ester was marrying another wife.
Now the Gargantua of Dijon could once more lay hands on the broad
lands of the fair Jacqueline. He remained the ally of the English,
intending to make use of them but not to play into their hands, and
prepared, should he find it to his advantage, to make war on the
French before being reconciled to them; he saw no harm in that. After
the Low Countries what he cared most about were ladies and beautiful
paintings, like those of the brothers Van Eyck. He would not be likely
therefore to pay much attention to a letter from the Maid of the
Armagnacs.[1367]

[Footnote 1367: Monstrelet, vol. iv, pp. 308-309. Quenson, _Notice sur
Philippe le Bon, la Flandre et ses fetes_, Douai, 1840, in 8vo. De
Reiffenberg, _Les enfants naturels du duc Philippe le Bon_, in
_Bulletin de l'Academie de Bruxelles_, vol. xiii (1846).]

CHAPTER XVII

THE CONVENTION OF AUXERRE--FRIAR RICHARD--THE SURRENDER OF TROYES

On the 27th of June,[1368] the vanguard, commanded by Marshal de
Boussac, the Sire de Rais, the Captains La Hire and Poton, set out
from Gien in the direction of Montargis with the design of pressing on
to Sens, which, so they had been wrongly informed, was deemed likely
to open its gates to the Dauphin. But, at the news that the town had
hoisted the flag of St. Andrew, as a sign of fidelity to the English
and Burgundians, the army changed its route, so little did it desire
to take towns by force. The march was now directed towards Auxerre,
where a more favourable reception was expected.[1369] The Maid in her
impatience had not waited for the King. She rode with the company
which had started first. Had she been its leader she would not have
turned from a town when its cannon were directed against her.

[Footnote 1368: According to Perceval de Cagny, p. 157; the 28th of
June, according to Chartier, p. 90.]

[Footnote 1369: _Trial_, vol. iv, p. 286.]

The King set forth two days later, with the Princes of the Blood, many
knights, the main battle, as it was called, and the Sire de la
Tremouille, who commanded the expedition.[1370] All these troops
arrived before Auxerre on the 1st of July.[1371] There on the
hill-slope, encircled with vineyards and cornfields, rose the
ramparts, towers, roofs, and belfries of the blessed Bishop Germain's
city. That town towards which in the summer sunshine, in the company
of gallant knighthood, she was now riding, fully armed like a handsome
Saint Maurice, J