English cause--it had never been English--but
to the Burgundian. Its Provost, Messire Simon Morhier, who had made
great slaughter of the French at the Battle of the Herrings, remained
loyal to the Leopard.[1745] The aldermen on the contrary were suspected
of inclining a favourable ear to King Charles's proposals. On the
12th of July, the Parisians elected a new town council composed of the
most zealous Burgundians they could find in commerce and on change. To
be provost of the merchants they appointed the treasurer, Guillaume
Sanguin, to whom the Duke of Burgundy owed more then seven thousand
_livres tournois_[1746] and who had the Regent's jewels in his
keeping.[1747] Such an alteration was greatly to the detriment of King
Charles, who preferred to win back his good towns by peaceful means
rather than by force, and who relied more on negotiations with the
citizens than on cannon balls and stones.

[Footnote 1745: _Journal du siege_, p. 38. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_,
vol. i, pp. 106, 107. Falconbridge, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 454.]

[Footnote 1746: See vol. i, p. 222, note 2 (W.S.).]

[Footnote 1747: _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, p. 239, note 2. Le
Roux de Lincy and Tisserand, _Paris et ses historiens_, pp. 340 _et
seq._]

Just in the nick of time the Regent surrendered the town to Duke
Philip, not, we may be sure, without many regrets for having recently
refused him Orleans. He realised that thus, by returning to its French
allegiance, the chief city of the realm would make a more energetic
defense against the Dauphin's men. The Parisians' old liking for the
magnificent Duke would revive, and so would their old hatred of the
disinherited son of Madame Ysabeau. In the Palais de Justice the Duke
read the story of his father's death, punctuated with complaints of
Armagnac treason and violated treaties; he caused the blood of
Montereau[1748] to cry to heaven; those who were present swore to be
right loyal to him and to the Regent. On the following days the same
oath was taken by the regular and secular clergy.[1749]

[Footnote 1748: 14th July, 1429, _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, pp.
240, 241. Falconbridge, in _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 240. Morosini, vol.
iii, p. 186.]

[Footnote 1749: _Journal d'un bourgeois de Paris_, p. 241.]

But the citizens were strengthened in their resistance more by their
remembrance of Armagnac cruelty than by their affection for the fair
Duke. A rumour ran and was believed by them t