The fortress of the lord de Commercy, namely, the castle of Montaigu, was a second time destroyed,--for the lord de Commercy had rebuilt it. CHAP. LIII. REMONSTANCES ARE SENT TO KING CHARLES OF FRANCE BY THE NOBLES ASSEMBLED AT NEVERS[101]. The nobles assembled having considered the four propositions made to them by the king's commissioners at Nevers, with the answers to each, then remonstrated on the necessity of a general peace for the kingdom of France, according to the terms the king had assented to; adding, that he ought, in order to avoid expense, to continue the negotiations at the usual place, without making objections to its situation, which were not of sufficient interest to hinder the conferences from being holden,--and they recommended that the appointment for the relief of Tartas[102] should also be kept. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 101: Nevers,--capital of the Nivernois, 17 leagues from Bourges.] [Footnote 102: Tartas,--a town in Gascony, seven leagues from Dax.] CHAP. LIV. THE ANSWERS OF THE KING OF FRANCE AND OF HIS GREAT COUNCIL TO THE REMONSTRANCES OF THE NOBLES OF FRANCE ASSEMBLED AT NEVERS. With regard to the first point, it need not be noticed,--for it has not been repeated in the answers made by the nobles at Nevers to the lord chancellor of France, and to sir Louis de Beaumont, and others, deputed thither by the king. Respecting the remonstrances for peace,--the king has always shown the sincerest wish to obtain so desirable an object by every reasonable and just means, and this the said nobles must have well known. Considering the very many advances he has made to this effect, he holds himself acquitted in this matter before God and before the world. It is notorious, that when the treaty of Arras was concluded, the king, by the advice of the duke of Burgundy, who was anxious to promote an union between the kingdoms of France and England, made greater offers than was becoming him to the english ministers sent thither by their king to treat of a peace,--but which offers were by them refused. It seemed, therefore, just, to the cardinals who had been deputed by our holy father the pope and the sacred council of Basil, and likewise to the relatives and allies of the duke of Burgundy, who were there assembled in great numbers, that from the unreasonableness of the English in refusing such offers, the duke of Burgundy, was no longer bound in loyalty to them,--but that, for this and other causes, he was at liberty to quit their party, and unite himself in peace with the king of France, his natural sovereign.