f view.

The statement is made and repeated, that the report of the duke's
after-dinner speech at Dijon was a fresh factor in alarming the people
in Alsace and Switzerland about his intentions, and making them hasten
to shake off every tie that connected them with Charles and his
ambitious projects of territorial expansion.[5] As a matter of fact,
there had been for months constant agitation in the councils of the
Swiss Confederation and the Lower Union as to the next action.

Opposition to Sigismund had been long existent, antipathy to Austria
was so deeply rooted that the idea of restoring that suzerainty in the
Rhine valley was slow to gain adherents. Probably the arguments that
came from France were what carried conviction. It was a time when
Louis spared no expense to attain the end he desired, while he posed
as a benevolent neutral.[6] His servants worked underground. Their
open work was very cautious. It was French envoys, however, who
announced to the Swiss Diet, convened at Lucerne, that Sigismund was
quite ready to come to an understanding in regard to an alliance and
the redemption of his mortgaged lands.

That was on January 21, 1474, the very day when the mortgagee was
preparing to ride into Dijon and read the agreeable assurances of his
wisdom, strength, and puissance. Yet a month and Sigismund's envoys
were seated on the official benches at the Basel diet, ranking with
the delegates from the cantons and the emissaries from France. On
March 27th, the diet met at Constance, and for three days a debate
went on which resulted in the drafting of the _Ewige Richtung_,
the _Reglement definitif_, a document which contained a definite
resolution that the mortgaged lands were to be completely withdrawn
from Burgundy, and all financial claims settled. This resolution was
subscribed to by Sigismund and the Swiss cantons. Further, it was
decided to ignore one or two of the stipulations made at St. Omer and
to offer payment to Charles at Basel instead of Besancon.

Meantime that creditor, perfectly convinced in his own mind that
the legends of his birthplace were correct in their rating of his
character and his qualities, again crossed Lorraine and entered
Luxemburg, where he celebrated Easter. It was shortly after that
festival, on April 17th, that a letter from Sigismund was delivered to
him announcing in rather casual and off-hand terms that he was now in
a position to repay the loan of 1469, made on the securit