session of his father's person, they were concerned to prevent by
any means the success of his enterprise. The queen, persevering in her
unnatural animosity against her son, increased the general flame, and
inspired into the king, as far as he was susceptible of any sentiment
the same prejudices by which she herself had long been actuated. But
above all, Philip, count of Charolois, now duke of Burgundy, thought
himself bound by every tie of honor and of duty to revenge the murder of
his father, and to prosecute the assassin to the utmost extremity. And
in this general transport of rage, every consideration of national and
family interest was buried in oblivion by all parties: the subjection
to a foreign enemy, the expulsion of the lawful heir, the slavery of the
kingdom, appeared but small evils, if they led to the gratification of
the present passion.

The king of England had, before the death of the duke of Burgundy,
profited extremely by the distractions of France and was daily making a
considerable progress in Normandy. He had taken Rouen after an obstinate
siege:[*] he had made himself master of Pontoise and Gisors: he even
threatened Paris, and by the terror of his arms had obliged the court
to remove to Troye: and in the midst of his successes, he was agreeably
surprised to find his enemies, instead of combining against him for
their mutual defence, disposed to rush into his arms, and to make
him the instrument of their vengeance upon each other. A league was
immediately concluded at Arras between him and the duke of Burgundy.
This prince, without stipulating any thing for himself, except the
prosecution of his father's murder, and the marriage of the duke of
Bedford with his sister, was willing to sacrifice the kingdom to Henry's
ambition; and he agreed to every demand made by that monarch.

{1420.} In order to finish this astonishing treaty, which was to
transfer the crown of France to a stranger, Henry went to Troye,
accompanied by his brothers, the dukes of Clarence and Glocester; and
was there met by the duke of Burgundy. The imbecility into which Charles
had fallen, made him incapable of seeing any thing but through the
eyes of those who attended him; as they, on their part, saw every
thing through the medium of their passions. The treaty, being already
concerted among the parties, was immediately drawn, and signed,
and ratified: Henry's will seemed to be a law throughout the whole
negotiation: nothing was