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From Chronicles of England, France and Spain and the Surrounding Countries, by Sir John Froissart, Translated from the French Editions with Variations and Additions from Many Celebrated MSS, by Thomas Johnes, Esq., Volume II, London: William Smith, 1848. pp. 391-396.
CHAPTER CXL. — THE LORD LEWIS DE SANCERRE VISIT’S THE COUNT DE FOIX AT ORTHES — A DEED OF ARMS IS PERFORMED, BEFORE THE DUKE OF LANCASTER AT BORDEAUX, BETWEEN FIVE FRENCH AND FIVE ENGLISH MEN.
THE lord Lewis de Sancerre, marshal of France, at this time resided at Toulouse or Carcassonne in Languedoc, and was well informed of the treaties that were in agitation between the duke of Berry and the count de Foix, for the marriage of the daughter of the count de Boulogne, whom the duke wished to have, although the lady was very young. The marshal had a desire to visit the count de Foix at Orthès, and I believe (from the information I had form his people who found me there at Christmas) the king of France had ordered him thither, and I will relate on what errand.
The king of France was at this period very young, though anxious to manage his government well. He had never visited Languedoc, which is an extensive province filled with towns and castles, that had been almost ruined by the oppressions of the duke of Berry. Heavy complaints of this had been made to the king when he took the government into his own hands; and he said he would travel into Languedoc, and visit the pope, whom he had never yet seen, and he was likewise desirous of seeing the count de Foix, of whose largesse and valour he had heard so much.
The marshal de Sancerre left Toulouse with full five hundred lances, rode to Tarbes in 392 Bigorre, and thence to Orthès in Béarn. The count de Foix, having had information of his coming, ordered the stewards of his household to have the town of Orthès properly prepared for his reception, as his visit gave him great pleasure. These orders were punctually obeyed, and lodgings were marked out in the town for the marshal’s attendance, but he himself dismounted at the castle. The count de Foix went out of the town ot meet him, attended by more than three hundred horse, and received him most kindly. The lord Lewis de Sancerre remained at Orthès about six days; and he then acquainted the count of the king’s intended journey into Languedoc, and his desire to see him. “In good faith,” replied the count de Foix, “he will be welcome there, and I will with pleasure wait on him.” “Indeed, my lord,” answered the marshal, “but it is the king’s wish to know on his arrival in Languedoc, plainly and openly, whether you mean to attach yourself to the French or the English; for in these wars you have dissembled your real sentiments, and have never borne arms either from summons or entreaties.”
“Ah, lord Lewis,” said the count de Foix, “I give you many thanks for having spoken to me on this subject. If I have excused myself from bearing arms for either side, I have, as I think, good reasons for it: the wars between England and France no way concern me, for I hold my country of Béarn from God, my sword, and by inheritance. I have not, therefore, any cause to enter into the service, or incur the hatred, of either of these kings. I know well, that my enemies, the Armagnacs, have done all in tier power to put me in the ill graces of both monarchs; for before the prince of Wales marched into Spain, at the instigation of the count d’Armagnac, he would have made war on me, having a strong inclination for it, if sir John Chandos had not prevented him. Thanks, however, by God, I have always kept myself on my guard in as courteous a manner as possible, and shall continued to do so for as long as I live: after my death, matters must take the turn that is natural for them.” Thus did the count de Foix and the marshal de Sancerre converse as long as he staid. On his departure, the count presented him with a handsome courser, a fine mule and good hackney, all of them richly caparisoned. He gave also to sir Robert Challies, to sir Richard Dauphin, and to the knights of the marshal, two hundred francs each, and to five of his squires fifty francs.
When the marshal took his leave, to return to Toulouse, I wanted to accompany him; but the count de Foix would not allow me, and bade me stay longer with him. This was I was forced to comply with, and wait his will. The lord Lewis, on leaving Orthès, took the road to Tarbes, whither he was escorted by the lord dauphin of Bigorre, and sir Peter Cabestan, one of the count de Foix’s household.
About this time, of the year 1389, there was a deed of arms performed at Bordeaux, before the duke of Lancaster, between five Englishmen and the same number of France, of whom some were of the household of the marshal of France. The combatants were sir Petiton de Pellagie, a Gascon Englishman; against sir Morice Mauvinct, a Frenchman; sir Raymond of Arragon, English, against the bastard de Chauvigny, French; sir Lewis Malapers, governor of Aigues-Mortes, English, against Jannequin Corne de Cerf, French; Archibald de Villiers, French, against the son of the lord de Chaumont, Gascon-English. Many knights and squires from Béarn, and of the household of the count de Foix, being desirous of seeing these combats, went thither: I accompanied them; for it is but twenty-four leagues from Orthès to Bordeaux, and we were spectators of these deeds, which was fought in the square before St. Andrew’s, in the presence of the duke and duchess of Lancaster, their daughter, and the ladies and damsels of the country. They did not combat altogether, but each party separately; and were to perform three course with spears, three with swords, the same number with battle-axes, and three with daggers, all on horseback. The tiltings occupied three days, and were gallantly performed without any of the ten being wounded. Sir Raymond killed the horse of the bastard de Chauvigny, which greatly angered the duke of Lancaster; he blamed the knight much for having pointed his spear too low, and presented the bastard with one of his own horses.
Such was the end of this deed of arms, being finished, every one returned to his own home.
CHAPTER CXLI. — THE DUCHESS OF LANCASTER CARRIES HER DAUGHTER TO CASTILLE, TO MARRY HER TO THE INFANT. — HAVING FOUND THE BOXES OF HER FATHER, SHE HAS THEM CONVEYED TO SEVILLE, AND BURIED WITH REGAL OBSEQUIES.
SHORTLY after these deeds of arms, the duchess of Lancaster made preparations for her journey into Castille, whither she was to carry her daughter, to solemnise her marriage with the son of the king of Castille. It was her intention, when in Castille, to visit the field of battle of Monteil, where her father, don Pedro, had lost his life, and make strict inquiries where his body had at that time been buried, which, when found, was to be taken up, and conveyed to the city of Seville, and magnificently interred there, in a manner becoming a king. When, in the month of March, 1389, the sun began to have some force, and the days to lengthen, the duchess, having her array ready, set out from Bordeaux, and went ot Bayonne, where she parted from the duke, who returned to Bordeaux, She and her ladies continued their journey to the city of Dax, where they were joyfully received, as that town belonged to England. They there reposed themselves for two days, and then pursued their road through the country of the Basques, the pass of Roncesvalles, and entered Navarre. At Pampeluna, they found the king and queen of Navarre, who received them kindly: for the queen was sister to the king of Castille*.
The duchess of Lancaster and her daughter were upwards of a month traversing Navarre, for they resided at different parts with the king and queen; and wherever they went all their expenses were defrayed. On their entrance into Castille, they were most respectfully treated by those of the king’s household who had been sent to meet them: there were also deputies from different parts of the realm. All the kingdoms of Spain, Castille and Galician, Seville and Toledo, and Cordova, were rejoiced at the arrival of these ladies, since the younger was about to marry the son of king John their lord. And it seemed to them all that profound peace would ensue, for they should be freed from all fear of the English; and as to the Portuguese, they should as they said, make head against the very easily. Thus the ladies proceeded to meet king John of Castille at Burgos, who gave them a splendid and affectionate reception; the prelates and barons of the country were there also, who received them in a similar manner. So they were entertained in such a manner was due to them; and the agreements before entered into, written and sealed, between John king of Castille and John duke of Lancaster were then confirmed. The duke of Lancaster, and his wife were to receive a yearly revenue of fifty thousand francs, for which four cities and the whole country of Medina del Campo were pledged; and further, the duchess of Lancaster was to received for the support of her household sixteen thousand francs; and her daughter and the son of the king were, during the lifetime of the king, to be put in possession of the whole country of Galicia, and the young prince was to have the title of prince of Galicia†.
The marriage having been solemnised, and all contracts signed, the duchess left her daughter with the king and her young husband, who was then but eight years old. She took leave of the king to go to Montiel, as she had proposed, who had her attended by the greatest personages of his court. On her arrival at Monteil, such researches were made, that she discovered where her father had been buried, and had his bones taken up, washed and embalmed, and carried in a coffin to Seville, where the cavalcade was met by large procession from that town. The bones were conveyed to the cathedral, and there most reverently buried, with very solemn obsequies, which were attended by king John of Castille, his son, the young prince of Galicia, and the greater part of the prelates and barons of the realm. After the obsequies, each person returned home: the king of Castille, accompanied by his son and daughter-in-law, went to Val di Soria; but the duchess of Lancaster went to Medina del Campo, a handsome and large town, which now belonged to her by the late treaties of peace, and remained there some time.
We will leave speaking of her and of Castille, and relate the marriage of the duke of Berry, and other events which ensued.
* Charles II. king of Navarre married, in 1361, Lenora, daughter of Henry II. and sister of John, king of Castille. — ED.
† His title was Prince of the Asturias. — ED.
CHAPTER CXLII. — THE DUKE OF BERRY NEGOTIATES SO SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE COUNT DE FOIX, THAT HE SENDS TO HIM HIS COUSIN OF BOULOGNE, WHOM HE INSTANTLY MARRIES.
THE duke of Berry, whose first duchess, the lady Joan of Armagnac, had departed this life, was very impatient to marry again; for no sooner was he assured of having failed in his proposals to the duke of Lancaster, than he set clerks to work, and, with proper messengers, sent to negotiate with the count de Foix for the daughter of the count de Boulogne, whom he had had in wardship for nine years. Because the duke of Berry had no prospect of success but through the count de Foix, (who was of such a character that he would do nothing that was disagreeable to himself for either father, mother, pope, or any friend the young lady had,) he opened himself to his nephew the king of France, and to his brother of Burgundy, entreating them earnestly to interfere in the business. The king laughed most heartily at his uncle of Berry, who was now of a certain age, and said, — “My good uncle, what will you do with a young girl of only twelve years old, and you are sixty! On my faith, it is great folly in you to think of such things. Propose my fair cousin John, your son, to her, who is of a proper age, and a more suitable match.” “My lord,” replied the duke, “this has been proposed, but the count de Foix would not listen to it, because my son descends by the mother from the Armagnacs, and they are now and have been some time at war. If the girl is too young, I will spare her awhile, until she be a perfect woman.” “Indeed!” said the king, “but, my bonny uncle, she will not spare you.” He then laughingly added, — “However, since we see your love for her is so strong, we will cheerfully assist you in the matter.”
Not long after this, the king ordered the lord de la Riviere, his first knight, steward of his household and chamberlain, to undertake a journey to Béarn, and with him the viscount d’Assy. The duke of Burgundy named, as envoys on his part, the bishop of Autun, and sir William de la Tremouille. The duke of Berry entreated a prudent and valiant knight, count John de Sancerre, to go thither on his part. These five knights, who were appointed to demand this young lady in marriage, for the duke of Berry from the count de Foix, left their homes, and were all to meet at Avignon. They staid with pope Clement, who was cousin-german to the father of the lady, full fifteen days, and about Candlemas departed, taking the road through Nismes and Montpellier to Toulouse.
They travelled, with great state and short journeys, unto Beziers and Carcassone, where they found the marshal de Sancerre, who received them very magnificently, as was right. He conversed with them concerning the count de Foix, of his affairs and establishments, for it was not more than two months since he had returned from thence. From Carcassonne they went to Toulouse, and there remained while they sent messengers to the count de Foix, at Orthès. They opened their proposals of marriage, but distantly, for at the beginning the count was very cold, on account of the duke of Lancaster, who at the time resided at Bordeaux or Libourne, having made offers of his son, the earl of Derby, for the young lady of Boulogne; and it was thought, form the long time these lords remained at Toulouse, the marriage would not take effect. They regularly sent daily and weekly accounts of their progress, and what answers they received from the count de Foix, to the duke of Berry, who resided at La Nonnette* in Auvergne, and the duke, whose only anxiety was to bring the matter to a conclusion, repeatedly wrote back to press them not to desist until they had completed the business.
The count de Foix, who was wise and subtle, seeing the ardour of the duke, treated very coldly, and managed the matter so well, that, with the consent, and indeed at the entreaty of all parties, he received thirty thousand francs for the time the young lady had been under his care and wardship. He might have had a much larger sum, had he demanded it; but he wished to show moderation, that he might have their thanks, and also that the duke of Berry should feel himself under some obligation to him. When everything was concluded, 395 the count de Foix sent the young lady of Boulogne to Morlans, escorted by five hundred lances, under the command of sir Espaign du Lyon, sir Reginald William, sir Peter de Cabestan, sir Adam de Cacasse, sir Manaut Nouilles, and sir Peter de Kes. She was there delivered, in the name of the duke of Berry, to the ambassadors from France, who were escorted by the marshal of France with five hundred spears, and there the two parties separated. Those from Foix returned home, and the French carried with them the lady.
The duke of Berry had sent to her his array of cars and horses, with every sort of dress and ornament for her head, as if she had been the queen of France. I, John Froissart, the author of this history, took my departure from Orthès at the same time with her; for the count de Foix had told me, I need not be in a hurry to leave him, for he would take care I should return in good company. The duchess of Berry, for such I shall hence forth call her, continued her journey until she came to Avignon, when she dismounted at lodgings provided for her by the pope at Villeneuve, without Avignon. On the morrow, between eight and nine o’clock in the morning, all the cardinals waited on her; when, having mounted a white palfrey the pope had given her, she crossed the bridge over the Rhône in great state, and waited on the pope at his palace at Avignon, who was seated in consistory on his papal throne to receive her. He kissed her on the mouth, on account of their relationship; and the duchess, with her company, then went to dinner at the hôtel of the cardinal of Turin, below the pope’s palace, and there met a great company of cardinals. This was on a Tuesday: the following day the pope entertained her and her attendants at dinner; and this visit of the duchess, as I have heard say, cost the pope ten thousand francs.
On the Friday she supped at the palace, and took leave of the pope. On the Saturday she departed, and dined and lay at Orange. She continued her journey on horseback, or in a carriage, through Valence and Vienne, to Lyon, where she reposed herself for two whole days. On her departure she went to La Bresle, then passing through the country of Forêts, came to La Palisse, in Burgundy, then to Quissy, to Hanche-sur-Allier, and to Riom, in Auvergne, where she likewise remained two days before the duke of Berry arrived. He came thither in great state, the night of Whitsunday, and on that day, at two o’clock in the morning, he was married to her. The marriage was very magnificent, and there were present the count de Boulogne, the count d’Estampes, and the count dauphin d’Auvergne. The feastings and tournaments lasted for four days, and I, the writer, was a partaker of them all.
* “La Nonette,” — a town in Auvergne, election of Issoire.
CHAPTER CXLIII. — CERTAIN PRUDENT MEN NEGOTIATE A TRUCE, FOR THREE YEARS, BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH, AND ALL THEIR ALLIES.
YOU have heard that a truce had been concluded with all the English garrisons, from the Loire to the country beyond the Garonne and Gironde, to last until Saint John the Baptist’s day, 1389. During this time, some wise and great lords opened a negotiation for a general truce between France and England, on sea and land, for three years. It was the intention of these persons that all the allies of either side should be included in it, such as the kings of Castille and Scotland, the king of Portugal, and many barons of Upper Germany. They had much trouble before they could accomplish this; for the Scots would no way listen to it, though, when the proposal was first made by the king of France to the king of Scotland, he himself had readily assented, for he wished not for war. He summoned, therefore, the prelates and barons of his realm, to lay the matter before them, as he could not agree to this truce for the kingdom without their consent; and, if he had, they would not have abided by it. The letters which had been received from the king of France were read in their presence, containing his wish that they would agree with him for a truce of three years. This intelligence was very disagreeable to them, and they said, — “The king of France seems to propose a truce, when it is the moment to continue the war: we have completely defeated the English at Otterbourne; and the season is not so far advanced, but that we may do it again and again.” Many debates ensued, for they were very unwilling to accept of a truce. It was at length resolved to send a bishop and three knights to the king of France and his 396 council, to prevent the treaty from being further advanced, and to offer the friendship of the realm of Scotland.
The bishop of St. Andrew, sir Archibald Douglas, sir William Lindsay, and sir John Sinclair, were appointed on this embassy. They departed as speedily as they could, and, having landed at Sluys, rode on to Paris. They laid their credential letters, from the prelates and barons of Scotland, before the king of France and his council, and were readily listened to, from the great desire they had to prosecute the war against the English. But, notwithstanding this, the treaty was now so far advanced, that they could not retreat: the Scots, therefore, had very civil answers given them; but the treaty was, of necessity, completed.
The truce was concluded, through the means of commissioners of high rank on both sides, who held their conferences at Leulinghem, between Boulogne and Calais. In it were included all the allies of France and England, who agreed to preserve the peace inviolate, by every means, public or pirate, for the space of three years. The commissioners from the king of France were the bishop of Bayeux, count Waleran de St. Pol, sir William de Melun, sir Nicholas Bracque, and sir John le Mercier, who resided at Boulogne. On the part of the king of England were the bishop of Durham, the earl of Salisbury, sir William Beauchamp, governor of Calais, John Lanon, Nicholas de Gaberth, and Richard Roelle, clerk and doctor of laws, who remained at Calais. The place of conference, where they mutually assembled, was Leulinghem, between Boulogne and Calais.
At this period, there was much bustle in France and elsewhere, on account of the splendid feasts king Charles intended holding at Paris, on the entry of his queen Isabella, who had never as yet visited that city. Knights, squires, ladies and damsels made the richest dresses for the occasion; of all which I will give an exact account, before I say more of the truce that was fairly written out, and sealed by all the prelates.
END OF THE THIRD VOLUME OF THE CHRONICLES OF SIR JOHN FROISSART.
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