male; so that their
admitting us so easily is not so much to be wondered at.

From thence we marched to Dourlans, and sent a summons to Arras, the
chief town in Artois, and formerly part of the patrimony of the earls of
Flanders, which for want of heirs male always descended to the daughters.
The Lord of Ravestein and the Lord des Cordes, who were in the town of
Arras, offered to enter into a treaty with us at Mount St. Eloy and to
bring some of the chief citizens with them. It was concluded that I
and some others should meet them in the King's behalf; but the Admiral
refused to go himself, because he presumed they would not consent to
grant all our demands. I had not been long at the place of appointment
when the two above-mentioned lords of Ravestein and Des Cordes arrived,
attended by several persons of quality, and by certain commissioners on
the part of the city, one of whom was their pensionary, named Monsieur
John de la Vaquerie, whom they appointed to be their spokesman, and who
since that time has been made first president of the Parliament of Paris.

We demanded in the King's name to have the gates immediately opened and
to be received into the town, for both the town and the whole country
belonged to the King by right of confiscation; and if they refused
to obey this summons, they would be in danger of being besieged, and
compelled to submit by force, since their Duke was defeated, and his
dominions utterly unprovided with means of defence, upon account of their
irrecoverable losses in the three late battles. The lords returned answer
by their speaker Monsieur John de la Vaquerie that the county of Artois
belonged to the lady of Burgundy, daughter of Duke Charles, and descended
to her in a right line from Margaret, Countess of Flanders, Artois,
Burgundy, Nevers, and Rethel, who was married to Philip I, Duke of
Burgundy, son of King John of France, and younger brother to King Charles
V; wherefore they humbly entreated the King that he would observe and
continue the truce that had existed between him and the late Duke of
Burgundy, her father.

Our conference was but short, for we expected to receive this answer; but
the chief design of my going thither was to have a private conference
with some persons that were thereto try if I could bring them over to the
King's interest. I made overtures to some of them, who soon afterward did
his majesty signal service. We found the whole country in a state of very
great