And on Wednesday the third of February in the same year 1460, were read and published at Rouen, and in several other places in the duchy of Normandy, in the public market-places by sound of trumpet, the king’s letters patent; by which he declared it was his royal will and pleasure that the whole country of Normandy, together with its seaports, should be free and open to all English men and women, of what rank or condition soever; and in what habit soever they shall think fit to wear, (provided they were of King Henry’s party,) and without having any passport, to have free liberty of trade and commerce throughout his whole kingdom. 1461. In the year 1461, in the month of July, it happened that King Charles VII. fell sick at the castle of Meun upon the Yevre, of a distemper that was incurable, and of which he died on Wednesday the 22nd of July, between one and two o’clock, in the afternoon, much lamented by the whole kingdom; as being a very wise and valiant prince, and leaving his kingdom in a very peaceful and flourishing condition. Immediately after the death of the king was publicly known, the greatest part of the officers of Paris, and several others of the kingdom, went to pay their respects to the Dauphin, who resided at the Duke of Burgundy’s court at Hainault; and who by the decease of his father came to the crown of France. The occasion of their waiting on him there, was, to know his royal will and pleasure; and whether they should be continued in the same posts and employments they enjoyed under his father: At which place after his death he made a promotion of several officers in the chamber of accounts or exchequer, at Paris: Amongst the rest, he made M. Peter l’Orfevre Lord of Ermenonville and Nicholas de Louviers counsellors of the same exchequer, and M. John Baillet master of the requests and reporter of the court of chancery: He also confirmed M. Simon Charles, who was carried in a litter into Hainault, in the place he was possessed of in the exchequer: and the rest of the officers that came thither to beg the favour of being continued in their respective posts and employments, were ordered back to Paris to wait for the king’s coming thither. And upon the 24th of July, 1461, M. Etienne Chevalier, who was treasurer or chief director of the finances in the reign of the late King Charles, and whom he appointed to be one of the executors of his last will and testament, and also M. Dreux Budé, the grand audiencier[519] of France, went from Paris to see the king’s corpse that lay in state at Meun; but the Lord d’Aigreville, captain of Montargis, at the earnest solicitation of a certain gentleman named Vuaste de Morpedon, caused them both to be seized at Montargis; where they remained prisoners for some time, till the king sent orders for their release, and continued them both in their respective employments of treasurer and audiencier.