was the Count de Crevecoeur, whose firmness,
during his conduct as Envoy at Plessis, far from exciting Louis's
resentment, had been viewed as a reason for making him his own if
possible. He was not particularly gratified when he learnt that the
Count, at the head of an hundred lances, was gone towards the frontiers
of Brabant, to assist the Bishop, in case of necessity, against William
de la Marck and his discontented subjects; but he consoled himself that
the appearance of this force, joined with the directions which he
had sent by faithful messengers, would serve to prevent any premature
disturbances in that country, the breaking out of which might, he
foresaw, render his present situation very precarious.

The Court upon this occasion dined in the forest when the hour of noon
arrived, as was common in those great hunting parties; an arrangement
at this time particularly agreeable to the Duke, desirous as he was to
abridge that ceremonious and deferential solemnity with which he was
otherwise under the necessity of receiving King Louis. In fact, the
King's knowledge of human nature had in one particular misled him on
this remarkable occasion. He thought that the Duke would have been
inexpressibly flattered to have received such a mark of condescension
and confidence from his liege lord; but he forgot that the dependence
of this dukedom upon the Crown of France was privately the subject of
galling mortification to a Prince so powerful, so wealthy, and so proud
as Charles, whose aim it certainly was to establish an independent
kingdom. The presence of the King at the Court of the Duke of Burgundy
imposed on that prince the necessity of exhibiting himself in the
subordinate character of a vassal, and of discharging many rites
of feudal observance and deference, which, to one of his haughty
disposition, resembled derogation from the character of a Sovereign
Prince, which on all occasions he affected as far as possible to
sustain.

But although it was possible to avoid much ceremony by having the dinner
upon the green turf, with sound of bugles, broaching of barrels, and all
the freedom of a sylvan meal, it was necessary that the evening
repast should, even for that very reason, be held with more than usual
solemnity.

Previous orders for this purpose had been given, and, upon returning to
Peronne, King Louis found a banquet prepared with such a profusion
of splendour and magnificence, as became the wealth of his formid