The city of Dijon celebrates the accession to the throne of the fourth Duke of Burgundy: Charles the Bold.
Charles wanted the revelry and festivities, to which he invited his cousin,
King Louis the Xlth of France,
to be sumptuous in order to dazzle all the great nobles in the kingdom.
They end with a great tournament, in which the young Duke
hopes for a striking victory of his party.
This day’s tournament will pit the knights designated by the King
against the knights designated by the Duke of Burgundy.
The first joust will match three knights from France
against three knights from Burgundy.
This is not too bad a start, my lord.
Heaven doesn’t seem to favour our arms, sire.
The second joust
will pit the last three knights from France still in the lists
to three knights from Burgundy.
We didn’t have to wait long for our victory, my lord.
Your knights were unlucky, cousin.
But I wouldn’t want to leave you with such a bad impression.
I shall therefore parlay Burgundy’s victory...
should one of your knights be bold enough to claim it from me.
Will you allow me to take up the challenge, sire?
I know of no knight more worthy than you, my dear Neville.
of flying our colours
Of course, cousin, should Sir Neville defeat your two champions,
you’ll be allowed to pit him against a last opponent:
the outcome of their fight will determine the final victory.
He just has another opponent to beat.
- No doubt. - You don’t seem very pleased, godfather.
You’re pleased for both of us, aren’t you?
He won’t give much trouble to Gamay.
Would my lord the Duke of Burgundy
please designate the last fighter to pit against the knight of Neville.
- It will be me! - Oh, no, my lord.
I know of no good lance that I do not care to break, my lady.
And should heaven want me to triumph,
I’ll have the joy to crown the Queen of this tournament with my very hands.
Be strong, sir knight. The Duke is a tough opponent
and the good name of the crown of France is in your hands.
May luck be on your side.
Well, we lost a tournament. Losing a war would be worse.
Duke Charles doesn’t triumph humbly.
Wherever pride rides ahead, shame and damage follow closely.
Bring me the golden crown, so that I can offer it to the Queen of this tournament.
Thank you, cousin. Mine is enough for me.
I fail to understand what happened. His lance barely grazed my shield.
No, don’t be so agitated, sir knight, please. And drink this.
Thank you.
- I’ll be a laughing-stock. - You must stay absolutely motionless.
In a few days, everything will be back in its place.
You won’t feel it anymore. Providing you’re a good boy.
This is quite inconvenient. How many days?
Just a few, and...
Oh, you, my lady.
My lady, you came. And I so undeserving of your concern.
- What must you think of me? - I think that your hurt, sir,
- and suffering... - This is nothing, my lady.
What I’m obsessed with is the King’s disappointment. And yours...
Now you’re at it again. If you have any influence over Sir Neville, my lady,
please have him calm down and make an effort to be patient.
The King was worried about you, Sir, and I have to reassure him.
I’ll leave you in more beautiful hands than mine.
Please sit down, my lady.
The most beautiful hands in the whole kingdom of France.
And I’m being forced to part with them.
I’m condemned to stay here, brooding, in enemy territory,
for I know not how many days.
Away from you... Jeanne.
I couldn’t be more severely punished for my defeat.
That was no defeat but an accident.
An accident or a defeat, who cares?
The awful thing in a failure
is the image it gives you in the view of others.
The image you’re going to keep of me.
Why do you belittle my feelings for you?
- Do I? - It’s a fine love, really,
that can be weakened by the chance of a tournament.
And should mine be that way, would I still want to become your wife?
I do not dare to believe the King will ever consent to it.
He has higher goals for you.
The king loves me. He has no goal but my happiness.
Trust in me. You’ll see.
Beware, my lady. Somebody’s coming.
- Oh, sorry. Sorry, Sir. - What’s the matter?
Look. Look at your saddle strap.
It’s been severed on more than half its width. Perfidy was involved.
That is more like it. Thank you.
So your victory was stolen from you.
Let this ring that the King gave me
make up for the laurels he would have handed over to you.
- When do you leave for Paris? - Tomorrow morning.
- So soon? - That is too bad.
Uncle, do you think the King would allow me to leave him?
You know that the King is like me as far as you’re concerned:
he’s as weak with his ward as I am with my niece.
- Sire, I feel terribly tired. - Go and rest, my child.
A long ride awaits us tomorrow when we get back to Paris.
Are you leaving us, my lady?
You’ll deprive this party of what’s in my view its most pleasant ornament.
Please do not add to my embarrassment, my lord.
Believe me: I really hate myself for not being able to go on celebrating with you
your so quick and so... fair victory over one of our most valorous knights.
Charles! My dear friend, I’ll be leaving for Paris at the crack of dawn,
but I won’t leave you tonight
without a token of my gratitude for your gracious hospitality.
Oh, this is not a gift, mind you, its far too insignificant to be.
No, let’s say it’s a guarantee,
and a symbol of the peace between us... and of our oh so pure friendship.
By the way, I’m sure those birds will be dearer to your heart
when you know that Jeanne, my ward, raised them.
Oh, Catherine... Were you praying for him?
- And also for you. - For us.
- Did you see his squire? - Yes, my lady.
The knight was transfered to a bedroom in the Hôtel-Dieu.
Don’t you worry. He’ll surely be healed for the hunting party
that the King will attend at your uncle’s in Clermont.
- Did you have my letter taken to him? - Yes, my lady,
and I guess it will cure him faster than any panacea in the world.
Do you have any other desire to express, my lord?
- No, thank you. Go, all of you. - Yes, my lord.
You may come in.
Well, what are the King’s intentions?
Will he he give me his ward’s hand in marriage,yes or no?
- He tricked you, my lord. - What did he say?
That he had other views for her. As he rubbed his hands, laughing.
By Jove! I’ll wipe his laugh right off his face!
Please act, my lord! Answer the insult with a demonstration of strength.
I’ve just signed a peace with the King.
He thanks you with an outrage. What do you care about a fake peace?
All of the great barons, all of the church dignitaries are set against the King.
You just have to say the word and they will depose him then put you in his place.
Should they not be with you, you’ve power enough, to do it without them anyway.
So here’s what I suggest, my lord.
In a few days, a great hunt will take place, that the King will attend,
in count Hesselin’s castle in Clermont...
I thought you loved me more than that, Godfather.
My feelings are irrelevant to the Kingdom’s politics.
- We’re talking about mine. - They are too.
As far as public affairs are concerned, you’re not a person, my ward.
No more than I or my daughters.
You’re one of the Crown’s most powerful domains.
Well let’s talk politics then, since you don’t care about my happiness.
I’m not saying I don’t care about it,
but I’ll take it in account only as far as it doesn’t jeopardize the Kingdom’s unity.
I fail to see how Sir Neville could jeopardize it,
should I bring my inheritance to him as my dowry.
You do not have more faithful a servant.
In Beauvais, I don’t need a faithful servant
but a powerful ally who will support me with his other forces.
Can you ever trust an ally, especially a powerful one?
You can if you have enough guarantees. I have some experience in that field.
And I’ll write the stipulations of your contract myself.
- You’ll never have the opportunity. - What?
Before you condemn me to despair, please think again.
- What’s the use? - I beseech you.
- No. - Was that your last word?
The last! You won’t marry Sir Neville.
I know what I must do then.
If you’re thinking about a convent, we have excellent ones back home.
- May God’s holy will be done. - And the King’s.
They’re one and the same as far as France in concerned.
- You have no heart. - The heart. Always the heart.
Will they ever leave me alone with their heart?
Ah, Hesselin. You should scold your niece. She just made me really angry.
- What did she do, sire? - I’ll tell you later. Come with me.
Perhaps a good game of chess will calm me down.
I thought my ward was the least foolish woman there was, for I know of no wise one,
but I must admit I was wrong, my dear friend.
Oh, Catherine... The King...
I know, my lady. I was behind the door, I heard it all.
- Did you see Sir Neville? - Yes, my lady,
he’ll wait for you in the woods, near the pond.
He didn’t yield either to my prayers or my reasoning. I hate him.
- Don’t say that. You know you don’t. - Maybe. I don’t know anymore.
I don’t want to lose you.
Appease yourself, my love.
You never wanted to see the obvious.
How many times did I tell you that everything sets us apart?
Where are you going?
First to Paris then to Cerdanya, in the army.
My God! So far from here? We’ll be so far apart!
And I won’t hear from you anymore.
- Robert... Swear... Swear... - What, my love?
Swear that you won’t put yourself to useless risk.
I need courage and I won’t have any if I don’t know you’re alive.
- Swear. - I swear.
And I swear in turn that I never shall belong to another man
and, when the day comes, shall escape my fate
by retiring to a cloister.
So I too shall be the cause of your unhappiness.
Only God will soothe me.
Alas, I must now tear myself away from you.
Goodbye, my dear love.
May God keep you from harm.
Goodbye.
You here with me. You two there.
And you two on the other side to attack him from behind.
Let me go by. I’m a King’s officer.
We do not serve the King. Let’s go, lads!
He won’t come up any time soon.
Don’t you know that I’ve got more pressing problems to solve
than your niece’s infatuations?
Why did not the King tell me about those?
I will during the next council.
Where is the Earl of Sénac? I haven’t seen him the whole evening.
Your majesty knows that he wants to station the guards himself
- and inspect them several times. - That’s right. I like his watchfulness:
it makes me feel comfortable. Come on, your move, if you please.
What is the matter?
Sire, the Earl of Sénac wishes to speak with Your Majesty.
- Does he bring me a letter? - No, Sire.
But the Countess of Beauvais? Lady-in-Waiting is with him.
- Is she? - Catherine? What does this mean?
Let them come.
What is the matter, my dear Sénac?
A serious matter, Sire.
Sir Neville kidnapped the Countess of Beauvais.
- What did you say? - Do you have proof?
At the very least, she fled in his company.
I was finishing my last patrol in the park, Sire,
When I met Miss du Tillais who searched in vain for her mistress.
In the park? In the middle of the night?
Why the park?
The Countess had a rendez-vous there with Sir Neville.
She was supposed to stay only a few minutes.
I waited more than one hour for her then, as I was worried to death I...
You knew my niece would meet with Sir Neville
and you didn’t come and warn me?
The Countess wanted to say farewell to him, my lord.
- I didn’t think that was so bad. - Well you were wrong.
Who cares? Now we must act.
Send a group of riders in every direction. I want them found.
My ward will be brought back here under escort. As for Sir Neville,
I want him arrested on charges of perfidy and rebellion against his King.
You’ll throw him in the dungeons of my castle in Loches,
where I’ll put him on trial. And I swear to you by God, my lords,
that I do not rate highly his chances to keep his head.
Go, now!
By the Virgin! I hate losing!
- I’ll have you punished by the King! - We do not serve the King, my lady.
- Your supper, my lady. - Take it back.
You’re being unreasonable, my lady.
If you insist in refusing any food, you’re going to wither.
I’ll always be strong enough to tell your master what I think of him.
Has he given notice of his coming?
I think my lord the Duke will be here in three days.
The Duchy’s business kept him in Dijon
but he sent his usual musicians ahead of him, so they can be yours to command.
- He really is too good to me. - Would you fancy hearing them?
No.
Are we far from the land of France?
Very close to it, on the contrary. You can see it from here.
The woodland on yonder hill belongs to the Kingdom.
The wind is even blowing from France today.
Do you require anything, my lady? If it doesn’t conflict with my orders...
I’d like you to leave me alone.
A good thing it is that I walked along the river.
Yes, or the unfortunate man would be dead.
And he never regained conciousness since then?
No, never. We did all we could but his condition seems serious.
So you came, mister Surgeon. My thanks.
- I obeyed your instructions. - You talked to no one?
- No, my lady. But why the mystery? - Follow me, I’ll explain.
It’s important that you do not say a word to anybody. Do you hear me?
- Silence on all of this. - Do not fear. We remember your kindness.
May Heaven help you.
Please go down quietly.
I can’t hide the truth from you, my lady.
- Is he lost? - It’s quite serious.
But I think we may still hope.
I’ve got nothing more to say to you!
I allowed you to talk without interrupting you, my lady.
I was expecting your anger, your indignation.
Yes, it couldn’t be any other way: I have no excuse in your view.
So you admit it?
But listen to me now, and maybe you’ll forgive me afterwards.
- I don’t think so. - I used violence, for which I’m sorry.
- You hardly seem so. - It was against my wish, my lady,
and because I didn’t have any other solution.
To what, pray?
To the attraction that pulls me toward you since the first moment I saw you.
To the obsessive need of your presence since you left Dijon.
To the desire I entertain to conquer you, and keep you near me.
- Now, my lord, are you mad? - Maybe I am,
but who’s responsible for that? You who refuse a love worthy of a Royal princess.
The King who won’t give me your hand.
That puny knight for whom you have a soft spot
and whom my cousin Louis, I’m well informed
wisely sent to his death in battle.
Shut up! What will you do anyway?
keep me here, a prisoner, until I yield to you through either fear or weariness?
Oh no! Neither fear nor weariness: through persuasion.
You’ll persuade me I have to love you?
- Who knows? - You’ll have to be patient.
Hope will make me so.
No doubt you also hope that the King will never learn of my whereabouts,
and will thank you for the outrage.
The King knows only his own interest, my lady.
- Meaning? - Meaning this:
Edward of England offers me his sister in marriage
in order to enlist my help against France.
Having learned your Godfather’s lessons, I delayed my answer,
in order to wait for yours.
You see: you won’t matter much compared to this threat:
the King will be only too happy to give you away himself in my good cathedral
when I make you the Duchess of Burgundy.
And yourself, my lady?
Would you rather see your country unhappy than being so yourself?
You’ll think about it.
Oh, I almost forgot. Come in.
Do you remember those birds you raised and that the King gave me in Dijon?
I thought you’d be happy to see them again.
As you may see, even the hardest heart can sometimes show kindness.
Send this order to all constabularies now.
And have it known that I shall treble the reward.
After more than one month,
being still without any word of the fugitives is unacceptable.
Alas, Sire, I’m disheartened.
Have you secretly informed the friends we have in every foreign court?
- Yes, Sire. Except in Burgundy. - Why?
Sir Neville was aware of the Duke’s feelings for the Countess.
Burgundy is the last country where he would seek a refuge.
Quite true. And from other countries, didn’t you get any news?
No, Sire, none.
I’m in the castle of Neuilly, a prisoner of the Duke of Burgundy.
You can’t leave now, Robert, you’re barely healed.
The note is a call for help. Time is of the essence.
You’ve been condemned, you’re wanted. You might be captured or killed.
Who cares? I beseech you not to say a word about all this!
Even to Count Hesselin when he comes back from Paris.
I can succeed only if an absolute secret is kept.
The Duke surely has spies at the court of France.
They would inform him, he would then change Jeanne’s residence
and I wouldn’t know where to find her anymore.
But should I not be back with her in three weeks, go and tell the King.
Alright, Sir. But how can you hope, going there alone...
I won’t be alone for long.
When it comes to fighting injustice, the land of France never lacks soldiers.
Follow me. They spared nothing, not even the house of the Lord.
Follow me, my children, follow me.
Come on, children, calm down, do not despair.
- What happened, Father? - Who are you?
Sir Robert of Neville. I serve the King.
Then go and tell him what the Duke Charles?ruffians did to his subjects.
Describe what they call reprisals
for a so-called cattle theft near the Burgundian frontier.
They took with them all of the able men
who couldn’t flee, in order to draft them in their army.
And they hanged my husband and my brother.
- Stole our crops and our property. - They burned down our village.
Massacred our children.
Justice, sir! We call for the King’s justice.
We can take justice into our own hands now, if you have the courage.
Yes, my lord! Death to looters, arsonists, murderers!
- Who among you will follow me? - Me! Me! All of us!
Beware, my lord. Those people aren’t from here.
True, we’re not from here, my lord.
Our lot is to go from town to town, from castle to village,
and entertain people with our tricks and our juggling.
But the ruffians burned our carts and murdered our parents.
- We want revenge. - We’re with you, if you’ll have us.
Good. Follow me, all of you.
Do you know which way the looters went?
Yes, sir. We can catch up with them if we go over the plateau.
- Do you have any horses left? - Yes, my lord.
We managed to hide ten of them in the neighbouring woods.
Let’s go then.
- Prepare to send the carts! - Yes, my lord.
This is where we can best surprise them, my lord.
Look! Here they are, on the valley road.
Fasten your ropes to the rocks.
Come on, my friends. Quick. Let’s go.
Launch the carts!
Now for their rearguard!
They’re free! Let’s go!
My friends, I haven’t told you everything.
I have a mission to accomplish in Burgundy.
- I need a few resolute companions. - Me! Me! All of us!
Now that you freed our brothers, wherever you need us,
- you’ll find us at your side! - Thank you my friends.
Agree to attend the feast for the Duke’s saint’s name-day tomorrow. Robert.
Stop! What is this?
We’re acrobats and jugglers that the Duke sent for, to perform during tonight’s feast.
Right. Let them pass.
Your turn. Here.
My lady.
Do you like him? He’s very dexterous.
This one makes fifteen.
- Hey, look, look! - Here I am, here I am!
Careful! Here.
And now sixteen!
Did you tell your fellows they could come?
Yes, they’ll lead the horses to the stables then join us.
Come with us and drink our lord the Duke’s health!
Saint Charles?day must be joyfully celebrated.
Here is a gift from our lord the Duke to his men-at-arms.
A barrel of brandy. And the best brandy there is.
Hurray for the Duke!
Hey, you, come here!
Didn’t you hear something falling down around here?
- No. - Yes: here!
- Did the show entertain you? - Yes, very much.
They’re brilliant.
Why do you hide behind that mask?
Please forgive him for not answering, my lord. The man was born a mute.
And his terribly scorched face would make you faint in horror.
But this man is so strong and so nimble that nobody
- ever won a wrestling contest against him. - I think he’ll find worthy opponents here.
- Will you allow me, my lord? - Go, my dear Gamay.
And prove to this lout that one doesn’t challenge the lords of Burgundy in vain.
This is humiliating, my lord, don’t you think?
Yes, very much so.
And after what he just did, I can see no one here
capable of teaching him the lesson he deserves. Except yourself.
- You flatter me, my lady. - Nay! Your exploits are well known.
Unfortunately, you couldn’t possibly do it.
The Duke of Burgundy cannot wrestle a peasant.
Regrettable. I would have liked that a lot.
- Would you really? - Let’s forget it, my lord.
My lady, I certainly will not refuse you the first wish you care to express.
I hope you’re joking. You’re not going to...
I am. It will be a joke indeed, my lady, and for the love of you.
You who dares outraging me so, in whose service are you?
In the service of justice.
No! Let me chastise him! I’ll kill him myself.
Someone call for the guard!
Be sure to protect the Countess of Beauvais.
Come quick, my lady.
Come, quick! Come.
Come on, hurry up! The Duke has been wounded! The castle in under attack.
Our weapons have been stolen! We are betrayed!
We can’t go further. We must wait for Sir Neville.
We must obey his orders, my lady, and they’re quite clear:
we must take you as soon as possible to the agreed-upon place.
But we can’t leave him here.
We must obey his orders, my lady. Trust in us. Come.
Let’s go. Hurry up! Quick! What’s going on?
Our horses have been stolen. No more horses!
Where are the horses?
Stop fighting! Let’s all meet at the agreed-upon place!
Thank you, Olivier. You may go.
Sénac! Please give orders for our departure in the afternoon.
Yes, Sire.
You too, my good Hesselin, are going to put on your travelling boots.
Does the King want me to accompany him?
- No. No but you’re leaving for Liège. - Liège?
Yes, so you’ll have the opportunity to see how much
the people there love my Burgundian cousin.
And once I have, Sire?
Well, you’ll react as I do, beautiful friend.
Seeing them so close to rebellion will fill you with fear.
For the love of God, let them wait a little more.
Afterwards...
Sedition during my stay in Péronne would yield tragic consequences for me.
The Duke would accuse me of provoking him and all hope would be lost.
- Maybe even more than that. - Maybe, yes.
Here is a message that you’ll give to the notables in Liège.
In it I express my wish to see them keep the most faithful and quiet relations
with their lord and master, my beloved cousin the Duke of Burgundy.
Don’t leave so soon then, Sire. Wait till I get to Liège.
- My friend, time is of the essence. - It would be safer.
No, no, do as I said. I planned everything, even your post houses from here to Liège.
Your first stop, tonight, will be at your own place, your castle in Clermont.
As you can see, I leave nothing to chance.
Why is happiness so seldom total?
How I would relish the joy of having found you again,
should I not worry so much about the King.
So nothing you said could persuade him of not leaving for Péronne
Nothing. Especially since Sénac agreed with him and strenghtened his resolve.
The Earl of Sénac took up very great a responsability.
I fear the King will be in great danger in Péronne.
- And I’m unwittingly responsible for it. - But why?
Because, in the view of the Duke of Burgundy,
your escape could only be the result of an order from the King.
He’s not the kind of man to swallow such a humiliation,
and should he crave revenge, the King is in his power.
Send a messenger in secret, Uncle. Now.
- Yes. And I’ll be the messenger. - You? Never.
No, not you, Sir knight. Don’t forget you’re wanted in France.
And there must be a price on your head in Burgundy.
But you know very well, you, Sir, that time is running out,
- and that nobody here, but me... - Yes, I know.
We’ll leave tomorrow at the break of dawn.
You for Péronne, and us for Liège,
for I don’t want to be parted with Jeanne so soon.
Long live the King! Long live King Louis!
Sire, I want to thank you for honoring us and our good town of Péronne,
in which I’m happy to welcome Your Majesty.
I thank you, cousin.
How is your beautiful ward, Sire? Did you see her lately?
Alas! Do not rekindle my grief, Charles, please.
I swore to myself, when I came here, that I would keep any unhappy thought far from us
and would in no way darken the pleasure of seeing you again.
I fail to get your meaning.
What? You don’t know that my ward was taken away in Clermont
three weeks after your accession to your title?
Taken away? Do you mean God...
No, not by God. By a man.
Should God have called her back to him,
I probably would have shed less bitter tears.
One just has to yield to the Almighty’s decisions.
But God indeed won’t allow such an infamy to stay unpunished.
I do hope that one day, he’ll give me the power to chastise the criminal myself.
I’m hurting you, my good friend.
I remember how violent your feelings for the Countess were,
how you wanted her to become your wife.
Ah! How I regret hesitating like I did.
- She would have welcomed me with you today. - And you couldn’t find her trail?
- No. - Really?
Why would I hide it from you?
I have no more secrets for you than you have for me.
Why didn’t you inform me then?
I could have helped you search for her.
That’s true. But I always think that you know what happens
better than I do, in the Kingdom of France.
I tell you, cousin, you should have insisted more in Dijon.
You would have convinced me in the end.
Jérôme, you know Péronne well, don’t you?
I was born there, Sir, and there I learned my trade.
I even worked in the castle for a long while.
Will you go there with me? I’m warning you: there is danger.
With you, I don’t fear anything, Sir.
Come then. Wait for us here.
You’re wrong, my lord:
I assure you the King had nothing to do with the Countess of Beauvais’s escape.
He isn’t aware of it, as I wasn’t before you told me what happened.
He still thinks his ward was the victim or the accomplice of Sir Neville.
Who’s body was at the bottom of the river, if memory serves.
I must give you credit for one thing, my dear:
your dead men are very healthy.
Give me credit for another thing, my lord, and without irony this time.
I brought you the King. He’s here, in your hands, at your mercy.
His fate now only depends on what happens in Liège,
and should your men be active enough there...
So they’ve been, all the reports agree about that.
And they were taken for the King’s agents.
I’m waiting for a new messenger momentarily.
I wager that, at this hour,
the riot they plotted has already erected its barricades in Liège
and that people are fighting in the streets.
Let’s stop here, Jérôme.
We’ll leave the horses here, we’ll be less conspicuous.
Alright, Jérôme, come.
So we agree about the towns along the river Somme?
Your Majesty leaves them to me as a security for one full year?
We agree completely, cousin.
It just goes to show that if rulers met
face to face more often to decide the interests of their people,
the world would probably be a better place.
Will Your Majesty excuse me? A messenger has just arrived from Liège.
He says he brings important news
and asks if my lord the Duke would agree to see him now.
- With your permission, Sire. - Let him come in.
Who sent you?
Nobody, my lord. I took upon myself to ride flat out to you.
The people from Liège have rebelled, they massacred your garrison.
- Did you hear that? - I’m as dismayed as you are, Charles.
- From the bottom of my heart. - I don’t think so!
Beg your pardon?
We’re going to see if you’re sincere.
- Why this riot? - People say...
Come on, speak! If you’re really from Liège and telling the truth,
you may speak without fear. Say everything you know.
People say the rebels obey orders from the King.
Who say that? Who? This is really too easy.
Where were you when the rebellion started?
- In town, my lord. - And what were the rebels screaming?
They screamed...
Long live the King! Death to the Duke of Burgundy.
- It’s a lie! - Very well, you may go.
- Treason, cousin. - You took the words from my mouth!
Some enemies want to destroy our good relations.
Don’t ever mention our good relations again!
Never would I have thought you capable of such perfidy
It’s not worthy of a King. And deserves the hardest punishment.
What? You would molest your guest? Your King?
Do you forget that you guaranteed my life and freedom?:
Your blood is too hot, Charles! Please think before you lose your temper.
If I wanted to make your subjects rise up against you ?
although God knows I don’t ?I would at least wait to be out of your reach to do so.
- What do you think I am? A fool? - On the contrary.
That’s exactly what you counted on.
You thought I could never think you guilty if you put yourself at my mercy.
- What do you think I am? A nincompoop? - I insist that you’re being tricked.
But, better than protestations, I’ve got proof of my good faith.
Just before leaving Paris, I entrusted Count Hesselin with a message
in my own handwriting to the notables in Liège,
- advising a complete obedience to you. - What?
The road from Paris to Liège runs a few miles from Péronne.
Should Hesselin have respected my schedule, he should be now crossing the Ardennes.
Send a rider to him, he’ll give the message to you.
Will the King allow me to find our friend Hesselin?
I’ll be back tomorrow, with the document.
Then you won’t be able to doubt His Majesty’s word again.
- What does the King say? - Go, my friend, and be swift about it.
But, to take all suspicion out of your mind,
I’ll be glad if the Earl of Sénac doesn’t go alone.
Let some of your faithful guards go with him, so they can be witnesses.
Agreed.
In the meantime, I guess we don’t have much to say to each other anymore.
I salute you, cousin.
That was unexpected, my dear Sénac.
Should there really be a message, bringing it here is out of the question...
...as is Hesselin’s coming here to testify for the King.
The Ardennes forest is unsafe, my lord. Hesselin could be attacked.
- The King fell into a trap. - As for the document...
...it should be easy to replace it with another.
What do you say, my lord?
I say that, once again, you’ve served me well...
- …and I won’t forget it. - Quick, Jérôme, come.
Fetch our friends at the camp, Jérôme,
then all of you meet me as soon as possible on the road to Liège.
- You can’t go alone. Wait for us. - Time is running out.
- Aren’t you tired, my child? - No, Uncle,
I’m so happy to travel with you.
We shall soon reach the post house where we can rest for a while.
Oh... Wolves.
Sir Hesselin! Sir Hesselin! Riders are following us.
But... I seem to recognize the Earl of Sénac.
- With a Burgundian party. - So it is...
Wait for them with your men and make sure of what they want.
Halt!
Charge!
Faster, faster, we’re being chased.
Come on, run!
Let’s go.
Here is the King’s letter. I entrust it to you.
Let’s take advantage of our headstart:
as soon as we pass yonder curb,
you’ll get out and run to the woods where you will hide.
Here’s a purse:
in some village, you’re bound to find a cart to bring to you to Liège.
- What about you, Uncle? - I’ll stay on the road
and lead them away from you.
We must, my child! We owe everything to the King.
Our lives are his. May God protect you.
- Goodbye. - Farewell, my child, God bless you.
The coach overturned. They’re ours!
- You, Sénac, a traitor to your King? - Yes.
What do you want?
The message the King asked you to take to Liège.
I have no message.
I’ll tell you everything if you spare my life, my lord.
I give you my word.
Countess Jeanne of Beauvais was in the coach.
- She ran into the forest. - Let’s ride!
Halt! Let’s follow these tracks.
Here! This way!
Did you see a group of riders going this way?
Yes, Sir. A while ago. They were riding swiftly.
Alright, come.
- What about the woman? - The wolves did our work for us.
Let’s get the horses and go back to Péronne.
Go to the palace now!
Tell my lord the Duke I’ll be with him in a few moments.
Gislain. Master writer.
So, master Gislain, is it done?
Yes, my lord. And well done, I think. You may check.
My lord seems happy.
Yes. I’m thinking of somebody’s bafflement.
Somebody who’ll read in his own handwriting a letter he never wrote.
As you can see, master Gislain, silence is well paid,
but if you had the misfortune of breaking it...
Don’t be afraid, my lord. I write but do not talk.
Ah! This time, you’re giving me a real hard time, cousin.
This trap of yours is clever.
I won’t get out of it easily.
Already here, my good friend? You rode posthaste.
Here is the document, Sire.
Unfortunately, I’ve got very sad news for the King.
- A terrible accident occured... - This is not the document
I gave to Count Hesselin.
- But, I assure you... - Please give me that.
"My counsel on this day,
in order to preserve the legitimate interest of the city of Liège
and fight the tyranny of the Duke of Burgundy,
is to escalate your struggle, up to a genuine insurrection if need be.
You have my consent and my support in this rightful cause. "
Here is, in your handwriting, the proof of your duplicity.
Baseness is not on my side, you know it better than anybody.
I’m ashamed for you.
With the help of a scoundrel who took advantage of my trust,
you laid a trap for me, but if Hesselin still lives,
I’ll prove this is a conspiracy.
As for you, pray to God that I do not escape the tragic fate
you probably prepared for me: my verdict will be merciless.
No! No more lies! No more threats, please!
Now you can only deny the obvious, and you won’t fail to do so.
But it’s over! Over for ever!
In my wiew, he’s not fit to be the King anymore, he who commits perjury,
betrays his allies and have his subjects?blood spilled uselessly.
All the high lords in the Kingdom are weary of your plots and of your perfidy.
and the same goes for the Church’s great dignitaries.
As far as I’m concerned, you’re no longer the King.
Tomorrow, I’ll call together a great clerical council
which will destitute you in front of the assembled vassals of the Kingdom.
And since the King charges you in order to try and clear himself,
I’ll take care of you. Come, my friend.
You may go.
Count Sénac. Do you have anything to add to what those two witnesses said?
The two men who escorted me told Your Eminences everything.
The overturned coach
The scattered bodies of my unfortunate friend, Count Hesselin...
- Unfortunate to have you for a friend. - Please, sire.
...of my unfortunate friend, Count Hesselin, and his companions.
The King’s letter in the snow.
Our fight against the wolves who kept going at the victims.
And finally the Countess of Beauvais? awful death, as the beasts tore at her body.
I won’t repeat it.
So I brought the piece of parchment to the King.
He took it from me, kept it in his hand for one second,
then violently threw it on the floor without having broken its seals.
I then had the painful surprise to hear the King call me a traitor.
We thank you.
Sire, we beseech you: please agree to explain your gesture.
My lord Archbishop, you made me the King of France.
Since then, I’m only answerable to God
and do not have to account for my actions before any earthly court.
But, I worship our mother the Church
and its holy representatives too much to refuse you.
First let it be known that your King
is the victim of a terrible conspiracy here,
which was wholly plotted by my cousin and ally, the Duke of Burgundy,
in order to conquer the crown of France, with the support of my enemies
and the complicity of the Earl of Sénac,
whom I today accuse before you of being a base traitor.
Do not reverse the roles. You are being questioned...
Since when does a vassal keep his seat when addressing his King?
You’re being asked a precise question. Then you may accuse. If you can.
Then Your Eminence must learn this:
the message I asked Count Hesselin to bring to the notables in Liège
had red seals and a red ribbon.
The one that the Earl of Sénac brought me had green seals and a green ribbon.
How simple! So this is the defense you coined?
What? You offer to bring proof of your loyalty.
Somebody goes and fetches it! You reject it as a fake.
And now you want to trick us with the unverifiable story of a ribbon?
Red or Green.
I’ll leave the judgement to Your Eminences.
My lord Earl of Sénac. We consider the King’s word sacred.
So I must ask you to swear.
Do you swear on the Cross
that the piece of parchment that you gave your King
is the one that you found near Count Hesselin’s body?
I do.
You lied!
Seize this man! He must be punished as a criminal.
I’m no criminal. Some people here know me.
Chief among them our good King, of whom I am the humble servant.
And also the Duke of Burgundy,
who kept the Countess Jeanne de Beauvais in his castle of Mailly
and cannot deny that I freed her
The piece of parchment around my arrow
is the one the King gave Count Hesselin. Let Your Eminence read it.
The document is in the same handwriting and bears the same seals
as the one I read aloud earlier,
but the ribbon and the seals are red.
And, unlike the other one, it advises the notables in Liège
to submittingly obey the Duke of Burgundy.
How did you come into its possession?
The Countess of Beauvais, who fled before the Earl of Sénac caught up with the coach
and murdered Count Hesselin...
The Countess of Beauvais gave me the message.
Imposture! This cannot be! This second document is the fake!
How could the Countess of Beauvais,
whom we saw being attacked by wolves, her throat ripped open,
- have... - She’ll tell you herself.
- Godfather! - My child.
Come, my child... Tell them.
The wolves came up to me, Your Eminence.
I fell on my knees in the snow and prayed to the Holy Virgin.
So the wolves didn’t touch me, as if, on the contrary,
they came there to protect me against those who wanted to kill me.
And once the murderers fled, the wolves lay down around me.
They rose again when Sir Neville came near and,
as if they understood that they didn’t need to protect me anymore,
they slowly vanished in the woods.
This is a strange story, my lady. Do you claim that there was a miracle?
I do not claim anything, Your Eminence.
I told you everything the way it happened.
I prayed with all my soul and I didn’t go unheard.
I assume that nobody here doubt the efficiency of prayer
or the supreme might of God.
Alas! We do not doubt the might of demonic forces either.
Everybody knows that wolves are devilish beasts, obeying only Satan!
Did you really pray to the Virgin, the mother of God?
To the Holy Virgin, yes. And to our Lord.
No! Your Eminence sees clearly.
The Countess doesn’t owe her life to a miracle but to infernal doings.
There is no other possible explanation.
I ask Your Eminences to put the Countess of Beauvais to the question.
- Never. - I oppose that too.
Isn’t there another solution to this dispute, Your Eminence?
Since we are in this praetorium, in front of holy men of God,
since opposites are fighting here without any other proof than their sworn faith,
since our King is involved, as well as his sacred word,
since some dare to sully the honour of a great lady of France
and threaten her with a witch’s stake,
I ask with due respect the clerical council
to leave it to God to settle the matter.
I want God’s Judgement to take place right now,
and I claim the honour of bearing arms to defend the King
and his ward, the Countess of Beauvais.
What do the adversaries say?
It would be a shame for anybody, in such circumstances,
to dare refuse God’s Judgement.
May Heaven’s will be done.
If it pleases my lord the Duke of Burgundy
to nominate the man who’ll fight for the prosecution’s cause.
I only wish for the triumph of truth.
For that reason, I nominate a French lord.
I nominate to bear the arms of the prosecution
the man who accused before this court
the Countess of Beauvais of being a witch.
God’s Judgement is now commanded.
A fight to the death will tomorrow pit, with arms in hand,
the Earl Jean de Sénac and the knight Sir Robert of Neville.
May our Lord, in His omnipotence and infinite perceptiveness,
give victory to the one who’ll fight for truth against lie,
for loyalty against perfidy and for justice.
The combat will be to the death, and fought with an unmasked face.
The three weapons available to each fighter
have been determined by chance,
according to the rules of God’s Judgement.
One battle axe, one mace
and one two-handed sword for the Earl Jean of Sénac.
One battle axe, one flail
and one two-handed sword for Sir Robert of Neville.
By my order, the crossbowmen will immediately slay with their bolts
any fighter who should fail to respect the rules.
Let the fight begin!
Bring him his sword!
God wouldn’t allow the King to lose his crown.
God could change his mind. It’s not unheard of.
What about Sir Neville, my lord?
Too bad he’s not on our side.
Translation: Goupil66