broken the truce, which was made for that day and the day before, and that he was come to see the meaning of these preparations. By accident he met Monsieur de Bueil and some others on the bridge, to whom he delivered his message. That night the truce ended.

Our bridge was so large that three of our men-at-arms, with their lances in rest, might pass easily abreast; besides we had got six great vessels, each of which would carry over a thousand men at a time, and several smaller for the artillery, which we were to make use of in that expedition. The draught of such troops as were to be employed in this enterprise was already made; and the Count of St. Paul and the Lord Haultbourdin were appointed to command them. Those who were of the party began to prepare themselves about midnight, and before day all of them were ready, some of them hearing mass till day appeared, or employing themselves as good Christians ought to do, upon such an occasion. I was that night in a great tent in the middle of our army, where the guard was posted, and to speak truth, I was one of the guard (for nobody was exempted), which was commanded by Monsieur de Chastel Guyon* (slain afterwards at the battle of Granson). And as we stood there, expecting when the attack would begin, on a sudden we heard those who were in the French trenches, cry out as loud as they could, "Farewell, neighbours, farewell;" and immediately they set fire to their tents, and drew off their artillery. About day-break the detachment that was to make this attack had already gained the banks of the river on the other side, at least in part, and they could descry the French at a good distance, retiring towards Paris; upon which all of our men disarmed, and were extremely glad of their retreat. Without dispute the king had sent that body of troops thither, only to disturb and cannonade us in our camp, without the least intention of a battle; for, as I said before, it was not his way to risk anything on a hazard though otherwise his army was strong enough to have engaged the united forces of all the princes together: but his pur

*Louis de Chalon, Lord of Chasteauguion, was son of Louis de Chalon, Prince of Orange, and Eleanor of Armagnac. He was a Knight of the Golden Fleece, and fell at the battle of Granson on the 3rd of March, 1476.

pose, as he plainly showed, was still to make peace, and divide the forces of the confederates, without being willing to expose so important and valuable a concern, as the crown of the great and obedient realm of France, to the uncertainty of a battle.

There was scarce a day passed, but some artifice or other was made use of to bring over people from one side to the other; and several times there were truces, and conferences between both parties in order to an accommodation, which conferences were held at the Grange-aux-Merciers, not far from our army. As commissioners from the king, there were the Count of Maine and several others. For the princes, the Count of St. Paul, and as many with him. The commissioners met often, but came to no conclusion. Yet the cessation of arms was continued, and several persons on both sides, who were acquainted, saw and conversed with one another, but with a great ditch between them, as it were in the mid-way between the two armies, which ditch, by the articles of the truce, no person was to pass." There was not a day passed but, by means of these interviews, some ten or twelve would come over to us; and some days as many of ours went away to them, for which reason that place was afterwards called the Market, because of the bargains driven there. To speak truth, such liberty of communication is, in my judgment, very dangerous at such times, especially for that party which is most visibly declining: for naturally most people are intent, if not upon their advancement, at least upon their safety, which inclines them more easily to the strongest side. There are some, indeed, who are above temptations of this kind, but they are very few, and rarely to be met with. But if ever such communications are dangerous, it is when a prince himself makes it his business to oblige and cajole people; which is an excellent qualification in a prince who knows how to do it well, and renders him clear from that foolish vice and sin of pride and haughtiness, which all persons abhor. For which reason, when any treaty of peace is on foot, it is safest to commit it to the wisest and faithfulest persons about the prince, and those of competent years; lest other

Oliver de la Marche, however, says, " During these truces, we went to Paris to indulge in good cheer, paying with our own money and we were very welcome." La Marche, ii. 246.

wise, their want of experience betray them to some dishonourable compact, or they alarm their master with groundless fears at their return. If it be possible, such persons ought to be employed who have received honours or advantages from their princes, rather than any others; but above all, they ought to be men of great wisdom and ex- [ perience, for nothing ever prospered that was managed by a fool. This kind of treaties ought likewise to be managed at a distance, and not near his camp; and when his plenipotentiaries return, he ought to hear them alone, or in as little company as he can, that if their news should be apt to dishearten the people, he may instruct and dictate what account they shall give to such as are inquisitive; for everybody is desirous to hear news from those that come from a treaty, and many are so conceited as to boast, "Such an one will hide nothing from me;" but if the plenipotentiaries be such as I have described, and know their masters to be wise, they will discover nothing to any man.

CHAP. X.

A Digression concerning some of the Virtues and Vices of King Louis XL THE chief reason that has induced me to enter upon this subject, is because I have seen many deceptions in this world, especially in servants towards their masters; and I have always found that proud and stately princes who will hear but few, are more liable to be imposed on than those who are open and accessible: but of all the princes that I ever knew, the wisest and most dexterous to extricate himself out of any danger or difficulty in time of adversity, was our master King Louis XI. He was the humblest in his conversation and habit, and the most painful and indefatigable to win over any man to his side that he thought capable of doing him either mischief or service: though he was often refused, he would never give over a man that he wished to gain, but still pressed and continued his insinuations, promising him largely, and presenting him with such sums and honours as he knew would gratify his ambition; and for such as he had discarded in time of peace and prosperity, he paid dear

(when he had occasion for them) to recover them again; but when he had once reconciled them, he retained no enmity towards them for what had passed, but employed them freely for the future. He was naturally kind and indulgent to persons of mean estate, and hostile to all great men who had no need of him. Never prince was so conversable, nor so inquisitive as he, for his desire was to know everybody he could; and indeed he knew all persons of any authority or worth in England, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, in the territories of the Dukes of Burgundy and Bretagne, and among his own subjects; and by those qualities he preserved the crown upon his head, which was in much danger by the enemies he had created to himself upon his accession to the throne. But above all, his great bounty and liberality did him the greatest service: and yet, as he behaved himself wisely in time of distress, so when he thought himself a little out of danger, though it were but by a truce, he would disoblige the servants and officers of his court by mean and petty ways, which were little to his advantage; and as for peace, he could hardly endure the thoughts of it. He spoke slightingly of most people, and rather before their faces, than behind their backs, unless he was afraid of them, and of that sort there were a great many, for he was naturally somewhat timorous. When he had done himself any prejudice by his talk, or was apprehensive he should do so, and wished to make amends, he would say to the person whom he had disobliged, "I am sensible my tongue has done me a great deal of mischief; but, on the other hand, it has sometimes done me much good; however, it is but reason I should make some reparation for the injury." And he never used this kind of apologies to any person, but he granted some favour to the person to whom he made it, and it was always of considerable amount.

It is certainly a great blessing from God upon any prince to have experienced adversity as well as prosperity, good as well as evil, and especially if the good outweighs the evil, as it did in the king our master. I am of opinion that the troubles he was involved in, in his youth, when he fled from his father, and resided six years together with Philip

*

*Louis XI., when Dauphin, fled in 1456 from Dauphiny, whither he had retired ten years previously on account of a misunderstanding with

Duke of Burgundy, were of great service to him; for there he learned to be complaisant to such as he had occasion to use, which was no slight advantage of adversity. As soon as he found himself a powerful and crowned king, his mind was wholly bent upon revenge; but he quickly found the inconvenience of this, repented by degrees of his indiscretion, and made sufficient reparation for his folly and error, by regaining those he had injured, as shall be related hereafter. Besides, I am very confident that if his education had not been different from the usual education of such nobles as I have seen in France, he could not so easily have worked himself out of his troubles; for they are brought up to nothing but to make themselves ridiculous, both in their clothes and discourse; they have no knowledge of letters; nc wise man is suffered to come near them, to improve their understandings; they have governors who manage their business, but they do nothing themselves nay, there are some nobles who, though they have an income of thirteen livres, will take pride to bid you, "Go to my servants, and let them answer you;" thinking by such speeches to imitate the state and grandeur of a prince; and I have seen their servants take great advantage of them, giving them to understand they were fools; and if afterwards they came to apply their minds to business, and attempted to manage their own affairs, they began so late, they could make nothing of it. And it is certain that all those who have performed any great or memorable action, worthy to be recorded in history, began always in their youth; and this is to be attributed to the method of their education, or some particular blessing from God.

CHAP. XI.

How the Burgundians, being drawn up near Paris, and in Expectation of a Battle, mistook high Thistles for a Body of Lances.-1465.

I HAVE dwelt long upon this subject, but indeed it is of such a nature I could not easily leave off when I would. However, to return to the war.

his father. He sought refuge in Burgundy from the authority of Charles VIII., who wished to force him to return to Court, and remained with his uncle Philip until 1461, when his father died.