hus near, their agents
proposed that the interview should take place on the very bridge of
Montereau, with the precautions and according to the forms decided on.
In the duke's household many of his most devoted servants were opposed
to this interview; the place, they said, had been chosen by and would be
under the ordering of the _dauphin_'s people, of the old servants of the
Duke of Orleans and the Count of Armagnac. At the same time four
successive messages came from Paris urging the duke to make the plunge;
and at last he took his resolution. "It is my duty," said he, "to risk
my person in order to get at so great a blessing as peace. Whatever
happens, my wish is peace. If they kill me, I shall die a martyr. Peace
being made, I will take the men of my lord the _dauphin_ to go and fight
the English. He has some good men of war and some sagacious captains.
Tanneguy and Barbazan are valiant knights. Then we shall see which is
the better man, Jack (Hannotin) of Flanders or Henry of Lancaster." He
set out for Bray on the 10th of September, 1419, and arrived about two
o'clock before Montereau. Tanneguy Duchatel came and met him there.
"Well," said the duke, "on your assurance we are come to see my lord the
_dauphin_, supposing that he is quite willing to keep the peace between
himself and us, as we also will keep it, all ready to serve him according
to his wishes." "My most dread lord," answered Tanneguy, "have ye no
fear; my lord is well pleased with you, and desires henceforth to govern
himself according to your counsels. You have about him good friends who
serve you well." It was agreed that the _dauphin_ and the duke should,
each from his own side, go upon the bridge of Montereau, each with ten
men-at-arms, of whom they should previously forward a list. The
_dauphin_'s people had caused to be constructed at the two ends of the
bridge strong barriers closed by a gate; about the centre of the bridge
was a sort of lodge made of planks, the entrance to which was, on either
side, through a pretty narrow passage; within the lodge there was no
barrier in the middle to separate the two parties. Whilst Duke John and
his confidants, in concert with the _dauphin_'s people, were regulating
these material arrangements, a chamber-attendant ran in quite scared,
shouting out, "My lord, look to yourself; without a doubt you will be
betrayed." The duke turned towards Tanneguy, and said, "We trust
ourselves to your word; in