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
‘Thou rememberest the strong love that subsisted between thee and thy
brother; not that I wish to obtain any favour by that remembrance, but
solely to exhort thee to justice and truth. Alas! it would be of little
value the being son or brother to a king, if such a cruel murder were
passed over without any punishment inflicted on the guilty, nor any
reparation made for it,—more especially as he who caused his death ought
to have loved him as a brother; for in the holy Scriptures nephews and
cousins-german are called brothers, as appears from the book of Genesis,
where Abraham says to his nephew Lot, ‘Ne sit jurgium inter te et me,
fratres enim sumus.’ Let there be no strife between thee and me, for we
are brothers.
‘Saint James is also called the brother of our Lord, when they were only
cousins-german. Thou mayest repeat to our adversary the words which God
said to Cain, after he had murdered his brother, ‘Vox sanguinis fratris
tui clamat ad me de terra.’ The voice of thy brother’s blood cries to me
from the earth; and certainly in our case the earth and blood do cry.
‘There cannot be a man of common feelings who has not compassion for
such a death as that of my late lord of Orleans; and it must not be
wondered at if I compare our adversary to Cain, for in them I see many
features of resemblance. Cain, moved by envy, slew his brother, because
the Lord had accepted of his brother’s offerings, and had not received
his sacrifice, because he was practising in his heart how he could kill
his brother. In like manner, the duke of Burgundy, because my lord of
Orleans was the more agreeable to the king, in his heart meditated his
death, and in the end had him treacherously and infamously murdered, as
shall be fully proven. As Cain, instigated by covetousness, committed
his crime, so our adversary, urged on by similar passions, did the act
we complain of, as shall be demonstrated from his conduct previous to
and after the death of the late duke of Orleans. I find, likewise, that
the word _Cain_, by interpretation, signifies, ‘acquired’ or
‘acquisition.’ By the same name our adverse party may be called, for
vengeance is acquired by the king in body and goods; but let justice
take its course, and events will happen according to the good pleasure
of God. It therefore seems very reasonable that I compare the duke of
Burgundy to Cain.
‘Sire, remember, I pray thee, the words addressed to Cain, namely, ‘Vox
sanguinis:’ The voice of thy brother’s blood. It is the voice of the
lady of Orleans, and of her children, crying to thee, and demanding
justice. Alas! my lord king, to whom wouldst thou wish to do justice, if
thou refusest to do it for the love of thy own brother? If thou be not a
friend to thy blood, to whom wouldst thou be a friend, seeing we ask no
more than justice? O, most noble prince, consider that thy brother has
been torn from thee for ever! Thou wilt never again see him, for the
duke of Burgundy has cruelly caused him to be put to death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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