THE PARISIANS AND MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS WAIT ON THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE TO PROPOSE CERTAIN MEASURES OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE.—THE ARRIVAL OF THE CONSTABLE IN PARIS.
THE Parisians, and principally those of the university, seeing the discords and quarrels daily increase between the princes of the blood, to the ruin and the overturning of the kingdom, and the destruction of the people, went one day in a body to the duke of Acquitaine; and in the presence of the duke of Berry, the count de Penthievre, and several nobles and prelates, demanded an audience, and liberty to state their grievances. Having obtained this, the first president of the parliament began an oration, choosing for his text, 'Domine salva, nos perimus,' from the gospel of St Matthew: 'Lord save us, or we perish.' He very clearly and eloquently pointed out the various grievances the nation was labouring under, and named several evil doers, who were endeavouring to throw the kingdom into confusion by harrassing and oppressing the people.
When he had ended, the duke of Acquitaine instantly swore, on the word of a king's son, that henceforth all evil doers, whatever might be their rank, should be indiscriminately punished according to their crimes; that justice should be impartially administered, and the clergy and people be maintained in peace.
On this, they departed, perfectly satisfied with the answer of the duke of Acquitaine; but he had not time to carry his intentions into execution, for a few days after he was seized with a fever, and died on the 18th of December, in the hôtel de Bourbon.
His death occasioned many tears and lamentations among numbers of the nobility, and his servants; and it was reported to have been caused by poison,—for which reason, his body was kept in a leaden coffin four days at the above hôtel. The different orders of clergy came thither to pray beside it; after which, it was carried to St Denis, and interred near to his royal ancestors.
Eight days afterward, the count d'Armagnac, who had been sent for by the council, arrived at Paris to receive the investiture of his constableship, by receiving from the king the sword of constable, and taking the usual solemn oaths. He thanked the king for the high honour he had conferred on him.
The new constable had now a force of six thousand combatants at least, including those whom he found in Paris, and very shortly dispatched Raymonnet de la Guerre with four hundred helmets to garrison St Denis, and defend it against any attack from the duke of Burgundy. He strengthened in like manner other towns on the Seine, and had all the bridges and ferries destroyed.
The king, at this period, filled up the vacant offices caused by the misfortune at Azincourt, and appointed Jean de Corssay, a native of Berry, master of the cross-bows of France; sir Thomas de Lersies, bailiff of the Vermandois, and the lord de Humbercourt, bailiff of Amiens; the lord d'Aunay, a native of la Rochelle, to the same office at Senlis; sir Mansart d'Asne, bailiff of Vitry, and sir Brunet de Bans to the same at Tournay, with very many others.