CHAP. XCII.
IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE PEACE OF ARRAS, THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY SENDS SOME OF HIS COUNCIL, AND HERALDS, TO THE KING OF ENGLAND, TO REMONSTRATE AND EXPLAIN THE CAUSES OF THE PEACE HE HAD CONCLUDED WITH THE KING OF FRANCE.
On the conclusion of the peace at Arras, the duke of Burgundy sent his king at arms of the order of the Golden Fleece, with another of his heralds called Franche-comté, to England with letters from the duke to king Henry. These letters contained strong remonstrances to induce the king and his council to conclude a peace with the king of France,—and were also explanatory of the causes which had induced the duke, by the exhortations of the legates from the holy see and from the council of Basil, in conjunction with the three estates of his dominions, to make a peace with king Charles his sovereign lord, and to renounce the alliance he had formerly concluded with the late king Henry of England.
They were accompanied by a mendicant friar, a doctor of divinity, who had been charged by the two cardinal-legates to remonstrate publicly with the king of England and his council on the infinite cruelty of prolonging so bloody a war, which laid waste Christendom, and to harangue on the blessings that would ensue if a lasting peace could be concluded between the two kings.
They all three travelled together as far as Calais, and crossed the sea to Dover; but there they received orders from king Henry, forbidding them to proceed further. Their letters were demanded, given up, and carried to the king at London,—and soon after they were conducted thither. They were met on the road by a herald and a secretary to the lord treasurer, who escorted them to their lodgings in London, at the house of a shoemaker, where they remained, and only went to hear mass, under the care of some heralds and pursuivants at arms, who visited them often; for they were forbidden to stir out of their lodgings without a licence or permission. They were therefore very much alarmed lest they might personally suffer for the disagreeable news they had brought.
Notwithstanding the mendicant friar and the two heralds had made many requests to those who attended on them, that they might be permitted to address the king and council on the subjects they had been charged with by the two cardinals and their lord, they never could obtain an audience.
The lord treasurer of England, however, to whom the letters from the duke of Burgundy had been given, assembled, in the presence of the king, the cardinal of Winchester, the duke of Glocester, with many other princes and prelates, members of the council, so that the meeting was numerously attended, and laid before them the letters which the duke of Burgundy had written to the king and his council,—but their address and superscription were not in the style he was wont to use. In this, he simply styled him king of England—high and mighty prince—his very dear lord and cousin; but forbore to acknowledge him as his sovereign lord, as he heretofore always had done in the numerous letters he had sent him.
All present were very much surprised on hearing them read; and even the young king Henry was so much hurt at their contents that his eyes were filled with tears, which ran down his cheeks. He said to some of the privy counsellors nearest to him, that he plainly perceived since the duke of Burgundy had acted thus disloyally toward him, and was reconciled to his enemy king Charles, that his dominions in France would fare the worse for it. The cardinal of Winchester and the duke of Glocester abruptly left the council much confused and vexed, as did several others, without coming to any determination. They collected in small knots and abused each other as well as the duke of Burgundy and the leading members of his council.
This news was soon made public throughout London; and no one who was well bred was sparing of the grossest abuse against the duke of Burgundy and his country. Many of the common people collected together and went to different parts of the town to search for Flemings, Dutchmen, Brabanters, Picards, Hainaulters, and other foreigners, to use them ill, who were unsuspicious of deserving it. Several were seized in the heat of their rage and murdered; but, shortly after, king Henry put an end to this tumult, and the ringleaders were delivered up to justice.
Some days after, the king and his council assembled to consider on the answers they should send to the duke of Burgundy's letters, when their opinions were divided: some would have war declared instantly against the duke, while others would have him regularly summoned, by letter or otherwise, to answer for his conduct. While this was under discussion, news was brought to the king, that in consequence of the pacification between the duke and king Charles, the duke was to have given up to him the towns, lordships, castles and forts, of St Quentin, Corbie, Amiens, St Riquier, Abbeville, Dourlens and Montrieul, which had been in the possession, and under the obedience of king Henry, who had received their oaths of fidelity, and had appointed officers for their government.
This intelligence made bad worse, and the council determined not to send any answer. Upon which, the lord treasurer went to the three messengers at their lodgings, and told the heralds, Toison and Franche-comté, that the king, with the princes of his blood and his council, had seen and examined the letters they had brought,—and that they had been equally surprised at their contents as at the conduct of the duke, for which, if it pleased God, the king would provide a remedy.
The messengers were very anxious to have an answer in writing,—but could not obtain one, although they frequently made this request. They were told, they might return to their own country,—and finding they could not do more, re-crossed the sea, and reported verbally to their lord the duke every thing that had passed.
The mendicant doctor went to those who had sent him, without having had an opportunity of employing his talents. The messengers were very much afraid they should have been ill treated,—for on their journey home, they heard in several places their lord much and loudly abused by the common people, who did not receive them with that civility they used formerly to do.