The count, in reply, thanked them all, and said, that from love to God, to my lord his father, and themselves, he would comply with their request, and follow their advice,—desiring them, at the same time, to accompany him when he presented himself to his father, and that they would entreat him to restore his servants to his favour. This they willingly promised.
On the Monday following, the count de Charolois, accompanied by a great number of knights, esquires, and these deputies, set out from Ghent for Bruges,—and the principal persons of the duke's household, together with the magistracy of the town, and burghers, came out to meet him. He dismounted at the palace of the duke, and advanced to the presence chamber, where, on seeing the duke, he made three genuflections, and, at the third, said, 'My most redoubted lord and father, I have been told that you are displeased with me for three things, (and then stated these as he had done to the deputies, and made similar excuses): however, if in any of these things I have vexed or angered you, I crave your pardon.'
The duke answered, 'Of all your excuses, I know full well the grounds: say no more on the subject; but, since you are come to seek our mercy, be a good son, and I will be a good father:' he then took him by the hand, and granted him his full pardon. The deputies now retired, greatly rejoiced at the reconciliation that had taken place; and the duke then dismissed them, with orders to re-assemble on the 8th of the ensuing March.
On the day of this reconciliation, the lord de Croy set out very early in the morning from Bruges for Tournay, where king Louis of France then resided.
In this and the following year, corn and all other grain were so cheap in the country of Artois that the oldest persons never remembered them at such low prices.
On the 24th of January, king Louis of France came to the city of Arras[32], where he was most honourably received by the clergy and inhabitants. He dismounted at the gate, and walked on foot to the church of our Lady, where he paid his devotions, and then took up his lodgings at the house of the official, which was a good but small house,—and refused to go to the bishop's palace, although large and convenient; but it was the king's custom to prefer small lodgings to greater.
There were with the king his brother the duke of Berry, the count of Eu, the prince of Piedmont, and some few other nobles. He would not permit any of them to lodge in the town, because the inhabitants would not suffer his harbingers to mark any lodgings until all the inns were filled,—and these inns could hold from four to five thousand horse,—which behaviour was displeasing to the king; and he remained in the city from the Monday to Saturday, without entering the town of Arras until he had seen and had examined the privileges of this town of Arras.
When he entered the town on the Saturday, he found at the gate great numbers of people who had been banished thence, who requested that he would restore them to their rights, on his joyous arrival; but he replied,—'Children, you require from me a grace that is not usual for the kings of France to grant, and therefore do not depend on my doing it; for I will not invade the privileges of our fair uncle of Burgundy.' This was all they could obtain from him. He proceeded to hear high mass at the church of St Vaast, which being over, he returned to dinner in the city.