that favour, and many persons were more deserving of such a familiarity than myself. But he was so discreet and sagacious a prince, that no minister of his could possibly miscarry in any negotiation in which he was employed, provided he acted directly according to his master’s instructions, and added nothing of his own. CH. V.—Of the Lord of Argenton’s Return out of Italy into France, and of the Battle of Guinegaste.—1479. Upon my return from Italy I found the king our master somewhat aged, and inclined to be sickly; yet not so much as to neglect his affairs, which he managed himself, with great prudence. He was still engaged in his wars in Picardy, upon which his heart was mightily set, and the enemy would have been no less fond of that country, if they could have got it into their possession. The Duke of Austria (at present King of the Romans) having that year the Flemings at his command, invested Therouenne[68]; upon which the Lord des Cordes, the king’s lieutenant in Picardy, assembled all the forces that were in that province, and in the frontier towns, together with eight thousand Frank archers, and marched to relieve it. Upon news of his approach, the Duke of Austria raised the siege, and, advancing to meet him, they came to an engagement at a place called Guinegaste.[69] The duke had twenty thousand men or more out of the country of Flanders, besides some few Germans and about three hundred English, under the command of Sir Thomas Abrigan[70], an English knight, who had been in the service of Charles Duke of Burgundy. The king’s cavalry, who were much more numerous than the duke’s, broke them immediately, and drove them and their commander, the lord Philip of Ravestain, as far as Aire.[71] The duke took part in the battle with his infantry.[72] In the king’s army there were about eleven hundred men-at-arms of his standing forces. They did not all follow the chase, but the Lord des Cordes, who commanded in chief, pursued, and Monsieur de Torcy with him; but though they behaved themselves very bravely, yet it is not the duty of any commanding officer to follow the pursuit. Some of the van-guard and rear-guard retreated, under pretence of defending their own towns; others fled downright. The duke’s infantry kept their ground, though they were vigorously attacked; but they had with them on foot fully two hundred gentlemen, all good officers and brave men, to lead them; and among these were the Count de Romont, a son of the house of Savoy, the Count of Nassau[73], and several others, who are still living. The bravery and conduct of these gentlemen kept the whole body together, which was very marvellous, after they had witnessed the defeat of their cavalry. The king’s Frank archers fell to plundering the duke’s waggons, and all that attended them, such as sutlers and others; which being observed, some of the duke’s forces attacked them, and cut off a great number of them. On the duke’s side the slaughter was greater, and