e
use of; "for the noble Duke uses not to inquire of witches, wandering
Egyptians, or others, upon the destiny and fate of his neighbours and
allies."

"We have had patience enough, and to spare," said the King, interrupting
him; "and since thy sole errand here seems to be for the purpose
of insult, we will send some one in our name to the Duke of
Burgundy--convinced, in thus demeaning thyself towards us, thou hast
exceeded thy commission, whatever that may have been."

"On the contrary," said Crevecoeur, "I have not yet acquitted myself
of it--Hearken, Louis of Valois, King of France--Hearken, nobles and
gentlemen, who may be present.--Hearken, all good and true men.--And
thou, Toison d'Or," addressing the herald, "make proclamation after
me.--I, Philip Crevecoeur of Cordes, Count of the Empire, and Knight of
the honourable and princely Order of the Golden Fleece, in the name of
the most puissant Lord and Prince, Charles, by the grace of God, Duke of
Burgundy and Lotharingia, of Brabant and Limbourg, of Luxembourg and of
Gueldres; Earl of Flanders and of Artois; Count Palatine of Hainault, of
Holland, Zealand, Namur, and Zutphen; Marquis of the Holy Empire; Lord
of Friezeland, Salines, and Malines, do give you, Louis, King of France,
openly to know, that you, having refused to remedy the various griefs,
wrongs, and offences, done and wrought by you, or by and through your
aid, suggestion, and instigation, against the said Duke and his loving
subjects, he, by my mouth, renounces all allegiance and fealty towards
your crown and dignity--pronounces you false and faithless; and defies
you as a Prince, and as a man. There lies my gage, in evidence of what I
have said."

So saying, he plucked the gauntlet off his right hand, and flung it down
on the floor of the hall.

Until this last climax of audacity, there had been a deep silence in the
royal apartment during the extraordinary scene; but no sooner had the
clash of the gauntlet, when cast down, been echoed by the deep voice
of Toison d'Or, the Burgundian herald, with the ejaculation, "Vive
Bourgogne!" than there was a general tumult. While Dunois, Orleans,
old Lord Crawford, and one or two others, whose rank authorized their
interference, contended which should lift up the gauntlet, the others in
the hall exclaimed, "Strike him down! Cut him to pieces! Comes he here
to insult the King of France in his own palace?"

But the King appeased the tumult by exclaiming, in