r by the kingship itself when it no longer deserved
the reproach.

Philip the Handsome left three sons, Louis X., called _le Hutin_ (_the
Quarreller_), Philip V., called the _Long,_ and Charles IV., called _the
Handsome,_ who, between them, occupied the throne only thirteen years and
ten months. Not one of them distinguished himself by his personal
merits; and the events of the three reigns hold scarcely a higher place
in history than the actions of the three kings do. Shortly before the
death of Philip the Handsome, his greedy despotism had already excited
amongst the people such lively discontent that several leagues were
formed in Champagne, Burgundy, Artois, and Beauvaisis, to resist him; and
the members of these leagues, "nobles and commoners," say the accounts,
engaged to give one another mutual support in their resistance, "at their
own cost and charges." After the death of Philip the Handsome, the
opposition made head more extensively and effectually; and it produced
two results: ten ordinances of Louis the Quarreller for redressing the
grievances of the feudal aristocracy, for one; and, for the other, the
trial and condemnation of Enguerrand de Marigny "coadjutor and rector of
the kingdom" under Philip the Hand-some. Marigny, at the death of the
king his master, had against him, rightly or wrongly, popular clamor and
feudal hostility, especially that of Charles of Valois, Philip the
Handsome's brother, who acted as leader of the barons. "What has become
of all those subsidies, and all those sums produced by so much tampering
with the coinage? "asked the new king one day in council. "Sir," said
Prince Charles, "it was Marigny who had the administration of everything;
and it is for him to render an account." "I am quite ready," said
Marigny. "This moment, then," said the prince. "Most willingly, my
lord: I gave a great portion to you." "You lie!" cried Charles. "Nay,
you, by God!" replied Marigny. The prince drew his sword, and Marigny
was on the point of doing the same. The quarrel was, however, stifled
for the moment; but, shortly afterwards, Marigny was accused, condemned
by a commission assembled at Vincennes, and hanged on the gibbet of
Montfaucon which he himself, it is said, had set up. He walked to
execution with head erect, saying to the crowd, "Good folks, pray for
me." Some months afterwards, the young king, who had indorsed the
sentence reluctantly, since he did not well know, between h