Since then the king, at the request of the duke of Orleans and of the duke of Brittany, and with the consent of the duke of Burgundy, without whom he would never have listened to the treaty of Arras, nor to any overtures of peace with the English, although on their part some had been made, but simply to perform his duty, he sent a solemn embassy to the duke of Brittany to fix on a spot for the holding of a conference between commissioners to negotiate a peace, from the kings of France and England, and whither the duke of Orleans was to be conducted. Cherbourg was the place appointed, although this conference never took effect. The king again, at the solicitations of the duke of Orleans and the duchess of Burgundy, consented to another conference being held on the subject of peace, between Gravelines and Calais. To this place he sent ambassadors with full powers to treat, notwithstanding that Gravelines and Calais were far distant, and the last in the hands of his enemies. But this he did in favour to the duke of Orleans, who was to be brought thither,--for the king was desirous that he should be present at or near to the place of conference, to give his advice and opinion on the terms that should be proposed, considering how nearly connected he was in blood with the king, and also that he might endeavour to obtain his deliverance from England. Had it not been for these reasons, the king would never have assented to the conferences being held at Gravelines. At this conference, a schedule, containing many articles respecting a peace, was delivered to the duchess of Burgundy by the duke of Orleans, and which was transmitted to the king of France, then holding the three estates of the realm, to have their opinions thereon: but from the absence of the dauphin, whom it more immediately concerned after the king, as must be known to all, and of many of the great barons from Languedoc and Vienne, another conference was appointed to be held at Bourges in Berry in the ensuing month of February, and which the king proposed personally to attend, but was prevented by other important matters intervening. Nevertheless, a solemn embassy was sent to this conference in the month of May, in compliance with the appointment of the said duke of Orleans and duchess of Burgundy, with full powers to treat of peace; but they remained there for the space of seven or eight months without coming to any final conclusions,--except, indeed, appointing another meeting for the month of May in the year 1442, when the king again sent thither his ambassadors. Nothing, however, was done, through the fault of the English, who only sent a simple clerk, a very insufficient person to treat of and discuss such various and weighty matters.