participants in it.

As soon as it was realised that serious consequences might result
from reckless folly, the authorities were quite ready to separate
themselves from the event, and to arrest the culprits as common
malefactors. Once, indeed, the prisoners were temporarily rescued by
their friends, and it seemed to Burgundian sympathisers a suspicious
circumstance that this happened just at a moment when there was
renewed hope for help from Louis XI. When convinced that such hopes
were vain, the magistrates became seriously alarmed and ready to go
to any lengths to avert Burgundian vengeance. Finally the following
letter was despatched to the Duke of Burgundy:[16]

"The poor, humble and obedient servants and subjects of the most
reverend father in God, Louis of Bourbon, Bishop of Liege; and
your petty neighbours and borderers, the burgomaster's council and
folk of Dinant, humbly declare that it has come to their knowledge
that the wrath of your grace has been aroused against the town on
account of certain ill words spoken by some of the inhabitants
thereof, in contempt of your honourable person. The city is as
displeased about these words as it is possible to be, and far from
wishing to excuse the culprits has arrested as many as could be
found and now holds them in durance awaiting any punishment your
_grace_ may decree. As heartily and as lovingly as possible do
your petitioners beseech your grace to permit your anger to be
appeased, holding the people of Dinant exonerated, and resting
satisfied with the punishment of the guilty, inasmuch as the
people are bitterly grieved on account of the insults and have, as
before stated, arrested the culprits."

With further apologies for any failure of duty towards the Duke of
Burgundy, the petitioners humbly begged to be granted the same terms
that Liege and the other towns had received. March 31st is the date
of this humble document. Months of doubt followed before the terrible
experience of August proved the futility of their pleas, to which the
ducal family refused to listen, so deep was their sense of personal
aggrievement. Long as it was since the duchess had taken part in
public affairs, she, too, had a word to say here. And she, too, was
implacable against the town where any citizen had dared accuse her of
infidelity to her husband and to the Church whose interests were more
to her than anything in the