The mortal remains of Commines were conveyed to Paris, and interred in the chapel which he had built in the Convent des Grands Augustins. Those of the Countess de Penthièvre were soon laid by his side; and ere long Helène de Chambes joined her husband and daughter in their last resting-place. A splendid monument was erected by René de Bretagne to the memory of his wife’s parents. The chapel has long since been destroyed, but the statues of its founder and his wife, which formed part of their monument, are still preserved in the Gallery of the Louvre. To conclude this sketch in the words of his old biographer, Sleidan: “Commines was tall, fair, well shaped, and of a comely personage. He spoke Italian, Dutch, and Spanish incomparably well; but his excellence consisted chiefly in the French, and he had read all the histories that were extant in that language, especially that of the Romans. As he grew in years, he extremely lamented his deficiency in the Latin tongue, and complained of the little care that had been taken of his education in that respect. He had a prodigious memory, and such a wonderful facility in expressing his thoughts, that he would at the same time dictate to four secretaries different things, all of them of great importance, and with the same ease and dexterity as if there had been but one. His conversation was chiefly among foreigners, as he was desirous to inform himself of all things and places, and very careful of employing his time well; so that he was never known to be idle.” CONTENTS. Page Introduction v. Life of Commines xi. Table of Contents xxxviii. Dedication xlv. BOOK THE FIRST. CH. I.—The Occasion of the Wars between Louis XI. and the Count of Charolois, afterwards Duke of Burgundy Page 1 CH. II.—How the Count of Charolois and several great Lords of France raised an Army against King Louis XI., under Pretence of the Public Good 9 CH. III.—How the Count of Charolois encamped with his Army near Montlhery, and of the Battle fought in that Place between him and the King of France 17 CH. IV.—Of the imminent Danger to which the Count of Charolois was exposed, and the Manner of his being rescued 26 CH. V.—The King’s Brother the Duke of Berry, and the Duke of Bretagne, join with the Count of Charolois against the King 33 CH. VI.—The Count of Charolois and his Allies with their Army pass the Seine upon a Bridge of Boats; after which, being joined by the Forces of John, Duke of Calabria, they invest Paris 42