[A.D.1480.]

CHAP. XXIX.

AN EMBASSY ARRIVES FROM THE KING OF ENGLAND TO THE KING OF FRANCE.—THE KING ISSUES A COMMISSION AGAINST THE DUKE OF BOURBON.—THE CARDINAL OF ST PIETRO AD VINCULA COMES TO FRANCE AS LEGATE.—THE KING SETS THE CARDINAL BALLUE AT LIBERTY.—A BODY OF SWISS TROOPS SUBSIDISED INSTEAD OF THE FRANC-ARCHERS.—A VERY SEVERE WINTER.—TRUCES ARE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE FLEMINGS AND THE ENGLISH.

Atthe commencement of this year, the lord Howard, a prothonotary, and other ambassadors from England, crossed the channel to wait on the king of France respecting the maintaining of the truce. They were handsomely received, and magnificently feasted by the king, who, on their return, made them rich presents in money and in silver plate.

In this year, the king issued a commission to master John Avais, counsellor in his court of parliament, and to John Doyac of the town of Cusset[94], in Auvergne, to examine into different charges that had been made against the duke of Bourbon his towns, officers, and subjects. These two men accepted their commission with pleasure, in the hope of destroying the duke of Bourbon, against all truth and justice, but in order to gain the good graces of the king, and to force the duke into banishment. In obedience to the commission, they summoned all the principal officers of the duke, such as his chancellor, his attorney-general, the captain of his guard, and others, to appear personally before the court of parliament on an appointed day, when they were severally interrogated by commissaries, and detained long in Paris. Master Francis Hasle, the king's advocate, pleaded against them, and wanted stronger measures to be pursued,—but they were all set atliberty by the court, and returned to their homes.

Master John Hebert, bishop of Constance, was next summoned to appear before the parliament, to answer to certain crimes of which he was accused. On his appearance, he was examined, and, by orders of the court, was committed as a prisoner to the prisons of the Conciergerie,—and all his temporal effects were confiscated to the king's use.

In the month of August, a truce was concluded with the duke of Austria for seven months: during three of them a free intercourse was to be allowed for merchants and merchandise to pass and repass from each country: three others were to be void of all warfare,—and the seventh for consideration as to war or peace.

Monday the 4th of September, the cardinal of St Pietro ad vincula[95], legate from the pope, arrived at Paris, and was most honourably received there by all ranks of people, who went out to meethim by the gate of St Jacques. All the streets through which he passed to the church of Nôtre Dame, where he made his devotions, were hung with tapestry. When these were finished he proceeded to the lodgings that had been prepared for him at the college of St Denis near the Augustins, accompanied by the cardinal of Bourbon.

On the Tuesday master Olivier le Diable, called le Daim, the king's barber, feasted the legate, the cardinal of Bourbon, and many other prelates and nobles, as grandly as possible. When dinner was over, he carried them to the park of Vincennes, to amuse themselves in hunting deer; after which, they returned to their different homes.

On Thursday and Friday, the vigil and feast of the nativity of the blessed Virgin, the legate attended vespers in the church of Nôtre Dame; and great crowds were there to see the ceremonies observed on the occasion, which were solemn and magnificent.

On Sunday the legate dined and supped with the cardinal of Bourbon athis hôtel. There were present, at these entertainments, many archbishops, bishops, and nobles of high rank; such as the archbishops of Besançon and Sens, the bishops of Chartres, Nevers, Therouenne, Amiens, Aleth[96], and others; the lord de Curton, Moireau, master of the household to the king, and many more.

Monday the 14th, the legate went to St Denis, where he was feasted by the abbot, and thence into Picardy and Flanders, to attempt bringing about a peace between the king and the duke of Austria. He staid some time at Peronne, thinking he should have an easy access into Flanders, whither the king sent master Francis Hasle, the provost of Paris, and others, who returned without having done any thing.

The legate came back to Paris on the 21st of December, and went to the hôtel of Bourbon, where he was entertained by the cardinal at supper, and lay there that night. On the morrow he left the hôtel of Bourbon by the goldengate, and crossed the river to the hôtel of Neelle, where he mounted his horse, which was waiting for him, and proceeded, with his attendants, to Orleans, and there remained until the king had set at liberty the cardinal Ballue, who came to the legate at Orleans.

The king had remained almost the whole of the winter in Touraine. About the Epiphany he went to Poitiers, and other places, and returned to Tours, and to Forges[97], the end of January. It was about this time that the king reduced the whole body of franc-archers in France, and substituted, in their place, the Swiss with their pikes; and he caused a prodigious quantity of pikes, halberds, and large daggers, to be made, by all the cutlers in his kingdom.

The winter, this year, began late: there was no frost until St Stephen's day, and it lasted only until the 8th of February. But, if it began late, it wasmost severe; for the oldest persons did not remember the frost so sharp: the river Seine, Yonne, Marne, and all that fell into the Seine, were so hard frozen that all kinds of carriages passed over, as on dry land. Great mischiefs were done to several bridges by the thaw: some were quite ruined, and carried away on the before-named rivers,—and large pieces of ice drove many boats against the bridges of Nôtre Dame and Saint Michel at Paris. They, however, for some hours, formed a rampart, and perhaps saved these bridges; but the danger was thought so great that all who lived upon them carried away every thing of value out of their houses. The ice broke seven of the large piles at the Temple-mill. During this hard weather, no floats of wood came down the river,—which raised the price excessively, insomuch that the billet cost seven or eight sols parisis. To relieve the poorer sorts, the country people of the neighbouring villages daily brought green wood in carts or on horses' backs to Paris. The wood would have been dearer if the astrologers had toldtruth, for they predicted that this frost would last until the 8th of March: the thaw, however, began three weeks sooner than they had foretold,—but the weather continued extremely cold until May was far advanced, which destroyed all the buds of the early vines, and the fruit-blossoms were cut off.

In the course of the winter, and even during the month of April, when the truce with the Flemings expired, no hostilities took place; for the duke of Austria, had sent an embassy to the king, at Tours, and a prolongation of the truce was agreed on for one year, in the expectation that in the interval means might be found for a general peace. Another embassy came likewise from England respecting the truce; and the king took the trouble of going as far as Château Regnault[98], to meet the ambassadors and hear their business. This being settled, they returned to king Edward,—and on their departure, it was publicly said, that thetruce between France and England had been renewed for a very long time.

In the month of March, the king was suddenly taken ill while at Plessis le Parc, near Tours, and was for some time in very great danger; but, by the grace of God, his health was restored, and he was soon perfectly recovered.

FOOTNOTES:[94]Cusset,—a town in the Bourbonnois, near St Gerand.[95]Julian de la Rovere, afterwards pope Julius II.[96]Aleth,—a small city in upper Languedoc.[97]Forges. There are several towns of this name one in Aunis, near la Rochelle, which I should suppose to be the one in the text,—another in Normandy, famous for its mineral waters.[98]Château Regnault,—a town in Touraine, near Tours.

[94]Cusset,—a town in the Bourbonnois, near St Gerand.

[95]Julian de la Rovere, afterwards pope Julius II.

[96]Aleth,—a small city in upper Languedoc.

[97]Forges. There are several towns of this name one in Aunis, near la Rochelle, which I should suppose to be the one in the text,—another in Normandy, famous for its mineral waters.

[98]Château Regnault,—a town in Touraine, near Tours.

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