KATHERINE OF FRANCE, Queen of Beury the Fifth. CHAPTER I. Katherine's birth, parentage, and unfortunate childhood-Her hand demanded in marriage for Henry the Fifth, then Prince of Wales-On his accession, Henry repeats the demand, which is refused-Preparations for war- -The Southampton conspiracy-Henry invades France-Reduces Harfleur-Battle of Agincourt-Terrible state of France-Katherine's portrait-Fall of Rouen-Conferences at Maulent -Henry falls in love with Katherine-Failure of her mother's finesse-War renewed-Henry is made regent of France, and married to Katherine-Johan Ofort's letter-Sieges of Montereau and Milan-Henry and Katherine enter Paris in triumph-Voyage to England-Coronation of Katherine-Progress to the northDeath of the Duke of Clarence-Release of the King of Scots. ATHERINE OF with the Duke of Orleans, emptied the FRANCE, young- treasury, plundered the revenues of the est sister of Isabella, royal household, and shutting up her the second consort helpless husband and children in the of the unfortunate Hotel de St. Pol, left them to starve Richard the Second, there, without money, clothing, or food. was born on the The superior attendants and domestics, twenty-seventh of being without food or wages, quitted October, 1401, at the Hotel de St. Pol, the hotel one after the other, and at in Paris, where she passed the early last, the king and his children were only years of her truly unfortunate child- kept alive by the kind attention of a hood. Her father, Charles the Sixth, few grateful menials, who, in this hour of of France, was incapacitated from rul- trouble, had not the heart to desert them. ing either his household or his king- In 1405, the hapless sufferings of the dom, by severe fits of insanity. In 1404, royal children of France were brought say the chroniclers, France was in a to an unexpected termination. Towards truly pitiable plight. Pestilence, famine, the summer time, King Charles suddenly and civil commotion, were rife through-recovered his senses and assumed the out the land. The king was mad, the regal reins, which so alarmed the Queen court distracted with party strife, when and the Duke of Orleans, that, conscious Katherine's mother, Isabella of Bavaria, of their guilt, they precipitately fled to a woman detestable in her character, and Milan. The royal children they ordered capable of the greatest crimes, intrigued to be brought after them; but whilst in the act of obeying this order, Louis, Duke of Bavaria, was overtaken, and the Dauphin, his three brothers, his sisters Michelle and Katherine, together with the children of the Duke of Burgundy, all of whom Louis was carrying off, were brought back to Paris, and shortly afterwards, Katherine was sent to the convent of Poissy, to be educated, and her wicked mother was imprisoned at Tours. Katherine was an inmate of Poissy when negociations were first opened for her marriage to Henry the Fifth, then Prince of Wales. The success of these negociations was prevented by the distracted state of France, the death of Henry the Fourth, King of England, and the animosity subsisting between the two nations. But although the matter rested for a period, Henry had determined to have the beautiful Katherine for his bride. Accordingly, in 1414, after his unconscionable demand from the crown of France had been made and refused, he agreed to relinquish his claim to the sovereignty of that kingdom; but, as the price of his forbearance, asked for the provinces of Normandy, Maine, Anjou, Aquitaine, and the half of Provence, for the payment of the arrears of the ransom of King John, amounting to one million two hundred thousand crowns, and for the hand of the Princess Katherine in marriage, with a portion of two million crowns, a sum equal to about five million pounds present money. The Duke of Berri, in the name of the French King, replied, that Aquitaine should be restored, and six hundred thousand crowns given with his daughter, a greater portion than had ever yet been granted with a princess of France. This conciliatory offer was refused with disdain, and the ambitious Henry, eager to wreath his brow with the laurels of a conqueror, summoned his council, and made known his resolution to recover his inheritance and win his bride by the force of arms. An announcement received with joy by the whole nation, as both the nobles and the people cherished a deadly hatred towards France, and had long and anxiously waited for an opportunity to emulate the chivalrous deeds of their fathers at Cressy and Poictiers. Although Henry obtained from the willing parliament the grant of two tenths and two fifteenths, and the barons and the knights, all anxious to win wealth and renown on the plains of France, undertook to furnish troops according to their ability, the expedition was so gigantic, coin so scarce, the times so unsettled, that he was forced to pawn or sell his crown, his jewels, and, in fact. every valuable that could be found in the vaults of the treasury, and in the cupboards and closets of the royal castles, in order to pay his army. Whilst the army and the fleet were being raised, ambassadors proceeded to France, and assured King Charles of Henry's intention to win the provinces and the hand of Katherine, at the point of his sword. "If," replied the French King, "such is his purpose, tell him that his barbarous mode of courtship will meet from us the punishment it so justly merits." This answer was only such as, under the circumstances, might have been expected; but the mad young Dauphin added to it an insult, by sending to Henry a present of a cask, which, on being opened, was found to contain nothing but French tennis balls, and an insulting letter, to the effect that he had better play at his favourite game of racket than embark in a war which he had neither the money, prestige, courage, or energy, to bring to a successful issue. 66 "The insolent varlet!" exclaimed Henry, angrily, on reading the Dauphin's letter. By the gospels! I will return the compliment with English ball, such as shall batter to the ground the walls of Paris!" Every preparation was now ready; the army had assembled at Southampton, and fifteen hundred sail rode in the harbour, all ready to convey the invading host across the channel. But at the very moment of embarkation, the King was alarmed by the intelligence that a conspiracy was hatching, to take his life, and place the young Earl of March upon the throne. An investigation ensued, which resulted in the condemnation of the Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scroop, and Sir Thomas Grey, whose heads were struck off on the thirteenth of August, 1415, the very day on which Henry put to sea. more than one aundred baronets, and eight thousand knights and esquires. The prisoners numbered fourteen thousand; amongst whom were the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon, the Counts of Eu, Vendome, Richemont, and Estonterulle, and the Marshal de Poucicaut. The defeat at Agincourt struck consternation into the heart of France, and was followed by calamities the most direful that well can befall a nation. King Charles was suffering from one of those severe fits of insanity to which he was so liable; the Dauphin, Louis, and John, poisoned, it was said, by their unnatural mother, Isabella, had followed each other to the grave in quick succession; the reins of government were fiercely contested for by the Count of Armagnac and the Duke of Burgundy; and, indeed, order and law were trampled under foot, and anarchy, famine, and pestilence, with their attendants, robbery and murder, were everywhere fearfully rife. Whilst matters were in this state, the detestable Queen of France, aided by the Duke of Burgundy, escaped from her confinement at Tours, and under pretence that the King, her husband, was captive in the hands of the Dauphin and the Count of Armagnac, assumed the regency, and obtained possession of Katherine, and other of her children. After a prosperous voyage, Henry disembarked his army, consisting of six thousand mer-at-arms, and twenty-four thousand archers, on the banks of the Seine, about four miles to the seaward of Harfleur; a strong fortress, which he besieged with such vigour, that on the fifth week the garrison surrendered at discretion. But gratifying as this victory was, it was won at the cost of many brave lives; and what seemed to heighten the misfortune, the whole army was attacked with a dysentery, which made such ravages, that in a short time three-fourths of the troops were disabled from carrying arms, and the autumn rains had set in with such force, that the country around appeared one huge swamp. It therefore became necessary to retire to winter quarters, as with such a force, and under such circumstances, no expedition of importance could be attempted. The King's honour was now at stake; and, although he might have embarked at Harfleur, he, to avoid incurring the imputation of cowardice, and in opposition to the advice of his council, took the bold resolution of retiring by land to Calais. In this retreat, which was at once both painful and dangerous, Henry Meanwhile, Henry, bent upon the took every method to inspire his troops conquest of France, had returned to with courage and perseverance, and shew-England, recruited his forces, and with ed them in himself an extraordinary an army of twenty-six thousand landed example of patience and resignation. in Normandy, where his efforts were Meanwhile the Constable of France, at crowned with complete success. Bayeau, the head of one hundred thousand well- Villors, Falaise, and, in fact, the whole armed fighting men, obstructed his pas- of Lower Normandy, were conquered in sage in a strong position, but a few miles the campaign of 1417. In the followfrom the village of Maisoncelles. To ing year, the state of France was more fight or surrender was now the only deplorable then ever. The Queen and alternative; Henry chose the former, the Duke of Burgundy ruled at Paris, and with a few resolute Englishmen com- and the Dauphin and his partizans at pletely routed the gigantic French army, Poictiers. The rival chiefs being more and won the glorious victory of Agin- hostile to each other than to their nacourt, on the twenty-fifth of October,1415. tural enemy, the King of England, they In this sanguinary battle France lost each courted his assistance for their own the flower of her nobility. Amongst the interest, by offers such as no true French slain, which in all amounted to ten thou- patriot could have made. These offers sand, were numbered the three Dukes of Henry judiciously refused, and the French Brabant, Bar, and Alençon, the Consta- Queen, talented as she was cruel, tried ble and Admiral of France, seven counts, the expedient of sending him the por trait of Katherine, "which," says Monstrelet, "he gazed upon with raptures, and pronounced it matchlessly beautiful, but withal he would not abate one jot of his demands." Whilst these negociations were going en, Henry was busily occupied besieging the city of Rouen. The exertions made to save this important city were prodigious, but ineffectual. In January, 1419, Rouen fell, and its fall was received by the people of France as the death-knell of their nation's independence. Both the Dauphin and the Queen now solicited a separate interview with the victor; that with the Dauphin dropped through, but the Duke of Burgundy prevailed on Henry to meet the Queen in person. A plain on the bank of the Seine, near Maulent, was the spot chosen for the interview. Here an enclosure was formed with palisades, and two magnificent pavilions erected in the centre, afforded the royal negociators the convenience of withdrawing from the gaze of the spectators. Meanwhile, Henry took up his residence at Mantese, and Charles and his councillors hastened to Pontose. It chanced that on the thirtieth of May, the appointed day, the King of France was seized with a fit of insanity; but about eight in the morning, Isabella, her daughter Katherine, and the Duke of Burgundy, left Pontose, escorted by one thousand men-at-arms, and King Henry, with his brothers of Clarence and Gloucester, departed at the same time with an equal number of horsemen, from Mantese. At a signal given, they entered the enclosure by opposite barriers, and met in the centre at the same moment. Henry bowed to the Queen and the Princess, saluted them, and taking the former by the hand, led her into the pavilion, placed her in one of the chairs of state, and seated himself in the other. His intended bride was placed opposite him; it was the first time that he had seen her; and as she was young, graceful, and beautiful, and withal anxious to become Queen of England, she employed all her charms to captivate the heart of the conqueror. Whilst the Earl of Warwick was delivering a long address in French, Henry gazed on the fair Kathe- | | rine with fond earnestness-"in fact," says Monstrelet, "he fell desperately in love with her ;" and though he strove to suppress, he could not conceal his emotion from the penetrating eye of Isabella, who, vainly believing that she could compel him, by hopes of again seeing her daughter, to consent to more favourable conditions, withdrew her from that moment from the conferences. But strong as love might be in the heart of the English king, ambition was stronger. At the end of a month, the conferences so artfully schemed and conducted by Isabella were brought to an abrupt termination, and Henry again betook himself to the, to him, more genial occupation of warfare. Success, as heretofore, attended the efforts of the sanguine Henry. Fortress after fortress fell into his hands, and at length the tragical murder of the Duke of Burgundy, on the eleventh of September, 1419, by the partizans of the Dauphin, prostrated bleeding France at his feet. In her eagerness to be revenged upon her foes, the Queen forgot the true interests of her country; and, as a peaceoffering, proffered the conqueror the hand of Katherine, the regency of France during the lifetime of the King, and the succession to the crown at his death. To these terms Henry acceded. The important preliminaries were signed in December. On the twentieth of the subsequent May, Henry, attended by sixteen thousand men at arms, entered Troyes, the residence of the French court, and on the day following, the "perpetual peace" was signed; and the conqueror was betrothed, in the presence of a brilliant assemblage of English and French nobles, in the church of Nôtre Dame. King Charles was not present, neither his health nor his feelings would permit him to take part in the scene, which apparently destroyed the independence of France, and deprived his young heir of the succession. The marriage of King Henry and the Princess Katherine was completed at Troyes on the second of June, in the presence of the Emperor Sigismund, and several European princes, with extraordinary pomp and magnificence. Although gorgeous in the extreme, the wedding festivities were of very short continuance, as the following letter shows: "Worshipful Maister, I recomand me to you, And as touchyng tydyngs the Kyng owre sovereyn loord was weddid with greet solempnitee in the cathedrale chirche of Treys abowte myd day on Trinitie Sunday; And on the Tuysday suying he removed towards the toune of Sens XVI leges, thennis havying wyth hym thedir owre quene and the Frensh estatzy; and on Wednysday thanne next suying was sege leyd to that toune, a greet toune and a notable towards Bourgoyneward holden strong with greet nombre of Ermynakes; The which toune is worthily beseged, for ther lay at that sege two Kyngs, two quennes, IV ducks (dukes), with my loord of Bedford, whanne he cometh hider the whiche the XII day of the monyth of Juyn shall logge besyde Parys hiderward; And at this sege also lyn many worthy ladys and gentelwomen, both Frensh and English, of the whiche many of hem begonne the faits of armes long time agoon, but of lyging at seges now they begynne first, "JOHAN O FORT." Thus, two days after her marriage, Katherine the Fair was hurried to the revolting scenes of warfare; and, if history is to be believed, her affection for Henry made her quite forget the woes of her country. The fall of France was to her a source of joy-her bridal music its dying groans. But a fortnight after, her espousal, Henry took the bravelydefended town of Montereau, and tarnished his fame by inhumanly butchering the garrison, under pretence of avenging the murder of the Duke of Burgundy. Nor did Katherine once intercede on behalf of these unfortunate Frenchmen, whose only crime was that of bravely defending their country from the arms of a cruel invader. After the fall of Montereau, Katherine accompanied her royal lord to the siege of Melun. Whilst the siege was going on, she resided with many dames and damsels in a house Henry had had built for the occasion, about a mile from the town. Here, "He too, her imbecile father, King Charles, abode, that the voice of the cannon might not startle bim; and as his malady was soothed by music, the King of England's military band, which consisted principally of clarions, nightly serenaded him for about an hour. On the surrender of Melun, in November, the two courts proceeded to Paris. Not knowing how the Parisians would receive the English, Henry and his suite, accompanied by King Charles, entered the city first in grand procession. was welcomed," says the chronicler, "with great shows, merry noises, sweet carols, and jocund dances;" and the chief citizens paid their conqueror the flattering compliment of wearing the English royal livery of red, instead of their accustomed blue. The two queens entered Paris on the following day, and their arrival was marked with a display of magnificence and enthusiasm too great to be described; the houses were decorated with banners and hangings; processions paraded the streets, and, indeed, every one was so joyed at the ratification of the "perpetual peace," that the shops were closed, all serious business stopped, and nothing but feasting and pleasure indulged in. On the conclusion of the Christmas festivals, Henry, accompanied by Katherine, set out from Paris, with an escort of six thousand men, under the command of the Duke of Bedford. In their journey through France, the royal pair were greeted with enthusiastic demonstrations of loyalty, and when they embarked at Calais, the shore was thronged with the inhabitants, all eager to catch a last glimpse of their fair young queen. After a prosperous voyage, they landed at Dover in safety, and were conducted in triumph to London, where the queen was crowned, in Westminster Abbey, on the twenty-third of February, 1421, by Archbishop Chichely. strelet asserts that the coronation of Katherine of France was solemnized with a magnificence hitherto unparalleled in the English annals; and Fabyan details the pomp and splendour of the feast that followed, with no little enthusiasm. The queen sat at dinner Mon |