set about his conquests. Nor were commercial interests
forgotten; "to the duchess his sister (to the Flemings) is accorded
permission, to take from England wool, woollen goods, brass, lead, and
to carry thither foreign merchandise."

The year when Charles was waiting before the gates of Neuss was full
of many abortive diplomatic efforts on the part of both the duke and
Louis XI, and it was the latter who managed to save something even
from broken bargains. The Swiss not only counted on his friendship,
but were constantly encouraged by his money, which emboldened them to
send a letter of open defiance to Charles: "We declare to your most
serene highness and to all of your people, in behalf of ourselves
and our friends, an honourable and an open war." To the herald who
delivered this document Charles answered: "O Berne, Berne!"[12] He
felt that he had been betrayed.

This was on October 26th. The defiance was followed by a descent of
the mountaineers upon Alsace, which Charles had not yet released
from his grasp. Stephen von Hagenbach prepared to defend Burgundian
interests at Hericourt, a good strategic position on the tiny Luzine.
Here, the Swiss were about to besiege him, when the Count of Blamont
arrived with two bodies of Italian mercenaries, aggregating more than
twelve thousand men, and attempted to draw off the besieging force.
His plan failed--the tables were turned. It was the Burgundians who
were fiercely attacked and who lost the day. Hagenbach was forced to
surrender, obtaining honourable terms, however, and Sigismund put a
garrison into Hericourt on November 16th.

This was a tremendous surprise to Charles. That cowherds could repulse
his well-trained troops was a thought as bitter as it was unexpected.
But he put aside all idea of punishing them for the moment, and
continued to "reduce Neuss to the obedience of the good archbishop,"
and Hermann of Hesse continued to aid the town in its determined
resistance.

The opprobrious names applied to the would-be and baffled conqueror at
this time are curiously similar to the epithets hurled at Napoleon
a few centuries later. He was compared to Anti-Christ himself, with
demoniac attributes added, when Alexander was felt to be too mild a
comparison. There was still a terrible fear of the duke's ambition,
even though, in the face of all Europe, the Swiss had repulsed his
men, and Neuss obstinately refused to open her gates, while the world
wondered at the duke's