Excited by their presence the Liegeois once more roused themselves to action.  A force of two thousand was gathered at Liege, and advanced by night upon Tongres—­also without walls—­surrounded the house where lay their bishop, and forced him to return to Liege.  Violence there was and loss of life, but, as a matter of fact, the mob respected the person of their bishop and of Humbercourt the chief Burgundian official.  This event happened on October 9th, the very day that Louis rode recklessly into Peronne.

On Wednesday, October 11th, the news of the fray reached Peronne, but news greatly exaggerated by rumour.  Bishop, papal legate, and Burgundian lieutenant all had been ruthlessly murdered in the very presence of Louis’s own envoys, who had aided and abetted the hideous crime!  To follow the story of an eyewitness:[11]

“Some said that everyone was dead, others asserted the contrary, for such advertisments are never reported after one sort.  At length others came who had seen certain canons slain and supposed the bishop[12] to be of the number, as well as the said seigneur de Humbercourt and all the rest.  Further, they said that they had seen the king’s ambassadors in the attacking company and mentioned them by name.  All this was repeated to the duke, who forthwith believed it and fell into an extreme fury, saying that the king had come thither to abuse him, and gave commands to shut the gates of the castle and of the town, alleging a poor enough excuse, namely, that he did this on account of the disappearance of a little casket containing some good rings and money.

“The king finding himself confined in the castle, a small one at that, and having seen a force of archers standing before the gate, was terrified for his person—­the more so that he was lodged in the neighbourhood of a tower where a certain Count de Vermandois had caused the death of one of his predecessors as king of France.[13] At that time, I was still with the duke and served him as chamberlain, and had free access to his chamber when I would, for such was the usage in this household.

“The said duke, as soon as he saw the gates closed, ordered all to leave his presence and said to a few of us that stayed with him that the king had come on purpose to betray him, and that he himself had tried to avoid his coming with all his strength, and that the meeting had been against his taste.  Then he proceeded to recount the news from Liege, how the king had pulled all the wires through his ambassadors, and how his people had been slain.  He was fearfully excited against the king.  I veritably believe that if at that hour he had found those to whom he could appeal ready to sympathise with him and to advise him to work the king some mischief, he would have done so, at the least he would have imprisoned him in the great tower.

“None were present when the words fell from the duke but myself and two grooms of