, Saeckingen, Lauffenburg,
Waldshut and Brisac. This last named town commanded the route
eastward, as Waldshut that to the southeast, and Thann the highway
through the Vosges region.

Fifty thousand florins was the price for the property and the claims
transferred from Sigismund to Charles. Ten thousand were to be paid at
once, in order to ransom Waldshut from the Swiss. The remainder was
due on September 24th. On his part, Sigismund specifically recognised
the duke's right to redeem all domains nominally his but mortgaged for
the time being, certain estates or seignorial rights having been thus
alienated for 150 years.

This territorial transfer was not a sale. It was a mortgage, but a
mortgage with possession to the mortgagee and further restricted by
the provision that there could be no redemption unless the mortgager
could repay at Besancon the whole loan plus all the outlay made by the
mortgagee up to that date. Instalment payments were expressly ruled
out. The entire sum intact was made obligatory. Therefore the danger
of speedy redemption did not disquiet Charles. He knew the man he had
to deal with. Sigismund's lack of foresight and his prodigality were
notorious. There was faint chance that he could ever command the
amount in question. Accordingly, Charles was fairly justified in
counting the mortgaged territory as annexed to Burgundy in perpetuity.

Sigismund pocketed his florins eagerly. Nothing could have been more
welcome to him. But this relief from the pressure of his pecuniary
embarrassment did not inspire him with love for the man who held his
lost lands. His sentiments towards Charles were very similar to those
of an heir towards a usurer who has helped him in a temporary strait
by mulcting him of his natural rights.

As for the emperor, when this transfer of territory was an
accomplished fact, he began to take fright at the consequences. He did
not like this intrusion of a powerful French peer into the imperial
circle.[8] At the same time he was ready to make him share
responsibility in any further difficulties that might arise between
Sigismund and the Swiss.

The least skilful of prophets could have foreseen difficulties for
Charles on his own account, both foreign and domestic. His own
relations with the Swiss had always been friendly enough, but he had
never before been so near a neighbour, while, within the Rhine lands,
it was an open question whether the bartered inhabitants were to
enjoy