“Brave knights, your valor has aided me in the highest degree to overcome the enemy, to conquer many cities, and obtain the submission of their people. But alas! to secure these grand results we have the sorrow to lose many of our noblest born. Bad enough as this is there is yet another matter that deeply incenses me and of this I now speak. Because Gerard de Roussillon, the Duke of Nantueil, and the Duke de Beuves d’Aigremont, all three of them our brothers and our subjects, refused me their aid, I now make complaint against them. Believing in their oaths of allegiance to me I surely counted upon their aid, and without their force or aid was compelled to engage superior numbers. It is to Solomon, who came to our succor with thirty thousand troops, and Lambert, and Galeron de Bordeille, and Berruger, to whom is due our victories.” At this point the emperor rose to his full height, and with eyes flashing, continued: “I now declare to you that I shall once more appeal to the Duke Beuves d’Aigremont to fulfill his allegiance and if he still resists I shall lay siege to his dominions; if I become aroused I will not stop at taking life. I will flay him alive, send his wife and his son Renaud to the stake, and give their country up to pillage.” At these savage words, uttered with the utmost anger, the Duke de Naimes, who was considered to be the wisest man of the court, arose and responded to the king: “Sire, employ all possible means to avoid war, which is always cruel to the people whom you govern. Therefore send to the Duke d’Aigremont a man who is capable, sure and faithful and one in whom you can place your entire confidence, one who combines all the qualities of _finesse_ and prudence required by the importance of this mission. Let him go to the duke and present to him his forgetfulness of his oath to you in such terms of consideration and without pride of manner as will have the most effect and then let the answer your majesty receives govern the determination as to what course your majesty will take.” The king, strongly impressed by this sensible advice, adopted it, but was much embarrassed to make a selection of a man sufficiently discreet and courageous to fulfill such a perilous mission—one who had neither fear of the menaces of the famous duke, or the tried warriors of his family. He finally chose his own son Lothaire, who accepted with all the submission of a son and loyal subject, not without having demanded the benediction of his royal father, the blessing of heaven, and at the same time prayed God to care for his family.