Poyet rushed upon his prey with the ferocity of a hungry tiger. He began by selecting the commissioners who were to sit in judgment on Chabot; and, to ensure their obedience, he himself, contrary to established custom, presided over them. Yet, with such instruments, and in spite of all his unprincipled efforts to spur them on, he was not able fully to accomplish his purpose. So groundless were the articles of impeachment, there being only two of them which at all, and those but slightly, affected the prisoner, that, instead of voting for death, the judges were disposed either to acquit him, or, at most, to pass a lenient sentence. By dint, however, of threats, the chancellor compelled them to go far beyond their intention; they consequently condemned Chabot to a fine of fifteen thousand livres, confiscation of property, and perpetual exile. One of them is said to have added to his signature the Latin word _vi_, in almost imperceptible characters; thus signifying that force had been used to extort his consent. Not content with the daring contempt of justice which he had already displayed, Poyet, in drawing up the judgment of the court, did not hesitate to falsify it, by inserting additional crimes, and aggravating the penalty. Though Francis was irritated by the honourable boldness of Chabot, he had never intended to carry matters to extremity against him. He could not now avoid being astonished that the charges had dwindled into such utter insignificance, and that, nevertheless, a sentence of such undue severity was pronounced; and he appears to have been also warmly solicited in his behalf by a prevailing advocate, the duchess of Etampes, the royal mistress, who was a relation of Chabot. Yet though the king designed to receive the admiral again into favour, he could not deny himself the mean gratification of taunting him. “Well,” said he to him, “will you again boast of your innocence?” “Sire,” replied Chabot, “I have but too well learned, that before God and his sovereign no man must call himself innocent; but I have one consolation, that all the malice of my enemies has failed to convict me of having ever been unfaithful to your majesty.” Chabot was pardoned, and reinstated in his offices. This tardy justice came too late; though his enemies had been unable to drag him to the scaffold, they had succeeded in shortening his days. In little more than twelve months, his existence was terminated by a disease, seemingly of the heart, which was brought on by the grief and anxiety that he had suffered.