r ancient liberty, and relieve
them from the great oppression and burthens they groaned under; and, if
king Louis refused, it was declared that all the ensuing miseries and
calamities would lie at his door, according to the forms usual upon such
occasions.

"The king of France read the letter to himself, and then, withdrawing into
another room, commanded the herald to be called in; to whom he said,--I am
very sensible that your master has not made this invasion of his own
seeking, but at the importunity of the duke of Burgundy and the commons of
England. He then remarked that the season was visibly far spent, and that
the duke of Burgundy {xxviii} had returned from Neuss in so weak and
miserable a condition, that he would not be in a capacity to assist the
invaders; that, as to the constable,[45] he was satisfied he held
intelligence with the king of England, who had married his niece,[46] but
there was no confidence to be reposed in him, for he would deceive king
Edward, as he had often deceived himself; and, after enumerating the
favours which he had conferred upon him, Louis added, 'His plan is to live
in eternal dissimulation, to traffic with everybody, and to make his
advantage of all.' Besides these, the king used several other arguments to
induce the herald to persuade his master to an accommodation with him,
giving him 300 crowns with his own hand, and promising him 1000 more upon
the conclusion of the peace; and afterwards, in public, his majesty ordered
him to be rewarded with a fine piece of crimson velvet, thirty ells in
length.

"The herald replied, that, according to his capacity, he would contribute
all that lay in his power towards a peace, and he believed his master would
be glad to entertain the proposal; but nothing could be done until he was
landed in France, and then, if king Louis pleased, he might send a herald
to desire a passport for his ambassadors, if he had a mind to send any to
king Edward; but withal Garter desired the king to address letters to the
lords Howard or Stanley,[47] and also to himself, that he might introduce
the French herald.

"There was a host of people attending outside during the king's private
discourse with the herald, all of them impatient to hear what the king
would say, and to see how his majesty looked when he came forth. When he
had done, (continues Commines,) he called me, and charged me to entertain
the herald till he {xxix} ordered him an escort, that I might k