iously blended, two classes of rights had been
invariably reserved by the ducal mortgagers:

(1) Monopolies, regal in nature, such as assured free circulation on
the highways, the old Roman roads, all jurisdiction of passports and
travellers' protection.

(2) The suzerainty. This comprised the power to confer fiefs, of
requisition of military service, of requesting _aids_ and admission to
strongholds, cities, or castles, _le droit de forteresse jurable et
rendable_.

In these regards the compact between Charles and Sigismund differed
from all previous covenants not only in degree, but in kind. The Duke
of Burgundy entered into the _sovereign_ as well as into the mangled,
maimed, and curtailed proprietary rights of the hereditary over-lord.

In his assumption of this involved and doubtful property, Charles laid
heavy responsibilities on his shoulders. The actual price of fifty
thousand gold florins paid to Sigismund was a mere fraction of the
pecuniary obligations incurred, while the weight of care was difficult
to gauge. He succeeded to princes weak, frivolous, prodigal, whose
misrule had long been a curse to the land. The incursions of
the Swiss, the repeated descents of the Rhine nobles from their
crag-lodged strongholds to pillage and destroy, terrified merchants
and plunged peaceful labourers into misery.

Through hatred of the absentee Austrians, the neighbouring cities
repeatedly became the accomplices of these brigands, affording them
asylums for refitting and free passage when they were laden with
evident booty.

In all departments of finance and administration disorder prevailed.
The chief officials, castellans and councillors, enjoyed high salaries
for neglected duties. The castles were in wretched repair and there
were insufficient troops to guard the roads. There was no dependence
upon the receipts nominally to be expected. In the sub-mortgaged
lands, the lords simply levied what they could, without the slightest
responsibility for the order of the domain; they did not hesitate to
charge their suzerain for repairs never made, confident that no one
would verify their declaration.

In the territories of the immediate domain, the Austrian dukes and
their officials had no notion of the rigid system maintained in
Burgundy. Only here and there can little memoranda be found and these
are confused and obscure. There is a dearth of accurate records like
those voluminous registers of outlays kept by Burgu