At this time, Alexander l'Orget, a native of Paris, in company with four others, quitted Paris, with all his effects, and joined the duke of Berry at St Denis. On the Thursday following, toward the end of September, many of the townsmen came to make heavy complaints to the magistrates, at the town-hall, against the military, for making and singing defamatory songs against them, praying that a remedy might be provided, to prevent such conduct in future. The words complained of were in substance as follows. They swore by God, and other shocking oaths, that the wealth and riches in Paris did not belong to the inhabitants but to them, the men at arms now in the town,--saying, 'We wish you to know that, in despite of you, we will take away the keys of your houses, and throw you and all within them out of doors; and if you chatter, we are enow in Paris to master you all.' Among others, a fool from Normandy said aloud, at the gate of St Denis, that the Parisians were simpler than he was, if they thought the chains that were across the streets could prevent them from being insulted by those now in the town. In consequence of such speeches, the magistrates ordered the heads of the different wards to have good fires lighted during the night at their places of rendezvous, and that the whole of the night-watch should be there regularly under arms: the chains were also kept up, and the town more strictly watched in the night than before, until daybreak. This night, there was an alarming rumour that the gate of the bastile of St Anthony had been left open for the admission of the enemy, who was before it; and, in truth, several cannon were found near there with their touchholes spiked, so that they would have been useless had there been occasion for them. Some of the king's captains were uneasy at these fires in the streets, and the increase of the nightly watch, and went to the hôtel of the Tournelles to inquire of the king whether he had ordered them, or by whom these things had been thus done. The king replied, that he was ignorant of the matter, and instantly sent for sir John L'Huillier, the town-clerk, who came to him immediately, and assured the king and the said captains, that the fires and increase of the night-watch had been made with the best intentions. The king, however, ordered sir Charles de Melun to go to the town-house, and to all the quarters of Paris, to give orders that the fires should be extinguished, and that the watch should retire to bed; but the inhabitants refused to obey, and remained under arms until daybreak. Many have since maintained, that had they retired, according to the orders of sir Charles de Melun, which, through God's grace they did not, the town would have been lost and totally destroyed; for the enemy, before Paris, was ready to enter the town by means of the bastile.