Several new knights were created by the count, namely, Philippe de Harcourt, Jean de Fosseux, the lord de Guiency and others, who went to burn some miserable villages, and set fire to a few other places. During this, a sensible priest of the island came to the count to treat for the ransom and security of the island, for which he gave the count to understand a very large sum of money would be paid to him and his captains. He too readily listened to this proposal; for it was a deception on the part of the priest to delay their operations, and amuse them with words, until the English should arrive to fight with them. Count Waleran was at length informed of this plan, and, in consequence, re-embarked with his men on board the vessels; and they returned to the place whence they had come, without doing any thing more. Many of the nobles were much displeased at this conduct, because they had expended large sums in laying in their purveyances. The countries through which his men at arms returned were greatly harrassed by them,—and this caused much murmuring against the count, but no redress could be obtained. CHAP. XX. LOUIS DUKE OF ORLEANS IS SENT BY THE KING TO THE POPE AT MARSEILLES.—THE DUKE OF BOURBON IS ORDERED INTO LANGUEDOC, AND THE CONSTABLE INTO ACQUITAINE. The king of France, with the advice of his great council, sent Louis duke of Orleans, accompanied by about six hundred knights, to pope Gregory, to remonstrate with him on the necessity of establishing an union in the church. He travelled through Champagne and Burgundy to Lyon, and thence to Marseilles, where the pope and his court then were. He received the duke most honourably and magnificently, and, after he had heard the object of his mission, gave him his apostolical letters, containing certain conditions, preparatory to the attempt of an union. The duke, on receiving them, took leave of the pope, and returned to Paris to the king, who had near his person the dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Brittany and Bourbon, and many other great lords, secular and ecclesiastical. In their presence, he delivered the apostolical letters which contained, among other things, an offer from the pope to procure the union of the whole church; and, should it be necessary, to obtain so desirable an object, his holiness was willing to resign the papacy, and to act in whatever way touching this matter his council should judge expedient, and conformable to reason and justice. The king, his council, the lords present and the university, were well satisfied, when they had heard the contents of the pope’s letter.