'Item, should it happen that the English shall make war on the said duke of Burgundy, his subjects or allies, on account of the present treaty or otherwise, either by sea or by land, the king of France engages to march to his succour with a sufficient force, and to act as if it were his own proper cause.
'Item, the king declares, for himself and his successors, that neither he nor they, nor any princes of his blood, shall enter into any treaty of peace with his adversary of England, without having first informed thereof the said duke of Burgundy and his immediate heir, nor without their express consent thereto and comprehension therein, provided they may wish to be comprehended,—provided always, that similar promises shall be made to the king of France by the duke of Burgundy and his heir apparent, touching war and peace with England.
'Item, whereas the said duke of Burgundy and his faithful vassals have heretofore borne a cross of St Andrew as their badge, they shall not be constrained to bear any other badge, whatever army they may be in, whether within or without the realm, or in the presence of the king or of his constable, whether in the royal pay, as soldiers, or otherwise.
'Item, the king shall make all reasonable restitution for whatever losses such as may have been made prisoners on the day of the death of duke John, whose soul may God pardon! have suffered, as well as the repayment of their ransoms.
'Item, a general oblivion shall take place of all acts done and committed in consequence of the divisions in the realm, excepting what regards those who perpetrated the said murder of duke John of Burgundy, or were consenting thereto,—for they shall ever remain excepted in whatever treaties may be concluded. Henceforth all persons shall return to their different homes,—namely, churchmen to their churches and benefices, and seculars to their houses and possessions within the realm, excepting such lands and lordships as may be within the county of Burgundy, and which are held by the present lord of Burgundy, or have been in the possession of the late duke, or such as may have been given by either of them to others as confiscations arising from the intestine divisions within the kingdom; for these lands, notwithstanding the present treaty, shall remain in the possession of those who now hold them. But in every other instance, all persons shall return to their houses and lordships, without being called upon by any person or persons for any damages or repairs whatever,—and each shall be held acquitted of all rents from the time he ceased to enjoy them; and in regard to any furniture that may have been taken and carried away by either party, all pursuit after it and any quarrels on the subject are absolutely forbidden.
'Item, it is ordained by this present treaty that all quarrels and rancour, which may have arisen in consequence of the troubles that afflicted the realm, do now absolutely cease; and all private wars are strictly forbidden, without reproach to either party, under pain of being punished as transgressors of this article, according to the heinousness of the offence.
'Item, in this present treaty shall be included, on the part of the said duke of Burgundy, all churchmen, the inhabitants of the principal towns, and others, whatever may be their rank, who have followed his party, or that of the late lord his father; and they shall enjoy the benefit of this said treaty, as well in regard to the general oblivion of all acts done and committed within the realm of France as in the peaceable enjoyment of whatever possessions, moveable and immoveable, they may have within the kingdom or in Dauphiny, which are now withheld from them by these said troubles, provided they be willing to accept of the terms contained in the said treaty, and loyally fulfil them.
'Item, the king will renounce the alliance he had formed with the emperor against the duke of Burgundy, as well as all others with different princes and lords to the same effect, provided the duke of Burgundy shall do the same with his alliances; and the king will also hold himself bounden, and will promise the duke of Burgundy to assist and support him against all who may be inclined to make war against him or otherwise injure him. And in like manner shall the duke of Burgundy engage his promise, saving, however, the exemption of his personal service as has been before declared.
'Item, the king consents to grant letters, that in case he shall violate the articles of the present treaty, his vassals and subjects shall be no longer bound to obey and serve him, but shall be obliged to serve and assist the duke of Burgundy and his successors against him. In this case, all his subjects shall be absolved from their oaths of fidelity toward king Charles, Without at any time hereafter being called to account for so doing; and from this moment king Charles absolves them from all fidelity to him, in case such violation of the treaty shall take place,—and that the duke of Burgundy shall do the same in regard to his vassals and subjects.
'Item, all these promises, obligations, and submissions, of king Charles, respecting the due fulfilment of this treaty, shall be made before the lord cardinal of Santa Croce, legate from the holy father the pope, the lord cardinal of Cyprus, and the other ambassadors from the holy council of Basil, in the most ample manner that can be devised, and on pain of excommunications, interdicts, and all the most weighty punishments of the church, to the utmost power which the said lords cardinals may possess from the pope, provided that the duke of Burgundy shall act in a similar manner.
'Item, the king will give to the duke of Burgundy not only his own declaration, sealed with his seal, but the declarations and seals of the princes of his blood and under his obedience,—namely, the seals of the duke of Anjou, his brother the lord Charles, the duke of Bourbon, the count of Richemont, the count of Vendôme, the count of Foix, the count of Auvergne, the count of Perdiac, and others,—which declarations of the princes shall be incorporated with that of the king, who shall with them promise faithfully to maintain the contents of the said declarations; and should they be infringed on the part of the king, they do severally promise to aid and assist the said duke of Burgundy and his friends against the king. In like manner shall the duke of Burgundy deliver in his declarations.
'Item, the king shall also cause to be given to the duke of Burgundy similar declarations under the seals of such churchmen, nobles, and principal towns of the realm under the king's obedience as the duke of Burgundy shall name, under penalties both corporal and pecuniary on failure, together with such securities for the due performance of their engagements as the lords cardinals and prelates commissioned by the pope may think proper and advisable.
'Item, should it happen hereafter that omissions, infractions, or attempts to infringe any of the said articles should arise, notwithstanding the present treaty, they shall remain in full force and vigour, and the peace shall not be considered as broken or annulled; but such omissions, infractions and attempts, shall be instantly amended and corrected, according to the virtual meaning of what has been before declared,—and the guarantees thereof shall see that it be done.
'Item, as we have been again earnestly exhorted and pressed by the said cardinals, and by the ambassadors from the holy council, to incline our ears and attend to the proposals made to us respecting a peace,—which proposals they think just and reasonable, and such as ought not to be refused by us,—remonstrating also with us, that we should make peace with king Charles of France from our love to God, and according to reason and honour, notwithstanding any alliances, oaths or engagements entered into with our very beloved and dear lord the king of England lately deceased,—the said cardinals and others, ambassadors from the holy council of Basil, urging us to a compliance by many reasons and arguments,—
'We, therefore, principally through reverence to God, and from the pity and compassion we feel for the poor people of France, who have been such great sufferers in these troubles and divisions within that realm, and in compliance with the admonitions and urgent entreaties of the said cardinals, and the ambassadors from our holy father the pope and the council, which we consider as commands to a catholic prince and obedient son of the church, have, after calling to our aid and council the highest lords of our blood and lineage, with others of our most faithful vassals and counsellors, made for ourselves and our successors a firm, loyal, and solid peace and re-union with our lord the king and his successors, according to the tenour of the articles above recited, which, on the part of the said king, he and his successors are bounden to fulfil toward us.
'The whole of these articles, so far as they regard us, we approve of and accept; and from this moment consent to and make all the renunciations, promises, submissions, and every other concession demanded from us in the above articles; and we acknowledge our aforesaid lord king Charles of France as our sovereign lord, in as much as regards the lands and lordships we hold in that kingdom, promising for ourself and our heirs on our faith and bodily oath, on the word of a prince, on our honour, and on the loss of our expectations in this world and in that to come, to hold inviolate this treaty of peace, and the whole of the articles contained in the said treaty, without attempting to invalidate the same either by word or deed, openly or secretly.
'For the further maintenance of this peace by ourself, and by all others, we submit ourself and them to whatever regulations and ordinances it may please our holy father the pope, and the holy council now assembled at Basil, to promulgate by the lords cardinals and the ambassadors from the said council now present; and we are willing to suffer any censures from the church, should we fail in the due fulfilment of all the articles contained in the said treaty. We renounce all exemptions, whatever may be alleged to the contrary, more particularly to that rule in law which declares that a general renunciation is not equally valid with an especial one, the whole to be fulfilled without fraud, deceit, or any chicanery whatever.
'That this treaty may have every due formality, and be perfectly stable, we have caused our signet to be affixed to these presents. Given at our town of Arras the 21st day of September, in the year 1435.' It was also signed by the duke of Burgundy, in the presence of his council.
When the two parties had finally concluded a peace with each other, and when every formality of signing and sealing was finished, the peace was proclaimed with great solemnity through the town of Arras. We need not inquire if this caused the utmost joy, and spread happiness among the people. In general, the clergy, nobles, citizens, and a multitude of peasants who had entered the town, were not content with one day's rejoicing, but made many, shouting and singing carols through the streets.
Very grand entertainments were given at the palace of the duke of Burgundy to the knights, esquires, the ladies and damsels of both parties, as well in eating and drinking as in dancings and other amusements. In the apartment where this business had been concluded, the cardinal of Santa Croce, having placed the holy sacrament on an altar and a cross of gold on a cushion, made the duke of Burgundy swear thereon, that he would never more call to his remembrance the death of his late father, and that he would evermore maintain peace with king Charles of France, his sovereign lord, and his allies. After which, the duke of Bourbon and the constable of France, touching the cross with their hands, begged pardon, in the king's name, of the duke of Burgundy for the death of his said father, who gave them his pardon for the love of God. Then the two cardinals, having laid their hands on the duke, absolved him from the oath he had made to the English. In like manner were absolved many great lords of his party, who, with others of the duke's alliance, swore to be on friendship with king Charles and with his allies. In the number was the lord de Launoy, who said aloud, 'Here I am who have heretofore taken oaths for the preservation of peace five times during this war, not one of which has been observed,—but I now make promise to God, that this shall be kept on my part, and that I will not in any degree infringe it.'