is, and for this reason
is going to a town called St. Omer. Under pretext of celebrating
there the fete of the Toison d'Or he has ordered all his escort to
be armed."

[Illustration: PHILIP THE GOOD AND CHARLES THE BOLD. FROM A
CONTEMPORARY SKETCH IN MS.]

For a long time before his final illness the death of Charles VII. was
anticipated. When it came it was a dolorous end.[18] At Genappe, the
dauphin had been making his preparations for the wished-for event in
many ways, all in exact opposition to his father's policy. In Italy
and in Spain he sided with the opponents of Charles VII. In England,
his sympathies were all for the House of York because his father was
favourable to Henry of Lancaster and Margaret of Anjou. He learned
with satisfaction of the success of Edward IV., and was more than
willing to see him invade France. With certain princes of Germany he
entertained relations shrouded in mystery, while his father's own
agents disclosed secrets to him from time to time.

In his exile he kept reminding official bodies at Paris that he was
heir to the throne. As dauphin he claimed the right to give orders to
the _parlement_ at Grenoble. There is no actual proof that he had a
hand in the conspiracies which troubled the last year of his father's
reign, but it is certain that he managed to win to himself a party
within the royal circle.

Certain councillors, fearful of their own fate, did not hesitate to
suggest that Louis should be disinherited and his brother Charles put
in his stead, but this Charles VII. would not accept. He kept hoping
for Louis's submission. The latter, however, had no idea of this. He
was sure that his father would not live to grow old. A trouble in his
leg threatened to be cancerous. In July, there was a growth in his
mouth. He died July 22nd, convinced that his son had poisoned him.

After July 17th constant bulletins from the king's bedside came to
Louis. Genappe was too far and the anxious son moved to Avesnes
in order to receive his messages more speedily. Our chronicler
Chastellain[19] begins his story of Louis's accession as follows:

"Since I am not English but French, I who am neither Spanish nor
Italian but French, I have written of two Frenchmen, the one king,
the other duke. I have written of their works and their quarrels
and of the favour and glories which God has given them in their
time.

* * * * *