CHAP. CXI.

THE DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, SISTER TO THE COUNT DE ST POL, RE-MARRIES OF HER OWN FREE WILL.—THE KING OF SICILY NEGOTIATES WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY FOR HIS LIBERTY.—THE ENGLISH RECOVER THE TOWN OF PONTOISE.

In this year, the duchess of Bedford, sister to the count de Saint Pol, married, from inclination, an English knight called sir Richard Woodville, a young man, very handsome and well made, but, in regard to birth, inferior to her first husband, the regent, and to herself. Louis de Luxembourg, archbishop of Rouen, and her other relations, were very angry at this match, but they could not prevent it.[53]

About the end of the following November, Jacquilina of Bavaria, who had married Franche de Borselline, died, after a long and lingering illness. She was succeeded by the duke of Burgundy in all her possessions.

The king of Sicily, duke of Anjou, the duke of Bourbon, the constable of France, the chancellor, and many other noble princes and great lords, visited the duke of Burgundy, about St Andrew's day, at Lille, where he held his court. He received them most honourably. During their stay, a treaty was proposed for the liberty of the king of Sicily, for he was still a prisoner to the duke of Burgundy, as has been before mentioned,—and some of his children were hostages for him in Burgundy.

This treaty was concluded, on condition that the king of Sicily would engage to pay a certain sum of money for his ransom, for the security of which he was to pledge four of his towns and castles in his duchies of Lorraine and Bar, namely, Neuf-châtel in Lorraine, Clermont in Argonne, Princhy[54] and Louye,[55] which were to be given up to the duke when demanded. The duke of Burgundy, shortly after, placed his own garrisons and captains in these towns and castles.

Thus did the king of Sicily recover his liberty and his children; but he had only the two eldest sent to him at first, with a promise that the two others should follow, provided there was not any default of payment. In order that no delays might arise, sir Colard de Saussy and John de Chambly bound themselves, with the king of Sicily, for the due performance of all the articles of the treaty.

When this business was over, the constable of France treated with sir John de Luxembourg, who was then at Lille, that all matters in dispute between him and La Hire, on the subject of the capture of Soissons, should be referred to arbitrators, and that an end should be put to the warfare now raging between them. The term for taking the oaths of allegiance to the king of France, or for declaring for one or other of the parties, was prolonged for sir John de Luxembourg until St John Baptist's day ensuing, on his promising to abstain from all hostilities during that time.

During these feasts, William de Flavy, who had been driven out of Compiégne by the constable of France, found means to re-enter it, with a large body of men at arms, and kept possession a long time; in which at length he was confirmed by king Charles, in spite of all the attempts of the constable to reconquer it.

At this period also, the English regained by storm the town of Pontoise. The attack commenced at day-break, when great part of the garrison, consisting of about four hundred combatants of the lord de l'Isle-Adam and de Warembon's men, saved themselves by flight, leaving their baggage and effects behind them: which conquest was very hurtful to the country of the Isle de France and the adjoining parts, for the English placed a very strong garrison in Pontoise, whence detachments made excursions, and frequently to the very gates of Paris.

END OF VOL. VII.

NOTES AND EMENDATIONS.

Page 1. line 3. Simon de Lalain.] Either Simon de Lalain lord of Montigny, younger brother of the lord de Lalain, or another Simon de Lalain, lord of Chevrain, son of a great uncle of the former, who married a lady of the house of Luxembourg, daughter to the count de Ligny.

Page 1. line 4. Enguerrand de Crequi.] Enguerrand de Crequi, called le Begue, second son of John II, lord of Crequi, and uncle of John IV, who was killed at Agincourt.

Page 3. line 15. Rambures.] Andrew II, master of woods and waters in Picardy, son of David who was killed at Agincourt and was master of the cross bows of France.

Page 3. line 20. Ferry de Mailly.] Ferry de Mailly, 4th son of John Maillet de Mailly, lord of Talmas, &c. who on the death of all his brothers without issue, succeeded to their lordships and also to the lordship of Conti, which came into the family by the marriage of Colart, third son of John Maillet, to the heiress Isabel. The lords of Talmas were a younger branch of the house of Mailly.

Page 4. line 5. Bousac.] Jean de Brosse, descended from the ancient viscounts de Brosse in the Angoumois, was lord of St Severe and Boussac, and a marshal of France. He signalized himself in many actions, particularly at the siege of Orleans, and at the battles of Patai and la Charité, and died in 1433. His son, of the same name, who succeeded him, was equally celebrated in the history of the day. He married Nicole de Blois only daughter and heir of Charles, last count of Penthievre, and transmitted her large possessions to his descendants.

Page 8. line 7. Lord de Chargny.] Peter de Bauffremont, lord of Chargny, a noble Burgundian, knight banneret, and of the golden fleece. See post, p. 222.

Page 8. line 8. Lord de Humieres.] Matthew II, second son of Philip lord of Humieres, who was made prisoner at the battle of Agincourt.

Page 9. line 19. Lord de Crevecoeur.] James lord of Crevecoeur, and Thois, chancellor and chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy.

Page 12. line 6. Anthony de Chabannes.] Anthony, third son of Robert lord of Charlus killed at Agincourt. Stephen, his eldest son, was killed at Crevant in 1423. James the second, was lord of La Palice; seneschal of Toulouse, and grand master of France, and was killed at Castillon in 1453. This Anthony was at first, lord of S. Fargeau. He was born in 1411, and served as page to the count of Ventadour and to the great La Hire. He was at the battle of Verneuil 1424. In 1439, he married Margaret de Nanteuil, countess of Dammartin, and assumed the title of count de Dammartin by virtue of that marriage. He was grand master, governor of Paris, &c., and died in 1488.

Page 13. line 20. Lord de Châtillon.] Perhaps Charles de Chàtillon lord of Sourvilliers, son of Charles lord of Sourvilliers killed at Agincourt.

Page 13. line 20. Lord de Bonneul.] Another Charles de Châtillon, of a younger branch, was lord of Bonneuil.

Page 29. line last. Quarrel.] Renè claimed the duchy of Lorraine in right of his wife Isabella, only daughter of Charles the late duke; and Heuterus, relating the cause of this quarrel, says that Anthony count of Vaudemont, brother of the deceased refused to admit Renè's pretensions, alledging that the duchy could not descend to the heirs female. For some reasons, however, it would appear probable that Heuterus is mistaken, and that the dispute related to the affairs of the county of Vaudemont only.

Page 36. line 7. Count de Fribourg.] The county of Freyburg became united with that of Neufchàtel by the marriage of Egon XIV, count of Furstenburg and Freyburg, with Verena heiress of Neufchàtel. Their grandson John count of Freyburg, &c. married a daughter of the prince of Orange, but died 1458 without issue.

Page 36. line 7. Lord de Mirabeau.] Henry de Bauffremont married Jane, sister and heir to John last lord of Mirabeau of the family of Vergy, about 1388.

Page 75. line 11. Gilles de l'Aubespine.] Giles baron d'Aubespine was of a noble family in Beauce, and ancestor of the marquisses of Chateauneuf, Verderonne, and Aubespine, many of whom were distinguished characters in the two following centuries.

Page 78. line 19. Lord d'Orville.] Robert d'Aunoy Seigneur d'Orville, master of the woods and waters in the year 1413, who died the year following, was son of Philip d'Aunoy, Maitre d'Hotel to king Charles V, and present at the battle of Poitiers. John, the son of Robert, is the lord here mentioned; he was grand echanson of France, and died in 1489. Le Galois was a common surname of the lords d'Orville.

Page 89. line 17. Magistrates.] The cause of this commotion was the baseness of the gold and silver coin struck in the duke's name. The sedition lasted twelve, not two days only, and was appeased by the promise of a new coinage. Pontus Heuterus in vit: Philippi boni.

Page 92. line 14. Blanchefort.] Perhaps, Guy III. de Blanchefort, lord of St Clement, &c. a chamberlain of the king, and seneschal of Lyons, who died in 1460.

Page 93. line 9. Lord d'Amont.] This must be James lord of Aumont, counsellor and chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy, son of John lord of Aumont, grand Echanson, who was slain at Agincourt.

Page 98. line 14. Flanders.] Monstrelet appears to have been but imperfectly informed of these transactions. In the year 1428, the countess being besieged in Gouda by the Burgundian forces, submitted to a peace, by which she acknowledged Philip as her heir to Hainaut, Holland, Zealand, and Friezland, appointing him protector of the said states during her life-time. It was also stipulated that she should not marry without the consent of Philip and her states. Upon the conclusion of this treaty, the duke departed, leaving Francis de Borselle, a nobleman of high rank attached to the Burgundian party, lieutenant of the provinces. In July 1433, says, the historian of Holland, the countess married this gentleman in violation of her engagement, upon which the duke entered the country, caused him to be apprehended, and confined him in the tower of Rupelmonde. It was rumoured that he would be beheaded; and Jacqueline alarmed for his safety, conveyed absolutely the whole of her estates to Philip for his liberation, in consideration of which the generous robber assigned to his late prisoner the county of Ostervant, the lordships of Brill and south Beveland, with the collection of certain tolls and imposts, on which they lived together but a short time before death put a period to her eventful history, in the month of October 1436. Barlandi Hollandiæ comitum historia et Icones.

Page 98. line 18. Thomas Conette.] This unfortunate heretic was a Breton by birth. Being seized with an inordinate desire of reforming the dress of the ladies and the manners of the clergy, he left Rennes and travelled into the low countries where he preached with so much success that the towers of gauze and ribbons called hennins, which were then the rage, disappeared wherever he went. Perhaps he was spared the mortification of hearing that they were resumed several stages higher, immediately after his departure. From Flanders he travelled into Italy, reformed the order of Carmelites at Mantua, and made himself famous for his zeal and eloquence at Venice. The papal ambassadors reported his praises at Rome; but his ardour for reform which had captivated many others alarmed pope Eugenius, who justly dreaded the consequences of his strenuous assertions, that marriage ought to be allowed to the clergy, and that flesh might be eaten by them without risk of damnation. It was not long after his arrival at the pontifical city, that a process was instituted against him for these and other heretical doctrines, and father Thomas was at last burnt for not knowing how to confine his eloquence to the harmless subject which first called it forth. He suffered with great constancy, and was by some, even among the catholics, reputed a martyr. For further particulars, consult Bayle, Art. Conecte.

Page 105. line 13. Daughter.] Frederick and Iolante. The marriage thus agreed upon was concluded; and the duchy of Lorraine and county of Vaudemont were afterwards united in their persons.

Page 109. line 3. from the bottom. Chasteau-vilain.] William lord of Chateauvilain held the office of Chambrier de France in 1419 and died in 1439.

Page 130. line 1. John de Hingsbergh.] John son of the lord de Hynsberch Lewenborch, archdeacon of Champagne. He was an adherent to the duke of Burgundy, was present at some of his campaigns, and is celebrated as a prelate of vast magnificence.

Page 130. line 2. William de Lalain bailiff of Hainault.] Of this family, "a family," says Comines, "of great and brave men, who for the most part found their deaths in fighting for their native princes" was Otho lord de Lalain, who died in 1441 at the advanced age of 108 years. His eldest son William, who succeeded him in his honours, and was bailiff of Hainault and Holland is the person here mentioned. He died in 1444. Sansay, the second son of Otho, married the heiress of the family of Robesarte: and Simon the third son, has been already mentioned at the commencement of the volume, unless that be another Simon, the first cousin of Otho. See ante p. 1.

Page 132. line 13. Sir John Talbot.] This is the great Talbot, created earl of Shrewsbury in 1442.

Page 114. line 12. Lord Willoughby.] Robert, lord Willoughby of Eresby, one of the greatest heroes of the English army—present at the battles of Agincourt and Verneuil, and at almost all the celebrated actions of the day, was in 1432, dignified with the title of earl of Vendosme, Beaufort, &c. and died in 1442, leaving only a daughter Joan the wife of sir Richard Welles knight. Dugdale.

Page 137. line 15. Viscount de Thouars.] Louis d'Amboise, viscount of Thouars, prince of Talmont, &c. &c., had been deprived of his lands for adherence to the English party, but was afterwards restored to them, and served the king of France in his conquest of Guienne. He was grandson of Ingerger, surnamed the great, who married Isabel, heiress of Thouars, and widow of the marshal de Nesle, and was made prisoner at the battle of Poitiers.

Page 137. line 2 from the bottom. Lord de Bueil.] John V, count of Sancerre, son of John lord de Bueil, killed at Agincourt, and of Margaret countess of Sancerre. He was a celebrated commander, and called le Fleau des Anglais.

Page 137. line last. Pregent de Coetivy.] Coetivy, the name of an ancient family of lower Brittany. Pregent VII, lord of Coetivy, was eldest son of Alan III. killed at the siege of St James de Beauvron in 1424, and of Catherine daughter of Hervè lord of Chàtel, killed at Jersey. This Pregent married Mary de Laval, daughter of the infamous marshal de Retz. He was chamberlain in 1424, governor of La Rochelle, and in 1439 promoted to the high office of admiral of France. He was killed at Cherbourg in 1450. "Ce fut un gran dommage et perte notable pour le Roi, car il etoit tenu des vaillans chevaliers et renommé du royaume, fort prudent et encor de bon age." Hist. du Roi Charles VII.

Page 139. line 4. Count de Penthievre.] Oliver de Bretagne, or de Blois, grandson of the famous competitor of John de Montfort, had been deprived of his large counties of Penthievre, Limoges, &c. &c. but never of the duchy of Brittany, to which he pretended no claim. His brother John lord de l'Aigle was restored to Penthievre soon after, and died 1454. Charles, the third brother succeeded, whose only daughter and heir, Nicole de Blois, marrying Jean de Brosse, the county of Penthievre passed into that family.

Page 139. line 3 from the bottom. William de Coroam.] Should be Coram.

Page 140. line 15. Sir Pierre de Beausalt.] Peter de Montmorency, lord of Plessis Cacheleu, son of John II, lord of Beausalt, and uncle of Anthony, who was slain at Verneuil, and of John in whom the direct line of this younger branch ended in 1427.

Page 148. line 5 from the bottom. King of Cyprus.] Lewis, count of Geneva, eldest son of Amadeus duke of Savoy, married Charlotte, only daughter of John king of Cyprus and Helen of Montferrat.

Page 149. line 10 from the bottom. Count de Nevers.] Charles, count of Nevers, eldest son of Philip count of Nevers killed at Agincourt, was born in the year preceding his father's death, and died in 1464. His mother was Bona d'Artois, daughter of Philip count of Eu.

Page 151. line 15. Sect.] Here is a vast confusion of names, as usual, in the affairs of distant countries. Tabouret is evidently an invention of Monstrelet's derived from Taborite, the general name by which the religious insurgents were then distinguished, from Tabor a town in Bohemia, founded by their leader John Zisca. Protestus may, very probably, be a mistake for Procopius, surnamed "of the shaven crown," a celebrated leader and bishop among these Taborites during the reign of Sigismund, who was slain in a bloody battle near Prague. Of Lupus I can say nothing.

Page 153. line 11. Lord de la Grange.] John de la Grange, ancestor of the lords of Vesvre and Montigni, and of the marquisses of Arquien. Marshal de Montigni, celebrated under Henry the third, was fifth in descent from him.

Page 156. line 6. John.] John of Burgundy, a posthumous son of Philip, and brother to Charles, count of Nevers. He succeeded to the estates of his brother in 1464, assumed the title of duke of Brabant, and died in 1491. Elizabeth his daughter married the duke of Cleves, and brought the earldom of Nevers into that family. His first wife was daughter of the vidame of Amiens mentioned immediately afterwards.

Page 156. line 16. Vidame of Amiens.] Raoul d'Ailly, sieur de Pequigny, and vidame of Amiens.

Page 174. line 8. Mathagon.] This can be no other than Matthew Gough, an English captain of those days, and one of the commanders in the town of St Denis when it was won by the French.

Page 176. line 5 from the bottom. Fled.] John bastard son of the great earl of Salisbury, to whom in his will he bequeathed 50 marks. See Dugdale.

Page 182. line 2 from the bottom. Sir Christopher de Harcourt.] Christopher de Harcourt lord of Avrech, grand master of the woods and waters in 1431, was third son of James de Harcourt lord of Montgomery.

Page 202. last line. Woodville.] Richard de Widvile, was seneschal of Normandy under Henry V; constable of the tower in 1425; lieutenant of Calais in 1427; and 1429, served the king in his wars with 100 men at arms and 300 archers. In 1437, he married the duchess of Bedford (Jacqueline de Luxembourg) without license, for which he was condemned to pay a fine of 1000l. In 1448 he was created lord Rivers; and in 6 Edward IV. (his daughter being then queen of England) was advanced to the dignity of earl Rivers, constable of England. Three years after he was beheaded by the Lancastrian insurgents at Northampton. Dugdale.

Page 202. line last. Restandif. Q.] Restandif, is sir Ralph Standish, who was killed in this battle. Stow and Holinshed.

Mondo Domonfarrant is only an error of the press for Mondo de Montferrant, who occurs again vol. 8. p. 28.

Page 223. line 3. Bishop of Ache.] There came to this convention according to Stowe, Nicholas Albergat, a Carthusian friar, entitled a priest cardinal of the holy cross, and Hugh de Lusignan, a Cyprian (I presume he means Cypriot) Greek, bishop cardinal of Præneste: which, or whether either of these, was the person meant by Monstrelet under the fanciful name of "bishop of Ache," the reader may determine. Q. Auch.

Page 215. line 7. from the bottom.] Sir John Ratcliffe was constable of Fronsac in Aquitaine, under Henry V, and seneschal of Aquitaine in 1 H. 6. knight of the garter, &c. He died before 1441 and left a son, John, who succeeded him, and in 1 H. 7. was summoned to Parliament as lord Fitzwalter.

Page 215. line 5 from the bottom. Lord Hungerford.] Walter lord Hungerford of Heytesbury, treasurer of England, and of the executors to the will of Henry V. He had summons to parliament from 4 H. 6, to 26 H. 6 inclusive, and died in 1449, leaving Robert lord Hungerford, his son and successor, who during his father's life-time served in the wars of France with 29 men at arms and 80 archers, and died in 1459.

Page 216. line 5. Duke of Gueldres.] Arnold earl of Egmont succeeded to Gueldres on the failure of the direct line in 1423. His son Adolph (by Margaret daughter of Adolph IV, duke of Cleves) made war upon him, in consequence of which he was disinherited, and his father made over the duchy to Charles duke of Burgundy.

Page 216. line 6. Count de Vernambourg.] Vernambourg i.e. Virnemburg, or Wirnemburg, the title of a noble house of the duchy of Luxemburg, of whom Robert count of Wirnemburg governed the duchy in the name of Elizabeth of Burgundy.

Page 218. line 12. Du Châtel.] Oliver lord du Châtel, chamberlain of Bretagne; son of Hervè lord du Châtel, killed at Jersey, and brother to the famous Tanneguy.

Page 218. line 14. Sir Paillard du Fiè.] Q. Fai? John Genevois Bouton, lord of Fai, chamberlain of Burgundy, bailiff of Dole, was a commissary sent by the duke on this occasion. It is not impossible that an error of the press may have converted his office of bailli into the disgraceful appellation of paillard.

Page 219. line 3 from the bottom. Cleves.] John, who succeeded his father Adolph IV. duke of Cleves in 1445.

Page 237. line 5. Duke of Milan.] The death of Joan queen of Naples followed closely upon that of Louis of Anjou, king of Sicily, in 1434. The following year, Alphonso passed over from Arragon and commenced the siege of Gaeta; and during that siege the battle was fought of which this account is given. The personages here mentioned to have been taken prisoners, are the king Alphonso, his brothers, John king of Navarre, and Don Henry grand master of St James, the prince of Tarento, John Anthony de Marzan, duke of Sessa, Christopher Gaetano, count of Fondi, &c. The name of Garganeymé, I conjecture to be a blunder for Gaetano; but it is a gross mistake to call him son to the prince of Tarento.

Page 302. line 15. Lord de Bloseville.] Qu. Bonvile? Sir William Bonvile served under Henry V, and again under Henry VI, in the year 1443 with 20 men at arms and 600 archers. He was then seneschal of Guienne, but may possibly have been in Normandy at this time. In 1450, he was summoned to parliament as lord Bonvile of Chuton. He afterwards joined the York party, and was beheaded after the second battle of St. Alban's.

Page 306. line 3. Lord de Torsy.] William d'Estouteville, lord of Torsy, made prisoner at the siege of Harfleur, in 1429, ransomed himself by the alienation of great part of his estates, and died in 1449. John d'Estouteville, here also mentioned, was his son, and succeeding him in his lordship was made provost of Paris and master of the cross-bows.

Page 323. line 6. Duke of Burgundy.] This prince, the second son of Charles VII. died in his infancy.

Page 332. line 4. Commercy.] Robert de Sarbuck, lord of Commercy, (son of Amé lord of Commercy and Mary daughter of John lord of Chateauvilain) married in 1417 Jane countess of Roucy and Braine; and John, their eldest son, here called the heir of Commercy became count of Roucy and Braine by the donation of his mother in 1439.

Page 332. line 3 from the bottom. Everard de la Marche.] Everard III, de la Marck, lord of Aremberg, &c. and, by marriage of Sedan, was of a younger branch of the family of the counts of la Marck, dukes of Cleves, &c.

Page 339. line 13. Lord d'Aussi.] John IV, son of David, sire et ber d'Auxi, killed at Agincourt, and of Margaret de la Trimoille. He was lord of Fontaines sur Somme, seneschal of Ponthieu, knight of the golden fleece, and finally master of the cross bows of France.

Page 340. line 5. Everard de la Marche.] Everard de la Marck. See before.

Page 348. line 11. Sir Louis de Thieubronne.] Should be Louis lord of Thiembrune.

Page 363. line 14. Lord de Croy.] Anthony lord de Croy and Renti, count of Porcean, Guisnes, &c. son of John II, killed at Agincourt, was grand chamberlain of Burgundy and grand master in 1463.

Page 364. line 4. Sir John de Croy.] Brother of Anthony lord de Croy, made count of Chimay in 1473, before which he was lord of Thou sur Marne.

Page 365. line 12. Seneschal of Brabant.] John de Hornes, lord of Baussignies, &c. admiral and grand chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy, descended from the grandfather of William lord of Hornes, who was killed at Agincourt.

Page 398. line 3. Franche de Borselline.] Francis, or Frank de Borselle. See above.

Page 398. line 7. Duke of Anjou.] René, duke of Bar, who had been made prisoner as related to p. 42: soon afterward succeeded to the duchy of Anjou and to the claims of this house on Sicily and Naples, by the death of his brother, Louis III.

Printed by H. Bryer, Bridge-Street, Blackfriars, London.

Transcriber's note:
Original spelling has been retained.