e. The assassination perpetrated by the
duke of Burgundy, and still more his open avowal of the deed, and
defence of the doctrine, tended to dissolve all the bands of civil
society; and even men of honor, who detested the example, might deem
it just, on a favorable opportunity, to retaliate upon the author. The
duke, therefore, who neither dared to give, nor could pretend to expect,
any trust, agreed to all the contrivances for mutual security which
were proposed by the ministers of the dauphin. The two princes came to
Montereau: the duke lodged in the Castle; the dauphin in the town, which
was divided from the castle by the River Yonne: the bridge between them
was chosen for the place of interview: two high rails were drawn across
the bridge: the gates on each side were guarded, one by the officers of
the dauphin, the other by those of the duke: the princes were to enter
into the intermediate space by the opposite gates, accompanied each by
ten persons; and with all these marks of diffidence, to conciliate their
mutual friendship. But it appeared that no precautions are sufficient
where laws have no place, and where all principles of honor are utterly
abandoned. Tannegui de Chatel, and others of the dauphin's retainers,
had been zealous partisans of the late duke of Orleans; and they
determined to seize the opportunity of revenging on the assassin the
murder of that prince; they no sooner entered the rails, than they
drew their swords and attacked the duke of Burgundy; his friends were
astonished and thought not of making any defence; and all of them
either shared his fate, or were taken prisoners by the retinue of the
dauphin.[*]

* St. Remi, chap. 97. Monstrelet, chap. 211.

The extreme youth of this prince made it doubtful whether he had
been admitted into the secret of the conspiracy; but as the deed
was committed under his eye, by his most intimate friends, who still
retained their connections with him, the blame of the action, which
was certainly more imprudent than criminal, fell entirely upon him.
The whole state of affairs was every where changed by this unexpected
incident. The city of Paris, passionately devoted to the family of
Burgundy, broke out into the highest fury against the dauphin. The court
of King Charles entered from interest into the same views; and as all
the ministers of that monarch had owed their preferment to the
late duke, and foresaw their downfall if the dauphin should recover
pos