Hagenbach lost no time in proceeding to the levying of the impost now approved by the duke, who had at the same time expressly ordered that the people were to be treated mildly, and that summary punishment was to check all excesses on the part of the eight hundred Picards employed by Hagenbach to aid the tax collector. The governor, however, saw no further need for gentle treatment or for respect to privileges. In Brisac, municipal elections were arbitrarily set aside, and officers appointed by the governor. The corporation was curtailed of power, and the burghers were forced to prepare to march against Mulhouse. Having accomplished his duty to his own satisfaction, Hagenbach proceeded to give himself some relaxation. His own marriage took place on January 24th, and he celebrated the occasion with great fêtes. It is of this period in Hagenbach's life that the stories of gross excess are told.[12] It seems as though, having once abandoned restraint towards the city, his personal passions, too, were permitted to run riot, and he spared no wife nor maid to whom he took a fancy. As he had succeeded in impressing the "Bad Penny" on the little independent landowners, he tried to extend it to the territory of the Bishop of Basel. Vehement was the opposition which was reported to the duke, who promptly ordered his lieutenant to restore the prisoners he had taken and to cease his aggressions. Charles was not ready to meet the Swiss, and was willing to defer an issue, but he was wholly ignorant of the real strength of the confederation. Hagenbach then proceeded to make a stronghold of Brisac and waited for further action. [Footnote 1: De Roye, p. 105.] [Footnote 2: He also issued administrative orders. It was at this time that he instituted a high court of justice and a chamber of accounts at Mechlin, both designed to serve for all the Netherland provinces. This measure was bitterly resented by the local authorities. (Fredericq. _Le rôle politique et social des ducs de Bourgogne_, p. 183.)] [Footnote 3: Letters are preserved in the Cologne archives. (Toutey, p. 64.)] [Footnote 4: Toutey, p. 66. This document is in the Cologne archives.] [Footnote 5:_See_ Toutey, p. 66. These are printed in Lacomblet, _Urkunden_, iv., 468, 470.] [Footnote 6: Jean de Roye is the only contemporary to tell this story. Both Toutey and Kirk reject it. (_See_ Toutey, p. 76; Kirk, ii., 271.)] [Footnote 7: Toutey's suggestion.] [Footnote 8: All sons inherited their father's title, so that there were many landless lords.] [Footnote 9: At this period there were eight in the confederation, which was a loose structure in which each member preserved her individuality.] [Footnote 10: _See_ Toutey, p. 82, who quotes from the _Cartulaire de Mulhouse_, iv., _et passim_. This last furnishes the details for these passages.]