ed to settle petty civil
suits himself, as there were many which had dragged on for a long
time. In order to do this and to receive complaints from poor people,
he arranged to give audience three times a week, Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday, after dinner. On these occasions he required the
attendance of all his nobles, seated before him on benches, each
according to his rank. Excuses were not pleasantly accepted, so that
few places were empty. Charles himself was elevated on a high throne
covered with cloth of gold, whence he pompously pronounced judgments
and heard and answered petitions, a process that sometimes lasted two
or three hours and was exceedingly tiresome to the onlookers.

"In outer appearance it seemed a magnificent course of action and
very praiseworthy. But in my time I have never heard of nor seen
like action taken by prince or king, nor any proceedings in the
least similar.

"When the duke went through the city from place to place and from
church to church, it was wonderful how much state and order was
maintained and what a grand escort he had. Never a knight so old
or so young who dared absent himself and never a squire was bold
enough to squeeze himself into the knights' places."

At the levee, the same rigid ceremony was observed. Every one had
to wait his turn in his proper room--the squires in the first, the
knights in the second, and so on. All left the palace together to go
to mass. As soon as the offering was made all the nobles were free
to dine, but they were obliged to report themselves to the duke
immediately after his repast. Any failure caused the forfeiture of the
fee for the day. It was all very orderly and very dull.

Thus Charles of Burgundy felt that he was law-giver, paternal guide,
philosopher, and friend to his people. From time to time he delivered
harangues to his court, veritable sermons. He obtained hearing, but
certainly did not win popularity. The adulatory phrases used as mere
conventionalities seemed to have actually turned his head. And those
stock phrases were very grandiloquent. There is no doubt that such
comparisons were used as Chastellain puts into the mouths of the first
deputation from Ghent to ask pardon for the sins committed at the
dolorous unjoyous entry into the Flemish capital.[2]

"My very excellent seigneur, when you who hold double place, place
of God and place of man, and have in yourself the double nature