The Wars of the Roses; or, Stories of the Struggle of York and LancasterEdgar, John G. (John George)
History
The Wars of the Roses; or, Stories of the Struggle of York and Lancaster
Edgar, John G. (John George)
Great Britain -- History -- Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485
When Louis was under the necessity of abandoning the field at Montlhéry
to the heir of Burgundy, Normandy revolted to the insurgent princes;
and the king, finding himself the weaker party, had recourse to
dissimulation. He expressed his readiness to negotiate, pretended to
forget his resentment, surrendered Normandy to his brother, satisfied
the demands of the Count of Charolois, and named the Count of St. Pol
Constable of France. But this treaty negotiated at Conflans having, at
the king's desire, been annulled by the States-General, Louis avenged
himself by depriving Charles de Valois of Normandy, and stirring up
the rich cities of Flanders to revolt against Charolois, now, by
his father's death, Duke of Burgundy, and, by his second marriage,
brother-in-law to Edward of York.
At the time when Louis was inciting the Flemings to revolt against
their sovereign, and when he had an emissary in Liége for that purpose,
he endeavored to avert suspicion from himself by paying a visit to
Charles the Rash, at Peronne. This piece of diplomacy well-nigh cost
his life. Scarcely had the king arrived at Peronne ere intelligence
followed of the revolt at Liége; and Burgundy was exasperated in the
highest degree to learn that the populace had proceeded to horrible
excesses, massacred the canons, and murdered the bishop, Louis de
Bourbon, his own relative. But when, in addition to all this, Burgundy
heard that the king was the author of the sedition, his rage knew no
bounds. He immediately committed Louis to prison, menaced the captive
with death, and appeared determined to execute his threat. Louis,
however, became aware of his peril, and submitted to all that was
demanded. To extricate himself from danger he signed the treaty of
Peronne, divesting himself of all sovereignty over Burgundy, giving his
brother Champagne and Brie, and finally engaging to march in person
against the insurgents of Liége.
The treaty of Peronne restored Louis to liberty, but not till he had
played a part that must have tried even his seared conscience. He was
under the necessity of accompanying Burgundy to Liége, witnessing the
destruction of the unfortunate city, beholding a general massacre of
the men whom he had incited to revolt, and even congratulating Charles
the Rash on having executed vengeance. All this time, however, Louis
had no intention of maintaining the treaty of Peronne. Indeed, he only
awaited a favorable opportunity of breaking faith; but he deemed it
policy to proceed cautiously, for the alliance of Burgundy with Edward
of York rendered the duke formidable in his eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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