and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates page 40 Chap. 15 How by the diuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy the King recouered the said Duchie which he had giuen his brother page 42 Chap. 16 How the new Duke of Normandy returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed in his enterprise page 43 The second Booke Chap. 1 Of the wars betweene the Burgundians and Liegeois and how the towne of Dinand was taken sacked and rased page 45 Chap. 2 How the Liegeois brake the peace with the Duke of Burgundie then Earle of Charalois and how he discomfited them in battell page 48 Chap. 3 How some of the Citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundy page 52 Chap. 4 How the Duke of Burgundy made his entrie into the towne of Liege and how the citizens of Gaunt where he had beene euill intreated before humbled themselues vnto him page 55 Chap. 5 How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederats and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne page 57 Chap. 6 A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and Noble men page 60 Chap. 7 How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castle of Peronne by the D. of Burgundies commandement page 62 Chap. 8 A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth page 64 Chap. 9 How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castle of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois page 67 Chap. 10 How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates page 69 Chap. 11 How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege page 71 Chap. 12 How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger page 73 Chap. 13 How the city of Liege was assaulted taken and spoiled and the Churches also page 75 Chap. 14 How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont page 77 Chap. 15 How the K. by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment page 80 The third Booke Chap. 1 How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a Purseuant of the Parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris page 82 Chap. 2 How the townes of Saint Quintin and Amiens were yeelded to the King and for what causes the Constable nourished the war between the K. and the Duke of Burgundy page 84 Chap. 3 How the Duke of Burgundy tooke Piquigni and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables griefe page 86 Chap. 4 Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy page 89 Chap. 5 How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great griefe who receiued him into his countries page 92 Chap. 6 How the Earle of Warwicke tooke out of prison King Henry of England page 96 Chap. 7 How king Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwicke and then the Prince of Wales page 99 Chap. 8 How the wars reuiued betweene king Lewis and Charles D. of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine page 101 Chap. 9 How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the king brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other page 105 Chap. 10 How the Duke of Burgundy seeing that he could not take Beaunais before the which he had laid his siege went to Roan page 108 Chap. 11 How the king made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracie that these two Princes made against him page 110 Chap. 12 A discourse very fit for this place of the wisedome of the king and the Constable with good aduertisements to such as are in credite with Princes page 114 The fourth Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundie being seazed of the Duchie of Gueldres sought to encroch further vpon the Almaines and how he laid his siege before Nuz page 116 Chap. 2 How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almaines against the Duke of Burgundie and of other enimies that the king procured the Duke page 120 Chap. 3 How the king wan from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquey the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corby and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederic to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire page 122 Chap. 4 How the Constable began to be had in suspition againe as well of the king as of the Duke of Burgundy page 124 Chap. 5 How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the king of England his confederate sent to defie king Lewis page 126 Chap. 6 Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the king of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death page 129 Chap. 7 How the king clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the king of England in his campe where he receiued a very good answere page 131 Chap. 8 How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made page 133 Chap. 9 How the king feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two kings page 136 Chap. 10 How the two kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the king of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon page 140 Chap. 11 How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the king and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundie page 143 Chap. 12 How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundy and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was
Englishmen and their ships against the Duke of Burgundies nauie which was so mighty and strong that no man durst stir in these narrow seas for feare of it making war vpon the Kings subiects both by sea land and threatening them euery where All this happened the sommer before the King surprised Saint Quintine and Amiens which was as before you haue heard in the yeere 1470. The Duke of Burgundies nauie aboue mentioned was stronger than the Kings and the Earles ioined togither For he had taken at Sluse many great ships of Spaine Portugall and Genua and diuers hulks of Almaine King Edward was a man of no great forecast but very valiant and the beautifullest Prince that liued in his time He tooke no care for the Earle of Warwicks landing as the Duke of Burgundie did who perceiuing great tumults already arising in England in the Earles fauor aduertised the King often thereof But he made small account of any danger neither seemed to feare his enimy which sure was great follie considering the great preparation he saw made For the King armed all the ships to the sea that he could get and manned them well and prouided furniture also for the English men Besides this he made a mariage betweene the Prince of Wales and the Earle of Warwickes second daughter The said Prince was onely sonne and heire to King Henry of England who liued yet prisoner in the Tower of London This was a strange mariage when the Earle had deposed and imprisoned the Princes father to cause him to mary his daughter and to entertaine also the Duke of Clarence brother to the King of the other faction who had iust cause to feare his owne estate if the house of Lancaster recouered the crowne Thus we see that such enterprises are not atchieued without dissimulation At the selfe same time that this army aboue mentioned lay in a readines to saile into England I was at Calice to entertaine the Lord of Vaucler whose dooble dealing till that very instant I neuer perceiued notwithstanding that it had now continued the space of three months But at that present I desired him bicause of the newes we heard to put all the Earle of Warwicks houshold seruants being to the number of twenty or thirty out of the towne alledging that I was sure the Kings army and the Earles were ready to depart out of Normandy where they lay and if the Earle should happen sodainly to land in England some such tumult might arise in the towne of Calice by meanes of his seruants that he should not be master thereof Wherefore I pressed him earnestly in all haste to put them out of the towne which he alwaies heertofore promised me to do but now he drew me aside saying that he would be master of the town well inough and required me to do this message to the Duke of Burgundy that if he would be a friend to the realme of England he should endeuor himselfe to make peace and not war which words he spake bicause of the nauy the Duke had on the sea against the Earle of Warwick He told me farther that peace might easily be made bicause that day a gentlewoman passed through Calice to go into Fraunce to the Duches of Clarence with certaine ouertures of peace from King Edward And he said true indeed but as he abused others euen so was he himselfe deceiued by this gentlewoman for she went about a great enterprise which also she atchieued to the preiudice of the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction Of this fine practise all other that haue been managed on this side the sea I write the more at large bicause I am well assured that no man is able to make truer report of them then my selfe at the least of those that haue hapned within these twenty yeeres The secret deliuered to this woman was to counsell the Duke of Clarence not to cause the destruction of his owne house by setting vp againe the house of Lancaster but to remember their ancient harred and diuision adding that he might well assure himselfe that the Earle of Warwick hauing maried his daughter to the Prince of Wales and already done homage to him would by all meanes possible seeke to make him King This gentlewoman so wisely executed the charge committed vnto hir that she wan the Duke of Clarence who promised to reuolt to the King his brother immediately after his returne into England Shee was a woman well aduised and of few words and bicause of hir sexe had leaue granted hir to passe to hir Meistres easilier then a man should and as craftie a foxe as this Vaucler was this woman went beyond him and was the onely contriuer of the enterprise whereby the Earle of Warwick and his whole faction were vtterly destroied wherefore it is no shame to be suspicious and to haue an eie vpon those that passe to and fro but great shame it is to be deceiued and vndone through our owne follie Notwithstanding suspicions ought to be grounded vpon some good presumption for to be too suspicious is naught You haue heard already how the Earle of Warwicks army and the Kings ships appointed to wafte him ouer were in a readines to take sea and how the Duke of Burgundies nauie being at Hancy lay prepared to fight with them But it pleased God so to dispose of this voiage that the selfe same night so great a tempest arose that the Dukes nauie was forced to seuer part wherofran vpon the cost of Scotland and part into Holland and not long after the Earle hauing a good gale of winde passed into England without all danger The Duke of Burgundie had aduertised King Edward in what part rhe Earle would land and had sent men purposely to him to sollicite him to looke to himselfe but he litle regarding the danger passed foorth the time in hunting hauing none so neere him as the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marques of Montagu the Earle of Warwicks bretheren who had promised and solemnly sworne to serue him against their brother and all others wereunto he gaue credite Immediatly after the Earles landing great forces ioyned with him wherewith the King being much abashed began then but all too late to looke about him and sent word to the Duke of Burgundy desiring him that his nauie might still keepe the Sea to stop the Earle from retiring againe into Fraunce for vpon the land he would match him well ynough which message pleased no man that heard it for it had beene much better to haue kept him from landing then to be constrained to hazard his estate in battell when he was landed Fiue or sixe daies after the Earles arriuall his power was so great that he encamped within three leagues of King Edward Notwithstanding the Kings force was greater than his if all his men had beene faithfull and true and lay also in campe to fight with him Further you shall vnderstand that the King lodged as himselfe told me in
a strong village at the least a strong house into the which no man could enter but by a draw bridge which was a happy chance for him the rest of his armie lay in other villages round about But as he sat at dinner suddenly one came running in and brought newes that the Marques of Montague the Earles brother and certaine other were mounted on horsebacke and had caused all their men to crie God saue King Henry Which message the King at the first beleeued not but in all haste sent other messengers foorth and armed himselfe and set men also at the barriers of his lodging to defend it He was accompanied with the Lord Hastings Lord Chamberlain of England a wise Knight and of the greatest authoritie about him who was maried to the Earle of Warwicks sister yet notwithstanding was true and faithfull to his Master and had three hundred horse vnder his charge in the Kings armie as himselfe told me With the King was also the Lord of Scales the Queene of Englands brother and diuers other valiant Knights and Esquires who all perceiued that this busines went not well for the messengers brought word that the report was true and that the enimies assembled to assault the King But God so prouided for the King that he lodged hard by the sea side neer a place where a little ship laden with victuals that followed his armie and two hulks of Holland fraughted with merchandise lay at anchor he had no other shift but to run to saue himselfe in one of them 1 The Lord Chamberlaine staied awhile behinde him and talked with the lieutenant of his band and diuers other particular men in the Kings armie willing them to go to the enimies but to beare true and faithfull harts to the King and him which talke ended he went aboord to the rest being ready to depart Now you shall vnderstand that the custome in England is after the victorie obtained neither to kill nor raunsome any man especially of the vulgar sort knowing all men then to be ready to obey them bicause of their good successe Wherfore these soldiers after the Kings departure receiued no harme Notwithstanding K. Edward himself told me that in albattels that he wan so soon as he had obtained victory he vsed to mount on horsebacke and cry too Saue the people and kil the nobles for of them few or none escaped Thus fled King Edward the yeere 1470. with two hulks and a little bote of his owne countrie accompanied with seuen or eight hundred persons hauing none other apparell than they ware in the wars vtterly vnfurnished of mony and hardly knowing whither they went Strange it was to see this poore King for so might he now well be called to flie after this sort pursued by his owne seruants and the rather for that he had by the space of twelue or thirteene yeeres liued in greater pleasures and delicacies than any Prince in his time for he had wholy giuen himselfe to dames hunting hawking and banketting in such sort that he vsed when he went a hunting in the sommer season to cause many pauilions to be pitched to solace himselfe there with the Ladies And to say the truth his personage serued aswel to make court as any mans that euer I knew for he was yong as goodly a gentleman as liued in our age I meane in this time of his aduersitie for afterward he grew maruellous grosse But behold now how he fel into the trobles aduersities of the world He sailed straight towards Holland and at that time the Easterlings were enimies both to the English men and the French and had many ships of war vpon the sea wherefore they were much feared of the English men and not without cause for they were very good soldiers and had done them great harme that yeere and taken many prises These Easterlings discried afar off the ships wherin the King fled and seuen or eight of them began to make saile after him but in vaine for he was far before them and fell vpon the coast of Holland or somwhat lower for he arriued in Freezland by a little towne called Alquemare 2 as neere the which as was possible his mariners cast anchor for bicause it was ebbing water they could not enter the hauen The Easterlings came in like maner and anchored hard by them minding to boord them the next tide Thus we see that one mischiefe neuer commeth without company King Edwards good successe was now cleane altered and his thoughts quite changed for not past fifteene daies before this misfortune he would little haue beleeued him that had told him that the Earle of Warwicke should chase him out of England and subdue the whole country in eleuen daies for in that smal space he brought it to due obedience Further he mocked the Duke of Burgundie for spending his treasure in defending the sea and wished that the Earle were already landed in England But what excuse could he make now for himselfe receiuing so great losse through his owne fault saue this that such a mishap was not to be doubted of which excuse a Prince growen to mans estate ought to be ashamed for it will not serue Wherefore let King Edwards example teach all Princes that thinke it shame to feare their enimies to be wise in time for notwithstanding that the greatest part of their seruants through flatterie vphold their sayings and that themselues also by such words suppose to purchase an opinion of great courage yet sure whatsoeuer is said to their face wise men account such language but meere folly for it is great honor to feare that which is to be feared and to prouide for it accordingly Further a wise man in a Princes companie is a great treasure and iewell if he may be beleeued and haue leaue to speake the truth By chance the Lord of Gruteuse the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in Holland was at that present in the place where King Edward arriued who being aduertised by certaine that the King sent to land both of his arriuall and of the danger he was in of the Easterlings gaue commandement foorthwith to the said Easterlings not to touch him and went also himselfe into the Kings ship to welcome him And thus he landed 3 being accompanied with his brother the Duke of Glocester who afterward named himselfe King Richard and a traine of fifteen hundred persons The King had not one peny about him but gaue the Master of the ship for his passage a goodly gowne furred with martins promising one day to do him a good turne and as touching his traine neuer so poore a company was seen But the Lord of Gruteuse dealt very honorably with them for he gaue much apparel among them defraied the King to La Hay in Holland whither he himselfe also waited vpon him Afterward he aduertised the Duke of Burgundie of this aduenture who was maruellously abashed at the newes and had much rather haue heard of the
Kings death for he feared the Earle of Warwicke who was his mortall enimie and bare now the whole sway in England The said Earle soone after he was landed found infinite numbers of men to take his part For the armie that King Edward left behinde him what for loue what for feare yeelded to him in such sort that euery day his forces encreased And in this estate went he to London where a great number of Knights and Esquires who afterward did King Edward good seruice tooke sanctuarie as also did the Queene his wife who was there deliuered of a sonne in very poore estate The Notes 1 The King embarked at Lyn. 2 Alquemare Meyer nameth Tessela 3 King Edward landed in Holland the 9. of October Meyer How the Earle of Warwick tooke out of prison King Henry of England Chap. 6. THe E. immediatly after his arriuall at London went foorthwith to the tower tooke K. Henry out of prison whom himselfe many yeres before had lead thither crying before him Traitor Traitor but now he called him his soueraigne Lord and conueighed him to his palace at Westminster where he sat him vnder the cloth of estate in the Duke of Clarences presence who litle liked that sight Farther he sent foorthwith three or foure hundred men to Calais to spoile and forray the countrey of Boulenois whom the Lord of Vaucler so often aboue mentioned friendly receiued and made then open declaration of the good will he had alwaies borne the Earle his Master The same day that the Duke receiued newes of the Kings arriuall in Holland I was come from Calais to Bulen where the Duke then lay vnderstanding nothing of this aduenture nor of the Kings flight The Duke was first aduertised that he was dead whereof he forced not greatly for he loued the house of Lancaster much better then the house of Yorke Besides that he had with him the Dukes of Excester and Sommerset and diuers others of King Henries faction by whose meanes he thought himselfe assured of peace with the house of Lancaster But he feared the Earle of Warwicke neither knew he how to entertaine him that was come to him 1 I meane King Edward who was his brother in lawe and of the same order for the King ware the golden Fleese and the Duke the Garter The Duke foorthwith sent me backe againe to Calais accompanied with a gentleman or two of this newe King Henries faction and gaue me instructions how to deale with this new world pressing me earnestly to go bicause it stood him vpon to be well serued in this busines I went as far as Tournehan a castell neere to Guiens and further durst not passe bicause I found the people flying for feare of the English men who were abroad and spoiled all the countrey But I sent foorthwith to the Lord of Vaucler desiring a safe conduct for before I was accustomed to go without any and was alwaies honorably receiued for the English men are verie curteous and honorable in their entertainment Al this seemed strange to me for I neuer had seen such sudden alterations in the world I aduertised the Duke the same night of the danger I should be in if I passed further making no mention of the safe conduct I had sent for bicause I doubted what answer I should receiue thereof The Duke sent me a ring from his finger bidding me go forward and if I were taken prisoner he would redeeme me for he cared not greatly to endanger one of his seruants at his neede But I had prouided well for my selfe for I receiued a safe conduct with very curteous letters from the Lord of Vaucler Wherein he sent me word that I might go and come after my woonted maner Whereupon I went to Guisnes and founde the captaine at the castell gate who offred me a cup of wine without that he led me into the castel as he was accustomed but he feasted and entertained honorably these gentlemen of King Henries faction that accompanied me From thence I went to Calais where no man came foorth to receiue me after their woonted sort but al men ware the Earle of Warwicks liuery Further vpon the gate of my lodging they made aboue an hundred white crosses and rimes signifying that the King of Fraunce and the Earle of Warwick were all one all the which seemed strange to me Soone after my comming to Calais I sent to Graueling being but fiue leagues thence commanding all English merchants and merchandises to be staied bicause the Englishmen had so spoiled the countrey The Lord of Vaucler sent for me to diner being well accompanied and wearing on his cap a white ragged staffe of gold enamiled 2 being the Earles cognisance which all the rest that were with him ware likewise and he that could not haue it of gold had if of cloth It was told me there at diner that within lesse than a quarter of an hower after these newes came out of England euery man ware the said cognisance so speedy and sudden was the change This was the first time that I began to consider how vnstable and vncertaine all worldly things are The said Vaucler gaue me very curteous language and made certaine excuses in the Earle his captaines behalfe rehearsing also what great benefits he had receiued at his hands But as touching the rest that were with him I neuer saw men so far out of frame for those that I tooke to haue bin the Kings trustiest seruants were they that most threatned him some I thinke for feare but others in good earnest Those household seruants of the Earles whom I had required the Lord of Vaucler heeretofore to put out of the towne were now in great credit Notwithstanding they neuer vnderstood that I had mooued the said Vaucler to any such purpose In all communication that passed betweene them and me I euer told them that King Edvvard was dead wherof I said I was well assured notwithstanding that I knew the contrary adding further that though it were not so yet was the league betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the King and realme of England such that this accident could not infringe it for we would account him King whom they did I said moreouer that bicause of the alterations that had hapned in times past these words VVith the King and the Realme were inserted into the league for performance also whereof fower of the best townes in England were in pledge to the Duke The merchants required in any wise to haue me staied bicause their goods were taken at Grauelin by my commandement as they said In the end peace was thus concluded between them me that they should pay for al the cattell they had taken or restore it again for by agreement betweene the house of Burgundy them they might go into certain pastures thereabout and take cattel for the prouision of the towne at a price which they now paide and prisoners they had taken none Thus it was agreed that the
put from the crowne vnder colour of adulterie committed by hir mother But the matter ended not without great contention and war for the King of Portugale tooke part with his neece and diuers great Lords of Castile ioined with him yet notwithstanding the said Dom Henries sister wife to the son of Dom Iohn King of Arragon obtained the crowne and possesseth it yet at this day and thus this partage was made in heauen as diuers others are Further you haue seene of late daies the King of Scotland and his sonne being thirteene yeeres of age in battell the one against the other the sonne and his faction preuailed and the King was slaine vpon the place 13 This King murthered his owne brother and was charged with diuers other crimes namely the death of his sister and such like You see also the Duchy of Gueldres out of the right line and haue heard what impietie the Duke last deceased vsed against his father Diuers other examples I could rehearse which should manifestly appeere to be punishments and scourges of God which scourges are the principall cause of wars whereof insue mortality and famine all the which euils proceede of lacke of faith Wherefore I conclude considering the wickednes of men especially of great men who know not themselues neither beleeue that there is a God that it is necessarie for euery Prince and gouernor to haue an aduersary to keepe him in feare and humilitie otherwise no man should be able to liue vnder them or neere them The Notes 1 He meaneth that this towne of Gaunt is situate where it is for a plague to the whole countrey of Flaunders which otherwise bicause of the great abundance thereof would soone forget God 2 Fregosi and Fregosini in other histories 3 This diuision began anno 1309. betweene the Abbot of Einsidlen and the village of Suitz and the said Abbot demanded aide of Leopolde Duke of Austrich 4 As for example Leopolde Duke of Austrich brothers sonne to the former that began this diuision whom they slue at the battell of Sempache 9. Iulij ann 1386. 5 The reason heerof reade in Aristot Politic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Problem Anthonii Zimarae 12. 6 Shame commeth of knowledge so that if a man do a fault and for lacke of learning know not that it is a fault he can neuer be ashamed of it nor seeke to amend it 7 1800000. franks are 225000. pound starling after eight souse to the English shilling and the French liuer at two shillings sixe pence starling 8 4700000. franks are 587500. pound starling 9 That is 2500000. franks which amounteth to 312500. pound starling 10 For it was due by the conditions of the treatie 11 How King Henry the seuenth was next heire of the house of Lancaster the pedegree in the end of the worke will declare where also Philip de Commines error is controlled 12 Our Chronicles say but 3000. and some 5000. 13 This King that slue his father in battell was Iames the 4. who married Margaret sister to King Henry the 8. THE SIXT BOOKE How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King Chap. 1. NOw to returne to the principal matter and to proceede in this historie written at your request my Lorde of Vienna while the King brought vnder his subiection the places and townes aboue named in the marches of Picardie his armie lay in Burgundie the generall wherof in apparance was the Prince of Orenge 1 that now is who was borne in the countie of Burgundie and a subiect thereof but lately reuolted the second time from Duke Charles wherefore the King vsed his helpe for he was a great Lord well friended and well beloued both in the said countie and also in the Duchie of Burgundie But the Lord of Cran was the Kings lieutenant and he it was in truth that had the charge of the whole armie and in whom the King reposed his principall trust and sure he was a wise man and faithfull to his Master but somwhat too greedie of his owne gaine The said Lord of Cran when he drew neere the countrie of Burgundie sent the Prince of Orenge before him with certaine others to Digeon to perswade with the citizens to become the Kings subiects which enterprise so well they atchieued by the said Princes meanes that the towne of Digeon and all the other places of the Duchie of Burgundie yeelded to the King Aussonne and certaine castels excepted which held yet for the Ladie of Burgundie The King had promised the Prince of Orenge many goodly estates and to restore him to all his grandfathers inheritance in the countie of Burgundie for the which he was in sute with the Lords of Chauuerguion his vncles 2 whom as he said Duke Charles had fauored to his preiudice For this cause had been often pleaded before him with great solemnitie and once the Duke being accompanied with a number of lawyers gaue iudgement against the Prince at the least thus he reported wherefore he forsooke the Dukes seruice and went to the King But Monseur de Cran after he was entred into all these townes aboue mentioned and had gotten into his hands all the best places that should descend to the said Prince by right of inheritance refused to yeeld them to him notwithstanding both the Kings promise and the said Princes request The King also wrote often to him about this matter without all collusion knowing that he much misused the Prince notwithstanding he feared to displease the said de Cran bicause he had the charge of the whole countrie neither thought he that the Prince either would or could haue caused the countrie of Burgundie to rebel as afterward he did at the lest the greatest part therof But I will heere leaue these Burgundies affaires till another conuenient place shall serue to speake further thereof The Notes 1 This Prince of Orenge was Iohn de Chaslons the Prince of Orenge that now is is of the house of Nassaw 2 The olde copie hath Chasteauguion Annal. Burgund Chaumergnon Annal. Franc. Chauuerguion and so vndoubtedly it is to be read for Chasteauguion was brother to this Prince of Orenge Gaguin How the King entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundie to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions Chap. 2. THose that heerafter shall reade this historie and happily vnderstand the affaires both of this realme and the countries bordering vpon it better than my selfe will maruell that since the death of Duke Charles I haue hitherto by the space almost of one whole yeere made no mention of the English men and will woonder that they suffered the King to take the townes bordering so neere vpon them namely Arras Bolloin Ardres and Hedin with diuers other castels and to lie so long with his campe before Saint Omer 1 But you shall vnderstand that the reason thereof was for that our King in wisedome and sense surmounted far Edward King of England then
staied deliuered to the king and after put to death page 147 Chap. 13 A discourse of the fault the Duke of Burgundie committed in deliuering the Constable to the king contrary to his safe conduct and what ensued thereof page 150 The fift Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundy making war vpon the Swissers was ouerthrowen at the straights of the mountaines neere to Granson page 153 Chap. 2 How after the ouerthrow of Granson the Duke of Milan king Rene of Sicilie the Duchesse of Sauoy and others departed from their league with the Duke of Burgundy page 156 Chap. 3 How the Swissers vanquished the D. of Burgundy in battell neere to the towne of Morat page 159 Chap. 4 How after the battell of Morat the Duke of Burgundy tooke the Duchesse of Sauoy how she was deliuered and sent home into hir countrey by the kings meanes page 161 Chap. 5 How the D. of Burgundy liued as it were solitary the space of certaine weekes during the which time the D. of Lorraine recouered his towne of Nancy page 163 Chap. 6 Of the Earle of Campobaches great treasons and how he kept the D. of Burgundy from hearing a gentleman that would haue reuealed them to him before he was put to death and how the said D. made no account of the aduertisements the king gaue him page 166 Chap. 7 How the Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with good force of Almains came to the towne of Saint Nicholas during the siege of Nancy and how the king of Portugale who was in Fraunce came to see the Duke of Burgundy during the said siege page 169 Chap. 8 How the D. of Burgundy refusing the good counsell of diuers of his men was discomfited slaine in the battell fought betweene him and the D. of Lorraine neere to Nancy page 171 Chap. 9 A discourse vpon certaine vertues of the D. of Burgundie and of the time his house florished in prosperitie page 173 Chap. 10 How the king was aduertised of the Duke of Burgundies last ouerthrow and how he gouerned his affaires after the said Dukes death page 175 Chap. 11 How the king after the Duke of Burgundies death seazed into his hands the towne of Abbeuille and of the answere they of Arras gaue him page 177 Chap. 12 A discourse not appertaining to the principall matters of the great ioy the king was in to see himselfe deliuered of so many enimies and of the error he committed touching the reducing of these countries of Burgundy to his obedience page 178 Chap. 13 How Han Bohain Saint Quintin and Perronne were yeelded to the king and how he sent Master Oliuer his barber to practise with them of Gaunt page 179 Chap. 14 How Master Oliuer the kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the kings forces into Tournay page 182 Chap. 15 Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the king and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the city of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras it selfe were yeelded to the king page 184 Chap. 16 How the citizens of Gaunt hauing vsurped authority ouer their Princesse after hir fathers death came in ambassage to the king as from the three estates of their countrey page 187 Chap. 17 How they of Gaunt after their ambassadors returne put to death the Chauncellor Hugonet the Lord of Himbercourt against their Princesses will and how they and other Flemmings were discomfited before Tournay and their generall the Duke of Gueldres slaine page 190 Chap. 18 A discourse vpon this point that wars and diuisions are permitted of God for the chastisement â—â— Princes and euill people with diuers good reasons and examples for the instruction of Princes wâ—â—â—â— happened in the Authors time 〈◊〉 The sixt Booke Chap. 1 How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King page 205 Chap. 2 How the king entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundy to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions page 206 Chap. 3 How the marriage betweene the Lady of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterward Emperor was concluded and accomplished page 209 Chap. 4 How king Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundy which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him page 214 Chap. 5 How Monseur d'Argenton during these wars of the conquest of Burgundie was sent to Florence and how he receiued homage of the Duke of Milan in the kings name for the Duchy of Genua page 217 Chap. 6 Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate page 219 Chap. 7 How king Lewis being visited with sicknes lost his wits and lay speechlesse sometime recouering and eft soones falling into his disease againe and how he behaued himselfe in the castell of Plessis les Tours page 222 Chap. 8 How the king caused the holy man of Calabria to come to Tours thinking that he could heale him and what strange things the said king did to maintaine his authoritie during his sicknes page 226 Chap. 9 How the marriage betweene the Daulphine and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward king of England died for sorrow page 228 Chap. 10 How the king behaued himselfe towards his neighbors and subiects during the time of his sicknes and how diuers things were sent him from diuers places for the recouerie of his health page 231 Chap. 11 How king Lewis the 11. caused Charles the Daulphin his sonne to come to him a little before his death and of the commandements and precepts he gaue both him and certaine others page 232 Chap. 12 A comparison betweene the sorrowes and troubles that king Lewis suffered and those he caused diuers others to suffer with a rehearsal of all that he did al that was done to him til his death page 234 Chap. 13 A discourse vpon the miserie of mans life by the examples of those Princes that liued in the authors time and first of king Lewis page 238 The conclusion of the Author page 243 A supplie of the historie of Philip de Commines from the death of king Lewis the eleuenth till the beginning of the wars of Naples to wit from 1483. till 1493. of all the which time Commines writeth nothing page 247 Chap. 1 Of king Charles his comming to the crowne of the death of Oliuer king Lewis his Barber and others and of the reuoking of king Lewis his superfluous gifts ibid. Chap. 2 Of the assembly of the states held at Tours of the Duke of Orleans pursute for the regencie of the madwar raised by him and of his departure into Britaine page 248 Chap. 3 Of the troubles that hapned in Britaine betweene the Duke and his nobles and of Peter Landois death page 250 Chap.
4 Of the war the king made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the king for peace page 252 Chap. 5 Of the battell of Saint Albin wherein the Duke of Orleans was taken prisoner of the treatie of peace betweene the king and the Duke of Britaine and of the said Duke of Britaines death page 255 Chap. 6 Of the kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Britaine whereby Britaine was vnited to the crowne of Fraunce page 258 Chap. 7 Of the troubles in England and how the king of England passed the sea and besieged Bolloin and of the peace betweene the king and him and of the surprising of Arras and Saint Omers by the king of Romaines men page 259 Chap. 8 Of the restitution of the countries of Roussillon and Parpignan to the king of Spaine of the Emperor Fredericks death of the peace betweene the king of Romaines and the king and of the Duke of Orleans deliuery out of prison page 262 The seuenth Booke The Progloue of the Author containing that which he mindeth to treate of in this historie following page 265 Howe Rene D. of Lorraine came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchie of Bar the Earledome of Prouence which king Charles held and how he failed to enter into the realme of Naples whereunto he pretented title as the king did and what right both of them had thereunto page 266 Chap. 2 How the Prince of Salerne in the realm of Naples came into Fraunce and how Lodouic Sforce surnamed the Moore and he sought to perswade the king to make war vpon the king of Naples and for what cause page 268 Chap. 3 How king Charles the 8 made peace with the king of Romaines and the Archduke of Austriche restoring to them the Lady Margaret of Flaunders before he made his voiage to Naples page 274 Chap. 4 How the king sent to the Venetians to practise with them before he enterpised his voiage to Naples and of the preparation that was made for the said voiage page 275 Chap. 5 How king Charles departed from Vienna in Daulphin to conquer the realme of Naples in person and what his nauie vpon the sea did vnder the leading of the D. of Orleans page 278 Chap. 6 How the king remaining yet in Ast resolued to passe foorth towards Naples at the earnest sute of Lodouic Sforce How Philip de Commines was sent ambassador to Venice of the D. of Milans death after whose decease the said Lodouic seized vpon the Duchy to the preiudice of a sonne the said D. left behinde him page 281 Chap. 7 How Peter of Medicis yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the king and how the king restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient libertie page 284 Chap. 8 How the king departed from Pisa to Florence of the flight ruin of Peter de Medices page 287 Chap. 9 How the king entred into Florence and through what other townes he passed till he came to Rome page 289 Chap. 10 How the king sent the Cardinall Petriad Vincula to Ostie what the Pope did at Rome in the meane time and how the king entred into Rome maugre all his enimies page 291 Chap. 11 How king Alfonse caused his sonne Ferrand to be crowned king and then fled himselfe into Sicilie with a discourse of the euill life that his father the old Ferrand and he had lead page 295 Chap. 12 How the yoong Ferrand after he was crowned king of Naples went and encamped at Saint Germain to resist the kings cōming of the treaty that K. Charles made with the Pope at Rome page 297 Chap. 13 How the King departed from Rome towards Naples what happened in the meane time in diuers partes of the said realme and through what places he passed till he came to Naples page 299 Chap. 14 How King Charles was crowned King of Naples of the faults he committed in the defence of the realme and how an enterprise attempted on his behalfe against the Turke was discouered by the Venetians page 301 Chap. 15 A discourse somwhat out of the course of the history wherin Philip de Commines Author of this present woorke treateth amply of the estate and gouernment of the Seniorie of Venice and of those things that he saw there and were done there during the time of his ambassage to the said Seniorie for the King page 304 The eight Booke Chap. 1 Of the order and prouision the King left in the realme of Naples at his returne into Fraunce page 314 Chap. 2 How the king departed from Naples and passed againe through Rome whereupon the Pope fled to Oruiette of the communication the king had with Monseur d'Argenton at his returne from Venice how he tooke aduise whether he should restore the Florentines places to them or not and of the sermons woorthie of memorie of frier Ierom of Florence page 316 Chap. 3 How the King retained in his hands the town of Pisa and certaine other of the Florentines places and how in the meane time the Duke of Orleans entred on the other side into Nouarre a towne of the Duchie of Milan page 319 Chap. 4 How King Charles passed diuers dangerous straights in the mountaines betweene Pisa and Seriaue how the towne of Pontreme was burned by his Almaines and how the Duke of Orleans behaued himselfe in the meane time at Nouarre page 321 Chap. 5 How the kings great artillery passed the mounts Appenines by the Almaines helpe of the danger the Marshall of Gie was in with his vaward and how the King arriued at Fornoue page 324 Chap. 6 Of the battell of Fornoue wherein the enimies of Fraunce were put to flight and how the Earle of Petillane who the same day brake the Kings prison relied them togither againe page 329 Chap. 7 How the Lord of Argenton went himselfe alone to parle with the enimies when he saw that those that were appointed to go with him would not go and how the King returned safe and sound with his army to the towne of Ast page 336 Chap. 8 How the king sent ships to the sea to succour the castles of Naples why the said castles could not be succoured page 341 Chap. 9 Of the great famine and miserie the D. of Orleans his men were in at Nouarre of the Marchionesse of Montferrats death likewise of Monseur de Vendosmes and how after long deliberation the king inclined to peace to saue those that were besieged page 343 Chap. 10 How the D. of Orleans and his company were deliuered by composition out of their great miserie in Nouarre where they were besieged and of the Swissers arriuall that came to succour the king and the said D. of Orleans page 349 Chap. 11 How the peace was concluded betweene the king and the D. of Orleans on the one side and the enimies on the other and of the conditions and articles thereof page 351 Chap. 12 How the king sent the Lord of Argenton
after the abouenamed Ambassadors departure Iohn Duke of Bourbon that last died arriued at the town of Lisle pretending that he came to visit his vncle Duke Philip of Burgundie who aboue all houses loued especially this house of Bourbon and no maruell for this Duke of Bourbons mother was Duke Philips sister She had liued a widow many yeeres and soiourned there at that time with hir brother both hir selfe and diuers of hir children to wit three daughters and one sonne notwithstanding this was not indeed the cause of the Duke of Bourbons arriuall but his comming was to perswade the Duke of Burgundie to suffer an armie to be leuied in his dominions assuring him that all the Princes of Fraunce would do the like meaning thereby to giue the King to vnderstand how euill and vniust gouernment he vsed in his realme purposing to make themselues so strong that they might constraine him by force to redresse this inconuenience if praiers could not preuaile This war was afterward called THE WEALE PVBLIQVE bicause the authors thereof vsed the common wealth for colour of their enterprise The said good Duke Philip for so is he surnamed since his death agreed that an armie should be leuied in his dominions but the bottom of the enterprise was neuer discouered to him for he thought not that the matter shoulde haue come to hand strokes as after it did Immediately began the musters through all the Dukes dominions and the Earle of Saint Paule afterward Constable of Fraunce accompanied with the Marshall of Burgundie being of the house of Neuf-chastell repaired to Cambray where D. Philip then lay to the Earle of Charolois who immediatly after their arriuall assembled his fathers Councill and a great number of his subiects in the Bishops palace at Cambray where he proclaimed all the house of Croy traitors to his father and him And notwithstanding that the Earle of S. Paule alleaged that by this proclamation he should be greatly indamaged bicause long before this he had giuen his daughter in mariage 1 to the L. of Croies sonne yet was the said house of Croy al that notwithstanding forced to abandon the Dukes dominions 2 where they lost great riches With the which dooing Duke Philip was much discontented especially bicause his chiefe chamberlaine afterward Lord of Chimay a yoong man well disposed and nephew to the Lord of Croy was forced for feare of his life to depart without leaue taken of his master being aduertised that if he did otherwise he should either be slaine or apprehended but the Dukes old age caused him to beare this matter more patiently than otherwise he would All this trouble hapned in his house bicause of the restitution of the territories aboue mentioned situate vpon the riuer of Somme which the Duke had restored to King Lewis for the sum of 400000. crownes by the perswasion of this house of Croy as the Earle of Charolois laide to their charge The said Earle after he had pacified his father and reconciled himselfe to him the best that mought be put his whole force incontinent into the field being accompanied with the Earle of S. Paule the principall gouernor of his affaires and he that had the greatest charge in his armie for he had vnder him by the Earle of Charolois commandement 300. men of armes and 4000. archers besides a number of valiant knights and esquires of Artois Haynalt and Flaunders Like bands and as great were also vnder the leading of the L. of Rauastin the D. of Cleues brother and the L. Anthony bastard of Burgundie other captaines for breuitie I passe ouer but aboue all the rest two knights there were especially in great credit with the Earle of Charolois the one named the L. of Hault-bordin an ancient knight bastard brother to the Earle of S. Paule the other the L. of Contay They had both been trained vp in the long wars betweene Fraunce and England at the same time that Henry the 5. of that name King of England raigned in Fraunce being confederate with this Duke Philip of Burgundie They were two valiant and wise knights and had the principall charge of the whole armie of yoong gentlemen there were a number but one especially very famous called master Philip of Lalain issued of a race that hath euer been so valiant and couragious that they haue in maner all died in the wars in their princes seruice The Earles force was great for his men of armes were to the number of 1400. but euill armed and vntrained bicause of the long peace these Princes of Burgundie had liued in For since the treatie of Arras by the space of 36. yeeres and more they neuer had war that indured nor almost taste of war saue a few broyles against the citie of Gaunt which were soone pacified Notwithstanding his men of armes were well mounted and well accompanied for few or none should you haue seene without fiue or sixe great horses of his retinue 3 The archers 4 were eight or nine thousand and when they mustred they were more vnwilling to depart then to giue their names but the ablest were chosen and the rest dismissed 5 The subiects of this house of Burgundie liued then in great prosperitie partly bicause of their long peace and partly bicause of their Princes goodnes who leuied but few subsidies vpon them so that these Seniors seemed comparable to the land of promise in those daies for they flowed in wealth and had continued in great quietnes the space of 23. yeeres to wit till the beginning of these wars now mentioned which till this day endure vnended their expenses in apparell both of men and women were great and superfluous 6 their feasts and banquets more sumptuous and prodigall than in any countrey that euer I sawe their bathes and other pastimes with women wanton and dissolute yea somwhat too shameles I meame of women of low estate To be short the subiects of this house thought at that time no Prince able to withstand them at the least none too mightie for them but at this present I know no countrey in the world in so great miserie and desolation as theirs and I doubt me the sins they committed in their prosperitie cause them now to suffer this aduersitie bicause they acknowledged not all these gifts and benefits to proceede from God who disposeth and bestoweth them as to his heauenly wisdome seemeth best The Earles armie thus furnished euen in a moment of all things necessarie marched forward 7 the whole force being on horseback saue those that conueied the artillerie which was mighty and strong for that time and the straglers appointed for the cariage the which was so great that the Earles owne cariage inclosed the greatest part of his campe he marched first towards Noyon and besieged a little castell called Nesle which was soone taken notwithstanding the resistance made by the garrison that was within it The Marshall Ioachin one of the fower Marshals of Fraunce issuing out of Peronne
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
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
began to attempt more boldly against his neighbors in such sort that in the end these 120000. crownes grew to 500000. and the number of his men of armes augmented so excessiuely that his subiects were greatly charged for their maintenance To say my fansie of these ordinarie men of armes I thinke vnder a wise Prince they be well imploied but if he be otherwise or happily at his death leaue his children in their minoritie the seruice wherein their gouernors imploy them is not alwaies profitable neither for the King nor for his subiects The hatred betweene the King and the Duke diminished not but still endured Further the Duke of Guienne being returned into his countrie sent often to the Duke of Burgundy following still his sute for his daughters marriage who fed him continually with faire words as he did euery other man that required hir And I thinke verily that he neither was desirous of a sonne 5 neither would haue married his daughter during his life but haue kept hir to intertaine men thereby to obtaine their friendship and aide For he had so many great enterprises in his head that all his life time could not suffice to atchieue them and those aduentures almost impossible to be compassed for halfe Europe would not haue contented him He had courage ynough to attempt any thing his bodie was able to endure as much labour and trauell as was needfull he was furnished both of men and mony but he lacked finenes and cunning sufficient for the managing of his affaires And what Prince soeuer desireth to be great notwithstanding that he be accomplished with all other good parts yet if he lacke an excellent wit all is to no purpose which vndoubtedly proceedeth of the meere grace of God To be short if part of the Dukes vertues and part of the King our masters had been tempered togither they would haue made a perfect Prince for vndoubtedly in wit the King far excelled him as it well appeered in the end The Notes 1 Of this armie he spake somwhat in the Duke of Bourbons aduertisement sent to the Duke of Burgundie mentioned in the first chapter of this booke it was led by the Earle Daulphin d'Auuergne sonne to the Earle of Montpensier Of this discomfiture reade Annal. Burgund pag. 945. 2 The reason was bicause he perceiued the intelligences of the Constable and the rest to be vntrue 3 This assembly was held the 16. of Iune Meyer 4 But this subsidie of 120000. crownes was granted but for three yeeres Meyer pag. 348. and 367. 5 The Duke desired no sonne bicause then his daughters marriage could not haue stood him in such stead as now it did Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. I Must now discourse of Edward King of England bicause Note that from this place til the 7. Chapter all these English affaires fall into the yeeres 1469. 1470. these three great Princes namely our King the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy liued all in one age in the which discourse I will not obserue the Historiographers vsuall order in writing who set downe the certaine yeeres and daies when each thing hapned neither will I vouch examples out of ancient histories for you know them better than my selfe and in so dooing I should but seeme to reason of Diuinitie before a Doctor But I will rudely aduertise you of all that I haue seene knowen or heard of these Princes of whom I write You liue in the selfe same age that all these things hapned wherefore me thinke it needlesse so exactly to note the houres and seasons I haue before rehearsed what occasion mooued the Duke of Burgundy to mary King Edvvards sister and said it was principally to fortifie himselfe against the King otherwise he would neuer haue done it for the great affection he bare to the house of Lancaster whereof he was descended by his mother for she was daughter to the King of Portugall and hir mother daughter to the Duke of Lancaster 1 so that as feruently as he loued the house of Lancaster as extremly hated he the house of Yorke But you shall vnderstand that at the time of this mariage the house of Lancaster was vtterly destroied and the house of Yorke no more spoken of For King Edvvard being both King and Duke of Yorke raigned peaceably During the ciuill wars betweene these two houses were fought in England seauen or eight cruell battels and in them slaine three or fower score Princes and Lords of the blood royall as before is rehearsed in this history The rest that escaped being all yoong Lords whose fathers died in these battels aboue mentioned liued as banished men in the Duke of Burgundies court who receiued them as his kinsmen of the house of Lancaster before his mariage with King Edvvards sister I haue seene them in so great misery before they came to the Dukes knowledge that those that beg from dore to dore were not in poorer estate then they for I once saw a Duke of Excester run on foote bare legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake but he vttered not his name He was the neerest of the house of Lancaster and had maried King Edvvards sister 2 but when he was knowne the Duke gaue him a small pension to maintaine his estate They of the house of Somerset and diuers others were there in like maner who died all afterwards in the wars Their fathers and kinsmen had spoiled and destroied the realme of Fraunce and possessed the greatest part thereof many yeeres and afterwards slew one another and those that remained aliue in England and their children haue died as you haue seene Yet men say that God punisheth not now as he did in the children of Israels time but suffereth euill men and euill Princes to liue vnpunished True it is that he threatneth not now by expresse messengers as he was wont for he hath left examples inough to instruct vs. Notwithstanding you may perceiue by these discourses ioining thereto the great knowledge you haue besides that of euill Princes and such as haue authority in this world and abuse it to cruelty or tiranny few or none escape vnpunished though it happen not by and by after the fault committed neither so soone happily as those that are afflicted desire But to returne to King Edvvard the chiefe man in England that maintained the house of Yorke was the Earle of Warwicke And on the other side the greatest champion of the house of Lancaster was the Duke of Sommerset The said Earle of Warwicke might iustly be called King Edwards father as well for the training of him vp as also for the great seruices he did him for the which the King had also highly aduanced him for besides his owne inheritance which was great he held goodly lands of the Kings gift aswel crowne lands as lands forfeited by attaindor Farther he
was deputy of Calice and had diuers other great offices so that I haue heard his yeerely reuenewes valued at fower score thousand crownes besides his owne inheritance But in the end he fell at variance with the King his master about a yeere as I gesse before the Duke of Burgundies comming before Amiens which breach the said Duke furthered to the vttermost of his power For the Earles great authority in England much discontented him besides that they two were not friends for the Earle had continuall intelligence with the King our master To be short about this present or not long before the Earle of Warwickes force was so great that he seased the King his master into his hands and put to death diuers personages that he highly fauored namely the Lord of Scales the Queenes father 3 and two of his sonnes the third being also in great danger with them diuers other knights He entertained the King his master for a season very honorably and placed new seruants about him supposing that through simplicity he would soone forget the old The Duke of Burgundy being not a little troubled with this aduenture practised secretly how King Edvvard might escape and they two commune togither which enterprise had so good successe that the King escaped indeede and leuied men and defeated certaine of the Earles bands He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at the least nine great battels fighting himselfe on foote in euery one of them The Earle of Warwicke vnable to make resistance aduertised his friends what they should do and embarked at leisure accompanied with the Duke of Clarence who had married his daughter and tooke part with him notwithstanding that he were King Edwards brother They transported with them both wiues and children and a great band of men and sailed straight towards Calais within the which was the Earles lieutenant named the Lord of Vaucler 4 and diuers of the said Earles houshold seruants who in stead of receiuing their Master presented him the canon Further you shall vnderstand that as they lay at anchor before the towne the Duchesse of Clarence daughter to the Earle of Warwicke was deliuered of a sonne and great intreatie was made before Vaucler and the rest of the towne would suffer two flaggons of wine to be brought foorth to hir which was great extremitie of the seruant towards the master For it is to be supposed that the Earle thought himselfe well assured of this place which is they very key of England and the goodliest captainship in mine opinion in the world at the least in Christendome which I dare boldly auow bicause I was there diuers times during these wars and heard also the Maior of the staple report that he would willingly farme yeerely the deputyship of Calais of the King of England for fifteene thousand crownes For the deputie receiueth the profits of all that they haue on this side the sea and of all safe conducts and placeth also the greatest part of the garrison at his pleasure The King of England fauoured highly the Lord of Vaucler for this refusall made to his Captaine and granted him by his letters patents the office of Deputie which the Earle his master before held for he was a wise and an ancient knight and one of the order of the garter The Duke of Burgundie also who then lay at Saint Omer conceiued a maruellous good opinion of him so far foorth that he sent me to him granting him a yeerely pension of a thousand crownes and desiring him to continue a true and faithfull seruant to the King his Master as he had begun which at my comming thither I found him fully determined to do so that he sware in Staple Inne in Calais laying his hand within mine to be faithfull and true to King Edward and to serue him against all men The like oth all the towne and all the garrison sware also Farther I was by the space of two months almost continually resident at Calais at the least posting daiely betweene Calais and Bullen to entertaine the said Vaucler for you shall vnderstand that during these English troubles the Duke of Burgundie came to Bullen where he prepared a great army by sea against the Earle of Warwick who at his departure from Calais tooke many ships of the Dukes subiects which aduanced forward the war betweene the King of Fraunce and vs. For the Earles men sould the bootie in Normandie whereupon the Duke of Burgundie arrested all the French Marchants that came to the Mart at Andwerp Now bicause it is meete to vnderstand as well the cunning and subtill as the iust and vpright dealings of the world not to practise them but to know how to avoide them I will rehearse vnto you a sleight or subtilitie terme it as you list that was cunningly conueighed Farther I would that men should vnderstand the practises as well of our neighbors as our selues to the end it may appeere that in all places are both good and bad When the Earle of Warwick came before Calais thinking to enter into it as his onely refuge the Lord of Vaucler being a very wise gentleman sent him word that if he entred the towne he should cast away himselfe considering that all England the Duke of Burgundie the people of the towne and a great part of the garrison namely the Lord of Duras Marshall there for the King of England and diuers others that had men in the towne were his enimies wherefore his best way should be to retire into Fraunce and as touching the towne of Calais he willed him not to trouble himselfe for he would yeeld him good account thereof when time and occasion should serue He did his Captaine good seruice by giuing him this aduise but shewed himselfe thereby a very Iudas to his Master For vndoubtedly a more traiterous part was neuer plaied considering both that the King of England had made him Deputie of the towne of Calais and the Duke of Burgundy giuen him so large a pension The Notes 1 Philippa daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster was married to Iohn King of Portugale and had issue by him Isabell mother to Duke Charles 2 This was Henry Holland Duke of Exceter whose wife was Anne sister to King Edward the fourth and his grandmother was Elizabeth daughter to Iohn Duke of Lancaster by his first wife but he died without issue 3 Our chronicles name the Queenes father Earle of Riuers and so doth afterward also our Author lib. 5. cap. 15. 4 This Vaucler was a Gascoine borne How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great greefe who receiued him into his countries Chap. 5. THe Earle of Warwicke followed Vauclers aduise and landed in Normandie where the King honorably receiued him and furnished him largely of mony for his mens expences and appointed also the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce being well accompanied to defend the
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
that I now write of the D. of Guienne at the least his seruants and the D. of Britaine desired the Duke of Burgundy in no wise to call the Englishmen to his aide for seeing all that they did was for the good and benefite of the realme they would not bring the ancient enimies of the crowne into the realme adding farther that if he would be in a readines they should be strong ynough of themselues aswell bicause of their great forces as also of the good intelligence they had in the realme with diuers Captaines and others And once it was my chance to be present when the Lord of Vrfé had communication with the Duke to this effect and withall pressed him earnestly with all speede to leauy his army The Duke stoode at a window and called me to him and said Heere is my Lord of Vrfé that presseth me earnestly to leauy the greatest force that possible I may alleaging that it shall be greatly for the benefite of the realme what thinke you of this motion if I enter into the realme with my army shall I do any great good there I answered him merily that I thought no then said he I loue the realme of Fraunce better than my Lord of Vrfé weeneth for where it hath one King I would it had six During the treaty of mariage aboue mentioned Edward King of England who thought verily that the mariage should haue bin accomplished wherein he was deceiued as was also the King traueled earnestly with the Duke of Burgundy to breake it off alleaging that the K. had no issue male wherfore if he hapned to die the crown should descend to his brother whereby if this marriage tooke effect the realme of England shuld stand in great danger so many seigniories being vnited to the crown This matter troubled maruellously though needlesly not onely the King of England but also his whole Councell in such sort that they would giue no credite to the Duke of Burgundy what promise soeuer he made to the contrary The saide Duke notwithstanding the request aboue mentioned made vnto him by the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine for not calling in strangers to his aide was very desirous that the King of England should inuade some part of the realme and himselfe would haue pleaded ignorance therein But the Englishmen would not be woon therunto for they so much feared the annexing of the house of Burgundy by this mariage to the crown of Fraunce that they would at that time rather haue aided the King than inuaded him You see heere all these Princes throughly busied and accompanied with a number of wise men who as the sequele well declared foresawe a far of more by the one halfe than in their life time tooke effect for they all through this continuall toile and trauell in short space one after another ended their liues each man reioicing at others death as of a thing most desired Soone after also followed their masters leauing their successors troubles enow all saue the King our master who left his realme to his sonne quiet both from foraine wars and ciuill dissention so that he did more for him than euer he either would or could do for himselfe for I neuer knew him in peace saue onely a litle before his death The Duke of Guienne at this present lay sicke and in danger of death as som said but others affirmed the contrary his men pressed earnestly the Duke of Burgundy to put himselfe into the field bicause the time of the yeere serued fitly for that purpose and aduertised him that the Kings army was abroad and lay at Saint Iohn d' Angelie or at Xainctes or thereabout To be short they labored the Duke so importunately that he went to Arras and there assembled his forces and marched towards the townes of Peronne Roye and Montdidier his army was maruellous great yea the greatest that euer he had before for in it were twelue hundred Launces of his ordinary retinue euery one of them accompanied with three archers well armed and well mounted farther in euery company of these Launces were ten men of armes for a supply besides the lieutenant and ensine bearer The gentlemen of the Dukes dominions were likewise in very good order for they were very well paid and led by valiant knights and esquires And sure at that time these countries were maruellous rich The Notes 1 This Nicolas is named in other histories Marques du Pount 2 The King made war vpon his brother bicause he had restored the Earle of Armignac to all his possessions in Guienne whom the King before had banished Annal. Aquit How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundie and the King brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiens death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other Chap. 9. WHile the Duke was leuying his armie aboue mentioned the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce named Master Peter Doriole came to him twise or thrise from the King and secretly treated with him of a final peace which heertofore could neuer be concluded bicause the Duke required the restitution of Amiens and Saint Quintine whereunto the King would neuer condiscend but now partly bicause of the great preparation he saw made against him and partly in hope to compas certaine purposes whereof heerafter you shall heare he agreed to yeeld them The conditions of this peace were that the King should restore to the Duke Amiens and Saint Quintine and whatsoeuer else was in controuersie betweene them That he should abandon the Earles of Neuers and Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce and permit the Duke to do with them and all their possessions at his pleasure and seize them into his own hands if he could That the Duke in like maner should abandon the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine and permit the King to do with them and their seigniories at his pleasure I was present when the Duke of Burgundie sware this treatie and likewise the Lord of Cran and the Chauncellor of Fraunce in the Kings name who also at their departure from the Duke aduised him not to dismisse his armie but to march still forward to the end the King their Master might make the speedier deliuerie of the two places aboue named Further Simon of Quinchy was sent with them to see the King sweare and confirme this treaty which his ambassadors had concluded but the King delaied the confirmation a certaine space and in the meane time happened his brothers death The D. being readie to depart from Arras receiued two seuerall aduertisements one that Nicholas Duke of Calabria and Loraine heire of the house of Aniou and sonne to Iohn Duke of Calabria was comming to him about his daughters marriage whom the Duke honorably receiued and put in great hope of his sute But the next day being the 15. of May 1472. as I remember came letters from Simon of Quinchy the Dukes ambassador to the King wherein he aduertised his Master
vse often when money faileth them to leuy an armie and make shewe as though they would inuade Scotland or Fraunce But after they haue receiued money for a yeere they lie abroad in campe three moneths and then returne home and dismisse their army which practise King Edward was well acquainted with and vsed often It was at the least a yeere before this English army could be in a readines but when it was furnished of all things necessarie the King of England aduertised the Duke of Burgundie die thereof who in the beginning of the sommer went before Nuz trusting in short space to put his Bishop in possession and to retaine certaine places as Nuz and others in his owne hands to what purpose you haue heard before I thinke verily that this proceeded of God who beheld with a pitifull eie this realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly the Duke might shrewdly haue shaken considering that his army was mightie and all of olde soldiers accustomed by the space of many yeeres to enter and spoile this realme without any resistance saue onely by defence of the strong townes True it is that this proceeded of the King who would hazard nothing partly for feare of the Dukes force and partly for doubt of rebellion in his realme if he should receiue an ouerthrow for he knew himselfe not to be beloued of all his subiects especially the nobilitie And if I may vtter all he hath eftsoons told me that he knew his subiects well ynough and should finde them rebellious if his assaires happened to haue hard successe wherefore when the Duke of Burgundie entred into the realme he manned the townes well by the which he passed whereby in short space the Dukes army brake it selfe and the King neuer endangered his estate which vndoubtedly proceeded of great wisedome But all this notwithstanding the Dukes force being so great as it was if the King of Englands army had also entred in the beginning of sommer as assuredly it would had not the Duke so obstinately line before Nuz vndoubtedly the realme had stood in great danger for neuer King of England passed at once with so great force nor so well disposed to fight All the great Lords of England were there none excepted Their men of armes were 1500. at the least which was much for the English men all wel appointed and well accompanied and 14000. archers on horseback besides a great number of foote men that serued in the army and in all their campe was not one Page Further the King of England had in a readines three thousand men to land in Britaine to ioine there with the Duke of Britaines forces I saw my selfe two letters written with the Lord of Vrfés owne hands then seruant to the Duke of Britaine but afterward Master of the horse to King Charles the one addressed to the King of England and the other to the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England 12 The contents whereof among diuers other things were that the Duke of Britaine would do more in Fraunce by intelligence in a moneth than the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie notwithstanding their great forces in halfe a yeere which words I thinke would haue prooued true if the matter had come to execution But God who hath alwaies loued this realme disposed of these affaires as heereafter you shall heare These letters aboue mentioned the King bought of one of the King of Englands Secretaries for three score marks of siluer The Notes 1 This Duke Adolph maried Katherine daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Agnes sister to Philip Duke of Burgundy Meyer 2 Duke Arnold lay in prison sixe yeeres Meyer but he misseth the cushion for other approoued authors and namely Guicciardin agree with Commines 3 The French hath Mambourg or Membourg which is as much as captaine or gouernor looke more heerof in the pedegree of the Dukes of Gueldres 4 Least it seeme strange that this yoong Duke whom our author in this very Chapter reporteth to haue beene well fauored of the Duke of Burgundy should be staied and imprisoned in his dominions you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Burgundy vpon hope to be Duke Arnolds heire himselfe altered his minde and of the yoong Dukes friend became his foe 5 The Emperor stirred not against the Duke of Burgundy for taking by force the Duchy of Gueldres which was held of the Empire bicause the Dukes of Gueldres by the space of thirty yeeres had done no homage to the Empire The Duke subdued Gueldres anno 1473. Meyer 6 It was our author himselfe that gaue the King this aduise Meyer 7 This quarrell began anno 1473. Meyer 8 The Palzgraues name was Robert his Chapter and he were at variance in such sort that they had gotten him excommunicated chosen Harman the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother to gouerne the charge Then the Duke of Burgundy tooke vpon him to place him againe in his Sea which appertained not to him but to the Emperor and the Pope in the end this Robert was taken and died in prison 9 The league betweene the Duke and the Bishop was that these places heere mentioned belonging to the Church of Coulon should haue remained to the Duke for his charges Nuz was besieged the 28. of Iuly 1474. 10 Nuz is beneath Coulon so that if the Duke had held that and three or fower places aboue Coulon the said city of Coulon being on al sides inuironed by him must perforce haue been at his commandement 11 This Lantzgraue was Lodouicus grandfather to Philip that last died 12 The Lord Hastings was indeed but Chamberlaine of the King house How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almains against the Duke of Burgundy and of other enimies that the King procured the Duke Chap. 2. THe Duke of Burgundy as you haue heard was now busied before Nuz and found the enterprise of more difficulty than he supposed The city of Coulon situate vpon the riuer of Rhene fower leagues aboue Nuz spent monethly 1 in the wars 100000. golde gildons for feare of the Duke And they and certaine other townes aboue them had already put fifteene or sixteene thousand footemen into the fielde who encamped on the other side of the riuer directly ouer against the Duke and planted great force of artillery vpon the banke thinking thereby to cut off his victuals that came vp the streame out of Guelderland and to sinke the botes by canon shot Moreouer the Emperor and the Princes Electors of the Empire assembled togither about this busines and concluded to leuy an army wherunto the King sent diuers messengers to sollicite them to whom also they sent a Chanon of Coulon of the house of Bauiere accompanied with another ambassador who brought him a roll of the army the Emperor was resolued to leuy if he for his part would ioine in the enterprise It is not to be doubted but that they receiued a good answer with promise of all they demanded
vertous Lady and sister to the Queene of Fraunce so that for hir sake he had found great friendship and fauor in our court The practise begun against him still continued which as you haue heard was almost concluded at the assembly held thereabout at Bouuines after the which the Constable neuer thought himselfe in assurance but mistrusted both the Princes especially the King who seemed to repent the reuoking of his letters there sealed Further the Earle of Dampmartin others whom the Constable feared as his enimies lay with their men of armes neere to Saint Quintins wherefore he held himselfe within the towne and put into it three hundred footemen of his owne tenants hauing but small affiance in his men of armes He liued in great trouble for the King had often sent to him to sollicite him to come foorth to do him seruice in the marches of Henault and to besiege Auennes at the same time that the Admirall with his band went to burne the countrey of Artois as you haue heard which commandement he obeied but with great feare for after he had lien a certaine space before the said towne of Auennes with a continual garde about his person he retired into his owne places and sent the King word by one of his seruants who did his message to me by the Kings commandement that he had raised his siege bicause he was certainly enformed that there were two in the army purposely hired by the King to kill him whereof also he told so many apparant tokens that he seemed indeed to haue some notice thereof so far foorth that one of them was suspected to haue disclosed somwhat to him that he ought to haue kept secret but I will name no man neither speake further heerof The Constable sent often to the Duke of Burgundies campe I suppose to perswade him to relinquish his foolish enterprise aduertising the King also vsually at his mens returne of some such newes as he thought would like him well and withall what was the cause of his sending thither hoping by this means to entertaine him with faire words Somtime also he gaue him to vnderstand that the Dukes affaires had good proceeding thereby to put him in feare Further doubting greatly that the King would inuade him he desired the Duke to send vnto him his brother Master Iames of Saint Paul being at Nuz before he was taken prisoner and the Lord of Fiennes with certaine others of his kinsmen promising to put them and their bands into Saint Quintins but without the Saint Andrews crosse 2 and to keepe the towne for the Duke and restore it him shortly after for performance also wherof he offered to giue him his faith in writing The Duke did as he required and when the said Master Iames the Lord of Fiennes and the rest of the Constables kinsmen were twise come within a league or two of the towne ready to enter the Constable thinking the storme past altered his minde and sent a countermaunde This did he thrise so desirous was he still to liue in dissimulation and swim as it were between two streams fearing maruellously both these Princes Of this matter I haue been enformed by diuers but especially by Master Iames of Saint Paul himselfe who thus reported the circumstance thereof to the King when he was brought prisoner before him where no man was present but my selfe alone The said Master Iames answered frankly and without dissimulation to all the Kings demands whereby he wan greatly his fauor First the King asked him how many men he had with him to enter the towne whereunto he answered that the last time he had three thousand Then the King inquired further if he had entred and had been Master of the towne whether he would haue held it for the King or the Constable Whereunto he likewise answered that the two first times he came but to comfort his brother but the last seeing his dissimulation to his Master and him if he had entred and had been Master of the towne he would haue held it for his Master not offring his brother any outrage nor doing any thing to his preiudice saue onely that he would not haue departed the town at his commandement Soone after the King deliuered the said Iames of Saint Paul out of prison and gaue him charge of a goodly company of men of armes and vsed his seruice till his death of which his preferment his wise answers were the onely cause The Notes 1 This ouerthrow the Duke of Bourbon gaue the Burgundians neere to a place called Grey or Gy not far from Chausteauguion and in the battell was slain the Lord of Conches others say but taken and there were taken prisoners the Earle of Roussy being gouernor of Burgundy the Marshall of Burgundie the Earle of Ioigny the Earle of Saint Martins sonne Monseur de L'Isle Monseur de Longey or Longny the bailife of Ampois and the bailife of Auxerre This battell was fought on tuesday the 20. of Iune 1475. and in it two hundred men of armes Lombards were slaine Meyer About this time also the Prince of Orenge was taken prisoner and by meanes thereof reuolted from the Duke to the King Annal. Burgund 2 The Saint Andrewes crosse is the Burgundians cognisance and if they had entred with this crosse vpon their cotes the Constable could haue no longer temporised with the King of Fraunce but should foorthwith haue been proclaimed traitor How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the King of England his confederate sent to defie King Lewis Chap. 5. I Haue discoursed of diuers affaires since I began with the siege of Nuz bicause they all hapned in that time for the siege indured a whole yeere There were two causes especially that mooued the Duke to leuy his siege one the war the King made in Picardy where he had burned two proper townes and destoied a goodly champaine countrey in Artois and Ponthieu The other the mighty army the King of England leuied at his sute and sollicitation whom till now he could neuer perswade to passe into Fraunce notwithstanding that he had labored him thereunto al the daies of his life The said King of England and all his nobles were maruellously discontented with the Dukes delaies and besides intreaties vsed threatnings and not without cause considering the great charges they had sustained and all to no purpose the sommer being now almost spent The Duke gloried much that this Dutch army being so great that the like hath not been seene in our age nor many yeeres before and in the which were so many Princes Prelates and free cities ioined togither was not able to raise his siege 1 But this glory cost him full deere for he that hath the profit of the war reapeth also the honor thereof Notwithstanding the Legate aboue mentioned who rode continually betweene the two camps made peace in the end betweene the Emperor and the Duke 2 and the towne of Nuz
was put into the said Legats hands to do therewith according to the determination of the Sea Apostolike Now consider in how great distresse the Duke of Burgundy was being on the one side vexed with war by the King and threatned on the other by the King of England his friend so that notwithstanding he knew the towne of Nuz to be brought to such extremitie that within lesse than fifteen daies famine would haue constrained them to yeeld to his mercie yea within ten daies as one of the captaines within the towne who afterward serued the King aduertised me yet for the reasons aboue alleaged he was forced to leuie his siege 3 in the yeere 1475. Let vs now returne to the K. of England who led his armie to Douer there to embarke to crosse the seas to Calice The force that passed with him at this present was the greatest that euer came into France all of them being on horseback in very good order and well armed All the nobles of the realme were there a fewe excepted they were 1500. men of armes very well mounted and the most of them barded and richly trapped after the maner of our wars and well accompanied with horsemen of their retinue They were at the least 15000. archers all mounted and a great number of footemen and others aswell to pitch their tents wherefore they were well furnished as also to attende vpon their artillerie and inclose their campe and in all their army they had not one Page besides these there were three thousand English men appointed to land in Britaine This I haue written before but rehearse it heere againe to the end you may perceiue that God was purposed to trouble the Duke of Burgundies wits and preserue this realme which he hath euer more fauored than any other otherwise it is to be thought that the Duke would so obstinately haue lien before Nuz a place so strong so well defended seeing all his life time till now he could neuer finde the English men disposed to inuade the realme of Fraunce and knew them to be vtterly vnacquainted with our French wars till they be trained therein for if he would haue done any good with them he should neuer haue left them the first sommer but helped them and taught them to order and leade their battels after the maner of our wars for there is no nation so ignorant and rude as the English men at their first landing in Fraunce but in very short space they becom excellent good soldiers hardie and wise But the Duke did cleane contrarie for besides these other his ouersights he made them lose the sommer and as touching him selfe his armie was so broken so poore and in so euill order that he durst not present it before them for he lost before Nuz fower thousand soldiers taking pay some of the which were the best men he had 4 Thus you see how God disposed him in all points to do contrarie both to that his affaires required and also to the arte of war wherein himselfe had been exercised by the space of ten yeeres more than any man liuing When King Edward came to Douer the Duke of Burgundy to further his passage sent fiue hundred botes of Holland and Zealand called Scuts which are flat and low built very commodiously for transporting of horses But notwithstanding all this helpe they had from the Duke and all the King of England could command himselfe he was aboue three weekes in passing betweene Callice and Douer yet are they but seuen leagues distant whereby you may perceiue with how great difficultie a King of England inuadeth Fraunce And if the King our Master had been as well acquainted with the wars by sea as by land King Edward had neuer passed ouer at the least not that sommer But the King vnderstood them not and those that had charge of them much lesse The King of England as I haue said was three weekes in passing one ship of Eu tooke two or three of his small passengers Before King Edward embarked he sent from Douer to the King one herault alone called Garter a Norman borne 5 who brought a letter of defiance from the King of England in verie good language and so excellently well penned that I am verilie perswaded it was neuer of English mans dooing The contents of the letter were that the King should yeelde vnto him the realme of Fraunce being his inheritance to the end he might restore the cleargie and nobilitie to their ancient libertie ease them of the great charges they sustained and deliuer them from the miseries they liued in which if he refused to do he protested what great mischeefes should insue thereof in maner and forme as in such cases is accustomed The King read the letter softly to himselfe and afterward all alone withdrew himselfe into a wardrob and commanded the herault to be brought to his presence to whom he made this answer First that he knew well the King of England was not passed the seas of his owne motion but by the perswasion of the Duke of Burgundie and the commonaltie of England secondarily that the sommer was now almost spent and that the Duke of Burgundie returned from Nuz as a man discomfited and vtterly vnfurnished of all things thirdly as touching the Constable he knew well he said that he had intelligence with the King of England bicause he had married his neece 6 but would deceiue the King his master as he had deceiued him notwithstanding all the great benefites he had receiued of him which he there rehearsed adding thereunto that the said Constable meant to liue in continuall dissimulation and entertaine euery man to make his profite of him last of all he alleaged to the herault diuers other reasons to perswade the King his Master to peace and gaue him with his owne hands three hundred crownes promising him a thousand more if peace were concluded further openly he gaue him for a present a goodly peece of crimosin veluet of thirty ells The herault answered that he would trauell the best he could for peace and thought the King his Master would easily be woon thereunto but that no mention must be made thereof till he were on this side the sea and then he willed the King our Master to send a herault to the English campe to demand a safe conduct for certaine ambassadors that he would send to the King of England and to addresse his letters to the Lord Hovvard or the Lord Stanley and to himselfe also to helpe to conuay his herault A great number there were without in the hall while the King talked with the herault very desirous to heare the Kings answer and to see his countenance at his comming foorth When he had made an end he called me to him bidding me continually to entertaine the herault till some were appointed to beare him companie to the end no man might commune with him and further to giue him a peece of crimosin veluet of thirtie ells
which I did accordingly Then the King began to talke with diuers rehearsing vnto them the contents of these letters of defiance and seuen or eight he called apart causing the said letters to be read and shewing a good and assured countenance void of al feare for he was glad of the comfort the herault had put him in The Notes 1 Melancthon writeth that the Emperor vvould not hazard a battell neither vvith Matthias King of Hungarie nor Duke Charles Quia sibi sciebat Martem in genesi infoeliciter positum esse But Berlandus saith that the Duke fought vvith the Emperor Meyer saith that in a skirmish the Duke ouerthrevv the Marquesse Albert of Brandenbourg and slue 120. of his men and tooke diuers prisoners and another time ouerthrevv the Bishop of Munster slue fiftie tooke sixteene and chased the Bishop hard to the Emperors campe and likevvise another time the Bishops of Mentz Treues Munster and Marquesse Albert and slue a great number of their men And last of all bicause the Emperor and the Duke contended vvhether of them should first depart from before Nuz their footmen ioined and the Duke slue 1500. 2 Peace vvas concluded betvveene the Emperor and the Duke 31. Maij. 1475. 3 The Emperor departed from Nuz 29. Iunij leauing the Duke there vvho vvould not leuie his siege before the Emperors departure bicause of his honor but soone after departed also the Duke Meyer 4 The Duke lost before Nuz 15000. men Annal. Burgund vvherefore Meyer hath small reason to reprooue our author for saying that the Dukes armie vvas in so poore estate that he durst not let the English men see it 5 Hall in his Chronicle reproueth our author for reporting this Garter to be a Norman saying that neuer Norman was King of heraults which notwithstandyng I Know not why we should beleeue for he him selfe confesseth that King Edward the fourth made a Gascoine namely Vaucler Deputie of Calice a much higher and more dangerous office to be in a strangers hand than this 6 How the Queene of England was the Constables neece the pedegree in the ende of this booke will declare Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death Chap. 6. I Must yet speake a word or two more heer of the Constable who was not a little troubled as well for the lewd touch he had plaid the Duke of Burgundy about the restitution of Saint Quintins as also bicause he saw himselfe vtterly disfauored of the King so far foorth that his cheefe seruants namely the Lords of Genly and Mouy had alreadie relinquished him and were in the Kings seruice notwithstanding the said de Mouy resorted still to him sometime Further the King pressed the Constable earnestly to come to him offering to make him such recompence for the countie of Guise as he required and the King had often promised him The Constable was willing to go so that the K. would sweare by the crosse of S. Lou of Angiers to do him no harme nor consent that any other should alleaging that he might as wel sweare therby now as in times past he did to the Lord of Lescute whereunto the King answered that he would neuer giue that oth to any man 1 but any other he would not refuse to sweare You may easily gesse how much both the King and the Constable were troubled for that no day escaped for a certaine space but one or other passed betweene them about this oth Wherefore if we well weigh our estate mans life is very miserie for we toile and trauell our selues to shorten our owne daies saying and writing a number of things cleane contrarie to our thought To conclude if these two were troubled on the one side I warrant you the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie were no lesse troubled on the other At one time in a maner both the King of England landed at Callice 2 and the Duke of Burgundie departed from before Nuz who in great haste rode straight to Callice to the said King with a very small traine for he had sent his armie in such poore estate as you haue heard to spoile the countrie of Barrois and Lorraine to the end they might there make merrie and refresh themselues which he did bicause the Duke of Lorraine had begun war vpon him and defied him before Nuz But this sending of his forces into Lorraine among diuers other his ouersights in his actions with the English men was not the lest for they thought at their landing to haue found him with 2500. men of armes well appointed and great force of other horsemen and footemen for so he had promised thereby to allure them to passe the seas and further that he would haue made war in Fraunce three moneths before their arriuall to the end they might finde the King the wearier and the weaker but God as you haue heard disposed otherwise of this matter The King of England departed from Callice in companie of the Duke of Burgundie and passed through Bolaine and from thence to Peronne where the Duke gaue the English men but cold entertainment for he caused the gates to be straightly garded and would suffer but few to enter so that the greatest part of them lodged in the fields as they might well do for they were well prouided of all things necessarie for that purpose After they were come to Peronne the Constable sent to the Duke of Burgundy one of his seruants called Levvis of Creuille by whom he excused himselfe for the withholding of Saint Quintins alleaging that if he had restored it he could haue stood him in no stead in the realme of Fraunce for he should vtterly haue lost his credit and intelligence there but now seeing the King of England was come ouer in person he promised to do heerafter all that the Duke should command him whereof the better to assure him he sent him a letter of credit directed to the King of England but referring the matter of credit to the declaration of the Duke Further he gaue the Duke his faith in writing to serue and succour him his friends and confederates as well the King of England as others against all men none excepted The Duke deliuered the King of England his letter and withall the matter of credit adding somwhat thereto of his own deuise for he assured the King that the Constable would deliuer into his hands both Saint Quintins and all his other places which the King easily beleeued partly bicause he had maried the Constables neece and partly bicause he saw him in so great feare of the King our Master that he thought he durst not faile of his promise made to the Duke and him and the Duke beleeued it also But the Constable meant nothing lesse for the fear he stood in of the King our Master was not so great that it could force
him so far But he vsed still his woonted dissimulation hoping by these faire messages to content them and shew them so apparant reasons of his dooings that they would not as yet constraine him to declare himselfe Now you shall vnderstand that King Edvvard and his men were nothing acquainted with our affaires but went bluntly to worke so that they could not as yet smell out the cunning vsed heere on this side the sea for naturally the English men that neuer trauelled abroad are very colerick as are also al people of cold coūtries 3 The realme of Fraunce as you see is situate betweene both for it is inuironed with Italy Spaine and Catalonia towards the east 4 and with England Flaunders and Holland towards the west 5 and all along the countrey of Champaigne Almaine bordereth vpon it so that our countrey taketh part both of heate and cold wherfore the French are of two complexions but in mine opinion I neuer saw countrey in my life better seated than the realme of Fraunce The King of England who reioiced maruellously at this message sent by the Constable although happily he had receiued some such promise before but not so large departed from Peronne with the Duke of Burgundy who had no force there for his army was in Barrois and Lorraine towards Saint Quintins whereunto when they approched a great band of Englishmen ran before thinking as I heard it reported a few daies after that the bels should haue rung at their comming that the citizens would haue receiued them with crosse and holy water But when they drew neere the town the artillery shot and the soldiers issued foorth to the skirmish both on horsebacke and foote so that two or three English men were slaine and some taken Further it rained terribly and in this estate returned they in great rage to their campe murmuring against the Constable and calling him traitor The next morning the Duke of Burgundy would haue taken his leaue of the King of England to depart to his army into Barrois promising to do maruels in his fauor But the English men who naturally are suspicious and were strangers in these countries maruelled much at his so sudden departure seeing they had passed the seas at his request and were greatly discontented therwith neither would they beleeue that his army was in a readines Besides that the Duke could by no meanes repaire the Constables former credit with them notwithstanding that he affirmed all his dooings to be to a good end The winter also which drew neere dismaied them so that they seemed by their words desirous rather of peace than war The Notes 1 The King vvould not svveare by the crosse of Saint Lou of Angiers bicause vvho so touched that crosse and for svvare himselfe died miserably within a yeere after 2 The King of England landed at Calais the 4. of Iuly Meyer 3 The reason is Propter crassos humores quibus abundant eorum corpora qui vehementiores excitant affectus innatam caloris vim quae etiam augetur per antiperistasin 4 By the east he meaneth all seas to the great Ocean 5 By the vvest he meaneth all vvest and north seas How the King clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the King of England in his Campe where he receiued a very good answere Chap. 7. IN the meane time euen at the very instant that the D. of Burgundy was taking his leaue the English men tooke prisoner a gentlemans seruant of the Kings house named Iames of Grasse whom foorthwith they led to the King of England and the Duke being togither and from them into a tent where when they had examined him the Duke tooke his leaue to go into Brabant and from thence to Maizieres where part of his army lay The King of England commanded the said seruant to be dismissed bicause he was their first prisoner And at his departure the Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley gaue him a noble saying Do our humble commendations to the K. your Master if you can come to his presence The fellow came in great haste to the King being at Compiegne with these newes who foorthwith began to suspect him as a spie bicause Gilbert of Grasse his Masters brother was then very well entertained in the Duke of Britaines court wherefore he was committed to warde and straightly kept that night Notwithstanding the King commanded diuers to commune with him by whose report his tale seemed voide of all suspicion and feare Wherefore they desired the King to vouchsafe to heare him and according to their request the next morning he himselfe spake with him and when he had heard him his irons were knocked off but he remained still in warde Then the King went to diner debating with himselfe whether he should send to the English men or not And before he sat downe talked three or fower words thereof with me For you know my Lord of Vienna that oftentimes he communed very familiarly with those that were neere about him as I was then and others after loued to talke in a mans eare he called then to minde the herault of Englands aduise which was that he should not faile to send to the King of England so soone as he was landed to demaund a safe conduct for certaine ambassadors that he would send to him and further to adresse his herault to the aboue named Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley After the King was set to diner and had mused a while as you know his maner was which seemed strange to those that knew him not for vnlesse a man had beenwel acquainted with his behauior he would haue iudged him of no great wisdome notwithstanding that his dooings sufficiently declared the contrary he bad me in mine eare to arise and dine in my chamber and send for a certaine seruant of the Lord of Halles son to Merichon of Rochell and to commune with him to know whether he durst aduenture to go to the K. of Englands campe in a heraults cote which his commandement I executed foorthwith maruelling much when I saw the said seruant for he seemed to me neither of personage nor behauior fit for such an enterprise notwithstanding he had a good wit and a very pleasant toong as I afterward perceiued the King had neuer spoken with him before but once The said seruant was maruellously astonished with my message fell downe before me on his knees as one accounting himselfe a dead man but I comforted confirmed him the best I could promising him an office in the I le of Ré a summe of money to cheere him the better tolde him that this proceeded of the English men themselues Then I made him dine with me none being present but we two and one of my seruants and by little and little perswaded him to do as he was required After I had been at diner a while the King sent for me and I told
him how I had wrought with this good fellow naming diuers others who in mine opinion seemed fitter for this purpose than he but the King would none but him Wherfore he came and talked with him himselfe and confirmed him more with one word than I had with an hundred None entred into the chamber with the King saue onely the Lord of Villiers then Master of the horse and now bailife of Caen. When the King perceiued this good fellow to be well perswaded to go he sent the said Master of the horse to fetch a trumpet banner thereof to make this counterfet herault a cote armor for the King bicause he was not pompous as other Princes are had neither herault nor trumpeter with him Thus the Master of the horse and one of my men made his cote armor as well as they could which being finished the said Master of the horse fetched a scutchin of a little herault of the Lord Admirals called Pleinchemin which was fastened to our counterfet herault his bootes also and his cloke were brought priuily to him and likewise his horse whereupon he mounted no man vnderstanding any thing of his iourney Further a goodly budget was tied to his saddle bowe into the which he put his cote armor Thus being well instructed what to say he rode straight to the English campe where when he arriued with his cote armor on his backe he was staied incontinent and brought to the King of Englands pauilion Where being demanded the cause of his comming he said that he came from the King to speake with the King of England and had commandement to addresse himselfe to the Lord Hovvard and the Lord Stanley whereupon they led him into a tent to diner and made him good cheere After the King of England was risen from the table for he was at diner when the herault arriued the said herault was brought before him and the King gaue him audience His message was chiefely grounded vpon the great desire the King had of long time to be in perfect amitie with the King of England to the ende both the realmes might liue togither in peace and quietnes adding further that since the time he was first crowned King of Fraunce he neuer had attempted any thing against the King of England or his realme 1 secondarily he excused himselfe for receiuing in times past the Earle of Warwicke into his dominions saying that he did it onely against the Duke of Burgundie and not against him Further he declared vnto him that the said Duke of Burgundie had for none other cause called him into Fraunce but that by the occasion of his comming he might conclude a better peace for himselfe with the King And if happily any others were furtherers thereof it was onely to amend the broken state of their owne affaires and for their owne priuate commoditie but as touching the King of Englands good successe they were altogither carelesse thereof he put him also in minde of the time of the yeere alleaging that winter approched and likewise of the great charges he sustained lastly he said that notwithstanding a great number in England as well gentlemen as merchants desired war with France yet if the King of England would incline to peace the King for his part would condiscend to such conditions as he doubted not but he and his realme would allow of lastly to the ende he might the better be informed of all these matters he said that if the King of England would grant a safe conduct for an hundred horse the King his Master would send ambassadors to him well informed of their Masters pleasure or if the said King of England should like better to assigne the place of treatie in some village betweene both the armies and to send Commissioners thither on both sides the King his Master would willingly agree thereunto and send the like safe conduct for his part The King of England and part of his nobles liked these ouuertures very well and granted our herault as large a safe conduct as he demanded gaue him fower nobles of gold 2 in reward Further an English herault was sent backe with him to the King to bring the like safe conduct from him as the King of England had granted And the next morning in a village neere to Amiens the Commissioners of both Princes met being these for the King the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce the Lord of Saint Pierre and the Bishop of Eureux called Heberge and for the King of England the Lord Howard one called Chalanger 3 and a Doctor named Morton at this present Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury Some may thinke peraduenture that the King humbled himselfe too much but those that be wise will easily perceiue by that I haue aboue rehearsed in how great danger the realme stood had not God put to his helping hand as well in causing the King to take this wise course as also by troubling the D. of Burgundies wits who committed so many errors as you haue heard in this action lost now through his owne follie that which so long he had wished for and desired Many secret practises lay hidded at that time among our selues as well in Britaine as elsewhere which would soone haue broken foorth into great inconueniences had not this peace beene speedily concluded Wherefore I assure my selfe by that I haue seene in my time that God had then and yet hath a speciall regard of this realme The Notes 1 King Lewis had forgotten that before this time he had attempted to restore Queene Margaret daughter to King Rene. Annal. Burgund 2 Hall reporteth that the French herault had giuen him a gilt cup and an hundred angels 3 This Chalanger our chronicles name Sentleger How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made Chap. 8. THe Commissioners of both the Princes met as you haue heard the next day after our heraults returne for we lay within fower leagues or lesse togither The said herault was well cheered and had his office in the I le of Ré where he was borne and the sum of mony that was promised him Many conditions of peace were treated of betweene our Commissioners The English men after their woonted maner first demanded the crowne at the least Normandie and Guienne but they were no more earnestly demanded than strongly denied Notwithstanding euen at this first meeting the treatie was brought to a reasonable point for both the parties desired peace whereupon our ambassadors returned to the King and the others to their campe The King heard the English mens demands and last resolutions which were these That he should pay to the King of England presently before his departure out of Fraunce 72000. crownes 1 That the King that now is then Daulphine should marrie King Edwards eldest daughter at this day Queene of England and that she should
haue the Duchy of Guienne for hir maintenance or 50000. crownes yeerely to be paied in the Tower of London by the space of nine yeeres which terme expired the King that now is and his wife should peaceably enioy the reuenues of the whole Duchie of Guienne and then the King our Master to be cleerely discharged of all paiments to the King of England Diuers other trifling articles there were touching matter of trafike which I ouerpasse Lastlie this truce was to endure nine yeeres betweene the two realmes all the confederates of both parties being comprehended therin and namely on the King of Englands behalfe the Dukes of Burgundie and Britaine if they themselues would Further the King of England made a maruellous strange offer which was to name in writing certaine noble men who he said were traitors to the King and his crowne The King reioiced maruellously at the report that his Commissioners made at their returne sat in counsell about these ouertures of peace where among others I my selfe was present Some supposed all this treatie to be meere deceit and cunning of the English men but the King was of a contrarie opinion for he alleaged first the time of the yeere saying that winter now approched and that they had not one place to lodge in secondarily he declared the euill turns the Duke of Burgundie had done them who was also departed from them And as touching the Constable he did in maner assure himselfe that he would put no places into their hands bicause he sent howerly to him to entertaine him to asswage his malice and to keepe him from doing harme lastly he alleaged the King of Englands disposition whom he knew well to be a Prince wholy giuen to his pleasures delights Wherfore he seemed to discourse wiselier than any man of the companie and better to vnderstand than any other the matters there debated He concluded therefore with all speed to pay this summe of mony and deuised order how to leuie it and in the end commanded that euery man should lend a portion the sooner to furnish it for the King cared not what he did to rid the King of England out of his realme saue onely that he would in no wise consent to put any places into the English mens hands for rather than he would suffer that he was fully determined to hazard all The Constable who began to smel these practises was stricken with sudden feare bicause he had offended all the three Princes Further he doubted much the treatie almost concluded against him at Bouuines Wherefore he sent often to the King and euen at this present arriued at the Court one of his gentlemen named Levvis of Creuille with one of his Secretaries called Iohn Richer who are both yet liuing They deliuered their message to the Lord of Bouchage and me before they spake with the King as his pleasure was they should The newes they brought liked the King well bicause he meant to vse them to good purpose as you shall heare The Lord of Contay seruant to the Duke of Burgundie lately taken prisoner before Arras as you haue heard went to and fro vpon his word betweene the Duke and the King and the King had promised to release him his raunsome and to giue him a great summe of money if he could perswade his Master to peace By chance he returned to the King the selfesame day that these two seruants of the Constables arriued Wherefore the King made him and me to stand in a great old presse in his chamber to the end he might heare and make report to his Master of the language the Constable and his seruants vsed of him We being there placed the King sate downe on a forme hard by the presse to the end we might the better heare Lewis of Creuilles and his companions message Who began thus that of late being by their Masters commandement with the Duke of Burgundie to perswade him to depart from the English mens friendship they found him in such a rage against the King of England that they had almost woon him not onely to abandon the English men but also to helpe to spoile and destroy them in their returne home And in vttering these words the better to please the King the said Lewis of Creuille counterfetting the Duke of Burgundies gesture by stamping vpon the ground and swearing Saint George rehearsed many reprochfull speeches that as they said the Duke vsed of the King of England To be short they vttered as many scofs and mocks of the D. as was possible The King made great sport with this matter bad the said Lewis of Creuille to speake alowd faining himselfe to be growen somwhat deafe and to tel him this tale againe which the other making no bones thereat did with a good will The said Contay who stood with me in the presse was maruellously astonished at this talke neither would haue beleeued it vnlesse himselfe had heard it The Constables mens conclusion was this They counselled the King for auoiding of all these great dangers he sawe hang ouer his head to conclude a truce for the which the said Constable offered to trauell to the vttermost of his power and to put into the English mens hands the better to content them some small towne or two to lodge them in this winter saying that were they neuer so bad yet the English men would holde themselues contented with them And it seemed by their talke though they named no place that they ment Eu and Saint Valery By this meanes the Constable trusted to recouer the King of Englands fauor which he had lost bicause of the refusall made him of his places But the King who thought it sufficient to haue plaied his part by bringing the Lord of Contay to heare what language the Constable and his men vsed of the Duke his Master gaue them no euill answer but said that he would send to his brother 2 to aduertise him of such newes as he knew and so licensed them to depart Notwithstanding one of them before his departure sware to reueale vnto him whatsoeuer he could learne touching him or his estate The King had much adoo to dissemble any longer when he heard them counsell him to put townes into the English mens hands Notwithstanding he gaue them no such answer whereby they might gather their counsell to be taken in euill part bicause he feared that would the more increase the Constables malice but sent one backe with them to their Master it was not far betweene him and vs for a man might go and come in very short space When the others were departed the L. of Contay I came out of the presse the K. laughed maruellously and was very mery with this pageant But the said Contay was so far out of patience to heare such petit companions thus flout and scoffe his Master especially the Constable pretending so great friendship to his Master and treating with him of so many matters that
he thought euery hower ten til he were on horsebacke to aduertise the Duke his Master thereof Wherefore he was dispatched with all speede and wrote his instructions himselfe he caried also with him a letter of credit written with the Kings owne hand and so departed The peace with the English men was already concluded as aboue is mentioned and all these practises were abroch in one instant The Kings Commissioners had made report of their negotiation as you haue heard and the King of Englands were also returned to him Further it was concluded and agreed on both sides by the ambassadors that passed betweene them that the two Princes should meete togither and after they had seene one another and sworne the treaty the King of England should returne home into his countrey hauing first receiued the sum aboue mentioned of 720000. crownes and leauing in hostage behinde him till he were passed the seas the Lord Hovvard and the Master of his horse called sir Iohn Cheinie Lastly a pension of 16000. crownes was promised to be diuided among the King of Englands principall seruants of the which sum the Lord Hastings had two thousand The rest had the Lord Howard the Master of the horse Master Chalanger Master Montgomerie and others besides this great sums of money and goodly presents of siluer plate were giuen to King Edvvards seruants The Duke of Burgundy hearing these newes came in great haste from Luxembourg where he lay to the King of England accompanied onely with sixteene horse The King being much astonished at this his so sudden arriuall asked him what winde draue him thither perceiuing by his countenance that he was displeased The Duke answered that he was come to talke with him The King demanded whether he would speake with him priuately or publikely Then said the Duke haue you concluded peace I haue quoth the King made truce for nine yeeres wherein both you and the Duke of Britaine are comprehended and I pray you agree thereunto But the Duke grew maruellous hot and spake in English for he could the language rehearsing what noble acts diuers Kings of England had done in Fraunce and what great trauell they had sustained to purchase honor and renowme Afterward he inueighed vehemently against this truce saying that he had not desired the English men to passe the seas for any neede he had of their helpe but to the end they might recouer their owne right And to the intent they might perceiue that he stood in no need of their comming he protested that he would not make truce with the King till the King of England had been three moneths at home in his realme which talke ended he departed and returned from whence he came The King of England and his Councell tooke these words in euill part but they that misliked the peace commended much the Dukes speech The Notes 1 Meyer saith thus Quinquaginta millia aureorum pro tributo Aquitaniae Septuaginta quinque millia praeterea soluta prae manibus Edwardo à Gallorum Rege Annal. Aquit say 65000. our chronicles and Gaguin 75000. But the truce saith Gaguin vvas concluded but for seuen yeeres Introduction de la Marche saith 60000. crovvnes the yeerely tribut but in the second booke cap. 1. the same author saith but 36000. 2 The King calleth the Constable brother bicause the King and he had married tvvo sisters as our author maketh mention in this booke cap. 4. How the King feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two Kings Chap. 9. THe King of England to the end the peace might be fully concluded came and encamped within halfe a league of Amiens The King was at the gate from whence he might behold the English men a far off as they came To say the truth they seemed but yong soldiers for they rode in very euill order The King sent to the King of England 300. carts laden with the best wines that might be gotten the which carriage seemed a far off almost as great as the King of Englands armie Many English men bicause of the truce repaired to the towne where they behaued themselues very vndiscreetly and without all regard of their Princes honor They came all in armes and in great troupes and if the King our Master would haue dealt falsly with them so great a number might neuer so easily haue beene destroied Notwithstanding he meant nothing lesse but studied to make them good cheere and to conclude a sure peace with them for his time He had caused to be set at the entrie of the towne gate two long tables on each side of the street one furnished with all kindes of delicate meats that prouoke drinke and with the best wines that might be gotten and men to wait vpon them of water there was no mention At each of these tables he had placed fiue or sixe great fat gentlemen of good houses thereby the better to content those that desired to drinke The gentlemens names were these Monseur de Cran de Briqueber de Bresmes de Villiers and others So soone as the English men drew neere the gate they might behold this good cheere Besides this men purposely appointed tooke their horses by the bridles saying that they would breake a staffe with them and so led them to the table where they were feasted according to the varietie of the meats which they tooke in very good part After they were within the towne what house soeuer they entred into they paid nothing Further nine or ten tauerns were well furnished at the Kings charge of all things necessarie whither they went to eate and drinke and called for what they would but the King defraied all and this cheere endured three or fower daies You haue heard how the Duke of Burgundie misliked the peace which howsoeuer it displeased him troubled the Constable much more bicause he saw he had failed of his enterprise and purchased himselfe hatred on all sides wherefore he sent his Confessor to the King of England with a letter of credit desiring him for Gods loue to haue no affiance in the Kings words and promises but to accept the townes of Eu and S. Valerie and there to lodge himselfe part of the winter adding that within two moneths he would finde meanes to lodge him more commodiously Other assurance heerof gaue he him none for his onely meaning was to feede him foorth with these faire words Last of all to the end he should not conclude a dishonorable treatie for greedines of a little money he promised to lend him fiftie thousand crownes with diuers other large offers But the King had already caused the two places aboue mentioned to be burned bicause he knew the King of England had intelligence that the Constable had perswaded him to put them into the English mens hands King Edwards answer was that the truce was alreadie concluded and that he would alter nothing therein but if he had performed his promises he
came on the one side of the bridge and the Duke on the other being both accompanied with a great number of men of armes especially the Duke They fell in communication togither vpon the bridge at the which were present on the Dukes side onely three or fower 5 But after they had talked a while the Duke either through earnest sollicitation of those that were with the King or of a desire he had to humble himselfe before him vnboulted the wicket on his side and the others on theirs Three of the Dukes men went through before him and then himselfe passed being the fourth and was immediately slaine 6 and they also that accompanied him wherefore ensued great miseries and calamities to this realme 7 as all the world can witnes This historie was before my time wherefore I forbeare further to speake therof but thus the King rehearsed it to me word for word at the same time that this enteruiew with King Edvvard was appointed saying that if there had beene no wicket no occasion had beene to desire the Duke to passe through the grate and then that great misfortune had not happened The authors whereof were certaine of the Duke of Orleans seruants that was slaine who were then in great credit with King Charles The Notes 1 The King vpon a super slition kept holy twelue daies in the yeere viz. euerie moneth one in remembrance of the Innocents day and the day heere mentioned was one of them 2 These eleuen yeeres was in the text but one yeere the Printer for onze ans auoit hauing printed vn an auoit For the Duke of Orleans was slaine ann 1407. the 22. of Nouember and the King of England laid his siege before Roan 1418. the last of Iuly but Meyer saith in Iune and it was yeelded to him the 19. or 16. as some write of Ianuarie 1419. which was eleuen yeeres and somwhat more after the Duke of Orleans death 3 All authors report that not onely Roan but tall Normandie was taken before D. Iohn of Burgundie was slaine for Roan was yeelded to the English 1419. the 19. of Ianuarie and the Duke slaine the same yeere in Nouember September or August for authors so diuersly report the time but Commines maner as himselfe writeth is not to stand so exactly vpon times Further authors agree not among themselues about this matter Lastly this place may be vnderstood that when Duke Iohn leuied his armie his meaning was to raise the siege before Roan though he could not come time ynongh to execute his enterprise Of the Dukes death reade Meyer lib. 15. fol. 255. 256. Chron. Fland. fol. 281. Annal. Burgund c. 4 Note that this notwithstanding he was not King yet but Daulphin 5 The French writers say each of them hauing ten Knights 6 The French to excuse the Daulphin say that Tanneguy du Chastell somtime seruant to the Duke of Orleans that was slaine slue Duke Iohn with one blowe of a battell axe bicause of certaine arrogant words vsed at that time to the Daulphin wheras Commines and Meyer report that too great humilitie was cause of his death Tanneguy du Chastell Oliuer Layet Peter Frotier and William Batilier slue Duke Iohn and the Lord of Nouaille with him who drew his sword in the Dukes defence Annal. Burgund Introduct de la Marche Meyer 7 For Duke Philip of Burgundie to reuenge his fathers death entred into league with the English men How the two Kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the King of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon Chap. 10. OVr grate being finished as you haue heard the next day the two Kings came thither in the yeeere 1475. the 29. of August 1 The K. had with him about eight hundred men of armes and arriued first at the grate on the King of Englands side stood all his armie in order of battell which vndoubtedly was great both of horsemen and footemen yet could not we discouer his whole force We on our side seemed but a handfull to them and no maruell for the fourth part of the Kings armie was not there It was appointed that each of the Kings should be accompanied at the grate with twelue persons which were alreadie named of the noblest personages and such as were neerest about them Moreouer on our side were fower of the King of Englands seruants to view what we did and as many of ours on their side The King as I told you arriued first at the grate and twelue of vs waited vpon him among whom were the late Duke Iohn of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother It pleased him that I should weare that day a sute of apparell like his owne for he had vsed of long time and that verie often to command one or other to be apparelled like himselfe The King of England came along vpon the causey aboue mentioned with a maruellous goodly traine as was conuenient for the maiestie of a Prince he was accompanied with the Duke of Clarence his brother the Earle of Northumberland and diuers other noble men namely the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine his Chauncellor and others But there were not past three or fower besides himselfe apparelled in cloth of golde Further he ware on his head a black veluet cap with a maruellous rich iewell being a Flower de luce set with stones He was a goodly tall Prince but inclined now to be somewhat grosse I had seene him before much beautifuller than at this present for sure when the Earle of Warwicke chased him out of England he was the goodliest gentleman that euer I set mine eie on When he came within fiue foote of the grate he tooke off his cap and bowed downe within halfe a foote of the ground the King in like maner who was leaning vpon the grate vsed great reuerence towards him when they came to embrace each other through the grate the King of England againe made low obeisance Then the King began the talke and said Cosin you are most hartily welcom there is no man in the world whom I haue so much desired to see as you and praised be God that we are met heere to so good a purpose heereunto the King of England answered in good French This talke ended the Chancellor of England who was a Prelate and Bishop of Elie began his oration with a prophesie whereof the English men are neuer vnfurnished 2 which said that in this place of Picquigny an honorable peace should be concluded betweene the realmes of Fraunce and England The Bishops oration being ended the letters were opened that the King had deliuered to the King of England touching the conclusion of the treatie and the said Chancellor asked the King whether they were written by his commandement and whether he auowed them whereunto the King answered yea Then the Bishop asked him againe if he held himselfe contented in like maner with those letters and
writings that were deliuered him on the King of Englands behalfe whereunto the King answered as before Then was the missall brought foorth and opened vpon the which each of the Kings laide one of their hands and the other vpon the true holie crosse and sware both of them to keepe and obserue the articles concluded betweene them namely the truce for nine yeeres wherein the confederats of both parties were comprehended and the marriage of their children to be accomplished in maner and forme as was comprehended in the treatie After they had both sworne the King who had his words at commandement began to enter into pleasant talke with the K. of England saying that he should come to Paris to solace himselfe there with the Ladies and that he would giue him the Cardinall of Bourbon for his confessor who would easilie assoile him of that sinne if any were committed The King of England tooke great pleasure in this talke and answered with a merry countenanee for he knew the Cardinall to be a good fellow After some such like speeches passed betweene them the King to shew that he had authority among his men commanded those that were with him to withdraw themselues saying that he would commune with the King of England in secret which they that accompanied the King of England seeing retired without commandement After the two Kings had communed awhile togither the King called me to him and asked the King of England if he knew me who answered that he knew me well and named the places where he had seene me adding that in times past I had taken paines to do him seruice in Calais during the time I was with the Duke of Burgundy Then the King inquired of him if the Duke of Burgundy would not be comprehended in the truce as it was to be presumed bicause of his froward answer that he would not what it would please him that he should do The King of England said that he would offer it him yet once more and if he refused to accept it that then they two should do as they thought good Afterward the King fell in talke of the Duke of Britaine which was the onely end why he mooued this question asked him in like maner of him The King of England desired him earnestly to attempt nothing against the D. of Britain saying that in his necessity he neuer found so faithfull a friend whereupon the King ended this communication and then calling the company togither againe with the most curteous and gratious language that might be tooke his leaue of the King of England giuing very good words in like maner to euery one of his seruants And so the two Princes in a maner both at one instant departed from the grate and tooke horse The King returned to Amiens and the King of England to his campe whither we sent from the court all kinde of prouision necessary for him so far foorth that torches and lights were not forgotten At this enteruiewe the Duke of Glocester King Edwards brother and certaine others were not present bicause they misliked the peace Notwithstanding afterward they were well ynough perswaded to allow of it so far foorth that the said Duke of Glocester came to Amiens to the King who gaue him many goodly presents of siluer plate and horses with all kinde of furniture After the King was returned from this meeting vpon the way he debated two points with me the one he found the King of England so willing to come to Paris that it liked him neuer a whit For he is quoth he a goodly Prince and much giuen to loue he may peraduenture meete with some dainty dame at Paris that will entertaine him with so many sugred words that she may happily make him desirous to returne thither againe But his predecessors haue soiourned too long both at Paris and in Normandy I like not his company on this side the sea but so long as he keepeth home I wish to haue him my good friend and louing brother The other point was this he was sory that he found the King of England somwhat hard when he made mention of the D. of Britaine for the King was so desirous to perswade him to suffer war to be made in Britaine that afterward he sollicited this matter anew by the Lords of Bouchage and Saint Pierre But the King of England seeing himselfe thus earnestly pressed answered in fewe words that who so should make war vpon the Duke of Britaine he would passe the seas yet once againe in his defence which answer being heard the matter was no further mentioned After the K. was returned to Amiens euen as he was going to supper arriued three or fower noble men of England such as had furthered the peace and the Lord Hovvard who was one of them began to talke with the King in his eare saying that if it pleased him he would finde meanes to bring his Master to Amiens and peraduenture to Paris to make merry with him which offer though the King liked neuer a whit yet made he shew of great good liking thereof and began to wash not answering much to that point but tolde me softly in mine eare that the thing he most feared was hapned meaning this offer After supper they fell againe in communication of the selfesame matter but with wise words the enterprise was broken off for the King said that with all speede he must depart to go against the Duke of Burgundy Although these affaires were of great importance and sagely ordered on both sides yet you see merry toies hapned also among them which are not to be forgotten But as touching the K. who will maruell considering the great harmes the English men haue done in Fraunce but of late yeeres if he trauelled his body and spent his money to rid them friendly out of the realme to the intent heereafter he might keepe them his friends at the least not haue them his foes The next day after this meeting a great number of English men repaired to Amiens some of them affirming that the holy Ghost had made this peace for they grounded all on prophesies The reason that mooued them so to say was for that a white pigeon sate vpon the King of Englands pauilion the day of the enteruiew and would not remooue thence notwithstanding any noise made in the camp The cause whereof as some men iudged was for that it had rained a little and afterward the sunne shining very hot the pigeon lighted vpon this pauilion being higher than the rest to drie hir selfe which reason was giuen by a gentleman of Gascoine seruant to the King of England named Lewis of Bretailles who was not a little offended with the peace And bicause he and I were of old acquaintance he talked familiarly with me saying that we would deride the King of England for this treatie I asked him how many battel 's the said King had woon he told me nine in the which himselfe had beene in
person Then I demanded of him againe how many he had lost and he answered neuer but one which was this we now bereaued him of adding that he receiued greater dishonor by returning home after this sort than he had obtained honor in winning the other nine Of this communication I aduertised the King who said he was a dangerous knaue and that some meanes must be found to stop his mouth whereupon he sent for him and made him dine at his owne table offering him verie large offers and goodly offices if he would tarry in Fraunce But seeing he would by no meanes be woon thereunto he gaue him a thousand crownes in money promising also a good turne to his brethren that were on this side the sea and I gaue him a watchword in his eare to employ his credit to continue the friendship and amity begun betweene the two Princes The King feared especially aboue all things least some word should escape him at vnawares whereby the English men might gather that he derided them And by chaunce the next morning after this meeting as he was in his closet and not past three or fower of vs with him he spake a merrie word touching the wines and presents sent to the English campe and as he turned about espied a merchant of Gascoine that dwelt in England who was come to mooue a sute to him for a licence to ship certaine Gascoine wines into England without impost which was a sute that might much benefit the said merchant if he could obtaine it The King woondered when he saw him how he was gotten in thither and asked him of what towne he was in Guienne and whether he were a merchant and married in England The merchant answered yea but that his wealth was not great Incontinent before his departure thence the K. appointed one to accompanie him to Bordeaux and I communed with him by his commandement Further a good office in the towne where he was borne was giuen him the licence for the wines which he demanded was granted him and besides this 1000. franks were deliuered him for his wiues charges vpon the way and he sent a brother of his into England for hir but went not himselfe Thus the King condemned himselfe in this penaltie for his ouer large speech The Notes 1 The old copie saith the 19. day Meyer the 31. day Gaguin the 28. of October 2 The like reparteth Iouius of the French How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the King and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 11. THe selfesame day aboue mentioned being the next day after the enteruiew the Constable sent letters to the King by a seruant of his named Rapine who was a trustie seruant to his Master and whom also the King preferred afterwarde Monseur de Lude and my selfe were commanded to heare his message Now you shall vnderstand that Monseur de Contay was already returned from the Duke of Burgundie to the Court about the practise aboue mentioned deuised against the Constable so that the said Constable knew not to what Saint he should vow himself but remained in vtter despaire Rapines message was very humble tending to excuse his Master of the sundry euill reports that he knew had been made of him to the King for that the end sufficiently declared that he neuer meant to do otherwise than dutie required And to the intent he might the better assure the King of his true dealing he promised so to practise with the Duke of Burgundy that he would perswade him to helpe to destroy the King of England and his whole army if it so pleased the King And it seemed by his speech that his Master was in vtter despaire We told him that we were in perfect amity with the English men and would no war But Monseur de Lude who was with me aduentured to aske him if he knew where his Masters treasure lay I maruelled to heare such a word passe him for seeing this Rapine was a very trustie seruant to his Master this speech was sufficient to haue caused the Constable to flie and to vnderstand in what estate he was and what was a brewing for him especially seeing the danger he had been in not past a yeere before But I neuer knew man in my life neither heere nor elsewhere that could dislodge in time and shun the danger hanging ouer his head some bicause they thinke they shall not be receiued nor be in safetie in strange countries and other some bicause they are too much affectionate to their goods wiues and children which two reasons haue been the cause of many a good mans vndooing After we had made report to the King of Rapines message he called for one of his Secretaries none being with him but the Lord Hovvard the King of Englands seruant who vnderstood nothing of this practise against the Constable the Lord of Contay who was returned from the Duke of Burgundy and we two that had talked with the said Rapine Then he indited a letter to the Constable wherein he aduertised him of all that was done the day before namely the treaty of peace Further he senâ—â—â—â— word that he was busied with diuers affaires of great importance and had neede of such a head as his which word was no sooner vttered but he turned to the Englishmen and the Lord of Contay saying softly to them I meane not that we should haue the body but the head without the body This letter was deliuered to Rapine who liked it maruellous well especially those words that the King had need of such a head as his Masters but he vnderstood not the mystery thereof The King of England also sent the King the two letters of credit that the Constable had written to him and disclosed all the messages that he had sent him whereby you may perceiue how the Constable had behaued himselfe towards these three great Princes and in what estate he was euery one of the three desiring his death The King of England vpon the receit of his money departed and marched in great haste towards Callice fearing the D. of Burgundies malice his subiects and not without cause for whensoeuer his men scattered singled themselues some of them came short home At his departure he left for hostages with the King till his returne into England according to his promise the Lord Hovvard and the Master of his horse called Sir Iohn Cheiny You haue heard before at the entrance into these English affaires that K. Edward had no great deuotion to this voyage into Fraunce for being come to Douer before he embarked he began to practise with vs. But there were two causes that mooued him to passe the seas one the desire his whole realme had according to their natural humor to make war in Fraunce and the rather at this present bicause the Duke of Burgundy pressed the war so
earnestly the other the hope he had to reserue to himselfe a great part of the subsidie leuied in England for this voiage for as before I haue said the Kings of England receiue onely the bare reuenues of their lands saue when they leuie money to make war in Fraunce Further K. Edward had deuised this subtiltie to appease his subiects he had brought with him ten or 12. great fat paunches as well of the citie of London as of other townes in England who were the wealthiestmen of the commonaltie and had been the chiefest instruments both in perswading the King to passe into Fraunce and also in leuying this mightie army The King caused them to be lodged in good tents but that was not the life they were accustomed to lead wherefore they soone waxed wearie of it At their first arriuall they looked for the battell within three daies after their landing But the King of England alleaged many doubts vnto them and endeuored to put them in feare of the battell and to perswade them to allow of the peace to the ende they might aide him at their returne into England to pacifie the murmuring and grudging of the people that happily might arise bicause of his returne for neuer King of England since King Arthur passed at one time with so great force and so many noble personages into Fraunce But after the peace was concluded the King of England repaired homeward with speed reseruing to himselfe a great summe of monie leuied in England for the paiment of his soldiers so that he obtained in effect all his purposes His bodie could not away with such labor as a King of England must endure that mindeth to atchieue any great enterprise in Fraunce Further the King our Master had made great preparation for resistance though to say the truth he could not well haue prouided defence sufficient against all his enimies for he had too manie Lastly the King of England had a maruellous great desire to accomplish the marriage of his daughter with King Charles the 8. now raigning which caused him to winke at a number of inconueniences that turned after to the King our Masters great profit After all the English men were returned home sauing the hostages the King tooke his iourney towards Laon and lodged in a little towne vpon the maâ—â—â—es of Henault called Veruins and to Auennes in Henault came the Chauncelloâ— oâ— Burgundie with the Lord of Contay and other ambassadors from the Duke The King was very desirous at this time to conclude a finall peace for this mightie English armie had put him in feare and no maruell for he had seene in his time of their doings in this realme and would in no wise their returne The said Chauncellor writ to the King desiring that it would please him to send his Commissioners for the peace to a certaine bridge in the midway betweene Auennes and Veruins saying that he and his colleagues would meet them there The King sent him answer that he would come thither himselfe and notwithstanding that diuers whose aduise he asked in this matter perswaded him to the contrarie yet thither he went leading also with him the English hostages who were present when he receiued the Dukes ambassadors the which came very well accompanied with archers and men of war At this first meeting they did but salute the King then went to dinner One of the English men began to repent him that the treatie was concluded and said to me at a window that if they had seene many such men with the Duke of Burgundie peraduenture they would not haue made peace Which words the Vicount of Narbonne 1 now Lord of Fouez hearing said Were you so simple to thinke that the Duke of Burgundie had not great force of such men he had sent them onely to refresh themselues but you were so desirous to returne home that sixe hundred pipes of wine and a pension the King giueth you blew you quickly backe into England The English man in a great furie answered I perceiue now their sayings to prooue true that told vs you would deride vs for making peace Call you the money the King giueth vs a pension it is tribute and by Saint George you may babble so much that you may soone make vs to returne But I brake off their talke and turned it to a iest notwithstanding the Englishman was discontented and cast out a word thereof to the King who was maruellously offended with the Lord of Narbonne for his speech The King communed not long at this first meeting with the Chancellor and the other ambassadors for it was agreed that they should go with him to Veruines where when they arriued he coÌ„manded M. Tanneguy du Chastell and M. Peter Doriole Chancellor of Fraunce and others to negotiate with them much ado there was betweene them many reasons alleaged and many demands made on each side The Kings Commissioners made report to him that the Burgundians vsed fierce and stout language but that they had paid them with the like and withall tolde him what their answers were Which he much misliked saying that the like answers had been made diuers times before and that they treated not of a finall peace but onely of truce wherefore he would haue no more such language vsed but would himselfe commune with them and thereupon caused the said Chauncellor and the 〈◊〉 â—â—bassadors to come into his chamber out of the which all men were commanded to auoid saue the late L. Admirall called the bastard of Burbon Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe There the King concluded truce for nine yeeres wherein it was agreed that euery man shuld be restored to his former estate But the ambassadors besought the King that the truce might not yet be proclaimed to saue the D. their Masters oth who had sworne not to make truce before the King of England had been a certaine space in his realme least he should thinke their Master had accepted his truce But the King of England who thought great scorne that the Duke would not be comprehended in his truce being aduertised that he treated with the King of an other sent ouer into Fraunce a knight neere about him called Sir Thomas Montgomery who came to Veruins at the very same instant that the King treated with the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors of this truce aboue mentioned The said Sir Thomas required the King in the King his Masters name to make no other truce with the Duke of Burgundy than that which was already concluded betweene them two Further desiring him not to deliuer Saint Quintins into the Dukes hands offering that if he would continue war with the Duke his Master would be content the next sommer to passe the seas againe for him and in his aide with these conditions First that the King should recompence the losse the King of England should sustaine by the wooll custome of Calice amounting yeerely to 50000. crownes which if the war opened with
Flaunders were cleerely lost And secondarily that the King should pay the one halfe of the English army and the King of England the other The King yeelded great thanks to the King of England for this curteous message and gaue a goodly present of siluer plate to the said Sir Thomas Notwithstansting as touching the war he excused himselfe saying that the truce was already concluded being the very same that the King of England and he had made for the terme of nine yeeres saue that the Duke would haue his letters apart Thus to content the ambassador he excused the matter the best he could and the said Sir Thomas returned into England and the hostages with him The King maruelled much at the King of Englands offers at the report whereof I onely was present But it seemed to him a dangerous thing to cause the King of England to passe the seas againe both bicause euery trifle would breede quarrels betweene the French and English being in campe togither and also bicause it was to be feared that the Burgundians and they would easily concile themselues wherefore he was so much the more desirous to conclude the truce with the Duke of Burgundy The Notes 1 The French hauing onely Monseur de Narbonne made Sleidan translate it the Bishop of Narbonne whereas in deed he was Vicount of Narbonne not Bishop as other authors affirme and these words Qui an iourd'huy s'appele Monseur de Fouez plainly prooue wherefore for auoiding of Sleidans error I haue put this word Vicount into the text though it be not in the French How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundie and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was staied and deliuered to the King and after put to death Chap. 12. THe truce being concluded the old practise against the Constable was reuiued and to the end the processe thereof should be short they ratified all that was done before at Bouuines and the writings there made as before you haue heard were againe interchangablie deliuered In the said writings the King promised the Duke Saint Quintins Han Bohain and all the lands that the Constable held of the Duke and all his moouables wheresoeuer they were found 1 Further the maner how to besiege him in Han where he lay was deuised It was also agreed that whether of the two Princes could first take him should either put him to death within eight daies or deliuer him to the other All men incontinent began to feare this confederacie so far foorth that the Constables principall seruants forsooke him namely Monseur de Genly and diuers others Further he being aduertised that King Edward had deliuered his letters to the King and discouered all that he knew of him and seeing also that his enimies had made truce fell into great feare and sent to the Duke of Burgundie humbly beseeching him to giue him a safe conduct to come and speake with him about certaine affaires that greatly imported him The Duke at the first made dainty to grant a safe conduct but in the end sent him one This mighty noble man had oft debated whither he should flie to saue himselfe for he was informed of all that was done and had seene the writings deuised against him at Bouuines Sometime he consulted with certaine of his seruants being Lorrains determining to flie with them into Almain carying a great sum of money with him for the way was very safe therewith to buy som place vpon the riuer of Rhene to remaine in till he were reconciled to one of the two Princes Somtime he resolued to put himselfe into his strong castel of Han which had cost him so much money and which he had fortified to serue him at such a pinch and furnished of al things as well as any castell that euer I knew But he could not finde men to his minde to put into the place bicause all his seruants were borne vnder the Dominions of one of the two Princes And peraduenture his feare was so great that he durst not wholy discouer himselfe and his estate to them for I thinke a great many of them would not haue forsaken him neither was it so dangerous for him to be besieged of both the Princes as of one for it had been impossible for the two armies to agree But in the end he concluded to go to the Duke of Burgundy vnder this safe conduct being accompanied onely with fifteene or twenty horse and rode to Montz in Hainault where the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault and his especial friend lay With him he soiourned a certaine space attending newes from the Duke of Burgundy who had lately begun war vpon the Duke of Lorraine bicause he had defied him when he lay at the siege before Nuz and done much harme in the countrey of Luxembourg The King being aduertised of the Constables departure purposed so to order the matter that he should neuer recouer the Duke of Burgundies fauor for he leuied seauen or eight hundred men of armes and rode with them in all haste to Saint Quintins knowing well what force was within the towne neere to the which when he approched certaine of the Citizens came foorth to receiue him The King commanded me to enter the towne and appoint euery captaine to his quarter and so I did First the soldiers entred and then the King who was very honorably receiued of the townes men whereupon certaine of the Constables seruants retired into Hainault The King immediately aduertised the Duke by a letter of his own hand of the taking of Saint Quintins thereby to put him vtterly out of hope to recouer it by the Constables meanes Which newes when the Duke vnderstood he sent word to the Lord Desmeriez great bailife of Hainault to garde the towne of Montz in such sort that the Constable could not depart and farther to commaund him to keepe his lodging which commandement the bailife executed accordingly for he durst do no lesse Notwithstanding the garde was not strong enough for such a personage if he had been disposed to escape What shall we say heere of Fortune This noble man dwelt vpon the frontiers of both these Princes dominions being enimies hauing strong townes in his hands and fower hundred men of armes well paied of the which he was Comptroller himselfe and placed whom it pleased him and had been their Captain the space of twelue yeeres He was a wise and a valiant knight and of great experience and had great treasure in ready coine yet notwithstanding at this last pinch his courage so failed him that he wist not what shift to make We may well say that fickle Fortune behelde him with a frowning countenance or rather if we will speake like good Christians we must say that such great miseries depend not vpon Fortune for Fortune is buâ—â— phantasticall fiction of Poetrie Wherefore we must thinke if we will well weigh both
the reasons aboue alleaged and diuers others heere vnrehearsed that God had vtterly forsaken him and giuen him ouer And if it were lawfull for man to iudge as I know it is not especially for me I would say that in mine opinion all this misery fell vpon him bicause he trauelled continually to the vttermost of his power to nourish the war betweene the King and the Duke of Burgundy knowing his great authority and estate to depend therupon although to say the truth the matter needed no great labor for there was a naturall antipathy between them Who is so rude or ignorant to thinke that Fortune or any other like chance was able to cast so wise a man into the disgrace of both these Princes at once who in their liues neuer agreed in any thing saue onely this especially into the King of Englands disgrace who had maried his neece and loued entirely all his wiues kinsmen especially those of this house of Saint Paul It is like therefore yea it is most certaine that God had withdrawne his grace from him in that he had purchased himselfe such hatred of all these three Princes and had not one friend in the world that durst giue him a nights lodging Neither was it fained Fortune that strake this stroke but God alone The like whereof hath hapned and shall happen to diuers others who after great and long prosperity fall into great aduersity and trouble After the Constable was arrested in Hainault by the Duke of Burgundies commandement the King sent word to the Duke either to deliuer him into his hands or execute him according to the tenure of the writings aboue mentioned The Duke answered that he would so do and commanded the Constable to be led to Peronne and there straightly kept Further you shall vnderstand that the Duke had already taken diuers places in Lorraine and Barrois and at this present helde the siege before Nancy which was valiantly defended The King had great force of men of armes in Champaigne which held the Duke in feare for the King was not bound by the truce to suffer him to destroy the Duke of Lorraine who was retired into Fraunce The Lord of Bouchage and diuers other ambassadors sent by the King pressed the Duke earnestly to performe his promise oth and he answered euer that he would so do but yet delaid it more than a moneth ouer and aboue the eight daies wherin he should either haue deliuered the Constable or put him to death Notwithstanding in the end seeing the matter so earnestly pressed and fearing that the King would hinder his enterprise in Lorraine which he so much desired to atchieue to the end he might haue the passage open from Luxembourg into Burgundy and ioine all these Seniories togither for this little Duchy of Lorraine being his he might come vpon his owne dominions from Holland almost as far as Lions 2 For these considerations I say he wrote to his Chancellor and the Lord of Himbercourt so often already mentioned which two had absolute authority in his absence and were both of them the Constables enimies and euill willers to go to Peronne and deliuer the Constable at a day by him prefixed to those that the King should there appoint to receiue him sending word withall to the Lord Desmeriez to deliuer him to the said Chancellor and Himbercourt The Duke of Burgundy in the meane time beat continually the towne of Nancy but there were good soldiers within it which valiantly defended it Further one of the Dukes owne Captaines called the Earle of Campobache a Neapolitane born but banished thence for the house of Anious faction was lately entred into intelligence with the Duke of Lorraine heire apparant of the house of Aniou after the death of King Rene his mothers father This Earle of Campobache promised to prolong the siege and finde meanes that such things should be lacking as were necessary for the taking of the towne 3 Which his promise he was very well able to performe being then the greatest man in the Dukes army but a false traitor to his Master as heerafter you shall heare more at large This was a preparatiue as it were of all those euils and miseries that fell afterward vpon the Duke of Burgundy The said Duke meant as I suppose if he had taken the towne before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery not to deliuer him at all And on the otherside I thinke if the King had had him he would haue done more in the Duke of Lorraines fauor than he did for he was aduertised of the Earle of Campobaches traiterous practises but medled not with them yet was he not bound to let the Duke of Burgundy do what him listed in Lorraine notwithstanding for diuers respects he thought it best so to do besides this he had great forces vpon the frontiers of the said countrey of Lorraine The Duke could not take Nancy before the day appointed for the Constables deliuery 4 which being come the two aboue mentioned executed willingly their Masters commandement 5 and deliuered him at the gate of Peronne to the bastard of Bourbon Admirall of Fraunce and to Monseur de Saint Pierre who led him to Paris Diuers haue told me that within three howers after his departure messengers came in poste from the Duke with a countermaund to wit that he should not be deliuered before Nancy were taken but it was too late At Paris the Constables proces was made and the Duke deliuered all his letters that were in his hands and all such euidence as serued for the proces The King pressed the Court earnestly and Iustices were appointed for the hearing of his cause who seeing the euidence that both the King of England and the Duke gaue against him condemned him to die 6 and confiscated all his goods The Notes 1 Vnderstand this as wel of the moouables he had in the Kings dominions as vnder the Duke 2 The Duke desired Lorraine not onely for the cause heere alleaged by our author but also to proclaime himselfe vnder that colour King of Sicile and Hierusalem 3 This Campobache as some report wrought this treason for that the Duke had once in his rage giuen him a blow Meyer 4 He tooke Nancy about the 19. of Nouember but la Marche saith in the ende of Nouember Meyer 28. Nouemb. 1475. and the Constable was deliuered the 30. of Nouember 5 The Chancellor and Hymbercourt deliuered him with such speede through euill will whereas they ought to haue staide till the second message had come from the Duke for as saith Meyer Ferebat consuetudo exiure militari ciuilique desumpta vt in talibus grauibus rebus secundam semper praetores ministrique expectarent iussionem at hoc isti duo odio grauissimo deflagrantes in comitem stabuli gratúmque volentes facere regi mirum in modum sanguinem illius sitienti non obseruauerunt Si obseruassent vt debeant fortassis virum ipsum ducem Dominum
all good counsell and sought all meanes to hurt themselues In the which vale of misery they are still like to continue or if happily they wade out of it for a season like they are to fall into it againe Wherefore I am of a certaine wise mans opinion of my acquaintance that God giueth to subiects Princes according as he will punish or chastise them and likewise towards the Prince disposeth the subiects harts according as he will aduaunce or abase him and euen so dealt he with the subiects of this house of Burgundie For after three great good and sage Princes who gouerned them the space of 120. yeers or more with great wisedome and vertue he gaue them in the end this D. Charles who held them in continuall wars trauell and charges almost as much in winter as sommer so that a great number of rich wealthy men were either slaine in these wars or starued in prison Their great miseries began before Nuz and continued with the losse of three or fower battels till the hower of the Dukes death who in this last battell wasted and consumed the whole force of his countrie and lost all his seruants that could or would haue defended the estate and honor of his house It seemeth therefore as before I said that this aduersity hath counteruailed all the time of their felicitie For as I say that I haue seene him a great mighty and honorable Prince so may I say also of his subiects for I haue trauelled the best part of Europe in mine opinion yet saw I neuer countrey in my life of the like greatnes no nor far greater abound with such wealth riches sumptuous buildings large expences feasts bankets and all kinde of prodigality as these countries of Burgundy did during the time that I was there And if those that knew them not during the time that I speake of thinke my report too large I am sure others that knew them then as well as my selfe will thinke it too little But God with one blowe hath laid flat on the ground this sumptuous building I meane this mighty house that bred and maintained so many woorthy men that was so greatly esteemed both far and neere and obtained greater victories and liued in greater honor during the time it florished than any other which great felicity and grace of God towards them continued the space of a hundred and twenty yeeres During the which time all their neighbors suffered great afflictions namely Fraunce England and Spaine so far foorth that all these at one time or other haue come to craue helpe and succor of this house of Burgundy as you haue seene by experience of the King our Master who in his youth while his father King Charles the seuenth raigned liued in Burgundy the space of sixe yeeres with good Duke Philip who louingly receiued him As touching the Princes of England I haue seene in the Duke of Burgundies court King Edvvards two brethren the Dukes of Clarence and Glocester who afterward named himselfe King Richard the third and on the contrary side of the house of Lancaster that tooke part with King Henry I haue seene in maner all the noble men suing to this house of Burgundy for aide To be short as I haue knowen this house honored of all men so haue I also seene it at one instant fall downe topsie turuy and become the most desolate and miserable house in the world both in respect of the Prince and also of the subiects Such like works hath God brought to passe before we were borne and wil also when we are dead For this we ought certainly to beleeue that the good or euill successe of Princes dependeth wholy vpon his diuine ordinance The Notes 1 Of the deuise of the Fuzill read the chronicles of Flanders pag. 345. Claude Paradin in his deuises heroiques pag. 46. and Annal. Burgund lib. 3. pag. 711. who saith that he gaue the striking iron bicause it is made in the forme of B. which is the first letter of Burgundie Further he giueth the said iron striking against a stone with infinite sparkles flying from them to signifie that the cruell wars betweene the Duke of Burgundie and the realme of Fraunce had set all their neighbours on fire 2 His meaning is that bicause he bestowed vpon euerie man he could not bestow much vpon any one whereby his liberalitie was the lesse apparant 3 He meaneth in hearing their sutes for as touching matters of counsell he hath said before in diuers places that he would neuer vse any mans aduise How the King was aduertised of the Duke of Burgundies last ouerthrow and how he gouerned his affaires after the said Dukes death Chap. 10. BVt to proceede in our historie the King who had now laid posts in his realme for before were neuer any looked howerly for the certaine newes of this battell of Nancy bicause of the occurrents he had alreadie receiued of the Almains arriuall and of all the other circumstances aboue rehearsed and was foorthwith aduertised of the Dukes ouerthrowe Diuers there were that waited diligently to beare him the first newes heerof for alwaies he gaue somwhat to him that first brought him tidings of any good newes withall not forgetting the messengers Further his delight was to talke of them before they came and to promise rewarde to him that could bring him some good newes Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe being togither receiued the first word of the battell of Morat whereof both of vs iointly aduertised the King who gaue to each of vs two hundred marks of siluer Monseur de Lude who lodged without Plessis was the first man that knew of the Courriers arriuall with the letters of this battell of Nancy and commanded the said Courrier to deliuer him his packet who durst not denie it him bicause of the Kings great fauour towards him The next morning by breake of day the said de Lude came rapping at the doore next to the Kings chamber which foorthwith was opened to him and in he went and deliuered these letters sent from the Lord of Cran and diuers others notwithstanding none of them writ any certaintie of the Dukes death but some reported that he was seene flie and was escaped This newes at the first so rauished the King with ioy that he wist not what countenance to shew notwithstanding two doubts there were that troubled him the one least the Almaines if the Duke were taken for greedines of monie whereof the Duke had plentie would not onely raunsome him but also conclude some treatie with him and of his foes become his friends The other if the Duke were escaped thus thrise discomfited whether he should seaze into his hands his seniories of Burgundy or no knowing them easie to be taken bicause in manner all the force of the countrie was slaine in these three battels Touching the which point his resolution whereunto few I thinke but my selfe were priuy was if the Duke were escaped aliue to
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
Prince of Wales sonne to King Henry attempt to set vp againe the house of Lancaster passe with the said Prince into England discomfited in the field and slaine both he his brethren and kinsfolks and diuers other noble men of England who in times past had done the like to their enimies After all this the children of these when the world turned reuenged themselues and caused in like maner the others to die which plagues we may be assured hapned not but by the wrath of God But as before I said the realme of England hath this speciall grace aboue all other realmes and dominions that in ciuill wars the people is not destroied the towns be not burned nor razed but the lot of fortune falleth vpon the soldiers especially the gentlemen whom the people enuy to too beyond reason for nothing is perfect in this world After King Edvvard was quiet in his realme and receiued yeerely out of Fraunce fifty thousand crownes paid him in the tower of London and was growen so rich that richer he could not be he died suddenly as it were of melancholy bicause of our Kings mariage that now raigneth with the Lady Margaret the Duke of Austriches daughter For so soone as he was aduertised thereof he fell sicke and began then to perceiue how he had been abused touching the mariage of his daughter whom he made to be named the Lady Daulphinesse Then also was the pension which he receiued out of Fraunce taken from him which he called tribute although indeed it were neither the one nor the other as before I haue declared 10 K. Edward left by his wife two goodly sonnes one Prince of Wales the other D. of Yorke and two daughters The D. of Glocester his brother tooke vpon him the gouernment of his nephew the Prince of Wales being about ten yeeres of age and did homage to him as to his soueraigne Lord and lead him to London pretending that he would there crowne him King hoping by that meanes to get the other brother out of the Sanctuary at London where he was with his mother who began already to be iealous of his proceedings To be short by meanes of the Bishop of Bathe who hauing been somtime of K. Edwards Councell fell afterward into his disgrace and was put in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance the D. of Glocester executed this exploit which you shall now heare This Bishop aduertised the Duke that K. Edvvard being in loue with a certaine Lady promised hir mariage vpon condition that he might lie with hir wherunto she consented so far foorth that the said Bishop maried them togither none being present but they two and he himselfe Which matter this Bishop being a iolly courtier neuer disclosed during K. Edvvards life but caused also the said Lady to conceale it so that it was kept secret After this the said King falling againe in loue maried the daughter of an English knight called the Lord Riuers being a widow and mother of two sonnes But after K. Edvvards death this Bishop of Bathe reuealed this matter to the D. of Glocester whereby he egged him forward not a little to the executing of his mischieuous pretended enterprise For the said D. murthered his two nephewes crowned himselfe King by the name of Richard the third proclaimed his brothers two daughters bastards in open parlament tooke from them their armes and put to death all the faithull seruants of the late King his brother at the least as many as he could lay hands on But this cruelty remained not long vnpunished for when the said King Richard thought himselfe safest and liued in greater pride than any King of England did these hundred yeeres hauing put to death the Duke of Buckingham and hauing a great army in a readines God raised vp an enimy against him of no force I meane the Earle of Richmond then prisoner in Britaine but now King of England of the house of Lancaster though not This error of Commines touching K. Henry the 7. you shall finde controuled by the peâ—egree in the end of this booke the neerest to the crowne 11 whatsoeuer men say at the least so far as I can learne The said Earle told me a little before his departure out of this realme that from the fift yeere of his age he had liued continually like a prisoner a banished man And indeed he had been fifteene yeeres or therabout prisoner in Britaine to Duke Frances that last died into whose hands he fell by tempest of the sea as he fled into Fraunce accompanied with the Earle of Pembroke his vncle I my selfe saw them when they arriued for I was come of a message to the D. at the same time The Duke entreated them gently for prisoners after King Edwards death lent the said Earle great force of men a great nauie with the which he sent him hauing intelligence with the Duke of Buckingham who for this cause was afterward put to death to lande in England but the winde was against him and the seas so rough that he was forced to returne to Diepe and from thence by land into Britaine From whence soone after he departed with his band into Fraunce without taking leaue of the Duke partly bicause he feared to ouercharge the Duke for he had with him fiue hundred English men and partly bicause he doubted lest the Duke would agree with King Richard to his preiudice for he knew that King Richard practised with him to that ende Soone after the King that now is appointed three or fower thousand men to waft him ouer onely and deliuered those that accompanied him a good summe of money and certaine peeces of artillerie and thus passed he ouer in a ship of Normandie to land in Wales where he was borne King Richard foorthwith marched against him but a kinght of England called the Lord Stanley who was married to the Earles mother ioined himselfe with the Earle and brought vnto him at the least 26000. men 12 The battell was giuen King Richard slaine and the Earle crowned King in the field with the said Richards crowne Will you saie that this was fortune No no it was the iudgement of God and for further proofe thereof marke this also Immediately after the King had murthered his two nephews he lost his wife whom some say he murthered also Further he had but one onely sonne who died in like maner incontinent after this murther This example would haue serued better heereafter when I shall speake of King Edwards death for he was yet liuing at the time my former Chapter treateth of but I haue rehearsed it heere to continue my discourse which I am fallen into In like maner we haue seene of late the crowne of Spaine altered after the death of Dom Henry that last died For the said Dom Henry had to wife the King of Portugales sister last deceased by whom he had issue a goodly daughter which notwithstanding succeeded not hir father but was
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
the English men Notwithstanding the King of England was oftentimes earnestly pressed by this yoong Princes for aide and therefore sent ambassadors often to negotiate with the King our Master about these affaires desiring him to grant hir either peace or truce Now you shall vnderstand that those that were at the debating of these matters in England especially in their parlament which is an assembly of the three estates where diuers wise men were present that smelt our dissimulation a far off and receiued no pension of the King as the others did were verie desirous and yet the commons of the realme more desirous that the King of England should send aide without further delay to the saide Ladie saying that we heere did but abuse them and that the marriage should neuer be accomplished alleaging that at the treatie made at Picquigny betweene the two Kings we had faithfully sworne and promised that the King of Englands daughter whom they had already called the Ladie Daulphinesse should be sent for into Fraunce within a yeere which terme was now long expired But what reasons soeuer the subiects made the King would giue no eare thereunto but alleaged diuers excuses to the contrarie And to say the truth he was a verie corpulent man and much giuen to pleasures neither could his body endure the toile of the wars Further he had wound himselfe out of great troubles and was loth to enter into them againe The couetousnes also of the 50000. crownes yeerly paid him in the tower of London qualified his minde Besides all this his ambassadors that came hither were so courteously entertained and so well rewarded that they departed euer well contented but they neuer receiued any resolute answere for the King sought onely to protract the time euer saying that ere it were long he would send to the King their Master certain noble men with such assurance of those matters he stood in doubt of as he knew well would content him According to the which promise within three weekes or a moneth after these ambassadors departure sometime more sometime lesse which was no small delaie in such a case he vsed to send ambassadors to the K. of England but at euery voiage sundrie men to the end that if the former had made any ouerture not performed the latter might plaid ignorance therin They also that were sent perswaded so well the King of England that we meant nothing but good faith that he lay still and neuer stirred for both he and the Queen his wife so much desired this marriage that partly for this cause and partly for the other reasons aboue alleaged he was content to winke at this war which some of his Counsell tould him plainely to be verie preiudiciall to his realme But he feared the breach of this marriage bicause men began alreadie to scoffe at it in England especially such as desired rebellion and ciuill war Now to discourse a little vpon this point You shall vnderstand that the King our Master neuer meant to accomplish this mariage bicause there was no equalitie betweene the age of the two parties for King Edwards daughter at this present Queene of England was much elder than the Daulphin now raigning But by these dissimulations a moneth or two was gayned in running to and fro by which meanes the King foded foorth his enimie one whole sommer wherein he might haue done him harme For vndoubtedly if the King of England had not hoped vpon this marriage he would neuer haue suffered the King to take the places bordering so neere vpon the English dominions but haue sought to defend them and if at the beginning he had declared himselfe for the Ladie of Burgundie the King who was by nature timorous and would put nothing in aduenture had neuer weakened this house of Burgundie as he hath Thus much I write chiefly to shew how these affaires passed and secondarily to the end that if heerafter those that haue to manage great affaires happen to reade this historie they may thereby learne how to helpe themselues in the like case for be their wisedome neuer so great yet a small aduertisement doth good many times True it is that if this Lady of Burgundy would haue consented to marrie the Lord Riuers the Queene of Englands brother she should haue beene aided with great force but this had been an vnequall match for he was but a poore Earle and she one of the greatest inheritors in hir time Many practises were entertained betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and amongst others the King offered him that if he would ioine with him and passe ouer in person into the Lady of Burgundies countries he would be contented that the King of England should hold the countrie of Flaunders without homage and also the Duchie of Brabant offering further to conquer for him at his proper costs and charges fower of the greatest townes in Brabant and to put them into the King of Englands hands to wage him 10000. English men for fower moneths to the end he might the better sustaine the charge of the wars and to lend him great store of artillerie and men and carriage to conuey it and attend vpon it with this condition that the King of England should conquer the countrie of Flaunders during the time the King our Master inuaded on the other side Whereunto the King of England made answer that the townes of Flaunders were strong and great and both that countrey and also the countrey of Brabant hard to be kept if they were conquered adding further that this war liked not the English men bicause of their entercourse with those countries But seeing it pleased the King to make him partaker of his conquest if he would giue him certaine townes he had alreadie conquered in Picardie as Bolloin and diuers other which he named he would then be contented to declare himselfe for him and send men to serue him if he would pay them which was a verie wise answer The Notes 1 The King could not take Saint Omer for the Lord of Chanteraine valiantly defended it Reade De la Marche lib. 2. cap. 9. pag. 410. 2 Others write but 295. others 296. and others 299. How the marriage betweene the Ladie of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterwards Emperor was concluded and accomplished Chap. 3. DIuers practises were entertained as before you haue heard betweene these two Kings to delay time but in the meane while the Ladie of Burgundies force still diminished for of those few men that remained aliue after hir fathers death diuers reuolted from hir to the King especially after Monseur de Cordes was entred into his seruice for he led away a great troupe with him Others necessitie forced to shrinke from hir bicause they dwelt either within the townes the King had already conquered or neere vnto them Some also put themselues into his seruice to be enriched for no Prince dealt so liberally with his men as the King our Master did Moreouer
ciuill dissentions and factions among themselues encreased daily in the great townes especially in Gaunt which bare the greatest sway in the countrie as you haue heard For the Lady of Burgundie diuers marriages were mentioned for all men were of opinion that either she must get hir a husband to defend that she yet held or marrie the Daulphin thereby quietly to possesse all Some desired greatly that this marriage with the Daulphin might take effect she hir selfe especially before the King deliuered the letters aboue mentioned sent vnto him by hir Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt but others disallowed of this marriage both bicause of the said Daulphins yoong age for he was but nine yeeres olde and also bicause of the marriage promised in England and these labored for the Duke of Cleues sonne Others there were that trauelled for the Emperors sonne Maximilian now King of Romans The said Lady had conceiued extreme hatred against the King for the deliuerie of the letters aboue mentioned which was the onely cause of the two noble mens death and of the dishonor she receiued when hir letters were openly redeliuered hir before the assemblie whereof you haue heard Further the deliuerie of the said letters seemed also to be the onely occasion that mooued them of Gaunt to banish so many of hir seruants from hir to remooue from about hir hir mother in lawe and the Lord of Rauastaine and to put hir women in such feare that they durst not open a letter before they of Gaunt had seene it nor commune with their Mistres in hir eare Wherefore she began now to remooue from about hir the Bishop of Liege who was of the house of Bourbon and an earnest suter for hir marriage with the Daulphin which sure had been a very honorable match for hir had not the said Daulphin been so yoong notwithstanding the Bishop had no regarde thereof To be short the said Bishop departed to Liege whereupon euery man gaue ouer that sute It had been hard to deale in this busines to the contentation of all parties and I thinke who so should haue intermedled in it should haue had but small thanke for his labour in the end wherfore euery man forbare to speake therin Notwithstanding before hir marriage was fully concluded there was an assemblie held about it wherat the Lady of Halleuin the Princesse of Burgundies principall woman was present who said as I haue heard reported that they had neede of a man not a child and that hir Mistres was a woman growen and able to beare children which should be the onely stay of the countrey This opinion tooke place notwithstanding some blamed this Lady for speaking thus frankly but others commended hir saying that she had spoken but of such mariage as was most necessary for the estate of the countrey There was now no more to do but to finde a fit man And I thinke verily if it had so pleased the K. she would willingly haue married the Lord of Angoulesme that now is 1 so much desired she to continue hir alliance with the house of France But God was minded to make another match wherof peraduenture the sequel is yet vnknown Notwithstanding this we are able to say by that is already past that of the said marriage many great wars haue arisen both heere and there which perchance had neuer happened if she had married the Lord of Angoulesme wheras by reason of this other match both the countries of Flaunders and Brabant haue suffered great afflictions The Duke of Cleues was at Gaunt with the said Lady making friends there in hope to conclude a marriage betweene hir and his son but she had no fansie therunto for both she those that were about hir misliked much his sons conditions Wherfore some began to motion a marriage betweene hir and the Emperors sonne now King of Romans the which in times past had been so far foorth treated of betweene the Emperor and Duke Charles that it was concluded betweene them two Further the Emperor had a letter written with the Ladies owne hand by hir fathers commandement and a ring set with a diamond The contents of the which letter were that according to the pleasure of hir Lord and father she promised to the said Duke of Austrich the Emperors sonne to accomplish the marriage concluded betweene both their parents in such manner and forme as hir said Lord and father should appoint From the Emperor came certaine ambassadors to the said Lady being at Gaunt who receiued letters at Bruxels commanding them to stay there bicause Commssioners should be sent thither to treat with them which was the Duke of Cleues doing who was loth of their comming and sought to send them home discontented But the said ambassadors passed foorth that notwithstanding for they had good intelligence in the Ladies court especially with the Dowager of Burgundy who was remooued from the said Lady as you haue heard bicause of the letter aboue mentioned She aduertised them as it was reported that they should not stay at Bruxels notwithstanding these letters instructing them further what they should do at their comming to Gaunt and assuring them that the said Lady and diuers about hir were well disposed to their sute The Emperors ambassadors followed hir aduise and rid straight to Gaunt notwithstanding the message aboue mentioned Wherewith the Duke of Cleues was not a little discontented but he was not acquainted with the disposition of the said Lady and hir women The Councell concluded that these ambassadors should haue audience their message being heard the Princesse should bid them hartily welcome tell them that she would take aduise with hir Councel which words being vttered she should withdraw hirselfe without farther communication Whereunto she agreed The ambassadors when audience was giuen them presented their letters and declared their message which was that hir mariage had been concluded betweene the Emperour and the Duke of Burgundy hir father with hir consent as appeered both by hir letters written with hir owne hand which they there shewed and also by the diamond which they said she had sent and giuen in token of marriage Moreouer the said ambassadors required hir on their Masters behalfe that it would please hir to accomplish the said marriage according to the will and promise both of hir said Lord and father and also of hirselfe Further desiring hir to declare before the assembly there present whether she had written the said letter or not and whether she minded to performe hir promise Whereunto the said Ladie without further deliberation answered that she had sent the saide diamond and written the letter by the commandement of hir Lord and father and would performe all that was conteined therein Then the ambassadors gaue hir humble thanks and returned with ioifull minds to their lodging But the Duke of Cleues was highly displeased with this answer being cleane contrary to hir councels resolution and told hir that she had done vnaduisedly
Glocester who had vsurped the crowne of England signing his letters by the name of Richard cruelly murthered the King his brothers two children This King Richard sought the Kings friendship was desirous as I suppose to haue this pension paid also vnto him But the K. would make no answer to his letters neither giue his messenger audience but esteemed him a wicked cruell tyrant For after K. Edvvards death the said Duke of Glocester had done homage to his nephew as to his soueraigne Lord and King and yet immediately thereupon committed this murther and caused in open parlament the said King Edvvards two daughters to be degraded proclaimed bastards vnder colour of a certaine matter which he prooued by the testimonie of a bishop of Bathe who somtime had been in great credit with King Edvvard but afterward fell into his disgrace and was laid in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance This Bishop affirmed that King Edvvard being in loue with a certaine gentlewoman in England whom he named promised hir marriage to haue his pleasure of hir which promise he said was made in his presence and thereupon the King lay with hir minding onely to abuse hir Such pastimes are very dangerous especially when such poofe may be brought foorth But I haue knowne many a courtier that would not haue lost a good aduenture that liked him in such a case for want of promise This wicked Bishop buried reuenge in his hart the space of twenty yeeres But God plagued him for his wickednes for he had a sonne whom he loued entirely and whom King Richard so much fauored that he meant to giue him to wife one of these two daughters degraded from their dignitie at this present Queene of England and mother of two goodly children The said sonne being in a ship of war by King Richard his Masters commandement was taken vpon the coast of Normandie and bicause of the contention that fell betweene those that tooke him led to the court parlament of Paris and there put in prison in the petit Chastellet where in the end he starued for hunger and pouertie As touching King Richard he liued not long vnpunished for God raised vp an enimy against him euen at This error you are admonished of before that very instant being poore hauing no right to the crowne of England as I suppose and of no estimation saue that as touching his owne person he was well conditioned and had endured many troubles For the greatest part of his life he had been prisoner in Britaine to Duke Francis who entertained him well for a prisoner from the eighteenth yeere of his age This Earle of Richmond being furnished by the King with a small summe of money and three thousand men leuied in Normandie of the vnthriftiest persons in the countrey passed ouer into Wales where his father in lawe the Lord Stanley met him with sixe and twenty thousand men at the least And within three or fower daies after he encountred this cruell King Richard who was slaine in the field and the Earle crowned King and raigneth yet at this day in England Of this matter I haue made mention before but it was not amisse to rehearse it heere againe to shew thereby how God hath plagued in our time such crueltie almost immediately after the fault committed Diuers other such like punishments hath he shewed also in this our age if a man would stand to rehearse them all How the King behaued himselfe towards his neighbors and subiects during the time of his sicknes and how diuers things were sent him from diuers places for the recouerie of his health Chap. 10. THis mariage of Flaunders so much desired by the King was thus accomplished as you haue heard by meanes wherof he had the Flemmings at his commandement Britaine which he so much hated was in peace with him but liued in continuall ielousie bicause of the great number of soldiers he had in garrison vpon their frontiers Spaine was quiet and the King and Queene thereof desired nothing more then his amity and friendship for he kept them in feare and continuall charge bicause of the countrey of Roussillon which he held from the house of Arragon being engaged to him by Iohn King of Arragon father to the King of Castile now raigning vnder certaine conditions yet vnperformed As touching the Princes Seniories of Italy they desired to haue him their friend and were in league with him and sent often their ambassadors to him In Almaine he had the Swissers as obedient to him as his owne subiects The King of Scotland and Portugale were his confederates part of the realme of Nauarre was wholie at his deuotion his subiects trembled before him and his commandements were executed incontinent without delay or excuse As touching those things that were thought necessarie for his health they were sent him out of all parts of the world Pope Sixtus that last died being informed that the King of deuotion desired to haue the corporall vpon the which Saint Peter song masse sent it him incontinent with diuers other relickes which were conueied backe againe to Rome The holie viole which is at Reims and neuer had been remooued thence was brought into his chamber to Plessis and stood vpon his cupboord at the hower of his death he was determined to be annointed therwith as at his coronation But many supposed that he wold haue anointed all his body with it which is vnlikely for the said holy viole is very small and containeth not much oile I saw it both at the time I now speake of and also when the King was buried at Nostre-dame-de-Clery The Turke that now raigneth sent an ambassador to him who came as far as Rhiue in Prouence 1 but the King would not heare his message neither permit him to passe any further The said ambassador brought him a great role of relickes remaining yet at Constantinople in the Turks hands all the which he offered him togither with a great summe of money if he would keepe in safe custodie the said Turks brother who was then in this realme in the hands of the knights of the Rhodes and is now at Rome in the Popes keeping By all this aboue rehearsed a man may perceiue how great the King our Masters wisdome and authority was how he was esteemed through the whole world and how all things 2 as well spirituall of deuotion and religion as also temporall were imploied for the prolonging of his life But all would not helpe there was no remedy needes he must go the way his predecessors went before him one great grace God shewed him that as he created him wiser liberaller and more vertuous in all things than the Princes that raigned in his time being his enimies and neighbors and as he surmounted them in all good things so did he also passe them in long life though not much For Duke Charles of Burgundy the Duchesse his daughter King Edvvard Duke Galeas of
perswaded that for one pleasant there should be found twenty displeasant He liued about threescore and one yeeres notwithstanding that he had conceiued an imagination that he should neuer passe threescore saying that no King of Fraunce of long time passed that age some saie none since Charles the great Notwithstanding the King our Master when he died was well forward in the threescore and one yeere Duke Charles of Burgundie what rest or quietnes had he more than the King our Master True it is that in his youth he was not much troubled for he attempted nothing til the two twenty yeere of his age but liued till that time in helth and at his ease But then he began to busie himselfe with his fathers officers whom his father maintained against him for the which cause he absented himselfe and went into Holland where he was well receiued and had intelligence with them of Gaunt and sometime also went thither himselfe He had not one peny of his father but this countrey of Holland was maruellous rich and gaue him goodly presents as did also diuers great townes of his other Seniories hoping thereby to winne his fauour in time to come For it is a common thing especially among the vulgare sort to loue better and seeke rather to him whose power is growing than to him who is already so great that he can be no greater 5 For the which cause Duke Philip when men told him that they of Gaunt loued his sonne maruellous wel that he could skill of their humor was woont to answer that their Prince in expectation they euer loued deerly but their Prince in possession they hated euer extremely which saying prooued true For after D. Charles began to reigne ouer them they neuer loued him and that they well declared as before I haue rehearsed he also for his part bare them as little good will notwithstanding they did his posteritie more harme than they could do him But proceed after the time that Duke Charles mooued war for the townes in Picardie which the King our Master had redeemed of Duke Philip his father and ioined himselfe with the Princes of this realme in the war called THE WEALE PVBLIKE he neuer was quiet but in continuall trauell both of bodie and minde For his hart was so inflamed with desire of glorie that he attempted to conquer all that lay about him All sommer he kept the field with great danger of his person and tooke vpon himselfe the charge and care of the whole armie all which trouble seemed yet not sufficient to him He was the first vp and the last downe as if he had beene the poorest soldier in his campe If he rested from wars at any time in winter yet was he busied all day long from sixe of the clocke in the morning either in leuying of money or receiuing ambassadors or giuing them audience In this trauell and miserie ended he his daies and was slaine of the Swissers before Nancy as you haue heard so that a man may iustly say that he neuer had good day from the time that ambition first entred into his minde till the hower of his death And what got he by all this trauell what needed he thus to haue toiled himselfe being so rich a Prince and hauing so many goodly townes and seniories vnder his subiection where he might haue liued in great ioy and prosperitie if it had so pleased him I must now speake of Edward K. of England who was so great mighty a Prince In his youth he sawe the Duke of Yorke his father discomfited and slaine in battell with him the Earle of Warwicks father 6 the which Earle of Warwicke gouerned King Edward in his youth and all his affaires yea to say the truth made him King and was the onely man that defeated his enimie King Henry who had raigned many yeeres in England and was lawfull King both in mine opinion and in the iudgement of the whole world But as touching great realmes and seniories God holdeth them in his hand and disposeth of them at his pleasure for all proceedeth of him The cause that mooued the Earle of Warwick to serue the house of Yorke against King Henry who was of the house of Lancaster was this The Earle of Warwicke and the Duke of Sommerset fell at variance in King Henries court who was a very simple man the Queene his wife being of the house of Aniou daughter to Rene King of Sicilie tooke part with the Duke of Sommerset against the Earle But considering that they had all acknowledged both King Henry and his father and grandfather for their lawfull Princes the said Lady should haue done much better to haue taken vpon hir the office of Iudge or mediator betweene them than to take part with either of them as the sequele well declared For heereupon arose war which continued nine and twenty yeeres during the which space many bloodie battels were fought and in the end all in maner both of the one partie and the other slaine Now to speake a word or two of factions surely they are maruellous dangerous especially among great men who are naturally inclined to nourish and maintaine them But you will say peraduenture that by this meanes the Prince shall haue intelligence of all things that passe and thereby hold both the parties in the greater feare In truth I can well agree that a yoong Prince vse this order among Ladies for by this meanes he shall haue pleasure and sport ynough and vnderstand of all their newes but to nourish factions among men yea among Princes and men of vertue and courage nothing can be more dangerous bicause by that meanes he shall kindle an vnquenchable fire in his house for foorthwith one of the parties will suppose the King to be against them and then to fortifie themselues take intelligence with his enimies The factions of Orleans and Burgundie prooue this point sufficiently for the wars that sprang therof continued threescore and twelue yeeres the English men being parties in them who thought to haue conquered the whole realme But to returne to King Edward he was very yoong when his father was slaine and the beautifullest Prince in the world but after he had vanquished all his enimies he gaue himselfe wholy to pleasures as to dames feasting banketting and hunting in the which delicacies he continued about sixteene yeeres 7 to wit till the Earle of Warwicke and he fell at variance in the which wars notwithstanding that the King were chased out of his realme yet continued he not long in that estate for he soone returned and hauing obtained the victorie more abandoned himselfe to all pleasures than before He feared no man but fed himselfe maruellous fat by meanes whereof in the flower of his age diseases grew vpon him so that he died in a maner suddenly of an Apoplexie and his heires males lost the crowne as before you haue heard In this our age raigned also two valiant and wise
to diuorce himselfe from the Ladie Iane the Kings sister as forced vpon him against his will by King Levvis the 11. and to marrie with Anne the Duke of Britains eldest daughter and heire the hope wherof was the cause of this his voiage into Britaine but the selfesame hope entertained also Monseur d' Alebret and drew him to the Duke of Britains part the rather bicause he had receiued assurance of the marriage in writing vnder the hands of all the noble men that were about the said D. of Britaine saue of the D. of Orleans alone Of the war the King made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the King for peace Chap. 4. THe onely care of the banished nobles of Britaine was to returne and remaine in safetie in their countrie and the Kings onely desire was to be reuenged of the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans Wherefore the King as before is said entred into league with these nobles and in their fauour leuied an armie and began war vpon the Duke of Britaine in the yeere 1486. This armie inuaded Britaine three seuerall waies for the 1486 Lord of Saint André with fower hundred launces and fiue or sixe thousand footemen entred on one side the Earle of Montpensier with a great band vpon another side and Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars who had married Gabriell of Bourbon the said Earle of Montpensiers sister vpon the third in such sort that the countrie of Britaine was couered with French soldiers with whom also the barons of Britaine aboue mentioned were ioined who caused diuers castels in Britaine to be yeelded to the Kings armie by those that were of their faction whereat the Duke of Britaine was greatly astonied But the Duke of Orleans the Earle of Dunois and the Earle of Comminges being with him comforted him and vnder colour of a marriage to be made betweene the Lady Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and the Lord of Alebret who had a hundred launces vnder his charge and was able to leuie great forces of footemen in Gascoine and Guienne where he was mightie and of goodly reuenues the Earle of Dunois wan the said Lord of Alebret to ioine with them who presently forsooke the Kings seruice and tooke part with them accordingly yet that notwithstanding the Duke of Britaine leauing Nantes in the hands of his cosin the Prince of Orenge retired himselfe to the castell of Malestroit being a strong place where he leuied an armie of sixe hundred launces and 16000. footemen to succour Ploermel distant three or fower leagues from Malestroit which the Kings armie then besieged But as this Britaine armie marched thitherward one of the company brake foorth into these speeches and asked what this war meant and what was the end thereof alleaging that their Duke was wholy gouerned by the French and that the French made the Britaines at their pleasure to reuenge French quarrels vpon the French wherefore he perswaded them to returne home to their wiues and children and not to spend their liues for other mens quarrels Whereupon all the armie disparkled and returned home by meanes whereof Ploermel seeing no hope of succours yeelded by composition and yet notwithstanding was spoiled and the rich men taken prisoners and put to raunsome The Dukes of Britaine and Orleans and the other Lords that were with them at Malestroit being aduertised of the departure of their armie and of the taking of Ploermel went to Vennes vpon Whitson euen being the yeere 1487. whither the Kings armie so speedily followed them that hardly they escaped by sea and went to Croisick and from thence by the riuer of Loire to Nantes being constrained to leaue part of their carriage 1487 in the said towne of Vennes which presently after their departure yeelded without any resistance Further not long after the taking of this towne the French in a skirmish at a place called Ioue betweene Chasteaubrian and Nantes defeated a great band of Britaines led by Amaulry of la Mossay towards Nantes at the which time the King in person lay at Ancenix After the taking of Vennes the Kings armie marched to Nantes and laid the siege before the towne the 19. day of Iune in the said yeere 1487. Within the towne were the Duke of Britaine and his two daughters Anne and Isabell the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Orenge the Lady of Lauall and of Chasteaubrian the Bishop of Nantes called du Chaffault a man of holy life the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords all the which dislodged out of the castell and lodged in the towne And bicause the companie had some ielousie of the said bishop of Nantes and the Lady of Lauall that they were not thoroughly to be trusted they were put in garde into certaine of the townes mens hands At this siege were ten thousand French men and great store of artillerie wherewith the wals towers and vaumures of the castell and towne were throughly battered but they without were as well plied by them within both with shot and with salies of valiant men where many a goodly feate of armes was done both on the one side and the other Further you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Dunois being in base Britaine there to embarke towards England to haue aide from thence and perceiuing that the winde would not suffer him so to do brought with him to succour the towne of Nantes aboue fiftie thousand of the commons of Britaine which the French suffered to passe supposing them not to be men of seruice But the King seeing the extreme heate of the weather and perceiuing that he could do no good before the towne leuied his siege the sixt day of August and departed Then marched the Kings armie before the towne of Dolle which they tooke without resistance and spoiled and all the Britaines and soldiers that were within it were taken prisoners Further the Kings armie spoiled all the countrie slue the people and draue away their cattell But the Marshall of Rieux and the greatest part of the banished nobles of Britaine that were in the Kings seruice lamenting the miserable estate of their country waxed wearie of the wars and alleaged that their league with the King was onely to this end that they might recouer their countrie and the French that liued in Britaine be constrained to returne home into theirs Wherfore seeing the French nobles being in Britaine protested that they would willingly returne home if the King would pardon their departure to the Duke and that the Duke on the other side with the consent of all his subiects had offered these banished nobles of Britaine pardon and restitution to all their goods and lands they sawe no cause why the wars should endure but that each partie should returne home in peace but the French and diuers also of the Britaines themselues were little mooued with these allegations Wherefore the said Marshal being Lord of Ancenix a towne very
grounding himselfe vpon the Kings title to the said Duchie of Britaine which was said to grow by means of a certaine conueiance that Master Iohn of Brosse Lord of Boussac husband to dame Nicole of Britaine daughter and heire to Charles of Blois Earle of Ponthieure had made to the Kings ancestors togither with diuers other titles which were not yet prooued good adding that if the King had no right thereunto it should be a damnable and a tyrannous act to vsurpe another mans countrie that appertained not to him Wherefore his aduice was that according to the request of the ambassadors of Britaine being at Angiers certaine graue and learned men should be appointed to examine the right of both sides This opinion tooke place and according thereunto the King agreed with the ambassadors of Britaine that both he and the Duke would appoint some graue men of their Councell who should meete in some indifferent towne with the charters and writings of both sides to determine in conscience to whom the said Duchie did appertaine and that in the meane time the King should hold all the places in the said Duchie that alreadie he possessed The Duke of Britaine liked this agreement well and bicause the plague was vehement at Nantes he departed thence with his two daughters the Ladie of Laval the Lord of Alebret the Earle of Dunoys the Marshall of Rieux the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords to Coiron vpon the riuer of Loyer three leagues beneath Nantes where soone after namely vpon wednesday the seauenth of September in the same yeere 1488. he ended his life thorow a sicknes which he got by a fall leauing the gouernment both of his Duchie of Britaine and of his two daughters to the Marshall of Rieux to whom he appointed the Earle of Comminges for assistant His body was carried to Nantes and buried in the Church of the Carmelites Of the Kings mariage with the Ladie Anne of Britaine whereby Britaine was vnited to the crowne of Fraunce Chap. 6. Soone after the Duke of Britaines death died also Isabell his 1489. yoonger daughter by reason whereof the Ladie Anne remained his sole heire about whose mariage the nobles of Britaine fell at great variance for part of them inclined to the Lord of Alebret a great Lord in Guienne who also as it was reported but falsely was contracted to this yoong Princes with the Duke hir fathers consent but the daie before the Duke died but this faction was soone daunted bicause the yoong Ladie hir selfe vtterly refused this match part openly fauored furthered Maximilian the Emperor Fridericks sonne alleaging that he would not onely be a protector of the libertie of their countrey but also a strong rampier against all French attempts Neither was the King of Fraunce ignorant of this treatie but knew right well that ambassadors had passed to and fro betweene Maximilian and them so far foorth that the said Maximilian supposing al matters to be throughly concluded and agreed on began to imbrace al Britaine in his minde and thought no enterprise too high for him if to his low countries obtained by his first marriage he could now ioine the Duchy of Britaine by his second Great consultation was had in Fraunce how to repulse this terrible storme but Maximilians owne slacknes most furthered their deuises The K. councell in the end resolued that the King should refuse his wife being Maximilians daughter and seeke with all expedition the marriage of the Lady Anne of Britaine alleaging that the neighborhood of so mightie a Prince as Maximilian was could not be but dangerous to his estate of whom he could hope for nothing but dissembled friendship presently and assured war in time to come considering that the said Maximilian forgetting already his league and affinitie with the King stirred vp continually one war after another against him and by that meanes professed himselfe an open enimy to him and his realme Wherefore ambassadors were presently sent to treate of this marriage with the Lady Anne She at the first woondered at the matter and alleaged that she had giuen hir faith to Maximilian which she might not breake and further that she had beene solemnly married to him according to the accustomed maner of Princes by VVolfgangus Poleme of Austrich his proctor purposely sent by him into Britaine to that end But the Lady of Lauat and other noble women of Britaine whose company and familiarity this yoong Princes vsed and greatly delighted in being corrupted with French rewards and promises perswaded hir that this French match should be most for hir safety and auancement alleaging that if she married with Maximilian he should hardly be able to defend Britaine whereof already they had good proofe considering that he had euer disappointed them of the succors he had promised to send them And as touching hir scruple of conscience they said that the Pope who had power ouer all lawes Ecclesiasticall would easily be brought to dispence therwith the rather bicause this match should be best for hir safety and for the preseruation of hir estate The yoong Princesse though she were of a singular wit and rare vertues yet being vanquished by these perswasions yeelded to their request and deliuered both hirselfe and hir countrey into the Kings hands and soone after was the marriage solemnly accomplished to the great reioicing of the French And thus receiued Britaine the French yoake to the great griefe of all the subiects who desired to be gouerned by a particular Duke of their owne as they had euer been in times past Not long after this marriage the Earle of Dunois who had been the principall instrument of the peace a great furtherer of the mariage therby throughly reconciled to the K. suddenly died as he was on horsebacke for want of meat as it was said When the K. had set all things in good order in Britaine he returned into Fraunce and appointed that the Ladie Margaret of Flanders should remaine accompanied with the Princes of Tarent in the castell of Melun vpon the riuer of Seine Maximilian was forewarned of al these French practises and seemed to make no account of them but when he perceiued this marriage to be accomplished it doubled his hatred against the King so far foorth that he openly railed vpon him and vowed himselfe to destroy France with fire and sword and presently inuaded Picardie But the Lord of Cordes gouernor thereof made head against him and valiantly defended the countrey to his owne honor and the profit of Fraunce Further Maximilian meaning a thorow reuenge vpon this realme stirred vp the English men the ancient enimies of the crowne to passe into Fraunce promising them great aide both of men and money out of his dominions Wherefore I wil heere speake a word or two of the affaires of England bicause the Englishmen are our next neighbors and both in peace and war haue euer to do with vs and we with them Of the troubles in
England and how the King of England passed the sea and besieged Bolloin and of the peace betweene the King and him and of the surprising of Arras and Saint Omers by the King of Romains men Chap. 7. KIng Edvvard the fourth the same that met with King Levvis the eleuenth at Picquigny dying in the yeere 1483 left behinde him two sonnes being very yoong and diuers daughters the gouernment of the which sonnes togither with the realme was committed to the Duke of Glocester King Edvvaras brother but he most â—nnaturally murthered his two nephewes slewe those of the nobilitie that he thought would impugne his proceeding and vsurped the crowne In the end the Duke of Buckingham who had takerpart with the Duke of Glocester who intituled himselfe King Richard in all his actions fell at variance with him and sollicited Henry Earle of Richmond that had liued many yeeres in Britaine as a banished man to passe ouer into England promising him a great armie to ioine with him so soone as he should be landed The Earle communicated this matter with Peter Landois who wholie at that time gouerned the Duke of Britaine The said Landois hoping that the Earle if by his meanes he obtained the realme of England would giue him aide to reuenge him of his enimies perswaded the Duke of Britaine to succour him in his enterprise who furnished him of three great ships well manned with soldiers which tooke sea and sailed towards England but when they were readie to land the Earle was aduertised that the Duke of Buckingham was beheaded his army defeated and all his faction ouerthrowen and that King Richard lay with a great army vpon the sea coast attending his landing Vpon which news the Earle of Richmond returned thinking to recouer the coast of Britaine from whence he was departed but tempest draue him vpon the coast of Normandy where he was forced to take land The Ladie of Beauieu being aduertised thereof sent vnto him desiring him to come to speake with the King and so he did The King curteously receiued him and entertained him well Afterward he returned to Vannes in Britaine there to remaine as before attending some better opportunitie But Peter Laudois seeing himselfe disappointed of his purpose altered his minde and practised with King Richard to deliuer the Earle of Richmond into his hands who being aduertised thereof vnder colour of going a hauking one morning with ten or twelue horses fled into France to King Charles who not long after furnished the Earle of ships and a good number of soldiers to accompany him into England where by the helpe of the French and of diuers of his owne kinsmen who had called him into England and tooke part with him he slew King Richard in the field was himselfe crowned King in his place This good turne of King Charles togither with the desire the King of England had to liue quietly at home in his countrey and to gather wealth was the cause that King Henry during al the wars and troubles in Britain aboue mentioned had not passed his forces into Fraunce notwithstanding that he had been often earnestly sollicited thereunto both by the Duke of Britaine and the Earle of Dunois and others of that faction For ordinarily when any troubles arise in Fraunce our neighbors especially the Englishmen within a yeere are bidden to the banquet and so was King Henry inuited and had come long ago if the reasons aboue rehearsed togither with some other respects namely feare of domesticall troubles had not staied him at home But notwithstanding the K. of EnglaÌ„ds backwardnes heertofore to inuade France yet in the yeere 1490. partly by the earnest sollicitation of Maximilian who promised 1490. him great aide in his wars and yet performed nothing partly to content his owne people who began to account him as too much affectionate to the French in that he had suffered them to the great preiudice of the realme of England to vnite to the crowne of Fraunce the Duchie of Britaine he passed ouer his armie to Calice and from thence marched and laide his siege before Boloyne whither the Lord of Cordes and the bastard of Cardonne Captaine of Arras with a small army went to make resistance Further the King leuied his forces to succour the place but bicause his armie proceeded but slowlie forward the saide de Cordes and Cardonne tooke vpon them the defence of the tovne The siege was nothing whot for the which cause a heraultsent into the English came to treat of peace from the which King Henry seemed nothing strange as well for the affection that he bare to the King who had aided him to obtaine the realme of England as also for that he feared sedition at home durst not long be absent out of his râ—alme bicause Maximilian had broken promise with him and lastly bicause he hoped by this peace to receiue of the King a great summe of money which he loued as well as any Prince in his time De Cordes finding the King of Englands inclination to peace went and communed with him in his campe his demands were first a great summe of money that he said he had lent the late Duke of Britaine and secondarily that the King should desraie al the charges that he had been at in these wars All the which the King yeelded vnto and order was giuen that the King of England should yeerely receiue a certaine summe of money till all the summes by him demanded were cleerely paid and discharged and thus returned the King of England home In the meane time while de Cordes and Cardonne were at Bolloin treating with the K. of England the citizens of Arras knowing the garrison within the town to be but weake practised to yeeld it into Maximilians hands who sent certaine bands thither the which in great diligence approched neere to the towne When all things were in a readines and the gates being so negligently guarded that the traitors with their counterfaited keies had opened them they began a song whereby they willed the enimies to make haste who presently repaired to the gates and were receiued into the towne Paul Carqueleuant a Briton gouernor of the townein the absence of the bastard of Cardonne at the enimies first entrie retired himselfe with his soldiers into the castel but fearing least it should be taken by assault he soone abandoned it greatly to his reproch for if he had held it but till the next day diuers French bands had come thither to his reliefe The towne was spoiled and many slaine neither were the churches spared nor the traitors houses The author of this treason was a poore smith that dwelled vpon the towne wall and had beene the onely man that was suffered to remaine in the towne by Levvis the eleuenth when he transported the townes men as a colonie into Fraunce Carqueleuant the gouernor when the towne was surprised lay fast a sleepe drowned in drinke and good cheere as it is
successe this voiage was like to haue had if God alone had not guided the enterprise The King abode at Ast a certaine space 2 That yeere all the wines of Italie were sower which our men much misliked neither could they away with the great heate of the aire To Ast came the Lord Lodouic and his wife with a goodly traine to visite the King where they abode two daies and then the said Lodouic departed to a castell of the Duchie of Milan a league from Ast called Nom whither the Kings Councell repaired daily to him King Alphonse had two armies abrode in the countrie the one in Romaine 3 towards Ferrara vnder the leading of his sonne accompanied with the Lord Virgill Vrsin the Earle of Petilhane and the Lord Iohn Iames of Trenoul who is now become French Against these the King sent the Lord d'Aubigny 4 a valiant and wise Knight with two hundred men of armes French and fiue hundred men of armes Italians being in the Kings seruice vnder the leading of the Earle of Caiazze so often before mentioned who was there as the Lord Lodouics lieutenant and feared greatly the discomfiture of these forces which if it had happened we had repaired homewards incontinent and he should haue had his enimies vpon his necke whose intelligence was great in the Duchie of Milan The other armie was vpon the sea vnder the leading of Dom Frederike King Alphonses brother and lay at Ligorne and at Pise for the Florentines tooke part as yet with the house of Arragon and furnished them of certaine gallies Moreouer with the said Dom Frederike was Breto de Flisco and certaine other Genuois by whose intelligence he hoped to cause Genua to reuolt 5 And sure they had almost obtained their purpose at Specie and Rapalo neere to Genua where they landed a thousand of their faction by meanes whereof they had vndoubtedly atchieued their enterprise if they had not been very speedily assailed But the selfesame day or the next day Lewis Duke of Orleance arriued there with certaine ships and a good number of gallies and one great galliasse being mine the patrone whereof was one Master Albert Mely and it caried the said Duke and the principall of the armie and manie goodly peeces of artillerie for it was very strong and approched so neere the shore that the very artillery almost discomfited the enimies who before had neuer seene the like for artillerie was at that time strange and new to the Italian nation The soldiers landed also that were in the other ships and from Genua where the whole armie laie came a band of Swissers by land led by the Bailife of Digeon who had ioined with him certaine of the Duke of Milans forces vnder the leading of Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco brother to the forenamed Breto and of Master Iohn Adorne the which notwithstanding that they were not at the skirmish shewed themselues valiant soldiers in defending a straight against the enimies To be short bicause our men came to hand-strokes with the enimies they were discomfited and put to flight and a hundred or sixscore slaine and eight or ten taken prisoners among the which was one Fourgousin sonne to the Cardinall of Genua Those prisoners that were dismissed were all stripped to their shirts by the Duke of Milans bands and other harme had they none for such is the law of armes in Italie I saw all the letters that were sent both to the King and to the Duke of Milan making report of this skirmish Thus was the enimies Nauie repulsed which afterward approched no more so neer At our mens returne the Genuois thought to haue raised a tumult and slew certaine Almaines in the towne certaine also of them were slaine but the matter was soone pacified I must heere speake a word or two of the Florentines who had sent twise to the King before his departure out of Fraunce meaning onely to dissemble with him with their first ambassadors being the Bishop of Arese 6 and one named Peter Sonderin the King commanded me the Seneschall and the Generall to negotiate Our demands were onely these First to giue the King passage through their countrie and secondarily to serue him with a hundred men of armes paying them after the Italian intertainment which was but ten thousand ducats the yeere 7 These ambassadors depended wholie vpon Peter of Medicis a yoong man of small wisedome sonne to Laurence of Medicis who was dead and had beene one of the wisest men in his time and had gouerned this citie almost as prince as did also at this present his sonne for their house had continued thus already two mens ages namely Laurence the father of this Peter and Cosme of Medicis the first roote and founder of this house a man woorthie among the woorthiest And sure of their trade being merchandise I thinke it hath beene the greatest house that euer was in the world for their seruants and factors haue had so great credit vnder their name that it is woonderfull I my selfe haue seene the proofe thereof both in Flaunders and England For I knew one called Gerard Quanuese by whose onely helpe in a maner King Edward the fowerth kept the crowne on his head when ciuill wars were in the realme of England for he lent him at times more then sixscore thousand crownes little for his Masters profite notwithstanding he recouered his principall in the end Another also I knew named Thomas Portunay who was pledge at one time betweene the said King Edward and Duke Charles of Burgundie for fiftie thousand crownes and at an other time in another place for forwerscore thousand I commend not the wisedome of merchants in thus doing but I commend Princes that vse merchants well and keepe daie with them for they know not when they shall need their helpe and sometime a little money doth great seruice It seemeth that this house of the Medicis fel to ruine as mighty houses do in realms and Empires for the great authoritie of this Peter of Medicis predecessors did him harme notwithstanding the gouernment of Cosme the first of this house was milde and gentle such as was agreeable with a free state But Lavvrence this Peters father whom we now presently write of bicause of the great variance before mentioned in this historie that was betweene him and them of Pisa and others diuers of the Lib. 6. cap. 5. which at that time were hanged tooke a garde of 20. men for the defence of his person by the commandement and leaue of the Seniory who commanded nothing but at his pleasure notwithstanding he behaued himselfe in this great authoritie very discreetly and soberly for as I before said he was one of the wisest men in his time But this Peter who succeeded his father supposing the like authority to be due to him of right became terrible by meanes of this guard and vsed great violence in the night beating men as they went in the streetes and abusing their common treasure
sped euill and the Duke of Milan who had been greatly distressed if Master Iohn Iames had beene suffered to inuade him with the whole force was now strong for the Venetians had sent diuers bands to his aide Whereupon our armie retired our footemen were dismissed and these little townes that were taken abandoned and thus ended these wars finally to the Kings profit who consumed infinite treasure in them The Notes 1 Vnderstand against the Venetians by the which meanes he might haue recouered the Polesan and the rest that they withheld from him 2 For you must vnderstand that these practises began before their places were sold 3 This Cardinall was borne at Sauonne Of certaine controuersies betweene King Charles and Ferrande King of Castile and of the ambassadors that were sent to and fro to pacifie them Chap. 16. WHat happened from the Kings returne out of Italie which was about 3. or 4. moneths before the end of the yeer 1495. till the beginning of the yeere 1498. I haue already rehearsed for all that space I was resident in the Court and present at the dispatch of most part of those affaires The King rode about from Lyons to Moulins and from Moulins to Tours holding tourneies and iusts in all places and minding nothing else Those that were of the greatest authoritie about him were so diuided that more they could not be for some of them would that the conquest of Naples should still continue bicause their profit and credit depended thereupon namely the Cardinall 1 and the Seneschall 2 who gouerned all the Kings affaires on the otherside the Admirall who before this voiage had borne all the sway with the yoong King would in any wise that these Italian enterprises should cease and trauelled to ouerthrowe them knowing that the quailing of them would turne greatly to his profite and be a meanes whereby he might recouer his former credit and authoritie and the others fall into disgrace Thus passed the Kings affaires about a yeere and a halfe during the which space he sent ambassadors to the King and Queene of Castile who were in war with him and whose friendship he greatly desired bicause they were mightie both by sea and land And notwithstanding that they did no great exploit vpon the land yet had they sent great aide by sea to King Ferrande and King Frederick of Naples for the yle of Sicilie is distant from Reges in Calabria but a league and a halfe so that some hold opinion it was once firme land with Italie 3 and that the sea breaking in made this straight 4 now named the Far 5 of Messine The said yle of Sicilie was then and yet is in subiection to the King and Queene of Castile who sent from thence great aide to Naples as well of great ships called Carauels that came out of Spaine as also of men Moreouer in the yle of Sicilie itselfe a companie of men of armes was leuied the which passed into Calabria with a certaine number of genetarios 6 and made war vpon the Kings forces there Besides this their ships were continually with the confederates nauie by means whereof when all their forces were togither the King was much too weake for his enimies vpon the sea but otherwise the King of Castile endammaged him not much True it is that once a great companie of horsemen entred into Languedock and spoiled the countrie and lodged in it three or fower daies but other exploit did they none Then the Lord of Saint André in Bourbonnois who defended those frontiers for the Duke of Bourbon the Kings lieutenant in Languedock attempted to take Sausses a little towne in the countrie of Roussillon bicause on that side they had inuaded the Kings dominions about two yeeres before For you shall vnderstand that the King had restored vnto them the said countrie of Roussillon 7 whereof the territorie of Parpignan is parcell in the which this little towne of Sausses is situate His enterprise was great and dangerous for the towne was well manned though it were but small and a great number of gentlemen of the King of Castiles house were within it besides that their armie being stronger than ours lay abrode in the fields encamped within a league of the place yet notwithstanding the said Lord of Saint André so wisely and closely guided his enterprise that within ten howers he tooke the towne by assault as my selfe can witnes and at the breach were slaine thirtie or fortie Spanish gentlemen of marke among whom was the Archbishop of Saint Iames his sonne besides three or fower hundred common soldiers They thought not that the towne could haue been taken so suddenly for they vnderstood not the feate of our artillerie which vndoubtedly is the best in the world This is all the exploit that was done between these two Princes whereof though the effects were but small yet great was the shame and dishonor the King of Castile receiued thereby his armie being so strong as it was but where God is disposed to punish commonly such small scoruges run before For the said King and Queen of Castile were shortly after otherwise punished and so were we also But sure as touching them they much stained their honor in violating their othe giuen to the King who had dealt so bountifully with them by restoring them the countrey of Rousillon the fortification and defence whereof had beene so chargeable to his father who had it in pawne for three hundred thousand crownes which summe also the King forgaue them all to the end they should not impeach nor hinder his voiage to Naples Moreouer they renued the ancient league betweene Fraunce and Castile which is between King and King realme and realme and man and man of their subiects and promised not to hinder his said conquest nor marie any of their daughters into Naples England or Flanders which straight offer of mariage proceeded of themselues for a Frier Franciscan called Frier Iohn de Mauleon made this ounerture on the Queene of Castiles behalfe Yet all this notwithstanding so soone as they saw the war begun and heard that the King was at Rome they sent ambassadors round about to enter into league against him and namely to Venice I being there present where the league aboue mentioned was concluded betweene the Pope the King of Romans them the Seniore of Venice and the Duke of Milan immediately whereupon they inuaded the Kings dominions alleaging that such a promise was not to be performed meaning the marriage of their children being fower daughters and one sonne into the houses aboue mentioned which ouuerture notwithstanding proceeded of themselues as before you haue heard But to returne to the matter After these wars in Italy were ended and all lost in the realm of Naples saue Caietta which the K. yet held when these treaties of peace began betweene him and the King and Queene of Castile but soone after lost also and the wars in the countrey of Roussillon being in like maner
Kings of Romanes and England 10 for the Prince of Wales was at that time very yoong were comprehended therein they had fower daughters the eldest of the which was a widow and had been married to the King of Portugales sonne that last died who brake his necke before hir as he passed a carrier vpon a ginnet within three moneths after their marriage The second and the third were married the one in Flaunders and the other in England and the fourth is yet to marrie After the Lord of Bouchage was returned and had made his report the King perceiued that de Clerieux had beene too credulous and that he had done wisely in sending du Bouchage thither bicause he was now assured of that which before he stood in doubt of The said de Bouchage aduertised him further that he could effect nothing but the conclusion of the truce the which he had libertie either to accept or refuse at his pleasure The King accepted it and sure it serued him to good purpose for it was the breach of their league which so much had troubled his affaires and which hitherto he could by no means dissolue notwithstanding that he had attempted all waies possible Thirdly the said de Bouchage informed the King that the King and Queene of Castile had promised him at his departure to send ambassadors immediately after him cause of their attainture was for that they had attempted to make him King of Portugale that now raigneth These Lords therefore and gentlemen were by meanes of this marriage recompensed in Castile by the King and Queene and their lands which they had forfaited in Portugale by attainture assigned to the Queene of Portugale now mentioned daughter to the said K. and Queene of Castile But notwithstanding all these considerations the said K. Queene repented them of this marriage for you shall vnderstand that there is no nation in the world that the Spaniards hate more than the Portugales so far foorth that they disdaine scorne them wherfore the said King Queene lamented much that they had bestowed their daughter vpon a man that should not be beloued in the realm of Castile their other dominions if the marriage had been then vnmade they would neuer haue made it which vndoubtedly was a great corrosiue to them yet nothing so great as this that she should depart from them Notwithstanding after all their sorrowes ended they led their said daughter and sonne in law through all the chiefe cities of their realme and made the said King of Portugale to be receiued for Prince and their daughter for Princesse and proclaimed them their successors after their death Some comfort they receiued after all these sorrowes for they were aduertised that the said Lady Princesse of Castile and Queene of Portugale was great with childe but this ioy prooued in the end double greefe so that I thinke they wished themselues out of the world for this Lady whom they so tenderly loued and so much esteemed died in trauell of the said childe not past a moneth agone and we are now in October in the yeere 1498. but the childe liueth 4 and is called Emanuell after his fathers name All these greatmisfortunes hapned to them in the space of three moneths Now to returne to the estate of Fraunce You shall vnderstand that about fower or fiue moneths before the said Ladies death a great misfortune happened also in this realme I meane the death of King Charles the eight whereof heereafter you shall heare at large It seemed therefore that God beheld both these houses with an angrie countenance and would not that the one realme should scorne the other For although the death of a Prince seeme but a trifle to many yet is it sure far otherwise for change of the Prince neuer happeneth in any realme but it traineth with it great sorrowes and troubles and notwithstanding that some gaine by it yet an hundred fold more lose bicause at an alteration men are forced to change their maner and forme of liuing for that that pleaseth one Prince displeaseth another Wherefore as before I haue said if a man well consider the sharpe and sudden punishments that God hath laide vpon great Princes within these thirty yeeres in Fraunce Castile Portugale England Naples Flaunders and Britaine he shall finde that they haue beene heauier and greeuouser than happened in two hundred yeeres before and whosoeuer would take in hand to discourse vpon all the particular misfortunes that I my selfe haue seene and in a maner knowen all the persons as well men as women to whom they happened should make thereof a huge volume and that of great admiration yea though it contained onely such as haue chanced within these ten yeeres By these punishments the power of God ought to be the better knowen for the plagues he powreth downe vpon great personages are sharper grieuouser and endure longer than those he sendeth to the poorer sort To conclude therefore me thinke all things well waied that Princes are in no better estate in this world than other men if they consider by the miseries they see happen to their neighbours what may happen to themselues For as touching them they chastice their subiects at their pleasures and God disposeth of them at his pleasure bicause other than him they haue none ouer them but happie is the realme that is gouerned by a Prince that is wise and feareth God and his commandements I haue briefly rehearsed the misfortunes that happened in three moneths space to these two great and mightie realmes which not long before were so inflamed the one against the other so busied in enlarging their dominions and so little contented with that they already possessed And notwithstanding that alwaies some as before I said reioice at changes and gaine by them yet at the first euen to them the death especially the sudden death of their Prince is very dreadfull and dangerous The Notes 1 This he seemeth to adde bicause the empire was greater but it was not the Emperors inheritance 2 Vnderstand the two first murthers of his wiues father and brother for his sonne was dead before he slue his owne brother 3 Vnderstand hir dowrie for hir first marriage 4 But the childe died also afterward and the crowne of Spaine descended to Iane the second daughter wife to Philip Duke of Austrich and mother to the Emperor Charles the fift Further you shall vnderstand that our authors memorie failed him heere for this Princes name was not Emanuel as Commines heere writeth but Michael according to all good authors and pedegrees both of Spaine and Portugale Of the sumptuous building King Charles began a little before his death of the great desire he had to reforme the Church and himselfe to diminish his reuenues and to redresse the processes of the law and how he died suddenly in this good minde in his castel of Amboise Chap. 18. I Will heere cease further to discourse of the affaires of Italie and Castile
4. cap. 13. Brabant Lambourg Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant and Lambourg 1 Lambourg was erected into a Duchie 1172. and Henrie the last Duke thereof who died without issue 1293. solde it to Iohn the first of that name Duke of Brabant But Henrie Earle of Luxembourg father to Henrie the Emperor the Bishop of Colyn and one called the Earle Ghelric inuaded the Duchie of Lambourg with them Duke Iohn fought neere to the castell of Voronc and tooke the Earle Ghelric who pretended title to Lambourg and the Bishop of Colin prisoners the Earle of Luxembourg with two of his brethren was slaine the castell of Voronc razed since the which time Lambourg hath remained quiet vnder the Dukes of Brabant m. Margaret daughter to Guy Earle of Flaunders Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Margaret daughter to Edward the first King of England Iohn Duke of Brabant and Lambourg m. Marie daughter to Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter died 1397. m. Wenceslaus son to Iohn King of Boheme 2 Wenceslaus succeeded Iohn Duke of Brabant but he died 1383. without issue and after his wife dying anno 1393. left Brabant and Lambourg to Anthonie second sonne to Philip the Hardie the said Ianes grand nephew by Margaret hir yoonger sister after whose death and his two sonnes Iohn and Philip Brabant and Lambourg descended to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines in the place aboue rehearsed died 1383. Margaret m. Lewis Maleaâ—â—â— Earle of Flaundres Margaret m. Philip the hardy Margaret wife to William Earl of Haynault Anthony slaine in the battel of Agincourt m. Iane daughter to Walleran Earle of Saint Paul Ligny the first wife Iohn succeeded his father in Brabant and Lambourg Philip succeeded his brother m. 3 Elizabeth second wife to Anthonie Duke of Brabant was daughter to Iohn Duke of Gorlic brother to the Emperours Wenceslaus and Sigismundus who partly in respect of this marriage partly for money gaue to Duke Anthonie the Duchie of Luxembourg but after his death they and VVilliam Duke of Saxonie who had married Sigismundus daughters daughter sought to dispossesse hir of it but Duke Philip of Burgundie euer defended hir and after hir death succeeded hir as well by hir gift as also as heire to Duke Anthonie his two sonnes being dead who had paid money to VVenceslaus and Sigismundus for it afterward also Charles Duke of Burgundie bought the title of Isabella wife to Cassimirus King of Polonia and neece to the Emperor Sigismund to the Duchie of Luxembourg to hold it without quarrell Elizabeth the second wife Luxembourg Iohn Duke of Burgundie m. Margaret sisteâ— to William Earl of Haynault Holland Namurs Philip Duke of Burgundie 4 As touching Namurs Duke Philip bought it for his money of diuers that pretended title to it especially of Iohn Earle of Namur who sold it to Duke Philip vnder condition to hold it during his life which happened anno 1428. How Holland Hainault and Zeland came to Duke Philip as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. where also the Queenes Maiesties title to the said countries is somwhat touched Holland Hainault Zeland William Earle of Holland Hainault and Zeland m. Iane sister to Philip of Valois after K. of Fraunce Philippa the eldest daughter wife to Edward the third King of England William declared by the Emperor ann 1337. Earle of Holland Zeland Hainault and Lord of Friseland slaine by the Frizons 1345. Margaret daughter as some write to William 1 This Margaret Guicchiardin writeth to haue been daughter to VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault Holland and Zeland but Annales Genealogiques Franciae say that she was sister not daughter to VVilliam as do also other most approoued Authors And if she were but sister then the Queenes Maiestie being descended of Philippa the said VVilliams eldest sister is right heire of all these countries Meyerus lib 12. fol. 140. pag. 2. and fol. 147. pag. 1. saith that Margaret was sister not daughter to Duke VVilliam which also is the more manifestly prooued bicause the wife of this VVilliam was Iane the eldest daughter to Iohn Duke of Brabant who ouerliued hir husband and after married VVenceslaus brother to the Emperor Charles the fourth which woman neuer had issue yet finde we no mention of any other wife that VVilliam the yoonger Earle of Hainault had as others sister m. Lewis of Bauierâ— Emperor William the eldest brother died without issue Albert succeeded his brother m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brida William succeeded his father m. Margaret daughter to Philip the Hardy Iaqueline daughter and heire had fower husbands but died without issue and to hir succeeded Philip D. of Burgundie Margaret m. Iohn Duke of Burgundy sonne to Philip the Hardy Philip Duke of Burgundy succeeded Iaqueline in all these Seniories as heere mentioneth Commines A daughter married to the Duke of Iuliers How Margaret of Flaunders was heire of Flaunders Neuers and Rethel as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 13. lib. 5. cap. 11. the which Margaret married with Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn King of Fraunce Ottho yoonger sonne to Hugh the fourth of that name Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter heire of Arnulfe Earle of Neuers which Arnulfe died anno 1243. Neuers Yolande Flaunders m. Robert of Bethune the 22. Earle of Flaunders died 1323. Lewis Earle of Neuers Baron of Douzy died before his father ann 1322. Rethel m. Mary daughter and heire of Iames â— of Rethel Lewis Earle of Flaunders Neuers Rethel slain at the battell of Crecy 1346. m. Margaret yoongest daughter to Philip le Longue King of Fraunce Lewis Earle of FlauÌ„ders surnamed of Malain slain by Iohn Duke of Berry brother to Charles the fift anno 1383. m. Margaret daughter to Iohn the 3. Duke of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire heere mentioned married two Dukes of Burgundie as in the next leafe more at large shall appeere m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundy the first husband m. Philip the Hardy yoongest sonne to Iohn K. of Fraunce How Arthois and the County of Burgundy descended to the said Lady Margaret aboue mentioned and how she married two Dukes of Burgundy and how Philip the Hardy hir second husband obtained the Duchy of Burgundie after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie hir first husband Burgundie Duchie Robert Duke of Burgundy died 1308. m. Agnes daughter to King Saint Lewis Margaret the eldest daughter m. Lewis Huttin King of Fraunce Iane wife to Phillip Earle of Eureux Iane. m. Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce 3 Touching the Duchie of Burgundie note that after the death of Philip Duke of Burgundie nephew to Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie King Iohn of Fraunce being sonne to Iane the said Otthos yoonger sister seazed the Duchie of Burgundie into his hands excluding Iane daughter to Margaret the elder sister as suspected of bastardie and after gaue the said Duchie
Francesco Gonzaga 2 Nicholas succeeded Borso but his vncle Hercules right heire expelled him and seeking to recouer the state he was taken and beheaded by Sigismundus his other vncle 1 Borso a bastard succeeded his brother bicause his brothers son was yoong he was created the first Duke of Ferrara by the Emperor Frederic 3 Hercules expelled Nicholas his nephew he was generall to the Florentines Venetians and Milanois This is he so often mentioned in this historie m. Leonora daughter to Ferdinand King of Naples Betrice married Lodouic Sforce Duke of Milan Alfonse m. Lucretia daughter to Alexander the 6. Biâ—â—op of Rome Franciscus Hippolitus a Cardinall 5 Hercules m. Renee daughter to Lewis the 12. King of Fraunce 6 Alfonsus D. of Ferrara Luigi Cardinall of Este m. Laura Alfonsus Alfonsinus â— Elizabeth married Francis Gonzaga the Marquesse of Mantua mentioned in this storie Sigismundus The pedegree of Francis Marques of Mantua so often mentioned in this historie The familie of Gonzagua had gouerned Mantua before this Francis from the yeer 1328. vnder this Francis Iohn Galliazzo besieged Mantua a yeere but preuailed not this Francis serued the Duke of Milan and the Venetians Francis died anno 1407. Iohn Francis first Marques of MaÌ„tua made by the Emperor Sigismundus was thrice generall to the Venetians died anno 1443. m. Paola daughter to Malatesta Lord of Rimini Luigi liued in the time of Frederick the third m. Barbara daughter to the Marques of Brandenburg Luigi Francis a cardinall Frederick was generall to the Duke of Milan and the Venetians m. Margarita Tedesca Francis in the age of 38. yeeres fought with Charles the 8. at Laro died 1520. m. Elizabeth daughter to Hercules Duke of Ferrara Hercules a Cardinall Frederick made general of the Church by Pope Leo and so confirmed by his successors made D. by Charles the fift he died 1539. Montferrat m. Margaret daughter and heire of William Paleologus marques of Montferrat William Francis Lewis Frederick Ferdinandus generall of Milan to the Emperor Charles the fift Iohn Francis Rodolfe m. Margaret daughter to the Duke of Bauiera Charles troubled his brother but was chased away by him died in very poore estate Lucedus was mishapen Alexander croked backed was a monke How Ferdinand King of Arragon had more right to the realme of Naples than the Kings of the house of Arragon that possessed it as writeth Commines Lib. 8. cap. 17. 1 Iohn the first of that name King of Castile m. Daughter to Ferdinand the first King of Portugale Castile 2 Henry the third King of Castile and Leon. Mary wife to Alfonse King of Arragon and Naples 3 Iohn the second 4 Henry the fourth married a daughter of the King of Portugale Elizabeth put froÌ„ the crowne by hir aunt Commin Lib. 5. cap. 7. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father m. Elenor daughter to Peter King of Arragon Arragon 1. Ferrand Earle of Medina del Campo K. of Arragon This Ferrande obtained the realme of Arragon anno 1407. bicause his mother was daughter to king Peter whose heire male failed in Martin his nephew and notwithstanding that Martin had a daughter yet Ferrande obtained the crowne to hir preiudice 3 Iohn succeeded his brother in Arragon but in Naples Ferrand his brothers bastard succeeded Ferrand King of Arragon and Castile by his wife so often mentioned in these Italian wars Castile and Arragon vnited 4 m. 5 Elizabeth succeeded hir brother putting hir neece from the crowne as a bastard Katharine wife to Henry the eight King of England Iane married Philip Archduke of Austrich 6 Charles the fift Emperor Iohn married Margaret daughter to Maximilian the Emperor died before his father Charles King of Nauarre sans issue Iane Queene of Portugale Mary married Iohn the secoÌ„d K. of Castile 2 1 Naples Alfonse adopted by Iane Queene of Naples who after adopted Lewis Duke of Aniou 2 Ferrande the bastard succeeded his father in the realme of Naples died a little before King Charles came into Italy 5 Frederick succeeded his nephew Ferdinand led after into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. Ferdinand married Germain widow to King Ferdinand of Arragon 3 Alfonse fled when K. Charles came into Italy 4 Ferdinand chased from Naples by King Charles but after recouered the realme died sans issue Isabella wife to Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan Elizabeth wife to Hercules Duke of Ferrara The King of Spaine had better right to Naples than Alfonse that possessed it when King Charles came into Italie bicause Alfonses father was a bastard King Ferrands father being the first Alfonses brother ought to haue succeeded him before his base sonne Further you shall vnderstand that after Frederick was led into Fraunce by Lewis the 12. the said K Lewis enioied Naples but within fower yeeres Ferrande King of Arragon by the great captaine Consaluo chased King Lewis out of the realme and left it to his nephew Charles the Emperor from whom the French K. could neuer recouer it but at this day it is in the possession of the King of Spaine sonne to the said Emperor Charles FINIS Faults escaped Page 3. line 1. reade to wit a pag. 7. lin 13. r. armie Of ead lin dele lin 28. r. Seniories pag. 8. l. 9. dele and ead p. l. vlt. r. of Coulches p. 11. l. 28. r. with them p. 13. l. 22. r. the best ead p. l. vlt. r. Seniories p. 14. l. 41. r. and La Marche p. 17. l. 8. r. flying p. 18. l. 12. r. them not ead p. l. 13. r. before My ead p. l. 32. r. aduise p. 19. l. 21. r. and in a p. 24. l. 46. r. of Aniou p. 27. l. 4. r. 6. of September ead p. l. 38. r. quirace p. 28. l. 32. r. this companie p. 29. l. 5. r. scouts p. 31. l. 43. r. ditch notwithstanding the truce No p. 38. l. 5. r. florens ead p. l. 26. r. cordingly p. 39. l. 31. dele with p. 40. l. 2. r. his campe p. 46. l. 9. r. the canon ead p. l. 44. r. Noone drew p. 47. l. 8. r. stayning ead p. l. 31. r. 6 ead p. l. 32. r. 5 p. 49. l. 7. r. vpon our ead p. l. 38. r. After these p. 50. l. 4. r. of the which p. 54. l. 32. r. goodly p. 59. l. 2. r. rased their wals but ead p. l. 35. r. Romont p. 61. l. 36. r. Angien p. 63. l. 42. r. or Herbart p. 64. l. 38. r. Estelle p. 66. l. 5. r. Ferrette p. 68. l. 34. r. haue had but ead lin r. sixtie thousand p. 69. l. 25. r. hardinesse ead p. l. 43. r. bounds of p. 74. l. 47. r. foorthwith p. 77. l. 1. r. touching the p. 78. l. 23. r. and Desmeries p. 79. l. 9. r. Polence p. 80. l. 13. r. bounds p. 82. l. 4. r. to Gaunt p. 83. l. 9. r. his principall ead p. l. 24. r. to repaire p. 84. l. 41. r. and receiued p. 85. l. 48. r. in feare p. 87. l. 44. r. foorth on foote p. 91. l. 24. r. the very p. 94. l. 13. r. what port the ead p. l. 38. r. three thousand p. 98. l. 35. r. the others p. 106. l. 20. r. cause p. 107. l. 2. r. foade p. 109. l. vlt. r. six score soldiers p. 111. l. 12. r. the onely p. 117. l. 17. r. these Dutch p. 118. l. 5. r. than in any p. 120. l. 2. r. church Then ead p. l. 7. r. 1474. Meyer p. 127. l. 2 r. is it p. 134. l. 2. r. stoutly denied p. 138. l. 43. r. a marrish p. 139. l. 32. r. whereof p. 150. l. 23. r. debebant p. 154. l. 21. r. preparation p. 155. l. 38. r. most of the which p. 16◠〈…〉 p. 164. 〈…〉 p. 165. l. 32. r. great p. 176. l. vlt. r. Burgund pa. 988. p. 179. l. 13. r. ride p. 186. l. 36. r. had good p. 196. l. 33. r. begin p. 201. l. 39. r. to the king his p. 205. l. 40. r. Burgundish p. 208. l. 21. dele had p. 224 l. 6. r. This second p. 227. l. 23. r. in the towne p. 240. l. 16. r. to proceed p. 243. l. 18. r. a number ead p. l. 37. r. which is called p. 253. l. 33. r. vantmures p. 254. l. 25. r. Fougieres p. 260. l. 45. r. was sent p. 261. l. 30. r. Dabecsin p. 263. l. 16. r. commendation p. 267. l. vlt. r. foorth to p. 274. l. 17. r. Proctor ead p. l. vlt. r. they lawfull p. 276. l. 21. r. first voiage p. 278. l. 41. r. Treuâ—ul p. 280. l. vlt. dele Duke p. 281. l. 3. dele Duke p. 284. l. 21. r. also of the p. 291. l. 16. r. Caballiau p. 292 l. 40. r. Caballiau p. 293. l. 19. r. vantmure ead p. l. 43. r. Rosanes p. 294. l. 9. r. Picinino p. 295. l. 12. r. ride about p. 296. l. 14. r. for cruell p. 297. l. 4. r. Aenaria p 306. l 38. r. their other ead p. l. 48. r. places than they p. 307. l. 8. r. accompanie ead p. l 31. r. Otrante p. 313. l. 4. r. or Musiua p. 316. l. 17. r. and two p. 318. l. 16 r. and voluntarily p. 319. l. 39. r. Luques p. 325. l. 18 r. Albanie p. 335. l. 7. r. the Florentines p. 342. l. 4. r. enimies nauie p. 350. l. 3. r. they might p. 380. r. Iane daughter heire to Robart of Bar E. of Marle p. 391. r. Cosmus died the 80. yeere of his age We must intreate the Readers patience for these faults escaped and that he will amend the booke according to this table before he enter into the reading thereof
THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE Commines Knight Lord of Argenton Jmprinted at London by Ar. Hatfield for I. Norton 1596 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD THE LORD Burghley Lord Treasurer of England Knight of the honorable order of the garter and Master of hir Maiesties Court of Wardes and Liueries IT is now R. Honorable thirty yeeres since I presented to your L. and the late Earle of Leicester my Lord and Master the historie of COMMINES rudely translated into our vulgar toong the which of later times at the request of the late Lord Chauncellor sir Christopher Hatton I perused anew and enlarged with such notes pedegrees as seemed necessarie as well for explanation as in some few places for correction of the historie Since his death certaine gentlemen to whose hands the booke happened to come tooke so great pleasure and delight therein that they determined to put it to the presse supposing it a great dishonor to our nation that so woorthy an historie being extant in all languages almost in Christendome should be suppressed in ours Notwithstanding their resolution they forbare of curtesie to put in execution till their purpose should be made knowen to me And albeit that I alleaged many reasons why in my conceit bookes of this nature treating of Princes secrets were vnfit to be published to the vulgare sort the rather bicause the Author in some places seemeth to be of that opinion himselfe yet none of my reasons could preuaile but they continued in their former determination adding thereunto that others besides my selfe had taken paines in this historie and though I of peeuishnes would suppresse my labors yet they would not suppresse theirs So that would I nould I to the presse the booke must go being already warranted by publike authoritie thereunto I seeing the matter aduaunced thus far thought it no time to draw backe any longer but in the end tooke the burthen vpon my selfe doubting if I had done otherwise both the blemishing of the historie wherein I may boldly say that I haue more trauelled than any man that hath entermedled therewith and also that the worke should be presented to some patrone that had no interest therein Wherefore hauing againe examined it and freed it from some faults that me thought fit to be reformed I haue presumed to publish it vnder the protection of your Lorships honorable name to whom of right it appertaineth in many respects First bicause the author thereof was a noble man one of your owne cote the wisest and the best acquainted with all matters of state of any man in his time Whereunto I adde that he continued a Counsellor successiuely to so many French Kings that he was reputed one of the ancientest Counsellors in Christendome at his death wherein your Lordships fortune is not onely correspondent but hath also surmounted his Secondarily your Lordship hath the aisne title to it and lastly the right of suruiuor casteth it vpon you by course of common lawe Wherefore all these circumstances well considered my particular duties also notforgotten I thought it a kinde of sacrilege to suffer your Lordship to be robbed of your right May it therefore please you to receiue this historic into your honorable protection as your owne as well in regard of the Author being a man of such condition as aboue is rehearsed as also of the worke treating of that subiect wherewith your Lordship at this day is better acquainted than any man liuing and lastly in respect of your owne title thereunto Which no whit doubting but that your Lordship will most willingly vouchsafe to do beseeching the Almightie long to preserue you to the great stay of this flourishing estate most humbly I take my leaue this first of Nouember 1596. Your L. most humble and obedient to commaund Thomas Danett The life of Philip de Commines knight Lord of Argenton gathered out of diuers good authors togither with a briefe answer on his behalfe to certaine accusations wherewith IACOBVS MEYERVS a Flemming in his Annales of Flaunders chargeth verie vniustlie both Commines history and his life PHILIP DE COMMINES author of this present history was borne at Commines a towne in Flaunders being a gentleman of a very ancient house and ioined by blood and alliance to the best of that nation His surname was Clytus his father vncle had been both of them vnder D. Philip of Burgundy chiefe gouernours of Flaunders called by Meyer Summi pretores Flandriae and to them he giueth this title Domini Ruscurii Buscurii VVatenenses whereby appeereth of how great Nobilitie and goodly reuenewes Commines was not onely in Flaunders but also in Haynault In his youth namely from the nineteenth yeere of his age and the yeere of our Lord 1464. till the 27. of his age and the yeere 1472. he serued Charles Duke of Burgundie and afterward Lewis the eleuenth of that name King of Fraunce who emploied him in his weightiest and secretest affaires He was of tall stature faire complexion and goodly personage The French toong he spake perfectly and eloquently the Italian Duche and Spanish reasonably well He had read ouer verie diligently all histories written in French especially of the Romaines and bare them all in memorie He much acquainted himselfe with strangers thereby to increase his knowledge He had great regard to the spending of his time and abhorred all idlenes He was of an excellent yea an incredible memorie for he often indited at one time to fower Secretaries seuerall letters of waightie affaires appertaining to the state with as great facilitie and readines as if he had had but one matter in hand A vertue so rare that I haue not read the like of any but of Iulius Caesar and him Nothing more greeued him than that in his youth he was not trained vp in the Latin toong which his misfortune he often bewailed After he was entered into the seruice of King Lewis he was highly in his fauour and during his raigne bare great sway in the realme The said King also greatly aduanced him for he made him first one of his priuy chamber then of his priuy Counsell Seneschall of Poictu and Lord of Argenton He married being of good yeeres a gentlewoman of the house of Montsoreau vpon the borders of Aniou named Helena But after King Lewis his death he fell into great troubles for bicause he was a stranger many enuied his prosperitie so far foorth that at the length his enimies caused him to be imprisoned in the castle of Loches in the Duchie of Berry a place appointed onely for those that are attached of high treason where he was verie extremely handled as himselfe in his historie reporteth Notwithstanding his wife by earnest and continuall sute in the end obtained so much fauour that he was remooued thence and brought to Paris where when he had remained a certaine space he was led to the parlament house to be arraigned He had many enimies those mightie and of so
great authoritie at that time in Fraunce that for feare of them no Counsellor durst plead his cause wherefore necessitie enforcing him to defend him selfe he pleaded there by the space of two howers being very attentiuely heard by the whole audience and in the end so acquite himselfe that by the Iudges sentence he was discharged Among other things he rehearsed at the bar how sundrie troublesome and daungerous voiages he had sustained for the King and the common wealth How highly King Lewis both had fauoured him and for his faithfull seruice rewarded him for his owne part he said that he neuer had done any thing couetouslie ambitiouslie nor cruelly and further that if he had sought onely to aduance and inrich himselfe he might haue had as goodly possessions as any man in France He was prisoner in almost three yeeres The next yeere after his deliuerie he had a daughter borne named Iane which married with Rene Earle of Pantabria descended of the Dukes of Britaine by whom among diuers other children she had issue Iohn late Duke of Estampes Lieutenant of Britain Knight of the French Kings order and Lord of diuers goodly Seniories But to returne to Commines in prosperity he gaue for his posie this sentence He that will not labour let him not eate but in aduersitie this I sailed into the deepe of the sea and a sudden tempest ouerwhelmed me He died the threescore and fourth yeere of his age the yeere of our Lord 1509. the 17. day of October in his owne house of Argenton in the countrey of Poictu from whence his body was conueighed to Paris and there lieth buried in the Augustine Friers I was heere purposed to haue staied my pen and further not to haue spoken either of Commines historie or his life had I not called to minde diuers accusations of Iacobus Meyerus who in sundrie places of his Annales of Flanders inueigheth verie bitterly as well against Commines life as his historie whose accusations I am forced to laie open to the iudgement of the world to the end it may appeere whether they be grounded vpon iust proofe Notwithstanding before I enter into the examination of them thus much in the commendation of Commines historie I cannot passe ouer in silence that two of the greatest and woorthiest Princes that raigned in Europe these hundred yeeres namely the Emperour Charles the fift and Francis the first King of Fraunce made so great account of this historie that the Emperor caried it continually about with him as Alexander did the workes of Homer no lesse esteeming it than he did them and the King was as much displeased with the printing and publishing thereof as was the same Alexander in times past for the setting foorth of Aristotles workes called Acroamatica as rehearseth Gellius so desirous was he to haue reserued to himselfe and a few of his owne subiects the great treasures of wisedome hidden in this small volume But let vs now heare what Meyer obiecteth against this historie In the 17. booke of his Annales of Flaunders writing of the battell fought at Saintron betweene Charles Duke of Burgundie and the Liegeois he hath these words Pugna commissa caeduntur magno numero profligantur ad nouem millia cecidisse tradit qui interfuit Philippus Cominius Sed Brabantiae scriptor quidam scriptor Flandriae quibus plus habeo fidei tria tantum millia occubuisse memorant For answere heereunto if this place be indifferently weighed it shall appeere to be wholie grounded vpon malice and no colour of reason much lesse iust proofe First bicause Meyer preferreth the credit of these obscure Annalistes that write but vpon report before the credit of him that was an eie witnesse and that no way could aduantage himselfe by reporting a lye Secondarily sir Oliuer de la Marche who liued also in that time and was Steward of the Duke of Burgundies house writeth that a great number of these Liegeois were slaine at this battell and also at the siege of Saintron but that their friends and kinsfolkes trussed vp their dead bodies in vessels full of lime partly to the end the discomfiture might appeere the lesse and partlie that they might be buried among their auncestors in the which feate saith he the Liegeois shewed a woonderfull audacitie and courage whereby it shoulde seeme a great number to haue been thus trussed vp by meanes whereof the dead appeered the fewer and were reported accordingly which deceiued diuers and happilie these Annalists of Brabant and Flaunders The like practise we reade of in diuers authors of the like writeth Meyer also himselfe Lastly the Annales of Burgundy agree with Commines and report the number as he doth so that this answer I hope shall suffice for this point Againe in the same booke fol. 364. Meyer writeth thus Loquitur Cominius de nobili quadam foemina attrebatensis ditionis proditrice patriae cuius aedere non vult nomen falsus in hoc vt in caeteris historicus Sure if it were an vndoubted truth that a Ladie of Artois could not send the King such aduertisement as Commines reporteth that she did or if Meyer were Pythagoras that ipse dixit might passe for proofe the credit of Commines should happilie hang in ballance but if you reade the place in his historie the very circumstances will induce any indifferent man to thinke that which is there written of this Ladie to be no lie Againe fol. 366. Meyer hath these words Hic est Cominius ille transfuga gente Flandrus qui multa de Carolo Lodouico prouinciali lingua bene scripsit sed quaedam etiam scripsit plane mendaciter multaque dicenda infideliter reticuit This is so generall and vncertaine a charge that answer in truth it deserueth none notwithstanding I refer to the iudgement of those that shall reade this historie whether Commines conceale his Masters faults therein or not for that is Meyers meaning in this place True it is that he vttereth them not in such railing barbarous termes as Meyer very vnseemely vseth of so great a Prince as King Lewis was and is offended with Commines for not dooing the like a thing which becommeth Meyer himselfe very ill and would haue become Commines much woorse But our author as he concealeth not his masters faults but laieth them open enough to the vnderstanding of the wise and attentiue Reader so deliuereth he them so sparingly and vnder such termes as truth being vttered the Kings honor be no further impeached than verie necessitie doth enforce a matter verie commendable in a gentleman writing of a Prince a seruant of his Master and a subiect of his Soueraigne Lastly Meyer fol. 365. hath these words refert Cominius exercitum Caroliadeo fuisse extenuatum vt exhibere illum Anglis non auderet sed hoc falsum est But you must beleeue Meyer vpon his word other disproofe of Commines report he can bring none neither grounded vpon any circumstance nor produced out of any good
vnlike and also bicause the Dukes liberalitie was inferior to the Kings his attempts so impouerishing him that he had not to be liberall of as the King had Whereunto I adde that he made no such account of his seruants as the King did but attributed all his good successe to his owne braine whereby their seruice was the lesse esteemed and the woorse rewarded or rather not at all esteemed nor rewarded for he neuer vsed any mans counsell but his owne so that wise men lost but their time with him Yea Meyer himselfe reporteth him to be Durum asperum ingratum à quo milites maligne admodum stipendia accipiebant raro blande liberaliter appellarentur quanquam multis in locis extremis periculis se obiectarent plurimumque algoris inediae aestus sustinerent If then the Duke were of this disposition towards his soldiers and so euill rewarded them whose helpe he daily and howerly vsed what reward could any wise man looke for at his hands whose aduice he seldome asked and neuer followed Further the Duke was of nature very cholericke and ready to offer his seruants iniurie as for example to the Earle of Campobasso he gaue a blowe which in the end cost him his life and whether any such outrage offered to our Author caused or furthered his departure we knowe not but that aduauncement which was to be looked for at the Kings hands and not to be hoped for at the Dukes was one cause is already as I suppose sufficiently prooued The second cause of Commines departure from the Duke in mine opinion was safetie for the Duke as Commines himselfe reporteth forced not to venture his seruants into any danger were it neuer so great which all men especially despairing of reward of their seruice will seeke to auoide for as our Author himselfe saith in one place of his historie most men by seruice seeke to aduaunce themselues but all men will haue an eie to saue themselues Further Commines being a very wise man foresawe the Dukes attempts to be such as would in the end ouerthrowe both himselfe his subiects and his dominions wherefore he thought it best to dislodge in time and to saue one These in mine opinion were the principall causes of his departure from the Duke which being honest and reasonable and his departure likewise voide of al treason and trecherous practises against the Duke I see no reason why for his departure he should not rather be commended than condemned The last point that we haue to consider is whether he being the Dukes subiect might leaue his Master and depart to the King were the causes of his departure neuer so reasonable and honest Whereunto I answer that Commines was not absolutely the Dukes subiect for Flaunders was held in soueraigntie of the crowne of Fraunce and both the Earle and all the people sworne to beare no armes against the King of Fraunce and diuers examples too long to rehearse are to be read in the histories of diuers Earles of Flaunders that haue been arrested imprisoned and togither with their people fined for breach of this oth Wherefore seeing our author was a Flemming borne and Flaunders held in Soueraigntie of the King of Fraunce and the Duke of Burgundie in-hostilitie with the King of Fraunce contrarie to the oth he either tooke or ought to haue taken and further violating diuers naie I may say all those points whereunto by his allegeance he was bound to the French King I see no reason why Commines might not or rather ought not to leaue an inferior rebellious Lord and cleaue to his soueraign Prince and King to whom he ought a soueraign dutie both by allegeance and oth And if after his reuolt he gaue any aduice to the furtherance of the Kings affaires he did therein in mine opinion the dutie of a faithfull seruant and true subiect Thus much I haue beene forced to speake in defence both of Commines life and historie whereof as the former appeereth to haue beene both honest and vertuous as well by the reasons aboue alleaged as also by the notable discourses wherewith he farceth his historie which breath nothing but vertue and sinceritie so is the latter confirmed by the consent of diuers good histories and approoued by the iudgement of the noblest Princes that Europe bred these many hundred yeers as I trust is sufficiently declared Wherefore our authors credit standeth vpright as well for good conuersation of life as sincere report in historie both the which Meyer no lesse falsely slandereth than he doth in other places of his Annales the noble races of the Kings of England and Fraunce which ignorantly or maliciouslie he reporteth to be more vile and base than any honest eare can endure to heare Thus hauing I trust sufficiently defended the credit of this woorthie writer I will heere abruptly for auoiding of tediousnes staie my pen. A Table declaring the contents of all the Chapters contained in this historie The preface of the Author to the Archbishop of Vienna in Fraunce page 1 Chap. 1 The occasion of the wars between Lewis the eleuenth and the Earle of Charolois Duke of Burgundy page 2 Chap. 2 How the Earle of Charolois and diuers noble men of Fraunce leuied an army against King Lewis vnder colour of the weale publike page 6 Chap. 4 How the Earle of Charolois encamped neere to Montl'hery and of the battell fought there betweene the King of Fraunce and him page 10 Chap. 4 Of the danger the Earle of Charolois was in and how he was rescued page 15 Chap. 5 How the Duke of Berry the Kings brother and the Duke of Britaine ioined with the Earle of Charolois against the King page 19 Chap. 6 How the Earle of Charolois and his confederates with their whole army passed the riuer of Seine vpon a bridge of botes how Iohn Duke of Calabria ioined with them and how they all encamped before Paris page 22 Chap. 7 A discourse vpon ambitious hunting after offices and estates by the example of the English men page 25 Chap. 8 How King Lewis entred into Paris while the Princes of Fraunce practised with the citizens page 27 Chap. 9 How the Earle of Charolois artillery and the Kings artillery shot the one against the other neere to Charenton and how the Earle of Charolois caused another bridge to be built vpon botes ouer the riuer of Seine page 29 Chap. 10 A discourse vpon certaine vices and vertues of King Lewis the 11. page 32 Chap. 11 How the Burgundians lying neere to Paris and looking for the battell supposed great thistles to haue been launces held vpright page 34 Chap. 12 How the King and the Earle of Charolois met togither to treat of peace page 36 Chap. 13 How the towne of Roane by practise was put into the Duke of Bourbons hands for the Duke of Berry and how the treatie of Conflans was fully concluded page 38 Chap. 14 How the treatie of peace was concluded betweene the King
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
to his heires males till they were redeemed for fower hundred thousand crownes 11 How these matters passed I know not perfectly but true it is that in the D. old age he was so gouerned by the Lords of Croy and Chimay being brethren and others of their house that he agreed to take againe his money restore the said territories to the King greatly to the Earle his sons discontentation for besides that they were the frontier townes of their dominions they lost in them a number of able men for the wars The Earle of Charolois charged the house of Croy with this fact so far foorth that after extreeme age was growne vpon his father whereunto he euen then approched he banished all the said house out of his dominions and confiscated all their lands estates and offices The Notes 1 Commines vvhen he came to the Earle of Charolois seruice vvas 19. yeers of age 2 Charles Earle of Eu Peter of Moruillier and Iohn de Harcour bishop of Narbonne vvere the ambassadors heere mentioned they arriued at Liste the 5. of Nouember Annales Burgundiae 3 VVhether the king ment to haue taken the Earle of Charolois prisoner by this Rubempre reade Annal. Burgund lib. 3. pag. 880. and Meyer lib. 16. fol. 334. vvho flatly charge him vvith it 4 Sir Oliuer de la Marche heere named vvrote a Cronicle of these times 5 The cause vvhy the King sent Rubempre into Holland vvas not as he said to take the Earle of Charolois but the Vicechauncellor of Britaine named in Meyer Iohannes Rociuilla and by our author in the 3. Chapter of this first booke Rouuille vvhom the Duke of Britaine had sent into England to make a league betvveene the realme of England and him and bicause the King supposed this Vicechauncellor vvould visit the Earle of Charolois in his returne he sent this Rubempre into Holland to take him and bring him into Fraunce Annal. Burgund Meyer 6 For the better vnderstanding of the Dukes ansvvere I am forced to passe the bounds of a note VVherefore it is to be vnderstood that in the declination of the Romaine Empire the Burgundians anno 408. being chased out of Almaine vvhere they inhabited the countries novv subiect to the Palsgraue of the Rhyne inuaded Fraunce and conquered the countries novv knovvne by the names of the Countie and Duchie of Burgundy togither vvith Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and the greatest part of Svvitzerland and anno 414. chose them a king named Gondiachus vvith vvhom after diuers battels fought vvith changeable fortune Aetius the Emperour Honorius his lieutenant in Fraunce at the length made peace And Gondiachus remained King of Burgundy and ayded the Romaines against Attila Soone after failed the male line of Gondiachus and by the mariage of Clotilde daughter to Chilperic Gondiachus his sonne vvith Clodoneus King of Fraunce Burgundie fell to Clotarius sonne to the saide Clotilde and Clodoneus and so continued in the house of Fraunce till the yeere 843. vvhen the sonnes of the Emperor Lodouicus Pius vvarring togither Burgundy vvas deuided into Burgundiam Transiuranam and Cisiuranam Transiurana containing Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and Lyonnois remained to Lotharius the Emperor vvith the title of King of Burgundie Cisiurana conteining the Countie and Duchie of Burgundie vvas also dismembred for that part novv knovvne by the name of the Countie of Burgundie fell also to Lotharius share but that part novv knovvne by the name of the Dutchie of Burgundie vvas togither vvith the Realme of Fraunce yeelded to Carolus Caluus But after the death of the Emperor Lotharius his tvvo sonnes Lodouicus and Lotharius made another partition of their part of Burgundie for the realme of Austrasia vvith the Countie of Burgundie fell to Lotharius after vvhose death his vncle Carolus Caluus King of Fraunce ambitiously through violence conquered also that part of Burgundie and ioined it to the crovvne of Fraunce so that the said Carolus Caluus possessed all Burgundie Cisiurana that is both the Countie and Dutchie of Burgundie Loduicus the other sonne of the Emperor Lotharius possessed vvith the Empire all Burgundie Transiurana togither vvith the title of King of Burgundie and left behinde him one onely daughter named Hermingarde maried to Boson brother to Richilde Carolus Caluus his vvife in respect of vvhich mariage the said Caluus gaue to Boson all Burgundie Cisiurana vvhich he the said Caluus then held And thus had Boson all the realme of Burgundie viz. Transiurana in the right of his wife and Cisiurana by his brother in lawes gift Farther the said Caluus being both Emperor and King of France created the aboue named Boson King of Burgundie anno 879. to whom succeeded Lodouicus his sonne from whom Ralph King of Fraunce sonne to Richard that first intituled himselfe Duke of Burgundie wan the greatest part of Burgundy Cisiurana To this Lewis succeeded his sonne Ralph King of Burgundie who not being able to defend his realme gaue it to the Emperor Conradus 2. who notwithstanding obteined the least part thereof for as touching Transiurana Beralde Duke of Saxe had before this gift woon from King Ralph Sauoy and a great peece of Switzerland Daulphine Lyonnois Poruince Guigue le gras the first Daulphine had likewise conquered And as touching Cisiurana by treatie made betweene the Emperour Conradus 2. and Henry King of Fraunce onely the County remained to the Empire and the Dutchie to the crowne of Fraunce This I haue written bicause some hold opinion that the County of Burgundy ought also to be held of the crowne of Fraunce whereas in deede rather the Dutchy with all Transiurana the greatest part whereof the French King at this day possesseth ought to be held of the Empire from whom the said French Kings haue pulled so many prouinces that now as one properly speaketh the Eagle hath lost so many feathers that hardly he can flie 7 Lahaie in our author and in Annal. Burgund where Rubempre should haue taken the Earle of Charolois is named in Meyer Gorkem 8 The pension the Earle of Charalois had of the King with the gouernment of Normandy was 36000. franks Annal. Burgund La Marche Meyer 9 A franke is two shillings and six pence sterling after eight souse to an English shilling so that the carles pension after that rate amounted to fower thousand fiue hundred pound sterling 10 The townes and territories vpon the riuer of Somme engaged to Duke Philip by the treatie of Arras which was in the yeere 1435. are named in the articles of the said treatie rehearsed in Annal. Burgund pag. 760. and 761. and in the first booke of La Marche and in the 16. booke of Meyer and others 11 They were engaged as our author and Annal. Burgund write for 400000. crowns but Meyer saith 450000. but they were redeemed for 400000. anno 1463. La Marche Meyer Annal. Burgund How the Earle of Charolois and diuers noble men of Fraunce leuied an army against king Lewis vnder colour of the weale publique Chap. 2. SOone
coasted continually along by the Earles campe but could not endamage him for his force was so small that when the Earle drew neare to Paris he retired thither All the way as the Earle passed he made no war but what his men took they paid for wherfore the towns vpon the riuer of Somme all other townes that he passed by receiued his men in small troupes and sold them for their money whatsoeuer they would buy as men resting in suspence whether the king or the princes should haue the vpper hand 8 So far marched the Earle that he came to S. Dennis neare to Paris where all the Lords of the realme had promised to meete him but none came notwithstanding that the Vicechauncellor of Britaine the D. and Ambassadorresident in the Earles campe forged newes of their comming from time to time at his owne pleasure vpon certaine blanks that he had signed with his masters hand he was a Norman borne and a very wise and sufficient man and so it behooued him to be for the whole campe murmured against him The Earle of Charolois shewed himselfe before Paris 9 where was a hot skirmish hard at the towne gates but to the Citizens disaduantage Men of war within the towne were none saue onely the Marshall Ioachin with his companie and the Lord of Nantoillet afterward Lord great Master who did the King as good seruice in these wars as euer did subiect King of Fraunce at his neede and yet in the ende was euill recompensed rather by his enimies malice than the Kings fault though neither of both are cleerely to be excused The poore people of the citie were in so great feare the day of the skirmish that they cried often as I was afterwards credibly enformed that we were entred the towne but without cause Notwithstanding the L. of Hault-bourdin aboue mentioned who had been brought vp in the towne when it was nothing so strong as now it is gaue aduise to assault it and the soldiers desired nothing more contemning the townes men bicause the skirmishes were hard at their gates yet the contrary opinion tooke place whereupon the Earle retired to S. Denis The next day in the morning he debated with his Councill whether he should go to meet with the Dukes of Berry and Britaine or not who were at hand as the Vicechauncellor of Britaine said shewing also their letters testifying the same but he had forged them vpon his blanks and other newes knew he none In the end the Earle resolued to passe the riuer of Seine notwithstanding that the most part of his Councill gaue aduise to returne home seeing the rest of the confederates had broken day alledging it to be sufficient to haue passed the riuers of Somme and Marne and more than needed to passe this riuer of Seine Some also put foorth great doubts bicause we had no places on our backe to retire into if we should be distressed But all this notwithstanding the Earle passed the riuer and encamped at Pont S. Clou 10 wherefore the whole army murmured much against the Earle of S. Paule and this Vicechauncellor who were the principall perswaders of him thereunto The next day after his arriuall there he receiued letters from a Lady of this land written with hir owne hand wherein she aduertised him that the King was departed out of Bourbonnois and came downe with all speede to fight with him I must heere declare the occasion of the Kings voyage into Bourbonnois which was this So soone as he vnderstood that all the princes of his realme had conspired against him at the least against his gouernment he determined to preuent them and before they were assembled to inuade the D. of Bourbon who was the first that openly discouered himselfe to be of the confederacie 11 and bicause his countrey was weake he hoped soone to subdue it as in deede diuers places he tooke and would easily haue taken all had not succours come thither out of Burgundie vnder the leading of the L. Coulches the Marquesse of Rottelin the L. of Montague and others with whom Master VVilliam of Rochefort Chauncellor of Fraunce a man at this day of great estimation was also in armes This force was leuied in Burgundie by the sollicitation of the Earle of Beauieu and the Gardinall of Bourbon 12 brethren to D. Iohn of Bourbon and by them receiued into Molines Aide came also of another side to the D. of Bourbon vnder the leading of the D. of Nemours the Earle of Armignac and the L. of Albert being accompanied with a great band of soldiers some of the which were good men of armes of their countries who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and put themselus into their seruice But the greatest part of their men were vtterly vnfurnished of all things and forced for lacke of pay to liue vpon the poore people The King notwithstanding these their great forces gaue themynough to do wherefore in the end they fell to treate of peace especially the D. of Nemours who solemnly promised and sware to take part with him and yet did afterwards the contrary whereupon the King conceiued so great displeasure against him that afterward he could neuer brooke him as eftsoones he hath told me To be short the King perceiuing that he could not atchieue his enterprise in Bourbonnois so speedily as at the first he hoped and fearing if the Earle of Charolois forces which approched neare to Paris and the forces of the Duke of Berry his owne brother and of the D. of Britaine which were comming out of Britaine should ioine togither that the Parisians would receiue them into their towne bicause they all pretended the common wealth for colour of their enterprise knowing also that as the towne of Paris did so all the other townes in his realme would follow for these causes I say he resolued with all speed possible to put himselfe into Paris meaning to keepe these two great armies asunder but his purpose was not to fight as he hath himselfe diuers times told me in communing of these affaires The Notes 1. The Earle of S. Paul had betrothed his daughter to the L. of Croys sonne but seeing the Earle of Charalois hatred against the said Croy he would haue broken off the mariage againe but Croy in whose house the said daughter remained contrarie to hir fathers wil made vp the match for the which cause the Earle of S. Paul hated the said Croy to the death Annal. Burgund 2. The Earle of Charolois besides this matter heere alleaged charged Iohn L. of Croy that he had called him great diuell threatned him and sought to poison him Meyer 3. Euery French man of armes is allowed three men to accompanie him in the wars one to beare his headpeece called in Latin Ferentarius and two archers La Marche but the Burgundians had heere some 5. some 6. 4 These archers were bow-men mounted on horsebacke as harquebusiers on horsebacke are now 5 He that maketh such offer of
himselfe secketh pray not seruice wherefore this reiecting of so many was done according to the rules of the art of war 6 Of the excesse of this house of Burgundie Annal. Burgund write thus lib. 3. pa. 917. and 918. All fashions of apparell were growne in vse among the subiects of this house of Burgundie and those so indecent and dissolute that none could be more The Ladies and gentle women ware vpon their head a strange kinde of attire fashioned in pyramidal form the top thereof halfe an ell good from the crowne of their head and thereupon a carchef of lawne or some other fine linnen hanging downe to the very ground a fond attire and vvoorthy to be derided The men disguised themselues no lesse than the vvomen some vvare their clothes so short that they hardly couered those parts that nature hir selfe shameth to discouer their haire vvas curled and of such length that it hindred their sight vpon their heads they ware felt-hats copletanked a quarter of an ell high or more they stuffed their dublets about the shouldens and brest maruellous full of bombast to the end they might seeme square and broad brested a thing greatly displeasing God their clokes were not so short but their gownes were as long for they trained after them vpon the ground To be short the whole world could not deuise stranger kinds of disguising than they had and that was woorst of all is this that euery rascall and euery woman in beggers estate would be apparelled princelike and imitate the fashion of Court without regarde either of cost or calling Compare this with the excesse of England at these daies and we shall see in a glasse our owne vanities and haue iust cause to looke for the same miseries that fell vpon this house of Burgundy after this excesse 7 The 15. of May saith Meyer but the 25. Annal. Burgund the Earle departed from his father 8 The Earle of Charolois as he passed named himselfe the Duke of Berries lieutenant for the which cause the townes heere mentioned the willinglyer receiued him Annales Burgund 9 The Earles armie shewed it selfe before Paris about the 12. or 13. of Iuly at which time all the princes should haue met him there Meyer 10 The Earle of S. Paule tooke a great bote vpon the riuer of Seine in the which he passed the riuer and tooke Pont S. Clou. Annal. Burgund 11 Reade a letter written by the King to the Duke of Bourbon and his answere therunto Annal. Burgund pag. 889. 12 This Cardinall of Bourbon was Archbishop of Lyons and brother to the Duke of Bourbon Annal. Burgund for the which cause I thinke it best in the French to reade freres for frere bicause the Earle of Beauieu and this Cardinall were both brethren to the Duke of Bourbon How the Earle of Charolois encamped neere to Montl'hery and of the battell fought there betweene the King of Fraunce and him Chap. 3. THe Earle of Charolois supposing that the King being departed out of Burbonnois as before you haue heard came downe purposely to fight with him resolued likewise to set forward against the King and then read openly the contents of the letter sent him by the Lady aboue mentioned not vttering hir name and required his soldiers to play the men saying that he was fullie resolued to hazard the battell wherefore he marched and encamped at a village neere to Paris called Longiumeau and the Earle of S. Paule with the vawarde lodged at Montl'hery two leagues beyond Longiumeau from whence he sent foreriders and scoutes abroad to vnderstand of the Kings comming and what way he tooke farther in the presence of the Earle of S. Paule the Lord of Hault-bourdin and the Lord of Contay Longiumeau was assigned for the place of the battell and thither it was agreed that the Earle of S. Paule should retire with the vawarde if the King hapned to come Now you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Maine with seuen or eight hundred men of armes lay continually in face of the Dukes of Berry and Britaine who were accompanied with a number of wise and valiant knights that King Lewis had put out of pension at his first comming to the state notwithstanding the great seruices that they had done his father in the recouering and pacifying of the realme wherof afterward full often he repented him Among these knights was the Earle of Dunois a man of great experience in al matters 1 the marshall of Loheac the Earle of Dampmartin the Lord of Bueil and diuers others accompanied with the number of fiue hundred men of armes who lately had forsaken the Kings paie and retired themselues to the Duke of Britaine of whose onely subiects this whole force consisted The Earle of Maine who lay continually in face of the two Dukes campe as you haue heard finding himselfe too weake to encounter with them dislodged continually before them approching neerer and neerer to the King in like maner the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine endeuored to ioine with the Burgundians Some haue helde opinion that the Earle of Maine had secret intelligence with the Princes but I could neuer vnderstand any such thing neither do I beleeue it 2 The Earle of Charolois lying in campe at Longiumeau as you haue heard and his vawarde at Montl'hery was aduertised by a prisoner that the Earle of Maine with his whole force all the men of armes of the Kings ordinary retinue being to the number of two an twenty hundreth and the arriereban 3 of Daulphine togither with fortie or fiftie gentlemen of Sauoy excellent good soldiers were al ioined with the King The King in the meane time consulted with the Earle of Maine the high Seneschall of Normandie called De Brezey the Admiral of Fraunce who was of the house of Montauban and others what was to be don in the end whatsoeuer was said or aduised to the contrary resolued not to fight neither approch neere to the Burgundians campe but onely to enter into Paris 4 which in mine opinion was the best safest course He stood in great doubt of his high Seneschall of Normandy and therfore desired him to tell him truely whether he had giuen his faith in writing to the Princes that came against him whereunto the Seneschall answered after his merrie ieasting maner that he had that the writing should remaine with him but the bodie should serue him which his answere the King tooke in good part gaue him the leading of his vaward and put also vnder his charge the guides whose help he vsed bicause he ment to shun the battle as you haue heard But the Seneschall being wedded to his owne will saide priuily to certaine of his familiar friends that he would that day ioine the two armies so nere togither that he had need to be a good man of war that should seuer them without battel which his promise he performed though to his owne cost for the first man that was slaine was himselfe
5 and his band with him These his words the King hath often since rehearsed to me for I serued then the Earle of Charolois But to proceede the 27. of Iuly 6 the yeere 1465. the Kings vawarde came to Montl'hery where the Earle of Saint Paul lodged who incontinent aduertised the Earle of Charolois lying two leagues thence namely at Longiumeau the place assigned for the battel of their arriuall desiring him of aide with all speed and alledging that bicause all his men of armes and archers were lighted on foote and inclosed with their cariage he could not possiblie retire to Longiumeau according to the order agreed on without seeming to flie whereby he should both discourage and endanger the whole armie Which message receiued the Earle of Charolois sent foorthwith the bastard of Burgundy called Anthony with a great band of men to ioine with the Earle of S. Paule and debated with himselfe whether he should go thither in person or not and in the end marched forward with the rest and came to the place about seauen of the clocke in the morning but before his arriuall fiue or sixe of the Kings ensignes were displaied along vpon a great ditch side betweene the two armies The Vicechauncellor of Britaine called Rouuille was yet in the Earle of Charolois campe and with him an ancient man of armes named Maderey the selfesame that deliuered Pont S. Maxence to the Burgundians against these two the whole armie murmured bicause the battell being now ready to be giuen the forces they had so much vaunted of were yet vncome Wherefore they were both in great feare and fled before the two armies ioined taking the way to the Britaines campe The Earle of Charolois company set themselues in order of battell as they marched and at their arriuall found the Earle of S. Paul on foot all the archers dismounted ech man hauing a pale pitched before him Farther they beat out the heads of diuers pipes of wine to drink sure for those few battels I haue been in I neuer saw men in my life more desirous to fight which me thought was a good signe and a great comfort Order was giuen at the first that we should all light on foote none excepted but that order was afterward altered For almost all the men of armes mounted againe on horseback saue certaine valiant Knights and Esquiers appointed to fight among the footemen namely Monseur de Cordes and Master Philip of Lalain with diuers others for at that time among the Burgundians the honorablest personages fought on foote among the archers to the end the infanterie might be the better assured and fight the more couragiously which order they learned of the English men with whom Duke Philip being confederate in his youth made war vpon the realme of Fraunce the space of two and thirty yeeres without truce 7 But the burthen of those wars lay vpon the English mens shoulders who were at that time rich and mightie and had a wise goodly and valiant King called Henry accompanied with sage hardy and expert captains namely the Earle of Salisburie Talbot and others whom I passe ouer bicause those wars were before my time notwithstanding I haue seene the reliques of them For when God ment to withdraw his goodnes from the English men this wise King died at Bois de Vincennes and his sonne who prooued but a simple man was crowned King of Fraunce and England at Paris Soone after all was turned topsie turuie in England For ciuill wars arose among them which haue endured almost till this present by reason that the house of Yorke vsurped the crowne or held it by good title I wot not wel whether for the lot of kingdomes is giuen from heauen But to returne to the historie this dismounting and remounting of the Burgundians caused both great delaie of time and losse of men for at this instant that yoong valiant knight master Philip of Lalain being but slenderly armed was slaine 8 The Kings forces marched scatteringly along by the forrest of Torfou being hardly 400. men of armes at our first arriuall so that if we had then charged them in mine opinion we had found no resistance for they that were behinde could not haue aided the former bicause they could not march forward vpon a front but one by one after an other Notwithstanding their number continually increased which this wise knight Monseigneur de Contay perceiuing came and told his master the Earle of Charolois that if he would obteine the victorie it was time to giue the charge confirming his opinion by diuers good reasons and adding that if he had assailed his enimies at his first arriuall they had already been discomfited for then their number was smal but now greatly increased as easie it was to be discerned sure he said true 9 Then was euery mans aduise asked and the former order cleane altered but in the meane time a great hot skirmish was alreadie begun at the very entrie into the village of Montl'hery all of shot on both sides the Kings bands were lead by Poncet of Riuiere being all archers of his ordinary retinue glistering in gilt and very well appointed But the Earles shot was out of order obedient to no man and doing all things of their owne braine Thus began the skirmishes in the which the Lord Philip of Lalain 10 and Iames of Mas a valiant gentleman afterward master of the horse to Duke Charles of Burgundie fought on foote among the archers The Burgundians being the greater number tooke a house and bare two or three doores before them wherewith they couered themselues in steede of targates and after they were entred the streete set fire on a house the winde was with them and blew the flame in their enimies faces who thereupon retired and afterward tooke horse and fled with the which hue and crie the Earle of Charolois began to march leauing the order first deuised For order was first giuen that the bands should rest twise by the way bicause the Earles vawarde and his battle were far asunder 11 The Kings army stood neere to the castle of Montl'hery a great hedge and a ditch being betweene them and vs. The fields beyond them bare that yeere wheate beanes and other graine growne maruellous high and thicke for the soile there is verie good All the Earles shot marched on foote before him in very euill order notwithstanding that in mine opinion in a battel the principall hope of victorie consisteth in the shot I meane if the force of shot be great for small force serueth to small purpose and either euill mounted to the end they be not vnwilling to forsake their horses or not mounted at all Farther the day of a battle those that are ignorant of the wars will do a greater exploit than those that haue been long trained vp therein this is the Englishmens opinion who are best shot in the world order was first giuen as you haue heard that the Earles
or thrise But euen in that instant arriued Monseur de Contay who told him the selfesame tale the old gentleman of Luxembourg had done and that in so stout and bold termes that he gaue credit to his words and experience and presently returned And I thinke verily if he had passed but two bow shot farther he had been taken as diuers were that followed the chase before him As he returned hard by the village he met with a band of footemen flying whom he pursued being accompanied hardly with an hundred horse none of these footemen made resistance but one who gaue the Earle such a blowe on the brest with a iauelin that the marke thereof appeered at night the greatest part of the rest escaped through the gardens but he that strake the Earle was slaine And as we passed hard by the castell we found the archers of the Kings garde before the gate who neuer abandoned their place for our comming whereat the Earle much maruelled for he thought the battell had beene at an end but he found it otherwise for as he turned about to enter into the field part of his companie being scattered from him suddenly 15. or 16. men of armes gaue a charge vpon him and at the very first slue his caruer named Philip D'orgues bearing a gydon of his armes The Earle was there in great danger and receiued many hurts especially one in the throte with a sword the marke whereof stack by him as long as he liued by reason that his beauer being euill fastened in the morning was fallen away and I my selfe saw when it fell The enimies laid hands vpon him saying My Lord yeeld we know you well ynough be not wilfully slaine but he manfully defended himselfe And at that instant a physitions sonne of Paris that serued the Earle named Iohn Cadet being a great lubberly fellow mounted vpon a strong iade like himselfe ran through the enimies and brake them 1 wherewith they retired to the ditch side the place they had taken in the morning the rather for that they discouered one of our ensignes marching in the midst of the field and approching neere to vs being the bastard of Burgundies ensigne all to totterd and torne to the which the Earle all embrewed in his owne blood retired leauing at his archers ensigne not aboue fortie men with whom we being hardly thirtie ioined in great feare The Earle incontinent changed his horse hauing a fresh horse brought him by Symon of Quingy then his page and since a man well knowne and rode about the field to relie his men leauing vs that taried behinde him in such feare that by the space of an houre we were all fully resolued to flie if but a hundred enimies had marched against vs notwithstanding our men came to vs by ten and twentie in a troupe as well horsemen as footemen but of the footemen many were hurt and all very wearie partly bicause of the battell and partly bicause of their vnreasonable iourney in the morning Soone after returned the Earle himselfe hardly accompanied with an hundred men but by litle and litle our number increased The corne which but halfe an houre before had been so high was now troden flat downe by meanes whereof arose a terrible dust all the fields lay strawed with dead bodies of men an horses but bicause of the dust none could be knowne Immediately after this we discouered the Earle of S. Paul issuing out of the forrest accompanied with fortie men of armes and his ensigne marched straight towards vs and continually increased in number but bicause he was far from vs we sent twise or thrise to him desiring him to make haste which notwithstanding he did not neither altred his pace but caused his men to take vp the launces that lay vpon the ground and came in very good order which sight much comforted vs. With him a great number relied themselues and in the end came and ioined with vs so that we were then to the number of eight hundred men of armes but footemen fewe or none which was the onely let the Earle obteined not perfect victory for there was a great ditch and a thicke hedge betweene his battell and the Kings Of the Kings part fled the Earle of Maine with diuers others to the number of eight hundred men of armes Some haue helde opinion that the said Earle of Maine had intelligence with the Burgundians but for mine owne part I beleeue it not Neuer was in any battell so great flight on both sides but the two Princes kept the field of the Kings part there was a man of honor that fled as far as Luzignan without staie and of the Earles part a noble personage to Quesnoy le Comte these two had no great desire to bite one another 2 While the two armies stood thus in order of battell the one in face of the other the artillerie shot terribly which slue men on both sides but neither partie desired a new field Notwithstanding our band was greater then the Kings but his presence and the curteous language he vsed to his soldiers was a great stay to his people so far foorth that I am throughly perswaded both by mine owne knowledge and that I haue since heard that had it not been for him alone they had all fled Some of our company desired a new battell especially the L. of Haultbourdin alledging that he discouered a troupe of our enimies flying and vndoubtedly if he could haue recouered but a hundred archers to haue shot through the hedge aboue mentioned all had been ours While this matter was in communication and both the armies standing thus in order of battell without fight the night approched and the King retired to Corbeil but we thought he had encamped in the field bicause fire falling by chance into a barrell of powder and certaine carts laden with munition in the place where the King had stoode tooke in the end the great hedge aboue mentioned which we supposed to haue been the French mens fiers there encamped whereupon the Earle of S. Paul and the Lord of Haultbourdin who seemed to be the men of greatest experience in our army commanded our cariage to be brought to the place where we were and our campe to be enclosed therewith and so it was And as we stood there relied togither in order of battell diuers French men returnng from the chase and supposing the victory to be theirs and our campe the Kings passed through the midst of vs some of them escaped but the most were slaine The men of name that died on the Kings part were these master Geffrey of S. Belin the high Seneschall of Normandy and captaine Floquet and of the Burgundians master Philip of Lalain of footemen and common soldiers we lost more than the King but of horsemen the King more than we of prisoners the French tooke the best of those that fled There were slaine of both sides two thousand at the least 3 The field was
sommer his attempts and enterprises were so high and difficult that onely God by his absolute power could haue atchiued them for they passed far mans reach The Notes 1 De la Marche calleth him that deliuered the Earle Robert Couterel or Coutereau a horseman of Bruxels his Phisitions sonne whom for that fact immediately he made knight and feudarie of Brabant Gaghin writeth that the Earle was twice in danger once in the hands of Geffery De S. Bealin and againe in the hands of Gilbert Grassaie 2 For the two places heere named be aboue three hundred English miles asunder 3 There were slaine at the battell of Montl'hery 2000. Annal. Burgund Meyer saith 3000. Gaguin 3600. How the Duke of Berry the Kings brother and the Duke of Britaine ioined with the Earle of Charolois against the King Chap. 5. THe next day being the third after the battell we remooued our campe and lodged at Montl'hery out of the which the people fled part into the Church steeple and part into the Castell but the Earle caused them to returne to their houses neither lost they the value of one penie for euery man paid his shot as truly as if he had been in Flaunders The castell helde for the King and was not assaulted by vs. The third day being passed the Earle of Charalois by the Lord of Contais aduise departed to Estampes a good and commodious lodging and a fruitfull soile meaning to preuent the Britains who came that way and before their ariuall to lodge his men that were sicke and hurt in the towne and the rest abroad in the fields This good lodging and the Earles long abode there saued many a mans life At the said town of Estampes arriued the Lord Charles of Fraunce then Duke of Berry and the Kings onely brother accompanied with the Duke of Britaine the Earle of Dunois the Lord of Dampmartin the Lord of Loheac the L. of Beueil the Lord of Chaumount and master Charles of Amboise his sonne who since hath caried great credit in this realme all the which the King at his first comming to the crown had displaced and put out of office notwithstanding the great seruices they had done the King his father and the realme both in the conquest of Normandie and in diuers other wars The Earle of Charolois and all the noble men that were with him went foorth to receiue them and lodged their persons in the towne where their lodgings were already made but their forces lay abroad in the fields They had with them eight hundred men of armes very well appointed a great number of the which were Britons who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and these made a gallant shew in their campe of archers and other soldiers armed with good Brigandines they had great force so that I suppose they were six thousand men on horsebacke all in very good order and sure this army shewed the Duke of Britaine to be a great Prince for they were all paid out of his coffer 1 The King being retired to Corbeil as you haue heard was not idle neither forgat what he had to do but went straight into Normandy partly to leuy men and partly bicause he feared rebellion in the countrey but a great part of his forces he left about Paris in those places that had most need of defence The first euening that all these Princes met at Estamps they told newes each to other the Britons had taken prisoners certaine of the Kings part that fled and if they had been but a litle neerer the place of the battell they had either taken or discomfited the third part of his army They had first giuen order to sende foorth certaine bands before them to vnderstand how neere the Kings army and the Earles were togither but they altered their mindes Notwithstanding master Charles of Amboise and certiane with him scoured the countrey before their army to see if they could meete any of their enimies and certaine prisoners as you haue heard they tooke and part also of the Kings artillerie These prisoners made report vnto them that vndoubtedly the King was slaine for so they supposed bicause they fled at the very beginning of the battell which newes the abouenamed master Charles of Amboise and they that were with him brought to the Britaines campe who reioiced maruellously thereat supposing it had been true and hoping for great rewards if the Lord Charles were King Further they debated in councell as a man of credit there present afterward aduertised me how they might rid the countrey of the Burgundians and send them home in the diuels name and were in maner all agreed to cut their throtes if they could but this their ioy soone ended wherby you may perceaue what sodaine alterations are in a realme in such troubles But to returne to the campe lying at Estampes when euery man had supped and a great number being walking in the streetes The Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Earle of Charolois withdrew themselues to a window where they entred into very earnest communication Now you shall vnderstand that there was among the Britaines one that tooke great pleasure in throwing squibs into the aire which when they fall to the ground run flaming among men his name was master Iohn Boutefeu or master Iohn de Serpens I wot not well whether This mery companion being secretly hidden in a house threw two or three squibs into the aire from a high place where he stood one of the which by chance strake against the bar of the window where these two Princes communed togither wherewithall both of them started sodainly vp being astonished at this accident and each beholding other suspecting this to be purposely done to hurt them then came the Lord of Contay to his master the Earle of Charolois and after he had told him a word or two in his eare went downe and caused all the men of armes of the Earles house and all the archers of his garde and a number of other to arme themselues Incontinent also the Earle of Charolois mooued the Duke of Berry to command the archers of his garde to do the like whereupon immediatly two or three hundred men of armes stood on foote in harneis before the gate with a great number of archers the which sought round about from whence this fire might come in the end the poore fellow that had done the deed fell downe vpon his knees before them confessing the fact and threw three or foure other squibs into the aire whereby he put diuers out of suspicion each of other thus the matter turned to a iest and euery man vnarmed himselfe and went to bed The next day in the morning they sat in councell to debate what was to be done all the Princes with their principall seruants being there present and as they were of diuers parts and not obedient to one head so were they also of diuers opinions as in such assemblies it cannot be otherwise chosen But among
the rest of their talke certaine words that passed the Duke of Berry who was yoong and vnacquainted with such exploits were especially marked for he seemed already to be weary of this enterprise alledging the great number of the Earle of Charolois men that he had seene in the towne hurt and maimed of whom to shew that he had pitie and compassion he brake foorth into this speech and said that he had rather the matter had neuer been begun than that so much mischiefe should arise by his occasion and for his cause which words displeased greatly the Earle of Charolois and his men as heerafter you shall heare Notwithstanding they concluded in this assembly to go before Paris to prooue whether the towne would enter into league with them for the benefit of the common wealth which they al pretended to be the onely cause of their assembly being fully perswaded that all the townes in the realm would follow the example thereof The words aboue mentioned vttered by the D. of Berry in this assembly put the Earle of Charolois and his men into such a dumpe that they said thus one to another heard you this man speake he is discouraged for seuen or eight hundred hurt persons that he seeth in the towne who are none of his but meer strangers to him he would be otherwise troubled than if the matter should touch himselfe in any point and easely be won to agree with his brother and leaue vs in the mire and bicause of the long wars that haue been in times past betweene King Charles his father and the D. of Burgundie my father both the parties would soone consent to turne their forces against vs wherefore it is good to prouide vs of friends in time And vpon this suspicion onely VVilliam of Cluny Prenotarie who died Bishop of Poictiers was sent to England to King Edward the 4. then raigning to whom the Earle of Charolois had euer before been mortall enimie supporting the house of Lancaster against him of the which he was issued by his mother 2 And the said Clunies instructions were to treat with King Edward of a mariage betweene the Kings sister called Margaret and the Earle of Charolois not to conculde the matter but onely to put the King in hope thereof for the Earle knowing how greatly the King desired this mariage supposed by this meanes to win him to take his part if he needed his helpe at the least to staie him from attempting ought against him And notwithstanding that he ment nothing lesse then the accomplishment thereof bicause as feruently as he loued the house of Lancaster as extreemly hated he the house of Yorke yet was the matter so labored that many yeeres after the mariage was accomplished 3 and the Earle receaued also the order of the Garter and ware it till his dying day Many a such deed is often done vpon suspicion onely especially among great Princes who are much more suspicious then other men bicause of the doubts and reports that are daily brought vnto them oftentimes by flatterers vpon no occasion The Notes 1 The Britaines army was of 10600. men Anna. Aqui. and the archers here mentioned were all mounted one horsebacke otherwise the men of armes could not arise to sixe thousand 2 Charles D. of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster after this sort Iohn of Gaunt D. of Lancaster had issue by Blaunche his first wife daughter and heire to Henry D. of Darby and Lancaster Philip which married with Iohn King of Portugall bastard of Ferraude by whom she had issue Isabell married to Philip D. of Burgundie by whom she had issue this D. Charles 3 Margaret king Edwards sister arriued in the Lowe countries 25. Iunij Ann. 1468. Meyer How the Earle of Charolois and his confederates with their whole army passed the riuer of Seine vpon a bridge made of botes how Iohn D. of Calabria ioined with them and how they all encamped before Paris Chap. 6. ALl these Princes according to their determination departed from Estampes hauing soiourned there certaine daies and marched to Saint Maturin of Larchant and Moret in Gastinois in the which two little townes the Lord Charles of Fraunce and the Britaine 's lodged but the Earle of Charolois encamped in a great medow vpon the riuer of Seine and made proclamation that euery man should bring a hooke with him to fasten his horse therewith he caried also with him seauen or eight small boates in cartes and great store of pipeboorde meaning therewith to make a bridge ouer the riuer of Seine bicause these Princes had no passage there The Earle of Dunois accompanied him riding in a litter for bicause of the goute he could not sit on horsebacke notwithstanding his ensigne was borne with him When they came to the riuer they launched foorth the boates they brought with them and tooke an Iland in the midst of the streame where certaine of our archers landed and skirmished with a companie of horsemen that defended the passage on the other side vnder the leading of the Marshall Ioachin and Sallezard The place was much to their disaduantage bicause it was high and in a goodly vine country besides that the Burgundians had great store of artillerie vnder the charge of a notable gunner named Master Girald whom they tooke prisoner at the battell of Montl'hery being then in the Kings seruice To be short the aboue mentioned horsemen were forced to abandon the passage and retire to Paris The selfesame night the bridge was made from the side of the riuer where we lay to the Iland where incontinent the Earle of Charolois caused his pauilion to be pitched and lodged there all night with fiftie men of armes of his house by day breake a great number of Coopers were set on work to make casks of the pipe boord we brought with vs who so bestirred themselues that before noon the bridge was made from the Iland to the other side of the riuer Incontinent passed the Earle of Charolois and caused his tents whereof he was well furnished to be pitched ouer the same bridge passed also his whole armie and artillerie and lodged vpon the side of a hill hanging towards the riuer by means whereof his campe made a goodly shew to those that came after It was that whole daies worke to conuey ouer the Earles owne forces but the next morning by day breake passed also the Dukes of Berry and Britaine with their whole armie commending this bridge to be very commodiously and speedily made and marched when they were passed a little beyond the Earle and encamped also vpon the hill When it was darke night we discouered a great number of fires as far from vs as we could well discerne which diuers supposed to be the Kings forces but bofore midnight we were aduertised that it was Iohn Duke of Calabria 1 onely sonne to King Rene of Sicilie 2 with nine hundred men of armes of the Duchie and Countie of Burgundie The said Duke had
as the Duke of Sommerset did with the house of Lancaster To be short these wars indured so long that all they of the houses of Warwick and Sommerset were either slaine or beheaded in them King Edward caused afterward his owne brother the Duke of Clarence to be drowned in a Butt of malmesey charging him that he ment to make himselfe King but after King Edwards death his other brother the Duke of Glocester murthered the said Kings two sonnes proclaimed his daughters bastards and vsurped the crowne Immediately after the which cruell deed the Earle of Richmond now King who had been prisoner many yeeres in Britaine passed into England and discomfited and slew in battell this bloody King Richard late murtherer of his two nephewes Thus haue there died in England in these ciuill wars since my remembrance aboue fowerscore persons of the blood Royall part of the which I my selfe knew part vnderstood of by the English men resident with the Duke of Burgundie at the same time that I serued him Wherfore you see it is not at Paris onely nor in Fraunce alone that men fall at variance for worldly goods and honors But sure all Kings and great Princes ought to take heed that they suffer not factions to arise in their courts for thereof kindleth the fire that consumeth their whole countrey in the end Notwithstanding such alterations happen not in mine opinion but by Gods disposition for when Princes and realmes haue long florished in great wealth and prosperitie and forget from whence all these benefits proceede God raiseth vp an enimie against them whom they neuer feared nor stood in doubt of as appeereth by the Kings mentioned in the Bible and by that also which hath hapned and daily doth happen not onely in England and in these countries of Burgundie but in diuers other places also The Notes 1 The last of Iuly arriued the French Kings ambassadors at the treaty of Arras Annal. Burg. so that the treaty began in the beginning of August and the English men departed discontented the 6. of December Annal. Bur. and the treatie ended the 21. of September but De la Marche saith the 10. of December Meyer 11. Calen. Octob. which agreeth with Annal. Burg. 2 At the treatie vvas present Philip D. of Burgundie himselfe La Marche Meyer 3 Our Chronicles report that the Duke of Yorke vvith diuers others slaine in the battell and the Earle of Salisbury father to the Earle of VVarvvick vvho vvas taken prisoner in the battell vvere behedded and their heds sent to Yorke in derision but I remember not that the Earle of VVarvvick vvas behedded after he vvas slaine and I suppose the vnskilfull corrector hath here omitted a vvord or tvvo and that vve must read in place of Luy le Comte de Warwic Luy le pere du Comte de Warwic 4 The Earles of Marche and VVarvvick vvent to Calice before the Duke of Yorke vvas slaine or ouerthrowen in battell for they fled from Ludlovv lying in campe there against the kings force bicause they found themselues too vveake and their counsels betrayed by Andrew Trowlop vvho fled from them to the King How King Lewis entred into Paris while the Princes of Fraunce practised with the citizens Chap. 8. I Haue been long in this discourse and it is now time to returne to the historie After the Princes were come before Paris they began to practise with the citizens promising offices and great rewards to diuers and omitting nothing that might further their purpose At three daies end the citizens assembled togither in the towne hall where when they had long debated these matters and heard the Princes requests demands made openly to them for the benefit of the whole realme as they pretended they determined to send ambassadors to them to treate of peace according to the which determination a great number of the best citizens came to Saint Mor where the Princes lay and Master VVilliam Chartier then Bishop of Paris a notable prelate declared the citizens embassage and for the Princes the Earle of Dunois was appointed to be mouth The Duke of Berry the Kings brother was president of this Councill sitting in a chaire and all the other Princes standing about him On the one side stood the Dukes of Britaine and Calabria and on the other the Earle of Charolois armed at all peeces saue the head peece and vantbrases and wearing vpon his quirage a short cloke maruellous rich for he came from Conflans and Bois-de-Vincennes being well manned was held for the King wherefore it stood him vpon to come armed and well accompanied The Princes request was to enter into Paris to confer with the citizens about the reformation of the state which they said was euill gouerned charging the King with diuers disorders The citizens gaue them very lowly and humble language desiring respite before they could make any resolute answer yet notwithstanding this delay the King was afterward discontented both with the Bishop and the rest that accompanied him Thus returned these ambassadors into the towne continuing still their former practise for euery one of the Princes talked with them apart and I am of opinion that some of them had agreed secretly to suffer the Princes in their owne persons to enter the towne and their men also if they so thought good by small troupes which practise if it had taken effect had not onely been the winning of the towne but the atchieuing of the whole enterprise For the citizens would easily haue been brought for diuers considerations to reuolt to them and so consequently all the other townes in the realme But God put wise counsell into the Kings head which also he executed accordingly being alreadie aduertised of all these practises Before the ambassadors that were returned from the Princes had made their report the King in person entred the towne of Paris accompanied like a prince that commeth to relieue his people for he brought with him into the towne two thousand men of armes all the nobles of Normandie a great number of franke archers and all his owne seruants pensioners and others that vse to accompanie the King in such affaires Thus this practise was broken off and all the people altered their mindes neither durst any of them that had been with vs make farther mention of the Princes demaunds Some of them also sped but euill for that they had alreadie done notwithstanding the King vsed no extremitie towards them 1 but some lost their offices and others were sent to dwell in other places for the which easie reuenge the King vndoubtedly deserued great commendation considering that if this practise begun had taken effect the best that could haue happened to him had been to forsake his realme which also was his resolution For as himselfe hath often told me if he could not haue entred into Paris but had found the towne reuolted he would haue retired to the Switzers or to Francis Duke of Milan whom he accounted
but lent him during his fathers life Wherfore minding now to preuent him he said thus Chide me not I acknowledge my great follie but I was hard by the bulwarke before I wist But this notwithstanding the marshal said more to his face then he had spoken behinde his backe and sure he was a faithfull and a trustie knight The Earle answered nothing but held downe his hed and entred into this campe where they were all glad of his returne and commended the Kings faith and sure it is to be thought that both the King and the Earle had great regard of their honor considering that each of them putting himselfe into others hands Yet neither of them receiued harme notwithstanding the Earle neuer after returned vnder the Kings power The Notes 1 That is 118750. pounds sterling How the treatie of peace was concluded betweene the the King and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates Chap. 14. IN the end all matters were fully concluded and the next day as the E. of Charolois was making his musters to know what number he had lost suddenly the King accompanied with thirty or forty horse came thither without warning giuen and rid about to view all the bandes one after another saue the marshals of Burgundy who loued him not bicause not long before the King hauing once giuen him Pinal in Loraine tooke it afterward again from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria greatlie to the said marshals damage The King acknowledging his error by little and little reconciled him selfe to the wise and valiant knights that serued the King his father whom he at his first comming to the crowne displaced wherefore they were with the Princes in armes against him Farther it was agreed that the next day the King should come to the Castell of Vincennes and likewise al the Princes that were to do him homage for whose safety the said Castell should be put into the Earle of Charolois hands according to which agreement the next morning thither came the King and likewise all the princes none being absent the porche and the gate being manned with Burgundians well armed there the treatie of peace was concluded 1 The Lord Charles did the King homage for the Duchie of Normandie and the Earle of Charolois for the townes in Picardie aboue mentioned as did also all the rest that had homage to do and the Earle of Saint Paul tooke his othe for the office of Constable but according to the common prouerbe neuer was so plentifull a marriage feast but some departed vndined for heere some had what them lusted and others nothing The King receiued into his seruice certaine gentlemen that were with his brother and also certaine meane persons but the greatest part remained still with his said brother the new Duke of Normandie the D. of Britain who went to Roan to take possession At their departure from the castell of Vincennes they tooke their leaue each of other and returned to their lodgings farther all letters pardons and other writings seruing for the confirmation of the peace were made On one day departed all these three Princes the Duke of Normandy and Britaine first into Normandy and the Duke of Britaine from thence into his owne countrie and the Earle of Charolois into Flaunders But when the Earle was ready to take horse the King meaning effectually to shew how greatly he desired his friendship came to him and accompanied him to Villiers-le-bell a village fower leagues from Paris where both these Princes lodged that night The Kings traine was very small but he commanded two hundred men of armes to follow him to conuey him backe whereof the Earle of Charolois being aduertised as he went to bed fell into great suspicion therof and commanded a great number of his seruants to be in armes Thus you see how impossible it is for two great Princes to agree bicause of the suspicious tales and reports that are daily and howerly beaten into their heads Wherefore two Princes that desire to continue in friendship ought neuer to come togither but to imploy vertuous and wise men betweene them who will encrease their amitie and repaire all such breaches as shall happen The next morning the two Princes tooke their leaue each of other with much courteous and wise talke and the King returned to Paris accompanied with the men of armes aboue mentioned called thither for that purpose whereby he remooued all suspicion the Earle had conceiued of their comming The said Earle rode towards Compiengne and Noyon being receiued by the Kings commandement into all the townes he passed by From thence he marched to Amiens where they did him homage as did also all the other townes vpon the riuer of Somme the territories in Picardy restored to him by this treaty which the King not past nine moneths before had redeemed for the summe of fower hundred thousand crownes as before you haue heard This done he marched incontinent into the countrie of Liege bicause they had by the space of fiue or sixe moneths made war vpon his father in his absence in the countries of Namur Brabant where also they had slain certaine of his subiects 2 but bicause the winter approched he could do no great exploit notwithstanding a number of villages were burnt and diuers small ouerthrowes giuen to the said Liegeois whereupon they made a treatie with the Duke of Burgundie and for performance thereof stood bound to him in a great summe of mony This done the Earle of Charolois returned into Brabant The Notes 1 The treatie was sworne the fift of October the conditions whereof reade in Meyer fol. 337. where he saith that by this treatie Flaunders was exempt from the Kings soueraigntie which saith Degrassalius cap. 1. pag. 6. the King could not grant Quia vltimus resortus alienari aut remitti non potest which also may well appeere to be lawe bicause we reade lib. 5. cap. 17. of our author that notwithstanding this treatie the Chauncellor of Burgundie and Himbercourt being imprisoned and condemned by the citizens of Gaunt appealed to the Parlament of Paris vvhich appeale notvvithstanding vvhether it vvere lavvfull or vnlavvfull or vvhether they appealed to delay the time for safetie of their liues hoping their friends vvould deliuer them or the King happily thereby to recouer his former soueraigntie I leaue heere to discusse Notvvithstanding if any such condition vvere in the treatie of Conflans as Meyer reporteth in my simple iudgement these tvvo vvise men vvould not haue appealed contrary to it and thereby haue made the cause of their death iust though before vniust by violating this priuilege and so infringing the liberties of the state of Flaunders obtained by this treatie of the King 2 The King persvvaded the Liegeois to rebell in Iune 1465. vvhich vvas the same sommer the Earle of Charolois vvas in Fraunce thereby to vvithdravv the Earle of Charolois out of Fraunce home vvhereupon the Liegeois about mid August defied the Duke of
Burgundie and hung his sons image on a gibbet vvith vile reprochfull vvords Reade Annal. Burgund fol. 900. and Meyer fol. 337. pag. 2. but soone after namely 19. Octob. the same yeere the Duke of Burgundy by the conduct of the Earle of Nassau the Seneschall of Hainault the Lords of Grutuse Gasebecque and Rubempre gaue them an ouerthrovv at Montenac vvhere they lost 2200 men vvherefore seeing their forces broken and the Earle of Charolois returned home they desired peace vvhich they obtained 22. Ianuarij anno 1466. as our author in this chapter maketh mention and likevvise Meyer fol. 338. and Annal. Burgund fol. 909. vvhere also reade the conditions of the peace but this peace the same yeere about Iune they brake againe by aiding them of Dinand as in the second booke our author setteth foorth at large How by the deuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandie the King recouered the saide Duchie which he had giuen his brother Chap. 15. NOw to returne to the Dukes of Normandie and Britaine who after their departure from Bois-de-Vincennes went togither as you haue heard to take possession of Normandie You shall vnderstand that immediately after their entrey into Roan they fell at variance about partition of the bootie 1 for the knights aboue mentioned were yet with them who being accustomed vnder King Charles the seuenth to liue in great authoritie and enioy goodly offices thought now seeing this enterprise at an end and themselues vnrestored to the Kings fauor to be aduanced by the new Duke of Normandie wherefore they gaped for the best offices in the countrey as due to them On the otherside the Duke of Britaine thought it reason that part of them should be at his disposition bicause the greatest burden of these wars had lien vpon his shoulders To be short the fire so kindled betweene them that the Duke of Britaine for safety of his person was forced to retire to mont S. Katherine neer to Roan where also the Duke of Normandies men with the citizens of Roan were about to besiege him so that in the end he was forced to retire the high way to Britaine Of this deuision the King being aducrtised furthered it I warrant you to the vttermost of his power for he was master in this Arte and in the meane time approched with his army neere to the countrey whereupon those that held the strong places began to yeeld them to him thereby to recouer his fauor I speake of these matters vpon the Kings owne report for I my selfe was not present at them But to proceed the King practised with the Duke of Britaine who held certaine of the strong places in base Normandie 2 vtterly to abandon his brother for conclusion whereof they were togither a certeine space at Caen where they made a treatie by the which the said towne of Caen diuers other places remained in the L. of Lescuts hands with a certaine number of soldiers in pay but this treatie was so confused that I thinke neither party vnderstood it throughly well Thus returned the D. of Britaine into his owne countrey and the King bent his whole force against his brother the Duke of Normandie who seeing himselfe vnable to withstand him and that the King had already taken Pont de l'Arche and diuers other places in the countrey determined to flie into Flaunders The Earle of Charolois was yet at Sainctron 3 a litle towne in the countrey of Liege where he was maruellously busied for his army was all broken and out of order and part thereof notwithstanding the winter in war against the Liegeois This variance betweene the two Dukes aboue mentioned much troubled him for he desired nothing more than to see a Duke of Normandie bicause thereby the King should lose the third foote of his realme wherfore he leuied men in Picardie to put into Dieppe but before they were readie he that held the towne yeelded it by composition to the King who by this meanes recouered al the Dutchie of Normandie saue those places that the Lord of Lescut held by the treatie of Caen. The Notes 1 He meaneth by the bootie the offices in Normandie 2 The places the Duke of Britaine helde vvere Caen Auaranches Licieux c. 3 Some copies haue Saint Oen but the old copie and de la Marche Sainctron some call it Centron and Saint Truden as saith Guicci Hubertus nameth it in latin Centrones Berlandus fanum Trudonis but corruptly saith Hubertus the ancient name in deede is Centrones wherefore it is to be read Centronor Sainctron but not Saint Oen. How the newe Duke of Normandie returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed of his enterprise Chap. 16. THe Duke of Normandie was once determined as you haue heard to flie into Flaunders but at that very instant the Duke of Britaine and he reconciled themselues acknowledging both of them their errors and well perceauing all good things by diuision to perish and come to naught And sure in mine opinion it is almost impossible that many Princes of equall estate being togither should long continue in friendship and amitie vnlesse they haue a superior ouer them who also must be wise and well esteemed to the end he may hold them in due obedience I haue my selfe seene many examples heereof and therfore speake not vpon hearesay Besides that common experience prooueth that we are naturally enclined to fall at variance to our owne harme not regarding the inconueniences that ensue thereof which is a generall fault through the whole worlde Wherefore in mine opinion a wise Prince hauing ten thousand men at his commandement and knowing how to gouerne them is more to be feared and esteemed than six Princes confederate togither with each of them ten thousand bicause so many matters fall in question betweene them that all good occasions are lost before they can resolue vpon any thing Thus returned the Duke of Normandie into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly abandoned of all the Knights aboue mentioned that had serued the King his father for they made their peace with the King and were better entertained by him than euer they had beene in his fathers time These two Dukes were wise after the hurt receiued as the common prouerbe saith of the Brittons and liued togither in Britaine being gouerned by the Lord of Lescut their principall seruant And diuers ambassadors ran betweene the King and them and betweene them and the Earle of Charolois and likewise between the King and the Duke of Burgundy some to learne newes some to corrupt one anothers seruants and subiects and some for diuers other euill purposes and all vnder colour of good faith Some also went with good intent trusting to pacifie these troubles which sure was great simplicitie in them to thinke themselues wise sufficient ynough by their presence to appease Princes so great so subtill so well acquainted with all sorts of fine practises
and estimation his subiects are the more obedient they deny him nothing that he demandeth his soldiers also waxe thereby the hardier and the more couragious Notwithstanding oftentimes the Princes themselues after a victory obteined are so puffed vp with pride and vaine glory that commonly their good successe turneth to their harme all the which hapneth by Gods disposition who sendeth alterations according to mens deserts When they within Sainctron saw the battell lost and themselues inclosed on all sides supposing also the discomfiture to be much greater then indeede it was they laid downe their armor yeelded the towne and deliuered such men to the Dukes mercy as he demanded whom he incontinent caused to be beheaded sixe of them being of the hostages that he had dismissed a few daies before vnder such conditions as you haue heard From thence he dislodged and marched to Tongres which abode the siege but bicause the towne was nothing strong they yeelded before the battery vnder the same conditions that their neighbors of Sainctron had accepted and deliuered also ten men to the Duke who were put to death as the former fiue or sixe of them being likewise of the hostages aboue mentioned The Notes 1 The newe copie hath Liny but the old and La Marche name it Huy Guicci Hoey Hubertus Huyum Meyer Hoyum and almost all other good authors 2 The Liegeois armie to succour Sainctron was of 20000. men but understand besides the Kings forces lead by Messir Bare or Barrado as Meyer termeth him who vvas slaine in the battell Meyer 3 The King sent to aide the Liegeois 400. men of armes and 6000. archers Meyer 4 There were slaine at this battell 6000. saith the old copie 3000. Meyer grounding himselfe vpon certeine obscure Annalists one of Flanders the other of Brabant of purpose to contrarie our author as in my epistle is shevved more at large 5 This battell vvas fought vpon Alhallovve Eeuen De la Marche but Meyer saith the 27. of October How some of the citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 3. FRom Tongres the Duke marched to the citie of Liege where the people were in great diuision for part of them gaue aduise to defend the towne saying that they had force sufficient within it so to do the cheife of the which faction was a knight called Master Raz of Laitre but others seeing all the countrey about burned and destroied would in any wise haue peace were the conditions neuer so vnresonable wherefore when the Duke approched neere to the city diuers ouertures of peace were made by certaine meane persons as prisoners and such like But the principall dealers in the matter were certaine of our hostages who doing cleane contrary to the others aboue mentioned and acknowledging the great fauor the Duke had shewed them brought to his campe with them three hundred of the best citizens in their shirts bare headed bare legged who presented the keies of the city to him and yeelded themselues to his mercy humbly beseching him onely to giue them his word that the towne should neither be fired nor sacked And at the selfe same time that they came in this estate to the Duke the Kings ambassadors being Monseur de Mouy and a secretary called Iohn Preuost were there present who were come to the Duke with the same demandes that the Constable had made a few daies before Farther the verie day of the composition the Duke supposing to enter the citie sent the Lord of Hymbercourt thither before him bicause he was well acquainted in the towne and had beene gouernor thereof vnder Duke Philip during the yeeres they liued in peace notwithstanding entrie was denied him for that day whereupon he retired and lodged in an abbey without one of the towne gates being accompanied with fiftie men of armes the whole number amounting to two hundred souldiers and I my selfe being one of them The Duke of Burgundie sent him word if the place where he laie were strong not to dislodge otherwise to retire backe to him for he could hardlie haue succoured him bicause all that countrey is rock and stone The said Hymbercourt resolued not to mooue for the place was very strong but retained with him fiue or sixe of the citizens that brought the keies to â—he Duke minding to vse their helpe to good purpose as heereafter you shall peceiue At nine of the clock at night we heard a bell ring at the sound whereof the citizens vse to assemble whereupon the said Hymbercourt doubted that this bell called companie togither to issue foorth to assaile vs for he was aduertised that Master Raz of Laitre and other of the citizens would not agree to peace and in deed his surmise was true for that was their determination and they were euen vpon the pointe to sally Then said the Lord of Hymbercourt to vs if we can dalie with them but till midnight we are safe for they will waxe wearie and desirous of sleepe and then those that are our enimies in the towne will flie when they shall see their enterprise frustrate wherefore to bring his purpose to passe he dispatched two of the citizens that he had staied with him and deliuered them certeine freindly articles in writing meaning only to busie the citizens with farther talke to win time for their maner was yet is to assemble togither at the Bishops pallace to debate of their affaires when the bel aboue mentioned is rung These two Burgesses which had been of our hostages when they came to the gate being hardlie two bow shot from the abbey where we lodged found a great number of the citizens there in armes some of the which would needs issue foorth to assaile vs some not Then our two Burgesses tould the Maior of the citie aloude that they brought certeine friendly articles in writing from the Lord of Hymbercourt the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in those countreis willing him to returne to the pallace to read them whereunto he agreed and incontinent we heard the bell ring againe wherby we vnderstood that they were busied about our articles Our two Burgesses returned not but about an hower after we heard a greater noise at the gate than before and a much greater number came thither in armes crying and rayling vpon vs from the wals whereby the Lord of Hymbercourt perceiued our danger to be now rather increased then diminished wherefore he dispatched the other fower hostages that were yet with him by whom he wrote a letter the contents whereof were that during the time he was gouernor of the citie for the Duke of Burgundie he had vsed them gentlie and louinglie neither would for anie thing consent to their destruction especially seeing not long before he had beene a commoner of one of their companies in the towne namely the Goldsmithes companie 1 wherefore they ought so much the
fol. 314. and others 3 Yet the citizens of Gaunt anno 1338. constrained Lodouicus Niuernensis Earle of Flanders to flie for the safety of his life into a castell in Gaunt called Petra Comitis where they also besieged him Againe anno 1346. they constrained Lodouicus Maleanus perforce to go with them to Bergen and against his will to giue his faith to Isabell daughter to King Edward the third they set a gard also about his person but he escaped and fled into Fraunce Meyer How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederates and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne Chap. 5. THese troubles being thus ended the Duke went to Gaunt where he was receiued with great pompe and triumph for he entred in armes and the citizens made a posterne into the fields by the which he putmen in and out at his pleasure manie messengers ran betweene him and the King and likewise betweene the Duke of Britaine and him and thus passed this winter The King traueilled continually with the Duke of Burgundie to suffer him to inuade Britaine at his pleasure making him diuers offers in consideration thereof whereunto the Duke would not condescend for the which cause partly and partly for the ouerthrow giuen to the Liegeois his confederates the Kings displeasure was so kindled that longer he could not forbeare but in the very beginning of sommer entred into Britaine at the least his forces for him and tooke two small castels the one called Chantosse the other Anseny whereof the Duke of Burgundy was incontinent aduertised and earnestly pressed by the Dukes of Normandy and Britaine with all speede to leuie his armie for their aide whereupon he wrote to the King humbly beseeching him to relinquish his enterprise seeing these two Dukes were comprehended in the truce as his confederates but receiuing such answer as liked him not he encamped with great force neere to Peronne The Kings army was still in Britaine but the Court lay at Compiegne from whence the King sent Cardinall Balue to the Duke within three daies after his arriuall at Peronne who staied not long with him but made certaine ouertures of peace aduertising him also that they in Britaine could make their composition welll ynough without him for the Kings drift was to seuer them The Cardinall was honorably receiued well feasted and soone dispatched and returned with this answere that the Duke was not come forth into the field to endammage the King in any respect but onely to succour his confederates so the messages that passed betweene them were very courteous on both sides Immediately after the Cardinals departure a heralt called Bretaigne arriued at the Duke of Burgundies campe with letters from the Dukes of Normandie and Britain wherin they aduertised him that they had made peace with the King and renounced all leagues and confederacies and namely their league with him and farther that the Duke of Normandie had surrendred Normandie lately giuen him for his partage to the King and should receiue in recompence thereof and of all other partages the yeerely reuenues of three score thousand franks which conditions though neuer so vnreasonable necessitie forced the Lord Charles of Fraunce to accept The Duke of Burgundie was woonderfully abashed at these newes for he had put himselfe into the field onely to aide the said Dukes And sure the heralt was in great danger for bicause he passed by the Court the Duke suspected that the King had forged these letters notwithstanding he receiued immediately after the like aduertisement from other places The King thought now his enterprise halfe woon and that he should easily perswade the Duke of Burgundie to forsake these two Dukes as they had him whereupon secret messengers ran betweene them and the King gaue the Duke sixe score thousand crownes whereof he paid the one halfe presently the better to content the said Duke who had consumed great summes in leuying this armie Farther the Duke sent to the King a groome of his chamber very neere about him named Iohn Vobrisset whereupon the King conceiued great hope of his enterprise and seemed desirous to commune with the Duke in person trusting to obtaine of him all that he required both bicause of the two foresaid Dukes ingratitude towards him and also bicause of the great summe of monie he had giuen him Wherefore he aduertised the Duke of certaine matters by the said Vobrisset and sent backe with him Cardinall Balue and Master Tanneguy du Chastell gouernor of Roussillon who gaue the Duke to vnderstand by their words that the King desired greatly that they two might commune togither in person They found the Duke at Peronne who seemed to haue no great deuotion to this meeting bicause the Liegeois made shew as though they would rebell anew being sollicited thereunto by two ambassadors sent thither by the King for that purpose before the truce was made which he and the Duke concluded for certaine daies betweene them and their confederates But Cardinall Balue and the other ambassadors put this doubt out of his head alleaging that the Liegeois durst attempt no such thing considering he had vanquished them rased but their wals the yeer before and farther if they had any such desire yet when they should see this amitie betweene him and the King they would soone alter their mindes Thus in the end it was concluded that the King should come to Peronne seeing it pleased him so to do and the Duke sent him a letter written with his owne hand containing sufficient suretie to come and go at his pleasure And thus departed the ambassadors and returned to the King being then at Noyon But the Duke minding to make all sure in the countrie of Liege sent thither their Bishop for whose quarrell all the wars aboue mentioned first began and in his company the Lord of Hymbercourt the Dukes lieutenant in those parts with certaine bands of men You haue heard how it was concluded that the King should come to Peronne according to the which determination thither he came without his garde for his pleasure was wholy to put himselfe vnder the garde and suretie of the Duke and that Monseur de Cordes who then serued the Duke should conuay him thither with the said Dukes archers which was done accordingly The Kings traine was very small notwithstanding he came accompanied with diuers noble personages namely the Duke of Bourbon the Cardinall his brother and the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce who had not busied himselfe about this meeting but much misliked it For he was now waxed proud and high minded and behaued not himselfe to the Duke of Burgundie with such lowlines and humilitie as he was accustomed wherefore there was no good will betweene them twaine Thither came also Cardinall Balue the gouernor of Roussillon and diuers others And when the King drew neere to Peronne the Duke with a goodly traine issued foorth
to receiue him and brought him into the towne and lodged him in a goodly house neere to the castell being the receiuers for the castell was a little old thing naught woorth War betweene two great Princes is easily begun but hardly ended bicause of the number of accidents depending thereupon for each partie dispatcheth messengers to and fro to hurt his enimie which suddenly cannot be staied nor reuoked as appeered by these two Princes who concluded this meeting vpon a sudden not aduertising their seruants thereof who were far from them executing the charge their Masters had giuen them For you shall vnderstand that the Duke had sent for his armie into Burgundie being furnished at that time with a number of gentlemen namely the Lord of Bresse of the house of Sauoy his two brethren the Bishop of Geneua and the Earle of Remont for the Sauoyans and Burgundians haue euer borne great loue one to another In this armie were also certaine Almaines borderers vpon Sauoy and the county of Burgundy Now you shall vnderstand that the King in times past had held the Lord of Bresse in prison bicause of two Knights he commanded to be slaine in Sauoy wherefore there was no good will betweene them two In this armie were also the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse afterward to King Charles Master Poncet of Riuiere and the Lord of Lau whom the King after speciall good liking of him had also held long in prison but he escaped and fled into Burgundy All this company aboue mentioned arriued neere to Peronne euen at the very instant that the King came thither and the Lord of Bresse with the three aboue mentioned euery one of them wearing the Saint Andrewes crosse entred the towne supposing they had come time ynough to accompanie the Duke when he should go to receiue the King but bicause they came too late they went straight to the Dukes chamber to do their dutie to him where the Lord of Bresse humbly besought him that the three aboue named notwithstanding the Kings comming might be there vnder his safegard and protection as he had promised them in Burgundie at their first arriuall into his dominions adding that they were ready to serue him against all men none excepted which request the Duke granted with his owne mouth and for their good wil thanked them The rest of this army led by the Marshal of Burgundy lodged without the towne as they were appointed The said Marshall hated the King no lesse than the others aboue named bicause of Pinall a towne in Lorraine which the King had once giuen him and afterward taken from him to bestow vpon Iohn Duke of Calabria so often mentioned in this historie The King being foorthwith aduertised of these noble mens arriuall and the apparell they ware 1 fell suddenly into great feare and sent to the Duke desiring him that he might lodge in the castell bicause all these aboue named were his enimies The Duke reioiced to see him in such feare and caused his lodging to be made there willing him to be of good cheere and doubt nothing The Notes 1 He meaneth by apparell the Saint Andrewes crosse A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and noble men Chap. 6. IT is greatfolly for one Prince to put him selfe vnder the power of another especially when they are in war togither as those Princes well know that haue studied histories in their youth wherein they finde diuers examples of great falshood and treason vsed in times past at such enteruiewes and of diuers that haue staied as prisoners and slaine those that haue come to them vnder their surety 1 I say not that all haue vsed so to do but the example of one is sufficient to teach a number wit how to looke to themselues I my selfe for my part haue seene some experience in the world hauing been by the space of eighteene yeeres and better emploied continually in Princes seruices and priuy all that while to the waightiest and secretest affaires that haue passed in this realme or the countries bordering vpon it and sure in mine opinion the best way to learne wisedome is to read ancient histories which will teach vs by example of our auncesters wisely to behaue our selues safely to defende our selues and aduisedly to attempt any enteprise For our life is so short that experience cannot sufficiently instruct vs considerlng withal that our yeers are abridged and neither our liues so long nor our bodies so strong as were our ancesters in ages past which way as we are weakned so is our faith also each to other much diminished 2 in such sort that I know not how one man may assure himselfe of another especially great Princes who are commonly inclined to all wilfulnes without any regarde of reason and which is woorst of all haue for the most part such men about them as study onely to flatter them and sooth them in al their dooings be they good or bad and if some one endeuor himselfe to redresse this inconuenience all the rest will straight be vpon his top Farther I must needes blame ignorant and vnlearned Princes in this respect also they haue all commonly about them great clarkes and lawyers as it is requisite they should if they be good but if they be otherwise they are the dangerousest people in the world to be about a Prince for they haue euer a law or an history at their fingers ends which be it neuer so good they writhe and wrest in such sort that they wil make blacke white and white blacke But those Princes that be wise and haue read as well as they will not suffer themselues to be abused by them neither dare they be so hardy as to report vntruths to such Princes Farther thinke you that God hath established the office of a King or Prince to be executed by such beasts as glory in saying I am no scholer I trust my Councell well enough and refer all matters to them and so without farther answer depart to their sports and pastimes No no if they had been well trained vp in their youth they would vse other language and seeke to be esteemed for their owne vertues and woorthines I say not that all Princes are serued by euill conditioned persons but sure the most part of those that I haue seene haue not alwaies had their courts vnfurnished of such although some I confesse I haue knowne that in time of necessitie could make choise of their men and vse the seruice of the best and wisest Wherein sure the King our master far passed all the Princes of his time for neuer Prince aduanced so highly nor made so great account of wise and woorthy men as he did He was himselfe reasonably well learned 3 he was very inquisitiue and desirous to vnderstand of all matters and had an excellent wit which passeth all learning attained to by studie for as reading profiteth two maner of waies the one by
seeing himselfe shut into this little castell and a number of archers before the gate stood in great doubt of his person the rather bicause he lodged hard by a great tower in the which an Earle of Vermandois had in times past caused a King of Fraunce one of his predecessors to be slaine 2 I was yet in seruice with the Duke and one of his priuie chamber into the which I entred at my pleasure according to the vse of this house of Burgundie The Duke when the towne gates were shut commanded all men to voide his chamber and said to two or three of vs that taried with him that notwithstanding he for his part had neuer any taste in this meeting but agreed to it onely to content the King yet the King on the contrarie side was come thither purposely to abuse him Then rehearsed he all these newes of Liege how the King had ordered the matter by his ambassadors and caused all his men to be slaine and such a rage he was in against the King and so threatened him that I thinke verily if those to whom he spake had pressed forward the matter and counselled him to worke the King some mischiefe he would haue done it at the least haue imprisoned him in the great tower aboue mentioned None were present when these words passed the Duke but my selfe and two groomes of his chamber one of the which was named Charles of Visin borne at Dyion an honest gentleman and in good credit with his master We mitigated this matter and sought to appease the Duke as much as in vs lay notwithstanding soone after he vsed also the like speech to others by meanes whereof it was blowen all ouer the towne and came at length into the Kings chamber who was in maruellous feare as vniuersally all men were bicause of the great euils they saw like to ensue a quarrell begun betweene two so great Princes who sure were both blame woorthie for that they aduertised not their seruants of this meeting who were far from them executing their commandements whereby some great inconuenience was sure to ensue The Notes 1 These were chanons of S. Lambert in Liege the which were not forced to be priests but might come foorth and marrie if they had not soong masse Guicci 2 This Earle of Vermandois was named Hebart or Herbau and the King of Fraunce Charles le Simple whom this Hebart slue in the towre heere mentioned anno 926. or after Annal. Burgund 921. bicause the King had slaine in battell Robert Duke of Aquitaine or after some of Aniou who had married this Hebarts sister But note heere poenam talionis vpon the King for as he was staied heere notwithstanding the Dukes safe conduct so had he himselfe taken and imprisoned by the space of two yeeres Philip Lord of Bresse hauing called him to him vnder his safe conduct Meyer Of the Lord of Bresses imprisonment our author maketh mention in the fift chapter of this booke A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth Chap. 8. IT is great folly for two Princes being in manner of equall force and estate to meete togither vnlesse it be in their youth when their mindes are wholy set vpon pleasures and pastimes but after they are come to mans estate and growen desirous to encroch each vpon other such enteruiewes do but increase their hatred and euill will though happily their persons might be there in safetie which notwithstanding I hold almost for a thing impossible Wherefore it is better to pacifie all controuersies by wise and discreete men as before I haue said for proofe whereof I will reherse certaine examples that haue happened in my tyme some of the which I my selfe haue seene and of the rest haue beene credibly enformed A few yeers after King Lewis his coronation before the war called the WEALE PVBLIQVE began a sollemne meeting was appointed between him and the King of Castile 1 which are the two neerest confederated Princes in Christendome for their league is betweene King and King Realme and Realme and man and man of their subiects which also they are both bound vnder great curses to keepe and obserue inuiolable To this meeting came Henry King of Castile with a goodlie traine to Fontarabia and the King our Master to Saint Iohn de Luz fower leagues distant both of them being vpon the frontires of their dominions I was not present my selfe at this meeting but I haue heard both the King and the Lord of Lau make report thereof and haue beene enformed of it also by certaine Lords of Castille there present with the King their Master who came to this enterview accompanied with the Lord great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo which two bare all the swaie in Castile at that time the Earle of Lodesme the King of Castils minion was there also in great brauerie and all the said Kings gard being to the number of three hundred horse all Moores of Granado and some of them Negros But K. Henry himselfe was a man of so small vnderstanding that he gaue away all his inheritance at the least suffered euery man that would to spoile him of it our King was also accompanied with a goodlie traine as you know his vse was but his gard especially was braue in verie good order To this meeting came in like maner the Queene of Arragon about a controuersie betweene hir and the King of Castile for Estell and certaine other places in Nauarre whereof the King was made arbitrator But now for proofe that such enterviews between great Princes are not meet nor conuenient you shall vnderstand that these two Kings had neuer beene at variance there was no quarrell betweene them neither saw they one another past once or twise vpon a riuer side that parteth both their realmes 2 hard by a litle castell called Heurtebise where the King of Castile passed to the hither side of the riuer At their first meeting they had no great liking one of another especially our King who perceiued the King of Castille to be but a simple man doing nothing of himselfe but whollie gouerned by the great Master of Saint Iames and the Archbishop of Tolledo aboue mentioned Wherefore he made no account of their Master but sought their freindship whereupon they came to him to Saint Iohn de Luz where he entred into amitie with them and had great intelligence by their meanes The greatest part of both these Princes traines lay at Bayonne and at the verie first meeting fell togither by the eares notwitstanding their league and no maruell For their maners and languages differed Afterward the Earle of Lodesme came also to visite the King and passed the riuer in a boate the saile whereof was cloth of gold Farther he ware a paire of buskins embrodred thicke with stone for he was a Prince of great wealth and reuenews in Castille and created
since the Duke of Albourg In the end these two confederate nations began to scoffe and iest each at other the King of Castile was deformed and the French misliked his apparell wherefore they derided him Our King ware his apparell very short and maruelous vncomely and was clad somtime in very course cloth besides that he ware an old hat differing from all the rest of his company and an image of lead vpon it whereat the Castilians iested saying that this proceeded of misery Thus ended this enterview with such scoffes and taunts that afterward these two Princes neuerloued togither Farther great dissention arose among the King of Castiles seruants which continued till his death and long after in such sort that I haue seene him the poorest Prince that euer raigned and abandoned of all his seruants and subiects The Queene of Arragon departed also discontented for the King pronounced sentence for the King of Castile Wherfore both the King of Arragon hir husband and she hated him euer after And notwithstanding that they vsed his helpe a while in their necessity against the towne of Barcelonne yet endured not their friendship but wars arose betweene them which continued aboue sixteene yeeres and the controuersie remaineth yet vndecided Now to proceed to other examples Duke Charles of Burgundy since the time aboue mentioned by his owne great sute and sollicitation met with the Emperor Fredericke now raigning at Treues 3 where the Duke made great preparation to shew his pompe and magnificency The Emperor and he treated there of many matters and among the rest of their childrens mariage which was afterward accomplished But when they had been togither a certaine space the Emperor to the Dukes great reproch and dishonor departed without leaue taking wherefore they neuer loued after neither themselues nor their subiects The Almains disdained the Dukes pompe and lofty maner of speech saying that it proceeded of pride the Burgundians on the contrary side despised the Emperors small traine and simple attire To be short this iar grew so great that the wars of Nuz sprang thereof I was also at Saint Paul in Artois when the Duke of Burgundy and King Edward of England met there 4 The Duke had maried his sister they were companions of one order and abode there togither two daies The Kings seruants were deuided into two factions and both the parties complained to the Duke who enclining more to the one than the other encreased their hatred and notwithstanding that he aided the King for the recouery of his realme out of the which he was chased by the Earle of Warwick and furnished him both of men money and ships yet after this meeting they neuer loued togither neither could affoord each other a good word I was likewise at Bruxels when the Palszgraue of the Rheine came thither to the Duke of Burgundy where he was honorably receaued sumptuously feasted and lodged in a chamber richly furnished The Dukes men reported the Almains to be slouens and void of ciuility alledging that they threw their mirie bootes vpon their rich and stately beds wherefore they made lesse account of them then before they knew them The Almains on the contrary side like enuious persons misliked this great pompe To conclude after this they neuer loued togither neither sought to pleasure one another I saw also the meeting of the Duke of Burgundy and D. Sigismunde of Austrich 5 who solde vnto the said Duke the County of Ferret bordering vpon the County of Burgundy for a hundred thousand gildons not being able to defend it against the Switzers These two Princes liked not greatly one another Afterward also Duke Sigismunde made peace with the Switzers and tooke againe the said County of Ferret without paying backe the money whereof ensued infinite harmes to the Duke of Burgundy At the selfe same time also came the Earle of Warwick to the Duke who after their meeting were mortall enimies each to other I was also present at the enteruiewe betweene the King our master and King Edvvard of England at Picquigny 6 neere to Amiens whereof I will make mention heereafter more at large All that they did there was but meere dissimulation for they performed no whit of that they promised And notwithstanding that they were neuer after in war togither bicause the sea seuered them yet perfect friendship was there none betweene them Wherefore to conclude this discourse me thinke that two great Princes minding to continue in amity ought neuer to meete togither The occasions of troubles that arise at such assemblies are these their seruants can not refraine from talking of matters past and words will easely be taken in euill part Secondarily it is impossible but that the traine of the one should be in better order then the other where of scoffes arise which they that are scoffed stomacke Thirdly if they be two nations their language and apparell differ and that that pleaseth the one displeaseth the other Last of all it commonly hapneth that the personage of the one Prince is comlier and better to be liked than the other wherefore he is praised and reioiceth and glorieth to heare his owne commendation which cannot be without the dispraise of the other And notwithstanding that three or fower daies peraduenture after the assembly ended these matters be communed of closely couertly in mens eares yet by vse they fall in time in open talke at dinners and suppers and so are reported to both the parties for fewe things in this world can be concealed especially tales and reports Thus you haue heard the reasons and examples that I my selfe haue seene touching this point The Notes 1 The meeting of the King and the King of Castile was anno 1463. 2 The riuer where the two Kings met was named Audaye 3 The meeting betweene the Emperour and the Duke was saith Munster anno 1469. Berlandus saith anno 1472. Meyer 1473. the 28. of September 4 VVhat yeere the meeting of King Edward and the Duke was appeereth afterwards lib. 3. cap. 6. 5 Ferret was engaged to the Duke about midsommer anno 1469. for seuentie thousand crownes Annal. Burgund but Meyer saith anno 1467. for fiftie thousand gildons and other say for 80. thousand gildons 6 VVhen this meeting vvas at Picquigny looke lib. 4. cap. 10. How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castell of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois Chap. 9. NOw to returne after my long discourse to the King who was staied at Peronne as you haue heard the gates remained shut with watch and warde before them two or three daies all the which time the Duke sawe not the King neither entered any French man into the castell but by the wicket and but sew after that sort notwithstanding none of the Kings seruants were forbidden to repaire to him but few or none of the Dukes went to commune with him neither yet into his chamber especially of those that were of any credit with the Duke The first
day all men were in great feare and muttered vp and downe the towne the second the Duke was somewhat pacified and sate in counsell almost the whole day and part also of the night The King caused all those to be laboured that he thought could aide him in this extremitie making them large offers and promises commanded also fifteen thousand crowns to be diuided among the Dukes seruants but he to whom the charge was committed acquit himselfe not faithfully thereof for part of the monie he retained to his owne vse as the King afterward vnderstood The King fearing especially those aboue named that came with this armie of Burgundy who in times past had beene his owne seruants but were now his brothers the Duke of Normandies as they said In this councell aboue mentioned this matter was diuersly debated some were of opinion that the safe conduct giuen the King should not be broken seeing he offered to sweare the treatie as it was articled in writing others gaue counsell rudely to imprison him without farther ceremonie and others to send for his brother the Duke of Normandie and to conclude a peace for the aduantage of all the Princes of Fraunce They that gaue this aduise thought if their opinion tooke place that the King should be restrained of his libertie for euer and held continually vnder garde bicause a great Prince being in the hands of his enimie and vsed after such sort neuer or very hardly recouereth his libertie for feare of reuenge This last opinion failed not much to take effect for the matter was so far forward that I sawe a man booted and ready to depart with a packet of letters to the Duke of Normandie being then in Britaine and staied onely for the Duke of Burgundies letter notwithstanding all this was dashed againe The King caused certaine ouertures to be made offering to leaue there in hostage the Duke of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother and the Constable with diuers others vnder this condition that the peace being concluded he might depart to Compiegne promising incontinent either to cause the Liegeois to repaire the harmes done or to declare himselfe their enimie They whom the King named for hostages outwardly made earnest offer of themselues I know not whether they meant as they said and I doubt me they did not for I verily beleeue if the King had left them there they should neuer haue returned into Fraunce All this night being the third after the newes brought the Duke neuer vnclothed him but lay downe twise or thrise vpon his bed and then rose and walked for such was his maner when he was troubled I lay that night my selfe in his chamber and communed with him diuers times In the morning he was farther out of patience than euer before vsing terrible menaces and being ready to execute some great matter notwithstanding in the end he was pacified and resolued to hold himselfe contented if the King would sweare the treatie and go with him to Liege to helpe to reuenge the iniuries the Liegeois had done him and the Bishop of Liege his cosen with the which message suddenly he departed into the Kings chamber whereof the King had a priuie watch word by a friend 1 who aduertised him that nothing was to be feared if he agreed to these two points otherwise that he should put himselfe in so great danger that none could be greater When the Duke came to the Kings presence his voice trembled and euen there he was like to fall into a newe rage so much was he troubled His behauior towards the King was humble and lowly but his countenance furious and his language sharpe for he asked him in few words wherher he would obserue the treatie concluded and also sweare it Whereunto the King answered that he would For you shall vnderstand that the said treaty as touching the Duke of Burgundy himselfe was altred in no point otherwise than it was concluded before Paris and as touching the Duke of Normandies partage it was much amended for the King For it was agreed that in stead of Normandy he should haue Champaine and Brie and certaine other places there about for his partage Then the Duke asked him againe whether he would go with him to Liege to helpe him to reuenge the treason the Liegeois had wrought by his meanes and by his comming thither putting him also in minde of the neere kinred that was betweene the said King and the Bishop of Liege being of the house of Bourbon wherunto the King answered that after he had sworne the treaty which was the thing he most desired he would accompany him to Liege and lead thither with him as small or as great force as the Duke should thinke good at which words the D. much reioiced and incontinent the treaty of peace was brought and the selfe same crosse that Charlemaigne vsuallie ware called the crosse of victory taken out of the Kings coffers and there the two Princes sware the treaty 2 wherupon all the bels in the town rung and all men were glad and reioiced It hath pleased the King since to attribute this honor to me that I did him great seruice in furthering this accord The Duke sent these newes foorthwith into Britaine and the treatie with all wherein he seuered not himselfe from the said two Dukes but named them his confederats And sure the Lord Charles had now a good partage in respect of the treatie made in Britaine whereby he should haue but a pension onely of fortie thousand franks as before you haue heard The Notes 1 It vvas Commines himselfe that gaue the King aduise not to refuse to go to Liege vvith the Duke Annal. Burgund 2 The peace of Peronne vvas svvorne the fovverteenth day of October anno 1468. Meyer lib. 17. fol. 346. pag. 1. vvhere read also the conditions of the peace How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundy making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates Chap. 10. THe next day after the treaty sworne the King and the Duke departed from Peronne and went to Cambray and from thence into the countrey of Liege in the very beginning of winter and in a maruelous foule season The King had with him few soldiers or none others than the Scottish men of his garde but gaue commandement that three hundred men of armes should folow after him The Dukes army was deuided into two bands the one led by the Marshall of Burgundy so often already mentioned in the which were all the Burgundians and the noble men of Sauoye aboue named besides great forces of the countries of Haynault Luxembourg Namure and Lamburge the other band the Duke him selfe lead when they drew neere the citie of Liege they debated in the Dukes presence what was to be done Some gaue aduise to dismisse part of the army considering that the gates and wals of the citie were rased the yeer before and the citizens in vtter despaire of succour the King him selfe being
Duke returned to the pallace The King had already dined and seemed greatly to reioice at the taking of the towne and commended also much the Dukes courage and valiantnes knowing that report thereof should be made to him and that these good words would somwhat further his returne into his realme which was his speciall desire After diner the Duke and he met and communed togither very pleasantly and if the King commended his valiantnes behinde his backe I warrant you he dispraised it not before his face which the Duke tooke in very good part I must now returne to speake somwhat of this miserable people that fled out of the city for proofe of a discourse I made in the beginning of this history touching inconueniencies I haue seen ensue a battell lost by a King a D. or a meaner Prince These miserable soules fled through the countrey of Ardennes with their wiues and children But a Knight dwelling in those parts who euer to fore had taken part with them slew now a great number of them and to recouer the conquerors fauor sent word thereof to the Duke reporting the number of those that were slaine and taken to be much greater then in deed it was Notwithstanding that it were great whereby he made his peace with the Duke and saued him selfe Others fled towards Meziers vpon the Maz being within the realme of Fraunce but vpon the way two or three of their Captaines were taken one of the which was named Madoulet who were lead to the Duke and by his commandement put to death Some of these people died also of hunger some of cold and some for lacke of sleepe The Notes 1 Some write that there were slaine in one day at Liege 100000. and Munster writeth 40000. and 12000 women drowned in the riuer which seemeth to disagree with Commines who reporteth not aboue 200. to haue beene slaine notwithstanding our author must heere not be vnderstood so strictlie as though there had not died aboue 200. in all for his meaning is onely that at the entrance into the towne there were not slayne aboue two hundred othervvise considering the number that vvere slaine in Churches houses and flight it cannot be but that manie thousands died neither is our authors meaning othervvise 2 Some copies haue Saint Lavvrence but the old copie Saint Lambert vvhich Annal. Burgund and Guicci report to be the principall Church in Liege 3 The Duke slue before the Church of Saint Lambert tvvo or three archers vvith his ovvne hand La Marche 4 There vvere in Liege to the number of 32. Churches and eight Colleges of priests Meyer fovver abbies fovver frieries three nunneries and vvithout and vvithin the tovvne aboue an hundred Churches Guicci Hubertus How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont Chap. 14. FOwer or fiue daies after the taking of the towne the King began to sollicite such of the Dukes seruants as he held for his friends to mooue their Master for his departure but he himselfe first brake the matter to the Duke after a sage and a wise sort saying that if he could stand him in any more stead he should not spare him otherwise he desired to returne to Paris to cause the treatie to be recorded in the Court of parlament for the maner in Fraunce is to record all treaties there otherwise they are of no force notwithstanding the Kings authority may do much therein He required also the Duke that the next sommer they mought meete againe in Burgundy and make mery a month togither whereunto the Duke in the end agreed mumbling somwhat to himselfe Farther the Duke commanded the treatie to be read againe before the King to know whether ought were passed in it that he misliked putting him to his choise to alowe or disalowe thereof at his pleasure Somwhat also he excused himselfe for bringing him to this siege Lastly he besought him that one article mought be added to the treaty in fauor of the Lords of Lau and Vrfé and Poncet of Riuiere to wit that they mought be restored to all their estates and offices that they enioied before the wars began which request misliked the King for there was no reason why the Duke should require to haue them comprehended in the treaty both for that they were none of his partakers in the wars aboue mentioned 1 and also bicause they serued the Lord Charles the Kings brother not the Duke Notwithstanding the King answered that he would grant his demand vpon condition that he would accord the like to the Lords of Neuers and Croy wherunto the Duke replied nought This was a very wise answer of the King for the Duke hated these Lords by him named so extremely and held so goodly possessions of theirs that he would neuer haue condescended to restore them of the other articles the King answered he would alter none but confirmed the whole treaty as they two had sworne it at Peronne Thus was it agreed that the King should returne home and the Duke accompanied him about halfe a league But at their leaue taking the King said thus vnto him if my brother who is now in Britaine will not accept this partage that I haue giuen him for your sake what will you that I do 1 Whereunto the D. answered thus sodainly without farther deliberation if he will not I refer the order thereof to you two of the which demand and answer sprang a great matter as heereafter you shall heare Thus returned the King in great ioy being safe conducted by the Lords of Cordes and Meriens 2 great bailife of Haynault to the frontiers of the Dukes dominions The Duke abode still in the city of Liege which was extremely handled I must needs confesse but sure they had well deserued so to be delt with bicause of the great cruelties they had cōtinually vsed against the Dukes subiects euer since his grandfathers daies Besides that they neuer performed any promise nor kept any treaty they made and this was the fift yeere that the Duke himselfe had been there yeere by yeere in person and concluded peace which ordinarily the next yeere they brake Farther they had continued excommunicated of long time for their great cruelty against their bishop whereof notwithstanding they made no account neither would obey the commandements of the church on that behalfe Immediately after the Kings departure the Duke with small force determined to go into Franchemont a countrey alitle beyond Liege lying among sharpe rockes and thicke woods From thence came the best soldiers the Liegeois had and of this countrey were they that made the desperate saly aboue mentioned Before his departure a great number of poore prisoners that hid themselues in houses at the taking of the towne were drowned Farther it was concluded that this citie heeretofore so populous should be burned at three seuerall times 3 and three or fower thousand footmen of the
countrey of Lambourg 4 being neighbors to the Liegeois and almost of the same maners and language were appointed to fire it but to saue the churches First the great bridge built ouer the riuer of Maze was beaten downe then a great number were chosen out to defend the chanons houses about the cathedrall church to the end they might haue lodging that should say deuine seruice In like maner also diuers were appointed for defence of the other Churches This done the Duke departed into the countrey of Frachemont and immediately after he was out of the towne we saw a great number of houses on this side the riuer on fire he marched forwarde and lodged fower leagues off yet heard we the noise as easilie as if we had beene there present I wot not whether it were bicause the winde sat that way or bicause we lodged vpon the riuer The next day the Duke departed thence and those that were left behind in the towne continued still the fire as they were commanded but the Churches were all saued afew excepted and aboue three hundred houses to lodge the Church men which caused the towne so soone to be replenished againe for much people returned to dwell with these Priests Bicause of extreme frost and cold the greatest part of the Dukes army was forced to go on foote into the countrey of Franchemont which had neuer a walled towne in it but all villages The Duke lodged fiue or sixe daies in a litle valley called Polleneg his armie was deuided into two bands the sooner to destroy the countrie All the houses he commanded to be burned al the iron mils broken which is their onely trade of liuing Farther our men hunted the poore people out of great woods and forests where they lay hidden with their goods and manie they slew and tooke prisoners and there the soldiers got good booties The cold was more extreme then is almost credible for I saw a gentleman that with cold lost the vse of his foote and neuer recouered it and a Page that had two of his fingers rotted from his hand and in like maner a woman dead for cold and her childe with her whereof shee was newely deliuered Farther by the space of three daies all the wine that was drunke in the Dukes lodging was cut with hatchets for it was so frozen in the vessels that we were forced to breake them and cut the wine being a masse of yse into small peeces which men bare away in hats and baskets as best liked them I could reherse diuers other strange accidents of the cold too long to write To conclude at eight daies end hunger drew vs thence in haste and the Duke departed to Namur and so into Brabant where he was honorably receiued The Notes 1 This was the treaty of Conflans at the conclusion vvhereof these three heere named as our auhor himselfe before reherseth vvere the Dukes enimies and tooke part vvith the King vvherefore no reason it vvas that the Duke should seeke to haue them comprehended in the treatie as his freinds seeing at the conclusion thereof they vvere his enimies 2 This des Murz the old copie nameth De Meriens La Marche d'Emeries Annal. Burgund d'Aymeries The tovvnes name is Aymeries in Henault vpon the riuer of Sambre Guicci in the description of Henault yet the same author in his description generall nameth the man d'Emery Annal. Burgund in another place nameth him d'Esmeriez Meyer Aymericius and Emericius so that I suppose it best to reade it as I haue translated it but that des Murz is very corrupt I am out of doubt 3 This city vvas diuided into three quarters as appeereth by Guic. description for the vvhich cause it vvas fired at three seuerall times 4 The old copie hath Lambourg as I haue translated it the nevv Luxembourg as haue also Annal. Burgund but not vvell in mine opinion For Lambourg is hard by Liege but Luxembourg farther off How the King by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment Chap. 15. THe King after his departure from the Duke returned with great ioy into his realme attempting nothing against the Duke for his euill vsage at Peronne and Liege but seeming to take all in good part Notwithstanding sharpe warre arose afterward between them but not soon neither was this the cheif cause thereof though happily it might in part further it for if this treatie had beene concluded at Paris it had passed in effect as it did at Peronne But the Duke by his officers aduise sought to aduaunce the bonds of his dominions besides that diuers subtill practises were vsed to set these two Princes againe at variance as you shall heare when occasion serueth The Lord Charles of Fraunce the Kings onely brother and late Duke of Normandie being aduertised of this treatie made at Peronne and the partage assigned to him thereby sent foorthwith to the King desiring him to accomplish the treatie and performe his promise The King sent in like maner to him about that matter and manie messengers ran to and fro betweene them The Duke of Burgundie sent also his ambassadors to the saide Lord Charles desiring him to accept no other partage then Champaigne and Brie which by his meanes was granted him shewing him withall how great good will he bare him sith notwithstanding he had abandoned him yet would not he do the like as the sequell well declared but had also comprehended the Duke of Britain in the treatie as his confederate Farther he sent him word that Champaigne and Brie lay very commodiously for them both bicause if the King should at any time attempt ought against him he might within two daies warning haue succours out of Burgundie the two countries bordering on vpon another Lastely he aduertised him that his partage was very good and that he might leuie in his countries aides customes and subsidies neither could the King claime any thing there but homage resort and soueraignity This Lord Charles was a man doing little or nothing of himselfe but wholy lead and gouerned by others notwithstanding that he were aboue fiue and twenty yeeres of age Thus passed the winter which was well spent before the Kings departure from vs messengers ran continually to and fro about this partage for the King ment nothing lesse then to giue his brother that he had promised bicause he would not haue him and the Duke of Burgundie so neere neighbours But he treated with his brother to take Guienne which is in maner all Aquitaine for Brie and Champaigne The Lord Charles feared to displease the Duke of Bourgundy and doubted if he yeelded to the Kings request and he should not keepe touch with him that then he should loose both freend and partage and so be left bare boord But the King being the subtilest prince then liuing and the cunningest dealer in such treaties perceiuing that he
should do no good vnlesse he wan those that were in credit with his brother fell in communication of this matter with Oudet of Rie Lord of Lescut afterwards Earle of Comminges who was borne and maried in the countrey of Guienne desiring him to perswade his master to accept this partage being much better than that he demanded that they mought be friends and liue togither like brethren adding also that this partage should be much more beneficiall both for his brother and his seruants especially for the saide Oudet than the other and farther assuring him that without faile he would deliuer his brother quiet possession of the said countrey By this means was the Lord Charles won to accept this partage of Guienne to the Duke of Burgundies great discontentation and his ambassadors there present And the cause why cardinall Balue bishop of Angiers 1 and the bishop of Verdun were imprisoned was for that the said Cardinal writ to the Lord Charles aduising him to accept none other partage than that the Duke of Burgundy had procured him by the treaty of Peronne which also the King had sworne and promised laying his hand within the said Cardinals to deliuer him alledging withall such reasons to perswade him thereunto as he thought necessary wherein he did cleane contrary to the Kings purpose Thus the Lord Charles was made Duke of Guienne the yeere 1469. and the possession of the countrey togither with the gouernment of Rochell deliuered him and than the King and he sawe one another and were togither a long time The Notes 1 The Cardinals imprisonment was bicause he perswaded the King to go to Peronne and aduised the Duke of Guienne to beware of poison and not to take the partage of Guienne Meyer and for disclosing the Kings secrets by letters to the Duke of Burgundie Gaguin But if the Duke of Guienne had been wise he would of himselfe without perswasion haue refused this partage For when a mans enimie offereth him that that hath an apparance of good let him euer refuse it nam latet anguis in herba as the sequele of this matter well declared for the accepting of this partage which the King alleaged and that truly to be better than the other the Duke demanded cost the Duke of Guienne his life as heer after shall appeere THE THIRD BOOKE How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a purseuant of the parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris Chap. 1. THe yeere 1470. the King determined to be reuenged of the Duke of Burgundie supposing he had now found a time conuenient so to do for he priuily sollicited and caused also others to sollicite the towns situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Amiens Saint Quintine and Abbeuille to rebell against the Duke and to send for succours into France and to receiue them into their towns 1 For all great Princes if they be wise will seeke euer some collour for their doings And to the ende you may perceiue what cunnig is vsed in Fraunce I will shew you how this matter was managed for the King and the Duke were both abused whereof arose whot and sharpe war which endured thirteen or foureteen yeeres The King desired greatly to mooue these townes aboue named to rebellion pretending to the end he might haue the better means to practise with them that the Duke aduanced his limits farther then the treatie would beare whereupon ambassadors ran to and fro who vnder colour of their ambassage practised continually as they passed through these townes to the end aboue mentioned In the said townes were no garrisons but all was quiet both in the realme in Burgundie and in Britaine And the Duke of Guien liued to all mens iudgments in great amitie with the King his brother Notwithstanding when the King first mooued this war his meaning was not to take one or two of these towns onely but sought to stir all the Duke of Burgundies subiects to rebellion trusting to atchieue his enterprise by this means Diuers to obtaine his fauor entertained these practises and reported their intelligence to be far greater then it was for one promised to take this towne an other that and yet indeed all was nothing Wherefore notwithstanding that the King had iust cause to be displeased for his euill vsage at Peronne yet if he had thought this enterprise would haue fallen none otherwise out then it did he would not haue broken the treatie nor mooued war for he had made the peace to be proclaimed at Paris three months after his returne into his realme and began this war with some feare but the great hope he had conceiued of it pricked him forward and marke I pray you what cunning was vsed to further it The Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce a very wise man and certaine of the Duke of Guien his seruants with diuers others desired rather war then peace betweene these two great Princes for two respects The one they feared least their great offices and pensions should be diminished if peace continued For you shal vnderstand that the Constable had vnder his charge 4. hundred men of armes or launces paied by his owne hands euery muster without controuler farther besides the fee and profits of his office he had a yeerely pension of thirty thousand frankes and better and receiued also the reuenews of many goodly places that he kept The other respect was this they sought to perswade the King and talked also to the like purpose among themselues that his disposition was such that his head could neuer be idle wherefore vnlesse he were busied with great Princes abroad he would be in hand with his seruants and officers at home For these two reasons therefore they sought to intangle him with wars whereunto the better to perswade him the Constable promised to take Saint Quintine at all times when him listed bicause his lands lay round about it vaunting further that he had great intelligence in Flanders and Brabant so far foorth that he would make a number of townes to reuolt from the Duke The Duke of Guienne also being there present and all their principall seruants offered very earnestly and promised very faithfully to serue the King in this quarrell and to leade with them fower or fiue hundred men of armes that the said Duke held in ordinary pay but their drift was other than the King supposed as heerafter you shall heare The King bicause he would seeme to proceede with due aduise and deepe consideration called a Parlament of the three estates of his realme at Tours in the moneths of March and Aprill in the yeere 1470. which was the first and last Parlament that euer he assembled But to this Parlament came onely such as were purposely named and such as the King knew would not gainsay him in any point There he caused diuers enterprises to be discouered that the Duke of Burgundie had attempted against the crowne
and made the Earle of Eu openly to complaine of him saying that the Duke detained from him contrarie to all lawe and equity Saint Valery and certaine otherlands that he the said Earle held of the Duke as parcels of the Seignorie of Abbeuille and the county of Ponthieu the onely cause whereof was for that a little ship of war of Eu had taken a Flemmish hoy laden with marchandise the losse whereof the Earle offered to repay further adding that the Duke would constraine him to do him homage and giue him his faith against all men none excepted which he would neuer do bicause it should be preiudiciall to the Kings estate At this assemblie were diuers lawyers as well of the Parlament of Paris as other places who concluded according to the Kings pleasure that the Duke should be summoned to appeere in the Parlament at Paris The King knew well that he would answere disdainfully or do somwhat preiudiciall to the authoritie of the court wherby he should haue the iuster pretence of war against him Thus the Duke being in Gaunt was sommoned as he went to masse by a purseuant of the Parlament to appeere at Paris wherewith he was much abashed and discontented and caused the purseuant foorthwith to be apprehended and committed to warde where he remained certaine daies but in the end was dismissed and sent home Thus you see what preparation was made to inuade the Duke of Burgundie who being aduertised thereof leuied a great band of men paid with home wages as they termed them which was a trifle they receiued to be in a readines in their owne houses Notwithstanding they mustered monethly in the townes where they dwelt and receiued their pay But at three or fower moneths end the Duke waxed wearie of the charge and dismissed these men banishing all feare bicause the King sent often to him and so departed into Holland He entertained no soldiers in ordinarie pay for the safetie of his countrie neither held any garrisons in the frontire townes whereof ensued great inconuenience for there was daily practising in Amiens Abbeuile and Saint Quintine to yeeld them againe to the King The Duke being in Holland was aduertised by Iohn late Duke of Bourbon that shortly war should be made vpon him as well in Burgundie as in Picardie and that the King had great intelligence not onely in his dominions but also in his house with the which message he was maruelously abashed for he was vtterly vnfurnished of men of war bicause he had discharged the band aboue mentioned Wherefore in great haste he passed the sea 2 and went into Artois and thence straight to Hedin where he entred into ielousie both of some of his seruants and also of those practises that were entertained in the townes aboue mentioned but his preparation for the wars went but slowly forward For he beleeued not all that was told him Notwithstanding he commanded two of the chiefest citizens of Amiens whom he suspected for these treaties to repaire vnto him who so cunningly excused themselues that he dismissed them without further inquire Immediately after certaine of his seruants fled out of his house namely the bastard Baldwine 3 and others which caused him to feare a greater traine to be behinde Wherefore incontinent he made proclamation that all men should be in a readines but bicause winter was begun and he but newly returned out of Holland few stirred The Notes 1 The Kings colour was this he would not seeme to make war vpon the Duke but onely to haue sent men to these towns at their request who bicause of the Dukes cruell exactions had praied in aide of him as of their soueraigne 2 This sea was one of the streames of the riuer of Rhene that enuiron Holland 3 This Baldwine was the Dukes base brother the cause of his departure was for that he had attempted with others corrupted by the King to poison the Duke notwithstanding afterward he recouered his fauor and was taken prisoner at the battell of Nancy Meyer How the townes of Saint Quintin and Amiens were yeelded to the King and for what causes the Constable nourished the war between the King and the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 2. TWo daies after his seruants departure which was in the moneth of December the yeere 1470. the Constable entred into Saint Quintine and sware them to the King Then the Duke perceiued his affaires to be in bad estate for he had no force with him but had sent all his seruants abroad to muster men in his dominions Notwithstanding with those fewe he could leuie being foure or fiue hundred horse he went to Dourlans minding to keepe Amiens from reuolting There he abode fiue or sixe daies all the which space they in Amiens continually practised The Kings army lying not farre off shewed it selfe before the towne and was once refused for part of the citizens held for the Duke wherefore the Duke sent thither to make his lodging and if he had beene so strong that the might haue aduentured to enter in person the towne had neuer beene lost but he was afraid to go thither weakely accompanied notwithstanding that diuers of the towne required him so to do But when they of the contrary faction sawe his feare that he durst not enter the towne they executed their enterprise and reioiced the Kings forces They of Abbeuille thought to do the like but the Lord of Cordes entred in thither for the Duke and preuented their purpose Dourlans is distant from Amiens but fiue small leagues wherefore the Duke was forced to depart thence so soone as he vnderstood of Amiens reuolt from thence therfore he went to Arras in great haste and feare doubting the execution of diuers other such enterprises for that he saw himselfe enuironed with the Constables kinsfolkes freinds farther bicause the bastard Baudouin was fled he entred into suspicion of his other brother the great bastard of Burgundie notwithstanding his forces repaired to him by litle and litle The King thought now that all had been his owne supposing the aduertisements to be true that the Constable and the rest had giuen him of their intelligences whereupon if he had not hoped he would haue wished this enterprise vnbegun It is meete I should heare declare what mooued the Constable and the Duke of Guienne considering the great fauor courtesies and benefits the Duke of Guienne had receaued at the Duke of Burgundies hands to kindle the fire betweene these two Princes that lay at rest in their dominions and which way this war could turne to their profit Somwhat I spake heerof before saying that they did it to be in the more assurance of their estates and offices For they feared if the King liued in peace he would keepe some stir among them Notwithstanding this was not the onely cause that mooued them But you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Guienne and they had been earnest suters to conclude a mariage betweene the said Duke of Guienne
and the Duke of Burgundies onely daughter and heire for sonne he had none which matter they had often mooued to the Duke who in words shewed himselfe not vnwilling thereunto yet notwithstanding would neuer conclude it but entertained others also in hope thereof Now marke how these men sought to atchieue their enterprise by constraining the Duke of Burgundy to this marriage Immediately after these two towns were taken and the Duke gon to Arras to leuy forces with al speed the Duke of Guienne sent a secret messenger to him who brought him three lines written with the said Dukes owne hand foulded vp in a small lumpe of waxe and conteining these words Endeuor your selfe to appease your subiects and you shall not faile of friends Farther the Duke of Burgundy being at the first in exceeding great feare sent to the Cōstable desiring him to shew himself fauorable not to presse forward this war begun without any defiance made At the which message the Constable greatly reioiced supposing that he now held the Duke in such feare as he desired which to increase he sent him a speedy discomfortable answere the effect wherof was that his state stoode in maruellous danger so far foorth that he saw no way for him to winde himselfe out of these troubles but one Namely by giuing his daughter in mariage to the D. of Guienne which if he would do he should than be succoured with great forces for both the Duke of Guienne and diuers others Lords would declare themselues for him against the King and he also would restore him Saint Quintine and take his part otherwise he said he durst do nothing considering how strong the K. was hauing both his army very wel appointed also great intelligence in the Dukes dominions This was the answer he sent with diuers other fearefull messages But I neuer knew man in my life come to good end that sought to put in feare and hold in subiection his master or any other great Prince with whom he had to do as in the end the Constables example shall well declare For notwithstanding that the King were then his master and that the greatest part of his reuenues lay and all his children were resident in the Duke of Burgundies dominions yet continued he these practises against both these Princes with intent to hold them both in feare each by other which cost him deere in the end and no maruel For notwithstanding that euery man desire to liue out of subiection and feare and that all men naturally hate these that hold them in awe yet none so extremely as Princes For I neuer knew Prince that hated not mortally all those that sought to put him feare After the D. of Burgundy had receaued the Constables answer he perceaued wel no friendship to be in him farther that he was the only author of this war Wherupon he conceaued so extreme hatred against him that after this he could neuer brooke him especially bicause by these fearfull messages he fought to constraine him to mary his daughter at his pleasure a vaine attempt For before the returne of the Constables answer the Duke had recouered his spirits and had a great army with him You may easely perceaue both by the message sent by the Duke of Guienne first and the Constables answer afterwarn that this was a compact matter between them and the rather for that the like message or a more dreadfull came soone after from the Duke of Britaine who sent also to the Kings seruice a hundred Britons all men of armes vnder the leading of the Lord of Lescut Wherefore we may boldly say that this war was mooued onely to constraine the Duke of Burgundy to conclude this mariage and that they did but abuse the King in perswading him to begin war for they were all in maner lies that they told him of their intelligences in the Dukes dominions Notwithstanding in this voiage the Constable did the King great seruice and shewed extreme malice against the Duke of Burgundy knowing that the Duke had conceaued mortal hatred against him The Duke of Guienne also serued the King in these wars very well accompanied so that the Duke of Burgundy stood vpon hard tearmes But if at the first he would haue assured his daughter to the Duke of Guienne both the said Duke of Guienne the Constable and diuers other noble men with all their adherents would haue reuolted to him against the King and done their endeuor to haue pulled him vpon his knees But whatsoeuer man purposeth in such cases God disposeth afterward of them at his pleasure How the Duke of Burgundie tooke Piquigny and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables great griefe Chap. 3. YOu haue heard at large the cause of this war at the beginning whereof both the Princes were blinded inuading each other and neither of them knowing the cause why which was a maruellous cunning of the contriuers of this enterprise For a man might haue pronounced the old Prouerbe of these two Princes that the one part of the world was not acquainted with the others maners nor actions All these affaires aboue rehersed since the beginning of these wars chanced in very short space for within lesse then fifteene daies after the taking of Amiens the Duke put himselfe into the field neere to Arras for farther he retired not and from thence marched toward the riuer of Somme and so straight to Piquigny but vpon the waie thither he met with a messenger of the Duke of Britaine on foote who aduertised him from the Duke his Master that the King had giuen his said Master to vnderstand of diuers secrets and among others of intelligences he had in many great towns of his dominions namely Andwerp Bruges and Bruxelles adding also that the King was determined to come and besiege him into what towne soeuer he should retire were it euen into Gaunt All the which aduertisements I suppose the Duke of Britain sent in fauour of the Duke of Guienne hoping thereby to further much the marriage aboue mentioned But the Duke of Burgundie tooke this message in euill part and foorthwith dispatched the messenger willing him to tell his master that he was misinformed by some euill seruants about him who put these feares and doubts into his head to the end he should not aide him as he was bound by their league And farther that he knew not what townes Gaunt and the other cities were in the which he said the King would come to besiege him for they were too great to be besieged He bad him farther to informe his Master in what sort he found him accompanied and to aduertise him that the world went otherwise with him then he supposed for he was determined to passe the riuer of Somme and to fight with the King if he would come to stop him vpon the way Laste of all he willed him to desire his Master on his behalfe to ioine with
league should remaine firme and vnuiolable between vs and the King and the realme of England saue that for Edward we named Henry This appointment pleased well the Duke of Burgundy for the Earle of Warwick was sending fower thousand English men to Calice to make sharp war vpon his dominions neither could the D. pacifie him by any meanes Notwithstanding the rich merchants of London diuers of the which were then at Calice in the end perswaded him to peace bicause their staple of wools is there which is a far goodlier thing than a man would beleeue for it is almost incredible of how great value the wooll is that is transported thither twise a yeere and lieth there till merchants come to buy it The chiefe vent whereof is into Flaunders and Holland which was the principall cause that mooued these merchants to labour so earnestly for peace and for stay of the soldiers the Earle was sending ouer which sure was a happy chance for the Duke of Burgundie for it was euen at the very same instant that the King tooke Amiens and Saint Quintine and if both the realmes had made war vpon him at once vndoubtedly he had been vndone He trauelled to appease the Earle of Warwick by all meanes possible alleging that he would attempt nothing against King Henry seeing he was himselfe of the house of Lancaster and vsing such words as might best serue for his purpose Now to returne to King Edward he came to Saint Paule to the Duke of Burgundy and pressed him earnestly for aide to return home assuring him that he had great intelligence in England and desiring him for Gods loue not to abandon him considering he had maried his sister and that they were brethren of one order The Dukes of Somerset and Excester labored him to the contrary to wit to take part with King Henry The Duke could not tell whom to please and either party he feared to displease But in the end bicause sharpe war was already begun vpon him euen at his very nose 3 he inclined to the Duke of Somerset and others aboue named accepting their promises against the Earle of Warwick their ancient enimy Wherwith King Edvvard there present was woonderfully disquieted But the Dukes seruants alleaged the best reasons they could in excuse herof saying that the Duke vsed this dissimulatiō to auoid war with both the realms at once adding therto that if he should be ouerthrowne he could not after aide him at his ease Notwithstanding the Duke seeing that he could no longer stay the King there but that needs he would returne into England and fearing for diuers considerations altogither to discontent him pretended openly that he would not aide him and made proclamation that no man should go to his seruice but couertly he deliuered him 50000. gildons of the Saint Andrewes crosse and caused three or fower great ships to be armed for him at La Vere in Zeland 4 which is a hauen where all nations are receiued Besides all this he entertained for him secretly fowerteen ships of the Easterlings well appointed who promised to serue him till he were landed in England and fifteen daies after which was great aide considering the time The Notes 1 He meaneth whether he should aide the King or no. 2 Our author reporteth this ragged staffe to be blacke but bicause the Earles of VVarwicke neuer gaue it blacke but the Earles of Kent I haue translated it white no whit doubting but that either the printer hath faulted heere or our authors memory failed him 3 To wit by the Englishmen sent ouer by the Earle of VVarwick 4 La Vere otherwise called Camphere is in the I le of VValkeren in Zeland not in Holland and is the Scottish staple wherefore I haue beene bold to amend the booke How King Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwick and then the Prince of Wales Chap. 7. KIng Edward departed out of Flanders the yeere 1471. at the selfe Heere our English affaires begin the yeere 1471. same instant that the D. of Burgundie went to Amiens against the King The said Duke thought now howsoeuer the world went in England he could not speede amisse bicause he had friends on both sides King Edward immediatly after his landing marched straight towards London bicause three or fower hundred Knights and Esquires of his faction togither with others of the meaner sort to the number of two thousand and better had retired themselues into the Sanctuaries of the citie which was a happy chance for him for if he landed with small force The Earle of Warwick being in the north parts with a great armie hearing these newes made haste to be at London before him rather for other respects than for that he greatly feared the reuolt of the towne notwithstanding the contrarie happened For King Edward was receiued into the citie with great ioy and triumph the tuesday before Easter contrarie to the expectation of most men for all the world accounted him as vtterly vndone And vndoubtedly if they had shut the gates against him he had been past all recouerie for the Earle of Warwicke was but a daies iourney behinde him There were three things especially as I haue heard that caused the towne to reuolt First the gentlemen that were in the sanctuaries and the yoong Prince lately borne The second the great debts that the King owed in the towne in respect whereof the merchants to whom he was indebted thought it their best way to take part with him The third a great many women of honor and rich merchants wiues with whom in times past he had been familiar perswaded their husbands and friends to incline to him He staied not past two or three daies in the towne for vpon Easter euen he departed with all the force he could leuy and marched against the Earle of Warwicke whom he met the next morning being Easter day and as they stood in order of battell the one in face of the other suddenly the D. of Clarence the Kings brother who was reconciled to the King as before you haue heard reuolted to the King with twelue thousand men and better 1 which no lesse astonied the Earle than encouraged the King whose force was not great But all this notwithstanding the battell was cruell and blooddy They were all footemen on both sides of the Kings vaward a great number were slaine then his battell and the Earles met and ioined so fiercely togither that the King himselfe fought in person more valiantly than any man of either army The Earle of Warwick vsed neuer to fight on foote but his maner was when he had led his men to the charge to take horse and if the victory fell on his side to fight among his soldiers otherwise to depart in time But at this battel he was constrained by his brother the Marques of Mountacute a valiant knight to light on foote and send away his horse To conclude in this battell died
hatred and war as all those haue been that I haue knowen or been conuersant with in my time sure there is great danger therein Notwithstanding mine aduise is that ambassadors be well intertained and honorably receiued for to send to meete them to lodge them well to appoint trusty and wise men to accompanie them are not onely points of great curtesie but also of great safetie For thereby you shal both vnderstand who they are that resort to them and also stay such as be light headed and discontented with the present estate from bringing them intelligence for there is no Princes court wherein all haue contented mindes Further they must haue speedie audience and soone be dispatched For me thinke it a perilous matter for a man to harbor his enimie in his house but to defray them to lodge them well and to giue them presents is but curtesie Further in time of open war no practise nor ouerture of peace must be altogither broken off bicause peraduenture the lest of them may serue vs to good purpose but all must be continued and intertained and all ambassadors heard vsing them as before is said and appointing sure watch to espie who go to beare them intelligence and are sent to them either by day or night but this must be done as secretly as may be Further for one ambassador they send to you send you two to them and though they be wearie of your ambassadors and forbid any more to come yet send still when time occasion serueth For no spie shall haue such libertie to inquire and vnderstand of all matters as they And if you send two or three togither it is impossible for your enimy to haue so good watch I meane vsing them with good termes as ambassadors are to be vsed but that some of them shall haue conference and intelligence with one or other Lastly a wise Prince must alwaies endeuor himselfe to haue some secret friend or friends about his enimie and beware as neere as he may for in such cases men cannot alway do as they would that his enimie haue not the like about him You will say peraduenture that by such often sending I shall increase mine enimies insolencie and pride But I force not thereof for by this meanes I shall vnderstand his secrets and in the end all the profit and honor shall redound to me And notwithstanding that mine enimy may deale with me after the same sort yet wold I not cease from sending but intertaine all ouertures and breake off none to the end I may alwaies haue occasion to send For all men haue not like wisedome like cunning nor like experience in these affaires neither like occasion to trauell for experience and in these cases the wisest win the garland whereof I will giue you a manifest example In all treaties of peace concluded betweene the English and French nations the French haue alwaies shewed more finenes subtiltie and cunning than the English so far foorth that the said English men haue a common prouerbe as once they told me when I treated with them that in all battel 's fought with the French euer or for the most part they haue obtained honor and victorie but in all treaties that haue been concluded betweene them they haue euer receiued losse and dammage And sure in mine opinion I haue knowen in this realme especially of King Lewis his training vp men as sufficient to negotiate in a treatie of peace as any in the world For those that are imploied in these affaires must be milde men and such as can beare patiently all rude words to compas their purposes for their Masters profit and such onely would King Lewis imploy I haue beene somwhat long in discoursing how ambassadors actions must diligently be obserued but not without cause for I haue seen and knowen so great falshood and treacherie vsed vnder colour thereof that I could no sooner end my discourse This mariage between the Duke of Guienne and the Duke of Burgundies daughter was so earnestly laboured that in the end some promise was made therof both by mouth and letter But I haue knowen the like done to Nicholas Duke of Calabria and Loraine 1 sonne to Iohn Duke of Calabria so often aboue mentioned and to Philibert Duke of Sauoy that last died and to Maximilian Duke of Austrich now King of Romans onely sonne of Frederike the Emperor who also receiued a letter written with the damsels owne hand by hir fathers commandement and a diamond therewith All which promises were made in lesse than three yeeres space yet am I well assured that during the Dukes life none of them should haue been accomplished at the least with his consent But this letter aboue mentioned furthered much Duke Maximilians sute as heereafter you shall heare I write not this to charge thereby the Duke of Burgundie or any of those aboue mentioned but onely to rehearse the course of these affaires Further I perswade my selfe that rude and simple men will not busie their braines about the reading of this historie but Princes and Courtiers shall finde in it good lessons and aduertisements in mine opinion During this treatie of marriage diuers newe enterprises against the King were in communication With the Duke of Burgundie was the Lord of Vrfé Poncet of Riuiere and certaine other meane personages that ran to and fro for the D. of Guiennes affaires In like maner the Abbot of Begarde afterward Bishop of Leon was resident with him for the Duke of Britaine These aduertised the Duke of Burgundy that the King practised to corrupt the Duke of Guiens seruants and to withdraw them from him partly by loue partly by force adding also that he had already razed a certaine place belonging to the Lord of Estissac the Duke of Guiennes seruant and had begun diuers other attempts against his brother so far foorth that he had withdrawne from him certaine of his houshold seruants whereby appeered manifestly as they said that he ment to take Guienne from him now as in times past he had done Normandy once granted him for his partage as before is mentioned The Duke of Burgundy sent diuers ambassadors to the King about these affaires who euer excused himselfe 2 and accused his brother saying that for his part he minded not to touch his brothers partage but that his brother by seeking to inlarge his limits was author of all these troubles We haue heer to consider how troublesom dangerous and far from all good end the affaires of this Realme are when it is in discord and ciuill dissention for notwithstanding that at the beginning of the troubles all men hope shortely to see them at an end yet is the contrary greatly to be feared for though the fire be kindled at the first but betweene two or three Princes or men of meaner estate yet before two yeeres be exspired all our neighbours shall be bidden to the banquet as plainly may appeere by this that followeth At this very instant
of the Duke of Guiennes death and that the K. had alreadie recouered a great part of his countrie The like aduertisements receiued he also incontinent from others but reporting diuersly of the said Dukes death Soone after returned Simon of Quinchy from the King with a cold answer for he refused to sweare the treatie which the Duke tooke very disdainfully as a matter tending to his contempt and dishonor His men also in time of war as well for this as other causes spake very villanous and opprobrious words of the King and I warrant you the French requited them with the like The Duke of Burgundie being almost out of his wits bicause of these newes by the perswasion of certaine no lesse sorie for this accident than himselfe writ letters to diuers townes of the realme charging the King with his brothers death but little it auailed for no man stirred 1 Notwithstanding if the Duke of Guienne had liued vndoubtedly the King should haue had ynough to do for the Britons were in a readines to inuade him hauing greater intelligences in the realme than euer before all the which failed by the Dukes death The Duke of Burgundy in this fury put himselfe into the field and marched towards Nesle in Vermandois making foule and cruell war contrary to his accustomed maner for he spoiled and burned all the countrey as he passed His vaward marched before him and besieged the said towne of Nesle being of no force but the Duke himselfe lodged three leagues from it Within the towne were certaine franke archers that slew a herald of the Dukes comming to summon them Further their captaine came foorth to parle vnder surety thinking to bring the matter to composition but could not and as he returned into the towne the truce yet continuing bicause of his saly they within the towne notwithstanding that themselues stood open vpon the wall no man seeking to hurt them slew yet two other of the Dukes men wherfore the truce was disauowed word sent to the Lady of Nesle being within the towne to come foorth with all hir household stuffe which she did accordingly and immediately after the place was assaulted and taken and the greatest part of them that were within it slaine all that were taken aliue were hanged saue a few whom the soldiers for very pity let go a number also had their hands cut off It lotheth me to make mention of this cruelty but bicause I was present somewhat I am forced to write therof And sure either the Duke was maruellously passioned in that he committed so cruell an act or some great caused mooued him thereunto He alleaged two the one the Duke of Guiennes death wherof he spake very strangely vpon other mens report the other the griefe he had conceiued for the losse of Amiens and Saint Quintin aboue rehearsed Some that shall read this that foloweth will thinke happily that there was small faith in these two Princes or that I misreport them I would be loth to misreport either of them And to the King our Master how much I am bound all the world knoweth But to continue my history right reuerend father in God in such sort as you haue required I am forced to vtter that I know howsoeuer it passed And I doubt not but these two being compared with other Princes shall seeme noble woorthy and honorable and the King our Master wise aboue all the rest who left his realme enlarged and in peace with all his enimies Wherefore let vs now consider whether of these two Princes sought to deceiue the other to the end that if heereafter this history happen to fall into the hands of some yoong Prince that hath to negotiate in such like affaires he may by reading thereof be the better instructed how to looke to himselfe For notwithstanding that neither Princes nor enimies be alwaies alike nor deale alike in like affaires yet is it good to know the histories of times past To speake therefore vprightly I thinke both these Princes were fully bent each to deceiue other and tended both to one end as you shall heare Both of them had their armies abroad in a readines The King had already taken diuers places and during the treaty made sharpe war vpon his brother whom the Lords of Courton Patris Foucart and diuers others had already relinquished were receiued into the Kings seruice Further his army lay about Rochell hauing great intelligence in the towne for the citizens practised continually as well bicause of the rumor of this treaty as also bicause of the Dukes sicknes And I thinke the Kings resolution was if he could atchieue his enterprise there or his brother hapned to die not to sweare the treaty but if he found great resistance to sweare it and performe his promise thereby to auoid all danger And sure he lost no time but vsed great diligence delaying also very cunningly Simon of Quingy the space of eight daies during the which delay his brother died further he knew well the Duke of Burgundy so greatly to desire the restitution of these two townes aboue named that he durst not flatly fall out with him Wherefore he meant to delay him and feed him foorth with faire words fifteen or twenty daies as he did accordingly to see in the meane time what would happen Now that I haue spoken of the King and shewed how he was purposed to deale with the Duke it is fit I should also declare how the Duke was minded towards him and thought to delude him had not the Duke of Guiennes death happened Simon of Quinchy by the Kings request had a commission from the Duke his Master commanding him immediately after the treatie sworne and writings deliuered for the confirmation thereof to go into Britaine to informe the Duke of Britaine of the conditions of the peace and in like maner the Duke of Guiennes ambassadors resident in Britaine to the end they might aduertise their Master thereof at Bordeaux whereby the King meant to put the Britons into the greater feare when they should see themselues abandoned of him that was their chiefe anchor hold Now you shall vnderstand that Simon of Quinchy had in his company a rider of the Dukes Escuirie called Henry a Parisian borne a wise fellow and of good experience who had a letter of credit to the said Simon written with the Dukes owne hand but his commission was not to deliuer it till the said Simons departure from the King and his arriuall to the Duke of Britaine at Nantes where his charge was to deliuer him the letter and this message withall That he should will the Duke of Britaine not to thinke that his Master would abandon the Duke of Guienne and him for he would succour them both with body and goods and that he had concluded this treatie to none other end but to auoid war and recouer the townes of Saint Quintine and Amiens which the King in time of peace contrary to his promise
breake of day the Dukes battterie was bent against the wals but soone after we saw two hundred men of armes enter the towne and had it not beene for their comming I thinke the citizens would haue treated of a composition which notwithstanding the Duke in this fury would neuer haue granted for he desired to take the towne by assault and if he had so done vndoubtedly he would haue burnt it which had been great pitie sure it was preserued by very miracle After these men of armes were entred the Dukes artillerie shot continually the space of fifteen daies and the place was as well beaten as euer was any in such sort that the breach was saultable but the ditch of the one side of the burned gate stood full of water so that we were forced to build a bridge ouer it but on the other side we might come hard to the wals without any danger saue of one flanker which was so low that our artillerie could not beat it It is great danger and folly to assault a towne so well defended as this was for within it was the Constable 2 as I remember or lay by it I wot not wel whether the Marshall Ioachin the Marshall of Loheac the Lord of Crussoll VVilliam of Valleu Mery of Croy Sallezarde Theuenot of Vignoles being all ancient captaines accompanied with an hundred men of armes of the Kings ordinary retinue besides a great number of footemen and others that were come thither with them Yet the Duke contrary to the opinion of his whole army determined to giue the assault And the night before as he lay on his field bed in his clothes according to his accustomed maner he asked certaine there present whether they thought the town would abide the assault who answered that they thought yea seeing they were force sufficient to defend it at the which answer he scoffed saying that they should not finde a man there the next day In the morning by breake of day the assault was giuen very couragiously and the breach no lesse valiantly defended A great number went thronging on our new made bridge in such sort that an ancient knight of Burgundy called Despiris was smothered there who was the best man that died before the towne On the other side of the gate certaine of our men got vp to the top of the wall but some of them neuer returned They fought hand to hand a great while and the assault continued so long that fresh bands were appointed to succeede the first being wearied but bicause the Duke saw his men to labor in vaine he caused them to retire yet notwithstanding they within salied not for they saw company ynough ready to receiue them At this assault were slaine twelue hundred soldiers 3 and the best man that died there was the aboue named Despiris It was thought at the first that many more had been lost for aboue a thousand were hurt The next night they within salied foorth but bicause their number was small and the most of them on horsebacke and therby encombred with the cords of our tents they did no great exploit but lost two or three gentlemen of their company and hurt one of ours named Master Iames d'Orson a very honest gentleman and master of the Dukes Ordinance who a few daies after died of the said hurt Seauen or eight daies after this assault the Duke would haue diuided his army into two bands and lodged part thereof at the gate towards Paris contrary to all mens aduise and to all reason considering the great number of soldiers within the town This should haue been done at the beginning but now it was too late Wherfore seeing no remedy he raised his campe in very good order 4 hoping that they within would issue forth to the skirmish which notwithstanding they did not From thence he marched into Normandy bicause he had promised the Duke of Britaine to come as far as Roan where the said Duke of Britaine had promised in like maner to meete him But bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death he altered his minde and stirred not out of his country The Duke of Burgundy came before Eu which was yeelded vnto him as was also Saint Valery and he burnt all this quarter euen hard to Diepe He tooke likewise Neuf-chastell and burnt both it and all the country of Caux or the greatest part euen hard to Roan gates further he presented himselfe in person before the said towne of Roan he lost many of his foragers whereby his army was in great distresse of victuals In the end bicause winter approched he departed homeward and his backe was no sooner turned but the French recouered Eu and Saint Valery and tooke prisoners by composition seauen or eight Burgundians that were within them The Notes 1 The French hath Chastellenies which were places where certaine courts of the inferior iurisdiction vvere held to the which the countrey there about was bound to repaire 2 Annal. Franc. report that the Constable lay hard by the tovvne but mooued not to defend it for the vvhich cause it vvas thought he had intelligence vvith the Duke 3 Gaguin saith that there vvere slaine at the assault of Beauuais 1500. men 4 The Duke lay before Beauuais sixe and tvventy daies and leuied his siege the 22. of Iuly Meyer How the King made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy and how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracy that these two Princes made against him Chap. 11. ABout this time I came to the Kings seruice in the yeere 1472. who receiued also the selfesame yeere the greatest part of his brother the Duke of Guienne his seruants He lay then at Pont de See making war vpon the Duke of Britaine whither certaine ambassadors came to him out of Britaine and from whence also he sent his ambassadors thither Among the rest that came to him to the said towne of Pont de See were Philip of Essars seruant to the Duke and VVilliam of Sousplenuille seruant to the Lord of Lescute the which Lord of Lescute seeing his Master the Duke of Guienne at the point of death tooke sea at Bordeaux and departed into Britaine fearing to fall into the Kings hands he embarked in time and carried away with him the Duke of Guiennes Confessor 1 and a rider of his stable who were charged with the Dukes death and remained prisoners in Britaine many yeeres after When these runnings to and fro had indured a while the King in the end determined to haue peace with the Duke of Britaine and to deale so liberally with the Lord of Lescute that he would thereby asswage the euil wil he bare him and win him to his seruice For as he knew the Duke of Britaines forces being gouerned by so woorthy a man greatly to be feared so was he assured if he could win the Lord of Lescute to his seruice that the Britons would labor for peace bicause he
was their onely man of wisdome and experience in the countrey besides that generally the Britaines desire nothing more than peace with Fraunce bicause continually a great number of them haue good entertainment and be in good estimation in this realme not vnwoorthily for sure in times past they haue done great seruice heere Wherefore me thinke the King did very wisely in concluding this treaty notwithstanding that some not considering so deepely thereof as himselfe did thought otherwise of it He had a very good opinion of the Lord of Lescute knew there was no danger in putting those offices and places of charge that he did into his hands bicause he was a man of honor would neuer during these diuisions haue any intelligence with the English men nor consent that the townes in Normandie 2 should be yeelded to them but had beene the onely stay thereof which was the cause of all his preferment When the King had well debated this matter he commanded Sousplenuille to put in writing all that his Master required as well for the Duke as himselfe which done the King granted him all his demands being these A pension of 80000. franks for the Duke for his master the Lord of Lescute a pension of 6000. franks the gouernment of Guienne the two Seneschalships of Launes and Bordelois the captainship of one of the castels of Bordeaux the captainship of Blaye and of the two castels of Bayonne of Dax and of Saint Seuer 24000. crownes in ready mony the Kings order and the Earldome of Comminges All the which the King granted and agreed vnto saue that the Dukes pension was diminished by the one halfe and continued but two yeeres Further the King gaue the said Sousplenuille 6000. crownes which with the other 24. thousand giuen to his Master were to be paid in fower yeeres a pension of 1200. franks the Mayraltie of Bayonne the Bailywick of Montargis and certaine other small offices in Guienne All the which aboue rehearsed estates his Master and he enioied till the Kings death Philip d'Essars likewise was made Bailife of Meaux and lieutenant of the waters and forrests throughout the realme of Fraunce and had also a pension granted him of 1200. franks and 4000. crownes in ready money all the which offices and estates from that day till the King our Master his death they quietly enioied and the Lord of Comminges continued during his life his trustie and faithfull seruant The King hauing pacified all matters in Britaine marched straight toward Picardie for he and the Duke of Burgundie vsed alwaies when winter approched to make truce for sixe moneths or a yeere and some time more After the which their woonted maner they made truce at this present which the Chancellor of Burgundie with certaine others came to the King to conclude There the Kings Commissioners read the finall peace made with the Duke of Britaine whereby the said Duke renounced the league he was entred into with the English men and the D. of Burgundie wherfore the King required the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors not to comprehend the Duke of Britaine in the truce as their confederate whereunto they would not condiscend but agreed that the Duke of Britaine should be at his choise to declare himselfe within the time accustomed either the Kings confederate or theirs alleaging that heertofore also the said Duke had abandoned them by writing yet had not departed from their friendship Further adding that though he were a Prince wholy led and gouerned by others and doing little of himselfe yet in the end he euer yeelded to that which was best and most necessary for his estate All this was done in the yeere 1473. During this treatie they murmured on both sides against the Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce for the King and those that were neerest about him had conceiued maruellous hatred against him And the Duke of Burgundy hated him woorse than they as he had iust cause to do for I know the reasons that mooued them both to beare him ill will The Duke had not yet forgotten that he was the onely occasion of the losse of Amiens and Saint Quintin and perceiued well that he nourished this war betweene the King and him For in time of truce he spake him as faire as was possible but so soone as the war opened he shewed himselfe his mortall foe Further the Earle had sought to constraine him by force to marrie his daughter to the Duke of Guienne as before 〈◊〉 â—â—ue heard Besides all this there was yet another grudge for while the Duke lay before Amiens the Constable made a road into Henault and among other cruell exploits burned the castell of Seure belonging to a Knight named Master Baudouin of Launay before the which time they vsed on neither side to fire any place But in reuenge thereof the Duke this last sommer burned the countrie all the way his armie passed as before you haue heard Thus they began to practise the Constables destruction for the accomplishment whereof diuers of the Kings men conferred with such of the Dukes seruants as they knew to be his mortall enimies for the French had him in as great iealousie as the Duke of Burgundie had and accused him as the onely occasion of the war wherefore all his treaties and practises with both parties were ripped vp and discouered and they both sought his death Some man may peraduenture aske heerafter if the King alone were not of power sufficient to put him to death whereunto I answer that he was not For his lands lay iust in the middest betweene the King and the Duke further he held Saint Quintin a great and strong towne in Vermandois and of his owne Han Bohain and other very strong places neere to the said Saint Quintin the which he might man at all times with any nation at his owne pleasure He had charge vnder the King of fower hundred men of armes well paied of the which companie himselfe was controller and tooke the muster which was no small profit to him for his companies were not complete Besides all this he had a yeerely pension of 45000. franks and of euerie tunne of wine that passed through his countrie into Flaunders or Henault he receiued a crowne for impost He had also goodly seigniories and possessions of his owne inheritance and great intelligence as well in Fraunce as in the Dukes dominions where he had many kinsfolks and allies The truce betweene the King and the Duke continued a whole yeere all the which space this practise endured and the Kings men addressed themselues wholie to the Lord of Hymbercourt so often before named who of long time had beene the Constables enimy besides that their hatred was lately increased For in an assembly held at Roye where the Constable and others were commissioners for the King and the Chancellor of Burgundy and the Lord of Hymbercourt with diuers others for the Duke as they conferred togither of their affaires the
Constable gaue the lie very shamefully to the said Hymbercourt who answered thereunto that he would not beare this reproch at his hands were it not in respect of the Kings honor vnder whose safe conduct he was come thither as ambassador and of the Duke his Master whose person he represented and to whom he would make report of this iniurie done vnto him This onely villanie and outrage so soone done cost the Constable both lands and life as heereafter shall be declared more at large Wherefore those that are in authority yea and Princes themselues ought to take great heed how they iniurie any man by word or deed and whom they iniurie for the greater they are the greater greefe and sorrowe is conceiued of their words bicause they that are iniuried thinke that the great authority of the person that iniurieth them will cause them the more to be marked and noted And if he be their Master or Prince they vtterly dispaire of benefite or good turne at his hands and most men serue rather for the good they hope to haue than for that they haue already receiued But to returne to the point the Kings men practised continually with Hymbercourt and likewise with the Chancellor as well bicause the words spoken at Roye touched him in part as also bicause of the neere friendship that was between Hymbercourt and him And the matter was so earnestly pressed that an assembly was held about it at Bouuines a towne neere to Namur whither the King sent the Lord of Courton gouernor of Lymosin and Master Iohn Heberge afterward Bishop of Eureux and the Duke the said Chancellor and Hymbercourt being the yeere 1474. The Constable being informed that they practised at Bouuines to his cost sent with all speede to both the Princes aduertising them he vnderstood of all their doings and so cunningly he wrought that he perswaded the King that the Duke meant nothing but deceit onely to allure the said Constable to his friendship whereupon with all speed the King sent to his ambassadors at Bouuines commanding them to conclude nothing against the Constable for certain reasons he would declare vnto them but to prolong the truce according to their instructions for a yeere or sixe moneths I wot not well whether But when the messenger arriued he found the treatie already concluded and the writings sealed and deliuered the night before Notwithstanding the ambassadors had so good intelligence togither and were so great friends each to other that they deliuered the writtings backe againe the contents whereof were that the Constable for the reasons therein rehearsed was declared enimie and traitor to both the Princes who promised and sware each to other that whether of them could first lay hands on him should either put him to death within eight daies or deliuer him to the other to do with him at his pleasure It was also therein concluded that he should be proclaimed by sound of trumpet enimy to both the Princes and likewise all that should serue helpe aide or fauour him Further the King promised to deliuer to the Duke the towne of Saint Quintin so often before mentioned and to giue him all the Constables treasure and moouables that should be found in the realme of Fraunce with all such seigniories and lordships as were held of the said Duke and among the rest Han and Bohain which are two very strong places Lastly a day was appointed when both the King and the Duke should send their forces to besiege him in Han. Notwithstanding for the reasons aboue rehearsed this conclusion was cleane broken off and a day and place assigned where the Constable should come to commune with the King vnder safe conduct for he stood in doubt of his person bicause of the late treatie held at Bouuines The place assigned was three leagues from Noyon neere to the towne of La Fere vpon a pretie riuer which no man could passe bicause the Constables men had taken vp all the bridges In the said place was a narrow causey ouerthwart the which a strong grate was built whither the Constable came first accompanied with all his men of armes or the greatest part for he had with him aboue three hundred gentlemen all men of armes and he himselfe ware his quirace vnder a short gowne vngirt The King came accompanied with the Earle of Dampmartine Lord great Master of Fraunce the Constables mortall enimie and with sixe hundred men of armes and better and sent me before him to make his excuse to the Constable of his long stay and soone after arriued himselfe and they communed togither at which their communication were present fiue or sixe of the Kings seruants and as many of the Constables who excused his comming thither in armes bicause he stood in feare of the Earle of Dampmartin as he said To be short in the end it was agreed that all offences past should be forgiuen and forgotten and the Constable passed through the grate to our side of the riuer where the Earle of Dampmartin and he were made friends That night he lodged with the King at Noyon and the next morning returned to Saint Quintin throughly reconciled as he said But when the King had well weighed this matter and heard the murmuring of the people he accused himselfe of great folly in going after this sort to commune with his seruant stomaked not a little that he found the grate shut between them considering that all the Constables men of armes were his subiects and paide out of his coffers wherfore if his hatred against the Constable were great before sure this meeting much increased it and as touching the Constable his proud stomack was no whit abated The Notes 1 This Confessor was the Abbot of S. Iohn d'Angely who died prisoner at Nantes in Britaine in the great tower du Buffoy where he confessed maruellous matters and died very strangely Annal. Aquit 2 These places were those that remained in the Lord of Lescuts hands by the treaty of Caen mentioned lib. 1. cap. 15. A discourse very fit for this place of the wisdome of the King and the Constable with good aduertisements to such as are in credit with Princes Chap. 12. IF a man consider well this action of the Kings he cannot but iudge it to proceede of great wisdome for I am of opinion that the Duke of Burgundy to recouer Saint Quintin would easily haue pardoned the Constable all his offences notwithstanding any promise made to the King of the contrary Further as touching the Constable though he were a gentleman of great wisedome and vnderstanding yet did he very vnaduisedly and it appeered that God had vtterly bereft him of all good aduise in that he came thus disguised before the King his Master whose subiects all the men of armes were that accompanied him and to say the truth his very countenance shewed him to be astonished and abashed thereat for when he came in person to the place and found the grate shut betweene
Priest there present mistrusting who he should be communed thereof with the ferry man and viewed well the yoong Duke and knew him There he was taken and led to Namur where he remained prisoner till the Duke of Burgundies death after the which the Citizens of Gaunt deliuered him and would perforce haue constrained the Dukes daughter afterward Duches of Austrich to marry him They led him also with them before Tournay where being weakly accompanied in a certaine skirmish he was miserably slaine in full reuenge of his impiety against his father The father during his sonnes imprisonment died the Duke of Burgundy yet liuing whom bicause of his said sonnes ingratitude and vnnaturalnes he made his heire by the which title the Duke at this present conquered the saide Duchy of Gueldres 5 where he found some resistance but bicause he was mighty and in truce with the King he easily subdued it and held it all the daies of his life and his ofspring possesseth it yet at this day and shall do as long as it pleaseth God This as I said at the beginning I haue rehearsed onely to shew that such cruelty and impiety neuer remaineth vnpunished The Duke of Burgundy being returned into his countrey grew woonderfull lofty and high minded bicause he had gotten this Duchy into his clawes and began to finde great sweetenes in this Duch enterprises both for that the Emperor was a Prince of an abiect minde enduring all things rather than he would spend any thing and also bicause without aide of the Princes of the Empire his owne force was but small Wherefore the Duke prolonged the truce with the King Some of the Kings seruants were of opinion that the King did vnaduisedly to prolong the turce and suffer the Duke to grow as he did And sure they had some apparance of reason to leade them so to say but bicause they lacked experience and had not seene the world abroad they wist not what the matter meant But others that vnderstood the case better than they and were able to say more therein bicause they had trauelled those countries aduised the King to prolong the truce and permit the Duke to weare and weary himselfe against the country of Almaine the greatnes and force whereof is almost incredible 6 alleaging that after he had taken one place or atchiued one enterprise he would foorthwith attempt another for one good aduenture could not content his nature wherein he was of disposition cleane contrary to the King for the Duke the more he was busied the more he sought to busie himselfe Wherefore they told the King that he could no way better be reuenged of the Duke than by suffering him to run himselfe out of breath as he did aduising him withall rather to send him some small aide than put him in any doubt of breach of the truce further alleaging that it could not otherwise happen but that he must of necessity vtterly consume himselfe against the greatnes force of Almaine bicause the Princes of the Empire would make resistance were the Emperor neuer so simple a man and so it came to passe in the end There was a quarrel 7 between two pretending title to the Bishoprick of Coulon one of the which was the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother and the other the Palzgraue of the Rhene his cosen 8 The Duke of Burgundy tooke part with the Palzgraue and attempted to place him in the sea of Coulon by force trusting thereby to seaze some places of the countrey into his owne hands and to that end went and laid his siege before Nuz a towne neere to Coulon in the yeere 1474. He had so many great enterprises in his head that in the end the burthen thereof pressed him to the ground for in the selfesame sommer he both trauelled with Edward King of England to passe with his army into Fraunce being in a readines by his sute and sollicitation and purposed also to atchieue his enterprise in Almaine which was this If he had taken Nuz he meant to man it well and two or three other places aboue Coulon 9 wherby the citie of Coulon being at his commandement 10 he might haue gone vp countermount against the riuer of Rhene into the countrey of Ferrette which he then held and so all the Rhene should haue been vnder his subiection euen downe to Holland where it entreth the sea vpon the which riuer are more strong townes and castels than any realme christened except Fraunce The truce with the King was prolonged for sixe moneths which time being now almost expired the King trauelled to prolong it still to the ende the Duke might do his pleasure in Almaine whereunto the Duke would not agree bicause of his promise to the English men I would gladly passe ouer this siege of Nuz bicause it is out of the course of my historie for I was not present at it notwithstanding somewhat I am forced to speake thereof bicause of diuers accidents depending thereupon The said towne of Nuz was maruellous strong and within it was the Lantzgraue of Hesse 11 with many of his kinsfolkes and friends to the number of 1800. horsemen as I haue beene informed who valiantly behaued themselues and of foote men sufficient The Lantzgraue as I haue said was brother to the Bishop elected against him whom the Duke of Burgundy defended who laide his siege before Nuz in the yeere 1474. His force was neuer so great as then especially of horsemen for bicause he meant to attempt somewhat in Italie he had in pay a thousand Italian men of armes good and bad vnder the leading of one called the Earle of Campobache a Neapolitan borne of the house of Anious faction a dangerous and a traiterous fellow In the Dukes campe serued also Iames Galeot a valiant gentleman of Naples and diuers others whose names for breuitie I passe ouer Further he had in his armie three thousand English men excellent good soldiers and of his owne subiects a maruellous number well armed and who long had been trained vp in the wars besides great force of goodly peeces of artillerie all the which preparation he put in a readines to ioine with the English men at their landing who vsed as great diligence in England as they could But it is long before an army can be leuied there bicause the King may attempt no war before he haue assembled his court of Parlament being the same in effect that the three estates in Fraunce which me thinke is a very good and a laudable custome For the King by that meanes is the stronger and the better serued in all enterprises he taketh in hand with the consent of his estates to whom when they are assembled he declareth his intent and desireth aide of his subiects for no subsidie is leuied in England but for inuasion of Fraunce or Scotland or such like enterprises of great charge which then the people grant willingly and liberally especially to passe into Fraunce wherefore the Kings of England
further the King assured by letters as well the Emperor as diuers Princes and townes that so soon as the Emperor with his army should be come to Coulon he would send twenty thousand men to ioin with him vnder the leading of the Lord of Cran and Sallezarde Thus this Dutch army prepared to march being greater than is almost credible 2 for all the Princes of Almaine as well spirituall as temporall all the Bishops townes and commonalties had men there yea so great numbers euery one of them that as I was informed the Bishop of Munster who is none of the richest Bishops had in this army sixe thousand footemen fourteene hundred horsemen and twelue hundred waggons all couered with greene true it is that his Bishoprick lieth neere to Nuz 3 The Emperor was seuen moneths in leuying this army which time expired he came and encamped within halfe a league of the Duke of Burgundy by diuers of whose men I haue beene aduertised that though the King of Englands army and the Dukes had beene ioined both togither yet should they not haue beene the third part of the Emperors neither in men nor in tents and pauilions Besides the Emperors force was also this other army aboue mentioned which lay directly ouer against the Duke on the other side of the riuer and endamaged greatly his campe and cut off much of his victuals When the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire were come before Nuz they sent to the King a Doctor of great authoritie with them called He seuare afterward a Cardinall who came to sollicite the King to performe his promise and send the forces whereof he had assured the Emperor by letters otherwise to tell him that the Almaines would conclude peace The King put him in good hope that he would so do and gaue him a present of fower hundred crownes and sent with him to the Emperor one called Iohn Tiercelin Lord of Brosse notwithstanding the Doctor departed nothing well contented During this siege maruellous practises were entertained The King trauelled to conclude peace with the Duke of Burgundie at the least to prolong the truce to the end the English men should not passe the seas The King of England on the other side labored to the vttermost of his power to perswade the Duke to depart from Nuz and performe his promise by aiding him to make war in Fraunce alleaging that the sommer was far spent And the Lord of Scalles a curteous Knight nephew to the Constable of Fraunce with diuers others was twise sent ambassador to the Duke to sollicite him thereunto but he was obstinate Whereby it manifestly appeered that God had troubled his wits and vnderstanding for all his life time he had labored the English men to passe into Fraunce and now when they were in a readines and all things prepared for the wars as well in Britaine as elsewhere he lay obstinately before a place impregnable With the Emperor was a legate sent from the Pope who rode daily betweene the two camps to treate of peace The King of Denmarke came also thither and trauelled to pacifie this controuersie being lodged in a little towne hard by both the armies so that the Duke might haue departed to the English men with honorable conditions Notwithstanding he would not but excused himselfe to the King of England vpon his honor which he said should be stained if he leuied his siege with diuers such like slender excuses Heere you must note that these were not those English men that in the time of Duke Philip his father had made war so long in this realme but these were yoong soldiers vtterly vnacquainted with our French affaires Wherefore the Duke proceeded very fondly if he meant to vse their helpe for he should the first sommer haue been continually with them leading them from place to place and instructing them what was to be done While the Duke lay thus obstinately before Nuz war arose against him on two or three sides for the Duke of Lorraine who hitherto had been in peace with him sent to defie him before Nuz by the Lord of Crans perswasion who to further the Kings affaires allured the Duke of Lorraine thereunto assuring him that it would turne greatly to his profit Incontinent the said Duke of Lorraine put himselfe into the field and spoiled all the Duchie of Luxembourg and razed a place there called Pierre-forte two leagues from Nancy Further by the Kings procurement and certaine of his seruants a league was made for ten yeeres betweene the Swissers and certaine townes vpon the riuer of Rhene 4 namely Basill Strasbourg and others which before had beene their enimies Peace was also concluded betweene Duke Sigismond of Austrich and the said Swissers the conditions whereof were that Duke Sigismond should take againe the countie of Ferrette 5 which he had engaged to the Duke of Burgundie for a 100000. florens But this one article remained yet in variance betweene Duke Sigismond and them namely that the Swissers required passage through fower townes of the countie of Ferrette 6 at their pleasure which controuersie was referred to the Kings arbitrament who pronounced sentence for the Swissers Heereby you may perceiue what enimies the King stirred vp couertly against the Duke of Burgundie As the matter was concluded so also was it executed for in a faire moone shine night Peter Archambaut 7 gouernor of the countie of Ferrette for the Duke of Burgundie was taken prisoner accompanied with eight hundred soldiers who were all dismissed safe and sound saue himselfe alone whom they led to Basill 8 and there endited of diuers extortions and outrages committed in the said countie of Ferrette and in the end strake off his head Immediately after his death all the countie of Ferrette yeelded to Duke Sigismond and the Swissers began to make war in Burgundie and tooke Blasmond a towne being the Marshals of Burgundie who was of the house of Neuf-chastell and besieged the castell of Hericourt belonging also to the said house of Neuf-chastel whither the Burgundians went to leuie the siege but were discomfited 9 and a great number slaine The said Swissers maruellously endamaged the countrie and then returned home for that time The Notes 1 The citie of Coulon tooke part with the Chapter against the D. of Burgundies Bishop 2 The Emperor had in pay in this armie 80000. men 3 But his Bishoprick is on the other side the riuer of Rhene 4 These townes were Strasbourg Slecstat Basill Colmar c. 5 Ferrette in Dutch Pfirt 6 The townes the Swissers desired passage through were Reinfeld Loufenberg Neustat and Brissac 7 Others call him Peter Hagenbach but the variance ariseth bicause one nameth him by his surname the other by his seigniorie for he was called Peter Archambaut of Hagenbach 8 Others write that he was beheadded at Brisac a towne neere to Basill 9 The Lord of Blasmond led this armie and in this battell the Burgundians lost 2000. men Annal. Burgund How the King wan
from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquoy the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corbie and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederick to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire Chap. 3. ABout this time the truce ended between the King and the Duke to the Kings great griefe who gladly would haue prolonged it but seeing no remedie he went and besieged a little castel called Tronquoy in the yeere 1475. in the very beginning of sommer the pleasantest time of the yeere The castell in short space was taken by assault The next day the K. sent me to parle with them that were within Montdidier who yeelded the place departed with bag baggage Thence I went the third day being accompanied with the Admiral of Fraunce bastard of Bourbon to parle with them that were within Roye who in like maner yeelded the piece bicause they were vtterly in despaire of succors which sure if the Duke had been in the countrie they would not haue done Notwithstanding both these townes were burned contrarie to our promise Thence the King departed and laid his campe before Corbie which abode the siege Goodly approches were made to the towne and the Kings artillerie bet it three daies within it was the Lord of Contay 1 and diuers others who yeelded the place and departed with bag and baggage two daies after this poore town was also sacked and burned as the two former Then the King thought to repaire home with his armie trusting to perswade the Duke of Burgundie to make truce considering the distresse he was in But a certaine Lady whom I know well yet will not name bicause she is still liuing writ him a letter willing him to leade his armie to Arras and into those parts whereunto the King agreed for she was a woman of honor I commend hir not in thus doing for she was in no respect bound to the King The King sent thither the Lord Admirall bastard of Bourbon with a great band of men which burned many townes in those quarters and spoiled all the countrie betweene Abbeuille and Arras whereupon the citizens of Arras who were puffed vp with pride bicause of their long prosperity compelled the garrison of the towne to issue foorth But being too weake to encounter with the Kings forces they were put to flight and pursued so speedily that many of them were slaine and taken togither with all their captaines namely Master Iames of Saint Paule 2 the Constables brother the Lord of Contay the Lord of Carency and diuers others some of the which were neere kinsmen to the Lady hir selfe that caused this enterprise so that she receiued great dammage by the ouerthrow but the King for hir sake repaired all in time The King sent to the Emperor as you haue heard Iohn Tiercelin Lord of Brosse partly to sollicite him not to make peace with the Duke of Burgundy and partly to make his excuse for not sending his forces according to his promise and further to assure him that he would shortly send them and would also continue to spoile and endamage the Dukes dominions as well in the marches of Burgundy 3 as also in Picardy Lastly he made him a new ouuerture which was that they should sweare each to other not to make peace the one without the other and that the Emperor should seaze into his hands all the seigniories that the Duke held and ought to hold of the Empire and proclaime them forfaited to him and he would do the like with all those that were held of the crowne of Fraunce namely Flaunders Artois Burgundy and the rest The Emperor though all his life time he had made small shew of any valor yet was he wise and of great experience bicause of his ancient yeeres Further these practises between vs and him had continued so long that he waxed weary of the wars notwithstanding that they cost him neuer a grote For all the Princes of Almaine lay there vpon their owne charge as their maner is when the war concerneth the state of the empire The Emperor answered the Kings ambassadors after this sort There was somtime neere to a certaine city in Germany a great Beare that much endamaged the countrie three good fellowes of the which city being tauerne haunters came to a tauerne where they were indebted desiring their host yet once more to giue them credit promising him within two daies paiment of the whole debt for they would take this Beare that did so much harme in the countrey whose skin was woorth a great sum of money besides the presents that good folkes would giue them whereunto their host agreed and when they had dined foorth they went toward this beasts caue neere to the which when they approched they met with the Beare vnlooked for and being stricken with sudden feare fled one got vp into a tree the other fled towards the towne but the third the Beare tooke and ouerthrew and foiled vnder hir feete holding hir mussell hard to his eare The poore soule lay flat vpon the ground as though he had been dead Now you shall vnderstand that the nature of a Beare is such that whatsoeuer she holdeth in hir clawes man or beast so soon as she seeth it leaue stirring she foorthwith forsaketh it supposing it to be dead as also this Beare left this poore fellow not doing him any great harme and returned to hir den Then he seeing the danger past arose and went towards the towne But his fellow that stood in the tree hauing beheld all this pageant came downe and ran crying after him to stay and when he had ouertaken him desired him to tell him faithfully what counsell the Beare gaue him in his eare whereto she held hir mussell so long whereunto his fellow answered that she bad him neuer to sell the Beares skin till the Beare were slaine And with this fable paid the Emperor our King not giuing his ambassadors any further answer as though he should haue said come hither according to your promise and let vs take this Duke if we can and then make partition of his goods The Notes 1 This Contay is successor to him mentioned in the wars against the Liegeois 2 This Iames is named in other histories Lord of Richebourg 3 For in the marches of Burgundy the Duke of Bourbon had giuen the Burgundians a great ouerthrow as our author in the next chapter maketh mention How the Constable began to be had in suspicion againe as well of the King as of the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. YOu haue heard how Master Iames of Saint Paule and others were taken prisoners before Arras Their captiuity was to the Constables great greefe for the said Master Iames was a louing and naturall brother to him But this was not the onely misfortune that fell vpon him for at this very instant was also taken the Earle of Roussy his sonne gouernor of Burgundy for the Duke 1 and likewise his wife died which was a
would haue made no such appointment which answer draue the Constable into vtter despaire You haue heard of the English mens great cheere in Amiens but one euening Monseur de Torcy came to the King and told him that so great a number of them were in the towne that it stood in some danger But the King was displeased with his message wherefore euery man forbare to bring him any more such newes The next morrow was one of the daies that represented Childermas day that yeere 1 on the which the King vsed not to debate any matter but accounted it a signe of some great misfortune towards him if any man communed with him of his affaires and would be maruellously displeased with those that were neere about him and acquainted with his humor if they troubled him with any matter whatsoeuer Notwithstanding the same morning I now speake of as he being but newly risen was saying his praiers one brought me word that there were at the least nine thousand English men within the towne which newes I hearing determined to aduertise him thereof Wherefore I entred againe into his closet and said vnto him Sir though this day represent vnto you Childermas day yet necessity inforceth me to informe you of that I heare Then I aduertised him at large of the great number of English men that were within the towne adding that they entred continually all armed and that no man durst refuse them the gate for feare of displeasing them The King was content to heare me speake and foorthwith arose from his praiers saying that he would not obserue the ceremony of Innocents that day and bad me mount on horsebacke to see if I could speake with the English mens captaines to cause them to depart the towne further he commanded me if I met any of his owne captaines to bid them repaire vnto him saying also that he himselfe would come to the gate immediately after me I did as I was commanded and spake to three or fower English captaines with whom I was acquainted aduertising them what I thought good to be done in this case but for one they put foorth of the towne twenty came in The King sent immediately after me the L. of Gié now Marshall of Fraunce to take order for this inconuenience we two entred togither into a tauerne where were spent that morning 111. shots yet was it but nine of the clocke The house was full some sang some slept and some were drunke which when I sawe I perceiued no danger to be of such men and sent word thereof to the King who came incontinent with a goodly traine to the gate and caused two or three hundred soldiers to arme themselues secretly in their captaines houses and placed some also vpon the gate where the English men entred Further he commanded his diner to be brought into the porters lodge where he caused diuers English gentlemen to dine with him The King of England being aduertised of this disorder was ashamed thereof and sent to the King desiring him to giue commandement that no English man should be suffered to enter the towne whereunto the King answered that he would neuer so do but desired him if it so pleased him to send certaine of the yomen of his crowne to keepe the gate and let in such as they should thinke good and so the King of England did whereupon a great number of English men departed the towne by his commandement It was then determined that for perfect conclusion of the peace Commissioners should be appointed on both sides to assigne a place for the enteruiew of the two Kings For our King the L. of Bouchage and I my selfe were named and for the King of England the L. Howard one called Chalenger and a herault After we had ridden vp and downe and viewed all the riuer we agreed in the end the pleasantest safest and most commodious place to be Picquigny a towne three leagues from Amiens with a strong castell belonging to the Vidame of Amiens Notwithstanding that it were once burned by the Duke of Burgundy The towne standeth in a bottom the riuer of Som passeth through it which is deeper there than a mans height but very narrow The country on both sides of the riuer through the which the two Kings should passe was very open and pleasant saue that when the King of England drew neere to the riuer side there was a causey at the least two bowe shot long enuironed with a marsh a very dangerous passage if we had not meant good faith Wherefore without doubt the Englishmen as before I haue said are not so subtill and circumspect in these treaties and assemblies as the French For whatsoeuer men say of them they go bluntly to worke but a man must haue patience with them and giue them no crosse language After the place was assigned we determined to build a strong large bridge ouer the riuer the worke men and stuffe we furnished In the midst of this bridge a woodden grate was made like to a lions cage the space betweene each bar being no greater than that a man with ease might thrust in his arme ouer the head it was boorded to keepe off the raine so brode that ten or twelue might stand couered vnder it on each side ouer the bridge no man could passe for the grate was framed cleane ouerthwart it and vpon the riuer was but one bote with two men in it to ferry ouer such as passed from the one side to the other I will tell you what mooued the King to make this grate in such sort that no man could passe through it bicause it may peraduenture stand some man in stead that shall haue occasion to make the like In King Charles the 7. youth this realme was greeuously plagued by the English men For King Henry the 5. held the siege before Roan and had brought the towne to great extremity the most part of the inhabitants being either subiects to Iohn Duke of Burgundy then liuing or of his faction Betweene the said Duke Iohn of Burgundy and the Duke of Orleans great variance had beene of long time so far foorth that the whole realme or the greatest part was rent into two factions whereby the Kings estate was much weakened for partiality neuer ariseth in any realme but in the end the fire thereof is dangerous and hard to be quenched This variance grew so hot that the Duke of Orleans was slaine at Paris about eleuen yeeres before 2 The Duke of Burgundy led a great army with the which he marched towards Normandy minding to leuy the siege before Roan 3 but to the end he might be the stronger and the better assured of the King it was agreed that the King and he should meet at Montereau faut Yonne where a bridge was made and a grate ouerthwart it with a little wicket in the middest boulted on both sides so that a man might passe through with consent of both parties The King 4
suum seque ipsos planè seruassent Siquidem statim post Caroli interitum ambo apud Gandauum accepêre talionem 6 The Constable died the 19. of December 1475. Annal. Franc. Gaguin Meyer in whom read the causes of his death fol. 368. A discourse of the fault the Duke of Burgundie committed in deliuering the Constable to the King contrarie to his safe conduct and what ensued thereof Chap. 13. THis deliuerie of the Constable was maruellous strange notwithstanding I speake it not to excuse his faults neither to accuse the Duke for sure he had iust cause to seeke his death But me thinke that he being so great a Prince and of so noble and honorable an house should not haue giuen him a safe conduct and then arrest him And vndoubtedly it was great crueltie to deliuer him where he was sure to die especially for couetousnes But soone after he had thus dishonored himselfe by this deede he receiued great losses and began to fall to ruine So that if we well consider the workes that God hath done in these our daies and daily doth we shal easily perceiue that he will leaue no fault vnpunished and that these strange punishments are inflicted onely by him bicause they surmount far the works of nature For his punishments are sudden especially vpon those that vse violence and cruelty who can not be meane persons but mighty men either in seniories or authority This house of Burgundy had long florished for by the space of a hundred yeeres or thereabout during the which time raigned fower of this house it was more esteemed than any other house in Christendome For all those that were mightier then it had suffered great afflictions and aduersities but it liued continually in perpetual felicity honor The first great Prince of this house was Philip surnamed the Hardy brother to Charles the fift King of Fraunce who maried the daughter and heire of the Earle of Flaunders being Countesse not onely of that countrey but also of Artois Burgundy 1 Neuers and Rethell The second was Iohn the third was the good Duke Philip who ioined to his house the Duchies of Brabant Luxembourg Lambourg and the Counties of Holland Zeland Hainault and Namur The fourth was this Duke Charles who after his fathers death was one of the richest and most redoubted Princes of Christendome and had in moueables namely iewels plate tapestry bookes and naprie more than three of the greatest Princes in Christendome Of treasure in coine I haue seene greater abundance in other Princes Courts for Duke Philip by the space of many yeeres leuied neither subsidies nor taskes yet notwithstanding at his death he left his sonne aboue three hundred thousand crowns in ready money and in peace with all his neighbors which long indured not notwithstanding I will not impute the whole occasion of the wars to him for others were as busie as he His subiects immediately after his fathers death vpon a small request graunted him very willingly a subsidie euerie countrey apart for the terme of ten yeeres amounting yeerly to the summe of 350000. crownes Burgundy not being comprehended therein Yea and at the time he deliuered the Constable he leuied yeerely ouer and aboue the former summe more then 300000. crownes and had aboue 300000. crownes in coine and all the Constables goods that came to his hands amounted hardly to the value of 80000. crownes for he had but 76000. in coine So that the Duke committed this foule fault for small gaine yet was the punishment thereof great for God raised vp an enimie against him of small force of yoong yeeres and of little experience in all things and caused his seruant whom he then most trusted to become false and traiterous He made also the Duke himselfe to mistrust his owne subiects faithfull seruants Are not these such manifest tokens and preparatiues as God vsed in the old Testament against those whose good fortune and prosperitie he meant to chang into misery and aduersitie Yet he neuer humbled himselfe before God but euen till the hower of death attributed all his good successe to his owne wisedome and prowesse before his death he was mightier than any of his predecessors and more esteemed through the whole world Before the Constables deliuerie he was fallen into a maruellous mistrust or great disdaine of his owne subiects for he had sent into Italie for a thousand men of armes Italians Before Nuz also he had great forces of Italians in his campe for the Earle of Campobache had vnder his charge fower hundred men of armes and better This Earle had no possessions for his maintenance for bicause of the wars the house of Aniou had made in the realme of Naples which house he serued he was banished his countrey and lost all his landes and serued euer since his departure out of Italie in Prouence or Lorraine vnder King Rene of Sicile or Duke Nicholas sonne to Duke Iohn of Calabria After whose death the Duke of Burgundie gaue entertainment to most of his seruants especially all his Italians namely this Earle of Campobache Iames Galeot a valiant honorable and faithfull gentleman and diuers others The said Earle of Campobache when he went into Italie to leuie his men receiued of the Duke of Burgundie 40000. duckets in prest for his companie But as he passed through Lions he fell in acquaintance with a Phisition named Master Simon of Pauy by whom he aduertised the King that if he would grant him certaine demands he would promise him at his returne to deliuer the Duke of Burgundy into his hands the like offer made he also to Monseur de Saint Pray then ambassador in Premont for the King Againe at his returne hauing his men of armes lying in the County of Marle he offered the King that so soone as he should be in campe with his Master he would not faile either to kill him or take him prisoner shewing withall the maner how he would do it which was this The Duke rode often about his campe to viewe it mounted vpon a little nagge and very slenderly accompanied at some such time this Earle said he would assault him and execute his enterprise He made yet also another offer to the King namely if the King and the Duke met togither in battell to turne with his men of armes on the Kings side vnder condition that the King would grant him certaine demands The King detested much the treason of this man and of a noble courage aduertised the Duke of his practises by the Lord of Contay aboue mentioned Notwithstanding the Duke would not credit the message supposing that the King sent him this aduertisement to some other end but loued the Earle all the better Wherefore you may see how God had troubled his wits in that he would giue no credit to those manifest demonstrations the King shewed him Well this Earle of Campobache was not so false and traiterous but Iames Galeot was as true and trusty who liued many
The Duke contrary to their opinion whose aduise he asked determined to meete them at the entrie of the mountaines where they yet lay greatly to his owne disaduantage for he was encamped in a place very wel seated for the battel being fortified on the one side with his artillery and on the other with a lake so that by all presumption they could not haue endomaged him He had sent a hundred archers before him to keepe a strait directly ouer against the mountaine where the Swissers lay and marched forward himselfe and his enimies encountred him the greatest part of his army being yet in the plaine The first rankes of his men thought to retire to ioine with the rest but those that were behinde supposing these to flie began to turne their backs and by little and little the Dukes army retired towards his campe some of them valiantly behauing themselues But to be short whē they drew neere to their campe they neuer stood to defence but fled all 5 So that the Almaines wan the Dukes campe his artillery al his tents and pauilions and his mens also whereof there was great abundance and other riches and treasures infinite 6 for nothing was saued but the men onely Moreouer the Duke lost heere all his goodly iewels notwithstanding in this battell were slaine onely seauen men of armes all the rest fled and himselfe also A man may iustlier say of him that he lost this day honor and reputation than of King Iohn of Fraunce who valiantly defending himselfe was taken prisoner by the English men at the battell of Poictiers This is the first misfortune that euer happened to this Duke for all his other enterprises turned him either to honor or profit But what a deadly wound receiued he this day by following his owne braine and despising good aduise what damage receiued his house heerby in how miserable estate is it yet and shall be we knowe not how long how many men became his enimies and declared themselues against him that the day before spake him faire and temporized with him And for what quarrell began this war forsooth for a lode of sheepes skins taken by the Earle of Romont from a Swisser passing through his countrie Sure if God had not vtterly abandoned the Duke of Burgundie it is not to be thought he would haue put himselfe into so great danger for so small a trifle considering both the offers made him and the men he had to do with by vanquishing whom he could obtaine neither riches nor honor For at that time the Swissers as touching their valor were not esteemed as they be now and their pouertie was so great that a Knight of their countrie who was one of their first ambassadors to the Duke told me that among diuers other reasons he vsed to disswade him from this war this was one that by conquering them he could gaine nothing bicause their countrie was barren and poore and void of all good prisoners so far foorth that he thought verily if all their countrie men were taken they should not be able to pay a raunsome to the value of the spurres and bridle bits in his campe But to returne to the battell the King being immediately aduertised of all that was happened by the sundrie spies and messengers he had abrode in the countrie most of them were strangers reioiced much at these newes and sorrowed onely that so few were slaine Further bicause of these affaires he lay at Lyons to the end he might the sooner be aduertised of all that happened and the better countermine all such enterprises as the Duke had in his head For the King being a wise Prince feared least he should ioine the Swissers to him by force As touching the house of Sauoy the Duke disposed thereof as of his owne the Duke of Milan was in league with him King Rene of Sicilie was fully bent to haue put the countrie of Prouence into his hands So that if his affaires had receiued good successe he should haue held vnder his dominion all that lieth betweene the west and east seas and haue so brideled the subiects of this realme that they could haue stirred no way out of Fraunce but by sea without his permission Sauoy Prouence and Lorraine being vnder his subiection To euerie one of these Princes the King sent ambassadors The one namely the Duches of Sauoy was his sister but friend to the Duke of Burgundie to the vttermost of hir power The other to wit King Rene of Sicilie was his vnkle who hardly gaue his ambassadors audience but referred all matters to the Duke of Burgundie The King sent also to these confederates of Almaine but with great difficultie for bicause the passages were stopped he was forced to send beggers pilgrims and such kinde of men The said confederates gaue him a proud answer that vnlesse he would declare himselfe for them they would make peace with the Duke and ioine with the Burgundians against him which notwithstanding that he greatly feared yet thought he it not time as yet to discouer himselfe the Dukes enimie doubting also least some of his messengers whom he sent about the countrie should be taken and so all his practises discouered The Notes 1 These townes were Basill Strasburg Slecstat Colmar Sunggau and Brisgau 2 He laide his siege before Granson the 12. of February 1476. beginning the yeere at New yeeres tide with 50000. men and 500. peeces of artillery Annal. Burgund 3 Others write but 400. 4 Others write that they would not yeelde vnlesse the Duke would receiue them to his mercie which he did and yet after put them cruelly to death 5 This battell was fought on Saterday the second of Aprill or of March as some say the Swissers at this battell were not aboue 5000. and the most harquebusiers Annal. Burg. 6 All that the Duke lost that day was valued at three millions of crownes Annal. Burgund How after the ouerthrow at Granson the Duke of Milan King Rene of Sicilie the Duches of Sauoy and others departed from their league with the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 2. LEt vs now see how the world changed after the battell and how the courage of the Duke of Burgundy and his confederates altered and withall how wisely the King gouerned his affaires For this shall be a goodly example for yoong Princes that attempt foolish enterprises not considering what may ensue therof and despise the counsell of those whose aduise they ought to vse notwithstanding that themselues be vtterly void of all experience First the Duke himselfe sent the Lord of Contay to the King with a lowly and humble message contrarie both to his accustomed maner and to his nature Marke heere how suddenly he was changed euen in a moment he desired the King faithfully to keepe the truce and excused himselfe for not comming to the meeting appointed at Auxerre promising shortly to meete him there or else where at his pleasure The King receiued the said Contay very honorably assuring
harme to be good seruice to God The spoiles of his campe enriched maruellously these poore Swissers who at the first knew not what treasures were fallen into their hands especially those of the ruder sort one of the goodliest richest pauilions in the world was torne al to peeces There were that sold a number of siluer plates and dishes for two souse a peece supposing them to be pewter The Dukes great diamond being the goodliest iewell in Christendome at the which hung a great orient pearle was taken vp by a Swisser who put it againe into the boxe where it was kept and threw it vnder a cart but after returned to seeke it and sold it to a Priest for a guldon who sent it to the Lords of their countrey of whom he receiued three franks for it They wan also three goodly ballais rubies called the three brethren bicause they were in all points like and another great ballais rubie called La hotte with a goodly stone called the round ball of Flaunders the greatest and fairest stones in the world Other infinite treasures they gained also which since hath taught them to know what is money woorth Further the victories they obtained the account the King made of them euer after and the summes of money he bestowed vpon them haue maruellously enriched them Euery ambassador of theirs that came to him at the beginning of these wars receiued goodly presents of him either in money or plate wherby he asswaged the displeasure they had conceiued against him for not declaring himselfe the Duke of Burgundies enimy for he sent them home well contented with full purses and clothed in silkes and veluets Then began he also to promise them a yeerely pension of 40000. guldons which afterward he truly paied but the second battell was past first Of this pension twenty thousand guldons were for the townes and the other twenty thousand for the gouernors of the townes And I thinke verily I should not lie if I said that betweene the first battell of Granson and the King our Masters death these townes and gouernors of the Swissers receiued out of Fraunce aboue a million of florens When I name townes I meane but these fower Berne Lucerne Friburge and Zurich togither with their cantons situate in the mountaines Swisse also is one of their cantons though but a village Yet haue I seene an ambassador of that village clothed in very simple apparell giue his aduise in euery matter as well as any of the rest The other two cantons are called Soleurre and Vnderwalde The Notes 1. For Prouence was held of the crowne of Fraunce and therefore the King would not suffer his enimie the Duke of Burgundy to possesse it How the Swissers vanquished the Duke of Burgundy in battell neere to the towne of Morat Chap. 3. NOw to returne to the Duke of Burgundie he leuied men on all sides so that within three weeks he had assembled a mighty armie for a great number of his soldiers that fled the day of the battell repaired againe to his campe He lay at Losanna 1 in Sauoy where you my Lord of Vienna assisted him with your counsell in a dangerous sicknes he was fallen into for sorow and griefe of the dishonor he had receiued which so much altered him that I thinke after this battell of Granson his wits were neuer so fresh nor so good as before 2 Of this new army he now leuied I speake vpon the Prince of Tarentes report who made relation thereof to the King in my presence For you shall vnderstand that the said Prince about a yeere before the battell was come to the Duke of Burgundy with a goodly traine in hope to marrie his daughter and heir And notwithstanding that his behauiour apparell and traine shewed him indeed to be a Kings sonne and his father the King of Naples to haue spared no cost in setting him foorth yet did the Duke but dissemble with him and fed at the selfe same time with faire promises the Duches of Sauoye putting her in hope of this marriage for hir sonne Wherefore the Prince of Tarente called Don Frederick of Arragon and his Counsell misliking these delaies sent to the King our Master a herault of armes a wise fellow who humbly besought him to grant the Prince his safe conduct to passe through his realme to the King his father who had sent for him which he easily obtained of the King bicause it seemed to tende to the Duke of Burgundies dishonor and discredit Notwithstanding before the Princes messenger was returned to his Master a great number of these confederated townes were assembled and encamped hard by the Duke of Burgundie The said Prince obeying the King his fathers commandement tooke his leaue of the Duke the night before the second battell was fought for at the first he was present and behaued himselfe like a valiant gentleman Some say my Lord of Vienna that he vsed your aduise heerein for when he was heere with the King I haue heard both him and the Duke of Ascoly commonly called the Earle Iulio and diuers others affirme that you wrote in Italy of the first and second battell and told what should ensue therof long before they were fought At the Princes departure great forces of these confederate townes were incamped as I haue said hard by the Duke of Burgundy and came to giue him battell meaning to leuie the siege he held before Morat 3 a little towne neere to Berne belonging to the Earle of Romont The said townes had in their army as some that were at the battell haue informed me 35000. men whereof fower thousand were horsemen the rest footemen well chosen and well armed that is to say 11000. pikes 10000. halberds and ten thousand harquebusiers Their whole force was not yet assembled and these onely fought the battell neither needed any more helpe The Duke of Lorraine arriued at their campe a little before the battell with a very small traine which his comming turned afterward to his great profit for the Duke of Burgundy helde then all his countrey and a happy turne it was for him that they waxed weary of him in our Court as al those that maintaine a noble man ouerthrowen vsually do notwithstanding he neuer vnderstood thus much The King gaue him a smal summe of money and sent a good troupe of men of armes to conueigh him safe through Lorraine who brought him to the frontiers of Almaine and then returned home This Duke of Lorraine had not onely lost his Duchy of Lorraine the County of Vaudemont and the greatest part of Barrois the rest being withheld from him by the King so that he had nothing left but his subiects also yea his household seruants had voluntarie done homage to the Duke of Burgundy so that his estate seemed almost irrecouerable Notwithstanding God remaineth alwaies iudge to determine such causes at his pleasure After the Duke of Lorraine was passed through Lorraine into Almaine and had iourneied a
Fraunce into Sauoy and that the Duke hir sonne and his little brother togither with the places which the King held should be restored to hir and further that he would helpe to maintaine hir authoritie in Sauoy and she for hir part would forsake all confederacies and enter into league with him All the which hir requests the King granted and immediately sent a man purposely to the said Lord of Chaumont about this enterprise the which was well deuised and executed accordingly For the said Lord of Chaumont went himselfe peaceably through the country with a good band of men to Rouure from whence he led the Duchesse of Sauoy and all hir traine to the next place of the Kings dominions Before the dispatch of the Duchesses last messenger the King was departed from Lyons where he had lien halfe a yeere to ouerthrow couertly the Duke of Burgundies enterprises without breaking the truce But if a man consider well the Dukes estate the King made sharper war vpon him by letting him run himselfe out of breth and priuily stirring vp enimies against him than if he had openly proclaimed war For immediately vpon the proclamation the Duke would haue relinquished his enterprise and then all these mishaps had neuer fallen vpon him The King being departed from Lions continued still his iourney and from Rouuenne went downe the riuer of Loire to Tours where at his arriuall he receiued newes of his sisters liberty whereat he reioiced not a little and sent for hir with all speed to come to him and gaue order for hir charges vpon the way Moreouer when she drew neere he sent a great company of gentlemen to wait vpon hir and went himselfe to receiue hir as far as the gate of Plessis du Parc where at their first meeting with a mery countenaunce he said vnto hir Lady of Burgundy you are hartely welcome Then she knowing by his countenance that he did but sport made him a wise answer saying Sir I am a true French woman and ready to obey you in all you shall command The King led hir to hir chamber where she was very honorably entertained True it is that he desired to send hir home as speedily as might be whereof she was no lesse desirous than he for she was a very wise woman and they were well acquainted the one with the others conditions The whole charge of this matter was committed to me first to prouide money to defray hir in hir returne secondarily to seeke silkes and veluets for hir and lastly to put in writing the articles of their new league and amity Moreouer the King indeuored to disswade hir from the mariage of hir two daughters aboue mentioned but she made hir excuse by the daughters themselues who were obstinate therein which when the King perceiued he yeelded vnto them and in mine opinion they were well bestowed After the Duches had soiourned at Plessis seauen or eight daies the King and she sware thence foorth to be friends each to other and writings touching their amitie were interchangably deliuered betweene them which done the Duches tooke hir leaue of the King who caused hir safely to be conueighed into hir owne countrey and restored vnto hir hir children all the places that were in his hands all hir iewels and all that belonged to hir They were both glad of their departure and liued euer after as brother and sister euen till their death The Notes 1 I suppose yea I assure my self that the Printer hath heere made a great fault and that these three weekes must be read three moneths For the battell of Granson was fought the 2. of March or Aprill and this battell the 22. of Iune which is much more then three weekes and agreeth well with three moneths and so also Annales Burgundiae report the time 2 The French hath Vn Commandeur de Rhodes what this Commandeur is looke in the notes of the 9. Chapter of the 7. booke How the Duke of Burgundie liued as it were solitarilie the space of certaine weekes during the which time the Duke of Lorraine recouered his towne of Nancy Chap. 5. BVt to proceed in this history I must now returne to the Duke of Burgundy who after the battel of Morat which was in the yeer 1476. fled to the frontiers of Burgundy and kept himselfe close in a towne called La Riuiere where he lay more than six weeks with intent to leuy yet another army wherein notwithstanding he proceeded but slowly for he liued as it were solitarily in such sort that all his dooings seemed as you shall heereafter perceiue rather to proceed of obstinacy than any reason For the greefe he had conceiued of the first ouerthrow at Granson so inwardly vexed him that he fell into a dangerous sicknes which so altered his complexion that whereas before his choler and naturall heate was so great that he dranke no wine but Tysan euery morning ordinarily and ate conserue of roses to refresh him now this sorow and greefe had so much weakned his spirits that he was forced to drinke the strongest wine without water that could be gotten And further to reduce the blood to the hart his Phisitions were faine to put burning flaxe into boxing glasses and so to set them on his brest neere to the hart Of this his sicknes my Lord of Vienna you can better write than my selfe bicause all the time thereof you were continually with him to assist him with your aduise caused him also to shaue his beard which before he ware long But in mine opinion after this sicknes his wits were neuer so fresh as before but much weakned and decaied Such are the passions of those that being fallen into great misfortunes seeke not the true remedies especially of proud and disdainfull Princes For in such a case the best and soueraignest remedy is to haue recourse to God to bethinke our selues if we haue in any point offended him to humble our selues before him and to acknowledge our faults for he it is that determineth these causes and to him no man may impute any error The second remedy in such a case is to conferre with some familiar friend to reueale boldly vnto him all our passions and not to be ashamed to vtter our greefe to our deere friend for that easeth and comforteth the minde and by talking thus in counsell with a faithfull friend the spirits recouer their former vertue and strength The third remedy in such a case is to fall to some exercise bodily labor for seeing we are men such pensiuenes greefe can not be passed ouer without great passions either publike or priuate 1 But the Duke tooke the cleane contrary course for he hid himselfe kept himselfe solitary wheras he should haue put to flight al such melancholike austerity Further bicause he was a terrible Prince to his seruants none durst presume to giue him counsell or comfort but suffered him to follow his owne sense fearing if they had gone about to perswade
whom he yeerely entertained with an hundred thousand ducats wherewith this Earle himselfe paied his men of armes besides diuers other great benefits that he had receiued at the Dukes hands And when he first began to conspire his death he was going into Italie with 40000. ducats which as you haue heard he had receiued in prest of the Duke to leuie therewith his men of armes Moreouer the better to execute his traiterous enterprise he practised in two places first with a physition dwelling in Lyons called Master Simon of Pauia afterward with the Kings ambassador in Sauoy as before I haue rehearsed Againe at his returne out of Italie his men of armes lying in certaine small towns in the countie of Marle which is in Lannois he began anew to practise against his Master offering either to deliuer into the Kings hands all the places he held or when the King should be in battell against his Master a priuie token to be between them vpon the sight whereof he would turne with all his companie to the King against the Duke his Master But this last ouerture pleased not the King He offered yet further so soone as his Master should be abrode with his armie either to take him prisoner or to kill him as he went to view the seate of his campe which last enterprise vndoubtedly he would haue executed For the Dukes manner was when he alighted from his horse at the place where he encamped to disarme himselfe all sauing his quirace and to mount vpon a little nagge accompanied onely with eight or ten archers on foote or somtime two or three gentlemen of his chamber in the which estate he vsed to ride about his campe to see if it were well inclosed so that the said Earle might with ten horses easily haue executed his enterprise But the King detesting the continuall treasons of this man against his Master especially this last being attempted in time of truce and further not knowing throughly to what purpose he made these offers determined of a noble courage to discouer them to the Duke of Burgundie and accordingly aduertised him at large of them all by the Lord of Contay so often before named I my selfe being present when he declared them to the said Contay who I am sure like a faithfull seruant reuealed them to his Master But the Duke taking all in euill part said that if it were so the King would neuer haue aduertised him thereof This was long afore he laid his siege before Nancy yet think I that he neuer spake word thereof to the said Earle for he loued him euer after rather better than woorse How the Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with good force of Almains came to the towne of Saint Nicholas during the siege of Nancy and how the King of Portugale who was in Fraunce came to see the D. of Burgundie during the said siege Chap. 7. LEt vs now returne to our principall matter I meane the siege the Duke held before Nancy which he began in the middest of winter with small force euill armed euill paide and the most part sicke The mightiest in his campe practised against him as you haue heard and generally they murmured all and despised all his dooings as in aduersitie commonly it happeneth but none attempted ought against his person or estate saue this Earle of Campobache onely for in his subiects no disloialtie was found While he lay there in this poore estate the Duke of Lorraine treated with the confederated townes before named to leuie men in their territories to fight with the Duke of Burgundie lying before Nancy whereunto all the townes easily agreed but the Duke of Lorraine lacked monie wherefore the King sent ambassadors to the Swissers in his fauor and lent him also 40000. franks towards the paiment of his Almains Further the Lord of Cran who was then the Kings lieutenant in Champaigne lay in Barrois with seuen or eight hundred launces and certaine franke archers led by very expert captaines The Duke of Lorraine by meanes of the Kings fauor and monie drew vnto his seruice great force of Almains as well horsemen as footemen besides the which the townes also furnished a great number of their owne charge Moreouer with the said Duke were many gentlemen of this realme and the Kings armie as I said before lay in Barrois which made no war but waited to see to whether part the victorie would incline The Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with these Almaines aboue mentioned came and lodged at Saint Nicholas two leagues from Nancy The King of Portugale had beene in this realme at that present the space of nine moneths for the King our Master was entred into league with him against the King of Spaine that now is Whereupon the said King of Portugale came into Fraunce hoping that the King would lend him a great armie to inuade Castile by the frontires of Biscay or Nauarre For the said King of Portugale held certaine places in Castile bordering vpon Portugale and certaine also vpon the confines of Fraunce namely the castell of Bourgues and diuers others so that if the King had aided him as once he was purposed it is like his enterprise had taken effect but the King altered his minde and foded him foorth with faire words the space of a yeer or more During the which time his affaires in Castile daily impaired for at his comming into France all the nobles in maner of the realme of Castile tooke part with him but bicause of his long absence by little and little they altered their minds and made peace with King Ferrande and Queene Isabell now raigning The King our Master excused his not aiding him according to his promise by the wars in Lorraine alleaging that he feared that the Duke of Burgundie if he recouered his losses would foorthwith inuade him This poore King of Portugale being a good and a iust Prince 1 resolued to go to the Duke of Burgundie his cosin german 2 to treate of peace betweene the King and him to the end that then the King might aide him for he was ashamed to returne into Castile or Portugale in this estate hauing done no good heere in Fraunce and the rather bicause he had taken this iourney vpon him verie rashly and contrarie to the aduise of the most of his counsell Wherefore he put himselfe vpon the way in the middest of winter to go to the Duke of Burgundy his cosin lying before Nancy where at his arriuall he began to treat with him according to the Kings instructions But perceiuing it an impossibilitie to agree them bicause their demands were contrarie in all points after he had remained there two daies he tooke his leaue of the Duke of Burgundie his cosin and returned to Paris from whence he came The Duke desired him to staie a while and to go to Pont-Ã -musson fower leagues from Nancy to defend that passage for the Duke was already aduertised that the Almains army lay at Saint
some of the which I spake who soone after became his faithfull seruants accordingly These countries were in marruellous feare and astonishment and not without cause for I thinke that in eight daies they could not haue leuied eight men of armes Further in all those quarters were not aboue 1500. soldiers horsemen and footmen which lay towards Namur in Henault were of those that escaped out of the battel where the Duke was slain Their woonted termes and maner of speech were now cleane altered for they spake lowly and humbly which I write not to accuse them as though in times past their words had been more arrogant than became them but the truth is when I was there they thought so well of themselues that they vsed not such reuerent language neither to the King nor of the King as they haue done sithence Wherefore if men were wise they would vse such faire speech in time of prosperitie that in aduersitie they should not neede to change their termes I returned to the Admirall to make report of my negotiation immediately whereupon we were aduertised that the King was at hand for he set foorth soone after vs and commanded letters to be written both in his owne name and diuers of his seruants names to cause certaine to repaire to him by whose meanes he trusted to bring all these seniories vnder his obedience The Notes 1 The pedegree in the end of this worke will shew how all these titles descended to this Lady Margaret A discourse not appertaining to the principall matters of the greatioie the King was in to see himselfe deliuered of so many enimies and of the error he committed touching the reducing of these countries of Burgundy to his obedience Chap. 12. THe King reioiced not a little to see himselfe thus deliuered of all those whom he hated and were his principall enimies of some of the which he had taken the reuenge himselfe namely the Constable of Fraunce the Duke of Nemours and diuers others his brother the Duke of Guyenne was dead whose inheritance was fallen to him In like maner all they of the house of Aniou were dead namely King Rene of Sicilie the Dukes of Calabria Iohn and Nicholas and their cosin the Earle of Maine and afterward of Prouence the Earle of Armignac was slaine at Lestore and all their lands and goods fallen to the King But bicause this house of Burgundie was greater and mightier than the rest and had made sharpe war with the English mens aide vpon his father K. Charles the seuenth thirtie two yeers without truce and had their dominions bordring vpon his and their subiects alwaies desirous to make war vpon him and his realme therefore he reioiced more at their Princes death than at the death of all the rest Further he now fully perswaded himselfe that during his life no man neither within his realme nor in the countries bordering vpon it would once lift vp his finger against him For he was in peace as you haue heard with the English men the which he trauelled to the vttermost of his power to continue But although he were thus void of all feare yet did not God permit him to take the wisest course for the atchieuing of this his enterprise being of so great importance And sure it appeereth both by that God shewed then and hath shewed since that he meant sharply to punish this house of Burgundy as wel in the person of the Prince as of the subiects and of those that liued amongst them For if the King our Master had taken the best course the wars that haue consumed them since had neuer hapned For if he had done as he ought to haue done he should haue sought to ioine to the crowne all those great Seniories whereunto he could pretend no title either by mariage or by courteous dealing with the subiects which thing he might then easily haue accomplished seeing the great feare miserie and distresse these countries were in at that time And if he had thus done he should both haue rid them of many troubles inlarged and enriched his owne realme through long peace which by this meanes had beene easily obtained He might also heereby haue eased his realme diuers waies especially of the charge of men of armes who continually rode vp and down from one corner of the realme to another oftentimes vpon small occasion While the Duke of Burgundy yet liued he eftsoones debated with me what were best to be done if the said Duke hapned to die And then he discoursed maruellous wisely thereof saying that he would trauell to make a mariage betweene the King his sonne now raigning and the Dukes daughter afterward Duches of Austrich which if she refused bicause of the Daulphin his sons yoong age then he would attempt to win hir to mary some yoong Lord of this realme to obtaine thereby hir friendship and hir subiects and recouer without blowes that he claimed to be his in the which minde he continued till eight daies before he vnderstood of the Dukes death But this wise deliberation he began somwhat to alter the selfe same day he receiued newes therof and the very instant that he dispatched the Admirall and me Notwithstanding he discouered not his purpose therein but made promise to diuers of lands and lordships that had been in the Dukes possession How Han Bohain Saint Quintin and Peronne were yeelded to the King and how he sent Master Oliuer his barber to practise with them of Gaunt Chap. 13. THe King being on the way comming after vs receiued good newes from all parts for the castels of Han and Bohain were yeelded vnto him and the citizens of Saint Quintins of their own accord receiued Monseur de Mouy their neighbor into the towne for him Further he assured himselfe of Peronne which VVilliam of Bische held and was put in hope both by vs and others that Monseur de Cordes would reuolt to him Further he had sent his barber called Master Oliuer to Gaunt in a village neere to the which he was borne and had dispatched diuers others into other places being in great hope of them all but the most part of them serued him rather with words then deedes When he drew neer to Peronne I went to meet him and found him in a village whither M. VVilliam of Bische and certain others came presented him the keies of the town wherof he was right glad The King abode there that day and I dined with him after mine accustomed maner for his pleasure was that seuen or eight at the least somtimes more should ordinarily sit at his owne table But after dinner he withdrew himselfe and seemed to be discontented with the small exploit the Admirall and I had done saying that he had sent Master Oliuer his barber to Gaunt to bring that towne to his obedience and Robinet Dodenfort to Saint Omers who was well friended there and those he commended as fit men to receiue the keies of a towne
great harme afterward in the two countries aboue named for they spoiled and burned many goodly villages and faire farms more to the dammage of the inhabitants of Tournay than of any other for the reasons aboue alleaged To be short so long they spoiled that the Flemmings arose and tooke out of prison the Duke of Guelderland whom Duke Charles had held prisoner and made him their captaine and in this estate came before the towne of Tournay where they lay not long but fled in great disorder and lost many of their men and among the rest the Duke of Gueldres who had put himselfe behinde to maintaine the skirmish being euill followed was there slaine as afterward you shall heare more at large Wherefore this honor and good successe that happened to the King and the great losse his enimies receiued proceeded of the said Master Oliuers wisedome and iudgement so that peraduenture a wiser man and a greater personage than he might haue failed to atchieue the like enterprise I haue spoken ynough of the great charge this sage Prince committed to this meane person vnfit to manage so waightie a cause onely adding that it seemed that God had troubled the Kings wits in this behalfe For as I said before if he had not thought this enterprise far easier than indeede it was but had appeased his wrath and laid downe his greedy desire of reuenge vpon this house of Burgundy vndoubtedly he had held at this day all those Seniories vnder his subiection The Notes 1 The King claimed this Lady as his vvarde bicause diuers of hir dominions namely Flaunders Artois c. were held of the crowne of Fraunce besides that he was hir godfather which vvas the cause vvhy he commanded this Oliuer to mooue this request Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the King and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the citie of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras itselfe were yeelded to the King Chap. 15. YOu haue heard how Master VVilliam Bische yeelded Peronne to the King The said Bische was a man of base parentage borne at Molins-Engibers in Niuernois but inriched and greatly aduanced by Duke Charles of Burgundy who made him captaine of Peronne bicause his house called Clery being a strong and goodly castell that the said Bische had purchased was neere vnto it But to proceede after the King had made his entry into the towne certaine ambassadors came to him from the Lady of Burgundy being all the greatest and noblest personages that were able to do hir any seruice which was vnaduisedly done to send so many togither but such was their desolation and feare that they wist not well what to say or do The aboue named ambassadors were these the Chauncellor of Burgundy called Master VVilliam Hugonet a notable wise man who had been in great credit with Duke Charles and was highly adaunced by him The Lord of Himbercourt so often before mentioned in this history was there also who was as wise a gentleman and as able to manage a waighty cause as euer I knew any togither with the Lord of la Vere a great Lord in Zeland and the Lord of Grutuse and diuers others as well noble men as church men and burgesses of good townes The King before he gaue them audience trauelled both generally with them all and apart with euery one of them to draw them to his seruice They all gaue him humble and lowly words as men in great feare Notwithstanding those that had their possessions far from his dominions in such countries as they thought to be out of his reach would not binde themselues to him in any respect vnlesse the mariage betweene his sonne the Daulphin and the said Lady their Mistres tooke effect But the Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt who had liued long in great authority wherein they still desired to continue and had their lands lying neere to the Kings dominions the one in the Duchy of Burgundy the other in Picardy neere to Amiens gaue eare to his offers and promised both to serue him in furthering this mariage and also wholy to become his the mariage being accomplished which course he liked not though it were simply the best but was displeased with them for that they would not then absolutely enter into his seruice Notwithstanding he shewed them no countenance of displeasure bicause he would vse their helpe as he might Moreouer the King hauing now good intelligence with Monseur de Cordes captaine and gouernor of Arras by his counsel and aduise required these ambassadors to cause the said de Cordes to receiue his men into the city of Arras 1 for at that time there were wals and trenches betweene the towne and the city but the towne was then fortified against the city 2 and now contrariwise the citie is fortified against the towne After diuers perswasions vsed to the said ambassadors that this should be the best and readiest way to obtaine peace in shewing such obedience to the King they agreed to his demaund especially the Chauncellor and Himbercourt and sent a letter of discharge to the said de Cordes wherein they aduertised him of their consent to the deliuerie of the citie of Arras Into the which so soone as the King was entred he raised bulworks of earth against the gates of the towne and in diuers other places neere to the towne Further bicause of this discharge Monseur de Cordes and the men of war that were with him departed out of the towne 3 and went whither them listed and serued where them best liked And as touching the said de Cordes he now accounting himselfe discharged of his Mistres seruice by the ambassadors letters aboue mentioned determined to do homage to the King and to enter into his seruice both bicause his house name and armes were on this side the riuer of Somme for he was called Master Philip of Creuecoeur second brother to the Lord of Creuecoeur and also bicause the territories so often aboue mentioned which the house of Burgundie had possessed vpon the said riuer of Somme during the liues of Duke Philip and Duke Charles returned now without all controuersie to the crowne For by the conditions of the treatie of Arras they were giuen to Duke Philip and his heires males onely Wherefore seeing Duke Charles left no issue but his daughter the said Master Philip of Creuecoeur became without all doubt the Kings subiect so that he could commit no fault by entering into the Kings seruice and restoring to him that which he held of him vnlesse he had done homage anew to the Lady of Burgundie Notwithstanding men haue reported and will report diuersly of him for this fact wherefore I leaue the matter to other mens iudgements True it is that he had beene brought vp enriched and aduaunced to great honor by Duke Charles and that his mother for a certaine space was gouernesse of the Lady
of captiuitie apprehended their Senators being to the number of sixe and twenty and put them all or the greatest part to death pretending that they did it bicause the said Senators the day before had commanded one to be beheaded though not without desert yet without authority as they said their commission being determined with the Dukes death by whom they were chosen into that office They slew also diuers honest men of the towne that had beene the Dukes freinds amongst whom were some that when I serued him disswaded him in my presence from destroying a great parte of the towne of Gaunt which he was fullie resolued to haue done Further they constrained their Princes to confirm al their ancient priuileges both those they lost in the time of Duke Philip by the treatie of Gauures those also that Duke Charles tooke from them The said priuileges serued them onely for firebrands of rebellion against their Princes whom aboue all things they desire to see weake and feeble Moreouer during their Princes minoritie and before they begin to gouerne they are maruellous tender ouer them but when they are come to the gouernment they cannot away with them as appeereth by this Ladie whom they loued deerely and much tendered before hir comming to the state Further you shall vnderstand that if after the Dukes death these men of Gaunt had raised no troubles but had sought to defend the countrey they might easily haue put men into Arras and peraduenture into Peronne but they minded onely these domesticall broiles Notwithstanding while the King laie before the towne of Arras certaine ambassadors came to him from the three estates of the said Ladies countries For at Gaunt were certaine deputies for the three estates but they of the towne ordered all at their pleasure bicause they held their Princesse in their hands The King gaue these ambassadors audience who among other things said that they made no ouerture of peace but with consent of their Princesse who was determined in all matters to follow the aduise and counsell of the three estates of hir countrie Further they required the King to end his war in Burgundie and Artois and to appoint a day when they might meete to treate friendly togither of peace and in the meane time that he would cause a surcease of armes The King had now in a maner obtained all he desired and hoped well of the rest For he was certainly informed that most of the men of war in the countrie were dead and slaine and knew well that a great manie others had forsaken the said Ladies seruice especiallie Monseur de Cordes of whom he made great reckoning and not without cause for he could not haue taken by force in long time that which by his intelligence he obtained in few daies as before you haue heard wherefore he made small account of these ambassadors demaunds Further he perceiued these men of Gaunt to be such seditious persons and so inclined to trouble the state of their countrie that his enimies by meanes thereof should not be able to aduise nor giue order how to resist him For of those that were wise and had been in credit with their former Princes none were called to the debating of any matter of state but persecuted and in danger of death especially the Burgundians whom they hated extremely bicause of their great authoritie in times past Moreouer the King who sawe further into these affaires than any man in his realme knew well what affection the citizens of Gaunt had euer borne to their Princes and how much they desired to see them affeebled so that they in their countrie felt no smart thereof Wherefore he thought it best to nourish their domesticall contentions and to set them further by the eares togither which was soone done for these whom he had to do with were but beasts most part of them townes men vnacquainted with those subtill practises wherein he had been trained vp and could vse for his purpose better than any man liuing The King laide hold vpon these words of the ambassadors that their Princesse would do nothing without the consent and aduise of the three estates of their countrie and answered that they were euill informed of hir pleasure and of certaine particular men about hir for he knew very perfectly that she meant to gouerne all hir affaires by the aduise of certaine particular persons who desired nothing lesse than peace and as touching them and their actions he was well assured they should be disaduowed Whereunto the ambassadors being not a little mooued as men vnacquainted with great affaires made a hot answer that they were well assured of that they said and would shew their instructions if neede so required Whereunto answer was made that they should see a letter if it so pleased the King written by parties woorthie of credit wherein the King was aduertised that the said Lady would gouerne hir affaires by fower persons onely Whereunto the others replied that they were sure of the contrarie Then the King commanded a letter to be brought foorth which the Chauncellor of Burgundie and the Lord of Himbercourt deliuered him at their last being with him at Peronne The said letter was written partly with the yoong Ladies owne hand partly by the Dowager of Burgundie Duke Charles his widow and sister to King Edward of England and partly by the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues and the said yoong Ladies neerest kinsman so that it was written with three seuerall hands but signed with the name of the yoong Lady alone for the other twaine set to their hands onely to giue it the greater credit The contents of the letter were to desire the King to giue credit to those things whereof the Chauncellor and Himbercourt should aduertise him And further it was therein signified vnto him that she was resolued to gouerne all hir affaires by fower persons namely the Dowager hir mother in law the Lord of Rauastain the aboue named Chauncellor and Himbercourt by whom onely and none others she humbly besought him to negotiate with hir bicause vpon them she would repose the whole gouernment of hir affaires When these citizens of Gaunt and the other ambassadors had seene this letter it heated them throughly and I warrant you those that negotiated with them failed not to blowe the fire In the end the letter was deliuered them and no other dispatch of importance had they neither passed they greatly of any other for they thought onely vpon their domesticall diuisions and how to make a new world neuer looking further into this busines notwithstanding that the losse of Arras ought to haue greeued them much more than this letter but they were townes men as I said before vnacquainted with these affaires They returned straight to Gaunt where they found their Princesse accompanied with the Duke of Cleues hir neerest kinsman and of hir blood by his mother 1 he was an ancient man brought vp continually in
the Prince of Wales at the battell of Poictiers paied for his raunsome three millions of franks and yeelded to the English men all Aquitaine at the least all that he held in his hands with a number of other cities townes and places yea in a maner the thirde foote of his realme whereby he brought his realme into such pouertie that manie yeeres after they vsed leather monie with a little stud or naile of siluer in the middest thereof And all this gaue he and his sonne King Charles surnamed the VVise for his raunsome And if they would haue giuen nothing yet would not the English men haue put him to death but his greatest paine had beene imprisonment But admit they had put him to death yet had not that pain been so great by the hundred thousandth part as the least paine in hell Why gaue he then all this great raunsome aboue rehearsed destroying his children and subiects but onely bicause he beleeued that which he saw and perceiued well that he could not otherwise be deliuered But peraduenture when he committed the fault for the which this punishment fell vpon him his children and subiects he beleeued not firmely that the offence he made against God and his commandements should be punished Now to conclude there is no Prince or very few that will restore one towne they withhold from their neighbor for the loue of God or to eschew the paines of hell and yet King Iohn gaue all this to deliuer his bodie out of prison I asked a question before who will search out great mens faults who will informe the Iustice of them and who will be the Iustice to punish them Whereunto I now answer that the information shall be the lamentable crie and plaint of their subiects whom they tyrannize and oppresse so many waies without any compassion the sorrowfull lamentation of widowes and orphans whose husbands and fathers they haue wrongfully put to death by meanes whereof their wiues and children haue euer after liued in affliction and miserie and generally the complaints of all those whom they haue persecuted either in their persons or goods These I say shall giue information against them by their great mourning wailing and pitious teares and shall accuse them before the Lord God who will be the iust iudge thereof and peraduenture will not delay the punishment till the world to come but will also punish them in this world which punishment proceedeth of lacke of faith bicause they had not a firme and stedfast beleefe in Gods commandements We must therefore of necessitie confesse that God is forced to shew such tokens and examples to the end both Princes themselues and all the world may beleeue that these punishments fall vpon them for their misbeleefe and sinnes and that God sheweth his mightie power and iustice vpon them bicause none other in this world but he hath power ouer them At the first happily they amend not their liues for Gods scourges be they neuer so great and long But no misfortune falleth vpon a Prince vpon those that gouerne his affaires or vpon those that rule great commonalties but the issue is hurtfull and dangerous to the subiects When I say misfortunes I meane none but such as cause the subiects to smart for to fall from a horse to breake a leg to be punished with a sharpe ague are no misfortunes to a Prince bicause he may be cured of them and peraduenture they may do him good and teach him wit but I call these misfortunes when God is so displeased with a Prince that he will no longer suffer him to raigne but shew his power and iustice vpon him For then first he weakeneth his wits which is a shrewd blowe for all those that haue to do with him he troubleth his house and suffereth it to fall into diuision and disquietnes and the Prince himselfe is so far in Gods disgrace that he flieth the counsell and companie of the wise and aduaunceth none but yoong fooles voide of wit oppressors flatterers and such as soothe him in all his sayings If he take one penie they bid him take two if he threaten a man they bid hang him and after that sort in all other actions Further they giue him counsell in any wise to cause himselfe to be feared and they also behaue themselues cruelly and proudly trusting by this meanes to hold men in awe of them as though authoritie were their inheritance Those whom such Princes by the aduise of these new Counsellors haue banished and displaced hauing serued many yeeres and being well acquainted and friended in their countrie will storme at this vsage and for their sakes their friends and well willers also and peraduenture such iniurie shall be offered them that they shall be forced either to defend themselues or to flie to some Prince their neighbor who perchance is enimy to him that banisheth and chaseth them and so by inward diuision stangers shall enter into the land Is any plague or miserie so great as wars betwixt friends and acquaintance Is any malice so ranke and deadly As touching forren enimies when the subiects are linked togither they may easily make resistance bicause their enimies haue no intelligence nor acquaintance in the realme Thinke you that an vnwise Prince being accompanied with fooles can smell a far off how great a mischiefe diuision among his subiects is or beleeue that it can hurt him or proceedeth of God he eateth and sleepeth no whit the woorse for it he hath neither fewer horses in his stable nor fewerrobes in his wardrobe but many mo companions For he allureth men vnto him by promises and by parting among them the spoiles and offices of those whom he hath banished he giueth also of his owne to win thereby fame and renowme but when he shall least thinke of it God will raise vp an enimie against him whom peraduenture he neuer mistrusted Then will he waxe pensiue and suspect those whom he hath iniuried yea he will feare such as indeede owe him no euill will yet notwithstanding he will not haue his refuge to God in this extremitie but seeke to redresse this inconuenience by force Haue we not seene in our daies examples heerof euen among our next neighbors Haue we not seene the late King of England Edward the fourth of that name heire of the house of Yorke vtterly destroy the house of Lancaster vnder the which both his father and he had liued many yeeres Further the said King Edward hauing done homage to King Henry the 6. being of the house of Lancaster did he not afterward hold him prisoner many yeeres in the tower of London the chiefe citie of the realme where in the end he was put to death Haue we not also seene the Earle of Warwicke principall gouernor of all the said King Edwards affaires after he had put to death all his enimies especially the Duke of Sommerset in the end become deadly enimy to his Master giue his daughter in mariage to the
this mariage was accomplished in August 1477. Introduct de la Marche so that he was eighteen yeeres old and sixe moneths when he was married 3 This is Philip father to the Emperors Charles the fift and Ferdinande he was borne the 23. of Iune 1478. and died the 25. of September 1506. 4 This Margaret is she whom they of Gaunt against hir fathers will betrothed to King Charles the 8. as Commines writeth in this booke cap. 9. The said King Charles neuer accomplished the mariage with hir but being growen to mans estate sent hir home to hir father as Commines writeth lib. 7. cap. 3. Afterward she married the Prince of Castile as is mentioned lib. 8. cap. 17. and lastly Philibert Duke of Sauoy She was borne anno 1480. de la Marche 5 This Frauncis was borne anno 1481. Introduct de la Marche he died a childe and another sonne also as other historiographers report named George 6 Or rather the fift for she was married anno 1477. and died 1482. as our author in the 7. chapter of this booke reporteth She was borne anno 1457. and King Lewis christened hir Meyer Annal. Burgund 7 She died 2. of March an 1482. by reason that through womanly bashfulnes she would not suffer hir thigh vvhich vvas broken vvith the fall from hir horse to be cured but chose rather to die How King Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundie which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him Chap. 4. THe war endured still in Burgundy where the King could not atchieue his enterprise bicause the Prince of Orenge being reuolted from him was made lieutenant of the Burgundians and had some aide of the Almaines for his money but not in fauor of Duke Maximilian for as touching him there neuer came man into the countrey for his seruice at the least during the time I now write of But these Almains were certaine bands of Swissers that serued the Prince of Orenge as aduenturers but not as Maximilians waged soldiers for the Swissers are not friends nor well willers of the house of Austrich other aide this countrey of Burgundy had little notwithstanding inough it might haue had if their paiment had been good And as touching aide no man might better haue giuen it than Duke Sigismunde of Austriche Duke Maximilians vncle 1 whose dominions bordered vpon these countries of Burgundy especially the County of Ferrette which a fewe yeeres before 2 he sould for 100000. gildons to Charles Duke of Burgundy and tooke it afterwards againe without paying backe the money 3 by the which title he yet possesseth it He was a man of small wisdome and little regarding his honor and in such friends men finde small helpe Further he was one of those Princes aboue mentioned that vnderstand nothing of their owne affaires further then it pleaseth their seruants to acquaint them with who are euer plagued for their beastlines in their age as this Duke Sigismunde was For his seruants during these wars made him take part with whom them listed so that for the most part he ioined with the King our Master against his nephew and would haue giuen his inheritance being very large from his owne kindred to a strange house for he neuer had childe notwithstanding that he were twise married But now within these three moneths by the perswasion of another faction of his seruants he hath conueied a present estate of his whole patrimony to the said Maximiliam his nephew King of Romaines reseruing to himself a pension onely amounting to the third part of his reuenues without any further power or authority in the countrey But as I haue heard he hath often repented him thereof and if I haue heard a lie yet it is like inough to be true Such is the end of all Princes that liue like beasts against whom I inueigh thus vehemently bicause of the great office and charge that God hath giuen them in this world Notwithstanding those that are bereft of their wits ought to be free from all reproch but sure those that haue good wits and healthfull bodies and yet employ their time in nothing but folly and idlenes are not to be moaned when any misfortune falleth vpon them as on the other side those that spend their time according to their age somtime in wisdome and councell and somtime in honest ' recreation are greatly to be commended and happie be the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince This war in Burgundie endured long bicause of the Swissers small aide aboue mentioned notwithstanding the Kings force was much too strong for them besides that the Burgundians lacked monie for the which cause the garrisons that were in the strong places turned by intelligence Monseur de Cran the Kings lieutenant there laide the siege before Dolle the chiefe citie of the countie of Burgundie the force within it being so small that he despised it which turned to his losse for they salied foorth and assaulted him on a sudden and tooke part of his artillerie and slue certaine of his men which was a great dishonor to him and put him also into the Kings disgrace who being troubled with this accident determined to send a new gouernor into Burgundie partly bicause of this misfortune and partly bicause of the great pillings and pollings the said de Cran had vsed in the countrie which were in deede too excessiue Notwithstanding before his departure he ouerthrew a band of Almains and Burgundians and tooke prisoner Monseur de Chasteauguion 4 the greatest Lord in Burgundie Other exploit none was done that I haue heard of notwithstanding the report went that the said de Cran behaued himselfe there very valiantly as touching his owne person The King as before I said determined for the reasons aboue alleaged to place a new gouernor in Burgundie not diminishing any whit of the said de Crans profits offices or estates saue onely that he tooke from him all his men of armes except halfe a dosen or a dosen archers left to accompanie him home This Monseur de Cran was a very grosse man and willingly departed to his owne house where he liued at ease The King placed in his roome Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont a valiant wise and diligent gentleman Moreouer he practised to win all the Almaines that made war against him in Burgundie to his seruice not so much to vse their helpe as thereby to conquer the easilier the rest of the countrie The King sent also to the Swissers whom he called the Lords of these Almaine leagues making them many goodly offers for he promised a yeerely pension of 20000. franks 5 to their townes which be fower Berne Lucerne Zurich and I think Fribourg was the fourth Their Cantons also as I suppose receiued part of this pension which be three villages situate in the mountains namely Swisse whereof the whole countrie is named Soleurre and Ondreual other 20000. franks he
promised yeerely to the said Swissers gouernors and to certaine particular men that should further his affaires Moreouer he enrolled himselfe one of their Burgesses desired to be their principall confederate and to haue writings thereof wherein though they made some difficultie at the first bicause the Duke of Sauoy had euer been their chiefe confederate yet in the end they granted him his demaunds and promised to send continually to his seruice 6000. men vnder this condition that their entertainment should be monethly fower gildons and a halfe which band continued in pay till the Kings death 6 A poore Prince had not been able to do this but sure it turned greatly to the Kings profit though in the end I thinke it will be their destruction For now they flowe so with monie especially with gold wherewith before they were vnacquainted that they are readie to fall at variance among themselues otherwise no man should be able to annoy them For their countrie is so poore and so full of mountaines and themselues so good soldiers that few woulde seeke to inuade them After these treaties were ended and all the Almaines in Burgundie woon to the Kings seruice the Burgundians force was cleane broken To be short after diuers new enterprises atchieued by the gouernor the Lord of Chaumont he besieged Rochfort a castell neere to Dolle defended by Master Claude de Vauldray and yeelded by composition Afterward he besieged the towne of Dolle from the siege whereof his predecessor in this office was raised as before you haue heard and tooke it by assault The report was that some of these Almaines lately receiued into the Kings seruice thought to haue entered the towne to defend it but so many franke archers thronged in with them not vnderstanding their treason but onely for desire of gaine that after they were once entred they fell all to the spoile and burned and destroied the towne A few daies after the taking whereof the gouernor besieged Aussonne a very strong town but he had good intelligence within it And before he brought the siege thither he writ to the King desiring that the offices of the towne might be bestowed vpon certaine whom he named which request was foorthwith granted Although I were not present at these actions yet vnderstood I of them both by the reports made thereof to the King and also by the letters written to him the which oftentimes I my selfe perused to make answer therunto by his commandement The force within Aussonne was but small and the captaines had intelligence with the gouernor by meanes whereof within fiue or sixe daies the place was yeelded Thus was all Burgundie conquered saue three or fower castels situate vpon mountaines namely Ieu and certaine others and the towne of Bezanson which is imperiall not subiect to the countie of Burgundie but enuironed therewith and therefore at the commandement of the Prince thereof The gouernor entred into it for the King and came foorth againe they of the towne doing vnto him all such seruices as they were accustomed in times past to do to the Princes of Burgundie Thus was all Burgundie subdued by the gouernors great diligence whereunto the King earnestly pressed him doubting that he would leaue some place vnconquered to the end his helpe might be needed there still and he not be called from thence to serue the King in some other place For Burgundie is a fruitfull countrie whereof he disposed as of his owne so that both the Lord of Cran before named and this gouernor also filled their bags wel there The countrie remained quiet awhile vnder the gouernment of the said Lord of Chaumont notwithstanding certaine places namely Beaune Verdun and others 7 rebelled soone after at the which time I my selfe was there sent thither by the King with the pensioners of his house who neuer had captaine ouer them before but sithence continually The said places aboue rehearsed were soone recouered by the wisedome and conduct of the gouernor and by his enimies lacke of conduct and good order Whereby you may perceiue what difference God of his goodnes hath set betweene man and man for to that part which he meaneth to protect and defend he giueth the wisest men and likewise wisedome to those that are in authoritie to imploy the wisest Further he hath alwaies shewed and doth daily shew himselfe in all things a defender and protector of our Kings not onely of our Master that dead is but of the King likewise now raigning notwithstanding that somtime they taste also of his scourges They that lost againe these townes thus reuolted were force sufficient to haue defended them if they had with speede put themselues into them but through their negligence they gaue the gouernor leisure to leuie men which was great follie for they knew well ynough his estate considering the great fauor all the countrie bare them Wherefore they ought to haue entred with speed into Beaune being a strong towne and of defence as the others were not The selfesame day that the gouernor went to besiege a little beggerly towne called Verdun being well informed of the state thereof these Burgundians entered there minding to put themselues into Beaune They were sixe hundred choise men horsemen and footmen partly Almaines and partly of the countie of Ferrette led by certaine expert gentlemen of Burgundie of the which Simon of Quinchy was one But they spent time at Verdun while they might haue entred into Beaune which the gouernor could neuer haue recouered if they had once been within it But for lack of good counsell they staied a night too long in Verdun where they were besieged and taken by assault Afterward Beaune was also besieged and all that was lost recouered since the which time our enimies were neuer of any force in Burgundie I was at this present in the countrie with the Kings pensioners as you haue heard from whence the King reuoked me bicause of a certaine letter written to him wherein he was aduertised that I forbare to lodge our men of armes in certaine Burgesses houses of Dyion This with another small suspicion conceiued of me caused him suddenly to send me to Florence to which his commandement I obeied as reason was and departed so soone as I had my dispatch The Notes 1 This Sigismund was not vncle to Maximilian as other histories report but cosin germane to his father for Ernestus father to the Emperor Friderick and Fridericus Seinor this Duke Sigismunds father were brethren sonnes to Leopold Duke of Austriche slaine in battell by the Swissers anno 1386. 2 He sold it ann 1469. 3 Others write that the monie was paied to a merchant of Basill to the Duke of Burgundies vse and the paiement signified to the said Duke who would not accept it vnles it were paied at Bezanson 4 This vvas the Prince of Orenges brother vvho came to leuie the siege that Monseur de Cran held before Gy vvhere he had besieged the said Prince of Orenge vvith
him vvere slaine 14. or 15. hundred 5 Before lib. 5. cap. 2. he reporteth these 40000. franks to be florens and so in mine opinion it should be read heere 6 VVhen these Swissers began first to be entertained then were the franck archers cassed which was anno 1480. 7 The old copie raseth Verdun and hath Semur which the Annales of Fraunce call Sennier saying that both this and Verdun also rebelled How Monseur d'Argenton during these wars of the conquest of Burgundie was sent to Florence and how he receiued homage of the Duke of Milan in the Kings name for the Duchie of Genua Chap. 5. MY voiage into Italy was about a quarrell that arose between two great houses very famous in those daies the one the house of Medicis the other the house of Pacis the which Pacis by the supportation of the Pope and Ferrande King of Naples thought to haue slaine Laurence of Medicis al his adherents notwithstanding of him they failed but his brother Iulian they slew in the great church of Florence and with him one called Francis Noly a seruant of this house of Medicis who stepped foorth before the said Iulian to saue him Laurence de Medicis being sore hurt retired into the vestrie of the church the doores whereof are of copper were made by his fathers commandement A seruant whom he deliuered out of prison but two daies before did him good seruice that day and receiued many wounds for him This murther was committed while hie masse was sung for the time agreed vpon for the execution was when the Priest that sung masse began Sanctus But the successe of the enterprise answered not their expectation For supposing all to haue been fully accomplished certaine of them went vp to the pallace minding there to haue slaine all the Lords of the towne being to the number of nine which haue the whole gouernment of the citie and change at euery three moneths end But they that attempted this enterprise were euill followed by their companions by meanes whereof when they came to the top of the palace staires one shut a doore after them whereupon they seeing themselues not past fower or fiue were astonished and wist not what to say which the Lordes of the towne that were aboue and their seruants perceiuing looked out at the windowes and saw all the towne in an vprore and hard Master Iames of Pacis with his companions cry in the midst of the market place before the pallace Liberta Liberta and Popolo Popolo which were words wherby they thought to allure the people to take part with them which notwithstanding the people did not but held themselues quiet Whereupon Master Iames de Pacis and his companions seeing the euill successe of their enterprise fled out of the place as men astonished Which when the Lords and gouernors of the towne being within the pallace perceiued they tooke immediately those fiue or sixe that were come vp euill accompanied and euill followed with intent to haue slaine them and taken the gouernment into their hands and commanded them presently to be hanged at the bars of the pallace windowes the archbishop of Pise 1 being one of them Further the said gouernors perceiuing al the city to take part with them the house of Medicis gaue commandement foorthwith that all found men flying should be staied at the passages and brought backe to the towne at the which instant Master Iames of Pacis was taken and with him one sent thither by Pope Sixtus being a captaine of certaine bands vnder the Earle Hieronimo which Earle was also of the conspiracie The said Pacis with his companions was in like maner immediately hanged at the bars of the pallace windowes the Popes seruant was beheaded and besides these diuers were taken in the towne who were al hanged in this heate of the which Francis de Pacis was one There were as I gesse hanged in all fowerteene great personages besides certaine seruants slaine in the towne A few daies after this vprore I arriued at Florence from the King hauing vsed great diligence after my departure out of Burgundy for I staied no where but two or three daies with the Duchesse of Sauoye the Kings sister who entertained me very honorably From thence I went to Milan where I soiorned also two or three daies and demanded aide of them to succor the Florentines with whom at that time they were in league which my request they willingly graunted both bicause of the Kings demand also for their leagues sake wherefore they sent foorth at that present three hundred men of armes and soone after other bands But to proceede the Pope excommunicated the Florentines immediately after this fact committed and caused foorthwith his owne forces and the King of Naples forces to marche Their army was strong and great and they had in pay a number of good soldiers They besieged first a little forte neere to Senes called the Chastellennie which they tooke with diuers other places so that the Florentines were in great distresse for bicause they had liued long in peace they were vnacquainted with the warres neither vnderstoode the danger they were in Laurence de Medicis their chiefe gouernor in the towne was but yoong and ruled altogither by yoong men yet the whole citie rested vpon his opinion Moreouer they had but few Captaines and their force was very small but the generall of the Popes and King Ferrand of Naples army was the Duke of Vrbin a valiant and wise Prince and a good captaine In their campe were also the Lord Robert of Arimini who since hath been a man of great estimation the Lord Constantine of Pesaro and diuers others that accompanied the King of Naples two sonnes the Duke of Calabria and the Lord Dom Frederic who are al yet aliue besides a great number of other valiant soldiers Thus they tooke all the places that they besieged but not so speedily as we would haue done in Fraunce bicause they vnderstood not what appertained neither to the siege nor defence of a towne so well as we but sure as touching the leading of an army giuing order both for victuals al other things necessary for a campe they passe vs far The fauor the King shewed the Florentines stood them in some stead though not so much as I wished but I had no forces there to aide them with saue onely my traine I staied at Florence and in their dominions about a yeere altogither vpon their charge they vsed me very honorably and till the last day my entertainment rather amended then impaired Then the King called me home and as I passed through Milan I receiued homage for the Duchy of Genua of the Duke of Milan called Iohn Galeas at the least of the Duchesse his mother who did homage to me as the Kings deputie in hir sonnes name From thence I returned to the King our Master who receiued me gratiously and acquainted me with his affaires more than euer
was great wisedome in so simple a man He builded in the place where he liued two Churches and neuer ate since the time he entred into this strait kinde of life either fish flesh egs any kinde of whitmeate or of fat I neuer saw in my time a man of so holy life nor by whose mouth the holy Ghost seemed rather to speake for he neuer had been scholler but was vtterly vnlearned true it is that his Italian toong caused somwhat the greater admiration of him This heremite passed through Naples being honored and receiued as if he had been a great Legate sent from the Sea Apostolike both by the King and by his children with whom he communed of the affaires of the Court as if he had beene a Courtier all the daies of his life From thence he went to Rome where he was visited by al the Cardinals and had audience giuen him thrise of the Pope communing with him alone and sitting each time hard by him in a goodly chaire three or fower howers togither which was great honor to so simple a person His answers were so wise that all men woondered at them so far foorth that our holy Father gaue him leaue to erect a new order called the heremites of Saint Francis From thence he came to the King who honored him as if he had been the Pope himselfe falling downe before him and desiring him to prolong his life whereunto he answered as a wise man should I haue often heard him talke with the King that now is in presence of all the nobilitie of the realme and that within these two moneths and sure he seemed by his words to be inspired with the holy Ghost otherwise he could neuer haue communed of such matters as he did He is yet liuing and may change either to better or woorse wherefore I will speake no further of him Some mocked at this heremites comming whom they called the holy man but they knew not the deepe cogitations of this wise King neither had seene the occasions that mooued him to send for him The King lay in his castle of Plessis accompanied with few besides the archers of his gard and troubled with these suspitions aboue rehearsed Notwithstanding he had giuen good order for this inconuenience for he left none of those whom he suspected either in towne or countrey but made his archers to cause them to depart and to conueigh them away No man debated any matter with him vnlesse it were of some great importance that concerned himselfe he seemed rather a dead corps then a liuing creature for he was leaner then a man would beleeue he appare lled himselfe sumptuously yea more sumptuously then in all his life before for he ware no gowne but of crimsin sattin furred with good marterns he gaue gifts to whom it pleased him without any sute for no man durst mooue any sute to him nor debate any matter with him he punished faults sharpely to the end he might be feared and not lose his authoritie as himselfe tould me he changed officers cassed companies of men of armes diminished pensions or tooke them cleane away and told me but a few daies before his death that he passed away the time in making vndoing of men To be short he caused himselfe to be more spoken of within his realme then euer was any King and all for feare lest men should thinke him dead For as I said few saw him but when they hard of his doings all men stood in feare of him so far foorth that they hardly beleeued him to be sicke Out of the realme he had men in all places as for example in England he had some to feede K. Edward still with hope of his daughters marriage he paied truely both him and his seruants all that was due vnto them Out of Spaine he receiued goodly words and faire promises of perfect freindship and amitie and great presents from all places he made a good horse or a good mule to be bought for him whatsoeuer it cost but this he did not in this realme but in some strange countrey to perswade men that he was in health Dogs he sent for round about into Spaine for a kinde of Spanish greyhound called in French Allans into Britaine for little beagles greyhounds and spaniels which he paied deere for into Valence for little rugged dogs which he made to be bought aboue the owners own price into Sicily he sēt for good mules especially to some officer of the countrey for the which he paied double the value to Naples for horses for diuers strange beasts into diuers countries as into Barbarie for a kind of little lions no greater then litle foxes which he called Adites into Denmarke and Sweden for two kinde of strange beasts one of the which were called Helles 1 being of shape like a Hart and of the greatnes of a buffe with horns short and thicke the other Rengiers 2 being of the bignes and colour of a bucke saue that their hornes be much greater for each of the which two beasts he gaue to the merchants that solde them 4500. guildons But when all these strange things were brought him he made no account of them no very seldome spake with those that brought them To be short he did so many such like strange things that he was more feared now both of his neighbors and subiects than euer before which was his onely desire for to that end did he all this The Notes 1 Gesnerus de Quadrupedibus lib. 1. fol. 1. and Munster in the third booke of his Cosmographie in his treatise of Prussia where this beast is found name this beast in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alces in Dutch Elch Ellend Hellend and Ellent which is not far from the name heere giuen The Moscouites name it Lozzos 2 This beast saith Munster Cosmog lib. 4. is found in Lapponia or Lappenland a countrie in Sweden The Lapponians call it Reen as he writeth in the same place and Gesner also de Quadrup lib. 1. fol. 950. The Romans saith Gesner name it Rangiferus the Germans Rein and Reinen saith Munster Reiner Rainger Renschieron the French men Rangier as he is heere named or Ranglier How the marriage betweene the Daulphin and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward King of England died for sorrow Chap. 9. BVt to returne to the principall matter namely the perfect conclusion of this our historie of King Lewis and of the affaires of all those great Princes that liued in his time we must shew how the treatie of marriage was concluded betweene the King that now is then Daulphin and the daughter of the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to the King of Englands great greefe who then well perceiued the hope to be frustrate which he had conceiued of the marriage betweene his daughter and the said Daulphin now King of Fraunce which he
and the Queene his wife had so greatly desired that they would neuer credit any man that aduertised them to the contrarie were he English man or stranger For the Councell of England had debated this matter with him at the same time that the King conquered that part of Picardie that ioineth to Calice alleaging that after he had subdued that he might easily attempt to take Calice and Guisnes The like was also told him by the ambassadors resident in England for the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche and by the Britons and diuers others but he beleeued no whit of all this which incredulitie turned much to his losse Notwithstanding I suppose it proceeded rather of couetousnes than ignorance for he feared the losse of the fiftie thousand crownes the King paid him besides that he was loth to leaue his ease and pleasures whereunto he was maruellously addicted About the conclusion of this marriage an assembly was held at Halots in Flaunders whereat the Duke of Austriche now King of Romans was present togither with certaine deputies for the three estates of Flaunders Brabant and the other countries belonging to the saide Duke and his children The citizens of Gaunt did many things there contrarie to the Dukes minde for some they banished and some they remooued from about his sonne in the end they told him how great desire they had to see this marriage accomplished therby to obtaine peace forced him to consent therunto The Duke was very yoong and accompanied with few noble men for all the subiects of this house of Burgundie very few excepted I meane of great personages that could haue giuen him counsell or aide in these affaires were as you haue heard either dead or reuolted to the King As touching himselfe he was come thither very slenderly accompanied and now hauing lost his wife being Lady of the countrie he durst not giue them so stout language as before he was accustomed To be short the King being aduertised of all these actions by Monseur de Cordes reioiced much thereat and a day was appointed when this Lady should be brought to Hedin Not long before the conclusion of this marriage to wit in the yeere 1481. the towne of Ayre was yeelded for a summe of monie to Monseur de Cordes by the Lord of Croy of the countrie of Artois who held it for the Duke of Austriche and the Lord of Beures his captaine The towne is very strong situate in the countrie of Artois and the deliuerie thereof increased the Flemmings desire to further this marriage bicause it standeth vpon the very entrance into Flaunders For notwithstanding that they wished the weakening of their Prince yet were they not willing to haue the King so neere a neighbor to their frontiers After these matters aboue mentioned were fully concluded ambassadors came to the King out of Flaunders and Brabant but all depended vpon them of Gaunt both bicause of their force bicause the children were in their hands and for that they were alwaies the ringleaders of all tumults There came also from the King of Romanes for the pacifying of his dominions certaine Knights yoong men like himselfe and of small experience whose names were Master Iohn de Bergues and Master Baudouin de Launoy and certaine Secretaries The King was brought maruellous low with sicknes so that hardly he suffered himselfe to be seene and made great difficultie to sweare the treatie bicause he was loth to come abrode in sight notwithstanding in the end he sware it It was very auantageous for him for in all assemblies that had beene held heeretofore about this marriage he neuer required but the countie of Artois or Burgundie one of the two but now the Lords of Gaunt as he termed them caused them both to be yeelded vnto him togither with the counties of Masconnois Charolois and Auxerrois yea and if it had lien in them to haue put into his hands Hainault and Namur and all the seniories of this house of Burgundie being of the French language they would willingly haue done it thereby to affeeble their Prince The King our Master being a wise Prince vnderstood well that no account was to be made of Flaunders nor the Earle thereof without he had the countrie of Artois which lying betweene the King of Fraunce and the Flemmings is as it were a bridle to them For in the countrie of Artois are leuied very good soldiers to scourge the Flemmings when they play the fooles Wherefore by taking away from the Earle of Flaunders the countrie of Artois he left him the poorest Prince in the world and without all obedience of his subiects saue onely at the pleasure of them of Gaunt After this ambassage was returned home the said Lady was led to Hedin and deliuered into the hands of Monseur de Cordes in the yeere 1483. She was conueied thither by the Lady of Rauastain bastard daughter to Duke Philip of Burgundie and was receiued there by the Duke and Duchesse of Bourbon that now are and by the Lord of Albret and diuers others sent thither by the King who led hir to Amboise where the Daulphin lay If the Duke of Austriche could haue rescued hir before she was passed out of his dominions from them that conueied hir he would willingly haue done it but they of Gaunt had sent hir well accompanied And as touching the said Duke all his subiects began to disobey him so far foorth that a great number tooke part with them of Gaunt bicause they had his sonne in their hands and remooued from him and placed about him such as pleased them and among the rest that were resident at Gaunt was the Lord of Rauastain brother to the Duke of Cleues principall gouernor of the said yoong infant called Duke Philip who is yet liuing and like to be a great Prince if God spare him life Whosoeuer reioiced at this marriage the King of England was highly displeased therewith for he accounted it great reproch and dishonor to be thus deluded and feared both the losse of the pension the King paid him which the English men called Tribute and also that the contempt heereof would stir his subiects to rebellion against him bicause he would giue no eare to good aduice Further he saw the King with great force neere to his dominions for the which causes he conceiued such inward griefe when he heard these newes that soone after he ended his life some say of a catarrhe But whatsoeuer his disease were the report goeth that the sorrow conceiued of this marriage caused the disease whereof he died soone after in the moneth of Aprill anno 1483. It is a foule fault in a Prince to trust more to his owne braine than to the aduice of a great number for it causeth oftentimes both great sorrow and also losse irrecouerable Immediately after King Edvvards death the King our Master was aduertised therof and seemed nothing ioifull of the newes but soone after receiued letters from the D. of
Milan King Iohn of Arragon were all dead a fewe yeeres before him but betweene the death of the said Duches of Austrich of King Edvvard and of him there was no space to speake of In all these Princes there was both good and euill for they were all men but to speake vprightly there were in him many mo vertues ornaments appertaining to the office of a King than in any of the rest I haue seene them in maner all and knew what was in them and therefore I speake not at randon The Notes 1 It was Reims in the French but that vndoubtedly was false the old copie hath Rhine or Rhine others Rins the Italian Ries 2 King Lewis dranke childrens blood to recouer his health Gaguin How King Lewis the 11. caused Charles the Daulphin his sonne to come to him a little before his death and of the commandements and precepts he gaue both him and certaine others Chap. 11. IN this yeere 1483. the King desired to see the Daulphine his sonne whom he had not seene of long time for he kept him close and permitted no man to come to him both bicause of the childes health and also for feare least he should be taken from the place where he remained and vnder colour of him some rebellion arise in the realme For so had certaine noble men in times past by meanes of himselfe made an assembly against King Charles the seuenth his father he being then but eleuen yeeres of age 1 which war was called la Praguerie but it soone ended for it was rather a broile of court than a warre Aboue all things he recommended vnto his said sonne the Daulphine certaine of his seruants and commanded him expressely not to change certaine officers rehearsing to him how after King Charles his fathers death he comming to the State put out of office all the valiant and woorthie knights of this realme that had serued his father in the conquest of Normandy and Guienne in chasing the English men out of Fraunce and restoring the realme to peace and quietnes for himselfe found it both quiet and rich which his hard dealing with the said knights turned greatly to his preiudice for thereof sprang the war called THE WEALE PVBLIKE in this storie aboue mentioned which had almost set him besides his crowne Soone after his communication with the Daulphine his sonne and the accomplishment of this marriage aboue mentioned he fell vpon a monday into the disease whereof he died his sicknes endured til the saturday after being the 30. of August in the yeer 1483. And bicause I was present at his death I minde to speake somwhat thereof When this disease tooke him he lost his speech as before which being recouered he felt his body weaker than euer it was notwithstanding that he were so lowe brought before that he could hardly lift his hand to his mouth and looked so poorely and miserably that it pitied euery mans hart that sawe him he accounted himselfe now as dead Wherefore he sent incontinent for the Lord of Beauieu now Duke of Bourbon his sonne in law commanding him to go to Amboise to the King his son for so he termed him he recommended also vnto him diuers of his seruants and gaue him the whole charge and gouernment of the yoong King and commanded expressely that certaine whom he named should not come neere his sonne alleaging diuers good reasons on that behalfe And if the said Lord of Beauieu had obserued his commandements at the least part of them for some were vnreasonable and not to be obserued I thinke he should thereby haue benefited both the realme and himselfe considering what hath hapned since in Fraunce Soone after he sent also the Chauncellor and all the officers of the law to the said King his sonne and in like maner part of the archers of his guarde and his Captaines and all his haukes and hounds with all that appertained thereunto Further as many as came to visit him he commanded to go to Amboise to the King for so he termed him desiring them to serue him faithfully and by euery one of them he sent him some message or other but especially by Steuen de Vers who brought vp the said yoong King and was the first groome of his chamber and already aduanced to the bailiwicke of Meaux by the King our Master His speech neuer failed him after he recouered it neither were his wits so fresh at any time as then for he purged continually by meanes whereof all fumes voided that troubled his head In all the time of his sicknesse he neuer complained as other men do when they feele paine at the least I my selfe am of that nature and so haue I knowne diuers others and men say that complaining asswageth greefe The Notes 1 Others write that he was 16. yeeres olde this was was anno 1439. and King Lewis was borne anno 1423. so that he was 16. yeeres old when the Praguerie began and so vndoubtedly it should be read heere A comparison betweene the sorrowes and troubles that King Lewis suffered and those he caused diuers others to suffer with a rehearsall of all that he did and all that was done to him till his death Chap. 12. HE discoursed continually of some matter or other and that very grauely and his disease endured from monday till saturday night Wherefore I will now make comparison betweene the troubles and sorrowes he caused others to suffer and those he suffered himselfe before his death bicause I trust they haue caried him into paradise and been part of his purgatorie For notwithstanding that they were not so grieuous neither endured so long as those which he caused diuers others to suffer yet bicause his vocation in this world was higher then theirs by meanes whereof he had neuer beene contraried but so well obeied that he seemed a Prince able to haue gouerned all Europe this little trouble that he endured contrarie to his accostomed nature was to him a great torment He hoped euer in this good heremite that was at Plessis whom he had caused to come to him out of Calabria and continually sent to him saying that if it pleased him he could prolong his life For notwithstanding all these commandements giuen to those whom he sent to the Daulphine his sonne yet came his spirits againe to him in such sort that he was in hope to recouer and if it had so happened he would easily haue disparckled the assembly sent to this new King But bicause of the vaine hope he had in this heremite a Doctor of diuinitie and certaine others thought good to aduertise him that his onely hope must be in the mercie of God and they deuised that Master Iames Cothier his Phisition in whom he had reposed his whole confidence and to whom he gaue monethly ten thousand crownes in hope he would prolong his life should be present when this speech should be vsed to him This was Master Oliuer his barbars deuise to the end he might
wholie thinke vpon his conscience and leaue all his other imaginations conceiued of this holie man and of the said Master Iames his Phisition But euen like as he had aduanced the said Master Oliuer and others too suddenly without any desert to a higher estate than was fit for them euen so they tooke vpon them boldlie to do such a message to so great a Prince otherwise than became them not vsing that reuerence and humilitie that was to be vsed in such a case and such as they would haue vsed whom he had brought vp of long time and lately commanded out of his presence for the suspicions conceiued of them And againe like as vnto two great personages whom he had put to death in his time to wit the Duke of Nemours and the Earle of Saint Paule for one of the which he repented him at his death and for the other not he had sent a sharpe message of death by Commissioners appointed thereunto the which briefly pronounced their sentence vnto them and foorthwith gaue them confessors and but a verie short space to dispose of their consciences euen so the aboue named signified his death vnto him rudely and in fewe words saying Sir it is reason we do our duties hope no more in this holie man nor any other thing for sure you are but dead therefore thinke vpon your conscience for your hower is come and euery one of them said somwhat briefly to him to that effect But he answered I trust God will helpe me and peraduenture I am not so sicke as you suppose What a sharpe corosife was it to him to heare these newes and this cruell sentence for neuer man feared death more than he nor sought so many waies to auoide it as he did Moreouer in all his life time he had giuen commandement to all his seruants as well my selfe as others that when we should see him in danger of death we should onely mooue him to confesse himselfe dispose of his conscience not sounding in his eares this dreadfull word Death knowing that he should not be able patiently to heare that cruel sentence notwithstanding he endured both that and diuers other punishments till the verie hower of death more patiently than euer I sawe any man To his sonne whom he called King he sent many messages and confessed himselfe verie deuoutly and said diuers praiers answerable to the Sacraments he receiued which also he himselfe demanded He spake as hartily as if he had not beene sicke and talked of all matters touching the King his sonnes estate and among other things gaue commandement that the Lord of Cordes should not depart from his sonne by the space of halfe a yeere after his death and further that he should be entreated to attempt nothing against Calice nor elsewhere saying that notwithstanding he had deuised these enterprises for the Kings profit and the benefit of the realme yet were they verie dangerous especially that of Calice for feare of moouing the English men thereby to war Further he willed especially that after his death the realme should rest in peace the space of fiue or sixe yeeres a matter which he would neuer yeeld vnto during his life though verie needfull for notwithstanding that it were great and large yet was it in poore miserable estate especially bicause of the passing to and fro of the men of armes who continually remooued from one countrey to an other He gaue order also that no quarrell should be picked in Britaine but that Duke Francis should be suffered to liue in quiet and not be put in any doubt or feare of warre neither yet any other neighbour bordering vpon the realme to the end the King and the realme might rest in peace till the King were of yeeres to dispose thereof at his owne pleasure Thus you see how vndiscreetly his death was signified to him which I haue rehearsed bicause I began to make a comparison betweene those euils which he had caused diuers of his subiects to suffer and those he himselfe suffered before his death to the end you may perceiue that notwithstanding they were not so greeuous nor so long as I haue said yet were they greeuous to him considering his nature which demanded obedience had been better obeied than any Prince in his time so that one halfe word contrarying his minde was to him a greeuous punishment Fiue or sixe daies before his death he had al men in suspition especially all that were woorthie of credit and authoritie yea he grew iealous of his owne sonne and caused him to be straightly guarded neither did any man see him or speake with him but by his commandement at the length he began to stand in doubt also of his daughter and of his sonne in law now Duke of Bourbon and would needs know what men entred into Plessis with them and in the end brake off an assembly that the Duke of Bourbon his sonne in law held there by his commandement Moreouer at the same time that his said sonne in law and the Earle of Dunois returning from the conuoie of the ambassage that came to Amboise to the marriage of the King his sonne and the Queene entred into the castle of Plessis with a great bande of men the King who caused the gates to be straightly kept being in the gallerie that looketh into the court of the said castle caused one of the captaines of his guard to come to him whom he commanded to feele as he talked with the said noble mens seruants whether they wore any brigandines vnder their cloakes not making shewe as though he came purposely for that intent Heereby you may perceiue if he caused diuers others to liue in feare and suspicion vnder him whether he were paid now with the like himselfe for of whom could he be assured mistrusting his sonne his daughter and his sonne in lawe Wherefore thus much I will say not onely of him but of all other Princes that desire to be feared that they neuer feele the reuenge thereof till their age and then their penance is to feare all men What great greefe thinke you was it to this poore King to be troubled with these passions He had a Phisition called Master Iames Cothier to whom he gaue in fiue moneths 54000. crownes after the rate of 10000. the moneth and 4000. ouer besides the Bishopricke of Amiens for his nephew and other offices and lands for him and his friends The said Phisition vsed him so roughly that a man would not giue his seruant so sharpe language as he gaue the King and yet the King so much feared him that he durst not command him out of his presence for notwithstanding that he complained to diuers of him yet durst he not change him as he did all his other seruants bicause this Phisition once said thus boldly vnto him I know that one day you will commaund me away as you do all your other seruants but you shall not liue eight daies after binding
it with a great oath Which words put the King in such feare that euer after he flattered him and bestowed gifts vpon him which was a maruellous purgatorie to him in this world considering of how many noble men and gentlemen he had been obeied Moreouer he had caused diuers cruell prisons to be made as for example cages being eight foote square and one foote more than a mans height some of iron and some of wood plated with iron both within and without with horrible iron works He that first deuised them was the Bishop of Verdun who incontinent was himselfe put into the first that was made where he remained fowerteene yeeres Many haue cursed him for his deuise and among others my selfe for I lay in one of them vnder the King that now reigneth the space of eight moneths He had also caused certaine Almains to make terrible heauie irons to lay men in among the which there was a fetter to put on their feete very hard to be opened like to a carquan with a waightie chaine and a great iron ball at the end thereof heauy beyong all measure These irons were called the Kings nets Notwithstanding I haue seene diuers gentlemen lie in them as prisoners who came foorth afterward with great honor and were aduanced by him to great estates as for example a sonne of the Lord of Grutuze of Flaunders taken prisoner in the wars whom the King afterward richely maried and made one of his chamber Seneschall of Aniou and gaue him charge of a hundred launces and in like maner the Lord of Piennes and the Lord of Vergy taken prisoners also in the wars who both had charge of men of armes vnder the King and other goodly offices and were of the priuie chamber either to him or his sonne The like happened also to the Lord of Richbourg the Constables brother and to one Roquebertin of the country of Cathelonie being likewise taken prisoners in the wars whom he afterward highly aduanced with diuers others of diuers countries too long to reherse But now to returne to the matter As in his time these diuers and sundrie cruell prisons were deuised euen so he before his death laie in the like yea in a much crueller prison than any of them and was in greater feare than they that stood in feare of him which I account as a great grace towards him and as part of his purgatorie and rehearse it onely to shew that euery man of what estate or condition soeuer he be is punished either secretly or openly especially those that punish others Further the King a little before his death enclosed his castel of Plessis with a grate of iron bars and at the fower corners of the said castell caused fower strong-watch houses of iron to be built The said grate was made directly ouer against the castell wall round about the castell on the outer side of the ditch which was very steepe He caused also to be masoned into the wall a great number of iron speares each of them hauing diuers heads set close togither Moreouer he appointed ten crossebowe men to be continually in the said ditches and to lie in the fower iron houses built in the bottome of the said ditches and gaue them commandement to shoote at euery man that approched neere to the grate before the gate opened He knew well that this fortification was to no purpose against a great force or an armie but that he doubted not his onely feare was that certaine noble men of his realme hauing intelligence in the castell would attempt to enter into it in the night partly by loue and partly by force and take the gouernment vpon them and make him liue as a man bereft of his wits and vnwoorthie to rule The castell gate neuer opened before eight of the clocke in the morning neither was the drawe bridge let downe till that hower and then entred his officers and the captaines of his garde placed the ordinarie warders and appointed archers to the watch both at the gate and within the court as if it had beene a frontire towne straightly kept neither entred any man without the Kings commandement but by the wicket saue the stewards of his house and such like officers that went not to him Is it possible then to hold a King I meane vsing him like a Prince in a straiter prison than he held himselfe The cages wherein he held others were about eight foote square and he being so great a Prince had but a little court in the castell to walke in yea and seldome came he into that for vsually he kept himselfe in the gallerie from whence he neuer stirred but when he went to masse at which time he passed through the chambers and not through the Court. Thinke you that he was not in feare as well as others seeing he locked himselfe in after this sort kept himselfe thus close stood in such feare of his children and neerest kinsmen and changed and remooued his seruants from day to day whom he had brought vp and whose good estate depended wholy vpon him in such sort that he durst trust none of them but bound himselfe in these strange chaines and bands The place I confesse was larger than a common prison so was his estate greater than a common prisoners But a man will say peraduenture that other Princes haue been more suspicious than he whereunto I agree but none sure in our time neither any so wise as he nor that had so good subiects as he had as touching them peraduenture they were cruell tyrants but he neuer punished any without desert All this aboue written I haue rehearsed not so much to publish the suspicions of the King our Master as partly to prooue that the patient enduring of these passions being equall with those he had caused others to endure and of this sicknes being sharpe and troublesome to him and the which he feared greatly before he fell into it is to be accounted as a punishment God gaue him in this world to ease him in the world to come and partly to giue an example to those that shall come after him to haue some more compassion on their people than he had and to be lesse rigorous in punishing than he was Notwithstanding for my part I am not able to accuse him neither saw I euer a better Prince for though himselfe pressed his subiects yet would he suffer none other so to do friend or foe After all these feares sorrowes and suspicions God according to his accustomed goodnes wrought a miracle vpon him healing him both in soule and bodie for he tooke him out of this miserable world being perfect of sense vnderstanding and memorie hauing receiued all his sacraments without all griefe to mans iudgement and talking continually euen within a Pater noster while of his death so that he gaue order for his funerall and named those that should accompanie his bodie to the graue saying euer that he trusted to die
gouernment of his roiall person according to the testament of King Levvis the 11. that the priuy Councell should consist of twelue chosen out of the body of the Nobility by whose aduise all matters should be gouerned and dispatched but all in the Kings name and vnder the signature of his hand Further Iohn Duke of Bourbon was created Constable But by little and little the whole gouernment was deriued to the said Lady of Beauieu bicause the King hir brothers person was in hir hands But Levvis Duke of Orleance being the neerest Prince of the blood royall by the perswasion of those that were about him who gaped for great preferment if the gouernment were committed to his charge and especially by the instigation of the Earle of Dunois named Francis sonne to Iohn commonly called the Bastard of Orleance a man of a subtile spirit and of great enterprise abode still at Paris and entered daily into the councell notwithstanding the decree of the three estates as one that would vnderstand of all that was done there Wherewith the Lady of Beauieu was not a little discontented which when the Prince of Orenge the Marshall of Rieux and the rest of the Barons of Britaine that were at that time fugitiues in Fraunce as heerafter shall be declared vnderstood they came to the said Lady of Beauieu and offered hir and the King their seruice which the Duke of Orleance greatly stomached Further the said Duke sought by all meanes possible to discredit the womanish gouernment of the said Lady but his perswasions little preuailed bicause the Duke himselfe being not as yet fower and twenty yeeres old was vnder the gouernment of his mother and it seemed no reason to commit the managing of the common wealth to him that was vnable to gouerne his owne priuate estate so that the same reason barred him from the gouernment now that excluded his grandfather in times past during the phrensie of King Charles the sixt But this reason satisfied not the Duke nor his friends Wherefore the Lady of Beauieu seeing that the Duke of Orleance remaining in Paris wan daily those that were in authoritie to his side seeking by that meanes to obtaine the regencie of the realme sent by the resolution of the Kings councell certaine to Paris to arrest the body of the said Duke Who being aduertised therof as he was at tenice withdrew himselfe and pretending that he went to his lodging departed in the company of Guyot Pot and Iohn of Louen one of the gentlemen of his chamber whom he greatly fauoured lodged that night at Pontoise The next day he went to Vernueil and from thence to Alençon where he remained a certaine space during the which he practised to draw to his partie the Earle of Angoulesme the Duke of Bourbon and the Lord of Alebret who in the end declared themselues to be his friends and assistants in this enterprise But all these bicause of this their confederacie with him were foorthwith remooued from all their offices and estates and lost al their pensions and their charge of men of armes yet notwithstanding they leuied a great army of the people of their countries and found meanes to win to their side the Duke of Lorraine the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Foix. Vnder the assurance of all the which Princes the D. of Orleance assembled his army at Blois to marche therewith to Orleance but the citizens of the towne perceiuing that their Duke came thither with a purpose to supprise it and to make it the seate of the wars shut their gates vpon him and would not suffer him to enter in Wherefore with an army of fower hundred launces and a great number of footemen he went to Bougencie accompanied with the Earles of Dunois and Foix an with Carqueleuant and other French captaines where they remained a certaine space and thither the King sent to besiege them But bicause they sawe the place not to be of defence and further that the Malcontents of the realme flocked not to them as they supposed they would they made a sudden peace with the King whereby it was agreed that the Duke of Orleance should repaire to the King and so he did and that the Earle of Dunois the contriuer of all this enterprise should depart the realme which also he did and retired himselfe to Ast But this notwithstanding the Duke of Bourbon and the Earle of Angoulesme who had leuied their armies to succor the Duke of Orleance marched toward Bourges whither the King went with a great army accompanied with the Duke of Orleance who was constrained to arme himselfe against his allies and confederates Notwithstanding by the wisedome of the Marshall of Gie and the Lord of Grauille which two had great authoritie in the Court vnder the Lady of Beauieu peace was concluded betweene the King and his nobles wherein the Lord of Albret was also comprehended and thus departed all these armies without any bloodshed and the K. went to Amboise the Duke of Orleance to Orleance and the Earle of Foix and the Cardinall his brother to Nantes to the Duke of Britaine who had married their sister This tumult was called the mad war and hapned in the yeere 1485. 1485. After al this the Earle of Dunois returned from Ast and went to his owne towne of Partenay in Poitou which was then a strong towne with a double ditch and a triple wall Heerof the King being aduertised and withall that he fortified himselfe in the said towne and knowing the said Earle of Dunois to be full of practise and a man of great enterprise he sent to the Duke of Orleans who was at Orleans holding solemne iusts and turneies to come to him to Amboise And after three or fower messengers the last whereof was the Marshall of Gié the Duke of Orleans went to Blois and the next day being twelfe euen in the said yeere 1485. he departed out of Blois early in the morning with his haukes faining that he went to flie in the If you begin the yeere at Newyeeres day it was 1486. field and without any bait rode that night to Fronteraulx whereof his sister was then Abbesse from thence he went to Clisson and from Clisson to Nantes where he was very honorably receiued of the Duke This was the Duke of Orleans second comming into Britaine as by that which followeth heerafter shall more plainly appeere The King being aduertised of his departure determined to besiege the Earle of Dunois in his towne of Partenay and found meanes before any brute was made thereof to drawe to his seruice the Marshall of Rieux and the other Barons of Britaine that were then retired to Chasteaubrian to the Lady of Laual who was Lady thereof bicause the Duke of Britaine by aide of the Duke of Orleans and the Earle of Dunois sought to auenge himselfe of the said Barons for the death of Peter Landois Treasurer of Britaine whereof I will now begin to speake Of the troubles
commodious for the maintenance of the Kings wars and the which notwithstanding that he held it for the King he had manned with his owne tenants and seruants yeelded the place to the Duke of Britaine and sware the townes men to be true to him And further before the fame of his reuolt was spred abrode he went with a great companie to Chasteaubrian which was also held for the King and being receiued into the towne as a friend he placed a garrison of his owne soldiers in it and banished all that refused to returne to the obedience of the Duke From thence he went and laid the siege before Vennes the 25. day of Februarie which was held by If you begin the yeere at Newe-yeeres day heere beginneth 1488. the French vnder the gouernment of Gilbert of Grassay and Philip of Moulins valiant captaines who yeelded the place by composition the third day of March following On the other side the Kings army slept not for Ancenix they tooke by assault and rased the wals towers and houses by the Kings commandement so that one stone was not left vpon another which the King did in spite of the Marshall of Rieux whose the towne was and who was newly reuolted from him as you haue heard Chasteaubrian was also recouered by the Kings forces and the castell rased From thence the Kings army marched to Frougiers being a frontier towne stronge and of good resistance and laid the siege before the place whereupon the Duke of Britaine being stroken with a new feare determined to send the Earle of Dunois in ambassage to the King whereof heereafter you shall heare About this time being the beginning of the yeere 1488. the Lord of Albret who long had been resident in the Court of Spaine came by sea and landed in base Britaine with fower thousand men of war his men went to Rennes but himselfe to Nantes to the Duke of Britaine where at his first comming he demanded to haue the marriage between him and the Lady Anne the Dukes eldest daughter accomplished But the said Lady would not consent thereunto greatly to hir fathers discontentation who knew nothing that she had cast hir phansie vpon the Duke of Orleans by the practise and perswasion of the Earle of Dunois For the which cause the said Earle of Dunois to saue his honor endeuored to withdraw his seale giuen for the accomplishment of the said marriage being in the hands of the Lady Lauall sister to the said Alebert among the seales of all the other Britaine Lords which also in the end very cunningly he brought to passe For he gaue the said Lady to vnderstand that this marriage could neuer be accomplished without the Duke of Britaines seale could be obtained wherunto he as he said had mooued the Duke whose answer was that he would willingly giue his seale prouided that the instrument that he should seale were written word for word by that which the Earle of Dunois had alreadie sealed wherefore if she would cause his writing to be deliuered to him he would make his secretarie to write that which should be presented to the Duke word for word by his and so get the Dukes seale to it The Lady of Lauall supposing that he had ment good faith deliuered him the writing which afterward he neuer restored for presently after as you shall now heare he was sent with certaine lawyers in ambassage to Angiers to the King to vnderstand what the King demanded in the Duchy of Britaine and why he destroied the castels and townes thereof The Duke of Britaine as aboue is mentioned being in great feare when he sawe the Kings army before Fougieres sent the Earle of Dunois with the consent of his nobles in ambassage to Angiers to the K. The said Earle in his iourney thitherward so preached in all places the great commodities that concord and peace bring with them that all mens eies were fixed vpon him When he came to the K. being then eighteene yeeres of age he very eloquently pleaded the cause of the Duke of Britaine and of the other French noble men that were retired to him alleaging that the Duke being worne with yeeres consumed with diseases hauing buried his wife being destitute of issue male his eldest daughter being hardly twelue yeeres of age and his yoonger lesse and lastly being forsaken of his nobilitie for the hatred they bare to Peter Landois and not for any euill desert of his owne began to languish in sorow and griefe for the which cause the noble men of Fraunce that were of kin alied to him being mooued with very naturall affection were retired to him to comfort him in this distresse Among whom none were neerer to him his owne children excepted than the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Orenge the one being his vncles sonne the other his sisters and that these and others his neere kinsemen were yet with him onely to this end adding that the Duke was not to be accused bicause he forbad them not his countries when they came to comfort him in his miseries or they for comming to relieue him in his distresse But quoth he it will be obiected that there are besides these diuers others with him of the nobilitie of Fraunce that haue leuied war against the King but what war Forsooth as the Britaine 's marched with force to leuy the siege of Ploermel being aduertised that they could not so do without a battell with the French the reuerence they bare to the Kings Maiestie was such that willingly they gaue place and forbare to fight and rather suffered their townes to be taken and spoiled than they would encounter with the Kings troupes Further so soone as the D. vnderstood the K. desire to be that the banished Nobles of Britain should return home he foorthwith receiued them into his fauor and restored them to their former estate What offence then said he hath the Duke made What cause of war against him Truly none But on the contrary side many causes of commiseration and many causes why the King should grant the Duke of Britaine peace This was the effect of the speech he was commanded as he said to deliuer to the K. which charge he would not haue taken vpon him but that he knew the D. of Britaine to carie a minde singularly well affected to the Kings Maiestie and the French nobles that were in Britaine to be the Kings deuout seruants subiects and ready to shed their blood for the defence of him and his estate This the Earles speech mooued the King to incline to peace whereof the treatie was already begun when the sudden report of a batel wherof you shal now heare as suddenly brak it off Of the battell of S. Albin wherein the Duke of Orleance was taken prisoner of the treatie of peace betweene the King and the Duke of Britaine and of the said Duke of Britaines death Chap. 5. YOu haue heard of the siege of Fougieres which endured still
said The towne was spoiled by the soldiers bicause Maximilian was behinde with them for certaine moneths paie Saint Omers was also taken at the same time though some refer it to an other time but whensoeuer it was taken this is most certaine that the negligence of the watch was the losse thereof For the enimies being led by George Deberfin made shew at their first comming before the towne as though they would haue scaled it at which time the French soldiers were ready to withstand them vpon the wals being strong and very defensible both by nature and by Arte whereupon the enimies vnder pretence of feare retired into their campe yea and further when the French issued foorth to skirmish with them they euer retired faining the like feare which dissimulation they vsed by the space of eight daies and by this their pollicie caused the French to remit much of their accustomed industry and diligence which when the Burgundians and Almaines perceiued they with great expedition reared ladders against the wals and bulwarks of the town which they easily entered the watch being fast a sleepe and in some place no watch at all Then brake they open the gates slew the French soldiers and the citizens and so became Masters of the towne At the same time was Amiens also attempted by the Burgundians in the night and like to haue been surprised by the like negligence of the watch but Katherine de Liques a woman of a manlike courage awaked the watch out of their dead sleepe by meanes whereof the alarme was sounded and all the towne arose in armes and part went to defend the wals and the rest issued foorth and skirmished and put to flight Maximilians bands who plainly confessed that the diligence and industrie of one woman had wrong the victory out of their hands Of the restitution of the Counties of Roussillon Parpignan to the King of Spaine of the Emperor Fridericks death of the peace between the King of Romaines and the King and of the Duke of Orleans deliuery out of prison Chap. 8. FErdinand King of Arragon desired nothing more than to recouer 1492 out of the Kings hands the counties of Roussillon and Parpignan engaged by him as he said to King Lewis the eleuenth for fiftie thousand crownes But the nobles of Fraunce would not condescend to this restitution bicause the two Counties were a rampier for the realme on that side towards Spaine adding that they were not engaged to King Lewis but absoulutely solde And notwithstanding that the King of Spaine alleaged that King Lewis by his last will and Testament had commanded the said Counties to be restored knowing that they were wrongfully withheld yet his perswasions and allegations little auailed Wherefore he perceiuing that this way no good would be done fell to practise with men of religion hoping by their preaching of conscience to King Charles to win that of him that otherwise he saw no meanes to obtaine Wherefore he corrupted with a great summe of mony Oliuer Maillard or as others write Iohn de Mauleon a frier Franciscane confessor to the Lady of Beauieu the Kings sister who vnder his coule of religion cloking his hypocrisie and couetousnes perswaded hir that except restitution were made of these territories to the King of Spaine the King hir brothers gouerment could not prosper nor please God She being mooued in conscience by this friers perswasions brake this matter to Lewis of Amboise bishop of Alby the Kings schoolmaster who togither with hir so terrified the Kings conscience that he did not onely make restitution of the said territories by the hands of the said bishop whom he sent thither to deliuer them but also freely released to the King of Arragon all the money that King Levvis his father had paid for them with these conditions that the said King of Arragon and his successors should euer after loue and honor the realme of Fraunce that he should make no war against it nor aide with money victuals or councell any of the enimies thereof nor permit them to haue passage through his dominions And thus were these countries restored greatly to the French mens griefe and dammage but in truth the King the rather inclined to restore them bicause hee began already by the perswasion of those that were about him to phansie a voiage into Italie for the recouerie of the realme of Naples which afterward tooke effect though the King both now long after this kept his purpose secret to himselfe and one or two more which voiage I thinke was the principall cause that induced him to restore the foresaid countries thereby to tie the King of Spaine to him that he should not trouble him in his enterprise but he misreckoned himselfe for he was no sooner past the mountaines but the King of Spaine forgot all his kindnes and fell to practise a league with his enimies While these matters passed thus in Fraunce Friderick the Emperor died to The Emperor Frederick died 19. of August 1493. whom his sonne Maximilian succeeded who notwithstanding was neuer crowned neither greatly desired so to be although with a small request he might haue obtaied it The Emperor Maximilian purposing to quiet the state of the Empire troubled by his fathers death seemed more enclined to peace with the King than heertofore he had beene which happened verie fortunately for the Kings affaires for without Maximilian were pacified his voiage into Italie must of force haue staide but both the parties by this meanes inclining to concord the peace was soone concluded the Emperors daughter was restored vnto him and the countie of Artois togither with all the townes he quarrelled And thus the King being in peace with all his neighbours namely with the Emperor and the Kings of England and Spaine and possessing the Duchie of Britaine quietly by his mariage and by that meanes hauing no body to feare began wholie to dispose himselfe to his voiage into Italie whereupon his minde was altogither fixed Further about this verie time the King at the earnest sute and continuall teares of his sister Iane a Ladie of singular pietie and chastitie restored not onely to liberty but also to his fauor and familiaritie Lewis Duke of Orleans husband to the saide Ladie taken prisoner at the battell of Saint Albin in Britaine as before you haue heard whereby as the King deserued great commendations for his clemencie in preseruing his enimie taken in battell and restoring him to his former dignitie and honor so did he also thereby prouide that no discontented subiect at home should trouble his estate in his absence in his voiage to Naples whereunto the historie of Commines now calleth vs which from the death of King Lewis the eleuenth till this present I haue supplied out of other good authors bicause the said Commines being imprisoned or in disgrace almost euer sithence King Lewis his death till the saide voiage of Naples whereat he was present was silent and left nothing
hired a brother of the captains to kill the said Lodouic as he entred into the castel whom the captaine withheld frō executing the fact for the which cause he now saued his life Notwithstanding if he had been giltie of so heinous a crime as a purpose to yeeld the place to the Emperor who might haue laid claim to it both as Emperor Duke of Austrich for that house pretendeth some title thereunto I thinke he would not haue pardoned him for it would haue made a great alteration in Italie and the whole estate of Milain would haue reuolted in one day For when they liued vnder the Emperors euerie household paid but halfe a ducat for tribute but now they are cruelly and tyrannouslie gouerned both the Spiritualtie Nobilitie and Commons The Lord Lodouic seeing himselfe seized of the castell and all the force of the countrie at his commandement determined to attempt further for he that possesseth Milan possesseth the whole estate both bicause the chiefe of the countrie be resident there and also bicause those that haue the charge and gouernment of the other places be all Milanois borne Sure for the quantitie of this Duchie I neuer saw a pleasanter nor plentifuller peece of ground For if the Prince would content himselfe with the yeerely reuenues of fiue hundred thousand ducats his subiects should be but too rich and the Prince liue in suretie but he leuieth yeerely sixe hundred and fiftie thousand or seuen hundred thousand which is great tyrannie and therefore the people desire nothing more than change of their Prince Which the L. Lodouic considering togither with the other reasons aboue rehearsed and being already married to the Duke of Ferraraes daughter by whom he had many children determined to accomplish his intent and endeuored to win friends not onely in the said Duchie but also abrode in Italie Wherefore first he entred into league with the Venetians for the preseruation of their estate whereunto he was great friend to his father in lawes preiudice from whom the said Venetians not long before had taken a little territorie called the Polesan enuironed with water and maruellously abounding with all kinde of wealth This country being distant but halfe a league from Ferrara the Venetians possesse yet at this day There are in it two prety townes which I haue been in my selfe the one named Rouigue the other Labadie The Duke of Ferrara lost it in the war that himselfe first mooued against the Venetians for notwithstanding that before the end of those wars Alphonse Duke of Calabria his father King Ferrande yet liuing the Lord Lodouic with the force of Milan the Florentines the Pope and the towne of Bolonia came to his aide by meanes whereof the Venetians were brought altogither vnder foote or at the least to great extremitie being vtterly vnfurnished of monie and hauing lost diuers places yet the said Lodouic concluded a treatie to their honor and profit for euery man was restored to his owne saue the poore Duke of Ferrara who was forced to leaue vnto them the Polesan which they yet hold notwithstanding that he had mooued this war at the request of the Lord Lodouic and of King Ferrande whose daughter he had married The report went that Lodouic receiued threescore thousand ducats of the Venetians for making this treatie Whether it were so or no I know not but sure I am that the Duke of Ferrara was once perswaded that it was so for at that time the said Lodouic was not married to his daughter From that day forward amitie euer continued betweene the Venetians and the said Lodouic No seruant nor kinsman of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan sought to impeach and stop the Lord Lodouic from seizing the Duchie into his own hands saue onely the Duchesse his wife who was yoong but a very wise Lady She was daughter to Alfonse Duke of Calabria before mentioned sonne and heire to Ferrande King of Naples In the yeere 1493. the said Lodouic sent to King Charles the 8. now raigning to perswade him to come into Italie to conquer the realme of Naples and to vanquish and subdue those that possessed it for so long as they florished and were of force he durst neuer attempt that which afterward he accomplished At that time the said Ferrande King of Naples and Alphonse his sonne were puissant rich of great experience in the wars and accounted Princes of hautie courages though afterward their actions declared the contrarie The said Lodouic was also a very wise man but maruellous timorous and humble when he stood in feare and void of all faith if the breach thereof might turne to his profit I speake as one that knew him throughly well bicause I haue dealt with him in many matters But to proceede in the yeere 1493. as before I said the Lord Lodouic began to tickle this yoong King Charles being but two and twenty yeeres of age with the ambition and vaineglorie of Italie shewing him what right he had to this goodly realme of Naples which I warrant you he skilfully blazed and painted foorth In all these negotiations he addressed himselfe to Stephan de Vers then newly made Seneschall of Beaucaire and maruellously enriched though not satisfied and to the Generall Brissonet a rich man skilfull in matters of the receit and great friend at that time to the said Seneschall by whose meanes the Lord Lodouic perswaded the said Brissonet to become a priest promising to make him a Cardinall but the Seneschall himselfe he promised to make a Duke And to set all these practises on foote the said Lodouic sent in the same yeere to Paris a goodly ambassage to the King the chiefe whereof was the Earle of Caiazze sonne and heire to the aboue named Robert of Saint Seuerin who found there the Prince of Salerne his cosin for the said Prince was chiefe of the house of Saint Seuerin as I haue alreadie made mention and liued in Fraunce being banished by King Ferrande of Naples as before you haue heard and therfore trauelled earnestly that this voiage to Naples might go forward With the said Earle of Caiazze came also Charles Earle of Belleioyeuse and Master Galeas Viscount of Milan who were both in very good order and well accompanied but openly they vsed salutations onely and generall speeches This was the first great ambassage that came from the Lord Lodouic to the King True it is that he had sent before this one of his Secretaries to negotiate with the King to send his deputie into Italie to receiue homage of his cosin the Duke of Milan for Genua which was granted him against all reason 8 notwithstanding I will not denie but that the King of especiall fauor might assigne one to receiue it of him for when this Duke Galeas was warde to his mother I being then ambassador for King Lewis the 11. receiued his homage in the castell of Milan hauing an expresse commission from the King so to do But Genua was then out of
the Duke of Milans hands and held by Master Baptist de Campefourgouse but at this present the Lord Lodouic had recouered it and gaue to certaine of the Kings chamber eight thousand ducats for the inuesture thereof who by receiuing the monie greatly preiudiced the King For before the graunt of the said inuesture they might haue seized Genua to the Kings owne vse if they had would 9 but seeing they meant to take monie for it they ought to haue demanded more for Duke Galeas paide at one time for it to King Lewis my Master fiftie thousand ducats whereof the King whose soule God pardon gaue me thirtie thousand crownes in reward Notwithstanding they said they receiued these eight thousand ducats with the Kings consent and Stephan de Vers Seneschall of Beaucaire was one of those that tooke the monie happily to entertaine the better the Lord Lodouic for this enterprise which he so much both fauored and furthered After audience giuen openly at Paris to the ambassadors aboue mentioned the Earle of Caiazze had secret communication with the King The said Earle was in great credit at Milan but his brother Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin in greater especially in martiall affaires His Master could now dispose of the estate of Milan as of his owne for the which cause he offered the King great seruices and aide as well of men as mony affirming the enterprise to be of no difficultie This done he and Master Galeas Viscount tooke their leaue and departed leauing behinde them the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse to entertaine the sute who incontinent put himselfe into French apparell and trauelled so earnestly in this busines that many began to like of the enterprise The King sent into Italie to Pope Innocentius to the Venetians and to the Florentines one named Peron of Basche who had been brought vp in the house of Aniou vnder Duke Iohn of Calabria and was maruellously affectioned to this voiage These practises and runnings to and fro continued the space of seuen or eight moneths and those that vnderstood of this enterprise communed among themselues diuersly of it but none thought that the King would go in person into Italie The Notes 1 Antonel of Saint Seuerin Prince of Salerne and Bernardin Prince of Besignan were brethren Guicciar 2 He meaneth by Kings of Fraunce those Kings of the house of Fraunce that had held the realme of Naples to wit the Dukes of Aniou 3 Viscomte in both these places and diuers others is a proper name not a name of honor and signifieth as much as Biscomte that is tvvise Earle bicause the Viscomti were Lords of Angiera and Milan 4 This captaine meant no treason to the children as the others did but consented to this deede bicause he thought the children in more safetie vvith him than vvith their foolish mother 5 The sense in mine opinion were better to read it qu'il luy feroit then qu'il leur feroit that is that he vvould smite off the captaines head if the place vvere not yeelded for they vvithin vvere out of Lodouics povver 6 The French had it in this sense And another vvho said that he had been a messenger betvveene them but vndoubtedly the place is corrupted and to be read as I haue amended it 7 The Duke of Ferrara had married King Ferrandes daughter named Elenor. 8 Duke Galeas ought to haue come into Fraunce to haue done homage to the King in person but bicause Lodouic vvould not let him depart out of his custodie he found means that it should be done to one sent thither by the King as his deputie for that purpose 9 Genua vvas forfeited and vnder colour thereof the Lord Lodouic had recouered it but bicause it vvas held of the King for the Genuois had giuen themselues to Charles the sixt anno 1394. vvho sent thither for gouernor Iohn de Maingre and aftervvard to Charles the seuenth anno 1446. it could be forfeited to none but to the King but by giuing avvay this inuesture he gaue avvay his right How King Charles the eight made peace with the King of Romanes and the Archduke of Austrich restoring to them the Lady Margaret of Flaunders before he made his voiage to Naples Chap. 3. DVring this delaie aboue mentioned peace was treated of at Senlis betweene the King and the Archduke of Austriche heire of the house of Burgundie for notwithstanding that they were in truce yet a breach happened betweene them bicause the King refused the King of Romaines daughter sister to the said Archduke being verie yoong and married the daughter of Frauncis Duke of Britaine to enioie peaceablie thereby the Duchie of Britaine all the which at the time of this treatie he held saue the towne of Renes and the said daughter being within in it the which was gouerned by the Prince of Orenge hir vncle who had made a marriage betweene hir and the King of Romaines 1 and openly solemnised it in the church by a Practor All the which happened in the yeere 1492. To this treatie aboue mentioned came a great ambassage in fauoure of the Duke of Austriche from the Emperor Frederick who offered to be a mediator for the peace the King of Romains sent thither also 2 and so did the Palzgraue and the Swissers to pacifie this controuersie being all of opinion that it would kindle a great fire for the King of Romains seemed aboue all measure to be iniuried hauing at one time hir taken from him whom he accounted his wife and his daughter sent backe to him which many yeeres had beene Queene of Fraunce but in the end the matter was quietly shut vp and peace concluded For all parties were wearie of war especially Duke Philips subiects who had sustained so many troubles partly bicause of wars with this realme and partly through their owne priuate diuisions that they could no more The peace was concluded but for fower yeeres whereunto the King of Romaines agreed to the end he might repose his subiects and receiue againe his daughter whom some that were about the King and the said daughter made difficultie to restore At this treatie I was present my selfe with the rest of the Kings Commissioners being these Peter Duke of Bourbon the Prince of Orenge the Lord of Cordes and diuers other noble personages and promise was there made to restore to the said Duke Philip all that the King held in Artois for so was it agreed when this mariage was treated of in the yeere 1482. that if it were not accomplished all the landes that were giuen with this Ladie in maraige should returne againe with hir or be restored to Duke Philip. But the said Archdukes men had alreadie surprised Arras and Saint Omer so that onely Hedin Aire and Betune remained to be restored the possession and seniorie whereof were presently deliuered them and they put officers into them but the King held still the castels and might place garrisons in them till the fower yeeres were expired which ended at
the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist in the yeere 1498. at which time he was bound to restore them also to the said Archduke and so he promised and sware to do Whether the alteration of these mariages agreed with the lawes of holy Church or no let others iudge for many Doctors of diuinitie said yea and many nay but were these lawfull or vnlawfull sure all these Ladies were vnfortunate in their issue Our Queene had three sonnes successiuely one after another in fower yeeres one of them 3 liued almost three yeeres and then died and the other two be dead also The Lady Margaret of Austriche was afterward married to the Prince of Castile onely sonne to the King and Queene of Castile and heire both of Castile and diuers other realmes The said Prince died the first yeere of his marriage in the yeere of our Lord 1497. leauing his wife great bellied 4 who immediately after hir husbands death fell in trauel before hir time and was deliuered of a dead borne childe which misfortune the King and Queene of Castile and their whole realme lamented a long time The King of Romanes immediately after this change aboue mentioned married the daughter of Galeas Duke of Milan sister to Duke Iohn Galeas before named the which marriage was made by the Lord Lodouics onely procurement but it displeased greatly both the Princes of the Empire and many also of the King of Romanes friends bicause she was not of a house noble ynough in their opinion to match with their Emperor For as touching the Viscounts of whom the Dukes of Milan are descended small nobilitie is in them and lesse yet in the Sforces for the first of that house was Francis Sforce Duke of Milan whose father was a shoomaker 5 dwelling in a little towne called Cotignoles but a very valiant man though not so valiant as his sonne who by meanes of the great fauour the people of Milan bare his wife being bastard daughter to Duke Philip Marie made himselfe Duke and conquered and gouerned the whole countrie not as a tyrant but as a good and iust Prince so that in woorthines and vertue he was comparable to the noblest Princes that liued in his daies Thus much I haue written to shew what followed the change of these marriages neither know I what may yet heerafter ensue further thereof The Notes 1 Annal. Burgund vvrite vvith Philip the King of Romaines sonne but the best vvriters agree vvith our author 2 Maximilian vvas chosen King of Romaines anno 1486. Funccius 3 Of this childes death he vvriteth lib. 8. cap. 13. 4 Of this Princes death he vvriteth at large lib. 8. cap. 17. 5 Francis Sforces father as some write vvas first a cooke in the campe after he became a soldier and lastly for his valor vvas made a captaine and a knight How the King sent to the Venetians to practise with them before he enterprised his voiage to Naples and of the preparation that was made for the said voiage Chap. 4. NOw to returne to the principall matter you haue heard of the Earle of Caiazzes the other ambassadors departure from the King at Paris and of diuers practises entertained in Italy and how the King as yoong as he was greatly affected this voiage notwithstanding that as yet he discouered his meaning but to the Seneschall and generall onely Further he required the Venetians to giue him aide and counsell in this enterprise who answered him that he should be welcome into Italy but that aide him they could not bicause they stood in doubt of the Turke yet were they in peace with him and as touching counsell it should be too great presumption in them to giue counsell to so wise a Prince hauing so graue a counsell about him but they promised rather to helpe him than hinder him This they tooke to be a wise answer and so was it I confesse But notwithstanding that they gouerne their affaires more circumspectly than any Prince or commonaltie in the world yet God will alwaies haue vs to know that wisedome and forecast of man auaile nought when he is purposed to strike the stroke For he disposed of this enterprise far otherwise than they imagined for they thought not that the King would haue come in person into Italy neither stoode they in any feare of the Turke notwithstanding their forged excuse for the Turke then raigning was a man of no valor 1 but they hoped by this meanes to be reuenged of the house of Arragon which they hated extremely both the father and the sonne bicause by their perswasion as they said the Turke came to Scutary 2 I meane the father of this Turke called Mahumet Ottoman who tooke Constantinople and greatly endammaged the said Venetians But apart to Alphonse D. of Calabria they had many other quarrels for they charged him first as the onely author of the war the D. of Ferrara mooued against them wherin they consumed such infinit treasure that it had well neere cleane vndone them of the which war a word or two hath been spoken before Secondarily that he had sent a man purposely to Venice to poison their cesterns at the least as many as might be come vnto for diuers of them be enclosed and locked They vse there none other water for they are inuironed with the sea and sure that water is very good 3 as my selfe can witnes for twice I haue been at Venice and in my last voiage dranke of it eight moneths togither But the chiefe cause of their hatred against this house of Arragon was none of these aboue rehersed but for that the said house kept them frō growing great as well in Italy as Greece on both the which countries they had their eies fixed notwithstanding they had lately conquered the I le of Cyprus vpon no title in the world 4 For all these considerations the Venetians thought it their profit that war should arise betweene the King and the house of Arragon but they supposed that it could not haue ended so soon as it did that it shuld but weaken their enimies not vtterly destroy them and further that if the woorst fell either the one partie or the other to haue their helpe would giue them certaine townes in Pouille lying vpon their sea coast as also in the end it hapned but they had well neere misreckoned themselues Lastly as touching the calling of the King into Italy they thought it could not be laid to their charge seeing they had giuen him neither counsell nor aide as appeered by their answer to Peron of Basche In the yeere 1494. the King went to Lyons to attend to his affaires but no man 1494. thought he would passe the mountaines Thither came to him the aboue named Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin brother to the Earle of Caiazze with a goodly traine sent from the Lord Lodouic whose lieutenant and principall seruant he was He brought with him a great number of braue horses and armours to run in
and ran himselfe and that very well for he was a yoong and a gallant knight The King entertained him very honorably feasted him sumptuously and gaue him his order This done he returned into Italy But the Earle of Belleioyeuse remained still with the King to hasten the voiage At Genua they began to arme a great nauie whither the King sent the Lord of Vrfé Master of his horse with diuers others In the end he remooued to Vienna in Daulphine about the beginning of August in the same yeere whither the nobles of Genua resorted daily to him wherefore to Genua he sent Lewis Duke of Orleans now King of this realme a yoong gentleman of goodly personage but much giuen to his pleasures of whom in this history ample mention shal be made It was then thought that the said Duke of Orleans should haue led this armie by sea to land in the realme of Naples by the conduct and direction of the aboue named banished Princes of Salerne Bisignan The whole nauie was fowerteene ships of Genua besides a great number of gallies and galleons and the King was as well obeied there in this case as he should haue been at Paris for Genua was vnder the state of Milan where the Lord Lodouic gouerned all hauing none to gainsay him saue onely the Duchesse his nephewes wife daughter to King Alphonse for about this present his father King Ferrande died But the said Lady preuailed little or nothing both bicause men sawe the King in a readines either to passe into Italy himselfe or to send his forces and also bicause hir husband was a very simple man and disclosed all hir dooings to the Lord Lodouic his vncle who had already caused a messenger to be drowned sent by hir to hir father This nauie did no seruice notwithstanding that the charges thereof amounted to three hūdred thousand franks for all the treasure that the K. could leuy was imploied that way by means whereof he was vnfurnished as before I said both of good counsell of money and of al things necessary for such an enterprise yet God of his meere grace as manifestly he declared gaue it good successe I meane not that the King was not wise of his age but he was but two and twenty yeeres old newly crept out of the shell The two aboue named that gouerned him in all this voiage to wit Stephen de Vers Seneschall of Beaucaire and the generall Brissonnet now Cardinall of Saint Malo were men of meane estate and of no experience whereby so much the more appeered the woonderfull worke of God our enimies on the other side were accounted wise of great experience in the wars rich accompanied with wise men and good captaines and in possession of the realme I meane King Alphonse lately crowned by Pope Alexander a Spaniard borne in the realme of Arragon who had the Florentines ioined with him and great intelligence with the Turke He had also a son bearing armes called Dom Ferrande a courteous yoong gentleman of the age of two or three and twenty yeeres who was welbeloued in the realme and a brother also named Dom Frederic who succeeded the said Ferrande in this our age and was a very wise man and led their army vpon the sea He had been long trained vp on this side the mountaines and of him you had often assured me my Lord of Vienna by your knowledge in Astrologie that he should be King so that he once promised me fower thousand franks of yeerely reuenewes in the said realme when that came to passe which promise was made twenty yeeres before the prophesie tooke effect Now to proceede the King altered his minde 5 through the Duke of Milans earnest sollicitation made both by letters by the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse his ambassador and by the two aboue named Notwithstanding the Generall in the end began to draw backe seeing all men of wisedome and vnderstanding to mislike this voiage for many respects and especially bicause the Kings forces lay abrode in camp in August vnfurnished of monie and all other things necessarie but the Seneschall alone carried the credit from them all so far foorth that the King shewed a countenance of displeasure to the Generall three or fower daies but he soone recouered his fauour againe At this present died one of the Seneschals seruants of the plague as men said for the which cause he durst not repaire to the Kings presence to his great griefe for no man sollicited the voiage but on the contrarie side the D. Duchesse of Bourbon were there laboring all that in them lay to ouerthrow it whereunto also the said Generall encouraged them by means whereof one day the voiage was dashed and another reuiued In the end the King resolued to go and I my selfe mounted on horsebacke with the foremost hoping to passe the mountains the more commodiously with small companie but I receiued a countermand whereby I was aduertised that all was altered againe The selfesame day were borrowed fiftie thousand ducats of a merchant of Milan but the Lord Lodouic deliuered the money vpon assurance made to the said merchant for the repaiment my selfe stood bound for six thousand and others for the rest but this monie was lent without interest The King had borrowed before of the banke of Soly at Genua a hundred thousand franks the interest wherof amounted in fower moneths to 14. thousand franks 6 But some said that the two aboue named had part both in the principall and also in the interest The Notes 1 This Turke was Baiazet the second 2 Scodra in Latin a towne in that part of Dalmatia now called Albania 3 This is rainewater he meaneth 4 VVhy they had no title appeereth by the Pedegree in the end of the worke 5 For he was not minded at the first to haue gone in person 6 That is after the rate of starling money 14. pound in the hundred for fower moneths How King Charles departed from Vienna in Daulphin to conquer the realme of Naples in person and what his nauie vpon the sea did vnder the leading of the Duke of Orleans Chap. 5. TO be short the King departed from Vienna the 23. of August in the yeere 1494. and marched straight towards Ast 1 At Suze Master Galeas of S. Seuerin came to him in poste from whence the King remooued to Thurin where he borrowed all the Duchesse of Sauoyes iewels who was daughter to the late Lorde VVilliam Marques of Montferrat and Duke Charles of Sauoyes widowe the which he engaged for twelue thousand ducats A few daies after he went to Casall to the Marques of Montferrats widow being a wise yoong Lady daughter to the King of Seruia The Turke had conquered hir countrie and the Emperor whose kinswoman she was hauing as I suppose taken hir into his protection had bestowed hir in this house of Montferrat She lent also hir iewels the which were in like maner engaged for twelue thousand ducats Heereby you may perceiue what
so had his father done also but so wisely that they held themselues in maner contented therewith In the second ambassage the said Peter sent to Lions one called Peter Capon with diuers others by whom he excused himselfe as before he had done for not accomplishing the Kings requests saying that King Levvis the eleuenth had commanded the towne of Florence to enter into league with King Ferrande in the time of Duke Iohn of Aniou and to depart from their league with the said Duke wherefore seeing by the Kings commandement they were entred into this league which endured yet certaine yeeres they could not abandon nor forsake the house of Arragon But if the King hapned to come into their countrey they promised to do him great seruices which offer they made bicause they thought as the Venetians did that the King would not come into Italy In both these ambassages there was some one enimy to the said de Medicis especially in the latter this Capon who oftē aduertised vs by what meanes the citie of Florence might be brought to rebell against the said Peter and deliuered also his message in far woorse termes than indeed it was sent and further gaue aduise to banish all the Florentines out of Fraunce and so were they 8 Thus much haue I written to the end you may the better vnderstand that which afterward ensued for the King became mortall enimy to the said Peter and the Seneschall and generall had great intelligence with his enimies in the citie especially with this Capon yea and with two also of the said Peters cosin germaines being both of his owne name The Notes 1 The King came to Ast the 9. of September 1494. Guicciar 2 The King abode at Ast till the 6. of October Annal. Franc. Aquit 3 Alphonse in person leuied men in Abruzzo to haue fought with Duke Aubigny but in an assembly held between him and the Pope at Vicouare the third of Iuly it was agreed that he should passe no further but giue the charge of the armie to his sonne Guicciar 4 This Duke Aubigny was a Scottish man and a Steward and of him the now King of Scots is by his father lineally descended 5 Genua was euer diuided into the factions of Fregosi called here in many places Fourgousi Adorni Dorei and Spinoli 6 The Italians haue Aretio which is a towne betweene Florence and Perouse but Guazzo de Regio which is a little towne neere to Parma 7 That was after the rate of one hundred ducats for euery man of armes for the Italian men of armes haue not their archers as the French and therefore their wages is lesse by the halfe 8 They gaue this counsell to the end the Florentines being barred their trafficke in Fraunce might murmur against Peter of Medicis for what misfortune soeuer happeneth the Prince is alwaies blamed as cause thereof How the King remaining yet in Ast resolued to passe foorth towards Naples at the earnest sute of Lodouic Sforce How Philip de Commines was sent ambassador to Venice of the Duke of Milans death after whose decease the said Lodouic seized vpon the Duchie to the preiudice of a sonne the said D. left behinde him Chap. 6. I Haue told you alreadie what happened vpon the sea at Rapalo Dom Frederike retired to Pisa and Ligorne leauing his footemen behinde him whom he had landed The Florentines waxed maruellous wearie of him for they be and euer haue been better affected to the house of Fraunce than to that of Arragon Our armie that was in Romaine notwithstanding that it were the weaker furthered greatly our affaires for it made Dom Ferrande D. of Calabria by little little to retire which when the K. perceiued he resolued to passe forward being earnestly sollicited therunto by the Lord Lodouic and the others aboue named The said Lodouic at his first meeting with the King spake thus vnto him Sir feare not this enterprise there are in Italie but three mightie estates one of the which taketh part with you which is Milan another mooueth not to wit the Venetians so that you haue onely to do with the force of Naples But diuers of your ancestors haue ouerthrowen vs all three being ioined togither Sir if you will credit me I will helpe to make you greater than euer was Charleman for we will easily chase the Turke out of the Empire of Constantinople hauing subdued the realme of Naples And sure he said true of the Turke that now raigneth 1 if all things had been well ordered on our side Then the King began to gouerne all his affaires by the order and direction of the said Lodouic wherewith certaine of our men I meane some of the Kings chamber and such like were not a little discontented which was great folly for without him we could do nothing and this that they did was onely to flatter the Duke of Orleance who pretended title to the Duchie of Milan 2 But the Generall especially was highly offended therewith for now he thought himselfe a great man and some breach was happened betweene the Seneschall and him for the which cause the L. Lodouic mooued both the K. and the saide Seneschall that the Generall might be sent home which his words caused the saide Generall openly to babble against him and to say that he would deceiue the whole companie but silence would better haue becommed him Notwithstanding as touching him neuer wise man made account of him in matter of estate both bicause he vnderstood not what it meant and also bicause he was light of talke but sure he was well affected to his Master They concluded in the end to send abrode diuers ambassadors and my selfe among the rest was appointed to go to Venice but my dispatch was delaied awhile bicause the King was sicke of the small pocks and in danger of death for an ague was ioined with his disease but it endured not past sixe or seuen daies Then I departed leauing the King in Ast and verily beleeuing that he would passe no further in sixe daies I went to Venice with my mules and carriage for the way was maruellous faire But I departed from the said towne of Ast in great feare doubting the Kings returne home notwithstanding God had otherwise disposed of this enterprise for he went straight to Pauie and passed through Casall where the Marchionesse of Montferrat lay which was a good Lady and great friend to vs but deadly enimie to the Lord Lodouic and he also to hir When the King arriued at Pauie some small ielousie began to arise for they would haue lodged him in the towne and not in the castell but he would not lodge but in the castell and so he did Those that were neere about him haue told me that he was there in some danger Wherefore the selfesame night the watch was r'enforced whereat the Lord Lodouic maruelled greatly so far foorth that he communed thereof with the King demanding if he had conceiued any suspicion of him
To be short their behauiour was such on both sides that their amitie could not long endure but we babbled much more than they not the King himselfe but certaine of his neerest kinsmen 3 In this castell of Pauie was Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan and his wife daughter to King Alphonse in very pitious estate for hir husband being sicke was held in this castell as vnder garde and hir sonne who is yet liuing with a daughter or two The childe was then about fiue yeeres old and him euery man might see but no man might see the Duke for my selfe passed that way three daies before the King and could by no meanes be suffered to come to him Euery body said he was extreme sicke notwithstanding the King spake with him for he was his cosin germane 4 and he hath told me that their communication was onely generall talke bicause he would in no wise offend the Lord Lodouic notwithstanding that he were very desirous to haue aduertised his said cosin of diuers matters At the same time the Duchesse fell vpon hir knees before the said Lodouic desiring him to haue pitie vpon hir father and brother He answered that it could not be But to say the truth she might better haue intreated for hir husband and hir selfe being at that time a goodly yoong Lady From thence the King remooued to Plaisance where the said Lodouic receiued letters that his nephewe the Duke Milan lay at the point of death wherefore he tooke his leaue of the King to go to him The King desired him to returne and so he promised to do Before he came to Pauie the Duke died whereupon he rid incontinent as it were in poste to Milan Al these newes I vnderstood by a letter that the Venetian ambassador resident with the said Lodouic sent to Venice wherein also he aduertised the Seniorie that he meant to make himselfe Duke whichboth the Duke of Venice and the Seniorie vtterly misliked so far foorth that they asked me whether the King would not defend the childe which though reason required that he should yet I made the matter doubtfull considering how necessary an instrument the said Lord Lodouic was at that time for the Kings affaires To be short he made himselfe to be receiued at Milan as Duke which was the onely end as some said why he had caused vs to passe the mountaines Manie also charged him with his nephewes death whose kinsfolkes and friends in Italy were in armes to haue taken the gouernment from him which they would easily haue done had not the Kings comming stopped them For they were already in Romaine as you haue heard But the Earle of Caiazze and the Lord of Aubigny made them to retire For the said Lord of Aubigny had with him a company of a hundred fifty or two hundred men of armes French and a good band of Swissers Dom Ferrande and his forces retired towards their friends dislodging euer halfe a daies iourney before our men and marched towards Furly 5 which belonged to a Lady being a bastard of Milan and widow of the Earle Hieronime nephew to Pope Sixtus 6 This Lady fauored them as the report went notwithstanding after our men had taken by assault a little towne of hirs being first beaten halfe a day with the canon she reuolted to vs being indeed well affected to vs before Further the people of Italy began in all places to take hart and to desire change and alteration for they sawe that which before they had neuer seene I meane the feate of artillerie which they were vnacquainted with which in Fraunce was neuer more practised than at that time The said Dom Ferrande approched still neerer and neerer to his realme and went to Sesenne a faire citie of the Popes in the Marque of Anconne but the people spoiled his carriage stuffe whensoeuer they tooke his men at aduantage And through all Italy they would haue rebelled if the wars had been ordered on our side without spoile but all was done cleane contrary to my great griefe bicause of the honor and renowme the French nation might haue obtained by this voiage For at our first arriuall the people honored vs as saints supposing all faith and vertue to be in vs but their opinion endured not long partly bicause of the disorder and spoile our men vsed and partly bicause of the slanderous reports our enimies made of vs in all places charging vs that we forced women and robbed and carried away money and whatsoeuer we could lay hands on of heinouser crimes they could not haue accused vs in Italy for no nation is so ielous and couetous as the Italian As touching women they belied vs but the rest was not altogither vntrue The Notes 1 He meaneth bicause he vvas a man of no vertue as before is said 2 VVhat right the Duke of Orleans had to it the petegree in the end of the booke will declare 3 He meaneth the Earle of Ligny the King and vvho vvere sisters children 4 King Charles his mother vvas Charlotte and this Dukes mother Bonne both daughters to the Duke of Sauoy 5 It vvas corruptly in the French Sorly for Furly vvhich the old Romaines called Forum liuii 6 Octauian sonne to Hieronime of Riare vvas Lord of Furly and Imola vvith title of Vicar of the Church but he vvas vnder the gouernment of Katherin Sforce his mother heere mentioned Guicciar How Peter of Medices yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the King and how the King restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient liberty Chap. 7. THe King as before you haue heard was at Plaisance where he caused a solemne funerall to be made for his cosin germaine the Duke of Milan for other thing wist he not what to do the new Duke of Milan being departed from him They that best vnderstood the course of these affaires haue told me that the whole cōpany desired to returne home aswel for that they were vnprouided of all things necessarie as also bicause of diuers doubts that were arisen for certaine that at the first seemed to haue great good liking of this voiage began now vtterly to disallow thereof namely the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse who was not with the King but lay sicke at Genua whence he wrote him a letter giuing him therein to vnderstand of diuers doubts and iealousies whereof he was aduertised But as before I haue said in diuers places God manifestly declared that he himselfe gouerned this enterprise For suddenly in the necke of this letter newes came to the King that the Duke of Milan would shortly return and that the Florentines began to fauor vs in hatred of Peter de Medicis who gouerned them as if he had been their Prince to the great discontentation both of many of his owne neere kinsmen and of diuers also the best citizens namely the Capons the Sonderini 1 the Nerly and in maner the whole citie Wherefore the King departed from
with the Florentines for the said Peter was by his mother of the house of Vrsins and both his father and he had euer giuen entertainment to certaine of them but immediately after they heard the people crie Libertie libertie and sawe them come towards his house in armes Whereupon following good aduice by the helpe of Paule Vrsin he departed the towne which was a miserable departure to him for in power and wealth both he and his ancestors since the time of Cosmus de Medicis the first of that house had been in maner equall with great Princes and this day fortune began to frowne vpon him so that he lost both honor and riches At this present my selfe was at Venice and by the ambassador of Florence there resident vnderstood of all these newes which greatly displeased me for I had loued his father well If the said Peter had followed mine aduice all this had neuer happened for immediately after my arriuall at Venice I wrote vnto him offering to make his peace with the King for I had commission by mouth both from the Seneschall of Beaucaire and the Generall so to do and I am well assured the King would haue held himselfe contented with passage through their countrie at the most with Ligorne and that being obtained haue agreed to all the said Peters demaunds But he by the perswasion of the aboue named Peter Capon answered me in maner with scoffes The said ambassador the next day deliuered a letter to the Senate of Venice the contents whereof were that the said Peter was banished the towne bicause he sought to make himselfe Lord thereof by aide of the house of Arragon and the Vrsins and diuers other matters they charged him with that were vntrue But such be the chaunces and changes of this world that he that is in aduersitie hath not onely his enimies to pursue him but his friends also become his foes as appeered by this ambassador named Paule Anthony Sonderin one of the wisest men in Italie who but the day before talked with me of this Peter as if he had been his soueraigne Lord yet now declared himselfe his enimie True it is that it was by the Seniories commandement for of himselfe particularly he made no declaration The next day I was aduertised that the said Peter came to Venice and that the King in great triumph was entred into Florence Moreouer the Senate of Florence commanded their ambassador to take his leaue of the Seniorie of Venice and returne home with all speede The letter himselfe shewed me and then departed Two daies after his departure arriued Peter de Medicis in his doublet and his hose or in one of his seruants clokes The Venetians stood in great doubt to receiue him so much feared they the Kings displeasure And notwithstanding that they could not of their honor refuse him yet made they him stay two daies without the towne being very desirous to vnderstand of me how the King would take it if they receiued him I for my part desired to do him good and the King had written nothing to me against him wherefore I answered them that I thought he was fled for feare of the people not of the King Whereupon he entred the towne and the next day after he had been with the Seniorie I went to visit him They lodged him well and permitted both himselfe and fifteene or twenty of his seruants that accompanied him to weare their weapons in the towne 3 And notwithstanding that Cosmus aboue mentioned had stopped them in times past from taking of Milan yet vsed they him very well and reuerenced him for the honor of his house which had beene of so great estimation and renowme through all Christendome When I sawe him me thought he seemed a man of no great stuffe he discoursed to me at large of all his misfortunes and I as well as I could comforted him Among other things he told me that he had lost all and that aboue all his other mishaps this most grieued him that a factor of his in the towne had refused to giue him credit for cloth but to the value of 100. ducats to apparell his brother and himselfe which was a strange thing considering his estate and authoritie for by the space of threescore yeeres the estimation of his house had been so great that greater it could not be Soone after by meanes of the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoye the said Peter receiued good newes for the King wrote vnto him willing him to repaire to his presence Notwithstanding the King was first departed from Florence as now you shall heare but somwhat I was forced by the way to speake of this Peter de Medicis The Notes 1 This is ironicè spoken bicause the King brake this second treatie also mentioned in the very next chapter notwithstanding that he vnderstood it well ynough 2 It stood them in such steede bicause it was strong and the key of their countrie and standeth neere the sea very commodiously for their traffick 3 For through the Venetians dominions no man may weare his weapon without leaue How the King entred into Florence and through what other townes he passed till he came to Rome Chap. 9. THe next daie the King entered into Florence where the said Peter had prepared his owne house to receiue him but the Lord of Ballassat who was sent thither before to make the Kings lodging vnderstanding of the saide Peters departure fell to spoile all that he found in his house pretending that his banke at Lyons ought him a great summe of money Among other things he tooke one whole Vnicornes horne valued at sixe or seauen thousand ducats and two great peeces of another with a number of other goodly things which others seeing did the like Into another house in the towne the said Peter had conueied all his goodliest stuffe but the people spoiled that also The Seniorie had part of his richest iewels twenty thousand ducats in coine that lay in his banke in the towne diuers faire pots of Agate and such a number of goodly Camayeux excellently well cut all the which my selfe once saw as is woonderfull togither with three thousand medales of gold siluer weying 40. pound weight the number and goodnes wherof I thinke all Italy could not match All that he lost that day in the citie amounted to a hundred thousand crownes and better The King being in Florence as you haue heard made a treatie with the citizens to their great good liking as I suppose The conditions were these They gaue him sixe score thousand ducats whereof they paied him fiftie thousand presently and the rest at two paiments very shortly after they lent him all the places aboue mentioned they changed their armes being the red flower deluce and gaue the Kings armes And he for his part receiued them into his safegarde and protection and promised sware vpon the altar of Saint Iohn to restore their places vnto them within fower moneths after
he should be entred into Naples or sooner if sooner he returned into Fraunce But the matter fell otherwise out as heereafter you shall heare The King staied not long at Florence but went to Senes where he was honorably receiued and from thence to Viterbe where Dom Ferrand who as you haue heard retired towards Rome was once minded to haue lodged fortified his campe and to haue fought if he had seene his aduantage as I was aduertised both by King Alphonses ambassador and also by the Popes legate being at Venice And sure I looked euer when King Alphonse being accounted a valiant Prince should haue come thither in person leauing his sonne in his realme for in mine opinion the place had beene greatly for his aduantage considering he should haue had his owne realme the dition of the church and the places and territories of the Vrsins on his backe Wherefore I was maruellously astonished when I receiued letters from the King that he was entred the towne of Viterbe and likewise the castle which soone after his entrie into the towne a commander yeelded vnto him 1 by meanes of the Cardinall Petri ad Vincula who was gouernor thereof and of the Colonnois And then began I to my selfe that God was fully purposed to accomplish this enterprise so far foorth that I repented me that in my letters I had aduised the King not to refuse an honorable composition for they offered him ynough But to proceede Aquependant Monteflascon and all the places round about yeelded before Viterbe as I was aduertised both by the Kings and also the Seniories letters who were daily informed by their ambassadors of all that hapned diuers of the which they shewed me or caused one of their secretaries to report vnto me From thence the K. marched to Rome through the Vrsins territories which were all yeelded to him by the Lord Charles Vrsin who said that he had commandement from his father 2 notwithstanding that he were then in K. Alphonses seruice so to do that so long as Dom Ferrand should haue passage granted him through the dominions of the Church and should be in the said dominions so long he would accompanie him and no longer Thus liue they in Italy both Princes and captaines in continuall practise with their enimies and turning euer as they see fortune encline Further the King was receiued into Brachane the said Virgile Vrsins principall castle which was faire strong and so well furnished of victuals that I haue heard the King oftentimes commend both the place and the good entertainment he found there For his army was in such extremity and penurie of victuals that in greater it could not be To be short who so shall consider how often this army was vpon the point to returne home since the time it first arriued at Vienna in Daulphine and by what means and ouuertures the iourney was still continued I thinke he will confesse that God was the leader thereof The Notes 1 Vn commandeur is one that hauing Ecclesiasticall liuings may not marrie and yet is not compelled to be a priest as the Grandeprior in Fraunce and all the Knights of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem 2 His father vvas Virgile Vrsine of vvhom heerafter more mention is made How the King sent the Cardinall Petri ad Vincula to Ostie what the Pope did at Rome in the meane time and how the King entred into Rome maugre all his enimies Chap. 10. FRom Brachane the King sent the Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula to Ostie wherof he was Bishop the place was of great importance and held by the Colonnois who lately had recouered it from the Pope whose forces not long before had taken it from the said Cardinall It was of no defence notwithstanding it hath since held Rome in great subiection a long time by the said Cardinals aide 1 being great friend to the Colonnois who ioined at that time with vs partly by meanes of the Cardinall Ascanio brother to the D. of Milan and Vicechancellor and partly in hatred of the Vrsins whose enimies they be and euer haue been These two factions breed great troubles in the Church dominions as do in Fraunce the factions of Luce and Grandmont and in Holland of Houc and Caballan 2 but were it not for this diuision the said dominions were the best countrie for the subiects in the world for they pay no subsidies and other duties but few Further they are alwaies well gouerned for the Popes are euer wise themselues and haue wise men about them but bicause of these factions many great and cruell murthers are often committed as within these fower yeeres we haue seene a number on both sides For since the time I now write of the Coulonnois became our enimies though to their great dishonor for they possessed of the Kings gift in the realme of Naples namely in the Earledome of Taillecouse and other places which the Vrsins had held before 20000. ducats and better of yeerely reuenues 3 Further all their other demands were granted them as well charge of men of armes as pensions Wherefore they fell from vs very traiterouslie and vpon no occasion But you shall vnderstand that they had euer been partakers with the house of Arragon other enimies of Fraunce bicause they were Gibelins and the Vrsins had euer been friends to Fraunce bicause they were Guelphes To Ostie the King sent with Cardinall Saint Peter ad Vincula Peron de la Basche steward of his house who landed but three daies before at Plombin and brought with him by sea twentie thousand ducats parcell of that money the Duke of Milan lent the King Vpon the sea with the Kings army being very small remained the Prince of Salerne and one called the Lord of Sernon in Prouence whom tempest draue into Corsique 4 with their nauie all to rent and torne where they staied so long in repairing it that it did no seruice notwithstanding the great treasure emploied thereon for before it arriued at Naples the King was entred the towne At Ostie with the said Cardinall were fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand Swissers led by the Earle of Ligny the Kings cosin germaine by the mother the Lord of Alegre and diuers others who thought to haue passed the riuer of Tybre there to haue inclosed Dom Ferrand within Rome by aide of the Coulonnois the principall of the which house were at that time Prospere and Fabrice Coulonne and the Cardinall Coulonne accompanied with two thousand footemen whom the King paied by the hands of the aboue named Basche The said footemen they had leuied at their owne pleasure and mustred at Sannesonne a towne of their owne You shall vnderstand that many matters concur heere and of euery one somwhat is to be said Before the King entred into Viterbe he had sent to Rome Monseur de la Trimoille his chamberlaine the president Ganay keeper of the seale and the generall Bidaut to enter into intelligence with the Pope
who practised continually after the manner of Italy They being in Rome the Pope in the night receiued Dom Ferrand with his whole forces into the towne whereupon our ambassadors and some fewe of their seruants were staied but the selfe same day the Pope dismissed them Notwithstanding he held still in prison the Cardinall Ascaigne his vicechauncellor and brother to the Duke of Milan and Prospere Coulonne some said by their owne accord Of all these accidents I was aduertised incontinent by the Kings letters but the Seniorie more amplie by their ambassadors All this hapned before the King entred into Viterbe for neither party staied aboue two daies in a place But as touching our affaires they prospered better than we could wish and no maruell for the Lord of Lords gaue them successe as all men might manifestly perceiue This army that lay in Ostie could do no seruice bicause of the foule weather further you shall vnderstand that the force which the Lord of Aubigny led was returned to the King and himselfe also neither had he further charge thereof The Italians were also dismissed that had been with him in Romaine vnder the leading of the Lord Rodolph of Mantua the Lord Galeot of Mirandula and of Fracasse brother to the L. Galeas of Saint Seuerin the which with their said company being to the number of fiue hundred men of armes were well paied by the King for they serued him as before you haue heard The King after his departure from Viterbe remooued to Naples 5 which the Cardinall Ascaigne held Further it is most certaine that while our men lay in Ostie aboue twenty fathomes of Rome wals fell to the ground on the same side they should haue entred The Pope seeing this yoong King come thus suddenly with such successe agreed that he should enter the citie for to saie the truth he could not otherwise choose and desired a safe conduct 6 which the King willingly granted for Dom Ferrand Duke of Calabria and onely son of K. Alphonse who in the night retired to Naples the Cardinall Ascaigne conueying him to the gate 7 Then the King entred the citie in armes as a Prince hauing power to dispose of all things at his pleasure and diuers Cardinals with the gouernors and Senators of the towne came foorth to receiue him He lodged in Saint Markes pallace which is the Culonnois quarter who were his friends and seruants at that time But the Pope retired into the castle of Saint Ange. The Notes 1 This Cardinall was afterwards Pope Iulius the second and prooued a deadly enimie to the French Further this towne of Ostie distressed Rome by meanes that being the very entrie into the riuer of Tyber it kept all victuals from comming to Rome by vvater for the vvhich cause the olde Romanes called the towne Ostia bicause it vvas the very doore or mouth as it vvere of the riuer 2 The factions of Houc and Caballan began in Holland 1444. Berlandus Reade Meyer lib. 16. fol. 300. pag. 2. 3 The King gaue to Fabrice Colonne the countrie of Albe and Taillecousse vvhich vvere before Virginio Vrsins and to Prosper the Duchie of Tracette and the citie of Fondi 4 This Corsique being corrupted in the French vve haue restored according to Panlus Iouius Guicciar hath Corse 5 This is not the citie of Naples but a little tovvne called in the Annales of Fraunce Neple in Latin Nepesum of the Italians Nepi 6 Ferdinande Duke of Calabria refused the pasport Guicciar 7 Ferdinande vvas sonne to Hypolitie sister to Duke Galeas of Milan to the Lorde Lodouic and to this Cardinall How King Alphonse caused his sonne Ferrande to be crowned King and then fled himselfe into Sicilie with a discourse of the euill life that his father the olde Ferrande and he had led Chap. 11. WHo would haue thought that this proude King Alphonse hauing beene trained vp all the daies of his life in martiall affaires that his son and al these Vrsins whose faction was so great in Rome would thus haue abandoned the citie through cowardise especially seeing they knew and vnderstood perfectly that the Duke of Milan began to wauer and the Venetians to stir and to treate of a league which had then been concluded as I was certainly informed if they had made any resistance at Viterbe or Rome to stay the King but a few daies but God meant to shew that all these proceedings passed far the reach and compasse of mans braine And heere note by the way that as the citie wall fell downe so did fifteene fathoms also of the vaumure of the castell of Saint Ange as I haue beene aduertised by diuers especially by two Cardinals there present Now I must returne to speake a word or two of King Alphonse So soone as the Duke of Calabria called the yoong Ferrande was returned to Naples his father King Alphonse iudged himselfe vnwoorthie longer to raigne bicause of the euils he had committed and the manifold cruelties he had vsed against diuers barons and Princes of his realme For you shall vnderstand that whereas his father King Ferrande and he had taken notwithstanding their safe conduct to the number of 24. of them and had held them in prison from the time of their rebellion against the said Ferrande 1 till the hower of his death this Alphonse immediately after his fathers decease for a surplusage of all crueltie caused them miserably to be murthered and with them two other whom his father had also taken vnder safe conduct the one Duke of Sesse 2 a man of great authoritie and the other Prince of Rosane who had married the said Ferrandes sister and had issue by hir a sonne a very goodly gentleman True it is that the said Prince had wrought great treason against him for the which he had well deserued death if he had not been taken vnder safe conduct but King Ferrande to rid himselfe of all feare tooke him that notwithstanding being come to him by his commandement and laide him in a maruellous stinking prison and afterward his said sonne also being betweene fifteene and sixteene yeeres of age Thus had the Prince of Rosane liued a prisoner when King Alphonse came to the state about fower and thirty yeeres But the said Alphonse immediately after his coronation commanded these prisoners to be led into an Iland neere to Naples called Iscle 3 whereof heereafter more mention shall be made and there villanously to be slaine all saue one or two whom he held still in the castell of Naples namely the said Prince of Rosans sonne and the noble Earle of Popoli I haue diligently inquired after what sort he caused them thus cruelly to be murthered for many supposed they had been yet liuing when the King entred into the good towne and citie of Naples and diuers of their principall seruants haue informed me that he caused them villanously and horribly to be slaine by a Moore of Afrike not sparing these ancient Princes some of the which
verie keie as it were of his realme and a place much for his aduantage as well bicause of the riuer as of the mountaine Further he had sent men to defend the straight of Cancello lying among the mountaines sixe miles from Saint Germain yet notwithstanding all this preparation before the Kings arriuall at S. Germain he raised his campe and departed in great disorder abandoning both the towne and the passage Our vaward was led that day by the L. of Guise the L. of Rieux was sent to this strait of Cancello against the Arragonnois but they also before his comming abandoned the place and then entered the King into S. Germain K. Ferrande rid straight to Capoua where they refused to giue his soldiers entrance but receiued his person with a fewe that attended vpon him he staied not there but desired them to continue true and faithfull subiects to him promising the next daie to returne and so departed towards Naples fearing the rebellion that afterwards happened All his force or the greatest part should haue tarried him at Capoua but the next daie when he returned he found them all departed The Lord Virgile Vrsin with his cosin the Earle of Petillane went to Nola where they and all their company were taken prisoners by our men They alleaged that they had a safe conduct and that we did them wrong so had they indeed but their safe conduct was not yet in their hands notwithstanding they paied no ransome but much they lost when they were taken and sure in mine opinion they had wrong done them From Saint Germain the King remooued to Mingamer and to Triague and lodged at Calui two miles from Capoua whither they of Capoua came and yeelded themselues by composition and the King entered into the towne with his whole army From Capoua the next daie he marched to Auersa being in the midway between Capoua and Naples and fiue miles distant from each of them Thither came they of Naples and yeelded themselues in like maner by composition hauing receiued assurance of the King that their ancient liberties should not be infringed nor empaired The King sent thither before him the Marshall Gié the Seneschall of Beaucaire the president Ganay keeper of the Seale and certaine Secretaries whereof King Ferrande being aduertised and seeing the people and Nobles of his realme in armes against him who also at his first arriuall thither had spoiled his stable being maruellous great tooke sea and sailed into Iscle an Iland eighteen miles from Naples 2 then the King was receiued into the towne with great ioy and triumph For all the people came foorth to meete him yea and those first that were most bound to the house of Arragon namely all the Carraffes who held of the saide house of Arragon to the value of forty thousand ducats of yeerely reuenues partly of inheritance and partly of gift from the Prince for the Kings of Naples may giue away their crowne lands so do they also other mens and I thinke there are not three in the realme whose lands be not crowne lands or other mens Neuer people shewed so great affection to Prince or nation as they shewed to the King the reason whereof was bicause now they thought themselues deliuered from all tyranny so that they voluntarily yeelded vnto vs. For al Calabria became French incontinent whither Monseur d'Aubigny and Peron of Basche were sent themselues alone without any force All the countrey of Abrousso 3 yeelded likewise the town of Aquila which hath euer been great friend to the French being the first beginner In like maner all Pouille turned sauing the castle of Brandis which was strong and well manned and Gallipoli which had a garrison in it otherwise the people would haue turned also In Calabria three places held for King Ferrand two of them were Mantie and Turpie ancient partakers with the house of Aniou the which at the first had set vp the armes of Fraunce but bicause the K. gaue them to the L. of Persi and would not receiue them as percell of the demaines of his crowne 4 they reared vp againe the armes of Arragon The third was the castle of Reges which held also for King Ferrande But it was our owne fault that ought held for we sent no forces thither no I am well assured that into Pouille and Calabria there went not men sufficient to haue defended one castell for the King Tarente yeeded both castle towne so did also Otrante 5 Monopoli Trani Manfredonne Barle all the other places the aboue named onely excepted Moreouer the people came from their cities three daies iourney to meet our men and to yeeld themselues To be short the whole realme sent to Naples and all the Princes and noble men repaired thither to do homage to the King sauing the Marques of Pescaire 6 whose brethren and nephewes came notwithstanding The Earle of Acri and the Marques of Squillazo fled into Sicilie bicause the King had giuen their lands to the Lord of Aubigny At Naples also arriued the Prince of Salerne newely come from the sea but hauing done no seruice Thither came also his brother the Prince of Bisignan and his sonnes being accompanied with the Dukes of Melfe of Grauine and the olde Duke of Sora who not long before had solde his Duchie to the Cardinall Petriad Vincula whose brother yet at this day possesseth it 7 To Naples also repaired the Earles of Montorio of Fondi of Tripalda and of Celano who had long been banished out of the realme and was now newely returned with the King The Earle of Troy was there in like maner who was a yoong gentleman of Scotland brought vp in Fraunce and the Earle of Popoli whom we found prisoner at Naples The yoong Prince of Rosane before mentioned after his long imprisonment with his father who had lien in prison fower and thirtie yeeres was at the length deliuered and went with King Ferrand whether willingly or by constraine I know not To Naples came also besides these aboue named the Marques of Guefron with all the Caldoresques and the Earles of Matalon and Merillano the which had both they and their ancestors euer gouerned the house of Arragon To conclude thither repaired all the nobles of the realme the three aboue named onely excepted The Notes 1 For the Coulonnois and certaine of the Kings captaines had been sent about to come vpon King Ferrandes backe These tooke the tovvne of Aquila and all those parts and heere ioyned againe vvith the King bicause they looked for the battell 2 Guicciar saith thirtie miles 3 Samnium or Samnites 4 These vvere lands held in Capite of the King of Naples 5 Hydruntum first yeelded to the French then reuolted againe Guicciar 6 Alphonse Daualo Marques of Pescare Guicciar 7 Iohn de Rouuere prefect of Rome vvas the cardinals brother and he it vvas that held this Duchie How King Charles was crowned King of Naples of the faults he committed in the defence
of the realme and how an enterprise attempted on his behalfe against the Turke was discouered by the Venetians Chap. 14. KIng Ferrand at his departure from Naples left the Marques of Pescare with certaine Almains to defend the castle 1 and sailed himselfe for aide into Sicilie to his father Dom Frederic lay still vpon the sea with a few gallies and came twise to parle with the King vnder safe conduct His demands were that some part of the realme might remain to his nephew with the title of King 2 and that he himselfe might enioy all his owne lands and his wiues His request in respect of himselfe was not great for his partage was small The King offered him possessions in Fraunce both for him and his nephew and I thinke would willingly haue giuen them a good and a great Duchie but they would not accept this offer neither would he grant their demands For what treatie soeuer had been made they would haue broken it when they had seen their aduantage being still resident in the realme The Kings artillerie was bent and shot against the castle of Naples within the which were onely the Almaines for the Marques of Pescare was departed thence And if we had sent but fower cannons to the I le of Iscle 3 we had taken it then al had been ours for from thence returned al the mischiefe 4 but if that had been once woon all the other places they held being not past fower or fiue would haue yeelded But our men fell to feasting to iusts and banketing were so puffed vp with pride that they accountcd the Italians no men Moreouer the King was crowned and lodged in Capouane and went sometime to Mont Imperial 5 True it is that he shewed great grace and fauor to the subiects of the realme for he abated their charges And I thinke verily the people of themselues would not haue reuolted from vs notwithstanding their great inconstancie if we had contented a fewe of the nobles but them no man regarded besides that they were very roughly vsed at the gates Those that were best dealt with were the Carraffes the house of Arragons greatest friends for their estates were but somwhat diminished but the offices and pensions of the rest cleane taken away yea the partakers with the house of Aniou woorse handled than the Arragonois Further into the county of Merillano a commandement was sent for the which the president Ganaye and the Seneschall newly created Duke of Nola and Lord great cchamberlaine of the realme were burthened to haue taken money By the said commandement euerie man was confirmed in his possession and the partakers with the house of Aniou barred from their lands vnlesse they could recouer them by proces Further as touching such as had made entries vpon their own head as for example the Earle of Celano aide was giuen to the parties greeued to dispossesse them againe by force All estates and offices were bestowed vpon two or three Frenchmen and all the prouision of victuales within the castell of Naples 6 when it yeelded being maruellous great giuen to euery man that demanded it at the least all that the King knew of In the meane time the Almaines by practise yeelded the castle 7 in the which they obtained infinit riches the castle of Oeuf 8 was also taken by battery By these faults aboue rehearsed a man may manifestly perceiue that this great conquest was atchieued by the meere grace of God and not by their wisdome that gouerned the enterprise but these foule faults were the works of men puffed vp with pride and vainglorie and not vnderstanding from whence all this their honor and good successe sprang Wherefore they proceeded according to their nature and experience by meanes whereof their good fortune changed as suddenly and as visibly as men may see the day spring in Island or Norway 9 where the daies in sommer are of greater length than in any other place in such sort that within a quarter of an hower after the one daies shutting in the next day light beginneth to appeere Euen so in as short space did euery wise man perceiue the alteration of our good and prosperous successe whereof all Christendome should haue reaped great profit and honor if we had acknowledged it to proceed from him who was indeed the giuer thereof For the Turke then raigning and yet liuing might as easily haue been chased out of Europe as King Alphonse was out of his realme both for that he was a man of no valor and also bicause the King had with him the said Turkes brother whom he feared aboue all men liuing But his said brother died soone after the Cardinall of Valences escape whereupon the report went that he was poisoned when the Pope deliuered him to the King Further there were so many thousand Christians in Greece readie to rebell as a man would hardly beleeue for from Otrante to Valonne 10 are but 60. miles 11 and from Valonne to Constantinople but eighteene reasonable daies iourneies as diuers that haue trauelled the way haue enformed me Betweene them are no strong places at the most not aboue two or three for all the rest be razed Those countries are maruellous populous and they that inhabite them be Albanois Sclauons and Greekes who vnderstood of our Kings good successe by their friends that were at Venice and in Pouille vnto whom also they sent letters and looked daily but for messengers to mooue them to rebell Whereupon the King sent thither the Archbishop of Duras 12 an Albanois borne who found a maruellous number ready to reuolt being sonnes or nephewes of many noble and valiant men of those parts namely the sonnes of Scanderbeg the nephewes of the Emperor of Constantinople and the nephewes of the Lord Constantine now gouernor of Montferrat who were also Nephewes or cosins to the King of Seruia In Thessalia more than fiue thousand would haue rebelled yea and Scutary should haue been surprised by intelligence that the Lord Constantine had within it as himselfe aduertised me at Venice where he lay hidden many daies in my lodging And sure he would easily haue atchieued his enterprise for Macedonie and Thessaly were his inheritance 13 which was the patrimony of Alexander the great Valonne also is part thereof and vpon his dominions Scutary and Croye 14 border the which in his youth his father 15 or vncle engaged to the Venetians who lost Croye and yeelded Scutary to the Turke by treatie The said Lord Constantine lay himselfe within three leagues of Scutarie and the enterprise had been executed had not the said Archbishop of Duras staied at Venice too long after the Lord Constantines departure I daily pressed him very earnestly to depart for he was a man light of talke and vaunted in all places that he would do some feate woorthie of immortall fame and renowme But as the deuill would the selfe same day that the Venetians were aduertised of the Turkes brothers death whom the Pope
their towne reared vp againe the armes of Arragon and Dom Frederick being at Brandis sent a garrison thither To be short fortune began now to frowne vpon vs which but two moneths before so highly had fauored vs in such sort that through the whole realme they began to reuolt as well bicause of the league as also of the Kings departure and the small forces he left behinde him which was nothing in respect of the number of soldiers though diuers of the captaines were of great valor He appointed for his lieutenant generall in the said realme the Lord of Montpensier of the house of Bourbon a valiant and a hardy knight but of no great sense and so careles that he kept his bed euery day til noone In Calabria he left the Lord of Aubigny a Scottish man borne a vertuous wise honorable a valiant knight him he created high Constable of the realme and gaue him as before you haue heard the Earldome of Acri and the Marquisat of Squillazzo He had made Lord great Chamberlaine of the realme at his first comming thither the Seneschall of Beaucaire called Stephan de Vers who was also captaine of Caietta Duke of Nola and Lord of diuers other seniories Further all the treasure of the realme passed through his hands so that his charge was much too waightie for him but sure he was well affected to the defence of the realme He created the Lord Don Iulian Lorrain a Duke and left him in the towne of Saint Angelo where he behaued himselfe passing well He left in Manfredonia Master Gabriell of Montfaulcon a man of whom he made great account and to all these he gaue goodly possessions but this Gabriell behaued himselfe very childishly for at fower daies end he yeelded the towne for lacke of victuals notwithstanding that at his entrie into it he found it very well furnished besides that it was seated in a countrie abounding with all kinde of graine Diuers sold all the prouision they found in the castels and the report went that this Gabriell fled himselfe and left VVilliam of Vilneufue for defence of the towne whom his owne seruants sold to Dom Frederick who put him into the gallies where he remained a long time At Tarente the King left George of Suilly who carried himselfe there very gallantly and died of the plague and this citie held for the King till famine forced it to yeeld In Aquila he left the bailife of Vitry where he did great seruice and in Abruzzo master Gracian des guerres who likewise made good proofe of his valor there They were all left vnfurnished of monie for order was giuen that they should receiue their pay there of the reuenues of the crowne but all was too little Notwithstanding the K. left the Princes of Salerne and Bisignan very well appointed who did him good seruice as long as they were able He delt also very bountifully with the Coulonnois for he granted them al their demaunds put aboue thirty places into their hands their friends which if they would haue defended for him as both by dutie oth they were bound they had don him great seruice and purchased to themselues both honor and profit For I thinke they were not so highly aduanced these hundred yeeres as by the King at that time yet notwithstanding before his departure they began to practise with his enimies True it is that they serued him in fauour onely of the Duke of Milan bicause they haue euer been of the faction Gibilin but they ought not in respect thereof to haue dealt faithlesly with him who so highly had aduanced and pleasured them not only this way but diuers others For in their fauor he had prisoners with him vnder garde the Lord Virgill Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane 3 with diuers others of the Vrsines their enimies yea and that against all right and reason for notwithstanding that they were taken prisoners yet knew the King right well that they had a safe conduct the benefit also whereof he meant they should enioy as himselfe well declared for he was determined to leade them no further than Ast and there to release them All this did he at the Coulonnois request and yet before his returne to Ast they shrunke from him yea they were the very first that reuolted though they could alleage no cause that mooued them thereunto The Notes 1 Guicciar saith the King left behinde him halfe his Swissers part of his French footmen 800. French launces and 500. Italian men of armes 2 These are certaine ships hauing both saile and ore the which are very much vsed in the meridionall seas 3 Virginio Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane followed the King onely vpon their word not to depart without leaue How the King departed from Naples and passed againe through Rome whereupon the Pope fled to Oruiette of the communication the King had with Monseur D'Argenton at his returne from Venice how he tooke aduise whether he should restore the Florentines places to them or not and of the Sermons woorthie of memorie of Frier Ierom of Florence Chap. 2. THe King hauing giuen order for his affaires as he thought good put himselfe vpon the way homeward with the rest of his forces 1 being as I suppose nine hundred men of armes at the least comprehending therein the ordinarie retinue of his house two thousand and fiue hundred Swissers so that I thinke the whole armie contained seuen thousand men taking paie besides the traine of the Court being to the number of fifteen hundred able to do seruice 2 The Earle of Petillane who tooke the iust muster of them told me after the battell whereof you shall heare that the whole force was nine thousand men The King marched straight to Rome where the Pope would not tarie his comming but was first determined to haue gone to Padua into the Venetians dominions so far foorth that his lodging was made there But afterward he altered his minde for both the Venetians and the Duke of Milan sent him certaine bands of men to Rome where though they arriued in time yet durst he not abide notwithstanding that the King meant him no harme but would haue done him all honor and seruice and had also sent an ambassador thither purposely to desire him to staie But he retired to Oruiette and thence to Perouse leauing the Cardinals at Rome to receiue the King who staide not there 3 neither harmed any man The K. wrote vnto me that I should meet him at Sene whither I repaired accordingly he receiued me of his goodnes verie graciously and asked me somewhat merily whether the Venetians would send to stop him vpon the waie for his army consisted altogither of yoong men who thought none in the world comparable to them I answered that the seniorie told me at my departure in the presence of one of his secretaries named Lourdin that they and the Duke of Milan would put forty thousand men into the field not
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
I saw no other thing that could greatly trouble the King Thus much I haue written to the end it may yet more manifestly appeere that this voiage was in deed a meere miracle of God The Notes 1 He departed from Naples the 20. of May. Annal. Franc. Guicciar 2 The King departed Naples with 800. French launces two hundred gentlemen of his garde a hundred launces vnder Triuulce three thousand footmen Swissers a thousand French and a thousand Gascoines Guicciar 3 He arriued at Rome the first of Iune and a bode there two daies Annal. Franc. 4 For Parma it is better to reade Creme or Bergame for the Venetians dominions lay not neere to Parma besides that the riuer Olio is not neere Parma for the Pau runneth betweene Parma and it so that the Venetians must haue passed the Pau after they had passed Olie before they could haue come to Parma 5 The French Corrector readeth it Montvieil called in Italian Monte Vechio which is a certaine treasure the Venetians haue to pay the interests due vnto the ancientest creditors of their commonwealth as appeereth in the booke of Donato Giannotti 6 VVhat these Estradiottes were looke after Cap. 5. 7 They had giuen the King 120000. ducats as mention is made Cap. 9. lib. 7. 8 The people of Sene were diuided against the order of Montenoue which held a gard of soldiers in the palace The citizens promised de Ligny 20000. ducats a yeere to protect them against the said Montenoue but foorthwith after the Kings departure the faction of Montenoue chased Ligny and his men out of the towne Guicciar 9 This Friers surname was Sauanarola who hath written many goodly homilies and sermons he was borne at Ferrara How the King retained in his hands the towne of Pisa and certaine other of the Florentines places and how in the meane time the Duke of Orleans entred on the other side into Nouarre a towne of the Duchie of Milan Chap. 3. AFter the King was entred into Pisa as you haue heard all the Pisans both men and women besought their guests for Gods loue to make intercession to the King that they might no more returne vnder the Florentines tyrannie who in truth handled them extremely but diuers cities in Italy that be in subiection to others are as euill intreated as they besides that the Pisans and Florentines had been in wars togither the space of three hundred yeeres before the Florentines subdued them These lamentable words before mentioned ioined with teares mooued our men to pitie and caused them so far foorth to forget the Kings promise and oth made vpon the aultar of Saint Iohn at Florence that all sorts of men busied themselues in this matter euen the poore archers and the Swissers who also threatned those that they thought perswaded the King to performe his promise namely the Cardinall Saint Malo so often before named generall of Languedoc whom I my selfe heard an archer threaten There were in like maner that gaue very rough language to the Marshall of Gié The president Gannay by the space of three daies and more durst not lie in his lodging But the Earle of Ligny aboue all the rest fauored the Pisans cause who came in troupes weeping and lamenting to the King in such sort that we all pitied them and would willingly haue releeued them if it had lien in vs so to do One day after dinner fortie or fiftic gentlemen of the Kings house assembled themselues togither and went with their partisans into the Kings chamber where he was playing at tables with Monseur de Pienncs accompanied onely with two groomes of his chamber One of these gentlemen sonne to Sallezard the elder spake as mouth of the rest to the King desiring him to be gratious Lord to the Pisans and accusing certaine of those lately named as traitors to him But the King with so stout language commanded them to depart that after the like neuer hapned The King spent sixe or seuen daies needlesly in the towne of Pisa and then changed the garrison and made captaine of the Citadelle one Entragues a man of lewd conditions seruant to the D. of Orleans whom he thus preferred by Monseur de Lignis sute and left with him in the said Citadelle certaine footemen of the Duchie of Berrie Further the said Entragues procured such friendship I suppose by his money that he was also made captaine of Petrosancte and of another place neere to it called Mortron 1 and in like maner of Librefacto which is neere to Lugues The castle of Serzane being very strong was put at the request of the said Earle of Ligny into the hands of a bastard of Roussi and an other place called Serzanelle into the hands of another being both his owne seruants In these places the King left a great part of his forces notwithstanding that he shall neuer haue such need of men as he had at that time Moreouer he refused the Florentines aid and offers aboue mentioned and draue them into vtter despaire Yet was he aduertised before his departure from Sene that the Duke of Orleans whom he had left behind him in Ast 2 had taken the city of Nauarre in the Duchie of Milan and therefore was well assured that the Venetians would declare themselues his enimies for they sent him word that if he inuaded the Duke of Milan they would aide the Duke with their whole force according to their league lately made and their force was great and in a readines Now you shall vnderstand that presently vpon the conclusion of their league the Duke of Milan thought to haue surprised Ast supposing to finde it vtterly vnmanned but my letters had hastened the forces that the Duke of Bourbon sent thither and the first that arriued were about fortie launces of the Marshall of Gies companie which had tarried behinde in Fraunce and came thither in good time Soone after them arriued also fiue hundred footmen sent thither by the Marques of Saluce The comming of the which staied the Duke of Milans forces led by Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin who hearing these newes retired to Nom a castle of the Duchie of Milan two miles from Ast In the necke of these arriued also three hundred and fiftie men of armes and certaine gentlemen of Daulphine and two thousand Swissers with certain franke archers of the said countrey of Daulphine so that their whole number was 7500. men taking paie But they lingred so long vpon the way that they serued not to the purpose they were sent for For the K. sent for them to come succor him but instead of aiding him he was forced to aid them The K. had also giuen commandement to the D. of Orleans his captaines not to attempte any thing against the Duke of Milan but onely to defend the towne of Ast to meete him at the riuer of Thesin to helpe to conuey him ouer it for that was the onely riuer to trouble him But notwithstanding all
that the King writ to the Duke of Orleans this enterprise of Nouarre which is but ten leagues from Milan liked him so wel that he was contented to giue eare thereunto and was receiued into the citie in great triumph both of the Guelphes and Gibelines which his exploit the Marchionesse of Monferrat greatly furthered The castle held two or three daies and then yeelded also But if in the meane time the Duke had gone or sent to Milan where he had good intelligence he had been receiued into the towne with greater ioy than euer he was into his castle of Blois as diuers of the noblest men of the countrey haue enformed me And the three first daies he might haue gone thither in safetie for when Nouarre was taken the Duke of Milans whole force lay yet at Nom neere to Ast and returned not to Milan till the fourth day after But I suppose the Duke beleeued not all the intelligence he receiued thence The Notes 1 The French corrector supposeth it should be Motron but the author himselfe aftervvard chap. 14. calleth it againe Mortron Guicciar hath it Mutron 2 The Duke of Orleans immediately after the skirmish vpon the sea at Rapalo fell sicke of an ague and returned to Ast and passed no further vvith the King tvvo gentlemen called Opizins brought the Duke of Orleans into Nouarre Guicci How King Charles passed diuers dangerous straights in the mountains between Pisa and Serzane how the towne of Pontreme was burned by his Almaines and how the Duke of Orleans behaued himselfe in the meane time at Nouarre Chap. 4. YOu haue heard already of the Kings departure from Sene to Pisa and of al that he did at Pisa Thence he remoued to Luques where the citizens honorably receiued him and there he abode two daies Afterward he marched to Petrosancte which Entragues held making no account of his enimies neither himselfe nor those that carried all the credit with him He passed maruellous straights in the mountaines betweene Luques and Petrosancte which a handfull of footemen might easily haue defended against him but our enimies were not yet assembled Neere to the said Petrosancte is the straight of Seire on the one side and the straight of Roctaille on the other being great deepe salt marshes where we were forced to passe ouer a narrow way like to a causey in a standing poole and this was the straight that betweene Pisa and Pontreme I most feared and which was reported to be most dangerous for one cart set ouerthwart the way with two good peeces of artillerie and but a handfull of men might haue stopped our passage had our force beene neuer so great From Petrosancte the King remooued to Serzane where the Cardinall Saint Peter ad vincula offered to make Genua reuolt and desired to haue some part of the Kings forces sent thither The matter was debated by the Kings Councell my selfe being present at it in the companie of a great many wise men and good captaines all the which concluded that no eare should be giuen to this enterprise bicause if the King obtained the victorie Genua would yeeld of it selfe and if he were ouerthrowen it could do him no seruice and this was the first time that I perceiued any of them to doubt the battell Report was made to the King of our resolution yet notwithstanding thither he sent the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoy the Lord of Beaumont the Lord of Polignac my brother in lawe and the Lord of Ambeiou of the house of Amboise with sixe score men of armes and fiue hundred crossebowe men newly come out of Fraunce by sea But I woondred that so yoong a Prince had no trustie seruants about him that durst boldly tell him into how great danger he put himselfe by diminishing his force after this sort for as touching me me thought he beleeued not all that I said We had a small armie vpon the sea returning from Naples vnder the leading of the Lord of Myolens gouernor of Daulphin and one Stephan de Neues of Montpellier They were in all about eight gallies and sailed to Specie and Repalo where at this present they were all defeated and led prisoners to Genua in the selfesame place where we had vanquished King Alphonses forces at the beginning of this voiage and by the selfesame men that tooke part with vs at that battell namely Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco and Master Iohn Adorne but if the matter had been well ordred they should haue been with the King and all little ynough The Lord of Bresse and the Cardinall aboue mentioned went and lodged in the suburbes of Genua thinking that their faction within the towne would haue risen in their fauor But the Duke of Milan and the Adornes that gouerned the towne and Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco a wise knight had giuen so good order to preuent this mischiefe that our men were in great danger to be defeated heere also as the others were before vpon the sea for their number was small and had it not been bicause the faction that ruled at Genua durst not issue foorth of the towne for feare least the Fourgouses should rebell and shut the gates vpon them vndoubtedly they had all been slaine for this notwithstanding they were in great distresse vpon the way as they retired to Ast besides that they were not at the battel with the King where their seruice might haue stood him in good stead From Serzane the King marched to Pontreme through the which he was forced to passe bicause it is the very entrie into the mountaines The towne and castell were well fortified and the seate of them maruellous strong but within them were not past three or fower hundred footemen for if they had beene well manned they had beene impregnable Wherefore Frier Ieroms prophesie prooued true which was that God would leade the King by the hand till he were out of danger for it seemed that his enimies were blinded and bereft of their wits in that they defended not this straight To the said place of Pontreme the King sent his vaward led by the Marshall Gie accompanied with Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul whom the King had receiued into his seruice at Naples after King Ferrandes departure thence with whom he was them in pay he was a gentleman of Milan of a good house a good captaine a very valiant man and a great enimie to the Duke of Milan for he was banished by him when King Ferrande receiued him into his seruice By the said Master Iohn Iames his meanes the place yeelded immediately without batterie and the garrison that was within it departed But a great inconuenience happened there for as before is mentioned when the Duke of Milan passed last that way they of the towne and certaine of our Swissers fell at variance of whom about forty at that time were slaine for reuenge whereof the said Swissers at this present notwithstanding the composition slue all the men they found
in the towne spoiled it and burnt both victuals and all that was within it and aboue ten also of themselues being drunke neither could the Marshall Gie by any meanes make them to retire They besieged the castel also meaning to haue done the like to those that were within it being the said Master Iohn Iames of Treuoules seruants whom he had put into it when the garrison of the enimies yeelded it neither would the said Almaines depart thence till the King himselfe sent to them It was great pitie that the towne was thus destroied both bicause of the dishonor we receiued thereby and also bicause there was great plentie of victuals within it whereof we were already in great distresse 1 notwithstanding that the people were no where against vs saue onely the people of the countrie neere to Pontreme bicause of the harmes we did there Now to proceede if the King would haue followed the said Master Iohn Iames his aduise diuers places of the Duchie of Milan would haue yeelded and diuers gentlemen of the countrie haue reuolted to him for he gaue him counsell to reare vp in euery place the yoong Dukes armes whom the Lord Lodouic held in his hands being sonne to Iohn Galeas the Duke that last died at Pauia as before you haue heard But the King refused so to do for the fauor he bare to the Duke of Orleans who pretended and doth yet pretend title to the said Duchie Thus marched the King beyond Pontreme and lodged in a little valley neere to a village that had not ten houses in it the name whereof I know not There he abode fiue daies vpon no occasion his armie being almost famished and his battell lying thirty miles behinde his vaward in the middest of huge and sharpe mountaines ouer the which such great cannons and culuerins passed then as neuer had passed before For Duke Galeas in his time conueied ouer but fower faulcons waying not past fiue hundred pound a peece which was a great woonder in those daies I must now returne to the Duke of Orleans who after he had taken the castell of Nouarre staid there a few daies to no purpose and then went to Vigesue neere to the which were two little townes that sent vnto him offering to receiue him but by wise aduise he refused their offer They of Pauia sent also twise to him to the same end and them he should not haue refused Moreouer he marched in order of battell before the said towne of Vigesne where the Duke of Milans whole force lay being led by the two brethren of Saint Seuerin so often aboue named The town is hardly so good as Saint Martin-de-Candé which is not woorth sixe pence I my selfe arriued there not long after at which time the Duke of Milan being there with certaine of his captaines shewed me the place where both the armies had stood in order of battell hard by the towne and within the towne And if the Duke of Orleans had marched but an hundred paces further they had retired beyond the riuer of Thesin for they stood hard by the riuer side and had built a great bridge of boates ouer it Moreouer I saw them at my being there beat downe a great bulwark of earth which they had made on the other side of the riuer to defend the passage whereby it appeered that they were fully minded if the Duke had marched forward to abandon both the towne and castle which had been much to their disaduantage This is the place where the Duke of Milan vseth most to be resident and sure it is scituate in the pleasantest countrey for all kinde of pastimes especially hauking and hunting that euer I sawe But peraduenture the Duke of Orleans thought the place strong where his enimies lodged and himselfe to haue passed far ynough wherefore he retired to Trecas the Lord whereof who had charge vnder the Duke of Milan and my selfe communed togither of these affaires a fewe daies after To the said towne of Trecas certaine of the principal of Milan sent to the Duke of Orleans promising to receiue him into the towne and offering for performance thereof to deliuer their children in hostage Which their enterprise they might easily haue executed as diuers of great authority being then within the towne and acquainted with all their practises haue aduertised me saying that the Duke of Milan could not haue found men ynow to haue defended the castell of Milan for him bicause both nobles people desired the destruction of this house of Sforce The Duke of Orleans also and his men haue enformed me of these practises aboue mentioned but they had no great affiance in those that negotiated with them and they lacked a man that vnderstood these affaires better than themselues whereunto I also adde that the said Dukes captaines were not all of one opinion as touching this enterprise With the Duke of Milans forces ioined two thousand Almains whom the King of Romanes sent thither and a thousand Dutch horsemen vnder the leading of master Frederic Capelare borne in the countie of Ferrette Their arriuall so much encouraged Master Galeas and his companie that they went before Trecas to present the battell to the Duke of Orleans who refused it notwithstanding that his force were greater then theirs bicause his captaines as I suppose would not hazard the battell fearing least the losse therof should be the Kings destruction of whom they could heare no newes bicause the passages were all stopped wherefore they retired to Nouarre giuing no order for their prouision of victuals no not for the preseruation of the store they had within the towne already much lesse for any new supplie whereof notwithstanding they might plentifully haue been furnished at that time in the countrey about without money whereas afterward they were greatly distressed through their owne follie To conclude their enimies came and lodged within halfe a league of them The Notes 1 The cause of their lacke vvas the barrennes of the countrey How the Kings great artillerie passed the mounts Appenines by the Almains helpe of the danger the Marshall of Gie was in with his vaward and how the King arriued at Fornoue Chap. 5. YOu haue heard how the King vpon no occasion laie in a valley on this side Pontreme fiue daies togither in great distresse of victuals Our Almains did there one great peece of seruice for those that committed this foule fault at Pontreme fearing that they had thereby procured themselues the Kings indignation for euer came and offered to passe the artillerie ouer these monstrous waies in the mountaines for so may I well terme them bicause they were so high and steepe that there lay no beaten way ouer them I haue seene all the highest mountaines both of Italy and Spaine which vndoubtedly are not comparable to these The Almains made this offer vpon condition that the K would pardon their fault which he promised to do We had fowerteene great and massy peeces of artillery
with me in the midway betweene both the armies but if I should offer my selfe to go to them I should thereby too much encourage them adding further that this matter was mooued too late Notwithstanding the selfe same sunday that the King arriued at Fornoue I writ to their prouisors one of the which was named Master Luques Pisan and the other Master Melchior Treuisan desiring them that vnder safe conduct one of them would come and parle with me according to their offer made at our departure from Padua as before you haue heard They answered that they would willingly haue satisfied my request if the war had not been begun vpon the Duke of Milan notwithstanding they promised that one of them whether of the twaine should be appointed would come into some place in the midway to commune with me if we so thought good which answer I receiued the same sunday at night but those that had all the credit with the King made no account thereof As touching my selfe I durst not take too much vpon me nor presse the matter too earnestly least they should charge me with cowardise wherefore I waded no further in it that night notwithstanding that I would with all my hart haue helped the King and his army out of that straight if I might haue done it without danger About midnight the Cardinall of Saint Malo whose pauilion was hard by mine told me as he came from the King that we should depart the next morning by break of day that the King would command a cannon to be shot into the enimies camp as we passed along by them to signifie that he was there ready to present them battell and so march forward without any more adoe And I suppose that this aduise proceeded from the Cardinall himselfe as a man vnable to talke of the wars neither vnderstanding what they meant But it had been requisite that the King should haue assembled the wisest men and best captaines in his armie to debate so weighty a matter as this was And yet perhaps that should haue beene but to small purpose neither for I sawe many matters debated in this voiage the which were executed cleane contrary to the resolution I answered the Cardinal that if we approched so neere them as to shoote into their campe vndoubtedly men would issue foorth on both sides to the skirmish the which could neuer be retired without battell alleaging further that this was cleane contrarie to that I had already begun with their prouisors and it greeued me that we should take this course but such had mine estate been euer since the beginning of the Kings raigne that I durst not wade too far in any matter least I should haue procured my selfe the displeasure of them that were in authoritie about him which was so great where he liked that it was but too great The selfesame night we had two other great alarmes all through our owne fault bicause we had giuen no order against their Estradiots as we ought to haue done and the vse is to do in the wars against light horsemen for twenty of our men of armes with their archers would haue matched two hundred of them but they were as yet strange to vs. There fell also this night a terrible raine and such lightening thundering as was neuer since the world began so that heauen and earth seemed to go togither or that this foreshewed some great inconuenience to ensue For notwithstanding that we knew well that the reuerberation of these great mountaines at the foote of the which we lay made this thunder seeme greater than indeede it was and further that thunder and lightening be naturall in a hot countrie especially in sommer yet seemed they at that present the more dreadfull and terrible to vs bicause we sawe so many enimies encamped before vs we hauing none other meanes to passe through them but by battell our force being so small as it was for we were not aboue nine thousand able men good and bad of the which two thousand were noble mens seruants of the campe but I comprehend not in this number pages nor straglers nor such kinde or people The Notes 1 For you heard before how easily without blowes they entred into Naples 2 It seemeth that this word is deriued of the Greeke for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth a soldior 3 This Naples is a towne in Morea or Peloponnesus vnder the Venetians gouernment called in times past Nauplia and now Neapolis Romanie 4 For they were come foorth of their campe with intent to haue assailed the Marshall 5 Vnderstand this day and a halfe after he lodged vpon the mountaine not after his first arriuall there for from his first comming it was three daies before the King ioined with him as he said a little before 6 That is to say of the Seniorie of Venice which haue Saint Marke for their patrone 7 He said Lib. 7. cap. 5. and saith also againe in this booke cap. 15. that the Italian men of armes were allowed no archers but note that this that the Venetians did heere was contrarie to the ancient maner of Italie and that they did it to imitate the French 8 The Kings campe lay among sallowes and willowes Annal. Franc. Aquit 9 Of the seate of both the camps reade Guicciar fol. 38. pag. 2. Of the battell of Fornoue wherein the enimies of Fraunce were put to flight and how the Earle of Petillane who the same day brake the Kings prison relied them togither againe Chap. 6. THe monday morning about seuen of the clocke being the sixt day of Iuly the yeere of our Lord 1495. the noble King mounted on horsebacke calling often for me At my comming to him I found him armed at all peeces and mounted vpon the brauest horse that euer I saw called Sauoy which some said was a horse of Bresse Duke Charles of Sauoy gaue him to the King he was blacke and had but one eie and of a meane stature but tall ynough for him he carried This yoong Prince seemed that day altogither another man than either his nature person or complexion would beare for naturally he was and yet is very fearfull in speech bicause he had euer been brought vp in great awe and with men of meane estate but this horse made him seeme great and he had a good countenance and a good colour and his talke was stout and wise whereby appeered as I then called to minde that Frier Ierom told me truth when he said that God would leade him by the hand and that he should haue somewhat to do vpon the way but that the honor thereof should be his His words to me were these if these men will parlament go and commune with them and bicause the Cardinall was there present he named him to accompanie me and the Marshall of Gie who was out of patience bicause of a broile that had happened betweene the Earles 1 of Narbonne and Guise the which Guise
nor so well placed to haue succoured it as the day before Further bicause the Marques of Mantua who was entred into the plaine and past the riuer was directly vpon our backe about a quarter of a league behinde our rereward marching with his force softly and close togither which was a maruellous pleasant sight to behold the King was forced to turne his backe to his vawarde and his face towards his enimies and so to approch neerer to his rereward and retire from his vaward I was then with the Cardinall attending an answer of our letter but I told him I perceiued it was no time to staie any longer there wherfore I departed being hard by the Swissers and went to the King But before I could come to him I lost a page who was my cosin germaine and a groome of my chamber and a lackey which followed a prety way behinde me so that I saw not when they were slaine I had not riden aboue a hundred paces when suddenly a cry began to arise in the selfe same place from whence I was departed or but little beyond For you shall vnderstand that their Estradiots at this very instant came to our carriage anâ— entred into the Kings lodging where were three or fower houses in the which they slew or hurt fower or fiue soldiers but the rest escaped they slew also about an hundred of our straglers and put our carriage in great disorder When I came to the King I found him dubbing of knights but bicause the enimies were at hand we caused him to cease and then I hard the bastard of Bourbon named Mathew who was in good credit with the King and one Philip de Moulin a poore gentleman but very valiant call the King saying passe foorth sir passe foorth whereupon he went into the forefront of his battell and placed himselfe before his standard so that the bastard of Bourbon excepted I sawe none neerer the enimies then himselfe Our enimies marched lustely forward in such sort that within lesse than a quarter of an hower after my arriuall they were come within a hundred paces of the King who was as euill garded as euil waited on as euer was Prince or noble maÌ„ but mauger the deuil he is wel defended whom God defends And sure the prophesie of the reuerend father frier Hierom prooued true who told me as before you haue heard that God led him by the hand His rereward stood vpon his right hand being recoiled somwhat from him the neerest companie to him on that side was the D. of Orleans companie being to the number of 80. launces led by Robinet of Frainezelles and Monseur de la Trimoilles company being about forty launces and the hundred Scottish archers of his garde who thrust themselues into the presse as men of armes I my selfe stood vpon the left hand with the gentlemen pensioners and seruants of the Kings house This rereward was led by the Earle of Foix but as touching the names of the other captaines I passe them ouer for breuitie Within a quarter of an hower after my arriuall the enimies being so neere the King as you haue heard charged their staues and began a soft gallop They were diuided into two troupes one of the which charged the two companies of our horsemen and the Scottish archers standing on the Kings right hand and the other the King himselfe so that both they and the King were charged almost at one instant we that stood vpon the left hand charged them vpon the flanke greatly to our aduantage and vndoubtedly it is impossible for men to meete roughlier than we met But the Estradiots that accompanied them seeing our mules and carriage flie towards our vaward and their companions 4 get all the bootie turned their horses that way and forsooke their men of armes who by meanes thereof were vnfollowed whereby it manifestly appeered that God meant to preserue vs for if these fifteene hundred light horsemen had broken in amongst vs with their Cimeterres which are terrible swords like to the Turks vndoubtedly we had beene defeated our number being so small The Italian men of armes immediately after they had broken their staues fled and their footemen or the greatest part shrunke aside and fled also At the selfesame time that they charged vs the Earle of Caiazze gaue a charge also vpon our vaward but they met not so roughly as we for at the very instant that they should haue couched their staues they began to faint and disordered themselues in such sort that fifteene or twenty of them being scattered amongst our bands were taken and slaine by our Almaines the rest were but easily pursued for the Marshall of Gie endeuored to keepe his forces togither bicause he saw yet a great troupe of enimies not far from him Notwithstanding part of his men followed the chase and part of the Earle of Caiazzes men that fled passed ouer the place where the Marques we had fought with their swords in their hands for they had throwne awaie their staues But they that assailed the King fled immediately after they had charged and were maruellous swiftly pursued for we all followed the chase part of them tooke â—way to the village from whence we were departed the rest fled the next way to their campe we all pursuing them saue the King who staid behinde with a few men and put himselfe in great danger bicause he followed not after them with vs. One of the first that was slaine of their side was the Lord Rodolph of Mantua vnckle to the Marques who should haue sent word to the aboue named Master Anthonie of Vrbin when he should march for they thought that this battell would haue endured as their battels in Italie do which their error serued the said Master Anthonie for a good excuse but to say the truth I thinke he saw ynough to stay him from marching We had a great number of straglers and seruants following vs all the which flocked about the Italian men of armes being ouerthrowen and slue the most of them For the greatest part of the said straglers had their hatchets in their hands wherewith they vsed to cut wood to make our lodgings with the which hatchets they brake the visards of their head peeces and then claue their heads for otherwise they could hardly haue beene slaine they were so surely armed so that there were euer three or fower about one of them Moreouer the long swords that our archers and seruants had did that day a great execution The King tarried vpon the place where the charge was giuen accompanied with seuen or eight yoong gentlemen whom he had appointed to attend vpon him for neither would he follow the chase neither retire to his vaward bicause it was somwhat farre off He escaped wel at the first encounter coÌ„sidering that he was one of the foremost for the bastard of Bourbon was taken within lesse then twenty paces of him 5 and led prisoner to the
between both the armies which me thought was a hard matter to be brought to passe but I would not seeme to draw backe nor make difficultie therin The King named the Cardinall of Saint Malo the Lord of Gie Marshall of Fraunce and the Lord of Piennes his Chamberlaine to accompany me and they named for them the Marques of Mantua Generall of the Venetians army the Earle of Caiazze who not long before had taken part with vs and was captaine of the forces the Duke of Milan had there and Master Luques Pisan and Master Melchior Treuisan prouisors of the seniorie of Venice We approched so neere them that we might easily descry them fower vpon the plaine The riuer ran between vs and them which was risen exceedingly since the day before on their side there was not one man without their campe but themselues onely neither any on ours but onely we our watch which stood ouer against them We sent a herault to them to know whether they would passe the riuer whereunto me thought it a hard matter to perswade either partie for I supposed both parties would make difficulty therein as well appeered by them for they answered that the place of communication was appointed in the midway betweene both the armies and that they were come already more than the halfe way wherefore they would not passe the riuer nor put themselues in such danger being all the principall of their armie They also of our side alleaged the like doubts making no lesse account of their persons than the others Wherfore they willed me to go to them giuing me no instructions for my direction I answered that I would not go alone but would haue some body with me to testifie of all that should be done Wherfore being accompanied with one Master Robertet the Kings Secretarie and a seruant of mine owne and an herault I passed the riuer for notwithstanding that I wel perceiued I should do no good yet thought I by this means to acquite my selfe towards them being come thither by my procurement When I came to them I told them they were not come halfe the way according to their promise wherefore I desired them at the least to come to the riuers side assuring my selfe that if we were once so high togither we should not depart without communication They answered that the riuer was so brode and ran with so great violence and noise that no talke could be heard from the one side to the other wherefore they would go no neerer to parlament neither could I by any meanes bring them one foote further but they willed me to make some ouerture which I had no commission to do Wherefore I answered that alone I could do nothing but if they would propound any conditions of peace I would make report thereof to the King While we were in this communication one of our heraults arriued who brought me word that the Lords aboue named that had accompanied me were ready to depart and willed me to make what ouerture I thought good which I refused to do bicause they vnderstood further of the Kings pleasure than I did for they were neerer him than I was and had also talked with him in his eare at our departure notwithstanding as touching these affaires which I now speake of I vnderstood what was to be done in them as well as the best of them The Marquesse of Mantua entred into great communication with me of the battell asked me if he had been taken whether the King would haue slaine him I answered no but haue entertained him well alleaging that he had good cause to loue him seeing the honor he had woon by his assailing him Then he recommended vnto me the prisoners we had especially his vncle the Lord Rodolph whom he supposed to be yet liuing but I knew well the contrarie notwithstanding I answered that all the prisoners should be well intreated and recommended in like maner to him the bastard of Bourbon whom they had taken Small entertainment would serue all the prisoners we had for we had none which I suppose neuer happened before in any battell But the said Marquesse lost there of his kinsmen to the number of seuen or eight and of his owne companie at the least sixscore men of armes This talke being ended I tooke my leaue of them saying that before night I would returne againe whereupon we made truce till night At my returne to the King with the said Secretarie they asked me what newes and the King sate in counsel in a poore chamber where nothing was concluded but each man beheld other The King talked with the Cardinall in his eare and afterward bad me returne againe to the enimies to see what they would say But bicause this communication of peace proceeded of me the enimies looked that I should make some ouerture and not they Afterward the Cardinall bad me conclude nothing but that speech was needlesse for I was not like to conclude any thing bicause they gaue me no direction notwithstanding I would not replie to the Kings commandement nor breake off my iourney for besides that I was sure to do no harme I was in some hope to gather somwhat by our enimies countenances who vndoubtedly were more afraid than we and happily might passe some speeches that would turne both the parties to good Wherefore I tooke my iorney thitherward and came to the riuers side almost at night where one of their trumpeters met me and aduertised me that the fower aboue named sent me word to passe no further that night bicause their watch was already set being altogither of Estradiots who knew not one man from another wherefore I might happily endanger my selfe if I passed further notwithstanding the trumpeter offered to tarry with me all night to the end he might conuey me thither the next morning but I sent him backe againe saying that the next morning I would returne to the riuers side where I willed him to tarie me or if the K. should otherwise determine I promised to send thither a herald to aduertise them therof for I would not bring this trumpeter into our campe partly bicause I would not haue him priuy to our actions there that night and partly bicause I knew not what the King meant to do for I sawe whispering in his eare which put me in some doubt wherefore I returned to aduertise the King what I had done Euery man supped with that he could get and slept vpon the ground Soone after midnight I repaired to the Kings chamber where I found his chamberlaines readie to mount on horsebacke who told me that the King would depart with all speed towards Ast and the Marchionesse of Montferrates territories willing me to stay behinde to hold the Parlament according to my promise but I made my excuse saying that I would not willingly kill my selfe but be on horsebacke with the foremost Soone after the King arose and heard masse and mounted on horsebacke Not past an
them a great band of harquebusiers on foote with whom also a number of harquebusiers on horsebacke were ioined these made their Estradiots being but few in number to retire Further notwithstanding that their whole armie which had fought with vs marched after vs as fast as they might yet could they not ouertake vs both bicause they were departed from the place of the battell a day after vs and also bicause of their barded horses so that we lost not one man vpon the way The said armie neuer came within a mile of vs wherefore seeing they could not ouertake vs and peraduenture not greatly desirous so to do they marched straight towards Nouarre whither both the Duke of Milan and the Venetians had already sent certaine bands as before you haue heard But if they could haue ouertaken vs neere to the places of our retrait peraduenture they might haue sped better than in the valley of Fornoue I haue shewed before sufficiently in diuers places how God guided this enterprise but yet for further proofe thereof a word or two more You shall vnderstand therefore that notwithstanding that from the day of the battell till our arriuall at the said place of Nice de la Paille the lodgings were vnorderly and vnequally made yet euery man lodged with patience as commodiously as he could without strife or contention Of victuals we had great lacke notwithstanding they of the countrey brought vs some who might easily haue poisoned vs if they would both in their meates and wines and also in their wels and waters which were dried vp sometimes in a moment bicause they were but small springs If they had minded to haue poisoned them they would sure haue done it but bicause they did it not it is to be thought that our Sauiour and redeemer Iesus Christ tooke from them all desire to do it I saw such thirst in our armie that a number of footemen dranke of stinking puddles in the villages through the which we passed Our iourneies were long and our drinke foule standing water which notwithstanding our men were so greedy of that they ran into the pooles vp to the girdlestead to drinke For you shall vnderstand that a number of people followed vs being no men of war bicause our carriage was maruellous great The King departed from his lodging euery morning before day and I remember not that euer he had guide Moreouer he rode till noone before he baited and euery man made prouision for himselfe and looked to his owne horse and was forced to prouide prouender for him and to beare it to him in his armes as my selfe did twise and two daies I ate nothing but naughty blacke bread yet was I none of those that stood in most neede Sure one thing was especially to be commended in this armie to wit that neuer man complained of necessitie yet was this the miserablest voiage that euer I saw notwithstanding that I haue been in diuers sharp hard voiages with Charles Duke of Burgundie We marched no faster than the great artillerie the mending whereof often troubled vs besides that we lacked horses to draw it but at all times when we stood in neede we borrowed of the gentlemen in our armie who willingly lent theirs so that there was not one peece nor one pound of powder lost And I thinke neuer man saw artillerie of such greatnes passe so speedily ouer such places as this did All this disorder both in our lodgings and all other things happened not for lacke of wise and expert men in the campe but it was their chaunce to haue least credit at that time for the King was yoong and wedded to his owne will as before you haue heard To conclude therefore it seemed that our Lord Iesus Christ would that the honor of this voiage should be attributed wholy to him The seuenth day after our departure from the place of the battell we marched from Nice de la Paille and encamped all togither hard by Alexandria our watch that night being very strong The next morning before day we departed and went to Ast the King and his houshold lodged in the towne but the soldiers encamped without we found the said towne of Ast furnished of all kinde of victuals wherwith the whole armie was well refreshed which vndoubtedly stood in great neede thereof bicause they had indured great hunger thirst and heate and lacked sleepe besides that their apparell was all tottered and torne Immediately after the Kings arriuall thither before I slept I sent a gentleman called Philip de la Coudre who somtime had been my seruant and serued then the Duke of Orleans to Nouarre where the said Duke was besieged by his enimies as you may vnderstand by that which is aboue rehearsed but the siege was not yet so straight but that men might passe in and out bicause the enimies onely endeuor was to famish the towne I aduertised the Duke by this gentleman of diuers treaties that were entertained betweene the King and the Duke of Milan in one of the which my selfe negotiated by the Duke of Ferraraes meanes wherefore I aduised him to repaire to the King hauing first assured his men whom he should leaue behinde him either shortly to returne or bring force to leuie the siege Within the said towne were with him to the number of 7500. soldiers both French and Swissers being as goodly a band so many for so many as euer was seene The King the next day after his arriuall was aduertised both by the said Duke of Orleans and others that the two armies were ioined togither before Nouarre wherefore the said Duke desired aide bicause his victuals daily diminished for the which they had giuen no order at their first entrie into the towne For they might then haue recouered ynow in the townes about especially corne and if their prouision had been made in time and well looked to they should neuer haue been forced to yeeld the towne for if they could haue held it but one moneth longer they had come foorth with honor and their enimies departed with shame How the King sent ships to the sea to succour the castels of Naples and why the said castels could not be succoured Chap. 8. AFter the King had reposed himselfe a fewe daies in Ast he remooued to Thurin dispatching at his departure from Ast one of the stewards of his house called Peron de Bache with a commission to arme certaine ships to the sea 1 to succour the castels of Naples which held yet for vs. The said Peron did as he was commanded and appointed monseur d'Arban Admirall of the Fleet which sailed as far as the citie of Pruce 2 where our men being within the view of our enimies a sudden tempest arose which would not suffer the two armies to ioine by meanes whereof this Nauie did no seruice for the said d' Arban returned to Ligorne 3 where the most part of his men fled to land and abandoned their ships But the
enimies many came to the hauen of Bougen 4 neere to Plambin whence it departed not the space of two moneths so that our men might without all danger haue succoured the said castels for the nature of this hauen of Bougen is such that a ship cannot come foorth of it but with one winde which bloweth seldome in winter The said Arban was a valiant soldier and a very good sea man 5 While the King lay at Thurin diuers treaties were entertained between him and the Duke of Milan in one of the which the Duches of Sauoy was a dealer she was daughter to the Marques of Montferratte and a widow and mother to the yoong Duke of Sauoy then liuing Others negotiated also as well as she and among the rest my selfe laboured for conclusion of the peace as before I haue made mention and the confederats that is to say the captaines that were in the enimies campe before Nouarre desired to deale with me and sent me a safe conduct But enuie euer raigneth in Princes courts for the Cardinall so often aboue named ouerthrew all that I did and would that the Duches of Sauois negotiation should go forward which was committed to the said Cardinals hoste who was Treasurer of Sauoy a wise man and a faithfull seruant to his Mistres This treatie endured so long without effect that in the end all hope of peace ceasing the Bailife of Digeon was sent ambassador into Swisserland to leuy there fiue thousand men I haue made mention already how the Kings Nauie that departed from Nice in prouence to succour the castels of Naples could not succour them for the reasons there rehearsed Wherefore the Lord of Montpensier and the other gentlemen that were with him in the castels vnderstanding of this misfortune espied a conuenient time when the army that the King left behinde him in diuers parts of the realme lay neere to the said castles and by helpe therof salied foorth leauing within force sufficient for their defence according to the proportion of their victuals which was very smal and departed themselues with two thousand and fiue hundred soldiers appointing Ognas and two other gentlemen captaines of the castles The said L. of Montpensier the Prince of Salerne the Seneschall of Beaucaire and the rest that were with them departed to Salerne for the which cause King Ferrand said that he might lawfully put to death the hostages deliuered to him a few daies before whose names were these the Lord of Alegre one called de la Marche-d ' Ardaine the Lord de la Chapelle d'Aniou one named Roquebertin Catelin and one Genly for you shall vnderstand that not past three moneths before the said King Ferrand was entred into Naples by intelligence or rather through the negligence of our men who vnderstood of all their practises in the towne and yet neuer sought to countermine them But heereof I will write no farther bicause I speake but vpon report for notwithstanding that I had mine intelligence from the principall of those that were there yet do I not willingly discourse long of any matter that I haue not been present at my selfe The said K. Ferrand being in Naples was aduertised that the King was slaine at the battell of Fornoue as were our men also within the castle by the Duke of Milans letters to the which credit was giuen notwithstanding that they reported no thing but lies And thereupon the Coulonnois whose maner is alwaies to turne with the strongest reuolted incontinent from vs though sundry waies bound to the King as before you haue heard Wherefore our men partlie through these vntrue reports but especially bicause a great number of them were retired into the castell being vtterly vnfurnished of victuals and partly also bicause they had lost their horses and all their goods within the towne made a composition the sixt day of October in the yeere 1495. after they had been besieged three moneths fowerteen daies promising if they were not succoured within a certaine space to depart into Prouence and yeeld the castels without making further war either by sea or land vpon the realme of Naples for the performance of which conditions they deliuered these hostages aboue named and yet within twentie daies after the composition departed as you haue heard for the which cause King Ferrand said that they had broken the composition in that they departed without leaue and notwithstanding that our men maintained the contrary yet were the hostages in great danger and not without cause For although I will not denie but that our men did wisely to depart notwithstanding the composition yet had they done much better if the day of their departure they had yeelded the castles for their hostages safetie and receiued again the said hostages For the castels held but twenty daies after they were departed partly for lacke of victuals and partly bicause they despaired of succours To conclude the losse of the castell of Naples was the losse of the whole realme The Notes 1 This Peron vvas sent to Nice being a hauen tovvne in Prouence to prepare this nauie 2 I suppose this to be some hauen tovvne not far from Naples or rather thinke it should be read the I le of Prusse vvhereof mention is made cap. 14. vvhich Guicciar calleth the I le of Poreze 3 To the I le of Elbe Guicciar 4 The place is corrupted for this hauen is aftervvard called Bengon vvherefore the French Corrector readeth it as Blondus and the description of Italy lead him Porto Barato pres Piombino 5 Guicciar saith Arban vvas vnskilfull on the sea and I doubt this place be corrupted heere Of the great famine and miserie the Duke of Orleans and his men were in at Nouarre of the Marchiones of Montferrats death and likewise of Monseur de Vendosmes and how after long deliberation the King enclined to peace to saue those that were besieged Chap. 9. THe King being at Thurin as you haue heard and at Quiers whither he went sometime to solace himselfe attended daily for newes of the Almains whom he had sent for and trauelled to recouer the Duke of Milan whose freindship he much desired neither cared he greatly for the Duke of Orleans successe who began now to be sore distressed for victuals and wrote daily for succours bicause the enimies were approched neerer the towne Besides that their force was increased with a thousand Almain horsemen and eleuen thousand footemen called launce Knights leuied in the King of Romaines dominions the horsemen being led by Master Frederic Capelare of the countie of Ferrette a valiant knight who long had been trained vp both in Fraunce and Italy and the footemen by a couragious knight of Austriche called Master George d'Abecfin 1 the selfe same that tooke Saint Omer for the King of Romaines The King therefore seeing his enimies forces daily to increase and that no honorable end could be made was aduised to remooue to Verceil there to deuise some way to saue the Duke of
Orleans and his company who as before you haue heard had giuen no order at all for their victuals at their first entrie into Nouarre And sure the Duke should haue done much better in following the aduise I gaue him at the Kings returne to Ast as before is mentioned which was to depart out of Nouarre putting all that were vnable to do seruice out of the towne and to repaire himselfe to the King for his presence would much haue furthered his affaires at the least those that he had left behinde him should not haue suffered such extreme famine as they did for he would haue made a composition sooner when he had seene no remedie But the Archbishop of Rouen who had been with him in Nouarre from the very beginning and for the furtherance of his affaires was come to the King and present at the debating of all matters sent him word daily not to depart bicause shortly he should be succoured grounding himselfe wholy vpon the Cardinall of Saint Malos promise who had all the credit with the King Good affection caused him to write thus but I was well assured of the contrarie For no man would returne to the battell vnlesse the King went in person and as touching him he desired nothing lesse for this was but a priuate quarrell for one towne which the Duke of Orleans would needes retaine and the Duke of Milan needes haue restored bicause it is but ten leagues from Milan so that of necessitie one of them must haue had all For there are in the Duchie of Milan nine or ten great cities the one neere to the other Further the Duke of Milan said that in restoring Nouarre and not demanding Genua he would do any thing for the King We sent meale oftentimes to Nouarre whereof the halfe was euer lost vpon the way and once sixtie men of armes were defeated going thither being led by a yoong gentleman of the Kings house named Chastillon some of them were taken some entred the towne and the rest hardly escaped It is impossible to expresse the great miserie of our men within Nouarre for euery day some died of famine and two parts of them were sicke so that pitious letters came from thence in cipher though with great difficultie They receiued euer faire promises and all was but abuse But those that gouerned the Kings affaires desired the battell not considering that no man was of that opinion but themselues for all the best men of war in the armie namely the Prince of Orenge lately arriued and to whom the K. gaue great credit in martiall affairs and all the other captains desired to make a good end by treatie For winter approched we were vnfurnished of monie the number of the French was small and many of them sicke so that they departed daily some with the Kings leaue and some without leaue but notwithstanding all these inconueniences all the wise men in the campe could not disswade those aboue mentioned from sending word to the Duke of Orleans not to depart the towne whereby vndoubtedly they greatly endangered him And this they did bicause they trusted vpon the great force of Almaines whereof the Bailife of Digeon assured them to whom also certaine of them sent word to bring as many as he could leuie To be short their companie was diuided and euery man said and writ what him listed Those that would haue no peace nor meeting to treate thereof alleaged that the enimies ought to make the first ouuerture and not the K. but they on the other side said that they would not first begin in the meane time the misery of our men in Nouarre daily increased in such sort that now their letters made mention only of those that died daily for hunger and that they could hold the towne but ten daies and afterward eight daies yea and once they came to three daies but they had first passed their day before prefixed To be short so great extremitie hath not been seene of long time no I am sure that a hundred yeeres before we were borne neuer men sustained so great famine as they In the meane time died the Marchionesse of Montferrat a great friend to the French wherupon some strife arose in that countrey for the gouernment the which on the one side the Marques of Saluce demanded and on the other the Lord Constantine vnckle to the said Marchionesse who was a Greeke and she a Greekesse daughter to the King of Seruia but the Turke had destroied them both The said Lord Constantine had fortified himselfe in the castell of Casal and had in his hands the late Marques his two sonnes begotten of this wise and beautiful Lady the which died the 29. yeere of hir age hir eldest sonne being but nine yeeres old Other particular men also aspired to the gouernment so that great part taking arose about that matter in our campe The King commanded me to to thither and determine the controuersie for the childrens safetie and to the contentation of the greatest part of the people For he feared that this variance would make them call the Duke of Milan into their countrey greatly to our discontentment for the friendship of this house of Montferrat stood vs in great stead I was loth to depart before I had brought into better tune those that contraried the peace for I considered both the inconueniences aboue rehearsed and also that winter approched and feared least these Prelats should perswade the King to aduenture another battell whose power was small vnlesse great force of Swissers hapned to come and though so many came as they vaunted of yet seemed it to me a dangerous case to put the King and his estate into their hands Further our enimies were mightie and lodged in a strong place and well fortified Wherefore all these points being well weighed I aduentured to perswade the King not to hazard his person and estate for a trifle I desired him to remember the great danger he was in at Fornoue which could not then be auoided bicause necessitie forced him to fight but now I said there was no such necessitie I aduised him further not to refuse a good end bicause of this fond obiection that he ought not first to breake the ice for if it so pleased him I would finde meanes that ouuertures should be made in such sort that the honor of both parties should be saued He bad me repaire to the Cardinall and so I did but the Cardinall gaue me strange answers and desired the battell assuring himselfe of the victorie and further alleaging that the Duke of Orleans had promised him ten thousand ducats of yeerly reuenues for one of his sonnes if he obtained the Duchie of Milan The next day as I went to take my leaue of the King to depart to Casal being distant from thence about a daies iourney and a halfe I met with Monseur de la Trimoille by the waie whom I aduertised of my communication had with the King and
bicause he was neere about him I asked his aduise whether I should presse forward the matter whereunto he earnestly perswaded me for al men desired to repaire home The King was in a garden and when I came to him I began to perswade with him as the daie before in presence of the Cardinall who answered me that it appertained to him being a church man to be the first moouer of the King to peace whereunto I replied that if he would not I would For I perceiued well that both the King and those that were neerest about him desired to returne home Then I tooke my leaue and at my departure told the Prince of Orenge who had the principall charge of the army that if I entred into any communication of peace I would addresse my selfe wholy to him This being done I tooke my iourney towards Casall where I was well receiued by the whole kinred of this house of Montferrat and found the greatest part of them inclined to the Lord Constantine whose gouernment was thought by them all most conuenient for the childrens safetie bicause he could pretend no title to the succession as the Marques of Saluce did I assembled by the space of certaine daies both the Nobles of the countrey the Spirituall men and the Burgesses of the good townes and at the request of them at the least the greatest part of them declared the Kings pleasure to be that the Lord Constantine should remaine gouernor For I was sure they would not withstande the Kings commandement both bicause of the force he had then on that side the mountaines and also bicause of the good affection the whole countrey beareth to the house of Fraunce About three daies after my arriuall at Casal the Marquesse of Mantua the Venetians Generall sent the steward of his house thither to condole the late deceased Marchionesse death for the said Marquesse was of kin to this house of Montferrat The same Steward and I entered into communication how we might agree these two armies without battell for both the parties disposed themselues to fight and the King lay in campe neere to Verceil but to say the truth he did but passe the riuer onely 2 and lodge his campe which was vtterly vnprouided of tents and pauilions for our men had brought foorth but few with them and those few also were lost Moreouer the ground was wet both bicause winter approched and bicause the countrey lieth low The King lodged in his campe but one night and the next day returned to the towne but the Prince of Orenge abode still with the army so did also the Earle of Foix and the Earle of Vendosme who fell into a fluxe there whereof he died which sure was great pitie for he was a goodly gentleman yoong and wise and was come thither in poste bicause the brute ran that there we should fight For you shall vnderstand that he had not beene with the King in this voiage into Italy Besides these the Marshall of Gie abode also in the campe and diuers other captaines but the greatest force were the Almaines that had beene with the King in this voiage for the French men would by no meanes lodge abrode the towne being so neere besides that diuers of them were sicke and many returned home some with leaue some without leaue Nouarre was distant from our campe ten great Italian miles containing six French leagues at the lest the way is cumbersome for the ground is tough and soft as in Flaunders bicause of ditches that are on both sides of the way much deeper than the ditches of Flaunders In winter the waies there are very foule and in sommer maruellous dustie Moreouer betweene our campe and Nouarre there was a little place which we held called Bourg about a league from vs and another that they held about a league from their campe called Camarian But the waters were risen so high that a man could hardly passe between vs and them The Marquesse of Mantuas steward aboue mentioned that was come to Casall and I continued still our communication of peace and diuers reasons I alleaged to him to perswade his Master to shun the battell First I put him in minde of the great danger he had beene in at Fornoue secondarily I told him that he fought for them that neuer had aduaunced him notwithstanding the great seruices he had done them wherefore his best way should be to incline to peace which I for my part promised to further on our side as much as in me lay He answered that his Master desired nothing more than peace but that we must make the first motion thereof as word had been sent me heertofore considering that their league that is to say the Pope the Kings of Romanes and Spaine the Venetians and the Duke of Milan were more woorthie than the King alone I answered that to make such a ceremonie about so small a trifle was meere follie notwithstanding if any ceremonie were to be obserued that the King ought to haue the preheminence and honor thereof considering that himselfe was there in person and the others had but their lieutenants there But to auoid all such fond cauillation I offered that he and I iointly as mediators if he so thought good would breake the yce so that I were sure his Master the Marquesse of Mantua would agree therunto and proceeded accordingly Whereupon we concluded that the next day I should send a trumpeter to their campe by whom I should write to Master Lucas Pisan and Master Melchior Treuisan the two Venetian Prouisors the which are officers appointed to consult with their captains and to prouide things necessarie for their armie According to the which resolution the next morning I writ vnto them the effect of that I had said before to the steward for I had good colour to continue still a mediator bicause I had promised so to do at my departure from Venice Besides that I was sure the King desired peace and me thought that also our affaires required it Lastly there are euer men ynow to breake off a good appointmēt but few that haue skil wil withal to trauel for the pacifying of so great a controuersie nor that will endure so many hard speeches as are vsed of them that deale in such affaires for in great armies all are not of one humor The said Prouisors were glad of these newes and promised that I should shortly haue answer of my letter whereof foorthwith they sent word to Venice in post and receiued answere with great expedition from the Seniorie and not long after sent an Earle that serued the Duke of Ferrara to our campe The said Duke had men in their armie for his eldest sonne was in pay with the Duke of Milan 3 but another of his sonnes with the King our Master This Earles name was Albertin and he pretended openly that the occasion of his arriuall was to visite Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul with whom he had a sonne
with him We alleaged many reasons to perswade him thereunto saying that by this meanes the peace should be fully confirmed but he gaue foorth diuers reasons to the contrarie and refused so to do excusing himselfe vpon certaine speeches vttered by Monseur de Ligny who had aduised to take him prisoner when he was with the King at Pauia and likewise by the Cardinall who had all the credit with the King But notwithstanding that many foolish words were indeede spoken I know not by whom yet sure I am that at this present the King greatly desired his friendship He was in a place called Bolie and agreed to speake with the King so that a grate might be betweene them built vpon a bridge ouer a riuer Vpon receipt of which answer the King departed to Quiers where he staied but a night or two and then tooke his iourney to passe ouer the mountaines and sent me againe to Venice and others to Genua to cause the two ships to be manned 2 which the Duke of Milan was bound to lende him but he performed no whit of that he promised for after the King had beene at great charges in arming of men to the said ships the Duke would not let them depart but on the contrarie side sent two to our enimies The Notes 1 This treatie of Verceil was concluded the 9. of October 2 The Duke was bound to arme these ships but the King would haue manned them with his owne men How the King sent the Lord of Argenton to Venice with certaine conditions of peace which they refused and of the Duke of Milans false dealings Chap. 12. MY ambassage to the Venetians was to know whether they would accept the peace and agree to these three articles First to restore Monopoly to the King which they had lately woon from vs 1 Secondarily to reuoke the Marquesse of Mantua and the forces they had in the realme of Naples from King Ferrandes seruice Lastly to declare King Ferrande to be none of their confederates bicause none were comprehended in their league but the Pope the King of Romans the King of Spaine and the Duke of Milan When I arriued at Venice they receiued me very honorably though not so honorably as at my former being there and no maruell for then we were in peace but now in hostilitie I did my message to the Duke who welcommed me and told me that shortly I should receiue mine answer but that he would first consult with the Senate Three daies they commanded generall processions and publike sermons and dealt great almes desiring God of his grace to direct them into the wisest course which maner of proceeding as I was there informed they vse ordinarily in such like cases Wherefore I must needes confesse that this citie seemed to me the most deuout as touching matters of religion that euer I came in and their Churches the best decked and trimmed so that heerin I account them equall with the ancient Romanes and amfully perswaded that thereof springeth the greatnes of their Seniorie which sure is woorthie rather to increase than diminish But to returne to mine ambassage I abode there fifteene daies before I was dispatched The answer I receiued was a refusall of all my demaunds with this excuse that they were not in war with the King neither had done any thing but in defence of their confederate the Duke of Milan whom the King sought to destroy Afterward they caused the Duke to commune with me apart who offered me a good composition to wit that King Ferrande by the Popes consent should hold the realme of Naples of the King by homage and pay him yeerely fiftie thousand ducats for tribute and a certaine summe of monie presently the which they offered to lend meaning to haue in gage for it the places which they now hold in Pouille namely Brandis Otrante Trani and the rest And further that for performance of these conditions the said Dom Ferrande should deliuer to the King or leaue in his hands certaine towns in Pouille they meant Tarente which the King yet held and one or two more that the said Ferrande should haue deliuered which townes they offered vs on that side of Italie bicause it was the furthest from vs notwithstanding that they pretended the offer to be bicause they stood commodiously to inuade the Turke whereof the King had put men in great hope at his first entrie into Italie saying that he attempted this conquest of Naples to the end he might with the more expedition transport his forces against the said Turke which was a wicked deuice and a meere lie for he meant nothing lesse but from God no man can hide his thoughts Moreouer the Duke of Venice offered me that if the King would attempt any thing against the Turke he should haue free accesse to these places aboue named that all Italy should be contributors to the wars that the King of Romanes should inuade also on the other side and that the King and they would gouerne Italie in such sort that no man should refuse to pay that he should be rated at and further that they for their part would aide him vpon their owne proper costs and charges with an hundred gallies vpon the sea and fiue thousand horses vpon the land I tooke my leaue of the Duke and the Seniorie saying that I would make report of their answer to the King Then returned I to Milan and found the Duke at Vigesue and the Kings ambassador with him who was one of the Stewards of his house named Rigaut Dorelles The Duke came foorth himselfe to meete me vnder colour of going a hunting for they vse there to receiue ambassadors with great reuerence and lodged me in his castle very honorably I desired to commune with him apart and he promised that I should so do though halfe against his will as it seemed The castle of Naples held yet for the King wherefore I meant earnestly to presse him for the two ships promised vs by the treatie of Verceil the which were readie to depart he in outward apparance seeming-willing thereunto But Peron of Basche Steward of the Kings house and Stephen de Neues who were at Genua for the King so soone as they vnderstood of my arriuall at Vigesue wrote vnto me complaining of the Duke of Milans falshood who would not suffer the two ships to depart which he had promised vs but on the contrary side had sent two to aide our enimies They aduertised me further that one day the gouernor of Genua made them answere that he would not suffer the saide ships to be manned with any French men and another day that he would put into each of them but fiue and twentie at the most with diuers such like dissimulations dalliyng and delaying the time till the castle of Naples were yeelded which the Duke knew well to be victualled but for a moneth or little more And as touching the armie that the King leuied in Prouence it was not
able to succour the castle without these two ships for the enimies lay before it with a great Nauie as well of their owne as of the Venetians and the King of Spaines Three daies I abode with the Duke and one day he sate in counsell with me seeming to be discōtented that I misliked his answer touching the said ships and alleaged that by the treatie of Verceil he had promised to serue the King with two ships but not that they should be manned with French men Whereunto I answered that this seemed to me a verie slender excuse for if he should lend me a good mule to passe the mountaines withall and afterward make me lead hir in my hand and not to ride vpon hir but looke vpon hir onely what pleasure did he me After much debating he and I withdrew our selues into a gallery where I declared vnto him what great paines both I and others had taken to conclude this treatie of Verceil and into how great danger he brought vs by contrariyng thus his promise and causing the King by that meanes to lose these castles and consequently the whole realme whereby he should also ingender perpetuall hatred between the King and him Further I offered him the Princedome of Tarente and the Duchie of Bary the which Duchie he held already Lastly I shewed him the danger he put both himselfe and the whole estate of Italy into by suffering the Venetians to hold these places in Pouille 2 And he confessed I said true especially touching the Venetians but his last resolution was that he could finde no faith nor assurance with the King After this communication I tooke my leaue of him he accompaning me vpon the way about a league But euen at our very departure he deuised yet a cunningerly than all the rest if a man may vse such termes of a Prince for bicause I seemed to depart sad and Melancholick he said vnto me as a man suddenly altered that he would do me a friendly turne to the end the King might haue good cause to welcom me for the next day he would send Master Galeas to Genua more I could not wish when he named him to me to cause the two ships to depart and ioine with our armie by meanes whereof he would saue the King the castle of Naples and consequently the whole realme as he should indeed if he had done as he promised He said further that immediately after their departure he would aduertise me thereof with his owne hand to the end I might be the first man that should bring newes to the King of this great seruice that I had done him adding also that the Courrier should ouertake me with his letters before my arriuall at Lyons In this good hope departed I and tooke my iourney to passe the mountaines thinking euerie Poste that came after me to be the same that should haue brought me these letters Notwithstanding I doubted somewhat thereof knowing the nature of the man so well as I did But to proceed in my voiage I came to Chambery where I found the Duke of Sauoy who honorably entreated me and staied me with him a day Afterward I arriued at Lyons without my Courrier to make report to the King of all that I had done whom I found banketting and iusting and wholy giuen to sport and pastime Those that had misliked this treatie of Verceil were glad that the Duke of Milan had thus deluded vs for their credit increased thereby but me they potted at as in such cases is vsuall in Princes courts greatly to my griefe and discontentment I made report to the King by mouth and shewed him also in writing the Venetians offers aboue rehearsed whereof he made small account and the Cardinall who gouerned all much lesse But that notwithstanding I mooued it to him afterward againe for me thought it better to accept this offer then to lose all Besides that the King had no men about him able to deale in so waightie an enterprise 3 for those that were able and of experience they that had all the credit neuer or very seldome called to counsell in any matter The King would gladly they should oftner haue beene called but he feared to displease those that were of authority about him especially those that gouerned his treasure namely the said Cardinall and his brethren and kinsmen Wherefore let all other Princes learne by the example of this how fit and conuenient it is for themselues to take paines in the gouerning of their owne affaires at the least sometimes how requisite it is to call more than one or two to counsell according to the varietie of the matters that are debated and how necessarie it is to hold their counsellors almost in equall authority for if one of them be so great that the rest feare him as one was both then and euer since about King Charles he is King and Lord in effect and the Prince himselfe is euill serued as this King was by his gouernors who sought onely their owne profit and little regarded his whereby himselfe was the lesse esteemed and the worse thought of The Notes 1 The Venetians hauing sent aide to King Ferrand had won Monopoly and Pulignane Guicciar 2 For King Ferrand since King Charles his departure had in ingaged to the Venetians 6. townes in Pouille vnder certaine conditions which are rehearsed heerafter cap. 14. 3 He meaneth the enterprise of succouring the castle of Naples How the King after his returne into Fraunce forgot those that he left behinde him in the realme of Naples and how the Daulphin died whose death the King and Queen much lamented Chap. 13. I Returned to Lyons the yeere 1495. the twelfe of December where the King was already arriued with his army a yeere and two moneths after his departure out of his realme The castles of Naples held yet for him as before you haue heard and Monseur de Montpensier his lieutenant there was yet at Salerne in the realme of Naples with the Prince of Salerne likewise Monseur de Aubigny was yet in Calabria where he had done great seruice notwithstanding that he had been sicke almost euer since the Kings departure Master Gracien des Guerres was yet also in l' Abruzzo Dom Iulian at Montsaint-Ange and George of Suly at Tarente but they were all so distressed as a man would not beleeue Besides that they could hardly receiue any newes or letters out of Fraunce and those few they did receiue were but lies and faire promises without effect For the K. as you haue heard they dispatched nothing himselfe and if it had beene furnished in time but of the sixte part of the money that was spent afterward they had neuer lost the realme But in the end when all was yeelded they receiued forty thousand ducats onely for part of a yeeres pay already passed and yet if this small summe had come but a moneth sooner the miseries and diuisions they afterward fell into and the dishonor they receiued
castle of Naples was yeelded by those that the Lord of Montpensier left within it who were forced thereunto partly by famine and partly to recouer the hostages deliuered by the said Montpensier to King Ferrande whose names were Monseur d'Alegre one of the house de la Marche-d'Ardaine one called de la Capelle de Loudonnois 1 one named Iohn Roquebertin Catelan They that were within the castle returned by sea into Fraunce Another great dishonor and losse receiued the King also at the same time which was this Entragues who held the Citadelle of Pisa being the fort that keepeth the towne in subiection deliuered the said Citadelle to the Pisans contrarie to the Kings oth 2 who had twice sworne to the Florentines to restore vnto them the said Citadelle and their other places namely Serzane Serzanelle Pietresancte Librefacto and Mortron which they had lent him in his great necessitie at his first comming into Italy at which time they gaue him also sixescore thousand ducats whereof there remained vnpaid to vs but thirty thousand at our returne home as before you haue heard To be short all these the Florentines places aboue named were solde the Genuois bought Serzane and Serzanelle of a bastard of Saint Paul 3 Pietresancte Entragues solde to the Luquois 4 and Librefacto to the Venetians 5 to the great dishonor both of the King and all his subiects and to the vtter losse of the realme of Naples The first othe the King sware for the restitution of these places as before you haue heard was at Florence vpon the high aultar of the cathedrall Church of Saint Iohn the second in Ast at his returne at which time the Florentines lent him thirty thousand ducats in his great neede vnder condition that if Pisa were restored to them he should repaie no part nor parcell of this summe but they would make restitution of the iewels engaged to them for it and lend him 60000. ducats more which they promised to cause to be paid then presently in the realme of Naples to the Kings forces there They offered further to entertaine continually in the saide realme at their proper costs and charges three hundred men of armes to do the King seruice till the said conquest were fully atchieued of the which conditions none were performed bicause of this euill dealing aboue mentioned Besides that we were forced to restore the thirty thousand ducats that they lent vs all the which inconueniences happened through disobedience and priuy whispering in the Kings eare for some of those that were neerest about him encouraged Entragues to sell these places At the selfe same time within two moneths ouer or vnder in the beginning of this yeere 1496. the Lord of Montpensier the Lord Virgill Vrsin 6 M. Camille Vitelly and the rest of the French captaines seeing all thus lost put themselues into the field and tooke certaine small places But King Ferrande sonne of King Alphonse who was entred into religion as before you haue heard accompanied with the Marquesse of Mantua brother to the said Montpensiers wife and Generall of the Venetians marched against them They found the saide Montpensier lodged in a towne called Atelle a place very commodious for their prouision of victuals and seated on a hill vpon the which our enimies fortified their campe as men fearing the battell bicause the said King Ferrand and his forces had been discomfited in all places as was also the Marques of Mantua at Fornoua where we fought with him The said Marques the Venetians had lent to K. Ferrand with a certaine summe of money but of small value in respect of the places they had in gage for it which were these sixe townes in Pouille of great importance Brandis Trani Galipoli Crana Otrante and Monopoly the last of the which since the Kings departure they had woon from vs. Moreouer in the said summe of money they comprehended the wages of their soldiers that serued the said Ferrand so that they hold these places for two hundred thousand ducats yea and now they require the charges they haue been at in the fortification and defence of them so that I am fully perswaded they minde neuer to restore them for they vse not so to do when towns lie commodiously for them as these do being scituate vpon the Adriatike gulfe so that by meanes of them they are Lords of the said gulfe which is one of the things they chiefely desire and no maruell for it is from Otrante which is the verie point of the said gulfe to Venice at the least nine hundred miles And notwithstanding that the Pope held certaine places also vpon the said gulfe intermingled among these Venetian townes yet were all passengers forced to paie custome to Venice wherefore the possession of these places is more beneficiall to them than the world weeneth for they receiue yeerely from thence great plenty of corne and oile which are two necessarie things for their prouision At the said place of Atelle aboue mentioned our men fell at variance as well for their victuals which began now to diminish as also for their paie the soldiers were vnpaid for eighteene moneths and more by meanes wherof they had liued in great miserie To the Almains also much was due but not so much for all the money that Monseur de Montpensier could leuy in the realme was paied to them yet notwithstanding they were vnpaid for a yeere and more but they had spoiled diuers small townes whereby they were maruellously enriched If the fortie thousand ducats promised them had been sent in time or if they had knowne they should haue receiued them at Florence this variance had neuer hapned but now they remained altogither in despaire diuers of our captaines haue enformed me that if our men would haue agreed to fight they were like enough to haue obteined the victory and if they had been discomfited yet should not their losse haue been so great as by the shamefull composition they made Montpensier and Virgile Vrsin who were the best men of war among them would haue fought and euill hap it was to them that they did not for King Ferrand brake the composition and put them both in prison where they miserablie ended their liues They laid the blame that they fought not vpon Monseur de Persi a yoong gentleman of Auuergne whom they accused as a mutinous knight and disobedient to his captaine You shall vnderstand that in this armie were two sorts of Almaines the first were Swissers to the number of fifteene hundred whom the King left there at his departure from Naples the which serued faithfully euen til the hower of death so that it was impossible for men to serue more valiantly than they did The other sort were those whom we call commonly Launce knights that is to say seruants of the countrie the which hate naturally the Swissers They are of all parts of Germanie as for example of the countries lying vpon the Rhine and of Swobland some
there were also of the countrie of Vaulx in Senonie 7 and some of Gelderland These were to the number of eight hundred newly sent thither with two moneths pay the which being spent before they came thither and at their arriuall there no new pay being found they seeing themselues in this distresse declared that they bare vs no such good will as the Swissers do for they practised with our enimies and turned to King Ferrande for the which cause partly and partly for the diuision that was among our captaines our men made a shamefull appointment with their enimies the which King Ferrande sware to keepe and obserue being forced so to do by the Marquesse of Mantua who thought thereby to assure the person of his brother in lawe Monseur de Montpensier yet notwithstanding the said Ferrande brake the treatie as afterward mention shall be made more at large By the said composition they yeelded both themselues and all the Kings artillerie to their enimies promising further to cause to be rendred all the places that the King held in the realme as well in Calabria where Monseur d'Aubigny was as in L'Abruzzo where Master Gracian des Guerres was togither with the townes of Caietta and Tarente vnder this condition that King Ferrande should send them by sea into Prouence with bag and baggage which was not much woorth but notwithstanding the composition King Ferrande commanded them all to be led to Naples being to the number of fiue or sixe thousand persons or more So shamefull a composition hath not beene made in our time neither do I remember that euer I read of the like saue that which the two consuls of Rome made as rehearseth Titus Liuius 8 with the Samnites whom I suppose to be those of Beneuent at a place called then Furculae Caudinae which is a certaine straight in the mountaines notwithstanding the Romanes would not agree to the composition but sent the two Consuls prisoners to their enimies If our force had fought and beene discomfited yet should not their losse haue been so great as by this composition for two parts of them died either of famine or of the plague in their ships in the yle of Prusse 9 whither they were sent from Naples by King Ferrande and namely there died Monseur de Montpensier himselfe some say of poyson others of an ague which I rather beleeue And I thinke verily that of all this companie neuer returned fifteene hundred for of the Swissers which were thirteene hundred returned but three hundred and fifty all extreme sicke Their faith and loyaltie was greatly to be commended for they all chose rather to die than to serue King Ferrande and so a number of them died in the said yle of Prusse some of heate some of sicknes and some of famine for they were held there a long time in their ships in such penurie and lacke of victuals as is almost incredible I saw them all that returned especially the Swissers who brought backe with theâ— all their ensignes and sure it well appeered that they had endured great miserie for they were all so extreme sicke that when they came foorth of their ships to take the aire they were faine to be staied vp from falling It was also agreed by the said composition that the Lord Virgill Vrsin should returne home to his countrie in safetie and his son all the Italians that serued the King yet notwithstanding the enimies detained him still and his said legitimate sonne also for he had but one and as touching his base sonne called the Lord Charles who was a very valiant gentleman certaine Italians of their companie spoiled him as he repaired homeward If this miserie had fallen but vpon them onely that made this composition they had notbeen greatly to be moned Immediately after King Ferrande had receiued this honor aboue mentioned and married King Ferrande his grandfathers daughter being a yoong maide of thirteene or fowerteene yeeres of age begotten of the King of Castiles sister that now raigneth so that his wife was sister to his owne father King Alfonse he fell into a continuall ague whereof soone after he died and the crowne of the realme descended to King Frederick the said King Ferrandes vncle now presently raigning It abhorreth me to write of such a marriage as this notwithstanding diuers such haue beene contracted in this house of Arragon within these thirtie yeeres King Ferrande died immediately after the composition aboue mentioned made in the towne of Ateâ—â—e the yeere of our Lord 1496. The said Ferrande during his life and Dom Frederick also after he came to the crowne excused the breach of this composition bicause Monseur de Montpensier had not performed the conditions thereof nor rendred the places promised which he could not to say the truth Caietta and diuers others being out of his power For notwithstanding that he were the Kings lieutenant yet were not they that held these places for the King bound to yeeld them at his commandement Although all things well considered the King should haue sustained no great losse if they had then beene yeelded for he spent afterward great treasure in defending and victualling them and yet lost them in the end I my selfe was present three or fower times at the dispatch of those that were sent to victuall and succour first the castels of Naples and thrise after the towne of Caietta And I thinke I should not lie if I said that these fower voiages cost the King aboue three hundred thousand franks and yet all to no purpose The Notes 1 Before cap. 8. he named him de la Chappelle d'Aniou but if Loudonnois be in Aniou the places be reconciled 2 The Venetians paid the monie for the Pisans were not able to redeeme it but after the Citadelle deliuered the Pisans put themselues into the Venetians protection who razed the Citadelle Guicciar 3 This bastards name was de Bienne Guicciar 4 Mutron was also sold to the Luquois Guicciar 5 Librefacto was sold to the Pisans but the Venetians paid the monie Guicciar 6 This Virgill Vrsin is he aboue mentioned who after the Coulonnois reuolt from King Charles turned to him and of his foe became his friend and seruant 7 The French corrector readeth it Sionnie meaning the countrie called in Latin Valesia Sedusiorum whereof Sedunum called in French Sion is the chiefe towne or else he supposeth it should be Vaulx in Sauoy whereof our author maketh mention lib. 5. cap. 1. 8 Decad. 1. lib. 9. 9 Procida it is named by Colleuntius other Italians name it Ponze I suppose it to be that which Plinie lib. 3. cap. 6. calleth Proclita or Prochita saying that it lieth in Sinu Puteolano not far from Naples nor from the yle of Ischia Boccace also Decame 2 nouell 6. reporteth both Procida and Ponze to be neere to Naples Guicciar hath Pozzuole How certaine practises entertained by diuers noble men of Italy on the Kings behalfe as well for the conquest
ended so that none sought to endammage other but each partie to defend their own They sent to King Charles a gentleman accompanied with certaine Monks of Montferrat for all their affaires they gouerned by such men either to saue charges thereby or to dissemble by such instruments with the lesse suspition as for example they did by Iohn de Mauleon the Frier Franciscan aboue named who perswaded the King to restore vnto them the countrey of Roussillon These ambassadors at their first audience besought the King to forget the great wrong the King and the Queene had done him I name alwaies the Queene bicause the crowne of Castile mooued by hir and bicause hir authority was greater there than hir husbands and vndoubtedly this was a very honorable mariage betweene the King hir husband and hir Then these ambassadors began to treat of truce desiring to haue all their league comprehended therein The ouuertures they made were these that the King should keepe the possession of Caietta and the other places he yet held in the realme of Naples and that during the truce he might victuall them at his pleasure Further that there should be a place assigned whither all the Princes of the league should send their ambassadors at the least as many as would to treat of peace the which being concluded the said King and Queene meant to continue their conquest or enterprise against the Moores and to passe the sea out of Granado into Africk there to inuade the King of Fessa who was their next neighbour on that side Notwithstanding some were of opinion that they meant rather to hold themselues contented with that they had already conquered I meane the realme of Granado which vndoubtedly was the greatest and honorablest conquest that hath been obteined in our time 8 yea such as their predecessors were neuer able to atchieue And I wish with all my hart for the honor I beare them that they had neuer mooued other war than this but had faithfully performed their promise to the King The King sent the Lord of Clerieux in Daulphine backe into Castile with their ambassadors and sought to conclude a peace or truce wherein their confederates should not be comprehended notwithstanding if he had accepted their offer made by these their ambassadors he had saued Caietta which had been sufficient for the recouerie of the whole realme of Naples considering the great fauour he had there The said de Clerieux at his returne brought a new ouuerture for Caietta was lost before he entred into Castile which was that the King and they should renew their former ancient league and attempt betweene them at equall charges the conquest of all Italie wherat the two Kings should be togither in person but they said they would first conclude a generall truce wherein all their league should be comprehended and then assigne a diet at some place in Piemont whither euery of their confederates should send their ambassadors to the end they might honorably depart from their said league All this ouuerture as we suspected then and vnderstood perfectly afterward was but meere dissimulation to win time to the end King Ferrand while he liued and afterward Dom Frederic newly crowned King might repose themselues notwithstanding I thinke they wished with all their harts the said realme of Naples to be their owne and sure they had better title to it than they that possessed it9. But vndoubtedly the house of Anious right which the King had was the best although to say the truth considering both the seate of the countrey and the disposition of the people that inhabite it me thinke he hath best right to it that can get it for they desire nothing but alteration The King afterward sent the aboue named de Clericux back againe into Castile one Michaell of Grammont with him with certaine other ouertures This de Clerieux bare some affection to these Princes of Arragon and hoped to obtaine of them the Marquisat of Cotron in Calabria which the King of Spaine conquered in the last voiage that his men made thither The said de Clerieux pretended title to it and he is a good plaine dealing man and one that will easily giue credit especially to such personages as these were At his second returne he brought with him an ambassador from the King and Queene and made his report to the King which was that they would hold themselues contented with that part of the realme of Naples that lies next to Sicilie to wit Calabria for the right that they pretended to the said realme and that the King should hold the rest and farther that the said King of Castile would be in person at this conquest and beare equall charges in all things with the King and indeed he held then and yet holdeth fower or fiue strong places in Calabria whereof Cotron is one which is a good and a well fortified citie I was present at this report which seemed vnto most of vs but meere abuse and dissimulation Wherefore it was determined that some wise man should be sent to them to sound the bottom of this ouuerture and thereupon the Lord of Bouchage was ioined in commission with the former ambassadors he was a man of deepe iudgement and one that had been in great credit with King Levvis and so is he also at this present with King Charles his sonne The Spanish ambassador that came with de Clerieux would neuer auow his report but answered that he thought the said de Clerieux would not make the report if the King his Master and the Queene had not willed him so to do which answer caused vs so much the more to suspect their dissimulation besides that no man would beleeue that the King of Castile would go in person into Italy or that he either would or could beare equall charges with the King After the said Lords of Bouchage Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont with the rest of their collegues were come to the K. and Queene of Castiles court they lodged them in a place where no man could com to commune with them for the which purpose also certaine were appointed to watch their lodgings But they themselues spake thrise with them when the said du Bouchage aduertised them of the report aboue mentioned made to the King by de Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont they answered that they would willingly endeuor themselues to conclude a peace for the Kings honor and profit And as touching the said report they confessed that indeed such speech had passed them by way of communication but not otherwise with the which answer de Clerieux being discontented and not without cause aduowed his report to be true before them both in the presence of the said Lord of Bouchage who with the rest of his companions concluded a truce the King hauing two moneths respit to accept it or refuse it wherin their confederates were not comprehended but their sonnes in lawe and the fathers of their sonnes in lawe namely the
purged him fower daies before he died bicause they sawe in his bodie the occasions of his death Euery man ran to the Duke of Orleans who was to succeede him as next heire to the crowne But King Charles his chamberlains caused him to be richlie buried and immediately after his death began solemne seruice for him which continued both day and night for when the canons ended the friers Franciscans began and when they ended the Bons-hommes 1 which was an order founded by himselfe his body remained at Amboise eight daies partly in his chamber which was richly hanged and partly in the church All solemnities belonging to his funerals were more sumptuous than euer were any K. of Fraunce for his chamberlains officers those that were neere about him neuer departed from his body till it was laid in the ground which was about a moneth after his death al the which space this solemne seruice continued so that the charges of his funerals amounted to fiue and fortie thousand franks as diuers of the receit haue informed me I arriued at Amboise two daies after his death and went to say my praiers ouer his body where I abode fiue or sixe howers And to saie the truth I neuer saw so great mourning and lamentation nor that continued so long for any Prince as for him and no maruel for he had bestowed vpon those that were neere about him namely his chamberlaines and ten or twelue gentlemen of his priuie chamber greater offices and gifts than euer did King of Fraunce yea too great to saie the truth Besides that he was the mildest and courteousest Prince that euer liued for I thinke he neuer gaue foule word to any man wherefore in better hower could he not die both to leaue his fame behinde him in histories and to be bewailed of those that serued him And I thinke verily that my selfe am the man whom of all other he vsed roughliest but bicause I knew it to be the fault of his youth and not to proceede of himselfe I could neuer loue him the woorse for it After I had staied one night at Amboise I went to the newe King with whom I had been more familiar than any man and further for his sake had susteined all my troubles and losses which now he seemed little to remember notwithstanding with great wisdome he tooke possession of the crowne for he changed no pensions that yeere though halfe the yeere were yet to come neither displaced many officers but said that he would maintaine euery man in his estate whereby he wan great honor Moreouer with all speede possible he went to his coronation whereat my selfe was present And these that follow represented the peeres of Fraunce The first was the Duke of Alençon who represented the Duke of Burgundie the second the Duke of Bourbon who represented the Duke of Normandie the third the Duke of Lorraine who represented the D of Guienne The first Earle was Philip L. of Rauastaine who represented the Earle of Flaunders the second Engilbert of Cleues who represented the Earle of Champaigne the third the Earle of Foix who represented the Earle of Tholouze And the said King Levvis the twelfth now raigning was crowned at Reims the 27. of Maie the yeere 1498. and is the fourth that hath come to the crowne by collaterall line The two first were Charles Martell or Pepin his sonne and Hugh Capet who were both of them Masters of the pallace or gouernors of those Kings whom they deposed from the crowne which afterwarde themselues vsurped the thirde was King Philip of Valois and the fourth the King that now raigneth but these two latter came to the crowne by iust and lawfull title The first genealogie of the Kings of Fraunce beginneth at Meronee two Kings had raigned in Fraunce before the said Meronee namely Pharamond who was first chosen King of Fraunce for his predecessors were called Dukes or Kings of Gaule and his sonne Claudio The said Pharamond was chosen King the yeere of grace 420. and raigned ten yeeres and his sonne Claudio eighteene so that these two Kings raigned eight and twentie yeeres and Meronee who succeeded next after was not sonne but cosen to the said Claudio Wherefore it seemeth that the right line of the Kings of Fraunce hath failed fiue times notwithstanding as before I said men begin the first line at Meronee who was crowned King in the yeere of our Lord 448. from the which time to the coronation of King Levvis the twelfth are numbred 1050. yeeres But if you reckon from Pharamond you must adde eight and twentie more which make 1078. yeeres since there was first King of Fraunce From Meronee to the raigne of Pepin when the line of the said Meronee failed are numbred 333. yeeres From Pepin to Hugh Capet raigned the true line of the said Pepin and Charlemaine his son the space of 237. yeeres The right line of Hugh Capet raigned 339. yeeres and ended in King Philip of Valois and the right line of the said King Philip of Valois continued till the death of King Charles the eight which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1498. The said King Charles was the last of this line the which had continued 169. yeeres during the which space these seuen Kings raigned in Fraunce Philip of Valois King Iohn Charles the fift Charles the sixt Charles the seuenth Levvis the 11. and Charles the eight in whom the right line of Philip of Valois ended The Notes 1 This vvas an order of religion deuised by the King How Charles Duke of Burgundie was of the house of Lancaster as Commines mentioneth lib. 1. cap. 5. and in other places Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster and Darby Philippa m. Iohn the tenth King of Portugale bastard to King Ferrande of Portugale Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundie of whose wars and death this history treateth How Elizabeth wife to King Edward the fourth was neece to the Constable of Fraunce as mentioneth Commines lib. 4. cap. 5. Peter of Luxembourg m. Margaret Countesse of Saint Paul Conuersane Briane Lignac c. Petrus Earle of Saint Paul c. m. Margaret daughter to William D. of Andre in Prouence Iaquelna or Iaquette m. Iohn Duke of Bedford m. Richard Wooduile Earle of Riuers Elizabeth m. Sir Iohn Gray Thomas Marques Dorset m. Edward the fourth King of England Edwardus quintus R. Ang. Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of Saint Paul Constable of FrauÌ„ce m. Iane daughter heire to Robert Earle of Marle c. Anthonie Earle of Roussv mentioned by Commines lib. 2. cap. 11. lib. 4. ca. 4. Iohn Earle of Marle slaine at the battell of Morat Peter Earle of Saint Paul and Brienne m. Margaret daughter to Lewis D. of Sauoye Marie Francis m. Marie daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoye Lewis Eaâ—â— of Ligny How Brabant Lambourg Luxembourg and Namurs came to Philip Duke of Burgundie as mentioneth Commines lib.
to his yoongest sonne Philip the hardie for his aduancement in marriage with the Ladie Margaret of Flaunders Philip the hardie second husband to the Ladie Margaret Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie m. Iane the eldest daughter Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Burgundie Countie Othelin Earle of Burgundie died 1303. Arthois m. Maude daughter to Robert Earle of Arthois 1 Touching the title of Arthois this is to be obserued that Robert Earle of Arthois father to Maude had a sonne named Philip who died before his father and left behinde him a sonne named Robert Earle of Beumont who after his grandfathers death demanded the Countrey of Arthois but this Maude by fauor of the French King obtained it bicause she was adiudged neerer heire to the Earle Robert being his daughter than the Earle of Beumont being his sonnes sonne for spite whereof the Earle of Beumont reuolted to the King of England of him are descended the Earles of Eu. Iane succeeded hir mother in hir widowhood and was poisoned immediately after hir mothers death m. Philip the long King of Fraunce Iane the eldest daughter m. Ottho the 16. Duke of Burgundie Philip died afore his father anno 1346. m. Iane daughter to William Earl of Boloin and Auuergne Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. m. Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie Margaret 2 This Margaret being in hir widdowhood succeeded in Arthois and the Countie of Burgundie of Philip hir sister Ianes sonnes sonne and husband to Margaret hir sonnes daughter to whom after hir death the said Seigniories descended m. Lewis Earle of Flaunders Lewis of Malain Earle of Flaunders m. Margaret daughter to Iohn D. of Brabant Margaret daughter and heire hir second husband was Philip the hardie m. Philip Duke and Earle of Burgundie succeeded his grandfather died 1361. Blaunch m. Charles le bel K. of Fraunce How the King of Portugale was cosin germane to the Duke of Burgundy as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 7. Ferdinand the ninth King of Portugale Iohn a bastard but King of Portugale m. Philippa daughter to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Isabella m. Philip Duke of Burgundie Charles Duke of Burgundy Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles m. Maximilian Emperor Edward King of Portugale m. Iane sister to Alfonse King of Arragon Naples and Sicile Leonora m. Frideric the third Emperor Maximilian Emperor m. Mary daughter and heire to D. Charles Alfonsus King of Portugale the same that came into Fraunce for succours How the Duke of Cleues was the Lady of Burgundies neerest kinsman by his mother as is mentioned Lib. 5. cap. 16. Iohn Duke of Burgundy m. Margaret sister to William Earle of Hainault and Holland Mary m. Adolf the first D. of Cleues Adolfe Lord of Rauastain m. Betrice daughter to Iohn Duke of Cuymbria in Portugale Philip Lord of Rauastain mentioned in many places of this historie m. Mary base daughter to Philip Duke of Burgundy Iohn Duke of Cleues the D. heere mentioned m. Isabella daughter to Iohn E. of Neuers Iohn duke of Cleues the Dukes sonne for whom the marriage with the Lady Mary should haue beene made Philip Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Iohn K. of Portugale Charles Duke of Burgundy m. Isabella daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon Mary Duchesse of Austrich so often mentioeed in this historie m. Maximilian Emperor How King Henry the 7. was right heire of the house of Lancaster contrary to Commines who affirmeth the contrary Lib. 5. cap. 18. togither with the excuse of Commines error Edward the third King of England Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster m. Blaunch daughter and heire to Henry D. of Lancaster Iohn Duke of Bedford Henry the 4. Rex Angliae Henry the 5. Rex Angliae Henry the 6. Rex Angliae Edward Prince of Wales Thomas D. of ClareÌ„ce Humfrey Duke of Glocester m. Katharine the third wife Iohn Earle of Sommerset Iohn Duke of Sommerset the eldest sonne Margaret countesse of Richmond Henry the 7 Edmund made D of Sommerset bicause his brother died without issue male Henry Duke of Sommerset beheaded by K Edward the fourth Edmund Duke of Sommerset beheaded also by K. Edward the fourth A daughter maried Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn slaine at the battell of Teukesbury The excuse of Commines error The line of Henry the fourth being failed in Prince Edward the right of the house of Lancaster came to the house of Sommerset as heere is set foorth but after the dâ—â—th of Iohn Duke of Sommerset who died without heire male Edmund his brother was made Duke of Sommerset Wherefore Commines knowing Henry the 7. to claime the right of the house of Lancaster as heire of the house of Sommerset and seeing others to be Dukes of Sommerset and not him supposed them to be of the elder house to him yet notwithstanding was Henry the 7. neerer heire than they being by his mother descended of the elder brother though they being of the male line obtained the title of Sommerset before him But this in my fansie bred Commines error and thus much in his excuse The title the Duke of Lorraine had to the realme of Sicilie countie of Prouence and Duchy of Bar mentioned by Commines Lib. 7. cap. 1. and the Kings title thereto togither with the whole quarrell betweene the house of Arragon and Aniou and why the house of Aniou had the best title as mentioneth Commines Lib. 8. Cap. 16. Naples Charles Earle of Aniou and Main brother to King S. Lewis King of Naples and Sicilie Prouence m. Betrice heire of Prouence 2 Charles surnamed the Boiteux King of Naples Hungarie m. Mary daughter heire to Stephen King of Hungary Charles Martell King of Hungarie the eldest brother Cornumbert King of Hungarie Lewis King of Hungarie Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife 4 m. Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather 3 Robert King of Naples the yoonger brother Charles sans terre died before his father 4 Iane succeeded Robert hir grandfather m. Andrew strangled by Queen Iane his wife Mary Boccace his Conc. Margaret 5 m. Charles King of Naples and Hungarie 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Lewis D. of Durazzo Charles of Durazzo executed by Lewis King of Hungarie 5 Charles King of Naples and Hungarie m. Margaret 7 Iane succeeded Ladislaus hir brother died anno 1433. 6 Ladislaus King of Naples died 1414. Clementia m. Charles Earle of Valois Philip of Valois King of Fraunce Iohn King of Fraunce Lewis of Aniou adopted by Q. Iane the first slaine an 1385. Lewis of Aniou troubled K. Ladislaus died anno 1417. Bar. Yoland heire of Bar by Yoland hir mother Marie m. Charles the 7 K. of France Lewis
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