The meetings for peace were, during this time continued with much activity at Tours, whither came many of the high nobility of France and of England: such as could not personally attend sent their commissioners, with full powers to act for them. On the part of the duke of Burgundy came sir John de Croy, bailiff of Hainault, the prior de Vergy, master Oudart Caperal, and other notable men, there were likewise envoys from the principal towns.

On the part of the king of England were sir William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, master Adam Moleyns, keeper of the king's privy seal and dean of Salisbury, sir Robert Roos and others[122].

Several conferences were holden to conclude a general peace,—but so many difficulties arose that it was found to be impracticable at present to bring it about, and the meetings were continued until the terms of a truce were agreed to, the articles of which were as follow:

'Charles duke of Orleans and of Valois, count of Blois and of Beaumont, lord of Coucy and of Oisy, Louis de Bourbon, count of VendÔme and of Chartres, grand master of the royal household of France, Pierre de BrÉsÉ, lord de la Varenne and of Bressac, seneschal of Poitou and of Anjou, Bertrand de Beauveau, lord of Precigny, knight, counsellor and chamberlain to the most excellent king of France, our most redoubted lord and sovereign, to all to whom these letters may come, greeting.

'Conformably to the frequent requests and solicitations of our holy father the pope, and latterly by a renewal of them through his ambassador, the reverend father in God the bishop of Viese, to the king, our redoubted and sovereign lord, that he would condescend to take speedy measures for the accomplishment of a lasting peace, or long truce, with the most high and potent prince his nephew, king of England, who, on his part has sent hither, with full powers to treat of the same, certain lords as his ambassadors, namely, William de la Pole earl of Suffolk, master Adam Moleyns keeper of his privy seal, doctor of laws and dean of Salisbury, sir Robert Roos, sir Thomas Hors[123], knight, Richard Andrews, one of his secretaries.

The king our redoubted lord, from his reverence to God, and from the compassion he has ever felt for the afflictions and distresses the poorer people have so long suffered from each contending party, and to prevent the longer continuance thereof and likewise to avoid further effusion of human blood, has liberally condescended to treat on these matters with the aforesaid ambassadors from his nephew the king of England, and has been pleased to commission us to act on his part in the said business, giving to us letters with full powers to treat of the same.

'Charles duke of Orleans, &c. Be it known that we have assembled, for several days, in the town of Tours, to treat of a peace or truce with the ambassadors from England; and at their request, in the full persuasion that we may in the end conclude a final and lasting peace between our redoubted lord and sovereign and his aforesaid nephew, for the two kingdoms, of France and England, have consented and agreed to a truce in the name of our sovereign lord, conformably to the powers granted to us, with the before-mentioned earl of Suffolk and the other ambassadors from England, on the following terms.

'A general truce on the part of the king, our sovereign lord, and his kingdom, as well by sea as by land, his vassals and subjects, including those most powerful princes the kings of Castille and Leon, of the Romans, of Sicily, of Scotland, the dukedoms of Anjou, Bar and Lorraine, the dauphin of Vienne, the dukes of Orleans, Burgundy, Brittany, Bourbon, AlenÇon, the count du Maine, and generally the whole of the princes of the blood-royal of France, and all allies of our sovereign throughout Europe: including, likewise, all their vassals, subjects and adherents, provided they be not of suspicious character to either party, and shall wish to be included in this truce,—promising, at the same time, on oath, to preserve the truce inviolate, and to make reparations for any infractions that shall be committed. This truce shall take effect throughout the kingdom of France in manner following. In the duchy and country of Gascony, and in the sea-ports and adjacent isles, on the 15th day of May next ensuing, at sunrise, and in all other parts of the kingdom. But in regard to the sea, the truce shall not commence on the coasts of England, Ireland and Wales until the first day of July at sunrise,—and throughout the other parts of the dominions of the said high and potent prince, nephew to our said lord, on the same day and hour.

'With respect to the allies on each side, the truce shall take effect from the moment they shall have signified their acceptance to either of the parties. It shall be sufficient for the acquittal of the king, our sovereign lord, that he declare the acceptance of any of his allies to the person who shall have the government of the territories of his nephew, the king of England, on this side of the sea in Guienne or Normandy. And it shall be sufficient for the said high and potent prince his nephew, king of England, to make similar declarations to the court of parliament of Paris. This truce shall last until the complete revolution of the year, which, according to the usual mode of counting in France, will be on the first day of April, in the year 1445, before Easter-day.

'Item, during this truce, our sovereign lord will put an end to all warfare between the two kingdoms and their allies; and the said high and potent prince, his nephew, shall not aid or abet any of the king's subjects in designs prejudicial to his honour or dignity. In like manner will our said sovereign act towards the said high and puissant prince his nephew.

'Item, during this truce, neither of the parties shall attempt to gain any city or town by force or stratagem, by sale or seduction, or under any colour or manner whatever; and our said redoubted lord and sovereign will order all captures of persons, whatever may be their rank and ransoms, to cease, (excepting, however, the ransoms of such as may have been made prisoners prior to the signing of the truce) together with all plunderings, robberies, and every misery attendant on war. Those who have borne arms on one side ought not to intermix with such as have borne arms on the other, nor seek the doing of mischief.

'Item, should it happen that the men at arms of either party take possession of any city, town, or castle, that party shall be bounden to yield it back again fully repaired, should any damage have been done to it; and in case those who have thus taken it shall refuse to give it back unless forced thereto, the party to whom they belong shall be bounden to recover the same by force of arms, and at their expense; and supposing there may not be time sufficient during the existence of the truce to finish all the repairs, the party that had taken it shall be bounden to complete it wholly.

'Item, during the truce, the subjects of either shall have free liberty to pass to and from each country with their merchandise (excepting always military stores) freely and securely,—and to transact their business in whatever manner they shall choose, without any let or molestation whatever, free from arrest for any debt or obligations contracted prior to this truce, on paying duly all the accustomed tolls through the different provinces or jurisdictions they may pass: provided always that none of the subjects of either party, noble or men at arms, shall enter any castle, inclosed town or fort, without having previously demanded leave from the governor or his lieutenant of all such places, and then without arms and in small parties. In respect to real pilgrims, they may travel in small or large parties, according to the usual mode of pilgrims going on pilgrimages to the accustomed shrines. In regard to merchants and common people, it will be enough for them to demand leave of entrance from the porters at the gates of any towns or castles.

'Item, whereas several of the subjects of our said redoubted lord and sovereign possess lands under the obedience of his said nephew, the revenues of which, or in part, they have enjoyed by the hands of farmers or otherwise, they may now again enjoy the same during the truce in the manner and form as before.

'Item, in regard to the contributions which have been customarily levied by each party, the conservators of the truce and others commissioned from the two kings shall regulate them according to their pleasure.

'Item, should any attempts be made to infringe the truce, which God forbid! it shall not be broken, nor shall war be declared on either side, but the truce shall remain in full force, as if nothing had been done contrary to the meaning and purpose of these articles. Such attempts shall have due reparation made for them by those who committed them, and be punished corporally by the aforesaid conservators of the truce.

'Item, if, during the truce, any dispute or quarrel shall arise between one of the parties and the subjects or allies of the other, the latter party shall not form any alliances for his support with those who have commenced the dispute.

'All the above articles, and each of them, we duke of Orleans, and the other commissioners for our said lord the king, have solemnly promised on oath to observe, and do solemnly promise and swear for, and in the name of, our said lord the king to observe, and to make these said articles agreeable to our most potent and redoubted sovereign,—and we will, according as the case shall require, send ratifications of the same to the person who may have the government of the town of Rouen, on or before the 15th day of July next ensuing, provided that the same be done within the aforesaid term by the most potent and noble prince the nephew of our said lord and sovereign.

'In testimony whereof, we, each of us, having signed these articles with our hands, and sealed them with our own seals.—Given at Tours, the 20th day of May, in the year 1444.'

While this treaty was going on, several other matters were introduced, and a treaty of marriage was proposed between king Henry of England and the daughter of RÉnÉ king of Sicily, duke of Lorraine and Bar, which was afterwards concluded, as shall be noticed in the ensuing chapter.