CHAP. VII.
THE KING SENDS COMMISSARIES TO REVIEW THE PARISIAN BANNERS, OFFICERS AS WELL AS MEN.—THE KING'S ARMY MARCHES BETWEEN MANS AND ALENÇON, TO OPPOSE THAT OF THE BRETONS.—THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY COLLECTS A LARGE ARMY AT SAINT QUENTIN.—THE THREE ESTATES OF FRANCE ASSEMBLE AT TOURS IN MCCCCLXVII.
THE KING SENDS COMMISSARIES TO REVIEW THE PARISIAN BANNERS, OFFICERS AS WELL AS MEN.—THE KING'S ARMY MARCHES BETWEEN MANS AND ALENÇON, TO OPPOSE THAT OF THE BRETONS.—THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY COLLECTS A LARGE ARMY AT SAINT QUENTIN.—THE THREE ESTATES OF FRANCE ASSEMBLE AT TOURS IN MCCCCLXVII.
Thecardinal de Balue, and the other commissaries, proceeded in mustering the troops under the parisian banners, in different parts of that town, on the walls, between the gates of the Temple and St Martin within the Temple precincts, on the walls between the tower of wood and the gate of Saint Honoré, in front of the Louvre, and elsewhere.
The king had it proclaimed through Paris, on the 22d of November, that all who had been accustomed to bear arms and had been disbanded without receiving their pay, should appear before certaincommissioners whom he had ordered to settle their accounts, and to relist them for his service in the wars. On the 24th, master John Prevost returned to the king from the count de Charolois, to whom he had carried a copy of the truce, with the count's answer.
On the 26th, a general muster was made out of Paris, fronting the church and abbey of St Germain des Près, unto the river Seine, when great numbers appeared well equipped, both horse and foot. There were the treasurers of France, the counsellors and clerks of the exchequer, the masters of the mint, the officers of the treasury and of taxes, the assessors, the whole court of parliament, the practitioners in the court of the Châtelet: in all, a fine and numerous company. With the above companies were a great body of horse and foot under the standard and guidon of the Hôtel de Ville. The bishop, the heads of the university, the abbots, priors, and other churchmen of Paris, appeared there with a certain number of men, well armed and well appointed.
When these musters were over, thecardinal, and the other commissaries, left Paris to wait on the king, who was between Mans and Alençon with a very great army, to oppose the further progress of the Bretons; for he was followed by more than one hundred thousand horse, and twenty thousand foot: he had also his train of artillery to besiege Alençon, or any other place, that should refuse him obedience. Truces were now in agitation, which kept the king's army idle, to the great destruction of the country for more than twenty or thirty leagues round Mans and Alençon, which was foraged by the troops.
The count de Charolois, having had complete success over the Liegeois, returned to St Quentin, and issued his summonses for all his vassals to appear there in arms on the 15th day of December, under heavy penalties. He also issued his orders throughout Burgundy, for all nobles, or others bearing arms, to appear before his commissioners at Montsavion, there to receive their pay, and to march from Montsavion on or before the 20th day of December for St Quentin, to aidhim in the support of his very dearly beloved brother the lord Charles of France and the duke of Brittany, against all their enemies and illwishers. Such was the substance of the proclamation. In consequence thereof, those merchants, and others, who had gone into Burgundy on their affairs, returned to Paris as speedily as they could. The count de Charolois issued fresh orders for all his troops to meet him at St Quentin the 4th day of January.
On Sunday, the feast of the holy Innocents, the duke of Bourbon was sent to Paris by the king, to place therein, as well as in other towns, sufficient garrisons to defend them against the Burgundians, and to prevent their making any inroads through the country. The marshal de Lohéac came with him, as it was said, to be lieutenant of Paris; but he departed, two days afterwards, for Rouen, and other towns in Normandy, to put them in a proper state of defence, and remained there some time. The duke of Bourbon staid at Paris, and wasfeasted by all the chief persons in that town.
At this time, the town of Alençon was surrendered to the king by the count du Perche, son to the duke of Alençon, as he was in possession of the castle, though the Bretons had gained the town. The king, in the mean time, never quitted Mans; and while there, he sent the pope's legate before mentioned, with Anthony de Chabannes, count of Dammartin, the treasurer Ladriesche, and others, to the lord Charles in Brittany, to negotiate an accommodation.
The king, at length, consented to the assembly of the three estates; and the town of Tours was fixed on for their place of meeting, which was appointed for the first day of April.[20]The king now departed from Mans, and went to Montils les-Tours, Amboise, and other places in that neighbourhood, on account of the holding of the three estates at Tours. The king was present at their opening,—when,after much discussion on the matters on account of which they were assembled, they were dissolved at Easter-day, in the year 1468. Each person now returned to his home.
There were present at this meeting, besides the king, the king of Sicily, the duke of Bourbon, the count du Perche, the patriarch of Jerusalem, the cardinal of Angers, and many great barons, archbishops, abbots, and deputies from all the different provinces and towns of France.
The question was agitated at this assembly respecting the appanage for the lord Charles, brother to the king,—and after mature deliberation, it was agreed, that he ought to be satisfied with landed property, having the title of duchy or marquisate, of twelve thousand livres tournois yearly rent; and that the king, in addition, should pay him an annual pension of sixty thousand livres, but without serving as a precedent for other children of France, who should hereafter descend from the crown, to demand a similar establishment, the king having granted so very large a sum as sixty thousand livresfrom his brotherly affection and his wish for peace; that, in regard to the duchy of Normandy, the lord Charles could not have it, as it was not in the king's power to grant it by dismembering the crown.
Respecting the duke of Brittany, who detained the lord Charles in his duchy, and had taken by force some towns in France, and was suspected of holding intelligence with the English, the ancient enemies of France, it was determined by the three estates that he should be summoned to restore these said towns to the king; and should he refuse to do so, and should the king have certain information of his connexion with the English, he must recover them by force of arms, and attack the duke wherever he might meet him. The three estates promised to support him in these measures, namely, the churchmen with their prayers and temporal effects, and the nobles and commonalty with their lives and fortunes, unto death.
In regard to the want of due justice being administered throughout the realm, the king had a singular desire to accomplishit, and was willing that sufficiently well informed persons should be elected from all ranks, to provide a remedy for any abuses, and establish order and equity. The three estates were of opinion, that the count de Charolois ought, from his near relation to the king of France, and as a peer of the realm, to exert himself manfully in these measures.
The king on the breaking up of the estates, went to Amboise, and thence sent an embassy to those assembled at Cambray, to know their resolutions in consequence of what had passed at the meeting at Tours.
FOOTNOTES:[20]The estates were held the 6th of April, and ended the 14th of the same month.Petite Chronique.
[20]The estates were held the 6th of April, and ended the 14th of the same month.Petite Chronique.
[20]The estates were held the 6th of April, and ended the 14th of the same month.Petite Chronique.