A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3Guizot, François
History
A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 3
Guizot, François
France -- History
he said, “you have made us await your coming in this place of Montereau,
this place a prey to epidemic and mortality, at the risk of and probably
with an eye to our personal danger.” The duke, surprised and troubled,
resumed his haughty and exacting tone: “We can neither do nor advise
aught,” said he, “save in your father’s presence; you must come thither.”
“I shall go when I think proper,” said Charles, “and not at your will and
pleasure; it is well known that whatever we do, we two together, the king
will be content therewith.” Then he reproached the duke with his
inertness against the English, with the capture of Pontoise, and with his
alliances amongst the promoters of civil war. The conversation was
becoming more and more acrid and biting. “In so doing,” added the
_dauphin_, “you were wanting to your duty.” “My lord,” replied the duke,
“I did only what it was my duty to do.” “Yes, you were wanting,”
repeated Charles. “No,” replied the duke. It was probably at these
words that, the lookers-on also waxing wroth, Tanneguy Duchatel told the
duke that the time had come for expiating the murder of the Duke of
Orleans, which none of them had forgotten, and raised his battle-axe to
strike the duke. Sire de Navailles, who happened to be at his master’s
side, arrested the weapon; but, on the other hand, the Viscount of
Narbonne raised his over Navailles, saying, “Whoever stirs is a dead
man.” At this moment, it is said, the mob which was thronging before the
barriers at the end of the bridge heard cries of “Alarm! slay, slay.”
Tanneguy had struck and felled the duke; several others ran their swords
into him; and he expired. The _dauphin_ had withdrawn from the scene and
gone back into the town. After his departure his partisans forced the
barrier, charged the dumbfounded Burgundians, sent them flying along the
road to Bray, and returning on to the bridge would have cast the body of
Duke John, after stripping it, into the river; but the minister of
Montereau withstood them, and had it carried to a mill near the bridge.
“Next day he was put in a pauper’s shell, with nothing on but his shirt
and drawers, and was subsequently interred at the church of Notre-Dame de
Montereau, without winding-sheet and without pall over his grave.”
[Illustration: ‘“Into the River!”’----77]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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