smelt out wherefore after he had soiourned a few daies in Gaunt he was sent for to declare his message whereupon he repaired to the Princes presence being apparrelled much more sumptuously than became one of his calling and deliuered his letters The said Lady sate in hir chaire of estate hauing about hir the Duke of Cleues and the bishop of Liege with diuers other noble men and a great number of hir subiects When she had read hir letter she commanded him to declare his message But he answered that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe alone Whereupon it was told him that this was not the maner of their countrie especially to commune in secret with this yoong Lady being vnmarried But he still continued his former answer that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe apart Whereupon they threatened to make him say somwhat else which words put him in feare And I thinke verily that when he came to deliuer his letter he had not bethought him what to say for this was not his principal charge as you haue heard Thus Master Oliuer departed for this time without further speech Some of the Councell began to scorne him as well bicause of his base estate as of his foolish speech and behauiour but especially they of Gaunt in a little village neere whereunto he was borne scoffed and derided him so far foorth that suddenly he fled thence being aduertised if he staide there any longer that he should be throwen into the riuer which I thinke would haue prooued true The said Master Oliuer named himselfe Earle of Melun a little towne neere to Paris whereof he was captaine From Gaunt he fled to Tournay a towne in that countrie subiect to neither Prince but maruellously affectioned to the King for it is his after a sort and paieth him yeerely sixe thousand franks but in all other respects liueth in libertie and receiueth all sorts of men it is a goodly towne and a strong as all the inhabitants thereabout can testifie The churchmen and citizens haue al their possessions and reuenues in Henault and Flaunders in both the which countries it is situate Wherefore they vsed alwaies during the long wars betweene King Charles the seuenth and Philip Duke of Burgundie to pay yeerely vnto the said Duke ten thousand franks the which summe I haue seene them pay also to Duke Charles but at the time that Master Oliuer came thither they were quit of all paiments and liued in great wealth and quietnes Although Master Oliuers charge aboue mentioned were too waightie for him to deale in yet was not he so much to be blamed as they that committed it to him for notwithstanding that his enterprise had such successe as it was euer like to haue yet shewed he himselfe wise in that he afterward did For perceiuing the said towne of Tournay to be situate vpon the frontiers of both the countries aboue named and very commodious to endammage them both if he could put the Kings forces that lay in those parts into it and knowing further that the townes men would neuer consent thereunto bicause they neuer tooke part with either Prince but shewed themselues friends indifferently to both he sent word secretly to Monseur de Mouy whose sonne was bailife of the town but not resident there that he should bring his companie which he had within S. Quintins and certaine other bands that lay in those quarters to the towne of Tournay who at the hower appointed came to the gate where he found Master Oliuer accompanied with thirtie or fortie persons who partly by fauor and partly by force caused the gate to be opened and receiued the Kings men wherewith the people of the towne were well ynough contented but not the gouernors of whom Master Oliuer sent seuen or eight to Paris whence they departed not during the Kings life After these men of armes entred also diuers other soldiers who did
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
towne of Gaunt namely for a sute in law which of late the said towne had obtained by their sentence pronounced by the said Chauncellor against a particular man whom they had in sute But of all this matter of briberie they acquited themselues very honorably and as concerning that particular point where they of Gaunt charged them that they had sold iustice and taken monie of them to pronounce sentence on their behalfe they answered that the towne of Gaunt obtained their sute bicause their cause was good and as touching the monie they tooke they neuer demanded it nor caused it to be demanded but receiued it being offered The second point was that during the time they were with the late Duke Charles their Master and also being his lieutenants in his absence they had done diuers things against the priuileges and state of their towne and that whosoeuer doth against the priuileges of Gaunt ought to die But this point touched them no whit for they were neither their subiects nor citizens neither able to infringe their priuileges and if the Duke or his father tooke any of their priuileges from them they did it by the treatie made betweene them after their long wars and diuisions but the others that were left them being more than was requisite for their profit were neuer broken but kept and obserued Well notwithstanding the answers these two notable men made to these two points for of the principall matter first obiected against them no word was spoken yet the Senate of the towne condemned them to die as they stood at the barre bicause as they said they had broken their priuileges and receiued bribes after iudgement giuen vpon the matter in law aboue mentioned These two woorthie personages hearing this cruell sentence were not a little astonished and no maruell for they saw no way how to escape being in their enimies hands notwithstanding they appealed to the King and his court of Parlament trusting by this meanes to delay their death to the end their friends in the meane time might deuise some way to saue them Before their arrainment they racked them extremely against all order of law Their processe endured but sixe daies and notwithstanding their appeale after sentence pronounced they gaue them but three howers respite to confesse them and bethinke them of their soules health Which time expired they led them into their market place and set them vpon a scaffold The Ladie of Burgundie afterward Duchesse of Austrich being aduertised of their condemnation went to the townehouse to make request and supplication for their liues but perceiuing that she could do no good there she went to the market place where all the people were assembled togither in armes and there saw the two noble men aboue named standing vpon the scaffold The said Lady was in hir mourning apparell hauing nothing on hir head but a kerchiefe which was an humble and simple attire and ought of right to haue mooued them to pitie There she desired the people with weeping eies and hir haire loose about hir shoulders to haue pitie vpon these hir two seruants and to restore them vnto hir A great part of the people were willing that hir pleasure should be done and that they should not die but others would in no wise giue eare vnto hir whereupon they bent their pikes the one against the other But those that desired their death were the stronger and cried to them that stood vpon the scaffold to dispatch them immediately whereupon both their heads were striken off and in this estate returned this poore Lady to hir court sorrowfull and comfortlesse for these two were the principall persons in whom she had reposed hir whole confidence After they of Gaunt had done this exploit they remooued from about the said Lady the Lord of Rauastain and the Dowager Duke Charles widow hir mother in law bicause they had also written part of the letter aboue mentioned which Himbercourt and the Chauncellor deliuered to the King and they of Gaunt redeliuered to their Princesse after their returne as before you haue heard Further they vsurped all power and authoritie ouer this poore yoong Lady for so might she now well be called both bicause of the great dammage she had already receiued by the losse of so many notable townes irrecouerable by force considering his power in whose hands they were although by fauor friendship or composition some hope yet remained and also bicause she was in the hands of the ancient enimies and persecutors of hir house which was a great misfortune to hir Notwithstanding these citizens of Gaunt in all their publike actions haue euer shewed more grosse folly than cunning and no maruell for they that carrie credit and authoritie among them are for the most part wealthie men of occupation vnacquainted with waightie affaires and little vnderstanding what belongeth to the gouernment of a state Their cunning consisteth but in two points the one that they studie by all meanes possible how to weaken and impouerish their Prince the other that when they haue made a fault and finde the partie offended too strong for them they craue pardon with greater humilitie and buie peace with larger gifts than any people in the world yea and know what instruments to worke by and what persons to labour for obtaining of peace better than any towne that euer I knew After they of Gaunt had taken by force the gouernment of their Princesse put the two aboue mentioned to death and remooued from about hir those that misliked them they began euery where to place and displace officers at their pleasure and to banish and spoile all those that had best serued this house of Burgundy not regarding their good or euill desert but aboue all other men they hated the Burgundians especially so far foorth that they banished them all and trauelled to make them the Kings seruants and subiects as much as the King himselfe did who sollicited them thereunto by faire words wise perswasions large gifts and promises and sought also to constraine them by great force which he had in their countrey Moreouer these men of Gaunt meaning to begin their gouernment with some case of noueltie tooke out of prison as alreadie is mentioned the Duke of Gueldres who of long time by Duke Charles his commandement had been held prisoner for the causes aboue rehearsed and him they made generall of an army which they among themselues namely the townes of Bruges Gaunt and Ypre leuied and sent to Tournay to set fire on the subburbes thereof which was little for their Princesse profit For 200. soldiers sent in time to Arras or ten thousand franks to haue entertained men to put into it when the siege came before it would haue done both hir and them much more seruice than ten such armies as this For this army could do no good but fire a fewe houses in a place whereof the King made small account for he leuied neither taskes nor subsidies there but
put from the crowne vnder colour of adulterie committed by hir mother But the matter ended not without great contention and war for the King of Portugale tooke part with his neece and diuers great Lords of Castile ioined with him yet notwithstanding the said Dom Henries sister wife to the son of Dom Iohn King of Arragon obtained the crowne and possesseth it yet at this day and thus this partage was made in heauen as diuers others are Further you haue seene of late daies the King of Scotland and his sonne being thirteene yeeres of age in battell the one against the other the sonne and his faction preuailed and the King was slaine vpon the place 13 This King murthered his owne brother and was charged with diuers other crimes namely the death of his sister and such like You see also the Duchy of Gueldres out of the right line and haue heard what impietie the Duke last deceased vsed against his father Diuers other examples I could rehearse which should manifestly appeere to be punishments and scourges of God which scourges are the principall cause of wars whereof insue mortality and famine all the which euils proceede of lacke of faith Wherefore I conclude considering the wickednes of men especially of great men who know not themselues neither beleeue that there is a God that it is necessarie for euery Prince and gouernor to haue an aduersary to keepe him in feare and humilitie otherwise no man should be able to liue vnder them or neere them The Notes 1 He meaneth that this towne of Gaunt is situate where it is for a plague to the whole countrey of Flaunders which otherwise bicause of the great abundance thereof would soone forget God 2 Fregosi and Fregosini in other histories 3 This diuision began anno 1309. betweene the Abbot of Einsidlen and the village of Suitz and the said Abbot demanded aide of Leopolde Duke of Austrich 4 As for example Leopolde Duke of Austrich brothers sonne to the former that began this diuision whom they slue at the battell of Sempache 9. Iulij ann 1386. 5 The reason heerof reade in Aristot Politic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Problem Anthonii Zimarae 12. 6 Shame commeth of knowledge so that if a man do a fault and for lacke of learning know not that it is a fault he can neuer be ashamed of it nor seeke to amend it 7 1800000. franks are 225000. pound starling after eight souse to the English shilling and the French liuer at two shillings sixe pence starling 8 4700000. franks are 587500. pound starling 9 That is 2500000. franks which amounteth to 312500. pound starling 10 For it was due by the conditions of the treatie 11 How King Henry the seuenth was next heire of the house of Lancaster the pedegree in the end of the worke will declare where also Philip de Commines error is controlled 12 Our Chronicles say but 3000. and some 5000. 13 This King that slue his father in battell was Iames the 4. who married Margaret sister to King Henry the 8. THE SIXT BOOKE How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King Chap. 1. NOw to returne to the principal matter and to proceede in this historie written at your request my Lorde of Vienna while the King brought vnder his subiection the places and townes aboue named in the marches of Picardie his armie lay in Burgundie the generall wherof in apparance was the Prince of Orenge 1 that now is who was borne in the countie of Burgundie and a subiect thereof but lately reuolted the second time from Duke Charles wherefore the King vsed his helpe for he was a great Lord well friended and well beloued both in the said countie and also in the Duchie of Burgundie But the Lord of Cran was the Kings lieutenant and he it was in truth that had the charge of the whole armie and in whom the King reposed his principall trust and sure he was a wise man and faithfull to his Master but somwhat too greedie of his owne gaine The said Lord of Cran when he drew neere the countrie of Burgundie sent the Prince of Orenge before him with certaine others to Digeon to perswade with the citizens to become the Kings subiects which enterprise so well they atchieued by the said Princes meanes that the towne of Digeon and all the other places of the Duchie of Burgundie yeelded to the King Aussonne and certaine castels excepted which held yet for the Ladie of Burgundie The King had promised the Prince of Orenge many goodly estates and to restore him to all his grandfathers inheritance in the countie of Burgundie for the which he was in sute with the Lords of Chauuerguion his vncles 2 whom as he said Duke Charles had fauored to his preiudice For this cause had been often pleaded before him with great solemnitie and once the Duke being accompanied with a number of lawyers gaue iudgement against the Prince at the least thus he reported wherefore he forsooke the Dukes seruice and went to the King But Monseur de Cran after he was entred into all these townes aboue mentioned and had gotten into his hands all the best places that should descend to the said Prince by right of inheritance refused to yeeld them to him notwithstanding both the Kings promise and the said Princes request The King also wrote often to him about this matter without all collusion knowing that he much misused the Prince notwithstanding he feared to displease the said de Cran bicause he had the charge of the whole countrie neither thought he that the Prince either would or could haue caused the countrie of Burgundie to rebel as afterward he did at the lest the greatest part therof But I will heere leaue these Burgundies affaires till another conuenient place shall serue to speake further thereof The Notes 1 This Prince of Orenge was Iohn de Chaslons the Prince of Orenge that now is is of the house of Nassaw 2 The olde copie hath Chasteauguion Annal. Burgund Chaumergnon Annal. Franc. Chauuerguion and so vndoubtedly it is to be read for Chasteauguion was brother to this Prince of Orenge Gaguin How the King entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundie to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions Chap. 2. THose that heerafter shall reade this historie and happily vnderstand the affaires both of this realme and the countries bordering vpon it better than my selfe will maruell that since the death of Duke Charles I haue hitherto by the space almost of one whole yeere made no mention of the English men and will woonder that they suffered the King to take the townes bordering so neere vpon them namely Arras Bolloin Ardres and Hedin with diuers other castels and to lie so long with his campe before Saint Omer 1 But you shall vnderstand that the reason thereof was for that our King in wisedome and sense surmounted far Edward King of England then
the English men Notwithstanding the King of England was oftentimes earnestly pressed by this yoong Princes for aide and therefore sent ambassadors often to negotiate with the King our Master about these affaires desiring him to grant hir either peace or truce Now you shall vnderstand that those that were at the debating of these matters in England especially in their parlament which is an assembly of the three estates where diuers wise men were present that smelt our dissimulation a far off and receiued no pension of the King as the others did were verie desirous and yet the commons of the realme more desirous that the King of England should send aide without further delay to the saide Ladie saying that we heere did but abuse them and that the marriage should neuer be accomplished alleaging that at the treatie made at Picquigny betweene the two Kings we had faithfully sworne and promised that the King of Englands daughter whom they had already called the Ladie Daulphinesse should be sent for into Fraunce within a yeere which terme was now long expired But what reasons soeuer the subiects made the King would giue no eare thereunto but alleaged diuers excuses to the contrarie And to say the truth he was a verie corpulent man and much giuen to pleasures neither could his body endure the toile of the wars Further he had wound himselfe out of great troubles and was loth to enter into them againe The couetousnes also of the 50000. crownes yeerly paid him in the tower of London qualified his minde Besides all this his ambassadors that came hither were so courteously entertained and so well rewarded that they departed euer well contented but they neuer receiued any resolute answere for the King sought onely to protract the time euer saying that ere it were long he would send to the King their Master certain noble men with such assurance of those matters he stood in doubt of as he knew well would content him According to the which promise within three weekes or a moneth after these ambassadors departure sometime more sometime lesse which was no small delaie in such a case he vsed to send ambassadors to the K. of England but at euery voiage sundrie men to the end that if the former had made any ouerture not performed the latter might plaid ignorance therin They also that were sent perswaded so well the King of England that we meant nothing but good faith that he lay still and neuer stirred for both he and the Queen his wife so much desired this marriage that partly for this cause and partly for the other reasons aboue alleaged he was content to winke at this war which some of his Counsell tould him plainely to be verie preiudiciall to his realme But he feared the breach of this marriage bicause men began alreadie to scoffe at it in England especially such as desired rebellion and ciuill war Now to discourse a little vpon this point You shall vnderstand that the King our Master neuer meant to accomplish this mariage bicause there was no equalitie betweene the age of the two parties for King Edwards daughter at this present Queene of England was much elder than the Daulphin now raigning But by these dissimulations a moneth or two was gayned in running to and fro by which meanes the King foded foorth his enimie one whole sommer wherein he might haue done him harme For vndoubtedly if the King of England had not hoped vpon this marriage he would neuer haue suffered the King to take the places bordering so neere vpon the English dominions but haue sought to defend them and if at the beginning he had declared himselfe for the Ladie of Burgundie the King who was by nature timorous and would put nothing in aduenture had neuer weakened this house of Burgundie as he hath Thus much I write chiefly to shew how these affaires passed and secondarily to the end that if heerafter those that haue to manage great affaires happen to reade this historie they may thereby learne how to helpe themselues in the like case for be their wisedome neuer so great yet a small aduertisement doth good many times True it is that if this Lady of Burgundy would haue consented to marrie the Lord Riuers the Queene of Englands brother she should haue beene aided with great force but this had been an vnequall match for he was but a poore Earle and she one of the greatest inheritors in hir time Many practises were entertained betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and amongst others the King offered him that if he would ioine with him and passe ouer in person into the Lady of Burgundies countries he would be contented that the King of England should hold the countrie of Flaunders without homage and also the Duchie of Brabant offering further to conquer for him at his proper costs and charges fower of the greatest townes in Brabant and to put them into the King of Englands hands to wage him 10000. English men for fower moneths to the end he might the better sustaine the charge of the wars and to lend him great store of artillerie and men and carriage to conuey it and attend vpon it with this condition that the King of England should conquer the countrie of Flaunders during the time the King our Master inuaded on the other side Whereunto the King of England made answer that the townes of Flaunders were strong and great and both that countrey and also the countrey of Brabant hard to be kept if they were conquered adding further that this war liked not the English men bicause of their entercourse with those countries But seeing it pleased the King to make him partaker of his conquest if he would giue him certaine townes he had alreadie conquered in Picardie as Bolloin and diuers other which he named he would then be contented to declare himselfe for him and send men to serue him if he would pay them which was a verie wise answer The Notes 1 The King could not take Saint Omer for the Lord of Chanteraine valiantly defended it Reade De la Marche lib. 2. cap. 9. pag. 410. 2 Others write but 295. others 296. and others 299. How the marriage betweene the Ladie of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterwards Emperor was concluded and accomplished Chap. 3. DIuers practises were entertained as before you haue heard betweene these two Kings to delay time but in the meane while the Ladie of Burgundies force still diminished for of those few men that remained aliue after hir fathers death diuers reuolted from hir to the King especially after Monseur de Cordes was entred into his seruice for he led away a great troupe with him Others necessitie forced to shrinke from hir bicause they dwelt either within the townes the King had already conquered or neere vnto them Some also put themselues into his seruice to be enriched for no Prince dealt so liberally with his men as the King our Master did Moreouer
this mariage was accomplished in August 1477. Introduct de la Marche so that he was eighteen yeeres old and sixe moneths when he was married 3 This is Philip father to the Emperors Charles the fift and Ferdinande he was borne the 23. of Iune 1478. and died the 25. of September 1506. 4 This Margaret is she whom they of Gaunt against hir fathers will betrothed to King Charles the 8. as Commines writeth in this booke cap. 9. The said King Charles neuer accomplished the mariage with hir but being growen to mans estate sent hir home to hir father as Commines writeth lib. 7. cap. 3. Afterward she married the Prince of Castile as is mentioned lib. 8. cap. 17. and lastly Philibert Duke of Sauoy She was borne anno 1480. de la Marche 5 This Frauncis was borne anno 1481. Introduct de la Marche he died a childe and another sonne also as other historiographers report named George 6 Or rather the fift for she was married anno 1477. and died 1482. as our author in the 7. chapter of this booke reporteth She was borne anno 1457. and King Lewis christened hir Meyer Annal. Burgund 7 She died 2. of March an 1482. by reason that through womanly bashfulnes she would not suffer hir thigh vvhich vvas broken vvith the fall from hir horse to be cured but chose rather to die How King Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundie which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him Chap. 4. THe war endured still in Burgundy where the King could not atchieue his enterprise bicause the Prince of Orenge being reuolted from him was made lieutenant of the Burgundians and had some aide of the Almaines for his money but not in fauor of Duke Maximilian for as touching him there neuer came man into the countrey for his seruice at the least during the time I now write of But these Almains were certaine bands of Swissers that serued the Prince of Orenge as aduenturers but not as Maximilians waged soldiers for the Swissers are not friends nor well willers of the house of Austrich other aide this countrey of Burgundy had little notwithstanding inough it might haue had if their paiment had been good And as touching aide no man might better haue giuen it than Duke Sigismunde of Austriche Duke Maximilians vncle 1 whose dominions bordered vpon these countries of Burgundy especially the County of Ferrette which a fewe yeeres before 2 he sould for 100000. gildons to Charles Duke of Burgundy and tooke it afterwards againe without paying backe the money 3 by the which title he yet possesseth it He was a man of small wisdome and little regarding his honor and in such friends men finde small helpe Further he was one of those Princes aboue mentioned that vnderstand nothing of their owne affaires further then it pleaseth their seruants to acquaint them with who are euer plagued for their beastlines in their age as this Duke Sigismunde was For his seruants during these wars made him take part with whom them listed so that for the most part he ioined with the King our Master against his nephew and would haue giuen his inheritance being very large from his owne kindred to a strange house for he neuer had childe notwithstanding that he were twise married But now within these three moneths by the perswasion of another faction of his seruants he hath conueied a present estate of his whole patrimony to the said Maximiliam his nephew King of Romaines reseruing to himself a pension onely amounting to the third part of his reuenues without any further power or authority in the countrey But as I haue heard he hath often repented him thereof and if I haue heard a lie yet it is like inough to be true Such is the end of all Princes that liue like beasts against whom I inueigh thus vehemently bicause of the great office and charge that God hath giuen them in this world Notwithstanding those that are bereft of their wits ought to be free from all reproch but sure those that haue good wits and healthfull bodies and yet employ their time in nothing but folly and idlenes are not to be moaned when any misfortune falleth vpon them as on the other side those that spend their time according to their age somtime in wisdome and councell and somtime in honest ' recreation are greatly to be commended and happie be the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince This war in Burgundie endured long bicause of the Swissers small aide aboue mentioned notwithstanding the Kings force was much too strong for them besides that the Burgundians lacked monie for the which cause the garrisons that were in the strong places turned by intelligence Monseur de Cran the Kings lieutenant there laide the siege before Dolle the chiefe citie of the countie of Burgundie the force within it being so small that he despised it which turned to his losse for they salied foorth and assaulted him on a sudden and tooke part of his artillerie and slue certaine of his men which was a great dishonor to him and put him also into the Kings disgrace who being troubled with this accident determined to send a new gouernor into Burgundie partly bicause of this misfortune and partly bicause of the great pillings and pollings the said de Cran had vsed in the countrie which were in deede too excessiue Notwithstanding before his departure he ouerthrew a band of Almains and Burgundians and tooke prisoner Monseur de Chasteauguion 4 the greatest Lord in Burgundie Other exploit none was done that I haue heard of notwithstanding the report went that the said de Cran behaued himselfe there very valiantly as touching his owne person The King as before I said determined for the reasons aboue alleaged to place a new gouernor in Burgundie not diminishing any whit of the said de Crans profits offices or estates saue onely that he tooke from him all his men of armes except halfe a dosen or a dosen archers left to accompanie him home This Monseur de Cran was a very grosse man and willingly departed to his owne house where he liued at ease The King placed in his roome Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont a valiant wise and diligent gentleman Moreouer he practised to win all the Almaines that made war against him in Burgundie to his seruice not so much to vse their helpe as thereby to conquer the easilier the rest of the countrie The King sent also to the Swissers whom he called the Lords of these Almaine leagues making them many goodly offers for he promised a yeerely pension of 20000. franks 5 to their townes which be fower Berne Lucerne Zurich and I think Fribourg was the fourth Their Cantons also as I suppose receiued part of this pension which be three villages situate in the mountains namely Swisse whereof the whole countrie is named Soleurre and Ondreual other 20000. franks he
promised yeerely to the said Swissers gouernors and to certaine particular men that should further his affaires Moreouer he enrolled himselfe one of their Burgesses desired to be their principall confederate and to haue writings thereof wherein though they made some difficultie at the first bicause the Duke of Sauoy had euer been their chiefe confederate yet in the end they granted him his demaunds and promised to send continually to his seruice 6000. men vnder this condition that their entertainment should be monethly fower gildons and a halfe which band continued in pay till the Kings death 6 A poore Prince had not been able to do this but sure it turned greatly to the Kings profit though in the end I thinke it will be their destruction For now they flowe so with monie especially with gold wherewith before they were vnacquainted that they are readie to fall at variance among themselues otherwise no man should be able to annoy them For their countrie is so poore and so full of mountaines and themselues so good soldiers that few woulde seeke to inuade them After these treaties were ended and all the Almaines in Burgundie woon to the Kings seruice the Burgundians force was cleane broken To be short after diuers new enterprises atchieued by the gouernor the Lord of Chaumont he besieged Rochfort a castell neere to Dolle defended by Master Claude de Vauldray and yeelded by composition Afterward he besieged the towne of Dolle from the siege whereof his predecessor in this office was raised as before you haue heard and tooke it by assault The report was that some of these Almaines lately receiued into the Kings seruice thought to haue entered the towne to defend it but so many franke archers thronged in with them not vnderstanding their treason but onely for desire of gaine that after they were once entred they fell all to the spoile and burned and destroied the towne A few daies after the taking whereof the gouernor besieged Aussonne a very strong town but he had good intelligence within it And before he brought the siege thither he writ to the King desiring that the offices of the towne might be bestowed vpon certaine whom he named which request was foorthwith granted Although I were not present at these actions yet vnderstood I of them both by the reports made thereof to the King and also by the letters written to him the which oftentimes I my selfe perused to make answer therunto by his commandement The force within Aussonne was but small and the captaines had intelligence with the gouernor by meanes whereof within fiue or sixe daies the place was yeelded Thus was all Burgundie conquered saue three or fower castels situate vpon mountaines namely Ieu and certaine others and the towne of Bezanson which is imperiall not subiect to the countie of Burgundie but enuironed therewith and therefore at the commandement of the Prince thereof The gouernor entred into it for the King and came foorth againe they of the towne doing vnto him all such seruices as they were accustomed in times past to do to the Princes of Burgundie Thus was all Burgundie subdued by the gouernors great diligence whereunto the King earnestly pressed him doubting that he would leaue some place vnconquered to the end his helpe might be needed there still and he not be called from thence to serue the King in some other place For Burgundie is a fruitfull countrie whereof he disposed as of his owne so that both the Lord of Cran before named and this gouernor also filled their bags wel there The countrie remained quiet awhile vnder the gouernment of the said Lord of Chaumont notwithstanding certaine places namely Beaune Verdun and others 7 rebelled soone after at the which time I my selfe was there sent thither by the King with the pensioners of his house who neuer had captaine ouer them before but sithence continually The said places aboue rehearsed were soone recouered by the wisedome and conduct of the gouernor and by his enimies lacke of conduct and good order Whereby you may perceiue what difference God of his goodnes hath set betweene man and man for to that part which he meaneth to protect and defend he giueth the wisest men and likewise wisedome to those that are in authoritie to imploy the wisest Further he hath alwaies shewed and doth daily shew himselfe in all things a defender and protector of our Kings not onely of our Master that dead is but of the King likewise now raigning notwithstanding that somtime they taste also of his scourges They that lost againe these townes thus reuolted were force sufficient to haue defended them if they had with speede put themselues into them but through their negligence they gaue the gouernor leisure to leuie men which was great follie for they knew well ynough his estate considering the great fauor all the countrie bare them Wherefore they ought to haue entred with speed into Beaune being a strong towne and of defence as the others were not The selfesame day that the gouernor went to besiege a little beggerly towne called Verdun being well informed of the state thereof these Burgundians entered there minding to put themselues into Beaune They were sixe hundred choise men horsemen and footmen partly Almaines and partly of the countie of Ferrette led by certaine expert gentlemen of Burgundie of the which Simon of Quinchy was one But they spent time at Verdun while they might haue entred into Beaune which the gouernor could neuer haue recouered if they had once been within it But for lack of good counsell they staied a night too long in Verdun where they were besieged and taken by assault Afterward Beaune was also besieged and all that was lost recouered since the which time our enimies were neuer of any force in Burgundie I was at this present in the countrie with the Kings pensioners as you haue heard from whence the King reuoked me bicause of a certaine letter written to him wherein he was aduertised that I forbare to lodge our men of armes in certaine Burgesses houses of Dyion This with another small suspicion conceiued of me caused him suddenly to send me to Florence to which his commandement I obeied as reason was and departed so soone as I had my dispatch The Notes 1 This Sigismund was not vncle to Maximilian as other histories report but cosin germane to his father for Ernestus father to the Emperor Friderick and Fridericus Seinor this Duke Sigismunds father were brethren sonnes to Leopold Duke of Austriche slaine in battell by the Swissers anno 1386. 2 He sold it ann 1469. 3 Others write that the monie was paied to a merchant of Basill to the Duke of Burgundies vse and the paiement signified to the said Duke who would not accept it vnles it were paied at Bezanson 4 This vvas the Prince of Orenges brother vvho came to leuie the siege that Monseur de Cran held before Gy vvhere he had besieged the said Prince of Orenge vvith
before and appointed me also to be his bedfellow notwithstanding that I were vnwoorthy of that honor and that diuers others were fitter for that place than my selfe but he was so wise that no man could faile to please him if he executed his commandements without adding ought thereto of his owne braine The Notes 1 This Archbishops name was Francis Saluiat and this vprore was the 27. of Aprill anno 1478. Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate Chap. 6. AT my returne the King our Master looked somwhat aged and his body was disposed to sicknes but his disease brake not foorth as yet His affaires he gouerned with great wisedome and the war endured still in Picardie wherewith he was not a little discontented as were his enimies also in the said countrie but they could not remedie it The Duke of Austriche now King of Romans hauing the Flemmings this yeere at his deuotion laid the siege before Therouenne but Monseur de Cordes the Kings lieutenant in Picardie leuied all the forces the King had in that countrie and the frontiers thereabout to the number of eight thousand franke archers and went to succour the place Whom when the Duke of Austriche perceiued to approch he leuied his siege and marched against him the two armies met at a place called Guinegate The Duke had of Flemmings to the number of twenty thousand or better and certaine Almaines togither with three hundred English men led by an English Knight that had serued Charles Duke of Burgundie called sir Thomas Abrigan The Kings horsemen being much stronger than their enimies brake the Dukes horsemen and pursued them and Master Philip of Rauastain their captaine as far as Ayre whereupon the Duke ioined himselfe with his footemen The King had in this armie at the least 1100. men of armes of his ordinarie retinue 1 all the which followed not the chase but Monseur de Cordes who was generall did and Monseur de Torcy with him which was a valiant deede but against the law of armes for the captaines of the vaward and rereward ought not to follow the chase Some of the Dukes horsemen retired vnder colour of defending the strong places but others fled in good earnest The Dukes footmen fled not yet were they vpon the point so to do but they had with them on foote two hundred valiant gentlemen their leaders among whom were the Lord of Romont of the house of Sauoye the Earle of Nassaw and diuers others yet liuing The courage of these gentlemen staied the footemen which was a woonder considering they saw their horsemen broken The Kings franke archers fell to spoile the Dukes carriage and the straglers that followed it as victuallers and such like but certaine of the Dukes footmen set vpon them discomfited them and slue some of them The Dukes losse was greater than ours for more of his men were taken and more slaine 2 but the honor of the field was his And I thinke verily if he had returned to Therouenne he had not found a man neither in it nor in Arras and it was greatly to his losse that he durst not attempt so to do But in such cases men are not alwaies informed of the best and to say the truth great cause he had to feare that enterprise I speake of this battell but by hearsay for I was not present at it notwithstanding to continue the order of my historie somwhat I was forced to write thereof I was with the King when these newes were brought him which vndoubtedly nipped him at the verie hart for he was not accustomed to lose but had such successe in all his attempts that fortune seemed to be at his commandement which vndoubtedly his wisedome greatly furthered For he would hazard nothing neither feared any thing more than a battel and as touching this now mentioned it was fought without his knowledge His armies he made so strong that few Princes were able to encounter them he was better furnished of artillerie than any King that euer raigned in Fraunce he attempted alwaies to take places vpon a sudden especially such as he perceiued to be euill fortified which after he had once gotten he furnished so well both of men and artillerie that it was impossible for his enimies to recouer them Further if the captain of any strong place or any other within it would practise to yeeld it for monie he was sure of a copes mate neither would he shrinke were the summe neuer so great that was demanded but liberally giue it He was afeard at the first when newes was brought him of this battell supposing the truth had not been told him but that his whole force had beene ouerthrowen knowing if it were so all to be lost that he had conquered ouer this house of Burgundie in those parts and the rest in great danger but when he vnderstood the truth he tooke the matter patiently and was well ynough contented with Monseur de Cordes Notwithstanding he purposed to giue order that no more such enterprises should be attempted without his knowledge From this day forward he resolued to treate of peace with the Duke of Austriche so that it might be wholy to his owne aduantage and that he might thereby so bridle the said Duke by meanes of his owne proper subiects whom he knew to be inclined to practise against their Prince that he should neuer be able to do him harme Moreouer he was very desirous to redresse all disorders in his realme especially the long delaies of processes and sutes in law which thing the better to compas he minded to bridle the Court of parlament not by diminishing their number or authoritie but many things were done there against his minde for the which he hated it He was also desirous to reduce his whole realme to one custome and one kinde of waight and measure and further that all the lawes and customs should be written in the French toong in a faire booke to auoid the pillings and pollings of the Counsellors in law which are more excessiue in this realme than in any other as the nobilitie hath good cause to knowe And vndoubtedly if God had spared him life and health fiue or sixe yeeres longer he would haue done much good in the realme as great cause he had to do for he had more oppressed it than euer had any of his predecessors but neither authoritie nor perswasions could haue woon him to vnburden his people till it had come of himselfe as in his latter daies sure it would if God had preserued him from sicknes Wherefore it is requisite to do good while a man hath leisure health and vnderstanding The treatie the King desired to make with the Duke and Duchesse of Austrich and their dominions was this he meant by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to treate of a marriage betweene the Daulphin his sonne now our King and the daughter of the said Duke and Duchesse vnder
it with a great oath Which words put the King in such feare that euer after he flattered him and bestowed gifts vpon him which was a maruellous purgatorie to him in this world considering of how many noble men and gentlemen he had been obeied Moreouer he had caused diuers cruell prisons to be made as for example cages being eight foote square and one foote more than a mans height some of iron and some of wood plated with iron both within and without with horrible iron works He that first deuised them was the Bishop of Verdun who incontinent was himselfe put into the first that was made where he remained fowerteene yeeres Many haue cursed him for his deuise and among others my selfe for I lay in one of them vnder the King that now reigneth the space of eight moneths He had also caused certaine Almains to make terrible heauie irons to lay men in among the which there was a fetter to put on their feete very hard to be opened like to a carquan with a waightie chaine and a great iron ball at the end thereof heauy beyong all measure These irons were called the Kings nets Notwithstanding I haue seene diuers gentlemen lie in them as prisoners who came foorth afterward with great honor and were aduanced by him to great estates as for example a sonne of the Lord of Grutuze of Flaunders taken prisoner in the wars whom the King afterward richely maried and made one of his chamber Seneschall of Aniou and gaue him charge of a hundred launces and in like maner the Lord of Piennes and the Lord of Vergy taken prisoners also in the wars who both had charge of men of armes vnder the King and other goodly offices and were of the priuie chamber either to him or his sonne The like happened also to the Lord of Richbourg the Constables brother and to one Roquebertin of the country of Cathelonie being likewise taken prisoners in the wars whom he afterward highly aduanced with diuers others of diuers countries too long to reherse But now to returne to the matter As in his time these diuers and sundrie cruell prisons were deuised euen so he before his death laie in the like yea in a much crueller prison than any of them and was in greater feare than they that stood in feare of him which I account as a great grace towards him and as part of his purgatorie and rehearse it onely to shew that euery man of what estate or condition soeuer he be is punished either secretly or openly especially those that punish others Further the King a little before his death enclosed his castel of Plessis with a grate of iron bars and at the fower corners of the said castell caused fower strong-watch houses of iron to be built The said grate was made directly ouer against the castell wall round about the castell on the outer side of the ditch which was very steepe He caused also to be masoned into the wall a great number of iron speares each of them hauing diuers heads set close togither Moreouer he appointed ten crossebowe men to be continually in the said ditches and to lie in the fower iron houses built in the bottome of the said ditches and gaue them commandement to shoote at euery man that approched neere to the grate before the gate opened He knew well that this fortification was to no purpose against a great force or an armie but that he doubted not his onely feare was that certaine noble men of his realme hauing intelligence in the castell would attempt to enter into it in the night partly by loue and partly by force and take the gouernment vpon them and make him liue as a man bereft of his wits and vnwoorthie to rule The castell gate neuer opened before eight of the clocke in the morning neither was the drawe bridge let downe till that hower and then entred his officers and the captaines of his garde placed the ordinarie warders and appointed archers to the watch both at the gate and within the court as if it had beene a frontire towne straightly kept neither entred any man without the Kings commandement but by the wicket saue the stewards of his house and such like officers that went not to him Is it possible then to hold a King I meane vsing him like a Prince in a straiter prison than he held himselfe The cages wherein he held others were about eight foote square and he being so great a Prince had but a little court in the castell to walke in yea and seldome came he into that for vsually he kept himselfe in the gallerie from whence he neuer stirred but when he went to masse at which time he passed through the chambers and not through the Court. Thinke you that he was not in feare as well as others seeing he locked himselfe in after this sort kept himselfe thus close stood in such feare of his children and neerest kinsmen and changed and remooued his seruants from day to day whom he had brought vp and whose good estate depended wholy vpon him in such sort that he durst trust none of them but bound himselfe in these strange chaines and bands The place I confesse was larger than a common prison so was his estate greater than a common prisoners But a man will say peraduenture that other Princes haue been more suspicious than he whereunto I agree but none sure in our time neither any so wise as he nor that had so good subiects as he had as touching them peraduenture they were cruell tyrants but he neuer punished any without desert All this aboue written I haue rehearsed not so much to publish the suspicions of the King our Master as partly to prooue that the patient enduring of these passions being equall with those he had caused others to endure and of this sicknes being sharpe and troublesome to him and the which he feared greatly before he fell into it is to be accounted as a punishment God gaue him in this world to ease him in the world to come and partly to giue an example to those that shall come after him to haue some more compassion on their people than he had and to be lesse rigorous in punishing than he was Notwithstanding for my part I am not able to accuse him neither saw I euer a better Prince for though himselfe pressed his subiects yet would he suffer none other so to do friend or foe After all these feares sorrowes and suspicions God according to his accustomed goodnes wrought a miracle vpon him healing him both in soule and bodie for he tooke him out of this miserable world being perfect of sense vnderstanding and memorie hauing receiued all his sacraments without all griefe to mans iudgement and talking continually euen within a Pater noster while of his death so that he gaue order for his funerall and named those that should accompanie his bodie to the graue saying euer that he trusted to die
that happened in Britaine betweene the Duke and his Nobles and of Peter Landois death Chap. 3. ABout the same time or somewhat before that the mad tumult aboue mentioned happened in Fraunce a like stur chanced also in Britaine though not with the like euent the seedes of the which were priuily sowen in the life of Levvis the 11. but sprang not vp for feare of forren war with the which the saide King Lewis continually threatened the Britaines till after his death But then all forren feare which had hitherto preserued their peace being remooued the fire flamed out which vpon this occasion was first kindled Chauuin Chauncellor of Britaine a very woorthy man died miserably in pâison in the castell of L'hermite where the Duke had imprisoned him at the request of his Treasurer Peter Landois a hosiers sonne of Touars who after the said Chauuins death wholy possessed the Duke But the nobilitie namely the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux who were then at Nantes and hated this Landois as author of the others death conspired togither to his destruction for the executing of which their purpose they watched a time when they thought to surprise him either in the castell of Nantes with the Duke or in a house of his owne called Pabotiere a mile from the towne Wherefore they diuided their companie and part they sent to besiege the said house and with the rest entred into the castell and to the end he should by no meanes escape they shut vp the castell gates they searched euery corner of the castell yea they rushed into the Dukes chamber supposing that the saide Landois might happily haue retired himselfe thither in hope to make the D. presence the buckler of his defence But he being a mile from Nantes in his own house aboue mentioned escaped at a backe gate before the house was thoroughly beset and so saued himselfe But presently a great vprore began in the towne for one of the Dukes seruants at the noble mens first entrie into the castell being let downe the castell wall by a rope made a great outcrie in the towne aggrauating the hainousnes of the fact and affirming that the castell was forced the Duke assaulted and his life in great danger vnles he were speedily succoured The citizens ignorant that this attempt was made onely for the surprising of Peter Landois armed themselues and ran to the castell threatning all the nobilitie with death of whom not one durst shew himselfe vpon the wall to speake to the furious multitude bicause the people had planted shot against the castell meaning to spare no man so soone as he should appeere but the Duke alone The Duke being in the hands of his nobles shewed himselfe vnto his people who presently kneeled downe before him congratulating with him for his safetie and so the tumult ceased But the nobilitie for this bold attempt were banished though their liues were pardoned who presently retired themselues into Fraunce to King Charles as before you haue heard Then Peter recouered his former credit with the Duke and caused him to write to the Duke of Orleans his cosin germaine that it would please him to come to him into Britaine which the Duke of Orleans did by the perswasion of the Earle of Dunois who sought to diuorce him from the Kings sister and to marrie him with Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and heire which also happened after the said Duke of Orleans was King though it were not now accomplished The Duke of Orleans accompanied with the Duke of Alençon arriued at Nantes in the moneth of Aprill after this tumult being the yeere 1484. where they were honorably receiued of the Duke of Britaine who complained to them of the outrage done vnto him by the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux for the reuenge whereof he desired their aide which they promised him in generall termes and then departed to go to Reimes to the coronation of King Charles After the which the Duke of Orleans fell at variance with the King and yet in the end peace was concluded betweene them in the yeere 1485. as before you haue heard Then Peter Landois seeing the Duke his Master in league with the Duke of Orleans This hapned 1485. and the said Duke of Orleans and his faction in peace with the King determined to be reuenged of his enimies wherefore the Duke of Britaine by his perswasion made an edict that all the noble mens houses that had beene of the conspiracie aboue mentioned should be rased For the execution whereof an armie was leuied in the Dukes name to rase Ancenix where the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges then remained who being aduertised therof by the aide of their friends and of the banished Barons that were returned out of exile to defend their patrimonies leuied likewise an armie to withstand Landois attempts but when those two armies were come the one in face of the other the remembrance and loue to their common countrie altered their mindes in such sort that they disarmed themselues and each imbraced other as friends Then went the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges to the Duke and recouered his fauour and the gouernment by meanes whereof all the storme fell vpon Peter Landois alone whom when the nobles knew to be within the castell with one consent they went thither being fully resolued to seize vpon him though he were in the Dukes armes Then one whom both the nobilitie and commons had by common consent chosen their new Chauncellor by their constraint spake to the Duke and aduertised him that without the deliuerie of Peter the tumult could not be appeased against whom they would proceede onely by order of lawe without executing any thing vpon him before his cause were heard and throughly examined Thus was he yeelded into their hands and presently imprisoned and for fashions sake examined many hainous crimes were obiected against him To conclude he was condemned and hanged before the Duke knew his cause to be tried who was purposed to haue granted him his pardon howsoeuer law proceeded against him for the preuenting whereof the execution was hastened But this fact of the nobilitie which the Duke accounted as a most hainous iniurie done to himselfe made them ten times more odious to the Duke than they were before The Duke created a new Chauncellor and to make head against his nobles receiued very curteously the Duke of Orleans who about this present fled to him out of Fraunce with a great company of his partakers which when the said nobles of Britaine sawe they were greatly astonied and fled for feare the second time into Fraunce where the King meaning to make war vpon the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans being fled from him welcommed them and entred into league with them as in the end of the last chapter you haue heard The report went that the Duke of Orleans had a plot in his head
grounding himselfe vpon the Kings title to the said Duchie of Britaine which was said to grow by means of a certaine conueiance that Master Iohn of Brosse Lord of Boussac husband to dame Nicole of Britaine daughter and heire to Charles of Blois Earle of Ponthieure had made to the Kings ancestors togither with diuers other titles which were not yet prooued good adding that if the King had no right thereunto it should be a damnable and a tyrannous act to vsurpe another mans countrie that appertained not to him Wherefore his aduice was that according to the request of the ambassadors of Britaine being at Angiers certaine graue and learned men should be appointed to examine the right of both sides This opinion tooke place and according thereunto the King agreed with the ambassadors of Britaine that both he and the Duke would appoint some graue men of their Councell who should meete in some indifferent towne with the charters and writings of both sides to determine in conscience to whom the said Duchie did appertaine and that in the meane time the King should hold all the places in the said Duchie that alreadie he possessed The Duke of Britaine liked this agreement well and bicause the plague was vehement at Nantes he departed thence with his two daughters the Ladie of Laval the Lord of Alebret the Earle of Dunoys the Marshall of Rieux the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords to Coiron vpon the riuer of Loyer three leagues beneath Nantes where soone after namely vpon wednesday the seauenth of September in the same yeere 1488. he ended his life thorow a sicknes which he got by a fall leauing the gouernment both of his Duchie of Britaine and of his two daughters to the Marshall of Rieux to whom he appointed the Earle of Comminges for assistant His body was carried to Nantes and buried in the Church of the Carmelites Of the Kings mariage with the Ladie Anne of Britaine whereby Britaine was vnited to the crowne of Fraunce Chap. 6. Soone after the Duke of Britaines death died also Isabell his 1489. yoonger daughter by reason whereof the Ladie Anne remained his sole heire about whose mariage the nobles of Britaine fell at great variance for part of them inclined to the Lord of Alebret a great Lord in Guienne who also as it was reported but falsely was contracted to this yoong Princes with the Duke hir fathers consent but the daie before the Duke died but this faction was soone daunted bicause the yoong Ladie hir selfe vtterly refused this match part openly fauored furthered Maximilian the Emperor Fridericks sonne alleaging that he would not onely be a protector of the libertie of their countrey but also a strong rampier against all French attempts Neither was the King of Fraunce ignorant of this treatie but knew right well that ambassadors had passed to and fro betweene Maximilian and them so far foorth that the said Maximilian supposing al matters to be throughly concluded and agreed on began to imbrace al Britaine in his minde and thought no enterprise too high for him if to his low countries obtained by his first marriage he could now ioine the Duchy of Britaine by his second Great consultation was had in Fraunce how to repulse this terrible storme but Maximilians owne slacknes most furthered their deuises The K. councell in the end resolued that the King should refuse his wife being Maximilians daughter and seeke with all expedition the marriage of the Lady Anne of Britaine alleaging that the neighborhood of so mightie a Prince as Maximilian was could not be but dangerous to his estate of whom he could hope for nothing but dissembled friendship presently and assured war in time to come considering that the said Maximilian forgetting already his league and affinitie with the King stirred vp continually one war after another against him and by that meanes professed himselfe an open enimy to him and his realme Wherefore ambassadors were presently sent to treate of this marriage with the Lady Anne She at the first woondered at the matter and alleaged that she had giuen hir faith to Maximilian which she might not breake and further that she had beene solemnly married to him according to the accustomed maner of Princes by VVolfgangus Poleme of Austrich his proctor purposely sent by him into Britaine to that end But the Lady of Lauat and other noble women of Britaine whose company and familiarity this yoong Princes vsed and greatly delighted in being corrupted with French rewards and promises perswaded hir that this French match should be most for hir safety and auancement alleaging that if she married with Maximilian he should hardly be able to defend Britaine whereof already they had good proofe considering that he had euer disappointed them of the succors he had promised to send them And as touching hir scruple of conscience they said that the Pope who had power ouer all lawes Ecclesiasticall would easily be brought to dispence therwith the rather bicause this match should be best for hir safety and for the preseruation of hir estate The yoong Princesse though she were of a singular wit and rare vertues yet being vanquished by these perswasions yeelded to their request and deliuered both hirselfe and hir countrey into the Kings hands and soone after was the marriage solemnly accomplished to the great reioicing of the French And thus receiued Britaine the French yoake to the great griefe of all the subiects who desired to be gouerned by a particular Duke of their owne as they had euer been in times past Not long after this marriage the Earle of Dunois who had been the principall instrument of the peace a great furtherer of the mariage therby throughly reconciled to the K. suddenly died as he was on horsebacke for want of meat as it was said When the K. had set all things in good order in Britaine he returned into Fraunce and appointed that the Ladie Margaret of Flanders should remaine accompanied with the Princes of Tarent in the castell of Melun vpon the riuer of Seine Maximilian was forewarned of al these French practises and seemed to make no account of them but when he perceiued this marriage to be accomplished it doubled his hatred against the King so far foorth that he openly railed vpon him and vowed himselfe to destroy France with fire and sword and presently inuaded Picardie But the Lord of Cordes gouernor thereof made head against him and valiantly defended the countrey to his owne honor and the profit of Fraunce Further Maximilian meaning a thorow reuenge vpon this realme stirred vp the English men the ancient enimies of the crowne to passe into Fraunce promising them great aide both of men and money out of his dominions Wherefore I wil heere speake a word or two of the affaires of England bicause the Englishmen are our next neighbors and both in peace and war haue euer to do with vs and we with them Of the troubles in
said The towne was spoiled by the soldiers bicause Maximilian was behinde with them for certaine moneths paie Saint Omers was also taken at the same time though some refer it to an other time but whensoeuer it was taken this is most certaine that the negligence of the watch was the losse thereof For the enimies being led by George Deberfin made shew at their first comming before the towne as though they would haue scaled it at which time the French soldiers were ready to withstand them vpon the wals being strong and very defensible both by nature and by Arte whereupon the enimies vnder pretence of feare retired into their campe yea and further when the French issued foorth to skirmish with them they euer retired faining the like feare which dissimulation they vsed by the space of eight daies and by this their pollicie caused the French to remit much of their accustomed industry and diligence which when the Burgundians and Almaines perceiued they with great expedition reared ladders against the wals and bulwarks of the town which they easily entered the watch being fast a sleepe and in some place no watch at all Then brake they open the gates slew the French soldiers and the citizens and so became Masters of the towne At the same time was Amiens also attempted by the Burgundians in the night and like to haue been surprised by the like negligence of the watch but Katherine de Liques a woman of a manlike courage awaked the watch out of their dead sleepe by meanes whereof the alarme was sounded and all the towne arose in armes and part went to defend the wals and the rest issued foorth and skirmished and put to flight Maximilians bands who plainly confessed that the diligence and industrie of one woman had wrong the victory out of their hands Of the restitution of the Counties of Roussillon Parpignan to the King of Spaine of the Emperor Fridericks death of the peace between the King of Romaines and the King and of the Duke of Orleans deliuery out of prison Chap. 8. FErdinand King of Arragon desired nothing more than to recouer 1492 out of the Kings hands the counties of Roussillon and Parpignan engaged by him as he said to King Lewis the eleuenth for fiftie thousand crownes But the nobles of Fraunce would not condescend to this restitution bicause the two Counties were a rampier for the realme on that side towards Spaine adding that they were not engaged to King Lewis but absoulutely solde And notwithstanding that the King of Spaine alleaged that King Lewis by his last will and Testament had commanded the said Counties to be restored knowing that they were wrongfully withheld yet his perswasions and allegations little auailed Wherefore he perceiuing that this way no good would be done fell to practise with men of religion hoping by their preaching of conscience to King Charles to win that of him that otherwise he saw no meanes to obtaine Wherefore he corrupted with a great summe of mony Oliuer Maillard or as others write Iohn de Mauleon a frier Franciscane confessor to the Lady of Beauieu the Kings sister who vnder his coule of religion cloking his hypocrisie and couetousnes perswaded hir that except restitution were made of these territories to the King of Spaine the King hir brothers gouerment could not prosper nor please God She being mooued in conscience by this friers perswasions brake this matter to Lewis of Amboise bishop of Alby the Kings schoolmaster who togither with hir so terrified the Kings conscience that he did not onely make restitution of the said territories by the hands of the said bishop whom he sent thither to deliuer them but also freely released to the King of Arragon all the money that King Levvis his father had paid for them with these conditions that the said King of Arragon and his successors should euer after loue and honor the realme of Fraunce that he should make no war against it nor aide with money victuals or councell any of the enimies thereof nor permit them to haue passage through his dominions And thus were these countries restored greatly to the French mens griefe and dammage but in truth the King the rather inclined to restore them bicause hee began already by the perswasion of those that were about him to phansie a voiage into Italie for the recouerie of the realme of Naples which afterward tooke effect though the King both now long after this kept his purpose secret to himselfe and one or two more which voiage I thinke was the principall cause that induced him to restore the foresaid countries thereby to tie the King of Spaine to him that he should not trouble him in his enterprise but he misreckoned himselfe for he was no sooner past the mountaines but the King of Spaine forgot all his kindnes and fell to practise a league with his enimies While these matters passed thus in Fraunce Friderick the Emperor died to The Emperor Frederick died 19. of August 1493. whom his sonne Maximilian succeeded who notwithstanding was neuer crowned neither greatly desired so to be although with a small request he might haue obtaied it The Emperor Maximilian purposing to quiet the state of the Empire troubled by his fathers death seemed more enclined to peace with the King than heertofore he had beene which happened verie fortunately for the Kings affaires for without Maximilian were pacified his voiage into Italie must of force haue staide but both the parties by this meanes inclining to concord the peace was soone concluded the Emperors daughter was restored vnto him and the countie of Artois togither with all the townes he quarrelled And thus the King being in peace with all his neighbours namely with the Emperor and the Kings of England and Spaine and possessing the Duchie of Britaine quietly by his mariage and by that meanes hauing no body to feare began wholie to dispose himselfe to his voiage into Italie whereupon his minde was altogither fixed Further about this verie time the King at the earnest sute and continuall teares of his sister Iane a Ladie of singular pietie and chastitie restored not onely to liberty but also to his fauor and familiaritie Lewis Duke of Orleans husband to the saide Ladie taken prisoner at the battell of Saint Albin in Britaine as before you haue heard whereby as the King deserued great commendations for his clemencie in preseruing his enimie taken in battell and restoring him to his former dignitie and honor so did he also thereby prouide that no discontented subiect at home should trouble his estate in his absence in his voiage to Naples whereunto the historie of Commines now calleth vs which from the death of King Lewis the eleuenth till this present I haue supplied out of other good authors bicause the said Commines being imprisoned or in disgrace almost euer sithence King Lewis his death till the saide voiage of Naples whereat he was present was silent and left nothing
Court to high authoritie and estimation the said Duke of Lorraine to haue him for their support and aide for he was a hardie gentleman more than a courtier not doubting but easily to rid their hands of him at their pleasure as also they did when they found themselues strong ynough and the force of the Duke of Orleans 9 and others whom I neede not name so weakned that it was no more to be feared But after the fower yeeres expired they could no longer hold the Duke of Lorraine vnlesse they would put him in possession of the countie of Prouence or assure him of it by writing at a daie and continue still his pension of sixe and thirtie thousand franks wherunto bicause they would not condescend he departed the Court greatly discontented Fower or fiue moneths before his departure a good ouerture was made vnto him if he would haue embraced it for the whole realme of Naples rebelled against King Ferrande bicause of his great tyrannie and his childrens so far foorth that all the nobles and the third part of the realme yeelded themselues to the Church Notwithstanding King Ferrande being aided by the Florentines pressed them sore for the which cause the Pope and the saide Nobles of the realme that had rebelled sent for the Duke of Lorraine purposing to crowne him King and so forward the enterprise was that the Gallies and the Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula who should haue conueighed him thither staied for him a long time at Genua during the which space he was busied with these broiles in Court and delaied his departure notwithstanding that he had messengers with him from all the Nobles of the said realme earnestly pressing him to come with speede To be short the King and his Councell shewed themselues willing by all meanes they could to aide and succour him and gaue him sixtie thousand franks whereof he receiued twentie thousand but lost the rest and agreed also that he should leade with him the hundred launces that were vnder his charge promising further to send ambassadors round about in his fauoure Notwithstanding the King was now nineteen yeeres of age or more and gouerned by those aboue named who daily beat into his head that the realme of Naples of right appertained to himselfe which I write bicause diuers of meane estate raised great contention about this matter as I vnderstood both by certaine of the ambassadors sent to Rome Florence Genua and other places in the Duke of Lorraines fauor and also by the Duke himselfe when he passed through Moulins where I then lay with Iohn Duke of Bourbon bicause of the troubles in court But his enterprise was now halfe lost through his long delaie I went foorthwith to recieue him notwithstanding that he had deserued no such curtesie at my hands for he was one of those that chased me from the Court 10 with rough and discourteous words yet now he made the most of me that might be lamenting much the gouernment of the estate He abode at Moulins two daies with Iohn Duke of Bourbon and then tooke his iourney towards Lyons To conclude his friends were so wearied and weakned bicause of his long delay that the Pope made peace and the nobles of the realme also who vnder suretie thereof went to Naples where they were all taken prisoners notwithstanding that both the Pope the Venetians the King of Spaine and the Florentines had vndertaken to see the treatie kept and obserued and had sworne and promised the Nobles safetie The Prince of Salerne escaped and came into Fraunce refusing to be comprehended in the treatie as one well acquainted with King Ferrands humor but the Duke of Lorraine returned into his countrey with dishonor and lost his credit with the King lost his men of armes and lost also the pension of sixe and thirtie thousand franks which he receiued for Prouence and euen at this present being the yeere 1497. he liueth yet in this estate The Notes 1 King Charles was crowned ann 1484. in Iune 2 This cosin german must be referred to King Lewis 3 For King Rene made Charles his brothers sonne his heire omitting this Duke of Lorraine his daughters sonne 4 The pedegree in the end of the worke will make this title plaine 5 The author vnder the name of Sicilie comprehendeth the realme of Naples also bicause both the realmes bare the name of Sicilie the one beyond the other on this side the far 6 By nephew he meaneth brothers sonne 7 Vnderstand this of the realme of Sicilie and Naples 8 This de Grauille was after Admirall of Fraunce 9 Madam de Beauieu Duchesse of Bourbon was appointed by King Lewis and the three estates gouernor of King Charles hir brother but the Duke of Orleans called after Lewis the 12. withstood the decree and was in armes with diuers noble men demanding the gouenrment as the first Prince of blood as in my Supply is mentioned at large against these they heere named called the Duke of Lorraine 10 For Philip de Commines was a follower of the Duke of Orleans as himselfe writeth in the last chapter of the last booke How the Prince of Salerne in the realme 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 Chap. 2. THe Prince of Salerne fled to Venice where he was well friended accompanied with three of his nephewes sonnes to the Prince of Bisignan 1 There they asked counsell of the Seniorie as the Prince himselfe told me whether it would please them that they should retire to the Duke of Lorraine the King of Fraunce or the King of Spaine They answered that the Duke of Lorraine was a dead man vnable to do them good and that the King of Spaine should be too strong if to the yle of Sicilie and the other places which he held in the Venetian gulfe he should ioine the realme of Naples adding that he was alreadie mightie vpon the sea wherefore they aduised him to go into Fraunce saying that with the Kings of Fraunce 2 that had held the said realme they had euer liued in perfect amitie and friendship and found them alwaies good neighbors But I supose they thought not the enterprise would haue fallen out as afterward it did Thus these noble men aboue named came into Fraunce where they were curteously receiued but their entertainment was small They followed their sute earnestly the space of two yeeres addressing themselues wholy to Stephan de Vers then Seneschall of Beaucaire and of the Kings priuie chamber One day they liued in hope another in despaire but their friends vsed great diligence in Italie specially at Milan whereof Iohn Galeas was Duke not the great Iohn Galeas that lieth buried in the Charterhouse of Pauia but he that was sonne to Duke Galeas and the Duchesse Bonne daughter to the Duke of Sauoy a man of no great sense The said Duchesse
the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist in the yeere 1498. at which time he was bound to restore them also to the said Archduke and so he promised and sware to do Whether the alteration of these mariages agreed with the lawes of holy Church or no let others iudge for many Doctors of diuinitie said yea and many nay but were these lawfull or vnlawfull sure all these Ladies were vnfortunate in their issue Our Queene had three sonnes successiuely one after another in fower yeeres one of them 3 liued almost three yeeres and then died and the other two be dead also The Lady Margaret of Austriche was afterward married to the Prince of Castile onely sonne to the King and Queene of Castile and heire both of Castile and diuers other realmes The said Prince died the first yeere of his marriage in the yeere of our Lord 1497. leauing his wife great bellied 4 who immediately after hir husbands death fell in trauel before hir time and was deliuered of a dead borne childe which misfortune the King and Queene of Castile and their whole realme lamented a long time The King of Romanes immediately after this change aboue mentioned married the daughter of Galeas Duke of Milan sister to Duke Iohn Galeas before named the which marriage was made by the Lord Lodouics onely procurement but it displeased greatly both the Princes of the Empire and many also of the King of Romanes friends bicause she was not of a house noble ynough in their opinion to match with their Emperor For as touching the Viscounts of whom the Dukes of Milan are descended small nobilitie is in them and lesse yet in the Sforces for the first of that house was Francis Sforce Duke of Milan whose father was a shoomaker 5 dwelling in a little towne called Cotignoles but a very valiant man though not so valiant as his sonne who by meanes of the great fauour the people of Milan bare his wife being bastard daughter to Duke Philip Marie made himselfe Duke and conquered and gouerned the whole countrie not as a tyrant but as a good and iust Prince so that in woorthines and vertue he was comparable to the noblest Princes that liued in his daies Thus much I haue written to shew what followed the change of these marriages neither know I what may yet heerafter ensue further thereof The Notes 1 Annal. Burgund vvrite vvith Philip the King of Romaines sonne but the best vvriters agree vvith our author 2 Maximilian vvas chosen King of Romaines anno 1486. Funccius 3 Of this childes death he vvriteth lib. 8. cap. 13. 4 Of this Princes death he vvriteth at large lib. 8. cap. 17. 5 Francis Sforces father as some write vvas first a cooke in the campe after he became a soldier and lastly for his valor vvas made a captaine and a knight How the King sent to the Venetians to practise with them before he enterprised his voiage to Naples and of the preparation that was made for the said voiage Chap. 4. NOw to returne to the principall matter you haue heard of the Earle of Caiazzes the other ambassadors departure from the King at Paris and of diuers practises entertained in Italy and how the King as yoong as he was greatly affected this voiage notwithstanding that as yet he discouered his meaning but to the Seneschall and generall onely Further he required the Venetians to giue him aide and counsell in this enterprise who answered him that he should be welcome into Italy but that aide him they could not bicause they stood in doubt of the Turke yet were they in peace with him and as touching counsell it should be too great presumption in them to giue counsell to so wise a Prince hauing so graue a counsell about him but they promised rather to helpe him than hinder him This they tooke to be a wise answer and so was it I confesse But notwithstanding that they gouerne their affaires more circumspectly than any Prince or commonaltie in the world yet God will alwaies haue vs to know that wisedome and forecast of man auaile nought when he is purposed to strike the stroke For he disposed of this enterprise far otherwise than they imagined for they thought not that the King would haue come in person into Italy neither stoode they in any feare of the Turke notwithstanding their forged excuse for the Turke then raigning was a man of no valor 1 but they hoped by this meanes to be reuenged of the house of Arragon which they hated extremely both the father and the sonne bicause by their perswasion as they said the Turke came to Scutary 2 I meane the father of this Turke called Mahumet Ottoman who tooke Constantinople and greatly endammaged the said Venetians But apart to Alphonse D. of Calabria they had many other quarrels for they charged him first as the onely author of the war the D. of Ferrara mooued against them wherin they consumed such infinit treasure that it had well neere cleane vndone them of the which war a word or two hath been spoken before Secondarily that he had sent a man purposely to Venice to poison their cesterns at the least as many as might be come vnto for diuers of them be enclosed and locked They vse there none other water for they are inuironed with the sea and sure that water is very good 3 as my selfe can witnes for twice I haue been at Venice and in my last voiage dranke of it eight moneths togither But the chiefe cause of their hatred against this house of Arragon was none of these aboue rehersed but for that the said house kept them froÌ growing great as well in Italy as Greece on both the which countries they had their eies fixed notwithstanding they had lately conquered the I le of Cyprus vpon no title in the world 4 For all these considerations the Venetians thought it their profit that war should arise betweene the King and the house of Arragon but they supposed that it could not haue ended so soon as it did that it shuld but weaken their enimies not vtterly destroy them and further that if the woorst fell either the one partie or the other to haue their helpe would giue them certaine townes in Pouille lying vpon their sea coast as also in the end it hapned but they had well neere misreckoned themselues Lastly as touching the calling of the King into Italy they thought it could not be laid to their charge seeing they had giuen him neither counsell nor aide as appeered by their answer to Peron of Basche In the yeere 1494. the King went to Lyons to attend to his affaires but no man 1494. thought he would passe the mountaines Thither came to him the aboue named Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin brother to the Earle of Caiazze with a goodly traine sent from the Lord Lodouic whose lieutenant and principall seruant he was He brought with him a great number of braue horses and armours to run in
so had his father done also but so wisely that they held themselues in maner contented therewith In the second ambassage the said Peter sent to Lions one called Peter Capon with diuers others by whom he excused himselfe as before he had done for not accomplishing the Kings requests saying that King Levvis the eleuenth had commanded the towne of Florence to enter into league with King Ferrande in the time of Duke Iohn of Aniou and to depart from their league with the said Duke wherefore seeing by the Kings commandement they were entred into this league which endured yet certaine yeeres they could not abandon nor forsake the house of Arragon But if the King hapned to come into their countrey they promised to do him great seruices which offer they made bicause they thought as the Venetians did that the King would not come into Italy In both these ambassages there was some one enimy to the said de Medicis especially in the latter this Capon who ofteÌ aduertised vs by what meanes the citie of Florence might be brought to rebell against the said Peter and deliuered also his message in far woorse termes than indeed it was sent and further gaue aduise to banish all the Florentines out of Fraunce and so were they 8 Thus much haue I written to the end you may the better vnderstand that which afterward ensued for the King became mortall enimy to the said Peter and the Seneschall and generall had great intelligence with his enimies in the citie especially with this Capon yea and with two also of the said Peters cosin germaines being both of his owne name The Notes 1 The King came to Ast the 9. of September 1494. Guicciar 2 The King abode at Ast till the 6. of October Annal. Franc. Aquit 3 Alphonse in person leuied men in Abruzzo to haue fought with Duke Aubigny but in an assembly held between him and the Pope at Vicouare the third of Iuly it was agreed that he should passe no further but giue the charge of the armie to his sonne Guicciar 4 This Duke Aubigny was a Scottish man and a Steward and of him the now King of Scots is by his father lineally descended 5 Genua was euer diuided into the factions of Fregosi called here in many places Fourgousi Adorni Dorei and Spinoli 6 The Italians haue Aretio which is a towne betweene Florence and Perouse but Guazzo de Regio which is a little towne neere to Parma 7 That was after the rate of one hundred ducats for euery man of armes for the Italian men of armes haue not their archers as the French and therefore their wages is lesse by the halfe 8 They gaue this counsell to the end the Florentines being barred their trafficke in Fraunce might murmur against Peter of Medicis for what misfortune soeuer happeneth the Prince is alwaies blamed as cause thereof 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 Duke of Milans death after whose decease the said Lodouic seized vpon the Duchie to the preiudice of a sonne the said D. left behinde him Chap. 6. I Haue told you alreadie what happened vpon the sea at Rapalo Dom Frederike retired to Pisa and Ligorne leauing his footemen behinde him whom he had landed The Florentines waxed maruellous wearie of him for they be and euer haue been better affected to the house of Fraunce than to that of Arragon Our armie that was in Romaine notwithstanding that it were the weaker furthered greatly our affaires for it made Dom Ferrande D. of Calabria by little little to retire which when the K. perceiued he resolued to passe forward being earnestly sollicited therunto by the Lord Lodouic and the others aboue named The said Lodouic at his first meeting with the King spake thus vnto him Sir feare not this enterprise there are in Italie but three mightie estates one of the which taketh part with you which is Milan another mooueth not to wit the Venetians so that you haue onely to do with the force of Naples But diuers of your ancestors haue ouerthrowen vs all three being ioined togither Sir if you will credit me I will helpe to make you greater than euer was Charleman for we will easily chase the Turke out of the Empire of Constantinople hauing subdued the realme of Naples And sure he said true of the Turke that now raigneth 1 if all things had been well ordered on our side Then the King began to gouerne all his affaires by the order and direction of the said Lodouic wherewith certaine of our men I meane some of the Kings chamber and such like were not a little discontented which was great folly for without him we could do nothing and this that they did was onely to flatter the Duke of Orleance who pretended title to the Duchie of Milan 2 But the Generall especially was highly offended therewith for now he thought himselfe a great man and some breach was happened betweene the Seneschall and him for the which cause the L. Lodouic mooued both the K. and the saide Seneschall that the Generall might be sent home which his words caused the saide Generall openly to babble against him and to say that he would deceiue the whole companie but silence would better haue becommed him Notwithstanding as touching him neuer wise man made account of him in matter of estate both bicause he vnderstood not what it meant and also bicause he was light of talke but sure he was well affected to his Master They concluded in the end to send abrode diuers ambassadors and my selfe among the rest was appointed to go to Venice but my dispatch was delaied awhile bicause the King was sicke of the small pocks and in danger of death for an ague was ioined with his disease but it endured not past sixe or seuen daies Then I departed leauing the King in Ast and verily beleeuing that he would passe no further in sixe daies I went to Venice with my mules and carriage for the way was maruellous faire But I departed from the said towne of Ast in great feare doubting the Kings returne home notwithstanding God had otherwise disposed of this enterprise for he went straight to Pauie and passed through Casall where the Marchionesse of Montferrat lay which was a good Lady and great friend to vs but deadly enimie to the Lord Lodouic and he also to hir When the King arriued at Pauie some small ielousie began to arise for they would haue lodged him in the towne and not in the castell but he would not lodge but in the castell and so he did Those that were neere about him haue told me that he was there in some danger Wherefore the selfesame night the watch was r'enforced whereat the Lord Lodouic maruelled greatly so far foorth that he communed thereof with the King demanding if he had conceiued any suspicion of him
To be short their behauiour was such on both sides that their amitie could not long endure but we babbled much more than they not the King himselfe but certaine of his neerest kinsmen 3 In this castell of Pauie was Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan and his wife daughter to King Alphonse in very pitious estate for hir husband being sicke was held in this castell as vnder garde and hir sonne who is yet liuing with a daughter or two The childe was then about fiue yeeres old and him euery man might see but no man might see the Duke for my selfe passed that way three daies before the King and could by no meanes be suffered to come to him Euery body said he was extreme sicke notwithstanding the King spake with him for he was his cosin germane 4 and he hath told me that their communication was onely generall talke bicause he would in no wise offend the Lord Lodouic notwithstanding that he were very desirous to haue aduertised his said cosin of diuers matters At the same time the Duchesse fell vpon hir knees before the said Lodouic desiring him to haue pitie vpon hir father and brother He answered that it could not be But to say the truth she might better haue intreated for hir husband and hir selfe being at that time a goodly yoong Lady From thence the King remooued to Plaisance where the said Lodouic receiued letters that his nephewe the Duke Milan lay at the point of death wherefore he tooke his leaue of the King to go to him The King desired him to returne and so he promised to do Before he came to Pauie the Duke died whereupon he rid incontinent as it were in poste to Milan Al these newes I vnderstood by a letter that the Venetian ambassador resident with the said Lodouic sent to Venice wherein also he aduertised the Seniorie that he meant to make himselfe Duke whichboth the Duke of Venice and the Seniorie vtterly misliked so far foorth that they asked me whether the King would not defend the childe which though reason required that he should yet I made the matter doubtfull considering how necessary an instrument the said Lord Lodouic was at that time for the Kings affaires To be short he made himselfe to be receiued at Milan as Duke which was the onely end as some said why he had caused vs to passe the mountaines Manie also charged him with his nephewes death whose kinsfolkes and friends in Italy were in armes to haue taken the gouernment from him which they would easily haue done had not the Kings comming stopped them For they were already in Romaine as you haue heard But the Earle of Caiazze and the Lord of Aubigny made them to retire For the said Lord of Aubigny had with him a company of a hundred fifty or two hundred men of armes French and a good band of Swissers Dom Ferrande and his forces retired towards their friends dislodging euer halfe a daies iourney before our men and marched towards Furly 5 which belonged to a Lady being a bastard of Milan and widow of the Earle Hieronime nephew to Pope Sixtus 6 This Lady fauored them as the report went notwithstanding after our men had taken by assault a little towne of hirs being first beaten halfe a day with the canon she reuolted to vs being indeed well affected to vs before Further the people of Italy began in all places to take hart and to desire change and alteration for they sawe that which before they had neuer seene I meane the feate of artillerie which they were vnacquainted with which in Fraunce was neuer more practised than at that time The said Dom Ferrande approched still neerer and neerer to his realme and went to Sesenne a faire citie of the Popes in the Marque of Anconne but the people spoiled his carriage stuffe whensoeuer they tooke his men at aduantage And through all Italy they would haue rebelled if the wars had been ordered on our side without spoile but all was done cleane contrary to my great griefe bicause of the honor and renowme the French nation might haue obtained by this voiage For at our first arriuall the people honored vs as saints supposing all faith and vertue to be in vs but their opinion endured not long partly bicause of the disorder and spoile our men vsed and partly bicause of the slanderous reports our enimies made of vs in all places charging vs that we forced women and robbed and carried away money and whatsoeuer we could lay hands on of heinouser crimes they could not haue accused vs in Italy for no nation is so ielous and couetous as the Italian As touching women they belied vs but the rest was not altogither vntrue The Notes 1 He meaneth bicause he vvas a man of no vertue as before is said 2 VVhat right the Duke of Orleans had to it the petegree in the end of the booke will declare 3 He meaneth the Earle of Ligny the King and vvho vvere sisters children 4 King Charles his mother vvas Charlotte and this Dukes mother Bonne both daughters to the Duke of Sauoy 5 It vvas corruptly in the French Sorly for Furly vvhich the old Romaines called Forum liuii 6 Octauian sonne to Hieronime of Riare vvas Lord of Furly and Imola vvith title of Vicar of the Church but he vvas vnder the gouernment of Katherin Sforce his mother heere mentioned Guicciar How Peter of Medices yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the King and how the King restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient liberty Chap. 7. THe King as before you haue heard was at Plaisance where he caused a solemne funerall to be made for his cosin germaine the Duke of Milan for other thing wist he not what to do the new Duke of Milan being departed from him They that best vnderstood the course of these affaires haue told me that the whole coÌpany desired to returne home aswel for that they were vnprouided of all things necessarie as also bicause of diuers doubts that were arisen for certaine that at the first seemed to haue great good liking of this voiage began now vtterly to disallow thereof namely the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse who was not with the King but lay sicke at Genua whence he wrote him a letter giuing him therein to vnderstand of diuers doubts and iealousies whereof he was aduertised But as before I haue said in diuers places God manifestly declared that he himselfe gouerned this enterprise For suddenly in the necke of this letter newes came to the King that the Duke of Milan would shortly return and that the Florentines began to fauor vs in hatred of Peter de Medicis who gouerned them as if he had been their Prince to the great discontentation both of many of his owne neere kinsmen and of diuers also the best citizens namely the Capons the Sonderini 1 the Nerly and in maner the whole citie Wherefore the King departed from
had deliuered to the King they determined to send word thereof to the Turke by one of their Secretaries And bicause they knew well that he should be highly rewarded that first brought this newes to the Turke they commanded that no ship should passe that night betweene the two castles which make the very entrie into the gulfe of Venice 16 where also they caused watch and ward to be kept bicause they feared the departure of some of the small boates as gripes and such like whereof there were a great number of the ports of Albany and of their Iles adioining to Greece But the selfe same night this poore Archbishop would needes depart to this enterprise of the Lord Constantine who taried his comming conueighing with him great store of swords bucklers and iauelins to furnish those with whom he had intelligence for they are not permitted to haue weapons in those countries but as he passed betweene the two castels aboue mentioned he was taken and put into one of them both he and his men notwithstanding the ship that caried him was suffred to passe Letters were found about him which discouered the enterprise the L. Constantine hath told me since that the Venetians aduertised thereof both the Turkes garrisons that lay in those parts the Turke himselfe also had it not been for the gripe that was permitted to passe the patron wherof was an Albanois who informed him of all that was hapned he had himselfe been taken but he escaped by sea and fled into Pouille The Notes 1 He meaneth Castelnouo for there are in Naples fower castels The castell of Capoana where the King lodged Castel nouo situate partly in the sea partly on the land with a citadelle by it Castel del ouo situate on a rock in the sea with a great tower called of the French Prince faulay and betweene the castels Nouo and Del ouo is a fort vpon a rocke in the sea with a strong tower The fourth is castel S. Ermo and aboue Naples is an abbey that looketh into the towne called S. Martin in maner of a castell 2 Guicciar saith he desired Calabria for his nephew without title of King 3 The King sent to Iscle but the Frenchmen finding the towne desolate through negligence neuer assaulted the castell 4 He meaneth bicause all Ferrandes partie was retired thither 5 The French Corrector supposeth that this should be en mantean Imperial bicause some write that he was crowned Emperor of Constantinople at Rome but I thinke rather he meaneth Mont de la Crote or the hill Vesuuius whither the King often walked for recreation and per aduenture bicause of the singularities which he sawe there named one of these hils Mont Imperial 6 He meaneth Castel nouo 7 The Almaines yeelded the castell vnder condition that they might haue King Ferrandes mooueables that were within it 8 This castell was so named bicause it was built in forme of an egge 9 For Island and Norway the vnskilfull corrector had chopped in Holland and Auuergne making the author report a meere vntruth 10 Oricum in Latine as some write as others Apollonia 11 Others write but 55. 12 Dyrrachium 13 But the Turke held them from him 14 Troy in times past the strongest towne in Epirus 15 His fathers name was Commenus 16 He meaneth two castels standing at the entrie into the calme sea which is within the naturall banke that defendeth the towne from the rage of the sea without the banke the said castels be hard by Venice A discourse somewhat out of the course of the historie wherein Philip de Commines author of this present worke 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 Chap. 15. I Will now leaue the King in Naples hauing atchieued his enterprise and will speake somewhat of the Venetians and the cause of mine ambassage thither My departure from Ast to Venice was partly to thanke them for the good answers they had made to two of the Kings ambassadors sent thither and partly to keepe them still his friends if it were possible by any meanes for bicause of their great forces wisedome and good gouernment they might easily haue mated his enterprise in Italie but they being his friends none in the countrie were to be feared The Duke of Milan helped to dispatch me and wrote to his ambassador there resident for he hath one there continually to accompanie me and to giue me instructions to whom I should addresse my selfe His said ambassador receiued monethly of the Seniorie an hundred ducats and had his house well furnished and three barges at their charge to conuay him vp and downe the towne Their ambassador hath the like allowance at Milan saue that he hath no barge for at Milan men ride altogither on horsebacke but at Venice they are caried by bote In my iournie thitherward I passed through their cities namely Bresse Veronne Vincense and Padua with diuers others at euery one of the which I was very honorably entertained bicause of the personage I represented for alwaies either the potestate or the captaine came to receiue me accompanied with a goodly traine but they both issued neuer foorth of the towne for the captaine vsed to come no further than the gate After I was entred the towne they conuaied me to my lodging commanding the host that I should be plentifully serued and all my charges they defraied entertaining me with very honorable words But if a man consider what he must bestowe vpon drums and trumpets he saueth not much though he lie vpon free cost notwithstanding the entertainment is very honorable The same day I entred into Venice they sent as far as Chafousine 1 to receiue me which is a place fiue miles from the towne where men leaue the botes that conuay them downe the riuer from Padua 2 and enter into other little botes very proper and neate couered with tapestrie and furnished within with goodly hangings and veluet cushions to sit vpon Thus far the sea floweth and this is the neerest passage from the firme land to Venice but their sea is maruellous calme vnles a tempest happen to arise which is the cause that so great plenty of all kinde of fish is taken there I woondred to behold the seate of this citie so many steeples so many religious houses and so much building and all in the water but especially that the people had none other passage to fro in the town but by botes wherof I thinke there are to the number of 30000. but they be very small Further about the citie I meane within the compas round about of lesse than halfe a French league are 70. houses of religion as well of men as women all in Ilands sumptuously built richly furnished within and hauing goodly gardens belonging to them Those within the citie I
footemen and money or in time to retire homeward before his enimies were all assembled leauing the principall places well manned I aduertised also the D. of Orleans who lay in Ast with his houshold seruants onely for his companie was with the King of all that was done willing him to put men into the towne and assuring him that they would incontinent assaile him I wrote also to the Duke of Bourbon whom the King had left regent in Fraunce to send men to Ast with all speede possible to defend the towne bicause that place being lost no aide could come to the King In like maner I aduertised the Marchionesse of Montferrat of all these proceedings who was a great friend to vs and deadly enimy to the Duke of Milan to the end she might aide the Duke of Orleans with men if neede so required for Ast being lost the Marquisats of Montferrat and Saluces were also lost Their league was concluded one night very late 25 The next morning the Seniorie sent for me earlier then they were accustomed And when I was come and set downe the Duke told me that in the honor of the holy Trinitie there was a league concluded betweene our holy father the Pope the Kings of Romaines and Castile them and the Duke of Milan for three purposes The first for the defence of the estate of Christendome against the Turke the second for the defence of Italy and the third for the preseruation of their own estates whereof he willed me to aduertise the King They were assembled to the number of a hundred or more and looked vp with cheerfull countenances and sate not as they did the day they aduertised me of the taking of the castle of Naples The Duke tolde me moreouer that they had written to their ambassadors that were with the King to take their leaue and to returne home their names were Master Dominic Loredan and Master Dominic Treuisan I was maruellously troubled with this newes for I stood in doubt both of the Kings person and of all his companie supposing their armie to haue been readier than in deed it was as did themselues also I feared further least the Almaines had been at hand and not without cause for if they had vndoubtedly the King had neuer departed out of Italy I was resolued not to speake much in this heate but they so prouoked me that I was forced to change my minde and then I said vnto them that both the night before and diuers other times I had aduertised the King of their league and that he also had sent me word that he had intelligence thereof both from Rome and from Milan They looked all maruellous strangely vpon me when I said that I had aduertised the King thereof the night before for there is no nation vnder the sunne so suspicious as they nor so secret in their affaires so that oftentimes they banish men vpon suspicion onely for the which cause I said thus much vnto them I told them moreouer that I had sent word thereof both to the Duke of Orleans and to the Duke of Bourbon to the end they might put men into Ast which words I vttered hoping to delay their going thither For if they had indeed been as ready as they vaunted and supposed themselues to haue been they must needs haue taken the towne for it was vnmanned both then and long after Then they told me that they meant not to attempt ought against the King but onely to defend themselues adding that they would not haue him thus to abuse the world with words in saying that he would nothing but the realme of Naples and afterward go against the Turk and yet do cleane contrary and seeke to destroy the Duke of Milan and the Florentines and hold also the places of the Church Wherunto I answered that the Kings of Fraunce had euer inlarged augmented the dition of the church and defended it and that the King my Master would rather do the like than the contrarie Wherfore these I said were not the reasons that mooued them to enter into this war but that they desired to trouble the estate of Italy thereby to make their owne profit as in the end I thought they would which words they tooke in euill part as afterward I was aduertised notwithstanding it appeereth by those townes in Pouile which they haue in gage of King Ferrand to aide him against vs that I said true At this instant I would haue risen to depart but they caused me to sit downe again and then the Duke asked me if I would make any ouerture of peace bicause the day before I had offered so to do but that was vnder condition that they should haue staid the conclusion of their league fifteene daies to the end I might aduertise the King thereof and receiue his answer thereunto Our communication being ended I returned to my lodging then they sent for the ambassadors of the league one after another and as I came foorth from them I met with the ambassador of Naples who ware a faire new gowne and shewed a cheerefull countenance so had he great cause to do for these were good newes for him After dinner all the ambassadors of the league accompanied with their seruants met togither at the charges of the Seniory vpon the water which is all the pastime of Venice I thinke they were in all fortie boates euery ambassador hauing his boate garnished with a flagge of his Masters armes I saw all this company passe vnderneath my window with goodly melodie And the ambassadors of Milan at the least one of them who had been woont verie often before to beare me companie made a countenance now as though he knew me no more By the space of three daies I neuer stirred out of my lodging neither any of my seruants notwithstanding that not one man in the towne gaue me or any of mine a foule word at any time The same night they made great pastime with squibs which were set on fire a high in the steeples and turrets of the towne and a number of torches were lighted in the top of these ambassadors houses and diuers peeces of artillery discharged I was in a couered barge vpon the water to behold all this triumph about ten of the clocke at night especially before these ambassadors lodgings where was banketting and great cheere notwithstanding this was not the greate festiuall day on the which their league was proclaimed for the Pope had giuen commandement that the proclamation thereof should be deferred till Palm-sunday and that euery one of the confederated Princes when it should be proclaimed and the ambassadors that should be present thereat should beare in their hands an oliue branch in token of peace and confederacie as he said He commanded further that vpon that day it should be proclaimed both in Spaine and in Almaine Moreouer at Venice they made a scaffold of wood which they raised a great height from the ground as they
to offend him but to defend themselues adding further that they aduertised me the day I departed from Padua by one of their prouisors who came with their army that they sent against vs that their force should not passe a certaine riuer in their dominions neere to Parma 4 called as I remember Olye vnlesse he inuaded the Duke of Milan The said Prouisor and I gaue secret tokens each to other by the which messengers might passe to and fro betweene vs if need should so require to treat of some good end for I would breake off no ouuerture of peace bicause I knew not what might happen to the King my Master At this our communication was present one Master Lewis Marcell who by the seniories appointment accompained me out of their dominions and gouerned for that yeere the Motz viere 5 which is a certaine treasure they haue in like maner certaine of the Marques of Mantuas men who caried money to their Master were also present at it but they heard not our talk From these or froÌ som others I brought the K. in writing the number of their horsemen footmen and Estradiots 6 and the names of their captaines but few of those that were neerest about him credited my words After the King had reposed himselfe two daies at Sene and well refreshed his horses and his company I earnestly pressed him to depart for his enimies were not yet assembled and I feared onely the Almaines arriuall of whom the King of Romaines mustered great force and leuied great summes of money for their paiement But notwithstanding all my solicitation the King put foorth two matters to his councell which were soone debated the one whether he should restore the Florentines places to them and accept the offers they made for the restitution of them being these to pay him the thirtie thousand ducats remaining yet vnpaide of the summe they gaue him 7 to lend him besides seauen tie thousand and to serue him as he passed out of Italie with three hundred men of armes and two thousand footemen vnder the leading of Master Frauncis Secco a valiant knight and in good credit with the King My selfe and diuers others were of opinion that he should accept these conditions retaining onely Ligorne in his hands till his returne to Ast And if he had so done he might haue paied his soldiers and reserued money ynough to haue withdrawen part of his enimies forces and then haue fought with them But this resolution tooke no place for Monseur de Ligny a yoong man cosin german to the King ouerthrew it not alleaging any reason to the contrarie but onely for pitie of the Pisans The other point debated was a matter that Monseur de Ligny himselfe caused to be propounded by Gaucher of Tinteuille by one of the factions of the Senois the which desired the said Monseur de Ligny for their captain For you shall vnderstand that these Senois are euer in diuision and gouerne their common wealth more fondly than anie other towne in Italie 8 I being first asked mine aduise said that I thought it best for the King to march forward not to busie himself with these foolish offers which could not stand him in steed one week to an end alleaging further that bicause this was an imperiall towne we should by this meanes prouoke the whole Empire against vs. All the rest were of the same opinion yet was the cleane contrarie done for the Senois receiued Monseur de Ligny for their Captaine and promised him yeerely a certaine summe of money whereof he neuer receiued peny This foolish matter staied the King there sixe or seauen daies during the which space he solaced himselfe with the Dames Further he left there three hundred of his men diminishing his force by so much and then remooued to Pisa passing by Poggibonzia a castle of the Florentines But they whom he left at Sene were chased thence within a moneth after I had forgotten to tell you how I being at Florence iourneying towards the King went with one of the stewards of his house named Iohn Francois a wise and discreet person to visite a Frier Iacobin called Frier Hieronime 9 a man of holie life as all men reported abiding in a reformed couent where he had remained fifteen yeeres The cause why I went to commune with him was for that he had euer preached very fauorablie on the Kings behalfe so far foorth that his words had staide the Florentines from reuolting from vs for neuer preacher caried so great credit in any citie he had euer assured them of the Kings comming whatsoeuer was said or written to the contrarie affirming that he was sent of God to chastice the tyrants of Italie and that no force should be able to withstand him He preached further that the King should come to Pisa and enter into the towne and that the selfe same daie the estate of Florence should be altered as also it happened for the same daie was Peter of Medicis banished the towne Diuers other things also foretold he long before they happened namely the death of Laurence of Medicis all the which he saide he vnderstood by reuelation He preached yet further that the estate of the church should be reformed by the sword This is not yet come to passe but was very neer and he auoweth still that it shall be Many found great fault with him bicause he saide that God reuealed these things to him but some beleeued him sure I for my part take him for a holie man I asked him whether the K. should passe out of Italie without danger of his person seeing the great preparatioÌ the VenetiaÌs made against him whereof he discoursed perfectlier than my selfe that came from thence He answered me that the K. should haue som troble vpon the way but that the honor therof should be his though he were accompanied but with an hundred men and that God who had guided him at his comming would also protect him at his returne Adding notwithstanding that bicause he had not done his dutie in the reformation of the Church but had suffered his men to spoile and rob the people as well those that tooke his part voluntarily receiued him into their cities as his enimies God had pronounced sentence against him and would shortly scourge him Neuerthelesse he bad me tell him that if he would haue compassion one the poore people and endeuour himselfe to keepe his men from doing euill and punish the offenders as he was bound by his office to do that then God would reuoke his sentence at the least mittigate it adding thereunto that he ought not to thinke it a sufficient excuse that he in his owne person did no harme He said moreouer that himselfe would go and tel the King thus much and so indeed he did and perswaded with him to restore the Florentines places to them When he spake thus of Gods sentence the death of my Lord the Daulphin came suddenly to my minde for
somtime had led certaine bands and ought of right to haue led the vaward 2 as all men said I answered the King that I would do his commandement but that I neuer saw two so great forces so neere togither depart without battell Our whole armie marched foorth vpon the plaine in good order the one battell neere to the other as the day before but as touching the force it seemed but a handfull to that I had seene with Duke Charles of Burgundie and King Lewis this Kings father Vpon the said plaine the Cardinall and I withdrew our selues aside and endited a letter to the two Prouisors aboue named the which was written by one Master Robertet a Secretarie of the Kings and in good credit The contents of our letter were that it appertained to the estate and office of the Cardinall to procure peace and vnto me also hauing so lately been ambassador at Venice for the which cause I might as yet take vpon me the office of mediator betweene the King and them We signified further to them on the Kings behalfe that he would but passe foorth his way without doing harme to any man wherefore if they minded to parlament according to the order taken the day before we for our parts were willing thereunto and would imploy our selues to do all the good we could The skirmishes were already begun round about vs and after our armie had marched awhile softly passing along before them the riuer running betweene them and vs as you haue heard we approched so neer to them that we came within a quarter of a league of their camp within the which they stood all in martiall aray for their maner is to make their campe so large that they may all stand in order of battell within it They sent foorth incontinent part of their Estradiots and crossebowe men on horsebacke and certaine men of armes the which came along vpon the way almost vnder couert towards the village of Fornoue out of the which we were departed meaning there to passe this little riuer and to assaile our carriage which was so great that I thinke it laded aboue 6000. mules horses and asses They had set their battels in such order many daies before they fought that better they could not be ordered for they were so placed that their great number halfe assured them of the victory bicause they assailed the K. his army on euery side in such sort that not one of vs could haue escaped if we had been broken considering the straight we were in Those aboue mentioned came and assailed our carriage and on the left hand came the Marquesse of Mantua the Lord Rodolph his vncle and the Earle Bernardin of Dalmouton with all the flower of their armie being to the number of sixe hundred men of armes as they themselues afterward confessed all the which entred into the plaine directly behinde vs. Their men of armes were all barded and furnished with braue plumes and goodly bourdonasses 3 and well accompanied with crossebowe men on horsebacke Estradiots and footemen Against the Marshall of Gie and our vaward marched the Earle of Caiazze with fower hundred men of armes accompanied as the others aboue mentioned and with a great band of footemen with him also was another companie of two hundred men of armes led by Master Iohn de Bentiuoille of Bolonia his sonne a yoong man who before had neuer seen the wars for they were as slenderly prouided of good captaines as we This yoong Bentiuoille was placed there to giue a new charge vpon our vaward immediately after the Earle of Caiazze With the Marquesse of Mantua was also a like companie of men of armes for the same purpose vnder the leading of Master Anthony of Vrbin bastard to the late Duke of Vrbin Besides these there remained yet in their campe two great troupes of men of armes as I vnderstood the next day by themselues when they and I communed togither and I saw them also with mine eies And this they did bicause the Venâtians would not hazard all at once nor vnfurnish their campe Notwithwanding in mine opinion it had beene better for them to haue aduentured their whole force seeing they meant to fight I will now tell you what became of the letter the Cardinall and I sent to their campe by a trumpeter The Prouisors receiued it and immediately after they had read it brast foorth the first peece of our artillerie then shot theirs which was not so good as ours The said Prouisors incontinent sent backe our trumpeter accompanied with a trumpeter of the Marquesses who brought word that they were content to parlament if we would cause our artillerie to cease saying that they on their side would do the like I was then a great way from the King who rid about heere and there and sent backe these two trumpeters with answere that he would make the artillerie to cease and gaue commandement to the Master of the ordinance to stay the shot and so all ceased awhile on both sides But soone after vpon a sudden they discharged one of their peeces and then shot ours againe freshlier than before and we approched three of our peeces neerer to them After the two trumpeters were arriued at their campe they tooke ours and sent him to the Marquesses pauilion resoluing to fight For the Earle of Caiazze as those that were present haue informed me said that it was now no time to parlament seeing that we were halfe vanquished already and one of their Prouisors was of his opinion and agreed to fight as I haue heard himselfe report but the other would not consent thereunto The Marquesse in like maner desired the battell but his vncle who was a vertuous and a wise gentleman and loued vs well and bare armes against vs with an euill will withstood it to the vttermost of his power but in the end they agreed all to fight Now you shal vnderstand that the King had put his whole force into his vaward in the which were three hundred and fiftie men of armes and three thousand Swissers the onely hope of our army with whom he commanded three hundred archers of his garde to ioine themselues on foote and likewise certaine crossebowe men on horsebacke of the two hundreth that were also of his garde which was a great diminishing of the safety of his person In our army were but few footemen besides these for all that we had were placed in the vaward On foote with our Almaines were the Lord Engelbert brother to the Duke of Cleues Lornay and the bailife of Digeon the said Almains captain and before them marched our artillerie Heere they whom we left in the Florentines places and those that were sent to Genua would haue don good seruice contrary to the opinion of all men Our vaward had now marched almost as far as their campe so that all men thought they should haue begun the battell but our two other battels were not so neere it
for the Earle alone they had all fled the same night When we were come to the King we discouered a great number of men of armes and footemen standing yet in order of battell without their campe whose heads and launces onely we could descrie They had stood there all the day and neuer mooued from that place notwithstanding they were further from vs than they seemed for they and we could not haue ioined without passing the riuer which was risen and arose howerly bicause all the day it had thundered lightened and rained terribly especially during the battell and the chase The K. debated with his captaines whether we should assaile these new discouered enimies or not with him were three Italian knights one named Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul who is yet liuing and behaued himselfe that day like a woorthy gentleman another Master Francis Secco a valiant knight in pay with his Florentines and of the age of 72. yeeres and the third Master Camillo Vitelly who with his three brethren was in seruice with the King and came vnsent for from Ciuita de Castello as far as Serzane which is a great iourney to be at this battell but perceiuing that he could not ouertake the King with his companie he came himselfe alone These two latter gaue aduice to march against these enimies newly discouered but the Frenchmen were of a contrarie opinion saying that they had done ynough and that it was late and time to make their lodgings But the said Master Francis Secco maintained stoutly his opinion shewing people that passed to and fro vpon the high way that leadeth to Parma the neerest towne that the enimies could retire into whom he affirmed to be enimies flying thither or returning thence and indeede he said true as we vnderstood afterward and sure both his words and countenance shewed him to be a hardy and a wise knight For all their captaines confessed to me yea some of them before the Duke of Milan himselfe that if we had marched forward they had all fled by meanes wherof we should haue obtained the goodliest honorablest and profitablest victorie that happened in ten yeeres before for if a man could haue vsed it well haue made his profit of it haue behaued himselfe wisely and entreated the people gently the Duke of Milan by the space of eight daies after should not haue had any one place to hold for him in his countrie except the castell of Milan yea and I doubt of that too so desirous were his subiects to rebell The like would also haue happened to the Venetians so that the King should not haue needed to take care for Naples for the Venetians should not haue been able to leuie a man out of Venice Bressa and Cremone which is but a small towne bicause all the rest that they held in Italie would haue reuolted But God had performed that which Frier Ierom promised to wit that the honor of the field should be ours for considering our small experience and euill gouernment we were vnwoorthie of this good successe that God gaue vs bicause we could not then tell how to vse it but I thinke if at this present which is the yeere of our Lord 1497. the like victorie should happen to the King he could tell better how to make his profit thereof While we stood debating this matter the night approched and the band of our enimies which we saw before vs retired into their campe and we for our part went and lodged about a quarter of a league from the place of the battell The King himselfe lay in a farme house being an old beggerly thing notwithstanding the barnes about it were full of corne vnthreshed which I warrant you our army quickly found Certaine other old houses there were also which stood vs but in small stead euery man lodged himselfe as commodiously as he could for we had no lodgings made As touching my selfe I lay vpon the bare ground vnder a vine in a very straight roome hauing nothing vnder me no not my cloke for the K. had borrowed mine in the morning and my carriage was far off and it was too late to seeke it He that had meate ate it but few there were that had any vnlesse it were a morsell of bread snatched out of some of their seruants bosoms I waited vpon the King to his chamber where he found certaine that were hurt namely the Seneschall of Lyons and others whom he caused to be dressed Himselfe was merrie and made good cheere and each man thought himselfe happy that he was so well escaped neither were we puffed vp with pride and vaineglorie as before the battell bicause we sawe our enimies encamped so neere vs. The same night all our Almaines kept the watch and the King gaue them three hundred crownes whereupon they kept the watch very diligently and strake vp their drums brauely The Notes 2 Vicount of Narbonne Ferron 2 Rereward after the French corrector the leading whereof Iouius giueth to two that straue for it Ferron and our author to Narbonne otherwise called Earle of Foix alone Annal. Franc. to Monseur de la Trimoille Vicount de Touars and to Monseur de Guise but it appeereth lib. 7. cap. 13. when the K. thought to haue fought with Dom Ferrand at Saint Germain that Monseur de Guise led the vaward so that I know not how it is best heere to be read 3 Bourdonasses were holow horsemens staues vsed in Italy cunningly painted our author himselfe in this Chapter describeth them at large 4 By their companions he meaneth the Estradiots that had assailed the Kings corriage at the first 5 Annal. Franc. write that this bastard Mathew Monseur de Ligny and Monseur de Piennes were armed like to the King and continually about him 6 Of this battell he writeth lib. 6. cap. 6. 7 Vnderstand not Rege in Calabria but Rege neere to Parma called in Latin Regium Lepedi and I doubt me the vnskilfull corrector at the first printing of the worke chopped in this parenthesis supposing the author to meane Rege in Calabria wherefore I had rather leaue the parenthesis out 8 The French corrector supposeth this number to be also corrupted 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 Chap. 7. THe next morning I determined to continue our treatie of peace desiring nothing more than the Kings safe passage But I could get neuer a Trumpeter to go to the enimies campe partly bicause nine of theirs were slaine in the battell being vnknowen partly bicause they had taken one of ours and slaine another whom the King as you haue hard sent to them a little before the battell began notwithstanding in the end one went and caried the Kings safe conduct with him and brought me one from them to commune in the midway
enimies many came to the hauen of Bougen 4 neere to Plambin whence it departed not the space of two moneths so that our men might without all danger haue succoured the said castels for the nature of this hauen of Bougen is such that a ship cannot come foorth of it but with one winde which bloweth seldome in winter The said Arban was a valiant soldier and a very good sea man 5 While the King lay at Thurin diuers treaties were entertained between him and the Duke of Milan in one of the which the Duches of Sauoy was a dealer she was daughter to the Marques of Montferratte and a widow and mother to the yoong Duke of Sauoy then liuing Others negotiated also as well as she and among the rest my selfe laboured for conclusion of the peace as before I haue made mention and the confederats that is to say the captaines that were in the enimies campe before Nouarre desired to deale with me and sent me a safe conduct But enuie euer raigneth in Princes courts for the Cardinall so often aboue named ouerthrew all that I did and would that the Duches of Sauois negotiation should go forward which was committed to the said Cardinals hoste who was Treasurer of Sauoy a wise man and a faithfull seruant to his Mistres This treatie endured so long without effect that in the end all hope of peace ceasing the Bailife of Digeon was sent ambassador into Swisserland to leuy there fiue thousand men I haue made mention already how the Kings Nauie that departed from Nice in prouence to succour the castels of Naples could not succour them for the reasons there rehearsed Wherefore the Lord of Montpensier and the other gentlemen that were with him in the castels vnderstanding of this misfortune espied a conuenient time when the army that the King left behinde him in diuers parts of the realme lay neere to the said castles and by helpe therof salied foorth leauing within force sufficient for their defence according to the proportion of their victuals which was very smal and departed themselues with two thousand and fiue hundred soldiers appointing Ognas and two other gentlemen captaines of the castles The said L. of Montpensier the Prince of Salerne the Seneschall of Beaucaire and the rest that were with them departed to Salerne for the which cause King Ferrand said that he might lawfully put to death the hostages deliuered to him a few daies before whose names were these the Lord of Alegre one called de la Marche-d ' Ardaine the Lord de la Chapelle d'Aniou one named Roquebertin Catelin and one Genly for you shall vnderstand that not past three moneths before the said King Ferrand was entred into Naples by intelligence or rather through the negligence of our men who vnderstood of all their practises in the towne and yet neuer sought to countermine them But heereof I will write no farther bicause I speake but vpon report for notwithstanding that I had mine intelligence from the principall of those that were there yet do I not willingly discourse long of any matter that I haue not been present at my selfe The said K. Ferrand being in Naples was aduertised that the King was slaine at the battell of Fornoue as were our men also within the castle by the Duke of Milans letters to the which credit was giuen notwithstanding that they reported no thing but lies And thereupon the Coulonnois whose maner is alwaies to turne with the strongest reuolted incontinent from vs though sundry waies bound to the King as before you haue heard Wherefore our men partlie through these vntrue reports but especially bicause a great number of them were retired into the castell being vtterly vnfurnished of victuals and partly also bicause they had lost their horses and all their goods within the towne made a composition the sixt day of October in the yeere 1495. after they had been besieged three moneths fowerteen daies promising if they were not succoured within a certaine space to depart into Prouence and yeeld the castels without making further war either by sea or land vpon the realme of Naples for the performance of which conditions they deliuered these hostages aboue named and yet within twentie daies after the composition departed as you haue heard for the which cause King Ferrand said that they had broken the composition in that they departed without leaue and notwithstanding that our men maintained the contrary yet were the hostages in great danger and not without cause For although I will not denie but that our men did wisely to depart notwithstanding the composition yet had they done much better if the day of their departure they had yeelded the castles for their hostages safetie and receiued again the said hostages For the castels held but twenty daies after they were departed partly for lacke of victuals and partly bicause they despaired of succours To conclude the losse of the castell of Naples was the losse of the whole realme The Notes 1 This Peron vvas sent to Nice being a hauen tovvne in Prouence to prepare this nauie 2 I suppose this to be some hauen tovvne not far from Naples or rather thinke it should be read the I le of Prusse vvhereof mention is made cap. 14. vvhich Guicciar calleth the I le of Poreze 3 To the I le of Elbe Guicciar 4 The place is corrupted for this hauen is aftervvard called Bengon vvherefore the French Corrector readeth it as Blondus and the description of Italy lead him Porto Barato pres Piombino 5 Guicciar saith Arban vvas vnskilfull on the sea and I doubt this place be corrupted heere Of the great famine and miserie the Duke of Orleans and his men were in at Nouarre of the Marchiones of Montferrats death and likewise of Monseur de Vendosmes and how after long deliberation the King enclined to peace to saue those that were besieged Chap. 9. THe King being at Thurin as you haue heard and at Quiers whither he went sometime to solace himselfe attended daily for newes of the Almains whom he had sent for and trauelled to recouer the Duke of Milan whose freindship he much desired neither cared he greatly for the Duke of Orleans successe who began now to be sore distressed for victuals and wrote daily for succours bicause the enimies were approched neerer the towne Besides that their force was increased with a thousand Almain horsemen and eleuen thousand footemen called launce Knights leuied in the King of Romaines dominions the horsemen being led by Master Frederic Capelare of the countie of Ferrette a valiant knight who long had been trained vp both in Fraunce and Italy and the footemen by a couragious knight of Austriche called Master George d'Abecfin 1 the selfe same that tooke Saint Omer for the King of Romaines The King therefore seeing his enimies forces daily to increase and that no honorable end could be made was aduised to remooue to Verceil there to deuise some way to saue the Duke of
Orleans and his company who as before you haue heard had giuen no order at all for their victuals at their first entrie into Nouarre And sure the Duke should haue done much better in following the aduise I gaue him at the Kings returne to Ast as before is mentioned which was to depart out of Nouarre putting all that were vnable to do seruice out of the towne and to repaire himselfe to the King for his presence would much haue furthered his affaires at the least those that he had left behinde him should not haue suffered such extreme famine as they did for he would haue made a composition sooner when he had seene no remedie But the Archbishop of Rouen who had been with him in Nouarre from the very beginning and for the furtherance of his affaires was come to the King and present at the debating of all matters sent him word daily not to depart bicause shortly he should be succoured grounding himselfe wholy vpon the Cardinall of Saint Malos promise who had all the credit with the King Good affection caused him to write thus but I was well assured of the contrarie For no man would returne to the battell vnlesse the King went in person and as touching him he desired nothing lesse for this was but a priuate quarrell for one towne which the Duke of Orleans would needes retaine and the Duke of Milan needes haue restored bicause it is but ten leagues from Milan so that of necessitie one of them must haue had all For there are in the Duchie of Milan nine or ten great cities the one neere to the other Further the Duke of Milan said that in restoring Nouarre and not demanding Genua he would do any thing for the King We sent meale oftentimes to Nouarre whereof the halfe was euer lost vpon the way and once sixtie men of armes were defeated going thither being led by a yoong gentleman of the Kings house named Chastillon some of them were taken some entred the towne and the rest hardly escaped It is impossible to expresse the great miserie of our men within Nouarre for euery day some died of famine and two parts of them were sicke so that pitious letters came from thence in cipher though with great difficultie They receiued euer faire promises and all was but abuse But those that gouerned the Kings affaires desired the battell not considering that no man was of that opinion but themselues for all the best men of war in the armie namely the Prince of Orenge lately arriued and to whom the K. gaue great credit in martiall affairs and all the other captains desired to make a good end by treatie For winter approched we were vnfurnished of monie the number of the French was small and many of them sicke so that they departed daily some with the Kings leaue and some without leaue but notwithstanding all these inconueniences all the wise men in the campe could not disswade those aboue mentioned from sending word to the Duke of Orleans not to depart the towne whereby vndoubtedly they greatly endangered him And this they did bicause they trusted vpon the great force of Almaines whereof the Bailife of Digeon assured them to whom also certaine of them sent word to bring as many as he could leuie To be short their companie was diuided and euery man said and writ what him listed Those that would haue no peace nor meeting to treate thereof alleaged that the enimies ought to make the first ouuerture and not the K. but they on the other side said that they would not first begin in the meane time the misery of our men in Nouarre daily increased in such sort that now their letters made mention only of those that died daily for hunger and that they could hold the towne but ten daies and afterward eight daies yea and once they came to three daies but they had first passed their day before prefixed To be short so great extremitie hath not been seene of long time no I am sure that a hundred yeeres before we were borne neuer men sustained so great famine as they In the meane time died the Marchionesse of Montferrat a great friend to the French wherupon some strife arose in that countrey for the gouernment the which on the one side the Marques of Saluce demanded and on the other the Lord Constantine vnckle to the said Marchionesse who was a Greeke and she a Greekesse daughter to the King of Seruia but the Turke had destroied them both The said Lord Constantine had fortified himselfe in the castell of Casal and had in his hands the late Marques his two sonnes begotten of this wise and beautiful Lady the which died the 29. yeere of hir age hir eldest sonne being but nine yeeres old Other particular men also aspired to the gouernment so that great part taking arose about that matter in our campe The King commanded me to to thither and determine the controuersie for the childrens safetie and to the contentation of the greatest part of the people For he feared that this variance would make them call the Duke of Milan into their countrey greatly to our discontentment for the friendship of this house of Montferrat stood vs in great stead I was loth to depart before I had brought into better tune those that contraried the peace for I considered both the inconueniences aboue rehearsed and also that winter approched and feared least these Prelats should perswade the King to aduenture another battell whose power was small vnlesse great force of Swissers hapned to come and though so many came as they vaunted of yet seemed it to me a dangerous case to put the King and his estate into their hands Further our enimies were mightie and lodged in a strong place and well fortified Wherefore all these points being well weighed I aduentured to perswade the King not to hazard his person and estate for a trifle I desired him to remember the great danger he was in at Fornoue which could not then be auoided bicause necessitie forced him to fight but now I said there was no such necessitie I aduised him further not to refuse a good end bicause of this fond obiection that he ought not first to breake the ice for if it so pleased him I would finde meanes that ouuertures should be made in such sort that the honor of both parties should be saued He bad me repaire to the Cardinall and so I did but the Cardinall gaue me strange answers and desired the battell assuring himselfe of the victorie and further alleaging that the Duke of Orleans had promised him ten thousand ducats of yeerly reuenues for one of his sonnes if he obtained the Duchie of Milan The next day as I went to take my leaue of the King to depart to Casal being distant from thence about a daies iourney and a halfe I met with Monseur de la Trimoille by the waie whom I aduertised of my communication had with the King and
bicause he was neere about him I asked his aduise whether I should presse forward the matter whereunto he earnestly perswaded me for al men desired to repaire home The King was in a garden and when I came to him I began to perswade with him as the daie before in presence of the Cardinall who answered me that it appertained to him being a church man to be the first moouer of the King to peace whereunto I replied that if he would not I would For I perceiued well that both the King and those that were neerest about him desired to returne home Then I tooke my leaue and at my departure told the Prince of Orenge who had the principall charge of the army that if I entred into any communication of peace I would addresse my selfe wholy to him This being done I tooke my iourney towards Casall where I was well receiued by the whole kinred of this house of Montferrat and found the greatest part of them inclined to the Lord Constantine whose gouernment was thought by them all most conuenient for the childrens safetie bicause he could pretend no title to the succession as the Marques of Saluce did I assembled by the space of certaine daies both the Nobles of the countrey the Spirituall men and the Burgesses of the good townes and at the request of them at the least the greatest part of them declared the Kings pleasure to be that the Lord Constantine should remaine gouernor For I was sure they would not withstande the Kings commandement both bicause of the force he had then on that side the mountaines and also bicause of the good affection the whole countrey beareth to the house of Fraunce About three daies after my arriuall at Casal the Marquesse of Mantua the Venetians Generall sent the steward of his house thither to condole the late deceased Marchionesse death for the said Marquesse was of kin to this house of Montferrat The same Steward and I entered into communication how we might agree these two armies without battell for both the parties disposed themselues to fight and the King lay in campe neere to Verceil but to say the truth he did but passe the riuer onely 2 and lodge his campe which was vtterly vnprouided of tents and pauilions for our men had brought foorth but few with them and those few also were lost Moreouer the ground was wet both bicause winter approched and bicause the countrey lieth low The King lodged in his campe but one night and the next day returned to the towne but the Prince of Orenge abode still with the army so did also the Earle of Foix and the Earle of Vendosme who fell into a fluxe there whereof he died which sure was great pitie for he was a goodly gentleman yoong and wise and was come thither in poste bicause the brute ran that there we should fight For you shall vnderstand that he had not beene with the King in this voiage into Italy Besides these the Marshall of Gie abode also in the campe and diuers other captaines but the greatest force were the Almaines that had beene with the King in this voiage for the French men would by no meanes lodge abrode the towne being so neere besides that diuers of them were sicke and many returned home some with leaue some without leaue Nouarre was distant from our campe ten great Italian miles containing six French leagues at the lest the way is cumbersome for the ground is tough and soft as in Flaunders bicause of ditches that are on both sides of the way much deeper than the ditches of Flaunders In winter the waies there are very foule and in sommer maruellous dustie Moreouer betweene our campe and Nouarre there was a little place which we held called Bourg about a league from vs and another that they held about a league from their campe called Camarian But the waters were risen so high that a man could hardly passe between vs and them The Marquesse of Mantuas steward aboue mentioned that was come to Casall and I continued still our communication of peace and diuers reasons I alleaged to him to perswade his Master to shun the battell First I put him in minde of the great danger he had beene in at Fornoue secondarily I told him that he fought for them that neuer had aduaunced him notwithstanding the great seruices he had done them wherefore his best way should be to incline to peace which I for my part promised to further on our side as much as in me lay He answered that his Master desired nothing more than peace but that we must make the first motion thereof as word had been sent me heertofore considering that their league that is to say the Pope the Kings of Romanes and Spaine the Venetians and the Duke of Milan were more woorthie than the King alone I answered that to make such a ceremonie about so small a trifle was meere follie notwithstanding if any ceremonie were to be obserued that the King ought to haue the preheminence and honor thereof considering that himselfe was there in person and the others had but their lieutenants there But to auoid all such fond cauillation I offered that he and I iointly as mediators if he so thought good would breake the yce so that I were sure his Master the Marquesse of Mantua would agree therunto and proceeded accordingly Whereupon we concluded that the next day I should send a trumpeter to their campe by whom I should write to Master Lucas Pisan and Master Melchior Treuisan the two Venetian Prouisors the which are officers appointed to consult with their captains and to prouide things necessarie for their armie According to the which resolution the next morning I writ vnto them the effect of that I had said before to the steward for I had good colour to continue still a mediator bicause I had promised so to do at my departure from Venice Besides that I was sure the King desired peace and me thought that also our affaires required it Lastly there are euer men ynow to breake off a good appointmeÌt but few that haue skil wil withal to trauel for the pacifying of so great a controuersie nor that will endure so many hard speeches as are vsed of them that deale in such affaires for in great armies all are not of one humor The said Prouisors were glad of these newes and promised that I should shortly haue answer of my letter whereof foorthwith they sent word to Venice in post and receiued answere with great expedition from the Seniorie and not long after sent an Earle that serued the Duke of Ferrara to our campe The said Duke had men in their armie for his eldest sonne was in pay with the Duke of Milan 3 but another of his sonnes with the King our Master This Earles name was Albertin and he pretended openly that the occasion of his arriuall was to visite Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul with whom he had a sonne
of Rouen who gouerned the said Dukes affaires and two or three other meane personages suborned certaine Swissers to come and offer themselues to fight But no reason could be alleaged why we should so do for the Duke of Orleans had no men in the towne more than the thirty remaining in the castle so that there was no cause why we should aduenture the battell for the King had no quarrell neither meant to fight but onely for sauing the said Dukes person and his seruants Besides this our enimies were mightie and it was impossible to assaile them in their campe as well bicause they were entrenched round about and their trenches full of water as also bicause of the strong seat thereof Moreouer they had no enimies to inuade them but vs onely for they stood now in no more feare of the towne They were aboue 2800. men of armes barded and fiue thousand light horsemen and 11500. Almaines led by good captaines to wit Master George of Pietreplane Master Frederick Capelare and Master Haunce besides great force of footemen of their owne countries so that they seemed to speake but vpon a brauery that said we might take them in their campe or that they would flie Besides all this another thing there was greatly to be feared to wit least these Swissers if they ioined all togither should take the King and the noble men of the armie being but a handfull in respect of them and leade them prisoners into their countrie for some apparance there was that they meant so to do as you shall heare at the conclusion of the peace How the peace was concluded betweene the King and the Duke of Orleans on the one side and the enimies on the other and of the conditions and articles thereof Chap. 11. WHile these matters were thus debated to and fro among vs in such heate that the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Orenge fell at variance about them so far foorth that the Duke gaue him the lie the Marshall of Gie the Lord of Piennes the President Gannay the Lord Moruillier the Vidasme of Chartres and my selfe returned to the enimies campe and concluded peace 1 which notwithstanding that we perceiued by manifest tokens to be vnlike long to endure yet necessitie forced vs to conclude it both bicause of diuers reasons aboue alleaged bicause the winter constrained vs thereunto bicause we lacked monie and also to the end we might depart with an honorable peace the which should be sent abrode into the world in writing as the King had concluded with his Councell the Duke of Orleans being there present The articles of the peace were these That the Duke of Milan should beare the King his faith for Genua against all men and that in respect thereof he should arme two ships to the sea at his owne proper costs and charges to succour the castels of Naples which held yet for the King And further that the next yeere he should furnish the King of three ships and serue him in person in the conquest of the said realme if the King himselfe happened to returne to conquer it againe That he should giue passage to the Kings forces And if the Venetians would not accept the peace within two moneths but continue to defend the house of Arragon that then he should take part with the King against them and imploy his person and subiects for the Kings seruice vnder this condition that all that should be conquered of their dominions should be his That he should release to the King fowerscore thousand ducats of the hundred and fower and twenty thousand that he had lent him in this voiage That for performance of these conditions he should deliuer to the King two hostages of Genua That the castell of Genua should be put into the Duke of Ferraraes hands as neuter for two yeeres and that the Duke of Milan should pay the one halfe of the garrison within it and the King the other and further if the said Duke of Milan should refuse to do such seruices to the King for Genua as he was bound to do by this treatie that then it should be lawfull for the Duke of Ferrara to put the said castell into the Kings hands Last of all that the said Duke of Milan should deliuer to the King two other hostages of Milan These he deliuered and so would he also the others of Genua if the King had not departed so suddenly but so soone as he sawe him gone he made delaies After we were returned from the enimies campe and had aduertised the King that the Duke of Milan had sworne the treatie and the Venetians taken two moneths respit to accept or refuse it for more they would not condescend vnto the King sware it also and the second day after determined to depart being very desirous both he and all the companie to returne into Fraunce but the selfesame night the Swissers that were in our campe assembled togither each Canton apart and strake vp their drums standing in order of battell by their ensignes as their maner is in their consultations All the which I write vpon the report of Lornay who was then and long time before had been one of their captaines and vnderstandeth well their language and lodged that night in their campe and came and aduertised the King of all these their actions Some of these Swissers gaue aduise to take the King and all his companie that is to say the principall of the armie others would not agree thereunto but gaue counsell to demaund paiment for three moneths saying that the King his father had promised them this paiment as often as they should depart out of their countrie with ensigne displaied others were of opinion to take the principall of the armie not touching the Kings person This last opinion tooke place so far foorth that they began to dispose themselues to execute it a great number of their men being already within the towne but before they had fully concluded the King departed and went to Trin a towne in the Marquisat of Montferrat Sure they did vs great wrong to demaund three months paiment wheras K. Lewis had promised them but one especially hauing done no seruice To be short in the end we made an agreement with them but they that had been with vs at Naples had first taken the Bailife of Digeon Lornay who had euer been their captaines demaunding paiment of 15. daies for their departure But the others had three moneths pay amounting to fiue hundred thousand franks for the which summe they were contented to take pledges and hostages All this disorder happened by practise of certaine of our owne men who mooued them thus to do bicause they misliked the peace as one of their captaines came and told the Prince of Orenge who aduertised the King therof When the King arriued at Trin he sent the Marshall of Gie the President Gannay and me to the Duke of Milan to desire him to come and speake
able to succour the castle without these two ships for the enimies lay before it with a great Nauie as well of their owne as of the Venetians and the King of Spaines Three daies I abode with the Duke and one day he sate in counsell with me seeming to be discoÌtented that I misliked his answer touching the said ships and alleaged that by the treatie of Verceil he had promised to serue the King with two ships but not that they should be manned with French men Whereunto I answered that this seemed to me a verie slender excuse for if he should lend me a good mule to passe the mountaines withall and afterward make me lead hir in my hand and not to ride vpon hir but looke vpon hir onely what pleasure did he me After much debating he and I withdrew our selues into a gallery where I declared vnto him what great paines both I and others had taken to conclude this treatie of Verceil and into how great danger he brought vs by contrariyng thus his promise and causing the King by that meanes to lose these castles and consequently the whole realme whereby he should also ingender perpetuall hatred between the King and him Further I offered him the Princedome of Tarente and the Duchie of Bary the which Duchie he held already Lastly I shewed him the danger he put both himselfe and the whole estate of Italy into by suffering the Venetians to hold these places in Pouille 2 And he confessed I said true especially touching the Venetians but his last resolution was that he could finde no faith nor assurance with the King After this communication I tooke my leaue of him he accompaning me vpon the way about a league But euen at our very departure he deuised yet a cunningerly than all the rest if a man may vse such termes of a Prince for bicause I seemed to depart sad and Melancholick he said vnto me as a man suddenly altered that he would do me a friendly turne to the end the King might haue good cause to welcom me for the next day he would send Master Galeas to Genua more I could not wish when he named him to me to cause the two ships to depart and ioine with our armie by meanes whereof he would saue the King the castle of Naples and consequently the whole realme as he should indeed if he had done as he promised He said further that immediately after their departure he would aduertise me thereof with his owne hand to the end I might be the first man that should bring newes to the King of this great seruice that I had done him adding also that the Courrier should ouertake me with his letters before my arriuall at Lyons In this good hope departed I and tooke my iourney to passe the mountaines thinking euerie Poste that came after me to be the same that should haue brought me these letters Notwithstanding I doubted somewhat thereof knowing the nature of the man so well as I did But to proceed in my voiage I came to Chambery where I found the Duke of Sauoy who honorably entreated me and staied me with him a day Afterward I arriued at Lyons without my Courrier to make report to the King of all that I had done whom I found banketting and iusting and wholy giuen to sport and pastime Those that had misliked this treatie of Verceil were glad that the Duke of Milan had thus deluded vs for their credit increased thereby but me they potted at as in such cases is vsuall in Princes courts greatly to my griefe and discontentment I made report to the King by mouth and shewed him also in writing the Venetians offers aboue rehearsed whereof he made small account and the Cardinall who gouerned all much lesse But that notwithstanding I mooued it to him afterward againe for me thought it better to accept this offer then to lose all Besides that the King had no men about him able to deale in so waightie an enterprise 3 for those that were able and of experience they that had all the credit neuer or very seldome called to counsell in any matter The King would gladly they should oftner haue beene called but he feared to displease those that were of authority about him especially those that gouerned his treasure namely the said Cardinall and his brethren and kinsmen Wherefore let all other Princes learne by the example of this how fit and conuenient it is for themselues to take paines in the gouerning of their owne affaires at the least sometimes how requisite it is to call more than one or two to counsell according to the varietie of the matters that are debated and how necessarie it is to hold their counsellors almost in equall authority for if one of them be so great that the rest feare him as one was both then and euer since about King Charles he is King and Lord in effect and the Prince himselfe is euill serued as this King was by his gouernors who sought onely their owne profit and little regarded his whereby himselfe was the lesse esteemed and the worse thought of The Notes 1 The Venetians hauing sent aide to King Ferrand had won Monopoly and Pulignane Guicciar 2 For King Ferrand since King Charles his departure had in ingaged to the Venetians 6. townes in Pouille vnder certaine conditions which are rehearsed heerafter cap. 14. 3 He meaneth the enterprise of succouring the castle of Naples How the King after his returne into Fraunce forgot those that he left behinde him in the realme of Naples and how the Daulphin died whose death the King and Queen much lamented Chap. 13. I Returned to Lyons the yeere 1495. the twelfe of December where the King was already arriued with his army a yeere and two moneths after his departure out of his realme The castles of Naples held yet for him as before you haue heard and Monseur de Montpensier his lieutenant there was yet at Salerne in the realme of Naples with the Prince of Salerne likewise Monseur de Aubigny was yet in Calabria where he had done great seruice notwithstanding that he had been sicke almost euer since the Kings departure Master Gracien des Guerres was yet also in l' Abruzzo Dom Iulian at Montsaint-Ange and George of Suly at Tarente but they were all so distressed as a man would not beleeue Besides that they could hardly receiue any newes or letters out of Fraunce and those few they did receiue were but lies and faire promises without effect For the K. as you haue heard they dispatched nothing himselfe and if it had beene furnished in time but of the sixte part of the money that was spent afterward they had neuer lost the realme But in the end when all was yeelded they receiued forty thousand ducats onely for part of a yeeres pay already passed and yet if this small summe had come but a moneth sooner the miseries and diuisions they afterward fell into and the dishonor they receiued
had neuer chanced All the which inconueniences hapned bicause the King dispatched nothing himselfe neither would giue the messengers audience that came from them And as touching his seruants to whom he committed the gouernment of his affaires they were men of small experience idle and negligent and some of them I thinke had intelligence with the Pope whereby it manifestly appeered that God had now altogither withdrawen his grace from the King which at his going to Naples he had poured down so plentifully vpon him After the King had soiourned at Lyons about two monethes word was brought him that the Daulphin his sonne lay at the point of death and within three daies after that he was dead which newes he tooke heauily as nature would notwithstanding his sorrow soone ended But the Queene of Fraunce and Duchesse of Britaine called Anne lamented the death of hir sonne and that a long time as much as was possible for a woman to do And I thinke verily that besides the naturall griefe that women vse to conceiue in such cases hir minde gaue hir that some greater euill hung ouer hir head The King hir husband as I haue said mourned not long but sought to comfort hir by causing certaine yoong gentlemen to daunce before hir of the which the Duke of Orleans was one being of the age of fower and thirty yeeres who seemed to reioice at the Daulphins death bicause he was heire apparant to the crowne next after the King for the which cause the K. and he saw not one another in a long time after The Daulphin was about three yeeres olde a goodly childe bold in speech and no whit fearing those things that commonly children vse to feare Wherefore to be plaine with you his fathers sorrow soone ended for he began already to doubt if this childe grew to yeeres and continued in his noble conditions that happily he might diminish his estimation and authoritie for the King himselfe was a man of very small stature and no great sense but of so good a nature that it was impossible to finde a gentler creature Heerby you may perceiue in how miserable estate Kings and Princes liue who stand in feare of their owne children King Lewis the eleuenth who was so wise and vertuous a Prince stood in feare of this King Charles his sonne but he prouided well for it and afterward died leauing his said sonne King being but fowerteene yeeres of age The said King Lewis also had put King Charles the seuen his father in feare of him for being but thirteene yeeres of age he mooued war against him with certaine noble men and gentlemen of the realme that misliked those that bare the sway in Court gouerned the estate as K. Lewis himselfe hath eftsoones told me but this broile soone ended Afterward also being come to mans estate he fell at great variance with his father and retired himselfe into Daulphine and from thence into Flaunders leauing the countrie of Daulphin to the said King his father as I haue made mention about the beginning of this historie written of King Lewis the 11. Wherefore it is manifest that no creature is exempt from trouble but that all men eate their bread in trauell and sorrow as God promised vs that we should soone after he had created man the which promise he hath truly performed to all sorts of men But great diuersitie there is of troubles and sorrowes for those of the bodie are the lesse and those of the minde the greater the sorrowes of wise men are of one sort and the sorrowes of fooles of another but much greater griefe and passion endureth the foole than the wise man and lesse comfort receiueth he in his sorrowes though many suppose otherwise The poore man that trauelleth and toileth his body to get foode to sustaine himselfe and his children and paieth customs and subsidies to his Prince should liue in too great descomfort and despaire if Princes and great men had nothing but pleasure in this world and he nothing on the contrarie side but trauell and miserie But God hath otherwise disposed thereof for if I should take vpon me to rehearse the sundrie griefes sorrowes and passions that I haue seene diuers great personages sustaine as well men as women within these thirty yeeres onely a great volume would hardly containe them I meane not such great persosonages as Bocace writeth of in his booke 1 but such as we see abound with wealth liue in health and prosperitie yea such as those that haue not beene conuersant with them as I haue been would account in all respects happie bââ I haue often sââne their sorrowes and griefes arise of so small occasions that they that were vnacquainted with them would hardly beleeue it the most part being grounded vpon ielousies and reports which is a disease that lurketh secretly in great Princes Courts and traineth with it infinite mischiefs both to their owne persons their seruants and all their subiects and so much shorteneth their liues that hardly any King of Fraunce since Charles the great hath passed the age of sixtie yeeres For the which cause when King Lewis the eleuenth approched neere to that age being sicke of this disease he accounted himselfe a dead man His father King Charles the seuenth who had done so many noble acts in Fraunce conceiued an imagination in his sicknes that his seruants went about to poison him and therefore refused to receiue sustenance Likewise his father King Charles the sixt was troubled with so many suspicions that he lost his wits and all by reports And sure this is a fault greatly to be blamed in Princes that in these cases they cause not such matters as concerne themselues be they of neuer so small importance to be ripped vp which if they did they should not so often be troubled with false tales For if they would examine the parties the one before the other I meane the accuser and him that is accused no man durst report any thing to them that were vntrue But some Princes there are of so doltish disposition that they will promise and sweare to the accusers neuer to disclose their reports whereby they are often troubled with these anguishes before mentioned and hate and iniurie their trustiest and faithfullest seruants and subiects at the pleasure and vpon the complaint many times of lewd and naughtie persons The Notes 1 Of vnfortunate noble men How the King was aduertised of the losse of the castle of Naples and how the Florentines places were sold to diuers men of the treatie of Atelle in Pouille to the great dammage of the French and of the death of King Ferrande of Naples Chap. 14. THe Daulphin the Kings onely sonne died about the beginning of the yeere 1496. which was the greatest misfortune that euer happened or could happen to the King for he neuer had childe after that liued But this mischeife came not without company for at the very same time receiued he newes that the
Kings of Romanes and England 10 for the Prince of Wales was at that time very yoong were comprehended therein they had fower daughters the eldest of the which was a widow and had been married to the King of Portugales sonne that last died who brake his necke before hir as he passed a carrier vpon a ginnet within three moneths after their marriage The second and the third were married the one in Flaunders and the other in England and the fourth is yet to marrie After the Lord of Bouchage was returned and had made his report the King perceiued that de Clerieux had beene too credulous and that he had done wisely in sending du Bouchage thither bicause he was now assured of that which before he stood in doubt of The said de Bouchage aduertised him further that he could effect nothing but the conclusion of the truce the which he had libertie either to accept or refuse at his pleasure The King accepted it and sure it serued him to good purpose for it was the breach of their league which so much had troubled his affaires and which hitherto he could by no means dissolue notwithstanding that he had attempted all waies possible Thirdly the said de Bouchage informed the King that the King and Queene of Castile had promised him at his departure to send ambassadors immediately after him cause of their attainture was for that they had attempted to make him King of Portugale that now raigneth These Lords therefore and gentlemen were by meanes of this marriage recompensed in Castile by the King and Queene and their lands which they had forfaited in Portugale by attainture assigned to the Queene of Portugale now mentioned daughter to the said K. and Queene of Castile But notwithstanding all these considerations the said K. Queene repented them of this marriage for you shall vnderstand that there is no nation in the world that the Spaniards hate more than the Portugales so far foorth that they disdaine scorne them wherfore the said King Queene lamented much that they had bestowed their daughter vpon a man that should not be beloued in the realm of Castile their other dominions if the marriage had been then vnmade they would neuer haue made it which vndoubtedly was a great corrosiue to them yet nothing so great as this that she should depart from them Notwithstanding after all their sorrowes ended they led their said daughter and sonne in law through all the chiefe cities of their realme and made the said King of Portugale to be receiued for Prince and their daughter for Princesse and proclaimed them their successors after their death Some comfort they receiued after all these sorrowes for they were aduertised that the said Lady Princesse of Castile and Queene of Portugale was great with childe but this ioy prooued in the end double greefe so that I thinke they wished themselues out of the world for this Lady whom they so tenderly loued and so much esteemed died in trauell of the said childe not past a moneth agone and we are now in October in the yeere 1498. but the childe liueth 4 and is called Emanuell after his fathers name All these greatmisfortunes hapned to them in the space of three moneths Now to returne to the estate of Fraunce You shall vnderstand that about fower or fiue moneths before the said Ladies death a great misfortune happened also in this realme I meane the death of King Charles the eight whereof heereafter you shall heare at large It seemed therefore that God beheld both these houses with an angrie countenance and would not that the one realme should scorne the other For although the death of a Prince seeme but a trifle to many yet is it sure far otherwise for change of the Prince neuer happeneth in any realme but it traineth with it great sorrowes and troubles and notwithstanding that some gaine by it yet an hundred fold more lose bicause at an alteration men are forced to change their maner and forme of liuing for that that pleaseth one Prince displeaseth another Wherefore as before I haue said if a man well consider the sharpe and sudden punishments that God hath laide vpon great Princes within these thirty yeeres in Fraunce Castile Portugale England Naples Flaunders and Britaine he shall finde that they haue beene heauier and greeuouser than happened in two hundred yeeres before and whosoeuer would take in hand to discourse vpon all the particular misfortunes that I my selfe haue seene and in a maner knowen all the persons as well men as women to whom they happened should make thereof a huge volume and that of great admiration yea though it contained onely such as haue chanced within these ten yeeres By these punishments the power of God ought to be the better knowen for the plagues he powreth downe vpon great personages are sharper grieuouser and endure longer than those he sendeth to the poorer sort To conclude therefore me thinke all things well waied that Princes are in no better estate in this world than other men if they consider by the miseries they see happen to their neighbours what may happen to themselues For as touching them they chastice their subiects at their pleasures and God disposeth of them at his pleasure bicause other than him they haue none ouer them but happie is the realme that is gouerned by a Prince that is wise and feareth God and his commandements I haue briefly rehearsed the misfortunes that happened in three moneths space to these two great and mightie realmes which not long before were so inflamed the one against the other so busied in enlarging their dominions and so little contented with that they already possessed And notwithstanding that alwaies some as before I said reioice at changes and gaine by them yet at the first euen to them the death especially the sudden death of their Prince is very dreadfull and dangerous The Notes 1 This he seemeth to adde bicause the empire was greater but it was not the Emperors inheritance 2 Vnderstand the two first murthers of his wiues father and brother for his sonne was dead before he slue his owne brother 3 Vnderstand hir dowrie for hir first marriage 4 But the childe died also afterward and the crowne of Spaine descended to Iane the second daughter wife to Philip Duke of Austrich and mother to the Emperor Charles the fift Further you shall vnderstand that our authors memorie failed him heere for this Princes name was not Emanuel as Commines heere writeth but Michael according to all good authors and pedegrees both of Spaine and Portugale Of the sumptuous building King Charles began a little before his death of the great desire he had to reforme the Church and himselfe to diminish his reuenues and to redresse the processes of the law and how he died suddenly in this good minde in his castel of Amboise Chap. 18. I Will heere cease further to discourse of the affaires of Italie and Castile
and returne to our owne particular sorrowes and troubles in Fraunce which notwithstanding were pleasant newes happily to those that gained by them I will write of the sudden death of King Charles the 8. who being in his castel of Amboise had begun the sumptuousest building both in the castell and the towne that any King tooke in hand these hundred yeeres as appeereth by the towers vp to the which men ride on horsebacke and by the foundaÌtion laid in the towne the platformes whereof were drawen of such exquisitenes that they well declared it to be a worke of maruellous charge and that could not haue beene finished in long time For you shall vnderstand that the King had brought with him from Naples many excellent workmen in all kinde of arts especially grauers and painters and sure it seemed by the foundation an enterprise of a yoong King that thought not to die but hoped of long life for he ioined togither all the goodly things that were commended to him were they in Fraunce Italie or Flaunders Further he continued still desirous to returne into Italie and confessed that he had committed many errors in his voiage thither and oftentimes rehearsed them determining if his fortune were to returne againe and recouer his losses to giue better order for the defence of the countrie The recouerie also wherof bicause he had great intelligence in all places he purposed to attempt and to send thither fifteene hundred men of armes Italians vnder the leading of the Marquesse of Mantua the Vrsins the Vitellies and the Prefect of Rome brother to the Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula Moreouer Monseur d' Aubigny who had done him so great seruice in Calabria was ready to take his iourney towards Florence for the Florentines offered to beare the halfe of these charges for sixe moneths to the end the King with these forces aboue mentioned might first take Pisa 1 at the least the small places about it and then all togither enter into the realme of Naples from whence messengers came daily to him Alexander the Pope that now is practised with him and offered to become his perfect friend for there was a breach betweene him and the Venetians so far foorth that he sent a secret messenger into Fraunce whom myselfe conueied into the Kings chamber a little before his death The Venetians were ready to practise against Milan as touching Spaine you haue heard how it was affected to him The King of Romanes desired nothing so much as his friendship and that they two might ioine their forces togither to recouer that which appertained to them in Italie for the said Maximilian was great enimie to the Venetians bicause they withhold diuers things both from the house of Austrich whereof he is heire and also from the empire 2 Moreouer the King was wel disposed a little before his death to lead his life according to the commandements of God to reforme al abuses in the law the Church and to diminish his receits reuenues purposing to leuy of his people onely twelue hundred thousand franks ouer and aboue his demains which sum the three estates granted him by way of subsidie at Towers at his first comming to the crowne and this money he meant to employ vpon the defence of the realme But as touching himselfe he would haue liued vpon his demaines according to the maner of the ancient Kings of Fraunce and so might he well haue done for the demaines are great yea so great if they were well ordered that they surmount a million of franks certaine customes and subsidies being annexed to them If this his determination had taken effect he should thereby much haue eased his people who pay at this present aboue two millions and a halfe of franks by way of subsidie Moreouer he tooke great pains in reforming the abuses of the order of Saint Benet and other orders of religion he called neere about him holy religious men and often heard them preach he would willingly haue brought to passe if he could that a Bishop should haue had but one bishopricke and a Cardinall but two and that the clergie should haue beene resident vpon their benefices but it had been a hard matter to reforme the church men He gaue great almes to poore people a little before his death as his confessor the Bishop of Anger 's who was a woorthie prelate enformed me Lastly he had built a publike audience where himselfe heard the sutes of all men especially of the poore and dispatched many matters I my selfe sawe him in this place two houres togither but eight daies before his death which was the last time that euer I sawe him no matters of great importance were dispatched there but by this meanes he held men in feare especially his officers some also of the which he displaced for extortion and briberie But the eight day of Aprill the yeere 1498. vpon Palme sunday euen the King being in this glory as touching the world and in this good minde towards God departed out of the chamber of Queene Anne Duches of Britaine his wife leading hir with him to see the tennice plaiers in the trenches of the castle whither he had neuer led hir before and they two entred togither into a gallery called Haquelebacs gallerie bicause the said Haquelebac had in times past held watch and warde in it It was the vncleanest place about the castell for euery man made water there and the entrie into it was broken downe moreouer the King as he entred knocked his browe against the doore notwithstanding that he were of very small stature Afterward he beheld a great while the tennice playing talking familiarly with al men I my selfe was not present there but his said confessor the Bishop of Anger 's and those of his chamber that were neerest about him haue enformed me of this I write for as touching my selfe I was gone home eight daies before to my house The last word he spake being in health was that he hoped neuer after to commit deadly sin nor veniall if he could in vttering the which words he fell backeward and lost his speech about two of the clocke at afternoone and abode in this gallerie till eleuen of the clock at night Thrise he recouered his speech but it continued not with him as the said confessor told me who had shriuen him twise that weeke once of ordinarie and once for those that came to be cured of the Kings euill Euery man that listed entred into the gallerie where he laie vpon an old mattresse of strawe from the which he neuer arose till he gaue vp the ghost so that nine howers he continued vppon it The said confessor who was continually by him tolde me that all the three times he recouered his speech he cried My God and the glorious virgin Marie Saint Claude and Saint Blase helpe me Thus departed out of this world this mightie puissant Prince in this miserable place not being able to recouer one poore
chamber to die in notwithstanding that he had so many goodly houses and built one so sumptuous at that present These two examples aboue rehearsed declare the greatnes of Gods power and the shortnes and miserie of mans life which traineth with it great cares for the purchasing of worldly goods and honors and shew withall that death is common to all men the which a Prince can no more auoid than a poore plowman The Notes 1. Vnderstand to the end he might deliuer it to the Florentines 2 They withhold from the house of Austrich a part of Istria and Furly and from the empire Padoa and Veronne How the holy man Frier Hierom was burned at Florence by the procurement of the Pope and of diuers Florentines and Venetians his enimies Chap. 19. I Haue told you before in this discourse of our voiage to Naples that there was at Florence a Frier Iacobin called Hierome who had been resident there the space of fifteen yeeres being a man famous for his holy life and whom my selfe saw and communed with in the yeere of our Lord 1495. The said Frier as aboue is mentioned foretolde diuers things and affirmed alwaies that the King should passe ouer the mountaines into Italie and preached so openly saying that he vnderstood both this and all the other things whereof he spake by reuelation He said further that the King was chosen of God to reforme the estate of the Church with the sword and to chastice Tyrants But bicause he affirmed that he vnderstood these things by reuelation many murmured against him and he procured himselfe the displeasure of the Pope and of diuers others in the towne of Florence He led the holiest life that any man could leade as appeered both by his conuersation and also by his sermons wherein he preached against all kinde of vice so that he reformed the loose liues of many in the said citie But in this yeere 1498. about the selfe same time that King Charles ended his life died also this Frier Hierom within fower or fiue daies the one of the other The cause why I write this vnto you is for that he preached alwaies openly that the K. should return again into Italy to execute the commission that God had giuen him which was to reforme the Church by the sword and to chase tyrants out of the countrie and that in case he did it not God would punish him cruelly and all his former sermons and all that he made at this present he put foorth in print and are to be sold This threatning that he vsed against the King saying that God would punish him cruelly vnlesse he returned the said Frier writ also diuers times to him before his death and the like told he me with his owne mouth when I spake with him at our returne out of Italie saying that God had pronounced sentence against the King in heauen vnlesse he executed that which he had commanded him and restrained his men from spoile Now you shall vnderstand that about the time of the Kings death the Florentines were at great variance within the citie some desired the Kings returne and waited daily for it bicause of the great hope Frier Hierom gaue them thereof but in the meane time they consumed themselues and waxed maruellous poore by reason of the great charges they sustained in hope to recouer Pisa and the other places that they had put into the K. hands whereof the Venetians held Pisa But other some gaue aduice to take part with the league and vtterly to abandon the King saying that they were abused that it was folly to looke for his returne and that Frier Hierom was an heretike and a whoormaster and that it were almes to put him into a sacke and throwe him into the riuer but he was so friended in the towne that they durst not attempt it The Pope also and the Duke of Milan writ often against this Frier offering the Florentines to cause Pisa and their other places to be restored them if they would depart from their league with the King and take Frier Hierom and punish him And by chance at that present a new Seniorie was chosen in Florence whereof many were enimies to this Frier For you shall vnderstand that the said Seniorie changeth at euery two moneths end Wherefore the said Hieroms enimies suborned a Frier Franciscan to picke a quarrell to him and call him heretike affirming that he abused the people in saying he vnderstood any thing by reuelation for proofe whereof he offered himselfe to the fire and these words he spake before the Seniorie Frier Hierom would not present himselfe to the fire but a companion of his said that he would enter into the fire for him and then another companion of the Frier Franciscans presented himselfe on the other side whereupon a day was assigned when they should enter into the fire Vpon the which they both came accordingly accompanied each of them with his couent but the Iacobine brought the sacrament in his hand which the Frier Franciscans and the Seniorie also commanded him to lay downe which he refused to do wherfore they returned againe to their couents Then the people mooued by the said Frier Hieroms enimies went with the Seniories commission and tooke him with two others of his companions in his conuent and at the very first racked him cruelly they slue also the chiefest citizen in the towne called Francis Vallorie bicause he was the said Friers great friend Moreouer the Pope sent his commission whereby he authorized them to make their processe and in the end they burned them all three They charged him with these two points onely first that he raised discord in the towne and secondarily that he vnderstood by his friends of the councell all that he vaunted to know by reuelation For my part I will neither accuse them nor excuse them for this deed neither know I whether they did well or euill in putting him to death but sure he told many things that prooued true which he could not receiue from the councel of Florence And as touching the King and the euils he said should happen to him they came to passe as he prophesied for first he tolde him of the Doulphin his sonnes death and after of his owne as my selfe can witnesse for I haue seene the letters he writ thereof to the King Of the obsequies and funerals of King Charles the eight and of the coronation of King Lewis the 12. his successor with the genealogies of the Kings of Fraunce continuing to the said Lewis Chap. 20. THe Kings disease was a Catarre or an Apoplexie his Phisitions hoped it would haue fallen down into one of his armes the losse whereof they somwhat doubted but feared no whit any danger of death notwithstanding the contrarie to their expectation hapned He had fower Phisitions but gaue credit onely to the woorst of them and that so great that the others durst not vtter their minds for they would gladly haue
Francesco Gonzaga 2 Nicholas succeeded Borso but his vncle Hercules right heire expelled him and seeking to recouer the state he was taken and beheaded by Sigismundus his other vncle 1 Borso a bastard succeeded his brother bicause his brothers son was yoong he was created the first Duke of Ferrara by the Emperor Frederic 3 Hercules expelled Nicholas his nephew he was generall to the Florentines Venetians and Milanois This is he so often mentioned in this historie m. Leonora daughter to Ferdinand King of Naples Betrice married Lodouic Sforce Duke of Milan Alfonse m. Lucretia daughter to Alexander the 6. Biââop of Rome Franciscus Hippolitus a Cardinall 5 Hercules m. Renee daughter to Lewis the 12. King of Fraunce 6 Alfonsus D. of Ferrara Luigi Cardinall of Este m. Laura Alfonsus Alfonsinus â Elizabeth married Francis Gonzaga the Marquesse of Mantua mentioned in this storie Sigismundus The pedegree of Francis Marques of Mantua so often mentioned in this historie The familie of Gonzagua had gouerned Mantua before this Francis from the yeer 1328. vnder this Francis Iohn Galliazzo besieged Mantua a yeere but preuailed not this Francis serued the Duke of Milan and the Venetians Francis died anno 1407. Iohn Francis first Marques of MaÌtua made by the Emperor Sigismundus was thrice generall to the Venetians died anno 1443. m. Paola daughter to Malatesta Lord of Rimini Luigi liued in the time of Frederick the third m. Barbara daughter to the Marques of Brandenburg Luigi Francis a cardinall Frederick was generall to the Duke of Milan and the Venetians m. Margarita Tedesca Francis in the age of 38. yeeres fought with Charles the 8. at Laro died 1520. m. Elizabeth daughter to Hercules Duke of Ferrara Hercules a Cardinall Frederick made general of the Church by Pope Leo and so confirmed by his successors made D. by Charles the fift he died 1539. Montferrat m. Margaret daughter and heire of William Paleologus marques of Montferrat William Francis Lewis Frederick Ferdinandus generall of Milan to the Emperor Charles the fift Iohn Francis Rodolfe m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Bauiera Charles troubled his brother but was chased away by him died in very poore estate Lucedus was mishapen Alexander croked backed was a monke How Ferdinand King of Arragon had more right to the realme of Naples than the Kings of the house of Arragon that possessed it as writeth Commines Lib. 8. cap. 17. 1 Iohn the first of that name King of Castile m. Daughter to Ferdinand the first King of Portugale Castile 2 Henry the third King of Castile and Leon. Mary wife to Alfonse King of Arragon and Naples 3 Iohn the second 4 Henry the fourth married a daughter of the King of Portugale Elizabeth put froÌ the crowne by hir aunt Commin Lib. 5. cap. 7. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father m. Elenor daughter to Peter King of Arragon Arragon 1. Ferrand Earle of Medina del Campo K. of Arragon This Ferrande obtained the realme of Arragon anno 1407. bicause his mother was daughter to king Peter whose heire male failed in Martin his nephew and notwithstanding that Martin had a daughter yet Ferrande obtained the crowne to hir preiudice 3 Iohn succeeded his brother in Arragon but in Naples Ferrand his brothers bastard succeeded Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father Charles King of Nauarre sans issue Iane Queene of Portugale Mary married Iohn the secoÌd K. of Castile 2 1 Naples Alfonse adopted by Iane Queene of Naples who after adopted Lewis Duke of Aniou 2 Ferrande the bastard succeeded his father in the realme of Naples died a little before King Charles came into Italy 5 Frederick succeeded his nephew Ferdinand led after into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. Ferdinand married Germain widow to King Ferdinand of Arragon 3 Alfonse fled when K. Charles came into Italy 4 Ferdinand chased from Naples by King Charles but after recouered the realme died sans issue Isabella wife to Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan Elizabeth wife to Hercules Duke of Ferrara The King of Spaine had better right to Naples than Alfonse that possessed it when King Charles came into Italie bicause Alfonses father was a bastard King Ferrands father being the first Alfonses brother ought to haue succeeded him before his base sonne Further you shall vnderstand that after Frederick was led into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. the said K Lewis enioied Naples but within fower yeeres Ferrande King of Arragon by the great captaine Consaluo chased King Lewis out of the realme and left it to his nephew Charles the Emperor from whom the French K. could neuer recouer it but at this day it is in the possession of the King of Spaine sonne to the said Emperor Charles FINIS Faults escaped Page 3. line 1. reade to wit a pag. 7. lin 13. r. armie Of ead lin dele lin 28. r. Seniories pag. 8. l. 9. dele and ead p. l. vlt. r. of Coulches p. 11. l. 28. r. with them p. 13. l. 22. r. the best ead p. l. vlt. r. Seniories p. 14. l. 41. r. and La Marche p. 17. l. 8. r. flying p. 18. l. 12. r. them not ead p. l. 13. r. before My ead p. l. 32. r. aduise p. 19. l. 21. r. and in a p. 24. l. 46. r. of Aniou p. 27. l. 4. r. 6. of September ead p. l. 38. r. quirace p. 28. l. 32. r. this companie p. 29. l. 5. r. scouts p. 31. l. 43. r. ditch notwithstanding the truce No p. 38. l. 5. r. florens ead p. l. 26. r. cordingly p. 39. l. 31. dele with p. 40. l. 2. r. his campe p. 46. l. 9. r. the canon ead p. l. 44. r. Noone drew p. 47. l. 8. r. stayning ead p. l. 31. r. 6 ead p. l. 32. r. 5 p. 49. l. 7. r. vpon our ead p. l. 38. r. After these p. 50. l. 4. r. of the which p. 54. l. 32. r. goodly p. 59. l. 2. r. rased their wals but ead p. l. 35. r. Romont p. 61. l. 36. r. Angien p. 63. l. 42. r. or Herbart p. 64. l. 38. r. Estelle p. 66. l. 5. r. Ferrette p. 68. l. 34. r. haue had but ead lin r. sixtie thousand p. 69. l. 25. r. hardinesse ead p. l. 43. r. bounds of p. 74. l. 47. r. foorthwith p. 77. l. 1. r. touching the p. 78. l. 23. r. and Desmeries p. 79. l. 9. r. Polence p. 80. l. 13. r. bounds p. 82. l. 4. r. to Gaunt p. 83. l. 9. r. his principall ead p. l. 24. r. to repaire p. 84. l. 41. r. and receiued p. 85. l. 48. r. in feare p. 87. l. 44. r. foorth on foote p. 91. l. 24. r. the very p. 94. l. 13. r. what port the ead p. l. 38. r. three thousand p. 98. l. 35. r. the others p. 106. l. 20. r. cause p. 107. l. 2. r. foade p. 109. l. vlt. r. six score soldiers p. 111. l. 12. r. the onely p. 117. l. 17. r. these Dutch p. 118. l. 5. r. than in any p. 120. l. 2. r. church Then ead p. l. 7. r. 1474. Meyer p. 127. l. 2 r. is it p. 134. l. 2. r. stoutly denied p. 138. l. 43. r. a marrish p. 139. l. 32. r. whereof p. 150. l. 23. r. debebant p. 154. l. 21. r. preparation p. 155. l. 38. r. most of the which p. 16â ãâ¦ã p. 164. ãâ¦ã p. 165. l. 32. r. great p. 176. l. vlt. r. Burgund pa. 988. p. 179. l. 13. r. ride p. 186. l. 36. r. had good p. 196. l. 33. r. begin p. 201. l. 39. r. to the king his p. 205. l. 40. r. Burgundish p. 208. l. 21. dele had p. 224 l. 6. r. This second p. 227. l. 23. r. in the towne p. 240. l. 16. r. to proceed p. 243. l. 18. r. a number ead p. l. 37. r. which is called p. 253. l. 33. r. vantmures p. 254. l. 25. r. Fougieres p. 260. l. 45. r. was sent p. 261. l. 30. r. Dabecsin p. 263. l. 16. r. commendation p. 267. l. vlt. r. foorth to p. 274. l. 17. r. Proctor ead p. l. vlt. r. they lawfull p. 276. l. 21. r. first voiage p. 278. l. 41. r. Treuâul p. 280. l. vlt. dele Duke p. 281. l. 3. dele Duke p. 284. l. 21. r. also of the p. 291. l. 16. r. Caballiau p. 292 l. 40. r. Caballiau p. 293. l. 19. r. vantmure ead p. l. 43. r. Rosanes p. 294. l. 9. r. Picinino p. 295. l. 12. r. ride about p. 296. l. 14. r. for cruell p. 297. l. 4. r. Aenaria p 306. l 38. r. their other ead p. l. 48. r. places than they p. 307. l. 8. r. accompanie ead p. l 31. r. Otrante p. 313. l. 4. r. or Musiua p. 316. l. 17. r. and two p. 318. l. 16 r. and voluntarily p. 319. l. 39. r. Luques p. 325. l. 18 r. Albanie p. 335. l. 7. r. the Florentines p. 342. l. 4. r. enimies nauie p. 350. l. 3. r. they might p. 380. r. Iane daughter heire to Robart of Bar E. of Marle p. 391. r. Cosmus died the 80. yeere of his age We must intreate the Readers patience for these faults escaped and that he will amend the booke according to this table before he enter into the reading thereof