Enguerrand de Monstrelet

“ Thus was the duke of Burgundy cruelly murdered, trusting to the promises and securities of the duke de Touraine, dauphin of Vienne, and his ministers. The act and the manner of perpetrating it were most horrible; and the hearts of noble and worthy men, natives of France, must suffer the greatest shame and grief thus to witness the noble blood of the flower de luces, and princes so nearly allied destroy each other ”

“ Very dear and respected lords, it has come to our knowledge, through a very creditable channel, that under the shadow of our adversary the king of France, the duke of Burgundy, count of Flanders, is making, or about to make, a speedy march into our country of Acquitaine, to wage war upon and destroy our subjects, particularly on our very dear and well beloved cousins the dukes of Berry, Orleans and Bourbon, and the counts of Alençon, of Armagnac, and the lord d'Albreth. ”

“ The duke of Nemours was the first to attack this body of the enemy, who were greatly superior in number; and the gallant prince performed such feats of arms as astonished them, and cleared all around his horse with such rapid and mortal blows that none dared approach him. It was a grand sight to view so young a man displaying such extraordinary courage. The enemy, observing how few the French were, and that no reinforcements were coming to them, recovered their courage and surrounded the young hero. ”

“ But next to the folly of the king, the most extraordinary circumstance in the whole transaction is the weakness of the duke; who, as if he had never known by experience that the king was neither to be bound by treaties, nor by obligations, had no sooner suffered his first rage to cool than he humbled himself on his knees before his prisoner, and asking forgiveness of him whom on the contrary he ought not himself to have forgiven, permitted him to depart in safety upon his simple engagement to renounce the league he had made with the inhabitants of his rebellious city. ”

“ Thus was this grand and noble city of Soissons, strong from its situation, walls and towers, full of wealth, and embellished with fine churches and holy relics, totally ruined and destroyed by the army of king Charles and of the princes who accompanied him. The king, however, before his departure, gave orders for its rebuilding, and appointed new officers for the defence and support of it,—who, when the army had marched away, recalled as many as possible of the inhabitants who had fled before it was taken. ”

“ Over his armour he wore a jacket, with short sleeves, of a white and violet colour, besprinkled with crosses of Jerusalem. His helmet was magnificently ornamented with feathers,—and he was accoutred like a good man at arms, with sword, dagger, spear and battle-axe. He was mounted on a powerful black horse, called Savoy, whose caparison was of the same colours with the king's jacket, and besprinkled with similar small crosses. The king was surrounded by very able and trusty advisers to direct him, having under them about two thousand men, who afterwards gave good proofs of their valour. ”

“ On the morrow, by orders of the duke of Burgundy, several noble knights and esquires of his household were sent thither to raise the corpse and to examine it. On their arrival, they had the body dug up, but in truth it was a melancholy sight, for he had still on his pourpoint and drawers; and there was not a man present that could refrain from weeping. ”

“ He imagines that there is not a prince on earth but will bring him the keys of his towns before he calls for them, considering that he has taken by storm Constantinople, the strongest city in Europe, and so powerful that it was thought no army, however great, could accomplish it, and that he and his troops are bold in arms, holding their lives of no value to gain an object. ”

“ It is reported, but contrary to truth, saving your reverence, that I have entered into a treaty of marriage with England, and that, as the marriage-portion of my daughter, I am to transfer the castles of Cherbourg and Caen, with other places mentioned in the said treaty, to the great prejudice of you and your kingdom. Such things I have neither done nor even thought of; and I wish to God that all within your realm had always been as loyal in the preservation of your person and progeny, your crown and dignity, as I have been, and shall ever be, during my life. ”

“ The townsmen of Orleans were greatly rejoiced on seeing themselves, by their dishonourable retreat, delivered from such false and traitorous enemies, who had for so long a time kept them in the utmost danger. Many men at arms were dispatched to examine the remaining forts, in which they found some provision, and great quantities of other things, all of which were carried safely to the town, and made good cheer of, for they had cost them nothing. ”

“ On St Thomas’s day, after the king had feasted his nobles in royal state, the queen, by orders from the king, came from the castle of Vincennes to Paris. All the princes, prelates, and great crowds of people, went out to meet her and her son, the duke of Acquitaine, and conducted her to the palace, where they presented her to the king, in the presence of all the before-mentioned lords. Her son had visited his government, to be properly instructed in arms, and other necessary matters, that he might be the better qualified to rule his kingdom when it should fall to him. ”

“ The duke of Burgundy, in the mean while, was busily employed in preparing for his attack on Calais.
During this time, there lived one Hannequin Lyon, a native of Dunkirk, but who, for his demerits, had been banished from Ghent, and, becoming a fugitive, turned pirate, and, by his good fortune and activity, increased in wealth, so that he now possessed eight or ten vessels, well armed and victualled, under his command. He made war indiscriminately on the flags of all nations, and was much feared on the coasts of Holland and Flanders. ”

“ In the month of November, the king sent letters to Paris, to order all the nobles, clergy, and inhabitants of that city, to make processions in praise of God and the virgin Mary, and to continue them, laying aside all other employments whatever, for three days, to return thanks for the great victory which Henry of Lancaster, king of England, had gained over the earl of March, who had, for a long time usurped his throne, by the support of the duke of Burgundy, and, also, for the happy peace and good understanding that now subsisted between him and the king of England. ”

“ Here the queen and the duchess of Bourbon his sister were waiting, with many noble ladies and damsels, impatient to receive him; and indeed he was deserving of such eagerness.
The king held most sumptuous justs at three different places in Lyon: at La Grenette in front of the convent of Cordeliers, in the Juerie, and before the palace: at all of them, he was foremost to offer himself, and performed many gallant feats with lance and sword, on horseback and on foot, as did several others of the french lords. ”

“ When the king of France and his council heard of the surrender of Harfleur to the king of England, they consequently expected that he would attempt greater objects, and instantly issued summonses for raising in every part of the kingdom the greatest possible force of men at arms. The better to succeed, he ordered his bailiffs and seneschals to exert themselves personally throughout their jurisdictions, and to make known that he had sent ambassadors to England, to offer his daughter in marriage to king Henry, with an immense portion in lands and money, to obtain peace, but that he had failed ”

“ Never was any branch of your noble race so cruelly and infamously treated,—and you and all of your blood, and such of your subjects as wish you well, ought not to suffer such a lamentable deed to be perpetrated without any punishment or reparation whatever, as is the case till this present time, which is the most shameful thing that ever happened, or ever could happen, to so noble a house; and additional disgrace will fall upon it, if you any longer delay justice. ”

“ When the earls of Murray and of Ormond heard of the English having crossed the Solway with a large army, they, having the fear of God before their eyes, and finding the English determined thus conjunctly to destroy their country, took measures to oppose them; for it is perfectly lawful that every one should fight for his country. They soon, with the aid of other scots lords, assembled a force of thirty-two thousand able warriors, and, falling on the english camp unawares, put them to the rout, with great slaughter and loss in prisoners and wounded. ”

“ May it please you to know, my very redoubted lord and father, that I address myself to your glorious power, as the most doleful, most ruined, and most treacherously-deceived woman living; for, my very dear lord, on Sunday the 13th of this present month of June, the deputies of your town of Mons returned, and brought with them a treaty that had been agreed on between our fair cousin of Burgundy and our fair cousin of Brabant, which treaty had been made in the absence, and without the knowledge of my mother, as she herself signifies to me, and confirmed by her chaplain master Gerard le Grand. ”

“ However, the duke of Burgundy, the count of Vaudemont, and others of weight in Picardy, determined to accept of such as they could find willing to go; and they sounded Matthieu de Humieres, Robinet de Huchechien, the bastard de Fosseux, the bastard de Neufville, Gerard bastard de Brimeu, and some other gentlemen and men at arms of the middle ranks, who had no great properties in their own country, to know if they were inclined to assemble men at arms, and to follow their leader whither he pleased to seek adventures. ”

“ On the Tuesday master Olivier le Diable, called le Daim, the king's barber, feasted the legate, the cardinal of Bourbon, and many other prelates and nobles, as grandly as possible. When dinner was over, he carried them to the park of Vincennes, to amuse themselves in hunting deer; after which, they returned to their different homes.
On Thursday and Friday, the vigil and feast of the nativity of the blessed Virgin, the legate attended vespers in the church of Nôtre Dame; and great crowds were there to see the ceremonies observed on the occasion, which were solemn and magnificent. ”

“ While the court resided at Beauvais, four gentlemen, and four citizens of Rouen, were sent to lay before the king and council their miserable state: they told them, that thousands of persons were already dead of hunger within their town; and that, from the beginning of October, they had been forced to live on horses, dogs, cats, mice and rats, and other things unfit for human creatures. They had nevertheless, driven full twelve thousand poor people, men women and children, out of the place, the greater part of whom had perished wretchedly in the ditches of the town. ”

“ We have first shown all the points of the treaties that had been proposed, after mature council, as well to those of our blood and great council as to the prelates, barons, and knights of our different courts of parliament, and to other officers of justice in the court of the Conciergerie, and also to our well-beloved daughter the university of Paris, the clergy and citizens of our capital, who have been all delighted therewith, and have unanimously supplicated us to complete the peace, which, through the mercy of God, we have done. ”

“ The duke of Burgundy mounted his horse, and, attended by many lords and others, rode to the sea-shore. When a barge having advanced as near as the surf would permit, a man jumped out, and, coming to the duke, informed him that the fleet in sight was his own. This spread universal joy throughout the army, and several ran to the downs to see it,—but their captains made as many return to the camp as they could. ”

“ These assertions, and others made by the said duke of Burgundy, are, thanks to God, groundless, and notoriously false; for neither ourself nor our dear son have been or are under any subjection whatever, nor are our honour, our justice, or the state of our government, any way wounded or diminished,—but ever since the departure of the duke of Burgundy from Paris we have governed peaceably, freely, without any hindrance or contradiction. ”

“ I may most truly apply these words to my lady of Orleans, for she is a widow who bewails the death of her lord and husband, and our lord will have compassion on her; for the king is our lord, in respect of terrestrial jurisdiction; and not only the king, but thou, lord of Acquitaine, and all other princes of this world having territorial powers, seeing my lady of Orleans thus disconsolate, ought to feel compassion for her, and give her aid and support in procuring strict justice to be done for the cruel death of her husband. ”

“ A few days after, the duke of Bourbon sent presents of cloths of gold, and of silk, to the principal leaders of the Swiss, to hasten their march, which had the desired effect,—and they soon appeared before the castle, wherein they were joyfully received by the constable. He had immediately Milan strengthened with ditches and outworks, so that it was much stronger than ever. The emperor advanced with his army, now very numerous, before the walls, and saluted them with a large train of artillery, which was as boldly returned from the ramparts by the garrison. ”

“ At this period, the queen of Sicily, widow to king Louis of happy memory, granted permission, but not without heavy sighs, to her eldest son Louis to go to Rome to be crowned king of Sicily by the hands of the pope. She gave him into the charge of the Florentines and Genoese, who had entered the port of Marseilles with fifteen gallies, trusting not entirely to their loyalty, but demanding as hostages for her son eight of the most noble barons of Naples, who had come to fetch him by orders from the cities, chief towns, and principal noblemen of the realm. ”

“ We have, therefore, determined to advance to Paris with as large a body of men at arms as we can muster, for the security of our person, and that it may please God that we may see in all good prosperity my aforesaid lord the king, my lady the queen, my much redoubted lord of Acquitaine, and my well beloved daughter his duchess ”

“ Only one man of rank was made prisoner on the side of the French, namely, Matthew bastard of Bourbon, who had most valiantly defended the king, and he was taken when pursuing the enemy up to their lines. Not more than nine or ten french gentlemen were killed, although their enemies were ten to one against them, the greater part of whom saved themselves by flight. This proves, beyond a doubt, that Divine Providence assisted the French, and gave them the victory over their disloyal enemies, who were conquered in so very short a space of time. ”

“ Feasts and entertainments were every where displayed to welcome his arrival, and for his short-lived victories when he gained Novara.
'Observe now, O Milanese! how strongly the justice of God, the Creator, has been made manifest, and the great power that it has pleased Him to invest the king our lord with: for when you thought that you had done every thing by gaining Novara, at that moment you lost the whole, and your idol, the lord Ludovico, carried away a prisoner,—so that what was said of the Persians may be applied to him, 'Servit alteri cui nuper mediolanum serviebat.'
'O Milanese! ”