f Fortescue, there must have been some
foundation for his account; and these destructive wars are
the most likely reason to be assigned for the difference
remarked by this author.

** Grafton, p. 673.

*** Rymer, vol. x. p. 764, 776, 782, 795, 796. This sum was
equal to thirty-six thousand pounds sterling of our present
money. A subsidy of a tenth and fifteenth was fixed by
Edward III. at twenty-nine thousand pounds, which, in the
reign of Henry VI., made only fifty-eight thousand pounds of
our present money. The parliament granted only one subsidy
during the course of seven years, from 1437 to 1444.

The duke reminded the council of the dying advice of the late king, that
none of these prisoners should on any account be released, till his son
should be of sufficient age to hold himself the reins of government.
The cardinal insisted on the greatness of the sum offered, which,
in reality, was nearly equal to two thirds of all the extraordinary
supplies that the parliament, during the course of seven years, granted
for the support of the war. And he added, that the release of this
prince was more likely to be advantageous than prejudicial to the
English interests; by filling the court of France with faction, and
giving a head to those numerous malecontents whom Charles was at present
able with great difficulty to restrain. The cardinal's party, as
usual, prevailed: the duke of Orleans was released, after a melancholy
captivity of twenty-five years:[*] and the duke of Burgundy, as a pledge
of his entire reconciliation with the family of Orleans, facilitated to
that prince the payment of his ransom. It must be confessed, that the
princes and nobility, in those ages, went to war on very disadvantageous
terms. If they were taken prisoners, they either remained in captivity
during life, or purchased their liberty at the price which the victors
were pleased to impose, and which often reduced their families to want
and beggary.

* Grafton, p. 578.

{1443.} The sentiments of the cardinal, some time after, prevailed
in another point of still greater moment. That prelate had always
encouraged every proposal of accommodation with France; and had
represented the utter impossibility, in the present circumstances, of
pushing farther the conquests in that kingdom, and the great difficulty
of even maintaining those which were already made. He insisted on the
extreme reluc