The Duke of Burgundy’s perverse resolution to continue the siege of Nuz occasioned two or three other wars to break out upon him. The Lord of Craon, for the advantage of the king’s affairs, persuaded the Duke of Lorraine[412] that it would turn highly to his advantage to quarrel with the Duke of Burgundy in this present juncture; though he was in perfect amity with him, and had been in treaty with him since the death of Duke Nicholas of Calabria, yet he sent him a defiance (by means of the Lord of Craon) as he lay in his camp before Nuz; and immediately he took the field, invaded the duchy of Luxembourg, committed great ravages in the country, and razed a town called Pierre-fort[413], in the said province, not above two leagues from Nancy. Moreover, by the conduct and management of the king and his ambassadors, a ten years’ alliance was concluded between the Swiss and the towns upon the Rhine (as Basle, Strasburg, and others) who had been at enmity before. A peace was likewise made between Sigismund, Duke of Austria, and the Swiss, in order to facilitate his recovery of the county of Ferrette, which he had engaged to the Duke of Burgundy for 100,000 florins of the Rhine; but one thing remained in dispute between them still, for the Swiss pressed hard to have passage when they pleased (either with their arms or without) through four towns in the county of Ferrette; and it being referred to the king[414], he decided in favour of the Swiss. All things being resolved on, they were executed accordingly; for, in a fair night, Peter Archambault[415], the governor of the county of Ferrette for the Duke of Burgundy, was surprised, and 800 men with him; the men were all immediately discharged, but the governor was detained and carried prisoner to Basle, where process being made against him for certain excesses and violences which he had committed in the said county of Ferrette[416], his head was struck off, and the county restored to Sigismund, Duke of Austria. Then the Swiss began to make war upon the Duke of Burgundy, and took Blasmond[417], belonging to the Marshal of Burgundy, who was of the house of Neufchastel. They also besieged the castle of Herycourt[418], belonging also to the house of Neufchastel; the Burgundians attempted to relieve it, but were beaten, and a great number of them killed; after which the Swiss did much mischief, ravaged the whole country, and then retired for that time. CH. III.—How the King took from the Duke of Burgundy the Castle of Tronquoy, with the Towns of Montdidier, Roye, and Corbie, and the Endeavours he used to persuade the Emperor Frederick to seize upon such Towns as belonged to the Duke in the Empire.—1475.