e happy event.
The battle of Tewkesbury stemmed the course of this abundant stream of
gratitude, and there were other thanksgivings.[1]

In the spring of 1471, Edward IV. was dating complacent letters from
Canterbury to his good friends at Bruges,[2] acknowledging their
valuable assistance to his brother Charles,[3] recognising his part in
restoring Britain's rightful sovereign to his throne. To his sister,
the Duchess of Burgundy, the returned exile gave substantial proof
of his gratitude in the shape of privileges in wool manufacture and
trade.[4]

Like one of the alternating figures in a Swiss weather vane the King
of England had swung out into the open, pointing triumphantly to fair
weather over his head, while Louis was forced back into solitary
impotence. He seemed singularly isolated. His English friends were
gone, his nobles were again forming a hostile camp around Charles of
France, now Duke of Guienne, who had forgotten his late protestations
of fraternal devotion, and there were many indications that the
Anglo-Burgundian alliance might prove as serious a peril to France as
it had in times gone by but not wholly forgotten.

The two most important of the disputed towns on the Somme were,
however, in Louis's possession, and Charles of Burgundy, ready to
reduce Amiens by siege on March 10, 1471, consented to stay his
proceedings by striking a truce which was renewed in July. This
afforded a valuable respite to the king, and he busied himself in
energetic efforts to detach his brother from the group of malcontents.
Various disquieting rumours about the prince's marriage projects
caused his royal brother deep anxiety, and induced him to despatch a
special envoy to Guienne. To that envoy Louis wrote as follows[5]:

"MONSEIGNEUR DU BOUCHAGE:

"Guiot du Chesney[6] has brought me despatches from Monsg. de
Guienne and Mons. de Lescun and has, further, mentioned three
points to me: First, in behalf of Mme. de Savoy,[7] ... second, in
regard to M. d'Urse ... third, touching the mission of Mons. de
Lescun to marry Monsg. of Guienne to the daughter of Monsg. de
Foix.... The Urse matter I will leave to you, and will agree to
what you determine upon. On the spot you will be a better judge of
what I ought to say and what would be advantageous to me, than I
can here.

"In regard to the third point, the Foix marriage, you know what a
misfortune it would be to me. Use all yo