On the 7th day of April, in this year, an alliance was concluded between the emperor of Germany and the king,--which he ordered to be proclaimed first in front of the hôtels of monsieur du Maine, duke of Calabria, and of the ambassadors from Brittany, and then throughout the streets and squares of Paris. There arrived at Paris, in the course of this month, two embassies; one from Florence, and the other from the emperor of Germany; which were most honourably received and feasted, as well by the king as by other great lords of his court. Early in April, the king left Paris for Vernon-sur-Seine, where he had appointed the rendezvous for the admiral and his other captains, to determine on the manner of concluding the war that was about to take place, for the truce would expire the last day of April. He then returned to Paris on the 14th,--and on the 25th he departed for Pont St Maixence, to prepare his army. The king took with him, besides the officers of his household, eight hundred lances well equipped, and a large train of great and small artillery, in which were five very large bombards: four of them were named London, Brabant, Bourg-en-Bresse, and St Omer. In addition to the above, he had his french and scots guard, his gentlemen, and a great company of franc-archers from the Isle of France and Normandy. Provisions were sent from all parts, for the constant supply of the army. On the first of May, the king departed from the abbey of La Victoire, whither he had gone from Pont St Maixence, to arrange the plan of his war against the Burgundians; and detachments were sent against Tronquoy[51] and Mondidier. On the 10th, the archbishop of Lyon joined the king from Paris, where he had been appointed the king's lieutenant in the council, and reported, that a very devout and general procession had taken place at Paris on the 3d, the feast of the holy Cross. All the children in Paris walked in procession, each holding a taper in his hand to fetch the holy Innocent, and carry it to Nôtre Dame. The archbishop of Lyon and the chancellor walked beside each other, followed by the lord de Gaucourt, lieutenant for the king in Paris, the provosts and sheriffs, the presidents and counsellors of the parliament and chamber of accounts, and such numbers of the populace that they were estimated at more than one hundred thousand persons. The holy Innocent was borne, in this procession, by the first president of the parliament, Nanterre president in the same court, Ladriesche president of the chamber of accounts, and by the provost of marchands. All the archers of the town were drawn out to preserve order, and prevent noise and rioting.