ernal friendship had sprung up between him and the
Swiss which must be preserved.

Meantime, Charles has made his own definite plan of the campaign which
was to introduce Edward into Rheims for the coronation. The following
letter from him to Edward IV. bears no date, but it was evidently
written at about the time of the truce[3]:

"Honoured seigneur and brother, I recommend myself to you. I have
listened carefully to your declaration through the pronotary, and
understand that you do not wish to land without my advice, for
which I thank you. I understand that some of your counsellors
think you had better land in Guienne, others in Normandy, others
again at Calais. If you choose Guienne you will be far from my
assistance but my brother of Brittany could help you. Still it
would be a long time before we could meet before Paris. As to
Calais, you could not get enough provisions for your people nor I
for mine. Nor could the two forces make juncture without attack,
and my brother of Brittany would be very far from both. To my
mind, your best landing is Normandy, either at the mouth of the
Seine or at La Hogue. I do not doubt that you will soon gain
possession of cities and places, and you will be at the right hand
of my brother of Brittany and of me. Tell me how many ships you
want and where you wish me to send them and I will do it."

On hearing further rumours of the actual arrival of the English, Louis
hastened to Normandy to inspect the situation for himself. There he
learned that his own naval forces stationed in the Channel to ward off
the invaders had landed on the very day before his arrival, abandoning
the task.

"When I heard that we took no action, I decided that my best plan
would be to turn my people loose in Picardy and let them lay
waste the country whence they [the English] expected to get their
supplies."[4]

At the same time, the rumour that was permitted to be current in
France was, that Charles of Burgundy had been utterly defeated at
Neuss, and that there was nothing whatsoever to apprehend from him.
He, meanwhile, was continuing his own preparations by strenuous
endeavours to levy more troops and to obtain fresh supplies. After
the signing of the convention with the emperor, the duke proceeded to
Bruges to meet the Estates of Flanders. The answer to his demand for
subsidies was a respectful refusal to furnish funds, on