The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 01 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countriesMonstrelet, Enguerrand de
History
The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 01 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countries
Monstrelet, Enguerrand de
Europe -- History -- 476-1492 -- Sources; France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
On the Wednesday after St Thomas’s day, the duchess of Orleans,
accompanied by her youngest son,—the queen of England, her
daughter-in-law,—the chancellor of Orleans, and others of her council,
with many knights and esquires, who had been of the household of the
late duke, all clothed in black, came to the hôtel of St Pol to have an
audience of the king. She found there the king of Sicily, the dukes of
Berry and Bourbon, the chancellor of France, and several others, who,
having demanded an audience for her of the king, instantly obtained it.
She was led into the presence by the count d’Alençon, and with many
tears, and before all the princes, again supplicated the king that he
would do her justice on those who had traitorously murdered her lord and
husband, the late duke of Orleans. The whole manner of this deed she
caused to be declared to the king by her advocate in the parliament; and
the chancellor of Orleans was by her side, who repeated to the advocate
word for word what she wished to have divulged.
She had explained at length the whole history of the murder: how he had
been watched, and the hour and place where the assassins had fallen on
him; and how he had been betrayed by a false message from his lord and
brother the king, giving him to understand that the king had sent for
him,—and ending with declaring that this murder more nearly touched the
king than any other person. The advocate of the duchess concluded by
saying, the king was bound to avenge the death of his brother, as well
in regard to the duchess and her children, from their proximity of
blood, as in respect to the offence which had been committed against
justice and his royal majesty.
The chancellor of France, who was seated at the king’s feet, replied,
with the advice of the dukes and lords present, that the king, having
heard the detail of the murder of his brother, would, as speedily as
possible, do strict and equal justice against the offenders. When the
chancellor had said this, the king himself spoke, and said, ‘Be it known
to all, that the facts thus exposed, relative to the death of our only
brother, affect us most sensibly, and we hold the offence as committed
against our own proper person.’
Upon this the duchess, her son John, and the queen of England, her
daughter-in-law, cast themselves on their knees before the king, and,
with abundance of tears, supplicated him to remember to do good justice
on the perpetrators of the murder of his brother. The king raised them
up, and, kissing them, again promised strict justice, and named a day
for the enforcement of it. After these words they took their leave, and
returned to the hôtel of Orleans.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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