exception of the military orders, who were better armed and better disciplined than the genetours, the Spanish cavalry were unable to resist the English or French men-at-arms. The infantry, composed of a militia furnished by the towns, and of peasants headed by their lords, had no other defensive armour than a round buckler. They fought with slings or zagares (a kind of javelin used among the Moors) and were only formidable behind rocks or walls. In open field, they could not dispute the victory with foreign soldiers encased in steel, and well accustomed to fight at a distance, or man It was therefore evident that the arrival of the Free Company in Spain would cast an overwhelming weight into the scales. to man. II. About the middle of the year 1365, the Free Companies commenced their march. Notwithstanding the enthusiastic feelings with which he was regarded by his new soldiers, Du Guesclin had judged it prudent to remove them as soon as possible from the country in pleaseth me, and gladly I wolde see it; for as I hear say, if they strike one aryghte, without he be well armed, the dart will pierce him thrughe." "By my fayth, Sir," sayd the sqyer, "ye' say trouth; for I have seen many a grete stroke given with them, which at one time cost us derely, and was to us great displeasure; for, at the sayd skyrmishe, Sir John Laurence of Coygne was striken with a dart in such wise, that the head perced all the plates of his cote of mayle, and a sack stopped with sylke, and passed throughe his body so, that he fell down dead." Berner's Froissart, quoted in Scott. which their habits had been formed, fearing that the inconstancy natural to such recruits might induce them to return to their former mode of life. He therefore hastened to direct their course to the south of France. Crosses were painted upon their banners and vests, and their captain proclaimed, that he was leading them to Cyprus against the Saracens.* Du Guesclin undoubtedly did not expect to deceive the King of Castile, but he probably wished to afford a pretext to the English commanders for remaining under his standard, a report having spread that the Prince of Wales, according to the terms of his treaty with Don Pedro, was about to prohibit his subjects from bearing arms against a sovereign allied to England. The whole army, however, knew already the object of the expedition, and, notwithstanding the crosses embroidered upon their colours, thought much more of obtaining booty, than of gaining indulgences. These new crusaders, as formidable to the church, as to the castle and cottage, were still under the ban of excommunication. The anathema must be removed before they could enter a country where they professed to sustain the cause of religion; their general was consequently desirous of obtaining absolution from the Pope whilst on the road. But he had another design. Perfectly aware that his soldiers would not remain tractable unless they were well paid, he secretly resolved to fill his military chest at the expense of the apostolic * Chron. de Du Guesclin, v. 7549, and following. Rymer, "De impediendo soldarios qui in comitiva se ponunt, ne ingrediantur in Hispaniam," 6th of Dec. 1365. * coffers. About the end of the year 1365, the inhabitants of Villeneuve-lés-Avignon beheld with dismay the White Company encamp in front of their ramparts. Great was the alarm in the court of the Holy Father. He immediately hastened to intimate to the chiefs of the Companies his desire that they should evacuate the territory of the Church, promising at the same time to remove the excommunication they had incurred. The mission was a dangerous one, and it was not without hesitation that the Cardinal of Jerusalem consented to undertake it. He had scarcely crossed the Rhone than he found himself in the presence of a troop of English archers, who insolently demanded if he brought them money. "Ay; money!" cried a crowd of ferocious soldiers, impeding his passage. On being led to Du Guesclin's tent, the cardinal was received with the greatest politeness; but it was signified to him, that the Company would not quit the Papal territory until they had received a large subsidy. Some of the chiefs expressed a deep respect for the church, declaring, at the same time, that they had no authority over their troops. Others relentlessly rallied the cardinal, telling him that "ready as they were to hazard their lives for the greater glory of the faith, they well deserved the assistance of the church." Du Guesclin represented to him the danger which the Holy Father must incur if he delayed the payment required. "Our men," he said, "have become good catholics in spite of themselves, and they would very readily return to their old trade." Notwithstanding the imminence of the danger, the Pope * Bien soyez-vous venus; apportez-vous argent? Chron. de Du Guesclin, v. 7510. wished to try the effect of the Apostolic thunder, and for some time resisted; but he soon found that he was only irritating and augmenting the audacity of the bandits encamped at his gates. From the windows of his palace he beheld the country residences and farms of Villeneuve abandoned to plunder. Fires too were already kindled. The Adventurers were momentarily threatening to attack the bridge of Saint Benezet, or, crossing the river in boats, were laying waste far and wide the rich lands of Avignon. Meanwhile Du Guesclin's constant reply to the complaints which poured in upon him from all quarters was, "What can I do? my soldiers are excommunicated. The devil is in them, and we are no longer their masters." Very soon the amount of the contribution was the only question in dispute, and, after certain conferences had been held, the chiefs of the White Company agreed to be satisfied with 5000 gold florins. The burghers of Avignon readily advanced the greater part of this sum, which probably was never repaid them.* The Knights Com *The author of the Rhyming Chronicle of Du Guesclin relates this exploit of his hero with the malicious pleasure common to the poets of the middle ages, who were always irreverently disposed towards the Church. According to this version, which has been unhesitatingly adopted by history, Du Guesclin had required that the entire sum should be paid out of the Apostolic coffers, saying that he was about to fight, not for the interests of the burghers of Avignon, but for those of the Holy Father. There is no foundation for this statement. It appears from a manuscript petition of the Municipal Council of Avignon, preserved in the archives of the prefecture of Vaucluse, that the ransom of the ecclesiastical territory was accepted by Du Guesclin without his making any observation as to its origin. But it seems panions were absolved, and, laden with plunder, set out in high spirits, singing the praises of their new captain. Such was their farewell to France. III. The negociations between the Kings of Aragon and Navarre were actively proceeding. To the last moment, Carlos protested against the entrance of the Company into Spain. He had learned the character of these adventurers in France, and trembling lest his province should become the theatre of war, he never ceased conjuring Pedro IV. to drive them from his frontiers.* The treaty of Sos had not been observed on either side, and the King of Aragon was too prudent to give subsidies to an ally so notoriously faithless as the King of Navarre. His treasure, moreover, was exhausted by the requirements of Don Enrique and the Adventurers, and he was unprepared to make fresh sacrifices. He had been forced, during the preceding that eventually the Cardinal of Jerusalem, Vicar of Avignon, endeavoured to charge the city with the 5000 florins paid to the Knights Companions, although it had originally engaged to contribute only 1500 florins. This at least is my interpretation of the petition, which, through its detestable Latinity, is very obscure. I owe the perusal of it to the kindness of M. Achard, the archivist of Vaucluse, who discovered the document, and readily gave me permission to publish it. He was not able to find any instrument referring to the result of the petition presented to the Sovereign Pontiff. Compare Nostre Dame, His. de Provence, p. 422. Chron. de Du Guesclin, v. 7693-7724. Appendix I. * Arch. gen. de Arag. Proposals made to the King of Aragon by Mosen Juan de Arellano, on the part of the King of Navarre. Art. 4, reg. 1205, p. 61, and following. |