¶ Then was the constable in maner on all sides in despaire, but yet he wrote to the French king by his messengers, beséeching him to giue no credit or beléefe to anie tale told or fained against him, without hearing his answer, affirming that the king had alwaies knowen his truth and fidelitie toward the crowne of France, and so should he still find him till his dieng daie; promising and warranting him, if that it should stand with his pleasure, that he would so compasse the duke of Burgognie, that they two should vtterlie destroie the king of England and his armie yer they returned. The councellors of the French king made answer, that their master and the king of England were ioined and confedered in a sure amitie. Wherfore they would in no wise know nor condescend to anie thing that might be either preiudiciall, or once sound to the detriment of the Englishmen: but they said, that the king their master much trusted the constable, and that for his sake he would talke with them in his priuie chamber. The French king, before their entrie into his chamber, caused the lord of Contaie, seruant vnto the duke of Burgognie, accompanied with the lord of Argenton, one of his priuie councell, to stand secretlie behind a séeling or hanging in his chamber, & he himselfe sat in a chaire directlie before that place, so that what soeuer were purposed to him, they standing behind the cloth, might plainlie sée and easilie heare the same. [Sidenote: Shamefull & slanderous words against the K. of England.] Lewes de Creuell and his fellow entered into the kings chamber, of nothing thinking lesse than of the spirits inclosed. They declared what paine their master had taken for the French kings sake, to send, mooue and entise the duke of Burgognie to leaue, and cléerelie to forsake the king of England, which duke they found in such a rage and furie against the Englishmen, that at their request he was not onelie vtterlie determined to forsake and refuse their amitie, but also would send out aduenturers and lanceknights, to rob and spoile them in their returning. And in speaking these words (thinking suerlie much to please the king) the said Lewes counterfeited the fashion and gesture of the duke of Burgognie, and began to stampe with his foot on the ground, and beat with his fist on the table, swearing by saint George that the king of England was not extracted of anie noble house, but was a yeomans sonne; and that when he was not woorth one halfepenie, he was restored to his kingdome, and made king onelie by his aid, reprouing and reuiling him with such ill words, and so shamefuii termes, that all the hearers abhorred it.