the hand of one of the ambassadors.  “They will see you before they go,” said the Earl of Suffolk, in a tone which made it plain that no private conversation would be permitted between them.  And, indeed, the Earl of Suffolk’s barber went alone to wait upon the ambassadors in order to tell them that, if the Duke of Burgundy desired it, the Duke of Orleans would write to him.  “I will undertake,” he added, “to bring you his letter.”  There was evident mistrust; and it was explained to the Burgundian ambassadors by the Earl of Warwick’s remark, “Your duke never once came to see our king during his stay in France.  The Duke of Bedford used similar language to them.  Why,” said he, “does my brother the Duke of Burgundy give way to evil imaginings against me?  There is not a prince in the world, after my king, whom I esteem so much.  The ill-will which seems to exist between us spoils the king’s affairs and his own too.  But tell him that I am not the less disposed to serve him.”

In March, 1435, the Duke of Burgundy went to Paris, taking with him his third wife, Isabel of Portugal, and a magnificent following.  There were seen, moreover, in his train, a hundred wagons laden with artillery, armor, salted provisions, cheeses, and wines of Burgundy.  There was once more joy in Paris, and the duke received the most affectionate welcome.  The university was represented before him, and made him a great speech on the necessity of peace.  Two days afterwards a deputation from the city dames of Paris waited upon the Duchess of Burgundy, and implored her to use her influence for the re-establishment of peace.  She answered, “My good friends, it is the thing I desire most of all in the world; I pray for it night and day to the Lord our God, for I believe that we all have great need of it, and I know for certain that my lord and husband has the greatest willingness to give up to that purpose his person and his substance.”  At the bottom of his soul Duke Philip’s decision was already taken.  He had but lately discussed the condition of France with the constable, De Richemont, and Duke Charles of Bourbon, his brother-in-law, whom he had summoned to Nevers with that design.  Being convinced of the necessity for peace, he spoke of it to the King of England’s advisers whom he found in Paris, and who dared not show absolute opposition to it.  It was agreed that in the month of July a general, and, more properly speaking, a European conference should meet at Arras, that the legates of Pope Eugenius IV. should be invited to it, and that consultation should be held thereat as to the means of putting an end to the sufferings of the two kingdoms.