he was far from despising them for
their present want of experience; and he employed all his art to detach
them from the alliance of Burgundy. When Edward sent him a herald
to claim the crown of France, and to carry him a defiance in case of
refusal, so far from answering to [*] this bravado in like haughty
terms, he replied with great temper, and even made the herald a
considerable present:[**] he took afterwards an opportunity of sending a
herald to the English camp; and having given him directions to apply to
the Lords Stanley and Howard, who, he heard, were friends to peace, he
desired the good offices of these noblemen in promoting an accommodation
with their master.[***] As Edward was now fallen into like dispositions,
a truce was soon concluded on terms more advantageous than honorable
to Lewis. He stipulated to pay Edward immediately seventy-five thousand
crowns, on condition that he should withdraw his army from France, and
promised to pay him fifty thousand crowns a year during their joint
lives: it was added, that the dauphin, when of age, should marry
Edward's eldest daughter.[****] In order to ratify this treaty, the
two monarchs agreed to have a personal interview; and for that purpose
suitable preparations were made at Pecquigni, near Amiens. A close rail
was drawn across a bridge in that place, with no larger intervals than
would allow the arm to pass; a precaution against a similar accident
to that which befell the duke of Burgundy in his conference with the
dauphin at Montereau. Edward and Lewis came to the opposite sides;
conferred privately together; and having confirmed their friendship, and
interchanged many mutual civilities, they soon after parted.[*****]

* Comines, liv. iv. chap. 5. Hall, fol. 227.

** Comines, liv. iv. chap. 7.

*** Rymer, vol. xii. p. 17.

**** Comines, liv, iv, chap. 9.

***** Hall, fol. 235.

Lewis was anxious not only to gain the king's friendship but also that
of the nation, and of all the considerable persons in the English court.
He bestowed pensions, to the amount of sixteen thousand crowns a year,
on several of the kings, favorites; on Lord Hastings two thousand
crowns; on Lora Howard and others in proportion; and these great
ministers were not ashamed thus to receive wages from a foreign prince.
As the two armies, after the conclusion of the truce remained some time
in the neighborhood of each other, the English were not only admitted