To all these benefits, Louis XI. added a gift of which he was not lavish—his confidence. Commines apparently proved himself worthy of it, for the favours of the king continued to shower down upon him. It would be tedious to enumerate them here; we will only mention that he was invested with the office of Seneschal of Poitou, in November, 1476, and with the captaincy of the Castle of Poitiers in February, 1477. Such continued favour could not fail to arouse the jealousy and even the hatred of less fortunate courtiers, especially of those who found it difficult to obtain their share of influence, which they were incapable of earning by services of so high, an order as those rendered by Commines. Envy, when brooding in the heart of such a man as Tristan l’Ermite, might produce the most fatal results; and the more so, as the new favourite was not naturally inclined to pause of his own accord in the career of honour which opened before him, and scarcely attempted to dissemble his disdain for the unworthy rival who endeavoured to stand in his way. The court was soon divided, as it were, into two camps, each of which maintained the pretensions of its chosen leader; and the prudence of Louis XI. had frequently to interfere to restore peace between two servants who, on different grounds, were equally necessary to him. The first person who brought this prince any important news was sure to be rewarded by him with favour and gifts; skilful courtiers knew this, and lost no opportunity of profiting by this means of pleasing their master. Commines was one of the first to announce to him the result of the battle of Morat on the 22nd of June, 1476; and he received as his share of the recompense 200 marks of gold. No message could have been more agreeable to the king, excepting, perhaps, that which announced to him, a few months afterwards, the total defeat of the Duke of Burgundy, after the disastrous battle of Nancy on the 5th of January, 1477. The duke had been found dead on the field. At this news, even before it was known whether Charles the Bold had survived his defeat, Louis XI. “felt such exceeding joy that he almost lost countenance.” The Bastard of Bourbon and Commines were immediately sent into Picardy, with full power to receive and establish in the king’s allegiance all who were willing to surrender. The plan of Louis XI. was to march an army into Burgundy, and to take possession of the country in the name of the duke, after expelling the _Germans_, who had occupied it since their victory. Commines seems to have believed in the sincerity of these intentions, which, whether real or feigned, were not long entertained; for the positive news of the duke’s death soon reached the king’s ear, and altogether changed his plans.