The Pas d'Armes of Charlemagne's Tree, 1443
Some Knights and Gentlemen of the Duke of Burgundy's Court Hold a Tournament Near to Dijon
During the duke of Burgundy's residence in that duchy several gentlemen
of his household, with his permission, and for his amusement, had proclaimed throughout Burgundy, and in other countries, that if there
were any men of name desirous of gaining honour and renown by deeds of arms, there were gentlemen,
whose names shall be presently declared, who offered to receive and furnish them with arms suitable for the
enterprise. The challenges shall likewise be mentioned that were dispersed through divers countries for this purpose, by Sir Pierre de
Bauffremont lord of Chargny, who was the chief of the enterprise.
The Challenges for the Tournament and the Names of the Champions
In honour of our Lord, and of his most glorious mother, of my lady Sainte Anne, and of my lord St. George, I, Pierre de Bauffremont lord of
Chargny, of Monliet and of Montfort, knight, counsellor and chamberlain, to the most high, most puissant and excellent prince the duke of
Burgundy, make known to all princes, barons, knights and esquires, without reproach, with the exception of those of the kingdom of France
and of the countries in alliance, or subjects to my said sovereign lord, that for the augmentation and extension of the most noble profession
and exercise of arms, my will and intention is, in conjunction with twelve knights, esquires and gentlemen, of four quarterings, whose names
follow,-Thibault lord of Rougemont and Mussy, Sir William de Bresremont lord of Sees and of
Sonnegnon, William de Brene lord of Mombis and of Gilly, John lord of Valengon, John lord of Rap and of Tirecourt, William
de Champdivers lord of Chevigny, John de Chiron lord Rancheineres, Antony de Vaudray, lord of Aille, William de Vaudray lord of
Collaon, James de Challant lord of Ainville, Sir Amey lord of Espirey, and John de
Chavigny-to guard and defend a pass d'armes, situated on the great road leading from Dijon toward Exonne, at the end of the
causeway from the said town of Dijon, at a great tree called the Hermits
Tree, in the form and manner following.
"In the first place, two shields (one black besprinkled with tears of
gold,--the other violet, having tears of sable), shall be suspended on the tree of the Hermit,
and all those, who shall, by a king at arms or pursuivant, touch the first shield, shall be bounden to perform twelve
courses on horseback with me, or with one of my aforesaid knights or esquires, with blunted lances.-- Item, if either of the champions,
during their twelve courses, be unhorsed by a direct blow with the lance on his armour, such person, thus unhorsed, shall present to his
adversary a diamond of whatever value he please.-- Item, the champions may arm themselves
according to their pleasure, double or single, but without any wicked intentions, having their rest similar to the usual
custom in war.-- Item, each person shall make provision of lances,-- but the
rondelle, which lies on the hands, shall be only four fingers broad, and no more.-Item, the lances shall be all of similar length, from
the point to the rest.-- Item, for the accomplishment of these feats of arms on horseback, I will supply all who may come without lances, precisely
like to my own and to those of my companions.--- Item, these deeds of arms on horseback shall be performed a la toille which shall be six feet
high."
Here Follow the Articles for the Deeds of Arms on Foot
" Those princes, barons, knights, and esquires, of the rank before-mentioned, who shall rather take their pleasure in performing
feats of arms on foot, shall touch the violet shield, and shall perform fifteen courses with battles-axes or swords, as may be most agreeable to
them."
" Item, if, during these courses, any champion shall touch the ground
with his hand or knees, he shall be bounden to present his adversary with a ruby of
whatever value he please.- Item, each champion shall be armed with the accustomed armour for combating in lists- Item, should
any person be unprovided with battle-axe or sword, I will furnish him with the same, similar to my own or to those of my companions. These
axes and swords are not to have anything extraordinary in their make, but such as are usual in these kind of combats."
" Item, he that shall have engaged himself to fight with me, or either
of us, and shall throw the other to the ground, the person so thrown shall be obliged to
surrender himself a prisoner whithersoever the conqueror shall order him.-- Item, the person thus made prisoner shall
pay for his immediate ransom, to whomsoever the conqueror shall direct, any sum above five hundred crowns."
" Item, foreigners need not seek for particulars from me, or from my
companions; for they will find persons ready to deliver such at the usual hours and places.--
Item, no stranger will be permitted to enter the lists with me or with any one of my companions, for more than one
course at arms, namely, once on horseback and once on foot,-- and no one can require more of any of us during the present undertaking."
"Item, the aforesaid feats of arms, on Horseback and on foot, shall be
performed on the following days: those on horseback on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays,-those on foot, Thursdays, Fridays, and
Saturdays.-- Item, this pass d'armes shall commence on the first day of July, in the year 1443, and shall last
forty days, exclusive of feast days and Sundays, and the feasts commanded to be kept by the court of
Rome."
"Item, no prince, baron, knight, or esquire, shall pass within a
quarter of a league of the spot assigned for these combats without entering the lists and taking
part, or otherwise leaving as pledges his sword or spurs, according, to his pleasure."
" Item, for the accomplishment of these feats of arms, as well on
horseback as on foot, to the articles above specified, I have most humbly supplicated and
entreated my aforesaid sovereign lord, that he would grant me his licence and permission to perform them, he has most
benignantly assented to. He has likewise most graciously appointed, as judge of the lists, that puissant prince and my most redoubled lord the
count of Nevers and of Rethel, --and, in his absence, the lord marshal count of Fribourg and of Neufchatel."
" In order that this my intention of performing these deeds of arms in
the manner before specified may be men fully declared, I have affixed my seal to these
presents, and signed with my own hand, this 8th day of March, in the year 1442."
" Item, I beseech all princes, barons, knights, and esquires, not to
construe this my intention as proceeding from any presumption on my part; for my sole
motive is to exalt the noble profession of arms, and to extend the exercise of it,- and also to make acquaintance by arms with
such renowned and valiant princes and nobles as may be pleased to honour me with their company. -- Item, all noble foreigners shall have sure and
loyal passports from my aforesaid sovereign lord, or, in his absence, from his marshal,"
From: Monstrelet, Enguerrand de, The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet. trans.
Thomas Johnes, two vols., (London, 1877), Book II, Chapter cclxix-cclxxi
***
Monstrelet's Chronicle
Monstrelet's Chronicle began where Froissart's ended, in 1400, and he carried it up through the year 1444. He died in 1453, and continuations by other hands
brought the Chronicle up to 1516. While less lively and anecdotal than Froissart, he does not seem to have shared Froissart's apparent willingness to freely invent
plausible details as needed. His work is probably a better record of what is known of the events he records, even if it is less engaging as literature or as a record
of contemporary customs, manners, and daily life. He leave us with a number of valuable accounts of chivalric deeds of arms.
Thomas Johnes' 1877 translation is neither lively nor particularly accurate, but, as for Froissart, at this writing it remains the only complete English translation.
Spelling of the Johnes translation has been standardized on modern American English.
Copyright Will McLean, 1992, 1997