This woman became passionately fond of him, and for his support sold or pawned her jewels, and the plate of her husband,--and even robbed her husband of money to give to her lover. Of all this, the husband was informed: and anger and grief thereat caused his death, which was a great loss. May his soul rest in repose in the kingdom of Heaven! The king returned from St Claude to the abbey of our Lady at Clery very ill. He performed nine days devotion there; and by the grace of the blessed Virgin, in whom he had singular faith, he went away greatly recovered and eased of his complaints. During his stay at Clery, there was great mortality in his household: among others, died a doctor of divinity, whom he had lately appointed his counsellor and almoner: he was the son of a butcher, a native of Tours, and his name was doctor Martin Magistri. The king on leaving Clery went to Mehun sur Loire, and to St Laurens des Eaux, and remained thereabouts until the middle of August, when he returned to Clery to celebrate the feast of the Virgin. While at Clery, an handsome embassy came to him from Flanders, who explained to his ministers that the cause of their coming was to endeavour to obtain a conference to be holden,--for that the sole wish of the country of Flanders was to have a lasting peace with the king. These ambassadors were well received by him,--and he gave such answers as satisfied them. On their return to Flanders, they were, by the king's orders, conducted by the lord de St Pierre to Paris, and well feasted by the provost of marchands and sheriffs: thence they set out for Ghent, and the other towns in Flanders whence they had come. After the return of the Flemish ambassadors, the king ordered the troops that were in garrison in Picardy to take the field under the command of the lord des Cordes. This army made a fine appearance, consisting of fourteen hundred well furnished lances, six thousand Swiss, and eight thousand pikes. They marched triumphantly, but without noise, to lay siege to the town of Aire, which is a considerable place between St Omer and Therouenne, and was garrisoned by a party from the duke of Austria. The French soon opened their batteries and frightened the inhabitants; but some of the captains of the garrison, having a good understanding with the lord des Cordes, concluded a capitulation for the surrender of the place to him. It was managed by a knight called the lord des Contrans[101], who was of Picardy, and governor of the town for the duke of Austria. On his surrendering the place, he took the oaths of allegiance to serve the king faithfully,--and the king, as a recompence, gave him the command of a hundred lances. He also received thirty thousand golden crowns in ready money.