Tannegui du Chastel. It was in vain that he grasped his sword a multitude of wounds instantly laid him dead on the ground. Of his attendants one vaulted over the barrier, and escaped a second was slain the others remained captives in the power of the assassins. To apologize for this foul murder, recourse was had to the same plea, by which the Burgundian himself had once attempted to justify that of the duke of Orleans that when a criminal is too powerful to be punished according to law, it is the duty of every loyal subject to make himself the minister of public justice. Whatever might be his guilt, the circumstances of the assassination perpetrated under the mask of friendship, in violation of the most solemn oaths, and in the presence of the dauphin, fixed an indelible stain on the character of that prince. Perhaps some extenuation may be found in his youth, and the violence of his counsellors and perhaps some credit may be given to his repeated asseverations, that he had been kept in ignorance of the design, till it was carried into execution.

1

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made re

This tragical event excited throughout the kingdom Henry is one common feeling of detestation and horror. Every gent of other interest was forgotten: and the former cry for the France. salvation of the country was drowned in the still louder cry for revenge on the murderers. To the partisans of the late duke it was evident that their security depended on the ruin of the dauphin, and the protection of the king of England. The city of Paris hastened to conclude an armistice 2; Philip, son and heir to John, solicited his aid and friendship; and Isabella informed him, that

1420. May 20.

May 21.

whatever arrangements he should make with that prince, would be cheerfully ratified by Charles. Henry was not slow to name the price, at which he would consent to be the minister of their vengeance, or rather of his own ambition. He required the hand of the princess Catharine, the regency of the kingdom during the life of the king, and the succession to the crown at his death. Blinded by passion and personal interest the queen and the duke signified their assent. Within ten weeks after the murder these important preliminaries were signed: it employed five months to settle the minor arrangements. By these Henry bound himself to settle on Catharine the usual income of an English queen, amounting to twenty thousand nobles; to govern during his regency with the advice of a council of natives; to conquer the territories now in possession of the dauphin for the benefit of his father-in-law; to lay aside the title of king of France during the reign of that monarch; to re-annex Normandy to the French crown as soon as he should ascend the throne; to preserve the parliaments, peers, nobles, cities, towns, commonalties, and all-individuals in the full enjoyment of their liberties; and to administer justice according to the laws and customs of the kingdom'. At length, accompanied by an army of sixteen thousand men at arms, he entered Troyes, the residence of the French court 2. The « perpetual peace was ratified the next day by Isabella and Philip as commissioners of Charles :

I

Kym. ix. 816. 825. 840. 877. 890. 893, 894.

2 The wine of Champagne was strong and heady (fortissimum et fumosum vinum). Henry, to preserve sobriety in the army, published a very unpalatable order, that no Englishman should drink wine unmixed with water. Tit. Liv. 83. Elm. 251.

the parliament, nobles, citizens, and commonalties, actually acknowledging his authority, swore to observe it; and the union of the two crowns was celebrated with every outward demonstration of joy. According to the national custom Henry and Catharine were first affianced to each other. Then after a short interval the marriage was celebrated; and two days later « the « regent and heir of France, » with his beautiful bride, departed from Troyes to assume the command at the siege of Sens.'

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And martharine.

ried to Ca

June 2.

is con

Nov. 18.

The operations of the campaign were limited to the The treaty reduction of that city, of Montereau, and of the strong firmed. fortress of Melun 2. At the approach of winter the kings with their queens made their triumphal entry into the capital. Charles had summoned the three estates of the kingdom; and in a long speech exposed to them the Dec. 6. reasons which had induced him to conclude a « final

'Rym. 895-906. The following letter contains some interesting particulars (Ibid. 910). « Worshipful Maister, I recomand me to « you. And as touchyng tydyngs, the kyng owre sovereyn loord was weddid with greet solempnitee in the cathedrale chirche of Treys, «abowte myd day on Trinitie Sunday. And on the Tuysday suying he removed toward the town of Sens, xvi leges thennis, havyng wyth hym thedir towre queen and the Frensh estatz. And on Wednysday thanne next suying, was sege leyd to that town, a greet town and a notable, towards Bourgoyne-ward, holden strong with greet nombre or Ermynakes. The whiche town is worthily « beseged : for ther ly at that sege, two kyngs- queenes, iv ducks,

«

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"

with my loord of Bedford, whanne he cometh hedir: the which

<< the xii day of the monyth of Juyn shall logge besyde Parys hedir

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ward. And at this sege also lyn many worthy ladyes and gentil

« women, both Frensh and English of the whiche many of hem

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begonne the faitz of armes long time agoon, but of lyging at seges

« now they begynne first. - John Ofort. >>

Dec. 10.

Dec. 23.

Defeat at

Beauje. 1421.

Feb. 23.

《《

and perpetual peace with his dear son the king of England ». He left for their inspection a copy of the treaty, which in a few days was returned with their unanimous approbation. In this assembly appeared the duke of Burgundy, dressed in mourning, and accompanied by the princes of his family. He demanded justice against the assassins of his father and Charles, after the usual formalities, pronounced the judgment, by which they were declared guilty of high treason, rendered incapable of holding or inheriting office or property, and deprived of all command over their vassals, whom at the same time the king absolved from all oaths of fealty, and obligations of service. It should, however, be observed that this sentence was issued against the murderers in general, without naming any individual. The young prince is indeed mentioned by the designation of « Charles, styling himself dauphin » : but not so much as a suspicion is hinted, that he was either the author or an abettor of the crime. 2

From Paris Henry, accompanied by the queen, bent his way towards England. His subjects, proud of their victorious monarch, conducted him in triumph to London, where Catharine was crowned with a magnificence hitherto unparalleled in the English annals3. After the ceremony they made a progress through the kingdom : but at York their joy was clouded with the me

3 La fut faicte telle et si grande pompe, et bobant, et jolivite, que depuis le temps que jadis le trés noble et combattant Artus, roy des Bretons et Anglois commença a regnez jusques a present ne fut veue en la dite ville de Londres la pareille feste de nuls des roys Anglois. Monst. i. 303. Fabian has preserved the names of all the dishes served at the three courses for dinner, p. 402.

lancholy news of the battle of Beaujé. The duke of Clarence, whom the king had appointed his lieutenant in Normandy, undertook to lay waste the county of Anjou, which still recognized the authority of the dauphin. To oppose him La Fayette had assembled an army of the natives, to whom he joined five or seven thousand Scottish auxiliaries under the earls of Buchan and Wigton, and the lord Stuart of Darnley. The duke suffered himself to be deceived by the false reports of his prisoners. He hastened without the archers to sur- March 22. prise the enemy; and was surrounded with his men at arms by a more numerous force. Twelve hundred of the English remained on the field; three hundred were taken. The duke, who was distinguished by his coronet of gold and jewels, received a wound from sir William Swynton, and was slain with a battle-axe by the earl of Buchan. The archers arrived in time to recover his body: but the enemy, who retired in haste, carried off the prisoners. This victory raised the fame of the Scots, and their general was named by the dauphin constable of France. '

turns to France.

Revenge and vexation speedily recalled the king to Henry rethe theatre of war. Troops were ordered to assemble at Dover; loans were raised in every county; and the parliament and convocation were summoned. Both, at Henry's request, approved and ratified the treaty of Troyes. The clergy voted him a tenth from the lords

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Elm. 302-304. Monst. i. 306. Des Ursins, 389. The Scottish historian, who ascribes all the merit of the victory to his countrymen, tells us that only 12 Scots and 2 Frenchmen were killed. Ford. XV. 33. Monstrelet more honestly admits the loss of the two nations to have amounted to more than a thousand men. Monst. ibid.

2

Per ipsum et tres status regni sui,.... videlicet prælatos et cle