councillors tremble, and brought a transient fit of
paleness across the King's cheek. He instantly recalled his courage,
however, and addressed the council in his turn in a tone evincing so
much ease and composure that the Duke, though he seemed desirous to
interrupt or stop him, found no decent opportunity to do so.

"Nobles of France and of Burgundy," he said, "Knights of the Holy
Spirit and of the Golden Fleece! Since a King must plead his cause as
an accused person he cannot desire more distinguished judges than the
flower of nobleness and muster and pride of chivalry. Our fair cousin
of Burgundy hath but darkened the dispute between us, in so far as his
courtesy has declined to state it in precise terms. I, who have no cause
for observing such delicacy, nay, whose condition permits me not to do
so, crave leave to speak more precisely. It is to Us, my lords--to
Us, his liege lord, his kinsman, his ally, that unhappy circumstances,
perverting our cousins's clear judgment and better nature, have induced
him to apply the hateful charges of seducing his vassals from their
allegiance, stirring up the people of Liege to revolt, and stimulating
the outlawed William de la Marck to commit a most cruel and sacrilegious
murder. Nobles of France and Burgundy, I might truly appeal to the
circumstances in which I now stand, as being in themselves a complete
contradiction of such an accusation, for is it to be supposed that,
having the sense of a rational being left me, I should have thrown
myself unreservedly into the power of the Duke of Burgundy while I
was practising treachery against him such as could not fail to be
discovered, and which being discovered, must place me, as I now stand,
in the power of a justly exasperated prince? The folly of one who should
seat himself quietly down to repose on a mine, after he had lighted
the match which was to cause instant explosion, would have been wisdom
compared to mine. I have no doubt that, amongst the perpetrators of
those horrible treasons at Schonwaldt, villains have been busy with my
name--but am I to be answerable, who have given them no right to use
it?--If two silly women, disgusted on account of some romantic cause of
displeasure, sought refuge at my Court, does it follow that they did
so by my direction?--It will be found, when inquired into, that, since
honour and chivalry forbade my sending them back prisoners to the Court
of Burgundy--which, I think, gentlemen, no one who