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The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 08 [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. 08 [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

Name: The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 08 [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
Author: Monstrelet, Enguerrand de

Monstrelet, Enguerrand de

Europe -- History -- 476-1492 -- Sources; France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453

Bad payments, evil counsellors,
  The discord of our warriors,
  Gabelles, and burdensome taxation
  Again torment this hapless nation.
  With wars, which, till our state be mended,
  We ne'er shall see or check'd or ended:
  For multitudes, with trait'rous arts,
  Serve France's king with english hearts;
  And service wrought against the will
  Can ne'er turn out to aught but ill.
  True is the maxim of the sage,
  Which saith, The broils of civil rage
  Surely befal that wretched state
  Whose king his subjects view with hate.
  War too delights the ravening train
  Who still the royal treasure drain:
  Who, midst the strife, with greedy hands,
  Seieze gold and silver, house and lands;
  Who, aye the first to seize the prey,
  Are aye the last their dues to pay.
  But, dukes and kings, to me attend:
  If thus your warfare know no end,
  Be sure at length you'll rue the cost,
  When all your lands are waste and lost;
  For friends by ready pay are won,
  While tardy payers are undone.
  No more within your castle's walls
  Court libbard ease while honour calls,
  But quit your forests and your streams,
  And haste where many a banner gleams.
    Alas! for France so meek and tame,
  No glory dwells upon thy name!
  To thee, O duke! to thee, O king!
  With honest grief this plaint I bring.




CHAP. LXIX.

 THE DUKE OF BRITTANY PUTS HIS BROTHER, THE LORD GILES, TO DEATH.--THE
 GENOESE SEND AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF FRANCE, TO OFFER HIM THEIR
 SOVEREIGNTY.--THE EVENT.


In the year 1446, the lord Giles of Brittany was arrested in the castle
of Guilledon[137], by order of his brother the duke, who suspected him
of intending to favour an invasion of the English on his coasts. This
arrest was made by four hundred of the king's lances, under the command
of sir Regent de Coetivy admiral of France, sir Regnault de Dresnay
bailiff of Sens, and sir Pierre de Brésé seneschal of Poitou. They
delivered their prisoner to the duke of Brittany, to do with him as he
should please,--and he soon after had him murdered in his prison.

In the month of September, the bishop of Exeter, keeper of the king
of England's privy seal, and the lord Dudley[138], waited on the king
of France on an embassy, at a house in Touraine called Rassilé, near
to Chinon; and on their departure, king Charles sent to his nephew of
England master Guillaume Cousinot and Jean Havart, to prolong the truce
for a year.

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