[Footnote 18: Mehun-sur-Yevre,--four leagues from Bourges.] CHAP. XVI. THE EARL OF WARWICK AND OTHERS FROM ENGLAND ATTEND THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE.--THE KING OF FRANCE HAS SOLEMN OBSEQUIES PERFORMED FOR HIS BROTHER, THE DUKE OF ORLEANS. The earl of Warwick, three bishops, four abbots, and other noble knights, clerks and doctors in theology, to the number of about eight hundred, travelled from Calais, through Flanders, with a handsome retinue, as commissioners from the king of England, his realm, and the university of Oxford, to the council of Constance. They were well received by the new emperor, whose coronation some of them had attended as ambassadors from the king of England, the pope and the whole council. As the day was drawing near when the countess of Hainault and her brother, the duke of Brabant, with the deputies from Flanders, were to meet to ratify the late peace at Senlis, between the duke of Burgundy and the king of France; and as the grand council was then very much engaged in business, Louis duke of Bavaria, sir Colart de Calville and others were sent as ambassadors from the king to prolong the day. On Saturday, the eve of the Epiphany, the king ordered a solemn service to be performed in the cathedral church of Nôtre Dame in Paris, for his late brother the duke of Orleans, which had not been as yet done. It was celebrated with a multitude of wax lights and torches, and attended by the duke of Orleans and the count de Vertus, the dukes of Berry, of Bourbon, Louis of Bavaria, the counts d'Alençon, de Richemont, d'Eu, de la Marche, and many more, all dressed in deep mourning. The duke of Acquitaine was not present, he had gone the preceding day to visit the queen his mother, and his sister the duchess of Brittany at Melun. At these obsequies the sermon was preached by the chancellor of the cathedral, doctor John Gerson, much renowned for his theological learning; and it was so strong and bold that many doctors and others present were astonished thereat. When he praised the manners of the deceased duke and his government of the realm, he declared that it had been by far better administered by him than it had ever been since his death. He seemed, in this discourse, more desirous of exciting a war against the duke of Burgundy than of appeasing it; for he said, he did not recommend the death of the duke of Burgundy, or his destruction, but that he ought to be humiliated, to make him sensible of the wickedness he had committed, that by a sufficient atonement he might save his soul. He added, that the burning, last Lent, of the propositions advanced by the duke's advocate, John Petit, against the duke of Orleans, before the gates of the cathedral, as wicked doctrines, had been well done; but that all that was necessary had not yet been executed. He concluded by declaring, that he was ready to maintain and defend what he had said against the whole world.