The duchess of Burgundy, attended by many great lords and gentlemen, came out of Gravelines to meet him; and both expressed much pleasure on the occasion,--the duke of Orleans for his liberty, and the duchess for his arrival. Within a few days, the duke of Burgundy came thither to see him, when, as before, great joy was testified on each side, and many and frequent embracings took place: indeed their pleasure was so great, on this meeting, that neither could for some time utter a word. The duke of Orleans broke silence first, and said, 'On my faith, fair brother and cousin, I ought to love you more than all the princes on earth, and my fair cousin the duchess also; for had it not been for you and her, I should have remained for ever in the power of my adversaries,--and I have never found a better friend than you.' The duke of Burgundy replied, that the not having done it sooner had weighed much on his mind,--for that he had for a considerable time, been desirous of exerting himself for his deliverance. Such was the conversation, often renewed, between these two princes, which rejoiced all that heard it; and every one was glad of the return of the duke of Orleans who had been a prisoner in England since the Friday before All-saints-day in the year of grace 1415, until the month of November in the year 1440. The ambassadors from the king of France were present at this meeting; the principal of whom were the archbishop of Rheims, lord chancellor of France, the archbishop of Narbonne, the count de Dunois, bastard of Orleans, and some others,--to each of whom, in his turn, the duke of Orleans gave a most gracious reception, but particularly to his brother. The company thence went by water to St Omer, and were lodged in the abbey of St Bertin, where grand preparations had been made for the reception of the duke of Orleans, who was accompanied by the english lords. He was there received most honourably by the duke of Burgundy and the lords of his household. Great presents were made him by the municipality; and he was daily visited by persons from France and Picardy,--but more from his own territories than elsewhere, who were very much rejoiced at his return. After some days, the duke of Orleans was requested, on the part of the duke of Burgundy, that he would be pleased to swear to the observance of the treaty of Arras, and take to wife the lady of Cleves, niece to the duke of Burgundy, as had been before treated of and the duke replied, that he was perfectly ready and willing to confirm all that he had promised when a prisoner. This business being settled, the two dukes entered the choir of the church of St Bertin, with their attendants, whither the treaty of Arras was brought, written in Latin and in French. It was read aloud, first in Latin, then in French, by master James Trançon, archdeacon of Brussels, in the presence of the two dukes the archbishops, bishops, and a great number of knights, esquires, burghers, and officers of each party.