ouis broadcast
over the land. The truth of the death is not proven. Frequent mentions
of Guienne's condition occur through the letters of the winter '71-72.
The story was that the poison, administered subtly by the king's
orders, caused the illness of both the prince and his mistress, Mme.
de Thouan. She died after two months of suffering, December 14th,
while he resisted the poison longer, though his health was completely
shattered and his months of longer life were unutterably wretched and
painful, a constant torture until death mercifully released him in
May. Accusations of poisoning are often repeated in history. In this
case, there was certainly a wide-spread belief in Louis's guilt. In
his manifestos, (Lenglet, ii., 198) Charles declares that the king's
tools in compassing his brother's death were a friar, Jourdain Favre,
and Henri de la Roche, esquire of his kitchen.

The story told by Brantome _(OEuvres Completes_ de Pierre de
Bourdeille, Seigneur de Brantome, ii., 329. "Grands Capitaines
Francois." There is nothing too severe for Brantome to say about Louis
XI.) is very detailed. A fool passed to Louis's service from that of
the dead prince. While this man was attending his new master in the
church of Notre Dame de Clery, he heard him make this prayer to the
Virgin: "Ah! my good Lady, my little mistress, my great friend in whom
I have always put my trust, I pray thee be a suppliant to God in my
behalf, be my advocate with Him so that He may pardon me for the death
of my brother whom I had poisoned by this wicked Abbe of St. John. I
confess it to thee as to my good patron and mistress. But what was to
be done? He was a torment to my realm. Get me pardoned and I know well
what I will give thee."

Brantome tells further that the fool, using the privilege of free
speech accorded to his class, talked about Guienne's death at dinner
in public and after that day was never seen again. On the other hand,
the young duke's will was all to his brother's favour. Louis was
made executor and legatee, "and if we have ever offended our beloved
brother," dictated the dying man, "we implore him to pardon us as we
with _debonnaire_ affection pardon him." Mandrot, editor of Commynes
(1901), i., 230, considers the whole story a malicious fabrication of
Odet d'Aydie, and other authorities refer the cause to disease. The
very date of the death varies from May 12th to May 24th.]

[Footnote 26: Commines, iii., ch. ix.]

[Footnote 2