re-establishing peace and friendship betwixt France and Burgundy."

"Be that at God's pleasure," said the King. "It is not for dread of
thy master's arms, but for the sake of peace only, that I return so
temperate an answer to his injurious reproaches. Proceed with thine
errand."

"My master's next demand," said the ambassador, "is that your Majesty
will cease your secret and underhand dealings with his towns of Ghent,
Liege, and Malines. He requests that your Majesty will recall the secret
agents by whose means the discontents of his good citizens of Flanders
are inflamed; and dismiss from your Majesty's dominions, or rather
deliver up to the condign punishment of their liege lord, those
traitorous fugitives, who, having fled from the scene of their
machinations, have found too ready a refuge in Paris, Orleans, Tours,
and other French cities."

"Say to the Duke of Burgundy," replied the King, "that I know of no such
indirect practices as those with which he injuriously charges me; that
many subjects of France have frequent intercourse with the good cities
of Flanders, for the purpose of mutual benefit by free traffic, which it
would be as much contrary to the Duke's interest as mine to interrupt;
and that many Flemings have residence in my kingdom, and enjoy the
protection of my laws, for the same purpose; but none, to our knowledge,
for those of treason or mutiny against the Duke. Proceed with your
message--you have heard my answer."

"As formerly, Sire, with pain," replied the Count of Crevecoeur; "it not
being of that direct or explicit nature which the Duke, my master, will
accept, in atonement for a long train of secret machinations, not the
less certain, though now disavowed by your Majesty. But I proceed with
my message. The Duke of Burgundy farther requires the King of France to
send back to his dominions without delay, and under a secure safeguard,
the persons of Isabelle Countess of Croye, and of her relation and
guardian the Countess Hameline, of the same family, in respect the
said Countess Isabelle, being, by the law of the country and the feudal
tenure of her estates, the ward of the said Duke of Burgundy, hath fled
from his dominions, and from the charge which he, as a careful guardian,
was willing to extend over her, and is here maintained in secret by the
King of France and by him fortified in her contumacy to the Duke, her
natural lord and guardian, contrary to the laws of God and man, as they
e