Chronicle of Jean le Bel Chapter 86

It happened one day that Sir Robert de Beaumont¹, a most valiant knight and of the greatest lineage in Brittany, was captain of Château Josselin and had with him many men-at-arms and squires of his kin. He came before the castle of Ploërmel, whose castellan was a German mercenary called Brandebourch. With him were many soldiers—Germans, Bretons, and Englishmen, men of both sides—and he was of the party of the Countess. When Sir Robert saw that none of the garrison came out, he approached the gate and called for Brandebourch under a safe-conduct. He asked him whether there were among his men any companions—two or three—who would be willing to joust with lances of steel against him, for the love of their ladies. Brandebourch replied that their sweethearts would not wish them to be killed so foolishly in a single joust, "for such an encounter is a matter of chance and soon over, and one gains from it more the name of rashness and folly than of honor and renown. But I will tell you what we shall do: if it please you, take twenty or thirty of your companions from your garrison, and I shall take as many from ours, and let us go to a fair field where none may disturb or hinder us. Let us command, under pain of the noose, all our companions, on both sides, and all who watch us, that none shall give aid or force against the combatants." "By my faith," said Sir Robert, "I agree—thirty against thirty—and I swear it so, on my faith." "Likewise," said Brandebourch, "I swear it too—for he who conducts himself well in that place will gain more honor than in a single joust." Thus was this affair agreed upon, and the day was set for the following Wednesday, which was to be the fourth day hence.

Si avint ung jour que messire Bobert de Beaumont, moult vaillant chevalier et du plus grand lignage de Bretaigne, estoit cappitaine de Ghastel Josselin et avoit avecques luy foison de gens d'armes et d'escuiers de son lignage; et vint par devant le chastel de Plaremel dont estoit chastellain ung souldoyer d'Alemaigne qu'on appelloit Brandebourch, et avoit avecques luy grand foison de souldoiers d'Alemaigne, de Bretons et d'Angloys, d'ungs et d'aultres, et estoit de la part de la contesse. Quant ledit messire Bobert vit que nul de la garnison issoit dehors, il vint à la porte et fist appeller celluy Brandebourch sur asseurance, et luy demanda s'il y avoit layens nulz compaignons, ou ii ou III qui voulsissent jouster de fers de glayves encontre m pour l'amour de leurs dames. Brandebourch luy respondi, et dist que leurs amyes ne vouldroient pas qu'ilz se feissent tuer si meschanment que d'une seule jouste, "car c'est une aventure de fortune trop tost passée, si en acquiert on plus le nom d'oultrage et de folie que d'onneur et de pris; maiz je vous diray que nous ferons. S'il vous plait, vous prendrez XX ou XXX des compaignons de vostre garnison et j'en prendray autant de la nostre, si alons en ung beau champ là où on ne nous puist destourber n'empeschier, et commandons sur le hart à nos compaignons, d'une part et d'aultre, et à tous ceulx qui nous regarderont, que nulx ne face aux comJjattans force ne ayde." "Par ma foy, dit messire Bobert, je m'y acorde de xxx contre xxx, et le jure ainsy par ma foy." "Aussy, fait Brandebourch, le juré je, car là acquerra plus d'onnour qui bien s'y portera que en une jouste." Ainsy fut ceste besongne acordée et jour donné au mercredi aprez qui debvoit estre le quart jour.

Note 1. According to A. de la Borderie, History of Brittany, vol. III, p. 515, the captain of the Bretons at the Combat of the Thirty was not Robert, but Jean IV de Beaumanoir, son of Jean III.

D'après A. de la Borderie, Hist. de Bretagne, t. Ill, p. 515, le capitaine des Bretons, au combat des Trente, aurait été non Robert, mais Jean IV de Beaumanoir, fils de Jean lll.

Now I wish to recount what happened in France not long after the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély was surrendered and retaken. The Count of Eu and of Guînes, who was also Constable of France, and who was so courteous and gracious in every way, loved and esteemed by great lords, knights, ladies, and damsels, and by all people as much in England as in France, had arranged his ransom with King Edward for the sum of 60,000 écus, and had received permission to return to France to finish paying the said amount, or else to return to the king's prison on a certain day, as he had sworn on his faith to do.

When he had returned to France, he went straight to King John, of whom he believed he was greatly loved, as indeed he had been—before John became king. So he bowed and greeted him humbly, thinking he would be warmly welcomed and greatly honored, because he had been abroad in prison for the sake of the kingdom.

King John led him alone into a chamber and said to him: "Look at this letter—have you ever seen it anywhere else but here?" The Constable was said to be greatly astonished when he saw the letter. When the king saw his reaction, he said: "Ah, wicked traitor! You have truly deserved death and you shall not escape it, by my father's soul!"

So he had him immediately seized by his guards and had him thrown into prison in the Tower of the Louvre in Paris, where the Count of Montfort had once been imprisoned, and there he died, it is said. Everyone was grieved by the fate of the noble constable who was treated in this way, for he was greatly loved, and no one could understand why the king had done this to him. The next day, the king swore, in front of the constable's close friends who pleaded for him, that he would never sleep, nor would he spare him for anyone's sake, until he had his head cut off. And so it was done that very night, in the Louvre Tower, without law or judgment, to the great sorrow and anger of all people. The king was harshly blamed and less loved because of it. No one knew for certain why it had been done, except perhaps the king's closest advisers. But some people guessed that the king had been informed of a romantic affair, which had either taken place or was rumored to exist between Madame Bonne (the queen) and the noble constable. I do not know whether there was any truth in this, but the manner of the act made many people suspicious.

Or vueil je raconter qu'il avint en France assez tost aprez ce que la ville Saint Jehan d'Angeli fut rendue et reconquise. Le conte de Eu et de Ghynes et connestable de France qui estoit si courtois et sy amiable en toutes manieres, amé el prisié de grands seigneurs, chevaliers, dames et damoiselles et de toutes gens aussy bien en Angleterre comme en France, il fit sa raenchon envers le roy Edowart parmi la somme de LX^M escus, et eut congié de venir en France pour faire la fin de laditte somme, ou de retourner en prison dudit roy par sa foy promise à certain jour.

Quant il fut venu en France, il s'en ala par devers le roy Jehan, de cui il cuidoit moult bien estre amé, ainsy qu'il estoit, ainchoys qu'il fut roy; si s'enclina et le salua humblement et cuidoit estre moult bien venu et moult bien festié pour ce qu'il avoit esté vans hors du pays en prison.

Le roy Jehan le mena seul en une chambre et luy dit : "Regardez ceste lettre, la vistes vous oncques aultre part que cy?" Le connestable fut merveilleusement esbauby quant il vit la lettre, ce dit on. Quant le roy le vit esbauby, il luy dit : "Ha mauvaiz traitre, vous avez bien mort deservi, si n'y fauldrez pas, par l'ame de mon pere."

Si le fit tantost prendre par ses machiers et le fist mettre en prison, en la tour du Louvre à Paris, où le conte de Montfort fut mis, et puis y-morut, ce dit on. Chascun fut dolent du gentil connestable qui ainsy fut mené, car moult estoit amé, et ne sçavoit nul deviser pour quoy le roy lui faisoit cela. Leroy jural'endemain, par devant les amez du connestable qui prioient pour luy, que jamais il ne dormiroit, ne ja pour ung ne pour aultre il ne le lairoit que il ne luy feist la teste copper, et ainsy fut fait la nuit mesmes en la tour du Louvre, sans loy et sans jugement, de quoy toutes gens furent dolens et couroussiez, et le roy durement blasmé et mains amé; et ne sceut on pour quoy ce fut fait fors que les plus privés du roy, mais aucunes gens adevinoient que le roy avoit esté infourmé d'aucunes amours, lesquelles avoient esté ou debvoient estre entre madame Bonne et le gentil connestable. Je ne sçay se oncques en fust rien à la verité, mais la maniere du fait en fit pluseurs gens souspeçonner.

The day came, the florins were paid¹, and the castle was opened at dawn. The English boldly entered and found the soldiers still in their beds. They did them no harm but said to them: "Come now, my lords, get up, you have slept too long! You will sleep here no more." When the French saw this, they were utterly astonished—they would have much preferred to be in Jerusalem (which is no surprise). Nevertheless, they armed themselves and left as quickly as they could, and carried the news to King John of France, who was greatly enraged. He complained to the cardinal, saying that the truce had been broken and violated. The cardinal then sent a request to Sir John de Beauchamp, asking that what he had done be remedied and corrected, and that the castle be returned; otherwise, he would declare the truce broken. But the knight replied and said that the cardinal might say and hold what he pleased, but in the judgment of all honorable men, one may buy and sell, even during a truce, lands, castles, fortresses, and such things, for gold or silver, without breaking the truce. And so, the strong castle of Guînes remained in English hands.

Le jour vint, les florins payés, le chasteau fut ouvert au point du jour, et les Anglès entrerent baudement dedens et trouverrent les souldoiers dessus leurs lis et ne leur firent ul mal, mais leur dirent: "Or sus seigneurs, levez vous, vous avez trop dormy, ceans vous ne dormirez plus." Quant les Françoys virent ce, ilz furent bien esbahys; ilz eussent bien voulu estre en Jherusalem, ce n'est point de merveille. Toutesfoys, il s'armerrent et partirent du plus tost qu'ilz pœurent et pofrlterrent ces nouvelles au roy Jehan de France, qui grandement en fut courouchié. i s'en plaindi au cardinal, luy disant que les treves estoient rompues et brisiées. Le cardinal envoya faire requeste audit messire Jehan de Beaucamp que ce qu'il avoit fait fut reparé et amendé, et le chastel rendu, ou il tenroit la treve enfrainte et rompue. Le chevalier luy respondi et lui dist que il pourroit dire et tenir ce qu'il vouldroit, mais devant tout prœudomme, on pœut vendre et acheter dedens treves et hors, pour argent ou pour or, heritages, chasteaulx, fortresses et telles choses, sans treves rompre. Si demoura ainsy le fort chasteau de Ghynes aux Angloys.

Note 1. The castle of Guînes was handed over to the English during the month of January 1352 (new style) by Hue de Beauconroy. See the Chronique normande, p. 292, note 2, in which MM. Molinier provide the correct first name of the traitor—Hue, and not Guillaume, as was indicated in the Grandes Chroniques (vol. VI, p. 6) and, following them, by M. Luce (Froissart, vol. IV, p. xviii, note 2)—even though Froissart himself (p. 348) gave the name correctly in his Chronicles.

How the King of France, John, established a company of knights after the example of the Round Table, and it was called the Company of the Star.

In the year of grace 1352, King John of France established a fine company, great and noble, after the model of the Round Table that existed in the time of King Arthur.

The company was to consist of 300 of the most worthy knights in the kingdom of France, and it was to be called the Company of the Star. Each knight was always to wear a star of gold, or a gilded silver star, or one made of pearls, as a badge of membership in the company. The king promised to build a fine and large house near Saint-Denis, where all the companions and brothers of the company were to gather on each solemn feast day of the year, provided they were in the country and had no reasonable excuse for absence. This house was to be called the Noble House of the Star. Each year, the king would hold a full court of all the companions, or at least those who could attend. At that court, every knight was to recount all his adventures, both shameful and glorious, that had happened to him since the last time he had attended the noble court. The king would appoint one or more clerks to listen to all these stories and record them in a book, so that each year they could be read aloud before the company, so that the bravest knights could be known and honored according to their merit. No one could enter the company without the consent of the king and of the majority of the companions present, and only if he was worthy and without reproach.

Comment le roy de France Jehan ordonna une compaignie de chevaliers à l'exemple de la Table Ronde, et l'appella on la compaignie de l'Estoilles.

L'an de grace MCCCLII, le roy Jehan de France ordonna une belle compaignie, grande et noble, sur la Table Ronde qui fut jadis ou temps du roy Artus.

De la compaignie debvoient estre III^c chevaliers des plus souffisans du royaume de France, et debvoit estre appelée celle compaignie la compaignie de le Estoille, et debvoit ung chascun chevalier tousjours porter une estoille d'or, ou d'argent dorée, ou de perles pour recongnoissance de la compaignie. Et promit le roy de faire une belle maison et grand emprez Saint Denis!, là où tous les compaignons et confreres debvoient estre à toutes les festes solempnelles de l'an, ceulx qui seroient ou pays, s'ilz n'avoient empeschement raisonnable, et debvoit estre appelée la noble maison de l'Estoille; et y debvoit le roy, chascun an, tenir court plainiere de tous les compaignons au mains, et y debvoit chascun raconter toutes ses aventures, aussy bien les honteuses que les glorieuses qui avenues luy seroient dès le temps qu'il n'avroit esté à la noble court; et le roy debvoit ordonner 1 ou in clercs qui escouteroïent Loutes ces aventures, et en ung livre mettroient, affin qu'elles fussent chascun an raportées en place par devant les compaignons, par quoy on pœut sçavoir les plus prœux, et honnourer ceulx qui mielx le deserviroient. Et ne pouoit nul entrer en celle compaignie, s'il n'avoit le consentement du roy et de la plus grande partie des compaignons presens, et s'il n'estoit souffisant, sans deffaulte de reprœuche.

Et leur convenoit jurer que jamais ilz ne fuiroient en bataille plus hault de mur arpens, à leur advis, ainchoys morroient et se rendroient pris, et que chascun aideroit et secourroit l'aultre à toutes ses besongnes ; et pluseurs aultres status et ordonnances y avoit que chascun avoit juré. Et fut la noble maison prez que faitte, et quant aucuns devenroit sy viel qu'il ne pourroit plus aler avant le pays, il debvoit avoir son mainage et ses despens ou dit hostel, à tout 11 varlès, tout le cours de sa vie, s'il y vouloit demourer, affin que la compaignie fust mielx entretenue.

Then the English burned the town of Romorantin and came through the country called Sologne toward the river Loire. But when they learned that King John was at Blois, they knew well that they would not be able to pass that way. So they turned toward Amboise, and King John went to confront them on the far side of the river; and when the English saw this, they went toward the city of Tours and stayed there that day and the next. Then they left, for they saw clearly that they would not take the city nor gain passage as they wished. So they burned some of the houses in the suburbs and turned back toward Poitou, always burning and ravaging as they went.

Puis ardirent les Angles la ville de Remorentin, et s'en vinrent parmi celluy pais qu'on clame Salongne par devers la riviere de Loire; mais quant ilz entendirent que le roy Jehan estoit a Bloys, il sceurent bien que par la ilz ne pourroient passer. Si s'adreschierrent par devers Amboise, et le roy Jehan ala a I'encontre d'eulx par dela la riviere, et quant ilz virent ce ilz s'en alerent par devers la cité de Tours et demourerent la le jour et I'ende main, puis s'en partirent, ear ile virent bien qu'ilz n'avroient pas la cité ne le passage à leur volenté; sy ardirent aucunes maisons des fausbours et se mirent au retour par devers Poytou, toudis ardant et exillant.

Note 1. According to M. Luce, editor of Froissart, vol. V, p. iv, note 9, King John likely arrived in Blois on September 10 in order to cross the Loire there.

D'après M. Luce, éd. de Froissart, t. V, p. iv, n. 9, le roi Jean arriva sans doute à Blois le 10 septembre pour y passer la Loire.

Note 2. The English remained near Tours from the 7th to the 14th of September. On the 11th, which was a Sunday, the Prince of Wales broke camp early in the morning, crossed the Indre River, and came to Montbazon (Indre-et-Loire, arrondissement of Tours, chief town of the canton). It was in this town that the Cardinal of Périgord came to meet him on September 12 to urge him to make peace. (Eulogium, vol. III, pp. 220–221).

Les Anglais séjournérent près de Tours du 7 au 14 septembre. Le 11, qui était un dimanche, le prince de Galles leva le camp de grand matin, franchit l'Indre et vint à Montbazon (Indre-et-Loire, arr. de Tours, ch.-l. de cant.). C'est dans cette ville que le cardinal de Périgord vint le trouver le 12 septembre pour l'engager à conclure la paix. (Eulogiwm, t. III, p. 220 et 221.)

When the king saw that they (the English) were passing near the city of Tours¹, he had his entire army cross the River Loire and followed them with all the speed he could. He went so far that he camped one night three leagues from them and five from the city of Poitiers, and his army kept growing, for men were coming to him from all directions. When he learned for certain that they were so close to him, he thought that they would wait for him, and that the next day or the day after, he would have to fight them. So he held a council on how to arrange his battle lines. First, it was decided that all would fight on foot, out of fear of the archers, who always killed their horses, as had happened at the Battle of Crécy. Then it was decided that the Duke of Athens and the two marshals, Sir Jean de Clermont and Sir Arnoul d'Audenhem, would command the first battle line, with 600 men in full armor; the Duke of Orléans would have the second, with 300 men in full armor; the Duke of Normandy, who was the king's eldest son, would lead the third, with 3,000 men in full armour, and each was also to have good captains. The king himself was to have in his own battle line all the rest of the men-at-arms and foot soldiers, of which there was such a great number that it was a wonder to behold. In his battle line were the Duke of Bourbon and a great number of knights and lords from Provence, Limousin, Poitou, Touraine, Berry, Burgundy, Savoy, and many other regions. Also present were the Count of Nassau and a large number of Germans. So many were there that the land was completely covered with them.

Quant le roy vit qu'ilz passoient par devers la cité de Tours il fist passer tout son ost la riviere de Loire et ala aprez eulx quanquesil peut. Tant ala qu'il seloga une nuit à III liewes prez d'eulx eta V de la cité de Poittiers, et toudis croissoit son ost, car luy venoient gens de tous costez. Quant il sceut de certain qu'ilz esloient si prez de luy, ilz pensa bien quilz I'attendroient, et que I'endemain ou aprez se fauldroit combatre à eulx. Si eut conseil comment il ordonneroit ses batailles. Premierement fut ordonné que tous se combateroient a pyé pour la doubtance des archiers qui tousjours tuoient leurs chevaulx, comme à la bataille de Cressy. Aprez fut ordonné que le duc d'Atheynes et les II mareschaulx, messire Jehan de Clermont et messire Arnoul d'Audenhem, avroient la premiere bataille, a tout VI^c armeures de fer; le duc d'Orliens aprez avroit l'aultre, a tout III^c armeures de fer; le duc de Normendye, qui estoit aisné filz du roy, avroit la tierce, à tout III^m armeures de fer, et chascun aussy debvoit avoir bons eappilaines; et le roy debvoit avoir en sa bataille tout le remanant des gens d'armes et gens à pyé, dont il y avoit si grande foison que c'estoil merveilles a regarder. Il avoit en sa bataille le duc de Bourbon et grand foison des chevaliers et seigneurs de Prouvence, de Lymosin, de Poytou, de Tourainne, de Berry, de Bourgongne, de Savoye et de pluseurs aultres pays, et sy avoit le conte de Nassou et grand foison d'Alemans. Tant en y avoit que la terre en estoit toute couverte.

Note 1. For the movements of the English and French armies and everything relating to the Battle of Poitiers, one may consult the very detailed account given of these operations by Father Denifle (op. cit., pp. 118–133). He based his work primarily on English chroniclers. See also: Moisant, Le Prince Noir en Aquitaine, pp. 50–59, and the notes provided by M. Luce in his edition of Froissart, vol. V, pages XIII to XV.

Sur la marche des deux armées anglaise et française et sur tout ce qui se rapporte à la bataille de Poitiers, on pourra voir le récit très détaillé que donne de ces opérations le P. Denifle (op: cit, p. 118 à 133). N s'est appuyé surtout sur les chroniqueurs anglais. On pourra voir aussi : Moisant, Le Prince Noir en Aquitaine, p. 50 à 59, et les notes données par M. Luce dans son édition de Froésvart, t. V, per à XV.