“About this time [says Alienor de Poictiers] Monsieur de Charolais married Mademoiselle de Bourbon and he married her on the eve of All Saints[16] at Lille, and there was no festival because Duke Philip was then in Germany.  Eight days after the nuptials the duchess gave a splendid banquet where were all the ladies of Lille, but they were seated all together, as is usually done at an ordinary banquet, without mesdames holding state as would have been proper for such an occasion.”

It is evident from all the stories that Charles protested against his father’s orders as much as he dared and then obeyed simply because he could not help himself.

Yet, strange to say, the unwilling bridegroom proved a faithful husband in a court where marital fidelity was a rare trait.

Philip’s plans for the international union against the Turk were less easily completed than those for the union of his son and his niece.  In November, the diet met at Frankfort; the expedition was discussed and some resolutions were passed, but nothing further was achieved.

Charles VII. would not even promise co-operation on paper.  He had gradually extended his own domain in French-speaking territory and had dislodged the English from every stronghold except Guisnes and Calais.  Under him France was regaining her prestige.  Charles had much to lose, therefore, in joining the undertaking urged by Philip and he was wholly unwilling to risk it.  From him Philip obtained only expressions of general interest in the repulse of the Turks, and more definite suggestions of the dangers that would menace Western Europe if all her natural defenders carried their arms and their fortunes to the East.

When the anniversary of the great fete came round not a vow was yet fulfilled!

[Footnote 1:  A performance repeated in our modern Lohengrin.]

[Footnote 2:  The chroniclers are not at one on this point.]

[Footnote 3:  DuClercq, Memoires, ii., 159.]

[Footnote 4:  This banquet at Lille was the subject of several descriptions by spectators or at least contemporary authors.

The Royal Library at the Hague possesses a manuscript copied from an older one which contains the order of proceedings together with the text of all vows.  There is a minute description in Mathieu d’Escouchy, who claims to have been present, and in a manuscript coming from Baluze, whose anonymous author might also have been an eye-witness.  Of the various versions, that of La Marche seems to be the most original.  One record shows that “a clerk living at Dijon, called Dion du Cret, received, in 1455, a sum of five francs and a half for having, at the order of the accountants, copied and written in parchment the history of the banquet of my said seigneur, held at Lille, February 17, 1453, containing fifty-six leaves of parchment” (La Marche, ii., 340 note).  It is possible that all the authors refreshed their memory with this account, which seems to have been merely a copy.]