great authoritie at that time in Fraunce that for feare of them no Counsellor durst plead his cause wherefore necessitie enforcing him to defend him selfe he pleaded there by the space of two howers being very attentiuely heard by the whole audience and in the end so acquite himselfe that by the Iudges sentence he was discharged Among other things he rehearsed at the bar how sundrie troublesome and daungerous voiages he had sustained for the King and the common wealth How highly King Lewis both had fauoured him and for his faithfull seruice rewarded him for his owne part he said that he neuer had done any thing couetouslie ambitiouslie nor cruelly and further that if he had sought onely to aduance and inrich himselfe he might haue had as goodly possessions as any man in France He was prisoner in almost three yeeres The next yeere after his deliuerie he had a daughter borne named Iane which married with Rene Earle of Pantabria descended of the Dukes of Britaine by whom among diuers other children she had issue Iohn late Duke of Estampes Lieutenant of Britain Knight of the French Kings order and Lord of diuers goodly Seniories But to returne to Commines in prosperity he gaue for his posie this sentence He that will not labour let him not eate but in aduersitie this I sailed into the deepe of the sea and a sudden tempest ouerwhelmed me He died the threescore and fourth yeere of his age the yeere of our Lord 1509. the 17. day of October in his owne house of Argenton in the countrey of Poictu from whence his body was conueighed to Paris and there lieth buried in the Augustine Friers I was heere purposed to haue staied my pen and further not to haue spoken either of Commines historie or his life had I not called to minde diuers accusations of Iacobus Meyerus who in sundrie places of his Annales of Flanders inueigheth verie bitterly as well against Commines life as his historie whose accusations I am forced to laie open to the iudgement of the world to the end it may appeere whether they be grounded vpon iust proofe Notwithstanding before I enter into the examination of them thus much in the commendation of Commines historie I cannot passe ouer in silence that two of the greatest and woorthiest Princes that raigned in Europe these hundred yeeres namely the Emperour Charles the fift and Francis the first King of Fraunce made so great account of this historie that the Emperor caried it continually about with him as Alexander did the workes of Homer no lesse esteeming it than he did them and the King was as much displeased with the printing and publishing thereof as was the same Alexander in times past for the setting foorth of Aristotles workes called Acroamatica as rehearseth Gellius so desirous was he to haue reserued to himselfe and a few of his owne subiects the great treasures of wisedome hidden in this small volume But let vs now heare what Meyer obiecteth against this historie In the 17. booke of his Annales of Flaunders writing of the battell fought at Saintron betweene Charles Duke of Burgundie and the Liegeois he hath these words Pugna commissa caeduntur magno numero profligantur ad nouem millia cecidisse tradit qui interfuit Philippus Cominius Sed Brabantiae scriptor quidam scriptor Flandriae quibus plus habeo fidei tria tantum millia occubuisse memorant For answere heereunto if this place be indifferently weighed it shall appeere to be wholie grounded vpon malice and no colour of reason much lesse iust proofe First bicause Meyer preferreth the credit of these obscure Annalistes that write but vpon report before the credit of him that was an eie witnesse and that no way could aduantage himselfe by reporting a lye Secondarily sir Oliuer de la Marche who liued also in that time and was Steward of the Duke of Burgundies house writeth that a great number of these Liegeois were slaine at this battell and also at the siege of Saintron but that their friends and kinsfolkes trussed vp their dead bodies in vessels full of lime partly to the end the discomfiture might appeere the lesse and partlie that they might be buried among their auncestors in the which feate saith he the Liegeois shewed a woonderfull audacitie and courage whereby it shoulde seeme a great number to haue been thus trussed vp by meanes whereof the dead appeered the fewer and were reported accordingly which deceiued diuers and happilie these Annalists of Brabant and Flaunders The like practise we reade of in diuers authors of the like writeth Meyer also himselfe Lastly the Annales of Burgundy agree with Commines and report the number as he doth so that this answer I hope shall suffice for this point Againe in the same booke fol. 364. Meyer writeth thus Loquitur Cominius de nobili quadam foemina attrebatensis ditionis proditrice patriae cuius aedere non vult nomen falsus in hoc vt in caeteris historicus Sure if it were an vndoubted truth that a Ladie of Artois could not send the King such aduertisement as Commines reporteth that she did or if Meyer were Pythagoras that ipse dixit might passe for proofe the credit of Commines should happilie hang in ballance but if you reade the place in his historie the very circumstances will induce any indifferent man to thinke that which is there written of this Ladie to be no lie Againe fol. 366. Meyer hath these words Hic est Cominius ille transfuga gente Flandrus qui multa de Carolo Lodouico prouinciali lingua bene scripsit sed quaedam etiam scripsit plane mendaciter multaque dicenda infideliter reticuit This is so generall and vncertaine a charge that answer in truth it deserueth none notwithstanding I refer to the iudgement of those that shall reade this historie whether Commines conceale his Masters faults therein or not for that is Meyers meaning in this place True it is that he vttereth them not in such railing barbarous termes as Meyer very vnseemely vseth of so great a Prince as King Lewis was and is offended with Commines for not dooing the like a thing which becommeth Meyer himselfe very ill and would haue become Commines much woorse But our author as he concealeth not his masters faults but laieth them open enough to the vnderstanding of the wise and attentiue Reader so deliuereth he them so sparingly and vnder such termes as truth being vttered the Kings honor be no further impeached than verie necessitie doth enforce a matter verie commendable in a gentleman writing of a Prince a seruant of his Master and a subiect of his Soueraigne Lastly Meyer fol. 365. hath these words refert Cominius exercitum Caroliadeo fuisse extenuatum vt exhibere illum Anglis non auderet sed hoc falsum est But you must beleeue Meyer vpon his word other disproofe of Commines report he can bring none neither grounded vpon any circumstance nor produced out of any good
and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates page 40 Chap. 15 How by the diuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy the King recouered the said Duchie which he had giuen his brother page 42 Chap. 16 How the new Duke of Normandy returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed in his enterprise page 43 The second Booke Chap. 1 Of the wars betweene the Burgundians and Liegeois and how the towne of Dinand was taken sacked and rased page 45 Chap. 2 How the Liegeois brake the peace with the Duke of Burgundie then Earle of Charalois and how he discomfited them in battell page 48 Chap. 3 How some of the Citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundy page 52 Chap. 4 How the Duke of Burgundy made his entrie into the towne of Liege and how the citizens of Gaunt where he had beene euill intreated before humbled themselues vnto him page 55 Chap. 5 How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederats and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne page 57 Chap. 6 A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and Noble men page 60 Chap. 7 How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castle of Peronne by the D. of Burgundies commandement page 62 Chap. 8 A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth page 64 Chap. 9 How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castle of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois page 67 Chap. 10 How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates page 69 Chap. 11 How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege page 71 Chap. 12 How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger page 73 Chap. 13 How the city of Liege was assaulted taken and spoiled and the Churches also page 75 Chap. 14 How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont page 77 Chap. 15 How the K. by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment page 80 The third Booke Chap. 1 How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a Purseuant of the Parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris page 82 Chap. 2 How the townes of Saint Quintin and Amiens were yeelded to the King and for what causes the Constable nourished the war between the K. and the Duke of Burgundy page 84 Chap. 3 How the Duke of Burgundy tooke Piquigni and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables griefe page 86 Chap. 4 Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy page 89 Chap. 5 How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great griefe who receiued him into his countries page 92 Chap. 6 How the Earle of Warwicke tooke out of prison King Henry of England page 96 Chap. 7 How king Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwicke and then the Prince of Wales page 99 Chap. 8 How the wars reuiued betweene king Lewis and Charles D. of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine page 101 Chap. 9 How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the king brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other page 105 Chap. 10 How the Duke of Burgundy seeing that he could not take Beaunais before the which he had laid his siege went to Roan page 108 Chap. 11 How the king made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracie that these two Princes made against him page 110 Chap. 12 A discourse very fit for this place of the wisedome of the king and the Constable with good aduertisements to such as are in credite with Princes page 114 The fourth Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundie being seazed of the Duchie of Gueldres sought to encroch further vpon the Almaines and how he laid his siege before Nuz page 116 Chap. 2 How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almaines against the Duke of Burgundie and of other enimies that the king procured the Duke page 120 Chap. 3 How the king wan from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquey the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corby and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederic to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire page 122 Chap. 4 How the Constable began to be had in suspition againe as well of the king as of the Duke of Burgundy page 124 Chap. 5 How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the king of England his confederate sent to defie king Lewis page 126 Chap. 6 Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the king of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death page 129 Chap. 7 How the king clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the king of England in his campe where he receiued a very good answere page 131 Chap. 8 How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made page 133 Chap. 9 How the king feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two kings page 136 Chap. 10 How the two kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the king of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon page 140 Chap. 11 How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the king and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundie page 143 Chap. 12 How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundy and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was
sommer his attempts and enterprises were so high and difficult that onely God by his absolute power could haue atchiued them for they passed far mans reach The Notes 1 De la Marche calleth him that deliuered the Earle Robert Couterel or Coutereau a horseman of Bruxels his Phisitions sonne whom for that fact immediately he made knight and feudarie of Brabant Gaghin writeth that the Earle was twice in danger once in the hands of Geffery De S. Bealin and againe in the hands of Gilbert Grassaie 2 For the two places heere named be aboue three hundred English miles asunder 3 There were slaine at the battell of Montl'hery 2000. Annal. Burgund Meyer saith 3000. Gaguin 3600. How the Duke of Berry the Kings brother and the Duke of Britaine ioined with the Earle of Charolois against the King Chap. 5. THe next day being the third after the battell we remooued our campe and lodged at Montl'hery out of the which the people fled part into the Church steeple and part into the Castell but the Earle caused them to returne to their houses neither lost they the value of one penie for euery man paid his shot as truly as if he had been in Flaunders The castell helde for the King and was not assaulted by vs. The third day being passed the Earle of Charalois by the Lord of Contais aduise departed to Estampes a good and commodious lodging and a fruitfull soile meaning to preuent the Britains who came that way and before their ariuall to lodge his men that were sicke and hurt in the towne and the rest abroad in the fields This good lodging and the Earles long abode there saued many a mans life At the said town of Estampes arriued the Lord Charles of Fraunce then Duke of Berry and the Kings onely brother accompanied with the Duke of Britaine the Earle of Dunois the Lord of Dampmartin the Lord of Loheac the L. of Beueil the Lord of Chaumount and master Charles of Amboise his sonne who since hath caried great credit in this realme all the which the King at his first comming to the crown had displaced and put out of office notwithstanding the great seruices they had done the King his father and the realme both in the conquest of Normandie and in diuers other wars The Earle of Charolois and all the noble men that were with him went foorth to receiue them and lodged their persons in the towne where their lodgings were already made but their forces lay abroad in the fields They had with them eight hundred men of armes very well appointed a great number of the which were Britons who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and these made a gallant shew in their campe of archers and other soldiers armed with good Brigandines they had great force so that I suppose they were six thousand men on horsebacke all in very good order and sure this army shewed the Duke of Britaine to be a great Prince for they were all paid out of his coffer 1 The King being retired to Corbeil as you haue heard was not idle neither forgat what he had to do but went straight into Normandy partly to leuy men and partly bicause he feared rebellion in the countrey but a great part of his forces he left about Paris in those places that had most need of defence The first euening that all these Princes met at Estamps they told newes each to other the Britons had taken prisoners certaine of the Kings part that fled and if they had been but a litle neerer the place of the battell they had either taken or discomfited the third part of his army They had first giuen order to sende foorth certaine bands before them to vnderstand how neere the Kings army and the Earles were togither but they altered their mindes Notwithstanding master Charles of Amboise and certiane with him scoured the countrey before their army to see if they could meete any of their enimies and certaine prisoners as you haue heard they tooke and part also of the Kings artillerie These prisoners made report vnto them that vndoubtedly the King was slaine for so they supposed bicause they fled at the very beginning of the battell which newes the abouenamed master Charles of Amboise and they that were with him brought to the Britaines campe who reioiced maruellously thereat supposing it had been true and hoping for great rewards if the Lord Charles were King Further they debated in councell as a man of credit there present afterward aduertised me how they might rid the countrey of the Burgundians and send them home in the diuels name and were in maner all agreed to cut their throtes if they could but this their ioy soone ended wherby you may perceaue what sodaine alterations are in a realme in such troubles But to returne to the campe lying at Estampes when euery man had supped and a great number being walking in the streetes The Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Earle of Charolois withdrew themselues to a window where they entred into very earnest communication Now you shall vnderstand that there was among the Britaines one that tooke great pleasure in throwing squibs into the aire which when they fall to the ground run flaming among men his name was master Iohn Boutefeu or master Iohn de Serpens I wot not well whether This mery companion being secretly hidden in a house threw two or three squibs into the aire from a high place where he stood one of the which by chance strake against the bar of the window where these two Princes communed togither wherewithall both of them started sodainly vp being astonished at this accident and each beholding other suspecting this to be purposely done to hurt them then came the Lord of Contay to his master the Earle of Charolois and after he had told him a word or two in his eare went downe and caused all the men of armes of the Earles house and all the archers of his garde and a number of other to arme themselues Incontinent also the Earle of Charolois mooued the Duke of Berry to command the archers of his garde to do the like whereupon immediatly two or three hundred men of armes stood on foote in harneis before the gate with a great number of archers the which sought round about from whence this fire might come in the end the poore fellow that had done the deed fell downe vpon his knees before them confessing the fact and threw three or foure other squibs into the aire whereby he put diuers out of suspicion each of other thus the matter turned to a iest and euery man vnarmed himselfe and went to bed The next day in the morning they sat in councell to debate what was to be done all the Princes with their principall seruants being there present and as they were of diuers parts and not obedient to one head so were they also of diuers opinions as in such assemblies it cannot be otherwise chosen But among
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
the Duke of Burgundy where he remained till the yeere of his coronation which was in the yeere 1461. Annal. Burgund De la Marche Meyer How the Burgundians lying neere to Paris and looking for the battell supposed great thistles to haue been launces held vpright Chap. 11. I Haue been long in this discourse but it serueth to so good purpose that sooner I could not end it Now to returne to the wars you haue heard how these archers that lay in the trench along vpon the riuer of Seine dislodged at the very instant that we should haue assailed them The truce neuer endured past a day or two and when it ended sharpe war began againe and the skirmishes continued from morning till night but no great force issued foorth of the towne notwithstanding they beat backe our scoutes oftentimes whom we euer releeued with new supplies There passed no day without some skirmish great or small and I thinke the King would haue had them greater had it not been bicause he was ielous of diuers though needlesly I haue heard him say that one night he found the posterne of Saint Anthonies bastile towards the fields wide open which put him in suspicion of Master Charles of Melun whose father kept the place yet sure a faithfuller seruant than the said Charles that yeere the King had none One day they within Paris determined to issue foorth to fight with vs of the which enterprise I suppose the King vnderstood nothing but it was onely his captaines resolution they meant to assaile vs three seuerall waies their greatest band should haue come from Paris another from Pont de Charenton which two could not greatly haue endamaged vs and the third appointed to be two hundred men of armes from Bois-de-Vincennes Of this resolution we were aduertised about midnight by a Page that told vs this newes as lowd as he could crie from the other side of the riuer by the commandement of the Princes friends within the towne some of the which also he named and so departed By breake of day issued foorth Master Poncet of Riuiere before Pont de Charenton and the Lord of Lauon the other side from Bois-de-Vincennes euen hard to our artillerie where they slue one of our gunners The alarme was great in our campe for we supposed this to be the enterprise whereof the Page aduertised vs ouer night The Earle of Charolois was soone armed yet not so soone as Iohn Duke of Calabria for at all alarmes he was the first man armed and that at all points and his horse euer barded Moreouer he ware such a garment as the famous men of war vse in Italy and shewed himselfe both a noble Prince and a woorthy Captaine he rode straight to the barriars of our campe to staie our men fom issuing foorth where he was as well obeyed as the Earle of Charolois him selfe yea the whole armie obeied him more willingly than any man in the companie of the which honor vndoubtedly he was woorthie Incontinent our whole force was in armes stood in order of battell within our cariage all saue two hundred horse that kept our watch abroad To be short this day we looked assuredly for the battell but neuer before nor neuer after Soone after the Earle of Charolois and the Duke of Calabria arriued the Dukes of Berry and Britaine whom I neuer saw armed but this day onely The Duke of Berry was armed at all points notwithstanding they were but weakely accompanied in the which estate they passed through the campe and rode foorth to the Lords of Charolois and Calabria where they communed togither Our scoutes being renforced rode as neere Paris as they could and discouered a great number of our enimies scouts comming to learne what noise this was in our army Our artillerie shot terriblie when Monseur De Lau approched so neere vs the King also had good peeces vpon Paris wals that shot into our campe which was strange for we lay two leagues from the town but I thinke the peeces were mounted to the most aduantage This thundering of the artillerie caused both the parties to thinke some great enterprise to be towards The day was very darke and cloudy and our scouts approching neer to Paris discouered many enimies abroad in the field and a good way beyond them a number of launces held vpright as they supposed which they iudged to be the Kings whole force and all the people of Paris issued foorth of the towne in order of battel which imagination the darknes of the heauens put into their head They returned foorthwith to the Princes being yet without our campe aduertised them of this news assuring them of the battell The scoutes that were issued foorth of Paris approched still neerer and neerer to our campe bicause they saw ours retire which thing so much the more increased in our scoutes their former imagination Then came the Duke of Calabria to the place where a great number of the Earle of Charolois houshold seruants stood to accompanie his standard and his banner readie to be displaied and the guidon of his armes according to the custome of the house of Burgundy and there the said Duke of Calabria spake thus to vs all We haue now our desire for the King is issued foorth with his whole force and marcheth forward as our scouts tell vs. Wherefore let vs determine to play the men So soone as they be out of the towne we will enter and measure with the long ell 1 and with such like words rode he about encouraging the companie our scouts at the length perceiuing the enimies to be but weake recouered their spirits rode againe towards Paris where they discouered these battels in the selfe-same place they left them whereupon they entred into a new cogitation what they might be but when they approched neere to them the day being broken vp and cleere they perceiued them to be high thistles whereupon they rode hard to the towne gates and found not a man abroad whereof incontinent they aduertised the Princes who vpon this newes went to masse and afterward to dinner but our scoutes were ashamed of their first aduertisement notwithstanding the darknes of the day togither with the message of the Page brought vnto vs ouernight somwhat excused them The Notes 1 By the long ell he meaneth the pike wherewith souldiers at the sacke of a towne vse to measure veluets silks and cloths How the King and the Earle of Charolois met togither to treat of peace Chap. 12. THe treatie of peace continued still betweene the King and the Earle of Charolois especially bicause the principall force of both the armies was theirs The Princes demands were great namely the Duke of Berries who required all Normandy for his partage which the King would by no means condescend vnto The Earle of Charolois demanded the townes situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Abbeuille Amiens Saint Quintin Peronne and the rest that King Charles the 7. had engaged
as you see The Notes 1 The Earles meaning was that the King could not redeeme them during the said Earles life bicause they were engaged to Duke Philip and his heires males 2 The Duke of Burgundie allowed the Dolphin being in his countries monethly 3000. florences for his entertainment Meyer 3 King Lewis was crowned anno 1461. Augusti 14. 4 The Kings sister that married the Earle was named Catherine but he had no issue by hir Annal. Burgund Meyer His second wife was Isabell daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon by whom he had issue a daughter named Marie which also was his heire His third wife was Margaret sister to Edward the fourth King of England by whom also he had no issue 5 He meaneth the taking of Roan mentioned in the next chapter How the towne of Roan by practise was put into the Duke of Bourbons hands for the D. of Berry and how the treatie of Conflans was fully concluded Chap. 13. YOu shall now vnderstand what mooued me to discourse so long of the dangers depending vpon these treaties and why I aduised Princes to be wise and circumspect whom they employ in them especially him that hath the woorse end of the staffe For while the commissioners sat to treat of peace by means wherof men met communed togither in steede of treating of peace some practised to yeeld the Duchie of Normandie to the Kings onely brother the Duke of Berry to the end he might there take his partage and restore Berry to the King which enterprise was also executed according for the Lady of Brezey the late Seneschall of Normandies widow and certaine of hir kins folkes and seruants by hir perswasion receiued Iohn Duke of Bourbon into the castell of Roan and finally into the towne the which willingly consented to this mutation as did also all the other townes and places in the countrey a few excepted For the Normans haue euer been and yet are of opinion that it is requisite for them their countrie being so large to haue their Prince resident among them neither desire they any thing more and sure it is a goodly thing and a rich for I my selfe haue knowen the reuenues thereof nine hundred and fiftie thousand frankes 1 and some say they are greater After the towne was reuolted all the inhabitants gaue their oth to the Duke of Bourbon as the Duke of Berries lieutenant saue the bailiffe of the towne named Onaste who had been a groome of the Kings chamber in Flaunders and neere about him and another called VVilliam Piquart afterward generall of Normandie and the high Seneschall of Normandie that now is who also departed to the King against his mothers will who as you haue heard was the chiefe author of the citizens reuolt When the King heard this newes he resolued to make peace seeing he could not vndoo that was already done Wherefore incontinent he sent word to the Earle of Charolois being in his campe that he would gladly speake with him and appointed the hower when he would meete him in the fields by Conflans neere to the said campe at which hower he came accompanied with an hundred horse all in manner Scottish men of his garde The Earle of Charolois met him with a small traine without any ceremonie notwithstanding many of his seruants went after him so that in the end his company was greater than the Kings but he caused them to stay a pretie way off and when the King and he had walked togither a while the King told him that the peace was already made and aduertised him of al that was hapned at Roan whereof the Earle as yet vnderstood nothing adding that notwithstanding he would neuer willingly haue granted his brother so large a partage yet now seeing the Normans themselues had made this mutation he would agree thereunto and passe the treatie in maner and forme as before at diuers meetings was deuised for as touching the other articles they had to agree vpon they were but trifles The Earle of Charolois was glad of these newes for his army lay in great distresse of vittailes but more of money and had not this hapned all these Princes had been forced to depart with great dishonor Notwithstanding to the Earle of Charolois the same day or within two or three daies after came a new releefe both of men and money sent him by Duke Philip his father out of Burgundy vnder the leading of the Lord of Sauenses being six score men of armes and fifteene hundred archers and six score thousand crownes vpon ten sumpter horses with great store of bowes and arrowes which furnished reasonably well the Burgundians army who stood in great doubt that the other Princes would make peace without them This communication of peace pleased so well both the King and the Earle of Charolois and so desirous they were as I haue heard the Earle himselfe say to conclude the treatie that they marked not which way they walked but rode straight toward Paris so far foorth that they entred into a great bulwarke of wood and earth that the King had caused to be made a good way without the towne at the end of a trench by the which laie a way into the towne The Earle was accompanied but with foure or fiue persons who were much abased when they saw themselues within the bullwarck notwithstanding he himselfe set a good face on the matter But when this newes came to the campe the whole army began to mutter and the Earle of S. Paul the marshal of Burgundie the Lord of Contay the Lord of Hault-bourdin diuers others assembled togither blaming greatly both the Earle and those that accompanied with him of this follie and alleadging the inconuenience that hapened to his grandfather at Montereau-faut-Yonne in the presence of King Charles the 7. Wherefore incontinent they commanded all the soldiers that were walking abroad in the fields to retire into their campe And the marshall of Burgundie surnamed Neuf-chastel said thus though this foolish harebrained yoong Prince be gone to cast awaie himselfe yet let vs prouide that his house his fathers estate and we our selues fall not into danger wherefore mine aduise is that euerie man repaire to his lodging and be in a readines banishing al feare whatsoeuer hapen For we are strong inough if we seuer not to retire to the marches of Henaut or Picardie or into Burgundie When he had thus said he and the Earle of Saint Paul mounted on horsebacke and walked out of the campe to see if they coulde descrie any body comming from Paris where after they had stoode a while they discouered forty or fiftie horses being certeine of the Kings seruants as well archers as others that waited backe vpon the Earle of Charolois who so soone as he perceiued these two approch caused the French men to return he stood in awe of the marshall bicause he vsed to giue him verie sharpe language neither feared sometimes to tell him that he was
Burgundie and hung his sons image on a gibbet vvith vile reprochfull vvords Reade Annal. Burgund fol. 900. and Meyer fol. 337. pag. 2. but soone after namely 19. Octob. the same yeere the Duke of Burgundy by the conduct of the Earle of Nassau the Seneschall of Hainault the Lords of Grutuse Gasebecque and Rubempre gaue them an ouerthrovv at Montenac vvhere they lost 2200 men vvherefore seeing their forces broken and the Earle of Charolois returned home they desired peace vvhich they obtained 22. Ianuarij anno 1466. as our author in this chapter maketh mention and likevvise Meyer fol. 338. and Annal. Burgund fol. 909. vvhere also reade the conditions of the peace but this peace the same yeere about Iune they brake againe by aiding them of Dinand as in the second booke our author setteth foorth at large How by the deuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandie the King recouered the saide Duchie which he had giuen his brother Chap. 15. NOw to returne to the Dukes of Normandie and Britaine who after their departure from Bois-de-Vincennes went togither as you haue heard to take possession of Normandie You shall vnderstand that immediately after their entrey into Roan they fell at variance about partition of the bootie 1 for the knights aboue mentioned were yet with them who being accustomed vnder King Charles the seuenth to liue in great authoritie and enioy goodly offices thought now seeing this enterprise at an end and themselues vnrestored to the Kings fauor to be aduanced by the new Duke of Normandie wherefore they gaped for the best offices in the countrey as due to them On the otherside the Duke of Britaine thought it reason that part of them should be at his disposition bicause the greatest burden of these wars had lien vpon his shoulders To be short the fire so kindled betweene them that the Duke of Britaine for safety of his person was forced to retire to mont S. Katherine neer to Roan where also the Duke of Normandies men with the citizens of Roan were about to besiege him so that in the end he was forced to retire the high way to Britaine Of this deuision the King being aducrtised furthered it I warrant you to the vttermost of his power for he was master in this Arte and in the meane time approched with his army neere to the countrey whereupon those that held the strong places began to yeeld them to him thereby to recouer his fauor I speake of these matters vpon the Kings owne report for I my selfe was not present at them But to proceed the King practised with the Duke of Britaine who held certaine of the strong places in base Normandie 2 vtterly to abandon his brother for conclusion whereof they were togither a certeine space at Caen where they made a treatie by the which the said towne of Caen diuers other places remained in the L. of Lescuts hands with a certaine number of soldiers in pay but this treatie was so confused that I thinke neither party vnderstood it throughly well Thus returned the D. of Britaine into his owne countrey and the King bent his whole force against his brother the Duke of Normandie who seeing himselfe vnable to withstand him and that the King had already taken Pont de l'Arche and diuers other places in the countrey determined to flie into Flaunders The Earle of Charolois was yet at Sainctron 3 a litle towne in the countrey of Liege where he was maruellously busied for his army was all broken and out of order and part thereof notwithstanding the winter in war against the Liegeois This variance betweene the two Dukes aboue mentioned much troubled him for he desired nothing more than to see a Duke of Normandie bicause thereby the King should lose the third foote of his realme wherfore he leuied men in Picardie to put into Dieppe but before they were readie he that held the towne yeelded it by composition to the King who by this meanes recouered al the Dutchie of Normandie saue those places that the Lord of Lescut held by the treatie of Caen. The Notes 1 He meaneth by the bootie the offices in Normandie 2 The places the Duke of Britaine helde vvere Caen Auaranches Licieux c. 3 Some copies haue Saint Oen but the old copie and de la Marche Sainctron some call it Centron and Saint Truden as saith Guicci Hubertus nameth it in latin Centrones Berlandus fanum Trudonis but corruptly saith Hubertus the ancient name in deede is Centrones wherefore it is to be read Centronor Sainctron but not Saint Oen. How the newe Duke of Normandie returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed of his enterprise Chap. 16. THe Duke of Normandie was once determined as you haue heard to flie into Flaunders but at that very instant the Duke of Britaine and he reconciled themselues acknowledging both of them their errors and well perceauing all good things by diuision to perish and come to naught And sure in mine opinion it is almost impossible that many Princes of equall estate being togither should long continue in friendship and amitie vnlesse they haue a superior ouer them who also must be wise and well esteemed to the end he may hold them in due obedience I haue my selfe seene many examples heereof and therfore speake not vpon hearesay Besides that common experience prooueth that we are naturally enclined to fall at variance to our owne harme not regarding the inconueniences that ensue thereof which is a generall fault through the whole worlde Wherefore in mine opinion a wise Prince hauing ten thousand men at his commandement and knowing how to gouerne them is more to be feared and esteemed than six Princes confederate togither with each of them ten thousand bicause so many matters fall in question betweene them that all good occasions are lost before they can resolue vpon any thing Thus returned the Duke of Normandie into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly abandoned of all the Knights aboue mentioned that had serued the King his father for they made their peace with the King and were better entertained by him than euer they had beene in his fathers time These two Dukes were wise after the hurt receiued as the common prouerbe saith of the Brittons and liued togither in Britaine being gouerned by the Lord of Lescut their principall seruant And diuers ambassadors ran betweene the King and them and betweene them and the Earle of Charolois and likewise between the King and the Duke of Burgundy some to learne newes some to corrupt one anothers seruants and subiects and some for diuers other euill purposes and all vnder colour of good faith Some also went with good intent trusting to pacifie these troubles which sure was great simplicitie in them to thinke themselues wise sufficient ynough by their presence to appease Princes so great so subtill so well acquainted with all sorts of fine practises
was deputy of Calice and had diuers other great offices so that I haue heard his yeerely reuenewes valued at fower score thousand crownes besides his owne inheritance But in the end he fell at variance with the King his master about a yeere as I gesse before the Duke of Burgundies comming before Amiens which breach the said Duke furthered to the vttermost of his power For the Earles great authority in England much discontented him besides that they two were not friends for the Earle had continuall intelligence with the King our master To be short about this present or not long before the Earle of Warwickes force was so great that he seased the King his master into his hands and put to death diuers personages that he highly fauored namely the Lord of Scales the Queenes father 3 and two of his sonnes the third being also in great danger with them diuers other knights He entertained the King his master for a season very honorably and placed new seruants about him supposing that through simplicity he would soone forget the old The Duke of Burgundy being not a little troubled with this aduenture practised secretly how King Edvvard might escape and they two commune togither which enterprise had so good successe that the King escaped indeede and leuied men and defeated certaine of the Earles bands He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at the least nine great battels fighting himselfe on foote in euery one of them The Earle of Warwicke vnable to make resistance aduertised his friends what they should do and embarked at leisure accompanied with the Duke of Clarence who had married his daughter and tooke part with him notwithstanding that he were King Edwards brother They transported with them both wiues and children and a great band of men and sailed straight towards Calais within the which was the Earles lieutenant named the Lord of Vaucler 4 and diuers of the said Earles houshold seruants who in stead of receiuing their Master presented him the canon Further you shall vnderstand that as they lay at anchor before the towne the Duchesse of Clarence daughter to the Earle of Warwicke was deliuered of a sonne and great intreatie was made before Vaucler and the rest of the towne would suffer two flaggons of wine to be brought foorth to hir which was great extremitie of the seruant towards the master For it is to be supposed that the Earle thought himselfe well assured of this place which is they very key of England and the goodliest captainship in mine opinion in the world at the least in Christendome which I dare boldly auow bicause I was there diuers times during these wars and heard also the Maior of the staple report that he would willingly farme yeerely the deputyship of Calais of the King of England for fifteene thousand crownes For the deputie receiueth the profits of all that they haue on this side the sea and of all safe conducts and placeth also the greatest part of the garrison at his pleasure The King of England fauoured highly the Lord of Vaucler for this refusall made to his Captaine and granted him by his letters patents the office of Deputie which the Earle his master before held for he was a wise and an ancient knight and one of the order of the garter The Duke of Burgundie also who then lay at Saint Omer conceiued a maruellous good opinion of him so far foorth that he sent me to him granting him a yeerely pension of a thousand crownes and desiring him to continue a true and faithfull seruant to the King his Master as he had begun which at my comming thither I found him fully determined to do so that he sware in Staple Inne in Calais laying his hand within mine to be faithfull and true to King Edward and to serue him against all men The like oth all the towne and all the garrison sware also Farther I was by the space of two months almost continually resident at Calais at the least posting daiely betweene Calais and Bullen to entertaine the said Vaucler for you shall vnderstand that during these English troubles the Duke of Burgundie came to Bullen where he prepared a great army by sea against the Earle of Warwick who at his departure from Calais tooke many ships of the Dukes subiects which aduanced forward the war betweene the King of Fraunce and vs. For the Earles men sould the bootie in Normandie whereupon the Duke of Burgundie arrested all the French Marchants that came to the Mart at Andwerp Now bicause it is meete to vnderstand as well the cunning and subtill as the iust and vpright dealings of the world not to practise them but to know how to avoide them I will rehearse vnto you a sleight or subtilitie terme it as you list that was cunningly conueighed Farther I would that men should vnderstand the practises as well of our neighbors as our selues to the end it may appeere that in all places are both good and bad When the Earle of Warwick came before Calais thinking to enter into it as his onely refuge the Lord of Vaucler being a very wise gentleman sent him word that if he entred the towne he should cast away himselfe considering that all England the Duke of Burgundie the people of the towne and a great part of the garrison namely the Lord of Duras Marshall there for the King of England and diuers others that had men in the towne were his enimies wherefore his best way should be to retire into Fraunce and as touching the towne of Calais he willed him not to trouble himselfe for he would yeeld him good account thereof when time and occasion should serue He did his Captaine good seruice by giuing him this aduise but shewed himselfe thereby a very Iudas to his Master For vndoubtedly a more traiterous part was neuer plaied considering both that the King of England had made him Deputie of the towne of Calais and the Duke of Burgundy giuen him so large a pension The Notes 1 Philippa daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster was married to Iohn King of Portugale and had issue by him Isabell mother to Duke Charles 2 This was Henry Holland Duke of Exceter whose wife was Anne sister to King Edward the fourth and his grandmother was Elizabeth daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster by his first wife but he died without issue 3 Our chronicles name the Queenes father Earle of Riuers and so doth afterward also our Author lib. 5. cap. 15. 4 This Vaucler was a Gascoine borne How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great greefe who receiued him into his countries Chap. 5. THe Earle of Warwicke followed Vauclers aduise and landed in Normandie where the King honorably receiued him and furnished him largely of mony for his mens expences and appointed also the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce being well accompanied to defend the
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
raigning for notwithstanding that the said King Edward were a most valiant Prince and had woon in England eight or nine battels wherein he fought alwaies himselfe on foote greatly to his renowme yet were these troubles but by fits so that his head was not continually busied in matters of state for immediately after the victorie obtained he returned to his former sports and pleasures till another storme arose For you shall vnderstand that when war beginneth in England in ten daies or lesse the one or the other getteth the garland But our affaires in Fraunce passed not after that sort for besides the war it selfe the K. was forced to haue an eie continually vpon diuers places as well of his owne realme as of his neighbors but especially by all means possible to content the King of England and to entertain him by ambassadors presents and smooth words to the end he should not entermeddle with our affaires For the K. knew well the English men as well Nobles and Commons as the Cleargie to be naturally inclined to make war vpon this realme aswell vnder colour of the title they pretende thereunto as also in hope of gaine For they trust to haue euer such successe heere as their predecessors haue had whom God permitted to obtaine in this realme many great victories and large dominion both in Normandie and in Guienne the which they had possessed by the space of three hundred and fiftie yeeres 2 when King Charles the seuenth first recouered it During the which time they inriched the realme of England with great spoiles and much treasure that they got aswell of the Princes and noble men of Fraunce a great number of whom they tooke prisoners as also of the townes and places which they subdued Notwithstanding they should hardly haue had such successe in the King our Masters time for he would neuer haue indangered his estate in battell as King Charles the sixt did at Agincourt where all the nobility of Fraunce lighted on foote to fight with the English men but would haue proceeded more warily if the matter had come to execution as you may perceiue by the course he held in sending King Edvvard home Wherefore the King well perceiued that he must in any wise keepe the King of England and his principall seruants his friends whom he sawe altogither inclined to quietnes and very greedy of his money for the which cause he paid duly at London the pension of fiftie thousand crownes which they called tribute And further gaue yeerely sixteene thousand crownes to the said Kings principall seruants whose names were these the Lord Chauncellor the Master of the Rols who now is Chauncellor the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine a man of singular wisdome and vertue and in great authority with his Master and not without cause for he euer serued him faithfully Sir Thomas Montgomery the Lord Hovvard afterward Duke of Norfolke partaker with the wicked King Richard the Master of the Horse called Master Cheiny Master Challenger and the Marques Dorset the Queene of Englands sonne by hir first husband Further he gaue goodly presents to all the ambassadors that came to him were their messages neuer so sharpe and bitter and sent them home with such goodly words Princely rewards that they returned well contented And notwithstanding that some of them vnderstood that he did all this onely to win time the better to atchieue his enterprise in the conquest of the Duke of Burgundies dominions yet winked they at it bicause of the great riches they receiued at his hands To all these aboue named he gaue besides their pensions many goodly presents so largely that the Lord Hovvard ouer and aboue his pension receiued of him in lesse then two yeeres space in money and plate fower and twentie thousand crownes To the Lord Hastings also L. great Chamberlaine of England he gaue at one time a present of plate to the value of ten thousand marks The acquittances of all which great personages are yet to be seene in the chamber of accounts at Paris saue of the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England which is an high office for there is neuer but one alone in it This L. Chamberlaine was long labored before he would become the Kings pensioner my selfe being the onely man that perswaded him thereunto For I wan him first to Charles Duke of Burgundies friendship during the time I serued him who gaue him yeerly a pension of a thousand crownes whereof when I had aduertised the King he would in like maner that I should be a meanes to make him his friend and pensioner for in times past during Duke Charles his life and after his death also in fauor of the Lady of Burgundy he had alwaies beene the Kings extreme enimy and trauelled once to perswade the King of England to aide the said Lady against the King our Master I began this friendship by letters and the King gaue him a pension of two thousand crownes which was double the summe he receiued of the Duke Further the King sent to him one of the stewards of his house called Peter Cleret charging him to bring with him the said Lord Chamberlains acquittance to the end heereafter it might appeere that the great Chamberlaine Chauncellor Admirall and Master of the Horse of England besides diuers others had beene the French Kings pensioners The said Peter Cleret was a wise fellow and communed priuily alone with the Lord Chamberlaine at his lodging in London where after he had declared his message from the King he presented him his two thousand crownes in golde for the King neuer gaue but gold to strangers which money when the Lord Chamberlaine had receiued Peter Cleret humbly besought him for his discharge to giue him an acquittance wherein the said Lord Chamberlaine made difficultie Then Cleret desired him to giue him onely a letter of three lines to the King to testifie the receit of the money least the King being a suspitious Prince should thinke that he had conuerted it to his owne vse Which reasonable demand the Lord Chamberlaine hearing answered thus Sir you require but reason but this gift proceedeth of the King your Masters liberality not of my request if it please you that I shall receiue it put it heere into my sleeue and other letter or testimoniall get you none of me For I will not for my part that any man shall say that the Lord great Chamberlaine of England hath beene pensioner to the French King nor that my acquittances be found in his chamber of accounts Whereunto the said Cleret replied not but departed leauing the money behinde him and at his returne made report thereof to the King who was not a little displeased with him for that he brought no acquittance but as touching the said Chamberlaine he commended and esteemed him more than all the King of Englands other seruants and his pension was euer after paied without acquittance After this sort liued the King with
Glocester who had vsurped the crowne of England signing his letters by the name of Richard cruelly murthered the King his brothers two children This King Richard sought the Kings friendship was desirous as I suppose to haue this pension paid also vnto him But the K. would make no answer to his letters neither giue his messenger audience but esteemed him a wicked cruell tyrant For after K. Edvvards death the said Duke of Glocester had done homage to his nephew as to his soueraigne Lord and King and yet immediately thereupon committed this murther and caused in open parlament the said King Edvvards two daughters to be degraded proclaimed bastards vnder colour of a certaine matter which he prooued by the testimonie of a bishop of Bathe who somtime had been in great credit with King Edvvard but afterward fell into his disgrace and was laid in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance This Bishop affirmed that King Edvvard being in loue with a certaine gentlewoman in England whom he named promised hir marriage to haue his pleasure of hir which promise he said was made in his presence and thereupon the King lay with hir minding onely to abuse hir Such pastimes are very dangerous especially when such poofe may be brought foorth But I haue knowne many a courtier that would not haue lost a good aduenture that liked him in such a case for want of promise This wicked Bishop buried reuenge in his hart the space of twenty yeeres But God plagued him for his wickednes for he had a sonne whom he loued entirely and whom King Richard so much fauored that he meant to giue him to wife one of these two daughters degraded from their dignitie at this present Queene of England and mother of two goodly children The said sonne being in a ship of war by King Richard his Masters commandement was taken vpon the coast of Normandie and bicause of the contention that fell betweene those that tooke him led to the court parlament of Paris and there put in prison in the petit Chastellet where in the end he starued for hunger and pouertie As touching King Richard he liued not long vnpunished for God raised vp an enimy against him euen at This error you are admonished of before that very instant being poore hauing no right to the crowne of England as I suppose and of no estimation saue that as touching his owne person he was well conditioned and had endured many troubles For the greatest part of his life he had been prisoner in Britaine to Duke Francis who entertained him well for a prisoner from the eighteenth yeere of his age This Earle of Richmond being furnished by the King with a small summe of money and three thousand men leuied in Normandie of the vnthriftiest persons in the countrey passed ouer into Wales where his father in lawe the Lord Stanley met him with sixe and twenty thousand men at the least And within three or fower daies after he encountred this cruell King Richard who was slaine in the field and the Earle crowned King and raigneth yet at this day in England Of this matter I haue made mention before but it was not amisse to rehearse it heere againe to shew thereby how God hath plagued in our time such crueltie almost immediately after the fault committed Diuers other such like punishments hath he shewed also in this our age if a man would stand to rehearse them all 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 Chap. 10. THis mariage of Flaunders so much desired by the King was thus accomplished as you haue heard by meanes wherof he had the Flemmings at his commandement Britaine which he so much hated was in peace with him but liued in continuall ielousie bicause of the great number of soldiers he had in garrison vpon their frontiers Spaine was quiet and the King and Queene thereof desired nothing more then his amity and friendship for he kept them in feare and continuall charge bicause of the countrey of Roussillon which he held from the house of Arragon being engaged to him by Iohn King of Arragon father to the King of Castile now raigning vnder certaine conditions yet vnperformed As touching the Princes Seniories of Italy they desired to haue him their friend and were in league with him and sent often their ambassadors to him In Almaine he had the Swissers as obedient to him as his owne subiects The King of Scotland and Portugale were his confederates part of the realme of Nauarre was wholie at his deuotion his subiects trembled before him and his commandements were executed incontinent without delay or excuse As touching those things that were thought necessarie for his health they were sent him out of all parts of the world Pope Sixtus that last died being informed that the King of deuotion desired to haue the corporall vpon the which Saint Peter song masse sent it him incontinent with diuers other relickes which were conueied backe againe to Rome The holie viole which is at Reims and neuer had been remooued thence was brought into his chamber to Plessis and stood vpon his cupboord at the hower of his death he was determined to be annointed therwith as at his coronation But many supposed that he wold haue anointed all his body with it which is vnlikely for the said holy viole is very small and containeth not much oile I saw it both at the time I now speake of and also when the King was buried at Nostre-dame-de-Clery The Turke that now raigneth sent an ambassador to him who came as far as Rhiue in Prouence 1 but the King would not heare his message neither permit him to passe any further The said ambassador brought him a great role of relickes remaining yet at Constantinople in the Turks hands all the which he offered him togither with a great summe of money if he would keepe in safe custodie the said Turks brother who was then in this realme in the hands of the knights of the Rhodes and is now at Rome in the Popes keeping By all this aboue rehearsed a man may perceiue how great the King our Masters wisdome and authority was how he was esteemed through the whole world and how all things 2 as well spirituall of deuotion and religion as also temporall were imploied for the prolonging of his life But all would not helpe there was no remedy needes he must go the way his predecessors went before him one great grace God shewed him that as he created him wiser liberaller and more vertuous in all things than the Princes that raigned in his time being his enimies and neighbors and as he surmounted them in all good things so did he also passe them in long life though not much For Duke Charles of Burgundy the Duchesse his daughter King Edvvard Duke Galeas of
on no day but saturday and that our Lady in whom he had euer put his confidence and alwaies deuoutly serued had purchased him this grace and sure so it happened for he ended his life vpon saturday the 30. of August in the yeere 1483. at eight of the clocke at night in the said castell of Plessis where he fell sicke the monday before His soule I trust is with God and resteth in his blessed realme of paradise 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 Chap. 13. SMall hope may meane and poore men haue in worldly honors seeing this mightie King after so long trouble and trauell about them forsooke them al could not prolong his life one hower for all that he could do I knew him serued him in the flower of his age in his great prosperitie yet neuer saw I himfree from toile of body and trouble of minde Aboue al pastimes he loued hunting hauking in their seasons hunting especially As touching women he was free from that vice all the time that I serued him for a little before my comming to him he lost one of his sonnes whose death he much lamented and soone after made a solemne vow to God in my presence neuer to accompanie with any woman but the Queene his wife Whereunto notwithstanding that he were bound by the lawes of marriage yet was it much that he had such stay of himselfe especially the Queene being none of those in whose beautie a man could take great delight but otherwise a very vertuous Lady In this pastime of hunting he tooke almost as much paine as pleasure for the toile was great bicause he ran the Hart to death by force Besides that he arose very early in the morning and oftentimes went far neither could any weather make him leaue his sport Somtime also he returned very wearie and in maner euer displeased with one or other for this game is not alwaies made as they wish that haue the ordering thereof notwithstanding in all mens opinions he for his part vnderstood it better than any man in his time In this pastime he exercised himselfe continually lodging about in the villages till wars began For almost euery sommer there was somewhat to do betweene Duke Charles of Burgundie and him but when winter approched they vsed to make truce He had great wars also for the countie of Roussillion with King Iohn of Arragon the King of Spaines father that now liueth For notwithstanding that they were very poore and in war with their subiects namely them of Barselonne and others and that the sonne were of no force for he expected the inheritance of King Friderike 1 of Castile his wiues brother which afterward fell to him yet bicause they had the harts of the subiects of the saide countrie of Roussillion they made great resistance against him which cost the King and his realme full deere for many a good man died and was slaine there and infinite treasure was consumed in those wars for they endured long Thus you see that the pleasure the King had was but one small time in the yeere and that ioined with great toile and trauell of his person when his body was at rest his minde was occupied for he had to do in many places and busied himselfe as much with his neighbors affaires as with his own seeking to place men in their houses 2 and to bestow the offices therin at his pleasure When he was in war he desired peace or truce which notwithstanding when he had obtained he could not long away with He medled with many trifling matters in his realme which he might well haue passed ouer but such was his disposition and life And to say the truth his memory was so excellent that he forgat nothing but knew all the world all countries and all men of estimation round about him so that he seemed a Prince woorthier to gouern the whole world than one realm alone Of his youth I am able to say nothing for I was not with him at that time notwithstanding what I haue heard that I will report Being but eleuen yeeres of age he was busied by certaine Princes and others of the realme in a war against K. Charles his father called la Praguerie which endured not long And when he was growen to mans estate he married the King of Scotlands daughter 3 and during hir life neuer ioied with hir 4 after hir death bicause of the factions and troubles that were in the King his fathers court he retired into his owne countrey of Daulphine whither a great number of gentlemen accompanied him yea many mo than he was able to maintaine While he was in Daulphine he married the Duke of Sauoies daughter and soone after fel at variance with his father in law so that sharpe war arose betweene them King Charles seeing his sonne so well accompanied with gentlemen and men of armes determined to go against him in person with great force and to chase him out of the countrey by strong hand wherefore he put himselfe vpon the way and endeuored to withdraw his sonnes men from him commanding them as his subiects vnder paine of his displeasure to repaire vnto him Whereunto diuers obeied to the King our Masters great griefe who seeing his fathers indignation against him determined notwithstanding that his force were great to depart thence and leaue the countrey to his fathers disposing And in this estate trauelled he through Burgundy with a small traine to Duke Philip who receiued him very honorably furnished him with money to maintaine his estate and gaue yeerely pensions to his principall seruants namely to the Earle of Cominges the Lord of Montauban others and bestowed also during his being there diuers large gifts vpon his other seruants Notwithstanding bicause he entertained such a number his mony failed often to his great griefe so that he was forced to borow som where or other otherwise his men would haue forsaken him which vndoubtedly is a great trouble to a Prince vnaccustomed thereunto Thus you see that he was not without vexation and anguish of minde during his abode in this house of Burgundy for he was forced to faune both vpon the Duke and his principall seruants least they should waxe weary of him for he was there a long time to wit the space of sixe yeeres Besides that his father sent ambassadors continually to the Duke requiring him either to put him foorth of his dominions or send him backe to him Wherefore it is to be thought that he was not idle nor without great vexation of minde All these things considered when may a man say that he liued in ioy and pleasure Sure in mine opinion from his childhood till his death he was in continuall toile and trouble so that if all his pleasant and ioyfull daies were numbred I thinke they should be found but fewe yea I am fully
gouernment of his roiall person according to the testament of King Levvis the 11. that the priuy Councell should consist of twelue chosen out of the body of the Nobility by whose aduise all matters should be gouerned and dispatched but all in the Kings name and vnder the signature of his hand Further Iohn Duke of Bourbon was created Constable But by little and little the whole gouernment was deriued to the said Lady of Beauieu bicause the King hir brothers person was in hir hands But Levvis Duke of Orleance being the neerest Prince of the blood royall by the perswasion of those that were about him who gaped for great preferment if the gouernment were committed to his charge and especially by the instigation of the Earle of Dunois named Francis sonne to Iohn commonly called the Bastard of Orleance a man of a subtile spirit and of great enterprise abode still at Paris and entered daily into the councell notwithstanding the decree of the three estates as one that would vnderstand of all that was done there Wherewith the Lady of Beauieu was not a little discontented which when the Prince of Orenge the Marshall of Rieux and the rest of the Barons of Britaine that were at that time fugitiues in Fraunce as heerafter shall be declared vnderstood they came to the said Lady of Beauieu and offered hir and the King their seruice which the Duke of Orleance greatly stomached Further the said Duke sought by all meanes possible to discredit the womanish gouernment of the said Lady but his perswasions little preuailed bicause the Duke himselfe being not as yet fower and twenty yeeres old was vnder the gouernment of his mother and it seemed no reason to commit the managing of the common wealth to him that was vnable to gouerne his owne priuate estate so that the same reason barred him from the gouernment now that excluded his grandfather in times past during the phrensie of King Charles the sixt But this reason satisfied not the Duke nor his friends Wherefore the Lady of Beauieu seeing that the Duke of Orleance remaining in Paris wan daily those that were in authoritie to his side seeking by that meanes to obtaine the regencie of the realme sent by the resolution of the Kings councell certaine to Paris to arrest the body of the said Duke Who being aduertised therof as he was at tenice withdrew himselfe and pretending that he went to his lodging departed in the company of Guyot Pot and Iohn of Louen one of the gentlemen of his chamber whom he greatly fauoured lodged that night at Pontoise The next day he went to Vernueil and from thence to Alençon where he remained a certaine space during the which he practised to draw to his partie the Earle of Angoulesme the Duke of Bourbon and the Lord of Alebret who in the end declared themselues to be his friends and assistants in this enterprise But all these bicause of this their confederacie with him were foorthwith remooued from all their offices and estates and lost al their pensions and their charge of men of armes yet notwithstanding they leuied a great army of the people of their countries and found meanes to win to their side the Duke of Lorraine the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Foix. Vnder the assurance of all the which Princes the D. of Orleance assembled his army at Blois to marche therewith to Orleance but the citizens of the towne perceiuing that their Duke came thither with a purpose to supprise it and to make it the seate of the wars shut their gates vpon him and would not suffer him to enter in Wherefore with an army of fower hundred launces and a great number of footemen he went to Bougencie accompanied with the Earles of Dunois and Foix an with Carqueleuant and other French captaines where they remained a certaine space and thither the King sent to besiege them But bicause they sawe the place not to be of defence and further that the Malcontents of the realme flocked not to them as they supposed they would they made a sudden peace with the King whereby it was agreed that the Duke of Orleance should repaire to the King and so he did and that the Earle of Dunois the contriuer of all this enterprise should depart the realme which also he did and retired himselfe to Ast But this notwithstanding the Duke of Bourbon and the Earle of Angoulesme who had leuied their armies to succor the Duke of Orleance marched toward Bourges whither the King went with a great army accompanied with the Duke of Orleance who was constrained to arme himselfe against his allies and confederates Notwithstanding by the wisedome of the Marshall of Gie and the Lord of Grauille which two had great authoritie in the Court vnder the Lady of Beauieu peace was concluded betweene the King and his nobles wherein the Lord of Albret was also comprehended and thus departed all these armies without any bloodshed and the K. went to Amboise the Duke of Orleance to Orleance and the Earle of Foix and the Cardinall his brother to Nantes to the Duke of Britaine who had married their sister This tumult was called the mad war and hapned in the yeere 1485. 1485. After al this the Earle of Dunois returned from Ast and went to his owne towne of Partenay in Poitou which was then a strong towne with a double ditch and a triple wall Heerof the King being aduertised and withall that he fortified himselfe in the said towne and knowing the said Earle of Dunois to be full of practise and a man of great enterprise he sent to the Duke of Orleans who was at Orleans holding solemne iusts and turneies to come to him to Amboise And after three or fower messengers the last whereof was the Marshall of Gié the Duke of Orleans went to Blois and the next day being twelfe euen in the said yeere 1485. he departed out of Blois early in the morning with his haukes faining that he went to flie in the If you begin the yeere at Newyeeres day it was 1486. field and without any bait rode that night to Fronteraulx whereof his sister was then Abbesse from thence he went to Clisson and from Clisson to Nantes where he was very honorably receiued of the Duke This was the Duke of Orleans second comming into Britaine as by that which followeth heerafter shall more plainly appeere The King being aduertised of his departure determined to besiege the Earle of Dunois in his towne of Partenay and found meanes before any brute was made thereof to drawe to his seruice the Marshall of Rieux and the other Barons of Britaine that were then retired to Chasteaubrian to the Lady of Laual who was Lady thereof bicause the Duke of Britaine by aide of the Duke of Orleans and the Earle of Dunois sought to auenge himselfe of the said Barons for the death of Peter Landois Treasurer of Britaine whereof I will now begin to speake Of the troubles
to diuorce himselfe from the Ladie Iane the Kings sister as forced vpon him against his will by King Levvis the 11. and to marrie with Anne the Duke of Britains eldest daughter and heire the hope wherof was the cause of this his voiage into Britaine but the selfesame hope entertained also Monseur d' Alebret and drew him to the Duke of Britains part the rather bicause he had receiued assurance of the marriage in writing vnder the hands of all the noble men that were about the said D. of Britaine saue of the D. of Orleans alone Of the war the King made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the King for peace Chap. 4. THe onely care of the banished nobles of Britaine was to returne and remaine in safetie in their countrie and the Kings onely desire was to be reuenged of the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans Wherefore the King as before is said entred into league with these nobles and in their fauour leuied an armie and began war vpon the Duke of Britaine in the yeere 1486. This armie inuaded Britaine three seuerall waies for the 1486 Lord of Saint André with fower hundred launces and fiue or sixe thousand footemen entred on one side the Earle of Montpensier with a great band vpon another side and Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars who had married Gabriell of Bourbon the said Earle of Montpensiers sister vpon the third in such sort that the countrie of Britaine was couered with French soldiers with whom also the barons of Britaine aboue mentioned were ioined who caused diuers castels in Britaine to be yeelded to the Kings armie by those that were of their faction whereat the Duke of Britaine was greatly astonied But the Duke of Orleans the Earle of Dunois and the Earle of Comminges being with him comforted him and vnder colour of a marriage to be made betweene the Lady Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and the Lord of Alebret who had a hundred launces vnder his charge and was able to leuie great forces of footemen in Gascoine and Guienne where he was mightie and of goodly reuenues the Earle of Dunois wan the said Lord of Alebret to ioine with them who presently forsooke the Kings seruice and tooke part with them accordingly yet that notwithstanding the Duke of Britaine leauing Nantes in the hands of his cosin the Prince of Orenge retired himselfe to the castell of Malestroit being a strong place where he leuied an armie of sixe hundred launces and 16000. footemen to succour Ploermel distant three or fower leagues from Malestroit which the Kings armie then besieged But as this Britaine armie marched thitherward one of the company brake foorth into these speeches and asked what this war meant and what was the end thereof alleaging that their Duke was wholy gouerned by the French and that the French made the Britaines at their pleasure to reuenge French quarrels vpon the French wherefore he perswaded them to returne home to their wiues and children and not to spend their liues for other mens quarrels Whereupon all the armie disparkled and returned home by meanes whereof Ploermel seeing no hope of succours yeelded by composition and yet notwithstanding was spoiled and the rich men taken prisoners and put to raunsome The Dukes of Britaine and Orleans and the other Lords that were with them at Malestroit being aduertised of the departure of their armie and of the taking of Ploermel went to Vennes vpon Whitson euen being the yeere 1487. whither the Kings armie so speedily followed them that hardly they escaped by sea and went to Croisick and from thence by the riuer of Loire to Nantes being constrained to leaue part of their carriage 1487 in the said towne of Vennes which presently after their departure yeelded without any resistance Further not long after the taking of this towne the French in a skirmish at a place called Ioue betweene Chasteaubrian and Nantes defeated a great band of Britaines led by Amaulry of la Mossay towards Nantes at the which time the King in person lay at Ancenix After the taking of Vennes the Kings armie marched to Nantes and laid the siege before the towne the 19. day of Iune in the said yeere 1487. Within the towne were the Duke of Britaine and his two daughters Anne and Isabell the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Orenge the Lady of Lauall and of Chasteaubrian the Bishop of Nantes called du Chaffault a man of holy life the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords all the which dislodged out of the castell and lodged in the towne And bicause the companie had some ielousie of the said bishop of Nantes and the Lady of Lauall that they were not thoroughly to be trusted they were put in garde into certaine of the townes mens hands At this siege were ten thousand French men and great store of artillerie wherewith the wals towers and vaumures of the castell and towne were throughly battered but they without were as well plied by them within both with shot and with salies of valiant men where many a goodly feate of armes was done both on the one side and the other Further you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Dunois being in base Britaine there to embarke towards England to haue aide from thence and perceiuing that the winde would not suffer him so to do brought with him to succour the towne of Nantes aboue fiftie thousand of the commons of Britaine which the French suffered to passe supposing them not to be men of seruice But the King seeing the extreme heate of the weather and perceiuing that he could do no good before the towne leuied his siege the sixt day of August and departed Then marched the Kings armie before the towne of Dolle which they tooke without resistance and spoiled and all the Britaines and soldiers that were within it were taken prisoners Further the Kings armie spoiled all the countrie slue the people and draue away their cattell But the Marshall of Rieux and the greatest part of the banished nobles of Britaine that were in the Kings seruice lamenting the miserable estate of their country waxed wearie of the wars and alleaged that their league with the King was onely to this end that they might recouer their countrie and the French that liued in Britaine be constrained to returne home into theirs Wherfore seeing the French nobles being in Britaine protested that they would willingly returne home if the King would pardon their departure to the Duke and that the Duke on the other side with the consent of all his subiects had offered these banished nobles of Britaine pardon and restitution to all their goods and lands they sawe no cause why the wars should endure but that each partie should returne home in peace but the French and diuers also of the Britaines themselues were little mooued with these allegations Wherefore the said Marshal being Lord of Ancenix a towne very
commodious for the maintenance of the Kings wars and the which notwithstanding that he held it for the King he had manned with his owne tenants and seruants yeelded the place to the Duke of Britaine and sware the townes men to be true to him And further before the fame of his reuolt was spred abrode he went with a great companie to Chasteaubrian which was also held for the King and being receiued into the towne as a friend he placed a garrison of his owne soldiers in it and banished all that refused to returne to the obedience of the Duke From thence he went and laid the siege before Vennes the 25. day of Februarie which was held by If you begin the yeere at Newe-yeeres day heere beginneth 1488. the French vnder the gouernment of Gilbert of Grassay and Philip of Moulins valiant captaines who yeelded the place by composition the third day of March following On the other side the Kings army slept not for Ancenix they tooke by assault and rased the wals towers and houses by the Kings commandement so that one stone was not left vpon another which the King did in spite of the Marshall of Rieux whose the towne was and who was newly reuolted from him as you haue heard Chasteaubrian was also recouered by the Kings forces and the castell rased From thence the Kings army marched to Frougiers being a frontier towne stronge and of good resistance and laid the siege before the place whereupon the Duke of Britaine being stroken with a new feare determined to send the Earle of Dunois in ambassage to the King whereof heereafter you shall heare About this time being the beginning of the yeere 1488. the Lord of Albret who long had been resident in the Court of Spaine came by sea and landed in base Britaine with fower thousand men of war his men went to Rennes but himselfe to Nantes to the Duke of Britaine where at his first comming he demanded to haue the marriage between him and the Lady Anne the Dukes eldest daughter accomplished But the said Lady would not consent thereunto greatly to hir fathers discontentation who knew nothing that she had cast hir phansie vpon the Duke of Orleans by the practise and perswasion of the Earle of Dunois For the which cause the said Earle of Dunois to saue his honor endeuored to withdraw his seale giuen for the accomplishment of the said marriage being in the hands of the Lady Lauall sister to the said Alebert among the seales of all the other Britaine Lords which also in the end very cunningly he brought to passe For he gaue the said Lady to vnderstand that this marriage could neuer be accomplished without the Duke of Britaines seale could be obtained wherunto he as he said had mooued the Duke whose answer was that he would willingly giue his seale prouided that the instrument that he should seale were written word for word by that which the Earle of Dunois had alreadie sealed wherefore if she would cause his writing to be deliuered to him he would make his secretarie to write that which should be presented to the Duke word for word by his and so get the Dukes seale to it The Lady of Lauall supposing that he had ment good faith deliuered him the writing which afterward he neuer restored for presently after as you shall now heare he was sent with certaine lawyers in ambassage to Angiers to the King to vnderstand what the King demanded in the Duchy of Britaine and why he destroied the castels and townes thereof The Duke of Britaine as aboue is mentioned being in great feare when he sawe the Kings army before Fougieres sent the Earle of Dunois with the consent of his nobles in ambassage to Angiers to the K. The said Earle in his iourney thitherward so preached in all places the great commodities that concord and peace bring with them that all mens eies were fixed vpon him When he came to the K. being then eighteene yeeres of age he very eloquently pleaded the cause of the Duke of Britaine and of the other French noble men that were retired to him alleaging that the Duke being worne with yeeres consumed with diseases hauing buried his wife being destitute of issue male his eldest daughter being hardly twelue yeeres of age and his yoonger lesse and lastly being forsaken of his nobilitie for the hatred they bare to Peter Landois and not for any euill desert of his owne began to languish in sorow and griefe for the which cause the noble men of Fraunce that were of kin alied to him being mooued with very naturall affection were retired to him to comfort him in this distresse Among whom none were neerer to him his owne children excepted than the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Orenge the one being his vncles sonne the other his sisters and that these and others his neere kinsemen were yet with him onely to this end adding that the Duke was not to be accused bicause he forbad them not his countries when they came to comfort him in his miseries or they for comming to relieue him in his distresse But quoth he it will be obiected that there are besides these diuers others with him of the nobilitie of Fraunce that haue leuied war against the King but what war Forsooth as the Britaine 's marched with force to leuy the siege of Ploermel being aduertised that they could not so do without a battell with the French the reuerence they bare to the Kings Maiestie was such that willingly they gaue place and forbare to fight and rather suffered their townes to be taken and spoiled than they would encounter with the Kings troupes Further so soone as the D. vnderstood the K. desire to be that the banished Nobles of Britain should return home he foorthwith receiued them into his fauor and restored them to their former estate What offence then said he hath the Duke made What cause of war against him Truly none But on the contrary side many causes of commiseration and many causes why the King should grant the Duke of Britaine peace This was the effect of the speech he was commanded as he said to deliuer to the K. which charge he would not haue taken vpon him but that he knew the D. of Britaine to carie a minde singularly well affected to the Kings Maiestie and the French nobles that were in Britaine to be the Kings deuout seruants subiects and ready to shed their blood for the defence of him and his estate This the Earles speech mooued the King to incline to peace whereof the treatie was already begun when the sudden report of a batel wherof you shal now heare as suddenly brak it off Of the battell of S. Albin wherein the Duke of Orleance was taken prisoner of the treatie of peace betweene the King and the Duke of Britaine and of the said Duke of Britaines death Chap. 5. YOu haue heard of the siege of Fougieres which endured still
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
the Duke of Milans hands and held by Master Baptist de Campefourgouse but at this present the Lord Lodouic had recouered it and gaue to certaine of the Kings chamber eight thousand ducats for the inuesture thereof who by receiuing the monie greatly preiudiced the King For before the graunt of the said inuesture they might haue seized Genua to the Kings owne vse if they had would 9 but seeing they meant to take monie for it they ought to haue demanded more for Duke Galeas paide at one time for it to King Lewis my Master fiftie thousand ducats whereof the King whose soule God pardon gaue me thirtie thousand crownes in reward Notwithstanding they said they receiued these eight thousand ducats with the Kings consent and Stephan de Vers Seneschall of Beaucaire was one of those that tooke the monie happily to entertaine the better the Lord Lodouic for this enterprise which he so much both fauored and furthered After audience giuen openly at Paris to the ambassadors aboue mentioned the Earle of Caiazze had secret communication with the King The said Earle was in great credit at Milan but his brother Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin in greater especially in martiall affaires His Master could now dispose of the estate of Milan as of his owne for the which cause he offered the King great seruices and aide as well of men as mony affirming the enterprise to be of no difficultie This done he and Master Galeas Viscount tooke their leaue and departed leauing behinde them the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse to entertaine the sute who incontinent put himselfe into French apparell and trauelled so earnestly in this busines that many began to like of the enterprise The King sent into Italie to Pope Innocentius to the Venetians and to the Florentines one named Peron of Basche who had been brought vp in the house of Aniou vnder Duke Iohn of Calabria and was maruellously affectioned to this voiage These practises and runnings to and fro continued the space of seuen or eight moneths and those that vnderstood of this enterprise communed among themselues diuersly of it but none thought that the King would go in person into Italie The Notes 1 Antonel of Saint Seuerin Prince of Salerne and Bernardin Prince of Besignan were brethren Guicciar 2 He meaneth by Kings of Fraunce those Kings of the house of Fraunce that had held the realme of Naples to wit the Dukes of Aniou 3 Viscomte in both these places and diuers others is a proper name not a name of honor and signifieth as much as Biscomte that is tvvise Earle bicause the Viscomti were Lords of Angiera and Milan 4 This captaine meant no treason to the children as the others did but consented to this deede bicause he thought the children in more safetie vvith him than vvith their foolish mother 5 The sense in mine opinion were better to read it qu'il luy feroit then qu'il leur feroit that is that he vvould smite off the captaines head if the place vvere not yeelded for they vvithin vvere out of Lodouics povver 6 The French had it in this sense And another vvho said that he had been a messenger betvveene them but vndoubtedly the place is corrupted and to be read as I haue amended it 7 The Duke of Ferrara had married King Ferrandes daughter named Elenor. 8 Duke Galeas ought to haue come into Fraunce to haue done homage to the King in person but bicause Lodouic vvould not let him depart out of his custodie he found means that it should be done to one sent thither by the King as his deputie for that purpose 9 Genua vvas forfeited and vnder colour thereof the Lord Lodouic had recouered it but bicause it vvas held of the King for the Genuois had giuen themselues to Charles the sixt anno 1394. vvho sent thither for gouernor Iohn de Maingre and aftervvard to Charles the seuenth anno 1446. it could be forfeited to none but to the King but by giuing avvay this inuesture he gaue avvay his right How King Charles the eight made peace with the King of Romanes and the Archduke of Austrich restoring to them the Lady Margaret of Flaunders before he made his voiage to Naples Chap. 3. DVring this delaie aboue mentioned peace was treated of at Senlis betweene the King and the Archduke of Austriche heire of the house of Burgundie for notwithstanding that they were in truce yet a breach happened betweene them bicause the King refused the King of Romaines daughter sister to the said Archduke being verie yoong and married the daughter of Frauncis Duke of Britaine to enioie peaceablie thereby the Duchie of Britaine all the which at the time of this treatie he held saue the towne of Renes and the said daughter being within in it the which was gouerned by the Prince of Orenge hir vncle who had made a marriage betweene hir and the King of Romaines 1 and openly solemnised it in the church by a Practor All the which happened in the yeere 1492. To this treatie aboue mentioned came a great ambassage in fauoure of the Duke of Austriche from the Emperor Frederick who offered to be a mediator for the peace the King of Romains sent thither also 2 and so did the Palzgraue and the Swissers to pacifie this controuersie being all of opinion that it would kindle a great fire for the King of Romains seemed aboue all measure to be iniuried hauing at one time hir taken from him whom he accounted his wife and his daughter sent backe to him which many yeeres had beene Queene of Fraunce but in the end the matter was quietly shut vp and peace concluded For all parties were wearie of war especially Duke Philips subiects who had sustained so many troubles partly bicause of wars with this realme and partly through their owne priuate diuisions that they could no more The peace was concluded but for fower yeeres whereunto the King of Romaines agreed to the end he might repose his subiects and receiue againe his daughter whom some that were about the King and the said daughter made difficultie to restore At this treatie I was present my selfe with the rest of the Kings Commissioners being these Peter Duke of Bourbon the Prince of Orenge the Lord of Cordes and diuers other noble personages and promise was there made to restore to the said Duke Philip all that the King held in Artois for so was it agreed when this mariage was treated of in the yeere 1482. that if it were not accomplished all the landes that were giuen with this Ladie in maraige should returne againe with hir or be restored to Duke Philip. But the said Archdukes men had alreadie surprised Arras and Saint Omer so that onely Hedin Aire and Betune remained to be restored the possession and seniorie whereof were presently deliuered them and they put officers into them but the King held still the castels and might place garrisons in them till the fower yeeres were expired which ended at
to his yoongest sonne Philip the hardie for his aduancement in marriage with the Ladie Margaret of Flaunders Philip the hardie second husband to the Ladie Margaret Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie m. Iane the eldest daughter Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Burgundie Countie Othelin Earle of Burgundie died 1303. Arthois m. Maude daughter to Robert Earle of Arthois 1 Touching the title of Arthois this is to be obserued that Robert Earle of Arthois father to Maude had a sonne named Philip who died before his father and left behinde him a sonne named Robert Earle of Beumont who after his grandfathers death demanded the Countrey of Arthois but this Maude by fauor of the French King obtained it bicause she was adiudged neerer heire to the Earle Robert being his daughter than the Earle of Beumont being his sonnes sonne for spite whereof the Earle of Beumont reuolted to the King of England of him are descended the Earles of Eu. Iane succeeded hir mother in hir widowhood and was poisoned immediately after hir mothers death m. Philip the long King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter m. Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Margaret 2 This Margaret being in hir widdowhood succeeded in Arthois and the Countie of Burgundie of Philip hir sister Ianes sonnes sonne and husband to Margaret hir sonnes daughter to whom after hir death the said Seigniories descended m. Lewis Earle of Flaunders Lewis of Malain Earle of Flaunders m. Margaret daughter to Iohn D. of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. Blaunch m. Charles le bel K. of Fraunce How the King of Portugale was cosin germane to the Duke of Burgundy as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 7. Ferdinand the ninth King of Portugale Iohn a bastard but King of Portugale m. Philippa daughter to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundy Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles m. Maximilian Emperor Edward King of Portugale m. Iane sister to Alfonse King of Arragon Naples and Sicile Leonora m. Frideric the third Emperor Maximilian Emperor m. Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles Alfonsus King of Portugale the same that came into Fraunce for succours How the Duke of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 16. Iohn Duke of Burgundy m. Margaret sister to William Earle of Hainault and Holland Mary m. Adolf the first D. of Cleues Adolfe Lord of Rauastain m. Betrice daughter to Iohn Duke of Cuymbria in Portugale Philip Lord of Rauastain mentioned in many places of this historie m. Mary base daughter to Philip Duke of Burgundy Iohn Duke of Cleues the D. heere mentioned m. Isabella daughter to Iohn E. of Neuers Iohn duke of Cleues the Dukes sonne for whom the marriage with the Lady Mary should haue beene made Philip Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Iohn K. of Portugale Charles Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon Mary Duchesse of Austrich so often mentioeed in this historie m. Maximilian Emperor How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster contrary to Commines who affirmeth the contrary Lib. 5. cap. 18. togither with the excuse of Commines error Edward the third King of England Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire to Henry D. of Lancaster Iohn Duke of Bedford Henry the 4. Rex Angliae Henry the 5. Rex Angliae Henry the 6. Rex Angliae Edward Prince of Wales Thomas D. of ClareÌ„ce Humfrey Duke of Glocester m. Katharine the third wife Iohn Earle of Sommerset Iohn Duke of Sommerset the eldest sonne Margaret countesse of Richmond Henry the 7 Edmund made D of Sommerset bicause his brother died without issue male Henry Duke of Sommerset beheaded by K Edward the fourth Edmund Duke of Sommerset beheaded also by K. Edward the fourth A daughter maried Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn slaine at the battell of Teukesbury The excuse of Commines error The line of Henry the fourth being failed in Prince Edward the right of the house of Lancaster came to the house of Sommerset as heere is set foorth but after the dâ—â—th of Iohn Duke of Sommerset who died without heire male Edmund his brother was made Duke of Sommerset Wherefore Commines knowing Henry the 7. to claime the right of the house of Lancaster as heire of the house of Sommerset and seeing others to be Dukes of Sommerset and not him supposed them to be of the elder house to him yet notwithstanding was Henry the 7. neerer heire than they being by his mother descended of the elder brother though they being of the male line obtained the title of Sommerset before him But this in my fansie bred Commines error and thus much in his excuse The title the Duke of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie countie of Prouence and Duchy of Bar mentioned by Commines Lib. 7. cap. 1. and the Kings title thereto togither with the whole quarrell betweene the house of Arragon and Aniou and why the house of Aniou had the best title as mentioneth Commines Lib. 8. Cap. 16. Naples Charles Earle of Aniou and Main brother to King S. Lewis King of Naples and Sicilie Prouence m. Betrice heire of Prouence 2 Charles surnamed the Boiteux King of Naples Hungarie m. Mary daughter heire to Stephen King of Hungary Charles Martell King of Hungarie the eldest brother Cornumbert King of Hungarie Lewis King of Hungarie Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife 4 m. Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather 3 Robert King of Naples the yoonger brother Charles sans terre died before his father 4 Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather m. Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife Mary Boccace his Conc. Margaret 5 m. Charles King of Naples and Hungarie 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Lewis D. of Durazzo Charles of Durazzo executed by Lewis King of Hungarie 5 Charles King of Naples and Hungarie m. Margaret 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Clementia m. Charles Earle of Valois Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce Lewis of Aniou adopted by Q. Iane the first slaine an 1385. Lewis of Aniou troubled K. Ladislaus died anno 1417. Bar. Yoland heire of Bar by Yoland hir mother Marie m. Charles the 7 K. of France Lewis
after the abouenamed Ambassadors departure Iohn Duke of Bourbon that last died arriued at the town of Lisle pretending that he came to visit his vncle Duke Philip of Burgundie who aboue all houses loued especially this house of Bourbon and no maruell for this Duke of Bourbons mother was Duke Philips sister She had liued a widow many yeeres and soiourned there at that time with hir brother both hir selfe and diuers of hir children to wit three daughters and one sonne notwithstanding this was not indeed the cause of the Duke of Bourbons arriuall but his comming was to perswade the Duke of Burgundie to suffer an armie to be leuied in his dominions assuring him that all the Princes of Fraunce would do the like meaning thereby to giue the King to vnderstand how euill and vniust gouernment he vsed in his realme purposing to make themselues so strong that they might constraine him by force to redresse this inconuenience if praiers could not preuaile This war was afterward called THE WEALE PVBLIQVE bicause the authors thereof vsed the common wealth for colour of their enterprise The said good Duke Philip for so is he surnamed since his death agreed that an armie should be leuied in his dominions but the bottom of the enterprise was neuer discouered to him for he thought not that the matter shoulde haue come to hand strokes as after it did Immediately began the musters through all the Dukes dominions and the Earle of Saint Paule afterward Constable of Fraunce accompanied with the Marshall of Burgundie being of the house of Neuf-chastell repaired to Cambray where D. Philip then lay to the Earle of Charolois who immediatly after their arriuall assembled his fathers Councill and a great number of his subiects in the Bishops palace at Cambray where he proclaimed all the house of Croy traitors to his father and him And notwithstanding that the Earle of S. Paule alleaged that by this proclamation he should be greatly indamaged bicause long before this he had giuen his daughter in mariage 1 to the L. of Croies sonne yet was the said house of Croy al that notwithstanding forced to abandon the Dukes dominions 2 where they lost great riches With the which dooing Duke Philip was much discontented especially bicause his chiefe chamberlaine afterward Lord of Chimay a yoong man well disposed and nephew to the Lord of Croy was forced for feare of his life to depart without leaue taken of his master being aduertised that if he did otherwise he should either be slaine or apprehended but the Dukes old age caused him to beare this matter more patiently than otherwise he would All this trouble hapned in his house bicause of the restitution of the territories aboue mentioned situate vpon the riuer of Somme which the Duke had restored to King Lewis for the sum of 400000. crownes by the perswasion of this house of Croy as the Earle of Charolois laide to their charge The said Earle after he had pacified his father and reconciled himselfe to him the best that mought be put his whole force incontinent into the field being accompanied with the Earle of S. Paule the principall gouernor of his affaires and he that had the greatest charge in his armie for he had vnder him by the Earle of Charolois commandement 300. men of armes and 4000. archers besides a number of valiant knights and esquires of Artois Haynalt and Flaunders Like bands and as great were also vnder the leading of the L. of Rauastin the D. of Cleues brother and the L. Anthony bastard of Burgundie other captaines for breuitie I passe ouer but aboue all the rest two knights there were especially in great credit with the Earle of Charolois the one named the L. of Hault-bordin an ancient knight bastard brother to the Earle of S. Paule the other the L. of Contay They had both been trained vp in the long wars betweene Fraunce and England at the same time that Henry the 5. of that name King of England raigned in Fraunce being confederate with this Duke Philip of Burgundie They were two valiant and wise knights and had the principall charge of the whole armie of yoong gentlemen there were a number but one especially very famous called master Philip of Lalain issued of a race that hath euer been so valiant and couragious that they haue in maner all died in the wars in their princes seruice The Earles force was great for his men of armes were to the number of 1400. but euill armed and vntrained bicause of the long peace these Princes of Burgundie had liued in For since the treatie of Arras by the space of 36. yeeres and more they neuer had war that indured nor almost taste of war saue a few broyles against the citie of Gaunt which were soone pacified Notwithstanding his men of armes were well mounted and well accompanied for few or none should you haue seene without fiue or sixe great horses of his retinue 3 The archers 4 were eight or nine thousand and when they mustred they were more vnwilling to depart then to giue their names but the ablest were chosen and the rest dismissed 5 The subiects of this house of Burgundie liued then in great prosperitie partly bicause of their long peace and partly bicause of their Princes goodnes who leuied but few subsidies vpon them so that these Seniors seemed comparable to the land of promise in those daies for they flowed in wealth and had continued in great quietnes the space of 23. yeeres to wit till the beginning of these wars now mentioned which till this day endure vnended their expenses in apparell both of men and women were great and superfluous 6 their feasts and banquets more sumptuous and prodigall than in any countrey that euer I sawe their bathes and other pastimes with women wanton and dissolute yea somwhat too shameles I meame of women of low estate To be short the subiects of this house thought at that time no Prince able to withstand them at the least none too mightie for them but at this present I know no countrey in the world in so great miserie and desolation as theirs and I doubt me the sins they committed in their prosperitie cause them now to suffer this aduersitie bicause they acknowledged not all these gifts and benefits to proceede from God who disposeth and bestoweth them as to his heauenly wisdome seemeth best The Earles armie thus furnished euen in a moment of all things necessarie marched forward 7 the whole force being on horseback saue those that conueied the artillerie which was mighty and strong for that time and the straglers appointed for the cariage the which was so great that the Earles owne cariage inclosed the greatest part of his campe he marched first towards Noyon and besieged a little castell called Nesle which was soone taken notwithstanding the resistance made by the garrison that was within it The Marshall Ioachin one of the fower Marshals of Fraunce issuing out of Peronne
for he liued not long after Notwithstanding before his death he did his Master good seruice in the battell against the Liegeois wherof you shall now heare I haue made mention before how the Duke departing from Louuain laide his siege before Sainctron and bent his artillerie against it Within the towne were three thousand Liegeois vnder the charge of a valiant knight the selfe same that was their chiefe commissioner for peace when we met them in order of battell the yeere before But the third day after the Dukes arriuall before the towne the Liegeois with great force came to leuie his siege about ten of the clocke in the morning they were thirtie thousand men 2 and aboue good and bad all footmen saue fine hundred They were well furnished of artillerie and encamped within halfe a league of vs in a strong village called Breton part whereof was enuironed with a marish Farther Francois Royet Baillif of Lions and the Kings ambassador at that time to the saide Liegeois was with them in their armie 3 Our fourragers were the first that aduertised vs of their arriuall for we had no scoutes abroade which was a foule ouersight I neuer was in place with the Duke of Burgundie where I saw him giue good order of him selfe but this daie onely Incontinent he raunged all his battels in the fielde saue certeine bands appointed to lie still at the siege among the which were fiue or sixe hundred English men Farther he beset both the sides of the village with twelue hundred men of armes and placed him selfe with eight hundred men of armes directlie ouer against the village somewhat farther off then the rest he caused also a great companie of gentlemen and men of armes to light on foote with the archers then the L. of Rauastain with the vaward being all on foote as wel men of armes as archers marched forward with certeine peeces of artillerie euen hard to the Liegeois trenches which were broad deepe full of water yet notwithstanding with force of arrowes and cannot shot the enimies were repulsed and their trenches wonne and their artillerie also but when our shot failed vs the Liegeois recouered their spirits and with their long pikes gaue a charge vpon our archers and their Captaines of whom they slew in a moment foure or fiue hundred in such sort that all our ensignes begane to wauer as men halfe discomfited At which instant the Duke commanded the archers of his battell to march being led by Philip of Creuecoeur Lord of Cordes a wise gentleman and diuers other valiantmen who so couragiously assailed the enimies that with the turning of a hand they were put to flight But neither the horsemen aboue mentioned that stood on both sides of the village neither the Duke himselfe could follow the chase bicause of the marish for they were placed there onely to this end that if the Liegeois had broken the D. vawarde and issued foorth of their trenches into the plaine they might then haue giuen a charge vpon them The Liegeois fled along through the marish being pursued onely by our footmen notwithstanding the Duke sent part of the horsemen that accompanied himselfe to follow the chase but they were forced to ride two leagues about before they could finde any passage by meanes whereof they were benighted which saued many a Liegeois life The rest of his horsemen the Duke sent to his campe bicause they heard a great noise there and doubted the enimies sally and indeede they had issued foorth thrise but were alwaies repulsed especially through the valiantns of the English men that the Duke left there behind him a few of the Liegeois after they were put to flight relied themselues togither at their cariage but staied not long there In this battell were slaine 9000. men 4 which number I am sure shal seeme great to all that loue truth but I haue beene in my time in manie battels where for one that was slaine men made report of a hundred thinking thereby to please their Masters whom often they abuse with such vntruths Sure had we not beene benighted there had beene slaine aboue fifteene thousand the battell being ended 5 the Duke when it was darke night returned with the whole armie into his campe saue a thousand or twelue hundred horse that were gone two leagues about to follow the chase for otherwise they could not come neere their enimies bicause of a litle riuer that was to passe They did no great exploit bicause of the night notwithstanding some of their enimies they slew and some they tooke but the greatest part escaped into the citie The Lord of Contay did good seruice this day in giuing order in the battell died shortlie after in the town of Huz and made a good end he was a wise a valiant knight but liued not long after his cruel sentence pronounced against the hostages aboue mentioned The D. immediatlie after he was vnarmed called one of his secretaries and wrote a letter to the Constable and the other ambassadors departed from him at Louuain not aboue foure daies before wherein he aduertised them of his victorie and desired them to attempt nothing against the Bretons Within two daies after the battell the pride of this foolish people was cleane abated though their losse were not great whereby appeereth how dangerous a thing it is for any Prince to hazard his estate in battell if he may by anie other means make a good end for a smal losse in a battel changeth altereth the minds of his subiects that receiueth the ouerthrow more than any man would thinke causing them not only to stand in great feare of their enimies but also to despise contemn their Prince and those that are in authority about him yea to murmur and practise against him They demand boldlier than they were accustomed and storme if ought be denied them so that the Prince mought haue done more with one crowne before the battell than with three after it Wherefore if he that hath receaued the ouerthrowe be wise he will not aduenture a second battell in this estate with those that haue fled but onely defend his owne and seeke some small enterprise easie to be atchiued to the end thereby his subiects may recouer their former courage and remooue all feare To conclude the losse of a battell traineth with it a number of inconueniences to him that is vanquished Notwithstanding great conquerors haue iust cause to desire the battell to abridge their labours as haue also the Englishmen and Switzers both bicause they are better footemen then their neighbors as appeareth by the great victories they haue obteined which notwithstanding I write not to the dispraise of other nations and also bicause their men can not keepe the fields long without dooing some exploit as Frenchmen and Italians can who also are more full of practise and easier to be gouerned than they Now on the otherside he that obtaineth the victory increaseth his honor
and estimation his subiects are the more obedient they deny him nothing that he demandeth his soldiers also waxe thereby the hardier and the more couragious Notwithstanding oftentimes the Princes themselues after a victory obteined are so puffed vp with pride and vaine glory that commonly their good successe turneth to their harme all the which hapneth by Gods disposition who sendeth alterations according to mens deserts When they within Sainctron saw the battell lost and themselues inclosed on all sides supposing also the discomfiture to be much greater then indeede it was they laid downe their armor yeelded the towne and deliuered such men to the Dukes mercy as he demanded whom he incontinent caused to be beheaded sixe of them being of the hostages that he had dismissed a few daies before vnder such conditions as you haue heard From thence he dislodged and marched to Tongres which abode the siege but bicause the towne was nothing strong they yeelded before the battery vnder the same conditions that their neighbors of Sainctron had accepted and deliuered also ten men to the Duke who were put to death as the former fiue or sixe of them being likewise of the hostages aboue mentioned The Notes 1 The newe copie hath Liny but the old and La Marche name it Huy Guicci Hoey Hubertus Huyum Meyer Hoyum and almost all other good authors 2 The Liegeois armie to succour Sainctron was of 20000. men but understand besides the Kings forces lead by Messir Bare or Barrado as Meyer termeth him who vvas slaine in the battell Meyer 3 The King sent to aide the Liegeois 400. men of armes and 6000. archers Meyer 4 There were slaine at this battell 6000. saith the old copie 3000. Meyer grounding himselfe vpon certeine obscure Annalists one of Flanders the other of Brabant of purpose to contrarie our author as in my epistle is shevved more at large 5 This battell vvas fought vpon Alhallovve Eeuen De la Marche but Meyer saith the 27. of October How some of the citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 3. FRom Tongres the Duke marched to the citie of Liege where the people were in great diuision for part of them gaue aduise to defend the towne saying that they had force sufficient within it so to do the cheife of the which faction was a knight called Master Raz of Laitre but others seeing all the countrey about burned and destroied would in any wise haue peace were the conditions neuer so vnresonable wherefore when the Duke approched neere to the city diuers ouertures of peace were made by certaine meane persons as prisoners and such like But the principall dealers in the matter were certaine of our hostages who doing cleane contrary to the others aboue mentioned and acknowledging the great fauor the Duke had shewed them brought to his campe with them three hundred of the best citizens in their shirts bare headed bare legged who presented the keies of the city to him and yeelded themselues to his mercy humbly beseching him onely to giue them his word that the towne should neither be fired nor sacked And at the selfe same time that they came in this estate to the Duke the Kings ambassadors being Monseur de Mouy and a secretary called Iohn Preuost were there present who were come to the Duke with the same demandes that the Constable had made a few daies before Farther the verie day of the composition the Duke supposing to enter the citie sent the Lord of Hymbercourt thither before him bicause he was well acquainted in the towne and had beene gouernor thereof vnder Duke Philip during the yeeres they liued in peace notwithstanding entrie was denied him for that day whereupon he retired and lodged in an abbey without one of the towne gates being accompanied with fiftie men of armes the whole number amounting to two hundred souldiers and I my selfe being one of them The Duke of Burgundie sent him word if the place where he laie were strong not to dislodge otherwise to retire backe to him for he could hardlie haue succoured him bicause all that countrey is rock and stone The said Hymbercourt resolued not to mooue for the place was very strong but retained with him fiue or sixe of the citizens that brought the keies to â—he Duke minding to vse their helpe to good purpose as heereafter you shall peceiue At nine of the clock at night we heard a bell ring at the sound whereof the citizens vse to assemble whereupon the said Hymbercourt doubted that this bell called companie togither to issue foorth to assaile vs for he was aduertised that Master Raz of Laitre and other of the citizens would not agree to peace and in deed his surmise was true for that was their determination and they were euen vpon the pointe to sally Then said the Lord of Hymbercourt to vs if we can dalie with them but till midnight we are safe for they will waxe wearie and desirous of sleepe and then those that are our enimies in the towne will flie when they shall see their enterprise frustrate wherefore to bring his purpose to passe he dispatched two of the citizens that he had staied with him and deliuered them certeine freindly articles in writing meaning only to busie the citizens with farther talke to win time for their maner was yet is to assemble togither at the Bishops pallace to debate of their affaires when the bel aboue mentioned is rung These two Burgesses which had been of our hostages when they came to the gate being hardlie two bow shot from the abbey where we lodged found a great number of the citizens there in armes some of the which would needs issue foorth to assaile vs some not Then our two Burgesses tould the Maior of the citie aloude that they brought certeine friendly articles in writing from the Lord of Hymbercourt the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in those countreis willing him to returne to the pallace to read them whereunto he agreed and incontinent we heard the bell ring againe wherby we vnderstood that they were busied about our articles Our two Burgesses returned not but about an hower after we heard a greater noise at the gate than before and a much greater number came thither in armes crying and rayling vpon vs from the wals whereby the Lord of Hymbercourt perceiued our danger to be now rather increased then diminished wherefore he dispatched the other fower hostages that were yet with him by whom he wrote a letter the contents whereof were that during the time he was gouernor of the citie for the Duke of Burgundie he had vsed them gentlie and louinglie neither would for anie thing consent to their destruction especially seeing not long before he had beene a commoner of one of their companies in the towne namely the Goldsmithes companie 1 wherefore they ought so much the
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
to receiue him and brought him into the towne and lodged him in a goodly house neere to the castell being the receiuers for the castell was a little old thing naught woorth War betweene two great Princes is easily begun but hardly ended bicause of the number of accidents depending thereupon for each partie dispatcheth messengers to and fro to hurt his enimie which suddenly cannot be staied nor reuoked as appeered by these two Princes who concluded this meeting vpon a sudden not aduertising their seruants thereof who were far from them executing the charge their Masters had giuen them For you shall vnderstand that the Duke had sent for his armie into Burgundie being furnished at that time with a number of gentlemen namely the Lord of Bresse of the house of Sauoy his two brethren the Bishop of Geneua and the Earle of Remont for the Sauoyans and Burgundians haue euer borne great loue one to another In this armie were also certaine Almaines borderers vpon Sauoy and the county of Burgundy Now you shall vnderstand that the King in times past had held the Lord of Bresse in prison bicause of two Knights he commanded to be slaine in Sauoy wherefore there was no good will betweene them two In this armie were also the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse afterward to King Charles Master Poncet of Riuiere and the Lord of Lau whom the King after speciall good liking of him had also held long in prison but he escaped and fled into Burgundy All this company aboue mentioned arriued neere to Peronne euen at the very instant that the King came thither and the Lord of Bresse with the three aboue mentioned euery one of them wearing the Saint Andrewes crosse entred the towne supposing they had come time ynough to accompanie the Duke when he should go to receiue the King but bicause they came too late they went straight to the Dukes chamber to do their dutie to him where the Lord of Bresse humbly besought him that the three aboue named notwithstanding the Kings comming might be there vnder his safegard and protection as he had promised them in Burgundie at their first arriuall into his dominions adding that they were ready to serue him against all men none excepted which request the Duke granted with his owne mouth and for their good wil thanked them The rest of this army led by the Marshal of Burgundy lodged without the towne as they were appointed The said Marshall hated the King no lesse than the others aboue named bicause of Pinall a towne in Lorraine which the King had once giuen him and afterward taken from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria so often mentioned in this historie The King being foorthwith aduertised of these noble mens arriuall and the apparell they ware 1 fell suddenly into great feare and sent to the Duke desiring him that he might lodge in the castell bicause all these aboue named were his enimies The Duke reioiced to see him in such feare and caused his lodging to be made there willing him to be of good cheere and doubt nothing The Notes 1 He meaneth by apparell the Saint Andrewes crosse A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and noble men Chap. 6. IT is greatfolly for one Prince to put him selfe vnder the power of another especially when they are in war togither as those Princes well know that haue studied histories in their youth wherein they finde diuers examples of great falshood and treason vsed in times past at such enteruiewes and of diuers that haue staied as prisoners and slaine those that haue come to them vnder their surety 1 I say not that all haue vsed so to do but the example of one is sufficient to teach a number wit how to looke to themselues I my selfe for my part haue seene some experience in the world hauing been by the space of eighteene yeeres and better emploied continually in Princes seruices and priuy all that while to the waightiest and secretest affaires that haue passed in this realme or the countries bordering vpon it and sure in mine opinion the best way to learne wisedome is to read ancient histories which will teach vs by example of our auncesters wisely to behaue our selues safely to defende our selues and aduisedly to attempt any enteprise For our life is so short that experience cannot sufficiently instruct vs considerlng withal that our yeers are abridged and neither our liues so long nor our bodies so strong as were our ancesters in ages past which way as we are weakned so is our faith also each to other much diminished 2 in such sort that I know not how one man may assure himselfe of another especially great Princes who are commonly inclined to all wilfulnes without any regarde of reason and which is woorst of all haue for the most part such men about them as study onely to flatter them and sooth them in al their dooings be they good or bad and if some one endeuor himselfe to redresse this inconuenience all the rest will straight be vpon his top Farther I must needes blame ignorant and vnlearned Princes in this respect also they haue all commonly about them great clarkes and lawyers as it is requisite they should if they be good but if they be otherwise they are the dangerousest people in the world to be about a Prince for they haue euer a law or an history at their fingers ends which be it neuer so good they writhe and wrest in such sort that they wil make blacke white and white blacke But those Princes that be wise and haue read as well as they will not suffer themselues to be abused by them neither dare they be so hardy as to report vntruths to such Princes Farther thinke you that God hath established the office of a King or Prince to be executed by such beasts as glory in saying I am no scholer I trust my Councell well enough and refer all matters to them and so without farther answer depart to their sports and pastimes No no if they had been well trained vp in their youth they would vse other language and seeke to be esteemed for their owne vertues and woorthines I say not that all Princes are serued by euill conditioned persons but sure the most part of those that I haue seene haue not alwaies had their courts vnfurnished of such although some I confesse I haue knowne that in time of necessitie could make choise of their men and vse the seruice of the best and wisest Wherein sure the King our master far passed all the Princes of his time for neuer Prince aduanced so highly nor made so great account of wise and woorthy men as he did He was himselfe reasonably well learned 3 he was very inquisitiue and desirous to vnderstand of all matters and had an excellent wit which passeth all learning attained to by studie for as reading profiteth two maner of waies the one by
acquainting vs with ages past and the other by teaching vs more in a booke in three monthes than twenty men liuing successiuely can learne by experience so if a man lack wit to put that which he readeth in practise his reading serueth to no purpose Wherfore to end this discourse me think the greatest plague that God can lay vpon a realme is to giue them an vnwise Prince the roote and fountaine of all mischiefe for first diuision and ciuill wars arise thereof among his subiects bicause he giueth his authority to others which especially aboue all things he ought to reserue to himselfe After diuision ensueth famine and mortality and all other euils that accompany the wars wherefore heereby we may consider how much a Princes subiects ought to lament when they see his children wantonly brought vp and gouerned by euill conditioned persons The Notes 1 Of treasons in treaty we haue numbers of examples First of Iugurtha taken by his father in law Boccus and deliuered to the Romaines Sertorius slaine at a banquet by Perpenna In England we haue the treason of Hengist to Vortiger In Scotland we reade of William Earle of Douglasse slaine by Iames King of Scots in treaty In Germanie Albert Earle of Franconia betraied in treaty by Ottho Bishop of Mentz Iohn of Angieu slaine by Albertus Bauarus Earle of Henault and Flanders notwithstanding his safe conduct In Fraunce Iohn Duke of Burgundie slaine by Charles the 7. William Duke of Normandie by Arnulph Earle of Flanders Lewis King of Fraunce taken prisoner by the Normans and Danes at Roan Iohn Duke of Britaine taken at a banquet and imprisoned by Margaret Countisse of Pontibera Guido Earle of Flanders twice taken prisoner vnder safeconduct by Philip le Bell King of Fraunce Charles the simple slaine by the Earle of Vermandoys VVhat should I speake of the tresons of Ferrande and Alfonse Kings of Naples or of Christiern King of Denmarke with numbers of others recorded in histories as our author heere very truly reporteth 2 Others be of a contrarie opinion that our life is as long as in Dauids time appeereth by the 90. Psalme where he sheweth the vsuall age of man in his time to haue beene 70. and sometime 80. yeers which men reche to at this day also and if mans life be as long now as then it is a good consequent that his body is as strong as is to be prooued by manie reasons too long to reherse Now that our faith is as good as theirs appeereth also by the ancient histories for if this be a true saying Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis And the Princes in times past were so euill as none could be worse as who so list to reade without partiality shal be forced to confesse I see no reason that the world should be worse now then in times past although it seeme so to many bicause we see the worst of our owne age yea and feele too many times but commonly the histories deliuer to vs but the best of times past and burie the worst and though they did yet the euill seene with our eie is more liuely imprinted in minde then the euill we conceiue by our eare which is the cause men euer thinke better of the times past then the present estate 3 Imaruell if King Lewis were learned he would haue his sonne to learne onely this lesson Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castell of Peronne by the Duke of Burgundies commandement Chap. 7. YOu haue heard how the King and this army of Burgundie arriued at Peronne both in one istant for the Duke could not countermand them in time bicause they were well forward vpon the way when the Kings comming was first communed of Their arriuall troubled the feast bicause of diuers doubts that sprang thereof Notwithstanding these two Princes appointed certeine of their seruants to negotiate togither about their affaires in most louing and freindly sort But after three or foure daies communication these strange newes came from Liege which I will now reherse The K. comming to Peronne had cleane forgotten the two ambassadors sent to Liege to sollicite them to rebell against the Duke who so diligently executed their charge that before the Kings arriuall at Peronne the Liegeois had leuied great force and were gone to surprise the towne of Tongres where the Bishop of Liege and the Lord of Hymbercourt lodged accompanied with two thousand men and better and the said Bishop and Hymbercourt they tooke with certein other of the Bishops familiar friends but few they slew neither was the number of the prisoners great the rest fled as men discomfited leauing bag and bagage behinde them This done the Liegeois returned towards their citie not far distant from Tongres and vpon the way thitherward the Lord of Hymbercourt compounded for his ransome with a knight called Master VVilliam de Ville named by the French Le Sauuage who fearing lest this furious people should kill him suffered him to depart vpon his word which notwithstanding he neuer chalenged for soon after himselfe was slaine the people reioiced much for the taking of their Bishop Farther you shall vnderstand that they hated extremely certaine chanons of the Church taken prisoners that day of whom for the first repast they slew fiue or sixe one of the which was named Master Robert the Bishops speciall friend whom I my selfe haue often seene armed at all peeces waiting vpon his Master for such is the maner of the Alemaigne Prelates 1 The said Master Robert they slew in the Bishops presence and hewed him into a number of small gobbets which they threw one at another in dirision To be short before their returne to Liege which was but eight leagues from Tongres they slew sixteen chanons and others all in maner the Bishops seruants This done they receiued aduertisement that the treatie betweene the King and the Duke was alreadie begun wherefore they dismissed certaine Burgundians supposing to excuse their fault by seeming to haue attempted nothing against the Duke but only against their Bishop whom they led prisoner into the citie Those that escaped put all the countrie in an vprore as they went by means whereof this newes came soone to the Duke some said all were slaine others the contrarie for such aduertisements are neuer reported after one sort At the length certaine arriued that saw these chanons slaine who supposing the Bishop and Hymbercourt to be of the number auowed constantly that all were murthered and farther that they saw the Kings ambassadors in the companie whom also they named All this was told the Duke who foorthwith beleeued it and fell into an extreme furie saying that the King was come thither to abuse him and gaue commandement to shut the gates of the castell and the towne spreading a fond rumor that he did it bicause of a budget with iewels and monie that was lost The King
seeing himselfe shut into this little castell and a number of archers before the gate stood in great doubt of his person the rather bicause he lodged hard by a great tower in the which an Earle of Vermandois had in times past caused a King of Fraunce one of his predecessors to be slaine 2 I was yet in seruice with the Duke and one of his priuie chamber into the which I entred at my pleasure according to the vse of this house of Burgundie The Duke when the towne gates were shut commanded all men to voide his chamber and said to two or three of vs that taried with him that notwithstanding he for his part had neuer any taste in this meeting but agreed to it onely to content the King yet the King on the contrarie side was come thither purposely to abuse him Then rehearsed he all these newes of Liege how the King had ordered the matter by his ambassadors and caused all his men to be slaine and such a rage he was in against the King and so threatened him that I thinke verily if those to whom he spake had pressed forward the matter and counselled him to worke the King some mischiefe he would haue done it at the least haue imprisoned him in the great tower aboue mentioned None were present when these words passed the Duke but my selfe and two groomes of his chamber one of the which was named Charles of Visin borne at Dyion an honest gentleman and in good credit with his master We mitigated this matter and sought to appease the Duke as much as in vs lay notwithstanding soone after he vsed also the like speech to others by meanes whereof it was blowen all ouer the towne and came at length into the Kings chamber who was in maruellous feare as vniuersally all men were bicause of the great euils they saw like to ensue a quarrell begun betweene two so great Princes who sure were both blame woorthie for that they aduertised not their seruants of this meeting who were far from them executing their commandements whereby some great inconuenience was sure to ensue The Notes 1 These were chanons of S. Lambert in Liege the which were not forced to be priests but might come foorth and marrie if they had not soong masse Guicci 2 This Earle of Vermandois was named Hebart or Herbau and the King of Fraunce Charles le Simple whom this Hebart slue in the towre heere mentioned anno 926. or after Annal. Burgund 921. bicause the King had slaine in battell Robert Duke of Aquitaine or after some of Aniou who had married this Hebarts sister But note heere poenam talionis vpon the King for as he was staied heere notwithstanding the Dukes safe conduct so had he himselfe taken and imprisoned by the space of two yeeres Philip Lord of Bresse hauing called him to him vnder his safe conduct Meyer Of the Lord of Bresses imprisonment our author maketh mention in the fift chapter of this booke A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth Chap. 8. IT is great folly for two Princes being in manner of equall force and estate to meete togither vnlesse it be in their youth when their mindes are wholy set vpon pleasures and pastimes but after they are come to mans estate and growen desirous to encroch each vpon other such enteruiewes do but increase their hatred and euill will though happily their persons might be there in safetie which notwithstanding I hold almost for a thing impossible Wherefore it is better to pacifie all controuersies by wise and discreete men as before I haue said for proofe whereof I will reherse certaine examples that haue happened in my tyme some of the which I my selfe haue seene and of the rest haue beene credibly enformed A few yeers after King Lewis his coronation before the war called the WEALE PVBLIQVE began a sollemne meeting was appointed between him and the King of Castile 1 which are the two neerest confederated Princes in Christendome for their league is betweene King and King Realme and Realme and man and man of their subiects which also they are both bound vnder great curses to keepe and obserue inuiolable To this meeting came Henry King of Castile with a goodlie traine to Fontarabia and the King our Master to Saint Iohn de Luz fower leagues distant both of them being vpon the frontires of their dominions I was not present my selfe at this meeting but I haue heard both the King and the Lord of Lau make report thereof and haue beene enformed of it also by certaine Lords of Castille there present with the King their Master who came to this enterview accompanied with the Lord great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo which two bare all the swaie in Castile at that time the Earle of Lodesme the King of Castils minion was there also in great brauerie and all the said Kings gard being to the number of three hundred horse all Moores of Granado and some of them Negros But K. Henry himselfe was a man of so small vnderstanding that he gaue away all his inheritance at the least suffered euery man that would to spoile him of it our King was also accompanied with a goodlie traine as you know his vse was but his gard especially was braue in verie good order To this meeting came in like maner the Queene of Arragon about a controuersie betweene hir and the King of Castile for Estell and certaine other places in Nauarre whereof the King was made arbitrator But now for proofe that such enterviews between great Princes are not meet nor conuenient you shall vnderstand that these two Kings had neuer beene at variance there was no quarrell betweene them neither saw they one another past once or twise vpon a riuer side that parteth both their realmes 2 hard by a litle castell called Heurtebise where the King of Castile passed to the hither side of the riuer At their first meeting they had no great liking one of another especially our King who perceiued the King of Castille to be but a simple man doing nothing of himselfe but whollie gouerned by the great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo aboue mentioned Wherefore he made no account of their Master but sought their freindship whereupon they came to him to Saint Iohn de Luz where he entred into amitie with them and had great intelligence by their meanes The greatest part of both these Princes traines lay at Bayonne and at the verie first meeting fell togither by the eares notwitstanding their league and no maruell For their maners and languages differed Afterward the Earle of Lodesme came also to visite the King and passed the riuer in a boate the saile whereof was cloth of gold Farther he ware a paire of buskins embrodred thicke with stone for he was a Prince of great wealth and reuenews in Castille and created
day all men were in great feare and muttered vp and downe the towne the second the Duke was somewhat pacified and sate in counsell almost the whole day and part also of the night The King caused all those to be laboured that he thought could aide him in this extremitie making them large offers and promises commanded also fifteen thousand crowns to be diuided among the Dukes seruants but he to whom the charge was committed acquit himselfe not faithfully thereof for part of the monie he retained to his owne vse as the King afterward vnderstood The King fearing especially those aboue named that came with this armie of Burgundy who in times past had beene his owne seruants but were now his brothers the Duke of Normandies as they said In this councell aboue mentioned this matter was diuersly debated some were of opinion that the safe conduct giuen the King should not be broken seeing he offered to sweare the treatie as it was articled in writing others gaue counsell rudely to imprison him without farther ceremonie and others to send for his brother the Duke of Normandie and to conclude a peace for the aduantage of all the Princes of Fraunce They that gaue this aduise thought if their opinion tooke place that the King should be restrained of his libertie for euer and held continually vnder garde bicause a great Prince being in the hands of his enimie and vsed after such sort neuer or very hardly recouereth his libertie for feare of reuenge This last opinion failed not much to take effect for the matter was so far forward that I sawe a man booted and ready to depart with a packet of letters to the Duke of Normandie being then in Britaine and staied onely for the Duke of Burgundies letter notwithstanding all this was dashed againe The King caused certaine ouertures to be made offering to leaue there in hostage the Duke of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother and the Constable with diuers others vnder this condition that the peace being concluded he might depart to Compiegne promising incontinent either to cause the Liegeois to repaire the harmes done or to declare himselfe their enimie They whom the King named for hostages outwardly made earnest offer of themselues I know not whether they meant as they said and I doubt me they did not for I verily beleeue if the King had left them there they should neuer haue returned into Fraunce All this night being the third after the newes brought the Duke neuer vnclothed him but lay downe twise or thrise vpon his bed and then rose and walked for such was his maner when he was troubled I lay that night my selfe in his chamber and communed with him diuers times In the morning he was farther out of patience than euer before vsing terrible menaces and being ready to execute some great matter notwithstanding in the end he was pacified and resolued to hold himselfe contented if the King would sweare the treatie and go with him to Liege to helpe to reuenge the iniuries the Liegeois had done him and the Bishop of Liege his cosen with the which message suddenly he departed into the Kings chamber whereof the King had a priuie watch word by a friend 1 who aduertised him that nothing was to be feared if he agreed to these two points otherwise that he should put himselfe in so great danger that none could be greater When the Duke came to the Kings presence his voice trembled and euen there he was like to fall into a newe rage so much was he troubled His behauior towards the King was humble and lowly but his countenance furious and his language sharpe for he asked him in few words wherher he would obserue the treatie concluded and also sweare it Whereunto the King answered that he would For you shall vnderstand that the said treaty as touching the Duke of Burgundy himselfe was altred in no point otherwise than it was concluded before Paris and as touching the Duke of Normandies partage it was much amended for the King For it was agreed that in stead of Normandy he should haue Champaine and Brie and certaine other places there about for his partage Then the Duke asked him againe whether he would go with him to Liege to helpe him to reuenge the treason the Liegeois had wrought by his meanes and by his comming thither putting him also in minde of the neere kinred that was betweene the said King and the Bishop of Liege being of the house of Bourbon wherunto the King answered that after he had sworne the treaty which was the thing he most desired he would accompany him to Liege and lead thither with him as small or as great force as the Duke should thinke good at which words the D. much reioiced and incontinent the treaty of peace was brought and the selfe same crosse that Charlemaigne vsuallie ware called the crosse of victory taken out of the Kings coffers and there the two Princes sware the treaty 2 wherupon all the bels in the town rung and all men were glad and reioiced It hath pleased the King since to attribute this honor to me that I did him great seruice in furthering this accord The Duke sent these newes foorthwith into Britaine and the treatie with all wherein he seuered not himselfe from the said two Dukes but named them his confederats And sure the Lord Charles had now a good partage in respect of the treatie made in Britaine whereby he should haue but a pension onely of fortie thousand franks as before you haue heard The Notes 1 It vvas Commines himselfe that gaue the King aduise not to refuse to go to Liege vvith the Duke Annal. Burgund 2 The peace of Peronne vvas svvorne the fovverteenth day of October anno 1468. Meyer lib. 17. fol. 346. pag. 1. vvhere read also the conditions of the peace How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundy making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates Chap. 10. THe next day after the treaty sworne the King and the Duke departed from Peronne and went to Cambray and from thence into the countrey of Liege in the very beginning of winter and in a maruelous foule season The King had with him few soldiers or none others than the Scottish men of his garde but gaue commandement that three hundred men of armes should folow after him The Dukes army was deuided into two bands the one led by the Marshall of Burgundy so often already mentioned in the which were all the Burgundians and the noble men of Sauoye aboue named besides great forces of the countries of Haynault Luxembourg Namure and Lamburge the other band the Duke him selfe lead when they drew neere the citie of Liege they debated in the Dukes presence what was to be done Some gaue aduise to dismisse part of the army considering that the gates and wals of the citie were rased the yeer before and the citizens in vtter despaire of succour the King him selfe being
there in person against them and offering in maner the selfe same conditions of peace on their behalfe that were demanded The Duke alowed not of this opinion which was a happie turne for him for if he had he had marred all but his suspition of the King caused him to take the wisest course sure his Captaines opinion in thinking themselues too strong proceeded either of great pride or of great follie Notwithstanding I haue often heard diuers Captaines giue the like aduise some bicause they thinke thereby to win an opinion of hardnesse and some for that they vnderstand not the matters debated but wise Princes weigh not such fond opinions As touching this point the King our Master had learned his lesson for as he was slow and fearfull in attempting any thing so when he tooke once an enterprise in hand he so throughlie furnished him selfe of euery thing thereunto appertaining that he could not but obtaine his purpose Order was then giuen that the Marshall of Burgundie with his band should go before and lodge in the citie and if the citizens made difficulty to receiue him as it was thought they would not bicause diuers of them were already come to the Duke to treate of peace that then he should attempt to enter by force The saide Marshall and his company went to Namur and the next day departed thence and the King and the D. arriued there But when the Marshall approched neer the city this foolish people salied foorth to the skirmish and were easilie repulsed and a great number slaine the rest retired into the towne and at that verie instant escaped their Bishop and came to vs. Within the towne was a legate sent thither by the Pope to vnderstand of the variance betweene the Bishop and the people and to pacifie the matter For the sentence of excommunication pronounced against them was yet vnreuoked bicause of their offences aboue rehersed This legate passing the bands of his commission fauored altogither the people in hope to obtaine the Bishoprick for him selfe and commanded them to take armes for their defence and encouraged them to diuers other folies Notwithstanding now seeing the city in this danger he issued foorth with intent to flie but was taken and all his traine being to the number of fiue and twentie very well mounted The Duke hearing these newes seemed notwithstanding to take no notice thereof but sent word to those that tooke him that they should leade him into some secret place and make their profit of him as of some merchant and in no wise to aduertise him of this accident alleaging that if he came openly into his campe he could not suffer them to keepe him but must of force deliuer him for honor of the sea apostolike Notwithstanding they could not do as they were commanded but fell at variance for him in such sort that openly at diner time certaine that claimed part in the bootie came and complained to the Duke wherefore he sent immediately and tooke him from them and restored him all that he lost and entertained him very honorably This vaward led by the Marshall of Burgundie and the Lord of Hymbercourt marched straight to the citie supposing to enter without resistance and through couetousnes hoping to haue the spoile thereof to themselues refused the composition that was offered neither thought it needfull to tarrie for the King and the Duke being seuen or eight leagues behinde them but marched with such speede that they arriued at the towne by twilight and entred into a certaine suburbs leading straight to a gate that the citizens had somewhat repaired There the Liegeois and they parled togither but could not agree In the meane time they were benighted their lodgings were vnmade neither was the place large ynough for the seate of their camp beside that they were in great disorder some walked vp and downe some called their masters their companions and their captains which folly and disorder Master Iohn de Villette and other captains of the Liegeois perceiuing tooke hart and determined to issue foorth and their misfortune I meane the ruine of their wals serued them to good purpose in this enterprise for they salied foorth where liked them best by the breaches thereof and came in order of battell to the foremost ranks of the Burgundians Farther among the vines and little hils they assailed the pages and straglers that walked their Masters horses without the suburbs by the which our men entred A great number of good soldiers were there slaine but a greater number fled for the night couereth all shame To be short the Liegeois so couragiously executed their enterprise that they slue at the least eight hundred one hundred of them being men of armes But the hardie and valiant soldiers of this vaward being in maner all men of armes and gentlemen of good houses ioined themselues togither and marched with ensigne displaied straight to the gate fearing the citizens salie there The waies were maruellous deepe bicause of continuall raine in such sort that the men of armes being all on foote stood in mire aboue the ankles Once all the citizens thought to salie foorth at the said gate with great torches and lights but our men had mounted fower good peeces of artillerie in the very mouth thereof the which shot twise or thrise along the high streete and slew a great number whereupon they all retired out of the suburbes and shut their gates But during this skirmish in the suburbes the others that had salied forth to assaile the pages aboue mentioned tooke certaine carts neer to the towne in the which they lodged themselues very vncommodiously and taried without the citie from two of the clocke after midnight till six in the morning but so soone as the day brake that one might descry another they were repulsed and in their retract master Iohn de Villette and one or two more of their captaines hurt who died all within two daies after How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege Chap. 11. NOtwithstanding that salies out of a towne be somtimes necessary yet are they very dangerous for those that defend the place for the losse of ten men is more to them than of an hundred to those that besiege them first bicause their number is not equall secondarily bicause they cannot put men into the towne at pleasure and lastly bicause haply they may loose one of their cheefe captaines which mishap causeth oftentimes the losse also of the place These discomfortable newes were foorthwith brought to the Duke lying fower or fiue leagues from the towne and the first report was that his whole vaward was discomfited yet that notwithstanding he and the whole army mounted on horsebacke commanding that no word should be made to the King of this misfortune And when he drew neere the citie on the contrary side to that where his vaward lay he was aduertised that all was well and the losse nothing so
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 cōfort 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
Duke returned to the pallace The King had already dined and seemed greatly to reioice at the taking of the towne and commended also much the Dukes courage and valiantnes knowing that report thereof should be made to him and that these good words would somwhat further his returne into his realme which was his speciall desire After diner the Duke and he met and communed togither very pleasantly and if the King commended his valiantnes behinde his backe I warrant you he dispraised it not before his face which the Duke tooke in very good part I must now returne to speake somwhat of this miserable people that fled out of the city for proofe of a discourse I made in the beginning of this history touching inconueniencies I haue seen ensue a battell lost by a King a D. or a meaner Prince These miserable soules fled through the countrey of Ardennes with their wiues and children But a Knight dwelling in those parts who euer to fore had taken part with them slew now a great number of them and to recouer the conquerors fauor sent word thereof to the Duke reporting the number of those that were slaine and taken to be much greater then in deed it was Notwithstanding that it were great whereby he made his peace with the Duke and saued him selfe Others fled towards Meziers vpon the Maz being within the realme of Fraunce but vpon the way two or three of their Captaines were taken one of the which was named Madoulet who were lead to the Duke and by his commandement put to death Some of these people died also of hunger some of cold and some for lacke of sleepe The Notes 1 Some write that there were slaine in one day at Liege 100000. and Munster writeth 40000. and 12000 women drowned in the riuer which seemeth to disagree with Commines who reporteth not aboue 200. to haue beene slaine notwithstanding our author must heere not be vnderstood so strictlie as though there had not died aboue 200. in all for his meaning is onely that at the entrance into the towne there were not slayne aboue two hundred othervvise considering the number that vvere slaine in Churches houses and flight it cannot be but that manie thousands died neither is our authors meaning othervvise 2 Some copies haue Saint Lavvrence but the old copie Saint Lambert vvhich Annal. Burgund and Guicci report to be the principall Church in Liege 3 The Duke slue before the Church of Saint Lambert tvvo or three archers vvith his ovvne hand La Marche 4 There vvere in Liege to the number of 32. Churches and eight Colleges of priests Meyer fovver abbies fovver frieries three nunneries and vvithout and vvithin the tovvne aboue an hundred Churches Guicci Hubertus How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont Chap. 14. FOwer or fiue daies after the taking of the towne the King began to sollicite such of the Dukes seruants as he held for his friends to mooue their Master for his departure but he himselfe first brake the matter to the Duke after a sage and a wise sort saying that if he could stand him in any more stead he should not spare him otherwise he desired to returne to Paris to cause the treatie to be recorded in the Court of parlament for the maner in Fraunce is to record all treaties there otherwise they are of no force notwithstanding the Kings authority may do much therein He required also the Duke that the next sommer they mought meete againe in Burgundy and make mery a month togither whereunto the Duke in the end agreed mumbling somwhat to himselfe Farther the Duke commanded the treatie to be read againe before the King to know whether ought were passed in it that he misliked putting him to his choise to alowe or disalowe thereof at his pleasure Somwhat also he excused himselfe for bringing him to this siege Lastly he besought him that one article mought be added to the treaty in fauor of the Lords of Lau and Vrfé and Poncet of Riuiere to wit that they mought be restored to all their estates and offices that they enioied before the wars began which request misliked the King for there was no reason why the Duke should require to haue them comprehended in the treaty both for that they were none of his partakers in the wars aboue mentioned 1 and also bicause they serued the Lord Charles the Kings brother not the Duke Notwithstanding the King answered that he would grant his demand vpon condition that he would accord the like to the Lords of Neuers and Croy wherunto the Duke replied nought This was a very wise answer of the King for the Duke hated these Lords by him named so extremely and held so goodly possessions of theirs that he would neuer haue condescended to restore them of the other articles the King answered he would alter none but confirmed the whole treaty as they two had sworne it at Peronne Thus was it agreed that the King should returne home and the Duke accompanied him about halfe a league But at their leaue taking the King said thus vnto him if my brother who is now in Britaine will not accept this partage that I haue giuen him for your sake what will you that I do 1 Whereunto the D. answered thus sodainly without farther deliberation if he will not I refer the order thereof to you two of the which demand and answer sprang a great matter as heereafter you shall heare Thus returned the King in great ioy being safe conducted by the Lords of Cordes and Meriens 2 great bailife of Haynault to the frontiers of the Dukes dominions The Duke abode still in the city of Liege which was extremely handled I must needs confesse but sure they had well deserued so to be delt with bicause of the great cruelties they had cōtinually vsed against the Dukes subiects euer since his grandfathers daies Besides that they neuer performed any promise nor kept any treaty they made and this was the fift yeere that the Duke himselfe had been there yeere by yeere in person and concluded peace which ordinarily the next yeere they brake Farther they had continued excommunicated of long time for their great cruelty against their bishop whereof notwithstanding they made no account neither would obey the commandements of the church on that behalfe Immediately after the Kings departure the Duke with small force determined to go into Franchemont a countrey alitle beyond Liege lying among sharpe rockes and thicke woods From thence came the best soldiers the Liegeois had and of this countrey were they that made the desperate saly aboue mentioned Before his departure a great number of poore prisoners that hid themselues in houses at the taking of the towne were drowned Farther it was concluded that this citie heeretofore so populous should be burned at three seuerall times 3 and three or fower thousand footmen of the
countrey of Lambourg 4 being neighbors to the Liegeois and almost of the same maners and language were appointed to fire it but to saue the churches First the great bridge built ouer the riuer of Maze was beaten downe then a great number were chosen out to defend the chanons houses about the cathedrall church to the end they might haue lodging that should say deuine seruice In like maner also diuers were appointed for defence of the other Churches This done the Duke departed into the countrey of Frachemont and immediately after he was out of the towne we saw a great number of houses on this side the riuer on fire he marched forwarde and lodged fower leagues off yet heard we the noise as easilie as if we had beene there present I wot not whether it were bicause the winde sat that way or bicause we lodged vpon the riuer The next day the Duke departed thence and those that were left behind in the towne continued still the fire as they were commanded but the Churches were all saued afew excepted and aboue three hundred houses to lodge the Church men which caused the towne so soone to be replenished againe for much people returned to dwell with these Priests Bicause of extreme frost and cold the greatest part of the Dukes army was forced to go on foote into the countrey of Franchemont which had neuer a walled towne in it but all villages The Duke lodged fiue or sixe daies in a litle valley called Polleneg his armie was deuided into two bands the sooner to destroy the countrie All the houses he commanded to be burned al the iron mils broken which is their onely trade of liuing Farther our men hunted the poore people out of great woods and forests where they lay hidden with their goods and manie they slew and tooke prisoners and there the soldiers got good booties The cold was more extreme then is almost credible for I saw a gentleman that with cold lost the vse of his foote and neuer recouered it and a Page that had two of his fingers rotted from his hand and in like maner a woman dead for cold and her childe with her whereof shee was newely deliuered Farther by the space of three daies all the wine that was drunke in the Dukes lodging was cut with hatchets for it was so frozen in the vessels that we were forced to breake them and cut the wine being a masse of yse into small peeces which men bare away in hats and baskets as best liked them I could reherse diuers other strange accidents of the cold too long to write To conclude at eight daies end hunger drew vs thence in haste and the Duke departed to Namur and so into Brabant where he was honorably receiued The Notes 1 This was the treaty of Conflans at the conclusion vvhereof these three heere named as our auhor himselfe before reherseth vvere the Dukes enimies and tooke part vvith the King vvherefore no reason it vvas that the Duke should seeke to haue them comprehended in the treatie as his freinds seeing at the conclusion thereof they vvere his enimies 2 This des Murz the old copie nameth De Meriens La Marche d'Emeries Annal. Burgund d'Aymeries The tovvnes name is Aymeries in Henault vpon the riuer of Sambre Guicci in the description of Henault yet the same author in his description generall nameth the man d'Emery Annal. Burgund in another place nameth him d'Esmeriez Meyer Aymericius and Emericius so that I suppose it best to reade it as I haue translated it but that des Murz is very corrupt I am out of doubt 3 This city vvas diuided into three quarters as appeereth by Guic. description for the vvhich cause it vvas fired at three seuerall times 4 The old copie hath Lambourg as I haue translated it the nevv Luxembourg as haue also Annal. Burgund but not vvell in mine opinion For Lambourg is hard by Liege but Luxembourg farther off How the King by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment Chap. 15. THe King after his departure from the Duke returned with great ioy into his realme attempting nothing against the Duke for his euill vsage at Peronne and Liege but seeming to take all in good part Notwithstanding sharpe warre arose afterward between them but not soon neither was this the cheif cause thereof though happily it might in part further it for if this treatie had beene concluded at Paris it had passed in effect as it did at Peronne But the Duke by his officers aduise sought to aduaunce the bonds of his dominions besides that diuers subtill practises were vsed to set these two Princes againe at variance as you shall heare when occasion serueth The Lord Charles of Fraunce the Kings onely brother and late Duke of Normandie being aduertised of this treatie made at Peronne and the partage assigned to him thereby sent foorthwith to the King desiring him to accomplish the treatie and performe his promise The King sent in like maner to him about that matter and manie messengers ran to and fro betweene them The Duke of Burgundie sent also his ambassadors to the saide Lord Charles desiring him to accept no other partage then Champaigne and Brie which by his meanes was granted him shewing him withall how great good will he bare him sith notwithstanding he had abandoned him yet would not he do the like as the sequell well declared but had also comprehended the Duke of Britain in the treatie as his confederate Farther he sent him word that Champaigne and Brie lay very commodiously for them both bicause if the King should at any time attempt ought against him he might within two daies warning haue succours out of Burgundie the two countries bordering on vpon another Lastely he aduertised him that his partage was very good and that he might leuie in his countries aides customes and subsidies neither could the King claime any thing there but homage resort and soueraignity This Lord Charles was a man doing little or nothing of himselfe but wholy lead and gouerned by others notwithstanding that he were aboue fiue and twenty yeeres of age Thus passed the winter which was well spent before the Kings departure from vs messengers ran continually to and fro about this partage for the King ment nothing lesse then to giue his brother that he had promised bicause he would not haue him and the Duke of Burgundie so neere neighbours But he treated with his brother to take Guienne which is in maner all Aquitaine for Brie and Champaigne The Lord Charles feared to displease the Duke of Bourgundy and doubted if he yeelded to the Kings request and he should not keepe touch with him that then he should loose both freend and partage and so be left bare boord But the King being the subtilest prince then liuing and the cunningest dealer in such treaties perceiuing that he
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
and the Duke of Burgundies onely daughter and heire for sonne he had none which matter they had often mooued to the Duke who in words shewed himselfe not vnwilling thereunto yet notwithstanding would neuer conclude it but entertained others also in hope thereof Now marke how these men sought to atchieue their enterprise by constraining the Duke of Burgundy to this marriage Immediately after these two towns were taken and the Duke gon to Arras to leuy forces with al speed the Duke of Guienne sent a secret messenger to him who brought him three lines written with the said Dukes owne hand foulded vp in a small lumpe of waxe and conteining these words Endeuor your selfe to appease your subiects and you shall not faile of friends Farther the Duke of Burgundy being at the first in exceeding great feare sent to the Cōstable desiring him to shew himself fauorable not to presse forward this war begun without any defiance made At the which message the Constable greatly reioiced supposing that he now held the Duke in such feare as he desired which to increase he sent him a speedy discomfortable answere the effect wherof was that his state stoode in maruellous danger so far foorth that he saw no way for him to winde himselfe out of these troubles but one Namely by giuing his daughter in mariage to the D. of Guienne which if he would do he should than be succoured with great forces for both the Duke of Guienne and diuers others Lords would declare themselues for him against the King and he also would restore him Saint Quintine and take his part otherwise he said he durst do nothing considering how strong the K. was hauing both his army very wel appointed also great intelligence in the Dukes dominions This was the answer he sent with diuers other fearefull messages But I neuer knew man in my life come to good end that sought to put in feare and hold in subiection his master or any other great Prince with whom he had to do as in the end the Constables example shall well declare For notwithstanding that the King were then his master and that the greatest part of his reuenues lay and all his children were resident in the Duke of Burgundies dominions yet continued he these practises against both these Princes with intent to hold them both in feare each by other which cost him deere in the end and no maruel For notwithstanding that euery man desire to liue out of subiection and feare and that all men naturally hate these that hold them in awe yet none so extremely as Princes For I neuer knew Prince that hated not mortally all those that sought to put him feare After the D. of Burgundy had receaued the Constables answer he perceaued wel no friendship to be in him farther that he was the only author of this war Wherupon he conceaued so extreme hatred against him that after this he could neuer brooke him especially bicause by these fearfull messages he fought to constraine him to mary his daughter at his pleasure a vaine attempt For before the returne of the Constables answer the Duke had recouered his spirits and had a great army with him You may easely perceaue both by the message sent by the Duke of Guienne first and the Constables answer afterwarn that this was a compact matter between them and the rather for that the like message or a more dreadfull came soone after from the Duke of Britaine who sent also to the Kings seruice a hundred Britons all men of armes vnder the leading of the Lord of Lescut Wherefore we may boldly say that this war was mooued onely to constraine the Duke of Burgundy to conclude this mariage and that they did but abuse the King in perswading him to begin war for they were all in maner lies that they told him of their intelligences in the Dukes dominions Notwithstanding in this voiage the Constable did the King great seruice and shewed extreme malice against the Duke of Burgundy knowing that the Duke had conceaued mortal hatred against him The Duke of Guienne also serued the King in these wars very well accompanied so that the Duke of Burgundy stood vpon hard tearmes But if at the first he would haue assured his daughter to the Duke of Guienne both the said Duke of Guienne the Constable and diuers other noble men with all their adherents would haue reuolted to him against the King and done their endeuor to haue pulled him vpon his knees But whatsoeuer man purposeth in such cases God disposeth afterward of them at his pleasure How the Duke of Burgundie tooke Piquigny and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables great griefe Chap. 3. YOu haue heard at large the cause of this war at the beginning whereof both the Princes were blinded inuading each other and neither of them knowing the cause why which was a maruellous cunning of the contriuers of this enterprise For a man might haue pronounced the old Prouerbe of these two Princes that the one part of the world was not acquainted with the others maners nor actions All these affaires aboue rehersed since the beginning of these wars chanced in very short space for within lesse then fifteene daies after the taking of Amiens the Duke put himselfe into the field neere to Arras for farther he retired not and from thence marched toward the riuer of Somme and so straight to Piquigny but vpon the waie thither he met with a messenger of the Duke of Britaine on foote who aduertised him from the Duke his Master that the King had giuen his said Master to vnderstand of diuers secrets and among others of intelligences he had in many great towns of his dominions namely Andwerp Bruges and Bruxelles adding also that the King was determined to come and besiege him into what towne soeuer he should retire were it euen into Gaunt All the which aduertisements I suppose the Duke of Britain sent in fauour of the Duke of Guienne hoping thereby to further much the marriage aboue mentioned But the Duke of Burgundie tooke this message in euill part and foorthwith dispatched the messenger willing him to tell his master that he was misinformed by some euill seruants about him who put these feares and doubts into his head to the end he should not aide him as he was bound by their league And farther that he knew not what townes Gaunt and the other cities were in the which he said the King would come to besiege him for they were too great to be besieged He bad him farther to informe his Master in what sort he found him accompanied and to aduertise him that the world went otherwise with him then he supposed for he was determined to passe the riuer of Somme and to fight with the King if he would come to stop him vpon the way Laste of all he willed him to desire his Master on his behalfe to ioine with
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
Kings death for he feared the Earle of Warwicke who was his mortall enimie and bare now the whole sway in England The said Earle soone after he was landed found infinite numbers of men to take his part For the armie that King Edward left behinde him what for loue what for feare yeelded to him in such sort that euery day his forces encreased And in this estate went he to London where a great number of Knights and Esquires who afterward did King Edward good seruice tooke sanctuarie as also did the Queene his wife who was there deliuered of a sonne in very poore estate The Notes 1 The King embarked at Lyn. 2 Alquemare Meyer nameth Tessela 3 King Edward landed in Holland the 9. of October Meyer How the Earle of Warwick tooke out of prison King Henry of England Chap. 6. THe E. immediatly after his arriuall at London went foorthwith to the tower tooke K. Henry out of prison whom himselfe many yeres before had lead thither crying before him Traitor Traitor but now he called him his soueraigne Lord and conueighed him to his palace at Westminster where he sat him vnder the cloth of estate in the Duke of Clarences presence who litle liked that sight Farther he sent foorthwith three or foure hundred men to Calais to spoile and forray the countrey of Boulenois whom the Lord of Vaucler so often aboue mentioned friendly receiued and made then open declaration of the good will he had alwaies borne the Earle his Master The same day that the Duke receiued newes of the Kings arriuall in Holland I was come from Calais to Bulen where the Duke then lay vnderstanding nothing of this aduenture nor of the Kings flight The Duke was first aduertised that he was dead whereof he forced not greatly for he loued the house of Lancaster much better then the house of Yorke Besides that he had with him the Dukes of Excester and Sommerset and diuers others of King Henries faction by whose meanes he thought himselfe assured of peace with the house of Lancaster But he feared the Earle of Warwicke neither knew he how to entertaine him that was come to him 1 I meane King Edward who was his brother in lawe and of the same order for the King ware the golden Fleese and the Duke the Garter The Duke foorthwith sent me backe againe to Calais accompanied with a gentleman or two of this newe King Henries faction and gaue me instructions how to deale with this new world pressing me earnestly to go bicause it stood him vpon to be well serued in this busines I went as far as Tournehan a castell neere to Guiens and further durst not passe bicause I found the people flying for feare of the English men who were abroad and spoiled all the countrey But I sent foorthwith to the Lord of Vaucler desiring a safe conduct for before I was accustomed to go without any and was alwaies honorably receiued for the English men are verie curteous and honorable in their entertainment Al this seemed strange to me for I neuer had seen such sudden alterations in the world I aduertised the Duke the same night of the danger I should be in if I passed further making no mention of the safe conduct I had sent for bicause I doubted what answer I should receiue thereof The Duke sent me a ring from his finger bidding me go forward and if I were taken prisoner he would redeeme me for he cared not greatly to endanger one of his seruants at his neede But I had prouided well for my selfe for I receiued a safe conduct with very curteous letters from the Lord of Vaucler Wherein he sent me word that I might go and come after my woonted maner Whereupon I went to Guisnes and founde the captaine at the castell gate who offred me a cup of wine without that he led me into the castel as he was accustomed but he feasted and entertained honorably these gentlemen of King Henries faction that accompanied me From thence I went to Calais where no man came foorth to receiue me after their woonted sort but al men ware the Earle of Warwicks liuery Further vpon the gate of my lodging they made aboue an hundred white crosses and rimes signifying that the King of Fraunce and the Earle of Warwick were all one all the which seemed strange to me Soone after my comming to Calais I sent to Graueling being but fiue leagues thence commanding all English merchants and merchandises to be staied bicause the Englishmen had so spoiled the countrey The Lord of Vaucler sent for me to diner being well accompanied and wearing on his cap a white ragged staffe of gold enamiled 2 being the Earles cognisance which all the rest that were with him ware likewise and he that could not haue it of gold had if of cloth It was told me there at diner that within lesse than a quarter of an hower after these newes came out of England euery man ware the said cognisance so speedy and sudden was the change This was the first time that I began to consider how vnstable and vncertaine all worldly things are The said Vaucler gaue me very curteous language and made certaine excuses in the Earle his captaines behalfe rehearsing also what great benefits he had receiued at his hands But as touching the rest that were with him I neuer saw men so far out of frame for those that I tooke to haue bin the Kings trustiest seruants were they that most threatned him some I thinke for feare but others in good earnest Those household seruants of the Earles whom I had required the Lord of Vaucler heeretofore to put out of the towne were now in great credit Notwithstanding they neuer vnderstood that I had mooued the said Vaucler to any such purpose In all communication that passed betweene them and me I euer told them that King Edvvard was dead wherof I said I was well assured notwithstanding that I knew the contrary adding further that though it were not so yet was the league betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the King and realme of England such that this accident could not infringe it for we would account him King whom they did I said moreouer that bicause of the alterations that had hapned in times past these words VVith the King and the Realme were inserted into the league for performance also whereof fower of the best townes in England were in pledge to the Duke The merchants required in any wise to haue me staied bicause their goods were taken at Grauelin by my commandement as they said In the end peace was thus concluded between them me that they should pay for al the cattell they had taken or restore it again for by agreement betweene the house of Burgundy them they might go into certain pastures thereabout and take cattel for the prouision of the towne at a price which they now paide and prisoners they had taken none Thus it was agreed that the
hatred and war as all those haue been that I haue knowen or been conuersant with in my time sure there is great danger therein Notwithstanding mine aduise is that ambassadors be well intertained and honorably receiued for to send to meete them to lodge them well to appoint trusty and wise men to accompanie them are not onely points of great curtesie but also of great safetie For thereby you shal both vnderstand who they are that resort to them and also stay such as be light headed and discontented with the present estate from bringing them intelligence for there is no Princes court wherein all haue contented mindes Further they must haue speedie audience and soone be dispatched For me thinke it a perilous matter for a man to harbor his enimie in his house but to defray them to lodge them well and to giue them presents is but curtesie Further in time of open war no practise nor ouerture of peace must be altogither broken off bicause peraduenture the lest of them may serue vs to good purpose but all must be continued and intertained and all ambassadors heard vsing them as before is said and appointing sure watch to espie who go to beare them intelligence and are sent to them either by day or night but this must be done as secretly as may be Further for one ambassador they send to you send you two to them and though they be wearie of your ambassadors and forbid any more to come yet send still when time occasion serueth For no spie shall haue such libertie to inquire and vnderstand of all matters as they And if you send two or three togither it is impossible for your enimy to haue so good watch I meane vsing them with good termes as ambassadors are to be vsed but that some of them shall haue conference and intelligence with one or other Lastly a wise Prince must alwaies endeuor himselfe to haue some secret friend or friends about his enimie and beware as neere as he may for in such cases men cannot alway do as they would that his enimie haue not the like about him You will say peraduenture that by such often sending I shall increase mine enimies insolencie and pride But I force not thereof for by this meanes I shall vnderstand his secrets and in the end all the profit and honor shall redound to me And notwithstanding that mine enimy may deale with me after the same sort yet wold I not cease from sending but intertaine all ouertures and breake off none to the end I may alwaies haue occasion to send For all men haue not like wisedome like cunning nor like experience in these affaires neither like occasion to trauell for experience and in these cases the wisest win the garland whereof I will giue you a manifest example In all treaties of peace concluded betweene the English and French nations the French haue alwaies shewed more finenes subtiltie and cunning than the English so far foorth that the said English men haue a common prouerbe as once they told me when I treated with them that in all battel 's fought with the French euer or for the most part they haue obtained honor and victorie but in all treaties that haue been concluded betweene them they haue euer receiued losse and dammage And sure in mine opinion I haue knowen in this realme especially of King Lewis his training vp men as sufficient to negotiate in a treatie of peace as any in the world For those that are imploied in these affaires must be milde men and such as can beare patiently all rude words to compas their purposes for their Masters profit and such onely would King Lewis imploy I haue beene somwhat long in discoursing how ambassadors actions must diligently be obserued but not without cause for I haue seen and knowen so great falshood and treacherie vsed vnder colour thereof that I could no sooner end my discourse This mariage between the Duke of Guienne and the Duke of Burgundies daughter was so earnestly laboured that in the end some promise was made therof both by mouth and letter But I haue knowen the like done to Nicholas Duke of Calabria and Loraine 1 sonne to Iohn Duke of Calabria so often aboue mentioned and to Philibert Duke of Sauoy that last died and to Maximilian Duke of Austrich now King of Romans onely sonne of Frederike the Emperor who also receiued a letter written with the damsels owne hand by hir fathers commandement and a diamond therewith All which promises were made in lesse than three yeeres space yet am I well assured that during the Dukes life none of them should haue been accomplished at the least with his consent But this letter aboue mentioned furthered much Duke Maximilians sute as heereafter you shall heare I write not this to charge thereby the Duke of Burgundie or any of those aboue mentioned but onely to rehearse the course of these affaires Further I perswade my selfe that rude and simple men will not busie their braines about the reading of this historie but Princes and Courtiers shall finde in it good lessons and aduertisements in mine opinion During this treatie of marriage diuers newe enterprises against the King were in communication With the Duke of Burgundie was the Lord of Vrfé Poncet of Riuiere and certaine other meane personages that ran to and fro for the D. of Guiennes affaires In like maner the Abbot of Begarde afterward Bishop of Leon was resident with him for the Duke of Britaine These aduertised the Duke of Burgundy that the King practised to corrupt the Duke of Guiens seruants and to withdraw them from him partly by loue partly by force adding also that he had already razed a certaine place belonging to the Lord of Estissac the Duke of Guiennes seruant and had begun diuers other attempts against his brother so far foorth that he had withdrawne from him certaine of his houshold seruants whereby appeered manifestly as they said that he ment to take Guienne from him now as in times past he had done Normandy once granted him for his partage as before is mentioned The Duke of Burgundy sent diuers ambassadors to the King about these affaires who euer excused himselfe 2 and accused his brother saying that for his part he minded not to touch his brothers partage but that his brother by seeking to inlarge his limits was author of all these troubles We haue heer to consider how troublesom dangerous and far from all good end the affaires of this Realme are when it is in discord and ciuill dissention for notwithstanding that at the beginning of the troubles all men hope shortely to see them at an end yet is the contrary greatly to be feared for though the fire be kindled at the first but betweene two or three Princes or men of meaner estate yet before two yeeres be exspired all our neighbours shall be bidden to the banquet as plainly may appeere by this that followeth At this very instant
that I now write of the D. of Guienne at the least his seruants and the D. of Britaine desired the Duke of Burgundy in no wise to call the Englishmen to his aide for seeing all that they did was for the good and benefite of the realme they would not bring the ancient enimies of the crowne into the realme adding farther that if he would be in a readines they should be strong ynough of themselues aswell bicause of their great forces as also of the good intelligence they had in the realme with diuers Captaines and others And once it was my chance to be present when the Lord of Vrfé had communication with the Duke to this effect and withall pressed him earnestly with all speede to leauy his army The Duke stoode at a window and called me to him and said Heere is my Lord of Vrfé that presseth me earnestly to leauy the greatest force that possible I may alleaging that it shall be greatly for the benefite of the realme what thinke you of this motion if I enter into the realme with my army shall I do any great good there I answered him merily that I thought no then said he I loue the realme of Fraunce better than my Lord of Vrfé weeneth for where it hath one King I would it had six During the treaty of mariage aboue mentioned Edward King of England who thought verily that the mariage should haue bin accomplished wherein he was deceiued as was also the King traueled earnestly with the Duke of Burgundy to breake it off alleaging that the K. had no issue male wherfore if he hapned to die the crown should descend to his brother whereby if this marriage tooke effect the realme of England shuld stand in great danger so many seigniories being vnited to the crown This matter troubled maruellously though needlesly not onely the King of England but also his whole Councell in such sort that they would giue no credite to the Duke of Burgundy what promise soeuer he made to the contrary The saide Duke notwithstanding the request aboue mentioned made vnto him by the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine for not calling in strangers to his aide was very desirous that the King of England should inuade some part of the realme and himselfe would haue pleaded ignorance therein But the Englishmen would not be woon therunto for they so much feared the annexing of the house of Burgundy by this mariage to the crown of Fraunce that they would at that time rather haue aided the King than inuaded him You see heere all these Princes throughly busied and accompanied with a number of wise men who as the sequele well declared foresawe a far of more by the one halfe than in their life time tooke effect for they all through this continuall toile and trauell in short space one after another ended their liues each man reioicing at others death as of a thing most desired Soone after also followed their masters leauing their successors troubles enow all saue the King our master who left his realme to his sonne quiet both from foraine wars and ciuill dissention so that he did more for him than euer he either would or could do for himselfe for I neuer knew him in peace saue onely a litle before his death The Duke of Guienne at this present lay sicke and in danger of death as som said but others affirmed the contrary his men pressed earnestly the Duke of Burgundy to put himselfe into the field bicause the time of the yeere serued fitly for that purpose and aduertised him that the Kings army was abroad and lay at Saint Iohn d' Angelie or at Xainctes or thereabout To be short they labored the Duke so importunately that he went to Arras and there assembled his forces and marched towards the townes of Peronne Roye and Montdidier his army was maruellous great yea the greatest that euer he had before for in it were twelue hundred Launces of his ordinary retinue euery one of them accompanied with three archers well armed and well mounted farther in euery company of these Launces were ten men of armes for a supply besides the lieutenant and ensine bearer The gentlemen of the Dukes dominions were likewise in very good order for they were very well paid and led by valiant knights and esquires And sure at that time these countries were maruellous rich The Notes 1 This Nicolas is named in other histories Marques du Pount 2 The King made war vpon his brother bicause he had restored the Earle of Armignac to all his possessions in Guienne whom the King before had banished Annal. Aquit How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundie and the King brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiens death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other Chap. 9. WHile the Duke was leuying his armie aboue mentioned the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce named Master Peter Doriole came to him twise or thrise from the King and secretly treated with him of a final peace which heertofore could neuer be concluded bicause the Duke required the restitution of Amiens and Saint Quintine whereunto the King would neuer condiscend but now partly bicause of the great preparation he saw made against him and partly in hope to compas certaine purposes whereof heerafter you shall heare he agreed to yeeld them The conditions of this peace were that the King should restore to the Duke Amiens and Saint Quintine and whatsoeuer else was in controuersie betweene them That he should abandon the Earles of Neuers and Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce and permit the Duke to do with them and all their possessions at his pleasure and seize them into his own hands if he could That the Duke in like maner should abandon the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine and permit the King to do with them and their seigniories at his pleasure I was present when the Duke of Burgundie sware this treatie and likewise the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce in the Kings name who also at their departure from the Duke aduised him not to dismisse his armie but to march still forward to the end the King their Master might make the speedier deliuerie of the two places aboue named Further Simon of Quinchy was sent with them to see the King sweare and confirme this treaty which his ambassadors had concluded but the King delaied the confirmation a certaine space and in the meane time happened his brothers death The D. being readie to depart from Arras receiued two seuerall aduertisements one that Nicholas Duke of Calabria and Loraine heire of the house of Aniou and sonne to Iohn Duke of Calabria was comming to him about his daughters marriage whom the Duke honorably receiued and put in great hope of his sute But the next day being the 15. of May 1472. as I remember came letters from Simon of Quinchy the Dukes ambassador to the King wherein he aduertised his Master
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 â—ade 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
breake of day the Dukes battterie was bent against the wals but soone after we saw two hundred men of armes enter the towne and had it not beene for their comming I thinke the citizens would haue treated of a composition which notwithstanding the Duke in this fury would neuer haue granted for he desired to take the towne by assault and if he had so done vndoubtedly he would haue burnt it which had been great pitie sure it was preserued by very miracle After these men of armes were entred the Dukes artillerie shot continually the space of fifteen daies and the place was as well beaten as euer was any in such sort that the breach was saultable but the ditch of the one side of the burned gate stood full of water so that we were forced to build a bridge ouer it but on the other side we might come hard to the wals without any danger saue of one flanker which was so low that our artillerie could not beat it It is great danger and folly to assault a towne so well defended as this was for within it was the Constable 2 as I remember or lay by it I wot not wel whether the Marshall Ioachin the Marshall of Loheac the Lord of Crussoll VVilliam of Valleu Mery of Croy Sallezarde Theuenot of Vignoles being all ancient captaines accompanied with an hundred men of armes of the Kings ordinary retinue besides a great number of footemen and others that were come thither with them Yet the Duke contrary to the opinion of his whole army determined to giue the assault And the night before as he lay on his field bed in his clothes according to his accustomed maner he asked certaine there present whether they thought the town would abide the assault who answered that they thought yea seeing they were force sufficient to defend it at the which answer he scoffed saying that they should not finde a man there the next day In the morning by breake of day the assault was giuen very couragiously and the breach no lesse valiantly defended A great number went thronging on our new made bridge in such sort that an ancient knight of Burgundy called Despiris was smothered there who was the best man that died before the towne On the other side of the gate certaine of our men got vp to the top of the wall but some of them neuer returned They fought hand to hand a great while and the assault continued so long that fresh bands were appointed to succeede the first being wearied but bicause the Duke saw his men to labor in vaine he caused them to retire yet notwithstanding they within salied not for they saw company ynough ready to receiue them At this assault were slaine twelue hundred soldiers 3 and the best man that died there was the aboue named Despiris It was thought at the first that many more had been lost for aboue a thousand were hurt The next night they within salied foorth but bicause their number was small and the most of them on horsebacke and therby encombred with the cords of our tents they did no great exploit but lost two or three gentlemen of their company and hurt one of ours named Master Iames d'Orson a very honest gentleman and master of the Dukes Ordinance who a few daies after died of the said hurt Seauen or eight daies after this assault the Duke would haue diuided his army into two bands and lodged part thereof at the gate towards Paris contrary to all mens aduise and to all reason considering the great number of soldiers within the town This should haue been done at the beginning but now it was too late Wherfore seeing no remedy he raised his campe in very good order 4 hoping that they within would issue forth to the skirmish which notwithstanding they did not From thence he marched into Normandy bicause he had promised the Duke of Britaine to come as far as Roan where the said Duke of Britaine had promised in like maner to meete him But bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death he altered his minde and stirred not out of his country The Duke of Burgundy came before Eu which was yeelded vnto him as was also Saint Valery and he burnt all this quarter euen hard to Diepe He tooke likewise Neuf-chastell and burnt both it and all the country of Caux or the greatest part euen hard to Roan gates further he presented himselfe in person before the said towne of Roan he lost many of his foragers whereby his army was in great distresse of victuals In the end bicause winter approched he departed homeward and his backe was no sooner turned but the French recouered Eu and Saint Valery and tooke prisoners by composition seauen or eight Burgundians that were within them The Notes 1 The French hath Chastellenies which were places where certaine courts of the inferior iurisdiction vvere held to the which the countrey there about was bound to repaire 2 Annal. Franc. report that the Constable lay hard by the tovvne but mooued not to defend it for the vvhich cause it vvas thought he had intelligence vvith the Duke 3 Gaguin saith that there vvere slaine at the assault of Beauuais 1500. men 4 The Duke lay before Beauuais sixe and tvventy daies and leuied his siege the 22. of Iuly Meyer How the King made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy and how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracy that these two Princes made against him Chap. 11. ABout this time I came to the Kings seruice in the yeere 1472. who receiued also the selfesame yeere the greatest part of his brother the Duke of Guienne his seruants He lay then at Pont de See making war vpon the Duke of Britaine whither certaine ambassadors came to him out of Britaine and from whence also he sent his ambassadors thither Among the rest that came to him to the said towne of Pont de See were Philip of Essars seruant to the Duke and VVilliam of Sousplenuille seruant to the Lord of Lescute the which Lord of Lescute seeing his Master the Duke of Guienne at the point of death tooke sea at Bordeaux and departed into Britaine fearing to fall into the Kings hands he embarked in time and carried away with him the Duke of Guiennes Confessor 1 and a rider of his stable who were charged with the Dukes death and remained prisoners in Britaine many yeeres after When these runnings to and fro had indured a while the King in the end determined to haue peace with the Duke of Britaine and to deale so liberally with the Lord of Lescute that he would thereby asswage the euil wil he bare him and win him to his seruice For as he knew the Duke of Britaines forces being gouerned by so woorthy a man greatly to be feared so was he assured if he could win the Lord of Lescute to his seruice that the Britons would labor for peace bicause he
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 〈◊〉 â—â—ue 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
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
vertous Lady and sister to the Queene of Fraunce so that for hir sake he had found great friendship and fauor in our court The practise begun against him still continued which as you haue heard was almost concluded at the assembly held thereabout at Bouuines after the which the Constable neuer thought himselfe in assurance but mistrusted both the Princes especially the King who seemed to repent the reuoking of his letters there sealed Further the Earle of Dampmartin others whom the Constable feared as his enimies lay with their men of armes neere to Saint Quintins wherefore he held himselfe within the towne and put into it three hundred footemen of his owne tenants hauing but small affiance in his men of armes He liued in great trouble for the King had often sent to him to sollicite him to come foorth to do him seruice in the marches of Henault and to besiege Auennes at the same time that the Admirall with his band went to burne the countrey of Artois as you haue heard which commandement he obeied but with great feare for after he had lien a certaine space before the said towne of Auennes with a continual garde about his person he retired into his owne places and sent the King word by one of his seruants who did his message to me by the Kings commandement that he had raised his siege bicause he was certainly enformed that there were two in the army purposely hired by the King to kill him whereof also he told so many apparant tokens that he seemed indeed to haue some notice thereof so far foorth that one of them was suspected to haue disclosed somwhat to him that he ought to haue kept secret but I will name no man neither speake further heerof The Constable sent often to the Duke of Burgundies campe I suppose to perswade him to relinquish his foolish enterprise aduertising the King also vsually at his mens returne of some such newes as he thought would like him well and withall what was the cause of his sending thither hoping by this means to entertaine him with faire words Somtime also he gaue him to vnderstand that the Dukes affaires had good proceeding thereby to put him in feare Further doubting greatly that the King would inuade him he desired the Duke to send vnto him his brother Master Iames of Saint Paul being at Nuz before he was taken prisoner and the Lord of Fiennes with certaine others of his kinsmen promising to put them and their bands into Saint Quintins but without the Saint Andrews crosse 2 and to keepe the towne for the Duke and restore it him shortly after for performance also wherof he offered to giue him his faith in writing The Duke did as he required and when the said Master Iames the Lord of Fiennes and the rest of the Constables kinsmen were twise come within a league or two of the towne ready to enter the Constable thinking the storme past altered his minde and sent a countermaunde This did he thrise so desirous was he still to liue in dissimulation and swim as it were between two streams fearing maruellously both these Princes Of this matter I haue been enformed by diuers but especially by Master Iames of Saint Paul himselfe who thus reported the circumstance thereof to the King when he was brought prisoner before him where no man was present but my selfe alone The said Master Iames answered frankly and without dissimulation to all the Kings demands whereby he wan greatly his fauor First the King asked him how many men he had with him to enter the towne whereunto he answered that the last time he had three thousand Then the King inquired further if he had entred and had been Master of the towne whether he would haue held it for the King or the Constable Whereunto he likewise answered that the two first times he came but to comfort his brother but the last seeing his dissimulation to his Master and him if he had entred and had been Master of the towne he would haue held it for his Master not offring his brother any outrage nor doing any thing to his preiudice saue onely that he would not haue departed the town at his commandement Soone after the King deliuered the said Iames of Saint Paul out of prison and gaue him charge of a goodly company of men of armes and vsed his seruice till his death of which his preferment his wise answers were the onely cause The Notes 1 This ouerthrow the Duke of Bourbon gaue the Burgundians neere to a place called Grey or Gy not far from Chausteauguion and in the battell was slain the Lord of Conches others say but taken and there were taken prisoners the Earle of Roussy being gouernor of Burgundy the Marshall of Burgundie the Earle of Ioigny the Earle of Saint Martins sonne Monseur de L'Isle Monseur de Longey or Longny the bailife of Ampois and the bailife of Auxerre This battell was fought on tuesday the 20. of Iune 1475. and in it two hundred men of armes Lombards were slaine Meyer About this time also the Prince of Orenge was taken prisoner and by meanes thereof reuolted from the Duke to the King Annal. Burgund 2 The Saint Andrewes crosse is the Burgundians cognisance and if they had entred with this crosse vpon their cotes the Constable could haue no longer temporised with the King of Fraunce but should foorthwith haue been proclaimed traitor How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the King of England his confederate sent to defie King Lewis Chap. 5. I Haue discoursed of diuers affaires since I began with the siege of Nuz bicause they all hapned in that time for the siege indured a whole yeere There were two causes especially that mooued the Duke to leuy his siege one the war the King made in Picardy where he had burned two proper townes and destoied a goodly champaine countrey in Artois and Ponthieu The other the mighty army the King of England leuied at his sute and sollicitation whom till now he could neuer perswade to passe into Fraunce notwithstanding that he had labored him thereunto al the daies of his life The said King of England and all his nobles were maruellously discontented with the Dukes delaies and besides intreaties vsed threatnings and not without cause considering the great charges they had sustained and all to no purpose the sommer being now almost spent The Duke gloried much that this Dutch army being so great that the like hath not been seene in our age nor many yeeres before and in the which were so many Princes Prelates and free cities ioined togither was not able to raise his siege 1 But this glory cost him full deere for he that hath the profit of the war reapeth also the honor thereof Notwithstanding the Legate aboue mentioned who rode continually betweene the two camps made peace in the end betweene the Emperor and the Duke 2 and the towne of Nuz
which I did accordingly Then the King began to talke with diuers rehearsing vnto them the contents of these letters of defiance and seuen or eight he called apart causing the said letters to be read and shewing a good and assured countenance void of al feare for he was glad of the comfort the herault had put him in The Notes 1 Melancthon writeth that the Emperor vvould not hazard a battell neither vvith Matthias King of Hungarie nor Duke Charles Quia sibi sciebat Martem in genesi infoeliciter positum esse But Berlandus saith that the Duke fought vvith the Emperor Meyer saith that in a skirmish the Duke ouerthrevv the Marquesse Albert of Brandenbourg and slue 120. of his men and tooke diuers prisoners and another time ouerthrevv the Bishop of Munster slue fiftie tooke sixteene and chased the Bishop hard to the Emperors campe and likevvise another time the Bishops of Mentz Treues Munster and Marquesse Albert and slue a great number of their men And last of all bicause the Emperor and the Duke contended vvhether of them should first depart from before Nuz their footmen ioined and the Duke slue 1500. 2 Peace vvas concluded betvveene the Emperor and the Duke 31. Maij. 1475. 3 The Emperor departed from Nuz 29. Iunij leauing the Duke there vvho vvould not leuie his siege before the Emperors departure bicause of his honor but soone after departed also the Duke Meyer 4 The Duke lost before Nuz 15000. men Annal. Burgund vvherefore Meyer hath small reason to reprooue our author for saying that the Dukes armie vvas in so poore estate that he durst not let the English men see it 5 Hall in his Chronicle reproueth our author for reporting this Garter to be a Norman saying that neuer Norman was King of heraults which notwithstandyng I Know not why we should beleeue for he him selfe confesseth that King Edward the fourth made a Gascoine namely Vaucler Deputie of Calice a much higher and more dangerous office to be in a strangers hand than this 6 How the Queene of England was the Constables neece the pedegree in the ende of this booke will declare Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death Chap. 6. I Must yet speake a word or two more heer of the Constable who was not a little troubled as well for the lewd touch he had plaid the Duke of Burgundy about the restitution of Saint Quintins as also bicause he saw himselfe vtterly disfauored of the King so far foorth that his cheefe seruants namely the Lords of Genly and Mouy had alreadie relinquished him and were in the Kings seruice notwithstanding the said de Mouy resorted still to him sometime Further the King pressed the Constable earnestly to come to him offering to make him such recompence for the countie of Guise as he required and the King had often promised him The Constable was willing to go so that the K. would sweare by the crosse of S. Lou of Angiers to do him no harme nor consent that any other should alleaging that he might as wel sweare therby now as in times past he did to the Lord of Lescute whereunto the King answered that he would neuer giue that oth to any man 1 but any other he would not refuse to sweare You may easily gesse how much both the King and the Constable were troubled for that no day escaped for a certaine space but one or other passed betweene them about this oth Wherefore if we well weigh our estate mans life is very miserie for we toile and trauell our selues to shorten our owne daies saying and writing a number of things cleane contrarie to our thought To conclude if these two were troubled on the one side I warrant you the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie were no lesse troubled on the other At one time in a maner both the King of England landed at Callice 2 and the Duke of Burgundie departed from before Nuz who in great haste rode straight to Callice to the said King with a very small traine for he had sent his armie in such poore estate as you haue heard to spoile the countrie of Barrois and Lorraine to the end they might there make merrie and refresh themselues which he did bicause the Duke of Lorraine had begun war vpon him and defied him before Nuz But this sending of his forces into Lorraine among diuers other his ouersights in his actions with the English men was not the lest for they thought at their landing to haue found him with 2500. men of armes well appointed and great force of other horsemen and footemen for so he had promised thereby to allure them to passe the seas and further that he would haue made war in Fraunce three moneths before their arriuall to the end they might finde the King the wearier and the weaker but God as you haue heard disposed otherwise of this matter The King of England departed from Callice in companie of the Duke of Burgundie and passed through Bolaine and from thence to Peronne where the Duke gaue the English men but cold entertainment for he caused the gates to be straightly garded and would suffer but few to enter so that the greatest part of them lodged in the fields as they might well do for they were well prouided of all things necessarie for that purpose After they were come to Peronne the Constable sent to the Duke of Burgundy one of his seruants called Levvis of Creuille by whom he excused himselfe for the withholding of Saint Quintins alleaging that if he had restored it he could haue stood him in no stead in the realme of Fraunce for he should vtterly haue lost his credit and intelligence there but now seeing the King of England was come ouer in person he promised to do heerafter all that the Duke should command him whereof the better to assure him he sent him a letter of credit directed to the King of England but referring the matter of credit to the declaration of the Duke Further he gaue the Duke his faith in writing to serue and succour him his friends and confederates as well the King of England as others against all men none excepted The Duke deliuered the King of England his letter and withall the matter of credit adding somwhat thereto of his own deuise for he assured the King that the Constable would deliuer into his hands both Saint Quintins and all his other places which the King easily beleeued partly bicause he had maried the Constables neece and partly bicause he saw him in so great feare of the King our Master that he thought he durst not faile of his promise made to the Duke and him and the Duke beleeued it also But the Constable meant nothing lesse for the fear he stood in of the King our Master was not so great that it could force
him so far But he vsed still his woonted dissimulation hoping by these faire messages to content them and shew them so apparant reasons of his dooings that they would not as yet constraine him to declare himselfe Now you shall vnderstand that King Edvvard and his men were nothing acquainted with our affaires but went bluntly to worke so that they could not as yet smell out the cunning vsed heere on this side the sea for naturally the English men that neuer trauelled abroad are very colerick as are also al people of cold coūtries 3 The realme of Fraunce as you see is situate betweene both for it is inuironed with Italy Spaine and Catalonia towards the east 4 and with England Flaunders and Holland towards the west 5 and all along the countrey of Champaigne Almaine bordereth vpon it so that our countrey taketh part both of heate and cold wherfore the French are of two complexions but in mine opinion I neuer saw countrey in my life better seated than the realme of Fraunce The King of England who reioiced maruellously at this message sent by the Constable although happily he had receiued some such promise before but not so large departed from Peronne with the Duke of Burgundy who had no force there for his army was in Barrois and Lorraine towards Saint Quintins whereunto when they approched a great band of Englishmen ran before thinking as I heard it reported a few daies after that the bels should haue rung at their comming that the citizens would haue receiued them with crosse and holy water But when they drew neere the town the artillery shot and the soldiers issued foorth to the skirmish both on horsebacke and foote so that two or three English men were slaine and some taken Further it rained terribly and in this estate returned they in great rage to their campe murmuring against the Constable and calling him traitor The next morning the Duke of Burgundy would haue taken his leaue of the King of England to depart to his army into Barrois promising to do maruels in his fauor But the English men who naturally are suspicious and were strangers in these countries maruelled much at his so sudden departure seeing they had passed the seas at his request and were greatly discontented therwith neither would they beleeue that his army was in a readines Besides that the Duke could by no meanes repaire the Constables former credit with them notwithstanding that he affirmed all his dooings to be to a good end The winter also which drew neere dismaied them so that they seemed by their words desirous rather of peace than war The Notes 1 The King vvould not svveare by the crosse of Saint Lou of Angiers bicause vvho so touched that crosse and for svvare himselfe died miserably within a yeere after 2 The King of England landed at Calais the 4. of Iuly Meyer 3 The reason is Propter crassos humores quibus abundant eorum corpora qui vehementiores excitant affectus innatam caloris vim quae etiam augetur per antiperistasin 4 By the east he meaneth all seas to the great Ocean 5 By the vvest he meaneth all vvest and north seas How the King clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the King of England in his Campe where he receiued a very good answere Chap. 7. IN the meane time euen at the very instant that the D. of Burgundy was taking his leaue the English men tooke prisoner a gentlemans seruant of the Kings house named Iames of Grasse whom foorthwith they led to the King of England and the Duke being togither and from them into a tent where when they had examined him the Duke tooke his leaue to go into Brabant and from thence to Maizieres where part of his army lay The King of England commanded the said seruant to be dismissed bicause he was their first prisoner And at his departure the Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley gaue him a noble saying Do our humble commendations to the K. your Master if you can come to his presence The fellow came in great haste to the King being at Compiegne with these newes who foorthwith began to suspect him as a spie bicause Gilbert of Grasse his Masters brother was then very well entertained in the Duke of Britaines court wherefore he was committed to warde and straightly kept that night Notwithstanding the King commanded diuers to commune with him by whose report his tale seemed voide of all suspicion and feare Wherefore they desired the King to vouchsafe to heare him and according to their request the next morning he himselfe spake with him and when he had heard him his irons were knocked off but he remained still in warde Then the King went to diner debating with himselfe whether he should send to the English men or not And before he sat downe talked three or fower words thereof with me For you know my Lord of Vienna that oftentimes he communed very familiarly with those that were neere about him as I was then and others after loued to talke in a mans eare he called then to minde the herault of Englands aduise which was that he should not faile to send to the King of England so soone as he was landed to demaund a safe conduct for certaine ambassadors that he would send to him and further to adresse his herault to the aboue named Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley After the King was set to diner and had mused a while as you know his maner was which seemed strange to those that knew him not for vnlesse a man had beenwel acquainted with his behauior he would haue iudged him of no great wisdome notwithstanding that his dooings sufficiently declared the contrary he bad me in mine eare to arise and dine in my chamber and send for a certaine seruant of the Lord of Halles son to Merichon of Rochell and to commune with him to know whether he durst aduenture to go to the K. of Englands campe in a heraults cote which his commandement I executed foorthwith maruelling much when I saw the said seruant for he seemed to me neither of personage nor behauior fit for such an enterprise notwithstanding he had a good wit and a very pleasant toong as I afterward perceiued the King had neuer spoken with him before but once The said seruant was maruellously astonished with my message fell downe before me on his knees as one accounting himselfe a dead man but I comforted confirmed him the best I could promising him an office in the I le of Ré a summe of money to cheere him the better tolde him that this proceeded of the English men themselues Then I made him dine with me none being present but we two and one of my seruants and by little and little perswaded him to do as he was required After I had been at diner a while the King sent for me and I told
earnestly the other the hope he had to reserue to himselfe a great part of the subsidie leuied in England for this voiage for as before I haue said the Kings of England receiue onely the bare reuenues of their lands saue when they leuie money to make war in Fraunce Further K. Edward had deuised this subtiltie to appease his subiects he had brought with him ten or 12. great fat paunches as well of the citie of London as of other townes in England who were the wealthiestmen of the commonaltie and had been the chiefest instruments both in perswading the King to passe into Fraunce and also in leuying this mightie army The King caused them to be lodged in good tents but that was not the life they were accustomed to lead wherefore they soone waxed wearie of it At their first arriuall they looked for the battell within three daies after their landing But the King of England alleaged many doubts vnto them and endeuored to put them in feare of the battell and to perswade them to allow of the peace to the ende they might aide him at their returne into England to pacifie the murmuring and grudging of the people that happily might arise bicause of his returne for neuer King of England since King Arthur passed at one time with so great force and so many noble personages into Fraunce But after the peace was concluded the King of England repaired homeward with speed reseruing to himselfe a great summe of monie leuied in England for the paiment of his soldiers so that he obtained in effect all his purposes His bodie could not away with such labor as a King of England must endure that mindeth to atchieue any great enterprise in Fraunce Further the King our Master had made great preparation for resistance though to say the truth he could not well haue prouided defence sufficient against all his enimies for he had too manie Lastly the King of England had a maruellous great desire to accomplish the marriage of his daughter with King Charles the 8. now raigning which caused him to winke at a number of inconueniences that turned after to the King our Masters great profit After all the English men were returned home sauing the hostages the King tooke his iourney towards Laon and lodged in a little towne vpon the maâ—â—â—es of Henault called Veruins and to Auennes in Henault came the Chauncelloâ— oâ— Burgundie with the Lord of Contay and other ambassadors from the Duke The King was very desirous at this time to conclude a finall peace for this mightie English armie had put him in feare and no maruell for he had seene in his time of their doings in this realme and would in no wise their returne The said Chauncellor writ to the King desiring that it would please him to send his Commissioners for the peace to a certaine bridge in the midway betweene Auennes and Veruins saying that he and his colleagues would meet them there The King sent him answer that he would come thither himselfe and notwithstanding that diuers whose aduise he asked in this matter perswaded him to the contrarie yet thither he went leading also with him the English hostages who were present when he receiued the Dukes ambassadors the which came very well accompanied with archers and men of war At this first meeting they did but salute the King then went to dinner One of the English men began to repent him that the treatie was concluded and said to me at a window that if they had seene many such men with the Duke of Burgundie peraduenture they would not haue made peace Which words the Vicount of Narbonne 1 now Lord of Fouez hearing said Were you so simple to thinke that the Duke of Burgundie had not great force of such men he had sent them onely to refresh themselues but you were so desirous to returne home that sixe hundred pipes of wine and a pension the King giueth you blew you quickly backe into England The English man in a great furie answered I perceiue now their sayings to prooue true that told vs you would deride vs for making peace Call you the money the King giueth vs a pension it is tribute and by Saint George you may babble so much that you may soone make vs to returne But I brake off their talke and turned it to a iest notwithstanding the Englishman was discontented and cast out a word thereof to the King who was maruellously offended with the Lord of Narbonne for his speech The King communed not long at this first meeting with the Chancellor and the other ambassadors for it was agreed that they should go with him to Veruines where when they arriued he coÌ„manded M. Tanneguy du Chastell and M. Peter Doriole Chancellor of Fraunce and others to negotiate with them much ado there was betweene them many reasons alleaged and many demands made on each side The Kings Commissioners made report to him that the Burgundians vsed fierce and stout language but that they had paid them with the like and withall tolde him what their answers were Which he much misliked saying that the like answers had been made diuers times before and that they treated not of a finall peace but onely of truce wherefore he would haue no more such language vsed but would himselfe commune with them and thereupon caused the said Chauncellor and the 〈◊〉 â—â—bassadors to come into his chamber out of the which all men were commanded to auoid saue the late L. Admirall called the bastard of Burbon Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe There the King concluded truce for nine yeeres wherein it was agreed that euery man shuld be restored to his former estate But the ambassadors besought the King that the truce might not yet be proclaimed to saue the D. their Masters oth who had sworne not to make truce before the King of England had been a certaine space in his realme least he should thinke their Master had accepted his truce But the King of England who thought great scorne that the Duke would not be comprehended in his truce being aduertised that he treated with the King of an other sent ouer into Fraunce a knight neere about him called Sir Thomas Montgomery who came to Veruins at the very same instant that the King treated with the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors of this truce aboue mentioned The said Sir Thomas required the King in the King his Masters name to make no other truce with the Duke of Burgundy than that which was already concluded betweene them two Further desiring him not to deliuer Saint Quintins into the Dukes hands offering that if he would continue war with the Duke his Master would be content the next sommer to passe the seas againe for him and in his aide with these conditions First that the King should recompence the losse the King of England should sustaine by the wooll custome of Calice amounting yeerely to 50000. crownes which if the war opened with
Flaunders were cleerely lost And secondarily that the King should pay the one halfe of the English army and the King of England the other The King yeelded great thanks to the King of England for this curteous message and gaue a goodly present of siluer plate to the said Sir Thomas Notwithstansting as touching the war he excused himselfe saying that the truce was already concluded being the very same that the King of England and he had made for the terme of nine yeeres saue that the Duke would haue his letters apart Thus to content the ambassador he excused the matter the best he could and the said Sir Thomas returned into England and the hostages with him The King maruelled much at the King of Englands offers at the report whereof I onely was present But it seemed to him a dangerous thing to cause the King of England to passe the seas againe both bicause euery trifle would breede quarrels betweene the French and English being in campe togither and also bicause it was to be feared that the Burgundians and they would easily concile themselues wherefore he was so much the more desirous to conclude the truce with the Duke of Burgundy The Notes 1 The French hauing onely Monseur de Narbonne made Sleidan translate it the Bishop of Narbonne whereas in deed he was Vicount of Narbonne not Bishop as other authors affirme and these words Qui an iourd'huy s'appele Monseur de Fouez plainly prooue wherefore for auoiding of Sleidans error I haue put this word Vicount into the text though it be not in the French How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was staied and deliuered to the King and after put to death Chap. 12. THe truce being concluded the old practise against the Constable was reuiued and to the end the processe thereof should be short they ratified all that was done before at Bouuines and the writings there made as before you haue heard were againe interchangablie deliuered In the said writings the King promised the Duke Saint Quintins Han Bohain and all the lands that the Constable held of the Duke and all his moouables wheresoeuer they were found 1 Further the maner how to besiege him in Han where he lay was deuised It was also agreed that whether of the two Princes could first take him should either put him to death within eight daies or deliuer him to the other All men incontinent began to feare this confederacie so far foorth that the Constables principall seruants forsooke him namely Monseur de Genly and diuers others Further he being aduertised that King Edward had deliuered his letters to the King and discouered all that he knew of him and seeing also that his enimies had made truce fell into great feare and sent to the Duke of Burgundie humbly beseeching him to giue him a safe conduct to come and speake with him about certaine affaires that greatly imported him The Duke at the first made dainty to grant a safe conduct but in the end sent him one This mighty noble man had oft debated whither he should flie to saue himselfe for he was informed of all that was done and had seene the writings deuised against him at Bouuines Sometime he consulted with certaine of his seruants being Lorrains determining to flie with them into Almain carying a great sum of money with him for the way was very safe therewith to buy som place vpon the riuer of Rhene to remaine in till he were reconciled to one of the two Princes Somtime he resolued to put himselfe into his strong castel of Han which had cost him so much money and which he had fortified to serue him at such a pinch and furnished of al things as well as any castell that euer I knew But he could not finde men to his minde to put into the place bicause all his seruants were borne vnder the Dominions of one of the two Princes And peraduenture his feare was so great that he durst not wholy discouer himselfe and his estate to them for I thinke a great many of them would not haue forsaken him neither was it so dangerous for him to be besieged of both the Princes as of one for it had been impossible for the two armies to agree But in the end he concluded to go to the Duke of Burgundy vnder this safe conduct being accompanied onely with fifteene or twenty horse and rode to Montz in Hainault where the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault and his especial friend lay With him he soiourned a certaine space attending newes from the Duke of Burgundy who had lately begun war vpon the Duke of Lorraine bicause he had defied him when he lay at the siege before Nuz and done much harme in the countrey of Luxembourg The King being aduertised of the Constables departure purposed so to order the matter that he should neuer recouer the Duke of Burgundies fauor for he leuied seauen or eight hundred men of armes and rode with them in all haste to Saint Quintins knowing well what force was within the towne neere to the which when he approched certaine of the Citizens came foorth to receiue him The King commanded me to enter the towne and appoint euery captaine to his quarter and so I did First the soldiers entred and then the King who was very honorably receiued of the townes men whereupon certaine of the Constables seruants retired into Hainault The King immediately aduertised the Duke by a letter of his own hand of the taking of Saint Quintins thereby to put him vtterly out of hope to recouer it by the Constables meanes Which newes when the Duke vnderstood he sent word to the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault to garde the towne of Montz in such sort that the Constable could not depart and farther to commaund him to keepe his lodging which commandement the bailife executed accordingly for he durst do no lesse Notwithstanding the garde was not strong enough for such a personage if he had been disposed to escape What shall we say heere of Fortune This noble man dwelt vpon the frontiers of both these Princes dominions being enimies hauing strong townes in his hands and fower hundred men of armes well paied of the which he was Comptroller himselfe and placed whom it pleased him and had been their Captain the space of twelue yeeres He was a wise and a valiant knight and of great experience and had great treasure in ready coine yet notwithstanding at this last pinch his courage so failed him that he wist not what shift to make We may well say that fickle Fortune behelde him with a frowning countenance or rather if we will speake like good Christians we must say that such great miseries depend not vpon Fortune for Fortune is buâ—â— phantasticall fiction of Poetrie Wherefore we must thinke if we will well weigh both
the reasons aboue alleaged and diuers others heere vnrehearsed that God had vtterly forsaken him and giuen him ouer And if it were lawfull for man to iudge as I know it is not especially for me I would say that in mine opinion all this misery fell vpon him bicause he trauelled continually to the vttermost of his power to nourish the war betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundy knowing his great authority and estate to depend therupon although to say the truth the matter needed no great labor for there was a naturall antipathy between them Who is so rude or ignorant to thinke that Fortune or any other like chance was able to cast so wise a man into the disgrace of both these Princes at once who in their liues neuer agreed in any thing saue onely this especially into the King of Englands disgrace who had maried his neece and loued entirely all his wiues kinsmen especially those of this house of Saint Paul It is like therefore yea it is most certaine that God had withdrawne his grace from him in that he had purchased himselfe such hatred of all these three Princes and had not one friend in the world that durst giue him a nights lodging Neither was it fained Fortune that strake this stroke but God alone The like whereof hath hapned and shall happen to diuers others who after great and long prosperity fall into great aduersity and trouble After the Constable was arrested in Hainault by the Duke of Burgundies commandement the King sent word to the Duke either to deliuer him into his hands or execute him according to the tenure of the writings aboue mentioned The Duke answered that he would so do and commanded the Constable to be led to Peronne and there straightly kept Further you shall vnderstand that the Duke had already taken diuers places in Lorraine and Barrois and at this present helde the siege before Nancy which was valiantly defended The King had great force of men of armes in Champaigne which held the Duke in feare for the King was not bound by the truce to suffer him to destroy the Duke of Lorraine who was retired into Fraunce The Lord of Bouchage and diuers other ambassadors sent by the King pressed the Duke earnestly to performe his promise oth and he answered euer that he would so do but yet delaid it more than a moneth ouer and aboue the eight daies wherin he should either haue deliuered the Constable or put him to death Notwithstanding in the end seeing the matter so earnestly pressed and fearing that the King would hinder his enterprise in Lorraine which he so much desired to atchieue to the end he might haue the passage open from Luxembourg into Burgundy and ioine all these Seniories togither for this little Duchy of Lorraine being his he might come vpon his owne dominions from Holland almost as far as Lions 2 For these considerations I say he wrote to his Chancellor and the Lord of Himbercourt so often already mentioned which two had absolute authority in his absence and were both of them the Constables enimies and euill willers to go to Peronne and deliuer the Constable at a day by him prefixed to those that the King should there appoint to receiue him sending word withall to the Lord Desmeriez to deliuer him to the said Chancellor and Himbercourt The Duke of Burgundy in the meane time beat continually the towne of Nancy but there were good soldiers within it which valiantly defended it Further one of the Dukes owne Captaines called the Earle of Campobache a Neapolitane born but banished thence for the house of Anious faction was lately entred into intelligence with the Duke of Lorraine heire apparant of the house of Aniou after the death of King Rene his mothers father This Earle of Campobache promised to prolong the siege and finde meanes that such things should be lacking as were necessary for the taking of the towne 3 Which his promise he was very well able to performe being then the greatest man in the Dukes army but a false traitor to his Master as heerafter you shall heare more at large This was a preparatiue as it were of all those euils and miseries that fell afterward vpon the Duke of Burgundy The said Duke meant as I suppose if he had taken the towne before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery not to deliuer him at all And on the otherside I thinke if the King had had him he would haue done more in the Duke of Lorraines fauor than he did for he was aduertised of the Earle of Campobaches traiterous practises but medled not with them yet was he not bound to let the Duke of Burgundy do what him listed in Lorraine notwithstanding for diuers respects he thought it best so to do besides this he had great forces vpon the frontiers of the said countrey of Lorraine The Duke could not take Nancy before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery 4 which being come the two aboue mentioned executed willingly their Masters commandement 5 and deliuered him at the gate of Peronne to the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce and to Monseur de Saint Pierre who led him to Paris Diuers haue told me that within three howers after his departure messengers came in poste from the Duke with a countermaund to wit that he should not be deliuered before Nancy were taken but it was too late At Paris the Constables proces was made and the Duke deliuered all his letters that were in his hands and all such euidence as serued for the proces The King pressed the Court earnestly and Iustices were appointed for the hearing of his cause who seeing the euidence that both the King of England and the Duke gaue against him condemned him to die 6 and confiscated all his goods The Notes 1 Vnderstand this as wel of the moouables he had in the Kings dominions as vnder the Duke 2 The Duke desired Lorraine not onely for the cause heere alleaged by our author but also to proclaime himselfe vnder that colour King of Sicile and Hierusalem 3 This Campobache as some report wrought this treason for that the Duke had once in his rage giuen him a blow Meyer 4 He tooke Nancy about the 19. of Nouember but la Marche saith in the ende of Nouember Meyer 28. Nouemb. 1475. and the Constable was deliuered the 30. of Nouember 5 The Chancellor and Hymbercourt deliuered him with such speede through euill will whereas they ought to haue staide till the second message had come from the Duke for as saith Meyer Ferebat consuetudo exiure militari ciuilique desumpta vt in talibus grauibus rebus secundam semper praetores ministrique expectarent iussionem at hoc isti duo odio grauissimo deflagrantes in comitem stabuli gratúmque volentes facere regi mirum in modum sanguinem illius sitienti non obseruauerunt Si obseruassent vt debeant fortassis virum ipsum ducem Dominum
suum seque ipsos planè seruassent Siquidem statim post Caroli interitum ambo apud Gandauum accepêre talionem 6 The Constable died the 19. of December 1475. Annal. Franc. Gaguin Meyer in whom read the causes of his death fol. 368. A discourse of the fault the Duke of Burgundie committed in deliuering the Constable to the King contrarie to his safe conduct and what ensued thereof Chap. 13. THis deliuerie of the Constable was maruellous strange notwithstanding I speake it not to excuse his faults neither to accuse the Duke for sure he had iust cause to seeke his death But me thinke that he being so great a Prince and of so noble and honorable an house should not haue giuen him a safe conduct and then arrest him And vndoubtedly it was great crueltie to deliuer him where he was sure to die especially for couetousnes But soone after he had thus dishonored himselfe by this deede he receiued great losses and began to fall to ruine So that if we well consider the workes that God hath done in these our daies and daily doth we shal easily perceiue that he will leaue no fault vnpunished and that these strange punishments are inflicted onely by him bicause they surmount far the works of nature For his punishments are sudden especially vpon those that vse violence and cruelty who can not be meane persons but mighty men either in seniories or authority This house of Burgundy had long florished for by the space of a hundred yeeres or thereabout during the which time raigned fower of this house it was more esteemed than any other house in Christendome For all those that were mightier then it had suffered great afflictions and aduersities but it liued continually in perpetual felicity honor The first great Prince of this house was Philip surnamed the Hardy brother to Charles the fift King of Fraunce who maried the daughter and heire of the Earle of Flaunders being Countesse not onely of that countrey but also of Artois Burgundy 1 Neuers and Rethell The second was Iohn the third was the good Duke Philip who ioined to his house the Duchies of Brabant Luxembourg Lambourg and the Counties of Holland Zeland Hainault and Namur The fourth was this Duke Charles who after his fathers death was one of the richest and most redoubted Princes of Christendome and had in moueables namely iewels plate tapestry bookes and naprie more than three of the greatest Princes in Christendome Of treasure in coine I haue seene greater abundance in other Princes Courts for Duke Philip by the space of many yeeres leuied neither subsidies nor taskes yet notwithstanding at his death he left his sonne aboue three hundred thousand crowns in ready money and in peace with all his neighbors which long indured not notwithstanding I will not impute the whole occasion of the wars to him for others were as busie as he His subiects immediately after his fathers death vpon a small request graunted him very willingly a subsidie euerie countrey apart for the terme of ten yeeres amounting yeerly to the summe of 350000. crownes Burgundy not being comprehended therein Yea and at the time he deliuered the Constable he leuied yeerely ouer and aboue the former summe more then 300000. crownes and had aboue 300000. crownes in coine and all the Constables goods that came to his hands amounted hardly to the value of 80000. crownes for he had but 76000. in coine So that the Duke committed this foule fault for small gaine yet was the punishment thereof great for God raised vp an enimie against him of small force of yoong yeeres and of little experience in all things and caused his seruant whom he then most trusted to become false and traiterous He made also the Duke himselfe to mistrust his owne subiects faithfull seruants Are not these such manifest tokens and preparatiues as God vsed in the old Testament against those whose good fortune and prosperitie he meant to chang into misery and aduersitie Yet he neuer humbled himselfe before God but euen till the hower of death attributed all his good successe to his owne wisedome and prowesse before his death he was mightier than any of his predecessors and more esteemed through the whole world Before the Constables deliuerie he was fallen into a maruellous mistrust or great disdaine of his owne subiects for he had sent into Italie for a thousand men of armes Italians Before Nuz also he had great forces of Italians in his campe for the Earle of Campobache had vnder his charge fower hundred men of armes and better This Earle had no possessions for his maintenance for bicause of the wars the house of Aniou had made in the realme of Naples which house he serued he was banished his countrey and lost all his landes and serued euer since his departure out of Italie in Prouence or Lorraine vnder King Rene of Sicile or Duke Nicholas sonne to Duke Iohn of Calabria After whose death the Duke of Burgundie gaue entertainment to most of his seruants especially all his Italians namely this Earle of Campobache Iames Galeot a valiant honorable and faithfull gentleman and diuers others The said Earle of Campobache when he went into Italie to leuie his men receiued of the Duke of Burgundie 40000. duckets in prest for his companie But as he passed through Lions he fell in acquaintance with a Phisition named Master Simon of Pauy by whom he aduertised the King that if he would grant him certaine demands he would promise him at his returne to deliuer the Duke of Burgundy into his hands the like offer made he also to Monseur de Saint Pray then ambassador in Premont for the King Againe at his returne hauing his men of armes lying in the County of Marle he offered the King that so soone as he should be in campe with his Master he would not faile either to kill him or take him prisoner shewing withall the maner how he would do it which was this The Duke rode often about his campe to viewe it mounted vpon a little nagge and very slenderly accompanied at some such time this Earle said he would assault him and execute his enterprise He made yet also another offer to the King namely if the King and the Duke met togither in battell to turne with his men of armes on the Kings side vnder condition that the King would grant him certaine demands The King detested much the treason of this man and of a noble courage aduertised the Duke of his practises by the Lord of Contay aboue mentioned Notwithstanding the Duke would not credit the message supposing that the King sent him this aduertisement to some other end but loued the Earle all the better Wherefore you may see how God had troubled his wits in that he would giue no credit to those manifest demonstrations the King shewed him Well this Earle of Campobache was not so false and traiterous but Iames Galeot was as true and trusty who liued many
yeers and died with great honor and renowme The Notes 1 Vnderstand this of the County of Burgundy not of the Duchy THE FIFT BOOKE How the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Swissers was ouerthrowen at the straights of the mountaines neere to Granson Chap. 1. THe Duke of Burgundie hauing conquered the Duchie of Lorraine and receiued Saint Quintins Han and Bohain with all the Constables goods of the King treated with him of a finall peace for accomplishment whereof they two resolued to meete vpon a bridge built ouer a riuer like to that made at Piquigny at the enteruiew of the Kings of England and Fraunce About the which meeting messengers passed to and fro so far foorth that the Duke was once purposed to dismisse the greatest part of his armie to the end his men being in very euill order as well bicause of the siege of Nuz as also of this small war in Lorraine might refresh themselues and the rest to put in garrison into certaine of the Earle of Romonts places neere to the townes of Berne and Fribourg vpon the which he was fully resolued to make war bicause they had inuaded his dominions while he was before Nuz had holpen to take the countie of Ferrette from him as you haue heard and had also conquered from the Earle of Romont part of his countrie The King earnestly pressed him to come to the meeting appointed to leaue these poore Swissers in peace and to refresh his armie The Swissers also seeing him approch so neere them sent their ambassadors to him offering to restore all that they had taken from the Earle of Romont who on the other side pressed him earnestly to succour him in person whereupon the Duke altered his minde and determined to march against them leauing that course which in all mens opinions seemed best considering both the time of the yeere and the state of his armie Further it was agreed betweene the King and him that for the Duchie of Lorraine they should not fall at variance The Duke departed out of Lorraine with this poore wearie and defeated armie and entred into Burgundie where the ambassadors of these ancient confederates of Almaine commonly called Swissers repaired againe to him making larger offers than before for besides the restitution of the Earle of Romonts places they offered to depart from all leagues that he should not allow of especially their league with the King and to enter into confederacie with him and to serue him against the King with sixe thousand men well armed and that for very smal pay as often as he should require which offers he refused for God was fully purposed to bring him to destruction In those countries are certaine townes called the new confederates namely Basill Strasbourg and diuers other imperial cities 1 situate neer the riuer of Rhene which in times past had beene enimies to the Swissers in fauour of Sigismond Duke of Austrich whose confederates they were during the wars betweene the said Swissers and him But now all these townes ioined with the Swissers and a league was made betweene them for ten yeeres and peace also betweene Duke Sigismond and them which league as before you haue heard was concluded by the Kings procurement earnest sute and great expences at the same time that the countie of Ferrette was taken from the Duke of Burgundie and his lieutenant there called Peter Archambault beheaded at Basill The onely cause of which inconuenience proceeded of this Archambault himself which sure was a shrewd check to the Duke of Burgundy being the very fountaine of all his other miseries Wherefore a Prince that hath lately ioined a strange countrie to his dominions ought to be circumspect what gouernors he placeth there For whereas subiects newly conquered ought to be curteously intreated to haue Iustice truly administred and to be better vsed than vnder their former gouernment this Archambault did the cleane contrary for he vsed great violence and extortion whereupon ensued vtter destruction to himselfe his Master and many a good man besides This league aboue mentioned made by the Kings onely procurement turned afterward to his great benefit yea greater than the world weeneth so far foorth that for my part I account it one of the wisest deeds that euer he did and most to the domage of his enimies For the Duke of Burgundy once destroied the King of Fraunce neuer found man afterward of his owne subiects that durst lift vp his finger against him for they sailed all with his winde Wherefore it was a woorthy exploit to ioine Duke Sigismunde of Austrich and these newe confederates in league with the Swissers whose ancient enimies they had beene and I warrant you it was neuer brought to passe without great expenses and many voiages After the Duke of Burgundy had put the Swissers from all hope of peace they returned to aduertise their confederates therof and to make preparations for defence The Duke led his army into the countrey of Vaulx in Sauoye which the Swissers as you haue heard had taken from the Lord of Romont There he wan three or fower places belonging to Monseur de Chasteauguion which the Swissers held and negligently defended From thence he remooued and laid his siege before a towne called Granson 2 belonging also to the said Lord of Chasteauguion within the which were eight or nine hundred Swissers 3 choice men for bicause the place was neere their countrey they had manned it well The Dukes force was reasonable great for diuers bands came daily to him out of Lombardy and the subiects also of this house of Sauoy were in pay with him He loued strangers better than his owne subiects notwithstanding that he might haue leuied in his owne dominions great force of good soldiers but the Constables death togither with certaine other conceits he had in his head caused him to mistrust his owne people His artillery was maruellous strong and he lay in great pompe and triumph in his campe to shew his magnificence to the ambassadors that came to him out of Italy and Almaine for the which purpose also he had brought with him all his best iewels and plate and great aboundance of all kinde of furniture Moreouer he had many phansies in his head touching the Duchy of Milan where he trusted shortly to haue great intelligence After he had besieged this towne of Granson and battered it with the canon certaine daies they yeelded to his mercy 4 and he put them all cruelly to death The Swissers were assembled but in small number as diuers of them haue told me for they are not able to leuy so great force in their countrey as the world supposeth and at that time much lesse than now bicause sithence most part of them haue forsaken their husbandry and giuen themselues to armes Further of their confederates fewe were with them bicause they were forced to succor the place in haste but so soone as they were abroad in campe they heard of their companions death
The Duke contrary to their opinion whose aduise he asked determined to meete them at the entrie of the mountaines where they yet lay greatly to his owne disaduantage for he was encamped in a place very wel seated for the battel being fortified on the one side with his artillery and on the other with a lake so that by all presumption they could not haue endomaged him He had sent a hundred archers before him to keepe a strait directly ouer against the mountaine where the Swissers lay and marched forward himselfe and his enimies encountred him the greatest part of his army being yet in the plaine The first rankes of his men thought to retire to ioine with the rest but those that were behinde supposing these to flie began to turne their backs and by little and little the Dukes army retired towards his campe some of them valiantly behauing themselues But to be short whē they drew neere to their campe they neuer stood to defence but fled all 5 So that the Almaines wan the Dukes campe his artillery al his tents and pauilions and his mens also whereof there was great abundance and other riches and treasures infinite 6 for nothing was saued but the men onely Moreouer the Duke lost heere all his goodly iewels notwithstanding in this battell were slaine onely seauen men of armes all the rest fled and himselfe also A man may iustlier say of him that he lost this day honor and reputation than of King Iohn of Fraunce who valiantly defending himselfe was taken prisoner by the English men at the battell of Poictiers This is the first misfortune that euer happened to this Duke for all his other enterprises turned him either to honor or profit But what a deadly wound receiued he this day by following his owne braine and despising good aduise what damage receiued his house heerby in how miserable estate is it yet and shall be we knowe not how long how many men became his enimies and declared themselues against him that the day before spake him faire and temporized with him And for what quarrell began this war forsooth for a lode of sheepes skins taken by the Earle of Romont from a Swisser passing through his countrie Sure if God had not vtterly abandoned the Duke of Burgundie it is not to be thought he would haue put himselfe into so great danger for so small a trifle considering both the offers made him and the men he had to do with by vanquishing whom he could obtaine neither riches nor honor For at that time the Swissers as touching their valor were not esteemed as they be now and their pouertie was so great that a Knight of their countrie who was one of their first ambassadors to the Duke told me that among diuers other reasons he vsed to disswade him from this war this was one that by conquering them he could gaine nothing bicause their countrie was barren and poore and void of all good prisoners so far foorth that he thought verily if all their countrie men were taken they should not be able to pay a raunsome to the value of the spurres and bridle bits in his campe But to returne to the battell the King being immediately aduertised of all that was happened by the sundrie spies and messengers he had abrode in the countrie most of them were strangers reioiced much at these newes and sorrowed onely that so few were slaine Further bicause of these affaires he lay at Lyons to the end he might the sooner be aduertised of all that happened and the better countermine all such enterprises as the Duke had in his head For the King being a wise Prince feared least he should ioine the Swissers to him by force As touching the house of Sauoy the Duke disposed thereof as of his owne the Duke of Milan was in league with him King Rene of Sicilie was fully bent to haue put the countrie of Prouence into his hands So that if his affaires had receiued good successe he should haue held vnder his dominion all that lieth betweene the west and east seas and haue so brideled the subiects of this realme that they could haue stirred no way out of Fraunce but by sea without his permission Sauoy Prouence and Lorraine being vnder his subiection To euerie one of these Princes the King sent ambassadors The one namely the Duches of Sauoy was his sister but friend to the Duke of Burgundie to the vttermost of hir power The other to wit King Rene of Sicilie was his vnkle who hardly gaue his ambassadors audience but referred all matters to the Duke of Burgundie The King sent also to these confederates of Almaine but with great difficultie for bicause the passages were stopped he was forced to send beggers pilgrims and such kinde of men The said confederates gaue him a proud answer that vnlesse he would declare himselfe for them they would make peace with the Duke and ioine with the Burgundians against him which notwithstanding that he greatly feared yet thought he it not time as yet to discouer himselfe the Dukes enimie doubting also least some of his messengers whom he sent about the countrie should be taken and so all his practises discouered The Notes 1 These townes were Basill Strasburg Slecstat Colmar Sunggau and Brisgau 2 He laide his siege before Granson the 12. of February 1476. beginning the yeere at New yeeres tide with 50000. men and 500. peeces of artillery Annal. Burgund 3 Others write but 400. 4 Others write that they would not yeelde vnlesse the Duke would receiue them to his mercie which he did and yet after put them cruelly to death 5 This battell was fought on Saterday the second of Aprill or of March as some say the Swissers at this battell were not aboue 5000. and the most harquebusiers Annal. Burg. 6 All that the Duke lost that day was valued at three millions of crownes Annal. Burgund How after the ouerthrow at Granson the Duke of Milan King Rene of Sicilie the Duches of Sauoy and others departed from their league with the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 2. LEt vs now see how the world changed after the battell and how the courage of the Duke of Burgundy and his confederates altered and withall how wisely the King gouerned his affaires For this shall be a goodly example for yoong Princes that attempt foolish enterprises not considering what may ensue therof and despise the counsell of those whose aduise they ought to vse notwithstanding that themselues be vtterly void of all experience First the Duke himselfe sent the Lord of Contay to the King with a lowly and humble message contrarie both to his accustomed maner and to his nature Marke heere how suddenly he was changed euen in a moment he desired the King faithfully to keepe the truce and excused himselfe for not comming to the meeting appointed at Auxerre promising shortly to meete him there or else where at his pleasure The King receiued the said Contay very honorably assuring
him of all his demands for as yet he thought it not time to declare himselfe bicause he knew well the loyalty of the Dukes subiects to be such to their Prince that he should soone be aflote againe Wherefore he was desirous to see the end of this war without giuing occasion to either partie to make peace But notwithstanding the good entertainment the King gaue the said Contay yet heard he many scoffes and taunts in the towne for ballads were openly sung in the commendation of the vanquishers and reproch of his follie that was vanquished So soone as Galeas Duke of Milan then liuing vnderstood of this aduenture he reioiced not a little thereat notwithstanding that he were the D. of Burgundies confederate for he was entred into league with him for feare onely seeing the Duke so highly fauored in Italie Wherfore the said D. of Milan sent in all haste to the King a citizen of Milan a man of small apparance who by mediation of others was directed to me and brought me a letter from the Duke whereof when I had aduertised the King he commanded me to heare his message For he would not giue him audience himselfe bicause he was displeased with the Duke of Milan for abandoning his league with him to enter into confederacie with the Duke of Burgundie and the rather for that his wife was the Queenes sister The said ambassadors message was that his Master the Duke of Milan was aduertised that the King and the Duke of Burgundie should meete to conclude a finall peace and a league greatly to his Masters discontentation diuers slender reasons he alleaged to disswade the K. from the conclusion thereof But his last perswasion was that if the K. would be bound to make neither peace nor truce with the D. of Burgundie his M. would presently giue him 100000. ducats When the K. heard the substance of his ambassage he caused him to come to his presence my selfe only being with him and said thus briefly vnto him Heere is Monseur d'Argenton that aduertiseth me thus and thus tell your M. I will none of his monie for I leauie once in a yeere thrise as much as he And as touching peace or war I will dispose thereof at my pleasure but if your Master repent him that he hath forsaken his league with me to enter into confederacie with the Duke of Burgundie tell him I am contented that the league betweene vs shall continue as it was first concluded The ambassador gaue him most humble thanks perceiuing him by his answer to be no couetous Prince and desired that it would please him to cause the said league betweene him and his Master to be proclaimed in maner and forme as it was first concluded saying that he had power to binde his Master to agree thereunto The K. was contented and after dinner it was proclaimed an ambassador foorthwith dispatched to Milan where the league was againe proclaimed with great solemnitie This is one blowe aduersitie gaue the Duke of Burgundie for heere is one mightie Prince suddenly fallen from him who had sent a great and solemne ambassage to enter into league with him but three weekes before King Rene of Sicilie was purposed to make the Duke of Burgundy his heire and to put Prouence into his hands so far forth that Monseur de Chasteauguion that now is and diuers others were already gone into Piemont with 20000. crownes to leuy men to take possession of the said countrey for the Duke of Burgundy but vpon the newes of this ouerthrow they fled and hardly saued themselues and as touching their money the Lord of Bresse being then in those parts tooke it The Duches of Sauoy hearing these newes sent word thereof immediately to King Rene of Sicilie extenuating the ouerthrow and willing him to be of good cheere notwithstanding this small losse but hir messengers being Prouincials were intercepted and thereby King Renes practise with the Duke of Burgundy discouered Whereupon the King sent forces to the frontiers of Prouence 1 and ambassadors to the King of Sicilie desiring him to come to him and assuring him of good entertainment which if he refused to do he threatned by force to preuent this inconuenience Wherefore in the end the King of Sicilie agreed to repaire to Lions to the King where he was honorably receiued and well feasted I was with the King and heard the words that passed betweene them at their first meeting which being ended Iohn Cosse Seneschal of Prouence a woorthy gentleman and of a good house in the realme of Naples said thus to the King Sir you must not maruell if the King my Master your Vncle offered to make the Duke of Burgundy his heire for he was counselled thereunto by his seruants especially by my selfe bicause you being his sisters sonne his nephew haue done him so great wrong in taking from him the castels of Bar and Angiers and handled him so ill in all his other affaires Wherefore we meant to enter into this practise with the Duke of Burgundy to the end that you hearing this newes might indeuor your selfe to repaire the iniuries you haue done vs and acknowledge in the end the King our Master to be your Vncle but we neuer minded to bring this treaty to a full conclusion The King being a wise Prince tooke this practise in good part which the said Iohn Cosse vttered indeed simply as it was meant for he himselfe was the onely contriuer thereof In short space all controuersies between them were ended and money was giuen to the King of Sicilie and his seruants Further the King feasted him with the Ladies and vsed him in all points according to his owne humor as neere as he could and of the Duke of Burgundy no more mention was made but he was vtterly abandoned of King Rene. This is another mishap that ensued this small aduersity The Duches also of Sauoye who of long time was thought great enimy to the King hir brother sent one Monseur de Montaigny who was addressed to me with a secret message to reconcile hir selfe to the King alleaging diuers reasons why shee was fallen out with him and wherein she stood in feare of him Notwithstanding she was a verie wise Ladie and the Kings sister indeed for it appeered that she meant to temporize as he did to see what would happen further to the Duke before she would abandon him The King gaue hir better words than he was accustomed and sent the messenger very good answers by me willing him to desire his Mistres to come into Fraunce and thus hir man was dispatched See heere an other of the Duke of Burgundies confederats practising to forsake him Besides this through the whole countrey of Almaine enimies began to declare themselues against him and all the Imperiall townes as Nuremberg Francfort and diuers others ioined themselues with these old and new confederates of Swisserland so that all the world seemed to be perswaded the doing of him
harme to be good seruice to God The spoiles of his campe enriched maruellously these poore Swissers who at the first knew not what treasures were fallen into their hands especially those of the ruder sort one of the goodliest richest pauilions in the world was torne al to peeces There were that sold a number of siluer plates and dishes for two souse a peece supposing them to be pewter The Dukes great diamond being the goodliest iewell in Christendome at the which hung a great orient pearle was taken vp by a Swisser who put it againe into the boxe where it was kept and threw it vnder a cart but after returned to seeke it and sold it to a Priest for a guldon who sent it to the Lords of their countrey of whom he receiued three franks for it They wan also three goodly ballais rubies called the three brethren bicause they were in all points like and another great ballais rubie called La hotte with a goodly stone called the round ball of Flaunders the greatest and fairest stones in the world Other infinite treasures they gained also which since hath taught them to know what is money woorth Further the victories they obtained the account the King made of them euer after and the summes of money he bestowed vpon them haue maruellously enriched them Euery ambassador of theirs that came to him at the beginning of these wars receiued goodly presents of him either in money or plate wherby he asswaged the displeasure they had conceiued against him for not declaring himselfe the Duke of Burgundies enimy for he sent them home well contented with full purses and clothed in silkes and veluets Then began he also to promise them a yeerely pension of 40000. guldons which afterward he truly paied but the second battell was past first Of this pension twenty thousand guldons were for the townes and the other twenty thousand for the gouernors of the townes And I thinke verily I should not lie if I said that betweene the first battell of Granson and the King our Masters death these townes and gouernors of the Swissers receiued out of Fraunce aboue a million of florens When I name townes I meane but these fower Berne Lucerne Friburge and Zurich togither with their cantons situate in the mountaines Swisse also is one of their cantons though but a village Yet haue I seene an ambassador of that village clothed in very simple apparell giue his aduise in euery matter as well as any of the rest The other two cantons are called Soleurre and Vnderwalde The Notes 1. For Prouence was held of the crowne of Fraunce and therefore the King would not suffer his enimie the Duke of Burgundy to possesse it How the Swissers vanquished the Duke of Burgundy in battell neere to the towne of Morat Chap. 3. NOw to returne to the Duke of Burgundie he leuied men on all sides so that within three weeks he had assembled a mighty armie for a great number of his soldiers that fled the day of the battell repaired againe to his campe He lay at Losanna 1 in Sauoy where you my Lord of Vienna assisted him with your counsell in a dangerous sicknes he was fallen into for sorow and griefe of the dishonor he had receiued which so much altered him that I thinke after this battell of Granson his wits were neuer so fresh nor so good as before 2 Of this new army he now leuied I speake vpon the Prince of Tarentes report who made relation thereof to the King in my presence For you shall vnderstand that the said Prince about a yeere before the battell was come to the Duke of Burgundy with a goodly traine in hope to marrie his daughter and heir And notwithstanding that his behauiour apparell and traine shewed him indeed to be a Kings sonne and his father the King of Naples to haue spared no cost in setting him foorth yet did the Duke but dissemble with him and fed at the selfe same time with faire promises the Duches of Sauoye putting her in hope of this marriage for hir sonne Wherefore the Prince of Tarente called Don Frederick of Arragon and his Counsell misliking these delaies sent to the King our Master a herault of armes a wise fellow who humbly besought him to grant the Prince his safe conduct to passe through his realme to the King his father who had sent for him which he easily obtained of the King bicause it seemed to tende to the Duke of Burgundies dishonor and discredit Notwithstanding before the Princes messenger was returned to his Master a great number of these confederated townes were assembled and encamped hard by the Duke of Burgundie The said Prince obeying the King his fathers commandement tooke his leaue of the Duke the night before the second battell was fought for at the first he was present and behaued himselfe like a valiant gentleman Some say my Lord of Vienna that he vsed your aduise heerein for when he was heere with the King I haue heard both him and the Duke of Ascoly commonly called the Earle Iulio and diuers others affirme that you wrote in Italy of the first and second battell and told what should ensue therof long before they were fought At the Princes departure great forces of these confederate townes were incamped as I haue said hard by the Duke of Burgundy and came to giue him battell meaning to leuie the siege he held before Morat 3 a little towne neere to Berne belonging to the Earle of Romont The said townes had in their army as some that were at the battell haue informed me 35000. men whereof fower thousand were horsemen the rest footemen well chosen and well armed that is to say 11000. pikes 10000. halberds and ten thousand harquebusiers Their whole force was not yet assembled and these onely fought the battell neither needed any more helpe The Duke of Lorraine arriued at their campe a little before the battell with a very small traine which his comming turned afterward to his great profit for the Duke of Burgundy helde then all his countrey and a happy turne it was for him that they waxed weary of him in our Court as al those that maintaine a noble man ouerthrowen vsually do notwithstanding he neuer vnderstood thus much The King gaue him a smal summe of money and sent a good troupe of men of armes to conueigh him safe through Lorraine who brought him to the frontiers of Almaine and then returned home This Duke of Lorraine had not onely lost his Duchy of Lorraine the County of Vaudemont and the greatest part of Barrois the rest being withheld from him by the King so that he had nothing left but his subiects also yea his household seruants had voluntarie done homage to the Duke of Burgundy so that his estate seemed almost irrecouerable Notwithstanding God remaineth alwaies iudge to determine such causes at his pleasure After the Duke of Lorraine was passed through Lorraine into Almaine and had iourneied a
whom he yeerely entertained with an hundred thousand ducats wherewith this Earle himselfe paied his men of armes besides diuers other great benefits that he had receiued at the Dukes hands And when he first began to conspire his death he was going into Italie with 40000. ducats which as you haue heard he had receiued in prest of the Duke to leuie therewith his men of armes Moreouer the better to execute his traiterous enterprise he practised in two places first with a physition dwelling in Lyons called Master Simon of Pauia afterward with the Kings ambassador in Sauoy as before I haue rehearsed Againe at his returne out of Italie his men of armes lying in certaine small towns in the countie of Marle which is in Lannois he began anew to practise against his Master offering either to deliuer into the Kings hands all the places he held or when the King should be in battell against his Master a priuie token to be between them vpon the sight whereof he would turne with all his companie to the King against the Duke his Master But this last ouerture pleased not the King He offered yet further so soone as his Master should be abrode with his armie either to take him prisoner or to kill him as he went to view the seate of his campe which last enterprise vndoubtedly he would haue executed For the Dukes manner was when he alighted from his horse at the place where he encamped to disarme himselfe all sauing his quirace and to mount vpon a little nagge accompanied onely with eight or ten archers on foote or somtime two or three gentlemen of his chamber in the which estate he vsed to ride about his campe to see if it were well inclosed so that the said Earle might with ten horses easily haue executed his enterprise But the King detesting the continuall treasons of this man against his Master especially this last being attempted in time of truce and further not knowing throughly to what purpose he made these offers determined of a noble courage to discouer them to the Duke of Burgundie and accordingly aduertised him at large of them all by the Lord of Contay so often before named I my selfe being present when he declared them to the said Contay who I am sure like a faithfull seruant reuealed them to his Master But the Duke taking all in euill part said that if it were so the King would neuer haue aduertised him thereof This was long afore he laid his siege before Nancy yet think I that he neuer spake word thereof to the said Earle for he loued him euer after rather better than woorse 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 D. of Burgundie during the said siege Chap. 7. LEt vs now returne to our principall matter I meane the siege the Duke held before Nancy which he began in the middest of winter with small force euill armed euill paide and the most part sicke The mightiest in his campe practised against him as you haue heard and generally they murmured all and despised all his dooings as in aduersitie commonly it happeneth but none attempted ought against his person or estate saue this Earle of Campobache onely for in his subiects no disloialtie was found While he lay there in this poore estate the Duke of Lorraine treated with the confederated townes before named to leuie men in their territories to fight with the Duke of Burgundie lying before Nancy whereunto all the townes easily agreed but the Duke of Lorraine lacked monie wherefore the King sent ambassadors to the Swissers in his fauor and lent him also 40000. franks towards the paiment of his Almains Further the Lord of Cran who was then the Kings lieutenant in Champaigne lay in Barrois with seuen or eight hundred launces and certaine franke archers led by very expert captaines The Duke of Lorraine by meanes of the Kings fauor and monie drew vnto his seruice great force of Almains as well horsemen as footemen besides the which the townes also furnished a great number of their owne charge Moreouer with the said Duke were many gentlemen of this realme and the Kings armie as I said before lay in Barrois which made no war but waited to see to whether part the victorie would incline The Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with these Almaines aboue mentioned came and lodged at Saint Nicholas two leagues from Nancy The King of Portugale had beene in this realme at that present the space of nine moneths for the King our Master was entred into league with him against the King of Spaine that now is Whereupon the said King of Portugale came into Fraunce hoping that the King would lend him a great armie to inuade Castile by the frontires of Biscay or Nauarre For the said King of Portugale held certaine places in Castile bordering vpon Portugale and certaine also vpon the confines of Fraunce namely the castell of Bourgues and diuers others so that if the King had aided him as once he was purposed it is like his enterprise had taken effect but the King altered his minde and foded him foorth with faire words the space of a yeer or more During the which time his affaires in Castile daily impaired for at his comming into France all the nobles in maner of the realme of Castile tooke part with him but bicause of his long absence by little and little they altered their minds and made peace with King Ferrande and Queene Isabell now raigning The King our Master excused his not aiding him according to his promise by the wars in Lorraine alleaging that he feared that the Duke of Burgundie if he recouered his losses would foorthwith inuade him This poore King of Portugale being a good and a iust Prince 1 resolued to go to the Duke of Burgundie his cosin german 2 to treate of peace betweene the King and him to the end that then the King might aide him for he was ashamed to returne into Castile or Portugale in this estate hauing done no good heere in Fraunce and the rather bicause he had taken this iourney vpon him verie rashly and contrarie to the aduise of the most of his counsell Wherefore he put himselfe vpon the way in the middest of winter to go to the Duke of Burgundy his cosin lying before Nancy where at his arriuall he began to treat with him according to the Kings instructions But perceiuing it an impossibilitie to agree them bicause their demands were contrarie in all points after he had remained there two daies he tooke his leaue of the Duke of Burgundie his cosin and returned to Paris from whence he came The Duke desired him to staie a while and to go to Pont-Ã -musson fower leagues from Nancy to defend that passage for the Duke was already aduertised that the Almains army lay at Saint
command his army that lay in Champaigne and Barrois to enter incontinent into Burgundie during this great feare and astonishment of the people and hauing seazed all the countrie into his hands he meant to aduertise the Duke that he did it onely to saue it for him and defend it from the Almaines For bicause the said Duchie was held of the crowne he would for no good that it should be a pray for them but whatsoeuer he had taken he would faithfully restore as vndoubtedly he would though many happily will not credite it And no maruell for they know not the reasons that would haue mooued him thereunto but he altered this determination when he vnderstood of the Dukes death Immediately after the King being at Tours had receiued the letters aboue mentioned which reported nothing of the Dukes death he sent into the towne for all his captaines and diuers noble men to whom he read these letters whereat they seemed in apparance greatly to reioice but those that looked narrowlier into their behauiour perceiued that a great many of them forced their mirth and wished with all their harts notwithstanding their outward shew that the world had gone otherwise with the Duke The reason wherof peraduenture was bicause the K. heretofore had liued in great feare but now they doubted seeing him deliuered of so many enimies that he would alter many things especially offices and pensions For there were a great number in the companie that had borne armes against him both in the war called THE WEALE PVELIKE whereof you haue heard in the beginning of this historie and in diuers other broiles betweene him and the Duke of Guienne his brother After he had communed a while with these noble men and captaines he went to masse which being ended he caused the table to be couered in his chamber and made them all dine with him the Lord Chauncellor and certaine others of his counsell being also present All dinner-while he talked of these affaires but I and diuers others marked with what appetite those that sate at the table dined And vndoubtedly there was not one of them I wot not whether for ioy or sorrow that ate halfe a meales meate yet were they not ashamed to eate in the Kings presence for euery one of them had often before dined at his table When the King was risen from dinner he withdrew himselfe and gaue to diuers certaine of the Duke of Burgundies lands if he were dead and soone after dispatched the Admirall of Fraunce called the bastard of Bourbon and my selfe giuing vs commission to receiue into his allegeance as many as would become his subiects and further commanding vs to depart incontinent and to open all courriers packets that we should meet with to the end we might be certainly informed whether the Duke were dead or aliue We departed in great haste though in the extreamest colde weather that euer I felt and when we had ridden about halfe a daies iourney we met with a Poste whom we commanded to deliuer vs his letters the contents whereof were that the Duke was found among the dead bodies 1 and knowne by an Italian Page that serued him and by his Phisition called Master Louppe a Portugale borne who sent word to Monseur de Cran of the Duke his Masters death who incontinent aduertised the King thereof The Notes 1 By what markes the Dukes body was knuwne read Annal. Burgund How the King after the Duke of Burgundies death seazed into his hands the towne of Abbeuille and of the answer they of Arras gaue him Chap. 11. WHen we vnderstood these newes we rid foorthwith to the subburbs of Abbeuille and were the first that brought word of the Dukes death into those parts At our arriual we foūd the towns men in treaty with Monseur de Torcy whom they had loued of long time But the soldiers and those that had been the Dukes officers treated with vs about the deliuery of the towne by a messenger whom we sent thither before vs so far foorth that vpon our promises they caused fower hundred launces to depart the towne which the townes men seeing immediately opened the gates to Monseur de Torcy greatly to the hinderance of the captaines and the other officers of the towne to seauen or eight of the which we had promised both money and pensions for we had commission from the Kïng so to do wherof nothing was performed bicause the towne was not yeelded by their meanes This towne of Abbeuille was parcell of those lands that King Charles the seauenth engaged to Duke Philip of Burgundy at the treaty of Arras vnder this condition that for default of heire male they should returne to the crowne Wherefore it is not to be maruelled if so lightly they opened to vs their gates From Abbeuille we rid to Dourlans and sent to sommon Arras the chiefe towne of Artois the ancient inheritance of the Earles of Flaunders which hath alwaies descended as wel to the heires females as males Monseur de Rauastain and Monseur de Cordes who were within the towne condescended to come treat with vs at an abbey neere the towne called Mont Saint Eloy bringing with them certaine of the towne To the which treaty we agreed that I should go and certain with me for bicause we supposed they would not yeeld to our requests it was thought good that the Admirall should not go Immediately after my arriuall at the place assigned the Lords of Rauastaine and Cordes being accompanied with diuers gentlemen and certaine also of the towne repaired thither Among those that came to negotiate with vs for the towne was their Recorder called Master Iohn de la Vaquerie since that time chiefe president in the court Parlament at Paris We required them at this meeting to open vs the gates and to receiue vs into the towne for the King saying that he claimed both towne and countrey as his by way of confiscation adding that if they refused so to do they were like to be forced thereunto seeing both their Prince was slaine and their countrey vtterly vnfurnished of men of war bicause of these three battels they had lost The Lords aboue named made vs answer by the said Master Iohn de la Vaquerie that this countie of Artois appertained of right to the Lady of Burgundie daughter and heire to Duke Charles and descended to hir by inheritance from the Lady Margaret somtime Countesse of Flaunders Artois Burgundie Neuers and Retell the which married with Philip the first Duke of Burgundie sonne to King Iohn of Fraunce 1 and yoongest brother to King Charles the fift wherefore they humbly besought the King to keepe the truce concluded betweene him and the late Duke Charles Our communication was but short for we supposed before our meeting that this should be our answer But the chiefe cause of my going into those parts was to commune with certaine of mine acquaintance there and to draw them to the Kings seruice with
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
great harme afterward in the two countries aboue named for they spoiled and burned many goodly villages and faire farms more to the dammage of the inhabitants of Tournay than of any other for the reasons aboue alleaged To be short so long they spoiled that the Flemmings arose and tooke out of prison the Duke of Guelderland whom Duke Charles had held prisoner and made him their captaine and in this estate came before the towne of Tournay where they lay not long but fled in great disorder and lost many of their men and among the rest the Duke of Gueldres who had put himselfe behinde to maintaine the skirmish being euill followed was there slaine as afterward you shall heare more at large Wherefore this honor and good successe that happened to the King and the great losse his enimies receiued proceeded of the said Master Oliuers wisedome and iudgement so that peraduenture a wiser man and a greater personage than he might haue failed to atchieue the like enterprise I haue spoken ynough of the great charge this sage Prince committed to this meane person vnfit to manage so waightie a cause onely adding that it seemed that God had troubled the Kings wits in this behalfe For as I said before if he had not thought this enterprise far easier than indeede it was but had appeased his wrath and laid downe his greedy desire of reuenge vpon this house of Burgundy vndoubtedly he had held at this day all those Seniories vnder his subiection The Notes 1 The King claimed this Lady as his vvarde bicause diuers of hir dominions namely Flaunders Artois c. were held of the crowne of Fraunce besides that he was hir godfather which vvas the cause vvhy he commanded this Oliuer to mooue this request 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 citie of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras itselfe were yeelded to the King Chap. 15. YOu haue heard how Master VVilliam Bische yeelded Peronne to the King The said Bische was a man of base parentage borne at Molins-Engibers in Niuernois but inriched and greatly aduanced by Duke Charles of Burgundy who made him captaine of Peronne bicause his house called Clery being a strong and goodly castell that the said Bische had purchased was neere vnto it But to proceede after the King had made his entry into the towne certaine ambassadors came to him from the Lady of Burgundy being all the greatest and noblest personages that were able to do hir any seruice which was vnaduisedly done to send so many togither but such was their desolation and feare that they wist not well what to say or do The aboue named ambassadors were these the Chauncellor of Burgundy called Master VVilliam Hugonet a notable wise man who had been in great credit with Duke Charles and was highly adaunced by him The Lord of Himbercourt so often before mentioned in this history was there also who was as wise a gentleman and as able to manage a waighty cause as euer I knew any togither with the Lord of la Vere a great Lord in Zeland and the Lord of Grutuse and diuers others as well noble men as church men and burgesses of good townes The King before he gaue them audience trauelled both generally with them all and apart with euery one of them to draw them to his seruice They all gaue him humble and lowly words as men in great feare Notwithstanding those that had their possessions far from his dominions in such countries as they thought to be out of his reach would not binde themselues to him in any respect vnlesse the mariage betweene his sonne the Daulphin and the said Lady their Mistres tooke effect But the Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt who had liued long in great authority wherein they still desired to continue and had their lands lying neere to the Kings dominions the one in the Duchy of Burgundy the other in Picardy neere to Amiens gaue eare to his offers and promised both to serue him in furthering this mariage and also wholy to become his the mariage being accomplished which course he liked not though it were simply the best but was displeased with them for that they would not then absolutely enter into his seruice Notwithstanding he shewed them no countenance of displeasure bicause he would vse their helpe as he might Moreouer the King hauing now good intelligence with Monseur de Cordes captaine and gouernor of Arras by his counsel and aduise required these ambassadors to cause the said de Cordes to receiue his men into the city of Arras 1 for at that time there were wals and trenches betweene the towne and the city but the towne was then fortified against the city 2 and now contrariwise the citie is fortified against the towne After diuers perswasions vsed to the said ambassadors that this should be the best and readiest way to obtaine peace in shewing such obedience to the King they agreed to his demaund especially the Chauncellor and Himbercourt and sent a letter of discharge to the said de Cordes wherein they aduertised him of their consent to the deliuerie of the citie of Arras Into the which so soone as the King was entred he raised bulworks of earth against the gates of the towne and in diuers other places neere to the towne Further bicause of this discharge Monseur de Cordes and the men of war that were with him departed out of the towne 3 and went whither them listed and serued where them best liked And as touching the said de Cordes he now accounting himselfe discharged of his Mistres seruice by the ambassadors letters aboue mentioned determined to do homage to the King and to enter into his seruice both bicause his house name and armes were on this side the riuer of Somme for he was called Master Philip of Creuecoeur second brother to the Lord of Creuecoeur and also bicause the territories so often aboue mentioned which the house of Burgundie had possessed vpon the said riuer of Somme during the liues of Duke Philip and Duke Charles returned now without all controuersie to the crowne For by the conditions of the treatie of Arras they were giuen to Duke Philip and his heires males onely Wherefore seeing Duke Charles left no issue but his daughter the said Master Philip of Creuecoeur became without all doubt the Kings subiect so that he could commit no fault by entering into the Kings seruice and restoring to him that which he held of him vnlesse he had done homage anew to the Lady of Burgundie Notwithstanding men haue reported and will report diuersly of him for this fact wherefore I leaue the matter to other mens iudgements True it is that he had beene brought vp enriched and aduaunced to great honor by Duke Charles and that his mother for a certaine space was gouernesse of the Lady
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
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
ciuill dissentions and factions among themselues encreased daily in the great townes especially in Gaunt which bare the greatest sway in the countrie as you haue heard For the Lady of Burgundie diuers marriages were mentioned for all men were of opinion that either she must get hir a husband to defend that she yet held or marrie the Daulphin thereby quietly to possesse all Some desired greatly that this marriage with the Daulphin might take effect she hir selfe especially before the King deliuered the letters aboue mentioned sent vnto him by hir Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt but others disallowed of this marriage both bicause of the said Daulphins yoong age for he was but nine yeeres olde and also bicause of the marriage promised in England and these labored for the Duke of Cleues sonne Others there were that trauelled for the Emperors sonne Maximilian now King of Romans The said Lady had conceiued extreme hatred against the King for the deliuerie of the letters aboue mentioned which was the onely cause of the two noble mens death and of the dishonor she receiued when hir letters were openly redeliuered hir before the assemblie whereof you haue heard Further the deliuerie of the said letters seemed also to be the onely occasion that mooued them of Gaunt to banish so many of hir seruants from hir to remooue from about hir hir mother in lawe and the Lord of Rauastaine and to put hir women in such feare that they durst not open a letter before they of Gaunt had seene it nor commune with their Mistres in hir eare Wherefore she began now to remooue from about hir the Bishop of Liege who was of the house of Bourbon and an earnest suter for hir marriage with the Daulphin which sure had been a very honorable match for hir had not the said Daulphin been so yoong notwithstanding the Bishop had no regarde thereof To be short the said Bishop departed to Liege whereupon euery man gaue ouer that sute It had been hard to deale in this busines to the contentation of all parties and I thinke who so should haue intermedled in it should haue had but small thanke for his labour in the end wherfore euery man forbare to speake therin Notwithstanding before hir marriage was fully concluded there was an assemblie held about it wherat the Lady of Halleuin the Princesse of Burgundies principall woman was present who said as I haue heard reported that they had neede of a man not a child and that hir Mistres was a woman growen and able to beare children which should be the onely stay of the countrey This opinion tooke place notwithstanding some blamed this Lady for speaking thus frankly but others commended hir saying that she had spoken but of such mariage as was most necessary for the estate of the countrey There was now no more to do but to finde a fit man And I thinke verily if it had so pleased the K. she would willingly haue married the Lord of Angoulesme that now is 1 so much desired she to continue hir alliance with the house of France But God was minded to make another match wherof peraduenture the sequel is yet vnknown Notwithstanding this we are able to say by that is already past that of the said marriage many great wars haue arisen both heere and there which perchance had neuer happened if she had married the Lord of Angoulesme wheras by reason of this other match both the countries of Flaunders and Brabant haue suffered great afflictions The Duke of Cleues was at Gaunt with the said Lady making friends there in hope to conclude a marriage betweene hir and his son but she had no fansie therunto for both she those that were about hir misliked much his sons conditions Wherfore some began to motion a marriage betweene hir and the Emperors sonne now King of Romans the which in times past had been so far foorth treated of betweene the Emperor and Duke Charles that it was concluded betweene them two Further the Emperor had a letter written with the Ladies owne hand by hir fathers commandement and a ring set with a diamond The contents of the which letter were that according to the pleasure of hir Lord and father she promised to the said Duke of Austrich the Emperors sonne to accomplish the marriage concluded betweene both their parents in such manner and forme as hir said Lord and father should appoint From the Emperor came certaine ambassadors to the said Lady being at Gaunt who receiued letters at Bruxels commanding them to stay there bicause Commssioners should be sent thither to treat with them which was the Duke of Cleues doing who was loth of their comming and sought to send them home discontented But the said ambassadors passed foorth that notwithstanding for they had good intelligence in the Ladies court especially with the Dowager of Burgundy who was remooued from the said Lady as you haue heard bicause of the letter aboue mentioned She aduertised them as it was reported that they should not stay at Bruxels notwithstanding these letters instructing them further what they should do at their comming to Gaunt and assuring them that the said Lady and diuers about hir were well disposed to their sute The Emperors ambassadors followed hir aduise and rid straight to Gaunt notwithstanding the message aboue mentioned Wherewith the Duke of Cleues was not a little discontented but he was not acquainted with the disposition of the said Lady and hir women The Councell concluded that these ambassadors should haue audience their message being heard the Princesse should bid them hartily welcome tell them that she would take aduise with hir Councel which words being vttered she should withdraw hirselfe without farther communication Whereunto she agreed The ambassadors when audience was giuen them presented their letters and declared their message which was that hir mariage had been concluded betweene the Emperour and the Duke of Burgundy hir father with hir consent as appeered both by hir letters written with hir owne hand which they there shewed and also by the diamond which they said she had sent and giuen in token of marriage Moreouer the said ambassadors required hir on their Masters behalfe that it would please hir to accomplish the said marriage according to the will and promise both of hir said Lord and father and also of hirselfe Further desiring hir to declare before the assembly there present whether she had written the said letter or not and whether she minded to performe hir promise Whereunto the said Ladie without further deliberation answered that she had sent the saide diamond and written the letter by the commandement of hir Lord and father and would performe all that was conteined therein Then the ambassadors gaue hir humble thanks and returned with ioifull minds to their lodging But the Duke of Cleues was highly displeased with this answer being cleane contrary to hir councels resolution and told hir that she had done vnaduisedly
him vvere slaine 14. or 15. hundred 5 Before lib. 5. cap. 2. he reporteth these 40000. franks to be florens and so in mine opinion it should be read heere 6 VVhen these Swissers began first to be entertained then were the franck archers cassed which was anno 1480. 7 The old copie raseth Verdun and hath Semur which the Annales of Fraunce call Sennier saying that both this and Verdun also rebelled 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 Duchie of Genua Chap. 5. MY voiage into Italy was about a quarrell that arose between two great houses very famous in those daies the one the house of Medicis the other the house of Pacis the which Pacis by the supportation of the Pope and Ferrande King of Naples thought to haue slaine Laurence of Medicis al his adherents notwithstanding of him they failed but his brother Iulian they slew in the great church of Florence and with him one called Francis Noly a seruant of this house of Medicis who stepped foorth before the said Iulian to saue him Laurence de Medicis being sore hurt retired into the vestrie of the church the doores whereof are of copper were made by his fathers commandement A seruant whom he deliuered out of prison but two daies before did him good seruice that day and receiued many wounds for him This murther was committed while hie masse was sung for the time agreed vpon for the execution was when the Priest that sung masse began Sanctus But the successe of the enterprise answered not their expectation For supposing all to haue been fully accomplished certaine of them went vp to the pallace minding there to haue slaine all the Lords of the towne being to the number of nine which haue the whole gouernment of the citie and change at euery three moneths end But they that attempted this enterprise were euill followed by their companions by meanes whereof when they came to the top of the palace staires one shut a doore after them whereupon they seeing themselues not past fower or fiue were astonished and wist not what to say which the Lordes of the towne that were aboue and their seruants perceiuing looked out at the windowes and saw all the towne in an vprore and hard Master Iames of Pacis with his companions cry in the midst of the market place before the pallace Liberta Liberta and Popolo Popolo which were words wherby they thought to allure the people to take part with them which notwithstanding the people did not but held themselues quiet Whereupon Master Iames de Pacis and his companions seeing the euill successe of their enterprise fled out of the place as men astonished Which when the Lords and gouernors of the towne being within the pallace perceiued they tooke immediately those fiue or sixe that were come vp euill accompanied and euill followed with intent to haue slaine them and taken the gouernment into their hands and commanded them presently to be hanged at the bars of the pallace windowes the archbishop of Pise 1 being one of them Further the said gouernors perceiuing al the city to take part with them the house of Medicis gaue commandement foorthwith that all found men flying should be staied at the passages and brought backe to the towne at the which instant Master Iames of Pacis was taken and with him one sent thither by Pope Sixtus being a captaine of certaine bands vnder the Earle Hieronimo which Earle was also of the conspiracie The said Pacis with his companions was in like maner immediately hanged at the bars of the pallace windowes the Popes seruant was beheaded and besides these diuers were taken in the towne who were al hanged in this heate of the which Francis de Pacis was one There were as I gesse hanged in all fowerteene great personages besides certaine seruants slaine in the towne A few daies after this vprore I arriued at Florence from the King hauing vsed great diligence after my departure out of Burgundy for I staied no where but two or three daies with the Duchesse of Sauoye the Kings sister who entertained me very honorably From thence I went to Milan where I soiorned also two or three daies and demanded aide of them to succor the Florentines with whom at that time they were in league which my request they willingly graunted both bicause of the Kings demand also for their leagues sake wherefore they sent foorth at that present three hundred men of armes and soone after other bands But to proceede the Pope excommunicated the Florentines immediately after this fact committed and caused foorthwith his owne forces and the King of Naples forces to marche Their army was strong and great and they had in pay a number of good soldiers They besieged first a little forte neere to Senes called the Chastellennie which they tooke with diuers other places so that the Florentines were in great distresse for bicause they had liued long in peace they were vnacquainted with the warres neither vnderstoode the danger they were in Laurence de Medicis their chiefe gouernor in the towne was but yoong and ruled altogither by yoong men yet the whole citie rested vpon his opinion Moreouer they had but few Captaines and their force was very small but the generall of the Popes and King Ferrand of Naples army was the Duke of Vrbin a valiant and wise Prince and a good captaine In their campe were also the Lord Robert of Arimini who since hath been a man of great estimation the Lord Constantine of Pesaro and diuers others that accompanied the King of Naples two sonnes the Duke of Calabria and the Lord Dom Frederic who are al yet aliue besides a great number of other valiant soldiers Thus they tooke all the places that they besieged but not so speedily as we would haue done in Fraunce bicause they vnderstood not what appertained neither to the siege nor defence of a towne so well as we but sure as touching the leading of an army giuing order both for victuals al other things necessary for a campe they passe vs far The fauor the King shewed the Florentines stood them in some stead though not so much as I wished but I had no forces there to aide them with saue onely my traine I staied at Florence and in their dominions about a yeere altogither vpon their charge they vsed me very honorably and till the last day my entertainment rather amended then impaired Then the King called me home and as I passed through Milan I receiued homage for the Duchy of Genua of the Duke of Milan called Iohn Galeas at the least of the Duchesse his mother who did homage to me as the Kings deputie in hir sonnes name From thence I returned to the King our Master who receiued me gratiously and acquainted me with his affaires more than euer
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
he had dealt thus roughly with these aboue named he inquired what his Councell had done during the time of his sicknes and what dispatches they had made whereof the Bishop of Alby his brother the gouernor of Burgundy the Marshall of Gié and the Lord of Lude had the whole charge for these were present when his sicknes tooke him and lodged all in two little chambers vnderneath him Further he would needs see the letters and packets that had been brought and came howerly The principall whereof were shewed him and I read them before him he made a countenance as though he vnderstood them and tooke them into his hands faining that he read them notwithstanding that indeed he vnderstood neuer a word Somtime also he spake a word or two or made signes what should be the answer to these letters but little or no thing was dispatched for we expected an end of his disease bicause he was a Master with whom it stood vs vpon to deale circumspectly This sicknes held him about fifteene daies and then his wits and speech he recouered perfectly but his body was maruellous weake for the which cause we feared greatly a relapse the rather bicause naturally he was inclined to giue but smal credit to Phisitions Immediately after he was well recouered he restored Cardinall Ballue whom he had held in prison fowerteene yeeres to liberty Whereunto notwithstanding that he had been required oftentimes before both by the Sea Apostolike and others and all in vaine yet now he purchased the absolution of that fault himselfe by a bull sent from our holy father the Pope by his owne procurement When his disease first tooke him they that at that present were about him held him for dead and sent foorth diuers commandements for the reuoking of an excessiue and cruell subsidie lately laid vpon his subiects by the aduise of the Lord of Cordes his lieutenant in Picardy wherewith were waged ten thousand footemen to be alwaies in a readines 2500. pioners the which were called the Soldiers of the campe Moreouer he appointed fifteene hundred of his ordinary men of armes to accompany them and to fight on foote when need so required He caused also a great number of cartes to be made to inclose them and tents and pauilions imitating therein the D. of Burgundies campe The charge of this army amounted yeerly to 1500000. franks 3 When these soldiers were in a readines and furnished of all things necessarie he went to see them muster in a valley neere to Pont de l'Arche in Normandy where the band of the sixe thousand Swissers aboue mentioned mustered also the which neuer sawe the King but at this time onely After all was ended the King remooued to Tours where he fell againe into his former disease and lost his speech as before and was by the space of two houres in such case that all men held him for dead He lay in a gallery vpon a mattresse of straw diuers standing about him Monseur de Bouchage and I vowed him to Saint Claude and all the rest that were present vowed him also Immediately whereupon he recouered his speech and soone after arose and walked vp and downe the house but his body was maruellous feeble The second fit of sicknes tooke him in the yeere 1481. notwithstanding he rode vp and downe the countrie as before and went to Argenton to my house where he lay a moneth maruellous sicke From thence he went to Tours where notwithstanding that he still remained sicke he tooke vpon him his voiage to Saint Claude to whom as you haue heard he was vowed and at his departure thence commanded me to go into Sauoye against the Lords of Chambre Miolant and Bresse bicause they had taken prisoner the Lord of Lins in Daulphine whom he had appointed gouernor of Duke Philibert his nephew Yet notwithstanding couertly he aided these Lords against whom I went He sent also a great band of soldiers after me whom I led to Mascon against the Lord of Bresse but he and I agreed well ynough secretly Further the Lord of Chambre made a composition with the Duke of Sauoye at Thurin in Piedmont where he lay whereof he aduertised me and immediately thereupon I caused my forces to retire He led the said Duke to Grenoble whither the Marshall of Burgundie the Marquesse of Rothelin and my selfe went to receiue him The King commanded me to returne home and to meete him at Beauieu in Beauiolois where when I arriued I woondered to see him so leane and bare much more to ride vp and downe the countrie but his noble hart carried him At Beauieu he receiued letters that the Duchesse of Austriche was dead of a fall from hir horse for she rid a fierce hobby that threw hir vpon a blocke notwithstanding some say she died not of the fall but of an ague but howsoeuer it were she died soone after the fall to the great dammage of hir subiects friends who since hir death neuer had quietnes nor good successe For this people of Gaunt and the other towns bare much more reuerence to hir than to hir husband bicause she was Lady of the country She died in the yeer 1482. The K. told me these newes in great ioy adding that the two childrē remained in the citizens of Gaunts custodie whom he knew to be inclined to sedition rebellion against this house of Burgundie Further he thought the time now come when he might do some great exploit seeing the D. of Austriche was but yoong his father yet liuing his countries troubled on euerie side with wars and himselfe a stranger and weakly accompanied For the Emperor his father was too extremely couetous for the which cause his sonne found the lesse fauour The King immediately after the Duchesse death began to practise with the gouernors of Gaunt by meanes of Monseur de Cordes and to treate of a marriage betweene the Daulphin his sonne and the said Dukes daughter called Margaret at this present our Queene The said de Cordes addressed himselfe wholy to two men the one a pensioner of the towne called VVilliam Riue a subtill craftie fellow the other the clarke of their Senate named Coupe Nole who was a hosier but in great credit with the people for such men of occupation when they are most vnruly are there best esteemed The King returned to Tours and kept himselfe very close so that few saw him for he waxed iealous of all men searing that they would take the gouernment from him or diminish his authoritie for the which cause he remooued all those from him that he had most fauoured and had been neerest about him not diminishing their estates in any respect but he sent them away some to their offices and charges and some to their houses but this endured not long for soone after he died He did diuers strange things which caused as many as saw them to thinke him out of his wits but they were not throughly acquainted with
and the Queene his wife had so greatly desired that they would neuer credit any man that aduertised them to the contrarie were he English man or stranger For the Councell of England had debated this matter with him at the same time that the King conquered that part of Picardie that ioineth to Calice alleaging that after he had subdued that he might easily attempt to take Calice and Guisnes The like was also told him by the ambassadors resident in England for the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche and by the Britons and diuers others but he beleeued no whit of all this which incredulitie turned much to his losse Notwithstanding I suppose it proceeded rather of couetousnes than ignorance for he feared the losse of the fiftie thousand crownes the King paid him besides that he was loth to leaue his ease and pleasures whereunto he was maruellously addicted About the conclusion of this marriage an assembly was held at Halots in Flaunders whereat the Duke of Austriche now King of Romans was present togither with certaine deputies for the three estates of Flaunders Brabant and the other countries belonging to the saide Duke and his children The citizens of Gaunt did many things there contrarie to the Dukes minde for some they banished and some they remooued from about his sonne in the end they told him how great desire they had to see this marriage accomplished therby to obtaine peace forced him to consent therunto The Duke was very yoong and accompanied with few noble men for all the subiects of this house of Burgundie very few excepted I meane of great personages that could haue giuen him counsell or aide in these affaires were as you haue heard either dead or reuolted to the King As touching himselfe he was come thither very slenderly accompanied and now hauing lost his wife being Lady of the countrie he durst not giue them so stout language as before he was accustomed To be short the King being aduertised of all these actions by Monseur de Cordes reioiced much thereat and a day was appointed when this Lady should be brought to Hedin Not long before the conclusion of this marriage to wit in the yeere 1481. the towne of Ayre was yeelded for a summe of monie to Monseur de Cordes by the Lord of Croy of the countrie of Artois who held it for the Duke of Austriche and the Lord of Beures his captaine The towne is very strong situate in the countrie of Artois and the deliuerie thereof increased the Flemmings desire to further this marriage bicause it standeth vpon the very entrance into Flaunders For notwithstanding that they wished the weakening of their Prince yet were they not willing to haue the King so neere a neighbor to their frontiers After these matters aboue mentioned were fully concluded ambassadors came to the King out of Flaunders and Brabant but all depended vpon them of Gaunt both bicause of their force bicause the children were in their hands and for that they were alwaies the ringleaders of all tumults There came also from the King of Romanes for the pacifying of his dominions certaine Knights yoong men like himselfe and of small experience whose names were Master Iohn de Bergues and Master Baudouin de Launoy and certaine Secretaries The King was brought maruellous low with sicknes so that hardly he suffered himselfe to be seene and made great difficultie to sweare the treatie bicause he was loth to come abrode in sight notwithstanding in the end he sware it It was very auantageous for him for in all assemblies that had beene held heeretofore about this marriage he neuer required but the countie of Artois or Burgundie one of the two but now the Lords of Gaunt as he termed them caused them both to be yeelded vnto him togither with the counties of Masconnois Charolois and Auxerrois yea and if it had lien in them to haue put into his hands Hainault and Namur and all the seniories of this house of Burgundie being of the French language they would willingly haue done it thereby to affeeble their Prince The King our Master being a wise Prince vnderstood well that no account was to be made of Flaunders nor the Earle thereof without he had the countrie of Artois which lying betweene the King of Fraunce and the Flemmings is as it were a bridle to them For in the countrie of Artois are leuied very good soldiers to scourge the Flemmings when they play the fooles Wherefore by taking away from the Earle of Flaunders the countrie of Artois he left him the poorest Prince in the world and without all obedience of his subiects saue onely at the pleasure of them of Gaunt After this ambassage was returned home the said Lady was led to Hedin and deliuered into the hands of Monseur de Cordes in the yeere 1483. She was conueied thither by the Lady of Rauastain bastard daughter to Duke Philip of Burgundie and was receiued there by the Duke and Duchesse of Bourbon that now are and by the Lord of Albret and diuers others sent thither by the King who led hir to Amboise where the Daulphin lay If the Duke of Austriche could haue rescued hir before she was passed out of his dominions from them that conueied hir he would willingly haue done it but they of Gaunt had sent hir well accompanied And as touching the said Duke all his subiects began to disobey him so far foorth that a great number tooke part with them of Gaunt bicause they had his sonne in their hands and remooued from him and placed about him such as pleased them and among the rest that were resident at Gaunt was the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues principall gouernor of the said yoong infant called Duke Philip who is yet liuing and like to be a great Prince if God spare him life Whosoeuer reioiced at this marriage the King of England was highly displeased therewith for he accounted it great reproch and dishonor to be thus deluded and feared both the losse of the pension the King paid him which the English men called Tribute and also that the contempt heereof would stir his subiects to rebellion against him bicause he would giue no eare to good aduice Further he saw the King with great force neere to his dominions for the which causes he conceiued such inward griefe when he heard these newes that soone after he ended his life some say of a catarrhe But whatsoeuer his disease were the report goeth that the sorrow conceiued of this marriage caused the disease whereof he died soone after in the moneth of Aprill anno 1483. It is a foule fault in a Prince to trust more to his owne braine than to the aduice of a great number for it causeth oftentimes both great sorrow and also losse irrecouerable Immediately after King Edvvards death the King our Master was aduertised therof and seemed nothing ioifull of the newes but soone after receiued letters from the D. of
notwithstanding the Earle of Dunois ambassage in such sort that the towne began to be greatly distressed wherefore the Duke of Orleans and the rest of the noble men of Britaine fearing the losse of the towne departed from Nantes and went to Rennes where they assembled their forces to leuy the siege Their men of armes were fower hundred and their footemen of their owne countries twelue thousande as some write as others but eight thousand besides three hundred English men and eight hundred Swissers and of artillerie they had great plentie Then in very good order they encamped abroad in the fields The names of the noble men of the armie were these the D. of Orleans the Lord of Alebret the Marshall of Rieux the Lord of Chasteaubrian the Lord of Scales an Englishman the Lord of Leon the Lord of Rohans eldest sonne the Lord of Crenettes the Lord of Pont l'Abbe the Lord of Plessis the Lord of Balynes the Lord of Montigny the Lord of Montuet all the which Lords with their companies whole forces encamped at a village called Andouille the wednesday being the 23. of Iuly the yeere 1488. aboue mentioned in the night there was an alarme among the Gascoins whereof it was feared some quarrell would haue growen betweene the Duke of Orleans and the Lord of Alebret but the matter was soone pacified In the mean time came newes to these Lords at the said village of Andouille the saterday the sixe and twenty of the said moneth of Iuly that the French had taken Fongieres by composition with these conditions that the soldiers should depart in safety with bag and baggage vpon which newes the Britains army determined to march to Saint Albin hoping easily to take the towne bicause the French garrison within it was but small and that in the meane time the soldiers that were departed out of Fongieres should ioine with them and increase their forces On the other side the French army marched also towards Saint Albin meaning to be there before the Britains but it so fell out that neither of them entered the towne bicause before they came thither they met fought For you shall vnderstand that the same saterday that the Britains receiued newes of the taking of Fongieres they marched to a village called Orenge two leagues from Saint Albin where they were aduertised that the Kings army marched against them with a ful resolution to fight with them The sunday morning the Britaines consulted of the order of their battell and bicause the footemen were iealous of the French horsemen that were in their campe and namely of the Duke of Orleans himselfe it was thought good that he and the Prince of Orenge should leaue their horses and put themselues on foote in the battell among the Swissers and so they did The vaward was lead by the Marshall of Rieux the battel by the Lord of Alebret and the rereward by the Lord of Chasteaubrian vpon one of their wings was placed their artillerie and their carriage And the more to terrifie the French with the great number of English men whereas there were in truth but three hundred English men lead by the Lord Talbot seauenteen hundred Britain footemen were ioined to them armed with iacks and red crossâ—s English like and the monday morning they raunged themselues in battell in this order aboue rehearsed hard by a groue of wood attending the French army The Kings army whereof Master Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars being fiue or sixe and twenty yeeres of age was generall departed out of Fongieres with a full resolution to fight with the Britains The vaward was lead by Adrian de l'hospitall and Gabriell of Montfalzoys before the which ten or twelue valiant French knights aduanced themselues to discouer the Britains actions whose good order when they had viewed they retired to their company theÌ„ being in troupe al close ioined togither approched the Britaines army the artillerie in the meane time playing on both sides and greatly endammaging both the parties The French marched very couragiously and charged the Britaines vawarde where the Marshall of Rieux valiantly receiued them and acquit himselfe so well both he and his companie that the French left the vaward marched straight vpon the Britaines battell where the Britaine horsemen recoiled by meanes whereof their rereward being discouraged fled Then the French pursued them and slue all the footemen they could ouertake which disorder when the Britaine vaward perceiued they also disparkled and sought to saue themselues To conclude the French obtained the victorie and slue all those that bare the red crosse supposing they had beene all English men togither with twelue or thirteene hundred Britaines as well horsemen as footemen The Duke of Orleans was taken by the footemen and likewise the Prince of Orenge who had pulled away his blacke crosse from him and had laid himselfe flat vpon the ground among the dead bodies faining himselfe to be slaine but he was knowen by a French archer and both he and the Duke of Orleans led prisoners to Saint Albin vnder sure garde The Lord of Alebret seeing all ouerthrowen fled away and escaped The Marshall of Rieux also saued himselfe and retired to Dinan The Lord of Leon the Lord du Pont l'Abbe the Lord of Montfort and diuers other noble men of Britaine were slaine and of other soldiers to the number of sixe thousand of the Kings part was slaine Iames Galeot a valiant and a renowmed captaine and to the number of a thousand or twelue hundred common soldiers This battell was fought vpon monday the 28. of Iuly the yeere 1488. Soone after the Duke of Orleans was led to the castell of Luzignen and from thence to Poictiers where he remained a certaine space and lastly to the great tower of Bourges The second day after the battell the Lord of Trimouille sent certaine heraults to Reims to summon the towne to yeeld to the King who after consultation had answered the said heraults that the King had no right to the towne and that wrongfully and without cause he made war vpon the countrie of Britaine and that notwithstanding his great armie he could not ouerrun the countrie as he hoped for God who defended the Britaines right was able to do as much to him as he did to King Iohn before Poictiers and to King Philip of Valois at Crecy adding further that they would not yeeld the towne and that if Monseur de la Trimouille came thither he should finde fortie thousand men in the towne whereof twenty thousand were men of defence This answer was reported to the said Trimouille who staied a long time without replying one word thereunto and afterwards by the same heraults aduertised the King thereof being at Angiers Whereupon the King assembled his Councell to determine what was to be done in this case Some yea almost all were of opinion that the towne should be besieged but Master VVilliam of Rochfort Chauncellor of Fraunce held the contrarie opinion
had the wardship of hir children and my selfe haue seen hir there in great authoritie being a widow and gouerned by one Cico a Secretarie and an ancient seruant of that house This Cico had banished all Duke Galeas brethren for the said Ladies safetie and hir childrens and among the rest the Lord Lodouic afterward Duke of Milan whom she reuoked being hir enimie and in war against hir togither with the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerine a valiant captaine whom she had also banished by the said Cicos perswasion To be short at the request of a yoong man that carued before hir called Anthony Thesin being a Ferrarian of very meane parentage she called them all home through great simplicitie supposing they would do the said Cico no harme and the truth is that so they had sworne and promised But the third day after their returne they tooke him notwithstanding their oth and caried him in an emptie caske through the town of Milan he was allied by mariage to one of the Viscomtes 3 and if the said Vicomt had been in the citie at that present some say they durst not haue taken him Moreouer the Lord Lodcuic caused this matter so to be ordered that the said Robert of S. Seuerin comming that way should meete with this Cico as he passed through the towne in this estate bicause he hated him extremely Thus was he led prisoner to the castle of Pauie where he died They vsed this Lady very honorably in hir iudgement seeking to content hir humor in all things but all matters of importance they two dispatched making hir priuie but to what pleased them and no greater pleasure could they do hir than to communicate nothing with hir They permitted hir to giue this Anthony Thesin what she would they lodged him hard by hir chamber he carried hir on horsebacke behinde him in the towne and in hir house was nothing but feasting and dauncing but this iollitie endured but halfe a yeere She gaue many goodly things to this Thesin and the couriers packets were adressed to him which bred great disdaine in many wherein the L. Lodouic vncle to the two children aspiring to the Duchie which afterward also he obteined nourished them as much as in him lay One morning they tooke hir two sonnes from hir and lodged them in a great tower within the castell called the rocke wherunto consented the said Lodouic the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerin one called de Palleuoisin gouernor of the yoong Dukes person and the captaine of the rocke 4 who since Duke Galeas death had neuer departed out of the place neither did many yeeres after this till he was taken prisoner by the Lord Lodouickes subtletie and his masters folly being of his mothers disposition After the aboue named had lodged these children in the rocke they seized vpon the treasure being at that time the richest in Christendome and made hir yeeld account thereof Moreouer they caused three keies therof to be made one of the which she kept but the treasure after that day she neuer touched They made hir also to surrender the wardship of hir children and the said Lodouic was chosen their guardian Further they sent letters into diuers countries especially into Fraunce which my selfe sawe written to hir great dishonor for they charged hir with this Anthonie Thesin whom notwithstanding they sent away vnharmed for the Lord Robert saued both his life and goods These two great men entred not into the rocke at their pleasure for the captaine had his brother in it with a garrison of a hundred and fiftie soldiers or better when they entred the gate was straightly kept neither entred they accompanied at any time with more than a man or two and this endured a long space In the meane time great variance arose between the Lord Lodouic and Robert of S. Seuerin for vsually two great men can not long agree but Lodouic wan the garland the other departed to the Venetians seruice Notwithstanding afterwards two of his sonnes returned to the seruice of the said Lodouic and the state of Milan namely Master Galeas and the Earle of Caiazze some say with their fathers consent others say no but howsoeuer it were the said Lodouic highly fauored them and both hath been and yet is very faithfully serued by them You shall vnderstand that their father the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerin was issued of a base daughter of the house of Saint Seuerin but in Italie they make no difference betweene a bastard and childe legitimate This I write bicause they furthered our enterprise in Italy aswell in fauour of the Prince of Salerne chiefe of the said house of Saint Seuerin as also for diuers other respects whereof heereafter you shall heare The Lord Lodouic declared immediately that he would by all meanes possible maintaine his authoritie for he caused money to be coined on the one side wherof the Dukes image was stamped and on the other his own whereat many murmured This Duke was married to the daughter of Alfonse Duke of Calabria and King of Naples after his father King Ferrandes death His said wife was a Lady of a great courage and would gladly haue increased hir husbands authority if she could but hir husband lacked wit and disclosed all hir actions The captaine also of the rocke of Milan continued long in great authoritie and neuer departed out of the place for many iealousies were now arisen so far foorth that when one of the children went abroad the other abode within To be short a yeere or two before we entred into Italy the Lord Lodouic hauing been abroad with the Duke and purposing some mischiefe waited vpon him at his returne home to the castle according to his accustomed maner The captaine came vpon the drawe bridge with his men about him to kisse the Dukes hand as their maner is The Duke at this time was somewhat without the bridge in such sort that the captain was forced to step foorth a pace or two where these two sonnes of Saint Seuerin and others that were about them laid hold vpon him They within drew vp the bridge but the Lord Lodouic caused an end of a waxe candle to be lighted sware that he would smite off their heads 5 if they yeelded not the place before the candle were burned out whereupon they deliuered it and then he furnished it wel and surely for himselfe but all in the Dukes name Further he endited the captaine of high treason laying to his charge that he would haue put the place into the Emperors hands and staied certaine Almains charging them as practisers with the captaine about this enterprise yet afterward dismissed them without farther harme He beheaded also one of his owne secretaries charging him in like maner as a dealer in the matter and yet one other who he said had been a messenger 6 between them The captaine he kept long in prison yet in the end deliuered him pretending that Duchesse Bonne had once
hired a brother of the captains to kill the said Lodouic as he entred into the castel whom the captaine withheld frō executing the fact for the which cause he now saued his life Notwithstanding if he had been giltie of so heinous a crime as a purpose to yeeld the place to the Emperor who might haue laid claim to it both as Emperor Duke of Austrich for that house pretendeth some title thereunto I thinke he would not haue pardoned him for it would haue made a great alteration in Italie and the whole estate of Milain would haue reuolted in one day For when they liued vnder the Emperors euerie household paid but halfe a ducat for tribute but now they are cruelly and tyrannouslie gouerned both the Spiritualtie Nobilitie and Commons The Lord Lodouic seeing himselfe seized of the castell and all the force of the countrie at his commandement determined to attempt further for he that possesseth Milan possesseth the whole estate both bicause the chiefe of the countrie be resident there and also bicause those that haue the charge and gouernment of the other places be all Milanois borne Sure for the quantitie of this Duchie I neuer saw a pleasanter nor plentifuller peece of ground For if the Prince would content himselfe with the yeerely reuenues of fiue hundred thousand ducats his subiects should be but too rich and the Prince liue in suretie but he leuieth yeerely sixe hundred and fiftie thousand or seuen hundred thousand which is great tyrannie and therefore the people desire nothing more than change of their Prince Which the L. Lodouic considering togither with the other reasons aboue rehearsed and being already married to the Duke of Ferraraes daughter by whom he had many children determined to accomplish his intent and endeuored to win friends not onely in the said Duchie but also abrode in Italie Wherefore first he entred into league with the Venetians for the preseruation of their estate whereunto he was great friend to his father in lawes preiudice from whom the said Venetians not long before had taken a little territorie called the Polesan enuironed with water and maruellously abounding with all kinde of wealth This country being distant but halfe a league from Ferrara the Venetians possesse yet at this day There are in it two prety townes which I haue been in my selfe the one named Rouigue the other Labadie The Duke of Ferrara lost it in the war that himselfe first mooued against the Venetians for notwithstanding that before the end of those wars Alphonse Duke of Calabria his father King Ferrande yet liuing the Lord Lodouic with the force of Milan the Florentines the Pope and the towne of Bolonia came to his aide by meanes whereof the Venetians were brought altogither vnder foote or at the least to great extremitie being vtterly vnfurnished of monie and hauing lost diuers places yet the said Lodouic concluded a treatie to their honor and profit for euery man was restored to his owne saue the poore Duke of Ferrara who was forced to leaue vnto them the Polesan which they yet hold notwithstanding that he had mooued this war at the request of the Lord Lodouic and of King Ferrande whose daughter he had married The report went that Lodouic receiued threescore thousand ducats of the Venetians for making this treatie Whether it were so or no I know not but sure I am that the Duke of Ferrara was once perswaded that it was so for at that time the said Lodouic was not married to his daughter From that day forward amitie euer continued betweene the Venetians and the said Lodouic No seruant nor kinsman of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan sought to impeach and stop the Lord Lodouic from seizing the Duchie into his own hands saue onely the Duchesse his wife who was yoong but a very wise Lady She was daughter to Alfonse Duke of Calabria before mentioned sonne and heire to Ferrande King of Naples In the yeere 1493. the said Lodouic sent to King Charles the 8. now raigning to perswade him to come into Italie to conquer the realme of Naples and to vanquish and subdue those that possessed it for so long as they florished and were of force he durst neuer attempt that which afterward he accomplished At that time the said Ferrande King of Naples and Alphonse his sonne were puissant rich of great experience in the wars and accounted Princes of hautie courages though afterward their actions declared the contrarie The said Lodouic was also a very wise man but maruellous timorous and humble when he stood in feare and void of all faith if the breach thereof might turne to his profit I speake as one that knew him throughly well bicause I haue dealt with him in many matters But to proceede in the yeere 1493. as before I said the Lord Lodouic began to tickle this yoong King Charles being but two and twenty yeeres of age with the ambition and vaineglorie of Italie shewing him what right he had to this goodly realme of Naples which I warrant you he skilfully blazed and painted foorth In all these negotiations he addressed himselfe to Stephan de Vers then newly made Seneschall of Beaucaire and maruellously enriched though not satisfied and to the Generall Brissonet a rich man skilfull in matters of the receit and great friend at that time to the said Seneschall by whose meanes the Lord Lodouic perswaded the said Brissonet to become a priest promising to make him a Cardinall but the Seneschall himselfe he promised to make a Duke And to set all these practises on foote the said Lodouic sent in the same yeere to Paris a goodly ambassage to the King the chiefe whereof was the Earle of Caiazze sonne and heire to the aboue named Robert of Saint Seuerin who found there the Prince of Salerne his cosin for the said Prince was chiefe of the house of Saint Seuerin as I haue alreadie made mention and liued in Fraunce being banished by King Ferrande of Naples as before you haue heard and therfore trauelled earnestly that this voiage to Naples might go forward With the said Earle of Caiazze came also Charles Earle of Belleioyeuse and Master Galeas Viscount of Milan who were both in very good order and well accompanied but openly they vsed salutations onely and generall speeches This was the first great ambassage that came from the Lord Lodouic to the King True it is that he had sent before this one of his Secretaries to negotiate with the King to send his deputie into Italie to receiue homage of his cosin the Duke of Milan for Genua which was granted him against all reason 8 notwithstanding I will not denie but that the King of especiall fauor might assigne one to receiue it of him for when this Duke Galeas was warde to his mother I being then ambassador for King Lewis the 11. receiued his homage in the castell of Milan hauing an expresse commission from the King so to do But Genua was then out of
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 frō 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
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 cōpany 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
Plaisance and marched towards the Florentines territories meaning either to cause them to declare themselues for him or to take their townes being vnfortified and lodge his men in them all the winter which was already begun Diuers small places yeelded vnto him so did also the citie of Luques enimie to the Florentines shewing him all pleasure and seruice that in them lay Now you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Milan had two purposes in his head first he sought by all meanes possible to staie the King from passing further that sommer 2 Secondarily he hoped to obtaine of him Pisa a great and a faire citie togither with Serzane and Petresancte which two places had been subiect to the Geneuois not long before and were woon from them by the Florentines in Laurence de Medicis time The King passed through Pontreme one of the D. of Milans townes and went to besiege Serzane the strongest and the best castle the Florentines had but vnfurnished bicause of their great diuision To say the truth the Florentines neuer beare armes willingly against the house of Fraunce for they haue euer faithfully serued it taken part with it both bicause of their great traficke in Fraunce also bicause they haue euer been of the Guelphes faction 3 If this place had been well furnished the King must of necessitie haue broken his armie for the countrie is verie barren ful of hils victuals there were none to be gotten besides that the snow lay maruellous deepe vpon the ground After the Kings siege had lien before it three daies the Duke of Milan came thither no composition being yet made betweene the Florentines and the King 4 and passed through Pontreme where the townesmen and the soldiers of the garrison fell at such variance with our Almaines led by one Buser that certaine of the saide Almaines were staine of the which braule sprang a great inconuenience as heereafter you shall heare For although I were not my selfe present at the doing of these things yet vnderstood I of them both by the King the Duke and diuers others The Florentines began now to practise and appointed fifteene or sixteene to go to the King saying that they would no longer continue in this great danger nor sustaine the displeasure of the King and the Duke of Milan who had continually an ambassador resident at Florence And Peter of Medices consented to the sending of this ambassage for to say the truth he could not remedie it considering vpon what termes they stood for if they had done otherwise they had been vndone being vnprouided of all things and vtterly vnacquainted with the wars When these ambassadors came to the Kings presence they offered to receiue him into Florence and their other places neither cared the greater part of them how the world went so that we would come to Florence to chase away Peter of Medices which matter they earnestly pressed bicause they had good intelligence with the aboue named that gouerned then the Kings affaires On the other side Peter of Medices practised by a seruant of his owne named Laurence Spinelly who was his factor at Lyons and an honest man in his vocation and had liued long in Fraunce but of the state of our Court he could vnderstand nothing no hardly they that had beene Courtiers all their liues bicause of the often changes and alterations This Spinelly negotiated with those that heeretofore had borne all the sway namely the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoye and the Lord of Miolans chamberlaine to the King Soone after the aboue named ambassadors were returned to Florence Peter of Medices accompanied with certaine of the citie came himselfe to the King to make answer to our requests for they within the citie sawe vtter destruction before their eies vnlesse they yeelded to all the Kings demaunds whose fauour they hoped to obtaine by offering him some greater seruice than any of the other townes that had already receiued him At his arriuall Monseur de Piennes a Flemming borne and Chamberlaine to the King and the generall Brissonnet were sent to treate with him who required him to yeeld vnto the King the castell of Serzane which presently he did They required him further to lend the King Pisa Ligorne Petresanct and Librefacto whereunto he also agreed incontinent neuer communicating the matter with his collegues who supposed that the King should onely haue lodged in Pisa and these other places to refresh himselfe but not haue held them still well by this meanes they yeelded their whole estate and force into our hands Those that negotiated with the said Peter haue told both me and others since scoffing and iesting at him that they woondred to see him so lightly condescend to so waightie a matter granting more than they looked for To conclude the King entred into Pisa and the aboue named ambassadors returned to Florence where the said Peter caused the Kings lodging to be made in his owne house which was the goodliest of a citizens or merchants house that euer I saw and better furnished than any mans house in the world of his estate I must heere speake a word or two of the Duke of Milan who now wished the King with all his hart out of Italy notwithstanding that both already he had made his profit by him and sought also still so to do for he was in hope to obtaine of him the places yeelded by the Florentines and pressed him earnestly for Serzane and Petresancte which he said appertained to the Genuois he lent him also at that present 30. thousand ducats and he hath since told both me and others that these places were promised him But when he sawe that he could not obtaine them he departed in great displeasure from the King pretending that earnest busines called him home which was the last time the King saw him notwithstanding he left Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin behind him whom he ioined in commission in all matters with the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse The said Master Galeas while the King lay in Pisa sent by his Masters aduise for the chiefe citizens of the towne to his lodging where he perswaded them to rebell against the Florentines and to desire the King to restore them to their ancient liberty trusting by this meanes that Pisa would fall into the Duke of Milans clawes vnder whose obedience it had been 5 in the time of Iohn Galeas the first Duke of Milan of that name a great and wicked tyrant though very honorable whose body lieth buried in the charterhouse of Pauia by the parke 6 so high aboue the high altar that men go vp to it by a ladder certain of the monkes shewed me it at the least his bones which smelt as naturally they should Further one of the said monkes who was borne at Bourges called him Saint as he talked with me and I asked him in his eare why he called him Saint considering he might behold painted round about him the armes of
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
who practised continually after the manner of Italy They being in Rome the Pope in the night receiued Dom Ferrand with his whole forces into the towne whereupon our ambassadors and some fewe of their seruants were staied but the selfe same day the Pope dismissed them Notwithstanding he held still in prison the Cardinall Ascaigne his vicechauncellor and brother to the Duke of Milan and Prospere Coulonne some said by their owne accord Of all these accidents I was aduertised incontinent by the Kings letters but the Seniorie more amplie by their ambassadors All this hapned before the King entred into Viterbe for neither party staied aboue two daies in a place But as touching our affaires they prospered better than we could wish and no maruell for the Lord of Lords gaue them successe as all men might manifestly perceiue This army that lay in Ostie could do no seruice bicause of the foule weather further you shall vnderstand that the force which the Lord of Aubigny led was returned to the King and himselfe also neither had he further charge thereof The Italians were also dismissed that had been with him in Romaine vnder the leading of the Lord Rodolph of Mantua the Lord Galeot of Mirandula and of Fracasse brother to the L. Galeas of Saint Seuerin the which with their said company being to the number of fiue hundred men of armes were well paied by the King for they serued him as before you haue heard The King after his departure from Viterbe remooued to Naples 5 which the Cardinall Ascaigne held Further it is most certaine that while our men lay in Ostie aboue twenty fathomes of Rome wals fell to the ground on the same side they should haue entred The Pope seeing this yoong King come thus suddenly with such successe agreed that he should enter the citie for to saie the truth he could not otherwise choose and desired a safe conduct 6 which the King willingly granted for Dom Ferrand Duke of Calabria and onely son of K. Alphonse who in the night retired to Naples the Cardinall Ascaigne conueying him to the gate 7 Then the King entred the citie in armes as a Prince hauing power to dispose of all things at his pleasure and diuers Cardinals with the gouernors and Senators of the towne came foorth to receiue him He lodged in Saint Markes pallace which is the Culonnois quarter who were his friends and seruants at that time But the Pope retired into the castle of Saint Ange. The Notes 1 This Cardinall was afterwards Pope Iulius the second and prooued a deadly enimie to the French Further this towne of Ostie distressed Rome by meanes that being the very entrie into the riuer of Tyber it kept all victuals from comming to Rome by vvater for the vvhich cause the olde Romanes called the towne Ostia bicause it vvas the very doore or mouth as it vvere of the riuer 2 The factions of Houc and Caballan began in Holland 1444. Berlandus Reade Meyer lib. 16. fol. 300. pag. 2. 3 The King gaue to Fabrice Colonne the countrie of Albe and Taillecousse vvhich vvere before Virginio Vrsins and to Prosper the Duchie of Tracette and the citie of Fondi 4 This Corsique being corrupted in the French vve haue restored according to Panlus Iouius Guicciar hath Corse 5 This is not the citie of Naples but a little tovvne called in the Annales of Fraunce Neple in Latin Nepesum of the Italians Nepi 6 Ferdinande Duke of Calabria refused the pasport Guicciar 7 Ferdinande vvas sonne to Hypolitie sister to Duke Galeas of Milan to the Lorde Lodouic and to this Cardinall How King Alphonse caused his sonne Ferrande to be crowned King and then fled himselfe into Sicilie with a discourse of the euill life that his father the olde Ferrande and he had led Chap. 11. WHo would haue thought that this proude King Alphonse hauing beene trained vp all the daies of his life in martiall affaires that his son and al these Vrsins whose faction was so great in Rome would thus haue abandoned the citie through cowardise especially seeing they knew and vnderstood perfectly that the Duke of Milan began to wauer and the Venetians to stir and to treate of a league which had then been concluded as I was certainly informed if they had made any resistance at Viterbe or Rome to stay the King but a few daies but God meant to shew that all these proceedings passed far the reach and compasse of mans braine And heere note by the way that as the citie wall fell downe so did fifteene fathoms also of the vaumure of the castell of Saint Ange as I haue beene aduertised by diuers especially by two Cardinals there present Now I must returne to speake a word or two of King Alphonse So soone as the Duke of Calabria called the yoong Ferrande was returned to Naples his father King Alphonse iudged himselfe vnwoorthie longer to raigne bicause of the euils he had committed and the manifold cruelties he had vsed against diuers barons and Princes of his realme For you shall vnderstand that whereas his father King Ferrande and he had taken notwithstanding their safe conduct to the number of 24. of them and had held them in prison from the time of their rebellion against the said Ferrande 1 till the hower of his death this Alphonse immediately after his fathers decease for a surplusage of all crueltie caused them miserably to be murthered and with them two other whom his father had also taken vnder safe conduct the one Duke of Sesse 2 a man of great authoritie and the other Prince of Rosane who had married the said Ferrandes sister and had issue by hir a sonne a very goodly gentleman True it is that the said Prince had wrought great treason against him for the which he had well deserued death if he had not been taken vnder safe conduct but King Ferrande to rid himselfe of all feare tooke him that notwithstanding being come to him by his commandement and laide him in a maruellous stinking prison and afterward his said sonne also being betweene fifteene and sixteene yeeres of age Thus had the Prince of Rosane liued a prisoner when King Alphonse came to the state about fower and thirty yeeres But the said Alphonse immediately after his coronation commanded these prisoners to be led into an Iland neere to Naples called Iscle 3 whereof heereafter more mention shall be made and there villanously to be slaine all saue one or two whom he held still in the castell of Naples namely the said Prince of Rosans sonne and the noble Earle of Popoli I haue diligently inquired after what sort he caused them thus cruelly to be murthered for many supposed they had been yet liuing when the King entred into the good towne and citie of Naples and diuers of their principall seruants haue informed me that he caused them villanously and horribly to be slaine by a Moore of Afrike not sparing these ancient Princes some of the which
of the realme and how an enterprise attempted on his behalfe against the Turke was discouered by the Venetians Chap. 14. KIng Ferrand at his departure from Naples left the Marques of Pescare with certaine Almains to defend the castle 1 and sailed himselfe for aide into Sicilie to his father Dom Frederic lay still vpon the sea with a few gallies and came twise to parle with the King vnder safe conduct His demands were that some part of the realme might remain to his nephew with the title of King 2 and that he himselfe might enioy all his owne lands and his wiues His request in respect of himselfe was not great for his partage was small The King offered him possessions in Fraunce both for him and his nephew and I thinke would willingly haue giuen them a good and a great Duchie but they would not accept this offer neither would he grant their demands For what treatie soeuer had been made they would haue broken it when they had seen their aduantage being still resident in the realme The Kings artillerie was bent and shot against the castle of Naples within the which were onely the Almaines for the Marques of Pescare was departed thence And if we had sent but fower cannons to the I le of Iscle 3 we had taken it then al had been ours for from thence returned al the mischiefe 4 but if that had been once woon all the other places they held being not past fower or fiue would haue yeelded But our men fell to feasting to iusts and banketing were so puffed vp with pride that they accountcd the Italians no men Moreouer the King was crowned and lodged in Capouane and went sometime to Mont Imperial 5 True it is that he shewed great grace and fauor to the subiects of the realme for he abated their charges And I thinke verily the people of themselues would not haue reuolted from vs notwithstanding their great inconstancie if we had contented a fewe of the nobles but them no man regarded besides that they were very roughly vsed at the gates Those that were best dealt with were the Carraffes the house of Arragons greatest friends for their estates were but somwhat diminished but the offices and pensions of the rest cleane taken away yea the partakers with the house of Aniou woorse handled than the Arragonois Further into the county of Merillano a commandement was sent for the which the president Ganaye and the Seneschall newly created Duke of Nola and Lord great cchamberlaine of the realme were burthened to haue taken money By the said commandement euerie man was confirmed in his possession and the partakers with the house of Aniou barred from their lands vnlesse they could recouer them by proces Further as touching such as had made entries vpon their own head as for example the Earle of Celano aide was giuen to the parties greeued to dispossesse them againe by force All estates and offices were bestowed vpon two or three Frenchmen and all the prouision of victuales within the castell of Naples 6 when it yeelded being maruellous great giuen to euery man that demanded it at the least all that the King knew of In the meane time the Almaines by practise yeelded the castle 7 in the which they obtained infinit riches the castle of Oeuf 8 was also taken by battery By these faults aboue rehearsed a man may manifestly perceiue that this great conquest was atchieued by the meere grace of God and not by their wisdome that gouerned the enterprise but these foule faults were the works of men puffed vp with pride and vainglorie and not vnderstanding from whence all this their honor and good successe sprang Wherefore they proceeded according to their nature and experience by meanes whereof their good fortune changed as suddenly and as visibly as men may see the day spring in Island or Norway 9 where the daies in sommer are of greater length than in any other place in such sort that within a quarter of an hower after the one daies shutting in the next day light beginneth to appeere Euen so in as short space did euery wise man perceiue the alteration of our good and prosperous successe whereof all Christendome should haue reaped great profit and honor if we had acknowledged it to proceed from him who was indeed the giuer thereof For the Turke then raigning and yet liuing might as easily haue been chased out of Europe as King Alphonse was out of his realme both for that he was a man of no valor and also bicause the King had with him the said Turkes brother whom he feared aboue all men liuing But his said brother died soone after the Cardinall of Valences escape whereupon the report went that he was poisoned when the Pope deliuered him to the King Further there were so many thousand Christians in Greece readie to rebell as a man would hardly beleeue for from Otrante to Valonne 10 are but 60. miles 11 and from Valonne to Constantinople but eighteene reasonable daies iourneies as diuers that haue trauelled the way haue enformed me Betweene them are no strong places at the most not aboue two or three for all the rest be razed Those countries are maruellous populous and they that inhabite them be Albanois Sclauons and Greekes who vnderstood of our Kings good successe by their friends that were at Venice and in Pouille vnto whom also they sent letters and looked daily but for messengers to mooue them to rebell Whereupon the King sent thither the Archbishop of Duras 12 an Albanois borne who found a maruellous number ready to reuolt being sonnes or nephewes of many noble and valiant men of those parts namely the sonnes of Scanderbeg the nephewes of the Emperor of Constantinople and the nephewes of the Lord Constantine now gouernor of Montferrat who were also Nephewes or cosins to the King of Seruia In Thessalia more than fiue thousand would haue rebelled yea and Scutary should haue been surprised by intelligence that the Lord Constantine had within it as himselfe aduertised me at Venice where he lay hidden many daies in my lodging And sure he would easily haue atchieued his enterprise for Macedonie and Thessaly were his inheritance 13 which was the patrimony of Alexander the great Valonne also is part thereof and vpon his dominions Scutary and Croye 14 border the which in his youth his father 15 or vncle engaged to the Venetians who lost Croye and yeelded Scutary to the Turke by treatie The said Lord Constantine lay himselfe within three leagues of Scutarie and the enterprise had been executed had not the said Archbishop of Duras staied at Venice too long after the Lord Constantines departure I daily pressed him very earnestly to depart for he was a man light of talke and vaunted in all places that he would do some feate woorthie of immortall fame and renowme But as the deuill would the selfe same day that the Venetians were aduertised of the Turkes brothers death whom the Pope
their towne reared vp againe the armes of Arragon and Dom Frederick being at Brandis sent a garrison thither To be short fortune began now to frowne vpon vs which but two moneths before so highly had fauored vs in such sort that through the whole realme they began to reuolt as well bicause of the league as also of the Kings departure and the small forces he left behinde him which was nothing in respect of the number of soldiers though diuers of the captaines were of great valor He appointed for his lieutenant generall in the said realme the Lord of Montpensier of the house of Bourbon a valiant and a hardy knight but of no great sense and so careles that he kept his bed euery day til noone In Calabria he left the Lord of Aubigny a Scottish man borne a vertuous wise honorable a valiant knight him he created high Constable of the realme and gaue him as before you haue heard the Earldome of Acri and the Marquisat of Squillazzo He had made Lord great Chamberlaine of the realme at his first comming thither the Seneschall of Beaucaire called Stephan de Vers who was also captaine of Caietta Duke of Nola and Lord of diuers other seniories Further all the treasure of the realme passed through his hands so that his charge was much too waightie for him but sure he was well affected to the defence of the realme He created the Lord Don Iulian Lorrain a Duke and left him in the towne of Saint Angelo where he behaued himselfe passing well He left in Manfredonia Master Gabriell of Montfaulcon a man of whom he made great account and to all these he gaue goodly possessions but this Gabriell behaued himselfe very childishly for at fower daies end he yeelded the towne for lacke of victuals notwithstanding that at his entrie into it he found it very well furnished besides that it was seated in a countrie abounding with all kinde of graine Diuers sold all the prouision they found in the castels and the report went that this Gabriell fled himselfe and left VVilliam of Vilneufue for defence of the towne whom his owne seruants sold to Dom Frederick who put him into the gallies where he remained a long time At Tarente the King left George of Suilly who carried himselfe there very gallantly and died of the plague and this citie held for the King till famine forced it to yeeld In Aquila he left the bailife of Vitry where he did great seruice and in Abruzzo master Gracian des guerres who likewise made good proofe of his valor there They were all left vnfurnished of monie for order was giuen that they should receiue their pay there of the reuenues of the crowne but all was too little Notwithstanding the K. left the Princes of Salerne and Bisignan very well appointed who did him good seruice as long as they were able He delt also very bountifully with the Coulonnois for he granted them al their demaunds put aboue thirty places into their hands their friends which if they would haue defended for him as both by dutie oth they were bound they had don him great seruice and purchased to themselues both honor and profit For I thinke they were not so highly aduanced these hundred yeeres as by the King at that time yet notwithstanding before his departure they began to practise with his enimies True it is that they serued him in fauour onely of the Duke of Milan bicause they haue euer been of the faction Gibilin but they ought not in respect thereof to haue dealt faithlesly with him who so highly had aduanced and pleasured them not only this way but diuers others For in their fauor he had prisoners with him vnder garde the Lord Virgill Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane 3 with diuers others of the Vrsines their enimies yea and that against all right and reason for notwithstanding that they were taken prisoners yet knew the King right well that they had a safe conduct the benefit also whereof he meant they should enioy as himselfe well declared for he was determined to leade them no further than Ast and there to release them All this did he at the Coulonnois request and yet before his returne to Ast they shrunke from him yea they were the very first that reuolted though they could alleage no cause that mooued them thereunto The Notes 1 Guicciar saith the King left behinde him halfe his Swissers part of his French footmen 800. French launces and 500. Italian men of armes 2 These are certaine ships hauing both saile and ore the which are very much vsed in the meridionall seas 3 Virginio Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane followed the King onely vpon their word not to depart without leaue How the King departed from Naples and passed againe through Rome whereupon the Pope fled to Oruiette of the communication the King had with Monseur D'Argenton at his returne from Venice how he tooke aduise whether he should restore the Florentines places to them or not and of the Sermons woorthie of memorie of Frier Ierom of Florence Chap. 2. THe King hauing giuen order for his affaires as he thought good put himselfe vpon the way homeward with the rest of his forces 1 being as I suppose nine hundred men of armes at the least comprehending therein the ordinarie retinue of his house two thousand and fiue hundred Swissers so that I thinke the whole armie contained seuen thousand men taking paie besides the traine of the Court being to the number of fifteen hundred able to do seruice 2 The Earle of Petillane who tooke the iust muster of them told me after the battell whereof you shall heare that the whole force was nine thousand men The King marched straight to Rome where the Pope would not tarie his comming but was first determined to haue gone to Padua into the Venetians dominions so far foorth that his lodging was made there But afterward he altered his minde for both the Venetians and the Duke of Milan sent him certaine bands of men to Rome where though they arriued in time yet durst he not abide notwithstanding that the King meant him no harme but would haue done him all honor and seruice and had also sent an ambassador thither purposely to desire him to staie But he retired to Oruiette and thence to Perouse leauing the Cardinals at Rome to receiue the King who staide not there 3 neither harmed any man The K. wrote vnto me that I should meet him at Sene whither I repaired accordingly he receiued me of his goodnes verie graciously and asked me somewhat merily whether the Venetians would send to stop him vpon the waie for his army consisted altogither of yoong men who thought none in the world comparable to them I answered that the seniorie told me at my departure in the presence of one of his secretaries named Lourdin that they and the Duke of Milan would put forty thousand men into the field not
that the King writ to the Duke of Orleans this enterprise of Nouarre which is but ten leagues from Milan liked him so wel that he was contented to giue eare thereunto and was receiued into the citie in great triumph both of the Guelphes and Gibelines which his exploit the Marchionesse of Monferrat greatly furthered The castle held two or three daies and then yeelded also But if in the meane time the Duke had gone or sent to Milan where he had good intelligence he had been receiued into the towne with greater ioy than euer he was into his castle of Blois as diuers of the noblest men of the countrey haue enformed me And the three first daies he might haue gone thither in safetie for when Nouarre was taken the Duke of Milans whole force lay yet at Nom neere to Ast and returned not to Milan till the fourth day after But I suppose the Duke beleeued not all the intelligence he receiued thence The Notes 1 The French corrector supposeth it should be Motron but the author himselfe aftervvard chap. 14. calleth it againe Mortron Guicciar hath it Mutron 2 The Duke of Orleans immediately after the skirmish vpon the sea at Rapalo fell sicke of an ague and returned to Ast and passed no further vvith the King tvvo gentlemen called Opizins brought the Duke of Orleans into Nouarre Guicci How King Charles passed diuers dangerous straights in the mountains between Pisa and Serzane how the towne of Pontreme was burned by his Almaines and how the Duke of Orleans behaued himselfe in the meane time at Nouarre Chap. 4. YOu haue heard already of the Kings departure from Sene to Pisa and of al that he did at Pisa Thence he remoued to Luques where the citizens honorably receiued him and there he abode two daies Afterward he marched to Petrosancte which Entragues held making no account of his enimies neither himselfe nor those that carried all the credit with him He passed maruellous straights in the mountaines betweene Luques and Petrosancte which a handfull of footemen might easily haue defended against him but our enimies were not yet assembled Neere to the said Petrosancte is the straight of Seire on the one side and the straight of Roctaille on the other being great deepe salt marshes where we were forced to passe ouer a narrow way like to a causey in a standing poole and this was the straight that betweene Pisa and Pontreme I most feared and which was reported to be most dangerous for one cart set ouerthwart the way with two good peeces of artillerie and but a handfull of men might haue stopped our passage had our force beene neuer so great From Petrosancte the King remooued to Serzane where the Cardinall Saint Peter ad vincula offered to make Genua reuolt and desired to haue some part of the Kings forces sent thither The matter was debated by the Kings Councell my selfe being present at it in the companie of a great many wise men and good captaines all the which concluded that no eare should be giuen to this enterprise bicause if the King obtained the victorie Genua would yeeld of it selfe and if he were ouerthrowen it could do him no seruice and this was the first time that I perceiued any of them to doubt the battell Report was made to the King of our resolution yet notwithstanding thither he sent the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoy the Lord of Beaumont the Lord of Polignac my brother in lawe and the Lord of Ambeiou of the house of Amboise with sixe score men of armes and fiue hundred crossebowe men newly come out of Fraunce by sea But I woondred that so yoong a Prince had no trustie seruants about him that durst boldly tell him into how great danger he put himselfe by diminishing his force after this sort for as touching me me thought he beleeued not all that I said We had a small armie vpon the sea returning from Naples vnder the leading of the Lord of Myolens gouernor of Daulphin and one Stephan de Neues of Montpellier They were in all about eight gallies and sailed to Specie and Repalo where at this present they were all defeated and led prisoners to Genua in the selfesame place where we had vanquished King Alphonses forces at the beginning of this voiage and by the selfesame men that tooke part with vs at that battell namely Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco and Master Iohn Adorne but if the matter had been well ordred they should haue been with the King and all little ynough The Lord of Bresse and the Cardinall aboue mentioned went and lodged in the suburbes of Genua thinking that their faction within the towne would haue risen in their fauor But the Duke of Milan and the Adornes that gouerned the towne and Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco a wise knight had giuen so good order to preuent this mischiefe that our men were in great danger to be defeated heere also as the others were before vpon the sea for their number was small and had it not been bicause the faction that ruled at Genua durst not issue foorth of the towne for feare least the Fourgouses should rebell and shut the gates vpon them vndoubtedly they had all been slaine for this notwithstanding they were in great distresse vpon the way as they retired to Ast besides that they were not at the battel with the King where their seruice might haue stood him in good stead From Serzane the King marched to Pontreme through the which he was forced to passe bicause it is the very entrie into the mountaines The towne and castell were well fortified and the seate of them maruellous strong but within them were not past three or fower hundred footemen for if they had beene well manned they had beene impregnable Wherefore Frier Ieroms prophesie prooued true which was that God would leade the King by the hand till he were out of danger for it seemed that his enimies were blinded and bereft of their wits in that they defended not this straight To the said place of Pontreme the King sent his vaward led by the Marshall Gie accompanied with Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul whom the King had receiued into his seruice at Naples after King Ferrandes departure thence with whom he was them in pay he was a gentleman of Milan of a good house a good captaine a very valiant man and a great enimie to the Duke of Milan for he was banished by him when King Ferrande receiued him into his seruice By the said Master Iohn Iames his meanes the place yeelded immediately without batterie and the garrison that was within it departed But a great inconuenience happened there for as before is mentioned when the Duke of Milan passed last that way they of the towne and certaine of our Swissers fell at variance of whom about forty at that time were slaine for reuenge whereof the said Swissers at this present notwithstanding the composition slue all the men they found
in the towne spoiled it and burnt both victuals and all that was within it and aboue ten also of themselues being drunke neither could the Marshall Gie by any meanes make them to retire They besieged the castel also meaning to haue done the like to those that were within it being the said Master Iohn Iames of Treuoules seruants whom he had put into it when the garrison of the enimies yeelded it neither would the said Almaines depart thence till the King himselfe sent to them It was great pitie that the towne was thus destroied both bicause of the dishonor we receiued thereby and also bicause there was great plentie of victuals within it whereof we were already in great distresse 1 notwithstanding that the people were no where against vs saue onely the people of the countrie neere to Pontreme bicause of the harmes we did there Now to proceede if the King would haue followed the said Master Iohn Iames his aduise diuers places of the Duchie of Milan would haue yeelded and diuers gentlemen of the countrie haue reuolted to him for he gaue him counsell to reare vp in euery place the yoong Dukes armes whom the Lord Lodouic held in his hands being sonne to Iohn Galeas the Duke that last died at Pauia as before you haue heard But the King refused so to do for the fauor he bare to the Duke of Orleans who pretended and doth yet pretend title to the said Duchie Thus marched the King beyond Pontreme and lodged in a little valley neere to a village that had not ten houses in it the name whereof I know not There he abode fiue daies vpon no occasion his armie being almost famished and his battell lying thirty miles behinde his vaward in the middest of huge and sharpe mountaines ouer the which such great cannons and culuerins passed then as neuer had passed before For Duke Galeas in his time conueied ouer but fower faulcons waying not past fiue hundred pound a peece which was a great woonder in those daies I must now returne to the Duke of Orleans who after he had taken the castell of Nouarre staid there a few daies to no purpose and then went to Vigesue neere to the which were two little townes that sent vnto him offering to receiue him but by wise aduise he refused their offer They of Pauia sent also twise to him to the same end and them he should not haue refused Moreouer he marched in order of battell before the said towne of Vigesne where the Duke of Milans whole force lay being led by the two brethren of Saint Seuerin so often aboue named The town is hardly so good as Saint Martin-de-Candé which is not woorth sixe pence I my selfe arriued there not long after at which time the Duke of Milan being there with certaine of his captaines shewed me the place where both the armies had stood in order of battell hard by the towne and within the towne And if the Duke of Orleans had marched but an hundred paces further they had retired beyond the riuer of Thesin for they stood hard by the riuer side and had built a great bridge of boates ouer it Moreouer I saw them at my being there beat downe a great bulwark of earth which they had made on the other side of the riuer to defend the passage whereby it appeered that they were fully minded if the Duke had marched forward to abandon both the towne and castle which had been much to their disaduantage This is the place where the Duke of Milan vseth most to be resident and sure it is scituate in the pleasantest countrey for all kinde of pastimes especially hauking and hunting that euer I sawe But peraduenture the Duke of Orleans thought the place strong where his enimies lodged and himselfe to haue passed far ynough wherefore he retired to Trecas the Lord whereof who had charge vnder the Duke of Milan and my selfe communed togither of these affaires a fewe daies after To the said towne of Trecas certaine of the principal of Milan sent to the Duke of Orleans promising to receiue him into the towne and offering for performance thereof to deliuer their children in hostage Which their enterprise they might easily haue executed as diuers of great authority being then within the towne and acquainted with all their practises haue aduertised me saying that the Duke of Milan could not haue found men ynow to haue defended the castell of Milan for him bicause both nobles people desired the destruction of this house of Sforce The Duke of Orleans also and his men haue enformed me of these practises aboue mentioned but they had no great affiance in those that negotiated with them and they lacked a man that vnderstood these affaires better than themselues whereunto I also adde that the said Dukes captaines were not all of one opinion as touching this enterprise With the Duke of Milans forces ioined two thousand Almains whom the King of Romanes sent thither and a thousand Dutch horsemen vnder the leading of master Frederic Capelare borne in the countie of Ferrette Their arriuall so much encouraged Master Galeas and his companie that they went before Trecas to present the battell to the Duke of Orleans who refused it notwithstanding that his force were greater then theirs bicause his captaines as I suppose would not hazard the battell fearing least the losse therof should be the Kings destruction of whom they could heare no newes bicause the passages were all stopped wherefore they retired to Nouarre giuing no order for their prouision of victuals no not for the preseruation of the store they had within the towne already much lesse for any new supplie whereof notwithstanding they might plentifully haue been furnished at that time in the countrey about without money whereas afterward they were greatly distressed through their owne follie To conclude their enimies came and lodged within halfe a league of them The Notes 1 The cause of their lacke vvas the barrennes of the countrey How the Kings great artillerie passed the mounts Appenines by the Almains helpe of the danger the Marshall of Gie was in with his vaward and how the King arriued at Fornoue Chap. 5. YOu haue heard how the King vpon no occasion laie in a valley on this side Pontreme fiue daies togither in great distresse of victuals Our Almains did there one great peece of seruice for those that committed this foule fault at Pontreme fearing that they had thereby procured themselues the Kings indignation for euer came and offered to passe the artillerie ouer these monstrous waies in the mountaines for so may I well terme them bicause they were so high and steepe that there lay no beaten way ouer them I haue seene all the highest mountaines both of Italy and Spaine which vndoubtedly are not comparable to these The Almains made this offer vpon condition that the K would pardon their fault which he promised to do We had fowerteene great and massy peeces of artillery
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
with him We alleaged many reasons to perswade him thereunto saying that by this meanes the peace should be fully confirmed but he gaue foorth diuers reasons to the contrarie and refused so to do excusing himselfe vpon certaine speeches vttered by Monseur de Ligny who had aduised to take him prisoner when he was with the King at Pauia and likewise by the Cardinall who had all the credit with the King But notwithstanding that many foolish words were indeede spoken I know not by whom yet sure I am that at this present the King greatly desired his friendship He was in a place called Bolie and agreed to speake with the King so that a grate might be betweene them built vpon a bridge ouer a riuer Vpon receipt of which answer the King departed to Quiers where he staied but a night or two and then tooke his iourney to passe ouer the mountaines and sent me againe to Venice and others to Genua to cause the two ships to be manned 2 which the Duke of Milan was bound to lende him but he performed no whit of that he promised for after the King had beene at great charges in arming of men to the said ships the Duke would not let them depart but on the contrarie side sent two to our enimies The Notes 1 This treatie of Verceil was concluded the 9. of October 2 The Duke was bound to arme these ships but the King would haue manned them with his owne men How the King sent the Lord of Argenton to Venice with certaine conditions of peace which they refused and of the Duke of Milans false dealings Chap. 12. MY ambassage to the Venetians was to know whether they would accept the peace and agree to these three articles First to restore Monopoly to the King which they had lately woon from vs 1 Secondarily to reuoke the Marquesse of Mantua and the forces they had in the realme of Naples from King Ferrandes seruice Lastly to declare King Ferrande to be none of their confederates bicause none were comprehended in their league but the Pope the King of Romans the King of Spaine and the Duke of Milan When I arriued at Venice they receiued me very honorably though not so honorably as at my former being there and no maruell for then we were in peace but now in hostilitie I did my message to the Duke who welcommed me and told me that shortly I should receiue mine answer but that he would first consult with the Senate Three daies they commanded generall processions and publike sermons and dealt great almes desiring God of his grace to direct them into the wisest course which maner of proceeding as I was there informed they vse ordinarily in such like cases Wherefore I must needes confesse that this citie seemed to me the most deuout as touching matters of religion that euer I came in and their Churches the best decked and trimmed so that heerin I account them equall with the ancient Romanes and amfully perswaded that thereof springeth the greatnes of their Seniorie which sure is woorthie rather to increase than diminish But to returne to mine ambassage I abode there fifteene daies before I was dispatched The answer I receiued was a refusall of all my demaunds with this excuse that they were not in war with the King neither had done any thing but in defence of their confederate the Duke of Milan whom the King sought to destroy Afterward they caused the Duke to commune with me apart who offered me a good composition to wit that King Ferrande by the Popes consent should hold the realme of Naples of the King by homage and pay him yeerely fiftie thousand ducats for tribute and a certaine summe of monie presently the which they offered to lend meaning to haue in gage for it the places which they now hold in Pouille namely Brandis Otrante Trani and the rest And further that for performance of these conditions the said Dom Ferrande should deliuer to the King or leaue in his hands certaine towns in Pouille they meant Tarente which the King yet held and one or two more that the said Ferrande should haue deliuered which townes they offered vs on that side of Italie bicause it was the furthest from vs notwithstanding that they pretended the offer to be bicause they stood commodiously to inuade the Turke whereof the King had put men in great hope at his first entrie into Italie saying that he attempted this conquest of Naples to the end he might with the more expedition transport his forces against the said Turke which was a wicked deuice and a meere lie for he meant nothing lesse but from God no man can hide his thoughts Moreouer the Duke of Venice offered me that if the King would attempt any thing against the Turke he should haue free accesse to these places aboue named that all Italy should be contributors to the wars that the King of Romanes should inuade also on the other side and that the King and they would gouerne Italie in such sort that no man should refuse to pay that he should be rated at and further that they for their part would aide him vpon their owne proper costs and charges with an hundred gallies vpon the sea and fiue thousand horses vpon the land I tooke my leaue of the Duke and the Seniorie saying that I would make report of their answer to the King Then returned I to Milan and found the Duke at Vigesue and the Kings ambassador with him who was one of the Stewards of his house named Rigaut Dorelles The Duke came foorth himselfe to meete me vnder colour of going a hunting for they vse there to receiue ambassadors with great reuerence and lodged me in his castle very honorably I desired to commune with him apart and he promised that I should so do though halfe against his will as it seemed The castle of Naples held yet for the King wherefore I meant earnestly to presse him for the two ships promised vs by the treatie of Verceil the which were readie to depart he in outward apparance seeming-willing thereunto But Peron of Basche Steward of the Kings house and Stephen de Neues who were at Genua for the King so soone as they vnderstood of my arriuall at Vigesue wrote vnto me complaining of the Duke of Milans falshood who would not suffer the two ships to depart which he had promised vs but on the contrary side had sent two to aide our enimies They aduertised me further that one day the gouernor of Genua made them answere that he would not suffer the saide ships to be manned with any French men and another day that he would put into each of them but fiue and twentie at the most with diuers such like dissimulations dalliyng and delaying the time till the castle of Naples were yeelded which the Duke knew well to be victualled but for a moneth or little more And as touching the armie that the King leuied in Prouence it was not
of Naples as of the Duchie of Milan failed for lacke of sending thither and how another enterprise against Genua sped euill also Chap. 15. THe King after his returne from Naples abode at Lyons a long time as before you haue heard holding iusts turneies It greeued him to lose the places in Italy aboue mentioned which he yet held neither cared he what treasure he spent in defence of them but he would take no paines himselfe in gouerning his owne affaires Moreouer he was aduertised daily of diuers practises entertained on his behalfe in Italy which notwithstanding that they were both dangerous and chargeable yet was he of power sufficient to haue atchieued them bicause his realme is populous plentifull of graine in Prouence and Languedoc and hath also a number of other wealthie countries where money might haue been leuied But if any other Prince besides the King of Fraunce should attend to these Italian practises and aduenture to entermebdle in their enterprises he should but vndoe himselfe spend his treasure and bring nothing to effect For the Italians neither do nor can serue but for money except it be a Duke of Milan or one of the greatest Seniories but a poore captaine be he neuer so well affectioned to the seruice of a King of Fraunce pretending title to the realme of Naples or the Duchie of Milan be he neuer so faithfull and trustie yet shal he not be able to do him seruice any long time after his paiment faileth bicause his men will forsake him and the poore captaine shall be vtterly vndone for the greatest part of them liue onely vpon the credit they win by the seruice of their soldiors who are paied by their captaine and he of him whom he serueth which is the cause why they desire in Italy nothing but factions and ciuile wars But as touching the practises aboue mentioned you shall vnderstand that they began before the towne of Caietta was lost to wit immediately after the King perceiued that the Duke of Milan would not performe the conditions of the treatie of Verceil and continued after the losse of the said towne the whole space of two yeeres after the Kings returne home As touching the said Duke of Milan he brake not his promise altogither vpon malice and trecherie but partly for feare for he doubted that the King would destroy him if he obteined the realme of Naples besides that he accounted the King to be a Prince in whom was no constancie nor assurance But to proceede one of these enterprises aboue mentioned was to inuade the Duchie of Milan after this sort Order was giuen that the Duke of Orleans should go to Ast to enter with a good band of men on that side whom I sawe once so neere his departure that his train was already gone We were sure of the Duke of Ferrareas friendship for he had promised to aide vs notwithstanding that he were the Duke of Milans father in lawe with fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand footemen which his promise vndoubtedly he would haue performed to the end he might haue rid himselfe of the danger he was in lying iust in the midst betweene the Venetians and the said Duke for not long before as I haue already made mention the Venetians had taken from him the Polesan and sought wholy his destruction wherefore he would haue preferred his owne safetie and his childrens before his sonne in lawes friendship yea and peraduenture he thought that the Duke of Milan seeing himselfe in this extremitie would make some appointment with the King 1 Moreouer by the said D. of Ferraraes meanes the Marques of Mantua was become our friend who lately had been and yet was generall of the Venetians but in great ielousie with them and he likewise being discontented with them soiourned with three hundred men of armes with his father in law the Duke of Ferrare for you shall vnderstand that he then had and yet hath to wife the Duches of Milans sister daughter to the said Duke of Ferrara Master Iohn Bentiuoille who gouerneth Bolonia and is as it were Lord thereof promised to aide vs with a hundred and fiftie men of armes and a good band of footemen and to send to the Kings seruice two of his sonâ—â—s who were captaines of certaine companies of horsemen and such was the seat 〈◊〉 countrey that he might haue done great seruice against the Duke of Milan The â—â—orentines who sawe themselues vtterly vndone vnlesse by large expences they recouered their losses fearing to be disseased of Pisa and the other places aboue mentioned 2 would haue furnished eight hundred men of armes and fiue thousand footemen vpon their owne proper costes and charges and had already prouided their paiments for sixe moneths The Vrsins and the Prefect of Rome brother to the Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula so often before named being in paie with the King would haue furnished a thousand men of armes but you shall vnderstand that their men of armes are not accompanied with archers as ours be but their wages and ours are much a like for a yeeres pay of one of their men of armes amounteth to a hundreth ducats and the wages of one of ours is double as much bicause of his archers These mercenary soldiers the King should haue paid but as touching the Florentines they should haue paid their forces themselues The Duke of Ferrara also the Marques of Mantua and Bentiuoille offered this aide vpon their owne charge for they hoped to conquer in the Duchie of Milan as much as should counteruaile their coste And if the Duke of Milan had been suddenly inuaded by the Duke of Orleans and all these aboue rehearsed at one instant his confederates namely the Venetians could not haue succoured him though they would haue spent all their treasure in his defence before he must haue been forced to reuolt to the K who would haue kept these Italians in the field a long time And the Duchy of Milan being once woon the realme of Naples would haue yeelded of it selfe The stay of this goodly enterprise proceeded of the Duke of Orleans who suddenly altered his minde the night before he should haue departed for he had already sent before him all things necessarie for his person and none remained to depart but himselfe onely for the army was in a readines their wages paid them they all gone before to Ast being to the number of eight hundred men of armes French and sixe thousand footemen among the which were fower hundred Swissers But the said Duke of Orleans being thus suddenly altered besought the King twice to propound this matter againe to his counsell and so he did I my selfe was present at the debating of it both the times and the whole Counsell concluded that he should go not one man speaking to the contrarie notwithstanding that there were present at each time ten or twelue Counsellors at the least And sure so had it beene most conuenient considering
Burgundie could not come to Naples and then Alfonse being dismissed out of prison by Philip Maria Duke of Milan where he was also prisoner at the same time preuailed and conquered Naples and was inuested by Pope Eugenius Since the which time the Aniouins haue but quarelled Naples and as for the succession of this Alfonse you shall see it in the last pedegree in the end of this worke Why the Venetians had no right to the realme of Cyprus as Commines writeth Lib. 7. cap. 4. 1 Peter taken prisoner by the Genuois but deliuered vnder condition to pay them a yeerely tribute 2 Ianus so named bicause he was born at Genua which was founded by Ianus Anne married Lewis Duke of Sauoy Iohn Amadis Duke of Sauoy right heire of Cyprus by his mother after Charlotte was dead Philip Duke of Sauoy Charles Duke of Sauoy Phibbert Duke of Sauoy 4 Lewis married Charlotte he was crowned King but was chased away by Iames the bastard He died sans issue m. Charlotte maried first Iohn King of Portugale who was poisoned then this Lewis She died sans issue 3 Iohn liued like Sardanapalus Charlotte maried first Iohn King of Portugale who was poisoned then this Lewis She died sans issue 4 m. Lewis married Charlotte he was crowned King but was chased away by Iames the bastard He died sans issue 5 Iames a bastard by the Soldan of Aegypts helpe chased Lewis his sisters husband out of Cyprus and made himselfe King m. Katharine daughter to Marke Comaire Senator of Venice the Venetians adopted hir and vnder that colour conquered Cyprus hir husband and sonne being dead 6 A sonne borne after his fathers death of whom the Venetians were tutors but was poisoned as some write by them as his father had beene After his death the Venetians conquered Cyprus vnder colour of adoption ann 1473. or as Meyer saith fol. 349. anno 1470. Heereby appeereth that the Duke of Sauoy hath the right to Cyprus not the Venetians for Iames husband to their adopted daughter was a bastarde and an vsurper and their adopted daughter a stranger to the crowne and could pretend no title to it Sed malè parta malè dilabuntur The house of Medices whereof so ample mention is made Lib. 7. Cap. 5. Iohn of Medices Cosmus mentioned Lib. 7. cap. 5. died anno 1464. the â—8 yeere of his age Countessinâ— of Bardy Peter Commines seemeth to ouerpasse this man m. Lucretia Tornaboni Julian slaine in Florence Commines Lib. 6. c. 5. Iulius called Pope Clement the seuenth Laurence so often mentioned in Commines m. Clarice Vrsine Iohn called Pope Leo the tenth Peter fled out of Florence when K. Charles came thither m. Alfonsine Vrsine Clarice married Philip Sâ—rozzi Laurence made Duke of Vrbin by Pope Leo the tenth m. Maudeleine daughter and heire to the Earle of Boloine Alexander D. of Florence slaine by his cosin Laurence of Medices m. Margaret base daughter to Charles the Emperor m. Octauio Farnese Pope Paulus nephew secoÌ„d husbande to Margaret These were both bastards Iulia married Restagno Canteline a gentleman in L'Abruzzo Iulius married a Lady of the county of Piombi Alexander Iulian. Katharine Q. mother of Fraunce Iulian Duke of Nemours married Philibert sister to Louyse King Francis mother Duches of Nemours Hippolitus a Cardinal but a bastard Laurence Peter Francis Iohn m. Katharine Sforce Iohn the valiant soldier m. Maria Saluâ—â—ti Cosmus chosen Duke of Florence after Alexanders death and confirmed by Charles the Emperor m. Leonor of Toledo daughter to Peter Duke of Alua. Isabella Duches of Ferrara and two other daughters Francis D. of FloreÌ„ce died 1584. Ferdinand Iohn a Cardinal Gracian Peter How Lewis Duke of Orleans called after King Lewis the 12. pretended title to the Duchie of Milan as Commines mentioneth Lib. 7. cap. 6. and in diuers other places 1 Iohn Galeas made first Duke of Milan by the Emperor Wenceslaus This is he that lieth buried at Pauia Commines Lib. 7. cap. 7 died anno 1402. m. Elizabeth daughter to the King of Boheme the first wife Valentine m. Lewis Duke of Orleans brother to Charles the sixth Ianâ—â— Iohn Duke of Angoulesme Charles Duke of Angoulesme Francis King of Fraunce m. Claude the eldest daughter Francis died before his father Henry the second King of Fraunce c. Charles died before his father Orleans Charles Duke of Orleans Lewis the 12. K. of Fraunce Claude the eldest daughter m. Francis King of Fraunce Francis died before his father Henry the second King of Fraunce c. Charles died before his father Reneé married Hercules Duke of Ferrara Philip Earle of Vertu Margaret wife to Richarde Earle of Estampes m. Katharine Visconti the second wife 2 Iohn Maria succeeded his father died sans issue he was slaine by his people 3 Philip Maria succeeded his brother died without lawfull issue Appointed by Testament King Alfonse of Naples his heire Blaunche a bastard Sforce 4 m. Francis Sforce notwithstanding Philips Testament vsurped the Duchie by fauor of the people Hyppolita married Alfonse King of Naples 5 Galeas slaine in the Church of Milan m. Boâ—â—â— daughtâ—â— to the Duke of Sauoy Blaunche married Maximilian the Emperor 6 Iohn Galeas died when K. Charles came into Italie m. Isabella daughter to Alfonso King of Naples Francis led into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. Bonne maried Sigismund K. of Poland Katharine married Iohn de Medices Iohn the valiant soldier in Charles the fifts time Cosmus Duke of Florence Ascanio a Cardinall 7 Lodouic called King Charles into Italie Died prisoner in France vnder Lewis the twelfth m. Betrice daughter to Hercules Duke of Ferrara 8 Maximilian recouered the Duchie from Lewis the 12. after carried away prisoner by King Francis 9 Francis restored by Charles the Emperor died sans issue Philip. Octauian The French King claimeth from Valentine who ought to haue succeeded hir brother Philip Maria before Blaunche being his base daughter After this Duke Francis death the Emperor Charles seased the Duchie partly by composition with Duke Francis at his restitution which was to make the Emperor his heire if he died without issue and partly by gift from Philip Maria who by his â—estament gaue it to Alfonse king of Naples whose heire the Emperor was and partly in right of the house of Austrich which pretended title to it as writeth Commines Lib. 7. cap. 2. The pedegree of Hercules Duke of Ferrara of whom so often mention is made in this historie The familie of Este ancestors of this Nicholas gouerned Ferrara from the yeere 1202. or not long after it is held of the Pope Nicholas Lord or Marques as some call him of Ferrara Obizone was made generall of the church and had therefore a pension of ten thousand ducats Nicholas vanquished Bernabo Visconti Succeeded his father Albertus succeeded his brother Nicholas a bastard vnder him was a councell at Ferrara whereat the Emperour of Greece was present Lionello a bastard succeeded his father m. Daughter to Iohn
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. Biâ—â—op 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 MaÌ„tua 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 secoÌ„d 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. 16◠〈…〉 p. 164. 〈…〉 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. Treuâ—ul 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
but lent him during his fathers life Wherfore minding now to preuent him he said thus Chide me not I acknowledge my great follie but I was hard by the bulwarke before I wist But this notwithstanding the marshal said more to his face then he had spoken behinde his backe and sure he was a faithfull and a trustie knight The Earle answered nothing but held downe his hed and entred into this campe where they were all glad of his returne and commended the Kings faith and sure it is to be thought that both the King and the Earle had great regard of their honor considering that each of them putting himselfe into others hands Yet neither of them receiued harme notwithstanding the Earle neuer after returned vnder the Kings power The Notes 1 That is 118750. pounds sterling How the treatie of peace was concluded betweene the the King and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates Chap. 14. IN the end all matters were fully concluded and the next day as the E. of Charolois was making his musters to know what number he had lost suddenly the King accompanied with thirty or forty horse came thither without warning giuen and rid about to view all the bandes one after another saue the marshals of Burgundy who loued him not bicause not long before the King hauing once giuen him Pinal in Loraine tooke it afterward again from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria greatlie to the said marshals damage The King acknowledging his error by little and little reconciled him selfe to the wise and valiant knights that serued the King his father whom he at his first comming to the crowne displaced wherefore they were with the Princes in armes against him Farther it was agreed that the next day the King should come to the Castell of Vincennes and likewise al the Princes that were to do him homage for whose safety the said Castell should be put into the Earle of Charolois hands according to which agreement the next morning thither came the King and likewise all the princes none being absent the porche and the gate being manned with Burgundians well armed there the treatie of peace was concluded 1 The Lord Charles did the King homage for the Duchie of Normandie and the Earle of Charolois for the townes in Picardie aboue mentioned as did also all the rest that had homage to do and the Earle of Saint Paul tooke his othe for the office of Constable but according to the common prouerbe neuer was so plentifull a marriage feast but some departed vndined for heere some had what them lusted and others nothing The King receiued into his seruice certaine gentlemen that were with his brother and also certaine meane persons but the greatest part remained still with his said brother the new Duke of Normandie the D. of Britain who went to Roan to take possession At their departure from the castell of Vincennes they tooke their leaue each of other and returned to their lodgings farther all letters pardons and other writings seruing for the confirmation of the peace were made On one day departed all these three Princes the Duke of Normandy and Britaine first into Normandy and the Duke of Britaine from thence into his owne countrie and the Earle of Charolois into Flaunders But when the Earle was ready to take horse the King meaning effectually to shew how greatly he desired his friendship came to him and accompanied him to Villiers-le-bell a village fower leagues from Paris where both these Princes lodged that night The Kings traine was very small but he commanded two hundred men of armes to follow him to conuey him backe whereof the Earle of Charolois being aduertised as he went to bed fell into great suspicion therof and commanded a great number of his seruants to be in armes Thus you see how impossible it is for two great Princes to agree bicause of the suspicious tales and reports that are daily and howerly beaten into their heads Wherefore two Princes that desire to continue in friendship ought neuer to come togither but to imploy vertuous and wise men betweene them who will encrease their amitie and repaire all such breaches as shall happen The next morning the two Princes tooke their leaue each of other with much courteous and wise talke and the King returned to Paris accompanied with the men of armes aboue mentioned called thither for that purpose whereby he remooued all suspicion the Earle had conceiued of their comming The said Earle rode towards Compiengne and Noyon being receiued by the Kings commandement into all the townes he passed by From thence he marched to Amiens where they did him homage as did also all the other townes vpon the riuer of Somme the territories in Picardy restored to him by this treaty which the King not past nine moneths before had redeemed for the summe of fower hundred thousand crownes as before you haue heard This done he marched incontinent into the countrie of Liege bicause they had by the space of fiue or sixe moneths made war vpon his father in his absence in the countries of Namur Brabant where also they had slain certaine of his subiects 2 but bicause the winter approched he could do no great exploit notwithstanding a number of villages were burnt and diuers small ouerthrowes giuen to the said Liegeois whereupon they made a treatie with the Duke of Burgundie and for performance thereof stood bound to him in a great summe of mony This done the Earle of Charolois returned into Brabant The Notes 1 The treatie was sworne the fift of October the conditions whereof reade in Meyer fol. 337. where he saith that by this treatie Flaunders was exempt from the Kings soueraigntie which saith Degrassalius cap. 1. pag. 6. the King could not grant Quia vltimus resortus alienari aut remitti non potest which also may well appeere to be lawe bicause we reade lib. 5. cap. 17. of our author that notwithstanding this treatie the Chauncellor of Burgundie and Himbercourt being imprisoned and condemned by the citizens of Gaunt appealed to the Parlament of Paris vvhich appeale notvvithstanding vvhether it vvere lavvfull or vnlavvfull or vvhether they appealed to delay the time for safetie of their liues hoping their friends vvould deliuer them or the King happily thereby to recouer his former soueraigntie I leaue heere to discusse Notvvithstanding if any such condition vvere in the treatie of Conflans as Meyer reporteth in my simple iudgement these tvvo vvise men vvould not haue appealed contrary to it and thereby haue made the cause of their death iust though before vniust by violating this priuilege and so infringing the liberties of the state of Flaunders obtained by this treatie of the King 2 The King persvvaded the Liegeois to rebell in Iune 1465. vvhich vvas the same sommer the Earle of Charolois vvas in Fraunce thereby to vvithdravv the Earle of Charolois out of Fraunce home vvhereupon the Liegeois about mid August defied the Duke of