Open hostilities were avoided.  Edward camped on the field of Agincourt, where perhaps he dreamed of his ancestor’s success, but no fresh blaze of old English glory illumined his path.  He did not proceed to Paris, there was no coronation at Rheims, no comfortable reception within any gates at all, for Charles was as chary as Louis himself of giving the English a foothold, though he advised Edward to accept an invitation from St. Pol to visit St. Quentin.  This, however, proved another disappointment.  Just as Edward was ready to enter, the gates opened to let out a troop which effectually repulsed the advancing foreigners.  The Count of St. Pol had changed his mind.

“It is a miserable existence this of ours when we take toil and trouble enough to shorten our life, writing and saying things exactly opposite to our thoughts,” writes the keenest observer of this elaborate network of pompous falsehoods[6] wherein every action was entangled.  Louis XI trusted no one but himself, while he played with the trust of all, and his game was the safest.  His fear of the invaders was soon allayed.  “These English are of different metal from those whom you used to know.  They keep close, they attempt nothing,” he wrote to the veteran Dammartin.

It was, indeed, a patent fact that Edward was not a foe to be feared.  Baffled and discouraged, he readily opened his ears to his French brother, and Louis heaped grateful recognition on every Englishman who helped incline his sovereign to peaceful negotiations.  Velvet and coin did their work.  Edward was easily led into the path of least resistance, and an interview between the rival kings was appointed for August 29th.  Great preparations were made for their meeting on a bridge at Picquigny, across which a grating was erected.  Like Pyramus and Thisbe, the two princes kissed each other through the barriers, and exchanged assurances of friendship.  Edward was, indeed, so easy to convince that Louis was in absolute terror lest his English brother would accept his invitation to show him Paris before his return.  No wonder Edward was deceived, for Louis was definite in his hospitable offers, suggesting that he would provide a confessor willing to give absolution for pleasant sins.

The duke was duly forewarned of this colloquy.  On August 18th, he was staying at Peronne, whence he paid a visit to the English camp.  It was ended without any intimation of Edward’s change of heart towards the French king whom he had come to depose, though his plan was then ripe.  On the 20th, Charles received a written communication with the news which Edward had disliked broaching orally, and was officially informed that the king had yielded to the wishes of his army, and was considering a treaty with Louis XI., wherein Edward’s dear brother of Burgundy should receive honourable mention did he desire it.