Chapter VII: Part 7

He was grandly feasted by many of the german princes,--but the emperor, who loved ease more than exertion, and preferred peace to war, pretended to be ill, and sent word to the duke that it would not be worth his while to proceed farther in the country, giving him hopes that at the end of six months he would meet him to conclude the business he was so urgent upon. The duke was now forced to abandon his expedition,--and he returned to his country of Burgundy, where he staid some time.

CHAP. LIV.

THE KING OF FRANCE GOES TO HIS CASTLE OF LUSIGNAN.--THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY TAKES FRONSAC.--THE FRENCH BESIEGE CHASTILLON.--LORD SHREWSBURY ASSEMBLES A LARGE FORCE TO RAISE THIS SIEGE.--HE IS THERE SLAIN.

In this same year of 1454, the king of France left Tours, and fixed his residence at the castle of Lusignan; and in the mean time, lord Shrewsbury laid siege to the castle of Fronsac. The governor for king Charles was Joachim Rohault, who was forced to surrender to the English because the king's army was not ready,--but the garrison marched away with arms and baggage.

On the 2d of June, the king departed from Lusignan for St Jean d'Angely[151]; and on the 7th, Challais[152] was besieged by sir John de Chabannes grand master of the king's household, the count de Penthievre, the lords de St Severe and de Boussac. On the 18th, it was won by storm by the above lords and their men, amounting to four or five hundred lances, archers, and some franc archers, although eight score[153] combatants were there in garrison. From sixty to eighty were killed, and the rest retreated to a tower, wherein they held out for a time expecting to be relieved; but as no succours came, they surrendered to the king's pleasure: in consequence, they were all beheaded for having broken their oaths of allegiance. The lord d'Anglades had indeed left Bordeaux for their relief,--but when he heard what had passed, he returned back as speedily as he could.

The French laid siege to Châtillon in Perigord, the 13th day of July: it is situated on the river Dordogne, and was occupied by the English. The lords de Lohéac and de Jalognes, marshals of France, were ordered to conduct the siege, having with them many great barons, knights and esquires, and from sixteen to eighteen hundred men at arms and archers. In the above number are included the men at arms of the count du Maine, under the command of sir Pierre de Beauveau lord de la Bessiere: those of the count de Nevers, commanded by sir Ferry de Grancey: those of the count de Castres, son to the lord de la Marche, under sir Louis du Puy, seneschal of la Marche, Guillaume de Lusac and Jean de Messignac: those of the duke of Brittany having for chief his nephew the count d'Estampes, but commanded by the lord de la Hunodaie and the lord de Montauban, because the count d'Estampes had remained with the king. The royal artillery, both small and great, was also sent thither, under the direction of master John Bureau and his brother Jasper Bureau, master of the artillery. They had with them seven hundred labourers, to work the guns and bombards. The two brothers first ordered the park of artillery to be strongly surrounded with ditches, and made secure against the enemy, before they attended to the siege.

The earl of Shrewsbury, hearing of this, hastily set off from Bordeaux, with eight hundred or a thousand horse, attended by his son lord Lisle, the lord Molyns, and many others, the most valiant of the english captains, as well lords as knights and esquires, from the Bordelois and from England. He was followed by four or six thousand English on foot. The earl and his companions arrived at the siege on the 17th of July, about day-break; and when the French saw him advancing, they retreated into the field wherein the artillery had been placed, and which had been fortified with ditches,--but he fell in with some of the franc archers, who had been unable to effect their retreat, and killed from one hundred to six score of them.

The French made great exertions to retire within the inclosure, for the English were advancing fast on them, thinking that they were flying, having abandoned their siege. The earl, in the mean time, as he was waiting for the infantry, had a pipe of wine set on its end, and drawn off to refresh his men. The French had now nearly all gained the park, and were forming in handsome order: the cannoneers had also brought their guns to the ditches, and pointed them against the English.

Those in Châtillon had found means to send information to lord Shrewsbury at Bordeaux, that if he would hastily march to their relief, the French would fly: he was therefore exceedingly surprised, on his arrival, to see the manner in which the French had intrenched themselves, and how well they had posted their artillery. The commanders to oppose the English were the lords marshals, the grand master of the household, the count de Penthievre, the seneschal of Poitou, the lord de la Bessiere, sir John Bureau, and others having the conduct of the siege, besides several great lords who had taken the field against the king's enemies.

Lord Shrewsbury and his companions advanced boldly to the barriers, thinking to force an entrance into the park; but he found there such valiant opposers, who seemed eager to display their courage, as astonished him, after the intelligence he had received from those in Châtillon. The earl was mounted on a small hackney, and did not dismount on account of his age[154]; but he ordered all others so to do. The English had eight banners displayed, namely, that of the king of England, of St George, of the Trinity, of the earl of Shrewsbury, and others, with the standards of the nobility skilfully arranged.

The attack commenced with great valour, and each party fought manfully, so that the business lasted a full hour,--at the end of which, the men at arms of the duke of Brittany, under the command of the lords de Montauban and de la Hunodaie, were sent for to relieve the French who had been thus long engaged at the barriers. On their arrival, by the aid of God and their own prowess, the English were forced to turn their backs, and were beaten down, with all their banners, by these Bretons. The artillery played so well that the English were constrained to fly, but not without numbers being left dead on the spot. The hackney of lord Shrewsbury was struck down by a culverin-ball, and he was put to death by the French, as he lay under him[155].

Among the slain were the lord l'Isle, sir Hedoual Haul, Thomas Aurigan, the lord de Pingulan, a gascon knight, and thirty of the most valiant knights, as it was said, from England. Lord Molyns was made prisoner. As the French were much fatigued, and on foot, they could not pursue the enemy, so that numbers of English and Gascons escaped; and about eight hundred or a thousand retreated into Châtillon, among whom were the count de Candale, son to the captal de Buch, the lords de Montferrant, de Rosem, and d'Anglades: the lord de l'Esparre escaped also, who had been the principal author of this rebellion. Those who could not enter the town fled by land or water,--but in regard to the last, they were mostly all drowned.

The count de Penthievre, the bailiff of Touraine, and several French, having at length mounted their horses, pursued the runaways as far as the walls of St Emilion[157], killing all they could overtake. When the French were recovered from their fatigues, they buried the dead, consisting of four or five hundred on the side of the English. On the morrow, the french marshals ordered all their artillery to be brought to bear on the walls of Châtillon, to rejoice those within it; but when the townsmen saw these vast preparations, they began to humble themselves, and to lower the pride with which they were filled, by surrendering themselves to the king's will; they were estimated at fifteen hundred combatants: and the chief lords were constituted prisoners to the king.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 151: St Jean d'Angely,--an ancient town in Saintonge, 38 leagues from Bordeaux.]

[Footnote 152: Challais,--in Saintonge near Saintes.]

[Footnote 153: Eight score,--probably eight hundred.]

[Footnote 154: His age. He was then 86 or 87 years old.]

[Footnote 155: 'He fell gloriously, together with his gallant son the lord l'Isle, who, though entreated to escape by the dying hero, chose to share his father's fate rather than quit the field[156].'

_Andrews' Hist. of Great Britain_, A.D. 1453, 4, 5.]

[Footnote 156: 'The herald of this glorious veteran sought out the body amongst the heaps of slain, wept over it, and embraced it with these pathetic words: 'Alas! my lord, and is it you? I pray God pardon all your misdoings! I have been your officer of arms 40 years and more: it is time that I should surrender to you the ensigns of my office.'--Thus saying, with the tears gushing from his eyes, he threw his coat of arms over the corpse, thus performing one of the ancient rites of sepulture.'

_Registre de Wyrkson_, apud _Anstis_.]

[Footnote 157: St Emilion,--on the Dordogne, near Libourne, six leagues from Bordeaux.]

CHAP. LV.

AFTER THE REDUCTION OF CHÂTILLON, THE FRENCH TAKE ST EMILION AND LIBOURNE.--THE KING JOINS HIS ARMY BEFORE BORDEAUX, IN WHICH WERE GREAT NUMBERS OF ENGLISH.--THAT TOWN SURRENDERS ON CAPITULATION.

After the surrender of Châtillon, the french commanders marched the army and artillery to St Emilion, the garrison of which instantly submitted, as it was impossible to make any resistance, and were mercifully received. Thence the army advanced toward Libourne, which had not willingly turned to the English when lord Shrewsbury first arrived at Bordeaux; but the french garrison, hearing of his coming, had fled: the townsmen were, therefore, forced to submit,--and, on this account, they were admitted into favour with the king.

At this time, the count de Clermont, as lieutenant-general for the king of France in Guienne and the Bordelois, kept his army on the other side of the Gironde. He had with him the count de Foix, the count d'Albreth, the lord d'Orval his son, sir Theaulde de Valpergue bailiff of Lyon, the lord de Saintrailles master of the horse to the king, sir Bernard de Béarn, the viscount de Turenne, the lord de Lavedan, and many other captains, to the number of eight hundred lances and archers, who acted so prudently that the english forces in that country, and in Bordeaux, to the amount of eight thousand combatants, never offered them battle, nor prevented them making prisoners, or destroying convoys of provision and wine. On the 14th day of July, the counts de Clermont, de Foix, and d'Albreth, laid siege to the new castle in Medoc, and remained before it fourteen days. The governor for the king of England was a knight of Gascony, called the lord de l'Isle, who, seeing the impracticability of defending it with success, surrendered it to these lords.

The french army was thence marched to besiege Blanquefort[158]; and the count de Foix, with his brother the viscount de Lautrec, separated from it to lay siege to Cadillac[159], while the lord de Saintrailles went before St Macaire[160], and reduced it to the king's obedience. The lord d'Albreth likewise left the siege of Blanquefort, and reduced the towns of Langon[161] and Villendras to obedience,--so that two or three sieges were going on at the same time. To regarrison their conquests, these lords had with them about a thousand lances, and a sufficiency of archers, comprehending the men of the count d'Armagnac, under the command of an esquire called L'ainé de Lange, seneschal of Rouergue.

During the siege of Cadillac, the count de Clermont never quitted that of Blanquefort until it had surrendered to him.

On the 16th day of July, the king left the city of Angoulême, to join his army in the Bordelois: he was accompanied by the counts of Angoulême, of Maine, of Nevers, of Estampes, of Castres, of Vendôme, and many other barons, knights and esquires, to the town of Libourne. His army was then before Fronsac, which was held by the English, who afterward surrendered it on capitulation of being allowed to go to England,--and they marched out with only staves in their hands. The army then crossed the Dordogne, to subdue the country within the two rivers, and captured many towns from the English.

The king advanced to Montferrant, and ordered a blockhouse to be erected against Lormond, near Bordeaux, by a part of his army, while another division was employed on the siege of the town and castle of Cadillac.

On the other hand, the counts de Clermont, de Foix, d'Albreth, d'Orval, and the bailiff of Lyon, with others to the amount of one thousand lances and archers, had posted themselves near to Bordeaux, on the side of the moors, to destroy all the corn and provision, that those within Bordeaux might not reap any advantage or profit by them.

On the 18th day of July, the king, in person, led his army against Cadillac, when it was taken by storm. The first who entered was an esquire named Gonfroy de St Hellin, bailiff of Chaumont in Bassigny,--but the English retired into the castle, which was very strong. Notwithstanding the strength of the place, the English, alarmed at the great power and good order of the king's army, which consisted of a thousand spears and a proportionate number of archers, were forced to submit. They surrendered themselves, in the month of October following, prisoners to the king, when their captain, called Gaillard, was beheaded.

In the blockhouse before Lormond were posted the lord de Lohéac marshal of France, with many other lords, knights, and captains, to the amount of fifteen or sixteen hundred spears, archers, and artillery,--and near to it were anchored the king's fleet of victuallers from Brittany, Poitou, Spain, Holland, Zealand and Flanders, which remained in the river Gironde, until Bordeaux surrendered to the king.

In like manner had victuallers been sent from England; and on their arrival the lord Cameise[162] had ordered their sails and stores to be landed and secured in the town, that they might not depart _hospite insalutato_; that is to say, without taking leave of their hosts. The English also constructed another blockhouse opposite to and higher than that of the French, although it profited them little, notwithstanding so many in the town were attached to the king of England, namely, the lord Cameise, the lord Clinton, the bastard of Somerset, the lord de l'Esparre, the lord de Rosem, and from three to four thousand English, and as many or more Gascons, one half of whom were quartered in the town, and the other half in the blockhouse, to guard their fleet.

Thus were these powers employed on the same duty in their separate blockhouses from the first day of August until the 17th of October, annoying each other by every possible means. Provision began at length to fail in Bordeaux, to the great alarm of the English, as was natural; and as they daily heard of towns in all directions submitting, by force of arms, to the king, they made offers of a surrender on a fair capitulation. The king consented, for two reasons: first, because he was ready to render good for evil: secondly, considering the mortality that was to be dreaded, if matters were pushed to extremities, he was glad to compound for the departure of the English on the following terms.

The city of Bordeaux was to be yielded up to him, and the inhabitants were to remain his true and loyal subjects,--they taking an oath never to rebel again, but to acknowledge the king of France as their true and legal lord. The English were to be allowed to transport themselves in their own vessels to England, or to Calais, as they should please. But because some of the lords of that country and city had maliciously and traitorously sought the alliance of England, and had gone thither for that purpose, contrary to their oaths and declarations made to the king in the preceding year, who, at a very great expense and loss of men, had conquered them, the king would reserve to himself the power of banishing from the country of Bordelois twenty persons, according to his pleasure, such as had gone to England to seek the aid of the English, and particularly the lord de Duras, the lord de l'Esparre, and others. This capitulation was signed on the 17th day of October, in the year 1453.

In truth, the king laboured greatly in these matters, both in body and mind; for, after the aid of God, he was indebted for the peaceable recovery of this country to his own prudent conduct, and to the gracious manner with which he received those who returned to their obedience. He was also supported by his vassals and subjects with the same earnestness as if the recovery of his kingdom had personally concerned themselves.

Sir Pierre de Beauveau, lord de la Bessiere, died of his wounds three days after the taking of Châtillon, which was a great loss. Sir James de Chabannes, grand master of the household, was likewise slain there: he was much lamented, as he was a most valorous knight.

The country being thus recovered, the king determined on going to Tours, after leaving, for its defence, the count de Clermont his lieutenant general, sir Theaulde de Valpergue, and sir John de Bureau, treasurer of France and mayor of the city of Bordeaux, with a sufficient force of men at arms, archers, and cross-bows. This was become absolutely necessary by reason of their late treacherous conduct, for, according to a maxim of law, 'Semul malus, semper præsumitur malus.' It was therefore expedient to keep a heavy hand on them, that they might be under greater subjection and prevented from rebelling again.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 158: Blanquefort,--a town in Guienne near Bordeaux.]

[Footnote 159: Cadillac en Fransadois,--seven leagues from Bordeaux.]

[Footnote 160: St Macaire,--on the Garonne, nine leagues from Bordeaux.]

[Footnote 161: Langon,--one league from Cadillac from Bordeaux.]

[Footnote 162: Camus,--or Cameise. See Dugdale.]

CHAP. LVI.

THE GRAND TURK BESIEGES CONSTANTINOPLE, AND BATTERS THE CITY WITH HEAVY ARTILLERY.--IT IS TAKEN BY STORM.--THE CRUELTIES COMMITTED THERE.--A REMEDY PROPOSED TO RESIST THE TURK[163].

On the 4th of April, after Easter, in this same year 1453, Morbesan[164], son of Orestes, great lords in Achaia, advanced near to Constantinople, and, on the 5th day of this month, besieged that city all round with two hundred thousand men,--sixty thousand of whom were archers, and from thirty to forty thousand cavalry. About a fourth part of them were armed with haubergeons and coats of mail, others after the french manner,--some in the bulgarian manner, and in different fashions. Many had helmets of iron, and others were armed with bows and cross-bows. The greater part, however, of the sixty thousand were without any other armour than targets and turkish blades. The remaining hundred were composed of merchants, artisans, followers of the army, pillagers, and destroyers of the country.

There were very many bombards and culverins made use of at this siege,--and one particularly large bombard, that shot stones twelve spans and four fingers in circumference, weighing eighteen hundred pounds. These bombards shot daily from one hundred to six score times,--and this thundering lasted for fifty-five days, expending a thousand weight of powder each day, which was necessary for the numerous culverins that were employed.

The Turk had likewise a fleet of sixteen or eighteen galleys, and from sixty to eighty galiots, having each eighteen or twenty oars, and from sixteen to twenty small barks, called Palendrins[165], to transport horses in, and plenty of gun-carriages. When the siege had been regularly formed, Sangombassa[166] principal minister to the Turk, and who had the greatest credit and authority with him, had transported over land, the distance of two or three miles, from sixty to eighty galleys, and other armed vessels, into the Melse Mondagarin[167], near to Pera, and between the two cities. The Turks could not by any other means enter the harbour of Constantinople, as the Bosphorus and the straits of the Dardanelles were strongly guarded by the Christians, who were so posted that they could relieve each other when attacked.

The commander of this expedition was a Turk called Albitangoth[168], who broke through four of the genoese ships. The Turk appointed another commander to surround the city by sea and land. Constantinople is a very strong city, of a triangular form, twenty miles in circuit on the land side, and five miles wide from the land boundary to the harbour and gulf. The walls on the land side are very strong and high, having barbicans and loop holes on the top, well fortified without by the ditches and ramparts. The principal walls are from fifteen to twenty-two fathoms high: in some places six, and in others eight fathoms wide: the outworks are twenty fathoms high and three in thickness, and the ditches ten deep. The city contained from twenty-five to thirty thousand persons, and six thousand combatants. In the harbour were thirty ships and nine galleys, to defend the chain that had been thrown across it: of this number were two armed vessels, and three merchant ships, from the Venetians; three belonging to the emperor,--and one to sir John Justinian, a Genoese in the pay of the emperor.

Constantinople, although besieged by sea and land, and strongly battered by bombards and cannon, held out for fifty days, during which a captain of one of the galleys, in conjunction with others ordered on this service, attempted to set fire to the turkish fleet; but the galley was sunk by a heavy stone from a bombard, and the others ran on the sharp stakes with which the Turks had fortified the van division of their fleet.

On the land side, Sangombassa, king of the Albanians, had in his army many who had been accustomed to work in gold and silver mines,--and he ordered them to open fourteen mines under the walls of the city, to throw them down. As these mines were opened at a distance from the walls, the Christians countermined them, and at times stifled the Turks in their mine with smoke, or suffocated them with stinks: at other times they drowned them, by introducing water suddenly on them, or destroyed them by fighting hand to hand. Sangombassa constructed a high and strong tower of wood that overtopped the walls, and threw across an arm of the sea a bridge of boats one thousand fathoms in length and seven wide, for the army to cross, besides erecting other smaller towers that were both light and strong, and could be moved from one place to another when wanted. There were daily skirmishes, in which many were slain on each side,--but for one that was killed in the town one hundred were destroyed of the besiegers.

At this siege were many greek Christians, and others from different parts, who, although subjects to the Turk, are not constrained to renounce their religion: they therefore pray to and adore God at their pleasure. There were beside several captains and powerful Turks, who, out of spite to Sangombassa, as he oppressed them much, gave information to those in the town, by letters fastened to arrows and by all other possible means, of what was going forward in the camp. Among other things, the Christians were informed of the grand Turk having held a council of his ministers and principal persons for four whole days; and that in this council a captain, called Colombassa[169], had advised the raising of the siege, saying to the Turk, 'Thou hast done thy duty: thou hast already given many great battles to the Christians, and at each time numbers of thy people have fallen. Thou seest from the fortifications and defence of the city that it is impregnable,--insomuch that the more thou sendest to attack it, so many more are left dead before it. Those who have mounted the walls have been repulsed or slain,--and thy ancestors never had the power nor the inclination to advance so far as thou hast done, which ought to satisfy thy ambition, without wishing the total destruction of thy people.'

So much was said by others, in consequence of this harangue, that the Turk doubted within his own breast whether he should return, and erect two columns on the spot where he then was, to proclaim to the world that he had done more than any of his predecessors had ever undertaken, and to inform posterity that no Turk had ever before dared to approach so near to Constantinople.

Sangombassa was of a contrary opinion, and thus addressed the Turk: 'Thou hast shown thyself the strongest. Thou hast overthrown part of the walls; we will completely destroy the remainder. Only let us give one more determined attack,--and, if we then fail of conquest, we will submit to act according to thy pleasure.' He expressed himself with so much warmth and earnestness that the Turk consented to his proposal; and intelligence thereof was conveyed into the town, with exhortations to hold out with courage for a few days longer, and the siege would assuredly be raised.

The Turk, being resolved to storm the city, ordered a solemn fast to take place three days before the time fixed on, in honour of the God of Heaven, whom alone he adores. It was kept very strictly for the three days, none of the army eating any thing during the day-time; but at night they feasted, and their camp and fleet were then illuminated with a multitude of torches, so that land and sea seemed on fire: they added loud music with drums and other instruments, for with trumpets they were ill provided.

When the time arrived for the storming, both parties seemed determined on victory or death. The attack began very slowly in the evening, and the Turk had made the following arrangement of his forces:--Siglardy[170], captain-general of Turkey, was posted, with twenty thousand men, at the gate of Pucchi, where was the heat of the battle: Sangombassa, with about a third of the army, was posted at the gate St Romain, about a mile distant from Pucchi. Ebbigabeth, governor-general of Greece, was placed on the side of Galigaria[171], near to the emperor's palace. The greater part of the mines were two miles distant from St Romain. The renegade Albanian, Sangombassa, was posted on the other side of the canal near to Pera, with other renegade Christians; for, in these countries, many daily recant from their religion.

At the commencement of the attack, the Christians defended themselves well, particularly at St Romain, which was the weakest part of the walls; for lately good part had been damaged, and even thrown down. The heavy cannon and the culverins kept up so brisk a fire that breaches were made of many fathoms wide in several places; and the firing was so incessant that the sky could scarcely be seen for the thickness of the smoke.

The besieged instantly repaired the breaches with old casks and bags of earth, and defended themselves as well as they could. At this spot was sir John Justinian, who behaved with great courage: indeed, the whole city placed their dependance on his abilities.

As a last effort, the grand Turk now advanced thither in person, with two banners and ten thousand chosen men for his guard, beside an infinity of Turks, with scaling ladders, moveable wooden castles, and other engines. The attack was become very bloody: the ditches were filled, and the walls scaled. At this critical moment was sir John Justinian wounded by a ball from a culverin, and carried off to be dressed, after he had resigned his command to two genoese gentlemen. The Turks pursued their success,--and the Christians, seeing themselves overpowered, and that sir John Justinian had quitted his command, which they mistook for his having fled, abandoned the walls, and ran away. Thus did the Turks enter Constantinople, the 28th day of May, in the year aforesaid, putting all to the sword who made any resistance[172].

No attack was made on Pera, for the greater part of the inhabitants were in Constantinople assisting in its defence. Those who had remained did not attempt to carry away any of their effects, but deliberated to send the keys of their town to the Turk, and offer him the city, in which were six thousand men, and throw themselves on the mercy of God. A good many of both sexes, however, embarked on board a genoese vessel to escape, and one ship laden with women was seized by the Turks.

The emperor of Constantinople died there. Some say that he was beheaded,--others, that he was squeezed to death by the crowd as he was attempting to escape by one of the gates: both may perchance be true,--as he may have been pressed to death, and the Turks may have cut off his head afterwards.

This was a melancholy event for the Christians; for after the Turks had gained peaceable possession of the city, they entered the churches, more especially the cathedral of St Sophia, which is a very large and magnificent building,--and finding it full of ladies, damsels, and others of high rank, they ravished them all without any distinction, and in contempt of God our Creator and of the catholic faith. The Turk even violated the empress in this church, made her his concubine, and carried her with him when he departed from the city. His troops indulged themselves with impunity in every luxury and detestable vice.

The large galleys of the Venetians, and from Trebisonde, waited until the middle of the ensuing day to save some of the Christians, and about four hundred embarked on board. In the number was Jacques Totaldi[173], who had been on guard at a part of the wall distant from where the Turks had entered: perceiving that all was lost, he made for the shore, and by swimming saved himself on board one of these galleys.

Had the venetian fleet, under the command of John la Rendour[174], arrived the preceding day with his troops, most assuredly the city would have been relieved,--for it consisted of nine galleys and twenty other vessels. It arrived the day after the conquest at Negropont.

It has been estimated, that the plunder the Turks made in Constantinople amounted to four thousand millions of ducats: the loss of the Venetians alone was said to be fifty thousand ducats. The Genoese saved on board their galleys twenty thousand: the Florentines lost twenty thousand,--the merchants of Ancona fifteen thousand. From conversations with different Turks, we have heard that the grand Turk, when only twenty-three or twenty-four years old, was more cruel than Nero, and delighted in shedding blood: he was bold and ambitious, and more ardent to conquer the world than Alexander or Cæsar. It is alleged that he possesses larger territories, and greater power, than any other monarch whatever. He has different histories read out to him,--and demands the reason why such and such things have been done. He holds it an easy matter to throw a bridge from Megara[175] to Venice, for a passage to march his army thither. He inquires where Rome is situated,--and after the duke of Milan, of his valiant deeds, and other affairs. He can talk of nothing but war; and declares that he will make Constantinople his seat of empire, for that he is able and desirous to establish a large navy. He imagines that there is not a prince on earth but will bring him the keys of his towns before he calls for them, considering that he has taken by storm Constantinople, the strongest city in Europe, and so powerful that it was thought no army, however great, could accomplish it, and that he and his troops are bold in arms, holding their lives of no value to gain an object. It is supposed that the Turk will not this summer attempt any other warlike enterprise, but attend to his new settlement in Constantinople, unless some places he may wish for should surrender quietly. His soldiers want to return to their homes to enjoy and repose themselves, but he keeps them strictly to good discipline, that he may be prepared to resist any attacks that shall be made upon him. However, if the Christians would firmly unite, and act promptly, they would drive him out of Europe, never to return again.

This would be the plan I would offer for so desirable an object: First, an universal peace must be established in Christendom; then the Venetians, the duke of Milan, the Florentines, and the other princes of Italy, should raise an army of twenty thousand horse, well appointed, and under able captains, who should lead them to Pera, through Albania, as far as the possessions of the Christians, where they should halt in a country well supplied with all kinds of provision. They will be there secure, and instantly joined by the Albanians, Sciavonians, and other Christian nations, who will unite in the defence of the catholic faith.

In addition to this army, another should be formed at sea by the king of Arragon, the Venetians, the Genoese, the Florentines, and other maritime nations, whose fleets will be fully sufficient to conquer that of the Turk if it be not greatly increased to what it is at present. This fleet should sail for the port of Negropont, and take Sagripoch[176], and other places, from the Turk: it should likewise blockade the passage of the Dardanelles, and prevent any intercourse between Turkey and Greece.

The emperor of Hungary, the Bohemians, the Poles, the Walachians, and other nations in that quarter, should raise an army under the command of John Waiwoda[177], who is much feared by the Turks, and enter Turkey by Adrianople; and all these armies should so manage that their invasions take place at the same time, and that good intelligence reign among them that the success may not be doubtful.

The Turk, with all his efforts, cannot raise a greater army than two hundred thousand men, including bad and good; and it must be added, that among the number are many Christians, and others of his subjects, that follow him unwillingly, who on the approach of a sufficient army of Christians will desert and join them.

The Turks, by nature and custom, will not wait to be besieged, but continually keep the field, which will the more easily encourage desertions. The Christians from Russia must join this division of the united forces.

The Caramanian, who is a great prince, and a bitter enemy to the Turks, should he be informed of this intended warfare against the Turk, he will harrass him much, and, with some inducements, may probably become a Christian. In Greece, there will not be a common peasant but will exert himself to bring provisions to the Christian army. On the other hand, the Turks will be straitened for provision, as their resources from Greece will be cut off by sea; and it may be supposed that the Greeks will be anxious to recover their lands by the sword,--and the moment that the two armies shall approach Turkey, the whole of the unbelievers' army must be nearly famished and defeated.

Should the Christians, however, delay their exertions, and allow the Turk time to strengthen himself by sea and land, there can be no doubt but that he will cause great damage to the Christians, which God forbid!

In the venetian galley, eight citizens of Venice returned, who had been settled at Constantinople; but thirty-eight gentlemen and forty others remained behind. May God speedily assist them in their deliverance.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 163: M. du Cange says, that this chapter must be compared with Phrantzes.

This chapter, containing the hearsay account of transactions which took place at a considerable distance from the kingdom of France abounds, as it might be expected, with errors, the correction of which, as they occur, would be a task equally laborious and unprofitable. Whoever wishes to make himself acquainted with the details of the siege and capture of Constantinople by Mahomet II. may peruse the 68th chapter of Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.]

[Footnote 164: Morbesan. Mahomet II. son to Amurath or Morad II.]

[Footnote 165: Palendrins,--Palendric,--a flat boat.----Du Cange's Glossary.]

[Footnote 166: Sangombassa. Q.]

[Footnote 167: Melse Mondagarin. Q, the sea of Marmora?]

[Footnote 168: Albitangoth. Q.]

[Footnote 169: Colombassa. Q.]

[Footnote 170: Siglardy. Q.]

[Footnote 171: Galigaria. Q. Galata?]

[Footnote 172: 'Constantinople had long been aimed at by the turkish power; but the diversions formed by Huniades and George Castriot had retarded an event, which the effeminacy and profligacy of both rulers and people had rendered inevitable. Constantine Drakoses, the last emperor, merited a better fate, if there could be a better, than dying for his country. When he found Mohammed determined to besiege his city, he raised what force he could, which amounted to no more than three or four thousand men; nor could the imperial treasury afford to continue in its pay a celebrated german engineer, who, on his stipend being lessened, went in disgust to the Turks, and cast those immense pieces of cannon which are still the wonder of the Dardanelles.

'To Giustiniani, a Genoese, who, with five hundred men, came to defend the city, Constantine gave the chief command, promising to make him prince of Lemnos if he drove off the Turks. Meanwhile the citizens sat like ideots determined to suffer the extremities of war, and expose their wives and children to violation and slaughter, rather than support an emperor who they knew wished to unite the greek with the latin church.

'Mohammed had four hundred thousand men in arms around the city; but though his fleet was large, he could not approach the walls by the harbour, and had even been witness to the success of five ships from Genoa, who had forced their way through his numerous navy. To remedy this, he contrived by engines, and an immense strength of hands, to draw a vast detachment of galleys over a peninsula into the harbour, and then the blockade was complete. The cannoneers, too, of the Turks were instructed by an hungarian ambassador (moved by a foolish prophecy that Christendom would never thrive until Constantinople was taken,) how to do the most damage to the old and ruinous fortifications of the devoted city.

'When all was ready for an assault, Mohammed sent to offer lives, liberty, and goods, to the emperor and people, with settlements in Greece, if they would give up the place,--but in vain. The Turks were at first gallantly repulsed, Constantine defending the breach, and Giustiniani bravely seconding his efforts: unhappily the latter being seized with a panic, on receiving a slight wound, and quitting his post, the Italians, who were the strength of the besieged, followed, and the enemy burst in with hardly any opposition. The wretched emperor saw that all was lost,--and was only heard to say, 'Alas! is no Christian here to strike off my head?' A Turk performed that office; and Mohammed with his army rushing in, every bar to slaughter, rapine, and violence, gave way.

'Meanwhile numbers of the Greeks stood calmly around the church of Santa Sophia, while others coolly employed themselves in a solemn procession, deluded by a fanatic, who had foretold, that as soon as the infidels should force their way to a certain part of Europe, and enriched every province, but particularly Italy, with their science.

'The whimsically superstitious are fond of a silly remark, that as the western empire began and ended with an Augustus so did that of the east begin and end with a Constantine; but a much more useful speculation from the dreadful fate of this metropolis, and still more from that of Rome in 1527, presents itself to the rich and indolent citizen, viz. that opulence, far from securing its owners, only holds out a bait to the destroyer; and that no wealthy city should think itself secure without union, good government, and military exertions, among its inhabitants.'

_Andrews' Hist. of Great Britain._]

[Footnote 173: Totaldi. Q.]

[Footnote 174: John la Rendour. Q. Giacopo Loredan? He sailed from Venice with only five galleys, and was to take up five more in the ports of Dalmatia and Candia.

_Storia della Repubblica di Venezia.--Laugier._--Tom. vii. p. 63.]

[Footnote 175: Megara. This must be a mistake: indeed, the whole chapter is exceedingly confused.]

[Footnote 176: Sagripoch. Q.]

[Footnote 177: John Waiwoda. Q.]

CHAP. LVII.

THE TURK SENDS LETTERS TO THE POPE, WHO, IN CONSEQUENCE, WISHES TO FORM A CROISADE AGAINST HIM.--LE BLANC[178], KNIGHT-MARSAL OF HUNGARY, DEFEATS THE TURKS NEAR THE PORT OF SAMBRINE[179].

The grand Turk, moved by presumption at his unexpected success and prosperity, and through his great pride, sent two letters to pope Nicholas, of similar contents,--the one in Latin, the other in French. The tenour of the last was as follows: 'Morbesan lord of Achaia, son to Orestes, with his brothers,--to the high priest of Rome, health, according to his deserts. Whereas it has lately come to our ears that, at the request and prayers of the people of Venice, you have publicly preached in your churches, that whoever shall take up arms against us shall receive in this life a remission of his sins, with a promise of life eternal hereafter. This we did not hear of until the arrival of some pilgrims, who have crossed the sea in venetian vessels,--and it has caused in us the utmost astonishment. Although you may perhaps have received powers from the God of thunders to absolve and release souls, so much the more prudently and discreetly should you exercise this power, nor by such means induce the Christians to act hostilely against us, and more especially the Italians; for we have lately had information that our fathers have declared the turkish nation was innocent of the death of your CHRIST crucified,--and that they neither possess nor have any knowledge of those places which are by you held sacred, and that we have always had the jewish nation in hatred, who, from what we have read in histories and chronicles, did most treacherously betray and deliver up the CHRIST to the roman judge in Jerusalem, to suffer death on the cross.

'We marvel, therefore, and grieve, that the Italians should be our enemies,--for we are naturally inclined to be attached to them, as being, like to ourselves, of the issue of the trojan race, and of ancient birth. We are sprung from the same blood, and regularly descended from king Priam and his line; and it is our intention to advance with our armies to those parts of Europe that have been promised to us by the gods of our forefathers. We have also the intention of restoring Troy the great, and to avenge the blood of Hector and the queen Ixion[180], by subjecting to our government the empire of Greece and punishing the descendants of the transgressors. We also intend subjugating the island of Crete, and the others in that sea, of which the Venetians have robbed us by violence.

'We require, therefore, that you act with more discretion, and that you impose silence on your preachers in Italy, that they may no longer comply with the requests before mentioned of these Venetians, and provoke the Christians to wage war against us, as we have no cause of warfare against them from any difference in our creeds. It is of no importance that we do not put our whole faith in your CHRIST, since we allow him to have been a very great prophet; and as we do not follow his law, we are not to be compelled to believe in him.

'If any dispute has arisen between us and the Venetians, it is without colour of justice, or of authority from Cæsar or from any other prince. Through their pride and ambition, they have possessed themselves of many islands and other places that formed part of our government,--which usurpations we cannot and will not longer suffer, for the time of repossession is near at hand.

'For these and other reasons you ought therefore to be silent, and desist from your enterprises, especially as we know the Venetians to be a distinct people, in their manners and laws, from the Romans, although they think themselves superior to all the world; but, by the aid of our great god Jupiter, we will bring their pride and insolence to an end. Should you not prudently desist from your intentions, we shall march our whole force against you, aided by the numberless kings of the east, who seem now to be slumbering; and we will bring an irresistible force by sea and land, not only against you and your walking pilgrims bearing the cross, but also against Germany and France, should you excite them to war upon us.

'With the aid of Neptune, god of the sea, we intend to cross the Hellespont, into Dalmatia, with numberless armies, and to visit the northern regions as far as Thrace.

'Given at our triumphal palace in June, in the 840th year of Mohammed, sealed and enregistered.'

About this time, the chevalier le Blanc, who was not of a noble family, but originally a smith in Hungary, before he commenced captain in the wars under the king of Hungary, took the field to combat the Turks, having with him from twenty to twenty-four thousand combatants, and had gained the port of Sambrine, where were full eighty thousand Turks. They had waited at this port fifteen days, to see if any reinforcements would arrive, which coming to the knowledge of the knight, he departed from Mortune[181], and came up with the Turks two hours before day-break, and attacked them with such courage that twenty-four thousand were slain: the rest fled to their shipping and escaped,--for the Hungarians had no vessels to pursue them. The Turks, however, fought valiantly,--and the knight with many of his companions were wounded. He returned back with fifty Turks his prisoners: six of whom he sent to pope Nicholas: six to the king of France, and six to the duke of Burgundy. In the number was the first cousin of the grand Turk.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 178: Q. Le Blanc?]

[Footnote 179: Q. 'Le Port de Sambrine?']

[Footnote 180: Hecuba.]

[Footnote 181: Mortune. Q.]

CHAP. LVIII.

JUDGMENT GIVEN AGAINST JACQUES COEUR AND THE DAMSEL OF MORTAIGNE.--MASTER WILLIAM EDELIN, DOCTOR OF DIVINITY, IS PUBLICLY REPRIMANDED AT EVREUX.

On the 29th of May, in the year 1453, judgment was pronounced by the chancellor of France, in the presence of the king, against Jacques Coeur, for the crimes he had been charged with, and for which he had been imprisoned.

In consequence of the charges made out against him, he was condemned to death and confiscation of effects; but as the king inclined to mercy, and would rather sinners should repent than die, out of his especial grace, he remitted the first part of the sentence, on condition that he redeemed, at any price, the Christian whom he had restored to the Saracens,--or if that could not be done, then he was to redeem some other Christian slave from their power.

In regard to the money which he had unjustly wrung from the king's subjects, to the amount of incalculable sums, he was adjudged to repay one hundred thousand crowns; and for the many and various offences that he had committed against the king, he was sentenced to pay a fine of four hundred thousand crowns, and the overplus of his effects, wheresoever they might be placed, was confiscated to the crown. He was also deprived of his offices, both public and private, and declared incapable of ever again holding them, and was likewise banished France.

He was also adjudged to make _amende honorable_[182] to the king, in the person of his attorney, bareheaded and ungirdled, having a lighted link of ten pounds weight in his hands; and he was to declare, that he had falsely and disloyally restored the Christian to the Saracens, and supplied them with arms and ammunition, requesting pardon from God, from the king, and from Justice.

It was also declared, that the bonds of the lords de la Fayette and de Cadillac were void, and of none effect; and that neither Jacques Coeur nor any of his heirs should receive any advantage from them, as they were now annulled.

When the chancellor had passed this sentence, he added, by command of the king, that his majesty reserved to himself the ultimate decision of the banishment and other graces.

In regard to the damsel of Mortaigne, although her body and effects had been condemned, yet in consideration of the great services which her ancestors and husband had rendered the king, his majesty remits the capital part of the sentence, and restores to her the effects that had been confiscated; but she is strictly forbidden, on pain of suffering the above penalties, to approach, within two leagues, the persons of the king or queen,--and is likewise condemned to make _amende honorable_ to the king, by proxy in her attorney, who is to declare that she had falsely and wickedly accused Jacques Coeur, Jacques Colone, and Martin Prendoux, and to ask pardon for the same of God, the king, and Justice. She was condemned to pay to the said Martin the sum of four hundred livres of the current coin; and to the wife and two daughters of Jacques Colone, one hundred livres each, amounting to three hundred livres more.

On the Sunday preceding Christmas-day in this year, master Guillaume Edelin, doctor of divinity, prior of St Germain en Laye, formerly a monk of the order of St Augustin, and of other orders, was publicly reprimanded on a scaffold in the city of Evreux, and condemned to perpetual imprisonment in the prisons of the bishoprick, for having given himself up to the temptations and power of the enemy of mankind, that he might accomplish his carnal desires. He was particularly charged with cohabiting with a lady of birth, and, to accomplish this, had bound himself in such servitude to Satan that he was obliged to attend him whenever called upon by him. When such meetings were appointed he had only to bestride a broom, and was instantly transported to their consistorial meeting.

Master Guillaume frankly confessed that he had done homage to the enemy, under the form of a sheep, by kissing his posteriors,--and that he had persevered for many years in this damnable debasement, and had been aided by the enemy whenever he required it of him, until the time of his arrest; when, having been duly convicted by the law, he was detained prisoner, and the power of the enemy was without effect. He therefore remained, according to his sentence, closely confined in a dungeon, fed on bread and water. The inquisitor of the faith frequently remonstrated with him on the degeneracy of his conduct from what it was formerly, when he went about preaching so well to the people the faith of JESUS CHRIST.

During the reprimands of the inquisitor, the prisoner was placed on a scaffold, in the presence of great crowds of people.

At the end of these remonstrances, master Guillaume, knowing how infamously he had relinquished our Creator and Redeemer, began to groan and repent aloud of his sins, asking mercy of God, the bishop, and Justice, and recommending himself to the prayers of the audience. He was then chained, and conducted to his dungeon to do penance for the horrible sins he had committed.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 182: _Amende honorable_,--'A most ignominious punishment inflicted on great offenders, who were led through the streets barefooted and bareheaded (with a burning link in their hands) unto the seat of justice, or some public place, and there to confess their offences, and ask forgiveness of the party they had wronged.'----Cotgrave.]

[A.D. 1454.]

CHAP. LIX.

THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS AN EMBASSY TO THE KING OF SPAIN.--HE BUILDS TWO CASTLES AT BORDEAUX TO KEEP THE INHABITANTS IN SUBJECTION.--THE DUKE OF YORK IMPRISONS THE DUKES OF SOMERSET AND GLOCESTER.--OTHER EVENTS.

In the year 1454, the reverend father in God master John Bernard, archbishop of Tours, and sir Guillot Destan, knight, seneschal of Rouergue, set out on an embassy from the king of France to the king of Castille, to confirm the alliances between France and Spain.

In this same year, the king of France sent a large body of men at arms and franc archers to Bordeaux, with orders to erect two castles to keep that people under better subjection: one was placed on the bank of the river, and the other at the opposite end of the town toward Béarn.

The count de Clermont, the lord de Saintrailles bailiff of Lyon, the governor of la Rochelle, sir John Bureau mayor of Bordeaux, and sir Guichart le Boursier, were appointed to superintend the erection of these castles. They exerted great diligence to complete them,--and they were so strong that they were thought impregnable, so that the inhabitants were kept in more subjection than they had ever before been.

At this time, the duke of York seized the government of England, and imprisoned the dukes of Somerset and Glocester[183],--the first in the tower of London, and Glocester in Pomfret-castle.