DUKE WILLIAM COUNT OF HAINAULT CARRIES HIS SON-IN-LAW THE DAUPHIN TO ST QUENTIN, AND THENCE TO COMPIEGNE, WHERE HE DIES.—THE CONDUCT OBSERVED ON THIS JOURNEY.
ON the 14th day of November, duke William carried back the dauphin to his castle of Quesnoy, whither ambassadors of different ranks were sent by the king and queen to recal the dauphin to the presence of the king in Paris; but, notwithstanding their remonstrances, he remained at Quesnoy until after Christmas. Duke William then conducted him to St Quentin in the Vermandois, where they waited for the queen until the epiphany; and because the queen would not come to St Quentin, the duke carried the dauphin to Compiegne, where he was lodged in the king's palace. Shortly after, the countess of Hainault came thither with her daughter the dauphiness, and a large company.
The queen came in great state from Paris to Senlis, accompanied by her son the duke of Touraine and her son-in-law the duke of Brittany, and the great council of the king. At the same time, the young duke d'Alençon, and other lords of his age, went to Compiegne to pay their court to the dauphin. Negotiations now took place between Senlis and Compiegne. The countess of Hainault carried the dauphiness to visit the queen at Senlis, when, after spending some time together in much cheerfulness, they went back to Compiegne, and the queen returned to Paris, whither the negociations were transferred between duke William, the ministers of the dauphin and ambassadors from the duke of Burgundy.
True it is, that at this time, the dauphin sent letters, sealed with his great seal, to the bailiffs of Vermandois and Amiens, and other places, commanding them to proclaim a cessation of warfare on all sides, on pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of effects; but they were of little service to the poor people, for the men at arms did not the less overrun and oppress the country.
On the last day but one in March, duke William declared in the full audience of the king's council at Paris, that he would unite the dauphin with the duke of Burgundy or carry the dauphin back to Hainault, if measures were not instantly taken for restoring peace to the kingdom. The ministers, hearing this, resolved that the duke should be arrested and confined until he had given up the dauphin to the king his father.
The duke was secretly informed of this by a friend; and on the morrow very early, under pretext of performing a pilgrimage to St Maur-des-Fosses, and returning to Paris in the evening, he hastened with only two attendants to Compiegne. He found the dauphin most dangerously ill, insomuch that he died on Palm Sunday: his disorder was an imposthume in the ear, which burst and suffocated him. When dead, he was put into a leaden coffin, and buried at St Corneille[52], in the presence of duke William, his lady, and the dauphiness, who gave large sums for masses to be said for the welfare of his soul. The duke and his family returned in great grief to Hainault.
It was commonly reported, that the dauphin had been poisoned by some of those who governed the king, because he and his elder brother had been too much attached to the duke of Burgundy.