“P.S.—­If the said place had been destroyed and rased as I ordered this never would have happened.  Therefore, see to it that all such places be rased to the ground, for if this be not done the people will be ruined and there will be an increase of dishonour and damage to me."[24]

One fact stated by Louis in this letter was true.  Charles of Burgundy broke the truce when it had but two weeks to run, and thus put himself in the wrong.  The death of Guienne made him wild with anger.  Apparently he had not believed in the imminence of the danger, although he had been constantly informed of the progress of the prince’s illness.  But to his mind, it was the hand of Louis, not the judgment of God, that ended the life of the prince.

“On the morrow, which was about May 15, 1472, so far as I remember [says Commines] came letters from Simon de Quingey, the duke’s ambassador to the king, announcing the death of the Duke of Guienne and that the king had recovered the majority of his places.  Messages from various localities followed headlong one on the other, and every one had a different story of the death.

“The duke being in despair at the death, at the instigation of other people as much concerned as himself, wrote letters full of bitter accusations against the king to several towns—­an action that profited little for nothing was done about it.[25]...  In this violent passion the duke proceeded towards Nesle in Vermandois, and commenced a kind of warfare such as he had never used before, burning and destroying wherever he passed.”

It is interesting to note how smoothly Commines sails by the capital charges against the king.  He neither accepts nor denies the king’s crime, while frankly admitting that Guienne’s decease was an opportune circumstance for Louis.  He apologises for mentioning any evil report of either king or duke, but urges his duty as historian to tell the truth without palliation.

Nesle was a little place on a tributary of the Somme which refused the duke’s summons to surrender, sent to it on June 10th.  It seems possible that there was a misunderstanding between the citizens and the garrison which resulted in the slaughter of the Burgundian heralds.  Whereupon, the exasperated soldiers rushed headlong upon the ill-defended burghers and wreaked a terrible vengeance on the town.

When the duke arrived on the spot, the carnage was over, but he was unreproving as he inspected the gruesome result.  Into the great church itself he rode, and his horse’s hoofs sank through the blood lying inches deep on the floor.  The desecrated building was full of dead—­men, women, and children—­but the duke’s only comment as he looked about was, “Here is a fine sight.  Verily I have good butchers with me,” and he crossed himself piously.