with a powerful army, and invested
Rennes, at that time the residence of the duchess; who, assailed on all
hands, and finding none to support her in her inflexibility, at last
opened the gates of the city, and agreed to espouse the king of France,
She was married at Langey, in Touraine; conducted to St. Denis, where
she was crowned; thence made her entry into Paris, amidst the joyful
acclamations of the people, who regarded this marriage as the most
prosperous event that could have befallen the monarchy.

The triumph and success of Charles was the most sensible mortification
to the king of the Romans. He had lost a considerable territory, which
he thought he had acquired, and an accomplished princess, whom he had
espoused; he was affronted in the person of his daughter Margaret, who
was sent back to him, after she had been treated during some years as
queen of France; he had reason to reproach himself with his own supine
security, in neglecting the consummation of his marriage, which was
easily practicable for him, and which would have rendered the tie
indissoluble: these considerations threw him into the most violent rage,
which he vented in very indecent expressions; and he threatened France
with an invasion from the united arms of Austria, Spain, and England.

The king of England had also just reason to reproach himself with
misconduct in this important transaction; and though the affair had
terminated in a manner which he could not precisely foresee, his
negligence, in leaving his most useful ally so long exposed to the
invasion of superior power, could not but appear on reflection the
result of timid caution and narrow politics. As he valued himself on his
extensive foresight and profound judgment, the ascendant acquired over
him by a raw youth, such as Charles, could not but give him the highest
displeasure, and prompt him to seek vengeance, after all remedy for
his miscarriage was become absolutely impracticable. But he was further
actuated by avarice, a motive still more predominant with him
than either pride or revenge; and he sought, even from his present
disappointments, the gratification of this ruling passion. On pretence
of a French war, he issued a commission for levying a "benevolence"
on his people;[*] a species of taxation which had been abolished by a
recent law of Richard III.

* Rymer, vol. xii. p. 446. Bacon says that the benevolence
was levied with consent of parliament, which is a mi