“My cousin and monseigneur the general, I received your letters this evening at the hostelry of Montbazon where I came because I have not yet dared to go to Amboise.[12] When I imparted to you the doubts that I had heard, it was not with the purpose of delaying you in completing your business but only to advise you of the dangers that were in the air.  And to free you from all doubts I assure you, that if Monseigneur of Burgundy is willing to confirm, by writing or verbally, the terms which we arranged at Orleans[13], I wish you to accept it and to clinch the matter and I am quite determined to trust to it.  As to your suspicion that he may wish to make the chief promises in private letters without putting it in a formal shape, you know that I agreed to it by a pronotary, and when I have once accepted a thing I never withdraw my decision.

“My cousin and you monseigneur the general, see to it that Monseigneur of Burgundy gives you adequate assurance of the letters that he is to issue.  When I once have the letter such as we agreed upon and he is bound, I do not doubt that he will keep faith.  If my life were at stake, I am resolved to trust him.  Do not send me any more of your suspicions for I assure you that my greatest worldly desire is that the matter be finished, since he has given verbal assurance that he wishes me well.  You write that the pronotary told you that I was negotiating in every direction.  By my faith, I have no ambassador but you, and by the words that Monseigneur of Burgundy said to you you can easily solve the question, for he has only offered you what he mentioned before when the matters were discussed.  It looks to me as though they were not free from traitors since they have Abbe de Begars and Master Ythier Marchant.[14]

“A herald of the King of England came here on his way to Monsg. of Burgundy, who asked for a safe conduct to send a messenger to me for this truce.  Since your departure the council thought I ought not to give any pass for more than forty days except to merchants.  If it please God and Our Lady that you may conclude your mission, I assure you that as long as I live I will have no embassy either large or small without immediately informing Monsg. of Burgundy and I will only answer as if through him.  I assure you that until I hear from you whether Monsg. of Burgundy decides to conclude this treaty or not as we agreed together, I will make no agreement with any creature in the world and of that you may assure him.

    “Written at Montbazon, December 11th (1471).

    “Loys.”

At the same time Louis did not neglect friendly intercourse with the towns he proposed to cede.

“To the inhabitants of Amiens in behalf of the king:  “Dear and beloved, we have heard reports at length from Amiens and we are well content with you....  Give credence to all my messengers say.  We thank you heartily for all that you and your deputies have done in our cause.”

At the Burgundian court the duke’s friends thought that he would play the part of wisdom did he keep an army within call, and refrain from implicitly trusting the king’s promises.  There was, moreover, an impression abroad that the latter was not in a position to be very formidable.