no remedy has been hitherto applied, by which your kingdom is in the utmost possible danger. Your faithful and loyal subjects again acquit themselves of their duty; and, that the, reformation may now be entered upon in earnest, your aforesaid daughter requires the aid of your eldest son the duke of Acquitaine, and of the duke of Burgundy, by whom a reform was some time since begun, with heart and hand, without sparing any one, with whom your daughter joined, considering such reformation was so much wanted.

. However, from the great opposition made by those who were interested in checking it, no great progress was made, for they were afraid the consequences would have been fatal to them.

They urged every objection to it, as well as those now in power. We demand also the assistance of our much-honoured lords of Nevers, of Vertus, of Charolois, of Bar, and of Lorraine, of the constable and marshal of France, of the grand master of Rhodes, of the admiral, of the master of the cross-bows, and in general of all the chivalry and esquiredom in the realm, whose peculiar duty is to watch for the preservation of your crown, and also of your counsellors and all other your subjects,

who, according to their several situations, may wish to acquit themselves toward your majesty.

• It has been publicly said by some, that your aforesaid daughter has made this exposition to your majesty, through hatred to particular persons, and from the reports of five or six. May it please you to know, that she has never been accustomed to gain information by such means, but has learnt the existence of the before-stated grievances from their public notoriety; and there is no man so ignorant as not to be fully sensible of the truths we have asserted, and of the culpability of those we have impeached. She has also received informations from many who are attached to your person, who have not indeed been gainers by it; but in further regard to them, she will be silent, unless you shall order otherwise in a private audience.

• Your daughter, therefore, concludes by begging your majesty to pursue diligently, and without delay, an examination and reform of the above grievances, in which she will join without the least personal disrepect to your royal person, otherwise your daughter would not acquit herself properly in regard to your royal majesty.'

After this conclusion, the university demanded of the princes, prelates, and lords, then present, that they would avow that what they had declared would be for the honour of the king and the welfare of the kingdom, which they complied with; adding, that they were ready to assist in carrying the aforesaid reforms into execution to the utmost of their power.

The king's ministers, more especially those of the finances, were thunderstruck, and fearful of an immediate arrest. Among them, master Henry de Marle, chancellor of France, seeing that he was accused with the others, found means of admission to the king, and by his fair promises, and by engaging to pay a very large sum of ready money within a few days, he contrived to gain his favour.

On the following Saturday, the 2d day of March, Andrew Guiffart, one of the treasurers, was arrested and confined in the Châtelet his associate, John Guerin, took refuge in a church, and thither also fled sir Peter des Essars, provost of Paris, who lately had great command in the expedition to Bourges. The duke of Burgundy had hitherto supported him, but his affection was cooled, for the provost

had lately shown himself more attached to the party of Orleans.

Having formed the resolution of quitting Paris, sir Peter des Essars sent Thomelin de Brie with five other men at arms to gain possession of the bridge at Charenton, that his passage over it might be secured; but they were made prisoners by the inhabitants of Charenton, who had received information of their coming, and carried back to the tower of the Louvre, wherein they were confined. The provost, learning this, took another road, and escaped to Cherbourg, of which place he was the governor, and remained there for some time. Shortly afterward, Baudrin de la Heuse was appointed provost of Paris, for the king had now relapsed into his former disorder. The duke of Acquitaine, however, took the whole government of the kingdom into his own hands; and many of the king's ministers, particularly those in the treasury, were ordered to be put under arrest, until they should have rendered a faithful account of all their receipts.

CHAP. XVI.

THE DUKE OF ACQUITAINE IS DISPLEASED

WITH HIS CHANCELLOR.

JEALOUSIES

ARISE AMONG THE GREAT LORDS, AND
OTHER MATTERS.

In these days, at a full council, of which the duke of Acquitaine was president, high words passed between the chancellor of France and the lord d'Ollehaing* chancellor of Acquitaine, insomuch that the latter told the chancellor his words were not gospel; and the other madly replied, that he lied in his throat.Several other abusive expressions were used by him, and so often that the chancellor of France said, 'You abuse me, who am chancellor of France, and have often done so: nevertheless, I have always borne it patiently, from respect lord of Acquitaine, who is now present,

to my

and shall even still suffer it.'

But the duke of Acquitaine, hearing these words, arose in a passion, and, taking his

* Sir John de Neele in the original, and so before. Was sir J. de Neele lord of Oliehaing? It appears so from P. 156.