In their manner of accomplishing the appointed task, the new chevaliers had, from the outset, evinced a readiness to cast their votes to the satisfaction of their chief, even if his pleasure directly conflicted with the regulations they had sworn to obey.  No candidate was to be eligible whose birth was not legitimate,[6] a regulation quite ignored when the duke proposed the names of his sons Cornelius and Anthony.  For his obedient knights did not refuse to open their ranks to these great bastards of Burgundy, who carried a bar sinister proudly on their escutcheon.  So, too, others of Philip’s many illegitimate descendants were not rejected when their father proposed their names.

Again, it was plainly stipulated that the new member should have proven himself a knight of renown.  Yet, in this session of 1433, one of the candidates proposed for election, though nominally a knight, had assuredly had no time to show his mettle.  The dignity was his only because his spurs had been thrown right royally into his cradle before his tiny hands had sufficient baby strength to grasp a rattle, and before he was even old enough to use the pleasant gold to cut his teeth upon.[7]

Among the eight elected at Dijon in 1433, was Charles of Burgundy, Count of Charolais, son of the sovereign duke, born at Dijon on the previous St. Martin’s Eve, November 10th.[8]

    “The new chevaliers, with the exception of the Count of
    Virnenbourg who was absent, took the accustomed oath at the hands
    of the sovereign in a room of his palace.”

So runs the record.  Jean le Fevre, Seigneur de St. Remy, present on the occasion in his capacity of king-at-arms of the Order, is a trifle more communicative.[9] According to him, all the gentlemen were very joyous at their election as they received their collars and made their vows as stated.  He excepted no member in the phrase about the joy displayed, though, as a matter of inference, the pleasure experienced by the Count of Charolais may be reckoned as somewhat problematical.

The heir of Burgundy had attained the ripe age of just twenty days when thus officially listed among the chevaliers present at the festival.  Born on November 10th of this same year, 1433,[10] he had been knighted on the very day of his baptism, when Charles, Count of Nevers, and the Seigneur of Croy were his sponsors.  The former gave his name to the infant while the latter’s name was destined to be identified with many unpleasant incidents in the career of the future man.  This brief span of life is sufficient reason for the further item in the archives of the Golden Fleece: 

“As to the Count of Charolais, he was carried into the same room.  There the sovereign, his father, and the duchess, his mother, took the oath on his behalf.  Afterwards the duke put the collars upon all.” [11]

Thus was emphasised at birth the parental conviction that Charles of Burgundy was of different metal than