The Duke of Bourbon's Enterprise 1414
Nous, Jean Duc de Bourbonnois, Comte de Clermont, de Fois, et de l'Isle,
seigneur de Beaujeu, per at chambrier de France, desirans eschiver oisivete et
explecter nostre personne, en advancant nostre honneur par le mestier des armes,
pensant y acquerir bonne renommee, et la grace de la tres-belle de qui nos
sommes serviteurs, avon n'agueres voue et empris que nous, accompagne de
seize autres chevaliers et escuyers de nome et d'armes, c'est asavoir
l'admiral de France, messire Jean de Chalon, le seigneur de Barbasen, le
seigneur du Chastel, le seigneur de Gaucourt, le seigneur de la Heuze, le
seigneur de Gamaches, le seigneur de S. Remy, le seigneur de Monsures, messire
Guillaume Bataille, messire Drouet d'Asnieres, le seigneur de la Fayette, et
le seigneur de Poularques, chevaliers: Carmalet, Loys Cochet, et Jean du Pont,
escuyer, porterons en la jambe senestre chascun un fer de prisonnier pendant a
une chaisne, qui seront d'or pour les chevaliers, et d'argent pour les
escuyers, par tous les dimanches de deux ans entiers, commencans le dimanche
prochain aprés la date de ces presentes, ou cas que plutoit ne trouverons
pareil nombre de chevaliers et escuyers de nom et d'armes, sans reproche, que
tous ensemblement nous veuillent combattre a pied jusques a outrance, armez
chacun de tels harnois quil luy plaira, portant lance, hasche, espee et dague
ou moins de baston, de telle longuer que chascun voudra avoir, pour estre
prisonniers les uns des autres, par telle condition que ceux de nostre part qui
seront outrez seiont quittes en baillant chascun un fer et chaisne pareils à
ceux que nous portons: et ceux de lautre part qui seront outrez seront quittes
chascun pour un bracelet dor aux chevaliers et dargent aux escuyers, pour donner
la ou bon leur semblera, etc....
Item, et serons tenu nous duc de Bourbonnois quand nous irons en Angleterre, ou
devant le juge que sera accorde, de la faire saavoir a tous ceux de notre
compaignie que ne seroient pardeca, et de bailler a nos dits compagnons
telles lettres de monseigneur le Roy, qui leur seront necessaires pour leur
license et conge, etc. Fait a
Paris, le premier de janvier, l'an de grace 1414.
Cripps-Day, Appendix II. xiiii, giving Memoires de M. de Peiresc as source.
We Jean Duke of Bourbon, Count of Clermont ,of Fois and of
l'Isle, Lord of Beaujeu, peer and chamberlain of France desiring to put aside
idleness and display our person, in advancing our honor by mastery of arms,
thinking to acquire good renown , and the grace of the great beauty to which we
are servant, have just sworn and undertaken that we, accompanied by sixteen
other knights and squires of names of arms that is to say the Admiral of France,
Sir Jean de Chalon, the Lord of Barbasen, the Lord of Chastel, the Lord of
Gaucourt, the Lord of Heuze, The Lord of Gamaches, the Lord of St. Remy, the
Lord of Monsures, Sir Guillaume Bataille, Sir Droüet d'Asnieres, the Lord of
Fayette, and the Lord of Poularques, knights: Carmalet, Loys Cochet, and Jean du
Pont, squires, bearing on their left leg a prisoner's iron hanging from a
chain which will be of gold for the knights and of silver for the squires, for
every Sunday for the next two years, beginning with the next Sunday after the
date of these presents until we are able to find an equal number of knights and
squires of names and arms without reproach, who wish to fight with us all
together on foot to the outrance, each one armed in such harness as pleases him,
carrying lance, axe, sword and dagger or lesser weapons of such length as he
wishes to have until each one is taken prisoner by the others, according to the
condition that those of our side which are defeated will be released by each
giving a prisoner's iron and chain equal to those which we carry. And those on
the other side who are defeated will be released by a bracelet of gold for the
knights and a bracelet of silver for the squires to give where it seems best.
Item: and we, the Duke of Bourbon will be bound, when we
are in England or before a judge which we shall agree upon, to make this known
to those of our company that are not there, and to give to our said companions
such letters from my lord the King which shall be necessary for their license
and passport, etc., Done at Paris
the first of January the year of grace 1414.