I should not have dwelt so long upon so inconsiderable a matter, had it not been to show that sometimes by such artifices and expedients as these (which proceed from great judgment and penetration in state affairs) great dangers and inconveniences are prevented. The next morning by break of day, several of the hostages came to wait on the Lord of Humbercourt, and entreated him to go along with them to the palace, where all the people were assembled, and swear to the two articles against firing and plundering the city (of which the people could not be otherwise secure), telling him that after that they would give him possession of one of the gates. He sent an account of all that had happened to the Duke of Burgundy, went himself into the city, and having taken the oath, he returned to the gate, caused those who were there upon the guard to come down, and having put in a dozen of his own men-at-arms and some archers in their place, he set up the Duke of Burgundy’s standard upon the gate. From thence he went to another gate (which was walled up), and put it into the hands of the Bastard of Burgundy, whose quarters were close by. The third he delivered to the Marshal of Burgundy, and the fourth to some gentlemen volunteers that accompanied him. Thus were the four gates of the city possessed by the Duke of Burgundy’s forces, and his banners erected upon them. To give you a better insight into these affairs, it is necessary to acquaint you, that at that time Liege was (excepting only five or six) one of the strongest and most populous cities in those parts; besides which, great numbers of people being retired thither out of the adjacent country, the loss they had sustained in the late battle was not at all to be perceived; and they were in no want or necessity of anything; it was also in the depth of winter, and prodigious rains had fallen, which had strangely increased the natural softness and miriness of the country. On our side, we were in great want both of provisions and money, and our army was ready to break up; for which reason the Duke of Burgundy had no inclination to have besieged the town; and even if he had been willing to have undertaken the siege, he was not in a capacity of doing it; so that if they had delayed the time but two days longer, he must have marched away as he came, without attempting anything. All these things being considered, it must be owned that the Lord of Humbercourt gained great honour and reputation by the nice management of this important affair, which proceeded wholly from the grace of God towards him; for in human probability such wonderful success was not to be expected, nor could he ever have presumed to have wished for such a surprising turn of affairs as happened; and all the honours that were conferred on him, and the unparalleled success he met with in this expedition, the generality of the world looked upon as a just reward for his tenderness and compassion