brother, the Duke of Orleans, his cousins, and
several prelates and lords of note. The chancellor announced thereat
that he had been ordered by the king to put in discussion the question,
whether it were not expedient that he should henceforth take the
government of his kingdom upon himself. Cardinal Ascelin de Montaigu,
Bishop of Laon, the first to be interrogated upon this subject, replied
that, in his opinion, the king was quite in a condition, as well as in a
legal position, to take the government of his kingdom upon himself, and,
without naming anybody, he referred to the king's uncles, and especially
to the Duke of Burgundy, as being no longer necessary for the government
of France. Nearly all who were present were of the same opinion. The
king, without further waiting, thanked his uncles for the care they had
taken of his dominions and of himself, and begged them to continue their
affection for him. Neither the Duke of Burgundy nor the Duke of Berry
had calculated upon this resolution; they submitted, without making any
objection, but not without letting a little temper leak out. The Duke of
Berry even said that he and his brother would beg the king to confer with
them more maturely on the subject when he returned to Paris. Hereupon
the council broke up; the king's two uncles started for their own
dominions; and a few weeks afterwards the Cardinal-bishop of Laon died
of a short illness. "It was generally believed," says the monk of St.
Denis, "that he died of poison." At his own dying wish, no inquiry was
instituted on this subject. The measure adopted in the late council was,
however, generally approved of. The king was popular; he had a good
heart, and courteous and gentle manners; he was faithful to his friends,
and affable to all; and the people liked to see him passing along the
streets. On taking in hand the government, he recalled to it the former
advisers of his father, Charles V., Bureau de la Riviere, Le Mercier de
Noviant, and Le Begue de Vilaine, all men of sense and reputation. The
taxes were diminished; the city of Paris recovered a portion of her
municipal liberties; there was felicitation for what had been obtained,
and there was hope of more.

Charles VI. was not content with the satisfaction of Paris only; he
wished all his realm to have cognizance of and to profit by his
independence. He determined upon a visit to the centre and the south of
France. Such a trip was to himself, a