youth when their minds are bent on pleasure. Then they
may amuse themselves together. But after they are come to man's
estate and are desirous each of over-reaching the other, such
interviews do but increase their mutual hatred, even if they incur
no personal peril (which is well-nigh impossible). Far wiser is
it for them to adjust their differences through sage and good
servants as I have said at length elsewhere in these memoirs."

Then our chronicler proceeds to give numerous instances of disastrous
royal interviews before returning to his subject and to Peronne:

"I was moved [he adds again at the beginning of his new chapter]
to tell the princes my opinion of such meetings.[14] Thus the
gates were closed and guarded and two or three days passed by.
However, the Duke of Burgundy would not see the king, nor had
Louis's servants entry to the castle except a few, and those only
through the wicket. Nor did the duke see any of his people who had
influence over him.

"The first day there was consternation throughout the city. By the
second day the duke was a little calmed down. He held a council
meeting all day and the greater part of the night. The king
appealed to every one who could possibly aid him. He was lavish in
his promises and ordered fifteen thousand crowns to be given where
it might count, but the officer in charge of the disbursement of
this sum acquitted himself ill and retained a part, as the king
learned later.

"The king was especially afraid of his former servants who had
come with the army from Burgundy, as I mentioned above, men who
were now in the service of the Duke of Normandy.

"Diverse were the opinions in the above-mentioned council-meeting.
Some held that the safe-conduct accorded to the king protected
him, seeing that he fairly observed the peace as it had been
stated in writing. Others rudely urged his capture without further
ceremony, while others again advised sending for his brother, the
Duke of Normandy, and concluding with him a peace to the advantage
of all the princes of France. They who gave this advice thought
that in case it was adopted, the king should be restrained of his
liberty. Further, it was against all precedent to free so great a
seigneur when he had committed so grave an offence.

"This last argument so nearly prevailed that I sa