“For a long time there had been little love lost between him and the king.  The monarch feared the pride and haughtiness of his subject, and the subject feared the strength and profound subtilty of the king who wanted, he thought, to get him under the whip.  And all this, alas, was the result of that cursed War of Public Weal cooked up by the French against their own king.  When Charles was deeply involved in it he was deserted by the others and the whole weight of the burden fell on his shoulders, so that he alone was blamed by the king, and he alone was forced to look to his own safety and comfort.  It is a pity when such things occur in a realm and among kinsfolk.”

[Illustration:  CHARLES, DUKE OF BURGUNDY, PRESIDING OVER A CHAPTER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

FROM CONTEMPORANEOUS MINIATURE REPRODUCED IN LENGLET DU FRESNOY EDITION OF COMINES]

Louis was busied with his own affairs in Touraine when news came to him that the marriage was to take place immediately.  “If he mourned, it is not marvellous when I myself mourn it for the future result.  But the king used all kinds of machinations to break off the alliance....  God suffered two young proud princes to try their strength each at his will, often in ways that would have been incompatible in common affairs.”

The fullest account of the wedding is given by La Marche, an eyewitness of the event[7]: 

“Gilles du Mas, maitre d’hotel du Duc de Bretagne—­to you I recommend myself.  I have collected here roughly according to my stupid understanding what I saw of the said festival, to send it to you, beseeching you as earnestly as I can to advise me of the noble states and high deeds in your quarter ... as becomes two friends of one rank and calling in two fraternal, allied and friendly houses.

“My lady and her company arrived at l’Ecluse on a Saturday, June 25th, and on the morrow Madame the Duchess of Burgundy, mother of the duke, Mlle. of Burgundy and various other ladies and demoiselles visited Madame Margaret[8] and only

stayed till dinner.  The duchess was greatly pleased with her prospective daughter-in-law and could not say enough of her character and her virtues.  There remained with Dame Margaret, on the part of the duchess, the Charnys, Messire Jehan de Rubempre and various other ladies and gentlemen to act the hosts to the strange ladies and gentlemen who had crossed from England with the bride.  The Count and Countess de Charny met Madame as she disembarked and never budged from her side until she had arrived at Bruges.

“The day after the duchess’s visit, Monseigneur of Burgundy made his way to l’Ecluse with a small escort and entered the chateau at the rear.  After supper, accompanied only by six or seven knights of the Order, he went very secretly to the hotel of Dame Margaret, who had been warned of his intention, and was attended by the most important members of her suite, such as the Seigneur d’Escalles, the king’s brother.