The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 08: The Later Renaissance: from Gutenberg to the Reformation
History
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 08: The Later Renaissance: from Gutenberg to the Reformation
World history
In the Duke of Burgundy's lifetime the King often talked with me about
this affair, and told me what he would do if he should outlive the Duke,
and his discourse at that time was very rational and wise; he told me
he would propose a match between his son and the Duke of Burgundy's
daughter, and if she would not consent to that, on the ground that the
Dauphin was too young, he would then endeavor to marry her to some young
prince of his kingdom, by which means he might keep her and her subjects
in amity, and obtain without war what he intended to lay claim to for
himself; and this was his resolution not more than a week before he heard
of the Duke of Burgundy's death; but the very day he received that news
his mind began to change, and this wise counsel was laid aside when the
Admiral and I were despatched into those provinces. However, the King
spoke little of what he intended to do--only to some few that were about
him he promised sundry of the Duke's lordships and possessions.
As the King was upon the road toward us, he received from all parts the
welcome news of the delivering up the castles of Han and Bohain, and that
the inhabitants of St. Quentin had secured that town for themselves, and
opened their gates to their neighbor, the Lord of Mouy. He was certain
of Peronne, which was commanded by Master William Bische, and, by the
overtures that we and several other persons had made him, he was in great
hopes that the Lord des Cordes would strike in with his interest. To
Ghent he sent his barber, Master Oliver, [1] born in a small village
not far off; and other agents he sent to other places, with great
expectations from all of them; and most of them promised him very fair,
but performed nothing. Upon the King's arrival near Peronne, I went to
wait on his majesty, and at the same time William Bische and others
brought him the surrender of the town of Péronne, with which he was
extremely pleased.
The King stayed there that day, and I dined with him, according to my
usual custom, for it was his humor to have seven or eight always with him
at table, and sometimes many more. After dinner he withdrew, and seemed
not to be at all pleased with the Admiral's little exploit and mine; he
told us he had sent his barber, Master Oliver, to Ghent, and he doubted
not but he would persuade that town to submit to him; and Robinet
Dodenfort to St. Omer, as he had great interest there; and these his
majesty extolled as fit persons to manage such affairs, to receive the
keys of great towns, and to put garrisons of his troops into them. He
also mentioned others whom he had employed in the same negotiation in
other places.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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