CHAP. XLIII.
SEVERAL CASTLES AND FORTS ARE DELIVERED UP TO KING HENRY OF ENGLAND, IN WHICH HE PLACES HIS OWN CAPTAINS.—THE ROYAL EDICTS ISSUED AT HIS REQUEST.
SEVERAL CASTLES AND FORTS ARE DELIVERED UP TO KING HENRY OF ENGLAND, IN WHICH HE PLACES HIS OWN CAPTAINS.—THE ROYAL EDICTS ISSUED AT HIS REQUEST.
Duringthe siege of Melun, the castles hereafter mentioned, namely, the bastille of St Anthony, the Louvre, the palace of Neele and the castle of Vincennes, were, by orders from the king of France, with the consent of the duke of Burgundy and the Parisians, put into the hands of kingHenry, who sent his brother the duke of Clarence to take the command of them, and constituted him governor of Paris. He dismissed all the French garrisons, who had hitherto guarded them, and placed therein none but English. The government of Paris was taken from the count de St Pol, who was, soon after, sent with master Pierre de Marigny, and others, as commissioners from the king of France to Picardy, to receive the oaths from the three estates and principal towns in that country, in order that the peace lately concluded between the two kings might be strictly observed, and that they might in future faithfully obey the king of France, and the king of England as regent of the realm. These commissioners received the following instructions from the king of France; and they were to bring back the oaths signed by the three estates and magistrates of the chief towns.
'Charles by the grace of God king of France, to our very dear and well-beloved cousins the count de St Pol, the bishop of Terouenne and John de Luxembourg, and to our very dear and well-belovedthe bishop of Arras, the vidame of Amiens, the lord de la Viefville, the governors of Arras and of Lille, master Pierre de Marigny our advocate in parliament, and master George d'Ostende, our secretary, health and greeting.
'We having lately, after due deliberation, and by the advice of our consort the queen, and of our very dear and well-beloved son Philip duke of Burgundy, the prelates, the nobles and commonalties of our said kingdom, concluded a peace, to the great advantage of ourself and of our realm, with our very dear son Henry king of England, heir and regent of France for ourself and for the kingdoms of France and of England; which peace has been solemnly sworn to by us, our consort the queen, our son of Burgundy, and by the nobles, barons, prelates, churchmen and commonalties of the realm.
'We therefore order that all persons within our kingdom who have not as yet taken the oaths for the due observance of this peace do swear to the same without delay; and, confiding in your great loyalty, prudence and diligence, we command,by these presents, that you, and each of you, do instantly visit all the cities, large towns, castles and other notable places within the bailiwicks of Amiens, Tournay, Lille, Douay, Arras, and in the county of Ponthieu, and within their different dependances and jurisdictions; and that you do summon before you all whom you shall think proper, of prelates and other dignitaries of the church, nobles and common people, and that you do publicly cause to be read to them the whole of the articles of the said peace; which done, you will strictly enjoin them in our name to swear, in your presence, on the holy evangelists, to the due observance of the peace, the following oaths, under pain of being reputed rebels, and disobedient to us.
'First, you shall swear obedience and loyalty to the high and mighty prince Henry, king of England, as governor and regent of France,—and that you will faithfully obey all his orders in whatever shall tend to the preservation of the public welfare and of the realm, subject at the present to the very high and potent prince, Charles king of France, our sovereign lord.
'Secondly, that after the decease of our said sovereign lord king Charles, you will, conformably to the articles of the peace, become liege men and loyal subjects to the very high and mighty prince Henry king of England, and to his heirs; that you will honour and acknowledge him as king of France, without opposition, as your true king, and obey him as such,—promising henceforward to obey none other as king of France, excepting king Charles, at present on the throne.
'Thirdly, you will not afford assistance or advice to any conspiracies that may tend to the death of the said king Henry, to the loss of his limbs, or to the diminution of his estate or dignity; but should you know of any such conspiracies, you will prevent them from taking effect as much as shall in you lie, and you shall inform the said king of England thereof by messages or letters. And you will swear generally to observe punctually all the different articles of this treaty of peace between our said lord king Charles and Henry king of England, without any fraud, deception, or mental reservation whatever, and that you willresist and oppose any one who may any way attempt to infringe them.
'These oaths we will and command all our vassals of every rank and condition to take, and swear to the maintaining the peace without infringing it in the smallest degree. You and your clerks will punctually transmit to us certificates of the above oaths having been solemnly taken in your presence. And we ordain, that any number of you, from nine to three persons, be a sufficient court to receive such oaths, for which these presents shall be your authority.
'We order and command all our bailiffs, and others our officers of justice, to obey your directions, and to afford you every aid and advice that you may require. And because it may be necessary to make public these our commands in different parts, we will that as much faith be placed in the copies under our royal seal as in the original.
'Given at our siege of Melun the 23d day of July, in the year of Grace 1420, and of our reign the 40th.' Countersigned, 'Marc. Marc.'
The count de St Pol and the other commissioners, in consequence of these orders left Paris, and were some days in journeying to Amiens, that they might avoid the ambushes of the Dauphinois. They were kindly received in Amiens, and having shown their powers the inhabitants took the oaths. They thence went to Abbeville, St Ricquier, Montrieul, Bologne, St Omer, and other places, where they duly obeyed, and punctually executed the orders they had received.