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
Englishmen and their ships against the Duke of Burgundies nauie which was so mighty and strong that no man durst stir in these narrow seas for feare of it making war vpon the Kings subiects both by sea land and threatening them euery where All this happened the sommer before the King surprised Saint Quintine and Amiens which was as before you haue heard in the yeere 1470. The Duke of Burgundies nauie aboue mentioned was stronger than the Kings and the Earles ioined togither For he had taken at Sluse many great ships of Spaine Portugall and Genua and diuers hulks of Almaine King Edward was a man of no great forecast but very valiant and the beautifullest Prince that liued in his time He tooke no care for the Earle of Warwicks landing as the Duke of Burgundie did who perceiuing great tumults already arising in England in the Earles fauor aduertised the King often thereof But he made small account of any danger neither seemed to feare his enimy which sure was great follie considering the great preparation he saw made For the King armed all the ships to the sea that he could get and manned them well and prouided furniture also for the English men Besides this he made a mariage betweene the Prince of Wales and the Earle of Warwickes second daughter The said Prince was onely sonne and heire to King Henry of England who liued yet prisoner in the Tower of London This was a strange mariage when the Earle had deposed and imprisoned the Princes father to cause him to mary his daughter and to entertaine also the Duke of Clarence brother to the King of the other faction who had iust cause to feare his owne estate if the house of Lancaster recouered the crowne Thus we see that such enterprises are not atchieued without dissimulation At the selfe same time that this army aboue mentioned lay in a readines to saile into England I was at Calice to entertaine the Lord of Vaucler whose dooble dealing till that very instant I neuer perceiued notwithstanding that it had now continued the space of three months But at that present I desired him bicause of the newes we heard to put all the Earle of Warwicks houshold seruants being to the number of twenty or thirty out of the towne alledging that I was sure the Kings army and the Earles were ready to depart out of Normandy where they lay and if the Earle should happen sodainly to land in England some such tumult might arise in the towne of Calice by meanes of his seruants that he should not be master thereof Wherefore I pressed him earnestly in all haste to put them out of the towne which he alwaies heertofore promised me to do but now he drew me aside saying that he would be master of the town well inough and required me to do this message to the Duke of Burgundy that if he would be a friend to the realme of England he should endeuor himselfe to make peace and not war which words he spake bicause of the nauy the Duke had on the sea against the Earle of Warwick He told me farther that peace might easily be made bicause that day a gentlewoman passed through Calice to go into Fraunce to the Duches of Clarence with certaine ouertures of peace from King Edward And he said true indeed but as he abused others euen so was he himselfe deceiued by this gentlewoman for she went about a great enterprise which also she atchieued to the preiudice of the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction Of this fine practise all other that haue been managed on this side the sea I write the more at large bicause I am well assured that no man is able to make truer report of them then my selfe at the least of those that haue hapned within these twenty yeeres The secret deliuered to this woman was to counsell the Duke of Clarence not to cause the destruction of his owne house by setting vp againe the house of Lancaster but to remember their ancient harred and diuision adding that he might well assure himselfe that the Earle of Warwick hauing maried his daughter to the Prince of Wales and already done homage to him would by all meanes possible seeke to make him King This gentlewoman so wisely executed the charge committed vnto hir that she wan the Duke of Clarence who promised to reuolt to the King his brother immediately after his returne into England Shee was a woman well aduised and of few words and bicause of hir sexe had leaue granted hir to passe to hir Meistres easilier then a man should and as craftie a foxe as this Vaucler was this woman went beyond him and was the onely contriuer of the enterprise whereby the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction were vtterly destroied wherefore it is no shame to be suspicious and to haue an eie vpon those that passe to and fro but great shame it is to be deceiued and vndone through our owne follie Notwithstanding suspicions ought to be grounded vpon some good presumption for to be too suspicious is naught You haue heard already how the Earle of Warwicks army and the Kings ships appointed to wafte him ouer were in a readines to take sea and how the Duke of Burgundies nauie being at Hancy lay prepared to fight with them But it pleased God so to dispose of this voiage that the selfe same night so great a tempest arose that the Dukes nauie was forced to seuer part wherofran vpon the cost of Scotland and part into Holland and not long after the Earle hauing a good gale of winde passed into England without all danger The Duke of Burgundie had aduertised King Edward in what part rhe Earle would land and had sent men purposely to him to sollicite him to looke to himselfe but he litle regarding the danger passed foorth the time in hunting hauing none so neere him as the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marques of Montagu the Earle of Warwicks bretheren who had promised and solemnly sworne to serue him against their brother and all others wereunto he gaue credite Immediatly after the Earles landing great forces ioyned with him wherewith the King being much abashed began then but all too late to looke about him and sent word to the Duke of Burgundy desiring him that his nauie might still keepe the Sea to stop the Earle from retiring againe into Fraunce for vpon the land he would match him well ynough which message pleased no man that heard it for it had beene much better to haue kept him from landing then to be constrained to hazard his estate in battell when he was landed Fiue or sixe daies after the Earles arriuall his power was so great that he encamped within three leagues of King Edward Notwithstanding the Kings force was greater than his if all his men had beene faithfull and true and lay also in campe to fight with him Further you shall vnderstand that the King lodged as himselfe told me in
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
spend both goods and liues in the wars wherefore it is reason they should vnderstand the cause of them before they begun Their subiects they poule in such sort that they leaue them nothing for notwithstanding that they pay them taskes and subsidies aboue their abilitie yet seeke they not to redresse the disorder of their men of armes which liue continually vpon their people without paiement dooing besides infinite mischiefes and iniuries as all the world knoweth For they are not contented with such cheere as they finde in the husband mans house and is set before them but beat also the poore men and constraine them to go foorth to buie them wine bread and victuals and if the good man haue a faire wife or a daughter he shall do wisely to keepe hir out of their sight Notwithstanding seeing these men of armes are duly paied this inconuenience might easily be redressed and order giuen that their paie should be made at euery two moneths ende at the furthest so should they not be able to alleage any pretence of their mischieuous dooings vnder colour that they want paie for the money is leuied and at the yeeres ende there is not one penie owing them I speake this for our realme which is more afflicted and plagued with these men of armes than any other countrey that I knowe But none can redresse this matter but a wise Prince other realmes bordering vpon vs haue other scourges Wherefore to continue this discourse is there any King or Prince that hath power to leuy one penie vpon his subiects besides his demaines without leaue and consent of those that must paie it vnlesse it be by tyrannie and violence A man will say that somtime the Prince can not tarie to assemble his estates bicause it would require too long time Whereunto I answer that if he mooue a war offensiue there needeth no such haste for he may haue leasure inough at his owne pleasure to make preparation And further he shall be much stronger and much more feared of his enimies when he mooueth war with the consent of his subiects than otherwise Now as touching a war defensiue that cloud is seene long before the tempest fall especially when it is forraine war and in this case good subiects ought not to complaine nor refuse any thing that is laid vpon them Notwithstanding such inuasion cannot happen so suddenly but that the Prince may haue leasure at the least to call togither certaine wise personages to whom he may open the causes of the war vsing no collusion therein neither seeking to maintaine a trifling war vpon no necessitie thereby to haue some colour to leuy money Money is also necessarie in time of peace to fortifie the frontiers for defence of those that dwell vpon them least they be taken vnprouided but this must be done measurably In all these matters the wisedome of a sage King sufficeth for if he be a iust Prince he knoweth what he may do and not do both by Gods law and mans To be short in mine opinion of all Seniories in the world that I know the realme of England is the countrey where the common wealth is best gouerned the people least oppressed and the fewest buildings and houses destroied in ciuill wars and alwaies the lot of misfortune falleth vpon them that be authors of the war Our King is the Prince in the whole world that hath least cause to alleage that he hath priuileges to leuy what him listeth vpon his subiects considering that neither he nor any other Prince hath power so to do And those that say he hath do him no honor neither make him to be esteemed any whit the mightier Prince thereby but cause him to be hated and feared of his neighbors who for nothing woulde liue vnder such a gouernment But if our King or those that seeke to magnifie and extol him should say I haue so faithfull and obedient subiects that they deny me nothing I demand and I am more feared better obeied and better serued of my subiects than any other Prince liuing they endure patiently whatsoeuer I lay vpō them and soonest forget all charges past This me thinke yea I am sure were greater honor to the King than to say I leuy what me listeth and haue priuileges so to do which I will stoutly maintaine King Charles the fift vsed no such termes neither did I euer heare such language proceede from any King but from diuers of their seruants who thought they did their Masters great seruice in vttring such speeches but in mine opinion they misbehaued themselues towards their Prince and vsed such language partly bicause they would seeme to be good seruants and partly bicause they knew not what they said But for a manifest proofe of the French mens loialty and obedience to their Prince we neede alleage none other example than that we our selues haue seene of late by experience when the three estates were assembled at Tours after the death of our Master King Lewis the eleuenth which was in the yeere of our Lord 1483. A man might then haue thought that this good assembly was dangerous for the Kings estate yea and diuers there were of meane calling and lesse honesty that said then and haue often said since that it is treason to make mention of assembling the estates and a thing tending to the diminishing of the Kings authority but they themselues are those that worke treason against God the King and the common wealth neither do any vse these speeches but either such as are in authority without desert and vnwoorthy thereof or such as are common tale-carriers and accustomed to talke of trifling matters or such as feare great assemblies least their doings should there be ripped vp and reprehended At this assembly I now speake of all men of what estate soeuer they were thought the realme much weakned and impouerished bicause it had paied by the space of 20. yeeres or more great and excessiue subsidies yea so great that they surmounted yeerely by the summe almost of three millions of francks all subsidies that euer were leuied in Fraunce For King Charles the seuenth leuied yeerely but eighteene hundred thousand franks 7 but King Levvis his sonne leuied at his death seauen and fortie hundred thousand 8 besides the charges of the artillerie and such like expences And sure it was a pitifull thing to behold the miserable estate of the poore people But one good propertie had the King our Master that he hoorded vp no treasure he tooke all and spent all and bestowed more vpon fortification of towns and places for the defence of his realme than all his predecessors ioined togither He gaue also much to churches but in some respects he had done better to haue giuen lesse for he tooke from the poore to giue to them that had no need But there is no man perfect in the whole world Well to proceed Notwithstanding that this realme were so impouerished and oppressed diuers waies did the people
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
to Venice with certaine conditions of peace which they refused and of the D. of Milans false dealings page 353 Chap. 13 How the king after his returne into Fraunce forgot those that he left behind him in the realme of Naples and how the Daulphin died whose death the king and Queene much lamented page 356 Chap. 14 How the king was aduertised of the losse of the castell of Naples and how the Florentines places were sold to diuers men of the treatie of Atelle in Pouille to the great dammage of the French and of the death of king Ferrand of Naples page 358 Chap. 15 How certaine practises-entertained by diuers noble men of Italy on the kings behalfe as well for the conquest of Naples as of the Duchie of Milan failed for lacke of sending thither and how an other enterprise against Genua sped euill also page 362 Chap. 16 Of certaine controuersies betweene king Charles and Ferrand king of Castile and of the ambassadors that were sent too and fro to pacifie them page 366 Chap. 17 A discourse of the misfortunes that hapned to the house of Castile in the Lord of Argentons time page 370 Chap. 18 Of the sumptuous buildings K. Charles began a little before his death of the great desire he had to reforme the church himselfe to diminish his reuenues to redresse the processes of the law and how he died suddenly in this good minde in his castell of Amboise page 373 Chap. 19 How the holy man frier Hierom was burned at Florence by the procurement of the pope and of diuers Florentines and Venetians his enimies page 375 Chap. 20 Of the obsequies and funerals of king Charles the 8. and of the coronation of king Lewis the 12. his successor with the genealogies of the kings of Fraunce continuing to the saide Lewis page 377 The pedegree of Charles D. of Burgundy page 379 How Elizabeth wife to king Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce page 380 How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg Namurs c. came to Charles D. of Burgundy 381. page 382 How Margaret of Flaunders was heire of Flaunders c. page 383 How Arthois and the county of Burgundy descended to the said Lady Margaret c. page 384 How the King of Portugale was cosin germaue to the D. of Burgundy page 385 How the D. of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother page 386 How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster page 387 The title the D. of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie c. page 388 Why the Venetians had no right to the realme of Naples page 390 The house of Medices page 391 How Lewis D. of Orleans pretended title to the Duchie of Milan page 392 The pedegree of Hercules D. of Ferrara page 394 The pedegree of Francis Marques of Mantua page 395 How Ferdinand King of Arragon had more right to the realme of Naples than the Kings of the house of Arragon that possessed it page 396 FINIS THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF VIENNA in Fraunce TO satisfie your request so often mooued vnto me right reuerend father in God I send you heere a memoriall as agreeable to truth as I can possibly call to minde of all the acts and doings that I haue been priuy vnto of king Levvis the eleuenth our master and benefactor and a prince woorthy of perpetuall memory Of his youth I can say nothing but by his owne report But from the time I entred into his seruice till the hower of his death whereat I was present I was more continually resident with him than any man of my estate that serued him being euer either of his priuy chamber or employed in his weightie affaires I found in him as in all other princes that I haue knowne or serued both good and bad For men they are as we be perfection is proper to God onely But sure that prince whose vertues and good parts surmount his vices deserueth great commendation the rather bicause commonly noble personages are more prone to al kind of wantonnes than other men partly for that in their childhood they are brought vp without due chastisement correction partly bicause when they are grown to mans estate ech man seeketh to seed their humors sooth them in all they say or do But for mine own part bicause I loue not to flatter nor misreport the truth somwhat may happily be found in this historie not tending altogither to the kings praise but I trust the readers will weigh the reasons aboue alledged Sure thus much I dare boldly say in his commendation that in mine opinion he was the prince in his age all things considered least subiect to vice Yet haue I knowne and been conuersant with as many great princes both spirituall and temporall as any man in Fraunce of my time as well the princes of this realme as those also that haue liued in Britaine Flaunders Almayne Englande Spayne Portugall and Italy Diuers others also whom I haue not seene yet haue I knowne partly by conference with their ambassadors and partly by their letters and instructions which are meanes sufficient to enforme men of their natures and inclinations Notwithstanding I minde not by setting foorth his commendation in this worke to detract from the honor and good renowne of others but send you penned in haste all that I could call to minde trusting that you haue required it of me to turne it into some worke that you purpose to publish in Latine to the perfection of which toong you haue atteined whereby may appeere both the woorthines of the prince I now write of and also the excellencie of your owne wit Farther sir if I happen to faile in any point you haue my L. of Bouchage and others who are better able to enforme you of these affaires than my selfe and to couch their words in much eloquenter language Although to say the truth considering how honorablie the king entertained me how great familiaritie it pleased him to vse towards me and how liberally he bestowed vpon me neuer intermitting one of the three till the houre of his death no man hath iuster cause to remember those times then my selfe whereunto I also adde the losses I haue susteined and dangers I haue been in sithence his decease which are sufficient I thinke to put me in minde of the great benefits I receiued at his hands during his life Notwithstanding that I know it to be a matter of course that after the death of great and mightie princes great alterations ensue to the losse of some and gain of others for riches and honors folow not alwaies their expectation that hunt after them To conclude sir the better to enforme you of the time sithence I entred into the kings familiarity which is your desire I am forced first to rehearse what hapned before I came to his seruice and so orderly to proceede from the time I
coasted continually along by the Earles campe but could not endamage him for his force was so small that when the Earle drew neare to Paris he retired thither All the way as the Earle passed he made no war but what his men took they paid for wherfore the towns vpon the riuer of Somme all other townes that he passed by receiued his men in small troupes and sold them for their money whatsoeuer they would buy as men resting in suspence whether the king or the princes should haue the vpper hand 8 So far marched the Earle that he came to S. Dennis neare to Paris where all the Lords of the realme had promised to meete him but none came notwithstanding that the Vicechauncellor of Britaine the D. and Ambassadorresident in the Earles campe forged newes of their comming from time to time at his owne pleasure vpon certaine blanks that he had signed with his masters hand he was a Norman borne and a very wise and sufficient man and so it behooued him to be for the whole campe murmured against him The Earle of Charolois shewed himselfe before Paris 9 where was a hot skirmish hard at the towne gates but to the Citizens disaduantage Men of war within the towne were none saue onely the Marshall Ioachin with his companie and the Lord of Nantoillet afterward Lord great Master who did the King as good seruice in these wars as euer did subiect King of Fraunce at his neede and yet in the ende was euill recompensed rather by his enimies malice than the Kings fault though neither of both are cleerely to be excused The poore people of the citie were in so great feare the day of the skirmish that they cried often as I was afterwards credibly enformed that we were entred the towne but without cause Notwithstanding the L. of Hault-bourdin aboue mentioned who had been brought vp in the towne when it was nothing so strong as now it is gaue aduise to assault it and the soldiers desired nothing more contemning the townes men bicause the skirmishes were hard at their gates yet the contrary opinion tooke place whereupon the Earle retired to S. Denis The next day in the morning he debated with his Councill whether he should go to meet with the Dukes of Berry and Britaine or not who were at hand as the Vicechauncellor of Britaine said shewing also their letters testifying the same but he had forged them vpon his blanks and other newes knew he none In the end the Earle resolued to passe the riuer of Seine notwithstanding that the most part of his Councill gaue aduise to returne home seeing the rest of the confederates had broken day alledging it to be sufficient to haue passed the riuers of Somme and Marne and more than needed to passe this riuer of Seine Some also put foorth great doubts bicause we had no places on our backe to retire into if we should be distressed But all this notwithstanding the Earle passed the riuer and encamped at Pont S. Clou 10 wherefore the whole army murmured much against the Earle of S. Paule and this Vicechauncellor who were the principall perswaders of him thereunto The next day after his arriuall there he receiued letters from a Lady of this land written with hir owne hand wherein she aduertised him that the King was departed out of Bourbonnois and came downe with all speede to fight with him I must heere declare the occasion of the Kings voyage into Bourbonnois which was this So soone as he vnderstood that all the princes of his realme had conspired against him at the least against his gouernment he determined to preuent them and before they were assembled to inuade the D. of Bourbon who was the first that openly discouered himselfe to be of the confederacie 11 and bicause his countrey was weake he hoped soone to subdue it as in deede diuers places he tooke and would easily haue taken all had not succours come thither out of Burgundie vnder the leading of the L. Coulches the Marquesse of Rottelin the L. of Montague and others with whom Master VVilliam of Rochefort Chauncellor of Fraunce a man at this day of great estimation was also in armes This force was leuied in Burgundie by the sollicitation of the Earle of Beauieu and the Gardinall of Bourbon 12 brethren to D. Iohn of Bourbon and by them receiued into Molines Aide came also of another side to the D. of Bourbon vnder the leading of the D. of Nemours the Earle of Armignac and the L. of Albert being accompanied with a great band of soldiers some of the which were good men of armes of their countries who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and put themselus into their seruice But the greatest part of their men were vtterly vnfurnished of all things and forced for lacke of pay to liue vpon the poore people The King notwithstanding these their great forces gaue themynough to do wherefore in the end they fell to treate of peace especially the D. of Nemours who solemnly promised and sware to take part with him and yet did afterwards the contrary whereupon the King conceiued so great displeasure against him that afterward he could neuer brooke him as eftsoones he hath told me To be short the King perceiuing that he could not atchieue his enterprise in Bourbonnois so speedily as at the first he hoped and fearing if the Earle of Charolois forces which approched neare to Paris and the forces of the Duke of Berry his owne brother and of the D. of Britaine which were comming out of Britaine should ioine togither that the Parisians would receiue them into their towne bicause they all pretended the common wealth for colour of their enterprise knowing also that as the towne of Paris did so all the other townes in his realme would follow for these causes I say he resolued with all speed possible to put himselfe into Paris meaning to keepe these two great armies asunder but his purpose was not to fight as he hath himselfe diuers times told me in communing of these affaires The Notes 1. The Earle of S. Paul had betrothed his daughter to the L. of Croys sonne but seeing the Earle of Charalois hatred against the said Croy he would haue broken off the mariage againe but Croy in whose house the said daughter remained contrarie to hir fathers wil made vp the match for the which cause the Earle of S. Paul hated the said Croy to the death Annal. Burgund 2. The Earle of Charolois besides this matter heere alleaged charged Iohn L. of Croy that he had called him great diuell threatned him and sought to poison him Meyer 3. Euery French man of armes is allowed three men to accompanie him in the wars one to beare his headpeece called in Latin Ferentarius and two archers La Marche but the Burgundians had heere some 5. some 6. 4 These archers were bow-men mounted on horsebacke as harquebusiers on horsebacke are now 5 He that maketh such offer of
himselfe secketh pray not seruice wherefore this reiecting of so many was done according to the rules of the art of war 6 Of the excesse of this house of Burgundie Annal. Burgund write thus lib. 3. pa. 917. and 918. All fashions of apparell were growne in vse among the subiects of this house of Burgundie and those so indecent and dissolute that none could be more The Ladies and gentle women ware vpon their head a strange kinde of attire fashioned in pyramidal form the top thereof halfe an ell good from the crowne of their head and thereupon a carchef of lawne or some other fine linnen hanging downe to the very ground a fond attire and vvoorthy to be derided The men disguised themselues no lesse than the vvomen some vvare their clothes so short that they hardly couered those parts that nature hir selfe shameth to discouer their haire vvas curled and of such length that it hindred their sight vpon their heads they ware felt-hats copletanked a quarter of an ell high or more they stuffed their dublets about the shouldens and brest maruellous full of bombast to the end they might seeme square and broad brested a thing greatly displeasing God their clokes were not so short but their gownes were as long for they trained after them vpon the ground To be short the whole world could not deuise stranger kinds of disguising than they had and that was woorst of all is this that euery rascall and euery woman in beggers estate would be apparelled princelike and imitate the fashion of Court without regarde either of cost or calling Compare this with the excesse of England at these daies and we shall see in a glasse our owne vanities and haue iust cause to looke for the same miseries that fell vpon this house of Burgundy after this excesse 7 The 15. of May saith Meyer but the 25. Annal. Burgund the Earle departed from his father 8 The Earle of Charolois as he passed named himselfe the Duke of Berries lieutenant for the which cause the townes heere mentioned the willinglyer receiued him Annales Burgund 9 The Earles armie shewed it selfe before Paris about the 12. or 13. of Iuly at which time all the princes should haue met him there Meyer 10 The Earle of S. Paule tooke a great bote vpon the riuer of Seine in the which he passed the riuer and tooke Pont S. Clou. Annal. Burgund 11 Reade a letter written by the King to the Duke of Bourbon and his answere therunto Annal. Burgund pag. 889. 12 This Cardinall of Bourbon was Archbishop of Lyons and brother to the Duke of Bourbon Annal. Burgund for the which cause I thinke it best in the French to reade freres for frere bicause the Earle of Beauieu and this Cardinall were both brethren to the Duke of Bourbon How the Earle of Charolois encamped neere to Montl'hery and of the battell fought there betweene the King of Fraunce and him Chap. 3. THe Earle of Charolois supposing that the King being departed out of Burbonnois as before you haue heard came downe purposely to fight with him resolued likewise to set forward against the King and then read openly the contents of the letter sent him by the Lady aboue mentioned not vttering hir name and required his soldiers to play the men saying that he was fullie resolued to hazard the battell wherefore he marched and encamped at a village neere to Paris called Longiumeau and the Earle of S. Paule with the vawarde lodged at Montl'hery two leagues beyond Longiumeau from whence he sent foreriders and scoutes abroad to vnderstand of the Kings comming and what way he tooke farther in the presence of the Earle of S. Paule the Lord of Hault-bourdin and the Lord of Contay Longiumeau was assigned for the place of the battell and thither it was agreed that the Earle of S. Paule should retire with the vawarde if the King hapned to come Now you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Maine with seuen or eight hundred men of armes lay continually in face of the Dukes of Berry and Britaine who were accompanied with a number of wise and valiant knights that King Lewis had put out of pension at his first comming to the state notwithstanding the great seruices that they had done his father in the recouering and pacifying of the realme wherof afterward full often he repented him Among these knights was the Earle of Dunois a man of great experience in al matters 1 the marshall of Loheac the Earle of Dampmartin the Lord of Bueil and diuers others accompanied with the number of fiue hundred men of armes who lately had forsaken the Kings paie and retired themselues to the Duke of Britaine of whose onely subiects this whole force consisted The Earle of Maine who lay continually in face of the two Dukes campe as you haue heard finding himselfe too weake to encounter with them dislodged continually before them approching neerer and neerer to the King in like maner the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine endeuored to ioine with the Burgundians Some haue helde opinion that the Earle of Maine had secret intelligence with the Princes but I could neuer vnderstand any such thing neither do I beleeue it 2 The Earle of Charolois lying in campe at Longiumeau as you haue heard and his vawarde at Montl'hery was aduertised by a prisoner that the Earle of Maine with his whole force all the men of armes of the Kings ordinary retinue being to the number of two an twenty hundreth and the arriereban 3 of Daulphine togither with fortie or fiftie gentlemen of Sauoy excellent good soldiers were al ioined with the King The King in the meane time consulted with the Earle of Maine the high Seneschall of Normandie called De Brezey the Admiral of Fraunce who was of the house of Montauban and others what was to be don in the end whatsoeuer was said or aduised to the contrary resolued not to fight neither approch neere to the Burgundians campe but onely to enter into Paris 4 which in mine opinion was the best safest course He stood in great doubt of his high Seneschall of Normandy and therfore desired him to tell him truely whether he had giuen his faith in writing to the Princes that came against him whereunto the Seneschall answered after his merrie ieasting maner that he had that the writing should remaine with him but the bodie should serue him which his answere the King tooke in good part gaue him the leading of his vaward and put also vnder his charge the guides whose help he vsed bicause he ment to shun the battle as you haue heard But the Seneschall being wedded to his owne will saide priuily to certaine of his familiar friends that he would that day ioine the two armies so nere togither that he had need to be a good man of war that should seuer them without battel which his promise he performed though to his owne cost for the first man that was slaine was himselfe
strange that all these Princes should thus conspire against the King for zeale of the common wealth if other particular greifes had not more mooued them than the misgouernment of the estate 2 To the ende the reader finde it not strange that Rene is here called King of Sicily sith the house of Arragon possessed the same Realme at that time it is to be vnderstood that the race of the Normans who about the yeere 1060. subdued Sicily Calabria and Apulia and about the yeere 1102. tooke vpon them the title of Kings of Sicily being extinct in Roger the last King of Sicily of that race about the yeere 1195. the said Realme fell to the issue of the Emperor Fridericus Barbarossa by the marriage of Constantia daughter to Roger the first King of Sicill and aunt to Roger the last King of Sicill of this race with Henry the said Barbarossas sonne in which race it continuedtily Manfridus bastard sonne to Fridericus the Emperor sonne to the aboue named Henry obteined the crowne of Sicill Naples by dispossessing Conradinus his nephew the true heir therof Against this Manfridus Pope Vrbanus the 4. called into Italie Charles of Amon brother to S. Lewis King of Fraunce who slew Manfridus in battell and afterward executed also Conradinus the true heire of the crowne being taken in battell comming with an armie to conquer the said realmes of Naples and Sicily as his true inheritance and thus obteined this Charles of Aniou the crowne both of Naples and Sicily till not long after by the comming of Peter king of Arragon who had married Constantia daughter and heire to Manfridus the Sicilians arose suddenly against the French slew them all in one euening and yeelded the Realme of Sicily to the saide Peter whose posteritie euer sithens euen till this day haue continued in possession thereof Notwithstanding the posteritie of Charles of Aniou held still the Realme of Naples with the title of the Realme of Sicily till the time that the later Iane Queene of Naples to fortifie hir selfe against Pope Vrbanus Sextus adopted Alfonse of Arragon sonne to Ferrande King of Arragon which Ferrandes mother named Elenor was daughter to King Peter but after the saide Iane for displeasure conceiued against the saide Alfonse adopted secondarilie Lewis D. of Aniou brother to Charles the 5. King of Fraunce descended of the race of the first Charles King of Sicily against whom and his sonne Lewis Alfonse long warred and in the end after Queene Ianes death chased them both out of Italy and left the Realmes of Arragon and Sicily to Iohn his brother but the Realme of Naples to Ferrande his base sonne with whom Rene heere mentioned brother to Lewis the 2. of that name D. of Aniou and king of Sicily and by him with Ianes consent adopted long vvarred but preuailed not so that Rene had onely the title of Sicily and Naples by the adoption aforesaid but no possession thereof for Sicily the kings of Arragon held euer since the conquest of Peter and the realme of Naples Ferrande the bastard held of his fathers gift from vvhose posterity hovv in the end after many alterations it fell to the house of Arragon that novv possesseth it shall be set dovvne at large in the vvars of Naples made by King Charles the 8. vvho had the house of Anious title vvhereof our author treateth in the 7. and 8. booke of this historie 3 This force led by the Marshall of Burgundie vvas of 4000. men Meyer 4 This Oudet is he that acquainted the Duke of Berry vvith this confederacie and conueighed him into Britaine Meyer La Marche 5 Franck archers were these King Charles the 7. in the yeere 1449. being destitute of footemen appointed that euery threescore houses in his realme should arme a man vvho in time of vvar receiued paie of the King and vvere exempt from all subsidies and payments for the which cause they vvere all called franck that is free but King Lewis the 11. anno 1480. abolished these franck archers and waged Switzers in their place A discourse vpon ambitious hunting after offices and estates by the example of the English men Chap. 7. I Speake of these offices and estates bicause in changes they are so greedily desired and are also cause thereof as appeereth by that which hath happened not onely in this our age but also in the time of King Charles the sixt vnder whom the wars began that endured till the treatie of Arras during the which wars the English men entred into the realme and conquered so far that at the time of the saide treatie which continued 1 the space of two moneths the Duke of Bedford brother to Henry the fift King of England being maried to Duke Philip of Burgundies sister was regent in Fraunce for the English men whose monethly allowance in that office amounted to 20000. crownes at the least At the said treatie were present for the King of Fraunce fower or fiue Dukes or Earles fiue or sixe Prelates and ten or twelue Councellers of the Parliament For Duke Philip likewise diuers Noble men 2 in much greater number for the Pope 2. Cardinals as mediators and for the English men diuers noble personages Duke Philip greatly desired to acquite himselfe honorably towards the English men before he would abandon them bicause of the ancient league that had been betweene them wherefore the Duchies of Normandie and Guien were offered to the King of England with condition that he should do homage for them to the crowne of Fraunce as his predecessors had done and restore all the places he held in the Realme out of the said Duchies which condition the English men bicause of the homage refused but to their great losse for being abandoned of this house of Burgundie their good successe altered and all their intelligences within the realme failed whereby their power daily so diminished that in short space they lost Paris and by little and little all that they held in this realme After their returne into England none of them would diminish his estate but the offices within the realme sufficed not for maintenance of them all wherupon long ciuil wars arose among them in the which King Henry the sixt who had been crowned King of England Fraunce at Paris was proclaimed traitor and imprisoned in the tower of London where he remained the greatest part of his life and in the end was there murthered The Duke of Yorke father to King Edward that last died intituled himselfe right heire to the crowne soone after was slaine in the battell and had his head smitten off as had also the Earle of Warwick 3 that last died whose credit was so great in England and all the rest that were slaine in those wars The said Earle of Warwick led the Earle of Marche afterward named Edward the fourth by sea to Calais with a small companie escaped out of battell 4 for the Earle of Warwick tooke part with the house of Yorke
at variance somtime in open war and somtime in a dissembled truce wherein each party comprehended their confederates God shewed so great fauor to the realme of Fraunce that the ciuill wars in England were not yet fully ended notwithstanding that they began fifteene yeeres before and had continued with cruell and bloodie battels wherein many a good man lost his life For you shall vnderstand that there were in England two houses that claimed the crowne to wit Lancaster and Yorke for the which cause both the parties proclaimed their enimies traitors and the diuision of these two houses was the preseruation of the estate of Fraunce for doubt you not but that this realme had sustained great troubles if the English men had been in such estate then as in times past But to returne againe to our matter the Kings chiefe desire was to conquer Britaine both bicause it seemed easier to be subdued and of lesse defence than this house of Burgundy and also bicause the Britons receiued all his euill willers namely his brother and other his enimies that had intelligence in his realme Wherefore he practised continually with the Duke of Burgundy making him diuers offers if he would forsake the Britons and namely that he would in like maner abandon the Liegeois and all other the Dukes enimies Whereunto the Duke of Burgundy would not agree but made a new voiage against the Liegeois bicause they had againe broken the peace and taken and spoiled a towne called Huy 1 and chased his men out of it notwithstanding the hostages deliuered the yeere before vnder paine of death and the great summe of mony they had bound themselues to forfeit if they brake the said treatie The Duke leuied his armie about Louuain in Brabant and vpon the marches of Liege whither came to him from the King the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce now become altogither French and resident continually with the King accompanied with Cardinall Balne and others who aduertised him that the Liegeois were the Kings confederates and comprehended in the truce wherefore the King would succour them if he inuaded them Notwithstanding they offered if he would abandon the Dukes of Berry and Britaine to the King that the King would then abandon the Liegeois to him Their audience was short and in open court neither staied they aboue one day The Duke excused himselfe and charged the Liegeois with breach of the peace alledging that they had inuaded his dominions wherefore he sawe no reason why he should not be reuenged on them without forsaking his confederates and this was his answer for that time Againe the next day after their arriuall the Duke being ready to take horse tolde them that he humbly besought the King to attempt nothing against the Duke of Britaine whereunto the Constable replied and said sir you choose not but take all for you will make war at your pleasure vpon your friends and constraine vs to lie still and not inuade our enimies as you do yours it may not be so neither will the King endure it Then the Duke taking his leaue said thus again the Liegeois are assembled togither within three d↑ies I looke for the battell if I be ouerthrowne I am sure you will do after your accustomed maner but if the victory fall on my side the Britaines shall liue quietly enough by you Which talke ended he mounted on horsebacke and the ambassadors repaired to their lodgings to make them ready to depart The Duke marched in armes from Louuaine with great force laid his siege before a town called Sainctron his power was maruellous great for all the strength of Burgundy was come to him so that this army was far greater than any other that I had seene with him before A litle before his departure he debated with his counsell whether he should put the Liegeois hostages to death or what he should do with them Some gaue aduise to kill them all especially the Lord of Contay so often aboue mentioned whom I neuer heard speake so cruelly as at that present Wherfore it is necessary for a Prince to haue more than one of his counsell for the wisest erre yea and that often Otherwhiles bicause they are partiall to the matters debated through hatred or loue somtime bicause they seeke to contrary some one that hath spoken before them possible also their bodies may be euill disposed for it is not to be held for counsell that is giuen after dinner But you will say that men subiect to such imperfections are vnfit to be of a Princes councill whereunto I answer that we are all men and that who so will haue no councillors but such as neuer faile to speake wisely nor are more troubled at one time then another must seeke them in heauen for he shall not finde them on earth But for redresse of this inconuenience somtime one of the councell will speake very well and wisely that vseth not often so to do and thus the one supplieth the others defects Now to return to the matter debated in this assembly two or three were of the said Contais opinion mooued thereunto by his great authority wisdome for in such assemblies a great number giue their opinion but as they haue heard some other speake before them not vnderstanding the matters debated but seeking onely to flatter some one being of credit and authority that hath already spoken After this the Lord of Himbercourt a gentleman borne neere to Amiens and one of the wisest knights that euer I knew being asked his aduise said that to the end the Duke might haue God on his side and discharge himselfe of cruelty and desire of reuenge before the world he thought it best to pardon all those hostages considering they came thither with a good intent supposing the treatie should haue been obserued notwithstanding he aduised the Duke at their departure to giue them to vnderstand how great grace and fauor he shewed them and to desire them to do their endeuor in perswading their citizens to peace which if they could not obtain yet at the least they themselues acknowledging his goodnes towards them should neuer after beare armes neither against him nor their bishop there present with him This opinion tooke place and the hostages when they were deliuered promised to do as the Duke required Farther this was told them at their departure that if any of them were herafter taken in armes against the Duke he should die and thus they were dismissed It is not amisse to reherse heere how after Monseur de Contayes cruell sentence pronounced against the hostages part of them which were come thither with a good meaning and vpon verie simplicitie one of the Counsell said thus to me in mine eare Marke well this man his bodie is healthfull ynough though he be old yet dare I laie a good wager he shall not liue a yeere to an end bicause of this cruell sentence he hath giuen and sure so it fell out
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
the Earle and his brother with a great number of gentlemen and the slaughter of the poore people was also great For King Edward at his departure out of Flaunders resolued to cry no more to saue the people and kill the nobles but he had conceiued extreeme hatred against the communalty of England both for the great fauor they bare the Earle of Warwick and for other respects also wherefore at this battell he spared them not Of the Kings side died about fifteene hundred and the field was valiantly fought At the time of this battell the Duke of Burgundie lay before Amiens where he receiued letters from the Duches his wife that King Edward hir brother was not a little discontented with him alleaging that the aide he gaue him was giuen in euil sort and with euill will so far foorth that he was almost vtterly forsaken of him and to say the truth the King and he after this neuer loued one an other Notwithstanding the Duke supposing that this victory would greatly further his affaires caused the newes to be published in all places I had forgotten to tell you how King Edward finding King Henry at London lead him with him into the battell aboue mentioned This King Henry was a very simple man and almost an innocent and if I haue not heard a lie incontinent after the battell the Duke of Glocester K. Edwards brother who afterward named himselfe K. Richard slue this holy man K. Henry with his own hands or caused him to be slaine in his presence in some secret place 2 The Prince of Wales was landed in England when this battell aboue mentioned was fought hauing in his company the Dukes of Excester and Sommerset with diuers others of his kinsfolkes and ancient folowers of his house His army was to the number of forty thousand as I haue been informed by diuers that were with him and if the Earle of Warwicke would haue staied for him it is very like the victory would haue been theirs But the Earle feared both the Duke of Sommerset whose father and brother he had slaine and also Queene Margaret the Princes mother wherefore he fought alone and would not tarie for them 3 Marke heere by this example how long ancient factions and partialities endure how much they are to be feared and what great damage ensueth thereof So soone as King Edward had obteined this victory he marched incontinent against the Prince of Wales where another cruell battell was fought for the Princes force was greater than the Kings notwithstanding the lot of victory fell to the King and the Prince was slaine vpon the place 4 with diuers other great Lords and a maruellous number of common soldiers The Duke of Sommerset was taken and the next day beheaded In eleuen daies the Earle of Warwicke subdued the whole realme of England at the least brought it to obedience and in one and twenty King Edvvard recouered it hauing fought two great and cruell battels Thus you see what sudden mutations haue been in England K. Edvvard caused many of the people to be put to death in many places especially such as had made assemblies against him And from that day forward raigned peaceably in England till his death though not without great trouble and vexation of minde I will heere end my discourse of these English affaires till time and occasion serue in some other place only adding this that of all the nations in the world the English men are most desirous to try their quarrels by dint of sword The Notes 1 Our Chronicles report that the Duke turned on the Kings side at Couentrie before the Kings comming to London and they vary also in other circumstances from our author 2 Our histories report otherwise of King Henries death for he was slain in the Tower and not so soone after the battell 3 Our Chronicles report that the Duke of Sommer set was at Barnet field with the Earle of VVarvvicke and repaired afterward to the Queene and was taken in the second battell and then be he aded 4 Our histories write that the Prince was not slaine in the battell but soone after hauing had communication with King Edward How the wars reuiued betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine Chap. 8. I Wil now return to our affairs on this side the sea wherof I haue made no mention since the Duke of Burgundies departure from before Amiens the Kings returne into the country of Touraine and the Duke of Guienne his brother into Guienne The saide Duke of Guienne continued still his sute aboue mentioned for his mariage with the Duke of Burgundies daughter whereunto the said Duke in word euer shewed himselfe willing but in deede meant nothing lesse both bicause he purposed to vse hir as an instrument whereby to entertaine all the world and a marchandise to put euery man in hope of and also for that he stomacked the euill practises they had contriued to constraine him to this mariage perforce The Earle of Saint Paul Constable of Fraunce busied himselfe in this treaty very earnestly desiring that the mariage might seeme to be effected by his onely meanes and procurement On the other side the Duke of Britaine traueled therein to the end the whole honor thereof might redound to him The King was as busie as the best to breake it off though needlesly as well for the two reasons aboue alleaged as also bicause the Duke of Burgundy was not desirous of so great a sonne in lawe wherefore in vaine the King troubled himselfe but he could not see another mans thoughts And sure he had iust cause of feare for if this mariage had taken effect his brother should haue beene so mighty that he and the Duke of Britaine ioined togither might haue put the Kings estate and his childrens in great danger In the meane time about these affaires many ambassadors passed to and fro as well secretly as openly This often passing to and fro of ambassadors is a thing very dangerous for vnder colour thereof many times euill practises are set abroch yet notwithstanding ambassadors must of force both be sent and receiued They that shall reade this historie will aske peraduenture what remedie I can deuise against this inconuenience bicause it seemeth almost remedilesse For answere whereunto I will shew mine aduise notwithstanding that I know a number far better able to discourse heerof than my selfe Ambassadors that come from perfect friends with whom no occasion of quarrell can arise must be well intertained and permitted to come often to the Princes presence I meane if the Prince be wise and of comely personage otherwise the lesse he be seene the better Notwithstanding when he must of necessitie be seene let him be well apparelled and well instructed what to say and vse short speech according to Princes amitie which vsually is but short But if ambassadors be sent openly or secretly betweene Princes that are in continuall
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
person Then I demanded of him againe how many he had lost and he answered neuer but one which was this we now bereaued him of adding that he receiued greater dishonor by returning home after this sort than he had obtained honor in winning the other nine Of this communication I aduertised the King who said he was a dangerous knaue and that some meanes must be found to stop his mouth whereupon he sent for him and made him dine at his owne table offering him verie large offers and goodly offices if he would tarry in Fraunce But seeing he would by no meanes be woon thereunto he gaue him a thousand crownes in money promising also a good turne to his brethren that were on this side the sea and I gaue him a watchword in his eare to employ his credit to continue the friendship and amity begun betweene the two Princes The King feared especially aboue all things least some word should escape him at vnawares whereby the English men might gather that he derided them And by chaunce the next morning after this meeting as he was in his closet and not past three or fower of vs with him he spake a merrie word touching the wines and presents sent to the English campe and as he turned about espied a merchant of Gascoine that dwelt in England who was come to mooue a sute to him for a licence to ship certaine Gascoine wines into England without impost which was a sute that might much benefit the said merchant if he could obtaine it The King woondered when he saw him how he was gotten in thither and asked him of what towne he was in Guienne and whether he were a merchant and married in England The merchant answered yea but that his wealth was not great Incontinent before his departure thence the K. appointed one to accompanie him to Bordeaux and I communed with him by his commandement Further a good office in the towne where he was borne was giuen him the licence for the wines which he demanded was granted him and besides this 1000. franks were deliuered him for his wiues charges vpon the way and he sent a brother of his into England for hir but went not himselfe Thus the King condemned himselfe in this penaltie for his ouer large speech The Notes 1 The old copie saith the 19. day Meyer the 31. day Gaguin the 28. of October 2 The like reparteth Iouius of the French How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the King and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 11. THe selfesame day aboue mentioned being the next day after the enteruiew the Constable sent letters to the King by a seruant of his named Rapine who was a trustie seruant to his Master and whom also the King preferred afterwarde Monseur de Lude and my selfe were commanded to heare his message Now you shall vnderstand that Monseur de Contay was already returned from the Duke of Burgundie to the Court about the practise aboue mentioned deuised against the Constable so that the said Constable knew not to what Saint he should vow himself but remained in vtter despaire Rapines message was very humble tending to excuse his Master of the sundry euill reports that he knew had been made of him to the King for that the end sufficiently declared that he neuer meant to do otherwise than dutie required And to the intent he might the better assure the King of his true dealing he promised so to practise with the Duke of Burgundy that he would perswade him to helpe to destroy the King of England and his whole army if it so pleased the King And it seemed by his speech that his Master was in vtter despaire We told him that we were in perfect amity with the English men and would no war But Monseur de Lude who was with me aduentured to aske him if he knew where his Masters treasure lay I maruelled to heare such a word passe him for seeing this Rapine was a very trustie seruant to his Master this speech was sufficient to haue caused the Constable to flie and to vnderstand in what estate he was and what was a brewing for him especially seeing the danger he had been in not past a yeere before But I neuer knew man in my life neither heere nor elsewhere that could dislodge in time and shun the danger hanging ouer his head some bicause they thinke they shall not be receiued nor be in safetie in strange countries and other some bicause they are too much affectionate to their goods wiues and children which two reasons haue been the cause of many a good mans vndooing After we had made report to the King of Rapines message he called for one of his Secretaries none being with him but the Lord Hovvard the King of Englands seruant who vnderstood nothing of this practise against the Constable the Lord of Contay who was returned from the Duke of Burgundy and we two that had talked with the said Rapine Then he indited a letter to the Constable wherein he aduertised him of all that was done the day before namely the treaty of peace Further he senâ—â—â—â— word that he was busied with diuers affaires of great importance and had neede of such a head as his which word was no sooner vttered but he turned to the Englishmen and the Lord of Contay saying softly to them I meane not that we should haue the body but the head without the body This letter was deliuered to Rapine who liked it maruellous well especially those words that the King had need of such a head as his Masters but he vnderstood not the mystery thereof The King of England also sent the King the two letters of credit that the Constable had written to him and disclosed all the messages that he had sent him whereby you may perceiue how the Constable had behaued himselfe towards these three great Princes and in what estate he was euery one of the three desiring his death The King of England vpon the receit of his money departed and marched in great haste towards Callice fearing the D. of Burgundies malice his subiects and not without cause for whensoeuer his men scattered singled themselues some of them came short home At his departure he left for hostages with the King till his returne into England according to his promise the Lord Hovvard and the Master of his horse called Sir Iohn Cheiny You haue heard before at the entrance into these English affaires that K. Edward had no great deuotion to this voyage into Fraunce for being come to Douer before he embarked he began to practise with vs. But there were two causes that mooued him to passe the seas one the desire his whole realme had according to their natural humor to make war in Fraunce and the rather at this present bicause the Duke of Burgundy pressed the war so
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
againe to the Dukes campe and then reuolted from him as you haue heard when he saw the Almains march of whom being refused he retired as I said before to this castell of Condy. The said Almains marched forward being accompanied with great force of French horse men that had leaue giuen them to be at the battell Diuers also there were that lay in ambushes neere to the place to the end if the D. were discomfited they might get som good prisoner or booty Thus you see the miserable estate this poore Duke of Burgundy was fallen into by refusing good aduise When the two armies ioined the Dukes hauing been already twise discomfited and being but small and in very euill order was incontinent broken and put to flight a great number escaped the rest were either slaine 3 or taken and namely the Duke himselfe died vpon the place Of the maner of his death 4 I will not speake bicause I was not there present but I haue communed with some that were there who told me that they saw him striken to the ground could not succor him bicause they were prisoners Notwithstanding to their iudgement he was not then slaine but after these came a great troupe which slew him in the midst of them stripped him and left him among the dead bodies not knowing who he was 5 This battell 6 was fought the fift of Ianuary 7 1476. vpon Twelfth euen 1477. begining the yeere as Newe yeeres tide The Notes 1 He departed vpon wensday with 180. Meyer saith almost 200. men of armes that is 800. horse and on saturday departed the Lords of Dauge or Augy as Meyer nameth him and Montfort with 120. men of armes that is 480. horse and vpon sunday was the battel Annal. Aquit Meyer Annal. Burgund 2 The castell of Condy was the passage vpon the bridge of the riuer of Moselle Meyer 3 The Duke lost in the battell of Nancy 3000. men Annal. Burgund 4 He had three wounds one with a halberd in the side of his head which claue his head downe to the teeth another with a pike through the haunches and the third a push also with a pike by the fundament Annal. Burg. He was born the 11. of Nouember 1433. and was 34. yeeres old when he began to gouerne he liued 43. yeeres one moneth and 26. daies and gouerned nine yeeres sixe moneths and twenty daies Meyer 5 The name of him that slue Duke Charles was Claude of Bausmont captaine of the castell of Saint Dier in Lorraine The Duke was mounted vpon a blacke courser and seeing his battel 's ouerthrowen tooke a little riuer supposing to haue saued himselfe but in the riuer his horse fell and ouerthrevv him and then this gentleman not knowing him and by reason he vvas deafe not hearing the Duke vvho cried to him for the safetie of his life ran vpon him slue him stripped him and left him lying starke naked in the ditch VVhere the next day after the battell his bodie vvas found so fast frosen in the ice that vvhen it vvas dravven foorth a peece of his cheeke tarried there behinde The Duke of Lorraine to his great honor solemnly buried him himselfe and al his nobles accompanying the corps in mourning attire The place vvhere the Duke vvas slaine vvas hard by S. Iohns Church vvithout Nancy vvhere the Duke of Lorraine erected a crosse for a memoriall thereof The gentleman that slue him died soone after of melancholie vvhen he vnderstood that he had slaine so vvoorthie and couragious a Prince Champier Annales Burgund 6 The battell at Nancy Meyer nameth the battell of Iaruilla 7 Being sunday and as others vvrite ann 1477. but the variance both in this place and diuers others betvveene Commines and them is bicause they end the yeere at Nevv yeeres tide and he not before our Lady day as by the course of his historie is most plaine A discourse vpon certaine vertues of the Duke of Burgundie and of the time his house flourished in prosperitie Chap. 9. I Saw at Milan since his death a signet that I haue often seene him weare at his brest which was a ring set with a camée hauing very curiously cut into it an iron to strike fire 1 wherein his armes were grauen This ring was sold at Milan for two ducats and he that stole it from him was a false knaue that had beene a groome of his chamber Many a time haue I seene him made ready and vnready with great reuerence and solemnitie and that by great personages But now when death came all these honors fleeted away and both he and his house were destroied as you haue heard in the selfesame place where a little before he had consented for couetousnes to deliuer the Constable to death I had knowen him in times past a mightie and honorable Prince as much yea more esteemed and sought to of his neighbours than any Prince in Christendome Further in mine opinion the greatest cause of Gods indignation against him was for that he attributed all his good successe and all the great victories he obtained in this world to his owne wisedome and vertue and not to God as he ought to haue done And vndoubtedly he was endued with many goodly vertues for neuer was Prince more desirous to entertaine noble men and keepe them in good order than he His liberalitie seemed not great 2 bicause he made all men partakers thereof Neuer Prince gaue audience more willingly to his seruants and subiects than he 3 While I serued him he was not cruell but grew maruellous cruel towards his end which was a signe of short life In his apparell and all other kinde of furniture he was woonderfull pompous yea somwhat too excessiue He receiued very honorably all ambassadors and strangers feasting them sumptuously and entertaining them with great solemnitie Couetous he was of glorie which was the chiefe cause that made him mooue so many wars for he desired to imitate those ancient Princes whose fame continueth till this present Lastly hardie he was and valiant as any man that liued in his time but all his great enterprises and attempts ended with himselfe and turned to his owne losse and dishonor for the honor goeth euer with the victorie Yet to say the truth I wot not well whether God powred out greater indignation vpon him or vpon his subiects for he died in battell without any long griefe but they sithence his death neuer liued in peace but in continual war against the which they haue not been able to make resistance bicause of their owne ciuill troubles and diuisions Yea and another thing that most greeueth them is that they that now defend them are strangers who not long since were their enimies namely the Almaines To conclude since the Dukes death neuer man bare them good will no not they that defend them Further if a man consider well their actions it seemeth that their wits were as much troubled as their Princes before his death for they despised
himselfe the said de Lude at the first meeting asked him what the townes would giue him to commend their cause to the King I thinke verily that this refusall the King made to these knights proceeded also of God for since that time he would haue made good account of them if he could haue drawne them to his seruice But peraduenture God would not accomplish his desire in all points either bicause of the reasons aboue alleaged or for that he would not suffer him to vsurpe this countrey of Hainault which is held of the Empire both bicause he had no title thereunto and also bicause of the ancient league betweene the Emperors and the Kings of Fraunce whereof the King himselfe also seemed afterward to take notice For he held Cambray le Quesnoy and Boissi 1 in Hainault whereof Boissi he yeelded againe and restored Cambray being an Imperiall towne to neutralitie as it was before Athough I my selfe were not present at these actions yet was I informed how they passed for I had good meanes to vnderstand of them bicause I was acquainted and had been brought vp in both these Princes dominions and haue since also communed with diuers that were the principall managers of these affaires on both sides The Notes 1 This Boissi libr. 6. cap. 3. he calleth Bouchain and so out of doubt it should be read heere How Master Oliuer the Kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the Kings forces into Tournay Chap. 14. MAster Oliuer as you haue heard was gone to Gaunt and carried letters of credit to the Ladie of Burgundie Duke Charles his daughter hauing also commission to perswade with hir apart to put hir selfe into the Kings gouernment 1 But this was not his principall charge for he doubted that he should not obtaine leaue to commune with hir apart and though he did yet supposed he that he should not frame hir to his request But his hope was to raise some great tumult in this towne of Gaunt which hath euer been inclined to rebellion and was the easier to be mooued thereunto at this present bicause vnder Duke Philip and Duke Charles they had liued in great awe and lost diuers priuileges by the treatie made with the said Duke Philip after their wars with him ended Duke Charles also had taken one priuilege from them concerning the election of their Senate for an offence made the first day he entred into the towne as Duke whereof bicause I haue made mention before I will heere write no further All these reasons encouraged Master Oliuer the Kings barber to proceede in his enterprise so far foorth that he discouered his purpose to some such of the citizens as he thought would giue eare vnto him offering besides diuers other promises to cause the King to restore them their priuileges that they had lost But notwithstanding that he were not in their Towne-house to speake publikely to their Senate bicause he meant first to assay if he could do any good with this yoong Princesse yet was his enterprise smelt out wherefore after he had soiourned a few daies in Gaunt he was sent for to declare his message whereupon he repaired to the Princes presence being apparrelled much more sumptuously than became one of his calling and deliuered his letters The said Lady sate in hir chaire of estate hauing about hir the Duke of Cleues and the bishop of Liege with diuers other noble men and a great number of hir subiects When she had read hir letter she commanded him to declare his message But he answered that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe alone Whereupon it was told him that this was not the maner of their countrie especially to commune in secret with this yoong Lady being vnmarried But he still continued his former answer that he had nothing to say but to hir selfe apart Whereupon they threatened to make him say somwhat else which words put him in feare And I thinke verily that when he came to deliuer his letter he had not bethought him what to say for this was not his principal charge as you haue heard Thus Master Oliuer departed for this time without further speech Some of the Councell began to scorne him as well bicause of his base estate as of his foolish speech and behauiour but especially they of Gaunt in a little village neere whereunto he was borne scoffed and derided him so far foorth that suddenly he fled thence being aduertised if he staide there any longer that he should be throwen into the riuer which I thinke would haue prooued true The said Master Oliuer named himselfe Earle of Melun a little towne neere to Paris whereof he was captaine From Gaunt he fled to Tournay a towne in that countrie subiect to neither Prince but maruellously affectioned to the King for it is his after a sort and paieth him yeerely sixe thousand franks but in all other respects liueth in libertie and receiueth all sorts of men it is a goodly towne and a strong as all the inhabitants thereabout can testifie The churchmen and citizens haue al their possessions and reuenues in Henault and Flaunders in both the which countries it is situate Wherefore they vsed alwaies during the long wars betweene King Charles the seuenth and Philip Duke of Burgundie to pay yeerely vnto the said Duke ten thousand franks the which summe I haue seene them pay also to Duke Charles but at the time that Master Oliuer came thither they were quit of all paiments and liued in great wealth and quietnes Although Master Oliuers charge aboue mentioned were too waightie for him to deale in yet was not he so much to be blamed as they that committed it to him for notwithstanding that his enterprise had such successe as it was euer like to haue yet shewed he himselfe wise in that he afterward did For perceiuing the said towne of Tournay to be situate vpon the frontiers of both the countries aboue named and very commodious to endammage them both if he could put the Kings forces that lay in those parts into it and knowing further that the townes men would neuer consent thereunto bicause they neuer tooke part with either Prince but shewed themselues friends indifferently to both he sent word secretly to Monseur de Mouy whose sonne was bailife of the town but not resident there that he should bring his companie which he had within S. Quintins and certaine other bands that lay in those quarters to the towne of Tournay who at the hower appointed came to the gate where he found Master Oliuer accompanied with thirtie or fortie persons who partly by fauor and partly by force caused the gate to be opened and receiued the Kings men wherewith the people of the towne were well ynough contented but not the gouernors of whom Master Oliuer sent seuen or eight to Paris whence they departed not during the Kings life After these men of armes entred also diuers other soldiers who did
of captiuitie apprehended their Senators being to the number of sixe and twenty and put them all or the greatest part to death pretending that they did it bicause the said Senators the day before had commanded one to be beheaded though not without desert yet without authority as they said their commission being determined with the Dukes death by whom they were chosen into that office They slew also diuers honest men of the towne that had beene the Dukes freinds amongst whom were some that when I serued him disswaded him in my presence from destroying a great parte of the towne of Gaunt which he was fullie resolued to haue done Further they constrained their Princes to confirm al their ancient priuileges both those they lost in the time of Duke Philip by the treatie of Gauures those also that Duke Charles tooke from them The said priuileges serued them onely for firebrands of rebellion against their Princes whom aboue all things they desire to see weake and feeble Moreouer during their Princes minoritie and before they begin to gouerne they are maruellous tender ouer them but when they are come to the gouernment they cannot away with them as appeereth by this Ladie whom they loued deerely and much tendered before hir comming to the state Further you shall vnderstand that if after the Dukes death these men of Gaunt had raised no troubles but had sought to defend the countrey they might easily haue put men into Arras and peraduenture into Peronne but they minded onely these domesticall broiles Notwithstanding while the King laie before the towne of Arras certaine ambassadors came to him from the three estates of the said Ladies countries For at Gaunt were certaine deputies for the three estates but they of the towne ordered all at their pleasure bicause they held their Princesse in their hands The King gaue these ambassadors audience who among other things said that they made no ouerture of peace but with consent of their Princesse who was determined in all matters to follow the aduise and counsell of the three estates of hir countrie Further they required the King to end his war in Burgundie and Artois and to appoint a day when they might meete to treate friendly togither of peace and in the meane time that he would cause a surcease of armes The King had now in a maner obtained all he desired and hoped well of the rest For he was certainly informed that most of the men of war in the countrie were dead and slaine and knew well that a great manie others had forsaken the said Ladies seruice especiallie Monseur de Cordes of whom he made great reckoning and not without cause for he could not haue taken by force in long time that which by his intelligence he obtained in few daies as before you haue heard wherefore he made small account of these ambassadors demaunds Further he perceiued these men of Gaunt to be such seditious persons and so inclined to trouble the state of their countrie that his enimies by meanes thereof should not be able to aduise nor giue order how to resist him For of those that were wise and had been in credit with their former Princes none were called to the debating of any matter of state but persecuted and in danger of death especially the Burgundians whom they hated extremely bicause of their great authoritie in times past Moreouer the King who sawe further into these affaires than any man in his realme knew well what affection the citizens of Gaunt had euer borne to their Princes and how much they desired to see them affeebled so that they in their countrie felt no smart thereof Wherefore he thought it best to nourish their domesticall contentions and to set them further by the eares togither which was soone done for these whom he had to do with were but beasts most part of them townes men vnacquainted with those subtill practises wherein he had been trained vp and could vse for his purpose better than any man liuing The King laide hold vpon these words of the ambassadors that their Princesse would do nothing without the consent and aduise of the three estates of their countrie and answered that they were euill informed of hir pleasure and of certaine particular men about hir for he knew very perfectly that she meant to gouerne all hir affaires by the aduise of certaine particular persons who desired nothing lesse than peace and as touching them and their actions he was well assured they should be disaduowed Whereunto the ambassadors being not a little mooued as men vnacquainted with great affaires made a hot answer that they were well assured of that they said and would shew their instructions if neede so required Whereunto answer was made that they should see a letter if it so pleased the King written by parties woorthie of credit wherein the King was aduertised that the said Lady would gouerne hir affaires by fower persons onely Whereunto the others replied that they were sure of the contrarie Then the King commanded a letter to be brought foorth which the Chauncellor of Burgundie and the Lord of Himbercourt deliuered him at their last being with him at Peronne The said letter was written partly with the yoong Ladies owne hand partly by the Dowager of Burgundie Duke Charles his widow and sister to King Edward of England and partly by the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues and the said yoong Ladies neerest kinsman so that it was written with three seuerall hands but signed with the name of the yoong Lady alone for the other twaine set to their hands onely to giue it the greater credit The contents of the letter were to desire the King to giue credit to those things whereof the Chauncellor and Himbercourt should aduertise him And further it was therein signified vnto him that she was resolued to gouerne all hir affaires by fower persons namely the Dowager hir mother in law the Lord of Rauastain the aboue named Chauncellor and Himbercourt by whom onely and none others she humbly besought him to negotiate with hir bicause vpon them she would repose the whole gouernment of hir affaires When these citizens of Gaunt and the other ambassadors had seene this letter it heated them throughly and I warrant you those that negotiated with them failed not to blowe the fire In the end the letter was deliuered them and no other dispatch of importance had they neither passed they greatly of any other for they thought onely vpon their domesticall diuisions and how to make a new world neuer looking further into this busines notwithstanding that the losse of Arras ought to haue greeued them much more than this letter but they were townes men as I said before vnacquainted with these affaires They returned straight to Gaunt where they found their Princesse accompanied with the Duke of Cleues hir neerest kinsman and of hir blood by his mother 1 he was an ancient man brought vp continually in
towne of Gaunt namely for a sute in law which of late the said towne had obtained by their sentence pronounced by the said Chauncellor against a particular man whom they had in sute But of all this matter of briberie they acquited themselues very honorably and as concerning that particular point where they of Gaunt charged them that they had sold iustice and taken monie of them to pronounce sentence on their behalfe they answered that the towne of Gaunt obtained their sute bicause their cause was good and as touching the monie they tooke they neuer demanded it nor caused it to be demanded but receiued it being offered The second point was that during the time they were with the late Duke Charles their Master and also being his lieutenants in his absence they had done diuers things against the priuileges and state of their towne and that whosoeuer doth against the priuileges of Gaunt ought to die But this point touched them no whit for they were neither their subiects nor citizens neither able to infringe their priuileges and if the Duke or his father tooke any of their priuileges from them they did it by the treatie made betweene them after their long wars and diuisions but the others that were left them being more than was requisite for their profit were neuer broken but kept and obserued Well notwithstanding the answers these two notable men made to these two points for of the principall matter first obiected against them no word was spoken yet the Senate of the towne condemned them to die as they stood at the barre bicause as they said they had broken their priuileges and receiued bribes after iudgement giuen vpon the matter in law aboue mentioned These two woorthie personages hearing this cruell sentence were not a little astonished and no maruell for they saw no way how to escape being in their enimies hands notwithstanding they appealed to the King and his court of Parlament trusting by this meanes to delay their death to the end their friends in the meane time might deuise some way to saue them Before their arrainment they racked them extremely against all order of law Their processe endured but sixe daies and notwithstanding their appeale after sentence pronounced they gaue them but three howers respite to confesse them and bethinke them of their soules health Which time expired they led them into their market place and set them vpon a scaffold The Ladie of Burgundie afterward Duchesse of Austrich being aduertised of their condemnation went to the townehouse to make request and supplication for their liues but perceiuing that she could do no good there she went to the market place where all the people were assembled togither in armes and there saw the two noble men aboue named standing vpon the scaffold The said Lady was in hir mourning apparell hauing nothing on hir head but a kerchiefe which was an humble and simple attire and ought of right to haue mooued them to pitie There she desired the people with weeping eies and hir haire loose about hir shoulders to haue pitie vpon these hir two seruants and to restore them vnto hir A great part of the people were willing that hir pleasure should be done and that they should not die but others would in no wise giue eare vnto hir whereupon they bent their pikes the one against the other But those that desired their death were the stronger and cried to them that stood vpon the scaffold to dispatch them immediately whereupon both their heads were striken off and in this estate returned this poore Lady to hir court sorrowfull and comfortlesse for these two were the principall persons in whom she had reposed hir whole confidence After they of Gaunt had done this exploit they remooued from about the said Lady the Lord of Rauastain and the Dowager Duke Charles widow hir mother in law bicause they had also written part of the letter aboue mentioned which Himbercourt and the Chauncellor deliuered to the King and they of Gaunt redeliuered to their Princesse after their returne as before you haue heard Further they vsurped all power and authoritie ouer this poore yoong Lady for so might she now well be called both bicause of the great dammage she had already receiued by the losse of so many notable townes irrecouerable by force considering his power in whose hands they were although by fauor friendship or composition some hope yet remained and also bicause she was in the hands of the ancient enimies and persecutors of hir house which was a great misfortune to hir Notwithstanding these citizens of Gaunt in all their publike actions haue euer shewed more grosse folly than cunning and no maruell for they that carrie credit and authoritie among them are for the most part wealthie men of occupation vnacquainted with waightie affaires and little vnderstanding what belongeth to the gouernment of a state Their cunning consisteth but in two points the one that they studie by all meanes possible how to weaken and impouerish their Prince the other that when they haue made a fault and finde the partie offended too strong for them they craue pardon with greater humilitie and buie peace with larger gifts than any people in the world yea and know what instruments to worke by and what persons to labour for obtaining of peace better than any towne that euer I knew After they of Gaunt had taken by force the gouernment of their Princesse put the two aboue mentioned to death and remooued from about hir those that misliked them they began euery where to place and displace officers at their pleasure and to banish and spoile all those that had best serued this house of Burgundy not regarding their good or euill desert but aboue all other men they hated the Burgundians especially so far foorth that they banished them all and trauelled to make them the Kings seruants and subiects as much as the King himselfe did who sollicited them thereunto by faire words wise perswasions large gifts and promises and sought also to constraine them by great force which he had in their countrey Moreouer these men of Gaunt meaning to begin their gouernment with some case of noueltie tooke out of prison as alreadie is mentioned the Duke of Gueldres who of long time by Duke Charles his commandement had been held prisoner for the causes aboue rehearsed and him they made generall of an army which they among themselues namely the townes of Bruges Gaunt and Ypre leuied and sent to Tournay to set fire on the subburbes thereof which was little for their Princesse profit For 200. soldiers sent in time to Arras or ten thousand franks to haue entertained men to put into it when the siege came before it would haue done both hir and them much more seruice than ten such armies as this For this army could do no good but fire a fewe houses in a place whereof the King made small account for he leuied neither taskes nor subsidies there but
their wit was not able to reach thus far After the Duke of Gueldres was come before Tournay with this armie being to the number of twelue or fifteene thousand men verie well paid by the townes aboue-mentioned he set fire on the suburbs But within the towne were three or fower hundred men of armes which sallied out and charged his men on the backe as they retired incontinent put them to flight But the D. himselfe being a valiant Prince turned against his enimies meaning to maintaine the skirmish to the end his men might haue leasure to retire but being euil followed he was ouerthrowne and slaine and a good number also of this people yet was the Kings force that did this exploit verie small The Flemmings armie retired with this losse for there was but one band of them defeated The Ladie of Burgundy as I haue heard and hir friends reioised much at this newes for the brute ran for a certaintie that they of Gaunt were determined to compell hir by force to marrie this Duke of Gueldres which willingly she would neuer haue done for diuers reasons aboue rehearsed The Notes 1 VVith the letter the King had also vttered the message that the Chauncellor and Himâ—â—rcourt brought vvhich vvas to treat of a mariage betweene the Daulphin and this Lady which also they offered the King to further and this vvas the cause vvhy the Duke of Cleues became Himbercourts enimie 2 The causes of the Chauncellors and Himbercourts death read in Berlandus fol. 69. A discourse vpon this point that wars and diuisions are permitted of God for the chastisment of Princes and euill people with diuers good reasons and examples for the instruction of Princes which happened in the authors time Chap. 18. I Cannot imagine for what cause God hath so long preserued this towne of Gaunt the fountaine of so many mischiefes and of so small importance for the benefit of the countrey where it is situate For it yeeldeth no commoditie to the common wealth much lesse to the Prince neither is it comparable to Bruges which is a place where there is greater trafficke of merchandise and resort of strangers in my opinion than in any towne in Europe so that the destruction thereof should be an irrecouerable losse But it seemeth that God hath created nothing in this world neither man nor beast without an enimie to hold it in feare and humilitie and for that purpose serueth this towne of Gaunt very well 1 For there is no countrie in Christendome more inclined to all wanton pleasures pomps and delicacies than this countrie of Flaunders notwithstanding they are good Christians there and serue and honor God well But it is not this nation onely to whom God hath giuen as it were a continuall pricke to put them in minde of their dutie For to Fraunce he hath giuen the English men for enimies to the English men the Scots to the realme of Spaine Portugale I will not say Granado for they are enimies of the faith notwithstanding hitherto the said countrie of Granado hath much troubled and endammaged the realme of Castile Against the Princes of Italie the greatest part of the which hold their lands by no title vnles it be giuen them in heauen whereof we can but diuine and who rule cruelly and violently ouer their subiects by extreme exactions and leuies of monie God hath raised vp the free states of the said countrie namely Venice Florence Genua and somtime Bononia Senes Pisa Luques and others which in diuers points are contrarie to the Princes and the Princes to them each of them hauing an eie vpon other that none grow too great But to speake more particularly of the state of Italie against the house of Arragon God hath raised the house of Aniou against the Sforces which vsurpe the place of the Vicounts in the Duchie of Milan the house of Orleans against the Venetians the Princes of Italie as before I haue said and besides them the Florentines against the Florentines their neighbors of Senes Pisa and the Genuois and against the said Genuois their owne euill gouernment and want of faith each to other which is so vniuersally knowen that euery man can tell thereof for their factions are in league the one against the other as appeereth by the Fourgouze 2 Adorni d'Orie and others Now to speake of Almaine you haue alwaies the house of Austriche and Bauiere at variance and particularly them of Bauiere diuided among themselues In like maner the house of Austriche hath particularly opposite to it the Swissers the beginning of which their variance arose but about a little village called Swisse 3 vnable to arme sixe hundred men whereof the other Swissers beare their name who are now so increased that two of the Duke of Austriches best towns namely Zurich and Fribourg be of their cantons Moreouer they haue obtained great victories and slaine of the Dukes of Austrich in the field 4 Diuers other quarrels also there are in Almaine as the Duke of Cleues against the Duke of Gueldres the Dukes of Gueldres against the Dukes of Iulliers the Easterlings who inhabite so far northward against the Kings of Denmarke And to speake generally of Almaine there are so many strong places there so many men inclined to mischiefe to spoile to rob and that vse force violence one against another vpon small occasions that it is woonder to see for a man that is able to maintaine but himselfe and his seruant will proclaime war against a great citie or a Duke that vnder colour thereof he may the better rob and spoile for he will haue some small castell situate vpon a rocke to retire into where he entertaineth twentie or thirtie horsemen which run downe to rob and spoile the countrie at his commandement These men are very seldome punished by the Princes of Almaine bicause they vse their helpe when they neede their seruice but the townes if they take any of them punish them cruelly and often besiege and destroy their castels Further the said townes haue soldiers alwaies in pay for their defence Wherefore it seemeth that these Princes and townes of Almaine are preserued the one to force the other to that is right and good And it is necessarie that such diuisions should be not onely there but through the whole world I haue hitherto spoken but of Europe for I am not well informed of Asia and Affrike yet we heare that they are diuided and make war one vpon another as we do yea after a much beastlier sort For I know in this part of Afrike bordering vpon vs diuers places where they sell one another to the Christians as also well appeereth by the Portugales who haue bought and daily do buie of them manie slaues But I doubt how well we may vpbraid this to the Sarracens sith in some part of Christendome they do the like notwithstanding those countries are either vnder the Turks dominion or next neighbors to him as for example some
part of Greece It seemeth then that such diuisions are requisite through the whole world and that these pricks and stings before spoken of which God hath giuen euery estate and in a maner euery particular person are necessarie And surely for mine owne opinion speaking as a man vnlearned and one that will maintaine no opinion not to be maintained I thinke they are necessarie indeed especially bicause of the beastlines of some Princes and the wickednes of othersome who hauing wit and experience sufficient do notwithstanding abuse it For a Prince or any other man of what estate or condition soeuer he be hauing power and authoritie where he dwelleth ouer the rest if he be learned haue seen and read much is thereby either much amended or empaired for much learning maketh the euill woorse and bettereth the good 5 Notwithstanding it is to be presumed that learning rather amendeth a man than empaireth him for if men be but ashamed of themselues when they know they do euill it sufficeth either to keepe them altogither from doing euill 6 or at the least from doing so much euill as otherwise they would For although they be not good indeed yet shame wil cause thē to make a shew of goodnes wherof I haue seen diuers examples of great personages whom learning oftentimes hath withdrawen from doing euil ioined with the fear of Gods punishments wherof they haue more vnderstanding than ignorant men which neuer sawe nor read any thing Wherfore those Princes that know not themselues but lacke wit either bicause they haue been euill brought vp or bicause nature hath graffed follie in them can neuer vnderstand how far the power and authoritie extendeth that God hath giuen them ouer their subiects For they neuer read it themselues neither are informed by them that know it nay few that vnderstand it are admitted to their presence and if some one be yet dare he not instruct them in it for feare of displeasure or if happily at any time he put them in minde thereof no man will abide him at the least he shall be accounted but a foole paraduenture also it may be taken in euill part and so turne him to displeasure But to proceede it is manifest that neither naturall reason neither knowledge neither feare of God neither loue towards our neighbor is sufficient to keepe vs from vsing violence against others from withholding other mens goods nor from rauishing by all meanes possible that which appartaineth to others For if great Princes withhold townes and castels from their kinsfolkes or neighbors none of these reasons can mooue them to restore them and after they haue giuen foorth some colour or forged some pretence to withhold them all their subiects commend their proceedings at the least such as are neere about them and hunt after their fauor Of meane persons that be at variance I speake not for they haue a superior who somtimes doth iustice to the parties at the least he that hath a good cause and followeth it earnestly and defendeth it stoutly and spendeth frankly shall in processe of time haue right vnlesse the Court that is to say the Princes authoritie vnder whom he liueth be against him Wherefore it appeereth most manifestly that God is constrained and forced as it were of necessitie to shew many examples among vs and to beate vs with many rods bicause of our negligence or rather wickednes but in Princes especially negligence and ignorance is very dangerous and much to be lamented bicause the good or euill gouernment of their Seniories dependeth wholy vpon them For if a Prince being mighty and hauing a number of soldiers in ordinarie by whose meanes he leuieth great sums of money at his pleasure as well to pay them as to spend in all kinde of wantonnes not necessary will diminish none of this foolish and excessiue expences further if all men seeke to flatter him and no man dare shewe him what is good either for feare of displeasure or bicause he knoweth it will not preuaile who can redresse this inconuenience but God alone True it is that God talketh not to men now as in times past neither are there Prophets now a daies by whose mouth he speaketh but his word is dispersed through the whole world and well inough knowne to all those that will vnderstand and know it so that no man can excuse himselfe by ignorance at the least none that haue had space and time to liue are indued with natural wit How shall those Princes then escape that gouerne their Seniories after such sort that by force they leuy what they list and by tyrannie maintaine their authoritie and hold their subiects in so great thraldome that the least commandement they giue toucheth life Some punish vnder colour of iustice and haue lawyers euer at hand ready in all points to execute their commandements and to make a deadly sinne of a veniall If they haue not matter inough against a man they finde meanes to delay the hearing of the cause or the taking of the depositions to hold the partie still in prison or to vndoo him by charges waiting continually if any man will come to accuse him that is thus held in prison and to whom they wish euill If this way be not colourable inough nor speedy inough for their purpose they deuise other readier waies alleaging that it was necessarie to do thus and thus for examples sake and make the case as hainous as pleaseth them with others that hold of them and be of some power they go more plainly to worke saying thou dost against thine allegeance thou owest me thou disobeiest me and so proceede by force to take from him that is his if they can if they do not it is no thanke to them causing him to liue in great trouble and vnquietnes Their neighbors that be strong and mighty they meddle not with but if any be weake he can rest no where for them for either they say that he hath aided their enimies or they make their men of armes to liue in his countries or buie quarrels to haue colour to assault him or finde some occasion to destroy him by aiding his neighbor against him and lending him forces to inuade him Such of their subiects as haue beene in authoritie and serued well their predecessors they put out of office bicause they liue too long and place newe men in their roomes The Church men they encomber and trouble about their benefices to the ende they may thereby wring some thing from them to enrich some one of their darlings at the sute eftsoones of those that haue not deserued it and at the request of such men and women as at times can preuaile much with them The nobilitie they hold in continuall trauell and charge vnder colour of their wilfull wars which they take in hand without the counsell or aduise of their estates and of such as they ought to make priuie thereunto before they attempt them for these they be that
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
that happened in Britaine betweene the Duke and his Nobles and of Peter Landois death Chap. 3. ABout the same time or somewhat before that the mad tumult aboue mentioned happened in Fraunce a like stur chanced also in Britaine though not with the like euent the seedes of the which were priuily sowen in the life of Levvis the 11. but sprang not vp for feare of forren war with the which the saide King Lewis continually threatened the Britaines till after his death But then all forren feare which had hitherto preserued their peace being remooued the fire flamed out which vpon this occasion was first kindled Chauuin Chauncellor of Britaine a very woorthy man died miserably in pâ—ison in the castell of L'hermite where the Duke had imprisoned him at the request of his Treasurer Peter Landois a hosiers sonne of Touars who after the said Chauuins death wholy possessed the Duke But the nobilitie namely the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux who were then at Nantes and hated this Landois as author of the others death conspired togither to his destruction for the executing of which their purpose they watched a time when they thought to surprise him either in the castell of Nantes with the Duke or in a house of his owne called Pabotiere a mile from the towne Wherefore they diuided their companie and part they sent to besiege the said house and with the rest entred into the castell and to the end he should by no meanes escape they shut vp the castell gates they searched euery corner of the castell yea they rushed into the Dukes chamber supposing that the saide Landois might happily haue retired himselfe thither in hope to make the D. presence the buckler of his defence But he being a mile from Nantes in his own house aboue mentioned escaped at a backe gate before the house was thoroughly beset and so saued himselfe But presently a great vprore began in the towne for one of the Dukes seruants at the noble mens first entrie into the castell being let downe the castell wall by a rope made a great outcrie in the towne aggrauating the hainousnes of the fact and affirming that the castell was forced the Duke assaulted and his life in great danger vnles he were speedily succoured The citizens ignorant that this attempt was made onely for the surprising of Peter Landois armed themselues and ran to the castell threatning all the nobilitie with death of whom not one durst shew himselfe vpon the wall to speake to the furious multitude bicause the people had planted shot against the castell meaning to spare no man so soone as he should appeere but the Duke alone The Duke being in the hands of his nobles shewed himselfe vnto his people who presently kneeled downe before him congratulating with him for his safetie and so the tumult ceased But the nobilitie for this bold attempt were banished though their liues were pardoned who presently retired themselues into Fraunce to King Charles as before you haue heard Then Peter recouered his former credit with the Duke and caused him to write to the Duke of Orleans his cosin germaine that it would please him to come to him into Britaine which the Duke of Orleans did by the perswasion of the Earle of Dunois who sought to diuorce him from the Kings sister and to marrie him with Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and heire which also happened after the said Duke of Orleans was King though it were not now accomplished The Duke of Orleans accompanied with the Duke of Alençon arriued at Nantes in the moneth of Aprill after this tumult being the yeere 1484. where they were honorably receiued of the Duke of Britaine who complained to them of the outrage done vnto him by the Prince of Orenge and the Marshall of Rieux for the reuenge whereof he desired their aide which they promised him in generall termes and then departed to go to Reimes to the coronation of King Charles After the which the Duke of Orleans fell at variance with the King and yet in the end peace was concluded betweene them in the yeere 1485. as before you haue heard Then Peter Landois seeing the Duke his Master in league with the Duke of Orleans This hapned 1485. and the said Duke of Orleans and his faction in peace with the King determined to be reuenged of his enimies wherefore the Duke of Britaine by his perswasion made an edict that all the noble mens houses that had beene of the conspiracie aboue mentioned should be rased For the execution whereof an armie was leuied in the Dukes name to rase Ancenix where the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges then remained who being aduertised therof by the aide of their friends and of the banished Barons that were returned out of exile to defend their patrimonies leuied likewise an armie to withstand Landois attempts but when those two armies were come the one in face of the other the remembrance and loue to their common countrie altered their mindes in such sort that they disarmed themselues and each imbraced other as friends Then went the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Comminges to the Duke and recouered his fauour and the gouernment by meanes whereof all the storme fell vpon Peter Landois alone whom when the nobles knew to be within the castell with one consent they went thither being fully resolued to seize vpon him though he were in the Dukes armes Then one whom both the nobilitie and commons had by common consent chosen their new Chauncellor by their constraint spake to the Duke and aduertised him that without the deliuerie of Peter the tumult could not be appeased against whom they would proceede onely by order of lawe without executing any thing vpon him before his cause were heard and throughly examined Thus was he yeelded into their hands and presently imprisoned and for fashions sake examined many hainous crimes were obiected against him To conclude he was condemned and hanged before the Duke knew his cause to be tried who was purposed to haue granted him his pardon howsoeuer law proceeded against him for the preuenting whereof the execution was hastened But this fact of the nobilitie which the Duke accounted as a most hainous iniurie done to himselfe made them ten times more odious to the Duke than they were before The Duke created a new Chauncellor and to make head against his nobles receiued very curteously the Duke of Orleans who about this present fled to him out of Fraunce with a great company of his partakers which when the said nobles of Britaine sawe they were greatly astonied and fled for feare the second time into Fraunce where the King meaning to make war vpon the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans being fled from him welcommed them and entred into league with them as in the end of the last chapter you haue heard The report went that the Duke of Orleans had a plot in his head
footemen and money or in time to retire homeward before his enimies were all assembled leauing the principall places well manned I aduertised also the D. of Orleans who lay in Ast with his houshold seruants onely for his companie was with the King of all that was done willing him to put men into the towne and assuring him that they would incontinent assaile him I wrote also to the Duke of Bourbon whom the King had left regent in Fraunce to send men to Ast with all speede possible to defend the towne bicause that place being lost no aide could come to the King In like maner I aduertised the Marchionesse of Montferrat of all these proceedings who was a great friend to vs and deadly enimy to the Duke of Milan to the end she might aide the Duke of Orleans with men if neede so required for Ast being lost the Marquisats of Montferrat and Saluces were also lost Their league was concluded one night very late 25 The next morning the Seniorie sent for me earlier then they were accustomed And when I was come and set downe the Duke told me that in the honor of the holy Trinitie there was a league concluded betweene our holy father the Pope the Kings of Romaines and Castile them and the Duke of Milan for three purposes The first for the defence of the estate of Christendome against the Turke the second for the defence of Italy and the third for the preseruation of their own estates whereof he willed me to aduertise the King They were assembled to the number of a hundred or more and looked vp with cheerfull countenances and sate not as they did the day they aduertised me of the taking of the castle of Naples The Duke tolde me moreouer that they had written to their ambassadors that were with the King to take their leaue and to returne home their names were Master Dominic Loredan and Master Dominic Treuisan I was maruellously troubled with this newes for I stood in doubt both of the Kings person and of all his companie supposing their armie to haue been readier than in deed it was as did themselues also I feared further least the Almaines had been at hand and not without cause for if they had vndoubtedly the King had neuer departed out of Italy I was resolued not to speake much in this heate but they so prouoked me that I was forced to change my minde and then I said vnto them that both the night before and diuers other times I had aduertised the King of their league and that he also had sent me word that he had intelligence thereof both from Rome and from Milan They looked all maruellous strangely vpon me when I said that I had aduertised the King thereof the night before for there is no nation vnder the sunne so suspicious as they nor so secret in their affaires so that oftentimes they banish men vpon suspicion onely for the which cause I said thus much vnto them I told them moreouer that I had sent word thereof both to the Duke of Orleans and to the Duke of Bourbon to the end they might put men into Ast which words I vttered hoping to delay their going thither For if they had indeed been as ready as they vaunted and supposed themselues to haue been they must needs haue taken the towne for it was vnmanned both then and long after Then they told me that they meant not to attempt ought against the King but onely to defend themselues adding that they would not haue him thus to abuse the world with words in saying that he would nothing but the realme of Naples and afterward go against the Turk and yet do cleane contrary and seeke to destroy the Duke of Milan and the Florentines and hold also the places of the Church Wherunto I answered that the Kings of Fraunce had euer inlarged augmented the dition of the church and defended it and that the King my Master would rather do the like than the contrarie Wherfore these I said were not the reasons that mooued them to enter into this war but that they desired to trouble the estate of Italy thereby to make their owne profit as in the end I thought they would which words they tooke in euill part as afterward I was aduertised notwithstanding it appeereth by those townes in Pouile which they haue in gage of King Ferrand to aide him against vs that I said true At this instant I would haue risen to depart but they caused me to sit downe again and then the Duke asked me if I would make any ouerture of peace bicause the day before I had offered so to do but that was vnder condition that they should haue staid the conclusion of their league fifteene daies to the end I might aduertise the King thereof and receiue his answer thereunto Our communication being ended I returned to my lodging then they sent for the ambassadors of the league one after another and as I came foorth from them I met with the ambassador of Naples who ware a faire new gowne and shewed a cheerefull countenance so had he great cause to do for these were good newes for him After dinner all the ambassadors of the league accompanied with their seruants met togither at the charges of the Seniory vpon the water which is all the pastime of Venice I thinke they were in all fortie boates euery ambassador hauing his boate garnished with a flagge of his Masters armes I saw all this company passe vnderneath my window with goodly melodie And the ambassadors of Milan at the least one of them who had been woont verie often before to beare me companie made a countenance now as though he knew me no more By the space of three daies I neuer stirred out of my lodging neither any of my seruants notwithstanding that not one man in the towne gaue me or any of mine a foule word at any time The same night they made great pastime with squibs which were set on fire a high in the steeples and turrets of the towne and a number of torches were lighted in the top of these ambassadors houses and diuers peeces of artillery discharged I was in a couered barge vpon the water to behold all this triumph about ten of the clocke at night especially before these ambassadors lodgings where was banketting and great cheere notwithstanding this was not the greate festiuall day on the which their league was proclaimed for the Pope had giuen commandement that the proclamation thereof should be deferred till Palm-sunday and that euery one of the confederated Princes when it should be proclaimed and the ambassadors that should be present thereat should beare in their hands an oliue branch in token of peace and confederacie as he said He commanded further that vpon that day it should be proclaimed both in Spaine and in Almaine Moreouer at Venice they made a scaffold of wood which they raised a great height from the ground as they
to offend him but to defend themselues adding further that they aduertised me the day I departed from Padua by one of their prouisors who came with their army that they sent against vs that their force should not passe a certaine riuer in their dominions neere to Parma 4 called as I remember Olye vnlesse he inuaded the Duke of Milan The said Prouisor and I gaue secret tokens each to other by the which messengers might passe to and fro betweene vs if need should so require to treat of some good end for I would breake off no ouuerture of peace bicause I knew not what might happen to the King my Master At this our communication was present one Master Lewis Marcell who by the seniories appointment accompained me out of their dominions and gouerned for that yeere the Motz viere 5 which is a certaine treasure they haue in like maner certaine of the Marques of Mantuas men who caried money to their Master were also present at it but they heard not our talk From these or frō som others I brought the K. in writing the number of their horsemen footmen and Estradiots 6 and the names of their captaines but few of those that were neerest about him credited my words After the King had reposed himselfe two daies at Sene and well refreshed his horses and his company I earnestly pressed him to depart for his enimies were not yet assembled and I feared onely the Almaines arriuall of whom the King of Romaines mustered great force and leuied great summes of money for their paiement But notwithstanding all my solicitation the King put foorth two matters to his councell which were soone debated the one whether he should restore the Florentines places to them and accept the offers they made for the restitution of them being these to pay him the thirtie thousand ducats remaining yet vnpaide of the summe they gaue him 7 to lend him besides seauen tie thousand and to serue him as he passed out of Italie with three hundred men of armes and two thousand footemen vnder the leading of Master Frauncis Secco a valiant knight and in good credit with the King My selfe and diuers others were of opinion that he should accept these conditions retaining onely Ligorne in his hands till his returne to Ast And if he had so done he might haue paied his soldiers and reserued money ynough to haue withdrawen part of his enimies forces and then haue fought with them But this resolution tooke no place for Monseur de Ligny a yoong man cosin german to the King ouerthrew it not alleaging any reason to the contrarie but onely for pitie of the Pisans The other point debated was a matter that Monseur de Ligny himselfe caused to be propounded by Gaucher of Tinteuille by one of the factions of the Senois the which desired the said Monseur de Ligny for their captain For you shall vnderstand that these Senois are euer in diuision and gouerne their common wealth more fondly than anie other towne in Italie 8 I being first asked mine aduise said that I thought it best for the King to march forward not to busie himself with these foolish offers which could not stand him in steed one week to an end alleaging further that bicause this was an imperiall towne we should by this meanes prouoke the whole Empire against vs. All the rest were of the same opinion yet was the cleane contrarie done for the Senois receiued Monseur de Ligny for their Captaine and promised him yeerely a certaine summe of money whereof he neuer receiued peny This foolish matter staied the King there sixe or seauen daies during the which space he solaced himselfe with the Dames Further he left there three hundred of his men diminishing his force by so much and then remooued to Pisa passing by Poggibonzia a castle of the Florentines But they whom he left at Sene were chased thence within a moneth after I had forgotten to tell you how I being at Florence iourneying towards the King went with one of the stewards of his house named Iohn Francois a wise and discreet person to visite a Frier Iacobin called Frier Hieronime 9 a man of holie life as all men reported abiding in a reformed couent where he had remained fifteen yeeres The cause why I went to commune with him was for that he had euer preached very fauorablie on the Kings behalfe so far foorth that his words had staide the Florentines from reuolting from vs for neuer preacher caried so great credit in any citie he had euer assured them of the Kings comming whatsoeuer was said or written to the contrarie affirming that he was sent of God to chastice the tyrants of Italie and that no force should be able to withstand him He preached further that the King should come to Pisa and enter into the towne and that the selfe same daie the estate of Florence should be altered as also it happened for the same daie was Peter of Medicis banished the towne Diuers other things also foretold he long before they happened namely the death of Laurence of Medicis all the which he saide he vnderstood by reuelation He preached yet further that the estate of the church should be reformed by the sword This is not yet come to passe but was very neer and he auoweth still that it shall be Many found great fault with him bicause he saide that God reuealed these things to him but some beleeued him sure I for my part take him for a holie man I asked him whether the K. should passe out of Italie without danger of his person seeing the great preparatiō the Venetiās made against him whereof he discoursed perfectlier than my selfe that came from thence He answered me that the K. should haue som troble vpon the way but that the honor therof should be his though he were accompanied but with an hundred men and that God who had guided him at his comming would also protect him at his returne Adding notwithstanding that bicause he had not done his dutie in the reformation of the Church but had suffered his men to spoile and rob the people as well those that tooke his part voluntarily receiued him into their cities as his enimies God had pronounced sentence against him and would shortly scourge him Neuerthelesse he bad me tell him that if he would haue compassion one the poore people and endeuour himselfe to keepe his men from doing euill and punish the offenders as he was bound by his office to do that then God would reuoke his sentence at the least mittigate it adding thereunto that he ought not to thinke it a sufficient excuse that he in his owne person did no harme He said moreouer that himselfe would go and tel the King thus much and so indeed he did and perswaded with him to restore the Florentines places to them When he spake thus of Gods sentence the death of my Lord the Daulphin came suddenly to my minde for
had neuer chanced All the which inconueniences hapned bicause the King dispatched nothing himselfe neither would giue the messengers audience that came from them And as touching his seruants to whom he committed the gouernment of his affaires they were men of small experience idle and negligent and some of them I thinke had intelligence with the Pope whereby it manifestly appeered that God had now altogither withdrawen his grace from the King which at his going to Naples he had poured down so plentifully vpon him After the King had soiourned at Lyons about two monethes word was brought him that the Daulphin his sonne lay at the point of death and within three daies after that he was dead which newes he tooke heauily as nature would notwithstanding his sorrow soone ended But the Queene of Fraunce and Duchesse of Britaine called Anne lamented the death of hir sonne and that a long time as much as was possible for a woman to do And I thinke verily that besides the naturall griefe that women vse to conceiue in such cases hir minde gaue hir that some greater euill hung ouer hir head The King hir husband as I haue said mourned not long but sought to comfort hir by causing certaine yoong gentlemen to daunce before hir of the which the Duke of Orleans was one being of the age of fower and thirty yeeres who seemed to reioice at the Daulphins death bicause he was heire apparant to the crowne next after the King for the which cause the K. and he saw not one another in a long time after The Daulphin was about three yeeres olde a goodly childe bold in speech and no whit fearing those things that commonly children vse to feare Wherefore to be plaine with you his fathers sorrow soone ended for he began already to doubt if this childe grew to yeeres and continued in his noble conditions that happily he might diminish his estimation and authoritie for the King himselfe was a man of very small stature and no great sense but of so good a nature that it was impossible to finde a gentler creature Heerby you may perceiue in how miserable estate Kings and Princes liue who stand in feare of their owne children King Lewis the eleuenth who was so wise and vertuous a Prince stood in feare of this King Charles his sonne but he prouided well for it and afterward died leauing his said sonne King being but fowerteene yeeres of age The said King Lewis also had put King Charles the seuen his father in feare of him for being but thirteene yeeres of age he mooued war against him with certaine noble men and gentlemen of the realme that misliked those that bare the sway in Court gouerned the estate as K. Lewis himselfe hath eftsoones told me but this broile soone ended Afterward also being come to mans estate he fell at great variance with his father and retired himselfe into Daulphine and from thence into Flaunders leauing the countrie of Daulphin to the said King his father as I haue made mention about the beginning of this historie written of King Lewis the 11. Wherefore it is manifest that no creature is exempt from trouble but that all men eate their bread in trauell and sorrow as God promised vs that we should soone after he had created man the which promise he hath truly performed to all sorts of men But great diuersitie there is of troubles and sorrowes for those of the bodie are the lesse and those of the minde the greater the sorrowes of wise men are of one sort and the sorrowes of fooles of another but much greater griefe and passion endureth the foole than the wise man and lesse comfort receiueth he in his sorrowes though many suppose otherwise The poore man that trauelleth and toileth his body to get foode to sustaine himselfe and his children and paieth customs and subsidies to his Prince should liue in too great descomfort and despaire if Princes and great men had nothing but pleasure in this world and he nothing on the contrarie side but trauell and miserie But God hath otherwise disposed thereof for if I should take vpon me to rehearse the sundrie griefes sorrowes and passions that I haue seene diuers great personages sustaine as well men as women within these thirty yeeres onely a great volume would hardly containe them I meane not such great persosonages as Bocace writeth of in his booke 1 but such as we see abound with wealth liue in health and prosperitie yea such as those that haue not beene conuersant with them as I haue been would account in all respects happie bâ—â— I haue often sâ—â—ne their sorrowes and griefes arise of so small occasions that they that were vnacquainted with them would hardly beleeue it the most part being grounded vpon ielousies and reports which is a disease that lurketh secretly in great Princes Courts and traineth with it infinite mischiefs both to their owne persons their seruants and all their subiects and so much shorteneth their liues that hardly any King of Fraunce since Charles the great hath passed the age of sixtie yeeres For the which cause when King Lewis the eleuenth approched neere to that age being sicke of this disease he accounted himselfe a dead man His father King Charles the seuenth who had done so many noble acts in Fraunce conceiued an imagination in his sicknes that his seruants went about to poison him and therefore refused to receiue sustenance Likewise his father King Charles the sixt was troubled with so many suspicions that he lost his wits and all by reports And sure this is a fault greatly to be blamed in Princes that in these cases they cause not such matters as concerne themselues be they of neuer so small importance to be ripped vp which if they did they should not so often be troubled with false tales For if they would examine the parties the one before the other I meane the accuser and him that is accused no man durst report any thing to them that were vntrue But some Princes there are of so doltish disposition that they will promise and sweare to the accusers neuer to disclose their reports whereby they are often troubled with these anguishes before mentioned and hate and iniurie their trustiest and faithfullest seruants and subiects at the pleasure and vpon the complaint many times of lewd and naughtie persons The Notes 1 Of vnfortunate noble men How the King was aduertised of the losse of the castle of Naples and how the Florentines places were sold to diuers men of the treatie of Atelle in Pouille to the great dammage of the French and of the death of King Ferrande of Naples Chap. 14. THe Daulphin the Kings onely sonne died about the beginning of the yeere 1496. which was the greatest misfortune that euer happened or could happen to the King for he neuer had childe after that liued But this mischeife came not without company for at the very same time receiued he newes that the