EXTRAIT DU REGISTRE DE LA CHAMBRE DES COMPTES DE BRUXELLES

(1er volume des Registres noirs. — Voir ce qui en a été dit, p. 538.)

Item est verum, quod supradictus dominus de Rotselaer, existens in civitate Lugdunensi super Rodanum, ex reiacione sibi facta per quemdam militem, consiiiarium et magistrum hospitii domini Karoli de Borbonia, scripsit aliquibus dominis de consilio domini ducis Brabancie preiibati pro novis, quod rex Francorum cum predicto domino Karolo et aliis principibus et amicis suis fecit magnam congregacionem gentium armorum, qui pariter convenire deberent ultima mensis apriiis presentis anni MCCCCXXIX, animo et intencione profiiscendi versus civitatem Aurelîanensem, et ipsam de obsidione Anglicorum liberandi. Scripsit ulterius ex ejusdem mililis reiacione, quodquedam pueila, oriunda ex Lotharingia, nomine Johanna, etatis xviii annorum vei circiler, est pênes prœdictum regem : que sibi dixit quod Aurelianenses salvabit, et Anglicos ab obsidione efTugabit, et quod ipsa ante Aurelianis in conflictu telo vulnerabitur, sed inde non morietur ; quodque ipse rex in ista estate futura coronabitur in civitate Remensi, et plura alia que rex pênes se tenet secrète. Que quidem pueila cotidie equitat armata cum lancea in pugno, sicut alii homines armorum juxta regem existentes. In eadem siquidem pueila prœdictus rex et amici sui magnam habent confidcnciam, prout in litera dicti domini de Rotselaerplenius continetur, que fuit scripta Lugduni supra Rodanum, supradicti mensis apriiis die xxii. Et quidquid dicitur de prsedicta pueila, et que predixit, ita evenerunt. Nam obsidio anle Aurelianis fuit levata, et Anglici ibidem vel capti vel occisi vel effugati (sunt). Rex fuit Remis coronatus, et fere omnes civitates, castra, villas est municioncs illius regionis, fugatis Anglicis, ad suam obedienciam reduxit in estate supradicta.

N (Pages 562-563.)

BEDFORD CONSTATE DANS UN RAPPORT OFFICIEL QUE LES REVERS DES ANGLAIS EN FRANCE DATENT DE L'APPARITION DE LA PUCELLE.

My right doubted and Soverain Lorde, lyke it youre Hieghnesse to be remembred, how that not long agoo, for dyscharge of my selven as towardc any defaulte or blâme that by any suggestion or informacion, suche as yne hâve yave matere ne cause to, myght to the hurt of my nane or famé, or >vithdraught of youre gracious benevolence and favour, withoule my désert, be layede upon me, touchyng my demenyng in the governance of youre Reaume of France, l declared myself andmy demenyng in youre saide Reaume of France, by a writying departed inlo certaine

Articles ; the whiche writyng with ail humblesse y presented to youre Hieghnesse. In the whiche, for déclaration of the conduyt of the werre in youre saide Heaume, for the tyme of youre noble Règne, hit is contened and is soche, that after the decesse of m y Lorde youre Fadre, to whoos Soûle God doo mercy, by the Grâce of God, and by Ihe gode labour and diligence of youre trewe Men and Servantz there, and me oon of hem, wyllyng to doo the goode that Iconde, divers grete and faire dayes. And victories were hadd there for you and in your querell upon your ennemys, and youre obéissance theire notably enlargissed and encresed and brought thereto greet partie of Boye, Champaigne, Aûcerroys, Doûziout, Nyvernoys, Maconnoys, Anjou, Maine ; and aile thing there prospered for you, til the tyme of the Siège of Orléans, taken in hand God knoweth by what advis. At the whiche tyme, after the adventure fallen to the persone of my Cousin of Salysbury, whome God assoyle, there falle by the hand of God as it semeth, a greet strook upon youre peuple that wos assembled there in greete nombre, caused in grete partie as y trowe, of lake of sadde beleve, and ofunlevefull double that thei hadde of a disciple and lyme of the feende called the Pucelle, that used fais enchauntements and sorcerie, the whiche strooke discomfiture, nought oonly lessed in grete partie the nombre of youre peuple there but as wel with drowe the courage of the remenent in merveillous wyse and couraied youre adverse partie and enemys to assemble hem forthwith in grete nombre to the whiche divers of youre greete Citées and Townes as Reyns, Troyes, Chaalons, Laon, Sens, Provins, Senlis, Laigny, Creyl, Beauvais, and the substaunce of the Cuntres of Champaigne, Brye, Beauvoisin, and also a partie of Picardie, yolde hère withoute resistence, or abode of socours; howe were it that incontinent after the saide discomfiture of Orléans, I doubtyng of theire discouràies, sentto thayme divers your Conseillers of the same Cuntrees, offryng hem garnison of Men and Socours. And over this with thoo that were left me of youre peuple, forthwith the refresshyng of the retenue that myne Oncle the Cardinal hadd made for the Chirche, the whiche was notable, and eam thider in full good seison, sett and kept my self o ye feelde divers days, ayens youre ennemys, that purposed to hâve geten the remenaunt of the Cuntree. I redy there to hâve employed my persone in youre querell, and to the sauvacion of your Lande, and of youre trewe Subgetts there, and Sidde therto the goode that y conde; so that with Godds grâce, it shal not be fonden that ye hâve lost in my defaulte the said Citées, Townes or Cuntrees ; the lose and departyng of the whiche, and the neghing and dayly prees of the Werre Iherby to youre gode Toune of Parys, and to the remenant of your Cuntree of France, youre Subgitts of the same neither myght tille theire Lands, ne theire Viegnes, ner occupie hem with bestaille, ner otherwyse, ner yuneto hemselfe, ner outter any kyns of Merchandises hath dryven hem to an extrême povertee, suche as thei may not long abyde ; as it is not unknowen into youre Counseil that was wich yowe but late agoo in youre saïde Heaume; and causeth hem that >vith aile her hertes désire to kepe hir trouthes and obéissance unto you, to aske of yowe for non power of thayme self more chargeable and abydyng socours than, ever thay didde before. and made me with ofther of your Counsaille of youre Reaume of France, to assemble at Caleys, with my Brother and other Lordes of youre Counsaille of this Lande; and for Iakke of Comfort there emonges other causes that moeved me, I cam into this youre Reaume, to shewe this unto youre Hieghnesse, to th'entent of provision to be hadde therupon, suche as it shuide lyke you by th'advis of youre Counseil hère to ordein.