[A.D. 1423.]
CHAP. VIII.
THE DUKES OF BEDFORD, BURGUNDY AND BRITTANY, MEET AT AMIENS, AND FORM A TRIPLE ALLIANCE.
IN the beginning of this year, the dukes of Bedford, Burgundy and Brittany, met in the town of Amiens, attended each by a large company of knights and esquires. With the duke of Bedford, who styled himself regent of France, came the great council of the young king Henry of England; and with the duke of Brittany was his brother Arthur count de Richemont.
These princes, on their arrival at Amiens, paid each other the utmost respect, and every outward symptom of affection; and the duke of Bedford splendidly and royally entertained them at dinner at the bishop's palace, where he lodged. When this had been done, they formed a triple alliance, in the form and manner following, signed with their hands and sealed with their seals.
'John, governor and regent of the kingdom of France, Philip duke of Burgundy, and John duke of Brittany, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting.
'Know ye, that in consideration of our friendships, and the approaching near connection about to take place by the marriages concluded between us, John duke of Bedford, regent of France, on the one part, with our very dear and well-beloved companion and cousin Anne of Burgundy on the other part; and between our very dear and well-beloved brother Arthur count de Richemont, de Montfort and of Ivry, on one part, with our very dear and well-beloved sister and cousin, Margaret of Burgundy, on the other part; and for the general welfare of the king our lord, and of his kingdoms of France and England, for ourselves and for our lordships, lands and vassals, do faithfully swear and promise to each other eternal friendship and love so long as we shall live, as affectionate brothers ought to do; and we will defend the honour of each both publicly and in private, without fraud or any dissimulation, and we will mutually inform each other of whatever may be for the advantage or disadvantage, the glory or disgrace, of ourselves or of our territories and subjects.
'Should any persons make evil reports to us of either in his absence, we will not put any belief in such reports, but detain all those who shall make such in safe custody, and give immediate notice to him of whom such reports shall have been made.
'Should either of us feel himself bound in honour, or for the safeguard of his inheritances, to make war, each of us binds himself to aid the other, when called upon, with five hundred men at arms, or with an equivalent number of archers, according to the will of the person making such demand for aid. He who shall send the succour shall be obliged to pay them for the first month, and the supplicant to pay them for so long as they shall remain with him more than the time of one month.
'Should a greater number of men be required by either of us, the others shall furnish him therewith to the utmost of their power, without, however, leaving their countries defenceless.
'Item, we engage to exert ourselves to the very utmost to the relief of the poor of this realm who have suffered, and are now suffering greatly, from poverty,—and to the driving out all foreign bands from the kingdom, so that peace and tranquillity may be restored, that God may be properly served and honoured, and commerce and labour be renewed.
'We, and each of us, do loyally promise, on the word of a prince, to fulfil all the above articles of alliance so long as we shall live, without doing any one thing to the contrary, under pain of forfeiting our honour in this world and our salvation in the next. In testimony of which, we have set our respective seals to these presents, and signed the same with our own hands, in the town of Amiens, this 27th day of April, in the year 1423.'
With this treaty, the intended marriages were confirmed, between the duke of Bedford, regent, with Anne sister to the duke of Burgundy,—and Arthur of Brittany with Margaret, sister also to the said duke, who had been before married to the eldest son of the late king Charles, duke of Acquitaine and dauphin of Vienne.
In truth, the duke of Burgundy gave with his sister Anne, the county of Artois, with all its dependancies, to the duke of Bedford, to inherit for ever, in case he had by this marriage legal heirs.
When all these things had been settled, the dukes of Bedford and Burgundy quitted Amiens, and returned together to Paris. The count de Richemont went to Arras; and the duke of Brittany, having received six thousand crowns to defray the expenses of his journey, by orders from the regent returned home with his Bretons.
During the time these dukes were at Amiens, the duke of Burgundy requested of the regent, that in case the castlewicks of Peronne, Roye and Mondidier were placed under subjection to king Henry, he might have the towns of Amiens, Abbeville, Montrieul, Dourleans, Beauquesne, with all their appurtenances, given to him in exchange. The regent replied, that he would lay the matter before the grand council.
The duke of Bedford, after a short stay in Paris, went to Troyes in Champagne with a very grand attendance of English,—whither was conducted, in a most honourable manner, from Burgundy, Anne sister to duke Philip, magnificently attended by the lady of Rochefort and the lady of Salins, the lord de St George, and many other great barons of Burgundy. With them came one John de Quielong, whom the duke had sent to the duchess-dowager, to make preparations for this ceremony. The regent espoused the lady Anne on her arrival at Troyes, and the wedding was celebrated solemnly and royally. After some days the ladies who had accompanied the duchess, took their leaves, but not without many tears, and returned to Burgundy. The duke and duchess of Bedford journeyed towards Paris; but on the road he attacked the town of Pont-sur-Seine with such courage it was taken by storm, and all the French within it cruelly put to the sword. He then continued his journey, and resided a considerable time in the hôtel des Tournelles in Paris, which he had caused to be magnificently fitted up for his reception.