been superseded by the edition published by Mdlle. Dupont, who has carefully collated the various manuscripts and editions of the text, and added biographical, genealogical, and historical notes, of great value and accuracy.

The present translation has been made from the text as restored by Mdlle. Dupont, and the notes are mostly taken from her edition. The various treaties mentioned in the Memoirs are given at large in their proper places; and with a view to render the work more complete as a history of Louis XI., the "Chronique Scandaleuse" of Jean de Troyes is printed at the end of the second volume.

ARS

LIFE OF PHILIP DE COMMINES.

THE town of Commines, on the confines of France and Belgium, is situated on the River Lys, by which it is divided into two parts; the right bank belongs to France, and the left to Belgium. It possesses no great importance at the present day; but formerly, and until the end of the seventeenth century, it could boast of strong fortifications and a castle, which were destroyed by the French in 1672. The lordship of the town had been enjoyed by several noble families in succession; but for our present purpose it will be sufficient to state that about the year 1373, Jeanne de Waziers, Lady of Commines and Halewin, brought it in marriage to Nicholas, surnamed Colart de la Clite. The name of Commines, which had been honourably mentioned at the time of the first Crusades, was still so imposing that the new lord, or at least his descendants, did not hesitate to substitute it for that of their original race. This nobiliary lustre, however, would not have sufficed to have rescued it any more than other mediæval names, from the obscurity of genealogical archives, if a distinction of a higher character had not secured it immortal renown.

In the Castle of Commines, in the year 1447, was born that celebrated historian whose works have saved from oblivion the meaner glories of his ancestral line. His father, the sovereign-bailiff of Flanders, had been dubbed a knight by the Duke of Burgundy on the day of the battle of St. Riquier, the 31st of August, 1421, on which day that prince had also received the honour of knighthood from the hands of John of Luxembourg; and perhaps this circumstance, adroitly called to mind by the father, induced Philip the Good to do the new-born babe the honour of holding him at the font and presenting his god-son to baptism under the

invocation of his own patron saint. A most hopeful future seemed thus to open before young Commines, who was placed, from his very birth, under the protection of a most powerful monarch; but he was ere long destined to suffer cruel losses. His mother, Marguerite d'Armuyden, died soon after giving him birth, and a few years later, the death of his father left him completely an orphan, with ar estate greatly impoverished by bad management and reckless expenditure.

The young orphan and his property were placed by the king under the guardianship of his cousin-german, Jean de la Clite, Lord of Commines, who succeeded, not without great difficulty, in preserving to his ward a small part of his patrimony- so small, indeed, that its value amounted only to the sum of 2424 livres 16 sols 6 deniers tournois. The development of the mind of young Commines was almost as utterly neglected as the management of his property; for his guardian was too much absorbed by more personal business to attend to either. His ward received the same education as, with but few exceptions, was then given to all the children of the nobility. Greek and Latin formed no part of his instruction, and bodily exercises were cultivated with far greater assiduity than mental discipline. Perhaps, however, we ought to congratulate ourselves that this was the case. Intellects like that of Commines form themselves, and advance all the faster and farther because they have no useless acquirements to forget, and no false instruction to unlearn. The sagacious and meditative mind of the future historian was likely to learn far more from the great book of the world than from all the writings of the schoolmen; and that book soon opened before him.

The brilliant and splendid court of Philip the Good then rivalled those of more powerful monarchs in magnificence and lustre. Commines was summoned to this sphere of action by his godfather, who attached him to his person as one of his esquires, probably in the year 1463, and soon transferred him, in the same capacity, to the service of his son, the Count of Charolois. He was then about seventeen years of age, and his youthful inexperience was easily dazzled by two dominant qualities of his new master, self-confidence and courage, which were fated so soon to involve him in

acts of presumption and temerity. Under such a prince, the opportunity of winning his spurs was not long delayed. Commines accompanied him into France at the time of the war of the Public Good (1465), fought by his side at the battle of Montlhery, and did not leave him during the whole of that eventful day -feeling less alarmed at his own danger, than astonished at the audacity of the French in resisting his master. Two years later, he entered Liege with the victorious duke, and there is every reason to believe that at this period he was dubbed a knight.

Soon after his return from this expedition, and a short time before the marriage of Charles the Bold, which took place on the 16th of February, 1468, Commines was appointed chamberlain and councillor of that prince. The privileges of this double office secured him, though he was only about twenty years of age, the right of entrance into the Burgundian council, and a sort of respectful intimacy with his master. Doubtless the duties of a councillor could not have been easy to fulfil in the household of a prince of such unmanageable disposition, and "who despised all other advice in the world, except only his own;" but the chamberlain, at all events, might make himself agreeable, and succeed in obtaining a considerable degree of familiar intimacy with his sovereign. Commines soon obtained this, either from trying some indirect, but certain means of acquiring influence over the mind of the duke, or because daily communications between two persons not separated by any great difference of age naturally led to this result. The influence to which we refer, and which we have no wish to exaggerate, was ere long to be subjected to a decisive test, under very memorable circumstances.

In the month of October, 1468, Louis XI. came to Péronne, and imprudently placed himself at the mercy of Charles the Bold, against whom he was then secretly instigating the Liegeois to revolt. This step involved him in great peril, and his danger was increased by the fact that the duke, irritated at so audacious a piece of perfidy, was surrounded by scarcely any persons who were not animated by powerful motives of hatred against the king. The most violent counsels were given, and favourably received by a prince who was naturally inclined to extreme courses.

Commines, aided by some other servants of the duke, few in number, but more sensible, more jealous of the honour of their master, and, in a word, more politic than his other advisers, succeeded in partially allaying the storm; but it soon burst out afresh with still greater vehemence. The king alone could avert its direful consequences. In his first alarm he had recourse to means of safety whose efficacy was well known to him: now, gold was of no further avail; he must bow his royal head.

Numerous propositions of a humiliating character were about to be made to him; he would have to accept them all, and that at once and unreservedly; otherwise all would be lost. The duke had dishonoured himself by breaking his plighted word; he was detaining his guest in captivity and certain members of his council seemed to hope that he would venture still further. A happy inspiration of Commines saved France and her king, Burgundy and her duke, from the incalculable misfortunes which would have resulted from so fatal an event. He secretly informed Louis XI. of all that had been resolved upon regarding him, and of the risk he would incur by the slightest resistance to the demands of the duke. Two important results, equally desirable to every loyal servant of Charles the Bold, might be produced by this hazardous proceeding. It might compel the duke to respect the safe-conduct which he had given to Louis XI., and at the same time secure him as great, if not greater, advantages than those which he might hope to obtain by violating his promised word. The event proved that Commines had calculated rightly. Louis, it is well known, submitted, with the best grace in the world, to all that the gaoler chose to exact from his captive; so that the duke, who, on approaching him had used angry gestures and language, left him in high contentment.

On leaving Péronne, in order to perform one of the conditions which had been imposed upon him, the king had to march with the Duke of Burgundy against the Liegeois. He had encouraged their rebellion, and he was obliged to suffer the disgrace of contributing to punish it. Commines accompanied the two princes on this expedition, and had his share in the imminent danger to which they were exposed. He was sleeping with three others in his master's bed-chamber, when