CHAP. VI.
A COPY OF THE TREATY OF MEULAN.
IN the first place, the besieged shall surrender the bridge and fortress into the hands of my lord duke of Bedford, or to his commissaries, fully repaired, and with all its cannons, powder, cross-bows and all other warlike stores, without fraud or deceit, and without committing any damages to these articles. The said bridge and fort shall be thus honestly surrendered three days after to-morrow; that is to say, on the 5th day of this present month of March.
Secondly, all persons now within the fort of the bridge of Meulan, whatever may be their rank, shall submit themselves, with the utmost humility, to the will of my lord the regent, who, in consideration of this their very humble obeisance, and from motives of mercy and religion, in honour of God, and with due reverence to this holy time of Lent, shall grant them their lives, excepting those who shall have formerly been subjects to the late king of England, (whose soul may God pardon!) and such as shall have sworn to the observance of the last peace between the kingdoms of France and England; those who shall have been in any way accomplices in the murder of duke John of Burgundy; all Welsh, Irish and Scots, should any there be, are also excepted; and more particularly so, John Dourdas, Savary, a bernardine monk, Olivier de Launoy, the cannoneers, and those who formed the ambuscade by which the bridge was surprised: all these last are to remain at the disposal of the lord regent.
Thirdly, it is agreed, that if any gentleman or others (excepting such as have been before excepted) be willing to submit themselves to the obedience of the king our sovereign lord of France and of England, and to my lord regent, as true and loyal subjects, and carry on a war against his enemies, in the manner they had done against the king,—my lord regent will receive them into his favour, and acquit them of all imprisonment and ransom, provided they give sufficient pledges for their future good conduct.
Item, all persons now within the fort of the bridge of Meulan who may hold any towns or castles, by themselves or others, against our said king, shall deliver them up to the lord regent, or to his commissioners deputed for that purpose; and they shall exert themselves to the utmost that their relations or friends shall in like manner surrender all castles or towns they may be possessed of. And until all these things shall be done, they are to remain at the disposal of the regent, who engages, on their due accomplishment, to restore them to liberty.
Item, if any persons now within the fort of the bridge of Meulan shall detain there, or elsewhere, any prisoners, english, french or burgundians, or merchants having sworn allegiance to the king of England, they shall release them without calling on them or their securities for any ransom whatever.
Item, it is agreed, that the besieged shall, the day after to-morrow, either by themselves or others, carry to one or more appointed places, all their armours, without any way damaging the smallest article of them; and they will also have carried to another part all gold and silver plate, money, jewels, and every article of value within the said fortress, without concealing any part thereof or destroying it. They will deliver to the commissaries of the lord regent exact lists of the same without fraud or deception, under pain of forfeiting all benefit of this treaty, and of the grace of the lord regent.
Item, they will also deliver up their horses at an appointed place in the state they are now in, with their armours, to the said commissaries of the lord regent, on pain of forfeiture as above.
Item, under similar penalty, the besieged shall not, until the full accomplishment of the treaty, suffer any person or persons to depart from, or to enter the said fortress, without the express leave of the lord regent first had and obtained.
Item, under pain of the above, they shall denounce and deliver up to the said commissioners all those who have been especially named. And in order that all these articles may be fully complied with, the commissioners and deputies of either party have thereto set their seals, this first day of March; in the year 1422.
This treaty was fully completed; and in consequence of it, the fortresses of Marcoussy, of Montlehery, and several others held by the besieged were yielded up to the regent. On the day Meulan was surrendered, one hundred gentlemen, and two hundred others of the garrison, took the oaths before required, and swore faith and allegiance to the lord regent: even the lord de Grasville took these oaths: when they were conducted prisoners to Rouen, until all the articles of the treaty should be accomplished. The lord de Grasville certified to the regent's commissioners, that king Charles was in full health when he parted from him to come to Meulan,—but that he had been hurt by the falling in of a room at la Rochelle, where he was holding a council, as has been before mentioned.