There was evidently a hope that better results might be obtained from a new assembly,[5] but none was held and the most earnest endeavours of the duke’s wife and daughter failed to arouse enthusiasm for his plans.  Moreover, when there seemed a prospect that the Netherlands might be attacked from France, the sympathy of even the duchess and council for offensive operations was chilled.  Not only did Margaret fail to send her husband the extra supplies demanded, but she decided to appropriate the three months’ subsidy, the chief item of regular ducal revenue, for protection of the Flemish frontier—­an action that made Charles very angry.  Defences at home!  Yes, indeed, they were necessary, but the people must provide them.  The subsidy was lawfully his and he needed every penny of it.  His army had not been destroyed.  He was simply obliged to strengthen it.  Burgundy was helping him.  Flanders must do her part.  They were deaf to this appeal, although a generous message was sent saying that if he were hard pressed they would go in person to rescue him from danger.

The story of the assembly of the Estates of the two Burgundies is equally interesting as a picture of the clash between sovereign will and popular unreadiness to open the carefully guarded money-boxes.[6] The deputies convened at Salins on July 8th, in the presence of the duke himself.  The session was opened by Jean de Grey, the president of the parlement of the duchy, with a brief statement of the sovereign’s needs.  Then Charles took the floor, and delivered a tremendous harangue with a marvellous command of language.  Panigarola declared that his allusions to parallel crises in ancient times were so apt and so fluent that it seemed as though the book of history lay opened before him and that he read from its pages.[7] The impression he made was plain to see.

[Illustration:  BATTLE OF NANCY CONTEMPORANEOUS MINIATURE IN ABBEY OF ST. GERMAIN DES PRES (COMINES-LENGLET, III.)]

His demands for aid to retrieve the Swiss disasters were open and aboveboard this time.  There was no such pretence put forward as the escort of Mary.  The argument was that any ruler, backed by his people unanimous in their willingness to give their last jewel for public purposes, must inevitably succeed in his righteous wars, etc.

His learned and able discourse was well received, according to other reporters besides the Milanese, but there was no hearty yielding to sentiment in the reply.  Four days were consumed in deliberation before that was ready on July 12th.  They had certainly considered that the grant of 100,000 florins annually for six years, accorded two years previously, was their share.  But in view of the duke’s appeal, they would endeavour to aid him.  Let him stipulate which cities he wished fortified and they would assume charge of the work.  Two favours they begged—­that Charles should not rashly expose his person “for he was the sole prince of his glorious House,” and that he should be ready to receive overtures of peace.  “We will give life and property for defence, but we implore you to take no offensive step.”  Charles did not, perhaps, feel the distrust of his military skill and of his judgment that these words implied.