The fact seems fairly clear that Charles of Burgundy was at a parting of the ways, in character as in action.  His natural bent was to tell the truth and to adhere strictly to his given word.  He felt that he owed it to his own dignity.  He felt, too, that he was a person to command obedience to a promise whether pledged to him by king or commoner.  In the years 1469-1472 several severe shocks had been dealt him.  He had lost all faith in Louis, a faith that had really been founded on the duke’s own self-esteem, on a conviction that the weak king must respect the redoubtable cousin of Burgundy.

The effect on Charles of his suspicions was to make him adopt the tools used by his rival, or at least to attempt to do so.  At the moment of the negotiation of 1471-1472, the duke’s preoccupation was to regain the towns on the Somme.  That accomplished, it is not probable that he would have abandoned his friends, the French peers, whom he desired to see become petty monarchs each in his own territory.  There seems no doubt that words were used with singular disregard of their meaning.  It is surprising that time was wasted in concocting elaborate phrases that dropped into nothingness at the slightest touch.  In citing the above passage from Commines referring to the treaty, the close of the negotiations has been anticipated.  Whether or not any draft of a treaty received the duke’s signature, the king’s yearning for peace ceased abruptly when his brother’s death freed him from the dread of dangerous alliance between Charles of France and Charles of Burgundy.  As late as May 8th, he was still uncertain as to the decree of fate and wrote as follows to the Governor of Rousillon[19]: 

“Keep cool for the present I implore you.  If the Duke of Burgundy declares war against me, I will set out immediately for that quarter [Brittany], and in a week we will finish the matter.  On the other hand, if peace be made we shall have everything without a blow or without any risk of restoration.  However, if you can get hold of anything by negotiating and manoeuvring, why do it.  As to the artillery, it is close by you, and when it is time, and I shall have heard from my ambassador, you shall have it at once.”

Ten days later he is more hopeful.[20]

“Since my last letter to you I have had news that Monsieur de Guienne is dying and that there is no remedy for his case.  One of the most confidential persons about him has advised me by a special messenger that he does not believe he will be alive a fortnight hence....  The person who gave me this information is the monk who repeated his Hours with M. de G[uienne.] I am much abashed at this and have crossed myself from head to foot.

    “Written at Moutils-les-Tours, May 18th.”

This prognostic was correct.  In less than a fortnight the Duke of Guienne lay dead, and the heavy suspicion rested upon his royal brother of having done more than acquiesce in the decree of fate.  Whether or not there was any truth in this charge the king was certainly not heartbroken by the loss.  Indeed, the event interested him less than the question of making the best use of the remainder of his truce with Charles.  The following letters to Dammartin and the Duke of Milan belong to this time.