ised as a Franciscan monk. Then, at
the ferry, he gave a florin when a penny would have sufficed. The
liberality, inconsistent with his assumed role, aroused suspicion and
led to the detection of his rank and identity. He was stayed in his
flight and imprisoned in the castle of Namur to await a decision on
his case by his self-constituted judge. This was not pronounced until
the summer of 1473.

By that time, Charles was resolved on another course of action than
that of adjusting a family dispute in the capacity of puissant,
impartial, and friendly neighbour. Adolf's behaviour towards his
father had been extraordinarily brutal and outrageous. Public comment
had been excited to a wide degree. It was not an affair to be dealt
with lightly by Duke Charles. The young Duchess of Guelders was
Catharine of Bourbon, sister to the late Duchess of Burgundy, and
Adolf himself was chevalier of the Golden Fleece. In consideration of
these links of family and knightly brotherhood, Charles desired that
the case should be tried with all formality.

[Illustration: ARNOLD, DUKE OF GUELDERS (FROM THE ENGRAVING BY
PINSSIO, AFTER THE DRAWING BY J. ROBERT)]

On May 3, 1473, an assembly of the Order was held at Valenciennes,[2]
and the knights were asked to pass upon the conduct of their
delinquent fellow, who was permitted to present his own brief through
an attorney, but was detained in his own person at Namur. The
innocence or guilt of his prisoner was no longer the chief point of
interest as far as the Duke of Burgundy was concerned. The latter had
made an excellent bargain on his own behalf with the moribund Duke of
Guelders, who had signed (December, 1472) a document wherein he sold
to Charles all his administrative rights in Guelders and Zutphen for
ninety-two thousand florins,[3] in consideration of Arnold's enjoying
a life interest in half of the revenue of his ancient duchy. That
clause soon lost its significance. The old man's life ceased in March,
1473, and, by virtue of the contract, Charles proposed to enter into
full possession of his estates, setting aside not only Adolf, whom he
was ready to pronounce an outlawed criminal, quite beyond the pale of
society, but that Adolf's innocent eight-year-old heir, Charles, whose
hereditary claims had also been ignored by his grandfather.

Before the knights of the Order as a final court, were rehearsed all
the circumstances of the old family quarrel and of the late commercial
transa