From reports that had been made to the duke of Burgundy injurious to sir John de Luxembourg, count de Ligny he was greatly displeased with him, and chiefly because he retained in his towns and castles large bodies of men at arms, who made frequent inroads on his subjects and country. Sir John, having been informed of this, sent letters to exculpate himself to the knights-companions of the Golden Fleece, the contents of which were literally as follows.

'Very dear brothers, and companions, I have lately learnt from some true friends, that my redoubted lord the duke of Burgundy is angered against me, by reason of some reports that had been made to him. In consequence, I sent John Taillemonde and my secretary Huet with letters, to supplicate him that he would have the kindness not to be angered against me, nor hold me in his indignation, without first hearing me in my own justification and defence.

'He sent me by them credential letters,—and told them verbally the grounds of his discontent against me, from the reports that had been made him. As the charges seemed to them very heavy, they required to have them put in writing, but never could obtain it, which appears to me very surprising. However, they repeated them to me as well as they were able, and thereupon I wrote to my said lord my justification.

'I had hopes that some of you might have been present, to have heard it,—but as that was not the case, I now write to repeat it, that you may have it fresh in your memories.

'I shall begin with the charge against my loyalty, as what most touches my honour and hurts my feelings. It has been declared, that my lord has been informed by the English, that a short time after the peace of Arras, they wrote to my brother the archbishop of Rouen, that if it were agreeable to my lord the duke of Burgundy and his allies to keep the peace in respect to them, they and their allies would do the same in regard to him, his subjects, allies and countries; and that my lord and brother had pressed me to touch on this matter with the duke, and endeavour to have it accomplished,—but that, although my lord the archbishop had thus written to me, I had concealed the matter, which has been the cause of numberless and great evils, that would not have happened if I had acted loyally.

'In my excuse, I must say (saving the reverence due to my lord duke), that these great evils have not been caused by my fault or neglect; nor has the war been commenced or advised by me. I know for a truth, that if my said lord had but remembered my actions in respect to this business, no such charge would have been made against me.

'It is a fact, that on the morrow after I had this information from my brother the archbishop of Rouen, dated Rouen, the 29th day of January, in the year 1435, and which I received on the 8th of February, I dispatched some of my people to Brussels, where they arrived on the 10th, with credential letters from me, charging them to declare the intelligence I had just received from Rouen, and which they reported to me had been done. They received for answer, by the mouth of the bishop of Tournay, that for certain causes, which he then told them, my lord duke was not determined how to act in regard to the intelligence contained in my brother the archbishop of Rouen's letter, which had been in substance laid before him.

'It has been a matter of great wonder to me, that this bishop, who has such dignities and honours, in the church, who is reputed so wise and prudent, and who is the principal adviser of my lord duke, should send a verbal answer by my people, and did not inform my lord of the necessity of otherwise acquitting himself toward me,—for had this been done, no such imputation could have been thrown on me.

'Should what I have now said be insufficient for my acquittal, I can produce letters signed by the hand of my lord to prove that I duly informed him of the contents of my brother's letter,—and that he declares in these letters, that he was not fully resolved how to act respecting the proposal from the English. You will, therefore, clearly perceive, that I have faithfully performed my duty; and henceforward I intend, if it be the good pleasure of God my Creator to exculpate myself by every means in my power, so that all the world may know that I have been no way to blame.

'With regard to another charge made against me, namely, that I have, since the peace at Arras, sent a body of men to join the English in Calais, without the knowledge of my said lord, or of my most redoubted lady the duchess of Burgundy, or of the members of his council. It is true, that when I heard, my lady duchess was at Gravelines, I did send thither some of my people on business with my lord cardinal of England, thinking that he was there, as had been reported, I ordered them to treat on this business with him, the which I had formerly mentioned to my lord duke, who had consented that I might send to England on this subject. I wished not that this matter should be transacted privately, or in secret, but openly before all the world and even in the presence of my lady duchess and her council, should it then happen to be brought forward.

'Since my lord cardinal was not there, nor, as it was said, expected to arrive for some time, those whom I had sent thither, seeing many persons go to Calais, took on themselves to go thither also on their own affairs; but they first asked the permission of the lieutenant of Gravelines, who granted it, and they set off, not imagining any harm in so doing, as they have informed me. I certify to you, that I never charged them to signify any thing whatever to the English prejudicial to the realm or to my said lord, or any way tending to retard the negotiations that were to commence at Gravelines,—and I should suppose that I, of all persons, should be clear from the smallest suspicion of treasonable practises; for were I inclined that way, which God forbid! you may imagine I would have acted otherwise, and employed unknown emissaries, or merchants who daily repair thither; but never, please God, shall I have the will or courage to do any contrary to the honour or interest of my said lord, or unbecoming a knight of unsullied honour.—Respecting the summonses I had issued for guards, which was ascertained during a late meeting of the three estates at Arras, when it was discussed, that as my said lord was, through God's mercy, more powerful than ever any counts of Artois, his predecessors, had been, it seemed to this meeting that no other person but himself required guards; and, among other things, it is said, then and there determined upon, it was resolved that none but my said lord should have guards.

'I have no remembrance whatever of being present at this meeting of the three estates at Arras when such conclusions were made; but I perfectly recollect, that at Lille, in the house of the lord de Roubaix, where my lord duke held his court, it was determined, in the presence of many of his council, that in future no one should have guards,—when I joined in opinion with the others, and said, that I would not summon any, if the rest would do the same. On this, I departed from Lille; but observing some time after, that several had their guards, I did the like, but did not suppose that my lord could be angered by my so doing, or that he wished to keep me in greater servitude than others. My lord even wrote me several letters with his own hand, and signed by him, on this subject, as did my lady duchess, assenting to my having these guards. It should seem, therefore, that my lord was not then displeased with my conduct.

'In regard to Riflart de Neufville, who is said to have been killed on account of this business, and the lord des Bosquets, who was driven out of his house and grossly injured,—although I had many reasons to be displeased with both, yet when my lord shall be completely informed of the whole truth of these matters, I shall expect that the tales he has heard will be found lying and falsely wicked.

'As for the disobedience alleged against my officers and commissaries to the bailiff of Amiens, to the king's officers, and to those of the duke, whom they will not permit to execute any warrants saying and maintaining that I have not taken any oaths of allegiance but to the king of England,—I have never before heard any mention made of this, nor do I know what private wrongs may have been done, nor to whom: of course, I am unable to make any reply to this charge. I should have expected that the bailiff of Amiens, whom I consider as my particular friend, would have informed me of any misconduct in my people, for had he done so, I should have exerted myself in such wise that my lord should have been satisfied. In regard to the provost of Peronne, who has charged my officers with waylaying and chacing him into the town of Cambray, with the intention of ill-treating and perhaps of killing him,—I have inquired of my officers, and they tell me, that when they were amusing themselves twenty leagues from Cambray, they were informed, that the said provost had vauntingly declared, that if he could lay hands on them, he would hang them by the necks; on which they suddenly pursued him, to know if what they had heard were true,—and learning that he had not said any such things, they had quietly left him.

'As for the threats which my said officers have held out to the abbot of St Aubert of Cambray, they beg to be held excused.

'With regard to the complaints of the receiver-general of Peronne, that he cannot exercise his office, nor the toll-gatherers at Bapaume, from the hinderance of my officers,—my lord will cause further informations to be made on this subject, and will then write to me fully thereon, according to his pleasure, when I shall make such answers as ought to be satisfactory.

'In respect to master Ador Caperel, who has told my lord that I have caused him to be waylaid, to abuse and ill treat him, I assure you that this is not true,—and I beg that further information may be had thereon. Should it clearly appear, after I have been heard, that I have caused him to be waylaid, I am willing to receive such punishment as justice shall order; but should the contrary be proved, I entreat that you will beg my said lord to lay hands on the said Caperel and others, who have been guilty of such lying reports, that they may be severely punished, for an example to all others, to prevent them from doing the like, and that it may be publicly known that my said lord, and the members of his council, will not suffer such scandalous reports to be made against me, or others of his servants, with impunity.

'As for you, my very dear brothers and companions, whose prudence, valour, and wisdom, I am acquainted with, you would not that one of your brethren should be unjustly accused,—and in this confidence I have written thus fully, for your information, of the charges alledged against me, entreating you fraternally, at the same time, that you would exert yourselves toward my said lord, to induce him to withdraw his indignation from me, and be satisfied with the explanations and excuses contained in this letter, and no longer give faith to any reports made against any one without that person being first heard in his exculpation, that it may be proved on which side the fault shall be.

'In truth, if I am not assisted by you, and if proceedings shall be carried on against me without my being heard in my defence, I know not to whom to apply, nor have I any hope of being treated with justice, which must cause me to suffer the utmost grief. I refer you for all other particulars to the bearers of this letter, the before mentioned Taillemonde and Huet, either of whom can relate to you the details of every charge.

'Very dear brothers and companions, if there be any thing you would wish me to do, let me be made acquainted therewith, and I will perform it most willingly, as the Lord knows, to whose holy keeping I commend you.

'Written at my hotel at Bohain on Candlemas-day.'

Such were the contents of the letters sir John de Luxembourg sent to the different knights-companions of the order of the Golden Fleece, the greater part of whom were very desirous to mediate with the duke of Burgundy that sir John might remain in his good graces. They daily remonstrated with the duke on this subject, and that he ought not to be so much displeased; but new matters of quarrel arose between them, and various tales were continually carried to the duke against him.

It happened, at this time, that in the provostship of Peronne a heavy tax was ordered to be collected, and, among others, some villages within the lordships of Ham and Neel, then in the possession of sir John de Luxembourg, were taxed, who was very much discontented that such levies should be raised on his subjects; but, as the deed was done, he made an appeal against the officers of the duke of Burgundy who had laid the tax, and wanted to collect it.

The duke, dissatisfied on his part that this right should be questioned, sent a body of archers to support his officers in collecting the tax, who, on their arrival, carried the edict very rigorously into execution, by seizing all they could lay hands on,—insomuch that the sufferers went to Ham to make complaint to Jacotin de Bethune then in garrison.

On hearing what had passed, he instantly ordered his men to mount and go and see what could be meant by it, while he followed soon after. They advanced to where the duke's archers were, and, without further enquiry beat them soundly: a sergeant from Mondidier was wounded in many places; but when Jacotin came up, and saw that they belonged to the duke of Burgundy, he put an end to the affray, and made excuses for what had happened, saying, that he had taken them for a party of the Skinners attached to king Charles.

They were, however, very ill treated, and speedily returned to the duke their lord, to whom they made heavy complaints about what had passed.—The duke was so indignant with sir John de Luxembourg for this that he resolved to force him to make amends for it, cost what it would.

He wrote shortly after to sir John to order him to send to him Jacotin de Bethune and the others who had committed this offence; but sir John refused, excusing himself, by saying, that he did not think that his people should be meddled with. Thus was their quarrel mutually increased.

Not long after this, Jacotin overthrew with the garrisons under his charge, a body of men belonging to the counts de Nevers and d'Estampes; when a gentleman, called La Perriere, was killed, together with others, at which the above named lords were greatly vexed. Sir John de Luxembourg was, however, much feared, because he was possessed of some very strong places, such as, Coussy[26], Beaulieu[27], Ham sur Somme[28], Neel[29], La FertÉ[30], St Goubain[31], Marle[32], Arsy[33], Montaigu[34], Guise[35], Herison[36], Bouchain[37], Beaurevoir[38], Honnecourt[39], Oisy[40], and others, all of which had numerous garrisons. He had not as yet broken off his connexions with the English: on the contrary, he depended much on their support,—for which reason many who were inclined to injure him, were afraid to attack any parts of his territories, lest he should fill his towns and castles with English, which would be the total ruin of the country. For fear of this, all who hated him dissembled their feelings; nevertheless, he did not slacken in providing means of defence, but retained in his different towns and castles men at arms, ready to oppose all who should wage war against him, as well French as Burgundians. These warriors, however, harrassed the country much, more especially the Cambresis.

The english garrisons of Creil[41] and of other places, under pretence of being his men, made frequent excursions, taking many prisoners, and collecting all they could find, which they drove away to places under their obedience. Several of sir John's captains were connected with the English; one in particular, called Perrinet Quatre-Yeux, who was from near Beauvais in the Cambresis, who had served them as a guide to make prisoners and ransom some rich men in those parts, but it happened that, in the course of these wicked pursuits, he had come to a farm near Oisy, called Gourgouche; which being told to Sir John de Luxembourg then in the castle of Oisy, he instantly sent thither his archers, who put him to death, and buried him in a ditch,—and sir John gained great praise from all the country for so doing.