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
‘I shall add, that supposing my lord of Orleans was such a person as our
opponent describes him, but which I deny, he had a safe resort to the
king, when he was in good health and cheerful with the queen and the
princes of his blood,—none of whom would have hesitated to have
personally exposed himself in bringing to punishment the duke of
Orleans, had he been proven guilty of usurping the king’s authority.
Most certainly, my late lord had too good an understanding to imagine he
could ever succeed to the crown, when so many obstacles were against him
and the king assured of successors.
‘The second reason is founded on the authority of St Peter, who says,
‘Subditi, estote regi quasi præcellenti sive ducibus tanquam ab eo
missis ad vindictam malefactorum, laudem vero bonorum quia hæc est
voluntas Dei.’ These words appear to me of no weight in the present
case; for it would seem that the Apostle would not that any duke should
have dominion over a whole kingdom, but solely in his own country:
otherwise it would follow that Brittany, Berry, and the other duchies
within the realm, should obey the duke of Burgundy.—The advocate has,
therefore, wrongfully perverted the holy Scripture to his purpose.
‘His third reason is drawn from what Sabellicus says, in the fifteenth
chapter of his third book, ‘Tyranno licet adulari quem licet occidere.’
That is to say, It is lawful to flatter and deceive a tyrant who may
legally be put to death; but Sabellicus here speaks of such as have been
proven and known for tyrants.
‘The fourth reason is founded on what Aristotle says, in his book on the
government of cities, That it is lawful, and even praiseworthy, to slay
a tyrant. But Aristotle alludes to a public tyrant; and such was not my
lord of Orleans, as I have before shown.
‘The fifth reason is grounded on the praise Tully, in his book ‘de
Officiis,’ gives to those who killed Cæsar. To this I reply, that
although Tully was a man of great ability, he here speaks as an
ill-wisher to Cæsar; for he was always of the party, and supported the
cause of Pompey the rival and adversary to Cæsar,—and Cæsar perpetrated
many deeds which my lord of Orleans never thought of.
‘The sixth reason is grounded on what is said in the sixth chapter of
the second book of the Misfortunes of great Men: ‘Res est valde
meritoria occidere tyrannum.’ To this I answer, That it must apply only
in cases where no other remedy can be had; and the conduct of our
opponent has been illegal and wicked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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