as 75,000), leaving the lord Howard and sir John Cheyne as
hostages until his arrival in England. In addition, pensions amounting to
16,000 crowns were promised to the privy councillors {xxxiii} of the king
of England, viz. to the lord Hastings[55] 2000 crowns a-year, to the
chancellor (Rotherham) 2000, and the remainder to the lord Howard, the
master of the horse (Cheyne), Thomas St. Leger, sir Thomas Mountgomery, and
several others, besides a great deal of ready money and plate[56] that was
distributed among the rest of the king of England's retinue.

Louis contrived to carry his corruption through every grade of his
adversaries. He purchased from one of the English secretaries for sixty
silver marks two letters which had been addressed by the seigneur d'Urfe,
who was then in the duke of Bretagne's service, (and afterwards master of
the horse of France,) one directed to the king of England, and the other to
the lord Hastings, lord chamberlain of England. They were shown to
Commines, who noticed in them this, among other expressions, That the duke
of Bretagne would do more by his intelligence in a month, than the king of
England and the duke of Burgundy both, with all the force they could make.

The duke of Burgundy, who was then at Luxembourg, having intimation of
these negociations, came in great haste to the king of England, attended
only with sixteen horse.[57] King Edward was much surprised at his
unexpected arrival, and inquired what it was that had brought him, for he
saw by his countenance that he was angry. The duke told him that he came to
talk with him. The king of England asked whether it should be in public or
private? Then the duke demanded whether he had made a peace? The king
replied, that he had made a truce for nine years, in which the duke of
Bretagne and himself were {xxxiv} comprehended,[58] and his desire was that
they should accept of that comprehension. The duke fell into a violent
passion, and in English, a language that he spoke very well, began to
recount the glorious achievements of Edward's predecessors on the throne of
England, who had formerly invaded France, and how they had spared no pains,
nor refused any danger, that might render them famous, and gain them
immortal honour and renown abroad. Then he inveighed against the truce, and
told the king he had not invited the English over into France out of any
necessity he had of their assistance, but only to put them in a way of
recovering th