THE KING OF SICILY MEETS THE KING OF FRANCE AT CHÂLONS TO TREAT WITH THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY RESPECTING HIS RANSOM.—THE DUCHESS OF BURGUNDY COMES THITHER.—AFTER THE DEATHS OF THE QUEENS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AN EMBASSY TO THE COURT OF ENGLAND.
IN the year 1445, during the residence of the king of France at Châlons, the king of Sicily came thither to treat of his ransom with the duke of Burgundy, whose prisoner he was. He had not money enough when taken, and had therefore turned over to him, as pledges for the payment, the towns and castles of Neufchâtel in Lorraine, of Beaumont in Argonne, and Gaudricourt[133], and in all of them the duke of Burgundy had placed garrisons, paid by the king of Sicily; but when they wanted money, from neglect of due payments they made incursions over the duchies of Bar and Lorraine, and committed all sorts of outrages.
The duchess of Burgundy came to meet the king at Châlons, to make a treaty with the king of Sicily; and it was agreed that the above-named towns should be restored to him, on condition he would settle in perpetuity, on the duke of Burgundy and his heirs, the town and castlewick of Cassel in Flanders[134]. Many grand feasts were made on the arrival of the duchess of Burgundy at Châlons.
At this time, the queens of Spain and Portugal departed this life: they were sisters to the kings of Arragon and Navarre. The queen of Scotland died also this year, as did the dauphiness of France at Châlons, daughter to the king of Scotland by his late queen. She was buried in the cathedral church at Châlons,—and her loss caused great sorrow to all who knew her, for she was a handsome and good lady[135].
The king of France sent from Châlons, on an embassy to England his cousin the count de Vendôme, grand master of the household, the archbishop of Rheims, first ecclesiastical peer of France, with others, to endeavour to bring about a general peace between the two kingdoms. The king of Castille, brother at arms and ally to the king of France, the king of Sicily, the dukes of Brittany, Burgundy, and Alençon, sent likewise ambassadors thither, to confirm whatever should be proposed by those of the king.
This embassy was graciously received by the king of England, his nobles and prelates, but only concluded a prolongation of the truce from the month of April until the ensuing November, in the year 1446. In the mean time, a meeting was fixed for the two kings between Rouen and Chartres, or between Rouen and Paris; and, for a further accommodation the king of England sent master Adam de Mouleyns, keeper of his privy seal, and, bishop of Exeter[136] elect, to king Charles, to prolong the truce from November 1446 to the following April, that there might be sufficient time allowed for the full discussion of the various articles incidental to a treaty of peace. The king of France sent in return, to his nephew, master Guillaume Causinot, councellor and master of requests of his household, and Jean de Havart, his esquire-carver, to signify his acceptance of this prolongation of the truce.
When they went back, king Henry sent Garter king at arms with them, charged with letters to the king of France in which he promised, on the word of a king to come to France before the ensuing month of November. Garter brought back to the king of England similar letters which were proclaimed throughout the two realms.
At this time, duke Francis of Brittany did homage to the king, in the castle of Chinon, for that duchy, and likewise for the county of Montfort.
About the same time, two daughters of the king of Scotland arrived in France, expecting to find their sister the dauphiness alive; for she had desired them to come to her, that she might marry them. They first learnt the account of the dauphiness's decease at Châlons, on their landing in Flanders, and were exceedingly affected by it. On their arrival at the court of France, the king ordered them to be waited on by the servants of the late dauphiness, and appointed them a similar establishment, at his expense, until other arrangements should be made or they should be married.